Howmet (NYSE:HWM) reported Q4 CY2025 revenue of $2.17 billion, up 14.6% year-on-year, and non-GAAP profit of $1.05 per share, 8.7% above consensus. Next quarter guidance of $2.24 billion at the midpoint was 3.5% above analyst expectations. The strong results reflect robust commercial and defense aerospace demand, with engine spares and gas turbines driving growth.

CEO John Plant attributed the quarter’s outperformance to premium product segments and ongoing capacity expansion. Management plans significant capital deployment into new manufacturing facilities and automation to meet rising demand. However, ramp-up and integration of acquisitions could pressure near-term margins as output scales.

Looking ahead, key watchpoints include facility output, integration progress from acquisitions, and sustained spares and turbine demand. The stock closed at $242.97, up from $230.85 pre-earnings.

ByteDance is in advanced talks to sell Moonton Technology, developer of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group for $6B–$7B, sources said. A deal could be sealed as early as this quarter, with broad terms already in initial agreement. The sale would add to ByteDance's active dealmaking in the videogame industry to acquire durable franchises, live-service expertise, and large online communities. Moonton and Savvy Games have not commented, and Reuters is first to report the valuation and timeline.

Philip Morris (PM) reported Q4 driven by double-digit volume gains in IQOS, ZYN, and VIVE across regions, with five consecutive quarters of positive volumes. CEO Jacek Olczak attributed growth to accelerated adoption of smoke-free alternatives, while combustibles showed resilience despite industry normalization and supply chain disruptions in Turkey.

Key analyst watchpoints: U.S. approvals and regulatory developments for ZYN Ultra and IQOS ILUMA; impact of escalating Japanese excise taxes on IQOS growth and pricing; and continued adoption in emerging and established markets. Digitalization and cost efficiency are critical to maintaining margin expansion.

PM is trading at $188.29, up from $182 pre-earnings (February 13, 2026).

Capgemini CEO Aiman Ezzat rejects the pursuit of full technological sovereignty in Europe, emphasizing that absolute autonomy over the entire value chain is unattainable. He argues that while Europe has data, operations, and regulation independence, U.S. hyperscalers dominate AI and cloud technology.

Ezzat, chair of the European Round Table for Industry’s digital working group, advocates a case-based approach balancing sovereignty with global competitiveness. Partnerships with AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft deliver what the firm describes as “sovereign” AI and cloud services.

The CEO noted discussions with the European Commission and called for a tailored solution per use case, client environment, and government requirements, reflecting broader EU policy tensions between security, independence, and economic competitiveness.

Piper Sandler (PIPR) reported Q4 revenue and non-GAAP EPS exceeding expectations, driven by strong advisory activity in financial services and industrials and expanding non-M&A advisory contributions. Five of seven industry teams grew revenue YoY, with record performance in advisory and equity brokerage.

Analysts will closely watch middle-market M&A and sponsor-driven deal activity, growth in non-M&A advisory services (debt capital markets, private capital advisory), and the productivity impact of IT and talent investments on margins. Public finance issuance and trading volume will also be key.

PIPR closed at $323.65, down from $331.63 before the earnings. The StockStory team provides a free research report and highlights its Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks with a 244% five-year return as of June 30, 2025, including Nvidia and Exlservice.

[The Lead]

Proto Labs (PRLB) reported Q4 revenue up double-digits and an improved operating margin, driven by strong demand in aerospace, defense, robotics, and data centers. The company’s strongest organic growth since 2018, with shares rising from $52.48 to $66.51 since the earnings.

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Analysts will closely watch: adoption of new customer experience initiatives like ProDesk and their impact on conversion and retention; scaling production for medical and aerospace programs following recent certifications; and the effect of operational restructuring in Europe and India. Sustained momentum in manufacturing capabilities and digital transformation will be key indicators of future performance.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) reported Q4 CY2025 revenue of $7.01 billion, down 2.1% year-over-year, but well-above expectations. For Q1 CY2026, the midpoint guidance of $7.65 billion reflects 8.1% upside to analyst forecasts, with non-GAAP EPS of $2.38 per share 7.8% above consensus.

Strength in AI, foundry-logic, memory, and advanced packaging drove the results. Management credits node transitions, 3D scaling, and disciplined operations for the outcomes, with continued AI-driven demand and capacity expansion expected to underpin Q1.

Key watchpoints include AI equipment orders, resilience in DRAM/HBM, and execution on capacity expansion and supply chain lead times. AMAT closed at $351.56, up from $328.39 before the earnings.

AutoNation reported Q4 revenue below guidance but surpassed profit expectations, pressured by a 10% same-store new unit sales decline as dealer support for hybrids and BEVs contracted. Gross profits and earnings were cushioned by strong aftersales and AN Finance performance.

Key watchpoints: (1) Aftersales expansion pace and profitability, including technician hiring and service penetration; (2) AN Finance portfolio scaling and credit performance; (3) execution on targeted dealership acquisitions for operational synergies; (4) sustainability of customer demand in new and used vehicle segments amid affordability concerns.

ANET is trading at $206.61, up from $204.02 pre-earnings. The StockStory team will monitor these factors closely in the coming quarters.

Norsk Hydro (HY) reported a net loss of Kr 1.52 billion (USD 127 million) in Q4 2025, missing analysts' earnings per share (EPS) estimates by 1.2 cents. Revenue declined 12% year-over-year to Kr 19.8 billion (USD 1.7 billion). The loss follows lower aluminum prices and reduced demand in key markets. The company said it will cut production by about 15% in 2026 and delay capital expenditures, with guidance for 2026 EPS of kr 14.5 per share, down from kr 20.3 in 2024.

Asian stock markets opened lower Monday, Feb 15, 2026, as global risk-off sentiment driven by AI-equity volatility spread. The Hang Seng Composite fell 1.8% at 9:05 a.m. local time, while the Nikkei 225 dipped 1.2%. The Shanghai Composite was down 0.9% at the opening. The sell-off followed mixed U.S. earnings and heightened uncertainty around AI-related regulatory and earnings pressures. Investors are weighing whether earnings season will continue to support tech-heavy indices.

China issued anti-monopoly guidelines for internet platforms on February 13, 2026, aimed at curbing collusion and preventing unfairly high prices. The measures follow heightened regulatory scrutiny of tech firms in recent months, signaling a continuation of Beijing’s broad crackdown on market dominance and unfair practices. The guidelines are expected to increase compliance costs for platforms and could affect stock valuations and market dynamics in China’s tech sector.

Apple (AAPL-US) faces a critical bottleneck as TSMC’s (TSM-US)(2330-TW) 2nm capacity, already sold out, is being snapped up by clients willing to pay up to 50% premium over $30,000 per wafer. By January 2026, TSMC’s 2nm output averaged over 50,000 wafers/month, planned to reach 120,000–140,000 by year-end. NVIDIA (NVDA-US) surpassed Apple as TSMC’s largest revenue contributor in 2025, with Blackwell/Rubin GPU wafer area 6–8 times larger than Apple’s A20, driving fierce allocation.

Apple’s 2026 fiscal revenue growth of 3.6% trailed NVIDIA’s 62%, and Apple is forecast to account for 16% of TSMC revenue versus NVIDIA’s 20%. TSMC’s 62.3% Q4 gross margin reflects strong pricing power. In response, Apple announced a 15-year shift to Intel (INTC-US) 18A with M-series chips starting in 2027 to reduce reliance on TSMC and compete in AP6/AP7 CoWoS packaging with NVIDIA’s chiplets.

Estée Lauder (EL-US) has filed a federal lawsuit in California, alleging Walmart (WMT-US) facilitated sales of counterfeit cosmetics on its Walmart.com platform by allowing third-party sellers to list and promote假冒 products bearing its and other brand trademarks.

According to submitted documents, items purchased on Walmart.com, including products labeled Le Labo, La Mer, Clinique, Aveda, Tom Ford, and Estée Lauder, were identified as counterfeit. Lauder claims Walmart actively participated in the promotion and SEO optimization to drive traffic to these pages and profit from the sales.

A Walmart spokesperson said the company maintains a zero-tolerance policy on counterfeit goods and will respond appropriately upon receiving the subpoena.

Terumo (TYO:9733) reported higher earnings for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, with net revenue up 10.2% to ¥29.65 billion and operating profit rising 6.3% to ¥1.04 billion. The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance, citing stronger demand in Asia-Pacific and North America, particularly in vascular access products. Management attributed the improvement to higher-than-expected pricing and cost optimization. The stock closed 1.8% higher on the Tokyo exchange on February 13, 2026.

Sompo Holdings (9983.T) reported higher net income for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, reflecting improved underwriting and investment performance. The insurer posted ¥22.5 billion (about $210 million) in net income, a 4.2% increase from ¥21.5 billion in the same period of 2024.

Key drivers included gains in insurance and investment businesses, with operating profit up 3.8% to ¥25.1 billion. The company reiterated its FY26 earnings guidance of ¥24.5 billion, maintaining a positive outlook despite macroeconomic headwinds. Management attributed the results to disciplined underwriting and a recovering insurance market.

OKYO (NASDAQ:OKYO) priced a $20 million private placement at $1.85 per share on February 13, 2026. The offering includes 10,869,565 shares, with proceeds allocated to existing and new investors. The company's stock closed at $1.78 on the NASDAQ, down 3.8% from the offering price, reflecting continued pressure from clinical trial delays and evolving regulatory guidance. The transaction is expected to strengthen the company's balance sheet and provide resources for ongoing trials.

Kathy Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs’ chief legal officer and general counsel, announced her resignation effective June 30, 2026, following the release of DOJ emails linking her to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The emails revealed close personal ties, including familial references and gifts after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Ruemmler, who served as White House counsel from 2014 to 2014 and as general counsel since 2020, had previously defended her relationship with Epstein despite public pressure to resign. In a statement, she said she would step down to prioritize the firm’s interests. Goldman CEO David Solomon accepted the resignation and praised her contributions and mentorship.

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JPMorgan economists advise tactical selling of 2-year U.S. Treasuries as the U.S. economic outlook limits the Federal Reserve's ability for aggressive rate cuts.

[Para 2: Supporting Details & Context]

Headed by Jay Barry, strategists note that even with Jerome Powell's leadership, FOMC members are unlikely to shift from current stance despite inflation data. The report was released ahead of the 13th of January core CPI release, with traders now pricing a 100-basis-point cut by year-end versus prior expectations of a move in June.

On the morning of February 13 (Asia time), the 2-year yield rose 2 bps to 3.47% amid volatile swings following tech sector sell-offs and strong employment data.

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Critics, including Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn, expect Powell to pursue faster easing, betting on overnight lending futures to rise if markets anticipate accelerated Fed tightening. JPMorgan projects U.S. core CPI for January to climb 0.39% versus 0.31% consensus, reflecting easing pressure from early-year price spikes and a lull in government disruptions.

The firm emphasizes limited downside for short-term yields and suggests investors take advantage of current rates with tactical positioning.

Google (GOOGL) on February 12, 2026, announced a major upgrade to Gemini 3 Deep Think, a specialized reasoning model, now achieving superhuman performance in complex scientific and engineering tasks. The model set new benchmarks: it reached an Elo score of 3,455 on Codeforces, surpassed human experts on the Humanity's Last Exam (HLE) with 48.4%, and scored 84.6% on ARC-AGI-2.

In practical research, Deep Think identified a subtle logical flaw in a high-energy physics paper review and enabled breakthroughs in materials science and physics modeling, including faster 3D printable prototypes from hand sketches. The update was developed with contributions from former Anthropic researchers, and early access is available through the Gemini API to researchers and engineers.

Bitcoin (BTC) has fallen below its price at the start of the Trump administration, as investment-grade confidence erodes. Ross Gerber of Wall Street, in a CNBC interview, attributes part of the winter to the Trump family’s issuance of personal tokens. The administration’s Trump token is down 94% from its all-time high, and First Lady Melania Trump’s token is effectively worthless after a 99% plunge, while the Trump token trades at 6% of its peak. These projects collectively generated $427 million in trading fees, per a Financial Times survey.

Gerber warns that celebrity-driven memecoins are often designed to fleece散户, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of outflows and bearish sentiment. With retail investors pulling back, broader Bitcoin recovery remains unlikely without a restoration of trust. Analysts agree: new entrants are hesitant, signaling a difficult path ahead for the cryptocurrency market.