Core Insights - The investment firm has demonstrated resilience in a challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, achieving a 21% growth in assets under management (AuM) in 2025 [3] - The firm added $30.2 billion in total new assets, aligning with its guidance of $26 billion to $31 billion [3] - Fundraising reached $26 billion in 2025, marking the highest year for new client demand in the firm's 30-year history, representing a 22% increase from the previous year [3] - M&A activities contributed an additional $4 billion to the firm's growth [3] - Bespoke solutions accounted for 72% of inflows, with both mandates and evergreens achieving their strongest performance to date [3]

Core Viewpoint - Hamilton Lane Incorporated is set to release its financial results for the third fiscal quarter on February 3, 2026, before market opening [1] Group 1: Financial Results Announcement - The financial results for the third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2025, will be available before the market opens on February 3, 2026 [1] - A conference call via webcast will be held at 11:00 a.m. ET on February 3 to discuss these results [2] - A replay of the webcast will be accessible approximately two hours after the live broadcast for one year [3] Group 2: Company Overview - Hamilton Lane is one of the largest private markets investment firms globally, with over 30 years of exclusive focus on private markets investing [4] - The firm employs around 770 professionals across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East [4] - As of September 30, 2025, Hamilton Lane has $1.0 trillion in assets under management, including $145.4 billion in discretionary assets and $859.8 billion in non-discretionary assets [4] - The company specializes in creating flexible investment programs that provide clients access to a wide range of private markets strategies, sectors, and geographies [4]

Core Viewpoint - BlackRock is expected to report a year-over-year increase in earnings and revenues for the quarter ended December 2025, with actual results being crucial for stock price movement [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is anticipated to show earnings of $12.55 per share, reflecting a +5.2% change year-over-year, and revenues of $6.75 billion, which is an 18.8% increase from the previous year [3]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 1.17% higher in the last 30 days, indicating a positive reassessment by analysts [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model indicates that BlackRock has a positive Earnings ESP of +0.77%, suggesting analysts are optimistic about the company's earnings prospects [12]. - A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a Zacks Rank of 1, 2, or 3 [10]. Historical Performance - BlackRock has a history of beating consensus EPS estimates, having done so in the last four quarters, including a +3.22% surprise in the most recent quarter [13][14]. Investment Considerations - While an earnings beat can positively influence stock prices, other factors may also affect stock performance, making it essential to consider the broader context [15][17].

Core Insights - KKR & Co. Inc. is a leading global investment firm with a market cap of $114.9 billion, managing alternative asset classes such as private equity, credit, real assets, and insurance solutions, founded in 1976 [1] Financial Performance - KKR is expected to report a profit of $1.22 per share for fiscal Q4, reflecting an 8.9% increase from $1.12 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For FY2025, analysts project a profit of $4.53 per share, a 16.2% increase from $3.90 per share in fiscal 2024, with further growth anticipated to $6.16 per share in fiscal 2026, representing a 36% year-over-year increase [3] Stock Performance - KKR's stock has declined by 9.9% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming compared to the S&P 500 Index's 16.2% return and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's 15.4% increase during the same period [4] Recent Developments - On December 8, KKR provided €300 million in whole loan financing to support EPISO 6's acquisition of easyHotel, which is expected to bolster the budget hotel operator's expansion across Europe, leading to a 4.3% rise in KKR shares in the following trading session [5] Analyst Ratings - Wall Street analysts maintain a "Strong Buy" rating for KKR, with 16 out of 20 analysts recommending "Strong Buy," one suggesting "Moderate Buy," and three indicating "Hold." The mean price target for KKR is $156.84, suggesting a potential upside of 15.5% from current levels [6]

Company Overview - Main Street Capital Corporation has completed a new portfolio investment of $50.8 million in UBM ParentCo, LLC, facilitating UBM's merger with Mystic Logistics Holdings, LLC [1] - UBM specializes in "marketing mail" commingle services, optimizing postage, transportation, and delivery performance for large-scale mailers through a nationwide logistics network [2] - Mystic focuses on marketing mail consolidation and logistics solutions, supporting precise, date-driven in-home delivery performance [3] Investment Details - Main Street's investment in UBM includes a combination of first lien, senior secured term debt, and direct minority equity [1] - Main Street has fully exited its debt and equity investments in Mystic, becoming a lender and minority equity owner in UBM [1] Financial Performance - Main Street realized a gain of $23.8 million from the exit of its equity investment in Mystic, along with total dividends of $22.1 million over the investment's life [5] - The cumulative annual internal rate of return (IRR) for Main Street's equity investment in Mystic is 32.9%, with a total money invested (TMI) return of 17.9 times [5] - Including both debt and equity investments, Main Street achieved a cumulative IRR of 22.9% and a TMI return of 5.1 times [5] Historical Context - Main Street initially partnered with Mystic's management team for a majority recapitalization in August 2014, with an initial investment of $10 million in a first lien, senior secured term loan and $2.7 million in equity [4] - Following the initial investment, Mystic experienced significant growth, expanding its customer base and strengthening postal and commercial partnerships [4]

Core Viewpoint - Growth investors are attracted to stocks with above-average financial growth, but identifying such stocks can be challenging due to inherent risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Patria Investments (PAX) is highlighted as a recommended growth stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2] - The company has a historical EPS growth rate of 8.8%, but projected EPS growth for this year is expected to be 21.8%, significantly surpassing the industry average of 12.6% [4] Group 2: Financial Metrics - Cash flow growth is crucial for growth-oriented companies, and Patria Investments currently has a year-over-year cash flow growth of 5.6%, which is above the industry average of 5% [5] - The historical annualized cash flow growth rate for Patria Investments over the past 3-5 years is 26.8%, compared to the industry average of 6.6% [6] Group 3: Earnings Estimates - The current-year earnings estimates for Patria Investments have been revised upward, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by 1.7% over the past month [8] - The combination of a Zacks Rank 2 and a Growth Score of A indicates that Patria Investments is positioned as a potential outperformer for growth investors [10]

Investment Activity - RAB Capital Jersey Limited purchased 1,250,000 units of Viva Gold Corp. at a price of C$0.16 per unit for a total of C$200,000 on December 30, 2025 [1] - Each unit consists of one common share and one-half non-transferable common share purchase warrant, with each warrant exercisable at C$0.24 per share until December 29, 2028 [1] Ownership Structure - Mr. Philip Richards now beneficially owns and controls 22,220,000 common shares and 5,775,000 warrants, representing approximately 12.94% of the outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 16.31% on a partially-diluted basis [2] - Prior to this acquisition, Mr. Richards owned 20,971,500 common shares and 4,150,000 warrants [2] Investment Strategy - The units were acquired for investment purposes, with a long-term view, and RAB Capital may consider acquiring additional securities of Viva Gold or selling existing securities based on market conditions [3] - RAB Capital focuses on investments in small companies and real estate development opportunities based on fundamental analysis [4] Company Information - Viva Gold is a British Columbia company with its registered office located in Vancouver, Canada [5]

Core Insights - In 2026, investors are expected to prioritize companies with consistent earnings growth, as this indicates profitability, but earnings acceleration is even more critical for driving stock prices higher [1][8] - Research shows that top-performing stocks often experience earnings acceleration before their share prices rise [1] Earnings Acceleration - Earnings acceleration refers to the incremental growth in a company's earnings per share (EPS), specifically when the quarter-over-quarter earnings growth rate increases over time [2] - This metric helps identify stocks that have not yet attracted investor attention, which can lead to a price rally once they are recognized [3] Earnings Growth Trends - An increasing percentage of earnings growth suggests a company is fundamentally sound, while a stagnant or decelerating growth percentage may indicate consolidation or a slowdown, potentially dragging prices down [4] Screening Parameters - Stocks should be screened based on the last two quarter-over-quarter EPS growth rates exceeding previous periods' growth rates, with projected EPS growth rates for the upcoming quarter expected to surpass prior periods [5][6] - Additional criteria include a current price of at least $5 and an average 20-day trading volume of 50,000 or more to ensure adequate liquidity [7] Top Stocks Identified - Screening for accelerating EPS growth narrowed the universe of approximately 7,735 stocks to just 11, with Silicon Laboratories Inc. (SLAB), Patria Investments Limited (PAX), and Fabrinet (FN) leading the list [8] - Expected earnings growth rates for 2026 are 197.8% for SLAB, 22.8% for PAX, and 16.1% for FN [8][9][10][11]

Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE:MAIN) is included among the 13 Highest Paying Monthly Dividend Stocks to Buy. RBC Sees Stable Earnings Path for Main Street Capital (MAIN) Despite Minor Target Cut Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash On December 9, RBC Capital analyst Kenneth Lee trimmed his price target on Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE:MAIN) to $66 from $67. He kept an Outperform rating on the stock. RBC still sees support for earnings and noted that net interest income could benefit as the por ...

Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett will step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, marking the end of an era for the investment firm he has led for nearly 60 years [1][2]. Group 1: Leadership Transition - Greg Abel, a long-time steward under Buffett, will take over as CEO starting in 2026 [2]. - The investment community is reflecting on Berkshire's significant decisions over the past year as Buffett's tenure approaches its conclusion [2]. Group 2: Investment Strategy - Berkshire Hathaway previously held positions in two S&P 500-themed ETFs: the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust [5]. - In its Q4 2024 13F filing, Berkshire disclosed that it sold its positions in both S&P 500 ETFs late last year [6]. Group 3: Market Analysis - The S&P 500 Shiller CAPE ratio was around 37 at the end of 2024, indicating a potentially overvalued market [9]. - Historical data shows that the CAPE ratio has only reached similar levels twice before, leading to significant market corrections [10]. - The current CAPE ratio is approaching 40, suggesting the market may be increasingly heated and raising concerns about a potential correction [15]. Group 4: Buffett's Investment Philosophy - Buffett is known for his contrarian approach and typically avoids chasing market hype [8]. - The decision to sell the S&P 500 ETFs may reflect Buffett's view that the market was unsustainably frothy, particularly due to the influence of a few mega-cap stocks benefiting from AI advancements [12]. - Despite the S&P 500 being on track for its third consecutive year of double-digit gains, Buffett's decision to exit the ETFs may not have been poorly timed, as he prioritizes finding attractively valued stocks [13][14]. Group 5: Long-term Investment Outlook - Investing in the S&P 500 has historically proven to be profitable, regardless of market timing [15]. - There is no immediate need for investors to panic or strictly follow Buffett's investment moves, given the robust long-term average returns of the S&P 500 [16].