SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A securities class-action lawsuit is underway against Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRPT), triggered by a series of safety concerns and regulatory setbacks for its gene therapy, ELEVIDYS. The lawsuit alleges that Sarepta misled investors by presenting ELEVIDYS as a safe and effective treatment with a clear path to broader regulatory approval. The deadline for investors with losses to be considered by the court to serve as Lead Plaintiff is August 25, 2025. Ha ...

Core Insights - Renaissance Technologies is recognized as the most successful hedge fund, with its Medallion Fund achieving annualized after-fees returns of 39% from 1998 to 2021 [1] - Despite the passing of its founder Jim Simons in 2024, Renaissance's investment strategies and quarterly moves continue to attract attention from investors [1] Group 1: Palantir Technologies - Palantir remains the largest holding in Renaissance's portfolio, despite a 17% reduction in shares during Q2 [2][3] - The stock experienced a significant increase of approximately 61% from March 31 to June 30 [2] - Over the past 52 weeks, Palantir's stock has surged nearly 400%, with a forward P/E ratio exceeding 200x [3] Group 2: Robinhood Markets - Robinhood is also among the top five holdings, with a 31% reduction in shares in Q2, while the stock rose about 125% during the same period [5][6] - The stock reached an all-time high forward P/E of around 71x in early June but has since decreased to approximately 54x [6] Group 3: UnitedHealth Group - Renaissance initiated a new position in UnitedHealth Group, purchasing approximately 1.35 million shares, following Berkshire Hathaway's significant investment [7][8] - The stock trades about 15% higher than its lowest level in Q2, indicating potential value for investors [9] Group 4: NVIDIA - Renaissance made a substantial increase in its position in NVIDIA, raising shares from around 1.1 million in Q1 to 7.4 million in Q2, marking a 584% increase [10] - The decision to increase holdings may have been influenced by a reassessment of previous fears related to DeepSeek [12] - The average closing price of NVIDIA remained stable between Q1 and Q2, suggesting that price action was not the primary factor for the dramatic change in position [11] Group 5: Investment Strategies - Renaissance's investment moves highlight two strategies: taking profits on significant winners and selectively dip-buying during downturns in dominant industry players [13]

This monthly article series provides a top-down analysis of the consumer staples sector based on industry metrics focusing on value, quality, and momentum. It may also help analyze sector ETFs such as The Consumer StaplesFred runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value where he shares a portfolio invested in quality dividend stocks, and companies at the forefront of tech innovation. Fred also supplies market risk indicators, a real estate strategy, a bond strategy, and an income strategy in closed-en ...

Estée Lauder reported continued declines as it strives to cut costs amid a soft global economy.Shares of beauty giant Estée Lauder (EL -4.47%) fell as much as 6.1% on Wednesday before recovering to a 4.3% decline as of 2:25 PM ET following this morning's Q4 2025 earnings release.The beauty giant reported results that actually beat analysts' very low expectations but still showed stark declines from the prior year. While Estée Lauder's new CEO touted savings from the company's "Profit Recovery and Growth Pla ...

For those of us that sat tight during the March and April market corrections, it has been a thrilling few months watching the S&P 500 roar back from its Spring dip with aI am a value-oriented investor who seeks out high-quality companies with long histories of dividend growth. I believe that patient investors who build a core portfolio of dividend paying equities can achieve their retirement goals without taking on unnecessary risk. Dividend growth profiles are the best indicators of management's commitment ...

As consumer electronics retailers navigate an increasingly competitive landscape, companies like Best Buy Co., Inc. BBY face mounting challenges in maintaining profitability. Amid shifting consumer preferences and the pressure of industry-wide promotions, investors and analysts closely watch financial performance and strategic moves to gauge future prospects.Best Buy shares are trading lower on Wednesday as BofA Securities analyst Robert F. Ohmes reiterated the Underperform rating on the stock, with a price ...

Core Viewpoint - Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN) stock has experienced a 3% decline to $73.16 following a downgrade by Citigroup from "buy" to "neutral," although the price target was raised to $76 from $75. This downgrade comes just before the company's second-quarter earnings report, which is anticipated to be released on August 27 [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Sentiment - The stock has a historical average post-earnings move of 11.5% over the last two years, with the last three earnings reports resulting in upward movements, including a notable 22.9% increase in May. The options market is currently pricing in a larger than usual post-earnings move of 15.4% for the upcoming report [2] - The stock reached a record high of $80.71 on August 7 but has been consolidating around this level prior to the recent pullback. Year-to-date, URBN shares are up 33% [4] - A short squeeze could potentially drive the stock to new heights, as short interest has decreased by 5.3%, yet 10.8 million shares sold short represent 18.1% of URBN's total float. It would take shorts over five trading days to cover their positions at the current trading pace [6] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Market Expectations - Following the downgrade, six out of twelve brokerages covering URBN maintain "hold" ratings, with a consensus 12-month price target of $76.83, indicating only a 5% premium to the current price. Given the stock's 81% gain over the past year, a positive earnings report could lead to a surge in bullish analyst ratings [7] - The options market shows a significant increase in call options, with a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 6.72, which is above 93% of readings from the past year, indicating strong bullish sentiment among traders [3]

Oracle Corp ORCL is cutting staff, and investors are already sizing up the playbook: is this the lean efficiency of a cloud titan, or a warning flag in disguise? Roughly 10% of its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) workforce in India has been let go, a move the company frames as part of a broader pivot toward automation and AI-driven growth.Track ORCL stock here.Trimming Staff, Boosting AIThe OCI layoffs echo Meta's "Year of Efficiency" in 2023, when Facebook slashed about 21,000 roles to reallocate capital ...

Core Points - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is reviewing its monetary policy strategy, tools, and communication practices, with significant progress noted towards revising the consensus statement on longer-run goals and monetary policy strategy [3] - Financial market developments indicate stable policy rate expectations, with equity prices increasing and credit spreads narrowing, reflecting a resilient U.S. economy [4][8] - Inflation remains elevated, with consumer price inflation estimated at 2.5% and core inflation at 2.7% as of June [15] - The labor market shows solid conditions, with an unemployment rate of 4.1% and average hourly earnings rising by 3.7% year-over-year [16] - Economic growth is projected to remain low, with real GDP growth expected to be modest through 2027, influenced by various factors including tariffs and financial conditions [35][44] Financial Market Developments - The expected path of the policy rate and longer-term Treasury yields remained largely unchanged, with equity prices increasing and credit spreads narrowing [4][6] - The S&P 500 index valuations are above long-run averages, driven by optimism in technology firms benefiting from AI adoption [8] - The dollar index has depreciated slightly, indicating relative stability in foreign holdings of U.S. assets [9] Economic Situation - Real GDP expanded at a slow pace in the first half of the year, with consumer spending growth slowing and residential investment declining [14][44] - Net exports contributed positively to GDP growth in the second quarter, with a significant decline in imports following earlier front-loading [18] - Foreign economic activity showed signs of slowing, particularly in Canada, while China's GDP continued to grow moderately [19] Labor Market Insights - The labor market remains tight, with low unemployment and solid job gains, although some indicators suggest a potential softening in labor demand [42] - The participation rate has slightly decreased, and the employment-to-population ratio remains unchanged [16] Inflation and Monetary Policy Outlook - Inflation is projected to rise in the near term, with tariff effects becoming more apparent, although longer-term expectations remain anchored [38][41] - The FOMC decided to maintain the federal funds rate target range at 4¼ to 4½ percent, with a commitment to support maximum employment and return inflation to the 2% objective [60][55] - Participants noted the importance of monitoring incoming data to inform future monetary policy adjustments, particularly in light of elevated risks to both inflation and employment [51][56]

Core Points - eBay has introduced free returns for qualifying parts and accessories (P&A) purchases, allowing buyers to return items at no cost for any reason, enhancing consumer confidence [1][2][3] Group 1: New Offering Details - The new free return policy applies to most P&A, enabling returns within 30 days after delivery without any cost [5] - Buyers can print free shipping labels and schedule pickups or drop-offs for returns, streamlining the return process [5] - The policy is designed to reduce uncertainty and extra costs associated with purchasing vehicle parts online, encouraging more consumers to engage in DIY projects [3] Group 2: Buyer Protection Enhancements - The free returns initiative builds on eBay's existing Guaranteed Fit program, which protects buyers against fitment issues, providing additional buyer protection across various P&A categories [3] - Accelerated refund processing is part of the offering, including the option for buyers to receive eBay credit for quick resumption of shopping [5]