New Gallup poll finds support for same-sex marriage and relationships in the US has stopped rising after two decades Acceptance of same-sex marriage and relationships in the US has flattened after more than two decades of steadily increasing support, with an ongoing decline among Republicans, according to a new Gallup poll. About 65% of US adults believe same-sex marriage should be legal, down sli...
New Gallup poll finds support for same-sex marriage and relationships in the US has stopped rising after two decades Acceptance of same-sex marriage and relationships in the US has flattened after more than two decades of steadily increasing support, with an ongoing decline among Republicans, according to a new Gallup poll. About 65% of US adults believe same-sex marriage should be legal, down slightly from 71% in 2022 and 2023. Continue reading...
From modern art giants such as Helen Marten to the most exciting up-and-comers, this weekend’s art party showcases the best and brightest the capital has to offer – free of charge With hundreds of world-class galleries, thousands of stunning exhibitions and countless talented artists, London has a serious claim to being the art capital of the world. Sure, it’s also got sky-high rents that make sur...
From modern art giants such as Helen Marten to the most exciting up-and-comers, this weekend’s art party showcases the best and brightest the capital has to offer – free of charge With hundreds of world-class galleries, thousands of stunning exhibitions and countless talented artists, London has a serious claim to being the art capital of the world. Sure, it’s also got sky-high rents that make surviving as an artist nigh on impossible; and yes, perilous economic conditions mean that galleries are closing at an unprecedented rate (the brilliant Tiwani Contemporary announced last week that it would soon be shutting for good). But there’s still plenty to celebrate. And that’s where London Gallery Weekend comes in. Now entering its sixth year, the event brings together London’s biggest, brightest and best galleries for a weekend-long art party. There are talks, walk-throughs, performances, poetry readings and gigs taking place across the weekend, with galleries open late throughout – and admission to everything is free. Continue reading...
Anna Reshetnikova/iStock via Getty Images I have been covering Universal Corp ( UVV ) here on Seeking Alpha since 2022, and ever since I was bullish on the company. In my latest writing in February this year, I highlighted the firm's commitment to dividend payments, which is essentially the main appeal for income-focused investors, but I also warned that temporary headwinds may put pressure on UVV...
Anna Reshetnikova/iStock via Getty Images I have been covering Universal Corp ( UVV ) here on Seeking Alpha since 2022, and ever since I was bullish on the company. In my latest writing in February this year, I highlighted the firm's commitment to dividend payments, which is essentially the main appeal for income-focused investors, but I also warned that temporary headwinds may put pressure on UVV's financial performance. By looking at the latest results , we can see that the top- and bottomline both remain pressured and the margins have also compressed as the tobacco oversupply continues. For this reason, I believe that a hold rating is better justified now than my previously established buy. I would like to see top line growth and improving profitability again, before I could turn bullish. The aim of my article today is to point out the key reasons, why I am becoming more conservative now. Results In fiscal year 2026, UVV's result were not particularly impressive. The company's revenue slightly fell, while the cost of goods sold increased, resulting in a 110 bps gross margin contraction. If we look at the two segments of the firm, tobacco operations and ingredients operations, we can see that in terms of revenue the smaller ingredients segment actually achieved a slight growth, but in terms of operating income the decline was a massive 74%. While the 74% decline sounds bad at first, it was largely impacted by the $8.1 million inventory write-off, which is one-off in nature. The larger tobacco operations segment declined both in terms of revenue and operating income, driven by the softer sales, lower prices, and higher tobacco write-offs. Highlights (Universal Corp) All in all, I am not very happy with these results, as revenue stagnate while profitability deteriorates. The ongoing tobacco oversupply does not help the situation and the secular decline of cigarettes is also a significant factor to consider. While I expect the EPS to recover in fiscal 2027, as the dr...
Team is working to digitise archive of correspondence donated by public, charting relationships, social history and evolution of language After four decades together, Tatiana and Steffen Missbach still write each other love letters. “A good love letter is specific – not only declaring your feelings but also, you know, ‘good luck at music practice, I’ll be thinking of you’,” said Tatiana, 66, a ret...
Team is working to digitise archive of correspondence donated by public, charting relationships, social history and evolution of language After four decades together, Tatiana and Steffen Missbach still write each other love letters. “A good love letter is specific – not only declaring your feelings but also, you know, ‘good luck at music practice, I’ll be thinking of you’,” said Tatiana, 66, a retired personnel manager. “If he’s leaving early on a work trip, I like waking up and finding one at the breakfast table waiting for me.” Steffen, 68, a car appraiser, said it was his way of giving Tatiana “something to hold in her hands for the time that I’m not there, when I can’t be here to speak the words”. Continue reading...
On paper, the last 12 months should have been a banner year for XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) . Between the resolution of an SEC lawsuit and the launch of seven spot funds like the Bitwise XRP ETF , the banking token had a lot going for it. Instead, XRP is down nearly 40% since May 2025 and, despite topping $3.50 last July, now trades around just $1.32. Some investors are wringing their hands, worried things ...
On paper, the last 12 months should have been a banner year for XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) . Between the resolution of an SEC lawsuit and the launch of seven spot funds like the Bitwise XRP ETF , the banking token had a lot going for it. Instead, XRP is down nearly 40% since May 2025 and, despite topping $3.50 last July, now trades around just $1.32. Some investors are wringing their hands, worried things will only get worse, while others are eying the price hungrily, seeing the dip as a golden buying opportunity. Continue reading
Bobislav/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Since its birth in 2021, Stellantis N.V. ( STLA ) has suffered from having too many generalist brands and lacking a real premium positioning. In the cutthroat automotive industry, profits are mostly generated at the higher end of the product portfolio. Stellantis is no exception. When the company was FCF positive, its margins were, for the most part, gene...
Bobislav/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Since its birth in 2021, Stellantis N.V. ( STLA ) has suffered from having too many generalist brands and lacking a real premium positioning. In the cutthroat automotive industry, profits are mostly generated at the higher end of the product portfolio. Stellantis is no exception. When the company was FCF positive, its margins were, for the most part, generated by the highly profitable SUV segment in America , an inheritance from Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles. The company never really had anything to put against German carmakers in the higher premium tiers. The table below, taken from my first article on the stock, compares the relative simplicity of Tesla’s product portfolio to the complexity Stellantis’ portfolio, which despite having 12 brands against Tesla’s (at the time) four models under one brand, still has not managed to have an all-encompassing product strategy. Author's work Enter Maserati: the fix that never worked The exception to Stellantis’ portfolio is, of course, Maserati. Readers should consider how: Maserati is one of the oldest luxury, sports car brands in the world, dating back to 1914. It has a stellar historical track record in motorsports , including two F1 championships won by their drivers in the 1950s when they were competing against Ferrari N.V. ( RACE ). It has a long history of producing not only sports cars and supercars but also GTs and sedans to compete with German carmakers. It would be natural to expect that Stellantis could leverage Maserati to fill its product gap and compete with German carmakers such as Mercedes-Benz Group AG ( MBGAF , MBGYY , BENZ:CA ) or Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft ( BMW:CA , BMWKY ). Yet, this never happened, though not for lack of trying. Maserati’s relaunch started with a project dating back to its FCA time. The brand expanded its offering and now features one premium SUV, a revamped GT, and a supercar. Until not long ago, it was also producing two premi...