Core Insights - Heartland Advisors reported a strong performance for small-cap stocks in Q3 2025, with the Russell 2000® Index increasing by 12.39%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 8.12% rise [1] - The Heartland Value Plus Fund achieved an 8.51% return in Q3 2025, lagging behind the Russell 2000® Value Index, which gained 12.60% [1] Company Highlights - PHINIA Inc. (NYSE:PHIN), a spin-off from BorgWarner, focuses on developing integrated components and systems for vehicles and industrial applications, aiming to enhance performance and reduce emissions [2] - PHINIA Inc. experienced a one-month return of -9.93%, but its shares increased by 13.30% over the past 52 weeks, closing at $51.78 on October 10, 2025, with a market capitalization of $2.014 billion [2] Investment Strategy - The Heartland Value Plus Fund emphasized that stock selection is most effective when management actions confirm improving fundamentals, such as share buybacks, insider buying, and growing dividends [3] - Currently, approximately one-third of the fund's holdings have insider buying, 84% of the companies are engaged in active buybacks, and 61% have raised dividends in the past year [3]