Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images The Iran war has slowed oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz to a crawl, leading to the expected result: a surge in energy prices. So far, so expected. The bigger, more important question: How long will the spike last? The stakes surrounding the answer are high since the path of energy prices could influence an array of macro factors, including economic ...
Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images The Iran war has slowed oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz to a crawl, leading to the expected result: a surge in energy prices. So far, so expected. The bigger, more important question: How long will the spike last? The stakes surrounding the answer are high since the path of energy prices could influence an array of macro factors, including economic activity, interest rates and monetary policy. The US crude oil benchmark (West Texas Intermediate) has increased sharply in trading so far this week, jumping nearly $75 a barrel by the close of trading yesterday (Mar. 3). Year to date, WTI is up 30%, and spot gasoline in the US is trading 44% above its 2025 close. Crude Risk The optimistic spin is that once the war is over, energy prices will quickly return to the subdued levels that prevailed before the Iran war dominated trading. “The primary near-term driver for oil prices remains the US-Iran conflict,” said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong. “At this stage, only clear signs of de-escalation could mitigate or reverse the current bullish trend for WTI, and such signals are currently lacking.” The key choke point is the Strait of Hormuz, which is a crucial trade route for energy. A fifth or more of the seaborne oil exports flow through this narrow channel, whose shores include Iran and Saudi Arabia. The war has dramatically reduced shipping through the strait. “It’s a de facto closure,” said Dan Pickering, chief investment officer of Pickering Energy Partners, a Houston financial services firm. “You’ve got a significant number of vessels on either side of the strait, but no one is willing to go through.” Shipping Flow Attacks on shipping have become “a huge deterrent for all but a few shipping companies and charterers,” said Martin Kelly, head of advisory at maritime intelligence group EOS Risk. The White House is trying to counter the risk , announcing on Tuesday that the US will “immediately” offer “political risk...
ZeroStack ( ZSTK ) on Wednesday said it had secured a $6.5M order for distribution in Germany, to be fulfilled through its wholly owned subsidiary, Phatebo GmbH. Phatebo GmbH , the company’s largest revenue contributor, provides recurring cash flow while the company expands its AI-focused investment portfolio. The order will strengthen the company ’s position in the European pharmaceutical supply ...
ZeroStack ( ZSTK ) on Wednesday said it had secured a $6.5M order for distribution in Germany, to be fulfilled through its wholly owned subsidiary, Phatebo GmbH. Phatebo GmbH , the company’s largest revenue contributor, provides recurring cash flow while the company expands its AI-focused investment portfolio. The order will strengthen the company ’s position in the European pharmaceutical supply chain and underscore its ability to execute high-value distribution agreements with global healthcare groups. Shares +9.64%. More on Flora Growth Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Flora Growth Historical earnings data for Flora Growth Financial information for Flora Growth
France and Germany’s next-generation fighter jet project could soon be “dead”, one of the two companies tasked with delivering it has warned, amid a worsening corporate rift over who gets to build the aircraft. Dassault Aviation, France’s leading warplane maker, said Airbus’s defence arm – which represents Germany and Spain – needed to cooperate on the €100bn programme otherwise it would collapse....
France and Germany’s next-generation fighter jet project could soon be “dead”, one of the two companies tasked with delivering it has warned, amid a worsening corporate rift over who gets to build the aircraft. Dassault Aviation, France’s leading warplane maker, said Airbus’s defence arm – which represents Germany and Spain – needed to cooperate on the €100bn programme otherwise it would collapse. “Airbus doesn’t want to work with Dassault, full stop. I take note. I never said I didn’t want to work with Airbus or with the Germans,” said Éric Trappier, Dassault’s chief executive, via an interpreter while presenting the company’s financial results on Wednesday. “If Airbus maintains its position of not wanting to work with Dassault, the matter is dead,” he added. The two companies have been locked in a dispute over how to share the work on the jet component of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), with Dassault claiming it should take the lead and that Airbus should take a backseat. The wide-ranging project, which will also include autonomous drones and a futuristic “combat communications cloud”, was announced nearly nine years ago but has since come to represent Europe’s inability to cooperate effectively on defence as the region seeks to rearm. Trappier said: “Dassault was the selected leader … I understand that Airbus doesn’t like that decision but we are making sure that we comply with the contract.” He also disputed the assertion by the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that the planned warplane did not suit Germany’s needs. The German military did not need a nuclear-capable fighter, while France did, Merz said last month, insisting it was “not a political dispute” but a technical one between the two countries. Trappier said: “I’ve heard what the chancellor said. I know that he’s now talking about having two planes instead of one. And that could be explained by the fact that there are different operational needs [between the two countries]. “My highest authorities...
Big Tech is set to agree to build its own power plants for data centers and shield consumers from rising electricity costs, but companies face daunting logistical obstacles to delivering on the pledge championed by President Donald Trump. At a White House event on Wednesday, executives from Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Oracle, and OpenAI are due to sign the pledge to supply their own powe...
Big Tech is set to agree to build its own power plants for data centers and shield consumers from rising electricity costs, but companies face daunting logistical obstacles to delivering on the pledge championed by President Donald Trump. At a White House event on Wednesday, executives from Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, xAI, Oracle, and OpenAI are due to sign the pledge to supply their own power instead of relying on a grid connection. Trump hailed the plan in his State of the Union speech last week, promising US consumers that “no one’s prices will go up” as a result of “energy demand from AI data centers.” Read full article Comments
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Fran Horowitz Chief Financial Officer — Robert J. Ball Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer — Scott D. Lipesky Takeaways Net sales -- $1.67 billion for the quarter, representing 5% growth with record fiscal fourth quarter sales at both Abercrombie & Fitch ANF 7.92% ) ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Fran Horowitz Chief Financial Officer — Robert J. Ball Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer — Scott D. Lipesky Takeaways Net sales -- $1.67 billion for the quarter, representing 5% growth with record fiscal fourth quarter sales at both Abercrombie & Fitch ANF 7.92% ) -- $1.67 billion for the quarter, representing 5% growth with record fiscal fourth quarter sales at both Full-year net sales -- $5.27 billion, a record for the company, reflecting 6% growth and surpassing $5.0 billion for the first time. -- $5.27 billion, a record for the company, reflecting 6% growth and surpassing $5.0 billion for the first time. Americas region net sales growth -- Up 5% in the quarter and 7% for the year, driven by cross-channel traffic and store expansion. -- Up 5% in the quarter and 7% for the year, driven by cross-channel traffic and store expansion. EMEA region net sales growth -- 8% increase in the quarter and 6% for the year, with double-digit growth in the UK and good growth in the Middle East. -- 8% increase in the quarter and 6% for the year, with double-digit growth in the UK and good growth in the Middle East. APAC region net sales growth -- 9% increase in the quarter and 5% for the year, led by digital platform performance. -- 9% increase in the quarter and 5% for the year, led by digital platform performance. Abercrombie brands -- Fiscal fourth quarter net sales rose 4%, with full-year net sales down 1% and comparable sales down 7%, offset by store openings and third-party volume. -- Fiscal fourth quarter net sales rose 4%, with full-year net sales down 1% and comparable sales down 7%, offset by store openings and third-party volume. Hollister brands -- Fiscal fourth quarter net sales grew 6%, with full-year net sales up 15% and comparable sales up 13%. -- Fiscal fourth quarter net sales grew 6%, with full-year net sales up 15% and comparabl...
Key Points Harvey Partners bought 116,000 shares in Balchem Corporation during the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value increased by $17.79 million due to the new stake in Balchem Corporation. The new stake accounts for 1.6% of the fund's AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings. 10 stocks we like better than Balchem › On February 17, 2026, Harvey Partners disclosed a ne...
Key Points Harvey Partners bought 116,000 shares in Balchem Corporation during the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value increased by $17.79 million due to the new stake in Balchem Corporation. The new stake accounts for 1.6% of the fund's AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings. 10 stocks we like better than Balchem › On February 17, 2026, Harvey Partners disclosed a new position in Balchem Corporation (NASDAQ:BCPC), acquiring 116,000 shares worth $17.79 million in the fourth quarter. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Harvey Partners reported acquiring 116,000 shares of Balchem Corporation as a new position during the fourth quarter. The fund's quarter-end holding in Balchem Corporation was valued at $17.79 million. What else to know This was a new position; post-trade, Balchem Corporation represents 1.6% of Harvey Partners’ 13F reportable AUM of $1.13 billion. Top holdings after the filing: NYSE: NPO: $53.4 million (4.8% of AUM) NASDAQ: GLDD: $48.6 million (4.4% of AUM) NASDAQ: MKSI: $46.2 million (4.1% of AUM) NASDAQ: ADEA: $45.1 million (4.1% of AUM) NASDAQ: LASR: $45.1 million (4.1% of AUM) As of February 17, 2026, shares of Balchem Corporation were priced at about $180, up 8% over the past year and trailing the S&P 500’s roughly 16% gain. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of February 17, 2026) $180 Market capitalization $5.81 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.04 billion Net income (TTM) $154.85 million Company snapshot Balchem Corporation develops and markets specialty performance ingredients for human nutrition, animal nutrition, and specialty chemical applications, with products including microencapsulated nutrients, food and beverage systems, and sterilization agents. The company generates revenue by supplying value-added ingredients and solutions to the food, pharmaceutical, animal health, and industrial sectors through direct sales, distributors, and agents. It ser...
laddawan punna/iStock via Getty Images Russell Shtern, CFA Portfolio Manager Kai Yee Wong Portfolio Manager Susanna Jacob Portfolio Manager Click to enlarge Strategy overview Emerging markets equity strategy seeks to maximize total return and generate higher income than the reference Index, using model-driven stock selection call options writing. Key takeaways During the quarter, the Fund underper...
laddawan punna/iStock via Getty Images Russell Shtern, CFA Portfolio Manager Kai Yee Wong Portfolio Manager Susanna Jacob Portfolio Manager Click to enlarge Strategy overview Emerging markets equity strategy seeks to maximize total return and generate higher income than the reference Index, using model-driven stock selection call options writing. Key takeaways During the quarter, the Fund underperformed its benchmark, despite strong performance from the underlying equity sleeve. Within the equity sleeve, the core model contributed with the sentiment pillar contributed the most while the management pillar detracted the most. Global conditions in 4Q25 shifted toward monetary easing as inflation moderated and labor markets softened, prompting the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut rates. Tariff pressures persisted, but cautious consumer spending helped prevent inflation from sticking. U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed yet remained positive, favoring large-cap equities supported by strong fundamental factors and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven productivity. Looking ahead to early 2026, global equities remain uneven. Europe and the United Kingdom face fiscal and structural challenges, while Japan benefits from reforms. China struggles with property stress and weak consumer confidence, though technology-linked offshore equities offer opportunities. Emerging markets (EM) are mixed, and international bonds remain less attractive. Portfolio review For the quarter, the Fund provided a total return of 4.59% on a net asset value basis, and a total return of 3.51% on a market price basis. The Fund’s reference Index, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, returned 4.73%. Equity Portfolio The equity sleeve underperformed the reference Index. The core model was the primary contributor, and four out of five pillars had a positive impact. The sentiment pillar contributed the most while the management pillar detracted. On the sector level, stock selection within the information t...
A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defence systems, Turkish officials said on Wednesday. The defence ministry said it had been “engaged and neutralised by Nato air-and-missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean”. It did not specify the missile’s intended target. Advertisement A Turkish official,...
A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defence systems, Turkish officials said on Wednesday. The defence ministry said it had been “engaged and neutralised by Nato air-and-missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean”. It did not specify the missile’s intended target. Advertisement A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been “aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course”. Officials said fragments that fell in the Dortyol district in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border, had been identified as pieces of the interceptor used to neutralise “the threat in the air”. Advertisement No casualties were reported.
Vera Tikhonova Ford ( F ) sold 149,962 vehicles in February, 5.5% fewer than a year ago, with its fully electric vehicles taking the brunt of the loss. EV sales were down 71% to 2,112, while hybrid vehicle sales were also down by 21.8% to 12,010 total vehicles sold during the month. The company also sold 0.1% fewer gas-powered vehicles. By vehicle type, cars were the most popular vehicle among For...
Vera Tikhonova Ford ( F ) sold 149,962 vehicles in February, 5.5% fewer than a year ago, with its fully electric vehicles taking the brunt of the loss. EV sales were down 71% to 2,112, while hybrid vehicle sales were also down by 21.8% to 12,010 total vehicles sold during the month. The company also sold 0.1% fewer gas-powered vehicles. By vehicle type, cars were the most popular vehicle among Ford’s ( F ) lineup, with 54.5% more sold in February versus 9.4% fewer trucks and 2.4% fewer SUVs. Within its pickup truck/van lineup, only the Ranger, Maverick, and E-Series had higher sales last month, while the F-Series realized a 16.2% decline led by a 76.3% drop in sales of its F-150 Lightning. Source: Press Release More on Ford Ford Motor Switches To Chinese Battery Tech For Its New $30,000 Electric Pickup Ford: Better Value Than You'd Think Ford Motor Company (F) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript GM and Ford are top picks at BofA in the 'Year of the Pickup' Auto sales are forecast by Cox Automotive to remain sluggish
Apple held a product launch event introducing the MacBook Neo, an entry-level Mac featuring the high-performance A18 Pro chip. Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow reports on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
Apple held a product launch event introducing the MacBook Neo, an entry-level Mac featuring the high-performance A18 Pro chip. Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow reports on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
Royal Cup Coffee and Tea said on Wednesday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Farmer Brothers Coffee ( FARM ) in an all-cash transaction. Royal Cup will acquire all outstanding shares of Farmer Brothers for $1.29 per share in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition will enhance Royal Cup’s ability to deliver integrated beverage solutions that combine roasting expertise, ro...
Royal Cup Coffee and Tea said on Wednesday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Farmer Brothers Coffee ( FARM ) in an all-cash transaction. Royal Cup will acquire all outstanding shares of Farmer Brothers for $1.29 per share in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition will enhance Royal Cup’s ability to deliver integrated beverage solutions that combine roasting expertise, route-based distribution and equipment service within a unified operating structure. The transaction, once completed, builds on Royal Cup’s December 2025 partnership with Dallas-based private equity firm Braemont Capital, which provided additional capital and operational support to advance strategic expansion initiatives, the company said. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. Source: Press Release More on Farmer Brothers Farmer Bros. Co. (FARM) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Prepared Remarks Transcript Farmer Bros. anticipates gross margin relief in Q4 2026 as green coffee costs ease Farmer Brothers Coffee reports FQ2 net loss of $4.9 million Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Farmer Brothers Historical earnings data for Farmer Brothers
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images By Barry Schwartz Benjamin Graham, widely considered the “father of value investing,” famously observed that "In the short run, the market is a voting machine, but in the long run, it is a weighing machine." Put another way, stock prices can fluctuate wildly in the short term based on news, political or economic concerns, or simply speculation. As an extreme example...
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images By Barry Schwartz Benjamin Graham, widely considered the “father of value investing,” famously observed that "In the short run, the market is a voting machine, but in the long run, it is a weighing machine." Put another way, stock prices can fluctuate wildly in the short term based on news, political or economic concerns, or simply speculation. As an extreme example, shares of GameStop, a declining video game retailer, soared by over 1,500 percent in 2021 entirely due to retail enthusiasm for “memes” even as sales of physical video game disks continued to decline. In the long term, however, the share price and return will ultimately be dictated by the fundamental performance of the underlying business. In 2025, despite poor relative stock price performance, our portfolio companies did well: 30 out of 33 companies grew earnings per share, with 22 growing over double digits. 26 out of 33 companies pay recurring dividends, and all of them increased their base dividend in 2025 (see the appendix below for the full list) Through 2026, all 33 companies in the portfolio expect to grow earnings, with 27 growing earnings double digits. Notwithstanding lackluster share prices, fundamentals remain strong, which is a good indicator of future performance. Qualitatively, our companies are gaining market share and doing smart things to drive growth in the future. Here are a few examples: Domino’s Pizza ( DPZ ) grew same-store sales in the US by 3.5% and is opening new stores in a weak environment for fast food by revamping their loyalty program and launching new products such as the stuffed crust pizza. By contrast, Pizza Hut’s US same-store sales were down 5% and expects to close 250 stores in 2026. Netflix ( NFLX ) grew subscribers by 8% and revenues by 16% by adding new types of content and an ad-supported tier while streaming competitors struggle to manage declines from cable TV Visa ( V ) had strong payments growth (up 8%) with healthy adoption ...
Key Points There wasn't a single news event driving SoFi stock lower last month, but a high valuation, the Fed's interest rate pause, and a search for safer havens likely did. SoFi ended 2025 with strong sales and earnings, and the company's management expects membership to increase by 30% this year. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › Last month, shares of SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:...
Key Points There wasn't a single news event driving SoFi stock lower last month, but a high valuation, the Fed's interest rate pause, and a search for safer havens likely did. SoFi ended 2025 with strong sales and earnings, and the company's management expects membership to increase by 30% this year. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › Last month, shares of SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI), a financial technology (fintech) services company, tumbled 22.1%, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence , as some investors reevaluated their exposure to some areas of the market. While no company-specific news drove SoFi lower in February, a few factors likely contributed to the stock's decline, including investor unease about the company's high valuation and the Federal Reserve's pause on interest rate cuts. It's also likely that investors fled SoFi stock as part of a broader shift toward safer investments. 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 » Investors' risk appetite may be waning SoFi isn't particularly risky, but its valuation as of last month was fairly high. The company's shares had a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of about 58 at the beginning of the month, significantly higher than the S&P 500's average P/E ratio of about 29. SoFi stock gained 70% in 2025, and investors may have been taking some of their gains and seeking safer havens. That's been part of the theme for some high-flying tech stocks and cryptocurrencies lately, which have plunged over the past few months. Artificial intelligence has introduced uncertainty into investment strategies due to its massive potential for disruption. While AI hasn't negatively impacted SoFi's business model, investors have nonetheless rotated out of some software, tech, and fintech stocks. SoFi investors may have ...
Key Points Tepper's Appaloosa Management made Micron one of its biggest holdings last quarter. This other way to play the memory chip boom may be more interesting for investors. Both of these investments have climbed about 50% so far in 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Micron Technology › David Tepper's Appaloosa Management is primarily composed of the portfolio manager's personal wealth after ...
Key Points Tepper's Appaloosa Management made Micron one of its biggest holdings last quarter. This other way to play the memory chip boom may be more interesting for investors. Both of these investments have climbed about 50% so far in 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Micron Technology › David Tepper's Appaloosa Management is primarily composed of the portfolio manager's personal wealth after returning most of its outside capital to clients in recent years. That means the moves in its portfolio represent what Tepper thinks are the best opportunities for his returns, not what he needs to do to meet client expectations. That can make it one of the more valuable funds to follow for retail investors trying to learn what the best investors in the world are doing. During the fourth quarter, Tepper made a big bet on Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU), the artificial intelligence darling that's soared over the last few months. Tepper also established a new position in another memory chip play that could interest some investors. Here's what you need to know. 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 » Tepper's new memory chip investments During the fourth quarter, Tepper added 1 million shares of Micron to the portfolio, making the stock one of his largest positions. He also bought call options representing another 250,000 shares of the semiconductor stock. The other AI memory chip investment Tepper made was 1.875 million shares of the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEMKT: EWY). While this ETF tracks an index of more than 80 stocks based in the country, it's dominated by just two. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix account for over 48% of the entire fund's value. Combined with Micron Technology, the three companies account for practically all of the memory chip production in the world. Indeed, the perfo...
David Tepper's Appaloosa Management is primarily composed of the portfolio manager's personal wealth after returning most of its outside capital to clients in recent years. That means the moves in its portfolio represent what Tepper thinks are the best opportunities for his returns, not what he needs to do to meet client expectations. That can make it one of the more valuable funds to follow for r...
David Tepper's Appaloosa Management is primarily composed of the portfolio manager's personal wealth after returning most of its outside capital to clients in recent years. That means the moves in its portfolio represent what Tepper thinks are the best opportunities for his returns, not what he needs to do to meet client expectations. That can make it one of the more valuable funds to follow for retail investors trying to learn what the best investors in the world are doing. During the fourth quarter, Tepper made a big bet on Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU), the artificial intelligence darling that's soared over the last few months. Tepper also established a new position in another memory chip play that could interest some investors. Here's what you need to know. 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 » Image source: Getty Images. Tepper's new memory chip investments During the fourth quarter, Tepper added 1 million shares of Micron to the portfolio, making the stock one of his largest positions. He also bought call options representing another 250,000 shares of the semiconductor stock. The other AI memory chip investment Tepper made was 1.875 million shares of the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEMKT: EWY). While this ETF tracks an index of more than 80 stocks based in the country, it's dominated by just two. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix account for over 48% of the entire fund's value. Combined with Micron Technology, the three companies account for practically all of the memory chip production in the world. Indeed, the performances of Samsung and SK Hynix have largely dominated the returns of the ETF. Year to date, the fund's price has moved up mostly in line with Micron's. Both are up about 50% on the back of strong earnings results and positive outlooks, fueled by the ongoing shorta...