Group 1 - UBS maintained a Neutral rating and a $195 price target on Humana, emphasizing the importance of sustainable margins in its Medicare Advantage (MA) business [1] - Management highlighted that long-term value calculations for MA members depend on achieving sustainable margin levels and indicated corrective actions may be taken if the upcoming rate notice does not improve or if challenges arise with new MA enrollees [1] Group 2 - Management expects greater clarity on pricing for the 2026 book of business by April or May, ahead of bid submissions in early June [2] - Humana projected a 25% membership growth for 2026, which could provide additional upside to its broader financial targets, although management prefers to assess trends through 2028 before making firm conclusions [2] Group 3 - The company has implemented measures to enhance capital efficiency, including relocating its Wisconsin and Washington entities back to Kentucky, which reduces capital requirements with support from reinsurance arrangements [3]

Group 1 - Truist Securities raised its price target on Centene to $49 from $47 while maintaining a Buy rating, citing constructive discussions with management and improving margin prospects across segments [1] - The firm highlighted expected Marketplace margin expansion in 2026 and anticipated progress in Medicaid during the second half of 2025, supported by initiatives designed to stabilize the health benefits ratio in 2026 [2] - Medicare Advantage remains on track toward breakeven, while 2026 Part D margins are assumed to remain prudent [2] Group 2 - Truist continues to see meaningful opportunities to unlock earnings power across Centene's business and reiterated its positive outlook on the stock [2]

Core Viewpoint - Diageo PLC reported a decline in earnings and announced a significant dividend cut as part of a strategic reset under new CEO Sir Dave Lewis to enhance financial flexibility and support investments in competitiveness and portfolio growth [1][3]. Financial Performance - Adjusted basic earnings per share for the half-year ended December 31, 2025, were 95.3 cents, down 2.5% year-over-year [1]. - Net sales reached $10.46 billion, reflecting a 4.0% decline on a reported basis and a 2.8% decline organically [1]. - Organic operating profit declined 2.8% to approximately $3.256 billion, consistent with sales trends [2]. Dividend and Guidance - The interim dividend was halved to 20 cents per share from 40.5 cents, reflecting a revised payout policy targeting 30-50% of earnings [1]. - Diageo updated its fiscal 2026 outlook, now expecting organic net sales to decline 2-3% and organic operating profit growth to be flat to up low-single-digits [3]. Market Dynamics - The organic decline was primarily driven by weakness in North America, particularly in the U.S. spirits and tequila categories, and continued softness in Chinese white spirits [2]. - Strong growth was noted in Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, and Africa, partially offsetting declines in other regions [2]. Strategic Initiatives - The company is targeting around $3 billion in free cash flow and emphasizes deleveraging efforts, including proceeds from planned disposals [4]. - New CEO Sir Dave Lewis highlighted the need to address weak demand and enhance competitiveness while framing the dividend rebase as a step towards building flexibility for a turnaround [6]. Financial Metrics - Diageo's trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is around 20-21x, with a price-to-sales ratio of approximately 2.4x and enterprise value to sales around 3.5x [5]. - Debt-to-equity remains elevated at roughly 2.2x, with a current ratio of 1.63 indicating solid short-term liquidity [5].

San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 25, 2026) - The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) common stock between February 25, 2025 and February 2, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until April 20, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the PayPal class action lawsuit. Captioned Goodman v. PayPal Holdings, Inc., No. 26-cv-01381 (N.D. Cal.), the PayPal class action lawsuit charges PayPal as well a ...

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50770 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767- 3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On January 3, 2026, Fox News published an article entitled "University of Phoenix data breach hits 3.5M people." The story stated that the "University of Phoenix has confirmed a major data breach affecting nearly 3.5 million people. The incident traces back to A ...

Your move, Netflix. A day after Warner Bros. Discovery stunned the industry and the business world by extending merger talks with Paramount, Netflix shares jumped 6% as of the final minutes of Wednesday trading. The question animating the stock movement and captivating Hollywood is straightforward but full of implications: Will the streaming giant raise its pending offer or should it just bail? The company has stayed mum since the WBD board’s decision, but it is planning another push with politicians and ...

We have the right high-conviction picks and have helped our members hedge, and done well in this frothy market. We also have pinpointed areas to buy during the correction. Enjoy more rapid-returns with our strategy to advance your savings and retirement timeline by embracing a blended trading and income approach! Act now and save with our February Fifty sale. (expires 2/28)It has been a few years since we checked in on Dine Brands Global, Inc. ( DIN ), a name that we had previously successfully traded when ...

Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. What do the Analysts Think? Clearly, options traders are pricing in a ...

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 25, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of PomDoctor Ltd. (NASDAQ: POM) between October 9, 2025 and December 11, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 7, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased PomDoctor securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. ...

The Tradeoffs AVLV's heavy cyclical tilt is both its strength and its vulnerability. With roughly 60% in cyclicals, the fund is meaningfully exposed to economic slowdowns – if growth softens and the yield curve compresses again, this sector mix could underperform the broader market quickly. The fund's 1.26% dividend yield is also modest, making it a total-return vehicle rather than an income tool. What AVLV Is Built to Do AVLV's profitability overlay appears to be earning its keep. Over the past year, the f ...