Seeking Alpha·2026-01-08 19:16Group 1: JPMorgan Chase and Apple Card Acquisition - JPMorgan Chase has agreed to acquire the Apple credit card program from Goldman Sachs, enhancing its position in consumer credit [5][6] - The Apple Card, which has approximately $20 billion in balances, will continue to offer key features such as 3% cash back and a high-yield savings account until the deal closes in about two years [6] - This acquisition reinforces JPMorgan's dominance in the credit card market, as it was the top U.S. issuer in 2024 with over $1.344 trillion in purchase volume [7] Group 2: Goldman Sachs Earnings Impact - Goldman Sachs anticipates that the acquisition will contribute approximately $0.46 per share to its Q4 2025 earnings [7] Group 3: Costco and Tariffs - Costco Wholesale is experiencing a rally following a strong December sales report, with expectations of a favorable resolution on tariffs potentially coming soon [8] Group 4: Snowflake Stock Upgrade - Snowflake has seen an increase in stock value after Argus Research upgraded it to Buy from Hold, setting a price target of $300, citing its importance for enterprises in generative and agentic AI applications [9] Group 5: BlackRock and Blackstone Clarification - BlackRock is mistakenly associated with large-scale single-family rental ownership, but it does not purchase or own single-family rental homes; this is primarily the domain of Blackstone [10][11] Group 6: January Stock Performance Insights - BofA notes that lower-quality stocks have historically outperformed higher-quality stocks in January, with a significant trend observed since 1987 [12] - The analysis highlights that funds are entering January with elevated quality exposure, while low-quality stocks that are underweight in long-only funds but rated Buy by BofA analysts include Amcor, Camden Property Trust, Healthpeak Properties, Devon Energy, and Hasbro [13]