Key Takeaways
- Mondelez International (MDLZ) reported a stronger-than-expected second quarter, with adjusted earnings per share of $0.73 and revenue of $8.98 billion, driven by strong chocolate sales and pricing strategies despite high cocoa costs.
- Caesars Entertainment (CZR) posted a narrower net loss in Q2 2025, with revenue slightly exceeding forecasts, primarily due to a significant 24.3% jump in digital revenue to $343 million.
- AI chipmaker Ambiq (AMBQ) priced its Initial Public Offering (IPO) at $24 per share, raising $96 million from 4 million shares, near the top of its expected range.
- John Hess plans to repurchase his family's iconic Hess Toy Truck business from Chevron (CVX) next year, following Chevron's recent acquisition of Hess Corp. (HES).
- The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a weekly increase in U.S. crude oil and distillate stocks, while gasoline inventories saw a decline.
Mondelez International (MDLZ) has demonstrated robust performance in its second quarter of 2025, logging higher profit and revenue that surpassed analyst expectations. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.73, exceeding the anticipated $0.68, and total sales reached $8.98 billion, higher than the $8.84 billion forecast. This growth was largely attributed to strong pricing execution in its chocolate business and robust growth across most geographies, despite the challenging environment of historically high cocoa prices.
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) also saw positive movement, reporting a narrower loss in the second quarter of 2025. While the company missed analyst expectations for earnings per share, posting a loss of $0.39 compared to an estimated profit of $0.06, its revenue of $2.91 billion slightly exceeded the consensus of $2.86 billion. The significant improvement was primarily driven by its digital segment, Caesars Digital, which saw its adjusted EBITDA double to $80 million and revenue surge by 24.3% year-over-year to $343 million.
In the technology sector, Arm-backed AI chipmaker Ambiq (AMBQ) successfully priced its IPO at $24 per share, raising $96 million from the sale of 4 million shares. This pricing was near the top of its initial range of $22 to $25 per share, indicating strong investor confidence in the company's ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions for edge AI applications.
A notable development in the energy and retail sectors involves the future of the iconic Hess Toy Truck. John Hess, former CEO of Hess Corp. (HES), intends to buy back his family's toy truck business from Chevron (CVX) next year. This comes after Chevron's $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corp., a deal that included the toy truck business. Chevron has stated it will operate the Hess Toy Truck LLC until April 1, 2026, after which it is expected to transfer its interest to a Hess family entity.
Meanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute (API) released its latest weekly inventory data, showing a 1.539 million barrel increase in U.S. crude oil stocks and a 4.189 million barrel rise in distillates. Conversely, gasoline inventories experienced a decline of 1.739 million barrels.
In international business, Japan is actively seeking to attract Denmark's Vestas (VWDRY) to produce wind turbine blades within the country. This initiative aligns with Japan's broader push into renewable energy development, with Vestas already involved in significant offshore wind projects in Japan, including the Oga Katagami Akita Offshore Wind Project.
Finally, discussions around U.S. tariffs continue to evolve. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that American businesses should not view the potential April 2 tariffs as "the end of the world," suggesting ongoing negotiations with trading partners. While some countries are reportedly willing to pay tariffs to maintain access to the U.S. market, a new analysis suggests that increased tariffs could raise factory costs for domestic manufacturers by approximately 2% to 4.5%.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.