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Dogecoin price hovered above $0.10 on Saturday as traders assessed momentum. Market analysts said bulls are targeting a potential move toward $0.20. The DOGE has been trading sideways in recent weeks, but a fresh wave of buying can trigger a breakout rally this month.

Here’s why Dogecoin Price could surge to $0.20 This Month Dogecoin price could advance toward the $0.20 mark this month as momentum builds across major meme tokens. 

The recent rise in assets like SHIB, PEPE, Pump, BONK, and Pengu indicates a resurgence of interest in speculative assets.

The overall meme market cap is around 35.3 billion following a 2.3%  increase in the day. Analysts observe that a second run in the market would be possible should Bitcoin and Ethereum continue their recent gains.

Other asset-backed holdings, such as XRP, Solana, and Cardano, would increase risk appetite and propel Dogecoin.

The world crypto market has increased by 1.88% to 2.35 trillion over the last day. Spot ETFs remain a growing form of visibility, with the latest inflows of approximately 9.05 million.

On-chain indicators also demonstrate higher accumulation of whales and active addresses. These changes are indicative of sentiment improvement and a possible shift towards greater price levels.

Dogecoin Builds Cup-and-Handle Formation, Raising Breakout Expectations A crypto analyst has highlighted a familiar bullish setup forming on the 24-hour chart. He has observed that the meme coin is building a cup-and-handle, which usually indicates a breakout.

The analyst says that Dogecoin has recently filled a clean cup shape following a stable recovery. The price now seems to be drawing the handle, which is the last step, before a possible increase.

His chart reveals that the cup has a rounded bottom that is followed by a slight pullback that defines the handle.

The above handle breakout may enhance bullishness in case buyers remain in control.

Dogecoin Price Eyes a 100% Breakout as Holds Key Support As of the reporting, the DOGE price traded at $0.10, showing a slight surge of 3% over the past 24-hours.

The Chaikin Money Flow indicated around 0.04 that there was a light accumulation coming back after a sluggish season.

The RSI values were around 52, indicating neutral momentum without exhaustion. The indicator moved slightly upwards, with new purchasing interest slowly developing.

Technical levels outlined the definite upward targets.  A breakout above $0.12 may guide DOGE toward $0.15, where stronger resistance could appear. 

Continued strength above that zone may open a path toward $0.20, which marked the major range high on the chart. The long-term Dogecoin forecast shows a potential expansion exceeding 100% from the current price.

Source: DOGE/USDT 4-hour chart: Tradingview Any fall below $0.10 can subject DOGE to the $0.09 support that acted as the lower limit to the chart. The loss of control over that territory may encourage further pressure and undermine short-term trust.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) If buying pressure continues and resistance levels break, DOGE could potentially target the $0.20 range.

Strength in meme tokens like SHIB and PEPE often boosts overall sentiment and demand for Dogecoin.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry high risk. Always conduct your own research or consult a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Société Générale launches its MiCA-compliant euro stablecoin, EURCV, on the XRP Ledger, marking a massive milestone for institutional RWA growth on Ripple.

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Published: 02/21/2026

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3 min read

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Categories: XRPripple news

The $XRP Ledger (XRPL) has secured a major institutional victory as Société Générale, the 6th largest bank in Europe with $1.8 trillion in assets, officially deployed its euro stablecoin, EUR CoinVertible (EURCV), on the network. This move marks the third major blockchain for the MiCA-compliant token, following its earlier launches on Ethereum and Solana.

Quick Facts: The Institutional Surge on XRPLSociété Générale: Launched EURCV on XRPL via its digital arm, SG-FORGE, on February 18, 2026.Multi-Chain Strategy: XRPL now hosts EURCV alongside Ethereum (2023) and Solana (2025).Network Growth: XRPL reached #2 in 30-day Real-World Asset (RWA) growth at 15.37%, trailing only Arbitrum.Institutional Backing: Deutsche Bank and Aviva Investors also announced XRPL-based integrations this month.Crypto taxes made simple: Compare the top-rated tools for 100% compliance and efficiency

Why Société Générale Chose the XRP LedgerThe deployment of EURCV on the XRP Ledger is not a simple experiment. As a systemically important financial institution, Société Générale requires high throughput and low-cost settlement. SG-FORGE cited the scalability and speed of the XRP Ledger as primary reasons for the integration.

Furthermore, the launch is supported by Ripple’s custody solution (formerly Metaco), which provides the bank with the security infrastructure needed to manage reserves and on-chain issuance. This partnership allows EURCV to potentially be utilized as trading collateral within Ripple’s payment products, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and digital assets.

Deutsche Bank and Aviva Join the XRPL EcosystemThe XRP news today follows a series of high-profile institutional announcements in February 2026.

Deutsche Bank: Revealed plans to integrate Ripple’s technology stack to modernize its cross-border payment rails and FX workflows.Aviva Investors: Partnered with Ripple to tokenize traditional fund structures directly on the XRPL, marking Ripple’s first major deal with a UK-based asset manager.These developments have pushed the total value of tokenized assets on the XRP Ledger to approximately $1.5 billion. While the XRP price has faced headwinds in February—trading near the $1.40 support level amid a broader market correction—the fundamental utility of the network is at an all-time high.

XRP Price Prediction and Market ReactionDespite the bullish institutional news, the XRP price has remained under pressure, down roughly 30% for the month. Analysts at Standard Chartered suggest that while short-term retail demand has cooled, the long-term structural demand remains intact due to these RWA integrations.

If history is to repeat now, XRP could go beyond $3.00.

Ripple’s cross-border token became one of the most volatile assets in the cryptocurrency space after the 2024 presidential elections in the US, going from $0.60 to over $3.60 within less than a year, before it crashed to $1.11 earlier this month.

Following this 70% decline from July 2025 to February 2026, the token has seen its “largest on-chain realized loss spike since 2022,” said Santiment. However, this could be a blessing in disguise for token holders.

The analyst from the analytics company noted that the last time such massive realized losses were recorded, of -$1.93 billion, the underlying asset exploded by 114% in the following eight months. If such a spectacular price increase is to repeat now, it would put XRP’s valuation at over $3.00.

“Significant realized losses happen when a large number of investors sell their coins at a price lower than what they originally paid. This usually coincides with fear taking over. When traders panic and capitulate, they lock in their losses instead of holding and hoping for a rebound,” explained the company.

However, the analysts added that while this might feel negative in the short-term, it can be an important price signal for the longer run.

If the so-called weak hands have already sold, fewer sellers are left to push the asset lower. Or, as Santiment put it: “a wave of heavy realized loss can mean that much of the damage has already been done.”

Additionally, the analysis reads that such large increases in realized losses occur near market bottoms because “extreme fear tends to peak before price does.”

“Once sellers are exhausted, even a small amount of new buying pressure can push prices higher. That does not guarantee an immediate rally, but it increases the probability of a bounce. “

XRP Realized Losses Compared to Price Moves. Source: Santiment You may also like: Europe’s Société Générale Expands Euro Stablecoin to the XRP Ledger Ripple CEO Garlinghouse Predicts CLARITY Bill Has 90% Chance of Approval Soon Grayscale Says XRP Is Second Most Talked-About Asset After Bitcoin Tags:

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Jordan got into crypto in 2016 by trading and investing. He began writing about blockchain technology in 2017 and now serves as CryptoPotato's Assistant Editor-in-Chief. He has managed numerous crypto-related projects and is passionate about all things blockchain.

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Tony Severino, a Chartered Market Technician and Bitcoin trader, was among the rare few analysts who accurately pinpointed the peak in Bitcoin both in terms of timing and at what price.

In a recent X Space, Severino shared his official target for the bear market bottom in BTCUSD. The target includes at what price level the top cryptocurrency is expected to reach, when it will happen, and what the total percentage drawdown will be before it is “all said and done.”

Tony Severino, CMT Calls For $34,000 Bitcoin In October 2026 In this week’s Market Talk X Space hosted by Wolf Bitcoin and Wolf Financial, recurring featured guest and panelist Tony Severino revealed his “official” bottom call for BTC.

Severino, who is a highly-trained technical analyst focusing on cycles, patterns, and psychology, expects the bear market to end later this year around October 2026. Perhaps more importantly, the price prediction aspect is the result of what Severino expects to be a roughly -72% max drawdown. This figure takes BTCUSD to around $34,000 per coin.

While several technical levels exist as to why this zone could be reached, such as this level being the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement, the Chartered Market Technician points to a statistical formula.

Related Reading | Thinking Of Buying The Bitcoin Dip? Here’s What This Metric Says

The first ever bear market drawdown resulted in a -94% decline. Next, in 2014, BTCUSD fell by -86%. 2018’s bear market ended after reaching a full -84% max drawdown. Meanwhile, the last bear market set Bitcoin back -78% and ended with the FTX collapse.

The next average in the linear decay sequence would suggest a max drawdown of between -72 and -74%. Severino’s target is on the more conservative end. Linear decay essentially accounts for the diminished volatility in the cryptocurrency market, while maintaining a realistic average.

Tony Severino CMT calls for BTCUSD to bottom according to this chart Why The Price Prediction Matters – A Transparent Track Record Why does Tony Severino’s targets matter? Severino called for an initial top in Bitcoin in early 2025 around Trump’s inauguration. This was the precise top when comparing BTC against Gold, and was when the bear market started in the BTCUSD trading pair.

Related Reading | Convicted FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Breaks Silence On ‘10 Myths’

Tony even suggested Bitcoin would bounce in April 2025 based on a TD buy setup on the weekly chart, then warned Bitcoin was topping out once again when it reached $126K in late October.

Closed my remaining short for now and just hedged long with a tiny position

It’s yet another new record for me https://t.co/aduKoBc9T7 pic.twitter.com/EDq0riNAKE

— Tony Severino, CMT (@TonySeverinoCMT) February 5, 2026

The skilled trader has recently gained notoriety, sharing a number of high ROI short positions up to 13,000% (using leverage). Tony is also a mentor on Slice App, where he currently has the “best ROI” on the entire platform following a public trade on Silver that gained over 183% (without leverage). Slice App forces transparency and accountability by not allowing mentors to delete or edit posts or trade setups. All of Tony’s trades are public and proven – making his recent bottom call that much more credible and worth considering.

You can find Tony Severino on Slice App.

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Allen is the editor-in-chief at Bitcoinist.com. He has a background in journalism and economics and had his Bitcoin "Aha!" moment in 2013. He has interviewed some of the most prominent experts, entrepreneurs and thought-leaders within the cryptocurrency space. Send your leads, tips or interview requests to: [email protected]

Solana Price Faces a Bull Trap as 50% Holders Exit Prefer us on Google

Solana breakout shows strength, but 50% holder exit threatens sudden bull trap reversalLeverage rises after Solana breakout while conviction holders quietly cut positions in halfSolana breakout targets 50% upside, but supply wall and exits threaten rally failureSolana’s price rose 2.9% over the past 24 hours and broke above a key inverse head-and-shoulders neckline on the 12-hour chart. This breakout typically signals a trend reversal and offers more than 50% upside potential.

But the breakout is happening while long-term holders exit aggressively and leverage builds quickly. These conflicting signals now create a classic bull trap risk where early buyers could get caught if momentum fails.

Breakout Shows 50% Upside PotentialSolana recently broke above the neckline of an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. A descending neckline is easier to break because resistance weakens over time as sellers accept lower exit prices. This increases breakout probability but also raises fakeout risk because the breakout lacks strong resistance clearance.

The breakout also pushed Solana above its 20-period exponential moving average, or EMA, a trend tracking indicator. This level often signals trend strength returning.

But the last time Solana broke above this same moving average earlier in February, the move failed, and the price dropped nearly 12% afterward.

At the same time, a hidden bearish divergence is forming between February 2 and February 21, at press time. During this period, the Solana price formed a lower high while the Relative Strength Index formed a higher high.

Solana Price Structure: TradingViewWant more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

This divergence signals weakening price strength even while momentum indicators rise. It usually appears before pullbacks and suggests the breakout could fail if buyers do not maintain control. The same divergence occurred between February 2 and February 15, leading to the 12% correction mentioned earlier.

This bearish divergence remains active unless Solana breaks above $85.70. A move above this level would temporarily weaken the immediate divergence signal. But the broader Solana price risk remains until stronger resistance levels are broken.

Open Interest Jump and Positive Funding Rate Show Trap ConditionsDerivative data confirms traders are reacting to the breakout. Open interest increased from $1.96 billion on February 20 to $2.08 billion on February 21. This represents a 6.1% increase in just one day.

Open interest measures the total value of active futures contracts. Rising open interest during breakouts shows traders are opening new positions rather than closing existing ones.

At the same time, funding rates turned positive to 0.0016% after being negative previously. Funding rates represent payments between long and short traders. Positive rates mean long traders are paying short traders, showing bullish positioning.

Open Interest Setup: SantimentThis combination confirms new leveraged longs are entering based on the breakout signal. This matters because bull traps require buyers to trap. Rising open interest and positive funding rates confirm traders are positioning for further upside. If the breakout fails, these same leveraged longs could be forced to sell, accelerating the downside move.

Holder Net Position Drop Shows Long-Term SOL Investors Are ExitingThe most important warning comes from long-term holder behavior. The Hodler Net Position Change metric tracks the 30-day rolling net change in supply held by long-term holders. These are investors holding coins for 155 days or longer. This metric reveals whether experienced investors accumulate or distribute.

On February 8, long-term holders added nearly 1.98 million SOL. By February 20, that number dropped to almost 0.99 million SOL. This represents a decline of almost 50%.

Long Term Investors Exiting: GlassnodeThis means long-term holders reduced their accumulation by half, while the bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern developed.

Long-term holders typically accumulate before rallies and distribute near local tops. The slowish accumulation, or rather exits, weakens breakout sustainability.

Cost Basis Cluster at $91 Creates Final Solana Price Confirmation LevelCost Basis Heatmap data reveals where investors last bought their tokens. These zones act as strong resistance because holders often sell near their break-even levels.

The strongest nearby cluster lies between $87 and $88, where nearly 9.12 million SOL have been accumulated. This creates immediate resistance.

Cost Basis Heatmap: GlassnodeBreaking above $85.70 is the first important step. It would weaken the hidden bearish divergence and strengthen the breakout. But the more critical level sits at $91.09.

This level sits above the nearest major cost basis resistance. Breaking above it would absorb overhead supply and confirm buyers are strong enough to sustain the breakout and haven’t been tempted to sell at break-even.

If Solana clears $91.09, the inverse head-and-shoulders breakout target near $129.78 becomes achievable. This represents approximately 50% upside from the breakout line.

While upside potential exists, downside risks remain significant. If Solana falls below $78.88, the inverse head-and-shoulders pattern weakens, and the breakout begins to fail.

Solana Price Analysis: TradingViewA drop below $67.24 would fully invalidate the pattern. Such a move would also likely trigger long liquidations due to the recent leverage buildup. Solana now sits at a critical decision point.

Open interest rising 6.1%, funding rates turning positive, and a 50% drop in long-term holder supply all show conflicting forces.

Breaking above $91 confirms the breakout and opens the path toward $129. Falling below $78 increases bull trap risk. Dropping below $67 confirms the breakout has failed completely.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

With the rial plunging, middle-class savers are bypassing local banks to move billions into the domestic crypto ecosystem. Feb 21, 2026, 6:01 p.m.

The rial, Iran’s official currency, has failed in 2026. Hyperinflation chews through savings every single day. Sanctions stack on top of bad decisions and endless geopolitical pressure. Every day, folks wake up to less money. Families scramble to buy basics while everything they saved disappears. This feels too familiar. Lebanon went through the exact same crisis starting in late 2019. The same kind of banking freeze, the same worthless currency slide, the same desperate search for anything that holds value. Bitcoin turned out to be that financial safe haven then. Signs point to it doing the same in Iran now.

Beirut and Tehran are trapped in the same messSTORY CONTINUES BELOW

Lebanon hit the wall when banks locked accounts tight. Dollar savings got stuck, then devalued hard into a pound that kept crashing. Over 90 percent are gone. Lines at ATMs turned into fights. Protests broke out everywhere. Money sent from family abroad became the only lifeline, but even those funds struggled to come through and cost a lot in fees.

Iran deals with the same chokehold. Sanctions cut off normal trade. Inflation runs wild. Reports put crypto activity close to $8 billion in 2025. People yank Bitcoin straight to personal wallets fast. They worry about freezes or bigger drops. Even the central bank grabs stablecoins like Tether to dodge restrictions.

In Lebanon, attitudes flipped quickly. People who once ignored Bitcoin started running to it because nothing else worked. Peer-to-peer trades exploded everywhere, esp. in Telegram groups. No banks needed. Remittances landed clean. Corner stores took it for bread or gas. A whole underground economy kept running while the official one died.

The raw reality of Lebanon's breakdownBanks did not just slow withdrawals. They took chunks out of deposits. Promised dollars became local currency worth almost nothing. Trust vanished overnight. People who planned carefully lost retirement money, business cash and everything built over decades.

Bitcoin cut through that. It allowed holders to keep something no policy could touch or inflate away. Holding private keys on hardware wallets meant real control. Verify transactions yourself. Remittances crossed borders in minutes, no middlemen skimming. Price ups and downs happened, but long term it held up way better than the pound ever could.

Problems stayed real. Power went out constantly. The Internet dropped. Outside Beirut, liquidity stayed thin. Early on, plenty got burned by shady services because they did not know better. Groups popped up fast, though. Online chats, meetups in cafes. People taught each other: back up seeds right, run your own node, skip custodians. The crisis forced learning quickly. The clearest lesson stuck: leave Bitcoin with someone else and risk losing it to hacks, freezes, or sudden changes in the rules. True ownership means keys in your control.

What Iran can learn from Lebanon’s experienceIran tracks a similar path. Protests show the anger boiling over. The rial keeps dropping. Onchain data makes clear that people move to self-custody to block seizures or worse inflation.

Government signals mix up. Limits on mining clash with tests using crypto for imports. For regular people, though, Bitcoin stays simple: no one stops transfers, no borders block it, value holds outside state control. Stablecoins cover day-to-day. Bitcoin is the savings.

Practices that worked in Lebanon transfer straight over. Find a reliable non-custodial wallet and back up your seed phrase. Create a network of peer-to-peer contacts for when fiat comes in or out. Those basics let the Lebanese people ride out the worst. They offer the same shot in Iran.

Sure, obstacles persist: rules flip, the internet fails in spots, prices swing. Still beats staying fully tied to a currency that keeps failing. Lebanon proved that waiting for the government to fix things rarely works. Early action saved what could be saved.

Getting control back when systems failLebanon and Iran lay bare how quickly centralized finance crumbles. Overprinting, account locks and economic isolation cause innocent citizens to take the hit every time. Bitcoin switches the game: no approval required, no one else bears the risk if the keys stay yours.

The collapse in Lebanon forever changed its economy. Money moved from the into a survival tool, forcing people to learn about custody and real ownership. Iran is faced with the same lesson now: depend on failing banks or take the tool that hands power back.

The rial's hard drop signals more than just trouble. It pushes change. Lebanon produced tougher people who learned what ownership actually means. Iran has the opening for that, too. Move before more vanishes. Check everything yourself. Build stacks. Hold the keys tight. Create real freedom. No one hands it over. You claim it back, one satoshi at a time.

Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.

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Feb 19, 2026

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Ripple just scored big. The company locked down a partnership with Deutsche Bank on February 21, bringing its blockchain tech into the German banking giant’s global payment network. Pretty major move for Ripple’s push into traditional finance.

Bitcoin whales didn’t sit around either. They scooped up $2 billion worth of Bitcoin in recent weeks, and that’s not pocket change. These massive buys show whales think Bitcoin’s got legs for the long haul. When big players move this much money, it usually means something’s brewing in the market. Glassnode data shows addresses holding 1,000 BTC or more jumped significantly since January. Bitcoin’s been hanging around $44,000 lately, which isn’t too shabby considering all the market chaos we’ve seen.

Things got spicy elsewhere too.

Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz went after Logan Paul over some recent drama. Schwartz doesn’t usually throw punches on social media, but he made an exception here. The whole thing shows how tense things are getting between crypto folks and influencers who promote sketchy stuff.

Shiba Inu hit the brakes. SHIB’s wild price swings calmed down, and now it’s just kind of sitting there around $0.000012. Traders are watching closely because this could go either way – breakout or more sideways action. On February 20, trading volumes stayed steady despite the consolidation phase, which means people still care about SHIB even when it’s not doing much.

The Deutsche Bank deal needs regulatory thumbs up first. Both companies are still hammering out details on how they’ll actually make this work. Deutsche Bank’s been digging into blockchain tech since early 2026, trying to make cross-border payments faster and cheaper for clients. Makes sense they’d team up with Ripple, considering XRP trades around $0.75 right now and the market’s betting this partnership could boost adoption.

But here’s the thing – no timeline yet.

Prominent trader Willy Woo thinks Bitcoin’s current setup looks familiar. He said on February 17 that the market feels like previous accumulation phases before big price jumps. Santiment backed this up with data showing whale accumulation hit levels not seen since late 2023. These guys don’t usually throw around $2 billion unless they know something. This follows earlier reporting on Bitcoin Whales Move .2 Billion to.

Ripple’s not stopping with Deutsche Bank either. The company said on February 15 it’s hiring more people in Europe, basically doubling down on that market. Smart move, considering European banks are warming up to blockchain solutions faster than expected.

Shiba Inu developers aren’t just sitting around watching their token consolidate. They dropped hints about “ShibaSwap 2.0” on February 19, promising better features for users. The community went nuts over this announcement, even though SHIB’s price didn’t budge much. Sometimes the tech matters more than daily price action.

Schwartz’s Logan Paul comments hit different because he usually stays out of drama. On February 20, he basically told investors to do their homework instead of following celebrity endorsements blindly. Can’t really argue with that advice, especially after all the influencer crypto disasters we’ve seen.

The whale activity caught everyone’s attention for good reason. When you see $2 billion moving into Bitcoin wallets, that’s institutional money or ultra-high-net-worth individuals making big bets. Regular retail investors don’t have that kind of cash lying around. These moves usually happen before major market events or when smart money thinks economic uncertainty is coming.

Deutsche Bank’s blockchain push makes sense from a business angle. Cross-border payments are slow and expensive using traditional rails. Ripple’s tech could cut settlement times from days to seconds and slash fees significantly. That’s real value for a bank’s bottom line. This follows earlier reporting on Big Institutions Buy Bitcoin While Small.

SHIB’s consolidation phase might actually be healthy. After months of wild swings, some stability gives investors time to think clearly about the project’s fundamentals. The development team announced ecosystem upgrades on February 18, focusing on scalability improvements that could matter long-term.

Bitcoin’s $44,000 level has become pretty important psychologically. It’s held as support multiple times recently, which makes traders think it might be a launching pad for the next move up. Or it could break and send prices lower. Markets are funny that way.

Ripple’s European expansion timing seems deliberate. Regulatory clarity is improving across the continent, making it easier for blockchain companies to operate legally. XRP’s current price around $0.75 reflects market expectations that more partnerships like Deutsche Bank are coming.

The crypto space keeps evolving fast. Partnerships between traditional finance and blockchain companies are becoming normal instead of newsworthy. That’s probably good for long-term adoption, even if it makes individual announcements less exciting.

Whale accumulation patterns don’t lie. When big money starts positioning aggressively, smaller investors usually follow eventually. The $2 billion Bitcoin buy-up suggests confidence that current prices won’t last much longer.

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Data from Arkham shows the majority of Buterin's wealth remains tied directly to token price swings rather than diversified holdings.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin holds more than 240,000 ETH, currently valued at approximately $467 million, according to blockchain intelligence platform Arkham’s investigation into his on-chain holdings.

The analysis established Buterin as the largest accessible individual holder of Ethereum, though institutional players and exchange wallets dominate the top rankings of ETH ownership.

Buterin’s Portfolio Composition and Recent Transactions The Arkham investigation, published on February 17, provided a detailed breakdown of Buterin’s known crypto assets. His Ethereum holdings have gradually declined over the years, from 662,810 ETH in December 2015, which represented 0.91% of the total supply, to the current 240,010 ETH, which now accounts for about 0.20% of all ETH in circulation.

This reduction stems from both periodic sales and the network’s inflationary supply increases over time. Beyond ETH, Buterin holds smaller positions in several tokens, including 10 billion WHITE worth about $1.16 million, 30 billion MOODENG tokens valued at about $442,000, and 869,509 KNC tokens.

His portfolio also includes roughly $11,000 in Tornado Cash’s TORN token, reflecting past usage of the privacy mixer for donations, including funds sent to Ukraine. Recent on-chain activity shows Buterin moving significant sums in alignment with his public commitments, including a 16,384 ETH withdrawal in late January 2026, worth around $43 million at current prices, to support open-source infrastructure development.

This followed his announcement that the Ethereum Foundation is entering a period of “mild austerity,” with Buterin personally assuming funding responsibilities for certain projects to ensure the Foundation’s long-term sustainability. Subsequent sales of around 2,961 ETH over three days in early February, valued at about $6.6 million, were routed through CoW Protocol using small swaps to minimize market impact.

Arkham’s assessment of the broader Ethereum holder landscape revealed that institutions and exchanges occupy the top positions. For instance, the ETH2 beacon deposit contract holds over 60% of the total supply, with Binance, BlackRock, and Coinbase ranking among the largest entities.

You may also like: Ethereum Is Neutral, People Aren’t: Vitalik Buterin Draws a Clear Line Crypto Funds See 4th Week of Outflows, but XRP and SOL Shine: CoinShares Report XRP Leads Altcoin Inflows While Bitcoin Investment Products Struggle Notably, the single largest individual holder is Rain Lohmus, who possesses 250,000 ETH worth $786 million. However, these funds are inaccessible due to lost private keys, a situation Lohmus acknowledged publicly in 2023.

Wealth Trajectory and Philanthropic Focus Buterin’s net worth has followed Ethereum’s volatile price history closely, given that ETH constitutes over 99% of his known portfolio. He briefly achieved billionaire status in 2021 when the token crossed $3,000, with his holdings peaking at $2.09 billion in November of that year.

Nonetheless, the subsequent bear market reduced his wealth by close to 75% by December 2022. In 2025, rising ETH prices again pushed his net worth above $1 billion during August’s all-time high near $5,000, though recent market corrections, which pushed ETH below $2,000, have brought valuations back to current levels.

His wealth originated primarily from the 2014 Ethereum pre-sale, where 16.53% of the initial 72 million ETH supply was allocated to founders. A $100,000 Thiel Fellowship grant that same year allowed Buterin to leave the University of Waterloo and dedicate himself fully to Ethereum development.

Unlike many crypto founders who have accumulated substantial stakes in centralized companies, Buterin’s wealth remains almost entirely liquid and tied directly to the network he helped create.

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Published: Feb 21, 2026 at 18:46

On February 21, 2026, the industry is buzzing with a bold claim from seasoned institutional investors: if central banks adopt a single on-chain bridge for the "Agentic Economy," XRP could eclipse Bitcoin by a significant magnitude.

This isn't just retail hype; it’s driven by the reality of currency volatility.

Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve's trading desk requested indicative dollar/yen quotes following a sharp move in the yen — a rare move that has reignited the conversation about the need for faster, neutral settlement rails.

XRP as the "Digital Oil" Ripple President Monica Long recently sketched out a 2026 roadmap where regulated banks move beyond "testing" and begin running production systems tied directly to on-chain liquidity pools. The theory, championed by vocal market analysts like "Pumpius," is that while Bitcoin remains the world's "Digital Gold," XRP is being positioned as the "Digital Oil" of the global financial engine.

If the XRP Ledger becomes the primary bridge for CBDCs and regulated stablecoins to swap trillions in value near-instantly, its utility-driven market cap could theoretically flip Bitcoin’s store-of-value dominance. Critics point to the massive gap—Bitcoin's trillions vs. XRP's $100 billion—but with institutional "pipes" finally being connected, the "Bridge Asset" dream has never felt more like a tangible reality.

Disclaimer. This analysis and forecast are the personal opinions of the author. The data provided is collected by the author and is not sponsored by any company or token developer. This is not a recommendation to buy or sell cryptocurrency and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Coinidol.com. Readers should do their research before investing in funds.

Journalist

Posted: February 22, 2026

Bitcoin [BTC] has been consolidating above $65K for over a week, after dropping 46% from $126K to $60K over the past three months. Despite the weak sentiment, however, overall selling pressure has reduced significantly. 

According to VanEck analysts, led by head of digital assets research Mathew Siggel, those who’ve held BTC for 1-2 years were the largest sellers late 2025 and early 2026. However, this cohort has reduced the offloading since most of them (who bought at an average price of $72K) are now underwater. 

“Over the past month, selling from older cohorts, >1yr, has fallen significantly to an expected total of 517k BTC in February. In the 1yr-2yr band, token sales have dropped the most dramatically, falling to a pace of 190k.”

Source: VanEck 

Sigel concluded that Bitcoin distribution was ‘slowing,’ but warned that investors might still take painful losses.

So far, realized losses have crossed $22 billion, underscoring rising capitulation and a lack of conviction to hold BTC for longer. 

Market caution persists That said, the decline has adversely affected miner revenue and likely exacerbated the miner crisis and exit of uncompetitive players. This was illustrated by the drop in the Bitcoin network’s hash rate (the computational power required to mine BTC). 

According to VanEck, the network’s hash rate has declined by 14% over the past 90 days. However, the analysts added, 

“Sustained 90-day hash rate drawdowns are relatively uncommon. These periods of hash rate contraction have historically preceded strong forward BTC returns over the subsequent 90 days.”

Source: VanEck 

This may be short-term relief for the market if validated. And the rising expectation of passage of the crypto market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, could further help stabilize the Bitcoin price. 

Even so, there was heavy positioning for downside risk. According to Glassnode data, Options flows and skew heavily leaned towards hedging against downside risk.  Notably, Put skew remained elevated (demand for puts, bearish bets) was relatively higher than calls (bullish bets). 

Source: Glassnode

Put differently, investors didn’t want to be surprised by another leg down despite the potential recovery amid improving passage odds for the CLARITY Act.  

Final Summary  VanEck said that Bitcoin’s main sellers (1-2 year holders) have significantly reduced their dumping spree after BTC dropped below $72K.  The asset manager projected that BTC could recover in Q2, citing historical patterns of hash rate contraction. 

Owens Corning trades at just 10x earnings with a secure dividend and potential 40% upside, but is this hidden gem about to surge, or is it stuck in a housing slowdown?

Owens Corning (OC +0.78%) is priced like a struggling cyclical stock, yet it continues to generate strong cash flow and maintain solid margins. With a low payout ratio, steady dividends, and analysts projecting significant upside, this overlooked building materials leader could reward patient investors as housing demand stabilizes.

Stock prices used were the market prices of Feb. 13, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 20, 2026.

Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Owens Corning. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

This ETF is getting an oil-fueled boost.

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD +0.13%) is one of the largest and most popular ETFs focused on dividend stocks. The fund offers a high current income yield (3.5% over the last 12 months). It has also delivered robust returns over the years.

While the fund delivered an underwhelming performance last year -- it only generated a 0.4% return -- it has gone hyperbolic in early 2026, surging nearly 15%. That has vastly outperformed the S&P 500's less than 1% rise this year. Here's the secret fuel source driving its outperformance.

Image source: Getty Images.

A hidden fuel source The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF tracks an index (Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index) designed to measure the performance of 100 top dividend stocks. It screens companies based on several factors, including dividend yield and five-year dividend growth rate.

The fund's 100 holdings provide fairly broad exposure to the stock market. However, it has a high sector weighting to energy stocks (19.9% at the end of last year, its largest sector allocation). The fund's high exposure to energy stocks weighed on its returns last year, as falling oil prices hurt its performance.

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However, this year has been a different story. Crude prices have rallied sharply in 2026. Brent oil, the global benchmark price, has surged 15% to more than $70 a barrel. Oil has risen due to the potential for supply disruptions in Venezuela and Iran. The U.S. military captured Venezuela's former president and charged him with narcoterrorism. Meanwhile, there's growing concern about an escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

Loaded with top oil dividend stocks The rise in crude prices has been a boon for this ETF as two of its top holdings are oil companies. Chevron (CVX 0.57%) is its fourth-largest holding, accounting for 4.21% of its assets, while ConocoPhillips (COP 1.00%) ranks sixth at 4.19%. It also has meaningful weightings to SLB (2.7% of the fund), EOG Resources (2.36%), and Valero Energy (2.19%). All five of these energy stocks have surged this year:

CVX data by YCharts

However, this oil-fueled upside catalyst isn't why the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF holds these energy stocks. They're in the fund because they're excellent dividend stocks.

For example, Chevron recently increased its dividend by 4%, extending its growth streak to 39 consecutive years (the second-longest dividend growth streak in the oil patch). The oil giant has grown its payout at a 6% compound annual rate over the last five years (faster than the S&P 500's 5% growth rate). Chevron also offers a much higher dividend yield than the S&P 500 (currently 3.9% versus 1.2% for the broader market index). This combination of a high yield and an above-average dividend growth rate is right in this ETF's sweet spot.

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ConocoPhillips also pays a high-yielding dividend that is growing at an above-average rate. The oil giant currently yields 2.9% and increased its dividend by 8% late last year. The oil company's stated goal is to deliver dividend growth within the top 25% of S&P 500 companies.

Both oil companies should have plenty of fuel to continue increasing their high-yielding dividends. Chevron expects to grow its already robust free cash flow by more than 10% annualized through 2030. That assumes oil averages around $70 a barrel. Meanwhile, ConocoPhillips expects to add $7 billion to its annual free cash flow by 2029 (assuming $70 crude oil), nearly double last year's level. That should give them plenty of fuel to continue increasing their high-yielding payouts.

Oil-fueled dividends The oil patch is home to a plethora of top dividend stocks. That's why the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF currently has a high sector weighting. The fund's oil stock investments have been a boon this year, as a rally in the oil market has helped fuel big gains for investors in this dividend ETF. With more dividend growth ahead from its oil holdings, the fund could continue to produce high-octane returns for investors over the long haul.

Matt DiLallo has positions in Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron. The Motley Fool recommends ConocoPhillips and EOG Resources. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Ardent Health, Inc. (NYSE: ARDT) between July 18, 2024 and November 12, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 9, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Ardent Health securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Ardent Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50392 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 9, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made misrepresentations regarding Ardent Health's accounts receivable. Defendants publicly reported Ardent Health's accounts receivable on a quarterly basis. They further stated that Ardent Health employed an active monitoring process to determine the collectability of its accounts receivable, and that this process included "detailed reviews of historical collections" as a "primary source of information." Further, defendants represented that Ardent Health considered "trends in federal and state governmental healthcare coverage" and that its "management determines [when an] account is uncollectible, at which time the account is written off." When defendants began to reveal increased claim denials by third-party payors, they downplayed the issue, stating that the increased payor denials were "turning [] more into a slow pay versus not getting paid," and did not write-off the uncollectible accounts. In addition, defendants represented that Ardent Health maintained professional malpractice liability insurance in amounts "sufficient to cover claims arising out of [its] operations[.]" In truth, Ardent Health did not primarily rely on "detailed reviews of historical collections" in determining collectability of accounts receivable nor did "management determine[] [when an] account is uncollectible." Instead, Ardent Health's accounts receivable framework "utilized a 180-day cliff at which time an account became fully reserved." This allowed Ardent Health to report higher amounts of accounts receivable during the Class Period, and delay recognizing losses on uncollectable accounts. And Ardent Health did not even maintain professional malpractice liability insurance in amounts "sufficient to cover claims arising out of [its] operations[.]" In truth, Ardent Health's professional liability reserves were insufficient to cover "significant social inflationary pressure in medical malpractice cases the past several years," which had been an "increasing dynamic year-over-year" in Ardent Health's New Mexico market. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Ardent Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50392 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284681

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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, /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWV) securities between March 28, 2025 and December 15, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until Friday, March 13, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. Captioned Masaitis v. CoreWeave, Inc., No. 26-cv-00355 (D.N.J.), the CoreWeave class action lawsuit charges CoreWeave as well as certain of CoreWeave's executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit-crwv.html

You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: CoreWeave purports to be an AI cloud computing company. On March 10, 2025, less than three weeks before CoreWeave conducted its initial public offering ("IPO"), CoreWeave announced a deal worth up to $11.9 billion to deliver AI infrastructure to OpenAI, a leading AI company, the complaint alleges. And on July 7, 2025, CoreWeave allegedly announced a definitive agreement to acquire Core Scientific, Inc., one of the largest owners and operators of digital infrastructure for high performance computing in North America, in an all-stock transaction.

The CoreWeave class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) defendants had overstated CoreWeave's ability to meet customer demand for its service; (ii) defendants materially understated the scope and severity of the risk that CoreWeave's reliance on a single third-party data center supplier presented for CoreWeave's ability to meet customer demand for its services; and (iii) the foregoing was reasonably likely to have a material negative impact on CoreWeave's revenue.

The CoreWeave class action lawsuit alleges that on October 30, 2025 Core Scientific announced it had not received enough shareholder votes to approve its merger agreement with CoreWeave and, as a result, terminated the merger agreement. On this news, the price of CoreWeave shares fell by more than 6%, the complaint alleges.

Then, the CoreWeave shareholder class action alleges that on November 10, 2025, CoreWeave announced lowered revenue guidance for 2025, citing "delays related to a third-party data center developer who is behind schedule." Subsequently, on November 11, 2025 during an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street," after host Jim Cramer challenged the initial characterization of the delays at issue, CoreWeave's CEO, defendant Michael Intrator, conceded that the delays implicated not just one data center, but a single data center provider – i.e., that more than one data center owned by the same provider was potentially affected, the complaint alleges. On this news, the price of CoreWeave's shares fell more than 16%.

Finally, on December 15, 2025, the CoreWeave investor class action lawsuit alleges that The Wall Street Journal published an article reporting new information concerning the data center provider delays, revealing that the scope and severity of data center delivery issues were greater than defendants acknowledged. Specifically, the article allegedly revealed that weather-related delays would push back the completion date of a Denton, Texas data center cluster intended for OpenAI by several months, that other data centers would be delayed due to revised design plans, that Core Scientific was CoreWeave's building partner behind the delayed data centers, and that Core Scientific began flagging these delays nine months before CoreWeave announced lowered revenue guidance in November 2025. On this news, the price of CoreWeave shares fell an additional 3.4%, the complaint alleges.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired CoreWeave securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading complex class action firms representing plaintiffs in securities fraud and shareholder rights litigation. Our Firm ranked #1 on the most recent ISS Securities Class Action Services Top 50 Report, recovering more than $916 million for investors in 2025. This marks our fourth #1 ranking in the past five years. And in those five years alone, Robbins Geller recovered $8.4 billion for investors – $3.4 billion more than any other law firm. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world, and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
J.C. Sanchez
655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
800-449-4900
[email protected]

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

Emmanuel Rosner of Wolfe Research just made a bullish call on Tesla's Robotaxi business.

In early February, Wolfe Research analyst Emmanuel Rosner published a report detailing his forecast for Tesla (TSLA +0.03%) stock. At the center of his analysis is Tesla's autonomous vehicle (AV) operation, known as Robotaxi.

Let's dive into Rosner's model and assess how transformative Robotaxi could become for Tesla in the long run. Is now the time to pour into Tesla stock before its artificial intelligence (AI) vision comes to light?

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How Tesla Robotaxi could become a $250 billion business The headline figure in Rosner's report is that Robotaxi could reach $250 billion in revenue by the middle of the next decade. Let's dig into how the analyst derived such an enormous sum:

Rosner estimates that by 2035 the ride-hailing market will be split 30% from autonomous vehicles and 70% human drivers. Of this addressable market, Tesla is expected to capture 50% of robotaxis on the road. Assuming a price of $1 per mile, Rosner suggests that Tesla's total robotaxi opportunity carries an equity value worth $2.75 trillion. While the math implies Tesla could be on the cusp of generating hundreds of billions of dollars in new revenue from Robotaxi over the next decade, smart investors understand there are some risks associated with Rosner's forecast.

Image source: Getty Images.

What risks come with Tesla Robotaxi? I see a few risks that come with Rosner's robotaxi analysis.

First, financial models are highly sensitive and primarily driven by assumptions. Currently, most vehicles on the road are combustion engine cars. While many auto manufacturers are exploring self-driving vehicles, the technology is yet to scale in a meaningful way. On top of that, even if autonomous platforms become commercialized, it's not yet known how quickly consumers would adopt these services.

This is all to say that the market size for autonomous vehicles is very much a "best guess" at this point. If the market and the splits wind up being smaller than Rosner's model suggests, Tesla's opportunity could shrink consierably.

Second, developing Robotaxi costs Tesla billions of dollars across research and development (R&D) and capital expenditures (capex). This enormous capital outlay will continue to put pressure on the company's gross margins and free cash flow until Robotaxi scales -- should that ever come to fruition.

Lastly, Tesla's valuation suggests that at least some of the optimism around the company's AI ambitions is already priced into the stock.

TSLA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts.

The fact of the matter is that a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 200 is rich for any type of business -- let alone a company whose main source of sales -- electric vehicles (EVs) -- is in decline, and little-to-no measurable traction has been made in Robotaxi yet.

For now, Tesla is continuing to slow-roll Robotaxi as it works closely with regulatory authorities. All the while, Alphabet's Waymo is already completing rides and generating revenue in several cities across the country.

This isn't to say that Robotaxi won't be transformative for Tesla. In the long run, autonomous vehicles could very well be a new source of sales and profits for the company.

However, despite the enormous potential of Robotaxi, I think a more realistic scenario is for Tesla stock to pull back before it soars to new highs. Until the company proves that Robotaxi is moving the needle financially, it will remain a capital-intensive, money-losing headwind weighing on Tesla's AI vision.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KD) between August 7, 2024 and February 9, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 13, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Kyndryl securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Kyndryl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=38139 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 13, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Kyndryl's financial statements issued during the Class Period were materially misstated; (2) Kyndryl lacked adequate internal controls and at times materially understated issues with its internal controls; (3) as a result, Kyndryl would be unable to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2025; and (4) as a result, defendants' statements about Kyndryl's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Kyndryl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=38139 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284709

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

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Why ExxonMobil could be the steady dividend powerhouse that protects your portfolio in the next downturn.

ExxonMobil (XOM 2.58%) is proving that scale, discipline, and cash flow still matter. With $52 billion in operating cash flow, rising production from Guyana and Brazil, and 43 straight years of dividend growth, this energy titan may offer stability amid volatile markets. The upside may not be explosive, but the durability could be powerful.

Stock prices used were the market prices of Feb. 13, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 19, 2026.

Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

Canopy Growth grows marijuana, but it hasn't been the best steward of investor capital.

Canopy Growth (CGC +2.56%) is a high-risk investment that should be considered only by the most aggressive investors. That's the big story and, ultimately, why I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. But if you are considering it, you'll want to think about these key facts before you hit the buy button.

Canopy Growth is a penny stock One of the first major warning signs is that the stock is trading around $1. That's penny stock land, an area of the market that is known for being high risk. Stock prices generally only fall that low when a company is struggling. Sure, there could be a huge upside opportunity if a penny stock turns around, but there's material downside risk if the company's business doesn't prove sustainable over the long term.

Image source: Getty Images.

Notably, penny stocks often struggle to tap the capital markets for cash through stock sales. And when they do, the cost is very high given the low stock price, with investors feeling the hit via increased shareholder dilution.

Canopy Growth just recapitalized its balance sheet In addition to the stock price, Canopy Growth's financial strength is a potential issue. In early 2026, the company recapitalized its balance sheet. There were several transactions involved, with the company effectively pushing out its debt maturities. That's a positive; however, to get the deal done, it had to offer incentives, including warrants. This isn't the type of thing a financially strong company usually has to do.

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Canopy Growth is buying another business Despite the low stock price and questions about the company's financial strength, it is still moving ahead with the acquisition of MTL Cannabis. This move is expected to improve the company's geographic positioning in the marijuana sector, but the all-stock deal will increase Canopy Growth's share count. The stock involved here will increase dilution and will make it harder for the company to turn a profit.

Canopy Growth is mired in red ink There are clearly several material red flags when you consider Canopy Growth. One of the biggest is the company's ongoing losses. In fact, it has never been profitable. Sure, the losses appear to be getting smaller, but that isn't enough to make this high-risk penny stock worth buying.

Most investors should probably watch Canopy Growth from the sidelines. If the business can become sustainably profitable, it may be worth reconsidering it. But until that point, I wouldn't touch it.

Walmart's stock has had a strong start to the year.

As consumer confidence has collapsed, investors have increasingly turned to more defensive names when it comes to retailers. This has helped Walmart's (WMT 1.52%) stock get off to a strong start to the year, up about 13% year to date, as of this writing.

With the retail giant recently reporting its fourth-quarter results, let's take a closer look to see whether the stock's momentum can continue.

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Solid sales continue One of the more interesting things about the Walmart story over the past few years is that the retailer has been attracting more affluent shoppers. This has been an important growth driver, especially as lower-income consumers have been stressed due to inflation and tariffs. This showed up once again in Q4, with the company calling out strength in households earning more than $100,000 a year, while sales from households making below $50,000 were weak.

Overall, Walmart saw its revenue rise 5.6% to $190.66 billion, surpassing the $190.43 billion consensus, as compiled by LSEG. Walmart U.S. store sales increased by 4.6% to $129.2 billion, while same-store sales also rose by 4.6%. The number of transactions increased by 2.6%, while the average ticket climbed 2%.

E-commerce sales, meanwhile, climbed 27%. Walmart credited its Sparky agentic commerce tool for helping improve customer engagement, with customers using the AI agent spending 35% more than non-users. The company also saw a 41% surge in U.S. ad revenue in the quarter.

Internationally, sales jumped 11.5% to $31.2 billion, and were up 7.5% in constant currencies. The growth was led by Walmex (Mexico), China, and Flipkart (India e-commerce). International e-commerce sales grew by 17%, and international ad revenue rose 10%.

Sam's Club U.S., its warehouse store concept, saw sales (excluding fuel) increase by 4% to $21.7 billion. Same-store sales, excluding fuel, also grew by 4%. Transactions rose 5.3%, while the average ticket fell by 1.3%. E-commerce sales soared 23%. Membership fees rose 6.1% year over year.

Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose 12% to $0.74. Despite tariff pressure, the company saw its gross margin increase by 13 basis points in the quarter and operating income rise 10.8%, or 10.5% in constant currency, helped by investments in automation and the growth of higher-margin businesses like advertising.

Image source: Getty Images.

Looking ahead, Walmart projected its first-quarter sales to rise between 3.5% to 4.5%, with adjusted EPS of between $0.63 to $0.65.

For the full year, it's looking for revenue growth of 3.5% to 4.5% and adjusted EPS of between $2.75 to $2.85. However, that was short of the $2.96 consensus.

Is the stock a buy? While I think Walmart is doing a great job driving revenue growth and is seeing nice operating leverage through automation, ad revenue, and AI, I'm not buying the stock when it's trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of above 40 times. That multiple is just difficult to justify, given its mid-single-digit revenue growth and low single-digit operating income growth.

The stock likely remains a defensive safe haven, but the upside looks limited.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

© panida wijitpanya / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Bill Ackman built his fortune through Pershing Square Capital Management by taking large positions in companies he believes in, often concentrating his bets rather than diversifying broadly. This approach has included activist campaigns and short positions, like his notable bet against Herbalife (NYSE:HLF). 

Ackman’s strategy emphasizes deep research into high-quality businesses with durable growth. In the fourth quarter, his fund made several adjustments. He completely exited its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG), and increased his stake in Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN | AMZN Price Prediction) by about 65%, bringing the total to roughly 9.6 million shares, which now represents 14% of the portfolio.

But there was only one new stock Ackman bought in Q4: Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META). Does the social media and artificial intelligence (AI) giant belong in your portfolio, too? Here’s why Ackman is so bullish about Meta.

Going Big on Meta Pershing Square purchased approximately 2.7 million shares of Meta Platforms valued at around $1.8 billion. This makes Meta the fund’s fifth-largest holding, accounting for about 11% of the $15.5 billion portfolio, behind Brookfield (NYSE:BN), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), Amazon, and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG). The move was decidedly opportunistic as it occurred after Meta’s stock suffered a sharp drop following its third-quarter earnings due to investor concerns over its AI-related capital expenditures.

With Ackman’s significant bet on Meta, investors may wonder if the stock fits their own holdings. Although Pershing Square’s position highlights Meta’s potential, individual risk tolerance and diversification needs vary, so it might not be a good fit for you, but below are the main reasons Ackman has outlined for his bullish stance.

Why the Billionaire Is Bullish on Meta In 2025, Meta generated $200 billion in revenue, up 22% year-over-year, driven by its core Family of Apps segment, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This segment relies on advertising, while the Reality Labs division — focused on wearables and metaverse projects — incurs losses that represent about 25% of overall profits.

Meta leads the digital advertising market, which Pershing Square views as a fast-growing sector. The company has over 3.5 billion daily active users across its apps, with user growth at 7% in Q4. A key factor is Meta’s integration of AI, which enhances user engagement through content recommendations and improves ad targeting using first-party data. Its AI-driven ad ranking has delivered about four times more revenue impact than simply increasing ad load, with both ad prices and impressions accelerating. 

Nvidia‘s (NASDAQ:NVDA) Jensen Huang recently praised Meta as the top AI deployer, stating in a CNBC interview that its approach yields real rewards from massive investments. He noted Meta’s shift to generative AI has transformed its business, driving earnings growth and justifying continued spending.  

AI also supports self-serve tools for advertisers and opens new opportunities like business AI assistants and wearables. Pershing Square notes Meta’s history of cost control, such as the 2023 “Year of Efficiency” initiative, and recent cuts in Reality Labs spending. The fund believes front-loading AI investments will drive long-term earnings growth, especially after a planned spending increase in 2026.

Meta Platforms is Cheap On valuation, Meta trades at 22 times next-twelve-months price-to-earnings, which Pershing Square considers attractive given growth prospects. Excluding Reality Labs losses, the core advertising business is valued at a forward P/E of under 20 times. Meta’s competitive edges include scale effects, where more users improve platform utility and data enables precise targeting. Meta’s strong balance sheet and high-margin core operations also provide flexibility for investments. 

Pershing Square sees Meta as well-positioned among AI beneficiaries, with leadership in ads, data infrastructure, and research. Since initiating the position, Meta’s shares rose 2% through year-end and 3% year-to-date in 2026.

Key Takeaway Investors should, of course, conduct their own due diligence before purchasing any stock, assessing factors like financial goals and market conditions. That said, Ackman presents strong, compelling arguments for Meta Platforms through Pershing Square’s analysis, emphasizing its advertising dominance, AI upside, and an undervalued core business.

Is Pfizer's 6% yield a rare opportunity hiding in plain sight, or are investors overlooking a major risk that could reshape its future?

Pfizer (PFE 0.73%) offers a rare mix of scale, stability, and a 6% dividend yield that few large caps can match. With steady cash flow, modest valuation, and analyst upside, this defensive giant may be quietly positioning for a rebound. I explore whether this is a true income opportunity or a misunderstood value play in 2026.

Stock prices used were the market prices of Feb. 13, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 19, 2026.

Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

NanoViricides (NYSE-A:NNVC) earlier this week provided an update on the advancement of its broad-spectrum antiviral candidate NV-387, outlining progress in Mpox clinical development and confirming orphan drug designation filings for multiple indications.

Speaking to Proactive, CEO Dr Anil Diwan said the company has completed the full clinical trial application required to initiate a Phase 2 study of NV-387 in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Mpox. Import permissions have been secured and the next steps involve site evaluation, approvals and training before dosing begins.

Diwan noted that although the WHO’s global Public Health Emergency declaration has been lifted, Mpox continues to spread in parts of Africa. He stated that cases “continue to increase in cases” and disperse despite vaccine deployment, supporting the rationale for continued development.

Importantly, NanoViricides confirmed the Phase 2 study is fully funded. The company raised approximately $5.5 million in November and maintains a quarterly spend of about $1.8 million.

Proactive: Alright welcome back inside our Proactive newsroom, and joining me now is Dr Anil Diwan, CEO of NanoViricides. Dr Diwan, great to see you again, how are you?

Dr Anil Diwan: I'm fine. How are you?

I'm doing very well. I know you've had some news out recently. I thought it'd be a great opportunity to get you on to talk about an orphan drug designation that you have filed an application for. We'll get to that in just a second. But also, you've got some news out about the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mpox. I know you've done a phase one study and you're now fully funded for a phase two study. Why don't we start there and talk to me a bit about what's going on?

NV-387 is an extremely broad spectrum drug. We have been fortunate in being able to discover it and bring it to this stage. It worked against many different diseases. We decided to focus on monkeypox for further development because it was a shorter pathway. At that time there was a worldwide epidemic declaration, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO.

We were getting accelerated in the programs by the regulatory agency in Africa. We submitted the required summary documents. Although the WHO emergency declaration has come off globally, the emergency declaration in the African region persists because monkeypox is not going away. Cases continue to increase and disperse despite vaccines being deployed.

We were asked to complete a full-fledged clinical trial application, which has now been done. We also obtained import permission for the drug into the DRC. We have passed all of those steps. The next stage is evaluating and approving clinical sites, training them, and then starting dosing. Documentation is in preparation and we think it will take a few weeks.

In the financials you mentioned this is fully funded. You're ready to go when that documentation comes in?

Yes. We raised about $5.5 million in November. We spend about $1.8 million per quarter. Based on that, we have sufficient money to complete this clinical trial. There are no issues with financing.

You're also filing for orphan drug designation for NV-387. What does that mean?

Previously we were working on RSV, which is an $8 billion market. However, clinical trial costs were very high and biotech financing has been poor over the last four years. We needed a faster pathway. RSV and influenza require long, protracted trials.

We evaluated diseases where NV-387 showed strong animal model results — monkeypox, smallpox, and measles. We focused first on monkeypox because of the emergency.

In the US, we assessed how to move rapidly and potentially attract non-dilutive funding. Discussions led us to the orphan drug strategy for NV-387 as a viable pathway with significant benefits, including potentially quicker regulatory approvals.

Smallpox, Mpox and measles represent meaningful markets globally. Measles cases are rising in the US, with more than 25 states affected. When a measles case occurs, large groups must quarantine. If an approved drug were available, prophylactic doses could potentially reduce spread.

We have now filed orphan drug designation applications for NV-387 for the treatment of measles, Mpox, and smallpox.

What sort of timeline are you looking at to hear back from the FDA?

These designation applications are typically handled in three to four months. We are not waiting and are already progressing next steps.

If designated, there are significant benefits: R&D tax credits, fee reductions or waivers, and seven-year marketing exclusivity. Clinical trials are usually smaller and shorter for orphan indications. If an outbreak is ongoing, they can be completed more quickly.

There is also a possibility of accelerated approval after Phase 2, with confirmatory work continuing afterward. That would allow the drug to be sold earlier, which is a benefit for the company.

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and style

While it's clear that the business has significant upside, what about the stock price?

Shares of chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA +0.94%) have been one of the clearest ways to play the artificial intelligence build-out. And investors who foresaw this have profited. The stock is up more than 750% over the past three years as companies turned to Nvidia to power their AI plans.

Nvidia's business momentum remains extraordinary, even today. But the hard part about investing is that a great business and a great stock are not the same thing, especially once the market has already priced in years of strong demand. In other words, Nvidia can keep executing at an impressive speed yet still deliver only ordinary shareholder returns over the next five years.

So, where exactly could Nvidia stock realistically end up in five years?

Image source: Getty Images.

AI spending is still ramping Nvidia's most recent quarter showed why investors are still upbeat about the AI boom. In its fiscal third quarter of 2026 (ended Oct. 26, 2025), the AI chipmaker's revenue rose 62% year over year to $57.0 billion. And that impressive rate was an acceleration from the prior quarter, when revenue rose 56% year over year to $46.7 billion.

Key to the quarter's growth, of course, was its AI-focused data center business. Nvidia said data center revenue rose 66% year over year to $51.2 billion in the quarter.

"Blackwell sales are off the charts, and cloud GPUs are sold out," said Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang in the company's fiscal third-quarter earnings release.

Meanwhile, recently announced full-year spending plans from some of the world's biggest tech companies suggest that Nvidia's data center momentum should persist. Amazon (AMZN +2.59%) said it expects to invest about $200 billion in capital expenditures across the company in 2026, explicitly pointing to AI among the drivers. Meta Platforms guided to 2026 capital expenditures (including principal payments on finance leases) of $115 billion to $135 billion. And Alphabet said its 2026 capital expenditures are anticipated to be in the range of $175 billion to $185 billion.

Those budgets, of course, aren't comprised entirely of dollars going to Nvidia. But they are a clear signal that hyperscalers are still aggressively building capacity, and GPUs remain a central input to that build-out.

So, in the short term, Nvidia should continue to see explosive business growth.

A five-year forecast The longer-term question is not whether AI is here to stay. It most certainly is. The more pertinent question is what the AI hardware market looks like once the initial capacity land-grab cools.

Additionally, one pressure point is that Nvidia's customers are incentivized to reduce their dependence on any single supplier. Some are already scaling internal silicon programs. Amazon, for example, recently highlighted momentum in its custom chips and said Trainium and Graviton have a combined annual revenue run rate of over $10 billion, growing at a triple-digit year-over-year rate. Programs like this could lead to Nvidia's pricing power softening over time.

Further, Amazon is explicitly focused on bringing prices down for AI chips.

"Customers are starving for better price performance," said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in the company's fourth-quarter earnings call.

None of this is to say Nvidia will not be a strong business five years from now. But it is a high-risk stock operating in a fast-changing part of the market, and the outcome range is wide. If AI spending normalizes, if competition closes some of the performance gap, or if large customers keep scaling with in-house built alternatives, Nvidia can still grow, but at a slower rate (though probably not until Nvidia benefits from another year of blistering growth, first).

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In short, I believe Nvidia's business continues to grow nicely, but its pricing power erodes over time as customers push harder on cost and alternatives mature. That combination can still deliver returns of 10% to 12% annually, but investors should not expect a repeat of the last few years.

How does that work out for the stock?

The math is simple: Starting from about $188 per share today, 10% annual compounding over five years implies a stock price of about $303. At 12%, it is about $331.

That is a solid outcome, especially given that it's from a premium valuation, as shares trade at about 47 times earnings today.

I would treat Nvidia as a business that can keep doing well, but one where the next five years are more likely to look like normal compounding than another once-in-a-cycle surge. If you own it, the key is sizing and expectations -- because the biggest risk is that the industry changes faster than the market's optimism does.

Stock Market Data, Stock Market and Exchange, Stock Market Crash, Dollar Sign, Moving Down

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I hadn’t seen my boy in years. He wasted no time laying into my career decisions.

“Why are you messing around with the finance stuff? The blogging? No future in it.”

Well, good to see you too, buddy.

“You have real value in the software thing you’re doing. Stick with that.”

His advice was to leave Wall Street to him. He worked for a big-name firm. At the time of our run in, we were five or so years out of undergrad.

In true contrarian form, I ignored him. And it’s a good thing! Here we are talking stocks together and the software startup he wanted me to focus 100% on? The thing never made much money. I sold my stake in 2018 and never looked back.

My point? Wall Street guys don’t know the world outside of Manhattan.

But people listen to these Wall Street types like their word is scripture—and it’s anything but. Because these guys don’t have jobs that are down in the mainstream economy day to day. They don’t actually know what’s happening on the ground. They’re getting their information secondhand, thirdhand. They’re smart people, sure. They just don’t have the info.

And that is why we use analyst sentiment as a contrarian indicator. Kind of like magazine covers—by the time the suits catch a trend, that trend might be about to turn. So we actually want to find stocks where analysts are disinterested, or outright negative, or just asleep at the wheel. Because that is where the value hides—especially when those hated stocks are paying fat dividends.

MORE FOR YOU

I have my eye on five of them right now, yielding 6.5% to 15.6%. But first, let me show you just how asleep at the wheel the pros really are. You and I both know how they get their access—it’s with honey, not vinegar. So naturally, consensus ratings on most stocks tend to be overwhelmingly bullish.

But even I was surprised by how ridiculous it’s gotten. Take a look at consensus analyst recommendations on the S&P 500’s components:

S&P 500 Ratings

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Buys make up about 80% of the calls. The remaining 20%? Mere Holds. Not a single Sell among them!

Remember: These ratings generally pertain to the coming 12 months. That’s an astonishingly optimistic view of every single S&P 500 component—especially with this many economic question marks floating around.

But if we venture outside of the S&P 500, we do find a few more bearish ratings. And those are much more meaningful to us. Because despite analysts’ well-understood bent, investors are still willing to follow their lead. Sell calls have far more room for upgrades that can trigger buying, which can trigger more upgrades, and turn into a virtuous cycle of higher ratings and share prices.

Which is exactly why we contrarians should always keep an eye on the Sell bin: names like these 6.5% to 15.6% payers are packed with potential on sentiment alone.

Now, let’s see if these names pass more than just the vibes test.

5 Sell Rated Dividend Stocks With High YieldsI’ll start with HP Inc. (HPQ, 6.5% yield), the personal computing and printing technology company that only recently started pinging my high-yield radar. In theory, that could happen from a massive dividend hike, but more often than not? It’s because shares have started tanking.

HPQ Price Chart

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HP’s product lineup is actually quite wide. Its Personal Systems division spans commercial and consumer desktops, notebooks and workstations—plus point-of-sale systems, displays, even endpoint security. Printing covers consumer and commercial printers, supplies, solutions, and 3D printing. And then there’s Corporate Investments, a business incubation and investment division.

HPQ is cratering because those first two arms are being significantly impacted by what’s being called a “memory crisis”—memory-chip producers simply can’t keep up with the simultaneous demand from AI data centers and consumer electronics. This is driving up prices—DRAM pricing is expected to grow another 14% in 2026, while NAND pricing is set to explode by 140%—and forcing companies to re-price their offerings to salvage margins.

Combine all of that with a continued decline in print interest, plus the sudden early February exit of CEO Enrique Lores (who moved over to PayPal (PYPL)), and there’s not much for us to like about HPQ right now. In fact, I’m surprised the consensus isn’t worse. HPQ could be considered a “Bearish Hold” at this point; 8 pros call it a Hold, versus 4 Buys and 5 Sells.

HPQ, to its credit, has been dutifully raising its dividend every year for a decade now, including a 3%-plus hike to 30 cents per share near the end of 2025. And the payout still seems plenty safe at just 40% of current-year EPS estimates. But we could be looking at a falling knife as long as memory woes persist. If and when that changes, it might warrant another look from our corner.

Wendy’s (WEN, 7.0% yield) is another “Bearish Hold” (4 Buys/20 Holds/5 Sells) in the midst of a complete stock collapse. The burger slinger’s shares have been cut in half over the past year and lost 70% of their value since this point in 2023. That has sent our yield skyward!

WEN Price Chart

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And as if the chart needed more drama, shares have been whipping around on fresh headlines. WEN surged 14% on Wednesday after activist investor Trian Fund Management said it was exploring strategic options, including a potential takeover of the company. As of this writing, the stock is already in retreat from that move. This kind of volatility tells you traders are speculating on deal chatter—not betting on a fundamental turnaround just yet.

The fast-food industry’s 2025 woes were well-reported, and they certainly weren’t limited to Wendy’s, the No. 2 U.S. hamburger quick-service restaurant in the nation. No. 1 McDonald’s (MCD) and No. 3 Burger King—part of Restaurant Brands International (QSR)—also suffered slumping sales in 2025.

But while MCD and QSR managed to find their footing thanks to improved lineups and stronger promotions, Wendy’s simply didn’t. It recently reported an 11.3% drop in same-restaurant sales for the final quarter of 2025 and provided an EPS outlook that was well short of expectations (56-60 cents vs. 86 cents). The pros now see 2026 earnings tanking by around 33%-34%.

It’s not for lack of a turnaround plan—Wendy’s launched “Project Fresh” last year to stem the bleeding. But a look at the details shows a lot of back-end focus (“optimizing labor,” “enhance brand relevance,” “digital and equipment efficiency”). It’ll close 5% to 6% of its 5,800-plus restaurants. It’ll cut back on breakfast in some locations. But where’s the plan that actually gets diners back through the door? I’m not seeing it.

Wendy’s is also doing all this under an interim CEO; Kirk Tanner departed in July 2025 for Hershey’s (HSY). Not exactly a vote of confidence.

That said: Wendy’s turnaround isn’t necessarily doomed for failure. Problem is, recent results hint toward a revival taking longer than expected. Plus, a new leader might very well want to tweak the plans based on his or her expertise.

But your yield is every bit as juicy as a Dave’s Double, so if WEN can maintain the dividend at current levels, this could end up being a deep dividend value for our portfolios. Shares just need to stay on the grill a little longer for now.

Let’s move on to a few more truly hated names—and a couple that we might actually want to keep our eye on.

American Assets Trust (AAT, 7.3% yield) is a modest real estate investment trust (REIT) at just 31 buildings across the Pacific Coast, Hawaii and Texas—but those buildings include 4.3 million square feet of office space, 2.4 million square feet of retail space, 2,302 multifamily units, and 369 hotel suites.

On its face, the 7%-plus yield on a REIT like AAT would be less alarming than it would be on a Wendy’s or HP, just given the industry’s income-friendly nature. But AAT is just like those two companies in that its currently high yield has much less to do with its (glacially) growing payout and much more to do with its sinking share price.

AAT Price Chart

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No wonder “the Street” is sour on the name. AAT not only has zero Buy calls, but it also has a thin analyst following of just four names (2 Holds, 2 Sells). That small amount of coverage is telling, too—rather than place a Sell call on shares, it’s common for analysts to simply bow out and not risk peeving management. (Can you blame them?)

The company is coming off a brutal 2025 that saw funds from operations (FFO) drop to $2.00 per share, from $2.58 in 2024. The good news? It’s partly an effect of difficult year-over-year comparisons thanks to one-time leases. The bad news? It’s also a reflection of an extremely weak West Coast office market that’s not expected to get better anytime soon.

But it could get better eventually. Signs are showing a potential bottoming out in markets such as San Francisco and San Diego. There are other draws for our contrarian radar, too. AAT trades at about 9 times FFO estimates for 2026 and 2027. It yields 7%-plus thanks to sluggish shares. And that distribution is less than 70% of those FFO estimates—which, from that view, is pretty safe.

Problem is, those FFO estimates imply basically sideways to slightly down profitability over the next two years. Same-store growth was only about 1% in 2025, with little hope for improvement this year. And despite the seemingly low payout ratio, AAT pays out enough that it has little room to reduce its high leverage or develop new properties. Said another way: The dividend might be less certain than the payout ratio suggests if management wants to jump-start the business. We’ll keep watching, but we’re not jumping in yet.

Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN, 10.4% yield) is one of the largest “integrated” (or “hybrid”) REITs in the U.S. Its full portfolio consists of 120 properties, but its “core” portfolio of roughly 60 properties is largely concentrated in Philadelphia and Austin—and is roughly 90% office in nature.

I looked at BDN back in September 2025. At the time, I said:

But let’s keep a really close eye on the dividend. The payout was 107% of FFO through the first half of 2025, and full-year FFO are expected to just barely pay for the dividend. If Brandywine runs into liquidity issues, that 13%-plus yield could be a rug-pull just waiting to happen.Literally that same week, BDN announced its second dividend reduction in three years. (I wish I’d been wrong on that one!)

BDN Price Chart

Ycharts

Again, office properties are having a miserable time of it. No wonder the pros have no love for Brandywine—three Holds, two Sells, and not a single Buy call.

But I want to focus on a few current and emerging positives that might make BDN more appealing for us down the road.

Brandywine still pays out 10% despite its significantly reduced dividend, and that dividend represents just 56% of consensus FFO estimates—a much healthier coverage ratio! The stock trades at just 5.4 times FFO estimates for 2026. And remember, I mentioned in September that “joint ventures have been Brandywine’s Achilles’ heel of late” because of how burdensome the development deals are on BDN. Well, BDN is working on simplifying its JV portfolio—for instance, it bought out its partner at 3151 Market St. (Philadelphia) during the most recent quarter. That’s the kind of cleanup we want to see.

The REIT still has more headwinds than tailwinds, and the environment for its core property type is miserable. Asset sales and balance-sheet cleanup would go a long way toward building confidence in this down-on-its-luck property owner. One for our watch list.

Goldman Sachs BDC (GSBD, 15.6% yield), which is coming off its own 2025 dividend cut, is a business development company (BDC) that provides financing to companies with annual EBITDA of between $5 million and $75 million. Its 171-holding portfolio spans about a dozen industries, and it’s concentrated in software (about 19% of the invested portfolio).

GSBD also has zero Buy calls to its name, with a sparse analyst following that breaks down to 4 Holds and 1 Sell. The lack of analyst participation is even more glaring given that GSBD is one of the largest BDCs and is tethered to mega-cap investment bank Goldman Sachs (GS). You’d think that brand name alone would attract more attention!

Why the hate? Goldman Sachs BDC has been underwhelming since its 2015 IPO. It has grossly underperformed since the COVID market rebound. And it slashed its core payout by 29% in 2025. (GSBD also pays supplemental dividends; 1.7 points of its 15.6% yield come from these extra distributions.)

But there are two reasons we should keep watching GSBD despite its historical stank: 1.) It’s cheaply priced at just 72% of its net asset value (NAV)—that’s a 28% discount to what it owns!—and 2.) it has been ditching its legacy portfolio and been much more aggressive making deals of late.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: How to Live off Huge Monthly Dividends (up to 8.2%) — Practically Forever.

If you're seeking income growth and diversification through the energy sector, Chevron is a top stock to consider today.

Dividend stocks can be an excellent source of passive income for investors. Chevron (CVX 0.57%) is one company that has rewarded dividend investors for years. Despite operating in the volatile oil and gas industry, Chevron and its business model have proven to be resilient; in fact, the company has provided investors with a growing dividend payout for 39 consecutive years.

Here's why Chevron is a smart dividend stock for investors to buy today.

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Chevron's oil and gas advantage Chevron operates as an integrated oil and gas company, with upstream and downstream operations that help diversify its earnings and provide it with resilience in an industry vulnerable to changes in spot gas and oil prices.

In recent years, Chevron has been prudent with its finances, prioritizing a disciplined approach to spending, debt reduction, shareholder returns, and positive cash flow. The company is taking a measured approach to capital expenditures, and last year it achieved $1.5 billion in structural cost reductions. It expects to achieve $3 billion to $4 billion in structural cost reductions by the end of 2026.

Chevron's growth is driven by high-margin assets, including deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico (the Anchor and Whale projects). Its acquisition of Hess, which includes Hess' 30% stake in Guyana's Stabroek Block, gives it massive, low-cost, multi-decade production capabilities.

Image source: Getty Images.

In addition, the company produced over 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in the Permian Basin. Its drilling rig efficiency has more than doubled since 2022, allowing it to drill development areas at a significantly lower cost. The company is leveraging technology to more efficiently extract oil and gas, and has engineered its portfolio to cover both capital expenditures and dividends even if Brent oil hits below $50 per barrel. This low break-even point provides a safety margin even if oil prices were to fall from here.

Its drilling business is complemented by its downstream operations, which include refining and marketing. Its refineries in the United States have a high Nelson Complexity Index, enabling them to process diverse crude types into high-value products and generate higher refining margins than peers. Its downstream segment alone is projected to generate $4 billion in annual free cash flow through the end of the decade, providing stability to its overall portfolio.

A long history of dividend raises Chevron has done an excellent job of managing its business and its balance sheet over the past several decades. Not only does it offer an attractive dividend yield of 4%, but it has also increased its annual dividend payments for 39 consecutive years. On top of that, it has repurchased shares in 18 of the past 22 years.

Looking ahead, Chevron projects free-cash-flow growth of 10% annually over the next five years. If you're seeking passive income and diversification from the energy sector, Chevron is an excellent choice.