Wolterk/iStock Editorial via Getty Images It is rare that you see the outlook for a company in the financial sector change significantly in just one quarter of operations. However, such is the case with Alerus Financial Corporation ( ALRS ). The company reported its Q1 2026 financial results after the close of trading on April 29, and the bottom-line performance from the diversified financial serv...
Wolterk/iStock Editorial via Getty Images It is rare that you see the outlook for a company in the financial sector change significantly in just one quarter of operations. However, such is the case with Alerus Financial Corporation ( ALRS ). The company reported its Q1 2026 financial results after the close of trading on April 29, and the bottom-line performance from the diversified financial services company sailed past expectations. GAAP earnings per share of $0.89 were $0.30, or 50.8%, better than what had been predicted by the four Wall Street analysts that cover the company. The results were also $0.37 ahead of Q1 2025 . When I last wrote about ALRS in December of 2025, I rated the stock as a Hold, as the risks for an investment seemed to be relatively well balanced against the potential rewards. Earnings growth that had been evident in the previous year was expected to slow down in FY 2026, but so far, that is not the case. Nonperforming assets had spiked in the last couple of years, but the trend there is steadily improving. Overall, I see a much different picture for Alerus Financial than I did at the end of last year, and for that reason, I am raising my opinion of the company to a Buy. Company Overview While many know Alerus as a regional bank that operates primarily in the upper Midwest, the company is a holding company for a diversified trio of business divisions. In addition to banking services, ALRS has business segments that offer retirement and benefit services as well as wealth advisory services. The company’s 26 banking offices are in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Arizona, with its home state of North Dakota holding the greatest share. Alerus’s retirement and benefit division serves clients in all 50 states. A more detailed look at the company’s footprint and geographic diversity is shown below . For further detail about Alerus and its operations, readers are encouraged to look back at the information included in my article from las...
Investors increasingly see official intervention in the market as the only near-term lever to stem the yen ’s slide, as central banks delay adjusting interest rates and Middle East tensions push oil prices higher. The Japanese currency extended losses Thursday after touching its weakest level since mid-2024 in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting. The move lower during Asia hours follo...
Investors increasingly see official intervention in the market as the only near-term lever to stem the yen ’s slide, as central banks delay adjusting interest rates and Middle East tensions push oil prices higher. The Japanese currency extended losses Thursday after touching its weakest level since mid-2024 in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting. The move lower during Asia hours followed a report that US President Donald Trump is set to receive a briefing on new military options for Iran. It slid as far as 160.72 against the dollar, bringing it closer to the key level of 161.95 that marked its weakest point in 2024, when Japan last intervened in the market. Japanese government bonds also slumped Thursday, pushing yields higher, which is likely to add to the concerns of officials in Tokyo. The wide interest rate gap between the US and Japan, which undermines the yen, has little prospect of narrowing in the near term. Rather than moving toward a possible rate cut, the Federal Reserve held rates steady and looks more divided now on its outlook, while Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda signaled he needs more time to assess the impact of geopolitical risks before deciding on the timing of further hikes. “Ueda has not explicitly stated whether there will be a rate hike in June, and if a rate hike is not possible, intervention is the only way to halt the yen’s decline,” said Shota Ryu , an FX strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. Timing is also key. The upcoming Golden Week holidays in Japan create a period of thinner liquidity, which has historically provided a window for intervention, as seen in 2024. That is keeping traders on heightened alert for potential government action. Earlier this week, Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama said authorities are standing by around the clock to respond to foreign-exchange moves as needed and are on high alert for speculative moves. “We continue to see a meaningful chance that intervention will be condu...
Earnings Call Insights: McGrath RentCorp (MGRC) Q1 2026 Management View "Total company revenues increased 2% and adjusted EBITDA decreased 1% compared to the prior year first quarter." (President, CEO & Director Philip Hawkins) "We delivered rental revenue growth in each of our businesses despite some challenging market conditions." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "At Mobile Modular, rental re...
Earnings Call Insights: McGrath RentCorp (MGRC) Q1 2026 Management View "Total company revenues increased 2% and adjusted EBITDA decreased 1% compared to the prior year first quarter." (President, CEO & Director Philip Hawkins) "We delivered rental revenue growth in each of our businesses despite some challenging market conditions." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "At Mobile Modular, rental revenues grew 4%." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "Our commercial market segments were the primary drivers of our growth." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "Our Architecture Billings Index, or ABI, and other macro indicators of construction-related demand remained subdued." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "Despite this, our quote and booking levels were higher than a year ago with our geographic expansion efforts and additional sales coverage contributing to these positive trends." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "At TRS, rental revenues continued their recent growth trajectory and were up 13%." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "Demand continued to be strong across the broad spectrum of our equipment, and we benefited from project supporting build-out of new data centers." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "We also worked on a small modular acquisition, which we closed in early April." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "In addition, we completed share repurchases during the quarter." (President, CEO & Director Hawkins) "Total revenues increased 2% to $199 million, and adjusted EBITDA decreased 1% to $74 million." (Executive VP, CFO & Assistant Corporate Secretary Keith E. Pratt) Outlook "For the full year, our outlook remains unchanged, and we expect total revenue between $945 million and $995 million, adjusted EBITDA between $360 million and $378 million, and gross rental equipment capital expenditures between $180 million and $200 million." (Executive VP, CFO & Assistant Corporate Secretary Pratt) "Recent developments in the Middle East had no materia...
Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from London, we set the agenda for your day, catching you up with overnight markets news from the US and Asia. And we'll tell you what matters for investors in Europe, giving you insight before trading begins. On today's show, Brent crude rallied to a wartime high, spiking above $126 a barrel, after Axios reported that...
Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from London, we set the agenda for your day, catching you up with overnight markets news from the US and Asia. And we'll tell you what matters for investors in Europe, giving you insight before trading begins. On today's show, Brent crude rallied to a wartime high, spiking above $126 a barrel, after Axios reported that US President Donald Trump is being briefed on options for new military action in Iran. Nasdaq 100 futures erased earlier gains that were driven by robust US tech earnings. Alphabet jumped after reporting a clear payoff for Google from its AI spending. But Meta tumbled after announcing another hike in capex. Traders now look ahead to Apple earnings. Plus, the Federal Reserve held rates in a split vote. Four policymakers dissented. Today's guests: Ida Lerner, ING, CFO & Stefan Dörfler, Erste Group, CFO. (Source: Bloomberg)
(RTTNews) - Consumer goods major Unilever Plc. (UL, ULVR.L) reported Thursday lower turnover in its first quarter mainly on negative currency impacts, while underlying sales increased from last year with growth in all segments and regions.
(RTTNews) - Consumer goods major Unilever Plc. (UL, ULVR.L) reported Thursday lower turnover in its first quarter mainly on negative currency impacts, while underlying sales increased from last year with growth in all segments and regions.
The war in the Middle East has left Asian buyers grappling with a two-speed diesel economy , as poorer states face acute shortfalls, while wealthier nations with large refining industries enjoy sizable buffers. Diesel — vital for the transport of goods, agriculture and industry — has been among the fuels most immediately affected by the conflict. In Asia, refining powerhouses China and South Korea...
The war in the Middle East has left Asian buyers grappling with a two-speed diesel economy , as poorer states face acute shortfalls, while wealthier nations with large refining industries enjoy sizable buffers. Diesel — vital for the transport of goods, agriculture and industry — has been among the fuels most immediately affected by the conflict. In Asia, refining powerhouses China and South Korea curbed product exports after processors were forced to cut run rates. That triggered a drop in fuel flows to regional buyers, with importers such as Indonesia and the Philippines bearing the brunt. For richer nations, the curbs have paid off as their domestic supplies remain healthy. Among indicators of relative abundance, commercial diesel inventories in China recently touched the highest level in nearly two years even as state-owned refineries ran slower, according to data from Mysteel Oilchem. But for poorer countries such as India — where diesel runs through the backbone of the economy, and most goods are moved by road — there are mounting problems. Truck owner Smruti Ranjan Samantaray said that one of his vehicles headed to pick up a load of iron ore has been stranded by the roadside in the eastern state of Odisha as pumps run dry. “The situation is quite serious,” Samantaray said by phone on Thursday, adding that he also halted the departure of seven additional trucks as the shortages appeared to be worsening. “When I last spoke to the driver, he said several other trucks are idling on the side of roads.” The war between the US and Iran — now in its third month — has forced the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz , crippling shipments of crude as well as refined products. Brent futures topped $126 a barrel this week to hit the highest in almost four years, and product prices including diesel have soared. For the world’s most populous region, that’s feeding into a pick-up in inflation as costs surge for farmers, manufacturers and drivers. In the Philippines — w...