Alessandro Bastoni remains a potential option for Barcelona as the Catalan club considers reinforcing its central defence, but any attempt to bring the Inter Milan defender to Camp Nou could hinge on a conversation with Hansi Flick.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the 27-year-old Italian is still willing to listen to an approach from Barça despite the disappointment he experienced during last summer's transfer discussions.
Bastoni was previously identified as a priority target by Barcelona's sporting department, with Deco particularly keen to secure his services.
However, the situation changed when Flick decided against making the defender a priority.
Months later, however, Barcelona's interest could return, although the circumstances surrounding a possible transfer have also changed.

#priority #alessandro

Kate Middleton reportedly made it clear to the late Queen Elizabeth what role she would play before marrying Prince William. According to a royal author, the Princess of Wales expressed her thoughts on taking on royal responsibilities.
She allegedly clarified that she would always prioritize her family over royal obligations. The 44-year-old reportedly refused to be "pigeonholed" into obeying certain duties. For those unversed, William and Middleton got married on April 29, 2011.
Kate Middleton reportedly laid out her expectations regarding royal duties to the late Queen Elizabeth before marrying Prince William. Royal biographer Robert Jobson discussed the matter in his book, "Catherine, The Princess of Wales: The Biography." According to Jobson (via RadarOnline), the mother of three had established a few "fundamental life rules" that she intended to follow after joining "The Firm."
The Princess of Wales reportedly made her intentions clear to the late queen and her son, now King Charles. "She was clear from the outset that she would not be pigeonholed into carrying out particular duties. Her priority, she emphasized, would always be her family," the author wrote.
Furthermore, a source told the outlet that Middleton was "determined" to prevent the palace's expectations from "overshadowing her private life." Her commitment to maintaining those boundaries reportedly became even more important after she welcomed her three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

#royal #william

Braves predicted to trade for $8.5M All-Star, Silver Slugger winner to replace Ha-Seong Kim originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves had another miserable year at shortstop in a season when they thought they had finally figured out the position. Ever since Dansby Swanson left to join the Chicago Cubs, it has been a brutal nightmare for Atlanta.
The Braves picked up Ha-Seong Kim at the end of September 2025, and he impressed. For that reason, the Braves decided to bring him back on a new contract.
"Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing Monday to a one-year, $20 million contract that addressed a major offseason priority for the team. Kim gets a $4 million raise. He had declined a $16 million player option that was in the two-year, $29 million contract he signed in February with Tampa Bay, a deal that paid him $13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim on Monday night," ESPN wrote.
Kim injured himself during the offseason, causing him to miss time. When he returned to Atlanta, he put the Braves in a difficult position because of his lack of production.

#atlanta #seong #year #shortstop

Getafe president Angel Torres has confirmed that the club could pursue a deal for Sergio Ramos after holding talks with the defender's representatives.
However, a move for the former Real Madrid captain is not currently a priority.
The Spanish side recently signed Dani Carvajal, and they are keeping the door open to another reunion involving a former Real Madrid star.
Speaking to Radio Nacional de Espana's Tablero Deportivo programme on Sunday, Torres revealed that he had spoken to Rene Ramos, Sergio's brother and agent.
They discussed the possibility of bringing the experienced former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain centre-back to Getafe.

#ramos

Kylie Kelce revealed why she wouldn't put her daughters' faces on social media. Recently, the mom of four appeared on a podcast and discussed her kids' involvement in her online posts. Kelce revealed she didn't struggle with it when she had her first daughter, but things changed eventually. As the family grew famous, the doting mother decided not to show her children's faces online.
Kylie Kelce and Jason Kelce protect their daughters' privacy on social media. During the podcaster's appearance on Tay Lautner's podcast, "The Squeeze," Kelce opened up about online privacy for kids. She and the retired NFL player share four daughters, Wyatt, Elliotte, Bennett, and Finnley. They rarely feature in the couple's photos on Instagram.
Speaking of the same, the 34-year-old mom told Lautner that things changed when their family grew popular. "I post infrequently overall, and I post even less frequently about our children," she said.
"I didn't want to exclude them entirely, [but] I made it a point to stop putting their faces on my social media." Furthermore, she explained that Jason's retirement documentary became the "turning point" in their lives. It required the children to be on camera, which made her realize that people couldn't set boundaries for themselves. Hence, Kelce drew it for them.
"I feel really strongly about going forward just for their safety to not include them in anything," she said. According to her, their children's "safety" will always be their top priority. Kelce also admitted that she tries to be careful about what photos she posts online related to her kids. She worries about how they would react in the future when they search for it online.

#four

Jeremy Strong is not backing away from the acting method that has drawn criticism from fellow performers. The Succession alum still believes in going all-in on a role, even when that commitment changes the atmosphere around him or makes others uncomfortable.
Jeremy Strong discussed the issue on the Oct. 2 episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour. He said he never wants his process to interfere with another actor's work. The Succession actor follows one simple ruler that states, "First, do no harm," then commit fully to "what you're doing, and utterly."
That mindset now follows him into Social Reckoning, where he plays Mark Zuckerberg. Strong said his priority remains serving the project completely. If that seriousness changes the mood on set, he does not believe he owes an apology for taking the work seriously.
"I'm just there to commit utterly…If some people feel that I'm taking it too seriously, or it changes the molecules in the room…I guess that's something that I don't feel that I need to apologize for," he said.
Brian ***** has offered one of the sharpest criticisms. The Succession star told Town & Country in February 2023 that Strong's method could be "f—ing annoying," even as he called him "gifted." ***** argued that Strong should leave Kendall Roy behind when filming ends and said he worried about the effect the process might have on him.

#method

Ben Affleck has revealed that he's not focused on dating, two years after his split from ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.
The Oscar winner was asked about his love life at the New York premiere for his new film, Animals.
"There's not a lot of room. I'm not running around," he told Entertainment Tonight. "It's just not a big priority in my life," adding that he is "good and happy" as a single man.
"I know what my priorities are. You can't have two things that are the most important in your life," he explained. "For me, that's the kids. So that's what that is. And then I have my work, which I love."
The Gone Girl star added, "I'm where I'm at, and I'm great, and who knows what adventures life will bring. I'm open to it, but I'm not trying to chase anything."
Affleck was also asked about Ana Navarro's claims on The View last week that she had tried to set him up with singer Shakira.

#affleck

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez finalized their divorce in January 2025. The director recently joked about his three children giving him a hard time about his dating history. Affleck, 54, was asked whether he's dipped back into the dating pool.
"There's not a lot of room. I'm not running around," Affleck, 54, told Entertainment Tonight. "It's just not a big priority in my life." The Animals star is busy promoting his new political thriller. He is still good friends with his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and wanted her to star in the movie when Matt Damon was cast as Mark Kimball. Damon dropped out and Affleck replaced him. The father talked more about his state of mind.
"I know what my priorities are. You can't have two things that are the most important in your life," he said. "For me, that's the kids. So that's what that is. And then I have my work, which I love."
M. Angeles Salvador/MEGA
Garner and Affleck have three children named Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14. The Oscar winner told Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he realized he's not the cool dad to them.

#jennifer #damon

Ben Affleck addressed rumors about his romantic relationships in rare comments about his dating life on October 2.
During a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight, Affleck said his kids are his priority. He shares three kids with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.
Affleck added that, while he's "not chasing" a romantic relationship, he's "open" to any adventures life may bring.
Ben Affleck is sharing some rare insight into his love life.
While promoting his upcoming film Animals on October 2, Affleck took a moment to address rumors about his dating life. Speaking to a reporter from Entertainment Tonight, the actor specifically took a moment to put to rest reports about an alleged date with Shakira. "Ana Navarro allegedly tried to set you up with Shakira. Do you get people trying to set you up all the time?" the reporter asked.

#october #dating

Porizkova says working out regularly has helped ease her severe anxiety and made her stronger
The model began working out in her 40s and now has a personal trainer
She said she and husband Jeff Greenstein feel stronger than ever in their 60s after prioritizing fitness
Paulina Porizkova is opening up about the "unexpected benefit" of hitting the gym.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, the 61-year-old supermodel posted a video on Instagram documenting her workout routine. She told fans that she's "never felt better about inhabiting my body," but staying on top of her fitness wasn't always a priority.

#thursday

A new biography about Tom Brady includes details about the end of his marriage to Gisele Bündchen. "Brady: An American Story and the Price of Greatness" was written by sports journalist Lars Anderson and released on Sept. 29, 2026.
The book draws on more than 350 interviews with people who knew Brady on and off the field. It includes accounts about the couple's marriage and their 2022 divorce. Bündchen has previously said the reasons for their split were more complicated than reports that linked it primarily to Brady's football career.
Anderson's biography examines Brady's life beyond his record-setting football career. Publisher Celadon Books says the author conducted more than 350 original interviews with people who knew Brady on and off the field. The book explores his childhood, career, family life, and retirement.
It also examines what Anderson presents as the personal cost of Brady's intense commitment to football and his pursuit of success. The marriage receives considerable attention because it overlapped with some of Brady's biggest professional achievements. Brady and Bündchen married in 2009 and remained together for 13 years before finalizing their divorce in October 2022.
They share a son, Benjamin, and a daughter, Vivian. Both described the divorce as difficult while emphasizing that their children would remain a priority as they moved forward separately.

#book

Rob Lowe and his family are supporting younger brother Chad Lowe and Chad's wife, Kim Painter, following the death of their 13-year-old daughter, Fiona.
"Rob and Chad are very close," a family source told PEOPLE. The source said relatives and friends have gathered around Chad and Kim as they grieve.
Fiona died on Sept. 29. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later listed the manner of her death as suicide.
The loss comes less than two years after Chad, Kim and their daughters lost their Pacific Palisades home in the January 2025 wildfires, another period when Rob publicly stepped in to help his brother's family.
The family source said the priority now is making sure Chad and Kim have people around them who know and love them.

#source #fiona

Risk management is my number one priority. As I see it, you can't get where you want to be as an investor if you don't control the risk you take.
That ranges from the use of cash, incorporation of hedging techniques, and a whole lot more. Here, I want to draw your attention to one of the less research intensive aspects of risk management.
Here's Another Little-Known Firm Jensen Huang's Nvidia Is Quietly Backing
MediaTek Is Stepping Up Competition Against Qualcomm With a New 2-Nanometer Chip. What This Means for QCOM Stock.
1 Year Into the Microsoft Deal, IREN Is Delivering and a Rally May Follow Soon

#risk #known #jensen #quietly

On September 17, Coherent Corp. (NYSE:COHR) announced an upgraded Pluggable Optical Line System that covers the full C-band and fits in a compact QSFP module, the same slot ordinary transceivers use. That is a lot of networking gear shrunk into a plug, and it follows a quarter of 34% revenue growth. Here is what the launch means, and where the stock's story gets harder to read.
Start with what the product does. The upgraded system can pack 32 wavelengths onto a single pair of fibers, which Coherent says adds up to as much as 25.6Tbps of traffic on links running 2km to 200km. It is designed for the latest 800G coherent optics, and it configures itself, handling link setup and laser safety without a technician tuning each connection. Coherent also says the system is generally available and already shipping in high volume, in 400G and 800G versions that work with existing network setups. Madhu Krishnaswamy, who runs the company's telecom transport unit, describes the goal as easing the usual trade-off between raw performance and operational simplicity.
The launch also sits on top of a business that is already moving. On August 12, Coherent reported results for its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30: revenue of $2.05 billion, up 34% from a year earlier. Non-GAAP earnings per share rose to $1.74 from $1.00, and CEO Jim Anderson noted that for the full year, that measure grew more than twice as fast as revenue. Management guided to revenue of $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, and Anderson says AI data centers are increasingly moving from copper to optical links.
Now look at the two versions of profit. Coherent's non-GAAP earnings came to $1.74 per share, but under GAAP the figure was $1.19. The gap comes from items management leaves out, including stock-based pay, amortization on acquired intangibles, and restructuring and integration costs. Operating margin shows it more clearly, at 21.8% on a non-GAAP basis and 12.4% under GAAP. Some of those costs are non-cash, but they are real, and anyone anchoring on the higher figure is skipping them.
Then there is how much weight this launch can carry. The announcement puts no sales figure on the product, so its contribution to a company that booked $2.05 billion in a quarter cannot be sized from what has been published. The bullish story also rests on management's own read of where AI networks are headed, and on a capacity build-out that CFO Sherri Luther says gets priority in spending. Money spent on capacity only pays off if the demand management describes keeps arriving.

#gaap #revenue #launch #anderson

The Illinois governor called for federal regulation of AI.
With calls to regulate AI growing, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker urged Congress to pass federal guardrails on the technology.
“You can't do this state by state. This needs to be a national effort as well as an international endeavor, especially together with our allies, because AI is not going to go away,” Pritzker told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl in an exclusive interview that aired Sunday.
Pritzker touted legislation he signed in Illinois in July requiring AI companies to conduct annual third-party audits of their safety plans and disclose safety incidents to the state. He urged Congress to make federal regulations a top priority, calling the technology “dangerous on the level of nuclear weapons.”
President Donald Trump has called AI fears a “hoax” and announced he is forming an “AI Force” to accelerate growth in the industry. Pritzker said that approach is a mistake.

#federal #urged #safety

On September 17, Coherent Corp. (NYSE:COHR) announced an upgraded Pluggable Optical Line System that covers the full C-band and fits in a compact QSFP module, the same slot ordinary transceivers use. That is a lot of networking gear shrunk into a plug, and it follows a quarter of 34% revenue growth. Here is what the launch means, and where the stock's story gets harder to read.
Start with what the product does. The upgraded system can pack 32 wavelengths onto a single pair of fibers, which Coherent says adds up to as much as 25.6Tbps of traffic on links running 2km to 200km. It is designed for the latest 800G coherent optics, and it configures itself, handling link setup and laser safety without a technician tuning each connection. Coherent also says the system is generally available and already shipping in high volume, in 400G and 800G versions that work with existing network setups. Madhu Krishnaswamy, who runs the company's telecom transport unit, describes the goal as easing the usual trade-off between raw performance and operational simplicity.
The launch also sits on top of a business that is already moving. On August 12, Coherent reported results for its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30: revenue of $2.05 billion, up 34% from a year earlier. Non-GAAP earnings per share rose to $1.74 from $1.00, and CEO Jim Anderson noted that for the full year, that measure grew more than twice as fast as revenue. Management guided to revenue of $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, and Anderson says AI data centers are increasingly moving from copper to optical links.
Now look at the two versions of profit. Coherent's non-GAAP earnings came to $1.74 per share, but under GAAP the figure was $1.19. The gap comes from items management leaves out, including stock-based pay, amortization on acquired intangibles, and restructuring and integration costs. Operating margin shows it more clearly, at 21.8% on a non-GAAP basis and 12.4% under GAAP. Some of those costs are non-cash, but they are real, and anyone anchoring on the higher figure is skipping them.
Then there is how much weight this launch can carry. The announcement puts no sales figure on the product, so its contribution to a company that booked $2.05 billion in a quarter cannot be sized from what has been published. The bullish story also rests on management's own read of where AI networks are headed, and on a capacity build-out that CFO Sherri Luther says gets priority in spending. Money spent on capacity only pays off if the demand management describes keeps arriving.

#quarter #launch #anderson

Millions in Cuba were left without power on Friday as the country was plunged into yet another major blackout.
The country's entire electricity grid suffered "total disconnection" that triggered a nationwide outage, Cuba's energy ministry said.
Power was restored to some priority areas by late evening, including those near hospitals and water pumping stations in the capital Havana, grid operator UNE said.
It is at least the sixth partial or total blackout to hit Cuba this year, where ageing electricity infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages have been placed under further strain by a US blockade on oil shipments to the communist-run nation.
UNE said the outage started just before 14:00 local time on Friday (18:00 GMT) due to a transmission fault coupled with poor weather conditions in central Cuba.

#grid

Starting the lightning round on September 14, when a caller inquired about SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S), Mad Money host Jim Cramer remarked:
No, look, I think you don't need, look, my Charitable Trust owns both Palo Alto and CrowdStrike. It's already too many. I think either one of those two is superior to letter S.
The latest results show a large difference in scale. SentinelOne's fiscal second-quarter 2027 revenue rose 21% year over year to $292 million, while annualized recurring revenue increased 22% to $1.218 billion. Palo Alto Networks, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:PANW) fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 revenue rose 34% to $3.41 billion, while Next-Generation Security ARR increased 63% to $9.10 billion. Additionally, we have discussed CRWD in our recent article, "Jim Cramer Highlights CrowdStrike (CRWD) as AI Security Concerns Lift Cybersecurity Stocks."
SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE:S) non-GAAP operating margin reached 10% in fiscal Q2 2027, up from 2% a year earlier, while its GAAP operating margin improved to negative 31% from negative 33%. The company guided for fiscal third-quarter revenue of $309 million to $311 million and full-year revenue of $1.202 billion to $1.207 billion.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) reported approximately $1 billion of non-GAAP operating income in its fiscal fourth quarter of 2026, compared with $768 million a year earlier. Adjusted free cash flow reached approximately $1.3 billion, while GAAP operating income was $172 million versus $497 million a year earlier. Palo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora said in the September 1 earnings release that the latest advances in AI are "elevating cybersecurity to the top of the CIO priority list."

#billion #year #gaap #operating

Walmart exists to serve, said David Guggina, the president and CEO of its U.S. division.
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Priority Pass members are getting a huge airport upgrade over the next 12 months
Experts say Trump ballroom interiors represent 'historic monarchies' over American ideals
Martha Stewart reflects on her empire, Kris Jenner, prison, and Snoop

#david #fast #pass #Trump

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) has been a rewarding stock to hold, up about 53% over the past year against about 17% for the S&P 500. The change worth noticing over that stretch is quieter than the price. Management said sales still rose 5.6% despite a STELARA drag of about 460 basis points. Management is encouraging investors to evaluate the company's underlying momentum by presenting growth rates that exclude STELARA alongside its reported figures.
A year and a half ago, that drag was the headline. Management's own framing of the first quarter of 2025 noted an approximate 810 basis point headwind on Innovative Medicine sales.
By the second quarter of 2026, that segment-level drag remained heavy at roughly 760 basis points (or about 460 basis points across the total enterprise), yet management's emphasis shifted to highlighting double-digit operational growth excluding STELARA
The exclusion is not a rounding adjustment. STELARA sales fell 55.7% in the second quarter of 2026, and management put that drag at about 460 basis points of the whole company's 5.6% operational sales growth.
Two products show what the replacement looks like. TREMFYA booked $2 billion of sales in the second quarter of 2026, up over 70%, and management says ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the major drivers of that growth. ICOTYDE, a recently launched once-daily pill for psoriasis, is the second, which leadership has highlighted as a key pipeline priority for the immunology business.

#sales #basis #drag #quarter

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
Imagine checking a long-forgotten account and discovering it's worth multiple millions of dollars.
It might sound like a dream, or a financial cautionary tale, but that's exactly what happened to Sarah, a 50-year-old mom from Seattle.
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
A record 45% of central banks plan to grow gold reserves — and many investors are following suit. Get your free gold IRA guide from Priority Gold

#bezos #priority

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
With all the doom and gloom in the headlines, it's easy to **** ume that most Americans are heading into retirement broke. But the data seems to suggest that many older Americans are actually doing better than expected.
In fact, millions of Americans have accumulated retirement balances of at least $500,000, which could be enough for a relatively comfortable retirement in many parts of the country.
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
A record 45% of central banks plan to grow gold reserves — and many investors are following suit. Get your free gold IRA guide from Priority Gold

#Gold #many #moneywise #jeff

What percentage of Republicans support DEI as a business priority?
How much did Accenture pay to resolve the Justice Department's allegations?
Why has bipartisan support for DEI increased despite political polarization?
Full Summary
Political pressure during the Trump era forced corporate America to put its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on ice.

#full

Interested in 3M Company? Here are five stocks we like better.
3M says it is ahead of its 2027 targets, citing 5.4% second-quarter organic growth, higher margins, improved execution and on-time, in-full delivery rising to about 90%.
Data centers are a major growth priority. Its expanded beam optics technology has been standardized by Microsoft Azure, is being evaluated by five other hyperscalers, and could address a market approaching $2 billion within the next two years.
Innovation and cost reductions are supporting the outlook: 3M plans more than 350 new-product launches this year, is consolidating factories, expects to offset $150 million–$175 million in oil-related costs through pricing, and is tracking above its 25% operating-margin goal for next year.
3 Stocks Whose Charts May Be Signaling the Next Big Move

#company

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) is reportedly in talks to acquire Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) DePuy Synthes orthopedics business in a transaction that could value the unit at close to $20 billion, according to Bloomberg, as reported by Reuters. J&J generated $9.3 billion of revenue from the orthopedics business in 2025, making the potential transaction material for both companies. The discussions could reach an agreement within weeks, although J&J is also considering a public-market spin-off. This is consistent with J&J's October 2025 decision to separate DePuy Synthes within an expected 18-to-24-month timeframe and shift its MedTech portfolio toward higher-growth, higher-margin businesses.
For Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO), the attraction is the opportunity to acquire a large, established medical-device franchise with substantial recurring demand from joint-replacement and surgical procedures. A roughly $20 billion valuation against $9.3 billion of 2025 revenue implies a price-to-sales multiple of about 2.2x, giving Apollo room to pursue operational improvements, portfolio rationalization, and margin expansion if the business is acquired at an attractive valuation.
DePuy Synthes also has meaningful scale and leading positions across major orthopedics categories, while J&J has recently invested in technologies that could strengthen the franchise, including an agreement covering Gemtrack tracking technology for robotic and navigation-assisted joint procedures and the acquisition of Expanding Innovations for expandable spine implants. Apollo is also entering the potential deal from a position of considerable financial scale: it had approximately $1.05 trillion of ***** ets under management as of June 30, 2026, with $198 billion in equity strategies and $849 billion in credit strategies. Its second-quarter results included $111 billion of gross capital deployment, demonstrating the capacity to execute large transactions.
For Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a sale could accelerate the portfolio transformation that management has already identified as a strategic priority while potentially delivering a sizeable upfront cash inflow. J&J explicitly said its planned orthopedics separation should increase the company's top-line growth and operating margins by allowing it to concentrate on Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, Surgery and Vision.
The company has also been restructuring orthopedics, with $307 million of restructuring expense in 2025, following $167 million in 2024 and $319 million in 2023, primarily tied to market and product exits. A sale could therefore remove a business that has required restructuring resources while allowing J&J to redeploy capital toward areas it views as higher growth and higher margin.

#billion #depuy

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) is reportedly exploring the sale of several mass-market personal care brands, including Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick, in a portfolio reshaping effort that could generate more than $1 billion. The company is working with Goldman Sachs on the potential divestiture. Personal care accounted for roughly 17% of Colgate-Palmolive's 2025 net sales, or about $3.5 billion, while oral care remains the company's largest business.
The move comes as Colgate faces pressure in its North American business. Although the company recently reported a 4.9% increase in net sales, organic sales in North America declined 3%, highlighting competitive pressure in a mature market. The strategy is also consistent with a broader consumer-goods shift toward simplifying portfolios and concentrating capital on higher-growth categories. Unilever, Nestlé, and other major consumer companies have similarly been selling slower-growing or non-core businesses.
The biggest positive is that Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) could become a more focused and potentially higher-quality business. Selling brands that no longer fit its highest-priority growth areas would allow management to concentrate capital, marketing spending, and management attention on oral care, pet nutrition, and other businesses where Colgate has stronger competitive advantages. The company's decision would therefore be less about abandoning personal care altogether and more about improving the quality of the remaining portfolio.
A sale could also unlock meaningful shareholder value. If the divestitures generate more than $1 billion, Colgate would have additional capital that could be used for debt reduction, share repurchases, acquisitions, or investment behind its strongest brands. In a mature consumer-staples company, disciplined capital allocation can have an outsized impact on earnings growth and shareholder returns. There is also evidence that portfolio simplification is becoming increasingly attractive across the consumer-goods industry. The Wall Street Journal has highlighted how companies such as Unilever and Nestlé are shedding businesses that add complexity without providing sufficient growth. The underlying argument is that the benefits of owning a very broad portfolio have diminished as consumer preferences become more fragmented and smaller brands become better at responding to trends.
Most importantly, the divestiture could improve Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)'s strategic focus at a time when North American competition is challenging. Rather than allocating resources to defend slower-growing personal-care brands, management could direct investment toward categories and geographies with better long-term growth prospects. That could ultimately support margins and organic growth even if the immediate revenue base becomes smaller.

#personal #NYSE #Portfolio

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) is reportedly in talks to acquire Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) DePuy Synthes orthopedics business in a transaction that could value the unit at close to $20 billion, according to Bloomberg, as reported by Reuters. J&J generated $9.3 billion of revenue from the orthopedics business in 2025, making the potential transaction material for both companies. The discussions could reach an agreement within weeks, although J&J is also considering a public-market spin-off. This is consistent with J&J's October 2025 decision to separate DePuy Synthes within an expected 18-to-24-month timeframe and shift its MedTech portfolio toward higher-growth, higher-margin businesses.
For Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO), the attraction is the opportunity to acquire a large, established medical-device franchise with substantial recurring demand from joint-replacement and surgical procedures. A roughly $20 billion valuation against $9.3 billion of 2025 revenue implies a price-to-sales multiple of about 2.2x, giving Apollo room to pursue operational improvements, portfolio rationalization, and margin expansion if the business is acquired at an attractive valuation.
DePuy Synthes also has meaningful scale and leading positions across major orthopedics categories, while J&J has recently invested in technologies that could strengthen the franchise, including an agreement covering Gemtrack tracking technology for robotic and navigation-assisted joint procedures and the acquisition of Expanding Innovations for expandable spine implants. Apollo is also entering the potential deal from a position of considerable financial scale: it had approximately $1.05 trillion of **** ets under management as of June 30, 2026, with $198 billion in equity strategies and $849 billion in credit strategies. Its second-quarter results included $111 billion of gross capital deployment, demonstrating the capacity to execute large transactions.
For Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a sale could accelerate the portfolio transformation that management has already identified as a strategic priority while potentially delivering a sizeable upfront cash inflow. J&J explicitly said its planned orthopedics separation should increase the company's top-line growth and operating margins by allowing it to concentrate on Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, Surgery and Vision.
The company has also been restructuring orthopedics, with $307 million of restructuring expense in 2025, following $167 million in 2024 and $319 million in 2023, primarily tied to market and product exits. A sale could therefore remove a business that has required restructuring resources while allowing J&J to redeploy capital toward areas it views as higher growth and higher margin.

#NYSE #johnson

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) is reportedly exploring the sale of several mass-market personal care brands, including Softsoap, Irish Spring and Speed Stick, in a portfolio reshaping effort that could generate more than $1 billion. The company is working with Goldman Sachs on the potential divestiture. Personal care accounted for roughly 17% of Colgate-Palmolive's 2025 net sales, or about $3.5 billion, while oral care remains the company's largest business.
The move comes as Colgate faces pressure in its North American business. Although the company recently reported a 4.9% increase in net sales, organic sales in North America declined 3%, highlighting competitive pressure in a mature market. The strategy is also consistent with a broader consumer-goods shift toward simplifying portfolios and concentrating capital on higher-growth categories. Unilever, Nestlé, and other major consumer companies have similarly been selling slower-growing or non-core businesses.
The biggest positive is that Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) could become a more focused and potentially higher-quality business. Selling brands that no longer fit its highest-priority growth areas would allow management to concentrate capital, marketing spending, and management attention on oral care, pet nutrition, and other businesses where Colgate has stronger competitive advantages. The company's decision would therefore be less about abandoning personal care altogether and more about improving the quality of the remaining portfolio.
A sale could also unlock meaningful shareholder value. If the divestitures generate more than $1 billion, Colgate would have additional capital that could be used for debt reduction, share repurchases, acquisitions, or investment behind its strongest brands. In a mature consumer-staples company, disciplined capital allocation can have an outsized impact on earnings growth and shareholder returns. There is also evidence that portfolio simplification is becoming increasingly attractive across the consumer-goods industry. The Wall Street Journal has highlighted how companies such as Unilever and Nestlé are shedding businesses that add complexity without providing sufficient growth. The underlying argument is that the benefits of owning a very broad portfolio have diminished as consumer preferences become more fragmented and smaller brands become better at responding to trends.
Most importantly, the divestiture could improve Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)'s strategic focus at a time when North American competition is challenging. Rather than allocating resources to defend slower-growing personal-care brands, management could direct investment toward categories and geographies with better long-term growth prospects. That could ultimately support margins and organic growth even if the immediate revenue base becomes smaller.

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Every month, Washington releases a closely watched number intended to show Americans how quickly their living costs are changing.
But "Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki says that number is not simply another piece of economic data. In his telling, it is evidence of a quiet theft that has already taken place.
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
A record 45% of central banks plan to grow gold reserves — and many investors are following suit. Get your free gold IRA guide from Priority Gold

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On September 14, American Battery Technology Company (NASDAQ:ABAT) held its fiscal year 2026 earnings call, and for once the numbers matched the ambition. Revenue at its flagship recycling facility jumped more than 400% to $21.7 million, and the company posted its first-ever adjusted gross profit. But on the same call, CEO Ryan Melsert disclosed a federal directive that could choke off exports of one of the plant's key products, black mass, a reminder that ABAT's fortunes are still tied tightly to Washington.
Revenue jumped over 400% year over year to $21.7 million, fueled by higher throughput at the company's first recycling facility and increased sales of byproducts. Cost of goods sold rose only 67% over the same stretch, evidence that fixed costs are spreading across a much bigger volume of material. Even more telling, operating cash spend actually fell 16% even as throughput at the plant more than quadrupled. That combination pushed American Battery Technology to an adjusted gross profit of $1.7 million, a sharp turnaround from the $6.2 million loss it posted a year earlier.
The balance sheet tells a similar story. Cash climbed to $49.5 million as of June 30, 2026, and total ***** ets reached $133 million, up sharply from the prior year. The company also erased all of its long-term debt during the year, leaving it with a clean balance sheet heading into a period of heavy capital spending.
Growth plans are already in motion. A second recycling facility planned for the Southeast U.S., designed to process 100,000 tons of batteries a year, is backed by a $150 million grant from the Department of Energy, and a separate $10 million DOE grant is funding three next-generation recycling technologies. On the mining side, the Bureau of Land Management certified the company's plan of operations for its Tonopah lithium project in Nevada, home to an identified 21.3 million tons of lithium hydroxide, including 2.7 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The project also won a FAST-41 priority designation, intended to speed up federal permitting.
The clearest risk surfaced on the call itself. The US Department of Commerce issued a directive that effectively bans the export of black mass, the concentrated metal byproduct of battery recycling, unless a company obtains a specific exception. American Battery Technology has submitted a request for that exception, but as of the call, Commerce had not issued a formal response, and the company is storing black mass at its facility in the meantime.

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