VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Western Forest Products Inc. (TSX: WEF) (“Western” or the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into an amendment to its $250 million syndicated credit facility to allow for the concurrent closing of a new $30 million bilateral term loan (the “Term Loan”) with Royal Bank of Canada. The Term Loan has an initial maturity of July 21, 2028, with the potential to extend the term for a total of up to 90 months, and is incremental to the Compa ...

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against Quantum Biopharma Ltd. for alleged securities fraud and unlawful business practices [2][4]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit is on behalf of shareholders of Quantum Biopharma Ltd. and is being handled by Pomerantz LLP [1]. - Investors have until February 23, 2026, to request to be appointed as Lead Plaintiff if they purchased Quantum securities during the Class Period [2]. Group 2: Allegations Against Defendants - The complaint alleges that several financial institutions, including CIBC World Markets and RBC Capital Markets, engaged in manipulative trading practices by placing thousands of spoofed sell orders [4]. - These spoofed orders created a false impression of Quantum's stock price declining, leading other investors to sell their shares at artificially low prices [4]. - After driving the stock price down, the defendants purchased shares at these depressed levels to profit from the manipulation [4]. Group 3: Pomerantz LLP Background - Pomerantz LLP is recognized as a leading firm in corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation, with a history of fighting for victims of securities fraud [5]. - The firm has a track record of recovering multimillion-dollar damages for class members over its 85-year history [5].

Company Overview - Cohere, a Toronto-based AI company founded in 2019 by former Google researchers, specializes in building large-language models (LLMs) for chatbots and AI applications for enterprises and government agencies [3] - The company has raised $600 million USD from investors, including Nvidia, and achieved a valuation of $7 billion USD last year [3] Financial Performance - Cohere reported an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $240 million USD last year, surpassing its initial target of $200 million USD [1] - The company experienced quarter-over-quarter growth of over 50 percent throughout 2025 and maintained an average gross margin of 70 percent, which expanded by 25 basis points year over year [2] Market Positioning - Cohere differentiates itself from major foundational model players like OpenAI and Anthropic by offering enterprise-only secure AI solutions, including private data hosting [4] - The company has attracted clients in regulated sectors, such as the Royal Bank of Canada and Thales Canada, due to its focus on secure AI applications [4] Strategic Initiatives - Cohere is part of the Trusted Tech Alliance, a group of 15 global tech leaders, including Microsoft and Anthropic, committed to responsible AI development principles [5] - The Canadian government has recognized Cohere as an AI "champion" and has partnered with the company to utilize its AI services [6] Future Outlook - The CEO of Cohere indicated that the company might pursue an initial public offering (IPO) "soon" and aims for profitability by 2029 [7] - The hiring of a new CFO, who previously served as Uber's acting CFO, suggests a strategic move towards preparing for public market entry [7]

Core Insights - A Canadian quantum company, Photonic, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully transmitting quantum information over a 30-kilometre fibre optic network, marking a step towards practical applications of quantum technology in communications [1][4] - Photonic is enhancing its partnership with Telus, which is both a telecom giant and an investor, to develop quantum-safe networking solutions [1][7] Company Developments - Photonic has raised a total of $375 million CAD since its founding in 2016, focusing on the commercialization of quantum computing technology [2] - The company utilizes quantum entanglement to connect quantum computers, enabling advanced computational capabilities [3] Technological Advancements - The successful transmission of quantum information over Telus's PureFibre network demonstrates the reliability of long-distance quantum communication [4] - Photonic's achievement surpasses previous research by enabling the transfer of information to a remote processing node, rather than merely measuring it [4] Industry Context - Telecom companies are proactively preparing their networks against potential threats posed by quantum hacking, as powerful quantum computers could compromise current encryption methods [5] - The Canadian government is also focusing on quantum technology, as evidenced by its 2023 National Quantum Strategy, which includes plans for a secure national network [6] Investment and Partnerships - Telus Global Ventures has joined as a new investor in Photonic, participating in a $180 million CAD funding round alongside other investors [8] - Photonic is involved in national initiatives aimed at developing a functional quantum computer, including Canada's Quantum Champions Program and the US DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative [9]

CONTACT: INVESTOR ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Reminds Investors with Losses on their Investment in Quantum Biopharma Ltd. of Class Action Lawsuit and Upcoming Deadlines - QNTM [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationNEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders of Quantum Biopharma Ltd. ("Quantum" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: QNTM). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [[email protected]] or 646-581-9980, ...

Group 1 - The stock price of Royal Bank of Canada (RY.N) closed at $169.67 on February 12, 2026, down 1.90% with a trading volume of $101 million [1] - The stock experienced significant fluctuations over the past week, with a range from $174.16 on February 9 (up 2.21%) to a cumulative decline of 0.43% by February 12, resulting in a total volatility of 4.11% [1] - The overall banking sector in the U.S. declined by 1.32%, with the Dow Jones and Nasdaq indices falling by 1.06% and 1.72% respectively, indicating pressure on the industry [1] Group 2 - On February 12, 2026, the Bank of Canada released minutes from its monetary policy meeting, highlighting that U.S. policies (such as trade, diplomacy, and central bank independence disputes) have increased global uncertainty, complicating the assessment of future interest rate actions [2] - This statement may impact the liquidity environment and credit costs for Canadian banks, potentially exerting pressure on net interest margins and asset quality for financial institutions like Royal Bank of Canada [2]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that Douglas Young, an analyst at Ding Group, maintains a buy rating for the Royal Bank of Canada (RY.N) and raises the target price from $152.49 to $182.17 based on evaluations of the bank's capital strength and business growth, which may positively influence market sentiment [1] Group 2 - Over the past week (February 5 to February 11, 2026), the stock price of the Royal Bank of Canada exhibited volatility, closing at $173.39 on February 11, down 1.18% for the day, with a cumulative increase of 1.98% over the past five days [2] - The stock experienced a price fluctuation of 4.90%, with a high of $176.19 on February 10 and a low of $167.86 on February 5, with a total trading volume of approximately $703 million [2] - During the same period, the banking sector declined by 0.27%, underperforming the broader market index, as the Dow Jones index rose by 1.08% [2]

Core Viewpoint - The January non-farm payrolls report revealed 130,000 new jobs and a drop in unemployment to 4.3%, leading to a reduction in expected Federal Reserve rate cuts for the year, making ultra-high-yield dividend stocks more attractive for income-focused investors [1][2]. Group 1: Economic Indicators - The non-farm payrolls report for January showed a surprising addition of 130,000 jobs, significantly exceeding Wall Street's expectations of 70,000-80,000 [1]. - Unemployment decreased to 4.3%, indicating a robust job market [1]. Group 2: Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - Predictions for 2.5 rate cuts this year were reduced to 2 following the jobs report, with potential for no cuts until summer if the upcoming consumer price index is below expectations [1]. - The expectation of prolonged higher interest rates diminishes the likelihood of rate cuts, making high-yield dividend stocks more appealing [1]. Group 3: Investment Opportunities - Ultra-high-yield stocks, offering dividends between 7% and 10%, are highlighted as attractive options for investors seeking passive income in a high-rate environment [1]. - Ares Capital Corporation, yielding 9.94%, specializes in financing solutions for middle-market companies and has received a Buy rating from 12 analysts [1][2]. - Energy Transfer, with a 7.16% distribution yield, operates a vast network of energy assets across the U.S. and has an Overweight rating from JPMorgan with a $21 target price [2]. - Healthpeak Properties, a REIT focused on healthcare real estate, offers a 7.24% dividend and has an Outperform rating with a $20 target price [2]. - Plains All American Pipeline, yielding 7.68%, operates midstream energy infrastructure and is poised for a breakout, with a Buy rating and a $25 target price from UBS [2]. - Starwood Property Trust, with a 10.60% dividend yield, operates in various segments including commercial and residential lending, and has an Outperform rating with a $21 target [2].

Group 1 - The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has raised the target price for Walmart from $126 to $140 [1]

Group 1 - The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has raised the target price for Ferrari from €415 to €430 [1]