SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnson Fistel, PLLP is investigating potential claims on behalf of investors of Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: JEF). The investigation focuses on Jefferies’ executive officers and whether investor losses may be recovered under federal securities laws. What if I purchased Jefferies securities? If you purchased Jefferies securities and suffered losses on your investment, join our investigation now: Click here to join the investigation. Or for more informati ...

Core Viewpoint - ICON Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:ICLR) is a significant player in the Contract Research Organization (CRO) sector, providing a wide range of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries [1] Financial Performance and Guidance - ICLR's management has reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, expecting revenue between $8.05 billion and $8.1 billion, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $13.00 to $13.20 [3][5] - The stock price of ICLR is currently at $99.70, reflecting a slight increase of 1.29, or 1.31% [4] Market Activity and Stock Performance - ICLR's stock has shown significant volatility over the past year, with a high of $211 and a low of $66.57 [4] - The trading volume for ICLR on the NASDAQ exchange stands at 1,642,937 shares, indicating active investor interest [4] Analyst Insights - Jefferies analyst David Windley has set a price target of $135 for ICLR, suggesting a potential increase of approximately 35.41% from its current price [2][5] - Despite recent challenges, including a significant stock price decline, the optimistic outlook from analysts indicates confidence in the company's recovery [2][5] Legal and Regulatory Issues - Levi & Korsinsky has initiated an investigation into ICLR for potential violations of federal securities laws following a notable decline in stock price that erased billions in shareholder value [2][5]

Core Viewpoint - JFrog's share price dropped 24.94% following the launch of Anthropic's Claude Code Security, raising concerns about AI tools potentially replacing existing cybersecurity solutions [1][2]. Company Overview - JFrog, co-founded and led by CEO Shlomo Ben Haim, specializes in software development solutions [2]. - The company has experienced a significant decline in stock value, losing 39.6% since the beginning of 2026, which equates to a market cap reduction of nearly $3 billion, bringing it down to $4.5 billion [5]. Market Reaction - The launch of Claude Code Security by Anthropic has led to a broader decline in cybersecurity stocks, with notable drops in SentinelOne (down 4.35%) and Varonis (down 7.68%) [2]. - Investment bank Jefferies' analyst Joseph Gallo expressed that while the cybersecurity field will ultimately benefit from AI, there will be increasing headwinds until the impact of AI on cybersecurity becomes clearer [5]. Analyst Perspectives - Raymond James stated that the decline in JFrog's stock is exaggerated and views it as a short-term risk that does not affect the company's strategic position, maintaining a positive outlook due to the company's foresight and platform resilience [6].

Core Insights - Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is recognized as one of the 10 Best Consensus Buy-Rated Stocks to Invest in, with multiple analysts upgrading their ratings and price targets recently [1][2][3]. Analyst Upgrades - On February 12, 2026, JPMorgan analyst Jeremy Tonet raised the price target for Vistra Corp. to $239 from $233 and maintained an Overweight rating [1]. - Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith upgraded Vistra Corp. to Buy from Hold on February 10, 2026, increasing the price target to $203 from $191, citing a favorable risk/reward profile after a recent selloff [2]. - Goldman Sachs analyst Carly Davenport also upgraded Vistra Corp. to Buy from Neutral on February 6, 2026, raising the price target to $205 from $200, highlighting the company's ability to secure significant power purchase agreements [3]. Company Overview - Vistra Corp. operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company in the United States, with segments including Retail, Texas, East, West, and Asset Closure [4].

Nova Ltd. (NASDAQ:NVMI) is among the 12 Best Tech Stocks that Beat Earnings Estimates. On February 13, 2026, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Nova Ltd. (NASDAQ:NVMI) to $453 from $335 and maintained an Equal Weight rating following in-line earnings and wafer fab equipment guidance. Morgan Stanley said the update raises the question of whether Nova can outperform WFE, noting that historical execution suggests it could, but adding it is “not there yet.” Also on February 13, 2026, BofA raised its ...

Group 1 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump's tariff policy lacked clear legal authority, leading to significant potential returns for hedge funds that had bet on this outcome [1][2] - Hedge funds and investment firms began acquiring theoretical refund rights from struggling importers at low prices as early as October last year, anticipating a favorable court ruling [1][4] - Investment company 117 Partners' founder, Thomas Braziel, invested $925,000 in refund claims and expects to see returns exceeding eight times his investment [1] Group 2 - Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the majority opinion did not address the issue of refunds, leaving uncertainty regarding the refund process to lower courts [2] - Legal experts suggest that the U.S. government may challenge any lower court rulings regarding refund claims, indicating a complex legal landscape ahead [2] - The estimated net customs revenue from increased tariffs is projected to reach $195 billion by fiscal year 2025, with Trump expressing concerns that refunding these funds could be detrimental to the country [2] Group 3 - Investment banks like Jefferies and Oppenheimer have been actively facilitating these unique transactions, matching importers with hedge funds seeking investment opportunities [4] - Hedge funds purchased refund rights at prices ranging from 20 to 40 cents on the dollar, with most transactions valued between $2 million and $200 million [4] - Oppenheimer's special assets team has engaged in over $1.6 billion of similar transactions related to tariffs since 2021, highlighting the growing interest in this niche market [4]

Core Viewpoint - The Hong Kong stock market has shown a divergence in technology stocks post-Lunar New Year, with generative AI startups experiencing significant gains while traditional internet giants like Alibaba and Tencent faced declines, indicating a shift in investor preference towards more focused AI companies [1][4]. Group 1: AI Companies Performance - Generative AI startups have seen substantial increases, with companies like Zhiyu and MiniMax rising by 31% and 13% respectively, continuing their strong performance since their January listings, with total gains exceeding four times [1]. - The humanoid robot performance during the Spring Festival has sparked investor enthusiasm, leading to significant stock price increases for companies like UBTECH and Yujian, which saw intraday gains of 13% and nearly 23% respectively [1]. Group 2: Traditional Internet Giants - Despite strong operational data during the holiday, Alibaba and Tencent's stock prices fell by 1.83% and 0.29%, respectively, as the market reassessed the intensity of their AI investments and the pace of returns [4][7]. - Alibaba's AI application, Qianwen, processed 130 million orders during the Spring Festival, while Tencent's Yuanbao app had over 50 million daily active users, but investors are questioning the conversion of this engagement into visible profit contributions [7][8]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Regulatory Environment - The acceleration of capital rotation towards "pure AI" stocks is evident, driven by the rapid release of new models and features by Chinese AI companies, as well as competitive pressures to iterate products ahead of major releases [5]. - Regulatory scrutiny on promotional practices and "involution" competition has increased pressure on platform companies, with major firms like Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent being called for discussions to curb aggressive promotional strategies [9].

Trade Deficit Overview - The trade deficit surged to $70 billion in December, marking a 33% increase from November [1] - Despite this spike, the overall trend in trade has been positive, with trade deficits generally decreasing over time [2][3] Economic Impact - Net exports have been a significant positive contributor to GDP, which is currently running close to 3% [3] - The trade deficit remains largely unchanged year-over-year, indicating that tariffs have shifted trade rather than significantly altering the deficit [5] Inflation and Economic Projections - Current CPI stands at 2.4%, similar to levels seen in April, suggesting that inflation concerns may have been overstated [8] - The anticipated economic downturn related to trade and inflation has not materialized as expected over the past 10 months [7][9] Future Trade Trends - There are signs of reshoring occurring slowly, contributing positively to trade revenues and improving the budget deficit to GDP ratio, which is now at 5.7% [8] - Projections for the trade deficit suggest limited improvement, with some forecasts indicating a potential increase rather than a decrease [10][11] Treasury Management - The Treasury Secretary has successfully aimed to reduce the budget deficit, and future strategies regarding short-term versus long-term issuance could impact the deficit further [12][13]

showing the trade deficit surging in December. This is important too. 70 billion up 33% from November.Let's discuss it all with David Zervos. He's the chief market strategist at Jeffre. David, it's great to see you.I mean, is it bad. I kind of want to talk trade deficit a little bit. Like it's was that just a one-mon aberration.What's going on here. >> I think look, I've never gotten very excited about one month or even three months of data. I think you need to see the trend and the trend has been that uh t ...

LATEST: 💰 Ledn sold $188 million in Bitcoin-backed bonds into the mainstream asset-backed securities market in a first-of-its-kind deal, with Jefferies acting as sole structuring agent. https://t.co/o1zOnyweMz ...