Dec. 31, 2024

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Pathward Financial (NASDAQ: CASH) —  On Dec. 11, Pathward Financial announced its inclusion on the Monitor’s Bank 50 ranking. The list honors the top banks in equipment leasing and finance in the United States. This year, Pathward came in at No. 29, two positions higher than in 2023.

SAB BIO (NASDAQ: SABS) — SAB BIO has commenced its human Phase 1 clinical trial for its lead drug candidate, SAB-142. This is a potential disease-modifying treatment for patients with Type 1 diabetes. The company also announced that it is on track to file an Investigational New Drug  application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2024 in an effort to move toward Phase 2b development.

First Interstate BancSystem (NASDAQ: FIBK) — Despite the company posting two consecutive quarters of growth in net interest margin and net interest income, analyst sentiment for First Interstate BancSystem is mixed heading into 2025. The bank is scheduled to report its fourth quarter and full-year 2024 earnings Jan. 30.

The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK) — The Bancorp will be a featured presenter at the Florida Police Chiefs Association winter conference Jan. 5-7 in Orlando, Florida. The bank will highlight the potential cost savings that can be realized through its government fleet leasing program.

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) — In December, Wells Fargo’s home lending division announced that it will offer $10,000 Homebuyer Access grants for eligible homebuyers to apply toward a down payment. The program targets prospective homebuyers in underserved communities in 12 metropolitan areas. The grants are part of the bank’s Special Purpose Credit Program.

NorthWestern Energy (NASDAQ: NWE) — NorthWestern Energy has signed a letter of intent to provide energy services for upcoming data centers planned in Montana. The centers are expected to go online in 2027, with the service load expected to reach at least 250 megawatts by 2029.

CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNH) — In 2025, CNH Industrial will have new faces at the top of its agricultural business leadership teams. Effective Jan. 1, Scott Harris will be president of the company’s North America operations. Markus Muller will join the company, assuming the role as president of the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, effective March 1.

Citigroup (NYSE: C) — Citigroup released its full-year wealth outlook for 2025 titled “Growth Amid Discord: Strategies for a ‘Rule-Breaking’ Expansion.” In the report, the bank offers its perspective on what investors can expect in the economic, market and geopolitical landscape, including a projection that U.S. gross domestic product will grow at a full-year pace of 2.4 percent.

McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) — In response to McDonald’s swift and decisive action in the E. coli outbreak at select locations, the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that the investigations have been closed. The company’s stock is down approximately 8 percent as of Dec. 30, 2024, since the outbreak was announced in October.

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) — Last fall, as part of its commitment to reshape the face of retail, Walmart opened a reimagined Sam’s Club in Grapevine, Texas. The store blends industry-leading technology, including the ability for members to use its Scan & Go service to add items to their cart or to have purchases shipped to their doorstep.

Target (NYSE: TGT) — Target House, a destination for families with children receiving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, celebrated a milestone anniversary of 25 years. Over the past quarter-century, Target House has hosted almost 5,000 families, exemplifying the company’s commitment to building meaningful, long-lasting connections within the communities it serves.

Macy’s (NYSE: M) — Macy’s delivered its delayed earnings report for its third quarter on Dec. 11. The retailer reported earnings per share of 4 cents on revenue of $4.74 billion. The EPS number missed analysts’ expectations by 3 cents per share.

Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS) — Dillard’s shareholders of record as of Dec. 13 will receive a $25 special dividend on Jan. 6. The company also announced a quarterly cash dividend of 25 cents per share, payable Feb. 3 to shareholders of record on Dec. 31.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon Web Services continues to grow rapidly. In December, the company announced a series of contracts to become the preferred cloud provider for several businesses, including Mondelez and Grab. Amazon also launched four innovations for its SageMaker AI tool to help customers build and scale generative AI and machine learning models.

Costco (NASDAQ: COST) — On Dec. 12, Costco delivered its first quarter earnings report for fiscal 2025. The company reported earnings per share of $4.04 on revenue of $62.15 billion. Both numbers beat analysts’ expectations.

Ford Motor (NYSE: F) — Ford Motor released its November monthly sales report Dec. 3, which showed the strongest growth in sales of electric and hybrid vehicles. However, total sales are still down year over year.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) — General Motors plans to realign and prioritize its autonomous driving strategy to passenger vehicles. In doing so, the company announced that it no longer plans to fund its Cruise LLC’s robo-taxi development work in what is becoming an increasingly competitive market.

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