Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Overview Developing-nation stocks posted gains in the fourth quarter, supported by expectations for easier U.S. monetary policy following the Federal Reserve's mid-September rate cut. The asset class also benefited from the resilience of emerging economies, which have held up well despite shocks to global trade and other geopolitical headwinds. Against thi...
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Overview Developing-nation stocks posted gains in the fourth quarter, supported by expectations for easier U.S. monetary policy following the Federal Reserve's mid-September rate cut. The asset class also benefited from the resilience of emerging economies, which have held up well despite shocks to global trade and other geopolitical headwinds. Against this backdrop, the benchmark MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 4.73% for the quarter. The Wasatch Emerging Markets Select Fund—Investor Class produced a total return of 3.88%. Equities advanced in Taiwan and Korea as optimism about artificial intelligence ( AI ) coincided with strong demand across global supply chains for semiconductors and technology hardware. Meanwhile, China's stock market moved lower amid uneven economic conditions and ongoing policy restraint. As a result, underweight positioning in China was a source of strength against the benchmark, while underexposure to Korea worked against us. Stock selection in Taiwan improved relative results. Drawing on insights from our three research trips to the island in 2025, we repositioned the Fund's holdings to align more closely with opportunities across the AI ecosystem and semiconductor value chain. Those efforts proved effective during the fourth quarter, as our Taiwan stocks outpaced the benchmark's Taiwanese positions. The Fund's holdings in Mexico outperformed as well. Besides the underweight in Korea, sources of underperformance relative to the benchmark included holdings in Singapore and India. Although our Indian positions lagged, we were pleased to see India's stock market regain momentum following declines in the prior quarter. The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the data quoted. For the most recent month-end performance data, visit Wasatch Global Investors . Investment returns and principal ...
Bitcoin could reach between $5 million and $10 million, according to Electric Capital co-founder Avichal Garg. "It’s not that crazy," Garg said on an episode of the “When Shift Happens” podcast released on Feb. 12. Garg said his forecast is...
Bitcoin could reach between $5 million and $10 million, according to Electric Capital co-founder Avichal Garg. "It’s not that crazy," Garg said on an episode of the “When Shift Happens” podcast released on Feb. 12. Garg said his forecast is...
4kodiak/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images 2026 hasn't exactly started with a bang for the stock markets, with the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) staying flat YTD. It has been even worse for technology stocks, with both the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ) and Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF ( AIQ ), the biggest AI ETF by AUM, seeing a 3% drop . However, Amazon.com, Inc....
4kodiak/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images 2026 hasn't exactly started with a bang for the stock markets, with the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) staying flat YTD. It has been even worse for technology stocks, with both the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ) and Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF ( AIQ ), the biggest AI ETF by AUM, seeing a 3% drop . However, Amazon.com, Inc. ( AMZN ), the stock in focus here, has done worse than both the larger tech sector and AI as well (see chart below). Even if it's argued that Amazon is only partly a tech stock, with non-AWS segments still bringing in over 80% of the company's net sales as of 2025, it doesn't help. The stock's double-digit percentage drop YTD is also bigger than that for the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLY ). So here, I explore why the stock is sagging, but also why there might be upside ahead. Price Returns (YTD): AMZN, XLK, AIQ, XLY, SP500 (Source: Seeking Alpha) Why is Amazon Falling Fast? To find reasons for Amazon's decline, one need look no further than the latest results . While the numbers were alright on the surface, projections based on the latest developments indicate a need for caution. These are discussed in the four points below. #1. Risk of Net Income Contraction Amazon's net income grew at a robust 31%, supported by a 12% increase in net sales and expansion in net margin to 10.8% (2024: 9.3%). However, it's possible that net income could actually contract in 2026, as indicated by estimates based on fairly reasonable assumptions. Source: Amazon The first assumption is that net sales grow at the three-year average of 11.7%. This is a slightly conservative assumption considering that sales grew by 12.4% last year, and even at the midpoint of the company's guidance range for Q1 2026, a 13.1% YoY increase is expected. But it's not outside the realm of a likely possibility. The resulting revenue level is USD $801 billion. Next, the operating margi...
Merbe/E+ via Getty Images Reader Selections Since May 2017, any dividend-paying stock mentioned in a message, e-mail, or comment to the author has been fair game for a REader FAvorite listing in this series of articles. Thus, it is possible that only ROgues and discontinued or dreadful, doubtful, dividend issues may appear. Most valuable for the writer, however, are reader comments that catch erro...
Merbe/E+ via Getty Images Reader Selections Since May 2017, any dividend-paying stock mentioned in a message, e-mail, or comment to the author has been fair game for a REader FAvorite listing in this series of articles. Thus, it is possible that only ROgues and discontinued or dreadful, doubtful, dividend issues may appear. Most valuable for the writer, however, are reader comments that catch errors in calculations or changes in direction and figures to communicate. Examples include the reader who missed my "safer" dividend follow-up articles because they contain dividend payout ratios. However, the main subject of these articles is your stock ticker comments, whether they be about favorites or rogues. Be sure to mention a ticker when you comment. The more tickers, the better this article. The “safer” lists are now available on the regularly published side of Seeking Alpha, but that has added to confusion, since my IDEAL stocks come in two flavors: (1) not so safe and (2) safe, which is preferable since the dividends are paid from cash flow, not borrowed money. In June a reader asked if Qualified dividend stocks could be flagged. YCharts is taking that request up with their product development team. YCharts says: At this time we do not have a filter or screener criterion to identify stocks that explicitly pay "qualified dividends" per IRS standards. However, I am happy to pass along your feedback to our team if this is something that can be added on. I can't guarantee any changes, but they use feedback like that to help determine what enhancements should be added in future updates. My 10-year collection of Dogs of The Week portfolios is reserved for members of my Seeking Alpha Dividend Dogcatcher investing group subscribers, and a celebratory anniversary book is forthcoming. Still, every month readers have grumbled that they can’t find my ten Dog of the Week portfolios in my Dividend Dogcatcher service on the SA Marketplace (now called Investing Groups) site. Summar...
sshepard The CDC will delay an upcoming meeting of its vaccine advisory committee to March after a lawsuit challenging recent changes to the panel under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) which was previously set to take place from Feb. 26 to 26, wi...
sshepard The CDC will delay an upcoming meeting of its vaccine advisory committee to March after a lawsuit challenging recent changes to the panel under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) which was previously set to take place from Feb. 26 to 26, will now be held at some point in mid-March, the person said. An exact date for the meeting is not finalized yet, according to the person. The CDC, or its parent agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, declined to respond to Bloomberg’s requests for comment. The report comes after several leading medical groups urged a federal judge in Boston on Friday to bar the CDC from holding its next ACIP meeting, citing, among other things, RFK Jr.'s decision to handpick the committee members last year. More on Pfizer, Sanofi, etc. Pfizer: Recovery Isn't Over, Battered Valuation Still Discounts Its Turnaround Game Pfizer: The Rebound Looks Unsustainable GSK: Post-Pivot Buoyancy Set To Continue After Strong 2025 (Upgrade) China drug licensing deals surge nearly 10-fold in value since 2021 NIH director reportedly being tapped as acting CDC director
Apple TV has signed a distribution agreement with EverPass Media to bring the streamer's live sports content to businesses such as bars, restaurants, hotels and gyms.
Apple TV has signed a distribution agreement with EverPass Media to bring the streamer's live sports content to businesses such as bars, restaurants, hotels and gyms.
It might be time to pause the funeral dirge for software and services stocks. Artificial intelligence hasn’t killed them after all. In fact, companies are going out of their way to remind investors that AI is as much an opportunity as it is an existential threat. When design software developer Figma reported earnings Wednesday, it stressed that its own AI tools and partnerships with ChatGPT owner ...
It might be time to pause the funeral dirge for software and services stocks. Artificial intelligence hasn’t killed them after all. In fact, companies are going out of their way to remind investors that AI is as much an opportunity as it is an existential threat. When design software developer Figma reported earnings Wednesday, it stressed that its own AI tools and partnerships with ChatGPT owner OpenAI and Gemini parent Alphabet were boosting customer retention figures.
Lam Research opened a new office in Boise to work more closely with Micron Technology on R&D and manufacturing for advanced memory chips. The expansion supports Micron's DRAM production for AI focused applications and reflects Lam's role in front end equipment for memory fabrication. Micron recently recognized Lam Research as an Outstanding Front End Equipment Supplier, highlighting the depth of t...
Lam Research opened a new office in Boise to work more closely with Micron Technology on R&D and manufacturing for advanced memory chips. The expansion supports Micron's DRAM production for AI focused applications and reflects Lam's role in front end equipment for memory fabrication. Micron recently recognized Lam Research as an Outstanding Front End Equipment Supplier, highlighting the depth of the partnership. For investors tracking NasdaqGS:LRCX, this Boise expansion comes as the stock...
On February 17, 2026, Vision One Management Partners, LP disclosed a new position in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) , acquiring 393,303 shares in an estimated $11.43 million trade. According to a recent SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Vision One Management Partners reported a new position in Valvoline, purchasing 393,303 shares. The quarter-end value of the stake was $11.43 million, a figure that incorp...
On February 17, 2026, Vision One Management Partners, LP disclosed a new position in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) , acquiring 393,303 shares in an estimated $11.43 million trade. According to a recent SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Vision One Management Partners reported a new position in Valvoline, purchasing 393,303 shares. The quarter-end value of the stake was $11.43 million, a figure that incorporates both trading activity and share price changes. Valvoline is a leading provider of automotive maintenance products and services with a global footprint and a strong presence in North America. The company leverages its established retail network and franchise model to deliver consistent revenue streams from both product sales and recurring service visits. Its diversified product portfolio and extensive quick-lube service network position it competitively within the automotive aftermarket sector. Continue reading
In trading on Thursday, shares of Boeing Co.'s Despository Shares RPRSTG 6.00% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock (Symbol: BA.PRA) were yielding above the 4% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $3.00), with shares changing hands as low as $74.30 on th
In trading on Thursday, shares of Boeing Co.'s Despository Shares RPRSTG 6.00% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock (Symbol: BA.PRA) were yielding above the 4% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $3.00), with shares changing hands as low as $74.30 on th
In trading on Thursday, shares of Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp's 5.75% Non-Cumul Preferred Stock, Series E (Symbol: AGM.PRE) were yielding above the 6.5% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $1.4375), with shares changing hands as low as $22.07 on the day.
In trading on Thursday, shares of Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp's 5.75% Non-Cumul Preferred Stock, Series E (Symbol: AGM.PRE) were yielding above the 6.5% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $1.4375), with shares changing hands as low as $22.07 on the day.
Earnings Call Insights: Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Mitchell J. Krebs reported record full year silver and gold production increases of 57% and 23% year-over-year, respectively, citing the Rochester expansion, the SilverCrest acquisition, and strong performance from other North American operations as key drivers. He stated, "Our record fourth quarter results capped off an ...
Earnings Call Insights: Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Mitchell J. Krebs reported record full year silver and gold production increases of 57% and 23% year-over-year, respectively, citing the Rochester expansion, the SilverCrest acquisition, and strong performance from other North American operations as key drivers. He stated, "Our record fourth quarter results capped off an incredible year for the company that was full of all-time bests and record achievements." Krebs highlighted a 200% increase in full year EBITDA to over $1 billion and free cash flow rising to $666 million from negative $9 million in 2024. Year-end cash rose more than tenfold to $554 million, and net income increased tenfold to $586 million. The CEO emphasized the strategic impact of the upcoming New Gold transaction, noting, "With the expected first half closing of the New Gold transaction, 2026 will represent an even more significant step change in the quality, scale and resiliency of Coeur." Krebs projected, "We expect the combined company to generate approximately $3 billion of EBITDA and $2 billion of free cash flow on a full year run rate basis based on consensus commodity prices from last October." CFO Thomas Whelan remarked, "We saw a 66% increase in free cash flow to $313 million during Q4, highlighted by Rochester's $78 million of quarterly free cash flow. Adjusted EBITDA margin increased 63%, which was a 60% increase quarter-over-quarter." Senior VP & COO Michael Routledge added that all five mines achieved strong finishes, with Rochester delivering record quarterly crush tons and placed tons, and Las Chispas generating $79 million in quarterly free cash flow. Outlook Krebs disclosed that 2026 guidance expects a 10% year-over-year increase in silver production, reflecting a full year of Las Chispas and further improvements at Rochester. He stated, "Silver is expected to contribute approximately 42% of our total 2026 revenue based on current prices and the midpoint...
The police investigation into the king’s brother forces Britain to confront whether privilege can coexist with democratic scrutiny and the rule of law The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor the king’s brother, should be the moment deference ends and accountability begins – a correction long overdue. For more than 15 years, allegations surrounding Mr Mountbatten-Windsor were managed away by silen...
The police investigation into the king’s brother forces Britain to confront whether privilege can coexist with democratic scrutiny and the rule of law The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor the king’s brother, should be the moment deference ends and accountability begins – a correction long overdue. For more than 15 years, allegations surrounding Mr Mountbatten-Windsor were managed away by silence, an out-of-court settlement and his withdrawal from royal duties. In short, his behaviour was viewed as an image problem to be handled privately. That era now looks to be over. That the eighth in line to the throne was sitting in a police cell on his 66th birthday shows how far he has fallen. The formal investigation means that the question is no longer about protecting the monarchy but one of what happened, and who might be responsible for unlawful acts. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s descent into ignominy has unfolded slowly but inexorably. His stupidity and arrogance led him to believe that he could talk his way out of his relationship with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Instead, he faces a legal and constitutional reckoning. Continue reading...