Stock Analysis

Business

Graco's Q4 Earnings: Steady Growth Meets Analyst Scrutiny on Acquisitions and Margins

Graco Inc. delivered solid fourth-quarter results, meeting analyst forecasts with 8% sales growth driven by acquisitions and stable core demand. While management expressed confidence in integration efforts and margin initiatives, analysts on the earnings call pressed for details on long-term profitability and market headwinds.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the Headline Drop: Five Analyst Probes That Defined Brown & Brown's Volatile Quarter

Despite posting robust year-over-year growth, Brown & Brown's Q4 revenue miss triggered a sharp sell-off. The earnings call revealed deeper pressures, from integration challenges and talent poaching to market normalization, setting the stage for a pivotal 2024.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Western Housing Shift: Eight Major Metros See Home Prices Dip, Offering Buyers New Leverage

After years of relentless growth, a cooling trend is taking hold in several Western U.S. housing markets. We examine the metros where prices are falling, what's driving the change, and how prospective buyers can navigate this shifting landscape.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Iran Escalates Diplomatic Row, Summons EU Envoys Over Revolutionary Guard's Terror Listing

Iran has summoned the ambassadors of all European Union member states in Tehran in a sharp diplomatic protest against the bloc's recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The move, triggered by the IRGC's alleged role in suppressing protests, deepens Iran's isolation amid heightened regional tensions.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Bitcoin's $80K Breach: Jim Cramer Questions the 'Line in the Sand' and the Absence of Crypto's Defenders

CNBC's Jim Cramer scrutinizes Bitcoin's sharp retreat from the $80,000 milestone, casting doubt on the durability of its support and highlighting a market driven more by narrative than fundamentals.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Russia Reaffirms Backing for China's Taiwan Stance in High-Level Security Talks

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, meeting with China's top diplomat Wang Yi in Moscow, reiterated Russia's firm support for Beijing's position on Taiwan, calling it an 'inseparable part' of China. The talks underscore deepening strategic coordination between the two powers amid global tensions.

Feb 2, 2026

US

FAA Chief Takes Responsibility for Systemic Failures in Fatal Helicopter Collision

At a Singapore aviation conference, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford publicly accepted the NTSB's findings that agency failures contributed to a mid-air collision that claimed 67 lives, vowing to implement safety reforms.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Betfred Founders Top UK's Tax List, with Styles and Joshua Among High-Profile Contributors

The annual Sunday Times Tax List reveals the UK's top 100 individual taxpayers paid a record £5.76bn, featuring a mix of business titans, sports stars, and entertainers, with a notable rise in contributions linked to recent fiscal policy changes.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

MicroStrategy's Massive Bitcoin Bet Turns Sour as Price Dips Below Key Threshold

The business intelligence firm, the world's largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, is now sitting on nearly $1 billion in paper losses after the cryptocurrency's recent slump below its average acquisition cost, raising questions about its high-stakes treasury strategy.

Feb 2, 2026

World

EY Forecast: UK Growth to Stagnate Under Weight of Tax Rises and Global Headwinds

The UK's economic recovery faces a significant drag from recently implemented fiscal tightening, with growth forecasts remaining subdued for the coming year, according to a leading economic forecaster.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the Hype: Two Hardware Plays Poised to Capitalize on AI's Next Phase in 2026

As the generative AI boom matures, profitability remains elusive for many software firms. We examine why investors are shifting focus to the essential hardware enablers, spotlighting Micron and Broadcom.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Europe's $955 Billion Recovery Fund Faces Uphill Battle to Deliver Lasting Economic Transformation

As the EU's landmark 'Next Generation' fund nears its final payout deadlines, its ambitious goal of modernizing the bloc's economy is being hampered by bureaucracy, skills gaps, and questions over long-term sustainability, despite pockets of innovation.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

TransDigm's Billion-Dollar Bet: Do Stellant and Jet Parts Deals Reinforce or Risk Its Aerospace Dominance?

TransDigm Group's recent acquisitions of Stellant Systems and Jet Parts Engineering, totaling over $3 billion, have analysts debating whether the moves solidify its lucrative aftermarket strategy or stretch its leveraged balance sheet too thin ahead of a critical earnings season.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Boston Scientific's Surging Heart Device Demand and Margin Resilience Redefine Growth Trajectory

Boston Scientific's latest earnings beat and raised guidance, fueled by strong demand for its electrophysiology devices, signal a strategic shift. The company is navigating tariff pressures while expanding margins, with major acquisitions poised to reshape its long-term profile.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Energy Transfer Raises Payouts, Commits Billions to Pipeline Expansion in Dual-Pronged Strategy

Energy Transfer LP announced a significant increase to its quarterly distribution alongside a multi-billion dollar capital expenditure plan for new pipeline and infrastructure projects, signaling confidence in its cash flow stability and long-term growth prospects.

Feb 2, 2026

World

A New Axis Emerges: Meloni and Merz Forge Conservative Alliance, Diminishing Macron's Role in EU Leadership

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have signed a landmark partnership pact in Rome, signaling a potential shift in the European Union's traditional Franco-German power center. The accord, focusing on defense, migration, and trade, comes as France grapples with political instability and a weakened presidency.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Costa Rica Elects Laura Fernandez, Vowing Constitutional Overhaul and Crime Crackdown

Laura Fernandez, a close ally of outgoing populist President Rodrigo Chaves, has been elected Costa Rica's next leader. She pledges to continue his transformative agenda, including constitutional reforms and emergency measures to combat drug violence, signaling a profound shift for the nation.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Civilian Bus Struck by Russian Drone in Dnipropetrovsk, Killing 12 Miners

A Russian drone attack on a bus carrying Ukrainian miners home from work has left at least 12 dead and 8 wounded, officials say, in what is being condemned as a deliberate strike on civilians.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Medvedev Warns of Global Alarm as New START Expiry Looms, Threatening First Unchecked Nuclear Era in Decades

Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev cautions that the potential lapse of the last major U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty without a successor could plunge the world into an unprecedented era of strategic instability unseen since the Cold War.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Russian Crypto Mining Mogul Igor Runets Placed Under House Arrest in Major Tax Evasion Case

Igor Runets, founder and CEO of Russia's largest Bitcoin mining operator BitRiver, has been detained and placed under house arrest on charges of large-scale tax evasion. The case unfolds against a backdrop of Western sanctions and operational challenges for the once-dominant firm.

Feb 2, 2026