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Carillon Tower Advisers, an investment management company, released its first-quarter 2026 investor letter for the “Carillon Eagle Mid Cap Growth Fund”. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Mid-cap stocks delivered mixed results in the first quarter, and value notably outperformed growth. The Russell Midcap® Growth Index (down 6.35%) lagged behind the Russell Midcap® Value Index (up 3.69%). The notable contributing sector was energy, returning 45.23%, outperforming other sectors in the growth index and its value peers. The first quarter was volatile for equity markets, but investors were optimistic. However, military strikes on Iran caused energy prices to rise, shifting investor sentiment to uncertainty. Despite this turbulence, with improved valuations and potential positive developments from de-escalation in the Middle East, the firm is optimistic that the current market fluctuations will be short-lived. In addition, please check the Fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.

In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, Carillon Eagle Mid Cap Growth Fund highlighted Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY). Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) is a US-based convenience store operator under the Casey's and Casey's General Store names. On April 17, 2026, Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) closed at $754.72 per share. One-month return of Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) was 12.41%, and its shares gained 68.48% over the past 52 weeks. Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) has a market capitalization of $28.21 billion.

Carillon Eagle Mid Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) in its Q1 2026 investor letter:

"Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) operates a chain of convenience stores that sell fuel, groceries, and freshly prepared food, such as pizza, primarily in small-town and rural areas across the Midwest. The stock performed well, driven by strong quarterly results, with continued strength in fuel margins and robust in-store sales, particularly in prepared foods and pizza. It also benefitted from expectations that recent increases in oil prices could further expand fuel margins."

Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) is not on our list of 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds Heading Into 2026. According to our database, 47 hedge fund portfolios held Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) at the end of the fourth quarter, compared to 51 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

In another article, we covered Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASY) and shared ClearBridge Investments' views on the company. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2026 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.