Daniel Loeb’s hedge fund Third Point has walked away from its activist campaign against CoStar Group, selling its entire position in the real estate data company after concluding that its original investment thesis no longer held, according to a letter to investors. Third Point had signaled in January that it would pursue a board challenge Read More…
A federal judge on Friday extended an emergency order keeping Nexstar Media Group and Tegna operating as separate companies for another week, as he weighs whether to issue a longer preliminary injunction that could halt the $6.2 billion merger while an antitrust lawsuit works its way through the courts. U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley of Read More…
Hi-Country Snack Foods, a nearly 50-year-old Montana jerky maker and one of the largest employers in the small mountain community of Lincoln, has paused production — a development that raises new concerns about the company’s future and the economic health of the town it has long anchored. The production halt comes less than a year Read More…
Shareholders of both NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Corp. have voted to approve a proposed all-stock merger that would combine the two regional utilities into a new company called Bright Horizon Energy Corporation, the companies announced Thursday. The votes were cast at special shareholder meetings held earlier in the day and mark a major step 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…
Meta’s head of business AI, Clara Shih, tells CNBC’s Julia Boorstin in an interview for CNBC Changemakers that she expects AI to transform every job and every business, including the hundreds of millions of small businesses that use WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to connect with customers. Meta Platforms is among the U.S. tech giants leading Read More…
U.S. President Donald Trump has retreated more on 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico after Wall Street opened with big losses for stocks Thursday and businesses and consumers worry about higher prices and a potential recession. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC Thursday that products and materials governed under the current North American trade Read More…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Sunday said it won’t enforce the penalties or fines associated with the “beneficial ownership information,” or BOI, reporting requirements. Previously, the Treasury set a March 21 deadline for businesses to comply or risk fines of up to $10,000. The Treasury will also propose regulation to apply the BOI Read More…
In a cautious assessment of its business in China, Nvidia executives warned during the company’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday that the ongoing U.S.-China trade conflict is hurting its revenue, with tariffs and export controls adding significant uncertainty to its outlook. CEO Jensen Huang highlighted that Nvidia’s sales in China have been slashed by half since Read More…
Expanding Opportunity While many in Altadena’s entrepreneurial community remain optimistic about a recovery, multiple business owners described lengthy and difficult roads ahead. Some businesses were burned entirely to the ground, while others face long-term displacement due to damage or smoke. For those fortunate enough to have brick-and-mortar properties still standing, they’re surrounded by what some Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the United States, today announced its participation in two upcoming investor conferences: the Canaccord Genuity Sustainability Forum and the 37th Annual ROTH Conference. On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Bridger Aerospace’s management will speak at the virtual Canaccord Genuity Sustainability Read More…
Michael Saylor, the executive chairman of the newly renamed Strategy, stirred up a social media storm this week with an eyebrow-raising suggestion to his 4 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). In a post on Thursday, Saylor told his audience to “sell a kidney if you must, but keep the Bitcoin,” as the cryptocurrency faced Read More…
Two Republican lawmakers representing rural eastern Montana districts are sponsoring bills to restrict where new wind turbines can be built and how tall they can be. Proponents of the proposals argue they will reduce wind farms’ impact on neighboring landowners and communities. Opponents counter that the bills will stifle a growing but underdeveloped Montana industry Read More…
HELENA — If a bear kills a cow, a rancher will get paid if it’s proven a predator did the deed. The Livestock Loss Board handles those claims. However, a small — but growing — number of bison producers don’t have access to the same system and can’t file claims over animals that have been Read More…
Record-high U.S. egg prices could increase 41.1% this year, according to new projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Egg prices are already at a record $4.95 per dozen nationally, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) posted record annual profits and expanded its cash reserves to $334.2 billion, as Warren Buffett used his annual shareholder letter to issue a pointed message to Washington: spend wisely and protect those who draw the “short straws in life.” The 94-year-old investing titan, widely regarded as one of the greatest Read More…
The Treasury Department set a March 21 deadline for businesses to report “beneficial ownership information” or risk civil and criminal penalties. It delayed the prior deadline by 30 days. The delay comes after a Texas district court struck down a nationwide injunction on enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. The Treasury Department left open the Read More…
Small Business Playbook Events CNBC and SurveyMonkey’s latest quarterly polling of America’s small business owners finds majority support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts at a time when many national corporations are scaling back or ending DEI programs. Small business owners say they see positive impacts on the business from DEI goals, such as Read More…
Two recent University of Montana studies are demystifying how increasing wildfires and hotter annual temperatures limit forest regeneration in the Western U.S., revealing that our capacity to plant trees can’t keep pace with reforestation needs. The first UM study was led by Solomon Dobrowski, a researcher in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. Read More…
HELENA — A pair of bills aimed at closing loopholes that may make it too easy for Montana property owners to qualify for hefty property tax benefits intended for farms and ranches got their initial hearings before the Montana Legislature last week, drawing hours of commentary from supporters and opponents. House Bill 27, heard Friday Read More…
Activist investor Elliott Investment Management has acquired a significant stake in BP Plc, as the British oil giant struggles with years of underperformance and weak investor confidence, according to sources familiar with the matter. Elliott is reportedly pressuring BP to consider transformative measures to boost shareholder value, believing the company is undervalued and its performance Read More…
(The Center Square) – A bill preventing future presidents from unilaterally banning hydraulic fracking is on its way to the Senate after passing the House 226-188 Friday. Sixteen Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for the Protecting American Energy Production Act, which will block future bans on hydraulic fracking without congressional approval, if enacted. “When Read More…
A new wave of phone scams is targeting bank customers, using sophisticated caller ID fraud, also known as “vishing.” Scammers are impersonating representatives from First Interstate Bank, deceiving customers into handing over sensitive financial details. According to reports, fraudsters manipulate caller ID to make it appear as though calls are coming from a legitimate First Read More…
Toyota is recalling more than 140,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles due to potential safety issues, the company announced Thursday. The recall affects certain Tacoma, Camry, and Lexus RX models from the 2024 and 2025 model years. The Toyota Tacoma recall involves four-wheel-drive models, which may have damaged rear brake hoses due to the accumulation of Read More…
Glacier Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bank of Idaho Holding Co. (OTCQX: BOID) in a $245.4 million all-stock transaction, further expanding its presence in Idaho and Eastern Washington. The deal, Glacier’s 26th acquisition since 2000, will see Bank of Idaho’s $1.3 billion in assets, $1.0 billion in loans, and Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. has mobilized its CL-415EAF “Super Scooper” aircraft to California to support wildfire suppression efforts, marking the company’s earliest seasonal deployment in its history. The deployment follows a Task Order from the U.S. Forest Service, requested by the State of California, which is already facing intense wildfires unusually early in the Read More…
Just one year after earning CHAP Accreditation, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care has become a trusted provider of compassionate end-of-life care in the Helena Valley. Fueled by overwhelming community support, the locally and veteran-owned organization is now expanding its services to Butte and Silver Bow County, bringing in-home palliative care to the area for the Read More…
Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (NASDAQ: EBMT), the holding company for Opportunity Bank of Montana, reported a 26.7% increase in net income for the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching $3.4 million, or $0.44 per diluted share. This marks an improvement from $2.7 million ($0.34 per share) in the previous quarter and a 58.6% increase from $2.2 Read More…
Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) reported a 21% increase in net income for the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching $61.8 million, up from $51.1 million in Q3 2024 and 14% higher than Q4 2023’s $54.3 million. Diluted earnings per share rose 20% from the previous quarter to $0.54, marking a 10% increase from the same Read More…
SITKA Gear, a leader in technical hunting and outdoor apparel, is set to open its newest retail store in Columbus, Ohio, with a grand opening celebration on January 11, 2025. The 3,430-square-foot store, located at 4173 Worth Ave., will offer customers a hands-on shopping experience featuring SITKA’s premium hunting and outdoor gear. The Columbus location Read More…
Montana Housing Market Faces “Frozen” Conditions Amid Affordability Crisis Montana’s housing market is experiencing what experts describe as a deep freeze, and a single statistic highlights why: roughly 80% of mortgage holders in the state have interest rates 2% to 3% lower than current market rates. For most homeowners, selling their property and buying another Read More…
NorthWestern Energy has announced agreements to supply significant amounts of electricity to two proposed data centers in Montana, with combined power demands set to exceed the capacity of the state’s newest gas-fired power plant. The development raises questions about Montana’s energy infrastructure and its ability to meet growing demand while maintaining reliable service. The larger Read More…