Check out the latest and most important developments surrounding Shiba Inu's ecosystem.
The second-largest meme coin boosted its worldwide popularity thanks to a major initiative from Japan. However, the SHIB Army was left disappointed after previously expecting a global money manager would launch a SHIB exchange-traded fund (ETF).
The token’s price has been sliding sharply over the past several months, and certain factors suggest that the sell-off may intensify in the near future.
The Latest Developments Earlier this week, Rakuten Wallet (a crypto exchange run by the Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Group) officially added a physical SHIB coin to its “Real Coin” series. Shiba Inu’s official X account celebrated the effort, saying:
“The fifth release in the collection and the first to feature a premium blast finish.”
Nonetheless, that’s about it with the good news surrounding the meme coin. T. Rowe Price’s crypto ETF has just gone live, yet despite expectations that SHIB would be among the underlying assets, the meme coin was ultimately excluded.
Another development comes from the United States. Arkham revealed that the American government recently transferred $250,000 worth of Shiba Inu seized from FTX and Alameda Research.
“This SHIB will be held by the US government and presumably used to repay creditos in the FTX case,” the post reads.
Total Ecosystem Setback Shiba Inu has been going through a rough period lately; interest from traders and investors has dropped significantly, while overall ecosystem activity is barely visible.
The layer-2 scaling solution Shibarium, for instance, which once processed millions of daily transactions, is now in a much weaker condition. The figure has dropped to the mere hundreds, reflecting waning activity and interest among users.
Shibarium Transactions, Source: shibariumscan.io Shiba Inu’s burning program is another worrying factor, with the rate down 54% over the past week, signaling a notable decline in network participation.
SHIB Price Outlook As of press time, SHIB is worth roughly $0.000004078 (per CoinGecko), a 17% decline on a monthly scale and a colossal 95% collapse from the all-time high registered in late 2021.
The token’s market capitalization has slipped below $2.5 billion, and at one point this year Shiba Inu even fell to the third-biggest meme coin, overtaken by MemeCore (M). Shortly after, it reclaimed the second position, but only thanks to the double-digit collapse that MemeCore (M) experienced.
Despite the negative environment and multiple bearish factors, the community continues to grow. As CryptoPotato reported, the total number of SHIB wallets recently surged to a fresh peak of nearly 1.7 million after an explosive one-day influx of around 75,000 new holders.
Wise Group PLC (LSE:WISE, NASDAQ:WSE) has kicked off its 2027 financial year with another strong quarter, as more customers turned to the fintech group for fast, low-cost international payments.
The company reported first-quarter net revenue of $714 million, up 25% from a year ago, driven by continued growth in cross-border payment volumes and customer numbers.
Customers transferred $69.3 billion through the platform during the three months to 30 June, a 26% increase on the same period last year, while active customers climbed 21% to 11.9 million. Customer balances also surged 31% to $41.2 billion, highlighting the growing use of Wise's multi-currency accounts.
Transaction revenue rose 27% to $540.9 million, even as the average fee fell to a record-low 0.50%. The lower pricing reflects Wise's strategy of passing on efficiency gains to customers while continuing to grow volumes.
Speed also improved, with 77% of transfers arriving instantly, up from 70% a year earlier.
"We continue building 'the' network for the world's money," co-founder and chief executive Kristo Käärmann said, noting that almost 12 million people and businesses used Wise during the quarter.
The company also expanded into Chile, where customers can now send money abroad and top up multi-currency accounts using local instant payment methods.
Looking ahead, Wise reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting revenue growth to remain comfortably within its medium-term target range and profitability towards the top end of its target margin.
Key Takeaways ExxonMobil's Golden Pass Train 1 produced first LNG and loaded its first export cargo in the second quarter.XOM expects Golden Pass Train 1 to lift U.S. LNG exports ~5%, with all three trains adding ~15% capacity. ExxonMobil is advancing LNG projects in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique to expand its global network. ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM - Free Report) , the U.S. oil and gas giant, has an integrated business model spanning upstream operations, refining and trading. Since it derives the majority of its earnings from its upstream business, ExxonMobil continues to focus on its advantaged assets to grow its production and support earnings.
A key component of its advantaged assets includes its liquefied natural gas (LNG) portfolio. ExxonMobil is working to expand its LNG portfolio, which includes the Golden Pass LNG project in Sabine Pass, TX, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy. On its first-quarter earnings call, the company noted that Train 1 at the Golden Pass LNG facility in Sabine Pass, TX, had achieved its first LNG production. It loaded its first export cargo from the LNG terminal in the second quarter of this year.
XOM has highlighted that the first train is expected to raise U.S. LNG exports by about 5% relative to 2025. Once all three trains come online, the facility is expected to increase the country's LNG export capacity by roughly 15%. Beyond Golden Pass, ExxonMobil is progressing LNG developments in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique, with final investment decisions expected in the near term. These projects will enable the company to diversify its sources of supply and strengthen its global LNG network.
In the long term, this should allow XOM to capitalize on the robust demand for LNG, driven by heightened energy security concerns and the expansion of data center infrastructure, while generating higher cash flows.
Other Energy Sector Players Banking on Growing LNG DemandConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) and Venture Global, Inc. (VG - Free Report) are two global energy firms that can benefit from the rise in global demand for LNG.
One of the key growth drivers of COP’s LNG strategy is the Port Arthur LNG project, which is progressing steadily and is on track to deliver its first LNG in 2027. It is also focused on expanding its international LNG footprint through its Equatorial Guinea LNG operations. COP’s LNG strategy is expected to become a free cash flow growth engine, supported by rising global demand, strategic geographic positioning of its assets and energy security concerns across the globe.
Venture Global is one of the largest U.S.-based exporters of LNG and is currently operating and developing multiple LNG export projects in Louisiana. The company anticipates that the total production capacity across its projects will total approximately 68 million tons per annum, upon completion, with potential upside from optimization initiatives. Being an LNG export company, VG is expected to benefit from the rise in LNG demand, driven by the expansion of data centers, replacement of coal and the global shift toward lower-emission fuels.
XOM’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of ExxonMobil have risen 39.7% over the past six months compared with the 38% gain of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, XOM trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 9.67X. This is above the broader industry average of 6.34X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for XOM’s 2026 earnings has seen downward revisions over the past seven days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
XOM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways EQT is set to report Q2 results on July 21, with consensus estimates of $0.41 EPS and $1.84B in revenue. EQT may benefit from stable sales volumes, but lower natural gas prices could weigh on quarterly earnings. EQT has beaten earnings estimates in the past four quarters, but now has a -10.00% Earnings ESP. EQT Corporation (EQT - Free Report) is set to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 21, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at a profit of 41 cents per share on revenues of $1.84 billion.
Let’s delve into the factors that might have influenced the pure-play Appalachian natural gas producer’s performance in the June-end quarter. Before that, it is worth taking a look at EQT’s previous-quarter performance.
Highlights of EQT’s Q1 Earnings & Surprise HistoryIn the last reported quarter, EQT’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by the increase in total sales volumes and higher realized natural gas equivalent prices. In fact, the company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 10.17%. This is depicted in the graph below:
EQT’s Trend in Estimate RevisionThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for EQT’s second-quarter earnings has seen one upward and six downward revisions over the past 30 days. The second-quarter estimated figure of 41 cents represents an 8.9% year-over-year decline. Meanwhile, The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues suggests a 14.8% increase from the prior-year quarter.
Factors to Note for EQTEQT is expected to have sustained stable performance in the second quarter, supported by its vertically integrated business model, which enhances reliability and provides greater control over production volumes from the wellhead to the end market. We expect its total sales volumes to have remained flat compared to the second quarter of 2025, aiding its bottom line.
Another factor to consider is the pricing environment. According to the data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Henry Hub Natural Gas spot prices for the months of April, May and June of 2026 were $2.77 per million British thermal units (Btu), $2.94 per million Btu and $3.14 per million Btu, respectively. However, the benchmark prices were $3.42 per million Btu, $3.12 per million Btu and $3.02 per million Btu in April, May and June 2025, respectively. This suggests that commodity prices have declined compared with the prior-year quarter, which is expected to have negatively impacted earnings in the quarter.
EQT had entered 2026 largely unhedged, which enabled it to take advantage of the high natural gas price environment in the first quarter. However, this strategy may have backfired during periods of lower commodity prices.
These factors are expected to have influenced EQT’s performance in the to-be-reported quarter.
Earnings Whispers for EQTOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for EQT this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. That is not the case here.
The natural gas producer has an Earnings ESP of -10.00% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks to ConsiderHere are some other energy firms that you may want to consider, as they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.
HF Sinclair (DINO - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +11.69% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
HF Sinclair is scheduled to release second-quarter earnings on July 28. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HF Sinclair’s earnings is pegged at $3.93 per share, implying a 131.2% increase from the prior-year reported figure.
Enbridge Inc. (ENB - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.27% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Enbridge is scheduled to release second-quarter earnings on July 31. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ENB’s earnings is pegged at 44 cents per share, indicating a 6.4% decline from the prior-year reported figure.
Archrock Inc. (AROC - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +10.07% and a Zacks Rank #3.
AROC is scheduled to release second-quarter earnings on Aug. 4. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archrock’s earnings is pegged at 46 cents per share, implying a 17.95% increase from the prior-year reported figure.
Warren Buffett gave away about $6 billion of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA 0.22%)(BRKB 0.38%) stock this week: 9 million Class B shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and 1 million each to three foundations run by his children. The bigger number is what remains -- a stake worth about $138 billion that the 95-year-old chairman says he wants fully donated by Dec. 31, 2034.
Image source: Getty Images.
The mechanics matter here. Buffett's fortune sits in Class A shares, each convertible at any time into 1,500 Class B shares, and the conversion only works in that direction. This week's gift of 12 million B shares took 8,000 A shares to create. Buffett owned 196,317 Class A shares as of Berkshire's March proxy statement, so the roughly 188,000 that remain are worth about $138 billion at the current Class A price of about $733,000, as of this writing.
Gifts like this have been an annual event since 2006. Buffett has donated more than $47 billion of Berkshire stock to the Gates Foundation alone over that stretch. This year's shares, though, went entirely to the four family foundations.
For shareholders, the scheduled supply is smaller than it sounds. Spread over eight years, $138 billion works out to something like $17 billion of stock a year finding new owners -- at an insurance-anchored conglomerate valued around $1.1 trillion. And Berkshire can absorb some of it directly. The company repurchased $234 million of its own shares in the first quarter, and it entered the year with about $373 billion in cash and Treasury bills.
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The bigger change is control. A Class B share carries 1/10,000th of an A share's vote, so every conversion shrinks Buffett's voting power, which stood at 30.2% of the company as of the proxy. As the A shares convert and disperse, the block that has anchored Berkshire's governance for decades gradually dissolves.
The gifts don't change what Berkshire owns or earns. They change who votes. By the mid-2030s, the company Greg Abel runs will likely be one where no single shareholder holds a controlling grip -- and shareholders will have had about eight years of notice. As transitions of power go, a slow, pre-announced handover is about as gentle as it gets.
Daniel Sparks and his clients have positions in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
52-Week Range$14.99▼
$126.62Price Target$117.50
As AI stocks swing up and down, one name that has felt those movements as much as any is Aehr Test Systems NASDAQ: AEHR. This small stock has risen about 320% in 2026, and sits at a market capitalization of $2.7 billion in mid-July.
Though shares have been in a downtrend over the past 30 days, they saw a huge rebound after Aehr posted its latest earnings report, spiking nearly 22% in a single day.
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Aehr’s large move came as it surpassed estimates during the quarter and issued inspiring guidance.
This guidance meaningfully changes how investors should view Aehr’s valuation and increases confidence in its outlook.
Aehr’s Revenue Rises Over 30%, Gross Margin Explodes UpwardAehr makes machines that put semiconductors under intense conditions, testing them for defects. As data center operators look to increase performance by weeding out faulty chips, Aehr has been gaining considerable order momentum.
In Q4 of its fiscal year 2026 (FY2026), Aehr posted revenue of $18.84 million. (Note that Aehr’s fiscal reporting period is several quarters ahead of the calendar year period.) This resulted in growth of 33.7% year-over-year (YOY).
Notably, this marks the first time in over a year that Aehr’s quarterly revenue growth was positive, an important inflection for its business. However, analysts expected this performance, with Aehr just slightly beating estimates of $18.69 million.
Alongside this, Aehr crushed estimates on earnings per share (EPS). The figure came in at 11 cents, swinging strongly from -1 cent a year ago. Analysts anticipated that EPS would remain unchanged at -1 cents. This came as Aehr greatly outperformed on adjusted gross margin, which soared 1,000 basis points to 45%, driven by higher sales, improved manufacturing capacity utilization, and a higher-margin product mix.
Despite Aehr’s impressive quarter, full FY2026 revenue declined 15% YOY to $50 million. Aehr’s business has been transitioning from an overwhelming focus on EV markets to one overwhelmingly focused on non-EV markets, including AI.
Aehr Provides Blockbuster GuidanceAehr’s Q4 FY2026 results were strong, but the company’s guidance is what really stole the show. In FY2027, Aehr expects to generate full-year sales of between $130 million and $150 million. This would be a 160%-200% increase over FY2026.
This guidance crystallizes Aehr’s success in generating orders for its Sonoma and FOX-XP systems. Over the past few quarters, Aehr has repeatedly announced significant orders within the AI chip industry. This has led to the company making strong statements about bookings, such as that second-half FY2026 bookings would come in “at the high end of its $60 million to $80 million range.” A record $41 million hyperscaler order allowed it to surpass that estimate.
Aehr’s huge revenue guidance figure provides a clean metric that shows how far the company has come.
Another figure that underpins this confidence is Aehr’s effective backlog of $100.6 million. The company simply has to deliver these booked orders to realize the revenue, absent cancellations. Assuming Aehr ships its full order backlog in FY2027, it would account for 67% to 77% of the company’s revenue guidance. This provides a strong degree of visibility into Aehr meeting its revenue expectations. It is important to note, though, that Aehr did not explicitly say that its full backlog would necessarily convert in FY2027.
The additional customer demand Aehr anticipates for the rest of the year is the difference between its backlog and guidance. Notably, the company stated that it sees an opportunity to raise its guidance even higher in FY2027.
Aehr expects its adjusted pretax profitability to be between 18% and 22% of revenue in FY2027. At the midpoint, this would imply adjusted pretax income of $28 million. In FY2026, that figure was -$3.7 million, showing that Aehr expects to greatly shift its profitability profile.
Aehr’s Forward Price to Sales Ratio Drops Over 50% From HighsAehr Test Systems Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$117.50
43.18% Upside
Hold
Based on 5 Analyst Ratings
Current Price$82.06High Forecast$125.00Average Forecast$117.50Low Forecast$110.00Aehr Test Systems Stock Forecast Details
Using the midpoint of Aehr’s revenue guidance would give it a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of around 20x. That is still a very high figure by most standards, but is down approximately 56% from Aehr’s forward P/S peak of 45x. This shows that the firm's valuation has come much closer to being in line with its revenue expectations.
Additionally, after Aehr’s earnings report, analysts at Craig Hallum and Lake Street Capital placed $125 and $110 price targets on the stock, respectively. The average of these figures implies upside near 40%. Aehr clearly remains a highly volatile and risky stock, but that risk is meaningfully lower than it has been over the past several months. Shares remain substantially below highs, and the company just provided consequential data that supports its fundamental outlook.
Investors interested in Aehr should closely watch how the company’s orders, guidance, and conversion of backlog into revenue progress going forward.
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Key Takeaways U.S. wind capacity topped 165 GW in Q2 2026 and is projected to reach 178.4 GW by the end of 2027.Rising power demand, offshore wind projects and grid expansion continue to support long-term industry growth.NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, American Electric and Vestas Wind offer exposure to the expanding wind market. An updated edition of the May 28, 2026 article.
As countries intensify efforts to cut carbon emissions and strengthen energy security, renewable energy has become central to the global power mix. Governments, utilities and corporations are increasing investments in cleaner technologies to support decarbonization goals, while rising demand for electricity is driving the need for reliable and low-emission energy sources.
Among various renewable energy sources, wind power remains a cornerstone of the energy transition. Continued advances in turbine technology, expanding onshore and offshore installations, and supportive policy initiatives have strengthened its role in electricity generation. With utilities and businesses increasingly adopting wind energy to meet sustainability targets, the sector is well-positioned to support the growing demand for clean and renewable power.
According to the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. installed wind generation capacity surpassed 165 gigawatts (GW) at the end of the second quarter of 2026. The agency expects capacity to climb to 169.7 GW by the end of 2026 and further expand to 178.4 GW by the close of 2027. The outlook also projects wind energy to contribute 11% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2026, with its share increasing to 12% in 2027.
The wind energy market is capitalizing on several favorable trends, including growing electricity demand driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered data centers, widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and rapid industrialization. Per the EIA report, the U.S. grid is projected to add 11.7 GW of wind generation capacity in 2026.
The projected growth in wind capacity is likely to be supported by the commissioning and continued development of major offshore wind projects across the United States. Several projects like Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, and Empire Wind 1 are anticipated to play a significant role in increasing renewable generation capacity and strengthening U.S. clean energy infrastructure.
If you intend to capitalize on this buzzing trend, our Wind Energy Thematic Screen could make it easy to identify high-potential stocks such as NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE - Free Report) , Duke Energy Corporation (DUK - Free Report) , American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP - Free Report) and Vestas Wind Systems (VWDRY - Free Report) . By leveraging advanced tools, our thematic screens identify companies shaping the future, making it easier to benefit from emerging trends.
Ready to uncover more transformative thematic investment ideas? Explore 39 cutting-edge investment themes with Zacks Thematic Investing Screens and discover your next big opportunity.
4 Wind Energy Stocks to Bet on NowHeadquartered in Juno Beach, FL, NextEra Energy is a public utility holding company engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electric energy. The Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s competitive energy business, NextEra Energy Resources LLC (“NEER”), is a leading generator of wind energy globally, based on MWh produced on a net generation basis.
In 2025, NEER successfully expanded its new wind-generating capacity by 1,604 MW and also added 1,799 MW of battery storage capacity, thereby increasing its backlog of contracted renewable development projects. As of 2025-end, the business operated wind facilities in 23 U.S. states and four provinces in Canada, carrying a total generating capacity of approximately 27,855 MW.
NEER continues to work on its strategy of making a long-term investment in clean energy assets. The company expects to add 8.5-14.5 GW of wind capacity in 2026-2032 to the generation portfolio via investments. The company’s major capital projects continued to proceed per plan and the addition of new renewable projects continues to boost the portfolio.
Based in Charlotte, NC, Duke Energy is a premier utility service provider offering efficient power and energy services. The Zacks Rank #2 company is currently focused on expanding its scale of operations, implementing modern technologies at its facilities as well as enhancing its renewable generation portfolio by investing heavily in infrastructure and expansion projects.
As part of its clean energy portfolio expansion strategy, the company is investing heavily in constructing generation facilities that produce reduced CO2 emissions per unit of electricity generated compared with coal. The company continues to position its 2026-2030 investment plan of about $103 billion as the core driver of regulated rate base growth.
As part of this resource build, Duke Energy targets 1,200 MW of onshore wind in service by 2033, as well as 800-1,100 MW of offshore wind by 2034 and 2,200-2,400 MW by 2035. Such solid renewable capacity maximization plans should enable the company to further bolster its footprint in the expanding renewable energy market.
Headquartered in Columbus, OH, American Electric Power is a public utility holding company, which, through directly and indirectly owned subsidiaries, generates and transmits electricity. Wind forms a part of the company's broader strategy to diversify its generation portfolio and lower carbon emissions. The company is expanding investments in transmission lines and grid modernization projects for the integration of wind power and other renewable energy sources into the electric grid.
The Zacks Rank #2 company is expanding its regulated renewable asset base to meet increasing electricity demand while supporting a more diversified energy mix. The acquisitions of the Top Hat Wind Facility by APCo (subsidiary) and the Wagon Wheel Wind Facility by SWEPCo (subsidiary) in the fourth quarter of 2025 highlight the company's continued investment in wind generation to serve future customer requirements.
The company is also rapidly reducing its CO2 emission rate to promote green energy. It made significant progress in reducing GHG emissions from its power generation fleet and aspires to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2045.
Based in Denmark, Vestas Wind Systems is a renowned designer, manufacturer, installer and service provider for wind turbines across the globe. To capitalize on rising demand for renewable power, the company emphasizes wind capacity expansion, technological advancement and sustainable energy development.
Vestas Wind has reached more than 203 GW of installed wind power capacity, which includes about 11 GW of offshore capacity. The company’s turbines are designed to operate in diverse weather conditions and it has a strong customer base across 88 countries.
In June 2026, the Zacks Rank #2 company secured five new orders to deliver wind turbines in Germany for a total of 142 MW. Also, in the same month, the company clinched turbine orders for 869 MW in the United States. Apart from this, Vestas Wind received an order to deliver 50 MW of wind turbines to Germany and 45 MW of wind turbines to the United Kingdom. These orders are indicative of the strong demand that VWDRY’s wind turbines enjoy worldwide.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Four thousand dollars a month can cover a paid-off house, groceries, utilities, insurance, and modest travel in many parts of the country. It is also more than the $3,208 average monthly Social Security benefit SSA estimates for an aged couple, both receiving benefits, in January 2026. A portfolio producing another $4,000 a month can materially change a retirement budget. The question is how much capital that requires, and what the reader gives up at each price point.
The math is unforgiving. $48,000 per year divided by a 3.5% yield equals roughly $1,371,000. At 5%, the requirement drops to $960,000. At 7%, $685,000. At 10%, just $480,000. The spread between the top and bottom of that range, nearly $900,000, is the real story.
The Sleep-At-Night Tier: 3% to 4% This is where dividend aristocrats live. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG | PG Price Prediction) yields around 2.9% and just delivered its 70th consecutive annual dividend increase, having paid dividends every year since 1890. The quarterly payout rose to about $1.09 in the most recent cycle, up from about $0.79 five years ago.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) shows similar strength: a 2.0% yield, a 3.1% dividend bump to $1.34 per share quarterly, and 64 straight years of increases. Neither stock produces enough current income to hit $4,000 monthly at a comfortable capital base. Blending them with other dividend growers reaches roughly 3.5%, requiring about $1.37 million to hit the target.
The tradeoff: highest capital requirement, but payouts grow faster than inflation and shares tend to appreciate. JNJ returned 175% over ten years on top of its dividend.
The Middle Path: 5% to 7% Regulated utilities and net-lease REITs anchor this tier. Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) yields 3.3% and reaffirmed 5% to 7% long-term EPS growth guidance through 2030, backed by a rate-regulated monopoly across the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest.
Realty Income (NYSE:O) sits near the middle at a 5.1% yield. The monthly dividend just ticked up to about $0.27, marking the 114th consecutive quarterly increase. Portfolio occupancy sits at 99%, and management raised 2026 AFFO guidance to $4.41 to $4.44.
Blending these into a 5% to 6% average drops the capital requirement to roughly $800,000 to $960,000. Dividend growth slows, but yield does more work upfront.
Where High Yield Bites Back Business development companies dominate this tier. Ares Capital (NASDAQ:ARCC) yields 10.4%, pays $0.48 quarterly, and reported a weighted average yield of 10.3% on its debt portfolio. Main Street Capital (NYSE:MAIN) pays a $0.26 monthly regular dividend plus its 19th consecutive quarterly $0.30 supplemental.
At a 10% blended yield, the capital requirement falls to $480,000. But risks emerge in the fine print. ARCC booked $412 million in net unrealized losses in Q1 2026 and non-accruals crept to 2%. MAIN’s Q1 DNII of $1.00 failed to cover total dividends of $1.08. Both stocks are down year-to-date: MAIN off 10%, ARCC off 3%.
The Compounding Trap Most Retirees Miss A 3.5% yield growing 7% annually doubles the income stream in roughly a decade. A 10% yield with no growth stays at $48,000 forever in nominal dollars, and if the underlying NAV erodes, part of the income may effectively be a return of capital. That is the compounding trap: the highest starting yield can still lose to a lower-yielding portfolio that raises its payout every year.
Run the numbers with real inflation assumptions:
The 10-year benchmark matters. With the 10-year Treasury recently around 4.5% and the federal funds target range at 3.50% to 3.75%, the risk-free comparison is meaningful. Every yield above that level is compensation for equity risk, credit risk, leverage, duration risk, or some combination of them.
Three Moves Before You Commit Capital Model your actual spending, not your salary. A paid-off house and Medicare eligibility can cut required income by a third. The $4,000 target may already include Social Security, which averages around $2,000 per person monthly. Compare 10-year total return, not current yield. Pull up JNJ’s 175% ten-year return against ARCC’s 237% ten-year total return and study which one kept pace with inflation on distributions alone. Blend the tiers. A portfolio of 60% dividend growers, 30% REITs and utilities, and 10% BDCs produces a 5% blended yield with meaningful growth, cutting the capital requirement to roughly $960,000 while preserving upside. The Lower Capital Number Is Not Free A $4,000 monthly portfolio income target can require $1.37 million, $960,000, or less than $500,000 depending on the yield you demand. The lower the capital requirement, the more the portfolio leans on credit risk, leverage, or slower income growth. The right answer is not the highest yield that meets the spreadsheet target. It is the lowest-risk mix that can fund the spending plan and still give the income room to grow.
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Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Avient (AVNT - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry.
This maker of resins used in plastic pipe and other products has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 2.14%.
For the last reported quarter, Avient came out with earnings of $0.83 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.81 per share, representing a surprise of 2.47%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.55 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.56 per share, delivering a surprise of 1.82%.
For Avient, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
Avient has an Earnings ESP of +0.87% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on August 6, 2026.
When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Investors in EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the July 17, 2026 $360.00 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.
What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.
What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for EMCOR shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, EMCOR is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) in the Building Products - Heavy Construction industry that ranks in the Top 15% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter has moved from $7.37 per share to $7.44 in that period.
Given the way analysts feel about EMCOR right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.
Key Takeaways United Rentals raised 2026 guidance after record rental revenues and continued specialty segment growth.Fluor's pipeline & reimbursable backlog support long-term growth despite execution & geopolitical risks.URI earnings estimates moved up, while FLR estimates edged lower, even as both project year-over-year growth. The multiyear infrastructure investment cycle is benefiting infrastructure firms like United Rentals, Inc. (URI - Free Report) and Fluor Corporation (FLR - Free Report) . Growth in public and private funding is boosting demand for large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects.
United Rentals, a renowned equipment rental company, is benefiting from robust demand for specialty rentals and general equipment, supported by non-residential construction, infrastructure, power, industrial manufacturing and data center projects. Meanwhile, Fluor, a global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, is leveraging a growing pipeline of large, complex projects across nuclear, LNG, power, mining, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
Let’s closely compare the fundamentals of the two infrastructure stocks for a better investment decision.
The Case for United Rentals StockThis Connecticut-based equipment rental company is benefiting from favorable secular trends in non-residential construction, infrastructure modernization, power, manufacturing, mining and data center development, which continue to drive healthy equipment rental demand. During the first quarter of 2026, equipment rental revenues climbed 8.7% year over year to a record $3.42 billion, driven by 2.3% growth in fleet productivity and a 5.7% expansion in average fleet size.
Besides, URI’s Specialty segment remains another major growth engine, supported by expanding product offerings and increasing demand for higher-value rental solutions. The segment now represents 36.5% of total revenues (as of 2025) and has delivered a robust 20.2% revenue CAGR over the past decade, reflecting sustained customer adoption. In the first quarter of 2026, Specialty rental revenues surged 13.8% year over year to a record $1.19 billion, significantly outpacing the General Rentals business. Growth was broad-based across all specialty lines, with the company opening 17 new greenfield (cold start) locations during the quarter to expand market reach.
Encouraged by strong customer feedback, particularly for large projects, United Rentals raised its 2026 guidance, expecting total revenues of $16.9-$17.4 billion (from $16.8-$17.3 billion) and higher EBITDA, reflecting confidence in continued demand for equipment rentals and market share gains. Moreover, the company expects to play a key role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup-related projects, adding another growth catalyst.
Besides market tailwinds, URI’s capital allocation approach is also encouraging for stabilizing its competitive position in the market. Since its founding, the company has completed nearly 250 acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint, specialty offerings and one-stop-shop capabilities. United Rentals generated more than $1 billion in first-quarter 2026 free cash flow and maintained a conservative net leverage ratio of 1.9x, providing ample financial flexibility. The company also returned $500 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter and plans to repurchase approximately $1.5 billion of stock in 2026, underscoring its balanced approach toward growth investments and shareholder value creation.
The Case for Fluor StockFluor is indeed benefiting from mid and long-term market tailwinds given its exposure to end markets like energy, mining & metals, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, data centers, and government and mission solutions. During the first quarter of 2026, management noted that front-end engineering and study work now represent more than $60 billion of potential future backlog if clients proceed with execution phases, while the broader opportunity pipeline has expanded 50% over the past year.
During the first quarter of 2026, consolidated new awards totaled $2.7 billion, with 98% reimbursable, while backlog rose slightly sequentially to $25.7 billion and remained 82% reimbursable. Management also highlighted that margins on newly booked work were materially above the existing backlog margin profile. Fluor further strengthened shareholder returns through more than $500 million of repurchases during the quarter and expects approximately $1.4 billion of buybacks in 2026 following the completion of NuScale monetization.
Although FLR’s diversified portfolio positions it at a stable juncture during commodity and economic cycles, the ongoing macro uncertainties, execution risks and other near-term volatility are taking a toll on it. During first-quarter 2026, Urban Solutions recorded a $37 million charge tied to cost growth and declining productivity on a mining project in the Americas. Management also cited temporary project slowdowns tied to Middle East geopolitical uncertainty. Several infrastructure projects remain in completion phases through 2026 and early 2027, leaving the company exposed to additional closeout and recovery risks.
Fluor operates in a cyclical environment wherein capital spending decisions remain closely tied to commodity prices, energy markets and macroeconomic conditions. Management acknowledged that some award conversions remain weighted toward the back half of 2026 and that prolonged geopolitical instability could delay client spending decisions, increase inflationary pressures and disrupt supply chains. Also, its reach outside national borders exposes FLR to foreign currency fluctuations and legal uncertainties.
Stock Performance & ValuationAs witnessed from the chart below, in the year-to-date period, United Rentals’ share price performance has been above Fluor’s and the broader Construction sector.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Considering valuation, over the last five years, United Rentals has been trading above Fluor on a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Overall, from these technical indicators, it can be deduced that URI stock offers an increasing growth trend but with a premium valuation, while FLR stock offers a diminishing growth trend with a discounted valuation.
Comparing EPS Estimate Trends: URI vs. FLRThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for URI’s 2026 and 2027 earnings has moved upward in the past seven days to $46.77 and $53.01 per share, respectively. The revised estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year growth of 11.2% and 13.3%, respectively.
URI's EPS Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FLR’s 2026 and 2027 earnings has trickled down in the past 30 days to $2.63 and $3.08 per share, respectively. However, the estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year improvements of 20.1% and 16.9%, respectively.
FLR's EPS Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Return on Equity (ROE) of URI & FLR StocksUnited Rentals’ trailing 12-month ROE of 30.56% significantly exceeds Fluor’s average, underscoring its efficiency in generating shareholder returns.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Which Stock to Go for Now: URI or FLR?United Rentals continues to benefit from strong secular demand across infrastructure, power, manufacturing, mining and data center projects, while its fast-growing Specialty business raised 2026 guidance and its disciplined acquisition strategy reinforces confidence in sustained earnings growth. Healthy free cash flow, a conservative balance sheet and meaningful share repurchases further strengthen its investment appeal. Its superior return on equity and stronger estimate revision trend reflect better operational momentum.
Fluor also possesses an attractive long-term opportunity, supported by a sizable opportunity pipeline, reimbursable backlog and exposure to energy, mining and advanced manufacturing projects. However, execution challenges, geopolitical uncertainty, project timing risks and downward earnings estimate revisions temper its near-term outlook.
Importantly, URI stock’s Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) seems favorable over FLR stock’s Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Overall, United Rentals stands out as the better investment today, with its diversified rental platform, resilient cash-generation capabilities and stronger earnings visibility outweighing valuation concerns, making it the more compelling choice over Fluor for long-term investors. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman is investigating claims in a securities class action alleging violations of U.S. securities laws by Hub Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUBG). The suit contends the company and its senior executives provided false and misleading information to investors regarding the integrity of its financial reporting, revenue recognition practices, and the effectiveness of its internal controls.
REPORT YOUR HUBG LOSSES TO HBSS NOW
Class Period: Apr. 28, 2023 – May 11, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Aug. 28, 2026
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/hubg
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
844-916-0895
Hub Group, Inc. (HUBG) Securities Class Action:
The suit alleges that Hub Group’s repeated disclosures throughout 2026 have revealed a pattern of severe accounting irregularities. The complaint claims the company intentionally or recklessly misled investors during the Class Period (April 28, 2023 – May 11, 2026) by:
Understating Costs: Failing to accurately report purchased transportation costs and accounts payable, leading to a $77 million accounting error in 2025 alone.Improper Revenue Recognition: Prematurely or incorrectly recognizing transactions, which rendered the company’s 2023 and 2024 annual reports materially misstated.Internal Control Deficiencies: Maintaining inadequate disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, despite repeated public assurances of their effectiveness.
The Truth Emerges
The complaint alleges that the market’s perception of Hub Group’s stability was dismantled by two major corrective disclosures:
February 2026: The company revealed that financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 were unreliable, causing an immediate 18% decline in share price.May 2026: Hub Group announced that its 2023 and 2024 annual reports were also materially misstated, compounding the decline with an additional 13% drop in share price. These revelations wiped out over $890 million in market capitalization, prompting the departure of the company’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer in May 2026.
“Now that Hub Group has almost cleaned out its C-suite following accounting improprieties reaching all the way back to 2023, the core focus of our investigation is whether they were intentional or reckless with the goal of making financial metrics appear better than they actually were. We’re also looking to see whether additional problems will surface when the company’s review is completed,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm’s investigation.
Investor Rights and Lead Plaintiff Deadline
Investors who purchased or acquired Hub Group common stock between April 28, 2023, and May 11, 2026, may be eligible to serve as lead plaintiff. The court-imposed deadline to move for appointment as lead plaintiff is August 28, 2026.
Submit your losses nowContact Our Attorneys: [email protected] Investor Hotline: 844-916-0895
If you’d like more information and answers to other frequently asked questions about the Hub Group case and the firm’s investigation, read more »
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Hub Group should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman’s team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP reminds investors of the upcoming August 31, 2026 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Insulet Corporation (“Insulet” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PODD) securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”).
IF YOU SUFFERED A LOSS ON YOUR INSULET INVESTMENTS, CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT POTENTIALLY PURSUING CLAIMS TO RECOVER YOUR LOSS UNDER THE FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS.
What Happened?
On March 12, 2026, Insulet disclosed that it had “initiated a voluntary Medical Device Correction for specific lots of Omnipod® 5 Pods after identifying a manufacturing issue through its ongoing product monitoring.”
On this news, Insulet’s stock price fell $16.23, or 6.9%, to close at $219.84 per share on March 13, 2026, thereby injuring investors.
Then, on May 26, 2026, Insulet announced the initiation of another “voluntary Medical Device Correction” for “specific lots of Omnipod® 5, Omnipod Dash®, and Omnipod® Insulin Management System (Omnipod Eros) Pods due to a manufacturing issue, identified through ongoing product monitoring, that could result in insulin under-delivery.”
On this news, Insulet’s stock price fell $7.79, or 5.1%, to close at $146.01 per share on May 27, 2026, thereby injuring investors further.
What Is The Lawsuit About?
The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Insulet’s manufacturing controls and procedures were defective; (2) the foregoing created a foreseeable heightened risk that one or more Insulet products would be found to be in violation of applicable safety regulations and/or pose a risk of injury; and (3) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
If you purchased or otherwise acquired Insulet securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than August 31, 2026 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us:
Charles Linehan, Esq.,
Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP,
1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100,
Los Angeles California 90067
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 310-201-9150,
Toll-Free: 888-773-9224
Visit our website at www.glancylaw.com.
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If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
Contact Us:
Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP,
1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Charles Linehan
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 310-201-9150
Toll-Free: 888-773-9224
Visit our website at: www.glancylaw.com.
MEDINA, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RPM NAMES ANDREW G. POLANCO AS VICE PRESIDENT – OPERATIONS AND ANTHONY R. NICHOLSON AS VICE PRESIDENT – FINANCIAL PLANNING & ANALYSIS.
People walk behind a logo of Meta Platforms company, during a conference in Mumbai, India, September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
July 17 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab is in talks to lease computing power to Anthropic in a potential deal worth as much as $10 billion over two years, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing three people with knowledge of the discussions.
Shares of the social media giant slightly pared losses on the news to trade down more than 2% amid a wider tech selloff.
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Such a deal would help Meta diversify beyond advertising by generating revenue from its infrastructure and competing with neocloud firms such as CoreWeave (CRWV.O), opens new tab and Nebius (NBIS.O), opens new tab, as growing adoption of advanced AI tools boosts the need for computing capacity.
The Claude Code creator would pay Meta in monthly increments over the two-year period, although the terms remain subject to change, NYT reported. The companies would be able to exit any agreement early, it said.
IPO-bound Anthropic had proposed the deal in June and Meta is considering it, the report said, adding that the talks have become complicated since Meta does not have a business selling its computing power.
According to the report, the discussions are in their early stages and may not result in a deal.
Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Anthropic declined to comment. Reuters could not independently verify the report.
The potential agreement echoes a strategy recently pursued by Elon Musk's SpaceX (SPCX.O), opens new tab, with whom Anthropic struck a deal in May to tap the full computing power of its Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee.
At Meta's shareholder meeting in May, CEO Mark Zuckerberg had said entering cloud computing was "definitely on the table," noting that firms were approaching Meta "almost every week" to buy access to its AI models or spare computing power.
Earlier this month, Bloomberg News reported that Meta was building a cloud business to sell excess computing power and host AI models for developers.
Reporting by Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Key Takeaways Inspire Medical is positioned for growth as Inspire V drives a major product transition.Inspire V cuts implant time by over 20%, while FDA approvals broaden patient eligibility.Coding uncertainty and WISeR delays may worsen in Q2 before easing in the second half of 2026. Inspire Medical Systems (INSP - Free Report) is well-positioned for solid growth over the next few quarters as it navigates a significant product transition.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have declined 44.1% in the year-to-date period compared with the industry’s 6.8% fall. However, the S&P 500 Index has increased 10% in the same timeframe.
Inspire Medical, a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative, minimally invasive solutions for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, has a market capitalization of $1.46 billion.
The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 181.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Positive Factors Driving INSP’s ProspectsStrong Clinical Innovation & Growing Clinical Evidence: Inspire Medical continues to strengthen its leadership in hypoglossal nerve stimulation through product innovation and expanding clinical evidence. The Inspire V system remains a key growth driver, offering a simplified implant procedure by integrating the respiratory sensor within the neurostimulator while reducing implant time by more than 20% versus Inspire IV. Clinical studies have demonstrated superior respiratory sensing, improved sleep apnea outcomes and strong patient adherence.
The recently published PREDICTOR study suggests many patients may be screened without drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE), reducing diagnostic burden and time to treatment. Long-term data from the ADHERE registry and independent studies presented at SLEEP 2026 demonstrated sustained improvements in apnea severity, therapy adherence and cardiovascular outcomes, with Inspire patients showing lower risks of stroke, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation and hospitalization than CPAP-treated or untreated patients. Having treated more than 135,000 patients globally and supported by more than 385 peer-reviewed publications, Inspire Medical continues to strengthen physician confidence and long-term adoption.
Regulatory Expansion & Commercial Execution: Inspire Medical continues expanding its addressable market through regulatory approvals while strengthening commercial execution. Recent FDA approvals broadened patient eligibility by increasing the upper apnea-hypopnea index threshold, expanding BMI criteria and authorizing Inspire therapy for certain pediatric Down syndrome patients. The launch of Inspire V and new CMS HCPCS Level II C-codes has further supported adoption while improving facility reimbursement clarity. Management is also pursuing a dedicated CPT code expected to take effect in 2028, providing a long-term reimbursement solution. The company has optimized its sales organization by strategically consolidating territories while increasing field clinical representatives to achieve its targeted one-to-one ratio with territory managers. International momentum remains encouraging, with first-quarter 2026 international revenues increasing 16.5% year over year, reflecting growing physician awareness and market penetration despite reimbursement headwinds.
Disciplined Financial Execution & Investment in Growth: Inspire Medical delivered resilient financial performance while maintaining a disciplined investment strategy. Revenues increased 1.6% year over year, while the company improved adjusted operating margin through favorable product mix and higher adoption of Inspire V, generating stronger operating cash flow than the prior-year period. Management remains focused on investments that directly support long-term expansion, including reimbursement education, field reimbursement specialists, digital patient engagement tools, marketing effectiveness, operational efficiencies and next-generation product development. These initiatives will begin contributing more meaningfully during the second half of 2026 and accelerate further in 2027 as reimbursement challenges ease.
Key Challenges for INSP StockCoding & Reimbursement Uncertainty: The biggest near-term challenge remains coding and reimbursement uncertainty for Inspire V procedures. Differences in billing practices across Medicare and commercial insurers have slowed prior authorizations, reduced patient pipeline activity and delayed procedures. Although CMS introduced facility billing codes and management is working toward a dedicated CPT code expected in 2028, reimbursement uncertainty is expected to continue affecting procedure volumes until providers gain confidence in billing practices.
Coding and reimbursement disruption, along with the WISeR program, negatively impacted first-quarter 2026 revenues by approximately $20 million and could reduce full-year 2026 revenues by $120-$150 million. The company expects second-quarter revenue pressure to worsen with an estimated revenue headwind of $40-$50 million due to lower prior authorization activity during the first quarter, before improving gradually during the second half of 2026.
WISeR Program Disrupting Procedure Volumes: The rollout of the WISeR’s prior authorization program across six Medicare pilot states has created additional administrative hurdles for providers. AI-driven authorization requirements and varying state-specific workflows have delayed procedures and reduced Medicare volumes during the first quarter. While management expects providers to adapt over time, the program is likely to remain a short-term headwind before becoming less disruptive later in 2026.
GLP-1 Adoption & Competitive Pressure: Inspire Medical also faces emerging external headwinds. Management acknowledged that increasing use of GLP-1 weight-loss therapies may temporarily delay Inspire procedures as some patients pursue medical treatment first. Although GLP-1 therapies could ultimately expand the eligible patient population by helping patients meet BMI requirements, the near-term impact on procedure volumes remains uncertain. At the same time, competition in the hypoglossal nerve stimulation market is gradually increasing, adding another factor that could weigh on growth until reimbursement challenges subside.
Estimate TrendInspire Medical is witnessing a positive estimate revision trend for 2026. In the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings has moved north 1 cent to $1.05 per share.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 revenues and loss per share is pegged at $194.8 million and 22 cents, respectively.
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are West Pharmaceutical (WST - Free Report) , Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) and Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
West Pharmaceutical reported first-quarter 2026 earnings per share of $2.13, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26.8%. Revenues of $844.9 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.5%.
West Pharmaceutical has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 13.9%. WST’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.4%.
Intuitive Surgical reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.50, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.2%. Revenues of $2.77 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.2%.
Intuitive Surgical has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 14.3%. ISRG’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.
Cardinal Health reported a third-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $3.17, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.2%. Revenues of $60.94 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.3%.
Cardinal Health has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 17%. CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 10.3%.
NEW ORLEANS, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Horizon Bank (NYSE: FHN) (or "First Horizon") and United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) today announced that Meghan Donelon, Commercial Banking Group Manager at First Horizon Bank, has been appointed the new Executive Committee Board Chair for UWSELA. As a lifelong New Orleanian, Donelon brings nearly two decades of banking experience and a long-standing commitment to community leadership to this board chair position.
Shares of Crane (NYSE:CR – Get Free Report) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the eight analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, five have assigned a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $226.3333.
A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Crane from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. DA Davidson reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $235.00 price target on shares of Crane in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Crane from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised Crane from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $200.00 to $215.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 29th.
Read Our Latest Research Report on CR
Insider Transactions at Crane In other news, Director Susan D. Lynch purchased 150 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 30th. The shares were bought at an average price of $177.38 per share, with a total value of $26,607.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 370 shares in the company, valued at approximately $65,630.60. This represents a 68.18% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 2.12% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Crane Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Crane by 289,020.7% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 7,855,409 shares of the conglomerate’s stock valued at $1,448,773,000 after acquiring an additional 7,852,692 shares during the period. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Crane by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 2,993,123 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $552,022,000 after purchasing an additional 48,679 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Crane during the 4th quarter worth $198,509,000. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in Crane by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 917,679 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $169,282,000 after purchasing an additional 35,441 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in Crane by 0.4% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 845,961 shares of the conglomerate’s stock valued at $144,622,000 after purchasing an additional 3,678 shares during the period. 75.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Crane Price Performance Shares of NYSE CR opened at $219.43 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $199.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $192.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.67 billion, a PE ratio of 29.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.01. Crane has a fifty-two week low of $159.58 and a fifty-two week high of $226.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.18.
Crane (NYSE:CR – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 27th. The conglomerate reported $1.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.21. Crane had a return on equity of 24.45% and a net margin of 13.10%.The firm had revenue of $696.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $672.74 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.39 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 24.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Crane has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.650-6.850 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Crane will post 7.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Crane Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Friday, May 29th were given a $0.255 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 29th. This represents a $1.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Crane’s dividend payout ratio is 18.35%.
Crane Company Profile (Get Free Report)
Crane Co, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, is a diversified manufacturer of engineered industrial products serving customers around the world. The company operates through two primary segments: Aerospace & Electronics and Engineered Materials. Its Aerospace & Electronics division designs and produces valves, fittings, manifolds, and filtration systems for aircraft fuel, hydraulics, and environmental control systems. The Engineered Materials segment focuses on advanced polymers, heat exchangers, and specialized composite solutions for industries including chemical processing, semiconductor manufacturing, and power generation.
With roots dating back to its founding in 1855 in Chicago by R.T.
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Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering First Hawaiian (FHB - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Banks - West industry.
This bank holding company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 2.80%.
For the last reported quarter, First Hawaiian came out with earnings of $0.55 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.53 per share, representing a surprise of 3.77%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.55 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.56 per share, delivering a surprise of 1.82%.
With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for First Hawaiian. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
First Hawaiian currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.84%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on July 24, 2026.
When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Key Takeaways MU soared 653.3% over the past year before sliding 14% in one week, with a Momentum Score of A.PENG surged 165.1% in a year, then fell 19% over the past week, while earning an A score.BE jumped 750.4% in the past year but dropped 19.6% in one week, with a Momentum Score of A. Heightened market volatility returned to the broader U.S. equity markets as the Iran-U.S. war resumed, with both parties launching fresh strikes. This affected the free passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to spiraling oil prices that pulled down the stock market. However, easing inflation readings for June eased concerns of a near-term interest rate hike, triggering a short-term market rally that was further supported by a spirited performance by semiconductor stocks. But concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) spending weighed on investor sentiments and dragged the overall markets lower.
The spotlight is now on the Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh as investors look for cues to the monetary policy and gauge an idea of the future stock market direction. Amid the vagaries of the market, investors often seek to employ time-tested winning strategies to fetch sustained profits. One of the most successful game plans to beat the blues is to bet on momentum stocks, like Micron Technology, Inc. (MU - Free Report) , Penguin Solutions, Inc. (PENG - Free Report) and Bloom Energy Corporation (BE - Free Report) when value or growth investing fails to generate the desired profits.
This approach primarily tends to follow the adage, “the trend is your friend.” At its core, momentum investing is “buying high and selling higher.” It is based on the idea that once a stock establishes a trend, it is more likely to continue in that direction because of the momentum that is already behind it. Momentum investing is a way to profit from the general human tendency to extrapolate current trends into the future. It is based on that gap in time before the mean reversion occurs, i.e., before prices become rational again.
Momentum strategies have been known to be alpha-generative over a long period and across market stages. Therefore, this strategy is quite tricky to implement, as detecting these trends is not easy. Here, we have created a strategy to help investors get in on these fast movers and rake in handsome gains. Our screen will help you benefit from long-term price momentum and a short-term pullback in price.
Screening Parameters for Momentum Anomaly StocksPercentage Change in Price (52 Weeks) = Top #50: This selects the top 50 stocks with the best percentage price change over the last 52 weeks. This parameter ensures we get the best stocks that have appreciated steadily over the past year.
Percentage Change in Price (1 Week) = Bottom #10: From the above 50 stocks, we then choose those that are also among the 10 worst performers over a short one-week period. This parameter picks the ones that have witnessed a short-term pullback in price.
Zacks Rank #1: Stocks sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) have a proven history of outperformance irrespective of the market conditions. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Momentum Style Score of B or Better: A top Momentum Style Score knocks out a lot of the screening process, as it takes into account several factors that include volume change and performance relative to its peers. It indicates when the timing is best to grab a stock and take advantage of its momentum with the highest probability of success. Stocks with a Momentum Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy), handily outperform other stocks.
Current Price Greater Than $5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5.
Market Capitalization = Top #3000: We have chosen stocks that are among the top 3000 in terms of market value to ensure the stability of price.
Average 20-Day Volume Greater Than 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that these stocks are easily tradable.
Here are three of the four stocks that made it through this screen:
Headquartered in Boise, ID, Micron manufactures and sells memory and storage products across the globe. It serves the data center, PC, graphics, networking, automotive, industrial and consumer embedded markets, as well as the smartphone and other mobile-device markets.
The stock has soared 653.3% over the past year but lost 14% over the past week. Micron has a Momentum Score of A.
Headquartered in Fremont, CA, Penguin is a leading provider of memory and AI infrastructure, powering business enterprises, sovereign AI initiatives and neocloud providers. It operates globally through an extensive network of R&D, manufacturing and sales locations.
The stock has surged 165.1% over the past year but declined 19% over the past week. Penguin has a Momentum Score of A.
Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Bloom Energy manufactures, sells and installs solid oxide fuel cell systems for on-site power generation in the United States and internationally. It empowers enterprises to meet soaring energy demands and responsibly take charge of their power needs.
The stock has surged 750.4% in the past year but declined 19.6% in the past week. Bloom Energy has a Momentum Score of A.
Shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:PECO – Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of “Hold” by the eight analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $43.4286.
PECO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Barclays increased their target price on Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH upped their price objective on shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. from $38.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.
Institutional Trading of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. CX Institutional boosted its holdings in Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. by 115.5% in the second quarter. CX Institutional now owns 724 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 388 shares during the last quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. by 55.5% in the 4th quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 1,053 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the period. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. by 143.6% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,140 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 672 shares in the last quarter. 80.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. Stock Performance PECO stock opened at $43.73 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $40.99 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $38.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.53, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.52. Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. has a one year low of $32.84 and a one year high of $43.79.
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:PECO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by ($0.43). Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. had a return on equity of 4.46% and a net margin of 15.61%.The business had revenue of $190.74 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $184.91 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.65 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.790-0.810 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 4th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 15th will be issued a $0.1083 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 15th. Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 141.30%.
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. Company Profile (Get Free Report)
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and operation of grocery-anchored, necessity-based shopping centers. The company’s investment strategy is centered on properties that benefit from everyday consumer demand, seeking to deliver stable cash flows through long-term, triple-net leases with national and regional tenants in the grocery, drugstore and essential retail sectors.
In addition to its core retail portfolio, Phillips Edison & Company provides integrated services covering property management, asset management, leasing, development and acquisition sourcing.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. Why Abbott Laboratories Stock Is Suddenly Winning Back Wall Street Revving Up Returns: Big Banks Race Through the Rate Plateau Why Uber’s Biggest Deal Yet Could Unlock Its Next Growth Phase Why Microsoft Is Playing a Different AI Game Than Big Tech—and Cash Flow Is the Test
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Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc. remains rated Hold due to concerns over asset and credit quality and valuation not justifying a bullish stance. Deposit and loan balances declined in Q1 2026 amid competitive pressures, with uninsured deposits at 22%—below the 30% threshold of concern. Profitability improved as net interest margin rose to 2.63%, but return on assets (0.78%) and equity (9.23%) lagged preferred benchmarks.
SALEM, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oregon Bancorp, Inc. (OTCBB: ORBN) (the “Company”), parent company of Willamette Valley Bank, reported net income of $604 thousand, or $0.24 per share, for the second quarter of 2026. The Company generated a return on average assets of 0.5% and a return on average equity of 3.2%, compared to net income of $431 thousand, or $0.17 per share, for the first quarter of 2026. For the six months ending June 30, 2026, the Company earned $1.0 million, or $0.41 per common sh.
FRANKLIN, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(OTCID: TDCB) — Third Century Bancorp (“Company”), the holding company for Mutual Savings Bank (“Bank”), announced it recorded unaudited net income of $719,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, or $0.62 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of $374,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, or $0.32 per basic and diluted share. “We delivered a strong second quarter with solid growth and improved performance across the board,” stated David A. Coffe.
Key Takeaways Boston Beer is expected to report Q2 revenues of $579.3M and EPS of $4.99, both down y/y.Weak demand, hard seltzer declines, tariffs and higher promotional spending likely pressured the Q2 results.Strategic pricing, innovation and procurement savings may help offset inflation and tariff-related costs. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM - Free Report) is likely to register declines in its top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2026 results on July 23.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $579.3 million, implying a 1.5% decrease from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure. The consensus mark for earnings has been unchanged in the past 30 days at $4.99 per share. This implies a drop of 8.4% from the year-ago quarter’s actual.
In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a negative earnings surprise of 11.4%. SAM has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.7%, on average.
Factors Likely to Have Impacted SAM’s Q2 ResultsBoston Beer’s second-quarter earnings are expected to have faced headwinds from an uncertain macroeconomic environment, with inflation and weak consumer confidence pressuring discretionary spending. This has resulted in soft demand across the beer industry, reflecting a cautious consumer and reduced social activity. Also, structural shifts in consumer behavior are adding to challenges. Trends such as moderation, growing health consciousness and the rising popularity of alternatives like cannabis-infused beverages are gradually reducing alcohol consumption. The impacts of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and increased engagement in activities have been contributing to fewer drinking occasions.
Boston Beer has been witnessing weak depletions and shipment volumes, with continued challenges in the hard seltzer category for a while. The company faces volume pressure from the ongoing weakness in key brands and soft consumer demand trends. The hard seltzer segment remains under pressure, which has been weighing on Truly Hard Seltzer as it faces declining volumes and continued loss of shelf space. Intense competition across flavored malt beverages and tea-based drinks is further straining the shelf space, as retailers streamline assortments and reduce the number of brands they carry.
On its last reported quarter’s earnings call, management projected first-half shipments to trend toward the lower end of its full-year outlook for a low-single-digit to mid-single-digit decline, followed by an improved shipment performance in the second half. The expected first-half weakness primarily reflects difficult year-ago comparisons, as SAM shipped ahead of depletions to support innovation launches and build distributor inventories. This indicates shipment and depletion trends are likely to have been soft in the second quarter.
In addition, tariffs are expected to act as deterrents, particularly through higher aluminum and imported material costs, while ongoing inflation continues to affect input expenses. Boston Beer is seeing higher advertising and promotional spending to support brand recovery and product launches. All the aforesaid factors are likely to have pressured depletions, sales and profitability in the to-be-reported quarter.
On the flip side, Boston Beer’s focus on strategic pricing, product innovation and brand development to strengthen its market position appears encouraging. The company is expanding its presence in the Beyond Beer category, which continues to outpace the traditional beer market. Strong price realization and ongoing procurement savings are helping offset the inflationary and tariff pressures.
What the Zacks Model Unveils for SAM StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Boston Beer this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Boston Beer currently has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Valuation Picture of SAM StockFrom a valuation perspective, Boston Beer stock is trading at a premium relative to the industry benchmarks. The company has a forward 12-month price-to-earnings of 17.19X, above the Beverages - Alcohol industry’s average of 14.99X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Boston Beer shares have declined 6.4% in the year-to-date period against the industry’s growth of 12%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some companies, which, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Fomento Economico Mexicano (FMX - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +37.42% and sports a Zacks Rank #1. The company is likely to register growth in the top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2026 numbers. The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $12.9 billion, which indicates a rise of 19.3% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FMX’s quarterly earnings per share of 82 cents implies growth of 95.2% from the year-ago quarter’s actual. The consensus mark has moved down 10.9% in the past 30 days. FMX has a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 17%, on average.
Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.45% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is likely to register growth in the top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2026 numbers. The consensus mark for revenues is pegged at $2.4 billion, which indicates growth of 14.6% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Monster Beverage’s quarterly earnings per share of 59 cents implies a rise of 13.5% from the year-ago quarter’s actual. The consensus mark has been unchanged in the past 30 days. MNST has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.6%, on average.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.60% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company is likely to register increases in the top and bottom lines when it reports second-quarter 2026 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BUD’s quarterly EPS is pegged at $1.09, up 11.2% from the year-ago period. The consensus mark has been unchanged in the past 30 days.
The consensus estimate for BUD’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $16.3 billion, which implies an increase of 8.6% from the prior-year quarter. BUD has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.6%, on average.
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.
Headquartered in Jericho, Kimco Realty (KIM - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of 28.42% so far this year. The real estate investment trust is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.26 per share, with a dividend yield of 4%. This compares to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry's yield of 3.88% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.32%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.04 is up 3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Kimco Realty has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 14.37%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Kimco Realty's current payout ratio is 58%, meaning it paid out 58% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
KIM is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $1.83 per share, with earnings expected to increase 3.98% from the year ago period.
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.
Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, KIM is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
1:00pm: All eyes on AMD event next week Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD) (Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD), Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD)) hosts its Advancing AI 2026 event next week in San Francisco, its first dedicated AI day since June 2025 when it launched its MI350 series GPUs and previewed its Helios rack system.
Jefferies analysts expect AMD to raise its addressable market estimate for AI CPUs above $200 billion, topping the figure Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD) (Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD)) (Nvidia Corp (Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD))) gave in May. They are also watching for more detail on AMD's next-generation MI500 GPUs and scale-up roadmap, along with any new customer announcements.
Expectations center on a potential Anthropic announcement, with Jefferies noting reports that the AI company has been hiring engineers with ROCm experience, which they said suggests Anthropic is preparing to diversify its computing infrastructure.
11:55am: Stocks on track for negative week Global equity markets were pulled lower after tech stocks suffered their worst session since April last year, as renewed concerns about stretched valuations weighed on investor sentiment.
“Major US indices are heading for a weekly loss as the broad technology sell-off gathered pace, with stretched AI valuations and concerns over future spending dragging chipmakers lower, while SpaceX's slide below its IPO price underscored the market's waning appetite for high-growth names," IG's Axel Rudolph commented.
"US data was mixed with unexpectedly rising import prices, housing starts soaring to their highest level in three months and US industrial output growth coming in slightly weaker than expected while consumer sentiment topped forecasts."
10:55am: Netflix momentum slows Netflix's growth story is losing momentum.
Shares were trading over 8% lower Friday after the streaming giant missed second-quarter revenue estimates and guided below Street expectations for the third quarter, the clearest sign yet that its post-password-crackdown growth spurt is fading.
The company narrowly missed on revenue, posting $12.56 billion against Wall Street's $12.59 billion forecast, even as membership gains, price hikes and ad sales all moved in the right direction.
What spooked investors was the outlook: third-quarter revenue guidance of 11% constant-currency growth came in below the Street's 12% call, and full-year guidance was narrowed rather than raised.
Netflix now expects 2026 revenue of $51 billion to $51.4 billion, growth of 13% to 14%, with a 31.5% operating margin and roughly $12.5 billion in free cash flow. For the third quarter, it guided to revenue of $12.86 billion, a 33.2% operating margin and earnings per share of $0.82.
10:00am: Sell-off continues Wall Street opened Friday with a sharp sell-off in technology stocks, as investors weighed fresh concerns about AI valuations, mixed corporate earnings and the prospect of higher interest rates.
Just after the open, the Nasdaq fell to 25,351, down 531 points or 2.1%, while the S&P 500 slipped to 7,459, down 75 points or 1%. The Dow was more resilient, opening at 52,484, down 69 points or 0.1%.
Markets are also digesting a mixed batch of corporate news. Netflix shares dropped after the streaming giant posted mixed quarterly results and announced it would publish viewership data less frequently. Intuitive Surgical also came under pressure after its earnings report and guidance disappointed investors, while SpaceX shares slipped further below their IPO price following an aborted Starship launch.
Adding to the cautious mood, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Phillip Jefferson said the central bank may need to raise interest rates if inflation fails to cool, reviving concerns that borrowing costs could stay higher for longer.
According to Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, investors are increasingly questioning whether AI-related stocks have become too expensive.
"Valuations across chipmakers have run ahead of themselves," she said, noting that many companies appear "priced to perfection" even as investors grow more concerned about AI overcapacity and the industry's heavy spending.
Investors will now turn their attention to a busy slate of US economic data, including June housing starts, industrial production and the University of Michigan's preliminary July consumer sentiment reading, for further clues on the health of the economy and the Fed's next move.
Ahead of the bell Wall Street looks set to be headed for the red with US stock futures falling on Friday, leaving the major indices on course for weekly losses as the semiconductor sell-off rolled on.
Dow Jones futures slipped 0.6%, and S&P 500 contracts dropped around 0.8%.
Nasdaq-100 futures were the weakest, down about 1.6%, after a soft Wall Street session and the launch of the world's most powerful open AI model by China's Moonshot.
Netflix shed more than 10% in premarket trading after third-quarter revenue guidance fell short, with the streaming group pointing to a "dynamic and competitive" entertainment landscape.
The tech-led rally from March lows has stalled as investors question the scale of corporate spending on artificial intelligence.
The PHLX Semiconductor Index tumbled over 4% on Thursday, and Japan's Nikkei 225 followed with a 4% fall.
Truist Financial and Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ:FITB) close out the week's earnings, alongside the University of Michigan consumer sentiment reading.
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB - Free Report) reported $3.28 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 46.1%. EPS of $1.02 for the same period compares to $0.90 a year ago.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.88% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.25 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.98, the EPS surprise was +4.08%.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Fifth Third Bancorp performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Efficiency Ratio (FTE): 64.3% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 57.5%.Net interest margin (FTE): 3.4% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 3.4%.Total nonperforming assets: $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion average estimate based on two analysts.Regulatory Capital Ratios - Tier 1 risk-based Capital: 10.8% versus 10.9% estimated by two analysts on average.Return on average common equity: 9.5% compared to the 10.5% average estimate based on two analysts.Book value per share: $35.56 versus $35.79 estimated by two analysts on average.Average Balance - Total interest-earning assets: $264.99 billion versus $266.2 billion estimated by two analysts on average.Regulatory Capital Ratios - Leverage: 9.2% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 9.3%.Tangible book value per share (including AOCI): $23.15 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $24.17.Return on average assets: 1.1% compared to the 1.2% average estimate based on two analysts.Tangible common equity (including AOCI): 7.3% compared to the 7.4% average estimate based on two analysts.Net charge-off ratio (NCO ratio): 0.3% compared to the 0.3% average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Fifth Third Bancorp here>>>
Shares of Fifth Third Bancorp have returned +12.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Key Takeaways FITB posts Q2'26 adjusted EPS of $1.02, beating estimates, but shares fall nearly 3.1% in early trading.FITB's NII rises 48% and fee income grows 41%, while non-interest expenses surge 67% year over year.FITB slightly raises its 2026 NII outlook and projects sequential loan and revenue growth in Q3. Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.02, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 98 cents. In the prior-year quarter, the company posted EPS of 88 cents.
Results benefited from solid growth in net interest income (NII) and fee income, along with higher loan and deposit balances. Lower provisions for credit losses also offered support. However, a substantial rise in non-interest expenses acted as a headwind. Given the concern, FITB shares declined nearly 3.1% in the early trading session. A full day’s trading session will depict a clearer picture.
Results excluded a negative 19-cent impact of certain items, including merger-related charges, securities repositioning losses, technology-related asset impairments, severance expenses and interchange litigation matters. After considering these, the company reported net income available to common shareholders (GAAP basis) of $763 million, up 29% year over year.
FITB’s Quarterly Revenues & Expenses RiseTotal quarterly revenues (FTE) in the reported quarter were $3.28 billion, which increased 46% year over year. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.25 billion.
Fifth Third’s NII (on an FTE basis) for the second quarter was $2.22 billion, up 48% year over year. This improvement primarily reflected the full-quarter contribution from Comerica. Organic loan production, continued fixed-rate asset repricing and disciplined liability management also aided growth.
The net interest margin (NIM) (on an FTE basis) increased to 3.36% from 3.12% in the year-ago quarter.
Non-interest income rose 41% year over year to $1.06 billion. The increase was primarily driven by higher wealth and asset management revenues, commercial payments revenues, consumer banking revenues, capital markets fees and commercial banking revenues, partly offset by a decline in mortgage banking net revenues.
Non-interest expenses surged 67% year over year to $2.11 billion. The increase was primarily due to a rise across all cost components and the inclusion of Comerica acquisition-related costs, including merger and integration expenses.
The efficiency ratio was 64.3%, higher than the year-ago quarter’s 56.2%. An increase in the ratio indicates a deterioration in profitability.
FITB’s Loans & Deposits Increase SequentiallyAs of June 30, 2026, portfolio loans and leases rose 1% to $178.5 billion from the previous quarter. Total deposits increased marginally from the prior quarter to $234.1 billion.
FITB’s Credit Quality: Mixed BagThe company reported a provision for credit losses of $129 million, down 25% from the year-ago quarter.
Total non-performing portfolio loans and leases were $1.04 billion, up from $853 million in the prior-year quarter. However, the non-performing loan ratio improved to 0.58% from 0.70% in the year-ago quarter.
Net charge-offs in the second quarter declined to $135 million or 0.30% of average loans and leases (on an annualized basis) from $139 million or 0.45% in the prior-year quarter.
The total allowance for credit losses rose 23% to $3.15 billion year over year. The allowance for credit losses represented 1.76% of portfolio loans and leases, down from 2.09% in the year-ago quarter.
Fifth Third’s Capital Position WeakensThe CET1 capital ratio was 9.93% compared with 10.58% in the year-ago quarter. The Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was 10.81% compared with 11.85% in the prior-year quarter.
The leverage ratio declined to 9.20% from 9.42% in the year-ago quarter.
Fifth Third’s Q3 & 2026 GuidanceFor the third quarter of 2026, Fifth Third expects average loans and leases to rise 1% sequentially.
NII is projected to increase 2% to 2.5% from the second-quarter baseline of $2.22 billion, while non-interest income is expected to rise 1% to 3% from the baseline of $1.04 billion.
Adjusted non-interest expenses are expected to decline 1% to 2% sequentially from the second-quarter baseline of $1.86 billion. The net charge-off ratio is projected to be between 30 and 35 basis points, while the effective tax rate is expected to be 22.5%.
For 2026, Fifth Third narrowed its average loans and leases outlook to $174-$176 billion from the prior expectation of the mid-$170 billion range.
The company slightly raised its 2026 NII outlook to $8.74-$8.80 billion from the previous guidance of $8.7-$8.8 billion, driven by the assumption of a higher 4% federal funds rate at year-end 2026 compared with 3.75% previously.
The company now expects non-interest income of $4.06-$4.16 billion, compared with its prior outlook of $4-$4.2 billion.
Adjusted non-interest expense is now expected to be $7.22-$7.26 billion, compared with the prior outlook of $7.2-$7.3 billion, while the net charge-off ratio is still expected to be 30-40 basis points and the effective tax rate 22-23%.
Our Viewpoint on Fifth ThirdStrong growth in NII, driven by the full-quarter contribution from Comerica, organic loan production, fixed-rate asset repricing and disciplined liability management, supported top-line expansion. The company also witnessed solid growth in loans and deposits, reflecting improving business momentum.
Broad-based fee income growth and lower provisions were other positives. The decline in the net charge-off ratio also reflected strong credit performance. However, elevated expenses related to integration activities and the lower year-over-year capital ratios remain near-term concerns.
The Comerica acquisition (completed in February 2026) remains on track for integration, with systems conversion scheduled for Labor Day weekend. Fifth Third expects the conversion to unlock the full $850 million annualized expense synergy run rate in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Fifth Third Bancorp Price, Consensus and EPS SurpriseCurrently, Fifth Third carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Other BanksM&T Bank Corporation (MTB - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 net operating earnings per share of $5.35, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.66. The bottom line compared favorably with earnings of $4.28 per share in the year-ago quarter.
MTB’s results were aided by higher NII and a rise in non-interest income on a year-over-year basis, along with loan growth. However, higher expenses acted as headwinds.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC - Free Report) has delivered adjusted earnings per share of $4.85 in the second quarter of 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.51 and up from $3.85 a year ago.
Results reflected higher NII, strong fee income growth, an improvement in the NIM and solid loan growth. However, higher expenses and a decline in the deposit balance were headwinds for PNC.
Key Takeaways Ingevity's Evotherm P35 gained BASt approval for warm-mix asphalt use in Germany.Years of testing confirmed the product's durability and long-term performance under real-world conditions.Bio-based materials support performance and environmental goals in pavement applications. Ingevity Corporation (NGVT - Free Report) announced that its Evotherm P35 warm-mix additive has received approval from BASt, Germany's Federal Highway Research Institute, indicating that it meets the institute’s stringent quality standards. The approval allows the additive to be used in warm-mix asphalt applications and validates it for use in one of Europe's most demanding regulatory environments.
The approval follows several years of technical evaluation, performance testing and comparison with conventional hot-mix asphalt. The testing was conducted under real-world traffic and environmental conditions. The results met BASt's durability and long-term performance standards required for use on federal projects in Germany.
The certification strengthens Ingevity's position in the European pavement technologies market, where regulatory requirements for infrastructure materials are particularly demanding. It also demonstrates the company's ability to tailor its technologies to meet regional specifications while maintaining high performance standards. Evotherm P35 aligns with Germany's performance, environmental and regulatory priorities, highlighting the company’s formulation expertise and capability to satisfy complex technical requirements.
Evotherm P35 incorporates bio-based materials designed to improve performance while supporting environmental objectives, reinforcing the company's Pavement Technologies business.
NGVT’s shares have gained 62.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s 3.2% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NGVT’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksIngevity currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO - Free Report) , Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) and Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) .
While KRO and CRS currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, ALB carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KRO’s 2026 loss is pinned at 33 cents per share, indicating a 65.63% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the trailing four quarters and missed the remaining three. KROshares have gained 7.1% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ 2026 earnings is pegged at $10.56 per share, indicating a rise of 41.18% year over year. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.95%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALB’s current fiscal-year earnings is pinned at $13.06 per share, indicating a 1,753% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 74.5%. ALB’s shares have gained 55% over the past year.
3 Volatile Mid-Caps to Trade This Earnings SeasonIndependent Bank NASDAQ: INDB reported second-quarter 2026 net income of $81.8 million, or $1.70 per diluted share, as executives said stronger deposit momentum, C&I lending growth, margin expansion and share repurchases supported profitability despite pressure from commercial real estate payoffs.
Chief Executive Officer Jeff Tengel said business activity was slow early in the quarter but accelerated as the period progressed. He pointed to “solid deposit growth, strong C&I loan growth, continued improvement in the adjusted NIM, aggressive buyback activity, and excellent results in our wealth management business,” while noting that those gains were partly offset by a smaller average balance sheet and lower loan accretion income.
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Tengel also provided a personal update at the start of the call, saying he had completed treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had learned he is “cancer-free and in remission.”
Deposit Growth and Margin Expansion Independent Bank’s deposit franchise produced more than $300 million of non-time deposit growth in the quarter, which Tengel said represented 7% annualized growth. The company held its cost of deposits stable at 1.36%, despite what management described as heightened competition and expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep rates elevated for longer.
Chief Financial Officer Mark Ruggiero said period-end deposit balances grew at a 5.9% annualized rate, although average balances were down for much of the quarter. That created what he called a temporary drag on cash and average earning assets. He said balances rebounded late in the quarter, supported by new core deposit relationships.
Ruggiero said the core net interest margin increased four basis points in the second quarter. Reported loan yields declined eight basis points, but core loan yields rose three basis points when excluding volatile purchase accounting accretion and other non-core items. Securities yields increased five basis points in the quarter, and Ruggiero said additional maturities and amortization in the second half should support further improvement.
During the question-and-answer session, Ruggiero said the company had introduced a 4% short-term money market special halfway through the second quarter, contributing to some upward pressure in money market rates. He said the spot cost of deposits was 1.38% in June and that management expects some additional pressure in the second half, potentially toward 1.40%, while still maintaining its fourth-quarter margin guidance.
C&I Growth Offsets CRE Paydowns Loan growth was mixed during the quarter. Tengel said C&I and home equity lending were robust, while commercial real estate and construction loans declined by $176 million due to elevated payoffs. Excluding a $37 million decline tied to the dealer floor plan business that Independent Bank has largely exited, C&I loans rose $116 million, or 10% annualized. Tengel said that growth was broad-based across market segments.
Management emphasized that the company remains active in commercial real estate lending despite the paydowns. Tengel said Independent Bank funded $203 million in new relationship-based CRE loans during the quarter, up 11% from the first quarter, and added $300 million of new CRE commitments. The company’s CRE concentration stood at 278 at June 30.
The approved commercial loan pipeline totaled $510 million at quarter-end, up from $313 million at March 31. Tengel said the stronger pipeline, continued origination activity and expected normalization of payoff activity position the company to return to positive commercial loan growth.
In response to analyst questions, Tengel said two relationships accounted for $120 million of second-quarter CRE paydowns, including refinancings away from Independent Bank. One refinancing, he said, occurred on “terms and conditions that we were very uncomfortable with.” He said management expects paydowns to return closer to historical levels in the second half and sees potential for flat to modestly higher CRE balances over that period.
Ruggiero said the commercial pipeline was roughly split between CRE and C&I, with C&I representing a somewhat larger share than before. He said new commercial loan originations moved into the mid-6% range, with C&I loans in the mid- to high-6% range and CRE loans generally in the low-6% range.
Capital Returns Remain a Priority Ruggiero said second-quarter results reflected the bank’s ability to drive core profitability and return capital to shareholders in a competitive environment. During the quarter, Independent Bank completed its prior buyback authorization and announced a new $200 million share repurchase plan in May.
The company repurchased $75 million of stock in the second quarter. Its common equity Tier 1 ratio was 12.8% at June 30, and its tangible capital ratio was 9.7%.
Ruggiero said the buyback plan will remain the primary means of returning excess capital to shareholders. In response to an analyst question, he said returning 100% of quarterly earnings is “the minimum,” adding that the company is committed to executing repurchases aggressively while considering growth trends and funding efficiency.
Asset Quality and Office Exposure Management said asset quality remained consistent with historical performance. Tengel said net charge-offs were two basis points in the second quarter and have averaged nine basis points over the past five quarters. The loan loss provision represented 14 basis points of average loans in the quarter and has averaged 13 basis points over the past five quarters, excluding the day-one impact of the Enterprise acquisition.
Ruggiero said total non-performing assets increased modestly to $103.8 million, or 56 basis points of total assets. He said commercial non-performing asset movement was “fairly benign,” with one office non-performer resolved and another added. Residential non-performers increased by a net $4.7 million, but Ruggiero said there is generally sufficient home equity in workout cases and that charge-offs remain extremely low in that portfolio.
Net charge-offs were $911,000 in the quarter, or two basis points annualized. Year-to-date charge-offs were six basis points annualized. The provision was $6.3 million, and the allowance for loan losses rose to 1.06% of loans, primarily due to modest specific reserves on a couple of commercial loans.
On office-related credit issues, Tengel said the company is still in what he has previously described as a long “seventh inning,” but said he is encouraged by the work underway to reduce criticized and classified office loans over the next several quarters. Ruggiero said a $22 million large syndicated non-performing loan has begun making interest payments and could potentially return to performing status by year-end.
Guidance Reaffirmed for Profitability Targets Independent Bank reaffirmed its fourth-quarter 2026 profitability targets of a 1.4% return on average assets and a 15% return on average tangible capital. Ruggiero also reaffirmed the company’s fourth-quarter margin outlook of 3.90% to 3.95%, though he said it is likely to be at the low end of that range. The range includes an assumed 10-basis-point impact from purchase accounting accretion.
The company lowered its full-year outlook for CRE and construction loans to flat to a low-single-digit percentage decrease, citing second-quarter paydown activity. It expects C&I growth to land at the high end of its mid-single-digit guidance range, with minimal remaining headwinds from the exited floor plan business. Consumer loans are now expected to increase in the low-single-digit percentage range for the full year.
Fee income totaled $42.4 million in the second quarter, up more than 5% from the prior quarter. Ruggiero said wealth management led the increase, with assets under administration of $9.5 billion at June 30, along with higher tax preparation fees, deposit and treasury management fees, and increased swap volume.
Expenses were flat versus the first quarter after excluding merger-related costs and non-recurring core system conversion expenses, according to management. Ruggiero said Independent Bank expects core expenses excluding systems conversion costs to be in the $553 million to $557 million range for the year, with one-time system conversion expenses totaling $5 million to $6 million. Tengel said the conversion from HORIZON to IBS, both part of the FIS ecosystem, is scheduled for October and is intended to improve client service, efficiency, product rollout and growth capacity.
About Independent Bank (NASDAQ:INDB)Independent Bank Group, Inc NASDAQ: INDB is a bank holding company headquartered in McKinney, Texas, that provides a range of financial services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Independent Bank. Tracing its roots to the late 19th century, the company has grown from a single community bank into a regional financial institution serving individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. Independent Bank Group became a bank holding company in 1983 and expanded its footprint through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
The company's primary business activities encompass retail and commercial banking, including deposit products, consumer and business lending and credit services.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? First American Financial (FAF - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, could be a great candidate to consider.
This financial services company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 29.51%.
For the last reported quarter, First American Financial came out with earnings of $1.33 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.06 per share, representing a surprise of 25.47%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $1.49 per share and it actually produced earnings of $1.99 per share, delivering a surprise of 33.56%.
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for First American Financial lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
First American Financial has an Earnings ESP of +0.17% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on July 22, 2026.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) faces a securities class action lawsuit related to surprise disclosures the company made to investors on March 30 and May 5, 2026 about problems with its flagship metallurgical coal asset (“Centurion”).
The lawsuit seeks to represent investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares of Peabody common stock between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026.
Between March 27 (the trading day before the first cryptic disclosure) and the May 5, 2026 fuller disclosure, investors saw the price of Peabody shares crumble $14.50 (-36%). Accordingly, the severe market reactions upon the company’s revelations support national shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman’s investigation into legal claims that Peabody and its co-defendants violated the federal securities laws.
The firm encourages Peabody investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.
Class Period: Oct. 14, 2024 – May 4, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Aug. 24, 2026
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/btu
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
844-916-0895
Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) Securities Class Action:
Peabody characterizes itself as a leading producer of metallurgical and thermal coal and has promoted Centurion, its underground longwall metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia. According to the company, the mine commenced full-scale production in February 2026.
The litigation is focused on the propriety of Peabody’s statements about Centurion’s operational status and production capabilities.
For example, Peabody’s management informed investors on February 5, 2026 that “the team was installing the very last shield and putting the finishing touches on the Centurion Mine[,]” and “our team is charged up and has started mining some of the best metallurgical coal in the world.” The company and its management also assured investors that Centurion is “going to ramp up probably about 700,000 tons in Q1, about 1 million to 1.1 million tons in Q2 and Q3, and then it’ll fall back down in Q4 as we have a longwall move.” In response, the market rewarded these statements by sending the price of Peabody shares up about 7.8% the next day.
Just a few weeks later, on March 30, 2026, Peabody filed a current report with the SEC and abruptly disclosed that Centurion “is expected deliver approximately 250,000 tons in the first quarter[.]” In other words, the company slashed Centurion production by about 64%. The news sent the price of Peabody shares down almost 10%.
Then, on May 5, 2026, Peabody reported its Q1 2026 financial results. Of particular concern pertaining to Centurion, management revealed the truth about why it slashed the mine’s Q1 production assurance.
Despite telling investors in February that it was mining Centurion and would produce 700,000 tons in Q1, a new narrative emerged – “as part of our commissioning in February, we encountered temporary mechanical and electrical issues” – and “[a]s a result, our full year sales outlook for Centurion is now 2.5 million tons compared to our original expectation of 3.5 million tons.” This full year 28% reduction helped send the price of Peabody shares down nearly 6%.
“We’re focused on whether Peabody and its management were sufficiently transparent about Centurion’s operational capabilities during the Class Period and, if not, whether they violated federal securities laws,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm’s investigation.
If you invested in Peabody Energy and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that will assist the firm’s investigation, submit your losses now.
If you’d like more information and answers to other frequently asked questions about the Peabody case and the firm’s investigation, read more.
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Peabody Energy should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].
# # #
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman’s team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
BENSALEM, Pa., July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Law Offices of Howard G. Smith reminds investors that class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly-traded companies. Investors have until the deadlines listed below to file a lead plaintiff motion.
Investors suffering losses on their investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in these class actions at (215) 638-4847 or by email to [email protected].
Embecta Corp. (NASDAQ: EMBC)
Class Period: November 25, 2025 – May 4, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 17, 2026
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company’s guidance was misleading and unattainable; (2) segment weakness, especially in the United States pen needle market, was likely to disrupt the Company’s original revenue guidance and second quarter 2026 results; and (3) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR)
Class Period: February 26, 2025 – February 24, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 24, 2026
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants had overstated First Solar’s capacity to manage the impact of U.S. tariff policy on the Company’s business; (2) Defendants understated the extent to which its responses to U.S. tariff policy, including the intentional underutilization of production facilities in Malaysia and Vietnam, and attempted relocation of production to the U.S., were likely to negatively impact First Solar’s projected performance in the 2026 fiscal year; and (3) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTM)
Class Period: November 3, 2025 – May 11, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 24, 2026
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) ZoomInfo’s optimistic plan for continued growth was undermined by slowing seat-based demand, weakening upsells and customers revising decisions to purchase AI products and develop internal AI-driven go-to-market solutions, making ZoomInfo’s 2026 full year revenue guidance increasingly unlikely to be met; and (2) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU)
Class Period: October 14, 2024 – May 4, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 24, 2026
The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Peabody’s overly optimistic March 2026 Centurion ramp-up date and promises regarding the Company’s inflated guidance fell short of reality when numerous issues at Centurion caused a significant delay to the mine’s ramp-up and Peabody’s first quarter metallurgical segment volumes; and (2) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
To be a member of these class actions, you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about these class actions, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, by telephone at (215) 638-4847 or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
Contacts
Law Offices of Howard G. Smith
Howard G. Smith, Esquire
215-638-4847
888-638-4847 [email protected]
www.howardsmithlaw.com
Key Takeaways Five Below outperformed peers with a 41% one-year stock gain and strong first-quarter momentum.FIVE expects fiscal 2026 sales of $5.40-$5.48 billion and comparable sales growth of 6-8%.Five Below plans about 150 net new stores and continued investments in technology and infrastructure. Shares of Five Below, Inc. (FIVE - Free Report) have risen 41.3% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Retail – Miscellaneous industry's decline of 14%. The company has also outpaced the Retail-Wholesale sector’s return of 4.5% and the S&P 500's rally of 25.4% during the same period.
FIVE’s Past Year Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Five Below has also outperformed its peers, including Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings (OLLI - Free Report) , Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR - Free Report) and Dollar General Corporation (DG - Free Report) , over the past year.
Shares of Ollie's Bargain have declined 49.4%, while Dollar Tree and Dollar General have increased 16.6% and 17.8%, respectively.
FIVE vs. Peer Performances
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Closing at $197.71 yesterday, the FIVE stock stands 21.4% below its 52-week high of $251.63 reached on April 21, 2026. The stock has also moved above its 200-day simple moving average of $194.39, signaling a favorable technical setup.
FIVE Trades Above 200-Day Moving Averages
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The recent rise in the stock has contributed to its premium status. FIVE trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21.11, higher than the industry’s average of 14.24. The company’s peers, Ollie's Bargain, Dollar Tree and Dollar General are trading at lower forward P/E ratios of 14.21, 17.52 and 16.59, respectively, than Five Below.
FIVE’s Valuation Snapshot
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Five Below’s Customer-Centric Strategy Strengthens Growth ProspectsFive Below continues to strengthen its long-term growth story through a customer-centric strategy that combines compelling value, trend-right merchandise and an engaging shopping experience. Management remains focused on delivering newness across categories while enhancing store execution and digital engagement. This integrated approach is reinforcing the company's competitive positioning and expanding its appeal among both existing and new customers.
The strategy is translating into broad-based business momentum. During the first quarter of fiscal 2026, comparable sales increased 22.7%, supported by a 19% increase in transactions and a 4% rise in average ticket. Growth was broad-based, with 15 of 18 merchandise departments posting positive comparable sales while all districts, store vintages and income cohorts delivered positive performance. These results suggest that demand is supported by healthy underlying customer engagement rather than isolated product trends.
Marketing has emerged as another important growth driver. Five Below continues to leverage creator partnerships, AI-powered content and social media to identify and amplify emerging trends while expanding its customer database for more personalized outreach. These initiatives are strengthening brand awareness, improving customer acquisition and supporting deeper customer relationships over time.
The company's merchandising strategy further enhances its competitive positioning. More than 80% of the assortment remains priced at $5 and below, preserving its core value proposition, while curated higher-priced products expand customer choice without diluting affordability. Simplified pricing, integrated Five Beyond merchandise and stronger product storytelling are making stores easier to shop and improving the overall customer experience.
Store expansion remains another key pillar of growth. Five Below opened 49 net new stores during the first quarter, ending the period with 1,970 locations across 46 states. Since then, the company has reached another significant milestone with the opening of its 2,000th store, highlighting the scalability of its retail concept and management's confidence in the brand's long-term expansion potential. Management continues to see significant white-space opportunities across the United States, with disciplined expansion expected to support market share gains and long-term revenue growth.
What to Expect From FIVE in the Future?Following a stronger-than-expected first quarter, Five Below raised its fiscal 2026 outlook, reflecting management's confidence in the company's business momentum and execution. The company now expects net sales of $5.40-$5.48 billion, indicating approximately 14% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, while comparable sales are projected to increase 6-8%. The higher outlook reflects sustained customer demand, continued traffic growth and confidence in the company's operating strategy.
Five Below also expects continued profitability improvement during fiscal 2026. The company projects adjusted diluted earnings per share of $8.65-$9.05, while adjusted operating margin is expected to expand approximately 170 basis points to 11.6%. Gross margin expansion, fixed-cost leverage and distribution efficiencies are expected to offset higher investments in marketing, store labor and employee incentives, supporting both earnings growth and future investments.
The company remains committed to investing in long-term expansion. Five Below expects to open approximately 150 net new stores during fiscal 2026 while investing $230-$250 million in capital expenditures to support store growth, technology upgrades and infrastructure improvements. These investments are expected to strengthen the company's nationwide footprint and provide a solid foundation for scalable, sustainable growth.
Upward Estimate Revisions Signal Optimism on FIVE’s EarningsReflecting positive sentiment around Five Below, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS has seen upward revisions. In the past seven days, the consensus estimates for the current and next fiscal years have increased by 5 cents to $9.01 and by 10 cents to $9.89 per share, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How to Play FIVE Stock?Five Below offers a compelling opportunity for long-term investors, backed by broad-based customer demand, strong traffic trends and a highly scalable store expansion strategy. The company's differentiated value proposition, customer-centric initiatives, merchandising innovation and growing digital engagement continue to strengthen its competitive position. Coupled with its raised fiscal 2026 outlook and upward earnings estimate revisions, Five Below appears well-positioned to deliver sustainable revenue and earnings growth.
Existing investors may consider maintaining their positions, while new investors can view the stock as an attractive long-term buying opportunity. Five Below currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
SEI Investments (NASDAQ: SEIC - Get Free Report) and Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE - Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, risk and analyst recommendations. Institutional and Insider Ownership 70.6% of SEI Investments
CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSGP – Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $51.50.
Several analysts recently issued reports on CSGP shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $44.00 price target on CoStar Group in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Citigroup lowered their target price on CoStar Group from $100.00 to $70.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of CoStar Group in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Citizens Jmp reduced their price target on CoStar Group from $73.00 to $44.00 and set a “market outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on CoStar Group from $82.00 to $70.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 29th.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CSGP
Insider Buying and Selling at CoStar Group In other news, CEO Andrew C. Florance bought 71,430 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $35.20 per share, for a total transaction of $2,514,336.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 1,722,865 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $60,644,848. This trade represents a 4.33% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.18% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On CoStar Group A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Reflection Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of CoStar Group during the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in shares of CoStar Group in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new position in CoStar Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its holdings in CoStar Group by 329.4% in the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 614 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in CoStar Group by 25,650.0% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 515 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 513 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.60% of the company’s stock.
CoStar Group Price Performance CSGP opened at $30.37 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.20, a current ratio of 2.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. CoStar Group has a 52-week low of $26.68 and a 52-week high of $97.43. The company has a 50 day moving average of $31.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $42.76. The company has a market cap of $12.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 506.25, a P/E/G ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 0.74.
CoStar Group (NASDAQ:CSGP – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The technology company reported $0.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $897.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $896.73 million. CoStar Group had a net margin of 0.74% and a return on equity of 2.90%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 22.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.04) earnings per share. CoStar Group has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.270-0.300 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 1.320-1.390 EPS. On average, analysts expect that CoStar Group will post 1.03 earnings per share for the current year.
About CoStar Group (Get Free Report)
CoStar Group, Inc is a provider of information, analytics and online marketplaces for the commercial real estate industry. The company gathers property-level data, builds market analytics and supplies research tools used by brokers, owners, lenders, investors and other real estate professionals to evaluate markets, track inventory and manage listings. CoStar’s offerings are delivered primarily through subscription-based platforms that combine proprietary databases, mapping and workflow applications to support decision-making across the property life cycle.
In addition to its core CoStar research service, the company operates prominent online listing and marketing platforms that connect buyers, sellers, tenants and brokers.
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Key Takeaways Truist's Q2 earnings per share rose 36.7% to $1.23, while revenues climbed 5.6% to $5.27 billion.Higher NII, fee income, loans and deposits supported results, while expenses rose and NIM narrowed.Provisions fell to $395 million, and Truist returned $1.8 billion through dividends and share buybacks. Truist Financial’s (TFC - Free Report) second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.23 per share handily beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.08. The bottom line was up 36.7% from 90 cents a year ago.
Shares of TFC lost 1.2% in pre-market trading despite better-than-expected quarterly performance on net interest margin concerns.
Results were primarily aided by a rise in net interest income (NII) and higher fee income. A higher average loan and deposit balance, as well as a decline in provisions, offered support. An increase in expenses and a decline in NIM were the undermining factors.
Net income available to common shareholders was $1.52 billion, up 28.7% from the prior-year quarter.
TFC’s Revenue Mix Reflects Higher Fee IncomeTotal revenue of $5.27 billion rose 5.6% year over year. The top line beat the consensus estimate of $5.21 billion.
NII was $3.62 billion compared with $3.59 billion in the second quarter of 2025. This was driven by higher earning assets and loan growth, partly offset by lower loan spreads and fixed-rate debt repricing. The net interest margin (NIM) contracted 4 basis points (bps) to 2.98%.
Non-interest income was $1.64 billion, up 17.4%. This was attributable to higher investment banking and trading income, wealth management income, mortgage banking income and lending-related fees.
Truist Cost Trends Show Mixed Signals on ProfitabilityNon-interest expense totaled $3.06 billion, up 2.3%. This was primarily due to higher personnel costs related to salaries and incentives, partly offset by lower professional fees and outside processing expenses.
Profitability metrics improved alongside earnings growth. Return on average common equity was 10.4% and return on average tangible common equity was 15.4% in the quarter compared with 8.1% and 12.3%, respectively, in the prior-year period.
The efficiency ratio improved to 58% from 59.9%, signaling better operating leverage.
TFC’s Credit Quality: A Mixed BagProvision for credit losses decreased to $395 million from $488 million a year ago, reflecting an allowance release in the reported quarter. The allowance for loan and lease losses was 1.51% of loans and leases held for investment, down from 1.54% a year ago.
Net charge-offs (NCOs) were $414 million, up from $396 million in the year-ago quarter. NCO ratio of 0.50% of average loans and leases increased 1 bp year over year.
Total non-performing assets were $1.75 billion as of June 30, 2026, up from $1.32 billion a year earlier. Non-performing loans and leases were 0.51% of loans and leases held for investment, up 12 bps year over year.
TFC’s Balance Sheet and Capital Return Remain in FocusBalance sheet trends were solid, with average loans and leases of $331.75 billion, up from $313.84 billion in the year-ago quarter. This was driven by commercial and industrial, commercial real estate and other consumer loan growth.
Average deposits were $404.87 billion compared with $400.48 billion a year earlier.
Capital return was a notable highlight in the quarter. Truist returned $1.8 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, including $1.2 billion of buybacks. The company expects share repurchases to be approximately $5 billion in 2026.
The common equity Tier 1 ratio was 10.9% at quarter end, up 10 bps sequentially but down from 11% a year ago.
TFC Projects Upbeat Near-Term ResultsFor the third quarter of 2026, management expects taxable-equivalent (TE) revenues to increase roughly 1% sequentially. Non-interest expenses are projected to rise almost 2% from $3.1 billion.
For full-year 2026, Truist expects revenues (TE) to rise 3.5-4% and non-interest expenses to increase roughly 1.75%. The company also estimates NCO ratio of approximately 55 bps and an effective tax rate of about 14.5%.
Management expects NII to increase 1-1.5% in 2026 from the prior year. The updated outlook reflects the continued optimization of less strategic lending portfolios, lower loan spreads, a less favorable deposit mix and changes in the forward interest-rate curve.
Our Take on Truist FinancialDecent loan demand, higher fee income and TFC’s business restructuring/expansion initiatives are expected to continue supporting its top line. A solid balance sheet position is another positive. However, elevated expenses, given a tough operating environment, and pressure on NIM are major headwinds.
Truist Financial currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Truist’s PeersM&T Bank’s (MTB - Free Report) second-quarter net operating earnings per share of $5.35 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.66. The bottom line compared favorably with earnings of $4.28 in the year-ago quarter.
Results were aided by higher NII and a rise in non-interest income, along with loan growth. However, higher expenses acted as headwinds.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC - Free Report) reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.85 in the second quarter of 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.51 and up from $3.85 a year ago.
Results reflected higher NII, strong fee income growth, an improvement in NIM, solid loan growth and lower provisions. However, higher expenses and a decline in the deposit balance were headwinds.
Truist Financial Corporation (TFC - Free Report) reported $5.27 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.6%. EPS of $1.23 for the same period compares to $0.91 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.21 billion, representing a surprise of +1.02%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +13.89%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.08.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Truist Financial performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Efficiency ratio-unadjusted: 58% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 59%.Net interest margin: 3% compared to the 3% average estimate based on four analysts.Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans and leases: 0.5% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 0.5%.Total nonperforming assets: $1.75 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $2.23 billion.Book Value Per Share (BVPS): $48.04 compared to the $48.13 average estimate based on three analysts.Total nonaccrual loans and leases: $1.69 billion versus $2.16 billion estimated by three analysts on average.Average balance - Total earning assets: $492.46 billion versus $488.41 billion estimated by three analysts on average.Tier 1 Capital Ratio: 12.2% versus 11.9% estimated by two analysts on average.Tier 1 Leverage Ratio: 9.8% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 9.8%.Total Noninterest Income: $1.64 billion versus $1.56 billion estimated by four analysts on average.Net interest income (expense): $3.62 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $3.63 billion.Net interest income (FTE): $3.67 billion versus $3.68 billion estimated by three analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Truist Financial here>>>
Shares of Truist Financial have returned +10.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Truist’s second quarter displayed a range of puts and takes shaping consumer banking.
Customers kept spending, mobile activity rose and credit losses eased, while the movement of cash into higher-yielding accounts continued to raise funding costs.
The quarter also marked Bill Rogers’ final earnings call as Truist’s CEO. Mike Lyons will become president and CEO on Sept. 1, after having served as Fiserv’s CEO. Rogers will serve as executive chair until his planned retirement in April 2027.
Commentary during an earnings conference call with analysts Friday (July 17) indicated that consumer liquidity, spending and credit trends remained within management’s expectations. Average consumer and small business loans rose 2% from a year earlier, even as Truist reduced production in lending categories it viewed as less central or less profitable. Consumer and small business deposits also rose 2%, supported by a 39% gain in deposits from new clients.
“Consumer behavior remained resilient during the quarter, with stable liquidity, spending and credit trends that remain within our expectations,” Rogers said during the call.
Credit quality also improved from the first quarter. Net charge-offs fell 11 basis points to 50 basis points, with lower losses across most portfolios. Nonperforming loans rose by one basis point, partly because Truist changed its nonaccrual rules for loans in its nonprime auto business. Management said the accounting change did not reflect weaker underlying credit trends.
The results came as Truist narrowed its lending focus. The bank is reducing exposure to marine, recreational vehicle and selected auto loans. It is directing more capital toward commercial borrowers, where an initial loan can lead to deposits, payments, liquidity services and capital markets work.
Chief Financial Officer Mike Maguire said the review also extends to wholesale banking.
“There are things that we’ve done and will continue to do in wholesale around client selection, around pricing, around product design, rebalancing, that are all intended to create more profitability and efficiency,” Maguire told analysts.
Digital Use Carries More Financial Weight Digital engagement was one of the clearest measures of customer behavior in the quarter. Active mobile users rose 4% from a year earlier to 5.4 million, while digital transaction volume increased 7% to 93 million transactions. About 85% of client logins now take place through mobile devices.
Rogers linked digital activity directly to revenue, profit and operating costs.
“Digital active clients generate more revenue and higher profitability than non-digital clients, while greater self-service adoption continues to improve efficiency across the franchise,” Rogers said.
Clients used Truist Assist nearly 2 million times during the quarter, up 60% from a year earlier. The virtual assistant gives customers a way to handle routine service matters without visiting a branch or contacting an employee.
Rogers said the usage reflected “growing adoption of self-service capabilities and our continued investment in the digital client experience.”
The strategy reaches beyond routine consumer banking. Premier Banking, which serves clients with $100,000 to $1 million in combined deposits and investments, represents more than half of consumer and small business banking deposits. New Premier deposit production balances rose 20%, adviser productivity rose 23%, and financial planning activity rose 9%.
On the commercial side, average wholesale deposits rose 6% after adjusting for large merger-related balances in the prior-year quarter. Truist tied the gains to payments and liquidity services, which place the bank inside the daily movement of corporate funds.
Middle-market deposits rose 12%. Deposits grew 9% in established markets and 27% in expansion markets such as Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Deposit mix remains the pressure point. Maguire said Truist still expects annual deposit growth of about 3%, but the share of demand deposits could fall from roughly 27% at the start of the year to about 25% by year-end. Those balances usually carry lower funding costs.
“We still actually feel quite good about deposit balances both in wholesale and consumer,” Maguire said. “We’re seeing nice production. It’s really just mix.”
Rogers said the movement toward higher-yielding accounts reflected customer choices more than a new wave of rate competition.
“What we’ve seen in the deposit migration to higher yielding is more client behavior than competitive pressure,” he said. “The competitive environment still is highly competitive. We’re the most competitive we’ve ever been in terms of product and capability.”
Shares in Truist were up 1.5% in early trading Friday morning.
Truist Financial Corporation (TFC) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 17, 2026 8:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Bradley Milsaps - Executive VP & Head of Investor Relations
William Rogers - Executive Chairman, CEO & President
Michael Maguire - Senior EVP & CFO
Conference Call Participants
Ryan Nash - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
John Pancari - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Kenneth Usdin - Bernstein Autonomous LLP
L. Erika Penala - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Manan Gosalia - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Michael Mayo - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Ebrahim Poonawala - BofA Securities, Research Division
Matthew O'Connor - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Gerard Cassidy - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Truist Financial Corporation Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this event is being recorded.
It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Mr. Brad Milsaps.
Bradley Milsaps
Executive VP & Head of Investor Relations
Thank you, Rocco, and good morning, everyone. Welcome to Truist's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. With us today are our Chairman and CEO, Bill Rogers; our CFO, Mike Maguire; our Chief Risk Officer, Brad Bender; as well as other members of the Truist senior management team.
During this morning's call, they will discuss Truist's second quarter 2026 results share their perspectives on current business conditions and provide an update on our outlook for 2026. The accompanying presentation as well as our earnings release and supplemental financial information are available on the Truist Investor Relations website, ir.truist.com.
Our presentation today will include forward-looking statements and certain non-GAAP financial measures. Please review the disclosures on Slides 2 and 3 of the presentation regarding these statements and measures as well as the appendix for required reconciliations to GAAP.
Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Federal Signal (FSS - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Domestic industry, could be a great candidate to consider.
This company that makes products ranging from street sweepers to toll booth technology for government, industrial and commercial customers has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 20.00%.
For the most recent quarter, Federal Signal was expected to post earnings of $0.89 per share, but it reported $1.18 per share instead, representing a surprise of 32.58%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.08 per share, while it actually produced $1.16 per share, a surprise of 7.41%.
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Federal Signal lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
Federal Signal has an Earnings ESP of +0.55% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on July 30, 2026.
When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Brian Heller - Senior VP & Deputy General Counsel
Amit Muni - Chief Financial Officer
John Cheigh - President & Chief Investment Officer
Joseph Harvey - CEO & Director
Conference Call Participants
John Dunn - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Macrae Sykes - Gabelli Funds, LLC
Presentation
Operator
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Cohen & Steers 2nd Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded Friday, July 17, 2026.
I would now like to turn the conference over to Brian Heller, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Cohen & Steers. Please go ahead.
Brian Heller
Senior VP & Deputy General Counsel
Thank you, and welcome to the Cohen & Steers second quarter 2026 earnings webcast and conference call. Joining me are Joe Harvey, our Chief Executive Officer; Amit Muni, our Chief Financial Officer; and Jon Cheigh, our President and Chief Investment Officer.
I want to remind you that some of our comments and answers to your questions may include forward-looking statements. We believe these statements are reasonable based on information currently available to us, but actual outcomes could differ materially due to a number of factors, including those described in our accompanying second quarter earnings release and presentation, our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our other SEC filings. We assume no duty to update any forward-looking statement. Further, none of our statements constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of any fund or other investment vehicles. The presentation that will accompany today's webcast also contains non-GAAP financial measures referred to as as-adjusted financial measures that we believe are meaningful in evaluating our performance.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
On July 13, chip stocks dropped sharply for several reasons, including escalating geopolitical tensions. It's not that surprising to see many investors take some profits as they fear what may happen to broader equities if conflicts in the Middle East worsen. However, for those focused on the long term, it's still worth buying shares of top semiconductor stocks and riding out this volatile period. Here are two great picks to consider: Nvidia (NVDA 0.96%) and Marvell Technology (MRVL +2.07%).
Image source: The Motley Fool.
1. Nvidia Shares of Nvidia are surprisingly cheap right now relative to its growth potential. The company is trading at 24.1x forward earnings, versus an average of 21.7x for information technology stocks. Considering Nvidia is the undisputed leader in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) market, boasts a wide moat due to high switching costs, and still has a vast opportunity as artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure spending grows, the stock looks like a bargain at current levels. While the bears fear that the competition will eventually catch up to Nvidia, so far, hardly any one of them has been able to make much headway in disrupting its empire.
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Meanwhile, as the company argues, it is no longer just a GPU company. Nvidia offers products across much of the AI infrastructure stack. The company sees a large opportunity in the CPU market, for instance, which is why it launched its stand-alone Vera CPU -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg. On top of that, Nvidia recently significantly increased its dividend per share and committed to consistently returning at least 50% of its free cash flow to shareholders, via dividends and share buybacks. All of that makes the stock highly attractive. Even after the amazing run Nvidia has had over the past few years, it isn't done just yet.
2. Marvell Technology Marvell is a leading Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) maker. These are custom chips developed to handle specific workloads. What they lack in versatility, they make up for in the ability to be highly efficient for the tasks they are designed for -- such as training AI models -- and can be cost-efficient when deployed at scale. Many companies will increasingly rely on ASICs to tap into the large and growing AI opportunity.
Consider, for instance, that Amazon is considering selling its Trainium chips (designed by Marvell) to other data centers, something it wouldn't even explore unless it saw strong demand. Similarly, Alphabet has said it will sell its custom AI chips to select outside customers. All of these developments are bullish signs for Marvell Technology.
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Meanwhile, the company continues to post strong financial results. In the first quarter of its fiscal year 2027, ending May 2, Marvell's revenue climbed to a record $2.4 billion, up 28% compared to the year-ago period. The company's adjusted earnings per share were $0.80, 29% higher than the prior-year quarter. Marvell's revenue should accelerate over the next few quarters. And as demand for custom AI chips soars through the end of the decade (and beyond), especially from the hyperscalers, the company should be a major winner.
Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Marvell Technology, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Key Takeaways Tech stocks are diverging dramatically from the rest of the market. High-beta tech is taking the brunt of the selling.Gavin Baker views the correction as an attractive reward-to-risk zone. There is a Huge Divergence Between Tech & Everything ElseThus far in July, the Nasdaq 100 Index ETF ((QQQ - Free Report) ) is down more than 4% while the S&P 500 Index ETF ((SPY - Free Report) ) is green. According to OddStats (@OddStats) this would be the third time ever since QQQ started trading in 1999 that this has happened. The other two times were:
· December 2000 (9 months into the crash)
· July 2006 (15 months before the next crash)
Although the sample size of this stat is far too small to make any assumptions, its rarity shows how extreme and divergent the current stock market conditions are.
Daily Volatility Reaches ExtremesThe Nasdaq 100 has moved up 1% or down in 20 of the past 26 trading days. Similar volatility has only occurred during COVID, the 2022 bear market, the Global Financial Crisis, and the Dot Com Bubble.
Image Source: Bloomberg
Growth/Momentum Stocks Have Taken the Brunt of the PainThe Goldman Sachs US High Beta Momentum Index is on pace for its biggest monthly drop since the financial crisis.
Leading AI stocks such as Micron ((MU - Free Report) ), Western Digital ((WDC - Free Report) ), SanDisk ((SNDK - Free Report) ), and Marvell ((MRVL - Free Report) ) are each down 24% or more over the past month.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
That said, time frame context adds a critical perspective in this scenario. For instance, MU, WDC, and SNDK are each up more than 500% over the past year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Gavin Baker: Can Lightning Strike Twice?Gavin Baker is the founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of Atreides Management, a multi-billion-dollar crossover fund. Baker has been one of the best-performing money managers on Wall Street and was early on many of the AI stocks mentioned above. Thursday, Baker tweeted, “Risk/reward seems attractive again. Lots of cheap stocks with durable competitive advantages that are going to crush numbers for the next 6-12 quarters.”
Baker may be worth listening to. The last time he made a bold call like this, it was a day away from the Iran correction low.
Image Source: TradingView
Bottom Line
Tech and momentum stocks are seeing some of the highest volatility in decades. Seasoned fund manager Gavin Baker believes this sharp correction is setting up an attractive reward-to-risk zone.
Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Thursday after UBS Group raised their price target on the stock from $84.00 to $104.00. UBS Group currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Monster Beverage traded as high as $99.53 and last traded at $99.5910, with a volume of 200121 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $97.57.
Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on MNST. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Monster Beverage from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on Monster Beverage from $88.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Evercore boosted their price target on Monster Beverage from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $113.00 price target (up from $100.00) on shares of Monster Beverage in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Monster Beverage in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $93.35.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Monster Beverage
Insider Activity at Monster Beverage In related news, CFO Thomas J. Kelly sold 7,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.81, for a total value of $614,670.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 62,553 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,492,778.93. This trade represents a 10.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Guy Carling sold 19,000 shares of Monster Beverage stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.90, for a total transaction of $1,727,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 21,863 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,987,346.70. This trade represents a 46.50% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 178,700 shares of company stock worth $15,457,562 in the last three months. 8.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Monster Beverage A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in Monster Beverage by 397.9% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 15,201 shares of the company’s stock valued at $890,000 after acquiring an additional 12,148 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in Monster Beverage by 247.7% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 12,986 shares of the company’s stock worth $813,000 after purchasing an additional 9,251 shares during the last quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Monster Beverage by 23.9% during the 2nd quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 6,652 shares of the company’s stock valued at $417,000 after purchasing an additional 1,281 shares during the period. Federated Hermes Inc. grew its stake in shares of Monster Beverage by 55.9% during the 2nd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 4,798 shares of the company’s stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 1,721 shares during the period. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Monster Beverage by 151.7% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 34,075 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,134,000 after purchasing an additional 20,538 shares during the last quarter. 72.36% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Monster Beverage Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of $97.74 billion, a PE ratio of 48.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.53. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $91.75 and its 200 day moving average price is $82.78.
Monster Beverage’s stock is going to split before the market opens on Tuesday, August 11th. The 2-1 split was announced on Wednesday, July 8th. The newly minted shares will be distributed to shareholders after the closing bell on Monday, August 10th.
Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 8th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by $0.05. Monster Beverage had a net margin of 23.11% and a return on equity of 26.86%. The company had revenue of $2.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.16 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.47 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 22.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Monster Beverage Corporation will post 2.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Monster Beverage declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Friday, May 15th that allows the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 0.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.
About Monster Beverage (Get Free Report)
Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST) is an American beverage company best known for its Monster Energy brand of energy drinks. The company’s product portfolio centers on carbonated energy beverages and a range of complementary ready-to-drink offerings, including energy coffees, hydration beverages and other flavored functional drinks. Monster markets multiple sub-brands and flavor variants to address different consumer segments and consumption occasions.
Originally organized around the Hansen’s Natural line of juices and sodas, the company pivoted toward the energy drink category and formally adopted the Monster Beverage name in the early 2010s to reflect its strategic focus.
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US Dollar Talking Points: The USD retains a bullish lean from daily and weekly charts and that has held over the past week despite below-expected inflation data on Tuesday and Wednesday. As looked at in the Tuesday webinar, the response to counter-trend stimuli is telling for trend construction, and the question for next week is whether EUR/USD bears can make a push-lower as the pair has stalled just below the 1.1500 handle. The true test of trend is what happens in the face of counter-trend stimuli. Do bulls come in to defend the higher-low, looking at the sell-off as opportunistic? Or do they cut bait and run, allowing for further support breaks and an opening door for reversal potential.
We had such a scenario this week in the USD, where both CPI and PPI printed below expectations. Markets are still primed for rate hike potential into the end of the year and that’s helped to keep the USD in a bullish spot from both weekly and daily charts.
US Dollar Weekly Chart Chart prepared by James Stanley; data derived from Tradingview With US rate hike expectations still holding despite that below-expected CPI and PPI data, USD/JPY retains breakout potential.
I looked into this one in-depth on Monday, highlighting the fact that a below-expected inflation print could allow for pullback, which is what happened. And then buyers jumped on the bid which further highlights bullish continuation potential as there’s now been a continuation of higher-lows.
At this point, buyers haven’t yet wanted to test beyond the 163 level, and that’s helped to create a symmetrical triangle which normally is a non-directional formation. But given the prior trend, that triangle points to a bull pennant formation, which retains a topside bias for continuation scenarios and this remains my most attractive venue for USD-strength.
USD/JPY Daily Price Chart Chart prepared by James Stanley; data derived from Tradingview EUR/USD For next week, I think EUR/USD carries a lot of weight for the USD and in-turn, major FX pairs. There’s an ECB rate decision on Thursday and since the breakdown in the pair in late-June, there’s been stalling over the past few weeks. So far, we’ve had a hold of resistance around 1.1469, but the higher-lows that have built over the past few weeks suggest that the move is already well priced-in and I think ideally, a counter-trend move with a test up to or around 1.1500 could make for a more attractive backdrop for bears.
There’s the risk of a short-squeeze type of scenario, as well, so I want to circle a deeper resistance zone in that event and for that, there’s a prior support-turned-resistance area running from 1.1576 up to 1.1613.
EUR/USD Daily Chart Chart prepared by James Stanley; data derived from Tradingview GBP/USD For USD-weakness, I’m still in favor of GBP/USD and the pair put in another fresh high this week even as the USD held support at prior resistance. For next week, it’s UK CPI on Wednesday that’s the big focal point and I had looked into the pair in the Wednesday article, with GBP/USD having since held support at the ‘s1’ area on the chart, around 1.3450.
Deeper support remains around the 1.3390 Fibonacci level up to the 1.3400 zone, and then the 1.3325 level is the ‘s3’ and if bulls can’t hold prices above that, then USD-strength has probably taken over and the breakout USD/JPY would be a more attractive venue to track that theme, in my opinion.
GBP/USD Daily Price Chart Chart prepared by James Stanley; data derived from Tradingview --- written by James Stanley, Senior Market Analyst, Global Macro
