Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Entertainment Block, Inc. ( XYZ ) has finally found its stride. The company has been posting explosive growth driven by success in its Cash App lending platform. The company also looks poised to deliver incredible margin expansion as it moves beyond its drastic workforce reduction. The company maintains a strong balance sheet, which helps to differentiate it from tradi...
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Entertainment Block, Inc. ( XYZ ) has finally found its stride. The company has been posting explosive growth driven by success in its Cash App lending platform. The company also looks poised to deliver incredible margin expansion as it moves beyond its drastic workforce reduction. The company maintains a strong balance sheet, which helps to differentiate it from traditional banks. The valuation still looks compelling here, though perhaps slightly less so than in the past. I rate the stock a buy. XYZ Stock Price I last covered XYZ in March , where I highlighted how their bombshell workforce reduction may drive margin upside. The stock has risen around 19% since. Data by YCharts I see continued upside ahead as the company continues driving progress on profitability. XYZ Stock Key Metrics XYZ is a fintech company with two distinct businesses in point of sale systems (through its business Square) and peer-to-peer payments (through its Cash App platform). I note that the latter business might be better viewed as a consumer lending arm. In the most recent quarter, XYZ generated 27% YoY gross profit growth to $2.909 billion, crushing guidance of between $2.68 billion and $2.7 billion. I note that one should focus on gross profits instead of revenue due to the slim margins earned from its Bitcoin operations. 2026 Q1 Presentation The company followed that strong top-line growth with equally strong bottom-line growth, with adjusted operating income jumping 56% YoY to $728 million, exceeding guidance of $585 million. I note that GAAP operating income had a wider than usual difference from adjusted operating income primarily due to the restructuring. I expect these two metrics to return to alignment moving forward. 2026 Q1 Presentation The company primarily drove the strong gross profit growth through its Cash App business, which saw 38% gross profit growth. That included a stunning 66% YoY growth rate in financial solutions, which houses the consu...
If you like the idea, but are too ashamed to admit it in the midst of this hot divorcee summer, listen up! There are some very good reasons to get wed It’s hard to pinpoint the moment something shifts from unfashionable to taboo, but it feels as if we’re there. With a “ hot divorcee summer ” on the horizon, more than half of single American women believing they’re happier than their spliced sister...
If you like the idea, but are too ashamed to admit it in the midst of this hot divorcee summer, listen up! There are some very good reasons to get wed It’s hard to pinpoint the moment something shifts from unfashionable to taboo, but it feels as if we’re there. With a “ hot divorcee summer ” on the horizon, more than half of single American women believing they’re happier than their spliced sisters , and nearly 70% of college-educated singles pessimistic about finding the right partner, what was once vanilla has become a baked alaska hot take. Even having a boyfriend has been deemed embarrassing , so steel yourselves: this is controversial. I write, dear reader, in praise of marriage. Wait! Please! Put down your torches and pitchforks for a moment, and hear me out. I’m not advocating for any kind of tradwife nonsense, or unobtainable romcom fantasy. I’m talking normal, ordinary, messy, cosy, frustrating marriage. Continue reading...
alexsl West Pharmaceutical Services ( WST ) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday after Barclays upgraded the syringe maker to Overweight from Equal Weight, citing strong fundamentals that it says could generate near-term upside. Analyst Luke Sergott recalled that Barclays was on the sidelines regarding West Pharma ( WST ) when the stock was initiated last year, due mainly to headwinds related to ...
alexsl West Pharmaceutical Services ( WST ) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday after Barclays upgraded the syringe maker to Overweight from Equal Weight, citing strong fundamentals that it says could generate near-term upside. Analyst Luke Sergott recalled that Barclays was on the sidelines regarding West Pharma ( WST ) when the stock was initiated last year, due mainly to headwinds related to multi-dose vials and new oral GLP-1 drugs. “We admittedly overestimated these potential headwinds and have now done some work that suggests it should not be as big of a threat over the next few years as we previously thought,” the analyst added. The analyst argued that the company’s fundamentals notably include upside drivers that could boost estimates from Wall Street and Barclays analysts over the next two years, even without significant changes to the model. Additionally, Sergott highlighted West Pharma’s ( WST ) experienced leadership, including recently named CEO Michel Lagarde, who is taking the helm later this year, and CFO Bob McMahon, who joined the company last year. “As such, we see the potential for WST to become a much larger and diversified organization over the next few years, given untapped balance sheet capacity that provides management with plenty of capital deployment optionality,” the analyst added, raising his price target to $400 from $310. More on West Pharmaceutical West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) Presents at 46th Annual William Blair Growth Stock Conference - Slideshow West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) Presents at 46th Annual William Blair Growth Stock Conference Prepared Remarks Transcript West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST) Presents at Bank of America Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript These 10 large-cap U.S. healthcare companies carry the market's most expensive valuations West Pharmaceutical Services names Michel Lagarde as next CEO, effective Aug. 31
Worawith Ounpeng/iStock via Getty Images Executive summary The Nationwide Loomis Core Bond Fund (IS share class) outperformed the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index -0.04% versus -0.05% for the quarter. The Fund's securitized and government related holdings were the largest contributors to performance for the quarter. The Fund's securitized agency and investment grade corporate holdings were the gr...
Worawith Ounpeng/iStock via Getty Images Executive summary The Nationwide Loomis Core Bond Fund (IS share class) outperformed the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index -0.04% versus -0.05% for the quarter. The Fund's securitized and government related holdings were the largest contributors to performance for the quarter. The Fund's securitized agency and investment grade corporate holdings were the greatest detractors from performance for the quarter. Market Environment The global fixed-income markets produced largely flat returns in the first three months of the year. Despite the uneven end result, bonds in fact performed well through January and February amid anticipation that the US Federal Reserve and other major central banks would continue cutting interest rates in 2026. This backdrop changed considerably in early March, when the outbreak of war in Iran caused a spike in crude oil prices and raised fears that other commodities could face shortages. Investors' concerns over increased inflation rose as a result, and the markets quickly began to factor in the likelihood that central banks would need to hold rates steady or possibly even tighten policy. Yields rose sharply (as prices fell) in response to the shifting outlook, erasing the earlier gains and offsetting the contributions from income. Investment-grade corporates posted a loss and underperformed US Treasuries in the first quarter. The asset class came under pressure from the increased inflation expectations and rise in government bond yields that followed the start of the war in Iran. In addition, the "risk-off" sentiment that accompanied the conflict fueled an increase in yield spreads off of the multi-decade low achieved in late January. Short-term corporates outpaced their longer-dated counterparts, mirroring the prevailing trend in the government bond market. Nearly every industry group lost ground in the quarter, with only independent energy, oilfield services, and refining companies recording positive...
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Airbus ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) CEO Guillaume Faury said airlines are continuing to stand by their aircraft orders despite mounting pressures from higher fuel costs and disruptions tied to the conflict involving Iran, Reuters reported Tuesday. Speaking at an industry event on Tuesday, Faury said the commercial aviation sector has endured years of challenges b...
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Airbus ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) CEO Guillaume Faury said airlines are continuing to stand by their aircraft orders despite mounting pressures from higher fuel costs and disruptions tied to the conflict involving Iran, Reuters reported Tuesday. Speaking at an industry event on Tuesday, Faury said the commercial aviation sector has endured years of challenges but has not shown signs of abandoning plans for fleet expansion. He said Airbus has not seen meaningful demand from customers seeking to cancel aircraft orders. Airlines around the world have been dealing with rising operating expenses as the conflict in the Middle East pushes up fuel prices and disrupts key flight routes. Many carriers have been forced to reroute aircraft around conflict zones, increasing flight times and costs. Despite those headwinds, Airbus said long-term demand for new aircraft remains intact. The company's comments suggest airlines continue to expect growth in passenger traffic and are maintaining plans to modernize and expand their fleets. For investors, Airbus' ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) order backlog is a key indicator of future revenue and cash flow. The absence of widespread cancellations suggests airlines view current geopolitical and fuel-cost pressures as temporary rather than structural. That resilience could support aircraft manufacturers, aerospace suppliers and engine makers, even as airlines face near-term margin pressure from higher operating costs. More on Airbus SE, Boeing Boeing And Lockheed: SpaceX Hype Isn't Needed For These Buys Boeing: The Comeback Is Real, But Weak Spots Remain Boeing's Turnaround Is Real, But The Stock Already Knows It U.S. drone boat carries out first sea rescue after Apache helicopter crash near Hormuz Airbus is said to push back some plane deliveries as supply chain strains persist
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (Symbol: SUSA) where we have detected an approximate $280.0 million dollar outflow -- that's a 6.6% decrease week ov
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (Symbol: SUSA) where we have detected an approximate $280.0 million dollar outflow -- that's a 6.6% decrease week ov
In this article AAPL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now VIDEO 6:27 06:27 Apple's Siri revamp is a game changer for the long term, says JPMorgan's Samik Chatterjee Squawk Box Apple shares fell 3% on Tuesday, a day after the company revealed new artificial intelligence software at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference . Apple announced new frameworks that will allow app d...
In this article AAPL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now VIDEO 6:27 06:27 Apple's Siri revamp is a game changer for the long term, says JPMorgan's Samik Chatterjee Squawk Box Apple shares fell 3% on Tuesday, a day after the company revealed new artificial intelligence software at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference . Apple announced new frameworks that will allow app developers to tap into Apple's AI on iPhones and Macs, called Apple Intelligence, as well as a new version of Siri called Siri AI that's based on large language models. Apple also revealed that it is using a cloud model "comparable" to so-called frontier models with help from Google and Nvidia . But investors sold the news and Apple is on track for its worst day since February. Analysts reacted positively to Apple's announcements and praised the Siri improvements. But some analysts said there weren't many surprises, and that it wouldn't be a short-term boost for the stock, especially since Apple didn't commit to a release date for Siri AI, although developers can already test it out in beta software. "While the company laid out a decent vision and some early personalized/contextual AI use cases, it plans on releasing Siri AI beta later this year, with no concrete timing of a full release," wrote Baird analyst William Power. "We think that's contributing to the intraday sell-off." Read more CNBC tech news OpenAI confidentially files for IPO, prepping Wall Street for mega AI debut Apple partnering with Google and Nvidia for most advanced AI model Silicon Valley's new buyout playbook is hitting Wall Street Everything from WWDC: Apple's big Siri AI reveal, Liquid Glass changes and more Goldman Sachs analysts said that Apple's integration of AI into its hardware could drive a strong product refresh cycle, but also noted that Apple has an opportunity to monetize AI through rate limits and subscriptions. "Some features, including image generation, have daily usage limits because th...
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (Symbol: IGV) where we have detected an approximate $530.9 million dollar inflow -- that's a 3.5% increase
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (Symbol: IGV) where we have detected an approximate $530.9 million dollar inflow -- that's a 3.5% increase
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (Symbol: RSP) where we have detected an approximate $597.9 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.7% increase week
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (Symbol: RSP) where we have detected an approximate $597.9 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.7% increase week
Investors in Alphabet Inc (Symbol: GOOGL) saw new options begin trading today, for the June 24th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the GOOGL options chain for the new June 24th contracts and identified one put and one call cont
Investors in Alphabet Inc (Symbol: GOOGL) saw new options begin trading today, for the June 24th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the GOOGL options chain for the new June 24th contracts and identified one put and one call cont
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (Symbol: BIL) where we have detected an approximate $943.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 2.1% increase week o
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (Symbol: BIL) where we have detected an approximate $943.0 million dollar inflow -- that's a 2.1% increase week o
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (Symbol: USHY) where we have detected an approximate $662.6 million dollar inflow -- that's a 2.5% in
Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (Symbol: USHY) where we have detected an approximate $662.6 million dollar inflow -- that's a 2.5% in
ridham supriyanto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images When I last covered Prudential PLC ( PUK ), I made it clear that I believe the company - alongside other insurers and similar businesses - is going to experience substantial pressure. You can find that article here. Seeking Alpha Prudential PLC RoR In fact, I would argue that the subsequent decline has validated not only that article but also the...
ridham supriyanto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images When I last covered Prudential PLC ( PUK ), I made it clear that I believe the company - alongside other insurers and similar businesses - is going to experience substantial pressure. You can find that article here. Seeking Alpha Prudential PLC RoR In fact, I would argue that the subsequent decline has validated not only that article but also the two antecedent articles where I covered PUK as well - and at the time also updated on other insurance companies in similar businesses or at least the same sector. In fact, the company that I rated a "BUY" at the time and actually added to, SCOR SE ( SCRYY ), the French reinsurer, has not only not declined like Prudential PLC, it has also advanced much like I expected it to do. SCOR Seeking Alpha RoR Valuation at the entry - as well as the exit - matters. The mistake I see most investors make repeatedly, and the mistake I have made myself quite often, is incorrect assumptions leading to either investment decisions or to rotation decisions. It's therefore entirely logical that the thing to become "better" at when it's about investing is that decision-making process or understanding of valuation - probably one of the most elusive as well. But it's why I practice it so much and why I have an entire IG, Wolf Of Value , dedicated to the strategy and notion of finding the right investments at the right price. We've been discussing things like the insurance sector and why it's tricky at this time, but also where money can be invested. Prudential PLC is not the most-covered company on SA. It doesn't have the most investors, and the number of articles is fairly low, meaning that interest seems to be mild. It's these types of companies that I like to cover - as you can see from my own coverage, where I rarely (if ever) cover big names like Tesla ( TSLA ) or Google ( GOOG ). To my mind, 50% RoR out of a small European company is just as valuable as 50% RoR out of an American IT giant ...
Black_Kira/iStock via Getty Images Fluence Energy ( FLNC ) up 6.2% in Tuesday's trading after saying results from an independent review conducted by assurance provider DNV confirmed 99.3% availability across the company's reviewed operating battery energy storage fleets of 50 MW and above. DNV reviewed fleet-level availability data, the calculation methodologies incorporated into the company’s con...
Black_Kira/iStock via Getty Images Fluence Energy ( FLNC ) up 6.2% in Tuesday's trading after saying results from an independent review conducted by assurance provider DNV confirmed 99.3% availability across the company's reviewed operating battery energy storage fleets of 50 MW and above. DNV reviewed fleet-level availability data, the calculation methodologies incorporated into the company’s contracts, and operational data provided by Fluence ( FLNC ) for select projects, and the company said the assessment validated its internal findings of 98.7% MW-weighted availability across its reviewed global fleet of energy storage projects. The DNV review, which represented one of the industry's more comprehensive independent assessments of fleet-level battery storage availability, was designed to provide greater transparency into how Fluence ( FLNC ) systems perform at operating scale throughout the last year, the company said. More on Fluence Energy Fluence Energy: The Unpriced AI Power Moat Awaiting Liftoff Fluence Energy: The Data Center Opportunity Looks Promising, But Other Risks Remain Fluence Energy Q2 2026 Earnings Call Presentation
175-year-old Stoke-on-Trent company says Christopher Bailey’s investment will ensure continued production Christopher Bailey , the fashion designer who turned the British trenchcoat maker Burberry into a global brand, has acquired the Stoke-on-Trent company Burleigh Pottery along with a small group of private investors. The ceramics company, founded in 1851 and best known for its intricate floral ...
175-year-old Stoke-on-Trent company says Christopher Bailey’s investment will ensure continued production Christopher Bailey , the fashion designer who turned the British trenchcoat maker Burberry into a global brand, has acquired the Stoke-on-Trent company Burleigh Pottery along with a small group of private investors. The ceramics company, founded in 1851 and best known for its intricate floral designs, said Bailey’s investment would ensure that production of its cups, saucers and plates could continue without interruption at the city’s Middleport Pottery site. Continue reading...
We would like to hear from fans in New York and around the world about their reactions to the Knicks’ performance in the NBA finals The New York Knicks are leading the NBA finals 2-1 against the San Antonio Spurs , much to the excitement of fans across the world. It’s their first appearance in the playoff finals since 1999, when they lost the best-of-seven series to the very same Texas team. We wo...
We would like to hear from fans in New York and around the world about their reactions to the Knicks’ performance in the NBA finals The New York Knicks are leading the NBA finals 2-1 against the San Antonio Spurs , much to the excitement of fans across the world. It’s their first appearance in the playoff finals since 1999, when they lost the best-of-seven series to the very same Texas team. We would like to hear from New Yorkers and Knicks fans, both in the state and around the globe, about how they’re feeling in this current moment. With the Knicks doing so well after so long, how are you celebrating? Are you still optimistic despite the Spurs’ close win in Madison Square Garden on Monday? How are you feeling about the future? Continue reading...