Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the best growth stocks to buy right now. On March 16, Hyundai Motor Group, Kia, and Nvidia announced an expanded partnership to accelerate the development of next-gen autonomous driving systems. By using the Nvidia DRIVE Hyperion platform, the collaboration aims to combine Hyundai’s software-defined vehicle/SDV expertise and massive fleet data with Nvidia...
Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the best growth stocks to buy right now. On March 16, Hyundai Motor Group, Kia, and Nvidia announced an expanded partnership to accelerate the development of next-gen autonomous driving systems. By using the Nvidia DRIVE Hyperion platform, the collaboration aims to combine Hyundai’s software-defined vehicle/SDV expertise and massive fleet data with Nvidia’s AI and accelerated computing power. This unified framework is designed to support a scalable autonomous stack, ranging from Level 2+ driver assistance in production vehicles to Level 4 robotaxi innovation through Hyundai’s JV, Motional. The partnership focuses on a data-driven development cycle. By using real-world data collected from Hyundai and Kia’s global vehicle fleets, the companies will train and refine AI models in simulation and then deploy them back into vehicles. This continuous loop allows the autonomous systems to learn and improve based on diverse, real-world driving conditions, significantly shortening the timeline for validating and scaling advanced safety features. Nvidia (NVDA), Hyundai, Kia Expand Partnership for Next-Gen Autonomous Systems Key leaders from both organizations emphasized that this milestone is critical for realizing a vision of safe, reliable mobility. The integration of Nvidia Corporation’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) AI infrastructure into Hyundai’s vehicle engineering leadership is expected to differentiate its technological competitiveness in the rapidly evolving SDV market. This move ensures that as vehicles transition into computers on wheels, they possess the necessary processing power to handle the complex computations required for high-level autonomy and intelligent cabin experiences. Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is a data center scale AI infrastructure company that operates through two segments: Compute & Networking and Graphics. While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upsi...
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - Get Free Report)'s stock price dropped 1% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $305.55 and last traded at $306.30. Approximately 13,768,876 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 37% from the average daily volume of 21,716,037 shares. The stock had previously closed at $309.41. Get Alphabet alerts: Sign Up Key Headlines Impacting Alphabet Here are the k...
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - Get Free Report)'s stock price dropped 1% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $305.55 and last traded at $306.30. Approximately 13,768,876 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 37% from the average daily volume of 21,716,037 shares. The stock had previously closed at $309.41. Get Alphabet alerts: Sign Up Key Headlines Impacting Alphabet Here are the key news stories impacting Alphabet this week: Positive Sentiment: Wiz acquisition strengthens Google Cloud's security offering and AI-driven enterprise pitch—helps competitive positioning vs. AWS/Azure and supports longer‑term cloud revenue growth. GOOGL's Wiz buyout Wiz acquisition strengthens Google Cloud's security offering and AI-driven enterprise pitch—helps competitive positioning vs. AWS/Azure and supports longer‑term cloud revenue growth. Positive Sentiment: Procurement talks with Chinese cooling suppliers (Envicool and others) signal efforts to cut AI data‑center costs and accelerate capacity buildout—supports AI/service margin expansion and faster deployment of generative AI workloads. Google talks with Envicool Procurement talks with Chinese cooling suppliers (Envicool and others) signal efforts to cut AI data‑center costs and accelerate capacity buildout—supports AI/service margin expansion and faster deployment of generative AI workloads. Positive Sentiment: Rebuilt ties with the U.S. Defense Department and favorable positioning for Pentagon AI work reduce competitive friction that rivals face—potentially opens stable government contract revenues. Google and the Pentagon Rebuilt ties with the U.S. Defense Department and favorable positioning for Pentagon AI work reduce competitive friction that rivals face—potentially opens stable government contract revenues. Positive Sentiment: Product moves like the Stitch redesign (turning plain‑language ideas into high‑fidelity interfaces) are being framed as disruptive to incumbents (e.g., Adobe), highlighting Alphabet's ...
The dollar index (DXY00) on Wednesday rose by +0.51%. The dollar recovered from early losses today and turned higher after US Feb producer prices rose more than expected, a hawkish factor for Fed policy. Also, signs of escalation in the Iran war knocked stocks lower and boosted liquidity demand for the dollar after Iran said it will target energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE ...
The dollar index (DXY00) on Wednesday rose by +0.51%. The dollar recovered from early losses today and turned higher after US Feb producer prices rose more than expected, a hawkish factor for Fed policy. Also, signs of escalation in the Iran war knocked stocks lower and boosted liquidity demand for the dollar after Iran said it will target energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE in retaliation for US and Israeli airstrikes on its South Pars gas field and its Asaluyeh oil industry facilities. The dollar raced to its high on Wednesday afternoon when the FOMC raised its US 2026 GDP and inflation forecasts, and after Fed Chair Powell said there will be no Fed rate cut unless there is progress on inflation. US Feb PPI final demand rose +0.7% m/m and +3.4% y/y, stronger than expectations of +0.3% m/m and +3.0% y/y. Feb PPI ex-food and energy rose +0.5% m/m and +3.9% y/y, stronger than expectations of +0.3% m/m and +3.7% y/y, with the +3.9% y/y gain the largest year-on-year increase in 13 months. Join 200K+ Subscribers: US Jan factory orders rose +0.1% m/m, right on expectations. As expected, the FOMC voted 11-1 to keep the fed funds target range unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% and said, "US economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace, and inflation remains somewhat elevated." The Fed boosted its 2026 US GDP forecast to 2.4% from 2.3% and raised its 2026 US core PCE projection to 2.7% from 2.5%. The FOMC kept its year-end 2026 federal funds rate projection at 3.375%, implying one quarter point (25 bp) interest rate cut this year. Fed Chair Powell said higher energy prices will push up overall inflation, and if we don't see progress on lower inflation, we "won't see a rate cut." Swaps markets are discounting the odds at 0% for a -25 bp rate cut at the April 28-29 FOMC meeting. The dollar continues to be undercut by a poor outlook for interest rate differentials, with the FOMC expected to cut interest rates by at least -25 bp in 2026, while the BOJ and...
Revenue of $23.86 billion versus $13.64 billion for the prior quarter and $8.05 billion for the same period last year GAAP net income of $13.79 billion, or $12.07 per diluted share Non-GAAP net income of $14.02 billion, or $12.20 per diluted share Operating cash flow of $11.90 billion versus $8.41 billion for the prior quarter and $3.94 billion for the same period last year Micron Technology, Inc....
Revenue of $23.86 billion versus $13.64 billion for the prior quarter and $8.05 billion for the same period last year GAAP net income of $13.79 billion, or $12.07 per diluted share Non-GAAP net income of $14.02 billion, or $12.20 per diluted share Operating cash flow of $11.90 billion versus $8.41 billion for the prior quarter and $3.94 billion for the same period last year Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) today announced results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended February 26, 2026."Micron set new records across revenue, gross margin, EPS, and free cash flow in fiscal Q2, driven by a strong demand environment, tight industry supply, and our strong execution, and we expect significant records again in fiscal Q3," said Sanjay Mehrotra, Chairman, President and CEO of Micron Technology. "In the AI era, memory has become a strategic asset for our customers, and we are investing in our global manufacturing footprint to support their growing demand. Reflecting confidence in the sustained strength of our business, our board has approved a 30% increase in our quarterly dividend."For the second quarter of 2026, investments in capital expenditures, net were $5.0 billion and adjusted free cash flow was $6.9 billion. Micron ended the quarter with cash, marketable investments, and restricted cash of $16.7 billion. On March 18, 2026, Micron's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share, payable in cash on April 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 30, 2026.
Eastern Metals Ltd (ASX: EMS) (Eastern Metals or the Company) (to be renamed Raptor Metals Ltd (ASX: RAP)) is pleased to advise it has recommenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) today following its acquisition of Raptor Resources Limited (Raptor Resources). HIGHLIGHTS... Keep Reading...
Eastern Metals Ltd (ASX: EMS) (Eastern Metals or the Company) (to be renamed Raptor Metals Ltd (ASX: RAP)) is pleased to advise it has recommenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) today following its acquisition of Raptor Resources Limited (Raptor Resources). HIGHLIGHTS... Keep Reading...
aapsky/iStock via Getty Images Applied Energetics ( AERG ) has lost 2.8% since I reiterated my sell rating for the stock. The company is working on high efficiency laser weapons, which I believe is extremely relevant with the eye on the developments in Iran and its neighbouring countries. However, while the company does have a somewhat promising technology, I do believe that as an early-stage comp...
aapsky/iStock via Getty Images Applied Energetics ( AERG ) has lost 2.8% since I reiterated my sell rating for the stock. The company is working on high efficiency laser weapons, which I believe is extremely relevant with the eye on the developments in Iran and its neighbouring countries. However, while the company does have a somewhat promising technology, I do believe that as an early-stage company and with its current funds it is too exposed for a comfortable investment and even a speculative buy may be too optimistic. There Is A Huge Market For Lasers, But Commercialization Is Far Away Applied Energetics Applied Energetics focuses on laser technology applicable in the national security domain and commercial domain. Lasers can be used for directed energy weapons, counter-drone systems and directed infrared countermeasures. In the commercial domain the ultrashort pulse lasers can be used in commercial, manufacturing and medical fields. Summing all markets, we get to an addressable market of roughly $175 billion of which $53.8 billion is in the national security domain. Applied Energetics The market for lasers is huge, but I would argue that risks for companies like Applied Energetics are large too. We see that the company sees an opportunity for a military technological breakout and I believe they are not wrong in that regard. However, they are not the only provider of high energy lasers to be used in the military domain. Lockheed Martin already has HELs integrated with the AEGIS system on ships and AeroVironment has started the roll out of its counter-drone laser system . Where Applied Energetics expects it has an edge is on their ultra-short pulse laser approach in the military domain. In the commercial domain, ultra-short pulse lasers are already widely applied. So, the $175 billion market likely will be hard to penetration with most of the chances in the military domain and even then they are not a front-runner. That should drive power consumption down to 1% o...
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies are being challenged by artificial intelligence (AI) models that can perform tasks previously dependent on enterprise software. And as AI-powered tools enable users to do more with less, enterprise clients may need fewer subscriptions, potentially slowing user growth for SaaS giants. The sell-off in software companies has intensified in 2026, with many high-p...
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies are being challenged by artificial intelligence (AI) models that can perform tasks previously dependent on enterprise software. And as AI-powered tools enable users to do more with less, enterprise clients may need fewer subscriptions, potentially slowing user growth for SaaS giants. The sell-off in software companies has intensified in 2026, with many high-profile names from Salesforce to ServiceNow hitting multi-year lows. Application software is a key part of Oracle's (ORCL 1.16%) business. But the company is now a major player in infrastructure software as well, with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) on track to make up the vast majority of Oracle's revenue over the next few years. Here's why Oracle believes it can thrive in the AI age, and whether the growth stock is a buy now. Oracle's bold bet comes at a high price Oracle has transitioned from a software licensing business to a high-margin, subscription-based database and database management software company, to now a major player in cloud computing, with OCI building new, fast, and ultra-efficient data centers specifically engineered for high-performance computing and AI applications. The numbers speak for themselves. In Oracle's latest quarter (third-quarter fiscal 2026), cloud infrastructure-as-a-service and SaaS revenue was $8.9 billion -- up 44% year over year. Cloud computing now makes up a little over half of Oracle's total revenue. And Oracle is forecasting total revenue to jump to $90 billion in fiscal 2027, up from an expected $67 billion in fiscal 2026. Oracle's data center spending is reflected in its soaring capital expenditures (capex). But operating cash flow isn't growing nearly as quickly. As a result, Oracle's debt has exploded higher, especially in the last year, while free cash flow (FCF) has fallen off a cliff. Expand NYSE : ORCL Oracle Today's Change ( -1.16 %) $ -1.79 Current Price $ 152.90 Key Data Points Market Cap $445B Day's Range $ 152.04 - $ ...
Since the start of the year, Alliant Energy's (LNT 1.14%) stock has surged 12.4%, outpacing the S&P 500 by a wide margin. (The S&P 500 is down 1.9% year to date.) The utility stock has enjoyed strong momentum, hitting a new all-time high amid positive developments. Here are three tailwinds fueling Alliant Energy's stock. Expand NASDAQ : LNT Alliant Energy Today's Change ( -1.14 %) $ -0.83 Current ...
Since the start of the year, Alliant Energy's (LNT 1.14%) stock has surged 12.4%, outpacing the S&P 500 by a wide margin. (The S&P 500 is down 1.9% year to date.) The utility stock has enjoyed strong momentum, hitting a new all-time high amid positive developments. Here are three tailwinds fueling Alliant Energy's stock. Expand NASDAQ : LNT Alliant Energy Today's Change ( -1.14 %) $ -0.83 Current Price $ 71.80 Key Data Points Market Cap $19B Day's Range $ 71.73 - $ 72.35 52wk Range $ 57.09 - $ 73.41 Volume 82K Avg Vol 2.5M Gross Margin 26.24 % Dividend Yield 2.83 % 1. Data center energy demand is driving strong growth The primary growth driver for Alliant Energy is the influx of data centers in the U.S. Midwest. Analysts with Wells Fargo have noted that Wisconsin and Iowa are hotspots for data center developments. Notably, Alliant Energy's ability to manage large-scale power demand in the region is highly appealing for data center developers. The company has already secured land zoned for industrial use and has existing access for fiber and transmission networks, so hyperscalers don't need to wait for lengthy transmission line construction. Alliant has executed four Electric Service Agreements (ESA) totaling 3 gigawatts (GW) of load with hyperscaler customers. These contracts are expected to drive a 50% growth in peak demand by 2030. Three of the four contracted data center projects are already under construction -- two in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and one in Beaver Dam, WI. Alliant is also in active negotiations for an additional 2 to 4 GW of large load growth opportunities, which could drive even more growth for the utility provider. 2. Favorable regulations provide visibility into future growth Another thing analysts have highlighted is Alliant's advantageous regulatory position. The regulatory environment in Iowa and Wisconsin is more "utility-friendly," helping provide stability and mitigate some risks. In Wisconsin, the government sets electricity prices two years i...
Key Points Oracle is increasingly well positioned to benefit from AI through its infrastructure software segment and by embedding AI into its applications. Oracle’s leverage adds risk to the investment thesis. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies are being challenged by artificial intelligence (AI) models that can perform tasks previously dependent on enter...
Key Points Oracle is increasingly well positioned to benefit from AI through its infrastructure software segment and by embedding AI into its applications. Oracle’s leverage adds risk to the investment thesis. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies are being challenged by artificial intelligence (AI) models that can perform tasks previously dependent on enterprise software. And as AI-powered tools enable users to do more with less, enterprise clients may need fewer subscriptions, potentially slowing user growth for SaaS giants. The sell-off in software companies has intensified in 2026, with many high-profile names from Salesforce to ServiceNow hitting multi-year lows. 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 » Application software is a key part of Oracle's (NYSE: ORCL) business. But the company is now a major player in infrastructure software as well, with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) on track to make up the vast majority of Oracle's revenue over the next few years. Here's why Oracle believes it can thrive in the AI age, and whether the growth stock is a buy now. Oracle's bold bet comes at a high price Oracle has transitioned from a software licensing business to a high-margin, subscription-based database and database management software company, to now a major player in cloud computing, with OCI building new, fast, and ultra-efficient data centers specifically engineered for high-performance computing and AI applications. The numbers speak for themselves. In Oracle's latest quarter (third-quarter fiscal 2026), cloud infrastructure-as-a-service and SaaS revenue was $8.9 billion -- up 44% year over year. Cloud computing now makes up a little over half of Oracle's total revenue. And Oracle is forecasting total revenue to jump to $90 billion in fiscal...
Key Points Alliant Energy is benefiting from robust energy demand, thanks to the growing presence of artificial intelligence data centers. Favorable regulatory conditions in Iowa and Wisconsin attract hyperscalers and provide visibility into future earnings. Alliant is raising its capital expenditure forecast to expand capacity, including investments in natural gas, energy storage, and renewable e...
Key Points Alliant Energy is benefiting from robust energy demand, thanks to the growing presence of artificial intelligence data centers. Favorable regulatory conditions in Iowa and Wisconsin attract hyperscalers and provide visibility into future earnings. Alliant is raising its capital expenditure forecast to expand capacity, including investments in natural gas, energy storage, and renewable energy sources. 10 stocks we like better than Alliant Energy › Since the start of the year, Alliant Energy's (NASDAQ: LNT) stock has surged 12.4%, outpacing the S&P 500 by a wide margin. (The S&P 500 is down 1.9% year to date.) The utility stock has enjoyed strong momentum, hitting a new all-time high amid positive developments. Here are three tailwinds fueling Alliant Energy's stock. 1. Data center energy demand is driving strong growth The primary growth driver for Alliant Energy is the influx of data centers in the U.S. Midwest. Analysts with Wells Fargo have noted that Wisconsin and Iowa are hotspots for data center developments. 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 » Notably, Alliant Energy's ability to manage large-scale power demand in the region is highly appealing for data center developers. The company has already secured land zoned for industrial use and has existing access for fiber and transmission networks, so hyperscalers don't need to wait for lengthy transmission line construction. Alliant has executed four Electric Service Agreements (ESA) totaling 3 gigawatts (GW) of load with hyperscaler customers. These contracts are expected to drive a 50% growth in peak demand by 2030. Three of the four contracted data center projects are already under construction -- two in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and one in Beaver Dam, WI. Alliant is also in active negotiations for an additional 2 to 4 GW of l...
Jon Ferro, Lisa Abramowicz and Tom Keene host a special edition of "Bloomberg Surveillance" covering Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's remarks. Officials left interest rates unchanged and continue to expect one rate cut this year as they acknowledged increased uncertainty due to war in the Middle East. Powell states he plans to stay at the central bank until after a Justice Department investig...
Jon Ferro, Lisa Abramowicz and Tom Keene host a special edition of "Bloomberg Surveillance" covering Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's remarks. Officials left interest rates unchanged and continue to expect one rate cut this year as they acknowledged increased uncertainty due to war in the Middle East. Powell states he plans to stay at the central bank until after a Justice Department investigation into him and the central bank is complete. (Source: Bloomberg)
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), a digital banking and lending platform, closed Wednesday at $17.18, down 1.09%. The stock moved as investors weighed SoFi’s rebuttal to Muddy Waters’ short report and CEO Anthony Noto’s $500,000 insider share purchase, while monitoring ongoing regulatory and accounting scrutiny. Trading volume reached 80.7 million shares, coming in about 36% above its three-month a...
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), a digital banking and lending platform, closed Wednesday at $17.18, down 1.09%. The stock moved as investors weighed SoFi’s rebuttal to Muddy Waters’ short report and CEO Anthony Noto’s $500,000 insider share purchase, while monitoring ongoing regulatory and accounting scrutiny. Trading volume reached 80.7 million shares, coming in about 36% above its three-month average of 59.5 million shares. SoFi Technologies IPO'd in 2021 and has grown 41% since going public. How the markets moved today The S&P 500 fell 1.37% to 6,624, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.46% to finish at 22,152. Within financial technology and online banking, LendingClub closed at $13.31, down 5.70%, and Upstart ended at $25.83, sliding 7.19%, underscoring broader weakness across fintech lenders. What this means for investors One day after being the subject of a short-report from short-selling investment firm Muddy Waters, SoFi fired back, stating, “The claims made in the Muddy Waters report demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of our financial statements and business. We intend to explore potential legal action against Muddy Waters for the factually inaccurate and misleading report.” Muddy Waters responded, saying they’ve been sued before and remain “undefeated.” In what was viewed as a vote of confidence, CEO Anthony Noto purchased another $500,000 of SoFi stock yesterday, though this is a diminutive amount of shares compared to their total holdings, so investors shouldn’t overreact to this insider buying. As a SoFi shareholder, I’ll be monitoring the situation, but will just leave my shares alone for now. Should you buy stock in SoFi Technologies right now? Before you buy stock in SoFi Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and SoFi Technologies wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the comi...
Alexander Shapovalov/iStock Editorial via Getty Images March 18th was a pretty good day for shareholders of retailer Macy's, Inc. ( M ). The stock jumped around 5% even though markets were down. This came after management announced financial results for the final quarter of the company's 2025 fiscal year and guidance for 2026. Revenue, earnings per share, and adjusted earnings per share, all came ...
Alexander Shapovalov/iStock Editorial via Getty Images March 18th was a pretty good day for shareholders of retailer Macy's, Inc. ( M ). The stock jumped around 5% even though markets were down. This came after management announced financial results for the final quarter of the company's 2025 fiscal year and guidance for 2026. Revenue, earnings per share, and adjusted earnings per share, all came in comfortably above what analysts were hoping to see. It helps that, especially relative to most other similar firms, the stock is trading on the cheap. In that sense, I am happy for investors and not surprised at the movement that the stock experienced. However, I do think investors would be wise to be cautious moving forward. Even though the stock still remains heavily discounted compared to most other comparable firms out there, and even though management has achieved some pretty remarkable success as of late, with plans to expand that success through 2026, the company still seems to be in a permanent state of decline. Even when we look to this year, the expectation is additional weakness, with revenue slated to fall and profitability likely to drop quite a bit. The good news is that the company's balance sheet is stronger than it has been in a very long time. But that alone is not enough to justify anything better than the ‘hold’ rating I assigned it in January of this year. A great quarter doesn’t change things Before the market opened on March 18th, the management team at Macy's announced financial results for the final quarter of the company's 2025 fiscal year. Compared to what analysts anticipated, it was actually a really great quarter. Yes, revenue did fall from $8.01 billion to $7.92 billion. But that still ended up being $130 million above what analysts were hoping to see . According to the company, comparable sales rose by 1.8%, with comparable store sales up 1.5%. Author - SEC EDGAR Data When we dig deeper, we see some really impressive results for some parts...
Henrik Sorensen/DigitalVision via Getty Images What is Going on With OBDC? After initiating coverage on the alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital ( OWL ) in December 2025 and updating my investment thesis last month, I now turn my attention to its associated business development company, or BDC, called Blue Owl Capital Corporation ( OBDC ). After multiple negative material developments, Blue ...
Henrik Sorensen/DigitalVision via Getty Images What is Going on With OBDC? After initiating coverage on the alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital ( OWL ) in December 2025 and updating my investment thesis last month, I now turn my attention to its associated business development company, or BDC, called Blue Owl Capital Corporation ( OBDC ). After multiple negative material developments, Blue Owl's share price is down by ~30% since my initial coverage. While it may look like a compelling buying opportunity to some, my perspective is different, as I believe we might be in the early stages of a credit downcycle. Blue Owl Capital Previous Coverage (Seeking Alpha, David Desjardins) Before going any further, it is important to make a clear distinction between OWL and OBDC, as they are two separate publicly listed entities with completely different risk and return profiles despite their similar names. As indicated in its 2025 10-K filing , OBDC does not have any employees, given that all the services required for business operations are provided by employees of the adviser, which is OWL in this particular case. The same relationship exists between the alternative asset manager Ares Management ( ARES ), which I initiated just a few days ago, and its associated BDC called Ares Capital ( ARCC ), which I also plan to write about in the coming days. Another example would be Blackstone ( BX ) and its publicly listed BDC, the Blackstone Secured Lending Fund ( BXSL ). Future Standard and KKR ( KKR ) are also involved in the game with FS KKR Capital Corporation ( FSK ). In my view, looking at both the manager and the BDC provides a more thorough look at what is truly going on in private credit in general and in direct lending in particular. BDCs Relative Share Price Performance (Seeking Alpha, David Desjardins) Financial Overview As indicated in the table below, OBDC paid management, incentive, and professional fees totaling $428.1 million to its manager, OWL, for the full yea...
narvo vexar Independent Bank Corp. ( IBCP ) agreed to acquire HCB Financial ( HCBN ), the parent of Highpoint Community Bank, in a cash and stock transaction valued at $70.2M, the companies said on Wednesday. The transaction bolsters Independent's ( IBCP ) footprint in the high-growth corridor of Grand Rapids to Lansing, Michigan. Based on financial data as of Dec. 31, 2025, the combined company w...
narvo vexar Independent Bank Corp. ( IBCP ) agreed to acquire HCB Financial ( HCBN ), the parent of Highpoint Community Bank, in a cash and stock transaction valued at $70.2M, the companies said on Wednesday. The transaction bolsters Independent's ( IBCP ) footprint in the high-growth corridor of Grand Rapids to Lansing, Michigan. Based on financial data as of Dec. 31, 2025, the combined company will have ~$6.1B in total assets, $5.3B in total deposits, and $4.7B in total loans. Under the terms of the agreement, Independent ( IBCP ) will issue 1.590 shares of its common stock plus $17.51 in cash for each outstanding share of HCBN. Based on IBCP's closing price of $33.13 on March 17, 2026, the deal values each HCBN share at ~$70.19, or about a 73% premium to its closing price of $40.40 on Tuesday. The acquisition is expected to be ~6% accretive to Independent's ( IBCP ) 2027 EPS, assuming fully phased-in synergies. The estimated tangible book value per share dilution of 4% at closing is expected to be earned back in ~3.4 years. More on Independent Bank Independent Bank Corporation (IBCP) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Independent Bank projects 4.5% to 5.5% loan growth for 2026 as commercial pipeline remains robust Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Independent Bank Historical earnings data for Independent Bank Dividend scorecard for Independent Bank
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference following a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 18, 2026. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Federal Reserve on Wednesday voted to hold its benchmark interest rate steady , while adjusting its projections for the economy and the future path of monetary policy...
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference following a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 18, 2026. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Federal Reserve on Wednesday voted to hold its benchmark interest rate steady , while adjusting its projections for the economy and the future path of monetary policy. In addition, Chair Jerome Powell covered a variety of topics in his post-meeting news conference. Here are the five top takeaways: 1. Lots of uncertainty While no one expected the Fed to cut — much less hike — at this meeting, the market always looks for clues about what's next. Neither the post-meeting statement, the update on economic projections, nor Powell's news conference provided much in that regard. The statement saw only minor tweaks, the "dot plot" saw a modest dovish shift, and Powell used some form of "uncertain" more than half a dozen times. 2. The war is a problem Forecasting the future and modeling policy at a time when the U.S. is at war with Iran is nearly impossible, Powell said. He faced repeated questions about the oil shock, and mostly emphasized how much it has muddied the waters for the Fed. "The thing I really want to emphasize is that nobody knows," he said. "The economic effects could be bigger, they could be smaller, they could be much smaller or much bigger. We just don't know." 3. Cuts coming, but timing is highly uncertain The dot plot still pointed to one more cut this year and another next year. But the grid looked more like a maze than a consensus, underlining just how little underlying consensus exists on the Federal Open Market Committee. For instance: In 2027 , one official sees a hike, three see no change from the current level, four expect another cut, six see two more cuts, three forecast three cuts, one official sees four cuts, and a final participant — presumably Governor Stephen Miran — is at five. 4. Powell leaves door open to st...