3 mins. ago
LPL Financial has been the largest independent brokerage in wealth management for decades, but the gap between it and everyone else has expanded to an unprecedented girth.
As displayed by the rankings below of the top 15 firms from Financial Planning's 2026 IBD Elite study of the industry's independent brokerages, the firm generated more than double the revenue last year of its perennial nearest competitor, Ameriprise. Rival firms and frequent fellow contenders Osaic, Cetera and Raymond James Financial Services rounded out the top five.
The dominance of LPL as, "by far, the most successful player in this ***** e," reflects its "willingness to go to the M&A market" and ability to work with almost any type of advisory practice, according to Jason Diamond, the president of recruiting, executive search and M&A advisory firm Diamond Consultants.
"It enabled them to really cater the platform to all types of advisors," Diamond said, citing the firm's Linsco employee unit and the clearing and custody services it provides to registered investment advisory firms alongside its more traditional independent brokerage business. "They have so many different affiliation channels that really allow them to say, 'We're going to be all things to all people.'"
Of course, he pointed out that the rest of the firms in a channel of the industry that collectively boosted its revenue 13% year over year to $56.28 billion in 2025 aren't exactly struggling. But the yawning chasm between LPL and Ameriprise over the past decade offers financial advisors and other wealth management professionals instructive numbers about how the No. 1 IBD is both fueling the industry's growth and its consolidation — even as there are still important caveats to understand about the supposed dichotomy between big and small firms.
#diamond #independent #advisory
As displayed by the rankings below of the top 15 firms from Financial Planning's 2026 IBD Elite study of the industry's independent brokerages, the firm generated more than double the revenue last year of its perennial nearest competitor, Ameriprise. Rival firms and frequent fellow contenders Osaic, Cetera and Raymond James Financial Services rounded out the top five.
The dominance of LPL as, "by far, the most successful player in this ***** e," reflects its "willingness to go to the M&A market" and ability to work with almost any type of advisory practice, according to Jason Diamond, the president of recruiting, executive search and M&A advisory firm Diamond Consultants.
"It enabled them to really cater the platform to all types of advisors," Diamond said, citing the firm's Linsco employee unit and the clearing and custody services it provides to registered investment advisory firms alongside its more traditional independent brokerage business. "They have so many different affiliation channels that really allow them to say, 'We're going to be all things to all people.'"
Of course, he pointed out that the rest of the firms in a channel of the industry that collectively boosted its revenue 13% year over year to $56.28 billion in 2025 aren't exactly struggling. But the yawning chasm between LPL and Ameriprise over the past decade offers financial advisors and other wealth management professionals instructive numbers about how the No. 1 IBD is both fueling the industry's growth and its consolidation — even as there are still important caveats to understand about the supposed dichotomy between big and small firms.
#diamond #independent #advisory
20 mins. ago
The SEC just formally proposed Regulation Crypto ******* ets, a new offering framework that would let crypto projects raise up to $5M through a one-time startup exemption or up to $75M annually through a tiered fundraising exemption.
The exemptions: The startup lane allows $5M over four years with no accredited-investor requirement or per-investor cap. The fundraising lane allows $75M every 12 months, split into a $20M Tier 1 and $75M Tier 2, with Tier 2 issuers needing audited financials and ongoing reporting, and non-accredited buyers capped at 10% of income or net worth. Tokens sold under either lane wouldn't carry a rule-based resale lockup.
The safe harbor: Once a team finishes, or permanently drops, the managerial work it promised, its token can shed "investment contract" status for good—a formalized version of the concept the SEC's March interpretive guidance first floated. The rule would also preempt state-level securities registration for these offerings and certain secondary trades.
What's missing: The SEC's separate "innovation exemption," expected to let firms tokenize actual securities like stocks and trade them onchain, wasn't part of Tuesday's release. The agency explicitly said it isn't touching registered-offering rules for "digital securities" this round, so tokenized equities on public blockchains remain unaddressed.
Why the delay: CoinDesk reported the tokenization piece had been expected to land alongside the fundraising rule before the SEC abruptly pulled an Aug. 14 meeting. The holdup has been tied to White House concerns about muddying live CLARITY Act talks, internal questions over the SEC's own statutory authority, and Wall Street's SIFMA objecting to using exemptive relief for market-structure changes.
#lane #rule #Crypto
The exemptions: The startup lane allows $5M over four years with no accredited-investor requirement or per-investor cap. The fundraising lane allows $75M every 12 months, split into a $20M Tier 1 and $75M Tier 2, with Tier 2 issuers needing audited financials and ongoing reporting, and non-accredited buyers capped at 10% of income or net worth. Tokens sold under either lane wouldn't carry a rule-based resale lockup.
The safe harbor: Once a team finishes, or permanently drops, the managerial work it promised, its token can shed "investment contract" status for good—a formalized version of the concept the SEC's March interpretive guidance first floated. The rule would also preempt state-level securities registration for these offerings and certain secondary trades.
What's missing: The SEC's separate "innovation exemption," expected to let firms tokenize actual securities like stocks and trade them onchain, wasn't part of Tuesday's release. The agency explicitly said it isn't touching registered-offering rules for "digital securities" this round, so tokenized equities on public blockchains remain unaddressed.
Why the delay: CoinDesk reported the tokenization piece had been expected to land alongside the fundraising rule before the SEC abruptly pulled an Aug. 14 meeting. The holdup has been tied to White House concerns about muddying live CLARITY Act talks, internal questions over the SEC's own statutory authority, and Wall Street's SIFMA objecting to using exemptive relief for market-structure changes.
#lane #rule #Crypto
1 hr. ago
Some shoe firms have already received their tariff refunds, others are still waiting to get theirs. So far, the shoppers who paid higher prices seem to be out in the cold.
The tariff refunds are for reciprocal duties imposed last year under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that shoe firms paid, but were ruled illegal this past February by the U.S. Supreme Court. Some companies absorbed a portion of the added costs from the duties, while others raised prices. For example, Nike in May 2025 said it was doing a "surgical" price increase for a select group of items, averaging between $2 and $10. And Swoosh's sneaker competitor Adidas said last October that new products to the U.S. featuring innovative technologies would see higher prices.
More from WWD
US Trade Czar 'Very Happy With Where We Ended Up' On Canadian Trade Deal, Though Details Remain Scant
Three Reasons Nike Just Partnered With Influencer Quenlin Blackwell
#trade #shoe #firms #others
The tariff refunds are for reciprocal duties imposed last year under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that shoe firms paid, but were ruled illegal this past February by the U.S. Supreme Court. Some companies absorbed a portion of the added costs from the duties, while others raised prices. For example, Nike in May 2025 said it was doing a "surgical" price increase for a select group of items, averaging between $2 and $10. And Swoosh's sneaker competitor Adidas said last October that new products to the U.S. featuring innovative technologies would see higher prices.
More from WWD
US Trade Czar 'Very Happy With Where We Ended Up' On Canadian Trade Deal, Though Details Remain Scant
Three Reasons Nike Just Partnered With Influencer Quenlin Blackwell
#trade #shoe #firms #others
5 hours ago
Shares in Unitree, one of China's largest manufacturers of humanoid robots, closed their first day of trading by more than 460%, showing strong investor appetite for China's robotics sector.
Unitree raised around $900 million in its IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market, the city's board for technology startups, at a valuation of $9 billion. After today's surge, Unitree is now worth around $66 billion, ahead of larger Chinese tech firms like Baidu and JD.com. It's also worth more than the most valuable U.S. robotics company, Figure AI, which got a $39 billion valuation in a September 2025 funding round.
Investors piling into Unitree represents the hype around China's robotics sector, which is responsible for almost all shipments of humanoid robots in the first half of the year. But ******* ysts views are mixed on how much potential companies like Unitree have: While the startup continues to push what their robots can do—recently, beyond human performance—continued struggles on the software side, as well as a recent U.S. ban on foreign-made robots, could weigh on the company's future.
Unitree reported 1.7 billion yuan ($252 million) in revenue in 2025, with almost 45% of that coming from overseas sales. It also generated 600 million yuan ($89 million) in profit last year. Most of Unitree's sales go towards research purposes, though some Chinese tech companies and state-owned enterprises are starting to explore using humanoid robots in their operations.
Unitree has been backed by fellow Hangzhou startup DeepSeek, as well as big tech firms like Alibaba, Ant Group and Tencent, as well as several state-backed investment funds.
Nomura, which gave a "buy" rating to Unitree shares on Wednesday, credited Unitree's "rapid product iteration and continuous innovation" as the foundation of a "first-mover advantage."
#billion #like
Unitree raised around $900 million in its IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market, the city's board for technology startups, at a valuation of $9 billion. After today's surge, Unitree is now worth around $66 billion, ahead of larger Chinese tech firms like Baidu and JD.com. It's also worth more than the most valuable U.S. robotics company, Figure AI, which got a $39 billion valuation in a September 2025 funding round.
Investors piling into Unitree represents the hype around China's robotics sector, which is responsible for almost all shipments of humanoid robots in the first half of the year. But ******* ysts views are mixed on how much potential companies like Unitree have: While the startup continues to push what their robots can do—recently, beyond human performance—continued struggles on the software side, as well as a recent U.S. ban on foreign-made robots, could weigh on the company's future.
Unitree reported 1.7 billion yuan ($252 million) in revenue in 2025, with almost 45% of that coming from overseas sales. It also generated 600 million yuan ($89 million) in profit last year. Most of Unitree's sales go towards research purposes, though some Chinese tech companies and state-owned enterprises are starting to explore using humanoid robots in their operations.
Unitree has been backed by fellow Hangzhou startup DeepSeek, as well as big tech firms like Alibaba, Ant Group and Tencent, as well as several state-backed investment funds.
Nomura, which gave a "buy" rating to Unitree shares on Wednesday, credited Unitree's "rapid product iteration and continuous innovation" as the foundation of a "first-mover advantage."
#billion #like
5 hours ago
By Toby Sterling and Rashika Singh
AMSTERDAM, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Nebius Group said on Thursday its $5 billion convertible bond was one of the largest on record and reflected strong demand for AI services and data centre capacity, despite recent jitters over the sector's huge financing needs.
Amsterdam-based Nebius, which sells AI services to tech firms and data centre capacity to customers including Meta and Microsoft, raised the size from $4.5 billion late on Wednesday and the total could be increased to $5.75 billion if buyers exercise all options.
"We think it's one of the largest, and the largest in recent history, in the corporate convertible world," Nebius chief communications officer Tom Blackwell told Reuters, adding that the firm's total convertible debt is now around $12 billion.
Proceeds of the new offer, led by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, will be used to fund the company's data centre buildout and further develop its AI services offerings.
#convertible #reuters
AMSTERDAM, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Nebius Group said on Thursday its $5 billion convertible bond was one of the largest on record and reflected strong demand for AI services and data centre capacity, despite recent jitters over the sector's huge financing needs.
Amsterdam-based Nebius, which sells AI services to tech firms and data centre capacity to customers including Meta and Microsoft, raised the size from $4.5 billion late on Wednesday and the total could be increased to $5.75 billion if buyers exercise all options.
"We think it's one of the largest, and the largest in recent history, in the corporate convertible world," Nebius chief communications officer Tom Blackwell told Reuters, adding that the firm's total convertible debt is now around $12 billion.
Proceeds of the new offer, led by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, will be used to fund the company's data centre buildout and further develop its AI services offerings.
#convertible #reuters
9 hours ago
By Toby Sterling and Rashika Singh
AMSTERDAM, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Nebius Group said on Thursday its $5 billion convertible bond was one of the largest on record and reflected strong demand for AI services and data centre capacity, despite recent jitters over the sector's huge financing needs.
Amsterdam-based Nebius, which sells AI services to tech firms and data centre capacity to customers including Meta and Microsoft, raised the size from $4.5 billion late on Wednesday and the total could be increased to $5.75 billion if buyers exercise all options.
"We think it's one of the largest, and the largest in recent history, in the corporate convertible world," Nebius chief communications officer Tom Blackwell told Reuters, adding that the firm's total convertible debt is now around $12 billion.
Proceeds of the new offer, led by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, will be used to fund the company's data centre buildout and further develop its AI services offerings.
#nebius #Services #centre #reuters
AMSTERDAM, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Nebius Group said on Thursday its $5 billion convertible bond was one of the largest on record and reflected strong demand for AI services and data centre capacity, despite recent jitters over the sector's huge financing needs.
Amsterdam-based Nebius, which sells AI services to tech firms and data centre capacity to customers including Meta and Microsoft, raised the size from $4.5 billion late on Wednesday and the total could be increased to $5.75 billion if buyers exercise all options.
"We think it's one of the largest, and the largest in recent history, in the corporate convertible world," Nebius chief communications officer Tom Blackwell told Reuters, adding that the firm's total convertible debt is now around $12 billion.
Proceeds of the new offer, led by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, will be used to fund the company's data centre buildout and further develop its AI services offerings.
#nebius #Services #centre #reuters
14 hours ago
The U.S. cattle industry is in rough shape, and there's little sign of immediate relief on the way.
Structural headwinds are bedeviling the beef industry. Cattle herds are at their lowest levels since the 1950s, according to data published last month by the Department of Agriculture. That's driven up beef prices and put significant financial strain on meatpacking firms that are forced to readapt their business in a difficult economic environment.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
#department
Structural headwinds are bedeviling the beef industry. Cattle herds are at their lowest levels since the 1950s, according to data published last month by the Department of Agriculture. That's driven up beef prices and put significant financial strain on meatpacking firms that are forced to readapt their business in a difficult economic environment.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
#department
15 hours ago
BND now yields nearly 4% after its price decline, and selling here locks in the loss while surrendering that income to the next buyer.
TLT dropped roughly 34% over five years due to its long duration, while BND's shorter duration kept its five-year decline near 1%.
Retirees and income-focused investors who sell BND after its drawdown risk sequence-of-returns damage right when the yield is finally competitive.
Many financial professionals are salespeople paid on what they push, not whether you end up wealthier. A fiduciary is the opposite. The SEC legally requires them to put your interests first. Advisor.com's free matching tool pairs you with vetted fiduciaries from major national firms, all in under three minutes. See who you match with today.
The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NASDAQ:BND) has spent 2026 crossing back and forth over the zero line, with a year-to-date total return that ticks positive one week and negative the next. The S&P 500, meanwhile, is up roughly 13% this year. That gap is why BND holders keep asking whether the bond sleeve is doing anything at all.
#bond #income #five
TLT dropped roughly 34% over five years due to its long duration, while BND's shorter duration kept its five-year decline near 1%.
Retirees and income-focused investors who sell BND after its drawdown risk sequence-of-returns damage right when the yield is finally competitive.
Many financial professionals are salespeople paid on what they push, not whether you end up wealthier. A fiduciary is the opposite. The SEC legally requires them to put your interests first. Advisor.com's free matching tool pairs you with vetted fiduciaries from major national firms, all in under three minutes. See who you match with today.
The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NASDAQ:BND) has spent 2026 crossing back and forth over the zero line, with a year-to-date total return that ticks positive one week and negative the next. The S&P 500, meanwhile, is up roughly 13% this year. That gap is why BND holders keep asking whether the bond sleeve is doing anything at all.
#bond #income #five
15 hours ago
BULL surged 13% after Q2 revenue jumped 51% to $199M and adjusted operating profit soared 169%, driven by the June PDT rule elimination.
HOOD ticked up just 2% on a peer read-through while flat IAI confirms today's move is entirely specific to Webull's earnings, not a sector rally.
Webull's registered-user growth hit a three-year low of 13%, meaning the record quarter rested on existing customers trading more, not new account arrivals.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Webull didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Webull (NASDAQ:BULL) stock is up 13% to $9.76 in early Thursday trading after the online broker posted its strongest quarter as a public company. Meanwhile, Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) stock practically unchanged at $95.34. For the broader sector context, the iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchanges ETF (NYSEARCA:IAI) shares are flat/unchanged at around $190.
#hood #webull #broker #trading
HOOD ticked up just 2% on a peer read-through while flat IAI confirms today's move is entirely specific to Webull's earnings, not a sector rally.
Webull's registered-user growth hit a three-year low of 13%, meaning the record quarter rested on existing customers trading more, not new account arrivals.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Webull didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Webull (NASDAQ:BULL) stock is up 13% to $9.76 in early Thursday trading after the online broker posted its strongest quarter as a public company. Meanwhile, Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) stock practically unchanged at $95.34. For the broader sector context, the iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchanges ETF (NYSEARCA:IAI) shares are flat/unchanged at around $190.
#hood #webull #broker #trading
19 hours ago
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed into law a measure that would introduce a conditional pardon for thousands of Kurdish militants as part of a government peace effort with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
The measure was published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday. It will only come into force after Turkey's National Security Council confirms that the group has fully dissolved itself and disarmed.
Parliament approved the bill overwhelmingly last week. It would suspend certain prison sentences for convicted PKK members and postpone ongoing investigations and trials against others for five or 10 years, depending on the severity of the crime. Authorities would drop the cases against the individuals if they don't re-offend during those periods.
The legislation also establishes a committee to oversee the group's disarmament, with its first meeting expected next week.
Last year, the PKK — considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies — announced its decision to disband, following a call by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan and other key PKK figures are excluded from the pardon.
#recep
The measure was published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday. It will only come into force after Turkey's National Security Council confirms that the group has fully dissolved itself and disarmed.
Parliament approved the bill overwhelmingly last week. It would suspend certain prison sentences for convicted PKK members and postpone ongoing investigations and trials against others for five or 10 years, depending on the severity of the crime. Authorities would drop the cases against the individuals if they don't re-offend during those periods.
The legislation also establishes a committee to oversee the group's disarmament, with its first meeting expected next week.
Last year, the PKK — considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies — announced its decision to disband, following a call by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan and other key PKK figures are excluded from the pardon.
#recep
1 day ago
Interested in Belden Inc? Here are five stocks we like better.
Belden is not a chipmaker, but its connectivity products are becoming more relevant as AI data centers expand.
The company posted record second-quarter revenue and orders, helped by strong demand across data center and industrial markets.
The RUCKUS acquisition gives Belden a broader networking platform, though integration risk and competition remain important watch points.
Investors hunting for ways to profit from the artificial intelligence boom typically look to chipmakers, cloud giants, or maybe software firms embedding AI into everything.
#ruckus #better
Belden is not a chipmaker, but its connectivity products are becoming more relevant as AI data centers expand.
The company posted record second-quarter revenue and orders, helped by strong demand across data center and industrial markets.
The RUCKUS acquisition gives Belden a broader networking platform, though integration risk and competition remain important watch points.
Investors hunting for ways to profit from the artificial intelligence boom typically look to chipmakers, cloud giants, or maybe software firms embedding AI into everything.
#ruckus #better
1 day ago
China's Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) reported its second-quarter results today, missing Wall Street estimates as continued weakness in its advertising business overshadowed growth in artificial intelligence.
Baidu reported second-quarter earnings per share of RMB7.22, missing the ****** yst estimate of RMB9.84. Meanwhile, revenue came in at RMB31.33 billion, down 4% year-over-year.
Baidu's traditional mainstay, online marketing revenue, was down 19% to 13.1 billion yuan compared to a year earlier due to cautious advertisers amid a stagnant macroeconomic environment.
Underneath the advertising decline, the company's AI-related businesses stood out. Baidu's AI Cloud Infrastructure revenue rose 50% year-over-year to RMB7.3 billion. GPU Cloud revenue within that segment shot up 283% year-over-year backed by rising demand for public cloud-based AI computing, up from 184% growth in the prior quarter.
AI applications rose 3% to 2.5 billion yuan, while AI marketing services were flat at 2.6 billion yuan. According to Baidu founder and CEO Robin Li Yanhong, the growing momentum in Baidu's core AI-powered business reaffirms its transition from an internet-centric company to an AI-first company.
#baidu #quarter #rmb7
Baidu reported second-quarter earnings per share of RMB7.22, missing the ****** yst estimate of RMB9.84. Meanwhile, revenue came in at RMB31.33 billion, down 4% year-over-year.
Baidu's traditional mainstay, online marketing revenue, was down 19% to 13.1 billion yuan compared to a year earlier due to cautious advertisers amid a stagnant macroeconomic environment.
Underneath the advertising decline, the company's AI-related businesses stood out. Baidu's AI Cloud Infrastructure revenue rose 50% year-over-year to RMB7.3 billion. GPU Cloud revenue within that segment shot up 283% year-over-year backed by rising demand for public cloud-based AI computing, up from 184% growth in the prior quarter.
AI applications rose 3% to 2.5 billion yuan, while AI marketing services were flat at 2.6 billion yuan. According to Baidu founder and CEO Robin Li Yanhong, the growing momentum in Baidu's core AI-powered business reaffirms its transition from an internet-centric company to an AI-first company.
#baidu #quarter #rmb7
1 day ago
SanDisk (SNDK) and Micron (MU) dropped 9% and 7% after WSJ revealed top tech firms carry $3 trillion in off-balance-sheet AI commitments.
The selloff is pure profit-taking, given that SanDisk entered Tuesday up 653% year-to-date and Micron up 255%, with no memory-specific bad news driving it.
With the 30-year Treasury at a 19-year high, prediction markets give a 97% chance Micron closes Tuesday lower.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Micron Technology didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of memory chip makers are selling off hard midday Tuesday as investors rotate out of AI hardware. SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) is down 9.1%, Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) is down 7.3%, and Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) is down 5.3% as of late morning trading.
#micron #NASDAQ #year #technology
The selloff is pure profit-taking, given that SanDisk entered Tuesday up 653% year-to-date and Micron up 255%, with no memory-specific bad news driving it.
With the 30-year Treasury at a 19-year high, prediction markets give a 97% chance Micron closes Tuesday lower.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Micron Technology didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of memory chip makers are selling off hard midday Tuesday as investors rotate out of AI hardware. SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) is down 9.1%, Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) is down 7.3%, and Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) is down 5.3% as of late morning trading.
#micron #NASDAQ #year #technology
1 day ago
Cipher Mining (CIFR) tumbled 9% and TeraWulf (WULF) sank 7% as the 10-year yield hit 4.7%, squeezing valuations on multi-year AI data center projects.
HIVE Digital erased Monday's gains, falling 7% despite a fresh $350 million GPU cloud deal, while WGMI's 6% decline confirms the selloff is sector-wide.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Cipher Mining didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) miners pivoting to AI infrastructure are moving lower together Tuesday morning, with Cipher Mining (NASDAQ:CIFR) stock down 9% to $16.77 and TeraWulf (NASDAQ:WULF) shares down 7% to $16.45. Rising Treasury yields sit at the center of the move.
The 10-year yield is trading near the upper end of its 52-week range, pressuring long-duration cash flow valuations across a group financing multi-year data center construction against contracted revenue arriving later. HIVE Digital Technologies (NASDAQ:HIVE) shares are down 7% to $2.87, giving back most of Monday's surge. MARA Holdings stock is down 5% to $9.24, and Riot Platforms shares are down 4% to $19.23.
#down
HIVE Digital erased Monday's gains, falling 7% despite a fresh $350 million GPU cloud deal, while WGMI's 6% decline confirms the selloff is sector-wide.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Cipher Mining didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) miners pivoting to AI infrastructure are moving lower together Tuesday morning, with Cipher Mining (NASDAQ:CIFR) stock down 9% to $16.77 and TeraWulf (NASDAQ:WULF) shares down 7% to $16.45. Rising Treasury yields sit at the center of the move.
The 10-year yield is trading near the upper end of its 52-week range, pressuring long-duration cash flow valuations across a group financing multi-year data center construction against contracted revenue arriving later. HIVE Digital Technologies (NASDAQ:HIVE) shares are down 7% to $2.87, giving back most of Monday's surge. MARA Holdings stock is down 5% to $9.24, and Riot Platforms shares are down 4% to $19.23.
#down
2 days ago
Gemini ***** e Station (NASDAQ: GEMI) stock is selling off in Monday's trading. The company's share price was down 9.1% as of 11:30 a.m. ET and had been off as much as 13.8% earlier in the session.
Gemini stock is losing ground today in response to a slew of downward price target revisions from ***** ysts. As of this writing, the company's share price has fallen roughly 64.5% year to date.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Investment firms weighed in with new coverage on Gemini ***** e Station stock today, and each newly published note delivered a downward price target revision. Rosenblatt lowered its price target from $9 per share to $6 per share, Mizuho lowered its target from $8 per share to $7 per share, Needham lowered its target from $8 per share to $6 per share, and Goldman Sachs lowered its target from $4 per share to $3.50 per share.
Rosenblatt, Mizuho, and Needham each reiterated the equivalent of a buy rating on the stock, but each firm issued a significant downward adjustment for its valuation forecast. Meanwhile, Goldman maintained its sell rating on Gemini.
#lowered
Gemini stock is losing ground today in response to a slew of downward price target revisions from ***** ysts. As of this writing, the company's share price has fallen roughly 64.5% year to date.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Investment firms weighed in with new coverage on Gemini ***** e Station stock today, and each newly published note delivered a downward price target revision. Rosenblatt lowered its price target from $9 per share to $6 per share, Mizuho lowered its target from $8 per share to $7 per share, Needham lowered its target from $8 per share to $6 per share, and Goldman Sachs lowered its target from $4 per share to $3.50 per share.
Rosenblatt, Mizuho, and Needham each reiterated the equivalent of a buy rating on the stock, but each firm issued a significant downward adjustment for its valuation forecast. Meanwhile, Goldman maintained its sell rating on Gemini.
#lowered
2 days ago
By Karen Roman
Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FULC) said it is merging with Slate Medicines, Inc. to advance next-generation therapeutics to treat migraine and other headache disorders, with the combining company operating as Slate Medicines, Inc. and trading on Nasdaq under the ticker "SLTE."
Slate reported it secured an oversubscribed concurrent private placement of $245 million from healthcare investors led by Frazier Life Sciences and including Forbion, RA Capital Management, and Deep Track Capital, among other firms. The new company's cash balance is expected to fund operations into 2029, it said.
"Migraine remains one of the most prevalent and disabling neurological diseases, yet millions of patients continue to be underserved by existing therapies," said Gregory Oakes, Slate Medicines CEO. "This merger and the related financing are expected to provide the resources to advance SLTE-1009, along with the rest of our pipeline, through potentially meaningful clinical milestones."
Contact:
#karen
Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: FULC) said it is merging with Slate Medicines, Inc. to advance next-generation therapeutics to treat migraine and other headache disorders, with the combining company operating as Slate Medicines, Inc. and trading on Nasdaq under the ticker "SLTE."
Slate reported it secured an oversubscribed concurrent private placement of $245 million from healthcare investors led by Frazier Life Sciences and including Forbion, RA Capital Management, and Deep Track Capital, among other firms. The new company's cash balance is expected to fund operations into 2029, it said.
"Migraine remains one of the most prevalent and disabling neurological diseases, yet millions of patients continue to be underserved by existing therapies," said Gregory Oakes, Slate Medicines CEO. "This merger and the related financing are expected to provide the resources to advance SLTE-1009, along with the rest of our pipeline, through potentially meaningful clinical milestones."
Contact:
#karen
2 days ago
American AI companies are collectively worth trillions of dollars, and lawmakers, ***** el-winning economists, and AI executives themselves are asking whether ordinary citizens should own a piece of them.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has been discussing a plan to give the U.S. government a 5% equity stake in his company, according to a Financial Times report from early July. Altman wants other leading AI firms to do the same, with equity flowing into a government-run fund modeled on Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests oil wealth and distributes annual payments to residents. The talks are in early stages, and any deal would likely require an act of Congress.
The proposal comes as public opinion on AI has turned sharply negative. More than 200 economists, including 16 ***** el laureates, have warned that AI could put millions of workers out of jobs within years, not the decades that previous waves of automation required. A fund could cushion blow, if it's structured properly.
Altman first raised the idea with the Trump administration in 2025, according to CNBC, and spent the next year building his case. OpenAI published a formal proposal in April calling for a "Public Wealth Fund" that would give every citizen, including the tens of millions of Americans who don't own a single share of stock, a stake in AI-driven growth.
Each American's share of the proposed stake would be worth between $125 and $146, depending on whether OpenAI goes public at its target valuation of $1 trillion or stays at its current $852 billion. That's a fraction of what Alaska's Permanent Fund typically pays to the state's more than 600,000 residents. Even in a down year, its payouts are robust: the Permanent Fund delivered $1,000 per resident in 2025, its lowest payout in five years. Because the fund is worth more than $91 billion, having been built over five decades on continuous oil revenue and diversified investments, its dividends are consistent and high enough to mean something to each person.
#fund #altman #stake #economists
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has been discussing a plan to give the U.S. government a 5% equity stake in his company, according to a Financial Times report from early July. Altman wants other leading AI firms to do the same, with equity flowing into a government-run fund modeled on Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests oil wealth and distributes annual payments to residents. The talks are in early stages, and any deal would likely require an act of Congress.
The proposal comes as public opinion on AI has turned sharply negative. More than 200 economists, including 16 ***** el laureates, have warned that AI could put millions of workers out of jobs within years, not the decades that previous waves of automation required. A fund could cushion blow, if it's structured properly.
Altman first raised the idea with the Trump administration in 2025, according to CNBC, and spent the next year building his case. OpenAI published a formal proposal in April calling for a "Public Wealth Fund" that would give every citizen, including the tens of millions of Americans who don't own a single share of stock, a stake in AI-driven growth.
Each American's share of the proposed stake would be worth between $125 and $146, depending on whether OpenAI goes public at its target valuation of $1 trillion or stays at its current $852 billion. That's a fraction of what Alaska's Permanent Fund typically pays to the state's more than 600,000 residents. Even in a down year, its payouts are robust: the Permanent Fund delivered $1,000 per resident in 2025, its lowest payout in five years. Because the fund is worth more than $91 billion, having been built over five decades on continuous oil revenue and diversified investments, its dividends are consistent and high enough to mean something to each person.
#fund #altman #stake #economists
2 days ago
Missing the 6-month Medigap enrollment window at 65 allows insurers to deny coverage or charge more based on pre-existing conditions like diabetes.
Only 4 states offer meaningful Medigap protections beyond the federal window: Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. Most beneficiaries are left subject to medical underwriting.
Before leaving Medicare Advantage, confirm remaining protected rights, compare multiple Medigap insurers, and secure approval before finalizing any switch to Original Medicare.
Many financial professionals are salespeople paid on what they push, not whether you end up wealthier. A fiduciary is the opposite. The SEC legally requires them to put your interests first. Advisor.com's free matching tool pairs you with vetted fiduciaries from major national firms, all in under three minutes. See who you match with today.
At 65, an Ohio woman picked a zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan because she was healthy and the sales brochure looked cheaper than adding a Medigap policy to Original Medicare. Two years later, her doctor diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, started her on insulin, and referred her to an endocrinologist outside the plan's network. Now 67, she wants to switch to Original Medicare with a Medigap Plan G so she can use a broader range of specialists.
#original
Only 4 states offer meaningful Medigap protections beyond the federal window: Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. Most beneficiaries are left subject to medical underwriting.
Before leaving Medicare Advantage, confirm remaining protected rights, compare multiple Medigap insurers, and secure approval before finalizing any switch to Original Medicare.
Many financial professionals are salespeople paid on what they push, not whether you end up wealthier. A fiduciary is the opposite. The SEC legally requires them to put your interests first. Advisor.com's free matching tool pairs you with vetted fiduciaries from major national firms, all in under three minutes. See who you match with today.
At 65, an Ohio woman picked a zero-premium Medicare Advantage plan because she was healthy and the sales brochure looked cheaper than adding a Medigap policy to Original Medicare. Two years later, her doctor diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, started her on insulin, and referred her to an endocrinologist outside the plan's network. Now 67, she wants to switch to Original Medicare with a Medigap Plan G so she can use a broader range of specialists.
#original
2 days ago
Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest private employer, cut 12,200 middle and senior managers last year. It also trained 114,000 employees in AI. Both happened while the company posted record revenue of more than $30 billion.
TCS wasn't alone. Across India's five biggest IT services firms, every company earned more in fiscal year 2026 while employing fewer people. The combined workforce shrank by 7,389, according to Moneycontrol. The previous year, those same employers had added 12,718 jobs.
India's outsourcing industry employs nearly six million people and contributes an estimated 12% of the country's GDP. Economists have begun warning that AI could eliminate white-collar jobs faster than past waves of automation, and the sector where the entire business model depends on billing clients for human hours is where that's already happening.
The cuts at TCS targeted experienced staff in roles "where redeployment and reskilling have not been feasible," according to The Federal. Infosys, the country's second-largest IT services firm, lost 8,440 workers in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 alone, according to Moneycontrol, even as the company reported a 4.2% revenue increase in constant currency for fiscal year 2025.
AI services are filling the gap. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh told **** ysts that AI work accounted for 8.2% of total revenue by the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, growing at a double-digit pace. Srini Pallia, CEO of Wipro, another of India's top five IT firms, said in the company's second-quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings call that "AI is no longer experimental" and now "central to our clients' strategies."
#fiscal #Services #moneycontrol
TCS wasn't alone. Across India's five biggest IT services firms, every company earned more in fiscal year 2026 while employing fewer people. The combined workforce shrank by 7,389, according to Moneycontrol. The previous year, those same employers had added 12,718 jobs.
India's outsourcing industry employs nearly six million people and contributes an estimated 12% of the country's GDP. Economists have begun warning that AI could eliminate white-collar jobs faster than past waves of automation, and the sector where the entire business model depends on billing clients for human hours is where that's already happening.
The cuts at TCS targeted experienced staff in roles "where redeployment and reskilling have not been feasible," according to The Federal. Infosys, the country's second-largest IT services firm, lost 8,440 workers in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 alone, according to Moneycontrol, even as the company reported a 4.2% revenue increase in constant currency for fiscal year 2025.
AI services are filling the gap. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh told **** ysts that AI work accounted for 8.2% of total revenue by the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, growing at a double-digit pace. Srini Pallia, CEO of Wipro, another of India's top five IT firms, said in the company's second-quarter fiscal year 2026 earnings call that "AI is no longer experimental" and now "central to our clients' strategies."
#fiscal #Services #moneycontrol
2 days ago
Following the Washington-led removal of Venezuela's previous president, Nicolás Maduro, from office on 3 January this year, U.S. firms are pushing hard to keep increasing oil production from the hydrocarbons giant, in line with President Donald Trump's grand plans for the country within his new world order. The foundation for such output increases is extremely solid, as Venezuela still holds the world's largest proven crude reserves -- roughly 303 billion barrels, or about 17% of the global total. Most of this is extra-heavy crude oil from the Orinoco Belt that requires more technical expertise to handle than lighter grades but is cheaper to lift and often more profitable to process, with the challenge lying in transporting, upgrading, and refining it, not extracting it. Moreover, of its 14 supergiant oil fields, 11 retain more than half of their original reserves. Once up and running to something approaching full capacity, the country is to play a key role in the 'Americas' geographical sphere -- one of three such regions, as delineated recently in the U.S.'s '2025 National Security Strategy' -- so where are we now in this development arc following comments in the past week or so from U.S. oil and gas giant, Chevron?
According to chief financial officer Eimear Bonner, during a recent earnings call, the U.S. supermajor has increased its oil production in Venezuela from 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 250,000 bpd over the past few years. And, based solely on its three current joint ventures in the country, output has risen over just the past six months by 12% year on year to 280,000 bpd. This followed the mid-April announcement of an **** et-swap agreement with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), under which Chevron received an additional 13.21% interest in the Petroindependencia joint venture, increasing its total stake to 49%. The U.S. firm's other two joint ventures include Petropiar (in which a Chevron subsidiary holds a 30% interest and has the rights to develop the adjacent Ayacucho 8 area in the Orinoco Oil Belt), and Petroindependiente (in which it has a 25.2% non-operated interest in the west of the country). Looking ahead, Bonner added that Chevron expects its production across Venezuela to rise by 50% between now and the end of 2028, which would bring the total up to 420,000 bpd. Across the country as a whole, July saw average crude oil production by Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA and its foreign partners increase by 20,000 bpd to 1.21 million bpd, according to Ministry of Hydrocarbons data. Nearly all of this is now exported, compared to an average of 847,000 bpd in 2025. That said, back in the early 2000s, Venezuela's crude production was running at over 3 million barrels per day.
#crude #past #joint
According to chief financial officer Eimear Bonner, during a recent earnings call, the U.S. supermajor has increased its oil production in Venezuela from 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 250,000 bpd over the past few years. And, based solely on its three current joint ventures in the country, output has risen over just the past six months by 12% year on year to 280,000 bpd. This followed the mid-April announcement of an **** et-swap agreement with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), under which Chevron received an additional 13.21% interest in the Petroindependencia joint venture, increasing its total stake to 49%. The U.S. firm's other two joint ventures include Petropiar (in which a Chevron subsidiary holds a 30% interest and has the rights to develop the adjacent Ayacucho 8 area in the Orinoco Oil Belt), and Petroindependiente (in which it has a 25.2% non-operated interest in the west of the country). Looking ahead, Bonner added that Chevron expects its production across Venezuela to rise by 50% between now and the end of 2028, which would bring the total up to 420,000 bpd. Across the country as a whole, July saw average crude oil production by Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA and its foreign partners increase by 20,000 bpd to 1.21 million bpd, according to Ministry of Hydrocarbons data. Nearly all of this is now exported, compared to an average of 847,000 bpd in 2025. That said, back in the early 2000s, Venezuela's crude production was running at over 3 million barrels per day.
#crude #past #joint
2 days ago
Weitz Investment Management, an investment management firm, released its second-quarter Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Large Cap Equity Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Large Cap Equity Fund's Institutional Class posted a return of 7.03% in Q2, trailing the 15.49% return of the Bloomberg U.S. 1000 Index. This disparity arose as equity markets surged amid economic resilience and easing Middle East tensions, while AI-related stock performance soared due to heightened investor interest in "AI bottleneck" beneficiaries, primarily semiconductor firms. Major positions in "hyperscaler" cloud providers yielded mixed results. Risk-on factors like momentum and growth significantly outpaced defensive factors. Despite the current volatility, the Fund maintains its philosophy of investing in quality companies at undervalued prices, believing this strategy will yield improved returns over time. The portfolio held ownership in 30 companies, with the top 10 comprising over half of the portfolio. The price-to-value ratio is in the upper-70s, indicating strong return potential. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM). Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is a building materials company that supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry. On August 14, 2026, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) closed at $547.93 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $32.91 billion. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) posted a one‑month return of ‑1.03%, while its shares lost 9.11% over the past 52 weeks.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We bought new positions in Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) and Veralto during the quarter. Both are repeat holdings, so we were able to act opportunistically and quickly at favorable prices. Martin Marietta is a leading aggregates producer with terrific ****** ets and a solid capital allocation track record. The investment is a natural extension of our longstanding "rocks and gravel" theme."
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 65 hedge fund portfolios held Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) at the end of the first quarter, the same as in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) 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
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM). Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is a building materials company that supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry. On August 14, 2026, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) closed at $547.93 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $32.91 billion. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) posted a one‑month return of ‑1.03%, while its shares lost 9.11% over the past 52 weeks.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We bought new positions in Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) and Veralto during the quarter. Both are repeat holdings, so we were able to act opportunistically and quickly at favorable prices. Martin Marietta is a leading aggregates producer with terrific ****** ets and a solid capital allocation track record. The investment is a natural extension of our longstanding "rocks and gravel" theme."
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 65 hedge fund portfolios held Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) at the end of the first quarter, the same as in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) 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
2 days ago
Weitz Investment Management, an investment management firm, released its second-quarter Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Large Cap Equity Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Large Cap Equity Fund's Institutional Class posted a return of 7.03% in Q2, trailing the 15.49% return of the Bloomberg U.S. 1000 Index. This disparity arose as equity markets surged amid economic resilience and easing Middle East tensions, while AI-related stock performance soared due to heightened investor interest in "AI bottleneck" beneficiaries, primarily semiconductor firms. Major positions in "hyperscaler" cloud providers yielded mixed results. Risk-on factors like momentum and growth significantly outpaced defensive factors. Despite the current volatility, the Fund maintains its philosophy of investing in quality companies at undervalued prices, believing this strategy will yield improved returns over time. The portfolio held ownership in 30 companies, with the top 10 comprising over half of the portfolio. The price-to-value ratio is in the upper-70s, indicating strong return potential. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted 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 August 14, 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) closed at $210.97 per share. One-month return of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) was 8.91%, and its shares gained 40.30% over the past 52 weeks. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) has a market capitalization of $43.45 billion.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We sold the Fund's profitable investment in Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) when the stock traded above our business value estimate. We respect and admire the company's management, culture, and methodical approach to building business value in the competitive trucking industry. While positive developments have been stacking up on several fronts, we think the stock price already reflects a strong volume recovery, robust pricing, and plenty of operating ratio improvement. We would gladly own the stock again at the right price."
#fund #weitz
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted 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 August 14, 2026, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) closed at $210.97 per share. One-month return of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) was 8.91%, and its shares gained 40.30% over the past 52 weeks. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) has a market capitalization of $43.45 billion.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We sold the Fund's profitable investment in Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODFL) when the stock traded above our business value estimate. We respect and admire the company's management, culture, and methodical approach to building business value in the competitive trucking industry. While positive developments have been stacking up on several fronts, we think the stock price already reflects a strong volume recovery, robust pricing, and plenty of operating ratio improvement. We would gladly own the stock again at the right price."
#fund #weitz
2 days ago
Weitz Investment Management, an investment management firm, released its second-quarter Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Large Cap Equity Fund". A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Large Cap Equity Fund's Institutional Class posted a return of 7.03% in Q2, trailing the 15.49% return of the Bloomberg U.S. 1000 Index. This disparity arose as equity markets surged amid economic resilience and easing Middle East tensions, while AI-related stock performance soared due to heightened investor interest in "AI bottleneck" beneficiaries, primarily semiconductor firms. Major positions in "hyperscaler" cloud providers yielded mixed results. Risk-on factors like momentum and growth significantly outpaced defensive factors. Despite the current volatility, the Fund maintains its philosophy of investing in quality companies at undervalued prices, believing this strategy will yield improved returns over time. The portfolio held ownership in 30 companies, with the top 10 comprising over half of the portfolio. The price-to-value ratio is in the upper-70s, indicating strong return potential. Additionally, reviewing the Fund's top five holdings could help identify its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) as a newly added position. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) provides water ******* ytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color solutions. On August 14, 2026, Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) closed at $97.68 per share. The one-month return of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was 4.86% and its shares lost 8.45% over the past 52 weeks. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) has a market capitalization of $23.81 billion.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We bought new positions in Martin Marietta Materials and Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) during the quarter. Both are repeat holdings, so we were able to act opportunistically and quickly at favorable prices. Veralto enjoys leading market positions and enviable economics in its water quality and packaging, labeling, and product traceability businesses. We see a clear path to modest organic growth, operating margin expansion, and value-creating capital deployment."
Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 57 hedge fund portfolios held Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) at the end of the first quarter which was 55 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) 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.
#vlto #i
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund highlighted Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) as a newly added position. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) provides water ******* ytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color solutions. On August 14, 2026, Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) closed at $97.68 per share. The one-month return of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) was 4.86% and its shares lost 8.45% over the past 52 weeks. Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) has a market capitalization of $23.81 billion.
Weitz Investment Large Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"We bought new positions in Martin Marietta Materials and Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) during the quarter. Both are repeat holdings, so we were able to act opportunistically and quickly at favorable prices. Veralto enjoys leading market positions and enviable economics in its water quality and packaging, labeling, and product traceability businesses. We see a clear path to modest organic growth, operating margin expansion, and value-creating capital deployment."
Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 57 hedge fund portfolios held Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) at the end of the first quarter which was 55 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Veralto Corporation (NYSE:VLTO) 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.
#vlto #i
2 days ago
Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. home builder sentiment unexpectedly ticked higher in August, but residential construction firms' confidence remains weak overall, weighed down by economic uncertainty, high mortgage rates and steep building costs aggravated by the U.S.-led war with Iran, a survey showed on Monday.
The National ****** ociation of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market index rose one point to a reading of 35 this month from July's unrevised level of 34. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index would decline for a third straight month to 33.
A NAHB subindex measuring current sales of single-family homes ticked up to 39, the highest since May, from 37 in July, while measures of future sales and prospective buyer foot traffic were both unchanged.
On a regional basis, sentiment edged up in the Northeast, South and West and was unchanged in the Midwest.
The national index level in August marked the 16th straight month it has remained below 40, the longest such stretch since 2012. Indeed, the index has not breached the 50 level demarking business conditions that builders consider to be positive in more than two years.
#sentiment
The National ****** ociation of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market index rose one point to a reading of 35 this month from July's unrevised level of 34. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index would decline for a third straight month to 33.
A NAHB subindex measuring current sales of single-family homes ticked up to 39, the highest since May, from 37 in July, while measures of future sales and prospective buyer foot traffic were both unchanged.
On a regional basis, sentiment edged up in the Northeast, South and West and was unchanged in the Midwest.
The national index level in August marked the 16th straight month it has remained below 40, the longest such stretch since 2012. Indeed, the index has not breached the 50 level demarking business conditions that builders consider to be positive in more than two years.
#sentiment
2 days ago
A competitor has died following a crash involving two riders during qualifying for the Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man.
The session was red-flagged at about 18:50 BST following the incident at Cruickshanks, in Ramsey, on the opening lap of Tuesday evening's session.
Organisers said the other competitor involved had suffered minor injuries and was being treated at the island's main hospital, ******* le's. The riders have not been named.
The road between Ramsey Bus Station and Lheaney Road in Ramsey remained closed for more than three hours after the crash.
In a statement, organisers said: "It's with profound sadness that the Manx Grand Prix Races confirms that one competitor sustained fatal injuries.
#riders
The session was red-flagged at about 18:50 BST following the incident at Cruickshanks, in Ramsey, on the opening lap of Tuesday evening's session.
Organisers said the other competitor involved had suffered minor injuries and was being treated at the island's main hospital, ******* le's. The riders have not been named.
The road between Ramsey Bus Station and Lheaney Road in Ramsey remained closed for more than three hours after the crash.
In a statement, organisers said: "It's with profound sadness that the Manx Grand Prix Races confirms that one competitor sustained fatal injuries.
#riders
2 days ago
Pakistan suffer a major setback ahead of the first Test against England as newly reappointed captain Babar Azam is ruled out with a finger injury. Babar injures the middle finger of his right hand while batting against the West Indies and aggravates it during a warm-up game in Beckenham.
"Pakistan captain Babar Azam is unavailable for the first test match," Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said. "Salman Agha will be the captain for the first test."
Ahmed confirms that Babar's finger is not broken but says the team hopes the pain settles in time for the second Test at Lord's, starting August 27. Babar's absence is a significant blow after he recently returned as captain and was Pakistan's leading run-scorer against the West Indies.
Agha is set to captain Pakistan in a Test for the first time, having already led the team in T20 cricket. Shan Masood, who was replaced by Babar as captain, also returns after recovering from a broken finger.
"Our practice match gave us a lot of confidence," Ahmed said. "Whatever bases we needed to cover with bat and ball, we did. We believe we'll do very well here."
England, meanwhile, begin the series under a changed leadership setup. Joe Root returns as captain following Ben Stokes' retirement, while Brendon McCullum has also left the coaching role. Marcus Trescothick takes interim charge as new coach Stephen Fleming misses the series.
Root, who previously led England from 2017 to 2022, says his experience has prepared him for another stint as captain.
"I feel as ready as any other England captain that's ever been before," Root said. "To have that amount of experience is invaluable."
Harry Brook remains vice-captain, with Root confident of his support.
"I fully feel he's got my back like the rest of the guys do," Root said.
#root #england #finger #azam
"Pakistan captain Babar Azam is unavailable for the first test match," Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said. "Salman Agha will be the captain for the first test."
Ahmed confirms that Babar's finger is not broken but says the team hopes the pain settles in time for the second Test at Lord's, starting August 27. Babar's absence is a significant blow after he recently returned as captain and was Pakistan's leading run-scorer against the West Indies.
Agha is set to captain Pakistan in a Test for the first time, having already led the team in T20 cricket. Shan Masood, who was replaced by Babar as captain, also returns after recovering from a broken finger.
"Our practice match gave us a lot of confidence," Ahmed said. "Whatever bases we needed to cover with bat and ball, we did. We believe we'll do very well here."
England, meanwhile, begin the series under a changed leadership setup. Joe Root returns as captain following Ben Stokes' retirement, while Brendon McCullum has also left the coaching role. Marcus Trescothick takes interim charge as new coach Stephen Fleming misses the series.
Root, who previously led England from 2017 to 2022, says his experience has prepared him for another stint as captain.
"I feel as ready as any other England captain that's ever been before," Root said. "To have that amount of experience is invaluable."
Harry Brook remains vice-captain, with Root confident of his support.
"I fully feel he's got my back like the rest of the guys do," Root said.
#root #england #finger #azam
3 days ago
Bank of America on Tuesday hiked its price targets on cybersecurity stocks on views that a worsening artificial intelligence-based threat landscape supports higher valuations. Cybersecurity stocks have rebounded from worries that AI model builders will emerge as competitors.
Bank of America raised its price targets for SentinelOne (S), SailPoint (SAIL) and Zscaler (ZS). Other cybersecurity stocks may be extended amid a big rally in 2026, BofA said.
"Over the past several months, cybersecurity stocks have benefited from improving software sector sentiment and increasing investor focus on the security implications of AI," said BofA ****** yst Tal Liani in a report.
"While the market initially viewed AI as a potentially disruptive force that could compress the value of incumbent security platforms, recent developments have shifted the conversation toward the expanding threat landscape created by AI," he added. "We believe investors are increasingly viewing cybersecurity as a critical enabler of enterprise AI adoption, supporting both durable demand and a more constructive valuation framework across the sector."
AI is changing the cybersecurity industry as companies race to build cloud computing-based platforms. Cybersecurity firms are rapidly embedding AI into nearly every stage of threat detection, investigation and response. But hackers are using AI tools as well. Recent incidents have reinforced concerns that increasingly capable AI models could be used for cyberattacks in the wrong hands.
#stocks #recent #based
Bank of America raised its price targets for SentinelOne (S), SailPoint (SAIL) and Zscaler (ZS). Other cybersecurity stocks may be extended amid a big rally in 2026, BofA said.
"Over the past several months, cybersecurity stocks have benefited from improving software sector sentiment and increasing investor focus on the security implications of AI," said BofA ****** yst Tal Liani in a report.
"While the market initially viewed AI as a potentially disruptive force that could compress the value of incumbent security platforms, recent developments have shifted the conversation toward the expanding threat landscape created by AI," he added. "We believe investors are increasingly viewing cybersecurity as a critical enabler of enterprise AI adoption, supporting both durable demand and a more constructive valuation framework across the sector."
AI is changing the cybersecurity industry as companies race to build cloud computing-based platforms. Cybersecurity firms are rapidly embedding AI into nearly every stage of threat detection, investigation and response. But hackers are using AI tools as well. Recent incidents have reinforced concerns that increasingly capable AI models could be used for cyberattacks in the wrong hands.
#stocks #recent #based
3 days ago
Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that there are no active negotiations between ****** nal and Galatasaray over a potential transfer for Victor Osimhen.
McNicholas confirms the two clubs have been in dialogue over several players, but it seems this isn't a deal they're currently negotiating.
Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images
Matt Law had initially reported for The Telegraph that during talks between ****** nal and Galatasaray over Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, the topic of Osimhen's availability was raised.
#victor
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that there are no active negotiations between ****** nal and Galatasaray over a potential transfer for Victor Osimhen.
McNicholas confirms the two clubs have been in dialogue over several players, but it seems this isn't a deal they're currently negotiating.
Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images
Matt Law had initially reported for The Telegraph that during talks between ****** nal and Galatasaray over Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, the topic of Osimhen's availability was raised.
#victor
3 days ago
MAI Capital Management has acquired Waypoint Wealth Counsel, an Atlanta registered investment adviser (RIA) focused on financial planning, portfolio management and advisory work.
Financial details were not made public.
Waypoint manages about $490m in ******* ets and works with more than 100 client households.
The business was set up in 2014 by Brad McGrew and Matthew Woods, who had previously worked at brokerage firms, banks and other RIAs.
Woods said: "Joining MAI allows us to combine the local relationships and market knowledge we have built over more than a decade with the resources of a national firm. Through MAI's platform, including its Evoke ultra-high-net worth team, we're looking forward to the added depth and investment expertise, particularly as it relates to delivering on the needs of the clients we are fortunate to serve."
#financial #capital
Financial details were not made public.
Waypoint manages about $490m in ******* ets and works with more than 100 client households.
The business was set up in 2014 by Brad McGrew and Matthew Woods, who had previously worked at brokerage firms, banks and other RIAs.
Woods said: "Joining MAI allows us to combine the local relationships and market knowledge we have built over more than a decade with the resources of a national firm. Through MAI's platform, including its Evoke ultra-high-net worth team, we're looking forward to the added depth and investment expertise, particularly as it relates to delivering on the needs of the clients we are fortunate to serve."
#financial #capital
3 days ago
By Amanda Stephenson and Arathy Somasekhar
CALGARY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Canadian pipeline firms are proposing billions of dollars in new projects despite oil sands companies being reluctant to commit to significant production expansions amid ongoing uncertainty around climate policies and long-term global demand.
At least six different pipeline projects are underway or proposed in Canada, to move oil to the United States or to export markets on the Pacific coast. If all are built, the country's export pipeline capacity would increase by 45%, or 2.25 million barrels per day, by 2035, according to a Reuters calculation.
But filling all those pipes would require Canadian oil supply to increase by more than a third by 2034, a near-doubling of its current annual average growth rate. It would also require Canadian producers to move ahead with major new oil sands projects of the type that no company has undertaken in more than a decade.
The mismatch between proposed export pipeline expansions and the pace of output growth highlights how Canada may struggle to achieve Prime Minister Mark Carney's "energy superpower" ambitions, despite a more supportive regulatory environment and growing interest in Canadian oil from international buyers.
#canadian #despite #expansions
CALGARY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Canadian pipeline firms are proposing billions of dollars in new projects despite oil sands companies being reluctant to commit to significant production expansions amid ongoing uncertainty around climate policies and long-term global demand.
At least six different pipeline projects are underway or proposed in Canada, to move oil to the United States or to export markets on the Pacific coast. If all are built, the country's export pipeline capacity would increase by 45%, or 2.25 million barrels per day, by 2035, according to a Reuters calculation.
But filling all those pipes would require Canadian oil supply to increase by more than a third by 2034, a near-doubling of its current annual average growth rate. It would also require Canadian producers to move ahead with major new oil sands projects of the type that no company has undertaken in more than a decade.
The mismatch between proposed export pipeline expansions and the pace of output growth highlights how Canada may struggle to achieve Prime Minister Mark Carney's "energy superpower" ambitions, despite a more supportive regulatory environment and growing interest in Canadian oil from international buyers.
#canadian #despite #expansions
