VDC offers defensive exposure to blue-chip consumer staples, but sector performance lags amid mixed economic signals and no clear recession ahead. Top holdings like COST and WMT are overvalued, facing margin pressures from tariffs, though their balance sheets remain strong for the long term. VDC's total returns and dividend yield trail technology and some consumer staples peers, making it less compelling for outperformance in 2025.

Walmart reported their fiscal Q1 '26 earnings results last Thursday morning, May 15th, 2025 and while actual EPS beat consensus by 5%. Ecommerce – now approaching 20% of total Walmart revenue – has finally turned profitable, which should definitely help margins over the next few years. Walmart Connect, the advertising business, grew 31% in the US and was up 50% “across markets” per the conference call.

Arbor Realty Trust was forced to cut its dividend to common shareholders by 30% following a dip in net interest income and EPS. The mREIT has seen delinquencies come in hotter in recent quarters and plans to take back non-performing assets as real estate owned. REO jumped 71% sequentially. The Series E Preferreds are now trading for 66 cents on the dollar with a 9.46% yield on cost.

Customers Bancorp is a pure-play business lender with a diversified, specialized loan portfolio and conservative underwriting. Revenue and deposit growth surged during the PPP era, but have since normalized; recent earnings volatility reflects strategic balance sheet repositioning and not credit deterioration. Management guides for 7-10% loan and NII growth in 2025, supported by an improving yield curve and recent tariff truce, but macro risks remain.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your NET Power, Inc. (NYSE:NPWR) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/net-power-inc-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=149694&wire=1&utm_campaign=30 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your SoundHound AI, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOUN) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/soundhound-ai-inc-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=149691&wire=1&utm_campaign=22 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ:VTRS) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/viatris-inc-lawsuit-submission-form-2?prid=149692&wire=1&utm_campaign=14 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:IOVA) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/iovance-biotherapeutics-inc-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=149693&wire=1&utm_campaign=25 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

AMD's chiplet architecture and MI300X GPU give it a structural edge in AI hardware, especially for inference and memory-intensive tasks. The Xilinx acquisition positions AMD as a leader in edge AI and adaptive computing, offering a broader, more open platform than Nvidia. Strong data center and adaptive segment growth is driving a profitable financial flywheel, funding further innovation and strategic acquisitions.

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until July 8, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 1, 2024 and May 7, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until July 15, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (“Iovance” or the “Company”) (NasdaqGM: IOVA), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 9, 2024 and May 8, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until June 17, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against NET Power Inc. ("Net Power" or the "Company") (NYSE: NPWR), if they purchased the Company's securities between June 9, 2023 and March 7, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until June 3, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Viatris Inc. (“Viatris” or “the Company”) (NasdaqGS: VTRS), if they purchased the Company's securities between August 8, 2024 and February 26, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Natural Grocers delivered strong revenue and margin growth, with net income up 93% since 2022, driven by health-focused differentiation and cost control. Management raised guidance, reflecting confidence in continued momentum, but I believe current valuation is elevated and prefer to wait for a pullback. Valuation models suggest 12% upside at $57.56 per share, but a conservative scenario shows potential downside, justifying a cautious approach.

Iqbal Khan, Co-President of UBS Global Wealth Management says the bank will work "proactively and reactively" through the capital proposal that the Swiss regulator will put forward in June.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Ibotta, Inc. (NYSE:IBTA) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/ibotta-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=149690&wire=1&utm_campaign=23 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

Oil fell in the early Asian session, weighed by an unexpected increase in U.S. crude inventories.

Walmart plans to cut 1,500 corporate jobs in its technology, eCommerce fulfillment and advertising operations, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (May 21), citing unnamed sources. Reached by PYMNTS, a Walmart spokesperson declined to comment on the report.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Open Lending Corporation (NASDAQ:LPRO) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information: https://zlk.com/pslra-1/open-lending-corporation-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=149689&wire=1&utm_campaign=15 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

Gold should gradually rise to $3,750/oz by 4Q on likely safe-haven demand and a weakening U.S. Dollar, said Vivek Dhar of CBA's Global Economic & Markets Research in a research report.