Market Signal Briefing

ATYR Investors with Losses Encouraged to Contact the Firm

, /PRNewswire/ -- A new class action complaint has been filed against aTyr Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATYR) and certain of its top executives, significantly enlarging the alleged class period covered by the ongoing securities litigation. The firm urges investors in aTyr who suffered significant losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.

The new class action, Kingv. aTyr Pharma Inc., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on behalf of investors who suffered substantial losses, now seeks to represent all persons and entities who acquired aTyr Pharma securities between November 7, 2024, and September 12, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The previous alleged Class Period began in January 2025, making this a critical expansion for investors who purchased shares in late 2024.

Prominent shareholders rights firm Hagens Berman has been investigating the alleged claims. Read more about the issue facing ATYR investors, The Stakes of Clinical Trials: Why Pharma Companies Must Be Accurate and How it Relates to the aTyr Investigation.

Expanded Class Period: Nov. 7, 2024 – Sep. 12, 2025
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Dec. 8, 2025
Visit:www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/atyr
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
                                          844-916-0895

aTyr Pharma, Inc. (AYTR) Securities Litigation:

The suits allege that aTyr and its top executives made false and misleading statements about the efficacy of its drug, Efzofitimod, leading investors to purchase stock at artificially inflated prices.

At the heart of the allegations is aTyr's Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, known as EFZO-FIT, which evaluated intravenous Efzofitimod in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. The drug was intended to help patients reduce their dependency on steroids.

According to the complaint, throughout the Class Period, aTyr executives expressed overwhelmingly positive statements and confidence in the study's design, particularly its forced taper approach intended to gauge the drug's ability to allow patients to completely wean themselves off steroids.

However, the lawsuit claims that concurrently with these optimistic pronouncements, the company was allegedly concealing material adverse facts concerning Efzofitimod's capability to allow a patient to completely taper their steroid usage—a key measure of efficacy.  The lawsuit asserts that aTyr's statements crossed the line into securities law violations by allegedly misrepresenting the drug's true prospects.

The truth, as alleged in the complaint, came to light on Monday, September 15, 2025. Pre-market, aTyr hosted an investor call announcing that the EFZO-FIT study did not meet its primary endpoint: the change from baseline in mean daily oral corticosteroid (OSC) dose at week 48.

The disappointing topline results prompted a swift and brutal market reaction. aTyr's common stock, which had closed at $6.03 per share on the preceding Friday, September 12, cratered to close at just $1.02 per share on September 15—a catastrophic one-day decline of 83.2%.

In its post-announcement comments, the company stated that it would engage with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine a path forward, acknowledging the setback.

Hagens Berman's Investigation

Hagens Berman is investigating whether aTyr may have misled investors about its data and trial design while emphasizing Efzofitimod's multi-billion-dollar market opportunity.  "We're scrutinizing whether aTyr's previous representations about the drug's efficacy were materially misleading to investors," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.

If you invested in aTyr and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now »

If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the aTyr case and our investigation, read more »

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding aTyr should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].

About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. 

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HealthStream (Nasdaq: HSTM), a leading healthcare technology platform company for workforce solutions, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase program for the Company’s common stock, under which the Company may repurchase up to $10 million of outstanding shares of common stock.

Pursuant to the authorization, repurchases may be made from time to time in the open market, including under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, through privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. In addition, any repurchases under the authorization will be subject to prevailing market conditions, liquidity and cash flow considerations, applicable securities laws requirements (including under Rule 10b-18 and Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as applicable), and other factors. The share repurchase program will terminate on the earlier of February 26, 2026 or when the maximum dollar amount has been expended. The share repurchase program does not require the Company to acquire any amount of shares and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

About HealthStream

HealthStream (Nasdaq: HSTM) is the healthcare industry’s largest ecosystem of platform-delivered workforce solutions that empowers healthcare professionals to do what they do best: deliver excellence in patient care. For more information, visit http://www.healthstream.com or call 615-301-3100.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties regarding HealthStream. This information has been included in reliance on the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. These forward-looking statements are based on a variety of assumptions that may not be realized, and which are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including that the anticipated financial and strategic benefits of the acquisition may not be realized, as well as risks and uncertainties referenced from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

More News From HealthStream

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Key Takeaways Four Corners Property Trust acquired five veterinary clinic properties for $13.8 million.The portfolio spans California, Florida, North Carolina and Texas under net leases averaging nine years.In Q3 2025, FCPT added 28 properties worth $82 million, diversifying across medical and retail sectors.
Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT - Free Report) recently announced the acquisition of a veterinary clinic portfolio comprising five properties for $13.8 million. The move underscores the company’s efforts to expand its portfolio as a strategy to remain resilient amid uncertain times.

The portfolio includes two National Veterinary Associates properties, two Banfield Pet Hospital properties and one Mission Pet Health property. Two of the five properties are located in strong retail corridors in California, and one each in Florida, North Carolina and Texas.

Priced at a 7.3% cap rate on rent as of the closing date of the transaction, the properties are corporate-operated under net leases with a weighted average remaining term of nine years.

FCPT: In a NutshellThis real estate investment trust (REIT), mainly engaged in the ownership and acquisition of high-quality, net-leased restaurant and retail properties, has a track record of acquisitions.

In the third quarter of 2025, FCPT acquired a total of 28 properties worth $82 million with a weighted average remaining lease term of 11.6 years. The acquired properties belonged to diverse industries, boosting the stability in revenue generation. 39% were medical, 36% auto service, 16% quick service restaurants and 9% casual dining restaurants by purchase price.

The above purchases fall in line with Four Corners’ strategy of structuring a portfolio that will withstand varied economic cycles. However, the company’s growth plans could encounter challenges due to its sizable $1.23 billion debt load, which may continue to keep borrowing costs high.

In the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have declined 4.9% against the industry's growth of 3.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the broader REIT sector are W.P. Carey (WPC - Free Report) and Terreno Realty (TRNO - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WPC’s 2025 FFO per share has been moved northward over the past week to $4.92.

The consensus estimate for TRNO’s 2025 FFO per share has been revised upward marginally to $2.59 over the past month.

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO), a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

, /PRNewswire/ -- A securities class action, styled Bridgewood v. MoonLake Immunotherapeutics, et al., No. 1:25-cv-08500 (S.D.N.Y), has been filed after MoonLake (NASDAQ: MLTX) announced disastrous Phase 3 trial results for its only product candidate (sonelokimab, or "SLK"), its highly anticipated treatment for patients with skin disease (hidradenitis suppurativa or "HS").

On this announcement, MoonLake investors saw the price of their shares crater $55.75, or about 90%, on September 29, 2025.

The development and severe market reaction has prompted national shareholders rights firm Hagens Berman to investigate claims that, prior to September 28, 2025, MoonLake misled investors about SLK's trial design and efficacy data.

The firm urges investors in MoonLake who suffered significant losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.

Class Period: Mar. 10, 2024 – Sep. 29, 2025
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Dec. 15, 2025
Visit:www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/mltx
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
                                        844-916-0895

MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (MLTX) Securities Class Action:

The litigation is focused on the propriety of MoonLake's statements about the trial design and data for SLK. The clinical stage biotechnology company is focused on skin inflammatory diseases driven by a cytokines known as IL-17A and IL-17F.

Central to SLK's commercial prospects was its ability to demonstrate efficacy in HS comparable or superior to a competitor's FDA-approved product ("BIMZELX"), which is used for the same HS indication and targets the same cytokines.

One difference between SLK and BIMZELX is that SLK's Nanobody structure is significantly smaller than BIMZELX's monoclonal antibody format.

Throughout the Class Period, MoonLake repeatedly touted SLK's structural advantages as translating into superior efficacy. The company has said that SLK could achieve benefits "a monoclonal antibody cannot do," that "the molecular advantages of our Nanobody translate into higher clinical responses for patients," and that Nanobodies "offer a more convenient and effective treatment."  

MoonLake also assured investors that "we really have a drug here that can become the gold standard and obviously that will facilitate any winning that we do with sonelokimab in HS."

The complaint alleges that these, and other, MoonLake statements were false and misleading statements and that the company withheld crucial information from investors. More specifically, the lawsuit claims that the company misled investors about the distinction between Nanobodies and monoclonal antibodies, including that (1) SLK and BIMZELX share the same molecular targets (IL-17A and IL-17F), (2) SLK's Nanobody structure would not confer a superior clinical benefit over the traditional monoclonal structure of BIMZELX, and (3) SLK's Nanobody structure purported increased tissue penetration would not translate to clinical efficacy.

Investors learned the truth on September 28, 2025 after MoonLake revealed that only one of its two SLK Phase 3 trials achieved statistical significance – and even those results demonstrated substantially lower efficacy than BIMZELX.  

On this news, the price of MoonLake shares cratered $55.75 (-90%) on September 29, 2025, with one analyst reportedly writing in a note to investors that the results "'arguably fall[] into the worst case outcome.'"

"We're focused on investors' losses and whether MoonLake may have intentionally misled investors about the SLK's purported advantages over BIMZELX while claiming that SLK could become a 'gold standard,'" said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in MoonLake and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now »

If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the MoonLake case and our investigation, read more »

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding MoonLake should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].

About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. 

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

SNPS Investors with Losses Encouraged to Contact the Firm

, /PRNewswire/ -- A securities fraud class action, styled Kim v. Synopsys, Inc., et al., No. 26-:cv-09410 (N.D.CA) has been filed and seeks to represent investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS) securities between December 4, 2024 and September 9, 2025.

The lawsuit was filed after Synopsys announced disappointing Q3 2025 financial results, blaming underperformance in its IP business.

The development, which sent the price of Synopsys shares cratering $216.59 (-35%) on September 10, 2025, has prompted national shareholders rights firm Hagens Berman to investigate alleged claims that Synopsys misled investors about its customer risks and growth prospects.

The firm urges investors in Synopsys who suffered significant losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.

Class Period: December 4, 2024 – September 9, 2025
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 30, 2025
Visit:www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/snps
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
                                       844-916-0895

Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS) Securities Class Action:

Synopsis delivers silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions and design services to its customers. The company has two reportable segments – Design IP and Design Automation.

The litigation is focused on the propriety of Synopsys' assurances regarding the sustainability of revenue growth in its Design IP business. Design IP includes the company's interface, foundation, security, and embedded processor IP, IP subsystems, and IP implementation services.

In the past, Synopsis has touted its double-digit revenue growth in its Design IP business "as customers rely on Synopsis IP to minimize integration risk and speed time to market" and "our leading foundation and interface IP also expedites customer adoption of the latest protocols and leading-edge process nodes."

The lawsuit alleges that Synopsis made false and misleading statements while failing to disclose crucial information to investors about its business and prospects. More specifically, it claims that the company's increased focus on AI customers, which require additional customization, was deteriorating the economics of its Design IP business and, as a result, "certain road map and resource decisions" were unlikely to "yield their intended results."

Investors learned the truth on September 9, 2025, when Synopsys reported its Q3 2025 EPS of just $1.50, down 45% from the prior year quarter and down 33% sequentially. Synopsys mainly blamed the results on a nearly 8% decline in Design IP revenues as compared to the prior year quarter and acknowledged that "we need to pivot our IP resources and roadmap to the highest-growth opportunities."

This news drove the price of Synopsys shares down 36% the next day, its worst-ever single-day percentage decline since going public in 1992.

"We're investigating whether Synopsys may have misled investors about materialized risks to sustained Design IP revenue growth," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in Synopsys and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now »

If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Synopsys case and our investigation, read more »

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Synopsys should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].

About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. 

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uniti, a premier insurgent fiber provider dedicated to enabling mission-critical connectivity across the United States, has again been recognized by the Military Friendly® program for its initiatives to recruit, employ and retain military veterans.

“Uniti is honored that our abiding commitment to hire and retain military veterans continues to receive these prestigious accolades,” said Jennifer Ragsadale, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief people officer at Uniti. “Veterans and their spouses are vital to the success of our mission to deliver essential communications services to our customers.”

Uniti, segments of which were formerly Windstream, ranked second on the Military Friendly® Employer list and first on the Military Spouse Friendly lists for companies with annual revenue of $1 billion to $5 billion.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® Employers designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Over 2,900 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly® designation.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score with an assessment of the organization’s ability to meet thresholds for Recruitment, New Hire Retention, Employee Turnover, and Promotion and Advancement of veterans and military employees.

Windstream will be showcased in the 2026 Military Friendly® Employers Guide in the Winter issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.

To see available jobs at Uniti, please visit our careers site.

About Uniti:
Uniti (NASDAQ: UNIT) is a premier insurgent fiber provider dedicated to enabling mission-critical connectivity across the United States. We build, operate, and deliver fast and reliable communications services, empowering more than a million consumers and businesses in the digital economy. Our broad portfolio of services is offered through a suite of brands: Uniti Wholesale, Kinetic, Uniti Fiber, and Uniti Solutions. Visit us online at uniti.com. Engage with us on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Scott Morris, 501-748-5342
[email protected]

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scilex Holding Company (“Scilex” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SCLX), an innovative revenue-generating company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products for the treatment of acute and chronic pain and neurodegenerative and cardiometabolic disease, today announced that the Board of Directors of Datavault AI Inc. (“Datavault AI”) (Nasdaq: DVLT) has approved the distribution of a Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin to all [eligible] Scilex and Datavault AI stockholders of record and set a record date of November 25, 2025 for determining stockholders entitled to receive the Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin from Datavault AI.

The ex-dividend date to acquire Scilex common stock is November 24, 2025. Holders of Scilex common as of the record date of November 25, 2025 will be entitled to receive one Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin for each share of Scilex common stock, as applicable, that they hold. Short sellers of Scilex common stock have an opportunity to return any borrowed shares of Scilex common stock to the lending stockholders on and before the ex-dividend date of November 24, 2025. Short sellers of Scilex common stock have not covered their short positions on the ex-dividend date will become naked short on distribution Meme Coins on the Record Date and will be obligated to deliver these Meme Coins to the lending Scilex Stockholders upon actual distribution from Datavault AI.

This digital collectible of Dream Bowl Draft Memo Coin is intended to provide for immutable recognition of ownership and utility with ticketing information and embed exclusive details on invited athletes, game highlights, accepted invitations and event insights, serving as a unique token of participation in this groundbreaking spectacle. Handcrafted digital coins will be airdropped directly to Data Vault® wallets for Scilex shareholders prior to the payment date. Datavault AI will distribute (or coordinate with Scilex’s transfer agent to distribute) any necessary notices and forms to the Scilex stockholders to obtain each holder’s digital wallet information to allow such holders to receive their Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coins on or after December 8, 2025. Scilex’s shareholders will receive detailed information about how to register and set up wallets in the Datavault system and instructions on how to trade these meme coins upon setting up the distribution date of these meme coins. Subject to the right of the Board of Directors of Datavault AI to revoke the distribution or to further change the Record Date, the payment date (the “Payment Date”) will be determined by subsequent resolutions of the Datavault Board of Directors, which will be within 60 days following the Record Date.

This marquee Dream Bowl event will culminate on January 11, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, where elite athletes will compete for the Dream Bowl Championship. Building on this excitement, Datavault AI will also host the professional Drone Racing and E-Sports Championships, crowning the World Champion of Madden Football 2026 alongside two thrilling team e-sports titles. The first-of-its-kind collegiate bowl and e-sports event will feature reigning world championship teams from around the world in team e-sports and North American champion of Madden 2026 to face #1 contender for prize money and championship.

For more information on Scilex Holding Company, refer to www.scilexholding.com

For more information on Semnur Pharmaceuticals, Inc., refer to www.semnurpharma.com

For more information on ZTlido® including Full Prescribing Information, refer to www.ztlido.com.

For more information on ELYXYB®, including Full Prescribing Information, refer to www.elyxyb.com.

For more information on Gloperba®, including Full Prescribing Information, refer to www.gloperba.com.

https://www.facebook.com/scilex.pharm

https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilex-holding-company/

[email protected]

About Scilex Holding Company

Scilex is an innovative revenue-generating company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products for the treatment of acute and chronic pain and neurodegenerative and cardiometabolic disease. Scilex targets indications with high unmet needs and large market opportunities with non-opioid therapies for the treatment of patients with acute and chronic pain and is dedicated to advancing and improving patient outcomes. Scilex’s commercial products include: (i) ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8%, a prescription lidocaine topical product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) for the relief of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia, which is a form of post-shingles nerve pain; (ii) ELYXYB®, a potential first-line treatment and the only FDA-approved, ready-to-use oral solution for the acute treatment of migraine, with or without aura, in adults; and (iii) Gloperba®, the first and only liquid oral version of the anti-gout medicine colchicine indicated for the prophylaxis of painful gout flares in adults.

In addition, Scilex has three product candidates: (i) SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (“SEMDEXA” or “SP-102”), which is owned by Semnur (a majority owned subsidiary of Scilex) and is a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, for which Scilex has completed a Phase 3 study and was granted Fast Track status from the FDA in 2017; (ii) SP-103 (lidocaine topical system) 5.4%, (“SP-103”), a next-generation, triple-strength formulation of ZTlido, for the treatment of acute pain and for which Scilex has recently completed a Phase 2 trial in acute low back pain. SP-103 has been granted Fast Track status from the FDA in low back pain; and (iii) SP-104 (4.5 mg, low-dose naltrexone hydrochloride delayed-release capsules) (“SP-104”), a novel low-dose delayed-release naltrexone hydrochloride being developed for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Scilex is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

About Datavault AI Inc.

Datavault AI™ (Nasdaq: DVLT) is leading the way in AI driven data experiences, valuation and monetization of assets. The company’s cloud-based platform provides comprehensive solutions with a collaborative focus in its Acoustic Science and Data Science Divisions. Datavault AI's Acoustic Science Division features WiSA®, ADIO® and Sumerian® patented technologies and industry-first foundational spatial and multichannel wireless HD sound transmission technologies with IP covering audio timing, synchronization and multi-channel interference cancellation. The Data Science Division leverages the power of high-performance computing to provide solutions for experiential data perception, valuation and secure monetization. Datavault AI's cloud-based platform provides comprehensive solutions serving multiple industries, including HPC software licensing for sports & entertainment, events & venues, biotech, education, fintech, real estate, healthcare, energy and more. The Information Data Exchange® (IDE) enables Digital Twins, licensing of name, image and likeness (NIL) by securely attaching physical real-world objects to immutable metadata objects, fostering responsible AI with integrity. Datavault AI’s technology suite is completely customizable and offers AI and Machine Learning (ML) automation, third-party integration, detailed analytics and data, marketing automation and advertising monitoring.

The company is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.

Learn more about Datavault AI at www.dvlt.ai

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be accompanied by words that convey projected future events or outcomes, such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” or variations of such words or by expressions of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future events, Datavault AI’s potential distribution of the Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin and the timing thereof (including that the Board of Directors of Datavault AI may change the Record Date and, as a result, the Payment Date), the potential utility of the Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin, future opportunities for Scilex and its subsidiaries, the future business strategies, long-term objectives and commercialization plans of Scilex and its subsidiaries, the current and prospective product candidates, planned clinical trials and preclinical activities and potential product approvals, as well as the potential for market acceptance of any approved products and the related market opportunity of Scilex and its subsidiaries, statements regarding SP-102, if approved by the FDA, Scilex’s potential to attract new capital and avoid the effects of negative debt leverage and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on management’s current expectations of and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on, by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Scilex. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties regarding Scilex’s business, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic, political and business conditions; the ability of Scilex and its subsidiaries to achieve the benefits of the transactions contemplated with Datavault, including future financial and operating results; risks related to the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties regarding the Dream Bowl 2026 Meme Coin and the distribution thereof to Scilex stockholders; the risks associated with the right of the Board of Directors of Datavault AI to change the Record Date; the transactions contemplated with Datavault; the risk that the transactions contemplated with Datavault disrupts current plans and operations; the ability of Scilex and its subsidiaries to develop and successfully market products; the ability of Scilex and its subsidiaries to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; the risk that the potential product candidates that Scilex develops may not progress through clinical development or receive required regulatory approvals within expected timelines or at all; risks relating to uncertainty regarding the regulatory pathway for Scilex’s product candidates; the risk that Scilex’s product candidates may not be beneficial to patients or successfully commercialized; the risk that Scilex has overestimated the size of the target patient population, their willingness to try new therapies and the willingness of physicians to prescribe these therapies; risks that the prior results of the clinical trials may not be replicated; regulatory and intellectual property risks; the risk of failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the transactions contemplated with Datavault and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time and other risks set forth in Scilex’s filings with the SEC. There may be additional risks that Scilex presently does not know or that Scilex currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements provide Scilex’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of the communication. Scilex anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause such assessments to change. However, while Scilex may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Scilex specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Scilex’s assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Investors and Media
Scilex Holding Company
960 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Office: (650) 516-4310

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.scilexholding.com

SEMDEXA™ (SP-102) is a trademark owned by Semnur Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Scilex Holding Company. A proprietary name review by the FDA is planned.

ZTlido® is a registered trademark owned by Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scilex Holding Company.

Gloperba® is the subject of an exclusive, transferable license to use the registered trademark by Scilex Holding Company.

ELYXYB® is a registered trademark owned by Scilex Holding Company.

Scilex Bio™ is a trademark owned by Scilex Holding Company, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2025 Scilex Holding Company All Rights Reserved.

Investors in CVR Energy, Inc. (CVI - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Dec 19, 2025 $10 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for CVR Energy shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, CVR Energy is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) in the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry that ranks in the Top 20% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 30 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while one analyst has revised the estimate downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from earnings of 8 cents per share to a loss of 13 cents in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about CVR Energy right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

Looking to Trade Options?Check out the simple yet high-powered approach that Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras has used to close recent double and triple-digit winners. In addition to impressive profit potential, these trades can actually reduce your risk.

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, /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), a global leader in innovative workforce solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona, one of the nation's largest community college systems.

The collaboration will accelerate workforce development in the fast-growing semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors by addressing one of the industry's most urgent challenges: the skilled labor shortage. The partnership creates direct pathways to high-demand careers through specialized, industry-informed training programs aligned with real-time employer needs.

With decades of experience in workforce transformation and talent strategy, ManpowerGroup is bringing its expertise to help bridge the gap between education and industry. This partnership expands access to training that empowers individuals to build future-ready careers while helping employers meet their evolving talent requirements.

"The semiconductor industry is the backbone of nearly every critical technology of the future; from AI and robotics to clean energy and medical innovation," said Ger Doyle, Regional President, ManpowerGroup North America. "We're proud to collaborate with Maricopa Community Colleges and co-create scalable, inclusive workforce solutions that prepare people for high-impact roles and help companies stay competitive in a rapidly changing economy."

"ManpowerGroup is proud to lead this inclusive workforce transformation initiative," Allison Dadoun, Global Client Director at ManpowerGroup, said. "By collaborating with Maricopa Community Colleges, we're ensuring students gain both technical skills and career connections to thrive in Arizona's fast-evolving semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors."

Comprehensive Training and Career Pathways
Through this partnership, ManpowerGroup and Maricopa Community Colleges will create end-to-end training pathways that prepare students for sustainable, high-demand careers.

ManpowerGroup will design and support programs with Maricopa Community Colleges focused on developing talent in AI/ML, engineering, STEM, and technician roles. The curriculum will include industry-recognized certifications and immersive, hands-on experience, complemented by career readiness resources, internships, and apprenticeships. Graduates will have direct connections to full-time employment opportunities with leading semiconductor and manufacturing employers.

"Together with ManpowerGroup, we're bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world workforce needs," said Dr. Steven R. Gonzales, Chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District. "This partnership supports Arizona's economic future by ensuring our students are prepared to lead in the semiconductor and manufacturing industries."

"At The Arizona Advanced Manufacturing Institute, we're focused on building a talent pipeline that meets the immediate and future needs of Arizona's high-tech industries," said Leah Palmer, Executive Director of AZ-AMI at Maricopa Community Colleges. "This partnership with ManpowerGroup enhances our ability to deliver high-quality, job-aligned training and directly connect learners with careers in semiconductor manufacturing."

Supporting Regional Economic Growth
This initiative builds on ManpowerGroup's broader commitment to tackling critical talent shortages through targeted training and inclusive employment programs. Earlier this year, ManpowerGroup announced a strategic partnership with SEMI, the leading global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, to address workforce challenges across the semiconductor sector.

The collaboration extends this work regionally, creating localized pathways that support Arizona's vision to become a national hub for semiconductor innovation and manufacturing excellence, while complementing broader efforts tied to the CHIPS and Science Act.

ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP
ManpowerGroup ® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years. We are recognized consistently as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2025 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 16th time; all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent.

For more information, visit www.manpowergroup.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup

SERV targets more than 200% revenue growth in Q3 as it scales past 1,000 robots and deepens ties with Uber Eats and Little Caesars.

The Zacks Transportation-Truck industry continues to face ongoing supply-chain disruptions, a difficult macroeconomic backdrop marked by inflation-driven high interest rates and a shortage of truck drivers.

Despite these headwinds and the resulting demand uncertainty, the industry has shown resilience, particularly among companies focusing on growth strategies and operational efficiency. Notable players expected to withstand these challenges include J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT - Free Report) and Saia (SAIA - Free Report) .

Industry Description
The Zacks Transportation - Truck industry houses truck operators transporting freight to diverse customers, mainly across North America. These companies provide full-truckload or less-than-truckload (“LTL”) services over the short, medium or long haul. The range of trucking services these companies provide includes dry-van, dedicated, refrigerated, flatbed and expedited. Some companies have an extensive fleet of company-owned tractors and trucks, and independent contractor trucks. Besides trucking, most entities offer logistics and intermodal services as well as value-added services like container drayage, truckload brokerage, supply-chain consulting and warehousing. A few also offer asset-light services to other third-party logistics companies in the transportation sector.

4 Trends Shaping the Future of the Trucking Industry
Supply-Chain Disruptions & Weak Freight Rates: Although economic activities picked up from the pandemic gloom, lingering supply-chain disruptions continue to dent stocks in the industry. Below-par freight rates are also hurting the industry’s prospects. Highlighting the weak freight demand, the Cass Freight Shipments Index declined 5.4% year over year in September. This measure has deteriorated year over year each of the past seven months, which confirms the overall declining trend.

Focus on Cost-Cuts to Drive Bottom Line: Despite signs of cooling inflation, we are by no means out of the woods. We note that the industry has been experiencing supply-chain disruptions and significant levels of inflation, including higher material, labor and transportation costs. The imposition of tariffs adds to the margin pressure. The industry players are focusing on cost-cutting measures and making efforts to improve productivity and efficiency, to mitigate high expenses and a weaker-than-expected demand scenario.

Prolonged Truck-Driver Shortage: The persistent driver crisis in the trucking industry is worsening supply-chain challenges across the United States. Driver scarcity issues limit trucking capacity, making it difficult for trucking companies to meet increased freight demand. American Trucking Associations’ chief economist, Bob Costello, expects the trucking industry to be short of more than 160,000 drivers by 2030.

Tariff Turmoil: A Key Headwind: The current administration is focused on protectionism that restricts international trade to help domestic industries. The U.S. administration’s tariff policies are reshaping the transportation service industry by increasing costs, disrupting supply chains and influencing consumer behavior. The tariff turmoil is hurting global trade. Tariff-induced economic uncertainties and trade tensions may create uncertainty for investors interested in the industry.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Dull Prospects
The Zacks Transportation - Truck industry is a 12-stock group within the broader Zacks Transportation sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #239, which places it in the bottom 2% of 244 Zacks industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, the average of the Zacks Rank of all member stocks, indicates dismal near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industry’s position in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of a negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually losing confidence in this group’s earnings growth potential. The industry's earnings estimate for 2025 has decreased 30.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Before we present a few stocks from the industry that you may want to buy or hold on to, let us take a look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and the valuation picture.

Truck Industry Underperforms S&P 500 and Sector
The Zacks Transportation-Truck industry has lagged the Zacks S&P 500 composite and the Transportation sector over the past year.

The industry has declined 31.4% over this period, underperforming the S&P 500's appreciation of 14.2% and the broader sector’s downslide of 13.9%.

One-Year Price Performance

Truck Industry's Current Valuation
Based on the trailing 12-month EV-to-EBITDA (enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization), a commonly used multiple for valuing trucking stocks, the industry is currently trading at 11.82X compared with the S&P 500’s 18.24X. It is above the sector’s EV/EBITDA of 10.03X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 16.3X and as low as 7.86X, with the median being 12.38X, as the chart below shows.

Enterprise Value-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)

2 Transport Truck Stocks to Keep an Eye on
J.B. Hunt: J.B. Hunt Transport Services provides a broad range of transportation services to a diverse group of customers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. JBHT is benefiting from efforts to reward its shareholders through dividend payments and share repurchases.

Shares of JBHT have surged 14.5% year over year. JBHT currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold). The company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in two of the last four quarters (missing the mark on the other two occasions). The average beat is 3.4%.

  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here   

Price and Consensus: JBHT

Saia provides regional and interregional LTL services. The firm offers full value coverage, logistics services, distribution and consolidation, trade show, customs clearance, retail delivery, cross-border shipping to Mexico and Canada, and offshore shipping to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

SAIA currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings has been revised 2% upward over the past 60 days.

Price and Consensus: SAIA

Whales and Sharks scooped nearly 1% of Cardano's supply during the recent dip.

Cardano (ADA) has seen a sharp recovery since plunging below $0.50 earlier this week. After touching lows near $0.48 on November 5, ADA surged more than 20% to reach around $0.60 by November 10th.

While it has slipped about 2% in the past 24 hours to around $0.58, a bullish turnaround may be brewing as top ADA investors accumulated nearly 1% of the total supply this week.

Loading Up on ADA
According to on-chain analytics firm Santiment, Cardano’s large holders have significantly increased their positions following last week’s price dip below $0.50. In the past four days, whales and sharks, wallets holding between 100,000 and 10 million ADA, have collectively accumulated 348 million ADA. This stash is worth approximately $204.3 million, and the accumulation represents about 0.94% of Cardano’s total circulating supply.

The surge in buying activity points to renewed confidence among major investors despite recent market volatility, and previous instances have shown that such accumulation phases often lead to price recoveries if broader market sentiment stabilizes.

Crypto trader Trend Rider noted in a recent post on X that ADA is currently testing the lower limit of its trend band. He stated that ADA must reclaim the $0.70 level to confirm a reversal back into bullish territory. At present, ADA is showing signs of consolidation after a strong recovery from its early-November lows. The trader’s analysis reveals that while short-term momentum has improved, the broader trend remains neutral to bearish unless the price can break and hold above the $0.70 zone.

Cardano Ecosystem in Q3
Beyond price action, Cardano’s network fundamentals also showed notable strength last quarter. Messari found that its DeFi’s total value locked (TVL) climbed 28.7% in Q3 to $423.5 million, its highest level since early 2022. Additionally, NFT trading volume on the network surged 561.7% during the quarter and reached $262,450.

The report also noted that Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused sidechain, partnered with Google Cloud to integrate its privacy layer with enterprise-grade infrastructure and Mandiant’s threat analysis tools. In governance, Cardano transitioned from an interim Constitutional Committee to a fully elected body, reinforcing its move toward community-led decision-making.

You may also like:

Apex Fusion Unveils Reputation-Based Airdrop System on Cardano

Cardano Hits 1M Transactions but is ADA’s Price Finally About to Break $1?

$0.84 Barrier Crushed: Experts Say Cardano (ADA) Could Be Just Getting Started

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ZEC price is consolidating inside a bull flag while RSI shows a hidden bullish divergence, signaling fading sell pressure and potential trend continuation — unless the next candle closes red.Leverage data shows $55.4 million in shorts versus $35.3 million in longs. A breakout above the $529–$651 zone could trigger a squeeze and fuel a sharp upside move.A breakout over $688 could drive ZEC toward $749, $898, and $1,010, while holding above $488 keeps the bull flag valid. A drop below $488 would invalidate the setup and signal a deeper pullback.Zcash (ZEC) price has fallen over 20% in the past 24 hours, sparking worries that the rally could be cooling off. But zoom out, and the picture looks very different. Zcash price is still up 14% this week and over 1,200% in the past three months — one of the strongest performers of the cycle.

The dip might not be a reversal. It might be the setup for the next leg higher. Here is why!

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Price Consolidates, Yet Forms a Bull FlagZEC price seems to be consolidating inside a bull flag, a technical pattern that usually appears after a sharp rally. The surge from late October to early November created the flagpole, and the current sideways movement has built the flag — a structure that often leads to continuation once the upper line breaks.

What makes this setup stronger is a hidden bullish divergence on the daily chart. Between November 8 and 10, ZEC formed a higher low while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) — which measures momentum — made a lower low.

Zcash Flashes Bullish Signs: TradingViewWant more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

That usually means selling pressure is fading even as the price holds steady. In short, the correction might just be clearing weak hands before the next push. It is worth noting that hidden bullish divergence usually points to trend continuation. And that’s positive for the ZEC price.

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However, if the newest candle closes in red, it would invalidate the hidden bullish divergence with the price forming a set of lower lows. That could delay the breakout hypothesis.

Leverage Data Hints at a Brewing Short SqueezeDerivatives traders may be setting the stage for ZEC’s next move. Even a breakout if things go well.

The liquidation map — a chart showing where leveraged positions could get wiped out — highlights a short-heavy zone between $529 and $651. Short positions on Binance alone total about $55.42 million, roughly 60% higher than the $35.3 million in long exposure.

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Liquidation Map Is Short-Biased: CoinglassThat imbalance creates a short squeeze setup. If ZEC’s price climbs even modestly, short traders could be forced to buy back positions, adding fresh momentum to the move.

This squeeze zone sits close to the bull flag resistance, giving extra fuel for a ZEC price breakout attempt.

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Zcash Price Targets a Breakout Above $688At writing, ZEC trades around $526, mostly midway through its consolidation range.

A breakout above $612-$688 would confirm the flag pattern and could trigger an upside run toward $749, $898, and $1,010. If momentum stretches further, the full flagpole projection suggests a potential 230% upside, which could push ZEC close to $2,030 over time.

Zcash Price Analysis: TradingViewStill, the setup hinges on one condition: the price must stay above $488. A clean drop below that would invalidate the bull flag and invite a deeper pullback toward $371.

For now, though, Zcash’s chart looks more like a recharge than a retreat. And if this pattern plays out, the 20% correction might just have lit the fuse by putting the price action inside the flag.

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.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 04: Jack Dorsey creator, co-founder, and Chairman of Twitter and co-founder & CEO of Square speaks on stage at the Bitcoin 2021 Convention, a crypto-currency conference held at the Mana Convention Center in Wynwood on June 04, 2021 in Miami, Florida. The crypto conference is expected to draw 50,000 people and runs from Friday, June 4 through June 6th. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Getty Images

The payment processor Square Inc., one of the companies tied to American technologist Jack Dorsey, just rolled out Square Bitcoin, a program that enables merchants to accept bitcoin payments. Over 4 million merchants use Square’s products, which means there are now up to 4 million new bitcoin point-of-sale locations to be enabled in the U.S. This is one of the most significant recent developments for bitcoin as a medium of exchange, a narrative long overshadowed by its role as a store of value, mainly powered by MicroStrategy’s adoption of BTC as a treasury asset and the wave of treasury allocations ignited since 2024.

This Is How Square Bitcoin worksAnnounced on October 8, the new product includes Bitcoin Payments and Bitcoin Conversions, allowing merchants to accept bitcoin with zero processing fees until 2027. According to Dorsey, since November 10 merchants can accept bitcoin and keep it, convert it to fiat, accept payments in fiat, or convert fiat to bitcoin. Square Bitcoin is available to all U.S.-based Square businesses, except those in New York. The program is open to all business types, but businesses must complete Square’s Know Your Business verification process.

“We’re doing this because bitcoin gives entrepreneurs a new lever: a way to spend and invest outside of traditional rails – with faster settlement, lower fees, and long-term potential. Until now, these tools have been out of reach for most small businesses. Square is changing that,” Bitcoin Product Lead at Block, Inc., the parent company of Square, Miles Suster said in a blog post when the product was announced.

But why is this launch significant? For example, El Salvador made bitcoin legal tender in 2021 and rolled out a government powered bitcoin wallet and merchant adoption didn’t take-off, and before that there were plenty of payment processors that enabled bitcoin payments.

Well, this time is different, mainly because of the weight of Square’s merchants, the maturity of the network and the asset and the possibility to experience bitcoin as money. And from the merchant’s perspective it’s interesting as a merchant can accept BTC and not pay the 3% credit card fee that normally needs to cover.

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Square Bitcoin Accelerates The Idea Of Bitcoin As Day-To-Day Money Head of Business Development at Zaprite.com and author Parker Lewis explained it in a long form post on X. “If it were not technically possible or practically achievable to purchase real goods and services directly with bitcoin and instead, if you always needed to convert bitcoin to fiat to then buy your goods and services, bitcoin would almost definitionally be too centralized as a system to credibly remain censorship resistant or to credibly enforce the rules of the system that make it viable as a currency system (notably its fixed supply),” Lewis said.

With this announcement, Square has three key elements to make bitcoin day-to-day money: a great number of merchants, a solid rail to exchange bitcoin through the Lightning Network, and the support of a hyper-on-line and advocacy-focused community of users that are ready to prove the capabilities of bitcoin as money. This explains how just a few hours after the activation, several videos and photos of people using the new feature started to populate on X.

After Square Bitcoin, What Is Next For Bitcoin As Money?Square Bitcoin is an important piece of the bitcoin adoption puzzle, but it still needs some legal clarity. For instance, in the U.S. this kind of transaction will require some tax exemptions that still need to be created.

“Seems like it’s past time for a reasonable ‘de minimus’ exemption… As a fellow coffee drinker, this only makes sense,” Senator Cynthia Lummis, a big Bitcoin and Digital Assets proponent, posted through her X personal account.

Since in the U.S. virtual currency is property and not currency, for federal tax purposes everyday spending creates capital gains/losses. The IRS Notice 2014-21 and subsequent guidance reaffirm this. So even buying a coffee with bitcoin is a taxable disposal of property, and the consumer must calculate and report any capital gain or loss on the bitcoin spent, which makes bitcoin commerce problematic.

With this new merchant adoption push enabled by Square Bitcoin, the possibility to have an exemption for a certain amount of USD paid in bitcoin is now on the table. This could ignite a new wave of usage of BTC as money, and maybe can influence a change in the actual definition of bitcoin as property. It’s a first solid step toward that direction.

Block, the payments firm led by Jack Dorsey, has rolled out a new Bitcoin payments option that is available to about 4 million Square merchants, allowing businesses to accept Bitcoin at checkout and offering promotional fee relief to sellers.

Reports have disclosed the rollout began on November 10, and it targets Square’s existing merchant base in the US.

Block Enables Bitcoin For Merchants
According to company notices and trade reporting, merchants can accept Bitcoin payments directly at the point of sale, with transactions able to settle over the Lightning Network to speed up confirmation times. The feature also includes automatic conversion options so sellers can choose to receive fiat or hold BTC.

our sellers can now receive btc to btc, btc to fiat, fiat to btc, or fiat to fiat. https://t.co/NnLsd3fgEb

— jack (@jack) November 10, 2025

Fees And Conversion Rules
Based on reports, Block will not charge processing fees for Bitcoin payments through January 1, 2027; after that date a fee of roughly 1% per transaction is expected to apply.

Some pieces also say merchants may be allowed to convert up to 50% of daily card sales into Bitcoin automatically, giving businesses an easy way to build a crypto position from routine revenue. The current rollout is focused on the US market, with certain regions such as New York excluded for now.

BTCUSD currently trading at $105,038. Chart: TradingView
Adoption at scale is the key test. Getting a payment method into the Point of Sale does not guarantee customers will use it. Reports point out that many of the 4 million merchants are active sellers on Square, but uptake will depend on consumer demand, merchant settings, and how easy the checkout flow feels to shoppers.

Early coverage notes that Block is highlighting the lack of chargebacks and the lower friction of Lightning to persuade smaller stores to try Bitcoin.

Technical and regulatory issues were also called out. Some outlets mention limitations tied to local rules, the need for anti-money-laundering checks, and the strength of Lightning routing for small payments.

Accounting and tax treatment remain practical concerns for merchants weighing whether to keep Bitcoin or convert to fiat immediately. Block has said it will integrate conversion tools to help with volatility management.

Merchant Uptake And Market Impact
Analysts and industry writers say the move could push Bitcoin further into everyday commerce if customers and shops begin to prefer it for routine purchases. If even a fraction of the 4 million sellers enable Bitcoin, the network will see more real-world payment use.

Still, adoption will likely be gradual, and results will be visible only after merchants run the feature for a few months.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Key NotesBitcoin price is currently near $105,000, just below a major resistance zone.The rise in spot trading volume suggests renewed trader activity.Analysts predict a potential short-term bounce if $104,000 support holds.
Bitcoin

BTC
$104 275

24h volatility:
1.9%

Market cap:
$2.08 T

Vol. 24h:
$73.07 B

continues to consolidate below the $107,000–$108,000 key resistance zone, slipping about 1% in the past 24 hours. BTC is currently trading around $105,000, with strong support expected near $104,000.

Despite the mild decline, spot trading volume has surged 23% over the past week, jumping from $11.5 billion to over $14 billion. Analysts believe this rise in volume suggests renewed speculative interest and buyer re-engagement amid Bitcoin’s brief rebound to $106,000.

Popular crypto trader Ted pointed out that Bitcoin’s current setup closely aligns with a CME gap near the $104,000 mark. He also noted that Bitcoin often forms short-term bottoms on Tuesdays.

With Nov. 11 falling on a Tuesday, traders could see a near-term gap fill and subsequent Bitcoin price bounce.

$BTC got rejected from the $107,000-$108,000 resistance level.

The next key support for Bitcoin is around $104,000 which also has a CME gap.

Usually, Bitcoin bottoms on Tuesday, which means we could see a CME gap fill followed by a bounce. pic.twitter.com/Te723iLosx

— Ted (@TedPillows) November 11, 2025

Analyst Kamran Ashgar also suggests that Bitcoin is set for a major breakout. He predicted that if the $104,000 support remains intact, the cryptocurrency could see a rally back toward $110,000.

$BTC is Reloading! Breakout confirmed.

Getting the perfect dip back to $104K. If this support holds, we send it to $111K. pic.twitter.com/nARVNFNGIO

— 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐫 (@Karman_1s) November 11, 2025

Whale Activity Signals Repositioning
Meanwhile, the Exchange Whale Ratio (EWR), which tracks the share of large-wallet inflows to exchanges, has climbed from 0.35 to 0.55 over recent weeks. Rising EWR levels indicate that major holders are either preparing to take profits or repositioning during early recovery stages.

In this case, the EWR uptrend comes along with Bitcoin’s bounce from $100,000, which suggests that large investors may have accumulated during recent dips.

Bitcoin exchange whale ratio | Source: CryptoQuant

According to a CryptoQuant analyst, this renewed whale movement often marks the start of a bullish reversal in the weeks ahead.

Miner Behavior Hints at Supply Relief
Meanwhile, miner outflows have been steadily declining throughout November after several spikes in late October. This suggests that miners are holding onto their Bitcoin, reducing short-term selling pressure.

Historically, such phases have led to accumulation or recovery periods, as fewer coins flow into exchanges. Current outflows are significantly below April–June 2025 levels when miners sold heavily during rallies.

With BTC trading near $105K, this miner restraint indicates a neutral-to-bullish short-term outlook, especially if stablecoin exchange inflows continue.

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

Cryptocurrency News, News

A crypto journalist with over 5 years of experience in the industry, Parth has worked with major media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gathering experience and expertise in the space after surviving bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also an author of 4 self-published books.

Parth Dubey on LinkedIn

In a recent proposal, Lido introduced an automated buyback mechanism. It would use LDO and wstETH liquidity to form a Uniswap v2-style liquidity pool.

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Quick Facts:

➡️ Strategy’s $50M Bitcoin purchase during market volatility signals renewed confidence and helps steady broader crypto sentiment.
➡️Major players continue to buy the dip, signaling a belief that weakness presents opportunity, not risk.
➡️ Built to leverage Bitcoin’s network strength for real utility, Bitcoin Hyper is positioned to benefit if BTC continues its gradual climb.
➡️ Meanwhile, Maxi Doge ($MAXI) combines meme-driven buzz with staking rewards, sparking a buying frenzy. Among high-cap cryptos, XRP offers large-cap liquidity and exposure to institutional headlines.

Bitcoin just got another boost from one of its biggest supporters.

Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, bought about $50M worth of BTC this week, adding 487 coins at an average price of $102,600 and raising its total holdings to 641,692 BTC.

Strategy official X (Twitter) account
The steady buying during market dips shows how major investors view weakness as an opportunity, not panic.

Even as prices hovered near the $100K mark, Strategy continued accumulating, reflecting its single-minded focus on Bitcoin. Each purchase now feels less like a trade and more like a statement of identity.

For traders, that kind of consistency matters: when large buyers keep stepping in, liquidity improves and confidence returns.

For now, momentum remains sideways, but heavy on-chain bids tend to limit deeper pullbacks. As the market steadies, capital is rotating again, toward Bitcoin-linked Layer 2 projects, meme tokens offering staking rewards, and large-cap coins with renewed institutional interest.

Investors are scanning these three lanes for the best crypto to buy in the current market cycle.

1. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER): A Bitcoin Layer-2 Built for Speed and Scale
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is redefining what Bitcoin can do – turning the world’s most secure blockchain into something faster, cheaper, and ready for real-world use.

Built as a true Layer-2 solution, Bitcoin Hyper runs on the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) to bring high-speed smart contracts and DeFi directly to Bitcoin.

The project’s ambition is to make Bitcoin more than just digital gold.

Bitcoin Hyper wants to unlock a future where users can:

Transact $BTC instantly,
Build dApps on Bitcoin,
And earn passive income, without battling its slow confirmation times or high fees.

Bitcoin Hyper’s Canonical Bridge allows users to move $BTC seamlessly between layers, maintaining trustless security while opening up a fully programmable ecosystem.

Transactions are bundled and verified using zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs) before being settled on Bitcoin Layer 1. This means every operation on Bitcoin Hyper remains provably secure while dramatically reducing costs and latency.

Security doesn’t stop there. The network’s smart contracts have undergone independent audits by Coinsult and Spywolf to ensure safety and transparency.

Momentum is already strong, making Bitcoin Hyper’s native crypto $HYPER one of the best cryptos to watch now.

The presale has raised close to $27M, a figure that reflects the market’s growing appetite for Bitcoin-linked scaling solutions.

For many investors, it represents an opportunity to get exposure to the next phase of Bitcoin’s evolution: one where utility and scalability drive adoption rather than speculation alone.

The presale follows a tiered price structure and is now selling for $0.013255.

📖 Read our Bitcoin Hyper price prediction to find out why $HYPER is projected to hit $0.32 by the end of 2025 and $1.50 by 2030.

The staking APY is also too compelling to ignore at 43% APY.

Several whale wallets have entered positions this week (worth over $300K over the last two days alone), adding further momentum to the $HYPER narrative.

Join the $HYPER presale before it’s too late.

2. Maxi Doge ($MAXI) Sparks Meme Coin Mania With Doge Power
While institutions like Strategy are adding more Bitcoin to their treasury, degens are already hunting for projects with higher upside potential – and Maxi Doge is shaping up as one of the more talked-about meme presales this month.

Maxi Doge takes the playful spirit of Dogecoin and injects it with gym-bro energy – think protein shakes, market gains, and memes that lift heavier than most altcoins.

The $MAXI presale is about to break through $4M.

Built on the Ethereum network, $MAXI combines humor with strong tokenomics and a clear community drive. What sets Maxi Doge apart is how it’s leaning into token-locking and community-based incentives rather than just social buzz.

Security and transparency are key talking points, too.

The team has completed smart-contract audits and is committed to a 15% liquidity allocation – a welcome move in a sector often short on accountability. A bigger allocation of 25% goes to Maxi Fund, which is speculated to fund the meme coin’s future partnerships and integrations.

Meanwhile, whale wallets have reportedly begun accumulating positions, a sign that $MAXI might be attracting more than casual retail attention.

With meme culture once again driving liquidity across presale markets, Maxi Doge feels like a timely entry – one that balances comedy with clear incentives.

If the team continues executing as promised, this gym-themed meme coin could end up flexing its way into the next bullish wave.

Early investors can buy $MAXI for $0.0002675 before the next price surge, which is only a day away. A staking program is also live, with reward APYs that reach up to 77% now, and giving participants a reason to stay engaged long after the presale closes.

Join the $MAXI presale before it’s too late.

3. XRP ($XRP) is Set for More Gains
When markets shift back toward fundamentals after volatility, liquidity and narrative clarity tend to outperform – and XRP brings both.

Currently trading around $2.46 with a market cap near $148B, XRP remains firmly in the large-cap conversation for capital rotating beyond $BTC and $ETH.

That scale matters for active traders – deep books, tighter spreads, wide exchange coverage, and derivatives markets that make positioning straightforward.

Source: CoinMarketCap
On the narrative front, Ripple-backed Evernorth recently revealed plans to go public and accumulate XRP as a treasury asset, potentially reinforcing XRP’s long-running role in global payments infrastructure.

Whether this translates directly into sustained buy pressure, such institutional framing strengthens correlations with macro risk cycles and broadens research coverage.

The fundamental story remains consistent: regulatory clarity, enterprise integrations, and treasury adoption keep XRP at the centre of the institutional crypto conversation.

As liquidity tightens elsewhere, XRP continues to function as the market’s go-to bridge asset for fast settlement and efficient cross-border movement. For traders seeking liquid beta with a catalyst, XRP fits that niche neatly.

Check out XRP price trends on CoinMarketCap

Recap: Strategy’s fresh $50M BTC buy underscores a simple point – big balance sheets still treat dips as inventory. That backdrop is steering attention toward Bitcoin Hyper’s BTC-aligned Layer-2, Maxi Doge’s high-beta staking meme, and XRP’s institutional payments rail – three very different ways to play the market’s rotation and find the best crypto to buy right now.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Crypto is volatile; do your own research and manage risk.

Authored by Aidan Weeks, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/strategy-50m-bitcoin-best-crypto-to-buy-hyper-maxi-xrp

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Robert Kiyosaki predicts Bitcoin to hit $250K by 2026, urging investors to accumulate BTC, gold, and silver as the U.S. debt crisis deepens.

Summary

Bitcoin price is hovering around $104.5K, trading in a narrow range below $108K resistance after weeks of macro-driven volatility.
Reduced intraday swings, easing miner selling, and tightening Bollinger Bands and ATR suggest the market is coiling for a potential move.
A break above $107,500–$108,000 could push BTC toward $110K–$112,000, supported by ETF inflows, institutional interest, and higher lows above $104K.
Failing to hold $104,000–$104,500 may trigger a drop to $102K–$100.5K, with soft ETF demand or renewed miner selling adding pressure.
Overall, the BTC outlook remains neutral-to-bullish, with compression under resistance pointing to a possible breakout attempt in the near term.

The Bitcoin price is hovering around $104.5K, tightening into a narrow range below $108K resistance.

After weeks of back-and-forth movement driven by macro factors, BTC looks more stable, and traders are debating whether that stability could precede a breakout attempt.

Bitcoin price information for today
At present, Bitcoin (BTC) is sitting around $105,200 and holding its ground after a stretch of macro-related volatility. It’s been moving within a $104,500 to $107,200 range, with less day-to-day volatility — basically, the market’s in a bit of a stalemate.

BTC 1-day chart, November 2025 | Source: crypto.news
ETF inflows and outflows remain mixed but are starting to level out, improving liquidity compared to the week before. On-chain numbers are mildly encouraging too — miners are easing up on selling, and exchange outflows have risen slightly, which could mean long-term holders are getting more confident.

From a chart perspective, Bitcoin is sitting just under short-term resistance, with tightening Bollinger Bands and ATR hinting that a bigger move could be right around the corner.

ETF inflows could boost Bitcoin price
Breaking through the $107,500–$108,000 range could be the trigger for Bitcoin to stretch toward $110,000–$112,000. The rally would likely be backed by firmer ETF inflows, more stable macro signals, or new institutional participation.

At the same time, Bitcoin’s trend of forming higher lows above $104,000 adds strength to the technical picture, suggesting the market’s quietly preparing for another push higher. All signs point toward a bullish Bitcoin price prediction, as long as buying interest stays steady and volatility remains subdued.

Downside risks to BTC
Of course, there are still a few risks that could trip things up. If Bitcoin fails to defend the $104,000–$104,500 range, it might slide lower, testing $102,000 or $100,500 next. Softer ETF demand or renewed miner selling could make that move more likely, putting pressure on short-term bullish breakout attempts.

And while Bitcoin’s dominance has been rising, that could actually cap excitement elsewhere in the market — BTC may stay strong, but a lack of altcoin participation could limit the size and speed of any follow-through rally.

Bitcoin price prediction based on current levels
According to the BTC forecast, Bitcoin is stuck in a range between $104,000 and $108,000. A push above $108K resistance could unlock upside targets at $110K–$112K, while losing $104K might trigger a slide toward $102K–$100.5K.

At the moment, the BTC outlook stays neutral-to-bullish. Volatility’s been shrinking near resistance, hinting that a larger move could be just around the corner. The deciding factor will likely be how ETF flows and the macro backdrop play out in the short term.

For now, Bitcoin’s sitting at a crossroads. This ongoing consolidation below $108K resistance could easily turn into a breakout toward new short-term highs — or slip into another pullback if key supports break. Either way, traders are keeping a close eye on how this compression phase resolves in the coming days.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Solana continues to defy the skeptics. The two US spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have now logged ten consecutive days of net inflows, signaling strong investor appetite despite recent market pullbacks. Data shows the funds brought in another $6.78 million on Monday alone, pushing their total net inflows since launch past $342 million.

Solana ETF: What’s Behind the 10-Day Inflow Streak?

According to SoSoValue, Bitwise’s BSOL led Monday’s activity with $5.92 million in net inflows, while Grayscale’s GSOL added $854,480. The consistent flow of funds comes even as Solana’s price dipped nearly 2% in the past 24 hours to $164.24. Since the debut of these ETFs on October 28, investors have kept pouring in money almost daily—an impressive trend for a relatively young product in the altcoin ETF space.

Why Are Investors Betting Big on Solana ETFs?Analysts say Solana ETFs are becoming a “high-beta” play for those already holding Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Nick Ruck from LVRG Research explained that institutional investors view Solana as a diversification tool within crypto portfolios, offering potentially higher returns—albeit with greater volatility. This growing appetite shows confidence in Solana’s maturing ecosystem and its role as a complement to the top two cryptocurrencies.

Surpassing Expectations and SkepticismWhen the funds launched, many doubted they would attract meaningful institutional interest. Concerns over Solana’s regulatory clarity and technical history fueled that skepticism. Yet, the performance told a different story. Last Wednesday alone, daily inflows topped $70 million—an amount Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas called a “huge number, good sign.”

What This Means for Solana’s Price and FutureWhile ETF inflows don’t directly dictate price, they often tighten supply and support long-term stability. Ruck noted that continued inflows could sustain upward pressure on SOL by bringing more institutional capital into the ecosystem. In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs saw modest $1.15 million in inflows on Monday, and Ethereum ETFs saw none, suggesting investors are diversifying beyond the majors.

The Bigger PictureSolana’s ETF success underscores a shifting narrative in the crypto market. What started as a speculative altcoin has now entered mainstream institutional portfolios. If this momentum holds, Solana could cement its place as the third pillar of crypto investing—right behind Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Bitcoin is strutting through Nov. 11, 2025, with a price of $104,547 and a market cap of $2.08 trillion, alongside a 24-hour trading volume of $70.93 billion. The intraday range—$104,382 to $107,465—suggests traders are dancing around key technical levels like it's a crypto cha-cha.

China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center just accused the United States of carrying out the 2020 LuBian Bitcoin exploit.

However, Western research ties the event to a wallet random-number flaw and does not name a state actor.

Open-source forensics on the LuBian drainThe core facts of the episode are now well documented across open sources. According to Arkham, approximately 127,000 BTC were moved out of wallets associated with the LuBian mining pool over a period of about two hours on December 28–29, 2020, through coordinated withdrawals across hundreds of addresses.

According to the MilkSad research team and CVE-2023-39910, those wallets were created with software that seeded MT19937 with only 32 bits of entropy, which reduced the search space to approximately 4.29 billion seeds and exposed batches of P2SH-P2WPKH addresses to brute-force attacks.

MilkSad’s Update #14 links a cluster holding roughly 136,951 BTC that was drained beginning on 2020-12-28 to LuBian.com through on-chain mining activity and documents the fixed 75,000 sat fee pattern on the sweep transactions. Blockscope’s reconstruction shows the bulk of the funds then sat with minimal movement for years.

Those same coins now sit in wallets controlled by the U.S. government. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, prosecutors are pursuing the forfeiture of approximately 127,271 BTC as proceeds and instrumentalities of alleged fraud and money laundering tied to Chen Zhi and the Prince Group. The DOJ states that the assets are presently in U.S. custody.

Elliptic shows that addresses in the DOJ complaint map onto the LuBian weak-key cluster that MilkSad and Arkham had already identified, and Arkham now tags the consolidated destination wallets as U.S. government-controlled. On-chain sleuths, including ZachXBT, have publicly noted the overlap between the seized addresses and the earlier weak-key set.

What the forensic record shows about the LuBian exploitRegarding attribution, technical teams that first identified the flaw and traced the flows do not claim knowledge of who executed the 2020 drain. MilkSad repeatedly refers to an actor who discovered and exploited weak private keys, stating they do not know the identity.

Arkham and Blockscope describe the entity as the LuBian hacker, focusing on method and scale. Elliptic and TRM confine their claims to tracing and to the match between the 2020 outflows and the later DOJ seizure. None of these sources names a state actor for the 2020 operation.

CVERC, amplified by the CCP-owned Global Times and local pickups, advances a different narrative.

It argues that the four-year dormancy period deviates from common criminal cash-out patterns and therefore points to a state-level hacking organization.

It then links the later U.S. custody of the coins to the allegation that U.S. actors executed the exploit in 2020 before converting it into a law enforcement seizure.

The report’s technical sections track closely with independent open research on weak keys, MT19937, address batching, and fee patterns.

Its attribution leap rests on circumstantial inferences about dormancy and ultimate custody rather than new forensics, tooling ties, infrastructure overlaps, or other standard indicators used in state actor attribution.

What we actually know about the LuBian Bitcoin drainThere are at least three coherent readings that fit what is public.

One is that an unknown party, criminal or otherwise, found the weak-key pattern, drained the cluster in 2020, left the coins mostly dormant, and U.S. authorities later obtained the keys through seizures of devices, cooperating witnesses, or related investigative means, which culminated in consolidation and forfeiture filings in 2024–2025.A second treats LuBian and related entities as part of an internal treasury and laundering network for Prince Group, where an apparent hack could have been an opaque internal movement between weak-key-controlled wallets, consistent with DOJ’s framing of the wallets as unhosted and within the defendant’s possession, though public documents do not fully detail how Chen’s network came to control the specific keys.The third, advanced by CVERC, is that a U.S. state actor was responsible for the 2020 operation. The first two align with the evidentiary posture presented in the filings of MilkSad, Arkham, Elliptic, TRM, and the DOJ.The third is an allegation not substantiated by independent technical evidence in the public domain.

A brief timeline of the uncontested events is below.

Date (UTC)EventApprox. BTCSource2020-12-28/29Coordinated drains from LuBian-controlled addresses~127,000–127,426Arkham; Blockscope; MilkSad Update #142021–2022OP_RETURN messages from LuBian-linked addresses pleading for returnN/AMilkSad Update #14; Blockscope2023-08Disclosure of CVE-2023-39910 (weak MT19937 seeding in Libbitcoin Explorer)N/ANVD CVE-2023-399102024Consolidation of dormant coins into new wallets~127,000Blockscope; Arkham2025DOJ forfeiture action and public statements of U.S. custody~127,271DOJ; CBS News; Elliptic; TRMFrom a capability standpoint, brute forcing a 2^32 seed space is well within reach for motivated actors. At about 1 million guesses per second, a single setup can traverse the space in a few hours, and distributed or GPU-accelerated rigs compress that further.

Feasibility is central to the MilkSad-class weakness, explaining how a single actor can sweep thousands of vulnerable addresses simultaneously. The fixed-fee pattern and address derivation details published by MilkSad and mirrored in CVERC’s technical write-up reinforce this method of exploitation.

The remaining disputes lie in ownership and control at each step, not in the mechanics. DOJ frames the wallets as repositories for criminal proceeds tied to Chen and states the assets are forfeitable under U.S. law.

Chinese authorities frame LuBian as a victim of theft and accuse a U.S. state actor of the original exploit.

Independent blockchain forensics groups connect the 2020 outflows to the 2024–2025 consolidation and seizure, and stop short of naming who pressed the button in 2020. That is the status of the record.

Mentioned in this article

The iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO - Free Report) made its debut on 06/10/2014, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund that provides broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.

Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, and are a good option for investors who believe in market efficiency.

However, some investors believe in the possibility of beating the market through exceptional stock selection, and choose a different type of fund that tracks non-cap weighted strategies: smart beta.

By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.

While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results.

Fund Sponsor & IndexBecause the fund has amassed over $34.62 billion, this makes it one of the largest ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. DGRO is managed by Blackrock. DGRO, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index.

The Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index is composed of U.S. equities with a history of consistently growing dividends.

Cost & Other ExpensesFor ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.

Annual operating expenses for DGRO are 0.08%, which makes it one of the least expensive products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.03%.

Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsWhile ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Financials sector - about 20.1% of the portfolio. Information Technology and Healthcare round out the top three.

When you look at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 3.1% of the fund's total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

DGRO's top 10 holdings account for about 26.79% of its total assets under management.

Performance and RiskYear-to-date, the iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has added roughly 12.62% so far, and was up about 8.28% over the last 12 months (as of 11/11/2025). DGRO has traded between $55.22 $69.17 in this past 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 0.84 and standard deviation of 12.27% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 405 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .

AlternativesiShares Core Dividend Growth ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth ETF (DGRW) tracks WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) tracks NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index. WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth ETF has $16.03 billion in assets, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has $98.85 billion. DGRW has an expense ratio of 0.28% and VIG changes 0.05%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Large Cap Value

Bottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

Jim Wyckoff has spent over 25 years involved with the stock, financial and commodity markets. He was a financial journalist with the FWN newswire service for many years, including stints as a reporter on the rough-and-tumble commodity futures trading floors in Chicago and New York. As a journalist, he has covered every futures market traded in the U.S., at one time or another.

Jim is the proprietor of the "Jim Wyckoff on the Markets" analytical, educational and trading advisory service. Jim also worked as a technical analyst for Dow Jones Newswires and as the senior market analyst with TraderPlanet.com. Jim is also a consultant with the highly respected "Pro Farmer" agricultural advisory service. Jim was also the head equities analyst at CapitalistEdge.com. He received his degree from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he studied journalism and economics.

Follow Jim daily on Kitco.com as he provides both AM and PM roundups and a daily Technical Special.
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