Windancer Holdings Names Newest Partner, CFO Kyle Knezovich
Since joining Windancer, Knezovich has played a key role in building and scaling the firm's financial and operational infrastructure. As CFO, he spearheaded the firm's investment fund structure, working closely with legal and tax counsel, while leading initiatives across accounting, trading, transaction execution, and organizational policy.
'Being named Partner at Windancer Holdings is a meaningful milestone. It reflects the intense focus we've put into building the operational foundation and financial discipline that supports our investment success. That's what it means to live our principle to 'concentrate, it only takes one,'' Knezovich said. 'As CFO and now Partner, I remain focused on empowering our investment team through clear, decisive leadership. This promotion isn't just a title. It's a deeper commitment to Windancer's mission to be exceptional in every part of our process.'
Shane Connor, Managing Partner, added: 'In three years, Kyle helped build and scale Windancer during a period when the firm doubled its headcount and grew assets under management by approximately $200 million. He takes ownership of everything he does. The decision to make him an owner of our firm was an easy one. Kyle lives Windancer's core value of 'Embrace the Pace' and sets the standard for the firm's financial and operational rigor.'
Knezovich's promotion reflects Windancer's investment in leadership as the firm continues to scale with discipline and long-term focus.
About Windancer Holdings
Windancer Holdings, LLC is an investment firm focused on active, high-conviction investment with flexible, long-term committed capital. The firm invests in and partners with companies, funds, and people on an opportunistic and unconstrained basis. Its long-term approach and culture are driven by the experience and entrepreneurship of the Connor family and The Connor Group. For more information, please visit www.windancerholdings.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Trump says a China trip is 'not too distant' as trade tensions ease
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday said a trip to China might be 'not too distant,' raising prospects that the leaders of the world's two largest economies may meet soon to help reset relations after moving to climb down from a trade war. Trump made the remarks while hosting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House, where he praised the 'fantastic military relationship' with Manila as the U.S. looks to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Yet, Trump still said the U.S. is 'getting along with China very well. We have a very good relationship." He added that Beijing has resumed shipping to the U.S. 'record numbers' of much-needed rare earth magnets, which are used in iPhones and other high-tech products like electric vehicles. Widely speculated about since Trump returned to the White House, a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would be expected to stabilize — even for a short while — a difficult relationship defined by mistrust and competition. Beijing believes a leader-level summit is necessary to steady U.S.-China relations and that Trump must be wooed because he has the final say on America's policy toward China, despite more hawkish voices in his Cabinet, observers say. The question, however, is when. Danny Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Trump has consistently shown his hunger for a visit to China and that Beijing has used that to bolster leverage. 'As soon as the leadership in Beijing is satisfied that Trump will be on his best behavior and will accept terms for a deal that they think are favorable, they will give a green light to the visit,' Russel said. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center, said a visit 'is in the making' with two sides likely to strike a trade deal. What Trump said might mean the visit would not be in September but "potentially November, but still depends on whether they play ball on trade and other things we want," Sun said. Trump's campaign to impose tariffs on other countries kicked off a high-stake trade war with Beijing. China raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% in response to Trump's hiking the tax on Chinese goods to 145%. Both sides also imposed on each other harsh trade restrictions on critical products: China on rare earths, and the U.S. on computing chips and jet engine technology. Trade tensions, however, eased following two rounds of high-level talks in Geneva and London, when the two sides agreed to lower tariffs — pending a more permanent deal by mid-August — and pull back on trade restrictions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday on Fox Business' 'Mornings with Maria' that he will be meeting with his Chinese counterparts in Stockholm next week to work on 'what is likely an extension' of the Aug. 12 deadline. 'I think trade is in a very good place with China," Bessent told host Maria Bartiromo. 'Hopefully, we can see the Chinese pull back on some of this glut of manufacturing that they're doing and concentrate on building a consumer economy.' He said he also expects to bring up China's purchases of Russian and Iranian oil and Beijing's role in aiding Moscow in its war against Ukraine. Beijing has not announced any travel plans for Vice Premier He Lifeng, who led trade negotiations in both Geneva and London on behalf of the Chinese government, but it is not unusual for China to make such announcements closer to a travel date. In a possible friendly gesture, Beijing on Tuesday said it suspended an antitrust investigation into chemical maker DuPont's operations in China. China's State Administration for Market Regulation made the announcement in a one-line statement but gave no explanation for the decision. DuPont said in a statement that it is 'pleased" with China's action. Chinese regulators launched the investigation in April against DuPont China Group, a subsidiary of the chemical giant, as part of Beijing's broad, retaliatory response to Trump's sky-high tariffs. Beijing also has agreed to approve export permits for rare earth elements and rare earth magnets that U.S. manufacturers need to build cars, robots, wind turbines and other high-tech products. The U.S. has eased restrictions on some advanced chips and other technologies.
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
Strategic Reset Fails to Resolve Under Armour's (UAA) Struggles with Profitability
In the early 2000s, Under Armour (UAA) seemingly emerged from nowhere to challenge leading athletic brands, capturing market share and becoming a household name in the process. Yet, after an extended slide in its share price, founder Kevin Plank returned as CEO with a commitment to returning the brand to its glory days. However, one year into the turnaround, the company continues to face revenue decline and negative profitability. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. While the stock trades at a relative discount following its decline, the path to sustainable growth remains uncertain. I prefer to maintain a Neutral stance on the stock until I see meaningful progress on revenue stabilization and margin improvement (perhaps at its earnings call on August 6th, which will hold some good news in that regard). Under Armour Struggling to Regain Its Swagger Since its founding in 1996, the Baltimore-based company has built its reputation as a leading manufacturer of performance athletic apparel on technical fabric innovations, particularly its moisture-wicking HeatGear and ColdGear products, which cater to athletes across various sports and climates. Last year, founder Kevin Plank returned to the CEO role to spearhead a 'strategic reset' focused on premium brand positioning and operational efficiency improvements. This has included shifting from the previous product-focused approach to a more consumer-centric, category-managed operating model, designed to better serve the needs of athletes. The company's recent Q4 FY2025 results suggest it has yet to get meaningful traction with its turnaround efforts. Revenue declined 11% year-over-year to $1.2 billion, with weakness evident across major markets, as U.S. sales fell 11%, international revenue dropped 13%, and the Asia-Pacific region declined 27%. Weak top-line performance and ongoing restructuring expenses have resulted in the company posting a net loss for the year of $201 million, with an earnings per share loss of $0.47. Evaluating UAA's Valuation and Momentum The stock currently trades near the midpoint of its 52-week range, $4.78 to $11.89. It reached its all-time high in 2015, trading above $50, then cascaded down over the following years, falling to under $5 earlier this year. However, over the past three months, the stock has experienced a notable rise, climbing 27% during that period. Despite the recent price run-up, the stock still trades at a relative discount, with a price-to-sales ratio of 0.61x, compared to 1x for the Consumer Discretionary sector, 2.42x for Nike (NKE), and 1.61x for Adidas (ADDYY). The shares exhibit positive price momentum, trading above most major moving averages (except for the 200-day moving average, though it is closing in on surpassing that level as well). Other technical indicators are neutral-to-bullish. Is UAA a Good Stock to Buy? On Wall Street, UAA stock carries a Hold consensus rating based on four Buy, 13 Hold, and three Sell ratings over the past three months. UAA's average stock price target of $6.84 implies approximately 4.5% downside potential over the next twelve months. Analysts following the company have taken a cautious stance, with many lowering their price targets for the shares. For instance, Goldman Sachs analyst Brooke Roach recently lowered the firm's price target on the shares to $6.50 (from $7) while maintaining a Neutral rating, noting the potential impact of elevated tariff rates. Similarly, Truist's Joseph Civello lowered the price target on Under Armour shares to $7 while reiterating a Hold rating, citing Q1 FY2026 guidance that came in well below expectations. In a research note, the analyst declared himself 'incrementally cautious' about the company's future outlook, with the impact of potential tariffs yet to be resolved. Conversely, Simeon Siegel at BMO Capital kept an Outperform rating on the shares while lowering his price target to $9 (from $12). He observed that Q4 results marked ongoing improvement in gross margins on lower revenue, as management works to turn the business around. He maintains that focusing on improving margins can act as a lever to enhance profitability and drive share growth over time. UAA Stock in Summary Under Armour is undergoing a turnaround effort aimed at regaining brand momentum and strengthening its market position. The company's strategic reset centers on leveraging its core strength in technical performance wear to deliver premium products and stand out in a highly competitive landscape. However, continued revenue declines across all major regions suggest deeper structural issues that won't be resolved quickly. Negative profitability further clouds the path to sustainable cash flow, especially as well-capitalized competitors like Nike and Adidas maintain pressure on market share. While the firm's bold reset has delivered some early signs of progress, reversing persistent revenue losses and restoring profitability remains a formidable challenge. Until Under Armour demonstrates measurable improvement in these key areas, the turnaround is likely to remain stalled. The stock trades at a relative discount, but this valuation appears to reflect market doubts about the company's ability to execute a successful transformation. Analyst price targets indicate limited upside in the near term, given the associated risks. I maintain a Neutral stance on the stock and will look for signs of margin improvement that could support a more constructive view going forward.
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
Astronomer hires Gwyneth Paltrow with a wink after 'kiss cam' viral video
Astronomer has hired Gwyneth Paltrow as a "temporary spokesperson" following the social media firestorm that involved two now-former company executives and a Coldplay concert 'kiss cam" last week. Paltrow appeared in a television-style spot on Astronomer's social media on Friday making a pitch for the company's everyday strengths. "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones," said Paltrow, who split with Coldplay singer Chris Martin in 2014. Astronomer made headlines after internet sleuths identified its CEO and chief people officer as the man and woman seen embracing and then hiding their faces on a "kiss cam" at the July 16 concert. Both have since resigned. In the Astronomer video, Paltrow cut off a question that started with "OMG!" to emphatically say, "Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow." "We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation," she added. She interrupted another question — "How is your social media team holding ..." — to make a pitch for an Astronomer conference in September. Paltrow concluded, 'We will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game-changing results for our customers.' CEO Andy Byron resigned on July 19, and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot followed on Thursday, according to statements from the company. Their body language after the camera captured them in an embrace led Martin to remark on stage, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' Astronomer said afterward it was investigating the incident. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,' it said on July 18. The company confirmed Thursday that Cabot was the woman in the video. Neither she nor Byron have responded to requests for comment. Astronomer, a New York-based company, helps companies develop, grow, and analyze products using artificial intelligence.
