Today's Finance Pulse
Autodesk to acquire MaintainX for $3.6B, expanding into operations software
Autodesk announced a $3.6 billion purchase of MaintainX, a leader in operational‑phase software for the built environment. The deal extends Autodesk’s portfolio from design and manufacturing into ongoing building operation, creating an end‑to‑end data loop. CEO Andrew Anagnost said the acquisition unlocks a $40 billion total addressable market.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Pemberton Asset Management closes $3.7B fourth vintage fund
Morningstar: Active Funds Underperformed Passive Peers in 2025
Morningstar's 2025 Active/Passive Barometer shows only 38% of actively managed mutual funds and ETFs outperformed their asset‑weighted passive composites, a four‑point drop from 2024. Over a ten‑year horizon, just 21% of active funds beat passive peers, with bond and real‑estate strategies historically the only consistent winners. In 2025 both bond and real‑estate active funds slipped, with outperformance falling to 40% and 12% respectively. The findings highlight the persistent challenge of sustaining active outperformance.
Roper Technologies Announces Dividend
Roper Technologies’ board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share, payable on April 22, 2026 to shareholders of record as of April 6, 2026. The announcement underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to returning excess cash to investors. Roper, a...
Spend at Your Marginal Frontier, Not Just More
Your CFO wants more efficiency. Your CMO wants more volume. They're both right. And both wrong. The real question isn't "what should our target be?" It's "where are we at on our marginal frontier?" Spending power = the amount you can increase spend before...
If The ‘Smart Money’ Is A Contrarian Indicator, It’s Time To Sell
Recent data show institutional investors have poured a record $158 billion into U.S. equities during the last quarter, even as inflation remains above target and the Federal Reserve signals further rate hikes. The article argues that when the so‑called “smart money”...
Boards Urge CFOs to Embrace Stablecoins for Crypto Adoption
Great to be back on with @MariaBartiromo discussing Ripple’s banner year and accelerating momentum as we start 2026. Already, we are actively seeing Boards and CEOs pushing their CFOs and treasurers to understand how they can leverage and benefit from...
Rates Dip to 2022 Lows, Sales Still Lagging
Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater: “Mortgage rates dropped again this week, now down to their lowest level since September of 2022.” The 30-year fixed averaged 6.01% this week, down from 6.09% last week. Meanwhile, pending home sales are DOWN after existing...
Westfield Specialty Reports $1.93B in Gross Written Premium
Westfield Specialty posted $1.93 billion in gross written premium for 2025, delivering $87.2 million of underwriting income and a 93.1% combined ratio. The U.S. segment generated 55% of the premium base, while London‑based international operations contributed the remaining 45%. Business‑line breakdown shows...
ETF State of the Union with Fidelity’s Craig Ebeling
In this episode, Nate Geraci discusses the current landscape of ETFs, highlighting trends such as fee compression, the rise of thematic and ESG funds, and the growing importance of technology-driven ETF solutions. He shares insights on how advisors can effectively...
KPMG Launches Tax AI Accelerator Program to Advance Generative AI in Corporate Tax
KPMG has introduced a Tax AI Accelerator Program that equips corporate tax departments with generative‑AI skills and a custom Digital Gateway deployment on Microsoft Azure OpenAI. The initiative blends technical training, prompt‑engineering workshops, and a secure sandbox where participants test...
GRØNTVEDT AS – PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RESTRUCTURING INITIATIVE
Grøntvedt AS has released its draft 2024 annual financial statements and simultaneously announced a restructuring initiative aimed at recapitalising the group. The proposal, presented to bondholders of the NO0013107474 issue, was crafted with an ad‑hoc committee representing over half of...
Invest in Productive Assets, Not Mere Appreciation
I wrote a short opinion piece in response to the idea that Buffett has been wrong about gold and Bitcoin. Buffett's core argument is that you should build a portfolio around "productive" cash flow generating assets. Don't buy land and...
Report: FinOps Priorities Are Shifting Left and Expanding
FinOps practitioners are moving financial decision‑making earlier in the software development lifecycle, a shift highlighted in the FinOps Foundation’s 2026 State of FinOps report based on 1,100 respondents. Pre‑deployment architecture guidance is now a top‑requested capability, and the scope of...
‘The Days of the Single Black Swan Are Gone’
At the JSE SA Trade Connect conference, market leaders warned that volatility is no longer a rare "black swan" but a persistent flock of shocks. Alicia Greenwood highlighted the exchange’s push to fuse disparate data sources, enabling faster interpretation and...
Securitization's Unique AI Playbook, and What's Driving It
Finance chiefs report mounting board pressure to adopt AI, mirroring similar urgency in the securitization sector. ABS leaders, like Vervent’s David Johnson, argue AI adoption must deliver speed, transparency, and control, enabling faster tape‑to‑trade cycles, cleaner data, and scalable compliance....
Guest Post: Venture Capital, Startup Liability, and D&O Insurance
When a startup secures venture capital, its liability profile shifts dramatically as cash, fiduciary duties, and litigation exposure rise overnight. Without directors and officers (D&O) coverage, founders and executives can face personal financial loss from employment, equity, or disclosure disputes....
MARKET CONSULTATION | Solactive CWM Balanced Strategy Index | FEBRUARY 2026.
Solactive has opened a market consultation on proposed methodology changes to its CWM Balanced Strategy Index. The firm invites all stakeholders and third parties to review detailed amendment documents and submit comments. Feedback must be received by 5 March 2026, after which...
From $4B Deal
He made $4B for his old firm and $900M for himself. Then sued to break a noncompete—and launched a hedge fund that gained 20% in year one.
M&A Trends: Outlook for Healthcare, Tech, Banking, & More
Mergers and acquisitions in 2026 are being reshaped by several converging forces. Artificial intelligence is streamlining due‑diligence, while ESG considerations are increasingly factored into valuations and integration plans. Cross‑border activity is surging, especially in Asia‑Pacific, and private‑equity firms are expanding...
Fast Calculation of Cheapest-to-Deliver Curves
Multi‑currency collateral agreements create optionality that requires discounting with a cheapest‑to‑deliver (CTD) curve. While Monte‑Carlo simulation can price this exactly, it is computationally heavy. Researchers propose an analytic approximation that combines the Clark algorithm and Gauss‑Hermite quadrature, delivering near‑Monte‑Carlo accuracy...
Today’s Podcast Episode: The Consumerization of Small Business Lending: Federal and State Regulations Accelerate
Today's Consumer Finance Monitor podcast examines the rapid consumerization of small‑business lending, highlighting a surge in state‑level protection statutes. Host Alan Kaplinsky interviews Louis Caditz‑Peck of the Responsible Business Lending Coalition about the shift from self‑regulation to formal legislation, including...
Visa to Buy Prisma in Argentina
Visa announced it will reacquire Argentina’s Prisma Medios de Pago and Newpay from Advent International, bringing the payment processors back under its control. The acquisition, expected to close by the end of March, restores Visa’s card‑issuer processing, real‑time payments, ATM...
Lightkeeper Rolls Out AI-Powered ‘Beacon’ to Deliver Verifiable Portfolio Insights
Lightkeeper has introduced Beacon, an AI‑enabled feature that lets hedge funds and asset managers ask plain‑English questions about their portfolios. The tool pulls answers from Lightkeeper’s validated, institutional‑grade data rather than unverified sources, preserving transparency and auditability. Beacon connects client...
Problems at Yelp (YELP)
The episode dissects Yelp’s deteriorating business model, highlighting a sharp slowdown in revenue growth and a recent year‑over‑year decline driven by weaker ad clicks and economic uncertainty. It argues that a toxic sales culture, high‑pressure outbound tactics, and a disgruntled...
Private Equity Deals Hit $2.6T in 2025
Private equity deal value surged to $2.6 trillion in 2025, a 19% increase over 2024 and the second‑largest total on record. The total number of deals fell 9%, continuing a post‑2021 decline in transaction volume. Holding periods have stretched, with the...
Remitly Co-Founder CEO Exits
Remitly announced that former Santander executive Sebastian J. Gunningham will replace co‑founder Matt Oppenheimer as chief executive effective Thursday. Oppenheimer, who led the company for nearly 15 years, will move to board chair and focus on strategic initiatives. The leadership...
What the Market Knows That WACC Doesn’t
The article introduces the market implied discount rate (MIDR) as a forward‑looking alternative to the traditional weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Using S&P Capital IQ data on the S&P 500, it shows that MIDR often diverges from WACC, with energy...
Remitly Hires Santander Alum as Its Next CEO
Remitly announced Sebastian Gunningham, a former Santander Consumer Finance chair with executive experience at Amazon, Apple and Oracle, will become its chief executive on Thursday. Co‑founder Matt Oppenheimer will transition to board chair as the company reported a strong 2025...
Choice Hotels Reports $369.9M Net Income in 2025
Choice Hotels International posted a record $369.9 million net income for 2025, accompanied by an all‑time adjusted EBITDA of $625.6 million. The company added 440 new hotels, with international openings surging 82% and net rooms expanding 12.5% worldwide. U.S. extended‑stay...
Sunway‑IJM Merger Threatens Malaysia’s Construction Competition
Is Malaysia about to witness a construction monopoly? A "too big to fail" monopoly. 🏗️ The proposed Sunway-IJM merger is under fire for its potential to stifle competition and inflate costs. Here is the 5-point TL;DR on why this deal needs a rethink. 🧵👇
Quarterly Report Tracks Stablecoin Paradigm Shift
Today, @TheStablecon and @Artemis drop "The State of Stables," our quarterly report on the trends driving the fast-moving stablecoin ecosystem. It’s impossible to know today what the legacy of stablecoins will be. Entrepreneurs have barely begun to challenge the dominant paradigms in...
British Business Bank Explores Private Equity with £60m Deal
The British Business Bank announced a £60 million commitment to NorthEdge IV, marking its first foray into private‑equity investments under a new growth‑equity strategy. The government‑owned development bank will back the Manchester‑based firm’s fourth fund, which targets founder‑led SMEs across technology, healthcare...
Earnings and Dividends Now Power Half of Market Gains
One positive aspect of the evolution of this market cycle has been how the market has become less reliant on multiple expansion. Earnings and dividends now comprise almost half of the cumulative gains since October 2022, with the P/E expansion...
Protos Security CFO on the Convergence of Finance and Operations
Anthony Escamilla, CFO of Protos Security, says the modern CFO has morphed from a budget keeper into a strategic leader who oversees finance, data analytics, technology, risk and even operational functions. He highlights the accelerating pace of decision‑making, with stakeholders...
Solinex Reviews: Who Can Track Down and Recover Stolen Funds in the Era of Digital Risks?
Solinex, a specialist law firm, offers a full‑service model that merges legal counsel, cryptocurrency analytics, and international coordination to track and recover stolen digital assets. The firm reports a 97% case completion rate and has served over 4,800 clients in...
Bipartisan Push for 3% GDP Deficit Cap Gains Momentum
I Love and Endorse the Bipartisan 3 % of GDP Budget Deficit Solution In the House of Representatives there is now a bipartisan bill in the works to enact, and a growing agreement that we need, a 3% cap on the budget...
New Report From Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Details Economic Benefits for Claremount Extension of Metro A Line Light-Rail System
The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority released a report quantifying the economic impact of the 2.3‑mile Claremont Extension of the Metro A Line light‑rail system. The study projects more than $1.1 billion in construction‑phase economic output, over 4,700 jobs, and $154 million...
How a ‘Great View’ From Your Home Can Boost Its Value by 35%
Yopa’s analysis of English homes on sale finds that properties with sea, countryside or cityscape views command an average asking price 28.1% higher than comparable homes without such vistas, translating to roughly £156,000 extra value. The premium peaks in the...
Seek 5% Annual Edge, Keep Cash Out
Francois Rochon on being fully invested "If we continue to find companies that we believe can do five percentage points better than that on an annualized basis over many years, why would we hold cash?"
The Link Between Interest Rates and Exchange Rates : The Uncovered Interest Parity
The post examines how the 10‑year US‑German bond yield spread correlates with the USD/EUR exchange rate, showing that higher US yields usually coincide with dollar appreciation. A notable exception occurred after April 2 2025, when a sharp US yield rise was followed...
How AI Upgrades Enterprise Treasury Management
Enterprises are shifting treasury management from error‑prone spreadsheets to AI‑driven automated pipelines. Infosys’ Ashish Kumar and IBS FinTech CEO CM Grover highlight that real‑time data integration with ERP, trading platforms, and banks is essential for AI to add value....
Idle Cash Loses Value Faster than Market Dips
📊 "Person A has $125K which has been sitting comfortably in a bank account for 5 years now. Person B had $3M, but this is now reduced to $1.5M due to market volatility and taking risks in the market. Both started with...
What Are the Greeks in Options Trading? (Delta, Theta, Vega Explained)
Lawrence G. McMillan’s February 19, 2026 webinar dives deep into the option Greeks—delta, gamma, theta, and vega—explaining their mathematical roots in the Black‑Scholes model and how they interact in real‑time risk management. The session moves beyond textbook definitions to demonstrate practical techniques...
Beginner's Guide: All 11 SPDR S&P 500 Sector ETFs
📊 If you are a beginner and want to learn the key Sector ETFs to track. Below is a good starting point. Here is the full suite of SPDR S&P 500 Sector ETFs from State Street: $XLK – Technology $XLC – Communication Services $XLY...
The Increasing Visibility of Stress
The latest editorial highlights that Business Development Companies (BDCs) are increasingly mirroring broader credit stress in the market. Deteriorating loan performance and tighter financing conditions are evident across BDC portfolios. At the same time, a looming maturity wall—large volumes of...
Trade the Range Now, Skip Breakout Expectations
📺 STOP WAITING FOR THE BREAKOUT, TRADE THE RANGE FOR NOW Get today's newsletter: https://t.co/Rqp84Wg39F My core message to everyone today: stop expecting big follow-through and start trading the range that’s actually in front of you. That’s the environment right now: quick pushes,...
Stillwell Pushes Buybacks, Director Nomination as LSBK Climbs
$LSBK has performed well over the 6 months since Stillwell filed a 13D (+22%) Stillwell (owns ~10%) is making his next move: nominating a director for the 2026 AGM and pushing for buybacks while the stock trades below TBV. He also warned...
UCITS Strategies Regaining Traction with Europe’s Wealthy
European high‑net‑worth investors are gravitating back to alternative UCITS funds, a liquid hedge‑fund‑style vehicle, as assets under management rose 22% to $287 billion in 2025. The sector logged four consecutive quarters of inflows, the longest streak in four years, driven by...
Wells Fargo Confirms No Hidden Incentives in $1.4B Loan Sale
Finian O'Shea of Wells Fargo just asked this question on this morning's $OBDC conference call and mgmt confirmed nothing behind the scenes, no bonus economics or shenanigans behind the $1.4bn private credit loan sale at par value to 4 institutional...
JM Financial Launches ₹1,500 Crore Pre-IPO Fund Under SEBI-Approved AIF Category
JM Financial Asset Management has launched a ₹1,500 crore pre‑IPO Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under SEBI’s Category II, marking its entry into the pre‑IPO investment space. The fund will invest in companies slated to go public within the next 18 months, leveraging...
UK Government Reveals Expanded Finance Package to Help Creative Businesses Scale
The UK government announced a £4 billion Industrial Strategy allocation targeting creative industries, with the British Business Bank taking a leading role. A £45 million cornerstone investment was made in Redrice Ventures, a seed‑stage investor for creative firms. The Bank is also...