WTW Willis Towers Watson PLC

WW International, known as WeightWatchers, is undergoing a significant rebrand to adapt to the changing weight loss landscape dominated by GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and the rise of digital wellness trends. The company has pivoted from solely diet plans to becoming a "full stack weight-loss hub" by integrating telehealth and access to medication through its platform. This strategic shift presents both a massive opportunity if the GLP-1 trend continues and a potential identity crisis if market dynamics change, making WW International's stock, WTW, a high-risk, high-story speculative investment.

Howden US refutes allegations of trade-secret theft and unfair competition from Brown & Brown, claiming that mass employee departures were due to Brown & Brown's poor corporate culture, low compensation, and management issues. Howden argues that employees resigned voluntarily and were simply offered jobs, emphasizing that client movement follows brokers. The dispute highlights intense competition and recruitment practices within the insurance brokerage industry, amidst reports of Howden hiring over 200 Brown & Brown employees.

Howden US has responded to a lawsuit filed by Brown & Brown, claiming that employees left Brown & Brown due to "mistreatment" and "terrible management" rather than a "pirate raid." Howden US asserts that the employees were unhappy with their former employer's corporate culture, compensation, and reporting, and denies allegations of trade secret theft or unfair competition. Howden US also highlights that Jim Hays, a former Brown & Brown executive now with Howden Group Holdings, is a plaintiff in the case despite being accused of complicity in the alleged poaching, and claims Hays' financial interest in Brown & Brown makes the allegations against him illogical.

Willis Towers Watson Public Ltd Co (WTW), Dillard's Inc. (DDS), and PG&E Corp (PCG) will trade ex-dividend on December 31, 2025. WTW will pay a quarterly dividend of $0.92, DDS $0.30, and PCG $0.05. Investors should expect these stocks to open slightly lower on the ex-dividend date, reflecting the dividend payout.

Rivermont Capital Management reduced its stake in Sensient Technologies Corporation (SXT) by selling 205,939 shares, a divestment valued at $20.65 million. This move, despite SXT shares rallying 32% over the past year and the company delivering a strong third quarter, appears to be a portfolio rebalancing decision rather than a bearish outlook on the company's fundamentals. For a concentrated fund, the significant appreciation in SXT's stock likely made it an oversized position, leading to a strategic reduction.

Brown & Brown Inc. has filed a lawsuit alleging that 29 former top employees conspired with British-based insurer Howden U.S. Services LLC to orchestrate a "mass employee raid," targeting 200 of its workers across multiple states. The lawsuit claims this move was strategically timed over the holidays "to inflict maximum competitive harm" and accuses the defendants of trade secret theft, contractual breaches, and unfair competition. This is not the first time Howden U.S. Services has been accused of poaching workers, with at least three other insurers filing similar lawsuits.