Core Insights - Berkshire Hathaway made significant moves in Q2 2025, notably purchasing over 5 million shares in UnitedHealth Group, capitalizing on a 48% decline in the stock price during the quarter [1] - The firm also initiated positions in major homebuilders Lennar and D.R. Horton, as well as the largest steel producer Nucor, with these positions being kept confidential until now [2][3] Investment Moves - **New Positions**: Berkshire initiated positions in Lennar (approximately 7 million Class A shares worth $780 million), D.R. Horton (1.5 million shares worth $191 million), and Nucor (6.6 million shares worth $857 million) [3] - **Performance**: D.R. Horton reported strong earnings, contributing to a rally in homebuilding stocks, while Nucor benefited from steel tariffs, recovering from an 11% decline to a 25% increase by mid-August [4] Exits and Reductions - **Exit**: Berkshire fully exited its $1 billion stake in T-Mobile US, a move interpreted as profit-taking rather than a lack of confidence, with T-Mobile shares delivering a total return of approximately 114% since the initial investment [5][6] - **Reductions**: The firm reduced its stake in Apple by nearly 7%, marking the first reduction since Q3 2024, despite Apple shares experiencing a decline of over 7% in Q2 [8][9] - **Charter Communications**: Berkshire's shares in Charter dropped by over 46%, with the stock underperforming compared to the S&P 500 since the initial investment [9][10] Increased Holdings - **Pool Corporation**: Berkshire significantly increased its position in Pool from approximately 1.46 million to 3.46 million shares, a 137% increase, despite a 10% decline in the stock during Q2 [12][13] Cash Position - Berkshire Hathaway is holding a near-record cash position of $344 billion, indicating a cautious approach to investing in the current market [14]

Acquisition Financing - Cardinal Health plans to sell bonds in the US investment-grade primary market to fund its acquisition of Solaris Health [1]

bluebay2014/iStock via Getty Images Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Microsoft and Meta earnings bring comfort (0:20). Intel left out in the cold (2:20). Post-earnings declines (3:35). Strange and somewhat surprising Fed dynamics (7:55). Earnings next week, AMD most interesting (13:10). Transcript Rena Sherbill: Brian Stewart, our director of news at Seeking Alpha, welcome back to Wall Street Roundup. Brian Stewart: Great to be here. Thank you. RS: Lot of earnings as promised. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the second quarter, same store net revenue increased by 6.5% year over year, primarily driven by rate growth and recognition of revenue under Medicaid state directed payment programs in New Mexico and Tennessee [9][15][16] - Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was $380 million compared to $387 million in the prior year, with a margin of 12.1% versus 12.3% in the prior year [16][17] - Cash flows from operations were reported at $87 million for the second quarter and $282 million year to date, with free cash flows for the second quarter being marginally positive [17][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Inpatient admissions increased by 0.3% year over year, while adjusted admissions declined by 0.7%, with same store surgeries down by 2.5% and emergency department visits down by 1.9% [9][15][16] - The company has over 200 providers scheduled to commence in the second half of 2025, indicating a focus on expanding service lines and capacity [10][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted a decline in consumer confidence, which has affected demand for healthcare services, particularly elective surgical procedures [13][25] - The company is experiencing a softer demand for elective surgeries, particularly in the commercial book, which has led to a loss of operating leverage [13][14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its physical capacity and service lines, with ongoing recruitment of primary care and specialty physicians [10][11] - Recent service line and capacity expansions in key markets are expected to ramp up and gain market share, with new outpatient access points set to open [11] - The company completed the divestiture of Cedar Park Regional Medical Center for $436 million and is working on improving its leverage profile through successful debt refinancing [11][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence that past development and capital investment strategies have positioned the company well to capture patient demand once consumer confidence returns [9][10] - The company anticipates that the impacts from the recently signed budget reconciliation for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will phase in beginning in 2027, projecting a cumulative reduction in EBITDA of approximately $300 to $350 million over the next thirteen years [19][20] - Management is taking a conservative approach to the underlying business given the impact from macro factors observed in the second quarter [22] Other Important Information - The CEO announced plans to retire in September, with the President and CFO expected to take over leadership [5][8] - The company is actively pursuing legislative and administrative fixes to mitigate the impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Volume expectations and dynamics - Management noted a decline in consumer confidence affecting volumes, with a revised guidance for adjusted admissions for the year now expected to be 0% to 1% [25][26] Question: Updates on state directed payment programs - Management provided updates on pending DPP programs in Indiana and Florida, expecting material benefits from these programs once approved [30][31] Question: Run rate for EBITDA going forward - Management indicated that the real run rate for EBITDA is likely in the range of $360 million to $375 million, considering the current volume trends [36] Question: Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act - Management explained the complexities of estimating the impact of the bill, emphasizing ongoing lobbying efforts to address potential funding cuts [19][20][92] Question: Medicare volume trends - Management reported no significant changes in the Medicare book of business, indicating that this segment is less impacted by consumer confidence issues [76] Question: Differences in volume trends compared to peers - Management suggested that geographic differences and types of markets may contribute to the volume discrepancies observed compared to peers [80][81]

Even if newly planned strikes are called off, the British Medical Association’s transformation has already been profound. It is no longer simply a doctors’ guild, but a political force https://t.co/oNrJed1r5l ...

Core Insights - Insider buying activity has surged at three major companies, with executives investing over $170 million, indicating strong confidence in their future performance [1] Group 1: Builders FirstSource (BLDR) - Multiple directors, including Chairman Paul S. Levy, have purchased shares, with Levy investing approximately $55.4 million on May 8 [1][2] - Following Levy's purchase, BLDR shares increased by around 20%, outperforming the S&P 500's 11% gain during the same period [3] Group 2: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Stephen J. Hemsley, the new CEO and Chairman, bought approximately $25 million worth of shares on May 16, signaling confidence in the company's future [5][6] - Under Hemsley's previous leadership from 2006 to 2017, UNH shares provided a total return of 360%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] Group 3: Middleby (MIDD) - Director Edward P. Garden purchased over $93 million in Middleby stock from May 9 to May 21, increasing his stake from approximately 5% to 6% [10][11] - Garden aims to focus the company on its commercial foodservice segment, and the company announced plans to spin off its food processing business [12]

Group 1: Market Overview - The S&P 500 index was up 5.5% by the midway point of 2025 and recently hit a new all-time high, raising questions about future growth amid uncertainties surrounding tariffs and trade policies [1] Group 2: UnitedHealth - UnitedHealth shares were down 38% as of the end of June, with a market cap reduced to around $275 billion from over $500 billion [4] - The stock is trading at 13 times trailing earnings, significantly lower than the S&P 500 average P/E of 24, suggesting potential undervaluation [5] - The company has withdrawn its guidance for the year due to rising costs, but there is potential for a positive earnings surprise in the latter half of the year [6][7] Group 3: Marvell Technology - Marvell Technology shares were down 30% at the half-year mark, with high growth expectations due to its application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) used by hyperscalers [9] - The company reported $1.9 billion in revenue for the most recent quarter, a 63% year-over-year increase, indicating strong growth potential [10] - Marvell's forward P/E multiple of 27 is considered attractive compared to its historical averages, positioning it well in the AI market [11] Group 4: Deckers Outdoor - Deckers Outdoor shares were down 49% through the first six months of the year, impacted by exposure to China and economic challenges [12] - The company reported over $1 billion in quarterly sales, a 6% year-over-year increase, with net income rising by 19% to $151 million [13] - Trading at 17 times trailing earnings, Deckers is viewed as attractively priced for a growing business, with potential to outperform the S&P 500 in the second half [14]

U.S. stock futures were higher this morning, with the Dow futures gaining around 0.2% on Wednesday.Shares of Centene Corporation CNC fell sharply in today's pre-market trading after the health care company withdrew its guidance for 2025.Centene withdrew its previous 2025 earnings guidance and all underlying guidance elements based on the company's preliminary interpretation of marketplace data from the independent actuarial firm Wakely.Centene shares dipped 27.7% to $40.94 in the pre-market trading session. ...

The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being under ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of the Zacks Rank and Style Scores system in identifying strong stocks, particularly focusing on value investing strategies [1][2][3] Company Analysis - Molina Healthcare (MOH) is highlighted as a stock to watch, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A [4] - MOH's current P/E ratio is 11.48, which is slightly below the industry average of 11.51, indicating potential undervaluation [4] - Over the past 52 weeks, MOH's Forward P/E has fluctuated between 10.15 and 14.07, with a median of 12.32 [4] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.94, which is lower than the industry average of 1.01, suggesting that it may be undervalued relative to its expected earnings growth [5] - MOH's PEG ratio has ranged from 0.81 to 1.24 over the last 12 months, with a median of 1 [5] - The combination of these metrics indicates that MOH is likely undervalued and presents an attractive investment opportunity based on its earnings outlook [6]