Core Insights - Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is the largest telecommunications company in the U.S., valued at $167.1 billion, providing a range of communication and entertainment services [1] Performance Overview - VZ shares have underperformed the broader market, declining 3.3% over the past year, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by nearly 16.1% [2] - In 2026, VZ's stock fell 3.5%, contrasting with a 1.9% rise in the S&P 500 on a year-to-date basis [2] Comparative Analysis - VZ has lagged behind the iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ), which gained approximately 26.1% over the past year, and the ETF's 1.8% year-to-date gains outshine VZ's losses [3] Financial Performance - On October 29, 2025, VZ reported Q3 results with an adjusted EPS of $1.21, exceeding Wall Street expectations of $1.19, while revenue was $33.8 billion, missing forecasts of $34.2 billion [4] - Analysts project VZ's EPS to grow by 2% to $4.68 for the current fiscal year ending December 2025, with a strong earnings surprise history [4] Analyst Ratings - Among 29 analysts covering VZ, the consensus rating is "Moderate Buy," consisting of eight "Strong Buy," three "Moderate Buy," and 18 "Hold" ratings [5] - Wells Fargo maintained an "Equal Weight" rating on VZ, lowering the price target to $41, indicating a potential upside of 4.3% from current levels [6] - The mean price target of $46.87 suggests a 19.2% premium to VZ's current price, while the highest target of $58 indicates a potential upside of 47.5% [6]

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forge Global Holdings, Inc. ("Forge†) (NYSE: FRGE), a leading provider of marketplace infrastructure, data services, and technology and investment solutions for the private market, today announced that Forge's stockholders approved all proposals related to the previously announced acquisition of Forge by The Charles Schwab Corporation ("Schwab†). A total of 9,687,311 shares of Forge's common stock were represented in person or by proxy at Forge's special stockhol. ...

Investment Environment - L1 Capital International Fund's fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter emphasizes the importance of valuation analysis for AI-focused investments, indicating that mere conviction in AI is insufficient for successful outcomes [1] - The year 2025 was characterized as a strong year for global stock markets, with the fund returning 2.2% net of fees, compared to 2.5% for the MSCI World Net Total Return Index in AUD [1] Fund Performance - For the year 2025, the fund achieved a return of 9.8% net of fees, while the benchmark index returned 12.4% [1] Company Focus: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) - Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) is highlighted as a long-term holding and remains a top 10 position in the fund, despite facing share price pressure due to AI-related concerns [3] - The stock of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) experienced a one-month return of 8.04% and a 52-week gain of 15.12%, closing at $172.94 per share with a market capitalization of $98.995 billion on January 14, 2026 [2] - The share price of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) has recovered 15% from recent lows, indicating resilience despite market pressures [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) was held by 82 hedge fund portfolios at the end of the third quarter, a slight decrease from 84 in the previous quarter, suggesting a stable interest among hedge funds [4] - While acknowledging the potential of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) as an investment, the company believes that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

Core Insights - T-Mobile US, Inc. is set to announce its fiscal Q4 earnings for 2025 on February 4, with a current market cap of $220.7 billion [1] Financial Performance - Analysts expect T-Mobile to report a profit of $2.14 per share for Q4 2025, a decrease of 16.7% from $2.57 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the current fiscal year ending in December, T-Mobile is projected to report a profit of $10.08 per share, reflecting a 4.4% increase from $9.66 per share in fiscal 2024 [3] - EPS is anticipated to grow by 11.3% year-over-year to $11.22 in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - T-Mobile's shares have declined by 8.5% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's return of 17.1% and the State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF's increase of 20.5% [4] - On October 23, T-Mobile's shares fell by 3.3% despite better-than-expected Q3 earnings, with total revenue rising by 8.9% year-over-year to $22 billion and adjusted EBITDA increasing by 5.3% to $8.7 billion [5] Analyst Ratings - Wall Street analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" rating for T-Mobile, with 16 out of 29 analysts recommending "Strong Buy," 3 suggesting "Moderate Buy," and 10 indicating "Hold" [6] - The mean price target for T-Mobile is set at $270.08, suggesting a potential upside of 35.7% from current levels [6]

Core Viewpoint - T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) is considered one of the best telecom stocks to invest in, with KeyBanc upgrading its rating from Underweight to Sector Weight, indicating a neutral risk/reward profile at current prices [1] Financial Performance and Projections - T-Mobile raised its FY25 outlook for postpaid net subscriber additions from 6.1-6.4 million to 7.2-7.4 million, reflecting an improvement of 1.05 million at the midpoint [3] - The company's core adjusted EBITDA forecast increased by $300 million at the midpoint to a range of $33.7-33.9 billion [3] - Net cash generated through operations guidance was enhanced by $600 million to a range of $27.8-28.0 billion [3] - T-Mobile also increased its capital expenditure plan from $9.5 billion to $10.0 billion to support its growing customer base and network expansion [3] Market Position and Services - T-Mobile US Inc. provides wireless communications services across the US, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands, offering voice, messaging, and data services to various customer segments including postpaid, prepaid, and wholesale [4] Future Growth Expectations - KeyBanc anticipates that T-Mobile will experience an acceleration in organic growth rates following its planned investments in 2025, with the next major trigger for the stock being the fourth-quarter earnings release and the company's projections for 2026/2027 [2]

Core Insights - The Meridian Hedged Equity Fund reported a return of 1.67% in Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500 Index which returned 8.13% and the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index which returned 3.53% [1] - The fund's performance was influenced by a market focus on policy easing rather than weakening fundamentals, despite concerns about stagflation [1] Company Highlights - Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE) is highlighted as a key stock in the fund's portfolio, with a one-month return of 3.84% and a 52-week gain of 7.64% [2] - As of December 23, 2025, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. had a stock price of $161.95 and a market capitalization of $92.704 billion [2] - The company operates a global network of exchanges and data services across various asset classes, benefiting from a resilient business model that combines transaction-based revenues with recurring data and technology revenues [3] Investment Sentiment - Despite the underperformance of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. in the recent quarter, the fund maintains confidence in its long-term potential due to strong cash flow generation for debt reduction and shareholder returns [3] - The company is not among the top 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 82 hedge fund portfolios holding its stock at the end of Q3 2025, a slight decrease from 84 in the previous quarter [4] - The fund suggests that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential compared to Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., indicating a competitive investment landscape [4]

Group 1 - A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. has secured a purchase order from Super Sapir for 3,000 smart shopping carts, marking it as one of the best-performing small-cap tech stocks in the past three years [1] - The total contract value is $30 million, structured as a long-term recurring-revenue model with Super Sapir paying a monthly fee per cart over a 60-month period [2] - A2Z Cust2Mate has exclusive rights to monetize digital services tied to the carts, including in-store advertising and data services, with a fixed fee for every thousand ads sold [3] Group 2 - The rollout of the smart carts is expected to begin in the first half of 2026, potentially marking a significant scaling milestone and adding a predictable recurring revenue stream for the company [4] - A2Z Cust2Mate's technology aims to transform brick-and-mortar retail by integrating hardware, software, and retail media into a unified in-store shopping platform [4]

Core Insights - Tempus AI is positioned to leverage its extensive healthcare data, with over 400 petabytes and access to more than 45 million patient records, to train advanced AI models that could significantly enhance the healthcare sector [2][3] Company Overview - Tempus AI has a market capitalization of less than $14 billion and is considered a potential major player in the AI healthcare space [2] - The company has established partnerships with nearly all (95%) of the top 20 oncology companies, enhancing its data utility [2] Product Lines - Tempus AI operates three main product lines: genomics, applications, and data services, which are integrated to enhance the overall value of its insights and data [3] Financial Performance - For the period ending September 30, Tempus reported revenue of $334.2 million, reflecting an 85% year-over-year increase, primarily driven by its genomics business, which more than doubled to $252.9 million [4] - The data and services segment experienced a more modest growth rate of 26% [4] Profitability Challenges - Despite strong revenue growth, Tempus is facing challenges with profitability, reporting an operating loss of just under $61 million, a 14% increase from the previous year [5] - The company's operating cash burn has increased from $149.8 million a year ago to over $181.3 million, raising concerns about potential dilution risks if additional capital is needed [5] Market Position and Investment Considerations - While Tempus AI has seen significant stock appreciation, caution is advised due to its high cash burn and lack of profitability improvement, suggesting a wait-and-see approach for potential investors [6][7]

Core Points - Verizon is providing free calling, texting, and data services for customers in Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas from October 28 to November 12, 2025, in response to Hurricane Melissa [2][3][6] - The offer includes waiving charges for international calls from the US to these countries for consumer and small business wireless and landline customers [3][4] - Customers do not need to take any action to benefit from this offer, as calls will be rated at $0.00 per minute [4][6] Company Overview - Verizon Communications Inc. is a leading provider of technology and communications services, generating revenues of $136.8 billion in 2023 [5] - The company is headquartered in New York City and operates globally, offering data, video, and voice services on its networks [5]

Core Insights - Tempus AI, Inc. is recognized as a significant player in the AI sector on Wall Street, with a Buy rating and a price target of $110.00 set by Canaccord Genuity analyst Kyle Mikson, driven by the potential for AI deployment in clinical practice to enhance long-term revenue growth [1][3]. Group 1: Company Overview - Tempus AI, Inc. operates in the healthcare technology sector, providing AI-enabled precision medicine solutions, including oncology testing for genomic profiling and data services [3]. - The company has a strong acquisition strategy, exemplified by the Ambry deal, which is expected to enhance testing capabilities and AI functionalities, thereby accelerating growth [2][3]. Group 2: Financial Projections - The firm's DCF model for Tempus AI includes key assumptions such as a 10-year revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.8% and a peak operating margin of 45.6%, with a discount rate of 15.0% [3].