Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) 2026 Conference February 10, 2026 08:50 AM ET Company ParticipantsMike Santomassimo - SVP and CFOModeratorAll right, everybody, welcome again back into the room. So, we have up next, in a big day for banks, the Senior Executive Vice President and CFO of Wells Fargo, Mike Santomassimo. Mike, welcome.Mike SantomassimoGreat. Thanks for having me.ModeratorAbsolutely. So maybe we'll just kick off at the top of the house. Again, we find ourselves in a crosscurrent of geopolitical uncertaint ...

It's that part of the cycle where people overvalue the downside and undervalue the upside.A lot of questions are being raised whether a particular project is actually valuable enough to be having a token and why something should exist.Whether or not there's going to be a case of any #Altcoin to be going up ever again.It's the same mantra.I think that 2026 is going to be harder than 2021 and 2017 in terms of #Altcoin selection, as there are simply more altcoins in the system.However, capital will still flow ...

Core Insights - MercadoLibre (MELI) shares have decreased by 15.6% over the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector and the Zacks Internet-Commerce industry's growth of 4.3% and 5.2% respectively [1][7] Performance Overview - The decline in MELI's performance is attributed to investor concerns regarding margin compression due to aggressive strategic investments, heightened competitive intensity, and macroeconomic volatility in Latin America [2] - MELI's operational strategy focuses on market share expansion over short-term profitability, leading to significant volume growth but pressuring margins in both commerce and fintech segments [4] - In Q3 2025, Brazil's free-shipping threshold reduction resulted in record items sold, yet operating margin fell to 9.8%, down 70 basis points year-over-year, as logistics and fulfillment costs increased faster than revenue [4] Financial Metrics - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q4 2025 revenues is projected at $8.45 billion, reflecting a 39.5% year-over-year increase, indicating continued top-line momentum despite constrained margins [4] - In Q3, MELI's Net Income Margin decreased to 5.7% from 7.5% the previous year, while Net Interest Margin After Losses remained at 21%, highlighting the impact of higher funding costs and expanding younger credit cohorts [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q4 total payment volume is expected to reach $81.67 billion, up 38.6% year-over-year, indicating ongoing activity but a larger credit base to manage [5] Competitive Landscape - The Latin American e-commerce and fintech markets are increasingly competitive, with major players like Amazon and Sea Limited intensifying price and delivery competition, forcing MELI to increase spending on logistics and incentives [6][8] - MELI's forward price-to-earnings multiple stands at 34.91x, significantly above the Zacks Industry average of 24.37x and the broader sector multiple of 24.95x, indicating high expectations for sustained revenue growth and margin recovery [9] User Growth and Monetization Potential - Despite margin pressures, MELI's investment strategy is successfully expanding its user base, with unique active buyers growing 26% year-over-year to 76.8 million and monthly active fintech users increasing 29% to 72.2 million [12] - The potential for monetization exists through cross-selling opportunities between commerce and fintech services, with the credit card business in Brazil showing signs of profitability as older cohorts mature [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share is projected at $40.27, reflecting expectations for modest earnings growth despite ongoing margin pressures [12] Conclusion - MELI's investment case presents a balance of margin pressures against user growth momentum, with an expanding user base offering long-term potential while near-term profitability remains uncertain [14]

Core Insights - The discussion highlights a common theme among companies like Duolingo and DoorDash, focusing on shifting investment strategies towards growth and product quality rather than immediate profitability [2][4] - Investors are generally averse to investment cycles, as seen with companies like Meta, DoorDash, and Uber, which have surprised the market by prioritizing investments [3][6] - Despite initial negative reactions from investors regarding investment cycles, there may be opportunities for long-term gains once the bad news is out of the way [4][5] Company-Specific Insights - Duolingo is adjusting its investment strategy to prioritize growth and product quality, which may not align with immediate investor expectations [2] - DoorDash is unifying its platform across various properties and has recently acquired Deliveroo, indicating a focus on long-term operational improvements [3][4] - Despite concerns about consumer demand, DoorDash has shown resilience, with better-than-expected performance in the travel sector as well [5][6] Industry Trends - There is a noticeable bifurcation in the tech industry, where large companies like Google and Meta are performing well due to stable valuations and growth opportunities, while smaller software companies face more scrutiny [7][8] - Google is diversifying its offerings by entering the chip market, which has positively impacted its stock performance [9] - The potential of AI to enhance personalization in e-commerce and travel sectors is highlighted as a significant growth opportunity [13][14]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide RevPAR decreased approximately 1% year over year, impacted by unfavorable holidays, softer international inbound travel, and portfolio renovations [5][15] - Adjusted EBITDA was $976 million in the third quarter, up 8% year over year, exceeding the high end of guidance [15] - Diluted earnings per share adjusted for special items was $2.11 [15] - For the full year 2025, RevPAR is expected to be flat to up 1% [6][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Leisure transient RevPAR was roughly flat, driven by strong demand in Europe and the Middle East, while business transient RevPAR decreased approximately 1% due to economic uncertainty [5] - Group RevPAR decreased approximately 4%, but group demand showed signs of strengthening for the fourth quarter and 2026 [5] - Management franchise fees grew 5.3% year over year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Americas outside the U.S., RevPAR increased 4.3% year over year, driven by strong leisure and group demand [16] - In Europe, RevPAR grew 1% year over year, while in the Middle East and Africa, it increased 9.9% year over year [16] - Asia Pacific RevPAR was up 3.8% excluding China, but declined 3.1% in China due to government travel policies [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company opened 199 hotels, totaling over 24,000 rooms, achieving net unit growth of 6.5% [6][10] - The launch of the Outset Collection by Hilton aims to capture the conversion opportunity in the upper mid-scale to upscale collection space [8] - The development pipeline increased to over 515,000 rooms, with nearly half under construction [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains optimistic about the next few years, citing lower interest rates, favorable regulatory environment, and significant investment cycles as drivers for increased travel demand [6][24] - The company expects RevPAR growth to improve in 2026, supported by easier year-over-year comparisons and event-driven benefits [27] - Management emphasized the importance of cost discipline and efficiency improvements through AI and technology [30][31] Other Important Information - The company plans to return approximately $3.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends for the full year [4][18] - A cash dividend of $0.15 per share was paid during the third quarter, totaling $108 million for the year to date [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Thoughts on the timeline for improvement in the operating environment - Management believes there are positive structural factors in the U.S. that will support growth, including lower inflation and a favorable investment cycle [24][26] Question: Potential partnerships with AI companies - Management is exploring AI use cases to improve efficiencies and enhance customer experience, with 41 use cases currently being tested [36][38] Question: Expectations for net unit growth and conversions - Management expects nearly 40% of net unit growth to come from conversions, with new brands contributing as well [47] Question: Balancing luxury investments and returns - Management acknowledges the importance of luxury but emphasizes that the majority of key investments will continue to focus on core brands [52][56] Question: Impact of system-wide fee reductions for owners - The fee reduction program aims to support owners during challenging times and incentivize more conversions [60][62] Question: Fee revenue growth despite more economy rooms - Management believes fee per room will continue to grow due to a mix of higher fee-paying brands and ongoing growth in emerging markets [68][70]

Core Insights - Virtu Financial, Inc. will announce its third quarter 2025 financial results on October 29, 2025, before the US market opens [1] - A conference call to discuss the financial results will take place at 8:00 AM (EDT) and will be accessible to the public via a live webcast [2] Company Overview - Virtu Financial is a leading provider of financial services and products, utilizing advanced technology to deliver liquidity and innovative trading solutions to clients [3] - The company offers a comprehensive product suite that includes execution, liquidity sourcing, analytics, and broker-neutral, multi-dealer platforms across various asset classes [3] - Virtu operates in over 50 countries, allowing clients to trade on hundreds of venues in global equities, ETFs, foreign exchange, futures, fixed income, cryptocurrency, and other commodities [3] - The integrated, multi-asset analytics platform provides pre-, intra-, and post-trade services, data products, and compliance tools for clients to manage risk and invest across global markets [3]

Market Trends - Recent AI investment suggests a potentially strong investment cycle that could positively impact the entire US equity market [1] - However, the report cautions against assuming a 'new era' mentality, as such thinking is not permanent [1]

Market Dynamics - Holders are expected to outperform traders in this cycle [1]

Every cycle creates new millionaires.This one’s no different.You in or out?💸🚀 ...