Core Viewpoint - The article discusses seven affordable stocks with strong earnings growth potential for 2026, highlighting the importance of macroeconomic factors and market dynamics in shaping investment strategies for the upcoming year [2][4][5]. Economic Outlook - Jeremy Siegel, a finance professor, indicates potential challenges in January 2026, including Supreme Court decisions on tariffs and a possible government shutdown, but remains optimistic about the overall market outlook for the year [2]. - Tony Pasquariello from Goldman Sachs emphasizes favorable conditions for risk-taking, with expected S&P earnings growth of 12% in 2026 following an 11% increase in 2025, suggesting a bullish market trend [4]. Stock Selection Methodology - The article outlines a methodology for selecting undervalued stocks with a forward P/E below 15 and strong earnings growth expectations for 2026, based on hedge fund sentiment data [7][8]. Company Highlights Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) - Barclays PLC shows a year-over-year EPS diluted growth of 45.84% and a forward EPS growth of 28.17%, with a forward P/E of 11.12 and 28 hedge fund holders [10]. - The company is collaborating with ExpectAI to enhance profitability for SMEs through AI-driven sustainability insights, with testing of the platform set to begin in early 2026 [10][11]. - Barclays received multiple buy ratings from firms like Kepler Capital and UBS, with price targets set at p460.00 and p515 respectively [12]. LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (NYSE:LTM) - LATAM Airlines Group reports a year-over-year EPS diluted growth of 60.40% and a forward EPS growth of 30.69%, with a forward P/E of 11.38 and 30 hedge fund holders [14]. - The company transported 7.4 million passengers in November 2025, reflecting a 4.9% year-over-year growth, and expanded its capacity by 4.6% [14][15]. - Goldman Sachs raised the price target for LATAM Airlines to $58.50, indicating potential for a 14% dividend yield in 2026 [17].

Core Insights - Barclays Securities Japan has appointed Hiroshi Minoura as chairman of investment banking in Japan, focusing on major transactions, cross-border deals, client base expansion, and strengthening existing client relationships [1][4] Group 1: Appointment and Role - Hiroshi Minoura has been a senior advisor to Barclays' investment banking business in Japan since July 2024, contributing to strategic planning and client engagement [2] - Minoura brings over 40 years of experience in financial services, having held senior advisory and chair positions at Bank of America Securities Japan prior to joining Barclays [2][3] Group 2: Career Background - Earlier in his career, Minoura spent 37 years at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, where he held several senior roles, including vice chairman and deputy president [3] - His extensive experience includes involvement in outbound cross-border mergers and acquisitions by Japanese companies, which have been increasing due to low interest rates, corporate governance reforms, and a weaker yen [3] Group 3: Strategic Importance - Yuzo Otsuka, head of Barclays Securities Japan Investment Banking, emphasized that Minoura's appointment reflects the bank's commitment to capturing growth opportunities in Japan and enhancing client value [4] - In a separate development, Barclays appointed Jean-François Mastrangelo as head of markets for Asia Pacific, indicating ongoing strategic expansion in the region [4][5]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates in July and December 2026, influenced by the spring wage negotiation cycle [1] - The recent interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan indicates that wage increases determined during the annual spring negotiations are crucial for the "wage-price cycle" narrative [1] - The Bank of Japan must also pay attention to the risks of yen depreciation, similar to its previous considerations [1]

Core Insights - The banking and trading sectors are expanding their precious metals trading and storage capabilities to capitalize on the record surge in gold prices this year, marking a significant opportunity in the financial industry [1] - Gold and silver prices have recently accelerated, with spot gold surpassing $4,500 per ounce and silver crossing $70 per ounce, resulting in year-to-date increases of 71% and 150%, respectively [1] Group 1: Revenue Growth - Major banks' precious metals trading departments have seen a 50% increase in revenue in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2024 [2] - The revenue from precious metals trading for 12 leading banks reached approximately $1.4 billion from January to September, indicating that 2025 could be the second-best year for bank gold trading, following 2020 [2] Group 2: Market Participation and Competition - Banks that previously closed their precious metals trading departments, such as Société Générale, Morgan Stanley, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, are re-entering the market and expanding their teams [3] - Non-bank competitors, including Swiss refiner MKS Pamp and financial platform StoneX, are also enhancing their precious metals trading operations, indicating increased competition in the sector [3] Group 3: Storage Business Revival - The storage business, once considered dull and low-margin, is regaining popularity among banks, with many exploring or already engaged in this area [4] - Citigroup is reportedly considering opening a vault, while MKS Pamp has expanded its operations and aims to become a leading player in the precious metals industry [4] Group 4: Advantages and Challenges - Wall Street banks possess significant advantages due to their large balance sheets, which have become crucial as smaller traders face funding challenges amid rising gold prices [5] - Non-bank competitors have specialized advantages in physical gold procurement, which is complex due to compliance with "good delivery" standards, making banks hesitant to engage early in the supply chain [6]

Core Insights - HSBC and Barclays are restructuring to enhance operational efficiency and focus on core operations [1][2] HSBC Overview - HSBC is implementing a $1.5 billion cost-saving plan aimed at organizational simplification by 2026, with expected total severance and upfront charges of $1.8 billion [3] - The bank is divesting non-core operations in various regions, including the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., while concentrating on Asia and the Middle East [4] - HSBC is expanding its presence in Asia, proposing to privatize Hang Seng Bank and enhancing wealth operations in China and India [5] - Despite these initiatives, HSBC's revenue generation has been subdued due to a challenging macroeconomic environment and weak loan demand [6] Barclays Overview - Barclays is also simplifying operations, recently acquiring Best Egg for $800 million to strengthen its U.S. consumer finance capabilities [7] - The bank has divested its stake in Entercard Group for $273 million and its Germany-based consumer finance business, which is expected to improve profitability [8] - Barclays achieved gross savings of £1 billion in 2024 and anticipates total gross efficiency savings of £2 billion by the end of next year [9] Performance Comparison - Over the past six months, Barclays' shares increased by 43.9%, while HSBC's shares rose by 33.6%, outperforming the industry average of 26% [11] - In terms of valuation, HSBC has a price/tangible book (P/TB) ratio of 1.37X, while Barclays has a lower ratio of 0.96X, indicating that Barclays is relatively inexpensive [13] - Earnings estimates for HSBC suggest a 14.9% increase in 2025 and a 3.3% rise in 2026, while Barclays is projected to grow by 23.9% in 2025 and 21.3% in 2026 [15][17] Strategic Outlook - HSBC's strategic pivot towards high-growth Asian markets and comprehensive cost optimization positions it favorably for long-term gains despite near-term revenue pressures [19] - Barclays shows a stronger earnings outlook on paper, but its exposure to volatile capital markets raises concerns about consistent core income performance [20]

Core Viewpoint - Tesla shares are trading near record highs, driven by narratives around future technologies rather than current fundamentals [1][2][3] Group 1: Stock Performance - Tesla shares reached a high of 498, closing around 489, indicating significant volatility but overall strength in the stock price [1] - The stock is trading at over 200 times next year's earnings, reflecting high market expectations [3] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The recent surge in Tesla's stock may be attributed to narratives surrounding AI and future technologies like robo-taxis and humanoid robots, overshadowing traditional car sales [2][5] - Analysts note that the market is placing a heavy premium on AI narratives, with Tesla being perceived as a beneficiary of these trends [5] Group 3: Sales and Market Share - Tesla has experienced a decline in market share, with European sales down 12% in November, attributed to brand damage and expiring subsidies [9][10] - The U.S. market has also seen effects from the expiration of subsidies, leading to expectations of double-digit sales declines this year [10] Group 4: Future Prospects - The focus for Tesla is shifting towards demonstrating the value of Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology as a key selling point for new vehicles [11] - There are challenges in scaling operations for robo-taxis and humanoid robots, indicating that while the narratives are strong, practical implementation remains a hurdle [6]

| US CPI NSA | 324.122 | | Nov-25 | Sep-25 | Nov-25 | Sep-25 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | index | | | | | | | | | | RI | %2m, chg | %m/m | % y/y | % y/y | | Headline | | 100 | 0.20% | 0.31% | 2.7% | 3.0% | | Energy | | 6.4 | 1.08% | 1.51% | 4.2% | 2.8% | | Food | | 13.6 | 0.06% | 0.25% | 2.6% | 3.1% | | Co | | | | | | | | re | | 80.0 | 0.16% | 0.23% | 2.6% | 3.0% | | Core | | | | | | | | Goods | | 19.3 | 0.06% | 0.22% | 1.4% | 1.5% | | Core | | | | | | | | goods | | | | | | | | ex used | ...

Group 1: Company Overview - Medline Inc. shares surged 41.38% during regular trading hours on Wednesday, but declined by 2.47% to $39.99 in after-hours trading [1] - The company priced its upsized initial public offering (IPO) at $29 per share for 216.03 million Class A common shares [1] Group 2: Underwriters and Deal Structure - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities, and J.P. Morgan served as global coordinators and lead bookrunning managers for the IPO [2] - Other bookrunning managers included Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank Securities, Jefferies, and UBS Investment Bank [2] Group 3: Use of Proceeds - Medline will use proceeds from 37.03 million shares and any exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase an additional 32.40 million shares to purchase or redeem equity interests from pre-IPO owners [4] - The offering is expected to close on Thursday, subject to customary closing conditions [4] Group 4: Trading Metrics - Medline has a market capitalization of $32.27 billion [5] - The stock closed at $41 on Wednesday, but Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate a negative price trend across all time frames for MDLN stock [5]

The CEO of bankrupt car dealer Tricolor Holdings was charged in an alleged scheme to defraud banks and other investors. ...

stock is set to begin trading on the NASDAQ later today under MDLN. This all as 26 looks to set another strong year for the IPO market with buzz surrounding SpaceX, Open AI, and other likely contenders to go public in the new year. Joining us this morning at Post9 to talk about all of that and more is Barkclay's global head of tech investment banking, Kristen Roth the Clark.Welcome, Kristen. Good to have you back. >> Thank you. Great to see you.>> Some of the year-on-year comps are pretty good for 25 either ...