Group 1 - Mairs & Power Balanced Fund reported a return of 2.66% in the first half of 2025, underperforming benchmark indexes which rose 5.43% and 5.67% respectively [1] - The fund's performance was impacted by external factors such as tariff uncertainty, conflicts in the Middle East, and rising national debt [1] - The fund experienced a recovery, rising 25% from its low at the beginning of the quarter [1] Group 2 - Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ:TECH) has a market capitalization of $8.239 billion and focuses on life science reagents, instruments, and services [2] - The stock of Bio-Techne Corporation saw a one-month return of -5.87% and a 52-week decline of 29.39%, closing at $52.92 per share on September 23, 2025 [2] - The company underperformed due to uncertainty in the funding environment, influenced by federal funding cuts and a weak venture capital landscape [3] Group 3 - Bio-Techne Corporation generated $317 million in revenues in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a 3% year-over-year increase on an organic basis and a 4% increase on a reported basis [4] - The company is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 37 hedge fund portfolios holding its stock at the end of the second quarter, up from 34 in the previous quarter [4] - Despite acknowledging Bio-Techne's potential, the company believes certain AI stocks present greater upside potential and lower downside risk [4]

Company Overview - Bio-Techne Corporation (TECH) is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling life science reagents, instruments, and services for research, diagnostics, and bioprocessing markets, with a market cap of $8.3 billion [1] - The company focuses on proteins, cytokines, growth factors, immunoassays, and small molecules, positioning itself as a significant player in the biotechnology industry [1] Market Position - TECH is classified as a mid-cap stock, with a market cap exceeding $2 billion, highlighting its size, influence, and dominance within the biotechnology sector [2] - The company is committed to innovation, strategic acquisitions, and has a global presence, which positions it for continued success and growth opportunities both domestically and internationally [2] Stock Performance - Despite its strengths, TECH's stock has decreased by 34.5% from its 52-week high of $80.80, reached on November 6, 2024 [3] - Over the past three months, TECH stock gained 7.3%, underperforming the Dow Jones Industrials Average, which gained 8.7% during the same period [3] - Year-to-date, shares of TECH have dipped 26.5%, and over the past 52 weeks, they have fallen 31.5%, significantly underperforming the Dow Jones Industrials Average's YTD gains of 8.8% and 9.9% returns over the last year [4] Recent Financial Results - On August 6, TECH reported its Q4 results, with an adjusted EPS of $0.53, surpassing Wall Street expectations of $0.50, and revenue of $317 million, exceeding forecasts of $315.4 million [5] - In comparison, Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) has shown significant resilience, with YTD gains of 132.4% and 227% returns over the past 52 weeks, indicating a competitive challenge for TECH [5]

With a market cap of $10 billion, Revvity, Inc. (RVTY) is a global provider of health sciences solutions, technologies, and services. The company delivers a broad portfolio that includes instruments, reagents, informatics, software, imaging technologies, DNA sequencing services, and diagnostic platforms for genetic and infectious disease testing. Companies valued at $10 billion or more are generally classified as “large-cap” stocks, and Revvity fits this criterion perfectly. Serving pharmaceutical and bio ...

Brown Capital Management, an investment management company, released its “The Brown Capital Management Small Company Fund” second quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The small-cap US stocks rebounded in the second quarter following a challenging first quarter. The Small Company Fund returned 8.59% in the second quarter, lagging the Russell 2000® Growth index’s 11.97% return. The underperformance in the quarter occurred in the last few weeks of the period. In addition, ...

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies, including daily updates on Zacks Rank and Industry Rank, research reports, and stock screens [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, helping investors identify securities likely to outperform the market in the short term [2][3] - Each stock is rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [3] Value Score - The Value Style Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow [3] Growth Score - The Growth Style Score evaluates stocks based on projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find those with sustainable growth potential [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Style Score assesses stocks based on price trends and earnings estimate changes, indicating optimal times to invest in high-momentum stocks [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the Value, Growth, and Momentum Scores to identify stocks with the best overall characteristics [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to help investors build successful portfolios, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks achieving an average annual return of +23.75% since 1988 [7][9] - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for the highest likelihood of success [9][10] Company Spotlight: MKS Inc. - MKS Inc. is a global provider of advanced manufacturing process solutions, currently rated 3 (Hold) by Zacks, with a VGM Score of A [11] - The company has a Momentum Style Score of A, with shares increasing by 0.8% over the past four weeks [11] - Recent earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 have been revised higher, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.32 to $6.94 per share, and an average earnings surprise of +15.9% [12]

Core Insights - MKS Inc. has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the 2025-2026 Best Companies to Work For, marking the third consecutive year of receiving this accolade [1][2]. Company Overview - MKS Inc. is a global provider of enabling technologies that transform various industries, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, and specialty industrial applications [5]. - The company focuses on delivering foundational technology solutions, including instruments, subsystems, systems, process control solutions, and specialty chemicals technology [5]. - MKS's solutions are essential for addressing challenges related to miniaturization and complexity in advanced device manufacturing, enhancing power, speed, and connectivity [5]. Employee Recognition - The recognition from U.S. News reflects MKS's innovative work and supportive organizational climate, which helps attract and retain talented professionals [2]. - The U.S. News ratings consider various factors influencing employee decision-making, such as pay and benefits, work-life balance, job stability, and career development opportunities [2][3]. - The 2025-2026 list includes companies that excelled across multiple metrics contributing to a positive work environment [3]. Methodology - The U.S. News Best Companies to Work For list was calculated based on data from the largest 5,000 publicly traded companies as of January 2025, requiring a minimum of 75 Glassdoor reviews from 2021 to 2025 [3]. - Metrics used in the evaluation were derived from employee sentiment and regulatory enforcement data, gathered from partners like Revelio Labs and Good Jobs First's Violation Tracker [3].

Core Viewpoint - MKS Instruments, Inc. has announced a name change to "MKS Inc." effective May 16, 2025, reflecting its expanded business scope beyond industrial instruments to include subsystems, systems, process control solutions, and specialty chemicals technology [1][2]. Company Overview - MKS Instruments, Inc. was founded in 1961 and has grown through organic development and strategic acquisitions, including Newport in 2016, ESI in 2019, and Atotech in 2022 [2]. - The company provides foundational technology solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, packaging, and specialty industrial applications [3]. - MKS's solutions address challenges in advanced device manufacturing, focusing on miniaturization, complexity, power, speed, feature enhancement, and optimized connectivity [3]. Name Change Implications - The name change to MKS Inc. aims to better represent the company's current and future business scope [2]. - The stock will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol "MKSI," and the corporate structure and subsidiary names will remain unchanged [2].

Leadership Changes - Jim Schreiner will conclude his role as the leader of the Materials Solutions Division on August 1, 2025, and will return to his position as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of MKS Instruments [1] - David P. Henry will take over as Executive Vice President, Global Strategic Marketing, and General Manager of the Materials Solutions Division on August 1, 2025, succeeding Schreiner [2] Company Recognition - John T.C. Lee, President and CEO of MKS, acknowledged the significant contributions of both Jim Schreiner and Dave Henry, highlighting Schreiner's leadership post-acquisition of Atotech in August 2022 and Henry's strategic capabilities [3] Company Overview - MKS Instruments, Inc. provides enabling technologies for semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, packaging, and specialty industrial applications, focusing on improving process performance and productivity [4]

Core Insights - MKS Instruments, Inc. reported strong first quarter 2025 financial results, achieving revenue at the high end of guidance, driven by growth in Semiconductor and Electronics & Packaging markets [2][6][8] - The company is actively managing the impacts of new trade policies while maintaining confidence in its global manufacturing and supply chain capabilities [2][3] Financial Performance - Total net revenues for Q1 2025 were $936 million, compared to $935 million in Q4 2024 and $868 million in Q1 2024, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 7.8% [5][6] - GAAP net income was $52 million, with net income per diluted share at $0.77, both exceeding the midpoint of guidance [6][7] - Non-GAAP net earnings were $116 million, with non-GAAP net earnings per diluted share at $1.71, also above the high end of guidance [6][25] Margins and Guidance - GAAP gross margin was 47.4%, slightly up from 47.2% in Q4 2024, while operating margin was 11.9%, down from 14.5% in the previous quarter [5][6] - The company provided guidance for Q2 2025, anticipating stable demand and strong business fundamentals, while considering potential impacts from evolving trade policies [3][9] Cash Flow and Capital Management - As of March 31, 2025, MKS had $655 million in cash and cash equivalents, with total debt of $4.1 billion [7][20] - The company repurchased approximately 546,000 shares for about $45 million and paid a cash dividend of $15 million during the first quarter [7][24] Market Outlook - MKS Instruments is seeing pockets of demand improvement in its key markets, particularly in memory and foundry sectors, which are essential for supporting AI applications [2][3] - The company remains focused on managing profitability and cash generation to strengthen its balance sheet amid a dynamic market environment [3][6]

Core Insights - MKS Instruments has announced the groundbreaking of a new chemical manufacturing and TechCenter facility in Thailand, aimed at enhancing its presence in Southeast Asia and supporting the growing PCB industry [1][2] - The facility will focus on producing process chemicals and providing specialized services for advanced electronics and industrial markets, with a production capacity of 18,500 tons per year [3][6] - This strategic investment of over $40 million reflects MKS' long-term vision for growth and innovation in the electronics and plating industries [3][2] Company Overview - MKS Instruments provides foundational technology solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, and specialty industrial applications, focusing on improving process performance and enabling innovations [5] - The Atotech brand within MKS specializes in advanced surface modification and plating technologies, offering a comprehensive portfolio that includes chemistry, equipment, software, and services [7][8] Facility Details - The new facility will occupy an 11.7-acre plot, approximately 27,000 square meters, located 30 minutes from Bangkok International Airport [2] - It will feature state-of-the-art manufacturing spaces, advanced plating equipment, fully equipped laboratories, and comprehensive technical service capabilities [6]