AeroVironment stock rises after UES division lands $75 million Air Force contract

Investing.com -- Autozi (NASDAQ:AZI) stock surged 31.6% in premarket trading Wednesday after the company’s founder and chairman announced plans to purchase shares worth up to $30 million over the next year.

Dr. Zhang Houqi, who also serves as Autozi’s controlling shareholder, committed to buying company shares incrementally over the next 12 months at $5 per share. The purchase, using personal funds ranging between $10 million and $30 million, demonstrates his confidence in the company’s long-term prospects and will support the execution of Autozi’s three-year strategic plan.

The Chinese automotive supply chain platform operator recently overcame significant capital market challenges, including a near-delisting from Nasdaq. The company received a compliance notice from Nasdaq on January 14, 2026, canceling a scheduled delisting hearing and removing the threat of being dropped from the exchange.

Autozi has unveiled a three-year strategic framework focused on three pillars: achieving profitability, expanding its domestic Chinese operations, and breaking into overseas markets. The company aims to build China’s first nationwide maintenance parts supply chain platform while also establishing a digital cross-border supply chain platform for international markets.

Founded in 2010 by Dr. Zhang, a former Global Vice President of Lenovo Group, Autozi has developed an ecosystem spanning auto parts supply, vehicle supply, and insurance services. The company currently serves more than 100,000 repair shops with annual GMV exceeding RMB 10 billion.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Sleep Number (NASDAQ:SNBR) stock rose 4% Wednesday after NFL star Travis Kelce took a stake in the mattress maker as part of a new partnership deal.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end will become one of Sleep Number’s top shareholders with a stake of under 5%, according to a company statement reported by Reuters. The three-year partnership will also feature Kelce in national advertising campaigns.

Kelce is purchasing some shares directly while receiving additional restricted stock that will vest over the three-year period. The exact size and value of the stake were not disclosed by the company.

The three-time Super Bowl champion has been sleeping on a Sleep Number bed since 2019 and has publicly endorsed the company’s products since at least 2020. Kelce said in a statement that becoming an investor "felt like a natural next step."

"This partnership reflects my confidence in where the company is headed and the growing opportunity around sleep," he added.

This investment marks Kelce’s latest foray into public companies, following his stake in amusement park chain Six Flags Entertainment last year. His investments have gained significant attention partly due to his relationship with singer Taylor Swift. When news broke of Kelce joining activist hedge fund Jana Partners in taking a stake in Six Flags last October, shares soared 18%.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Kepler Cheuvreux on Wednesday cut its Boliden (ST:BOL) rating to Hold from Buy ahead of the miner’s fourth-quarter results, citing limited upside after a sharp share price rally, while raising the target price to 640 from 423 Swedish krona.

The broker’s analyst Boris Bourdet said the new valuation reflects higher metal price assumptions but now implies less than 2% upside from current levels.

The downgrade comes as Bourdet expects Boliden to post Q4 2025 EBIT excluding process inventory revaluation of 3.8 billion krona, up from 2.8 billion in the third quarter but about 5% below consensus expectations.

The analyst said results should benefit from “continued healthy volumes and a positive SEK400m one-off contribution” linked to the revaluation of Rönnskär inventories, while higher seasonal costs and the absence of prior quarter tailwinds are likely to weigh on performance.

By business area, smelter volumes are expected to remain solid following a strong third quarter. In mining, Bourdet sees both Tara and Aitik narrowly meeting their full-year guidance, with Tara reaching its 1.6 million tonne production target and Aitik delivering on head-grade expectations.

Investor attention is also likely to centre on confirmation of the ramp-up at the expanded Odda facility after recent delays.

"Against a backdrop of sharply rising copper and precious metal prices, management may also face questions regarding its mid-term price assumptions," Bourdet added. 

He upgraded his forecasts in response to the surge in metal prices, lifting copper assumptions up to $12,000 per tonne from 2026, from $10,000 previously. The analyst said the higher price deck drove “upward revisions of c. 20–25% to our EPS estimates."

However, following the recent share price rally, and despite lifting the price target to SEK640, Bourdet now sees “limited upside” in the stock and has thus downgraded the stock to Hold.

Investing.com -- REGENXBIO Inc. (NASDAQ:RGNX) stock fell 28% Wednesday after the FDA placed clinical holds on two of its investigational gene therapies for rare genetic disorders.

The regulatory action follows the discovery of a tumor in the brain of a five-year-old patient who received the company’s RGX-111 therapy for MPS I (Hurler syndrome) four years ago. The FDA also halted trials of RGX-121 for MPS II (Hunter syndrome), citing similarities between the products and patient populations.

According to REGENXBIO, preliminary genetic analysis of the tumor detected an AAV vector genome integration event associated with overexpression of a proto-oncogene known as PLAG1. The company emphasized that causality has not been established, and the affected patient remains asymptomatic with positive developmental progress.

"We are surprised by FDA’s decision to place our RGX-121 program on hold while the investigation of this single, inconclusive incident in RGX-111 continues," said Curran Simpson, President and CEO of REGENXBIO. "These are separate therapies, and the positive safety profile of RGX-121 in more than 30 patients treated, including those dosed nearly seven years ago, remains unchanged."

The company noted that no evidence of neoplasm has been reported in nine other participants treated with RGX-111 or in the 32 participants who received RGX-121. REGENXBIO is awaiting the full clinical hold letter with additional details from the FDA.

The clinical holds represent a significant setback for REGENXBIO’s development programs targeting these ultra-rare genetic disorders, which cause progressive neurodevelopmental decline in affected children.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- In its latest UK Equity Research outlook, Stifel highlights a select group of energy stocks it believes are best positioned to navigate 2026’s complex oil and gas landscape.

With concerns over global supply balances overstated and free cash flow generation remaining a key investor focus, Stifel’s top energy picks span upstream producers and specialist service providers, offering differentiated exposure to resilient production, capital discipline and shareholder returns.

Afentra Plc

Stifel sees Afentra as significantly undervalued relative to its asset base and long-term cash generation potential. The company’s African-focused portfolio is expected to generate cash equivalent to more than three times its current enterprise value over the next decade, even under conservative assumptions.

With a strong balance sheet and a pipeline that supports both organic production growth and inorganic value-accretive acquisitions, Afentra offers meaningful re-rating potential as its strategy continues to execute.

Valeura Energy

Valeura Energy stands out in Stifel’s coverage as a lower-risk upstream producer that still delivers the high returns traditionally associated with international E&P.

Its short-cycle, capital-light portfolio allows management to adapt quickly to prevailing oil market conditions while maintaining strong cash flows.

Stifel believes this flexibility, combined with disciplined capital allocation and a growing production base, positions Valeura well to deliver sustained shareholder value.

Ashtead Technology

Stifel highlights Ashtead Technology as an energy services name that has been unfairly discounted following a profit warning in mid-2025.

The broker notes that the company has minimal exposure to offshore wind weakness and instead benefits from customers with record-high backlogs and long-term visibility.

Ashtead’s proven ability to redeploy capital into value-accretive acquisitions, combined with resilient offshore demand, underpins Stifel’s conviction that earnings and valuation can recover.

BlueNord ASA

According to Stifel, BlueNord offers investors exposure to some of Denmark’s largest and most established producing fields, providing a high-quality and reliable production base.

The broker forecasts strong free cash flow generation well into the 2030s and highlights BlueNord’s commitment to capital returns, estimating that around 80% of its current market capitalisation could be returned to shareholders via dividends between 2025 and 2027.

This combination of longevity, cash generation and yield makes BlueNord a standout within the sector.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.