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Data demonstrated beneficial bacterial taxa persist in fecal samples from patients with rCDI despite multiple prior CDI treatments with the antibiotic standards of care, vancomycin (VAN) and/or fidaxomicin (FDX) Following acute treatment with ibezapolstat (IBZ), these beneficial microorganisms will have the opportunity to repopulate the microbiome in a beneficial way that may prevent recurrence IBZ and FDX were superior in biofilm experimental models with IBZ significantly more effective at killing C. difficile than VAN and FDX Trial start-up activities for a ground-breaking clinical trial in patients with multiply-recurrent CDI (rCDI) have been initiated with the first patient expected to enroll in the next quarter; a successful trial outcome has the potential to shift the paradigm of treatment and prevention of rCDI from two agents to one With mutually consistent feedback from both EMA and FDA, Acurx is well positioned to commence its international Phase 3 registration program in the broader CDI patient population ("acute CDI") Acurx has previously been granted FDA QIDP and Fast-Track Designation and has received SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) designation by the EMA , /PRNewswire/ -- Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACXP) a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections, announced today that a poster presentation entitled: Microbiome Restoration Potential of Ibezapolstat vs. Comparator Antibiotics in Patients with Multiply-recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) was presented by Kevin Garey, PharmD, MS, FIDSA, Professor and Chair, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Principal Investigator for microbiology and microbiome aspects of the IBZ clinical trial program at the 18th Biennial Congress of the Anaerobe Society of the Americas held at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City from July 8 to 10, 2026.

Studies were performed at the University of Houston to determine whether beneficial gut microbes are present in patients with multiple (≥2) recurrences of Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). The objectives of this study were to determine whether beneficial microbes identified in the IBZ  Phase 2 studies in patients with initial and 1st recurrent CDI are still present in patients with multiple (≥2) recurrent CDI and to assess killing effects of IBZ vs. comparators in planktonic (non-biofilm) and biofilm mono- and duo-culture studies; specifically, measuring killing of VRE by VAN, FDX, and IBZ in planktonic and biofilm cultures.

Commenting on the poster presentation, Dr. Garey stated: "Until now, it has not been known whether repeated courses of VAN and/or FDX destroyed the gut microbiome population of beneficial organisms, namely, those bacterial species that are responsible for metabolizing bile acids and protecting against recurrent episodes of CDI. Our new data indicate that sufficient numbers of such bacteria are preserved to allow regrowth when rCDI treatment consists of an antibiotic like ibezapolstat, which has been shown in our laboratory to be highly selective and preserves the beneficial gut flora." He further stated, "We also showed in our laboratory studies that ibezapolstat was highly effective at killing C. difficile when grown in co-culture with Enterococcus in liquid, planktonic cultures or as part of a biofilm. Ibezapolstat actually outperformed fidaxomicin in biofilm killing effects without causing VRE overgrowth observed with vancomycin."

Robert J. DeLuccia, Executive Chairman of Acurx, stated: "These new data provide scientific support for our upcoming trial of ibezapolstat to treat patients with multiply-recurrent CDI which begins with a 20-patient, open-label pilot trial in patients with at least 3 episodes of CDI in the past 12 months and will inform elements of a planned active-controlled, Phase 3 registration trial in rCDI. Upon subsequent successful completion of a Ph3 pivotal rCDI trial, and per the operative FDA procedure, Acurx plans to request FDA approval for treatment and prevention of rCDI under the FDA's Limited Population Pathway for Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs (Guidance for Industry, 2020). He added: "Along with results from IBZ's international Phase 3 registration program in patients with acute CDI, we believe IBZ has the potential to be the first agent to demonstrate clinical success in both the treatment of acute CDI and reduction of recurrence in rCDI and such success would shift the paradigm of treatment and prevention of rCDI from two agents to one."

The poster is available on the Acurx Pharmaceuticals website www.acurxpharma.com

About the Anaerobe Society of the Americas
Founded in 1992, The Anaerobe Society of the Americas is an international organization, promoting the study and application of knowledge of anaerobic bacteriology. The primary activity of the society is organizing the biennial Anaerobe Congress for researchers, clinicians, and laboratory scientists from around the world to engage in presentations, exchanges, and dialogues related to anaerobes.

Acurx previously announced it has received mutually consistent positive feedback from both FDA and EMA which included details on Acurx's two planned international Phase 3 clinical trials in patients with acute CDI.  Accordingly, if successful, these trials will support the submission of a U.S. New Drug Application (NDA) and a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for regulatory approval in Europe. The trial design not only allows determination of ibezapolstat's ability to achieve Clinical Cure of CDI as measured 2 days after 10 days of oral treatment but also includes assessment of ibezapolstat's potential effect on reduction of CDI recurrence in the target population. The primary efficacy analysis will be performed using a Modified Intent-To-Treat (mITT) population.

About the Ibezapolstat Phase 2 Clinical Trial
The completed multicenter, open-label single-arm segment (Phase 2a) study was followed by a double-blind, randomized, active-controlled, non-inferiority, segment (Phase 2b) at 28 US clinical trial sites which together comprise the Phase 2 clinical trial. (see https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04247542). This Phase 2 clinical trial was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of ibezapolstat in the treatment of CDI including pharmacokinetics and microbiome changes from baseline and continue to test for anti-recurrence microbiome properties seen in the Phase 2a trial, including the treatment-related changes in alpha diversity and bacterial abundance and effects on bile acid metabolism. (Data published in Lancet, August 2025 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(25)00054-0/fulltext).

About Ibezapolstat
Ibezapolstat is the Company's lead antibiotic candidate planning to advance to international Phase 3 clinical trials to treat patients with C. difficile infection. Ibezapolstat is a novel, orally administered antibiotic, being developed as a Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum (GPSS®) antibacterial. It is the first of a new class of DNA polymerase IIIC inhibitors under development by Acurx to treat bacterial infections. Ibezapolstat's unique spectrum of activity, which includes C. difficile but spares other Firmicutes and the important Actinobacteria phyla, appears to contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome.

In June 2018, ibezapolstat was designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) for the treatment of patients with CDI and will be eligible to benefit from the incentives for the development of new antibiotics established under the Generating New Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act. In 2019, FDA granted "Fast Track" designation to ibezapolstat for the treatment of patients with CDI. The CDC has designated C. difficile as an urgent threat highlighting the need for new antibiotics to treat CDI.

About Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) and Recurrent CDI (rCDI)
According to the 2017 Update (published February 2018) of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for C. difficile Infection by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society or Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), CDI remains a significant medical problem in hospitals, in long-term care facilities and in the community. C. difficile is one of the most common causes of health care-associated infections in U.S. hospitals (Lessa, 2015, NEJM). Recent estimates suggest C. difficile approaches 500,000 infections annually in the U.S. and is associated with approximately 30,000 deaths annually. (Guh, 2020, NEJM. Based on internal estimates, the recurrence rate for the antibiotics currently used to treat CDI is between 20% and 40% among approximately 150,000 patients treated. We believe the annual incidence of CDI in the U.S. approaches 600,000 infections and a mortality rate of approximately 9.3%.

In recent studies, rCDI ranges from 4% to 19.5% following treatment with fidaxomicin and 17 to 27% following treatment with vancomycin. In patients with multiple prior episodes of CDI, rCDI following treatment with vancomycin is even more problematic, with an incidence of up to 40%. Consequently, the principal unmet medical need in this disease is the prevention of recurrence. The estimated annual public health cost burden in the U.S. annually is ~$5 billion annually with ~$2.8 billion due to recurrent CDI.

About the Microbiome in C. difficile Infection (CDI) and Bile Acid Metabolism
C. difficile can be a normal component of the healthy gut microbiome, but when the microbiome is thrown out of balance, the C. difficile can thrive and cause an infection. After colonization with C. difficile, the organism produces and releases the main virulence factors, the two large clostridial toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB). (Kachrimanidou, Microorganisms 2020, 8, 200; doi:10.3390/microorganisms8020200.) TcdA and TcdB are exotoxins that bind to human intestinal epithelial cells and are responsible for inflammation, fluid and mucous secretion, as well as damage to the intestinal mucosa.

Bile acids perform many functional roles in the GI tract, with one of the most important being maintenance of a healthy microbiome by inhibiting C. difficile growth. Primary bile acids, which are secreted by the liver into the intestines, promote germination of C. difficile spores and thereby increase the risk of recurrent CDI after successful treatment of an initial episode. On the other hand, secondary bile acids, which are produced by normal gut microbiota through metabolism of primary bile acids, do not induce C. difficile sporulation and therefore protect against recurrent disease. Since ibezapolstat treatment leads to minimal disruption of the gut microbiome, bacterial production of secondary bile acids continues which may contribute to an anti-recurrence effect. Beneficial effects of bile acids include a decrease in primary bile acids and an increase in secondary bile acids in patients with CDI, which was observed in the Company's Ph2a trial results and previously reported (CID, 2022). In the Ph2b trial, ibezapolstat-treated patients showed lower concentrations of fecal primary bile acids, and higher beneficial ratio of secondary to primary bile acids than vancomycin-treated patients.

About Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The Company's approach is to develop antibiotic candidates with a Gram-positive selective spectrum (GPSS®) that blocks the active site of the Gram-positive specific bacterial enzyme DNA polymerase IIIC (pol IIIC), inhibiting DNA replication and leading to Gram-positive bacterial cell death. Its R&D pipeline includes antibiotic product candidates that target Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile, methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), drug- resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP) and B. anthracis (anthrax; a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen). Acurx's lead product candidate, ibezapolstat, for the treatment of C. difficile Infection is preparing to advance into international Phase 3 trials.

Additionally, the Company has initiated start-up activities for a ground-breaking clinical trial in patients with rCDI with the first patient expected to enroll in the fourth quarter this year. This trial is  a 20-patient, open-label pilot trial in patients with multiply-recurrent CDI with at least 3 episodes of CDI in the past year and will inform elements of a planned active-controlled, Phase 3 registration trial in the rCDI. Upon subsequent successful completion of a Ph3 pivotal rCDI trial, and per the operative FDA procedure, Acurx plans to request FDA approval for treatment and prevention of rCDI under the FDA's Limited Population Pathway for Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs (Guidance for Industry, 2020). Successful trial outcome has the potential to shift the paradigm of treatment and prevention of rCDI from two agents to one.

The Company's preclinical pipeline includes development of an oral product candidate for treatment of ABSSSI (Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections), upon which a development program for post-exposure prophylaxis of inhalation anthrax is being planned in parallel.

Learn more about Acurx Pharmaceuticals and its product pipeline, please visit www.acurxpharma.com

Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including   statements regarding our strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives, and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: whether ibezapolstat will benefit from the QIDP designation; whether ibezapolstat will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis; whether the results of the clinical trials of ibezapolstat will warrant the submission of applications for marketing approval, and if so, whether ibezapolstat will receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies where approval is sought; whether, if ibezapolstat obtains approval, it will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 12, 2026, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward- looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Acurx disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
David P. Luci, President & CEO
Tel: 917-533-1469
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

8.40am: CPI gives boost  Stock futures have picked up after a softer-than-expected CPI report boosted hopes the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates on hold.

June's CPI rate eased to 3.5% from 4.2%, below forecasts of 3.8%, while core inflation eased to 2.6% against expectations of 2.8%.

On a monthly basis, CPI fell 0.4% compared to May, the biggest monthly decline since May 2020, prompting traders to pare bets on Fed hikes.

S&P 500 futures are now up 0.4% and Nasdaq futures 0.7% higher, while Dow futures are down 0.1%.

8am: Mixed open expected, IBM set to plunge Wall Street looked set for a mixed open as investors digested a 23% plunge in IBM shares, another jump in oil prices and the start of the second-quarter earnings season.

Dow Jones futures were down 281 points, or 0.5%, while S&P 500 futures were 0.1% lower. Nasdaq futures were pointing higher, up 0.6% after a sell-off in technology stocks at the start of the week.

Yesterday saw the Nasdaq tumble 1.6% to 25,873 as higher oil prices and weakness in chipmakers weighed on sentiment, with the S&P 500 dropping 0.8% to 7,515 and the Dow slipping 0.3% to 52,499 .

On Tuesday morning, US benchmark WTI crude is up 2% at $79.60 a barrel, having topped $81 earlier.

This escalation follows a third consecutive night of US strikes on Iran and after President Donald Trump announced a renewed blockade of Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on Iranian cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran rejected the move, while the UAE said Iranian missiles had struck two oil tankers transiting the waterway.

Attention now turns to June's US inflation report, which could shape expectations for interest rates, before earnings season begins in earnest.

JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and Citigroup kick off the US bank earnings season before the opening bell.

IBM shares plunged more than 23% in premarket trading after the technology group's preliminary second-quarter results showed revenue growth slowed to 1%, with a 7% decline in infrastructure sales offsetting gains in software.

The company reported revenue of $17.2 billion, while operating earnings per share rose 5% to $2.93 and year-to-date free cash flow reached $4.8 billion, but investors focused on the weaker top-line performance and pressure on margins.

Earnings season is underway as the major banks begin reporting. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) falls as CEO Jamie Dimon warns that economic risks are “shifting below the surface,” while Goldman Sachs (GS) posts a significant revenue beat and Bank of America (BAC) reports stronger trading revenue.

Shares of IBM (NYSE:IBM | IBM Price Prediction) are down 22% to $225.20 in Tuesday’s early trading, on pace for the stock’s worst single session since 1987. Strategist Mike Zaccardi noted that IBM shares fell 23% in a single session in October 1987, framing today’s move in rare historical company.

The catalyst is a preliminary Q2 2026 revenue and profit miss released this morning ahead of the full report on July 22. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told investors “we faltered” and that “numerous large deals failed to close” as clients shifted spending toward supply-constrained infrastructure.

The broader market tells a different story. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ 100 is up 1.08% after June’s Consumer Price Index report showed consumer prices fell 0.4% month over month, the largest drop since April 2020, with annual inflation easing to 3.5% and core to 2.6%. Today’s software selloff looks sector and IBM specific rather than macro.

Preliminary Q2 Miss Sparks the Selloff IBM reported preliminary Q2 2026 revenue of $17.2 billion, up 1%, versus the $17.86 billion consensus. Operating (non-GAAP) EPS came in at $2.93, below the $3.01 consensus, with GAAP EPS at $2.27.

Segment details show that the shortfall was concentrated. IBM’s Software segment rose 5% with Red Hat up 11%, and Consulting was roughly flat.

Krishna said clients redirected capex in the last weeks of June toward servers, storage, and memory to secure supply-constrained infrastructure ahead of expected price increases, a reprioritization whose magnitude IBM didn’t anticipate. He also cited cybersecurity distractions among enterprise buyers.

HSBC downgraded IBM stock to Reduce from Hold with a $191 price target, the clearest bear voice on the Street today. More bullish prior targets from Morgan Stanley and Oppenheimer preceded the warning and look likely to be revised.

Software Peers Feel the Ripple The contagion is real but uneven this morning. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares are down 3% to $379.76, and ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) shares are down 8% to $102.38. Salesforce and Intuit are also trading lower in sympathy.

The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (NYSEARCA:IGV) is trading down 4% to $89.31. IGV holds IBM alongside these names and isn’t leveraged, though its concentration in a handful of mega-cap software issuers means single-name shocks travel quickly through the fund.

Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and IBM didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

The prediction markets echo the near-term stress. Polymarket is pricing a 0.95 probability that Microsoft stock closes lower today, while longer-dated markets still favor a recovery toward $360 to $405 by month-end. That split reads as acute fear rather than existential concern.

Bull and Bear Cases on IBM The bull case leans on the parts of IBM that worked. Software growth held up, Distributed Infrastructure rose 37%, the best in reported history, and year to date free cash flow reached $4.8 billion. Management framed the slipped deals as deferred rather than lost.

The bear case is equally clear, though. Mainframe cyclicality is an issue, execution stumbled on large deals, and the capex reprioritization toward AI hardware could persist. HSBC’s $191 IBM price target implies meaningful downside from current levels.

The fair read is that this is partly an IBM-specific mainframe and execution stumble and partly a signal that AI infrastructure and memory buying is crowding out other IT budgets. IBM’s own software line grew, so this isn’t a broad software demand collapse. Traders are selling the scarier “AI eats software” interpretation regardless.

What to Watch Next The full IBM earnings report and conference call arrive on July 22, and analyst revisions from Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer, and others could reshape the setup between now and then. Polymarket currently prices only a 25.5% probability that IBM beats when the full report lands.

Investors can watch for whether Software and Red Hat momentum reasserts itself on the July 22 call, whether Krishna quantifies the slipped-deal pipeline, and whether the mainframe demand slump was truly a June air pocket. Given the size of today’s move, investors should consider keeping their position sizes modest until the full report clarifies segment trajectory.

For sector watchers, IGV and the reactions in software peers into the close could show whether today’s selloff was a one-day repricing or the start of a broader software derating.

Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and IBM didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

CNBC's Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber discuss the news of the day.

UnitedHealth Group's latest quarterly results are slated to be released ahead of the opening bell on Thursday, with traders looking for the stock to potentially hit its highest point in over a year following the report.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BetMGM LLC ("BetMGM"), a leading sports betting and iGaming operator across North America, jointly owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) ("MGM Resorts") and Entain plc (LSE: ENT) ("Entain"), will release a business update for the period April 1 – June 30 2026 ("2Q") on Tuesday July 28, 2026.

Ranger Energy Services, Inc. (NYSE: RNGR) (“Ranger” or the “Company”) today announced that it has entered into a contract with Hess Corporation, a whol

Integrated sales, service, loyalty, and distribution capabilities give hotel brand a complete, connected hospitality platform to optimize operations and results

, /PRNewswire/ -- Loews Hotels & Co is adding Oracle OPERA Cloud Central services, to enhance distribution and guest recognition to its properties across the U.S. With a unified hospitality platform spanning property management, distribution, service interactions, loyalty and sales, Loews will be able to get a comprehensive view of its data and business to accelerate innovation that benefits its staff, guests, and bottom line.

"At Loews, we deliver personalized touches and exceptional experiences for our guests. Achieving that goal delivered by our team is aided by having the right data," said Dan Kornick, CIO, Loews Hotels & Co. "Oracle Hospitality will allow us to enhance our ability to leverage data by providing a centralized hub that ensures all our properties and team members are empowered with the information they need to exceed guest expectations."

Loews is already benefitting from Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud PMS, AI-powered Guest Engagement and Merchandising, Oracle Simphony Cloud Point of Sale, and Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). With OPERA Cloud Distribution, Loews can seamlessly optimize rates, and ancillary services across every distribution channel—both direct and indirect—helping to accelerate the launch of promotions, move inventory faster, and reduce intermediary fees. Additionally, OPERA Cloud Loyalty will enable Loews to anticipate customer needs and preferences, encouraging direct bookings with personalized incentives.

"Loews Hotels is dedicated to approaching each moment of a guest's stay with thoughtfulness and care," said David Meltzer, senior vice president, Oracle Hospitality Sales. "These interactions start from the minute a guest books a room, through the second they check out. With a unified platform and data across core disciplines including distribution, loyalty, and property management, OPERA Cloud will further empower Loews team members to make each of these moments matter in creating better experiences for guests and drive efficiency, guest affinity and revenue growth."

To learn more visit www.oracle.com/Hospitality.

About Oracle Hospitality
Oracle Hospitality brings more than 45 years of experience in providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. Our hardware, software, and services enable customers to act on rich data insights that deliver personalized guest experiences, maximize profitability, and encourage loyalty. Cloud-based, mobile-enabled, with open APIs, Oracle's OPERA Cloud property management and distribution, Simphony point-of-sale, reporting and analytics, and Nor1 upsell solutions accelerate innovation, help increase revenue, help lower IT costs, and maximize operating efficiency. To learn more, please visit www.oracle.com/Hospitality.

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

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

SOURCE Oracle

Oracle (ORCL 0.85%) is one of the most important companies in the global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure ecosystem, as it is aggressively building data centers to enable customers to run AI workloads in the cloud. However, the stock's performance has left much to be desired this year.

Oracle stock has shed 33% of its value in 2026, as of this writing, which seems surprising at first, given that it is quickly building a massive revenue pipeline that should ensure solid growth for years to come. However, the market has been worried about the tech giant's increasing debt, which it is using to fund its data center build-out.

Analysts, however, remain bullish about Oracle's prospects, anticipating solid gains over the coming year. Let's see if Oracle can indeed live up to Wall Street's expectations and jump higher by the end of 2027.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Oracle's growth will accelerate going into 2027 Oracle's debt stood at $167.4 billion at the end of fiscal 2026 (which ended on May 31). The company's debt increased by $43 billion last year. It plans to raise another $40 billion in fiscal 2027 through debt and equity financing. Oracle has already announced that it will raise $20 billion through equity financing this year, suggesting that the rest could come in the form of fresh debt.

Today's Change

(

-0.85

%) $

-1.12

Current Price

$

130.42

Investors are concerned about Oracle's ballooning debt, and the equity issuance is resulting in stock dilution. However, it is worth noting that Oracle's funding moves will enable it to accelerate the recognition of revenue and earnings from its remaining performance obligations (RPO). RPO is the total value of contracts that a company has yet to fulfill.

Oracle's RPO was a whopping $638 billion at the end of fiscal 2026. That's almost 10x the company's fiscal 2026 revenue of $67.4 billion. The money that Oracle is spending to build more data centers explains why it anticipates a 33% jump in revenue in fiscal 2027 to $90 billion, nearly double its growth last year.

Oracle management noted on the June earnings call that it expects to convert 12% of its RPO into revenue over the next year. Even better, Oracle sees 34% of its RPO turning into revenue between 13 and 36 months, suggesting its growth rate will continue to accelerate beyond fiscal 2027 (which ends in May next year).

Not surprisingly, analysts are forecasting a 46% jump in Oracle's revenue in fiscal 2028 to $130.2 billion. Additionally, the improvement in Oracle's revenue growth is poised to filter down to the bottom line. Its earnings-per-share growth is projected to improve from just 5.4% in fiscal 2027 to 36% in fiscal 2028.

The stock could more than double Oracle's 12-month median price target of $243 suggests a potential jump of 85%, according to 45 analysts covering the stock. What's more, 38 analysts rate this tech stock as a buy. However, I won't be surprised to see Oracle finish 2027 on a stronger note, soaring above its median price target.

Analysts anticipate Oracle's earnings per share to reach $10.92 in fiscal 2028. The stock currently trades at 24 times earnings, a discount to the tech-focused Nasdaq-100 index's earnings multiple of 35. As Oracle's earnings growth accelerates, it could trade at a higher valuation. Assuming the stock trades at even 30 times earnings at the end of fiscal 2028, its stock price could reach $328.

That suggests potential gains of 149%, indicating that Oracle could soar impressively in 2027 and beyond.

New no-code and pro-code capabilities enable customers and partners to build Fusion Agentic Applications backed by specialized agent teams, Fusion business objects, workflows, approvals, governance, and auditability

With the new AI Studio Skill, developers can now use familiar tools such as VS Code, OpenAI Codex, Claude Code, CLIs, and Git to build agentic applications within the same Fusion-native framework for governance that Oracle uses

, /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced a new AI-native builder experience for Oracle AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications that enables customers and partners to create and run Fusion Agentic Applications natively within Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications. Fusion Agentic Applications represent a new class of enterprise application: outcome-driven systems backed by teams of specialized AI agents that reason, coordinate, and decide, then execute work through Fusion business objects, workflows, tools, policies, approvals, and logged actions.

Unlike standalone agents, copilots, or disconnected AI automation tools, Fusion Agentic Applications are designed to operate inside the enterprise system where the work already happens. They run natively in Oracle Fusion Applications, inherit Fusion security and governance controls, act against Fusion business objects and workflows, and provide the auditability required for enterprise execution.

The new builder experience brings no-code, low-code, and pro-code development into one Fusion-native framework. Business users can start with natural language using the Agentic Applications Builder, while developers and partners can use the new AI Studio Skill to build with Visual Studio Code, standard command-line interfaces, Git-based workflows, and AI coding agents or assistants including Codex and Claude Code. This will help builders with all levels of experience create AI-native systems that execute enterprise work with built-in security, governance controls, and auditability.

"Enterprise software is moving beyond systems that record work to systems that actively drive and execute outcomes," said Chris Leone, executive vice president, Applications Development, Oracle. "With this new builder experience, customers and partners can build Fusion Agentic Applications that are backed by specialized agent teams and run natively inside Oracle Fusion Applications, where the business objects, workflows, security, approvals, and auditability already exist. This is fundamentally different from building disconnected AI automations and then trying to bolt on enterprise controls later."

Fusion Agentic Applications are not AI wrappers around enterprise software. They are complete business applications designed around specific outcomes, such as accelerating financial close, improving collections, reducing service escalations, optimizing workforce operations, or streamlining supply chain execution.

With Oracle AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications, organizations can build, connect, execute, and run AI automation and agentic applications using reusable Oracle, partner, and external agents.

In addition, this native runtime approach addresses one of the biggest barriers to enterprise AI adoption: moving from prototype to production. When AI applications are built outside the enterprise system, organizations must separately solve identity, data access, approvals, audit trails, observability, governance controls, and lifecycle management. With Fusion Agentic Applications, those capabilities are built into the runtime from the start.

The new capabilities, integrations, and AI Studio Skill create a unified builder experience spanning natural language no-code, low-code, and pro-code development. The latest updates enable organizations to:

Create complete agentic applications, not just standalone agents: Helps builders create outcome-driven Fusion Agentic Applications backed by specialized agent teams, user experiences, workflows, tools, policy controls, approvals, and runtime assets that operate together as one application. Deploy natively in Oracle Fusion Applications: Helps organizations run agentic applications inside Oracle Fusion Applications without separate runtimes, external orchestration layers, or custom infrastructure. Agentic applications can execute against Fusion business objects and workflows while inheriting Oracle Fusion Applications' security, governance controls, approvals, and auditability controls. Build with modern developer tools: Helps developers and partners build AI agents and agentic applications faster using the AI Studio Skill with familiar tools and workflows. Developers can use Visual Studio Code, standard CLIs, and AI coding assistants such as Codex, Claude Code, and other Oracle tools, alongside Git-based lifecycle management, local validation, debugging, and CI/CD workflows. Access reusable developer resources: Helps developers and partners accelerate agentic application development with ready-to-use assets and implementation guidance. A new public GitHub repository will provide templates, starter projects, sample applications, reusable assets, and reference architectures to help teams build and validate Fusion Agentic Applications faster. Connect agents with an open execution system: Helps enterprise teams coordinate work across Oracle, partner, third-party, and custom agents while inside the security and governance controls of Oracle Fusion Applications. Support for agent-to-agent interoperability patterns enables Oracle AI Data Platform agents, third-party agents, and custom-built agents to participate with the same capabilities as Fusion Agentic Applications. Access a growing AI ecosystem: Helps customers and partners extend enterprise processes using reusable agents, workflows, connectors, templates, and agentic applications. Oracle AI Agent Marketplace, part of Oracle AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications, is expanding to support a catalog of agentic applications in addition to the existing portfolio of AI agents. Lastly, there are now over 80,000 certified experts trained in Oracle AI Agent Studio to help organizations build, test, deploy, and manage AI across the enterprise. Available at no additional cost, Oracle AI Agent Studio for Fusion Applications delivers easy-to-use tools, including orchestration, advanced testing, robust validation, and built-in security to help Oracle Fusion Applications customers and partners create and manage AI agents and agentic applications. By leveraging the same platform Oracle uses to create its own AI agents and Fusion Agentic Applications, customers and partners can extend the 1,000-plus AI agents delivered through Fusion Applications and the 22 new Fusion Agentic Applications that were launched earlier this year, create new ones, and deploy them as Fusion runtime artifacts across the enterprise.

Industry Validation

"Enterprise AI is moving fast, and our clients need a trusted partner that can rapidly unlock the full value of Oracle's embedded AI," said Lan Guan, chief AI and Data officer, Accenture. "Oracle's new builder experience meets developers where they already work, while Accenture helps clients turn on, govern, and scale these AI-powered capabilities. Together, we're helping clients move from AI potential to enterprise-wide impact—faster and with greater confidence than ever before."

"Oracle is redefining the next-generation application platform for the AI era by combining application, platform, and agentic capabilities in a single builder experience for professional and low-code developers," said Holger Mueller, vice president and principal analyst, Constellation Research. "Unlike alternative approaches that build agents outside the application platform, Oracle keeps agents, security, APIs, access, and governance all within a well-defined, trusted, and proven modern application platform."

"Enterprise clients are looking for pragmatic ways to move AI from pilots into production. The challenge is often not the technology itself, but how to integrate it into core business operations with appropriate security, oversight, and operational controls," said Mauro Schiavon, global chief commercial officer, Oracle Business, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "By enabling organizations to create agentic applications within the existing controls and workflows of Oracle Fusion Applications, Oracle can help bridge that gap, support faster execution, and help improve operational efficiency while maintaining the control and oversight enterprises expect."

"Oracle is pushing AI beyond copilots and advisors to deliver agentic systems that optimize process flows and execute work inside enterprise applications. Oracle's latest expansion of its AI Agent Studio and Marketplace leverages client-built agent guidance and governance to make agent creation and development possible for permitted workers regardless of their technical skills and abilities," said Zachary Chertok, senior research manager for HCM applications and agents, IDC. "Working from trusted governance, permissions management, systems controls, and data access management means that organizations can enable employees to build, configure, and support themselves and their teams with the agents they need to collaborate, innovate, and drive toward quality outcomes."

"Organizations are eager to unlock the potential of agentic AI in their business applications," said Kevin Sullivan, Oracle global alliance leader, PwC. "By building agentic capabilities natively into Fusion Applications, Oracle enables secure, governed, real-time actions at scale, helping organizations move from experimentation to adoption with greater confidence. Combined with PwC's deep industry expertise, these capabilities help deliver tangible business value with greater reliability and operational oversight."

About Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications
Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications provide an integrated suite of AI-powered cloud applications that enable organizations to execute faster, make smarter decisions, and lower costs. Oracle Fusion Applications include:

Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Provides a comprehensive suite of AI-powered finance and operations applications that help organizations increase productivity, reduce costs, expand insights, improve decision-making, and enhance controls. Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM): Provides a unified AI-powered HR platform that connects all people-related processes and data to help organizations automate tasks throughout the employee lifecycle, improve the employee experience, and give HR leaders actionable workforce insights. Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM): Provides a unified AI-powered platform that integrates supply chain and operations processes and helps organizations enhance resilience and quickly adapt to market changes. Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience (CX): Provides a suite of AI-powered applications that help organizations manage marketing, sales, and service processes to win business, build stronger customer relationships, and improve customer experiences. About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.

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

SOURCE Oracle

Oracle stock continued its strong freefall this week, reaching its lowest level since April last year. ORCL has slumped by over 62% from its all-time high, with Larry Ellison’s net worth plunging by $60 billion this year to $187 billion. It has become one of the top laggards in the AI space.

ORCL stock has been in a steep decline despite being one of the top beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence boom. Its most recent financial results showed that its revenue and backlog continued rising.

Its revenue jumped by 21% to $19.2 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter, with its cloud infrastructure figure rising by 93% to $5.8 billion. Its cloud apps revenue jumped by 10% to $4.1 billion.

For the year, its revenue jumped by 17% to $67 billion, with its operating cash flow rising by 54% to $32 billion.

Most importantly, the company’s RPO or backlog, jumped by $85 billion in Q4 to $638 billion, with its top clients including companies like Applied Intuition, SoundHound (SOUN), Admiral, and Kobalt. 

Wall Street analysts are bullish on the company, with the revenue estimate for the first fiscal quarter being $19.12 billion, up by 28% YoY. Its annual revenue is expected to jump 32% this year to $90 billion, followed by $130 billion next year.

Despite this growth, analysts are still concerned about Oracle’s huge debt load and its overreliance on OpenAI. Of its huge RPO, $300 billion of it comes from OpenAI, a company whose growth has started slowing amid rising competition from Anthropic. The contract will start in 2027, with OpenAI buying massive amounts of AI compute.

Most importantly, there are concerns about its massive debt load and soaring capital expenditure. Its capex jumped by 162% in the last fiscal year, with its free cash flow coming in at negative $24 billion.

The company’s debt has also jumped, and this trend will continue. It ended the last year with $130 billion in debt, with the company planning to raise $40 billion through debt and equity. It raised $43 billion in debt sales and $5 billion in equity.

Investors are concerned about its soaring debt, which has pushed its yields higher. TradingView data shows that the yield of its 2034 bonds jumped to 6.518% from the year-to-date low of 5.34%. Its 2038 bonds are yielding 6.70%, while its 2027 ones are yielding 4.56%.

Still, on the positive side, the ongoing Oracle stock crash has made it a bargain, with most analysts having a favorable rating. Keycorp recently reiterated its overweight rating, while Wedbush’s Dan Ives placed a target of $240.

Bernstein has a target of $325, while Wolfe Research placed a target of $225. MarketBeat data shows that the average target for the stock is $268. 

Oracle stock chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the ORCL stock has slumped in the past few months, moving from a high of $346.23 on September 10 last year to the current $131.5.

It recently crossed the crucial support level of $134.95, its lowest level in February and April this year.

The stock has dropped below all moving averages and the oversold level of the Murrey Math Lines tool. It also remains below the Supertrend indicator.

Therefore, the waning sentiment will likely push it lower, potentially to $120 or even $100. However, in the long term, the stock will bounce back as investors rotate from semiconductor names to hyperscalers.

Stock futures are mixed as investors digest a full slate of big bank earnings and await the release of a key report on inflation; JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup all reported results this morning; June Consumer Price Index data is expected to show that inflation moderated; Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is making appearances before Congress today and tomorrow to discuss the economy and the Fed's plans for inflation; and SK Hynix shares are surging while IBM shares are plunging as tech sector volatility continues. Here's what you need to know today.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

In 2026, the Dividend Kings have significantly outperformed the S&P 500 as investors rotate out of high-valuation growth stocks and into companies offering stable, reliable cash flows. This shift is clearly visible in fund flows: the equal-weighted NOBL Dividend Aristocrats ETF has outperformed market-cap-weighted growth funds during the 2026 rotation. Its equal-weight structure helps it avoid being dragged down by the heavy concentration in a handful of large-cap tech names that dominate many growth benchmarks.

The Dividend Kings are the 56 companies that have raised their dividends for at least 50 years, a testament to their dependability and consistency. Those are two “must-have” items for investors who rely on passive income to supplement their overall income. Unlike the Dividend Aristocrats, the Dividend Kings do not have to be members of the S&P 500.

We screened the current Dividend Kings for companies that are outperforming the S&P 500, which is up 9% this year, and four of our favorite companies are significantly outperforming the venerable index. Of course, all four offer reliable passive income given their Dividend Kings status, but they also deliver big total returns to shareholders. All four are rated Buy by the top Wall Street firms we cover.

Why we recommend the Dividend Kings Companies that have paid and raised dividends for 50 years or more are the kinds of stocks growth and income investors want to buy and hold in their portfolios indefinitely. These stocks are mostly conservative and, should a dramatic market correction occur, will likely hold their ground much better than volatile technology names.

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO | KO Price Prediction) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1892. This company remains a top long-time holding of Warren Buffett, whose 400 million shares are 9.3% of the float and 9.9% of the portfolio. The stock pays a dependable 2.48% dividend. Surging by more than 16% year to date, the stock is easily outpacing both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite while extending its historic dividend growth streak to 64 consecutive years.

Coca-Cola is the world’s largest beverage company, offering consumers more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, the company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, including:

Diet Coke Coca-Cola Light Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine-free Diet Coke Cherry Coke Fanta Orange Fanta Zero Orange Fanta Zero Sugar Fanta Apple Sprite Sprite Zero Sugar Simply Orange Simply Apple Simply Grapefruit Fresca Schweppes Dasani Fuze Tea Glacéau Smartwater Glacéau Vitaminwater Gold Peak Ice Dew Powerade Topo Chico Minute Maid Globally, it is the top provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, juices, and juice drinks. Through the world’s most extensive beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s beverages at a rate of over 1.9 billion servings per day. And remember that the company owns 19.5% of Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST), which continues to deliver strong financial results.

Citigroup has a Buy rating with a $91 target price on the shares.

Colgate-Palmolive This consumer staples giant has been an outstanding idea for conservative investors, paying a dividend every year since 1895 and currently yielding 2.19%. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) is a growth company focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, and Pet Nutrition. The shares have surged roughly 20.4% year to date. The consumer staples giant remains an ultra-reliable income stock. It features an uninterrupted streak of payouts stretching back to 1895. It has also successfully increased its annual dividend distribution for 63 consecutive years.

The company sells its products under such brands as:

Colgate Palmolive Elmex Hello Meridol Sorriso Tom’s of Maine EltaMD Filorga Irish Spring Lady Speed Stick PCA SKIN Protex Sanex Softsoap Speed Stick Ajax Axion Fabuloso Murphy Soupline Suavitel Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet The Home Care product segment is managed geographically in five segments:

North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Africa/Eurasia All the segments sell primarily to a variety of traditional and e-commerce retailers, wholesalers, distributors, dentists, and skin health professionals.

The Pet Nutrition products include specialty pet nutrition products manufactured and marketed by Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Customers of Pet Nutrition products include authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians, and e-commerce retailers.

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UBS has a big $100 target price.

Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) is an American multinational personal care company that primarily manufactures and markets paper-based consumer products worldwide. The stock is also beating the index this year, up over 13%. Yielding 4.41%, the company raised its dividend for the 54th consecutive year earlier this year, retaining its spot on the Dividend Kings list.

It operates through three segments. The Personal Care segment offers a diverse range of products, including:

Disposable diapers Swim pants, training and youth pants, baby wipes Feminine and incontinence care products It provides related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Depends, Plenitud, Softex, Poise, and other brand names.

The Consumer Tissue segment provides facial and bathroom tissues, paper towels, napkins, and related products under these brand names:

Kleenex Scott Cottonelle Viva Andrex Scottex Neve The K-C Professional segment offers wipers, tissues, towels, apparel, soaps, and sanitizers under the Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, and KleenGuard brands.

In 2025, Kimberly-Clark announced it would acquire Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE) in a $48.7 billion deal, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026. The acquisition will create a combined consumer health and wellness company, with Kenvue shareholders receiving cash and stock. Kenvue shareholders will get $3.50 in cash plus 0.14625 shares of Kimberly-Clark.

Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $121 target price.

Target The steady dividend and improving consumer have helped boost the shares big in 2026. Target (NYSE: TGT) is a general merchandise retailer in the United States that offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, infants, and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes. The company also offers a range of beauty and personal care products, baby gear, cleaning supplies, paper products, and pet care products.

Surging 32% through early July 2026, the stock is easily outpacing the S&P 500’s roughly 9% rally. Despite this massive outperformance, it still trades at a cheap valuation and offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.56%.

Target also provides:

Dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, and food service Electronics, which includes video game hardware and software Toys, entertainment, sporting goods, and luggage Furniture, lighting, storage, kitchenware, small appliances, home décor, bed, and bath Home improvement School and office supplies Greeting cards, party supplies, and other seasonal merchandise In addition, the company sells merchandise through periodic design and creative partnerships, shop-in-shop experiences, and in-store amenities. It also sells its products through its stores and digital channels, including Target.com.

Jefferies has a Buy rating and a $161 target price.

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Míra inflace ve Spojených státech v červnu klesla na 3,5 procenta z tempa 4,2 procenta v květnu. Ve své zprávě to dnes uvedlo americké ministerstvo práce. Pokles je výraznější, než se čekalo, zejména díky zlevnění benzinu. Ekonomové se ale domnívají, že zvýšení úrokových sazeb se v letošním roce Američané zřejmě ani tak nevyhnou.

Analytici se zvolněním inflace počítali, domnívali se ale, že její míra klesne zhruba na 3,8 procenta, uvedla agentura Reuters. V meziměsíčním srovnání index spotřebitelských cen 0,4 procenta klesl, zatímco analytici čekali pokles o 0,1 procenta.

Cena benzinu v červnu klesla z několikaletého maxima, na kterém se ocitla kvůli dopadům konfliktu na Blízkém východě. Ten v posledních dnech eskaluje, v Hormuzském průlivu sílí vzdušné boje mezi Spojenými státy a Íránem. I proto se ekonomové domnívají, že dopady na globální ekonomiku zatím přetrvají, což americkou centrální banku (Fed) patrně v letošním roce donutí zvýšit úrokové sazby. Nyní je základní sazba v USA v pásmu 3,50 až 3,75 procenta.

Ceny benzinu jsou teď v USA opět na vzestupu. Podle údajů motoristické organizace AAA dnes celostátní průměrná cena benzinu vzrostla na 3,86 dolaru za galon z 3,79 dolaru před týdnem. Po přepočtu je to 1,02 USD (21,61 Kč) za litr proti 1,00 USD (21,19 Kč) za litr před týdnem.

Další růst cen je pravděpodobný, protože ceny ropy dnes pokračují v růstu. Severomořský Brent se vrátil nad 86 dolarů za barel, kde byl naposledy před měsícem. Je to reakce na rozhodnutí Spojených států znovu zavést námořní blokádu Íránu. Přilehlý Hormuzský průliv je klíčovou námořní trasou pro vývoz ropy ze zemí kolem Perského zálivu.

Povyloučení kolísavých cen potravin a energií v červnu vzrostl index spotřebitelských cen meziročně o 2,6 procenta po květnovém růstu o 2,9 procenta. I to je výraznější pokles, analytici počítali se zvolněním tempa na 2,8 procenta. Meziměsíčně zůstala tato takzvaná jádrová inflace beze změn, v květnu o 0,2 procenta vzrostla.

Do you know you'll need investment income in the future even if you don't need it right now? That's basically what saving for retirement is.

And this simple idea raises a simple question: How much future income can you generate for every dollar you tuck away now? It depends on several factors, including how long you save, and what sort of return you achieve on your growth investments.

Just for some perspective, let's look at what a hypothetical (yet very realistic) $300 monthly investment might be capable of driving in retirement, given enough time.

Crunching the numbers There are actually two key phases to our hypothetical number crunching. The first of these is the growth phase, during which we continually contribute to a fund that remains invested for growth rather than income. In our model, we'll simply invest in the overall market using the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY +0.22%), which is built to mirror the performance of the S&P 500 index (^GSPC +0.26%). Assuming its long-term average annual return of 10% persists, in 30 years -- a fairly typical length for a career -- a $300 monthly investment in this ETF would leave you with a nest egg of $683,797:

Data source: Calculator.net. Chart by author.

Notice that most of the gains materialize in just the last third of this savings period. The trick is just starting the last decade with as much invested capital as possible.

Then the second phase begins. That's the conversion of an investment largely meant for growth into an investment mostly meant to produce income. And here, your options are wide-ranging. Shares of beverage powerhouse Coca-Cola (KO 0.01%), for instance, currently yield 2.5%, and are backed by 64 consecutive years of dividend increases. The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD 0.40%) doesn't have nearly the same history and pedigree, but with its trailing yield of 3.3%, that $683,797 could produce more than $22,000 in annual dividend income.

If your chief concern is simply maximizing your cash flow with dividend payments that at least keep up with inflation, however, a pick like real estate investment trust (REIT) Realty Income (O +0.16%) is a fantastic all-around option. The REIT has not only paid monthly (yes, monthly) dividends like clockwork for decades now, but has raised its per-share payout every year for the past 31 years with an inflation-beating average annual increase of 4.1%.

Today's Change

(

0.16

%) $

0.10

Current Price

$

64.27

Newcomers will be plugging in while its yield stands at 5.1%. At that yield, a $683,797 investment in Realty Income would generate yearly dividend income of $34,873. Not bad.

Small starts will still work, given enough time There are other options, of course. And, you wouldn't want to commit your entire nest egg to a single ticker anyway.

The point is to simply illustrate what's possible -- and not just the sort of reliable dividend income you could achieve once you're done saving for retirement. Just as important is the fact that a relatively modest amount of money tucked away in a growth investment every month can end up being worth far more than you might realize, given enough time.

The chief challenge? Usually, it's just getting started. The sooner you do so, the better.

SkinMedica® launches Regenerative Science Advisory Board to shape future innovation Expands its state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facility to support the next generation of science-led innovation Debuts flagship retail experiences designed to support practice and patients' needs , /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) company, is proud to announce SkinMedica's expanded commitment to regenerative science, advancing investments that will support innovation, research, clinical insight, and patient experience.

"Stemming from its origins in wound-healing research, SkinMedica was founded on the principles of regenerative skincare," said Glen Curran, senior vice president, Allergan Aesthetics. "For more than 25 years, the brand has consistently advanced science-backed solutions, and today we're excited to introduce initiatives that continue to reinforce its mission to support skin health from cell to surface."

SkinMedica's Regenerative Science Advisory Board

SkinMedica has launched the Regenerative Science Advisory Board, a collective of leading physicians, clinicians, and skin health experts from across the country. Through in-person collaboration, virtual consultations, and curated content across SkinMedica-owned platforms, the advisory board will foster scientific dialogue, share clinical best practices, and help bridge breakthrough research with everyday patient care.

"Scientific innovation is most impactful when it is informed by the clinicians and experts who bring it to life every day," said Curran. "We're honored to welcome this distinguished group of thought leaders to the SkinMedica Regenerative Science Advisory Board. Their expertise and real-world perspective will help advance scientific education, strengthen collaboration across the aesthetic community, inform future conversations around skin longevity and innovation; while ensuring we continue to translate breakthrough science into meaningful solutions for providers and patients."

State-of-the-Art R&D Facility

The advisory board reinforces Allergan Aesthetics' leadership in professional-grade skincare and complements its continued investment in SkinMedica innovation, including the recent expansion of the SkinMedica R&D lab in Irvine, Calif.

The state-of-the-art lab supports a broad range of pre-clinical research and sophisticated imaging technologies that provide deeper insight into skin biology. SkinMedica is also leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify novel biological targets, accelerate ingredient discovery, and advance understanding of the cellular drivers of skin longevity to solve for unmet skin concerns.

"The expanded SkinMedica R&D Lab reflects our commitment to advancing the future of skincare through scientific excellence, strategic collaboration, and emerging technologies," said Prithwiraj Maitra, Ph.D., vice president, global skincare R&D, Allergan Aesthetics. "By integrating advanced research capabilities with AI-enabled discovery and clinical expertise, we are accelerating our ability to transform breakthrough science into meaningful innovations that deliver for patients and providers."

Now more than double its previous footprint, the enhanced facility brings together formulation scientists, biological researchers, and clinical experts under one roof to streamline, strengthen, and modernize the development process of next-generation, regenerative skincare.

Educational Shopping Experience at SkinMedica Flagship Stores

Beyond advancing brand education and product development, SkinMedica has also launched its first in-practice flagship retail experience at select, highly regarded medical aesthetics practices nationwide. Designed to extend the physician-guided skincare journey beyond the treatment room, these dedicated spaces provide an immersive environment where patients can test SkinMedica products, learn about the clinical science behind the brand, and further explore the personalized regimens recommended by their provider.

The first flagship locations include Lycia Thornburg, M.D. Dermatology in Rapid City, S.D. and The Skin Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., with additional locations planned to open across key U.S. markets throughout 2026.

To learn more about the SkinMedica range of products, visit SkinMedica.com, and follow along on Instagram @SkinMedica for more from the SkinMedica Regenerative Science Advisory Board and flagship shopping experiences.

About Allergan Aesthetics 
At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture, and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care, and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service, and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. For more information, visit www.allerganaesthetics.com. 

About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, neuroscience and oncology – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

SkinMedica® Important Information    

Most SkinMedica® products are intended to meet the FDA's definition of a cosmetic product, an article applied to the human body to cleanse, beautify, promote attractiveness, and alter appearances. These SkinMedica® products are not intended to be drug products that diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. These products have not been approved by the FDA and the statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

© 2026 AbbVie. All rights reserved. SkinMedica® designs are trademarks of Allergan, Inc., an AbbVie company. SkinMedica.com.

Investors:
Liz Shea
[email protected]
(847) 935-2211

Media:
Ember Garrett
[email protected]
(714) 246-3525  

SOURCE AbbVie

Table of contents

Let me tell you about a highway that got built next to a toll road. Years ago, Ethereum was expensive to use, so engineers built Arbitrum: same destination, fraction of the cost. Billions of dollars drove across it. The token that came with the highway, ARB, was once one of the most anticipated launches in crypto and once commanded a top-40 valuation. Today it costs less than a dime. And this week, in a market where nearly everything bled, the forgotten highway token quietly gained 13.8%. That combination, total abandonment plus sudden relative strength, is exactly the kind of chart this page exists to examine honestly.

ARB trades at $0.08989 as of July 14, 2026, per CoinGecko. Market cap: $572 million, rank 87. 24-hour change: minus 3.4%. 7-day change: plus 13.8%. Volume: $72.9 million.

The Unique Angle: a 13.8% green week inside a 5% red market Context is what makes this move interesting. The global crypto market fell around 5% this week. Solana dropped double digits. Bitcoin slid toward $60,000 on Middle East tensions and inflation nerves. And ARB, the coin the market spent two years walking away from, outperformed almost everything above it.

It was not alone, and the company it kept tells the story. This week’s gainers list reads like a museum of abandoned narratives: DeXe, Zcash last week, Uniswap, Bitcoin Cash, and now the fallen L2. The rotation we have been tracking on this site for a week, capital sliding into old, liquid, ignored names, has reached the layer-2 shelf. ARB is the cheapest famous thing on that shelf.

And here is the number that separates ARB from the stealth rallies we covered earlier. Bitcoin Cash climbed on 2.1% turnover, a rally with no crowd. ARB’s $72.9 million of daily volume against a $572 million cap is 12.7% turnover, one of the highest participation ratios among this month’s movers. People are not drifting into ARB. They are trading it, actively, in size relative to its cap. Whatever this move is, it is not happening in an empty room.

The counterweight, because this page always carries one: high turnover in a fallen token can also mean churn, traders scalping a bounce with no intention of staying. Participation proves attention has returned. It does not prove conviction has.

The One Number That Matters Rank 87. Arbitrum, the largest Ethereum layer-2 by most historical measures of activity, is the 87th most valuable token in crypto.

Sit with that, because it is the entire investment debate in one line. The bull reading: this is a category-defining piece of infrastructure priced like an afterthought, at $572 million, roughly a quarter of what Uniswap costs and a fraction of a percent of Ethereum itself. If the market ever again pays for L2 activity, the repricing distance is enormous; the token traded above $2 at its early-2024 peak, more than twenty times today’s price. The bear reading: rank 87 is not a mistake, it is a verdict. The market spent two years concluding that L2 tokens capture almost none of the value flowing across their highways, and ARB’s collapse is that conclusion, priced. A cheap toll token on a busy road is only a bargain if the token ever collects the toll.

Price Prediction Scenarios Conditions, as always, not conjured numbers.

Base case: the rotation bounce with a ceiling. ARB rides the old-guard rotation while it lasts, chopping between $0.08 and $0.10 with high turnover. The dime, $0.10, is the round psychological wall, and fallen tokens habitually stall at their first big round number while early bouncers take profit.

Bull case: the reprice. If the rotation broadens into a real alt cycle and Ethereum strength returns, the L2 shelf gets repriced as a group, and ARB, as the famous name on it, gets bought first. Above $0.10 with turnover holding near current levels, the next reference zones sit in the mid teens of cents where prior holders live. Let me label it plainly: the path beyond that depends on the value-capture question resolving in the token’s favor, and that is speculation about governance and fee decisions, not chart analysis.

Bear case: the dead-cat verdict. Bounces in abandoned tokens fail more often than they stick. If the macro storm extends, rotation money leaves the speculative shelf first, and ARB losing $0.08 would mark this week as churn, not change. Below $0.08 the chart returns to its long program of lower lows, and the next update of this page will be shorter and sadder.

Key Levels Support: $0.08, the line the whole bounce stands on. Resistance: $0.10, the dime, the first round number and the first real test. The band is narrow in cents and wide in percent, which is the nature of assets at this altitude: a two-cent move is a 22% event. Size for that.

Both Sides of the Highway The bull case: genuine infrastructure with real usage, the highest turnover among this month’s rotation names, a 13.8% counter-market week, and a twenty-fold gap to its own former price as the measure of what a narrative revival could reprice. The bear case: two years of relentless decline reflecting a real doubt about whether the token captures any value at all, the risk that this week is scalpers churning a bounce, and a macro backdrop actively hostile to speculative recoveries. Both cases are honest. The dime will referee them.

Bottom Line ARB at $0.08989 is the market testing whether it regrets anything. The bounce has real participation behind it, the rotation context supports it, and the round number above will tell us quickly whether attention is becoming conviction. Above $0.10, the revival conversation starts. Below $0.08, the market’s two-year verdict stands. The highway keeps running either way. The question, as it has always been with ARB, is whether the token ever gets paid for the traffic.

This article is for information only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets are extremely volatile and you can lose your entire stake. Always do your own research.

Frequently Asked Questions What is the Arbitrum price today? ARB trades at $0.08989 as of July 14, 2026, down 3.4% in 24 hours but up 13.8% over the week, with a $572 million market cap at rank 87.

Why is Arbitrum going up this week? ARB rose 13.8% while the broad market fell about 5%, with high participation: daily volume near 12.7% of its market cap. The move fits the wider rotation into older, liquid, heavily discounted names seen across the market this month.

Why did ARB fall so much from its highs? ARB traded above $2 at its early-2024 peak and now sits more than twenty times lower. The prolonged decline reflects market doubts about how much value layer-2 tokens capture from network activity, plus successive supply unlocks over time.

Can Arbitrum reach $1 again? $1 is roughly eleven times today's price and would require both a full alt cycle and a resolution of the token value-capture question. Treat it as a distant bull scenario, not a 2026 expectation.

Is Arbitrum still used? Arbitrum remains one of the largest Ethereum layer-2 networks by activity. The gap between network usage and token price is precisely the debate this page describes; verify current network metrics before leaning on either side.

Is ARB a good investment in 2026? ARB offers a famous-name recovery trade with real volume behind this week's bounce, against two years of decline and an unresolved value-capture question. High risk, clearly defined levels: interesting above $0.08, confirmed above $0.10.

Robinhood Chain Makes the Case That Ethereum Is Far From Dead

Airbnb founder and CEO thinks the success of tokenizing real-world assets depends on trust embedded in the governance and trustworthiness of the hosting system itself.

Unity Software (NYSE:U | U Price Prediction) occupies a curious intersection: a strategic asset with a depressed valuation. Shares closed most recently at $30.68, down 30.5% year to date, giving the company a market cap of roughly $13.4 billion. Yet the underlying business is accelerating: Q1 2026 revenue reached $508.24 million, up 16.8% year over year, and Vector, the AI ad engine, was 80% larger than a year ago.

CEO Matt Bromberg was blunt on the Q1 call: “There is no company in the world better positioned to win in this marketplace than we are.” CFO Jarrod Yahes added that “there is a high threshold as we evaluate M&A opportunities.” Unity has signaled discipline on M&A, yet the assets, the Unity 6 engine, Unity Runtime behavioral data, Vector, and roughly 70% mobile game creation market share, make it a magnet for larger platforms.

4. Apple: The Longest Shot Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), at a $317.31 share price and a $4.7 trillion market cap, has the cash. Vision Pro needs 3D content. But Apple prefers acqui-hires (i.e., buying a business primarily to recruit its talented employees), not $13 billion platform deals, and Unity’s ad business would clash with Apple’s privacy stance. Despite a strategic fit, cultural and regulatory friction dwarfs any strategic fit.

3. Microsoft: Regulatory Baggage Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) has the financial firepower ($2.9 trillion market cap, 46.3% operating margin) and gaming rationale via Xbox. Satya Nadella’s $37 billion AI run rate gives him ad-tech logic too. Post-Activision antitrust scrutiny makes another mega gaming deal a slog.

2. Sony: The Natural Fit Sony (NYSE:SONY) is the intuitive buyer: PlayStation runs on developers who overwhelmingly use Unity. At a $20.68 share price, Sony has a $121.4 billion market cap, and its ¥500 billion buyback signals capital discipline. The obstacle is that swallowing a $13 billion U.S. software firm would be outside Sony’s typical M&A comfort zone.

1. Nvidia: The Strongest Case Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) fits best. Omniverse, Isaac GR00T, and DRIVE Hyperion all need a real-time 3D engine and developer network. Nvidia’s $4.9 trillion market cap and 63% profit margin mean Unity represents a rounding error on Nvidia’s balance sheet. Jensen Huang says, “Agentic AI has arrived,” and Unity Runtime’s behavioral data would supercharge simulation and robotics training. Antitrust risk is lower than Microsoft’s, and the industrial logic is highest. (For readers tracking this theme, 24/7 Wall St.’s Next Nvidia Playbook report frames the broader compute-plus-content stack.)

Where Private Equity Fits A Thoma Bravo-style buyer could absorb Unity’s $403.9 million FY25 free cash flow and compress margins. But $2.15 billion in cash combined with a $2.24 billion convertible note stack complicates LBO math. PE ranks below Nvidia and Sony, roughly level with Microsoft, and ahead of Apple.

Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Microsoft didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

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Key Takeaways Albemarle shares fell 25.5% in a month as weaker lithium prices pressured the stock.ALB is expanding lithium capacity, improving productivity and cutting costs to support growth.Albemarle expects lithium demand to witness a 10-20% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, led by storage. Albemarle Corporation’s (ALB - Free Report) shares have tumbled 25.5% in the past month, underperforming the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry and the S&P 500’s declines of 6.7% and 0.1%, respectively. 

Falling lithium market prices are weighing on the ALB stock lately. Lithium prices have pulled back amid slowing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in China, an inventory glut and prospects of increased supply from mine restarts and capacity additions. EV orders have slowed in China, the world’s biggest lithium consumer, while demand in energy storage systems remains healthy.

Meanwhile, China’s battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) has reportedly secured a safety production permit to resume production at its Jianxiawo lithium mine, with operations expected to resume soon. CATL suspended operations at the mine in August 2025, following the expiry of its mining permit. Mineral Resources has also announced the restart of operations at its fully-owned Bald Hill lithium mine in Western Australia. The mine was placed on care and maintenance in November 2024 amid weak lithium market conditions.

ALB’s One-month Price Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Reflecting the retreat in lithium prices, ALB stock broke below its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) on May 15, 2026. It also slipped below its 200-day SMA on June 23, 2026. Nonetheless, the 50-day SMA is reading higher than the 200-day SMA following a golden crossover on Sept. 3, 2025.

Albemarle Trades Below 50-Day SMA Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Let’s take a look at ALB’s fundamentals to analyze the stock better.

Growing Lithium Demand and Productivity Aid ALBAlbemarle is well-placed to gain from long-term growth in the battery-grade lithium market. The market for lithium batteries and energy storage remains strong, offering significant opportunities for the company to develop innovative products and expand capacity. Lithium demand is expected to grow on the back of significant global EV penetration.

ALB expects lithium demand to witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10-20% from 2025 to 2030. Stationary storage is expected to be a significant driver for lithium demand along with EVs. Albemarle expects demand to grow roughly 15-40% this year. Demand indicators stayed positive in the first quarter of 2026, with global Energy Storage Systems production rising 117% year over year.

The company is strategically executing its projects aimed at boosting its global lithium conversion capacity. It remains focused on investing in high-return projects to drive productivity. Healthy customer demand, capacity expansion and plant productivity improvements are supporting its volumes. ALB saw higher sales volumes (up 14% year over year) in its Energy Storage unit in the first quarter on the strength of its integrated conversion facilities.

The Salar yield improvement project in Chile has achieved a 50% operating rate, and the ramp-up continues to deliver encouraging outcomes. ALB has started the environmental permitting process for a commercial direct lithium extraction project at Salar de Atacama. The ramp-up at the Meishan lithium conversion facility in China is also progressing ahead of schedule.

Albemarle is taking aggressive cost-saving and productivity actions. The company delivered roughly $450 million in cost and productivity improvements for full-year 2025, having surpassed its initial target of $300-$400 million. It expects additional cost and productivity improvements of $100-$150 million in 2026, with $40 million already delivered this year. ALB is taking actions to maintain its competitive position, including the initiation of a comprehensive review of cost and operating structure, optimization of the conversion network and reduction of capital expenditure.

ALB’s Strong Financial Health Supports Capital AllocationAlbemarle remains committed to driving shareholder value by leveraging healthy cash flows and strong liquidity. Its operating cash flow was around $1.3 billion in 2025, up roughly 86% from the prior-year period. At the end of the first quarter, ALB had liquidity of around $2.7 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of around $1.1 billion. ALB generated an operating cash flow of $346 million and free cash flow of $248 million in the quarter.

The company paid down $1.3 billion of outstanding debt in March 2026, reducing annual interest expense by roughly $60 million. This followed the successful divestments of the controlling stake in Ketjen and its 50% interest in the Eurecat joint venture, which together generated $670 million in pre-tax proceeds.

The company remains focused on maintaining its dividend payout. It has raised its quarterly dividend for the 30th straight year. ALB offers a dividend yield of 1.3% at the current stock price. Its peers, Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM - Free Report) and Rio Tinto Group (RIO - Free Report) , have a dividend yield of 3.6% and 5.6%, respectively.

ALB’s Earnings Estimates NorthboundThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 for ALB has been revised upward over the past 60 days. The consensus estimate for second-quarter 2026 has been going up over the same time frame.

 The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is currently pegged at $13.06, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 1,735.2%. Earnings are expected to increase roughly 2,818.2% in the second quarter.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

A Look at ALB’s ValuationALB is currently trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2.34, above the industry’s 0.88. It is trading at a modest discount to Sociedad Quimica and at a premium to Rio Tinto. Both Albemarle and Sociedad Quimica currently have a Value Score of C, while Rio Tinto has a Value Score of B.

ALB’s P/S F12M Vs. Industry, SQM and RIO Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

How Should Investors Play ALB Stock?Albemarle is gaining from increased lithium volumes, supported by project ramp-ups, ongoing efforts to expand its global lithium conversion capacity and productivity improvement initiatives. The company remains well-positioned to benefit from the long-term expansion of the battery-grade lithium market. Robust growth prospects and rising earnings estimates are some other positives. Although ALB trades at a premium valuation, its strong fundamentals and earnings growth potential justify the higher multiple. Notwithstanding the recent pullback in lithium prices, we advise investors to bet on this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock now, as it has solid earnings growth prospects.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page.

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

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PALO ALTO, Calif., July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upwork Inc. (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world's human and AI-powered work marketplace, today released its second annual Future Workforce Index 2026, a study of 2,400 U.S.-based skilled knowledge workers combined with Upwork Marketplace platform data. The research finds that over 1 in 3 skilled U.S. knowledge workers now freelance, up from roughly 1 in 4 a year ago, as AI restructures which work commands a premium. 

The Future Workforce Index is Upwork’s annual research report on the future of work, exploring how AI adoption, workforce models, and changing career preferences are reshaping skilled work. Key findings from the report include:

Not all AI work is gaining value, and the split comes down to judgment, not just usage. Freelancers performing AI work on the Upwork Marketplace earn 34% more per hour than those not incorporating AI, but not all AI work is becoming more valuable. For example, generative AI and creative production work saw 90% year-over-year growth in contract starts while per-contract earnings declined 13%, suggesting that lower-complexity AI execution may become less lucrative as it scales.Complex AI-augmented work is driving higher earnings and new roles. Freelancers doing more complex work with AI saw earnings increase 45% year-over-year. AI-augmented professional services — where domain experts integrate AI into established fields — grew 72% in volume with earnings rising 22%. The research points to the early emergence of the "AI Orchestrator": a professional who connects AI tools to domain expertise, applies human judgment, and turns AI-enabled execution into business outcomes.Skilled freelancing is accelerating. Skilled freelancers now represent 38% of U.S. knowledge workers, up from 28% the prior year. At the same time, 58% of full-time employees now say they are considering freelancing, up from 36% the prior year. This shift suggests workers are seeking out more control over how they build expertise, choose projects, and monetize their capabilities as AI reshapes which skills are valuable.
Freelancers are among the fastest adopters of new tools, which makes their earnings and behavior a reliable early signal for where the broader labor market is heading. The findings suggest that the next phase of AI adoption will depend less on deploying more tools and more on developing and accessing the human expertise required to make them useful.

"There is a puzzle in the AI data: adoption is everywhere, but productivity gains are still hard to see. In a recent survey my colleagues and I conducted of nearly 6,000 executives, most firms reported little measurable impact from AI so far," said Nick Bloom, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and member of Upwork’s Economic Advisory Council. "Upwork's data adds an important clue. The value is not showing up evenly; it is concentrated in more complex work where people are applying expertise, judgment, and business context on top of AI."

The findings carry implications for both businesses and workers.

“As AI agents continue to proliferate, the advantage for talent will come from becoming an AI Orchestrator, someone that can direct, integrate, and be accountable for agents across complex workflows,” said Jennifer Brett, PhD, who joins Upwork as its new Managing Director of the Upwork Research Institute.

Brett, who previously held senior research and insights roles at Attentive, LinkedIn, and Google, will lead the Institute's research agenda on the future of work, AI's role in workforce transformation, and the evolving dynamics of the independent talent economy.

“For businesses, giving employees access to AI tools is only the first step. The real work is redesigning workflows, identifying skill gaps, and investing in employee learning to close those gaps and deliver results. Companies that treat AI as a technology rollout rather than a talent strategy will struggle to close the gap between adoption and outcomes,” Brett adds.

Explore the full findings of the Future Workforce Index here.

Methodology
The Future Workforce Index 2026 is based on a survey of 2,400 U.S.-based skilled workers conducted March–April 2026. Skilled workers were determined by targeting a representative sample of U.S. workers and limiting participants to those working above the administrative level across skilled organizational functions with earnings above a minimum threshold, as determined by analyzing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data. The margin of error is 2% at the 95% confidence level. The report also draws on Upwork platform data, including AI-related work categories, contract starts, hourly earnings, and YoY earnings trends, using an LLM-based pipeline to identify and classify AI-related jobs by how AI is being used.

About the Upwork Research Institute
The Upwork Research Institute is committed to studying fundamental shifts in the workforce and providing business leaders with the tools and insights they need to navigate the present while preparing their organizations for the future. Using proprietary platform data, global survey research, and academic collaborations, the Institute produces evidence-based insights to help create the blueprint for the new way of work. Learn more at upwork.com/research.

About Upwork Inc.
Upwork Inc.'s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond.

Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at upwork.com and follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at go-lifted.com.

Media Contact
Janine Kamwene
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ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE:NOW) shares are trading lower Tuesday in sympathy with IBM, which posted preliminary second-quarter earnings.

ServiceNow stock is taking a hit today. Why are NOW shares down? ServiceNow and IBM have a long history of close collaboration, having announced an expanded partnership just last week to modernize enterprise systems and unlock data for AI at scale. That deepening relationship makes ServiceNow’s stock more sensitive to shifts in sentiment around IBM’s business performance.

IBM reported preliminary Q2 revenue of $17.2 billion, up 1% year-over-year but below the $17.86 billion consensus estimate, with CEO Arvind Krishna calling the results “disappointing” in a letter to investors. Adjusted EPS came in at $2.93, below the $3.022 estimate, while GAAP diluted EPS was $2.27, down 2% year-over-year.

According to Krishna’s letter, the shortfall was driven primarily by weaker-than-expected performance in IBM’s Z mainframe business and its associated software stack. Clients shifted capital expenditure toward servers, storage and memory purchases in the final weeks of June to secure supply-constrained infrastructure ahead of expected price increases — a dynamic that contributed to numerous large deals failing to close on IBM’s expected timelines.

ServiceNow Shares DropNOW Price Action: At the time of publication, ServiceNow shares are trading 7.96% lower at $102.40, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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