Core Insights - The investor adopts a contrarian investment style, focusing on high-risk, illiquid options and shares, with a balanced portfolio of approximately 50% in each [1] - The investment strategy emphasizes buying stocks that have recently experienced sell-offs due to non-recurrent events, particularly when insiders are purchasing shares at lower prices [1] - Fundamental analysis is utilized to assess the health of companies, including leverage and financial ratios compared to sector and industry averages [1] - Technical analysis is employed to determine optimal entry and exit points, using multicolor lines for support and resistance levels on weekly charts [1] Investment Strategy - The investor's timeframe for holding positions ranges from 3 to 24 months [1] - A thorough screening process is conducted to identify potential investment opportunities, primarily focusing on U.S. stocks but also considering international options [1] - Professional background checks are performed on insiders who buy shares post-sell-off to gauge the credibility of their investments [1]

Core Insights - MARA Holdings, Inc. reported a 5% increase in Bitcoin blocks won in September, generating 736 BTC, which is a 4% month-over-month increase, attributed to operational consistency despite a 9% rise in global hashrate and mining difficulty [1][2] - The company's energized hashrate increased by 1% to 60.4 EH/s, indicating progress in capacity expansion efforts [1] - MARA's total Bitcoin holdings reached 52,850 BTC, making it the second-largest Bitcoin treasury among public companies [4] Operational Updates - All containers and miners at MARA's Texas wind farm are fully deployed and connected, with full operations expected in Q4 [3] - The Hannibal, Ohio facility is operating at 100% capacity with 86 MW online and plans for an additional 14 MW by year-end [3] Market Response - Following the operational updates, MARA's stock price increased by 2.90%, with an average trading volume of 55,205,290 shares [5][6] - The company's market capitalization stands at $7.072 billion [6] - MARA's stock price movements are closely aligned with broader Bitcoin market volatility and operational announcements [7] Strategic Outlook - MARA's leadership expressed confidence in executing its growth strategy, highlighting resilience amid rising mining challenges [8] - The company raised $950 million to purchase BTC for its treasury, contributing to a positive investor sentiment towards its market shares [8]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of brokerage recommendations, particularly focusing on Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA), and emphasizes the importance of using these recommendations in conjunction with other analytical tools like the Zacks Rank for making informed investment decisions [1][5]. Brokerage Recommendations - Marathon Digital currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.92, indicating a position between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from 13 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 13 recommendations, seven are classified as Strong Buy, accounting for 53.9% of the total recommendations [2]. Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Solely relying on brokerage recommendations for investment decisions may not be advisable, as studies indicate these recommendations often lack success in guiding investors toward stocks with significant price appreciation potential [5]. - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, with five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" [6][10]. Comparison with Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank, which is based on earnings estimate revisions, is presented as a more reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance compared to ABR [8][11]. - Unlike ABR, which is derived solely from brokerage recommendations, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model that reflects timely changes in earnings estimates, making it a more effective tool for predicting future stock prices [9][12]. Current Earnings Estimates for MARA - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Marathon Digital has remained unchanged at -$0.17 over the past month, suggesting analysts have steady views on the company's earnings prospects [13]. - The unchanged consensus estimate has led to a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) for Marathon Digital, indicating a cautious approach despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [14].

MARA adds 373 BTC to bitcoin stack in September as total holdings exceed $6 billion https://t.co/V0mBHbnNQU ...

218 Blocks Won in September, 5% Increase M/M736 BTC Produced in September, 4% Increase M/M Increased BTC Holdings* to 52,850 BTC Miami, FL, Oct. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) ("MARA" or the "Company"), a leading digital energy and infrastructure company, today published unaudited bitcoin ("bitcoin" or "BTC") production updates for September 2025. Management Commentary "In September, we produced 218 blocks, a 5% increase over August, demonstrating the continued strength and ...

Group 1 - Bitcoin has surged past $120,000, marking its return to this level for the first time since reaching a historical high seven weeks ago, driven by its perception as a safe-haven asset amid market turmoil [1] - The recent inflow into Bitcoin ETFs has reached $1.5 billion this week, indicating a market attempt to catch up with the recent impressive gains of gold [1] - Other cryptocurrencies have also seen significant gains, with Ethereum rising over 2.7%, Solana up 5.7%, and Dogecoin increasing by 4.7% [1] Group 2 - The market structure for Bitcoin is showing signs of a long-awaited "breakout," with strong buying pressure despite previous selling pressure, indicating a potential for rapid price increases once selling pressure is alleviated [2] - Historically, October has been a strong month for Bitcoin, with nine out of the last ten years recording price increases, suggesting a seasonal trend that may influence market expectations [2]

Core Insights - The article presents a comparison between two YieldMax single stock-based option ETFs, specifically focusing on MARA and Nvidia, despite their fundamental differences [1]. Group 1: Company Analysis - The YieldMax MARA Option Income Strategy ETF is highlighted as a key subject of analysis, indicating its relevance in the current investment landscape [1]. - Nvidia is mentioned as a contrasting entity to MARA, suggesting a diverse approach to investment strategies within the ETF space [1]. Group 2: Analyst Background - The analyst has over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management, emphasizing a strong foundation in equity valuation and market trends [1]. - The analyst's previous role as Vice President at Barclays involved leading teams in model validation and stress testing, showcasing expertise in both fundamental and technical analysis [1]. - The collaboration with a research partner, who is also the analyst's spouse, indicates a combined effort to deliver high-quality, data-driven insights [1].

Company Performance - Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA) closed at $18.61, reflecting a +1.92% increase from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.34% [1] - Over the last month, the company's shares have increased by 13.7%, significantly surpassing the Finance sector's gain of 1.52% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.54% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. is projected to report earnings of -$0.21 per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 44.74% [2] - The consensus estimate forecasts revenue of $250.62 million, representing a 90.36% growth compared to the same quarter of the previous year [2] Annual Financial Estimates - For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of -$0.17 per share and revenue of $997.68 million, reflecting shifts of -109.88% and +52%, respectively, from the last year [3] Analyst Estimates and Market Sentiment - Recent modifications to analyst estimates for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. reflect the latest short-term business trends, with positive changes indicating a favorable outlook on business health and profitability [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, currently ranks Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. at 3 (Hold) [6] Industry Context - The Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry, part of the Finance sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 72, placing it in the top 30% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Economic Indicators - US MBA mortgage applications fell by -12.7% in the week ended September 26, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down -1.0% and the refinancing sub-index down -20.6% [1] - The September ISM manufacturing index rose +0.4 to a 7-month high of 49.1, exceeding expectations of 49.0 [6] - The September ADP employment change unexpectedly fell by -32,000, marking the largest decline in 2.5 years, while August was revised lower to -3,000 from +54,000 [5] Market Reactions - Stocks initially moved lower due to the US government shutdown, but later recovered, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 reaching new all-time highs [2][4] - The dollar index fell to a one-week low, while gold prices climbed to a record high amid risk-off sentiment [2] - Rising corporate earnings expectations are a bullish backdrop for stocks, with over 22% of S&P 500 companies providing guidance for Q3 earnings that are expected to beat analysts' expectations [8] Sector Performance - Pharmaceutical stocks rallied, with AstraZeneca closing up more than +9% and Eli Lilly up more than +8%, driven by hopes from Pfizer's deal with the US government [15] - Chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks also saw gains, with Super Micro Computer closing up more than +9% and Micron Technology up more than +8% [16] - Grocery retailers declined after Amazon announced a new private-label food brand, leading to Dollar Tree and Dollar General closing down more than -4% and -3% respectively [22] Upcoming Economic Data - Weekly initial unemployment claims are expected to increase by +7,000 to 225,000, and August factory orders are expected to rise by +1.4% month-over-month [9] - September nonfarm payrolls are anticipated to increase by +51,000, with the unemployment rate expected to remain unchanged at 4.3% [9]

Core Viewpoint - Bitcoin's price surged nearly 3% to over $117,000, while Ethereum rose over 4% to $4,308.8, indicating a strong upward trend in the cryptocurrency market [1] Cryptocurrency Market Performance - Bitcoin increased by nearly 3% to surpass $117,000 [1] - Ethereum experienced a rise of over 4%, reaching $4,308.8 [1] - Cryptocurrency-related stocks also saw significant gains, with Strategy (MSTR.US) up over 6%, MARA Holdings (MARA.US) up over 5%, CleanSpark (CLSK.US) up over 4.9%, Sharplink Gaming (SBET.US) up over 5%, and Coinbase (COIN.US) up over 3% [1] Regulatory Developments - The U.S. Treasury is preparing to officially relax a proposed rule that would impose a 15% tax on unrealized Bitcoin gains held by companies like Strategy under the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (CAMT) [1] - The CAMT legislation requires large corporations to pay a minimum tax based on their financial statement income [1] - Current accounting standards require companies to value their cryptocurrency holdings at market value, leading to taxation on unrealized gains even if the assets are not sold [1] - Companies such as Strategy and Coinbase previously communicated with the Treasury, arguing that taxing unrealized gains on digital assets is unfair and could force U.S. companies to sell assets to meet tax obligations, putting them at a competitive disadvantage globally [1]