The crypto market tumbled to begin the week as heightened macro concerns triggered more than $500 million in forced selling of long positions.

The price of bitcoin was last lower by 2% at $115,255.70, after touching a new all-time high last week – its fourth one this year – at $124,496. At one point, it fell as low as $114,706. Ether slid 4% to $4,283.15 after coming within spitting distance of its roughly $4,800 record last week. Both coins rolled over after higher-than-expected July wholesale inflation data raised questions over a Federal Reserve rate cut in September.

Investors’ profit-taking triggered a wave of liquidations across the crypto market.

In the past 24 hours, sales from 131,455 traders totaled $552.58 million, according to Coin Metrics. That figure includes about $123 million in long bitcoin liquidations and $178 million in long ether liquidations. This happens when traders are forced to sell their assets at market price to settle their debts, pushing prices lower.

Adding to investor disappointment were comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who clarified Thursday that the strategic bitcoin reserve President Donald Trump established back in March will be confined to bitcoin forfeited to the federal government, as it explores “budget-neutral pathways to acquire more bitcoin.”

The top cryptocurrencies by market cap fell with the blue-chip coins, with the CoinDesk 20 index, a measure of the broader crypto market, down 3.7%. Crypto related stocks were under pressure premarket, led by ether treasury stocks. Bitmine Immersion was down 6% and SharpLink Gaming fell 3%. Crypto exchange Bullish, which made its public trading debut last week, was also lower by 3%.

This week, investors are keeping an eye on the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for clues around what could happen at the central bank’s remaining policy meetings this year. Crypto traders also will be watching Thursday’s jobless claims data.

Last week’s test of bitcoin and ether highs surprised traders who expected an August pullback for cryptocurrencies, expecting macro concerns to steal focus from recent momentum around crypto’s institutional and corporate adoption – especially in what has historically proven a weak trading month for many markets – until the September Fed meeting.

Many see pullbacks this month as healthy and strategic cooldowns rather than reactions to crisis, thanks largely to support from crypto ETFs as well as companies focused on aggressively accumulating bitcoin and ether. Although ETFs tracking the price of bitcoin and ether posted net outflows on Friday, they logged net inflows of $547 million and $2.9 billion, respectively, for the week. For ETH funds it was a record week of inflows as well as their 14th consecutive week of inflows.

A softer-than-expected July inflation report has improved investor sentiment and revived hopes for a rate cut. Traders await more economic data to gain further insights about the state of the U.S. economy.

Looking beyond macro uncertainties and tariff pressures, it is always a good idea for investors to search for stocks that have strong long-term growth potential and enhance their portfolio returns. To this end, recommendations from top Wall Street analysts can help pick attractive stocks, as these experts perform an in-depth analysis of a company’s financials and growth prospects.

Here are three stocks favored by the Street’s top pros, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.

First on this week’s list is social media platform Pinterest (PINS). The company recently reported mixed results for the second quarter of 2025. While second-quarter revenue surpassed expectations, earnings missed the Street’s consensus estimate. Meanwhile, Pinterest’s third-quarter revenue outlook topped analysts’ estimates.

In reaction to the Q2 print, BMO Capital analyst Brian Pitz increased the price forecast for Pinterest stock to $41 from $40 and reiterated a buy rating. TipRanks’ AI Analyst has an “outperform” rating on PINS stock with a price target of $40.

Pitz noted that Pinterest delivered upbeat revenue and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) in the quarter, fueled by the company’s solid execution and the strength in the retail and financial services businesses. However, the analyst pointed out that Q2 performance was adversely impacted by a 25% drop in advertising pricing resulting from the company’s rising market share in previously unmonetized markets around the globe.

Pitz views Pinterest as a “Clear AI Winner.” While users are gaining from AI-powered search functions and algorithm upgrades on PINS’ platform, advertisers are using Performance+ Creative Preview to observe modifications made by PINS+ creative tools and maximize ad efficiency.

“As AI continues to drive enhancements, we see it as a clear tailwind for PINS to both improve user experience and drive greater efficiency,” said Pitz.

The analyst added that advertisers are also benefiting from Pinterest’s useful customer insights, given that Gen-Z now constitutes more than half the platform’s user base.

Pitz ranks No. 95 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 72% of the time, delivering an average return of 19.2%. See Pinterest Statistics on TipRanks.

We next move to the AI cloud computing company CoreWeave (CRWV), which reported market-beating revenue for the second quarter and issued better-than-anticipated top-line guidance for the third quarter. However, the AI infrastructure company reported a larger-than-expected loss for the second quarter.

Following the Q2 results, Jefferies analyst Brent Thill reiterated a buy rating on CoreWeave stock with a price target of $180. The 5-star analyst highlighted the 86% year-over-year jump in CRWV’s remaining performance obligations (RPO). However, Thill noted the disappointment related to the limited sequential upside in RPO compared to the high buyside expectations following the $4 billion expanded deal with OpenAI signed in May.

Nonetheless, Thill remains optimistic, given that CoreWeave signed expansion deals with two hyperscalers, which he believes reflects “the unrelenting demand for high performance compute and CRWV’s best in class capabilities.”

Thill’s bullish view on the company’s backlog is also supported by the ramp-up in its capacity. Notably, CoreWeave added 600 megawatts of contracted power, bringing the total capacity to 2.2 gigawatts. Overall, the analyst is confident about RPO acceleration going forward, given that AI demand continues to exceed supply.

Thill ranks No. 317 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 61% of the time, delivering an average return of 12.3%. See CoreWeave Ownership Structure on TipRanks.

Finally, let’s look at the well-known coffee chain Starbucks (SBUX). Jefferies analyst Brent Thill upgraded Starbucks stock to buy from hold and increased the price target to $115 from $100.

Tarantino has “high conviction that turnaround strategies under new leadership will be effective in transforming Starbucks into a better company.”

Given the recent underperformance of SBUX stock – which has sunk by 16% over the past six months – Tarantino believes that it now has an improved risk/reward profile. He expects the turnaround initiatives under chairman and CEO Brian Niccol to drive improvement in U.S. comparable sales in Fiscal 2026. The company’s turnaround initiatives are focused on ensuring high levels of hospitality and a faster speed of service in stores.

Moreover, Tarantino expects to gain more visibility on SBUX’s earnings outlook over the upcoming quarters, as the impact of the turnaround efforts starts to become clear. In particular, the analyst expects more details on Starbucks’ cost-saving initiatives and greater clarity on store-level labor investments to provide insights into the company’s long-term aim to revive its operating margin to the level of 17% seen in Fiscal 2019, compared to 10.3% in Fiscal 2025.

Overall, Tarantino expects SBUX’s multiple to expand on signs of improvement in financial performance, driven by the company’s turnaround efforts.

Tarantino ranks No. 441 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 61% of the time, delivering an average return of 10.8%. Interestingly, TipRanks’ AI Analyst is not quite as keen as Tarantino, assigning a “neutral” rating on SBUX stock with a price target of $99.  See Starbucks Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks.

Cryptocurrency exchange Bullish has priced its initial public offering at $37 per share, above the expected range of $32 to $33 and giving it a total market value of $5.4 billion.

The company will raise $1.1 billion in the offering of 30 million shares. In a measure of increased investor appetite, Bullish expanded the number of shares sold in the IPO from 20.3 million, which were originally proposed to be sold at between $28 and $31 a share.

Bullish granted its underwriters, led by JPMorgan, Jefferies and Citigroup, a 30-day option to sell an additional 4.5 million shares. Bullish stock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol “BLSH.”

BlackRock and Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management have indicated interest in purchasing up to $200 million of the shares.

Bullish, which is led by former New York Stock Exchange President Tom Farley and headquartered in the Cayman Islands, is a cryptocurrency exchange that’s geared toward institutional investors and brings together decentralized finance protocols with the security of a centralized company.

Since its launch in 2021, total trading volume on the Bullish platform exceeded $1.25 trillion as of March 31.

Bullish also owns the crypto news website CoinDesk, which includes crypto indexes, data and analytics.

This is the second attempt by Bullish to go public in the four years since it was introduced. Backers, including billionaire PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, are looking to take advantage of the Trump administration’s favorable attitude toward crypto, which has invigorated capital markets this year.

In June, stablecoin issuer Circle made a highly successful stock market debut, raising more than $1 billion. That followed the transfer to Nasdaq (from Toronto) of Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital and stock and crypto trading app eToro‘s IPO that valued it at $5.4 billion. Crypto custody startup BitGo and crypto exchange Gemini have also confidentially filed for U.S. listings. 

—CNBC’s Nick Wells contributed reporting.

Lithium stocks surged Monday on reports that battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) suspended production at a mine in China that plays a key role in supplying the global market.

Shares of U.S. miner Albemarle, based in Charlotte, N.C., jumped 11% and the Sprott Lithium Miners ETF rose about 6% as investors expected lithium prices to rise as supply falls.

CATL has suspended production at the Yichun Project after the mine’s permit expired Saturday, the company told CNBC. It is working to renew the permit and will resume lithium production at the mine as soon as it receives approval, the company said.

The mine in question produces about 4% of global lithium supply forecast for 2025, according to Morgan Stanley. The lithium supply and demand balance was already tightening, with a small surplus expected in 2025, according to the investment bank.

“Depending on the length of the Jianxiawo outage, and if there are any further disruptions elsewhere, the market is likely to move closer to balance in the remainder of the year, bringing upside risk to prices,” Amy Gower, a commodity strategist at Morgan Stanley, told clients in a Monday note. Jianxiawo is the specific CATL mine within the larger Yichun Project in China’s Jiangxi province.

The Trump administration’s fluctuating trade policies add uncertainty into the economy, but investors seeking stable income can look at dividend stocks to bolster their portfolios.

To this end, the recommendations of top Wall Street analysts can help investors pick the dividend stocks that support consistent payments.

Here are three dividend-paying stocks, highlighted by Wall Street’s top pros, as tracked by TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance

The first dividend-paying company in this week’s list is energy giant Chevron (CVX). The company recently delivered market-beating earnings for the second quarter. However, earnings declined compared to the prior-year quarter due to lower oil prices. Meanwhile, Chevron expects the recently completed Hess deal to begin contributing to its earnings in the fourth quarter of this year.

In Q2, Chevron returned $5.5 billion of cash to shareholders via share repurchases of $2.6 billion and dividends of $2.9 billion. CVX stock offers a dividend yield of 4.4%.

Following the Q2 print, Morgan Stanley analyst Devin McDermott resumed coverage of Chevron stock with a buy rating and a price target of $174. TipRanks’ AI Analyst also has an “outperform” rating on CVX stock with a price target of $171.

McDermott highlighted Chevron’s Q2 earnings beat. The analyst said that the recent closing of the Hess acquisition removes a major overhang and strengthens CVX’s business. The Hess deal is expected to enhance Chevron’s growth and portfolio duration.

Additionally, the 5-star analyst noted that while Chevron has lagged peer Exxon Mobil (XOM) in recent years, the Hess deal, along with the Tengizchevroil (TCO) project and cost-cutting measures, is expected to close the gap on growth, at least over the next 2 to 3 years. “With a ~$12.5B cash flow inflection underway, CVX’s 2026 FCF [free cash flow] yield of 8% compares to XOM at 6% and COP at 7%,” said McDermott. 

McDermott ranks No. 406 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 59% of the time, delivering an average return of 11.6%. See Chevron Statistics on TipRanks.

We move to Rithm Capital (RITM), an asset manager with significant experience in managing credit and real estate assets. The company recently announced better-than-expected second-quarter results. Rithm Capital paid a dividend of 25 cents per share for the second quarter of 2025. At an annualized dividend of $1 per share, RITM stock offers a dividend yield of 8.2%.

Reacting to the Q2 performance, RBC Capital analyst Kenneth Lee raised his price forecast on Rithm Capital stock to $14 from $13 while reaffirming a buy rating. In comparison, TipRanks’ AI Analyst has a “neutral” rating on RITM stock.

The top-rated analyst noted that Rithm Capital reported Q2 2025 earnings available for distribution (EAD) of 54 cents per share, surpassing RBC and the Street’s consensus estimate of 52 cents. Given the strong results, Lee raised his EAD per share estimate for 2025 to $2.24 from $2.21. He also raised his 2026 EAD per share estimate to $2.30 from $2.27.

“We favor RITM as it pivots towards being an alternative investment manager, with a fee-based, capital-light business model, over time,” said Lee.

Based on management’s comments, Lee noted that Rithm might not spin off or list its Newrez business and would rather focus on growing the earnings stream within the business. He views RITM’s renewed focus on growth and ROE (return on equity) enhancement positively. Lee also highlighted that Rithm Capital is seeing notable cost benefits through the implementation of initiatives related to artificial intelligence.

Lee ranks No. 22 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 74% of the time, delivering an average return of 18.7%. See Rithm Capital Hedge Fund Activity on TipRanks.

Finally, let’s look at telecom giant AT&T (T). The company delivered better-than-anticipated second-quarter earnings, topping market expectations for wireless postpaid subscriber additions. AT&T offers a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share. At an annualized dividend of $1.11 per share, AT&T’s dividend yield stands at about 4%.

In reaction to the Q2 results, RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin reiterated a buy rating on AT&T stock with a price target of $31. In comparison, TipRanks’ AI Analyst has a “neutral” rating with a price target of $30.

Atkin explained that AT&T’s Q2 revenue beat was driven by higher-than-expected Wireless equipment revenues. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) exceeded expectations, thanks to the strength in the company’s Wireline business, which offset softer Wireless profits.

The analyst noted that AT&T’s revised 2025 guidance reflects cash tax benefits, the improved trajectory of the Wireline business, and a more competitive Wireless backdrop. Atkin added that the company’s free cash flow outlook was revised to the low-to-mid $16 billion range compared to the previous guidance of more than $16 billion, which implies that most of the cash tax benefit will be reinvested into fiber capex and pension funding.

The 5-star analyst stated that while estimates for revenue, EBITDA, and EPS for 2026 and 2027 remain unchanged, AT&T’s free cash flow outlook was increased by $1 billion for both years to reflect cash tax benefits, net of incremental investments. Atkin stated that he supports management’s decision to prioritize capital investments that are expected to drive long-term growth, and “highlight the company’s traction in switching off legacy networks.”

Atkin ranks No. 234 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 67% of the time, delivering an average return of 11.3%. See AT&T Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks.

Coinbase shares slid on Tuesday after the company announced a $2 billion private offering of convertible senior notes.

Shares were last down more than 5%. The decline occurred as investors adopted a risk-off stance on Tuesday and the three major averages declined.

Coinbase is now off more than 30% from its all-time high of $444.65, reached on July 18. Shares popped in mid-July as legislators voted on a series of crypto-related bills, ending with President Donald Trump signing the GENIUS Act stablecoin legislation — the nation’s first-ever crypto law. Shares have been collapsing since then.

Shares of the crypto-trading platform have been running hot since May. That month, the cryptocurrency market started to lead the way back from the market’s April 8 low, and Coinbase joined the benchmark S&P 500. While investors remain optimistic on the crypto services company’s long-term opportunity prospects, some on Wall Street have warned it could be time to take some money off the table as the stock’s momentum starts to wane.

Last week, Citi hiked its price target to $505 from $270. The analyst said Coinbase stands to gain from legislative momentum as well as stronger bitcoin prices and improved custodial fee revenue.

An explosion in demand for crypto beyond bitcoin – particularly coins and companies in the Ethereum universe – are also widely viewed as a boon to Coinbase.

Coinbase reported disappointing second-quarter revenue last week, causing investors to sell their shares despite a stronger start to the third quarter. Coinbase is still up 21% year to date.

Deckers’ rally after its recent quarterly earnings release was short-lived. As of this writing, Deckers is only about 5% above its 52-week lows. This is not a particularly compelling price action unless the stock manages to begin to rebound from these lows – a so-called bearish-to-bullish reversal.

This situation is compounded by the relative weakness we’ve seen in consumer discretionary stocks generally, something we highlighted only a week ago when we wrote about XLY.

Nevertheless, we can sometimes identify trade ideas that look to mitigate sector or industry-specific risks by using a “pairs” trade and taking a bullish position in one company while taking an offsetting bearish position in a company within the same sector or industry.

One such opportunity may be a long position in Deckers Outdoor (DECK) and a short position in its larger and better-known competitor, Nike (NKE), aiming to capitalize on diverging fundamentals within the athletic footwear and apparel sector through the end of 2025. This approach seeks to neutralize broader market risks while exploiting the relative strengths of DECK and the persistent challenges faced by NKE.

The core of this strategy rests on the expectation that Deckers, driven by its booming HOKA brand and robust financial health, will outperform Nike, which continues to grapple with inventory issues, market share erosion, and macroeconomic headwinds. By year-end, we anticipate a convergence in valuations, benefiting from DECK’s upside and NKE’s potential weakness.

Deckers’ appeal stems from its significant brand momentum and sound financial footing. The Hoka brand has achieved remarkable growth. Expansion in the Asia-Pacific region (especially China) mitigates U.S.-centric risks.

Despite a nearly 50% year-to-date stock decline due to broader retail slowdowns and tariff concerns, Deckers’ underlying fundamentals look pretty good. A strong balance sheet allows for aggressive share repurchases and operational flexibility. Valuation metrics are attractive, well below competitor Nike and the broad market; a trailing P/E of 17.2 and a forward P/E of 17.6.

Year-end seasonal demand for UGGs may also prove to be a tailwind. Even with high inventory and tariff impacts, Deckers’ enterprise value-to-sales ratio of just over 2.5 is very close to that of Nike despite considerably better growth, another metric illustrating the relative undervaluation. Should consumer spending stabilize, DECK could rally 20-30% by December 2025.

Nike, meanwhile, continues to face significant structural challenges and a decelerating trajectory. The company reported a 12% revenue decline in Q4 2025, reaching $11.1 billion, due to persistent inventory gluts and weakening demand in key markets like North America and China. Earnings per share growth has plummeted, with further erosion projected due to elevated costs and discounting pressures.

Nike’s stock has entered a deep bear market, down nearly 60% from its 2021 highs, reflecting lost market share to agile competitors such as Hoka, On Running and Lululemon. Stagnant innovation in core lines like Air Jordan and a flawed direct-to-consumer strategy under former CEO John Donahoe have alienated retail partners and diminished brand desirability among younger demographics.

Although the trade war does appear to be cooling off, tariff shocks continue to be a significant risk, as Friday’s market swoon illustrated. Nike is estimating over $1 billion in additional costs from duties on imports, straining EBITDA margins further (currently around 14%). While recent earnings slightly exceeded lowered expectations, prompting some tactical analyst upgrades, these do not necessarily indicate a sustainable turnaround.

The current valuations suggest that some investors believe the company will either return to prior growth rates or the wider-than-average net income margins the company enjoyed in 2021. 

Rationale for the pairs trade

Pairing DECK and NKE allows the trade to isolate company-specific divergences while neutralizing broader industry factors like economic slowdowns or tariff escalations.

Deckers exhibits superior growth rates and a lower P/E multiple than Nike, without the latter’s turnaround uncertainties. While DECK’s volatility (14.84%) exceeds NKE’s (9.37%), this favors the long side in a rebound scenario. This trade hedges against broader retail weakness, as both companies operate in athletic footwear, yet Hoka’s momentum directly encroaches on Nike’s performance segment. As a thought exercise, even if Decker’s net income margins were cut in half, thus declining to those of Nike’s anticipated margins in the 2026/2027 time frame of 7.5%, Deckers would be trading at roughly the same multiple as Nike with better topline growth. 

Risks include a potential Nike rebound from aggressive restructuring or unexpected demand surges, or Deckers succumbing to tariff pressures despite its strong balance sheet. However, with DECK’s enterprise metrics undervalued and NKE’s drawdown signaling capitulation, the spread between the two could widen favorably.

Pairs trades take time to play out, and it’s always possible that the significant valuation discrepancy is a result of something that some investors have identified that we fail to see. Consequently, higher probability, positive carry options trades make sense. In this case, I would recommend selling upside call spreads in Nike and downside cash covered puts or put credit spreads in Deckers. See the example trades below.

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This earnings season, a number of companies are demonstrating their resilience by delivering solid performance despite macro challenges and tariff uncertainties.

With their in-depth analysis, top Wall Street analysts can help investors pick stocks that can navigate short-term pressures with solid execution and focus on delivering attractive returns.  

Here are three stocks favored by the Street’s top pros, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.

Database management software company MongoDB (MDB) is this week’s first pick. In June, the company delivered solid results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Recently, BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman initiated coverage of MongoDB stock with a buy rating and a price target of $280. Meanwhile, TipRanks’ AI analyst has an “outperform” rating on MDB stock with a price forecast of $263.

Bachman said that, according to Gartner, the database market is among the largest software markets at over $100 billion in annual spend, and MongoDB is a leader in the non-relational database segment. Notably, this segment accounts for about 25% of the overall market and is growing by about 20% year over year.

The 5-star analyst noted that feedback from Value Added Resellers (VARs) and users indicates that developers have a very positive view of MongoDB, a platform that is well-suited for customers with multi-cloud deployments. Bachman believes that MongoDB can be one of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) database winners.

“We think MDB is currently focused on improving its vector search capabilities to help win new workloads, including through M&A,” noted the analyst. Also, Bachman expects MongoDB’s cloud-based database offering, Atlas, to sustain low- to mid-20% growth through fiscal 2027. He expects MongoDB to deliver mid- to high-teens growth in fiscal 2027, while gradually enhancing profitability.

Bachman ranks No. 531 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 58% of the time, delivering an average return of 10.3%. See MongoDB Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks.

We move to ServiceNow (NOW), an AI-powered platform for business transformation. The company posted better-than-anticipated second-quarter results and lifted its full-year outlook, backed by increasing AI adoption.

Reacting to the Q2 print, TD Cowen analyst Derrick Wood reaffirmed a buy rating on ServiceNow stock and raised the price forecast to $1,200 from $1,150. Meanwhile, TipRanks’ AI analyst has an “outperform” rating on NOW stock with a price target of $1,129.

Wood noted the impressive 21.5% growth (at constant currency) in ServiceNow’s current remaining performing obligations, delivering a 200 basis-point beat. The top-rated analyst explained that this strong growth was driven by early renewals and AI strength in the enterprise business, which offset tougher federal spending conditions.

The analyst also highlighted that the company’s generative AI suite, NOW Assist, delivered better-than-expected net new annual contract value, driven by higher deal volumes and increased deal sizes.

“We continue to view NOW as the best positioned SaaS [software as a service] vendor to monetize GenAI, and we expect momentum to keep building in 2H,” said Wood. Overall, the analyst is very encouraged by the robust key performance indicators, with ServiceNow’s new AI and data products and strength in the enterprise business offsetting headwinds resulting from tightening federal spending.

Wood ranks No. 352 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 59% of the time, delivering an average return of 13.3%. See ServiceNow Ownership Structure on TipRanks.

Finally, let’s look at cloud-native and AI-powered data security company Varonis Systems (VRNS). On July 29, the company reported solid results for the second quarter of 2025, driven by continued momentum in its business.

Impressed by the performance, Baird analyst Shrenik Kothari raised his price target for VRNS stock to $63 from $58 and reaffirmed a buy rating. In comparison, TipRanks’ AI analyst has a “neutral” rating on VRNS stock with a price target of $54.

Kothari highlighted that Varonis delivered a “clean beat/raise” across key metrics like annual recurring revenue (ARR), subscription revenue and free cash flow. The 5-star analyst added that Q2 conversion ARR was better-than-expected and aligned with strong checks and his preview.

Additionally, the analyst noted that the company again raised its full-year ARR guidance, which reflects improving upsell and net-new business opportunities. “GenAI, Copilot integrations, and MDDR [Managed Data Detection and Response] tailwinds are driving growing customer appetite for the full platform,” said Kothari.

The analyst pointed out that SaaS ARR represented about 69% of overall Q2 ARR, up from 61% in the first quarter, with the company on track to complete its SaaS transition by the end of 2025. He added that Varonis now expects to exit 2025 with an 82% SaaS ARR mix compared to its previous estimate of 80%, backed by solid, broad-based demand from both new and existing customers.

Kothari ranks No. 85 among more than 9,900 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 73% of the time, delivering an average return of 26.7%. See Varonis Systems Statistics on TipRanks.

In recent months, Shay Tomi began seeing plush monster dolls attached to purses and strollers around San Francisco. During recent travels, the 28-year-old noticed more hanging from belt loops. Online, she was fed videos of people unboxing creatures of their own.

These objects, as she would come to learn, have a name: Labubu. After years of rising brand awareness in China, they’re taking the U.S. by storm as a hot fashion accessory and hard-to-get collectable.

It’s caught the attention of shoppers, brands and even politicians who want to ride the trend. One retail analyst christened Labubu as the “it” item globally.

“All of the sudden, everyone has it,” said Tomi, who works in finance. “Then, you kind of had to get one.”

Indeed, Tomi got in on the craze: She has four Labubus that take turns hanging from her purse, sometimes dressed in a miniature grey sweatsuit that she bought from a third-party seller. She also got her boyfriend hooked. His Labubus often sport a basketball jersey designed to match the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tomi isn’t alone. Data and anecdotal evidence shows just how much Labubus are taking off in the U.S. — in turn providing a boon for shares of Pop Mart, its China-based parent, and boosting interest in the collectable company’s other products.

Sales of the company’s plush toys, a business arm that includes some Labubu products, skyrocketed more than 1,200% between 2023 and 2024. With that growth, plush toys accounted for more than a fifth of total revenue in 2024, up from less than 4% a year prior. Impressive, when one considers most of the products cost about $30, though prices vary.

In North America, Pop Mart said revenue surged more than 550% between 2023 and 2024. What’s more, sales in the region climbed about 900% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period a year ago — far outpacing the comparable figure for global growth, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis.

That’s prompted a seismic shift in where the company’s consumer base lives. In 2021, Bank of America found virtually all revenue came from mainland China. Nearly half of revenue is set to come from outside the Asian country this year, per forecasts from the bank.

Foot traffic has taken off in the nearly one year since Pop Mart opened a store in San Diego, according to estimates from Placer.ai. Searches in the U.S. for the word Labubu are on track to hit their highest level on record this month, Google Trends data shows. An Intuit Credit Karma survey found Labubus and other backpack accessories were among the most-asked for items heading into the new school year.

For fanatics like Jonathan Fierro, Labubus have opened their eyes — and wallets — to a company they might have glossed over before. The 29-year-old’s Labubus account for just a handful of the dozens of total products from Pop Mart he owns.

In addition to Labubus, Fierro’s discovered Pop Mart’s Hirono and Twinkle Twinkle toys as other favorites. He now budgets about three-fourths of his monthly “fun” money to spend on the company’s various items.

“It was like the gateway drug to Pop Mart,” the digital media manager said of Labubus. “You really enter a whole other world with so many other fun things.”

Shares of Pop Mart’s stock, which is listed in Hong Kong, have soared more than 500% from 12 months ago. While the stock pulled back earlier this month as investors questioned the sustainability of the company’s current growth rate, Pop Mart’s market cap dwarfs that of U.S. toymakers such as Hasbro and Mattel.

The company declined to make an executive available for this story. But Emily Brough, Pop Mart’s head of intellectual property licensing for the Americas, told CNBC Make It that Labubus have seen “astronomical” sales growth.

To be sure, the doll is starting well behind legacy brands. Labubus accounted for about $423 million of Pop Mart’s global revenue in 2024, according to Brough. By comparison, Mattel said its famous Barbie brand raked in around $1.35 billion that year.

Consumers and toy industry followers credit Lisa, a performer in girl group Blackpink and actress in the latest season of “The White Lotus,” with raising the toy’s profile globally. Rihanna and Simone Biles are also among the other celebrities that have showed off their Labubus, which come in a variety of themes, colors and price points.

Brands jumped in as the product gained notoriety. United Airlines shared a video of the dolls riding a conveyor belt. Olive Garden posted a series of pictures showing a light-blue Labubu with the Italian chain’s breadsticks, salad and pasta.

Social media users share content displaying how they wear, decorate and unbox the dolls. A hair stylist filmed a TikTok video adding extensions to a Labubu that has more than 200,000 likes. 

The buzz has made its way to the political sphere, with Daniel Lurie, the San Francisco mayor and Levi Strauss heir, sharing the news about Pop Mart bringing a store to the city. “Now, I can see first-hand what my kids have been talking about with these Labubus,” he said in a TikTok video set to the sound of Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Espresso.”

The toy’s cultural grip isn’t just prevalent on social media platforms. Last month, people strutted through lower Manhattan’s Washington Square Park with the dolls attached to bags, belt loops and dog harnesses in a makeshift fashion show. Life-sized Labubu costumes have been spotted everywhere from nightclubs to protests.

“I’ve been talking about this as the toy fad that wasn’t,” said Chris Byrne, an independent analyst and consultant known as the “Toy Guy.” “What’s happened with Labubu is it has become much more of a fashion accessory than a toy.”

Byrne pointed to the exclusivity of the dolls — which typically sell out quickly and can be hard to find in stores — as helping drum up interest. Labubus have become a status symbol for adults with a lower price tag than alternatives like Hermes Birkin bags, he said.

The boom in popularity makes sense in this economic moment, he added. When people feel negatively about their financial outlook, Byrne said they shift toy spending to products that they believe to be “collectables.”

Labubus, like other items that can be bought in “blind boxes,” also give the impression of having a value that outweighs the actual price, Byrne said.

Another driver of online interest is a controversial question: Are Labubus, with their perky ears and pointy teeth, ugly? Owners interviewed by CNBC acknowledged that while the dolls could indeed be seen as hard on the eyes, that is, in a way, what makes them lovable.

“They remind me of my dog,” said Jake Alexander, a 25-year-old real estate professional who dresses his dolls up in jewelry from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.

“He is so ugly in the face,” Alexander said of his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. “It’s the cutest thing ever.”

While resellers can fetch a premium, the secondary market hasn’t taken off to the same extent it had previously for a doll like Beanie Babies, Bryne said, explaining that the internet’s rise has made supply seem less scarce.

Still, enthusiast Josh Brantley Cole said he turned to third-party sellers to avoid the hubbub of trying to buy directly from Pop Mart. When purchasing through unofficial channels, consumers need to do their homework to ensure authenticity, Cole said. Otherwise, they may end up with off-brand dupes known as “lafufus,” he said.

First, buyers need an accurate QR code and serial number, he said. Next, he added, the box’s colors should match the related color scheme for the doll. A final giveaway has been the number of teeth — an actual Labubu, he said, should have nine. 

Being in his 40s, Cole admitted that seeing other adult men walking around with Labubus on their person is a “weird” sight. Still, the Los Angeles-based actor said he’d prefer having an affinity for this product over a more serious dependency like alcohol or gambling.

“It’s an addiction that isn’t bad for you,” Cole said. “Luckily, I can afford this addiction.”

— CNBC’s Ashton Jackson, Valentina Duarte and Nick Wells contributed to this report.

The crypto market’s bullishness may be tipping into speculative frenzy, if the latest MicroStrategy-style copycat is any indication.

On Monday, a little-known Canadian vape company saw its stock surge on plans to enter the crypto treasury game – but this time with Binance Coin (BNB), the fourth largest cryptocurrency by market cap, excluding the dollar-pegged stablecoin Tether (USDT), according to CoinGecko.

Shares of CEA Industries, which trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker VAPE, rocketed more than 800% at one point after the company announced its plans. CEA, along with investment firm 10X Capital and YZi Labs, said it would offer a $500 million private placement to raise proceeds to buy Binance Coin for its corporate treasury. Shares ended the session up nearly 550%, giving the company a market cap of about $48 million.

Given the more crypto-friendly regulatory environment this year, more public companies have adopted the MicroStrategy playbook of using debt financing and equity sales to buy bitcoin to hold on their balance sheet to try to increase shareholder returns, pushing bitcoin to new records.

Now, with the S&P 500 trading at new records, the resurgence of meme mania and a pro-crypto White House supporting the crypto industry, investors are looking further out on the risk spectrum of crypto hoping for bigger gains.

In recent months, investors have rotated out of bitcoin and into ether, which led to a burst of companies seeking a similar treasury strategy around ether. SharpLink Gaming, whose board is chaired by Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin, was one of the first to make the move. Other companies like DeFi Development Corp, renamed from Janover, are making similar moves around Solana.