Despite being declared the third-hottest year on record, 2025 was a relatively quiet year for climate disasters in the US. No major hurricanes made landfall, while the total number of acres burned in wildfires last year—a way of measuring the intensity of wildfire season —fell below the 10-year average. But starting this week, the West is experiencing what looks to be a record-breaking heat wave, ...
Despite being declared the third-hottest year on record, 2025 was a relatively quiet year for climate disasters in the US. No major hurricanes made landfall, while the total number of acres burned in wildfires last year—a way of measuring the intensity of wildfire season —fell below the 10-year average. But starting this week, the West is experiencing what looks to be a record-breaking heat wave, while forecasting models predict that a strong El Niño event is likely to emerge later this year. These two unrelated phenomena could set the stage for a long stretch of unpredictable and extreme weather reaching into next year, compounding the effects of a climate that’s getting hotter and hotter thanks to human activity. First, there’s the heat. Beginning this week and heading into next, a massive ridge of high-pressure air will bring record-breaking temperatures to the American West. The National Weather Service predicts that temperature records across multiple states are set to be broken in dozens of locations, stretching as far east as Missouri and Tennessee. The NWS has issued heat warnings for parts of California, Arizona, and Nevada, as well as fire warnings for parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Colorado. Read full article Comments
patty_c/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images A couple of days ago, on March 16, news broke that self-storage companies Public Storage ( PSA ) and National Storage Affiliates Trust ( NSA ) have decided to combine in an all-stock deal reportedly worth around $10.5 billion. This is actually an intriguing transaction in my view, even though it is rather complex structurally. At the end of the day, it is...
patty_c/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images A couple of days ago, on March 16, news broke that self-storage companies Public Storage ( PSA ) and National Storage Affiliates Trust ( NSA ) have decided to combine in an all-stock deal reportedly worth around $10.5 billion. This is actually an intriguing transaction in my view, even though it is rather complex structurally. At the end of the day, it is being advertised as a purchase of National Storage Affiliates Trust by Public Storage. And the goal here is for that company to become even more dominant in a space that it is a giant in while simultaneously using that additional scale to cut down on costs for the sake of shareholders. Truly, this transaction is intriguing, though neither company has been particularly impressive over the last couple of years. At the end of the day, if synergies are realized, I can see shareholders of both businesses ending up better off than they are individually. In the case of National Storage Affiliates Trust, the immediate benefit of a hefty premium compared to where shares were trading before is obvious. However, Public Storage also stands to benefit from this if management is capable of capturing the cost savings that they are promising. Taking a look at this purchase Public Storage According to the press release issued by Public Storage on the morning of March 16, it has agreed to acquire National Storage Affiliates Trust in an all-stock deal, essentially serving to combine the largest and 5th largest self-storage businesses in the United States into one mega firm. The terms of the agreement call for shareholders of National Storage Affiliates Trust, as well as those who own its operating partnership units, to receive 0.14 shares of Public Storage for each unit of National Storage Affiliates Trust that they currently own. At the time the deal was announced, this translated to a share price of $41.68 for each unit of National Storage Affiliates Trust. That represented a premium of 34...
Richards Group Inc. ( RIC:CA ) declares CAD 0.11/share monthly dividend , in line with previous. Payable April 14; for shareholders of record March 31; ex-div March 31. See RIC:CA Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Richards Group Inc. Historical earnings data for Richards Group Inc. Dividend scorecard for Richards Group Inc. Financial information for Richards Group Inc.
Richards Group Inc. ( RIC:CA ) declares CAD 0.11/share monthly dividend , in line with previous. Payable April 14; for shareholders of record March 31; ex-div March 31. See RIC:CA Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Richards Group Inc. Historical earnings data for Richards Group Inc. Dividend scorecard for Richards Group Inc. Financial information for Richards Group Inc.
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images U.S. bank regulators approved UBS Group's ( UBS ) application for a national bank charter on Friday, allowing the Swiss bank to broaden its wealth management arm's U.S. customer base beyond the superrich clients it has traditionally served, according to a media report on Friday. Allowing UBS ( UBS ) to offer full-service banking in the U.S. should help i...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images U.S. bank regulators approved UBS Group's ( UBS ) application for a national bank charter on Friday, allowing the Swiss bank to broaden its wealth management arm's U.S. customer base beyond the superrich clients it has traditionally served, according to a media report on Friday. Allowing UBS ( UBS ) to offer full-service banking in the U.S. should help increase its scale and improve its profit margins in a region with a high-cost base, the Wall Street Journal reported. The bank is hoping that offering a range of checking and savings account services will bring in new clients and get existing ones to consolidate their finances at the bank. UBS ( UBS ) is seeking to appeal to affluent and not-quite ultrawealthy clients, in addition to its traditional superrich base, the report said. In 2025, the Americas accounted for $1.6B, or about 25%, of Global Wealth Management's $6.3B of underlying profit before tax, excluding litigation. By comparison, the EMEA region, Switzerland, and APAC regions each contributed ~$1.5B to GWM. The expansion in the U.S. may also help to offset the pain of much stricter new capital rules proposed in Switzerland. The rules could require UBS ( UBS ) to increase its capital by more than $20B to protect it from a collapse similar to the one rival Credit Suisse suffered in 2023. UBS acquired Credit Suisse that year in a deal brokered by the Swiss government. UBS ( UBS ) stock fell 1.7% in Friday morning trading in the U.S. More on UBS Group AG UBS Group AG (UBSS:CA) Presents at European Financials Conference 2026 Transcript UBS: The Valuation Premium Over European Peers Is Unjustified UBS Group AG (UBSS:CA) Presents at UBS Financial Services Conference 2026 Transcript Swiss parliament topples proposed bill to limit executive bonuses in financial sector - report UBS proposes 22% dividend hike to $1.10; plans $3B share buyback for 2026
Seaport Chief Equity Strategist Jonathan Golub says global markets are taking volatility in stride. He says if markets were panicking, stocks would be lower. He speaks on "Bloomberg Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg)
Seaport Chief Equity Strategist Jonathan Golub says global markets are taking volatility in stride. He says if markets were panicking, stocks would be lower. He speaks on "Bloomberg Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg)
Lennox ( LII ) declares $1.30/share quarterly dividend , in line with previous. Forward yield 1.11% Payable April 15; for shareholders of record March 31; ex-div March 31. See LII Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Lennox Lennox International Inc. (LII) Analyst/Investor Day Transcript Lennox International Inc. (LII) Analyst/Investor Day - Slideshow Lennox International Inc...
Lennox ( LII ) declares $1.30/share quarterly dividend , in line with previous. Forward yield 1.11% Payable April 15; for shareholders of record March 31; ex-div March 31. See LII Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Lennox Lennox International Inc. (LII) Analyst/Investor Day Transcript Lennox International Inc. (LII) Analyst/Investor Day - Slideshow Lennox International Inc. (LII) Presents at Barclays 43rd Annual Industrial Select Conference Transcript Lennox reaffirms 2026 outlook at investor day Housing slump weighs on manufacturers, but executives see signs of a turn
The hairdryers were allegedly used to remove serial number stickers from the real boxes and affix them to the ‘dummy’ servers The founder of an $18bn (£13.5bn) technology company has been arrested by the FBI and charged with smuggling billions of dollars of AI microchips to China, after investigators caught conspirators using a hairdryer to remove tracking labels. The US Department of Justice said...
The hairdryers were allegedly used to remove serial number stickers from the real boxes and affix them to the ‘dummy’ servers The founder of an $18bn (£13.5bn) technology company has been arrested by the FBI and charged with smuggling billions of dollars of AI microchips to China, after investigators caught conspirators using a hairdryer to remove tracking labels. The US Department of Justice said it had charged 71-year-old Yih-Shyan Liaw, one of the co-founders of semiconductor company Supermicro, as well as two other men, with violating export control laws. In total, they smuggled $2.5bn worth of Nvidia technology to China, prosecutors said. Authorities said they fooled inspectors by replacing real servers with boxes of fake alternatives. They were then stored in a warehouse while the genuine parts were shipped to China. The scheme allegedly involved using hairdryers to remove serial number stickers from the real boxes and affix them to the “dummy” servers. The group allegedly fabricated documents to give the impression that a non-Chinese company was the ultimate recipient of the hardware, allowing them to pass internal checks. Surveillance footage shows thousands of boxes lined up, allegedly the fake servers used to fool inspectors, and a woman holding a red hairdryer. The US closely regulates the export of Nvidia AI chips as it seeks to maintain a lead in artificial intelligence compared with China and prevent Beijing’s military from getting access to the most cutting-edge technology. Multiple smuggling rings and attempts to steal technology have been uncovered in the US and Taiwan in recent years, where many of the chips are manufactured. Surveillance footage shows thousands of boxes lined up, containing the alleged fake servers used to fool inspectors However, Thursday’s indictment is unusual for including Mr Liaw, a US citizen who co-founded Supermicro 33 years ago in Silicon Valley. The company has not been charged but shares fell by 25pc in after-hours trad...
Alibaba (BABA) released its earnings for the fiscal Q3 2026 yesterday, March 19, before U.S. markets opened. The results fell short of expectations, and the company missed on both the top line and the bottom line. It was incidentally the third consecutive quarter where Alibaba missed estimates, and while the stock had risen after fiscal Q1 2026 earnings on optimism about its artificial intelligenc...
Alibaba (BABA) released its earnings for the fiscal Q3 2026 yesterday, March 19, before U.S. markets opened. The results fell short of expectations, and the company missed on both the top line and the bottom line. It was incidentally the third consecutive quarter where Alibaba missed estimates, and while the stock had risen after fiscal Q1 2026 earnings on optimism about its artificial intelligence (AI) business, markets seem to have finally had it with the earnings misses. Talking of fiscal Q3, its revenues (after adjusting for disposed assets) rose 9% year-over-year (YoY) to $40.7 billion, which was slightly below estimates. The real miss, meanwhile, came on profit metrics, and its per-share earnings came in at $0.85, which was less than half what analysts were expecting. Notably, markets did not expect much from Alibaba in the December quarter, but the company failed to clear even the low bar, with operating income falling 74% YoY. The company’s profits also plunged in the previous quarter due to growing investments in AI and continued losses in the instant commerce business. One bright spot in Alibaba’s Q4 report was the 36% YoY rise in cloud revenues, with AI-related revenues rising in triple digits for the tenth consecutive quarter. However, while markets overlooked the dip in profits in the previous two quarters, this time the “AI story” failed to cut ice with investors, who sent the stock south by over 7% yesterday. After the post-earnings slump, BABA stock has extended its year-to-date (YTD) drawdown to over 31%. While AI-related announcements helped tech stocks rally in the previous three years, markets now want to see adequate earnings growth to justify the massive investments they are making. The story has been playing out in U.S. tech stocks for the last couple of quarters, and it was about time it manifested in China. BABA Stock Forecast Meanwhile, even as Alibaba’s fiscal Q3 earnings spooked investors, sell-side analysts don’t seem too perturbed. Jeff...
Adam Gault/OJO Images via Getty Images Large-cap value stocks are drawing renewed attention as investors look for more reliable equity hedges in a volatile market environment, with quality-focused names increasingly seen as better positioned to withstand elevated uncertainty, according to Bank of America. The bank said that when volatility indicators such as the VIX remain elevated, stocks with st...
Adam Gault/OJO Images via Getty Images Large-cap value stocks are drawing renewed attention as investors look for more reliable equity hedges in a volatile market environment, with quality-focused names increasingly seen as better positioned to withstand elevated uncertainty, according to Bank of America. The bank said that when volatility indicators such as the VIX remain elevated, stocks with stable earnings, strong balance sheets, and consistent cash flows have historically outperformed their lower-quality peers in a persistent and monotonic relationship. Bank of America added that large-cap value stocks now screen higher on quality metrics than growth, marking a shift from the past decade when growth dominated on profitability measures. One way investors are gaining exposure to that theme is through large-cap value benchmarks such as the iShares S&P 500 Value ETF ( IVE ), which includes companies like Apple, Amazon, Exxon Mobil, Walmart, Costco, Tesla, Procter & Gamble, Home Depot, Chevron, and Bank of America. The fund holds a portfolio of 448 stocks. Below is a look at IVE’s top 10 holdings, ranked by market cap, along with each company’s year-to-date performance and quant rating. Here is the list in the order of their market cap: Apple ( AAPL ) Quant Rating: 3.48, YTD: -8.42% Amazon ( AMZN ) Quant Rating: 4.75, YTD: -9.56% Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) Quant Rating: 3.48, YTD: +31.43% Walmart ( WMT ) Quant Rating: 3.39, YTD: +8.69% Costco ( COST ) Quant Rating: 3.43, YTD: +13.04% Tesla ( TSLA ) Quant Rating: 3.26, YTD: -15.44% Procter & Gamble ( PG ) Quant Rating: 3.22, YTD: +1.07% Home Depot ( HD ) Quant Rating: 3.22, YTD: -4.62% Chevron ( CVX ) Quant Rating: 4.86, YTD: +32.17% Bank of America ( BAC ) Quant Rating: 3.25, YTD: -14.53% More on iShares S&P 500 Value ETF When Value Becomes Momentum: Why Value ETFs No Longer Hedge Market Risk Biggest surge of value stocks vs. growth in four years – Jeremy Siegel More on the tech selloff: It’s time for value as investors se...
Key Points Oracle is converting its massive backlog into revenue, which should accelerate growth in the next couple of years. The company's earnings growth potential and valuation suggest it is likely to deliver healthy gains for investors. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › Shares of Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) have retreated 48% in the past six months, driven by concerns that the company is spending...
Key Points Oracle is converting its massive backlog into revenue, which should accelerate growth in the next couple of years. The company's earnings growth potential and valuation suggest it is likely to deliver healthy gains for investors. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › Shares of Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) have retreated 48% in the past six months, driven by concerns that the company is spending way too much to build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Oracle's decision to take on debt to fund the infrastructure buildout, along with its reliance on AI start-up OpenAI for a significant chunk of its backlog, has weighed on its shares in recent months. However, on March 10, Oracle stock received a nice shot in the arm after the company announced solid results for its fiscal 2026's third quarter (ended Feb. 28). 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 » Let's see why that was the case, and if the stock could go on a bull run from here and make investors richer over the next couple of years. Oracle's smart infrastructure strategy is reaping rewards Oracle's cloud infrastructure business is growing at a terrific pace. The company has been signing massive contracts with customers looking to run AI workloads in the cloud, and its backlog now stands at $553 billion. Oracle posted a 325% year-over-year increase in its remaining performance obligations (RPO) last quarter, which was much faster than the 22% year-over-year increase in its revenue to $17.2 billion. Oracle now needs to convert its RPO, which is the total value of contracts yet to be fulfilled at the end of a quarter, into revenue by building more data centers. That's why the company intends to raise $50 billion in debt and equity funding this year. Importantly, Oracle has already raised $30 billion of its target by issuing conve...
Shi Yongxin. Photo: IC Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of China’s famed Shaolin Temple, has been indicted on multiple criminal charges including bribery and misappropriation, about six months after the controversial monk came under investigation. On Friday, prosecutors in Xinxiang city, Henan province, indicted Shi — born Liu Yingcheng — on charges of corporate extortion, misappropriation of funds, ...
Shi Yongxin. Photo: IC Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of China’s famed Shaolin Temple, has been indicted on multiple criminal charges including bribery and misappropriation, about six months after the controversial monk came under investigation. On Friday, prosecutors in Xinxiang city, Henan province, indicted Shi — born Liu Yingcheng — on charges of corporate extortion, misappropriation of funds, accepting bribes as a non-state worker, and offering bribes, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
VivoPower ( Nasdaq: VIVO ) on Friday said its CEO Kevin Chin and affiliated entities have begun converting about 2.96 million listed Class A ordinary shares into unlisted Class B shares, reducing the company’s public float. The Class B shares are non-tradable and carry enhanced voting rights. The move follows recent share purchases totaling about 2.65 million shares by board members, including Chi...
VivoPower ( Nasdaq: VIVO ) on Friday said its CEO Kevin Chin and affiliated entities have begun converting about 2.96 million listed Class A ordinary shares into unlisted Class B shares, reducing the company’s public float. The Class B shares are non-tradable and carry enhanced voting rights. The move follows recent share purchases totaling about 2.65 million shares by board members, including Chin. The company said the conversion is part of a broader strategy to minimize dilution and strengthen long-term shareholder alignment, following the termination of its at-the-market equity program and withdrawal of a $180 million shelf registration. VIVO is -0.84% to $2.35. Source: Press Release More on VivoPower International VivoPower announces executive departures amid data center strategy shift Most and least shorted utilities stocks with up to $2B market cap as of mid-Feb Financial information for VivoPower International
Ironvine Capital Partners, an investment management company, released its Q4 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Ironvine Capital Partners emphasized in its latest investor letter that long-term equity returns are ultimately driven by underlying earnings growth, noting that businesses held across its portfolios increased earnings between 12% and 16% in 2025, while ho...
Ironvine Capital Partners, an investment management company, released its Q4 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Ironvine Capital Partners emphasized in its latest investor letter that long-term equity returns are ultimately driven by underlying earnings growth, noting that businesses held across its portfolios increased earnings between 12% and 16% in 2025, while holdings have compounded profits at roughly 15%–18% annually over the past nine years. The firm expects another year of mid-teens earnings growth across its companies in 2026, supported by durable competitive advantages, reinvestment opportunities, and structural industry tailwinds. Performance for the Ironvine Concentrated Equity Composite returned 11.27% in 2025, compared with 17.88% for the S&P 500 Index, while the Ironvine Core Equity Composite gained 9.68% during the year. The letter highlighted several major portfolio holdings benefiting from trends such as cloud computing expansion, aerospace maintenance demand, datacenter and semiconductor growth tied to artificial intelligence, resilient credit markets, the continued digitization of payments, and the global need for enterprise software and risk-management services. Despite acknowledging uncertainties ranging from regulatory developments to cyclical industry conditions, the firm remains confident that owning durable, high-quality businesses with strong reinvestment opportunities can generate double-digit long-term returns even if market valuations moderate. Please review the Portfolio’s top five holdings to gain insights into their key selections for 2025. In its fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter, Ironvine Capital Partners highlighted stocks like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology leader driven by its cloud computing platform Azure, enterprise software products, and expanding artificial intelligence initiatives. The one-month return of Microsoft Corporatio...
Bloomberg's Michael Ball discusses the complex dynamics affecting option traders and market makers as Wall Street approaches a significant triple-witching expiry involving $5.7 trillion in open interest. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg's Michael Ball discusses the complex dynamics affecting option traders and market makers as Wall Street approaches a significant triple-witching expiry involving $5.7 trillion in open interest. (Source: Bloomberg)
vzphotos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images (vzphotos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images) Quick Read Micron (MU) guided Q2 FY2026 non-GAAP EPS of $8.42 and non-GAAP gross margins of 68%, with Street estimates implying $19.15 EPS for next quarter versus consensus of $11.70, while the stock trades at just 14x forward P/E despite 175% year-over-year earnings growth and four consecutive quarters of ...
vzphotos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images (vzphotos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images) Quick Read Micron (MU) guided Q2 FY2026 non-GAAP EPS of $8.42 and non-GAAP gross margins of 68%, with Street estimates implying $19.15 EPS for next quarter versus consensus of $11.70, while the stock trades at just 14x forward P/E despite 175% year-over-year earnings growth and four consecutive quarters of EPS beats. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra forecast the HBM market expanding from $35B in 2025 to $100B by 2028 with industry supply remaining substantially short of demand, positioning Micron’s locked-in calendar 2026 HBM commitments to drive significant margin expansion and revenue growth. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) has been one of the most explosive stories in semiconductors over the past year. Shares have surged 355% over the past twelve months, climbing from $101.39 to $461.73 as of March 18. Year-to-date, the stock is up 61.78%. The catalyst is straightforward: Micron is at the center of the AI memory supercycle, and its numbers are proving it. The question is whether shares can reach a significantly higher level in the year ahead. Wall Street Is Bullish, But Already Behind The analyst consensus price target sits at $432.49, actually below where the stock trades today. That's not bearish sentiment so much as Wall Street getting lapped by reality. Of 43 analysts covering MU, 38 rate it a buy and just 2 rate it a sell. The forward P/E sits at just 14x, an almost absurdly low multiple for a company growing earnings at 175% year-over-year. Micron has beaten EPS estimates in each of the last four quarters, by 21.33%, 5.94%, 18.94%, and 9.49% respectively. When a company beats this consistently, actual results will almost certainly exceed current forecasts. Read: Data Shows One Habit Doubles American’s Savings And Boosts Retirement Most A...