On September 15, Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:JAZZ) completed its acquisition of privately held Actio Biosciences for $820 million upfront, adding a clinical-stage epilepsy drug called ABS-1230 to its rare disease pipeline. The deal lands weeks after Jazz posted its highest quarterly revenue ever on August 3, and raised its full-year guidance, so a fresh acquisition now sits on top of a business that was already accelerating. The question for investors is whether that combination adds up to durable growth or just a bigger bill.
ABS-1230 targets KCNT1-related epilepsy, a rare and hard-to-treat form of the disease. In an early clinical proof-of-concept trial, children who received the drug experienced meaningful seizure reductions, and preclinical testing showed it inhibited KCNT1 across every pathogenic mutation researchers evaluated, hinting it could work across the whole patient population rather than a narrow subset. The FDA has already granted ABS-1230 Orphan Drug, Rare Pediatric Disease and Fast Track designations, and accepted it into the agency's Rare Disease Evidence Principles process, a set of regulatory advantages that can speed a drug toward approval.
The acquisition also arrives while Jazz's existing business is firing on multiple cylinders. Second-quarter revenue climbed 16% year over year to $1.2 billion, the company's highest quarterly total on record, and management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $4.6 billion to $4.75 billion. Growth was not confined to one product. Xywav sales rose 13% to $471 million on 525 net new patients, Epidiolex grew 16% to $292 million, and Zepzelca jumped 42% to $106 million. Zanidatamab, sold as Ziihera in biliary tract cancer, also received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA for a form of colorectal cancer, adding another avenue for the oncology franchise Jazz has been building beyond its epilepsy and sleep businesses.
None of that came free. The $820 million upfront payment for Actio lands on top of $4.4 billion in long-term debt that Jazz already carried as of June 30, even after the company used part of its cash to repay $1.0 billion of exchangeable notes that matured this year. Cash, equivalents and investments stood at $2.2 billion at that point, meaning the Actio payment alone accounts for a meaningful share of the company's liquid resources.
Jazz's recent history also shows how acquisitions can distort the bottom line before they pay off. A $905.4 million in-process research and development charge tied to the 2025 Chimerix acquisition pushed second-quarter 2025 GAAP earnings to a loss of $11.74 per share, and a smaller $77 million IPR&D charge from the AbCellera and Werewolf deals still dented second-quarter 2026 results. ABS-1230 itself remains early, with only proof-of-concept data in hand and no late-stage trial results yet. The portfolio is not without setbacks, either. Jazz is moving to voluntarily drop the second-line indication for Zepzelca in meta

You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters.
The giant artificial intelligence company Anthropic has rolled out Claude for Financial Advisors, a suite of artificial intelligence connectors and what the company refers to as "workflow skills" designed to help advisors automate research, meeting preparation and documentation tasks.
Its new product includes connectors to custodians, ***** et managers and wealth technology providers, such as Charles Schwab, BlackRock, Addepar, Envestnet, iCapital, Orion, SS&C Black Diamond, Wealthbox, Wealth.com, Vanguard and Zocks, along with previously available integrations with Microsoft 365, Salesforce, DocuSign, Box, FactSet, S&P Global and Morningstar.
The platform includes skills for advisor onboarding, alternative investments briefing, compliance and AI policy review, estate and tax briefing, portfolio rebalance review, post-meeting notes and follow-up, pre-meeting preparation and prospect intake, according to Anthropic.
"We aren't trying to replace any of the tools out there," said Peter Nolan, head of ***** et and wealth management at Anthropic, during an interview with WealthManagement, when asked whether this puts Anthropic in the position of competing with and potentially upending the developing ecosystem of entrepreneurs and developers working with it and other major AI model providers.

#advisors

It's always good to look for new investment ideas. While investors can look at various sectors, I like to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. This technology is still in its early stages and can fundamentally change societies. Autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, drones, and AI chatbots are some of the products and services that can scale rapidly as AI evolves.
That's why the two stocks I am buying in 2027 revolve around that theme. I already have positions in each of these companies and intend to build on them in 2027.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Iren (NASDAQ: IREN) is my favorite neocloud stock. Nebius (NASDAQ: NBIS) is also a strong contender and slightly ahead of Iren in revenue recognition, but I do not believe Nebius should have a market cap almost four times Iren's.
The neocloud thesis is straightforward. Hyperscalers need access to compute, and companies like Iren create the data centers that supply hyperscalers with the necessary chips, power, software, and facilities.

#flashing #hyperscalers

With about 40% short interest, SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN) is one of the most shorted stocks in the market. The company has been growing its revenue quickly, but a pending merger with troubled LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN) has investors betting against the stock. However, heavy short interest is a double-edged sword.
If a stock has high short interest, there is usually a bearish case to be made against it. In the case of SoundHound AI, its merger with LivePerson will bring considerable debt and a business currently in decline. There is also a good chance that SoundHound AI will seek a future equity raise to pay off the debt it is taking on as part of the deal, as it has stated it will work to quickly retire the debt through a combination of cash and stock.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
The flip side is that heavily shorted stocks can see huge short squeezes if they can prove the skeptics wrong. With LivePerson, SoundHound AI is gaining access to a large, established, albeit declining, customer base, especially in call centers and the customer service ***** e.
Its goal will be to retain these customers and switch them to its more comprehensive and higher-priced AI voice technology and agentic AI platform. If the company can stabilize churn and upsell customers, this deal could be a huge boon for this growth stock.

#Stock #NVIDIA #interest #NASDAQ

Sept 1 (Reuters) - Dropbox said on Tuesday that around 5,000 accounts were compromised last month, with ‌hackers viewing and downloading content stored on the ‌cloud-storage platform.
Here are a few details:
• Some Dropbox users received an email from the company on Monday notifying them that their accounts have been accessed without authorization between August 4 and August 21, Dropbox confirmed after Bloomberg News reported the ‌hack earlier in ⁠the day.
• Hackers accessed files in fewer than a third of the compromised accounts, the ⁠company said.
• Shares of Dropbox fell around 2.4% in extended trading on Tuesday.

#accounts #around #accessed #sept

Hotchkis & Wiley, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for the "Global Value Fund." The letter can be downloaded here. In Q2 2026, the MSCI World Index rose by +13.8% and the MSCI World Value Index by +9.2%, despite challenges like rising inflation and the Iran conflict. The US now comprises about 71% of the MSCI World Index, with notable gains in semiconductor and AI-related stocks, some exceeding 100%. The market showed speculative behavior, especially with high-beta and momentum stocks outperforming significantly. While enthusiasm for AI drove investor leverage, many stocks are trading at elevated multiples reminiscent of the dot-com era. Concerns about sustainability arise as earnings growth is heavily tied to AI data centers. Preference is shifting to high-quality businesses in sectors like enterprise software and healthcare, which are perceived as more stable. Defensive sectors have been underinvested, offering potential opportunities. The fund achieved a return of 9.97% in the quarter, surpassing the MSCI World Value Index, with healthcare as a key contributor. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Hotchkis & Wiley Global Value Fund noted that Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) detracted from performance due to its underweight position in the stock. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL), the parent company of Google, offers various platforms and services, including online search and advertising, cloud solutions, and artificial intelligence. On September 1, 2026, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) closed at $335.02 per share. Over the past month, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) declined 7.56%, but its shares are up 45.24% over the past year. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has a market capitalization of $4.09 trillion.
Hotchkis & Wiley Global Value Fund stated the following regarding Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is a holding company whose primary subsidiary is Google, whose Search business makes it one of the largest advertising companies in the world. Alphabet's other businesses are its enterprise cloud platform and venture-stage companies collectively reported as "Other Bets." We believe Alphabet's valuation remain good given its improving growth prospects. Although the stock rose during the quarter, it detracted from relative performance because we were underweight compared to the benchmark. Our investment thesis remains intact."

#index #hotchkis

RUM Group Inc. (formerly Rumble) (NASDAQ:RUM) entered into a binding warrant term sheet with an unaffiliated U.S.-based third-party cloud customer on Sunday, August 23, alongside a major commercial agreement.
Under the six-year contract, the customer will purchase access to graphics processing units (GPUs) and GPU services at the company's Maysville, Georgia location, which is currently under development.
The commercial agreement features a total order value of approximately $13.7 billion, split evenly across three distinct tranches.
To establish binding obligations or liabilities for the third tranche, the customer must first review and approve the company's proposed delivery date using reasonable discretion.
Both organizations will negotiate in good faith to complete a definitive warrant agreement.

#binding #Third #rumble

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has proposed a whopping $5.5 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits that allege its baby powder and ‌other talc products cause ovarian cancer. The proposed settlement could finally provide investors with the visibility they have lacked for over a decade into one of the company's largest legal liabilities.
The agreement would resolve approximately 76,000 ovarian cancer claims, but it is not yet final. It requires participation from at least 95% of eligible claimants, does not cover future lawsuits, and could ultimately cost more than the headline figure. For investors, the question is whether the benefit of removing a major legal overhang outweighs the settlement's uncertain final cost.
The talc litigation has followed Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) for over a decade, and resolving approximately 76,000 claims would reduce the uncertainty surrounding court verdicts, appeals, and legal expenses. A large but more measurable liability may be preferable to an open-ended series of trials capable of producing unpredictable verdicts.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) ended fiscal Q2 2026 with approximately $21 billion of cash and marketable securities. The company also raised its full-year guidance and is on track to surpass $100 billion in annual revenue in 2026 for the first time in its 140-year history. The proposed payment is, therefore, substantial but does not appear existential for a company of J&J's scale. In addition, the payout has a staggered structure, with the company expecting to pay up to $3 billion in 2027, followed by additional payments beginning in 2028, which may also reduce the immediate pressure on liquidity.
Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) may be settling from a position of improved legal strength as a federal judge cast doubt on individual plaintiffs' ability to prove that talc specifically caused their ovarian cancer. The company thus does not appear to be forced into an agreement following a decisive courtroom defeat.

#billion #Legal #ovarian #approximately

The $24,500 employee contribution limit for 401(k) and 403(b) plans is an individual ceiling shared across all plans, regardless of how many employers issue paychecks.
Workers who over-contribute must request a corrective distribution by April 15 of the following year or face being taxed twice on the excess amount.
A governmental 457(b) plan carries its own separate $24,500 limit, letting eligible workers contribute up to $49,000 total when combined with a 401(k) or 403(b).
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
A research scientist splits her week between two labs working on a joint supercomputing project. Each employer issues a separate paycheck and provides its own retirement portal. The university offers a 403(b). The federal contractor offers a 401(k). She contributes $24,500 to each, and both dashboards congratulate her for reaching 100% of the annual limit. One employer sees $24,500. The other sees $24,500. The IRS sees one worker who deferred $49,000.

#limit #workers #plans

Nvidia (NVDA) stock is up about 15.19% year to date at the time of writing, Friday morning, Aug. 21. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P 500 Index (SPY) is up about 12.17% in the same period.
Nvidia hasn't only outpaced the S&P 500, but it has also outpaced all other Magnificent 7 members in the same period.
Apple (AAPL) is up 13.87%.
Amazon (AMZN) is up 12.49%.
Alphabet (GOOGL) is up 9.94%.

#outpaced

On August 20, Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) reported second-quarter revenue of $206 million, more than four times what it brought in a year earlier, and closed the quarter with a record $1.8 billion in backlog. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance of $900 million to $1 billion in revenue and said it still expects positive adjusted EBITDA for 2026. Behind those headline numbers sits a business spending heavily to chase a market it says has grown far beyond the moon.
The quarter's standout number was bookings. Intuitive Machines logged $1.7 billion in bookings so far this year, including $1.2 billion in the second quarter alone, the highest quarterly total in company history. Management said that volume reflects a shift away from depending on any single customer or mission type. The $1.8 billion backlog now splits roughly 37% civil, 49% commercial and 14% national security, and Q2 bookings skewed even further toward commercial and national security work, at 50% and 30% respectively.
That diversification showed up across every part of the business. NASA selected Intuitive Machines for the CS-8 lunar delivery mission, its sixth award under the CLPS contract, extending its delivery cadence into 2030. On the national security side, the company finished delivering all 16 satellites for the SDA's Tranche 1 tracking layer, added an 18-satellite Tranche 3 award, and picked up another 18 satellites tied to the Golden Dome missile defense architecture. It now has more than 70 IM-300 series ****** ecraft under contract. Commercially, it landed three geostationary communication satellites worth over $600 million and deployed SiriusXM-11 during the quarter. Gross profit swung to $36 million from negative $12 million a year earlier, evidence that the growing satellite manufacturing business is starting to convert into real profit.
That expansion is not free. Operating loss widened to $47 million, driven by higher SG&A, amortization, and a $14.7 million cost adjustment tied to the IM-4 lunar lander program. SG&A itself hit $60 million for the quarter, including $11 million in stock-based compensation and $8 million in acquisition and integration costs from recent deals. Operating cash used came to $60 million, and total cash deployed for the quarter reached $84 million once inventory buildup, acquisition costs, and a $17 million milestone payment to ****** eX are included.
The company is also leaning on equity markets to fund the buildout. It raised $235 million in net proceeds this quarter through its at-the-market stock program, bringing total gross proceeds raised to date to $291 million at an average price of $26.81 a share. Capital expenditures of $24 million went largely toward its NSNS satellite constellation and ground network, and management said CapEx will stay elevated in coming quarters as it builds out five satellites at once.

#million #quarter #bookings

Eagle Capital Management, an investment management company, released its second quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, Eagle Capital Management discussed how enthusiasm around AI capital spending has driven strong S&P 500 earnings growth while also increasing risks from elevated valuations, concentrated demand, and aggressive investment ***** umptions. Eagle remains a strong believer in AI but prefers constructing a portfolio that can perform across multiple outcomes rather than relying on one forecast. The firm believes current earnings can overstate underlying economics because semiconductor equipment is depreciated over several years, while free cash flow growth remains much weaker. It also expects competition and additional capacity across AI labs, hyperscalers, and semiconductors to eventually create winners and losers. These dynamics are encouraging Eagle to recycle capital toward attractive opportunities outside the most crowded AI trades while maintaining selective exposure to high quality beneficiaries. The portfolio trades at a 20% market discount with faster expected EPS growth. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Eagle Capital Management highlighted Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA). Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) engages in the bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminum production, and energy generation business. On August 19, 2026, Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) closed at $51.54 per share. The one-month return of Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) was 13.85% and its shares gained 74.65% over the past 52 weeks. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) has a market capitalization of $13.6 billion with a 52-week trading range between $28.92 - $84.38.
Eagle Capital Management stated the following regarding Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"The energy & metals companies we own benefit from favorable multiyear supply/demand outlooks, management teams that are good capital allocators, and ***** et bases that are well-positioned on the global cost curve. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) is a global producer of aluminum and alumina. For more than two decades, Chinese aluminum supply was relentless, swamping the market. The country has imposed smelter caps and is no longer adding net capacity. As global demand grows, new capacity must be added elsewhere at higher build costs. Incentivizing this capacity requires higher prices to earn a return. We own Alcoa at a wide discount to replacement cost, and this shift higher in aluminum and alumina prices is a powerful tailwind for earnings power. We expect EPS growth in the mid-teens over the next several years."

#alcoa #corporation #aluminum