EschCollection/DigitalVision via Getty Images Two US banks posted double-digit percentage growth in assets on a sequential basis in the fourth quarter of 2025, causing a shake-up in the US banking industry asset rankings. Banco Santander SA ( SAN ) on Feb. 3 announced its $12.23 billion agreement to acquire Webster Financial Corp. ( WBS ), marking the third-biggest US bank deal since 2010 and Sant...
EschCollection/DigitalVision via Getty Images Two US banks posted double-digit percentage growth in assets on a sequential basis in the fourth quarter of 2025, causing a shake-up in the US banking industry asset rankings. Banco Santander SA ( SAN ) on Feb. 3 announced its $12.23 billion agreement to acquire Webster Financial Corp. ( WBS ), marking the third-biggest US bank deal since 2010 and Santander's first US retail bank acquisition in roughly 17 years . For the purposes of an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis, Santander Holdings USA Inc.'s assets were adjusted upward by $84.07 billion to account for its parent company’s pending acquisition, resulting in a 47.9% increase in assets compared to the third quarter. As a result, Santander Holdings USA rose to the 19th-largest US bank by total assets in the fourth quarter, up from 30th in the prior quarter. SoFi Technologies Inc.'s ( SOFI ) total assets rose 11.8% sequentially in the fourth quarter, representing the second-highest growth rate among the nation's 50 largest banks and propelling the company into the fourth quarter rankings. The increase was driven by $3.1 billion in loan growth and about $1.7 billion in additional cash, cash equivalents, and investment securities, SoFi CFO Christopher Lapointe disclosed in a January earnings call. As of Dec. 31, 2025, the 50 largest US banks had a combined $25.580 trillion in assets, according to Market Intelligence data. In the most recent quarter, the 50 largest US banks reported a $186.20 billion increase in assets, with 38 institutions posting growth. In contrast, during the fourth quarter of 2024, the 50 largest US banks at that time saw their combined assets fall by $436.75 billion, with most of that decline — $347.46 billion — concentrated at the three biggest banks: JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( JPM ), Bank of America Corp. ( BAC ) and Citigroup Inc. ( C ). Big 4 banks' combined assets decrease Aggregate assets of the four largest US banks declined sequentially by...
February 2026 confirms that the US smartphone market has settled into a high-volume, highly repeatable promotional equilibrium where the “deal” is no longer a seasonal tactic but a core sales system. Across AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, Spectrum Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile, GlobalData tracked 724 new smartphone promotions across 11 distinct promotion types, with trade-in (for both upgrades and new lines...
February 2026 confirms that the US smartphone market has settled into a high-volume, highly repeatable promotional equilibrium where the “deal” is no longer a seasonal tactic but a core sales system. Across AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, Spectrum Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile, GlobalData tracked 724 new smartphone promotions across 11 distinct promotion types, with trade-in (for both upgrades and new lines) and bundle offers dominating the mix. Verizon (289 offers), AT&T (186), and T‑Mobile (164) collectively set the pace, while Samsung and Apple absorbed the bulk of subsidy attention, accounting for roughly 473 and 199 offers, respectively. Carriers promote premium plan adoption and bundles Verizon’s approach was the clearest expression of “premium-plan monetisation via flagship demand.” Its promotions scale sharply by unlimited tier, with the richest credits reserved for Verizon Unlimited Ultimate, followed by Unlimited Plus, while Unlimited Welcome remains a lower-incentive entry ramp. The Samsung Galaxy S26 series launch was the anchor: the Samsung S26 Ultra reached up to $1,300 for eligible trade-in upgrades on Ultimate, while new-line credits remained substantial across tiers. This structure is effective at driving ARPU and reducing churn by rewarding upgrades, but it also increases consumer decision complexity and pushes value-sensitive customers toward either new-line options or lower tiers with materially weaker savings. Verizon is winning on volume and device visibility, but risks perception of “strings-attached” value if the offer ladder becomes too opaque. AT&T’s promotional stance was more measured and operationalised—less about flash and more about consistency. With emphasis on bundle deals, trade-in, and upgrade-with-trade-in mechanics, AT&T signalled a “steady-state” model intended to support retention and predictable gross adds. Its Samsung Galaxy S26 offers (up to $1,300 / $1,100 / $900 with trade-in on AT&T Unlimited Starter SL) were competitive, and the t...
Barring economic calamities comparable to the Great Depression or the global financial crisis, high-net-worth individuals don't dramatically alter their spending habits as the rest of us do. Garden-variety recessions, while painful for the middle class, typically don't dent affluent folks' desire for high-end items, travel, and the like. Given that the wealthy are, well, wealthy and that the U.S. ...
Barring economic calamities comparable to the Great Depression or the global financial crisis, high-net-worth individuals don't dramatically alter their spending habits as the rest of us do. Garden-variety recessions, while painful for the middle class, typically don't dent affluent folks' desire for high-end items, travel, and the like. Given that the wealthy are, well, wealthy and that the U.S. economy is growing, statistically speaking, Ferrari (RACE 2.21%) should be a prime example of a consumer cyclical winner. Yet shares of the Italian sports car manufacturer are off 21% over the past year. That sounds even worse, given that a bear market is defined as a decline of 20% from a stock's most recent high. Bear markets are unsettling, but those conditions can also nurture opportunity. Perhaps Ferrari management concurs, as the company has repurchased over $117 million of its shares since the start of this year. That's one sign that the opportunity may be knocking with this stock, and there are more to evaluate. Ferrari stock can accelerate While this is widely discussed with Ferrari, investors shouldn't discount the aura of exclusivity and the country club vibe, which are integral to the investment thesis. Average selling prices on new Ferraris range from $250,000 to $700,000-plus. In many parts of the U.S., those are home values. That's by design. Ferrari isn't Ford Motor Company or Tesla. It's not attempting to sell large numbers of automobiles. In fact, in its roughly 11 years as a publicly traded company, Ferrari's unit sales per model year have been relatively steady at around 1,000. From another perspective, the company is engaging in population containment. More Ferraris on the road diminishes the air of exclusivity, potentially damaging the fundamental case for the stock. Is it arguably tacky that buyers can access select Ferrari models only through invitation? Perhaps, but between that and the company's pricing power and its quality-over-quantity business ...
Key Points Ferrari stock has a flat tire, but it’s still one of the more attractive automotive growth stories. Key to the luxury carmaker's success is the strict limit it places on vehicle production. A recent earnings beat suggests there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank. 10 stocks we like better than Ferrari › Barring economic calamities comparable to the Great Depression or the global fina...
Key Points Ferrari stock has a flat tire, but it’s still one of the more attractive automotive growth stories. Key to the luxury carmaker's success is the strict limit it places on vehicle production. A recent earnings beat suggests there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank. 10 stocks we like better than Ferrari › Barring economic calamities comparable to the Great Depression or the global financial crisis, high-net-worth individuals don't dramatically alter their spending habits as the rest of us do. Garden-variety recessions, while painful for the middle class, typically don't dent affluent folks' desire for high-end items, travel, and the like. Given that the wealthy are, well, wealthy and that the U.S. economy is growing, statistically speaking, Ferrari (NYSE: RACE) should be a prime example of a consumer cyclical winner. Yet shares of the Italian sports car manufacturer are off 21% over the past year. That sounds even worse, given that a bear market is defined as a decline of 20% from a stock's most recent high. 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 » Bear markets are unsettling, but those conditions can also nurture opportunity. Perhaps Ferrari management concurs, as the company has repurchased over $117 million of its shares since the start of this year. That's one sign that the opportunity may be knocking with this stock, and there are more to evaluate. Ferrari stock can accelerate While this is widely discussed with Ferrari, investors shouldn't discount the aura of exclusivity and the country club vibe, which are integral to the investment thesis. Average selling prices on new Ferraris range from $250,000 to $700,000-plus. In many parts of the U.S., those are home values. That's by design. Ferrari isn't Ford Motor Company or Tesla. It's not attempting to sell large numbers of a...
Pentagon, FAA Will Conduct Anti-Drone Laser Tests In New Mexico Authored by Jacob Burg via The Epoch Times, The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agreed to conduct an anti-drone “high-energy laser test” in New Mexico over the weekend. The announcement comes a little more than a week after the FAA had to suddenly close airspace around Fort Hancock, Texas, because of what the ag...
Pentagon, FAA Will Conduct Anti-Drone Laser Tests In New Mexico Authored by Jacob Burg via The Epoch Times, The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agreed to conduct an anti-drone “high-energy laser test” in New Mexico over the weekend. The announcement comes a little more than a week after the FAA had to suddenly close airspace around Fort Hancock, Texas, because of what the agency at the time called “special security reasons.” The Department of War (DOW) shot what it thought was a “seemingly threatening” drone flying within military airspace, the Pentagon, the FAA, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a joint statement at the time. A House committee stated that the FAA’s closure resulted from the Pentagon using a “high risk counter-unmanned aircraft system” to shoot down a CBP drone operating near the U.S.–Mexico border. The incident, along with another Pentagon drone incursion the same month, faced criticism in Congress. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), the ranking Democrat member on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, called for an independent investigation into the incidents. Following congressional pushback, the Pentagon is now conducting anti-drone tests at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico alongside its partners at the FAA. On March 6, the U.S. military stated that its Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the FAA will conduct a “high-energy laser test” from March 7 through March 8. “This upcoming event will specifically address FAA safety concerns while gathering data about the laser’s material effects on aircraft surrogates, validating the functionality of automated safety shut-off systems, and informing analyses for aircrew eye safety,” the Pentagon said in a statement . The military stated that the test is part of a “long-term, multi-year partnership” between it and the FAA to ensure that counter-drone technology is “safely integrated into the national airspace.” It’s a continuation of previous military testing done over th...
marketlan/iStock via Getty Images We currently recommend a 60% allocation in stocks out of a maximum of 70% and are looking to increase it once we get a signal from the ST-MSI. To avoid any confusion, we want to state our time frame of interest. “The Sentiment King is long-term oriented (bull and bear markets). We practice dynamic allocation, adjusting the percents in bonds, stocks, and gold if ou...
marketlan/iStock via Getty Images We currently recommend a 60% allocation in stocks out of a maximum of 70% and are looking to increase it once we get a signal from the ST-MSI. To avoid any confusion, we want to state our time frame of interest. “The Sentiment King is long-term oriented (bull and bear markets). We practice dynamic allocation, adjusting the percents in bonds, stocks, and gold if our intermediate-term sentiment indicators suggest it. We have no interest in the short term, except as it can help understand intermediate and long-term trends. The intermediate term is from three to nine months. In our world, one month is short-term.” What Is The ST-MSI? The ST-MSI is a combination sentiment indicator. When measuring investor sentiment, one looks for extreme degrees of bullish or bearish expectations. No one indicator is best since investor sentiment can show up in different ways in different types of markets. That’s why we use a combination of indicators. The last time we referenced the ST-MSI was in this May 2025 article (our green zone buy signal of April 7th is rapidly winding down) a month and a half after it pinpointed the April 7th low. The ST-MSI is made from seven indicators that measure investor expectations over the intermediate term. It's a contrary opinion indicator. It's bullish when too many investors become bearish, and vice versa. This chart graphs the ST-MSI against the S&P 500 from 2020 to February. Extreme sentiment shows up as either a Red or Green Zone reading. These represent historic extremes. The ST-MSI is a composite indicator made by combining seven, well-tested sentiment indicators into one. It is designed to measure investor sentiment for the intermediate term. It's a contrary opinion indicator. Unlike the MSI, which is updated weekly, the ST-MSI is updated daily. This allows for the daily oversight needed to forecast intermediate-term movements. (The Sentiment King) Green Zone readings have a good record of indicating the start...
What happened In a quarterly disclosure filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC filing) on Feb. 17, 2026, BDT Capital Partners reported acquiring 140,751,696 shares of Alliance Laundry Holdings (ALH +1.08%). This new position was established with an estimated transaction value of $2.86 billion, based on the average closing price during the quarter. The quarter-end value of the ...
What happened In a quarterly disclosure filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC filing) on Feb. 17, 2026, BDT Capital Partners reported acquiring 140,751,696 shares of Alliance Laundry Holdings (ALH +1.08%). This new position was established with an estimated transaction value of $2.86 billion, based on the average closing price during the quarter. The quarter-end value of the stake also totaled $2.86 billion, reflecting both the share accumulation and any price changes over the period. What else to know This was a new position for BDT Capital Partners; the ALH stake represented 90.17% of the fund’s reported U.S. equity assets as of Dec. 31, 2025 Top holdings after the filing: Alliance Laundry: $2.86 billion (90.2% of AUM) Under Armour : $312.24 million (9.8% of AUM) Cibus : $110,333 (0.0% of AUM) As of March 6, 2026, ALH shares were trading at $20.76, down 6% from its October 2025 IPO price. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of market close 2026-03-09) $20.76 Market Capitalization $4.28 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.62 billion Net Income (TTM) $118.22 million Company snapshot Alliance Laundry: Designs, manufactures, and sells commercial laundry washers, dryers, service parts, digital products, and customer financing solutions. Generates revenue through equipment sales, parts, and value-added services distributed via a network of distributors and direct channels. Serves healthcare facilities, hotels, laundromats, communal laundry sites, fire stations, and other commercial customers in North America and internationally. Alliance Laundry Holdings is a leading provider of commercial laundry equipment and related services, with a diversified product portfolio and a broad customer base. The company leverages a network of distributors and direct sales to reach institutional and commercial clients. Its established market presence positions it as a key player in the commercial laundry industry. What this transaction means for investors This recent discl...
xbrchx/iStock via Getty Images I covered Elbit Systems ( ESLT ) with a hold rating and a $520.53 base case price target and a $599.31 optimistic price target. However, on the prospects of increasing U.S. defense budgets and increasing tension in the Middle East, the stock price has increased over 80%. So, the narrative change had a big impact on the stock price. With the information and prospects ...
xbrchx/iStock via Getty Images I covered Elbit Systems ( ESLT ) with a hold rating and a $520.53 base case price target and a $599.31 optimistic price target. However, on the prospects of increasing U.S. defense budgets and increasing tension in the Middle East, the stock price has increased over 80%. So, the narrative change had a big impact on the stock price. With the information and prospects available at the time of my hold rating, I do not feel like the call itself was bad, but the change in the investment narrative obviously has driven extremely strong performance. In this report, I discuss why the war in Iran offers tangible upside within our forecast window driven by higher spending and a substantially higher valuation multiple. Growth Narrative Shifts Back To Middle East During the Q3 2025 earnings call , management indicated that the growth narrative for Elbit Systems would shift from Israel to international sales and predominantly Europe: We are targeting around flattish backlog in Israel and growth outside of Israel, predominantly in Europe. That will be the growth area, which -- we see our funnel, we see our opportunities, and we see the demand that's coming out from Europe. And we think that this is the place that predominantly will provide the growth in the future in the backlog. The assessment of the price target was driven by this shift. However, the war in Iran has obviously reverted this narrative back to growth predominantly coming from the Middle East in what I would call the largest escalation in decades. It is not just a shift in sentiment, as the Israeli government has authorized an addition of 9 billion shekels, or nearly $2.9 billion, to this year’s defense budget. So, there is upside to earnings backed by an increase in this year’s defense budget, and depending on how long the conflict and tension remain, there is also upside in future year budgets. The risk for Elbit would be its ability to meet demand. In the prior war in Gaza, we saw t...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Monday, March 9, 2026 at 12 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Gary Burnison Chief Financial Officer — Robert Rozek Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Consolidated Fee Revenue -- $717 million, up 7%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of accelerating year-over-year growth. -- $717 million, up 7%, marking the...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Monday, March 9, 2026 at 12 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Gary Burnison Chief Financial Officer — Robert Rozek Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Consolidated Fee Revenue -- $717 million, up 7%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of accelerating year-over-year growth. -- $717 million, up 7%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of accelerating year-over-year growth. Adjusted EBITDA -- $123 million, an increase of $9 million or 7.5%, with a margin of 17.2%, up 10 basis points. -- $123 million, an increase of $9 million or 7.5%, with a margin of 17.2%, up 10 basis points. Adjusted Diluted EPS -- $1.28, up $0.09 or 8%. -- $1.28, up $0.09 or 8%. Total Company New Business (Ex-RPO) -- Up 11%; Consulting and Digital segments hit all-time quarterly highs. -- Up 11%; Consulting and Digital segments hit all-time quarterly highs. RPO New Business -- $54 million, with 78% from new clients and 22% from renewals. -- $54 million, with 78% from new clients and 22% from renewals. Remaining Fees Under Contract -- $1.85 billion at quarter end, up 11%; approximately 60% ($1.1 billion) due to be recognized within the next year and 40% ($734 million) beyond four quarters. -- $1.85 billion at quarter end, up 11%; approximately 60% ($1.1 billion) due to be recognized within the next year and 40% ($734 million) beyond four quarters. Capital Return and Investment -- $113 million returned to shareholders via buybacks and dividends; $64 million invested in capital expenditures, focused on Talent Suite, productivity tools, and product enhancements. -- $113 million returned to shareholders via buybacks and dividends; $64 million invested in capital expenditures, focused on Talent Suite, productivity tools, and product enhancements. Dividend Increase -- Board approved a 15% rise, setting the quarterly cash dividend at $0.55 per share, the seventh increase in six years. -- Board approved a 15% rise, s...
SimonSkafar/E+ via Getty Images CVR Partners Stock: Why It's a Buy Data by YCharts The war in Iran has changed the investment case entirely for fertilizer stocks, including CVR Partners ( UAN ). Around 30% of globally traded urea transits the Strait of Hormuz. QatarEnergy halted urea and ammonia production at Ras Laffan following Iranian drone strikes. Urea prices have jumped roughly $70–$80/ton s...
SimonSkafar/E+ via Getty Images CVR Partners Stock: Why It's a Buy Data by YCharts The war in Iran has changed the investment case entirely for fertilizer stocks, including CVR Partners ( UAN ). Around 30% of globally traded urea transits the Strait of Hormuz. QatarEnergy halted urea and ammonia production at Ras Laffan following Iranian drone strikes. Urea prices have jumped roughly $70–$80/ton since the conflict began. CVR operates entirely in the U.S., with plants in Coffeyville, Kansas, and East Dubuque, Illinois, and it stands to benefit directly from the recent price surge. At a unit price of roughly $125 (as of writing on March 7) and an estimated forward annual distribution of $16 (my estimate for 2026, assuming ~$4/unit per quarter and spot prices), this implies a forward yield of approximately 13%, although this could end up being conservative if fertilizer prices keep rising. Remember that back in 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine conflict drove similar supply shocks, CVR paid out $26.62 for the full year. View that as an upside case for 2026. Either way, I view the stock as a smart BUY here. Q4 That Looks Worse Than It Is CVR Partners posted a big loss in Q4. (CVR Partners) I’ll be honest: When I first saw CVR Partners’ Q4 numbers, I wasn't thrilled. Net loss of $10 million. Distribution of $0.37 per unit. The kind of earnings report makes it look like it's time to sell the stock, not buy more shares. Then I read the explanation: The Coffeyville plant went through a planned 32-day turnaround in Q4. That’s not a surprise, as management has telegraphed it for several quarters. What was a surprise, I think, was the three-week delay in restarting, caused by issues at a third-party air separation unit the plant depends on. CEO Mark Pytosh was blunt about it on the Q4 earnings call : the delay reduced production volumes meaningfully and drove direct operating expenses to $81 million for the quarter, including $14 million of turnaround costs. Pull back from the qua...
As Meta Platforms Inc. and Google start presenting their defense in a landmark trial over social media addiction, the companies are seeking to show the mental health struggles suffered by the 20-year-old who brought the case stemmed from turmoil in her family and school life. Lawyers for Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, have indicated they plan to call the woman’s therapists as ...
As Meta Platforms Inc. and Google start presenting their defense in a landmark trial over social media addiction, the companies are seeking to show the mental health struggles suffered by the 20-year-old who brought the case stemmed from turmoil in her family and school life. Lawyers for Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, have indicated they plan to call the woman’s therapists as witnesses to demonstrate that her psychological trauma came from influences in her life other than the platforms. Jurors in the Los Angeles case already heard testimony from Kaley G.M. about how her constant use of Instagram and Google’s YouTube resulted in anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. But Meta contends that if its photo-sharing app had been removed from the equation, her circumstances would not have changed. “Kaley has faced profound challenges, and we continue to recognize all she has endured. The jury’s only task, however, is to decide if those struggles would have existed without Instagram,” said Liza Crenshaw, a spokesperson for Meta. “The evidence simply doesn’t support reducing a lifetime of hardship to a single factor, and our case will continue to underscore that reality.” The trial is a critical test for thousands of similar cases with potentially billions of dollars at stake, and which could ultimately force media companies to change how they interact with youths, one of their key audiences. Meta and Google have denied Kaley’s claims, saying she was never formally diagnosed with “social media addiction.” They’ve also argued that their platforms are well-equipped with safety guardrails to protect young users. “Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work,” Google spokerson José Castañeda said in a statement. “In collaboration with youth, mental health and parenting experts, we built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls.” TikTok Inc....
The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 03/09/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE)is reporting for the quarter ending January 31, 2026. The computer company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $0.49. This value represents a 25.64% incr...
The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 03/09/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE)is reporting for the quarter ending January 31, 2026. The computer company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $0.49. This value represents a 25.64% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for HPE is 10.89 vs. an industry ratio of 20.90. Caseys General Stores, Inc. (CASY)is reporting for the quarter ending January 31, 2026. The retail company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 4 analysts that follow the stock is $3.01. This value represents a 29.18% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year CASY has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 12.4%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CASY is 38.06 vs. an industry ratio of 27.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry. Vail Resorts, Inc. (MTN)is reporting for the quarter ending January 31, 2026. The leisure (recreational) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $6.06. This value represents a 7.62% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. MTN missed the consensus earnings per share in the 3rd calendar quarter of 2025 by -6.95%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for MTN is 21.58 vs. an industry ratio of 113.70. Yext, Inc. (YEXT)is reporting for the quarter ending January 31, 2026. The technology services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 1 analyst that follows the stock is $0.06. This value represents a 200.00% increase compared to the same quarter last year. YEXT misse...
A key ratio for dividend investors when looking at dividend stocks is the payout ratio. Since it tells you how large the dividend is with respect to earnings, it can be a good gauge of whether or not the dividend is safe and sustainable, or if a cut may be around the corner. It's not perfect, but it can be helpful when assessing dividend stocks. Pfizer (PFE 1.53%) recently reported earnings, and i...
A key ratio for dividend investors when looking at dividend stocks is the payout ratio. Since it tells you how large the dividend is with respect to earnings, it can be a good gauge of whether or not the dividend is safe and sustainable, or if a cut may be around the corner. It's not perfect, but it can be helpful when assessing dividend stocks. Pfizer (PFE 1.53%) recently reported earnings, and its payout ratio is once again over 100%. Given that the stock is paying a fairly high yield of 6.4%, which is far above the S&P 500 average of 1.2%, could a cut be coming soon? Impairment charges have been weighing down its profits Pfizer pays a quarterly dividend of $0.43 per share, which translates into an annual payout of $1.72. If the company's annual per-share profit falls below that, then its payout ratio is in excess of 100%. Last month, the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings and wrapped up its performance for the previous year. For the last three months of 2025, Pfizer actually incurred a loss, and its earnings per share (EPS) were a negative $0.29. This was due to asset impairment charges totaling around $4.4 billion. Pfizer's full-year EPS was $1.36, which was down from $1.41 in the previous year. However, in both 2025 and 2024, the pharmaceutical company incurred billions in impairment charges, which adversely impacted its bottom line. Thus, given this context, its financial performance is better than what its EPS would indicate. Expand NYSE : PFE Pfizer Today's Change ( -1.53 %) $ -0.41 Current Price $ 26.64 Key Data Points Market Cap $154B Day's Range $ 26.35 - $ 27.10 52wk Range $ 20.91 - $ 27.94 Volume 853K Avg Vol 47M Gross Margin 66.23 % Dividend Yield 6.36 % Is Pfizer's dividend actually safe? Pfizer is a company that's in the midst of transition as key drugs lose patent protection and the business works on developing new products and getting back to growing. This is the biggest question mark with the company moving forward, because if Pfizer nee...
If there's one company that's become the face of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, it's probably Nvidia (NVDA +1.20%). As a major developer of the high-end semiconductor chips that have gone into the AI buildout, it's seen its stock price rocket higher over the past few years. Lately, however, momentum has fizzled. Over the past six months, the stock is up only 6%. Even after the compan...
If there's one company that's become the face of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, it's probably Nvidia (NVDA +1.20%). As a major developer of the high-end semiconductor chips that have gone into the AI buildout, it's seen its stock price rocket higher over the past few years. Lately, however, momentum has fizzled. Over the past six months, the stock is up only 6%. Even after the company's recent Q4 earnings report, in which it beat earnings and revenue expectations and raised forward guidance, the stock fell by more than 5% the following trading day. Given what we're seeing elsewhere in the market, specifically the rotation away from the tech sector, it may be time to rethink expectations around Nvidia. If this were a sign that most of the good news is already priced into the stock, there are ways to augment the performance of an investment in Nvidia in case things go south. Combining Nvidia with an option-income strategy Writing options on stocks you already own can be a great way to add an income component to your investments. This involves selling a call or put option on a stock you own and collecting the premium as "income." In an ideal scenario, the option contract will expire worthless, you keep the premium collected, and you continue holding on to your stock. On the flip side, if the stock price moves in-the-money (above the strike price for a call and below the strike price for a put), the contract is likely to be exercised, and you'll be forced to buy or sell at less advantageous prices (although you still get to keep the premium). In essence, you're trading share price upside potential in exchange for a high yield. You're still exposed to downside risk, but the income generated could offset some of those losses. A Nvidia option-income strategy in a single ETF Building an option income strategy on your own can be complex and costly. But there are a number of ETFs out there that do the work for you. The YieldMaxDA Option Income Strategy ETF (NVDY...
It's been a tough start for Eli Lilly (LLY +0.84%) stock this year. Entering this week, the pharmaceutical giant's value has fallen by 8%. While its five-year gains are still impressive at around 380%, there's been less excitement around the healthcare company and other GLP-1 stocks this year, as the healthcare sector as a whole is coming under pressure to reduce prices. But although Eli Lilly's s...
It's been a tough start for Eli Lilly (LLY +0.84%) stock this year. Entering this week, the pharmaceutical giant's value has fallen by 8%. While its five-year gains are still impressive at around 380%, there's been less excitement around the healthcare company and other GLP-1 stocks this year, as the healthcare sector as a whole is coming under pressure to reduce prices. But although Eli Lilly's stock has been falling, it's still not all that cheap, as it trades at 43 times its trailing earnings. That's far higher than the S&P 500 average earnings multiple of 25. For investors, the big question is whether Eli Lilly is worth such a significant premium and if it's still a good buy right now, or if you may be better off waiting for more of a decline. Is Eli Lilly stock running out of room to rise higher? Eli Lilly's stock has hit highs of more than $1,100 as recently as last month, but it's now down about 13% from its peak. That's not a huge sell-off by any means, but there does appear to be some pushback from investors in paying more for the healthcare stock. That resistance could indicate that the premium is getting too big for investors to stomach. Analysts who cover the stock, however, still believe there is plenty of upside if you buy now. The consensus price target for Eli Lilly is just under $1,230, which means that if analysts are right, the stock may rise by around 24% from where it is today, over the next year or so. Price targets can change, of course, but by looking at the consensus price target, you can get a good sense of the market's overall appetite for the stock. Expand NYSE : LLY Eli Lilly Today's Change ( 0.84 %) $ 8.35 Current Price $ 998.68 Key Data Points Market Cap $934B Day's Range $ 981.15 - $ 1006.44 52wk Range $ 623.78 - $ 1133.95 Volume 94K Avg Vol 3.2M Gross Margin 83.04 % Dividend Yield 0.63 % Should you buy Eli Lilly stock today? Eli Lilly's business has been thriving due to the success of its popular GLP-1 drugs, Zepbound and Mounjaro. L...