NCC Group plc (NCC.L) issued an update on unaudited trading for the financial year ended 30 September 2025. The Group expects adjusted EBITDA to be approximately 43.5 million pounds, in line with the Board's expectations. The Board expects Group revenue on a constant currency basis - excluding non-core disposals - to have declined by approximately 2.5% to approximately 294 million pounds. Net cash as at 30 September 2025 is expected to be approximately 13 million pounds. The Group will publish audited resu ...

Core Insights - F5 reported that hackers affiliated with nation-states have gained persistent access to some of its systems [1] Group 1 - The company has acknowledged a security breach involving state-sponsored hackers [1] - This incident raises concerns about the potential implications for the company's cybersecurity measures and overall operational integrity [1] - F5 is likely to enhance its security protocols in response to this breach to protect sensitive information [1]

Core Viewpoint - The discussion focuses on identifying companies in the AI sector that are likely to be long-term gainers versus those that are currently overhyped Group 1: Companies with Long-Term Potential - Broadcom is highlighted as a strong player in the custom chip market, expected to exceed $100 billion in the next five years [3] - TSMC is considered crucial for the semiconductor industry, acting as a bottleneck for production [3] - Palantir is viewed positively as a leader in next-generation software utilizing AI effectively in the market [4] - Cybersecurity companies like CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks are expected to benefit significantly from AI advancements [4] Group 2: Companies Under Scrutiny - There is caution regarding enterprise software companies, particularly in CRM and ERP sectors, as their future remains uncertain with the rise of generative AI [4][5] - Companies like Salesforce and MongoDB have faced significant sell-offs, raising questions about their sustainability in the evolving market [4] - Adobe, Qualcomm, Dell, and Cisco have been removed from the Futurum AI 15 list, indicating a shift in perception regarding their potential [6] Group 3: Overhyped Companies - Some mining companies have seen extraordinary price increases, with some stocks rising by 500% to 1,000%, leading to concerns about potential consolidation [6][7] - The market's frothiness is noted, suggesting that investors should focus on fundamentals rather than momentum trades [8][9] - While there is no immediate indication of a bubble burst, a period of consolidation is viewed as healthy for the market [9]

Core Insights - Intel 471's next-generation cyber threat intelligence platform, Verity471, has been awarded the Security-as-a-Service Innovation of the Year for the 2025 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program [1] Company Summary - Intel 471 is recognized as a premier provider of cyber threat intelligence-driven solutions globally [1] - The award was conducted by CyberSecurity Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization that highlights innovative companies in the cybersecurity sector [1]

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against Fortinet, Inc. for allegedly misrepresenting the impact of unit upgrades of its FortiGate firewalls, leading to significant stock price decline when the truth was revealed [1][2][3]. Group 1: Allegations - The lawsuit claims that Fortinet failed to disclose the difficulty in predicting the total number of FortiGates requiring an upgrade [2]. - It is alleged that customers had excess firewall capacity from previous purchases, reducing the necessity for upgrades [2]. - The complaint states that the refresh of the firewalls had minimal business impact, as it represented only a small percentage of the company's business due to the age of the products [2]. Group 2: Stock Price Impact - Following the revelation of these allegations, Fortinet's stock price dropped over 22%, from $96.58 per share on August 6, 2025, to $75.30 per share on August 7, 2025 [3]. Group 3: Class Action Participation - Shareholders may be eligible to participate in the class action against Fortinet and can contact Robbins LLP if they wish to serve as lead plaintiff [4]. - Participation in the case is not required to be eligible for recovery, allowing shareholders to remain absent class members if they choose [4]. Group 4: Firm Background - Robbins LLP is recognized for its leadership in shareholder rights litigation, focusing on helping shareholders recover losses and improve corporate governance since 2002 [5].

Core Insights - Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. will release its financial results for Q3 2025 on October 28, 2025, before U.S. markets open [1] - A video conference call for the investment community will be held at 8:30 AM EST/5:30 AM PST on the same day [1] Company Overview - Check Point is a leading provider of cyber security solutions, protecting over 100,000 organizations globally [2] - The company utilizes AI-powered solutions and its Infinity Platform to deliver industry-leading security efficacy while reducing risk [2] - Check Point's hybrid mesh network architecture with SASE at its core unifies management across on-premises, cloud, and workspace environments [2]

Group 1 - ETHA is down approximately 15% from its August highs and is at support from its 2020-2024 highs, indicating a potential setup for Q4 risk-on strategies [1] - The Chinese government reportedly spends 600 times more on cybersecurity than the U.S., highlighting the importance of cybersecurity offerings from companies like Lighthouse [2] - Charles Schwab is experiencing the fastest earnings growth in the financial sector, benefiting from high share prices and Fed rate cuts, trading at 18 times earnings [2] Group 2 - Positive calls were made on several regional banks, with Morgan Stanley being highlighted for its strong performance in wealth management [3]

Core Insights - Check Point Software Technologies and Wiz have launched a unified Cloud Security Solution that integrates Check Point's cloud network security with Wiz's Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) to address modern cloud security challenges [1][2] Group 1: Partnership and Solution Overview - The partnership aims to provide a prevention-first model that enhances security from code to cloud, offering real-time visibility and risk-aware remediation [2] - The integrated solution is designed to help organizations manage the complexities of hyperconnected and distributed networks, which increase the attack surface [2][3] Group 2: Features and Capabilities - The new solution allows customers to gain visibility into CloudGuard gateway configurations directly within the Wiz platform, integrating third-party virtual firewall policies into risk assessment tools [3] - Companies can automate gateway-based remediation flows, significantly reducing exposure times from hours to minutes [3] Group 3: Performance Metrics - Check Point achieved a perfect 100% block rate with zero false positives in independent testing, along with a 99.9% block rate against Zero+1 day malware and a 99.7% prevention rate for phishing [4]

Economic Indicators - The Atlanta Fed tracker indicates a GDP growth rate of approximately 3.9% for Q3, following a 3.8% growth in Q2, suggesting a strong economic performance [2] - Weekly jobless claims decreased to 218,000, with a four-week moving average of about 230,000, indicating a healthy labor market [2][16] - Durable goods orders rose by 5.4% year-over-year, driven by Boeing, while new home sales increased by 20% month-over-month and 15% year-over-year, reflecting robust consumer activity [3] Market Outlook - The earnings outlook for the next quarter is positive, with expectations of broad-based growth across various sectors, including housing and financials [4][6] - Financials are expected to perform well, with Morgan Stanley raising targets for large-cap banks due to favorable numbers [7] - The industrial sector and data center investments are anticipated to continue thriving, supported by strong visibility [8] Investment Strategies - Investors are encouraged to diversify beyond technology stocks, with a focus on sectors like housing and autos, which may benefit from lower interest rates [6][7] - Capital One is highlighted as a favorable investment due to its recent acquisition of Discover Financial, which enhances its scalable payments network [9] - Cybersecurity is identified as a growing sector, with potential for consolidation among the 4,000 companies in the field, driven by increasing demand for AI-related security solutions [11][12] Consumer Behavior - The consumer remains resilient, supported by job stability and wage growth of about 5%, despite inflationary pressures [18] - A significant amount of capital, approximately $8 trillion, is currently in money markets, which may shift into equities as interest rates decline [14][15] Risks and Concerns - The labor market is closely monitored, with a warning threshold set at 250,000 to 260,000 weekly jobless claims, as a significant increase could signal economic trouble [16][17] - Potential government shutdowns are not seen as a major concern, with expectations that any issues will be resolved quickly [19][20]

Core Viewpoint - A class action lawsuit has been filed against Fortinet, Inc. for allegedly misrepresenting the impact of unit upgrades of FortiGate firewalls, leading to significant stock price decline when the truth was revealed [1][2][3]. Allegations - The complaint alleges that Fortinet failed to disclose the difficulty in predicting the total number of FortiGates requiring an upgrade [2] - It is claimed that customers had excess firewall capacity from previous purchases, reducing the necessity for upgrades [2] - The refresh of the firewalls was said to have minimal business impact as it represented only a small percentage of the company's business, given that the products were 12 to 15 years old and sold when Fortinet's business was significantly smaller [2] Stock Price Impact - Following the revelation of the alleged misrepresentations, Fortinet's stock price dropped over 22%, from $96.58 per share on August 6, 2025, to $75.30 per share on August 7, 2025 [3].