(RTTNews) - Boardwalk Pipelines LP (BWP), an energy infrastructure company, on Monday said it has entered into an agreement to acquire Spire Marketing Inc., a gas marketing business unit, from Spire Inc. (SR) for $215 million in cash.
(RTTNews) - Boardwalk Pipelines LP (BWP), an energy infrastructure company, on Monday said it has entered into an agreement to acquire Spire Marketing Inc., a gas marketing business unit, from Spire Inc. (SR) for $215 million in cash.
Getty Images After a snapback rally, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF ( SCHD ) is set to again underperform the S&P 500 index. The dividend ETF loved by the market just reconstituted the fund alongside the Dow Jones US Dividend 100 Index ( DJUSDIV ). My investment remains bearish on the dividend growth ETF with a long history of underperforming the benchmark index due to structural limitations....
Getty Images After a snapback rally, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF ( SCHD ) is set to again underperform the S&P 500 index. The dividend ETF loved by the market just reconstituted the fund alongside the Dow Jones US Dividend 100 Index ( DJUSDIV ). My investment remains bearish on the dividend growth ETF with a long history of underperforming the benchmark index due to structural limitations. Finviz Major Dividend Flaw As the market has tanked, SCHD has finally had a period of solid strength. As noted in the past, the dividend growth ETF has some benefit during market weakness due to the focus on dividend stocks, but the fund typically misses out on so much growth, investors may be better served riding the waves and taking the higher long-term returns. The ETF is based on an index that calculates composite scores based on four fundamental statistics as reported up to December 31. Free cash flow divided by total debt Return on equity Indicated dividend yield Five-year dividend growth rate The biggest issue is that SCHD is picking fundamentally strong corporations with strong free cash flow compared to debt and return on equity, but the measurement isn't capturing attractively priced stocks. The dividend yield and dividend growth rates are the metrics intended to pick stocks with attractive valuations, but the dividend payout and yield growth rates are no longer solely reflective of a stock with a good valuation. A couple of primary issues exist with dividend growth stocks now. First, so many companies spend large portions of capital returns on share buybacks. Second, a lot of companies hike dividends when the income and cash flows don't warrant hikes in order to keep the Dividend Aristocrat status and dividend investors happy. Salesforce ( CRM ) is a prime example of a stock that just completed a $25 billion accelerated share buyback that could easily pay a far higher dividend. The company only has a dividend yield of 0.95% with an annual dividend payout of $1.7...
XSD is down about 8% over the past month, yet up roughly 52% over the past year. That gap tells the whole story of what semiconductor investors are wrestling with right now: a structural AI demand boom running headlong into near-term supply friction and macro uncertainty. SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA:XSD) takes a different approach ... XSD Investors: Intel’s Foundry Losses and AI Spending ...
XSD is down about 8% over the past month, yet up roughly 52% over the past year. That gap tells the whole story of what semiconductor investors are wrestling with right now: a structural AI demand boom running headlong into near-term supply friction and macro uncertainty. SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (NYSEARCA:XSD) takes a different approach ... XSD Investors: Intel’s Foundry Losses and AI Spending Are the Signals to Watch
China’s pig prices have plunged to their lowest level in nearly eight years, as the country struggles to deal with a persistent supply glut triggered by the spread of huge industrial farms and a post-holiday drop in meat consumption. Live pigs were selling for 11.05 yuan (US$1.60) per kilogram on average during the third week of March, down 2.9 per cent from the previous week and 28 per cent from ...
China’s pig prices have plunged to their lowest level in nearly eight years, as the country struggles to deal with a persistent supply glut triggered by the spread of huge industrial farms and a post-holiday drop in meat consumption. Live pigs were selling for 11.05 yuan (US$1.60) per kilogram on average during the third week of March, down 2.9 per cent from the previous week and 28 per cent from a year earlier, data from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs showed. Prices are now...
wallix/iStock via Getty Images Still Bullish On CDE After rising by over 350% since early May 2025, Coeur Mining, Inc. ( CDE ) stock started to correct in March 2026, following the general market weakness and also the weakening underlying commodity markets like gold and silver. TrendSpider Software, CDE daily, Oakoff's notes added I called CDE a "Buy" in early December, and the stock first gained ...
wallix/iStock via Getty Images Still Bullish On CDE After rising by over 350% since early May 2025, Coeur Mining, Inc. ( CDE ) stock started to correct in March 2026, following the general market weakness and also the weakening underlying commodity markets like gold and silver. TrendSpider Software, CDE daily, Oakoff's notes added I called CDE a "Buy" in early December, and the stock first gained over 60%, but then lost most of its gains, now trading only 3-4% higher - that's better than the S&P 500's ( SP500 ) performance, but still, the ugly price action looks terrifying for some investors. I don't view the change in narrative around CDE as something structural. In other words, there's little fundamental reason for turning bearish on CDE right now. I agree that commodities have been down sharply over the past month , and the firm missed on the top line in its last reporting quarter, but Coeur's restructuring should bring in a lot of value for its shareholders anyway, and the stock's correction as of late has only added to the buying opportunity. That's why I remain bullish on the stock on this heavy dip, foreseeing higher stock prices by the end of this year. My Updated Reasoning On CDE's Prospects Coeur reported for its Q4 results on February 19, 2026, showing $674.7 million in revenues (+120% YoY) and ~$0.35 in adjusted EPS (+218% YoY). On the bottom line, CDE beat by 5%, according to Seeking Alpha , but on the top line, we saw a slight miss of ~2%. I don't think it was the main reason for the stock's recently ugly price action because when the Q4 data came out, CDE closed over 6% higher on the day. Plus, we see that the sell-side analysts covering the stock have turned more bullish on the upcoming Q1 print. Seeking Alpha, CDE I see CDE's business prospects naturally and fundamentally improving, which is going to hold true for the next quarters as well. First, the firm tripled its EBITDA to $1.025 billion in Q4, having generated $666 million in full-year free ca...
Listen on the go! A daily podcast of Wall Street Breakfast will be available by 8:00 a.m. on Seeking Alpha , iTunes , Spotify . Getty Images Survey Monday Will an isolationist pivot by the U.S. ultimately increase or decrease global defense spending over the next decade? Click here to take the poll and don't forget to share your thoughts in the WSB comments section . Good morning! Here's the lates...
Listen on the go! A daily podcast of Wall Street Breakfast will be available by 8:00 a.m. on Seeking Alpha , iTunes , Spotify . Getty Images Survey Monday Will an isolationist pivot by the U.S. ultimately increase or decrease global defense spending over the next decade? Click here to take the poll and don't forget to share your thoughts in the WSB comments section . Good morning! Here's the latest in trending: Iran war: The world's most populous country warns of 'considerable downside' to growth and Yemen’s Houthis enter the conflict . Sun Belt: Apollo Global ( APO ) is considering opening a second U.S. headquarters , with South Florida and Texas emerging as leading options. Regulatory front: The U.S. Treasury is set to consult insurance regulators on rising private credit risks , while WTO members discuss extending a digital trade tariff ban . Final fray The focus on U.S. troop deployment has been in the Middle East, given the possibility of a ground invasion in Iran or the takeover of Kharg Island . The latter hosts the Islamic Republic's oil infrastructure and is its powerful economic export engine. Thousands of U.S. Marines (31st and 11th MEUs) and paratroopers (82nd Airborne) have been deployed to the region to give President Trump additional options, but a spotlight is also growing on America's military presence across the globe. Snapshot: The second biggest party in the German parliament, the ascendant AfD, made waves over the weekend after calling for the total removal of the approximately 40,000 U.S. troops and American nukes currently stationed in Germany. Berlin must achieve a "more independent foreign policy," said AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla, and should no longer be "drawn into international conflicts" by Washington. He also pointed to Spain, where the socialist government led by Pedro Sánchez has opposed U.S. action against Iran and restricted the use of its bases for military operations. Earlier, the U.K. notably refused usage of its strategic milit...
e-crow/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Whenever I hear about investing in Gold ( GLD ) or other precious metals, the first thing that comes to my mind is my Navy days back in 2008. I remember being stationed in Ingleside, Texas. A little city right outside of Corpus Christi. During the Great Financial Crisis, I remember my chief and the civilians (retired military) always talking about invest...
e-crow/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Whenever I hear about investing in Gold ( GLD ) or other precious metals, the first thing that comes to my mind is my Navy days back in 2008. I remember being stationed in Ingleside, Texas. A little city right outside of Corpus Christi. During the Great Financial Crisis, I remember my chief and the civilians (retired military) always talking about investing. I was curious, and this is where I first started (investing). I didn't know what I was doing, and it wasn't until much later that I took investing seriously. But I remember a retired E-9 always mentioning to buy Gold. So, whenever I hear about Gold rising or falling, I always hear his voice saying, "Buy Gold!" Hindsight is always 20/20 and a lot has changed since then. With economic uncertainty in recent months, investors can collect cash from the Gold crash with Kurv's Gold Enhanced Income ETF ( KGLD ). Previous Coverage This is my second time covering KGLD. The last time was back in December when Gold was experiencing a strong rally, and I initiated a buy rating on KGLD. Since, the ETF is down roughly 2%, performing better than the S&P ( SP500 ), down approximately 6%. With central banks loading up on Gold since 2022, the year the Fed started hiking interest rates, Gold outperformed due to increasing uncertainty. Although KGLD was fairly new, the ETF gave income-focused investors a way to benefit from the Gold rally by collecting a nice 12% yield. Seeking Alpha Why Is Gold Crashing? Most of us know that when Gold is performing well, economic uncertainty is usually increasing. For the better part of the last four years, this was due to rising and falling interest rates. As a result, investors started piling into the precious metal to protect their wealth. Me, personally, I've never had exposure to Gold as I shared the same sentiment as Warren Buffett. Many buy Gold when the U.S. dollar declines. Many think Gold will protect them, as its performance is separate from st...
Ad Gr/iStock via Getty Images Introduction What’s the most hated industry right now? I think it’s a battle between software and private credit. And if I had to pick a “winner,” it would likely be private credit, given that these headlines are often connected to systemic risks. After all, if we assume major institutional investors like pension funds are knee-deep in private equity, and many lenders...
Ad Gr/iStock via Getty Images Introduction What’s the most hated industry right now? I think it’s a battle between software and private credit. And if I had to pick a “winner,” it would likely be private credit, given that these headlines are often connected to systemic risks. After all, if we assume major institutional investors like pension funds are knee-deep in private equity, and many lenders get leverage from banks, it can become a scary situation. It also doesn’t help that the companies that I consider the gold standard of private lending, like Apollo Global Management ( APO ) and Ares Management ( ARES ), have limited redemptions. These are the paragraphs in financial media that make investors nervous: Private-credit fund manager Ares Management received redemption requests for 11.6% of shares in its $21.5 billion “semiliquid” business development company for the quarter ending March 20 and will limit payouts to 5%, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing by the fund. - WSJ The chart that goes with the quote above doesn’t instill confidence, either: The Wall Street Journal According to the article, less than 1% of BDC shareholders have made requests to withdraw their capital from these Business Development Companies (that’s what BDC means). These are often hedge funds and family offices. The withdrawal limit exists because BDCs and private credit companies, in general, deal with private credit, as obvious as that may sound. Unlike the stocks you may hold in your portfolio, these cannot be traded at will because they are private. The same goes for private equity, as these are private companies that cannot simply be sold through a brokerage account. You literally need to find a buyer for it. That has benefits and headwinds. Benefits include that it may be easier to find an overlooked gem in the private market. After all, unlike public stocks, odds are not that “everyone” is watching private companies. A headwind is that it’s hard to estim...
filmestria/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I'm still keeping Aptiv PLC ( APTV ) as a "Buy"-rated name. Its "Electrical Distribution Systems/EDS" unit will be demerged and listed as Versigent ( VGNT.WI ) next month. Aptiv is trading at an appealing valuation, considering the separate businesses. Its potential in robotics and the PRC also excites me. APTV's semiconductor-related contingency planni...
filmestria/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I'm still keeping Aptiv PLC ( APTV ) as a "Buy"-rated name. Its "Electrical Distribution Systems/EDS" unit will be demerged and listed as Versigent ( VGNT.WI ) next month. Aptiv is trading at an appealing valuation, considering the separate businesses. Its potential in robotics and the PRC also excites me. APTV's semiconductor-related contingency planning and entry into non-automobile domains were detailed in my prior January 13, 2026, write-up . Stock Is Undervalued SA News reported last week that the "spinoff of Aptiv's Electrical Distribution Systems/EDS business will be effective on April 1." "Shareholders are slated to receive one Versigent share for every three Aptiv shares they owned" according to the article. In my opinion, this transaction's impending closure will draw attention to how discounted APTV's shares are. VGNT.WI's FY26 EBITDA is anticipated to be $0.99 billion based on internal disclosures. I estimate its "Enterprise Value/EV" to be $4.9 billion, benchmarked with peer Lear ( LEA ). As per S&P Capital IQ, LEA currently trades at 4.9x forward EV/EBITDA. I believe Versigent has the potential to command a $3.5 billion market cap, or $49/share. This considers the above-mentioned EV, the proposed $1.6 billion payout to APTV, and its own net cash and affiliate investments. VGNT.WI is worth $16.30 (49/3) to Aptiv with the 1:3 distribution ratio in mind. My August 18, 2025, piece emphasized that the spin "enhances Aptiv's business profile, focusing on higher-margin, faster-growing segments and reducing auto-sector concentration risks." At last month's "Barclays ( BCS ) 43rd Annual Industrial Select Conference," APTV noted that "we have a rather large interconnect business." This validates the case of using TE Connectivity ( TEL ) as a comparable for the post-spin standalone company. I apply a P/E of 12.6 times to APTV's FY2026 guided EPS of $5.90. That translates into a $74.3 valuation for the "New Aptiv." My e...
If you want to feel truly invincible when driving in the snow, you need a set of studded snow tires. They're illegal in some places, typically restricted to the frigid months of the year in others. Spring for a set, though, and they'll see you through the worst, slipperiest, snowiest driving conditions you can imagine. They come at a pretty substantial cost, though, and I'm not just talking about ...
If you want to feel truly invincible when driving in the snow, you need a set of studded snow tires. They're illegal in some places, typically restricted to the frigid months of the year in others. Spring for a set, though, and they'll see you through the worst, slipperiest, snowiest driving conditions you can imagine. They come at a pretty substantial cost, though, and I'm not just talking about a financial one. Yes, quality tires with embedded tungsten tips are generally far pricier than your average bargain rubber with snowflakes on the sidewall. The bigger issue, though, is that they can be extremely loud and are substantially worse for … Read the full story at The Verge.
Selected 1500mg weekly of ficerafusp alfa as the optimal dose and initiated Phase 3 of the FORTIFI-HN01 pivotal trial; interim analysis expected mid-2027
Selected 1500mg weekly of ficerafusp alfa as the optimal dose and initiated Phase 3 of the FORTIFI-HN01 pivotal trial; interim analysis expected mid-2027
PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis When investors think of surgical robotics companies, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. ( ISRG ) is typically what comes to mind. ISRG built a $168B franchise on the ubiquitous da Vinci , and earned it by navigating the regulatory hurdles and years of skepticism that any novel surgical technology company has to endure. Ask most investors to name a sec...
PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis When investors think of surgical robotics companies, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. ( ISRG ) is typically what comes to mind. ISRG built a $168B franchise on the ubiquitous da Vinci , and earned it by navigating the regulatory hurdles and years of skepticism that any novel surgical technology company has to endure. Ask most investors to name a second surgical robotics company, and you'll likely get a blank stare. This is unfortunate because AI-driven innovations are transforming surgical robotics, particularly for smaller companies that dominate specialized niches. PROCEPT BioRobotics ( PRCT ) occupies one of those niches. The company makes the only FDA-cleared robot for Aquablation therapy, which uses a high-velocity waterjet to resect prostate tissue in men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). BPH affects about 40 million men in America alone, and produces 400,000 surgical procedures a year. Instead of competing with Intuitive in general surgery, PRCT has pioneered its own lane in the industry. We believe the stock is undervalued. After a Q4 revenue miss spooked the market, shares sit around $25, representing a major pullback from their 52-week high. The fundamentals paint a better picture; the business grew YoY revenues by 37% in 2025. Management is forecasting EBITDA breakeven by late 2026. Aquablation therapy has barely scratched the surface of the addressable market. Yet the stock has a mere $1.4B market cap and trades at 2.9x forward EV/2026E Revenues, a discount to peers and directly related to their Q4 miss. Data by YCharts The Aquablation Platform PROCEPT's new flagship device is the HYDROS Robotic System , an AI-powered platform for Aquablation therapy. Essentially, a surgical robot that lets urologists utilize a high-velocity waterjet to remove obstructive prostate tissue while mapping the treatment area using real-time ultrasound. The surgeon defines the target area, and the robot executes with effi...