Core Insights - Vltava Fund's third-quarter 2025 investor letter discusses the concepts of value traps and growth traps, emphasizing their interconnectedness rather than viewing them as opposites [1] - The letter highlights the importance of combining a reasonable price with a realistic outlook when investing in both value and growth stocks [1] Company Overview: Fiserv, Inc. - Fiserv, Inc. is a leading provider of financial technology infrastructure and is part of the S&P 500 index, operating in over 100 countries [3] - The company specializes in payment transaction processing and card operations, offering a wide range of services for merchants, including payment acceptance and e-commerce integrations [3] - Fiserv's growth was significantly bolstered by the acquisition of First Data in 2019, enhancing its merchant acceptance segment and leading to the development of the Clover platform, a rapidly growing POS solution for small and medium-sized businesses [3] Financial Performance - Fiserv, Inc. experienced a one-month return of -5.55% and a 52-week decline of 31.20% [2] - As of October 3, 2025, Fiserv's stock closed at $127.56 per share, with a market capitalization of $69.341 billion [2]

Fiserv Inc. (NYSE:FI) is one of the best beaten-down technology stocks to buy, according to analysts. On September 25, the company confirmed the acquisition of Smith Consulting Group (SCG). The acquisition is poised to strengthen the company’s operations in offering core banking and advisory services. It will also enhance the company’s ability to deliver end-to-end transformation for community banks and credit unions. Fiserv Inc. (FI) Strengthens Core Banking Prospects with SCG Acquisition The two compan ...

Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) is one of the best buy-the-dip stocks to buy, according to analysts. On September 29, the company entered into an agreement to acquire StoneCastle Cash Management. With the acquisition, the company strengthens its prospects as a technology-enabled source of billions of institutional deposits. Fiserv, Inc. (FI) to Target Financial Institutions with StoneCastle Cash Management Acquisition StoneCastle partners with Fiserv, leveraging a network of depository institutions that includes ...

Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) is among the 10 Best Mobile Payments Stocks to Buy Now. Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) announced the release of Content Next, a cloud-based content management and workflow platform jointly developed with OpenText. The solution’s fundamental AI, automation, and smooth connectivity with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are intended to assist financial institutions in automating their operations. Fiserv Reveals Content Next to Strengthen Banks' AI-Powered Content Management According to Fis ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the interest of a college freshman in macro and value investing, focusing on tracking broad economic themes and their implications for securities with asymmetric return profiles [1]

Core Insights - Fiserv, Inc. has acquired Smith Consulting Group (SCG), enhancing its operational consulting services for community banks and credit unions in the US [1] - The acquisition aims to strengthen Fiserv's position as a provider of core banking and advisory services, facilitating end-to-end transformation for its clients [1][1] - Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed [1] Company Strategy - The addition of SCG allows Fiserv to embed deeper expertise into its service model, enabling earlier and smarter advisory solutions for financial institutions [1][1] - Fiserv and SCG have been partners for over a decade, indicating a strong historical relationship in supporting community banks and credit unions [1][1] Service Offerings - SCG provides consulting services across various Fiserv banking platforms, including DNA, Signature, and Bank Intelligence [1] - The consulting services focus on banking software system conversions, core operations, customer service, online and mobile banking, and other interfaces [1][1] Industry Position - Fiserv is recognized as a global enabler of payments and financial technology, committed to innovation in account processing, digital banking, and merchant services [1] - The acquisition of SCG aligns with Fiserv's goal to help financial institutions achieve growth with speed, clarity, and confidence [1][1]

Core Insights - Fiserv, Inc. has launched Content Next™, a next-generation, multi-tenant, cloud-based content management and workflow solution aimed at enhancing digital transformation in the banking sector [1] - The solution emphasizes agility, intelligence, and customer experience, indicating a shift towards more responsive and user-centric financial services [1] - Content Next™ was developed in collaboration with OpenText, a leader in secure information management for AI, highlighting a strategic partnership to bolster technological capabilities [1] Company Overview - Fiserv, Inc. is recognized as a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, indicating its significant role in the financial technology landscape [1] - The introduction of Content Next™ reflects Fiserv's commitment to innovation and meeting the evolving needs of the banking industry [1] Industry Impact - The launch of Content Next™ is positioned to raise the standards for digital transformation in banking, suggesting a competitive advantage for institutions that adopt this technology [1] - The focus on customer experience and agility aligns with broader industry trends towards digitalization and enhanced service delivery in financial services [1]

The joint showcase at Fiserv Forum Client Conference Sep. 29-30, 2025, highlights new solutions to reduce manual effort, strengthen governance and improve customer experiences , /PRNewswire/ --Â OpenTextâ"¢ (NASDAQ: OTEX, TSX: OTEX), a global leader in secure information management for AI, and Fiserv, Inc., a global leader in payments and financial technology, today announced Content Next, a specialized, AI-powered content management and workflow solution for financial institutions. Intelligent Content Work ...

Performance Overview - Baron FinTech Fund rose 9.26% in the quarter ended June 30, 2025, underperforming the FactSet Global FinTech Index which gained 13.82% [3][4] - Since inception, the Fund has achieved a 12.53% annualized return compared to 4.55% for the Benchmark [3][4] Market Conditions - U.S. equity markets experienced gains amid volatility, influenced by President Trump's tariff announcements and subsequent negotiations [5] - The "Magnificent Seven" stocks led the S&P 500 Index gains, appreciating over 20% during the quarter [6] Fund Performance Analysis - Underperformance against the Benchmark was attributed to stock selection in Information Services, Payments, and Tech-Enabled Financials [7] - The Fund's high exposure to Financials, which lagged the broader Index by over 5%, also contributed to underperformance [7] Sector Performance - Information Services faced widespread weakness, particularly from Fair Isaac Corporation and Verisk Analytics due to regulatory pressures and market rotation [8] - Payments sector was negatively impacted by Fiserv's weaker-than-expected earnings and slowing payment volumes [9] - Tech-Enabled Financials saw declines in insurance holdings, reflecting a market shift away from defensive sectors [10] Top Contributors - Robinhood Markets was the largest contributor, benefiting from increased trading activity and new crypto-related products [11][13] - MercadoLibre reported strong results with revenue up 37% and total payment volume up 72% [12][14] - Intuit's shares rose after better-than-expected quarterly results, with revenue growing 15% [15] Top Detractors - Fiserv detracted from performance due to concerns over Clover's payment volume growth [16] - The Progressive Corporation faced investor concerns about premium growth moderation despite strong performance metrics [17] - Clearwater Analytics saw a decline in shares despite solid earnings, as investors sought assurance on integration of recent acquisitions [18] Portfolio Structure - As of June 30, 2025, the Fund held 46 positions, with the top 10 holdings representing 40.9% of net assets [20] - The Fund's investments are segmented into seven themes, with Tech-Enabled Financials at 28.0% and Information Services at 20.9% [21] Recent Activity - The Fund made a new investment in Ategrity Specialty Insurance, focusing on the less competitive E&S market [26][28] - Increased positions in The Charles Schwab Corporation and CME Group were noted due to improving fundamentals and market conditions [29][30] Outlook - The economic outlook has improved, with positive trade developments and stable consumer finance trends supporting the Fund's holdings [33] - The Fund remains focused on investing in competitively advantaged growth companies within the fintech sector [34]

Core Insights - Mairs & Power Balanced Fund experienced a challenging start to 2025 but rebounded to a 25% increase by the end of the second quarter, despite returning only 2.66% in the first half of the year, underperforming its benchmark indexes [1] Fund Performance - The fund's performance was below benchmark composite indexes, which rose 5.43%, and the Morningstar Moderate Allocation peer group, which increased by 5.67% [1] Fiserv, Inc. Overview - Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) is a payment and fintech services provider, with a one-month return of -5.91% and a 52-week loss of 26.57%, closing at $129.82 per share on September 23, 2025, with a market capitalization of $70.569 billion [2] Sector Performance - The fund's overweight position in the Financials sector contributed positively to performance in the first half of 2025, but stock selection within the sector, particularly Fiserv, Inc., negatively impacted overall results [3] Fiserv's Challenges - Fiserv, Inc. faced difficulties in the first half of 2025 due to a downward revision of guidance for its Clover product, which is crucial for its growth in merchant acceptance [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Fiserv, Inc. was held by 94 hedge fund portfolios at the end of the second quarter of 2025, an increase from 72 in the previous quarter [4] Revenue Growth - In the second quarter of 2025, Fiserv, Inc.'s adjusted revenue grew by 8% to $5.2 billion [4] Investment Outlook - While Fiserv, Inc. is recognized for its potential, certain AI stocks are considered to offer greater upside potential and less downside risk [4]