Core Insights - BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. (BTSG) is currently rated as a Strong Buy (1) by Zacks, while Medpace (MEDP) holds a Buy (2) rating, indicating a more favorable outlook for BTSG in terms of earnings revisions [3]. Valuation Metrics - BTSG has a forward P/E ratio of 30.98, significantly lower than MEDP's forward P/E of 40.02, suggesting that BTSG may be undervalued relative to MEDP [5]. - The PEG ratio for BTSG is 0.58, indicating a more attractive valuation when considering expected EPS growth, compared to MEDP's PEG ratio of 2.22 [5]. - BTSG's P/B ratio stands at 3.43, while MEDP's P/B ratio is considerably higher at 56.77, further supporting the notion that BTSG is a better value option [6]. Value Grades - Based on the analysis of various valuation metrics, BTSG has received a Value grade of B, whereas MEDP has a Value grade of D, highlighting BTSG's superior position in terms of value investment potential [6].

Core Insights - Madison Mid Cap Fund's Class I returned 1.9% in Q3 2025, underperforming the Russell Midcap Index which increased by 5.3% [1] - Information Technology was the leading sector in performance for both the quarter and year-to-date [1] Company Performance - Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MEDP) had a one-month return of -3.15% but gained 73.55% over the last 52 weeks, closing at $586.16 per share with a market capitalization of $17.047 billion on November 20, 2025 [2] - Medpace reported revenue of $659.9 million in Q3 2025, marking a year-over-year increase of 23.7% [4] Investment Insights - Medpace was one of the top five contributors to the Madison Mid Cap Fund's performance in Q3 2025, with shares rising due to better-than-expected Q2 results and strong revenue and bookings growth [3] - Despite the potential of Medpace as an investment, the company is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 42 hedge fund portfolios holding its shares at the end of Q2 2025, unchanged from the previous quarter [4]

Group 1 - Nvidia's performance is driving futures higher, indicating strong market sentiment [1] - Medpace Holdings is currently trading at $590.18, showing a 0.75% increase and a 31% rise in its stock analysis [1] - Medpace is finding support at the 21-day Relative Strength line, just below its highs, with a Composite Rating of 99/99 and an Industry Group Ranking of 12 out of 197 [1] Group 2 - Major indexes experienced a fall but bounced off lows, with Nvidia, RTX, Medpace, and Alnylam being key stocks to watch [2] - Medpace's stock jumped following a strong quarterly performance, which included a guidance hike [4] - The healthcare sector is seeing significant growth, with stocks like Hims & Hers leading among 15 growth stocks [4]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are increasingly seeking growth stocks that demonstrate above-average growth potential, with Medpace (MEDP) identified as a strong candidate due to its favorable growth metrics and Zacks Rank [2][10] Group 1: Earnings Growth - Medpace has a historical EPS growth rate of 32%, with projected EPS growth of 17.1% for the current year, surpassing the industry average of 15.7% [4] - The importance of double-digit earnings growth is emphasized as a key indicator of strong company prospects and potential stock price gains [3] Group 2: Cash Flow Growth - Medpace's year-over-year cash flow growth stands at 40.3%, significantly higher than the industry average of -1.2%, indicating robust financial health [5] - The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 26%, compared to the industry average of 7.7%, showcasing its superior performance [6] Group 3: Earnings Estimate Revisions - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for Medpace, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increasing by 5.3% over the past month [8] - The correlation between earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements supports the stock's potential for growth [7]

Core Viewpoint - A rotation in investor interest is occurring, moving from high-flying tech stocks to undervalued healthcare stocks, driven by strong earnings and emerging uptrends in the healthcare sector [1]. Group 1: Healthcare Sector Overview - The healthcare sector is experiencing a surge, with several stocks showing strong momentum and favorable rankings on Benzinga's Momentum scores [2]. - Investors are increasingly favoring healthcare stocks due to their strong earnings performance and technical indicators suggesting upward trends [1]. Group 2: Cardinal Health Inc. - Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) has a market cap of $48 billion and has consistently generated over $50 billion in sales each quarter since Q1 2023, primarily from generic and branded drug sales [4]. - The stock has increased over 70% year-to-date, with a significant 15% jump following a Q3 earnings report that exceeded consensus expectations by more than 16% [6]. Group 3: Guardant Health Inc. - Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH) specializes in oncology diagnostics and reported a record revenue of $265 million, reflecting over 38% year-over-year growth [9]. - The stock has shown strong momentum, with a significant increase following better-than-expected earnings results [9]. Group 4: Abivax SA - Abivax (NASDAQ:ABVX) focuses on chronic inflammatory diseases and has seen its stock rise nearly 600% in a single session following positive Phase 3 clinical trial results [10]. - The stock has continued to rise, with a 60% increase over the last three months and a consensus Buy rating from analysts [12]. Group 5: Medpace Holdings Inc. - Medpace (NASDAQ:MEDP) provides clinical trial services and has experienced a stock increase of over 75% year-to-date, driven by strong earnings performance [13]. - The company reported Q3 revenue growth of more than 23% year-over-year, exceeding expectations and indicating strong future prospects [15]. Group 6: Elanco Animal Health Inc. - Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN) develops healthcare products for pets and farm animals, with shares up 76% this year due to solid earnings [16]. - The company raised its full-year guidance following strong sales growth in both its Pet Health and Farm Animal divisions [18]. Group 7: GeneDx Holdings Corp. - GeneDx Holdings (NASDAQ:WGS) specializes in exome and genome testing and has recently turned a profit, with a market cap approaching $4 billion [19]. - The company has raised guidance for total revenue and adjusted gross margins, indicating strong growth potential [19].

Core Insights - U.S. stocks experienced a rally in Q3, supported by the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut and steady economic data, with the Russell Midcap® Growth Index increasing by 2.78% [3][17] - The Wasatch U.S. Select Fund underperformed, declining by -1.93%, primarily due to concentrated holdings in stocks that faced slower revenue growth [3][4][17] Fund Performance Analysis - The Fund's performance was negatively impacted by a few concentrated stock holdings that reported slower revenue growth, leading to significant declines in their stock prices [4][6] - The investment strategy focuses on high-quality, long-duration growth companies, which faced headwinds as low-quality stocks gained favor in the market [7] Key Detractors - BellRing Brands, Inc. (BRBR) was the largest detractor, with concerns over competition in the protein shake category; however, the long-term outlook remains positive due to category growth potential [8] - Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) faced stock price declines despite solid organic revenue growth, attributed to macroeconomic concerns and investor sentiment following its acquisition of Global Blue [9] - Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (INSP) was sold during the quarter after management downgraded guidance due to delays in product rollout, raising execution concerns [10] Top Contributors - Medpace Holdings, Inc. (MEDP) was the top contributor, with strong revenue and earnings growth, raising full-year guidance despite a slowdown in biotech funding [11] - Fabrinet (FN) benefited from strong product adoption, particularly in data centers linked to AI, although the investment is not solely based on AI themes [12] - Nova Ltd. (NVMI) also contributed positively, with a strong track record in semiconductor manufacturing, benefiting from increasing complexity in the industry [13] Future Outlook - The Fund remains committed to its investment philosophy, focusing on high-quality growth companies despite recent underperformance [14] - The fundamentals of the companies within the Fund are encouraging, with strong earnings growth expected to drive return potential over a three- to five-year horizon [15]

Core Insights - BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. (BTSG) is currently rated as a Strong Buy (1) while Medpace (MEDP) is rated as a Buy (2), indicating a more favorable earnings outlook for BTSG [3] - Value investors utilize various traditional metrics to identify undervalued stocks, including P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share [4] Valuation Metrics - BTSG has a forward P/E ratio of 30.66, compared to MEDP's forward P/E of 40.04, suggesting that BTSG may be undervalued relative to MEDP [5] - The PEG ratio for BTSG is 0.58, indicating a more attractive growth valuation compared to MEDP's PEG ratio of 2.71 [5] - BTSG's P/B ratio stands at 3.23, significantly lower than MEDP's P/B ratio of 56.81, further supporting the argument for BTSG's better valuation [6] Conclusion - Given the stronger estimate revision activity and more attractive valuation metrics, BTSG is positioned as the superior investment option for value investors at this time [7]

Industry Overview - Companies in the drug development inputs and services sector are essential to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology value chain, providing support for drug discovery, preclinical testing, and manufacturing [2] - The industry benefits from stable demand as pharmaceutical companies often outsource non-core functions with medium to long-term contracts [2] - Future growth is expected due to increasing investments in biologics, cell and gene therapies, and advancements in precision medicine, which will drive demand for sophisticated tools and services [2] - There is a trend towards outsourcing in drug development for increased nimbleness and cost efficiency [2] - Potential challenges include pricing pressures from healthcare cost containment efforts and an evolving regulatory environment that could slow innovation or client activity [2] Q3 Earnings Performance - The seven tracked drug development inputs and services stocks reported strong Q3 results, with revenues exceeding analysts' consensus estimates by 3.1% [3] - On average, share prices of these companies have increased by 2% since the latest earnings results [3] Company-Specific Highlights - IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) reported revenues of $4.1 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 5.2%, which surpassed analysts' expectations by 0.5% [5] - Despite the revenue growth, IQVIA's performance was mixed, with constant currency revenue aligning with analysts' estimates [5] - IQVIA delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates within the group, resulting in a 3% decline in stock price since reporting, currently trading at $211 [6] - Medpace (NASDAQ:MEDP) was highlighted as the best performer in Q3, providing outsourced clinical trial management and research services [7]

Core Insights - Optimist Fund reported a return of +9.1% in Q3 2025, outperforming the benchmark return of 7.9% [1] - The fund is focusing on cyclical holdings that have been in multi-year downswings while also paying attention to developments in AI [1] Company Summary: Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MEDP) - Medpace Holdings, Inc. is a clinical research-based drug and medical device development services provider [2] - The stock of Medpace Holdings, Inc. had a one-month return of 8.99% and gained 81.62% over the last 52 weeks, closing at $580.37 per share with a market capitalization of $16.348 billion on October 30, 2025 [2] - Optimist Fund initiated a position in Medpace in April, viewing it as a market leader with significant long-term growth potential that is currently underappreciated [3] - Medpace reported revenue of $659.9 million in Q3 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 23.7% [4] Investment Perspective - While Medpace is recognized for its potential, the fund suggests that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and less downside risk [4]

Core Viewpoint - The medical innovation sector is experiencing a structural recovery, with significant inflows into the Medical Innovation ETF and positive performance from key companies in the sector [1][2]. Group 1: Market Performance - On October 29, the Medical Innovation ETF (516820.SH) fell by 1.28%, with component stocks showing mixed results; Chuaning Biological (301301) led gains at 5.12%, while Ailis (688578) saw the largest decline at 5.13% [1]. - The Medical Innovation ETF has seen continuous net inflows over the past five days, with a peak single-day net inflow of 38.68 million yuan, totaling 66.42 million yuan and an average daily net inflow of 13.28 million yuan [1]. Group 2: Industry Trends - The pharmaceutical sector has undergone a prolonged valuation adjustment, but a significant structural recovery trend has emerged recently, supported by policies promoting commercial insurance development [1]. - The investment and financing landscape in the pharmaceutical sector is expected to recover, driven by a rebound in the secondary market, with continued positive sentiment in the CXO and upstream segments [1]. - Recent quarterly reports from several CXO companies, including WuXi AppTec, Tigermed, and others, indicate a positive outlook for the industry [1]. Group 3: Future Outlook - The CXO sector continues to show strong performance, with companies like WuXi AppTec and Boteng surpassing expectations in their quarterly results [2]. - The innovative drug sector is on a long-term upward trend, with opportunities arising from both domestic revenue growth and international expansion [2]. - The expectation of interest rate cuts in the U.S. is likely to enhance global liquidity and support the trend in technology stocks, providing an opportunity for investors to capitalize on the rebound in core pharmaceutical assets through the Medical Innovation ETF [2].