Companies to Watch: Alibaba unveils new tech, Amazon reveal new gadgets, Levi raises dividend

Here are the companies the Yahoo Finance team is watching for you today.

Alibaba (BABA) is getting in on machine learning. The e-commerce giant has unveiled a new chip it says can perform machine learning tasks much faster and with less energy. It says the chip is already installed on some of its own servers, but not on Alibaba's cloud. It's not clear when that functionality will be added or if the chip will be sold to the public.

Amazon (AMZN) may be growing its virtual assistant presence. At a press event at its Seattle headquarters today, the e-commerce giant is expected to unveil a wide-range of Alexa-infused products for different places in the home, as well as updates to Alexa's functions.

Some good news for Levi Strauss (LEVI) shareholders. The company is raising its quarterly dividend by 7% to $0.15 cents a share. In the second quarter, the clothing company posted a 63% drop in earnings because of costs associated with its March IPO. It reports Q3 results next month.

Nintendo (NTDOY) fans rejoice. Mario Kart Tour is finally available today to download on iOS and Android devices. The game will have a gold pass subscription that lets you win prizes and badges as you play, and also unlocks the faster 200 cc mode. After the two-week free trial, the Gold Pass will cost $4.99 a month.

Look out McDonald’s (MCD) and Subway. Jimmy Johns is getting a new owner. Inspire Brands, which owns Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings and Sonic, is buying the sandwich shop chain. Terms were not disclosed. The founder of Jimmy Johns called it an "ideal home." Inspire's CEO said they're looking forward to helping Jimmy John's achieve its "next stage" of growth.