Michele Ursi/iStock via Getty Images The last time I covered nLIGHT, Inc. ( LASR ) was 12 months ago, and the stock is up nearly 600% in the period since then. I called it a tentative Buy , at the time, so clearly, “tentative” wasn’t quite the right adjective, although hindsight makes the call seem incredibly more understated than it was. But I wasn’t confident enough to take a stronger buy positi...
Michele Ursi/iStock via Getty Images The last time I covered nLIGHT, Inc. ( LASR ) was 12 months ago, and the stock is up nearly 600% in the period since then. I called it a tentative Buy , at the time, so clearly, “tentative” wasn’t quite the right adjective, although hindsight makes the call seem incredibly more understated than it was. But I wasn’t confident enough to take a stronger buy position because I thought the company was still more of an industrial laser supplier that was dealing with weak demand and margin pressure. That’s not the case anymore. LASR has been building out its aerospace and defense capabilities, especially around high-energy lasers that are used in directed-energy systems, and the opportunity that exists in those markets has driven the company’s topline and margins to their highest levels in 5 years. That level of performance has changed how we see the company, and now, what I’m considering is whether the current price reflects most of that transformation. FY25 confirms the pivot LASR’s performance in FY25 makes it clear that the shift I was watching last year is now showing up plainly in the numbers. Revenue for the year came in at $261.3 million, up 31.6% year over year, which on its own is already a solid growth year. But the more important detail is where that growth is coming from. Last year, I pointed out that, taken together, the company’s location, IP portfolio, and close ties to the aerospace and defense (A&D) industries were the biggest factors that could help it take advantage of its newfound opportunity to pivot, and that is the case today. A&D is now the dominant part of the business, and it generated $175.3 million in revenue during the year, or roughly two-thirds of total sales, compared with about 55% the year before. Conversely, industrial lasers, which used to be the backbone of nLIGHT’s business, now make up only about 15% of revenue, and the microfabrication segment contributes the remaining share. Segment FY24 FY25 Sh...
Tax-deferred accounts such as traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans allow workers to delay taxes on qualified distributions, provided they meet income-based eligibility requirements. But the government will not let you withhold tax payments indefinitely. Upon reaching a certain age, individuals with a tax-deferred retirement account must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs), meaning they...
Tax-deferred accounts such as traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans allow workers to delay taxes on qualified distributions, provided they meet income-based eligibility requirements. But the government will not let you withhold tax payments indefinitely. Upon reaching a certain age, individuals with a tax-deferred retirement account must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs), meaning they must withdraw a percentage of the account balance each year. Any contributions and investment gains are subject to income tax. Read on to learn more about RMDs, including when they begin and how to calculate the withdrawal amount for a retirement account with a balance of $500,000. Which types of retirement accounts are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs)? A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the smallest amount of money that retirees must withdraw from tax-deferred accounts each year. RMD rules apply to account holders and beneficiaries with the following plans: Importantly, RMD rules do not apply to Roth accounts while the original owner is alive, but beneficiaries of Roth accounts must abide by RMD rules. In general, account holders must take RMDs by Dec. 31 each year. The only exception is the first RMD can be postponed until April 1st. For instance, someone who turns 73 in 2026 could delay their first RMD until April 1, 2027. However, their second RMD must still be completed by Dec. 31, 2027. At what age do required minimum distributions (RMDs) begin? The age at which required minimum distributions begin depends on when you were born: Account Holder's Birth Date Age When RMDs Begin Before July 1, 1949 70 ½ July 1, 1949, to Dec. 31, 1950 72 Jan. 1, 1951, to Dec. 31, 1959 73 After Dec. 31, 1959 75 Anyone who does not take their RMD before the deadline will be penalized with an excise tax equal to 25% of the amount not withdrawn. The penalty can be reduced to 10% if the error is fixed within two years. The penalty can also be waived entirely if the accou...
Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction Texas Instruments ( TXN ) is the biggest producer of analog chips. With the recent announced intention to acquire Silicon Laboratories Inc. ( SLAB ), the latest annual report, and the Capital Management Presentation, which took place on 24 th of February 2026, there is a lot of information that needs to be analyzed and evaluated. In...
Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction Texas Instruments ( TXN ) is the biggest producer of analog chips. With the recent announced intention to acquire Silicon Laboratories Inc. ( SLAB ), the latest annual report, and the Capital Management Presentation, which took place on 24 th of February 2026, there is a lot of information that needs to be analyzed and evaluated. In this article, I want to describe in detail the capital allocation of TXN and look at the opportunities the company has in the future. The current higher share price already reflects in part the recovery in the analog chips market from my point of view. This is why I give this stock a hold rating and won’t add to my own position at this stage. Q4 2025 On 27 th January 2026, TXN reported fourth quarter results for the fiscal year 2025. Revenue was $4.4 billion and increased by 10% in comparison to Q4 2024. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) was $1.27 and decreased by 2% in comparison to Q4 2024. This decrease was mainly driven by higher cost of revenue, higher provision for income taxes, and lower other income. For fiscal year 2025 in total, revenue increased by 13%, from $15.6 billion to $17.7 billion. Diluted EPS increased by 5%, from $5.20 to $5.45. Cost of revenue increased disproportionately and is the main reason why the increase in revenue is not reflected in net income and diluted EPS. During the conference call , the management gave some background information about the share of its end markets: in 2025, Industrial accounted for about 33% of revenue, Automotive was also 33%, and Data Center was 9%. In addition, Data Center grew by 64% in 2025 and is expected to continue strongly in 2026 which will be a driver for future revenue growth of TXN in my view. Industrial, Automotive, and Data Center, will be the end markets the company will focus on in the future. Personal electronics accounted for 21% of revenue, and communications equipment accounted for 3% of revenue. By ...
Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC decreased its position in Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO - Free Report) by 87.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 688 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer's stock after selling 4,669 shares during the period. Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC's holdings in Broadcom were wort...
Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC decreased its position in Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO - Free Report) by 87.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 688 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer's stock after selling 4,669 shares during the period. Blackston Financial Advisory Group LLC's holdings in Broadcom were worth $227,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Modern Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Broadcom by 4.2% in the third quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC now owns 21,436 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer's stock worth $7,072,000 after acquiring an additional 869 shares in the last quarter. SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda acquired a new position in shares of Broadcom in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $6,928,000. Sequent Planning LLC bought a new stake in Broadcom during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $234,000. Intellectus Partners LLC raised its holdings in Broadcom by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Intellectus Partners LLC now owns 7,380 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer's stock worth $2,435,000 after buying an additional 140 shares during the period. Finally, Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC lifted its stake in Broadcom by 54.8% in the third quarter. Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer's stock valued at $1,326,000 after buying an additional 1,423 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.43% of the company's stock. Get Broadcom alerts: Sign Up Broadcom Trading Down 0.5% Broadcom stock opened at $331.03 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.57 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.22. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $333.75 and a 200-day moving average of $342.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ra...
Arete Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 19,566 shares of the social networking company's stock after purchasing an additional 2,880 shares during the period. Meta Platforms comprises 0.9% of Arete Wealth Advisors LLC's portfolio, maki...
Arete Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META - Free Report) by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 19,566 shares of the social networking company's stock after purchasing an additional 2,880 shares during the period. Meta Platforms comprises 0.9% of Arete Wealth Advisors LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC's holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $14,339,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Meta Platforms alerts: Sign Up Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Westchester Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Bare Financial Services Inc bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Knuff & Co LLC purchased a new stake in Meta Platforms during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Spurstone Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the second quarter valued at approximately $59,000. Finally, Evergreen Private Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Meta Platforms by 64.8% during the third quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 89 shares of the social networking company's stock valued at $65,000 after buying an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. 79.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Meta Platforms Price Performance NASDAQ META opened at $644.86 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.60 and a quick ratio of 2.60. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $654.99 and its 200 day moving average price is $681.65. The company has a market cap of $1.63 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.44, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.30. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a 1 year l...
David Trood/DigitalVision via Getty Images The week experienced the problematic scenario for highly levered global markets: sharply lower stock prices, widening spreads/risk premiums, rising Treasury/sovereign yields, and currency volatility. Seemingly no place to hide, with virtually all strategies faltering. De-risking/deleveraging has rapidly intensified. This is precisely how crises erupt, and...
David Trood/DigitalVision via Getty Images The week experienced the problematic scenario for highly levered global markets: sharply lower stock prices, widening spreads/risk premiums, rising Treasury/sovereign yields, and currency volatility. Seemingly no place to hide, with virtually all strategies faltering. De-risking/deleveraging has rapidly intensified. This is precisely how crises erupt, and the metastasizing Iran War poses clear and present catalyst risk. All bets are off if hostilities continue to expand. And while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military power is rapidly neutralized, it still holds alarming power over global markets. The S&P 500 dropped 2% this week. This moderate decline was not reflective of the stress throughout global markets. Myriad speculative Bubbles faltered. At Tuesday's lows, the South Korean KOSPI Index was down 20% from the previous Friday's high. Wednesday's sharp rally cut the week's losses to 10.6%. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 5.5%, with Japan's TOPIX Bank Index hit 7.6%. Major indices were down 5.1% in Taiwan, 7.9% in Indonesia, 8.0% in Thailand, 4.6% in the Philippines, and 6.0% in Vietnam. Stocks were down 6.8% in Pakistan and 6.7% in Turkey. European equities were under heavy selling pressure. Losses included France's CAC40 at 6.8%, Spain's IBEX 7.0%, Italy's MIB 6.5% and Germany's DAX at 6.7%. Ominously, Europe's STOXX 600 Bank Index was clobbered 8.2%, the largest weekly loss since "liberation day." Italian banks sank 9.6%. UK's FTSE 100 equities index dropped 5.7%. Global equities were hammered. But I would be more concerned by the week's bond market drubbings. Unprecedented leverage, having accumulated throughout global markets, ensures latent fragility. And when the tide starts to go out, markets have a pretty clear understanding of who has been swimming in their birthday suits. UK yields spiked 39 bps this week to a five-month high of 4.63%, this biggest jump since gilt deleveraging crisis week, Septe...
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images In October of 2025, I wanted to see if maybe it was time to upgrade ACCO Brands ( ACCO ) once more. Exceptionally, I find it to be an interesting business. It is a diverse player of items that cater to not only consumers, but to businesses as well. Examples include gaming and computer accessories, learning and creative products such as Five Star and Mead...
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images In October of 2025, I wanted to see if maybe it was time to upgrade ACCO Brands ( ACCO ) once more. Exceptionally, I find it to be an interesting business. It is a diverse player of items that cater to not only consumers, but to businesses as well. Examples include gaming and computer accessories, learning and creative products such as Five Star and Mead, and certain stapling, laminating, shredding, filing, organization, and storage products. The list goes on, but you get the idea. Unfortunately, I made the tough decision back in May of 2025 to downgrade the stock from a ‘buy’ to a ‘hold. This was because of continued deterioration from a fundamental standpoint. I was also worried about the economy more broadly, especially in light of tariffs. Back in October, I decided to reaffirm the company as a ‘hold’ even though the stock was priced at incredibly low multiples. This is because fundamentals continued to worsen. Since then, the stock has jumped 10.6%, while the S&P 500 is up 4.4%. But since I originally downgraded it, it's outperforming a bit less than this, rising 22.7% while the market is up 18.7%. The business continues to see weakness, even though management is working hard to cut costs. And until we see the picture bottom out, I believe that maintaining it as a ‘hold’ strikes the right balance between how cheap the stock is and how much worse its fundamentals have gotten. I sincerely hope that I can change my rating of the company soon. The good news is that earnings are just around the corner. Before the market opens on March 9th, management will be announcing financial results for the final quarter of the company's 2025 fiscal year. But unfortunately, revenue is expected to decline while adjusted net profits should follow suit. Hopefully, management will come out with some really stellar news that justifies an upgrade. But for now, I think that maintaining my current rating on it is appropriate. Sticking to my gu...