This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter. As CFOs and their teams know, the onset of Fall’s cozy vibes also comes with the peak of corporate finance’s events season. And, unlike many finance conferences that try to cover every corner of the CFO mandate, the CFO Leadership Council's third consecutive Q4 conference in the west has content that focuses on a set of core themes: Leadership, transformation, benefits strateg ...

NEW YORK and MIAMI and SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siebert Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: SIEB) and Next Securities today announced entry into a strategic agreement that combines Next Securities’ AI technology and innovation expertise with Siebert’s robust financial infrastructure and nationwide market reach in the US. This agreement is designed to pursue opportunities to deliver new tools and content-rich opportunities to investors, emphasizing ease of trading and access to meaningful m ...

Core Viewpoint - Robinhood Markets (HOOD) stock has experienced a significant increase of +215% in 2025, reaching an all-time high of $123, driven by strategic initiatives and improved financial performance since its public listing in 2021, where it has gained +237% [1] Strategic Moves and Product Innovation - Robinhood has introduced new features on its trading platform, including short-selling tools, overnight index options, and an AI-powered stock screener named Cortex AI, along with a social media network called Robinhood Social to enhance trader engagement [2] - The company has expanded its offerings in crypto and options trading, resulting in a 97% increase in crypto revenue during Q2, rising to $160 million from $81 million in the same quarter last year [3] Financial Performance - In Q2, Robinhood's revenue and net income surged by 45% and 105%, respectively, achieving a net income of $386 million on sales of $989 million. Projections indicate that Robinhood may reach its second billion-dollar quarter in Q3, following its first in Q4 2024, with annual sales expected to grow by 36% this year and 19% in fiscal 2026, reaching $4.78 billion [4] Sales Estimates - Zacks Consensus Estimates for Robinhood's sales are as follows: Current Quarter (9/2025) at $1.04 billion, Next Quarter (12/2025) at $1.10 billion, Current Year (12/2025) at $4.01 billion, and Next Year (12/2026) at $4.70 billion, with year-over-year growth estimates of 63.99% for the current quarter and 35.83% for the current year [6] S&P 500 Inclusion and Analyst Upgrades - Robinhood is set to be included in the S&P 500, replacing Caesars Entertainment, which is expected to enhance its institutional credibility and attract investment from index funds and ETFs [7] - Recent analyst upgrades from firms such as Piper Sandlar, KeyBank, Barclays, and Goldman Sachs have raised the price target for Robinhood, with some forecasts reaching $145 per share [8] Earnings Estimate Revisions - Earnings estimate revisions for Robinhood have increased significantly over the past 60 days, with FY25 estimates rising by 23% from $1.26 to $1.55 and FY26 estimates increasing by 21% from $1.54 to $1.87, indicating strong expected growth in earnings per share [9][10]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue grew to $172 million, reflecting a 7% increase year over year [38] - Subscription revenue increased by 7%, while service revenue grew by 3% [38] - Annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached $677 million, up over 9% [38] - Non-GAAP operating margin was 22%, driven by gross margin performance and improved productivity [41] - Non-GAAP net income attributable to BlackLine was $38 million, representing a 22% margin [42] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average new deal size grew by 35% year over year, driven by increased adoption of full Record to Report capabilities [9] - Strategic products represented 30% of sales, up from 28% last year, indicating improved cross-sell opportunities [40] - Intercompany, invoice to cash, and transaction matching showed particular strength this quarter [40] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The customer count at the end of the quarter was 4,451, reflecting a slight increase from the previous year [39] - The company secured significant wins in various sectors, including media, oil and gas, and life sciences, demonstrating strong market demand [10][11][12] - The pipeline grew by 70% year over year, indicating robust market interest and demand [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The strategic shift to a platform company serving the Office of the CFO is driving accelerated success [7] - The company is focusing on larger and mid-market customers while deprioritizing smaller accounts [20] - The introduction of the new pricing model has proven successful, with about half of eligible new logos adopting it [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's trajectory and highlighted the importance of customer success [5][6] - The company anticipates that the momentum from the new pricing model and strategic initiatives will translate into bookings and revenue growth in the coming quarters [19] - Management acknowledged the challenges in the operating environment but remains optimistic about future growth opportunities [86] Other Important Information - The company is making significant progress on its FedRAMP journey to expand its position in the public sector [36] - The GCP migration is nearing completion, enhancing performance and reducing costs [35] - Over 40% of renewals in the first half of the year were multiyear, indicating strong customer commitment [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you break down the large deal momentum and its drivers? - Management noted that the pipeline began to grow significantly in September, with a combination of slipped deals and new opportunities contributing to the strength [49] Question: What is the impact of the new unlimited user pricing model? - Management indicated that there is early evidence of customer proliferation across organizations, with ongoing monitoring of its impact on net retention and upsell [54] Question: What feedback have you received regarding the attractiveness of the new pricing model? - Management reported that the new pricing model has generated transformative conversations with enterprise customers, focusing on overall solutions rather than just license counts [60] Question: Can you elaborate on the role of Studio three sixty and its integration with Snowflake? - Management explained that Studio three sixty serves as the foundational platform for all products, with Snowflake enabling the handling of large data volumes effectively [104]

Course Offerings - Wind continues to provide high-quality online courses globally, with a focus on investment opportunities and financial insights [2][3] - Upcoming courses in August 2025 include topics such as "Investment Opportunities in the 'Cross-border Craze'" and "Pure Benzene Futures: A New Chemical Chain Variable" [3][4] - The courses are designed to cater to various interests, including AI-enhanced index strategies and credit bond research [3][5] Training Series - Wind offers a series of essential training sessions, including insights on how U.S. Treasuries shape global assets and the role of AI in financial data analytics [5][6] - The training series aims to equip participants with practical knowledge and strategies for navigating the financial landscape [5][8] Regional Economic Insights - Courses also cover regional economic features, such as Portugal's economy and France's economic context in globalization [4][5] - These insights are derived from Wind's data analytics, providing a comprehensive perspective on economic trends [4][5]

Core Insights - Wind continues to provide high-quality online courses globally, with a focus on financial education and data processing [1][2][3] Course Offerings - Upcoming courses in June 2025 include topics such as AI in asset allocation, risk management, and corporate ESG strategies [2][5] - Specific courses include "Alice Smart Data Extraction" on June 5, "AI Empowerment in Practice" on June 12, and "How can enterprises win the favor of capital by leveraging ESG ratings?" on June 26 [2][3] Regional Economic Features - Special topics on regional economic data analysis will be offered, including an analysis of the Indian market and economic data in Hindi on June 4, and a multidimensional analysis of economic data in Korean on June 25 [3][5] Highlights from Previous Month - A recap of May's highlights is available, showcasing the key themes and insights from the previous month's courses [4] Engagement and Participation - Participants are encouraged to scan a QR code to register for courses and access live broadcasts and replays, emphasizing the interactive nature of the training [1][6][7]