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FINWIRES

Sector Update: Financial

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-- Financial stocks edged down in Wednesday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) fractionally lower.

The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.1%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) was down 0.4%.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was declining 0.5% to $75,931, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries rose 4.8 basis points to 4.40%.

In corporate news, Visa (V) shares jumped nearly 9% after it lifted its full-year growth outlook and reported better-than-expected fiscal Q2 results.

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Research

Research Alert: CFRA Downgrades Rating To Sell From Hold On Shares Of Essex Property Trust, Inc.

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:We lower our target by $15 to $250 using a narrower equity risk premium and a forward P/FFO of 15.5x, which is in line with the multifamily residential REIT average. We keep our 2026 FFO estimate at $16.15 and lower 2027's by $0.05 to $16.45 on respective revenue projections of $1.94B and $1.98B. Rental revenue is not yet rebounding to historical growth levels. Across the industry, we are seeing inflation in key operating expenses exceeding revenue growth, and this leads to modest gains in cash NOI growth Y/Y. We expect these market conditions to continue as pricing power for ESS and its peers seems to have eased. In particular, ESS has a West Coast portfolio profile that is exposed to significant job layoffs in the technology sector. In our opinion, we have not yet seen the tail risk of major announcements just released in recent weeks. ESS has the challenge of complying with strict housing guidelines in California, leading to the trust historically underperforming peers in other parts of the country.

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Research

Research Alert: CFRA Keeps Buy Rating On Shares Of Biogen Inc.

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:We keep our target at $236, 13.8x our new 2027 EPS view, a discount to BIIB's five-year historical forward P/E average of 14.1x. We lower our 2026 EPS view to $15.24 from $16.14 to adjust for the impact from acquired IPR&D. We keep our 2027 EPS view at $17.16. BIIB reported a strong start to 2026, with sales of $2.5B and adjusted EPS of $3.57. We see a successful stabilization of the business after years of decline, due to a 12% Y/Y increase in the growth products portfolio. In our view, during the analyst call, management presented a clear strategic vision centered on the pending $5.6B acquisition of Apellis, expected to close in Q2, which can transform BIIB into a growth company by adding two commercial assets, Syfovre and Empaveli. We think the Apellis deal could bridge a revenue gap until 2028, when the company's late-stage pipeline matures. Via this acquisition, BIIB also gains nephrology expertise and an established infrastructure, which could set its key asset Felzartamab launch for success.

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Australia

Starbucks to Sustain Sales Momentum; to Focus on Margins in H2, UBS Says

Starbucks (SBUX) is expected to maintain solid sales momentum on its turnaround strategy, though investor focus is shifting toward margin recovery in H2, UBS said in a note on Wednesday.The brokerage said strong transaction-driven comparable sales growth in Q2 reflected improvements in operations, menu innovation and updated loyalty program.Looking ahead, UBS said continued execution on initiatives such as afternoon beverage platforms, loyalty enhancements, store closures and operational improvements should support sales into H2.UBS also expects margin expansion later in the year, supported by sales leverage, cost savings and easing pressures from tariffs and coffee costs.UBS raised the price target on the stock to $105 from $100 but maintained a neutral rating.Price: $106.10, Change: $+8.82, Percent Change: +9.06%

$SBUX