Robert Way/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Kontoor Brands, Inc. ( KTB ) reported the company’s Q4 results and 2026 guidance in early March. The apparel company’s organic sales growth has still been quite slow, as Lee’s revenues have continued to trend downward, holding down Wrangler’s better momentum. The focus is now clearly on Kontoor’s ability to grow Helly Hansen organically after the brand ...
Robert Way/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Kontoor Brands, Inc. ( KTB ) reported the company’s Q4 results and 2026 guidance in early March. The apparel company’s organic sales growth has still been quite slow, as Lee’s revenues have continued to trend downward, holding down Wrangler’s better momentum. The focus is now clearly on Kontoor’s ability to grow Helly Hansen organically after the brand was acquired in early June; Kontoor has clear intent to expand the brand in a number of markets, creating a more exciting growth outlook for upcoming years. I believe that Helly Hansen’s growth potential creates clear upside in the stock. I maintained a Hold rating in my previous May 2025 article on the stock, titled “ Kontoor Brands: Improving Slow Growth Outlook With Helly Hansen Acquisition.” The stock has since returned 1%, while the S&P 500 has returned 12%. My Rating History on KTB (Seeking Alpha) The Focus Is on Helly Hansen’s Growth Potential After Q4 Kontoor’s organic sales growth has remained quite subdued for now . The most recent Q4 report largely continued previous brand trends in the company’s two older brands, Wrangler and Lee. An additional week in the fiscal quarter and Helly Hansen’s revenue contribution led total revenue growth to come in at 46% while underlying organic growth was only 2%. The performance dwarfs in comparison to the main denim competitor Levi Strauss & Co.’s ( LEVI ) 5% organic revenue growth in the latest quarter and 7% growth in FY2025. The $1.02 billion revenue figure did beat Wall Street’s consensus estimate by $42 million, as slow growth has already been anticipated from the company. Author's Illustration Using TIKR Data Kontoor’s largest brand, Wrangler, is still performing relatively well. Wrangler’s sales improved by around 3% on a comparable basis to $562 million in Q4, driven by fairly good momentum across sales channels and markets. The brand’s momentum is still consistent from previous years, more recently led by double-digit ...
John E. Kao, Chief Executive Officer of Alignment Healthcare (NASDAQ:ALHC) , reported the indirect sale of 118,000 shares for a transaction value of about $2.06 million, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($17.48); post-transaction value based on March 23, 2026 market close ($17.51). * 1-year price change calculated as of market close March 23, ...
John E. Kao, Chief Executive Officer of Alignment Healthcare (NASDAQ:ALHC) , reported the indirect sale of 118,000 shares for a transaction value of about $2.06 million, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($17.48); post-transaction value based on March 23, 2026 market close ($17.51). * 1-year price change calculated as of market close March 23, 2026. Continue reading
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is raising concerns about a popular YouTuber’s recent venture into financial services with his acquisition of a banking app called Step and its connection to a bank with a troubled history.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is raising concerns about a popular YouTuber’s recent venture into financial services with his acquisition of a banking app called Step and its connection to a bank with a troubled history.
Jonathan Kitchen The recent surge in oil prices is unlikely to derail the US equity cycle, as accelerating earnings growth continues to offset the drag from falling valuations, according to Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty. The S&P 500’s ( SP500 ) forward P/E has declined about 15% from its October highs, a compression comparable to prior stress periods such as the 2015 manufacturing downturn and the...
Jonathan Kitchen The recent surge in oil prices is unlikely to derail the US equity cycle, as accelerating earnings growth continues to offset the drag from falling valuations, according to Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty. The S&P 500’s ( SP500 ) forward P/E has declined about 15% from its October highs, a compression comparable to prior stress periods such as the 2015 manufacturing downturn and the 2023 recession scare. However, the current backdrop differs in a key way: forward earnings growth is still strengthening and approaching 20%. That combination, falling valuations alongside improving earnings and positive revisions breadth, has historically been associated with above-average subsequent returns. It underpins the view that the present oil-driven volatility is more of a mid-cycle shock than a turning point. The bank’s analysis also points to a weak, and at times negative, relationship between oil price moves and equity performance. The roughly 7% decline in the index so far appears broadly in line with the magnitude of the crude rally, suggesting limited additional downside purely from higher energy prices. In effect, while oil remains a near-term headwind, earnings momentum, not energy, may ultimately dictate the market’s direction. Here is a chart from Morgan Stanley (data as of March 23): Morgan Stanley More on markets The US Just Blinked In This War: It's Like Last Year's Tariff Playbook Why S&P 500 Investors Are Seeking Alpha, But Just Getting Beta Bitcoin Says The War Ends Soon How high will inflation get this year? See what traders are forecasting Wells Fargo sees the U.S. economy weathering an oil shock as inflation risks stay contained
Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan said that Europe will soon begin to experience the same kind of disruption to fuel supplies that Asia has faced due to the war in Iran in recent weeks. Sawan said the effects of the conflict continue to ripple out across global fuel markets, first in South Asia, then Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, and increasingly in Europe as April approaches. “We ...
Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan said that Europe will soon begin to experience the same kind of disruption to fuel supplies that Asia has faced due to the war in Iran in recent weeks. Sawan said the effects of the conflict continue to ripple out across global fuel markets, first in South Asia, then Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, and increasingly in Europe as April approaches. “We are trying to work with governments to just alert them to the various levers they will need to pull, including on the demand side, including what they need to do around storage,” he said Tuesday at CERAWeek by S&P Global. Sawan also said the UK company may decide on whether to invest in one or two Venezuelan natural gas projects by the year-end.
Aviation fuel prices have doubled compared to before the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. Photo: VCG The ongoing war in the Middle East has more than doubled aviation fuel prices, triggering flight cancellations worldwide, fuel export restrictions in Asia, and a surge in airfares as airlines scramble to manage rising costs. With crude supplies disrupted by the escalating conflict, the shock h...
Aviation fuel prices have doubled compared to before the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. Photo: VCG The ongoing war in the Middle East has more than doubled aviation fuel prices, triggering flight cancellations worldwide, fuel export restrictions in Asia, and a surge in airfares as airlines scramble to manage rising costs. With crude supplies disrupted by the escalating conflict, the shock has rippled through the global aviation industry, straining fuel-importing countries and forcing major airlines to raise ticket prices or cut capacity as refinery output tightens.
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) was under pressure today, with the stock falling as much as 5.8%. As of 11:55 a.m. ET, the stock was still down 4.1%. The data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) specialist seemed to be caught in a broader downdraft in technology stocks, but the news surrounding Palantir was decidedly positive. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) was under pressure today, with the stock falling as much as 5.8%. As of 11:55 a.m. ET, the stock was still down 4.1%. The data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) specialist seemed to be caught in a broader downdraft in technology stocks, but the news surrounding Palantir was decidedly positive. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Microsoft has agreed to rent a data center project in Texas that was originally being developed for Oracle and OpenAI, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the situation. Microsoft struck an agreement with developer Crusoe after both Oracle and OpenAI walked away from talks to occupy the site, according to the report. A spokesperson for Microsoft said it had noth...
Microsoft has agreed to rent a data center project in Texas that was originally being developed for Oracle and OpenAI, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the situation. Microsoft struck an agreement with developer Crusoe after both Oracle and OpenAI walked away from talks to occupy the site, according to the report. A spokesperson for Microsoft said it had nothing to share, while Oracle and Crusoe did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
NASA Head Adds Lunar Base, Nuclear-Powered Mars Rocket To Space Road Map NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is moving ahead with the agency's ambitious push to return astronauts to the moon, unveiling new plans for a lunar base alongside a nuclear-propelled spacecraft intended to pave the way for a future Mars mission. At an earlier event, The New York Times reported that Isaacman laid out the agen...
NASA Head Adds Lunar Base, Nuclear-Powered Mars Rocket To Space Road Map NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is moving ahead with the agency's ambitious push to return astronauts to the moon, unveiling new plans for a lunar base alongside a nuclear-propelled spacecraft intended to pave the way for a future Mars mission. At an earlier event, The New York Times reported that Isaacman laid out the agency's three-phase plan: first, expand robotic missions and surface systems; second, build semi-habitable infrastructure for regular astronaut visits; and third, construct permanent infrastructure for a sustained human presence on the moon. "We are calling today's event Ignition because it represents the start of a transformative journey for NASA," Isaacman told an audience of representatives from aerospace companies, international space agency officials, and Congress. BREAKING: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announces plans to build a PERMANENT U.S. base on the Moon—the plan rolls out in three phases: rover and tech deployments, semi-habitable infrastructure for astronauts, and ultimately a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.… pic.twitter.com/5wansZv09f — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 24, 2026 Isaacman's top objective is to return astronauts to the moon in a series of missions called Artemis by 2028. At the same time, he outlined plans to launch a nuclear-propelled spacecraft to Mars by the end of 2028. He said NASA will deploy $20 billion over seven years to ensure America leads the Moon and Mars missions. "The moon base will not appear overnight," Isaacman said. "We will invest approximately $20 billion over the next seven years and build it through dozens of missions." The announcement comes just ahead of Artemis II, the mission expected to send astronauts around the moon and back for the first time since 1972. Isaacman also said Artemis missions would accelerate to twice a year after Artemis V in 2028, and NASA is seeking replacements for Boeing's Space ...
CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) surged to the forefront a year ago when it completed its initial public offering and then went on to climb more than 300% in just a few months. Investors were excited about the company due to its central role in the artificial intelligence (AI) story. CoreWeave offers something much-needed: capacity for AI workloads. This business has been a successful one for CoreWeave, d...
CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) surged to the forefront a year ago when it completed its initial public offering and then went on to climb more than 300% in just a few months. Investors were excited about the company due to its central role in the artificial intelligence (AI) story. CoreWeave offers something much-needed: capacity for AI workloads. This business has been a successful one for CoreWeave, driving triple-digit quarterly revenue growth. But, in recent months, the stock has lost momentum -- in fact, it's slid about 50% from its high point back in June. Is it now the most misunderstood AI stock of 2026? Let's find out. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
The Meta Platforms chief is building an AI agent to help him do his job as CEO, I reported over the weekend. The agent, which is still in development, is currently helping Zuckerberg get information faster by retrieving answers that he would typically have to go through multiple layers of people to get. It’s one of a number of current projects that are going on at Meta as the company tries to get ...
The Meta Platforms chief is building an AI agent to help him do his job as CEO, I reported over the weekend. The agent, which is still in development, is currently helping Zuckerberg get information faster by retrieving answers that he would typically have to go through multiple layers of people to get. It’s one of a number of current projects that are going on at Meta as the company tries to get its 78,000-person workforce to be more nimble and remain competitive with AI-native startups with much smaller staffs.
The upside in stocks is likely capped at 7,000 on the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) in the near term until the market starts pricing Federal Reserve cuts again or growth re-accelerates driven by a sustained re-stocking cycle, according to Wells Fargo Equity Research analysts. The research team noted that “private credit and AI disruption overhang remain meaningful headwinds for the index,” suggesting multiple...
The upside in stocks is likely capped at 7,000 on the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) in the near term until the market starts pricing Federal Reserve cuts again or growth re-accelerates driven by a sustained re-stocking cycle, according to Wells Fargo Equity Research analysts. The research team noted that “private credit and AI disruption overhang remain meaningful headwinds for the index,” suggesting multiple factors are constraining the market’s potential rally. Valuations have undergone a significant reset, with the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) trading below 20x for the first time since Liberation Day, according to the strategists. The Nasdaq 100 ( COMP:IND ) forward P/E ratio currently sits at 23.2x, down 25% since October and well below the post-COVID average of 27.2x. “Valuations have reset,” the analysts wrote, highlighting the dramatic compression in multiples across major indices. Stocks have finally caught up to oil markets ( CL1:COM ) ( CO1:COM ) in pricing approximately four months of energy disruption, according to Wells Fargo’s analysis. War headlines have been the main price mover over the past week, and the strategists expect that to continue with a dearth of macro catalysts. “We believe stocks have priced in an adequate amount of war risk and see the risk skewed to the upside from here,” they said. Market fundamentals have remained intact despite the volatility, with Nasdaq 100 ( COMP:IND ) next-twelve-month earnings per share rising 23% over the past six months, according to the research team. This represents “one of the largest divergences between earnings and multiples in history,” the analysts noted. Fixed income markets have also priced out more than two Fed cuts over the past month, a 2.5 standard deviation move that has pushed bond volatility to its highest level since April 2025. Equity, oil, and prediction markets are now discounting a mid-June resolution versus late July, as recently as Friday, according to the Wells Fargo analysis. Prediction market data shows a...
The Hill and Valley Forum convened dozens of senior executives, venture capitalists, and government officials to discuss the US lead in artificial intelligence and its economic impact. Event organizers Christian Garrett, 137 Ventures partner and Delian Asparouhov, Founders Fund partner, join Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on a special edition of “Bloomberg Tech” live from the event. (Source: Bloomber...
The Hill and Valley Forum convened dozens of senior executives, venture capitalists, and government officials to discuss the US lead in artificial intelligence and its economic impact. Event organizers Christian Garrett, 137 Ventures partner and Delian Asparouhov, Founders Fund partner, join Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on a special edition of “Bloomberg Tech” live from the event. (Source: Bloomberg)
Industry groups say delay to defence investment plan (DIP) leaving UK behind in global race for funding Defence manufacturers are going bust while others have been left in “paralysis” and “bleeding cash” as they wait for a long-delayed UK military spending plan for the next decade, MPs have heard. Industry groups said that a more than six-month delay to the defence investment plan (DIP) has also l...
Industry groups say delay to defence investment plan (DIP) leaving UK behind in global race for funding Defence manufacturers are going bust while others have been left in “paralysis” and “bleeding cash” as they wait for a long-delayed UK military spending plan for the next decade, MPs have heard. Industry groups said that a more than six-month delay to the defence investment plan (DIP) has also left the UK behind Germany and the US in attracting cash from global investors. Continue reading...
Deagreez/iStock via Getty Images Introduction & Investment Thesis US President Donald Trump seems to have backed off yesterday morning , with his post on Truth Social where he said that he has ordered a pause on all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period after two days of “very good” conversations with Iran. This move from the President comes ...
Deagreez/iStock via Getty Images Introduction & Investment Thesis US President Donald Trump seems to have backed off yesterday morning , with his post on Truth Social where he said that he has ordered a pause on all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period after two days of “very good” conversations with Iran. This move from the President comes after the S&P 500 ( SPY ) closed below its 200 DMA (day moving average) last week. The last time the index closed below the 200 DMA was during the tariff-related selloff in March 2025, which was followed by the index correcting another 15% after that. But similar to the 90-day tariff pause that President Trump implemented at the peak of market fears during the tariff-related selloff, he seems to be following a similar playbook this time as well. Last week, we saw the 10Y US Treasury yield rise to 4.39%, its highest level since July 2025, along with real yields climbing sharply on fears of supply-related inflation from rising oil prices amid ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, after a pretty nasty PPI print last week where the headline number surged more than double the expectation, the Fed decided to keep their interest rates anchored at 3.5%-3.75%, reiterating the “higher for longer” narrative while raising their full-year expectation on inflation, which further unnerved investors. While the postponing of further military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days is a constructive start to holding “productive talks” with Iran, Iran's foreign ministry, however, refuted the post and said there have been no talks with Washington. The way I see it, while the news has given markets an initial sigh of relief, which can lead to a sizable bounce in the short term, we may not be out of the woods. And by that, I mean the risks of a bear market. In this post, I will explain why. Addressing The Bond Market Volatility Last week, we saw oil prices measured by...
Youth organisation says its belief in ‘dignity, respect and inclusion’ is unchanged but it ‘must operate lawfully’ Transgender girls and women who are part of Girlguiding groups have been given until September to leave the organisation, under new rules introduced after the supreme court ruling on gender last year. In an announcement on Tuesday, Girlguiding said current members who were trans girls...
Youth organisation says its belief in ‘dignity, respect and inclusion’ is unchanged but it ‘must operate lawfully’ Transgender girls and women who are part of Girlguiding groups have been given until September to leave the organisation, under new rules introduced after the supreme court ruling on gender last year. In an announcement on Tuesday, Girlguiding said current members who were trans girls or trans young women could stay until 6 September 2026, at which point they would have to leave. Continue reading...
Microsoft ( MSFT ) has apparently moved forward with a plan to rent out some remaining space at a massive data center that was a flagship site in the Stargate Project being led by Oracle ( ORCL ) and OpenAI ( OPENAI ), according to Bloomberg. Microsoft will use about 700 MW of capacity at the site, which is located in Abilene, Texas, the report said, citing people familiar with the situation. The ...
Microsoft ( MSFT ) has apparently moved forward with a plan to rent out some remaining space at a massive data center that was a flagship site in the Stargate Project being led by Oracle ( ORCL ) and OpenAI ( OPENAI ), according to Bloomberg. Microsoft will use about 700 MW of capacity at the site, which is located in Abilene, Texas, the report said, citing people familiar with the situation. The Redmond-based software company will use the capacity to meet rising demand from its cloud customers and for internal work on artificial intelligence. The data center company Crusoe is leading the development on the site. Crusoe develops data centers with power from stranded natural gas and renewables. OpenAI and Oracle continue to utilize the rest of the 1,000-acre development. Oracle currently leases out eight buildings at the site for use by OpenAI. For various reasons, OpenAI and Oracle decided not to expand their footprint on the site from 1.2 GW to 2 GW, leaving the expansion open for other hyperscalers. Meta Platforms ( META ) was also in discussions to lease some of the planned expansion. Seeking Alpha reached out to Microsoft for comment on the development. More on Microsoft Microsoft: Agentic AI May Be The 2-In-1 Recovery Catalyst Microsoft: Beneath The Selloff Microsoft: Don't Jump To Conclusions From The Recent Share Price Rout Microsoft in focus as BofA reinstates coverage with Buy rating OpenAI flags Microsoft dependence as key business risk ahead of expected IPO - report
NiseriN/iStock via Getty Images APA Corp. ( APA ) has made a new natural gas discovery in Egypt's Western Desert, following the drilling of the SKAL-1X exploratory well in the South Kalabsha area, the country's petroleum ministry said Tuesday. Preliminary test results from the well show production rates of 26M cf/day of gas and 2,700 bbl/day of condensate. The discovery is near existing i...
NiseriN/iStock via Getty Images APA Corp. ( APA ) has made a new natural gas discovery in Egypt's Western Desert, following the drilling of the SKAL-1X exploratory well in the South Kalabsha area, the country's petroleum ministry said Tuesday. Preliminary test results from the well show production rates of 26M cf/day of gas and 2,700 bbl/day of condensate. The discovery is near existing infrastructure and production facilities that will accelerate production launch while reducing capital expenditure, the ministry said. The discovery is the latest effort between APA's ( APA ) Apache Egypt unit and state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corp. to develop gas resources and follows last November's discovery from the Gomana-1 exploration well. More on APA Corp. APA Corp.: Deeply Undervalued While Advancing On All Fronts APA Corp.: Redefined By Operational Efficiencies And Middle East Turmoil APA Corp.: The Great FCF Machine