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Shares of fintech firm SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) had a solid 2025, with around 95% worth of gains, beating both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 by a wide margin. Undoubtedly, much of the year’s gains have been heavily front-loaded. With shares flatlining over the past four months, investors might be wondering if the market darling is ready for a plunge as the tech trade looks to consider its next moves.

With SoFi reaching several impressive milestones this year, including several more quarters of sustained profitability, a record first quarter, and the launch of its very own stablecoin, SoFiUSD, questions linger as to whether the stock has enough drivers underneath the hood to follow up on an outstanding year with even more gains.

The big SoFiUSD stablecoin launch was a big deal. But is it worth buying SoFi shares post-launch?
Undoubtedly, the SoFiUSD stablecoin launch might continue to be a driver of business going into the new year as crypto investors seek greater credibility from their U.S. dollar-backed digital assets.

Whether the new stablecoin will be a draw for new customers in the new year remains a big question. There’s no question that SoFi’s stablecoin is a force to be reckoned with, thanks in part to its 1:1 backing by cash held at the Federal Reserve. When it comes to stablecoin, it really doesn’t get stabler than such backing by the Fed. T

hough investors were excited about the launch, I think there’s more room to the upside, especially if SoFiUSD becomes the prime taker of market share in the stablecoin scene. If nobody can offer 1:1 Fed backing, I think it’s difficult to go with any other stablecoin, given the potential for liquidity and credit risks. SoFi’s top boss, Anthony Noto, thinks that the blockchain is a “technology super cycle that will fundamentally change finance.”

There’s no question that financial technology will be a fast-moving field in 2026 that will pave the way for new products and platforms that aim to increase convenience and decrease fees. As the disruptive fintech innovators and neobanks lead the charge on blockchain and the like, it’s not hard to imagine the big banks following suit by doing the same.

SoFi isn’t just the first bank to issue a stablecoin; it might be the crypto infrastructure play to stick with for the long haul, as it looks to make other firsts. 

SoFi looks like an impressive crypto infrastructure play
As SoFi takes aim at commercial clients with its so-called “white-label” coins, I do think there’s potential for significant disruption in payments. Of course, there’s some novelty in transacting with stablecoins, but the real edge and opportunity for SoFi and other players in the space could lie in their role as an infrastructure provider, as adoption across the board looks to increase.

Whether we’re talking about real-time settlements (who has time for T+1 or T+2 in 2026?) or removing friction from other parts of payments, I do see SoFi as a rising star in the field if enterprises do look to embrace “white-label” coins. If there are significant savings to be had and friction can be taken out of the payment process, I do think adoption of such coins could rise in the next decade or so. 

In many ways, 2026 is going to be a big year for SoFi as it makes a bigger splash in the crypto waters. With its new crypto trading platform, it seems like there’s ample ground to gain as the fast-moving neobank looks to lead with tech at the top of mind.

Key Takeaways QCOM posted $6.96B handset revenues last quarter, up 14% year over year, accounting for 63% of sales.QCOM faces pressure from MediaTek, weaker smartphone demand, trade tensions, and rivals' in-house chips.Qualcomm is betting on premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chips to drive flagship smartphone growth.
Qualcomm Incorporated ((QCOM - Free Report) ) generated about $6.96 billion in handset revenues in the latest quarter, with a year-over-year increase of 14% and an estimated $27.8 billion in fiscal 2025, contributing roughly 63% of the total company’s revenues. Qualcomm’s strong handset revenues are driven by its increased customer demand for Snapdragon-powered premium Android smartphones.

Qualcomm faces strong competition from rivals like MediaTek, especially in mid-range and budget smartphones, which puts pressure on its market share and pricing. U.S.-China trade tensions have reduced companies' handset demand to a great extent. Qualcomm's handset business experienced ongoing challenges as global smartphone demand slowed down day by day. Moreover, major handset manufacturers, such as Apple and Samsung, are moving toward in-house chip development. This is a major challenge for Qualcomm.

To overcome challenges in the smartphone business, Qualcomm is focusing on premium Snapdragon chips to stay competitive in flagship devices. Qualcomm recently launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, offering high-speed performance, advanced AI, improved graphics, and enhanced camera capabilities for flagship smartphones from global brands like iQOO, Honor, ASUS, OnePlus, and Vivo.

Per a report from Precedence Research, the global 5G chipset market is expected to reach $126.4 billion by 2030 from $18.7 billion in 2022, with a CAGR of 27%, indicating strong underlying growth potential for Qualcomm’s handset segment in the near future. QCOM’s continuous innovation in powering flagship devices with cutting-edge features helps to boost its handset revenues, maintain leadership in the premium segment, and drive future revenue growth.

Other Tech Companies Focused on Handset Chip DevelopmentQualcomm faces competition from Apple, Inc. ((AAPL - Free Report) ) and Broadcom, Inc. ((AVGO - Free Report) ). Apple recently launched the new iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and upgraded Vision Pro, all powered by their M5 chip. Apple’s iPhone 17 series uses the A19 chip, and the iPhone Air features the A19 Pro chip, both offering faster performance, better graphics, and advanced AI capabilities. These recent chips strengthen Apple’s position in the smartphone market and reduce its reliance on third-party suppliers.

Broadcom recently launched Wi Fi 8 chips for smartphones and connected devices, improving speed, reliability, and efficiency. Broadcom, by providing essential smartphone components like Wi Fi, Bluetooth, and RF chips for major brands, remains important in the handset market. The company also focuses on affordable LTE chips for emerging markets, helping OEMs bring affordable smartphones to countries like India.

QCOM’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesQualcomm shares have gained 11.1% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 35.3%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 14.26 forward earnings, lower than 34.54 for the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings estimates for 2025 have increased 2% to $12.15 over the past 60 days, while those for 2026 have risen 3.4% to $12.60.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Qualcomm stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasTech 

SummaryNvidia Corporation has completed a healthy 20% correction, resetting technicals and offering an attractive re-entry point in the $170-175 range.NVDA delivered a strong double beat in earnings and guidance, with Q4 sales guided to $65B and a 75% non-GAAP gross margin.NVDA now trades at approximately 18x forward earnings and a PEG ratio near 0.6, signaling compelling value for high-quality growth.I maintain a Buy rating for NVDA and raise my 12-month price target to $250, due to robust AI demand and bullish Wall Street sentiment. BING-JHEN HONG/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Despite maintaining my relatively bullish stance, I was out of Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) stock for about six months. In fact, I only initiated my most recent Nvidia position about a week ago, as the

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of NVDA, AMD, MRVL, ORCL either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

I am long a diversified portfolio with hedges.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Key Takeaways CVNA shares jumped about 117% in 2025, making it the top-performing auto retail stock of the year.Carvana sold a record 155,941 units in Q3 2025, up 44% year over year, with strong demand expected in Q4.CVNA expects adjusted EBITDA of $2-$2.2B in 2025, driven by cost cuts, scale gains and ADESA integration.
Used car e-retailer Carvana Inc. (CVNA - Free Report) has had a stellar 2025, with its shares gaining around 117% so far this year. In fact, CVNA was the best performing auto retail stock, handily outperforming close peers like CarMax (KMX - Free Report) and Lithia Motors (LAD - Free Report) . CarMax — being the largest retailer of used vehicles in the United States — has witnessed its stock price decline more than 50% year to date. Lithia Motors — one of the leading auto retailers of the country (selling both new and used vehicles) — has seen its share price decrease 3% in the same timeframe.

YTD Price Performance Comparison Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Carvana has been one of the most exciting comeback stories. From being on the brink of collapse in 2022, the company has grown into the second-largest used car retailer in the United States. Early this week, Carvana officially joined the S&P 500 Index on the back of solid operational and financial performance and strategic growth.

Now, the question is whether Carvana can keep winning in 2026 after a stellar 2025. We think the company is well-positioned to continue its momentum.

CVNA Trading Above 50 & 200-Day SMA Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Factors Driving CVNA’s MomentumCarvana has rewritten the rules of auto retail. Instead of relying on a network of physical dealerships, the company operates a fully digital platform where customers can browse vehicles, arrange financing and schedule delivery online. Its well-known car vending machines are helping the brand stand out in a crowded market. Despite being the second-largest used car retailer in the country, Carvana controls only about 1.5% of the overall market. Given how fragmented the used car industry is, it leaves meaningful room for growth as more buyers become comfortable purchasing vehicles online.

That growth is already showing up clearly in the numbers. In the third quarter of 2025, Carvana sold a record 155,941 retail units, marking a sharp 44% increase from the prior year. Management expects demand to continue in the fourth quarter, with retail sales projected at around 150,000 units. These volumes reflect improving consumer confidence in Carvana’s platform and its ability to scale efficiently.

Financial performance is also improving. Adjusted EBITDA reached $637 million in the last reported quarter, up $208 million year over year, with industry-leading margins of 11.3%. For the full year, Carvana expects adjusted EBITDA between $2 billion and $2.2 billion, a significant step up from $1.38 billion last year.

Image Source: Carvana, Inc.

A key driver behind these gains is operational efficiency. The company has lowered reconditioning and inbound transport costs by bringing more services in-house, standardizing processes, and using proprietary software to better manage logistics. Smarter network utilization and shorter transport distances have further reduced expenses. At the same time, broader customer sourcing and higher contributions from value-added services are lifting gross profit per unit.

The acquisition of ADESA’s U.S. operations has also strengthened Carvana’s position. ADESA adds scale to Carvana’s logistics, auction and reconditioning capabilities, improving both vehicle quality and throughput. Expanding the ADESA Clear digital auction platform across more locations further ties wholesale expertise with Carvana’s technology. Together, these initiatives are helping Carvana drive higher volumes at lower costs, supporting its ongoing momentum.

What’s Next for Carvana in 2026?Cox Automotive expects used vehicle demand to remain steady in 2026, as affordability concerns continue to push customers toward lower-priced vehicles. Against this backdrop, Carvana’s strong unit growth, improving profitability and differentiated digital-first model give it a clearer runway to scale in a still-fragmented market. The company’s focus on operational efficiency and expanding margins should further support earnings growth, leaving room for additional upside heading into 2026.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carvana’s 2026 sales and EPS suggests an increase of 31% and 37%, respectively, from the projected 2025 levels. Notably, the consensus EPS estimate for 2026 has been revised higher by 40 cents over the past 60 days, reflecting improving analyst confidence.

Currently, Carvana carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) with a VGM Score of B. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Buying low and selling high is a tried-and-true strategy for both buy-and-hold investors and active traders. When a stock is trading at or near its 52-week low, the stock price is trading at one of its lowest points of the year.

There are times when a stock’s low price points to fundamental issues with the company. However, there are times when momentum takes over and pushes a stock into undervalued territory.

Together, these three stocks stand out as asymmetric opportunities for 2026, with risk that appears more contained than the potential upside.

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Carrier Global: Data Center Demand May Offset Residential Weakness
Carrier Global Corp. NYSE: CARR is one of the global leaders in heating and cooling solutions (HVAC) for residential and commercial consumers. Carrier stock dropped to its 52-week low after its October earnings report, in which it reported an 8% decline in year-over-year revenue growth.

Carrier Global Today

$53.34 -0.16 (-0.30%)

As of 10:18 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$50.30▼

$81.09Dividend Yield1.69%

P/E Ratio11.93

Price Target$72.00

This reflected weakness in the company’s residential business. That’s likely to continue into 2026. Homeowners can’t avoid emergencies, but they can choose to put off elective decisions, such as replacing their heating and cooling systems, if they have concerns about their income.

However, weakness in that sector is being offset by growth in its commercial business, which includes data centers. That doesn’t make CARR stock an artificial intelligence (AI) play, but it does indicate that the stock may be mispriced.

That opinion is supported by a forecast for earnings growth of over 12% in 2026. CARR stock is also trading at approximately 11.9x forward earnings, which puts it at a discount to its historic average. Plus, for investors who follow the laggard-to-leader strategy, Carrier has delivered about a 40% share price gain over the last five years, which supports the idea that 2025 is an anomaly to be capitalized on.

Mondelez: Margin Pressure Today, Potential Tailwinds in 2026
Mondelez International NASDAQ: MDLZ is a leading global snacks company best known as the parent company for brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, Ritz, and Toblerone. Like many consumer staples stocks, it hasn’t been a sweet year for MDLZ stock. The stock is down approximately 9.3% in 2025, but to be fair, most of that has come since July.

Mondelez International Today

MDLZ

Mondelez International

$54.59 -0.03 (-0.05%)

As of 10:18 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$53.13▼

$71.15Dividend Yield3.66%

P/E Ratio20.45

Price Target$67.58

Higher cocoa prices are an easy target for investors trying to understand why Mondelez faces margin pressure. However, the company believes those inflationary headwinds are going to turn to deflationary tailwinds in 2026.

Some analysts are also concerned about the impact of GLP-1 drugs on the company’s core business. However, for now, macroeconomic concerns (i.e., inflation and jobs) make it hard to find more than an anecdotal correlation.

Investors who buy into the company’s comeback narrative may want to consider MDLZ stock, which is undervalued to its historic average at around 20x earnings. Analysts also see over 12% upside for earnings in 2026.

Sprouts Farmers Market: Low Expectations Create Asymmetric Upside
Sprouts Farmers Market NASDAQ: SFM presents the largest asymmetric growth of the stocks on this list. At $77.48 per share as of this writing, SFM stock trades at 77% below its consensus price target.

Sprouts Farmers Market Today

SFM

Sprouts Farmers Market

$79.85 +0.17 (+0.21%)

As of 10:17 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$75.75▼

$182.00P/E Ratio15.44

Price Target$137.86

The Arizona-based grocery retailer focuses on fresh, natural, and organic foods. Investors might think that the company’s focus should make it relatively safe. It targets higher-income consumers who have been able to weather inflationary pressures better than those at lower incomes.

However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. In the company’s last earnings report, Sprouts expressed softer consumer spending as evidenced by lower year-over-year comps. Furthermore, the company said it expects those pressures to weigh on its top and bottom lines into 2026.

In a recurring theme with these stocks trading at 52-week lows, SFM stock is trading around 15x earnings, which gives it an attractive valuation. Analysts also see around 11% earnings growth for the company.

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Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Synopsys To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired securities in Synopsys between December 4, 2024 and September 9, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Synopsys, Inc. (“Synopsys” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SNPS) and reminds investors of the December 30, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the extent to which the Company’s increased focus on artificial intelligence customers, which require additional customization, was deteriorating the economics of its Design IP business; (2) that, as a result, “certain road map and resource decisions” were unlikely to “yield their intended results;” (3) that the foregoing had a material negative impact on financial results; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On September 9, 2025, after market hours, Synopsys released its third quarter 2025 financial results, revealing the Company’s “IP business underperformed expectations.” The Company reported quarterly revenue of $1.740 billion, missing its prior guidance of between $1.755 billion and $1.785 billion, and reported net income of $242.5 million, a 43% year-over-year decline from $425.9 million reported for third quarter 2024. Moreover, the Company reported its Design IP segment accounted for approximately 25% of revenue and came in at $426.6 million, a 7.7% decline year-over-year. Finally, management provided guidance which implied that Design IP revenues will decline by at least 5% on a full-year basis in fiscal 2025.

On this news, Synopsys’s stock price fell $216.59, or 35.8%, to close at $387.78 per share on September 10, 2025, on unusually heavy trading volume.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Synopsys’ conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Synopsys class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/SNPS or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c84fcf7-a77f-4c3f-a1dd-153f7bf3d4ac

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against Firefly Aerospace Inc. (“Firefly” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: FLY) for violations of the federal securities laws.

Investors who purchased the Company's securities pursuant and/or traceable to the Company’s Offering Documents issued in connection with its initial public offering (“IPO”) conducted on August 7, 2025, and/or between August 7, 2025 and September 29, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the firm before January 12, 2026.        

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Firefly overstated the growth potential and demand for its Spacecraft Solutions business. The Company overstated the commercial viability of its Alpha rocket program. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the IPO period. When the market learned the truth about Firefly, investors suffered damages.

Join the case to recover your losses.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335
[email protected]

SOURCE:

 The Schall Law Firm

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?

Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Toast (TOST - Free Report) .

Toast currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.79, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 29 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.79 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 29 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 17 are Strong Buy and one is Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 58.6% and 3.5% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for TOST

Check price target & stock forecast for Toast here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Toast, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.

There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.

Should You Invest in TOST?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Toast, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $1.04.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Toast. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Toast.

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Axon Enterprise (AXON - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Axon currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.48, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 20 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.48 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 20 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 13 are Strong Buy and four are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 65% and 20% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for AXON

Check price target & stock forecast for Axon here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Axon, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is AXON a Good Investment?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for Axon, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $6.35.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Axon. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Axon.

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about SkyWater Technology, Inc. (SKYT - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

SkyWater Technology currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.71, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by seven brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.71 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the seven recommendations that derive the current ABR, four are Strong Buy and one is Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 57.1% and 14.3% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for SKYT

Check price target & stock forecast for SkyWater Technology here>>>

The ABR suggests buying SkyWater Technology, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.

Should You Invest in SKYT?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for SkyWater Technology, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $0.05.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for SkyWater Technology. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for SkyWater Technology.

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Gray Media (GTN - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Gray Media currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.80, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by five brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.80 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the five recommendations that derive the current ABR, three are Strong Buy, representing 60% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for GTN

Check price target & stock forecast for Gray Media here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Gray Media, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Should You Invest in GTN?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Gray Media, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at -$1.4.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Gray Media. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Gray Media.

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Spotify (SPOT - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Spotify currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.63, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 36 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.63 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 36 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 23 are Strong Buy and three are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 63.9% and 8.3% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for SPOT

Check price target & stock forecast for Spotify here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Spotify, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.

Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.

Should You Invest in SPOT?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Spotify, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 2.5% over the past month to $7.91.

Analysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to soar in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for Spotify. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Therefore, the Buy-equivalent ABR for Spotify may serve as a useful guide for investors.

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Advanced Micro Devices (AMD - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Advanced Micro currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.61, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 44 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.61 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 44 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 29 are Strong Buy and three are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 65.9% and 6.8% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for AMD

Check price target & stock forecast for Advanced Micro here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Advanced Micro, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

Analysts employed by brokerage firms have been and continue to be overly optimistic with their recommendations. Since the ratings issued by these analysts are more favorable than their research would support because of the vested interest of their employers, they mislead investors far more often than they guide.

In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.

In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is AMD a Good Investment?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for Advanced Micro, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $3.96.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Advanced Micro. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Advanced Micro.

Companies within the Zacks Cosmetics industry are operating in an increasingly challenging macroeconomic environment, marked by softer consumer spending, uneven retail restocking patterns and persistent cost pressures. Rising prices for packaging, ingredients, logistics and promotional activities are squeezing margins, while trade tensions and potential supply chain disruptions continue to add uncertainty to the operating landscape. These factors are reshaping demand trends and intensifying competition across the beauty market.Even as near-term pressures persist, long-term industry fundamentals remain supported by innovation and digital transformation. Beauty companies are investing in product innovation, clean and science-backed formulations, and enhanced e-commerce capabilities to strengthen consumer engagement and support growth. Against this backdrop, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (

(EL - Free Report) ), Coty Inc. ((COTY - Free Report) ), Helen of Troy Limited ((HELE - Free Report) ) and European Wax Center, Inc. ((EWCZ - Free Report) ) stand out as cosmetics stocks to watch as the market resets for 2026, given their focus on brand strength, digital initiatives and operational execution.

About the Industry
The Zacks Cosmetics industry includes companies that provide beauty and personal care products. Players in the industry manufacture, distribute, sell and market skincare, fragrance, makeup and hair care products. Many firms in the market sell products via sales representatives, whereas some do the same through retailers, independent and chain drug stores and pharmacies, upscale perfumeries, department stores and beauty salons. These companies also operate through retailer websites, third-party distributors and in-flight and duty-free shops. Some products offered by industry participants include moisturizers, serums, toners and cleansers under skincare; perfume sprays, candles and soaps under fragrance; lipsticks, mascaras, powders, eye shadows, foundation and nail polishes under makeup; and shampoos, conditioners and hair color products under hair care.

Trends Shaping the Future of the Cosmetics Industry
Challenging Economic Conditions: The cosmetics industry is navigating mounting challenges amid an increasingly uncertain economic environment. Ongoing trade tensions, softer consumer spending and uneven retail restocking cycles are reshaping the beauty market. As living costs rise and household savings come under pressure, consumers are prioritizing essential purchases and scaling back discretionary spending, including cosmetics. This shift in behavior is weighing on demand across many beauty brands. At the same time, operational costs are rising due to higher prices for packaging materials, ingredients, logistics and promotional activities. These cost pressures are squeezing profit margins and intensifying competition within the industry. Moreover, potential changes in trade policies or global supply chain disruptions could further elevate costs and influence product pricing, adding strain for cosmetic companies operating in a volatile and competitive landscape.

International Risk Factors: Cosmetic companies with global operations face international risk factors, including unfavorable foreign currency movements that can impact revenues and profitability. Geopolitical tensions and political instability may disrupt market access, reduce supply chain efficiency and affect operational continuity. In addition, trade conflicts, tariffs, sanctions and other regulatory restrictions may weigh on industry performance.

Innovation and Digitalization Driving Growth: Innovation and digitization remain key growth drivers in the beauty and skincare market. Consumers are increasingly seeking differentiated products that blend advanced technology with science-backed formulations, prompting cosmetic companies to continuously innovate and expand their offerings. Growing demand for organic and clean beauty products is further supporting market growth. Enhancing e-commerce capabilities is a major focus, with tools such as virtual try-ons, streamlined digital payments and data-driven online marketing gaining traction. In addition, many beauty brands are pursuing strategic acquisitions and partnerships to broaden product portfolios and remain competitive in this evolving industry.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Dull Prospects
The Zacks Cosmetics industry is housed within the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #177, which places it in the bottom 27% of more than 243 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.

The industry’s position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries leads to a negative aggregate earnings outlook for the constituent companies. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually losing confidence in this group’s earnings growth potential. Since the beginning of October 2025, the industry’s consensus estimate for current financial year earnings has decreased 6.1%.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and valuation picture.

Industry vs. Broader Market
The Zacks Cosmetics industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite but outperformed the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector over the past year.

The industry has returned 10% over this period, underperforming the S&P 500’s growth of 18.3%. Meanwhile, the broader sector has appreciated 2.5%.

One-Year Price Performance

Industry's Current Valuation
Based on the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), which is commonly used to value consumer staples stocks, the industry is currently trading at 28.99X compared with the S&P 500’s 23.45X and the sector’s 16.42X.

In the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 41.34X and as low as 20.22X, with the median being 31.02X, as the chart below shows.

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (Past Five Years)

4 Cosmetic Stocks Worth Considering
The Estee Lauder Companies: This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company manufactures and markets skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The Estee Lauder Companies is strategically focused on restoring profitability and driving long-term growth through its expanded Profit Recovery and Growth Plan. The transformative Beauty Reimagined vision aims to position the company as a leading consumer-centric prestige beauty brand by enhancing innovation, expanding in high-growth markets and digital channels and streamlining operations for agility. With a strong online business, increased AI integration and successful brand launches, The Estee Lauder Companies is well-positioned for growth. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EL’s current fiscal year earnings per share (EPS) has moved up 0.5% in the past 30 days to $2.15. The stock has gained 39.7% in the past six months.

Price and Consensus: EL

Coty: A leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of beauty products, Coty carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present and is leveraging its brand equity, accelerating digital transformation and implementing cost-optimization initiatives to enhance overall performance. The company’s growth strategy focuses on stabilizing its Consumer Beauty segment, expanding its Prestige fragrance and makeup portfolio, building a stronger skincare presence, and enhancing its e-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer channels. Fragrances remain a key revenue driver, supported by resilient consumer demand and ongoing product innovation. In addition, Coty’s “All In to Win” cost-saving program continues to support margin expansion and operational efficiency.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COTY’s current fiscal year EPS has remained unchanged in the past 30 days at 42 cents. Coty’s shares have lost 34% in the past six months.

Price and Consensus: COTY

Helen of Troy: This Zacks Rank #3 company provides consumer products across the Beauty, Housewares, and Health & Home segments and is pursuing sustainable growth through a focused strategy centered on its high-performing Leadership Brands. These premium, higher-margin brands are supporting market share gains through strategic investments in innovation, marketing, and expanded distribution. The company’s long-term strategic plan, Elevate for Growth, focuses on strengthening brand building and enhancing operational scale. Helen of Troy is also advancing Project Pegasus, a global restructuring initiative designed to improve operating margins, streamline operations, and enable reinvestment in brand growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Helen of Troy’s current fiscal year EPS has moved down 1.2% in the past 30 days to $4.05. The stock has lost 26% in the past six months.

Price and Consensus: HELE

European Wax Center: The largest franchisor and operator of out-of-home waxing services in the United States, EWCZ holds a Zacks Rank #3 at present. Supported by a highly committed network of franchise partners, the company is positioned for long-term expansion. European Wax Center is focused on increasing guest acquisition, boosting average ticket through customer retention and reactivation, and enhancing overall operational productivity. By leveraging innovative marketing initiatives and advanced technology solutions, the brand aims to attract new clients while strengthening engagement with existing guests. These efforts support stronger customer relationships, improved brand loyalty and sustainable long-term growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for European Wax’s current fiscal year EPS has moved down 4.7% in the past 30 days to 61 cents. EWCZ stock has plunged 33.6% in the past six months.

Price and Consensus: EWCZ

Bitcoin’s most liquid trading pairs never reflected the drop, underscoring how isolated the event really was.

A sudden, dramatic price wick on Christmas Day showed Bitcoin (BTC) trading as low as $24,111 on a single Binance trading pair, sparking panic across social media.

The event, however, was not a market-wide collapse but a fleeting liquidity vacuum on an obscure trading venue that was quickly corrected by automated bots.

Anatomy of a Flash Wick
The reported “crash” occurred exclusively on Binance’s BTC/USD1 pair, a market with minimal trading activity. As analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera explained,

“The ‘crash’ existed on ONE order book. Not Bitcoin. Not the market. One pair.”

He pointed out that data had confirmed that the primary BTC/USDT pair, where the vast majority of volume trades, never moved below $86,400 during the incident.

According to him, the entire price dislocation lasted approximately three seconds before arbitrage algorithms bought the cheap BTC, restoring the price to around $87,000. The market observer also noted that the pattern was not new, with a similar wick from $96,000 to $76,000 happening on the same USD1 pair on December 10.

Perera directly linked the instability to a Binance promotional campaign. “Binance launched a 20% APY promotion on USD1 deposits 24 hours before this happened,” he noted.

This incentive, he said, caused a rush of traders to swap their USDT for the USD1 stablecoin to earn yield, which drained sell-side liquidity from the BTC/USD1 order book. When a single large market sell order was placed, it hit an empty book, causing the price to plummet until it found a bid.

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The account Master of Crypto also summarized it plainly:

“That single trade wiped the order book and pushed price down for seconds… Just a liquidity event, not a crash.”

Broader Market Context and Lingering Jitters
This micro-event unfolded against a backdrop of broader market uncertainty, with Bitcoin’s price action choppy and repeatedly rejected near the $90,000 level.

At the time of writing, the asset was trading around $88,500, showing modest daily gains but struggling for a clear directional break. Furthermore, the severe market crash on October 10, which saw Bitcoin lose over $12,000 in a single day, has left the crypto community psychologically scarred.

As one expert recently stated, “October 10 broke something psychologically,” creating a lasting caution that makes the market sensitive to any sign of trouble, even illusory ones.

The Christmas Day wick serves as a case study in how promotional activity can create predictable risks in illiquid markets and how sensational but incomplete information spreads fast.

For traders, it highlighted the danger of new, thinly traded pairs, and for the wider market, it was a brief distraction from Bitcoin’s ongoing struggle to build momentum and shake off the lingering effects of a turbulent fourth quarter.

Tags:

Bitcoin strutted into Dec. 26, 2025, wearing a shiny $88,630 price tag and a not-so-subtle smirk, but behind that swagger is a market that's walking on eggshells. With a market cap brushing against $1.76 trillion and trading volume floating at $38.

XRP price has struggled to regain traction over recent weeks, with multiple failed recovery attempts deepening bearish pressure. The token remains locked in a downtrend, reflecting hesitation across the broader crypto market. 

Despite this weakness, XRP ETFs continue to attract capital, signaling that institutional demand remains resilient.

XRP ETF Demand Remains StrongLosses among XRP holders have steadily increased, adding pressure to near-term price action. Net Unrealized Profit and Loss data shows unrealized profits have dropped to a yearly low. Investors who purchased XRP above $1.86 are now holding losses, while only those who entered below this level remain in profit.

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This shift raises concerns around long-term holder behavior. Addresses holding XRP for more than a year may consider selling to lock in remaining gains. If profit-taking accelerates among these holders, selling pressure could intensify and further weigh on XRP price stability.

XRP NUPL. Source: GlassnodeXRP ETFs remain the asset’s strongest macro support. Since launching six weeks ago, the funds have not recorded a single day of net outflows. This consistency stands out amid broader market uncertainty and declining activity in the spot crypto market.

Momentum has continued into week seven. On the trading day before Christmas, XRP ETFs recorded $11.93 million in inflows. This data suggests institutional investors maintain confidence in XRP’s longer-term outlook, even as retail sentiment weakens and price action remains constrained.

XRP ETF Weekly Inflows. Source: SoSoValueXRP Price Downtrend ContinuesXRP traded near $1.86 at the time of writing, holding just above the $1.85 support level. Price remains capped beneath a downtrend line that has persisted for over six weeks. Repeated failures to break this structure have reinforced bearish sentiment among short-term traders.

A breakout appears unlikely under current conditions. Market direction remains unclear, and rising losses increase the risk of additional selling. ETF inflows may help stabilize price, potentially keeping XRP above the $1.79 support. A breakdown below that level could extend the downtrend toward $1.70.

XRP Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewHowever, a shift in broader market conditions could alter the outlook. Improved risk sentiment may allow XRP to bounce from $1.85. A decisive move above the downtrend line would target $1.94. Clearing that level could open a path toward $2.00, invalidating the bearish thesis.

The high tide of liquidity that has recently supported Bitcoin prices appears to be receding rapidly. The market is now grappling with significant net outflows, as data confirms that investment flows have turned decisively negative. This shift represents a stark turnaround in market dynamics, where selling pressure is currently overwhelming buying interest across major platforms.

Why Markets Move Before Narratives Catch Up
In an X post, a trader and investor in stocks and crypto, WealthManager, revealed that since December 8th, Bitcoin has recorded approximately $716 million in net outflows. Over the past two weeks, flows have been dominated almost entirely by outflows, reflecting a market that has lost momentum rather than conviction.

Currently, the cryptocurrency market is not the preferred destination for momentum-driven capital. That momentum has rotated into gold, silver, and broader metals, but the rotations are temporary by nature. However, the opportunity remains in crypto, and the momentum will shift back into the sector at some point. “The lower BTC goes, the bigger the opportunity would become,” WealthManager noted.

BTC experiencing large outflows | Source: Chart from WealthManager on X
Analyst Cipher2X has offered an insight into why he is accumulating Bitcoin ahead of 2026. According to Cipher2X, BTC has never waited for perfect conditions to do its most important work. It builds its foundations when liquidity is tight and expectations are low. At this stage, price action is misleading, but the structure is not. 

On-chain data has shown that supply is increasingly locked up with long-term holders, while access to BTC through regulated channels is becoming routine rather than exceptional. At the same time, micro uncertainty continues to reinforce BTC’s role as a hedge against policy risk, not as a speculative bet on growth. 

This setup is the kind of environment where BTC intends to move sideways, frustrate the traders, and quietly shift ownership from impatient hands to committed ones. Cipher2X explains that the purpose of accumulating BTC isn’t a short-term catalyst, but because the next regime tends to reward those who have positioned early, not those who have reacted late. 2026 isn’t about the hype; it’s about who was already holding the asset.

What Falling Volatility Says About Bitcoin’s Maturity
The Bitcoin chart has shown the implied volatility on the BTC options over the past few years. A full-time crypto trader and investor, Daan Crypto Trades, pointed out that aside from a few short spikes of volatility, there’s a clear trend down on this part. BTC is maturing as its market cap is growing over time, and the market is becoming more institutionalized. 

Daan concluded that the days of seeing multiple 10%+ candles in a row are behind us. Presently, if a single 10% move in one day happens, it would already be considered a big exception.

BTC trading at $88,640 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

15h05 ▪
5
min read ▪ by
Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

The crypto market enters 2026 in a climate of caution. Despite several rate cuts decided by the Fed in 2025, the expected rebound did not materialize. Bitcoin, Ether, and major assets declined, contrary to expectations. Monetary policy remains unclear, economic data are weakened, and the Fed hints that a pause could occur as early as the first quarter. This context rekindles tensions in an already weakened market.

In brief

The crypto market enters 2026 amid uncertainty, despite several rate cuts operated by the Fed in 2025.
Contrary to expectations, Bitcoin, Ether, and major assets declined instead of rebounding.
The Fed adopts a wait-and-see stance and could suspend rate cuts as early as the first quarter of 2026.
Fragile economic data and still uncertain inflation heighten market concerns.

The Fed hesitates, the crypto market wavers
On December 22, John Williams, President of the New York Federal Reserve, expressed a cautious position regarding the continuation of monetary policy.

Despite three consecutive 0.25% cuts made in 2025, including the latest one during this December, he stated he does not personally feel the need to intervene further on monetary policy for now, because he believes the cuts they have already made put them in a strong position.

This statement fits into a wait-and-see strategy, where the Fed seeks to avoid excessive easing. Williams emphasized the need for balance: he wants to see inflation drop to 2% without excessively harming the labor market. It’s a balancing act.

This signal of a pause in rate cuts comes in a context blurred by the consequences of the federal shutdown, which disrupted economic data collection. November inflation, announced at 2.63%, could have favored anticipation of more pronounced easing, but some economists, including Robin Brooks, believe these figures may be skewed.

Several factors explain the sector’s bearish reaction:

Rates remain high despite cuts, fueling investor caution;
The absence of a clear signal on monetary trajectory maintains uncertainty;
Doubt about the reliability of inflation figures makes market expectations more difficult;
Risk assets, including bitcoin, face sell-offs in the absence of solid catalysts.

Jeff Mei, Director of Operations at BTSE, summarizes the situation: “In this scenario, equities would waver, and crypto would get hit hard. Bitcoin could plunge to $70,000 as ETF outflows accelerate, and Ethereum could dip to $2,400.” This hypothesis is less based on the Fed’s past decisions than on the uncertainty maintained around the continuation of the monetary schedule.

A discreet but potentially decisive easing
While attention is heavily focused on key rates, a more discreet development in US monetary policy could have major repercussions on the crypto market.

Since December 1, the Fed has officially ended its quantitative tightening (QT) policy by opting for full rollover of maturing securities. It simultaneously launched a program called Reserve Management Purchases (RMP), which plans to purchase about $40 billion of short-term Treasury bills.

Although the Fed does not officially label this measure as “quantitative easing”, some analysts speak of “stealth QE”, or stealth quantitative easing.

This indirect liquidity injection could prove favorable to risk assets, including cryptos, even in the absence of new rate cuts. By comparison, during the massive QE of 2020-2021, the Fed’s balance sheet expanded by about $800 billion per month, accompanying a crypto market surge of more than $2,900 billion.

Analysts believe that if RMPs continue in the first quarter of 2026, even at a moderate pace, this could favor a recovery of flows into the sector. Jeff Mei considers that “bitcoin could climb between $92,000 and $98,000”, supported by “inflows into ETFs exceeding $50 billion and continued institutional accumulation”. For Ethereum, he mentions a target of $3,600, stimulated by the progress of layer 2 scalability solutions and yields related to staking.

The price of bitcoin is settling into a waiting phase, torn between macroeconomic uncertainties and conflicting technical signals. Faced with a cautious Fed and a market seeking direction, the trajectory of cryptos remains suspended on upcoming monetary decisions.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019.
Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

Key NotesAnalysts warn that failure of Ethereum price to reclaim this zone could lead to $2,800.Large investors have significantly increased ETH holdings.One whale buying $130.7 million worth of Ethereum over three weeks.
.
Along with

BTC
$88 888

24h volatility:
1.5%

Market cap:
$1.78 T

Vol. 24h:
$37.94 B

, the

ETH
$2 980

24h volatility:
1.8%

Market cap:
$359.90 B

Vol. 24h:
$17.24 B

price has also shown 1.4% gains on December 26 and is eyeing a breakout past $3,000 resistance. Market experts believe that sailing past this would open the gates for its rally to the all-time highs of $4,954. Moreover, the whale accumulation for ETH has accelerated over the past month.

Ethereum Price Needs This Breakout for Further Upside
For the past few days, the Ethereum price has been consolidating under $3,000 after losing the crucial support. Earlier today, ETH bounced back from the $2,900 lows as volatility resumed amid $3.8 billion in ETH options expiring.

Crypto analyst Ted Pillows said Ethereum attempted to break above the $3,000 level but failed to hold the move. He noted that unless ETH successfully reclaims this zone, the price could revisit the $2,800 support level in the near term.

$ETH tried to break above the $3,000 level today but failed.

Until this zone is reclaimed, Ethereum could sweep the $2,800 support level again. pic.twitter.com/cHPLEPZuwq

— Ted (@TedPillows) December 26, 2025

Furthermore, a whale wallet has been aggressively accumulating ETH in large quantities. On Dec. 25, a large investor purchased approximately $16.09 million worth of Ethereum (ETH), as reported by crypto analyst Ted Pillows.

According to the analyst, the same whale has accumulated a total of $130.7 million in ETH over the past three weeks. This clearly shows sustained large-scale buying interest despite recent market volatility.

A whale bought $16,090,000 in $ETH today.

In 3 weeks, this whale has bought $130,700,000 in Ethereum. pic.twitter.com/NiWSeEtzf8

— Ted (@TedPillows) December 25, 2025

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez reported that whale investors have purchased approximately 220,000 Ethereum (ETH) over the past week, representing an investment of roughly $660 million.

220,000 Ethereum $ETH, roughly $660 million, bought by whales in the past week! pic.twitter.com/y1SCbD26Td

— Ali Charts (@alicharts) December 25, 2025

Another crypto analyst, Javon Marks, said Ethereum price is showing a hidden bullish divergence similar to the setup seen in 2023. This suggests the asset may be on the verge of a strong upside move. According to Marks, such a breakout could push ETH beyond its previous all-time high near $4,954.

He added that a successful move to that level would open the door for a potential rally toward the $8,500 range.

$ETH, after setting up in a similar Hidden Bull Divergence to 2023, looks to be on the verge of another huge response which can led to and above the current All Time Highs at ~$4,954!

A move to this level brings $8,500 into play…

(Ethereum) https://t.co/yt9dGJaeIA pic.twitter.com/hXlATGYlod

— JAVON⚡️MARKS (@JavonTM1) December 25, 2025

ETH Options Expiry and ETF Outflows
$3.8 billion of spot Ethereum options expired on Dec. 26, stirring market volatility. The max pain point for ETH currently sits at $3,000.

On the other hand, spot Ethereum ETF outflows have continued throughout this week. 2026 will be crucial for the Ethereum price as the blockchain undergoes two major network upgrades.

The roadmap includes the Glamsterdam fork, expected in mid-2026, followed by the Hegota fork later in the year.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

Ethereum News, News

Bhushan is a FinTech enthusiast and holds a good flair in understanding financial markets. His interest in economics and finance draw his attention towards the new emerging Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency markets. He is continuously in a learning process and keeps himself motivated by sharing his acquired knowledge. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and sometimes explore his culinary skills.

Bhushan Akolkar on X

The outlook for Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) in 2026 is starting to improve after months of sustained sell pressure following the Oct.10 liquidation event.

What Happened: According to 10x Research, a rare convergence of options positioning, compressed volatility and technical exhaustion is creating conditions that have historically preceded larger price moves.

The lack of upside in recent months has not been driven by unattractive valuations, but by weak capital inflows.

Investors largely rotated into year-end outperformers, leaving Bitcoin sidelined.

Since the Oct. 10 crash, Bitcoin's market structure deteriorated further as ETF outflows accelerated.

While selling pressure appeared technically exhausted by Nov. 22, a meaningful rebound failed to materialize due to the absence of fresh demand.

With year-end positioning now unwinding and new risk budgets set to emerge, several subtle indicators suggest Bitcoin may be closer to a multi-week move than price action alone implies.

Also Read: Bitcoin Bounces To $88,000 As Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Trade Sideways

Why It Matters: 10x Research notes that positioning across derivatives, ETFs and technical indicators is beginning to shift in Bitcoin's favor.

A key catalyst is the largest Bitcoin options expiration on record, where concentrated strike levels and elevated open interest could create asymmetric price moves.

Historically, extreme caution into year-end has often been followed by sharp sentiment reversals as the calendar turns and capital is redeployed.

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin appears to be transitioning from pure downside exhaustion toward a setup with growing upside optionality.

Earlier expectations called for volatility to compress into year-end, keeping Bitcoin range-bound between $70,000 and $100,000 amid limited catalysts and a less dovish Federal Reserve.

Bitcoin's relative underperformance also made it vulnerable to tax-loss selling, a dynamic that now appears largely complete.

With those headwinds fading, the focus is shifting toward identifying a precise window to turn bullish and re-enter Bitcoin.

Read Next:

Bitcoin Failed As ‘Store Of Value’ In 2025, But These Crypto Derivatives Of Gold, Silver Delivered Sharp Returns — Check Them Out
Image: Shutterstock

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

TLDR:

Ethereum remains trapped near $2,800 for nearly a month after steep decline from $4,800 peak.

Arbitrum weekly netflows show subdued activity, reflecting cautious positioning from major traders.

Volatility compression suggests potential energy buildup preceding sharp directional price movement.

On-chain metrics may provide early signals when market participants commit capital for breakout move.

Ethereum has remained locked near $2,800 for almost a month after falling from its $4,800 high. This prolonged consolidation shows neither bulls nor bears can establish control. 

On-chain data from Arbitrum reveals similarly muted activity, suggesting major participants are waiting for clearer signals before making significant moves.

Price Compression Signals Brewing Volatility
The current trading range represents a period of volatility compression. Ethereum has struggled to break above resistance or fall below support at this level. Volume patterns indicate declining participation as traders adopt a wait-and-see approach.

This behavior typically precedes significant price movements in either direction. Market participants appear reluctant to commit capital without stronger directional cues. 

The technical setup suggests energy is building within this tight range.

Historical patterns show that extended consolidation phases often resolve with sharp breakouts. The longer prices remain compressed, the more explosive the eventual move tends to be. Traders are positioning for this anticipated volatility expansion.

Layer-2 Flows Signal Cautious Market Sentiment
Weekly netflow data from Arbitrum shows choppy and subdued movement patterns. This Layer-2 network typically reflects smart money positioning and DeFi protocol activity. The lack of strong directional flows confirms broader market hesitation.

Source: Cryptoquant

Major market participants normally leave footprints through on-chain metrics before price action materializes. However, current data reveals minimal conviction from institutional-sized wallets. This alignment between price behavior and network activity reinforces the standoff between buyers and sellers.

The dormant state of Arbitrum flows contrasts with previous periods of strong market trends. Active phases usually coincide with expanding netflows as capital moves between exchanges and protocols. Present conditions suggest participants are preserving liquidity rather than deploying it.

Any sudden increase in Arbitrum netflow could serve as an early warning system. Such changes often precede directional price moves as capital positioning shifts ahead of breakouts. Monitoring these metrics may provide advance notice of the consolidation’s resolution.

The convergence of technical and on-chain indicators points toward an imminent decision point. Market participants across spot and derivative markets are awaiting catalysts from either macro conditions or protocol developments. 

Once this equilibrium breaks, the resulting move is expected to be substantial given the extended accumulation of potential energy within the current range.

13h05 ▪
4
min read ▪ by
Ifeoluwa O.

Summarize this article with:

With the decision now in place, Uniswap governance has approved the UNIfication proposal, paving the way for significant changes in how UNI interacts with the protocol and how value is retained within the system. The approval reflects a collective push among the governing community to implement a broader redesign of Uniswap’s economic model, focusing on capturing value directly at the protocol level rather than relying on limited revenue generated through the platform interface.

In brief

Uniswap governance approves UNIfication with overwhelming support, triggering a 100 million UNI burn and protocol-level fees.
Fee switches are activated while front-end fees are turned off to prioritise protocol improvements.
UNI price rises reflecting positive market sentiment and investor confidence in the protocol upgrade.

Resounding Governance Support
Uniswap founder Hayden Adams shared the final vote results on 25 December via X, confirming that the UNIfication proposal passed by a wide margin. The measure received strong support, with 125,342,017 UNI votes in favor and only 742 against. Total participation comfortably surpassed the quorum of 40 million UNI, reflecting a clear consensus within the community and validating the outcome of the governance process.

The UNIfication plan, submitted jointly by Uniswap Labs and the Uniswap Foundation, sets out a long-term vision for the ecosystem. Under this framework, the protocol will drive the burning of UNI tokens through its activity, while Uniswap Labs will concentrate on developing and expanding the platform. 

Following a roughly two-day vote timelock, 100 million UNI will be taken out of the treasury, roughly matching the total that would have been burned if fee collection had been active from the start. At the same time, fee switches will be activated, front-end fees will be turned off, and Labs will focus fully on protocol-level improvements.

Scenarios for UNI and LP Dynamics
Despite the overwhelming support, some industry voices have raised concerns about possible side effects. Guillaume Lambert, founder and CEO of Panoptic.xyz, pointed out that liquidity providers (LPs) could face reduced profitability under certain scenarios. For instance, some UNI v3 pools might become unprofitable, prompting LPs to shift to v4 pools or exit the ecosystem altogether. This could result in a decline in total value locked (TVL) and put downward pressure on fees for v3 pools.

He also gave two scenarios to show how different choices could affect liquidity providers and the protocol, with outcomes that include the following:

Should Uniswap take no action, the fee switch could generate very low returns, making it harder for LPs to earn profits and slowing overall activity.
In this situation, the protocol could function largely as a routing layer with limited native liquidity.
If the fee switch is applied to v4 pools and UNI tokens are distributed as incentives, LPs could either sell their UNI or remain as the primary beneficiaries, effectively turning UNI into a governance-driven rebate.
Under this scenario, passive token holders may gain little or no advantage, raising questions about fairness in long-term token distribution.

Meanwhile, the market appears to be responding with optimism following the governance outcome. UNI rose 3% over the past 24 hours, building on a strong week in which it climbed more than 17%. While multiple factors could be influencing this movement, the surge may reflect growing investor confidence as the protocol gears up for a new phase of economic activity and broader adoption.

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Ifeoluwa O.

Ifeoluwa specializes in Web3 writing and marketing, with over 5 years of experience creating insightful and strategic content. Beyond this, he trades crypto and is skilled at conducting technical, fundamental, and on-chain analyses.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

Every Boxing Day, I make the same cup of tea, check the same price chart, and ask the same question: What story is Bitcoin telling this year?

Line up the December 26 close from the start of the exchange era to today, and a pattern appears. The holiday reveals the mood that carried us into the year-end.

Boxing Day as a mirror of Bitcoin’s maturity and market psychologyIn the early 2010s, the series was tiny on the page, and Bitcoin closed about $0.26 on Boxing Day.

Liquidity was thin, the market was more chat room than Wall Street, and every uptick felt like a science experiment. By 2013, the experiment had grown teeth.

China’s policy shock in early December set the tone, and that Boxing Day printed in the hundreds of dollars. It was proof that rules and railways matter when a market is still learning to be one.

The following year felt like winter on purpose. Mt. Gox collapsed in February 2014, confidence drained, and by Christmas, the tape was tired.

2015 started to heal, the next halving sat on the horizon, and the holiday close edged higher. In 2016, we saw a proper year-end rally as the halving afterglow met capital pressure from a weakening yuan.

The chart finally looked like a staircase rather than a heartbeat.

Bitcoin Boxing Day price chartThen came the 2017 boom that taught everyone what euphoria looks like on a daily chart. Futures launched, leverage was everywhere, and by Christmas, the air was coming out.

The Boxing Day close held far above prior years. The lesson was simple: bull markets run hot, and cool air feels colder when you are sweating.

In 2018, the opposite chapter was written: a bruised market, a slight bounce into the holidays, and a quiet close that mattered only to those recording the cycle for later. 2019 drifted, range-bound and technical, waiting for a new reason to care.

That reason arrived in 2020. Institutions stepped in, PayPal opened the door to millions of users, and the digital gold narrative met real balance sheets.

There was a wobble around December 21 when a fresh COVID variant hit the headlines. Momentum won anyway, and the Boxing Day print pushed to new territory.

By 2021, the macro story had the wheel. The Federal Reserve turned hawkish, rates rose on the horizon, and risk assets felt it.

Bitcoin closed strong for the year, but the mood around Christmas was not carefree. Then, in 2022, the floor gave way after FTX exploded in November.

The December 26 close sat near the cycle lows. Trust takes time to rebuild, even when the calendar asks for cheer.

The rebuild finally showed up in 2023. Traders front-ran the idea of U.S. spot ETFs, rate-cut hopes crept in, and Bitcoin finished the month back above $40,000, proper Santa rally feel.

That set up 2024, the year the Boxing Day chart will remember. The ETFs were live, the halving reduced new supply, and the December 26 close printed about $95,714, the highest Boxing Day close on record.

This year, 2025, came in lower on the day, about $88,500. The market spent autumn digesting a louder central bank, the dollar stayed firm, and risk budgets tightened into the holidays.

ETF flows remained a support; macro tone chose the ceiling.

Boxing Day closes reveal where Bitcoin sentiment settled each yearIf you plot the Boxing Day bars and lay a line over them for each year’s high, the picture becomes clear. The holiday bar tells you where sentiment ended up; the high tells you what the year made possible.

Bitcoin price on Boxing Day vs yearly high (log)In the bull years, the bar sits close to the line. In the bear years, the gap yawns.

2013 gapped on policy, 2017 gapped on excess, 2022 gapped on trust. 2024 almost touched the line because the whole year did the heavy lifting.

What does that say about the next Boxing Day? Seasonality is a superstition unless money agrees; the drivers that matter are the same ones in the stories above.

Monetary policy sets the weather; ETF creations and redemptions set the tide; halvings shape the shoreline; and year-end microstructure can turn ripples into waves.

If rates ease, if net ETF demand holds, and if miners keep selling pressure light, the bar can rise toward the line. If growth slows, if real yields rise, or if funds take profits into thin holiday books, the gap can widen again.

Boxing Day is just a date; it feels like a milestone because it pins a year of hopes and habits to a single print. The print at the top of the stack is 2024.

The rest of the story is how we get from here to the next one that sits higher.

Bitcoin Market Data

At the time of press 10:24 am UTC on Dec. 26, 2025, Bitcoin is ranked #1 by market cap and the price is up 1.51% over the past 24 hours. Bitcoin has a market capitalization of $1.77 trillion with a 24-hour trading volume of $33.4 billion. Learn more about Bitcoin ›

Crypto Market Summary

At the time of press 10:24 am UTC on Dec. 26, 2025, the total crypto market is valued at at $2.99 trillion with a 24-hour volume of $85.86 billion. Bitcoin dominance is currently at 59.32%. Learn more about the crypto market ›

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