BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.

BlackRock, Inc.

At the Goldman Sachs 2025 conference held on Dec. 9, Wells Fargo & Company WFC signaled that its workforce could shrink further in 2026 as part of a broader push to improve efficiency and incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) across its operations. Speaking at the conference, CEO Charlie Scharf stated that the bank expects higher severance costs in the current fourth quarter and is preparing for staff reductions as it moves into next year.
WFC: AI Rollout Set to Begin Next Year
Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf emphasized that AI will play a central role in reshaping how the bank operates, noting that AI is “extremely significant” both for driving efficiency and for its “potential” impact on future headcount.
The bank plans to introduce AI gradually over the next year and continue expanding its use beyond 2026. Scharf characterized the transition as a “positive reality,” suggesting that AI-enabled efficiencies will support long-term operational improvements.
While acknowledging that AI is likely to contribute to workforce reductions, Scharf also pointed to significant areas of opportunity, particularly in technology roles. He noted that generative AI tools have already boosted productivity within the bank’s engineering teams by roughly 30-35%.
WFC Rationale: Unlocking Efficiency Through Structural Transformation
Wells Fargo is steadily advancing its multi-year transformation aimed at driving greater efficiency and operational discipline. Since 2020, the bank has pursued substantial cost-reduction initiatives —simplifying its organizational structure, consolidating branches and reducing its workforce from roughly 268,531 employees in December 2020 to about 210,821 as of Sept. 30, 2025. These changes reflect a deliberate shift toward a leaner, less bureaucratic operating model.
While discussing future growth, Scharf noted that since the removal of the asset cap in June 2025, the bank now has room to grow. But he indicated that any acquisitions or expansion will be very selective, only those offering strong returns and strategic value. He emphasized the bank is “under no pressure” to snap up firms just to boost numbers.
Beyond workforce reductions and digital investments, Wells Fargo is also optimizing its physical footprint to further lower structural costs. The bank continues to refine its branch location strategy, with total branches declining 2.1% year over year to 4,108 as of the third quarter of 2025. Management views these actions as essential to improving long-term operating efficiency.
Collectively, these initiatives are on track to generate substantial savings, with the company expecting $15 billion in gross expense reductions by 2025-end. Taken together, they signal that WFC is repositioning itself for a future in which productivity and scalability depend less on headcount and more on streamlined processes, automation and modernized technology infrastructure.
WFC’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank
Shares of Wells Fargo have gained 26.6% year to date compared with the industry’s growth of 34.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Wells Fargo currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Similar Steps By Other Finance Firms
This month, according to Business Today news, which was published on MSN, UBS Group AG UBS is preparing to cut up to 10,000 employees globally by 2027 as it advances the integration of Credit Suisse.
Since acquiring Credit Suisse in 2023, the company has already eliminated approximately 15,000 positions, mainly from overlapping roles created by the merger. Looking ahead, workforce reduction may accelerate depending on the progress of Credit Suisse’s integration. These reductions are aimed at removing redundant positions, improving operational efficiency and supporting the broader structural consolidation required to integrate Credit Suisse’s operations fully.
In June 2025, BlackRock, Inc. BLK announced plans to cut 300 jobs, affecting more than 1% of its workforce. This marked the company’s second reduction this year, following a January cut of approximately 200 positions aimed at realigning resources with the firm’s strategic priorities.
The workforce reductions aim to streamline operations and optimize resources, supporting BlackRock’s efforts to improve profitability and integrate its recent acquisitions.
Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.
From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

WFC to Reshape Its Workforce for AI Era, Signals More Job Cuts in 2026

BHP Group Limited BHP announced that it inked a binding deal with Global Infrastructure Partners (“GIP”), which is part of BlackRock, Inc. BLK, for BHP’s stake in Western Australia Iron Ore's (“WAIO”) inland power network. This deal will help BHP Group with its funding, as well as retain operational control over WAIO’s infrastructure.
Details of BHP’s Deal With GIP
BHP Group has an 85% interest in WAIO that includes four main joint ventures in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The partnership between BHP and BlackRock’s GIP will establish a trust entity where BHP will hold a 51% stake in WAIO and GIP will own the remaining 49% for a funding of $2 billion.
BHP will continue to operate WAIO, including its inland power infrastructure, per the agreement. The company will pay a tariff to the entity for 25 years, based on its WAIO inland power share. WAIO will continue to focus on its long-term strategy to increase iron ore production to 305 million tons per annum.
The deal is expected to close toward the end of fiscal 2026, subject to closing conditions and approvals.
BHP will incorporate the net proceeds from this deal and assess the same under the company’s capital allocation framework. The deal showcases the company’s disciplined approach to capital portfolio management, as well as supporting the company's balance sheet flexibility.
BHP Group Stock’s Price Performance
BHP shares have gained 13.8% in a year compared with the industry’s 22.7% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BHP’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the basic materials space are OR Royalties Inc. OR and Agnico Eagle Mines AEM. OR and AEM sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for OR Royalties’ 2025 earnings is pegged at 82 cents per share. The estimate indicates year-over-year growth of 57.7%. OR Royalties’ shares have surged 80% in a year.
The consensus estimate for Agnico Eagle Mines’ 2025 earnings is pegged at $7.77 per share. The estimate indicates a year-over-year jump of 83.6%. It has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.6%. Agnico Eagle Mines’ shares have surged 107.6% in a year.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

BHP Inks $2B Infrastructure Partnership Deal With BlackRock's GIP

The performance of asset/investment managers has been impressive in 2025, supported by strong market rebounds, record inflows into key strategies and a broad expansion in global assets under management (AUM).
Since the beginning of this year, significant equity market volatility has resulted in an increase in trading activities, which has positively impacted the performance of investment management companies like BlackRock, Inc. BLK, Invesco Ltd. IVZ and Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. AMG. Factors that drove volatility include tariff-related concerns, trade-war fears, shifting regulations, sticky inflation, mixed economic data and shifting central-bank guidance.
YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Elevated volatility pushed investors toward active management, tactical allocation products and outcome-oriented funds, boosting flows into active exchange-traded funds (ETFs), private credit vehicles and multi-asset strategies. Global AUM grew sharply due to both market appreciation and sizeable net inflows, particularly from the Asia-Pacific and high-net-worth channels.
Demand for alternatives also remained strong, with private-credit funds and diversified alternatives attracting fresh institutional and retail interest as investors sought returns insulated from rate and policy swings. Thus, rising AUM balances (which positively impact investment managers’ performance fees and investment advisory fees), improved fee mix and strong inflows into high-margin strategies positioned asset managers for one of their strongest operating years in the post-pandemic era.
The operating backdrop is expected to remain decent for asset managers as we head into 2026, supported by continued economic growth, declining interest rates (propelling investors to rotate out of money market mutual funds or short-term investments into other higher-yielding assets), impressive performance of active ETFs and continued product innovation, with a focus on the development of investor-centric products.
Steady growth of tokenized assets — the tokenization of traditional assets, such as real estate and equities — is also expected to keep attracting investor interest.
Thus, the asset managers mentioned above are expected to continue their winning streaks in 2026. Let us take a look at their fundamental strength and growth expectations.
BlackRock: As of Sept. 30, 2025, BLK’s total AUM reached a record $13.46 trillion. Over the last five years (2019-2024), the company’s AUM witnessed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2%, primarily driven by its inorganic expansion strategy. Supported by solid equity market performance and net inflows ($357 billion) across channels, AUM growth continued in the first nine months of 2025.
The momentum is expected to continue in the quarters ahead as efforts to strengthen the iShares unit (offering more than 1,400 ETFs globally) and ETF operations, along with BLK’s increased focus on the active equity business, will likely offer support. As the company combines HPS Investment (acquired in July 2025), Preqin (acquired in March 2025) and Global Infrastructure Partners (acquired in October 2024) data with its alternative asset management platform, eFront, its top line is expected to improve.
Over the five years ended 2024, BlackRock’s revenues witnessed a CAGR of 7%, with the upward momentum continuing in the first nine months of 2025. BLK’s broad product diversification, revenue mix and steadily improving AUM balance have been driving its top-line growth.
Last month, BlackRock entered a strategic tie-up with AccessFintech, a leading data and workflow collaboration network for financial markets, to deliver bilateral connectivity and real-time post-trade collaboration. In October 2025, BlackRock’s Aladdin platform entered a partnership with OTCX to digitize dealer-to-client voice derivative trading and expand the option offerings for clients. In September 2025, it acquired ElmTree Funds.
BLK has been expanding its footprint and market share by acquiring firms across the globe for a long time now. Supported by a strong liquidity position, the company remains well-positioned to grow further through buyouts. In 2026, BLK’s revenues and earnings are expected to witness year-over-year growth of 17.1% and 12.9%, respectively. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings has been revised 2.2% upward over the past 60 days, reflecting analysts’ optimism regarding its earnings growth potential. Currently, BlackRock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Invesco: Headquartered in Atlanta, the company operates as an independent investment manager and offers a wide range of investment products and services. As of Sept. 30, 2025, it had offices in more than 20 countries and AUM worth $2.1 trillion. While Invesco’s total AUM balance declined in 2022, the metric witnessed a CAGR of 8.5% in the last five years (ending 2024), with the uptrend continuing in the first nine months of 2025. The acquisition of OppenheimerFunds in 2019 resulted in a substantial rise in the company's AUM, making it one of the leading global asset managers.
In April 2025, IVZ collaborated with MassMutual’s subsidiary, Barings, to boost private credit offerings. Also, the company is seeking shareholder approval to convert the Invesco QQQ Trust from a unit investment trust to an open-end ETF, enabling it to earn revenues and profits instead of just recouping marketing costs.
Invesco has been undertaking initiatives to improve operating efficiency. The company exceeded its target of realizing net cost synergies from the OppenheimerFunds acquisition and achieved $200 million in annualized net savings well ahead of schedule. In August 2025, it announced a deal to sell Intelliflo, which it had acquired in 2018, to Carlyle Group to boost efficiency. While adjusted operating expenses increased in 2023 and in the first nine months of 2025, the metric declined 2.2% in 2024.
Apart from a strong presence in the United States, Invesco maintains a solid foothold in Europe, Canada and the Asia-Pacific. As of Sept. 30, 2025, the company’s client AUM outside the United States constituted 31% of total AUM. The acquisition of Europe-based Source, a leading, independent specialist provider of ETFs, will drive Invesco’s global presence. Also, the sale of the majority stake in the India business to establish a joint venture will strengthen the company’s Asia presence while allowing capital allocation to more profitable projects.
In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings has moved 7.9% upward. In 2026, IVZ’s revenues and earnings are expected to witness year-over-year growth of 14.5% and 32.2%, respectively. Currently, Invesco carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Affiliated Managers: The company also has a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. Affiliated Managers invests in high-quality, independent partner-owned firms or affiliates. As of Sept. 30, 2025, it had total AUM of $803.6 billion.
While the company’s affiliates have been witnessing overall net outflows over the past years, the trend reversed in the first nine months of 2025 as AMG pivoted toward alternatives. Its differentiated product categories are expected to support cash flows across channels in the near term.
Since 2021, Affiliated Managers has been pivoting toward private markets and liquid alternatives, fueling strong client inflows into these segments and offsetting weakness in traditional asset categories. Aligning with the strategy, this year, the company announced four new partnerships — NorthBridge Partners, Verition Fund Management, Qualitas Energy and Montefiore Investment. Also, Affiliated Managers entered a partnership with Brown Brothers Harriman to expand the reach of BBH’s structured and alternative credit strategies into the U.S. wealth marketplace.
In the last two years, AMG acquired a minority stake in Suma Capital, Ara Partners and Forbion Group Holding B.V. Over time, earnings contributions from alternatives will keep rising as the company pivots the business mix toward secular growth areas with strong investor preference, positioning it to better counter volatility.
Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2026 earnings has been revised 6.7% upward. In 2026, AMG’s revenues and earnings are expected to witness year-over-year growth of 8% and 18.9%, respectively.
Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.
From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2026. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 5.
Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Asset Manager Stocks Set to Extend Their Winning Streak in 2026

(RTTNews) - BHP announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock, regarding its share of Western Australia Iron Ore's (WAIO) inland power network. WAIO comprises four major joint ventures in the Pilbara region, where BHP holds an 85% interest.
Under the agreement, a trust entity will be established, with BHP owning and controlling 51% and GIP providing US$2 billion in funding for a 49% stake. BHP will pay the entity a tariff linked to its share of WAIO's inland power usage over a 25-year period.
BHP will retain full operational control of WAIO, including its inland power infrastructure. The agreement does not alter existing joint venture arrangements, obligations with the State of Western Australia, or ownership of WAIO assets. WAIO will continue to pursue its long-term strategy of increasing iron ore production to 305 million tonnes per annum, supported by targeted investments and maintaining flexibility for future growth.
Completion of the transaction is expected towards the end of fiscal year 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

BHP Signs US$2 Bln Agreement With GIP For WAIO Inland Power Network

UBS Group AG UBS is preparing to cut up to 10,000 employees globally by 2027 as it advances the integration of Credit Suisse, according to Business Today news, which was published on MSN News. The reduction could affect roughly 9% of UBS’s workforce, which stood at about 110,000 at the end of 2024.
Since acquiring Credit Suisse in 2023, the company has already eliminated approximately 15,000 positions, mainly from overlapping roles created by the merger. In the third quarter of 2025, the bank cut nearly 322 positions compared with the previous quarter and 6,549 compared with the same period last year. Looking ahead, workforce reduction may accelerate depending on the progress of Credit Suisse’s integration. These reductions are aimed at removing redundant positions, improving operational efficiency, and supporting the broader structural consolidation required to integrate Credit Suisse’s operations fully.
While the pace of job cuts is accelerating, UBS continues to make progress on broader cost reductions and streamlining operations, including branch consolidations, client account migrations, and reducing its non-core and legacy portfolios. The bank has already migrated more than 90% of Credit Suisse’s Wealth Management accounts in Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. It has also transferred more than two-thirds of all Credit Suisse client accounts booked in Switzerland as of October 2025.
Meanwhile, the company’s risk-weighted assets in the Non-Core and Legacy division have declined 64% by the end of the third quarter of 2025, ahead of plan, with targets to fall below $8 billion by year-end and $4 billion by 2026. Since 2022, UBS has delivered $10 billion in gross savings, representing roughly 77% of its $13 billion exit-rate savings target for 2026.
These measures reflect the company’s disciplined effort to integrate Credit Suisse, streamline operations, and optimize efficiency as it navigates ongoing staff reductions.
Similar Move by Other Financial Firms
In June 2025, BlackRock, Inc. BLK announced plans to cut 300 jobs, affecting more than 1% of its workforce. This marked the company’s second reduction this year, following a January cut of approximately 200 positions aimed at realigning resources with the firm’s strategic priorities. Since 2023, BlackRock’s employee count has grown by more than 14% after acquiring Global Infrastructure Partners in October 2024 and Preqin Ltd. in March 2025.
The workforce reductions aim to streamline operations and optimize resources, supporting BlackRock’s efforts to improve profitability and integrate its recent acquisitions.
In the same month, Citigroup Inc. C announced it would reduce approximately 3,500 jobs at its Shanghai and Dalian technology centers by the fourth quarter of 2025, following a $136 million U.S. regulatory fine tied to data management issues. The reductions are part of Citigroup’s broader global overhaul, which includes 20,000 workforce cuts by 2026, aiming to simplify governance, reduce management layers, and improve operational efficiency, with expected annualized savings of $2–2.5 billion.
The move aligns with ongoing efforts to focus on core businesses, including the exit from consumer banking operations in 14 international markets, freeing capital for higher-return segments like wealth management and investment banking.
UBS’ Zacks Rank & Price Performance
Over the past six months, UBS shares have gained 23.4% compared with the industry’s growth of 20.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026
Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.
From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.
Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2026. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 5.
Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
UBS Group AG (UBS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

UBS Group AG Plans 10,000 Job Cuts: Will it Boost Efficiency?

Key Points
Philippe Laffont, a hedge fund billionaire with an impressive track record, sold Nvidia stock and bought the iShares Bitcoin Trust during the third quarter.
Nvidia has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the generative AI boom, and the company is likely to be a major winner as the physical AI boom unfolds.
Demand for Bitcoin is rising among institutional investors and companies due to the improving regulatory environment and the advent of spot Bitcoin ETFs.
Billionaire Philippe Laffont runs Coatue Management, a hedge fund that beat the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) by an astonishing 94 percentage points over the past three years. That makes Laffont a great source of inspiration. Investors can review Form 13F filings to track his trades.
In the third quarter, Laffont sold 1.6 million shares of Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), reducing his stake by 14%. He also bought 76,000 shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT), a BlackRock fund that tracks the price of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).
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Those trades are interesting because Nvidia dominates the market for artificial intelligence infrastructure, and one Wall Street expert expects Bitcoin's price to increase 20,300% by 2045. Here's what investors should know.
1. Nvidia
When OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022, it quickly made clear the disruptive potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Demand for AI infrastructure has since been insatiable, and few companies have benefited more than Nvidia. Its graphics processing units (GPUs) are the industry standard in accelerating AI workloads in data centers, and the company leads the market in generative AI networking gear.
Going forward, Nvidia is likely to maintain its dominant market position as the AI revolution evolves from generative use cases (e.g., creating media content like text and images) to physical use cases (e.g., autonomous robots and self-driving cars). Nvidia provides not only the data center hardware, but also the embedded chips and adjacent software tools needed for physical AI.
CEO Jensen Huang earlier this year explained the company's full-stack strategy. "We build all three computers: the training computer, the simulation computer, and the robotics computer or self-driving car computer." He also said Nvidia provides the software stack, models, and algorithms that run on those hardware products. No other company has a more comprehensive portfolio.
Wall Street expects Nvidia's earnings to increase at 37% annually over the next three years. That makes the current valuation of 44 times earnings look quite reasonable. I'm not sure why Philippe Laffont sold Nvidia in the third quarter. Maybe he simply wanted to take some profits. Whatever the reason, it would be wrong to assume he lost confidence. Nvidia is still his eighth largest holding and accounts for 4.5% of his portfolio.
2. iShares Bitcoin Trust
Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor is one of the most vocal Bitcoin bulls on Wall Street. He has so much confidence in the cryptocurrency that his company owns 650,000 BTC, which makes it a Bitcoin investment vehicle for all intents and purposes. Earlier this year, Saylor told CNBC Bitcoin could return 30% annually over the next 20 years to reach $19 million by 2045. That implies a total return of about 20,300% from its current price of $93,000.
The investment thesis for Bitcoin is simple: Its fixed supply of 21 million coins means its price will increase as demand increases, and the advent of spot Bitcoin ETFs is driving demand among retail investors, institutional investors, and companies. Also, the Trump administration's crypto-friendly policies -- including the creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve -- have instilled investors with confidence.
State Street strategists write, "Institutions are embracing Bitcoin for its diversification, long-term growth, and improving regulatory clarity." Between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, the number of large asset managers (i.e., $100 million-plus in assets) with positions in the iShares Bitcoin Trust rose 150%, and the amount of BTC held by public and private companies doubled. I think those trends will not only persist but intensify in the coming years.
As a caveat, Bitcoin has historically been a very volatile asset. In fact, we are currently in the middle of a substantial drawdown. Bitcoin reached a record high in October, then dropped more than 30% in November. It currently trades 27% below its high. I think that dip creates a buying opportunity for patient investors, but only those comfortable with extreme volatility.
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Trevor Jennewine has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Nvidia, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Billionaire Philippe Laffont Sells Nvidia Stock and Buys a BlackRock ETF That Could Soar 20,300%

Key Points
Rigetti Computing is the hottest quantum stock on the market right now.
Major players like Vanguard and BlackRock are buying in -- and buying more.
Meanwhile, Rigetti's sales are down, and profits remain a long way off.
The past year has been a good time to own quantum computing stocks.
Shares of Arqit Quantum (NASDAQ: ARQQ) are up 17% in the past year, beating the comparable 13.3% performance of the S&P 500. IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) saw its stock price rise 67% over the past year, and Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT) is up more than 7x as much as that, at 120%.
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But do you know who's done better than these quantum computing stocks? And do you know who's been attracting the most buying by insider investors even after its stock has gotten a lot more expensive this year?
That would be Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), up 855%, and the target of massive buying by shareholders including American Assets Investment Management, the Vanguard Group, and BlackRock.
Look who's buying Rigetti stock now
According to SEC filings, all three of these investment firms first discovered and began buying into Rigetti stock earlier this year, with American Assets taking a 2.6% stake, Vanguard buying 7.1%, and BlackRock 5.3%. Both Vanguard and BlackRock even continued buying, raising their stakes to 9.9% and 6.4%, respectively.
Combined, the three firms now control nearly 20% of Rigetti's shares outstanding. But should you join them?
Not necessarily. Despite the stock's strong performance, I think these insiders are actually wrong to be buying Rigetti.
Why do I say this? On the one hand, yes, Rigetti has become a very popular quantum stock this year -- but not because its business has improved.
Contrary to what you might expect from a growth stock, Rigetti's sales aren't rising. They're shrinking, with trailing-12-month revenue down 43% from 2022 levels. At the same time, Rigetti's annual losses have quintupled over the last three years, to more than $350 million -- and most analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence agree Rigetti will keep on losing money for at least the next five years, and possibly even longer.
That doesn't seem to worry the insiders who are buying into Rigetti stock's rally. But it should probably worry you.
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Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends IonQ and S&P Global. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Quantum Computing Stock Insiders Are Quietly Buying

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C), where a total volume of 68,627 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 6.9 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 60.7% of C's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 11.3 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $105 strike call option expiring December 05, 2025, with 3,395 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 339,500 underlying shares of C. Below is a chart showing C's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $105 strike highlighted in orange:
Smith & Wesson Brands Inc (Symbol: SWBI) saw options trading volume of 2,936 contracts, representing approximately 293,600 underlying shares or approximately 60.5% of SWBI's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 484,970 shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $8 strike put option expiring December 19, 2025, with 1,171 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 117,100 underlying shares of SWBI. Below is a chart showing SWBI's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $8 strike highlighted in orange:
And Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) saw options trading volume of 3,695 contracts, representing approximately 369,500 underlying shares or approximately 59.4% of BLK's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 622,390 shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $1040 strike call option expiring December 05, 2025, with 471 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 47,100 underlying shares of BLK. Below is a chart showing BLK's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $1040 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for C options, SWBI options, or BLK options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
DINO Videos
Institutional Holders of EWHS
Institutional Holders of FWD
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Thursday Option Activity: C, SWBI, BLK

Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for BLACKROCK INC (BLK). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, BLK rates highest using our Multi-Factor Investor model based on the published strategy of Pim van Vliet. This multi-factor model seeks low volatility stocks that also have strong momentum and high net payout yields.
BLACKROCK INC (BLK) is a large-cap growth stock in the Misc. Financial Services industry. The rating using this strategy is 75% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
TWELVE MINUS ONE MOMENTUM:
NEUTRAL
Detailed Analysis of BLACKROCK INC
BLK Guru Analysis
More Information on Pim van Vliet
About Pim van Vliet: In investing, you typically need to take more risk to get more return. There is one major exception to this in the factor investing world, though. Low volatility stocks have been proven to outperform their high volatility counterparts, and do so with less risk. Pim van Vliet is the head of Conservative Equities at Robeco Asset Management. His research into conservative factor investing led to the creation of this strategy and the publication of the book "High Returns From Low Risk: A Remarkable Stock Market Paradox". Van Vliet holds a PhD in Financial and Business Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Additional Research Links
Dividend Aristocrats 2025
Wide Moat Stocks
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Guru Fundamental Report for BLK

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (Symbol: IWD) where we have detected an approximate $124.4 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.2% decrease week over week (from 322,950,000 to 322,350,000). Among the largest underlying components of IWD, in trading today Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) is up about 1.3%, Standard and Poors Global Inc (Symbol: SPGI) is up about 0.2%, and Citigroup Inc (Symbol: C) is up by about 1.1%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the IWD Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of IWD, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IWD's low point in its 52 week range is $163.19 per share, with $208.66 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $208.26. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Also see:
IPST market cap history
Institutional Holders of PVH
Institutional Holders of FHI
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

	S/L 5%RUB 1,046.75	S/L 10%RUB 991.66	S/L 15%RUB 936.56
Day	0.06%	0.00%	0.00%
Week	12.60%	0.17%	0.00%
Month	45.53%	12.52%	1.80%

BlackRock, Inc.

Momentum

Protective stop levels