jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images One of the most misunderstood companies i n the market right now, I believe, is Shoe Carnival, Inc. ( SCVL ). This footwear retailer has experienced a lot of downside in recent months. In fact, since I upgraded the stock from a "Buy" to a "Strong Buy" last September, shares have fallen 22.4%, while the S&P 500 is up 4.5%. This return disparity suggest...
jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images One of the most misunderstood companies i n the market right now, I believe, is Shoe Carnival, Inc. ( SCVL ). This footwear retailer has experienced a lot of downside in recent months. In fact, since I upgraded the stock from a "Buy" to a "Strong Buy" last September, shares have fallen 22.4%, while the S&P 500 is up 4.5%. This return disparity suggests that the market believes that the company is in trouble. But operationally speaking, I think the picture is more nuanced than that. Yes, certain financial metrics have worsened over the last year. However, this has been largely because management is putting the company through a major transformation that, in the long run, should create additional value for investors. Given its rock-solid balance sheet, management’s plans to monetize excess inventories, and how cheap the stock is on both an absolute basis and relative to similar companies, I firmly believe that it is compelling enough to maintain as a "Strong Buy" pick. Of course, the picture could change as new data comes in. It just so happens that, later this month, on a date not yet announced but likely somewhere around March 20, management will be announcing financial results for the final quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. As was the case throughout the rest of 2025, financial performance is likely to worsen. But with 2026 underway and the prospect of a return to growth in 2027, I believe that it's only a matter of time before the market starts rewarding shareholders appropriately. A Great Business At this time, the newest data that we have regarding Shoe Carnival covers through the third quarter of the company's 2025 fiscal year . Year over year, revenue for the company contracted, falling from $306.9 million to $297.2 million. Some of this drop was structural, with management focusing on shutting down underperforming locations. In fact, the number of stores in operation dropped from 431 to 428. But in addition to thi...
JFB Construction ( JFB ) announces a 2-for-1 stock split , which becomes effective on March 20, 2026, for shareholders of record as of March 19, 2026. The company says the stock split will not change its market capitalization or shareholders’ ownership, as each existing share converts into two shares, doubling total outstanding shares to about 14.03M. The split is intended to improve trading liqui...
JFB Construction ( JFB ) announces a 2-for-1 stock split , which becomes effective on March 20, 2026, for shareholders of record as of March 19, 2026. The company says the stock split will not change its market capitalization or shareholders’ ownership, as each existing share converts into two shares, doubling total outstanding shares to about 14.03M. The split is intended to improve trading liquidity and prepare for its $1.5B all-stock merger with XTEND, an Israeli-founded AI-based drone company. After the merger closes, the combined company will be renamed XTEND AI Robotics and trade under the ticker “XTND.” However, JFB Construction shares will continue to trade under the same ticker after March 19. More on JFB Construction Holdings JFB announces delivery of tactical drones under defense contract worth up to $25 million JFB Construction expects 2025 revenue of $32 million Financial information for JFB Construction Holdings
grynold/iStock via Getty Images Thesis The war in Iran has affected the energy market the way big political conflicts usually do. It pushed oil prices ( CO1:COM ) ( CL1:COM ) up quickly. And energy company stocks went up with them. For a few weeks, investors started worrying about a worst-case scenario. They feared that oil supplies moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route, could ...
grynold/iStock via Getty Images Thesis The war in Iran has affected the energy market the way big political conflicts usually do. It pushed oil prices ( CO1:COM ) ( CL1:COM ) up quickly. And energy company stocks went up with them. For a few weeks, investors started worrying about a worst-case scenario. They feared that oil supplies moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route, could be interrupted. If that happened, the market expected oil prices could rise sharply, possibly reaching $150 per barrel. Perhaps higher . Seeking Alpha While this boosted the entire energy sector, Exxon Mobil Corporation, aka ExxonMobil ( XOM ), and Occidental Petroleum Corporation ( OXY ) quickly stood out to me. As the conflict became more serious, their stock prices rose quickly. The current backdrop is signaling that maybe the market got a little ahead of itself. It wouldn't be the first time for it to account for the worst fears about a war. Yet the latest developments have quickly changed the tone. Oil prices briefly spiked near $120 per barrel and then dropped back to around $90 (Brent) and the mid-$80s (WTI) within about a day after President Donald Trump signaled that the conflict might be nearing an end. CL1:COM Crude Oil Futures (Seeking Alpha) This kind of quick, massive reversal brings up a key point. Much of the recent strength in energy stocks had more to do with fear than the actual underlying business fundamentals. Since oil prices are already dropping quickly on signs that the war may be winding down, rather than focus on the worst-case nightmare scenarios, I argue that XOM will perform better if oil prices fall back toward normal levels. Geopolitical Context As you know, the conflict involving Iran began in late February, when United States and Israeli military strikes took place. These attacks quickly caused oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to stop, and OPEC oil-producing countries responded by cutting their oil production. Because the Stra...
The key question before the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday is which version of Majborough will turn up. If it is the Majborough that powered 19 lengths clear of Marine Nationale, the Champion Chase winner last year but sadly absent this time, at Leopardstown in February, his likely price of around 5-6 will look like one of the bets of the meeting. Majborough’s failure to ju...
The key question before the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday is which version of Majborough will turn up. If it is the Majborough that powered 19 lengths clear of Marine Nationale, the Champion Chase winner last year but sadly absent this time, at Leopardstown in February, his likely price of around 5-6 will look like one of the bets of the meeting. Majborough’s failure to justify short odds in the Arkle here 12 months ago is still painfully raw for his backers, however, and Willie Mullins’s chaser could be a favourite to take on, given the unforgiving nature of a race in which a single mistake can end a runner’s chance. Il Etait Temps, a stable companion of the market leader, was the favourite for the race on Wednesday before his run in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, but he was already soundly beaten before taking a crashing fall two out and it remains to be seen if that has left a mark. The novice Irish Panther is an interesting contender for a race which is wide open if the favourite disappoints, but the proven course form of L’Eau Du Sud (4.00) could tip the scales in his favour. Dan Skelton’s grey was an impressive winner of the Shloer Chase over track and trip in November, and while he was disappointing behind Il Etait Temps in the Tingle Creek at Sandown next time, that race came just three weeks later. L’Eau Du Sud, who has often shown his best form when fresh, arrives back at Cheltenham after a 95‑day break and on ground that suits, and is a live contender for championship honours at around 9-2. Cheltenham 1.20 The four British-trained runners filled the first four places in the Supreme Novice Hurdle on Tuesday and that increases confidence that Paul Nicholls’ No Drama This End will have the measure of the Irish challenge. Cheltenham 2.00 The biggest field for this race since the mighty Denman beat 16 rivals in 2007, and Kaid D’Authie could be the pick of Mullins’ six runners. The six-year-old arrives with a similar profile to Fact...
Another Tesla executive has announced plans to leave the company. Chris Carlson/Associated Press file photo Another executive is parting ways with Tesla Inc. Sendil Palani, vice president of finance, is leaving after 17 years with the Austin automaker, the latest departure in a series of exits in recent months. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Palani said in a post on X that his time ...
Another Tesla executive has announced plans to leave the company. Chris Carlson/Associated Press file photo Another executive is parting ways with Tesla Inc. Sendil Palani, vice president of finance, is leaving after 17 years with the Austin automaker, the latest departure in a series of exits in recent months. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Palani said in a post on X that his time with Tesla been “fulfilling.” Over the years, he has held roles as manufacturing project manager and director of engineering finance, which included a focus on product development for vehicle products and Autopilot’s hardware and software. Palani has been VP of finance since 2021. He started at the automaker shortly after investors committed $40 million to help the company out of financial trouble in November 2008. At that time, Tesla was boasting it had delivered more than 50 Roadsters, the vehicle that came before the Model S debuted in 2012 and attracted sales that helped Tesla turn its first quarterly profit. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Reflecting on the earlier days of Tesla, Palani wrote that it “barely survived Christmas 2008.” Advertisement Article continues below this ad “I started a few days later in our Finance team, under an ongoing ‘Tesla Deathwatch.’ I slept under my desk in San Carlos, CA at least once, and I wasn’t the only one,” Palani wrote. “There are many companies with hard-working and talented employees, but few have the level of commitment and collaboration of the Tesla team.” That commitment is perhaps wavering as the company has struggled in its core automaking business. Last month, Victor Nechita, vehicle program manager for Cybercab, announced his departure just ahead of planned production of the purpose-built robotaxi. Also in February, Vice President Raj Jegannathan announced his departure from Gigafactory Texas after 13 years with the company. L...
josephmok/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Considering all that has happened in financial markets in the last week and in geopolitics, many of my readers may be looking for a safer port in the storm so today's article focuses on insurance and a stock that really stood out to me for its resilience among volatility over time and that was Canada-based Manulife Financial Corporation ( MFC ), a compa...
josephmok/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Considering all that has happened in financial markets in the last week and in geopolitics, many of my readers may be looking for a safer port in the storm so today's article focuses on insurance and a stock that really stood out to me for its resilience among volatility over time and that was Canada-based Manulife Financial Corporation ( MFC ), a company with a $56B market cap and besides insurance it is also in the wealth and asset management segments. In the turbulence over the last 5 days, its stock only pulled back around 4% (as of Friday's close), and since my strong buy rating in July 2023, it is actually up an impressive +73%. In subsequent ratings, I continued to be either bullish or neutral, and some key drivers of my confidence have been this firm's sustainable liquidity and capital. Recently, in February, what is notable about Manulife is that it made financial news for apparently selling the largest life insurance policy ever when "Guinness World Records certified its $300 million life insurance policy in Singapore as the most valuable ever issued." Manulife recently had earnings results on Feb. 11th, where it beat estimates, so for this follow-up article, I considered some data from those results and also several other factors, both fundamental and technical, to bring you my updated review below. Thesis Summary Based on my follow-up research, I'm reaffirming my last rating of buy from Dec. 2024, and my worksheet below visualizes what factors I reviewed and how they impacted the score: MFC - rating worksheet (author) My follow-up thesis argues that upside strength can come from recent business acquisitions and organic insurance growth, as well as strong profit margins in its peer group, a muted balance sheet risk profile, future share price upside forecasts, and a strong dividend growth case. This is overwhelmed by some headwinds, including recent market shocks and geopolitical conflicts. It also agrees with ...
Bitcoin climbed back above $71,000 on Tuesday after a choppy week of trading that saw it spike, retreat and spike again. But the messy price action is obscuring a quieter story: Wall Street keeps building around crypto regardless. Last Wednesday’s 8% surge to $74,000 reminded investors that Bitcoin’s gains arrive in sudden, unforeseeable bursts that punish anyone trying to time them. This week’s r...
Bitcoin climbed back above $71,000 on Tuesday after a choppy week of trading that saw it spike, retreat and spike again. But the messy price action is obscuring a quieter story: Wall Street keeps building around crypto regardless. Last Wednesday’s 8% surge to $74,000 reminded investors that Bitcoin’s gains arrive in sudden, unforeseeable bursts that punish anyone trying to time them. This week’s rebound — fueled by President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Middle East tensions would resolve “very soon” — is landing against a backdrop of institutional scaffolding being quietly assembled whether prices are rising or not. None of that guarantees the rally holds. But beneath the volatility, a bull thesis is taking shape — one that doesn’t depend on short-term momentum to ring true. Start with the burst. Bitcoin surged last Wednesday to its highest level in nearly a month, with Ether following sharply higher. Most of that gain evaporated just as fast. The people who held through both moves are the ones now positioned to benefit from Tuesday’s recovery. That is not luck — it is the math of an asset whose long-run returns can be concentrated in a handful of sessions each year. Miss them and the returns collapse. The only reliable way to catch them is to already be there. For beaten-up bulls who held through months of losses, the volatility over the past week was the argument made in real time. “Bitcoin is 15-16 years in existence and over any rolling period Bitcoin has outperformed every asset class,” Tom Lee of Fundstrat said at the Future Proof conference in Miami Beach. “You’ve never lost money holding Bitcoin for three years.” Read more: Bull Case for Bitcoin Is Hiding in the $1 Trillion Wreckage Then there is the velocity of the move itself. Sharp swings in both directions are, for crypto advocates, not just price events — they are signals. They are evidence that the market is alive again: that two-sided liquidity has returned, that traders are willing to take risk in ...
Trafigura Group secured a new $3 billion credit facility to provide a liquidity buffer against sharp swings in commodity markets, which can leave traders exposed to huge margin calls. The company set up the new facility in conjunction with a $5.8 billion revolving credit line, and will tap it as required during periods of heightened market volatility, the company said in a statement . Commodity tr...
Trafigura Group secured a new $3 billion credit facility to provide a liquidity buffer against sharp swings in commodity markets, which can leave traders exposed to huge margin calls. The company set up the new facility in conjunction with a $5.8 billion revolving credit line, and will tap it as required during periods of heightened market volatility, the company said in a statement . Commodity traders use bank credit to finance the cargoes of commodities they ship around the world. When prices rise, the value of those cargoes goes up, increasing their need for financing. Most immediately, sudden jumps in prices can trigger large margin calls on their positions in futures markets. While oil prices have fallen sharply from a high of almost $120 a barrel on Monday, traders are preparing for the potential for further surges if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. It’s an echo of what happened during the last major spike in energy prices in 2022, when several large traders rushed to secure additional credit facilities with their banks.
Russian and Ukrainian officials are making contradictory claims of battlefield successes in their four-year-old war, with Ukraine saying it has pushed Moscow’s forces back in some places on the front line but the Kremlin insisting that Russia’s invasion of its neighbour is making progress. At the same time, Russia’s almost daily aerial attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine continue. Three powerful ...
Russian and Ukrainian officials are making contradictory claims of battlefield successes in their four-year-old war, with Ukraine saying it has pushed Moscow’s forces back in some places on the front line but the Kremlin insisting that Russia’s invasion of its neighbour is making progress. At the same time, Russia’s almost daily aerial attacks on civilian areas of Ukraine continue. Three powerful glide bombs struck the centre of the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing four people, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, said on Tuesday. At least 16 other people, including a 14-year-old girl, were wounded. Advertisement Overnight drone strikes on three other Ukrainian cities wounded at least 17 people, including two children, emergency services said on Tuesday. Ukraine’s air force said that it shot down 122 out of 137 drones that Russia launched during the night. Advertisement US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine are on hold as Washington’s attention is gripped by the Iran war, which has drawn the international spotlight from Ukraine’s plight as it strives to hold back Russia’s bigger army.
Iraq’s oil production has fallen to 1.2 million barrels a day because of the Iran war and Baghdad is pushing to restart export flows of its Kirkuk grade from the north of the country to help compensate. Output has dropped to from 4.3 million a day previously because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which led to storage tanks filling up, oil ministry spokesman Sahib Al-Hasnawi said. The curr...
Iraq’s oil production has fallen to 1.2 million barrels a day because of the Iran war and Baghdad is pushing to restart export flows of its Kirkuk grade from the north of the country to help compensate. Output has dropped to from 4.3 million a day previously because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which led to storage tanks filling up, oil ministry spokesman Sahib Al-Hasnawi said. The current rate of production is fractionally lower than what people familiar with the matter said earlier. What oil the country does produce will go to local refineries for domestic consumption, Hasnawi said. The ministry is studying alternative options to export oil including shipping it by trucks to the Jordanian port of Aqaba. Kirkuk oil is shipped from the north of the country via a port in Turkey. Al-Hasnawi said the cuts to production resulted in a drop of associated gas output that in part is used for power generation. The government is supplying the electricity ministry with gas oil to make up for the shortage of dry gas used for power generation. There is no shortage of liquefied petroluem gas as a cooking fuel, he said.
It might seem like a daunting time to buy more stocks. The S&P 500 looks historically expensive at 29 times earnings, and the intensifying macro headwinds and geopolitical conflicts could spark a rotation toward more conservative investments. However, one stock that is still worth buying in this turbulent market is Realty Income (O +0.68%), one of the world's largest real estate investment trusts ...
It might seem like a daunting time to buy more stocks. The S&P 500 looks historically expensive at 29 times earnings, and the intensifying macro headwinds and geopolitical conflicts could spark a rotation toward more conservative investments. However, one stock that is still worth buying in this turbulent market is Realty Income (O +0.68%), one of the world's largest real estate investment trusts (REITs) with more than 15,500 properties across the U.S., the U.K., and seven European countries. Let's review the four key reasons it's an evergreen play for income-seeking investors. 1. High occupancy rates in a rough market As an equity REIT, Realty Income acquires a large portfolio of properties, leases them to businesses, and distributes that rental income to its investors. It must pay out at least 90% of its pre-tax income as dividends to maintain a lower tax rate. To support those dividends, Realty Income needs to maintain high occupancy rates across its portfolio. Its occupancy rate has never dipped below 96% since its IPO in 1994, and its year-end occupancy rate hit 98.6% in 2023, 98.7% in 2024, and 98.9% in 2025. It achieved that expansion even as several of its top tenants struggled with store closures. Expand NYSE : O Realty Income Today's Change ( 0.68 %) $ 0.44 Current Price $ 65.38 Key Data Points Market Cap $61B Day's Range $ 64.35 - $ 65.38 52wk Range $ 50.71 - $ 67.94 Volume 1.4M Avg Vol 6.7M Gross Margin 48.73 % Dividend Yield 4.98 % 2. Reliable monthly dividends Realty Income is one of the few REITs that pay monthly dividends instead of quarterly ones. It's also raised its payout 133 times since its IPO, and currently pays a high forward yield of 5%. REITs gauge their profitability with their adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share rather than their earnings per share (EPS). Realty Income's AFFO per share rose 2% in 2023, 5% in 2024, and 2% to $4.28 in 2025. For 2026, it expects its AFFO per share to grow another 2%-3% to $4.38-$4.42. That will e...
Key Points Realty Income pays steadily rising monthly dividends. Its high yield, low valuation, and stable growth make it an evergreen play. 10 stocks we like better than Realty Income › It might seem like a daunting time to buy more stocks. The S&P 500 looks historically expensive at 29 times earnings, and the intensifying macro headwinds and geopolitical conflicts could spark a rotation toward m...
Key Points Realty Income pays steadily rising monthly dividends. Its high yield, low valuation, and stable growth make it an evergreen play. 10 stocks we like better than Realty Income › It might seem like a daunting time to buy more stocks. The S&P 500 looks historically expensive at 29 times earnings, and the intensifying macro headwinds and geopolitical conflicts could spark a rotation toward more conservative investments. However, one stock that is still worth buying in this turbulent market is Realty Income (NYSE: O), one of the world's largest real estate investment trusts (REITs) with more than 15,500 properties across the U.S., the U.K., and seven European countries. Let's review the four key reasons it's an evergreen play for income-seeking investors. 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 » 1. High occupancy rates in a rough market As an equity REIT, Realty Income acquires a large portfolio of properties, leases them to businesses, and distributes that rental income to its investors. It must pay out at least 90% of its pre-tax income as dividends to maintain a lower tax rate. To support those dividends, Realty Income needs to maintain high occupancy rates across its portfolio. Its occupancy rate has never dipped below 96% since its IPO in 1994, and its year-end occupancy rate hit 98.6% in 2023, 98.7% in 2024, and 98.9% in 2025. It achieved that expansion even as several of its top tenants struggled with store closures. 2. Reliable monthly dividends Realty Income is one of the few REITs that pay monthly dividends instead of quarterly ones. It's also raised its payout 133 times since its IPO, and currently pays a high forward yield of 5%. REITs gauge their profitability with their adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share rather than their earnings per share (EPS). Realty Inco...
karandaev/iStock via Getty Images Main Thesis and Background The purpose of this article is to evaluate the Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund ( NRK ) as an investment option at its current market price. This is a closed-end fund with an objective "to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax and the alternative minimum tax applicable to individuals and New ...
karandaev/iStock via Getty Images Main Thesis and Background The purpose of this article is to evaluate the Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund ( NRK ) as an investment option at its current market price. This is a closed-end fund with an objective "to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax and the alternative minimum tax applicable to individuals and New York income tax and to enhance portfolio value." It does this by investing in muni bonds issued by the state of NY, the city of NYC, and other issuers backed by revenue sources within those jurisdictions. I initiated coverage on NRK last year and have had a favorable view on the fund since that time. Back in November I reiterated a "buy" call, and this outlook has definitely been the right one since then: Fund Performance (Seeking Alpha) NRK, and munis more broadly, have certainly been a good place to shelter while the equity market tests a new wave of volatility. And, in fairness, this could continue. But the premise of this review today is to manage expectations. NRK has been shooting higher of late, and I see a smoothing out of this performance. Munis will face some pressure as the fixed-income market reacts to higher oil prices and - in my view - the unlikelihood of further interest rate cuts by the Fed as a result. Further, this CEF is heavily reliant on return of capital (ROC) to pay its distribution, and its discount to NAV has narrowed sharply since my first article. These factors taken together have convinced me a rating of "hold" is now more appropriate, and I will explain why in detail below. The Valuation Is Less Attractive Than Before A big part of the reason I am less bullish going forward has to do with valuation. My followers know I love CEFs at a discount - and the bigger the discount, the better! That is still the case, and NRK still does sport one. So this should hopefully explain why I don't feel a "sell" is the correct rating. But this fund's discount i...
syahrir maulana/iStock via Getty Images The AMG GW&K Small Cap Value Fund (Class N) returned 1.14% in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with a 3.26% return for its benchmark, the Russell 2000® Value Index. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2025, the Fund returned 3.00% compared to a 12.60% return for its benchmark. Please note that this Fund has multiple share classes. Market Overview...
syahrir maulana/iStock via Getty Images The AMG GW&K Small Cap Value Fund (Class N) returned 1.14% in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with a 3.26% return for its benchmark, the Russell 2000® Value Index. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2025, the Fund returned 3.00% compared to a 12.60% return for its benchmark. Please note that this Fund has multiple share classes. Market Overview Could a play written in the early 1600s be the perfect theme for the 2025 stock market? All's Well that Ends Well, Shakespeare's tragicomedy, is probably as apt a description of the past investment year as we are going to find. It was a year more colorful than most and contained a few moments when things looked bleak as investor storylines potentially veered toward tragedy. However, the end result included all-time highs among many stock indexes and above average U.S. market returns. The comedic storyline stayed mostly intact, with even beleaguered U.S. small cap indexes finishing with double-digit returns. Average Annual Returns (%) 2 (as of 12/31/25) Q4 YTD 1 Yr 3 Yr 5 Yr 10 Yr Since Inception SKSEX (Class N) 1.14 3.00 3.00 10.18 8.52 7.86 10.88 3 SKSIX (Class I) 1.15 3.18 3.18 10.40 8.73 — 6.67 4 SKSZX (Class Z) 1.20 3.25 3.25 10.46 8.79 — 6.74 4 Russell 2000®Value Index 3.26 12.60 12.60 11.73 8.88 9.27 — Click to enlarge SKSEX (Class N) Expense Ratio (Gross/Net) 5 : 1.19%/1.15% SKSIX (Class I) Expense Ratio (Gross/Net) 5 : 0.99%/0.95% SKSZX (Class Z) Expense Ratio (Gross/Net) 5 : 0.94%/0.90% 1 Prior to December 4, 2020, the Fund was known as the AMG Managers Skyline Special Equities Fund, and had different principal investment strategies and corresponding risks. Performance shown for periods prior to December 4, 2020 reflects the performance and investment strategies of the Fund's previous subadviser, Skyline Asset Management, L.P. The Fund's past performance would have been different if the Fund were managed by the current subadviser and strategy, and the Fund's prior...
Barely more than two months into 2026, signs of a sector rotation are emerging. As of March 5, consumer discretionary and technology, which are homes to an array of growth stocks, are in the red year to date and are two of the worst-performing sectors in the S&P 500. On the other hand, energy, industrials, and materials, all of which are value destinations, are three of the top-performing sectors....
Barely more than two months into 2026, signs of a sector rotation are emerging. As of March 5, consumer discretionary and technology, which are homes to an array of growth stocks, are in the red year to date and are two of the worst-performing sectors in the S&P 500. On the other hand, energy, industrials, and materials, all of which are value destinations, are three of the top-performing sectors. Defensive sectors, which can exhibit value traits, such as consumer staples and utilities, are getting in the act, too. All of that is good news for dividend-income investors because defensive and value sectors often offer yields above those of their growth counterparts and the broader market. Dividend durability and the value resurgence are also highlighting high-dividend exchange-traded funds such as the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund (DHS 0.07%). When value matters, DHS shines Value investing isn't a get-rich-quick methodology. Its biggest rewards accrue over long holding periods, but with that in mind, the WisdomTree ETF deserves credit for trouncing rivals tracking the Russell 1000 and S&P 500 value indexes since the start of 2026. Investors should consider why the $1.43 billion ETF is beating some of its rivals. Some of that outperformance boils down to the fact that the now-lagging communication services and technology investors that led much of this bull market now call traditional value indexes home. Believe it or not, some "Magnificent Seven" stocks are prominently displayed in old-guard value gauges such as the S&P 500 Value Index. This dividend ETF avoids that pitfall by emphasizing payouts. In fact, its underlying index weights components by projected payouts for the coming year. That's a nifty forward-looking methodology and one that can benefit investors at a time when high-dividend value stocks are in favor. This ETF features other important differentiating factors. It may seem beneficial that some traditional value indexes now feature larger-than-expec...
Key Points The WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund offers a more pure approach to value investing. If market breadth continues widening, this fund could benefit from that trend. Income-focused investors will appreciate the monthly dividend that the ETF provides. 10 stocks we like better than WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree U.s. High Dividend Fund › Barely more than two months into 2026, signs of a se...
Key Points The WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund offers a more pure approach to value investing. If market breadth continues widening, this fund could benefit from that trend. Income-focused investors will appreciate the monthly dividend that the ETF provides. 10 stocks we like better than WisdomTree Trust - WisdomTree U.s. High Dividend Fund › Barely more than two months into 2026, signs of a sector rotation are emerging. As of March 5, consumer discretionary and technology, which are homes to an array of growth stocks, are in the red year to date and are two of the worst-performing sectors in the S&P 500. On the other hand, energy, industrials, and materials, all of which are value destinations, are three of the top-performing sectors. Defensive sectors, which can exhibit value traits, such as consumer staples and utilities, are getting in the act, too. 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 » All of that is good news for dividend-income investors because defensive and value sectors often offer yields above those of their growth counterparts and the broader market. Dividend durability and the value resurgence are also highlighting high-dividend exchange-traded funds such as the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund (NYSEMKT: DHS). When value matters, DHS shines Value investing isn't a get-rich-quick methodology. Its biggest rewards accrue over long holding periods, but with that in mind, the WisdomTree ETF deserves credit for trouncing rivals tracking the Russell 1000 and S&P 500 value indexes since the start of 2026. Investors should consider why the $1.43 billion ETF is beating some of its rivals. Some of that outperformance boils down to the fact that the now-lagging communication services and technology investors that led much of this bull market now call traditional value indexes home....
"The biggest challenge [of the trip] was mental rather than physical. It's a very small boat and the seas were quite big, so quite often you couldn't be outside, you had to be sitting inside the cabin for safety reasons.
"The biggest challenge [of the trip] was mental rather than physical. It's a very small boat and the seas were quite big, so quite often you couldn't be outside, you had to be sitting inside the cabin for safety reasons.
In trading on Tuesday, shares of Custom Truck One Source Inc (Symbol: CTOS) entered into oversold territory, changing hands as low as $5.64 per share. We define oversold territory using the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which is a technical analysis indicator used to measure momentum on a scale of zero to 100. A stock is considered to be oversold if the RSI reading falls below 30. In the case o...
In trading on Tuesday, shares of Custom Truck One Source Inc (Symbol: CTOS) entered into oversold territory, changing hands as low as $5.64 per share. We define oversold territory using the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which is a technical analysis indicator used to measure momentum on a scale of zero to 100. A stock is considered to be oversold if the RSI reading falls below 30. In the case of Custom Truck One Source Inc, the RSI reading has hit 23.9 — by comparison, the universe of energy stocks covered by Energy Stock Channel currently has an average RSI of 57.5, the RSI of WTI Crude Oil is at 70.4, the RSI of Henry Hub Natural Gas is presently 41.6, and the 3-2-1 Crack Spread RSI is 39.8. A bullish investor could look at CTOS's 23.9 reading as a sign that the recent heavy selling is in the process of exhausting itself, and begin to look for entry point opportunities on the buy side. Looking at a chart of one year performance (below), CTOS's low point in its 52 week range is $3.18 per share, with $7.75 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $5.78. Custom Truck One Source Inc shares are currently trading off about 9.4% on the day. Click here to find out which 9 other oversold energy stocks you need to know about » Also see: The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The DividendRank formula at Dividend Channel ranks a coverage universe of thousands of dividend stocks, according to a proprietary formula designed to identify those stocks that combine two important characteristics — strong fundamentals and a valuation that looks inexpensive. Novo-Nordisk AS (Symbol: NVO) presently has an above average rank, in the top 50% of the coverage universe, which suggests...
The DividendRank formula at Dividend Channel ranks a coverage universe of thousands of dividend stocks, according to a proprietary formula designed to identify those stocks that combine two important characteristics — strong fundamentals and a valuation that looks inexpensive. Novo-Nordisk AS (Symbol: NVO) presently has an above average rank, in the top 50% of the coverage universe, which suggests it is among the top most "interesting" ideas that merit further research by investors. But making Novo-Nordisk AS an even more interesting and timely stock to look at, is the fact that in trading on Tuesday, shares of NVO entered into oversold territory, changing hands as low as $53.51 per share. We define oversold territory using the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which is a technical analysis indicator used to measure momentum on a scale of zero to 100. A stock is considered to be oversold if the RSI reading falls below 30. In the case of Novo-Nordisk AS, the RSI reading has hit 23.6 — by comparison, the universe of dividend stocks covered by Dividend Channel currently has an average RSI of 52.7. A falling stock price — all else being equal — creates a better opportunity for dividend investors to capture a higher yield. Indeed, NVO's recent annualized dividend of 2.29/share (currently paid in semi-annual installments) works out to an annual yield of 3.32% based upon the recent $69.00 share price. A bullish investor could look at NVO's 23.6 RSI reading today as a sign that the recent heavy selling is in the process of exhausting itself, and begin to look for entry point opportunities on the buy side. Among the fundamental datapoints dividend investors should investigate to decide if they are bullish on NVO is its dividend history. In general, dividends are not always predictable; but, looking at the history chart below can help in judging whether the most recent dividend is likely to continue. Click here to find out what 9 other oversold dividend stocks you need to know...
Shareholders of California Resources Corp (Symbol: CRC) looking to boost their income beyond the stock's 2.6% annualized dividend yield can sell the March covered call at the $72.50 strike and collect the premium based on the 55 cents bid, which annualizes to an additional 31.6% rate of return against the current stock price (at Stock Options Channel we call this the), for a total of 34.2% annuali...
Shareholders of California Resources Corp (Symbol: CRC) looking to boost their income beyond the stock's 2.6% annualized dividend yield can sell the March covered call at the $72.50 strike and collect the premium based on the 55 cents bid, which annualizes to an additional 31.6% rate of return against the current stock price (at Stock Options Channel we call this the), for a total of 34.2% annualized rate in the scenario where the stock is not called away. Any upside above $72.50 would be lost if the stock rises there and is called away, but CRC shares would have to advance 14.3% from current levels for that to happen, meaning that in the scenario where the stock is called, the shareholder has earned a 15.1% return from this trading level, in addition to any dividends collected before the stock was called. In general, dividend amounts are not always predictable and tend to follow the ups and downs of profitability at each company. In the case of California Resources Corp, looking at the dividend history chart for CRC below can help in judging whether the most recent dividend is likely to continue, and in turn whether it is a reasonable expectation to expect a 2.6% annualized dividend yield. Below is a chart showing CRC's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $72.50 strike highlighted in red: The chart above, and the stock's historical volatility, can be a helpful guide in combination with fundamental analysis to judge whether selling the March covered call at the $72.50 strike gives good reward for the risk of having given away the upside beyond $72.50. (Do most options expire worthless? This and six other common options myths debunked). We calculate the trailing twelve month volatility for California Resources Corp (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $63.25) to be 42%. For other call options contract ideas at the various different available expirations, visit the CRC Stock Options page of StockOptionsChannel.co...
Nigeria halted the issuance of import licenses for gasoline, a major win for billionaire Aliko Dangote , who controls Africa’s largest refinery and has long called for the move. Nearly all gasoline supplied domestically in February came from Dangote’s plant, data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority shows. Oil marketing firms including a unit of TotalEnergies S...
Nigeria halted the issuance of import licenses for gasoline, a major win for billionaire Aliko Dangote , who controls Africa’s largest refinery and has long called for the move. Nearly all gasoline supplied domestically in February came from Dangote’s plant, data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority shows. Oil marketing firms including a unit of TotalEnergies SE , Conoil Plc and MRS Nigeria Plc , which imported 25% of the nation’s gasoline in January, had their licenses suspended. A new policy has been introduced that bars the issuance of import licenses “where local production is sufficient,” and they will now only be granted when needed — which is not currently the case, George Ene-Ita, the regulator’s spokesman, said by phone on Tuesday. Dangote, Africa’s richest person, previously sued the regulator, the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Co., and several fuel importers in a bid to halt imports, saying they weren’t needed. He withdrew the case after his frosty relationship with the authorities improved, but kept up his attacks on the head of the regulatory agency, who President Bola Tinubu replaced in November. Read More: Dangote Seeks More Nigerian Crude to Cushion Fuel-Price Gains His refinery, which can process 650,000 barrels of crude a day, is currently running at 78% capacity, the regulator said. The plant outside of Lagos supplied 64% of Nigeria’s gasoline requirement last month, leaving a daily deficit of 20 million liters that was covered by previously imported stock, Ene-Ita said. Prior to the opening of the Dangote refinery, Africa’s top oil producer exported crude for decades while importing refined petroleum products — a practice the tycoon capitalized on to build political support for his plant. The facility continues to hold an import license, using it to bring in components needed to make some blended fuels, the regulator said. The regulator’s fuel imports data was collated before the US and Israel attack...