Core Viewpoint - Intel's shares dropped over 15% intra-day following a fourth-quarter loss and a pessimistic outlook for the current quarter, indicating significant challenges ahead for the company [1]. Financial Performance - Intel reported a net loss of $333 million for the fourth quarter, which was worse than Wall Street analysts had anticipated [1]. - For the first quarter, Intel expects a loss of $0.21 per share, highlighting ongoing difficulties in the competitive AI chip market [3]. Industry Challenges - Supply shortages driven by increased demand in data centers were identified as a major challenge, with CFO David Zinsner indicating that these shortages could last until 2026 [2]. - Intel's foundry business is lagging behind competitors like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, further complicating its market position [3]. Investor Sentiment - Investor confidence was negatively impacted by a lack of new disclosures, as Intel announced delays in updates regarding new foundry customers and provided limited information on potential buyers for its next-generation manufacturing technology [4].

Core Viewpoint - Capital One Financial's shares dropped over 6% after announcing the acquisition of Brex Inc. for $5.15 billion and reporting fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of expectations [1][2]. Acquisition Details - Capital One has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Brex, a corporate credit card specialist, for $5.15 billion, structured as approximately 50% cash and 50% stock [2]. - This acquisition is seen as a strategic move to diversify Capital One's revenue sources beyond consumer lending, potentially enhancing resilience during economic downturns [2]. Fourth Quarter Earnings - For Q4 2025, Capital One reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.86, which was below the analyst consensus estimate of $4.17 [3]. - The company's revenue for the quarter totaled $15.6 billion, slightly exceeding expectations of $15.47 billion and higher than the same period last year [3]. Credit Losses and Loan Growth - The provision for credit losses increased by $1.4 billion to $4.1 billion, which includes $3.8 billion in net charge-offs and a $302 million increase in loan reserves [4]. - Loans held for investment rose by 2% to $453.6 billion, with credit card loans increasing by 3% to $279.6 billion [4]. - Total deposits grew by 1% to $475.8 billion [4]. Financial Ratios and Annual Performance - The net interest margin declined by 10 basis points from the previous quarter to 8.26% [5]. - As of December 31, 2025, the Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio was reported at 14.3% under the Basel III standardized framework [5]. - For the full year 2025, Capital One experienced a 37% increase in total net revenue to $53.4 billion, while total non-interest expenses rose by 42% to $30.5 billion [5].

Core Insights - Intuitive Surgical reported strong fourth-quarter earnings and revenue, surpassing analyst expectations, driven by growth in da Vinci and Ion procedures [1][2] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share reached $2.53, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.26 [1] - Revenue increased to $2.87 billion, surpassing expectations of $2.75 billion, marking a 19% rise from $2.41 billion in the same quarter last year [1] Procedure Growth - Da Vinci procedures grew by 17%, while Ion procedures saw a significant increase of 44% during the quarter [2] - The company placed 532 da Vinci systems in the quarter, up from 493 a year earlier, expanding the installed base to 11,106 systems, a 12% year-over-year increase [2] Revenue Breakdown - Revenue from instruments and accessories rose 17% to $1.66 billion [2] - Systems revenue increased to $786 million from $655 million in the prior-year quarter [2] Future Outlook - The company forecasts worldwide da Vinci procedure growth of approximately 13% to 15% in 2026, a decrease from 18% growth projected for 2025 [3] - Intuitive Surgical anticipates a non-GAAP gross profit margin of 67% to 68% of revenue, factoring in an estimated 1.2 percentage point impact from tariffs [3]

Core Viewpoint - CSX's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded expectations despite a year-over-year revenue decline, leading to a more than 4% increase in share price intra-day [1]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for Q4 2025 were reported at $0.42, surpassing analyst estimates of $0.41 [2]. - Revenue for the quarter totaled $3.51 billion, slightly below the consensus forecast of $3.55 billion, marking a 1% decrease from the previous year [2]. - Operating income for the quarter was $1.11 billion, resulting in an operating margin of 31.6%, down from an adjusted operating income of $1.21 billion and an adjusted operating margin of 34.3% in the same quarter last year [3]. Revenue Drivers - The decline in revenue was attributed to lower merchandise volumes and reduced export coal revenue, although these pressures were partially offset by higher pricing in merchandise and intermodal segments, increased intermodal volumes, and higher fuel surcharge revenue [3]. Full-Year Performance - For the full year 2025, CSX reported total revenue of $14.09 billion and adjusted operating income of $4.69 billion, excluding a $164 million goodwill impairment recorded in Q3 [4]. - The company achieved an adjusted operating margin of 33.2% for the year, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.61 [4].

Core Viewpoint - UBS has lowered its price target on Microsoft to $600 from $650 while maintaining a Buy rating, attributing this change to sector-wide valuation compression despite improving near-term fundamentals [1] Group 1: Azure Growth Drivers - The ramp-up of Microsoft's Fairwater AI data centers is identified as a key near-term driver of Azure growth [2] - The Atlanta Fairwater facility became operational in October, and the Wisconsin site is expected to go live in the first quarter of 2026 [2] - UBS analysts conducted a site visit to the Wisconsin facility in mid-December, which informed their updated outlook [2] Group 2: Financial Estimates and Adjustments - UBS raised its Azure growth estimates ahead of Microsoft's fiscal second-quarter earnings report scheduled for January 28 [3] - The price target reduction reflects broader multiple compression across the software sector, despite the improved growth outlook [3] - The revised target is based on an assumed calendar-year 2027 free cash flow multiple of 47 times, down from 50 times previously, which still represents a justified premium relative to peers [4]

Core Viewpoint - HSBC raised its price target on Micron Technology to $500 from $350 while maintaining a Buy rating, driven by accelerating memory pricing and rising demand from AI inferencing platforms [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Trends - Micron's shares have increased by 92% over the past three months, significantly outperforming the Nasdaq, which gained only 1%, primarily due to a faster-than-expected rally in DRAM prices [2] - The demand for NAND is identified as the next potential catalyst for Micron's stock, as inferencing platforms are increasingly consuming storage capacity [2] Group 2: Financial Forecasts - HSBC raised its fiscal second-quarter operating profit forecast by 6%, projecting an operating profit of $12 billion, which is an 88% increase quarter over quarter, on sales of $20 billion, a 47% sequential increase [3] - The firm expects blended DRAM average selling prices to rise by 45% quarter over quarter, up from a prior estimate of 37% [3] Group 3: Demand Drivers - Incremental demand growth for server DRAM and enterprise solid-state drives is noted, particularly for applications in token management, retrieval-augmented generation, and key-value caching, which are essential for AI inferencing [4] - Supply shortages and lean DRAM inventories of approximately two to four weeks are contributing to rising prices for PC and mobile DRAM [4] Group 4: Long-term Projections - HSBC anticipates that supply tightness will continue through year-end, leading to significantly stronger earnings growth in fiscal 2026, with an expected operating profit of $51 billion, a 368% year-over-year increase, on sales of $84 billion, up 124% [5] - The firm expects Micron to increase capital expenditures by 7% to expand DRAM capacity starting in the second half of fiscal 2027, along with higher dividend payouts, projecting a payout ratio of 6% [5]

Company Overview - Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) is a major utility company in the United States, providing electricity and natural gas services to millions of customers, with a strong commitment to clean energy and sustainability [1] - The company competes with other significant utility firms such as Duke Energy and NextEra Energy in the energy sector [1] Stock Performance - As of January 23, 2026, Xcel Energy's stock was trading at $74.44, with a price target set at $95 by Stephen D'Ambrisi from RBC Capital, indicating a potential upside of approximately 27.62% [2] - Currently, XEL is trading at $74.59, reflecting a slight decrease of about 1.68% or $1.28, with a daily fluctuation between a low of $74.35 and a high of $75.67 [4] - Over the past year, XEL has seen a high of $83.01 and a low of $65.21, indicating some volatility in its stock price [4] Market Position - Xcel Energy's market capitalization is approximately $44.12 billion, highlighting its significant presence in the utility sector [5] - The stock has a trading volume of 990,345 shares on the NASDAQ exchange, indicating active trading and interest from investors and analysts [5] Recognition and Reputation - Xcel Energy has been recognized as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine for the twelfth consecutive year, underscoring its sustained excellence and strong industry reputation [3][6]

Core Viewpoint - WEC Energy Group is a significant player in the energy sector, providing electricity and natural gas to millions across the Midwest, with a strong presence in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota [1] Company Overview - WEC Energy Group's main competitors include large utility companies such as Exelon and Duke Energy [1] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $35.27 billion, indicating its substantial size in the energy sector [4] Stock Performance - As of the latest update, WEC's stock price is $108.41, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.86% from the previous day [4] - The stock has traded between $107.87 and $109.11 on the current day, with a yearly high of $118.19 and a low of $96.37, indicating some volatility [4] - RBC Capital maintained a "Sector Perform" rating for WEC, suggesting investors hold their shares, and adjusted its price target from $131 to $127, indicating a more cautious outlook [2] Leadership Changes - Gale Klappa, a key figure in WEC's history, is set to retire from the board in May, having been instrumental in the company's growth since 2003, including the acquisition of Integrys Energy Group in 2015 [3] - Klappa's leadership has been pivotal during challenging times, particularly noted by his return as CEO in 2017 [3] Investor Interest - Today's trading volume on the NYSE is 386,468 shares, showing active investor interest in WEC [4] - Investors will be closely monitoring the impact of leadership transitions on the company's future direction [4]

Core Viewpoint - Intel Corporation is facing a stock price decline despite a new optimistic price target set by Northland Securities, indicating potential growth in the future [1][2][4] Group 1: Stock Performance - Intel's stock price has decreased to $45.51, reflecting a decline of 16.22% or $8.81 [2][4] - The stock has fluctuated between $45.41 and $48.13 on the current trading day [3] - Over the past year, Intel's stock reached a high of $54.60 and a low of $17.67 [3] Group 2: Market Capitalization and Trading Volume - Intel's market capitalization is approximately $217.08 billion, indicating its significant presence in the tech industry [3][4] - The trading volume for Intel today is 95.54 million shares, reflecting active investor interest [3] Group 3: Price Target - Northland Securities has set a new price target for Intel at $54, suggesting a potential increase of about 18% from the current stock price [1][4]

How Customers Can Prepare AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With a winter storm and bitter cold moving across much of the country, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric companies are ready to respond. Crews have prepared for the weather, and we're reminding customers of simple steps they can take to stay safe and manage energy during the cold stretch. Current forecasts show the entire FirstEnergy service area will feel the drop in temperatures through next week. Many areas are also expecting snow, ...