Kongsberg reported a significant increase in orders for the second quarter of 2026, driven by demand for its Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The surge in orders follows Canada’s acquisition of the JSM for its F-35 fighter fleet, marking it the sixth country to adopt the missile. This deal, valued at approximately NOK 4.7 billion, was announced at the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The JSM’s integration into Canada’s defense strategy comes amid heightened European defense spending and geopolitical tensions related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
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Key Takeaways The increase in Kongsberg’s orders appears consistent with heightened military investment, particularly within NATO, and could indicate rising tensions with Russia. Canada’s adoption of the Joint Strike Missile suggests an escalation in NATO’s air-strike capabilities, aligning with broader defense strategies in response to Russian activities. Market pricing suggests an increased likelihood of military clashes between NATO and Russia, with the probability rising slightly in recent days. What to Watch Observers should monitor further military procurement announcements from NATO member countries, which may indicate continued defense build-up. Additionally, diplomatic engagements between NATO and Russia could provide further insight into the evolving geopolitical landscape. Any significant military exercises or maneuvers by either side may influence market perceptions of a potential clash.
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Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Key Takeaways Teradyne's AI chip testing demand and product expansion support a stronger upside than KLAC. TER expects Q2 2026 revenues of $1.15B-$1.25B as AI-related demand fuels semiconductor test growth. KLAC sees advanced packaging growth, but export controls, tariffs and margin pressures remain headwinds. Teradyne (TER - Free Report) and KLA Corporation (KLAC - Free Report) are major players in the AI Infrastructure market. While Teradyne focuses on automated test equipment essential for validating high-performance AI chips, KLA provides advanced process control and inspection solutions that enable manufacturers to produce increasingly complex semiconductors used in AI data centers and applications.
Per an IDC report, global AI infrastructure spending reached a record $318 billion in 2025, more than doubling year over year, and is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2029. According to Gartner, in 2026, the worldwide AI spending is expected to reach $2.59 trillion, representing 47% year-over-year growth. This rapid growth is expected to have been driven primarily by technology vendors and hyperscale cloud providers that are expanding AI infrastructure to meet rising demand for generative AI and agentic AI applications. Both Teradyne and KLA are expected to benefit from this rapid growth pace.
So, TER or KLAC — Which of these AI Infrastructure stocks has the greater upside potential? Let’s find out.
The Case for TER StockTeradyne is benefiting from the growing demand for AI infrastructure, which is driving robust growth across its semiconductor test and robotics divisions. In the first quarter of 2026, the Semiconductor Test (SemiTest) segment alone generated $1.1 billion in revenues, breaking the $1 billion threshold for the first time and more than doubling year over year. This segment saw a 26% sequential increase and more than a 100% year-over-year increase.
Growth is largely attributed to the accelerating demand for AI and data center technologies, with AI-related demand accounting for nearly 70% of Teradyne’s revenues in the first quarter of 2026, up from about 60% in the previous quarter.
The company’s product innovation is supporting its growth. Teradyne’s introductions, such as the Photon 100 platform for silicon photonics and co-packaged optics testing and the Omnyx production board test platform, address critical needs in AI data center build-outs. The Photon 100 is expected to contribute to a TAM expansion opportunity that could reach $300 million to $700 million per year over the midterm.
The Case for KLAC StockKLA continues to benefit from AI-driven spending in leading-edge foundry/logic, high-bandwidth memory and advanced packaging, supporting market share gains in process control and steady services growth that anchors cash generation.
A key factor behind KLAC’s success is its leadership in process control for advanced wafer-level packaging. In 2025, KLAC achieved the #1 position in this segment, and its process control product portfolio revenues for advanced packaging are expected to grow from approximately $635 million in 2025 to about $1 billion in 2026. This reflects accelerating customer adoption as AI drives demand for more complex packaging and integration.
KLAC’s management is confident about ongoing growth. They noted strong demand from customers and a solid sales funnel. The company expects the wafer equipment market to surpass $140 billion in 2026, with even greater growth anticipated for 2027. KLAC’s role is increasing in all areas of semiconductor manufacturing. Process control needs are growing due to the complexity of AI chips and advanced packaging.
Price Performance and Valuation of TER and KLACIn the trailing 12-month period, shares of Teradyne and KLAC have appreciated 277.6% and 151.1%, respectively. The outperformance in Teradyne stock can be attributed to strong AI-related demand, which is driving significant investments in cloud AI build-out as customers accelerate production of a wide range of AI accelerators, networking, memory and power devices.
Despite KLAC’s dominant process control market share, strong AI infrastructure investment and strong momentum in advanced packaging, the company’s prospects suffer from export control and tariff uncertainty, customer concentration and gross margin sensitivity to elevated DRAM-related system costs expected to persist through at least 2026.
TER and KLAC Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation-wise, Teradyne and KLA shares are currently overvalued, as suggested by a Value Score of D and F, respectively.
In terms of forward 12-month Price/Sales, TER shares are trading at 11.24X, lower than KLA’s 17.47X.
TER and KLAC Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Do Earnings Estimates Compare for TER & KLAC?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TER’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $7.20 per share, which has increased 1.55% over the past 30 days. This indicates an 81.82% increase year over year.
However, the Zacks’ Consensus Estimate for KLAC’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.71 per share, which has been unchanged over the past 30 days. This indicates a 11.41% increase year over year.
Teradyne’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 17.05%. KLAC’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 3.99%. The average surprise of Teradyne is higher than that of KLA.
ConclusionWhile both Teradyne and KLA stand to benefit from the booming AI Infrastructure market, Teradyne offers a greater upside potential due to its robust, diversified portfolio, which meets the rising demand for AI-driven technologies and stronger earnings momentum.
While KLAC remains a high-quality AI infrastructure company, its ongoing geopolitical and margin headwinds may temper returns in the near term.
Currently, Teradyne carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), making the stock a stronger pick than KLA, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Earnings season is back in full swing and one of the sectors taking the spotlight this week is regional banks, with several of the largest names in the space reporting quarterly results on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Here’s a look at some of the names to watch in the regional banks sector.
Regional Banks Take SpotlightAlongside the large number of big banks reporting quarterly financial results this week, many regional banks are doing the same.
Here are seven regional banks that report this week:
"It hasn’t only been a few of the large-cap banks that have shined so far in 2026," Freedom Capital Markets Chief Market Strategist Jay Woods said in a weekly newsletter. "The regionals have had a more consistent and steady rally despite a struggling lending landscape and a housing market that usually aids their growth."
Consistent Earnings BeatsLooking at recent quarterly results shows many of these seven stocks consistently beating analyst estimates for earnings per share and revenue.
Here are the recent results compared to analyst estimates for earnings per share and revenue for the past 10 quarters, as tracked by data from Benzinga Pro:
Five of the seven stocks are up 20% or more year-to-date based on Friday closing prices, with the iShares U.S. Regional Banks ETF (NYSE:IAT) up 14.56% year-to-date.
Of the seven regional bank stocks reporting this week highlighted above, there are two names that Woods is watching the most.
"Two of the above still haven’t reached all-time highs. One of them is Truist and the other we highlight in this week’s Stocks in Focus."
Truist is the worst performing of the seven stocks with a year-to-date gain of only 5%, which could be why Woods is watching the stock.
The other stock being watched by Woods is Fifth Third Bank.
"Fifth Third Bank has quietly become one of the stronger performers in the regional banking space. The bank has built its reputation on a diversified business mix that includes consumer banking, commercial lending, wealth management, payments, and treasury services."
Woods says the biggest catalyst for Fifth Third in recent history is the recently completed $10.9 billion acquisition of Comerica, which has now created the nation’s ninth-largest bank.
Shares are up 22% year-to-date and look to build off their recent success when they report Friday morning."
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Monster Beverage (MNST - Free Report) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Individual investors often find it hard to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, since these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time. In these situations, the Zacks rating system comes in handy because of the power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements.
As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Monster Beverage is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. The influence of institutional investors has a partial contribution to this relationship, as these big professionals use earnings and earnings estimates to calculate the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Monster Beverage imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Monster BeverageFor the fiscal year ending December 2026, this energy drink maker is expected to earn $2.31 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Monster Beverage. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 1.1%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Monster Beverage to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Key Takeaways Brown & Brown benefits from higher commissions, strong retention and rate increases across insurance lines.Accession integration and ongoing acquisitions continue to expand scale and drive revenue growth. BRO's diversified business mix and strong cash generation support acquisitions and shareholder returns. Shares of Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) have lost 37.3% in the past year compared with the industry’s 27.9% decline.
The decline reflects slowing organic revenue growth, margin pressure from higher expenses, valuation compression, and concerns that a softer insurance pricing environment could slow premium and commission growth. Despite these factors, the company's strong client retention, new business generation and acquisitions remain intact. Recovery depends on improving earnings growth, stronger insurance market conditions and margin stabilization.
Shares of other insurers like Aon plc. (AON - Free Report) , Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG - Free Report) and Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WTW - Free Report) have lost 0.8%, 19.7% and 6.3%, respectively, over the past year.
1-Year Price Performance - BRO, AON, AJG, WTW & Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BRO’s Average Target Price Suggests UpsideBased on short-term price targets offered by 16 analysts, the Zacks average price target is $74.25 per share. The average suggests a potential 9.7% upside from the last closing price.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BRO’s ValuationShares of Brown & Brown are trading at a discount compared with the Zacks Brokerage Insurance industry. Its forward price-to-earnings multiple of 14.39X is lower than the industry average of 16.35X. It currently carries a Value Score of C.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BRO’s Growth ProjectionThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Brown & Brown’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) indicates a year-over-year increase of 5.9%. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $7.10 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 20.3%. The consensus estimate for 2027 EPS and revenues indicates increases of 8.2% and 5.2%, respectively, from the corresponding 2026 estimates.
Earnings have grown 19.2% in the past five years, better than the industry average of 13.9%. The expected long-term earnings growth rate is 4.8%.
Muted Analyst Sentiment on BROThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings remained unchanged, while 2027 earnings moved 0.2% south in the last 30 days.
Factors That Benefit BROCommissions and fees, the main component of the top line, benefit from increasing new business, strong retention, and ongoing rate rises across most lines of coverage, supporting recurring revenue and earnings visibility. The company surpassed its intermediate annual revenue target of $4 billion in 2024 and now targets $8 billion in revenues. Last year, its revenues reached $5.9 billion. Additionally, strong contingent commission income supports earnings growth, with contingent commissions increasing $54 million in the first quarter of 2026, including a $22 million contribution from the Accession acquisition.
Brown & Brown’s strategic buyouts help it capitalize on growing market opportunities, strengthen its products and service portfolio, expand global reach and accelerate growth rate. From 1993 through the first quarter of 2026, Brown & Brown acquired 725 insurance intermediary operations. Brown & Brown's growth continues to be driven by the successful integration of the Accession acquisition, which significantly expanded the company's scale and contributed approximately $445 million in first-quarter revenues, helping total revenues rise 35.4% year over year.
The company operates across Retail and Specialty Distribution businesses, providing broad exposure to multiple insurance markets. Revenues from the retail segment have contributed a lion’s share to the company’s total revenues. In the first quarter of 2026, retail revenues increased 33.4% year over year, while Specialty Distribution revenues rose 40%. The balanced contribution from multiple business lines reduces reliance on any single product line.
The company also benefits from robust cash generation and disciplined capital allocation. While BRO effectively deploys cash towards acquisitions and capital expenditure, it also distributes wealth to shareholders via dividend increases. The company has an annualized dividend growth rate of 13.2% over the past five years.
HeadwindsBrown & Brown has been experiencing rising expenses due to higher employee compensation and benefits, amortization, other operating expenses and interest expense. These factors are creating pressure on margins despite revenue growth.
BRO's expanding international operations expose it to foreign currency, regulatory and economic risks across global markets. Additionally, rising debt levels from acquisition-driven growth are increasing interest expenses.
Profitability metrics also lag industry levels. Brown & Brown’s return on equity is 12.9%, well below the industry average of 18.8%.
ConclusionBRO’s commission growth, new business, strong retention, strategic buyouts, diversified brokerage platform and impressive dividend history position the company well for growth. Its robust capital position, favorable estimates, and cheap valuation are other positives. However, international expansion risks, unfavorable ROE, rising expenses, and debt levels are the headwinds.
Therefore, it is wise to adopt a wait-and-see approach on this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Investors interested in Computers - IT Services stocks are likely familiar with ExlService Holdings (EXLS) and Vertiv Holdings Co. (VRT). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?
Amphenol (APH - Free Report) appears an attractive pick, as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.
The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
The power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements makes the Zacks rating system highly useful for individual investors, since it can be difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts. These are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Amphenol basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Amphenol imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsEmpirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for AmphenolThis maker of fiber-optic products is expected to earn $4.76 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Amphenol. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 10.2%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Amphenol to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Anyway, it is clear that the situation in the Middle East has deteriorated quickly. Most likely, Iran would respond by attacking vessels that did not receive approval for passage. Iran’s allies Houthis may also try to attack ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Treasury yields moved higher as bond traders reacted to rising geopolitical tensions. The yield of 2-year Treasuries climbed above the 4.26% level, while the yield of 10-year Treasuries settled near 4.61%. Rising Treasury yields put material pressure on gold markets in today’s trading session.
Not surprisingly, U.S. dollar gained ground against a broad basket of currencies as traders bet on hawkish Fed. Strong dollar is bearish for gold and other dollar-denominated commodities as it makes them more expensive for buyers who have other currencies.
Currently, gold is trying to settle below the support level at $4020 – $4040. In case this attempt is successful, gold will head towards the next support, which is located in the $3930 – $3950 range. RSI is in the moderate territory, so there is plenty of room to gain additional downside momentum in the near term.
On the upside, gold needs to settle back above the $4050 level to have a chance to gain upside momentum. In this case, gold will head towards the resistance at $4180 – $4200.
Key Takeaways Amkor is benefiting from rising semiconductor content in premium smartphones powered by on-device AI.AMKR expects Q2 communications revenues to rise mid to high single digits sequentially.Amkor sees premium smartphones, AI, HPC and automotive supporting long-term packaging demand. Amkor Technology (AMKR - Free Report) continues to draw strength from resilient premium smartphone demand, a trend that is directly benefiting its communications business. As device makers pack in more on-device AI, higher-performance application processors, upgraded camera systems, and more advanced 5G connectivity, semiconductor content per handset keeps climbing. This rising complexity is fueling demand for advanced packaging solutions, a space where Amkor is well-positioned to capture growth. The communications segment posted 42% year over year revenue growth in the first quarter of 2026, and management expects sequential growth in the mid to high single digits for the second quarter, reflecting sustained momentum across premium iOS and Android devices.
Amkor's packaging portfolio adds further weight to this opportunity. The company supports application processors, modems, RF front-end modules, memory, sensors and system-in-package solutions, giving it broad exposure across the components that define premium smartphone performance. Semiconductor content in premium smartphones is expected to rise from around $225 currently to nearly $400 over the next several years, driven by richer AI functionality and deeper integration. This expansion should widen Amkor's addressable market and reinforce long-term demand for its advanced packaging technologies.
Premium smartphones are expected to remain a key growth driver for Amkor, supported by its wide reach across leading smartphone platforms and differentiated packaging capabilities. Combined with expanding opportunities in AI, high-performance computing and automotive applications, this positions Amkor to sustain its growth trajectory, with premium smartphone demand set to remain a steady tailwind ahead.
How Amkor Stacks Up Against PeersAmkor is benefiting from the growing semiconductor content in premium smartphones, a trend that is also supporting peers ASE Technology (ASX - Free Report) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM - Free Report) .
ASE Technology continues to expand its advanced system in package and flip chip solutions to support increasingly sophisticated flagship smartphones, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is scaling advanced packaging capacity for next-generation smartphone application processors. Like ASE Technology and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Amkor is well positioned to benefit as smartphone manufacturers integrate more AI features, advanced processors and enhanced connectivity into premium devices. Continued investments by ASX and TSM highlight the robust demand outlook for advanced packaging in premium smartphones, reinforcing Amkor's long-term growth opportunity.
AMKR’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesAmkor shares have surged 78.5% in the year-to-date period compared with the Zacks Electronics - Semiconductors industry’s appreciation of 50.3% and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s return of 17%.
AMKR’s Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Amkor stock is trading at a forward 12-month price/sales of 2.2X compared with the industry’s 9.33X. AMKR has a Value Score of C.
AMKR’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMKR’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 47 cents per share, indicating growth of 113.64% year over year.
AMKR currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways Arista reported 35.1% revenue growth in Q1 2026, driven by cloud, AI and enterprise demand.ANET expanded its Etherlink portfolio with 1.6T platforms to support growing AI infrastructure needs.Arista expects about $2.8B Q2 2026 revenues and projects $11.5B revenues with $3.5B AI revenues in 2027. Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET - Free Report) is witnessing solid revenue growth, backed by solid customer wins and robust portfolio strength. In the first quarter of 2026, revenues increased 35.1% year over year to $2.71 billion, driven by solid momentum across cloud, AI and enterprise markets.
Arista's Etherlink portfolio remains one of the key revenue drivers. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio spanning AI Scale-Out, Scale-Across and the emerging Scale-Up networking architectures. These networking architectures allow customers to seamlessly deploy large AI training and inference clusters. Its 800G Ethernet solutions continue to witness strong adoption, with more than 100 cumulative customer deployments.
Its AI networking capabilities include cluster load balancing, intelligent packet buffering, Smart System Upgrades and EOS software help optimize AI workload performance. Such comprehensive portfolio offerings are gaining traction among hyperscalers, AI cloud providers and enterprise customers.
The company is continuously broadening its portfolio to capitalize on the expanding AI infrastructure spending. It has recently introduced the 7060XE7 Series, a new portfolio of 1.6-terabit networking platforms designed for rack-scale AI infrastructure. The platform expands the company’s Etherlink portfolio and is intended to support both scale-out and scale-up AI fabric architectures as AI workloads grow in size and complexity.
Backed by continued strength in cloud and AI deployments, Arista expects second-quarter 2026 revenues of approximately $2.8 billion. The company also expects $11.5 billion in revenues in 2027, indicating an 27.7% year over year growth. AI-related revenues are projected to reach $3.5 billion.
How Are Competitors Faring?Arista faces competition from Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE - Free Report) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO - Free Report) . In the second quarter of 2026, HPE reported revenues of $10.7 billion, up 40% year over year. HPE’s quarterly performance was supported by strong demand across the portfolio, with orders more than doubling year over year and driving a record backlog. The company is expanding its enterprise AI offerings to make it easier for customers to develop, fine-tune and deploy models across data centers, edge environments and public clouds. The company continues to build turnkey AI factory solutions and Private Cloud AI offerings co-engineered with NVIDIA, aimed at accelerating time to value for inferencing, retrieval, augmented generation and model tuning. The Juniper Networks acquisition is reshaping HPE’s mix by expanding its portfolio across campus and branch, data center switching, routing and security.
Cisco reported revenues of $15.841 billion, up 12% year over year. The growth is driven by solid demand for security products, AI-optimized switching, routing and optics. Cisco continues to expand AI data center offerings, including Nexus innovations, intelligent packet flow and configurable AI pods, which can sustain a higher mix in networking through fiscal 2026.
ANET’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Arista have surged 72.5% over the past year against the industry’s decline of 11.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Arista trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 18.25, above the industry average.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Arista’s earnings for 2026 has remained unchanged, and 2027 has increased over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Arista currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Investors interested in stocks from the Transportation - Truck sector have probably already heard of ArcBest (ARCB) and Saia (SAIA). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
Hungry Howie's and DoorDash Partner to Create a More Seamless Digital Ordering and Loyalty Experience Partnership will support new website and mobile app ordering experiences, enhanced loyalty program, and streamline technology across the brand's ordering ecosystem
, /PRNewswire/ -- Hungry Howie's, the originator of Flavored Crust® pizza, and DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH) today announced a partnership aimed at modernizing Hungry Howie's digital ordering experience. The collaboration will rebuild Hungry Howie's website and native mobile app, introduce a reimagined loyalty program, and help consolidate the brand's technology stack to support long-term growth across Hungry Howie's direct digital channels.
The partnership goes beyond a traditional marketplace delivery relationship. DoorDash will help power Hungry Howie's branded web and mobile ordering experiences, loyalty integrations, and delivery fulfillment capabilities, supporting Hungry Howie's owned channels while also maintaining its presence on the DoorDash app.
"We're strategically partnering with DoorDash because they offer more than just delivery. They give us an enterprise grade platform to modernize our ordering experience, drive digital sales growth, strengthen our connection with customers, and support our franchisees with one unified system," said Steve Jackson, CEO of Hungry Howie's. "It's a meaningful step in how we show up for our guests, both online and at the door."
"Customers expect ordering to be simple, convenient, and consistent wherever they engage with a brand," said KC Fox, General Manager, Commerce Platform at DoorDash. "We're proud to work with Hungry Howie's to help power their digital ordering experience and support their efforts to connect with customers through their own channels while helping franchisees serve their communities."
As part of the collaboration, Hungry Howie's will invest in its owned digital channels, with a focus on driving growth through its app and web ordering platforms. The rebuilt website and app are designed to make digital ordering easier, faster, and more intuitive, with a more streamlined ordering flow, easier navigation and checkout, improved mobile usability, stronger loyalty integration, the ability to gauge and respond to customer sentiment, while keeping a consistent brand experience across digital touchpoints. Enhanced search engine optimization and digital listings management will improve the brand's discoverability, helping Hungry Howie's appear more prominently and consistently across platforms.
Hungry Howie's will also introduce a reimagined loyalty program, powered by DoorDash, designed to be more customer-centric and flexible, with the program set to launch in 2027. The new program is intended to give customers a more seamless way to earn and redeem rewards across relevant ordering channels, while introducing bankable points that give greater flexibility in when and how they use their rewards, reflecting how customers order today.
Customer-facing capabilities will also be unified through Guest Experience Management (GEM), a single, integrated system bringing together online and in-app reviews, customer feedback, and surveys. Historically managed through separate systems, this consolidation gives Hungry Howie's better visibility into customer sentiment and the ability to act on it more quickly to increase ratings on DoorDash, Google, and other listings sites.
The rollout will happen in phases, starting today, with select locations based on customer location and market readiness. The phased approach will allow Hungry Howie's to incorporate learnings from early markets, support franchisees through implementation, and help ensure a consistent customer experience across the system. Hungry Howie's expects all locations to be fully transitioned to the new DoorDash-powered platform by Q2 2027.
This partnership represents a significant enterprise commerce collaboration for the pizza category, with Hungry Howie's leveraging DoorDash Commerce Platform to modernize its digital ordering ecosystem at scale. By bringing together a rebuilt digital platform, a more flexible loyalty program, and a simplified technology stack, Hungry Howie's aims to reduce friction for customers, improve ordering ease, and create a scalable foundation for long-term digital growth.
About Hungry Howie's
Known for inventing Flavored Crust® pizza, Hungry Howie's has been around for more than 50 years and provides customers of all ages high-quality products at a great value. Currently, the brand is approaching 500 stores in 19 states across the United States and their customers are big fans of flavor. The menu aims to satisfy all – with dough made fresh daily in-house at all locations, offering original round, deep dish, thin crust, and gluten-free options, coupled with the array of options for just crust, including 8 free Flavored Crust® options – Butter, Asiago Cheese, Cajun, Butter Cheese, Sesame, Garlic Herb, Ranch, and Italian Herb. No one can live on pizza alone, so Hungry Howie's offers a great selection of calzone-style oven-baked subs, Howie Bread®, fresh salads, Howie Wings®, Howie Rolls®, desserts & Pepsi® products.
MEDIA CONTACT
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If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Ametek (AME - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.
This maker of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 3.65%.
For the most recent quarter, Ametek was expected to post earnings of $1.9 per share, but it reported $1.97 per share instead, representing a surprise of 3.68%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.94 per share, while it actually produced $2.01 per share, a surprise of 3.61%.
Price and EPS Surprise
With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Ametek. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Ametek currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.39%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Key Takeaways Par Pacific benefits from flexible crude sourcing and lower-cost Canadian heavy oil.PARR can switch among inland, imported and Canadian crude as relative prices change.Patterson-UTI reports July 29 as firm oil prices support drilling demand. Beginning next week, companies belonging to the oil-energy sector will start reporting second-quarter 2026 earnings. Per our latest Earnings Trends report, the sector is likely to have seen year-over-year earnings growth of 125.9% for the June quarter of this year, supported by the sharp increase in oil prices following the Iran conflict. With the oil-energy sector remaining the most sought-after, investors should consider the stocks Par Pacific (PARR - Free Report) and Patterson-UTI (PTEN - Free Report) . Before getting into details, let's first analyze the crude pricing environment in the June quarter.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
High Q2 Oil Price
To have an idea of how oil prices behaved in the June quarter, let's analyze the commodity prices from the data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (“EIA”). The average Cushing, OK, WTI spot prices for April, May and June of this year were $100.32 per barrel, $102.13 per barrel and $84.81 per barrel, respectively, per EIA data. Commodity prices were $63.54 per barrel, $62.17 per barrel and $68.17 per barrel, respectively, in April, May and June of 2025, according to the EIA.
Importantly, a constructive oil-price backdrop, backed by the Iran war, is expected to have aided the exploration and production businesses in the June quarter of this year. However, the high crude price is likely to have weighed on refiners in the second quarter, since they buy raw crude to produce final products.
What Lies Ahead?
West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) oil is currently trading below $75 per barrel, according to data from Oilprice.com, significantly down from the more than $100 per barrel mark reached in May this year.
The EIA projects the WTI spot price to average $76.26 per barrel this year, a level that should remain supportive of upstream operations, as many producers have considerably lower breakeven costs. Refiners may also benefit from a more supportive operating backdrop, as crude prices remain well below their recent highs.
2 Stocks to Include in Portfolio: PARR, PTEN
Par Pacific is benefiting from a refining business that remains well-positioned in the current crude-price landscape. Although geopolitical tensions have recently supported crude prices, oil remains well below the highs seen earlier this year. The current price scenario continues to provide refiners like Par Pacific with relatively attractive feedstock costs.
Instead of relying on a single source of crude, PARR has been depending on crude from a variety of sources, comprising U.S. inland oil fields, imported oil delivered by ship and Canadian heavy crude.
Notably, a significant portion of crude oil sources is waterborne, while 22% consists of Canadian heavy oil. While exposed to multiple sources, Par Pacific has the option to switch if the price of one crude oil type rises.
Additionally, having exposure to Canadian heavy oil, which is cheaper than lighter crude, Par Pacific is likely to have been enjoying a cost advantage. In other words, the refining player has been capable of using lower-priced fuel to produce high-value end products, giving it an edge over other refiners and helping it continue its upward trajectory.
Investors should also consider the company’s upcoming earnings report. Par Pacific has not yet announced the date for the release of its second-quarter 2026 results. According to our proprietary model, a company generally needs both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to increase the likelihood of an earnings beat. Although PARR currently carries a Zacks Rank #1, its Earnings ESP of 0.00% means that our model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat this time around. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Patterson-UTI, meanwhile,is expected to continue to gain on the prevailing crude-price scenario. This is because demand for the company’s drilling and completion services will likely remain robust, as the supportive commodity-price backdrop is expected to continue to bolster exploration and production operations. In other words, with increased exploration and production activities, upstream players will hire more drilling and completion services that will, in turn, boost the bottom line of PTEN.
Against this favorable industry backdrop, Patterson-UTI is scheduled to report quarterly earnings after the closing bell on July 29. The chances of PTEN delivering an earnings beat this time around are high as it has an Earnings ESP of +16.19% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.
While many investors like to look for momentum in stocks, this can be very tough to define. There is a lot of debate surrounding which metrics are the best to focus on and which are poor quality indicators of future performance. The Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.
Below, we take a look at Par Petroleum (PARR - Free Report) , which currently has a Momentum Style Score of A. We also discuss some of the main drivers of the Momentum Style Score, like price change and earnings estimate revisions.
It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Par Petroleum currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.
You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>
Set to Beat the Market? In order to see if PARR is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this independent oil and gas company holds up.
Looking at a stock's short-term price activity is a great way to gauge if it has momentum, since this can reflect both the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand at the moment. It's also helpful to compare a security to its industry; this can show investors the best companies in a particular area.
For PARR, shares are up 12.46% over the past week while the Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry is up 6.35% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 17.84% compares favorably with the industry's 4.97% performance as well.
While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Over the past quarter, shares of Par Petroleum have risen 14.74%, and are up 87.62% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved 11.35% and 21.86%, respectively.
Investors should also take note of PARR's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. Right now PARR is averaging 877,325 shares for the last 20 days..
Earnings OutlookThe Zacks Momentum Style Score also takes into account trends in estimate revisions, in addition to price changes. Please note that estimate revision trends remain at the core of Zacks Rank as well. A nice path here can help show promise, and we have recently been seeing that with PARR.
Over the past two months, 4 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost PARR's consensus estimate, increasing from $13.72 to $16.92 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 3 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.
Bottom LineTaking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that PARR is a #1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Par Petroleum on your short list.
Key Takeaways Valero Energy's Gulf Coast reach and feedstock flexibility support higher refining margins.Phillips 66 benefits from tighter fuel markets while sourcing just 1% of crude from the Middle East.Par Pacific's flexible supply chain and unhedged crack spreads offer exposure to rising margins. The energy sector has remained in focus since the onset of the conflict between the United States and Iran. Since then, the energy market has remained on edge, fluctuating from highs of more than $100 per barrel at the height of the conflict to settling near pre-war levels after a peace deal was signed in Switzerland last month. The peace deal facilitated the gradual opening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that accounts for nearly 20% of the world’s energy flows. However, renewed tensions between the two nations have once again raised uncertainty regarding shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, reigniting supply concerns and pushing crude oil prices higher.
The renewed geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East continues to be a major factor providing an upward push to energy stocks, including the refining segment. Supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have tightened refined-product markets at a time when global refining capacity remains constrained. While tensions in the Middle East continue to build, here are three refining stocks worth watching - Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) , Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) and Par Pacific Holdings (PARR - Free Report) .
Middle East Tensions Keep Refiners in Focus Phillips 66 is a leading integrated energy player with exposure across refining, chemicals and midstream business segments. In its first quarter earnings call, management noted that the disruptions in the Middle East are expected to benefit U.S. refining players, including PSX. Supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz have resulted in tightened refined product markets, particularly for jet fuel, supporting stronger refining margins.
In addition, lowering product inventories is expected to support refining fundamentals in the near-term. In addition, PSX remains largely insulated from crude supply disruptions, sourcing only about 1% of its crude from the Middle East, with the majority supplied from Canada, the United States and Latin America. This allows the company to sustain high refinery utilization while benefiting from higher margins.
Valero Energy is among the largest independent refiners in the United States, with a combined high-complexity throughput capacity of nearly 3 million barrels per day across its refineries. Its refining footprint is heavily concentrated along the U.S. Gulf Coast and the Midcontinent, offering feedstock sourcing flexibility, with management emphasizing that crude availability is not a significant constraint for the company. Moreover, its Gulf Coast access enables it to sell refined products in high-demand markets and capitalize on the current increase in export demand for distillates driven by the supply disruptions in the Middle East. This positions Valero to benefit from elevated refining margins and strong international demand for refined products.
Par Pacific operates across refining, logistics and retail, giving it control over multiple parts of the fuel value chain. Management noted that reduced refined-product exports from the Persian Gulf have tightened global fuel inventories and driven crack spreads to record levels. The company believes its commercial positioning and supply chain flexibility enable it to capture a substantial share of this favorable market environment. Additionally, Par Pacific has no crack spread hedges in place, allowing it to benefit from rising refining margins.
PARR sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while VLO and PSX carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in delivering and securing every app and API, today announced the appointment of Cathy Peterman as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. Peterman joins F5’s executive leadership team reporting to Chairman, President and CEO, François Locoh-Donou. In this role, she will lead F5’s global people strategy, driving talent development, organizational design, and culture as the company continues to evolve and strengthen its leadership position in AI and cybersecurity.
“Cathy brings a rare combination of strategic depth and genuine humanity that will raise the bar for how we invest in our people,” said Locoh-Donou. “She and I share a reverence for culture and its impact on driving sustained results. That shared vision will be key as we seize the opportunity in front of us, both in how we work and how we serve our customers.”
Peterman brings 20 years of experience scaling complex technology organizations and guiding enterprises through transformative change. She joins F5 from Wayfair, where she served as Chief People Officer for the company’s technology organization. Additionally, she drove AI transformation and talent development for all 11,000 of the company’s global employees. Prior to Wayfair, Peterman spent six years at Amazon driving talent strategy across three distinct businesses supporting more than 40,000 employees. She held HR leadership roles spanning Amazon Advertising, Amazon Devices, Prime Video & Studios, and Physical Stores.
Her expertise spans enterprise talent development, organizational design, executive compensation strategy, and leveraging AI to accelerate both operational efficiency and human potential. Throughout her career, she has designed and executed large-scale workforce transformations, M&A integrations, and global expansion strategies.
“From my very first conversations, I recognized a company that treats talent and culture as a core strategy rather than a support function,” said Peterman. “It’s rare to find a mature technology company that has continually evolved while maintaining a fierce commitment to putting people first. It’s that powerful combination of growth ambition and human-first leadership that has me thrilled to join this exceptional team and partner with all F5ers to create an environment where everyone can do the best work of their career.”
Peterman holds a BA from Villanova University and an MA from the University of Denver. She is based in Seattle, F5’s corporate headquarters.
About F5
F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) is the global leader that delivers and secures every app. Backed by three decades of expertise, F5 has built the industry’s premier platform—F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP)—to deliver and secure every app, every API, anywhere: on-premises, in the cloud, at the edge, and across hybrid, multicloud environments. F5 is committed to innovating and partnering with the world’s largest and most advanced organizations to deliver fast, available, and secure digital experiences. Together, we help each other thrive and bring a better digital world to life.
For more information visit f5.com
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Investors with an interest in Internet - Software stocks have likely encountered both PagerDuty (PD) and F5 Networks (FFIV). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?
Key Takeaways Tehran announced an indefinite closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with U.S. military forces Brent crude oil prices jumped 4.4% in immediate market reaction European natural gas prices climbed 3.5–4%, reaching their highest point in a month Bond yields across the Eurozone remained elevated near multi-week peaks on inflation worries Current European gas storage stands at 47%, down from 56% recorded at the same time in the previous year Tehran’s announcement to seal off the Strait of Hormuz has sent tremors through global energy markets, driving significant increases in both oil and natural gas prices while intensifying inflation anxieties throughout the European continent.
The blockade was announced as indefinite following renewed military confrontations between Tehran and American forces during the weekend. Despite U.S. Central Command’s statements that commercial vessels can still navigate the area, the mere declaration triggered substantial market volatility.
BREAKING: The US has struck Kharg Island's western jetty pumping station and multiple pipelines supplying Kharg's pumping stations, with fires visible on NASA FIRMS satellite imagery.
This is the first US strike specifically targeting oil infrastructure at Kharg, Iran's primary… pic.twitter.com/lhO9DqGa2Q
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) July 13, 2026
Brent crude experienced a 4.4% surge following the initial reports. As one of the planet’s most strategically important petroleum shipping corridors, any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz creates instant pressure on energy costs globally.
Natural Gas Markets Reach Monthly Peak Wholesale natural gas prices throughout Europe experienced significant upward movement on Monday. The Dutch benchmark front-month contract increased 3.5% to settle at 50.37 euros per megawatt-hour. Meanwhile, the British equivalent climbed 4%, tracking closely with European prices.
Dutch TTF Natural Gas Calendar (TTF=F) Approximately one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, including the majority of Qatar’s LNG shipments. An extended blockade would sever a critical supply artery for European energy consumers.
European nations are presently working to replenish their natural gas reserves in preparation for the 2026/2027 winter heating season. Current storage levels hover around 47% of total capacity, notably lower than the 56% recorded during the corresponding period last year. This shortfall makes Europe considerably more vulnerable to supply disruptions than it was a year ago.
Should Gulf LNG shipments face prolonged interruption, European importers would encounter intensified competition from Asian markets, driving costs even higher across the board.
Government Bond Markets Signal Inflation Concerns Yields on European government bonds maintained positions near their highest levels in more than a month throughout Monday’s trading. Germany’s benchmark 10-year Bund yield stood at 3.05%, with the 2-year yield positioned at 2.68%.
These elevated figures persisted because surging energy costs typically fuel inflationary pressures, which diminish the attractiveness of fixed-income securities. Last week witnessed the most substantial weekly increase in German bond yields observed in five weeks.
The primary concern among investors is that the European Central Bank might need to halt its interest rate reduction trajectory if energy prices continue fueling inflation. Financial markets have already adjusted expectations, pricing in fewer ECB rate cuts than anticipated just weeks earlier.
ECB Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel is scheduled to deliver remarks later Monday. Schnabel has consistently maintained a more hawkish stance within the ECB’s Governing Council. Any commentary she provides regarding inflation risks stemming from the Gulf crisis could generate additional market movement.
Diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating regional tensions had demonstrated some positive momentum in recent weeks. However, those efforts now appear to have stalled following the latest military confrontations, leaving energy markets in a state of uncertainty with no immediate path toward resolution.
Key Takeaways SIGI is prioritizing underwriting profitability, with solid combined ratios in E&S and Personal Lines. SIGI is expanding Standard Commercial Lines, and benefiting from higher net investment income. AI investments are improving underwriting, while disciplined capital returns support shareholder value. Shares of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) closed at $95.93 on Friday, near its 52-week high of $100.40. This proximity underscores investor confidence. It has the ingredients for further price appreciation. The stock is trading above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMA) of $90.07 and $83.22, respectively, indicating solid upward momentum. SMA is a widely used technical analysis tool to predict future price trends by analyzing historical price data.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SIGI is an OutperformerShares of Selective Insurance have gained 9.3% in the past year, outperforming the industry’s growth of 5.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Selective Insurance has outperformed its peers, including NMI Holdings Inc. (NMIH - Free Report) , W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB - Free Report) and RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) . Shares of NMIH and WRB have gained 7.8% and 3.9%, respectively, while RLI has lost 14.4% in the past year.
SIGI’s Growth Projection EncouragesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Selective Insurance’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 5.8%. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $5.50 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 3.1%. The consensus estimate for 2027 earnings per share and revenues indicates an increase of 13.3% and 3.1%, respectively, from the 2026 estimates.
Optimistic Analyst Sentiment for SIGITwo of the five analysts covering the stock have raised estimates for both 2026 and 2027 over the past 30 days. Thus, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings has moved north 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, over the past 60 days.
SIGI’s Favorable Return on EquityReturn on equity in the trailing-12 months was 13.7%, better than the industry average of 7.4%. This highlights the company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Factors Favoring SIGI StockSIGI continues to prioritize underwriting profitability over aggressive premium growth. Strong performance in the Excess & Surplus (“E&S”) segment, with a combined ratio of 89.5% in first-quarter 2026, and improved Personal Lines profitability, with a combined ratio of 92.8%, highlights the benefits of disciplined underwriting and selective risk retention. Management is selectively retaining its best-performing accounts while reducing exposure to underperforming businesses.
SIGI continues to raise renewal rates to address elevated loss-cost trends. The company achieved renewal price increases of nearly 10% in general liability over the past seven quarters, well above industry averages. In commercial auto liability, it witnessed pure price increases of almost 12% in the first quarter. Management believes these rate increases position the company to offset social inflation and improve long-term underwriting profitability.
Selective Insurance is steadily expanding its Standard Commercial Lines business toward a near-national footprint, now operating in 36 states and the District of Columbia. This growth is driven by an agent-based model with around 1,680 partners across 2,940 offices, supporting geographic diversification and more stable, cycle-resilient premium growth.
Higher net investment income continues to support earnings growth. After-tax net investment income increased 18% year over year in the first quarter, benefiting from favorable yields and a conservatively positioned investment portfolio. Selective Insurance expects after-tax net investment income of $465 million in 2026. Strong and reliable returns from its growing fixed-income portfolio, supported by higher returns from its short-term investments, are likely to drive the metric.
Selective Insurance is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence and technology capabilities to enhance underwriting, claims processing and risk management. AI tools have already processed more than 0.5 million claims-related documents, while a significant portion of the company's 2026 strategic technology spending is focused on improving risk selection and pricing accuracy.
Selective Insurance continues to return capital through dividends and repurchases while keeping flexibility for underwriting and investment opportunities. The company continues to prioritize profitable growth and aims to return 20-25% of earnings to shareholders through dividends.
ConclusionWhile Selective Insurance remains well-positioned to gain from strong renewals, favorable E&S lines marketplace conditions and higher income earned on fixed-income securities portfolio, challenges facing the company, such as exposure to catastrophe losses, rising competition and social inflation, can drive earnings volatility.
SIGI should benefit from favorable growth estimates, higher ROE, optimistic analyst sentiment and prudent capital deployment.
Coupled with an impressive dividend history, solid growth projections, favorable ROE and optimistic analyst sentiment, the time appears right for potential investors to bet on this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) insurer. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Selective Insurance also has a VGM Score of A. Stocks with a favorable VGM Score are those with the most attractive value, best growth and most promising momentum compared with peers. Its impressive dividend history as well as attractive valuations are other positives. Back-tested results show that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best opportunities in the value investing space.
Key Takeaways AJG acquired Med James to strengthen its Risk Placement Services wholesale insurance platform.AJG expands its specialty insurance capabilities and regional presence through Med James' MGA expertise.The acquisition supports Gallagher's specialty insurance growth and retail broker relationships. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG - Free Report) continues to strengthen its specialty insurance platform through targeted acquisitions, a strategy that has supported the company's long-term growth and expanded its presence across niche insurance markets.
The latest addition is Med James, Inc., a Kansas-based managing general agency (MGA) and wholesale insurance broker serving retail insurance agents. Pam Donahue and the Med James team will remain at their current location under the direction of Jacey Norberg, VP-North Central Region for RPS.
The acquisition expands the capabilities of Gallagher's Risk Placement Services (“RPS”) division, one of North America’s largest wholesale insurance brokerage, binding authority and program management platforms. Med James' expertise in wholesale brokerage and MGA services is expected to enhance RPS's regional presence while broadening its ability to serve retail agents with specialized insurance solutions.
Managing general agencies play an important role in the specialty insurance market by offering underwriting expertise, product development and access to customized coverage that may not be available through standard insurance markets. Strengthening this business enables Gallagher to expand its specialty product offerings, deepen relationships with retail brokers and generate stable commission-based revenues.
As demand for specialized commercial insurance solutions continues to rise, enhancing its wholesale brokerage and MGA capabilities should further strengthen Gallagher's competitive position.
How Are Competitors Faring?Peers like Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) and Aon plc (AON - Free Report) are also expanding their specialty insurance and risk management capabilities through acquisitions.
BRO has expanded through acquisitions of specialty retail agencies, MGA platforms and program management businesses to deepen expertise in targeted commercial insurance markets. The company continues to focus on niche capabilities that enhance its underwriting reach and broaden specialized client offerings.
AON has pursued acquisitions aimed at strengthening cyber risk, reinsurance, analytics and specialty advisory capabilities. The company is increasingly integrating specialized risk expertise with data-driven consulting solutions to support complex commercial insurance needs.
AJG’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of AJG have dropped 19.7% compared with the industry’s decline of 27.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, AJG trades at a forward price-to- earnings ratio of 18.01X, higher than the industry average of 16.34X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The consensus estimate for earnings per share (EPS) for 2026 and 2027 indicates a year-over-year increase of 23.7% and 11.8%, respectively.
The Zacks Consensus Estimates for 2026 earnings moved 0.4% south, while the estimate for 2027 earnings moved 0.1% north in the last 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The consensus estimates for AJG’s 2026 and 2027 revenues indicate a year-over-year increase.
AJG currently carries a Zacks Rank #3(Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here .
Top national homebuilder offering modern 3- and 4-bedrooms homes from the high $200s in Sanford, NC
, /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS)—a top national homebuilder, industry leader in online home sales, and featured on America's Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek—announced that West Pointe, a new community by the Company's Century Complete brand, is bringing new 3- and 4-bedroom floor plans on large homesites to the sought-after Triangle area. Boasting a prime location with USDA eligibility, new homes at the community are attractively priced from the high $200s.
Cabot Plan Exterior Rendering | New Homes in Sanford, NC | West Pointe by Century Complete Learn more and explore available homes at www.CenturyCommunities.com/WestPointeNC.
"We're excited to introduce a distinctive community that provides homebuyers with choice, value, and modern design in a desirable Sanford location," said Dave Hodgman, National President of Century Complete. "With West Pointe now selling, buyers have the opportunity to secure their preferred homesite and take advantage of available savings during our Wish to Wow July sales event."
Floor plans offer large homesites and range from approximately 1,684 to 2,014 square feet, with 3 to 4 bedrooms and 2 to 3 bathrooms. Homes are designed with open-concept layouts and include features such as quartz countertops, Kohler® water fixtures, LG® stainless-steel appliances, luxury vinyl plank flooring, and spacious primary suites with walk-in closets. Residents enjoy a basketball court, pickleball courts, and a recreational field.
WEST POINTE | SANFORD, NC
Now selling from the upper $200s
One- and two-story floor plans Summer move-ins available 1,684 to 2,014 square feet, 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 bathrooms Two-car attached garages Community amenities include basketball courts, pickleball courts, and a recreation field Easy access to Raleigh, Durham, and regional employment centers Near revitalized arts and entertainment district in downtown Sanford Location:
203 Hillwood Drive
Sanford, NC 27332
336.889.0095
VISIT OUR SALES STUDIO
While our state-of-the-art online homebuying process allows you to buy on your terms—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—we also offer in-person assistance from local experts at our Sales Studio.
High Point Studio
1225 Eastchester Drive
High Point, NC 27265
336.889.0095
THE FREEDOM OF ONLINE HOMEBUYING
Century Complete is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in North Carolina, allowing homebuyers to easily find their best fit and purchase when they're ready—all while continuing to work with their local real estate agent of choice. Homebuyers can further streamline the homebuying process by financing online with Century Complete's affiliate lender, Inspire Home Loans®.
How it works:
Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com Click "Buy Now" on any available home Fill out a quick Buy Online form Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign® Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying.
About Century Communities
Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is one of the nation's largest homebuilders and a recognized industry leader in online home sales. Newsweek has named the Company one of America's Most Trustworthy Companies for four consecutive years. Century Communities has also been designated as one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Companies to Work For (2025–2026). Through its Century Communities and Century Complete brands, Century's mission is to build attractive, high-quality homes at affordable prices to provide its valued customers with A HOME FOR EVERY DREAM®. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding — including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Company operates in 16 states and over 45 markets across the U.S., and also offers mortgage, title, insurance brokerage, and escrow services in select markets through its Inspire Home Loans, Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and IHL Escrow subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.
Bitcoin vs Ether ETFs returned to positive weekly flows after both markets endured eight consecutive weeks of withdrawals. Bitcoin funds raised $197 million in the period between July 6 and July 10, and Ether products raised $84.42 million.
The wider crypto market still fell 1.89% to $2.15 trillion. Bitcoin price was trading at around $62,500, and Ethereum hovered at $1,758 over the past 24-hours.
Bitcoin ETF Demand Outpaces Ether ETF Recovery U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $90.44 million in daily net inflows on July 10. That increased cumulative net inflows in the funds to 51.28 billion.
Total Bitcoin ETF funds amounted to 77.42 billion, or 6.05, of the market capitalization of Bitcoin. The value of trading per day was 1.45 billion.
BlackRock IBIT was the first in the session with a value of 86.83 million, which corresponds to approximately 1,360 Bitcoin. HODL by VanEck contributed to the total by 3.61 million or approximately 56.56 Bitcoin.
Other Bitcoin funds showed no inflows per day in the session. IBIT was the biggest product with net assets of $46.90 billion.
Can Bitcoin and Ether ETFs continue their new surge…?
Last week, ETFs for both $BTC and $ETH recorded positive net flows for the first time in as much as 8 weeks.$BTC clocked +$197M while $ETH accrued +$84.4M.
If the products for $BTC and $ETH follow with another week of… pic.twitter.com/1QpqsPM8lh
— BSCN (@BSCNews) July 13, 2026
The fund also led to a daily trading volume of 1.12 billion. FBTC of Fidelity had the second position of net assets of $11.17 billion.
Bitcoin funds, thus, received over twice the amount of Ether inflows each week. However, the gap does not confirm a lasting shift in institutional demand.
BlackRock Leads Inflows Across Both ETF Markets U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs posted $18.43 million in daily net inflows on July 10. Their cumulative net inflows increased to $10.97 billion.
Combined Ethereum ETF assets reached $9.59 billion, equal to 4.44% of Ethereum’s market capitalization. The total trading volume was 413.49 million daily.
Sosovalue data The ETHA at BlackRock raised the lead with 16.20 million, which equates to about 9,050 Ether. The FETH of Fidelity came in second with $2.23 million, which is close to 1,250 Ether.
The other Ethereum funds did not record any inflows per day in the recent session. ETHA was the biggest product as it had a net assets of 4.95 billion.
The fund realized a daily trading volume of $300.65 million. Grayscale ETHE came in second with a net asset of $1.51billion.
Another positive week would give Bitcoin funds their first consecutive inflow streak since late May. Ether funds could achieve that milestone for the first time since early April.
Bitcoin and ETH Slide as U.S.-Iran Tensions Shake Crypto Markets Bitcoin price fell 2% to $62,811.19 as U.S.-Iran tensions pushed investors toward safer assets. Weekend strikes increased oil prices and rekindled inflation fears, placing a heavy burden on speculative markets.
Ethereum price was also affected as the risk-off shift pushed it down to fall by 2.16% to trade around $1,768.
Bitcoin price now faces an important test around the $62,500 support level during the current pullback. Possession of such area may enable buyers to make another attack in the direction of the resistance zone of $64,000. Nevertheless, a decisive drop below support can put Bitcoin at risk of additional losses around $60,000.
Source: Tradingview Long-term ETH projection must remain above $1,750 to preserve its near-term consolidation structure and limit selling pressure. Failure to hold that level could trigger a retreat toward the $1,700 to $1,720 range.
Key Takeaways ABM posted record second-quarter revenues and first-half new sales bookings, supporting growth.ABM is expanding in data centers and semiconductors through investments and the WGNSTAR acquisition.ABM's rising operating costs and economic uncertainties could pressure margins and future growth. Shares of ABM Industries (ABM - Free Report) have had a decent run over the past three months. The stock has gained 12.6% against the industry's 1.5% drop. The Zacks S&P 500 composite rose 8.7% during the said time frame.
ABM has a Growth Score of B. This style score condenses key financial metrics to reflect a fair sense of the quality and sustainability of its growth.
The company’s third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings are expected to increase 23.2% year over year. Earnings for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027 are projected to rise 15.4% and 9.3%, respectively, year over year. Revenues are expected to increase 5.3% in fiscal 2026 and 3% in fiscal 2027.
Factors That Bode Well for ABMABM Industries, a leading provider of integrated facility solutions globally, benefits from growing demand across its broad range of services that support infrastructure functionality and operational efficiency. The services include janitorial, energy management, facilities engineering, electrical and lighting, landscape and turf care, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and mechanical, mission-critical and parking solutions across various sectors.
Recently, the company reported that its second-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues increased 8.4% year over year to a record $2.3 billion. It also gained a record $1.2 billion in first-half new sales bookings, highlighting continued success in expanding its customer base across key growth markets.
ABM’s multi-year, comprehensive strategic plan, ELEVATE, launched in 2021, has also significantly boosted its overall revenues by driving client value through transparent and efficient solutions, talent optimization, expanded data utilization and digital modernization. This initiative has enabled the company to generate revenues and net income with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% and 5%, respectively, from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025.
Strategic expansion into high-demand sectors like data centers through targeted acquisitions and investments has amplified ABM’s mission-critical offerings. The company continues to accelerate investment in energy infrastructure, battery storage, data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure due to strong demand for data centers, battery energy storage systems and HVAC projects. ABM’s Manufacturing & Distribution segment growth was also driven by semiconductor industry investments and technology-sector contract wins. The recent WGNSTAR acquisition has enhanced ABM's capabilities within semiconductor fabrication environments and contributed meaningfully to financial results.
The company has demonstrated a strong commitment to its shareholders through consistent dividend payments and share repurchases. ABM paid dividends of $57.5 million, $56.5 million and $65.6 million while repurchasing shares worth $138.1 million, $56.1 million and $122.2 million in fiscal 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively. This consistency underscores its dedication to creating long-term value for investors.
Key Risks to WatchABM Industries remains exposed to broad economic risks, with trade tariffs and changing government policies threatening to increase input expenses and delay key infrastructure projects. Shifts in spending allocations and trade uncertainties may reduce contract awards but elevate operational costs, dampening profit margins and growth potential.
Rising operating costs are squeezing profit margins and limiting short-term earnings growth. ABM’s total operating costs increased by 4.2% in fiscal 2023, 4.1% in fiscal 2024 and 4.7% in fiscal 2025. The company reported that its operating expenses rose 9.3% year over year during the second quarter of 2026.
ABM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Stocks to ConsiderA couple of better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Business Services sector are Veralto Corporation (VLTO - Free Report) and Corpay, Inc. (CPAY - Free Report) .
Veralto carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 8.4%. VLTO delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.9%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Corpay also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 14.3%. CPAY's earnings beat estimates in three of the last four reported quarters and matched once, with the surprise being 2%, on average.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
When a late-stage clinical trial misses a primary endpoint, the market reaction rarely distributes evenly across the board. The fallout often reveals undeniable fundamental truths about single-asset exposure, pipeline diversification, and the competitive moats protecting established treatments. The July 9 announcement from AstraZeneca NYSE: AZN and Ionis Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: IONS regarding the CARDIO-TTRansform Phase 3 trial provides a real-time masterclass in these market dynamics.
The investigational use of Wainua, also known as eplontersen, failed to achieve statistical significance on its primary composite endpoint of cardiovascular mortality and recurrent cardiovascular events at 140 weeks. The treatment targets transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy. This fatal disease causes misfolded proteins to build up in the heart muscle.
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The clinical failure removes an anticipated competitor from a highly lucrative market and triggers an immediate capital rotation across the broader biotech sector.
Unmasking the Trial: Stabilizers Block the PathTo truly understand why the market repriced these assets so aggressively, investors must look beneath the headline failure and evaluate the underlying subgroup data. The treatment landscape relies heavily on stabilizer medications like Vyndamax, manufactured by Pfizer NYSE: PFE. In the CARDIO-TTRansform trial, patients already taking these baseline stabilizers accounted for 57% of the study population at the start of the program, and that proportion rose to roughly 80% by the conclusion of the study.
Wainua failed to demonstrate an additive treatment effect in this specific stabilizer subgroup. The drug did not improve outcomes for patients who were already receiving standard-of-care treatments.
In the monotherapy subgroup, which includes patients not taking any stabilizers, Wainua demonstrated a hazard ratio of 0.71, translating to a 29% risk reduction. While that figure aligns closely with competitor benchmarks, it offers very little commercial utility. A pharmaceutical product cannot successfully capture meaningful market share if it only works for the rapidly shrinking fraction of patients who are completely naive to standard-of-care treatments.
This data exposes a fundamental disparity between antisense oligonucleotides like Wainua and RNA interference therapies developed by competitors. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals NASDAQ: ALNY previously validated its competing RNA interference therapy, Amvuttra, across both monotherapy and combination with a stabilizer subgroup in its HELIOS-B trial. By failing to show that essential additive benefit, Wainua is effectively locked out of the most lucrative and pre-treated segment of the total addressable market.
Asymmetric Damage: Single Asset SqueezeThe financial damage stemming from this clinical miss was distributed quite unevenly, highlighting the stark contrast between concentrated pipeline risk and structural business diversification.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals Today
IONS
Ionis Pharmaceuticals
$56.31 -1.94 (-3.33%)
As of 01:25 PM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
52-Week Range$40.03▼
$86.74Price Target$96.05
Ionis Pharmaceuticals absorbed the brunt of the impact. Shares fell by more than 9% in a single day, pushing the stock down more than 26% since the start of the year and compressing its total market capitalization to $9.63 billion.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals faces acute vulnerability due to its reliance on expanding the addressable market for Wainua. The current regulatory approval for ATTR-polyneuropathy covers fewer than 50,000 patients globally.
The cardiomyopathy indication would have unlocked a total addressable market of 300,000 to 500,000 patients.
Without that expansion, Ionis Pharmaceuticals faces a difficult fundamental reality. The developer currently generates negative earnings, with an earnings-per-share loss of 56 cents. First-quarter 2026 revenue surged to $246 million, an 87% increase year-over-year, but rapid commercial infrastructure expansion kept profit margins compressed, resulting in a net loss of $93 million.
While the company's trailing return on equity remained deeply negative at -58.65%, its balance sheet risk softened substantially after Ionis eliminated $633 million in convertible debt using restricted escrow cash on April 1, 2026.
Astrazeneca Today
$168.76 -2.85 (-1.66%)
As of 01:25 PM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
52-Week Range$137.23▼
$212.71Dividend Yield2.57%
P/E Ratio25.35
Price Target$211.00
AstraZeneca tells a completely different fundamental story. AstraZeneca's stock price fell briefly intraday before institutional buyers stepped in to support it. A $266.54 billion pharmaceutical sector giant does not live or die by a single indication expansion.
AstraZeneca generates $60.44 billion in annual sales, supported by blockbuster oncology franchises such as Tagrisso and Imfinzi. The company operates with a healthy 17.19% net margin, a robust 30.86% return on equity, and a conservative debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.
Pre-trial models projected Wainua could reach peak sales of up to $6.5 billion with the ATTR-CM approval.
Analysts have since revised those estimates down to approximately $4 billion. Erasing a $2.5 billion premium certainly adjusts near-term valuation models, but it barely registers against AstraZeneca's stated $80 billion top-line revenue target for 2030. The institutional market accurately perceived the drop as a temporary mispricing rather than a structural downgrade.
The Vultures Circle: Rivals Catch the TailwindsMarkets dislike a vacuum. When Wainua was removed as an imminent competitive threat, capital immediately rotated into the rival drugmakers positioned to capture that unaddressed market share. The trial failure preserves the current duopoly and triopoly pricing power within the disease space.
BridgeBio NASDAQ: BBIO emerged as the most direct beneficiary, with shares up 16% to touch new 52-week highs following the initial announcement. BridgeBio is actively launching its newly approved therapy, Attruby.
Without Wainua entering the market to compress margins and force aggressive discounting, BridgeBio enjoys a heavily cleared commercial runway. BridgeBio recently secured a $1 billion Series A convertible preferred equity raise led by Sixth Street and KKR. This infusion provides a substantial capital buffer to execute an aggressive, unopposed commercial launch, funding sales force deployment without immediate dilution concerns.
Pfizer and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals also experienced immediate bid support. Pfizer maintains its multi-billion-dollar stronghold with Vyndamax, resting easy knowing that physicians will not have to weigh the transition of stable patients to a competing therapy. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals sustains its clinical momentum, as its RNA interference mechanism remains the only proven combination therapy that effectively stacks on top of existing stabilizers.
Discharging the Risk: Portfolio Lessons LearnedThe failure of the CARDIO-TTRansform trial fundamentally rewrites the competitive map for amyloidosis treatments. It draws a hard line between therapies that can improve the standard of care and those that merely match it in isolation.
For the entities involved, the data reinforces the protective power of a diversified revenue base. AstraZeneca easily absorbs the setback through its oncology and metabolic divisions, while Ionis Pharmaceuticals faces prolonged fundamental pressure as it navigates elevated debt levels and stalled growth drivers. Investors evaluating biotech allocations might consider prioritizing developers with validated combination therapies or deeply diversified pipelines to mitigate these specific clinical risks.
Should You Invest $1,000 in Astrazeneca Right Now?Before you consider Astrazeneca, you'll want to hear this.
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The AI boom extends far beyond the biggest tech names. Discover 10 companies supplying the memory, storage, networking, semiconductor manufacturing, and power infrastructure that make AI possible. Learn where the next wave of AI investment opportunities may emerge—and the key risks investors should watch as the global AI buildout accelerates.
Key Takeaways MP Materials signed agreements to expand magnet production, refining and a second manufacturing facility.MP secured DoW support, including magnet purchases, EBITDA backing and NdPr price floor protection.MP has long-term supply deals with Apple and General Motors to support magnet production and sales. MP Materials (MP - Free Report) is steadily building an integrated domestic rare earth supply chain spanning mining, refining, metal production and magnet manufacturing. This strategy aligns closely with U.S. national priorities to localize production of critical materials used in electric vehicles, defense systems, robotics and advanced manufacturing.
A major step in this strategy came in July 2025, when MP Materials entered into definitive agreements with the United States Department of War (DoW) to accelerate the build-out of an end-to-end U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain. Under the agreement, the company will expand its Independence Facility, construct its second magnet manufacturing facility in Northlake, TX (known as the 10X Facility) and boost its heavy rare earth elements (HREE) refining capability at Mountain Pass.
Per the DoW Offtake Agreement, the department has guaranteed that the 10X Facility will generate at least $140 million of EBITDA and has committed to purchase all magnets produced at the facility, unless those volumes are commercially syndicated with DoD approval. MP Materials also entered into a price floor protection agreement with the DoW for the neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) products produced at Mountain Pass that are sold or produced and stockpiled starting in the fourth quarter of 2025.
MP Materials estimates more than $1.25 billion for the 10X projects, supported by approximately $200 million of state and local incentive packages, as well as a 10-year magnet offtake agreement with the DoW. The 10X Facility is expected to begin commissioning in 2028. On completion, it will produce an estimated 7,000 metric tons (MTs) of magnets per year. Combined with Independence Facility’s 3,000 MTs per year of magnets, the company’s overall U.S. rare earth magnet annual production capacity will expand to an estimated 10,000 MTs.
The company is also securing long-term commercial customers alongside government support. MP Materials entered into a definitive, long-term supply agreement with Apple (AAPL - Free Report) in July 2025 for the development, manufacture and supply of magnets from its Independence Facility, as well as the development and installation of scaled recycling capabilities at Mountain Pass to produce the contained rare earths from post-industrial and post-consumer recycled rare earth feedstocks. In connection with the agreement and subject to achieving specified milestones, Apple agreed to make prepayments in the aggregate amount of $200 million for the purchase of magnets from the company.
In April 2022, MP Materials entered into a long-term agreement with General Motors (GM - Free Report) to supply magnets and precursor products manufactured at the Independence Facility. The Magnetics segment began generating revenues from the sales of magnetic precursor products to General Motors in the first quarter of 2025. As of March 31, 2026, the company had sold $87.9 million of magnetic precursor products to General Motors and expects to complete the remaining $62.1 million commitment within the next year. Following the fulfillment of this agreement, the company anticipates transitioning to sales of finished magnets to General Motors, which are expected to begin in 2026.
Energy Fuels (UUUU - Free Report) is pursuing a similar strategy to capitalize on the growing emphasis on domestic critical mineral supply chains. In addition to its uranium business, Energy Fuels has been expanding its rare earth operations. Energy Fuels recently secured a conditional commitment for up to $725 million in financing from the U.S. Office of Strategic Capital. The financing is intended to support the expansion of critical mineral processing capabilities at the company's White Mesa Mill in Utah and the development of a rare earth metals and alloys manufacturing facility in the United States. Energy Fuels has also announced the acquisition of VAC Group, which would significantly strengthen its downstream magnet manufacturing capabilities.
MP’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesMP Materials’ shares have declined 24.6% over the past six months compared with the industry’s 0.5% dip.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MP is trading at a forward 12-month price/sales multiple of 14.61X, a significant premium to the industry’s 1.59X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MP Materials’ 2026 earnings is pegged at 22 cents per share, indicating an improvement from the loss of 24 cents in 2025. The estimate for 2027 is $1.04 per share, indicating a 372% year-over-year improvement.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The revision activity for 2026 and 2027 estimates is shown in the chart below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 13, 2026) - Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Badger Meter securities between April 18, 2024 and April 16, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BMI.
Badger Meter Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
the Company's reported strong financial results did not reflect "ongoing favorable industry trends," "secular growth drivers," or "solid operating execution," as represented, but were instead unsustainable; Defendants' statements touting "strong" demand, "robust order pacing," and a "strong bid pipeline" overstated the true state of the Company's demand environment and ability to generate continued sales and earnings growth; and contrary to Defendants' claims that the Company possessed a "long runway" for growth, the Company's growth prospects were materially overstated, such that Defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and future prospects.What's Next for Badger Meter Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/BMI, or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Badger Meter you have until August 3, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Badger Meter Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Badger Meter Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Source: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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A person poses with Tylenol in this illustration picture taken in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, U.S. September 24, 2025. REUTERS/Hannah Beier Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
SummaryCompaniesDecision restores more than 500 lawsuitsPanel says doctors used methodologies other scientists also useKenvue defends Tylenol, sees no scientific link to autism and ADHDShares of Kenvue fallNEW YORK, July 13 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Monday revived more than 500 private lawsuits against Tylenol maker Kenvue (KVUE.N), opens new tab over the painkiller's alleged link to autism.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a district court judge improperly excluded expert testimony from three doctors offered by parents and guardians who tied Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
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There is no firm scientific evidence of such a link. The issue drew greater attention after President Donald Trump and top U.S. health officials in September suggested a link to autism.
In a 64-page decision for a three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Guido Calabresi said the testimony from the three doctors, including the dean of Harvard University's School of Public Health, reflected methodologies used by other scientists, and "constitute acceptable interpretations of scientific evidence where scientists may, and in fact do, disagree."
Calabresi stressed that the appeals court was not deciding whether using acetaminophen causes autism or ADHD, or whether elected officials should do more to protect public health.
Doctors and medical societies consider acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, the preferred means to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.
Many retailers and pharmacy operators including CVS (CVS.N), opens new tab, Kroger (KR.N), opens new tab, Target (TGT.N), opens new tab, Walgreens and Walmart (WMT.O), opens new tab were also named as defendants.
KENVUE DEFENDS TYLENOL'S SAFETYIn a statement on Monday, Kenvue maintained that Tylenol is safe, and said the decision "does not change the fact that credible, independent science shows no proven link between taking acetaminophen and autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder."
Kenvue plans to again try to show in court that the opinions of the plaintiffs' experts are unreliable.
In afternoon trading, Kenvue shares traded down 1.8% at $19.13, while Kimberly-Clark shares fell 2.7% to $109.34.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), opens new tab, Kenvue's former parent, made Tylenol for more than 60 years and has also defended its safety.
Kenvue agreed last November to be acquired by Kleenex tissue maker Kimberly-Clark (KMB.O), opens new tab for more than $40 billion. The transaction is expected to close this year. Kimberly-Clark did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
HARVARD DEAN'S TESTIMONY ALLOWEDThe appeals court said the doctors whose testimony was wrongly excluded included Harvard public health dean Andrea Baccarelli; Eric Hollander, a psychiatry professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Brandon Pearson, a toxicologist at Columbia University.
"We are pleased that the panel unanimously found that our key experts reliably applied their scientific methods and principles," Ashley Keller, a lawyer for the parents, said in an email.
Experts often play a key role in product liability lawsuits such as the Tylenol cases.
Kenvue is based in Summit, New Jersey, and was spun off in 2023 by Johnson & Johnson.
The private lawsuits were dismissed in December 2024 by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan, who criticized the methodology of the plaintiffs' expert witnesses.
Monday's decision returns the lawsuits to Cote for further proceedings.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Diana Novak Jones in Chicago; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski, Nia Williams and David Gregorio
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Ann Berry is joined by Khozema Shipchandler, CEO of Twilio, to discuss the company's turnaround strategy, the changing landscape of customer communication and how Twilio is leveraging AI to personalize interactions. 00:00 Khozema Shipchandler, CEO of Twilio, joins 01:06 The peril Twilio faced as he became CEO in 2024 01:50 What Twilio does: communications infrastructure explained 03:19 Fighting commoditization with pricing power and the CDP data asset 05:20 Twilio's customer base 07:29 Branded calls and fighting spam 08:04 Building trust in the US telecom network 11:21 WhatsApp, Meta, and other emerging messaging channels 13:38 New products unveiled at Twilio's customer conference 18:24 Personalizing the mortgage-shopping journey 24:24 Q1 results 26:31 Capital allocation 27:17 Outro and upcoming episodes After Earnings is brought to you by Stakeholder Labs and Morning Brew.
Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.
Korn/Ferry (KFY - Free Report) is headquartered in Los Angeles, and is in the Business Services sector. The stock has seen a price change of 10.78% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.55 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.01%. In comparison, the Staffing Firms industry's yield is 1.62%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.35%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.20 is up 10.6% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Korn/Ferry has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 40.80%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Korn/Ferry's current payout ratio is 41%, meaning it paid out 41% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for KFY for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $5.75 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 8.90%.
Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.
For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, KFY presents a compelling investment opportunity; it's not only an attractive dividend play, but the stock also boasts a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
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What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Manhattan Associates (MANH - Free Report) Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Manhattan Associates, Inc. develops and supports software that helps organizations manage supply chain, inventory, fulfillment and omnichannel commerce operations. Its strategy is centered on the cloud-native Manhattan Active platform, delivered primarily through multi-year subscription agreements that provide continuous updates and new functionality.
MANH is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. MANH has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 8.4% over the past four weeks.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $5.33 per share. MANH also boasts an average earnings surprise of +13.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MANH should be on investors' short list.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: HealthEquity (HQY - Free Report) Draper, UT-headquartered HealthEquity provides integrated solutions for healthcare account management, health reimbursement arrangement and flexible spending accounts for health plans, insurance companies and third-party administrators in the United States.
HQY is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Medical stock. HQY has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 6.9% over the past four weeks.
Six analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.10 to $4.71 per share. HQY also boasts an average earnings surprise of +12%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, HQY should be on investors' short list.
Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Southwest industry.
This financial holding company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 5.89%.
For the most recent quarter, Cullen/Frost was expected to post earnings of $2.46 per share, but it reported $2.65 per share instead, representing a surprise of 7.72%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $2.47 per share, while it actually produced $2.57 per share, a surprise of 4.05%.
Price and EPS Surprise
For Cullen/Frost, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Cullen/Frost has an Earnings ESP of +1.19% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on July 30, 2026.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Sprouts Farmers (SFM - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade is essentially a reflection of an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Individual investors often find it hard to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, since these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time. In these situations, the Zacks rating system comes in handy because of the power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements.
As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Sprouts Farmers is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. The influence of institutional investors has a partial contribution to this relationship, as these big professionals use earnings and earnings estimates to calculate the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
For Sprouts Farmers, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Sprouts FarmersThis natural and organic food retailer is expected to earn $5.57 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Sprouts Farmers. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 0.7%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Sprouts Farmers to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
NEW YORK, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Helen of Troy securities between April 24, 2024 and October 8, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/HELE.
Helen of Troy Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
Helen of Troy overstated the success and benefits of its Project Pegasus initiative, touting the “fuel” it was generating while downplaying issues such as “implementation hiccups” at its Tennessee distribution center and assuring investors that the project was progressing and delivering cost-saving efficiencies;
in reality, Project Pegasus was not delivering the efficiencies Defendants claimed, as the Company lacked sufficient resources and budget to achieve its stated restructuring and cost-savings goals; and
as a result, Defendants’ statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
What's Next for Helen of Troy Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/HELE. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Helen of Troy you have until August 3, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Helen of Troy Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Helen of Troy Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.
Contact Info
Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]
Attorney advertising.
Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
NEMA Chicago is a 76-story luxury residence building designed by Rafael Viñoly, with 70,000 square feet of resort-style amenities
, /PRNewswire/ -- JLL's Capital Markets group announced today that it has secured a $275 million refinancing and a $57 million mezzanine financing for NEMA Chicago, a premier luxury multifamily tower and tallest rental residence.
JLL represented the borrower, Crescent Heights, in facilitating the five-year, fixed-rate loan through New York Life Insurance Company. JLL also arranged the mezzanine loan through PGIM's real estate business.
NEMA Located at 1210 South Indiana Ave. along Grant Park, NEMA Chicago stands 76 stories and 893 feet tall, offering 800 residences with unobstructed views of Lake Michigan, Grant Park and the downtown skyline. Completed in 2019, the property was designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly with interiors by David Rockwell and has received multiple honors, including the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's 2021 Award of Excellence for Best Tall Building.
The refinancing comes as downtown Chicago's multifamily market continues to outperform major U.S. metros, posting 5.4 percent annual rent growth as of fourth quarter 2025, the highest among gateway cities. With only 370 units delivered in 2025 compared to 1,700 units absorbed, the supply-constrained market has pushed vacancy rates down to 5.1 percent, creating favorable conditions for premium assets like NEMA Chicago.
NEMA Chicago distinguishes itself with 70,000 square feet of curated amenities spanning indoor and outdoor pools, a full-size basketball court, squash court, boxing ring, golf simulator, movie theater and spa services. The building's two-tiered offering includes 674 Signature Residences and 126 exclusive Skyline Collection units on the upper floors, which feature private lobbies, dedicated concierge teams, 10-foot ceilings and access to the Vista Lounge and Skyline Terrace.
JLL Capital Market's Debt Advisory team was led by Senior Managing Director Danny Kaufman, Director Medina Spiodic and Analyst Youngsoo Yang.
"NEMA Chicago exemplifies the flight to quality we're seeing in urban multifamily, where properties offering true differentiation through design, amenities and service continue to command premium performance," said Kaufman. "As Chicago's tallest all rental residence with Rafael Viñoly's architectural vision and Crescent Heights' hospitality-driven approach, NEMA has established itself as an instant landmark that redefines luxury apartment living in the city."
JLL's Capital Markets group is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers. The group's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients, including investment sales and advisory, debt advisory, M&A and corporate finance, loan sales, equity & fund placement, net lease, derivative advisory and energy & infrastructure advisory. JLL's Capital Markets group has more than 3,000 specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries.
For more news, videos and research resources, please visit JLL's newsroom.
About Crescent Heights
Crescent Heights, a nationally recognized real estate investment and development firm, has completed more than 38,000 residential units and over $12 billion in development since its founding in 1986. The firm's vertically integrated platform spans development, design and property management, with flagship projects including Ten Thousand in Los Angeles, NEMA Boston and FORMA Miami.
About JLL
JLL (NYSE:JLL) is a leading global commercial real estate services and investment management company with annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 113,000 as of March 31, 2026. For over 200 years, clients have trusted JLL, a Fortune 500® company, to help them confidently buy, build, occupy, manage and invest across a variety of industries and property types, including office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data center properties. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY. Powered by rich global datasets and leading technology capabilities, we provide coordinated, end-to-end delivery of real estate services for a broad range of global clients who represent a wide variety of industries. Through LaSalle Investment Management, we invest for clients on a global basis in both private assets and publicly traded real estate securities. For further information, visit jll.com.
Investors with an interest in Financial Transaction Services stocks have likely encountered both Shift4 Payments (FOUR - Free Report) and RB Global (RBA - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.
The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
Right now, both Shift4 Payments and RB Global are sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.
Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.
Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.
FOUR currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.94, while RBA has a forward P/E of 24.08. We also note that FOUR has a PEG ratio of 0.46. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. RBA currently has a PEG ratio of 1.57.
Another notable valuation metric for FOUR is its P/B ratio of 2.28. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, RBA has a P/B of 3.58.
These are just a few of the metrics contributing to FOUR's Value grade of A and RBA's Value grade of C.
Both FOUR and RBA are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that FOUR is the superior value option right now.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: HubSpot (HUBS - Free Report) Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, HubSpot Inc. provides inbound marketing and sales applications over the cloud. The software-as-a-service vendor helps businesses attract customers through search engine optimization, social media, blogging, website content management, marketing automation, email, CRM, analytics and reporting.
HUBS is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. HUBS has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 35.2% for the current fiscal year.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $13.11 per share. HUBS also boasts an average earnings surprise of +5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, HUBS should be on investors' short list.
Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Cleveland-Cliffs basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
For Cleveland-Cliffs, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsEmpirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Cleveland-CliffsFor the fiscal year ending December 2026, this mining company is expected to earn -$0.27 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Cleveland-Cliffs. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 37.4%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of Cleveland-Cliffs to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Domino's Pizza (DPZ - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 20, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis pizza chain is expected to post quarterly earnings of $4.10 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +7.6%.
Revenues are expected to be $1.18 billion, up 3% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.25% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Domino's Pizza?For Domino's Pizza, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -4.15%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Domino's Pizza will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Domino's Pizza would post earnings of $4.29 per share when it actually produced earnings of $4.13, delivering a surprise of -3.73%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Domino's Pizza doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.
Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.
Below, we take a look at Outdoor Holding Company (POWW - Free Report) , which currently has a Momentum Style Score of B. We also discuss some of the main drivers of the Momentum Style Score, like price change and earnings estimate revisions.
It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Outdoor Holding Company currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.
You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>
Set to Beat the Market?Let's discuss some of the components of the Momentum Style Score for POWW that show why this company shows promise as a solid momentum pick.
Looking at a stock's short-term price activity is a great way to gauge if it has momentum, since this can reflect both the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand at the moment. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area.
For POWW, shares are up 4.64% over the past week while the Zacks Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry is down 4.24% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 22.17% compares favorably with the industry's 0.55% performance as well.
While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Shares of Outdoor Holding Company have increased 19.81% over the past quarter, and have gained 104.96% in the last year. On the other hand, the S&P 500 has only moved 11.35% and 21.86%, respectively.
Investors should also pay attention to POWW's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. POWW is currently averaging 1,216,298 shares for the last 20 days.
Earnings OutlookThe Zacks Momentum Style Score encompasses many things, including estimate revisions and a stock's price movement. Investors should note that earnings estimates are also significant to the Zacks Rank, and a nice path here can be promising. We have recently been noticing this with POWW.
Over the past two months, 1 earnings estimate moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. This revision helped boost POWW's consensus estimate, increasing from -$0.05 to -$0.01 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 1 estimate has moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.
Bottom LineTaking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that POWW is a #1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Outdoor Holding Company on your short list.
Key Takeaways Alto Ingredients plans to raise Pekin dry mill capacity by about 5 million gallons, or roughly 8%. ALTO expects higher output to improve asset utilization and expand Section 45Z tax credit eligibility. ALTO expects the higher production run rate to be fully realized beginning in the fourth quarter. Alto Ingredients, Inc. (ALTO - Free Report) is betting that a targeted operational upgrade can unlock meaningful production gains without the expense of building new capacity. In the first-quarter 2026 earnings call, management announced plans to debottleneck its Pekin dry mill during a scheduled June maintenance outage. The project is expected to increase the plant's annual production capacity by about 5 million gallons, or roughly 8%, with the higher run rate expected to be fully realized beginning in the fourth quarter.
The significance of the initiative extends beyond simply producing more gallons. By removing operational constraints at one of its most efficient facilities, Alto Ingredients aims to improve asset utilization and spread fixed costs over higher production volumes. That approach could enhance operating efficiency while requiring far less capital than constructing new production capacity.
The project could also provide an additional financial benefit. Higher output from the Pekin dry mill is expected to increase the number of gallons eligible for Section 45Z clean fuel tax credits, creating another source of incremental earnings alongside the added production. The debottlenecking project is part of Alto Ingredients’ near-term strategy to maximize the value of its existing assets while capturing greater benefits from the clean fuel incentive program.
The project is scheduled alongside a planned maintenance outage, helping limit additional disruption. If completed on time, it could improve capacity and operating efficiency through targeted upgrades to existing assets.
How ALTO's Capacity Expansion Strategy Compares With PeersGevo, Inc. (GEVO - Free Report) is also advancing a debottlenecking project at its Gevo North Dakota facility to boost low-carbon ethanol output. In the first quarter of 2026, Gevo completed the necessary equipment tie-ins during a planned shutdown, enabling the project to progress without disrupting planned production. Gevo continues to target an annual low-carbon ethanol production capacity of about 75 million gallons beginning next year.
Green Plains Inc. (GPRE - Free Report) is prioritizing incremental improvements across its ethanol network through efficiency and reliability projects. To improve plant performance and lower carbon intensity, Green Plains is investing in low-energy distillation upgrades, grain storage and yield-enhancement projects. Green Plains is focused on optimizing operations across its broader production footprint.
ALTO Stock Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Alto Ingredients have surged 346.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 14.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, ALTO trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.43, lower than the industry’s average of 3.31.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alto Ingredients’ 2026 and 2027 earnings per share implies a year-over-year rise of 671.4% and 53.7%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Alto Ingredients currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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