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- AI’s Power Hunger Is Reshaping America’s Electric Grid
AI’s Power Hunger Is Reshaping America’s Electric Grid
Noah Zelvis
February 25, 2026
The AI boom does not just live in the cloud. It runs on steel, wires, and megawatts.
One utility just made a bold move that shows where the next wave of infrastructure growth is headed.
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Pharmaceuticals
Pfizer Skipped the Lab and Bought a Drug That Is Already Approved
Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) just secured exclusive commercialization rights to a recently approved GLP-1 drug in China through a deal worth up to $495 million with Hangzhou-based Sciwind Biosciences.
The drug is already approved for diabetes and is under review for weight management.
That is Pfizer buying instant access to one of the fastest-growing drug markets on the planet.
Speed Over Science This Time
Pfizer has its own obesity pipeline, but those drugs are still years away from reaching patients.
This deal gives the company a commercial presence in GLP-1s right now, in a market where two major competitors are already entrenched.
You can see the urgency. While Pfizer builds its own obesity program, it cannot afford to sit on the sidelines in China, where demand is exploding.
China Is the Battleground
The Chinese weight management market is heating up fast.
Multiple approved GLP-1 options are already available, and more are coming. Pfizer needed a foothold before the window closed entirely.
If your view of Pfizer's obesity strategy has been limited to its own pipeline, this deal adds a commercial layer that changes the timeline completely.
This is not Pfizer's long-term obesity play. It is the bridge that keeps the company relevant while its own drugs move through trials.
Having a product on the market generates data, relationships, and commercial infrastructure that all pay off when the next drug arrives.
PFE currently trades at $27.00 and pays a dividend of $1.72 per share, a yield of 6.35%.
Energy
Chevron Just Took Over One of the Biggest Oilfields on Earth
Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) has signed an agreement to develop West Qurna 2, Iraq's second-largest oilfield, replacing Russia's Lukoil after it withdrew under U.S. sanctions.
The field holds an estimated 14 billion barrels in recoverable reserves and currently produces around 460,000 to 480,000 barrels per day.
That is roughly 9% of Iraq's total crude output.
Chevron is not just picking up a new contract. It is stepping into a vacuum left by one of Russia's biggest energy companies at one of the world's most productive fields.
Sanctions Created the Opening
Lukoil declared force majeure in November after U.S. sanctions made operations untenable.
Iraq moved quickly to maintain production through its state-owned Basrah Oil Company. With Lukoil out, the door opened for a major Western operator to step in.
Chevron was ready. The deal framework includes exclusive negotiations and data sharing, with cabinet approval expected imminently.
Iraq Is Just Getting Started
Chevron is not stopping at West Qurna 2. Additional agreements cover the Nasiriyah oilfield, four exploration blocks in southern Iraq, and the Balad field north of Baghdad.
For a company already operating at a global scale, adding 14 billion barrels of reserves in a single move does not just grow the portfolio.
It reshapes how you think about Chevron's position in the next decade of global energy.
CVX currently trades at $183.00 and pays a dividend of $7.12 per share, a yield of 3.88%.
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Asset Management
The Biggest Asset Manager on Earth Keeps Pushing Deeper Into Crypto
BlackRock Inc (NYSE: BLK) has submitted a plan for an XRP-related ETF, adding another digital asset to a crypto strategy that has been expanding steadily since its Bitcoin ETF shook up the market.
If approved, the fund would provide institutional buyers with a regulated, familiar way to gain exposure to XRP without holding the token directly.
This is BlackRock continuing to do what it does best. Build the infrastructure that makes it easy for big money to move into new asset classes.
The Pattern Is Clear
BlackRock started with Bitcoin. Then came Ethereum. Now XRP is on the list. Each filing follows the same logic.
Find an asset with growing institutional demand, wrap it in a structure that compliance teams and regulators can accept, and open the gates.
Every time BlackRock files for a new crypto ETF, it sends a signal that the asset is graduating from speculation to something the traditional financial world takes seriously.
You do not need to own any crypto to understand why that matters.
The Gatekeeper Keeps Opening Gates
When the world's largest asset manager repeatedly expands its crypto lineup, it reshapes how the entire industry thinks about digital assets.
Each new filing normalizes what was once considered fringe.
If you have been waiting for a clear signal that crypto is crossing permanently into mainstream finance, BlackRock keeps providing one filing at a time.
BLK currently trades at $1,076 and pays a dividend of $22.92 per share, a yield of 2.13%.
Dividend Stocks Worth Watching
Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) will cut U.S. monthly list prices for its blockbuster obesity and diabetes drugs by up to 50% starting in 2027.
This major shift aims to ease costs for insured patients whose out-of-pocket expenses are tied to list prices and make NVO more competitive.
Under the plan, Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and the new Wegovy pill will carry a $675 monthly list price beginning January 1, 2027, down sharply from the current rate of $1,000 - $1,350.
For the first time, the company is directly targeting patients with high-deductible plans or coinsurance structures who often pay close to full list price until coverage kicks in.
The move comes as Novo battles Eli Lilly for dominance in the fast-growing GLP-1 market.
For investors, the price reset signals a more aggressive competitive stance in the obesity race, prioritizing volume growth and broader access even as pricing pressure intensifies.
NVO pays a $1.27 quarterly dividend, yielding 6.62%.
Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc. (NYSE: KDP) has projected a strong 2026 outlook as it moves closer to completing its roughly $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet's, betting the deal will offset mounting cost pressures from soaring coffee prices.
The company expects full-year net sales of roughly $25.9 billion to $26.4 billion, with low-double-digit adjusted profit growth once JDE Peet's is included from the second quarter onward.
The acquisition is set to significantly expand Keurig's global coffee footprint and strengthen its competitive position against industry leader Nestlé.
Keurig plans to fund the transaction through a mix of new debt, equity, and assumed bonds, leaving the combined company with elevated leverage.
Shares rose following the upbeat guidance, suggesting investors are willing to look past short-term headwinds in favor of the expanded business's longer-term scale and earnings potential.
KDP pays a 23-cent dividend, yielding 3.00%.
Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: XEL) has signed an agreement to power a new Google data center in Pine Island, Minnesota, pairing the project with one of the largest clean energy buildouts in the state’s history.
Google will fund all costs associated with its service, including new transmission and grid infrastructure, to ensure existing customers do not shoulder higher bills.
The agreement includes plans to add 1,900 megawatts of new clean energy to the grid, spanning wind, solar, and long-duration storage.
Notably, the project features a 300-megawatt iron-air battery system designed to store energy for up to 100 hours, strengthening grid reliability during multi-day demand spikes.
XEL currently pays a 57-cent dividend, yielding 2.73%.
Dividend Increases
GAP has boosted its dividend to 17 cents, a rise of 6.06%. Its new yield is 2.56%.
VNOM has raised its dividend to 38 cents, a lift of 15.15%. Its new yield is 38%.
SGHC has increased its dividend to 5 cents, up 25.00%. Its new yield is 2.05%.
PPL has increased its dividend to 28 cents, a 4.59% increase. Its new yield is 3.05%.
FANG has increased its dividend to $1.05, a boost of 5.00%. Its new yield is 2.42%.
Dividend Decreases
RYN has cut its dividend to 26 cents, a 4.59% decline. Its new yield is 4.74%.
AU has cut its dividend to 17 cents, a 80.99% decrease. Its new yield is 0.61%.
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Trivia: What is the largest employer in the United States by number of employees? |
Upcoming Dividend Payers
LTC’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 19-cent payment is 02/27/26.
SBUX’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 62-cent payment is 02/27/26.
CBNK’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 12-cent payment is 02/28/26.
BFST’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 15-cent payment is 02/28/26.
Everything Else
Meta has signed a mammoth multi-year deal with Advanced Micro Devices. It will roll out up to 6 gigawatts of the company’s graphics processing units to fuel its AI expansion.
Domino's Pizza has taken a page from the McDonald's playbook, using discounting and value offers to drive same-store sales up by 3.7%.
Pan American Silver has sold its Lira de Plata project in Huancavelica, central Peru, to Silver Mountain Resources Inc. for $80,000.
Xerox is unveiling its latest print innovations and new presses at a four-day showcase in Uxbridge. The event, entitled “The Future of Xerox Production Print”, will welcome print leaders from across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Lowe’s has credited enhanced digital experiences and a focus on online shoppers, and professional contractors for its better-than-expected Q4 sales, although the company says the outlook for the housing market remains gloomy.
That’s all for today’s edition of the Dividend Brief.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any feedback or dividend stocks you want me to take a look at, just reply to this email!
—Noah Zelvis
DividendBrief.com