Market Signal Briefing

"The companies brought their boxing gloves out" for CES 2026, says Logan Gilland. He notes clear distinctions in Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD Inc.'s (AMD) presentations and how each can etch out a win from CES.

Warner Bros. Discovery rejected an amended takeover offer from Paramount Skydance and encouraged shareholders to stick with a deal it has in place with Netflix.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2026) - Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP ("Scott+Scott"), a shareholder and consumer rights litigation firm, is investigating whether Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated ("Corcept" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CORT) or certain of its officers and directors issued misleading and false statements and/or failed to disclose information material to investors in violation of federal securities laws.

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL CLASS ACTION

Corcept is a pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of severe metabolic, psychiatric and oncologic disorders.

On December 31, 2025, Corcept announced in a press release that the "U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) for relacorilant as a treatment for patients with hypertension secondary to hypercortisolism." The Company stated in the press release that "the Agency concluded it could not arrive at a favorable benefit-risk assessment for relacorilant without Corcept providing additional evidence of effectiveness."

Following this news, Corcept's stock price fell more than 50%, to a closing price of $34.80 per share on December 31, 2025.

ARE YOU A POTENTIAL CLASS MEMBER ELIGIBLE TO RECOVER? CLICK HERE

If you have purchased Corcept common stock, and have suffered a loss, realized or unrealized, and you wish to discuss this investigation, please contact attorney Mandeep S. Minhas at (888) 398-9312 or at [email protected].

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT IF YOU CAN RECOVER YOUR LOSSES

About Scott+Scott
Scott+Scott is an international law firm known for its expertise in representing corporate clients, institutional investors, businesses, and individuals harmed by anticompetitive conduct or other forms of wrongdoing, including securities law and shareholder violations. With more than 100 attorneys in eight offices in the United States, as well as three offices in Europe, our advocacy has resulted in significant monetary settlements on behalf of our clients, along with other forms of relief. Our highly experienced attorneys have been recognized for being among the top financial lawyers in 2024 by Lawdragon, WWL: Commercial Litigation 2024, and Legal 500 in Antitrust Civil Litigation, and have received top Chambers 2024 rankings. In addition, we have been repeatedly recognized by the American Antitrust Institute for the successful litigation of high-stakes anticompetitive claims in the United States.

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Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP
230 Park Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10169
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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/279738

Source: Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP

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Rene Haas, CEO of chip tech provider Arm Holdings, holds a replica of a chip with his company's logo on it, during an event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 5, 2025. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

SummaryCompaniesArm reorganizes into three main business lines, including Physical AIPhysical AI unit to focus on robotics and automotive sectorsArm sees robotics as a significant growth opportunity, plans to expand staffJan 7 (Reuters) - Chip technology company Arm Holdings has reorganized the company and formed a Physical AI unit to expand its presence in the robotics market, company executives told Reuters at CES.

The decision to create a unit that specializes in robotics arrives amid a flurry of announcements and activity at CES around humanoid robots. At the sprawling Las Vegas trade show, large and small companies demonstrated robots that could help build cars, clean toilets and deal games of poker - at a glacial pace.

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Reuters is reporting the creation of the Physical AI unit and reorganization for the first time. Overall, Arm will now operate three main lines of business: its Cloud and AI, Edge - which includes its mobile devices and PC products - and Physical AI, which also folds in its automotive business.

The UK-based company does not make chips itself but supplies the underlying technology that powers most of the world's smartphones and a growing number of other devices such as laptops and data center chips. The company makes money by charging licensing fees and collecting royalties when its designs are used.

The company's expanded focus on Physical AI is part of a larger effort to increase the business. Since CEO Rene Haas took over the company roughly four years ago, Arm has developed ways to hike prices for its latest technology and is considering its own full chip design.

Arm executives see robotics as a market with immense potential for growth in the long run. The head of the newly formed unit, Drew Henry, told Reuters that physical AI solutions could "fundamentally enhance labor, free up extra time" and may have a considerable impact on gross domestic product as a result.

The potential for growth in robotics spurred discussions inside Arm for months about how best to tackle the market. The company formally reorganized recently and created the Physical AI division. That division plans to add staff dedicated to robotics, Arm Chief Marketing Officer Ami Badani said.

The company combined automotive and robotics into a single unit because the customer requirements for things such as power constraints, safety and reliability are similar, Badani said. Several automakers are moving into humanoid robotics, as well.

When asked about customers, Henry said, "We work with everyone." Arm-based chips are used by dozens of automakers around the world, and by robotics companies such as Boston Dynamics, which showed off several robots at CES.

"We're already demonstrating that we could put thousands of quadruped robots out in the market and actually make money," Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter told Reuters. He acknowledged there was "a bit of a hype cycle around (robotic) humanoids at this point in time."

Reporting by Max A. Cherney; additional reporting by Abhirup Roy in Las Vegas Editing by Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Max A. Cherney is a correspondent for Reuters based in San Francisco, where he reports on the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence. He joined Reuters in 2023 and has previously worked for Barron’s magazine and its sister publication, MarketWatch. Cherney graduated from Trent University with a degree in history.

M2i Global Inc (OTC:MTWO), along with Volato Group which is in the process of merging with the company, announced a strategic collaboration with Titanium X aimed at advancing the development of critical mineral assets and strengthening domestic supply chains in the United States.

Under the agreement, M2i Global and Titanium X will work together on the financing, development and commercialization of Titanium X’s critical mineral projects, drawing on M2i’s experience in mineral project execution and government-related financing strategies. The parties are also in discussions to finalize an exclusive supply agreement for titanium concentrate.

Titanium X is pursuing the acquisition of titanium mineral supply through offtake agreements or project acquisitions and is developing extraction technologies designed to upgrade ore into beneficiated concentrate.

The company plans to beneficiate material in Australia before shipping concentrate to an M2i facility for further refining, with technologies being developed in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley.

The initial focus is on upgrading ilmenite from mineral sand deposits, particularly in Western Australia, which hosts existing producers and undeveloped JORC-compliant resources.

“We are proud to join forces with Titanium X to strengthen the US supply chain for critical minerals,” M2i Global CEO Major General (Ret) Alberto Rosende said in a statement. “This collaboration combines Titanium X’s world-class asset base with M2i’s execution capabilities and government financing strategies.”

Justin Warburton, Titanium X executive director, described the partnership with M2i Global as a game-changer for the company.

“Their track record and network—especially in accessing funding and offtake partnerships—will fast-track our mission to become a premier domestic supplier of titanium and other critical minerals,” Warburton said. “We’re excited to move forward together at this pivotal moment in US industrial policy.”

The companies added that the collaboration aligns with broader goals around responsible resource development, sustainability and building secure North American mineral supply chains.

ToplineAnthropic is seeking to raise $10 billion in a funding round that would nearly double the company’s market value to $350 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, as the developer behind the Claude chatbot joins other AI giants seeking more capital amid surging demand for the technology.

The company behind the AI chatbot Claude may have its market value nearly double in just four months.

VCG via Getty Images

Key FactsAnthropic’s latest financing round will be headlined by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and Coatue Management, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

That would nearly double the company’s $183 billion valuation following a $13 billion funding round in September (that round almost tripled Anthropic’s $61.5 billion valuation from March after it raised $3.5 billion).

The new infusion of capital adds to the combined $15 billion that Nvidia and Microsoft said they would invest in Anthropic in November, in a deal that includes Anthropic purchasing $30 billion in cloud computing capacity from Microsoft.

Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Surprising FactAnthropic reportedly plans to more than triple its annualized revenue—an estimate for full-year revenue—to $26 billion in 2026 from a goal of $9 billion in 2025. The company said it expects a boost in revenue from AI products for its enterprise customers, as more businesses increase their spending on AI tools and infrastructure, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

How Much Have Other Leading Ai Firms Raised?Elon Musk’s xAI announced Tuesday the company completed a $20 billion funding round backed by Nvidia, Valor Equity Partners and the Qatar Investment Authority, among others, exceeding the company’s goal to raise $15 billion at a $250 billion valuation. OpenAI has opened talks to raise funds that would value the ChatGPT maker at $750 billion, the Information reported, citing people with knowledge of the discussions. That funding round could raise as much as $100 billion and boost the company’s $500 billion valuation in October.

Key BackgroundAnthropic, backed by multibillion-dollar investments from Alphabet’s Google and Amazon, emerged as a competitor to OpenAI and other leading AI firms in recent years. The company announced last year it would spend $50 billion to expand its AI infrastructure with data centers across Texas and New York, reporting 30 million monthly users after reaching 19 million in November 2024. The company unveiled the latest iteration of its chatbot, Claude Opus 4.5, in November, saying its new model was “meaningfully better” at completing regular tasks.

Further ReadingForbesElon Musk’s xAI Could Be Valued At $200 Billion After $10 Billion Funding Round, Report SaysBy Antonio Pequeño IVForbesOpenAI Eyeing Funding Round That Would Double Its Value, Report SaysBy Antonio Pequeño IV

The logo of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA is seen on a fuel tank truck, in Caracas, Venezuela May 14, 2025. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesJan 7 (Reuters) - Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA said on Wednesday it is progressing in negotiations with the United States for oil sales, as a board member for the company told Reuters the U.S. will need to buy cargoes at international prices.

On Tuesday, Washington announced a deal with Caracas to get access to up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude, a sign that Venezuelan government officials are responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that they open up to U.S. oil companies or risk more military intervention.

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Trump has said he wants interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, installed this week after the U.S. deposed President Nicolas Maduro, to give the U.S. and private companies "total access" to her country's oil industry.

PDVSA said in a brief statement that the parties have been talking about similar terms as those in place with foreign partners such as Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab, the company's main joint venture partner, which currently controls all oil exports to the U.S.

"The process ... is based on strictly commercial transactions under terms that are legal, transparent and beneficial for both parties," the company said.

PDVSA board member Wills Rangel, who is also a union leader, told Reuters the U.S. will need to buy cargoes at international prices if the country wants Venezuelan oil.

"If they want to buy it, they will have it in due time, sold at the international price," Rangel said. "Not the way (Trump) intends, as if that oil belongs to them because we supposedly owe them. We do not owe anything to the United States."

Chevron, which has a special U.S. license to export Venezuelan crude despite sanctions, is the only company currently exporting crude from the South American country, Rangel added, as a U.S. blockade on Venezuela keeps exports bound to China, the main destination of its oil, paralyzed.

Reporting by Reuters Editing by Rod Nickel

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Cameco Corporation (CCO:CA) Goldman Sachs Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference January 7, 2026 10:55 AM EST

Company Participants

Grant Isaac - President & COO

Conference Call Participants

Brian Lee - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Brian Lee
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division

All right. Thanks, everyone, for joining. We're going to get started here. This next session is going to be a treat. I'm looking forward to this. I want to welcome to the stage, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cameco, Grant Isaac. We got a lot to talk about in terms of the nuclear ecosystem, especially on the heels of Secretary Wright's comments. I think there's a lot of optimism, anticipation, maybe capital to talk about in terms of the implications for the sector.

Question-and-Answer Session

Brian Lee
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division

But maybe just big picture, I wanted to start, Grant, with 2025 was clearly eventful for both Cameco as well as the overall nuclear industry. So what would you say stood out as some of the most needle-moving events, whether at the macro and policy level and then also clearly, the company-specific milestones, what are you most proud of from last year?

Grant Isaac
President & COO

Yes, it's a great place to start. Thank you, and thanks to everybody for giving us some time today. 2025 was a big year in the nuclear industry, and it was just actually a continuation of several big years. And I would just summarize it by actually echoing some of Brian's line in the past. Nuclear went from being part of -- well, first of all, being in the wilderness post Fukushima, then it became part of the climate security solution and then Russia invaded Ukraine and people realize it actually is a key part of the energy security solution.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Semrush Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SEMR) to Adobe Inc. (NasdaqGS: ADBE). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Semrush will receive $12.00 in cash for each share of Semrush that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-semr/ to learn more.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
1100 Poydras St., Suite 960
New Orleans, LA 70163

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The cases involving Character.AI's virtual companions highlighted concerns about artificial intelligence and mental health.

Key Takeaways NTAM will offer its institutional-quality direct indexing solution on Envestnet.The Envestnet platform enables customized equity portfolios with factor tilts, exclusions, and tax efficiency.The partnership expands NTRS's distribution for personalized, tax-efficient UHNW portfolios. Northern Trust Asset Management (“NTAM”), an investment management division of Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS - Free Report) , has announced a partnership with Envestnet to offer its institutional-quality, tax-managed direct indexing solution through the platform. The collaboration enables the delivery of highly customized equity portfolios to ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients.

Through the Envestnet platform, financial advisors will be able to access NTAM’s direct indexing solution, which provides a diversified range of equity investment strategies. The offering supports blending indices, apply quantitative factor tilts and include client-specific exclusions to align portfolios with individual preferences and values. The solution will also help advisors to construct portfolios that manage taxes efficiently, aiming to maximize clients’ after-tax returns.

Rationale Behind the Northern Trust–Envestnet PartnershipThe collaboration aligns with Northern Trust’s strategy to expand access to personalized, tax-efficient investment solutions for ultra-high-net-worth clients. This segment increasingly demands portfolio customization and active tax management as part of long-term wealth planning.

Direct indexing has gained traction across the wealth management industry, as it allows advisors to tailor portfolios more precisely than traditional mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. The launch benefits Northern Trust by expanding distribution of its high-value direct indexing capabilities to a broad advisor base on the Envestnet platform, driving incremental assets under management growth without significant additional infrastructure investment. Direct indexing carries higher fees and greater client stickiness than traditional passive products, improving the company’s revenue and margin durability.

Suzanne Casey and Sunitha Thomas, co-heads of the Wealth Client Group, Northern Trust Asset Management, stated, “By offering our direct indexing capabilities on the Envestnet platform, we will empower more financial advisors to personalize portfolios at scale while taking their clients’ taxes into consideration.” Casey and Thomas further added that, “Tax management is key to effective portfolio management, which is why our innovative direct indexing technology is built to help financial advisors deliver after-tax returns to their clients. The partnership with Envestnet reflects our commitment to helping investors achieve their goals, by using sophisticated strategies and tools to adapt to evolving market conditions.”

The growing adoption of direct indexing and customized model portfolios is not only driving NTRS’s expansion but also attracting attention from other financial firms like BlackRock, Inc. (BLK - Free Report) and State Street Corporation (STT - Free Report) .

In April 2025, BLK launched its custom model portfolios on the Envestnet platform, giving advisors streamlined access to scalable, tax-efficient investment strategies. In the same month, State Street Investment Management (formerly State Street Global Advisors), an investment management division of STT, partnered with Envestnet to offer direct indexing solutions, enabling investors to implement highly personalized, tax-aware portfolios within a unified managed account structure. Together, these developments illustrate a broader industry trend in which leading financial firms are leveraging wealth technology platforms to provide advisors with more sophisticated, tax-smart solutions at scale.

By making its institutional-quality direct indexing capabilities available on Envestnet, Northern Trust allows advisors to access and implement these solutions within a single integrated platform. The partnership also supports NTAM’s growth strategy by broadening distribution, attracting asset inflows, and scaling existing investment capabilities efficiently.

Northern Trust’s Price Performance and Zacks RankNTRS shares have rallied 14.4% over the past six months compared with 17.2% growth of the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Restaurant operators are navigating a market shaped by shifting consumer preferences, inflation-driven cost pressures and intense competition tied to location, pricing and labor availability. In this setting, Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NATH - Free Report) and Ark Restaurants Corp. (ARKR - Free Report) stand out as two consumer-facing food companies with brand-led foundations, but very different operating models that shape their risk and earnings profiles. Nathan’s Famous is primarily engaged in marketing its brand and selling products through multiple distribution channels, combining branded product sales, licensing and a franchise network that includes virtual kitchens. Ark Restaurants, meanwhile, is rooted in direct restaurant ownership and operations, running a portfolio of restaurants, bars, fast food concepts and catering operations across multiple U.S. markets.

While NATH leans into a scalable brand platform built around licensing and broader distribution points, ARKR’s model remains more operationally driven, shaped by seasonality, fixed costs and location-specific demand trends. With both facing competitive industry pressures, the question remains: which business structure offers the more attractive setup right now? Let’s take a closer look.

Stock Performance & Valuation: NATH vs. ARKRNATH (down 13.6%) has underperformed ARKR (down 10.2%) over the past three months. However, in the past year, Nathan’s Famous stock has rallied 18.1% against Ark Restaurants’ loss of 54.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meanwhile, NATH is trading at a trailing 12-month enterprise value-to-sales (EV/S) ratio of 2.5X, below its median of 2.6X over the past five years. ARKR’s trailing 12-month EV/S multiple sits at 0.1X, below its last five-year median of 0.3X. While ARKR appears cheap when compared with the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector average of 1.9X, NATH seems to be expensive.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Factors Driving Nathan's Famous StockNathan’s Famous is benefiting from a business model that leans heavily on brand reach rather than restaurant footprints alone. One key driver is the company’s multi-channel structure — combining branded product sales, licensing and restaurant operations — which helps broaden distribution across supermarkets, foodservice and franchised formats, including virtual kitchens, while reducing reliance on any single channel for growth.

A second factor is the strength of its high-margin licensing platform, anchored by long-term agreements that allow Nathan’s Famous to monetize its brand through third-party manufacturing, marketing and retail distribution. This structure supports recurring royalty income and extends brand presence across national grocery and club-store channels, reinforcing consumer visibility beyond restaurants.

The third driver is continued expansion and momentum in the Branded Product Program, which fuels sales through foodservice distributors and large-scale customer accounts, supported by the flexibility of the program across varied venues. At the same time, NATH remains focused on managing inflation-linked pressures — particularly beef costs — through pricing mechanisms and customer agreements, helping protect profitability while sustaining operating stability.

Factors Driving Ark Restaurants StockArk Restaurants operates a portfolio of destination-oriented restaurants and bars in high-visibility locations, which gives it significant leverage to strong seasonal demand, tourism flows and event-driven traffic. When these venues perform well, the model can generate outsized benefits from volume recovery and improved utilization across its established footprint.

The Bryant Park situation remains an important catalyst. While it has created uncertainty, any progress toward clarity — whether through lease renewal, extension or resolution of the legal dispute — would materially improve business visibility and could unlock a reset in investor confidence, given the central role of these locations in Ark Restaurants’ broader operating narrative.

ARKR carries long-term optional upside through its interest in New Meadowlands Racetrack, where the potential for a future casino license could expand the company’s food-and-beverage opportunity in a high-traffic entertainment setting. Though the timing is uncertain, the possibility adds a strategic growth lever that differentiates ARKR from many restaurant peers and provides investors with a potential embedded catalyst beyond day-to-day restaurant operations.

Choose NATH Over ARKR NowWhile both Nathan’s Famous and Ark Restaurants are navigating a restaurant and consumer landscape shaped by cost pressures and shifting traffic patterns, their current setups point to very different risk-reward profiles — and NATH looks better positioned right now. Although NATH has lagged ARKR over the past three months, its stronger one-year rally highlights a clearer stability-driven narrative anchored by a diversified, brand-led model built around licensing and broad distribution channels. That structure allows Nathan’s Famous to expand its footprint through grocery, foodservice and franchised platforms without relying heavily on day-to-day restaurant traffic, offering investors a more scalable and predictable earnings foundation.

From a valuation perspective, NATH is trading slightly below its own long-term EV/S median, suggesting the stock is not stretched relative to its historical norm even after its solid annual performance. ARKR, meanwhile, has delivered somewhat better short-term performance and screens as deeply discounted on EV/S, but the sharp decline over the past year reflects ongoing uncertainty and weaker investor confidence tied to its more operationally driven restaurant model. With a steadier business structure, stronger longer-term momentum and a valuation that remains reasonable relative to its own history, Nathan’s Famous offers the more attractive opportunity over Ark Restaurants right now.

Key Takeaways OppFi Q3 net income soared 136.9% y/y, whereas revenues rose 13.5%, signaling efficiency gains.OPFI's auto-approval rate hit 79.1%, lifting efficiency and holding total expense growth to just 0.1% y/y.OppFi's Model 6.1 refit cut net charge-offs and prompted higher full-year adjusted net income and EPS outlook. OppFi’s (OPFI - Free Report) proprietary AI and machine learning-based automated underwriting engine Model 6 has been the primary engine behind its record financials over the quarters. In the third quarter of 2025, the company registered a 136.9% year-over-year upsurge in its net income, whereas the top line grew 13.5%. This disproportional growth in revenues and profitability hints at operational efficiency.

During the aforementioned quarter, OPFI’s auto-approval rate was at 79.1%, up 3% year over year. The CEO remarked that this rising auto approval rate fueled OppFi’s operational efficiency. It facilitated improving credit quality assessment without human intervention, thus ensuring a meagre 0.1% year over year rise in total expenses. As a result, its adjusted net income surged 82.7%, with adjusted EPS soaring 78.9%.

Recently, the company has made improvements in its legacy credit assessment engine, Model 6, and introduced an iteration, Model 6.1 refit. This pivot was effective, as evidenced by an 11.2% year-over-year dip in net charge-offs as a percentage of total revenues and a 9.5% fall in net charge-offs as a percentage of average receivables for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2025.

Banking on Model 6.1 refit’s prowess, management decided to raise its full-year adjusted net income guidance to $137-$142 million from the preceding quarter’s $125-$130 million. Similarly, the adjusted EPS outlook was hiked to $1.54-$1.60 from the preceding quarter’s view of $1.39-$1.44. For investors, it is certainly a green flag, making OppFi’s underwriting engine central to its profitability position.

OPFI’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesThe OppFi stock gained 24.1% in a year against the 6.2% dip in its industry and the Zacks S&P 500 Composite’s 20.3% rise. The stock has outperformed Evertec’s (EVTC - Free Report)  10.7% dip and Fidelity National Information Services’ (FIS - Free Report) 13.6% drop during the same timeframe.

1-Year Share Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation perspective, OPFI trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 5.98X, lower than Evertec’s and Fidelity National Information Services’ 8X and 10.58X, respectively.

P/E - F12MImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

OppFi and Evertec have a Value Score of A, whereas Fidelity National Information Services carries a Value Score of B.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OppFi’s earnings per share for 2025 and 2026 has been unchanged at $1.57 and $1.71, respectively, over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Key Takeaways SEM formed a JV with Vibra Healthcare to operate Southern Kentucky Rehabilitation Hospital in Bowling Green.The 76-bed facility provides acute inpatient rehab for stroke, brain injury and spinal injury patients.The deal supports SEM's rehab growth strategy as revenues rose 4.7% in the first nine months of 2025. Select Medical Holdings Corporation (SEM - Free Report) has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Vibra Healthcare to enhance access to inpatient rehabilitation services in Southern Kentucky, marking a strategic effort to strengthen post-acute care infrastructure in the region. The collaboration will jointly operate the Southern Kentucky Rehabilitation Hospital in Bowling Green, a facility dedicated to helping patients recover from complex medical situations.

The 76-bed facility specializes in acute inpatient rehabilitation, catering to patients recovering from serious and medically complex conditions like strokes, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and various neurological disorders. These services play a critical role in helping patients regain functional independence following life-altering illnesses or injuries, particularly in underserved regional markets.

For SEM, the partnership is a strategic move in expanding its post-acute care services in Kentucky and complements its existing statewide network. The company is already running two critical illness recovery hospitals under the Select Specialty Hospital brand and has 65 outpatient rehabilitation centers through its KORT platform. For Vibra Healthcare, this team-up will allow it to preserve the hospital’s established reputation while gaining access to SEM’s scale, operational expertise and capital resources. This combination could enhance clinical capabilities and expand the hospital’s reach within the local community.

From a strategic standpoint, this collaboration aligns perfectly with Select Medical’s long-term growth playbook of expanding its rehabilitation hospital portfolio through capital-efficient joint ventures. This expanding footprint supports the company’s longer-term growth objectives in the post-acute care segment. In the first nine months of 2025, SEM’s total revenues increased 4.7% year over year.

Looking ahead, SEM continues to build its rehabilitation pipeline, with plans to open three new inpatient rehab facilities in 2026, including projects in Tucson, AZ (with Banner Health), Ozark, MO (with CoxHealth), and New Jersey (with AtlantiCare), along with two acute rehab units and two neuro transitional units.

SEM’s Price PerformanceOver the past year, SEM shares have declined 17.9% compared with the industry’s fall of 26.8%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

SEM’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksSEM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some top-ranked stocks in the Medical space are Exact Sciences Corporation (EXAS - Free Report) , Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RIGL - Free Report) and CorMedix Inc. (CRMD - Free Report) , each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Exact Sciences’ current-year earnings of 27 cents per share has remained stable in the past 30 days. Exact Sciences beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 352.3%. The consensus estimate for current-year revenues is pegged at $3.2 billion, suggesting 17.1% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rigel Pharmaceuticals’ current-year earnings of $6.54 per share has witnessed one upward revision in the past 60 days, against no movement in the opposite direction. Rigel Pharmaceuticals beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 129.7%. The consensus estimate for current-year revenues is pegged at $290.8 million, suggesting 62.2% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CorMedix’s current-year earnings of $2.87 per share has witnessed three upward revisions in the past 60 days, against no movement in the opposite direction. CorMedix beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 27%. The consensus estimate for current-year revenues is pegged at $309.8 million, suggesting 612.7% year-over-year growth.

Ensysce Biosciences, Inc. (ENSC) Shareholder/Analyst Call January 7, 2026 12:00 PM EST

Company Participants

Robert Gower
David Humphrey - CFO, Secretary & Treasurer
D. Kirkpatrick - President, CEO & Director

Presentation

Operator

Greetings. Welcome to the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Ensysce Biosciences, Inc. [Operator Instructions] Please note that this conference is being recorded. [Operator Instructions] I will now turn the conference over to your host, Dr. Bob Gower, Chairman of the Board. Please go ahead.

Robert Gower

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining the Ensysce Biosciences 2025 Virtual Annual Meeting of stockholders that was adjourned from December 23, 2025, to today. I am Bob Gower and I have served as Chairman of the Board since 2008. We've continued the virtual format for our annual meeting to help promote safety while providing a consistent experience to all stockholders regardless of your location. I am pleased to be presiding over today's meeting.

Also joining us today virtually are the members of our Board of Directors, and it's my pleasure to introduce each of them now. William Chang. William joined the Board in 2016 and serves on our Compensation Committee. Bob Gower. I joined the Board in 2008, and I'm a member of our Nominating Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and I also serve on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. Lynn Kirkpatrick. Lynn joined our board in 2009 and has served since that time as our Chief Executive Officer. Adam S. Levin, MD. Adam joined the Board in 2021 and chairs our Compensation Committee. Steve R. Martin. Steve joined the Board in 2020 and Chairs the Audit Committee. He also serves on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Lee Rusch. Lee joined the Board in 2022 and serves on our Audit Committee and Compensation Committee and as Chairperson of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Curtis Rosebraugh. Curtis joined the Board in 2021. Curtis serves on

Key Takeaways FactSet shares beat the industry over three months, with fiscal 2026 earnings and revenues expected to rise.FDS launched a production-grade MCP server, letting AI systems access trusted data directly and faster.FactSet delivers data via Amazon Quick Research on AWS, cutting uploads and speeding AI workflows. FactSet Research Systems (FDS - Free Report) stock has risen 4% in the past three months against the industry’s 8.4% decline. In the same time frame, the Zacks S&P 500 Composite has risen 3.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The company’s earnings for fiscal 2026 are expected to increase 2.8% year over year, and revenues are expected to rise 5.3% year over year.

Factors That Augur Well for FDSFactSet strengthens its leadership in AI-ready financial data by launching a production-grade MCP server that meets growing enterprise demand as firms move from experimentation to scaled AI deployment. The platform enables AI systems to access trusted FactSet intelligence directly without intermediaries, warehouses or custom integrations, cutting friction, preserving data integrity and speeding time to value for agentic and enterprise workflows. Strong adoption during the Explorer beta and the broad range of datasets available at launch highlight clear market demand and reinforce FactSet’s competitive advantage over warehouse-dependent or demo-level MCP offerings.

Moreover, FactSet expands its cloud-first, AI-ready strategy by delivering its trusted market intelligence through Amazon (AMZN) Quick Research, enabling enterprises to connect existing FactSet subscriptions directly to their Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) environments. The integration eliminates manual data uploads, streamlines research workflows and accelerates AI deployment at scale, reinforcing FactSet’s position as a key enabler for organizations pursuing cloud-native, AI-driven research and analytics.

FDS’s commitment to rewarding its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases is commendable. In fiscal 2025, 2024 and 2023, the company repurchased shares worth $300.5 million, $235 million and $177 million, respectively. It paid out $160 million, $151 million and $139 million in dividends in 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, it paid a quarterly dividend of $41 million or $1.10 per share.

FactSet also demonstrates a strong, science-backed commitment to sustainability through its validation by the Science Based Targets initiative, reinforcing its strategic focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the global climate challenge. The company commits to cutting scope one and scope two emissions by 45% and scope three emissions by 25% by fiscal 2030, setting clear, measurable targets aligned with global climate goals. FactSet strengthens this effort by aligning with the United Nations Global Compact and the Principles for Responsible Investment, while an executive-sponsored Sustainability Committee actively drives progress toward a net-zero future.

FDS: Key Risks to WatchFactSet faces growing cost pressures as operating expenses continue to trend upward, weighing on margins and near-term earnings growth. The company increased total operating costs by 6.4% in 2023, 3% in 2024 and 4.8% in 2025, and it accelerated that trend with 10% year-over-year jump in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. This underscores the need for stronger cost control to prevent expense growth from outpacing revenues and eroding profitability.

FDS’s Zacks Rank FDS currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks for investors’ consideration are Byrna Technologies (BYRN - Free Report) and Veralto Corporation (VLTO - Free Report) .

Byrna Technologies currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). BYRN has an expected earnings growth rate of 25.8% and 33.3% for 2025 and 2026, respectively.  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

BYRN has an encouraging earnings surprise history as it has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 167.5%.

Veralto carries a Zacks Rank of 2. VLTO has an expected earnings growth rate of 8.5% and 9.2% for 2025 and 2026, respectively. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history as it has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 6.5%.

HomeIndustriesMediaThe new corporate home for cable channels like CNBC, MS Now and USA Network has started off down over 25% following its separation from ComcastPublished: Jan. 7, 2026 at 1:43 p.m. ET

The way things are going for CNBC’s new corporate parent probably wouldn’t pass muster with “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer. Photo: Getty ImagesCNBC “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer is unlikely to be shouting “Booyah!” for the stock of the financial-news channel’s new corporate parent.

Shares of Versant Media Group VSNT have fallen for the third day in a row since it began trading on Monday following its spinoff from media giant Comcast CMCSA. 

Investors seek growth stocks to capitalize on above-average growth in financials that help these securities grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.

In addition to volatility, these stocks carry above-average risk by their very nature. Also, one could end up losing from a stock whose growth story is actually over or nearing its end.

However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Our proprietary system currently recommends Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) as one such stock. This company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.

Here are three of the most important factors that make the stock of this company a great growth pick right now.

Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Mama's Creations, Inc. is 9.3%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 44.4% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 4.2%.

Impressive Asset Utilization RatioAsset utilization ratio -- also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio -- is often overlooked by investors, but it is an important indicator in growth investing. This metric exhibits how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Mama's Creations, Inc. has an S/TA ratio of 2.57, which means that the company gets $2.57 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.92, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Mama's Creations, Inc. is well positioned from a sales growth perspective too. The company's sales are expected to grow 39.9% this year versus the industry average of 2.1%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Mama's Creations, Inc. have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 18.2% over the past month.

Bottom LineMama's Creations, Inc. has not only earned a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #1 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.

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

This combination positions Mama's Creations, Inc. well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.

Growth investors focus on stocks that are seeing above-average financial growth, as this feature helps these securities garner the market's attention and deliver solid returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.

In addition to volatility, these stocks carry above-average risk by their very nature. Also, one could end up losing from a stock whose growth story is actually over or nearing its end.

However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects, makes it pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks.

Dycom Industries (DY - Free Report) is on the list of such stocks currently recommended by our proprietary system. In addition to a favorable Growth Score, it carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this provider of specialty contracting services is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Dycom Industries is 53.2%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 31.2% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 9.7%.

Cash Flow GrowthWhile cash is the lifeblood of any business, higher-than-average cash flow growth is more important and beneficial for growth-oriented companies than for mature companies. That's because, growth in cash flow enables these companies to expand their businesses without depending on expensive outside funds.

Right now, year-over-year cash flow growth for Dycom Industries is 13.4%, which is higher than many of its peers. In fact, the rate compares to the industry average of 13.3%.

While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 9% over the past 3-5 years versus the industry average of 8%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Dycom Industries have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 1.3% over the past month.

Bottom LineDycom Industries has not only earned a Growth Score of B based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #1 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.

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

This combination indicates that Dycom Industries is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.

Key Takeaways AYI is expected to post Q1 FY26 EPS of $4.45, up 12.1% YoY, with revenues projected to rise 19.2%.Acuity Brands' outlook reflects strong AIS growth, lighting innovation and pricing actions.AYI faces tariff-related margin pressure, while cost controls and productivity gains support profitability. Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI - Free Report) is scheduled to announce first-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Jan. 8, before the opening bell.

In the last reported quarter, the company’s adjusted earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.6% and increased 20.9% year over year. Meanwhile, the top line missed the consensus mark by 0.3% but increased 17.2% from the prior year.

Acuity Brands beat earnings estimates in the trailing 21 quarters.

How Are Estimates Placed for AYI Stock?For the quarter to be reported, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share (EPS) has remained unchanged at $4.45 in the past 30 days. The estimated figure indicates an increase of 12.1% from $3.97 per share reported in the year-ago quarter.

The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $1.13 billion, indicating a 19.2% increase from the year-ago reported figure.

Factors to Shape AYI’s Q1 ResultsAcuity Brands is expected to report year-over-year growth in both earnings and revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, supported by solid contributions from both the Acuity Intelligent Spaces (AIS) and Acuity Brands Lighting (ABL) segments, driven by continued product innovation and effective strategic execution. The company has benefited from a dynamic and resilient supply chain, enabling it to adapt quickly and mitigate the impact of higher tariff costs through targeted pricing actions.

Acuity Brands’ strategic emphasis on developing market-leading solutions and expanding its healthcare portfolio — through new product launches such as the Care Collection and the Nightingale range — has likely supported performance in the to-be-reported quarter. The Nightingale portfolio has already received industry recognition, reinforcing the company’s competitive positioning and growth momentum.

Segment-wise, for the to-be-reported quarter, our model predicts total ABL segment (contributed 83.1% to fiscal 2025 net sales) revenues to increase 2.6% year over year to $909.3 million. In the ABL segment, management has made clear that demand conditions remain tepid, with no meaningful improvement assumed in its near-term outlook. The company does not expect a recovery in commercial construction or retrofit demand, implying that the fiscal first-quarter’s growth will rely primarily on internal execution rather than macro tailwinds. Pricing actions taken over recent quarters were designed to offset tariff costs on a dollar basis, though management acknowledged a modest percentage margin headwind tied to this mix. As a result, margins in the fiscal first quarter may face some pressure sequentially, even as dollar profitability remains supported by cost actions and productivity gains.

A key focus for the quarter will be the sustainability of recent cost reductions at Acuity Brands Lighting. Management emphasized that restructuring and operating expense actions implemented in the back half of fiscal 2025 were permanent in nature rather than temporary measures. This suggests that the fiscal first-quarter results should continue to reflect a leaner cost base, helping offset softer volumes and normal seasonal effects.

Within the ABL segment, we expect Independent Sales Network and Direct Sales Network to increase 4.7% and 1.9%, while Corporate Account, Retail and Other revenues are anticipated to decrease 20.2%, 4.1% and 0.9%, respectively, year over year.

Our model predicts the AIS segment’s (contributed 17.6% to fiscal 2025 net sales) revenues in the fiscal first quarter to surge 219.8% year over year to $235.1 million. Organic growth is expected to be supported by Atrius, Distech and QSC. The quarter will provide an early read on how well this growth profile is holding, particularly as management prioritizes expansion over near-term margin maximization. While margins in Intelligent Spaces have improved meaningfully since the QSC acquisition, leadership reiterated a willingness to reinvest to sustain growth, which could limit incremental margin expansion in the near term.

The bottom line is likely to have been supported by cost-control actions, organizational and operating expense optimization and productivity gains, which helped offset the dilutive impact of higher tariff costs and related pricing actions. The company also emphasized its ability to adapt quickly through a dynamic and resilient supply chain, reinforcing profitability despite a challenging macro and pricing environment.

However, AYI’s earnings may face several headwinds. Management cited higher tariff costs as a key challenge, noting that while pricing actions largely offset the dollar impact, tariffs continued to weigh on margin percentages. End-market conditions remained soft, with overall lighting demand described as flat to down, reflecting broader macroeconomic uncertainty and delayed customer capital spending.

We expect the company’s adjusted EBITDA margin to increase to 18.1% in the fiscal first quarter from 18% a year ago.

What Our Model Indicates for AYI StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Acuity Brands this time around. The company does not have the right combination of the two key ingredients, a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), to increase the odds of an earnings beat.

AYI’s Earnings ESP: The company has an earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

AYI’s Zacks Rank: Acuity Brands currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some companies in the Zacks Business Services sector that, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to post earnings beats in the quarter to be reported.

AppLovin Corporation (APP - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.12% and currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.

The company’s earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters and missed on two occasions, with an average negative surprise being 6.1%. AppLovin’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025 are expected to increase 67.1%.

APi Group Corporation (APG - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.50% and a Zacks Rank of 2.

The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 5.6%. APi Group’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025 are expected to increase 17.7%.

Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC - Free Report) presently has an Earnings ESP of +2.83% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise being 3.5%. Omnicom’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025 are expected to increase 7.5%.

Key Takeaways R acquired Truck Service Depot on Jan. 5, 2026, with financial terms of the deal have been kept under wraps.The deal is expected to widen Ryder's retail mobile maintenance business, Torque by Ryder, across Georgia.The deal supports aligns with Ryder's broader Southeast expansion strategy. Ryder System, Inc. (R - Free Report) has started the new year on a solid note with its latest acquisition. To this end, Ryder announced the completion of the purchase of Truck Service Depot on Jan. 5, 2026. Financial terms of the deal have been kept under wraps.

Atlanta-based Truck Service Depot is a mobile maintenance business servicing commercial trucks and trailers in Georgia. With a team of more than 20 technicians, Truck Service Depot operates in two physical locations: a 10 full drive-through maintenance bay facility in Atlanta, GA, and a service center in Savannah, GA.

The deal closure is followed by the integration of Truck Service Depot employees, assets, and operations into Ryder’s retail mobile maintenance business, Torque by Ryder, throughout 2026. Scott Marshall, founder of Truck Service Depot in 2018, will work closely with Ryder in this transition process. The acquisition is anticipated to generate synergies for both Ryder and Truck Service Depot customers.

How Will Ryder Benefit?The purchase of Truck Service Depot is expected to strengthen and widen Ryder’s retail mobile maintenance business, Torque by Ryder, across Georgia. Following the transaction, Torque by Ryder retail mobile maintenance services will be available in 27 states, providing support across a diverse range of vehicle types. These include commercial trucks and trailers, delivery vans, refrigerated vehicles, construction and utility equipment, passenger and shuttle buses, forklifts, and emergency response vehicles.

Further, Truck Service Depot’s established presence in Georgia’s market enhances Ryder’s ability to support customers in high-velocity freight corridors and aligns with Ryder’s broader Southeast expansion strategy.

The acquisition builds on Ryder’s broader Southeast expansion strategy, which includes the latest investments in new truck rental and maintenance facilities in McDonough, GA, and Lebanon, TN. These initiatives reflect Ryder’s focus on serving high-growth logistics corridors with technology-enabled fleet solutions.

Tom Havens, president of Fleet Management Solutions at Ryder, stated, “With Truck Service Depot’s strong presence in Georgia and complementary mobile maintenance services in a growth market for Ryder, we are enhancing our ability to further offer flexible, rapid maintenance solutions to fleets across this growing freight corridor.”

Ryder’s Zacks RankRyder currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Stocks to ConsiderInvestors interested in the Transportation sector may also considerExpeditors International of Washington, Inc. (EXPD - Free Report) and LATAM Airlines Group (LTM - Free Report) .

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

Expeditors has an expected earnings growth rate of 3.50% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.94%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EXPD’s 2025 earnings has moved 7.63% north in the past 60 days. Shares of Expeditors have gained 30.7% over the past six months.

LTM presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). LTM has an expected earnings growth rate of 52.63% for the current year. The company has a solid earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, and met in the remaining one, delivering an average beat of 29.84%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LTM’s 2025 earnings has moved 5.34% north in the past 60 days. LTM shares gained 32.5% in the past six months.

DeFiLlama’s Pump (PUMP) dashboard on Jan. 7, 2026 shows $3.9m in fees and $1.63m in revenue over the last 24 hours, alongside $2.036b in DEX volume.

The read-through is a high-throughput operating cadence: fees total $17.35m over 7 days and $70.37m over 30 days, while revenue reaches $7.81m (7d) and $31.96m (30d). Token-holder flows are also material, with holders revenue at $1.28m in 24 hours, $7.36m in 7 days, and $30.7m in 30 days. Cumulative fees stand at $1.274b and cumulative revenue at $958.02m.

Next, the key watch item is whether this run-rate holds as rolling windows update. DeFiLlama currently annualizes fees at $858.54m and revenue at $389.96m, with TVL at $234.11m, so any cooling or acceleration should surface quickly in the 24h and 7d prints.

Source: DeFiLlama.

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

The XRP price exploded from $0.5 in 2024 to over $3 in 2025. In the span of a few months, the cryptocurrency, which had been suppressed, made history and was only a few percentage points away from revisiting its all-time high. According to a crypto analyst, XRP may soon replicate its legendary 2017 rally, potentially reaching a new all-time high in the next three months. 

XRP To See Parabolic Rally In Three Months Market expert @Cryptobilbuwoo0 has shared a bullish outlook on XRP, pointing to a familiar price structure that closely mirrors the 2017 market cycle. According to the analyst, XRP began its powerful breakout near $3.60 in 2017, then skyrocketed to its ATH around $3.84 in 2018.

Related Reading: Standard Chartered Analysts Predict 330% XRP Price Surge After This Happens

He pointed out that in 2017, once the price broke above the dotted support line, which represented a long rising diagonal trend on the chart, XRP reached its $3.6 target within a week. Notably, this move delivered gains of approximately 1,184.86%. Based on the rally’s speed and intensity, the analyst suggests that XRP could be poised for another sharp surge, claiming that investors’ lives could change dramatically over the next 2 to 3 months.

Notably, @Cryptobilbuwoo0’s chart analysis shows that XRP is already breaking out from a clearly defined base, having held above the same rising diagonal support line from 2017. At the same time, the breakout occurs as price reclaims the 52-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA), a level that previously marked the beginning of strong upside expansion for XRP. 

Source: Chart from @Cryptobilbuwoo0 on X Fibonacci Extensions on the chart further highlight the 1.618 level as a key upside target, in line with the 2017 cycle peak structure. The chart also marks TP1 and TP2 zones, where the price paused briefly in 2017 before continuing higher. These shallow pullbacks were quickly bought, signaling strong trend control in the previous cycle. 

Current projections suggest a strong and sustained upward momentum following XRP’s breakout above the dotted support line. For its first target, price is expected to rally toward TP1 at $23.2, representing a massive 1,183.38% increase. Beyond this level, XRP is projected to continue its rally toward TP2 around $136.3, signaling a potentially historic upside. Remarkably, @Cryptobilbuwoo0’s chart suggests that all of these parabolic moves could unfold before the end of 2026.

Momentum Indicators Support Bullish XRP Forecast XRP is currently trading above $2.2, up more than 21% in the past week. Given the cryptocurrency’s historically slow price movements, @Cryptobilbuwoo0’s forecast of a rise to $23.2 and then $136.3 has been met with skepticism within the crypto community. 

However, the analyst points to momentum indicators at the bottom of the price chart that support his bullish outlook. He showed that in 2017, XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) hit oversold levels just before the price surged dramatically. A similar pattern is appearing in the current market, reinforcing his belief that the next 2 to 3 months could be parabolic.

XRP trading at $2.24 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

The BNB Chain sector saw a surge this week, as macroeconomic and broader crypto industry tailwinds whetted the risk appetite of crypto natives.

TL;DR: Sentiment: BTC above $90K; Fear & Greed turns neutral-bullish. BNB Chain: sector +6.9% WoW; most large caps green. Drivers: smaller caps led; Venus inflows lifted TVL. Things are heating up in the crypto space once again.

Bitcoin (BTC) has broken confidently above $90K and most altcoin sectors are seeing dramatic recoveries.

Many sentiment indicators, including the CMC Crypto Fear and Greed Index, have now moved from slightly bearish to neutral/slightly bullish—early signs that the worst is now behind us.

Known for its relative stability, the BNB Chain sector also saw modest gains this week.

BNB Chain Market Recap The BNB Chain sector saw a surge this week, as macroeconomic and broader crypto industry tailwinds whetted the risk appetite of crypto natives.

In the last seven days alone, the BNB Chain sector added $4.5 billion to its market capitalization (mcap)—equivalent to a 6.9% week-over-week (WoW) improvement. The sector has now erased all of its December losses and is up 5.1% month-over-month (MoM).

Source: BNB Chain Ecosystem

Trading volume for the sector is now up 15.8% WoW and 50.7% MoM, suggesting speculators are beginning to switch “risk-on.”

As it stands, 83 of the 100 largest BNB Chain tokens (by mcap) are in the green, including all of the top five.

BNB (BNB) reclaimed the $900 threshold after gaining 4.6% WoW, but lagged behind smaller players. Some notable outperformers and their catalysts include:

Chintai (CHEX): +116.9% (Technical double-bottom breakout + RWA narrative momentum) River (RIVER): +95.4% (Arthur Hayes’ Maelstrom investment disclosed) 币安人生 (币安人生): +58.1% (BNB meme momentum revival) BUILDon (B): +57.5% (WLFI treasury boost into USD1 ecosystem) Shiba Inu (SHIB): +27.2% (Burn rate spiked ~10,700%, 172M burned) The weekly trending list also highlighted some of this week's best-performing small caps, including CZ's Dog (BROCCOLI) and PAAL AI (PAAL), which gained 169.7% and 102.5% WoW, respectively.

The recent trading momentum hasn't yet manifested in increased on-chain activity on the BNB Chain L1. Daily transactions are down 6.6%, while DEX trading volume saw only a modest uptick.

The total value locked (TVL) on BNB Chain improved 8% WoW, largely driven by increased deposits to the Venus Protocol.

BNB Chain News Roundup Another week, another wave of developments in the BNB Chain space. Below, we’ve summarized some of the most significant to bring you up to speed.

2026 Tech Roadmap Goes Live: BNB Chain published its 2026 tech roadmap, outlining upgrades aimed at higher throughput, sub-second finality, and better execution quality. The plan highlights parallel execution, client improvements, and tooling to keep “production-ready” performance the default.

Source: BNB Chain

Fermi Hard Fork Scheduled for Jan. 14: BNB Chain Developers confirmed the Fermi hard fork is slated for Jan. 14, 2026 (2:30 a.m. UTC), with BEP-619 reducing BSC’s block interval to ~0.45s. Validators and builders were urged to upgrade clients ahead of activation.

Source: BNB Chain Developers

BEP-592 ‘Block Access List’ Enabled on BSC: BSC activated BEP-592 (Block Access List), designed to reduce execution latency, improve parallel processing, and speed up reorg recovery as the chain scales.

Source: BNB Chain Developers

>> That’s all for this week’s recap. Check out what’s next for BNB Chain in 2026 and beyond!

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18h05 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Ifeoluwa O.

Summarize this article with:

While networks such as Solana and BNB have gained attention for their fast trading capabilities and retail-focused applications, they lag far behind Ethereum in terms of total capital held in decentralized finance (DeFi). In its 2025 year-end review, Ethereum revealed that its DeFi total value locked (TVL) expanded at a rate significantly higher than that of competing layer-one blockchains. This growth reinforced Ethereum’s position as the principal hub for large-scale DeFi activity and liquidity.

In brief Ethereum solidified its lead in DeFi in 2025 with total value locked reaching 99 billion dollars. Transaction fees dropped to five-year lows and Layer 2 solutions reduced costs to under a cent per transaction, improving accessibility. Ethereum recently broke above key resistance, signaling a potential continuation toward higher levels. Ethereum’s Deep Liquidity Sets It Apart Ethereum reported in a detailed post on X that it continued to strengthen its role as a core platform for the digital economy throughout 2025. The network noted that more than $99 billion is currently locked in its DeFi ecosystem, a figure more than nine times larger than the next largest layer-one blockchain. This gap shows Ethereum’s unmatched capacity to host substantial financial activity and deep liquidity pools.

The extensive liquidity allows Ethereum to handle large trades efficiently, supported by well-capitalized lending markets and comprehensive order books. Such depth has made it increasingly attractive to institutional investors and large-scale participants.

Transaction Costs Drop, Accessibility Expands In 2025, Ethereum’s main network saw transaction costs fall to their lowest levels in five years, while Layer 2 solutions charged less than a cent per transaction. This made everyday activities such as making payments, remittances, and savings much easier for users. Upgrades to paymaster systems allowed major applications to cover or remove fees entirely, lowering barriers and strengthening Ethereum’s lead in total value locked.

Ethereum’s broader ecosystem also saw significant activity in both stablecoins and prediction markets, processing over $18.8 trillion in stablecoin transactions throughout 2025 and handling roughly $20 billion in betting volume across its main chain and Layer 2 solutions.

Upgrades Enhance Performance and User Experience The network’s ecosystem also saw two significant upgrades in 2025: Pectra and Fusaka. These enhancements made wallets easier to use and more approachable for both everyday users and professional participants. The updates improved the speed and capacity of operations, strengthened access to Layer 2 solutions, and ensured the platform could handle increased activity while maintaining steady, resilient growth.

In the same year, Ethereum celebrated ten years since its launch, marking a decade of milestones, including :

The network supporting over 88 million smart contracts and reaching a record 1.74 million daily on-chain transactions, demonstrating the scale of its activity. Sustaining the largest developer community in blockchain with 32,000 active contributors and bringing in more than 16,000 new developers between January and September. Ethereum Price Trends and Key Support Levels Ethereum’s market performance in 2025 mirrored its operational growth. The cryptocurrency reached an all-time high of $4,953 in August but entered a downtrend in October. Currently trading at $3,249, ETH has recently broken above its descending trendline and surpassed key resistance at $3,050. It is now testing $3,445, though a minor pullback has occurred due to profit-taking.

Ethereum Breaks Out of Triangle Pattern. If Ethereum can reclaim the $3,500–$3,600 range, it may trigger a strong rally toward $4,000, with $5,000 remaining a major long-term target. Maintaining support at $3,050 will be critical for sustaining bullish momentum, as this level is essential to prevent a reversal of the upward trend.

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Ifeoluwa O.

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

DISCLAIMER

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