Arrow Electronics (ARW) stock has gained about 50% over the past six months and then stopped. It has slipped 1.0% over the past three months and trades roughly 9% below its 52-week high. Underneath the run is a machine that pays owners whether or not the price moves: a shrinking share count. It is shrinking more slowly now, and that changes what you are buying.
How Did Arrow Pay You While Its Profit Went Nowhere?
Over the past three years, Arrow's net income grew 0.7% a year on average while earnings per share grew 4.7% a year on average. Most of that gap is arithmetic: it retired about 3.3% of its shares a year on average, so each surviving share held a bigger claim on the same profit. Owners got a bigger slice for doing nothing.
Arrow returned 69% over those three years, about 19.0% a year, and still trailed the 76% the S&P 500 returned over the same span. The stock was up 85% at its three-year peak before giving some back. Retiring shares was one driver of that, alongside earnings growth and a changing multiple.
Can Arrow Afford A Bigger Buyback?

#Share #owners

Toward the end of the lightning round on September 8, when a caller inquired about AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN), Mad Money host Jim Cramer commented:
Alright, now, AstraZeneca reminds me of a company, it's not unlike Novartis. I'm a little nervous about it. It's been missing some of its trials. I don't think COPD is enough to change my mind… I am not going to put my money on AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) maintains a solid financial foundation supported by steady top-line growth and disciplined cost management. In its second-quarter report, the company generated total revenue of $15.38 billion, marking a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share reached $2.63, outperforming ****** yst consensus estimates.
The profitability was driven by strong global demand for core oncology and rare disease treatments, which successfully offset revenue headwinds from generic competition affecting older blockbusters like Farxiga and Brilinta. With a net margin hovering around 17.02% and management reiterating its full-year guidance for mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth along with low double-digit core EPS expansion, the core business continues to demonstrate commercial resilience.
The primary driver behind the skepticism could be based on tangible execution risks and regulatory hurdles that threaten AstraZeneca PLC's (NYSE:AZN) long-term top line. A significant blow to the rare disease division came when anselamimab failed to achieve statistical significance for the primary endpoint in the overall AL amyloidosis population in the Phase III CARES program, although AstraZeneca reported encouraging results in a prespecified subgroup of patients with kappa light-chain amyloidosis.

#management

AbbVie (ABBV) grew revenue 10.4% over the past twelve months and turned 33.9% of it into operating profit, second only to Eli Lilly among its peers on both counts. Its stock returned 24.9% over the same twelve months, fifth of the six. What the business delivered and what the market paid for it have come apart.
Johnson & Johnson makes the contrast sharpest. JNJ grew revenue 8.1% over the same twelve months on an operating margin of 26.8%—edging out Pfizer's 26.7%—while its stock returned 53.9%. It also trades at 30.5 times earnings, where AbbVie trades at 71.5.
ABBV
JNJ
PFE

#abbvie #grew #operating

Salesforce (CRM) trades at 20.6 times earnings, below the S&P 500 median of 22.6, after losing 2.8% over the past twelve months while the index gained 17.9%. A profitable software company priced under the market is the setup value buyers wait for. The question is whether that is a good business on sale or a fair price for a legacy platform facing disintermediation from next-generation AI architectures.
Salesforce sells the customer relationship software that companies run their sales and service teams on, and it owns Slack. Deutsche Telekom and FIFA both expanded their AI spending with Salesforce in fiscal Q2 2027. Revenue over the trailing twelve months was $43.94 billion, up 11.2%. The three-year average revenue growth rate is 9.9% a year—ahead of the S&P 500 median of 8.3%—making the last twelve months the faster of the two.
Free cash flow over the same window was $15.15 billion, a 7.6% yield on the market value. Operating margin over those twelve months is 21.5% against an S&P 500 median of 18.6%, and the margin did not thin against the year before.
Free cash flow in fiscal Q2 2027 was $1.1 billion, up 81% from a year earlier. That is one quarter. For the whole of fiscal 2027 management guides free cash flow growth of 4% to 5%, against revenue guided up 11% to 12%, so cash is set to grow at less than half the pace of the top line.
License revenue is a headwind and integration and ******* ytics revenue is volatile, management says, though both only partially offset growth in the newer lines. Near $243, the stock is just 8% off its 52-week high, though it remains about 33% below its two-year peak of $363.22: while the recent rally closed the immediate valuation gap, the longer-term discount reflects that structural hesitation hasn't fully cleared.

#cash #billion

Restaurant stock Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) and healthcare name Kestra Medical Technologies (KMTS) will kick off earnings reports during a week when investors will be squarely focused on the Federal Reserve and a possible interest-rate hike Wednesday. Forgent Power Solutions (FPS) is also on the docket, with its stock trying to recover after a lengthy sell-off.
Friday's stock market rally notwithstanding, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Russell 2000 small-cap index have come under the most pressure amid surging oil prices and spiking bond yields, as investors worry about pesky inflation and escalating tension between the U.S. and Iran.
While the Dow is testing major support near 52,000, the Russell fell below its 50-day moving average in late August and has been below the support level ever since. The Nasdaq composite, meanwhile, bounced off its 50-day line with conviction Friday, helped by a tame report on consumer prices. The S&P 500 also moved off its 50-day line Friday.
Results from Lennar (LEN) are due Wednesday after the close. Lennar stock tried to break out in late June, but was turned away at its 200-day line and went into a downtrend. It tried to clear the 200-day line several times again in August but to no avail. With interest rates on the rise, heavy-volume selling has picked up the pace in recent weeks.
Forgent, which sells electrical distribution equipment to data centers, reports early Tuesday. The company priced its IPO at 27 on Feb. 4, at the midpoint of a proposed range of 25-29.

#line #forgent #august #lennar

On September 8, a caller inquired if Trinity Industries, Inc. (NYSE:TRN) is worth looking at after its recent pullback. Mad Money host Jim Cramer replied:
Yes, Railcar, shouldn't be down this much. I like your thinking. You waited for the big hit. Now, it's in a good place. I would pull the trigger.
Trinity Industries, Inc. (NYSE:TRN) has faced a sharp correction, pulling back significantly from its 52-week high of $38.31. Despite this downward pressure, the company's fundamental **** et base remains exceptionally stable. In its second-quarter earnings report, the company posted total revenues of $485 million and diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $1.25, with earnings benefiting from a $132 million non-cash pre-tax gain tied to the Napier Park railcar partnership transaction.
The leasing and services segment continues to support the business, posting a robust fleet utilization rate of 97.3% and an improved lease renewal success rate of 75%. In addition, the Future Lease Rate Differential improved to +3.5%, showing healthy pricing power on expiring contracts. Management reaffirmed its full-year EPS guidance of $2.20 to $2.40, supported by a solid railcar backlog standing at $1.6 billion.
The primary catalyst for Trinity Industries, Inc.'s (NYSE:TRN) recent sell-off stems from margin compression within the Rail Products manufacturing division. Operating margins in manufacturing faced pressure from an unplanned production interruption at the Longview manufacturing facility and temporary realignment expenses tied to the company's Mexican footprint. These localized execution issues overshadowed a strong quarterly performance in leasing, causing the stock to drift below both its 50-day and 200-day moving average.

#trinity

The Cooper Companies Inc. (NASDAQ:COO), a leading medical device company, announced its third quarter fiscal 2026 results on September 9. Topline went up 1% to $1.066 billion in comparison with the same quarter last year, which also included 1% organic growth. The company posted quarterly adjusted diluted EPS of $1.15, which represented a 4% jump from Q3 FY25. During the quarter, $339.1 million was spent on repurchasing around 4.9 million of the company's common shares. This leaves management with $1.5 billion of repurchase capacity, which remains available after the Board had raised its buyback authorization from $2 billion to $3 billion.
The quarter featured several encouraging highlights. These include earnings that exceeded projections, notable growth across the fertility segment within CooperSurgical, record free cash flow generation, and a major tax resolution in the company's favor.
GAAP gross margin went up from 65% in Q3 FY25 to 67% during the recent quarter, largely reflecting the comparison against fiscal 2025 inventory write-downs tied to a CooperSurgical product line exit. Adjusted operating margin improved by 30 basis points to 26%, supported by cost discipline and productivity gains, though partly offset by currency headwinds.
Interest expense fell to $21.5 million from $25.4 million a year prior, reflecting lower rates and reduced average debt. Free cash flow surged 66% to $273.0 million, driven by $341.7 million in operating cash flow less $68.7 million in capital spending.
Due to unfavorable currency movements and rising manufacturing costs, the Q3 gross margin settled at 67% on adjusted basis. This was a 60 basis point drop from Q3 FY25. Certain areas of the business grant caution, such as the CooperVision segment. It generated flat organic growth amid notable weakness across the Asia Pacific and Americas regions.

#billion #cash

Apple (AAPL) is selling iPhones and Macs faster than it can build them, but the number a holder should fear most is the gross margin underneath those sales. Leaving out tariff refunds, that margin fell in the June quarter and is guided lower again for the September quarter. Management puts both steps down to rising memory prices, while the stock's price-to-earnings multiple sits near the top of its 10-year range.
Excluding Tariff Refunds, Apple's Margin Slips As iPhone And Mac Set June-Quarter Records
Demand is not the worry. iPhone revenue rose 22% from a year earlier in the June quarter and Mac revenue rose 29%, both June-quarter records. Management says the brake on sales is supply of the advanced nodes its chips are made on.
Reported gross margin was 50.1% in the June quarter, but tariff refunds supplied about two points of it. Without them, the margin fell 120 basis points from 49.3% in the March quarter, and the September-quarter guide takes off another 160 basis points at its midpoint. On $466.8 billion of revenue over the past year, each point of gross margin is worth about $4.7 billion of gross profit.
And Management Says Memory Prices Explain All Of That Slide

#gross #tariff #year

Updated Sept 11, 2026, 1:55 pm EDT / Original Sept 11, 2026, 7:30 am EDT
The grocery giant now expects same-store sales excluding fuel to rise between 0.2% and 0.8% for the fiscal year, down from a prior range of 1% to 2% growth. The new guidance includes a hit of roughly 140 basis points tied to the Inflation Reduction Act, which ⁠lowered prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries and impacted pharmacy revenue. Management separately reaffirmed its earnings guidance of $5.10 to $5.30 a share for the fiscal year.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

#inflation #medicare

Ciena surged 5% Friday to erase its post-earnings selloff, with Arista Networks also gaining 5% as money rotated into networking equipment as a group.
IYW gained just 2% and SPY 1% while networking stocks surged 4-5%, confirming the move as a targeted sector rotation, not a broad tech rally.
Ciena's 10.7% weekly gain makes it the group's swing name, where the post-earnings gap is nearly filled and further upside requires fresh buyers or a new catalyst.
Just released. Our ******* ysts combed the entire stock market and named the ten best stocks to buy right now, and Cisco Systems didn't make the cut. Enter your email to see the names that beat CSCO. The report is free. Enter your email and see if any of your stocks made the cut.
Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) stock is up 5% to $351.38 in early Friday afternoon trading, extending a rebound that's now stretched across the full week. The move reverses the post-earnings selloff that followed Ciena's September 3 fiscal third quarter release. Today's advance has effectively closed the door on the initial negative reaction to the report and pushed the stock back through the level it held before the release.

#Stock #Friday

On September 9, AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) revealed its Q1 FY27 results, posting its highest ever first quarter revenue. Topline figure of $480.5 million marked a 6% year-over-year growth, fueled by a $15.5 million jump in product sales and a $10.3 million expansion of service revenue. The company reported a book-to-bill ratio of 1.4, after total bookings for the quarter came in at $0.7 billion. Let's explore the underlying drivers of AeroVironment's impressive first quarter print.
Photo by NASA on Unsplash
The first quarter record topline figure reflects on strength across the underlying business lines. The Autonomous Systems (AxS) and the ***** e, Cyber and Directed Energy (SCDE) segments contributed $346 million and $134.5 million to the total revenue, respectively. The overall gross profit jumped 31% during the quarter to $124.6 million. This pushed gross margin to 26% from 21% posted a year earlier.
Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the first quarter almost doubled, from $0.32 in the same period last year to of $0.59 in the recently concluded quarter. The company also increased its funded backlog, which clocked in at $1.5 billion, compared to $1.2 billion recorded on April 30.
With a strong backlog position and landmark strategic wins, management upheld its full-year guidance, with topline figures estimated to land between $2.125 billion and $2.225 billion. It has forecasted an adjusted EBITDA ranging from $305 million to $325 million, along with diluted EPS between $3.02 and $3.34 on adjusted basis.

#million #quarter #billion #first

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) has raised its quarterly dividend by 3.8% to $0.54 per share. That brings the annualized payout at $2.16 and the yield at 3.5%.
For income-focused investors, the increase adds to the bank's appeal. But the more important point is what supports the higher payout.
U.S. Bancorp enters the second half of 2026 on firm footing. The bank's latest results show accelerating earnings, strong loan growth, and a solid capital position.
U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB)'s revenue increased 10% YoY in Q2 to a record $7.7 billion. Net interest margin jumped to 2.79%, up from 2.66% a year ago. That helped push the net income attributable to the bank up 20% to $2.18 billion. Diluted EPS rose 21.6% to $1.35.
The bank's balance sheet also continued to expand. Average loans increased 7.1% to $405.5 billion, supported by strong commercial, commercial real estate and credit card lending activity. Average deposits increased 2.4% to $515.1 billion, providing low-cost funding for the loan growth.

#Growth

It should surprise exactly no one that players, who were out of eligibility under NCAA rules, going through NFL training camp and filing lawsuits to play college football for another year was the last straw.
A week later, the Protect College Sports Act, dead in the water a month ago, is close to passing the Senate because the chaos finally got to be too much. It is, according to Team Chaos, bad for athletes.
It appears Sen. Thune has enough votes to pass the Protect College Sports Act.

Last night, I contacted many U.S. Senators’ offices to tell them the truth about the bill.

The PCSA is bad for athletes. A lot of money is being spent in an effort to convince people otherwise. pic.twitter.com/tShgI0sp9T
This is what happens when you make everybody despise you.
When your position is that you have to have megaconferences, more ******* ding of revenue by the conferences at the top, a stupid college basketball Thanksgiving week event in Las Vegas backed by all the worst people in existence (the Emiratis and David Ellison chief among them), more private equity backing, more helmet games, unlimited transfers, unlimited tampering with mid-major rosters, unlimited college eligibility and freedom to go back and forth between college and the pros as you please, all so that athletes can maximize their earnings…

#college #protect #sports #people

NBA rookies can sign contracts worth millions before they receive their first regular paycheck. The number on a rookie deal may grab attention, but the timing of those payments works very differently from what many fans **** ume.
Draymond Green recently explained how NBA players receive their salaries and why rookies can face a long wait before their first check. The system also allows players to negotiate how some of that money reaches them.
Green said NBA players are normally paid twice each month, but rookies enter the league under a different timeline. Their contracts can include an advance before the regular salary schedule begins, which gives new players some access to their earnings during that gap.
Apr 10, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) gestures toward the Sacramento Kings bench during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
"Most people are paid every 1st and the 15th all year, an NBA rookie can take an advance up to 15% of their salary once they're signed," Green said. "What you should understand about rookies is the rookies don't get their 1st paycheck till November 15th, a month and a half into the season."

#rookies #draymond #sacramento #first

On September 3, Genesco (NYSE:GCO) reported a second quarter that should not have worked on paper. Revenue fell 3% to $530 million, yet the company nearly halved its adjusted operating loss and raised full-year earnings guidance to the top end of its range. That combination, shrinking sales alongside expanding profit, is the footwear-first strategy showing up in real numbers. Every one of the company's three brands beat internal expectations, and management says the toughest sales pressure ahead is coming from a deliberate choice rather than a weakening business.
Journeys, the company's teen-focused chain, delivered its eighth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales, up 2%, even while lapping strong growth from a year earlier. The more interesting story sits underneath that number. The Journeys 4.0 store format, a redesigned concept built around a more elevated ***** ortment, is generating a sales lift of 25% or more wherever it opens, and the company expects roughly 180 locations, about a fifth of its fleet, running that format by year-end. That rollout, combined with fleet optimization and more efficient use of selling staff, handed Journeys 180 basis points of expense leverage in the quarter. Comparable sales kept accelerating into August, marking Journeys' ninth straight month of positive comps and a mid-single-digit gain during the back-to-school peak.
Johnston & Murphy is running its own streak, with comparable sales up 4% in its third consecutive positive quarter, helped by a newly extended, multiyear partnership with Peyton Manning and a broader shift in menswear toward more refined, put-together dressing. Companywide, adjusted gross margin expanded 140 basis points to 47.2%, and the adjusted operating loss narrowed to $8 million from $14 million a year ago. Genesco also collected $22.5 million in tariff refunds during the quarter and cut total debt to $15.8 million from $71 million a year earlier, giving a new CFO and a new Schuh president a far healthier balance sheet to work with as they settle into their roles.
The drag comes almost entirely from Schuh, Genesco's UK chain, where comparable sales fell 9% as management deliberately pulled back on discounting to protect margin. Executives were blunt about the cost of that choice. CEO Mimi Vaughn said "the UK consumer market remains challenged and price sensitive," and the Schuh turnaround is expected to take longer than the one already underway at Journeys. That pressure is now baked into guidance. Full-year total sales are expected to fall about 2%, worse than the prior forecast of down 1% to flat, with management incorporating more back-half sales pressure than it originally planned for given how promotional the UK footwear market has become.

#comparable #schuh #management #pressure

Kroger (KR) stock has inched lower ahead of the department store chain's fiscal Q2 results, which are set to be published before the market opens on Sept. 11. Consensus is for the retailer to post $1.05 a share of earnings (EPS) for the quarter, which would represent a 0.96% increase versus last year.
The earnings event comes as Kroger shares have fallen out of favor with investors, currently down nearly 25% versus their year-to-date high.
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Google Plans to Build Mammoth Solar Farm on an Abandoned Coal Mine. This Penny Stock Just Won the Deal.

#year #sept #consensus #Intel

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB) said on September 7 that it had settled a Frankfurt lawsuit brought by former banker Dario Schiraldi, according to Reuters. He had sought €152 million in damages, but the settlement amount was not disclosed. The bank said the agreement would have only a small financial effect on third-quarter earnings.
The distinction matters: €152 million was the claim, while the payment remains confidential. The earnings impact also does not establish the cash cost, because a settlement payment may discharge a liability for which an expense was recognized earlier.
Four former employees continue to pursue claims exceeding £600 million in London. The Frankfurt agreement therefore reduces the number of unresolved cases without establishing the cost of resolving the wider dispute.
Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB) has removed one source of litigation uncertainty. The Frankfurt court confirmed that Schiraldi withdrew his case ahead of the scheduled hearing. Investors now have management's ***** sment of a limited near-term earnings effect instead of an unresolved damages demand.
The agreement also shows that negotiated resolutions are possible. It was the second settlement involving the six former employees who brought related claims. Further agreements could reduce litigation costs and management distraction if acceptable terms can be reached.

#million

Investors hammered Cooper Companies (COO) on Thursday after the medtech's fiscal third-quarter sales lagged Wall Street's expectations, leading to a guidance cut.
Specifically, the CooperVision segment — which sells contact lenses — missed expectations by 4.5%, William Blair **** yst Steven Lichtman said in a report. The miss was due to destocking. Further, the company opted against selling its CooperSurgical business following a strategic review.
"The 'no sale' is a surprise after management highlighted prospective buyers on the last earnings call," he said. "With CVI (CooperVision) results also disappointing, the stock moves back into the penalty box."
On today's stock market, Cooper Companies shares toppled 14.7%, closing at 54.17. Shares are already trading well below their key moving averages, IBD MarketSurge charts show.
Cooper said it couldn't sell the surgical division due to competition for its implantable contraceptive, Paragard, an intrauterine device. In June, Organon (OGN) licensed Miudella, a rival to Cooper's non-hormonal IUD. Cooper is also facing fertility litigation, BofA Securities **** yst Travis Steed said in a note to clients.

#Companies #expectations #investors #wall

First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA), through its First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company subsidiary, completed the acquisition of 138 BMO Bank N.A. branches on September 4. The locations span 11 states across the Midwest, Great Plains and West.
The completion announcement did not disclose final transferred balances. At the announcement, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) expected to ****** ume approximately $5.7 billion of deposits and acquire $1.1 billion of loans. Its July 2026 update lowered those estimates to $5.3 billion and $700 million, respectively. Both estimates imply roughly $4.6 billion of net liquidity. That difference represents funding capacity, not transaction income, and remains subject to final balances and acquisition accounting.
The deposit franchise could be the transaction's most valuable ****** et. At announcement, the acquired deposits carried a weighted average rate of 1.43%, with 21% in noninterest-bearing demand accounts. First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) reported a 2.07% average total deposit cost in the second quarter of 2026. Retaining the acquired accounts near their original pricing could lower the consolidated funding cost.
The 138 branches also establish or deepen a presence across 11 states. The original transaction presentation identified approximately $1.0 billion of wealth ****** ets under management, creating opportunities to cross-sell commercial lending, treasury services, and wealth products. Retaining branch personnel could help preserve local relationships.
First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCNCA) can deploy the surplus funding in several ways. As of June 30, 2026, the company held $151.03 billion of loans and $32.19 billion of borrowings, including a $28.42 billion purchase money note owed to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The acquired liquidity could support loan growth, replace more expensive funding, or be invested in securities. The original presentation projected immediate earnings-per-share accretion and an approximately 27-basis-point reduction in the Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio.

#billion #first #citizens

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., the regulated utility subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED), joined New York regulatory staff and other parties in filing a proposed three-year steam-rate plan covering November 2026 through October 2029. Approval from the New York State Public Service Commission remains required.
The proposal includes headline base-rate changes of $13 million, $42 million and $39 million over the three rate years. A bill-shaping mechanism would instead implement corresponding base-rate increases of $26.6 million, $27.5 million and $28.5 million, producing an approximately 3.5% total customer-bill effect each year. Any revenue shortfall caused by delayed billing after the proposed November 1 effective date would be collected through a surcharge.
For Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED), the attraction is a visible investment and recovery framework. The trade-off is a 9.5% authorized return on common equity and limited room before earnings sharing begins.
The settlement supports $396 million of steam capital spending over three years, comprising $143 million, $127 million, and $126 million annually. The average rate base is projected to increase from $2.118 billion in the first rate year to $2.234 billion in the second and $2.311 billion in the third. That represents approximately 9.1% ***** ulative growth from the first year to the third, providing a larger base on which Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) can earn its authorized return.
The multiyear structure also improves planning. Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) would know the principal revenue, capital, and financing ***** umptions through October 2029 rather than returning immediately to a full rate proceeding. The proposed after-tax weighted average cost of capital rises from 7.07% to 7.19% across the plan, reflecting higher ***** umed long-term debt costs.

#million #consolidated #year #three

Prosper Stars & Stripes, a long/short equity fund, recently released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. In Q2 2026, the portfolio delivered a strong net return of +30.1% compared to the Russell 2000 Index's +21.5% return and the HFRX Equity Hedge Index's +10.3% return. The long book drove performance, generating a 43.2% gross contribution, while average net exposure remained relatively modest at 47%. U.S. economic growth remained resilient despite inflation concerns, elevated energy prices, and geopolitical uncertainty. Markets rallied sharply after easing U.S.-Iran tensions pushed oil prices lower, supporting renewed risk appetite. Small-cap equities benefited significantly, with Information Technology, Industrials, and Health Care leading gains, while Energy declined as crude prices fell. Year to date, the Composite returned +23.7%, slightly ahead of the Russell 2000's +22.6% and well above the HFRI Equity Hedge Index's +9.7%. Additionally, you can review the Portfolio's top 5 holdings to see its best picks for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Prosper Stars & Stripes highlighted The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT). The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) manufactures and sells precision-engineered components and high-energy systems for the aerospace, defense and government, industrial, medical, semiconductor and electronics, and energy industries. On September 09, 2026, The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) closed at $16.46 per share. Over the past month The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) declined 4.02% and its shares lost 15.29% over the past 3 months. The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) has a market capitalization of $511.11 million and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $12.49 to $22.51.
Prosper Stars & Stripes stated the following regarding The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We are also invested in Applied Aerospace & Defense (AADX) and The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT). Elmet's critical materials division supplies inputs for the U.S. military supply chain that are essential to production and increasingly must be sourced domestically, steering business towards the company. We believe the building of domestic supply chains can benefit Elmet and drive better-than-forecast earnings growth as they grow organically and deploy their underutilized balance sheet to broaden their businesses."
The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 19 hedge fund portfolios held The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) at the end of the second quarter which was 0 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of The Elmet Group Co. (NASDAQ:ELMT) 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 tr

Prosper Stars & Stripes, a long/short equity fund, recently released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. In Q2 2026, the portfolio delivered a strong net return of +30.1% compared to the Russell 2000 Index's +21.5% return and the HFRX Equity Hedge Index's +10.3% return. The long book drove performance, generating a 43.2% gross contribution, while average net exposure remained relatively modest at 47%. U.S. economic growth remained resilient despite inflation concerns, elevated energy prices, and geopolitical uncertainty. Markets rallied sharply after easing U.S.-Iran tensions pushed oil prices lower, supporting renewed risk appetite. Small-cap equities benefited significantly, with Information Technology, Industrials, and Health Care leading gains, while Energy declined as crude prices fell. Year to date, the Composite returned +23.7%, slightly ahead of the Russell 2000's +22.6% and well above the HFRI Equity Hedge Index's +9.7%. Additionally, you can review the Portfolio's top 5 holdings to see its best picks for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Prosper Stars & Stripes highlighted Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX). Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) designs, engineers, and manufactures integrated aerospace and defense subsystems for **** e and defense applications. On September 09, 2026, Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) closed at $11.94 per share. Over the past month, Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) declined 36.49% and its shares lost 45.95% over the past three months. Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) has a market capitalization of $2.06 billion and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $11.77 and $24.24.
Prosper Stars & Stripes stated the following regarding Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We are also invested in Applied Aerospace & Defense, Inc. (NYSE:AADX) and Elmet Group (ELMT). Applied Aerospace participates in many of the fastest growing programs in defense as a sole sourced, IP-rich component supplier, enabling high (and rising) EBITDA margins. We believe bookings can accelerate and drive revenues, earnings, and the multiple higher."
rommma/Shutterstock.com

#Equity

American Century Investments, an investment management company, released its first-quarter 2026 investor letter for the "American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund". The letter can be downloaded here. U.S. stocks advanced sharply with double-digit quarterly gains largely due to robust earnings, resilient economic data, and momentum in AI-related stocks. However, there was a slight pullback in June as momentum waned and investors anticipated potential interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. Growth and AI stocks outperformed value stocks, while large-cap companies generally surpassed small- and mid-cap stocks. Underperformance was noted in healthcare and communication services, while industrials, particularly in aerospace and defense, contributed positively to performance. The fund's investor class returned 16.38%, slightly below the Russell 1000 Growth Index's 16.74%. The investment approach focuses on bottom-up financial ****** ysis to identify large-cap companies with long-term earnings growth potential, while aiming to mitigate non-financial risks. Please review the Fund's top five holdings to gain insights into its key selections for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund highlighted Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) as a notable contributor to performance. Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) is an end-to-end ****** e company that provides launch services and ****** e systems solutions. On September 09, 2026, Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) closed at $63.07 per share. Over the past month, Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) declined 21.26%, but its shares are up 30.23% over the past year. Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) has a market capitalization of $40.33 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $37.57 to $151.00.
American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund stated the following regarding Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB). The commercial ****** e company rallied as record revenue and strong guidance were supported by a large backlog and demand for its launch and ****** e systems businesses. After ****** e Exploration Technologies' June initial public offering drove some volatility, Rocket Lab announced plans to acquire satellite operator Iridium Communications."
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. According to our database, 52 hedge fund portfolios held Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) at the end of the second quarter, compared to 43 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) 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

American Century Investments, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for the "American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund". The letter can be downloaded here. U.S. stocks advanced sharply with double-digit quarterly gains largely due to robust earnings, resilient economic data, and momentum in AI-related stocks. However, there was a slight pullback in June as momentum waned and investors anticipated potential interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. Growth and AI stocks outperformed value stocks, while large-cap companies generally surpassed small- and mid-cap stocks. Underperformance was noted in healthcare and communication services, while industrials, particularly in aerospace and defense, contributed positively to performance. The fund's investor class returned 16.38%, slightly below the Russell 1000 Growth Index's 16.74%. The investment approach focuses on bottom-up financial ***** ysis to identify large-cap companies with long-term earnings growth potential, while aiming to mitigate non-financial risks. Please review the Fund's top five holdings to gain insights into its key selections for 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund highlighted Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY). Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY), a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and commercializes therapeutics based on ribonucleic acid interference, detracted from the Fund's performance this quarter. On September 09, 2026, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY) closed at $258.00 per share. Over the past month, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY) returned 13.60%, but its shares are down 44.94% over the past year. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY) has a market capitalization of $34.52 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $197.81 to $495.55.
American Century Investments Focused Dynamic Growth Fund stated the following regarding Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Stock choices and a sector overweight relative to the benchmark detracted as many biotechnology stocks, including Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Insmed, underperformed the market. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY). The biotechnology company's stock underperformed amid concerns of its upcoming late-stage clinical trial readouts despite what we believed was its otherwise strong recent financial performance."

#alny #century

While much of the clothing and footwear industry has spent this earnings season explaining away low consumer demand, Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE:BIRK) showed an entirely different story, and investors rewarded it accordingly.
Shares of the German footwear manufacturer rose up to 20% on August 13 after the company published fiscal third-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations and prompted management to improve its full-year guidance. Revenue for the quarter came in at €720 million (about $829 million), up 13% on a reported basis and 15% in constant currency, exceeding ****** ysts expectations of around €713-715 million. Meanwhile, adjusted earnings per share of €0.74 happened to be somewhat lower than the €0.76 consensus, though this fact did little to dampen enthusiasm given the report's overall strength.
The headline change was direction. Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE:BIRK) now targets fiscal 2026 revenue growth of 15% on a constant-currency basis, up from its previous range of 13% to 15%, putting the company at the upper end of its own previous objective rather than just reiterating it. Management also increased its adjusted EBITDA forecast to at least €710 million, up from a previous floor of €700 million, and now expects reported revenue to be at the high end of the €2.30 billion-€2.35 billion range.
According to Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE:BIRK), the reason for some of the strength is simple: full-price demand from affluent buyers who haven't reduced their discretionary spending in the same manner that the broader consumer has. Strong pricing power and brand loyalty helped shield companies catering to wealthier customers from the broader spending pullback affecting much of the apparel and footwear sector, and Birkenstock's results reflect this across all regions it operates in, with the Americas growing 14%, EMEA 15%, and Asia-Pacific rising the fastest at 23%, all in constant currency terms.
Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE:BIRK) has also carefully managed its balance sheet during this period of strength. On June 30, the company executed an accelerated share buyback program of €230 million, decreasing its outstanding share count by about 6 million shares. The move helped enhance per-share earnings growth, with adjusted EPS rising 19% year-over-year.

#million #birk #company

September S&P 500 E-Mini futures (ESU26) are down -0.15%, and September Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures (NQU26) are down -0.66% this morning as rising oil prices and bond yields weigh on investor sentiment ahead of crucial U.S. producer inflation data and earnings from debt-loaded AI hyperscaler Oracle.
Oil prices extended their advance on Thursday as escalating attacks between the U.S. and Iran risked prolonging disruptions to energy flows in the Middle East. Brent crude rose above $103 a barrel, while WTI crude climbed above $99 a barrel. A senior Iranian official said on Wednesday that Tehran has no plans to back down in the face of an American naval blockade and will intensify its strikes if the U.S. continues attacking its territory. Also, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard warned on Wednesday of additional restrictions on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said the war with Iran would not end until after the November midterm elections.
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RKLB Stock Jumps as Rocket Lab Debuts New Solar Cell for ****** e

#Iran

The theme of our final regular-season free-agency update? Status quo.
Frankly, not much has happened since the trade deadline. The good players have continued to play well. A few characters have tumbled from underperformance or skyrocketed up from anonymity, but for the most part, August solidified what we already thought we knew.
As a reminder: This is a weak class. It's increasingly unlikely that a single position player will surpass the $100 million threshold, something that hasn't happened in more than a decade. The uncertainty of the lockout will have an impact as the sport prepares to go on a transactional hiatus starting Dec. 1.
We'll be back with free-agency coverage before then, with our comprehensive top 50 free agents list dropping in October.
Notes: Whenever you see a number, a slash and another number, that's a reference to contract years and total earnings. For instance, the shorthand for Bryce Harper's 11-year, $330 million deal would be "11/330." Ages listed below are for the 2027 season.

#agency

On September 8, 2026, GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) agreed to buy Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) for $11.75 billion. The acquisition marks the company's largest bet yet on precision engine castings, a constraint that has been capping GE's growth. Trading already at roughly 40x earnings, the company has now attacked one of its genuine bottlenecks through the deal. But has it paid too much to do it?
Castings, including the superalloy and ******* anium hot-section parts inside the jet engines, have constrained GE's engine production, including programs such as LEAP and GEnx, as well as its high-margin aftermarket. Without these castings, the company can neither build nor service its engines. If the acquisition closes, the company will gain access to CPP's 20-plus plants and about 6,600 workers, which are essential for making those components. The deal would therefore enable GE to control the constraint as well as defend its margins. CEO Larry Culp characterized the move as securing manufacturing capacity to meet simultaneous demand across commercial engines, aftermarket services, and defense contracts.
The valuation is where bulls should slow down. GE is paying roughly 18x 2027 EBITDA including synergies (26x without synergies). The sellers are private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Berkshire Partners. They have basically offloaded a cyclical business near the peak of the aerospace cycle. This is smart money selling to GE instead of the other way around. The real tell is that GE felt compelled to buy its way past this capacity bottleneck instead of scaling organically, which reveals how tight its prized aftermarket really was. Also, CPP also supplies other major aerospace and defense companies such as Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell, and Lockheed Martin, and through the vertical tie-up, the company invites antitrust scrutiny before it closes in late 2027.
GE's 40x multiple rests on its high-margin razor-and-blade business model that services a huge installed base. And the casting supply shortages quietly constrain this aftermarket. Hence, more than merely fixing a supply chain issue, the CPP acquisition defends the company's high margin and multiple. Financially, the transaction is accretive to adjusted EPS and free cash flow in the first year, funded through $7 billion in cash alongside newly issued debt. Insider Monkey data shows 113 hedge funds held GE in Q2 2026, down modestly from 119 in Q1, reflecting firm institutional positioning. Short interest is just 1.3% of float, below peers like Honeywell International (1.6%). Almost no one bets against it.

#aftermarket #acquisition #including

Two cybersecurity heavyweights, Rubrik, Inc. (NYSE:RBRK) and CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD), both released Q2 FY2027 earnings in late August/early September while deepening their strategic alliance. On September 1, the companies announced a joint agentic identity resilience workflow orchestrated by CrowdStrike's Charlotte Agentic SOAR. By uniting CrowdStrike's Falcon Next-Gen Identity Security with Rubrik's Identity Resilience, joint customers can now detect, investigate, and recover from compromised identity environments in hours instead of days.
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CrowdStrike continues to operate at a massive scale with strong cash generation and expanding margins. For Q2 FY2027, CrowdStrike reported total revenue of $1.47 billion, up 26% year-over-year, with annual recurring revenue (ARR) reaching $5.84 billion (up 25%) after adding a record $333 million in net new ARR. GAAP net income turned positive at $5.3 million ($0.01 per diluted share), while non-GAAP net income reached $322.9 million ($0.31 per diluted share). Operating cash flow hit a Q2 record of $530.3 million, with free cash flow reaching $377.4 million. Expanding its momentum, CrowdStrike announced a partnership with OpenAI on September 2 to secure Codex agents and integrate GPT-5.6 Cyber into Falcon, prompting Raymond James to raise its price target to $250 from $240 on September 3, citing an "AI double whammy."
Rubrik, meanwhile, represents the hyper-growth challenger outperforming Wall Street's top-line expectations. For Q2 FY2027, Rubrik's total revenue surged 38% year-over-year to $427.3 million (up 43% when normalized for material rights), while Subscription ARR grew 33% to $1.66 billion. While GAAP net loss per share narrowed to $(0.30), Rubrik achieved non-GAAP net income per share of $0.20 ($0.47–$0.53 guidance for full FY27). Operating cash flow reached $76.8 million, generating $65.7 million in free cash flow. While CrowdStrike holds the stronger overall financial profile given its $5.84 billion ARR scale and $377.4 million free cash flow generation, Rubrik leads in top-line growth velocity.
CrowdStrike's bull case rests on its leadership in endpoint and identity security, proven GAAP and non-GAAP profitability, and deep AI integrations with platforms such as OpenAI and Charlotte AI, which could drive further platform consolidation and high-margin ARR growth. However, slower percentage growth compared with younger peers, elevated valuation multiples, and lingering customer scrutiny following past software update disruptions remain key risks.

#flow

The pharmaceutical sector was hit with major pipeline news on September 1 when Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) paused eight clinical trials of rap-cel, its experimental CAR-T cell therapy targeting autoimmune and neurological disorders. The suspension, effective August 24, followed three patient deaths caused by severe, life-threatening immune reactions (immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic syndrome). Novartis is currently conducting a safety review alongside independent monitoring boards. Following the news, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) voluntarily paused trials for its competing CAR-T treatment, zola-cel, as a precautionary measure after detecting transient inflammatory side effects.
Looking at Q2 2026 earnings, Bristol Myers Squibb is currently demonstrating stronger financial momentum. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) reported total revenue of $13.0 billion, up 6% year over year, driven by a 15% increase in its Growth Portfolio to $7.6 billion, led by Opdivo, Qvantig, Reblozyl, and Camzyos. Non-GAAP EPS reached $2.04, while net income totaled $3.3 billion, or $4.2 billion on a non-GAAP basis. The company also raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance from approximately $46.0–$47.5 billion to $49.0–$50.0 billion and increased its non-GAAP EPS outlook to $6.75–$7.00.
Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS), meanwhile, reported Q2 net sales of $14.4 billion, up 3% in U.S. dollars and 1% at constant currencies, supported by Kisqali and Kesimpta, which grew 43% and 32% at constant currencies, respectively. However, generic competition reduced growth by 14 percentage points, while core operating income remained flat at $5.9 billion and GAAP net income fell 19% to $3.3 billion. Novartis reaffirmed rather than raised its full-year guidance, calling for low single-digit sales growth and a low single-digit decline in core operating income.
Overall, Bristol Myers stands out as the stronger financial story this quarter, with its Growth Portfolio offsetting legacy patent-cliff pressures and supporting a guidance increase, while Novartis continues to contend with generic erosion weighing on earnings.
Novartis' bull case rests on strong double-digit growth from high-margin blockbusters such as Kisqali, Kesimpta, and Scemblix, supporting robust Q2 free cash flow of $5.6 billion. However, CAR-T safety setbacks could threaten a key pipeline platform, while intense generic competition has already reduced top-line growth by 14 percentage points.

#billion #novartis