Core Insights - Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) generates most of its earnings from upstream operations, making it vulnerable to commodity price volatility, yet it consistently returns capital to shareholders [1][3] Group 1: Dividend and Share Repurchase - ExxonMobil has increased dividend payments for 43 consecutive years, ranking as the second-largest dividend payer among S&P 500 companies [2][6] - The company plans to repurchase $20 billion of its shares this year and aims to maintain this pace next year [2] Group 2: Financial Resilience - Despite its vulnerability, ExxonMobil has demonstrated resilience through various business cycles, attributed to access to low-cost oil and natural gas resources and a strong balance sheet [3][6] - ExxonMobil's debt-to-capitalization ratio is 13.6%, significantly lower than the industry average of 28.7% [3] Group 3: Comparison with Peers - Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG) and ConocoPhillips (COP) also exhibit resilience due to lower debt levels, with debt-to-capitalization ratios of 26.3% and 26.6%, respectively [4][6] - Both FANG and COP have operations in the Permian Basin, which helps them navigate low oil prices [4] Group 4: Stock Performance and Valuation - XOM shares have increased by 14.5% over the past year, slightly underperforming the industry average of 15.7% [5] - The company trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 7.57X, above the industry average of 4.77X [8] Group 5: Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for XOM's 2025 earnings has been revised downward over the past week [10]

Core Insights - Scholastic Corporation reported strong financial performance in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, driven by successful book fairs and trade publishing, particularly from popular titles like "Dog Man: Big Jim Believes" [2][4] - The company has authorized a $150 million expanded share repurchase program as part of its capital allocation strategy following the successful sale-leaseback of major real estate assets, which generated over $400 million in net proceeds [4][19] - The outlook for fiscal 2026 remains positive, with expected Adjusted EBITDA between $146 million and $156 million and free cash flow forecasted to exceed $430 million [7][20] Financial Performance - Revenues for the second quarter increased by 1% to $551.1 million, with notable growth in the Children's Book Publishing and Distribution segment, offset by a decline in Education Solutions sales [9][11] - Operating income rose by 11% to $82.9 million, while Adjusted EBITDA improved by 13% to $122.5 million, reflecting higher revenues and reduced discretionary overhead expenses [10][12] - The diluted earnings per share increased by 27% to $2.17, and when excluding one-time items, it rose by 41% to $2.57 [9][10] Segment Analysis - The Children's Book Publishing and Distribution segment saw revenues increase by 4% to $380.9 million, with Book Fairs contributing $242.0 million, up 5% from the previous year [11][12] - Education Solutions revenues decreased by 13% to $62.2 million due to a challenging funding environment, resulting in a segment operating loss of $4.7 million [13] - The International segment's revenues increased by 4% to $89.5 million, driven by the success of global franchises, with operating income improving significantly [15] Capital Position and Shareholder Returns - The company generated $73.2 million in net cash from operating activities, with free cash flow increasing by 40% to $59.2 million [17][18] - Scholastic's net debt increased to $186.6 million, primarily due to share repurchases, and the company distributed $5.1 million in dividends during the quarter [18][19] - Following the sale-leaseback transactions, the company expects a significant boost to free cash flow, with an estimated $400 million benefit anticipated [20]

KB Home (NYSE:KBH) will release earnings results for its fourth quarter after the closing bell on Thursday, Dec. 18.Analysts expect the Los Angeles, California-based company to report quarterly earnings at $1.79 per share, down from $2.52 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for KB Home's quarterly revenue is $1.66 billion, compared to $2 billion a year earlier, according to data from Benzinga Pro.On Oct. 27, KB Home announced a new $1 billion share repurchase authorization.KB Home share ...

Core Viewpoint - Truist Financial Corp. has initiated a new share repurchase program authorizing up to $10 billion in buybacks, replacing the previous $5 billion plan, which had approximately $1.5 billion remaining available for repurchase [1][8]. Group 1: Share Repurchase Program - The new share repurchase program is effective immediately and has no stated expiration date [1]. - The previous share repurchase plan was announced in 2023 and had about $1.5 billion left as of December 16, 2025 [1][8]. Group 2: Dividend Payouts - Truist maintains its dividend at $0.52 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend yield of 4.18%, which is above the industry average of 3.13% [2][8]. - Over the past five years, Truist has increased its dividend twice, achieving a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 3.2% [2]. Group 3: Financial Position - As of September 30, 2025, Truist reported total debt of $71.1 billion, with 41.3% classified as short-term [3]. - The company had cash and due from banks and interest-bearing deposits with banks totaling $36.9 billion [3]. - Truist's common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio was 11%, and the total capital ratio was 14.2%, both exceeding regulatory minimums [4]. Group 4: Market Performance - Truist's shares have increased by 24.9% over the past six months, slightly outperforming the industry growth of 24.7% [5].

Core Viewpoint - Aspo Plc has conducted a share repurchase on December 17, 2025, acquiring a total of 1,039 shares at an average price of €6.6608 per share, amounting to a total cost of €6,920.57, increasing its total holdings to 91,000 shares [1]. Group 1 - The share buyback was executed in compliance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council (MAR) Article 5 and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 [1]. - The transaction took place on the Helsinki Stock Exchange [1]. - The average price per share for the repurchase was €6.6608 [1]. Group 2 - The total cost of the shares repurchased on December 17, 2025, was €6,920.57 [1]. - Aspo Plc's total shareholding after the repurchase is 91,000 shares [1]. - The share repurchase reflects the company's strategy to manage its capital structure [1].

Core Viewpoint - Riley Exploration Permian, Inc. has announced a share repurchase program of up to $100 million over 24 months to return capital to shareholders, reflecting confidence in operational performance and financial strength [1][2]. Group 1: Share Repurchase Program - The Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program for up to $100 million of the company's common stock [1]. - The program will be executed through various means, including open market transactions and block trades, with the timing and amount determined at the company's discretion [2]. - The company intends to maintain sufficient liquidity for its capital development program while purchasing shares opportunistically [3]. Group 2: Company Overview - Riley Exploration Permian is a growth-oriented upstream oil and gas company operating in Texas and New Mexico, with complementary infrastructure projects [4].

Core Viewpoint - Leatt Corporation has extended its share repurchase program by three months, allowing for the repurchase of up to $750,000 of its common stock, reflecting confidence in the company's strength and long-term value creation for shareholders [1][2]. Group 1: Share Repurchase Program - The Board of Directors authorized an extension of the share repurchase program from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026 [1]. - To date, the company has repurchased $249,969.49 of shares under this program [2]. - The repurchase may occur at the discretion of the Board through open-market transactions, with no assurance on timing or number of shares for future repurchases [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Leatt Corporation specializes in developing protective gear for extreme sports, particularly focusing on mountain biking and motorsports [3]. - The company is known for its award-winning Leatt-Brace, which is recognized as a leading neck protection system when used with a helmet [3].

DALLAS, Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSW Industrials, Inc. (NYSE: CSW) today announced its Board of Directors approved the expansion of its current share repurchase program authorization to $250 million, increasing the existing $200 million authorization. Since the commencement of CSW’s share repurchase program in 2017 and to date, the Company has repurchased approximately 2.3 million shares for a total of $251.6 million, at an average share price of $107.53. Under the current share repurchase program ...

Core Viewpoint - EXL has repurchased 1,551,970 shares of its common stock from Orogen Echo LLC for a total of $63,373,143, reflecting confidence in the company's performance and future growth potential [1][2]. Group 1: Share Repurchase Details - The repurchase was executed at a price of $40.834 per share, which is the volume weighted average price over the five days prior to the settlement [1]. - This transaction is separate from EXL's existing $500 million share repurchase program [1]. Group 2: Management Commentary - Rohit Kapoor, Chairman and CEO of EXL, emphasized that the repurchase represents a unique opportunity to return capital to stockholders and offers a compelling return on investment [2]. - Vikram S. Pandit, CEO of Orogen, expressed satisfaction with the partnership and the growth trajectory of EXL since their collaboration began in 2018 [3]. Group 3: Company Overview - EXL is a global data and AI company that provides services to transform client business models and drive growth across various industries, including insurance, healthcare, and banking [5]. - The company was founded in 1999 and has approximately 63,000 employees worldwide [5]. Group 4: Orogen Overview - The Orogen Group, founded by Vikram S. Pandit and Atairos, focuses on long-term strategic investments in financial services and related businesses [6]. - Orogen aims to leverage its resources and expertise to help partner companies achieve growth [6].

Valuation and Market Position - United Parcel Service (UPS) is currently trading at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.97X, which is below the Zacks Transportation—Air Freight and Cargo industry and the S&P 500, indicating an attractive valuation [1][10] - UPS has a Value Score of B, while its competitor FedEx has a Value Score of A, suggesting that UPS is undervalued compared to its peers [1] Acquisition and Growth Potential - UPS finalized its acquisition of Andlauer Healthcare Group for $1.6 billion (C$2.2 billion), enhancing its capabilities in the healthcare logistics sector [4][5] - The acquisition is expected to improve UPS Healthcare's service offerings, including reduced transit times and better visibility, which could attract more customers [5] Dividend and Shareholder Returns - UPS has a strong commitment to returning capital to shareholders, with a current dividend yield of 6.5%, significantly higher than the industry average of 4.4% [6][10] - The company has increased its dividend five times over the past five years, indicating a solid history of dividend growth and confidence in cash flow generation [7] - UPS plans to distribute $5.5 billion in dividends in the current year, reflecting its robust financial health [7] Share Buyback Program - UPS has approved a share repurchase authorization of $5 billion for 2023, with $1 billion already completed, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing shareholder value [8][10] - The company reported $6.3 billion in free cash flow for 2024, supporting its buyback and dividend initiatives [8] Earnings Performance - UPS has outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in three of the past four quarters, with an average earnings beat of 11.2% [11] Challenges and Market Conditions - UPS is facing challenges from weak shipment volumes, particularly due to a planned reduction in Amazon shipments and a pullback from lower-margin e-commerce traffic [12][13] - The company's international segment reported a 12.8% decline in operating profit, with margins narrowing due to global trade pressures, particularly in Asia [14][15] - The expiration of the De Minimis exemption is expected to negatively impact international markets, further straining UPS's performance [16] Stock Performance - UPS shares have declined over 21% in the past year, underperforming its industry, which saw a 12.5% decline [10][17]