AES Rises on Takeover Chatter, Starbucks China Unit Draws Interest, Nvidia Rises

On the episode of Stock Movers:
- Power firm AES (AES), which provides renewable power to tech giants such as Microsoft Corp., is exploring options including a potential sale amid takeover interest, people with knowledge of the matter said. Infrastructure investors including Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. and BlackRock Inc.’s Global Infrastructure Partners unit have been studying AES after the company’s shares lost about half their value over the past two years, the people said. With an enterprise value of about $40 billion, a leveraged buyout of Arlington, Virginia-based AES would still rank among the biggest of all time. Shares of AES jumped as much as 18% on Wednesday for their biggest intraday gain since 2009.
- Starbucks (SBUX) has received proposals from prospective investors in its China business, most of whom are eyeing a controlling stake in the operation, said people familiar with the matter. The Seattle-based company is now in the process of sifting through proposals and shortlisting a group of potential investors for a next round of bidding, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. The company may share financial and operating details with those bidders to help them assess the valuation of its Chinese assets, the people said. Shares in the coffee chain rose.
- Nvidia (NVDA) shares rose after it became the first company in history to achieve a $4 trillion market valuation, cementing its status as a kingpin in the global financial market. The stock has risen more than 20% in 2025, and is up more than 1,000% since the beginning of 2023. Nvidia now accounts for 7.5% of the S&P 500 Index, near its highest influence on record. The latest catalyst for the stock has been a commitment to AI spending from Nvidia’s biggest customers, showing that demand for its computing systems remains strong. This includes tech giants Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Amazon.com and Alphabet, who are projected to put about $350 billion into capital expenditures in their upcoming fiscal years, up from $310 billion in the current year, according to the average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Those companies account for more than 40% of Nvidia’s revenue.

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