The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) is included among the 12 Best DOW Stocks to Buy in 2026. Barclays Turns More Confident on Goldman Sachs (GS) as Bank Earnings Stay Strong Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay On January 5, Barclays raised its price target on The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) to $1,048 from $850 and kept an Overweight rating. The move followed updates across the large-cap bank group as part of the firm’s 2026 outlook. Barclays expects the same forces that fueled double-digit ...

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]

Core Viewpoint - Invesco is an independent investment management firm focused on enhancing the investment experience for individuals [1] Group 1 - Invesco emphasizes the importance of understanding investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before making investment decisions [1] - The firm provides educational content but does not offer specific investment recommendations or tax advice [1] - Invesco's opinions are based on current market conditions and may change without notice, indicating a dynamic approach to investment management [1] Group 2 - Invesco Distributors, Inc. serves as the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.'s retail products and collective trust funds [1] - The company operates through various affiliated investment advisers that provide advisory services without selling securities [1] - Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by Invesco Capital Markets, Inc. and other broker-dealers, highlighting the firm's extensive distribution network [1]

Core Viewpoint - Mount Logan Capital Inc. has completed a strategic business combination with 180 Degree Capital Corp, resulting in New Mount Logan becoming the sole unitholder of Mount Logan [1][2]. Company Overview - Mount Logan Capital Inc. (Nasdaq: MLCI) is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company focused on public and private debt securities in North America and reinsurance of annuity products [4]. - The company actively invests in loans, debt securities, and credit-oriented instruments that offer attractive risk-adjusted returns with low risk of principal impairment [4]. Business Combination Details - The business combination allows New Mount Logan to acquire all issued and outstanding units of Mount Logan, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary [2]. - New Mount Logan did not own any common shares of Mount Logan before the completion of the business combination, but now controls all issued and outstanding units [2]. Subsidiaries and Operations - Mount Logan operates through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Mount Logan Management LLC, which provides investment management services to various investment funds and companies [5]. - Ability Insurance Company, another subsidiary, reinsures long-term care policies and has largely transferred its morbidity risk to third parties [6].