Palomar Holdings NASDAQ: PLMR writes insurance policies that few others will, and the niche is paying off. By focusing on risks that most standard insurers avoid, including earthquakes, floods, and surplus lines, the company just posted its strongest quarter ever. Trading now near its 52-week low and with a new acquisition, Palomar is either a rare entry point into disciplined growth or a company ...
Palomar Holdings NASDAQ: PLMR writes insurance policies that few others will, and the niche is paying off. By focusing on risks that most standard insurers avoid, including earthquakes, floods, and surplus lines, the company just posted its strongest quarter ever. Trading now near its 52-week low and with a new acquisition, Palomar is either a rare entry point into disciplined growth or a company that’s one disaster away from a serious hit. Get Palomar alerts: Sign Up Palomar Delivers Another Quarter of Rapid Growth Palomar is writing more insurance business than almost any specialty insurer in America. While casualty insurance was its largest segment, inland marine and property represented 26% of premiums written, with earthquake and crop insurances following with 22% and 14%, respectively. Palomar Today PLMR Palomar $109.57 -0.06 (-0.05%) 52-Week Range $107.51 ▼ $175.85 P/E Ratio 15.33 Price Target $147.75 Add to Watchlist For the first quarter, gross written premiums, the basic measure of how much business an insurer is doing, climbed 42% to $629.8 million. Of those, 25% were written in California, down from 32% a year earlier, while 10% were in Texas. Total revenue before interest expenses rose 60% to $278.9 million from $174.6 million a year earlier. And net investment income grew to $18 million, up 49%, from $12.1 million. In all, the company reported adjusted net income of $63 million, up 23%, or $2.31 per share, above expectations. Specialty Insurance Gives Palomar a Different Advantage Palomar’s approach is decidedly different than what most consumers buy. The large insurance companies tend stick to the typical lanes, such as auto policies, homeowners coverage, and life insurance. Palomar built its business in a different direction. The company specializes in what’s called “excess and surplus” lines, including earthquake insurance, crop insurance, flood policies, hurricane-exposed properties, and specialty commercial risks. With less competition, when under...
South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s will spur a US-allied network of advanced underwater capabilities near the first island chain, strengthening deterrence against potential adversaries such as China and North Korea, analysts say. The South Korean defence ministry this week announced its basic plans to build the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine, giving...
South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s will spur a US-allied network of advanced underwater capabilities near the first island chain, strengthening deterrence against potential adversaries such as China and North Korea, analysts say. The South Korean defence ministry this week announced its basic plans to build the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine, giving its first detailed outline of the programme since US President Donald Trump granted initial approval in October According to the plan, South Korea will launch the first of the vessels by the mid-2030s and deliver them to the Republic of Korea Navy by the late 2030s. Advertisement The submarines, which are expected to be in use for at least 30 years, will be powered by low-enriched uranium instead of high-enriched uranium that could be used to build nuclear weapons. South Korean president admits Seoul cannot stop US from moving military assets However, in contrast to Trump’s approval, which required the South Korean submarines to be built at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Philadelphia, the plan said South Korea would develop and build the submarines within its own territory using the country’s “world-class” nuclear energy and shipbuilding technology.
Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Value Capital Research as a new contributing analyst. You can become one too! Share your best investment idea by submitting your article for review to our editors. Get published, earn money, and unlock exclusive SA Premium access. Click here to find out more » Francisco Zalez/iStock via Getty Images Thesis Granite Construction ( GVA ) seems to be ap...
Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome Value Capital Research as a new contributing analyst. You can become one too! Share your best investment idea by submitting your article for review to our editors. Get published, earn money, and unlock exclusive SA Premium access. Click here to find out more » Francisco Zalez/iStock via Getty Images Thesis Granite Construction ( GVA ) seems to be approaching the top of the construction cycle, and I believe the stock’s current premium valuation is not reflecting it. There are three issues I see with the company: (i) expiration of IIJA funding authorization in September 2026 (ii) Margins close to cyclical highs; (iii) and M&A activity coinciding with the later stages of the construction cycle. I have a sell rating on the company and see 19-26% downside for the stock. Company Overview and Q126 Results Granite is one of the largest publicly held Engineering and Construction companies in the U.S. It operates through two main divisions: Construction and Materials. Construction primarily provides heavy civil infrastructure related construction services (e.g., highways, bridges, and tunnels.) It is ~83% of revenues and ~81% of gross profit. Material business produces and sells aggregates and asphalt and is ~ 17% of revenues and ~ 19% of gross profit. Both of these businesses have benefitted from increased public sector investment in infrastructure as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In Q1 2026, the company continued to post strong results. Its Q1 revenues increased ~ 30% Y/Y with strength in both construction and materials. Adjusted EBITDA margins improved 230 bps Y/Y to 6.3% helped by operating leverage and improved execution in construction projects. The materials business also benefited from higher aggregate and asphalt prices, increased volume, and acquisitions. Committed and awarded projects reached a record $7.2 bn and management also raised 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance . So, a...
Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron Technology’s chief executive officer (CEO), has led the chipmaker to a market valuation exceeding $1 trillion (around Rs 95.5 lakh crore), joining fellow Indian-born US tech giants like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Google’s Sundar Pichai. The Kanpur-born Mehrotra, who was reportedly rebuffed three times for a US visa in 1976, has a net worth estimated at $1.2 billion (arou...
Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron Technology’s chief executive officer (CEO), has led the chipmaker to a market valuation exceeding $1 trillion (around Rs 95.5 lakh crore), joining fellow Indian-born US tech giants like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Google’s Sundar Pichai. The Kanpur-born Mehrotra, who was reportedly rebuffed three times for a US visa in 1976, has a net worth estimated at $1.2 billion (around Rs 11,521 crore), according to Forbes Often sidelined from the list of Indian-origin CEOs helming top US tech giants, he has finally entered the billionaire club. The Kanpur-born Sanjay Mehrotra’s Micron crossed the $1 trillion (around Rs 95.5 lakh crore) valuation threshold on Tuesday (May 26) amid the ongoing AI-driven market boom. It was the moment when Micron, the memory chip giant, broke into the top 10 US companies by market valuation, edging past long-established companies such as Walmart, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Indian-origin Mehrotra serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Micron Technology. His estimated net worth now stands at $1.2 billion (around Rs 11,521 crore), according to Forbes. We take a look. Who is Sanjay Mehrotra? Born in 1958 in India’s Kanpur, he immigrated to the US at the age of 18. He pursued bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. Mehrotra is a graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program (SEP), according to reports. He has completed his engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Bits) Pilani. A little-known incident about young Mehrotra: He was reportedly rebuffed three times for a US visa. In 1976, as an engineering student from Bits Pilani, Mehrotra stood in the lobby of the US embassy in New Delhi. The reason: he was denied a student US visa for the third time, reported Times of India (TOI). Born in 1958 in India’s Kanpur, Sanjay immigrated to t...
Key Points President Trump authorized military strikes in Iran that have evolved into the largest oil supply disruption in history, sending inflation to a multiyear high. The Federal Reserve may need to raise interest rates to curb inflation, but the pivot to rate increases has historically been bad news for the stock market. Kevin Warsh may try to justify rate cuts by shrinking the Fed's balance ...
Key Points President Trump authorized military strikes in Iran that have evolved into the largest oil supply disruption in history, sending inflation to a multiyear high. The Federal Reserve may need to raise interest rates to curb inflation, but the pivot to rate increases has historically been bad news for the stock market. Kevin Warsh may try to justify rate cuts by shrinking the Fed's balance sheet, but doing so would raise questions about the central bank’s independence. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › The U.S. stock market is red hot despite economic uncertainty created by tariffs and the Iran war. In the past year, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has advanced 30% and the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) has added 42%. But investors have reason to be nervous. Kevin Warsh recently replaced Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair. Trump appointed Warsh, who has experience setting monetary policy in difficult economic climates -- he previously served on the Fed Board of Governors during the Great Recession -- but he finds himself in a particularly tough spot this time around. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Trump has frequently chided the Fed for keeping its benchmark interest rate too high, so it stands to reason that he views Warsh as a solution. But Trump's attempts to influence the Fed's monetary policy, coupled with his decision to wage war in Iran, have made rate cuts essentially impossible. In fact, elevated energy prices could force the Warsh-led Fed to raise rates, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have historically declined when the central bank has started a new rate-increase cycle. The Federal Reserve may have to raise interest rates The Iran conflict has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that serves as a transit route for about 20 million ba...
Key Points Just after that, several analysts published new, bearish takes on the stock. One felt compelled to downgrade his recommendation on the medical device giant. 10 stocks we like better than Boston Scientific › Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) stock was tumbling notably this week. Management admitted weakness in one of the medical device maker's product lines. This, combined with several beari...
Key Points Just after that, several analysts published new, bearish takes on the stock. One felt compelled to downgrade his recommendation on the medical device giant. 10 stocks we like better than Boston Scientific › Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) stock was tumbling notably this week. Management admitted weakness in one of the medical device maker's product lines. This, combined with several bearish analyst adjustments, was pushing the shares down by 15% week to date as of early Friday morning, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence. A disheartening forecast On Wednesday, at this year's Bernstein's Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Boston Scientific CEO Mike Mahoney said sales of its Watchman line of heart implants might be stagnating. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » He added that revenue from these formerly thriving products is likely to be flat sequentially in both the current second quarter and the following frame. The CEO attributed this to a shift toward concomitant rather than stand-alone procedures. Zooming out, Mahoney and his team maintained their guidance for the entirety of Boston Scientific's 2026, with organic revenue growth of 6.5% to 8%. Following this, several analysts tracking Boston Scientific stock published updates on their takes, which trended bearish. One, Lawrence Biegelsen of big bank Wells Fargo, went as far as to downgrade his recommendation on the stock to equal weight (i.e., hold) from overweight (buy). He also reduced his price target to $55 per share from the previous $75. According to reports, Biegelsen expressed concern about the new Watchman forecast and pointed out that medications currently under development by top pharmaceutical companies could increase competitive pressure. He also cited weakness in other product categ...
May 29 (Reuters) - Shares of Dell Technologies soared nearly 40% in premarket trading on Friday, after robust demand for its Nvidia-powered AI servers prompted the company to raise its annual revenue and profit forecasts. The AI server and enterprise infrastructure supplier is set to add more than $81 billion in market value at the current share price of $442.70, if gains hold. Dell has benefit...
May 29 (Reuters) - Shares of Dell Technologies soared nearly 40% in premarket trading on Friday, after robust demand for its Nvidia-powered AI servers prompted the company to raise its annual revenue and profit forecasts. The AI server and enterprise infrastructure supplier is set to add more than $81 billion in market value at the current share price of $442.70, if gains hold. Dell has benefited significantly from data center investments by Alphabet and Amazon, as well as price increases and improved supply chain management. On Thursday, Dell raised its annual revenue forecast to $165 billion to $169 billion from $138 billion to $142 billion, and said it now expects AI server revenue of about $60 billion in fiscal 2027, up from $50 billion. At least three brokerages raised their price targets on the stock after Dell's results. The stock has a median target price of $236.5, with 19 of the 28 analysts rating it "Buy" or higher, according to data compiled by LSEG. "This was across the board one of the most impressive quarters we've seen in our time covering Hardware, especially in the context of what is happening across the component universe," analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note. Companies such as Dell and Super Micro Computer have been at the center of a massive shift in AI spending from software to hardware. Dell shares have more than doubled in value so far this year, outpacing the benchmark S&P 500 index's 10.5% rise. Shares of AI server makers, including Super Micro Computer and Hewlett Packard, were up 10.7% and 23.5%, respectively, following Dell's blockbuster results. For the first quarter, Dell posted an 88% surge in revenue to $43.84 billion, handily beating the LSEG-compiled average analyst estimate of $35.43 billion. (Reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
vale_t/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Thesis We last covered the abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund ( ACP ) three years ago, when we discussed the implications of the impending merger for the fund. ACP is a fixed-income closed-end fund that holds global high yield bonds. Given the current benign macro context and global portfolio held by ACP, we are going to revisit the CEF and highlight our u...
vale_t/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Thesis We last covered the abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund ( ACP ) three years ago, when we discussed the implications of the impending merger for the fund. ACP is a fixed-income closed-end fund that holds global high yield bonds. Given the current benign macro context and global portfolio held by ACP, we are going to revisit the CEF and highlight our updated view. Current fund composition What is particular about this high yield CEF is its global composition: USA: 31% UK: 28% Germany: 5.6% Luxembourg: 5.3% Ireland: 4.1% France: 3.8% Jersey: 2.6% Others: residual Kindly note that U.S. exposure comes to 31% only, with the UK making up almost as much of the holdings. This is not surprising since the asset manager Abrdn is based in the UK. Another interesting tidbit is the jurisdiction of Jersey, a unique segment. Jersey is a self governing British dependency that is not legally part of the UK; hence the segregation by the fund. Jersey is a small island between England and France, and immigrants from said island gave the name to the famous U.S. state of 'New Jersey.' The fund's geographic segmentation also percolates down to the currencies used, with the current concentrations as follows: Usd: 57% Eur: 23% Gbp: 20% ACP undertakes an active foreign exchange hedging strategy, meaning that it chooses how much and when to hedge its FX exposures. To that end, the name represents an active take on foreign exchange moves as well, since the manager does not have to hedge 100% of the exposure in a systematic way. This is ok to have for a global fund from a well versed manager. From a ratings band standpoint, the CEF is overweight single-B credits: Ratings (Fund Fact Sheet) Single-B names represent 59% of the holdings, followed by double-BB names at 22%. The CEF also has a very sizable CCC bucket of 15.5%. The composition is on the high beta side, accentuated by the leverage the fund has on top: Leverage ratio: 30% Discount to NAV: -4...
Andy Andrews/DigitalVision via Getty Images The Virginia State Corporation Commission, the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service Comm. of South Carolina will get to weigh in on plans by NextEra Energy Inc. ( NEE ) and Dominion Energy Inc. ( D ) to merge and form the world's largest regulated electric utility business by market capitalization. The combined company will be more ...
Andy Andrews/DigitalVision via Getty Images The Virginia State Corporation Commission, the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service Comm. of South Carolina will get to weigh in on plans by NextEra Energy Inc. ( NEE ) and Dominion Energy Inc. ( D ) to merge and form the world's largest regulated electric utility business by market capitalization. The combined company will be more than 80% regulated, serve about 10 million utility customer accounts across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina and own 110 gigawatts of generation across a broad mix of energy sources. The companies plan to maintain dual headquarters in Florida and Virginia, with operational headquarters in South Carolina. The take The proposed merger of NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy will require review by multiple state commissions, including the Virginia State Corporation Commission, the North Carolina Utilities Commission, and the Public Service Commission of South Carolina. The utilities will continue to be regulated by their respective state commissions if the merger closes. The companies appear to be front-loading customer, employment and community commitments in anticipation of detailed scrutiny from state regulators, particularly in jurisdictions where commissions have historically focused on customer protections, rate impacts and demonstrable public benefit. The proposed merger is occurring against a broader backdrop of an unprecedented surge in power demand from AI data centers, the need to modernize aging grid infrastructure, and a strategic shift toward dispatchable natural gas and renewable energy platforms. Regulatory standards vary by jurisdiction. North Carolina emphasizes "public convenience and necessity," with benefits needing to at least match costs; South Carolina considers rate and service impacts; Virginia requires applicants to demonstrate that the transaction will not impair or jeopardize the provision of adequate service to the public at just...
Paul McCartney brought the house down last week at Steven Colbert's final Late Night show on CBS with his performance of the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye." The lyrics to the classic rock song -- "you say 'goodbye', and I say 'hello'" -- could easily apply to Jerome Powell. Powell served for eight years as the Chair of the Federal Reserve. But while his critics (notably including President Trump) were ...
Paul McCartney brought the house down last week at Steven Colbert's final Late Night show on CBS with his performance of the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye." The lyrics to the classic rock song -- "you say 'goodbye', and I say 'hello'" -- could easily apply to Jerome Powell. Powell served for eight years as the Chair of the Federal Reserve. But while his critics (notably including President Trump) were eager to be rid of him, he opted to break tradition by continuing to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The stock market may have dodged a bullet with Powell staying at the Fed, in my opinion. Familiarity breeds... contentment? You have probably heard the saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt." However, it's a much different story with markets. Investors prefer predictability. That's something Powell brought to the table during his term as Fed Chair. On the other hand, Powell's successor, Kevin Warsh, wants "regime change" at the Fed. Warsh has spoken in favor of slashing the central bank's balance sheet and limiting its market interventions. Potentially even more worrisome, some are concerned that he could cause the Fed to lose its political independence. Had Powell resigned from the Fed's Board of Governors, the stock market could have been rattled by the prospects of Warsh having his way. The bond market may have been affected even more significantly. However, Powell should be a stabilizing force by remaining at the Fed. Importantly, Powell will retain his vote on the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC), which sets U.S. monetary policy. He will be in a position to serve as an influential opponent of any policy changes that could negatively impact the economy and markets. Powell was known for his clear communication during his term as Fed Chair. If Warsh tries to curtail the amount of information the central bank reveals about its decision-making process, Powell could go directly to the press. Should the Fed's independence appear to be in danger of being co...
Key Points Powell is no longer Fed Chair, but he will continue to serve on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. His successor, Kevin Warsh, has advocated for changes that could rattle the stock and bond markets. Powell is likely to be a stabilizing force at the Fed. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Paul McCartney brought the house down last week at Steven Colbert's f...
Key Points Powell is no longer Fed Chair, but he will continue to serve on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. His successor, Kevin Warsh, has advocated for changes that could rattle the stock and bond markets. Powell is likely to be a stabilizing force at the Fed. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Paul McCartney brought the house down last week at Steven Colbert's final Late Night show on CBS with his performance of the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye." The lyrics to the classic rock song -- "you say 'goodbye', and I say 'hello'" -- could easily apply to Jerome Powell. Powell served for eight years as the Chair of the Federal Reserve. But while his critics (notably including President Trump) were eager to be rid of him, he opted to break tradition by continuing to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The stock market may have dodged a bullet with Powell staying at the Fed, in my opinion. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Familiarity breeds... contentment? You have probably heard the saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt." However, it's a much different story with markets. Investors prefer predictability. That's something Powell brought to the table during his term as Fed Chair. On the other hand, Powell's successor, Kevin Warsh, wants "regime change" at the Fed. Warsh has spoken in favor of slashing the central bank's balance sheet and limiting its market interventions. Potentially even more worrisome, some are concerned that he could cause the Fed to lose its political independence. Had Powell resigned from the Fed's Board of Governors, the stock market could have been rattled by the prospects of Warsh having his way. The bond market may have been affected even more significantly. However, Powell should be a stabilizing force by remaining at the F...
Some companies develop and market simulation software (like computer-aided design or CAD, 3D modeling, product lifecycle management or PLM, data orchestration and experience creation), which engineers, designers and researchers use across various industries like architecture, engineering and construction, product design, manufacturing and digital media. The Zacks Computer Software industry include...
Some companies develop and market simulation software (like computer-aided design or CAD, 3D modeling, product lifecycle management or PLM, data orchestration and experience creation), which engineers, designers and researchers use across various industries like architecture, engineering and construction, product design, manufacturing and digital media. The Zacks Computer Software industry includes companies that provide software applications related to AI, cloud computing, electronic design automation (primarily for semiconductor and electronics industries), digital media and marketing, customer relationship management, on-premises and cloud-based database management, accounting and tax purposes, human capital management, cybersecurity and application performance monitoring and a cloud-based enterprise communications platform. Per a Precedence Research report, the global software market is expected to witness a CAGR of 11.6% from 2026 to 2035 to reach 2,468.93 billion. These trends augur well for industry participants, such as Oracle Corp. , Intuit and Progress Software Corp. At the same time, rapid advances in artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning (“ML”) are reshaping the industry. The cutting-edge technologies are being swiftly integrated into enterprise and consumer applications. Software vendors are increasingly embedding generative AI into productivity tools, customer service platforms and enterprise resource planning systems. Despite these headwinds, the industry's evolving trends point to momentum ahead. The industry participants are positioned for solid growth as businesses around the globe accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. The ongoing migration to cloud and the widespread adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models continue to provide recurring revenue visibility for vendors while giving customers the scalability, flexibility and cost efficiency they increasingly demand. Uncertainty prevailing over global macroeconomic ...
(RTTNews) - European stocks advanced on Friday, the dollar headed for a small weekly loss on improved risk sentiment in markets, and oil prices slipped to a one-month low after reports emerged the United States and Iran have agreed in principle to extend their ceasefire by 60 days. According to the tentative agreement, pending final approval from U.S. President Donald Trump, Iran would not be able...
(RTTNews) - European stocks advanced on Friday, the dollar headed for a small weekly loss on improved risk sentiment in markets, and oil prices slipped to a one-month low after reports emerged the United States and Iran have agreed in principle to extend their ceasefire by 60 days. According to the tentative agreement, pending final approval from U.S. President Donald Trump, Iran would not be able to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. would gradually lift its sea blockade on Iranian ports. The pan-European STOXX 600 was up half a percent at 628.06 after falling half a percent on Thursday. The German DAX edged up by 0.3 percent, France's CAC 40 surged 0.9 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.2 percent. Pernod Ricard shares were little changed. An Indian court has rejected a plea by the French spirits makers seeking permission to sell its products in New Delhi. Automaker Renault rallied nearly 2 percent after the Science Based Targets Initiative approved its new near-and-long-term emissions goals, thus updating the targets first set in 2019. German ticketing and live entertainment company CTS Eventim soared 9 percent after revenue grew by 23 percent in the first quarter. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Secure your first league title for a decade? Tick. Extend your Golden Boot-winning striker’s contract. Tick. Lift a first Women’s FA Cup since 2020? Pending. May 2026 has gone swimmingly for Manchester City and they are hoping it will get even better. Once you get that sweet taste of long-awaited success, you want more, and coaches will tell you it is not reaching the top that is the hardest part,...
Secure your first league title for a decade? Tick. Extend your Golden Boot-winning striker’s contract. Tick. Lift a first Women’s FA Cup since 2020? Pending. May 2026 has gone swimmingly for Manchester City and they are hoping it will get even better. Once you get that sweet taste of long-awaited success, you want more, and coaches will tell you it is not reaching the top that is the hardest part, but staying there. Keeping hold of your best players is job No 1 in that regard, so persuading Khadija “Bunny” Shaw to perform a remarkable U-turn and stay for another four years was vital. The Jamaica striker, who scored 21 times in 22 league games this season, had signalled firmly to the club she had decided to leave, because other teams were offering more lucrative contracts and talks with City had broken down. The late intervention of senior management from the men’s arm of the club to ensure Shaw’s contract requests were met led to her change of heart. Shaw had made clear her preference was to stay and the club realised not only the value of keeping her, but the potential cost of her playing for a direct rival in Chelsea. Shaw’s exit would have been a major momentum-killer. Her mic-drop-style reveal that she was staying, presented on stage during Monday’s trophy parade in Manchester in front of thousands of overjoyed fans, signalled that the club are serious about trying to build a winning machine and perhaps even challenge for a first European title. The first stop is Wembley, where they face Brighton on Sunday when victory would land their first league and FA Cup double and first two-trophy season since 2019, when they triumphed in both domestic cups. It would also be their first FA Cup success in six years and their first in front of fans for seven years, because their extra-time victory over Everton in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic. City will not have it all their own way against a Brighton side who beat them in the league in April and ha...