halbergman/E+ via Getty Images Shares of Saul Centers ( BFS ) have been a poor performer over the past year, losing about 5% of their value. Shares have been weighed down by its DC-area focus, as that local economy faces more challenges than the national one given reductions in the federal government’s workforce. However, its own development activities are performing in line with my expectations, ...
halbergman/E+ via Getty Images Shares of Saul Centers ( BFS ) have been a poor performer over the past year, losing about 5% of their value. Shares have been weighed down by its DC-area focus, as that local economy faces more challenges than the national one given reductions in the federal government’s workforce. However, its own development activities are performing in line with my expectations, which should provide incremental cash flow. This view led me to upgrade shares to a “buy” in October , and that call has played out with Saul gaining 10% since then. With updated financials and shares approaching my $36 price target, now is a good time to revisit Saul. Seeking Alpha DC Faces Macro Pressure Over the past few months, there has been considerable debate about the labor market’s health, potential for economic growth this year, etc. Irrespective of the national economic environment, certain regions will always do a bit better or a bit worse depending on the drivers of their economies. This is particularly relevant when analyzing companies with smaller geographic footprints. While we can debate the trajectory of the national labor market, it is indisputably clear that the DC area labor market is weak. As you can see below, the economy has shed over 50k jobs in the past year. St. Louis Federal Reserve While nothing like the COVID-era job losses, we are now seeing a level of job loss that is comparable to that seen during the severe 2007-2009 recession. Of course, this is primarily driven by cuts in the federal workforce, including the deferred resignation program that led to mass separations on September 30 th . With private sector labor demand softening, the ability of workers who took this severance package to find new work has likely been limited, though some of this drop also likely reflects pulled-forward retirement activity. I struggle to see the federal government growing its civil workforce meaningfully over the duration of the Trump presidency, and that wi...
Shares of Interactive Brokers (IBKR 2.00%) took a 6% hit this week. For recent buyers, the sudden drop might feel like whiplash. But zooming out tells a vastly different story. Long-term investors are sitting comfortably on massive gains. The electronic brokerage firm is up more than 200% over the last three years, easily crushing the broader market's returns. With this context, does a 6% pullback...
Shares of Interactive Brokers (IBKR 2.00%) took a 6% hit this week. For recent buyers, the sudden drop might feel like whiplash. But zooming out tells a vastly different story. Long-term investors are sitting comfortably on massive gains. The electronic brokerage firm is up more than 200% over the last three years, easily crushing the broader market's returns. With this context, does a 6% pullback offer a rare entry point into a compounding machine, or is the stock finally running out of steam after a massive multi-year run? At a market capitalization of roughly $113 billion as of this writing and a price-to-earnings ratio of 30, expectations are high. But I think it can live up to those expectations over the long haul. A relentless asset-gathering machine Scanning the latest primary disclosures reveals a clear, decisive mechanism behind this stock's remarkable three-year run: Interactive Brokers is vacuuming up accounts at a blistering pace. In its February 2026 monthly metrics update, the company reported 4.646 million client accounts, representing a 31% year-over-year increase. This sustained pace builds on a record-breaking 2025, when the company added over 1 million net new accounts in a single year for the first time in its history. More importantly, total client equity in February -- the lifeblood of any brokerage -- jumped 40% year over year to hit $820 billion. This marks a notable acceleration from the 37% year-over-year growth rate the company posted at the end of 2025, when client equity sat at $780 billion. This is the decisive variable for investors. While trading volumes can fluctuate with market volatility, the steady accumulation of customer accounts and client equity provides a steady (and growing) foundation for future revenue. This influx of new money doesn't just sit idle. It directly feeds the company's highly automated brokerage, which leads to the second half of the bull case for the stock. An automated cost structure The defining trait of In...
Key Points Interactive Brokers has been an incredibly fast-growing asset-gathering machine, crossing 4.6 million client accounts in February. With an elite 79% pretax profit margin, the company turns incremental account growth into outsize bottom-line gains. The stock isn't cheap. But it's probably worth paying up for. 10 stocks we like better than Interactive Brokers Group › Shares of Interactive...
Key Points Interactive Brokers has been an incredibly fast-growing asset-gathering machine, crossing 4.6 million client accounts in February. With an elite 79% pretax profit margin, the company turns incremental account growth into outsize bottom-line gains. The stock isn't cheap. But it's probably worth paying up for. 10 stocks we like better than Interactive Brokers Group › Shares of Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) took a 6% hit this week. For recent buyers, the sudden drop might feel like whiplash. But zooming out tells a vastly different story. Long-term investors are sitting comfortably on massive gains. The electronic brokerage firm is up more than 200% over the last three years, easily crushing the broader market's returns. 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 » With this context, does a 6% pullback offer a rare entry point into a compounding machine, or is the stock finally running out of steam after a massive multi-year run? At a market capitalization of roughly $113 billion as of this writing and a price-to-earnings ratio of 30, expectations are high. But I think it can live up to those expectations over the long haul. A relentless asset-gathering machine Scanning the latest primary disclosures reveals a clear, decisive mechanism behind this stock's remarkable three-year run: Interactive Brokers is vacuuming up accounts at a blistering pace. In its February 2026 monthly metrics update, the company reported 4.646 million client accounts, representing a 31% year-over-year increase. This sustained pace builds on a record-breaking 2025, when the company added over 1 million net new accounts in a single year for the first time in its history. More importantly, total client equity in February -- the lifeblood of any brokerage -- jumped 40% year over year to hit $820 billion. This m...
Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Lumentum Holdings (NasdaqGS:LITE) has been added to the S&P 500 Index. The company announced a multiyear partnership with NVIDIA that includes a US$2b investment. The NVIDIA arrangement involves a significant private placement i...
Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Lumentum Holdings (NasdaqGS:LITE) has been added to the S&P 500 Index. The company announced a multiyear partnership with NVIDIA that includes a US$2b investment. The NVIDIA arrangement involves a significant private placement in Lumentum shares. Lumentum focuses on optical and photonic products that sit at the heart of networking and data center hardware, so its new role in the S&P 500 puts a brighter spotlight on those exposure areas. The tie up with NVIDIA connects Lumentum directly to one of the key suppliers in AI computing, at a time when data center operators are investing heavily in higher bandwidth and more efficient optical links. For you as an investor, these developments raise fresh questions about how Lumentum’s revenue mix, capital structure and customer concentration could evolve from here. The rest of this article looks at what the S&P 500 inclusion and the NVIDIA partnership might mean for liquidity, risk profile and how the market could think about NasdaqGS:LITE within the broader AI infrastructure theme. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Lumentum Holdings by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Lumentum Holdings. NasdaqGS:LITE Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 3 things going right for Lumentum Holdings that this headline doesn't cover. The NVIDIA partnership and S&P 500 inclusion pull Lumentum more tightly into the core of AI data center build outs. NVIDIA’s US$2b investment and multibillion purchase commitment for advanced laser components directly connect Lumentum’s optics to one of the largest buyers of AI hardware. That can provide better demand visibility, priority access to future NVIDIA orders and support for Lumentum’s plan to expand its U.S. manufacturing footprint with a ...
A federal judge ruled on Saturday that Kari Lake’s leadership of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) for much of last year violated federal law, invalidating a sweeping series of actions she took to cut staff and end many operations at its Voice of America (VOA) unit. In another blow to the Donald Trump administration’s attempts to diminish various government agencies, US District Judge Royc...
A federal judge ruled on Saturday that Kari Lake’s leadership of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) for much of last year violated federal law, invalidating a sweeping series of actions she took to cut staff and end many operations at its Voice of America (VOA) unit. In another blow to the Donald Trump administration’s attempts to diminish various government agencies, US District Judge Royce Lamberth granted a summary judgment in favour of plaintiffs – including VOA journalists and a union representing federal employees – who argued that Lake’s appointment as acting CEO and actions she took in that role ran afoul of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and the constitution’s Appointments Clause. Lamberth ruled that Lake was ineligible to serve as acting CEO because she was not employed by USAGM when former CEO Amanda Bennett resigned in January 2025, and had not been confirmed by the Senate to any other federal post. Advertisement Lake officially joined USAGM in March as a senior adviser. A November 21 news release from the agency called her deputy CEO. The judge also rejected the administration’s argument that Lake could wield CEO authority through a delegation from previous acting CEO Victor Morales. Kari Lake officially joined the US Agency for Global Media in March as a senior adviser. Photo: AP Saturday’s decision marks at least the third time Lamberth has ruled against the Trump administration in cases involving the Voice of America. The judge in April and September halted plans that would have put many VOA employees out of work, although the April ruling was later overturned by an appeals court.
Caterpillar (CAT 3.57%) is an iconic company with a huge portfolio of earth-moving products. In 2025, the company generated $67.6 billion in sales and $19.06 in adjusted earnings per share. The future is likely to be bright, as well, with the company's $51 billion backlog sitting at record levels. Here are three reasons to buy Caterpillar stock in 2026. 1. Caterpillar is benefiting from reshoring ...
Caterpillar (CAT 3.57%) is an iconic company with a huge portfolio of earth-moving products. In 2025, the company generated $67.6 billion in sales and $19.06 in adjusted earnings per share. The future is likely to be bright, as well, with the company's $51 billion backlog sitting at record levels. Here are three reasons to buy Caterpillar stock in 2026. 1. Caterpillar is benefiting from reshoring efforts Caterpillar's equipment gets used to build everything from roads to buildings, and a lot in between. Over the past several years, companies have made a material effort to build in their home markets rather than manufacturing abroad and importing finished products. This so-called reshoring move generally requires the construction of new factories and other assets. Notably, spending on manufacturing plants in the United States has increased by more than 40% since 2020. While this spending isn't quite as "hot" as it was a couple of years ago, it is still running at an elevated pace, and that should translate into strong demand for Caterpillar's products. For example, Caterpillar's sales to construction industries were up 11% worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2025. 2. Data centers are a new and growing category The hot construction topic of the day, however, is data centers. The emergence of artificial intelligence as a major new technology has dramatically increased the need for data centers. Spending on data centers has increased by nearly 350% since 2020. To be fair, construction spending on data centers is just a fraction of the spending on manufacturing. Still, data centers are an additional catalyst for demand. Expand NYSE : CAT Caterpillar Today's Change ( -3.57 %) $ -25.18 Current Price $ 680.90 Key Data Points Market Cap $317B Day's Range $ 675.07 - $ 696.33 52wk Range $ 267.30 - $ 789.81 Volume 3.6M Avg Vol 2.8M Gross Margin 32.21 % Dividend Yield 0.87 % 3. Caterpillar also provides power One lesser-known product category for Caterpillar is power. It makes en...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images QUALCOMM ( QCOM ) has been among the worst-performing global semiconductor stocks over the past year. Down 11% on a total return basis in the last 12 months, it lags the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ), the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ), and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) by significant margins. I had a buy rati...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images QUALCOMM ( QCOM ) has been among the worst-performing global semiconductor stocks over the past year. Down 11% on a total return basis in the last 12 months, it lags the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ), the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ), and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) by significant margins. I had a buy rating on the stock a year ago , and while I stick with a buy call, I am lowering my fundamental price target. Earnings trends are less sanguine, and amid rising competition around the world, a multiple re-rating is warranted. Still, QCOM is now solidly a value play, and I’ll outline a new intrinsic value estimate along with providing a fresh look at the chart. QCOM: April 2025-Early 2026 Gains Wiped Away StockCharts.com Back in February, QCOM reported a solid set of quarterly results. Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $3.50 topped the Wall Street consensus forecast of $3.40, while revenue of $12.3 billion (up 5.4% from the same period last year) was a small $140 million beat. The company was hit following a weak Q2 guide , though, and the stock has drifted lower since then. Still, the firm achieved record QCT automotive net sales. QCOM cratered 8.5% in the session that followed—marking a whopping 7 th consecutive post-earnings decline. Looking ahead to the April report, the options market prices in an above-average 6.5% earnings-related stock price swing based on the at-the-money straddle expiring soonest after the report. Shares of the $145 billion market cap Semiconductors industry company feature an elevated 38% implied volatility reading and short interest of just 3.30%. Looking back at the quarter that was, Qualcomm tallied decent numbers overall, led by the aforementioned QCT segment . That area posted revenues of $10.6 billion, bolstered by record-breaking performances in both the Handset and Automotive areas. Specifically, Automotive revenues grew 15% to $1.1 billion, while IoT reven...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images QUALCOMM ( QCOM ) has been among the worst-performing global semiconductor stocks over the past year. Down 11% on a total return basis in the last 12 months, it lags the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ), the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ), and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) by significant margins. I had a buy rati...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images QUALCOMM ( QCOM ) has been among the worst-performing global semiconductor stocks over the past year. Down 11% on a total return basis in the last 12 months, it lags the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ), the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ), and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) by significant margins. I had a buy rating on the stock a year ago , and while I stick with a buy call, I am lowering my fundamental price target. Earnings trends are less sanguine, and amid rising competition around the world, a multiple re-rating is warranted. Still, QCOM is now solidly a value play, and I’ll outline a new intrinsic value estimate along with providing a fresh look at the chart. QCOM: April 2025-Early 2026 Gains Wiped Away StockCharts.com Back in February, QCOM reported a solid set of quarterly results. Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $3.50 topped the Wall Street consensus forecast of $3.40, while revenue of $12.3 billion (up 5.4% from the same period last year) was a small $140 million beat. The company was hit following a weak Q2 guide , though, and the stock has drifted lower since then. Still, the firm achieved record QCT automotive net sales. QCOM cratered 8.5% in the session that followed—marking a whopping 7 th consecutive post-earnings decline. Looking ahead to the April report, the options market prices in an above-average 6.5% earnings-related stock price swing based on the at-the-money straddle expiring soonest after the report. Shares of the $145 billion market cap Semiconductors industry company feature an elevated 38% implied volatility reading and short interest of just 3.30%. Looking back at the quarter that was, Qualcomm tallied decent numbers overall, led by the aforementioned QCT segment . That area posted revenues of $10.6 billion, bolstered by record-breaking performances in both the Handset and Automotive areas. Specifically, Automotive revenues grew 15% to $1.1 billion, while IoT reven...
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says US-Israel war on Iran ‘should never have happened’ as strikes continue to hit Tehran and Beirut Full report: Iran rejects Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender as a ‘dream’ From ‘peace president’ to Operation Epic Fury: Trump’s road to war Here are some images coming out of Lebanon and the border with Israel. Hello and welcome to our coverage of the US-Is...
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says US-Israel war on Iran ‘should never have happened’ as strikes continue to hit Tehran and Beirut Full report: Iran rejects Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender as a ‘dream’ From ‘peace president’ to Operation Epic Fury: Trump’s road to war Here are some images coming out of Lebanon and the border with Israel. Hello and welcome to our coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran, a conflict that is rippling across the Middle East with devastating consequences as it enters its second week. Donald Trump claimed the US and Israel had “decimated” the Iranian regime, but offered only a vague description of what he meant by his demand for an unconditional surrender. “It’s where they cry uncle, or when they can’t fight any long longer and there’s nobody around to cry uncle — that could happen too,” the US president said aboard Air Force One. Trump left open the possibility of deploying American troops on the ground . The US president addressed reporters hours after travelling to Dover air force base in Delaware to attend the so-called dignified transfer of six US service members killed in the opening days of his war against Iran. The US-Israel war on Iran “should never have happened”, China’s foreign minister said on Sunday. “The world cannot return to the law of the jungle,” Wang Yi told a press conference in Beijing, calling for an end to military operations. Iran can fight a war of this size and scale for “at least” another six months, a Revolutionary Guards official has claimed. The defiant statement was carried by the semi-official Fars news agency, which has links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian previously apologised to neighbouring countries attacked by Iran. He also said Iran’s interim leadership council had approved that no attacks or missile strikes would be carried out against such countries unless an attack against Iran originated from them. Vast plumes of smoke and fire hav...
Hong Kong police are searching for a domestic helper accused of stealing jewellery and cash worth more than HK$100,000 (US$12,780) from her elderly employer. The force said a 74-year-old woman, surnamed Lam, reported on Saturday night that the valuables had been taken from her flat in Hong Ching House, Kai Ching Estate, Ngau Tau Kok. An initial investigation found that the missing items included H...
Hong Kong police are searching for a domestic helper accused of stealing jewellery and cash worth more than HK$100,000 (US$12,780) from her elderly employer. The force said a 74-year-old woman, surnamed Lam, reported on Saturday night that the valuables had been taken from her flat in Hong Ching House, Kai Ching Estate, Ngau Tau Kok. An initial investigation found that the missing items included HK$57,000 in cash and jewellery – such as necklaces and bracelets – worth about HK$59,000. Advertisement Police have identified a 39-year-old Indonesian woman employed as Lam’s live-in domestic helper as the suspect. The case has been classified as theft and is being handled by Sau Mau Ping District Investigation Team 6. Advertisement Under Hong Kong law, theft carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.