Market Signal Briefing

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is investigating potential violations of U.S. federal securities laws involving Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCOI) focused on whether Cogent Communications and certain of its executives made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material information to investors.

If you have information that could assist in the Cogent Communications investigation or if you are a Cogent Communications investor who suffered a loss and would like to learn more, you can provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-cogent-communications-holdings-inc-investigation-ccoi.html

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

THE COMPANY: Cogent Communications provides high-speed internet access, private network, and data center colocation space services.

THE REVELATION: On November 6, 2025, Cogent Communications reported third quarter of 2025 financial results, revealing service revenue year-over-year decrease of nearly 6%. Cogent also disclosed that it would cut its dividend by 98%, from $1.015 per share the prior quarter to $0.02 per share. After this news, the price of Cogent Communications shares fell nearly 35%.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world’s leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the world, and the Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

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

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

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

Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) delivered stellar fiscal fourth-quarter results earlier this month, with record revenue, beating analyst estimates. AI-driven growth powered the performance, yet the stock tumbled sharply afterward, dropping as much as 21% from $405 per share before the report to $321 per share in the following days. 

While Broadcom shares have since recovered some ground, they remain approximately 15% below their pre-earnings levels. This selloff is the result of a disconnect between strong fundamentals and the market’s reaction. 

There are three key reasons behind the decline in Broadcom stock, but these concerns open up an opportunity for investors to buy at a lower price.

Broadcom Shows Exceptional Strength
Broadcom reported net revenue of $18 billion for the period, a 28% increase from $14 billion a year earlier. Semiconductor solutions revenue reached $11.1 billion, up 35% year-over-year, while infrastructure software contributed $6.9 billion, up 19%. AI semiconductor revenue was exceptionally strong, rising 74% year-over-year to $6.5 billion. Adjusted earnings came in at $1.95 per share, up 37% from the year-ago quarter, with adjusted EBITDA at $12.1 billion, for margins of 68%, which was also 34% higher than last year, allowing Broadcom to generate a 36% increase in free cash flow to $7.5 billion. 

CEO Hock Tan highlighted the momentum, noting AI revenue growth drove the results. Broadcom also offered robust guidance for Q1, projecting revenue of $19.1 billion, up 28% year-over-year, with AI semiconductor revenue expected to double to $8.2 billion. Semiconductor revenue is forecast at about $12.3 billion, up 50%, underscoring continued demand acceleration.

Reason 1 For the Selloff: AI Backlog
While AI-related order backlog of over $73 billion — deliverable over 18 months — was substantial, representing nearly half of the consolidated $162 billion backlog, was lower than anticipated for the pace of AI demand. This backlog includes custom AI accelerators (XPUs) and networking components like the Tomahawk 6 switch, with over $10 billion in orders for the latter alone. Management described bookings as “unprecedented” in recent months, but the specific backlog number contributed to perceptions of moderating momentum.

Reason 2: Expected Margin Pressure
Where gross margins were 77.9%, management said it expected a sequential decline of about 100 basis points in Q1 due to a higher mix of AI revenue, including passthrough costs in rack-level solutions. AI semiconductors, particularly custom chips and systems, carry lower margins than traditional products. Semiconductor gross margins are around 68%, compared to 93% for infrastructure software. As AI becomes a larger portion of revenue, this mix shift is expected to dilute overall margins slightly, even as absolute operating profit dollars grow.

Reason 3: Slowing Growth in Infrastructure Software
A third concern was the outlook for infrastructure software, primarily from VMware. Although segment revenue grew 19%, guidance called for low double-digit growth next year, with Q1 at $6.8 billion, only 2% higher  year-over-year. This deceleration from prior rates raised questions about sustained momentum in the software segment, which has offered high-margin stability.

Why This Is a Buying Opportunity
Despite the stock’s tumble, Broadcom’s outlook remains robust, driven by accelerating AI demand that management describes as a multiyear trend. AI revenue is on track to double in Q1, fueled by custom accelerators and Ethernet networking. 

The company has also diversified its customer base, adding a fifth XPU client with a $1 billion initial order for delivery in late 2026, alongside follow-on commitments worth $11 billion from existing hyperscalers. Networking backlog for AI switches exceeds $10 billion, reflecting strong deployment needs.

Moreover, bookings have surged recently, with visibility into leading-edge nodes and advanced packaging secured through facility expansions. Non-AI semiconductors remain stable, supported by a recovery in broadband. 

Broadcom continues to deliver strong capital returns, raising its dividend 10% and extending a $7.5 billion repurchase program. These factors point to sustained growth in 2026 and beyond. Broadcom is likely to surprise the market in future earnings reports with its strength, making the drop in its stock today the time to buy.

The year 2025 will go down in financial history as the year the metals complex finally woke up. For investors watching the tickers, the moves have been nothing short of historic. A perfect storm of Federal Reserve rate cuts has weakened the dollar and lit a fuse under hard assets.

Gold has surged approximately 73% year-to-date, shattering ceilings to trade near $4,540 per ounce. Silver has performed even more aggressively, climbing more than 140% to trade above $70. These moves have generated life-changing wealth for early adopters, but they have also created anxiety among those on the sidelines.

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is palpable. New capital entering the market today faces a difficult psychological hurdle: Is it too late to buy at all-time highs? While precious metals may still have room to run based on monetary policy and geopolitical fears, the risk-to-reward ratio has undeniably shifted. However, scanning slightly further down the commodities list reveals a glaring divergence.

Get COPX alerts:

Copper, often called "Dr. Copper" for its ability to gauge the health of the global economy, is up roughly 38% this year. In a normal market, a 38% gain would be front-page news. But in the shadow of gold and silver’s parabolic runs, copper looks like a distinct value play. Trading around $5.77 per pound, copper has not yet experienced the catch-up rally that historically occurs in the second phase of a commodities supercycle. As 2026 approaches, market dynamics suggest the red metal is mathematically primed to close this valuation gap.

The AI Supply Shock: A New Driver for Demand
Historically, copper demand was tied to traditional, old-economy industries: homebuilding, manufacturing, and electrical infrastructure. If GDP growth slowed, copper prices dropped. That correlation is breaking down because a new, price-inelastic buyer has entered the market: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The rapid buildout of AI infrastructure requires massive amounts of power and cooling systems, both of which are incredibly copper-intensive. A standard data center uses significant copper for cabling and power distribution, but the new generation of AI-specific centers requires exponentially more. Data from BloombergNEF indicates that copper demand specifically for data centers could reach 572,000 tonnes annually by 2028.

This surge in demand is colliding with a rigid, unresponsive supply chain. In the tech sector, software can be updated overnight. In the mining sector, reality moves much more slowly. It takes, on average, over 15 years to discover, obtain permits for, and build a new copper mine.

The Grade Problem: Existing mines are suffering from declining ore grades, meaning miners have to dig up more earth just to produce the same amount of metal.
The Pipeline: There are very few mega-projects scheduled to come online in the next 24 months.

Wood Mackenzie, a leading energy research consultancy, forecasts a refined copper deficit of 304,000 tonnes for 2025/2026. This is known as a structural deficit. The demand is real and immediate, but the new supply is years away. This imbalance creates a natural price floor. For investors, this means the driver of copper prices is no longer just whether the economy is growing; it is the physical inability of miners to dig metal out of the ground fast enough to meet the tech sector's needs.

Top Copper Stocks for 2026
Investors looking to capitalize on this supply-demand mismatch have several options. The key is to identify companies with strong fundamentals that can convert higher copper prices into free cash flow without taking on excessive risk.

Freeport-McMoRan: The Volume Leader
As North America’s premier copper producer, Freeport-McMoRan NYSE: FCX offers direct leverage to the spot price of the metal.

Freeport-McMoRan Today

FCX

Freeport-McMoRan

$53.07 +1.15 (+2.21%)

As of 12/26/2025 03:59 PM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$27.66▼

$53.77Dividend Yield0.57%

P/E Ratio37.37

Price Target$49.49

The Grasberg Factor: Freeport operates the Grasberg district in Indonesia, one of the world's largest copper and gold deposits. This gold production acts as a natural hedge, effectively lowering the cost of producing copper.
The Bull Case: Freeport is a volume story. Because their production costs are relatively fixed, every $0.10 increase in the price of copper expands their profit margins disproportionately.
Valuation: Despite trading near $53 per share, many analysts view the stock as undervalued relative to its future cash flows. If copper prices sustain levels above $5.50 per pound, the company’s ability to generate cash is substantial.
Financial Health: The company has spent the last two years aggressively reducing debt, positioning its balance sheet to handle market volatility while returning capital to shareholders.

Southern Copper: The Reserves & Income Play
For investors seeking stability and income alongside growth, Southern Copper NYSE: SCCO is a compelling alternative.

Southern Copper Today

$149.49 +1.36 (+0.92%)

As of 12/26/2025 03:59 PM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$74.84▼

$152.19Dividend Yield2.41%

P/E Ratio31.34

Price Target$123.85

The Asset Base: Southern Copper holds the largest copper reserves in the industry. This long-term security means they do not have to spend as aggressively on risky exploration as their peers. They already own the metal; they just need to dig it up.
Income Strategy: The company has a strong track record of paying dividends, currently yielding between 2.1% and 2.4%. In an environment where interest rates are falling (due to the Fed's recent cuts), this yield becomes increasingly attractive. It effectively pays investors to wait while the structural deficit plays out.

Global X Copper Miners ETF: The Diversified Basket
Global X Copper Miners ETF Today

COPX

Global X Copper Miners ETF

$75.71 +1.96 (+2.66%)

As of 12/26/2025 04:10 PM Eastern

52-Week Range$30.77▼

$76.50Dividend Yield1.03%

Assets Under Management$4.60 billion

Mining is an operationally complex business. 

Strikes, weather events, political shifts in South America, or engineering failures can severely impact individual companies.

The Strategy: The Global X Copper Miners ETF NYSEARCA: COPX mitigates single-company risk by holding a basket of major global miners, including Canadian, Chilean, and American firms.
The Benefit: This approach captures the broader industry trend, the rising price of copper, without exposing the portfolio to the operational risks of a single mine failure. It is the sleep-well-at-night option for copper bulls.

The 2026 Outlook: Preparing for the Next Leg Up
As the calendar turns to 2026, the distinction between the metals becomes clear. Gold serves a vital role in preserving wealth and providing insurance against monetary instability. Copper, however, offers a vehicle for aggressive growth. The combination of the green energy transition and the unexpected AI boom has created a demand shock that the mining industry is currently ill-equipped to satisfy.

The current valuation gap between the soaring precious metals and the steady industrial metals is unlikely to last. With global inventories at critical lows and the projected deficit widening, the path of least resistance for copper prices appears to be higher. For the measured investor, rotating a portion of profits from the high-flying gold trade into the sleeping giant of copper offers a logical strategy to capture the next phase of the supercycle.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Global X Copper Miners ETF Right Now?Before you consider Global X Copper Miners ETF, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Global X Copper Miners ETF wasn't on the list.

While Global X Copper Miners ETF currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

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Buffett is positioning Berkshire's portfolio to help Greg Abel as he takes over in 2026.

Warren Buffett surprised Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A 0.56%) (BRK.B 0.61%) shareholders in May when he announced his retirement as CEO, effective at the end of the year. While Greg Abel has long been the presumed successor to Buffett as CEO of the conglomerate, the timing of the transition had been up in the air for years.

Buffett's comments during the May shareholder meeting and his actions since suggest he's not going to change anything about how he runs Berkshire up until his retirement. That includes the company's massive marketable equity portfolio, which is currently valued at over $300 billion. But as he heads into retirement, Buffett is leaving investors with a clear warning about the stock market and exemplifying what investors should consider going into 2026.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

The $184 billion warning to investors
Buffett has diligently built a massive portfolio of stocks within Berkshire Hathaway, leveraging float from the insurance business he acquired for the conglomerate shortly after taking over as CEO in 1965. Today, the stocks in the portfolio are worth about $315 billion. But they would be worth well over $500 billion if Buffett hadn't sold so much stock over the last three years.

In fact, Buffett has been a net seller of stocks for Berkshire Hathaway in each of the last 12 quarters, amounting to nearly $184 billion in net sales over the last three years.

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He's sold some of the portfolio's biggest positions. For example, he slashed Berkshire's Apple (AAPL 0.19%) stake by 73%; disposed of 44% of its Bank of America (BAC 0.10%) position; and sold off 26% of the company's Chevron shares. Dozens of stocks have been culled entirely from the portfolio.

Meanwhile, additions to the portfolio have been relatively small. Most investments involved adding a few hundred million dollars to existing positions. The biggest new positions are Chubb, Alphabet, and Sirius XM. The company also increased its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 36%.

There's a clear reason for the giant discrepancy between the amounts bought and sold in the portfolio. Valuations in the market have climbed considerably higher over the last few years, particularly among the large-cap stocks held in Berkshire's portfolio.

Apple, for example, now trades at 33 times forward earnings, a level it has consistently traded at since mid-2024 when Buffett stepped up his sales of the stock. Buffett originally purchased the stock when it traded at a price closer to 10 times forward earnings. Likewise, Bank of America's price-to-tangible book value ratio is approaching 2, a valuation it's rarely traded at since the Great Financial Crisis.

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Meanwhile, the entire S&P 500 has seen its valuations rise, with the index trading at roughly 22 times forward earnings expectations, a level rarely seen since the turn of the century. The CAPE ratio touched 40 for the second time in history. And Buffett's favorite valuation measure, the total market cap as a percentage of GDP (aka the Buffett Indicator), sits well above the 200% level Buffett warned investors about back in the early 2000s.

Investors would be wise to heed the warning Buffett is sending through his actions. Following his playbook could help you keep your head in 2026.

Three things you can do to succeed in 2026
Everyone dreams of Buffett-like success in the stock market, but the reality is that investing like Buffett takes extreme patience to produce excellent long-term results. These three lessons from Buffett can set you up for success in 2026.

1. Don't be afraid to take gains
Letting your winners run can be a great strategy. As long as your investment thesis hasn't changed, it can make a lot of sense to continue holding a stock even after a strong performance.

However, allowing a single stock to dominate your portfolio is extremely risky. That risk is amplified if it's trading at a high valuation. That's what happened to Berkshire Hathaway, as Apple eventually accounted for half of its marketable equity portfolio. Even after cutting nearly three-quarters of the position, it's still about 20% of the entire portfolio's value.

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Some investors avoid selling for a gain because they'll incur a big tax bill. But it's better to pay taxes and reinvest in a more promising opportunity and greater diversification than to hold a stock you no longer want as much exposure to.

2. Keep some cash on the sidelines
As valuations rise, it makes sense to keep a larger percentage of your portfolio in cash. While Buffett's cash position is extreme, accounting for over 50% of investable assets, increasing your cash weighting as valuations climb is smart. It can offer some downside protection while positioning your portfolio to take advantage of any market corrections or crashes.

It does come with some opportunity cost, though. Berkshire Hathaway would be worth more today if Buffett hadn't sold hundreds of billions worth of stock over the last three years. However, those costs can be worthwhile in the long run, as Buffett has demonstrated time and again throughout his investing career.

3. Hold high-conviction stocks
You should hold stocks in your portfolio when you're confident in the long-term financial performance of the underlying business. Buffett has continued to hold American Express and Coca-Cola since the 1990s. He hasn't sold a single share in over 30 years. That includes during the dot-com bubble, the great financial crisis, and the current highly valued market. Buffett's willingness to hold these stocks stems from his conviction that they maintain wide competitive moats and their business prospects aren't changing.

The better you understand the companies you invest in, what gives them their competitive advantages, and why they'll continue to grow earnings for years to come, the more likely you'll be able to hold them amid a downturn in the stock market. That's key to producing strong long-term returns.

VXUS has delivered a higher one-year return and yield than VT, but experienced a steeper five-year drawdown. Both funds offer broad global diversification, but VT includes U.S. stocks while VXUS excludes them.

Nebius' stock price has already tripled in 2025.

Nebius Group (NBIS 3.88%) stock has been on an absolute tear in 2025. The stock's price has more than tripled, up around 225%, while also being down 33% from all-time highs established in October. Given that volatility, investors are likely wondering where Nebius' stock will go heading into 2026.

While it will be difficult to post 200%-plus annual gains, Nebius may be in line to double in value, especially with all the massive artificial intelligence (AI) spending planned for 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nebius believes that 2026 will be even better than 2025
Nebius was formerly a part of Yandex, essentially the Russian equivalent of Google. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and all the sanctions that fell on Russia, Yandex decided to split its company into Russian and non-Russian assets, and Nebius was spun out. Nebius, now headquartered in Amsterdam, is a technology company that has pivoted its operations and now provides AI infrastructure.

Nebius is another way to invest in the thriving artificial intelligence boom, as it offers full-stack capabilities with best-in-class graphics processing units (GPUs) at the data centers it owns or leases. Nebius' biggest clients include Meta Platforms (META 0.64%) and Microsoft (MSFT 0.06%), and it has signed large, multi-year contracts with both of them.

The demand for AI computing power in data centers isn't expected to slow down, and Nebius has modified its initial 2026 plans as a result. Previously, it expected to contract 1 gigawatt of computing power for 2026. Now, it's upped that guidance to more than 2.5 gigawatts. It's increasing its power needs because it has sold out all available computing capacity for the third quarter.

Today's Change

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It's sold out of capacity, resulting in unbelievable revenue growth of 355% year over year to $146 million in Q3. However, that's a drop in the bucket compared to where Nebius will be next year.

For the full year, it's expecting $500 million to $550 million in revenue. Because it's growing so fast, that number is much smaller than the $900 million to $1.1 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR) it expects to achieve. For most companies, ARR would be how much revenue they would generate each year if they ceased all growth opportunities. So, seeing this figure so much higher than actual revenue showcases Nebius' impressive growth. While 2025 has been good, 2026 will be even better.

Nebius management believes the company can achieve a $7 billion to $9 billion ARR at the end of 2026. At a minimum, that's seven times Nebius' current ARR. Growth like that gets investors excited, and it could easily translate into a stock that can double, as long as you don't have to overpay for the stock now.

Nebius is unprofitable, and its stock is expensive
Valuing Nebius stock isn't easy. Profits aren't even close to becoming a reality, so valuing the company based on forward earnings isn't possible. Although it brought in $146 million in revenue during Q3, its net income loss totaled $120 million. Nebius is funding its growth at the cost of profitability, which may turn some investors away. Nebius will likely continue to stay unprofitable as it expands its operations to account for the massive surge in computing demand.

From a price-to-sales (PS) standpoint, Nebius stock is very expensive at nearly 60 times sales. That's expensive for a stock in general, let alone one that's as unprofitable as Nebius is. However, its growth is incredible, and if it grows at the pace investors expect, valuation may not be as big a concern.

Data by YCharts.

The real factor in Nebius stock performance in 2026 will be the market's appetite for risk. The market is currently somewhat bearish on AI sentiment, even if the spending is happening. The market wants to see real returns from the AI hyperscalers, and it's not seeing that right now. Time will tell what will happen with Nebius stock, but I could easily see the stock doubling in price in 2026 if bullish sentiment returns, or getting cut in half if the market takes a bearish outlook.

As a result, I'd rather invest in a more surefire pick like Nvidia, which is providing GPUs for companies like Nebius at a high profitability level.

The artificial intelligence (AI) buildout is far from over.

Checking up on what billionaire hedge fund managers have in their portfolios can be a smart idea for investors. This information is publicly released 45 days after a quarter ends through a Form 13F. While this doesn't give up-to-date information on what these hedge fund managers are doing, it at least informs investors on some potential solid stock picks.

One billionaire I follow is Philippe Laffont of Coatue Management. He has had some incredible success, and after examining some of his top portfolio holdings, it's clear he's bullish on artificial intelligence (AI). About a third of his portfolio is invested in six monster AI stocks, and I think each of these should be owned by individual investors in 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

All six stocks look primed to excel in 2026
The six AI-focused holdings Coatue Management has are:

Meta Platforms (META 0.56%) (7.3% of portfolio)
Microsoft (MSFT 0.06%) (5.9% of portfolio)
Taiwan Semiconductor Manucturing (TSM +1.33%) (5.5% of portfolio)
Amazon (AMZN +0.06%) (4.7% of portfolio)
Nvidia (NVDA +1.09%) (4.5% of portfolio)
Alphabet (GOOG 0.24%) (GOOGL 0.20%) (4.3% of portfolio)

Altogether, that adds up to 32.2%, or about a third of total portfolio assets. However, he also has exposure to other AI investments in his portfolio; these are just some of the largest ones. It's clear that this billionaire believes that these six will do well in 2026, and I think he's right on track.

The AI buildout is far from over
Infrastructure players like Nvidia are set to do well in 2026. The demand for graphics processing units (GPUs) is insatiable, as the AI hyperscalers are looking to get as much computing power online as fast as possible. Nvidia told investors during its Q3 earnings release that it is "sold out" of cloud GPUs because demand is so high. This bodes well for anyone in this industry, including Taiwan Semiconductor, which is a major chip supplier to Nvidia.

Today's Change

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AI buildouts are expected to persist for many years. Nvidia expects global 2025 data center capital expenditures to reach $600 billion. However, that figure is expected to rise to $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030.

If that pans out, businesses like Taiwan Semiconductor and Nvidia make for incredible purchases right now. Combine that with the fact that each of these stocks is down a bit from its all-time high, and each seems like a smart purchase.

Moving to the AI hyperscalers, companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet are all spending a ton of money on AI computing capacity. While investors may be getting a bit fed up with these expensive capital expenditures, all four believe that this investment is necessary to stay relevant in the future.

Of these four, Meta may be the most intriguing. Meta's stock fell hard after Q3 earnings. While its growth and profitability were great, investors took issue with management's spending plans for 2026. As a result, the stock plummeted, and it's now the cheapest of these six when valued using next year's earnings.

TSM PE Ratio (Forward 1y) data by YCharts

At 21.8 times next year's earnings, Meta is priced about the same level as the S&P 500 index. With Meta expected to deliver market-beating growth, it seems like a no-brainer investment.

Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft all operate leading cloud computing platforms. These will be long-term winners, as clients continue to need more and more computing capacity as generative AI workloads become more common. Furthermore, each of these companies also has its own generative AI model or has deep partnerships with one of the major players. This places them in a great position to succeed not only in 2026, but also in the years after.

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Billionaire Philippe Laffont has positioned his portfolio wisely to take advantage of the massive AI buildout. I think investors should do the same, and these six are a great place to start.

Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

A widespread power outage in San Francisco that led to Waymo robotaxis stalling and snarling traffic earlier this month has raised concerns about the readiness of autonomous vehicle operators to tackle major emergencies like earthquakes and floods.

Gold, silver, copper, and platinum have had a historic run to record highs in 2025. We look at the rise of metals, the outlook for 2026, and how it compares to crypto which has been lagging.

Investing in dividend stocks can enhance your portfolio returns through the years.

Market downturns are a normal and necessary part of the investing cycle. Long-term investors accept that their portfolios will experience swings. Instead of fearing volatility, view it as the price you pay for potentially higher long-term returns.

As a retail investor, you can't control interest rates, geopolitical events, or daily stock movements, but you can control your asset allocation, your discipline in sticking to your long-term plan, and your emotional reactions to market noise.

If you're looking for dividend stocks to add to your portfolio as you build out a profitable basket of stocks, you've come to the right place. Here are two dividend stocks that you might want to consider scooping up right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Realty Income
Realty Income (O +0.04%) pays a dividend on a monthly basis and has paid 666 consecutive monthly dividends to date. That's a pretty impressive track record, especially when you consider that the company has increased its dividend 133 times since its 1994 NYSE listing, and executed 113 consecutive quarterly increases.

The stock yields just under 6% based on current share prices. It's delivered a total return of about 80% for investors over the trailing decade.

Realty Income's model involves buying single-tenant commercial properties and leasing them long-term with triple-net (NNN) leases. This means that tenants pay taxes, insurance, and maintenance, which also reduces Realty Income's costs to support its profitability and stable, monthly dividends. The real estate investment trust (REIT) targets essential, non-discretionary businesses.

It also offers sale-leasebacks to provide capital for operators. Top tenants include grocery, discount, convenience, and fitness operators like Dollar General, 7-Eleven, Walgreens, LA Fitness, AMC, FedEx, Family Dollar, CVS Pharmacy, and Home Depot.

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As one of the largest net lease REITs, Realty Income has a strong, investment-grade-rated balance sheet, which affords it easy and low-cost access to capital markets. This scale allows it to pursue large acquisition deals that are often unavailable to smaller competitors.

Realty Income is actively expanding into European real estate markets, which recently accounted for a significant portion of its investment volume and are offering higher initial cash yields compared to U.S. properties. The company is operating in eight European countries, including the U.K., Spain, Ireland, and Poland.

In the third quarter of 2025, Europe accounted for $1 billion (about 72%) of the company's total investment volume, compared to $380 million invested domestically. European properties offer an initial weighted average cash yield of approximately 8% to Realty Income's portfolio, which is a meaningful premium to the roughly 7% yield on new U.S. property acquisitions.

In Q3 2025, Realty Income's revenue reached $1.47 billion, up 10.5% year over year, and it delivered stable portfolio performance with 98.7% occupancy. Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share ($1.08) met analyst forecasts, and this metric was up single digits from the prior year. This top dividend stock looks like it could be a smart buy right now.

2. PepsiCo
PepsiCo (PEP +0.03%) has consistently increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years, so it's part of the elite group of stocks known as Dividend Kings. The stock's total return -- including dividends -- comes to more than 100% over the trailing decade, despite its somewhat dismal performance over the last few years. And, the stock yields about 3.8% based on share prices at the time of this article.

PepsiCo manufactures, markets, and sells a massive portfolio of drinks and snacks, including household names like Pepsi, Lay's, Doritos, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Cheetos, Quaker Oats, and Tropicana. The company has faced a tough few years due to a confluence of factors. Persistent inflation has led consumers, particularly low- and middle-income households, to cut back on spending and opt for cheaper private-label alternatives over PepsiCo's branded snacks and beverages. This has resulted in declining sales volumes across key segments, including Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods.

There's also a growing consumer trend toward healthier products with cleaner labels and fewer artificial ingredients. This has impacted sales of traditional snack and soda brands, which are perceived as less healthy, and this issue remains an industrywide headwind. For a period, PepsiCo maintained revenue growth by aggressively raising prices. However, this strategy appears to have plateaued.

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The beverage business has lost market share, even as the company has faced high operating costs, which have squeezed margins. High debt levels and free cash flow issues have also put a strain on its financial flexibility. So, what could spell a turnaround for this business? Elliott Management, a major activist investor known for taking stakes in underperforming companies, has taken a $4 billion slice of PepsiCo and pushed the beverage maker to overhaul its operations. As part of these changes, PepsiCo agreed to cut about 20% of its SKUs and reformulate some snacks to be healthier. To counter consumer shifts, PepsiCo will also lower prices on core food items to align with Elliott's goal to boost affordability.

Elliott also pushed for PepsiCo to refranchise its bottling network (similar to Coca-Cola's model). PepsiCo's CEO, Ramon Laguarta, stated that while discussions with Elliott were constructive, a full refranchising of the North American beverage operations wasn't on the table. Instead, PepsiCo is pursuing its own strategy, which includes testing an integrated model in markets like Texas that combines the supply chains and distribution operations of its snacks and beverages businesses to improve margin efficiency and reduce costs. If this pilot program is successful, it could be expanded to other manufacturing sites.

Laguarta has stated that the company should achieve better margins thanks to these and other changes starting in 2026. While Elliott Management didn't get a board seat, PepsiCo committed to refreshing its board with directors who have relevant global experience. While earnings are down, PepsiCo is still growing revenue and remains profitable. The company's total Q3 net revenue rose 2.6% year over year to just shy of $24 billion, and it reported net income of $2.6 billion. The company has also brought in more than $7 billion in free cash flow over the trailing 12 months.

A major leadership change, including a new CFO and a new CEO for North America (effective Dec. 28, 2025), should be integral to the plan to accelerate growth and integrate food and beverage operations. Strategic acquisitions, such as the $1.95 billion purchase of Poppi in mid-2025, also signal the company's push into healthier, high-growth categories like prebiotic sodas.

PepsiCo has provided a preliminary 2026 outlook where it expects organic revenue growth of 2% to 4% and core constant currency EPS growth of 4% to 6%. Investors willing to stay with PepsiCo through this volatile period who have confidence in its turnaround story could benefit from a robust dividend in the meantime and a position in a storied consumer business.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) has defied its earnings slump to become the standout US airline stock in 2025.

In the first nine months of this year, the air carrier saw its profit crash an alarming 42%. Still, LUV shares are currently up more than 70% versus their year-to-date low in late April.

More importantly, Southwest has even outperformed its larger peers, including Delta Airlines and United Airlines in 2025 as well, indicating it’s riding a wave of idiosyncratic tailwinds – not sector-wide momentum.

But all of that is in the past now. A more important question is: can LUV replicate this exceptional performance in the coming year? Let’s find out!

What has caused Southwest Airlines’ stock to soar in 2025?
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Southwest Airlines’ stock price rally this year has been fueled less by the overall demand trends and more by investor confidence in its strategic overhaul.  

As Raymond James’ senior analyst, Savanthi Syth, put it in her latest research note:

What’s helping LUV shares is clearly the initiatives, not the demand, because if it were, you’d see it in other airline stocks as well.

The Dallas-headquartered air carrier is abandoning its decades-old open seating policy in favour of assigned seats – with premium legroom options available for a fee – which the experts believe will add billions in pretax earnings over the next few years.

Combined with new fare classes and tighter baggage policies, Southwest is signaling a shift toward revenue diversification that mirrors larger rivals, while still retaining its brand identity.

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Despite a massive rally in Southwest Airlines shares since April, Barclays remains convinced the air carrier isn’t out of juice just yet.

Earlier in December, its analyst Brandon Oglenski upgraded the airline stock, saying its adjusted earnings will come in over $4.0 next year and exceed $6.0 in fiscal 2027.

Bob Jordan, the firm’s chief executive, also echoed optimism in a recent CNBC interview, noting “the bookings that we’re seeing reflect the business case for assigned seating and extra legroom.”

That said, valuation remains a major red flag on LUV stock heading into the new year.

At the time of writing, it’s trading at about 46x forward earnings, which doesn’t just dwarves the multiple on rivals but the one on the likes of Nvidia as well.

Southwest’s forecast of $1.0 billion in incremental pretax earnings in 2026 underscores the bull case, but lingering risks related to tariffs, government budget pressure, and demand volatility could temper near-term results.

How Wall Street recommends playing Southwest Airlines
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LUV shares currently pay a dividend yield of 1.73%, which does make them a bit more attractive to own – at least for the income-focused investors.

But Wall Street’s recommendation is to cut exposure to Southwest Airlines at current levels, as much of the overhaul-related upside is priced into it already.

At the time of writing, analysts have a consensus “hold” rating on the airline stock, with the mean target of about $38 indicating potential “downside” of roughly 8.0% from here.

These companies have become cheaper on a per-share basis in the last few years, but that's not why investors should take a second look.

A stock split is a corporate action where a company divides its existing shares into multiple new shares, which increases the total share count while proportionally decreasing the price per share. This can make the stock more affordable and liquid for investors without changing the total market value of the company or an investor's stake.

Plenty of stocks have initiated splits over the last several years, and some of those are quality businesses that could be poised to soar significantly in the coming years. If you have cash to put to work in stocks right now, here are three stock-split stocks to buy and hold for the long run that look to have significant upside potential.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Netflix
Netflix (NFLX +0.96%) enacted a 10-for-1 stock split that went into effect on Nov. 17, 2025. At the time of this writing, shares are trading around $94. Currently, the median 12-month price target from analysts on Wall Street is around $133, which would represent upside of about 40% from its current price. The high end of the available price estimate anticipates as much as 62% upside in the next 12 months.

Netflix is increasingly benefiting from the growth engine of the ad-supported tier it launched in late 2022. The company is on pace to double its advertising business revenue in 2025 and its ads now reach 190 million monthly active viewers. This high-margin revenue stream provides a significant new path to profitability beyond traditional subscriptions.

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Netflix's expansion into live programming, featuring the NFL and WWE, has proven highly successful in driving both subscriber acquisition and retention, as well as breaking viewership records. These events also command premium advertising rates, helping the company gain market share in areas where it previously lagged. Regions such as the Asia-Pacific and Latin America are also experiencing faster subscriber growth, offering a large, unsaturated addressable market.

In Q3 2025, Netflix's growth and engagement reached record highs, thanks to a diversified content slate including breakout original films, returning series, and massive live sports events. The animated film KPop Demon Hunters was the primary growth driver of the quarter and became Netflix's most-watched film ever with 325 million views. The second season of Wednesday was a major tentpole that recorded over 1 billion viewing minutes in Q3. Black Rabbit was also a top-performing original series for the quarter that generated over 1.2 billion minutes of viewing.

These hits contributed to a 17% year-over-year revenue increase (reaching $11.5 billion) and record viewing shares of 8.6% in the U.S. and 9.4% in the U.K. The content strength also fueled a record-breaking quarter for Netflix's advertising tier, with U.S. upfront commitments doubling from last year. Netflix continues to invest heavily in a diverse content pipeline and leverages its in-house adtech and data-driven recommendation algorithms to enhance user engagement and loyalty. The company is in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery in a massive $82.7 billion deal announced in early December 2025.

Although regulatory scrutiny and industry concerns about monopolies are significant hurdles, this acquisition would bring HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery's film/TV studios, and streaming service under Netflix's umbrella. As Netflix transitions into a mature, cash-generating business model, it remains the undisputed leader in streaming, with its scale and brand power providing a significant competitive advantage over rivals. Long-term investors would do well to capitalize on that growth trajectory.

2. Broadcom
Broadcom (AVGO +0.55%) executed a 10-for-1 stock split on July 15, 2024. At the time of this writing, shares trade for approximately $350 each, but some Wall Street analysts think the stock could realize an upside of 35% over the next 12 months, or even 58% on the high end. Since we're talking about stock splits, as a a side note, Broadcom's Canadian Depositary Receipts (CDRs), enacted a 6-for-1 stock split that took effect for trading on Nov. 14, 2025.

Broadcom is a leading supplier of custom AI accelerators (ASICs) and Ethernet switches for hyperscale data centers. Its customers include the likes of Alphabet's Google, Meta Platforms, Anthropic, and OpenAI. Broadcom reported a record revenue of $64 billion for fiscal year 2025. This represented a 24% increase compared to fiscal year 2024 revenue of $51.6 billion.

AI semiconductor revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $20 billion, representing a 65% year-over-year growth, and management expects this figure to double in Q1 of its fiscal year 2026. Meanwhile, semiconductor solutions generated $37 billion in revenue during the fiscal year, representing a 58% increase from the previous year. Infrastructure software revenue increased 26% year over year to $27 billion, primarily driven by the adoption of VMware Cloud Foundation.

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The acquisition of VMware in November 2023 positioned Broadcom as a full-stack AI infrastructure vendor with a significant presence in enterprise software. This segment provides stable, high-margin, recurring revenue that helps offset potential margin pressures from AI hardware.

The company ended fiscal 2025 with a robust backlog of $73 billion in AI-related hardware orders. Profitability also soared in fiscal 2025, with adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) hitting $43 billion (up 35%) and Broadcom reported significant free cash flow of $26.9 billion.

Broadcom's dominant position in AI networking hardware, strong cash flow, high-margin software, and persistent AI demand are all positive indicators of where this business currently stands and where it's headed. This could be a compelling stock for long-term investors seeking to capitalize on a 'pick-and-shovel' play in the AI space.

3. ServiceNow
ServiceNow (NOW +0.85%) executed a 5-for-1 stock split on Dec. 18, 2025, with shares trading on a split-adjusted basis starting that day. This means that shares trade now for roughly $155 each. Wall Street analysts seem to be particularly enthusiastic about ServiceNow's growth prospects, with the median 12-month price target coming in at 640% above its current share price. The high 12-month stock price forecast is approximately 735%.

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ServiceNow is a cloud-based enterprise platform that helps businesses automate and manage their digital workflows across IT, HR, customer service, security, and other departments. Essentially, the business acts as a central control tower, connecting people, processes, and systems and replacing manual tasks with streamlined, AI-powered processes. The company is strategically positioned to capitalize on the generative AI boom with its Now Assist suite of products.

These AI solutions are gaining strong traction and are targeted to reach $1 billion in annual contract value by the end of 2026. ServiceNow's platform is used by over 85% of Fortune 500 companies. This deep integration creates high switching costs and it boasts a high renewal rate of around 96% or higher.

ServiceNow's customers are large enterprises and organizations across nearly every major industry, including Walmart, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, and the U.S. Department of Defense. ServiceNow has recently made major acquisition moves, buying AI firm Moveworks for $2.85 billion in March 2025. The company is also reportedly nearing a potential $7 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Armis, which would add critical device security and asset intelligence to its offerings and address the growing need for AI governance.

In Q3 2025, ServiceNow reported subscription revenue of $3.3 billion, up 22% from one year ago. The current remaining performance obligations stood at $11.4 billion as of Q3 2025, representing a 21% year-over-year growth. ServiceNow also delivered adjusted EPS of $4.82 and adjusted free cash flow of $592 million with a 17.5% margin.

An analyst downgrade and news of ServiceNow's acquisition ambitions for Armis, which would be its largest-ever deal, have weighed on the stock recently. There has also been generally more volatility among tech stocks lately. However, investors who believe in the company's future as a key player in AI workflow automation may want to take a second look.

AMD's management is bullish on its data center future.

Finding stocks that can increase in value 5 times within five years is a lofty goal. That requires serious stock performance, and few companies can deliver that. To achieve 5 times returns in five years, a company must grow at a 38% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR). A 38% CAGR isn't an easy return to achieve, and it requires a massive market opportunity.

What's a bigger opportunity than artificial intelligence (AI)? There are several names in this industry, including AMD (AMD 0.02%). AMD has outperformed rival Nvidia in 2025, rising around 80% versus Nvidia's 35%. Furthermore, AMD gave an incredible growth projection set to come about over the next five years, so it's the perfect candidate to see if it could return 5 times in five years. Management's numbers line up with the 38% CAGR laid out above, giving AMD a real shot at delivering this incredible return.

Image source: Getty Images.

AMD's management is bullish on its five-year outlook
Frankly, AMD has not done well in the AI revolution. Its hardware isn't as good as Nvidia's, and its software was well behind. However, AMD has made various acquisitions and partnerships to improve its controlling software, ROCm. It noted that downloads for ROCm were up 10 times year over year as of November 2025, so there is a possibility that AMD could start gaining some ground on Nvidia once AI clients realize that AMD's technology stack could compete with Nvidia's.

Nvidia has controlled the data center computing market with an iron fist, and this dominance shows up in each company's results. In Q3 2025, AMD's data center revenue rose 22% year over year to $4.3 billion. During Nvidia's Q3 FY 2026 (ending Oct. 26, 2025), its data center revenue totaled $51.2 billion, up 66% year over year. AMD is clearly getting smoked here, but the tides could be changing.

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In Nvidia's release, they noted that they are "sold out" of cloud GPUs. This could be a concern for Nvidia, as clients will now likely search for alternative computing providers to fulfill their massive computing power needs. AMD could emerge as a top option to provide this power, and once they realize how far AMD's technology has come, they could become greater clients of AMD's because of its lower price point. That could increase AMD's business in the future, and so could a return to selling in the Chinese market.

Currently, neither AMD nor Nvidia is allowed to sell in China. However, they recently made a deal with the U.S. government to give up 15% of revenue for the right to export these GPUs to China. These GPUs aren't the cutting-edge ones used in the U.S. and are specifically downgraded to meet export restrictions. But if this sales channel returns, it could be a huge boost to AMD over the long run.

While these are positive catalysts, are they enough to provide the 38% CAGR necessary to return 5 times in five years?

AMD's guidance is slightly lower than a 38% CAGR
Over the next five years, AMD believes it can deliver a 60% CAGR in its data center division. That clears the 38% threshold by a wide margin, but that's not the only part of AMD's business. AMD also has a consumer hardware and embedded processor division, and each of those is expected to grow at a 10% CAGR over the next five years. That brings AMD's total CAGR to 35%, slightly less than the 38% needed.

However, revenue growth isn't the only thing the market looks at. If AMD can achieve outsized profit growth as well, it may be able to surpass the 38% CAGR in profit growth. After all, AMD's margins are far slimmer than Nvidia's.

NVDA Profit Margin data by YCharts

If AMD can improve its profit margin to the 15% to 20% range, that will double the profits it generates from its revenue, providing another growth lever. If AMD can improve its margins and grow at the expected growth rate, I do not doubt that the stock could return 5 times in five years. If it does this, AMD will be a top stock to buy and hold.

HomeStock IdeasQuick Picks & Lists

SummaryThe market appears expensive, with historical precedent for long periods of low returns after peaks.Consensus expects 15% S&P 500 earnings growth and rising margins, driven by AI innovation, supporting a steady long-term outlook.Analyst forecasts for 2026 should be viewed skeptically, as actual outcomes often diverge from consensus projections.I favor selective stock picking over broad market exposure, especially for 2026 and beyond, due to valuation concerns and market concentration. hapabapa/iStock via Getty Images

Introduction The market isn't cheap. We all know that, as I have brought it up in countless articles this year. And it's obviously not just me. In general, this has been a frequent topic of discussion among almost every major

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

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

NEW YORK, Dec. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading international securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after a significant stock drop resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Synopsys, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/synopsys-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until December 30, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Synopsys securities. The class action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is captioned Kim v. Synopsys, Inc., et al., No. 3:25-cv-09410.

Why Was Synopsys Sued for Securities Fraud?

Synopsys provides design automation software products used to design and test integrated circuits. The Company’s Design IP segment, which provides pre-designed silicon components to semiconductor companies, has been the Company’s fastest-growing segment, growing from 25% of its revenue in 2022, to 31% in 2024.

During the relevant period, Synopsys told investors that its customers “rely on Synopsys IP to minimize integration risk and speed time to market” and that it was seeing “strength in Europe and South Korea.” Synopsys also stated it was “continuing to develop and deploy[] AI into our products and the operations of our business.”

As alleged, in truth, the Company’s Design IP customers began to require additional customization for IP components, which was deteriorating the economics of its Design IP business and jeopardizing its business model.

The Stock Declines as the Truth Is Revealed

On September 9, 2025, Synopsys released its Q3 2025 financial results, revealing its “IP business underperformed expectations.” The Company reported revenue for its Design IP segment of $425.9 million, a 7.7% decline year-over-year and net income of $242.5 million, a 43% year-over-year decline. The Company revealed that its Design IP customers require “more and more customization,” which “takes longer” and requires “more resources.” As a result, the Company stated it was having “an ongoing dialogue with our customers” regarding changing its business model. This news caused the price of Synopsys stock to fall $217.59 per share, or nearly 36%, from $604.37 per share on September 9, 2025, to $387.78 per share on September 10, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/synopsys-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Synopsys you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/synopsys-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Ross Shikowitz
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/synopsys-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

NEW YORK, Dec. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading international securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: INSP) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after a significant stock drop resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Inspire, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/inspire-medical-systems-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until January 5, 2026, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Inspire stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and is captioned City of Pontiac Reestablished General Employees’ Retirement System v. Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., et al., No. 0:25-cv-04247.

Why is Inspire Being Sued For Securities Fraud?

Inspire develops and manufactures an implantable medical device for the treatment of sleep apnea. The latest version of the device is the Inspire V. The company announced FDA approval of Inspire V on August 2, 2024.

During the relevant period, Inspire repeatedly assured investors that it had taken all necessary steps to facilitate the launch of Inspire V and that it would launch the device as soon as sufficient inventory was available to meet supposedly high demand.

As alleged, in truth, Inspire failed to take basic steps to prepare clinicians and payors for the rollout, resulting in significant delays in adoption of the device. Moreover, the launch suffered from weak demand, as many customers already had excess inventory of the company’s older devices.

Why did Inspire’s Stock Drop?

On August 4, 2025, Inspire disclosed that the Inspire V launch was facing an “elongated timeframe” and as a result, it was reducing its 2025 earnings per share guidance by more than 80%. The company attributed the longer timeframe to a number of previously undisclosed factors including that many implanting centers “did not complete the training, contracting and onboarding required prior to the purchase and implant of Inspire V,” that certain “software updates for claims submissions and processing did not take effect until July 1, [2025]” which meant implanting centers could not bill for procedures until that date, and that demand for the Inspire V was poor because Inspire’s customers had a backlog of older versions of the company’s device.

On this news, the price of Inspire stock dropped $42.04 per share, or more than 32%, from $129.95 per share on August 4, 2025, to $87.91 per share on August 5, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/inspire-medical-systems-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Inspire you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/inspire-medical-systems-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Ross Shikowitz
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/inspire-medical-systems-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Growth investors will want to take a second look at these businesses.

As investors near the end of 2026 and look ahead to 2026, some use this time to make resolutions about their finances and portfolios. If you have cash to invest in the stock market, money that you don't need for near-term obligations like bills, there are plenty of quality stocks vying for your attention that offer the opportunity to invest.

When investing for the long term, you should be focused on quality businesses that you would feel comfortable buying and holding stock in for at least three to five years, if not longer. If you're looking for top growth stocks to buy that could easily see a run-up in 2026 and well beyond, here are two names to consider.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. IonQ
IonQ (IONQ 7.46%) is a pure-play quantum computing company. If you're not familiar with this one, the company builds quantum computers using a unique trapped-ion technology, which uses individual ions (charged atoms) manipulated by lasers to perform computations. This method offers high accuracy and can operate at room temperature, which distinguishes IonQ from its quantum computing competitors, who often use expensive, cryogenically cooled superconducting systems.

IonQ makes its quantum computers available through third-party cloud platforms, including Amazon's (AMZN +0.06%) AWS Amazon Braket, Microsoft's Azure Quantum, and Alphabet's Google Cloud. A significant portion of IonQ's resources are dedicated to R&D to improve the performance, accuracy, and scalability of its quantum systems. Through strategic acquisitions, IonQ is expanding into quantum networking, security, and sensing applications as it works to achieve its goal of building a full-stack quantum platform.

IonQ's revenue streams are centered on making its quantum power accessible and applicable to real-world problems. Its primary revenue source is selling access to its quantum computing power on a per-use or subscription basis through cloud partnerships and its own cloud service. IonQ also earns revenue from selling specialized quantum computing hardware systems to select customers like government labs and research institutions, along with associated maintenance and support services.

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The company has also secured contracts with various entities (e.g., the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and AstraZeneca) for research collaborations, technology development partnerships, and consulting services to co-develop algorithms for specific applications like materials science or drug discovery.

IonQ exceeded its revenue guidance in Q3 2025, driven partly by recent strategic acquisitions like Oxford Ionics and Capella Space, and delivered $39.9 million on the top line. That was a 222% increase year over year. Despite operating at a loss, IonQ ended the quarter with a robust cash and investment position of $1.5 billion.

Perhaps the most standout development from the quarter was the fact that IonQ achieved an Algorithmic Qubit score of #AQ 64 on its fifth-generation IonQ Tempo system, three months ahead of its original year-end schedule. #AQ is a benchmark that measures a quantum computer's ability to run practical algorithms. Reaching #AQ 64 means the system can simultaneously evaluate over 18 quintillion possibilities.

But what does this mean for practical, real-world applications? Well, for one thing, achieving #AQ 64 means IonQ's quantum computers can tackle problems classical supercomputers can't. This includes real-world improvements in areas like drug development and discovery, financial modeling, logistics/supply chain optimization, and so much more.

Quantum computing is a disruptive technology that could unlock trillions in economic value. This is a market expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 30% or more through 2035. IonQ's recent breakthrough in quantum networking could also expand its long-term addressable market. For risk-tolerant investors, this growth stock could be a compelling buy for the next decade and beyond.

2. Amazon
Amazon remains a powerhouse in e-commerce, cloud computing, and other core growth areas that continue to make this business a compelling business to buy and hold. The company's total revenue for 2024 was over $638 billion, and its net income nearly doubled from $30.4 billion in 2023 to $59.2 billion in 2024. The company is aggressively investing in infrastructure, especially for artificial intelligence applications, and Amazon plans to double its data center power capacity by 2027.

AWS is the company's most profitable business and a primary driver of overall growth. AWS revenue in Q3 2025 grew 20% year over year to $33 billion, and delivered an annualized run rate of $132 billion. Strong demand for AI-related services is a key growth catalyst that's leading to a substantial infrastructure backlog.

Advertising services is emerging as a high-margin, fast-growing segment for Amazon, as advertising generated almost $18 billion in revenue in the third quarter alone, a 22% increase from the prior year. The introduction of ads on Prime Video and expansion into connected TV present significant future opportunities for Amazon to grow its foothold in the lucrative advertising space.

Of course, there's still the core online retail business that continues to demonstrate solid revenue growth. In Q3 2025, revenue from online stores totaled about $67.4 billion, and third-party seller services brought in $42.5 billion. Those two segments realized growth of 8% and 11%, respectively, from the year-ago period.

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232.52

The Prime subscription service bundles fast shipping and digital content, and creates a powerful customer loyalty network that reinforces Amazon's entire retail ecosystem, as well as its entertainment segment.

Additionally, Amazon is integrating AI across virtually every facet of its business, from physical warehouse robots to the digital shopping experience, as management aims to capitalize on operational efficiency and high-margin service growth.

For example, Amazon's generative AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus is fully integrated into the mobile e-commerce app and allows customers to discover products through natural language conversations. Amazon is using AI to customize search results, product descriptions, and even web store sessions for individual shoppers based on their intent and behavior. Increasingly effective agentic capabilities allow its fulfillment center robots like Proteus and Vulcan to understand natural language commands and act autonomously to handle complex tasks.

Amazon is developing its own AI chips, Trainium3 and Inferentia, to lower costs for training and deploying AI models compared to traditional GPUs. And AWS's Amazon Bedrock service allows businesses to build their own AI applications using a choice of foundational models, including Amazon's new Nova family.

Bear in mind that we're still in the relatively early stages of the growth potential that AI is expected to unleash, and Amazon stands to be a direct beneficiary of that trajectory. Long-term investors would do well to start or add to a position in this dynamic growth stock.

NEW YORK, Dec. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading international securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after significant stock drops resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Stride, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/stride-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until January 12, 2026, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Stride securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and is captioned MacMahon v. Stride, Inc., et al., No. 1:25-cv- 02019.

Why is Stride Being Sued For Securities Fraud?

Stride is an education technology company that provides an online platform to students throughout the U.S. During the relevant period, Stride stated it was seeing “increasing growth in our business,” “in-year strength in demand” for its products and services, and that its customers and potential customers “continue to choose us in record numbers.”

As alleged, in truth, Stride had inflated enrollment numbers by retaining “ghost students,” ignored compliance requirements for its employees, and had “poor customer experience” that resulted in “higher withdrawal rates,” “lower conversion rates,” and had driven students away.

Why did Stride’s Stock Drop?

On September 14, 2025, a report stated that a complaint had been filed against Stride for fraud, deceptive trade practices, systemic violations of law, and intentional and tortious misconduct. It claimed Stride inflated enrollment numbers by retaining “ghost students” on rolls to secure state funding and ignored compliance requirements, including background checks and licensure laws for its employees. This news caused the price of Stride stock to drop $18.60 per share, or more than 11%, from a closing price of $158.36 per share on September 12, 2025, to $139.76 per share on September 15, 2025.

Then, on October 28, 2025, Stride admitted that “poor customer experience” resulted in “higher withdrawal rates,” “lower conversion rates,” and drove students away. Stride estimated the impact caused approximately 10,000-15,000 fewer enrollments and stated that, because of this, its outlook is “muted” compared to prior years. This news caused the price of Stride stock to drop $83.48 per share, or more than 54%, from a closing price of $153.53 per share on October 28, 2025, to $70.05 per share on October 29, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/stride-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Stride you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/stride-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Ross Shikowitz
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/stride-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

HomeDividends AnalysisREITs AnalysisReal Estate Analysis

SummaryOUTFRONT Media remains a compelling value and income play after a strong total return that outperformed the S&P 500 since my last visit.OUT's pivot to digital and transit advertising drove solid revenue and margin growth.OUT maintains a well-covered 5% dividend yield, a forward P/FFO of 12.6, and a solid balance sheet with no maturities until 2027.Analysts forecast 10-11% annual FFO/share growth, supporting a potential mid-teens total return outlook. Daniel Grizelj/DigitalVision via Getty Images

It pays to be patient when it comes to undervalued dividend stocks, especially when all the pieces are in the right place for a turnaround. Such I found the case to be with OUTFRONT Media (

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

I am not an investment advisor. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute as financial advice. Readers are encouraged and expected to perform due diligence and draw their own conclusions prior to making any investment decisions.

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

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

JPMorgan has released its list of 47 top stock picks for 2026 that its analysts believe will crush the market in 2026. They have assigned each stock an overweight rating and given them a one-year price target for 2026. The selections cover a wide range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, financials, energy, and consumer discretionary, and calculated potential upside based on current share prices compared to these targets. 

While most of the stocks are expected to post double-digit gains next year, Bright Horizons Family Solutions (NYSE:BFAM), Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ:CELH), and GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV) stand out as JPMorgan’s picks with the highest implied returns, with expected gains of 50% or more. Let’s see whether the analysts are on target and if they deserve a place in your portfolio.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM)
Bright Horizons provides employer-backed childcare and early education services. JPMorgan analyst Andrew C. Steinerman rates the stock overweight with a $160 per share price target for the end of 2026. With Bright Horizons currently trading at almost $100 a share today, the stock could gain some 60% next year.

The company sees growth from rising demand for childcare as workforce participation increases, particularly among working parents. Employer partnerships drive stable revenue, and the company benefits from pricing power in full-service centers and expansion in back-up care services.

However, current analyst consensus price targets hover lower, around $128, reflecting caution on near-term enrollment pressures and operational costs. Also, last month the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest level since 2021, though unemployment claims fell again last week, indicating the job market is at historically healthy levels.

JPMorgan’s higher target for Bright Horizons assumes sustained margin improvement and revenue growth acceleration, but the market has given conflicting signals on labor trends and the economy as a whole. That means investors should keep an eye on enrollment trends and labor costs, as these could impact whether the stock reaches the investment bank’s projected upside.

Celsius Holdings (CELH)
Celsius Holdings is the second-best pick in JPMorgan’s universe. It markets functional energy drinks positioned as healthier alternatives. Analyst Andrea Teixeira assigns it an overweight rating and a $68 per share price target, implying better than 54% upside from its current $44 per share price.

JPMorgan highlights the brand’s strong positioning in the growing energy drink category, with distribution gains through partnerships with giants such as PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) and the potential for international expansion. The company anticipates continued market share gains driven by consumer shifts toward low-sugar, functional beverages.

Recent distribution changes have created short-term volatility for Celsius, contributing to share price pressure, resulting in a 33% decline from recent highs. A consensus buy rating and price targets near $64 per share align closely with JPMorgan’s view, but incorporate risks from growing competition and inventory adjustments caused by the integration of the Alani Nu brand into Pepsi’s distribution network. 

For growth-oriented investors comfortable with consumer sector cycles, the stock looks like a buy, though executing on international growth remains key to Celsius achieving JPMorgan’s target.

GE Vernova (GEV)
GE Vernova focuses on power generation, wind, and electrification equipment following its spin-off from the old General Electric last year. Analyst Mark Strouse rates it overweight with a $1,000 price target for the end of 2026, or almost 49% above its current $672 per share level.

The bullish outlook stems from surging demand for gas turbines and grid solutions, fueled by data center expansion and electrification needs. JPMorgan points to GE Vernova’s strong order backlog in the Power segment and margin expansion in services as core drivers behind its target.

Wall Street’s outlook on the stock, though, varies widely. Although the consensus sits at $692 per share, putting GE close to being fairly valued, Evercore ISI recently assigned an industry high of $860 per share while others gave it a target of $840 per share in recent days.  The range reflects a debate on its valuation during rapid share gains — the stock has more than doubled in 2025. 

JPMorgan’s more aggressive target assumes it will enjoy continued order strength and will successfully execute on increasing capacity. However, it faces a number of risks, including supply chain constraints and policy shifts that affect renewable incentives. 

The stock offers exposure to energy infrastructure themes and the AI data center buildout, but it will require tolerance for industrial cyclicality.

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

Investing in stocks has been considered an ideal way to build wealth. It can generate steady income for your portfolio while growing your money. There are companies that pay investors a share of their profits, which can become a source of income for passive income investors. Dividend stocks should be a part of every investor’s portfolio, but with hundreds of stocks to choose from, it can become overwhelming to pick the right ones. 

Dividends have been an essential part of the total returns of the market. You can enjoy compounded returns if you reinvest the dividends. If you’re looking to build a portfolio of stocks that consistently reward shareholders, here are three stocks perfect for every portfolio. 

Coca-Cola
Warren Buffett’s all-time favorite stock, Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), is one of the world’s largest beverage companies. It has a strong brand, enjoys loyalty, and is a staple among consumers. The brand has a wide portfolio of products that include soft drinks, teas, coffee, and juices. Coca-Cola hiked product prices yet managed to generate higher revenue and sales. 

It is an asset-light business that focuses on producing and selling syrup concentrate to bottling partners. This allows it to maintain higher profit while keeping the operating costs at a minimum. Thus, it manages to generate a significant cash flow and rewards shareholders.  

A dividend aristocrat, Coca-Cola has increased dividends for 63 consecutive years. It has a yield of 2.90% and pays an annual dividend of $2.04. The company has a payout ratio of 67.85% and has the liquidity to increase it in the coming years. 

In the third quarter, Coca-Cola reported a revenue of $12.5 billion, up 5% year over year, while the organic revenue grew 6%. Its operating income grew 59%, and the EPS came in at $0.86, up 30% year over year. Despite inflation concerns, Coca-Cola has shown resilience throughout 2025, and I believe it could have an excellent 2026. The company’s strong global presence, low operating costs, and steady dividend growth make it a perfect stock for every portfolio.

 
3M Company 
3M (NYSE: MMM) is a global conglomerate known for products across healthcare, industrial and safety, and consumer sectors. The company had seen a slowdown in business, but the third-quarter results were positive. The management raised full-year guidance and is working on operational improvements driven by CEO Bill Brown. 

3M reported a revenue of $6.50 billion, up 3.5%, and generated $1.3 billion in adjusted free cash flow. It saw a 5.4% rise in the safety and industrial segment and a 2.4% jump in transportation and electronics. Its EPS came in at $1.55. The company is past the heavy lifting and is on the path to recovery.

The management now expects the full-year EPS to be in the range of $7.95 to $8.05 and the organic revenue to improve more than 2%. In the third quarter, the management allocated $900 million to buybacks and dividends. 

Exchanging hands for $161.76, the stock is up 24.72% in 2025. It has a dividend yield of 1.81% and pays an annual dividend of $2.92. The stock has a payout ratio of 36.54%, which could improve as the business recovers. It is streamlining operations in the existing portfolio and focusing on cutting costs, organic growth, and returning capital to shareholders. 

3M’s operational changes are showing results, and the stock’s gains this year show that the company is on the right path. It has paid dividends for 67 years and has stood strong despite the market uncertainties. 

Morgan Stanley 
One of the largest financial institutions in the United States, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) isn’t often referred to as a dividend stock. However, with a yield of 2.31% and a dividend payment history of 28 years, it remains one of the top dividend stocks for every portfolio. Morgan Stanley is one stock that will generate passive income while offering capital appreciation. The stock has gained 38% in 2025 and is exchanging hands for $172.96. 

It is known for the investment banking business and has the largest wealth management business in the world. However, it is more than an investment bank. It has a large consumer-facing business that continues to show revenue growth. With mergers and acquisitions and IPO activity picking up, Morgan Stanley is set to benefit. The company entered the third quarter with a healthy investment banking pipeline and has a backlog that continues to build across different industries. 

Morgan Stanley has increased dividends for 12 years and has a payout ratio of 39.49%. It pays an annual dividend of $4. The company reported a massive earnings beat in the third quarter results. The revenue jumped 18% to $18.22 billion, while the profit soared 45% to $4.61 billion.

Its equities trading revenue jumped 35%, and the fixed income trading rose 8%. The investment banking segment saw the highest growth of 44% to $2.11 billion, while the wealth management revenue increased 13% to $8.23 billion. Strong trading and deal-making activity worked well for the institution, which could see steady growth in 2026. 

HomeDividends AnalysisDividend Quick Picks

SummaryTop ten GASV stocks offer projected average net gains of 50.81% by December 2026, with yields ranging from 8.16% to 12.74%.Seventeen of thirty 'safer' lowest-priced GASV stocks are currently fair-priced and ideal for dividend-focused investors seeking value.Analyst targets suggest the five lowest-priced, highest-yield GASV stocks could deliver 21.77% higher gains than the broader top ten group.Fourteen of sixty-four GASV stocks have negative free cash flow margins, signaling dividend sustainability risks for those names.Large Cap Value rankings from YCharts identified stocks with low prices relative to their assets and profits. Ben Graham Formula strategy selected stable stocks with strong earnings and dividends based on Graham's book "The Intelligent Investor.”. fottograff/iStock via Getty Images

Foreword About Large Cap Value “A Value ranking for large cap stocks from YCharts puts together complementary strategies found during their stock research. The value ranking looks at the price of a stock relative to a

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

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

James Ding
Dec 27, 2025 11:53

LDO price prediction shows potential 16-23% upside to $0.66-$0.70 range within 4-6 weeks, supported by bullish MACD divergence and oversold conditions at $0.57 current price.

LDO Price Prediction: Technical Recovery Setup Points to $0.66-$0.70 Target
LDO Price Prediction Summary
• LDO short-term target (1 week): $0.63 (+10.5% from current $0.57)
• Lido DAO medium-term forecast (1 month): $0.66-$0.70 range (+16% to +23%)
• Key level to break for bullish continuation: $0.63 (Upper Bollinger Band)
• Critical support if bearish: $0.49 (established support and lower Bollinger Band)

Recent Lido DAO Price Predictions from Analysts
The latest analyst consensus shows remarkable alignment on Lido DAO forecast expectations. CoinCodex projects an LDO price prediction of $0.6483 by December 31, 2025, representing a 13.23% gain despite prevailing market fear. This aligns closely with AInvest's $0.6301 target by December 30, while MEXC News provides the most optimistic Lido DAO forecast with a $0.66-$0.70 range.

All three predictions converge on a similar narrative: LDO's current oversold conditions at $0.57 present a compelling technical setup for recovery. The consensus LDO price target of $0.66-$0.70 suggests analysts see 16-23% upside potential from current levels, despite the Fear & Greed Index registering "Extreme Fear" at 16.

LDO Technical Analysis: Setting Up for Recovery
The Lido DAO technical analysis reveals several compelling signals supporting the bullish LDO price prediction. With LDO trading at $0.57, the token sits precisely at its pivot point, creating a critical decision zone for the next directional move.

The MACD histogram reading of 0.0081 indicates bullish momentum is building, while the RSI at 48.00 remains in neutral territory, suggesting room for upward movement without entering overbought conditions. LDO's position within the Bollinger Bands at 0.5658 shows the price is slightly above the middle band ($0.56), indicating nascent bullish pressure.

Most significantly, LDO has established strong support at $0.49, which has held multiple times and represents both the immediate support level and the lower Bollinger Band. The 24-hour trading volume of $3.13 million on Binance provides adequate liquidity to support any breakout moves.

Lido DAO Price Targets: Bull and Bear Scenarios
Bullish Case for LDO
The primary LDO price target in the bullish scenario centers on the $0.66-$0.70 resistance zone. This represents the confluence of previous support levels and the 50-day moving average area that needs to be reclaimed for sustained upward momentum.

For this Lido DAO forecast to materialize, LDO must first break above the immediate resistance at $0.63 (Upper Bollinger Band). A sustained move above this level would likely trigger momentum buyers and target the $0.66 level within 2-3 weeks.

The ultimate bullish LDO price prediction extends to $0.93 (strong resistance), but this would require a fundamental shift in market sentiment and significant volume accumulation.

Bearish Risk for Lido DAO
The bearish scenario for the LDO price prediction hinges on a breakdown below the critical $0.49 support level. This level has proven resilient but represents the last line of defense before a deeper correction.

If $0.49 fails to hold, the next significant support doesn't appear until the 52-week low at $0.51, creating a potential 11% downside risk from current levels. Such a breakdown would invalidate the bullish Lido DAO forecast and likely target a retest of yearly lows.

Should You Buy LDO Now? Entry Strategy
Based on the current Lido DAO technical analysis, the buy or sell LDO decision favors a measured accumulation approach. The optimal entry strategy involves dollar-cost averaging between $0.55-$0.57, with a strict stop-loss at $0.48 (below the $0.49 support).

Risk-averse investors should wait for a confirmed break above $0.63 before initiating positions, targeting the $0.66-$0.70 range for profit-taking. More aggressive traders can accumulate at current levels with a 3:1 risk-reward ratio targeting $0.66.

Position sizing should remain conservative given the 11% downside risk to $0.49 support versus the 16-23% upside potential to the LDO price target range.

LDO Price Prediction Conclusion
The technical setup strongly supports a bullish LDO price prediction with medium confidence for the $0.66-$0.70 target within 4-6 weeks. The combination of oversold conditions, bullish MACD divergence, and solid support at $0.49 creates an attractive risk-reward profile.

Key indicators to monitor include daily closes above $0.63 for bullish confirmation and any breakdown below $0.49 for bearish invalidation. The Lido DAO forecast timeline suggests January 2026 as the optimal window for target achievement, assuming broader crypto market conditions remain stable.

Confidence level: Medium - Technical indicators align with analyst consensus, but broader market fear remains a headwind that could delay the predicted recovery.

Image source: Shutterstock

ldo price analysis
ldo price prediction

Cover image via U.Today

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is outperforming the broader cryptocurrency market after it rose approximately 2% higher than other assets in the last 24 hours. The asset’s market has also witnessed a severe liquidation imbalance, with bears suffering huge losses in a four-hour time frame.

Bitcoin Cash signals bullish rallyCoinGlass data shows that traders betting short on Bitcoin Cash have seen $169,260 wiped out as BCH climbed suddenly.

The asset registered a sudden spike from a daily low of $590 to breach the $600 resistance level. This unexpected rise due to a technical breakout led to the massive liquidation for bearish traders.

As of this writing, Bitcoin Cash changed hands at $610.62, which represents a 1.03% increase in the last 24 hours. The coin earlier hit an intraday peak of $616.30 before a slight correction owing to a lack of volume support.

The trading volume is down by 15.07% at $350.77 million as investors maintain cautious optimism about the future price path.

Although some bulls anticipate Bitcoin Cash to soar to between $650 and $720, it is worth mentioning that BCH has maintained muted growth. In the last 30 days of price volatility, BCH has not soared higher than $626.

However, Bitcoin Cash has room for further upside given its technical bullish indicators.

For instance, its Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 56 and suggests a neutral position. If the community supports and volume exits the red zone, it could significantly impact the price positively.

Recently, the CEO of ShapeShift, Erik Voorhees, sparked speculation as he was suspected of having reactivated a nine-year dormant Ethereum wallet. He immediately swapped the Ethereum for Bitcoin Cash in a rebalancing move.

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The development raised questions about the shifting confidence of Voorhees from Ethereum to Bitcoin Cash and the implications for BCH’s future trajectory. The widespread sentiment was that if the wallet truly belonged to Voorhees, it signaled a massive bet on Bitcoin Cash.

Can Bitcoin Cash dethrone Cardano?Meanwhile, in the broader cryptocurrency market, every climb of Bitcoin Cash pushes it closer toward the top 10 list.

It is currently about $510 million away from flipping Cardano from the 10th position in terms of market capitalization.

The threat to Cardano is greater because ADA has been battling downward price movement for some time and has lost 18.24% of its value in the last 30 days.

Comparatively, Bitcoin Cash has gained over 12% within the same period. Any sustained price rise could see BCH dethrone Cardano from the top 10 list.

Ripple Labs is doubling down on its presence in Japan, drawing on longstanding relationships with the country’s traditional financial institutions. The strategy is aimed at increasing adoption and interest in the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

This week, Asia Web3 Alliance Japan and Web3 Salon launched the Japan Financial Infrastructure Innovation Program. The initiative is designed to support Japanese startups developing next-generation, compliant digital financial solutions on the XRP Ledger.

Ripple’s Japan Strategy Tests Whether Institutions Can Lift XRPThe program opened applications on December 19 and is offering a $10,000 grant per startup. It is narrowly focused on three high-value verticals, including stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization, and credit infrastructure.

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“Japan offers an overwhelming opportunity for blockchain innovation, supported by a forward-thinking regulatory framework and deep talent pool. This program represents Ripple’s commitment to fostering a vibrant ecosystem where startups can leverage the speed, low cost, and reliability of the XRP Ledger to create real-world benefits and transform financial infrastructure,” Christina Chan, Senior Director of Developer Growth at RippleX, said.

Analysts view it as a low-cost funnel for identifying candidates for Ripple’s significantly larger capital pool, including the 1 billion XRP fund dedicated to developers in Japan and Korea.

The program has secured backing from a formidable roster of establishment players, including Mizuho Bank, SMBC Nikko Securities, and Securitize Japan.

Despite the initiative’s high-profile corporate backing, it comes at a precarious moment for the network. While Ripple touts institutional adoption, the underlying usage of the XRPL tells a conflicting story of contraction.

According to data from DefiLlama, the Total Value Locked (TVL) on the XRPL has plummeted in recent months. The TVL has fallen from a July high of $120 million to roughly $62 million as of press time.

This nearly 50% drawdown suggests that capital is exiting the network’s DeFi protocols even as corporate partnerships expand.

Meanwhile, the broader crypto market downturn likely contributed to the drawdown, as Bitcoin has fallen 30% from its October high of more than $126,000.

Furthermore, the push into asset tokenization faces stiff competition. According to Rwa.xyz, XRPL currently ranks ninth globally in tokenized assets, with approximately $213 million in assets.

While substantial, this lags significantly behind networks like Ethereum and newer competitors that have captured the lion’s share of the RWA market.

Considering this, the JFIIP program is more than a startup accelerator. By entrenching itself in Japan’s banking infrastructure, Ripple hopes to create a sticky ecosystem that is immune to the speculative volatility of the broader crypto market.