EU antitrust regulators are investigating Alphabet unit Google over the sale of search advertisements in Europe, a letter to advertisers seen by Reuters showed. The European Commission said it has indications of potential concerns regarding the auctions for the sale of advertising on Google Search, "in particular, the way in which Google has been artificially increasing the clearing...
EU antitrust regulators are investigating Alphabet unit Google over the sale of search advertisements in Europe, a letter to advertisers seen by Reuters showed. The European Commission said it has indications of potential concerns regarding the auctions for the sale of advertising on Google Search, "in particular, the way in which Google has been artificially increasing the clearing price of such auctions to the detriment of advertisers".
After 88 Years, Gallup Discontinues Historic Presidential Approval Polling The Gallup public opinion polling agency has announced that, beginning this year, it will stop publishing approval and favorability ratings for individual political figures in public office. American Greatness reports that agency announced that it will no longer chart presidential approval ratings, saying in a statement tha...
After 88 Years, Gallup Discontinues Historic Presidential Approval Polling The Gallup public opinion polling agency has announced that, beginning this year, it will stop publishing approval and favorability ratings for individual political figures in public office. American Greatness reports that agency announced that it will no longer chart presidential approval ratings, saying in a statement that the move “reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership.” The statement from Gallup explains that “Our commitment is to long-term, methodologically sound research on issues and conditions that shape people’s lives.” “That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll, and our portfolio of U.S. and global research,” the statement continued. According to Axios , for the better part of the past 8 decades, Gallup’s approval ratings have served as a kind of barometer of American public sentiment toward the White House. A Gallup spokesperson told The Epoch Times on Feb. 11 that the change took effect at the beginning of this year, saying that tracking approval and favorability for specific politicians “no longer represents an area in which Gallup can contribute in the most unique way.” “This is a strategic shift solely based on Gallup’s research goals and priorities, and is part of a broader, ongoing effort to align all of Gallup’s public work with its mission,” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing to offer independent research that adheres to the highest standards of social science.” President Trump’s current 36% approval rating is not the lowest among U.S. presidents despite an 11% drop in approval since February 2025. Sheer historical vandalism. WHY would Gallup voluntarily damage its reputation as the pollster of record by abandoning its 80-year series monitoring presidential approval? (At 36% approval, Trump isn't even that low compared with GWBush, Ca...
The firm remains confident even as the market flips from seeing it as an AI winner to fearing its profit market will implode As the FTSE 100 index bobs along close to all-time highs, it is easy to miss the quiet share price crash in one corner of the market. It’s got a name – the “Claude Crash” , referencing the plug-in legal products added by the AI firm Anthropic to its Claude Cowork office assi...
The firm remains confident even as the market flips from seeing it as an AI winner to fearing its profit market will implode As the FTSE 100 index bobs along close to all-time highs, it is easy to miss the quiet share price crash in one corner of the market. It’s got a name – the “Claude Crash” , referencing the plug-in legal products added by the AI firm Anthropic to its Claude Cowork office assistant. This launch, or so you would think from the panicked stock market reaction in the past few weeks, marks the moment when the AI revolution rips chunks out of some of the UK’s biggest public companies – those in the dull but successful “data” game, including Relx, the London Stock Exchange Group, Experian, Sage and Informa. Continue reading...
Bledger/iStock via Getty Images I would consider Pentair plc ( PNR ) a quality company in general, but there are some issues here that need to improve if the shares are going to break out of a fairly nondescript long-term performance pattern. Management has done well on margins, but free cash flow has only kept up with revenue growth, volume hasn’t really grown at all since 2021, and the company h...
Bledger/iStock via Getty Images I would consider Pentair plc ( PNR ) a quality company in general, but there are some issues here that need to improve if the shares are going to break out of a fairly nondescript long-term performance pattern. Management has done well on margins, but free cash flow has only kept up with revenue growth, volume hasn’t really grown at all since 2021, and the company has lagged its industrial peers on organic growth every quarter since 2022. I was neutral on Pentair with my last article and thought it was worth considering on a pullback. Investors indeed got that pullback and would be up more than 25% from those lows. However, the shares have risen only about 15% overall, lagging an industrial sector that has really perked up lately on expectations of stronger short-cycle recoveries. Pentair isn’t really short-cycle-sensitive, and I’m worried that the company will have to pull back some on pricing in 2026 after years of relatively aggressive moves. I’m also concerned that important industrial markets like agriculture, food service, and mining aren’t really going to help too much. With the shares around my fair value estimate, I can see some appeal as other industrials get more expensive, but I’d like to see better organic growth to complement what management has done with margin improvements. Weak Volumes But Some Margin Improvement In Q4 On balance, this wasn’t a particularly exciting quarter for Pentair, as the company’s organic growth once again lags the broader sector and margin improvement is becoming more of an expectation than a real sentiment driver. Revenue rose a little less than 4% this quarter, good enough for a small beat versus Street expectations, but once again weaker than the broader industrial space (which is seeing around 4.5% growth on average). Gross margin improved by 160bp to 40.4% as the company continued to use price to offset tariff pressures, and this drove the earnings upside for the quarter. Adjusted operatin...
EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered BP p.l.c. ( BP ), I highlighted their improving fundamentals while their turnaround and renewed focus on oil and gas advanced, although I mentioned that the buybacks were at risk if they wanted to continue increasing the dividend while oil price weakness continued. With the buybacks now halted as the company wants to de...
EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock via Getty Images Introduction The last time I covered BP p.l.c. ( BP ), I highlighted their improving fundamentals while their turnaround and renewed focus on oil and gas advanced, although I mentioned that the buybacks were at risk if they wanted to continue increasing the dividend while oil price weakness continued. With the buybacks now halted as the company wants to dedicate its extra cash flow on their balance sheet - which I don’t consider a bad move in this environment - yet still reporting solid numbers and advancing on their turnaround with several major projects and divestitures, I believe BP continues to trade at an attractive valuation given their turnaround potential, reiterating their Buy rating. Internal Developments BP IR BP reported a solid Q4, beating the market's revenue estimates , although the stock dropped as a result of a mix of lower oil production and especially the suspension of their buybacks. BP advanced on their divestments, completing and signing over $11 billion worth of asset sales and starting 7 major projects - 5 of them ahead of schedule. Seeking Alpha However, another issue we can see comes from their bottom line and cash flow. While the company’s margins and returns are generally below American and even other European peers, it’s true that their ROACE is in line with large peers and even increased in 2025 to 14% on a reported basis, which could be a sign that what they are doing is working. Even though the top line came above the market’s estimate, we’re still talking about a company with a history of inefficiency, high costs, and even accidents (see Deepwater Horizon) that they’re still paying for. Although they are selling operations to fund new projects in their old (oil) focus, there’s nothing that guarantees that these are going to be any better - certainly not their history. BP IR BP’s free cash flow reached $9.96 billion in 2025 compared to $11.06 billion in 2024, and although that's not uncommon g...
Key PointsGlobal X Silver Miners ETF (SIL) has delivered a dramatically higher one-year return but comes with higher volatility and a much deeper max drawdown than SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).
Key PointsGlobal X Silver Miners ETF (SIL) has delivered a dramatically higher one-year return but comes with higher volatility and a much deeper max drawdown than SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).
Earnings Call Insights: Baxter International Inc. (BAX) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Andrew Hider reported, "Fourth quarter 2025 global sales from continuing operations totaled $3 billion and increased 8% on a reported basis and 3% on an operational basis. Total company adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $0.44 per diluted share. While the top line exceeded our expectations, adjusted ...
Earnings Call Insights: Baxter International Inc. (BAX) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Andrew Hider reported, "Fourth quarter 2025 global sales from continuing operations totaled $3 billion and increased 8% on a reported basis and 3% on an operational basis. Total company adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $0.44 per diluted share. While the top line exceeded our expectations, adjusted EPS fell short." Hider highlighted margin pressure from an unfavorable mix of sales and nonrecurring items, including inventory adjustments, and cited a higher tax rate as additional headwind. Hider emphasized early turnaround steps: "We are in the early stages of a turnaround and have more work to do to deliver strategically, operationally and commercially and recognize that it will take time to implement real long-term solutions." He pointed to strong 11% growth in Advanced Surgery and consistent performance in Healthcare Systems & Technologies, driven by the launch of Connex 360 and the upcoming Dynamo Series stretcher. The CEO described a new operating model: "We are delayering levers of leadership, including removing the segment management layer and embedding critical functional roles directly in each of our businesses. This will allow each leader to have full P&L responsibility...and importantly, full accountability to the results." Actions to rightsize the IV Solutions business and address pharma supply and backorder issues are underway. Hider also noted, "Free cash flow generation exceeded $450 million in the quarter." Hider stated, "We have streamlined the organization for greater accountability. We have launched GPS to drive continuous improvement, and we have heightened our focus on innovation to better meet customer needs, all to drive improved performance and long-term shareholder value creation." CFO Joel Grade said, "Fourth quarter 2025 global sales from continuing operations totaled $3 billion and increased 8% on a reported basis and 3% on an operational bas...
Earnings Call Insights: Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Steven Hedlund reported "record 2025 performance" with sales increasing 6% to $4.2 billion, attributing growth to acquisitions and price. Hedlund stated, "We maintained last year's record adjusted operating income margin, increased adjusted EPS to a record $9.87 and generated strong cash flows from operation...
Earnings Call Insights: Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Steven Hedlund reported "record 2025 performance" with sales increasing 6% to $4.2 billion, attributing growth to acquisitions and price. Hedlund stated, "We maintained last year's record adjusted operating income margin, increased adjusted EPS to a record $9.87 and generated strong cash flows from operations. This resulted in record cash returns to shareholders." Hedlund highlighted disciplined cost management and agility in the supply chain, noting "our savings programs generated an incremental $31 million of permanent savings." He also cited top quartile ROIC and total shareholder return performance. Discussing demand trends, Hedlund noted organic sales grew 2.5% from price, offset by weaker volume performance, with automation volumes particularly challenged but an encouraging backlog expected to drive growth in 2026. "Excluding automation, organic sales would have increased approximately 8%." CFO Gabriel Bruno detailed that fourth quarter sales increased 5.5% to $1.079 billion, driven by "8.9% higher price, 1.9% favorable foreign exchange translation and a 1.1% benefit from acquisitions," but partially offset by 6.4% lower volumes. "Gross profit dollars increased approximately 1% to $374 million and gross profit margin compressed 140 basis points to 34.7%." Bruno added, "SG&A expense decreased approximately $3 million versus the prior year from the benefit of $5 million of permanent savings and lower employee costs, which were partially offset by unfavorable foreign exchange translation and higher discretionary spending." Management unveiled the new RISE strategy, shifting from regional to center-led functions, aiming to structurally align the global organization for greater efficiency and agility, and maintaining a "high single-digit to low double-digit percent sales growth rate framework" through 2030. Outlook The 2026 operating framework assumes a "sales growth rate in ...
Earnings Call Insights: Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Michel Doukeris opened by highlighting "another year of dollar-based EPS growth, continued margin expansion and solid free cash flow generation, even as we navigated a dynamic consumer environment." He stressed the resilience of the business and the importance of consistent strategy execution. Doukeris noted, "Our mega ...
Earnings Call Insights: Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Michel Doukeris opened by highlighting "another year of dollar-based EPS growth, continued margin expansion and solid free cash flow generation, even as we navigated a dynamic consumer environment." He stressed the resilience of the business and the importance of consistent strategy execution. Doukeris noted, "Our mega brands and premium portfolio grew ahead of our overall business. The growth of our Beyond Beer and non-alcohol beer portfolios accelerated, increasing revenue by 23% and 34%, respectively. And BEES Marketplace GMV increased by 61% to now reach $3.5 billion." The company increased its share buyback program, paid an interim dividend, and proposed a final dividend, together representing a 15% year-over-year increase. "We exit 2025 with improving momentum across many of our key markets, and we entered 2026 well positioned to engage consumers and accelerate growth," Doukeris stated. In North America, Doukeris reported share gains in both beer and spirits, with Michelob Ultra and Busch Light leading volume share gains. Beyond Beer growth was led by Cutwater, which "grew revenue in the triple digits." CFO Fernando Tennenbaum stated, "Our EBITDA margin improved by 101 basis points this year with margin expansion across 4 of our 5 operating regions." He added, "Underlying EPS was $3.73 per share, a 6% increase versus last year's in dollars and a 9.4% increase in constant currency." Outlook Management expects EBITDA to grow "between 4% and 8% on an organic basis, in line with our medium-term outlook." Net CapEx is projected to be "between $3.5 billion and $4 billion," with a normalized effective tax rate of "between 26% and 28%." Doukeris confirmed, "Our midterm outlook is unchanged for 2026." Financial Results The company delivered "EBITDA growth of 4.9% with margin expansion of 101 basis points." Revenue increased in "65% of our markets this year, and we delivered EBITDA growth in ...
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images News Ubisoft ( UBSFF ) ( UBSFY ) said Thursday it aims to trim 200 positions at its headquarters in France by offering voluntary exit packages. "These measures are intended to support a more agile organization and reinforce the group’s ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth," the company said in a press release. Last month, the game publisher said it will ...
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images News Ubisoft ( UBSFF ) ( UBSFY ) said Thursday it aims to trim 200 positions at its headquarters in France by offering voluntary exit packages. "These measures are intended to support a more agile organization and reinforce the group’s ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth," the company said in a press release. Last month, the game publisher said it will divide its operations into five creative houses. Leadership appointments for each of the houses will start in March and will include "experienced external hires and respected industry veterans," Ubisoft said Thursday. "As we move into this execution phase, our financial position and available cash provide the flexibility needed to address the near-term maturity, while we continue to work on extending our debt profile," the company added. More on Ubisoft Entertainment SA Why Ubisoft Is Deep Value, Not A Value Trap Ubisoft: Cheap For A Reason As The Turnaround Clock Starts Ubisoft Entertainment SA (UBSFY) Discusses Major Organizational and Portfolio Reset to Reclaim Creative Leadership and Drive Growth - Slideshow Video game stocks nosedive as Google's 'Project Genie' allows virtual world creation Ubisoft gains as Tencent invests in studio behind Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six
Very rarely do some artificial intelligence (AI) stocks go on sale. However, there are excellent buying opportunities right now that investors shouldn't miss. At the top of my shopping list are two solid AI stocks that will be OK, even if the market is a bit bearish on them right now. These two stocks are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) . Each has been an incredible long-term in...
Very rarely do some artificial intelligence (AI) stocks go on sale. However, there are excellent buying opportunities right now that investors shouldn't miss. At the top of my shopping list are two solid AI stocks that will be OK, even if the market is a bit bearish on them right now. These two stocks are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) . Each has been an incredible long-term investment, but they are trading significantly off of their all-time highs right now. With Microsoft down 23% and Nvidia down 9%, now is a perfect buying opportunity for both stocks. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading