Key Takeaways "The dollar's supremacy is cracking," Nigel Green, founder of financial advisory firm deVere Group, wrote Wednesday morning. "When leaders and policymakers appear unconcerned about sharp declines, traders assume volatility will persist." Some dollar watchers are now looking toward what Fed Chair Jerome Powell might say about the dollar later today after the central bank's latest interest-rate decision. Over the longer term, many strategists expect gold prices to continue climbing, and weakness ...

Core Viewpoint - The Treasury market remains stable following the Federal Open Market Committee's interest rate decision, with yields showing little change [1] Treasury Yields - The 10-year yield, a benchmark for mortgage and credit rates, is trading around the same level as before the Fed's announcement, with a target range of 3.5%-3.75% [1] - The 2-year yield, which is more sensitive to interest rate changes, is trading at 3.596%, reflecting levels seen prior to the Fed decision, indicating uncertainty among traders regarding future rate movements [1]

Key Takeaways Dollar weakness is a "tailwind" for gold prices, Morgan Stanley's metals and mining strategist says. Precious metals experts see gold's rally continuing, but they see a chance of near-term volatility as investors take profits. One asset's weakness can be another's strength. That concept has added fresh complexity to rising investor demand for gold. Case in point: Spot gold prices continue to rally, breaking past $5,300 on Wednesday following a drop in the greenback yesterday. While it ...

Core Insights - NerdWallet Inc. (NRDS) shares have increased by 12.6% over the past six months, contrasting with a 17.9% decline in the industry [2] - The company is diversifying its revenue streams by reducing reliance on organic Google traffic and expanding into performance marketing, AI-driven discovery, and deeper financial services [6][9] - Strong profitability and cash flow growth were reported in Q3 2025, with net income reaching $26.3 million, marking a shift from previous investment-led losses to consistent profitability [10] Revenue Diversification - NerdWallet is actively investing in paid marketing to acquire high-intent users, which has helped offset pressures from organic search, particularly in Credit Cards and SMB products [6] - The company is benefiting from AI-driven referral channels, with early data indicating higher conversion rates compared to traditional organic search [7] - Acquisitions like Next Door Lending in mortgages allow NerdWallet to monetize more effectively, showing approximately 2X revenue per lead compared to traditional models [9] Profitability and Cash Flow - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 reached $53.6 million, representing a 25% margin and 44% year-over-year growth [11] - Non-GAAP operating income increased by 81% to $41.3 million, with margins expanding to 19% due to improved marketing efficiency and lower operational costs [11] - Management has raised 2025 guidance for operating income and EBITDA, indicating confidence in sustained margin expansion and cash flow generation [12] Capital Allocation and Balance Sheet - As of Q3 2025, NerdWallet held $120.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, providing liquidity for operations and strategic initiatives [13] - The company has access to a $125 million undrawn revolving credit facility, enhancing financial flexibility for potential acquisitions and investments [14] - In Q3 2025, NerdWallet repurchased $19 million of its common stock, reflecting confidence in its intrinsic value and cash flow durability [15][16] Growth Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NerdWallet's earnings implies year-over-year growth of 720% for 2025 and 49.6% for 2026 [17] - Sales estimates for 2025 and 2026 suggest year-over-year growth of 19.7% and 7.6%, respectively [21] Valuation Analysis - NerdWallet is currently trading at a forward P/E of 12.94X, which is below the industry average of 21.48X, indicating it may be undervalued relative to peers [24] Final Thoughts - While NerdWallet has made significant progress in diversifying revenue and improving profitability, recent stock performance reflects much of this positive momentum [26] - The valuation remains reasonable compared to peers, but near-term upside may be limited as investors await confirmation of sustained growth [28]

Core Insights - Stifel reported record annual revenue of $5.3 billion for 2025, despite a 6.9% decline in net income to $646.5 million [5] - The firm added 181 advisors in 2025, doubling the number from 2024, with these advisors contributing $86 million in trailing 12-month revenue [2] - CEO Ron Kruszweski indicated plans to allocate more resources to recruiting efforts in 2026 to capture additional market share [4][3] Financial Performance - Stifel's fourth-quarter revenue reached $1.56 billion, with net income of $255 million, both exceeding analyst expectations [5] - The firm reported record client assets of $552 billion and fee-based client assets of $224.5 billion [5] - A full-year revenue forecast for 2026 is projected between $6 billion and $6.35 billion, with net interest income expected to be between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion [7] Market Outlook - Despite challenges from geopolitical risks and policy-driven volatility, Stifel's leadership remains optimistic about the upcoming year [6] - The CEO expressed confidence in the firm's potential to grow to $10 billion in revenue and $1 trillion in client assets, although no specific timeline was provided [7] - The decision to expand recruiting efforts is influenced by the diverse revenue mix that new advisors bring, including fee-based revenue and lending [8]

Core Insights - American Express Company (AXP) is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter 2025 results on January 30, 2026, with earnings estimated at $3.55 per share and revenues at $18.82 billion [1][6] Earnings Estimates - The fourth-quarter earnings estimate has seen one upward revision and two downward movements in the past month, indicating a year-over-year increase of 16.8% [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues suggests a year-over-year growth of 9.6% [2] - For the full year 2025, the revenue estimate is $72.06 billion, reflecting a 9.3% year-over-year rise, while the EPS estimate is $15.40, indicating a 15.4% growth [4] Performance History - American Express has exceeded consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 4% [4] Earnings Prediction Model - The current model does not predict an earnings beat for American Express, as it has an Earnings ESP of -0.97% and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Factors Influencing Q4 Results - A rise in network volumes is expected, attributed to resilient consumer spending among AXP's premium customer base, with an anticipated growth of 8.3% in network volumes [6][7] - Discount revenues are projected to grow by 7.1% year-over-year, benefiting from increased network volumes [8] - Billed businesses in U.S. Consumer Services and Commercial Services are expected to grow by 7.4% and 3% year-over-year, respectively [8] - Cards-in-force are likely to increase by 4.7% year-over-year, with Average Card Member loans expected to rise by 8% [9] - Net interest income is projected to increase by 11.7% year-over-year due to higher loan receivables [10] Cost Considerations - Client engagement costs are anticipated to rise due to increased Card Member spending and higher usage of travel and lifestyle benefits [11] - Pre-tax income from Commercial Services is expected to decline by 6.9% year-over-year [11]

Trump’s push to create accounts for children is getting support from financial firms including Visa, which announced Wednesday that it will allow credit-card holders to use rewards points to fund those accounts. https://t.co/e9KxNDmcEU ...

Core Viewpoint - Alerus Financial Corporation is positioned as a stable financial services provider with a consistent price target of $27, reflecting analysts' positive outlook on its financial health and performance [1][6]. Financial Performance - Alerus reported a quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of $0.66, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.59, and showing significant improvement from $0.26 per share in the same quarter last year, indicating strong financial health [2][6]. - Analysts anticipate growth in earnings for Alerus's upcoming earnings report, although there are concerns that the company may lack the optimal factors for an earnings beat [5]. Analyst Insights - Despite the stable consensus price target, analyst Wallave William IV from Raymond James has set a slightly lower price target of $24, suggesting potential growth opportunities for the stock [3][6]. - The Zacks Rank system highlights Alerus as a promising stock for value investors, focusing on trends in value, growth, and momentum [3]. Strategic Initiatives - Alerus's recent earnings call featured key leaders discussing the company's achievements and future plans, indicating strong interest from analysts in the company's performance and potential [4].

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Core Viewpoint - Ally Financial Inc. will present at the BofA Securities Financial Services Conference on February 10, 2026, highlighting its commitment to financial services and investor relations [1]. Group 1: Company Overview - Ally Financial Inc. is a financial services company with the largest all-digital bank in the nation and a leading auto financing business [2]. - The company aims to "Do It Right" and serves customers through deposits, securities brokerage, investment advisory services, auto financing, and insurance offerings [2]. - Ally also has a corporate finance business that provides capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies [2].