fatido/iStock via Getty Images The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF ( DGRO ) is a solid, well-constructed, and highly diversified dividend growth fund offered at a very reasonable expense ratio of 0.08%. As I argued in an ETF comparison article several months ago, DGRO looks like a great alternative to the S&P 500 ( SPY ) for dividend growth investors. If a DGIer could only invest in a single ETF,...
fatido/iStock via Getty Images The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF ( DGRO ) is a solid, well-constructed, and highly diversified dividend growth fund offered at a very reasonable expense ratio of 0.08%. As I argued in an ETF comparison article several months ago, DGRO looks like a great alternative to the S&P 500 ( SPY ) for dividend growth investors. If a DGIer could only invest in a single ETF, or if an investor wanted to follow JL Collins' "Simple Path to Wealth" with one ETF, DGRO is a very strong contender for that role. Over the last decade, DGRO has enjoyed strong price appreciation along with robust and consistent dividend growth. Data by YCharts That said, after a strong run, DGRO now looks potentially overvalued. That doesn't make it a "Sell," but I do think that better buying opportunities are available to ETF investors. Brief Recap of DGRO DGRO is a passive ETF that tracks the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. The fund systematically captures stocks with 5+ years of dividend growth and payout ratios under 75%, and it excludes the highest yielding 10% of its investable universe. The logic there is that the highest yielding 10% of investable stocks tend to be significantly more likely to cut their dividends. Finally, rather than weighting holdings by market cap, DGRO weights its holdings by total dividend payout. If Company A pays out $5 billion a year in dividends, Company B pays out $4.5 billion, and Company C pays out $4 billion, then A will command the largest weight, followed by B and then C. The fund ends up with about 400 holdings, and there is a weighting cap of 3% per individual stock so that the portfolio remains broadly diversified. Currently, the financials sector commands the largest weighting, followed by healthcare and then technology. Seeking Alpha In late 2025, strongly performing technology sector stocks claimed the largest weighting in the fund, but the end-of-year reconstitution rebalanced the portfolio toward financials and health...
Bloomberg Opinion's John Authers discusses the relationship between the US and China during a subscriber event in Hong Kong on Sept. 18, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg Opinion's John Authers discusses the relationship between the US and China during a subscriber event in Hong Kong on Sept. 18, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, Financials) and Liberty Global have entered a five-year partnership focused on applying artificial intelligence to automate network operations and expand data monetization opportunities across Liberty's telecom footprint. Google Cloud will give Liberty's European telecom firms AI technologies to make their operations more efficient, in...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, Financials) and Liberty Global have entered a five-year partnership focused on applying artificial intelligence to automate network operations and expand data monetization opportunities across Liberty's telecom footprint. Google Cloud will give Liberty's European telecom firms AI technologies to make their operations more efficient, increase security, and better control costs, as part of the deal. The firms will also look at the prospect of hosting Google services in Liberty's own data centers, especially in places where there is a lot of demand. There is also a part of the partnership that is aimed for consumers. Liberty will provide a variety of Google goods, including Pixel smartphones, smart home devices, Chromebooks, and YouTube Premium, to users in all of its territories. Local operating businesses will slowly roll out these items over time. Both companies said that better data sovereignty and AI-powered services that work with Liberty's infrastructure were two of the main benefits of the partnership. It builds on Google Cloud's previous cooperation with Formula E and increases Alphabet's footprint in telecom industry AI applications, which is a major area for strategic investment. The agreement strengthens the relationship between the two firms, and it also shows that Google Cloud is still making progress in gaining big AI and infrastructure contracts in Europe.
The China Life Insurance building in Hangzhou, Nov. 18, 2025, Photo: VCG China is reportedly considering injecting as much as 200 billion yuan ($28.7 billion) into its largest state-owned insurers through special sovereign bonds, a move aimed at strengthening the sector against market volatility. The plan follows last year’s sweeping recapitalization of the country’s biggest banks and highlights B...
The China Life Insurance building in Hangzhou, Nov. 18, 2025, Photo: VCG China is reportedly considering injecting as much as 200 billion yuan ($28.7 billion) into its largest state-owned insurers through special sovereign bonds, a move aimed at strengthening the sector against market volatility. The plan follows last year’s sweeping recapitalization of the country’s biggest banks and highlights Beijing’s pre-emptive approach to shoring up key pillars of the financial system amid accounting pressure from fluctuating interest rates. While the insurers targeted by the program already meet regulatory capital requirements, officials see the move as a buffer to safeguard long-term stability and preserve the sector’s capacity to support the stock market, analysts said.
England successfully defended a target of 129 to win by 12 runs against Sri Lanka in an enthralling contest, completing a 3-0 T20 series sweep and entering the World Cup with momentum. Sam Curran hit a career-best 58 after a top-order collapse as England finished on 128-9, before the tourists' spinners took nine wickets to pull off an unlikely victory. Will Jacks took 3-14, while Jacob Bethell sec...
England successfully defended a target of 129 to win by 12 runs against Sri Lanka in an enthralling contest, completing a 3-0 T20 series sweep and entering the World Cup with momentum. Sam Curran hit a career-best 58 after a top-order collapse as England finished on 128-9, before the tourists' spinners took nine wickets to pull off an unlikely victory. Will Jacks took 3-14, while Jacob Bethell secured the last four Sri Lankan wickets, including three in one over, to finish with 4-11 as the hosts were bowled out for 116. Having chosen to bat, opener Ben Duckett was dismissed lbw for a golden duck, while Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton and Harry Brook were all removed for single figures prior to Curran taking his side to a score that still looked challenging to defend. Having already lost the series with defeat in its first two games, Sri Lanka bowled superbly, with seamer Dushmantha Chameera taking 5-24, including the wicket of Curran with the penultimate ball of the innings. Luke Wood and Liam Dawson took early wickets on a worn pitch, before Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake fell to consecutive deliveries from Adil Rashid and Jacks. Sri Lanka were still favourites and reached 90-4 before Jacks struck again, removing Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage in consecutive overs. Part-time spinner Jacob Bethell then took control, dismissing Dunith Wellalage, Chameera and Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over. Having been handed the final over, he wrapped up the match with the dismissal of Maheesh Theekshana, helping England set a record for the lowest total they have ever successfully defended in T20s. England start their World Cup campaign against Nepal on Sunday, 8 February (09:30 GMT).
In this article LEN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Homes in Lexington Waters in Blaine, Minnesota. Michael Siluk | Getty Images Shares of homebuilders Lennar and Taylor Morrison Home rose on Tuesday following a Bloomberg News report that the two companies were among a cohort working on a proposed "Trump Homes" plan aimed at easing the U.S. housing affordability crunch. The two sto...
In this article LEN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Homes in Lexington Waters in Blaine, Minnesota. Michael Siluk | Getty Images Shares of homebuilders Lennar and Taylor Morrison Home rose on Tuesday following a Bloomberg News report that the two companies were among a cohort working on a proposed "Trump Homes" plan aimed at easing the U.S. housing affordability crunch. The two stocks both jumped 4% on Tuesday. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon LEN, TMHC 5D chart Builders including Lennar and Taylor Morrison Home have discussed a large-scale program that would sell entry-level homes into a pathway-to-ownership program funded by private investors, Bloomberg wrote, citing people familiar with the plan. One version of the plan sees investors renting the homes out to tenants, with a portion of monthly payments counting toward a future down payment should they choose to buy after three years. Amid elevated interest rates and prices, housing affordability has emerged as a key issue for President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Trump said that the U.S. should ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes, arguing that corporate ownership has only exacerbated the housing affordability crisis. The president has also repeatedly said he wants to help first-time buyers, but without triggering a broad decline in existing home prices. "I don't want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up for people who own homes," he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The proposal, dubbed "Trump Homes" by industry players, could ultimately involve as many as one million homes, Bloomberg reported. A White House official told the outlet that the administration is not actively considering the plan. After a rough year last year, Lennar shares are off to a good start for 2026, up 9%.
The China Show anchors David Ingles and Yvonne Man speak to AIA Group CIO Mark Konyn, Bloomberg Opinion's John Authers and Shuli Ren and Bloomberg's Asia Economy and Government Executive Editor Daniel Ten Kate about President Donald Trump, China and what investors can expect next at a subscriber event in Hong Kong held on Sept. 18, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
The China Show anchors David Ingles and Yvonne Man speak to AIA Group CIO Mark Konyn, Bloomberg Opinion's John Authers and Shuli Ren and Bloomberg's Asia Economy and Government Executive Editor Daniel Ten Kate about President Donald Trump, China and what investors can expect next at a subscriber event in Hong Kong held on Sept. 18, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
How Micron Technology Stock Soared 45% Last Month The Motley Fool This Micron stock chart is sending an ominous signal, if history is any guide MarketWatch How The Evolving Story On Micron Technology (MU) Is Shaping Its Valuation Now Yahoo Finance
How Micron Technology Stock Soared 45% Last Month The Motley Fool This Micron stock chart is sending an ominous signal, if history is any guide MarketWatch How The Evolving Story On Micron Technology (MU) Is Shaping Its Valuation Now Yahoo Finance
At an event for Bloomberg subscribers in London on December 10, 2025, the CEO of her eponymous brand says showing vulnerability is an advantage when running a company. She speaks to Bloomberg's Francine Lacqua. (Source: Bloomberg)
At an event for Bloomberg subscribers in London on December 10, 2025, the CEO of her eponymous brand says showing vulnerability is an advantage when running a company. She speaks to Bloomberg's Francine Lacqua. (Source: Bloomberg)
Fashion brand CEO Dame Anya Hindmarch says if you're not running a business using your gut right now, you're in trouble. She speaks to Francine Lacqua at a Bloomberg subscribers event in London on December 10, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
Fashion brand CEO Dame Anya Hindmarch says if you're not running a business using your gut right now, you're in trouble. She speaks to Francine Lacqua at a Bloomberg subscribers event in London on December 10, 2025. (Source: Bloomberg)
The market now seems to realize it may have misjudged this company's future. Last year was a forgettable one for DaVita (DVA +19.49%) shareholders, but understandably so. The stock ended up losing 25% of its value in calendar 2025 due to a combination of a declining number of dialysis patients, subpar guidance for most of the year, uncertainty as to how much insurers were willing to continue reimb...
The market now seems to realize it may have misjudged this company's future. Last year was a forgettable one for DaVita (DVA +19.49%) shareholders, but understandably so. The stock ended up losing 25% of its value in calendar 2025 due to a combination of a declining number of dialysis patients, subpar guidance for most of the year, uncertainty as to how much insurers were willing to continue reimbursing the company, and an embarrassing ransomware attack reported in April. It's just possible, however, that the sellers overshot their target. As of 12:16 p.m. ET Tuesday, DaVita stock is up an impressive 20.3% in response to fourth-quarter results and full-year guidance that show more promise than problems. Better than expected For the three-month stretch ending in December, DaVita turned $3.62 billion in revenue into an adjusted per-share profit $3.40. That's well up from the year-earlier comparison of $2.51 per share, when the company reported revenue of just under $3.3 billion. Perhaps more important, though, both of these numbers also topped analysts' expectations. The foreseeable future looks brighter than expected too. DaVita says it's anticipating per-share profits of between $13.60 and $15.00 for the fiscal year now underway, well up from last year's adjusted comparison of only $10.78, and versus analysts' consensus of around $13.50 per share. More to like than not The dialysis treatment company's core challenges remain. Those are health insurers' never-ending efforts to keep their net reimbursement costs to a minimum, and an opportunity for people to achieve better kidney health without Davita's help than they've been able to in the past. This includes home-based dialysis options. Expand NYSE : DVA DaVita Today's Change ( 19.49 %) $ 21.67 Current Price $ 132.86 Key Data Points Market Cap $7.9B Day's Range $ 125.82 - $ 139.83 52wk Range $ 101.00 - $ 178.47 Volume 149K Avg Vol 938K Gross Margin 26.70 % The degree to which these headwinds are going to take a susta...
AKart Design/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Shares in Two Harbors Investment Corp. ( TWO ) have delivered solid gains so far in 2026 as the market apparently feels increasingly confident that the merger with UWM Holdings Corporation ( UWMC ) will close successfully. As a reminder, TWO is set to be acquired by UWMC in an all-stock deal, based on a fixed exchange ratio of 2.3328x shares in UWM...
AKart Design/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Shares in Two Harbors Investment Corp. ( TWO ) have delivered solid gains so far in 2026 as the market apparently feels increasingly confident that the merger with UWM Holdings Corporation ( UWMC ) will close successfully. As a reminder, TWO is set to be acquired by UWMC in an all-stock deal, based on a fixed exchange ratio of 2.3328x shares in UWMC for each share in TWO. Since UWMC stock has surged on the back of expectations for higher mortgage lending volumes, this has naturally pushed TWO shares higher. As such, my main expectation is that the deal will indeed close in Q2 2026, a marked change since my prior article when the outcome was much more uncertain. Against this backdrop, TWO's Q4 2025 results were somewhat underwhelming, with the company reporting weak book value growth and a slump in quarterly non-GAAP earnings. Considering the recent rally in TWO shares, I am downgrading the company to a "Hold," with my more neutral outlook driven by: The potential for incremental share price gains if UWMC stock continues to climb, largely dependent on mortgage rates and activity levels in the sector. The possibility of the deal falling apart, in which case I see TWO shares suffering a pullback, the magnitude of which will likely be dependent on an eventual improvement in non-GAAP earnings. For instance, some of the decline in earnings may be short-lived, driven by higher compensation and benefit costs. A prospective static return of $0.16-0.31/share, below the current dividend level. Without further ado, let's go over TWO's recently released financials before discussing the drivers behind my rating downgrade. The company's Q4 2025 results presentation is available here . Q4 2025 Results Overview TWO reported a GAAP loss of $0.02/share, principally impacted by mark-to-market losses on servicing assets. As these valuation changes are quite volatile from one quarter to the next, TWO also reports non-GAAP earnings, referr...
FactoryTh/iStock via Getty Images Copper prices rebounded Tuesday as the metals selloff of recent days eased, Chinese firms showed signs of buying, and reports said China's government aims to expand strategic reserves of the metal. China should expand the size of its copper reserves and work with state-owned producers to boost commercial stockpiles, according to the China Nonferrous Metals Industr...
FactoryTh/iStock via Getty Images Copper prices rebounded Tuesday as the metals selloff of recent days eased, Chinese firms showed signs of buying, and reports said China's government aims to expand strategic reserves of the metal. China should expand the size of its copper reserves and work with state-owned producers to boost commercial stockpiles, according to the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, which held an annual briefing to review trends in the sector. Copper futures climbed ( HG1:COM ) as much as 4.6% to $13,478/ton on the London Metal Exchange, following an 11% plunge from a record high last Thursday to Monday's close, while other base metals including tin and aluminum also rose on the LME. "Manufacturers, who had been absent from the recent rally, emerged from the sidelines to buy copper at lower prices to help restocking inventories ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday... despite economic data showing factory activity remains weak," ANZ analysts said in a note. The broader macro backdrop also supports industrial metals, as President Trump agreed to reduce tariffs on imports of Indian goods to 18%, while the latest U.S. data showed factory activity unexpectedly expanded in January at the fastest pace in more than three years. In Tuesday's trading: Taseko Mines ( TGB ) +12%, Southern Copper ( SCCO ) +9.5%, Teck Resources ( TECK ) +7.8%, Ero Copper ( ERO ) +5.9%, Hudbay Minerals ( HBM ) +5.8%, Freeport-McMoRan ( FCX ) +5.2%, BHP ( BHP ) +3.8%, Rio Tinto ( RIO ) +3.5%. ETFs: ( CPER ), ( COPX ), ( JJCTF ) More on copper Commodities: Markets Stabilize After Heavy Sell-Off Commodities: Oil Increasingly Nervous About Potential U.S. Action In Iran Silver, Gold And Copper Outlook: Metals Flashing Red After Record Runs
Enterprise software stocks were largely in the red on Tuesday while analysts noted that growth is broadly not accelerating in software, while it is in sectors exposed to AI. William Blair noted that fear and not fundamentals is behind the recent reactions to software stocks. "Maybe the simplest explanation is the correct one: growth is broadly not accelerating in software, while it is in other sec...
Enterprise software stocks were largely in the red on Tuesday while analysts noted that growth is broadly not accelerating in software, while it is in sectors exposed to AI. William Blair noted that fear and not fundamentals is behind the recent reactions to software stocks. "Maybe the simplest explanation is the correct one: growth is broadly not accelerating in software, while it is in other sectors, particularly those exposed to the Al capex trade and data center buildout. And with software historically being the growth leader, the sector is adjusting to a new reality, one where it is simply no longer the growth king. This gets compounded by investors not having conviction in who the winners and losers are in an Al world. And with software growth not accelerating, the conclusion is that the sector is not seeing a material benefit from Al...yet," said William Blair analysts led by Arjun Bhatia. Last week, shares of Microsoft ( MSFT ) tumbled despite impressive second-quarter results. Analysts attributed the stock drop to high capital expenditures and Azure's revenue growth coming in only a hair above company expectations. Several software stocks were in the red on Tuesday. Snowflake ( SNOW ) and Atlassian ( TEAM ) slumped about -10% each, while Pegasystems ( PEGA ), MongoDB ( MDB ) -9%, monday.com ( MNDY ), and Elastic ( ESTC ) each tumbled nearly -9%. Workday ( WDAY ) and Asana ( ASAN ) declined nearly -8% each. Salesforce ( CRM ) fell around -7%, and Innodata ( INOD ) dipped about -3%. Microsoft ( MSFT ) and Oracle ( ORCL ) each fell roughly -2%. Cybersecurity stocks Cloudflare ( NET ) -9%, Datadog ( DDOG ) -7%, CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) -4%, and Fortinet ( FTNT ) -3% were also among the losers. Meanwhile, shares of legal software companies and other data service firms also fell on Tuesday after Anthropic ( ANTHRO ) released a new AI automation tool that investors worry could eat into much of their core businesses, Bloomberg News reported . Analytics service provider...
League’s star said to be unhappy over his club’s transfer dealings and Karim Benzema’s move. Now he could face his first backlash Jurassic Park sounded great given the spectacular beasts on display, but there was chaos after they started to do their own thing. When Cristiano Ronaldo, surely the T rex, and Karim Benzema, perhaps a velociraptor, are scoring in spectacular fashion there are headlines...
League’s star said to be unhappy over his club’s transfer dealings and Karim Benzema’s move. Now he could face his first backlash Jurassic Park sounded great given the spectacular beasts on display, but there was chaos after they started to do their own thing. When Cristiano Ronaldo, surely the T rex, and Karim Benzema, perhaps a velociraptor, are scoring in spectacular fashion there are headlines around the world, but the Saudi Pro League is finding out that when they start to flex their muscles off the pitch, there is even more interest and, it turns out, a real problem for the competition. What happened on a manic Monday in the SPL should have been about what unfolded on the pitch. Al-Hilal, in first, drew with third-placed Al-Ahli. Al-Nassr won, to stay second, closing to within a point of the leaders. If Brendan Rodgers, having a whale of a time with Al-Qadsiah, wins his game in hand then four points will separate the top four with just over a third of the season remaining. It is the kind of title race most leagues would love. Continue reading...
Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is scheduled to report Q1 earnings on Wednesday, February 4, after the market close, with consensus calling for EPS of $3.40 (-0.3% Y/Y) and revenue of $12.18B (+4.4% Y/Y). While EPS is expected to dip slightly Y/Y, estimate trends have improved meaningfully, with 18 upward and just three downward EPS revisions over the past three months. Revenue expectations have strengthened ev...
Qualcomm ( QCOM ) is scheduled to report Q1 earnings on Wednesday, February 4, after the market close, with consensus calling for EPS of $3.40 (-0.3% Y/Y) and revenue of $12.18B (+4.4% Y/Y). While EPS is expected to dip slightly Y/Y, estimate trends have improved meaningfully, with 18 upward and just three downward EPS revisions over the past three months. Revenue expectations have strengthened even further, logging 20 upward revisions and no downward changes. For the first quarter, Qualcomm ( QCOM ) said it expects to earn between $3.30 and $3.50 per share on an adjusted basis. Revenue is forecast between $11.8B and $12.6B. Notably, Qualcomm has beaten both EPS and revenue estimates in every quarter over the past two years, setting a high bar heading into the release. Investors will be closely watching updates on the handset and data center segments. Management stated during the last earnings call that data center revenue is now expected to start becoming material in fiscal 2027. Still, risks remain on the handset side. On January 9, Mizuho downgraded Qualcomm’s ( QCOM ) rating from "Outperform" to "Neutral," with a price target cut from $200 down to $175, noting it has “handset headwinds,” as it is expected to lose share in Apple ( AAPL ) devices this year and next. According to the analyst firm, Apple-related revenue in FY2025 was around $8.8B, with roughly $3B at risk as Apple shifts away from Qualcomm modems. “Q1 FY26 results are likely to beat the Street's expectations. I don't expect the headwinds in the handset segment to show up in guidance until H2 this year. This means that any positive announcement regarding the data center segment could bid up the stock post-earnings, especially if management provides a concrete revenue figure for this segment,” SA analyst Deep Value Investing said . QCOM shares have fallen 13.9% over the past year, underperforming the broader market. More on Qualcomm Qualcomm: Ignored Personal AI Boom Qualcomm: Underperforming Its Peer...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 3, 2026, 11 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Paulo Ruiz Sternadt Chief Financial Officer — Olivier Leonetti Vice President, Investor Relations — Yan Jin TAKEAWAYS Electrical Americas Orders -- Orders accelerated 16% on a rolling twelve-month basis, with quarterly orders rising more than 50%, and a sequential increase of over 18%. -- Orders acc...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 3, 2026, 11 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Paulo Ruiz Sternadt Chief Financial Officer — Olivier Leonetti Vice President, Investor Relations — Yan Jin TAKEAWAYS Electrical Americas Orders -- Orders accelerated 16% on a rolling twelve-month basis, with quarterly orders rising more than 50%, and a sequential increase of over 18%. -- Orders accelerated 16% on a rolling twelve-month basis, with quarterly orders rising more than 50%, and a sequential increase of over 18%. Electrical Americas Backlog -- Backlog grew 31% year over year to a record $13.2 billion, providing high visibility for future revenue. -- Backlog grew 31% year over year to a record $13.2 billion, providing high visibility for future revenue. Data Center Segment -- Data center orders in Electrical Americas increased approximately 200%, and sales rose by more than 40% compared to Q4 2024. -- Data center orders in Electrical Americas increased approximately 200%, and sales rose by more than 40% compared to Q4 2024. Total Company Revenue -- Quarterly revenue reached $7.1 billion, with organic growth of 9% driven by Electrical and Aerospace segments. -- Quarterly revenue reached $7.1 billion, with organic growth of 9% driven by Electrical and Aerospace segments. Adjusted EPS -- Adjusted earnings per share rose 18% to $3.33, in line with guidance midpoint. -- Adjusted earnings per share rose 18% to $3.33, in line with guidance midpoint. Segment Margins -- Margins reached a Q4 record of 24.9%, up 20 basis points year over year. -- Margins reached a Q4 record of 24.9%, up 20 basis points year over year. Electrical Americas Operating Margin -- Operating margin in the segment declined 180 basis points to 29.8%, due to ramp-up costs from capacity expansion. -- Operating margin in the segment declined 180 basis points to 29.8%, due to ramp-up costs from capacity expansion. Aerospace Segment -- Organic sales growth of 20%, with margins up 120 basis points to...