The Nasdaq slipped from record highs on Thursday after the first big wave of tech earnings failed to save the day. The Dow dropped 180 points, or 0.4%. The S&P and Nasdaq finished Wednesday at closing highs.
The Nasdaq slipped from record highs on Thursday after the first big wave of tech earnings failed to save the day. The Dow dropped 180 points, or 0.4%. The S&P and Nasdaq finished Wednesday at closing highs.
Getty Images Shares of Bank OZK ( OZK ) have been a moderate performer over the past year, gaining about 15%. While the company has reported strong profitability, investor concerns around its commercial real estate (“CRE”) exposure have lingered, and OZK has more exposure to this sector than just about any regional bank. I last covered OZK in January , rating the stock a “ S trong Buy” given its v...
Getty Images Shares of Bank OZK ( OZK ) have been a moderate performer over the past year, gaining about 15%. While the company has reported strong profitability, investor concerns around its commercial real estate (“CRE”) exposure have lingered, and OZK has more exposure to this sector than just about any regional bank. I last covered OZK in January , rating the stock a “ S trong Buy” given its valuation and my comfort with its underlying credit quality. Since then, shares are up just modestly, and with updated financials, now is a good time to revisit OZK. Seeking Alpha In the company’s first quarter, Bank OZK earned $1.44 per share, which beat estimates by a penny as revenue grew 2% to $418 million. This quarter was a continuation of recent themes, with credit quality holding in fairly well despite some pressures in CRE. Balance sheet growth has been a bit more muted given elevated paydowns, though we should begin to see a reacceleration late this year and more clearly in 2027. Given this, there was a surprising surge in its investment portfolio, though I expect that to be transitory. As has been the case for years, Bank OZK maintains peer-leading deposit growth. Deposits were up 6% from last year to $33.8 billion. At the same time, it cut rates by 18 bps sequentially to 3.29%, reflecting Q4 rate cuts. Rates are down 49 bps over the past year, a very strong pull-through of Fed rate cuts. With loan growth a bit more muted currently, OZK can be a bit more aggressive in reducing rates as it prioritizes margin over growth given its excess liquidity position. I expect deposit rates to trend down very modestly over the next six months, given some higher-cost CD maturities. Bank OZK Loan balances were up 6% from last year at $33 billion. This is actually still a bit lower than Q2 2025 levels, as there were significant real estate paydowns in H2 2025, which more than offset new loan originations. As with most banks, this portfolio is mostly floating rate, so loan yields ...
The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:VTI) and the iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:ITOT) both aim to represent the entire U.S. stock market, tracking thousands of companies across all market capitalizations. This comparison examines their costs, performance, risk, and portfolio makeup to help investors understand where they differ and which may appeal to their individu...
The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:VTI) and the iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT:ITOT) both aim to represent the entire U.S. stock market, tracking thousands of companies across all market capitalizations. This comparison examines their costs, performance, risk, and portfolio makeup to help investors understand where they differ and which may appeal to their individual priorities. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Continue reading
WAUWATOSA, Wis., April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), holding company for WaterStone Bank, reported net income of $6.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared to $3.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income totaled $7.7 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the quar...
WAUWATOSA, Wis., April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), holding company for WaterStone Bank, reported net income of $6.0 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared to $3.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. Net income totaled $7.7 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2025.
Despite a recent bout of volatility sparked by the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the S&P 500 , the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq-100 indexes are still sitting on spectacular rolling one-year returns of between 26% and 45%. However, had investors bought the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (NYSEMKT: IGM) , they would be sitting on an even greater one-year g...
Despite a recent bout of volatility sparked by the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the S&P 500 , the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq-100 indexes are still sitting on spectacular rolling one-year returns of between 26% and 45%. However, had investors bought the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (NYSEMKT: IGM) , they would be sitting on an even greater one-year gain of 62%. Continue reading
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Nestlé ( NSRGY ) announced on Thursday that it could cut around 180 jobs in France, mainly in support and R&D roles, as part of its larger cost-cut plan announced in October, which includes 16K global layoffs, reported Reuters. The move came after the company recently reported stable performance. Nestlé ( NSRGY ) posted Q1 2026 sales of CHF21.3B, down 5.7% du...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Nestlé ( NSRGY ) announced on Thursday that it could cut around 180 jobs in France, mainly in support and R&D roles, as part of its larger cost-cut plan announced in October, which includes 16K global layoffs, reported Reuters. The move came after the company recently reported stable performance. Nestlé ( NSRGY ) posted Q1 2026 sales of CHF21.3B, down 5.7% due to currency pressure, with a ~90 bps hit from an infant formula recall. It also warned about rising energy and freight costs and a weak China market but kept its full-year outlook unchanged. However, even after the uncertainty, the shares rose ~4.68% to ~$101.25, showing strong investor confidence in the company’s long-term strategy and outlook. More on Nestlé S.A. Nestlé S.A. (NEST:CA) Q1 2026 Sales/Trading Call Transcript Nestlé S.A. (NEST:CA) Q1 2026 Sales/ Trading Statement Call - Slideshow Nestlé: Transformation Gains Momentum, But Execution Risk Rises (Rating Downgrade) Nestlé S.A. Non-GAAP EPS of CHF 4.42, revenue of CHF 89.49B; initiates FY26 outlook Historical earnings data for Nestlé S.A.
Fifteen years after one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters, this part of the Fukushima coast feels stuck in the aftermath. Empty lots where homes once stood. Signs warning of restricted access. Convoys of construction trucks carrying radioactive dirt and materials. And then, improbably, a tour bus. Visitors are flowing into barely inhabited towns, attracted for the most part by the very catast...
Fifteen years after one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters, this part of the Fukushima coast feels stuck in the aftermath. Empty lots where homes once stood. Signs warning of restricted access. Convoys of construction trucks carrying radioactive dirt and materials. And then, improbably, a tour bus. Visitors are flowing into barely inhabited towns, attracted for the most part by the very catastrophe that drove their residents away. The wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant has become a destination for “dark tourism” — travel to sites associated with tragedy, violence, or disaster, like Auschwitz, the killing fields of Cambodia, or Japan’s own Hiroshima. In Fukushima, officials prefer to call it “hope tourism,” as the lifting of evacuation orders in surrounding municipalities has opened the way for package tours. “There’s a very strong meaning in seeing a place where something tragic happened with your own eyes, and then forming your own thoughts,” said Kotaro Toriumi, an aviation and travel analyst and part-time lecturer at Teikyo University. “It’s less about enjoyment and more about learning.” For Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, reviving the local economy is inseparable from the long process of cleanup — and from repairing its own reputation. Earlier this month, the company restarted commercial operations at a nuclear power plant for the first time since the disaster, after years of regulatory scrutiny and negotiations with local authorities. The restart is a milestone, and also a test: To keep its nuclear business alive, the company must demonstrate that it can recover from its past failures. By far the largest of those failures became evident on March 11, 2011, when Japan’s most powerful recorded earthquake triggered a tsunami that overwhelmed the Fukushima plant. Flooding knocked out backup generators and cut off cooling systems, leading to core meltdowns in three of the facility’s six reactors and the evacuation of ...
Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow discuss Tesla’s plans to spend an additional $25 billion this year to support Elon Musk's AI ambitions. Plus, Intel shares jump after the company pledges to support Musk's advanced chip manufacturing project, Terafab. And, Lyft CEO David Risher discusses the company’s international growth plans as the ride-hailing firm buys the London black cab app Gett. (So...
Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow discuss Tesla’s plans to spend an additional $25 billion this year to support Elon Musk's AI ambitions. Plus, Intel shares jump after the company pledges to support Musk's advanced chip manufacturing project, Terafab. And, Lyft CEO David Risher discusses the company’s international growth plans as the ride-hailing firm buys the London black cab app Gett. (Source: Bloomberg)
The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 04/24/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.Procter & Gamble Company (PG)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The consumer company's cons
The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 04/24/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.Procter & Gamble Company (PG)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The consumer company's cons
Middle East shipping disruptions are boosting US companies bruised by cheap Chinese supply, according to Sycamore Tree Capital Partners. “It really slows down the ability for some of those Asian-based chemical companies to produce,” Trey Parker, the asset manager’s co-founder and chief investment officer, tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Bloomberg Intelligence’s Phil Brendel in the latest C...
Middle East shipping disruptions are boosting US companies bruised by cheap Chinese supply, according to Sycamore Tree Capital Partners. “It really slows down the ability for some of those Asian-based chemical companies to produce,” Trey Parker, the asset manager’s co-founder and chief investment officer, tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Bloomberg Intelligence’s Phil Brendel in the latest Credit Edge podcast. “You’re going to have more US- and European-based chemical companies have an inh
Vista Investment Partners II, LLC initiated a new stake in Federated Hermes (NYSE:FHI) , acquiring 54,815 shares in the first quarter, with an estimated transaction value of $3.00 million based on quarterly average pricing, according to an SEC filing dated April 23, 2026. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated April 23, 2026, Vista Investment Partners II, LLC repor...
Vista Investment Partners II, LLC initiated a new stake in Federated Hermes (NYSE:FHI) , acquiring 54,815 shares in the first quarter, with an estimated transaction value of $3.00 million based on quarterly average pricing, according to an SEC filing dated April 23, 2026. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated April 23, 2026, Vista Investment Partners II, LLC reported a new position in Federated Hermes for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The fund bought 54,815 shares, with the estimated transaction value totaling $3.00 million based on the average closing price during the quarter. The quarter-end value of the stake was $3.11 million, reflecting both the share acquisition and price appreciation. Federated Hermes, Inc. is an asset management holding company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with operations in the United States and internationally. The firm provides a broad product offering through its subsidiaries to a diverse client base and manages both equity and fixed income investments. Continue reading
DjelicS/E+ via Getty Images Investment Overview In my last note on Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( ALNY ) for Seeking Alpha, published at the end of October last year, I assigned the RNA-interference specialist drug developer's stock a Hold rating. I discussed how the RNA-i space had been held up for many years by issues around delivering large strands of RNA to target cells and discussed how Alny...
DjelicS/E+ via Getty Images Investment Overview In my last note on Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( ALNY ) for Seeking Alpha, published at the end of October last year, I assigned the RNA-interference specialist drug developer's stock a Hold rating. I discussed how the RNA-i space had been held up for many years by issues around delivering large strands of RNA to target cells and discussed how Alnylam helped solve this problem, discovering that binding siRNA (short, interfering RNA) to a sugar molecule known as N-acetylgalactosamine ("GalNAc") allowed it to safely penetrate the cells of the liver. I further noted that, by securing approval for its commercial drug Amvuttra (vutrisiran) in the indication of cardiomyopathy of wild-type or hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis ("ATTR-CM"), the company may have hit the big time, as this is a multi-billion dollar market in which Pfizer's Vyndaqel/Vyndamax (higher-dose) medication earned ~$6.4bn last year. Nevertheless, I felt that Alnylam's share price of >$450 per share and market cap valuation of nearly $60bn may be on the high side, despite its product and pipeline strength, its $2.7bn of cash available, and its various Big Pharma partners. Alnylam stock has fallen in value by >30% since that note, justifying the Hold call (maybe a Sell call would have been better), but Alnylam remains a highly intriguing company and investment opportunity at the right price, in my view, and in this note, I am going to cover recent developments at the company, including 2025 financials and 2026 guidance, catalysts to look out for, and competitors to watch out for. Alnylam - 2025 Earnings Review - Solid Performance & Growing Profitability May See Alnylam Join "Big Pharma" Club In 2025, across the full year, Alnylam earned $3.7bn of revenues - up 65% year-on-year - including a $2.3bn contribution from Amvuttra across the indications of hereditary amyloidosis ("h-ATTR"), as well as ATTR-CM. Amvuttra's revenues were up 138% year-on-...
Meta said on Thursday it plans to lay off roughly 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 people, the latest in a string of tech industry layoffs fueled in part by artificial intelligence.
Meta said on Thursday it plans to lay off roughly 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 people, the latest in a string of tech industry layoffs fueled in part by artificial intelligence.