Core Insights - EFG International reported a net profit of SFr325.2m ($420.5m) for 2025, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase, impacted by a litigation provision related to Kuwait's public pension fund [1] - The firm achieved revenues of SFr1.67bn with a consistent revenue margin of 98 basis points, while operating profit rose by 26% to SFr493.1m from SFr391m in 2024 [1] Financial Performance - Operating expenses increased by 6% to SFr1.17bn, with acquisitions of Cité Gestion and Investment Services Group (ISG) contributing 2.4 percentage points to this rise [2] - Assets under management (AuM) reached SFr185bn at the end of 2025, marking a 12% increase compared to the end of 2024, driven by net new assets of SFr11.3bn and positive acquisition impacts [2] - The net new asset growth rate was 6.8%, exceeding the company's target range of 4% to 6% [2] Regional Contributions - The Asia Pacific region saw net new assets of SFr3.2bn, primarily due to additions to the client relationship officer (CRO) team [3] - The Americas contributed SFr3.3bn in inflows, while Switzerland & Italy reported SFr1.9bn, Continental Europe and the Middle East brought in SFr1.6bn, and the UK added SFr1bn [3] - Other business segments, including EFG Asset Management funds, recorded SFr0.3bn in net inflows [3] Growth and Acquisitions - In 2025, EFG International secured agreements with 79 new CROs, surpassing its annual recruitment target excluding acquisitions [4] - Recent acquisitions included ISG through Shaw and Partners, Cité Gestion, and Quilvest Switzerland, with ISG and Cité Gestion contributing a combined SFr11.7bn to AuM [5] - The Quilvest transaction is expected to complete in Q3 2026, pending regulatory approval [5] Strategic Initiatives - The group plans to invest in digital tools to enhance CRO support and client service as part of its business transformation efforts [6] - All announced acquisitions align with EFG's merger and acquisition strategy, projected to deliver at least a 10% return on investment within three years of integration [6]

Core Viewpoint - The Meridian Small Cap Growth Fund's fourth-quarter 2025 performance reflects a mixed market environment, with small caps achieving a 12.8% annual return despite a 0.90% net return for the fund in Q4 compared to the Russell 2000 Growth Index's 1.22% return [1]. Group 1: Market Overview - U.S. equity markets experienced optimism due to potential monetary easing and caution regarding economic growth and valuations [1]. - Early gains in the quarter were driven by strong AI-related earnings and a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in October [1]. - Market sentiment cooled later in the quarter, but the overall annual results remained robust [1]. Group 2: Fund Performance - The Meridian Small Cap Growth Fund achieved a 0.90% net return in Q4 2025 [1]. - Small caps delivered a 2.2% gain in Q4 2025, contributing to an annual return of 12.8% [1]. Group 3: Company Focus - Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. - Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:CCSI) is highlighted as a leading information delivery services provider with a one-month return of 29.94% and a 10.70% increase over the last 52 weeks [2]. - The stock closed at $28.34 per share on February 18, 2026, with a market capitalization of $538.624 million [2]. - The company has a high percentage of recurring revenues, low churn in the enterprise segment, and high margins, but underperformed in Q4 due to a mixed earnings report [3]. - Currently trading at less than four times earnings with a free cash flow yield of approximately 22%, the company is viewed as attractively valued [3]. - Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. recorded revenue of $87.1 million in Q4 2025, a slight increase of 0.1% from Q4 2024 [5].

The UK-based online retailer and fashion-led marketplace had previously set out plans to conduct this fundraising process in an announcement dated 18 February 2026. It completed the placing and subscription at an issue price of 18 pence per share, which represented a 5% discount compared to the 19 pence closing price on 17 February 2026. The fundraise, described as “significantly oversubscribed” at the set issue price, involved the placing of 200 million new ordinary shares and a subscription for 22.22 ...

Feb 19 (Reuters) - EPAM Systems forecast first-quarter results in line with estimates on Thursday, ‌but its cautious outlook disappointed investors, ‌sending the company's shares down more than 16% in ​premarket trading. Jefferies analysts said the "2026 revenue guidance of +3-6% year-over-year organic (constant currency) likely reflects some conservatism, but will also likely be viewed with some ‌disappointment given organic ⁠constant currency growth in 2025 was 5% y-o-y." EPAM provides a wide range ⁠ ...

There is definitely no shortage of critics out there questioning the purpose of the entire cryptocurrency industry. However, that hasn't put off speculators that were bold enough to take risks and had the stomach to handle volatility to achieve monster returns. Just look at Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB). This meme token's price is up an unbelievable 97,000% in the past five years (as of Feb. 16). But it trades 93% below its record from October 2021. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just reveal ...

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Farm-machinery maker Deere & Co raised its annual profit forecast on Thursday citing a rebound in its construction and small ‌agriculture businesses and cost cuts that mitigated weak equipment demand, sending ‌its shares up 4.7% before the bell. The world's largest farm-equipment maker previously scaled back factory ​production to counter weak demand for new machinery as lower crop prices and higher input costs push farmers to postpone big-ticket purchases. The company is also workin ...

Canadian gold producer Hemlo Mining has announced findings from its 2025 B-Zone exploration drilling programme at the Hemlo Gold Mine near Marathon, Ontario. The latest drilling results have extended mineralisation at the mine by 400m in depth and identified a new mineralised zone within the Cedar Creek area. The mineral resource conversion drilling has enhanced geological certainty and is anticipated to facilitate a possible increase in indicated mineral resources around 100m beneath current mining lev ...

UK-based John Lewis Partnership will invest £108m ($145.9m) in employee pay, raising hourly shop floor wages by 6.9% from 1 April across both John Lewis and Waitrose. The latest allocation follows nearly £300m added to the pay budget over the past three years. Of the £108m increase, close to 90% is discretionary spending above the UK’s National Minimum Wage. From April, minimum hourly pay will rise to £13.25 nationwide and £14.80 inside the M25, equal to approximately £1,600 annually for a typical full ...

Evy Hambro, head of fundamental equities thematic and sector investing at BlackRock, and Jim Reid, head of macro and thematic research at Deutsche Bank, speak on Bloomberg Television about the price of gold and whey there is an inherent demand for the precious metal. "There's an element of speculation there, and there's an element of store of value against inflation," Reid says. ...

Meanwhile, Dutch historian and former E.U. official Luuk van Middelaar described the address as “well-crafted and therefore all the more dangerous for the Europeans, offering a new pact on the basis of a shared civilization, but omitting the Vance part of a year ago, which comes with U.S. alignment with MAGA allies in Europe (4).”Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, argued that Rubio’s speech suggests “the US will entirely set the parameters of that partn ...