Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Varonis Systems (VRNS - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 3. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis data-management software company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.03 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -50%.

Revenues are expected to be $186.93 million, up 15.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.59% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Varonis?For Varonis, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +9.09%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination indicates that Varonis will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Varonis would post earnings of $0.01 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.04, delivering a surprise of +300.00%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Varonis appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

An Industry Player's Expected ResultsCheck Point Software (CHKP - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Security industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $2.49 for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -36.8%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $672.51 million, down 0.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Check Point has been revised 0.2% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +0.09%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate.

This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Check Point will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

Apollo Global Management Inc. (APO - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 3. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.21 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +3.3%.

Revenues are expected to be $1.34 billion, up 16.6% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.59% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Apollo Global Management?For Apollo Global Management, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.07%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Apollo Global Management will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Apollo Global Management would post earnings of $2.18 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.11, delivering a surprise of -3.21%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Apollo Global Management doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

An Industry Player's Expected ResultsAmong the stocks in the Zacks Financial - Investment Management industry, Virtus Investment Partners (VRTS - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $5.73 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -14.4%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $180.3 million, down 8.3% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for Virtus has been revised 6.3% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.32%.

When combined with a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Virtus will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

, /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of the general partner of MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) has declared a quarterly cash distribution of $1.2111 per common unit for the third quarter of 2026, or $4.84 on an annualized basis.

This represents a 12.5% increase, or $0.1346 increase per common unit, over the second quarter 2026 distribution. The distribution will be paid on Nov. 13, 2026, to common unitholders of record as of Nov. 6, 2026.

Qualified Tax Notice

Concurrent with this announcement we are providing qualified notice to brokers and nominees that hold MPLX units on behalf of non-U.S. investors under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b) and (d) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446(f)-4(c)(2)(iii). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100%) of the Partnership's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. In addition, brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100%) of the distribution as being in excess of cumulative net income for purposes of determining the amount to withhold. Accordingly, the Partnership's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Nominees, and not MPLX, are treated as the withholding agents responsible for withholding on the distributions received by them on behalf of non-U.S. investors.

About MPLX LP

MPLX is a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and logistics assets and provides fuels distribution services. MPLX's assets include a network of crude oil and refined product pipelines; an inland marine business; light-product terminals; storage caverns; refinery tanks, docks, loading racks, and associated piping; and crude and light-product marine terminals. The company also owns crude oil and natural gas gathering systems and pipelines as well as natural gas and NGL processing and fractionation facilities in key U.S. supply basins. More information is available at www.mplx.com.

Investor Relations Contacts: (419) 421-2071
Brian Worthington, Vice President, Investor Relations
Isaac Feeney, Director, Investor Relations
Evan Heminger, Analyst, Investor Relations

Media Contact: (419) 421-3577
Jamal Kheiry, Communications Director

SOURCE MPLX LP

Analysts on Wall Street project that GE Vernova (GEV - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $4.03 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 145.7% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $12.1 billion, increasing 21.4% from the same quarter last year.

Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 3.3% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.

Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors typically rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to gauge how the business may have fared during the quarter, examining analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics often helps gain a deeper insight.

Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific GE Vernova metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Revenues- Wind' of $2.33 billion. The estimate indicates a change of -11.9% from the prior-year quarter.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Revenues- Wind- Services' should come in at $466.86 million. The estimate points to a change of +5.2% from the year-ago quarter.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Revenues- Wind- Equipment' should arrive at $1.87 billion. The estimate suggests a change of -15% year over year.

The consensus estimate for 'Revenues- Power' stands at $5.74 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +18.6%.

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Revenues- Electrification' reaching $4.01 billion. The estimate suggests a change of +54.1% year over year.

Analysts expect 'Revenues- Power- Services' to come in at $3.48 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +12.8%.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Revenues- Power- Equipment' will reach $2.26 billion. The estimate suggests a change of +35.2% year over year.

Analysts predict that the 'Revenues- Electrification- Equipment' will reach $3.20 billion. The estimate suggests a change of +58.6% year over year.

Analysts forecast 'Revenues- Wind- Offshore Wind' to reach $257.78 million. The estimate suggests a change of +32.2% year over year.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Revenues- Wind- Onshore Wind' will reach $2.08 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -13.6%.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Revenues- Power- Gas Power' at $4.84 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +23.4%.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Power - Gas Turbine Gigawatts' will likely reach N/A. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of N/A.

View all Key Company Metrics for GE Vernova here>>>

Over the past month, shares of GE Vernova have returned -10% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. Currently, GEV carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggesting that its performance may align with the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Redwood Trust (RWT - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 3. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis specialty finance company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.22 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10%.

Revenues are expected to be $37.27 million, up 148.5% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 16.33% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Redwood Trust?For Redwood Trust, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #5.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Redwood Trust will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Redwood Trust would post earnings of $0.26 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.25, delivering a surprise of -3.85%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Redwood Trust doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAnother stock from the Zacks REIT and Equity Trust industry, Arbor Realty Trust (ABR - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.06 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -82.9%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $227.4 million, up 2% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for Arbor Realty Trust has been revised 30% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -66.67%.

When combined with a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Arbor Realty Trust will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

Planet Labs just posted the strongest quarter in its history, yet the stock dropped 30% this year. Here is why that gap keeps widening my position and the exact two conditions that would make me walk away.

I added to my Planet Labs (NYSE:PL) position again this month, and every dip makes the next purchase easier. Shares sat at $13.77 on October 26, down 30.17% year to date. That drop came right after the company delivered the strongest quarter in its history. While the business speeds up and the stock falls, I keep buying.

Planet Sees the Whole Planet Every Day
Conventional satellite operators take static, targeted photos on demand. Planet runs hundreds of satellites (SuperDoves, Pelicans and Tanagers) that image the entire Earth’s landmass daily. That daily scan builds an archive rivals cannot buy. CEO Will Marshall put it plainly: “Even if someone had a daily scan suddenly today, they wouldn’t have the archive to go back and find all these things for several years.” Customers pay for that history through subscriptions, and 98% of annual contract value is recurring.

Three Receipts Behind Every Purchase
Growth comes first. Fiscal Q2 2027 revenue reached $116.05 million, up 58.1% year over year and ahead of the $104.22 million consensus. Defense and intelligence revenue grew over 90%, and full-year guidance calls for $430 million to $441 million.

Visibility comes second. Net dollar retention stands at 109%. Planet counts over $4 billion of identified satellite-services opportunities, with over 25% qualified as near-term. It launched a sovereign satellite for the Swedish Armed Forces 4 months after signing.

Financial strength comes third. Planet generated $52.87 million of free cash flow in fiscal 2026, its first full year with positive free cash flow. Adjusted EBITDA reached $13.93 million last quarter, up from $6.41 million a year earlier. Adjusted EPS of $0.02 beat the -$0.0213 consensus, its fifth consecutive quarterly beat. Cash, equivalents and short-term investments total about $865 million. Last quarter, Planet sold shares through its ATM program at an average net price of $31.95. I’m buying at $13.77.

Why My Money Skips BlackSky
BlackSky Technology (NYSE:BKSY) grew Q2 2026 revenue 50.08% to $33.316 million, yet its GAAP EPS of -$0.54 missed the -$0.3467 estimate. Its 2025 operating cash flow came in at -$28.311 million, and it ended the quarter with $36.897 million in cash after a $150 million ATM raise. Planet generates positive free cash flow. BlackSky relies more heavily on capital markets.

Only Two Things Will Stop Me
Dilution and capital cycles top the list. Planet raised about $120 million through its ATM last quarter. It has $448.3 million in convertible notes, spends $17.1 million a quarter on stock-based compensation and plans $100 million to $115 million of capex this year.

Government concentration comes second. Defense budgets drive the growth, and those contracts has termination-for-convenience clauses.

So far, both stay inside my limits. Management sold stock well above today’s price and said, “We are very diligent about how we are adding that capital to the balance sheet, making sure that we’re sensitive to dilution as we know our shareholders are.” The government book covers Sweden, Germany, Rwanda and U.S. agencies, and EMEA revenue grew over 130%. If ATM sales increase up at low prices or a major agency walks away, I stop buying.

What Keeps the Growth Thesis Intact
The next-generation Owl fleet promises “10 times more data” delivered “10 times faster,” and management called it “definitely a price increase opportunity.” Marshall estimates Planet holds under 5% of today’s Earth observation market. A company growing 58% with that little share and that much cash keeps my confidence in the thesis high.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Astera Labs, Inc. (ALAB - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 3. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.19 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +142.9%.

Revenues are expected to be $550.39 million, up 138.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.59% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Astera Labs, Inc.?For Astera Labs, Inc., the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Astera Labs, Inc. will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Astera Labs, Inc. would post earnings of $0.69 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.80, delivering a surprise of +15.94%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Astera Labs, Inc. doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAmong the stocks in the Zacks Internet - Software industry, VERRA MOBILITY CORP (VRRM - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.26 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -29.7%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $238.77 million, down 8.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Verra Mobility has been revised 0.8% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +1.56%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate.

This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Verra Mobility will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

Meta Platforms (META -0.81%), the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has had a strong year of growth, while its stock has been quiet. As of Oct. 22, the stock was slightly down year to date and about 18% below its September high of $779.82.

That pullback is a buying opportunity, with Meta coming off a strong quarter and maintaining business momentum heading into 2027. Here are three reasons to take advantage of the dip.

1. Meta is putting personal AI agents in billions of hands
CEO Mark Zuckerberg's big goal is what he calls "personal superintelligence." Meta wants to give every person their own artificial intelligence (AI) agent -- software that carries out tasks on its own for you. The recent launch of Muse, Meta's new personal agent, shows how Meta can turn its massive AI investments into products that reach people directly, opening up new ways to diversify revenue beyond advertising.

It is perfectly positioned to be a major distributor of AI consumer products. Meta's family of apps is used by 3.6 billion people every day, a massive audience to monetize.

The early results are encouraging. More than 10 million people downloaded and set up Muse in the first six weeks. Shopping is its most common use right now, and management expects Muse to eventually earn more per user than Meta's existing apps because of how people are already using it.

$625.46-$5.10 (-0.81%)

NASDAQ · As of 12:02 PM ET 10/27/26

2. AI is making Meta's ads more valuable to advertisers
Meta still makes most of its money selling ads, and AI is enhancing that growth engine. The company relies on ranking and recommendation models, where its AI systems decide which ad to show each person. In the third quarter, upgrades to its GEM and Andromeda models lifted conversions, meaning more people took action after seeing an ad.

Ad impressions grew 10% year over year, while the average price per ad climbed 14%. That pushed total revenue up 26% to nearly $65 billion, beating the top end of management's guidance.

Management expects fourth-quarter revenue of $73 billion to $76 billion. CFO Susan Li said that upcoming advances in models and product launches give Meta opportunities to maintain strong revenue growth throughout 2027.

3. The stock is trading at a market average P/E
Meta's reported operating profit fell 37% year over year in the third quarter, following a one-time $9.9 billion legal charge to resolve litigation over teen mental health and social media. Excluding the charge, operating income would have increased 11% to about $22.9 billion, for an adjusted operating margin of about 35%.

That high margin during a heavy AI spending cycle shows how well positioned Meta is to deliver long-term returns to shareholders.

Image source: Getty Images.

The stock offers solid value relative to growth expectations. At about $650, the stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 21.5 on 2026 estimates and 18.9 based on next year's.

Long term, analysts expect Meta's earnings to grow about 19% per year. If earnings grow at that pace, they would more than double by 2031. Assuming the stock continues to trade at the same earnings multiple, it could compound at roughly the same rate.

The stock is trading roughly in line with the S&P 500's forward P/E of 19.3. However, Meta may deserve a higher P/E, given its massive user base and its above-average earnings growth prospects.

The main item to watch is heavy AI spending, with $135 billion to $145 billion in capital expenditures planned for 2026, which has weighed on the share price this year. But Meta's strong quarter shows the benefits from its capital spending. The strong adoption of Muse and robust revenue growth make Meta stock a compelling buy heading into the new year.

Tesla's (TSLA +3.91%) recently reported quarterly results raise as many questions as they answer. While revenue of just over $28 billion topped estimates of $27.9 billion, and earnings of $0.48 per share beat estimates of $0.43, investors apparently balked at the company's 2026 spending outlook.

Not because it was raised, but because it was lowered, from around $25 billion to $20 billion, and will largely be funded from operating cash flow. The market is interpreting that as a sign that Tesla's transition to predominantly an artificial intelligence (AI) technology company isn't happening very quickly. And maybe that's an accurate assessment.

In the meantime, though, Tesla remains first and foremost an electric vehicle (EV) company that's using that business's bottom line as a springboard for its AI-driven robotaxi and robotics ventures. And we're seeing encouraging progress on the electric vehicle front, not so much in terms of volume, but at least in terms of profitability.

When it was needed the most, a small step forward
Whether Tesla's EV business is a meaningfully reliable growth engine has been up for debate since 2022, when Chinese rival BYD Company (BYDDY -0.22%) began getting real traction in China as well as in Europe. Tesla cut prices, which, of course, crimped profits.

There's a glimmer of hope, though. While average selling prices have dropped since the first quarter -- partially reflecting more sales and production of the lower-cost Model 3 -- the latest numbers show that for the second quarter in a row, Tesla's per-car production costs have fallen as well, from $37,748 in Q2 to Q3's $36,077.

This has allowed per-delivery automotive gross profits to bounce back from Q2's plunge to $7,213 to $7,864 in Q3. Gross profits per manufactured vehicle also snapped back by a similar degree, negating any worries that the recovery is merely a matter of the difference between the quarter's delivery figure and its production tally.

Data source: Tesla. Chart by author.

Just buying stress-free time
This isn't necessarily thrilling. As the graphic above illustrates, per-car profits are far from soaring.

They're not sinking, though, and that's a win in and of itself following a concerning decline in Q2. This slight recovery confirms there's at least some degree of profitable marketability for Tesla's electric vehicles in an increasingly competitive environment.

More than anything, though, the decrease in EV manufacturing costs says current shareholders who own Tesla stock for its potential on the robotics and robotaxi fronts don't need to worry about a struggling electric vehicle business taking time, attention, and resources away from those efforts. Tesla's EV business can stand on its own, even if its growth is modest.

That being said, don't misunderstand. Tesla is mostly an electric vehicle company now. In just a couple of years, however, it plans to be an AI robotics and robotaxi outfit that also happens to manufacture EVs. That evolution is what this expensive and volatile stock is really pricing in here.

Alphabet pours hundreds of billions into AI while its stock lags the S&P by double digits, and the reasons go deeper than most investors realize.

AI valuations are on the march. Meta (NASDAQ: META | META Price Prediction) has already shot itself in the foot by saying it would need significant funding to be among the AI winners. Its total AI-related spending could run to $635 billion over time. The disclosure was part of Meta’s earnings. The comments came just ahead of Anthropic’s IPO. It was a bad look, which showed a remarkable level of risk. Meta’s shares dropped 7%.

The other megacap stock with a very poor year is Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG). Its stock is just below flat, while the S&P is up 13%.

What is going on? Not much that is good. Like the other largest tech companies, it is taking a huge cash-flow-positive company and driving it cash-negative as it wraps up AI commitments that have moved into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Its flagship DeepMind project has seen a rotation of leaders and what outsiders characterized as delays. In a sector in which advances are prized, that is not good news. Gemini seemed to be a solid product out of the box. And it was set up so that anyone who had a Google product could use it. That’s a massive footprint of hundreds of millions of people.

But where was the enterprise adoption, which is where the real money is supposed to be? While companies like Anthropic signed up big companies and the federal government (which hasn’t gone so well recently), Google’s big win was a partnership with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). More adoption, but to what end? Alphabet gets paid $1 billion a year, which is next to nothing for them.

Stock prices are a pretty good proxy for a business’s success. Google has search, but it is being cannibalized by its own Gemini-driven results. However, search will be a great business for the foreseeable future, but won’t grow like it did in the past. It is nice to own YouTube, Gmail, and Maps, but there is no evidence it is close to AI’s cutting edge.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Douglas A. McIntyre is the co-founder, chief executive officer and editor in chief of 24/7 Wall St. and 24/7 Tempo. He has held these jobs since 2006.

McIntyre has written thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St. He is an expert on corporate finance, the automotive industry, media companies and international finance. He has edited articles on national demographics, sports, personal income and travel.

His work has been quoted or mentioned in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Time, The New Yorker, HuffPost USA Today, Business Insider, Yahoo, AOL, MarketWatch, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Guardian and many other major publications. McIntyre has been a guest on CNBC, the BBC and television and radio stations across the country.

A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, McIntyre also was president of The Harvard Advocate. Founded in 1866, the Advocate is the oldest college publication in the United States.

TheStreet.com, Comps.com and Edgar Online are some of the public companies for which McIntyre served on the board of directors. He was a Vicinity Corporation board member when the company was sold to Microsoft in 2002. He served on the audit committees of some of these companies.

McIntyre has been the CEO of FutureSource, a provider of trading terminals and news to commodities and futures traders. He was president of Switchboard, the online phone directory company. He served as chairman and CEO of On2 Technologies, the video compression company that provided video compression software for Adobe’s Flash. Google bought On2 in 2009.

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Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) could climb to $1,700 by early September 2031 if its current artificial intelligence (AI) bull cycle repeats the pattern that preceded the Dot-com bubble peak.

In an October 26 TradingView post, analyst TradingShot argued that MSFT could enter the second phase of its rally after holding support at its 50-month moving average (MA). 

The analysis compares the stock’s current 18-month sideways trading range with the accumulation phase of the 1990s internet boom, when Microsoft similarly consolidated around its long-term moving average before advancing toward its Dot-com peak.

The comparison comes with a warning where MSFT’s monthly Relative Strength Index (RSI) has formed lower highs, suggesting weakening momentum despite the stock holding support. 

A sustained break below the MA50 would weaken the historical comparison and undermine the projected second phase of the AI bull cycle.

At the current price of $532, MSFT would need to gain approximately 219% to reach $1,700, more than tripling its share price over nearly five years. 

TradingShot’s projection uses Fibonacci retracement levels of 0.236 and 0.382 to compare the two cycles, with the MA50 serving as the key support indicator.

However, the outlook does not establish that the historical pattern will repeat. The $1,700 target is a long-term technical projection, not a consensus analyst price target or company forecast. 

MSFT stock fundamentals  Reaching it would depend on Microsoft maintaining support, translating AI investments into revenue and earnings growth, and navigating valuation and broader market risks.

Microsoft’s financial performance supports the long-term bullish case, although it does not validate the bullish price target.

For the fiscal fourth quarter ended June 30, 2026, Microsoft reported revenue of $90 billion, up 18% year over year, and net income of $35.8 billion, up 31%. 

Microsoft Cloud revenue rose 27% to $59.3 billion, while Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 43%. Commercial remaining performance obligations reached $678 billion, reflecting contracted future revenue.

These results highlight demand for Microsoft’s cloud and AI services, and the next test comes with its fiscal first-quarter 2027 reporting, scheduled for October 28, with investors watching Azure growth, AI adoption, capital expenditure, and guidance. Analysts expect revenue of approximately $90.6 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.71 per share.

MSFT stock risks  However, Microsoft’s heavy AI investment could complicate its path toward $1,700. Fiscal 2026 capital expenditure, including capital leases, reached approximately $145.3 billion. 

At the same time, reports indicate that Microsoft was offering voluntary buyouts to eligible employees as it sought to control costs while funding its AI expansion.

Investors are increasingly assessing whether AI revenue will justify the cost of building and operating the necessary infrastructure. 

Continued Azure growth and enterprise adoption could support MSFT, while slower growth, margin pressure or disappointing investment returns could weigh on the stock.

Featured image via Shutterstock

American Airlines is raising the annual fee for two of its rewards credit cards for the first time since 2018 and adding new benefits like a TSA PreCheck credit and points from spending on hotels.

The fee on the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard will go up to $150 a year from $99. That is the first increase since 2018, when it raised the fee from $95 to $99, a spokeswoman said.

The Citi AAdvantage Business Mastercard will also have a fee increase and will now cost $150 a year.

Airlines and their bank partners have been steadily raising fees on rewards credit cards.

Those cards generate billions of dollars a year for airlines, which make money when miles are sold to banks, which then give them to customers. American's move, announced Tuesday, follows similar increases by rivals such as United Airlines.

Meanwhile, American Express last year raised the fee on its popular Platinum card, which comes with airport lounge access, to $895 a year from $695. JPMorgan Chase increased the annual fee on its competing card, the Sapphire Reserve, to $795 from $550.

The new perks for the American card include 3X AAdvantage miles earnings on hotels booked through American's portal, a credit of up to $120 every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and a $100 annual statement credit on in-flight purchases like food.

The new fees take effect Jan. 24.

Read more CNBC airline newsWhy airfare could rise even more, but airline profits won’tBudget airline king Bill Franke warms to premium upgradesCompanies spurn airlines’ cheapest business class ticketsUnited’s next decision: What to do with all those Boeing 737 Max 10 seats it ordered years agoRecord heat, crowds drive offseason boom in international travel

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP (“SBS”), a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Bank of America Corporation (“Bank of America” or “the Company”) (NYSE: BAC) for violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Shareholders who purchased shares of BAC during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointments. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.

CLASS PERIOD: August 1, 2025 to October 13, 2026

DEADLINE: December 15, 2026

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

CASE DETAILS: According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Bank of America, N.A. (“BANA”) suffered from systemic weaknesses in its Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (“BSA/AML”) program, causing it to miss or inaccurately report billions of dollars in suspicious transactions. The Company internally documented its BSA/AML problems but failed to remedy them. The Company failed to maintain an adequate sanctions compliance program. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Bank of America, investors suffered damages.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall or David Schwartz of Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

Join the case to recover your losses.

WHY SBS? Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. Bringing together the extensive experience and diverse skillsets of founding partners Brian Schall, Andrew Brown, and David Schwartz, SBS is dedicated to aggressively advocating for every investor.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.        

CONTACT:

Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP
Brian Schall, Esq.,
Andrew Brown, Esq.,
David Schwartz, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335
[email protected]

SOURCE:

Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP

Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.

Over the past month, shares of this entertainment company have returned +4.6%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. During this period, the Zacks Media Conglomerates industry, which Disney falls in, has gained 0.4%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Disney is expected to post earnings of $1.68 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +51.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +2.6%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.92 points to a change of +16.7% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.1%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $7.48 indicates a change of +8.1% from what Disney is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.1%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Disney is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of Disney, the consensus sales estimate of $25.3 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +12.6%. The $101.64 billion and $106.17 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +7.6% and +4.5%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryDisney reported revenues of $25.25 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.8%. EPS of $2.06 for the same period compares with $1.61 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $25.48 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.91%. The EPS surprise was +9.57%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Disney is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Disney. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Ford announced two new EV chargers today that will allow its forthcoming Fathom pickup truck to serve as a battery capable of delivering power to the home or grid.

The new chargers promise to be about half the cost of Ford’s existing equivalent products, which could make the technology available to more households. Ford said the Fathom itself will start at $28,350.

The Fathom will be capable of delivering “over 10 kW” to a home, Ford said. That would allow the electric vehicle to substitute for a small standby generator. For most U.S. homes, it wouldn’t be enough to power everything, but it could keep a refrigerator and air conditioner operational for about half a day. 

Such capability has been touted as an advantage EVs have over fossil fuel vehicles, but not many EVs come properly equipped, and the chargers required to make use of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) services tend to be costly. 

Ford’s two devices offer similar but differing capabilities.

The Home Power Station device can help customers shave their utility bill by charging the Fathom when power prices are low and sending electricity back to the home when prices are high. The automaker says it will cost around $650, about 50% less than its first-generation bidirectional charger. 

The other option, Home Backup Power, is a package that bundles the Home Power Station with a second device, the Home Backup Panel, to allow the Fathom to also power parts or all of a home when the power goes out. Ford says the package will cost around $2,100, about 60% less than its first-generation product.

None of those prices include installation, which for existing V2X chargers can run up to $10,000, depending on how much electrical work needs to be done to prepare the home. Ford did not announce any partnerships with installers, though a spokesperson told TechCrunch that Ford would release more details at a later date.

Which loads the Fathom can power will vary by household and the specifics of each installation. Things like air conditioners and refrigerators, for example, typically require a large surge of power to start up, after which point their load drops. So-called soft-start devices can help mitigate the surge, though they add cost to the installation.

Both chargers will allow Fathom customers to participate in virtual power plants (VPPs), which use software to control a fleet of distributed energy storage devices, such as EVs.

As strain on the grid grows due to AI data centers, utilities have been exploring whether VPPs can help alleviate congestion at the edges.

Fathom owners who enroll and keep their truck plugged in can sell electricity back to the grid, often at a premium. Ford did not say how much Fathom owners can stand to make, but the payouts can be upwards of $1,000 per year, depending on the grid’s needs and the level of participation.

Automakers, including Ford, have been diving deep into energy storage as demand for such services surges. The Fathom-powered VPP is Ford’s latest foray into the market, but it’s unlikely to be its last.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Tim De Chant is a senior climate reporter at TechCrunch. He has written for a wide range of publications, including Wired magazine, the Chicago Tribune, Ars Technica, The Wire China, and NOVA Next, where he was founding editor.

De Chant is also a lecturer in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing, and he was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT in 2018, during which time he studied climate technologies and explored new business models for journalism. He received his PhD in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley, and his BA degree in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College.

You can contact or verify outreach from Tim by emailing [email protected].

General Motors (GM - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Over the past month, shares of this an automotive manufacturer have returned -5.4%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. During this period, the Zacks Automotive - Domestic industry, which General Motors falls in, has gained 3.4%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

General Motors is expected to post earnings of $2.47 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -9.3%.

The consensus earnings estimate of $13.39 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +26.3%. This estimate has changed -0.4% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.56 indicates a change of +8.7% from what General Motors is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -1%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for General Motors.

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of General Motors, the consensus sales estimate of $44.9 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -0.9%. The $185.7 billion and $188.43 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +0.4% and +1.5%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryGeneral Motors reported revenues of $50.02 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +2.9%. EPS of $3.7 for the same period compares with $2.8 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $48.21 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.75%. The EPS surprise was +4.23%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

General Motors is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about General Motors. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Intel Today

$93.90 +3.43 (+3.79%)

As of 12:14 PM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

$32.89▼

$142.35$108.23

The semiconductor sector is experiencing a visible divergence. As momentum continues to crowd into high-flying artificial intelligence names, institutional capital appears to be quietly scouting for deep-value alternatives. The broader hardware market has seen significant multiple expansion, leading some analysts to flag crowding concerns among peak-cycle favorites. KeyBanc recently issued a $155 price target for Intel Corporation NASDAQ: INTC, signaling a potential shift in capital allocation.

With shares pulling back about 25% over the past month, Intel has essentially reset its near-term valuation after a year-to-date run of over 140%. This consolidation phase has pushed technical health indicators into transitional territory, creating an interesting setup.

Get Intel alerts:

For investors willing to look past the consensus, this target highlights a compelling rotation into legacy architecture and a broader hardware recovery story. Media sentiment surrounding Intel currently registers at a highly positive 0.86, nearly double the average technology sector sentiment of 0.47. This divergence suggests a stealth accumulation of positive narrative momentum.

Squeezing the Supply Chain for Legacy GainsIntel's legacy architecture segments are encountering an unexpected, yet highly favorable, operating environment. Supply chain constraints across the broader hardware ecosystem have led to a notable shortage of server CPUs. This tight supply translates into near-term pricing power, providing a tailwind for a segment that many had assumed would languish in the shadow of pure-play AI accelerators.

As fabrication capacity globally shifts toward producing complex AI chips, traditional compute components are experiencing production bottlenecks. Several top analyst firms recently highlighted these constraints as a primary catalyst that could offset ongoing softness in the traditional personal computer market. Efforts to boost data center utilization are sustaining demand for reliable server processors. As data centers stretch to accommodate new AI workloads, the foundational infrastructure still relies heavily on established x86 ecosystems to manage networking, storage, and general-purpose computing tasks.

This dynamic positions Intel's upcoming third-quarter earnings report as a critical checkpoint. Analysts anticipate strong server-processor demand to buoy the top line. The business recently exceeded expectations in its second-quarter report, delivering roughly $16.13 billion in revenue against estimates of $14.43 billion, while doubling consensus earnings per share to 42 cents. If improving utilization translates into sustained margin expansion, the market might quickly reprice the stock's forward multiples to reflect this renewed pricing leverage.

Regulatory Relief Clears Intel's Factory BottlenecksThe most persistent headwind facing Intel over the past year has been its capital-intensive foundry division. Critics point to billions of dollars in investments and a lack of publicly named customers as structural risks compared to established fabrication giants in Asia. While those concerns have merit, recent developments suggest the downside risk is being actively managed, easing some margin-compression fears that have historically plagued the stock.

A favorable regulatory waiver from the Federal Communications Commission recently allowed Intel to continue using specific foreign-made robotic devices in its manufacturing facilities. This clears a notable operational bottleneck, keeping production timelines on track as the foundry business attempts to scale its advanced packaging capabilities and build out physical infrastructure. Delays in factory tooling can cascade into billions of dollars in lost efficiency, making this regulatory clearance a quiet but highly fundamental win for Intel's balance sheet.

Crescent Island GPUs Target Agentic AI InferenceBeyond the factory floor, Intel is carving out a niche in the expanding AI infrastructure market. The recent unveiling of the Crescent Island GPU D-series and Xeon-based rack designs targets memory-intensive, agentic AI inference. Rather than competing directly in the training chip arms race against primary competitors, these products focus on the hardware, software, and open-ecosystem support needed for broad AI deployment.

Inference is the application phase of artificial intelligence, requiring less raw computing power but relying heavily on efficient memory and rack-level integration. This reinforces a pragmatic approach to data center expansion, allowing Intel to capture revenue from enterprises looking for cost-effective, scalable inference solutions rather than expensive training clusters.

Perhaps the most compelling signal of boardroom confidence comes from recent insider activity. In August, Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan bought over 100,000 shares on the open market at an average price near $95, representing a personal allocation of roughly $10 million. Insider accumulation of this magnitude often signals a deep internal belief that the turnaround strategy is taking hold and that long-term fundamental value outweighs short-term macroeconomic volatility.

Forward Guidance Steers the Next RotationThe current technical and fundamental alignment makes the Oct. 29 earnings release a focal point for Intel's stock. Options markets are pricing in an implied move of roughly 11% in either direction, underscoring the unusually high volatility expected from the print. Historical data supports this expectation, with shares averaging a 16% swing following the last three quarterly reports.

Intel Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$108.23
16.96% Upside

Hold
Based on 50 Analyst Ratings

Current Price$92.54High Forecast$200.00Average Forecast$108.23Low Forecast$50.00Intel Stock Forecast Details

Despite the headline analyst consensus of Hold, underlying institutional sentiment shows a more supportive distribution. Of 50 covering analysts, 21 maintain a Buy-equivalent rating, compared with only two outright Sell recommendations. Recent upgrades from firms like Sanford C. Bernstein, which elevated the stock on Oct. 19, 2026, suggest that institutional models are beginning to price in a successful turnaround.

With a forward price-to-earnings ratio just over 87 and a price-to-earnings growth ratio of 9.23, the market appears focused on forward guidance. Trailing GAAP metrics, including a negative price-to-earnings ratio of about -41, reflect the foundry buildout's heavy capital expenditures, making backward-looking profitability ratios less relevant to the current recovery narrative. The recent 25% price correction provides a much-needed valuation reset, offering an asymmetrical risk-to-reward ratio for capital rotating out of overbought semiconductor peers.

Investors monitoring the semiconductor space may want to watch management's forward guidance closely. Any confirmation of margin recovery and server CPU pricing power could serve as the definitive catalyst to push Intel's stock price toward KeyBanc's $155 target. Cautious investors might prefer to wait for the earnings volatility to settle before initiating a position, but the underlying fundamentals suggest a structural shift is quietly underway in the physical hardware economy.

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The upcoming report from Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) is expected to reveal quarterly earnings of $11.97 per share, indicating an increase of 375% compared to the year-ago period. Analysts forecast revenues of $33.72 billion, representing a decline of 3.6% year over year.

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 24% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This reflects how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reevaluated their initial estimates during this timeframe.

Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.

Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific Phillips 66 metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Revenues and Other Income- Sales and other operating revenues' of $33.66 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -2.5%.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Revenues and Other Income- Equity in earnings of affiliates' should come in at $303.56 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -9.9%.

The consensus estimate for 'Total sales and other operating revenues- Renewable Fuels' stands at $859.74 million. The estimate points to a change of -46.6% from the year-ago quarter.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Refining Margins - Western/Pacific (Per Barrel)' should arrive at $37.59 . The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $12.31 .

The consensus among analysts is that 'Refining Margins - Atlantic Basin/Europe (Per Barrel)' will reach $32.76 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $11.94 .

Analysts expect 'Refining Margins - Gulf Coast (Per Barrel)' to come in at $31.24 . Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $8.74 in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts predict that the 'Refining Margins - Worldwide (Per Barrel)' will reach $35.65 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $12.15 .

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Refining Margins - Central Corridor (Per Barrel)' reaching $40.60 . The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $15.82 .

The average prediction of analysts places 'Refining operations - West Coast - Crude oil capacity' at 105.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 244.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day in the same quarter last year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Chemicals - CPChem Externally Marketed Sales Volumes' will likely reach 5799 millions of pounds. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 6572 millions of pounds.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Refining operations - Central Corridor - Crude oil capacity' will reach 793.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 531.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts forecast 'Refining operations - Central Corridor - Crude oil processed' to reach 754.70 thousands of barrels of oil per day. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 549.00 thousands of barrels of oil per day in the same quarter last year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Phillips 66 here>>>

Over the past month, Phillips 66 shares have recorded returns of +13.9% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. Based on its Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), PSX will likely outperform the overall market in the upcoming period. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

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TMUS earnings rebound

Buy T-Mobile (TMUS). The stock is oversold on SpaceX fear, but the options market already leans bullish (put/call 0.53; calls around $150). If earnings show postpaid stabilization (churn not worsening, adds re-accelerating), TMUS can snap back toward $150 and then $160 as bears cover and momentum traders re-enter.

Key Risk: Earnings confirm worsening postpaid trends (customer adds keep falling and churn keeps rising), proving SpaceX-driven competition is already hitting results.

Tower operators rerate

Buy American Tower (AMT) and/or Crown Castle (CCI). If SpaceX builds out a network using existing tower infrastructure, demand for tower capacity and leases rises. Even if SpaceX is a competitor to carriers, it still needs towers—so the “competition threat” can translate into higher infrastructure utilization and steadier cash flows.

Key Risk: SpaceX uses a different rollout plan (more in-house sites, fewer leases, or faster buildouts that reduce third-party tower demand), cutting expected incremental tower revenue.

T-Mobile stock price continued its strong sell-off this year, reaching its lowest level since November 2023. TMUS plunged to $146.93, down by over 46% from its highest point in 2025. This retreat has pushed its market capitalization from $309 billion to $157 billion, with focus being the upcoming earnings.

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TMUS earnings could flip sentiment after SpaceX-linked telecom fears.

51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

T-Mobile and other telecommunications companies have remained under pressure in the past few years. This retreat accelerated after the SpaceX, acquired a low-band spectrum license, a move that will see it start offering mobile services to Americans. It is estimated that the company paid $8 billion for the spectrum.

SpaceX has also started talking with companies that provide cell tower services, including popular names like American Tower, Vertical Bridge, and Crown Castle. This is an important move as Tesla will need to use these cellular towers to beam its network in urban areas. 

Analysts believe that SpaceX can become a major competitor to T-Mobile and other companies in the industry. It can also push them to lower their costs, which will affect its margins over time.

History, however, the initial reaction whenever there is a major competition threat is usually an overreaction. We saw that with Netflix, which lagged the market when companies like Disney, Comcast, Apple, and Warner were rushing to create its competitors. Disney maintains a big market share in the industry today. 

The next important catalyst for T-Mobile stock is the upcoming earnings report, which comes out on Wednesday. This report will provide more color on its business during the quarter. 

The last report showed that T-Mobile said that its service revenue rose by 9% in the second quarter to $19 billion. Its postpaid revenue soared by 13% to $15.9 billion with the net income rising to $3.2 billion. 

T-Mobile’s stock dropped after that report because its postpaid customers continued weakening in the last quarter. It added 277,000 postpaid customers, down from 318,000 in the same period last year. Its churn also increased to 0.99% from 0.92% in the same period last year.

Analysts expect the upcoming earnings report to show that its revenue jumped by 5.38% to $23.14 billion. Its EPS is expected to move from $2.41 to $2.91. 

The options market suggest that the stock will likely rebound after its earnings report. Its put/call volume ratio stands at 0.53, suggesting that it has more calls than puts. Most of the calls are at $150, slightly higher than the current $146.

TMUS stock chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that T-Mobile shares have remained under pressure in the past two years. After peaking at $276 early last year, the stock has dropped to the current $146.

The stock formed a descending channel and has already moved below its lower side. It has also remained below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a sign that bears remain in the drivers seat for now. 

The most likely scenario is where the stock bounces back after earnings. If this happens, it may move back above $150. A move above that level will point to more gains, potentially to the psychological level of $160.

Oracle (ORCL - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Shares of this software maker have returned -4.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. The Zacks Computer - Software industry, to which Oracle belongs, has gained 3.4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Oracle is expected to post earnings of $1.88 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -16.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $8.13 points to a change of +6.6% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $10.86 indicates a change of +33.6% from what Oracle is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.1%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Oracle is rated Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

In the case of Oracle, the consensus sales estimate of $21.31 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +32.7%. The $90.5 billion and $130.47 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +34.4% and +44.2%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryOracle reported revenues of $19.35 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +29.6%. EPS of $1.92 for the same period compares with $1.47 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $19.13 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.11%. The EPS surprise was +10.34%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Oracle is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Oracle. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

New Oracle AI Data Platform capabilities combine AI-assisted enterprise ontologies, semantic reasoning, and AI estate governance capabilities to help organizations put AI to work at scale

New Oracle AI Data Platform Innovation Service turns AI opportunities into business outcomes

, /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle AI World -- Oracle today announced new Oracle AI Data Platform capabilities that help customers build, deploy, and scale enterprise AI by giving agents a shared understanding of business entities, relationships, policies, and workflows. The platform provides a foundation for developing AI-powered solutions with consistent access to business context and configurable security controls, while helping customers apply governance processes and controls, monitor usage and costs, optimize token consumption, enforce controls, and deliver repeatable outcomes at enterprise scale.

"AI agents are moving beyond information retrieval to participate in business decisions and execution," said T.K. Anand, executive vice president, Oracle. "To scale them reliably, enterprises need a system of context that reflects how the business actually works. Oracle AI Data Platform starts with business knowledge customers already have in their applications, databases, analytics, and documents and makes that context reusable across agents."

AI-Generated, Human-Governed Business Ontologies
Oracle AI Data Platform business ontologies define the concepts, terminology, relationships, and policies used to help analytics, agents, and enterprise applications interpret data consistently. The platform uses an AI Discovery agent to generate ontologies by analyzing database schemas, semantic models, application and API documentation, and business knowledge stored in unstructured documents. Business domain experts can then review and refine these ontologies before approving them as a consistent foundation for all AI solutions. As organizational needs evolve, the platform continuously monitors agents' use of the ontologies and recommends updates for domain experts to review and approve.

"The next competitive advantage in enterprise AI won't come from models alone. It will come from how well AI understands the business," said Megha Kumar, research vice president, IDC. "Oracle AI Data Platform marks an important evolution by helping organizations connect their data, business knowledge, and AI capabilities to move beyond experimentation and toward intelligent, governed business outcomes."

Build the Business Context for Enterprise AI
These business ontologies provide the foundation for a system of context that captures not only what the business data means, but also how the business operates, makes decisions, and takes action. Unlike traditional ontology projects that often rely on extensive manual modeling and specialist maintenance, Oracle AI Data Platform uses AI to help organizations curate and evolve this business context, with business and technical experts retaining ownership and control. By connecting business knowledge with the actions and workflows embedded in enterprise applications, organizations can ground AI not only in what the business knows, but also in what it can do, under which conditions, and with whose authority.

Using ontologies as the source of business knowledge, the Oracle Semantic Reasoning Engine interprets and assembles business-ready context before it reaches the AI model. It orchestrates retrieval across federated systems, resolves business relationships, and applies relevant governance controls so the model can focus on language understanding, reasoning, explanation, and user interaction. By reusing business context and prior analytical findings across queries, the engine helps reduce repetitive reasoning and optimize token usage, supporting more efficient AI operations as organizations scale.

Deep Insight Agents Put Enterprise Context into Action 
Deep Insight Agents use enterprise ontologies and Oracle Semantic Reasoning Engine to investigate and reason through complex business questions. They identify drivers, run forecasts and scenarios, and recommend next actions, while supporting human review and approval.

By integrating Deep Insight Agents with Oracle Analytics Cloud, Oracle Fusion Data Intelligence, and custom applications, customers can make these insights and recommendations available across the Oracle and third-party experiences where they work.

Oracle AI Data Platform Helps Enterprises Build, Manage, and Put AI Agents to Work
As organizations scale AI agents across the business, they need to avoid agent sprawl, duplicated effort, unclear ownership, and inconsistent controls. Oracle AI Data Platform provides a consistent way to build, manage, apply governance controls to, and make agents available across the enterprise, helping organizations scale adoption while helping maintain visibility, security, and control.

Within Oracle AI Data Platform, Oracle AI Registry helps establish the foundation for enterprise AI governance processes by maintaining a centralized inventory of agents, tools, skills, and MCP servers, including their ownership, versions, dependencies, permissions, and lifecycle status. Building on this foundation, Oracle AI Governance and Control is planned to provide testing and policy assessment capabilities, and ongoing monitoring of agent behavior, quality, performance, usage, and cost. These capabilities are designed to help organizations assess readiness before deployment, monitor AI solutions in production, identify risks and unexpected behavior, and take corrective action. Together, these capabilities help customers maintain governance, accountability, and operational oversight as the enterprise AI estate grows. Business users can discover and work with registered agents through Oracle Agent Hub or supported third-party AI assistants, such as ChatGPT and Claude. The AI Registry provides centralized visibility and management of available AI capabilities, while access and execution remain subject to applicable enterprise security policies and controls.

"Anyone can adopt frontier models and agentic AI. Organizations only gain a sustainable competitive advantage when they apply those powerful algorithms to their proprietary processes and datasets," said Kevin Petrie, vice president of research, BARC. "The Oracle AI Data Platform offers a strategic step in that direction by helping enterprises derive governed, consistent, and reusable context from their data. Ontologies in particular enable models and agents to understand the interrelationships of key concepts and entities without consuming unnecessary tokens."

New Oracle AI Data Platform capabilities will be available within the next 12 months.

Oracle AI Data Platform Innovation Service Helps Turn AI Opportunities into Production Solutions
Oracle is introducing Oracle AI Data Platform Innovation Service to help organizations move high-value AI opportunities from concept to production. Working alongside customer teams, Oracle experts help define business outcomes and design, build, validate, deploy, and operate solutions using Oracle AI Data Platform and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).

The service combines Oracle technology with forward deployed engineering expertise and ongoing operational support, helping customers put enterprise AI into production with the data, business context, security, and governance controls needed to operate at scale.

About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit oracle.com.

About Oracle AI World
Oracle AI World is where customers and partners discover the latest product and technology innovations, see how AI is being applied across industries, and connect with experts and peers. Attendees will gain practical tips and insights to drive immediate impact within their organizations and explore how Oracle is helping unlock the full potential of AI. Join the event to see new capabilities in action and hear from thought leaders and industry movers. Register now at oracle.com/ai-world or follow the news and conversation at oracle.com/news and linkedin.com/company/oracle.

Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing. 

Future Product Disclaimer
The preceding is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, timing, and pricing of any features or functionality described for Oracle's products may change and remains at the sole discretion of Oracle Corporation.

SOURCE Oracle

ADT estimates it can save more than $3 million over four years and improve application performance by 25 percent by migrating business-critical applications to Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud

Oracle Cloud HCM automatically answers 90 percent of ADT's basic HR inquiries

, /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle AI World -- ADT Inc. (NYSE: ADT), the trusted leader in smart home security solutions, is expanding its use of AI with Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud and Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications. To reduce infrastructure costs, improve application performance, strengthen data security, and bring business data closer to its analytics and AI tools, ADT moved critical applications to Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud. In addition, ADT is leveraging the extensive AI capabilities in Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM) to answer employees' routine HR questions and help managers complete performance reviews faster.

"To develop more intelligent, proactive protection, we need to make it easier for our teams to put critical data to work," said Dave Scott, executive vice president and chief people and administration officer, ADT. "By using Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud, we are bringing that data closer to the tools our teams use to develop and test new ideas. With Oracle Fusion Applications, we are also using AI to help improve HR outcomes. For example, our new hires get the guidance they need while our managers gain more time to support their teams."

Bringing Critical Data Closer to AI and Analytics
ADT estimates that moving its billing, tax, and order management applications to Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud can save more than $3 million over four years and improve application performance by 25 percent. The move also brings data from those applications closer to ADT's Google BigQuery data warehouse, making it more accessible for planned AI projects using Gemini Enterprise. Keeping the data next to the Google Cloud services that use it can also simplify data management, accelerate analyses, and reduce the need to move or duplicate sensitive information. ADT also uses Oracle Database Zero Data Loss Autonomous Recovery Service to help secure and protect critical data, and Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture to enhance availability and disaster recovery of its databases deployed across the three Google Cloud regions it currently uses.

Improving the Employee Experience with AI
With more than 5,000 new hires each year, ADT wanted to give employees a more consistent experience, allow managers to spend more time with their teams, and reduce integration work across its systems. To meet these goals, ADT selected Oracle Cloud HCM, part of Oracle Fusion Applications, to bring HR processes and data together on one platform and take advantage of the latest AI capabilities.

With the AI capabilities in Oracle Cloud HCM, ADT has been able to automate responses to 90 percent of basic HR inquiries. In addition, Oracle Cloud HCM has enabled ADT to reduce HR support tickets by 26 percent, giving HR specialists more time for workforce planning and supporting complex employee needs. For managers, the AI-assisted tools in Oracle Cloud HCM save two to three hours per direct report during performance review cycles. ADT has also built a predictive turnover model in Oracle Cloud HCM that helps leaders identify potential attrition risks by job group and location.

"ADT is taking a practical approach to AI that is delivering results today while creating new opportunities for innovation," said Nathan Thomas, senior vice president, product management, Oracle. "By bringing critical data closer to its AI and analytics tools, ADT is creating new opportunities to move faster and innovate, while its use of AI in HR is already giving employees more time to focus on higher-value work. Together, these efforts will help ADT continue to deliver smarter, more proactive protection for its customers."

ADT's migration to Oracle AI Database@Google Cloud was supported by the Google Solution Line at Insight and Oracle Consulting.

Additional Resources

Customer Story: ADT embraces Oracle AI to improve onboarding and enhance workforce insightsProduct Overview: Oracle AI Database@Google CloudProduct Overview: Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM)About ADT
ADT is a leading provider of security, interactive and smart home solutions serving residential and small business customers in the U.S. Through innovative offerings, unrivaled safety and a premium customer experience delivered by the largest network of smart home security professionals in the U.S., ADT empowers people to protect and connect to what matters most, every second, every day. For more information, visit ADT.com.

About Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications
Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications are a complete suite of cloud applications that form the enterprise system of record, spanning finance, HR, supply chain, manufacturing, sales, service, and marketing. The suite includes Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM), Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM), and Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX).

Fusion Agentic Applications extend that foundation into a system of outcomes. They can coordinate and execute end-to-end work toward business objectives, and are designed to operate within the policies, controls, and authority each organization defines. With Oracle AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications, customers and partners can create, extend, and manage these agents and agentic applications combining trusted enterprise data with the security, data governance, and performance needed to operate at scale.

About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.

About Oracle AI World
Oracle AI World is where customers and partners discover the latest product and technology innovations, see how AI is being applied across industries, and connect with experts and peers. Attendees will gain practical tips and insights to drive immediate impact within their organizations and explore how Oracle is helping unlock the full potential of AI. Join the event to see new capabilities in action and hear from thought leaders and industry movers. Register now at oracle.com/ai-world or follow the news and conversation at oracle.com/news and linkedin.com/company/oracle.

Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing.

Contact:
Ben Wolfson
Oracle 
+1.510.480.5230
[email protected]

SOURCE Oracle

Integrated platform brings together AI-powered production, enterprise media models, and distributed video delivery to help media companies, streaming providers, and brands get more value from their content

, /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle AI World -- Oracle today announced Oracle Media Fabric, an integrated platform designed to help media companies, streaming providers, and brands reduce content production time and cost, distribute and stream high-quality video at scale, and create more personalized experiences for viewers. The platform brings sophisticated content creation and streaming capabilities once available only to the largest proprietary streaming platforms to content creators of all sizes. By connecting AI-powered creative tools with next-generation video delivery infrastructure built around open standards, Oracle Media Fabric enables audience-specific advertising, tailored programming, and shared viewing experiences built around what audiences care about.

"Creating content and delivering it to viewers were separate processes," said Clay Magouyrk, CEO, Oracle. "With Oracle Media Fabric, we're bringing content creation and streaming together, using AI across the entire production and distribution workflow. That helps creators reduce production time and cost, make better use of their existing content, and tailor viewing experiences for different audiences in real-time."

Oracle Media Fabric brings together Oracle Creative Studio, Oracle AI Media Models, and Oracle Video Edge to help customers create, adapt, and deliver content. It includes safeguards to help protect customers' intellectual property (IP) and reduce the risk of generated content infringing the IP rights of others. Powered by the Oracle Creative Studio and Oracle Video Edge, the Oracle Adaptive Media Platform connects creation and delivery to enable audience-specific advertising, personalized programming, and shared viewing experiences.

Oracle Creative Studio: Helps professional media teams and a broad range of creators turn ideas into storyboards, scenes, cinematic video, visual effects, and virtual characters. As an AI-powered production suite, it brings together Oracle AI Media Models and leading third-party models through a flexible, model-agnostic platform that can select models for each creative task based on requirements for security, provenance, cost, and IP protection.Oracle AI Media Models: Help media studios and entertainment companies accelerate content creation while maintaining creative control. The Oracle-developed models focus on video generation, image generation, and image editing, enabling governed, large-scale media processing, intelligent curation and search, and frontier-model customization on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).Oracle Video Edge: Helps broadcasters and streaming providers maintain high video quality and low latency during large-scale live events, helping ensure viewer playback starts fast and remains smooth as audience sizes peak. The AI-enabled managed platform uses real-time network and playback information to coordinate capacity and direct viewers to suitable delivery locations across OCI and participating content delivery networks and internet service provider networks.Oracle Adaptive Media Platform: Helps connect creation and delivery, enabling customers to develop audience-specific advertising, personalized programming, and shared viewing experiences. Brands can generate variations of a base advertisement within brand guidelines and approval rules, helping reduce the time and cost of creating multiple versions.By helping broadcasters and streaming providers understand how audiences respond to programming and advertising, Oracle Media Fabric can inform more engaging experiences, strengthen viewer relationships within customers' applications, and create new opportunities to monetize content. Oracle Media Fabric is planned to be available within the next 12 months.

About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit oracle.com.

About Oracle AI World
Oracle AI World is where customers and partners discover the latest product and technology innovations, see how AI is being applied across industries, and connect with experts and peers. Attendees will gain practical tips and insights to drive immediate impact within their organizations and explore how Oracle is helping unlock the full potential of AI. Join the event to see new capabilities in action and hear from thought leaders and industry movers. Register now at oracle.com/ai-world or follow the news and conversation at oracle.com/news and linkedin.com/company/oracle.

Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing. 

Future Product Disclaimer
The preceding is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, timing, and pricing of any features or functionality described for Oracle's products may change and remains at the sole discretion of Oracle Corporation.

SOURCE Oracle

New first-party service gives customers more choice and flexibility to accelerate enterprise AI initiatives and realize business value faster

, /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle AI World -- Oracle and Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) today announced that Snowflake AI Data Cloud will be available as a native, first-party service on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), further expanding the AI and data capabilities Oracle offers to help organizations accelerate enterprise AI initiatives. By making Snowflake available alongside Oracle's comprehensive portfolio of infrastructure, AI, data, and application services, Oracle will give customers greater flexibility to put their enterprise data to work and drive AI-powered innovation. Customers will be able to purchase and provision the offering directly through Oracle, with simplified pricing and billing, alongside the ability to use Oracle Universal Credits.

"Organizations are looking for faster, simpler ways to turn their enterprise data into business value with AI," said Clay Magouyrk, CEO, Oracle. "By making Snowflake available as a native OCI service, we're giving customers more choice in the AI and data capabilities they can use, while simplifying how they deploy, manage, and pay for those services. This is another way Oracle is helping customers accelerate their AI initiatives and turn innovation into measurable business outcomes."

Oracle helps organizations unlock the value of their enterprise data through an integrated portfolio of cloud infrastructure, AI, databases, and enterprise applications. With mission-critical business data managed across Oracle AI Database, Oracle Autonomous AI Database, Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, Oracle NetSuite, and other Oracle services, customers can take advantage of OCI's expanding ecosystem of AI and data capabilities to support their business priorities. Making Snowflake available as a native OCI service further expands the capabilities Oracle offers to help customers accelerate enterprise AI initiatives and deliver business value faster.

"AI has dramatically shortened the distance between enterprise data and real business value," said Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO, Snowflake. "Snowflake is excited to be the flagship AI data platform partner running as a first party offering inside Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, giving joint customers the power to turn their Oracle data estates into an AI-ready foundation with the governance and security to move confidently at scale."

Customers will be able to purchase, provision, and consume Snowflake on OCI directly through Oracle. Oracle will manage pricing, discounts, and billing, providing a single commercial relationship for the service. Customers will also be able to use Oracle Universal Credits to consume Snowflake on OCI, simplifying procurement and enabling them to take advantage of their existing cloud commitments.

Snowflake on OCI is designed to help organizations get more value from their enterprise data in four key ways:

Extend the power of Snowflake analytics and AI to Oracle Cloud: Helps Oracle's customers apply Snowflake's analytics and AI capabilities closer to their mission-critical enterprise data, with supported sources including Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, Oracle NetSuite, Oracle Autonomous AI Database, MySQL HeatWave, and Oracle NoSQL database.Accelerate analytics and enterprise AI: Enables native data transfer through supported integrations, reducing the need for custom pipelines and accelerating the use of enterprise data for reporting, data engineering, machine learning, and AI insights.Maintain data security and customer control: Designed to help customers use Snowflake on OCI alongside their enterprise data, while maintaining control over data access, use, and governance.Reduce egress costs: Enables seamless data movement within OCI, helping customers access their enterprise data faster while reducing cross-cloud data movement and associated egress costs.Customers will be able to purchase and consume Snowflake on OCI directly from Oracle, with unified pricing and billing. Customers will also be able to apply Oracle Universal Credits toward Snowflake usage, making it easier to use their existing cloud commitments.

Additional Resources

Learn more about Oracle Cloud InfrastructureLearn more about Oracle MulticloudLearn more about Snowflake on OCI through Snowflake's blogAbout Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.

About Snowflake
Snowflake is the platform for the AI era, making it easy for enterprises to innovate faster and get more value from data. More than 14,500 customers around the globe, including hundreds of the world's largest companies, use Snowflake's AI Data Cloud to build, use and share data, applications and AI. With Snowflake, data and AI are transformative for everyone. Learn more at snowflake.com (NYSE: SNOW).

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SOURCE Oracle

With the 10-year Treasury sitting at 5%, Realty Income faces its sharpest test yet as the gap between its dividend yield and risk-free bonds narrows to a razor's edge. Whether its investment spreads and $10 billion acquisition target can hold…

Realty Income (NYSE:O) reports third-quarter results, expected Monday, November 2, after the close. With the 10-year Treasury at 5.00%, this report tests whether “The Monthly Dividend Company” can keep growing cash flow as capital gets more expensive.

Raised Guidance Runs Into a 5% Treasury
Last quarter, AFFO per share rose 3.8% to $1.09, and revenue of $1.55B beat the $1.44B consensus. GAAP EPS of $0.37 missed the $0.4227 estimate, weighed down by $54.2 million in impairments. Management raised 2026 AFFO guidance to $4.44 to $4.45 and lifted its investment target to $10.0B.

Rates turned less friendly after that. The 10-year peaked at 5.31% on October 5 before falling. Realty Income kept raising capital, closing a $1.0 billion convertible notes offering in August and announcing a euro-denominated joint venture with KKR (NYSE:KKR | KKR Price Prediction) in September. Shares are up 3.5% over the past month and 5.55% year to date.

Wall Street Expects Higher EPS on Flat Revenue

Metric
Consensus
Prior Year
YoY Change

Q3 2026 EPS
$0.4347
$0.35
+24.2%

Q3 2026 Revenue
$1.447B
$1.471B
-1.6%

FY 2026 EPS
$1.5074
$1.17
+28.8%

FY 2026 Revenue
$5.78B
$5.75B
+0.6%

Revenue has beaten estimates in every quarter in the available history. I put more weight on AFFO, the metric REIT investors actually track.

Investment Spreads and Leverage Take Center Stage
Investment yields are my first focus. Realty Income targets roughly a 150-basis-point spread over its cost of capital, and Q2 deals closed at a 7.3% initial cash yield. CEO Sumit Roy called cap rates a “trailing variable” and warned that “in a highly elevated cost-of-capital environment, cap rates will need to adjust.” If acquisition yields fail to rise with the 10-year, spreads shrink.

Leverage comes next. Net debt to EBITDAre rose to 5.4x from 5.2x. So far this year, new debt priced at a blended 3.9% coupon, slightly below the 4% on maturing debt. You should ask whether that advantage lasts a full quarter of 5% Treasuries.

Updates on the $6B hyperscale data center venture and the private capital funds are also worth tracking, as they let Realty Income grow without leaning entirely on public equity. Occupancy slipped to 98.8%, still above the ~98.5% guidance, while the tenant watch list sits in the high-5% area.

Dividend’s Cushion Over Bonds Is Getting Thin
Realty Income just declared its 136th monthly dividend increase, yet its ~5.40% yield now stands close to a 5.00% Treasury. Jim Cramer put it bluntly: “If you think the 10 year is headed to 6%, then Realty Income is not worth a second look.” Reaffirmed guidance and steady spreads would show the dividend story still works when bonds compete for the same income investors (if you want more names that pay on the same monthly schedule as O, we rounded up seven of our favorites in a free report here).

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.