The story behind St. Louis' hottest stock

The story behind St. Louis' hottest stock

ESCO Technologies has grown 240% in five years — but most St. Louisans have never heard of it. Business reporter Nathan Rubbelke joins host Erik Siemers to break down the surprising rise of ESCO Technologies, a St. Louis-based public company whose stock has surged from roughly $95 to over $330 a share in five years. With $1 billion in annual revenue and ambitions to double that by 2027, ESCO is drawing Wall Street attention it rarely sought before. Ribelky explains how CEO Brian Saylor — a 30-year company veteran — has transformed ESCO from a quiet holding company into a high-growth enterprise by doubling down on three sectors: aerospace and defense (including major U.S. Navy submarine contracts), utilities infrastructure, and radio frequency testing. His boldest moves: two record-breaking acquisitions — a $550 million maritime defense deal and a $2.3 billion utility purchase he'd been eyeing for a decade. Then, Jed Ellerbroek of Argent Capital Management puts ESCO's rise in broader context, explaining why St. Louis public companies are lagging national indexes — and what it would take for the region to close the gap. LINKS: https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/14/st-louis-stock-index-lags-national-averages-tech.html [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/14/st-louis-stock-index-lags-national-averages-tech.html] https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/14/esco-technologies-navy-defense-aerospace-stock.html [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/14/esco-technologies-navy-defense-aerospace-stock.html]

Bayer’s St. Louis legacy: 10 years of litigation

en years after Bayer's landmark $63 billion acquisition of St. Louis-based Monsanto, the German pharmaceutical giant is finally seeing the legal tide turn — but the battle is far from over. In this episode, St. Louis Business Journal reporter Jim Drew joins host Erik to break down a recent flurry of major developments in Bayer's long-running Roundup litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court handed Bayer a decisive 7-2 victory, ruling that federal pesticide law preempts state-level "failure to warn" lawsuits — potentially clearing a path to dismiss tens of thousands of claims. At the same time, a St. Louis Circuit Court is weighing a proposed $7.25 billion class action settlement that would resolve 67,000 Roundup cases, even as a faction of cancer victims pushes back on the terms. We also look at Bayer's surprising move to create a separate business unit — Ruvian — to house its Roundup operations, raising questions about liability management and whether a full spinoff could be on the horizon. And as insurers fight back against Bayer's attempts to recoup billions in legal costs, we examine what the science still doesn't know about glyphosate — and why this story may be far from its final chapter. * Cancer research continues as Supreme Court sides with Bayer on Roundup labels [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/06/26/cancer-research-continues-as-supreme-court-sides.html] * Just a mBayer says Supreme Court ruling should dismiss 'vast majority' of Roundup lawsuitsoment... [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/06/25/bayer-says-supreme-court-ruling-should-dismiss.html] * Judge delays Bayer's $7.25B Roundup settlement hearing amid objections [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/06/30/judge-delays-roundup-settlement-hearing-amid.html] * Judge declares mistrial in Roundup lawsuit after US Supreme Court ruling [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/03/judge-declares-mistrial-roundup-lawsuit-supreme.html] * Bayer creates new unit for Roundup business, based in Creve Coeur [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/02/bayer-creates-new-unit-roundup-business-creve.html] * Insurers attack Bayer bid for coverage (Round Up) [https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/07/06/insurers-attack-bayerbid-for-coverage-roundup.html]

Mayor Cara Spencer on downtown’s direction

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer joins Erik and Jacob to take stock of downtown's momentum — and confront the city's toughest structural questions. Six months after calling on the business community to plant a flag downtown, Mayor Spencer returns to the Arch City Report to assess what's changed. With the Rams settlement bill moving through the Board of Aldermen — potentially allocating $55 million for downtown redevelopment, the riverfront, and North City — Spencer breaks down exactly how those dollars would be deployed and what private matching investment could follow. But the conversation quickly turns to the harder questions: a state-appointed police board demanding a 22% pay raise with 24-hour notice, the strain on city services from a declining tax base, and whether St. Louis can realistically meet all of its pressing needs without a bigger structural fix. Is it finally time for a serious conversation about city-county merger? Topics covered: * Downtown development progress — Millennium site, Ballpark Village Phase 3, AT&T Tower, and Mansion House * How the $55M in Rams settlement funds would be allocated across downtown, the riverfront, and North City * The city's role as facilitator vs. doer in redevelopment * The breakdown with the state police board and the battle over officer pay and benefits * The case for regionalizing government functions — and whether opposition to merger is softening Arch City Report is sponsored by Maryville University and Cass Commercial Bank.

How a St. Louis Food Truck Became a James Beard Award Winner — and Reunited a Family

St. Louis chef Loryn Nalic — chef and co-owner of Balkan Treat Box and Telva at The Ridge — joins Veneta Rizvic to celebrate her 2026 James Beard Award win in the Best Chef Midwest category. Loryn shares what the win means to her, the deeply personal story behind Balkan Treat Box and how the restaurant helped reunite her husband Edo's family after years of separation, and her recent research trip to Bosnia where she trained at a legendary bakery. She also weighs in on the flourishing St. Louis dining scene, the "James Beard effect" on her business, and what the future might hold for her restaurants. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/06/15/st-louisan-best-chef-james-beard-foundation-awards.html https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/feature/arch-city-report Mentioned in this episode: Cass Commercial Bank Cass Commercial Bank...member FDIC. https://www.cassbank.com/

Most Influential Business Women 2026 with Julie Murphy

The St. Louis Business Journal has announced its 2026 class of Most Influential Businesswomen — the 27th year of an awards program that has celebrated more than 530 women business leaders since 1999. Host Veneta Rizvic sits down with Julie Murphy, founder and managing principal of JFM Strategies and a 2025 honoree, who also served as a judge for this year's selection process. Julie shares insight into her 30-plus years navigating the intersection of government, business, and community development — from helping keep the National Geospatial Agency in St. Louis to revitalization projects at Laclede's Landing. She and Veneta also discuss a few of this year's honorees, what the judging process was really like, and what it truly means to be an influential businesswoman. The 2026 Most Influential Business Women luncheon takes place Thursday, August 13th, at the Ritz Carlton, St. Louis. Read more: www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/most-influential-business-women Nominate someone for 2027: www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/nomination Mentioned in this episode: Cass Commercial Bank Cass Commercial Bank...member FDIC. https://www.cassbank.com/