Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Tesla has recorded a rebound in European sales and market share in key markets such as France, Norway, and Spain after several quarters of sharp decline. The recovery coincides with unionization and labor developments at the Berlin Gigafactory, including a works council election....
Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Tesla has recorded a rebound in European sales and market share in key markets such as France, Norway, and Spain after several quarters of sharp decline. The recovery coincides with unionization and labor developments at the Berlin Gigafactory, including a works council election. Tesla is increasing its focus on AI, robotics, and Robotaxi services at the same time as these European operational and labor changes. Tesla (NasdaqGS:TSLA), trading at $405.94, is working through a mix of operational and organizational shifts while its European sales show signs of improvement. The stock has returned 45.4% over the past year and 123.0% over three years, with a 7.3% decline year to date and a 3.8% decline over the past month. For investors, this combination of strong longer term performance and more recent pullback provides important context for interpreting the fresh European data and ongoing developments in Berlin. As Tesla places greater emphasis on autonomy, robotics, and Robotaxi offerings, Europe is becoming a more important testing ground for how its manufacturing footprint, labor relations, and product roadmap fit together. The interaction of a recovering sales base with a changing regulatory and labor environment could influence how the company allocates capital between factories, software, and new platforms. For investors, the key question is how these moving parts might affect the balance between growth ambitions, cost structure, and operational flexibility in Europe and beyond. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Tesla by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Tesla. NasdaqGS:TSLA Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 📰 Beyond the headline: 3 risks and 1 thing going right for Tesla that every investor should see. Quick Assessment ⚖️ Price vs Analyst Target...
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , spring allergy season in the U.S. typically runs from Feb. through early June, with peak tree pollen levels between March and mid-May. While trees — oak, birch, maple — dominate early spring, grass pollen often overlaps in late spring from May to June, leading to higher, more intense allergy loads for sufferers. Two days ago, Zyrt...
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , spring allergy season in the U.S. typically runs from Feb. through early June, with peak tree pollen levels between March and mid-May. While trees — oak, birch, maple — dominate early spring, grass pollen often overlaps in late spring from May to June, leading to higher, more intense allergy loads for sufferers. Two days ago, Zyrtec joined the PGA TOUR as its first official "allergy relief sponsor." "Seasonal allergies affect millions, and golf is where those symptoms can show up the hardest — hours of exposure to grass and pollen can challenge even the best players," said Jenn Lovell, commercial head, U.S. Allergy, Kenvue . "As golf season collides with allergy season, ZYRTEC is proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to offer relief to the 85% of players impacted by allergies—while also helping a growing community of golf fans fully enjoy the sport they love." What Lovell didn't say is that, with short periods of modest relief, investors have largely been allergic to Kenvue stock since the company spun off from Johnson & Johnson almost three years ago. By last October, Kenvue shares had fallen by almost half from the post-spinoff high, far enough to attract an acquirer: Irving, Texas-based toilet paper and diaper company Kimberly-Clark , which offered to buy the company for 0.1462 shares of its own stock plus $3.50 in cash per share. Based on Wednesday's closing price for Kimberly-Clark, that would value Kenvue at $18.82 per share. Kenvue closed at $18.19 on Wednesday, slightly below the theoretical transaction value, which is expected to close by the end of the year. Under "normal" circumstances, we favor asset-light, high-growth companies with novel products, wide margins, and moats. But what are normal circumstances? Software companies have grossly underperformed hardware since mid-2025 amid concerns that AI will transform the world. It very well might. The Middle East, a global geopolitical issue s...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President — Matthew V. Crawford Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer — Patrick W. Fogarty Operator Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Full-Year Revenue -- $1.6 billion, a decrease of four percent, due primarily to lower dem...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President — Matthew V. Crawford Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer — Patrick W. Fogarty Operator Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Full-Year Revenue -- $1.6 billion, a decrease of four percent, due primarily to lower demand in North American industrial end markets. -- $1.6 billion, a decrease of four percent, due primarily to lower demand in North American industrial end markets. Fourth Quarter Net Sales -- $395 million, up two percent, driven by higher sales in Supply Technologies and Assembly Components segments. -- $395 million, up two percent, driven by higher sales in Supply Technologies and Assembly Components segments. Adjusted EPS (Full-Year) -- $2.70, compared to $3.59, with the decline attributed mainly to lower sales and higher interest expense. -- $2.70, compared to $3.59, with the decline attributed mainly to lower sales and higher interest expense. Debt Reduction -- Long-term debt decreased by $40 million in the fourth quarter, using operating cash flow and excess cash. -- Long-term debt decreased by $40 million in the fourth quarter, using operating cash flow and excess cash. Operating Cash Flow (Q4) -- $49 million in the fourth quarter; free cash flow was $36 million. -- $49 million in the fourth quarter; free cash flow was $36 million. Gross Margin (Q4) -- 17.3 percent, 70 basis points higher, reflecting improved sales levels and profit initiatives. -- 17.3 percent, 70 basis points higher, reflecting improved sales levels and profit initiatives. Backlog (Engineered Products) -- $180 million as of December 31, an increase of 24 percent, with bookings reaching a record $217 million for the year. -- $180 million as of December 31, an increase of 24 percent, with bookings reaching a record $217 million for the year. CapEx (Full-Year) -- $40 million, with over $12 million alloc...
(RTTNews) - A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed import prices in the U.S. increased by slightly more than expected in the month of January. The Labor Department said import prices rose by 0.2 percent in January, matching an upwardly revised uptick in December. Economists had expected import prices to inch up by 0.1 percent. The slightly stronger than expected import price ...
(RTTNews) - A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed import prices in the U.S. increased by slightly more than expected in the month of January. The Labor Department said import prices rose by 0.2 percent in January, matching an upwardly revised uptick in December. Economists had expected import prices to inch up by 0.1 percent. The slightly stronger than expected import price growth came as an increase in prices for non-fuel imports more than offset an extended slump in prices for fuel imports. The report said prices for non-fuel imports climbed by 0.5 percent in January after rising by 0.2 percent in December, while prices for fuel imports tumbled by 2.2 percent in January after slumping by 1.1 percent in December. The increase in prices for non-fuel imports reflected higher prices for non-fuel industrial supplies and materials, capital goods, automotive vehicles, consumer goods and foods, feeds, and beverages. The Labor Department also said import prices edged down by 0.1 percent year-over-year in January after coming in unchanged in December. "Risks are tilted toward higher import prices in 2026 thanks to higher global oil prices, strong demand for capital goods imports, and past depreciation in the dollar," said Grace Zwemmer, U.S. Economist at Oxford Economics. She added, "Despite that risk, we still expect core inflation to moderate as 2026 unfolds, allowing the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates in June and September." Meanwhile, the report said export prices climbed by 0.6 percent in January, which also matched an upwardly revised increase in December. Economists had expected export prices to rise by 0.2 percent. Prices for agricultural exports rose by 0.2 percent in January after coming in unchanged in December, while prices for non-agricultural exports increased by 0.7 percent for the second straight month. The Labor Department said the annual rate of export price growth slowed to 2.6 percent in January from 3.1 percent in Decembe...
Key Points Meta signed deals to put both Nvidia and AMD chips in its data centers in February. The deals enable Meta to optimize its hardware for specific AI tasks. All three companies may benefit from these deals, but one stock stands out as a great opportunity. 10 stocks we like better than Meta Platforms › Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) shocked investors when it announced plans to spend between ...
Key Points Meta signed deals to put both Nvidia and AMD chips in its data centers in February. The deals enable Meta to optimize its hardware for specific AI tasks. All three companies may benefit from these deals, but one stock stands out as a great opportunity. 10 stocks we like better than Meta Platforms › Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) shocked investors when it announced plans to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion on capital expenditures this year, mostly on its artificial intelligence buildout. That's an 87% year-over-year increase in spending at the high end of its guidance. Some of the biggest beneficiaries from Meta's massive budget are chipmakers. Meta recently announced two contracts with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) to use their GPUs and CPUs in its data centers, each worth tens of billions of dollars. 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 » Here are the details investors need to know. A smartphone displaying the Meta logo. Image source: Meta Platforms. Different chips for different jobs Meta's AI efforts are quite expansive. Its Llama large language model (LLM) gets a lot of headlines, but Meta's entire business is built on AI algorithms for determining exactly what content to show which users and when. With the massive scale of its operations (over 3.5 billion monthly active users across its Family of Apps), optimizing its data centers for peak efficiency is key. As such, it sees different chips as best suited for different jobs. Its deal with Nvidia uses its entire stack of chips, including GPUs, CPUs, and its ethernet switches. The multi-year deal includes plans to co-design Meta's next-generation AI models to optimize them for Nvidia's hardware. As such, the deal appears to focus on developing data centers specifically suited for LL...
The 10th season of Netflix’s reality TV show has given us old-fashioned gender roles, bad behavior and a dark look at what dating looks like in 2026 In this rotted year that is 2026, there are not shortage of things to depress us: domestic terrorism by federal agents, war, the predominance of AI and sports-betting ads at the Super Bowl. The Epstein files. The Fifa peace prize. Six more weeks of wi...
The 10th season of Netflix’s reality TV show has given us old-fashioned gender roles, bad behavior and a dark look at what dating looks like in 2026 In this rotted year that is 2026, there are not shortage of things to depress us: domestic terrorism by federal agents, war, the predominance of AI and sports-betting ads at the Super Bowl. The Epstein files. The Fifa peace prize. Six more weeks of winter. The need for escapism, or catharsis, or both, is as pressing as ever. And yet the thing that has depressed me most, in the low-stakes, “I can actually wrap my brain around this” way, is the pinnacle of smooth-brained, escapist entertainment: the new season of Netflix’s Love Is Blind, set in Ohio. To be clear, Love Is Blind has never been a good show, even by reality TV standards. The first season of the series, in which young, generally attractive singles form emotional connections in “pods” and then get engaged sight unseen, had the good(ish) fortune of premiering just before a pandemic that gave “pod” a terribly relatable new valence; even still, it was described as “toxic”, “revolting” and, of course, “totally addictive”. At its best, the show can voyeuristically poke at our judgments and vocalize uncomfortable feelings, bringing up issues of race, politics, weight, attractiveness and age on top of the usual alcohol-aided drama, idealized romance and classic reality TV victim and villainy. At worst, it’s boring. Generally, it’s pleasantly baffling – modern dating sucks, for sure, but getting married after six weeks? That’s unrelatable content, perfect second-screen fare. But the Ohio version, and I say this with much love and ardent loyalty for my home state, has reached new lows, both on the level of production and in the spectacle itself. Continue reading...
Welcome to Bloomberg’s Banking Monitor . Every Thursday we’ll deliver you the top news of the global banking industry with emerging trends, winners and losers and market opportunities. Sign up now if you’re not already on the list. The spreading Iran war may be dominating the headlines, but it’s not generating existential jitters about the conventional banking business unless you’re in the conflic...
Welcome to Bloomberg’s Banking Monitor . Every Thursday we’ll deliver you the top news of the global banking industry with emerging trends, winners and losers and market opportunities. Sign up now if you’re not already on the list. The spreading Iran war may be dominating the headlines, but it’s not generating existential jitters about the conventional banking business unless you’re in the conflict zone . We’ll leave it to others to comment on whether the relative calm is because conventional regulations have made US banks so strong that no one is worried about them. Instead, private credit lending is getting the spotlight, and not a very flattering one. The business that has so vexed bankers was the hot topic at this week’s Bloomberg Invest conference . Some of the biggest names in private credit split over whether UBS Group’s forecast of a 15% default rate is accurate (it’s “unequivocally coming,” said Marathon Asset’s Bruce Richards) or way too pessimistic ( “actually irresponsible ,” opined Mike Arougheti of Ares Management). There’s more agreement on the idea that pain is coming , albeit with differing estimates on how long it will last (Apollo Global Management’s John Zito reckons about 18 months ). Whatever is ailing private credit, taking the shackles off conventional banks so they can do more of it isn’t the cure, argues columnist Paul J. Davies. More immediate and palpable pain is coming for about 3% of the staff at Morgan Stanley, which is planning to cut headcount . Jamie Dimon, who famously warned of more cockroaches lurking in private loans, has adopted a new animal, cautioning that higher inflation could become a skunk at the party for the US economy, especially if the war turns into a long one. Chinese banks, which lent record amounts in the gulf region last year, are scaling back , even as they flood the world with cheap capital. — Rick Green The following was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation. Top stories Private market executive...
NeoLeo/iStock via Getty Images Apple Inc. ( AAPL )) is pushing hard into the budget computer market with the new MacBook Neo, which uses an iPhone chip and costs just $599 ($499 with an education discount). Given how many casual computer users there are these days, this move strikes me as a smart step and one that could help bolster Apple’s presence not just in the PC market, but potentially the e...
NeoLeo/iStock via Getty Images Apple Inc. ( AAPL )) is pushing hard into the budget computer market with the new MacBook Neo, which uses an iPhone chip and costs just $599 ($499 with an education discount). Given how many casual computer users there are these days, this move strikes me as a smart step and one that could help bolster Apple’s presence not just in the PC market, but potentially the education market as well. I’ve cooled on Apple as an investment in recent years because the company has, in some ways, stagnated, offering few major new products. Tech-wise, the Neo isn’t groundbreaking, but economics-wise, it should prove to be a big winner. That said, I also believe the MacBook Neo hints at the increasingly ossified K-shaped economy. Until now, I don't believe Apple has ever directly sold a laptop for less than $999 in terms of base price. That said, you could find generous sales via third parties, use education discounts, or buy the aging M1 MacBook through Walmart ( WMT ) for less than $700 (I believe this is no longer offered). I suspect the Neo is a direct response to rising economic inequality and financially pressured consumers. It's important for investors to mitigate associated risks, but AAPL actually offers a good way to do so, as I'll explain below. Apple Just Massively Expanded Its Potential Customer Base First, let's size up the budget goliaths. Alphabet’s ( GOOG ) Chromebooks dominate the education market, controlling a whopping 93% of the U.S. education market and more than 60% of the global education market. Chromebooks typically sell for considerably less than a comparable (spec-wise) Windows or Mac laptop, which goes a long way in explaining the dominance in schools. The Neo is still more expensive than the average Chromebook, but it closes the gap by quite a bit. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple will try to make a strong push to get Macs into schools. Of course, schools aren’t the only way to enlarge Apple’s customer base. Many casua...
NeoLeo/iStock via Getty Images Apple Inc. ( AAPL )) is pushing hard into the budget computer market with the new MacBook Neo, which uses an iPhone chip and costs just $599 ($499 with an education discount). Given how many casual computer users there are these days, this move strikes me as a smart step and one that could help bolster Apple’s presence not just in the PC market, but potentially the e...
NeoLeo/iStock via Getty Images Apple Inc. ( AAPL )) is pushing hard into the budget computer market with the new MacBook Neo, which uses an iPhone chip and costs just $599 ($499 with an education discount). Given how many casual computer users there are these days, this move strikes me as a smart step and one that could help bolster Apple’s presence not just in the PC market, but potentially the education market as well. I’ve cooled on Apple as an investment in recent years because the company has, in some ways, stagnated, offering few major new products. Tech-wise, the Neo isn’t groundbreaking, but economics-wise, it should prove to be a big winner. That said, I also believe the MacBook Neo hints at the increasingly ossified K-shaped economy. Until now, I don't believe Apple has ever directly sold a laptop for less than $999 in terms of base price. That said, you could find generous sales via third parties, use education discounts, or buy the aging M1 MacBook through Walmart ( WMT ) for less than $700 (I believe this is no longer offered). I suspect the Neo is a direct response to rising economic inequality and financially pressured consumers. It's important for investors to mitigate associated risks, but AAPL actually offers a good way to do so, as I'll explain below. Apple Just Massively Expanded Its Potential Customer Base First, let's size up the budget goliaths. Alphabet’s ( GOOG ) Chromebooks dominate the education market, controlling a whopping 93% of the U.S. education market and more than 60% of the global education market. Chromebooks typically sell for considerably less than a comparable (spec-wise) Windows or Mac laptop, which goes a long way in explaining the dominance in schools. The Neo is still more expensive than the average Chromebook, but it closes the gap by quite a bit. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple will try to make a strong push to get Macs into schools. Of course, schools aren’t the only way to enlarge Apple’s customer base. Many casua...
FrankRamspott/iStock via Getty Images South Korea's Black Wednesday While Middle Eastern tensions, particularly those involving Iran , are capturing headlines now, this article will argue that the structural stability of the S&P 500 is more deeply tied to the financial plumbing of East Asia than to regional conflicts in Iran. In particular, the SP500 has demonstrated the resilience of U.S. equitie...
FrankRamspott/iStock via Getty Images South Korea's Black Wednesday While Middle Eastern tensions, particularly those involving Iran , are capturing headlines now, this article will argue that the structural stability of the S&P 500 is more deeply tied to the financial plumbing of East Asia than to regional conflicts in Iran. In particular, the SP500 has demonstrated the resilience of U.S. equities against localized oil-producer conflicts over and again in the past. While in contrast, historical data have also taught me how deeply interconnected the global financial market is and how problems in one region can have consequential and longer-lasting impacts on the SP500. Recent examples include the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2010 European bank crisis triggered by the Greek sovereign debt crisis, and also the ongoing real estate and debt concern in China. With the selloff in Japan and Korea’s stock market in recent days, I am concerned that developments in these two countries could also trigger a contraction in the capital markets. To wit, stock indices in both countries have suffered drastic declines in recent days, as you can see from the following chart. In particular, South Korea's KOSPI index (the equivalent of the country’s SP500 index) plunged more than 12% during intraday trading and had triggered a halt to the trading on Wednesday (see more details quoted below). Seeking Alpha news (Mar 4, 2026): South Korea's financial markets faced a historic "Black Wednesday" as the KOSPI ( KOSPI ) fell over 12% in intraday trading. The staggering 13% collapse of the tech-heavy KOSDAQ, fueled by escalating Middle East conflict, forced the Korea Exchange to repeatedly trigger circuit breakers and trading halts across both major indices. This emergency suspension of the benchmark KOSPI and KOSDAQ was a desperate move to manage widespread panic, marking one of the most significant and volatile market disruptions in South Korean history. These developments have led me to ...
GamePH/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis There was an intense selling of software ETFs and funds lately, due to fears that "AI will replace software", leaving many of these stocks undervalued, a situation unseen from the 2020-2021 "stay-at-home" bubble. I see much of this pressure as unwarranted, perhaps due to the lack of a deeper understanding of software solutions, and perhaps helped by...
GamePH/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis There was an intense selling of software ETFs and funds lately, due to fears that "AI will replace software", leaving many of these stocks undervalued, a situation unseen from the 2020-2021 "stay-at-home" bubble. I see much of this pressure as unwarranted, perhaps due to the lack of a deeper understanding of software solutions, and perhaps helped by momentum chasing. Yes, I do see some software companies with more exposed business models (although a small percentage), yet others with deep economic moats and still reasonable growth perspectives. Even more curiously, there is a third group of companies which should be net beneficiaries of the AI expansion, but they are caught in the crossfire (many babies are thrown out with the bathwater). And finally, I see another group, with a mixed business model, partly exposed to the AI aggression, partly benefiting from it (or with strong financials and technological vision to adapt to it). I think that Wix.com Ltd. ( WIX ), a company based in Israel, is part of the last group. Most of their core business, automatic website generation, is a prime target of AI expansion. However, they do have a smaller, moatier part with more complex solutions; they did acquire a smaller AI vibe coding solution (so, the other side of the barricade), they do have enough cash for increased investments and are not shy about share buybacks, and they do have a management with enough vision to keep up with the times (in my opinion, but also based on their historical performance). These are sufficient reasons to initiate a position in an undervalued stock. But what strategy—stocks, options, more bullish, less bullish? And what position size? I will try to answer below. Business Analysis and Economic Moat Wix.com operates a cloud-based web development platform, based on two main products: Wix Editor : a drag-and-drop website editing environment, designed for a wide range of users. Wix Studio : a unified ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. March 5, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Hillary Super Chief Financial Officer — Scott Sekella Takeaways Net Sales -- $6.55 billion for the full year, up 6% excluding the prior year’s gift card breakage benefit. -- $6.55 billion for the full year, up 6% excluding the prior year’s gift card breakage benefit. Fourth Quarter Sales -- $2.27...
Image source: The Motley Fool. March 5, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Hillary Super Chief Financial Officer — Scott Sekella Takeaways Net Sales -- $6.55 billion for the full year, up 6% excluding the prior year’s gift card breakage benefit. -- $6.55 billion for the full year, up 6% excluding the prior year’s gift card breakage benefit. Fourth Quarter Sales -- $2.27 billion, increasing $164 million or 8% year over year, or 9% excluding the one-time gift card adjustment. -- $2.27 billion, increasing $164 million or 8% year over year, or 9% excluding the one-time gift card adjustment. Comparable Sales -- Up 8% for both the fourth quarter and the full year, marking the second consecutive quarter at this growth rate. -- Up 8% for both the fourth quarter and the full year, marking the second consecutive quarter at this growth rate. Adjusted Operating Income -- $403 million for the year, up 16% compared to the prior year. -- $403 million for the year, up 16% compared to the prior year. Adjusted Earnings Per Share -- Increased 22% to $3.00 for the full year. -- Increased 22% to $3.00 for the full year. Fourth Quarter Adjusted Operating Income -- $316 million, exceeding guidance and up from $299 million in the prior year ($273 million excluding gift card benefit). -- $316 million, exceeding guidance and up from $299 million in the prior year ($273 million excluding gift card benefit). Adjusted Gross Margin Rate -- 39.4% in the fourth quarter, 50 basis points higher year over year when excluding the one-time benefit, despite $60 million in tariff headwinds. -- 39.4% in the fourth quarter, 50 basis points higher year over year when excluding the one-time benefit, despite $60 million in tariff headwinds. Adjusted SG&A Rate -- 25.5% in the fourth quarter, down 30 basis points versus last year, driven by strong sales and disciplined expense management. -- 25.5% in the fourth quarter, down 30 basis points versus last year, driven by strong sales an...
JD Logistics, Inc. press release ( JDLGF ): FY Revenue of RMB 217.14B. More on JD Logistics, Inc. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on JD Logistics, Inc. Historical earnings data for JD Logistics, Inc. Financial information for JD Logistics, Inc.
JD Logistics, Inc. press release ( JDLGF ): FY Revenue of RMB 217.14B. More on JD Logistics, Inc. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on JD Logistics, Inc. Historical earnings data for JD Logistics, Inc. Financial information for JD Logistics, Inc.
Ratana21/iStock via Getty Images Highlights The Russell Midcap Value Index—the fund’s benchmark—returned 1.42% in the fourth quarter and 11.05% in 2025. The fund underperformed the benchmark in the quarter, but it slightly outperformed over the full year. Stock selection was the primary detractor from relative performance in the quarter. Market review and outlook U.S. equities gained ground in the...
Ratana21/iStock via Getty Images Highlights The Russell Midcap Value Index—the fund’s benchmark—returned 1.42% in the fourth quarter and 11.05% in 2025. The fund underperformed the benchmark in the quarter, but it slightly outperformed over the full year. Stock selection was the primary detractor from relative performance in the quarter. Market review and outlook U.S. equities gained ground in the final three months of 2025. The combination of better-than-expected economic growth, robust corporate earnings, and two quarter-point interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) helped propel the market higher. While mid-cap value stocks participated in the rally, they lagged the broader market at a time in which investors displayed a persistent preference for faster-growing companies and more speculative market segments. Although the fund encountered headwinds in the quarter, we are pleased to have outperformed for the full year in a potentially challenging environment. We believe the positive showing stems from our “Three Circle” approach, which focuses on fundamentals, valuations, and business momentum. Our process helped us identify compelling bottom-up opportunities and overcome the challenges posed by the robust returns for lower-quality stocks and companies related to high-growth themes such as AI and bitcoin. Contributors and detractors The fund’s fourth quarter underperformance, which largely reflected a sizable shortfall in December, was primarily the result of the stocks it didn’t own. For example, the lack of a position in Warner Brothers Discovery, Inc. ( WBD )—which surged after it became the subject of a bidding war between two other media companies—was a key detractor from relative performance. Zero weightings in several AI-related stocks in the IT sector also played a role in the deficit. Underperformance for Zebra Technologies, Inc. ( ZBRA ) and CDW Corp. ( CDW ), both of which were affected by tariff headwinds and their lack of AI exposure, furt...
A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman, which brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Turner Sports may be on the cusp of a complete reversal in strategy if Paramount 's deal for Warner Bros. Discovery is approved by shareholders an...
A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman, which brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Turner Sports may be on the cusp of a complete reversal in strategy if Paramount 's deal for Warner Bros. Discovery is approved by shareholders and regulators. For nearly two years – around the time it lost its NBA live games – WBD's Turner Sports has invested in a bunch of less expensive sports rights to fill the gap. In 2024, Turner cut a deal with ESPN to sublicense early round College Football Playoff games. Later that year, Turner scooped up French Open rights in a 10-year agreement . Turner followed that announcement with a multi-year agreement for the three-on-three women's basketball league Unrivaled. WBD also renewed its deal with All Elite Wrestling that October. These smaller sports deals buoyed Turner's existing portfolio of MLB, NHL, March Madness and Big East college basketball games. The point of these deals has been to support distribution for TNT and its sister networks (TBS, TruTV) during carriage renewal negotiations with pay-TV providers. WBD CEO David Zaslav and the team at TNT Sports, led by Luis Silberwasser, thought if TNT could pick up a bunch of smaller sports, the combined effect could essentially equal the distribution power of the NBA. The early results showed this strategy seemed to be working. Comcast struck a deal with WBD in late 2024 and TNT's carriage fees remained flat despite the loss of the NBA. But while non-NFL and non-NBA sports rights are important, if not essential, to the survival of smaller modern media companies with cable exposure (such as CNBC's parent Versant ), they're not nearly as important to companies that already spend billions of dollars each year on marquee sports. The French Open or Unrivaled will have little effect on carriage negotiations for Paramount, whic...