Group 1 - Barrick Mining Corporation is considered one of the most undervalued large-cap stocks currently, with a significant discount compared to its global peers [1] - JPMorgan initiated coverage of Barrick Mining with an Overweight rating and a price target of $68, citing strong demand for gold driven by central bank activities and US policy uncertainty [1] - Canaccord raised its price target for Barrick Mining to C$80 from C$70 while maintaining a Buy rating [2] - Bank of America increased its price target for Barrick Mining to $58 from $50, also maintaining a Buy rating, highlighting intensified macroeconomic factors affecting gold prices [3] Group 2 - Barrick Mining explores, develops, produces, and sells mineral properties, focusing on gold, copper, silver, and energy materials [4]

Core Viewpoint - Mondelez International, Inc. is positioned favorably in the market with strong cash returns to shareholders and improved EPS visibility due to declining cocoa prices, despite facing challenges from cocoa cost inflation [2][3][4]. Group 1: Financial Performance and Shareholder Returns - Mondelez has a robust history of returning cash to shareholders, with dividends growing at an annual rate above 10% over the past five years [3]. - The company has repurchased over $13 billion of its own shares since 2018, reducing the share count by approximately 15% [3]. - Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Mondelez to $65, indicating positive sentiment towards the stock [2]. Group 2: Market Challenges and Opportunities - The recent decline in cocoa prices is seen as beneficial for Mondelez, enhancing visibility into earnings per share forecasts [2]. - However, the company has warned that unprecedented cocoa cost inflation could potentially reduce adjusted earnings per share by up to 15% in 2025 [4]. - Mondelez operates from a position of financial strength, supported by its diverse geographic presence and established brand portfolio amid economic uncertainties [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - Mondelez International, Inc. is recognized as one of the largest snack companies globally, with a diverse portfolio that includes biscuits, chocolate, cakes, pastries, snack bars, and candy [5].

Core Insights - American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) is recognized among 14 high-yield dividend stocks with sustainable payouts [1] - Wells Fargo has raised its price target for AEP to $140 from $139, maintaining an Overweight rating, reflecting a valuation update looking towards 2028 [2] - AEP plans a significant investment in solid oxide fuel cells, valued at approximately $2.65 billion, to support the development of a fuel cell power generation facility [3][4] Investment Developments - AEP has exercised an option to acquire an additional 900 megawatts of solid oxide fuel cells, building on a previous agreement for 100 megawatts with Bloom Energy [4] - The company has secured a 20-year offtake agreement with a long-term buyer for the power generated from the new facility near Cheyenne, Wyoming, with expectations for conditions to be met by Q2 2026 [5] Company Overview - AEP operates as an electric utility holding company, providing generation, transmission, and distribution services to over five million retail customers across various states [6]

Core Viewpoint - AGNC Investment Corp. is identified as one of the most undervalued REIT stocks currently available for investment, with a price target raised to $11 by Piper Sandler, reflecting positive expectations regarding agency MBS spreads and tangible book values [1]. Financial Updates - AGNC announced a cash dividend of $0.12 per share for January 2026 and reinstated Dr. Morris Davis as an independent director on the Compensation and Corporate Governance Committee [2]. Management Expertise - The return of Dr. Morris Davis, who previously served as Chief Housing Economist on the Council of Economic Advisors, is expected to enhance AGNC's administration with his expertise in housing and macroeconomic policy [3]. Company Operations - AGNC operates as a real estate investment trust, focusing on investments in residential mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations, as well as other mortgage-related securities [4].

Group 1: Fund Performance - Hotchkis & Wiley Global Value Fund outperformed the MSCI World Value Index in Q4 2025, returning 3.80% compared to 3.34% for the Index [1] - The Fund achieved a year-to-date return of 23.77%, exceeding the Index's 20.79% [1] - Positive stock selection was a key driver of the Fund's performance in both Q4 and the entire calendar year [1] Group 2: Non-US Equities - In 2025, stocks outside the US significantly outperformed those within the US, although the valuation gap remained largely unchanged [1] - The Fund maintained an overweight position in non-US equities [1] Group 3: Key Holdings - Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) (NASDAQ:ERIC) was highlighted as a leading contributor to the Fund's performance [2] - Ericsson's stock closed at $10.89 per share on January 29, 2026, with a one-month return of 14.63% and a 52-week gain of 45.39% [2] - Ericsson has a market capitalization of $37.097 billion [2] Group 4: Ericsson's Business Outlook - Ericsson is a major vendor of hardware and software for wireless networks outside China, but its earnings are currently below normal due to low demand in Japan and India [3] - The company is working on turning around its Cloud Software and Services business, and its stock has shown improvement as management indicated a shift towards returning more capital to shareholders [3] - Recent results for Q3 2025 were modestly better than expected, with improvements in gross margins and the Cloud Software and Services business [3] Group 5: Market Sentiment and Competition - Ericsson is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 16 hedge fund portfolios holding its stock at the end of Q3 2025, down from 17 in the previous quarter [4] - While Ericsson shows potential as an investment, certain AI stocks are perceived to offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

Karman Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KRMN) is one of the new stocks on the rise. On January 28, KeyBanc analyst Michael Leshock raised the price target for Karman to $122 from $80 with an Overweight rating. This adjustment was made as part of a broader sector update. The firm pointed to a surge in momentum within the space and defense tech industries, projecting that an ideal macroeconomic environment will persist through 2026. This favorable backdrop is expected to unlock substantial growth opportunities and lead t ...

Company Overview - Xencor Inc. (NASDAQ:XNCR) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing engineered monoclonal antibodies for treating asthma, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer [4] Investment Sentiment - Bank of America raised its price target for Xencor to $20 from $17 while maintaining a Neutral rating, indicating a positive outlook for the stock [1] - Barclays also increased its price target for Xencor from $23 to $26 and maintained an Overweight rating, reflecting a favorable adjustment in valuations across the biotech sector [3] Industry Trends - The biotech sector is experiencing a resurgence due to stabilizing factors such as positive data catalysts, increased large-cap M&A and licensing activity, better access to capital, and limited impact from drug price regulations [2] - Despite the positive developments, there is caution regarding the long-term sustainability of the recovery in the biotech industry [2]

Core Viewpoint - International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) is recognized for its potential in the market, with analysts highlighting its cost-saving measures and strategic positioning in the packaging industry, aiming for significant EBITDA growth by 2027 [2][3][4]. Group 1: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - UBS analyst Anojja Shah has reduced the price target for International Paper from $53 to $51 while maintaining a Buy rating, citing ongoing cost-saving efforts linked to mill closures [2]. - RBC Capital Markets has included International Paper in its Top 30 Global Ideas list for 2026, indicating a favorable outlook due to expected price increases from tighter containerboard capacity in North America [3]. - RBC has set a price target of $55 for International Paper, based on a blended multiple of approximately 7.75 times estimated trend EBITDA and projected 2026 EBITDA [5]. Group 2: Company Strategy and Performance - International Paper is focusing on internal efficiency initiatives, which are anticipated to drive meaningful EBITDA growth by 2027 [3]. - The company is recognized for its disciplined capital allocation strategy, emphasizing cost-cutting, reliability improvements, and investments in high-return projects [4]. - The broader transformation plan of International Paper is viewed as a potential source of additional upside for the company [4].

Core Insights - Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO) has been recognized as one of the 13 Best February Dividend Stocks to Buy [1] - BofA analyst Joshua Shanker has lowered the long-term earnings outlook for Brown & Brown following Q4 results, reducing the price target from $94 to $90 while maintaining a Neutral rating [2] - The company's fourth-quarter operating earnings were reported at $0.93 per share, slightly above the Street's consensus of $0.90 but below BofA's estimate of $0.96 [2] - BofA has adjusted its earnings forecasts for 2026, 2027, and 2028 down by 4.8%, 5.1%, and 5.3% respectively, citing slower expected organic growth [2] Financial Performance - Brown & Brown reported a higher adjusted profit for Q4, driven by stronger commission and fee income, although shares fell nearly 6% due to concerns over weakening organic growth [3] - Organic revenue for the quarter was $1.08 billion, a decrease from $1.11 billion in the same period last year [3] - Commissions and fees saw a significant increase of 36%, reaching $1.58 billion for the quarter, contributing to total revenue of $1.61 billion compared to $1.18 billion a year earlier [4] - Investment and other income rose to $27 million from $23 million a year earlier, while adjusted earnings increased to $0.93 per share from $0.86 a year prior [4] Company Overview - Brown & Brown, Inc. operates as an insurance broker, connecting customers with insurers across a wide range of policies, focusing on risk management and selling insurance products primarily in property, casualty, and employee benefits [5]

Core Insights - Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) has experienced a significant stock rally, with a 137% increase last year and an additional 39% gain in January 2026, primarily driven by demand for CPUs that Intel is unable to produce in sufficient quantities [1] - The company is a leading provider of equipment for both CPU and memory chip manufacturing, positioning it to benefit from increased production efforts in the semiconductor industry [1] - Upcoming earnings reports from semiconductor capital equipment companies are anticipated to be strong, but the high stock valuations may lead to uncertain market reactions [1] Company Overview - Lam Research Corporation specializes in developing equipment for depositing, etching, and cleaning semiconductor materials, including systems for tungsten and copper metallization, plasma and atomic-layer deposition, dielectric and conductor etch, and wafer cleaning [2]