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Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., speaks during a “First Tool-In” ceremony at the TSMC facility under construction in Phoenix, Arizona, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.

Caitlin O’Hara | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Apple CEO Tim Cook met with China’s minister of commerce, Wang Wentao, on Monday to discuss industrial and supply chain stabilization, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce.

“The two sides exchanged views on issues such as Apple’s development in China and the stabilization of the industrial and supply chains,” the statement from China’s Ministry of Commerce read.

Apple declined to comment on Cook’s activities in mainland China, where he was one of a handful of top American executives to attend the weekend’s China Development Forum.

Cook and Wang’s meeting comes after months of lockdowns and Covid restrictions in China. Images and videos of workers fleeing from lockdown restrictions at Foxconn’s major iPhone plant in China went viral on social media late last year.

Communist Party officials have made it clear that it’s a top priority to reassure corporate leaders and assuage their concerns about production and reliable output in China.

“China will unswervingly promote high-level opening-up, steadily promote rules, regulations, management, standards and other institutional opening-up,” the statement from Wang’s ministry read.

The meeting comes as Apple has reportedly worked to move some production out of China. Major supplier Foxconn is slated to open a massive factory presence in Bengaluru, India.

— CNBC’s Hilary Pan and Eunice Yoon contributed to this report.

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Airbnb beats on top and bottom lines for second quarter

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Airbnb beats on top and bottom lines for second quarter

Cheng Xin | Getty Images

Airbnb reported second-quarter results on Wednesday that beat analysts’ expectations.

Here’s how the company did based on average analysts’ estimates compiled by LSEG:

  • Earnings per share: $1.03 vs. 93 cents expected
  • Revenue: $3.10 billion vs. $3.04 billion expected

Revenue increased 13% from $2.75 billion during the same period last year. The company reported net income of $642 million, or $1.03 per share, up from $555 million, or 86 cents per share, a year earlier.

In the third quarter, Airbnb expects to report revenue of $4.02 billion to $4.10 billion, or $4.06 billion in the middle of the range. Analysts were expecting $4.05 billion for the period, according to LSEG.

In a letter to shareholders, the company said it had a strong second quarter, even against a volatile macroeconomic backdrop. U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff and trade policies plunged markets into chaos for much of April.

“Despite global economic uncertainty early in the quarter, travel demand picked up, and nights booked on Airbnb accelerated from April to July,” the company said.

Airbnb reported 134.4 million nights and seats booked, up 7% from a year ago and above the 133.35 million expected by StreetAccount.

Gross booking value, which Airbnb uses to report host earnings, service fees, cleaning fees and taxes, totaled $23.5 billion in the second quarter. That figure is above the $22.66 billion expected by analysts polled by StreetAccount.

Airbnb said it received authorization for new share repurchase program of up to an additional $6 billion of Class A common stock. The company said it repurchased $1 billion of Class A common stock during the second quarter, and previously had authorization to purchase $1.5 billion more as of June 30.

Airbnb shares were down slightly in extended trading. They’ve slipped 0.7% for the year as of Wednesday’s close, while the Nasdaq is up almost 10%.

Airbnb will hold its quarterly call with investors at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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DoorDash shares rise on earnings, revenue beat

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DoorDash shares rise on earnings, revenue beat

Doordash food delivery service in New York City on Feb. 13, 2025. 

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

DoorDash shares climbed about 5% in extended trading on Wednesday after the food delivery company reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the second quarter.

Here’s how the company did compared to analyst estimates based on LSEG’s consensus:

  • Earnings per share: 65 cents vs. 44 cents expected
  • Revenue: $3.28 billion vs. $3.16 billion expected

Revenue jumped 25% from $2.63 billion a year earlier, DoorDash said in a press release. The company reported net income of $285 million, or 65 cents a share, after recording a loss of $157 million, or 38 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Orders increased 20% from a year earlier to 761 million. Gross order value (GOV) rose 23% to $24.2 billion.

DoorDash shares have soared 54% this year as of Wednesday’s close, lifting the company’s market cap to $109 billion. The Nasdaq is up almost 10% in 2025.

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Delivery and rideshare stocks have strong demand and growth, says Bernstein's Nikhil Devnani

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Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi unit clears regulatory hurdle, safety probe

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Amazon's Zoox robotaxi unit clears regulatory hurdle, safety probe

Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi unit is ramping up vehicle production at a new facility in Hayward, California.

Zoox

Amazon‘s Zoox has cleared a key regulatory hurdle, paving the way for demonstrations of its self-driving robotaxis.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday that it granted Zoox an exemption from some requirements, a first for U.S.-built vehicles under a recently expanded program.

“Transportation innovators can be confident in getting speedy review of their vehicles and, as appropriate, exemption from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,” NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said in a release.

The company must remove all existing statements that its purpose-built vehicles meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards.

As part of the announcement, NHTSA said it’s closing a probe opened in March 2023 into Zoox’s self-certification that its robotaxi met federal safety standards.

“Through this new exemption process, we are excited to embark on this new path, put these discussions behind us, and move forward,” Zoox said in a statement.

The Department of Transportation in April announced it would expand a program that aims to speed up the autonomous vehicle exemption process to include domestically produced vehicles. Previously, it was limited to imported AVs.

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The easing of regulations will benefit Zoox and its competitors.

Tesla has announced that it plans to produce a two-seater CyberCab with no steering wheel or pedals down the line.

The expansion of the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program could make it easier for the company to conduct testing and operate on public, U.S. roadways if Elon Musk‘s automaker can meet the agency’s requirements.

Zoox, founded 11 years ago and purchased by Amazon for $1.3 billion in 2020, has been gearing up for further expansion this year.

The company in June opened a robotaxi manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it aims to eventually produce 10,000 vehicles a year once it’s at full scale.

Zoox needs more of its toaster-shaped robotaxis to roll off the assembly line to fulfill its mission of deploying a commercial ride-hailing service in the U.S.

The company has eyed Las Vegas as its first commercial market, and said it plans to begin service there later this year.

— CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed reporting to this article.

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