FactSet (FDS) Faces Reassessment After 36.9% One-Year Decline
January 18, 2026, 1:20 AM EST. FactSet Research Systems trades near $288.60, with a 1-year loss of 36.9% and a 5-year decline of 5.5%. A 30-day return is flat. The stock sits in a market backdrop of data and analytics providers, with investors weighing subscription-based models. Our checklist-based valuation scores FactSet 3 out of 6. In Approach 1, the Excess Returns model uses a base book value of $58.21 and a stable value of $67.04, projecting stable EPS of $19.28 and an ROE near 28.75% against a cost of equity of 5.66%. The implied intrinsic value is about $329.58 per share, versus the current price, implying about 12.4% upside and an undervalued signal. A second approach, P/E, also informs fair value but depends on growth assumptions.
Data-storage stocks extend 2026 rally as AI demand fuels gains, bubble risk debated
January 18, 2026, 1:18 AM EST. Data-storage stocks led the market in 2025 and extend gains in 2026 as AI workloads sustain demand for memory and storage. Four names-Sandisk (SNDK), Western Digital (WDC), Seagate Technology (STX), and Micron Technology (MU)-posted triple-digit gains last year, including 559% for Sandisk and 239% for Micron. A persistent memory-chip shortage pushed DRAM prices about 170% and NAND about 250%. Demand, powered by AI, outpaced supply, widening a supply-demand imbalance and lifting prices. Early 2026 data show continued strength: Sandisk up 63%, Western Digital 23%, Seagate 16%, Micron 19%, while the S&P 500 rose under 2%. Analysts warn that capacity expansion could normalize prices and gains, though AI-driven demand may endure.
Phillips 66 appears undervalued after gains, per DCF model
January 18, 2026, 1:01 AM EST. Phillips 66 (PSX) trades near $138 a share, with mixed recent momentum: -2.7% over 7 days, +7.3% over 30 days, +5.9% year-to-date, and +19% over the last year. Over 3 years and 5 years, returns run about 44.1% and 131.7% respectively. A valuation scan rates PSX 2/6 on traditional checks. The analysis centers on a 2-stage Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCF) model. Trailing twelve-month FCF is about $1.48 billion; projected FCF in 2026 is around $3.86 billion, with further projections to 2035. Discounting back yields an intrinsic value of roughly $327.20 per share, implying about 57.7% undervaluation at the current price. The piece notes P/E as a quick gauge, but growth and risk are weighed-investors should consider sector dynamics as refining margins shift.
Cattle futures slip ahead of long weekend as feeder retreats; cash trades steady
January 18, 2026, 12:49 AM EST. Live cattle futures closed Friday lower, contracts down about $3.90-$4.50. February off 1.57 for the week. Cash trade centered near $233 in the South and $232-$235 in the North. Feeder cattle futures retraced earlier gains, down about $6.50-$8.10; January still up for the week. The CME Feeder Cattle Index rose 73 cents to $370.15 on Jan. 15. Markets will be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) reported new New World Screwworm cases in Tamaulipas, Mexico. CFTC data show managed funds adding 6,555 contracts to a net long positions totaling 101,316 in live cattle; feeders' net long fell 530 to 16,308. Boxed beef prices rose; Choice to Select spread widened. Slaughter this week estimated at 562,000 head, up from last week but down from a year ago.
United Rentals valuation after rebound: intrinsic value around $1,008 vs wide target range
January 18, 2026, 12:48 AM EST.United Rentals (URI) has rebounded but the valuation debate continues. A 1-month gain of 13.39% contrasts with a 3-month decline of 7.90%; over 1 year, TSR ~20.56% and 5-year TSR about 267.84%. The stock sits roughly 19.43% below intrinsic value, where intrinsic value means an estimate of the stock's true worth, implying a fair value near $1,007.90 per share versus a close of $921.24. Analysts' consensus target ~ $900.22 spans a wide range-from a high of $1,075 to a low of $592. The case rests on demand, margins, and future earnings multiples; risks include slower project activity and CapEx and margin pressure that may limit flexibility. This Simply Wall St narrative is not investment advice.
Phillips 66 (PSX) valuation mixed after price swing; DCF points to undervaluation
January 18, 2026, 12:47 AM EST. Phillips 66 trades around $138.28 as shares log a choppy run: a 2.7% drop over the past week but a 7.3% gain in the prior month. The stock shows a 5.9% rise year-to-date and a longer uptrend (1-year +19%, 5-year +131.7%). A valuation check scores 2/6, signaling a split view on whether the price reflects intrinsic value. A two-stage DCF model pegs intrinsic value at about $327.20 per share, implying the stock is roughly 57.7% undervalued versus the current price. The write-up also touches on P/E considerations, though that portion is incomplete. Sentiment and energy-sector dynamics color the backdrop, while cash-flow projections suggest upside if key assumptions hold.
PagSeguro Digital valuation under scrutiny as growth, capital returns meet rate outlook
January 18, 2026, 12:46 AM EST. PagSeguro Digital (PAGS) draws fresh attention as analysts assess its valuation, capital-return plans and earnings sensitivity to Brazil's policy rate. The stock trades near $10.08, with a 30-day return of 5.4% and a 90-day gain of 11.6%; a 1-year TSR of 56.6% contrasts with a 5-year TSR of -81.2%. The focus is whether the rebound can endure as Brazilian SELIC cuts loom in early 2026. At $10.08, shares sit below a narrative fair value of $12.02, hinting at undervalued status unless higher SELIC rates compress margins or PIX competition pressures volumes. Analysts foresee about 8.1% annual revenue growth over three years, with margins rising from ~11.4% to ~11.5%. An intrinsic discount near 48.7% supports the bull case but risks persist.
AI-generated signals for Mackenzie GQE Canada Low Volatility ETF (MCLV:CA) show long setup near 27.60; no shorts
January 18, 2026, 12:45 AM EST. AI-generated signals for Mackenzie GQE Canada Low Volatility ETF (MCLV:CA) were published Jan. 18, 2026. The plan leans long: buy near 27.60, with a stop loss at 27.46; no short exposure is offered. The timestamp emphasizes data recency. Updated AI-generated signals for MCLV:CA are available. On Jan. 18, ratings for Near Neutral, Mid Neutral, and Long Strong were assigned to MCLV:CA. A chart for the ETF accompanies the signals.
Fund short covering lifts sugar prices as supply outlook dims
January 18, 2026, 12:31 AM EST. March NY world sugar #11 (SBH26) rose 2.54%, while March London white sugar #5 (SWH26) gained 2.37%, aided by fund short covering ahead of a US three-day weekend for MLK Day. Prices had fallen earlier, with NY sugar at a one-month low and London at a two-month low on Thursday. The supply outlook remains negative for prices: India's 2025/26 production rose to about 15.9 MMT in Oct-Jan, up 21% y/y; Brazil's Center-South output through mid-Dec rose 0.9% to 40.158 MMT. The cane crush ratio jumped to 50.91% in 2025/26. Covrig lifted its 2025/26 global surplus estimate to 4.7 MMT; 2026/27 surplus seen at 1.4 MMT. ISMA raised India's 2025/26 output to 31 MMT, cut ethanol use to 3.4 MMT, signaling higher exports. The ISO still forecasts a 2025/26 surplus, driven by India, Thailand, and Pakistan, with global production up 3.2% to 181.8 MMT.
Navin Fluorine International stock up 21% in three months; ROE above peers but earnings growth flat
January 18, 2026, 12:30 AM EST. Navin Fluorine International Ltd. shares have risen about 21% over the past three months. The company posted a trailing twelve-month ROE of 12% (net profit ₹4.4 billion vs. shareholders' equity ₹36 billion as of September 2025), modestly above the industry average of 9.9%. Yet, earnings growth over the last five years has been largely flat, which may reflect the high ROE not translating into sustained profit expansion. The market's higher near-term price may reflect optimism about the sector, even as the company reinvests profits. Compared with the industry, Navin's ROE is stronger, but the lack of growth suggests limited upside from earnings expansion alone. Investors should weigh the stability of returns against the muted growth before pricing in a brighter future.
Iran tensions underpin crude prices as US boosts Middle East posture
January 18, 2026, 12:14 AM EST. Crude prices edged higher Friday as Iran-related tensions supported the market despite a firmer dollar. The front-month WTI contract rose, and RBOB gasoline also advanced. Short covering helped lift the complex after Thursday's pullback. While the risk of an immediate U.S. response appeared to ease, the United States has moved a carrier strike group and other assets toward the Middle East, keeping supply risks in play. Unrest in Iran threatens output from OPEC+ member and fourth-largest supplier, complicating a global surplus picture. Estimates of China's crude demand remained supportive, with December imports seen at a fresh high, helping underpin prices even as OPEC+ signaled a pause on hikes in Q1 2026.
Cotton futures fall on Friday as December contract leads declines
January 18, 2026, 12:00 AM EST. Cotton futures fell across most contracts on Friday, with December down about 80 points. Other months slipped 4 to 32 points. The dollar index eased, while crude oil rose 97 cents to provide limited support. In the CFTC data, speculators cut their net short in cotton futures and options by 12,969 contracts to 17,549 as of Tuesday. The Seam reported 868 online bale sales on Thursday at 67.83 cents per pound. ICE stocks were unchanged on Sept. 26, with 265 bales certified. The Cotlook A Index fell 90 points to 84.90 c/lb. The USDA Adjusted World Price (AWP) rose 223 points to 61.06 c/lb. Dec 24 closed at 72.72, down 30; Mar 25 at 74.52, down 25; May 25 at 75.61, down 26.
