Late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs has inspired a legion of entrepreneurs hoping to define the next era of business. Despite never meeting the tech legend, Intercontinental Exchange founder Jeffrey Sprecher hails Jobs as a “mentor,” and credited the pioneer for teaching him a critical lesson on career success. “Steve Jobs was Apple, right? But he didn’t really write code or invent anything, Sprecher ...
Late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs has inspired a legion of entrepreneurs hoping to define the next era of business. Despite never meeting the tech legend, Intercontinental Exchange founder Jeffrey Sprecher hails Jobs as a “mentor,” and credited the pioneer for teaching him a critical lesson on career success. “Steve Jobs was Apple, right? But he didn’t really write code or invent anything, Sprecher said recently at the Rotary Club Of Atlanta. “He curated ideas that a lot of really smart people around him created. He just had good taste.” Over the course of his business career, Sprecher has achieved success by leaning on the brainchilds of other entrepreneurs. The global exchange CEO said he’s led around 50 acquisitions, and confessed that it’s “much easier to buy somebody else’s hard work and the sacrifice that many others made” and scale it up, rather than start from scratch. Sprecher even got his start turning a failing company into a billion-dollar behemoth. In the late 1990’s, Sprecher bought Warren Buffett’s near-bankrupt electric utility company, MidAmerican Energy, for just $1,000. He turned it into the Intercontinental Exchange, and more than two decades later, the company boasts a market cap of $98 billion and more than 12,000 staffers—and has also proudly owned the NYSE for over a decade. And it all panned out because of Sprecher’s strategy to curate the brightest minds and most innovative ideas. “Surround yourself with really good people that have good ideas, and then just curate them,” Sprecher added. “Get rid of the stupid ones and embrace the good ones, and you know that’s partly why you look smart.” Fortune reached out to the Intercontinental Exchange for comment. The CEOs who say being surrounded by smart people is crucial for success When Sprecher was observing how Jobs came into whirlwind success, he picked up on an intentional strategy set forth by the Apple cofounder. Jobs has said that he looks to bring the brightest minds onto his projects, and l...
New York, January 29, 2026, 10:27 (EST) — Regular session Advanced Micro Devices shares slipped 1.6% to $248.59 in Thursday morning trading, retreating from an earlier peak of $260.22. The stock lost $4.15 compared to its previous close. The shift happened as U.S. tech shares took a hit. The Nasdaq dropped roughly 1% early on, dragged lower by Microsoft, which stumbled after cloud revenue missed e...
New York, January 29, 2026, 10:27 (EST) — Regular session Advanced Micro Devices shares slipped 1.6% to $248.59 in Thursday morning trading, retreating from an earlier peak of $260.22. The stock lost $4.15 compared to its previous close. The shift happened as U.S. tech shares took a hit. The Nasdaq dropped roughly 1% early on, dragged lower by Microsoft, which stumbled after cloud revenue missed expectations. That fueled fresh doubts about whether hefty AI investments are paying off quickly enough. (Reuters) This debate hits home for AMD, whose chips power the servers behind AI. Capital expenditures on data centers and gear — or “capex” — are the key variable. Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, said investors are looking for “very visible monetization or earnings.” (Reuters) Microsoft’s figures added to the jitters. Shares dropped in Europe after the company revealed it poured a record sum into AI last quarter and reported slower growth in cloud computing, spooking investors fixated on short-term gains. (Reuters) Meta shifted gears, raising its 2026 capital expenditure outlook to $115 billion-$135 billion amid its drive toward “superintelligence,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg told analysts. CFO Susan Li warned that capacity constraints will likely persist through much of 2026. (Reuters) Chip shares surged the previous day on a growing AI wave. Positive cues from Texas Instruments and others pushed several names up. AMD, Nvidia, and Intel all gained as investors wagered that data-center demand is expanding past Nvidia’s top-tier processors. (Reuters) Thursday saw a cooler mood across the sector. Nvidia slipped 1.6% to $188.48, while Intel dropped roughly 1.5%, closing at $48.05. AMD stayed roughly in line with the group’s movement. But sentiment can shift fast. Software shares dropped following SAP’s cautious forecast for its cloud business and a sell-off in ServiceNow. Adam Turnquist of LPL Financial noted the market appears to be pricing in...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET Call participants Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer — Robert Keane Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Sean Quinn Vice President, Investor Relations — Meredith Byrnes Takeaways Quarterly revenue -- Surpassed $1 billion for the first time, with reported growth of 11% and organic constant currency ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET Call participants Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer — Robert Keane Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Sean Quinn Vice President, Investor Relations — Meredith Byrnes Takeaways Quarterly revenue -- Surpassed $1 billion for the first time, with reported growth of 11% and organic constant currency growth of 4%. -- Surpassed $1 billion for the first time, with reported growth of 11% and organic constant currency growth of 4%. Revenue by segment -- All segments delivered revenue growth; Vistaprint achieved 5% organic constant currency growth, driven by double-digit gains in promotional products, apparel and gifts, and packaging and labels. -- All segments delivered revenue growth; Vistaprint achieved 5% organic constant currency growth, driven by double-digit gains in promotional products, apparel and gifts, and packaging and labels. Print Brothers segment -- Reported revenue rose 26%, aided by an $18 million tuck-in acquisition and currency benefits; excluding these, organic constant currency growth was 6%. -- Reported revenue rose 26%, aided by an $18 million tuck-in acquisition and currency benefits; excluding these, organic constant currency growth was 6%. Legacy products -- Business cards and stationery declined 1%, with US holiday cards and calendar volume flat, and Canadian sales growing double digits. -- Business cards and stationery declined 1%, with US holiday cards and calendar volume flat, and Canadian sales growing double digits. Upload and print segments -- Customer and order count increased, contributing to 6% organic constant currency revenue growth. -- Customer and order count increased, contributing to 6% organic constant currency revenue growth. Adjusted EBITDA -- Increased by $6 million year over year; consolidated profit dollars grew 8% due to high-value elevated products and favorable currency shifts. -- Increased by $6 million year over year; con...
Hong Kong authorities are investigating the discovery of a severely decomposed whale carcass discovered on a beach in Sai Kung. Authorities were alerted to the decomposed carcass, measuring 11 metres (36.1 feet) in length, on Thursday after villagers found it on the beach at Ham Tin Wan, in Sai Kung East Country Park. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) deployed officers ...
Hong Kong authorities are investigating the discovery of a severely decomposed whale carcass discovered on a beach in Sai Kung. Authorities were alerted to the decomposed carcass, measuring 11 metres (36.1 feet) in length, on Thursday after villagers found it on the beach at Ham Tin Wan, in Sai Kung East Country Park. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) deployed officers to the scene, with preliminary findings suggesting that the animal was a baleen whale. Advertisement Based on the degree of decomposition, the carcass was believed to have been dead for some time before drifting from the open seas into the waters off Ham Tin Wan, it added. The department said a necropsy could not be conducted due to its advanced decomposition, adding that its staff were working to dispose of the carcass and clean up the area by Friday. Advertisement It also reminded the public to stay away from the area to avoid obstructing the process.
Advanced Micro Devices AMD is set to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 3. AMD expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenues of $9.6 billion (+/-$300 million). At the mid-point of the revenue range, this represents year-over-year growth of 25% and sequential growth of roughly 4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMD’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $9.67 billion, suggesting year-over-yea...
Advanced Micro Devices AMD is set to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 3. AMD expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenues of $9.6 billion (+/-$300 million). At the mid-point of the revenue range, this represents year-over-year growth of 25% and sequential growth of roughly 4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMD’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $9.67 billion, suggesting year-over-year growth of 26.2%. The consensus mark for fourth-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.33 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The earnings estimate indicates growth of 22% on a year-over-year basis. Consensus Estimate Trend Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research AMD beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.45%. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Quote Let’s see how things have shaped up for the upcoming earnings announcement. Factors to Note Ahead of AMD’s Q4 Results The mid-point of AMD’s fourth-quarter guidance reflects strong double-digit growth in Data Center and the Client and Gaming segment, and a return to growth in the Embedded segment. On a sequential basis, AMD’s top-line is expected to benefit from double-digit growth in the Data Center segment with strong growth in server and continued ramp of the company’s MI350 Series GPUs. The Embedded segment is also expected to grow double-digit, while the Client and Gaming segment is anticipated to see client revenues increasing but gaming declining double-digit. AMD’s fourth-quarter 2025 performance is expected to have benefited from continued strong demand for its EPYC processors and Instinct accelerators. AMD’s to-be-reported quarter results are expected to have benefited from a rich partner base that includes the likes of OpenAI, Cohere, IBM, Oracle ORCL, Google, HPE, De...
Advanced Micro Devices AMD is set to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 3. AMD expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenues of $9.6 billion (+/-$300 million). At the mid-point of the revenue range, this represents year-over-year growth of 25% and sequential growth of roughly 4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMD’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $9.67 billion, suggesting year-over-yea...
Advanced Micro Devices AMD is set to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 3. AMD expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenues of $9.6 billion (+/-$300 million). At the mid-point of the revenue range, this represents year-over-year growth of 25% and sequential growth of roughly 4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMD’s fourth-quarter revenues is pegged at $9.67 billion, suggesting year-over-year growth of 26.2%. The consensus mark for fourth-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.33 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. The earnings estimate indicates growth of 22% on a year-over-year basis. Consensus Estimate Trend Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research AMD beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.45%. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Quote Let’s see how things have shaped up for the upcoming earnings announcement. Factors to Note Ahead of AMD’s Q4 Results The mid-point of AMD’s fourth-quarter guidance reflects strong double-digit growth in Data Center and the Client and Gaming segment, and a return to growth in the Embedded segment. On a sequential basis, AMD’s top-line is expected to benefit from double-digit growth in the Data Center segment with strong growth in server and continued ramp of the company’s MI350 Series GPUs. The Embedded segment is also expected to grow double-digit, while the Client and Gaming segment is anticipated to see client revenues increasing but gaming declining double-digit. AMD’s fourth-quarter 2025 performance is expected to have benefited from continued strong demand for its EPYC processors and Instinct accelerators. AMD’s to-be-reported quarter results are expected to have benefited from a rich partner base that includes the likes of OpenAI, Cohere, IBM, Oracle ORCL, Google, HPE, De...
While some investors are raising alarms of a looming bubble in artificial intelligence, Blackstone Inc. President Jon Gray is focused on a different risk tied to the technology — the rapid disruption of certain industries. Gray is focused on what happens when industries change overnight, like what happened to “the Yellow Pages back in the ‘90s when the internet came along,” he said Thursday in a B...
While some investors are raising alarms of a looming bubble in artificial intelligence, Blackstone Inc. President Jon Gray is focused on a different risk tied to the technology — the rapid disruption of certain industries. Gray is focused on what happens when industries change overnight, like what happened to “the Yellow Pages back in the ‘90s when the internet came along,” he said Thursday in a Bloomberg TV interview. AI is attracting billions of dollars of investments in startups and the building of data centers needed to power the technology, though some on Wall Street have grown skeptical about when they’ll start to see returns. For its part, Blackstone is being mindful of how much it’s investing in AI but also views the technology as ultimately spurring a “huge productivity boom,” Gray said. Still, the firm is carefully assessing disruption risks, Gray said, pointing to examples such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. replacing proxy advisers with AI and the insurer Lemonade Inc. pitching drivers cheaper rates if they have Tesla Inc. ’s Full Self-Driving system engaged. “Every deal that we’re doing today, in the first two pages of the memo, we’re saying, ‘What is the AI risk?’” Gray said. “There are plenty of businesses that are facing real challenges.” At the same time, he said, AI is giving Blackstone’s people “super-human capabilities,” making software engineers twice as efficient, for example. “There will be efficiencies out there, and that is going to lead to generally higher margins in a lot of industries over time,” he said. Blackstone is one of the world’s largest operators of data centers, and that business was the largest single driver of its real estate division last year, Gray said on an analysts call Thursday. Read More: Blackstone Posts Profit Jump as Deals Hit ‘Escape Velocity’
By Toby Sterling and Nathan Vifflin AMSTERDAM, Jan 29 (Reuters) - ASML's latest results reignited the rally that has made it Europe's most valuable company, until questions about its capacity to meet record orders sent the stock sliding - highlighting just how stretched expectations have become. Shares in the Dutch chip-machine maker initially hit new highs after it reported fourth-quarter earnin...
By Toby Sterling and Nathan Vifflin AMSTERDAM, Jan 29 (Reuters) - ASML's latest results reignited the rally that has made it Europe's most valuable company, until questions about its capacity to meet record orders sent the stock sliding - highlighting just how stretched expectations have become. Shares in the Dutch chip-machine maker initially hit new highs after it reported fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, before reversing to end down 2%. The whipsaw trading underscores how the firm, whose tools are used by chipmakers such as Taiwan's TSMC to produce AI chips for Nvidia, is testing the limits of investor appetite. ASML shares are up 34% so far this month and trade at 42 times 2026 earnings estimates, well above Nvidia's 25 times, as analysts have ratcheted up forecasts. ASML management sees sales growth this year ranging from as low as 4% to as high as 19%. "Much of the good news is then already priced in," said Han Dieperink, chief investment officer at Aureus, which recently halved its ASML stake to 45,000 shares but remains overweight the stock. "It's a matter of valuation and positioning." SHARES AT RECORD HIGHS With the stock near all-time highs, investors and analysts are debating how much further ASML, valued at 467 billion euros ($559 billion), can grow. Its order backlog stands at 38.8 billion euros, but the giant chip-printing machines it sells can take a year to build. ASML is the only maker of EUV lithography systems, which are essential for creating the tiny circuitry of advanced chips. Supporters point to the company's AI-driven outlook. Top customer TSMC plans major capacity expansions in 2026, with more expected in 2027 and 2028. Memory chip makers Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron also have AI-linked expansion plans that would benefit ASML. "Although it may appear that the valuation ... is already very high, we're not relying on multiple expansion for a return," said ASML investor Gerrit Smit, lead portfolio manager of the Stonehage Fleming...
The inscription on the large 13th-century stone slab on display at York Minster does not bode well: “Qui ceci dit svp er caput rogeri de Ripvn.” Or, as it translates: “Which fell on the head of Roger of Ripon.” “We don’t quite know who Roger of Ripon was,” said Jennie England, research coordinator at the cathedral. “But he survived, and a miraculous incident was reported in the 1280s when a stone ...
The inscription on the large 13th-century stone slab on display at York Minster does not bode well: “Qui ceci dit svp er caput rogeri de Ripvn.” Or, as it translates: “Which fell on the head of Roger of Ripon.” “We don’t quite know who Roger of Ripon was,” said Jennie England, research coordinator at the cathedral. “But he survived, and a miraculous incident was reported in the 1280s when a stone fell on someone’s head.” The slab, found in a York drain in the 19th century, has gone on display at a new exhibition marking the 800th anniversary of Saint William – a forgotten, once adored martyr said to be responsible for that miracle and others. At the centre of the exhibition is a cutting-edge, digital recreation of an imposing shrine to William that once stood in York Minster’s nave but was broken up and buried to protect it from the ravages of Henry VIII’s reformation. View image in fullscreen At the centre of the exhibition is a digital recreation of a shrine to William that once stood in York Minster’s nave. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA “The shrine is absolutely stunning,” said England. It reflects, she added, the high regard William was once held in. He is the patron saint of York but is “largely forgotten”. William Fitzherbert was archbishop of York twice, from 1141 to 1147 when Cistercian monks thought him unsuitable and, after the deaths of enemies, from 1153 to 1154. He was clearly a popular figure and such was the joy when he returned to York from Rome in 1154 that large crowds gathered to greet him. So many people were on the wooden bridge over the river Ouse that it collapsed. William, it is said, called on God and no one drowned. That is considered William’s first miracle, but his triumph was short lived, and he died after becoming violently ill while celebrating mass. His death remains suspicious to this day. The Ouse Bridge miracle and others after his death – including curing a woman who inadvertently swallowed a frog – led to William’s canonisation by ...
The topic of integrating better artificial intelligence features into the iPhone may be a big question asked by analysts during the earnings call late Thursday. But some analysts expect Apple not to say much about the plans for the Apple-Gemini partnership announced earlier this month.
The topic of integrating better artificial intelligence features into the iPhone may be a big question asked by analysts during the earnings call late Thursday. But some analysts expect Apple not to say much about the plans for the Apple-Gemini partnership announced earlier this month.
asbe/iStock via Getty Images By Carsten Brzeski , Global Head of Macro Last May, ECB President Christine Lagarde delivered a motivational speech aiming to unleash pro-European sentiment and support for deeper integration, calling for a ‘global euro moment’. With the recent weakening of the US dollar - and the corresponding strengthening of the euro - next week’s ECB meeting could be more interesti...
asbe/iStock via Getty Images By Carsten Brzeski , Global Head of Macro Last May, ECB President Christine Lagarde delivered a motivational speech aiming to unleash pro-European sentiment and support for deeper integration, calling for a ‘global euro moment’. With the recent weakening of the US dollar - and the corresponding strengthening of the euro - next week’s ECB meeting could be more interesting than imagined just a few days ago. ECB still sits comfortably in its 'good place' When it comes to the basics of monetary policy, given everything currently going on in the world, the ECB has almost become a beacon of continuity - some might even say boredom. The ECB simply calls it a ‘good place’, i.e., a eurozone economy that looks set to grow at around potential and an inflation rate settling around target. Data releases since the December meeting have only confirmed that view. What's not to like? Well, maybe the high level of uncertainty in both geopolitics and economic outcomes. Up until now, there has been a clear disconnect between geopolitics and macroeconomics. No one knows whether this disconnect will hold or whether one side of the equation will eventually move. Geopolitical risks could slow down, or the economy could eventually still weaken. However, as long as these geopolitical risks and uncertainties do not translate into substantial changes to the eurozone outlook, the ECB will watch but not act. Stronger euro could revive debate on possible rate cut In recent days, however, market developments have started to make the ECB’s 'good place' a little less comfortable. The weakening of the US dollar and hence the strengthening of the euro have led to some unease at the Bank. Austrian central bank governor Martin Kocher said that "if the euro appreciates further and further, at some stage this might create, of course, a certain necessity to react in terms of monetary policy. But not because of the exchange rate itself, but because the exchange rate translates i...
Gigabyte has partnered with AMD to accelerate AI Gaming across various products, including laptops, motherboards, and displays. Gigabyte Is Bringing AI To Its Vast Range of PC Gaming Products With The Help of AMD, Include Motherboards, Laptops & Displays Press Release: GIGABYTE, the world’s leading computer brand, deepens its strategic partnership with AMD to accelerate on-device AI across three k...
Gigabyte has partnered with AMD to accelerate AI Gaming across various products, including laptops, motherboards, and displays. Gigabyte Is Bringing AI To Its Vast Range of PC Gaming Products With The Help of AMD, Include Motherboards, Laptops & Displays Press Release: GIGABYTE, the world’s leading computer brand, deepens its strategic partnership with AMD to accelerate on-device AI across three key product lines, including AI gaming laptops, X870E X3D series motherboards, and high-refresh OLED gaming monitors. Powered by AMD platforms and built with GIGABYTE’s advanced technology, this collaboration delivers fast, smooth performance for gaming and creation, as well as steady stability for PC builds. For AI gaming laptops, AORUS MASTER 16 is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor with AMD 3D V-Cache technology, an advanced cache design that helps keep frame rates steady in fast-paced games while accelerating demanding creator workloads. GIGABYTE AERO X16 (Copilot+ PC) runs on AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series processors, leveraging the built-in NPU to handle select AI tasks efficiently on-device for everyday AI experiences. To help AMD’s performance shine in real sessions, GIGABYTE elevates the experience with WINDFORCE Infinity EX cooling technology on AORUS MASTER 16—rated for 230W max total thermal power—and GiMATE, GIGABYTE’S exclusive AI agent that streamlines power, performance, and AI features into clear, workflow-friendly controls, so users get strong and steady performance with less manual tuning. On desktops, GIGABYTE X870E X3D Series motherboards are designed to unleash the performance of AMD Ryzen 9000 Series Processors with AMD 3D V-Cache Technology, where platform tuning can directly influence gaming stability and responsiveness. Built on AMD X3D foundation, GIGABYTE adds its exclusive AI-powered X3D Turbo Mode 2.0, a true hardware–software fusion optimized specifically for AMD 3D V-Cache Technology behavior, along with a robust power design, refined BIOS...
Gold fell the most since October, reversing earlier gains that took the precious metal to a fresh record above $5,500 an ounce, as the US dollar strengthened. A rebound in the greenback helped drive down bullion by as much as 5.7% in the biggest intraday drop since Oct. 21, before paring some of the losses. Silver dropped as much as 8.4%. A gauge of the dollar rose as much as 0.3%, reversing earli...
Gold fell the most since October, reversing earlier gains that took the precious metal to a fresh record above $5,500 an ounce, as the US dollar strengthened. A rebound in the greenback helped drive down bullion by as much as 5.7% in the biggest intraday drop since Oct. 21, before paring some of the losses. Silver dropped as much as 8.4%. A gauge of the dollar rose as much as 0.3%, reversing earlier declines. Gold has advanced sharply this year with heightened geopolitical tensions and worries about the independence the Federal Reserve, which have supported the debasement trade. The precious metal had climbed more than 20% just this month, with some technical indicators pointing to a near-term price correction. “Given the frothiness in the markets and the dominance of flows over fundamentals, it does not need much for a correction,” said Julius Baer Group Ltd.’s Carsten Menke. Gold’s relative strength index spiked above 90 and silver’s was around 84. Readings above 70 typically signal the metal has been bought so heavily it could be due for a pause or pullback. Declines in the equities market also sparked a liquidation in other assets, including precious and industrial metals, according to Phil Streible, chief market strategist at Blue Line Futures. Spot gold fell 2.6% to $ 5,276.46 an ounce as of 11:25 a.m. in New York. Spot silver fell 3.6% to $ 112.44 an ounce.
US regulators are scrutinizing how dozens of small, foreign-based companies became targets of chatroom stock promoters. Bloomberg's Weihua Li explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
US regulators are scrutinizing how dozens of small, foreign-based companies became targets of chatroom stock promoters. Bloomberg's Weihua Li explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Jim Cracchiolo Chief Financial Officer — Walter Berman Head of Investor Relations — Stephanie Rabe Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Adjusted operating revenue -- $4.9 billion, up 10%, driven by strong organic client flows and favo...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Jim Cracchiolo Chief Financial Officer — Walter Berman Head of Investor Relations — Stephanie Rabe Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways Adjusted operating revenue -- $4.9 billion, up 10%, driven by strong organic client flows and favorable markets. -- $4.9 billion, up 10%, driven by strong organic client flows and favorable markets. Adjusted operating earnings -- Over $1.0 billion, increasing 10% year over year. -- Over $1.0 billion, increasing 10% year over year. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) -- $10.83, up 16% from the prior year. -- $10.83, up 16% from the prior year. Return on equity (ROE) -- 53.2%, an increase of over 100 basis points, establishing a new company high. -- 53.2%, an increase of over 100 basis points, establishing a new company high. Firm-wide operating margin -- 27% reported for the quarter. -- 27% reported for the quarter. Total assets under management, administration, and advisement -- $1.7 trillion, up 11%, and a new record high. -- $1.7 trillion, up 11%, and a new record high. Total client assets in Advice & Wealth Management -- $1.2 trillion, up 13% year over year. -- $1.2 trillion, up 13% year over year. Total client inflows (Advice & Wealth Management) -- $13.3 billion, representing an 18% year-over-year increase and a 4.7% annualized flow rate. -- $13.3 billion, representing an 18% year-over-year increase and a 4.7% annualized flow rate. Wrap assets -- $670 billion, up 17% with $12.1 billion of net inflows, a 7.4% annualized flow rate. -- $670 billion, up 17% with $12.1 billion of net inflows, a 7.4% annualized flow rate. Advisor productivity -- Rose 8% to $1.1 million per advisor in the quarter. -- Rose 8% to $1.1 million per advisor in the quarter. Experienced advisor recruiting -- 91 advisors added; advisor count is up 1% compared to the prior year. -- 91 advisors added...
Earnings Call Insights: First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) Q4 2025 Management View Archie Brown, President and CEO, stated he is "very pleased with our record earnings performance for the quarter. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.80, leading to an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3%. The net interest margin, which declined slightly from the ...
Earnings Call Insights: First Financial Bancorp. (FFBC) Q4 2025 Management View Archie Brown, President and CEO, stated he is "very pleased with our record earnings performance for the quarter. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.80, leading to an adjusted return on assets of 1.52% and an adjusted return on tangible common equity of 20.3%. The net interest margin, which declined slightly from the third quarter, has proven resilient as reduction in funding costs negated most of the impact of short-term rate reductions by the Federal Reserve." Brown also highlighted that loan growth was 4% on an annualized basis, and average deposits increased by approximately 7% annualized, excluding the Westfield acquisition. He emphasized the robust noninterest income and strong performance in wealth management and foreign exchange. Brown further noted, "Asset quality was relatively stable for the quarter and provision expense was in line with our expectations at $10.1 million." Jamie Anderson, Executive VP, CFO & COO, commented, "The fourth quarter was another outstanding quarter, highlighted by record earnings, a strong net interest margin, organic growth in both loans and deposits and the acquisition of Westfield Bank." Outlook Brown stated, "Excluding the impact from Bank Financial, we expect payoff pressure to ease in the coming quarter, resulting in a low single-digit organic loan growth on an annualized basis during the first quarter. And for the full year, as originations ramp up, we expect loan growth to be in the 6% to 8% range." "We expect core deposit balances to decline modestly in the near term due to seasonal outflows of public funds. Our net interest margin remains among the highest in the peer group, and we expect it to be in a range of between 3.94% and 3.99% over the next quarter, assuming a 25 basis point rate cut in March." First quarter credit costs are expected to "approximate fourth quarter levels and ACL coverage to remain stable as a percentage of loans." ...