Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom tell Emily Chang how they really feel about tech leaders cozying up to President Trump. Watch The Circuit. (Source: Bloomberg)
Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom tell Emily Chang how they really feel about tech leaders cozying up to President Trump. Watch The Circuit. (Source: Bloomberg)
Classical music’s blessing is also its curse: you’ve simply got to pay it attention. Plus: No wonder Rossini was an Olympics hit – he invented disco If you’re reading this, you too may know the essential power of the music we call classical to chart and change your life. That power of connection and empathy is among the miracles of human creativity, and it’s something that everyone has a right to....
Classical music’s blessing is also its curse: you’ve simply got to pay it attention. Plus: No wonder Rossini was an Olympics hit – he invented disco If you’re reading this, you too may know the essential power of the music we call classical to chart and change your life. That power of connection and empathy is among the miracles of human creativity, and it’s something that everyone has a right to. That is despite decades of underfunding of music education and the whole sector in this country; despite generations of the astounding innovation of its practitioners being ignored by government after government; despite the ravages of technology companies who would replace human-created music with rights-free AI given half a chance. With all of those pressures, and more, it’s no wonder that classical music is in a psychological state of defensiveness and a perennial struggle for relevance, and ends up trying to do things on terms that are set by the streaming companies and social media, not by the art form or the artists themselves. Classical’s blessing and curse is that it demands our unmediated attention and our time, making it unfit for purpose in the second quarter of the 21st century. What to do with hour-long symphonies and evening-length operas in a cultural feedback loop of ever-shorter attention spans and a media landscape in thrall to the playlist, the reel, the image, the moment? Who has time for time? Continue reading...
RHJ/iStock via Getty Images Sprott Nickel Miners ETF ( NIKL ) jumped 5.7% in premarket trade as nickel prices rose on Wednesday after the Indonesian government ordered the world's biggest nickel mine to cut production to boost global prices of the battery metal. State Street SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF ( XME ) was also on the move and climbed 1.9% to $124.93 at the time of writing. If NIKL can su...
RHJ/iStock via Getty Images Sprott Nickel Miners ETF ( NIKL ) jumped 5.7% in premarket trade as nickel prices rose on Wednesday after the Indonesian government ordered the world's biggest nickel mine to cut production to boost global prices of the battery metal. State Street SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF ( XME ) was also on the move and climbed 1.9% to $124.93 at the time of writing. If NIKL can sustain the move, it will push it above its 10-day moving average . Before the latest cutbacks, nickel supply from Indonesia had climbed to about two-thirds of global production, creating a surplus that has sent prices plunging and shuttered rival mines in Australia and New Caledonia. Related ETFs: iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers ETF ( PICK ), VanEck Green Metals ETF ( GMET ), ProShares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF ( ION ) More on Sprott Nickel Miners ETF Nickel price jumps as Indonesia to cut production at world's biggest mine Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Sprott Nickel Miners ETF Dividend scorecard for Sprott Nickel Miners ETF
Hiroshi Watanabe/DigitalVision via Getty Images Thesis Data by YCharts Could the dollar's days be numbered? Probably not, but we may be approaching an era of currency multipolarity. Recently, a speech by President Xi Jinping, in which he directly called for establishing the renminbi as a global reserve currency, was released, highlighting China's serious ambitions to challenge the dollar. Meanwhil...
Hiroshi Watanabe/DigitalVision via Getty Images Thesis Data by YCharts Could the dollar's days be numbered? Probably not, but we may be approaching an era of currency multipolarity. Recently, a speech by President Xi Jinping, in which he directly called for establishing the renminbi as a global reserve currency, was released, highlighting China's serious ambitions to challenge the dollar. Meanwhile, instructions from China’s Central Bank call for state-linked banks to gradually reduce U.S. Treasuries, suggesting that China could make a serious push to diversify away from the dollar. While such calls would have likely been brushed aside in the past, geopolitical turmoil and America’s worsening financial health may provide the impetus needed for sustained, albeit likely slow, de-dollarization. Continued belligerence, such as threatening to block the Gordie Howe bridge connecting Ontario to Detroit, will only fan the flames and push allies away. This could drum up more support for de-dollarization, including among neighbors and traditional allies. Some of America’s rivals, and especially China, have been pushing for (and in areas) achieving de-dollarization for quite some time, but the world at large has been hesitant. China on its own would struggle to achieve full de-dollarization, yet the Trump Administration’s clashes with allies may provide the “critical mass” to encourage diversification. Crucially, relationships with traditional allies may prove to be the deciding factor. To be clear, de-dollarization, if it occurs, is likely to be a gradual process. Even the Chinese government emphasized that reducing American Treasuries should be a gradual process. The fallout caused by rapid de-dollarization would prove detrimental not just to the United States but to the world at large, and especially for many of the countries that would be driving de-dollarization. Further, the dollar remains, by far, the most widely held reserve currency, as shown below , and changing that...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Phillip Kardis Chief Financial Officer — Subramaniam Viswanathan Chief Investment Officer — Jack Macdowell President and CEO, Home Express Mortgage — Kyle Walker Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways GAAP Net Income -- $7 million, or $0.08 per share for the ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET Call participants Chief Executive Officer — Phillip Kardis Chief Financial Officer — Subramaniam Viswanathan Chief Investment Officer — Jack Macdowell President and CEO, Home Express Mortgage — Kyle Walker Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] Takeaways GAAP Net Income -- $7 million, or $0.08 per share for the quarter, and $144 million, or $1.72 per share for the year. -- $7 million, or $0.08 per share for the quarter, and $144 million, or $1.72 per share for the year. GAAP Book Value -- $19.70 per share at quarter-end, with a quarterly decline of 2.7%. -- $19.70 per share at quarter-end, with a quarterly decline of 2.7%. Dividends -- Raised by 22% sequentially to $0.45 per share for the first quarter, with the board planning to maintain that level through the remainder of the year. -- Raised by 22% sequentially to $0.45 per share for the first quarter, with the board planning to maintain that level through the remainder of the year. GAAP Economic Return on Book Value -- Negative 0.9% for the quarter; positive 7.4% for the year, including $1.48 per share in declared dividends. -- Negative 0.9% for the quarter; positive 7.4% for the year, including $1.48 per share in declared dividends. Earnings Available for Distribution (EAD) -- $45 million, or $0.53 per share for the quarter; $141 million, or $1.68 per share for the year. -- $45 million, or $0.53 per share for the quarter; $141 million, or $1.68 per share for the year. Total Leverage -- 5.1-to-1 as of quarter-end. -- 5.1-to-1 as of quarter-end. Segment Allocation Shift -- Portfolio moved from 81% loans, 3% agency, and 16% non-agency at start of year to 61% loans, 16% agency, 10% non-agency, 11% lending activities, and 1% MSRs at year-end. -- Portfolio moved from 81% loans, 3% agency, and 16% non-agency at start of year to 61% loans, 16% agency, 10% non-agency, 11% lending activities, and 1% MSRs at year-end. Third-Party Assets ...
TomasSereda/iStock via Getty Images Evolution Mining ( CAHPF ) said Wednesday its board approved several growth projects and that it has amended a streaming agreement with Triple Flag Precious Metals ( TFPM ) at the Northparkes mine in Australia. Evolution ( CAHPF ) said it will move ahead with development of the E22 block cave at Northparkes, with a capital investment of $545M, establishing a lon...
TomasSereda/iStock via Getty Images Evolution Mining ( CAHPF ) said Wednesday its board approved several growth projects and that it has amended a streaming agreement with Triple Flag Precious Metals ( TFPM ) at the Northparkes mine in Australia. Evolution ( CAHPF ) said it will move ahead with development of the E22 block cave at Northparkes, with a capital investment of $545M, establishing a long-life, low-cost bulk underground mining operation, and a A$75M Northparkes coarse particle flotation project to upgrade flotation and dewatering areas, which is expected to increase concentrate-grade adjusted copper recovery by ~2% at current throughput rates. The miner also approved development of the Bert deposit at its Ernest Henry copper-gold hub, with total capital investment of A$160M. Evolution ( CAHPF ) also said it entered into a restated Northparkes metal purchase and sale agreement with Triple Flag, which will provide the company with an additional upfront capital contribution that aligns with the development of the E22 block cave, while also unlocking the potential to develop the gold-rich E44 open pit deposit at Northparkes via a reduced streaming rate. Triple Flag ( TFPM ) said it agreed to fund US$84.3M for the development of the E44 deposit, with Evolution( CAHPF ) committing to guaranteed minimum deliveries of ~45K oz of gold and 446.2K oz of silver during the 2030-37 period from the E44 deposit. Evolution ( CAHPF ) also reported a record underlying profit of A$785M over the half year ended December 31, more than double on an annual basis. The company's latest update "directly challenges the narrative that [Evolution] is expensive and lacks growth," and broadly in-line H1 earnings are "comprehensively (and positively) overshadowed by news on growth and Triple Flag stream amendments," Barrenjoey analyst Daniel Morgan said. More on Triple Flag Precious Metals and Evolution Mining Triple Flag: A Precious Metals Compounder At A Reasonable Price Evolution Minin...
Vertiv Holdings ( VRT ) reported quarterly earnings that beat Wall Street estimates, while a surging order book and upbeat 2026 guidance sent its shares up 18% in premarket trading Wednesday. The supplier of power and thermal management equipment for data centers posted fourth-quarter net sales of $2.88 billion, up 23% from a year earlier but slightly below the consensus estimate of $2.89 billion....
Vertiv Holdings ( VRT ) reported quarterly earnings that beat Wall Street estimates, while a surging order book and upbeat 2026 guidance sent its shares up 18% in premarket trading Wednesday. The supplier of power and thermal management equipment for data centers posted fourth-quarter net sales of $2.88 billion, up 23% from a year earlier but slightly below the consensus estimate of $2.89 billion. Adjusted earnings were $1.36 a share, up from $0.99 a share a year earlier and above the Wall Street consensus estimate of $1.30 a share. Net income rose to $445.6 million, or $1.14 a share, from $147.0 million, or $0.38 a share. Operating profit increased 27% year over year to $580 million. Adjusted operating profit climbed 33% to $668.1 million, with adjusted operating margin expanding 170 basis points to 23.2%. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased year over year, reflecting higher volume and improved productivity. Adjusted ebitda margins benefited from operating leverage and favorable price-cost dynamics, partly offset by tariff impacts. Fourth quarter operating cash flow reached $1.005 billion, while adjusted free cash flow rose 151% to $910 million. Net leverage stood at about 0.5 times at quarter end. Orders accelerated sharply, with organic orders up about 252% from the prior year quarter. The book-to-bill ratio was approximately 2.9 times and backlog reached $15.0 billion, more than doubling from a year ago. "Our fourth quarter performance demonstrates Vertiv's leadership position in an increasingly complex and demanding data center market," Giordano Albertazzi, Vertiv's chief executive officer, said in the earnings announcement. AI data center buildout driving demand Vertiv has emerged as one of the industrial manufacturers benefiting from the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Hyperscale and colocation data center operators are investing heavily in power systems, cooling equipment and high-densit...
watch now VIDEO 7:44 07:44 Watch CNBC's full interview U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright Power Lunch The Trump administration's decision to park $500 million of Venezuelan oil revenue in Qatar raises fundamental questions about the South American nation's future after the U.S. captured former President Nicolás Maduro. Among them: When will a transition of power take place, who will ultimately gov...
watch now VIDEO 7:44 07:44 Watch CNBC's full interview U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright Power Lunch The Trump administration's decision to park $500 million of Venezuelan oil revenue in Qatar raises fundamental questions about the South American nation's future after the U.S. captured former President Nicolás Maduro. Among them: When will a transition of power take place, who will ultimately govern Venezuela and who controls the country's vast resources? Right now, the administration is collaborating closely with the remnant of the Maduro regime under the leadership of interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The problem is that the U.S. does not officially recognize the government that Rodriguez is leading. President Donald Trump during his first term recognized the opposition-led National Assembly elected in 2015 as the only legitimate representative of the Venezuelan people. Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 9 that requires the proceeds from Venezuela's oil sales to be held in a U.S. Treasury Department account. The president's order states that the money is the sovereign property of the government of Venezuela held in custody by the U.S. But it's unclear which Venezuelan government the order is referencing. Once the money arrives in the U.S., it should in theory be under the control of the opposition National Assembly due to Trump's 2019 recognition, said Scott Anderson, an international law expert who previously served with the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad under President Barack Obama. This poses potential problems for the administration's cooperation with Rodriguez. She has agreed to ship 50 million barrels of crude oil to the U.S. The Trump administration is controlling the sale of those barrels. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this arrangement will continue indefinitely to maintain leverage over Caracas to implement reforms. Democrats, meanwhile, are questioning whether the arrangement is legal. Dueling governments Secretary of State...
Gisèle Pelicot, who became a global symbol of courage during the trial of her ex-husband and the dozens of men who raped her while she was unconscious, has described her shock when police first showed her images of the crimes, likening herself to a “rag doll”. In extracts from her forthcoming memoir, A Hymn to Life, Pelicot, 73, describes her shock when police told her of the actions of her ex-hus...
Gisèle Pelicot, who became a global symbol of courage during the trial of her ex-husband and the dozens of men who raped her while she was unconscious, has described her shock when police first showed her images of the crimes, likening herself to a “rag doll”. In extracts from her forthcoming memoir, A Hymn to Life, Pelicot, 73, describes her shock when police told her of the actions of her ex-husband Dominique, whom she considered “a great guy” and had shared her life with for 50 years. She tells of her world falling apart on 2 November 2020 when she was first told her then husband had been drugging and raping her and inviting strangers to rape her, in extracts in Le Monde from the French-language version of the book that will be published simultaneously across the world in 22 languages next week. Dominique Pelicot had been summoned by police for questioning after a supermarket security guard caught him secretly filming up women’s skirts. Gisèle Pelicot had accompanied him to the police station and was completely unprepared for the bombshell delivered by the officer, Laurent Perret. He said: “I am going to show you photos and videos that are not going to please you. That’s you in this photo.” Pelicot said she did not believe the inert woman lying on the bed was her. “I didn’t recognise the individuals. Nor this woman. Her cheek was so flabby. Her mouth so limp. She was a rag doll,” she writes in the book. “My brain stopped working in the office of Deputy Police Sergeant Perret.” Pelicot became known internationally last year when she waived her right to anonymity in the trial that shocked the world. View image in fullscreen Gisèle Pelicot leaves the courthouse for a break during the appeals trial of a man challenging his conviction in Nîmes, France. Photograph: Lewis Joly/AP Dominique Pelicot had for over almost a decade crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication into her mashed potato, coffee or ice-cream and invited dozens of men to rape her in the vill...
deepblue4you/iStock via Getty Images PennantPark Floating Rate Capital ( PFLT ) just released Q1 fiscal 2026 earnings. Shares are down a few percent in the aftermath, and it's worth observing where this business development company ("BDC") stands as capital markets have had a few months of turbulence. Recap of Previous Thesis Twice I've rated PFLT a Buy, and the most recent time was early December...
deepblue4you/iStock via Getty Images PennantPark Floating Rate Capital ( PFLT ) just released Q1 fiscal 2026 earnings. Shares are down a few percent in the aftermath, and it's worth observing where this business development company ("BDC") stands as capital markets have had a few months of turbulence. Recap of Previous Thesis Twice I've rated PFLT a Buy, and the most recent time was early December . I discussed how the dividend had remained resilient for quite some time. With a floating-rate portfolio, it is sensitive to cuts by the Fed. Portfolio By Classification (Fiscal 2025 Form 10-K) With a portfolio primarily composed of first lien debt in middle market companies, I was less worried about principal or NAV. Moreover, their expansion of higher-ROE joint ventures suggested a possibility of maintaining their dividend per share, in spite of rate cuts. The possibility of buybacks at an NAV discount created more room for this. Given the health of the portfolio, the nimbleness of management, and the discount, I have maintained my Buy rating. First Quarter's Results PFLT's fiscal Q1 , which aligns with Q4 of the standard year, was marked by a decline from the prior year. Income Statement (Q1 2026 Form 10-Q) Investment income grew slightly for the period, but higher costs (namely interest expense and G&A expenses) caused net investment income to contract from $30M to $26.6M. Income Statement (Q1 2026 Form 10-Q) This amount was strained further by a large number of unrealized losses on the portfolio, without realized gains to offset them as occurred in the prior-year quarter. Speaking on this in the earnings call , CEO Art Penn remarked: Most of the markdowns I'll call are, and we have a little bit of this, we'll call the 2021 vintage, which was the post-COVID vintage where people thought that consumers were not going into stores again, where logistics and supply chain stuff was really doing very well. Cash Flow Statement (Q1 2026 Form 10-Q) The cash flow statement from ...
Bibi Seeks US Muscular Action On Iran In Seventh Meeting With Trump "I am now leaving for the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since he was elected for a second term," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said prior to his departure to Washington. "This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset." ( Seven since Trump took...
Bibi Seeks US Muscular Action On Iran In Seventh Meeting With Trump "I am now leaving for the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since he was elected for a second term," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said prior to his departure to Washington. "This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset." ( Seven since Trump took office again!) He and President Trump are expected to begin their meeting at the White House, focused on Iran negotiations and the possibility of military action, by late-morning (11 eastern). Netanyahu's 'welcome' in D.C. last night raised some eyebrows, given an entire major freeway into the beltway area was shut down for security reasons... They are literally shutting down highways for Netanyahu’s arrival in DC pic.twitter.com/94YbO5Cy2t — Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) February 11, 2026 Before leaving Israel, Netanyahu told reporters that Iran is the "first and foremost" issue he will raise with Trump. He was originally scheduled to travel to the US for a February 18 meeting, but Israel asked to move it up after the US-Iran talks in Oman. "I will present the president with our views regarding the essential principles of the negotiations – principles that, in our eyes, are vital not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who desires peace and security in the Middle East," the Israeli leader previewed. Israel is pressing the US to require that any agreement with Iran include zero nuclear enrichment and limits on its ballistic missile program . Iranian officials have rejected those terms, signaling they would block any deal. On Tuesday, Trump indicated that Iran's missiles should be part of the agreement. But if Tehran were to agree with this it would essentially be self-destructing, as it would have no deterrent and be defenseless against any future Israeli attack - or any other enemy aggression for that matter. One Israeli source told CNN that Tel Aviv is "worried abo...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Doug Black Chief Financial Officer — Eric Elema Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development — Scott Salmon Takeaways Net Sales -- $1.05 billion for the quarter (up 3%) and $4.7 billion for the year (up 4%), both on an equal selling-day basis. -- $1.05 billion for ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants Chairman and Chief Executive Officer — Doug Black Chief Financial Officer — Eric Elema Executive Vice President, Strategy and Development — Scott Salmon Takeaways Net Sales -- $1.05 billion for the quarter (up 3%) and $4.7 billion for the year (up 4%), both on an equal selling-day basis. -- $1.05 billion for the quarter (up 3%) and $4.7 billion for the year (up 4%), both on an equal selling-day basis. Organic Daily Sales Growth -- 2% in the quarter and 1% for the year, led by market share gains in maintenance despite overall end-market softness. -- 2% in the quarter and 1% for the year, led by market share gains in maintenance despite overall end-market softness. Pricing -- Flat overall in 2025 (versus -3% in 2024), with 2% pricing increase in the fourth quarter; company expects 1%-3% pricing increase in 2026. -- Flat overall in 2025 (versus -3% in 2024), with 2% pricing increase in the fourth quarter; company expects 1%-3% pricing increase in 2026. Gross Profit -- Fourth quarter gross profit rose 6% to $357 million; full-year gross profit up 5%. -- Fourth quarter gross profit rose 6% to $357 million; full-year gross profit up 5%. Gross Margin -- Rose 80 basis points to 34.1% in the quarter; up 40 basis points to 34.8% for the year due to pricing, initiatives, and acquisitions, partly offset by higher freight/logistics costs. -- Rose 80 basis points to 34.1% in the quarter; up 40 basis points to 34.8% for the year due to pricing, initiatives, and acquisitions, partly offset by higher freight/logistics costs. SG&A as % of Net Sales -- Fell 100 basis points in the fourth quarter to 35%; for the full year, declined 40 basis points to 30.1% despite higher costs from new acquisitions. -- Fell 100 basis points in the fourth quarter to 35%; for the full year, declined 40 basis points to 30.1% despite higher costs from new acquisitions. Adjusted EBITDA -- Increased 18% in the quarter t...
yujie chen Hilton Worldwide ( HLT ) reported better-than-expected fourth quarter results as sales and earnings both beat estimates. But the revenue and profitability gains came on the back of higher hotel rates, which weighed on occupancy in the company’s largest market. Shares are marginally lower into Wednesday’s open as the company’s Q4 results were also offset by less-than-expected profit guid...
yujie chen Hilton Worldwide ( HLT ) reported better-than-expected fourth quarter results as sales and earnings both beat estimates. But the revenue and profitability gains came on the back of higher hotel rates, which weighed on occupancy in the company’s largest market. Shares are marginally lower into Wednesday’s open as the company’s Q4 results were also offset by less-than-expected profit guidance for the year. For the three months ended December 31, system-wide comparable revenue per available room (RevPAR) -- a key metric for the hotel industry that evaluates how effectively rooms are occupied—increased 0.5% compared to Q4 2024 due to an increase in average daily rate (ADR). This translated into an 11.2% increase in total revenue to $3.09B and an 18% improvement in profits to $2.07, both of which beat expectations of $2.98B and $2.02, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA increased 10% to $946M. This, however, was partially offset by a 0.9% decline in U.S. occupancy and a 0.3% decline in system-wide occupancy. Hilton’s ( HLT ) results closely mirror those of competitor Marriott ( MAR ) which also reported higher RevPAR but lower occupancy rates, all of which raised concerns that the bifurcation of the U.S. economy was impacting consumers and weighing on the travel industry. For the current quarter, Hilton ( HLT ) expects RevPAR to increase between 1% and 2% and adjusted EPS to be within a range of $1.87 and $1.93 per share versus $1.84 estimates. For FY26, RevPAR is also expected to improve by 1% to 2%, while adjusted EPS is seen between $8.65 and $8.77, less than $9.15 estimates. More on Hilton Worldwide Hilton Worldwide Holdings: The Bull Case Remains Compelling Hilton Worldwide tops market estimates, guides FY numbers Hilton Worldwide Q4 2025 Earnings Preview Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Hilton Worldwide Historical earnings data for Hilton Worldwide
sarawuth702/iStock via Getty Images Introduction to the Robo Global Robotics & Automation ETF For those interested in investing in a broad basket of robotics and automation-focused firms, there are few ETFs as prolific as the Robo Global Robotics & Automation ETF ( ROBO ). Over its tenure, the fund has gathered ~$1.5B in assets under management. The goal of the fund, as its website puts it: ROBO.....
sarawuth702/iStock via Getty Images Introduction to the Robo Global Robotics & Automation ETF For those interested in investing in a broad basket of robotics and automation-focused firms, there are few ETFs as prolific as the Robo Global Robotics & Automation ETF ( ROBO ). Over its tenure, the fund has gathered ~$1.5B in assets under management. The goal of the fund, as its website puts it: ROBO.. . invests in global companies that are driving transformative innovations in robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (RAAI), including companies that create technology to enable truly intelligent systems that can sense, process, and act, and companies that apply those technologies to deliver RAAI-enabled products — including robots — to businesses and consumers. ROBO is a passively managed ETF that began trading in 2013 under the Global X brand, charges 0.95% p.a., which is considered high for the category (the average is at 0.65%), and has returned over 200% to shareholders since its inception. That return has come with significant volatility and underperformance to the index since the 2022 bear market, although it broke out of its own bear market in 2025, now above its previous highs in 2021. Consider that in the chart below, total return includes all dividends reinvested. ROBO pays a dividend once a year at the end of the year, and it is usually very small, coming to less than 0.4% p.a. Data by YCharts ROBO Construction & Holdings The fund offers investors a way to take a thematic, speculative bet on “pure play” robotics and automation firms, aiming to hold few conglomerate or Big Tech names that have their hands in multiple pots. ROBO offers investors access to a global basket of stocks, including some small caps, that encompass the entire automation ecosystem and only focus on firms that have a majority of their exposure to that industry. The fund's list is fairly unique, since it follows an index created by the fund managers, the ROBO Global Robotics and Au...
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the media before boarding Marine One for travel to Florida from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 6, 2026. Leah Millis | Reuters The House is slated to vote Wednesday on a resolution disapproving of President Donald Trump 's tariffs against Canada, in what could amount to a blow to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and a rebuke of ...
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the media before boarding Marine One for travel to Florida from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 6, 2026. Leah Millis | Reuters The House is slated to vote Wednesday on a resolution disapproving of President Donald Trump 's tariffs against Canada, in what could amount to a blow to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and a rebuke of the president's signature economic policy. The tariff resolution, introduced by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., will be considered a day after a procedural vote that would have barred House votes from disapproving of Trump's tariffs failed with the support of three Republican members. Read more CNBC politics coverage EPA set to revoke ‘endangerment finding’ that underpins all climate regulation Trump Commerce Sec. Lutnick admits visiting Epstein island during family vacation GOP Sen. Johnson slams Dems’ ‘obnoxious’ judicial warrant demand as another shutdown looms d "The Speaker continues to abdicate his responsibilities, ceding Congress's Article I authority to Donald Trump," Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement posted to X on Tuesday. "Republicans now face a clear choice: go on the record and join Democrats in ending these cost-raising tariffs, or keep forcing American families to pay for them." A vote on Trump's tariffs will force House Republicans to choose between loyalty to the president and striking down economic policy that many in the GOP conference do not like. Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., bucked Trump and GOP leaders on Tuesday by voting with every Democrat to defeat a rule that would have blocked House votes on Trump's tariffs through July 31. "I don't like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs. Tariffs have been a 'net negative' for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants President and Chief Executive Officer — Emmanuel Ligner Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Brent Jones Takeaways Reported revenue -- $1.66 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, reflecting a 4% organic decline and aligning with previously issued guidance. -- $1.66 billion for the ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Feb. 11, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET Call participants President and Chief Executive Officer — Emmanuel Ligner Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer — Brent Jones Takeaways Reported revenue -- $1.66 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, reflecting a 4% organic decline and aligning with previously issued guidance. -- $1.66 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, reflecting a 4% organic decline and aligning with previously issued guidance. Adjusted EBITDA margin -- 15.2% for the fiscal fourth quarter, at the lower end of internal expectations, primarily impacted by product and segment mix, and margin pressure in lab products. -- 15.2% for the fiscal fourth quarter, at the lower end of internal expectations, primarily impacted by product and segment mix, and margin pressure in lab products. Adjusted EPS -- $0.22 for the fiscal fourth quarter, midpoint of guidance, and a $0.05 decrease year over year. -- $0.22 for the fiscal fourth quarter, midpoint of guidance, and a $0.05 decrease year over year. Free cash flow -- $117 million in the fiscal fourth quarter; excluding transformation expenses, $150 million at the upper end of guidance range. -- $117 million in the fiscal fourth quarter; excluding transformation expenses, $150 million at the upper end of guidance range. Adjusted gross profit -- $524 million for the fiscal fourth quarter, representing a 31.5% margin, a decline of 190 basis points from the prior year, mainly driven by mix and pricing actions. -- $524 million for the fiscal fourth quarter, representing a 31.5% margin, a decline of 190 basis points from the prior year, mainly driven by mix and pricing actions. Share repurchases -- $75 million of shares repurchased in the fiscal fourth quarter under the $500 million program. -- $75 million of shares repurchased in the fiscal fourth quarter under the $500 million program. Fiscal year revenue -- $6.552 billion for the year ended Dec. ...
primeimages/iStock via Getty Images Fund Snapshot Alger Concentrated Equity ETF Ticker CNEQ Inception Date 4/4/24 Net Asset Value $34.33 Closing Price $34.38 Expense Ratio (Gross) 1.62% Expense Ratio (Net) 0.55% Fee Waiver (1.07%) Total Fund Assets $222.8 mm Exchange NYSE Arca Shares Outstanding 6,475,000 Click to enlarge Investment Strategy Invests in a focused portfolio of 30 or fewer holdings c...
primeimages/iStock via Getty Images Fund Snapshot Alger Concentrated Equity ETF Ticker CNEQ Inception Date 4/4/24 Net Asset Value $34.33 Closing Price $34.38 Expense Ratio (Gross) 1.62% Expense Ratio (Net) 0.55% Fee Waiver (1.07%) Total Fund Assets $222.8 mm Exchange NYSE Arca Shares Outstanding 6,475,000 Click to enlarge Investment Strategy Invests in a focused portfolio of 30 or fewer holdings consisting of companies of any capitalization identified through our fundamental research as demonstrating promising growth potential. Seeks long-term capital appreciation. Portfolio Management Dr. Ankur Crawford Executive Vice President Portfolio Manager 21 Years Investment Experience Click to enlarge Benchmark Russell 1000 Growth Index Highlights During the fourth quarter of 2025, the largest portfolio sector weightings were Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary. The largest sector overweight was Utilities and the largest sector underweight was Information Technology. The Information Technology and Utilities sectors contributed to relative performance while Industrials and Health Care were among sectors that detracted from relative performance. Market Environment U.S. equities ended the fourth quarter on a firm footing, with the S&P 500 Index returning 2.7%, extending the steady grind upward that characterized 2025, after the tariff announcements. Investor confidence was supported by a familiar trio: corporate earnings that came in better than expected, a Federal Reserve (Fed) that pushed further into an easing stance, and a macroeconomic backdrop that — despite mounting cross-currents — remained resilient in the aggregate. Market sentiment also benefited from improving clarity on trade policy, including an extension of the U.S. – China truce and selective tariff relief aimed at easing consumer affordability pressures. At the same time, the quarter was defined by widening dispersion beneath the index-level surface. The market’s biggest tailwind — continued inve...