Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has entered into a series of commercial AI agreements with prominent news publishers, including USA Today, People Inc., CNN, Fox News, The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, and Le Monde, the company announced Friday. The partnerships will allow Meta to provide “real-time” news and updates through its AI Read More…
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has agreed to sell its iconic studio and streaming assets to Netflix (NFLX) for $72 billion, a blockbuster deal that will reshape Hollywood and create a vertically integrated media powerhouse. The deal ends a weeks-long bidding war with Paramount Skydance and Comcast, coming amid sweeping changes in the media industry as Read More…
Google on Friday withdrew its European Union antitrust complaint targeting Microsoft’s cloud computing practices, just a week after EU regulators opened an investigation into whether Microsoft should face scrutiny under rules designed to curb market dominance in the sector. The EU’s move, announced last week, signaled growing concern about Microsoft’s influence in cloud services, including Read More…
Warburg Pincus has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Raptor Technologies from private equity firm Thoma Bravo, in a transaction valuing the school safety software provider at roughly $1.8 billion, according to people familiar with the negotiations. Sources said the deal could be announced imminently. They requested anonymity because the details are Read More…
University of Montana students interested in entrepreneurship and starting their own businesses have a space to gather and work together on their new ventures. Each Tuesday afternoon this spring semester students meet in UM’s Startup Studio, a room on the third floor of the University Center where students of all majors explore their business ideas Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER) announced Friday it has been awarded an exclusive-use contract by the State of Montana to provide wildfire detection and mapping services using a specially modified Daher Kodiak 100 aircraft. The contract follows a competitive bidding process and marks a major milestone in Bridger’s expansion of its aerial firefighting Read More…
SITKA Gear, a leader in high-performance hunting and outdoor apparel, announced a series of strategic changes to its sales team aimed at aligning talent with the company’s evolving business priorities. The adjustments include the addition of three new sales representatives and a significant territory expansion for a veteran team member, all designed to strengthen retail Read More…
Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) announced Friday that it has received all necessary regulatory approvals for its planned acquisition of Bank of Idaho Holding Co. (OTCQX: BOID), clearing a major hurdle in the completion of the deal. The acquisition, which includes Bank of Idaho and its subsidiaries, is now scheduled to close on April 30, Read More…
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has taken a preliminary step toward potentially reversing boardroom restrictions imposed on Chevron and Exxon Mobil as part of their recent major acquisitions, signaling a shift from policies enacted under the Biden administration. The restrictions, which were key conditions for approving the oil giants’ multi-billion-dollar mergers, barred specific executives from Read More…
In a dramatic move to get ahead of looming U.S. tariffs, Apple has airlifted approximately 600 tons of iPhones—equivalent to around 1.5 million devices—from India to the United States, according to a report by Reuters. The unprecedented shipment is part of the tech giant’s effort to stabilize supply and avoid potential price hikes that could Read More…
U.S. egg prices hit another record high in March costing $6.227 per dozen on average, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices are up from $5.897 per dozen in February and $4.146 per dozen at the end of 2024.
President Trump’s new country-specific tariffs, on top of existing trade levies, will raise the cost of imports for U.S. businesses by an exponential amount, though in an announcement during the day Wednesday Trump said some countries, excluding China, would receive a 90-day reprieve. Rick Muskat, president of family-owned shoe retailer Deer Stags which imports its Read More…
As winter fades and the days finally start to grow longer, the arrival of spring brings a sense of renewal and vitality. Nature awakens with vibrant colors, fresh blossoms, and the promise of new beginnings. From agriculture to community events, this season presents a wealth of opportunities to embrace sustainability, growth, and connection. Spring and Read More…
Montana has officially been named the best state in the nation for launching a new business, according to a new report highlighted by Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday. Topping the list compiled by Entrepreneur Media and Booking.com for Business, Montana scored highest among all 50 states in key metrics including the number of startups, startup Read More…
Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) will release its first-quarter financial results after the market closes on April 24, 2025. A conference call to discuss the results will take place at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, April 25, 2025. Glacier Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Glacier Bank and its subsidiaries, including Altabank (American Read More…
The Center Square) – The U.S. added 228,000 jobs in March, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Friday, nearly double what was forecast. Employment gains occurred in the health care, transportation, warehousing and retail trade industries, according to the Labor department. The overall gains come despite significant layoffs in the federal government under the Trump Read More…
Nissan Motor Co. is considering shifting a portion of its Japan-based production for U.S.-bound vehicles to the United States, amid escalating global trade tensions fueled by President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff policies, according to a report by the Nikkei on Saturday. The move is aimed at avoiding the financial impact of Trump’s aggressive trade agenda, Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the United States, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Positive Aviation, Inc. (PA), a Blagnac, France-based engineering firm, to develop and deploy the innovative FF72 amphibious water-scooping firefighting aircraft. The partnership, formalized today through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Read More…
Local lawmakers helped advance a bill through the Montana House that would ban the sale of lab-grown meat in the state. The bill, HB 401, passed the Montana House of Representatives on March 6 with the help of Rep. Jedediah Hinkle (R-HD 67), and his brother, Rep. Caleb Hinkle (R-HD 68) who both represent portions Read More…
The state senator representing Belgrade was among legislators who failed to revive a bill that would expand wolf hunting. Sen. Shelley Vance (R-SD 34) was among the 24 senators who voted Tuesday in support of reconsidering HB 176 after having tried unsuccessfully the day before to pass the bill on final reading through the Montana Read More…
(The Center Square) – Live Nation Entertainment, the events giant that operates Ticketmaster, is fighting to hold on to practices that states and the federal government allege are anti-competitive and hurt both fans and musicians. The company recently lost its bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 2.8% in February, marking the 44th consecutive month of unemployment at or below 3.4%—a historic low. The strong labor market continues to be a key indicator of Montana’s resilient economy. “Montana’s economy is strong, adding 3,000 new jobs and reaching a record-high labor force of Read More…
OpenAI, the groundbreaking artificial intelligence company, must complete its transition into a for-profit entity by the end of 2025 in order to secure the full $40 billion in funding it is currently raising, according to a person familiar with the matter. The funding round is being led by global technology giant SoftBank. This pivotal transition Read More…
Wells Fargo has officially abandoned its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, prompting Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to close his investigation into the bank’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies. The move follows a broader controversy over whether financial institutions should consider climate-related targets in their lending practices. The investigation, launched in October Read More…
Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.33 per share at a meeting held on March 26, 2025. This marks the 160th consecutive quarterly dividend declared by the company, which has also increased its dividend 49 times over the years. The dividend will be payable Read More…
CoreWeave, an AI infrastructure firm backed by tech giant Nvidia, made its Nasdaq debut on Friday with a less-than-enthusiastic response from investors. The company’s shares closed flat after opening nearly 3% below their offering price, giving it a valuation of $23 billion on a fully diluted basis. The lackluster performance has raised concerns about the Read More…
In a groundbreaking move that fuses artificial intelligence with social media, Elon Musk’s xAI has acquired X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock deal valued at $33 billion. Announced by Musk on X late Friday, the acquisition raises xAI’s valuation to an impressive $80 billion, creating a combined entity that aims to Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the United States, has reported record financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2024. The company achieved a significant milestone with $98.6 million in revenue for the full year and $15.6 million in the Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte is celebrating a $2 million investment from GE Aerospace to expand manufacturing capacity at its joint venture site in Butte, further boosting Montana’s role in commercial and military aircraft engine production. “I appreciate the continued investment from GE Aerospace to boost American manufacturing, jobs, and products,” said Gov. Gianforte. “In Montana, we’ll Read More…
(The Center Square) – A North Dakota jury on Wednesday found environmental activist group Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for its activities related to protests of construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Dallas-based Energy Transfer sued Greenpeace over the sometimes violent protests that delayed construction of the pipeline by five months, costing the Read More…
Titan Machinery Inc. (Nasdaq: TITN), a leading network of full-service agricultural and construction equipment stores, today released its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended January 31, 2025. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, Titan Machinery posted revenue of $759.9 million, down from $852.1 million in the same period last Read More…
Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) announced its second-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings today, reporting $8.05 billion in revenue and record-breaking data center DRAM sales, fueled by robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Key Financial Highlights Revenue: $8.05 billion (down from $8.71 billion in Q1 but up from $5.82 billion year-over-year) GAAP Net Income: $1.58 billion Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc., one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the United States, announced today that Sam Davis has been officially appointed as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 17, 2025. Davis had been serving as the interim CEO since July 2024, following the resignation of former CEO Timothy Read More…
Birds in a Gallatin County backyard flock have tested positive for bird flu, the state’s Department of Livestock announced Friday. The owner of a backyard flock of poultry noticed several dead birds after they returned home from work early this week, according to Dr. Tahnee Szymanski with the Department of Livestock. Tests confirmed highly pathogenic Read More…
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate led by legendary investor Warren Buffett, is gearing up for its annual shareholder meeting scheduled for Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Omaha, Nebraska. Known as the “Woodstock for Capitalists,” this event draws tens of thousands of investors from around the globe to hear directly from Buffett and his team, while also Read More…
Jim Bryson and Martin Kimm were honored March 14 at the Annual AG Appreciation Banquet in Bozeman. Kimm was recognized with the 2025 Outstanding Farmer/Rancher Award. Martin Kimm Gallatin AG Committee Jim Bryson Gallatin AG-Committee
Why is soil health so important? And why is it so important to those who may not be a farmer or rancher? Well, studies show that soil health is directly correlated to human health. Sara Keough, a certified nutritionist and creator of her own company, spoke about this very topic at the annual Soil Health Read More…
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products, along with the escalating trade war and rhetoric between the two nations, is starting to squeeze some small businesses in Vermont. Concerns for those small businesses include a decline in merchandise shipments to Canadian customers, a drop off in Canadian tourism and higher prices from imported products. “I Read More…
Daktronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: DAKT), a leading designer and manufacturer of dynamic video communication displays, has announced a major leadership transition alongside its fiscal third-quarter results for 2025. Reece Kurtenbach, who has served as Chairman, President, and CEO, will step down from his roles, transitioning into an advisory position to support the company’s digital transformation efforts. Read More…
U.S. President Donald Trump is cutting $1 billion in federal funding for schools, food banks and preschools to buy food from local farmers and ranchers. The programs, which have been utilized in Montana and other states, aim to help connect local farmers with the local school and food banks with a focus on lower-income communities. Read More…
The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG), a leading provider of home health, hospice, and senior living services, announced its participation in the 2025 Oppenheimer Annual Healthcare MedTech & Services Conference. The event is scheduled to take place on March 18, 2025. Pennant’s leadership team, including Chief Executive Officer Brent Guerisoli, Chief Financial Officer Lynette Walbom, Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the nation’s largest aerial firefighting companies, has announced that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024, on Thursday, March 13, 2025, after market close. The company’s management will host an investor conference call on the same day at Read More…
Boeing has announced that its annual bonus structure for over 100,000 employees will be tied to the company’s overall performance in 2025, marking a shift from the previous practice of awarding bonuses based on individual business unit results. According to the 2025 proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, 80% Read More…
The Federal Reserve is preparing for its March 18-19 policy meeting amid a strong overall labor market, though signs of potential weakening are emerging. This could place the U.S. central bank in a challenging position if inflation remains elevated and tariffs from the Trump administration continue to put upward pressure on prices. In February, U.S. Read More…