This fintech stock slumped last year, but its darkest days may be behind it. Some stocks mired in bear markets amount to no more than falling knives, meaning there's risk in trying to catch these battered names while they're faltering. On the other hand, some swooning stocks may be opening the door to opportunity for savvy investors. Fintech company Shift4 Payments (FOUR 1.00%) may be in the latte...
This fintech stock slumped last year, but its darkest days may be behind it. Some stocks mired in bear markets amount to no more than falling knives, meaning there's risk in trying to catch these battered names while they're faltering. On the other hand, some swooning stocks may be opening the door to opportunity for savvy investors. Fintech company Shift4 Payments (FOUR 1.00%) may be in the latter, more positive category. After tumbling nearly 42% last year, the stock is off to a strong start in 2026, gaining almost 6% since the beginning of the year. In the context of the stock's 2025 slide, 6% doesn't sound like much, but hey, all rebounds need to start somewhere. With short interest at 20.7%, more near-term upside in Shift4 shares could prompt some traders to cover those bearish bets, but the stock also has solid fundamentals underpinning the rebound thesis. Shift4 can shift into high gear Arguably lost in the shuffle of last year's decline is the value in Shift4's business model. While the company is 27 years old, which is ancient in fintech terms, it puts the "tech" in "fintech." Its payment platform integrates over 1,200 software solutions, indicating a high level of technological flexibility. That flexibility pays dividends. At the ICR Conference on consumer trends earlier this month, Shift4 CEO David Lauber noted that the company spends a third of what its largest rival does to acquire restaurant industry customers. Speaking of customers, Shift4 is everywhere an investor would want a payments provider to be. It's the No. 2 company in the restaurant space and the "gold medalist" in hospitality, luxury retail, and sports stadiums. Expand NYSE : FOUR Shift4 Payments Today's Change ( -1.00 %) $ -0.61 Current Price $ 60.84 Key Data Points Market Cap $4.2B Day's Range $ 59.81 - $ 61.57 52wk Range $ 59.81 - $ 127.50 Volume 697K Avg Vol 2.1M Gross Margin 26.01 % In the luxury retail space, Shift4 customers include some of the largest European department store chain...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET Call participants President and Chief Executive Officer — Kevin Hochman Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Mika Ware Senior Vice President, Investor Relations — Kim Sanders Takeaways Total revenues -- $1.45 billion, representing an increase of 7% year over year. -- $1.45 billion, representing an increase o...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET Call participants President and Chief Executive Officer — Kevin Hochman Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Mika Ware Senior Vice President, Investor Relations — Kim Sanders Takeaways Total revenues -- $1.45 billion, representing an increase of 7% year over year. -- $1.45 billion, representing an increase of 7% year over year. Chili's same-store sales -- Up 8.6%, exceeding the casual dining industry average by 680 basis points; marked nineteenth consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth. -- Up 8.6%, exceeding the casual dining industry average by 680 basis points; marked nineteenth consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth. Consolidated comp sales -- Increased by 7.5% across Brinker International. -- Increased by 7.5% across Brinker International. Maggiano's comp sales -- Reported a decline of 2.4% for the quarter. -- Reported a decline of 2.4% for the quarter. Adjusted diluted EPS -- $2.87, an increase from $2.80 during the prior year. -- $2.87, an increase from $2.80 during the prior year. Chili's sales growth drivers -- Price contributed 4.4%, traffic added 2.7%, and mix contributed 1.5% to top-line sales growth. -- Price contributed 4.4%, traffic added 2.7%, and mix contributed 1.5% to top-line sales growth. Restaurant operating margin -- 18.8% at the consolidated level, down from 19.1% last year; Chili's margin increased 40 basis points, while Maggiano's margin declined due to sales deleverage and incremental investment. -- 18.8% at the consolidated level, down from 19.1% last year; Chili's margin increased 40 basis points, while Maggiano's margin declined due to sales deleverage and incremental investment. Adjusted EBITDA -- $223.5 million, up 3.6% from the prior year. -- $223.5 million, up 3.6% from the prior year. Capital expenditures -- $63.7 million for the quarter, primarily for capital maintenance. -- $63.7 million for the quarter, primarily for capital ...
BlackJack3D/iStock via Getty Images In the growing high-income segment of the market, Nicholas Crypto Income ETF ( BLOX ) has taken a different approach than most, if not all of its competitors, by embracing a strategy of growth first and income second. That may not sound different for the general market, but its stated goal of growth first is accompanied by an aggressive income strategy that sepa...
BlackJack3D/iStock via Getty Images In the growing high-income segment of the market, Nicholas Crypto Income ETF ( BLOX ) has taken a different approach than most, if not all of its competitors, by embracing a strategy of growth first and income second. That may not sound different for the general market, but its stated goal of growth first is accompanied by an aggressive income strategy that separates it from stocks that are considered growth and income holdings. Within the high-income complex, it also differentiates by owning some of its holdings, which exposes it to more growth potential while limiting the downside when the underlying corrects. The main focus of BLOX is on Bitcoin and/or Bitcoin-related stocks specifically, and the overall crypto sector in general. So, when the price of Bitcoin fluctuates, it will move in correlation with the price - both on the higher or lower end of the price movement. In this article we'll look at why I'm very bullish on BLOX and the tools it uses to generate both growth and income. How it generates growth and income First, as with all of the high-yield ETFs, BLOX uses cash holdings or U.S. Treasuries as a source of collateral in order to support its options contracts. Among the areas of interest in the crypto sector BLOX looks for are, "companies engaged in crypto asset mining, blockchain technology development, crypto asset trading platforms, financial services related to the crypto asset industry, payment processing, digital wallet services, decentralized finance ( DEFI ) platforms, non-fungible token (NFT) related platforms and services, as well as technology providers within the crypto industry and companies that invest directly in crypto assets." The top ten holdings of the company account for 62.98% of the total holdings, as of 1-23-2026. The company states that it will usually hold anywhere from ten to twenty different crypto companies at any one time. BLOX Website As for its growth strategy, fund managers will utilize...
Shares in ASML, Europe's most valuable company, soared to the highest ever after the chip equipment maker announced blowout sales — and a round of job cuts to boost efficiency. Tom Mackenzie looks at the numbers. (Source: Bloomberg)
Shares in ASML, Europe's most valuable company, soared to the highest ever after the chip equipment maker announced blowout sales — and a round of job cuts to boost efficiency. Tom Mackenzie looks at the numbers. (Source: Bloomberg)
Earnings Call Insights: Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) Q4 2025 Management View Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman & CEO, began by stating, "2025 was another record year for Stifel. Firm-wide revenue of $5.5 billion increased 11% and marked the first time we've surpassed $5 billion in revenue in our 135-year history." He highlighted record performance in Global Wealth Management and the second highest yea...
Earnings Call Insights: Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) Q4 2025 Management View Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman & CEO, began by stating, "2025 was another record year for Stifel. Firm-wide revenue of $5.5 billion increased 11% and marked the first time we've surpassed $5 billion in revenue in our 135-year history." He highlighted record performance in Global Wealth Management and the second highest year of institutional revenue, emphasizing the breadth and resilience of the franchise. Kruszewski underscored Stifel's client-centric business model, noting, "Approximately 80% of our revenue comes from wealth management, asset management, investment banking and capital markets, with net interest income representing about 20% of the mix." He indicated that the balance sheet is used to support client needs, not as a standalone business line. The CEO pointed to significant capital actions: "The Board of Directors authorized an 11% increase in the common stock dividend beginning in the first quarter of 2026. In addition, the Board authorized a 3-for-2 stock split effective February 26, 2026." He also referenced the acquisition of Brian Gardner and the employee wealth business from B. Riley. James Marischen, Senior VP & CFO, stated, "Revenue was a record $1.56 billion, surpassing last quarter's record by 9% with both operating segments delivering solid results." He continued, "The performance across both segments drove record EPS of $2.63, a pretax margin of more than 22% and a return on tangible equity of more than 31%." Marischen highlighted the sale of Stifel Independent Advisors as a move to improve operating leverage. Outlook Kruszewski outlined, "Total net revenue is expected to be in range of $6 billion to $6.35 billion. I would note that this reflects the impact of the SIA sale and the closing of our European equities business, which together represented $100 million of annual revenue." He explained that guidance excludes these revenues but expects improved expenses and m...
Apple’s AAPL first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, to be reported on Jan. 29, are expected to have benefited from strong iPhone 17 sales. The company expects iPhone sales to grow in double digits year over year in the to-be-reported quarter. The device accounted for 47.8% of net sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, wherein sales increased 6.1% year over year to $49.03 billion. iPhone sales hav...
Apple’s AAPL first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, to be reported on Jan. 29, are expected to have benefited from strong iPhone 17 sales. The company expects iPhone sales to grow in double digits year over year in the to-be-reported quarter. The device accounted for 47.8% of net sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, wherein sales increased 6.1% year over year to $49.03 billion. iPhone sales have been benefiting from strong iPhone 17 sales as well as iPhone 16 shipments in Japan, India and Southeast Asia, per Counterpoint data. Apple led the smartphone market with 20% share in calendar 2025, and shipments increased 10% year over year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal first-quarter iPhone net sales is pegged at $78.03 billion, suggesting roughly 13% year-over-year growth. Apple Inc. Revenue (TTM) Apple Inc. Revenue (TTM) Apple Inc. revenue-ttm | Apple Inc. Quote Click here to learn how Apple’s overall fiscal first-quarter earnings results are likely to be. Services Growth to Ride on Apple TV+, Strong Install Base The Services business is expected to have benefited from a growing installed base of devices as well as subscriber base of its offerings, including Apple TV+, Apple Pay, Apple Music and more. Apple’s streaming business, Apple TV+, is benefiting from a strong content portfolio despite stiff competition in the streaming space from the likes of Disney DIS, Netflix NFLX and Peacock. Disney’s unparalleled IP portfolio spanning Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and classic animation provides sustainable competitive advantages and multiple revenue monetization opportunities across streaming. Netflix surpassed the 325 million paid memberships milestone during the fourth quarter of 2025. Netflix’s 2026 content strategy targets sustained membership growth through returning franchises like Bridgerton Season 4, One Piece Season 2 and The Night Agent Season 3, alongside new productions, including Pride & Prejudice and Greta Gerwig's Narnia. Revenues from Apple TV+ are r...
(RTTNews) - After a positive start and a subsequent good move up north, the Canadian market retreated and slipped into negative territory Wednesday morning, with investors digesting the Bank of Canada's monetary policy announcement, and the latest developments on the geopolitical front. Investors looked ahead to the monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve and the post meet comments f...
(RTTNews) - After a positive start and a subsequent good move up north, the Canadian market retreated and slipped into negative territory Wednesday morning, with investors digesting the Bank of Canada's monetary policy announcement, and the latest developments on the geopolitical front. Investors looked ahead to the monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve and the post meet comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Energy and materials stocks found support thanks to higher commodity prices. Technology, healthcare, consumer discretionary, financials and industrials stocks traded weak. The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index, which climbed to 33,288.41, dropped to a low of 32,997.38 before recovering to 33,055.76, but remained in negative territory with a loss of 40.74 points or about 0.11%. The Canadian central bank decided to leave interest rates unchanged for the second straight meeting, as widely expected. The bank's overnight rate remains at 2.25%, with the bank rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.2%. The decision to leave rates unchanged comes as the Canadian central bank said its Governing Council determined the current policy rate remains appropriate, conditional on the economy evolving broadly in line with its outlook. However, the BoC noted uncertainty is heightened and stressed they are prepared to respond if the outlook changes. The BoC reiterated it remains committed to ensuring that Canadians continue to have confidence in price stability through this period of global upheaval. The central bank projects growth of 1.1% in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027, broadly in line with its October projections. "A key source of uncertainty is the upcoming review of the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement," the Canadian central bank said. Energy stocks Parex Resources, Tamarack Valley Energy, Strathcona Resources, Topaz Energy, Cenovus Energy and Arc Resources gained 1 to 2%. Among materials stocks, Aya Gold & Silver climbed 5.7%, while Ivanhoe Mines, Ngex Minerals, Eldorado ...
Earnings Call Insights: V.F. Corporation (VFC) Q3 2026 Management View Bracken Darrell, President and CEO, highlighted a strong third quarter with business improvement relative to the previous quarter, stating, "Our business improved in Q3 relative to last quarter, returning to growth during our peak holiday quarter. In Q3, total revenue was up 2%, exceeding our own expectations. Over 75% of our b...
Earnings Call Insights: V.F. Corporation (VFC) Q3 2026 Management View Bracken Darrell, President and CEO, highlighted a strong third quarter with business improvement relative to the previous quarter, stating, "Our business improved in Q3 relative to last quarter, returning to growth during our peak holiday quarter. In Q3, total revenue was up 2%, exceeding our own expectations. Over 75% of our business was up by revenue. And excluding Vans and Dickies, revenue was up 5% versus last year." He emphasized a return to growth in the U.S., particularly in Digital, and cited the best Americas performance in over three years, up 6%. The North Face brand delivered revenue growth of 5%, with all product categories up and performance apparel and footwear showing double-digit increases. Darrell described the rapid sellout of a premium leather jacket and noted strong brand recognition through multiple industry awards. Timberland revenue rose 5% globally, with a 9% increase in the Americas and double-digit growth in the boat shoe category. Altra posted 23% growth, and Darrell projected the brand to exceed $250 million in fiscal 2026 revenue. Vans continued to see a 10% revenue decline but showed digital and product newness momentum. Darrell underlined, "global digital revenue grew in the quarter -- grew in the quarter, led by the Americas." Leadership transition was announced as Martino Scabbia Guerrini steps down as Chief Commercial Officer and Brent Hyder assumes the role while remaining President for the Americas. Darrell concluded, "To summarize, we had a very strong Q3, growing revenue, expanding margins and reducing debt, exactly as we said we'd do." CFO Paul Vogel stated, "Q3 revenue was $2.8 billion, up 2% year-on-year on a constant dollar basis, above our guidance of down 1% to down 3%. The better-than-expected performance was primarily due to stronger results from the Americas across both DTC, especially e-com and wholesale." He added, "Our adjusted operating margin f...
watch now VIDEO 15:24 15:24 Watch CNBC's full interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Squawk on the Street Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "600,000 families out of an estimated 25 million" have already signed up for Trump accounts since the official start of tax season on Monday. "We want all Americans to start signing up," he said in an interview with CNBC. Bessent also attended a s...
watch now VIDEO 15:24 15:24 Watch CNBC's full interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Squawk on the Street Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "600,000 families out of an estimated 25 million" have already signed up for Trump accounts since the official start of tax season on Monday. "We want all Americans to start signing up," he said in an interview with CNBC. Bessent also attended a summit on Wednesday with President Donald Trump to promote Trump accounts, also known as Section 530A accounts. As of Monday , when tax filers file their 2025 tax return, they can open a Trump account by making elections on IRS Form 4547 . There are two elections: one to open the account and one to receive the $1,000 "pilot program contribution." "Low-income families, in particular, tend to file early in the tax season because they rely on tax refunds," said Jason Ewas, associate director at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, a nonprofit forum. "There was a lot of talk this year about refunds being bigger, so that seems within the realm of possibility," he said of Bessent's signup figure. Families can also enroll through an online tool on Trumpaccounts.gov , which is expected to be available by the middle of 2026. However, contributions won't begin until July. watch now VIDEO 1:51 01:51 What parents need to know about 'Trump Accounts' News Videos The "fastest, safest, and easiest way to make [Trump account] elections" is through Form 4547 with your current-year e-filed tax return, the IRS said in instructions released in December. After making the elections, the Treasury will contact applicants to activate accounts through an "authentication process," according to Treasury guidance from December. That process will begin in May. Once Trump accounts are open, children born in 2025 through 2028 may receive a one-time $1,000 contribution from the Department of the Treasury . There are no income requirements, and everyone is eligible for the Treasury's seed money. Re...
AMD has released three distinct generations of its 3D V-Cache technology, which initially appeared in the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in 2022. The kernel of the idea has remained the same throughout AMD's efforts: take an existing desktop processor design and graft 64MB of additional L3 cache onto it. This approach disproportionately helps apps that benefit from more cache, particularly games, and the size of...
AMD has released three distinct generations of its 3D V-Cache technology, which initially appeared in the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in 2022. The kernel of the idea has remained the same throughout AMD's efforts: take an existing desktop processor design and graft 64MB of additional L3 cache onto it. This approach disproportionately helps apps that benefit from more cache, particularly games, and the size of the boost that 3D V-Cache gives to game performance has always been enough to offset any downsides these chips have come with. And in the four years since the 5800X3D was released, AMD has steadily chipped away at those disadvantages, adding more CPU cores, improving power consumption and temperatures, and re-adding the typical Ryzen range of overclocking controls. AMD's new Ryzen 7 9850X3D, which launches for $499 starting tomorrow, is the very definition of a mild upgrade. It's the year-old Ryzen 7 9800X3D but with an extra 400 MHz of turbo boost speed. That's it. That's the chip. Read full article Comments
Wirestock/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Carvana ( CVNA ) fell 8.3% as Gotham City Research released a short report. Gotham City disclosed that it has a short position in Carvana ( CVNA ). Carvana didn't immediately respond to Seeking Alpha's email request for comment. Carvana ( CVNA ) has short interest of 11.4%. More on Carvana Carvana: The Age Of Profitability Carvana: Gathering Storms Could...
Wirestock/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Carvana ( CVNA ) fell 8.3% as Gotham City Research released a short report. Gotham City disclosed that it has a short position in Carvana ( CVNA ). Carvana didn't immediately respond to Seeking Alpha's email request for comment. Carvana ( CVNA ) has short interest of 11.4%. More on Carvana Carvana: The Age Of Profitability Carvana: Gathering Storms Could Deliver A 50% Haircut Carvana's Comeback: Structural Growth, S&P 500 Inclusion, But Pricey Valuation Online car shopping fuels a bigger runway for Carvana Wholesale used car prices rise in the U.S. for the second straight month
s-cphoto/iStock via Getty Images As the first month of 2026 comes to an end this week and earnings season accelerates, b elow is a list of the top 10 U.S. utilities stocks ranked by their one-month price performance percentage. The list includes companies from the Electric Utilities, Multi-Utilities, and Independent Power Producers and Energy Traders industries. The list is topped by Oklo ( OKLO )...
s-cphoto/iStock via Getty Images As the first month of 2026 comes to an end this week and earnings season accelerates, b elow is a list of the top 10 U.S. utilities stocks ranked by their one-month price performance percentage. The list includes companies from the Electric Utilities, Multi-Utilities, and Independent Power Producers and Energy Traders industries. The list is topped by Oklo ( OKLO ), with a one-month performance of 10.86%. NextEra Energy ( NEE ) and Pinnacle West Capital ( PNW ) are next, with one-month performances of 8.38% and 7.19%, respectively. Notably, all three of these top performers are classified under Electric Utilities. Multi-Utilities stocks also make a strong showing in the top five, with NiSource ( NI ) achieving a 6.40% gain and Consolidated Edison ( ED ) posting a 6.09% increase. Even the 10th-ranked stock, Edison International ( EIX ), delivered a solid one-month performance of 5.24%. Here is the list: Oklo ( OKLO ), 1 month performance percentage: 10.86% NextEra Energy ( NEE ), 1 month performance percentage: 8.38% Pinnacle West Capital ( PNW ), 1 month performance percentage: 7.19% NiSource ( NI ), 1 month performance percentage: 6.40% Consolidated Edison ( ED ), 1 month performance percentage: 6.09% The AES Corporation ( AES ), 1 month performance percentage: 6.04% FirstEnergy ( FE ), 1 month performance percentage: 5.95% Evergy ( EVRG ), 1 month performance percentage: 5.94% DTE Energy ( DTE ), 1 month performance percentage: 5.91% Edison International ( EIX ), 1 month performance percentage: 5.24% Utilities ETFs: ( XLU ), ( VPU ), ( FUTY ), ( IDU ), ( FXU ), and ( JXI ) More on utilities stocks VPU: Time For Utilities To Turn Higher (Upgrade) XLU: Why Did It Top Last October? Oklo: Meta Partnership Excites Investors, But Doesn't Fix The Fundamentals Oppenheimer sees strong start to earnings season as it favors growth sectors Largest U.S. power grid issues alerts as winter peak demand could hit new highs
JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) said Wednesday morning that they will match the US government’s $1,000 contribution to so-called Trump accounts for thousands of their US employees. Trump accounts are a government program included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that the President signed into law last year. The tax-advantaged investment accounts are available for American children ...
JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) said Wednesday morning that they will match the US government’s $1,000 contribution to so-called Trump accounts for thousands of their US employees. Trump accounts are a government program included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that the President signed into law last year. The tax-advantaged investment accounts are available for American children born between January 2025 and the end of December 2028 and come with a one-time $1,000 contribution from the US Treasury. Read more: Trump accounts explained: How they work, who qualifies “JPMorganChase has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the financial health and well-being of all of our employees,” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said in a statement. “By matching this contribution, we’re making it easier for them to start saving early, invest wisely, and plan for their family’s financial future,” Dimon added. "Our announcement to support and complement this new federal program for our teammates is one of the many ways we continue investing in our teammates," Bank of America said in a memo to employees about the move. President Donald Trump shakes hands with JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO Jamie Dimon at the White House on Feb. 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo · Reuters / Reuters The country's two largest banks join a number of major US companies that have already announced plans to match the federal government’s $1,000 contribution to the Trump accounts, including the Bank of New York Mellon (BK), Intel (INTC), BlackRock (BLK), Charles Schwab (SCHW), Robinhood (HOOD), SoFi (SOFI), Charter Communications (CHTR), Russell Investments, Investment Company Institute (ICI), and Chime Financial (CHYM). The move comes as JPMorgan, Bank of America and other major banks face the president's call for credit card issuers to cap credit card interest rates at 10% for one year. While commending the administration for its affordability push, big bank executives and other large credit car...
PRA Group ( PRAA ) was trading lower after Citizens downgraded the stock, citing the business appears to be several years away from delivering reliably consistent profitability. Shares were -15.81% to $13.31 during Wednesday late morning trading. "The gross yield on the current portfolio and most recent purchases does not generate enough revenue to cover cash operating expenses and funding costs,"...
PRA Group ( PRAA ) was trading lower after Citizens downgraded the stock, citing the business appears to be several years away from delivering reliably consistent profitability. Shares were -15.81% to $13.31 during Wednesday late morning trading. "The gross yield on the current portfolio and most recent purchases does not generate enough revenue to cover cash operating expenses and funding costs," said the investment bank. Citizens said that it will take over three years for the company to achieve a break-even purchase price multiple and gross yield. "PRA's funding capacity is limited due to its elevated leverage, negative free cash flow outlook, and more wary European credit markets toward the industry," said David Scharf and Zachary Oster. The stock was lowered to Market Perform. Citizens' rating differs from the average sell-side analysts and Seeking Alpha authors rating of Buy. Meanwhile, SA's Quant Rating system grades PRAA as Sell. More on PRA Group PRA Group: Restructurings, Repeated Disappointments Strain Bull Thesis, But Risks Overstated PRA Group, Inc. 2025 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript PRA Group reaffirms $1.2B portfolio purchase target for 2025 amid cost reductions and operational restructuring