Kelly said the revenue increase was offset by higher water production expense of $0.51 per share, reflecting $0.66 in higher water supply costs and an increase stemming from less surface water availability in California. Other operating expenses increased $0.73 per share, driven mainly by higher administrative and general expenses tied to reinvestment in strategic priorities during the second half of 2025 and higher insurance costs, as well as increased customer credit losses related to the non-recurrence o ...

Core Viewpoint - Centene expects a rebound in 2026 with adjusted EPS greater than $3, implying over 40% year-over-year growth, driven by Medicaid margin stability, significant margin recovery in Marketplace, and continued improvement toward Medicare Advantage break-even by 2027 [1][4][7] Medicaid - Centene reported a fourth-quarter health benefits ratio (HBR) of 93.0%, showing a 40 basis points sequential improvement and 190 basis points improvement from Q2 levels [8] - The company anticipates a mid-4% net rate impact and mid-4% net trend for 2026, while expecting ongoing Medicaid membership attrition, closing 2025 at 12.5 million members [11][12] - Management is focused on restoring sustainable profitability in Medicaid through operational levers such as network optimization and clinical programs [9] Marketplace - The Marketplace segment is expected to face a smaller membership base due to the expiration of Enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits (EAPTC), with Ambetter membership projected at approximately 3.5 million by Q1 2026, down from 5.5 million in December [5][15] - Centene anticipates Marketplace pre-tax margins to recover to around 4% in 2026, compared to a loss of approximately 1% in 2025 [17] - The company has accounted for estimated 2026 No Surprises Act costs in its guidance and is advocating for reform [14] Medicare - Centene's Medicare segment is expected to grow premium revenue by about $7.5 billion, with membership projected at approximately 8.7 million coming out of open enrollment [20] - The company aims for break-even results in Medicare Advantage by 2027, with dual-eligible members making up roughly 40% of its Medicare Advantage business [19] - The direct subsidy for Part D increased from $143 to $200, which is expected to raise the HBR without requiring higher SG&A [21] Financial Guidance - For 2026, Centene guided premium and service revenue between $170 billion and $174 billion, with a consolidated HBR of 90.9% to 91.7% [23][24] - The company expects the majority of 2026 adjusted EPS to occur in Q1, with a step-down through the year and a loss anticipated in Q4 [26] - Centene ended 2025 with approximately $400 million in cash for corporate use and reduced debt by $189 million in Q4, reporting a debt-to-cap ratio of 46.5% [25]

Core Insights - MGM Resorts International reported strong financial results for Q4 and full year 2025, highlighting a diversified operational strategy that led to significant growth in key financial metrics [1][2]. Financial Performance - Q4 2025 consolidated net revenues reached $4.6 billion, with a net income attributable to MGM Resorts of $294 million, and Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $635 million, reflecting growth of 6%, 87%, and 20% respectively [1][3]. - For the full year 2025, consolidated net revenues were $17.5 billion, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year, with Adjusted EPS of $3.31, up from $2.59 in 2024 [1][2]. Segment Performance - Las Vegas Strip Resorts reported a segment Adjusted EBITDAR of $735 million in Q4 2025, down 4% from the prior year, with net revenues of $2.2 billion, a decrease of 3% [1][3]. - Regional Operations achieved a segment Adjusted EBITDAR of $280 million, nearly flat compared to the previous year, with net revenues increasing by 2% to $950 million [1][2]. - MGM China saw a significant increase in segment Adjusted EBITDAR of 30% to $332 million, with net revenues rising 21% to $1.2 billion [1][3]. Share Repurchase and Financial Stewardship - The company repurchased 15 million shares in Q4 2025 and 37.5 million shares throughout the year, reducing shares outstanding by approximately 48% since early 2021 [1][2]. - MGM Resorts generated $135 million in distributions from its BetMGM North America Venture in Q4 2025, returning over 20% of its cash investment [1][3]. Future Outlook - The company expressed optimism for 2026, driven by a solid base of group and convention business, completion of renovations at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and continued growth in regional operations and BetMGM [1][2].

Core Insights - Cabot Corporation reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.37 and adjusted EPS of $1.53 for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, reflecting a 13% decrease in adjusted EPS year-over-year [1][4][10] Financial Performance - Net sales and other operating revenues for the first quarter were $849 million, down from $955 million in the same period last year [3][26] - Net income attributable to Cabot Corporation was $73 million, compared to $93 million in the prior year [5][26] - The Performance Chemicals segment EBIT increased by 7% year-over-year to $48 million, driven by a favorable product mix and strength in the Battery Materials product line [4][6] - The Reinforcement Materials segment EBIT decreased by 22% year-over-year to $102 million, primarily due to lower volumes in the Americas and Asia Pacific [4][6] Segment Highlights - Global Reinforcement Materials volumes decreased by 7%, with a 15% decline in the Americas and a 7% decline in Asia Pacific, while Europe, the Middle East, and Africa saw a 6% increase [7][10] - The Performance Chemicals segment experienced lower volumes due to weaker demand in Europe, despite higher gross profit per ton [6][7] Strategic Developments - Cabot entered into a multi-year supply agreement with PowerCo SE to supply conductive carbons and dispersions for lithium-ion battery applications, reinforcing its leadership in the Battery Materials sector [4][10] - The company aims to build its position in the battery materials sector, which is a strategic priority given the expected growth in electric vehicles and energy storage applications [4][10] Cash Flow and Capital Allocation - Operating cash flow for the first quarter was $126 million, allowing the company to invest in capital expenditures of $69 million, pay $24 million in dividends, and repurchase $52 million of shares [4][8] - The company maintains a strong balance sheet with a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.2 times as of December 31, 2025 [4][10] Outlook - The company narrowed its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $6.00 to $6.50 per share, reflecting ongoing negotiations for tire customer agreements [10] - Despite challenges in the Reinforcement Materials segment, the company expects earnings growth in the Performance Chemicals segment, particularly in Battery Materials [10]

With a market cap of $9.2 billion, MGM Resorts International (MGM) is a global gaming and entertainment company operating casino resorts and digital gaming platforms across the United States, China, and other international markets. Through segments including Las Vegas Strip Resorts, Regional Operations, MGM China, and MGM Digital, the company offers integrated resort experiences and online gaming services such as sports betting and iGaming via BetMGM. Shares of the Las Vegas, Nevada-based company have la ...

Core Viewpoint - NRG Energy, Inc. shares are experiencing a decline following the release of updated financial guidance for FY26, which includes adjusted EPS and net income projections that differ from market consensus [1][2]. Group 1: FY26 Guidance - The company has provided adjusted EPS guidance of $7.90–$9.90, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.72 [2]. - Adjusted net income is projected to be between $1.685 billion and $2.115 billion [2]. - The guidance reflects the anticipated completion of the LS Power asset portfolio acquisition on January 30, 2026, which will account for approximately 11 months of asset ownership [2]. Group 2: Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow - NRG has raised its outlook for adjusted EBITDA to a range of $5.325 billion to $5.825 billion, up from the previous estimate of $3.925 billion to $4.175 billion [3]. - The forecast for Free Cash Flow Before Growth Investments has also been increased to between $2.800 billion and $3.300 billion, compared to the earlier range of $1.975 billion to $2.225 billion [3]. Group 3: LS Power Acquisition - NRG Energy recently completed the acquisition of a generation asset portfolio and CPower from LS Power, which includes 18 natural gas-fired power plants with a total capacity of approximately 13 GW [4]. - The acquisition also incorporates CPower's commercial and industrial virtual power plant platform [4]. - NRG plans to report its fourth quarter 2025 results on February 24, 2026 [4].

Core Insights - DXC Technology, Inc. reported better-than-expected non-GAAP earnings of 96 cents per share for Q3 fiscal 2026, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.94% and reflecting a 4.3% year-over-year increase [1] - Despite the earnings beat, shares fell 6.3% in after-hours trading due to revenue shortfalls, with reported revenues of $3.19 billion, missing estimates by 0.31% and decreasing 1% year over year [2] Financial Performance - DXC's non-GAAP operating income (Adjusted EBIT) for Q3 was $263 million, down 8% year over year, with a non-GAAP operating margin of 8.2%, a contraction of 70 basis points [5] - The company generated operating cash flow of $414 million and free cash flow of $266 million in Q3, with share repurchases totaling $65 million during the quarter [7] Revenue Breakdown - Revenues from the Consulting & Engineering Services (CES) segment declined 0.1% year over year to $1.27 billion, with an organic decline of 3.6% [4] - Global Infrastructure Services (GIS) revenues totaled $1.61 billion, down 2.7% year over year, with an organic decline of 6.2% [4] - Insurance Services revenues increased 4.6% year over year to $321 million, with organic growth of 3.2% [4] Guidance Update - DXC updated its fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to approximately $12.69 billion, slightly down from the previous guidance of $12.67-$12.81 billion [8] - The adjusted EBIT margin is now projected to be around 7.5%, with adjusted EPS expected to be about $3.15, up from the previous range of $2.85-$3.35 [9] - For Q4, the company anticipates organic revenue declines of 4-5% and adjusted EPS of 65-75 cents [10] Market Position - DXC Technology currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook compared to other stocks in the Computer and Technology sector [12]

Company Overview - RTX Corporation (RTX) has a market cap of $269.9 billion and operates in the aerospace and defense sector, serving commercial, military, and government customers through three segments: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon [1] Stock Performance - RTX shares have significantly outperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks, with a 56.5% increase compared to a 16.1% rise in the S&P 500 Index [2] - Year-to-date, RTX stock is up 9.5%, while the S&P 500 has only risen by 1.9% [2] - The stock has also outpaced the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI), which returned 18.8% over the same period [3] Financial Performance - On January 27, RTX reported Q4 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.55 and revenue of $24.24 billion, both exceeding forecasts [4] - The company generated free cash flow of $3.2 billion for Q4 and $7.9 billion for the full year 2025, marking a $3.4 billion increase year-over-year [4] - For 2026, RTX projects adjusted EPS guidance of $6.60 - $6.80 and free cash flow of $8.25 billion - $8.75 billion [4] Analyst Expectations - Analysts expect RTX's adjusted EPS to grow 6% year-over-year to $6.67 for the fiscal year ending in December 2026 [5] - RTX has a strong earnings surprise history, having topped consensus estimates in the last four quarters [5] - Among 22 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with 13 "Strong Buy" ratings, one "Moderate Buy," and eight "Holds" [5] Price Target - UBS analyst Gavin Parsons raised RTX's price target to $208 while maintaining a "Neutral" rating [6] - The stock is currently trading above the mean price target of $201.86, with a Street-high price target of $230 suggesting a 12.4% potential upside [7]

Core Insights - AT&T reported strong financial performance for Q4 and full-year 2025, meeting or exceeding all consolidated financial guidance, driven by growth in converged fiber and 5G customers [1][2][3] - The company returned over $12 billion to shareholders in 2025 and expects to return an additional $45 billion+ from 2026-2028 [1][2] - AT&T's customer-centric, investment-led strategy has resulted in increased profitability and high customer satisfaction, with 42% of AT&T Fiber households also choosing AT&T for wireless services [1][3] Fourth-Quarter Results - Free cash flow was $4.2 billion, up from $4.0 billion in the previous year [2][3] - Revenues reached $33.5 billion, a 3.6% increase year-over-year, driven by higher mobility and consumer wireline revenues [3][4] - Net income was $4.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $11.2 billion, compared to $10.8 billion in the year-ago quarter [2][3] Full-Year Results - Free cash flow for the full year was $16.6 billion, compared to $15.3 billion in 2024 [2][3] - Total revenues for 2025 were $125.6 billion, up 2.7% from $122.3 billion in 2024 [3][4] - Net income attributable to common stock was $21.9 billion, significantly up from $10.7 billion in the previous year [3][4] Segment Performance - Consumer Wireline fiber revenues increased by 13.6% year-over-year, contributing to strong broadband growth [3][4] - Mobility service revenues grew by 2.4% year-over-year, with 421,000 postpaid phone net adds [2][3] - Business Wireline revenues declined by 7.5% due to pressures on legacy services, partially offset by growth in fiber and advanced connectivity services [4][5] Long-Term Outlook - AT&T anticipates improved growth in adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS through 2028, with adjusted EPS expected to be between $2.25 and $2.35 in 2026 [2][3] - The company expects free cash flow to exceed $18 billion in 2026, $19 billion in 2027, and $21 billion in 2028 [2][3] - AT&T plans to maintain its annualized common stock dividend of $1.11 per share while executing share repurchases totaling approximately $8 billion during 2026 [2][3] Capital Allocation - The company expects to return over $45 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases from 2026 to 2028 [1][2] - AT&T's net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio is projected to increase to approximately 3.2x following acquisitions and decline to around 3x by the end of 2026 [2][3] - The company aims to reduce net leverage to its target range of 2.5x within three years following the closing of its acquisitions [2][3]

Core Insights - Elevance Health reported fourth quarter and full year 2025 results, showing disciplined execution in a dynamic environment and a focus on advancing affordability and healthcare accessibility for members [2][4]. Financial Performance - Operating revenue for Q4 2025 was $49.3 billion, a 10% increase from Q4 2024, while total operating revenue for 2025 reached $197.6 billion, up 13% year-over-year [4][11]. - The operating gain for Q4 2025 was $0.3 billion, with an adjusted operating gain of $0.4 billion, reflecting a decrease compared to the previous year [4][12]. - The benefit expense ratio increased to 93.5% in Q4 2025, up 110 basis points from the prior year, driven by higher medical costs [5][25]. Segment Performance - The Health Benefits segment generated $41.8 billion in operating revenue for Q4 2025, an 11% increase compared to Q4 2024, with a full year revenue of $167.1 billion, also up 11% [10][11]. - Carelon segment reported operating revenue of $18.7 billion in Q4 2025, a significant increase of 27% year-over-year, driven by growth in CarelonRx and Carelon Services [15][29]. Membership Metrics - Medical membership totaled approximately 45.2 million as of December 31, 2025, a decrease of 0.5 million or 1% year-over-year, primarily due to attrition in the Medicaid business [13][22]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Operating cash flow for 2025 was $4.3 billion, approximately 0.8 times GAAP net income, with cash and investments at the parent company totaling $2.6 billion as of December 31, 2025 [8][26]. - The company repurchased 1.4 million shares for $471 million in Q4 2025 and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.71 per share, totaling $377 million in cash distribution [9][17].