Ticker Reports for October 28th
Buyback Accelerators: 3 Stocks Boosting Capacity & Spending Speed
Adding new buyback capacity is great, but it doesn’t always mean that the pace of a company’s buyback spending will increase. This latter action is particularly relevant, as it means a firm is increasing the speed at which it is delivering buyback benefits. This includes lowering its share count more rapidly, adding a tailwind to key metrics like earnings per share.
Below, we’ll detail three stocks that recently boosted their buyback capacity and could also see their buyback pace increase: a two-sided win for investors.
Capital One Greatly Boosts Buybacks in Q3, Adds $16 Billion in Capacity
First up is one of the world’s biggest names in consumer finance, Capital One Financial (NYSE: COF). Like shares of many financial services companies, Capital One has performed well in 2025. Overall, the stock has delivered a return of just over 27%. The firm released its Q3 financial results on Oct. 21 and announced a hefty new buyback program. Its new authorization is worth $16 billion, equal to a very large 11.2% of its approximately $143 billion market capitalization.
The company is notably accelerating its buyback spending, and could accelerate it further. This latest announcement comes on the heels of Capital One spending $1 billion on buybacks in Q3. It spent a total of just $600 million on repurchases from Q3 2024 to Q2 2025.
On the earnings call, Capital One indicated that its buyback spending pace could increase even more. Chief Financial Officer Andrew Young said, “At least in the very near term, it's reasonable to assume that we'll be picking up the pace of share repurchases from here.” Clearly, buybacks look poised to become a much more critical part of Capital One’s plans, a positive sign for the stock.
EPAM May Accelerate Repurchases With Shares Down Big
Next is mid-cap IT services company EPAM Systems (NYSE: EPAM). 2025 has hit EPAM very hard, with shares down by approximately 32%. Overall, EPAM now trades at nearly one-third of its 2022 high. A new $1 billion share repurchase program, announced on Oct. 21, indicates that the company may now see significant value in its share price. The buyback plan equals around 11.3% of EPAM’s approximately $8.9 billion market capitalization. That is another very substantial repurchase program. Furthermore, EPAM could use its buyback capacity quickly, as the authorization only has a 24-month term.
In Q2, the firm spent around $195 million on buybacks, its second-highest quarterly spending level ever. To fully utilize its new capacity over the next eight quarters, it would need to boost its average spending by around 28% from that level. This would be a welcome tailwind for shares. Still, it is essential to note that the firm is not obligated to use its capacity in full or at all.
Barclays Boosts Guidance and Announces Unlikely Buyback
Last up is another huge name in finance, Barclays (NYSE: BCS). Barclays' shares have soared in 2025, delivering a return of just under 60%. Along with its Q3 2025 financial results, Barclays announced a surprise buyback authorization. This surprise comes as Barclays is generating better-than-expected earnings. The firm increased its return on tangible equity (ROTE) guidance for 2025 to greater than 11%, up from 11%. The authorization equals around $670 million, or approximately 0.9% of its $71.9 billion market cap. This relatively small authorization sits within Barclays' much larger three-year capital return program.
From 2024 to 2026, Barclays intends to return $13 billion in capital to shareholders (or “at least 10 billion GBP,” according to the company). This will come through dividends and buybacks, with total distributions in 2025 set to be higher than in 2024. Due to its better-than-expected results, Barclays authorized $670 million of this $13 billion spending early. Overall, Barclays's business is gaining momentum, allowing it to deliver on its capital return plans faster than anticipated. This indicates that Barclays's already impressive run in 2025 may still have legs in 2026.
Does EPAM Steep Drop and Buyback Boost Indicate Opportunity?
Capital One, EPAM, and Barclays all look like they could see the pace of their buyback spending move up.
In this group, EPAM stands out as a candidate for further examination. The stock’s dramatic decline indicates that there may be solid value in this name, especially as it looks poised to ramp up repurchases.
Shots officially fired…
Shots officially fired…
Don't Fear the Dip: Rare Earth Stocks May Rebound Fast
A sea of red has washed over the U.S. rare earth mining sector. Fear has gripped the market as shares of key domestic producers dropped on heavy volume, with MP Materials (NYSE: MP) falling 7.36%, USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) dropping 8.36%, and Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) plunging 13.71% since Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.
The catalyst was not a failure in operations or a downgrade in fundamentals, but a geopolitical headline: reports of a potential U.S.-China trade truce that could pause tariffs and recently imposed Chinese export controls on rare earth materials.
The late October news immediately spooked investors who had priced in a vertigo-inducing geopolitical premium on the stocks due to supply chain security concerns. The sell-off in the sector now raises a critical question: Is this a trick or a treat?
Are these the first warning signs of a horrific new fundamental weakness, or is the market’s melodramatic overreaction to a Halloween scare creating the rare opportunity for investors to treat themselves?
Don’t Confuse Today’s Weather With the Climate
The bearish logic driving the sell-off is that a trade truce reduces the immediate urgency for domestic supply chain reform, making the sector's high valuations unsustainable. This argument, however, confuses temporary political tactics with a permanent strategic shift. The onshoring of critical minerals is not a reaction to a single tariff threat; it is a multi-year, bipartisan national security imperative aimed at mitigating a recognized economic vulnerability.
The evidence of this long-term commitment is written into contracts, not just headlines. For example, the U.S. Department of Defense's landmark agreements with MP Materials include a 10-year magnet offtake commitment and a price floor for key rare-earth elements. This provides a crucial layer of revenue predictability and downside protection, a rarity for any company tied to commodity markets.
These are durable, institutional safeguards designed to foster a domestic industry over the next decade, insulating it from the day-to-day noise of trade negotiations. The market is reacting to the political weather, but the strategic climate remains hot and unchanged.
Data vs. Drama: A Foundation of Real Progress
While stock charts show volatility, company reports reveal a story of steady, fundamental progress. The sell-off has driven valuations down just as these producers are reaching critical inflection points from development to production.
- MP Materials: From Miner to Manufacturer. The company has already proved that its vertical integration strategy works. In its second-quarter 2025 earnings results, MP Materials reported $19.9 million in revenue from its new Magnetics segment, demonstrating its ability to produce and sell high-value magnetic precursor products. More importantly, it is executing this expansion from a position of financial strength, ending the quarter with a formidable $753.7 million in cash and short-term investments.
- USA Rare Earth: On Track and Funded. The company is hitting its development targets while managing its finances effectively. The Stillwater magnet facility remains on schedule for commissioning in Q1 2026, a critical catalyst for revenue generation. USA Rare Earth’s second quarter of 2025 revealed an adjusted net loss of only 8 cents per share, beating analyst estimates and signaling disciplined cost control. The 8 cents per share exceeds expectations and indicates careful expense management. With $121.8 million in cash and no significant debt, it is well-capitalized to reach its initial production goals.
- Critical Metals Corp.: De-risking a World-Class Asset. Critical Metals is making its massive Tanbreez project in Greenland more tangible. The company recently secured $50 million in new funding to complete its Bankable Feasibility Study by year-end, a crucial step toward a final investment decision. The asset is highly strategic, noted for its high concentration of valuable heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs), essential for high-performance magnets and in short supply globally.
How the Coiled Spring of Pessimism Could Fuel a Rebound
The extremely high level of bearish bets against the sector adds a powerful technical dynamic to the bullish case. Short interest (the number of shares sold by investors betting the price will fall) is extremely high at 25.51% of the publicly traded float for Critical Metals Corp, 17.89% for MP Materials, and 14.45% for USA Rare Earth.
This extreme pessimism creates a coiled spring scenario. The short interest ratios for these stocks and the sector indicate a crowded trading area. Should any positive news emerge, these short-sellers could be forced to buy back shares en masse to avoid further losses. This sudden surge in buying demand can trigger a short squeeze, a rapid and powerful price surge that the bears fuel as they rush for the exits.
An Inflection Point for Patient Investors
The current environment presents a clear divergence. The market is pricing in short-term political drama, while the long-term, data-supported fundamentals, including structural demand, national security policy, and operational execution, continue to strengthen.
This disconnect has created an inflection point. While the market is fearful, analysts with a long-term view maintain a Moderate Buy consensus on key players like MP Materials and USA Rare Earth. Their average price targets imply a healthy upside of nearly 19% for MP Materials and nearly 25% for USA Rare Earth, with some individual firms projecting returns far higher.
The market's Halloween fear may have created a compelling opportunity for investors with a time horizon measured in months, not hours or days. The current downturn offers multiple entry points into a strategically vital sector at valuations not seen in months, giving investors a chance to invest in the foundational pieces of America's future industrial and defense supply chain. A sweet Halloween treat indeed.
Nvidia CEO Makes First Ever Tesla Announcement
Nvidia CEO Makes First Ever Tesla Announcement
Top 3 Stocks Powering Through Trump's Tariff Policies
Since President Trump entered office, tariffs have become among the most discussed topics in financial markets. April 2, which became known as “Liberation Day." President Trump unveiled massive tariffs that his administration planned to implement in many countries.
This led the S&P 500 to plummet more than 12% in two days. However, the market has roared back as Trump softened his dramatic proposals. Since hitting April lows, the S&P 500 has provided a total return of over 37% through the Oct. 24 close.
The index has also returned just under 17% for the year. Clearly, the U.S. stock market has been able to withstand tariffs much better than many thought.
The same is true for three individual stocks that are among the biggest names in the market. These firms have seen their tariff outlooks improve substantially throughout 2025. This has helped lead to a big rebound in their share prices since April, putting them in the green this year.
Below, we will examine how the tariff environment has shifted considerably for these stocks, leading to positive shareholder results.
GM Up +60% Since April as Tariff Forecasts Fall and Mitigation Rises
First up is one of the key players in the U.S. auto industry, General Motors (NYSE: GM). GM produces many vehicles in Mexico and Canada, a big negative after Trump imposed 25% tariffs on cars imported to the U.S. GM estimated in May that the adverse effect of tariffs on its business for 2025 would be $4 billion to $5 billion. In Q2, the company’s operating income took a $1.1 billion gross impact from tariffs. The gross impact was the same in Q3.
However, this time around, GM was able to offset 30% of this impact, using go-to-market, footprint, and cost initiatives. The tariff environment continues to improve for the company. It now expects $500 million less in gross tariff impact, lowering its forecast to between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion. It also now believes it can offset 35% of this.
This was partly why GM shares soared 15% on Oct. 21. Ultimately, shares have now returned approximately 65% versus April lows, and 32% in 2025.
Apple Hits New Highs, With Tariff Avoidance Efforts Playing a Key Role
Next on the list is Magnificent Seven stalwart Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). Tariff threats weighed mightily on Apple through the first several months of 2025. At one point, Trump proposed 145% tariffs on China, where Apple traditionally assembles most of its products. However, Apple made several smart moves to get around this issue, including preemptively announcing that it would invest $500 billion in the United States.
This and similar investments from other tech companies likely influenced President Trump to eventually exempt phones, computers, and chips from Chinese tariffs.
Apple also relocated much of its iPhone production to India to avoid getting entangled in the U.S.-China trade war. However, Trump then slapped a 50% tariff on India in August. But, he again exempted smartphones from the duties. This exemption came just one day after Apple announced an additional $100 billion U.S. investment.
Through these announcements, Apple has avoided arduous tariffs, appeasing the President. On Oct. 24, shares closed at a new all-time high of just under $263. They are up 5% annually and up 53% from April lows.
Tariffs Take a Smaller Bite Out of ISRG’s Gross Margins
Last up is robotics-assisted surgery company Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG). The company makes 98% of its robotic systems in the United States. However, it makes 70% of its endoscopes in Europe, and 80% of its instruments and accessories in Mexico.
It also imports subassemblies from China. Overall, the emergence of various tariffs caused the company to estimate a 1.4% to 2% negative impact on its gross margin for 2025 in April.
However, the firm has steadily seen that forecast come down. In July, it lowered its expected gross margin impact to 0.8% to 1.2%. In October, it again lowered its expected impact to just 0.6% to 0.8%. Overall, Intuitive has lowered the midpoint of its expected gross margin impact due to tariffs from 1.7% to 0.7%.
This reduction has primarily come from the de-escalation of some tariffs and Intuitive’s better-than-expected sales in Q3. Overall, shares are up around 21% from their April lows and 4.7% on the year.
$1 'Superhuman' Stock
$1 'Superhuman' Stock
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