The Chicago Bears got the player they wanted. The harder question is what they gave up to get him.
Chicago acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee on Thursday, sending the **** ans first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 and a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Bears also received a 2028 fifth-round pick. It is a huge price for a 29-year-old defender, even one capable of changing how opponents block Chicago's front.
Simmons makes the Bears better today. He had 11 sacks last season and has four through seven games this year. ESPN's **** ysis identified the need clearly: Chicago ranked 23rd in pass-rush win rate from its interior defenders before the trade, while Simmons led NFL defensive tackles in that measure. His ability to disrupt both running and passing plays gives Dennis Allen something the defense has lacked up front.
But there are two parts to this trade. One is the impact Simmons can make on Sundays. The other is how Chicago builds around him in the years ahead.
Aug 28, 2021; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee **** ans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) celebrates after a defensive stop on fourth down during the first half against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

#Chicago #bears #defensive

Viking Motorsports is keeping two familiar names in the building for 2027!
Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff are set to return to the organization for the upcoming NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, giving the team some continuity as it prepares for another year of competition.
With the 2027 season getting closer, teams are beginning to put their plans together, and Viking Motorsports has made it clear that Alfredo and Retzlaff remain part of its future.
Both drivers will return as the organization continues building its lineup, giving the team an opportunity to carry its existing experience into another season. Keeping familiar faces around can be an important step for a team looking to build consistency and improve its performance from year to year.
For Alfredo and Retzlaff, the return also provides another opportunity to make their mark in one of NASCAR's most competitive national series. With the new season on the horizon, both drivers will be looking to make the most of their opportunities and help Viking Motorsports continue moving forward.

#team #series

Rates stuck in a holding pattern, inflation still above target and the Fed hinting it may not be done yet. That mix keeps pressure on growth stories and puts steady cash payers back in the spotlight. Investors hunting for resilience and reliable income are watching this closely, because moments like this can reshape portfolios for years. This article walks through 3 dividend stocks exposed to this macro story.
The stocks covered next are just a sample to illustrate the idea. The full screen surfaced 18 more large-cap defensive dividend companies with income profiles and risk characteristics that also fit this tighter brief. If you want to identify and ******* yze your own shortlist of higher-conviction defensive payers right now, head straight into the Large-Cap Defensive Dividend Stocks (US) screener.
Overview: Consolidated Edison is a regulated utility that delivers electric, gas and steam services to customers across New York and parts of New Jersey.
Operations: Consolidated Edison generates almost all of its roughly US$17.7b revenue from US$12.1b CECONY electric, US$3.4b CECONY gas and US$872 million steam operations in the United States.

#edison #income

Liverpool have developed a reputation for having one of the best academies in world football in recent years.
The club has the ability to show prospective additions a clear pathway to the first-team, and the Reds' senior squad has been littered with academy graduates in recent years.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Coaimhin Kelleher are just some of the examples of recent graduates from the Kirkby to have become important parts of the team at Anfield.
The club have adopted the strategy of recruiting some of the world's most promising youngsters to the academy, and it is clearly working.
Lewis Koumas, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha have all established themselves as important first-team squad players in the early days of Andoni Iraola's tenure at Anfield.

#first

There were a lot of moving parts on the Green Bay Packers' roster this week, as the team placed three contributors on the injured reserve. Who stepped in their place against the Dallas Cowboys? Let's take a position-by-position look at who was on the field for the Packers on offense and defense in the team's Week 6 win, explaining what has changed with the group.
Jordan Love: 73 snaps
Tyrod Taylor: 0
Nothing has changed here.
Pierre Strong Jr.: 41

#packers #dallas

Modern football is a game of two parts: the first hour or so, dictated by carefully curated gameplans and training ground patterns; and the final half-hour when a flurry of substitutes come on, rigid structures fade away and a match opens at the seams. ***** nal were dire for most of this game at the City Ground, shut out by Nottingham Forest's red wall. But yet again the power of Mikel Arteta's "finishers" decided a match.
Noni Madueke was sent on at half-time for Eberechi Eze, who had been statuesque at his station on the left touchline, which, in fairness, is not his position. With the clock ticking towards 80 minutes, Madueke did what Eze hadn't and drove at Forest's defence before unleashing a shot, which took a fortunate deflection off Jair Cunha on its way past the helpless Matz Sels. It went down as ***** nal's only shot on target, and in truth it might have been curling wide.
This was the third game in a row in which Arteta rang the changes in the second half as his team struggled to click, after Leeds last weekend and Lille in midweek. Once again he made a triple substitution on 65 minutes, sending on Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres, and once again a stubborn defence was worn down in the final stages. No Premier League side has generated more goals and ***** ists from the bench since the start of last season.
Noni Madueke scored the only goal of the game (Reuters)
Forest were excellent in their determination to blunt ***** nal's attack. Like Eze, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka had little joy, and Oliver Glasner took positives from a performance of cohesion and spirit. Liam Delap was a brilliant nuisance in attack and could have equalised in the final minutes but for Ezri Konsa's last-ditch block. Murillo nearly scored the goal of the season, dribbling in from the left touchline before curling just over the bar with one of the last kicks. But Forest remain third from bottom after a third successive defeat, and their wait for a first home goal of the season goes on.

#final #minutes #Third

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's plans for a more private Ohio retreat have run into some very public objections. Neighbors of the $5.35 million Lake Erie estate are challenging proposed landscaping and fencing, raising concerns about a shared sewer line, wildlife, and how the changes could affect their longtime homes.
A six-foot fence has already received approval, but parts of the landscaping remain unresolved. The property's representatives, meanwhile, say they have adjusted the plans, paid for sewer repairs and added gates to accommodate residents.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
According to the Daily Mail, the dispute centers on an estate in Bratenahl, a village outside Cleveland. Property records cited by the outlet show that an LLC linked to Kelce purchased the mansion in March. The 21,000-square-foot property features eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and a two-bedroom guest cottage. Built in 1895, it also has a former ballroom converted into a game room and home theater.
But proposed changes to the grounds have become a sticking point with nearby residents. Katherine Bolton, who has lived next door for 35 years, described news of the new owners as a "tremendous blow" to "the peace and quiet in Bratenahl."

#estate

(Bloomberg) -- Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) shares jumped after the Financial Times reported that Starbucks Corp. has worked with advisers in recent months on a takeover proposal for the burrito chain.
Most Read from Bloomberg
UPS Worker Missed Email, Letting China Get F-35 Parts
Apple to Launch Doorbell, Lock, Thermostat Developed With LG
Dalio Says We're Nearing Point Where AI Bubble May Burst

#missed

Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, is expected to strengthen when it approaches the northern Gulf Coast on Friday, prompting mandatory evacuations, school closures in parts of Florida and the threat of a life-threatening storm surge, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Isaias is forecast to make landfall within the warning area late Friday or early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, which warned of damaging hurricane-force winds. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Isaias was expected to remain a strong hurricane throughout this period.
It is unclear exactly where Isaias might make landfall. Current models show the center of the storm coming onshore anywhere from eastern Mississippi to the western tip of the Florida Panhandle.
The NWS said residents in portions of the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama, some parts of Mississippi, including the south, should "prepare for the possibility of long-duration power outages."
The governors of Florida and Alabama declared states of emergency for dozens of counties. Okaloosa County in Florida announced mandatory evacuations for some coastal areas. "Residents should take this storm seriously and evacuate," the county government said in a news release.

#national #center #panhandle

Red carpet fashion does not always stop at an extraordinary dress. Some stars have taken transformation much further, using prosthetics, sculptural makeup and elaborate accessories to turn themselves into fantastical characters. From fairy inspired beauty to feline features and even a dramatic peacock transformation, these looks blurred the boundaries between fashion, makeup and performance art. Ariana Grande, Karol G, Doja Cat, Rita Ora and Heidi Klum have all experimented with this theatrical approach. Rather than simply complementing their outfits, the unusual additions became essential parts of the overall illusion.
At the 2024 Met Gala, Ariana Grande embraced an ethereal aesthetic in a custom Loewe creation. The look combined an iridescent corseted bodice with a flowing pleated skirt, but some of its most memorable details appeared around her eyes. Delicate three dimensional wings extended from her face, adding a fairy like quality that worked naturally with the event's Garden of Time theme.
Karol G also entered a fantasy world at the same Met Gala. Wearing a crystal covered Marc Jacobs gown, the Colombian singer added prosthetic elf ears that transformed the glamorous ensemble into something more otherworldly. A sparkling headpiece and green jewels enhanced the effect, creating an interpretation that seemed to belong in an enchanted forest.
Doja Cat took transformation even further at the 2023 Met Gala, where the evening celebrated the work of Karl Lagerfeld. She referenced Lagerfeld's famous cat Choupette with a custom Oscar de la Renta gown featuring a hood with cat ears and a feathered train. Prosthetic facial features completed the transformation, giving her a feline appearance while preserving the elegance expected from a major fashion event.
Rita Ora demonstrated how prosthetics could create drama from an otherwise restrained silhouette at the 2024 Fashion Awards in London. She wore a backless black Primark gown that revealed an extraordinary prosthetic structure running down her back. The sculpted spikes resembled a reptilian or prehistoric spine, turning the exposed skin itself into part of the fashion statement.

#prosthetic

"Rocky" franchise star Dolph Lundgren was considering ending his life after a years-long battle with kidney cancer. Then a doctor "saved" his life by discovering a misdiagnosis had led to ineffective treatment.
The Swedish action star, 68, revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with cancer eight years prior and that he'd been given a few years left to live after finding it had metastasized to other parts of his body. However, a review by another doctor's team led to the revelation that his cells showed a mutation commonly found in lung cancer patients.
Now, with his memoir, "Fights Worth Fighting: Finding Strength in Struggle," recently published and a documentary, "Dolph: Unbreakable," due for digital release, he is opening up about the highs and lows he's experienced since his 2015 diagnosis.
In a Us Weekly interview published Oct. 6, "The Expendables" actor explained that obtaining a second opinion "saved my life," adding that "I wouldn't have been sitting here right now" if his oncologist, Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, had not caught his misdiagnosis.
When he switched to a new medication, he felt "relief that it started working quite quickly."

#star

More than a decade after Robin Williams' death, his son Zak Williams is opening the pages of the comedian's final months, revealing that his father seemed close to finding a light at the end of the tunnel.
The late "Mrs. Doubtfire" actor died by suicide at age 63 after he had previously been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, adding another layer to the health struggles surrounding his final years.
However, his children continue to carry different parts of his legacy forward through advocacy, memories, humor, and efforts to protect the authenticity of the man they knew as their father.
Cau-Guerin/ABACAPRESS.COM/MEGA
Zak looked back on his father's final months with a mixture of love and grief during his appearance on "The Squeeze" podcast.

#williams #father #doubtfire #abacapress

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship began with a failed friendship bracelet, but the unlikely gesture eventually led to a first date, a public romance, and, in July 2026, a wedding at Madison Square Garden. What started as a playful attempt to meet Swift developed into something much more serious.
The couple's story has unfolded under extraordinary public attention. Swift is one of the world's most recognizable music stars, while Kelce built his reputation as a Kansas City Chiefs tight end. Despite the enormous difference between their careers, both have said the connection developed naturally.
The surprising part may be that the relationship doesn't seem to depend on having identical lives. Instead, shared humor, curiosity, professional respect, and an understanding of the pressure of performing for huge audiences have repeatedly surfaced as important parts of the connection.
Kelce first tried to meet Swift after attending her Eras Tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in July 2023. He had hoped to give her a friendship bracelet containing his phone number, following a popular concert tradition surrounding the tour.
The plan fell through because Kelce couldn't get backstage. Instead, Kelce discussed the failed attempt on "New Heights," the podcast he co-hosts with his brother, Jason. The public admission eventually reached Swift and caught her attention.

#kelce #kansas #tour

Open the schools!
Black Americans have heard it all before. We've been called "lazy," "not as qualified," "uneducated," "uncultured," and all manner of other reasons the world can come up with for why our disenfranchisement is somehow of our own design and perpetuation. But there's a long history behind why.
During an appearance on Cam Newton's "Funky Friday" podcast, actor Da'Vinchi certainly kept it funky when he revealed why, from his experience, non-American actors are offered American parts and kicked off a diaspora war in the process.
Roughly 11 minutes into the conversation, Newton star asks the 30-year-old "All-American" star what he thinks about non-American actors getting American parts in television and film. The actor says there is a perception that Americans are lazy, later lumping Black Americans into the conversation when discussing why non-American Black actors may be cast in Black American roles.
"What I had to learn early is that this is the entertainment business, not the entertainment arts," the "Why Did I Get Married Again?" actor said. "When there's a business, there's certain things involved."

#americans #funky #lazy #conversation

Nestled between two mountain ranges at the crook of central California's coastline sits a valley known as the "salad bowl of the world".
Farm workers stoop over neatly lined rows of crops off Highway 101 to harvest more than half of the nation's supply of lettuce and nearly a third of its strawberries. The soil here is so rich that author John Steinbeck made the Salinas valley the promised land in his literary depictions of people chasing the American dream: immigrants, farm workers, westward-moving hopefuls, hungering for a better life.
It's a story that continues to capture the American imagination: Netflix has adapted Steinbeck's 1952 blockbuster novel, East of Eden, into a limited series starring Florence Pugh, released 1 October.
"This will be a valley of great richness one day," Steinbeck wrote of the farmland in East of Eden. "And happy people will live here, thousands and thousands."
But Steinbeck also understood just how difficult it can be to achieve that elusive American dream. Even after some his characters found their way to Salinas and other parts of California's agricultural valley, many remained stuck in low-paying jobs, making barely enough to scrape by, let alone own their own land.

#american #workers

Cornell University police spoke to witnesses and received anonymous tips about an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in the first weeks of its investigation two years ago, but the local prosecutor did not review the additional information before deciding not to bring charges.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said he based his decision not to pursue charges on the accuser’s initial six-page statement given to police.
Investigators from the campus police department documented those witness interviews and other steps taken to determine whether Jane Doe, a 20-year-old woman who reported the incident, was the victim of ***** ual ***** ault during a party at the Chi Phi house from Oct. 19 to 20, 2024, according police records obtained by NBC News.
Documents reviewed by NBC News offer the most thorough look to date at how police handled the allegations from Jane Doe, who last month filed a lawsuit against Cornell University and seven Chi Phi brothers who she alleges ***** ually ***** aulted her over the course of hours while she was under the influence of ketamine, alcohol and marijuana.
Van Houten, along with police and university officials, has come under intense fire for their handling of the matter. Jane Doe’s attorney has argued that she was failed by authorities who did not conduct a thorough investigation and who prejudged the events based on her earlier statement that she consented to parts of the night.

#police #jane

President Donald Trump on Saturday pressured Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas to support a bill to make daylight saving time permanent, urging Americans to call what appeared to be the personal cellphone number of Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July, but it faces roadblocks in the Senate where some Republicans are strongly opposed. Proponents, including the White House, argue that the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active. Detractors said permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker and potentially more hazardous winter mornings when children will be waiting for school buses and parents will be driving to work in darkness.
It was a remarkable escalation on Trump's part of a longstanding fixation shared by both men — with Trump supporting making daylight saving time permanent, and Cotton vociferously opposed — at a time just weeks before the midterms, when Republicans would prefer that the president focus on talking about affordability issues and the party's achievements. Cotton is also up for reelection this November, although that race is not expected to be competitive.
Daylight saving time is that period between spring and fall when clocks in most parts of the United States are set one hour ahead of standard time. Not all states observe it — and under the bill, states can opt out of the change if their respective legislatures act to do so before the bill's enactment.
"It's a lot of work for a lot of people, running around for two days, changing all the clocks in the house," Trump told reporters as his left the White House on Saturday for a rally in Vandalia, Ohio. "It discombobulates everybody," he said.

#House #Trump #saving #states

New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns is engaged to longtime boyfriend Gavin Kelley. Mearns, 40, announced the news in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE published Oct. 3.
"Being a human for 40 years and a dancer for 37 of them has led me to my soulmate," Mearns said. She added that she would willingly live through the difficult and joyful parts of her past again knowing Kelley would eventually be part of her life.
PEOPLE describes Kelley, 50, as an art organization director and writer. The couple has kept its long-term relationship largely private, and neither has publicly established exactly when they began dating.
Mearns was previously married to choreographer Joshua Bergasse from 2018 to 2024. No wedding date or other ceremony details for Mearns and Kelley have been announced.
One of Mearns' few public posts with Kelley came on Christmas Day 2025. She shared a photograph of him presenting her with a bouquet onstage at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center before the two embraced.

#kelley #city #sara

Anne Hathaway knew almost immediately that taking command of a crowded red carpet photo call was probably going to follow her onto the internet. One night later, she was already apologizing and laughing at herself for exactly that.
The actress went viral after directing photographers during a group photo at the September 29 New York premiere of Verity. With several cast members posing together and photographers calling for their attention from different parts of the press line, Hathaway began organizing where the group would look and when.
During her September 30 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Hathaway called watching the footage "the stuff of nightmares" and described what took over as "mom mode by way of chorus line." She said she had simply been trying to help as the photographers became frustrated and the atmosphere started to change.
Hathaway ultimately offered a playful apology instead of defending the performance. "I apologize everybody," she said, before joking that the version of herself who appeared on the carpet had arrived strictly for business.
Rather than allowing the cast to keep turning toward whichever photographer called loudest, Hathaway announced that they would begin on one side of the press line and work their way across.

#photographers #carpet #cast

Shares of AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) rose on Tuesday after the automotive replacement parts and accessories distributor reported stronger-than-expected profits.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ****** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
AutoZone's net sales grew 5.6% year over year to $6.6 billion in its fiscal 2026 fourth quarter, which ended on Aug. 29.
The auto-parts purveyor opened 175 stores during the quarter and a total of 374 over the trailing 12 months. AutoZone ended the period with 8,031 stores, including 6,863 stores in the U.S., 1,001 in Mexico, and 167 in Brazil.
Additionally, same-store sales, which measure revenue from locations open for at least a year, increased by 2.7%, or 1.5% when excluding foreign currency fluctuations.

#year #autozone #quarter #NYSE

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (NYSE:WAB) announced on September 21 a services agreement worth more than $700 million with La Compagnie du TransGuinéen. Combined with locomotive orders placed in 2024, announced agreements for the Simandou project now exceed $1.2 billion.
The railway stretches more than 600 kilometers between the Simandou mine and Guinea's Port of Morebaya. The new agreement extends the relationship beyond locomotive delivery into ongoing fleet support. For investors, the opportunity is to earn revenue throughout the equipment's operating life.
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (NYSE:WAB) will provide scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, parts, component overhauls, logistics support, remote diagnostics, and training. These activities create multiple opportunities to serve the same fleet after the initial equipment sale.
That is an attractive business model when maintenance needs translate into repeat orders and efficient service delivery. Familiarity with the locomotives should help technicians diagnose problems and plan repairs. Remote monitoring could also help identify faults before they cause prolonged downtime, strengthening the customer's incentive to maintain the relationship.
Local workforce development and partnerships with Guinean businesses could improve responsiveness as the operation matures. Over time, an experienced local team could reduce dependence on specialists traveling to the site and make parts planning more efficient.

#westinghouse #brake #agreement

On August 5, Cencora (NYSE:COR) reported results for its fiscal third quarter, which closed on June 30, and the headline numbers looked clean. Revenue rose 5.1% to $84.8 billion, adjusted earnings per share climbed 12.0% to $4.48, and management raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $17.75 to $17.95. The company also repurchased $1 billion of its own stock during the quarter. But the profit story has moving parts, and a few of them pull in opposite directions.
Start with the gap between profit growth and sales growth. Adjusted operating income rose 17.0% while revenue grew only 5.1%. Much of the help came from gross profit, which jumped 23.2% on an adjusted basis as both segments contributed and the OneOncology acquisition in February lifted margins in the US business. In plain terms, adjusted gross margin widened 61 basis points to 4.16%, so the company keeps more gross profit from every dollar it sells.
The strength was not confined to one corner, either. US Healthcare Solutions grew operating income 15.9% on higher pharmaceutical sales and the OneOncology deal, while specialty volume to health systems and physician groups lifted its revenue. International Healthcare Solutions did better still, with operating income up 20.8% on strength in European distribution and global specialty logistics. Management also put cash to work, completing in one quarter the $1 billion of buybacks it had expected to finish by the close of calendar 2026. The board declared a $0.60 quarterly dividend as well, payable August 31, to holders of record on August 14.
Growth is costing more than it first appears. Adjusted operating expenses jumped 26.8%, faster than adjusted gross profit, because OneOncology brought expenses along with its profits. Even so, adjusted operating income amounts to just 1.46% of revenue, a thin cushion on a business this large. Financing adds weight too. Cencora funded part of the purchase with new senior notes plus variable-rate term loans, and net interest expense rose $58.9 million from a year earlier.
The sales mix carries its own drag. GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss are adding to revenue, but they earn lower gross margins, so each dollar of that growth is worth less to profit. Meanwhile, an oncology customer Cencora lost in 2025, and lower sales to a large mail order customer both held back US revenue, as did lower manufacturer prices on some brand pharmaceuticals. Cencora is also exploring strategic alternatives for a group of other businesses, and its April divestiture of US Consulting Services trimmed consulting sales.

#adjusted #revenue #august

On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is recalling 201,976 Jeep vehicles in the U.S., including certain Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. It happened after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found a software error that can prevent the tire-pressure monitoring system from detecting low tire pressure or alerting the driver, raising crash risk.
Dealers will update the affected radio-frequency hub software free of charge. The recall is the latest in a year that has already included a 1.5-million-vehicle Ram seat-belt recall, a 955,000-vehicle camera-glitch recall in August, and more than 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators recalled in June for fire risk.
The recall should carry a relatively limited direct financial burden because Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) can fix the defect with a software update. The recall covers 201,976 Jeep vehicles, but Stellantis does not need to replace a physical component. A software-based remedy should reduce parts and labor costs and allow dealers to complete the repair relatively quickly, limiting the recall's immediate impact on earnings and cash flow.
Stellantis has already begun rebuilding its financial performance, giving investors a stronger foundation to absorb another recall. Second-quarter net profit reached €293 million compared with a €1.87 billion loss a year earlier. Revenue surged 13% to €43.5 billion. The business also generated €1 billion in industrial free cash flow during the quarter, showing real improvement as CEO Antonio Filosa executes his turnaround plan.
Strong North American demand shows the recall has not yet undermined demand for Stellantis' key Jeep and Ram products. Second-quarter North American shipments increased 38% to 445,000 vehicles. It was backed up by refreshed models, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500. So the company enters this recall with improving volumes and strong demand for several of the brands that matter most to its North American turnaround.

#software

On September 17, B. Riley initiated coverage of Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK), giving the stock a Buy rating and setting the price target at $15. The firm pointed to the company's position in telecom infrastructure, cloud software, and hardware networking solutions.
Riley noted that the company's networking businesses are seeing strong growth. In Q2 2026, Optical Networks revenue increased 20% year-over-year, while IP Networks grew 16%. Net sales to AI and cloud customers also surged 105%. The research firm noted that hyperscalers continue to purchase Nokia Oyj's (NYSE:NOK) AI networking products to support large-scale computing clusters.
The company's AI and cloud opportunity is also reflected in its order book. Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK) reported EUR 2.8 billion in AI and cloud order intake during the second quarter of 2026. B. Riley pointed out that this provides revenue visibility into 2027. The firm also noted that the carrier inventory correction cycle that had weighed on global capital expenditures has now concluded.
Riley derived its $15 price target using a sum-of-the-parts valuation that separates the company's legacy ****** ets from its data center business. The firm applied a premium hardware multiple to the data center segment, reflecting its view of the potential operating leverage in that business.
Profitability Remains a Concern

#riley #NYSE #firm

President Donald Trump’s sinking ratings threaten to drag down Republicans in November’s midterm elections, as voters blame him for high prices and a shaky economy, according to a new NBC News poll.
The president’s approval rating stands at 41% among registered voters, a second-term low in the poll, with a majority (55%) of voters saying they believe Trump’s policies have hurt the economy. That’s up from 48% in March, before the Iran war pushed up prices on gas and other goods and cemented the rising cost of living as voters’ most pressing issue.
Democrats hold a 5-point edge in the battle for control of Congress, 50%-45% — not nearly as large a lead as the 12-point advantage the party enjoyed at this point before the 2018 election, when Democrats rode an anti-Trump wave to the House majority in his first midterm as president. Despite that lead, the Democratic Party is still viewed more negatively than Trump and the GOP.
That could help Republicans, along with the fact that the fight for control of the House and especially the Senate is playing out in traditionally Republican parts of the country. Democrats would have to flip multiple states Trump carried by double digits in 2024 to win the Senate.
“We have a classic battle between these numbers and the political geography in which this campaign will be decided,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies, whose firm conducted the survey alongside Democratic firm Hart Research ***** ociates. “And the Republicans are still standing because of the geography in which this election will be won or lost.”

#president

Two years of Synopsys (SNPS) earnings calls show management changing what it explains. The company used to open on problems, some outside its control and some its own. The August 2026 call is built around a joint product with Ansys, agentic AI, and a new way to charge for its design IP. Most of that switch is earned, but parts of it are still a promise.
Synopsys Once Opened Its Calls With Bad News
Management used to point to underperformance in the IP business, where expected deals did not arrive, and to challenges at a major foundry customer that were having a sizable impact. The CEO said it plainly on an earlier call: "new export restrictions disrupted design starts in China."
None of that comes up on the August 2026 call. China does not come up. The closest thing to the old worry is that design starts outside AI have stopped declining.
Synopsys Now Leads With Multiphysics Fusion And Agentic AI

#China

On August 5, Cencora (NYSE:COR) reported results for its fiscal third quarter, which closed on June 30, and the headline numbers looked clean. Revenue rose 5.1% to $84.8 billion, adjusted earnings per share climbed 12.0% to $4.48, and management raised its full-year adjusted EPS outlook to $17.75 to $17.95. The company also repurchased $1 billion of its own stock during the quarter. But the profit story has moving parts, and a few of them pull in opposite directions.
Start with the gap between profit growth and sales growth. Adjusted operating income rose 17.0% while revenue grew only 5.1%. Much of the help came from gross profit, which jumped 23.2% on an adjusted basis as both segments contributed and the OneOncology acquisition in February lifted margins in the US business. In plain terms, adjusted gross margin widened 61 basis points to 4.16%, so the company keeps more gross profit from every dollar it sells.
The strength was not confined to one corner, either. US Healthcare Solutions grew operating income 15.9% on higher pharmaceutical sales and the OneOncology deal, while specialty volume to health systems and physician groups lifted its revenue. International Healthcare Solutions did better still, with operating income up 20.8% on strength in European distribution and global specialty logistics. Management also put cash to work, completing in one quarter the $1 billion of buybacks it had expected to finish by the close of calendar 2026. The board declared a $0.60 quarterly dividend as well, payable August 31, to holders of record on August 14.
Growth is costing more than it first appears. Adjusted operating expenses jumped 26.8%, faster than adjusted gross profit, because OneOncology brought expenses along with its profits. Even so, adjusted operating income amounts to just 1.46% of revenue, a thin cushion on a business this large. Financing adds weight too. Cencora funded part of the purchase with new senior notes plus variable-rate term loans, and net interest expense rose $58.9 million from a year earlier.
The sales mix carries its own drag. GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss are adding to revenue, but they earn lower gross margins, so each dollar of that growth is worth less to profit. Meanwhile, an oncology customer Cencora lost in 2025, and lower sales to a large mail order customer both held back US revenue, as did lower manufacturer prices on some brand pharmaceuticals. Cencora is also exploring strategic alternatives for a group of other businesses, and its April divestiture of US Consulting Services trimmed consulting sales.

#profit #operating #Growth #august

Shoulder-season travel is giving some hotels opportunities to trade for longer and reduce their dependence on peak months. But additional demand only changes the investment proposition if those extra trading periods generate durable profit and improve the quality of annual cash flow.
Across parts of Europe, tourism demand is becoming less concentrated in traditional peak periods.
The shift should not be overstated. July and August still accounted for 31.1% of all EU tourist-accommodation nights in 2025, according to Eurostat. In highly seasonal markets, the concentration was much greater: 54.5% of Croatia's annual nights and 41.6% of Greece's occurred during those two months.
But demand is moving at the margins. The European Travel Commission reported stronger autumn demand in several markets in late 2025. In Hungary, for example, growth in international arrivals and nights during autumn exceeded summer growth.
For hotel investors, however, a longer potential travel season is only the starting point.

#season

On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley criticizing the automaker's business relationships with Chinese battery maker CATL and Chinese automakers Geely and BYD as raising "profound concern."
It specifically flagged Ford's licensed CATL battery technology at its Marshall, Michigan plant, its joint venture with Geely in Spain, and its decision not to move Lincoln Nautilus production out of China until 2030. Ford responded that Duffy's letter was "a wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines," noting that it owns the Marshall plant, controls its operations, and employs the workforce there, unlike companies that simply import Chinese-made batteries.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) can argue that its CATL partnership still solidifies U.S. battery manufacturing rather than becoming more dependent on Chinese imports. Ford owns and operates its Marshall, Michigan battery plant. It allows the company to manufacture batteries domestically while licensing CATL technology. That structure could help Ford expand its U.S. EV production capacity and reduce the need to import finished Chinese battery packs.
Ford's improving financial performance gives the firm more flexibility to manage the political pressure. The automaker raised its full-year adjusted EBIT guidance to $10 billion-$11 billion after second-quarter results exceeded expectations, with record Bronco sales and a stronger product mix supporting the improvement. Stronger operating earnings could give Ford more resources to adjust its battery strategy if policymakers impose more restrictions on Chinese technology.
The company's existing U.S. manufacturing footprint could become a competitive advantage if Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese automotive technology. Ford has already invested in domestic battery production instead of relying entirely on imported battery packs. Model e losses have narrowed for three consecutive quarters. If policymakers force automakers to cut Chinese supply-chain reliance, Ford can use its existing U.S. factories to adapt faster than rivals that depend heavily on Chinese parts.

#ford #catl #motor

GE Aerospace's $11.75 billion purchase of Consolidated Precision Products, announced September 8, is billed as fixing the castings bottleneck behind the company's $170 billion services backlog and a spare-parts delinquency rate that grew 20% sequentially in the second quarter.
The deal will not close until the second half of 2027, covers roughly a quarter of GE's airfoil needs, and CFO Rahul Ghai has told investors twice this month that "broad vertical integration is not the solution," calling CPP a "unique situation."
Sell-side price targets jumped hard after the announcement, with the mean target rising from $350.95 on June 30 to $401.00 by September 16, pushing the target-to-price ratio to 128.2%, the widest gap in over a year.
Over that same window, GE's share price fell from $373.73 to $312.90 and its NTM P/E multiple compressed to 37.16x, below its own two-year average of 39.31x and well off the roughly 50x peak reached a year earlier, even as consensus EPS estimates kept climbing smoothly through 2030 with no visible step-up.
GE Aerospace's (GE) own numbers make the case for urgency. Services backlog sits near $170 billion, internal shop visit capacity is running 40% oversubscribed, and spare-parts delinquency, shipments delayed by material shortages, grew 20% sequentially in the second quarter even as revenue rose. Management has said engines removed but not yet inducted into shops are up 60% year over year. That is the backdrop against which GE agreed to buy CPP, the world's third-largest maker of precision castings used in turbine blades and vanes.

#year #billion