After threatening to sever ties with the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts, Defense Secretary Hegseth announced a 6-month reprieve (Image credit: X video by @SecWar / screengrab by NPR)
After threatening to sever ties with the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts, Defense Secretary Hegseth announced a 6-month reprieve (Image credit: X video by @SecWar / screengrab by NPR)
Qatar Holdings, an investment arm of Qatar Investment Authority, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Visa ( V ) are preparing to invest more than $200 million as cornerstone investors in the U.S. initial public offering of Softbank's ( SFTBY ) PayPay, according to a Reuters report. Digital payments provider PayPay is targeting a valuation of as much as $14 billion in an IPO, according to the R...
Qatar Holdings, an investment arm of Qatar Investment Authority, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Visa ( V ) are preparing to invest more than $200 million as cornerstone investors in the U.S. initial public offering of Softbank's ( SFTBY ) PayPay, according to a Reuters report. Digital payments provider PayPay is targeting a valuation of as much as $14 billion in an IPO, according to the Reuters report on Friday. PayPay plans to list on the Nasdaq next month. PayPay, SoftBank, Qatar Holdings, Visa and ADIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters. PayPay filed its preliminary prospectus for a U.S. IPO earlier this month . It expects to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol "PAYP". More on SoftBank Group Corp. SoftBank Group Corp. (SFTB:CA) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript SoftBank Group Corp. 2026 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on SoftBank Group Corp. Historical earnings data for SoftBank Group Corp. Dividend scorecard for SoftBank Group Corp.
According to an SEC filing dated Feb. 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC added to its position in Vanguard Whitehall Funds - Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (NASDAQ:VWOB) , adding 163,920 shares. The estimated transaction value was $11.07 million, calculated using the average price for the quarter. Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB) offers investors targeted acc...
According to an SEC filing dated Feb. 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC added to its position in Vanguard Whitehall Funds - Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (NASDAQ:VWOB) , adding 163,920 shares. The estimated transaction value was $11.07 million, calculated using the average price for the quarter. Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB) offers investors targeted access to a diversified portfolio of government bonds issued by emerging market countries. The fund seeks to replicate the performance of its benchmark index through a disciplined sampling approach, maintaining at least 80% of assets in index constituents. With a sizable asset base and a competitive yield, VWOB is positioned as a cost-effective vehicle for institutional and individual investors seeking income and diversification from emerging market debt. BlueStem’s VWOB purchase in the fourth quarter bumped the ETF from 0.03% of the fund’s total assets under management to about 1.33%. That’s a sizable jump, but the ETF is still a modest holding for the wealth management firm. Betting on emerging markets can be a good way to diversify a portfolio and take advantage of high growth potential compared to developed markets. Continue reading
Earnings Call Insights: MidCap Financial Investment Corporation (MFIC) (mfic) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Tanner Powell reported net investment income per share of $0.39 and a GAAP net loss per share of $0.14 for the quarter, noting that the loss included $0.04 of onetime financing-related expenses. He stated that "NAV per share was $14.18 at the end of December, down 3.3% compared to the prior qu...
Earnings Call Insights: MidCap Financial Investment Corporation (MFIC) (mfic) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Tanner Powell reported net investment income per share of $0.39 and a GAAP net loss per share of $0.14 for the quarter, noting that the loss included $0.04 of onetime financing-related expenses. He stated that "NAV per share was $14.18 at the end of December, down 3.3% compared to the prior quarter," attributing the decline to investments from 2022 and earlier. Powell emphasized the company’s focus on first lien positions, low software exposure, and cautious use of PIK, adding that recent paydowns from Merx and the full repayment of a nonaccrual position highlighted MFIC’s ability to "maximize recoveries on challenged credits." Powell announced the repurchase of approximately 1.1 million shares at an average discount of 18%, costing $12.9 million and generating $0.03 per share of NAV accretion. He further revealed that the Board authorized a new $100 million stock repurchase plan, stating, "we expect to utilize aggressively in combination with a 10b5-1 trading plan to capitalize on what we believe is a compelling opportunity for our stockholders." The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, with Powell explaining, "we have reassessed the long-term earnings power of the company, and the Board has concluded that it was prudent to adjust the dividend at this time." President Ted McNulty detailed $141 million in new commitments with a weighted average spread of 497 basis points and net fundings for the quarter of $25 million. He also highlighted the portfolio's diversification across 247 companies and 46 industries, with direct origination representing 96% of the portfolio. CFO Kenneth Seifert reported, "Total investment income for the December quarter was approximately $78.4 million, a decline of $4.2 million or 5.1% from the prior quarter. This reduction was largely driven by lower interest income resulting from decreased base rates, new nonaccrual...
Through midday trading on Friday, the blue-chip index was up about 3% year to date, ahead of the by almost 6 percentage points. The two best stocks in the Dow this year have been Caterpillar and Honeywell makers of heavy machinery and aerospace parts, among other things.
Through midday trading on Friday, the blue-chip index was up about 3% year to date, ahead of the by almost 6 percentage points. The two best stocks in the Dow this year have been Caterpillar and Honeywell makers of heavy machinery and aerospace parts, among other things.
In Washington, a city often in the spotlight for domestic and international politics, Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham views his instrument as a platform that can bridge cultures, transcend politics and connect people across borders. At 28, fresh from a landmark international competition victory, Sham is building a global career where his music often speaks louder than diplomacy. On Wednesday, just b...
In Washington, a city often in the spotlight for domestic and international politics, Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham views his instrument as a platform that can bridge cultures, transcend politics and connect people across borders. At 28, fresh from a landmark international competition victory, Sham is building a global career where his music often speaks louder than diplomacy. On Wednesday, just before stepping onto the stage at the US capital’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium for a Year of the...
(RTTNews) - Netflix Inc. (NFLX) on Friday said it received a $2.8 billion termination fee after Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD) terminated its merger deal to enter into a merger agreement with Paramount Skydance Corp.
(RTTNews) - Netflix Inc. (NFLX) on Friday said it received a $2.8 billion termination fee after Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD) terminated its merger deal to enter into a merger agreement with Paramount Skydance Corp.
PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered Sabra Health Care ( SBRA ), I highlighted their solid upside potential as they accelerate the SHOP model and attractive valuation, standing to benefit significantly from the Silver Tsunami. With a solid report released recently, good guidance and still an attractive yield with room to grow, I reiterate SBRA’s Buy rating, as ...
PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered Sabra Health Care ( SBRA ), I highlighted their solid upside potential as they accelerate the SHOP model and attractive valuation, standing to benefit significantly from the Silver Tsunami. With a solid report released recently, good guidance and still an attractive yield with room to grow, I reiterate SBRA’s Buy rating, as the company remains in a good position to benefit from potential macro tailwinds. Internal Developments Sabra Health Care REIT IR SBRA reported an overall solid Q4 and 2025, despite a slight miss on the market’s estimated FFO and a slight beat on revenue , with a Normalized AFFO of $365.41 million, slightly below my previous estimate of $368.55 million, growing it from $1.49 per share from $1.44 back in 2024, for a roughly 3.5% increase YoY, which is not terrible for a REIT in this environment. Sabra Health Care REIT IR As for the guidance, SBRA expects a 4.9% to 5.4% increase in FFO and roughly 5.37% growth in Normalized AFFO, planning to expand their SHOP portfolio while expecting more than $450 million worth of investments (the 2025 level) in 2026, with SBRA’s CEO highlighting the following during their Q4 Earnings Call : Our guidance of 4.9% and 5.4% growth at the midpoint for normalized FFO and normalized AFFO, respectively, reflects continuing execution of our strategy. Our pipeline continues to be robust. We completed approximately $450 million in investments for 2025. We had discussed on our last call exceeding $500 million. A couple of those deals fell over into 2026, but no deals fell out. So we're closing on everything that we said we would close on, on our last call. Our investment activity has grown $200 million since our last call, and we're currently in the process of closing $240 million of awarded deals, most of which will close in Q1 and early Q2. Our expectation is that we will materially exceed the volume of 2025 investments and are clearly off to a stro...
ronniechua/iStock via Getty Images International equities have been markedly outpacing the U.S., although a quick scan shows there are still country exchange-traded funds lagging even a tiny S&P 500 ( SP500 ) ( SPY ) gain so far this year. U.S. stocks ( SPY ) were up less than 1% year-to-date as of Friday midafternoon trading, trailing emerging markets ( EEM ) +14%. South Korea ( EWY ) is the larg...
ronniechua/iStock via Getty Images International equities have been markedly outpacing the U.S., although a quick scan shows there are still country exchange-traded funds lagging even a tiny S&P 500 ( SP500 ) ( SPY ) gain so far this year. U.S. stocks ( SPY ) were up less than 1% year-to-date as of Friday midafternoon trading, trailing emerging markets ( EEM ) +14%. South Korea ( EWY ) is the largest foreign gainer, surging 55% in a historic, AI-led rally, followed by Peru ( EPU ) +29% and Thailand ( THD ) +25%. On the other hand, Denmark ( EDEN ) is leading the international losers, sliding 5.4% YTD, amid disappointing news around Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) ( NONOF ). From there, Indonesia ( IDX ) slid 3.6%, Kuwait ( KWT ) -3.5%, India ( IMVP ) -2.9% and Argentina ( ARGT ) -0.3%. SPY, EDEN, IDX, KWT, IMVP, ARGT year-to-date price returns (Seeking Alpha) Emerging Market ETFs: ( IEMG ), ( VWO ), ( EEM ), ( SPEM ), ( SCHE ), and ( AVEM ). More on iShares MSCI Denmark Capped ETF, VanEck Indonesia Index ETF, etc. ARGT: 2026 Sets Up A Political Stability Trade ARGT: A Guide To Argentina Equity Exposure Via Global X's ETF Garden Of EDEN: Despite Turbulent Greenland Geopolitics, Denmark Is A Buy U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling could ease India’s Russian oil trade worries India's stock market rallies as investors cheer U.S. trade deal
According to The Motley Fool's Best Places to Retire Index , Florida, California, and Texas are the three best states to retire in. Florida and Texas have lower taxes and a lower cost of living than many other states, while California ranks highest in quality of life. As a result, many retirees might overlook the entire Midwest region . But according to our index, several Midwestern cities have ab...
According to The Motley Fool's Best Places to Retire Index , Florida, California, and Texas are the three best states to retire in. Florida and Texas have lower taxes and a lower cost of living than many other states, while California ranks highest in quality of life. As a result, many retirees might overlook the entire Midwest region . But according to our index, several Midwestern cities have above-average quality-of-life scores and a below-average cost of living. Let's review four of those cities: Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Uwe Krejci/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered Match Group, Inc . ( MTCH ), I highlighted their attractive valuation, with a strong yield and overall great financial shape despite ongoing headwinds across many of their segments. Following a strong report and even better-than-expected guidance, I am upgrading MTCH to a Strong Buy, as the valuation is very attractive ...
Uwe Krejci/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered Match Group, Inc . ( MTCH ), I highlighted their attractive valuation, with a strong yield and overall great financial shape despite ongoing headwinds across many of their segments. Following a strong report and even better-than-expected guidance, I am upgrading MTCH to a Strong Buy, as the valuation is very attractive even for a very conservative outlook, while the company continues to deliver strong cash flow and a very attractive yield, standing to benefit from macro tailwinds and Tinder’s potential turnaround. Internal Developments Match Group IR Match reported a solid Q4 and 2025 overall, beating the market’s top- and bottom-line estimates, while we can see trends continuing, with Tinder, E&E, and their Asian segments falling due to headwinds in terms of revenue but gaining either paying users or delivering higher revenue per payer, while Hinge continued to be a strong growth engine. Especially with Hinge growing so well and still having potential to expand abroad, I believe that if they manage to turn Tinder around or at least stop it from bleeding paying users (down 8% in Q4 YoY), there is massive potential given how much money this company makes, and there are certainly catalysts to pay attention to even in the macro environment. Match Group IR As we can see, Match reported yet another year of strong FCF, reaching $1.02 billion in 2025, with a very strong ~83% FCF conversion rate, placing them at a P/FCF ratio of ~7.14, which is already getting very solid even if we assume limited growth. Match Group IR Not only that, but MTCH expects an even stronger FCF in 2026 despite relatively flat revenues, expecting between $1.085 billion and $1.135 billion, for a midpoint of $1.11 billion and an increase of ~8.8%, which is not bad at all despite the turnaround year for Tinder and is far from the distressed valuation the market is implying. They expect Tinder revenues to drop by the same as...