Core Insights - U.S. small-cap equities experienced modest gains in Q4 2025, supported by attractive valuations, earnings recovery, and a shift from mega-cap stocks [1] - The Aristotle Small Cap Equity Fund (Class I-2) returned 1.96% in Q4 2025, slightly trailing the Russell 2000 Index's return of 2.19% [1] - Security selection positively impacted overall performance, while allocation effects detracted from it [1] Company Focus: Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE:CNS) - Cohen & Steers, Inc. is a leading asset management holding company with a market capitalization of $3.4 billion [2] - The stock closed at $66.66 per share on February 13, 2026, with a one-month return of -5.34% and a twelve-month decline of 21.82% [2] - The company has seen an improvement in new business activity due to lower interest rates and high equity market valuations, which may lead to earnings growth [3] - Cohen & Steers maintains solid cash levels, positioning it for potential acquisitions or share repurchases [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Cohen & Steers, Inc. was held by 27 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, an increase from 23 in the previous quarter [5] - Despite its potential, the company is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with some analysts suggesting that certain AI stocks may offer better upside potential [5]

Company Overview - Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management company headquartered in San Mateo, CA, primarily generating revenue from investment management services for retail mutual funds, institutional, and high-net-worth investors worldwide [11]. Zacks Rank and Style Scores - Franklin Resources has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, indicating a moderate investment outlook [12]. - The company has a Momentum Style Score of A, with shares increasing by 7.5% over the past four weeks [12]. - For fiscal 2026, three analysts have revised their earnings estimates upwards in the last 60 days, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate rising by $0.03 to $2.54 per share [12]. - Franklin Resources has an average earnings surprise of +11.7%, suggesting a positive trend in earnings performance [12]. Investment Considerations - With a solid Zacks Rank and strong Momentum and VGM Style Scores, Franklin Resources is recommended for investors' consideration [13].

Core Insights - Goldman Sachs is recognized as one of the 12 Best DOW Stocks to Buy in 2026 [1] - Barclays has raised its price target for Goldman Sachs to $1,048 from $850, maintaining an Overweight rating, anticipating continued earnings growth into 2026 [2] - Goldman Sachs topped global dealmaking league tables in 2025, driven by significant political events and an increase in larger transactions [3] Financial Performance - The year 2025 saw 68 transactions exceeding $10 billion, totaling $1.5 trillion, more than double the previous year, with Goldman advising on 38 of these deals, amounting to $1.48 trillion in advised volume [4] - Goldman Sachs collected $4.6 billion in M&A fees, ranking No. 1 in both M&A fee revenue and total deal value, leading in deal volume ahead of JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley [6] - In the EMEA region, Goldman achieved a market share of 44.7% in 2025, a level not seen since 1999 [6] Market Outlook - Goldman Sachs' Global Co-Head of M&A described 2025 as an "exceptional M&A year," attributing the strong market to a "ubiquity of capital" [5] - Barclays expects the factors that contributed to double-digit earnings growth and bank stock outperformance in 2025 to persist into 2026 [2]

Market Overview - The U.S. markets ended the final trading week of 2025 on a mixed note, with optimism over AI growth offset by caution regarding Federal Reserve policy signals [1] - Despite thin year-end liquidity, late pullbacks in all three major benchmark indexes kept the broader bull trend intact as market participants positioned for 2026 [1] Macroeconomic Indicators - Initial jobless claims fell unexpectedly by 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 199,000 for the week ended Dec. 27, the lowest since the end of November, signaling continued labor market strength [2] - Pending home sales unexpectedly rose 3.3% in November, marking the largest seasonal rise since 2023 [2] Federal Reserve Policy - The Fed has successfully kept inflation stable and near its 2% target, with a current overnight borrowing rate in the range of 3.50-3.75% [3] - The pace of further easing may slow, even though markets are expecting two additional quarter-point cuts in 2026 [3] Dividend-Paying Stocks - Investors looking to diversify their portfolios can consider dividend-paying stocks, which indicate a healthy business model and can counter market upheavals [4] - Stocks that have raised dividends recently tend to outperform non-dividend-paying entities in a highly volatile market [4] Company Highlights The Ensign Group - The Ensign Group provides health care services in the post-acute care continuum and has a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [5] - On Dec. 19, ENSG declared a dividend of 7 cents a share, with a dividend yield of 0.1% [5] - Over the past five years, ENSG has increased its dividend five times, with a payout ratio of 4% of earnings [6] Invesco Mortgage Capital - Invesco Mortgage Capital is a real estate investment trust with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [7] - On Dec. 18, IVR declared a dividend of 36 cents a share, reflecting a dividend yield of 17.3% [7] - IVR has increased its dividend four times in the past five years, with a payout ratio of 58% of earnings [8] ABM Industries - ABM Industries is a provider of integrated facility solutions with a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [9] - On Dec. 17, ABM announced a dividend of 29 cents a share, yielding 2.5% [9] - Over the past five years, ABM has increased its dividend six times, with a payout ratio of 31% of earnings [11] Franklin Resources - Franklin Resources is a global investment management company with a Zacks Rank 3 [12] - On Dec. 17, BEN declared a dividend of 33 cents a share, yielding 5.5% [12] - Over the past five years, BEN has increased its dividend five times, with a payout ratio of 58% of earnings [13] Norwood Financial - Norwood Financial is a bank holding company with a Zacks Rank 3 [14] - On Dec. 16, NWFL announced a dividend of 32 cents a share, yielding 4.4% [14] - Over the past five years, NWFL has increased its dividend six times, with a payout ratio of 47% of earnings [14]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of investing in large-cap high-yield dividend stocks as a strategy for growth and income, particularly in the current volatile market environment [4][6]. Company Summaries - **ConocoPhillips**: This exploration and production company has a dividend yield of 3.57% and recently completed a $22.5 billion acquisition of Marathon Oil, enhancing its asset portfolio in key shale regions [8][10]. - **Ford Motor Co.**: An American automotive corporation with a 4.83% dividend yield, Ford operates in multiple segments, including commercial vehicles and financing services [11][14]. - **Johnson & Johnson**: A diversified healthcare giant with a 2.60% dividend yield, trading at 14.5 times forward earnings, noted for its strong brand and conservative approach in pharmaceuticals [15][17]. - **Prudential Financial**: This company offers a 5.04% dividend yield and provides a range of insurance and investment management services, making it a safe option for conservative investors [18][23]. - **Verizon Communications**: With a 6.63% dividend yield and trading at 9.13 times estimated 2026 earnings, Verizon has a stable revenue stream and a strong interest coverage ratio of 4.6 to 5.0 times, supporting its dividend payments [24][25].

Core Points - Mount Logan Capital Inc. will release its financial results for Q3 2025 on November 13, 2025, after market close [1] - A conference call to discuss the financial results will be held on November 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time [1] - The company focuses on public and private debt securities in North America and reinsurance of annuity products [2] Company Overview - Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company [2] - The company primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and credit-oriented instruments that offer attractive risk-adjusted returns [2] - ML Management, a subsidiary, provides investment management services to various investment funds and acts as a collateral manager for collateralized loan obligations [3] Subsidiary Information - Ability Insurance Company, acquired in Q4 FY 2021, reinsures long-term care policies and annuity products but no longer insures new long-term care risks [4]

Core Insights - Franklin Resources, Inc. reported a preliminary net income of $117.6 million or $0.21 per diluted share for Q4 2025, a 27% increase from the previous quarter and a recovery from a net loss of $84.7 million in Q4 2024 [1][3] - For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, the company achieved a net income of $524.9 million or $0.91 per diluted share, up from $464.8 million or $0.85 per diluted share in the prior year [1][3] - The company experienced long-term inflows of $84.6 billion, a 12% increase from the prior quarter, while long-term net outflows totaled $11.9 billion [3][4] Financial Performance - Preliminary operating income for Q4 2025 was $85.4 million, down from $154.1 million in the previous quarter and a loss of $150.7 million in Q4 2024 [1][7] - Adjusted net income for Q4 2025 was $357.5 million, compared to $263.4 million in the previous quarter and $315.2 million in Q4 2024 [2][7] - Total operating revenues for Q4 2025 were $2,343.7 million, a 6% increase from $2,211.2 million in the previous quarter [7][12] Asset Management and Flows - Total assets under management (AUM) reached $1,661.2 billion at September 30, 2025, reflecting a 3% increase from $1,611.8 billion at June 30, 2025 [7][16] - The company reported $44.5 billion in long-term net inflows for the fiscal year, with significant contributions from multi-asset and alternative strategies [4][16] - AUM in alternative investments reached a record $270 billion, bolstered by strong fundraising of $26.2 billion [4][16] Shareholder Returns - The company returned $930 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the fiscal year [5][8] - Cash and cash equivalents stood at $5.5 billion, with total stockholders' equity at $13.0 billion as of September 30, 2025 [8][5] Strategic Outlook - The company expressed confidence in its business strategy to capture long-term trends in the investment industry, emphasizing its global scale and client-first culture [6][5] - The institutional pipeline of won-but-unfunded mandates remains robust at $20.4 billion, indicating potential future growth [3][4]

Core Insights - Victory Capital Holdings (VCTR) reported a revenue of $361.2 million for the quarter ended September 2025, marking a year-over-year increase of 60.1% and an EPS of $1.63 compared to $1.35 a year ago [1] - The reported revenue was slightly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $361.76 million, resulting in a surprise of -0.16%, while the EPS exceeded expectations by 1.87% [1] Financial Performance - Victory Capital's shares have returned -7.2% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.3% change, and the stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [3] - The company’s ending assets under management (AUM) totaled $310.64 billion, closely aligning with the average estimate of $310.65 billion from three analysts [4] - Specific AUM figures include: - Money Market/Short-term: $3.66 billion [4] - Alternative Investments: $3.02 billion [4] - U.S. Small Cap Equity: $12.72 billion [4] - U.S. Mid Cap Equity: $31.88 billion [4] - Solutions: $86.96 billion [4] - Global/Non-U.S. Equity: $28.96 billion [4] - Fixed Income: $80.39 billion [4] - U.S. Large Cap Equity: $63.06 billion [4] Revenue Breakdown - Investment management fees generated $288.51 million, surpassing the estimated $282.47 million and reflecting a year-over-year increase of 62.3% [4] - Fund administration and distribution fees amounted to $72.69 million, below the estimated $79.28 million, but still showing a year-over-year increase of 52% [4] - Net client cash flows for Money Market/Short-term were reported at -$48 million, contrasting with the average estimate of $15.44 million from two analysts [4]

Core Viewpoint - Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 present significant investment opportunities, but they also come with higher risks and challenges compared to large-cap stocks [1][2]. Group 1: Stocks to Sell - **Frontdoor (FTDR)**: - Market Cap: $4.00 billion - Trading at $50.03 per share, equivalent to 13x forward P/E [3][5]. - **Northwest Bancshares (NWBI)**: - Market Cap: $1.75 billion - Trading at $11.69 per share, equivalent to 0.9x forward P/B [6][8]. Group 2: Stock to Watch - **Boot Barn (BOOT)**: - Market Cap: $5.71 billion - Projected revenue growth of 13.7% for the next 12 months indicates potential market share gains [9][12]. - Same-store sales growth averaged 2.9% over the past two years, reflecting elevated demand for brick-and-mortar locations [11][12].

Core Insights - Legal & General Assurance Society Limited (L&G) has completed a £96 million buy-in with the Cosworth Racing Limited Pension Fund, securing pension benefits for over 1,000 retired and deferred members [1][3] - This transaction follows a previous £4.6 billion buy-in involving two other pension schemes sponsored by Ford Motor Company Limited, indicating ongoing collaboration between L&G and Ford [3][6] - The buy-in was facilitated through a direct transfer of existing pooled assets, allowing for an efficient process without additional costs [4][6] Transaction Details - The Fund is managed by PAN Trustees UK LLP, which acted as the Professional Corporate Sole Trustee [3] - Aon served as the lead transaction adviser, scheme actuary, and investment consultant for the Trustee, while legal advice was provided by Gunnercooke and Slaughter and May [5] - The transaction is seen as a culmination of years of preparation, including the strategic merger of different schemes into a single pension fund in 2012 [6][7] Stakeholder Comments - Andrew Kail, CEO of Institutional Retirement at L&G, expressed satisfaction in helping secure retirement benefits for the Fund's members [5] - Andrew Firbank from PAN Trustees highlighted the achievement of greater security for members through the buy-in [6] - Hannah Brinton from Aon noted that flexible governance and focused preparation enabled the Fund to access exceptional pricing and terms for the transaction [7]