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Nykredit A S purchased a new stake in VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 76,828 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,040,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bayban bought a new position in shares of VICI Properties in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Dynamic Wealth Strategies LLC bought a new stake in VICI Properties during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. State of Wyoming acquired a new position in VICI Properties during the second quarter worth $26,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in VICI Properties during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of VICI Properties in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.71% of the company’s stock.

VICI Properties Trading Down 0.1% Shares of VICI Properties stock opened at $25.39 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $27.96 billion, a PE ratio of 9.84 and a beta of 0.65. VICI Properties Inc. has a 1 year low of $25.34 and a 1 year high of $33.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 1.98. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $26.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.59.

VICI Properties (NYSE:VICI – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.71 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.04 billion. VICI Properties had a net margin of 67.50% and a return on equity of 9.66%. VICI Properties’s quarterly revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.60 EPS. VICI Properties has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.450-2.470 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that VICI Properties Inc. will post 2.46 EPS for the current year. VICI Properties Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, September 17th will be paid a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 17th. This is a positive change from VICI Properties’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.2%. VICI Properties’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.77%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on VICI shares. Mizuho reduced their price objective on shares of VICI Properties from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $30.00 price objective on VICI Properties in a report on Friday, July 31st. Raymond James Financial set a $29.00 target price on VICI Properties in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. Barclays lowered their price target on VICI Properties from $34.00 to $31.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald cut their price objective on shares of VICI Properties from $34.00 to $32.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 10th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, VICI Properties currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $31.00.

View Our Latest Analysis on VICI

VICI Properties Profile (Free Report)

VICI Properties (NYSE: VICI) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in experiential real estate, with a primary focus on gaming, hospitality and entertainment assets. The company acquires, owns and manages a portfolio of destination properties and leases those assets to operators under long-term agreements, generating rental income and partnering on property development and capital projects. VICI was formed in connection with the restructuring of Caesars Entertainment and has since grown through acquisitions and strategic transactions to expand its footprint in the gaming and leisure sector.

The company’s portfolio is concentrated in major U.S.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than VICI Properties 3 Under-the-Radar Defense Stocks With Record Backlogs This Korea ETF Has Soared, But the Rally May Not Be Over Why Guidewire’s Post-Earnings Plunge May Not Last Ride-Share Reckoning: Tesla Drives Into Uber’s Lane Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VICI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI – Free Report).

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The platform combines advanced detection, investigation and management capabilities into a single modular solution, helping insurers detect, investigate and disrupt fraud with tools tailored to their unique risk profiles.  | Source: Verisk Analytics, Inc.

LONDON, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK), a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, today announced Verisk Fraud Discovery, a fraud prevention platform that unifies fraud intelligence, advanced analytics, network analysis, digital media forensics, and case management into a single, scalable solution.

The launch comes at a time when insurance fraud is evolving rapidly, with economic pressures driving more opportunistic fraud and organised fraud networks increasingly exploiting technology and data gaps to evade detection. In 2024, UK insurers detected £1.16bn in fraudulent claims across 98,400 cases, an industry estimates a similar amount may go undetected. As fraud networks become more sophisticated, insurers are seeking connected intelligence, investigation and case management capabilities that help reveal patterns and relationships that might otherwise remain hidden.

"The insurance industry is facing increasingly complex fraud risks that often span multiple parties, claims and points in the insurance journey," said James Burge, Global Head of Fraud at Hiscox. "As fraud becomes more organised and interconnected, insurers need better ways to connect intelligence across underwriting, claims and investigations. Verisk's approach helps create greater visibility into potential fraud networks and further strengthens our evolving fraud prevention capabilities.”

Verisk's Fraud Discovery platform combines fraud intelligence, analytics, network analysis, digital media forensics and investigation workflows to help organisations:

Uncover hidden relationships across people, organisations, policies and claimsDetect opportunistic, organised and coordinated fraud activityAnalyse images and documents for signs of manipulation, alteration and deepfakesPrioritise investigations and resources using risk insights and intelligence-led decisioningStreamline investigations and case management through a single workflowImprove fraud visibility and collaboration across underwriting, claims and fraud teamsTransform data into actionable intelligence Designed as a modular platform, organisations can adopt capabilities based on their fraud maturity and operational requirements, from early-stage fraud detection to advanced investigative workflows. This flexibility enables insurers to strengthen fraud prevention efforts while creating a foundation for more connected investigative operations over time.

Early adoption by leading insurers and legal partners

Hiscox, Allianz and law firm Weightmans are among the organisations adopting Verisk Fraud Discovery at launch, reflecting demand for more connected approaches to fraud investigation, intelligence sharing, and case management.

Mike Brown, head of fraud at Weightmans, said, “Fraud continues to undermine both the UK and global economy. Our collaboration with Verisk represents a major step forward in equipping us and our clients with advanced technology to better identify and respond to fraud.”

For decades, Verisk has helped insurers combat fraud through trusted industry data, advanced analytics and investigation technologies. Its anti-fraud solutions help organisations identify suspicious activity, uncover connections between people, claims and businesses, and focus investigative resources where they can have the greatest impact. Today, Verisk supports fraud detection and investigations across the insurance ecosystem and continues to develop connected intelligence solutions that help insurers respond to increasingly complex and organised fraud activity.

  ###

About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) is a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry. It empowers clients to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global risks, including climate change, extreme events, sustainability and political issues. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk helps build global resilience for individuals, communities and businesses. With teams across more than 20 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.

Contact Data Mary Keller 339-832-7048 [email protected]

 | Source: Brookfield Asset Management Ltd

Initial $1bn (c.£750 million) commitment will be invested across Brookfield’s global investment strategies
Investment portfolio structured to reinvest capital and deliver long term compounding
Partnership aims to help the Nuclear Liabilities Fund achieve the required returns to cover the future costs of nuclear decommissioning in the UK

LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield today announced that it has been selected by the Nuclear Liabilities Fund ("NLF") to manage a long-term, multi-asset investment mandate, with an initial $1bn commitment.

The mandate will be managed by Brookfield’s Investment Solutions Group (“ISG”). Building on Brookfield’s longstanding experience developing customized solutions for institutional investors, ISG draws on the investment capabilities across Brookfield to construct portfolios tailored to clients’ specific objectives, risk parameters and investment horizons. ISG is chaired by Oaktree Co-Chairman Howard Marks and led by Alper Daglioglu.

NLF’s portfolio will invest globally across Brookfield’s infrastructure, energy, private equity, real estate and private credit strategies. Investments are expected to include a combination of fund commitments, direct investments and co-investments.

The partnership has been structured around the distinctive long-term nature of NLF’s liabilities associated with decommissioning eight of the UK’s nuclear power stations. By aligning the investment horizon of the portfolio with NLF’s multi-decade funding requirements, the mandate is designed to support long-term capital growth and compounding of investment returns over an extended period, with the goal of helping NLF meet future decommissioning costs.

For NLF, the mandate supports its purpose to invest assets responsibly so that future decommissioning costs can be met without unnecessary reliance on taxpayers. The portfolio will emphasize disciplined capital allocation, with investment proceeds expected to be reinvested into new opportunities over time rather than routinely distributed, enabling capital to remain invested across market cycles and seeking to enhance long-term net investment outcomes.

Alper Daglioglu, Head of Brookfield’s Investment Solutions Group, said: “NLF has an exceptionally long investment horizon, and that creates an opportunity to invest differently. Our partnership is built on a shared belief in long-term thinking, disciplined capital allocation and the power of compounding over decades. We will draw on the breadth of Brookfield capabilities to customize a portfolio around NLF’s specific objectives and continue to evolve that portfolio as opportunities and needs change over time. We are honored by the trust NLF has placed in us and recognize the responsibility that comes with this mandate.”

Melissa Hope, CEO of the Nuclear Liabilities Fund, said: “Our mandate is to ensure that sufficient assets are available to meet the future costs of decommissioning eight of the UK’s nuclear power stations. Following a competitive selection process, Brookfield stood out for its depth of global investment capability, long-term perspective and disciplined approach to portfolio construction and governance. This partnership is designed to support our obligations over a multi-decade horizon and Brookfield’s breadth of capabilities, long-term investment approach and experience investing through multiple market cycles make them a natural partner for this important mandate. We look forward to working together in the years ahead.”   

About Brookfield Asset Management

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM) is a leading global alternative asset manager, headquartered in New York, with over $1 trillion of assets under management across infrastructure, energy, private equity, real estate, and credit. We invest client capital for the long-term with a focus on real assets and essential service businesses that form the backbone of the global economy. We offer a range of alternative investment products to investors around the world – including public and private pension plans, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, insurance companies and private wealth investors. We draw on Brookfield's heritage as an owner and operator to invest for value and generate strong returns for our clients, across economic cycles.

For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfield.com.

About the Nuclear Liabilities Fund

Established in 1996, the Nuclear Liabilities Fund is an independent ring-fenced fund to meet the costs of decommissioning eight nuclear power stations in the UK. To date circa £3bn of decommissioning costs have been paid. The decommissioning programme is expected to continue into the next century, with NLF protecting both current and future generations from costs associated with generation of nuclear power. NLF assets are invested to optimise growth and achieve returns to meet the fund’s long-term obligations.

For more information, please visit our website at www.nlf.uk.net.

Notice to Readers

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of other relevant securities legislation, including applicable securities laws in Canada, which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future results, events or conditions, and include, but are not limited to, statements which reflect management’s current estimates, beliefs and assumptions and which are in turn based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. The estimates, beliefs and assumptions of Brookfield are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and other uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “foresee”, “could”, “estimate”, “goal”, “intend”, “plan”, “seek”, “strive”, “will”, “may” and “should” and similar expressions. In particular, the forward-looking statements contained in this press release include statements referring to the structure and impact of the partnership between Brookfield and NLF.

Although Brookfield believes that such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable estimates, beliefs and assumptions, certain factors, risks and uncertainties, which are described from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in the United States and Canada, not presently known to Brookfield or that that Brookfield currently believes are not material, could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements.

Readers are urged to consider these risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based only on information available to Brookfield as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, Brookfield undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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AAPL foldable upside

Buy Apple (AAPL). The foldable is modeled to add ~$14B quarterly revenue on ~6.5M units, and Apple doesn’t need mass adoption—premium pricing can lift average selling price and ecosystem pull. If Apple frames demand as supply-constrained (initial demand > supply) and holds upgrade momentum, the market’s “sell-the-news” fear fades fast.

Key Risk: Apple guides to weaker-than-expected foldable demand because the price jump triggers sticker shock and unit volumes disappoint.

AAPL price-elasticity hedge

Sell Apple (AAPL) into the event if management signals broad price increases without clear demand strength. The setup is a valuation that already ran up ~20% this year; if investors conclude demand is elastic, the stock can re-rate quickly on “expectations vs. reality.”

Key Risk: Apple’s guidance shows demand is strong enough to offset higher component costs, preventing a sell-the-news re-rating.

Apple could be one day away from unveiling a new iPhone capable of generating $14 billion in quarterly revenue, but Wall Street thinks the event could become a sell-the-news moment.

Morgan Stanley expects Apple’s first foldable iPhone to ship about 6.5 million units in the December quarter, generating roughly $14 billion, or 16% of iPhone revenue.

But the launch may bring some of Apple’s steepest price increases in years.

Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring called the foldable “the biggest iPhone form-factor change since iPhone X.”

The bank expects Apple to build 7 million to 8 million foldable units in the second half of 2026 and as many as 20 million over the first product cycle. Initial demand is expected to exceed supply.

The revenue math is powerful because the device is expected to carry a high price. Morgan Stanley models the 512GB version at about $2,399, while a 2TB model could reach $3,199.

Apple therefore does not need the foldable to replace hundreds of millions of conventional iPhones immediately.

A small number of premium buyers could generate billions in additional sales because each unit may cost more than twice as much as a standard flagship.

That makes the foldable financially meaningful long before it becomes mainstream.

The problem is that the foldable is arriving as Apple faces higher memory costs.

AI data-centre demand has pushed up prices for DRAM and NAND, forcing smartphone makers to choose between absorbing higher component costs or passing them on to customers.

KeyBanc Capital Markets sees that trade-off as a negative catalyst.

According to Investing.com, the firm warned that broad price increases could trigger “sticker shock” and hurt unit volumes. It kept an Underweight rating and a $250 price target.

Morgan Stanley also expects Pro-model prices to rise by more than $200 year on year, making the September 9 launch a test of demand elasticity.

That matters because Apple shares have gained nearly 20% this year. The stock closed at $319.97 on September 4, leaving investors heading into the event with optimism embedded in the valuation.

If prices surprise on the upside but demand expectations do not, the launch could quickly become a sell-the-news event.

The bullish counterargument is that Apple’s customers may be better equipped to absorb higher prices.

Citi analyst Asiya Merchant said Apple should remain “one of the most resilient vendors through the downturn,” citing its premium customer base, financing options and access to components.

That resilience matters because the foldable is a halo product. Apple does not need enormous volumes if the device lifts average selling prices, attracts affluent users and strengthens the ecosystem.

IDC expects Apple to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027, capturing roughly 40% of the foldable market. The research firm also expects the category to generate more than $45 billion in value for Apple by then.

But tomorrow’s event is still a test of expectations as much as technology.

PARIS, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magnite (NASDAQ:MGNI), the largest independent sell-side advertising company, today announced the launch of its first agentic campaign in EMEA in collaboration with the trading desk, Amnet France. The results offer a real-world look at the benefits agentic buying can have on improving the outcomes of premium CTV campaigns.

Using natural language prompts, Amnet leveraged Magnite’s buyer agent to build and activate a video campaign through ClearLine on behalf of a leading automotive manufacturer. Through Magnite Orchestration, the Magnite buyer agent communicated with the Magnite seller agent to identify and activate relevant premium CTV supply aligned with the campaign objectives, streamlining the path from buyer intent to execution. Rather than manually configuring campaign settings, identifying publishers and creating deal structures, the Amnet team was able to spend more time focused on strategy.

The results included an approximate 70% reduction in campaign setup time and a strong video view-through rate (VTR) of 95. The agent also surfaced relevant inventory and optimisation opportunities that may not have been identified through traditional manual workflows, helping teams make more informed campaign decisions.

Barbara Thuillier-Romeri, Ad-Tech Manager, Amnet France said: "As AI continues to mature, we wanted to understand how agentic technology could deliver practical value and complement the way we operate today. Working with Magnite gave us the opportunity to evaluate how their buyer agent could enhance the way our teams execute campaigns and drive stronger outcomes. We look forward to leveraging more of the product’s capabilities going forward, and are excited by the potential for this to evolve how we approach campaigns.”

“AI is only as valuable as the inventory and data it can access," added Edouard Schmidt, Commercial Director, France at Magnite. “Because Magnite’s buyer agent is embedded directly into the buying workflow, it can surface optimisation opportunities as they emerge and allows buyers to act on them faster to improve both operational efficiency and campaign performance. The results achieved with Amnet reinforce the value of connecting intelligence directly to execution, and we're excited to build on that momentum with more clients across EMEA.”

About Magnite
We’re Magnite (NASDAQ: MGNI), the world’s largest independent sell-side advertising company. Publishers use our technology to monetize their content across all screens and formats including CTV, online video, display, and audio. The world’s leading agencies and brands trust our platform to access brand-safe, high-quality ad inventory and execute billions of advertising transactions each month. Anchored in bustling New York City, sunny Los Angeles, mile high Denver, historic London, colorful Singapore, and down under in Sydney, Magnite has offices across North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC.

About Amnet
Founded in 2012, Amnet France is a leading programmatic trading desk helping more than 200 advertisers in France and internationally, helping brands address a wide range of digital marketing challenges, from brand building and performance marketing to drive-to-store strategies, audience creation and data-driven targeting. Amnet delivers programmatic campaigns across all major digital channels, including Display, Video, Social, Audio, Connected TV (CTV), and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH).

Media Contact:
Eric Van Damme: [email protected]

Monday.com (MNDY -6.43%), a workplace production software developer that has pushed into the customer relationship management (CRM) space, saw its stock rise an impressive 16% last month. Investors didn't react well to the company's second-quarter results, but the solid performance of a notable peer known for its CRM offerings ultimately helped turn the tide.

A tough crowd of investors Monday.com's quarterly results hit the headlines just before market open on Aug. 10. These revealed that the company's revenue for the period was 22% higher year over year at nearly $365 million. Net income not under generally accepted accounting principles (non-GAAP, or adjusted) also headed north, rising nearly 13% to $65.6 million, or $1.48 per diluted share.

Image source: Getty Images.

That meant a double beat for Monday.com, as the consensus analyst estimate for revenue was just under $356 million, and that for adjusted profitability stood at $1.11 per share.

Monday.com's growth numbers were enviable, and the company fully expects more. It proffered guidance for both its current (third) quarter and the entirety of 2026 that anticipates notable improvements.

For the latter period, it's modeling revenue ranging from almost $1.47 billion to slightly over that number, which would shake out into year-over-year growth of at least 19%. It also forecast adjusted operating income of $230 million to $234 million.

Yet the top end of that revenue range basically meets, and doesn't exceed, the average analyst estimate. Investors also pored over mildly concerning developments in the earnings report, such as the net revenue retention growth rate. These factors, plus lingering negative sentiment toward legacy software companies in our age of artificial intelligence (AI), led to a sell-off in Monday.com's stock.

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The end of the software slump? The major development that reversed this was another second-quarter earnings report -- this one for fiscal 2027 -- published late in the month. It was from CRM king Salesforce, which delivered an earnings report that featured a more than doubling of adjusted net income.

That figure crushed the average analyst projection, and the company also notched a convincing beat on full-year, bottom-line guidance.

At a stroke, Salesforce's powerful performance made the investing community notably more bullish on legacy software stocks generally, and CRM companies specifically. Monday.com got a late-in-the-month lift on both dynamics.

The question now is whether it has the momentum to continue. Its stock still looks cheap to me, both on a per-share basis and relative to its valuations. The current forward P/E (on adjusted earnings) of under 14 feels quite low given the company's recent improvements in fundamentals, and the fact that it runs a reliably high-margin business. I would consider loading up on its stock at its still-bargain level.

XPENG has officially commissioned its humanoid robot production lines and completed the production-lines manufacturing of the world's first advanced humanoid robot, which autonomously walked off the lines, marking a critical leap from R&D prototyping to production-lines manufacturing. XPENG's humanoid robot production lines feature core process automation exceeding 80%, setting a new manufacturing benchmark with a precision, flexible, and intelligent production line. XPENG extends its automotive-grade manufacturing capabilities to robotics, marking a critical step toward mass production. , /PRNewswire/ -- XPeng Inc. ("XPENG" or the "Company,"NYSE: XPEV; HKEX: 9868), a leading global Physical AI company, today announced that its humanoid robot production lines are now in operation, and the world's first advanced general‑purpose humanoid robot made its debut by autonomously walking off the lines after completing production. This achievement signifies a key leap from R&D prototyping to line manufacturing and an important advance toward volume production.

Press Kit Link: https://wetransfer.com/downloads/64c97a585428373656af84cd175c55e820260908011306/cf28c8fe399b5db33258de769e27cca220260908011306/5cd228

XPENG's robot production lines are the world's first automated production lines for advanced humanoid robots, deeply integrating the mature automotive-grade quality systems of the smart electric vehicle industry with precision manufacturing for humanoid robot. Built to automotive-grade quality standards, it establishes a quality system for mass production of advanced humanoid robots. Designed for scale from day one, with over 80% of core processes automated, the lines deliver a high-precision, highly flexible, and intelligent manufacturing system, ensuring consistent critical-process quality and laying the foundation for scaled production and rapid capacity expansion.

He Xiaopeng, Chairman & CEO of XPENG, said: "The robot production lines were created from scratch with no precedent to follow. Today's step is small, but XPENG is building the production lines for an entirely new product category. Looking ahead, XPENG will continue to explore faster production rhythms and greater scale in robot manufacturing, charting a new path toward a leading robot manufacturing industry in China and globally."

As a key pillar of XPENG's Physical AI strategy, XPENG's next-generation IRON is an advanced humanoid robot combining highly human-like form and movement with AI-driven intelligence, designed to meet the highest safety standards. It is being developed as an advanced general-purpose humanoid robot platform, capable of supporting a broad range of applications and continuously improving through self-reinforcement in the real world.

XPENG IRON features an industry-leading human-like form and design, with a proprietary fully enclosed flexible lattice structure designed to balance aesthetics and safety. With 76 degrees of freedom (DOF) across the body and 21 in each hand, IRON delivers industry-leading levels of dexterity and mobility. On the intelligence side, XPENG IRON is powered by three Turing AI chips delivering up to 2,250 TOPS of effective computing power. This computing power enables XPENG to deploy its Physical AI foundation model directly on the robot, enabling IRON to autonomously perform complex tasks without remote operation, while ensuring low-latency inference and enhanced data security.

Mr. He said, "We aim to build a new type of robot with full generalization capabilities that can truly become part of everyday life, create a better life for people, and ultimately become a companion in their lives." And he put on a staff badge for IRON, symbolizing that it has officially become a member of the XPENG team.

Looking ahead, XPENG robots are scheduled to enter mass production by the end of this year, with initial commercial-scenario rollouts beginning in XPENG's own stores and campuses. Official market launch and delivery in China and overseas markets are planned for 2027.

XPENG remains committed to its physical-AI and globalization strategy, continuously building three growth curves: automotive, robotics, and globalization. The rollout of the first advanced general-purpose humanoid robot and the activation of the production lines mark another important milestone in the ongoing implementation of XPENG's physical-AI strategy. Given the high technical barriers and limited high-quality supply in the advanced general-purpose humanoid robot segment, the gross margin per unit is expected to be significantly higher than that of new energy vehicles. As XPENG's robotics business accelerates into scaled manufacturing and commercialization, its value as the Company's second growth curve is rapidly becoming visible.

On August 24, XPENG's robotics business has entered into share purchase agreements with multiple investors, raising over US$900 million at a post-money valuation of over US$6.3 billion, which marks the largest single-round private capital raise in China's embodied AI industry to date. This is a strong endorsement from the capital markets of XPENG Group's leading position, technology roadmap, scaled manufacturing capabilities, and long-term commercial value in the physical AI domain.

From a unified physical AI foundation model, to different intelligent embodiments, to scaled manufacturing, XPENG is progressively connecting the full chain from model base and product R&D to industrialized deployment, bringing AI out of the digital world into the real world, and into the broader physical world.

About XPENG

XPENG is a global leader in physical AI, dedicated to bringing artificial intelligence into the physical world and redefining future mobility and smart living. The company has built a full-stack self-developed physical AI technology system covering Turing AI chips, physical world foundation models, and highly integrated software and hardware applications. Based on its unified technology foundation, XPENG has developed products including smart electric vehicles, Robotaxi, and humanoid robots, driving the scaled deployment of physical AI. Headquartered in Guangzhou, China, XPENG has dual primary listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. With an international R&D, manufacturing, sales, and service system, XPENG brings smarter, safer, and better lifestyles to users worldwide through continuous technological innovation and an open physical AI ecosystem. For more information, please visit XPENG's official website at https://www.xpeng.com/.

SOURCE XPeng Inc.

Friday's rally made Sandisk the S&P 500's top performer before its September 21 index promotion. Summary

Summary: Index demand meets a NAND business already growing revenue at triple-digit rates.

Sandisk Corporation SNDK, the flash-memory powerhouse, earned promotion to the S&P 100 before trading opens September 21. The announcement followed an explosive Friday session that sent the stock 11.9% higher to $1,740, making it the S&P 500's biggest gainer and pushing its market value to roughly $273 billion. U.S. markets were closed Monday.

The operating numbers are just as dramatic. Sandisk's latest quarterly results showed revenue rocketing 372% to $8.97 billion, gross margin expanding to 84.6% and data-center revenue more than doubling sequentially to $2.98 billion. Management also lifted the remaining share-repurchase authorization to $15.5 billion and projected as much as $10.8 billion in revenue for the coming quarter.

That repurchase capacity represents approximately 5.7% of Sandisk's market capitalization, while S&P 100 admission could unlock another wave of index-fund demand. Yet the GuruFocus chart flashes a clear warning beneath the spectacular growth: Sandisk's GF Score is only 51 out of 100, with strong growth and financial strength offset by weak GF Value and momentum readings. Sandisk has squeezed exceptional profits from the memory boom, but sustaining a $1,740 valuation will require its long-term customer agreements to hold firm when NAND supply eventually catches up.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

Click for the complete disclosure

Tim Cook just stepped down as CEO of Apple (AAPL -2.51%) after a storied 15-year tenure. During his time as CEO, Apple stock returned 2,720% to investors, including dividends, which is a tough act to follow. The pressure is on for new CEO John Ternus as he takes the reins. Here's what to expect.

More than an apple a day The first iPhone came out in 2007, when Steve Jobs was still CEO, and Tim Cook turned it into the world's top-selling smartphone. According to Counterpoint Research, Apple accounted for the three top-selling smartphones in the 2026 second quarter, and according to Statista, there are an estimated 1.6 billion active units today, with the company shipping nearly 248 million units in 2025 alone. iPhone sales have increased by more than 20% over the past three quarters,and The Wall Street Journal has called it "the most lucrative product in history."

Apple CEO John Ternus. Image source: Apple.

Cook also developed several significant products and services over his time as CEO, including Apple Pay and Apple TV streaming, and he got the company started with Apple Intelligence. However, while Apple's hyperscaler competitors have launched major artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, Apple has lagged.

Can Ternus deliver? There had been reports of several candidates for Cook's replacement, and the choice of Ternus, who had previously headed the company's hardware division, tells shareholders how it's thinking about the future. Apple's edge is in hardware, where it differs from the other major tech giants; most of them are software companies. It has grown in importance through its focus on the user experience and ecosystem, which is what brings loyal customers back again and again.

However, Ternus is taking on the top role at a time when Apple is facing challenges. Management has said that soaring memory prices are leading to some price hikes, and it's already feeling some margin pressure. The market is highly anticipating developments in Apple Intelligence, and the updated Siri voice assistant is rolling out. Apple stock briefly surpassed $5 trillion before the latest earnings report, but it fell on the news of margin pressure and the guidance for lower iPhone sales growth.

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These are short-term factors, though. Ternus can revive the stock if Apple Intelligence impresses investors and if the company creates the kind of innovations it's known for. Ternus was on the 2026 fiscal third-quarter earnings report (ended June 27), but so far, shareholders haven't heard too much from him.

Apple has its Surprise and Shine event on Sept. 9, where it's expected to launch several iPhone 18 models, as well as the iPhone Ultra foldable phone and other new products. It will be the first time investors get to hear Ternus as CEO.

Keep in mind, though, that even if Ternus is successful in bringing Apple into a new era, it isn't possible to deliver another 2,720% in gains for Apple stock. The base is just too big for that kind of growth. It can still offer value to shareholders, but that kind of growth is only possible for new start-ups.

Cathay's ultra-long-haul trial gives Alphabet a climate showcase, although commercial terms remain undisclosed. Summary

More than 80 flights tested technology targeting a major source of aviation warming.

Alphabet GOOGL, Google's search, cloud and artificial-intelligence powerhouse, expanded its contrail-fighting AI program with Cathay Pacific Monday. More than 80 flights in the initial trial delivered an estimated 40% reduction in contrail-related warming. U.S. markets were closed, leaving Alphabet at its previous closing price of $335.31.

The partnership takes Google's technology into Asia-Pacific and, for the first time, onto ultra-long-haul routes. Its platform blends satellite images, weather intelligence and AI-generated forecasts to flag atmospheric zones where pilots can change altitude and reduce persistent contrail formation.

Alphabet's latest quarter generated $119.8 billion in revenue, with Google Cloud contributing $24.8 billion. The chart shows Alphabet trading 32.75% above its $252.58 GF Value estimate, signaling that investors already expect plenty from its AI ambitions. Cathay disclosed neither a contract value nor a commercialization plan, making this a sharp demonstration of real-world AI utility—but not yet a meaningful revenue engine.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Both software giants report earnings Sept. 10, but Morgan Stanley sees very different setups for the two stocks. Summary

Morgan Stanley raised its Oracle target to $210, implying about 32% upside

Oracle Corp. (ORCL, Financials) and Adobe are scheduled to release earnings on the same day. Morgan Stanley thinks this one is considerably better positioned.

The bank boosted its Oracle price target to $210 from $207 signaling about 32% upside but with an Equal-weight rating.

Analyst Sanjit Singh anticipates Oracle's cloud revenue growth to be near the high end of management's 58% to 64% projection, driven by new compute capacity for AI workloads.

Wall Street estimates suggest Oracle's quarterly revenue will grow approximately 28% to $19.13 billion and adjusted earnings will be $1.74 per share.

Adobe has a different problem. Morgan Stanley has an Underweight rating on the stock with a $240 target, which implies around 10% downside.

Not just one quarter of worry. Investors are anxious to see how Adobe's growth strategy will alter under new leadership. Anil Chakravarthy will succeed longstanding CEO Shantanu Narayen on Dec. 1. That makes Sept. 10 very intriguing.

Oracle needs to prove that its big bet on AI infrastructure is boosting its cloud sales. Adobe needs to sell investors on growth holding up through another big leadership change.

More positive on Oracle in the immediate term is Morgan Stanley.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Robbins LLP is investigating allegations that defendants misled investors regarding Dick's growth and profitability in light of the integration of recently acquired Foot Locker.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins LLP notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE: DKS) on behalf of shareholders who purchased common stock between September 8, 2025, and August 24, 2026. The legal action follows a sharp decline in the company's market value after disappointing financial results linked to its acquisition of Foot Locker. Investors who suffered losses during the class period can get more information Robbins LLP.

On August 25, 2026, Dick's reported second-quarter revenue from Foot Locker of $1.73 billion, missing analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. The company simultaneously lowered its full-year 2026 net sales guidance and disclosed that it expected Foot Locker's proforma comparable sales to decline by as much as 2.0%—a significant reversal from the previously forecasted growth of 1.5% to 3%.

Following these disclosures, the price of Dick's common stock fell $55.02 per share, a decline of approximately 30%, to close at $124.31 per share on August 25, 2026.

Allegations of Misleading Disclosures

The complaint alleges that Dick's Sporting Goods misled investors by touting the Foot Locker acquisition as a strategic growth driver while omitting critical information about inventory challenges. Specifically, the lawsuit claims the company failed to disclose that efforts to clean up Foot Locker's inventory were incomplete and that the business remained heavily dependent on legacy footwear products vulnerable to intensifying promotional pressures.

Executive Chairman Edward W. Stack later revealed the athletic footwear marketplace had become "increasingly promotional," which significantly impacted the Foot Locker business due to its "greater exposure to legacy footwear."

Investors who wish to serve as lead plaintiff must move the court no later than November 3, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a court-appointed representative acting on behalf of other class members. While serving as a lead plaintiff is not required to participate in any potential recovery, it allows shareholders to direct the litigation.

Robbins LLP represents investors on a contingency fee basis, meaning shareholders pay no out-of-pocket costs for representation. Additional information regarding the class action and potential eligibility is may contact Robbins LLP by submitting an inquiry, emailing attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or calling (800) 350-6003.

"Companies have an obligation to provide investors with complete and accurate information so that markets can function fairly and efficiently," said Brian J. Robbins, Founding Partner of Robbins LLP. Shareholders can sign up for Stock Watch to receive alerts regarding corporate wrongdoing.

SOURCE Robbins LLP

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Key Takeaways Baxter lifts 2026 sales growth to 3%-4% and adjusted EPS guidance to $1.95-$2.15.Q2 revenues rose 5% to $2.96B, with Advanced Surgery delivering 12% organic growth.Baxter's margins fell as manufacturing costs, tariffs and higher-cost inventory pressured profits. Baxter International Inc. (BAX - Free Report) raised its 2026 sales and adjusted earnings outlook after second-quarter results exceeded expectations. The update gives investors another data point on the company’s early-stage turnaround as operating execution improves.

The remaining question is whether better demand and cost actions can translate into sustained earnings improvement while margins face manufacturing, tariff and pricing pressure.

BAX Lifts 2026 Sales and Earnings ExpectationsBaxter now expects 2026 reported sales growth of 3% to 4%, up from its prior forecast of flat to 1% growth. Organic sales are projected to increase 2% to 3%, compared with the earlier expectation of approximately flat growth.

Adjusted earnings guidance increased to $1.95-$2.15 per share from $1.85-$2.05. Management tied the stronger organic sales view to year-to-date performance and expected second-half growth, while the higher earnings outlook also incorporates the second-quarter tariff refund benefit.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Baxter Q2 Results Show Broad-Based Organic GrowthSecond-quarter revenues were $2.96 billion, up 5% on both a reported and organic basis. Adjusted earnings came in at 56 cents per share, ahead of expectations despite declining 5% from the year-ago period.

Medical Products & Therapies generated $2.08 billion in sales and grew 5% organically, while Healthcare Systems & Technologies posted $801 million and 4% organic growth. Advanced Surgery stood out with $331 million in revenues and 12% organic growth, supported by demand for hemostats and sealants.

BAX Margin Compression Tempers the Earnings BeatThe earnings beat did not remove profitability concerns. Adjusted gross margin fell 210 basis points to 38.6%, while adjusted operating margin declined 90 basis points to 14.2%.

Higher-cost inventory produced in late 2025, manufacturing costs and tariffs weighed on profitability. Medical Products & Therapies also saw a lower contribution from pricing. Baxter still expects full-year adjusted operating margin of 13% to 14%, leaving margin recovery dependent on stronger volumes, cost actions and improved inventory flow-through.

Baxter Novum Hold Remains a Key Guidance RiskThe Novum IQ large-volume pump hold remains an execution risk. Lower Infusion Systems sales in the second quarter reflected the ongoing shipment and installation hold, customer returns and transitions to Spectrum, even as demand for Spectrum IQ remained steady.

Baxter has identified corrections and moved into early verification testing while continuing to work with regulators. The 2026 outlook still includes potential customer uncertainty around the hold, so a delayed normalization could continue to constrain Infusion Systems performance.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX - Free Report) also competes in infusion technology through its Alaris system, underscoring the importance of reliable product availability in this market. ICU Medical, Inc. (ICUI - Free Report) sells IV smart pumps and other infusion-therapy products, giving hospital customers another established alternative within the broader infusion landscape.

BAX Ratings Keep the Outlook BalancedBaxter’s raised guidance improves the earnings backdrop, but margin pressure and the unresolved Novum hold keep the turnaround from looking complete. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), a rating consistent with a more balanced near-term setup rather than a clear directional signal. Both, Becton, Dickinson and Company and ICU Medical, also cayry a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

BAX has a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B and VGM Score of B, providing favorable supporting characteristics across valuation and growth measures. Its Momentum Score of C is less supportive, reinforcing that stronger guidance by itself does not eliminate near-term execution uncertainty

On paper, Applied Digital (APLD +1.77%) has already sold the next 15 years. The artificial intelligence (AI) data center builder has signed leases covering about 1,410 megawatts (MW) of critical IT load (the power available to tenants' computing equipment) across five campuses. Those contracts add up to about $36 billion over their initial 15-year base terms.

And yet the company generated just $611.3 million of revenue in the fiscal year that ended May 31 -- and posted a $249.2 million net loss attributable to common shareholders.

As of this writing, the growth stock sits near $26, well below the $50.73 it touched over the past year, and the market values the company at about $7.7 billion.

The difference is timing. Applied Digital's leases don't pay until the buildings are finished, powered, and handed over. And only 175 MW of the contracted capacity was live as of the company's late-July update.

Image source: Getty Images.

A $36 billion lease bookThe five campuses (three in North Dakota and two in the South) are leased to CoreWeave and two investment-grade hyperscalers. Each lease runs 15 years on a take-or-pay basis, meaning the tenant owes the rent whether or not it uses the space.

Today's business, however, is far smaller than the contracts suggest. Revenue jumped 167% year over year in fiscal 2026, to $611.3 million, but only $99.8 million of that was base rent from the AI campuses. Most of the rest came from crypto mining hosting and from reimbursed work fitting out tenants' buildings. And the net loss widened slightly year over year as overhead and stock-based compensation climbed.

"We believe delivering on time is a genuine differentiator in this industry," CEO Wes Cummins said in the company's fiscal fourth-quarter update. "We brought Polaris Forge 1's first 100 MW online on schedule and have now scaled total live capacity at the campus to 175 MW."

When does the rent arrive?Applied Digital begins recognizing rental revenue when a property is ready for its intended use and the tenant takes possession. In other words, a signed lease on an unfinished building produces no rental revenue at all.

The annual report even warns that significant construction delays can, in certain circumstances, give tenants the right to terminate.

The company's own schedule of minimum lease payments shows how gradually the money arrives: the leases call for $451 million in fiscal 2027. Fiscal 2028's figure is $1.45 billion, and fiscal 2029's is $2.25 billion. In other words, less than $2 billion of the 15-year, $36 billion total (about 5%) arrives before fiscal 2029. Payments quintuple across those three years as buildings come online, with deliveries phased from Polaris Forge 2's first buildings in calendar 2026 out to the second half of calendar 2028. Once every campus is delivered, the leases call for about $2.3 billion of rent per year.

That schedule, I'd argue, is the heart of the case. Take-or-pay contracts leave little doubt about who owes the rent, so long as the buildings get built. What's still open is the construction itself, and big builds can slip.

The financing isn't cheapThe construction bill, meanwhile, is due now. Applied Digital's capital expenditures came to $2.87 billion in fiscal 2026, up from about $680 million the year before.

It ended fiscal 2026 with $5.0 billion of debt against $4.2 billion of cash, much of it restricted. The subsidiaries' senior secured notes carry rates from 6.75% to 9.25%.

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Macquarie Asset Management has also funded $1.8 billion of perpetual preferred equity, with the right to invest up to $4.9 billion more, for the North Dakota campuses. But that money isn't free either, since preferred capital collects ahead of common shareholders.

At about $7.7 billion, the market is paying more than 12 times fiscal 2026 sales -- and over three times the annual rent the finished portfolio is contracted to produce. That valuation arguably bakes in years of smooth construction.

It might all go to plan. Management has delivered on schedule so far, and the leases likely remove most of the demand risk a project like this usually carries.

But most of the buildings don't exist yet, and lenders and preferred holders get paid before common shareholders do. I'd avoid buying shares today. If Applied Digital keeps delivering campuses on schedule (management expects Polaris Forge 2's first buildings to begin coming online in calendar 2026), I would take another look.

Oracle (ORCL +3.08%) closed at $158.78 on Friday, 54% below its record high of $345.72. The stock set that high on Sept. 10 of last year -- one year to the day before its next earnings report, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10.

Shares have been in a hole this deep before. Measured on monthly closing prices, adjusted for stock splits, the stock peaked at $45.47 in August 2000 and fell 83% to $7.86 by September 2002. It didn't close a month above the 2000 level until June 2017, nearly 17 years after the peak.

Before that history scares anyone out of the stock, though, it's worth looking at what made the last recovery so slow. It wasn't the business.

Image source: Getty Images.

The 17-year round tripDaily closing prices tell the same story. The stock's best close of 2000 was $46.31, on Sept. 1 of that year. Shares came within 8 cents of that level in December 2014, faded, and finally closed higher on June 21, 2017. Later that day, Oracle reported its fiscal 2017 results.

And the fall itself was enormous. A stock that drops 83% has to rise nearly 480% just to get back to even.

Today's decline has been shallower, but not by as much as the 54% figure suggests. At its low of $114.50 in late July, the stock was down 67% from its high.

What took so long?To me, the striking part of the dot-com episode is what didn't happen. Demand didn't collapse.

Oracle's revenue rose 7% in fiscal 2001 (the company's fiscal years end May 31), then fell about 12% in fiscal 2002 as customers cut back on technology spending. That was the worst single year. In fact, operating income was higher in fiscal 2002, at about $3.6 billion, than it had been in fiscal 2000.

The problem was the starting price. When the stock peaked in August 2000, Oracle was on its way to earning a split-adjusted $0.44 per share in fiscal 2001, the year then underway. The peak price was more than 100 times those earnings.

However, even a growing business can spend years catching up to a price like that.

By fiscal 2017, revenue had more than tripled from fiscal 2000's $10.2 billion to $37.7 billion, and earnings per share had grown about five times, to $2.21. By the time the stock crossed its old peak in June 2017, it traded at about 21 times earnings.

In other words, the stock didn't so much recover as grow into its old price.

This time, the spending is Oracle's ownThe two declines do share one thing: heavy spending sits at the center of both.

But in 2000, the spending at risk belonged to Oracle's customers, and when they pulled back, revenue dipped. Today the heavy spending is Oracle's own -- and demand is the strong part of the story.

Highlighting that demand, Oracle's fiscal 2026 revenue climbed 17% year over year, to $67.4 billion. Cloud infrastructure revenue did even better, rising 77% to $18.1 billion. Remaining performance obligations (contracted future revenue that hasn't shown up in results yet) ended the year at $638 billion, up from $138 billion a year before. And management expects more, confirming a fiscal 2027 revenue target of about $90 billion, or growth of about 34%.

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Paying for that demand is the hard part. Oracle's operations produced a record $32 billion of cash in fiscal 2026, 54% more than the year before. But capital expenditures jumped 162%, to $55.7 billion, leaving free cash flow at negative $23.7 billion.

The comparison to 2000 breaks down at the valuation, though, and in shareholders' favor. Shares have a price-to-earnings ratio of about 27. Management's fiscal 2027 guidance calls for $8.05 of non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share, so buyers today are paying about 20 times those expected earnings. That could prove expensive if the margins on Oracle's artificial intelligence (AI) contracts disappoint, but it's nothing like the triple-digit price-to-earnings multiple of 2000.

Ultimately, the 17-year round trip is arguably a lesson about starting prices more than a warning about Oracle. Still, I wouldn't buy the stock today. A company that spent about $24 billion more cash than its operations brought in last fiscal year carries real risk if AI demand cools.

But for investors who already own the stock, the dot-com comparison seems like a weak reason to sell. The last long wait began at more than 100 times earnings. Today's starting point is nowhere near that.

Citi has flagged AstraZeneca PLC's (LSE:AZN, NASDAQ:AZN) accelerated approval for Etcamah, known chemically as camizestrant, as a meaningful sentiment driver for the shares.

The oral selective oestrogen receptor degrader has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor for hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer.

The approval applies once an ESR1 mutation is detected during treatment with an aromatase inhibitor and CDK4/6 inhibitor.

It follows a delayed decision date and a negative advisory committee vote of six to three in April, as well as European approval in July.

Citi notes the label is broadly in line with expectations, covering use alongside all three major CDK4/6 inhibitors: abemaciclib, palbociclib and ribociclib.

Patients must be tested using Guardant360 CDx, an FDA-authorised diagnostic approved simultaneously.

As anticipated following the advisory committee hearing, the label carries a boxed warning over QT prolongation and arrhythmia risk, particularly when combined with ribociclib, alongside monitoring requirements.

Citi models the underlying SERENA-6 opportunity at $450 million, risk-adjusted down to $112 million.

That is dwarfed by the potential $6 billion opportunity from SERENA-4, a trial due in the second half of the financial year that could expand Etcamah into the broader first-line HR positive, HER2-negative population.

Citi adds that should SERENA-4 fail, it still sees a $1.5 billion opportunity underpinned by SERENA-6 alone.

Nvidia and Micron Technology are among the most important companies in the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure ecosystem, providing mission-critical chips that facilitate the training of large language models (LLMs) and help run inference workloads in data centers.

Nvidia dominates the AI data center accelerator market with an estimated 80% share, which explains why the company has been clocking terrific growth quarter after quarter. Micron, meanwhile, is benefiting from the strong demand for memory chips used by Nvidia and other chip designers to enable the rapid transfer of large data sets in AI data centers.

Importantly, both semiconductor stocks seem capable of delivering solid gains to investors over the long run, driven by their ability to sustain healthy growth rates amid booming demand for AI infrastructure. However, there is another AI infrastructure stock that's outperforming Nvidia and Micron stock this year -- Dell Technologies (DELL +1.50%).

Let's see why that has been the case.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Strong AI server demand has supercharged Dell's growthDell stock has soared 316% this year, eclipsing the 256% surge in Micron stock and a 23% jump in Nvidia's shares. The booming demand for AI servers, which are used to mount chips designed and manufactured by Nvidia, Micron, and others, has been instrumental in driving Dell's impressive rally.

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Fortune Business Insights estimates that the AI server market could grow from $262 billion in 2026 to $2.85 trillion in 2034 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 35%. Dell is one of the leading players in this market, which explains why its latest quarterly results crushed Wall Street's expectations.

Dell released fiscal 2027 second-quarter results (for the quarter ended July 31) on Sept. 1. The company's quarterly revenue shot up 58% year over year to a record $47 billion. Dell's non-GAAP earnings-per-share growth was even more stellar at 203%, reaching a record $7.04 last quarter. Analysts would have settled for $4.92 in earnings per share on revenue of $44.9 billion.

Dell noted that it sold $16.4 billion worth of AI servers last quarter. Importantly, the company received a record $60.9 billion in AI server orders during the quarter, suggesting that its future revenue pipeline is expanding at a robust pace. It is also worth noting that Dell finished the quarter with a record AI order backlog of $95 billion.

Management also pointed out that its potential revenue pipeline is in "multiples of our backlog," which isn't surprising, given the tremendous long-term growth opportunity in AI servers. The company now expects its AI server revenue to increase 3x in fiscal 2027 to $74 billion. That's well above the overall AI server market's growth rate.

We have already seen that Fortune Business Insights anticipates the AI server market to clock $262 billion in revenue this year. Dell's AI server revenue forecast for this year suggests that it is on track to control 28% share of this market in 2026. More importantly, it could become a bigger player in the AI server market due to its sizable backlog.

Not surprisingly, analysts are now expecting stronger growth from Dell.

DELL Revenue Estimates for Current Fiscal Year data by YCharts

Robust growth and an attractive valuation suggest more upside for investorsDell has increased its fiscal 2027 guidance. It now expects non-GAAP earnings per share of $25.50 this year, a terrific 148% jump over last year. The following chart suggests that Dell's earnings growth could slow down in fiscal 2028 before accelerating the following year.

DELL EPS Estimates for Current Fiscal Year data by YCharts

However, that's unlikely to be the case. Dell's earnings-per-share growth could be way stronger next year, thanks to the rapid growth of the AI server market and its substantial share of this space. So, don't be surprised to see analysts ramp up their earnings-per-share expectations.

The good part is that Dell trades at an attractive 28 times forward earnings despite its multibagger performance in 2026. That's almost in line with the tech-laden Nasdaq-100 index's forward earnings multiple of 24. It ideally deserves to trade at a premium owing to the triple-digit earnings growth it has been clocking, and its ability to outperform consensus expectations.

Assuming Dell's earnings per share reach $34.56 in fiscal 2029 and it trades at 30 times earnings, this AI stock could jump to $1,037. That's almost double its current stock price, though I won't be surprised to see Dell delivering bigger gains on the back of a potentially larger improvement in earnings.

So, investors looking to add a top AI infrastructure stock to their portfolios right now should take a closer look at Dell, as it is well-positioned to sustain its red-hot rally by capitalizing on the secular growth of the AI server market.

AI cloud revenue surged 687% last year, giving investors a new reason to look at a company once known mainly for Bitcoin mining. Summary

IREN shares have gained about 23% in five days

IREN Ltd. (IREN, Financials) was a simple corporation to describe. It dug Bitcoin. Now investors are beginning to think about something else.

IREN shares have soared roughly 23% in the last five days as Wall Street has paid more attention to the company's fast-growing AI cloud division. The figures explain the excitement.

AI cloud sales climbed to $128.8 million in fiscal 2026 from $16.4 million a year ago. That represents a rise of over 700%. The rest of the quarter was, well, not so impressive.

Revenue declined 27 percent from a year earlier to $137.2 million, and the business reported an adjusted loss of 41 cents a share. But both numbers were better than analysts had predicted. That was enough to push AI back into the spotlight.

Iren controls a lot of electrical infrastructure, which has suddenly become quite valuable as corporations scramble for electricity and data-center capacity for AI.

Bernstein has alluded to the company's aspirations to grow toward about 2 gigawatts of electricity capacity by 2029. That leaves IREN with an interesting second phase.

Bitcoin mining has helped construct the infrastructure. Eventually, AI could be the business that matters most to investors. Next test is if AI cloud revenue can increase quickly enough to justify stock's recent rally.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Analysts still see substantial upside, but another large share unlock could test the stock this week. Summary

About 319 million additional shares become eligible for sale Sept. 9

SpaceX (SPCX, Financials) has rebounded since its August lows. And now another test. Even after bouncing back to around $147, the stock is still down about 34% from its high of $225.64 in June. Wall Street hasn't abandoned it.

Bernstein has a $248 goal while Oppenheimer recently upped its price target to $280. Both companies see tremendous upside if SpaceX can continue to grow Starlink, improve Starship economics and develop its newer AI opportunities.

But there's something more immediate for investors to look at. Another 319 million shares will become eligible for sale starting Sept. 9. A further tranche of 59 million shares arrives on Sept. 10. That doesn't mean all those shares will be sold.

But it does imply more stock can get into the market. And that incremental supply matters after a tumultuous first few months as a public firm.

The bullish argument for SpaceX is straightforward. It dominates commercial launch. Starlink keeps growing. And AI infrastructure is increasingly seen as another potential growth engine by experts.

Valuation is the tougher question. Investors are paying for a lot of future success already. Over $2 trillion worth. That basic fact makes Sept. 9 crucial.

SpaceX needs purchasers that buy into the long-term story, but not only that. They may also require enough of them to absorb a lot more of the available supplies.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Nvidia (NVDA +0.84%)'s stock is having another terrific year in 2026, rising by around 24% thus far. Although it was initially off to a poor start, it's beating the market yet again, as the S&P 500 has risen by a more modest rate of 13%.

The tech giant has been leading the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution with its cutting-edge chips, and its recent quarterly results showcased just how strong demand remains, with its growth rate accelerating from the previous quarter.

Currently, the AI stock is trading around $230 as it approaches a new all-time high. Is it still a good buy at its current levels?

Image source: Getty Images.

Nvidia's valuation looks low given the growth it's been generatingAt around $5.6 trillion in market cap, Nvidia is easily the most valuable company in the world. What's striking, however, is just how inexpensive the stock is given its high level of profitability.

The stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 29. While that is a bit higher than the S&P 500 average of 24, it's arguably warranted given just how strong its growth has been. Nvidia's revenue for its most recent period, which ended on July 26, totaled $96.2 billion -- a whopping 106% increase year over year. That's a significant acceleration from the 85% growth it reported three months earlier.

Paying such a modest multiple for this type of growth makes Nvidia's stock look like a steal of a deal. CEO Jensen Huang also remains bullish on the future growth of the business, now that AI tokens are paying off. "AI has reached its inflection point. It's doing useful work. Its tokens are productive and profitable. Now, compute is revenue," Huang stated in the company's earnings release.

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The caveat with Nvidia's stockNvidia has been a growth beast and its business looks as though it's ramping up at a time when many investors may have assumed it might be due for a slowdown, given an increase in competition. In light of its recent numbers, it wouldn't be surprising for Nvidia's stock to continue to hit new heights this year.

The one risk with the stock, however, is that it depends heavily on many interconnected tech companies and on their continued commitment to spending big on AI. If there's a pullback in AI spending, that could have a drastic and sudden impact on Nvidia's growth. While that doesn't appear likely today, if there's an economic downturn or interest rates rise, there may be increased pressure for companies to scale back capital expenditures. It's a risk that investors who buy Nvidia's stock need to be aware of, because while its valuation doesn't look all that high right now, things could change quickly.

TSMC's $265 Billion U.S. Bet Is Becoming Part of Taiwan's Chip Diplomacy Summary

TSMC is investing $265 billion in Arizona

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM, Financials) has built one of the most prominent positions in global technology over decades. That position is now splitting the organization in two directions.

Taiwan wants to keep innovative chip-making at home. The U.S. and Europe want to produce more of it domestically. TSMC is already reacting.

The business is investing $265 billion in Arizona and other Taiwanese companies are planned another $20 billion in investment in the U.S. It's not only about factories.

TSMC manufactures many of the powerful circuits that fuel the AI growth including chips designed by Nvidia. That makes Taiwan hugely significant in a supply chain that is increasingly seen as strategic by countries. The pressure to move production offshore is only intensifying.

US authorities have cautioned that chip tariffs could hurt companies who do not produce products in the US. Meanwhile, Europe is seeking to attract more investment from Taiwan. The closeness of TSMC to its clients can help offset geopolitical risk.

But there's a catch. It costs more to produce chips outside Taiwan and TSMC's edge has always been about manufacturing efficiency.

That leaves investors with one clear question. TSMC can develop more plants across the world. The harder thing is doing it without throwing out the economics that made the corporation so dominant.”

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Key Takeaways Canadian National moved a record 2.50 MMT of grain in August, topping the prior August record of 2.34 MMT.CNI's added capacity, customer coordination and operating execution supported higher volumes and reliability.CNI's 2026-2027 Grain Plan targets adequate resources and capacity to handle the upcoming harvest. Canadian National Railway (CNI - Free Report) set a new record for grain movement in August 2026. The company moved 2.50 MMT of grain during the month, exceeding the previous August record of 2.34 MMT set in 2020. Strong demand and efficient network operations are likely to remain supportive as the company enters the new crop year.

The record grain movement reflects a robust start to the 2026–2027 crop year as the harvest season advances across Western Canada and new grain starts moving through the supply chain. The strong performance also indicates effective coordination with customers and other supply-chain partners, along with consistent execution of CNI’s operating plan. The company’s ability to unlock incremental capacity supported higher volumes while strengthening service reliability across the grain supply chain.

Looking ahead, Canadian National’s 2026-2027 Grain Plan positions the company to handle the upcoming harvest with adequate resources and capacity. Continued focus on reliable service and operational execution should help CNI capitalize on grain demand and support volume growth in the upcoming crop year.

CNI Share Price PerformanceCNI’s shares have gained 14.3% over the past six months compared with the  Transportation - Rail industry’s 14.2% growth.

CNI Stock’s Six-Month Price Comparison Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CNI’s Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, CNI carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may consider Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (EXPD - Free Report) and Seanergy Maritime Holdings (SHIP - Free Report) . 

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

EXPD has an expected earnings growth rate of 28.6% for 2026.  The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 17.15%.

Seanergy Maritime Holdings currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

SHIP has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average beat of 38%.

Key Takeaways DELL launched the student-focused Dell 14S, pairing portability, battery life and accessible pricing.DELL consumer revenues rose 7% to $1.8 billion, marking a fourth straight quarter of demand growth.DELL's CSG revenues are expected to rise about 15% in fiscal Q3 and grow in the mid-teens for fiscal 2027. Dell Technologies (DELL - Free Report) is benefiting from improving demand across its Client Solutions Group (CSG), supported by PC refresh activity and an expanding consumer portfolio. The company recently introduced the Dell 14S, an affordable lightweight laptop for students and young adults. The device features a 13.5mm aluminum chassis weighing 1.15 kg, four color options and up to 21 hours of battery life. It offers 2K 60Hz and 2.8K 120Hz display options and is powered by Intel Core 5 and Core 7 Series 3 processors. The Dell 14S is expected to become available in North America this fall and complements the premium XPS 13, potentially helping DELL address a broader range of price points and consumer use cases.

The student-focused launch could help DELL sustain consumer demand by combining portability, battery life and premium design with a more accessible price point. The Dell 14S is designed for everyday workloads ranging from classes and study sessions to video calls and multitasking, broadening DELL’s appeal among first-time buyers and younger customers. Expanding its consumer lineup could enhance DELL’s competitive positioning against HP (HPQ - Free Report) and Apple (AAPL - Free Report) , which maintain strong notebook portfolios.

Dell Technologies’ consumer momentum is already improving. In the second quarter of fiscal 2027, consumer revenues increased 7% year over year to $1.8 billion, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of demand growth. Total CSG revenues increased 20% to $15 billion, while operating income reached $1.1 billion, or 7.6% of revenues, benefiting from pricing discipline and greater scale. Dell Technologies’ expects CSG revenues to increase roughly 15% in the fiscal third quarter and grow in the mid-teens for fiscal 2027.

DELL Faces Tough CompetitionHP is strengthening its competitive position through product breadth, artificial intelligence (AI) PCs and aggressive cost optimization. Personal Systems revenues climbed 18% year over year to a record $11.8 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, while consumer revenues increased 10%. HPQ gained share in premium PCs, while AI PCs represented 46% of its mix and are expected to reach 60-70% in 2027. HP is using design-for-cost initiatives and demand shaping to optimize configurations for specific markets, strengthening its ability to compete on value.

APPL presents a particularly strong challenge in education. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Mac revenues increased 29% year over year to $10.4 billion, driven by MacBook Neo and MacBook Pro, while Apple recorded its best-ever quarter for customers new to Mac. MacBook Neo is gaining substantial traction in the education market. Pinellas County Schools is transitioning 25,000 students from Windows devices, while other districts purchased thousands of units. Roughly half of large MacBook Neo purchases by U.S. educational institutions displaced Windows and Chromebook devices. Apple Financial Services and the new Apple Upgrade leasing program further strengthen its affordability proposition.

DELL’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Dell Technologies have appreciated 316.3% year to date, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s 17.9% growth.

DELL Stock’s Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

DELL stock is trading at a premium, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18.85 compared with the broader sector’s 20.80. Dell Technologies has a Value Score of C.

DELL’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dell Technologies earnings is currently pegged at $6.64 per share, up by $2.32 over the past 30 days, suggesting 156.37% growth.

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

Key Takeaways AEHR secured $22 million and $41 million in AI-related orders as processor testing demand expands.AEHR is broadening its AI exposure through another processor supplier and a hyperscale customer.AEHR expects fiscal 2027 revenue of $130 million-$150 million as AI testing production ramps up. Aehr Test Systems, Inc. (AEHR - Free Report) is gaining traction in AI semiconductor testing as AI chips become more complex and costly. Its wafer-level burn-in technology allows manufacturers to screen devices before packaging, helping identify early-life failures while protecting costly components and advanced substrates. This is becoming increasingly relevant as AI infrastructure scales and processors enter high-volume production.

The opportunity is already translating into orders. In August 2026, AEHR received a $22 million follow-on order from its lead AI processor customer for FOX-XP wafer-level burn-in systems, with shipments expected within six months. The order followed a $14 million purchase in February, adding to earlier production momentum and reflecting the relationship’s move toward sustained production and broader deployment.

AEHR is also broadening its AI exposure beyond one customer. The company has reported successful wafer-level benchmark results with another major AI processor supplier, which is evaluating pilot production and an additional device. Its Sonoma platform is being deployed for package-level burn-in of high-power AI processors. In April, AEHR secured a record $41 million order from a hyperscale customer for custom AI ASIC burn-in.

The opportunity lies in turning these initial wins into recurring systems, WaferPak contactors and burn-in consumables as AI processor volumes expand. AEHR expects fiscal 2027 revenues of $130 million to $150 million, representing 2.6 to 3 times fiscal 2026 revenues. The company’s AI customer base is still developing, but follow-on orders and expanding production ramps suggest AI testing could evolve from a growth area into a durable revenue stream for AEHR.

AEHR Faces Stiff CompetitionAehr operates in a highly competitive semiconductor test equipment market, contending with strong rivals such as Teradyne, Inc. (TER - Free Report) and FormFactor, Inc. (FORM - Free Report) .

Teradyne is benefiting from strong AI-driven demand across compute and memory testing. TER reported Semiconductor Test revenues of $2.2 billion in the first half of 2026, supported by hyperscaler and AI infrastructure spending, while high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DRAM testing add another growth avenue.

FormFactor is expanding its role in AI semiconductor testing through advanced probe cards and test solutions for HBM, advanced packaging and silicon photonics. Rising AI chip complexity is increasing test requirements, supporting demand for FORM’s precision testing capabilities across next-generation computing architectures.

AEHR’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesAEHR’s shares have surged 111% over the past six months, outperforming the broader industry’s 14.3% growth.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Aehr shares are trading at a premium. In terms of the forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S), AEHR is trading at 17.51X, higher than the industry’s 5.54X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AEHR’s fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at 70 cents per share, a sharp increase from 3 cents a year ago.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Aehr currently carries a Zacks Rank#2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Shares of chipmaker Marvell Technology (MRVL +7.05%) have soared more than 160% this year, with its market cap now at $200 billion. The company has been experiencing a surge in demand due to artificial intelligence (AI), providing customers with an alternative to chips from both Nvidia and Broadcom.

Marvell has a lot of potential upside, with Nvidia's own CEO Jensen Huang saying earlier this year that it could be the next trillion-dollar company. While that encouraging forecast did give the stock a boost, it's still nowhere near joining the trillion-dollar club.

What may, however, give the stock a further bump up in value is its upcoming Investor Day, which takes place on Oct. 6, as that could result in more positive news and developments for the company's investors to rally around. Is the tech stock worth buying before then?

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Oct. 6 could be a big day for Marvell's stockWhen a company holds an Investor Day, it can be a positive catalyst for the underlying stock, as it highlights what the business is working on and its long-term growth drivers.

Marvell reported its earnings last month and raised its guidance, as it continues to see exceptionally strong demand for its products. In the second quarter of fiscal 2027, which ended on Aug. 1, the company's net revenue rose by 37%, totaling $2.7 billion. Operating income of $460 million also increased by 35% year over year.

"We are seeing broad-based strength across our data center portfolio, including strong demand in connectivity and a significant acceleration in our custom business beginning in the second half of fiscal 2027," the company stated in the press release announcing the results. It also said it would "showcase" its growth drivers at its upcoming Investor Day event.

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Marvell's stock has a lot of upside, but expectations are also highMarvell has a long way to go in catching up to the top chipmakers in the world, but at the same time, it's also not a terribly cheap stock to own given its level of earnings. It's trading at around 70 times its trailing profits and about 50 times its expected future earnings (according to analyst projections). Heading into Investor Day, expectations will be high, so there's no guarantee the stock will rise after the event.

For long-term investors, however, Marvell could be worth buying now, given the need for alternative chip options as companies continue to invest heavily in AI. But investors should also be wary of the risks of doing so, as Marvell's high valuation does mean there will be some risk with this investment.

David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Broadcom, Marvell Technology, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.