Core Viewpoint - Lazard exceeded fourth-quarter profit estimates, driven by robust growth in its advisory and asset management sectors [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - The company reported strong growth in its advisory business, contributing significantly to the overall profit [1] - Asset management also showed substantial growth, further enhancing the company's financial results [1] Group 2: Leadership Changes - Lazard appointed insider Tracy Farr as the new chief financial officer, indicating a strategic move to strengthen its leadership team [1]

MSCI is a powerhouse within the $139 trillion asset management industry and its decisions are hugely consequential for countries around the world - as Indonesian investors learned this week to their cost. ...

Core Insights - Raymond James Financial, Inc. reported record net revenues of $3.74 billion and net income of $562 million for the fiscal first quarter ended December 31, 2025, reflecting a 6% increase year-over-year [1][2] - The company achieved record client assets of $1.77 trillion and an annualized net new asset growth of 8% [2] - The firm announced an 8% increase in its quarterly dividend and repurchased $400 million of shares during the quarter [2] Financial Performance - Quarterly adjusted net income available to common shareholders was $577 million, or $2.86 per diluted share, after excluding $15 million of acquisition-related expenses [1][2] - Pre-tax income was largely unchanged from the preceding quarter, while net income available to common shareholders decreased by 7% due to a higher effective tax rate [2] - Annualized return on common equity and annualized adjusted return on tangible common equity were 18.0% and 21.4%, respectively [2] Segment Results Private Client Group - Quarterly net revenues rose 9% year-over-year, driven by higher asset management and related administrative fees, which increased 15% to $1.69 billion [5][6] - Record client assets under administration reached $1.77 trillion, with fee-based accounts growing to $1.04 trillion, up 14% and 19% respectively [5][6] - Domestic Private Client Group net new assets totaled $30.8 billion for the fiscal first quarter, reflecting an annualized growth rate of 8% [5][6] Capital Markets - Quarterly net revenues decreased by 21% compared to the prior year, primarily due to lower M&A and advisory revenues [9] - Sequentially, net revenues declined by 26%, largely driven by lower debt underwriting and M&A revenues [9] Asset Management - The increase in quarterly net revenues and pre-tax income was attributed to higher financial assets under management due to market appreciation and net inflows into fee-based accounts [11] Banking - Net bank loans grew by 13% year-over-year, with securities-based and residential mortgage loans increasing by 28% and 10%, respectively [14] - Bank segment net interest income rose by 14% compared to the prior year, driven by loan growth and lower funding costs [14] Acquisitions and Investments - The firm announced the acquisition of Clark Capital Management Group, which specializes in wealth-focused solutions and has over $46 billion in combined assets under management [12] - Continued investments in technology and platform enhancements were highlighted as part of the company's long-term growth strategy [2] Shareholder Returns - The quarterly cash dividend on common shares was increased by 8% to $0.54 per share, with a total of $2 billion authorized for stock repurchases [20] - During the fiscal first quarter, the firm repurchased $400 million of common stock at an average price of $162 per share [20]

Core Viewpoint - Flora Growth Corp. will change its corporate name to "ZeroStack Corp." effective around January 29, 2026, with its common shares trading under the new symbol "ZSTK" on the Nasdaq [1][4]. Group 1: Name and Ticker Change - The name and ticker change reflects the company's evolution towards an AI-focused asset management strategy, with its first investment in $0G, the native asset of the 0G decentralized AI operating system [2]. - The transition to ZeroStack Corp. aligns the company's public identity with its focus on decentralized AI and a disciplined, yield-based asset management strategy [4]. Group 2: Business Focus and Strategy - ZeroStack aims to provide exposure to decentralized AI through a concentrated digital asset approach, generating yield and fee-based income from staking validators, compute power technology companies, and complementary businesses within the $0G ecosystem [3]. - The company holds approximately 123 million $0G tokens, which are integral to its strategy in the decentralized AI landscape [3]. Group 3: Company Background - Flora Growth Corp., soon to be rebranded as ZeroStack, is the first Nasdaq-listed asset management company focused on decentralized AI exposure and also operates a global pharmaceutical distribution business through its subsidiary, Phatebo GmbH [5].

Group 1 - Wendel is in non-exclusive discussions with Henkel regarding a potential operation involving Stahl, with no certainty about the outcome of these discussions [2] - Wendel SE is one of the leading publicly traded investment companies in Europe, investing in sector-leading companies such as ACAMS, Bureau Veritas, and Stahl [3] - As of September 30, 2025, Wendel manages €46 billion for third-party investors and approximately €5.3 billion for its own account [3] Group 2 - Wendel has announced plans to develop a private asset management platform in addition to its proprietary investment activities [3] - The company completed acquisitions of 51% of IK Partners in May 2024 and 72% of Monroe Capital in March 2025, with the acquisition of Committed Advisors announced in October 2025 [3] - Wendel is rated BBB with a stable outlook for long-term and A-2 for short-term by Standard & Poor's [4]

Core Insights - BlackRock reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, with shares rising over 2% in pre-market trading [1] - The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $13.16, surpassing analyst estimates of $12.44, and revenue reached $7.0 billion, exceeding the consensus forecast of $6.75 billion [1] Assets Under Management - Assets under management increased to $14 trillion during the quarter, driven by record net inflows of $342 billion [2] - For the full year, net inflows totaled $698 billion, indicating strong demand across the firm's investment offerings [2] Revenue and Growth - The quarter saw a 12% annualized organic base fee growth, reflecting strength in various sectors including iShares exchange-traded funds, systematic active equities, private markets, outsourcing solutions, and cash management [3] - Quarterly revenue rose 23% compared to the same period a year earlier [3] Full-Year Performance and Dividends - For full-year 2025, BlackRock reported adjusted earnings per share of $48.09, with total revenue increasing 19% to $24.22 billion [4] - The company's board approved a 10% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to $5.73 per share and authorized an additional 7 million shares for repurchase [4]

Core Insights - BlackRock reported a fourth-quarter net income of $1.13 billion, representing a 33% decrease from the previous year [1] - Assets under management increased by 22% to a record $14 trillion [1] - Net income per share was $7.16, which fell short of analysts' expectations of $11.20 [1] - Adjusted earnings per share were $13.16, exceeding forecasts of $12.24 [1] - Shares experienced a 1% increase in premarket trading [1]

Core Insights - Financial institutions reported mixed fourth-quarter earnings, with some showing strength while others disappointed investors [2] - Bank of America achieved record income in its wealth management unit, while Wells Fargo and JPMorgan saw declines in stock prices despite some positive performance metrics [2][4] Group 1: Bank of America - Bank of America's wealth management unit recorded net income of $1.4 billion in the fourth quarter, representing a 20% year-over-year increase [4] - The overall performance of the wealth management segment contributed positively to the company's financial results [4] Group 2: Wells Fargo - Wells Fargo's stock fell 5% following its earnings report, attributed to a miss on net interest income, which has been declining across the industry [2][3] - The removal of a $1.95 trillion asset cap by the Federal Reserve in June 2022 was highlighted as a pivotal moment for Wells Fargo, allowing for potential growth in profitability [3] Group 3: JPMorgan - JPMorgan's asset and wealth management unit saw assets under management increase by 18% year-over-year, with revenue exceeding $6.5 billion [4] - The company experienced lower-than-expected investment banking fees, down 5% year-over-year, due to the timing of deals being pushed to 2026 [4] Group 4: Wealthfront - Wealthfront reported a net income of $30.9 million for the quarter, a 3% increase year-over-year, despite a 14% drop in stock price due to slowing asset flows [5] - The company had over $2.2 trillion in assets under management, reflecting a 16% increase for the quarter [6]

Core Viewpoint - Bimini Capital Management, Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire 80% of Tom Johnson Investment Management, LLC, enhancing its asset management capabilities and diversifying its portfolio [1][4]. Group 1: Transaction Details - The purchase price will be 2.5 times 80% of TJIM's revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, with a cash payment at closing [2]. - If the purchase price exceeds $12,000,000, the excess will be paid in three equal annual installments; if less than $1,000,000, it will be paid within one year of closing [2]. - The completion of the transaction is contingent upon the principal seller entering a new three-year employment agreement and customary due diligence [3]. Group 2: Strategic Benefits - TJIM currently manages approximately $1.6 billion in assets across equity and fixed income markets, with diverse management agreements [4]. - The transaction will provide TJIM with access to Bimini's management expertise, capital markets knowledge, and potential for increased asset management in public markets [4]. - Existing TJIM owners will retain an interest in the company, and staff will be incentivized to remain through equity ownership opportunities [4]. Group 3: Company Background - Bimini Capital Management specializes in residential mortgage-related securities and employs leverage and hedging strategies [5]. - The company serves as the external manager of Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a publicly listed real estate investment trust [6].

Company Overview - Ollie's Bargain Outlet specializes in discounted brand name merchandise and operates over 600 stores across 34 states, targeting value-focused shoppers [1][6][9] - The company reported a revenue of $2.54 billion and a net income of $223.60 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] Recent Transaction - Congress Asset Management sold 670,615 shares of Ollie's Bargain Outlet during the fourth quarter, valued at approximately $80.86 million based on quarterly average pricing [2][3] - Following the sale, Ollie's represented 0.68% of Congress Asset Management's reportable U.S. equity assets under management (AUM) [3][11] Performance Metrics - As of the latest report, Ollie's shares were priced at $118.49, reflecting a 13% increase over the past year, although it underperformed compared to the S&P 500's nearly 18% gain [3] - In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Ollie's net sales increased by 18.6% to $613.6 million, and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) surged by 29.3% to $0.75 [10] Strategic Insights - The sale by Congress Asset Management indicates a recalibration of investment strategy rather than a complete retreat from the company, as Ollie's remains a holding albeit at a reduced percentage of AUM [7][11] - The company has opened a record 32 stores in the quarter and raised its full-year revenue guidance to $2.65 billion, with adjusted EPS projected between $3.81 and $3.87 [10]