The day before yesterday 3,000 € in $RIVN (+0,27%)
invested.

I think this will be a serious competition for $TSLA (-2,77%)
.

Plan:

- 25 % sale at +20 %

- another 25 % at +50 %

- 30 % with a 2x

The last 20 % run without take profit.

Let's see where the journey takes us. 😁

The AEX index starts the day with an indication of +0.3%, while international markets also turn green. Wall Street largely managed to recover from Friday's sell-off, and Asian stock markets follow with Korea and Taiwan as outliers. U.S. 10-year interest rates rise slightly to 4.21%, while German rates fall to 2.62%. The euro/dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.1550. The Damrak is relatively quiet, with only B&S presenting figures. Internationally, however, there is plenty of activity: Palantir surprises with strong quarterly results, while Hims & Hers falls sharply. Figma debuts with a 27.4% drop. The US puts pressure on India and China because of Russian oil imports, further raising trade tensions. Investors look forward to figures from AMD, Snap, Rivian and Super Micro Computer. Also on the agenda are the purchasing managers' indices of the service sectors in Germany and the US. In short: plenty of excitement and thrills on the trading floor.

$PLTR (+2,39%)
$HIMS (+3,22%)
$SHEL (+0,12%)
$BP. (-1,07%)
$AMD (+5,32%)
$SNAP (+0,94%)
$RIVN (+0,27%)
$SMCI (+1,26%)

🔗 Source reference:

This summary is based on the article "AEX indicatie is +0,3%, volop spanning en nog meer sensatie" by Arend Jan Kamp, published on StockWatch on Aug. 5, 2025.

The Bank BNP Paribas yesterday published its legendary dividend book for the second half of the year.

Ten European stocks were selected and placed on a list called "Best Ideas". All of these stocks have a pretty convincing track record.

What makes a really good dividend stock for BNP? Stable distributions over at least ten years, sustainable dividend growth and a strong free cash flow. In addition, there are qualitative criteria such as reasonable payout ratios, earnings momentum and rapid price recovery after the dividend discount.

Aegon
$AGN (+0,3%) is a Dutch insurer with a focus on the US market. Dividend yield: 6.8 percent. Added to this is the fantasy of possible deals and greater capital efficiency.

Arkema
$AKE (+0,85%) is a French specialty chemicals group with a yield of 5.7 percent. It is a spin-off from the chemicals business of the oil company Total. Arkema is one of the leading suppliers of highly developed materials.

Bankinter $BKT (-0,8%) is a top Spanish address for wealthy clients. The bank has a solid balance sheet and offers a yield of 5.1 percent - although business is being held back slightly by the prospect of falling key interest rates.

Aéroports de Paris
$ADP (-2,02%) is - as the name suggests - the operator of the Paris airports. Here, investors receive a yield of 3.4 percent, and there is also great rebound potential due to growing air traffic and an exciting investment in GMR in India.

Inditex
$ITX (+1,52%) is the Zara-parent company. The company impresses with a 3.6% return, but above all with a strong cash flow thanks to falling logistics costs and global expansion.

Intesa Sanpaolo
$ISP (-0,33%) is Italy's largest financial institution and offers a 7.9 percent dividend. A large part of its success comes from stable segments such as asset management.

Munich Re
$MUV2 (+0,58%) is one of the stocks from Germany. The reinsurance classic offers investors a yield of 4.2 percent. The company has an enormously strong balance sheet and is a real all-purpose portfolio weapon.

National Grid
$NG. (+0,75%) is an electricity and gas provider from the UK that pays a dividend of 4.5 percent. The company is strong on the energy transition and is well hedged against inflation.

Publicis
$PUB (-1,72%) is France's advertising giant with data-driven advertising and pays a dividend of 3.9 percent. The company is also strongly positioned in the field of artificial intelligence.

The last stock to round off Volkswagen
$VOW (+1,73%) rounds off the list. The car manufacturer offers a full six percent yield. The partnership with Rivian
$RIVN (+0,27%) is also beginning to generate imagination.

All ten stocks combine above-average dividend yields with reasonable valuations. The average price/earnings ratio (P/E) is around 10, and all companies are well capitalized.

BNP speaks of a "quality-driven dividend portfolio" - so it's not about bargain hunting. For those who prefer a broader approach, there is of course also the dividend ETF Amundi MSCI Europe High Dividend Factor ETF EUR $CD9 (+0,07%)

Source & picture: "Welt", 02.07.25

Which companies with a market capitalization of less than 10 billion do you think are particularly promising?

My favorites are:

$ELF (-0,51%)
$CELH

$RIVN (+0,27%)

$S (+1,17%)

$QBTS (+4,34%)

$RGTI (+3,78%)

$VIST (+0%)

Today I am reporting fresh impressions from the Rivian analyst conference ($RIVN (+0,27%)), which I was able to follow as a member of the audience.

Right at the beginning, Murphy focused on the production figures and future plans. He asked whether the 46,000 to 51,000 units targeted for this year for R1 and EDV represented a kind of steady state or whether there was still room for improvement, especially in view of the capacity of the plant in Normal, Illinois of around 150,000 units and the planned capacity expansion for the R23 . Claire McDonough then explained the strategic decision to integrate the first R2 production line at the plant in Normal. This offers considerable flexibility in production. The current capacity in Normal is 85,000 units for R1 and 65,000 for the commercial vans.

An expansion of around 93,000 square meters will create an additional capacity of 155,000 units for the R2, bringing the total capacity in Normal to around 215,000 units. However, McDonough said, not all three lines can run at full capacity at the same time, but the flexibility is there to adjust production between R1, EDV and R2 as needed to maximize overall gross profit potential.

Murphy asked whether the paint shop was the limiting factor for the maximum capacity of 215,000 units and whether there was room for expansion in the future. McDonough confirmed that the paint shop is currently the main limitation. In the second half of this year, a production stop of around one month is planned in order to increase the capacity of the paint shop and prepare the plant for R2 production. In the long term, there would certainly be opportunities for further expansion.

Another important point was the plant in Georgia. Murphy asked about the timeline and capacity. McDonough explained that the Georgia plant would be built in two phases, each with 200,000 units of capacity, for a total capacity of 400,000 units. Construction of the first phase is scheduled to begin in 2026 and production is expected to start in 2028.

In terms of the customer base, Murphy enquired about the current profile of R1 buyers and how this might differ with the potential R2 buyer. McDonough described the R1 customer as very affluent, highly educated and tech-savvy. They appreciated the design, performance and technology of the vehicles. Many are first-time buyers of electric vehicles or enthusiasts looking for a novel product. Interestingly, environmental aspects play a rather subordinate role in the purchase decision; the performance and utility value of the vehicles are more convincing. As for the brand migration from which R1 buyers come, McDonough says this broadly reflects the market shares, i.e. not only premium brands or electric cars, but also many models from Toyota, Ford and GM. A similarly broad mix of switchers is expected for the R2. To increase brand awareness ahead of the R2's launch, Rivian is focusing heavily on experiences and test drives, such as at South by Southwest in Austin, where 7,000 test drives were completed.

An important strategic step is the expansion into Europe. Murphy asked about the plans for this. McDonough emphasized that the R2 was designed for the global market from the beginning and will be the primary product for international scaling. Production is scheduled to start in the first half of 2026 and R2 models will then be exported to Europe, in parallel with the development of the sales and service infrastructure. The early production volumes from Normal will initially be used for brand building in selected European countries before exports are significantly increased with the larger volumes from Georgia.

Another focus of the discussion was on margins. Murphy asked about the improvements in the second generation of the R1. McDonough reported significant progress in reducing production costs per unit. In the fourth quarter of 2024, this reduction already amounted to 31,000 US dollars, mainly due to lower material costs as a result of design and engineering changes, such as the new network architecture and the revised battery pack. Manufacturing efficiency has also been increased, resulting in lower labor and overhead costs per unit.

An important target is EBITDA breakeven in 2027, and Murphy asked about the key factors that will lead to this target. McDonough highlighted that the R2 will not only benefit from its own attractive unit costs - material costs are expected to be less than 50% of the R1 and production line speeds will be significantly higher - but will also have a positive impact on the margins of the existing R1 and EDP products as fixed costs will be better absorbed by the higher production volumes. In addition, Rivian expects significant growth in software and services as well as a moderate increase in SG&A costs.

A key point was the strategic partnership and joint venture with Volkswagen. Murphy asked about the financing mechanisms and milestones. McDonough explained that the total value of the deal is USD 5.8 billion, of which USD 2.3 billion has already been paid. Further tranches are linked to financial milestones (two positive quarters of gross profit), development milestones (positive winter tests for VW vehicle programs in early 2026), a time-bound payment in the form of debt (USD 1 billion in October 2026) and a further payment upon launch of VW vehicles with the JV technology (or time-bound in January 2028).

In light of the current discussions about tariffs, Murphy asked about potential further cooperation opportunities with VW, for example in the area of contract manufacturing. McDonough emphasized that the initial focus is on the successful launch of the JV and the integration of the technology into the R2, but further partnerships with the VW Group are certainly conceivable in the future.

Murphy went on to ask about the price elasticity of demand and whether there were opportunities to achieve higher prices through higher-value product variants and thus potentially offset increased costs. McDonough pointed out that many customers are requesting Rivian's top-of-the-line models (Max Pack, Tri-Motor) and that a next generation Quad-Motor powertrain with even higher power will be introduced in 2025, offering the opportunity to further increase the average selling price (ASP). However, there would also be price-conscious customers interested in the basic models.

Regarding financing and the path to self-financing, Murphy asked if there was a need for further external capital in the near future after the capital inflows from VW and potential DOE loans. McDonough explained that Rivian had approximately $7.7 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of the fourth quarter, in addition to the expected $3.5 billion from VW and a potential $6.6 billion from the DOE loan. This would result in potential capital of just under 18 billion US dollars. However, the capital markets will continue to be monitored opportunistically. McDonough did not yet give a specific timeframe for a positive free cash flow, as this would depend heavily on the production volumes in Georgia.

Conclusion:

The analysts' conference painted a clear picture of Rivian's current situation and future plans. The company has impressed with its products and, with the R2, is about to take a decisive step towards scaling up and reaching a broader group of buyers. The partnership with VW holds enormous potential, both technologically and financially. However, the challenges of ramping up production, uncertainties in the global economy and the potential impact of tariffs continue to pose risks.

I hope this summary gives you a good overview of the key points of the conference!

Rivian ($RIVN (+0,27%) ) presented a clear strategy to improve profitability at its fourth quarter 2024 conference call. CEO RJ Scaringe emphasized that the company reached an important milestone with positive gross margins in the fourth quarter. Key drivers were cost reductions of USD 31,000 per vehicle, an improved product mix strategy, higher regulatory credits and the new joint venture deal with Volkswagen.

A key aspect of the product strategy is the introduction of the powerful Tri-Motor powertrain and the Dune Edition of the R1T, both of which are in high demand. The R1 platform has not only helped to strengthen the brand, but has also ensured a high level of customer satisfaction. The safety certifications from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as "Top Safety Pick+" for the R1S and R1T underline Rivian's positioning as a premium manufacturer.

The experience gained with the R1 will have a direct impact on the development of the R2, which is scheduled for market launch in the first half of 2026. Rivian is significantly optimizing production costs: the material costs of the R2 are to be only half those of the R1, and the number of body components will be drastically reduced through the use of large high-pressure die-cast parts. At the same time, the company is relying on an advanced software architecture and a new sensor platform for autonomy functions that will be integrated into future models.

The plant in Normal, Illinois, is currently being expanded, while the planned plant in Georgia will take over production of the R2 and R3 in the long term. Despite the capital intensity of these projects, Rivian remains financially flexible - the company secured a USD 6.6 billion loan commitment from the US Department of Energy.

CFO Claire McDonough underlined the progress in profitability: 14,183 vehicles were delivered in the fourth quarter, generating sales of USD 1.5 billion. Gross profit in the automotive segment amounted to USD 110 million, which corresponds to a gross margin of 7%. Rivian's software and service business generated USD 214 million in sales with a gross margin of 28%, particularly through remarketing, repairs and software subscriptions.

The joint venture with Volkswagen will generate around USD 2 billion in revenue in the coming years. Operating expenses were reduced by 15 % compared to the previous year and the adjusted EBITDA loss decreased to USD 277 million - the best performance since the start of production. Cash and cash equivalents increased to USD 7.7 billion, including the first tranche from the VW cooperation.

Rivian expects 46,000 to 51,000 deliveries in 2025, with fewer vehicles delivered in the first quarter due to seasonal effects and external disruptions such as the fires in Los Angeles. The company plans to further reduce its inventories and thus generate additional cash.

The development of manufacturing costs was discussed particularly intensively. Rivian sees significant progress and expects the cost per unit to approach the average sales price by the end of the year. The introduction of the second generation of the R1 in particular led to more than 50 % newly procured materials, which enabled cost reductions. The material cost base for the R2 is to be further optimized, which will enable an aggressive pricing strategy.

The software and autonomy platform was another key topic. Rivian is focusing on its own vertically integrated architecture and is developing a hands-free and eyes-off function for highway traffic. One analyst asked how Rivian plans to monetize these functions. In the short term, the "Level 3" system is to be introduced as an additional function for a fee; in the long term, pricing will depend on market developments.

The monetization of the joint venture with Volkswagen was also questioned. The expected USD 2 billion turnover from the cooperation is not distributed linearly, but depends on the progress of development. Analysts were interested in how this deal will specifically affect the company's earnings. Rivian clarified that this revenue will be recognized as pure profit, which will further improve financial stability.

An important point was the production strategy for 2025. A production stop of around one month in the second half of the year will be necessary to integrate the R2 production line. This could affect production figures in the short term, but significantly improve economies of scale in the long term.

The US Department of Energy is providing Rivian with a USD 6.6 billion loan, which is expected to create 7,500 new jobs. Analysts asked whether political uncertainties - particularly with regard to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - could have an impact on Rivian's plans. Management emphasized that R2's cost structure remains competitive even without the USD 7,500 tax credit and that Rivian can react flexibly to regulatory changes.

Finally, the growth of the software and services business was analyzed. Rivian expects sales of over USD 1 billion in this segment in 2025, with regulatory credits accounting for around USD 300 million. The long-term strategy is to develop additional revenue streams through Connect+ and the enhanced self-driving platform. In the short term, a margin of 30% is targeted, but in the long term the segment's profitability remains dependent on market penetration and competitive dynamics.

Rivian reached a turning point in the fourth quarter of 2024: the first positive gross margins show that the company is on a sustainable course. Aggressive cost optimization in the automotive segment, the introduction of the R2 as a scalable mass market product and growing software sales are the cornerstones of future profitability.

I hope you enjoyed the summary!

Have you heard about the latest figures from Rivian Automotive $RIVN (+0,27%) have you heard? The electric car pioneer once again posted losses in the fourth quarter of 2024, although they were lower than in the previous year. With a loss of USD 0.70 per share, the company disappointed analysts, who had expected a loss of USD 0.680.

On the positive side, Rivian was able to increase its revenue to USD 1.73 billion, which is above the estimate of USD 1.40 billion. Nevertheless, the forecast for 2025 is sobering: Rivian plans to deliver only 46,000 to 51,000 vehicles, which is below expectations of 55,000 units.

As a result, Rivian's share price is weak and temporarily fell by 4.59% to USD 12.99 on the NASDAQ. How do you see Rivian's future? Is the electric car manufacturer on the right track or does it face even greater challenges? 📈