Today is Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

The Early Bird Index today is 77.23.

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After a bad year, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings $NCLH ( ▼ 7.57% ) might finally face pressure to improve its financials.

Details: The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that activist investor Elliott Investment Management has built a more than 10% stake in Norwegian Cruise Line, with plans to push the cruise-ship operator to make changes.

Definition: An activist investor purchases a large stake in a company to try to influence change in that company.

Stock price: Norwegian Cruise Line is down nearly 21% in the last 12 months.

Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: Norwegian Cruise Line had a tough year, mainly because demand and pricing didn’t live up to expectations, while costs and operational disruptions stayed high, which pressured earnings and hit sentiment among both investors and customers.

Final Thoughts: The company reports earnings on March 2.

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Notable Earnings Today: DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE), Palo Alto Networks (Nasdaq: PANW), Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET), Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL), Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE), Caesars Entertainment (Nasdaq: CZR), La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB), Labcorp Holdings (NYSE: LH), Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL), SunCoke Energy (NYSE: SXC), Cadence Design (Nasdaq: CDNS), Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN), Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC), EQT (NYSE: EQT), Krystal Biotech (Nasdaq: KRYS), Fluor (NYSE: FLR), MKS (Nasdaq: MKSI), eToro Group (Nasdaq: ETOR), FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE), Allegion (NYSE: ALLE), Amrize (NYSE: AMRZ), Andersons (Nasdaq: ANDE), Axcelis Tech (Nasdaq: ACLS), Builders FirstSource (NYSE: BLDR), Ceva (Nasdaq: CEVA), Celanese (NYSE: CE), CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNH), Element Solutions (NYSE: ESI), Expand Energy (Nasdaq: EXE), Franklin Electric (Nasdaq: FELE), Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE: GNK), Genuine Parts (NYSE: GPC), Glaukos (NYSE: GKOS), Halozyme Therapeutics (Nasdaq: HALO), Herc Holdings (NYSE: HRI), Knife River (NYSE: KNF), Louisiana-Pacific (NYSE: LPX), NeoGenomics (Nasdaq: NEO), RB Global (NYSE: RBA), Republic Services (NYSE: RSG),  Rush Street Interactive (NYSE: RSI), Select Water Solutions (NYSE: WTTR), Somnigroup International (NYSE: SGI), Sunoco (NYSE: SUN), Valmont (NYSE: VMI), Watsco (NYSE: WSO), Waystar Holding (Nasdaq: WAY).

Notable IPOs Today: Infleqtion, Inc. (NYSE: INFQ).

Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: StartEngine (StartEngine), Renewables (StartEngine), Merchagogo (Republic).

Notable Economic Events Today: ADP Employment Change Weekly (8:15 a.m. ET), NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (8:30 a.m. ET).

Hyatt Hotels’ $H ( ▼ 2.18% ) executive chairman of the board of directors stepped down on Monday after serving in the role for more than 20 years.

Powering the Story: According to CNBC, Thomas J. Pritzker stepped down due to his ties with sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, a relationship that he reportedly has “regret” over. He will not seek re-election to the board.

Final Thoughts: Shares of Hyatt are up about 13% in the past 12 months.

The price of the cryptocurrency Cardano $ADA ( ▼ 0.44% ) went up about 2% on Monday, following rumors of new governance and privacy updates on the horizon.

Final Thoughts: After a rough start to 2026, Cardano is up about 5% in the past week.

Giant Step Backwards: Goldman Sachs Plans to Scrap DEI Criteria for Its Board (Wall Street Journal)

Crimson Cut: Harvard cuts bitcoin exposure by 20%, adds new ether position (CoinDesk)

Bank on It: Federal Reserve set to loosen US bank rules in attempt to boost mortgage lending (Financial Times)

Acquisition: Hapag-Lloyd to Buy Competitor Zim in $4.2 Billion Deal (Bloomberg)

Video Killed the Audio-Only Podcast Star: Apple Podcasts Will Add Upgraded Video This Spring (The Hollywood Reporter)

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_{The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.}