Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways Western Digital's cloud revenue surged 43% as demand for higher-capacity nearline drives strengthened.Higher-capacity sales and better pricing lifted WDC's gross margin by 1,310 bps year over year.WDC expects fiscal Q1 2027 revenue of $4.1 billion, up 45% year over year. Western Digital Corporation (WDC - Free Report) has entered fiscal 2027 with a favorable combination of strong storage demand, improving pricing and better visibility across its key end markets – Cloud, Consumer and Client. Its latest performance suggests that the recovery in its HDD business is gaining broader momentum, while the rapid expansion of AI and cloud infrastructure is creating a structural driver of demand for high-capacity storage.

Cloud is the centerpiece of WDC’s growth strategy. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, cloud revenue accounted for 89% of total revenue. It rose 43% year over year to $3.3 billion, driven by strong demand for higher-capacity nearline drives and a more favorable pricing environment. Improving pricing is also helping WDC translate stronger storage volumes into better profitability. WDC reported a non-GAAP gross margin of 54.4%, up 1,310 basis points (bps) year over year. Higher-capacity drive sales, improved pricing and manufacturing discipline boosted results, with the average price per terabyte increasing from the high single digits to the high teens year over year. If WDC can maintain pricing discipline while continuing to introduce higher-capacity products, margin expansion could remain an important earnings catalyst.

Although Cloud remains dominant, WDC is seeing encouraging trends across its other end markets. Revenues from the Client end market were up 61% year over year, while the Consumer end market rallied 38%. Both markets benefited from stronger exabyte growth and improved pricing. Fueled by robust demand, improving long-term visibility and favorable pricing across its end markets, WDC anticipates first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenues of $4.1 billion (+/- $100 million), up 45% year over year.

However, competition is another consideration. Seagate Technology (STX - Free Report) remains a formidable rival, particularly in high-capacity HDDs and emerging HAMR technology. Any improvement in competitors' supply or technology could put pressure on pricing.

Can WDC Outpace Seagate and Other Storage Rivals?Seagate is banking on strong data center demand, HAMR adoption and pricing discipline. Management expects cloud spending and AI-led storage demand to remain healthy. Demand visibility remains strong, with most nearline capacity allocated through 2028 and customer commitments extending into 2029. Seagate expanded non-GAAP gross margin for the 13th consecutive quarter as fiscal fourth quarter non-GAAP gross margin reached 52.7%, up 1,480 bps year over year. Driven by HDD demand, AI adoption, the Mozaic rollout and disciplined pricing, it expects fiscal first-quarter revenue at $4.1 billion (+/-100 million), up 56% year over year at the midpoint. 

Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) profitability continues to vary sharply with customer and product mix. Non-GAAP gross margin rose to 17.6% in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 from 10.1% in the prior quarter, but management said about 75% of the sequential improvement came from favorable mix, including contracts that shifted into fiscal 2027. Lower tariff costs and inventory reserves accounted for the rest. For first-quarter fiscal 2027, management expects gross margin of only 10.4% to 10.8%, indicating that the fourth-quarter level is not expected to persist. AI solutions accounted for approximately 60% of revenues compared with more than 80% in the prior quarter, primarily because of the timing of large AI project ramps.

WDC Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesIn the past year, shares of WDC have surged 566.9% compared with the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry’s growth of 460.5%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 23.62 forward earnings compared with 10.03 for the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

WDC’s estimate revisions are currently on an upward trajectory. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WDC’s earnings for fiscal 2027 has been revised upward by 9.3% to $20.03 over the past 60 days, while the same for fiscal 2028 has gone up 7.6% to $34.74.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Currently, Western Digital has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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The optics complex is ripping higher in Monday’s session. AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) is up 13.71% intraday, with Coherent (NYSE:COHR | COHR Price Prediction) climbing 8.12%, Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE) adding 6.79%. AXTI is now trading at $92.83, extending a run that has the stock up 399.33% year to date.

Indium Phosphide Price Hikes Detonate the Optics Trade The proximate catalyst is a United Daily News report published Monday out of Taipei detailing severe undersupply in indium phosphide (InP) substrates and epitaxial wafers. Q4 price increases are brewing at more than 10%, which the report calls the largest increase on record. Earlier expectations had been for 3% to 5%. InP substrate prices began rising in Q4 of last year and have already been raised three times, now heading for a fourth consecutive increase. Epitaxial wafers have been raised twice and are heading for a third. A supplier is quoted saying even with money, buyers may not be able to secure supply.

AXT is the natural US-listed read-through. It is a leading producer of InP substrates, and rising InP pricing flows directly to its economics. That leverage was already visible last quarter: Q2 2026 revenue hit $47.6 million, up 164% from Q2 2025, with indium phosphide revenue at $30.7 million, the highest in company history, and non-GAAP gross margin expanding to 45.0%. CEO Morris Young told analysts “customer demand continues to outpace supply no matter how fast we add capacity.” AXT is targeting roughly $60 million per quarter in InP capacity exiting 2026 and ~$130 million per quarter exiting 2027.

Named Taiwanese beneficiaries in the UDN piece include Visual Photonics Epitaxy, LandMark Optoelectronics and IET-KY. None are US-listed, so treat those as supply-chain color rather than investable tickers in most brokerage accounts.

Coherent and Lumentum Ride the Same Wave, With a VR200 Kicker Coherent and Lumentum are the demand side of the InP story. Both are building internal InP capacity and buying substrate from AXT. Coherent’s CEO Jim Anderson said the company is on track to double internal InP output capacity by end of the current quarter, one quarter ahead of original plan, with 80% year-over-year growth in InP laser production in the June quarter. Coherent’s Q4 revenue printed at $2.05 billion, and management guided fiscal Q1 to $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion.

Lumentum flagged the AXT relationship directly. CEO Michael Hurlston told investors “we went out and we found additional substrate help from AXTI. They’ve been a great partner.” Lumentum posted Q4 revenue of $1.01 billion, up 109% year-over-year, with non-GAAP gross margin at 50.4%, and guided Q1 revenue to roughly $1.25 billion.

Adding to Monday’s tone, a Mizuho note published Sunday August 16, 2026 says VR200 NVL72 ramps look strong, a tailwind for Lumentum and Coherent, and also for Wolfspeed on the power-supply side. Wolfspeed’s Q3 update highlighted approximately 30% sequential growth in AI data center revenue from Q2 to Q3, though the SiC story is peripheral to InP pricing.

For readers who want the theme without single-stock risk, the Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF (CBOE:LYTE), a brand-new fund that began trading in early August 2026, is also trading higher on Monday as the optics basket lifts. Its stated objective is capital appreciation via photonics and optics exposure. The InP squeeze is really an AI data-center story in disguise, and we rounded up seven suppliers powering that buildout, from optics to power to cooling, in a free report you can grab here.

Positioning Backdrop From Friday’s 13F Filings Institutional filings that hit the tape on August 14 (positions as of 2026-06-30) show the smart-money footprint heading into this move. In AXT, D. E. Shaw added, to 2,250,085 shares valued $162,186,127, Millennium Management added, to 854,322 shares valued $61,579,530, and Balyasny opened a new position of 114,386 shares. In Coherent, NVIDIA disclosed 7,788,161 shares valued $3,072,195,870, equal to 4.84% of its 13F portfolio, and SRS Investment Management opened a new position of 929,963 shares valued $366,842,505. In Lumentum, Balyasny added, to 154,180 shares valued $132,295,691. These are point-in-time disclosures as of June 30, and today’s proven catalyst is the UDN InP pricing report.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) stock is down 4% to $7.96 in late-morning trading Monday after the company signaled a retreat from the bitcoin treasury strategy it embraced last year. The move extends a bruising stretch for the stock.

Trump Media shares are down 38% year to date (YTD). Over the trailing year, Trump Media stock is down 53%, well below its 52-week high of $18.97.

Bitcoin Retreat Sparks the Selloff The catalyst is a strategic pivot back to media and advertising after nearly $200 million in crypto losses, including a reported $190 million paper loss on its holdings. Trump Media built the position as bitcoin was peaking.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) has been sliding for more than 10 months, quoted at $63,000 against an all-time high of $126,000. The token is down 46.61% over the past year and down 28.32% YTD, a backdrop that turned Trump Media’s balance sheet bet into a growing drag on earnings.

Interim CEO Kevin McGurn stated the company has “refined” its approach to capital allocation, redirecting resources toward Truth Social, Truth+, and the Truth API data feed. Trump Media has also agreed to acquire TAE Technologies, a private nuclear fusion energy firm, in a deal it aims to close by year-end.

The Financial Picture Behind the Pivot Trump Media posted a second-quarter net loss of $238 million, driven almost entirely by paper losses on its crypto holdings. Trailing 12-month revenue is $4.5 million against a trailing net loss of $1.3 billion, while market capitalization was about $2.3 billion as of the August 12 close.

Truth Social generated $1.7 million in revenue last quarter, underscoring how small the operating business is next to the balance sheet bets. General Counsel Scott Glabe disposed of 25,546 shares on August 13 at a weighted average price of $8.32, retaining 586,497 shares, a routine administrative transaction tied to tax withholding on vesting equity that doesn’t signal an outlook.

Strategy Shows the Peer Read Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction) stock is up 4% to $96.99 midday Monday, though the shares are down 75% over the past year. The one-year drop illustrates how punishing the treasury-first model has become.

Strategy reported a paper loss of nearly $10 billion on its bitcoin holdings in the past quarter, having acquired 840,447 BTC at an average price of $75,482 against a current bitcoin price well below that mark. That leaves an open concern: forced selling by a large holder could pressure the wider crypto market.

Rumble Trades Higher as the Alt-Media Alternative Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM) stock is up 4% to $7.77 Monday morning as investors rotate into the alternative-media peer. Rumble shares are up 18% YTD, though still down 7% over the past year.

Rumble’s positioning as an alt-tech platform trading higher while Trump Media falls captures the day’s rotation. Reddit sentiment on Strategy has swung to very bearish, driven by a WallStreetBets thread titled “Why I Expect $MSTR at $40ish in 8-12 Weeks”, suggesting retail skepticism toward the treasury model itself, not just Trump Media’s exit.

What to Watch What a Trump Media shareholder owns now is a bet on the pivot working, a pending and unproven fusion acquisition, and a social platform with minimal revenue. Investors can watch for how the company funds and executes the media pivot, whether the TAE Technologies deal closes by year-end, what happens to the remaining bitcoin position, and whether Truth Social revenue grows from its current base.

The read-through for Strategy is more complicated. If Trump Media’s exit marks a broader loss of confidence in the corporate bitcoin treasury playbook, MSTR — the archetype of that model — faces both sentiment pressure and the tail risk that a large holder eventually becomes a forced seller.

For Rumble, today’s rotation is a reminder that the alt-media trade doesn’t require a crypto balance sheet. Execution on the Northern Data AI infrastructure integration and the Tether ad commitment will determine whether the RUM bid holds beyond a single session’s peer swap.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

, /PRNewswire/ -- SouthState Bank today announced its foray into a new vertical, Government Contractor Banking, as well as a veteran banker to lead the new area of expertise.

David Mathis will serve as director of Government Contractor Banking. He and his team will support local markets to advise companies in the government contracting space with various needs, including financing, treasury management, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.

David Mathis to Lead SouthState GovCon Banking "Government contractors play a critical role in supporting federal agencies and advancing missions that matter. SouthState's nine-state footprint is home to many ports, military bases and operations that support our nation's armed forces and civil agencies, including NASA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Energy. Expanding into Government Contractor Banking allows SouthState to bring specialized guidance, responsive service and a relationship-first approach to companies operating in this dynamic sector," said Richard Murray, president of SouthState Bank.

Mathis joins SouthState following nearly a decade at MartinFederal Consulting (MartinFed), where he served as CEO for the federal solutions company he successfully sold this year. He led the company to record growth and recognition as one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list and a certified Great Place to Work.

In addition to his executive leadership experience, Mathis spent 25 years as a commercial banker in the North Alabama market with a focus on the government contracting industry. Mathis' blend of banking expertise and first-hand government contracting experience makes him uniquely suited for this role and the ideal candidate to lead this vertical for SouthState.

"I know firsthand the opportunities and complexities government contractors navigate every day. SouthState is building a team that understands this industry and can deliver the banking expertise, strategic perspective and personal partnership these companies need to grow with confidence," Mathis said.

In the Huntsville, Alabama community, Mathis has served in numerous board and leadership positions, including the Huntsville Committee of 100, Southern Development Council, and Huntsville Marina and Port Authority. Volunteer service includes Kairos Prison Ministries and mentoring young professionals.

SouthState Bank Corporation (NYSE: SSB) is a financial services company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida. SouthState Bank, N.A., the company's nationally chartered bank subsidiary, provides consumer, commercial, mortgage and wealth management solutions to more than 1.5 million customers throughout Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee. The bank also serves clients nationwide through its correspondent banking division. Additional information is available at SouthStateBank.com.

SOURCE SouthState Bank N.A.

Key Takeaways Salesforce's Agentforce ARR topped $1 billion as customers increasingly deploy AI products in production.Atlassian expects slower ARR growth and lower GAAP operating margins in fiscal 2027 amid higher AI spending.Salesforce trades at 3.32X forward sales, below Atlassian's 5.44X, offering an attractive valuation. Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) and Salesforce (CRM - Free Report) are two of the most important enterprise cloud software companies, helping large organizations modernize operations, automate workflows and manage critical business processes.

While both benefit from long-term digital transformation trends, their business momentum and execution profiles differ meaningfully. For investors trying to choose between these two software leaders, a closer look at their fundamentals, growth outlook and risks helps determine which stock currently offers a stronger investment case.

The Case for Atlassian StockAtlassian is seeing higher AI adoption help drive customer expansion. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues rose 28% year over year, while cloud revenues grew 31% year over year. Further, RPO increased 44% year over year, and subscription ARR grew 23% year over year. Management said customers are signing larger deals, adding more seats and using more Atlassian products as they adopt AI.

Rovo is playing an important role in this trend. More than 80% of Fortune 500 companies now use Rovo, while Rovo-assisted actions increased 50% sequentially in the fourth quarter. Atlassian said customers using Rovo are growing their ARR at more than twice the rate of non-adopters. The company is also seeing customers expand Rovo into more workflows and business functions, which could create more opportunities for cross-selling and seat expansion.

The Teamwork Graph is another key part of Atlassian's AI strategy. The graph now spans more than 200 billion objects and connections and is designed to give AI agents better access to enterprise data and context. Management said AI and the Teamwork Graph are among the top two reasons customers upgrade to the cloud and Teamwork Collection. The company also reported record activity in large enterprise deals, with customers generating more than $3 million in ARR growing over 50% year over year and those with more than $5 million growing over 70%.

However, Atlassian's long-term AI strategy requires significant upfront investment, which may continue to weigh on GAAP profitability despite strong revenue growth. Atlassian expects a 6.5% GAAP operating margin in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 and 4.5% for fiscal 2027 compared with a 12% GAAP operating margin in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026. This shows that Atlassian expects significantly lower profitability in fiscal 2027 than it achieved in the latest quarter.

Further, Atlassian also expects subscription annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth to slow to 18% in fiscal 2027, down from 23% in fiscal 2026. Management said the fiscal 2027 outlook reflects caution around the macro environment, fiscal policy and geopolitical conditions. While demand in the fourth quarter remained strong, the combination of slower ARR growth and a drop in GAAP operating margin could limit earnings growth and might weigh on Atlassian’s ability to turn its strong AI and enterprise demand into higher profits in fiscal 2027.

The Case for Salesforce StockSalesforce's Agentforce platform is becoming one of the company's key growth drivers as customers increase spending on AI-powered products. Agentforce's ARR exceeded $1 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, making Agentforce one of Salesforce's fastest-growing businesses. The strong momentum can be attributed to customers who are moving beyond AI pilots and deploying the technology in production.

Agentforce is also helping Salesforce generate larger deals. The company closed a record 98 deals worth more than $1 million in new annual contract value during the first quarter. Management stated that demand for Agentforce, Data 360 and Slack was a major contributor to this performance.

Customer expansion remains another important driver. About 50% of Agentforce and Data 360 bookings came from existing customers who increased their spending with Salesforce. Management noted that its top 10 customers by Agentforce usage increased their overall Salesforce spending by 1.5 times over the past year.

Usage trends indicate that adoption is still growing. During the first quarter, Salesforce processed 28.6 trillion AI tokens, up 152% sequentially, and generated 3.8 billion agentic work units, up 111% sequentially. Agentforce is being used across customer service, sales, IT and other business functions. Salesforce's own support organization has used Agentforce to handle more than four million customer inquiries.

The platform is also supporting growth across Salesforce's broader business. Bookings for premium AI offerings grew nearly 60% year over year in the first quarter. With Agentforce ARR exceeding $1 billion, along with growing customer adoption, the platform remains one of the key growth drivers for Salesforce and continues to play an important part in the company's long-term AI strategy.

How Do Earnings Estimates Compare for TEAM & CRM?CRM has a steady earnings growth outlook compared with TEAM.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TEAM’s fiscal 2027 EPS is pinned at $5.69, revised downward by 7 cents over the past seven days, indicating a year-over-year decline of 2.7%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRM’s fiscal 2027 EPS is pinned at $14.16, revised upward by 4 cents over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 13.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

TEAM vs. CRM: Price Performance and ValuationOver the past year, shares of TEAM and CRM have plunged 4.1% and 19.6%, respectively.

TEAM Vs. CRM: 1-Year Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Currently, CRM is trading at a forward sales multiple of 3.32X, lower than TEAM’s forward sales multiple of 5.44X. CRM’s reasonable valuation makes it more attractive for investors looking for value and stability.

TEAM vs. CRM: Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Conclusion: CRM Has an Edge Over TEAMBoth Atlassian and Salesforce are well-positioned to benefit from the AI wave. However, Atlassian faces near-term risks from higher AI spending, lower expected GAAP operating margins and slower ARR growth, all of which could weigh on the company’s profitability in fiscal 2027.

In contrast, Salesforce shows steadier execution, where the company is witnessing strong adoption of its AI products and its earnings estimates are being revised upward. CRM’s reasonable valuation offers some downside protection as well, giving CRM a clear edge over TEAM.

Currently, CRM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), giving the stock a clear edge over TEAM, which has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

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

Enovix Corp. (NASDAQ:ENVX) shares are trading lower Monday morning after the company announced a major executive transition alongside operational updates.

Enovix stock is taking a hit today. Why are ENVX shares down?
CEO Raj Talluri Steps DownCEO Raj Talluri resigned to pursue another opportunity. In response, the Board appointed Chairman T.J. Rodgers as Executive Chairman and CFO Ryan Benton as Interim CEO while initiating a search for a permanent successor.

Management emphasized that the leadership change reflects a CEO transition rather than a strategy shift. Customer programs, execution teams and operational timelines remain unchanged.

Enovix meanwhile reaffirmed its third-quarter 2026 financial guidance. Operational priorities focus on final qualification for smartphone programs, scaling AI-1 smart eyewear production and expanding capacity for defense and drone applications, which generated 65% of second-quarter revenue.

Battery Innovation Drives MomentumThe announcement also highlights technical breakthroughs with the company’s 100% silicon-anode battery technology. Enovix successfully demonstrated a 1,000-cycle life on its AI-class smartphone batteries, marking a milestone over competitors that hover around 32% silicon anode content.

To streamline execution, COO Michael Vyvoda will take end-to-end control of manufacturing, supply chain and engineering facilities in Malaysia and Korea. The 80-person R&D team will also report to Vyvoda to accelerate product transitions to commercial manufacturing.

ENVX Shares Slide Monday MorningENVX Price Action: Enovix shares were down 15.72% at $3.69 at the time of publication on Monday. The stock is trading near its 52-week low of $3.67, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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CUZ (Cousins Properties)

Buy CUZ. Mizuho’s call is backed by Q2 beat and raised full-year guidance, plus clear Sunbelt leasing momentum (cash rent spreads up ~12% H1) and a 1M sq ft pipeline. The setup is a rebound story with improving fundamentals and a ~4.3% dividend while the market re-rates office landlords.

Key Risk: Sunbelt office leasing stalls again, forcing rent spreads and occupancy to roll over and making guidance lifts look temporary.

PECO (Phillips Edison)

Buy PECO. Grocery-anchored centers are the “need-to-have” retail REIT, and the thesis is supported by Q2 core FFO beat, raised guidance, ~97.5% occupancy, and limited new supply. Mizuho also expects above-average FFO growth through 2027, with a ~3.2% dividend as carry.

Key Risk: A wave of grocery-tenant weakness or lease losses (or a supply shock) drives occupancy/FFO down despite the “necessity” model.

Mizuho has refreshed its rolling conviction list of top real estate investment trusts (REITs) for the second half of 2026, pointing investors toward subsectors with proven earnings momentum.

The investment bank selected office landlord “Cousins Properties” and grocery-anchored owner “Phillips Edison & Company” as its standout picks across commercial property.

Both companies delivered Q2 earnings that topped Wall Street estimates, prompting management teams to lift full-year profit guidance.

Mizuho analysts have set price objectives for both REITs, implying meaningful upside from current levels, anchoring their thesis in strong operational execution.

These single-stock calls also arrive alongside broad tailwinds for real estate stocks, which continue to post better returns than the broader market this year.

A fundamental rebound across Sunbelt office markets underpins the case for Cousins Properties.

Analyst Vikram Malhotra maintains a $33 price target on the stock – implying about a 12% upside from recent trading levels, on top of significant year-to-date gains.  

The Atlanta-based REIT manages some 20 million square feet of office space across high-growth hubs such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte.

Its Q2 funds from operations reached 75 cents per share on $268.5 million in revenue, exceeding estimates of 74 cents and $263.5 million – bringing enough confidence for the management to lift the lower end of its full-year guidance.

In its press release, CUZ said growth is being driven by leasing momentum, cash rent spreads up roughly 12% in first-half of this year, and a 1-million-square-foot pipeline.

Finally, balance sheet capacity supports opportunistic acquisitions, while Cousins Properties stock pays a rather lucrative 4.31% dividend yield as well.

Other Wall Street analysts also agree with Mizuho’s view on CUZ, given the consensus rating on it sits at Buy with price targets going as high as $35.

Phillips Edison stock rests on a necessity-based retail thesis: grocery-anchored centers hold demand through economic cycles.

Mizuho analyst Haendel St. Juste has a $43 price target, implying about 7% upside on top of nearly 14% rally since the start of this year.   

PECO’s portfolio spans roughly 330 shopping centers anchored by grocers like Kroger and Publix, with occupancy near the sector-leading 97.5%.

Its Q2 core FFO reached 69 cents per share on $189.6 million in revenue, beating estimates of 68 cents and $187.5 million, prompting management to raise full-year guidance.

St. Juste expects above-average FFO growth through 2027 on acquisitions and limited new supply, with minimal watchlist tenant exposure. Plus, any bankruptcies would offer a chance to re-let space at higher rents,

PECO shares also currently pay a 3.2% dividend yield – while Wall Street more broadly rates the real estate investment trust at Overweight. The consensus $46 price target signals significant upside potential from here.

It has been a long year for chicken wing chain restaurant Wingstop (WING -7.47%). Its stock price is down 62% over the past year, and it is trading not just at a 52-week low but at a four-year low of around $122 per share.

But is the sell-off finally over? It may be, as Wingstopʻs stock price soared 8% on Aug. 14 -- one of its best days this year.

The catalyst? Aug. 14 was the date of record for its third-quarter dividend, payable on Sept. 5. That led to a surge of interest and may signal that Wingstop is starting to rebound.

Investors were buying in to qualify for the $ 0.33-per-share dividend payout, up from $0.30 last quarter. But beyond that, investors were looking to buy at a reduced valuation as Wingstop's P/E ratio is down to 27, from almost 43 in June.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Wingstop stock crashed Wingstop stock has been a solid performer over the years, with an average annualized return of about 16% over the past 10 years, beating the S&P 500.

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However, the past few years have been difficult for Wingstop after a huge post-COVID-19 surge. The expansion that followed the surge was derailed by high inflation, higher costs, lower foot traffic, and massive debt for the fast food stock.

At the same time, Wingstop was way too expensive with a P/E ratio of over 100 in 2023 and 2024. Even as recently as June 2025, it was trading at 57 times earnings. It was all a recipe for a crash.

Wingstop is still seeing declining same-store sales. In Q2, they dropped 7.5%, after falling 8.7% in Q1. Wingstop has now had five straight quarters of same-store sales declines.

Is Wingstop a buy now? But there are some bright spots. Revenue increased 5% due mostly to continued expansion, as Wingstop opened 102 new stores in the quarter. Since the company operates on a franchise model, it charges franchise fees on every store, so its aggressive plan to eventually open 10,000 stores globally continues. It currently has 3,255 stores.

But the company is being more strategic about it, looking to expand more internationally, with 2026 on pace to be a record year for international openings. The company now has 527 international stores, up 29% over the past year. There are 2,728 U.S. locations, up 13%.

Wingstop also saw net income increase 17% to $31.3 million, or $1.15 per share, in Q2. This is due to a decrease in the cost of sales as a percentage of sales to 73.3%, from 75.2% in Q2 of 2025. This was driven by a decrease in food, beverage, and packaging costs. Also, selling, general, and administrative expenses dropped to $30.2 million from $32.9 million a year ago.

So, can investors assume the worst is over? No. Wingstop has had false starts before, so a wait-and-see approach may be best.

But the business has had promising results with its Club Wingstop loyalty program and its quicker and more efficient smart kitchens. When you see same-store sales start to increase again and that valuation tick a bit lower, it will be time to buy Wingstop.

Fulcrum Therapeutics NASDAQ: FULC has entered into an all-stock merger agreement with privately held Slate Medicines, a migraine-focused biotechnology company, in a transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to stockholder approval and customary closing conditions.

Alex Sapir, Fulcrum’s president and chief executive officer, said the company pursued a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives following its June announcement regarding pociredir. He said Fulcrum’s board and management concluded that combining with Slate offered an opportunity to create long-term value for stockholders.

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Following the transaction, the combined company is expected to be renamed Slate Medicines and trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol SLTE. Slate Chief Executive Officer Greg Oakes is expected to become CEO of the combined company, while Slate’s current senior management team will operate the business. Slate’s board is also expected to become the board of the combined company.

Ownership, Financing and Dividend The transaction is accompanied by a $245 million private placement of Slate common stock and common stock equivalents. The financing is led by Frazier Life Sciences, with participation from Forbion, RA Capital Management, Deep Track Capital, Foresite Capital, OrbiMed, RTW Investments and Mingxin Capital.

On a fully diluted basis, pre-merger Fulcrum stockholders are expected to own approximately 5% of the combined company. Pre-merger Slate stockholders are expected to own about 55.9%, while private-placement investors are expected to own approximately 39.1%.

Sapir said Fulcrum expects to contribute a net cash balance of $20.3 million at closing in exchange for the 5% ownership stake. Fulcrum also expects to pay a special cash dividend of approximately $270 million to pre-merger Fulcrum stockholders, using additional cash expected to be available at closing.

The companies expect the combined company’s cash balance to provide operating runway into 2029.

Slate’s Migraine Pipeline Slate was founded to develop potentially best-in-class, next-generation treatments for migraine, according to Oakes. He described migraine as a disabling neurological disease that disproportionately affects women and said existing CGRP-targeted treatments have left a substantial number of patients without adequate responses.

Oakes said that in pivotal chronic migraine prevention studies of CGRP-targeted therapeutics, about half of patients achieved more than a 50% reduction in monthly migraine days, while 20% achieved more than a 75% reduction. He said the market for CGRP-targeted therapies exceeded $5 billion in 2025 and is projected to more than double to more than $10 billion at peak.

Slate’s lead program, SLTE-1009, is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind PACAP and VIP, two neuropeptides involved in migraine pathophysiology. The company believes that blocking both targets could potentially provide greater efficacy than therapies targeting PACAP alone. The antibody was engineered with half-life extension and could support quarterly subcutaneous administration.

Slate has received clearance to begin a Phase I healthy-volunteer study of SLTE-1009 in Australia. Top-line safety and pharmacokinetic data are anticipated in mid-2027. The company plans to begin a Phase II dose-ranging study in migraine patients in the second half of 2027 following the Phase I readout. Slate is also developing SLTE-2100, a bispecific antibody targeting PACAP, VIP and CGRP. The program is currently in lead optimization and is expected to enter clinical testing in the second half of 2027. The company also disclosed a third, undisclosed migraine program.

Oakes said the financing and existing cash are expected to support several anticipated development milestones, including SLTE-1009’s Phase I and Phase II studies, advancement of SLTE-2100 into clinical trials and through a Phase IIa proof-of-concept study, and continued expansion of Slate’s pipeline.

About Fulcrum Therapeutics (NASDAQ:FULC)Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing precision medicines that modulate gene expression through epigenetic control. Leveraging a proprietary target discovery platform, Fulcrum seeks to identify small‐molecule therapeutics that restore normal gene function in diseases caused by genetic dysregulation. The company's core research efforts center on transcriptional regulators and chromatin-modifying proteins, aiming to address underlying disease mechanisms rather than downstream symptoms.

Fulcrum's most advanced programs include FTX-6058, an oral therapeutic candidate designed to elevate fetal hemoglobin levels in patients with sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, and a preclinical program targeting facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) by inhibiting a key epigenetic driver of aberrant gene expression.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Key Takeaways Petrobras Q2 earnings rose 168.8% as record production, stronger exports and Brent pricing boosted results.Petrobras hit record output of 3,336 MBOE/d as new units ramped up and operational efficiency improved.Petrobras generated $12.25B in operating cash flow, with 82% of $5.29B capex directed to upstream projects. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A., or Petrobras (PBR - Free Report) , reported second-quarter 2026 earnings per ADS of $1.72, up 168.8% from 64 cents a year ago and above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.52. The 13.2% earnings surprise reflected stronger production, exports and Brent pricing.

Revenues jumped 59.8% year over year to $33,607 million and beat the $30,831 million consensus estimate by 9%. Total oil, NGL and natural gas production reached a record 3,336 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBOE/d). 

PBR Upstream Gains From Output and PricingExploration & Production revenues surged 58.2% year over year to $22,785 million. Segment net income attributable to Petrobras shareholders more than doubled to $8,250 million from $3,974 million, while adjusted EBITDA rose 77% to $15,874 million.

Brazil oil and NGL production climbed 15.2% to 2,689 MBOE/d. Growth reflected higher operational efficiency, the ramp-up of Maria Quitéria, Alexandre de Gusmão and P-78, and the start-up of P-79.  The strong upstream backdrop was also evident across major integrated peers. Chevron (CVX - Free Report) reported second-quarter production growth of more than 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day sequentially, while ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM - Free Report) achieved record Permian production of more than 1.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. 

Petrobras Refining Benefits From Higher ThroughputRefining, Transportation and Marketing revenues advanced 63.4% year over year to $32,351 million. Net income attributable to shareholders rose to $1,920 million from $217 million, and adjusted EBITDA increased to $3,562 million from $1,080 million.

Oil products output increased 10.9% to 1,918 thousand barrels per day, while refinery utilization reached a record 101.2%. Oil products imports fell to 67 thousand barrels per day, the lowest quarterly volume on record. Refining strength extended beyond Petrobras. Chevron recorded more than 1 million barrels per day of U.S. refinery throughput, while ExxonMobil posted record second-quarter diesel production as constrained global refining capacity supported margins. 

PBR Gas Unit Posts Higher ProfitabilityGas and Low Carbon Energies revenues increased 10.6% year over year to $2,406 million. Segment net income attributable to Petrobras shareholders rose to $190 million from $88 million, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 77.5% to $419 million.

Natural gas sales volume increased 7.1% to 45 million cubic meters per day. Petrobras also introduced a Brent-linked price band mechanism for natural gas contracts, setting minimum and maximum limits to reduce exposure to international price volatility.

Petrobras Profit Growth Outpaces Higher ExpensesConsolidated net income attributable to shareholders rose 120.3% year over year to $10,428 million. Net income excluding one-off events increased 170% to $11,073 million, while adjusted EBITDA excluding one-off events advanced 95.1% to $19,959 million. The reported income statement showed quarterly gross profit of $19,493 million.

Operating expenses increased to $5,240 million. Higher taxes related to crude oil exports and lower foreign-exchange gains partly offset stronger operating performance. Cost discipline remained an industry theme as well. Chevron reached $3 billion of structural cost reductions six months early, while ExxonMobil lifted cumulative structural cost savings since 2019 to $16.3 billion. 

PBR Cash Flow Supports Investment and Debt ReductionPetrobras generated $12,250 million of operating cash flow in the quarter as higher production and sales strengthened cash generation. Capital expenditures totaled $5,291 million, with 82% directed toward Exploration & Production projects.

The Rank #4 (Sell) company ended June with gross debt of $70,806 million and net debt of $60,388 million. Petrobras continues to prioritize production growth and capital discipline while advancing major projects. For comparison, Chevron generated $15,433 million of adjusted free cash flow in the quarter, while ExxonMobil reported $23,555 million of cash flow from operations, highlighting the strong cash-generation environment across large integrated energy producers.

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

17.8.2026 16:22

Americký konglomerát Berkshire Hathaway a hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management zveřejnily čtvrtletní zprávu 13F.

Berkshire Hathaway Americký konglomerát Berkshire Hathaway, v jehož čele stojí Greg Abel, pokračoval v nákupech akcií společnosti Alphabet, a to jak třídy C, tak třídy A. Akcií třídy C přikoupil 23,6 mil., přičemž celkově konglomerát drží 27,19 mil. akcií v hodnotě 9,61 mld. USD, což představuje 3,21% podíl v portfoliu.

Akcií Alphabetu třídy A přikoupil Berkshire Hathaway 24,54 mil. Počet držených akcií této třídy tak navýšil o 45,2 % na 78,79 mil. Celková hodnota akcií třídy A v portfoliu činila 28,16 mld. USD, což představuje 9,41% podíl v portfoliu.

Berkshire rovněž v uplynulém kvartálu pokračoval v nákupech akcií Macy's, Delta Air Lines, Lennar Corp. a The New York Times. Nově konglomerát nakoupil akcie rezidenční developerské společnosti D.R. Horton.

Naopak Berkshire prodal celou svou pozici ve společnosti Constellation Brands. Významně redukoval své pozice v Capital One Financial, Nucor a Kroger. Prodával rovněž akcie Ally Financial, Bank of America a DaVita.

Pershing Square Capital Hedgeový fond Pershing Square Capital Management, který vede Bill Ackman, nakupoval v průběhu 2Q akcie Howard Hughes Holdings, přičemž počet držených akcií této společnosti navýšil o 47,7 %. Hodnota celkové pozice činila na konci kvartálu 1,99 mld. USD.

Ackman v průběhu 2Q navýšil také pozici v Uberu, když přikoupil 4,37 mil. akcií. Uber se tak stal největší akciovou pozicí v portfoliu Pershing Square.

Pershing Square navyšoval rovněž své pozice ve společnostech Meta Platforms, Restaurant Brands International a Microsoft. Nově vstoupil do společností Visa, Mastercard, S&P Global a Netflix, do kterého se fond po dřívějším odprodeji své pozice vrátil.

Naopak Pershing Square prodal celé své pozice v Alphabetu, a to jak v akciích třídy A, tak třídy C. Fond rovněž redukoval své pozice ve společnostech Amazon, Brookfield a Hertz.

Zdroj: Dataroma

Jakub Němec, Fio banka, a.s.

Neocloud infrastructure provider CoreWeave (CRWV -1.67%) went public in March last year, and shares of the company have shot up by an impressive 163% since then.

However, CoreWeave stock has experienced significant volatility since its initial public offering (IPO). Concerns about the company's mounting debt and potential competition from a key customer explain why its stock has slipped 42% from the 52-week high it reached in October last year.

But that's a good thing for savvy investors looking to add a fast-growing company to their portfolios right now. CoreWeave's latest quarterly results clearly indicate that the company's red-hot growth is sustainable, and that's probably why its shares soared after it released its Q2 earnings report on Aug. 11.

Let's take a closer look at CoreWeave's results and check why this artificial intelligence (AI) stock has the potential to deliver multibagger returns over the next two years.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

CoreWeave's backlog keeps getting better CoreWeave builds and rents out dedicated AI data centers to AI companies, hyperscalers, and other customers looking to run AI workloads in the cloud. Not surprisingly, the company has been witnessing phenomenal demand for its AI data centers.

Today's Change

(

-1.67

%) $

-1.76

Current Price

$

103.51

This explains why its Q2 revenue jumped by an impressive 112% year over year to $2.58 billion, slightly ahead of the $2.56 billion consensus estimate. What's more, CoreWeave's adjusted loss per share of $1.03 was lower than the Street estimate of $1.20. The company's guidance was the icing on the cake.

CoreWeave has increased its 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $12.4 billion to $13.2 billion, up from the earlier range of $12 billion to $13 billion. The company now expects to exit the year with annualized run rate revenue of $19 billion, which is higher than the earlier estimate of $18.5 billion. Clearly, CoreWeave anticipates its healthy growth to continue in 2027, and that's not surprising given its impressive revenue backlog.

CoreWeave's revenue backlog shot up from $30.1 billion in the year-ago period to $104.2 billion in the previous quarter. Even better, the company points out that this backlog doesn't include the $25 billion in net new customer commitments it has already received in the current quarter.

The ballooning backlog makes it clear that a recent report about Meta Platforms -- a key CoreWeave customer -- looking to rent out its existing cloud computing capacity to third parties isn't a problem for the neocloud specialist. That's not surprising, as CoreWeave notes that the demand for AI compute is accelerating.

Last month, CNBC spoke to several tech executives who pointed out that AI compute demand isn't slowing down. Chip designers are finding it difficult to fulfill demand, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's comment that agentic AI workloads will require 1,000% more compute than generative AI over the next two years suggests that CoreWeave's AI infrastructure will continue to remain in hot demand.

CoreWeave remains well-positioned to capitalize on this lucrative market. The company was operating 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of active data center capacity at the end of Q2. It has added eight new data centers so far this year. Importantly, CoreWeave has 4.2 GW of contracted power capacity that it can use to build new AI data centers.

So, the company can sustain its outstanding growth over the long run, as its backlog will continue to expand due to rapidly increasing demand for AI data centers.

CoreWeave expects to convert 40% of its massive revenue backlog into actual revenue within the next two years. That points toward cumulative revenue of just over $40 billion in the next two years. Moreover, it believes that it can convert another 39% of its backlog into revenue between the next 25-48 months.

Given that CoreWeave's backlog has been expanding at a nice clip and it is focused on aggressively expanding its data center capacity, it is easy to see why analysts are forecasting robust revenue growth at CoreWeave.

Data by YCharts

For a company that's clocking outstanding revenue growth, CoreWeave stock trades at just 7.2 times sales. That's almost in line with the U.S. tech sector's average sales ratio of 7.6x. CoreWeave should ideally trade at a premium, but even if it trades at a discounted 5x sales at the end of 2028 and clocks $41 billion in revenue (based on the consensus estimate in the chart above), its market cap could jump to $205 billion within the next three years.

CoreWeave has a market cap of $58 billion as of this writing, which means that it has the potential to indeed become a multibagger by 2028. Also, CoreWeave's sales multiple suggests that it is a value stock, which is why it makes sense to buy it before it goes on a bull run.

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers, today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational drug UGN-103 (mitomycin) for intravesical solution. UGN-103 is a next-generation mitomycin formulation being developed for the treatment of adults with recurrent low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC). It is built on the clinical and commercial foundation of ZUSDURI (mitomycin) for intravesical solution.

"The NDA submission for UGN-103 marks another important milestone in advancing our vision to redefine the treatment of urothelial cancers," said Liz Barrett, President and CEO of UroGen. "UGN-103 represents the next evolution in our portfolio and is designed to provide a more streamlined manufacturing process, simplified reconstitution and extended shelf-life of the reconstituted product while leveraging our RTGel® technology."

The NDA for UGN-103 is supported by the clinical data from the ongoing Phase 3 UTOPIA trial, a single-arm, multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of UGN-103 in adult patients with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC. UGN-103 demonstrated a 77.8% three-month complete response (CR) rate (95% CI: 68.3%, 85.5%) and a 94.5% six-month duration of response (DOR) by Kaplan-Meier estimate (95% CI: 86.1%, 97.9%). Both the three-month CR rate and the DOR observed at six months with UGN-103 in the UTOPIA trial are consistent with those observed in the pivotal ENVISION trial of ZUSDURI. Because these findings are derived from separate clinical studies, no formal cross-trial comparison was performed.

About UGN-103
In January 2024, UroGen entered into a licensing and supply agreement with medac to develop UGN-103 for recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC. UGN-103 is designed to reinforce and build on the clinical and commercial foundation of ZUSDURI, the first and only FDA-approved treatment for adults with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC. The program maintains UroGen’s innovative and proven RTGel technology, enabling sustained mitomycin exposure in the bladder, while incorporating next-generation enhancements, including a more streamlined manufacturing process and simplified reconstitution to support improved ease of use in clinical practice. UroGen holds U.S. patents covering the combination of its proprietary RTGel technology with medac’s licensed lyophilized mitomycin formulation, as well as the use of UGN-103 in LG-IR-NMIBC, with intellectual property coverage expected to extend into July 2044.

About ZUSDURI
ZUSDURI (mitomycin) for intravesical solution is an innovative drug formulation of mitomycin, approved for the treatment of adults with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC. Utilizing UroGen’s proprietary RTGel technology (a sustained release, hydrogel-based formulation), ZUSDURI is delivered directly into the bladder by a trained healthcare professional using a urinary catheter in an outpatient setting, thereby enabling the treatment of tumors by non-surgical means. 

About Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC)
LG-IR-NMIBC affects around 82,000 people in the United States every year and of those, an estimated 59,000 are people experiencing recurrence. Bladder cancer primarily affects older populations with increased risk of comorbidities, with the median age of diagnosis being 73 years. Guideline recommendations for the management of NMIBC include transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) as the standard of care. Up to 70 percent of NMIBC patients experience at least one recurrence, and LG-IR-NMIBC patients are even more likely to recur and face repeated TURBT procedures. Learn more about NMIBC at www.BladderCancerAnswers.com.

About UTOPIA
The UTOPIA trial is a single-arm, multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of UGN-103 in 99 patients across global sites. Enrolled patients received 75 mg of UGN-103 via intravesical instillation in an outpatient setting once weekly for six weeks. The primary endpoint is CR rate at three months, with responders entering a follow-up phase of up to 12 months to assess DOR. For more information on the UTOPIA study, please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06331299.

About UroGen Pharma Ltd.
UroGen is a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers because patients deserve better options. UroGen has developed RTGel reverse-thermal hydrogel, a proprietary sustained-release, hydrogel-based platform technology that has the potential to improve the therapeutic profiles of existing drugs. UroGen’s sustained release technology is designed to enable longer exposure of the urinary tract tissue to medications, making local therapy a potentially more effective treatment option. UroGen’s first product treats low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer and UroGen’s second product, ZUSDURI (mitomycin) for intravesical solution, treats adult patients with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC; both are designed to ablate tumors by non-surgical means. UroGen is headquartered in Princeton, NJ with operations in Israel.

Visit www.UroGen.com to learn more or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), @UroGenPharma.

About medac
At medac group, we believe that health is humanity’s most valuable resource. Since 1970, our mission has been to improve patients’ quality of life worldwide by making the best medical treatments available. As a globally operating pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany, we provide high-quality medical treatments for patients worldwide in over 90 countries. With more than 2,000 employees, we are committed to improving human health.

Our products are manufactured in Germany and other European countries to the highest standards, utilizing our own logistics center and production sites, and subsequently distributed worldwide.

 We are constantly working to improve authorized medicines and to develop innovative therapies in the fields of rheumatology, urology, hematology, and oncology. Part of our mission is to provide safe, high-quality and innovative original products, as well as generics and biosimilars. In this way, we make vital treatments accessible to those affected.

For more information, please visit www.medac-group.com.

APPROVED USE FOR ZUSDURI

ZUSDURI (mitomycin) for intravesical solution is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the bladder called low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC) after you have previously received bladder surgery to remove tumor and it did not work or is no longer working.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not receive ZUSDURI if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or if you have had an allergic reaction to mitomycin or to any of the ingredients in ZUSDURI.

Before receiving ZUSDURI, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have kidney problemsare pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ZUSDURI can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with ZUSDURI. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with ZUSDURI. Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ZUSDURI and for 6 months after the last dose.

Males being treated with ZUSDURI: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with ZUSDURI and for 3 months after the last dose.

are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ZUSDURI passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with ZUSDURI and for 1 week after the last dose.
How will I receive ZUSDURI?

You will receive your ZUSDURI dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks into your bladder through a tube called a urinary catheter. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of ZUSDURI according to your healthcare provider’s instructions.If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.During treatment with ZUSDURI, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.
After receiving ZUSDURI:

ZUSDURI may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 24 hours.To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.
The most common side effects of ZUSDURI include: increased blood creatinine levels, increased blood potassium levels, trouble with urination, decreased red blood cell counts, increase in certain blood liver tests, increased or decreased white blood cell counts, urinary tract infection, blood in your urine.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.

Please see ZUSDURI Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information.

ZUSDURI® and UroGen® are registered trademarks of UroGen Pharma, Ltd.

Copyright©2026 UroGen Pharma, Inc. All rights reserved.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding: UGN-103 representing the next evolution in UroGen’s portfolio and the potential benefits of UGN-103 as compared to ZUSDURI, including its streamlined manufacturing, reconstitution processes, and extended shelf-life; the expected duration of intellectual property protection for UGN-103; the estimated annual U.S. patient population and demographics for LG-IR-NMIBC; the potential of UroGen’s proprietary RTGel technology to improve therapeutic profiles of existing drugs other than mitomycin; and UroGen’s sustained release technology making local delivery potentially more effective as compared to other treatment options. Words such as “can,” “estimated,” “expect,” “may,” “potential,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to: preliminary clinical results may not be indicative of results that may be observed in the future; potential safety and other complications related to UroGen’s products and product candidates; risks related to our and our licensors’ ability to protect our respective patents and other intellectual property, including the fact that UroGen’s or its licensors’ pending patent applications may not be successful, and in such event, the duration of intellectual property protection would be more limited; the ability to maintain regulatory approval; complications associated with commercialization activities; labeling limitations; competition in UroGen’s industry; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing UroGen’s products and product candidates; the size and growth of the market(s) therefor and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-à-vis alternative therapies or procedures, such as surgery; UroGen’s ability to attract or retain key management, members of the board of directors and other personnel; UroGen’s RTGel technology and UroGen’s products and product candidates may not perform as expected; the data from the UTOPIA trial may not be sufficient to support approval of UGN-103; UroGen may not successfully develop and receive regulatory approval of any other product that incorporates RTGel technology; and the impacts of general macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions on UroGen’s business and financial position. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in the Risk Factors section of UroGen’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 5, 2026. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the events and circumstances discussed in such forward-looking statements may not occur, and UroGen’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied thereby. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to UroGen as of the date of this release.

INVESTOR:
Vincent Perrone
Senior Director, Investor Relations
[email protected]
609-460-3588 ext. 1093

MEDIA:
Cindy Romano
Director, Corporate Communications
[email protected]
609-460-3566 ext. 1083

Flagstar selects Finxact, next-generation core banking platform, as a foundation for modernization strategy and key pillar of the Flagstar S2 Platform  | Source: Fiserv, Inc.

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a global leader in payments and financial technology, and Flagstar Bank, N.A. (NYSE:FLG), one of the nation’s largest regional banks, today announced that Flagstar has selected Finxact from Fiserv, a modern, cloud-native core banking platform, as the cornerstone of the bank’s core modernization strategy.

Flagstar’s selection of Finxact is a natural extension of its commitment to building a modern technology foundation and a key component of the Flagstar S2 Platform™ — Simple and Sophisticated — the bank's unified technology transformation initiative. Finxact will serve as the next-generation system of record and transaction processing engine underpinning Flagstar's modernization strategy, replacing legacy technology and positioning the bank to deliver the real-time, digital-first banking experiences today's customers demand. As the bank moves to a single, consolidated core with Finxact, it will implement planned conversions in a phased approach to support a seamless transition.

“At the heart of everything we do is a genuine commitment to making banking better for our customers starting with how we build and evolve our technology,” said Christopher Higgins, Chief Information & Operations Officer at Flagstar Bank. “Choosing Finxact wasn't just a technical decision, it was a pivotal moment for us. A significant enabler of everything the Flagstar S2 Platform is becoming, Finxact will give us the freedom to move faster, grow smarter, and deliver the kind of real-time, seamless experiences that today's customers expect. We're not just keeping up with the future of financial services — we're building it.”

“Financial institutions are increasingly rethinking their technology foundations to improve agility, deliver differentiated experiences and respond more quickly to evolving customer expectations,” said Srini Krish, Co-Head, Financial Solutions, Fiserv. “Flagstar's vision for technology is exactly the kind of bold, forward-thinking transformation that Finxact was built to enable. This partnership is a powerful demonstration of what a next-generation core platform can enable for a large financial institution and will serve as a compelling model for institutions across the industry."

Finxact is an open, cloud-native, API-first platform designed to help financial institutions modernize incrementally while gaining real-time access to data, greater operational flexibility and faster product development capabilities. Its real-time, temporal transaction processing eliminates end-of-day batch reconciliation, delivering a single, authoritative version of the truth across the enterprise. Finxact's open, extensible architecture and API-first design are purpose-built to integrate seamlessly within this framework, enabling banks to rapidly deliver new products and services, support embedded finance, and future-proof their technology investments.

About Flagstar Bank, N.A.
Flagstar Bank, N.A. is one of the largest regional banks in the country. At June 30, 2026, the Bank had $87.7 billion of assets, $61.2 billion of loans, deposits of $67.5 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $8.1 billion. Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates approximately 340 locations across nine states, with strong footholds in the greater New York/New Jersey metropolitan region and in the upper Midwest, along with a significant presence in fast-growing markets in Florida and the West Coast.

About Fiserv
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company, is a global leader uniting commerce and finance. The company powers sustained growth and innovation at scale for financial institutions and businesses worldwide across payments, account processing, digital banking, merchant acquiring, network services, e-commerce, and Clover®, the all-in-one business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and one of FORTUNE® America’s Most Innovative Companies. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news. 

  For more information contact:Additional contact:Media Relations: Mark JelfsJessica TorchiaSenior Manager, CommunicationsVice President, External CommunicationsFiserv, Inc.Flagstar Bank, [email protected]@flagstar.com

Nebius
NBIS -1.31% 51

and CoreWeave
CRWV -1.05% 8

are seeing pricing trends in AI data center services that could support further growth as demand for computing capacity continues to exceed available supply.

Wedbush analyst Matt Bryson said recent earnings commentary from both companies points to favorable economics for AI infrastructure. He estimates that customers can recover investments in AI servers within roughly three years or less, supporting continued spending on training and inference capacity.

Bryson said the trend may also benefit companies supplying hardware for AI data centers. He highlighted Cerebras (CBRS), which is expanding its infrastructure plans for 2027 and working to secure additional wafer supply for its wafer-scale processors.

Cerebras recently reported second-quarter results that led to a decline in its shares, but the Wedbush analyst expects upcoming company events could provide additional information on its expansion plans.

The broader assessment suggests AI infrastructure investment may have more room to grow. For companies such as Nebius and CoreWeave, higher pricing and sustained demand could provide support as they add capacity to serve customers developing and running AI models.

Check the Warning Signs for

NBIS

now!

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At $305.93, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) looks overvalued. The stock rallied hard off winter lows, but fundamentals are quietly weakening in ways the multiple cannot absorb.

Apple remains the most profitable consumer electronics business on the planet, with a $4.46 trillion market cap, a 2.5 billion device installed base, and Services revenue that hit $30.7 billion last quarter. iPhone drives roughly half of revenue, and the ecosystem around it funds one of the largest capital return programs in market history.

Shares climbed from $271.12 at the start of the year to a July high above $340 on a strong June quarter, then faded. That beat was partially manufactured by temporary tailwinds, and the setup into the October earnings report looks materially worse.

Why the Bull Case Still Has Teeth Apple delivered its ninth consecutive EPS beat, posting $2.02 on $109.42 billion in revenue, up 16.4% year over year. iPhone revenue grew 22%, Mac grew 29%, and Tim Cook called it the “strongest June quarter ever, with double-digit revenue growth across iPhone, Mac and Services, and in every geographic segment.”

Capital efficiency is unmatched. ROE sits at 171%, ROIC at 53%, and management authorized a fresh $100 billion buyback. The all-new Siri AI rollout at WWDC26 gives Apple a plausible AI-cycle upgrade catalyst without the 37.5% of revenue capex burden peers are carrying.

Why the Bear Case Is Winning The June headline was propped up by one-time items. CFO Kevan Parekh disclosed that tariff refunds gave gross margin a two percentage point benefit and EPS an 11 cent lift. Strip those out and Apple merely met the midpoint of its own guide. Cook described memory pricing as a “100-year flood… with exponential increases,” and Apple has already reluctantly raised prices on iPad and Mac.

Guidance confirmed deceleration. September revenue is guided to 9% to 11% growth, Services below 10%, and gross margin is projected at 47% to 48%, down from the tariff-inflated June earnings report. Valuation leaves no room: P/E of 35, forward P/E of 32, PEG of 2.5, and a free cash flow yield of 2.21% against risk-free rates. Insider activity shows net selling, and the Q3 earnings report was met with a 7.35% single-day decline despite the beat.

The Case for Sitting Tight Apple still gushes cash, and holders sitting on long-term gains have valid tax reasons to defer. If Siri AI drives a genuine upgrade super-cycle, forward estimates move higher and the multiple looks defensible.

The wait-and-see argument hinges on the October earnings report. If Apple offsets memory inflation without gutting product margin, and if Services reaccelerates above 10%, the bear thesis loses its edge. A repeat of the June reaction, where a 6.8% beat triggered a hard selloff, would validate that expectations have outrun the business.

What the Data Actually Says Apple trades at $305.93, against a consensus analyst target of $322.28, implying modest single-digit upside. Coverage skews positive, with 6 Strong Buy, 22 Buy, 14 Hold, 2 Sell, and 2 Strong Sell ratings across 46 analysts. Shares are up 12.84% year to date, trailing the S&P 500‘s 13.85%, and are down 6.5% over the past month while the index rose 2.85%. Apple is lagging the market it once led.

Prediction markets echo caution. Polymarket traders assign only a 28.5% probability to a new product line before 2027, and 30-day sentiment has fallen 15.7 points.

Why $305 Looks Overextended At $305.93, Apple looks overvalued.

The path to downside runs through the October 29 earnings report. Consensus is anchored to guidance that bakes in tariff refund tailwinds fading, memory costs escalating, and supply constraints Cook warned would “increase significantly” sequentially. If margin compresses harder than the 47% floor management flagged, a stock priced at 32 times forward earnings has nowhere to hide.

The Q3 reaction, a 7.35% same-day decline on a 6.8% beat, showed that at this multiple, beats alone no longer move the stock higher. Average one-day post-earnings performance across the last ten straight beats is -1.16%. Buyers are paying growth-stock prices for a hardware business decelerating into a margin squeeze.

What invalidates the Sell thesis: a clean October beat with expanding product margins, Services reaccelerating above 12%, and tangible Siri AI monetization. Absent those, capital compounds better elsewhere. When a $4.5 trillion company misses the S&P by a mile and trades at 35 times earnings on decelerating revenue, the risk/reward skews unfavorable at this multiple.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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August’s action shows an interesting divergence. Mega-cap tech has cooled off the highs while institutional ownership across the biggest cloud franchises keeps grinding higher. Berkshire Hathaway’s disclosure of a new 48-million-share Alphabet position is the loudest signal, but the quieter tell is in the ownership stats: institutions hold 76.36% of Microsoft, 81.17% of Alphabet, and 68.69% of Amazon. When multi-quarter capex commitments start showing up in contracted backlog, professional money tends to accumulate through the noise.

Three names stand out this month, each backed by concrete data on cloud acceleration, AI monetization, and analyst positioning.

Microsoft (MSFT) Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) closed Thursday at $495.40, up 25.22% over the past month after the fiscal Q4 report. The setup here is unusual: the stock is trading roughly 3% below its 52-week high of $550.24, yet analyst positioning has firmed. 54 of 57 covering analysts rate the stock Buy or Strong Buy, with a $567.20 consensus target.

The bull case starts with the backlog. Commercial remaining performance obligations grew 84% to $678 billion, and Azure crossed $100 billion in annual revenue, up 41%. Q4 revenue of $90 billion grew 18%, with non-GAAP EPS of $4.74. Microsoft 365 Copilot passed 30 million paid seats, and CEO Satya Nadella noted that "Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time". At 27x trailing earnings, investors are paying a reasonable multiple for a business compounding earnings at 31.7% year over year.

Risk to watch: capex intensity is real. FY2026 capital expenditures ran $115.95 billion, up 79.62%, and Q4 free cash flow of $19.6 billion reflects that squeeze. Any deceleration in Azure bookings and the market will re-rate quickly.

Alphabet (GOOGL) Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is the cheapest of the three at a 17x trailing P/E with a PEG of 0.969. Shares finished Thursday at $345.90, up 10.65% year to date and 70.93% over the trailing year. Berkshire’s recently disclosed 48-million-share position is the headline institutional endorsement, and it lands alongside a Q2 report that keeps looking better on re-read.

Google Cloud revenue accelerated to $24.77 billion, up 82% year over year, from 63% growth in Q1. Total Q2 revenue of $119.80 billion grew 24.2%, and operating income of $40.77 billion rose 30% as the operating margin expanded to 34%. CEO Sundar Pichai flagged that "nearly 90% of the Fortune 100" now uses Gemini Enterprise, with the Gemini App at 950 million monthly active users. Analyst coverage has become one-sided: 58 of 64 covering analysts rate the stock Buy or Strong Buy with a $428.04 target.

Risk to watch: free cash flow turned negative to -$5.86 billion in Q2 as Alphabet raised roughly $70 billion in equity and debt to fund its AI buildout, and long-term debt jumped from $46.5 billion to $98.2 billion. The buyback pause is a warning that management is prioritizing capacity over per-share optics for now.

Amazon (AMZN) Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) closed at $262.65, up 13.79% year to date. Analyst enthusiasm is the strongest in the group: 59 of 62 covering analysts rate the stock Buy or Strong Buy with a $325.19 consensus target.

Q2 revenue of $200.61 billion grew 19.6%. AWS grew 36.7% year over year, its fastest pace in 18 quarters, on an annualized run rate of $169 billion with an operating margin of 39%. AI and custom chips each cleared $25 billion annualized run rates growing triple digits, and the AWS backlog stands at $496 billion. Advertising revenue of $19.81 billion grew 26%. CEO Andy Jassy told the call that "AWS is booming right now" and management now believes AWS "will be at least double" the few-hundred-billion revenue base they long modeled.

Risk to watch: free cash flow has turned negative on a TTM basis at -$7.6 billion after $53.1 billion of cash capex in Q2 alone. Investors are underwriting the 2027 capacity doubling before it monetizes, and at 36x earnings, the multiple leaves little room for a demand air pocket.

What to Watch Next All three names are running the same playbook: absorb an unprecedented capex cycle, convert it into contracted cloud backlog, and monetize AI seats and tokens on top. The tell will be Q1 fiscal 2027 Azure guidance (Microsoft has already pointed to roughly 45% growth in constant currency), the trajectory of Google Cloud’s 82% run rate, and whether AWS holds its 18-quarter high in growth. If any of those cracks, the smart-money accumulation thesis needs re-underwriting. Until then, the setup keeps rewarding patience.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

News Summary:

NVIDIA will be the exclusive AI compute infrastructure provider at PORTS-Pike.NVIDIA to provide credit support on land, power, and shell buildout to secure initial 4.25 IT-GW, with an option to take the remaining 3.75 IT-GWOpenAI will be the customer for 8-IT GWPORTS-Pike campus project will create tens of thousands of Ohio jobs, pay for its power infrastructure, and invest hundreds of millions in the community anchored by an initial $80 million community benefits fund. NVIDIA to invest $1.5B in SB Energy now to support SB Energy’s growth and commitments to the Ohio community. SANTA CLARA, Calif. and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NVIDIA announced that it has secured land, power and shell (LPS) capacity through a partnership with SB Energy at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, Ohio, to host NVIDIA compute. OpenAI will be the customer. SB Energy will build, own and operate the data center under a 20-year lease to OpenAI.

Demand for AI is growing at an extraordinary pace. AI is becoming infrastructure, requiring a full stack of critical resources, including LPS. To meet this moment, NVIDIA is securing the LPS capacity at PORTS-Pike to exclusively host NVIDIA AI factories. This unique campus development will lay the foundation for tomorrow’s breakthroughs, enabling communities to drive scientific discovery, health care advances and regional economic development.

OpenAI will utilize the capacity at the site. The AI factory will use NVIDIA’s full-stack DSX AI factory platform, including GPUs, CPUs and networking. The initial deployment is designed to support 4.25 IT-GW of AI factory capacity. NVIDIA has the option to extend the opportunity at PORTS-Pike beyond the initial capacity. The DSX AI factory architecture used at PORTS-Pike will deliver resiliency across the full stack – facilities, hardware, and software together – reducing infrastructure overhead and accelerating time to tokens for the next generation of AI factories.

“AI is becoming infrastructure – the foundation for intelligence in every industry – and land, power and shell have become vital in the age of AI. Now is the time to scale the AI infrastructure that will power the next industrial revolution,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “We are securing long-lived infrastructure for NVIDIA compute so OpenAI can deploy the most productive AI factories that can be upgraded repeatedly with each new generation delivering more intelligence and better economics.”

“Infrastructure is vital for the AI economy. With SoftBank Group, OpenAI and NVIDIA, SB Energy is building power-first infrastructure at unprecedented scale while strengthening the communities that make it possible – protecting ratepayers, creating tens of thousands of well-paying jobs, and investing in infrastructure to revitalize Southern Ohio that has long shaped America’s future,” said Rich Hossfeld, co-CEO of SB Energy.

“This is going to be a huge site, with enough computing power to help millions of people use AI to do things we can only start to imagine today, from finding new medicines to starting businesses and solving hard problems,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “We’re proud to build it in Pike County, a place that is once again at the heart of American industry and leading the future. We want the people who live here to feel the benefits too, through good jobs, more opportunity for local businesses, and investment in the community for years to come.”

“The next era of intelligence will transform every industry — and require infrastructure built at unprecedented speed and scale. Together with our partners, SoftBank will help unlock the power of AGI and move humanity forward,” said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp.

Campus to Bring New Jobs and Benefits to Ohio
SB Energy’s PORTS-Pike Technology Campus is reindustrializing the decommissioned Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant and the surrounding area, bringing a new generation of jobs to Appalachian Ohio, while creating an opportunity for the region to play an important role in the next era of American industry. Spanning private and federal land, the campus is being developed in collaboration with AEP Ohio, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The planned capacity is expected to come online in phases beginning in 2028.

In support of the surrounding Ohio community, SB Energy and SoftBank will build at least 10 GW of new energy generation, which results in 8 IT-GW of AI factory capacity, and invest at least $4.2 billion in new regional grid infrastructure through an innovative partnership with AEP Ohio designed to protect ratepayers. OpenAI has agreed to build on SB Energy’s originally announced $40 million community benefits fund with an incremental $40 million designed to support local priorities, including affordable energy, job creation and workforce development, and community and economic development.

NVIDIA Invests in SB Energy
NVIDIA will invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy, joining existing investors SoftBank Group and OpenAI. The investment supports SB Energy’s continued evolution into a leading AI infrastructure developer, while supporting Pike County and other local communities, with the vast opportunity ahead to deliver compute infrastructure at speed and scale.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

Advisors
Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan served as financial advisors for SB Energy. Morgan Stanley served as NVIDIA’s financial advisor.

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is the world leader in AI and accelerated computing.

About SB Energy
SB Energy is a leading integrated data center and power infrastructure company purpose-built for the AI economy. The company develops, constructs, and operates gigawatt-scale data center campuses and utility-scale power generation assets. Through its vertically integrated, power-first model, SB Energy addresses the industry's primary bottleneck and accelerates speed-to-compute, with a focus on community, reliability, and cost discipline. For more information, visit www.sbenergy.com.

About OpenAI
OpenAI is making powerful AI accessible, useful and abundant for people and businesses everywhere to build, solve problems and expand what they’re able to do.

Media Contacts

NVIDIA
[email protected]

SB Energy
[email protected]

OpenAI
[email protected]

NVIDIA Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: AI becoming infrastructure and AI infrastructure powering the next industrial revolution; NVIDIA’s partnership with SB Energy and the expected benefits and impacts of the partnership; NVIDIA’s investment in SB Energy; the development, timing, scale, capacity and operation of the PORTS-Pike campus; the exclusive hosting of NVIDIA systems at the PORTS-Pike campus; OpenAI’s expected customer role and DSX deployment at PORTS-Pike; the potential expansion of the PORTS-Pike campus and related commitments and the expected economic and community impacts of the campus; NVIDIA’s credit support; expectations with respect to demand for AI; expectations with respect to performance, availability, and benefits of NVIDIA’s products, services and technologies, and related trends and drivers; expectations with respect to technology developments, and related trends and drivers; expectations with respect to AI and related industries; and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic and political conditions; NVIDIA’s reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test NVIDIA’s products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of new products and technologies or enhancements to NVIDIA’s existing products and technologies; market acceptance of NVIDIA’s products or NVIDIA’s partners’ products; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of NVIDIA’s products or technologies when integrated into systems; NVIDIA’s ability to realize the potential benefits of business investments or acquisitions; and changes in applicable laws and regulations, as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the most recent reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company’s website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

The chipmaker Intel Corp. (INTC, Financials), seeking to restore its foundry division may be showing actual indications of improvement after raising $23 billion this week.

GF Securities said the offering appears constructive on the back of rising yields, more client involvement and ongoing equipment investment.

The firm forecasts Intel Foundry to be cash flow break-even in Q4 of 2027 with improved margins in 2028. Analyst Jeff Pu also cited strong 18A yields and client engagement, especially from Apple.

Intel's EMIB packaging business might possibly expand beyond Google to AWS and others. GF forecasts EMIB revenues to be roughly $1.1 billion in 2027 and up to $7 billion in 2028.

Intel had originally expected to raise $15 billion, but the size was boosted to $23 billion because of tremendous demand.

The greater concern for investors is whether the new money can translate foundry advances into considerable revenue growth.

Check the Warning Signs for

INTC

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Plan balances reliability, diverse resources and costs while helping communities in the Carolinas continue to build robust economies Near-term actions serve our customers' rising energy needs while keeping customer benefits, value and future optionality central to resource planning , /PRNewswire/ -- South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, attracting new residents, major employers and billions of dollars in economic investment. Meeting the state's energy needs requires a reliable energy system that can support thriving communities while keeping costs as low as possible for customers.

Duke Energy's 2026 Carolinas Resource Plan – submitted Aug. 14 to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) – reflects execution already underway and highlights new opportunities to power South Carolina's future.

The strategy is designed to maximize the value of existing assets while making prudent investments in additional diverse resources needed to serve the state's growing population and economy. Through an execution-informed planning approach, Duke Energy will continue adjusting to changing conditions while maintaining its focus on delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy for Palmetto State customers. Our view: "South Carolina's success depends on having the energy infrastructure in place to support new residents, new businesses and new or expanding industries," said Tim Pearson, Duke Energy's South Carolina president. "We've made significant progress executing the strategy outlined in previous resource plans, and this updated roadmap builds on that momentum and details the additional actions we need to take now to keep the Carolinas powered reliably and affordably as the region grows."

A plan for South Carolina: Consistent with previous resource plans and supportive of South Carolina energy policy goals under the 2025 Energy Security Act (Act 41), the latest plan advances new generation, new energy storage and renewables opportunities, evaluates future nuclear generation options, maximizes energy efficiency and maintains flexibility to adapt as customer needs, technology and market conditions evolve.

What's in the plan?

Key elements include:

Natural Gas: Natural gas is a major near-term reliability resource, with efficiency upgrades completed, multiple combined cycle (CC)/combustion turbine (CT) projects advancing, approval for a 1,400 megawatt (MW) new combined cycle facility in Anderson County secured, and turbine supply agreements executed with delivery beginning from GE Vernova in Greenville. Storage: The company is scaling battery storage execution, with storage projects in service, equipment secured, interconnection activity underway, and an RFP for 400 MW of standalone storage in South Carolina. Solar: Solar procurement and construction remain active, including completed facilities, projects under construction, and RFPs for solar and solar paired with storage. Nuclear: Existing nuclear assets continue to be maximized through license renewals, uprates, and fuel-cycle work, while the company evaluates potential new nuclear options and considers sites in Cherokee County, S.C., and Stokes County, N.C. Grid Edge: Grid Edge programs are treated as a core execution tool to reduce, shift, and shape demand through energy efficiency, demand-side management, load curtailment, customer programs, and storage demand response. To explore more details of the 2026 Carolinas Resource Plan, visit duke-energy.com/CarolinasResourcePlan.

Our view: "As South Carolina continues to grow, we're continuing our investment not only in new energy resources, but also in programs and technologies that help customers use energy more efficiently and save money," Pearson said. "From energy-efficiency programs to demand-response initiatives and our grid modernization strategy, this plan provides customers with more value while ensuring we have the reliable energy infrastructure needed to support the state's future."

Maximizing value for customers: Duke Energy continues to use every tool available to manage costs for our customers while delivering the high quality of service they expect.

Through its proposed resource mix, the company is maximizing the value that tax credits provide customers and finalizing the recently approved combination of Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress – efforts that together will deliver more than $5 billion in cost-saving benefits to the customers and communities the company serves. Duke Energy has also applied for loans from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that represent potentially billions of dollars in customer savings as the company strengthens the electric grid. What's next: The PSCSC will hold a hearing on the resource plan in April 2027 and issue an order by June 2027. 

Duke Energy Carolinas
Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 20,800 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 24,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina. 

Duke Energy Progress
Duke Energy Progress, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 13,800 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.8 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 28,000-square-mile service area in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

Media Contact: Ryan Mosier

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

Contract accelerates production of critical precision-strike weapon

, /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, will dramatically accelerate the production of Tomahawk cruise missiles for the U.S. Navy over the multi-year period under the terms of an unprecedented $22.9 billion contract, awarded as part of the Department of War's Arsenal of Freedom.

This contract follows the landmark agreements between Raytheon and the Department of War and supports the annual production ramp to more than 1,000 Tomahawk missiles and associated support, ensuring a stable, predictable supply for the Navy and allies.

"Tomahawk is the Navy's most important strike weapon, able to target hostile forces hundreds of miles away without ever risking the lives of our sailors," said Raytheon President Phil Jasper.  "We are making significant investments in our workforce, technology, supply chain and facilities to dramatically boost production capacity and meet surging demand."

RTX has invested heavily in recent years to ramp production of Tomahawk and other critical munitions, delivering three times more Tomahawks in the first half of 2026 compared to the first half of 2025. With this contract, RTX will increase capacity and collaborate closely with hundreds of small and mid-sized suppliers nationwide to rapidly scale output to meet long-term needs.

Tomahawk cruise missiles remain one of the U.S. military's most proven and versatile long range strike capabilities. With a decades‑long record of operational performance, Tomahawk provides military leaders with reliable, flexible options against high value targets from a variety of launch platforms.

About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense across land, air, sea and space.

About RTX
With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE RTX

Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP) shares are trading lower Monday morning as Wall Street continues to digest a pivotal ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals alongside heavy insider stock sales. Here’s what investors need to know.

Snap stock is among today’s weakest performers. Why is SNAP stock dropping? Section 230 Defense Rejected in Federal Appeals CourtThe federal appeals court last week rejected tech industry efforts to throw out over 3,000 consolidated lawsuits, ruling that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act acts as an affirmative defense rather than blanket immunity from being sued.

The decision allows thousands of claims alleging Snapchat’s core design features foster youth addiction to proceed directly toward trial.

Executive Insider Selling Amplifies Bearish SentimentCompounding the legal pressure, recent regulatory filings revealed significant executive stock disposals. Chief Technology Officer Robert Murphy sold 4 million Class A shares for approximately $21.6 million under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Although 10b5-1 plans are scheduled in advance to avoid trading on non-public information, the large insider divestment following second-quarter earnings has heightened market caution and added short-term selling pressure.

Why These Dual Risks Matter to Wall StreetHistorically, Section 230 has served as legal armor, protecting social media platforms from liability associated with third-party user content.However, plaintiffs are targeting proprietary algorithms, notifications and engagement features, which courts increasingly view as product design rather than protected speech.

Without broad pretrial immunity, Snap faces immense financial and operational exposure. Defense costs and potential multi-billion-dollar settlement liabilities could severely impair free cash flow.

More critically, potential court-ordered product modifications could force Snap to alter its core engagement algorithms, directly threatening active user growth, screen time and advertising monetization.

Paired with negative insider selling optics, the prospect of years of protracted litigation creates a multi-faceted overhang that could suppress valuation multiples until greater clarity returns.

SNAP Shares Fall Monday MorningSNAP Price Action: Snap shares were down 3.52% at $5.22 during premarket trading on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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CARLSBAD, Calif., and LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today announced it selected Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, to build a satellite bus for the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) under the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program. On May 22, 2026, Viasat was awarded a prime contract to deliver one of the first small, maneuverable geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellites for the PTS-G constellation. The initial production award, known as Swarm 1, includes manufacturing, integration and test, launch, and on-orbit checkout of the mini-GEO satellite system.

PTS-G is a key part of USSF’s strategy to deliver global, resilient, and scalable satellite communications to warfighters by leveraging commercial designs and technology to support smaller, faster-to-produce satellites with enhanced anti-jam capabilities. Viasat’s government space team within its Defense and Advanced Technologies segment will lead this work to advance the PTS-G initial operating capability.

Rocket Lab will deliver a GEO configuration of its high-performance Lightning spacecraft platform to host Viasat's dual-band X/Ka-band payload. Lightning-GEO features a high-power architecture built with Rocket Lab's own vertically integrated components and subsystems, including tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C) radios, solar power, star trackers, reaction wheels, flight and ground software, and more.

The combination of Rocket Lab's high reliability Lightning platform and Viasat's mini-GEO satellite architecture and high-performance payload will provide secure communications for the warfighter. This mini-GEO satellite will provide a next-generation, anti-jam, resilient communications capability designed to ensure secure connectivity for U.S. and allied forces operating in contested environments around the world.

Viasat will provide its technical and operational expertise designing and delivering high-performance dual-use satellite solutions, as well as a deep understanding of USSF and U.S. Department of War mission requirements. Rocket Lab's GEO configuration also leverages commercial solutions, further supporting the Space Force's push toward more resilient architecture based on scaled commercial capability.

“This production award represents an important step forward in delivering the next generation of protected satellite communications capabilities for the U.S. Space Force,” said Craig Miller, President, Viasat Government. “By combining Viasat's cutting-edge communications payload technology with Rocket Lab's proven spacecraft platform, we are advancing a more agile and resilient GEO architecture designed to support mission-critical communications hot spots in contested environments. We are excited to showcase how low cost, high performance dual-use technology can provide reliable connectivity for evolving missions in an increasingly contested tactical communications environment.”

Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck said: “Moving from design into production marks an important milestone for this program and for Rocket Lab's growing role in national security space. By pairing our vertically integrated spacecraft with Viasat's protected communications payload, we're delivering resilient, space-based communications infrastructure that keeps our forces connected and secure in contested environments.”

Viasat's award is one of two delivery orders issued under a competitive Fair Opportunity acquisition, reflecting the Space Force's strategy of building a diversified, resilient PTS-G architecture. In addition to delivering the spacecraft and payload, the Viasat PTS-G award also includes five years of operations and sustainment services for the satellite, including TT&C, satellite and network operations, and cybersecurity requirements.

About Viasat

Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea, while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com, the Viasat News Room or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube. 

About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com.

Viasat, Inc. Contacts
Dan Bleier, Public Relations, Viasat Government, +1 (202) 383-5074, [email protected]
Peter Lopez, Investor Relations, +1 (760) 476-2633, [email protected]

Rocket Lab Contacts
Morgan Connaughton
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to Viasat’s PTS-G program Swarm 1 Delivery Order award, including the anticipated production, launch, delivery and performance of the Viasat dual-band X/Ka-band satellite; future operations and sustainment services for the satellite; and statements regarding Rocket Lab’s Lightning-GEO spacecraft platform, including anticipated production, configuration, delivery, and performance; and Viasat’s receipt of any future manufacturing or other awards related to the program. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; changes in relationships with, or the financial condition of, key customers or suppliers; our reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply our products; our ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; increased competition; the effect of adverse regulatory changes (including changes affecting spectrum availability or permitted uses) on our ability to sell or deploy our products and services; changes in the way others use spectrum; our inability to access additional spectrum, use spectrum for additional purposes, and/or operate satellites at additional orbital locations; competing uses of the same spectrum or orbital locations that we utilize or seek to utilize; and introduction of new technologies and other factors affecting the communications and defense industries generally. Forward-looking statements related to Rocket Lab are subject to similar risks, including those associated with Rocket Lab’s spacecraft platform development, production, operations, and subsystem performance. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat’s and Rocket Lab’s respective SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Neither Viasat nor Rocket Lab undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Copyright © 2026 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat Signal are registered trademarks in the U.S. and in other countries of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / August 17, 2026 / LNG Energy Group Corp. (TSXV:LNGE)(TSXV:LNGE.WT)(OTC PINK:LNGNF)(FWB:E26) (the "Company" or "LNG Energy Group") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated May 1, 2026, July 28, 2026 and August 6, 2026, it has completed the first tranche (the "First Tranche") of its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") of units of the Company ("Units"). The Company issued 9,438,071 Units at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$471,903.

Each Unit consists of one (1) common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share"), and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of C$0.10 per share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance.

The First Tranche was completed in accordance with the terms of the partial revocation orders (the "Partial Revocation Orders") issued by the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC") on April 23, 2026 and August 6, 2026, each of which partially revoked the failure-to-file cease trade order issued by the OSC against the Company on May 7, 2025 (the "FFCTO") for purposes of permitting the Company to complete the Private Placement.

Prior to closing of the First Tranche, each subscriber of the Private Placement (collectively, the "Subscribers"): (i) received copies of the FFCTO and the Partial Revocation Orders, and (ii) delivered an acknowledgement to the Company confirming that all of the Company's securities, including the Units and the underlying securities issued in connection with the Private Placement, will remain subject to the FFCTO unless and until the FFCTO is fully revoked, and that the granting of the Partial Revocation Orders by the OSC does not guarantee that a full revocation of the FFCTO will be granted in the future.

The First Tranche included subscriptions from insiders of the Company for an aggregate of 1,982,688 Units or approximately C$99,134. This participation by insiders of the Company constitutes "related party transactions" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Shareholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). For these transactions, the Company has relied on the exemption from the formal valuation requirement contained in Section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 and has relied on the exemption from the minority shareholder requirements contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as well as the corresponding exemptions contained in Policy 5.9 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

The Units issued pursuant to the First Tranche are subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with the policies of the TSXV and applicable securities legislation, which expires on December 15, 2026.

All of the Company's securities, including the Units and underlying securities issued in connection with the Private Placement, will remain subject to the FFCTO unless and until the FFCTO has been fully revoked. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement to satisfy its outstanding continuous disclosure obligations and to apply for a full revocation of the FFCTO; however, there can be no assurance that a full revocation order will be obtained.

The closing of the First Tranche of Private Placement remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV. The Company anticipates closing a second tranche of the Private Placement on the week commencing on August 24 and may conduct additional closings prior to the expiry of the Partial Revocation Order.

The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. persons absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an exemption therefrom. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the Units in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About LNG Energy Group

The Company is focused on the acquisition and development of natural gas production and exploration assets in Latin America. For more information, please visit www.lngenergygroup.com.

For more information please contact:

Angel Roa, Chief Financial Officer LNG Energy Group Corp.
Website: www.lngenergygroup.com
Email: [email protected]

Find us on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lng-energy-group-inc/
Instagram: @lngenergygroup
X: @LNGEnergyCorp

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release that reflect the current views and/or expectations of management of LNG Energy Group with respect to performance, business and future events. Forward-looking information can often be identified by words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "intends", "anticipates", "targeted", "continues", "forecasts", "designed", "goal", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which LNG Energy Group operates, in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, and that while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. LNG Energy Group does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or update any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law, whether they change as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This news release includes, but is not limited to, forward-looking statements relating to: the timing, terms and completion of the Private Placement, the use of funds from the Private Placement, approval of the Private Placement (including approvals of the TSXV), the Company preparing and filing all outstanding continuous disclosure documents, and the Company applying for and receiving a full revocation of the FFCTO. Forward-looking statements in this press release are based on certain assumptions, namely: the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern, the ability of the Company to complete the Private Placement, the ability of the Company to use the funds from the Private Placement as intended, the ability of the Company to prepare and file all outstanding continuous disclosure documents and the Company's ability to apply for and receive a full revocation of the FFCTO. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the inability of the Company to complete the Private Placement, the inability of the Company to obtain approval from the TSXV, the inability of the Company to use the funds from the Private Placement for the intended purposes, the inability of the Company to prepare and file all outstanding continuous disclosure documents and the inability of the Company to have the FFCTO fully revoked. The Company's actual decisions, activities, results, performance, or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward- looking statements and accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do, what benefits that the Company will derive from them.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: LNG Energy Group Corp.

Otis will return to the building to modernize existing elevators and support the next phase of development

, /PRNewswire/ -- Otis has been selected once again to provide advanced modernization and vertical transportation solutions for Tianjin 117 Tower, a nearly 600-meter supertall landmark. It is the tallest building currently under construction in China and when complete, it will be China's third-tallest building, and host China's highest occupied floor at more than 584 meters1. Otis will provide 251 elevators and escalators across the tower, helping raise China's urban skyline to new heights. Otis (NYSE: OTIS) is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, service and modernization company.

An Otis SkyMotion™ machine, which powers the Otis SkyRise™ elevator, is hoisted into the Tianjin 117 Tower. Otis will provide 251 elevators and escalators to the tower. The project brings together Otis' global high-rise expertise and innovation strength in China.

"Tianjin 117 Tower is an extraordinary project that reflects the future of high-rise mobility in China," said Sally Loh, President, Otis Greater China. "By combining our pioneering Otis SkyRise technology, digital service capabilities and local manufacturing expertise, Otis is proud to support this landmark and help shape how people move through, experience and interact with one of China's most ambitious developments."

Named for its 117 above-ground floors, Tianjin 117 Tower is located in Tianjin, North China, and rises to a structural height of nearly 600 meters.

Otis was selected to provide elevators and escalators to the Tianjin 117 Tower in its first phase of construction in 2013, and now has been selected as the sole provider of the project's integrated vertical transportation solution. Otis will modernize and refurbish existing elevators and escalators, install new ones, and provide expert Service designed to help the tower operate safely, reliably and efficiently.

Record-Setting High-Rise Technology

The Tianjin 117 project is poised to set four high-rise mobility records:

53 Otis SkyRise double-deck and super double-deck elevators, the most Otis double-deck elevators in a single building. 2 Otis SkyRise elevators with maximum rises of more than 597 meters, the world's longest elevator hoistways in a building2. 3 Otis SkyRise super double-deck elevators traveling at up to 10 meters per second and reaching up to 463 meters, making them Otis' fastest and highest-rise super double-deck elevators of their kind. 2 Otis SkyRise double-deck elevators traveling at speeds of up to 12 meters per second, the fastest in the Otis portfolio. Integrated Solutions Designed for Performance and Efficiency

High-speed ride comfort: Otis SkyRise elevators use aerodynamic cab design, computational fluid dynamics simulation and wind-tunnel testing to help reduce wind noise and pressure changes. Energy efficiency: Otis ReGen™ drive technology feeds electrical energy back into the building power grid during braking, which can then be used to drive other equipment in the building. Connected performance: The Otis Panorama™ 3 elevator management system and Otis ONE™ IoT service technology use real-time monitoring, traffic forecasting, intelligent dispatching and data-driven insights to support reliable operations and predictive maintenance. The solutions for Tianjin 117 Tower also include digitally native Otis Gen3™ elevators, and Otis Link™ and Public escalators. Together, these solutions show how Otis combines product innovation, digital capability and service expertise to support customers' most demanding mobility needs.

Delivering at Scale

The scale and complexity of Tianjin 117 Tower require disciplined execution and rigorous attention to safety, quality and schedule. Otis mobilized a strong project team to manage design, installation, commissioning, inspection and project management while working closely with the customer to accelerate progress and maintain strict execution standards.

To meet demanding project timelines, more than 100 Otis field professionals remained working on site during the Spring Festival period, reflecting Otis' capabilities and dedication to coordinate complex work at scale and deliver for customers on major engineering projects.

The project reinforces Otis' proven strength in high-rise mobility and long-term commitment to supporting China's urban development through safe, smart and connected movement.

About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation, service and modernization of elevators and escalators, we move 2.5 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.5 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You'll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 45,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.

What equipment is Otis providing to the Tianjin 117 Tower?

The Tianjin 117 Tower is the tallest building currently under construction in China. At 596.6 meters, when completed, it will be the tallest building in northern China, the third-tallest building in China, and it will have the highest occupied floor in China, at 584.1 meters.

Otis was selected to provide elevators and escalators to the building in its first phase of construction in 2013, and now will modernize and refurbish existing elevators and escalators and install new ones.

Otis is providing a total of 251 elevators and escalators for the Tianjin 117 Tower, including Otis SkyRise elevators in single, double and super double-deck configurations, digitally native Otis Gen3 elevators, Otis Link escalators, designed for commercial settings, and Otis Public escalators designed for high-traffic infrastructure environments.

What elevator records will the Tianjin 117 Tower hold?

The Tianjin 117 Tower will host the world's longest elevator hoistway in a building at more than 597 meters and the tallest Otis super double-deck elevator in the world at 463 meters. It will also have the most Otis double-deck elevators of any building at 53, and the fastest Otis double-deck elevators, with two units operating at 12 meters per second.

What are double-deck and super double-deck elevators?

Double-deck elevators have two cabs stacked on top of one another to serve adjacent floors with a single elevator hoistway. This can reduce elevator core space by up to 30 percent compared to using single-deck elevators. Super double-deck elevators similarly use two cabs, with a mechanism to adjust the distance between the cabs during travel to accommodate buildings with varying floor heights.

1 https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/tianjin-117-building/73 (Note: project-related information referenced in this release is based on information provided by the project stakeholders and other third parties.)
2 https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/106868-tallest-elevator-in-a-building

Media Contact: Ed Jacovino, [email protected], +1 (860) 674-3351

SOURCE Otis Worldwide Corporation