Investors in Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) saw new options become available today, for the March 27th expiration. At Stock Options Channel , our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the BLK options chain for the new March 27th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest. The put contract at the $1050.00 strike price has a current bid of $35.00. If an investor w...
Investors in Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) saw new options become available today, for the March 27th expiration. At Stock Options Channel , our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the BLK options chain for the new March 27th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest. The put contract at the $1050.00 strike price has a current bid of $35.00. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $1050.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $1015.00 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of BLK, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $1059.13/share today. Because the $1050.00 strike represents an approximate 1% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 58%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 3.33% return on the cash commitment, or 24.35% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost. Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Blackrock Inc, and highlighting in green where the $1050.00 strike is located relative to that history: Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $1070.00 strike price has a current bid of $40.80. If an investor was to purchase shares of BLK stock at the current price level of $1059.13/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $1070.00. Considering the call ...
Key Points Netflix stock's current price-to-earnings ratio is at a historically cheap level. The pending deal to buy assets of Warner Bros. Discovery adds uncertainty. Investors who remain bullish will focus on Netflix's favorable attributes. 10 stocks we like better than Netflix › Investors are forcing a sell-off of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares, which are 38% below their 52-week high (as of Feb....
Key Points Netflix stock's current price-to-earnings ratio is at a historically cheap level. The pending deal to buy assets of Warner Bros. Discovery adds uncertainty. Investors who remain bullish will focus on Netflix's favorable attributes. 10 stocks we like better than Netflix › Investors are forcing a sell-off of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares, which are 38% below their 52-week high (as of Feb. 2). The business, historically a monster winner for its shareholders, is in the process of taking over film and TV studios, HBO Max, and the content catalog of Warner Bros. Discovery at an enterprise value of $82.7 billion. This is a lot to digest, and the market clearly has its concerns. Is this top streaming stock a buy right now? Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The valuation reflects the market's concern It seems Netflix is never trading at a compelling valuation. That's usually the case with tech-forward, high-growth companies. With the recent dip, though, investors who have been on the sidelines watching might now be inclined to make a move. Shares sell at a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.9. That's a historically cheap level for Netflix. However, the pending transaction with Warner Bros. Discovery adds a lot of uncertainty to the situation, uncertainty that wasn't a contributing factor even three months ago. The fact that Netflix could take on $52 billion in debt to close the deal is a concern, not to mention the risks of successfully integrating two sizable companies, achieving targeted cost synergies, and maintaining each brand's competitive strengths. Netflix has succeeded in the past thanks to organic growth. It has avoided large transactions. So, it can be difficult for investors to assess how things will play out in the future. Investors have a lot to think about But there are m...
Management may sell the company, even as it forecasts improvements in 2028 and beyond. Shares of agricultural chemical company FMC Corporation (FMC 19.86%) plunged 20.7% on Thursday as of 1:00 p.m. EDT. FMC's stock had risen about that much year-to-date before yesterday, following a 71.5% decline in 2025, so the stock essentially just gave back its year-to-date gains today. FMC released fourth-qua...
Management may sell the company, even as it forecasts improvements in 2028 and beyond. Shares of agricultural chemical company FMC Corporation (FMC 19.86%) plunged 20.7% on Thursday as of 1:00 p.m. EDT. FMC's stock had risen about that much year-to-date before yesterday, following a 71.5% decline in 2025, so the stock essentially just gave back its year-to-date gains today. FMC released fourth-quarter earnings last night, which came in below expectations. Furthermore, management disclosed that the Board of Directors had authorized exploring "strategic options," including selling the company outright. Sometimes such an announcement causes a stock to rise as investors anticipate a buyout at a higher price. However, in this case, the disclosure appeared to signal that management may be throwing in the towel on an immediate turnaround. Expand NYSE : FMC FMC Today's Change ( -19.86 %) $ -3.38 Current Price $ 13.62 Key Data Points Market Cap $2.1B Day's Range $ 12.48 - $ 15.07 52wk Range $ 12.17 - $ 44.78 Volume 825K Avg Vol 4.5M Gross Margin 37.10 % Dividend Yield 10.71 % FMC disappoints again, and guides for further declines in 2026 In the fourth quarter, FMC reported $1.08 billion in revenue, down 12% and missing expectations, as well as adjusted (non-GAAP) earnings per share of $1.20, down 33% from the prior-year quarter, which met expectations. FMC continues to operate in a difficult agricultural downcycle, with management noting an overcapacity of agricultural chemicals and low margins for growers. Additionally, FMC's chemical portfolio has largely gone off-patent, forcing the company to lower prices. That's a bad combination for generating profits, on top of FMC's $4.07 billion in debt, which is 5.8 times the company's $700 million EBITDA guidance for 2026 -- a rather high debt-to-profits ratio. Management's preliminary outlook for 2026 calls for another 5% decline in revenue to $3.7 billion at the midpoint of the range, a 17% decline in adjusted EBITDA to $700 mil...
Silver has traditionally been a safe-haven asset, but recently, it's been incredibly volatile. Investing in gold and silver has typically been a way for investors to try to reduce their exposure and risk in the stock market. But while these metals can provide stability in times of uncertainty, they can be speculative in nature, as is evident in their volatility in recent months. Is investing in an...
Silver has traditionally been a safe-haven asset, but recently, it's been incredibly volatile. Investing in gold and silver has typically been a way for investors to try to reduce their exposure and risk in the stock market. But while these metals can provide stability in times of uncertainty, they can be speculative in nature, as is evident in their volatility in recent months. Is investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) such as the iShares Silver Trust (SLV 12.90%), which tracks the price of silver, a good idea for retirees and other risk-averse investors? Retail investors have added an element of risk to silver Many analysts have viewed the volatility and excitement around silver over the past several months as another meme-fueled rally, not unlike what can happen to stocks. While the gains can be sudden, so too can the declines. As of Feb. 3, the iShares Silver Trust was down around 30% from its 52-week high of $109.83. President Donald Trump's announcement of his pick for the new chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, led to investors selling silver, perhaps as a sign of greater confidence in the stock market and the Fed. For risk-averse investors, this type of volatility may be untenable. With silver acting more like a meme stock than a stable investment, the iShares Silver Trust may be a less-than-ideal option to consider. It's also trading at elevated levels. Even though silver has come down sharply in price, the iShares Silver Trust remains up over 150% in the past 12 months. There could be more room for it to fall further, given its significant run-up in value. Expand NYSEMKT : SLV iShares Silver Trust Today's Change ( -12.90 %) $ -10.21 Current Price $ 68.97 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 65.52 - $ 70.52 52wk Range $ 26.57 - $ 109.83 Volume 6.2M There are better options for retirees In any other year, investing in silver may have been a good way for retirees to diversify their portfolios. Nowadays, however, there's arguably a bit too much volatility ...
Alphabet (GOOGL) recently delivered a quarterly report that underscored why the company remains firmly positioned among the market’s most dominant businesses. While broader equities have experienced a spike in volatility this week, it shouldn’t distract you from Alphabet’s latest results highlighting durable growth, expanding competitive advantages and continued leadership across multiple high-val...
Alphabet (GOOGL) recently delivered a quarterly report that underscored why the company remains firmly positioned among the market’s most dominant businesses. While broader equities have experienced a spike in volatility this week, it shouldn’t distract you from Alphabet’s latest results highlighting durable growth, expanding competitive advantages and continued leadership across multiple high-value business segments. Alphabet reported fourth-quarter and full year results that exceeded expectations, with revenue climbing 18% and annual sales surpassing $400 billion for the first time. The strength was broad-based, spanning digital advertising, cloud computing and artificial intelligence initiatives. The report also outlined an aggressive spending plan aimed at expanding Alphabet’s AI infrastructure and capabilities. Management appears intent on investing at a scale that could widen the competitive moat, leveraging the company’s substantial cash flow to fund data centers, advanced compute and next-generation models. This financial flexibility represents a structural advantage over key competitors such as OpenAI, which must rely more heavily on external capital to support its own infrastructure buildout. The report reinforces Alphabet’s evolution from what some investors once viewed as a lagging member of the “Magnificent Seven” into a premium leader within mega-cap technology. The company continues to demonstrate exceptional scale, operational depth and the ability to monetize emerging technologies. Alphabet Stock vs Apple and Nvidia Over the past year, Alphabet has notably outperformed most of its Magnificent Seven counterparts, a cohort that has quietly seen more mixed performance than headlines might suggest. Even strong performers such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Apple (AAPL) have trailed Alphabet by a meaningful margin. Alphabet has transitioned from an undervalued opportunity to a premium multiple stock. Shares currently trade around 30.1xforward earnings, above the c...
Forgent Power Solutions Inc. shares declined 3.7% after the company and some of its backers raised $1.5 billion in a US initial public offering. Shares of the electrical equipment maker opened at $26 each in New York, compared to the IPO price of $27. The company and affiliates of Neos Partners sold 56 million shares after marketing them for $25 to $29 each. The trading gave the Dayton, Minnesota-...
Forgent Power Solutions Inc. shares declined 3.7% after the company and some of its backers raised $1.5 billion in a US initial public offering. Shares of the electrical equipment maker opened at $26 each in New York, compared to the IPO price of $27. The company and affiliates of Neos Partners sold 56 million shares after marketing them for $25 to $29 each. The trading gave the Dayton, Minnesota-based company a market value of about $7.9 billion, based on the number of outstanding shares listed in its filings. Forgent’s debut came as a selloff in peers, including nVent Electric Plc and Vertiv Holdings Co. , stretched into a second day. A broader retreat from technology stocks has swept up companies that sell power equipment to data centers. Forgent designs, manufactures and sells equipment such as transformers, switchboards and power distribution units used in data centers, which require consistent and reliable power over long periods of uptime. Private equity firm Neos created the company in 2023 and built it up via acquisitions in 2023 and 2024. The move to take the company public comes as investors look for opportunities to tap the artificial intelligence spending boom, with OpenAI alone committing to spend more than $1 trillion on AI infrastructure. Read More: AI Data Center Boom Sparks Fears of Glut Amid Lending Frenzy Forgent lacks as broad a product offering as Vertiv, which in addition to electrical products is a major provider of cooling equipment for Nvidia Corp. chips and other AI infrastructure. Still, Forgent’s focus on customized electrical equipment for the powertrain — the hardware that moves power from the grid to the data center — and the additional tailwind it is getting from the need to upgrade the electricity grid are seen on Wall Street as pluses. Forgent has manufacturing campuses in Minnesota, Texas, Maryland, California and Mexico. It had about 2,000 full time employees as of Sept. 30. Neos was set to continue to hold the majority of shareh...
Igor Barilo/iStock via Getty Images Leverage involves using a small amount of force, resource, or capital to achieve an oversized outcome. Financial leverage involves using borrowed capital to increase the potential return on an investment. Long options and swap contracts can provide leverage, allowing investors, speculators, and market participants to control a larger long or short risk position ...
Igor Barilo/iStock via Getty Images Leverage involves using a small amount of force, resource, or capital to achieve an oversized outcome. Financial leverage involves using borrowed capital to increase the potential return on an investment. Long options and swap contracts can provide leverage, allowing investors, speculators, and market participants to control a larger long or short risk position with minimal capital. However, since there is no free lunch in markets, leverage is a double-edged sword: the pursuit of magnified profits can lead to outsized losses when an underlying asset fails to perform as expected. The Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Idx Bull 2X Shs ETF ( JNUG ) became a case study in leverage on January 29, 2026, when gold prices ( XAUUSD:CUR ) ran out of upside steam. A parabolic gold rally ended in tears Gold’s rally began in 1999 at around $252.50 per ounce, with the upward trajectory picking up steam in 2025, when the precious metal rose over 64%, closing the year at $4,341.10 per ounce. The rally continued in early 2026, with gold blowing through $5,000 as a hot knife goes through butter. Daily Chart of April COMEX Gold Futures (Barchart) The daily chart shows that COMEX gold for April delivery rose 28.6% from $4,373.90 on December 31, 2025, to $5,626.80 per ounce on January 29, 2026. The rally's trajectory proved too aggressive, leading gold to decline 21.4% over three sessions to a low of $4,423.20 on February 2, 2026. Despite the over 20% correction, gold’s price remained nearly $50 per ounce above the December 31, 2025, closing price. Gold mining stocks: Outperformed gold on the upside and kept pace on the downside Gold rallied 28.6% from the end of 2025 through the January 29, 2026, high before dropping 21.4% at the February 2 low. Gold mining stocks tend to outperform the metal on a percentage basis on the upside and underperform when gold prices correct. The VanEck Gold Miners ETF ( GDX ) and the VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF ( GDXJ ) ...
The post Advanced Crypto Trading Made Simple. Kraken Pro’s Trading Platform Offers Unmatched Transparency and Efficiency With Low Fees. by Benzinga Contributors appeared first on Benzinga . Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this. Benzinga Money is a reader-supported publication. We may earn a commission from the advertisers associated with this article. Read our Advertiser Discloser . ...
The post Advanced Crypto Trading Made Simple. Kraken Pro’s Trading Platform Offers Unmatched Transparency and Efficiency With Low Fees. by Benzinga Contributors appeared first on Benzinga . Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this. Benzinga Money is a reader-supported publication. We may earn a commission from the advertisers associated with this article. Read our Advertiser Discloser . Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. A cryptocurrency platform promises easy access to different trading products, so you sign up and pay a large fee with the hope of expanding your digital asset portfolio. And then you find out the platform is clunky, unintuitive, and rife with transparency issues so you give up. You’re not alone. Poorly designed user interfaces have caused tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency value to be permanently lost, and even the most experienced crypto traders — including Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin — have said hard-to-navigate platforms is one of the industry’s biggest challenges. Kraken is looking to change that. Kraken Pro is an advanced trading interface offered by Kraken, one of the worldʼs leading cryptocurrency exchanges. It caters to traders seeking more sophisticated tools than those available on a standard crypto exchange interface. Their streamlined interface allows users to easily manage spot, margin, and futures balances from a single account and make quick fund transfers between different trading products. What’s more, Kraken Pro provides access to a futures trading platform for users in Europe and North America focused on compliance, security, and transparency in its operations. Get started with Kraken Pro today. Kraken Pro Features Kraken Pro gives users access to more than 25 templates that can be customized with data and trading widgets to easily monitor spot, margin, derivatives trading, and staking performance on one clear, consolidated portfolio. Users also get live market data fed into a fast and responsive in...
Hedge Fund and Insider Trading News: Chris Rokos, Michael Burry, Stanley Druckenmiller, Scott Bessent, Jain Global, D E Shaw, Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI), Micron Technology Inc (MU), and More Insider Monkey
Hedge Fund and Insider Trading News: Chris Rokos, Michael Burry, Stanley Druckenmiller, Scott Bessent, Jain Global, D E Shaw, Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI), Micron Technology Inc (MU), and More Insider Monkey
Silver Place/iStock via Getty Images The BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust ( ECAT ) is a closed-end fund designed to provide investors with diversified equity and fixed-income exposure in companies that meet the fund’s environmental, social, and governance [ESG] standard. The strategy is broadly diversified across 659 individual holdings and utilizes options writing to enhance the Trust’...
Silver Place/iStock via Getty Images The BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust ( ECAT ) is a closed-end fund designed to provide investors with diversified equity and fixed-income exposure in companies that meet the fund’s environmental, social, and governance [ESG] standard. The strategy is broadly diversified across 659 individual holdings and utilizes options writing to enhance the Trust’s total returns. Contrary to the image that the ESG name may provide, ECAT invests across a number of sectors, including technology, retail, energy, and financials, among others, that provide broad growth opportunities for the portfolio. With a balanced approach to asset allocation while presenting diversification across asset classes and regions, I believe ECAT can be an appealing investment strategy for investors seeking strategic diversification while generating income. I am recommending ECAT with a "Buy" rating with a 2%-6% target allocation as part of a diversified portfolio strategy. About BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust ECAT invests across both equities and fixed-income securities with the goal of providing investors with current income and capital appreciation. The fund was launched on Sept. 28, 2021, by BlackRock on the NYSE Exchange, at the height of the ESG craze . Sustainable funds have lost traction in recent years, with an estimated net outflow of $27 billion in Q4'25 following a $55 billion outflow in Q3'25. Morningstar Despite the generally negative connotation towards ESG strategies in today’s market environment, ECAT may be one of the more appealing funds given its asset allocation strategy paired with its relatively modest gross expense ratio of 145 bps. ECAT currently has roughly $1.65 billion in net assets. Looking through the fund’s most recent quarterly report , the strategy is allocated to common stocks at 66.8%, corporate bonds at 12.8%, and to a lesser degree, asset-backed securities [ABSs], floating-rate loan interests, and preferred s...
Accused of terrible misjudgment in appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, Sir Keir Starmer says that questions were raised but answered with lies. Mandelson “portrayed Jeffrey Epstein as someone he barely knew” and was sacked as soon as it became clear the relationship had been much closer. Addressing the scale of the deception on Thursday, the prime minister sounded authentically...
Accused of terrible misjudgment in appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, Sir Keir Starmer says that questions were raised but answered with lies. Mandelson “portrayed Jeffrey Epstein as someone he barely knew” and was sacked as soon as it became clear the relationship had been much closer. Addressing the scale of the deception on Thursday, the prime minister sounded authentically outraged. Mandelson had failed a “basic test of honesty” and “such deceit is incompatible with public service”. Credulity is not a great defence. Focusing on the lies obscures the extent of what was already known to be true when the fateful appointment was made. It was not a secret that Mandelson had some kind of friendship with Epstein. Evidence of it was in the public domain. The necessary question that followed was what level of intimacy with a man who had trafficked underage girls for sex might be tolerable in a potential ambassador. The only good answer was zero. Downing Street failed to apply that test. One explanation is that Mandelson was deemed to possess unique qualities that made him suitable as an emissary to the court of Donald Trump. The cupidity that brought him into Epstein’s orbit in the first place, his social facility in that sleaziest of milieux, may even have been a perverse recommendation, given the character of the US president. The risk of some scandal erupting – high in any event, given Mandelson’s record of ignominious resignations dating back decades – was deemed worth taking for the perceived benefit of influence in the White House. If that was indeed the reasoning, it speaks to more than just a malfunction of political antennae. To weigh the downside of association with a convicted sex offender against an upside in diplomatic access is a calculation that would not even have occurred to people who kept care and respect for Epstein’s victims uppermost in their minds. Sir Keir has apologised to those victims, but his regret is expressed in self-ex...
peshkov The U.S. equity market ( SP500 ), ( COMP:IND ), ( DJI ) has been overvalued for an extended period, and the recent selloff in technology stocks is not entirely unexpected, according to Gregory Davis, president and CIO at Vanguard. In an interview with CNBC, Davis said the market repricing follows a “robust move” in stocks over the past year and reflects stretched valuations that have conce...
peshkov The U.S. equity market ( SP500 ), ( COMP:IND ), ( DJI ) has been overvalued for an extended period, and the recent selloff in technology stocks is not entirely unexpected, according to Gregory Davis, president and CIO at Vanguard. In an interview with CNBC, Davis said the market repricing follows a “robust move” in stocks over the past year and reflects stretched valuations that have concerned the firm for some time. Davis characterized the tech rout as part of a natural market cycle, noting that certain sectors will always experience periods of boom and bust. His primary advice to investors is to maintain broad diversification across U.S. equities, international equities, bonds, and money markets rather than concentrating holdings in any single sector. When examining domestic equity valuations, Davis pointed to elevated multiples and tight implied equity risk premiums as reasons for caution. “We’ve felt that the U.S. equity market has been overvalued for some time,” he said, adding that Vanguard does not see “tremendous value” in domestic stocks at current levels. The Vanguard CIO struck a notably bullish tone on fixed income, declaring that “bonds are back.” He cited the 10-year Treasury yield ( US10Y ) at 4.20% as offering investors a meaningful premium over inflation. “This is the first time in almost a decade where you’re actually earning a real yield when it comes to investing in bonds,” Davis explained, contrasting the current environment with the near-zero rates that persisted following the global financial crisis. Given comparable return expectations for U.S. equities and bonds over the next decade, Davis suggested investors consider shifting away from the traditional 60/40 stock-bond allocation toward a 40/60 split. The rationale, he noted, is that bonds offer similar expected returns with significantly lower volatility. Addressing concerns about index concentration driven by artificial intelligence investments and the Magnificent Seven stocks—( TS...
The growing rift between two Gulf powers will be felt across the Middle East and the Horn of Africa In 2017, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates spearheaded a blockade of Qatar , disrupting trade, stability and lives in the region. Their de facto leaders – the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and Abu Dhabi’s then crown prince, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, now president of the UAE – h...
The growing rift between two Gulf powers will be felt across the Middle East and the Horn of Africa In 2017, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates spearheaded a blockade of Qatar , disrupting trade, stability and lives in the region. Their de facto leaders – the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and Abu Dhabi’s then crown prince, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, now president of the UAE – had forged a close alliance . The older man had eagerly promoted the younger Saudi royal in Washington and elsewhere, and was seen as his mentor. Riyadh borrowed aspects of the UAE’s model, and the countries together intervened – at huge cost – against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Together they sought to contain the Arab spring and backed authoritarian rule in Egypt, Bahrain and elsewhere. Yet by 2023 the relationship had soured : the Saudi crown prince reportedly accused the UAE of “stabb[ing] us in the back” . Late last year the disputes became spectacularly public. In Yemen, Southern secessionists backed by the UAE made dramatic advances in oil-rich areas – before being forced out by Saudi-backed forces. Riyadh effectively described the UAE as threatening its national security . Saudi commentators voiced increasing contempt for the kingdom’s former partner. In turn, a senior Emirati official complained of “wickedness” in the media campaign against it. Continue reading...
Alphabet Inc_ and Google logos by IgorGolovinov via Shutterstock Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) stock is sliding this morning after a slight YouTube miss and aggressive capex guidance overshadowed the company’s overall better-than-expected financials for its fiscal Q4. The post-earnings dip made GOOGL slip below its 50-day moving average (MA) today, signaling that downward momentum may sustain in the nea...
Alphabet Inc_ and Google logos by IgorGolovinov via Shutterstock Alphabet (GOOG) (GOOGL) stock is sliding this morning after a slight YouTube miss and aggressive capex guidance overshadowed the company’s overall better-than-expected financials for its fiscal Q4. The post-earnings dip made GOOGL slip below its 50-day moving average (MA) today, signaling that downward momentum may sustain in the near term. Despite the recent decline, however, Google shares remain up more than 100% versus their 52-week low. Why Capex Guidance Doesn’t Warrant Selling Google Stock In its earnings release, Alphabet said its capital expenditures could soar to nearly $185 billion this year — more than double what it spent in 2025. At first glance, this headline number sure looks concerning, but a closer look reveals the company is actually spending into strength, which warrants sticking with GOOGL stock. Google Cloud brought in $17.7 billion in the fourth quarter, up a remarkable 48%, reinforcing that Alphabet isn’t just building data centers blindly, it’s responding to a massive $240 billion backlog. As Sundar Pichai, the company’s chief executive, has noted previously, “The risk of under-investing is far greater than the risk of over-investing in AI infrastructure.” Citi Reiterates GOOGL Shares as Top Pick for 2026 In a post-earnings interview with CNBC, Ron Josey, a senior Citi analyst, urged long-term investors to look past the knee-jerk reaction, reiterating Google shares as one of his top picks for 2026. According to him, Alphabet is the only tech titan with a vertically integrated artificial intelligence (AI) stack — from in-house TPU chips to the world’s most dominant consumer platforms. While the market fears the cost of artificial intelligence, Google is already seeing a 78% reduction in Gemini serving costs, Josey revealed. A 0.26% dividend yield and billions authorized for share repurchase make the AI stock even more attractive as a long-term holding. How Wall Street Recommends ...
Earnings Call Insights: SelectQuote, Inc. (SLQT) Q2 2026 Management View CEO Timothy Danker reported "a strong quarter for SelectQuote in a number of ways," highlighting successful execution during the Medicare Advantage season and a robust performance for agent productivity and profitability. Danker noted, "strong operational execution and marketing efficiency drove near-record Senior EBITDA marg...
Earnings Call Insights: SelectQuote, Inc. (SLQT) Q2 2026 Management View CEO Timothy Danker reported "a strong quarter for SelectQuote in a number of ways," highlighting successful execution during the Medicare Advantage season and a robust performance for agent productivity and profitability. Danker noted, "strong operational execution and marketing efficiency drove near-record Senior EBITDA margins of 39% on modest growth year-over-year." The Healthcare Services segment grew revenue by 26% year-over-year, with SelectRx cited as making "a significant impact in the health and quality of life for America's growing senior population." Danker announced a multiyear agreement with a key pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), stating that "SelectQuote's visibility into drug reimbursement pricing has significantly improved," which he described as "critically beneficial to our strategic priority to expand profitability." Danker also introduced a new $415 million credit facility, describing it as "an important milestone in our ability to drive consistent profitable growth." Despite reporting another strong quarter, Danker disclosed that "a recent action by a national carrier partner requires that we lower our fiscal '26 guidance." The carrier's reduction in its strategic marketing budget is expected to impact fiscal 2026 by $20 million, combined with an already expected $20 million impact from PBM reimbursement changes, leading to a total $40 million aggregate impact on guidance. CFO Ryan Clement stated, "SelectQuote had a very strong quarter with revenue growth of 12% year-over-year, totaling $537 million." Clement also highlighted, "Senior revenue of $262 million grew 2% on increased approved policy volumes," and emphasized that the PBM headwind was "offset by Senior margins near record levels at 39%." Outlook Updated fiscal 2026 guidance reflects a reduction due to PBM and carrier impacts. Clement detailed, "we are revising our fiscal 2026 consolidated revenue range to $1.61 bil...
Getty Images Introduction & Financials PDD Holdings Inc. ( PDD ) fell significantly in recent months, which I believe offers an opportunity to get one of China’s strongest balance sheets at a significant discount, with strong recovery potential, while the market focuses on broader macro headwinds. PDD Holdings IR We saw PDD’s Q3 report miss the market's revenue estimates by beating on EPS signific...
Getty Images Introduction & Financials PDD Holdings Inc. ( PDD ) fell significantly in recent months, which I believe offers an opportunity to get one of China’s strongest balance sheets at a significant discount, with strong recovery potential, while the market focuses on broader macro headwinds. PDD Holdings IR We saw PDD’s Q3 report miss the market's revenue estimates by beating on EPS significantly, with the revenue being split almost perfectly between online marketing services and transaction services, while their cost of revenues rose by nearly 26% over the 9M period, and sales and marketing ones increased by ~13.76%. However, this caused the stock to drop on the day of the release, with the company's management saying during their Q3 Earnings Release that their revenue growth continued to moderate, which comes as a result of the “ongoing evolution of the competitive landscape and external uncertainties,” - which the market never likes. PDD Holdings IR PDD Holdings IR Financially, based on PDD’s latest report, we see an exceptional position, with the current assets covering their total liabilities. Meanwhile, the company reached roughly $68 billion in net cash (including cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments), generating $3.43 billion worth of interest income over the past 12 months, which isn't an uncommon position for a Chinese company, but I'll highlight that we're talking about the best net cash position among the Chinese giants like Alibaba Group Holding Limited ( BABA ), Tencent Holdings Limited ( TCEHY ) or JD.com, Inc. ( JD ), as well as the best margins - which is very impressive. Despite this exceptional position, the company still doesn’t do dividends or buybacks - unlike their Chinese peers - focusing more on investing in their ecosystem, and I’d personally rather see that instead of a 1-2% dividend and a few buybacks - unless the stock gets very cheap. Risks & Opportunities Statista (ECDB) As we can see, the US is b...
Earnings Call Insights: Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Jim Grech opened the call highlighting a record safety year with a 0.71 incident rate per 200,000 hours, a 12% improvement over the previous record, and noted "Operationally and financially, the quarter was right down the fairway and meeting or surpassing expectations across key metrics." Grech announced the Centu...
Earnings Call Insights: Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Jim Grech opened the call highlighting a record safety year with a 0.71 incident rate per 200,000 hours, a 12% improvement over the previous record, and noted "Operationally and financially, the quarter was right down the fairway and meeting or surpassing expectations across key metrics." Grech announced the Centurion mine is starting longwall mining ahead of schedule, describing it as "the cornerstone asset in our strategy to maximize long-term shareholder value and to intentionally reweight our portfolio toward higher-margin metallurgical coal." He outlined Centurion's expected shipment of 3.5 million tons in 2026, ramping to 4.7 million by 2028, and projected an NPV of $2.1 billion at $225 benchmark pricing. Grech detailed ongoing asset optimization and development activities, including rare earth and critical mineral testing at U.S. mines and an options-based approach to accelerate time to market for rare earths. He stated, "We are sufficiently encouraged to continue our progress here to further evaluate the commercial potential." The CEO also noted his appointment as chair of the National Coal Council, emphasizing Peabody’s role in shaping U.S. energy policy and advocating for coal’s continued centrality in the energy mix. Malcolm Roberts, Executive VP & Chief Commercial Officer, reported "benchmark pricing has risen to its highest mark in 18 months and increased 15% from $190 per tonne levels of the beginning of the fourth quarter," with further 15% increases since year start. He pointed to tightening global metallurgical coal markets, supply constraints in China and India, and stable thermal coal markets with Newcastle prices at $115 per tonne. CFO Mark Spurbeck stated, "In the fourth quarter, we reported net income attributable to common stockholders of $10.4 million or $0.09 per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA of $118 million, a 19% increase from the prior quarter, suppor...
Earnings Call Insights: RBC Bearings (RBC) Q3 2026 Management View CEO Mike Hartnett reported third quarter net sales of $461 million, a 17% increase over last year, driven by strong performance in the Aerospace & Defense (A&D) segment and industrial business growth. He stated, "Total A&D sales were up 41.5% year-on-year. Commercial aerospace expanded 21.5%, defense expansion was 86.2%." Hartnett ...
Earnings Call Insights: RBC Bearings (RBC) Q3 2026 Management View CEO Mike Hartnett reported third quarter net sales of $461 million, a 17% increase over last year, driven by strong performance in the Aerospace & Defense (A&D) segment and industrial business growth. He stated, "Total A&D sales were up 41.5% year-on-year. Commercial aerospace expanded 21.5%, defense expansion was 86.2%." Hartnett further highlighted that the company "modestly exceeded our $2 billion backlog mark" and described the outlook on the A&D sector as "extremely robust," noting that the company is at a "national inflection point in the commercial Aircraft and Defense industries." Hartnett detailed multiple growth drivers, including accelerated submarine fleet build-out, strong missile and guided arms demand, NATO's 5% GDP initiative fueling European demand, and increased refurbishment and new construction of aircraft systems in the U.S. He emphasized, "We are working diligently to add machinery and staff to several of our existing sites, guided by our 5-year per site plan to support these growing A&D revenues." In the industrial segment, overall business was up 3.1%, with particular strength in aggregates, cement, food and beverage, and warehousing. Hartnett pointed out, "The semiconductor industry is the biggest standout in this regard," and announced the introduction of several new products for FY '27 and a new Midwest service center. CFO Robert Sullivan stated, "Net sales grew 17%, which led to a 16.9% increase in our reported gross margin. Gross margins were 44.3% for the quarter or 45.1% on an adjusted basis compared to 44.3% in the same period last year." Sullivan highlighted free cash flow of $99.1 million and an adjusted diluted EPS of $3.04, representing 29.9% year-over-year growth. He also noted, "We paid off $81 million of debt during the quarter and another $67 million since the end of the third quarter." Outlook Sullivan provided fourth quarter guidance: "We are guiding revenues...
Eduardo Monroy Husillos/iStock via Getty Images Shares of Eli Lilly ( LLY ) and Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) came under pressure on Thursday. Hims & Hers Health ( HIMS ) announced a low-cost compounded version of the Danish drugmaker’s newly launched oral obesity therapy, the Wegovy pill. Novo ( NVO ) dropped ~8%, extending a recent sell-off that followed an underwhelming sales outlook issued earlier this...
Eduardo Monroy Husillos/iStock via Getty Images Shares of Eli Lilly ( LLY ) and Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) came under pressure on Thursday. Hims & Hers Health ( HIMS ) announced a low-cost compounded version of the Danish drugmaker’s newly launched oral obesity therapy, the Wegovy pill. Novo ( NVO ) dropped ~8%, extending a recent sell-off that followed an underwhelming sales outlook issued earlier this week. Eli Lilly ( LLY ), which is awaiting the U.S. launch of its oral weight loss therapy, Orforglipron, in Q2, slipped ~7%, reversing gains made on Wednesday on the back of a strong Q4 2025 earnings report. HIMS said its copycat version will be launched at an introductory price of $49 per month, indicating a roughly $100 discount to Novo’s ( NONOF ) brand-name product, which entered the U.S. market in January, drawing strong demand. The telehealth platform added that its GLP-1 pill will be customizable to treat patients who are seeking to manage their side effects and those who are averse to needles. Gaston Kroub, a patent lawyer in New York, told Reuters that by customizing its product for those patients, Hims & Hers ( HIMS ) is touting its treatment as another personalized option, broadening the bounds of personalization under the FDA’s framework. However, Novo ( NVO ) called the action “illegal mass compounding” that significantly impacts patient safety and added it will resort to legal and regulatory measures “to protect patients, our intellectual property, and the integrity of the US gold-standard drug approval framework.” "HIMS has shown a willingness to go as close to the line as possible," Kroub said, adding, “It’s a strategy of saying, ‘All right, if we pop our head over the barbed wire fence, is anybody going to take a shot?’” More on Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, etc. Eli Lilly and Company 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Novo Nordisk A/S (NOVO:CA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript CVS Health...