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Just over a year after the crypto winter sent bitcoin miner Core Scientific spiraling into bankruptcy, the Texas-based company is back on the Nasdaq. Trading is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.

Core, which has operations in five U.S. states — Texas, North Dakota, North Carolina Georgia, and Kentucky — mines for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by packing data centers full of specialized computers that crunch math equations to validate transactions and create new tokens. The process requires expensive equipment, technical expertise and a lot of electricity.

As recently as 2021, Core was one of the largest publicly traded crypto mining firms in the U.S., hitting the market in July of that year via a special purpose acquisition company in a deal that valued it at roughly $4.3 billion. However, bitcoin lost over 60% of its value in 2022, meaning all that digital currency Core was producing was suddenly worth a lot less while operating costs remained high.

Without sufficient cash on hand to repay the financing debt owed on equipment it was leasing, Core was forced to enter bankruptcy in December 2022. The stock had fallen more than 98%.

“When bitcoin prices declined and power prices increased, obviously that hurt our levered free cash flow position, as well as hurt our balance sheet, since we were carrying bitcoin on balance sheet,” Core CEO Adam Sullivan told CNBC in an interview.

Rather than liquidating, Core continued to operate and reached a deal with senior security noteholders who hold the bulk of the company’s debt.

The restructuring plan announced Tuesday has slashed $400 million in debt from Core’s balance sheet by “converting equipment lender and convertible note holder debt to equity,” the company said in a statement.

Core said the new credit facility along with projected operating cash flow will allow the company to “emerge and continue executing its multi-year growth plan.”

“We went through a very successful Chapter 11 bankruptcy process,” Sullivan said. “It accomplished exactly what we wanted to accomplish, which was reducing debt and giving us time to pay down any remaining debt on our balance sheet over the course of five years.”

Also helping Core as it reenters the public market is an expansive footprint of mines across the country, and investors’ renewed enthusiasm toward bitcoin, which jumped 150% in 2023.

Even in bankruptcy, Core invested in developing its infrastructure. In 2023, the company minted 13,762 bitcoin from its fleet of mines, or around $540 million at the token’s current price. That doesn’t include the profit Core generates from mining coins on behalf of other companies.

Core is in the process of deploying tens of thousands of more mining rigs with the goal of increasing its capacity by more than 50% over the next four years.

“Our focus is not going to be on the market leadership position, it’s going to be on being the most efficient bitcoin mining company and looking at all of our assets inside of our portfolio, so that we can ensure that we’re refining power into the highest value compute that we can,” he said.

The public markets have been going big in mining since bitcoin started rebounding. Marathon Digital soared more than 590% in 2023 while Riot Blockchain jumped more than 350% and CleanSpark gained over 400%.

Chardan Research said in a note on Jan. 8 that Marathon’s “acquisition of hosting facilities signals a shift in management’s strategy from asset-light to owner-operator,” a move that it called a “meaningful improvement.”

Headwinds remain.

Bitcoin miners have pared back gains in the last few weeks as the price of bitcoin has fallen, and in April, a market-moving event dubbed the “halving” will cut the prize that miners receive in half.

The halving, which happens roughly every four years, is written into bitcoin’s code and is designed to stave off inflation. Though it will immediately impact miner profits, it’s also historically proven to be a catalyst for a run-up in the price of bitcoin. During the crypto market’s previous bull market run, the world’s largest cryptocurrency rose more than 560%.

There are also new potential opportunities for miners to collect fees, as a startup ecosystem is built on top of bitcoin’s base chain, Bernstein said in a note on Jan. 17.

“It is not surprising that listed U.S miners are investing aggressively to ‘land grab’ a higher share” of the $900 billion bitcoin network, the analysts wrote. The firm added that bitcoin miners are “best positioned to benefit from growing institutionalization and financialization of bitcoin,” including the buildout of the bitcoin-based payment infrastructure called the Lightning Network, as well as the rising popularity of nonfungible tokens and ordinals minted on bitcoin.

“We expect 2024 to be a break-out inflection year for crypto,” Bernstein analysts wrote. “We recommend achieving Bitcoin exposure via Bitcoin miners.” The firm said Riot and CleanSpark are its preferred picks.

WATCH: Bitcoin in 2024 – Risks and rewards

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Lexus cuts RZ electric SUV prices by over $10,000 with its new entry-level 2025 model

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November 15, 2024

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Lexus cuts RZ electric SUV prices by over ,000 with its new entry-level 2025 model

Lexus-RZ-prices-2025

The all-electric luxury electric SUV is getting significantly cheaper. Lexus launched a new entry-level 2025 RZ trim with starting prices over $10,000 less than last year’s model. And you get just as much driving range.

2025 Lexus RZ electric SUV prices and driving range

Lexus launched its first dedicated EV last year, the RZ electric SUV. Starting at $55,175, the 2024 Lexus RZ 300e has a range of up to 266 miles.

The 2024 RZ 450e AWD, equipped with its dual-moto DIRECT4 system, has a range of up to 196 miles. Prices start at just under $60,000. Both models are offered in Premium or Luxury packages.

Lexus is drastically lowering prices for the 2025 model year. The 2025 Lexus RZ starts at $43,975, and that includes the $1,175 delivery fee.

At under $44,000, prices for the 2025 RZ start at over $10,000 less than last year’s model. The lower price tag comes as Lexus added a new entry-level RZ 300e FWD trim to the lineup.

The 2025 Lexus RZ 300e FWD still has an EPA-estimated 266-mile range (18″ wheels), so despite the lower price, it’s no loss from last year’s model. It’s powered by a 72.8 kWh battery pack from global leader CATL.

Lexus-RZ-prices-2025
2025 Lexus RZ 450e (Source: Lexus)

Lexus modified the subframe for the FWD model, replacing the rear eAxle from the AWD model. The result is a quieter, smoother drive.

Powered by a 71.4 kWh battery, the 2025 RZ 450e AWD has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 220 miles (18″ wheels).

2025 Lexus RZ model Starting Price* EPA-estimated Driving Range
RZ 450e AWD $48,675 220 miles
RZ 450e Premium AWD w/ 18″ Wheel $52,875 220 miles
RZ 450e Premium AWD w/ 20″ Wheel $54,115 196 miles
RZ 450e Luxury AWD $58,605 220 miles
RZ 300e FWD $43,975 266 miles
RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 18″ Wheel $48,175 266 miles
RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 20″ Wheel $49,415 224 miles
RZ 300e Luxury FWD $53,905 266 miles
2025 Lexus RZ electric SUV prices and range (*Includes Delivery, Processing and Handling fee of $1,175)

The 2025 Lexus RZ is available in three grades. These include the new entry-level model, in addition to the current Premium and Luxury trims.

Inside, the electric SUV has a minimalistic feel with a standard 14″ infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support at the center.

You can also opt for the available 10″ head-up display (HUD), Mark Levinson Surround Sound System, and a host of safety features.

The flat platform provides a spacious interior with 37.52″ of rear legroom, nearly as much as the second row of a Ford Explorer (39″).

With the 2025 model arriving at dealerships soon, Lexus is offering closeout prices on 2024 models with up to $18,500 in lease cash discounts. You can use our link to find the best offers on the Lexus RZ at a dealer near you today.

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Why Jim Cramer is nervous about Best Buy, plus a bright spot in this down market

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November 15, 2024

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Why Jim Cramer is nervous about Best Buy, plus a bright spot in this down market

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‘Political malpractice’ if Trump undoes climate-geared Biden projects, outgoing U.S. energy secretary says

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November 15, 2024

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'Political malpractice' if Trump undoes climate-geared Biden projects, outgoing U.S. energy secretary says

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm speaks to the media on day five at the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference on November 15, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. 

Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images

A potential decision by Donald Trump to walk back the Biden administration’s climate-geared projects would impact jobs in areas governed by the President-elect’s own party, outgoing U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told CNBC, urging consistency in Washington’s green transition policies.

Referencing the White House’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement — a 2015 treaty in which nearly 200 governments made non-binding pledges to reduce greenhouse emissions — during Trump’s first mandate, Granholm said the U.S. pressed ahead with projects linked to the green transition that members of Congress wanted to undertake in their districts.

“We are now building all of these projects. We’re building batteries for electric vehicles, we’re building the vehicles, we’re building the offshore wind turbines, we’re building the solar panels. And all of those are factories. And those factories are in districts of members of Congress,” she told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on Friday at the COP29 U.N. climate conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

'Political malpractice' if Trump undoes Biden climate commitments: Energy Secretary Granholm

She estimated that 80% of the funding from U.S. President Joe Biden’s legacy bills — the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — went to U.S. districts represented by Republican leadership.

“It would be political malpractice to undo those opportunities when people are just now getting hired,” she said, stressing benefits to the manufacturing sector and noting that the business community of the world’s largest economy and oil producer now wants a clear course from Washington on its climate policy.

“This isn’t about in [the Paris Agreement], out, shifting back and forth. Let’s have a consistent practice,” she said.

When asked for a response on Granholm’s comments, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, said the president-elect will “deliver” on the promises he made on the campaign trail.

COP29 discussions are focusing on international community reaction to U.S. election, S&P Global says

International focus has now shifted on the shape of the U.S.’ future role in global climate policy, as Trump prepares to take the helm at the White House for a second mandate in January, following a sweeping victory against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris. Trump — who has yet to announce his own pick to lead the U.S. Department of Energy — put hydrocarbons at the front and center of his campaigning agenda, pledging to “end Biden’s delays in federal drilling permits and leases that are needed to unleash American oil and natural gas production.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in March said that the country already “produced more crude oil than any nation at any time” for the past six years to 2023, averaging a crude oil and condensate production of 12.9 million barrels per day that year — breaking the previous U.S. and global record of 12.3 million barrels per day recorded in 2019, during Trump’s first mandate.

Yet Granholm on Friday stressed that the clean transition is also “unleashed” and will take place regardless of who is leading the White House — and that ignoring climate change risks sacrificing Washington’s position as a frontrunner in the blooming decarbonization industry.

“Why would we take a second, a backseat to an economic competitor like China?” she asked. “They have an economic strategy, they want to be number one. So if we get out of the game, we’re just going to cede that territory all over again. It’s bad strategy for the United States and for workers and for communities across the country.”

As the world braces for the possibility of a second U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement, some climate activists note that the green transition has now gained a different global momentum than during Trump’s first turn at the White House:

“There is no denying that another Trump presidency will stall national efforts to tackle the climate crisis and protect the environment, but most U.S. state, local, and private sector leaders are committed to charging ahead,” Dan Lashof, U.S. director of the World Resources Institute, said in a Nov. 6 statement.

“Donald Trump heading back to the White House won’t be a death knell to the clean energy transition that has rapidly picked up pace these last four years.”

'We have to be rational,' Saudi Arabia's climate envoy says at COP29

Granholm also identified potential support in Trump’s current entourage, which this week welcomed business tycoon Elon Musk as the president-elect’s choice to head a new Department of Government Efficiency, alongside conservative activist Vivek Ramaswamy:

“His right-hand man, Elon Musk,  is somebody who has been strongly in favor of products that … address climate change. Obviously, he’s the founder of Tesla,” Granholm pointed out.

Musk’s environmental stance has come under question over the years, shifting from telling Rolling Stone magazine that “climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces this century, except for AI” and backing carbon taxes to holding that the world needs hydrocarbon supplies as a bridge to renewable energy.

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