Widely Held Leveraged Funds Stun Investors with Significant Losses
Booming Popularity: Risky leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are experiencing significant growth, attracting investors through easy access via brokerage accounts.
Mechanism of Operation: These funds utilize derivative contracts or borrowed money to enhance the returns of an underlying asset, with leveraged funds tracking stock indexes existing for over a decade.
Recent Developments: The approval of leveraged single-stock ETFs by U.S. regulators in 2022 marks a notable expansion in the types of leveraged funds available to investors.
Performance Concerns: The performance of these leveraged funds over the past year underscores their inherent risks and potential pitfalls for investors.
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Analyst Views on MORN
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- Earnings Announcement: Morningstar is scheduled to announce its Q4 earnings on February 12 after market close, with a consensus EPS estimate of $2.36, reflecting a 10.3% year-over-year increase, indicating ongoing improvements in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: Analysts project that Morningstar's revenue will reach $634.43 million, representing a 7.3% year-over-year growth, which underscores the company's robust performance and continued business expansion in the market.
- Performance Beat Record: Over the past two years, Morningstar has beaten EPS and revenue estimates 88% of the time, demonstrating its strong earnings capability and bolstering investor confidence in its future performance.
- Forecast Revisions: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions with no downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have experienced one upward revision, reflecting a positive market sentiment regarding the company's growth prospects.

- Trump's Action: President Donald Trump is set to revoke a significant Environmental Protection Agency finding.
- Impact on Climate Rules: This revocation will affect the legal foundation for climate regulations in the United States.
- New Index Launch: The Vatican Bank has partnered with Morningstar to introduce two new equity indexes, namely the US and Eurozone Catholic Principles indexes, each comprising 50 medium- and large-cap companies aligned with Catholic teachings, aiming to promote socially responsible and environmentally conscious investment practices.
- Top Holdings Insight: Key holdings in the Eurozone index include semiconductor supplier ASML, Deutsche Telekom, and software company SAP, which are all significant players in their respective sectors, reflecting the Vatican's strategic considerations in investment selection.
- Growth in Socially Responsible Investing: Socially responsible investing has gained traction in recent years, with Ave Maria Mutual Funds managing $3.8 billion in assets by 2025, indicating a strong demand from investors for ethical investment products that align with moral standards.
- Reputation Rehabilitation Efforts: This collaboration is part of the Vatican Bank's efforts to rehabilitate its reputation following past allegations of corruption and money laundering, with the late Pope Francis having enacted a series of reforms aimed at enhancing the bank's transparency and trustworthiness.
- Market Decline: The S&P North American Technology Software Index has fallen 30% from its September all-time high, entering bear market territory primarily due to investor concerns that AI tools will reduce demand for existing products, leading to widespread pressure on software stocks.
- Microsoft Growth Potential: Microsoft's median target price suggests a 50% upside, driven by its strong position in enterprise software and the application of generative AI assistants, which propelled a 160% increase in paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats in the December quarter.
- ServiceNow Market Leadership: ServiceNow's leadership in IT asset and service management has distinguished it in AI applications, with fourth-quarter revenue rising 20% to $3.5 billion and a non-GAAP operating margin expanding to 31%, indicating robust profitability.
- Investment Timing: Despite the pressure on software stocks, analysts believe this is a good time to invest, as Microsoft and ServiceNow's stock prices have fallen 26% and 52% from their historical highs, respectively, with analyst target prices implying 50% and 83% upside potential.
Election Victory: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led her Liberal Democratic Party to its largest election victory, securing a two-thirds majority in the Lower House of parliament.
Constitutional Amendments: This majority enables the party to override Upper House vetoes and pursue amendments to Japan's pacifist constitution.
- Share Sale Details: Joseph D Mansueto sold 20,066 shares on February 4, 2026, as a 10% owner and Executive Chairman, which may raise market speculation about his intentions and impact investor confidence.
- Market Reaction Anticipation: This sale could be interpreted by the market as a cautious stance on the company's future prospects; although specific reasons for the sale are undisclosed, investors may focus on changes in his ownership percentage, potentially affecting stock price volatility.
- Shareholder Structure Changes: Mansueto's sale may lead to changes in the company's shareholder structure, particularly given his status as a major shareholder, which could influence corporate governance and decision-making processes, thereby affecting the company's strategic direction.
- Investor Confidence Challenge: With Mansueto's share sale, the market may develop concerns regarding the company's long-term growth outlook, especially in the current economic climate, leading investors to adopt a more cautious approach and potentially putting downward pressure on the stock price.








