Anna Faris has long been recognized for her comedic talent and relatable screen presence. However, the Scary Movie star has revealed that she was "pretty depressed" during a stretch of her career. It was a time that had her wondering if she should walk away from acting for good, and she almost retired.
Seven seasons of Mom later, Anna Faris felt like her career was getting pushed to the sidelines.
Speaking on the August 20 episode of the Dear Chelsea podcast, Faris shared, "I didn't know what my ambition [was]. I didn't know where I stood, what opportunity there was."
Faris admitted that in her late 40s she felt "disturbed by my lack of ambition." With perspective, the comedian has acknowledged that she was clearly going through mental health struggles.
"I was, in hindsight, I think pretty depressed, like, premenopausal depression without recognizing it," reflected the 49-year-old. "I was just having a distant relationship with this city and my career and wondering if I had enough money to retire."

#anna #pretty #depressed #felt

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 Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN). Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) is a leading US-based home builder. On August 18, 2026, Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) closed at $84.94 per share. The one-month return of Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) was 8.75% and its shares lost 31.45% over the past 52 weeks. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) has a market capitalization of $20.42 billion.
Eagle Capital Management stated the following regarding Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) is the second largest homebuilder in the U.S. Margins and earnings have collapsed over the past few years, driven by weakness in the company's geographic markets. This has been exacerbated by a change in business model, whereby the company spun off its land bank. In the long term, going "land light" should reduce balance sheet risk and improve returns on capital, but it also reduces margins, which has a more ****** ounced effect on earnings in today's weak market. Over time, we expect excess inventory to clear and volume and discounting to improve. Indicative of depressed valuations, M&A activity in the sector is increasing. Berkshire Hathaway recently acquired Taylor Morrison, making it the fourth builder in the country."

#lennar #corporation

Saquon Barkley was among a group of running backs who took part in a Zoom call in 2023 to discuss the depressed market for their position.
As recently as last season, Barkley was the only running back averaging more than $20 million annually. Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor have all signed deals recently that put them at $22 million or more per season.
Barkley, who has an annual average of $20.6 million, ranks below all three now.
"I love it. That's how it's supposed to be," Barkley said Thursday, via Zach Berman of TheAthletic.com. "Christian [McCaffrey] did it before me. I did it after Christian. And now we have three in a row. I look forward to the next guys to do it. It was like that for every other position besides running back. You can see that coming back to life. Those guys are very deserving of it. They're ***** uva players, make a lot of impact in games for their teams. Their teams are different when they're not on the field. Hopefully in the next 5-10 years, it keeps going higher. That's how it's supposed to go."

#season

Greenhaven Road Capital, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund achieved an approximate 11% net return in the second quarter, indicating progress from the first quarter. Key changes to the portfolio will include lower concentration and increased investments with near-term catalysts, alongside a proactive stance on profit-taking. The focus will remain on owning strong businesses and conducting research that challenges consensus views, as several major investments are poised for significant events within the year. Despite declines in market multiples, underlying businesses continue to grow, suggesting a favorable positioning for returns. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Greenhaven Road Capital highlighted Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY). Kingsway Financial Services Inc. changed its name to Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) in May 2026. Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) is a Chicago-based holding company that operates in extended warranty and business services. On August 14, 2026, Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) closed at $9.94 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $284.54 million. Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) posted a one‑month return of 4.85%, while its shares lost 29.50% over the past 52 weeks.
Greenhaven Road Capital stated the following regarding Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"With no sell-side coverage and roughly 60% insider ownership, Kingsway Corporation (NYSE:KWY) is effectively ignored by the market. The free float is small, and the business is genuinely hard to **** yze. It is transforming from a messy conglomerate into an N of 1 public company built around the search model. A legacy warranty business still has to be sold, but the signs of progress are tangible: management has **** embled a portfolio of nine companies.
In the first two years after an acquisition, earnings are typically depressed while capital goes into professionalizing the business and building out sales. Even so, the ramp in quarterly EBITDA for the KSX (Search) segment is already visible. Eight quarters ago, segment EBITDA was $1.4M. It nearly doubled to $2.6M two quarters ago, and last quarter it reached $3.5M, in a seasonally slow period. Given guidance for organic growth and the strength of the underlying businesses, there is a credible path to segment EBITDA of $6M+ per quarter this year..." (Click here to read the full text)

#road #letter #business

At least one Wall Street ******* yst is skeptical that private equity firm Silver Lake will pull off a deal to acquire software maker Workday (WDAY). Workday stock popped on Feb. 13 amid reports of Silver Lake's interest but has cooled off the next two trading sessions.
In early 2026, Workday Cofounder and Executive Chairman Aneel Bhusri returned as chief executive officer. Slowing subscription revenue growth has pressured Workday stock. UBS ******* yst Karl Keirstead in a report on Monday said that private equity firm Silver Lake in unlikely to buy out the enterprise software maker.
"From the perspective of Workday, the founder only returned to the CEO role in February with an apparent mission to invest in the AI suite and accelerate growth," Keirstead said. "For him (and the board) to turn around in a matter of months and negotiate a sale, at a historically depressed free cash flow multiple and before any material time for Workday to realize any upside from these investments, strikes us as very surprising."
Second-quarter earnings are due for Workday stock on Aug. 27.
Other software stocks, including SAP (SAP) and Oracle (ORCL), climbed last week amid speculation over a Workday buyout. There has been growing investor concern that software-as-a-service companies could be disrupted by artificial intelligence-driven competition, an event referred to as a" SaaSpocalypse."

#private

Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY) recently experienced its best trading day since 2016, even though the company has yet to confirm anything has happened. Shares of the human-resources and finance software producer rose about 18% on August 13 after Reuters reported that private equity firm Silver Lake is in talks to acquire the company, in a deal that would rank among the largest software buyouts in history. The stock fluctuated even more wildly intraday, rising as much as 26% to $220.50 before being halted for volatility several times in the afternoon.
According to Reuters, Silver Lake and Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY) have carried out negotiations regarding a potential takeover in recent months, but the talks are still ongoing, with no guaranty that a transaction would occur. According to one source, Silver Lake may seek other investors to ******* ist in financing the deal, which would be one of the firm's largest technology investments to date. Workday's market value was around $43 billion before the report, and a full buyout at anything close to a typical takeover premium would place the deal in rare territory for software leveraged buyouts, while also representing the latest sign of private equity interest for large tech targets reviving after a number of quiet years.
The stock has been under pressure for much of 2026, trading more than 40% lower than its 2024 top, as investors have grown concerned that AI technologies could destroy the value of traditional enterprise software. Leadership has already responded to that pressure: Aneel Bhusri, who co-founded Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY) in 2005, returned to the CEO post in February for the mission of guiding the company during what it refers to as the rapidly evolving AI age. A private equity firm willing to pay a premium for a company that the market has been discounting due to AI disruption fears indicates that at least one sophisticated buyer sees more value in Workday's roughly 11,500 customers, which include Netflix, U.S. Bank, and Johns Hopkins University, than its depressed valuation suggests.
The bullish argument is that Silver Lake's reported interest may highlight value in Workday that has been obscured by the market's AI concerns. Going private would allow Bhusri to invest in an AI transition away from quarterly public scrutiny, a logic that has prompted a number of other software acquisitions in recent years.
That said, talks are still ongoing with no guarantee of a deal, and the stock's strong intraday movement before repeated volatility halts shows how much of the move is speculative positioning rather than ******* urance. Short interest of 12.74% indicates that a significant number of investors are still betting against the stock even before the report of the takeover emerged. Such skepticism reflects uncertainty that a deal would close at these levels or that AI-disruption worries will be properly addressed even under new ownership.

#NASDAQ #even

Jennifer Esposito has recalled the debilitating health issues she faced early in her career that left her "deeply depressed" because doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.
The Blue Bloods star admitted her years-long health battle caused her to have "thoughts of suicide," which landed her in a psychiatric ward.
"I had a whole life beginning in the city, and I was a young actor, and I had to stop everything," the 53-year-old said on Maria Menounos' Heal Squad podcast.
"They brought me to a psychologist, like they had me on every medication," she recalled.
"They wanted to give me shock treatment at one point because I wasn't responding. I'm very sensitive to medication. It was a really bad time. And my mother had people pray over me."

#medication #jennifer #blue #maria

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) is trying to solve two problems at once: proving its AI hardware can keep growing as fast as Street expects, and making a case for why that growth alone should justify the stock's price. On August 6, AMD confirmed a deal to buy Taalas, a Toronto-based startup building specialized silicon for AI inference, a move aimed squarely at the first problem even as the second has been driving the stock's swings all week.
Taalas, founded in 2023, has built technology that optimizes how data moves during AI inference, cutting the compute and memory bottlenecks that slow general-purpose chip designs. AMD plans to fold that technology into its accelerator roadmap and pair it with AMD Instinct GPUs, adding another layer to a platform that already spans Helios rackscale systems, EPYC CPUs and the ROCm software stack. The deal, still subject to regulatory approval, also extends AMD's long-standing presence in Canada, where the company says it intends to keep growing its engineering talent base.
The underlying business backs that ambition up. Second-quarter revenue hit a record $11.5 billion, up 50% year-over-year, with data center revenue alone climbing 107% to $6.7 billion. Adjusted EPS jumped 246% to $1.66, and operating margin improved to 17% from a 2% loss a year earlier. AMD has picked up customers once seen as Nvidia territory, including Oracle, Microsoft and OpenAI, and CEO Lisa Su says AMD has lined up 6 gigawatts of committed capacity apiece from OpenAI and Meta Platforms for its new MI450 chips and Helios racks. Su has pegged the AI data center chip market at $1.4 trillion annually by 2030 and forecasts that AMD's own data center sales will roughly double once more in 2027.
Despite that quarter, AMD shares fell, and the simplest explanation is that much of the good news was already baked into the price. The stock trades at nearly 70 times forward earnings, a multiple that ******* umes years of growth are already locked in. Some of AMD's headline growth rate is also flattered by an easy comparison: a US government ban on chip sales to China in April 2025 depressed AMD's results a year ago, making this year's percentage gain look larger than the underlying quarter-over-quarter trend, which came in at 16%.
Hedge fund ownership of AMD ticked up from 132 funds in the prior quarter to 134 in the most recent one, a modest increase suggesting institutional interest is holding steady rather than swinging hard either way. Short interest is low at 2.45% of float, showing little organized betting against the stock. Even so, AMD carries a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 65.36 as of August 7, a rich multiple that leaves the stock priced for the growth story to keep delivering rather than for any near-term stumble.

#data #year #price #center

ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) has quietly built one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity businesses in the industry, and on August 4, it made that ambition explicit. The company rolled out six new Autonomous Security solutions built to catch and fix threats before they turn into breaches, tied together under what it calls Shift Zero. The timing lines up with a security unit that is already outgrowing dedicated cybersecurity vendors, and the announcement explains why.
ServiceNow's security and risk franchise crossed $1 billion in annual contract value, backed by Q2 2026 subscription revenues of $3.88 billion (up 23% year-over-year in constant currency) and a remaining performance obligation base of $29 billion. CEO Bill McDermott notes it is growing faster than top standalone cybersecurity peers, aided by a 98% renewal rate. Those products were included in 16 of the company's top 20 deals, and cyber solutions appeared in 80% of its largest contracts overall. McDermott put it plainly: "we're in the party now."
The new release leans into that position. The average enterprise runs more than 70 separate security tools, and ServiceNow is trying to fold that sprawl into a single, governed system spanning exposure management, identity, cyber-physical ******* ets, incident response, and compliance. Acquired technology does the heavy lifting: Armis brings real-time visibility across billions of connected devices, and Veza's Access Graph maps permissions across human, machine, and AI identities. Where a detection-focused vendor can flag a threat, ServiceNow's configuration database can trace which system, owner, and workflow the fix actually touches.
The stock's recent bounce hides how much ground it still has to make up. Shares remained down 41% over the trailing 12 months even after jumping as much as 13.8% in the week of July 31, when ServiceNow beat guidance and raised its full-year subscription revenue outlook to $15.76 billion. That kind of gap between a strong quarter and a still-depressed share price points to a deeper worry: if AI agents can run enterprise workflows on their own, investors question how much terminal value an expensive workflow software stock deserves, no matter how good the next print looks.
The Autonomous Security rollout does not fully answer that worry yet, because it is not finished. Several of the pieces ServiceNow is counting on to make the "most complete" claim stick, including the Tier 2 SOC AI Specialist, the Vulnerability Resolution AI Specialist, continuous control monitoring, and cryptographic ******* et compliance, are not scheduled to ship until December this year. Until then, the platform's promise of governing every ******* et, identity, and agent in one motion rests partly on capabilities customers cannot yet test, leaving a gap between what ServiceNow announced and what it can currently prove in production.

#servicenow

Baron Capital, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Baron Health Care Fund". A copy of the letter is available to download here. The Fund gained 11.99% during the quarter, compared with the 10.48% gain for the Russell 3000 Health Care Index and the 15.44% gain for the Russell 3000 Index. Since inception, the Fund appreciated 10.61% on an annualized basis, compared with 10.02% for the Benchmark and 14.83% for the Index. Strong stock selection in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, health care equipment, and life sciences tools and services supported the Fund's outperformance, although limited exposure to managed care stocks reduced relative returns. The Fund remains positive on health care due to improving biotechnology funding, strong acquisition activity, recovering managed care margins, and growth from an aging population, chronic disease, medical innovation, and higher health care spending. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know the best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Baron Health Care Fund highlighted Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV). The fund re-established a position in Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV), a US-based health benefits company, during the quarter. On August 03, 2026, Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV) closed at $382.77 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $81.54 billion. Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV) posted a one-month return of -8.61%, while its shares gained 38.48% over the past 52 weeks.
Baron Health Care Fund stated the following regarding Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We re-established positions in two previously owned managed care companies, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated and Elevance Health, Inc. Both companies manage diversified portfolios, providing insurance and health care services to Commercial, Exchange, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members. We believe that the insurance cycle is turning more favorable for these companies, particularly in their Medicare Advantage businesses. After several years of elevated utilization trends, inadequate reimbursement, and regulatory challenges coupled with aggressive pricing to drive share gains, which drove operating margins to depressed levels, UnitedHealth and Elevance have exited unprofitable Medicare Advantage markets and products, right-sized benefits, and are now in the process of rebuilding profitability. We further think that the application of AI will enable them to take a significant bite out of administrative costs as well. Finally, we believe that the earnings power of both companies is well above current levels ******* uming they can approach their longterm target margins over the next few years. If we further ******* ume a reasonable multiple on future earnings power, we believe there is substantial upside in both stocks."

#care #baron

The company published the arithmetic of its own margin repair, and the first hard proof landed a quarter before the shares started compounding.
CVS Health (CVS) stock has climbed 73% over the past year, from $60.38 to $104.43, against 18.7% for the S&P 500. The group did not move as one: UNH gained 60% and ELV 31%, while CI fell 4.2%. If you watched it run without owning it, the question is not what happened at the top, but what was sitting in the public record before the price responded.
The company puts its fiscal Q1 2026 improvement primarily on Health Care Benefits, the Aetna insurance business. Segment adjusted operating income was about $3 billion on a medical benefit ratio of 85%, against 87% in fiscal Q1 2025, and Aetna contributed over $1 billion of year-over-year improvement. Enterprise adjusted operating income of about $5.2 billion rose more than 12% and adjusted earnings of $2.57 a share rose over 14%, on revenue above $100 billion that grew over 6%. Its two non-insurance segments went the other way, with adjusted operating income down about 7% at Health Services and about 9% at Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness. Full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance moved to $7.30 to $7.50 from $7 to $7.20. So the shape of the recovery is clear enough: insurance margin coming back, with the other two segments giving some of it away.
That recovery was no discovery. At its fiscal Q3 2024 results, Health Care Benefits posted an adjusted operating loss of $924 million on a medical benefit ratio of 95%, and management warned the segment might show operating losses for full-year 2024 after earning over $5.5 billion of adjusted operating income in 2023. It then did the arithmetic out loud: restoring Aetna to 2023 profitability was worth well over $3 of embedded adjusted earnings per share. By the fiscal Q4 2024 report it had published the conversion rate too: roughly $0.75 of adjusted earnings per share for each point of Health Care Benefits margin, and about $800 million of segment adjusted operating income for each point of medical cost trend. Medicare Advantage margins had ended 2024 between negative 4.5% and negative 5%, against a 3% to 5% target. That was the promise, and only the promise.
The fiscal Q1 2025 report, the last one public before the run began, is where the swing actually landed: Health Care Benefits adjusted operating income of about $2 billion, up over $1.2 billion from a year earlier, on a medical benefit ratio of 87%, down 310 basis points. Full-year 2025 adjusted earnings guidance went up to $6 to $6.20 from $5.75 to $6, and the company committed to exiting the individual exchange business in 2026, a book then projected to lose $350 million to $400 million across 2025. The base was visibly depressed: revenue over the trailing twelve months was $378.96 billion, up 5.0% year over year, against a three-year average of 8.1%, with net margin at 1.4% against a three-year peak of 2.7%. The evidence was public. Whether it was usable is

Platinum ****** et Management, an investment management company, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for "Platinum International Brands Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund returned over 4% in the quarter but lost 14% over the past year, primarily due to the dominance of tech stocks amid an AI investment boom. Consumer-focused sectors underperformed due to weak sentiment and challenges such as high interest rates and rising oil prices, which have contributed to record-low consumer confidence. However, the fund's holdings remain fundamentally strong, with top holdings averaging 13% sales growth and 19% profit growth. The letter noted that positive developments include resumed job growth, reduced oil prices, and easing fiscal policy, which potentially enhance consumer sentiment. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Platinum International Brands Fund highlighted Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) as a notable contributor. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. On July 28, 2026, Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) closed at $840.85 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $387.29 billion. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) posted a one-month return of -15.19%, and its shares gained 93.69% over the past 52 weeks.
Platinum International Brands Fund stated the following regarding Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) (+36%) was another strong performer, shrugging off a 14% fall in profit. Steel is a key input and tariffs hurt; management is working on remedies, but they will take time. Beneath the surface, demand is heating up. Cat's engines and turbines power locomotives, ships, oil rigs, gas pipelines and now datacentres, a source of demand as ferocious as it is price-insensitive. Add a mining and energy complex emerging from a decade of underinvestment and a depressed construction sector turning the corner and the prospects look bright."
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 87 hedge fund portfolios held Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) at the end of the first quarter, up from 86 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

#NYSE #letter #international #Consumer

ArcBest's second-quarter results showed operational improvements in both of its business segments. It is benefitting from heavier shipment weights on the ***** et-based side of the house while cost initiatives have pushed its logistics offering back into profitability.
ArcBest's (NASDAQ: ARCB) ***** et-based unit, which includes less-than-truckload subsidiary ABF Freight, reported a 10% y/y increase in revenue to $784 million. Tonnage per day was 5% higher as a 3% decline in shipments was more than offset by an 8% increase in weight per shipment.
Tonnage growth on a y/y comparison was fairly steady throughout the quarter—up 6.1% in April, up 4.6% in May and up 4.1% in June. The two-year-stacked comps were up 10%, 11% and 7%, respectively.
Tonnage growth accelerated in July, up 8% y/y (plus-9.3% on a two-year-stacked comp). Management said on a Wednesday call with ***** ysts that tonnage normally declines 4.6% from June to July but is only down 1% this year.
Some freight lost to a depressed truckload market has returned as TL spot rates have climbed. This is driving average shipment weights higher. ArcBest is capturing low-double-digit rate increases on TL shipments.

#tonnage #freight #quarter #based

By Nicole Jao
NEW YORK, July 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed 7% on Wednesday as airstrikes resumed in the Middle East, adding to worries about dwindling supply as U.S. government data showed crude inventories fell to a ‌multi-year low.
Brent futures were up $6.16, or 7.33%, at $90.25 a barrel by 11:36 a.m. ET (1536 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate ‌crude gained $5.40, or 6.81%, to $84.65 a barrel.
"Renewed military strikes in the Middle East and Iranian officials reiterating that they want to control shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz amid depressed oil flows through the strait are lifting oil prices again," UBS ******* yst Giovanni Staunovo said.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

#middle #east

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Patrick Clancy, the father of three young children strangled inside their Massachusetts home, became the first witness Monday in his ex-wife's murder trial, offering jurors a harrowing account of the mental health decline he witnessed before their deaths.
He was the first witness called in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, who faces murder charges in the deaths of the couple's three children in January 2023. Prosecutors argue she acted deliberately, while defense attorneys contend severe mental illness drove her actions.
Patrick described watching his then-wife fall into a "big spiral" after she began taking Seroquel, testifying that she lost weight, became severely depressed and began expressing suicidal thoughts.
"Awful," he said when asked how Lindsay was doing physically after starting the medication. "That was really where her big spiral started. She started to lose a lot of weight, and she became very depressed, and she was having a really hard time."

#patrick #clancy #witness

White Falcon Capital Management, an investment fund manager, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy can be downloaded here. The portfolio delivered 8.5% in Q2 2026, trailing the S&P 500 TR's (CAD) 17.3%, MSCI AC TR's (CAD) 16.4%, and the S&P TSX TR's 6.9% returns. The YTD's 1.8% return also trailed the indices. The firm is underwhelmed by the portfolio's performance in the quarter; however, the firm emphasizes long-term performance over short-term results. The firm aims to achieve positive absolute returns adjusted for risk over a complete market cycle. The underperformance is not due to the business fundamentals but the momentum-driven rallies in AI-linked stocks. The firm maintains patience and discipline in capital allocation, with valuation as crucial for long-term returns. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, White Falcon Capital Management highlighted Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD). Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a leading semiconductor company that designs and manufactures of AI accelerators, microprocessors, and graphics processing units. On July 22, 2026, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) closed at $552.33 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $900.63 billion. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) posted a one-month return of 0.99%, while its shares gained 231.77% over the past 52 weeks.
White Falcon Capital Management stated the following regarding Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Before we do that, let's talk about Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD). We purchased our initial position in AMD in October 2022 at about $80 per share when the stock was depressed due to weak outlook for its end markets. As is often the case with the market, when it does not like a stock or a sector it discounts it severely and we were able to purchase a cyclical stock (yes, semiconductor stocks were cyclical then!) with a net-cash balance sheet at a depressed multiple of depressed earnings. Our investment was underpinned by our confidence in AMD's management team, its engineering culture, and its ability to consistently deliver competitive products. It turns out that CPU's, AMD's core product, are needed for Agentic AI! The stock took off earlier this year and is currently trading at above $500 per share. From our perspective, the upside we captured was not due to any attempt to predict AI's trajectory, but simply the result of owning a quality company in a secularly growing sector, run by a strong management team at a sensible valuation.
As we've said before, high-quality businesses possess optionality that simply isn't available to mediocre businesses and even as these businesses trade at higher multiples, this optionality is often undervalued. Today, the world can't seem to buy enough semiconductor stocks, and AMD trades at a valuation that reflects a ve

One of my all-time favorite jokes (which may or may not be the untold "joke" from Big Shield) is a simple one that was told by David Letterman during a week of shows from Las Vegas in 1987.
It went like this. (And, yes, I found the episode on YouTube.)
"Something really odd happened to me this morning," Letterman said. "I'm coming here to the hotel . . and I see this guy standing in front of the casino. Seemed like a nice enough guy. I don't know, like mid 30s or so. And he's kind of depressed, and he comes up to me, and he says, 'Excuse me, Mr. Letterman, can I borrow from you like $100?' He said, 'Because my wife is not well, and I need the $100 for some medicine, and hopefully, thank God, maybe she'll improve if we have the money to buy the medicine.'
"I said, 'Geez, you know, of course I would love to help you out. But what guarantee do I have now, if I give you the 100 bucks, that you won't take it right there into the casino and spend it on gambling? Just blow it completely? Gamble it away?'
"And the guy looks at me and he says, 'Oh, I got gambling money.'"

#letterman #medicine #gambling

Madison Small Cap Fund, managed by Madison Funds, released its Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The small-cap market showed exceptional strength in Q2, largely due to anticipated peace in the Middle East. The Russell 2000 Index began to rally, propelled by Information Technology, Health Care, and Industrials. The Madison Small Cap Fund (Class I) returned 12.7% in the quarter, underperforming the Russell 2000's 21.5% and Russell 2500's 20.2%. While strong gains were seen in Info Tech investments, recent investments in underperforming software companies negatively impacted overall performance. Nevertheless, confidence in the long-term potential of these software investments remains high. The firm is optimistic about small caps, noting their recent outperformance over large caps, recovery in certain software sectors, and improvements in some housing stocks toward the end of the second quarter. Please review the Fund's top five holdings to gain insights into their key selections for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Madison Small Cap Fund highlighted Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI). Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) designs and develops various semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. On July 16, 2026, Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) closed at $3.81 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $864.5 million. Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) posted a one-month return of -13.06%, while its shares lost 21.05% over the past 52 weeks.
Madison Small Cap Fund stated the following regarding Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) is an industrial semiconductor company (market capitalization of ~$1 billion) that is largely focused on the automotive market. The company is in the process of closing two transformative transactions: the sale of a commodity semiconductor business focused on China, and the acquisition of a company focused on industrial robotics or physical AI from German industrial firm Osram. We believe these two transactions will materially improve both the balance sheet and the business's economics, which are not reflected in the current valuation. The automotive semiconductor market has been depressed for several years and is poised for a recovery as inventory overhangs have been largely cleared. INDI has a significant opportunity to increase content per car by leveraging its impressive intellectual property in vision and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). We estimate the intrinsic value for INDI to be $15."

Wedgewood Partners, an investment management company, released its first-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Wedgewood Composite delivered a net return of 9.4% in the second quarter compared to 15.2% for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, 16.7% for the Russell 1000 Growth Index, and 13.9% for the Russell 1000 Value Index. The firm is optimistic about the long-term growth of hyperscalers and has increased its investments in this sector, citing their significant earnings potential and crucial role in AI adoption. Capital has also been redirected towards technology hardware stocks, especially semiconductors, which now make up a larger share of the S&P 500 Index. Semiconductor stocks have benefited from hyperscalers' spending, but the firm expresses caution about cyclical risk and volatility. However, the momentum-driven market negatively affected the Wedgewood fund's high-quality stocks, leading to a 25% return over the past 15 months, significantly underperforming the 90% gain of the S&P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO). In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Wedgewood Partners highlighted Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN). Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is a multinational technology and retail company known for its leading online marketplace and cloud platform. On July 16, 2026, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) closed at $249.89 per share. One-month return of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) was 2.25%, and its shares gained 10.51% over the past 52 weeks. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has a market capitalization of $2.69 trillion.
Wedgewood Partners stated the following regarding Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Although Microsoft, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Meta have different business models and were not necessarily top drivers of performance during the quarter, we view their investment opportunity set, from both a compounding and returns perspective and a component-cost hedge perspective, as similar to Alphabet's.
As we have noted before, Amazon is another member of this elite group generating high returns, and we think it is being quite rational by rapidly compounding its **** et base at these returns. During the quarter, Amazon grew revenue by 17% and operating income by 30%. While the bears continue to complain about Amazon's $200 billion in capex growth and dwindling free cash flow, we estimate this incremental capex will increase the 2025 total **** et base by around 28%. With 30% cash flow growth on what we **** ume is at least 28% **** et growth, we conclude Amazon is achieving at least as good, if not better, returns on capital than it has previously - yet the stock is trading near historically depressed multiples. This is another telltale sign to us that the Company's aggressive free cash flow reinvestment is very rational and that the depressed valuation presents an excellent long-term invest

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Artificial intelligence is supposed to scare us.
At least that's the message many people hear every day. AI will replace workers. Robots will take jobs. Computers will become smarter while humans struggle to keep up.
Jeff Bezos sees a completely different future.
Speaking at Italian Tech Week in October, the billionaire founder of Amazon and Blue Origin acknowledged that many people feel "nervous or anxious or even a little discouraged or depressed" about what's coming next. But he believes they're looking at one of the most exciting moments in human history the wrong way.

Retirees can satisfy an RMD by transferring shares in kind to a taxable account, avoiding a forced sale at depressed prices.
In-kind distributions are still taxed as ordinary income at fair market value, so retirees need outside cash to cover the tax bill.
A qualified charitable distribution sent directly from an IRA to a nonprofit satisfies the RMD with zero income tax, up to the annual limit.
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.
She is 75, retired, and looking at a brokerage statement she would rather not open. The market sold off hard this spring, with the VIX, also known as the stock market's "fear index," soaring and staying elevated. Meanwhile, several of her long-held equity positions are still well off their highs. Her investment custodian has flagged the obvious problem: her annual required minimum distribution (RMD) is due, and the default way to satisfy it is to sell shares. The problem is she does not want to sell low.

Former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack was concerned she would be stigmatised and ridiculed over her mental health, an inquest has heard.
The 27-year-old was found dead at her home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023.
Her father, David Cusack, told Chesterfield Coroner's Court that being reunited with a coach she did not like and changes to her contract had left her demotivated.
He said: "We thought she was depressed, not suicidal."
David Cusack told the court life had been made "unpleasant" for his daughter by coach Jonathan Morgan while she played for Leicester City.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is leaving Milwaukee. So how are you feeling?
Are you depressed? Mad? Excited for a new era of Bucks basketball? Intrigued to see if it works out for either party? Disappointed but understanding? Anxious? Grateful?
Better yet, if you had one thing you wanted to say to Giannis right now, what would it be?
We can't promise he'll read it, but we can at least give you a chance to say it out loud, and we'll share a handful of responses.
Tell us what you want Giannis to know:

Bell Global Equities Fund, managed by Bell ******* et Management, released its latest investor update, available for download. March saw heightened volatility due to the Middle East conflict, with the MSCI World ex Australia Index falling 2.5% and the Bell Global Equities Fund (Wholesale class) declining 3.1%. The portfolio's underweight in Energy was the primary headwind to relative performance, compounded by poor stock selection in Communication Services, Health, and Energy. A tentative ceasefire in early April has helped stabilize sentiment and reverse some March declines. Future market trends depend on the ceasefire's durability and how ongoing energy supply disruptions affect inflation and growth through 2026. In addition, the ongoing AI disruption narrative is significantly influencing market behavior, causing indiscriminate selling across various sectors. The recent weakness appears to be sentiment-driven rather than fundamental deterioration, thus creating opportunities. In addition, please check the Strategy's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, Bell Global Equities Fund highlighted stocks such as Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL). Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) is a less-than-truckload motor carrier that provides regional, inter-regional, and national less-than-truckload services, as well as expedited transportation. On June 5, 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) closed at $242.57 per share. One-month return of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) was 50.44%, and its shares gained 53.36% over the past 52 weeks. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) has a market capitalization of $50.45 billion.
Bell Global Equities Fund stated the following regarding Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) in its Q1 2026 investor letter:
"Among other exits was the sale of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL), a leading US less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier. While we continue to see good scope for strong earnings growth in the coming years as earnings rebound from depressed levels, a strong rally in the share price and material valuation re-rating have largely priced this in. With the potential for macro disruptions related to the conflict in Iran, we felt the risk-reward profile was starting to skew to the downside and therefore exited the position."
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 51 hedge fund portfolios held Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) at the end of the first quarter, up from 48 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit signi

Bell Global Equities Fund, managed by Bell **** et Management, released its latest investor update, available for download. March saw heightened volatility due to the Middle East conflict, with the MSCI World ex Australia Index falling 2.5% and the Bell Global Equities Fund (Wholesale class) declining 3.1%. The portfolio’s underweight in Energy was the primary headwind to relative performance, compounded by poor stock selection in Communication Services, Health, and Energy. A tentative ceasefire in early April has helped stabilize sentiment and reverse some March declines. Future market trends depend on the ceasefire’s durability and how ongoing energy supply disruptions affect inflation and growth through 2026. In addition, the ongoing AI disruption narrative is significantly influencing market behavior, causing indiscriminate selling across various sectors. The recent weakness appears to be sentiment-driven rather than fundamental deterioration, thus creating opportunities. In addition, please check the Strategy’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, Bell Global Equities Fund highlighted stocks such as Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL). Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) is a less-than-truckload motor carrier that provides regional, inter-regional, and national less-than-truckload services, as well as expedited transportation. On June 5, 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) closed at $242.57 per share. One-month return of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) was 50.44%, and its shares gained 53.36% over the past 52 weeks. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) has a market capitalization of $50.45 billion.
Bell Global Equities Fund stated the following regarding Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) in its Q1 2026 investor letter:
"Among other exits was the sale of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL), a leading US less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier. While we continue to see good scope for strong earnings growth in the coming years as earnings rebound from depressed levels, a strong rally in the share price and material valuation re-rating have largely priced this in. With the potential for macro disruptions related to the conflict in Iran, we felt the risk-reward profile was starting to skew to the downside and therefore exited the position."
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 51 hedge fund portfolios held Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) at the end of the first quarter, up from 48 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit signific