Core Insights - Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. reported a significant increase in net income for Q3 2025, reaching $262.6 million or $5.16 per diluted share, compared to $7.5 million or $0.13 per diluted share in Q3 2024 [2][10] - The company's Adjusted Net Income for Q3 2025 was $302.6 million, including a small refinery exemption (SRE) impact of $195.9 million, contrasting with an Adjusted Net Loss of $(5.5) million in the same quarter of 2024 [2][21] - The company achieved an Adjusted EBITDA of $372.5 million in Q3 2025, significantly up from $51.4 million in Q3 2024, driven by strong refining operations and retail contributions [2][3] Financial Performance - The Refining segment reported operating income of $340.8 million in Q3 2025, including an SRE impact of $199.5 million, compared to $19.0 million in Q3 2024 [4][5] - Adjusted Gross Margin for the Refining segment was $450.3 million in Q3 2025, up from $142.2 million in Q3 2024 [4] - The Retail segment reported operating income of $19.1 million in Q3 2025, slightly up from $18.3 million in Q3 2024, with Adjusted Gross Margin increasing to $43.5 million [15][16] Operational Highlights - The Hawaii Index averaged $10.27 per barrel in Q3 2025, significantly higher than $4.49 per barrel in Q3 2024, with throughput of 82 thousand barrels per day [6][7] - The Montana Index averaged $17.99 per barrel in Q3 2025, compared to $15.32 per barrel in Q3 2024, with throughput of 58 thousand barrels per day [8][9] - The Washington Index averaged $16.66 per barrel in Q3 2025, up from $4.47 per barrel in Q3 2024, with throughput of 39 thousand barrels per day [11][12] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Net cash provided by operations totaled $219.4 million for Q3 2025, with a significant increase from $78.5 million in Q3 2024 [18] - Total liquidity increased by approximately 14% during the quarter to $735.2 million as of September 30, 2025 [19] - The company repurchased $16.4 million of common stock at a weighted average price of $31.57 per share during Q3 2025 [20] Strategic Developments - The company closed on the Hawaii Renewables joint venture for $100 million in proceeds and is on track to complete construction of the renewable fuels unit this year [3] - Par Pacific's common stock will be dual listed on NYSE Texas effective November 5, 2025, while continuing to trade under the ticker symbol "PARR" on both exchanges [23]

Group 1: Uber's Performance - Uber reported strong revenue growth and profitability, with a 60% increase in stock price year-to-date prior to earnings [3][7] - The company has established significant partnerships, including with Nvidia for autonomous rides, which is expected to enhance its market position [2] - Despite positive earnings, Uber shares fell over 6%, attributed to market conditions and profit-taking rather than fundamental issues [6][8] Group 2: Valuation and Market Sentiment - The forward earnings valuation for Uber is around 15 times, which is considered attractive compared to other large-cap companies like Costco, which trades at 50 times earnings [4][5] - Concerns about valuation discrepancies exist, with some analysts suggesting a higher multiple of nearly 30 times [5] - The overall market sentiment is cautious, impacting Uber's stock performance despite its strong fundamentals [6][8] Group 3: Vert's Market Position - Vert experienced a "beat and raise" in earnings, but faced initial stock price declines due to concerns over insufficient guidance [9][10] - The approval of Jourovax, a non-addictive painkiller, is seen as a significant growth opportunity, despite market skepticism about its prescription potential [11] - Vert's valuation stands at 21 times forward earnings, which is viewed as reasonable given its unique market position in cystic fibrosis and upcoming kidney medications [12]

Core Insights - Arko Corp. is expected to report a decline in revenues for Q3 2025, with estimates at $1.98 billion, reflecting a 13.1% decrease from the previous year [1][8] - The earnings consensus remains stable at 12 cents per share, indicating a significant growth of 71.4% year-over-year [1] - The company has experienced a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise averaging 42.1% [1] Revenue and Earnings Outlook - Arko is navigating a challenging environment characterized by macroeconomic pressures and changing consumer behavior, impacting same-store merchandise sales and retail fuel volumes [2] - The company anticipates adjusted EBITDA between $70 million and $80 million, down from $78.8 million in the same period last year [3][8] - Fuel margins have normalized, with retail fuel margins fluctuating between 42.5 and 44.5 cents per gallon [3] Sales Performance - Early signs of stabilization were noted in Q3, with July same-store sales (excluding cigarettes) showing slight year-over-year improvement, marking the best performance in nearly 18 months [4] - Both inside sales and fuel volumes are improving sequentially, suggesting that targeted promotions and loyalty initiatives are positively influencing sales [4] Earnings Prediction - The current model does not predict an earnings beat for Arko, with a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00% [5]

Australian billionaire Brett Blundy is pushing for changes to the board of Victoria’s Secret after accusing the lingerie retailer of failing to engage on steps to improve shareholder value https://t.co/QVflnxVGni ...

Six months after the Nordstrom family took their namesake retailer private in a $6.25 billion deal, the company is doubling down on an unconventional strategy: https://t.co/bsE2SGimNO ...

Core Viewpoint - Associated British Foods (ABF) is considering separating its Primark retail arm from its food operations to maximize long-term value following a strategic review [1][2] Financial Performance - ABF reported a decline in group revenue to £19.45 billion ($25.42 billion) for the fiscal year ending on 13 September 2025, down 3% at actual exchange rates and 1% at constant currency [3] - Adjusted operating profit decreased by 13% to £1.73 billion, with a similar drop in adjusted profit before tax to £1.69 billion [3] - On a statutory basis, operating profit fell 23% to £1.48 billion, and profit before tax decreased 26% to £1.41 billion [4] Retail Performance - Retail sales increased by 1% to £9.5 billion, driven by store openings in Europe and the US, contributing 4% to sales growth [4] - Adjusted operating profit in retail rose 2% to £1.1 billion, with an adjusted operating margin of 11.9% [4] Strategic Review - The review is being conducted with input from ABF's largest shareholder, Wittington Investments, which aims to retain a majority stake in both businesses [1][2] - CEO George Weston expressed support for the board's review of the group structure, emphasizing the potential of both businesses [5][6]

Market Overview - Wall Street is entering a historically strong month, with November being the best month for the S&P 500, averaging a gain of 1.8% since 1950 [1] - The S&P 500 is currently just below the 7,000 mark, significantly above the year-end target of 6,555 predicted by strategists [2] - All three major indexes have shown strong year-to-date gains, with the Dow Jones up 12.2%, S&P 500 up over 16%, and Nasdaq Composite up over 23% as of October 31, 2025 [3] Federal Reserve Policy - The Federal Reserve has entered an easing policy era, having cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point for the second consecutive meeting, bringing the benchmark rate to a range of 3.75%-4.00% [4] - The rate cut reflects the Fed's intention to bolster economic growth and strengthen the labor market amid limited economic data due to a government shutdown [5] U.S.-China Trade Relations - Investor confidence has been boosted by hopes of easing U.S.-China trade tensions, following a meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping, where they reached an understanding to pause new trade tensions [6] - China will cease investigations targeting U.S. companies in the semiconductor supply chain, as announced by the White House [7] Consumer Spending Trends - Approximately 91% of consumers plan to celebrate the winter holidays, with average spending expected to be $890.49 per person, a slight decrease of 1.3% from last year's record [8] Investment Opportunities - **High Beta ETF**: Invesco S&P 500 High Beta ETF (SPHB) is recommended due to easing Fed policy and trade tensions, along with anticipated holiday season sales [10] - **Consumer Discretionary ETF**: Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) is expected to benefit from increased holiday shopping, with significant holdings in Amazon and Home Depot [11] - **Software ETF**: SPDR S&P Software & Services ETF (XSW) is positioned well due to the growing demand for AI software, which is sold on a subscription basis [12] - **Aerospace ETF**: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has reported earnings growth of 226.1% on 15% higher revenues, making it a strong investment option [13] - **Small-Caps ETF**: iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is favored due to Fed rate cuts, easing trade tensions, and favorable small-cap valuations [14]

Core Viewpoint - Costco is highlighted as a strong investment opportunity due to its affluent customer base and superior value proposition, which has allowed it to maintain consistent strength amidst challenges faced by other retailers [1][2]. Costco - Costco has shown more than a mid-single-digit comparable sales growth on top of a strong gain from the previous year, indicating strong momentum expected to continue through the holiday season [2]. - The company benefits from inflationary pressures as higher-income and middle-income consumers seek value, leading them to Costco for its competitive pricing [4][5]. Competitive Landscape - Walmart is also positioned to perform well in various economic conditions, gaining market share through its value and convenience offerings [8]. - Ulta Beauty is noted for its innovation and strong momentum, particularly in the beauty and wellness sector, where spending remains robust even in challenging economic times [8][9]. Consumer Trends - The consumer spending backdrop is mixed, with limited winners in the current environment, particularly in consumer staples, which are at lows not seen since the late 90s [12]. - Shark Ninja is mentioned as a discretionary consumer durable player with upcoming earnings that may indicate a shift in sales momentum towards Q4 [13].

Exclusive: Investment firm BBRC, which has never run an activist campaign before, is taking aim at Victoria’s Secret, seeking a shake-up of the struggling lingerie retailer’s board https://t.co/Np7dtYjS6r ...

Core Viewpoint - BBRC, which holds a nearly 13% stake in the retailer, has called for the removal of the current chair and the installation of the investor's founder as the new chair [1] Group 1 - BBRC owns a significant stake of approximately 13% in the retailer [1] - The letter sent by BBRC to the board emphasizes a change in leadership [1] - The proposed change involves replacing the current chair with the founder of BBRC [1]