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RJ Hamster

The RJ Hamster morning Show

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The RJ Hamster morning Show

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RJ Hamster

The Thing I Was Building Wasn’t Strong Enough :…

DERICK JEROME

EDUCATOR & SPOKEN WORD ARTIST

When the pressure hits, it doesn’t create the cracks. It actually just reveals them.

There was a moment recently where I realized I was off. There were shift that were subtle enough to ignore if I wanted to.

I noticed I was reaching for voices (my pastors, peers and ministry leaders) before I reached for God. Searching for someone to explain the Word instead of sitting in it myself. Looking for an educator when I was actually being invited into intimacy and it revealed something in me to me.

A misplaced dependency.

That realization is what made me start this DISRUPTED Series.

Series: DISRUPTED: The holy undoing before the real rebuilding

There are seasons where God doesn’t just adjust your life but He dismantles it. Not to destroy you, but to expose what you’ve been standing on. DISRUPTED is a four-part journey into those moments when everything familiar starts to crack, when what felt stable begins to shift, and when faith is no longer theoretical but tested.

This series is about the holy undoing, the necessary breaking before anything real can be rebuilt. Because before God builds something that lasts, He will always reveal what cannot.

Part One: Shattered

Matthew 7:24–27 (NLT)

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a comparison that is not about intelligence, effort, or even morality. It is about foundation.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

He continues by describing two builders. One builds on rock. One builds on sand. The same storm hits both. Only one structure remains.

This passage is not primarily about the storms but more so it is about exposure.

Jesus is showing that pressure does not create failure. It reveals it.

Two key words help us understand what Jesus is actually saying:

House (Greek: oikia) This word refers to more than a building. It refers to a constructed life and what has been formed over time. That can be habits, decisions, beliefs, internal patterns.

Jesus is not talking about building literal homes. He is talking about formation within a generation and within people.

Fell (Greek: pipto) This word means to collapse completely, not to erode slowly. It describes a full structural breakdown.

This matters because the collapse is not partial damage. It is the exposure of something that was never secure to begin with.

What Jesus Is Teaching

The difference between the two builders is not visible during construction. It only shows up under pressure. Both builders heard the same words. Both builders experienced the same environment. Both builders went through the same storm.

The difference was the foundation.

Jesus is revealing that truth isn’t validated in the lesson alone but in the trial. Storms do not create the instability. They show you where it is. That means there are areas of life that feel fine, until pressure hits. This shows up in our relationships. Decisions. Identity. Emotional resilience. Even faith.

What Jesus is addressing is not failure in that pressure and hard times but misplaced confidence in stability that was never tested.

So the real question is: What happens when what you built your life on starts falling apart? Ask yourself this because that’s what Jesus is exposing.

The shattering is not always punishment. Its not always a “why me” situation. Sometimes it’s clarity and it comes from uncomfortable and trying times.

To go a step further we have to understand and believe that whatever cannot withstand the pressure was never built on the right foundation.

Prayer:

God,

For every person reading this, please meet them in the place that’s starting to crack.

Where things feel uncertain, speak clarity.
Where foundations feel shaky, bring truth.
Where they’ve built on what can’t last, give them the courage to let it fall.

Don’t let them run from the pressure—, but instead let it reveal You.

Rebuild what matters.
Strengthen what remains.
And anchor every life here in something that cannot be shaken.

Amen.

If you want a more interactive lesson or way to reflect with God you can start the first 7 days of the When Dust Speaks devotional for free here:
https://bmwtogether.kit.com/dfa92f0e21

If you want to sit with these themes slowly, the full When Dust Speaks devotional book is available here:
https://www.amazon.com/When-Dust-Speaks-Spoken-Devotional/dp/B0FBGS45SG

Read with me next Monday for Part Two of the Series: DISRUPTED: The holy undoing before the real rebuilding

With you,
Derick

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RJ Hamster

Your Night Prayer

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A Night Prayer

Jesus Christ, my God, I adore You and thank You for all the graces You have given me this day. I offer You my sleep and all the moments of this night. I place myself and all my loved ones, wherever they may be, in Your sacred side and under the mantle of Our Blessed Mother. Let Your holy angels stand watch and keep us in peace. Amen.

Quote of the Day

“He loves, He hopes, He waits. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep us waiting an instant.”

— St. Maria Goretti

Today’s Meditation

“Late have I loved Thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new; late have I loved Thee! For behold Thou were within me, and I outside; and I sought Thee outside and in my unloveliness fell upon those lovely things that Thou hast made. Thou were with me and i was not with Thee. I was kept from Thee by those things, yet had they not been in Thee, they would not have been at all. Thou didst call and cry to me and break open my deafness: and Thou didst send forth Thy beams and shine upon me and chase away my blindness: Thou didst breathe fragrance upon me, and I drew my breath and do pant for Thee: I tasted Thee, and now hunger and thirst for Thee: Thou didst touch me, and I have burned for Thy peace.” —St. Augustine, pg. 26

An excerpt from 100 Great Catholic Poems

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Examination of Conscience

The daily examination of conscience is an ancient Catholic practice. It’s very simple, and it’s designed to help us identify our sins and weaknesses so that we can improve and grow stronger in the spiritual life, while providing an excellent ongoing preparation for regular Confession. It consists of taking a few minutes at the end of the day to prayerfully review our actions in the light of God’s commandments, followed by the Act of Contrition.1. Reflect on the victories and losses

Actively reflecting on the high and low points of the day can help you live more intentionally and bring a renewed sense of resolve into the following day.

Review your actions, words, and thoughts today. Did you actively guard yourself against temptation? Where did sin creep in?
In what moments did you practice virtue and moral courage?
Were you attuned to the Holy Spirit’s promptings today? Where did you feel His inspiration?
Ask Him for the graces necessary to follow His Will more purposefully tomorrow.

2. Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.3. Practice gratitude

It is God’s love that has brought you into existence and to this exact moment. Practice looking for His hand in your day.

Where did you feel His loving gaze upon you today?
What people or moments helped you see God in your life?
Thank God for all these moments!
Ask Him to help you recognize His blessings and providence tomorrow.

4. Renew your commitment to Christ

Remember: our Faith is founded upon a Person—Christ! Renew your personal love and devotion to Him.

Thank God for the gift of His Son Jesus and our call to be His disciples.
Tell the Lord of your desire to know Christ more personally.
If possible, set an intention for your day tomorrow. Ask Our Lord to guide you in this act.
Pray a Hail Mary, Our Father, or another beloved prayer.

Rest with God

My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.— Isaiah 32:18 Compline (Night Prayer)Want to help your organization reach thousands of Catholics? Click here to consider sponsoring future Night Prayers.

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RJ Hamster

SI:AM | FIFA’s Shocking Folarin Balogun Reversal

DAN GARTLAND

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I don’t think there’s any way we will see a game at this World Cup better than England-Mexico.

In today’s SI:AM:

🇺🇸 Balogun set to play
🇳🇴 Haaland excels in Norway upset
🇧🇷 Brazil squanders World Cup opportunity

USMNT catches a break

Phil Noble/Reuters

The U.S. men’s national team is set to benefit from one of the most controversial off-field decisions in the history of the World Cup.

FIFA announced yesterday that U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban for being shown a red card will be suspended for a probationary period of one year. In simpler terms: Balogun will be allowed to play in the team’s round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday night. (Belgium is appealing the decision.)

⚽ Check out SI’s World Cup Daily

Balogun, who has been the team’s best offensive player throughout the tournament, received a red card in the 64th minute of the U.S.’s round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after he stepped on the back of Tarik Muharemović’s leg as the two battled for possession. The decision to show Balogun a straight red card after a video review was widely criticized, as the contact with Muharemović seemed merely incidental. Nonetheless, FIFA’s rules are clear: A player who receives a red card will automatically miss their team’s next match. Teams are not allowed to appeal a red card ban.

The rules don’t say anything about a country’s head of state making a personal appeal to the president of FIFA, though.

President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino hours after the red card was issued on Wednesday to lobby for the decision to be reconsidered, according to multiple reports. (The New York Times first reported the news.) The Guardian reported that Trump called Infantino three times.

U.S. fans will feel relieved that a key player will be available for one of the biggest games in the team’s history, but the way the decision was reversed should also make them feel slimy.CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI

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👀 The top five …

… moments from England’s wild win over Mexico:

5. Harry Kane’s postgame interview after he’d lost his voice by screaming for 90 minutes.

4. Mexican legend Guillermo Ochoa’s emotional reaction after the final whistle. The 40-year-old, who has made more than 150 appearances for the national team, was consoled by his teammates.

3. Jude Bellingham’s clearance to save a Mexico goal.

2. Jordan Pickford’s leaping save to deny a would-be game-tying goal in the first half.

1. Julián Quiñones’s skillful finish to score Mexico’s first goal.

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RJ Hamster

Verducci’s View: All-Star Picks, Ohtani’s Comps at 32

TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci delivers a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball’s biggest storylines every week.

Want to be included in his new mailbag feature? Email a question to newsletters@si.com.

⚾ The Leadoff

John McCoy/Getty Images

A Young Man’s Midsummer Classic

The people have spoken, and they made it clear they like champions. One-third of the 18 elected All-Star Game starters played in the World Series last season. None are bad choices. After all, it’s the ultimate game for fans.

Going strictly on merit, however, to pick my deserving All-Star starters, I disagree on half of the elected starters.

My picks reflect the game of baseball today. It’s a young man’s game. Of my 18 All-Star selections, only six are older than 29, including a Midsummer Classic Rock reunion of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, who last played in the same All-Star Game eight years ago.

Of the 12 drafted players among my picks, seven were first-round picks and none were found after the fifth round. Six were signed as international free agents from four countries: Cuba, Japan, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

Here are my All-Star starters, including where noted when I opted for a different choice than the fans’ pick.

American League

C: Dillon Dingler, Tigers, over Shea Langeliers, Athletics

Dingler has the better numbers across the board by narrow margins, but the defense is the biggest separator between the two. Dingler ranks in the 97th and 98th percentiles in blocking and framing.

1B: Nick Kurtz, Athletics, over Vlad Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays

This is not close, especially because Guerrero has had trouble getting the ball in the air with any authority.

2B: Ernie Clement, Blue Jays

No problem here. Clement leads AL second basemen in OPS and leads the league with 22 doubles.

SS: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

He leads the league in WAR and stolen bases, plays hard every day and can change a game in more ways than most players.

3B: Junior Caminero, Rays

Look out, baseball world. He has cut his chase rate for a third straight season. With his sick bat speed, Caminero is one of the best fastball hitters in the game. He slugs .788 against four-seamers.

OF: Byron Buxton, Twins

He goes to back-to-back All-Star games for the first time. He is the AL leader among outfielders in OPS, just ahead of …

OF: Mike Trout, Angels

Welcome back, Mike. He hasn’t played in an All-Star Game since 2019 but should be on the field in Philadelphia next week with his imminent return to the Angels’ lineup this week. He joins Cal Ripken Jr. and George Brett as the only AL players elected as a starter at least 11 times.

OF: Riley Greene, Tigers, over Aaron Judge, Yankees

You could pick Greene or Cody Bellinger to replace the injured Judge. Bellinger is the better defender, but Greene has more total bases and the better OPS+.

DH: Yordan Alvarez, Astros

Easy call. The best hitter in baseball, Alvarez leads in the AL in hits, OBP, slug, OPS and total bases.

Casey Paul/Getty Images

National League

C: Hunter Goodman, Rockies, over Drake Baldwin, Braves

Thirteen homers and a .680 slug in June pushed Goodman ahead of Baldwin in a tight race. And most of Goodman’s damage has come on the road, where he has hit 18 homers, and not in Colorado, where he has nine.

1B: Bryce Harper, Phillies, over Freddie Freeman, Dodgers

Harper leads all NL first basemen in OPS and is second in homers, runs and walks. Freeman and Matt Olson of the Braves are right there with him.

2B: Luis Arraez, Giants, over Ozzie Albies, Braves

Think of this position as a multiple-choice question with no bad answers. JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals leads in WAR, Brandon Lowe of the Pirates leads in homers and RBIs, Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks leads in total bases and Brice Turang of the Brewers leads in runs. But there is no denying a guy hitting .326 with the most hits and highest OPS+ at the position.

SS: Otto Lopez, Marlins, over CJ Abrams, Nationals

Lopez retooled his approach over the winterto get more into his legs. It’s paying off with a huge season. He leads the league regardless of position in hits, singles and batting average and leads Abrams comfortably in WAR, 4.1 to 2.9.

3B: Max Muncy, Dodgers

At 35, Muncy is having the best season by a player that old at that position since Adrian Beltre 10 years ago.

OF: Juan Soto, Mets

It’s already the fifth All-Star game for Soto, who continues to be an on-base machine with more walks than strikeouts (for the eighth season) thanks to a career-low strikeout rate.

OF: James Wood, Nationals, over Brandon Marsh, Phillies

Wood leads the league in runs, walks and total bases while leading all NL outfielders in home runs.

OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs, over Andy Pages, Dodgers

It’s close, but Crow-Armstrong leads the NL in WAR with better numbers than Pages in most categories. Soto, Wood and Crow-Armstrong rank 1-2-3 among NL outfielders in OPS.

DH: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

He keeps amazing us. Ohtani has thrown 50 pitches at least 100 mph—already a career high, and third most among MLB starters—and hit 76 pitches at least 100 mph—27th most in MLB.

Harry How/Getty Images

A Unicorn Turns 32

Ohtani turned 32 years old Sunday at a time when his incredible full-time two-way duty caught up with him a bit. On Friday, Ohtani grinded through six innings with 110 pitches—matching a career high for pitches in a game with nine baserunners. The next inning he left the game feeling tightness in his right biceps, the result of taking a swing in his previous at-bat. The next day he did not play while receiving treatment.

With the All-Star Game coming up, the Dodgers might opt to skip his next start, due Friday against Arizona, to afford him what would be a two-week break from pitching. It would reduce his projected innings total from 152 to 143. His career high is 166 but remember that Los Angeles plans to play seven months. It counts on him having enough in the tank to throw another 20–30 innings in the postseason.

On the day Ohtani turned 32, he had played in 1,099 games as a hitter and made 114 starts as a pitcher. His birthday is a good time to appreciate the gift of Ohtani as a two-way player of unprecedented productivity.

Compared to all hitters through 1,099 games, Ohtani:

Hit 298 home runs, fifth most, behind only Aaron Judge, Ralph Kiner, Juan Gonzalez and Ryan Howard.
Stole the most stolen bases (171) among players with 250 home runs except for Willie Mays (188).
Most resembles Frank Robinson:

Through 1,099 GamesHRRBITotal BasesOPSRobinson2507492,305.957Ohtani2987192,334.955

As the home runs and the Robinson comp suggest, as a hitter alone Ohtani is an all-time great.

Now consider what he has done on the mound. Compared to all pitchers through 114 games, Ohtani:

Struck out more batters (765) than all but nine pitchers.
Owns the 11th lowest ERA (2.81).
Lost the fewest games (22) of all pitchers with 700 strikeouts.
Most resembles Roger Clemens:

Through 114 GamesW–LERABBSOClemens66–232.97232787Ohtani47–222.83208765

Combine all-time greats Robinson and Clemens into one player and you have Ohtani. Amazing.

Pinch Me

Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images

Miguel Rojas, who tied World Series Game 7last year with a ninth-inning home run, quietly added another career highlight Friday: he pinch hit for Ohtani. Rojas singled in the seventh inning when Ohtani was removed with biceps tightness.

The moment recalls the incredible career of Carroll Hardy, the Forrest Gump of understudies. As a minor leaguer in 1955, Hardy also played for the San Francisco 49ers, catching passes from Y.A. Tittle.

In 1958 with Cleveland, on his 25th birthday, Hardy hit his first MLB homer while pinch-hitting for Roger Maris.

Two years later, on Sept. 20, 1960, Hardy became the only man to pinch hit for Ted Williams, who had to leave the game after fouling a ball off his foot in his first inning at-bat. (Hardy popped up a bunt into a double play).

Eight days later, in Williams’s final game, Hardy replaced Williams in left field when he was removed so that Fenway Park fans could send him off with an ovation. It was the game made famous by John Updike’s famous essay, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu.”

Wait, there’s more.

The next year, 1961, Hardy pinch hit for Carl Yastrzemski. He bunted again. This time for a hit.

No, not done.

The year after that, 1962, Hardy, batting in the 12th inning, became the only player to end a scoreless game with a grand slam.

Wait. There’s more. On the final out of the pennant-clinching win for the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox, Hardy was on deck for Minnesota when Rich Rollins popped up to Rico Petrocelli.

After his playing days, Hardy worked as an executive in the Denver Broncos front office, mentoring John Elway.

Tittle, Maris, Teddy Ballgame, Yaz, Elway. That’s a lot of history for a career .225 hitter, including .190 as a pinch hitter.

The Skenes Slump

Hunter Martin/Getty Images

One of the odd stats from the first half is that the Pirates have lost nine consecutive starts by Paul Skenes. He has a 5.36 ERA in that stretch.

Much has been made of his decline in velocity. He averaged 96.3 mph in his last start, tying a career low in his 73 starts, having dipped to the same number on May 12, which happened to be his last win.

Yes, his velocity has been trending down, as you can see here:

But velocity is not his problem. Skenes is allowing a .188 average on his four-seamer, the best of his career. He’s throwing it about as often as ever and is dotting it on the top rail more than ever.

The bigger problem is Skenes’s off-speed pitches. In 2024 and 2025, Skenes’s off-speed pitches ranked in the 100th and 98th percentiles in run value. This season they are down to the 17th.

Skenes throws seven pitches. His changeup marks only the second time one of them ranks as below average in run value. (The other was the slider in 2024, which he threw only six percent of the time.) Worse, he has lost confidence in his splitter, which was a featured put-away pitch for him as a rookie. As you can see here, it has less movement, is not missing enough bats and is getting waffled:Skenes Splitter by YearUsageTotal MovementOpponents’ BAWhiff Rate202428.3%15.0.18429.3%202513.5%14.5.28922.8%202611.0%13.9.36618.8%

If you look at the annual heat maps of Skenes’s splitter, you understand why his confidence in the pitch has diminished. In 2024 and 2025, he consistently dotted the lower glove side corner of the strike zone. The pitch snaked under the barrel of right-handed hitters who were reading it as a sinker.

But look at how the splitter this year has drifted toward the center of the plate. His average horizontal miss this year is 2–3 inches, which is a lot. But his biggest misses, the ones that get hit, are about eight inches, or almost half the width of the plate. Those are the ones that find barrels.

Skenes’s struggles remind us of two truths about the righthander:

He still throws plenty hard enough to get people out.

He always has been more of a craftsman than a pure power pitcher.

Skenes is a seven-pitch pitch-maker who relies on movement, sequencing and precision more than blowing away hitters. When he loses his touch on deadening the baseball with his changeups and splits, he loses a big lever in how he can dominate hitters.

📺 Breakdown of the Week

Buyer beware. Freddy Peralta of the Mets is one of the few starting pitchers on the trade market who has the pedigree to start Game 1 or 2 of a postseason series. But the righthander they call “Fastball Freddy” is not the same pitcher, especially when you dig down to find what’s underneath his 4.81 ERA.

Peralta simply is not exploding down the mound nearly the same as he did in his prime. Over the past five years, including a dramatic change since last year, Peralta has devolved from having elite extension—the magic behind his lively fastball—to average extension and below-average perceived velocity.

You can see for yourself the decline of Peralta above. He is throwing with career lows in extension, arm angle and perceived velocity. Here is one snapshot of his mechanical decline:YearExtensionArm Angle20217.237.3°20256.838.4°20266.5*32.1°*

*Career low

Losing 8 ½ inches of extension means Peralta is giving hitters more time to read and react to his pitches. Perceived velocity, a function of how far the ball travels and its speed, means much more to a hitter than basic velocity.

Since 2023, Peralta’s fastball has lost 0.3 mph on the radar gun. But because Peralta has lost extension, it has lost 1.3 mph in perceived velocity, that is, to the hitter’s eye. With a perceived velocity of 94.2, the fastball of Fastball Freddy is now a below average major league fastball.

Looking at the decline in extension and perceived velocity here, you understand that any team that trades for Peralta, a free agent after the season, must be confident it can quickly fix his mechanics to get the life back on his pitches.YearVelocityExtensionPerceived VelocityBA202394.46.995.5.213202494.36.894.9.239202594.86.795.4.209202694.16.594.2.2572026 MLB Average94.76.595.0.246

📺 TV on TV This Week

Monday, July 6: Diamondbacks @ Padres, 9:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

Saturday, July 11: Red Sox @ Mets, 4 p.m. ET(FS1)

The Padres picked a bad time to go ice cold. A 20-game gauntlet leading to the All-Star break (Braves, Dodgers, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays) began with a sweep of Atlanta but has cratered into a season-on-the-brink collapse. Entering Sunday, the Padres were outscored 73–27 in a ghastly eight-game losing streak. How bad was it? Only one team, the 2000 Mariners, gave up so many runs in an eight-game losing streak and made the playoffs. Seattle was seventh in the majors that year in runs per game. These Padres are dead last. The pitching that carried such a weak offense for three months has buckled.

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All betting and gambling content included in the Verducci’s View newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators’ opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM.

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RJ Hamster

Charles delivers Ferrari its 250th win

Scuderia Ferrari HP enjoyed a memorable afternoon at Silverstone, where Charles Leclerc claimed victory in the British Grand Prix, giving Ferrari its 250th Formula 1 World Championship victory
— Read on www.ferrari.com/en-EN/formula1/articles/british-grand-prix-2026-sunday-report

RJ Hamster

🦉 The Night Owl Newsletter for July 6th

Unsubscribe Buy this stock tomorrow (From Chaikin Analytics)

Flash Crash or Cash? The AI Hardware Reset Investors Can’t Ignore

Written by Jeffrey Neal Johnson

Recent intraday volatility wiped $137 billion across top memory equities, triggering premature retail investor panic over an impending artificial intelligence (AI) hardware supply glut. The brutal sell-off hit the semiconductor sector after an extended run, prompting many market participants to question whether the memory boom had stretched too far and too fast.

Reports circulated highlighting worries about future oversupply, consumer resistance to rising flash pricing, and broader unease surrounding technology valuations. The resulting price action looked devastating on the surface, painting a picture of cyclical exhaustion.

Defragmenting the Panic: Why True AI Bottlenecks Survive

Memory markets are notorious for violent boom-and-bust cycles. When prices rise, manufacturers historically flood the market with capacity, eventually crushing their own margins. Retail participants saw the recent market slide and assumed the traditional cycle had peaked. However, under the surface, institutional demand remains unyielding. Leading compute memory capacities are entirely locked up through 2026, and hyperscale storage margins are expanding to record highs.

This localized technical reset offers a strategic entry point into the market’s most critical infrastructure bottlenecks before the next major capital expenditure deployment cycle. The recent pullback has separated true bottleneck winners from legacy storage names, a distinction that requires careful fundamental analysis.

Stacking Chips: The High Bandwidth Monopoly

To understand where the real leverage sits in the current market, investors should look at the infrastructure driving heavy compute workloads. Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) serves as the primary gauge for true memory demand. Micron Technology currently trades at a highly rational, nearly 23 trailing price-to-earnings ratio, a surprisingly grounded valuation for a $1.12 trillion enterprise operating at the center of the data center build-out.

Fears of a supply glut fail to account for the physical realities of high bandwidth memory (HBM) production. Creating these chips involves vertically stacking layers of silicon, a highly complex packaging process that consumes up to three times the wafer supply of standard memory. Micron Technology’s entire supply chain for these specialized components is contracted and completely sold out through the end of 2026.

Micron Technology is already aggressively ramping up shipments designed to integrate with NVIDIA’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) upcoming Vera Rubin architecture. To support this pipeline, Micron Technology initiated a major cleanroom expansion in Hiroshima, backed by approximately $3.33 billion in Japanese government subsidies. Sovereign capital flowing into advanced dynamic random-access memory infrastructure signals that structural under-supply remains a multi-year reality.

Retail investors frequently flag insider selling as a bearish indicator. Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Mehrotra recently liquidated nearly $85 million in shares across two transactions roughly a month apart, materially reducing his direct equity position. In the context of a sold-out supply chain and a multi-year cyclical run, executive profit-taking represents standard cycle harvesting rather than an internal panic over decaying fundamentals.

Storage Wars: Pricing the New Hardware Reality

In early 2025, a structural shift altered the landscape for data center storage. Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC)successfully executed the spin-off of SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) into a standalone, publicly traded entity. This separation fundamentally isolated each company’s risk profile, enabling the market to accurately price its distinct growth trajectories.

SanDisk now operates as a pure-play entity controlling the consumer and enterprise solid-state drive market. Following an unprecedented rally that pushed shares up by over 3600% over the trailing 12 months, SanDisk trades at a steep trailing price-to-earnings ratio of nearly 61.

Despite this rapid valuation increase, institutional capital continues to back SanDisk’s momentum. Citigroup recently increased its price target to $2500, which sits in the shadow of Susquehanna’s May 2026 increase to a street high of $3250, positioning SanDisk as a secondary beneficiary of the broader earnings cycle.

Executive profit-taking is materializing at SanDisk as well, with Chief Legal Officer Bernard Shek selling 1,200 shares over the past two months.

The elevated multiple highlights the vulnerability cited during the recent sell-off. If cloud computing budgets shift entirely toward active compute processing rather than bulk storage, legacy flash operators may face a severe risk of multiple compressions.

Western Digital now operates as a streamlined, pure-play mechanical hard-disk-drive enterprise. Shares rebounded by nearly 7% intraday following the sector wipeout, currently trading at a trailing multiple of around 34.

By shedding the consumer-facing flash business, Western Digital appears perfectly positioned to capture localized data center storage demand without the cyclical drag of retail hardware pricing resistance.

Magnetic Appeal: Seagate’s Margin Explosion

While flash memory commands retail headlines, the unsung hero of the current hardware cycle is high-capacity magnetic storage. Seagate Technology (NASDAQ: STX) just delivered a masterclass in operational efficiency and margin expansion. Seagate posted a blowout third quarter, reporting a 44% year-over-year revenue jump alongside a record 47% non-GAAP gross margin.

This profitability spike stems directly from the rapid adoption of Seagate Technology’s heat-assisted magnetic recording architecture. Modern computing workflows generate an immense volume of telemetry, log, and training data that requires cost-effective, large-scale retention.

Advanced magnetic architecture solves this exact bottleneck efficiently. Bank of America recognized this fundamental shift, pushing its price target on Seagate Technology to $1,150. The financial reporting clearly shows that pure-play hard drive operators are capturing substantial capital expenditure flows entirely insulated from consumer pricing headwinds.

Formatting the Portfolio: Capitalizing on Multiple Compression

The wave of insider selling, combined with stretched multiples in the flash sector, confirms that parts of the recent sell-off were heavily driven by valuation fatigue. The market is now forcing a necessary bifurcation between operations that rely on critical compute bottlenecks and those that rely on tangential consumer storage narratives.

The price target hikes from tier-one institutions demonstrate that seasoned investors view the pullback as a clearing event. Sustained elevated spot pricing and consistent forward guidance on server deployments remain the primary metrics to track. If supply chains remain tight and customer adoption of next-generation hardware persists, this temporary slide will simply serve as a reset button for latecomers.

Investors assessing the semiconductor sector may want to prioritize pure-play compute and advanced magnetic storage operators while exercising caution around consumer-heavy flash producers. Monitoring sequential gross margin expansions and enterprise contract durations will provide the clearest signal on whether the rebound holds its ground through the end of the year. READ THIS STORY ONLINE

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As Employers Drop Obesity Drug Coverage, Hims & Hers Could Be the Winner

Written by Jordan Chussler

The healthcare sector is one of the best-performing sectors in the S&P 500 over the past month, with a gain of around 6%. But while that rebound has been led by a handful of mega-cap Big Pharma companies, it has also been reflected in the performances of smaller firms.

One of those is mid-cap Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS), the telehealth platform that provides direct-to-consumer (D2C) personal care products and virtual medical services.

Over the past 30 days, HIMS is up more than 45%, which has brought the stock’s year-to-date (YTD) gain to nearly 20%. After a run like that, the stock may be due for a short-term breather. But according to healthcare industry experts, a looming catalyst could have an outsized benefit on Hims & Hers in 2027 and beyond, which is setting the stock up for a buying opportunity on its next pullback.

The GLP-1 Craze Is Pushing Up Employers’ Healthcare Plan Costs

As the cost of weight-loss drugs continues to climb, Reuters recently reported that some employers are planning to drop coverage for GLP-1 treatments, including Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, Mounjaro, and Foundayo—products manufactured by Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY).

Last year, over 40% of employers covered weight loss drugs, and estimates for this year are roughly the same. But two industry groups’ analyses cited by Reuters show that is very likely to change in 2027.

According to policy research group Business Group on Health, about 10% of employers that currently offer coverage for GLP-1 drugs for weight loss said they planned to drop them in 2027. A second survey conducted by Mercer, a benefits consultancy, finds that 5% of large employers plan to drop coverage in 2027 or are actively considering doing so.

While that is unfortunate news for those undergoing treatment, it is welcome news for HIMS shareholders. Patients losing healthcare coverage for GLP-1 drugs should be a boon for Hims & Hers Health, which presently generates around one-third of its revenue from its weight-loss business.

Analysts forecast the company’s revenue to grow from an estimated $2.89 billion in 2026 to $3.45 billion in 2027, and increased subscription demand for weight loss drugs amid eroding insurance options should play a significant role in that top-line growth.

Lost coverage for GLP-1 treatments should spur a migration to D2C telehealth providers, with Hims & Hers serving as a natural destination due to its platform bundling medical provider access, unlimited clinical consultations, and pharmacy fulfillment services into one streamlined subscription.

Technical Analysis and Wall Street Suggest a Correction Is Ahead

With its recurring revenue model, Hims & Hers should be a long-term beneficiary of dropped coverage. The platform charges a $39 fee for the first month of its weight loss membership. After that, the charge goes up to $149 for clinical subscriptions, not including the cost of the medication itself. Medication is billed separately, and Hims says the membership does not include or guarantee a prescription. Compounded oral options, for instance, can run $145 to more than $199 per month, while branded GLP-1 pens—like Wegovy—can run even higher.

However, following its approximately 160% gain from its YTD low on Feb. 27, HIMS appears overdue for a price correction. According to the Relative Strength Index (RSI)—a technical momentum indicator that shows if a stock is overbought (above 70), oversold (below 30), or fairly valued (somewhere in between)—HIMS has pushed into overbought territory.

As shown by the green arrow below, the RSI on HIMS one-year chart currently reads 70.86, suggesting that the stock is overbought and due for a price reversal:

Technical analysis is hardly a perfect science. But the last two times the stock’s RSI breached 70—first in mid-April then again in mid-June—HIMS pulled back more than 28% and nearly 8%, respectively, before continuing its rally.

Meanwhile, Wall Street remains bearish on the stock after its outperformance this year. Of the 16 analysts currently covering HIMS, only four assign it a Buy rating.

Overall, the stock receives a consensus Hold rating alongside a 12-month price target that implies over 19% potential downside from current prices.

Concerningly, with a high-volatity beta of 2.35, current short interest for HIMS now stands at more than 32% of the float, or about 65.4 million shares valued at $1.97 billion.

That is the most the stock has been shorted since March and marks a nearly 5% month-over-month increase.

At the same time, insider activity has seen an uptick in selling this year. In Q1 2026, $3.46 million worth of HIMS shares were sold with no buys. In Q2, that figure rose $4.86 million against $1.17 million bought. READ THIS STORY ONLINE

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Contrarian Alert: 5 Downgraded Stocks That May Reward Long-Term Investors

Written by Thomas Hughes

Not every downgrade is a sell signal. Sometimes, a lower price target reflects reset expectations rather than a broken investment case. That distinction matters for Domino’s Pizza (NASDAQ: DPZ)and ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), two high-quality stocks that have fallen toward long-term lows even as Wall Street’s broader view remains constructive. For investors willing to look beyond the latest target cuts, both names may offer rare entry points backed by durable growth catalysts.

Domino’s Pizza: A Tasty Capital-Light Model, Cash Flow, and Buybacks

Domino’s Pizza shares are down sharply in 2026 amid sluggish consumer spending, increased competition, and health trends linked to GLP-1 inhibitors. The result for analyst sentiment is a sharp reduction in share price targets, with the low end pegged at $290, but little change in the actual sentiment rating. First on the list of Most Downgraded Stocks, DPZ is rated as a consensus Moderate Buy by 30 analysts; the Buy-side bias is above 50%, and the consensus price target forecasts over 30% upside from early July trading levels. The catalyst for the move may come late in the month, when DPZ issues its Q2 earnings report.

While consumer trends are impacting sales, the company’s unrivaled scale, technological advantages, and purchasing power enable growth and cash flow. Cash flow is critical to this investment due to aggressive buybacks. Shares were reduced by an average of 2.2% in Q1, a pace likely to be sustained in the coming years, potentially increasing in Q2, given the share price discount. Institutions, meanwhile, have been accumulating shares and underpin market support with price action at long-term lows.

Lowe’s Companies: Baseline Demand Provides Cash Flow

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE: LOW) is down on the combination of persistent housing market weakness, cautionary guidance, and the ensuing downshift in analysts’ sentiment. However, despite ranking second as the Most Downgraded, the negativity is centered on price targets, and the market has overreacted. While low-end targets suggest some downside risk remains, as of early Q3, most revisions align with the consensus, which forecasts a modest double-digit upside. Pegged at $265, a move to the consensus puts this market within striking distance of its all-time highs, with capital returns in play.

Lowe’s not only pays a reliable, growing dividend but also opportunistically buys back shares. Opportunities for investors include the value, which is deep relative to forward estimates, the dividend, and the potential for buybacks. It will take time, but housing markets are expected to improve, drive cash flow for Lowe’s, and increase capacity to return capital. Until then, market dynamics suggest that baseline housing demand, home maintenance, and seasonal spending are sufficient to ensure dividend safety.

Zscaler: A Prudent Approach Provides Opportunity for Investors

Zscaler’s (NASDAQ: ZS) stock is down, and still down, because of the AI SaaS-pocalypse fear and a change in sales strategy. The change includes the departure of two key figures and the impact on guidance. Management felt it “prudent” to take a cautious view despite the strengths shown in its Q1 release by other leading cybersecurity firms. Their results and guidance (more so the guidance) triggered robust market upswings that have added triple digits to their prices.

Analyst trends indicate a bottom in this market, despite it ranking third on the list of Most Downgraded Stocks for Q2. June and July activity includes more than a dozen reiterated ratings and price targets, pegging ZS as a consensus Moderate Buy with 40% upside potential, reaffirming price targets that had been reduced ahead of the Q1 release. The likely outcome is that ZS shares recover quickly in subsequent quarters, as results reflect the company’s inherent strengths and outpace the low bar management set.

ServiceNow: SaaS-Pocalypse to Narrative Shift in 1 Quarter

ServiceNow’s stock price is at long-term lows due to the SaaS-pocalypse that AI was supposed to bring. The story today, however, is that AI underpins ServiceNow’s strengths, with a shift in market dynamics expected. Late June and early July analyst activity reflectsthe shift in sentiment, with them expecting a meaningful business impact linked to AI in upcoming results. Drivers include the new package tiers that include consumption-based pricing.

Early channel checks indicate traction, prompting analysts to end the prevailing downtrend in sentiment. Even so, ServiceNow ranks fourth on the list of Most Downgraded stocks based on trailing 12-month activity. The consensus price target, which forecasts approximately 35% upside in early July, is down by roughly the same amount since last year.

Tractor Supply Company: Business Growth Slows, It Didn’t Die

Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO) suffers from tepid growth and (slightly) below-forecast results. The critical detail is that store count growth and comp sales sustain system-wide growth and cash flow, enabling the dividend and share buybacks. TSCO stock is relatively high-yielding as of mid-2026, paying an annualized yield of 3.17%, and it is expected to increase its payout at year-end. Buybacks are also substantial, having reduced the Q1 count by an average of 1.2% over the trailing 12 months.

Analyst trends are a headwind for price action, but again, this is a near-term problem. While all analysts are reducing their targets, the market overreacted and fell below the low end, creating a deep-value opportunity, with consensus forecasting more than 40% upside. Catalysts include the roll-out of fresh pet food capability across 700 stores. Pet Supplies is the single area of weakness this year, dragging on overall growth, and premium food is the trend.

READ THIS STORY ONLINE

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