Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Investors in Medtronic plc (MDT - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the June 18, 2026 $50.00 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 Medtronic share, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Medtronic is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) in the Medical - Products Industry that ranks in the Bottom 32% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, two analysts have increased their estimates for the current quarter, while two have revised their estimates downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter to move from $1.37 per share to $1.39 per share in the same time period.

Given the way analysts feel about Medtronic right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Often times, 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 HON approved separating Aerospace into an independent public company, expected to begin operations on June 29.HON shareholders will receive one Honeywell Aerospace share for every two shares held on record.HON plans a one-for-two reverse split after the spin-off, reducing outstanding shares. Honeywell International Inc.’s (HON - Free Report) board of directors announced its approval for the planned spin-off of its Aerospace business into a separate public company. This marks a key step in the divestiture process, which is expected to be completed on June 29, 2026. Following the spin-off, Honeywell Aerospace will start operating as an independent public company.

The Aerospace business is a provider of engines, integrated avionics, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, military, space and airport operations. It also develops laser communication products for satellite communication.

Inside the HeadlinesHoneywell plans to allocate all of Honeywell Aerospace’s issued and outstanding common stock on June 29, 2026. Each HON shareholder of record as of June 15, 2026, will receive one share of the new entity for every two shares of Honeywell they hold. The distribution will take place once all specified conditions under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing are met.

It's worth noting that Honeywell Aerospace shares have commenced trading on a "when-issued’’ basis on Nasdaq under the symbol "HONAV" on June 15, 2026. However, its regular-way trading under the ticker "HONA" is expected to start on June 29, 2026.

From around June 15 to June 26, 2026, Honeywell stock will trade in two markets. One under the regular ticker “HON” with the right to receive Honeywell Aerospace shares, and another under the ticker “HONIV” without that right. Post spin-off of the Aerospace business, HON will operate as Honeywell Technologies as a premier pure-play automation company.

Also, HON announced plans to proceed with a one-for-two reverse stock split, contingent upon the completion of the Aerospace spin-off. The move will reduce the company's outstanding shares from roughly 634 million to approximately 317 million, while maintaining its Nasdaq listing under the ticker "HON." The separation and related corporate actions will restructure Honeywell's portfolio, enhance strategic focus and unlock long-term value for its shareholders.

HON's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Shares of the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 13.8% in the past six months against the industry’s decline of 2%.

From a valuation standpoint, HON is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 20.82X, above the industry’s average of 15.84X.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HON’s 2026 earnings has inched up 0.1% over the past 60 days.

Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked companies are discussed below.

GPGI, Inc. (GPGI - Free Report) currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

GPGI delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 25.6%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for GPGI’s 2026 earnings has increased 20.3%.

ITT Inc. (ITT - Free Report) presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 5.8%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ITT’s 2026 earnings has increased 6.8% in the past 60 days.

Griffon Corporation (GFF - Free Report) presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. GFF delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 3.3%.

In the past 60 days, the consensus estimate for Griffon’s 2026 earnings has increased 2.6%.

Key Takeaways Collins Aerospace supplies seating, cabin systems, lighting, galleys and connectivity technologies.RTX supports both new aircraft production and fleet modernization through its interior solutions portfolio.Growing demand for cabin upgrades and next-generation interior technologies supports long-term opportunities. RTX Corporation (RTX - Free Report) , through its Collins Aerospace business, continues to strengthen its position in the commercial aerospace market via advanced aircraft interior solutions. As airlines focus on enhancing passenger experience and improving operational efficiency, demand remains healthy for modern cabin technologies, seating systems, connectivity solutions and interior components. These products support both new aircraft production and fleet modernization programs, creating long-term opportunities across the aviation market.

Collins Aerospace supplies seating, cabin systems, lighting solutions, galley equipment, oxygen systems and connectivity technologies used across a wide range of commercial aircraft platforms. This diversified offering allows RTX to support airlines and aircraft manufacturers through multiple phases of an aircraft's lifecycle while benefiting from continued fleet expansion and replacement activity.

The aircraft interiors business also provides opportunities to participate in evolving airline priorities. Carriers increasingly seek solutions that improve passenger comfort, maximize cabin utilization and enhance operational performance. Through ongoing product development and engineering expertise, Collins Aerospace remains well-positioned to support these changing requirements while maintaining strong relationships with aircraft manufacturers and operators.

Commercial aerospace remains one of RTX's largest growth drivers. Through Collins Aerospace, the company serves major aircraft programs worldwide and maintains a significant installed base across global fleets. Continued demand for cabin modernization, connectivity and next-generation interior technologies could support long-term growth opportunities within RTX's commercial aerospace operations.

Companies Expanding Aircraft Interior CapabilitiesAs airlines continue investing in passenger experience and cabin modernization, aerospace suppliers are expanding their aircraft interior technologies and cabin-system offerings. Companies like Safran S.A. (SAFRY - Free Report) and The Boeing Company (BA - Free Report) are also strengthening their presence in this area.

Safran develops integrated aircraft interior solutions, including cabin monuments, galleys, lavatories and overhead storage systems, supporting commercial aircraft manufacturers and airlines worldwide.

Boeing continues expanding its cabin modification capabilities through interior upgrades, seating solutions, galley products and overhead storage enhancements that support airline fleet modernization initiatives.

Earnings Estimates for RTXThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests year-over-year growth of 9.86% and 8.96%, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

RTX Stock Trading at a DiscountRTX is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-sales of 2.56X compared with the industry average of 2.58X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

RTX Stock Price PerformanceOver the past year, RTX shares have rallied 23.7% compared with the industry’s 3.5% growth.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

RTX’s Zacks RankRTX currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Invesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB +1.61%) offers a lower-cost entry into the banking sector with higher recent returns, while the First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (FTXO +1.34%) provides broader diversification.

Both funds target the domestic banking sector but follow different indexing methodologies to capture the industry performance. While the Invesco KBW Bank ETF tracks a market-cap-weighted index of money centers and regional banks, the First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF uses a “smart” indexing approach focused on liquidity and fundamental factors such as volatility and growth.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricFTXOKBWBIssuerFirst TrustInvescoExpense ratio0.6%0.35%1-yr return (as of June 8, 2026)26.2%36.0%Dividend yield1.8%2.0%Beta0.891.02AUM$290.8 million$5.6 billionBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

The Invesco fund is more affordable, charging an expense ratio of 0.35% compared to the 0.6% for the First Trust fund. Additionally, the Invesco fund offers a higher payout for income-seeking investors through its distribution yield.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricFTXOKBWBMax drawdown (5 yr)(46.6%)(49.3%)Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)$1,367$1,523What's insideInvesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB) focuses entirely on the financial services sector, with 26 holdings representing 100% of the portfolio. Launched in 2011, it weights its positions using a modified market-cap approach to track national money center banks and thrifts. Its largest positions include Morgan Stanley (MS +1.31%) at 9.28%, The Goldman Sachs Group (GS +1.35%) at 8.85%, and Bank of America (BAC +1.74%) at 7.84%. Over the trailing 12 months, the Invesco fund has paid $1.80 per share in dividends.

First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (FTXO) also maintains 100% exposure to financial services but uses a broader selection of 42 holdings. Launched in 2016, its top holdings include Citigroup (C +1.26%)at 9.04%, Bank of America at 8.05%, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM +3.66%) at 7.75%. This fund has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.68 per share. Both ETFs prioritize U.S.-listed institutions, but FTXO includes more regional players and mid-sized banks than its larger competitor, which tends to lean toward the industry heavyweights.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

Which looks like the better buyThe Invesco KBW Bank ETF (KBWB) and the First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (FTXO) are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on the banking sector. However, they differ in some key respects. Here’s what investors need to know about each of them.

First, let’s start with KBWB. This fund, started in 2011, is focused on national money centers, leading regional banks, and thrifts. Granted, its top holdings include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America — giant, global banking brands; however, these mega-caps comprise only about a third of the fund’s holdings. The rest is dedicated to smaller companies. Overall, the fund offers exposure at a reasonable cost. The fund charges an expense ratio of 0.35%. Finally, the fund’s 2.0% dividend yield is solid.

Then, there’s FTXO. This fund is slightly more diversified than KBWB, with 42 holdings rather than KBWB’s 26. It also has a greater share of regional banks. As for performance, FTXO has generated a total return of 148% since 2017, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8%. KBWB, by contrast, has generated a total return of 215%, with a CAGR of 12.6%. Both funds have underperformed the S&P 500, which has generated a total return of 309%, with a CAGR of 15.7%.

In summary, for investors seeking exposure to the U.S. banking sector, KBWB may be of interest due to its lower fees, higher dividend yield, and better long-term performance. However, some investors may still favor FTXO due to its greater diversification.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morgan Stanley Investment Management, through investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI), alongside Ridgeback Group (Ridgeback), announced today the acquisition of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) business of London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q), which trades as Metra Living, for a total enterprise value of £1.045 billion. The transaction includes a portfolio of approximately 3,200 homes across Greater London, as well as its fully i.

NEW YORK, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Intuit, Inc. (“Intuit” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: INTU). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Intuit and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On May 20, 2026, Intuit released its fiscal Q3 2026 financial results, which included its 2026 tax season revenue. Intuit stated that it “did not have the overall tax season we expected” and that it “faced pressure among the most price-sensitive DIY filers.” Intuit said that “[w]e [lost] on price,” and revealed that the Company needed to evolve its business model by delivering the right lineup and price points to meet simple filers’ needs at the low end. Intuit also announced that TurboTax online paying units were expected to grow by only 2% as total IRS filers were expected to decline by approximately 30 basis points, representing the “most significant industry-wide contraction since the post-COVID tax season.” 

On this news, Intuit’s stock price fell $76.86 per share, or 20.02%, to close at $307.07 per share on May 21, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

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Stock Market Today: Nasdaq, S&P 500 Cool Off; How Will SpaceX Impact Aerospace Stocks?

Dow Jones Futures Rise Before Warsh's Fed Debut; SpaceX Keeps Rising, Four Stocks In Buy Areas President Donald Trump on Tuesday invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to bolster supply chains and accelerate manufacturing for key munitions. Elsewhere, General Motors stock briefly attempted to break out Tuesday on reports that the automaker is in talks to supply parts for Lockheed Martin's defense systems. President Trump on Monday invoked the Defense Production Act, according to a…

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, /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and GM Defense today announced a new collaboration to strengthen America's manufacturing and defense industrial base, facilitated by the U.S. Department of War.

Working under a memorandum of understanding (MOU), Lockheed Martin and GM Defense will explore opportunities to accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities and innovation by combining Lockheed Martin's defense production expertise with General Motors' advanced industrial capabilities in high-rate commercial manufacturing and engineering.

The collaboration will focus on three areas: strengthening defense supply chains, advancing manufacturing and design capabilities, and evaluating opportunities to expand production capacity through commercial manufacturing expertise and infrastructure. Initial efforts will include exploring ways to accelerate production readiness and apply proven commercial manufacturing approaches to support defense production requirements.

"America's security depends not only on developing advanced technologies, but on our ability to produce them quickly, reliably and at scale," said Frank St. John, chief operating officer, Lockheed Martin. "This collaboration brings together two leaders in American manufacturing and innovation to explore new ways to strengthen the defense industrial base, expand production capacity and accelerate delivery of critical capabilities for the United States and its allies."

"Working together, GM Defense and Lockheed will further strengthen American manufacturing and national defense by driving greater speed, efficiency, and innovation in the aerospace and defense sectors," said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. "Over the coming weeks, we will be working to identify initial projects to pursue together."

The collaboration reflects growing demand for greater production capacity, supply chain resilience and manufacturing agility across the defense sector. By combining commercial and defense expertise, the companies aim to identify opportunities that can accelerate production timelines while maintaining the quality, performance and reliability standards required for mission-critical systems.

About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at www.lockheedmartin.com.

About GM Defense LLC
GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power, and autonomy and connectivity solutions to global defense, security, and government markets. The exceptional reliability of GM Defense's technologies results from decades of proven performance and billions of dollars spent in independent research and development by its parent, General Motors, a world leader in global design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. For more information, please visit www.gmdefensellc.com.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

General Motors and defense company Lockheed Martin are collaborating on projects to strengthen ​the U.S. manufacturing and defense industrial base, ‌the companies said Tuesday.

A Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) insider has purchased nearly $374,000 worth of the stock following the company’s sharp post-earnings pullback, signaling confidence in the semiconductor giant’s long-term outlook.

According to a regulatory filing, Broadcom director Harry You acquired 1,000 AVGO shares on June 11, 2026, at $373.57 per share. The transaction was valued at approximately $373,570.

The purchase increased You’s holdings by about 2.7%, bringing his total ownership to 38,466 shares, including 864 restricted stock units disclosed in the filing.

Harry You AVGO stock transaction. Source: SEC AVGO insider sells  The Broadcom insider buy comes as company executives and directors have largely been sellers of AVGO stock over the past six months.

In this line, insider trading data shows Broadcom co-founder and chairman Henry Samueli sold 781,967 shares worth an estimated $250 million. President and CEO Hock E. Tan also sold 300,000 shares valued at approximately $101.3 million during the same period.

Other notable insider sales came from Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer Mark David Brazeal, Infrastructure Software Group President S. Ram Velaga, and CFO Kirsten Spears, who collectively sold hundreds of thousands of shares.

Against that backdrop, You’s open-market purchase stands out as one of the few insider buying transactions reported at Broadcom in recent months.

Insider purchases are closely watched because executives and directors often have unique insight into a company’s business performance and growth prospects. 

Although modest relative to Broadcom’s size, the purchase came shortly after AVGO stock declined following its fiscal second-quarter earnings report, making the timing notable.

Broadcom reported record quarterly revenue of approximately $22.2 billion, driven by surging artificial intelligence demand. AI semiconductor revenue jumped 143% year over year to about $10.8 billion, underscoring the company’s growing exposure to AI accelerators and networking infrastructure.

AVGO stock price analysis  However, shares fell after management’s guidance fell short of some investors‘ elevated expectations for future AI growth. At press time, AVGO stock was trading at $393 after closing the previous session more than 3% higher. Year to date, the stock has gained 13%.

AVGO YTD stock price chart. Source: Finbold Overall, the latest Broadcom insider buy may offer an additional vote of confidence for investors assessing whether the recent weakness in AVGO stock represents a buying opportunity.

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It's becoming increasingly challenging for artificial intelligence (AI) stocks to impress the market. Case in point: on May 20, Nvidia (NVDA 2.16%) reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, which ended on April 26. Although its revenue and earnings came in ahead of analyst estimates, the stock still moved lower. Two other AI-focused companies that suffered the same fate are CoreWeave (CRWV +9.67%) and Broadcom (AVGO 4.24%). Shares of both tech leaders fell significantly post-earnings, but should investors rush to buy the dip? Let's find out.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

1. CoreWeave CoreWeave's first-quarter results looked strong, so long as we stop at the top-line. The company's revenue grew by 111.6% year over year to $2.1 billion. However, CoreWeave's net losses widened significantly to $740 million, worse than the $315 million net loss reported in the year-ago period. What's more, the company's guidance did not meet Wall Street's expectations, leading to a sharp post-earnings dip. The bulls will point out that CoreWeave's deepening net losses are necessary to support its incredible growth potential.

CoreWeave helps other corporations train and run AI models through a network of data centers. It currently operates 49 of them. Equipping and maintaining these data centers isn't cheap, but the investments might pay for themselves several times over in the next five years and beyond. CoreWeave ended the first quarter with a backlog of nearly $100 billion, up 49% from the fourth quarter.

Today's Change

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10.32

Current Price

$

117.03

Further, AI infrastructure spending is projected to continue growing. According to Nvidia, it could reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion by the end of the decade. The hyperscalers (large cloud computing providers) will be responsible for much of that. This is good news for CoreWeave, whose biggest client is Microsoft (MSFT 1.43%). However, the company also faces significant risk. The first is valuation. CoreWeave isn't profitable yet, so it doesn't have a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio.

But the company's price-to-sales ratio is 8.2, well above the "2 and below" range where stocks are typically considered attractively valued. While CoreWeave is worth a premium given its rapid growth and prospects in the AI industry, some may argue it is currently too expensive. Second, CoreWeave's business is highly concentrated, with Microsoft accounting for 67% of its revenue in the fiscal year 2025. If Microsoft slows spending, it could be catastrophic to CoreWeave's bottom line.

So, what's the verdict? Despite CoreWeave's upside potential, there is significant risk. The company could still be a market-beater over the next five years if AI spending maintains its northbound path, but investors should proceed with caution, brace for significant volatility, and initiate only a small position in the stock.

2. Broadcom Broadcom's financial results -- for the second quarter of its fiscal year 2026, ending on May 3 -- also looked strong. The company's revenue of $22.2 billion soared 48% year over year. That included $10.8 billion in revenue from its AI semiconductor business, up an impressive 143% compared to the year-ago period. The company's adjusted earnings per share jumped 54% to $2.44, while free cash flow rose 60% to $10.3 billion.

However, Broadcom's guidance for the next quarter, particularly for its AI chip business, fell short of Wall Street's expectations, sending the stock price lower. This seems surprising since Broadcom expects its semiconductor revenue from AI to soar by more than 200% year over year to $16 billion in its upcoming Q3 2026. This highlights, once again, that the market has incredibly high expectations.

Today's Change

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-16.69

Current Price

$

377.25

Could Broadcom bounce back? There are good reasons to think so. The company is a leading provider of custom AI chips. These aren't as versatile as Nvidia's market-leading GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), but Broadcom's chips are more cost-effective and can offer comparable -- and perhaps even better -- performance for certain tasks. Broadcom's customers include big names such as Alphabet (GOOG +1.19%) (GOOGL +1.10%). Demand for custom AI chips could increase as corporations seek to reduce their reliance on Nvidia's hardware, improve profits and margins, and capitalize on the rapidly growing AI industry.

That puts Broadcom in a strong position. Broadcom does face similar issues to CoreWeave. Broadcom's forward P/E of 33 looks fairly high. The average for information technology stocks is 22.3. Further, the AI chipmaker's business is significantly concentrated, with five end customers accounting for roughly 40% of its revenue in its two most recent fiscal years. Still, Broadcom has a mature, profitable business, generates plenty of cash flow, and offers a decent dividend program. And with AI spending still growing, Broadcom could cash in on this over the next five years, making its shares attractive following the post-earnings dip.

Investors choosing between Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV 0.02%) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG 0.03%) must weigh the Fidelity fund's higher yield against the Vanguard fund's lower costs and broader diversification.

Both funds target dividend-paying equities but follow different philosophies. While Fidelity High Dividend ETF seeks high immediate income through sector overweighting, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF focuses on companies with a history of increasing dividends. This distinction creates meaningful differences in sector exposure, total return potential, and portfolio concentration for income-seeking investors.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricFDVVVIGIssuerFidelityVanguardExpense ratio0.15%0.04%1-yr total return (as of June 15, 2026)24.54%20.1%Dividend yield2.80%1.50%Beta0.860.81AUM$9.8 billion$127.8 billionBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.Cost-conscious investors may prefer the Vanguard fund, which features a lean 0.04% expense ratio. However, the Fidelity fund offers a more robust income profile, with a 2.80% trailing-12-month distribution yield.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricFDVVVIGMax drawdown (5 yr)(20.20%)(20.40%)Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)~$1,903~$1,678The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF uses a passive approach to track dividend growers, essentially replicating the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index (NYSEMKT:SPUDIGUT). Its sector exposure as of May 31 includes technology at 28.4%, financial services at 20.3%, and healthcare at 16.5%. With 331 holdings, its largest positions include Broadcom (AVGO 4.24%) at 5.41%, Apple (AAPL +1.00%) at 4.57%, and Microsoft (MSFT 1.43%) at 4.27%. The fund was launched in 2006 and had a trailing-12-month dividend of $3.45 per share.

The Fidelity High Dividend ETF employs a strategy that overweights sectors to maximize yield based on historical performance. Its portfolio is more concentrated, holding 111 stocks. The primary sector tilts are technology at 30%, financial services at 17%, and consumer cyclical at 14%. Its largest positions include Nvidia (NVDA 2.16%) at 7.03%, Apple at 6.35%, and Microsoft at 4.82%. This fund was launched in 2016 and had a trailing-12-month dividend of $1.66 per share.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investorsThe Fidelity High Dividend ETF and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF are among the top ETFS for income investors, but while one focuses on yield, the other places greater emphasis on dividend growth. That can make a considerable difference to shareholder returns.

The Fidelity fund’s primary focus is on high yield paire with dividend growth. It evaluates large- and mid-cap companies that are expected not only to pay but also to grow dividends, and ranks them within each sector based on a composite score comprising high dividend yield, low dividend payout ratio, and high dividend growth. The top tanking stocks are included in the index.

The Vanguard fund also focuses on dividend-growth companies and includes companies that have increased dividends for at least ten consecutive years. Yield, however, is not the focus. In fact, the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index that the fund tracks explicitly excludes the 25% highest-yielding companies. That’s possibly to filter out potential yield traps or stocks with unsustainably high yields due to falling prices. Not all high-yielding stocks are safe.

While investors can choose any ETF, I’d personally opt for the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, as it not only offers dividend growth but also safeguards against risky dividend payers. It is also an extremely low-cost ETF, charging only $4 annually for $10,000 invested.

Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Broadcom, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Investors might want to bet on Pan American Silver (PAAS - Free Report) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade is essentially a reflection of an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.

A company's changing earnings picture is at the core of the Zacks rating. The system tracks the Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus measure of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years.

Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.

As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Pan American Silver is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.

Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.

Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Pan American Silver imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.

Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.

The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Earnings Estimate Revisions for Pan American SilverThis silver mining company is expected to earn $4.65 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.

Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Pan American Silver. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 2.1%.

Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.

You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>

The upgrade of Pan American Silver to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.

June 16, 2026 16:15 ET  | Source: Cronos Group Inc.

TORONTO, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cronos Group Inc. (“Cronos” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), an innovative global cannabis company,  announced today that it has filed with the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”), and the TSX has accepted, the Company’s notice of intention to make a normal course issuer bid (the “TSX NCIB”).

As previously announced by Cronos, the Company’s Board approved a share repurchase program on May 8, 2026, which commenced on May 14, 2026 and is expected to terminate on May 13, 2027, unless earlier terminated (the “Share Repurchase Program”). Pursuant to the TSX NCIB, repurchases under the Share Repurchase Program may now also be made from time to time pursuant to the facilities of the TSX and other alternative Canadian trading systems, in addition to being made through open market purchases at then-prevailing market prices through the facilities of the Nasdaq Global Market or other U.S. published markets, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, as previously announced. Pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement entered into on May 14, 2026, Celadon Financial Group, LLC has been appointed as the Company’s agent to repurchase shares on its behalf. Any such repurchases will be executed through Virtu Canada Corp. when made over the facilities of the TSX or other alternative Canadian trading systems

Pursuant to the Share Repurchase Program (including the TSX NCIB), Cronos intends to purchase for cancellation up to US$50 million of common shares in the capital of the Company (the “Common Shares”) (in any case subject to a maximum of 18,712,918 Common Shares, representing approximately 5.02% of Cronos’ 373 million issued and outstanding Common Shares as at June 1, 2026).

Under the TSX NCIB, Cronos may purchase up to 53,968 of its Common Shares on the TSX during any trading day, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume of 215,873 Common Shares on the TSX for the 6 months ended May 31, 2026, other than block purchase exemptions. Purchases under the TSX NCIB may commence on June 19, 2026 and continue until the date on which the Share Repurchase Program terminates as noted above.

The TSX NCIB will be conducted in accordance with TSX rules and policies through the facilities of the TSX. The price that Cronos will pay for any Common Shares will be the market price prevailing at the time of purchase or such other price as may be permitted.

Additionally, on June 15, 2026, Cronos obtained an exemption order (the "NCIB Exemption") from the Ontario Securities Commission, permitting Cronos to make repurchases under the Share Repurchase Program through the facilities of the NASDAQ and other United States-based trading systems in excess of the maximum that would otherwise be allowable under applicable Canadian securities laws absent an exemption. The NCIB Exemption allows Cronos to repurchase on such U.S. marketplaces up to the greater of 5 percent of Cronos’s outstanding shares and 10 percent of Cronos' public float, provided that Cronos' aggregate repurchases on all marketplaces do not exceed this amount over the approximately 11-month period of the TSX NCIB, which is consistent with the maximum number of shares Cronos is able to purchase under the TSX NCIB. The other conditions to the NCIB Exemption will be outlined in Cronos' quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 filed on EDGAR and SEDAR+.

About Cronos

Cronos is a global cannabis company focused on scaling leading consumer goods products through research and development and innovation. With a passion to responsibly elevate the consumer experience, Cronos is building an iconic brand portfolio. Cronos’ diverse international brand portfolio includes Spinach®, PEACE NATURALS®, LIT™ and Lord Jones®. For more information about Cronos and its brands, please visit: thecronosgroup.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws and court decisions (collectively, “Forward-looking Statements”). All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute Forward-looking Statements. In some cases, Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. The forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements related to the Company’s intention to commence the TSX NCIB and the timing and quantity of any purchases of Common Shares under the TSX NCIB and the Share Repurchase Program. Forward-looking Statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks. Financial results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those Forward-looking Statements and the Forward-looking Statements are not guarantees of future performance. A discussion of some of the material risks applicable to the Company can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, each of which has been filed on SEDAR+ and EDGAR and can be accessed at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov/edgar, respectively. Any Forward-looking Statement included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by law, Cronos disclaims any obligation to update or revise any Forward-looking Statement. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on any Forward-looking Statement.

For further information, please contact:
Harrison Aaron
Investor Relations
Tel: (416) 504-0004
[email protected]

General Dynamics (GD - Free Report) closed at $364.11 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.27% move from the prior day. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.57%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.64%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.15%.

Prior to today's trading, shares of the defense contractor had gained 4.79% lagged the Aerospace sector's gain of 8.09% and outpaced the S&P 500's gain of 2.14%.

The upcoming earnings release of General Dynamics will be of great interest to investors. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $3.93, marking a 5.08% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $13.43 billion, indicating a 2.97% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $16.58 per share and revenue of $55 billion, indicating changes of +7.24% and +4.65%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for General Dynamics. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. As of now, General Dynamics holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

With respect to valuation, General Dynamics is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 21.69. This denotes a discount relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 24.92.

We can also see that GD currently has a PEG ratio of 2.24. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Aerospace - Defense industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.53.

The Aerospace - Defense industry is part of the Aerospace sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 97, putting it in the top 40% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Cummins (CMI - Free Report) Cummins Inc. is a leading global designer, manufacturer and distributor of diesel and natural gas engines and powertrain-related component products. Powertrain components include fuel systems, turbochargers, transmissions, batteries and electrified power systems, among others. Headquartered in Columbus, IN, the company offers products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and dealers through a network of roughly 650 company-owned and independent distributor facilities in over 19,000 dealer locations in more than 190 countries and territories.

CMI is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Auto-Tires-Trucks stock. CMI has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 0.3% over the past four weeks.

Eight analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $3.26 to $29.29 per share. CMI boasts an average earnings surprise of +17.2%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, CMI should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways COST, CMI and KMT passed earnings acceleration screens from a 7,735-stock universe. Cummins expects 23.2% earnings growth this year across its global power solutions business. Kennametal projects 123.1% earnings growth this year in advanced materials and tooling. Investors often consider consistent earnings growth to be the hallmark of a financially sound company. However, an even more powerful indicator is earnings acceleration, which can be a key driver for stock price gains. Research shows that many of the market’s top-performing stocks demonstrate earnings acceleration before their share prices start to climb upward. 

To that end, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) , Cummins Inc. (CMI - Free Report) and Kennametal Inc. (KMT - Free Report) are showing strong earnings acceleration. 

Why Earnings Acceleration Often Precedes Stock Price Gains Earnings acceleration refers to the incremental growth in a company’s earnings per share (EPS). Put simply, if a company’s quarter-over-quarter earnings growth rate increases over a given period, it can be called earnings acceleration. 

In the case of earnings growth, you pay for something that is already reflected in the stock price. However, earnings acceleration helps identify stocks that haven’t yet caught investors’ attention and, once secured, will invariably lead to a rally in share price. This is because earnings acceleration considers both the direction and magnitude of growth rates. 

An increasing percentage of earnings growth means that the company is fundamentally sound and has been on the right track for a considerable period. Meanwhile, a sideways percentage of earnings growth indicates a period of consolidation or slowdown, while a decelerating percentage of earnings growth may drag prices down. 

Find Winning Stocks Faster With Research Wizard Look at stocks for which the last two quarter-over-quarter percentage EPS growth rates exceed the previous periods’ growth rates. The projected EPS growth rate for the upcoming quarter is expected to exceed that of prior periods. 

EPS % Projected Growth (Q1)/(Q0) greater than EPS % Growth (Q0)/(Q-1): The projected growth rate for the current quarter (Q1) over the completed quarter (Q0) has to be greater than the growth rate from the completed quarter (Q0) over one quarter ago (Q-1).

EPS % Growth (Q0)/(Q-1) greater than EPS % Growth (Q-1)/(Q-2): The growth rate for the completed quarter (Q0) over one quarter ago (Q-1) has to be greater than the growth rate from one quarter ago (Q-1) over two quarters ago (Q-2). 

EPS % Growth (Q-1)/(Q-2) greater than EPS % Growth (Q-2)/(Q-3): The growth rate from one quarter ago (Q-1) over two quarters ago (Q-2) has to be greater than the growth rate from two quarters ago (Q-2) over three quarters ago (Q-3). 

In addition to this, we have added the following parameters: 

Current Price greater than or equal to $5: This screens out low-priced stocks. 

Average 20-day volume greater than or equal to 50,000: High trading volume implies that the stocks have adequate liquidity. 

The above criteria narrowed the universe of around 7,735 stocks to only 17. Here are the top three stocks:

Costco Wholesale  Costco Wholesale operates membership warehouse clubs across the United States and several international markets. Costco Wholesale has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). COST’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 13.3%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 

Cummins  Cummins delivers a range of power solutions worldwide, operating across five key segments, including Engine and Power Systems. Cummins has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). CMI’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 23.2%. 

Kennametal  Kennametal develops and supplies advanced materials and industrial solutions, including tungsten carbide and ceramics, worldwide. Kennametal has a Zacks Rank #3. KMT’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 123.1%. 

CVS Health (CVS +0.04%) encountered significant problems after the pandemic. Revenue growth slowed while expenses rose -- squeezing profits and margins -- due to several challenges. However, the pharmacy chain giant has been bouncing back. The stock has climbed by 48% over the past 12 months. The good news is that CVS Health's comeback may be just getting started, and there is plenty of upside ahead for investors willing to be patient.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Anatomy of a comeback CVS Health faced several problems after the pandemic. For instance, sales of pandemic-related products, such as diagnostic tests, slowed significantly. More importantly, though, CVS Health dealt with rising utilization and costs in its health insurance division, particularly in its Medicare Advantage (MA) business. The company revised its guidance downward several times due to this issue, signaling an uncertain environment. However, over the past year, CVS Health has improved its financial results.

They are still getting better, as the company proved during the first quarter. The healthcare giant's revenue increased by about 6% year over year to $100.4 billion. Its adjusted earnings per share rose to $2.57, up about 14% from the year-ago period. Further, CVS Health increased its EPS guidance for the fiscal year 2026. Considering the company's results came in ahead of analyst estimates, it was a raise-and-beat quarter for CVS Health. But why is the company performing better?

There are several factors. Let's consider two. First, during the first quarter, CVS Health's medical benefit ratio (MBR) dropped to 84.6%, down 2.7% compared to the first quarter of 2025. The MBR measures the percentage of premium revenue insurers spend on members' healthcare costs. A lower MBR means higher profits, so this is good news for CVS Health. Second, CVS Health has improved the efficiency of its insurance business by digitizing the prior authorization process. These efforts, and others, have helped keep costs in check and increase the company's profits.

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Why the rebound isn't over We have yet to see the full effect of CVS Health's initiatives, and the company will likely double down on various efforts to improve its business. The pharmacy leader had plans to scale back its MA business this year. That could lead to lower overall revenue, but CVS Health wants to focus on profitable growth. That's good news for investors. Beyond the company's short-term outlook, though, long-term investors will find a lot to like with CVS Health.

The company's large, diversified healthcare business enables it to support patients throughout much of their care journey, whether through its primary care operations, insurance business, pharmacy services, and more. This can be more convenient for patients. Instead of relying on separate entities for their medical needs, CVS Health provides many of them under a single umbrella.

Just as important, CVS Health's vertically integrated model enables it to deliver and finance healthcare services, thereby reducing total expenses by directing patients to lower-cost options. Further, CVS Health has also built a solid brand as a trusted name in the healthcare sector, an advantage that is hard to replicate. All of these factors position CVS Health well to benefit from long-term secular trends, such as the world's aging population, that will drive increased healthcare utilization and higher spending in the sector.

CVS Health is also a solid dividend stock. The company has increased its payouts by 56.5% over the past decade, and it offers a forward dividend yield of 2.6%. Finally, CVS Health remains attractively valued, even after its run over the past 12 months. The company is trading at 13.8x forward earnings, versus the healthcare sector's average of 17.4x. CVS Health remains a top long-term pick for investors.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BXP (NYSE: BXP), the largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of premier workplaces in the United States, today announced that McDermott Will & Schulte has signed a lease for approximately 150,000 square feet at 343 Madison Avenue in New York City. The firm will occupy floors 31 through 37 of the 930,000 square foot premier workplace, which is currently under construction and will provide direct access to Grand Central Terminal's Madison Concourse bet.

Unilever Scales Digital Twins Across Global Manufacturing Network with Accenture Unilever (LON: ULVR) is partnering with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to scale the use of AI-enabled digital twins across its global manufacturing network. The next-generation technology will help factories improve quality, boost efficiency and respond more quickly to consumer demand. The multi-year program marks a further step in Unilever’s journey to apply pioneering technology across its value chain as the company sets out to shape the future of the consumer goods industry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260616442266/en/

Unilever is partnering with Accenture to scale the use of AI-enabled digital twins across its global manufacturing network.

Digital twins are virtual models of factory equipment and production lines. They use live data from physical systems on the shop floor to monitor and predict how machines and processes perform.

By integrating digital twins with AI-enabled insights and agentic capabilities, Unilever is equipping manufacturing teams with advanced tools to identify issues sooner, simulate scenarios faster, and make smarter decisions across the production cycle.

Building on digital twins already in use, Unilever plans to expand adoption over the next 18 months by building more than 40 new digital twins, creating a scalable blueprint for global rollout.

“Scaling AI across our operations isn’t just a technological shift, it’s a commitment to superior products, sustainability and empowering our teams across our factories,” said Adam Raeburn-James, Global VP for Digital Business Operations, Unilever. “Through our partnership with Accenture to accelerate digital twins, we are turning innovation into measurable impact to create desirable brands for our 3.7 billion consumers worldwide.”

“Unilever has long been recognized for its supply chain excellence, and expanding the use of manufacturing digital twins reflects the company’s continued focus on both technology and people,” said Nicole van Det, CEO Accenture Netherlands and Nordics and global account lead for Unilever.

“Having invested early in AI, the company is setting the standard for pairing advanced tools with smart process design and disciplined execution on the shop floor. Together, we’re setting the benchmark for how industrial AI creates long-lasting value in the consumer goods sector.”

Accenture is supporting Unilever in deploying industrial AI capabilities that use advanced analytics and AI agents to predict maintenance needs, improve performance, and help teams act faster. As the system learns and employees gain confidence in its accuracy, it can progressively take on certain adjustments automatically, with human oversight.

Digital twins delivering impact across Unilever’s manufacturing network

Digital twins are already delivering tangible benefits across multiple Unilever sites:

Superior quality and improved throughput for personal care: In Raeford, North Carolina, United States, a digital twin powering the production of iconic brands including Dove, Degree, and Axe predicts 95% of process flow restrictions in deodorant stick manufacturing, delivering a 20% reduction in waste and a 10% uplift in capacity.Lower energy consumption for home care products: In Haldia, India – dedicated to powder detergents such as Surf and Sunlight—an energy twin optimises fan speeds, temperature setpoints and moisture controls, helping achieve a tangible reduction in thermal energy consumption over two years, supporting delivery towards Unilever's scope 1 and 2 climate target.Better mayonnaise consistency, less waste: In Poznan, Poland – home to producing such iconic brands as Knorr and Hellmann’s—a digital twin stabilizes viscosity variation in mayonnaise, while reducing minor stoppages by up to 20% and cutting waste by nearly 30%.Elevating the quality of Dove soap: At Gandhidham, India – one of our largest personal care sites in South Asia—a digital twin helped reduce quality defects by 30% over four years through real-time control recommendations—as measured in distribution centers right before the product is delivered to the customer.Efficient ingredients use, consistent quality: In Cu Chi, Vietnam – where Unilever produces liquid home care products such as OMO laundry detergent—an intelligent mixer powered by an AI digital twin optimizes raw materials dosing, preventing overuse and delivering 1–2% savings in premium ingredients while maintaining superior product quality.Unilever's operational excellence, efficiency and sustainable growth across its supply chain have been recognized by the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, where Unilever holds the highest number of designations in the consumer goods sector.

Its manufacturing AI partnership with Accenture builds on previously announced efforts to scale next-generation technology across business operations, including identifying and testing new AI solutions through the AI Horizon3 Lab in Toronto, Canada.

About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.7 billion people every day. We have 96,000 employees and generated sales of €50.5 billion in 2025. For more information about Unilever and our brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

About Accenture
Accenture helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed for organizations across industries. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and lead in the safe, widespread adoption of AI, and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. We bring together the talent of our approximately 786,000 people with proprietary assets and platforms, deep process and industry expertise, and leading ecosystem relationships to deliver end-to-end solutions and measurable outcomes at scale. Through our Reinvention Services, we offer broad expertise across Cybersecurity, Digital Core, Finance, Industry and Enterprise, Song, Supply Chain and Engineering, and Talent, with advanced capabilities in AI and Data, Industry and Process, and Technology. We serve approximately 9,000 clients and generated approximately $70 billion in FY25 revenue. Visit us at accenture.com.

Accenture Forward-Looking Statement
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, without limitation, that the collaboration might not achieve its anticipated benefits and risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI, including advanced AI, could harm our business, damage our reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action, as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations.

Copyright © 2026 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks of Accenture.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260616442266/en/

Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) will release earnings for its third quarter before the opening bell on Thursday, June 18.

Analysts expect the Dublin, Ireland-based company to report quarterly earnings of $3.71 per share. That's up from $3.49 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Accenture's quarterly revenue is $18.76 billion (it reported $17.73 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On June 8, Accenture agreed to acquire Whalar, a leading creator and social agency, from Whalar Group.

Shares of Accenture rose 1.7% to close at $170.28 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let's have a look at how Benzinga's most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent period.

Considering buying ACN stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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Acquisition will support the continued growth of the Accenture Siemens Business Group

ROME & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire Industries eXcellence Group (“IndX”), a division of Engineering Group and long-standing partner of Siemens Digital Industries. The acquisition will strengthen Accenture’s ability to help manufacturers modernize product development, production and supply chain operations through software, data, and AI-enabled technologies.

“Manufacturers are increasingly investing in software, data and AI to make engineering and factory operations more flexible, intelligent and connected,” said Tracey Countryman, global supply chain and engineering lead at Accenture. “But many companies struggle to integrate these technologies across their products, factories, plants and supply chains. We will combine IndX’s proven expertise in Siemens technologies with Accenture’s AI capabilities and industry knowledge to solve this challenge for clients faster.”

Headquartered in Rome and Chicago, IndX brings proven expertise in software for discrete and process manufacturers from Siemens. It specializes in implementing digital thread solutions that help clients connect engineering, manufacturing and automation across IT and operational technology, from product lifecycle management, simulation and digital twins to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), industrial edge computing and cloud computing.

IndX’s clients are leading companies in industries including aerospace & defense, automotive, consumer goods, energy, high tech, industrial equipment, life sciences and utilities. It has a team of more than 650 professionals based in Italy, US, India, Germany, other European countries and Mexico.

Once the acquisition has been completed, IndX’s team and capabilities are expected to support the continued growth of the Accenture Siemens Business Group, a dedicated global business practice formed last year, which combines leading industrial technology with AI-enabled engineering and manufacturing capabilities.

“Accenture’s acquisition of IndX is a milestone for the Accenture Siemens Business Group,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, President and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software. “It brings proven skills in our industrial solutions for digital manufacturing, engineering, automation, digital twin and simulation, plus long-standing relationships with clients that apply them.”

“Together with Siemens, we develop industrial AI-enabled solutions that shorten engineering time to market, increase manufacturing efficiencies and strengthen the digital core for our clients,” added Vivek Kaushik, global lead of Accenture Siemens Business Group at Accenture. “IndX will strengthen the Accenture Siemens Business Group and help deliver on Accenture and Siemens’ shared ambition to scale these AI solutions.”

Following the completion of the acquisition, Accenture plans to establish two new Centers of Excellence for Siemens DI solutions in Italy and India. The centers will bring together professionals with expertise in industrial software and advanced digital technologies to help clients improve how they design products, run factories, and manage supply chains by combining industrial software, AI and digital engineering capabilities.

“Italy has a unique combination of manufacturing excellence, engineering capabilities and innovation talent,” said Teodoro Lio, Market Unit Lead of Accenture Italy. “By expanding our Siemens industrial software capabilities and creating a new Center of Excellence in Italy, we are strengthening an ecosystem that can help Italian industry become even more competitive at the global level, accelerate digital transformation, and create highly specialized skills and jobs for the country.”

Accenture will integrate IndX’s assets and services for other technologies into its respective business units.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “aspires,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook,” “goal,” “target” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance nor promises that goals or targets will be met, and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Many of the following risks, uncertainties and other factors identified below may be amplified by conflict in the Middle East, as well as any escalation or expansion of economic disruption or the conflict’s current scope. These risks include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and Engineering Group will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture’s results of operations have been, and may in the future be, adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and geopolitical conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture’s business depends on generating and maintaining client demand for the company’s solutions and services including through the adaptation and expansion of its solutions and services in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the evolving technological environment could materially affect the company’s results of operations; risks and uncertainties related to the development and use of AI, including advanced AI, could harm the company’s business, damage its reputation or give rise to legal or regulatory action; if Accenture is unable to match people and their skills with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture faces legal, reputational and financial risks from any failure to protect client and/or company data from security incidents or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with its ecosystem partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; Accenture’s profitability could materially suffer due to pricing pressure, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies or fail to satisfy certain agreed-upon targets or specific service levels; changes in Accenture’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; Accenture’s debt obligations could adversely affect its business and financial condition; as a result of Accenture’s geographically diverse operations and strategy to continue to grow in key markets around the world, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; Accenture’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; Accenture’s global operations expose the company to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements; if Accenture is unable to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights or if Accenture’s solutions or services infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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About Accenture

Accenture helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed for organizations across industries. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and lead in the safe, widespread adoption of AI, and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. We bring together the talent of our approximately 786,000 people with proprietary assets and platforms, deep process and industry expertise, and leading ecosystem relationships to deliver end-to-end solutions and measurable outcomes at scale. Through our Reinvention Services, we offer broad expertise across Cybersecurity, Digital Core, Finance, Industry and Enterprise, Song, Supply Chain and Engineering, and Talent, with advanced capabilities in AI and Data, Industry and Process, and Technology. We serve approximately 9,000 clients and generated approximately $70 billion in FY25 revenue. Visit us at accenture.com.

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ToplineCrypto billionaire Brian Armstrong is calling for an overhaul to U.S. investment law and a redesign of the existing accredited investor framework—a decades-old gatekeeping system that determines which Americans can invest in private companies before they go public.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong speaks onstage on Dec. 3, 2025.

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Key FactsArmstrong, CEO of Coinbase, took to X late Monday night to slam accredited investor laws as upholding a "rich get richer" system and making it "illegal" for people who aren't already wealthy to benefit from early investment in promising companies.

The rules—which allow only "accredited investors" who can prove a certain level of wealth to invest in a company privately—are what keep ordinary Americans from investing in start-up funding rounds and other early opportunities before a company’s initial public offering.

By the time an IPO takes place and retail investors can buy stock, Armstrong argues “much of the upside has already been captured” and says everyday Americans are then fighting for limited returns, while accredited investors have already benefited.

Armstrong proposed two alternatives: replacing existing income and net worth requirements with a financial literacy test, or eliminating the accreditation standard entirely while preserving existing disclosure rules and fraud enforcement.

CRUCIAL QUOTE"These rules were created with the best of intentions, to protect regular people from scams—a noble idea," Armstrong said. “Unfortunately, in practice they've often made it illegal to get richer, unless you're already rich. A regressive tax!”

CHIEF CRITICBillionaire investor Mark Cuban took a swipe at Armstrong Tuesday, responding with a quippy: "Just sell em MemeCoins Brian !" Cuban’s post implied memecoins are one way retail investors can chase big returns without needing accredited status, but crypto fans said his cheeky jab was a sign of his "bitterness.” The sass also led to the creation of CUBEN, a Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) meme coin parodying him, Benzinga reported.

KEY BACKGROUNDAccredited investors can participate in private investments that are generally unavailable to the public—including private startup funding rounds, venture capital funds, private equity funds and hedge funds—before those investments become publicly traded. Under current Securities and Exchange Commission rules, a person must earn more than $200,000 annually—or $300,000 with a spouse—or hold a net worth of at least $1 million, excluding a primary residence, to be considered an “accredited investor.” The SEC expanded the definition in 2020 to include certain licensed financial professionals, but the core wealth thresholds have been the same for decades. The rules were originally designed to ensure investors could absorb potential losses, but critics argue they effectively reserve the highest-growth phase of private companies for wealthy individuals and institutional funds. As companies delay public listings, which Armstrong argues is becoming more common, everyday retail investors are gaining investment access only after valuations have already compounded through multiple private funding rounds.

WHAT TO WATCH FORA Senate floor vote on the CLARITY Act. The proposed legislation— which counts Coinbase among its more than 200 corporate backers—wouldn’t change the definition of accredited investors but could set a legislative precedent for how broadly Congress is willing to reshape retail access to financial markets.

FORBES VALUATIONArmstrong, a former Airbnb software engineer who cofounded Coinbase in 2012, has an estimated net worth of $8.2 billion Tuesday.

further readingForbesLet Middle-Class Investors Join the 'Accredited' ClubBy John Berlau

ForbesSpaceX Says Historic IPO Raised More Than $85 BillionBy Ty Roush

By PYMNTS  |  June 16, 2026

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Coinbase has launched an artificial intelligence-powered, Securities and Exchange Commission-registered investment adviser to its app.

The company is rolling out the new Coinbase Advisor to Coinbase One members in the United States, it said Tuesday (June 16).

“From helping you design complex tax-loss harvesting to turning breaking news into multi-asset trade recommendations, it handles the heavy analytical lifting so you can optimize your wealth-building strategies with ease,” Coinbase said.

Coinbase Advisor is one of several new features and services Coinbase announced Tuesday in a blog post about its latest system update.

The company will introduce tokenized stocks for its non-U.S. customers next month, and it will roll out options trading for crypto and stocks in the coming months, according to the post.

Coinbase added that users can now transfer their existing stock portfolios from other platforms directly to its platform, access equities on Coinbase Advanced with zero commission fees, and gain exposure to thematic equity indices via real world asset (RWA) perpetual futures.

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On the prediction markets front, the company introduced crypto binaries that let users trade time-boxed “up or down” markets on assets such as bitcoin, and combos that allows users to bundle multiple predictions into a single trade, across any category on Coinbase.

On Wednesday (June 17) Coinbase will enable users to access a New Launches tab in its app to trade Base or Solana tokens as soon as they become available onchain.

New financial services offerings include a Travel Portal for the Coinbase One Card that gives users 5% bitcoin back on travel bookings, the ability for users who aren’t approved for a traditional line of credit to secure a Coinbase One Card using USDC as collateral, the ability to borrow against staked Solana on Coinbase, and a new defensive framework called Transfer Protection that provides security controls over outgoing funds.

For businesses, the system update introduces a Coinbase Developer Platform that helps companies access Coinbase’s wallet infrastructure, payments capabilities, trading systems and stablecoin issuance.

“The future of finance won’t be split between a bank, a brokerage and a crypto wallet,” Coinbase said in the post. “It is unified, intelligent, onchain and on Coinbase.”

PYMNTS reported in May that Coinbase is carrying out a multiyear effort to diversify away from transaction-based income and create recurring revenue streams that are less vulnerable to the emotional swings of retail crypto traders.

I rate Skyworks Solutions a Buy with a $116 price target, reflecting 53% upside potential from current levels. My growth drivers are the premium Android win, which helps reduce the one-customer mobile concern; then the Broad Markets give SWKS a better mix, and Qorvo adds scale and synergy potential. My valuation uses $6.03 of FWD EPS and a 19.16x FWD non-GAAP P/E multiple, which sits between SWKS' historical 13.4x multiple and the broader peer level of about 24.92x.