Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG | CMG Price Prediction) and McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) just closed earnings cycles that exposed a widening split inside fast food. Chipotle posted its first full year of negative comps. McDonald’s printed broad traffic recovery powered by value menus. Both feed millions weekly, yet their balance sheets, customers, and pricing playbooks barely rhyme.
Negative Comps for Chipotle, Value Wins for McDonald’s Chipotle’s Q4 2025 told a tough story. Comparable sales fell 2.5% with transactions down 3.2%, even as the chain opened a record 334 restaurants for the year. Restaurant-level margin compressed to 23.4% from 24.8%, pinched by wage inflation and softer volumes. CEO Scott Boatwright framed it as “a year of progress and resilience,” leaning on the “Recipe for Growth” playbook, a high-protein menu, and a Chipotle Rewards relaunch. Digital still drove 37.2% of food and beverage sales.
McDonald’s Q1 2026 looked like the opposite chart. Global comps jumped 3.8%, U.S. comps rose 3.9% on positive check growth, and revenue climbed 9.4% to $6.52B. Loyalty members spent over $9B in the quarter alone, part of a $38B trailing twelve-month base. CEO Chris Kempczinski credited “value leadership, breakthrough marketing, and menu innovation.”
Premium Fortress vs. Value Warrior Lens Chipotle McDonald’s Core Bet Premium fast-casual, unit growth Value menus, franchised scale Store Model 100% company-owned ~90% franchised margin mix Shareholders’ Equity +$2.83B -$1.79B deficit Capital Return $2.43B buybacks FY25, no dividend $1.86/sh dividend, steady buybacks The customer overlap is thinner than it looks. Chipotle’s base skews higher-income and less price-sensitive, viewing its fast-casual burritos as a healthier, premium utility, which lets management push price without bleeding traffic the way a Big Mac promo cycle would. McDonald’s is trapped in a brutal, margin-destroying value war to recover diners priced out by inflation, a strategy that works for the parent’s royalty stream but squeezes franchisee economics.
What I’m Watching Through 2026 Chipotle guided to roughly flat comps with 350 to 370 new openings. I will watch whether the high-protein menu and Rewards relaunch can finally reverse the transaction slide. McDonald’s expects net expansion to add ~2.5% to systemwide sales and operating margin in the mid-to-high 40% range. The question for me is whether value pricing keeps lifting check without breaking franchisee math, particularly with interest expense guided 4-6% higher.
Why I Lean Chipotle for the Patient Investor If you want defensive scale, a 2.69% yield, and a global loyalty flywheel, McDonald’s keeps doing what it does. I respect the execution. Still, I lean Chipotle here. The negative comps sting, yet positive equity, $350.5M in cash, a $1.7B buyback runway, and genuine pricing power on a premium menu give it room to fix traffic without discounting itself into a corner. I would change my view if 2026 comps stay negative through midyear, because at that point the unit growth story stops covering for the brand.
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It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) PBF Energy Inc. is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Through six oil refineries and associated infrastructure in the United States, the company produces unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products. The refineries can collectively process about 1,000,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
PBF is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 5.76; value investors should take notice.
Three analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $2.34 to $8.55 per share. PBF also boasts an average earnings surprise of +113.3%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, PBF should be on investors' short list.
Německé akcie, měřené indexem DAX, v úterý oslabily o 1,37 %. Nejvýraznější pokles zaznamenaly akcie Siemens Energy (-8,9 %), Infineon Technologies (-8,3 %) a HOCHTIEF (-5,1 %). Akcie společnosti Siemens Energy klesaly poté, co banka Barclays snížila své doporučení na „underweight“ s cílovou cenou 130 EUR, přičemž vidí omezený růstový potenciál vůči konsensu do roku 2030. Naopak nejvýrazněji rostly akcie Beiersdorf (+3,4 %), SAP (+2,7 %) a Fresenius Medical Care (+2,7 %).
Celoevropský index STOXX Europe 600 odepisuje 0,63 %. Z jednotlivých sektorů vykazují nejvýraznější růst nezbytné spotřební zboží (+2,05 %), energie (+1,59 %) a zdravotní péče (+1,19 %). Naopak největší ztráty zaznamenávají informační technologie (-5,35 %), průmysl (-2,56 %) a materiály (-0,99 %).
Index DAX -1,37 % na 25465,25 b. Nejsilnější akcie Změna Nejslabší akcie Změna Beiersdorf AG (BEI) +3,4 % Siemens Energy (ENR) -8,9 % SAP (SAP) +2,7 % Infineon Technologies (IFX) -8,3 % Fresenius Medical Care (FME) +2,7 % HOCHTIEF AG (HOT) -5,1 % Munich Re (MUV2) +2,4 % Siemens (SIE) -4,3 % Hannover Rueck SE (HNR1) +2,4 % Airbus (AIR) -2,7 % Zdroj: Bloomberg
The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?
Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Veeva Systems (VEEV - Free Report) .
Veeva currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.88, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 26 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.88 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 26 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 14 are Strong Buy and three are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 53.9% and 11.5% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for VEEV
Check price target & stock forecast for Veeva here>>>
While the ABR calls for buying Veeva, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.
Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.
This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.
Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.
Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
Analysts employed by brokerage firms have been and continue to be overly optimistic with their recommendations. Since the ratings issued by these analysts are more favorable than their research would support because of the vested interest of their employers, they mislead investors far more often than they guide.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Is VEEV Worth Investing In?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Veeva, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $9.05.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Veeva. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Veeva.
FUNToken continues to make access to its growing ecosystem more convenient by expanding the range of supported deposit assets. Users can now purchase $FUN using BONK (Solana) through the platform’s seamless deposit process.
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About FUNToken FUNToken powers a growing Web3 gaming ecosystem designed to make digital rewards more accessible and engaging. Through $FUN Games, staking, community incentives, and an expanding range of supported assets, FUNToken continues to simplify how users participate in the ecosystem while creating more opportunities to play, earn, and engage.
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
Michelle DG
Michelle is an editor at CoinCentral & Blockonomi, covering the latest trends in crypto, blockchain, and digital finance. With a sharp eye for detail and a passion for emerging technologies. [email protected]
Hexens found a critical flaw in Aptos that was patched before any funds moved. The bug could have let an attacker forge assets and push them across bridges. Aptos disputes the severity, yet Polygon’s CTO validated the proof-of-concept. The case revives the argument for on-chain circuit breakers on fast L1s. A security firm has revealed that Aptos, one of the faster layer-1 blockchains, carried a critical flaw for months before it was quietly fixed. On July 4, Hexens went public with a bug it had reported privately to Aptos back on February 25, a weakness in the engine that runs the chain’s smart contracts that, by its own estimate, put as much as $70 billion of theoretical risk in play across bridges, stablecoins and connected exchanges. Aptos Labs had patched it within hours of that first report, and no user funds were ever touched.
So why does a five-month-old patch make news now? Two reasons. The number, obviously. But also the detail sitting underneath it: the thing Aptos markets hardest is raw speed, and raw speed is exactly what turns $70 billion from a scare headline into a defensible estimate.
A record-throughput brag, one day after the story broke On July 5, barely 24 hours after the report, the project’s official account went ahead with its scheduled monthly tokenomics update, reporting 232,500 APT burned over the past 30 days, more than 16 million transactions in a single day for a fresh quarterly high, and an average fee of $0.0005 following a tenfold fee increase, all under the tagline “the full stack for markets and machines at work.” The post reads very differently once you have the Hexens disclosure in front of you, because the near-free transactions and enormous throughput that Aptos is promoting are the exact same properties a security researcher weighs first when calculating how much a single bug in the chain’s core could actually cost.
Every transaction on Aptos burns $APT. New month update:
• 232.5K APT burned in the Last 30D
• 1.4M total APT burned since mainnet
• +16M transactions in a day—a new quarterly high
• $0.0005 avg tx fee since 10x fee increase
The full stack for markets and machines at work. pic.twitter.com/gPEuWzD1Qf
— Aptos (@Aptos) July 5, 2026
The bug lived below the code most audits check Aptos is built on Move, a programming language designed specifically to make this kind of attack hard. Move treats tokens and other digital assets as protected items and checks, at the moment a transaction runs, that nothing is being handled as the wrong type of thing. That safety promise is a big part of why Aptos and Sui both pitch Move as safer than older environments.
The Hexens flaw slipped underneath that promise instead of breaking it head-on. In simple terms, the system briefly worked from outdated information and ended up mistaking one kind of on-chain item for another. Security people call that “type confusion,” an old software problem where a program reads something as the wrong type and walks straight past the checks meant to stop it. On a blockchain, that mix-up is dangerous: an attacker could disguise a malicious item as a legitimate one and trick the network into misreading who owns an asset and who is allowed to move it.
Polygon CTO Mudit Gupta reviewed the proof-of-concept independently and told CoinDesk it ran as claimed, with the caveat that a few conditions had to line up first. Coming from the security chief of a rival chain, that carries more weight than anything Aptos or Hexens could say on their own.
Why cheap fees and huge volume make the bug worse Throughput stops being a marketing line here and starts behaving like a risk multiplier. Hexens ran the attack against a cluster of more than 30 validator nodes, set up to mirror the real network, on a server rig that cost about $3,000 and stood in for roughly a third of the validator set. It worked 17 or 18 times out of 20, with no insider access or special permissions required.
Fold in the live figures and the picture sharpens. At a fraction of a cent per transaction, flooding the chain with malicious payloads is close to free. At 16 million transactions a day, with blocks confirming in seconds, an attacker who could forge assets would need only a short window to create them and move them out before anyone reacted. Speed is neutral. The same engine that clears legitimate volume in seconds would clear a fake mint-and-transfer run at the same pace, and the humans running the network cannot react that fast.
That is the part the burn-metrics post accidentally underlined.
Two very different numbers, and why the gap matters Two figures came out of this, and treating them as one is how the story gets distorted. The smaller one is around $250 million, the value held in Aptos DeFi apps that independent firm Grego AI judged to be at direct risk. The larger one is the $70 billion, and it only appears once you follow the flaw outward through cross-chain bridges like Wormhole and LayerZero, stablecoin systems, and the exchanges that trade APT and its wrapped versions.
Bridges are the soft spot. They pool assets from several chains at once, so a forged-asset event that starts on Aptos could, in the worst modeled case, drain money that originally came from Ethereum. The $70 billion is a worst-case total built on a stack of assumptions, not cash that was ever sitting there to grab in one clean move.
Figure What it represents Source $250M Value in Aptos DeFi apps at direct risk Grego AI $70B Worst-case systemic risk across bridges, stablecoins, exchanges Hexens $3,000 Server cost to simulate roughly a third of validators Hexens $1M Maximum Aptos bug bounty payout tier Aptos bug bounty program Aptos Labs does not dispute the report itself. It confirms the February 25 notification through the bug bounty program and says the issue was already being worked on internally. What it contests is the severity, arguing that real network conditions made the exploit much harder to pull off than the test setup implied, and putting real-world exploitability at “extremely low.” That claim runs straight into Gupta’s independent validation, and the two positions have not been reconciled in public.
There is a second gap worth flagging, and it is about incentives rather than code. The bounty caps at $1 million. An exploit of this kind would fetch many multiples of that on the black market, and Hexens disclosed anyway, which is the entire point of running a bounty.
The systemic-threat reading The resilience reading A $3,000 setup could threaten a top-tier layer-1 Patched within hours, no network disruption A core bug hints at category risk for Move chains Aptos says real conditions made exploitability very low One flaw could reach bridge and stablecoin assets The bounty steered a white-hat outcome over a sale What the APT chart is doing while the debate runs Traders have mostly shrugged this off. On the 4-hour Aptos/USD chart from Coinbase, pulled via TradingView, APT changed hands near $0.635 on July 7, holding above its 50-period moving average at $0.6061 and its 100-period line at $0.6147, while running into the 200-period average at $0.6410 as resistance overhead. A moving average is just the average closing price over that many candles, and this layout points to a real bounce that has not yet cleared the bigger downtrend, the one that dragged APT from roughly $1.00 in mid-May to about $0.55.
The RSI, a gauge of buying pressure that runs from 0 to 100, sat at 58.77, above the neutral 50 mark but nowhere near the 70 line that signals an overheated market. CoinMarketCap had APT up 9.91 percent on the week at $0.6339, so the disclosure looks like a weight on sentiment rather than a trigger for real selling.
The fix that outlasts this news cycle Builders carry the near-term load. Anyone running an app on Aptos has a reason to re-check how their code handles the kind of edge case Hexens found, and big investors may keep a slightly higher risk premium on Move-based tokens like APT and SUI while they take another look at the network’s foundations.
Two things, though, are likely to stick around after the coverage fades. The first is the bounty ceiling. A $1 million cap looks increasingly small next to the value it is meant to protect, and projects competing with black-market buyers may have little choice but to raise it. The second is a shift in the question researchers actually ask. For years the bragging rights were about how many transactions a chain can push through. This incident nudges the focus toward the opposite skill: how quickly a network can stop itself. Fast chains increasingly need automatic “kill switches” that freeze cross-chain transfers the instant something looks wrong, because once a human notices, the transactions have already gone through.
Aptos is about to run that experiment on itself. A proposal to hide transaction details until after they confirm, which would make front-running harder, is already moving through community voting, while other upgrades chase even faster confirmation times. Every one of those adds speed and adds value at stake, the same combination the Hexens disclosure showed can turn a single bug into a systemic one. Whether Move’s next security moment reads as reassurance or repeat comes down to one thing: whether these upgrades ship with the kind of built-in safeguards this episode made the case for.a
[url="]Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited[/url] (AOS) (Nasdaq: AOSL), a designer, developer, and global supplier of a broad range of discrete power devices,
Groupon (GRPN - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this online daily deal service have returned +64.2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry, which Groupon falls in, has lost 0.3%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Groupon is expected to post a loss of $0.07 per share, indicating a change of -115.2% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -25% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of -$0.16 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +92.2%. This estimate has changed -23.7% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.89 indicates a change of +652.1% from what Groupon is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +1.1%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Groupon is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
In the case of Groupon, the consensus sales estimate of $127.42 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +1.4%. The $519.48 million and $561.06 million estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +4.2% and +8%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryGroupon reported revenues of $117.2 million in the last reported quarter, representing no change year over year. EPS of -$0.32 for the same period compares with $0.18 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $117.26 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.05%. The EPS surprise was -1500%.
Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Groupon is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Groupon. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Silver (XAG/USD) extends its decline for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, trading around $60.70 at the time of writing, down 2.21% on the day. The precious metal is giving back part of last week's gains as investors adopt a cautious stance ahead of the release of the Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting minutes.
Higher US Treasury yields continue to reduce the appeal of non-yielding assets, while the US Dollar (USD) remains broadly supported by expectations that the Fed will maintain a restrictive monetary policy. According to the CME FedWatch tool, markets largely expect the Fed to leave interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting, and expectations for a rate hike later this year have eased slightly following the latest US labor market data.
Recent US employment indicators continue to point to a gradual slowdown in the labor market. Job growth has recently fallen short of expectations, but the data has done little to alter the Fed's broader policy outlook. Fed of New York President John Williams said that labor market risks remain balanced and that inflation is still too high.
On the geopolitical front, tensions in the Middle East remain elevated. Reports of attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz continue to fuel concerns about global energy supplies. The situation is supporting Oil prices and reviving inflation concerns, a backdrop that is generally unfavorable for precious metals that are sensitive to interest rate expectations.
Investors will now turn their full attention to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes due on Wednesday. The minutes could provide fresh insight into the future path of monetary policy and help determine the next directional move for Silver prices.
Silver FAQs Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold's. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold's moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report the Euro (EUR) is slightly softer versus the US Dollar (USD) but supported by a sharp recovery in yield spreads and stronger German industrial production. Renewed hawkishness from European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers is lifting Euro area rate expectations. They see near-term upside for EUR/USD, with technicals pointing to a drift toward 1.15 within a 1.1400–1.1500 range and limited resistance before 1.1580.
Hawkish ECB supports Euro"Bearish/neutral – the recovery in the RSI is important, reflecting a clear fade in bearish momentum and a drift back toward the neutral threshold around 50. The near-term balance of risk appears to favor gains and a drift toward 1.15 and we note the absence of any material resistance ahead of 1.1580. The medium-term trend is flat, and we look to a near-term range bound between 1.1400 and 1.1500."
"The EUR is soft, down a fractional 0.1% vs. the USD as it consolidates within its range from last Thursday with congestion in the mid-1.14s. Tuesday’s releases have been limited to stronger than expected German industrial production data for May (0.9% m/m vs. 0.1% exp.)."
"The outlook for relative central bank policy is providing renewed support for the EUR and yield spreads are showing a sharp recovery from last Wednesday."
"Euro area rate expectations are climbing sharpy, reflecting renewed hawkishness from a range of ECB policymakers, including executive board member Schnabel who specifically pushed back on the idea of softening the central bank’s guidance in response to the latest decline in oil prices."
"We see near-term upside for the EUR as markets reprice their outlooks for both the ECB (higher) and the Fed (lower)."
(This article was created with the help of an Artificial Intelligence tool and reviewed by an editor. Know more.)
Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.
We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.
Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.
The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information.
The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.
In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Most stocks, about 60%, fall into the #3 (Hold) category, and they are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with a #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) rating, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks outperforming more than any other rank.
Should You Consider Kratos?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Kratos (KTOS - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) 30 days from its next quarterly earnings release on August 6, 2026, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $0.14 a share.
Kratos' Earnings ESP sits at +4.25%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.14 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.13. KTOS is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
KTOS is one of just a large database of Aerospace stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is TransDigm Group (TDG - Free Report) .
Slated to report earnings on August 4, 2026, TransDigm Group holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and its Most Accurate Estimate is $10.62 a share 28 days from its next quarterly update.
For TransDigm Group, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.26 is +3.54%.
KTOS and TDG's positive ESP metrics may signal that a positive earnings surprise for both stocks is on the horizon.
Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>
FROM A HISTORIC BOSTON HOTEL TO A REIMAGINED JERSEY SHORE INN, BOUTIQUE PROPERTIES SHINE IN THIS YEAR'S RANKINGS
, /PRNewswire/ -- Travel + Leisure today announced the results of its 2026 World's Best Awards, revealing the destinations, hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and travel experiences that earned top honors from readers around the world. With insights from more than 207,000 readers, the annual survey offers a snapshot of the places, brands, and experiences resonating with travelers today. The full list of winners is available now on travelandleisure.com and in the August issue of Travel + Leisure, on newsstands July 17.
Travel + Leisure World's Best 2026 This year's rankings highlight a mix of first-time winners, standout newcomers, and enduring favorites. Koh Samui, Thailand, earned the distinction of Best Island in the World for the first time, while EVA Air rose to the top spot among international airlines. New and reimagined hotels also made an impression on readers, with Patina Osaka in Japan named the Best Hotel in the World and Hotel Albatross in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, taking top honors as the Best Continental Inn in the U.S. Meanwhile, Santa Fe, New Mexico, retained its position as the Best City in the U.S., continuing its appeal among travelers seeking distinctive destinations rich in culture and history.
"This year's rankings showcase a mix of exciting newcomers and enduring favorites," said Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure. "From Koh Samui's rise to the top of our islands list to the continued popularity of destinations like San Miguel de Allende and Yellowstone, the winners reflect travelers' interest in destinations that feel distinctive, memorable, and deeply rooted in place."
Below are select highlights from this year's World's Best Awards, with expanded rankings and editorial coverage available online.
TOP 10 WORLD'S BEST CITIES 2026:
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Kyoto, Japan Chiang Mai, Thailand Hoi An, Vietnam Oaxaca, Mexico Bangkok, Thailand Jerusalem, Israel Siem Reap, Cambodia Mexico City, Mexico Tokyo, Japan TOP 10 U.S. CITIES 2026:
Santa Fe, New Mexico Charleston, South Carolina Savannah, Georgia New Orleans, Louisiana Chicago, Illinois Fort Worth, Texas Honolulu, Hawaii New York, New York Alexandria, Virginia Greenville, South Carolina TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD'S BEST AWARDS 2026 WINNER HIGHLIGHTS:
BEST CITY IN THE WORLD: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
BEST CITY IN THE U.S.: Santa Fe, New Mexico
BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD: Patina Osaka, Japan
BEST HOTEL BRAND IN THE WORLD: Capella Hotels & Resorts
BEST ISLAND IN THE WORLD: Koh Samui, Thailand
BEST ISLAND IN THE U.S.: Golden Isles, Georgia
BEST U.S. NATIONAL PARK: Yellowstone
BEST CAR RENTAL COMPANY IN THE WORLD: National Car Rental
BEST TRAIN IN THE WORLD: Andean Explorer, a Belmond Train
BEST AIRLINE IN THE WORLD: EVA Air
BEST AIRLINE IN THE U.S.: JSX
BEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD: Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
BEST AIRPORT IN THE U.S.: T. F. Green International Airport, Rhode Island
BEST MEGA-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: Virgin Voyages
BEST LARGE-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: Disney Cruise Line
BEST MIDSIZE-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: Crystal
BEST SMALL-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: Viking
BEST INTIMATE-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: Quasar Expeditions
BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE IN THE WORLD: The Oberoi Luxury Nile Cruisers
BEST TOUR OPERATOR IN THE WORLD: TCS World Travel
BEST SAFARI OPERATOR IN THE WORLD: Rothschild Safaris
Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief Jacqui Gifford will host a World's Best Awards celebration at The Pool in New York City in honor of this year's winners, sponsored by Capital One.
Travel + Leisure will also host the third annual World's Best Summit New York this July, followed by the inaugural World's Best Summit London in October, bringing together travel industry leaders for conversations on the trends shaping the future of global travel.
ABOUT TRAVEL + LEISURE
Travel + Leisure is the preeminent voice for the sophisticated traveler, serving up expert intelligence and the most immersive travel lifestyle content anywhere. Travel + Leisure captures the joy of discovering the cultural pleasures the world has to offer, from art and design to shopping and style to food and drink. Travel + Leisure connects with its audience across platforms including the U.S. flagship and six international print editions, digital channels, the annual World's Best franchise and more. Launched in 1971, Travel + Leisure is part of the People Inc. publishing family and is owned by Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL).
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Williams-Sonoma (WSM - Free Report) Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a multi-channel specialty retailer of premium quality home products. Incorporated in 1973, the company has five brands and each brand is currently an operating segment.
WSM is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Retail-Wholesale stock. WSM has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 10.5% over the past four weeks.
Seven analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.15 to $9.39 per share. WSM also boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, WSM should be on investors' short list.
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ZBRA--Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitizing and automating workflows to deliver intelligent operations, will report its second quarter 2026 financial results on Tuesday morning, Aug. 4, 2026. The company will also host a conference call to discuss these results on the same day at 7:30 a.m. CT (8:30 a.m. ET). To access the live webcast of the presentation, visit the events section of the company's website at investors.zebra.co.
Key Takeaways Lumentum is expanding CPO as a potential long-term growth driver for AI infrastructure.LITE is scaling ultra-high-power laser chips, with production progressing on schedule.Lumentum's AI portfolio includes pump lasers, EML chips, cloud transceivers and OCS. Lumentum Holdings (LITE - Free Report) is expanding its co-packaged optics (CPO) portfolio, positioning the technology as a potential long-term growth driver as AI infrastructure investments accelerate. The company expects CPO, alongside Optical Circuit Switches (OCS), to contribute incremental revenues as commercial deployments ramp, supporting both revenue and earnings growth.
The company is scaling production of ultra-high-power laser chips specifically designed for CPO applications, with manufacturing progressing on schedule and commercial contributions expected to increase as deployments expand. These investments build on Lumentum's leadership in optical components, allowing it to leverage its expertise in semiconductor lasers and photonic technologies rather than entering an entirely new market.
Beyond CPO, the strategy complements Lumentum's broader AI networking portfolio, including pump lasers, narrow-linewidth laser assemblies, EML laser chips, cloud transceivers and OCS, strengthening its position across multiple layers of next-generation AI data-center infrastructure.
The opportunity is supported by structural industry trends. As hyperscale AI clusters become larger and more power-intensive, traditional electrical interconnects face bandwidth and energy-efficiency limitations, increasing the need for optical technologies such as CPO. Lumentum's ongoing investments in manufacturing capacity and high-performance laser technologies position it to benefit as customers transition toward these advanced architectures.
If adoption accelerates as expected, CPO could emerge as another significant growth engine alongside Lumentum's fast-growing AI networking business, supporting the company's robust growth outlook. The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects revenues to increase 81.9% in fiscal 2026 and 86.4% in fiscal 2027 year over year.
Lumentum's Rivals in Co-Packaged OpticsMarvell Technology (MRVL - Free Report) competes with Lumentum through its broad silicon photonics platform, supporting both CPO and NPO architectures. MRVL leverages partnerships, Tier 1 hyperscaler engagements and multiple photonic technologies to capture scale-up networking opportunities. While Lumentum focuses on laser chips and CPO modules, MRVL distinguishes itself through integrated interconnect, switching, and custom silicon capabilities, thereby strengthening its position in AI infrastructure.
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO - Free Report) rivals Lumentum by combining CPO with Ethernet switching, DSPs, CW and EML lasers, offering an end-to-end AI networking platform. AVGO positions its CPO portfolio as the industry standard while benefiting from leadership in networking silicon and hyperscaler relationships. Compared with Lumentum's laser-focused strategy, AVGO gains scale through tightly integrated semiconductor and networking solutions. It continues expanding this advantage.
LITE’s Share Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Lumentum have skyrocketed 700% over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Communication - Components industry’s appreciation of 304.8% and the broader Computer and Technology sector’s growth of 35%.
LITE’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, LITE trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 40.61, below the industry’s average of 44.03. LITE carries a Value Score of F.
LITE’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lumentum’s fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $17.81 per share, suggesting robust year-over-year growth of approximately 118.77%. Notably, earnings estimates have moved higher over the past 30 and 60 days, reflecting improving analyst confidence in the company's growth outlook.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Lumentum stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Key Takeaways Lumentum shares soared 700% in a year, far outpacing its industry and key optical peers.AI and cloud demand is driving optical connectivity, Components momentum, CPO and OCS growth.Strong cash, rising estimates and premium valuation support LITE as a growth-oriented buy. Lumentum Holdings’ (LITE - Free Report) shares have delivered extraordinary gains over the past year, soaring 700%, far outpacing the industry's 304.8% rally and the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector's 35% growth.
Lumentum's gains have also significantly exceeded those of key industry peers, including Ciena (CIEN - Free Report) , Corning (GLW - Free Report) and Viavi Solutions (VIAV - Free Report) . The industry's strong momentum has been mirrored in stellar stock performance, with Ciena, Corning and Viavi Solutions gaining 452.8%, 270.1% and 312.2%, respectively, over the same period.
The remarkable growth has been driven by surging AI and cloud infrastructure demand, which has accelerated the adoption of its optical connectivity solutions. The company is also benefiting from exceptional momentum in its Components business, supported by strong demand for AI networking products. Investor confidence has further strengthened as Lumentum expands its portfolio of next-generation optical networking technologies, including Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and Optical Circuit Switches (OCS), which are expected to become important long-term growth drivers.
LITE’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Following such an exceptional run, investors might be wondering whether the stock remains an attractive investment or if the optimism surrounding its prospects is already priced in. Let's examine Lumentum’s fundamentals, growth prospects and valuation.
LITE Benefits From Strong AI and Cloud Infrastructure DemandLumentum is benefiting from the rapid expansion of AI and cloud infrastructure, as hyperscalers continue investing heavily in next-generation optical networking to support increasingly complex AI workloads. Demand remains broad across transceivers, EML laser chips and data center interconnect (DCI) components, while shipments of narrow-linewidth laser assemblies grew for the ninth consecutive quarter and pump laser shipments increased 80% year over year in the third quarter of fiscal 2026.
As hyperscalers build larger AI clusters, they are increasingly adopting distributed "scale-across" architectures that require high-bandwidth optical interconnects between data centers, creating a long runway for Lumentum's pump lasers, wavelength-selective switches (WSS) and precision laser technologies.
The long-term opportunity extends well beyond current demand. Lumentum is ramping 1.6T transceivers, expanding ultra-high-power laser production for co-packaged optics (CPO) and advancing optical circuit switching (OCS), supported by a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar purchase agreement. Several AI-focused products remain supply-constrained and effectively sold out, highlighting demand that exceeds current manufacturing capacity. Management also emphasized that scale-up CPO — its largest long-term growth driver — is still in its early stages, while cloud modules, EML lasers and scale-across products continue to gain momentum. These factors position Lumentum to benefit from sustained AI infrastructure spending and support continued revenue growth, margin expansion and long-term earnings potential.
LITE's Financial Strength Supports Long-Term GrowthLumentum's strong financial position provides the flexibility to continue investing for long-term growth while capitalizing on the expanding opportunities in AI and cloud infrastructure. At the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2026, the company held $3.17 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, an increase of more than $2 billion sequentially, primarily driven by the issuance of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. The strengthened balance sheet equips Lumentum to fund capacity expansion, support strategic investments and maintain the manufacturing scale needed to meet rising demand for AI networking products.
The company's financial strength is accompanied by improving operating performance and disciplined execution. Operating cash flow surged to $388.4 million during the first nine months of fiscal 2026, while record revenues, favorable product mix and higher manufacturing utilization drove meaningful gross and operating margin expansion. Management also continues to invest in critical research and development programs serving cloud and AI customers without compromising cost discipline, demonstrating the scalability of its business model.
Driven by ample liquidity, rising profits and sustained investment in cutting-edge technologies — such as co-packaged optics (CPO), optical circuit switching (OCS) and high-speed optical components — Lumentum is well-positioned to execute its long-term growth strategy and capitalize on ongoing investment opportunities within the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure sector.
LITE’s Healthy Capital ReturnsLumentum demonstrates strong profitability, as reflected by its trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) of 36.22%, well above the industry average of 19.12%. A higher ROE indicates the company's ability to generate greater profits by efficiently utilizing shareholders' capital.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
LITE’s Strong Top- & Bottom-Line ProspectsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s fiscal first quarter 2027 revenues is pegged at $1.13 billion, indicating a robust 112.3% year-over-year increase. For fiscal 2027, the top line is anticipated to rise 86.4% year over year.
On the earnings front, the consensus estimate for fiscal first-quarter 2027 is pegged at $3.46 per share, reflecting a substantial 214.5% year-over-year increase, while fiscal 2027 earnings are expected to surge 118.7%.
Notably, analysts have raised their earnings estimates for both the fiscal first quarter and full-year fiscal 2027 over the past 60 days. These upward estimate revisions underscore growing confidence in Lumentum's strong business model, expanding AI-driven growth opportunities and its ability to deliver sustained financial performance.
LITE Deserves a Premium for Its Growth ProspectsThe company’s strong exposure to rapidly growing AI infrastructure markets, expanding demand for optical networking products and leadership in co-packaged optics (CPO), laser chips and cloud photonics technologies justify a premium valuation, as suggested by a Value Score of F.
Lumentum is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 10.1X, well above both the broader technology sector and its industry peers. By comparison, the sector trades at 6.88X, while Ciena, Corning and Viavi Solutions trade at 8.35X, 8.32X and 5.47X, respectively.
Price/Sales Ratio (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
LITE Stock: A Strong Buy for GrowthGiven Lumentum's impressive growth, strong financial position and expanding opportunities in AI and cloud infrastructure, we recommend a buy. The company has demonstrated strong profitability, supported by healthy returns on equity. Its leadership in optical networking technologies, including CPO, OCS and high-speed photonics, continues to drive growth. With ample liquidity and upward earnings estimate revisions, Lumentum is well positioned for sustained long-term growth. Although the stock commands a premium valuation, its fundamentals justify it, making LITE a strong buy for growth-oriented investors.
LITE stock currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.
We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.
Hunting for 'earnings whispers' or companies poised to beat their quarterly earnings estimates is a somewhat common practice. But that doesn't make it easy. One way that has been proven to work is by using the Zacks Earnings ESP tool.
The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction, or ESP, works by locking in on the most up-to-date analyst earnings revisions because they can be more accurate than estimates from weeks or even months before the actual release date. The thinking is pretty straightforward: analysts who provide earnings estimates closer to the report are likely to have more information.
The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.
In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Most stocks, about 60%, fall into the #3 (Hold) category, and they are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with a #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) rating, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks outperforming more than any other rank.
Should You Consider BCE?Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. BCE (BCE - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.63 a share, just 30 days from its upcoming earnings release on August 6, 2026.
By taking the percentage difference between the $0.63 Most Accurate Estimate and the $0.5 Zacks Consensus Estimate, BCE has an Earnings ESP of +25.17%. Investors should also know that BCE is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
BCE is part of a big group of Utilities stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at PPL (PPL - Free Report) as well.
PPL is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on July 30, 2026. PPL's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.37 a share 23 days from its next earnings release.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PPL is $0.35, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +5.11%.
BCE and PPL's positive ESP figures tell us that both stocks have a good chance at beating analyst expectations in their next earnings report.
Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Invesco (IVZ - Free Report) Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Invesco Ltd. operates as an independent investment manager and offers a wide range of investment products and services. The company was incorporated in 1935. As of March 31, 2026, Invesco served clients in more than 120 countries and had AUM worth $2.16 trillion.
IVZ is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 10.73; value investors should take notice.
Three analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.02 to $2.59 per share. IVZ also boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, IVZ should be on investors' short list.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: CNO Financial (CNO - Free Report) Headquartered in Carmel, IN, CNO Financial Group Inc. is a top-tier holding company for a group of insurance companies operating throughout the U.S., to develop, administer and market annuity, supplemental health and individual life insurance, and other insurance products. Accordingly, premiums collected are reported under three key insurance product lines: Annuities (42.3% of total premiums collected in 2025), Health (36.2%) and Life (21.5%).
CNO is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. CNO has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 9.7% over the past four weeks.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.10 to $4.46 per share. CNO also boasts an average earnings surprise of +16.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, CNO should be on investors' short list.
NEW YORK, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the securities of Hub Group, Inc. (“Hub Group” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HUBG) between April 28, 2023 and May 11, 2026, inclusive.
Should You Join The Hub Group Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Hub Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUBG)?
Did you sell your shares between April 28, 2023 and May 11, 2026, inclusive?
Did you lose money in your investment in Hub Group, Inc.?
What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Hub Group, Inc. Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 28, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Hub Group securities traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
NEW YORK, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the securities of Insulet Corporation (“Insulet” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PODD) between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive.
Should You Join The Insulet Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD)?
Did you sell your shares between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive?
Did you lose money in your investment in Insulet Corporation?
What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Insulet Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 31, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the securities of Insulet between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive, alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the Company and certain of its senior officers.
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Insulet securities traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
Two factors often determine stock prices in the long run: earnings and interest rates. Investors can't control the latter, but they can focus on a company's earnings results every quarter.
We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.
The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.
The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction, or ESP, works by locking in on the most up-to-date analyst earnings revisions because they can be more accurate than estimates from weeks or even months before the actual release date. The thinking is pretty straightforward: analysts who provide earnings estimates closer to the report are likely to have more information.
Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.
Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.
Should You Consider Insulet?The last thing we will do today, now that we have a grasp on the ESP and how powerful of a tool it can be, is to quickly look at a qualifying stock. Insulet (PODD - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $1.43 a share 29 days away from its upcoming earnings release on August 5, 2026.
By taking the percentage difference between the $1.43 Most Accurate Estimate and the $1.38 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Insulet has an Earnings ESP of +3.36%. Investors should also know that PODD is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
PODD is just one of a large group of Medical stocks with a positive ESP figure. Regeneron (REGN - Free Report) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.
Regeneron is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on July 30, 2026. REGN's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $10.63 a share 23 days from its next earnings release.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Regeneron is $10.62, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +0.13%.
PODD and REGN's positive ESP figures tell us that both stocks have a good chance at beating analyst expectations in their next earnings report.
Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>
LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Insulet Corporation, (“Insulet” or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PODD) investors of a class action on behalf of investors that bought securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”). Insulet investors have until August 31, 2026 to file a lead plaintiff motion.
Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 310-692-8883 or email: [email protected], to discuss their legal rights, or join the case via https://portnoylaw.com/insulet-corporation. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors’ options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.
The Insulet class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Insulet’s manufacturing controls and procedures were defective; (ii) the foregoing created a foreseeable heightened risk that one or more Insulet products would be found to be in violation of applicable safety regulations and/or pose a risk of injury; and (iii) the manufacturing issue that precipitated Insulet’s March 2026 Medical Device Correction affected a greater number of Insulet Pod products than Insulet claimed.
On March 12, 2026, Insulet allegedly disclosed that it had “initiated a voluntary Medical Device Correction for specific lots of Omnipod® 5 Pods after identifying a manufacturing issue through its ongoing product monitoring.” On this news, the price of Insulet stock fell nearly 7%, according to the complaint.
Then, on May 26, 2026, Insulet allegedly disclosed the initation of another “voluntary Medical Device Correction,” this time “for specific lots of Omnipod® 5, Omnipod Dash®, and Omnipod® Insulin Management System (Omnipod Eros) Pods due to a manufacturing issue, identified through ongoing product monitoring, that could result in insulin under-delivery.” On this news, the price of Insulet stock fell more than 5%, according to the complaint.
The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm’s founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.
Admitted CA, NY and TX Bar [email protected]
310-692-8883
www.portnoylaw.com
Key Takeaways Vicor raised its Q2 revenue outlook to $142M from $126M on product growth and an added licensee.VICR sees demand from AI, industrial, aerospace and defense, with backlog boosted by strong bookings.VICR is expanding capacity and licensing, while higher margins and backlog support its growth outlook. Vicor Corporation (VICR - Free Report) shares have surged 160.3% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Electronic Miscellaneous Components industry's return of 74.9% and the broader Computer and Technology sector's appreciation of 14.7%. The rally has outpaced peers, such as Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR - Free Report) , Analog Devices (ADI - Free Report) and Texas Instruments (TXN - Free Report) , shares of which have returned 48.5%, 43.4% and 74.9%, respectively, over the same period.
VICR shares are benefiting from a positive outlook as the company expects second-quarter revenues of $142 million, raised from a prior estimate of $126 million, on the back of rising product revenues and an additional licensee to its patented power system technology. Strong bookings across high-performance computing, industrial and aerospace and defense markets have driven backlog sharply higher, reinforcing confidence in the growth trajectory. Let us find out whether investors should buy VICR stock right now.
VICR Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
VICR Benefits From the AI Power Delivery RampVICR designs and manufactures modular power components and complete power systems, with vertical power delivery increasingly central to its growth. Vicor's lead high-performance computing customer is in the midst of a steep production ramp for its wafer-scale engine, and a generational transition is expected in the second half of 2026. The company's second-generation Vertical Power Delivery (VPD) solution combines a thin package format with high current density and current multiplication, attributes that competing approaches have struggled to match.
Chipmakers and hyperscalers are pushing toward wafer-scale and multi-die chiplet packaging, increasing the need for pure vertical power delivery at the point of load. VICR's positioning at the center of this shift, combined with capacity earmarked for existing strategic customers, supports continued above-industry growth as engagement with additional high-performance computing customers follows the lead customer's generational transition.
VICR Ramps Up Capacity and Licensing to Expand ShareVICR is strengthening its position through capacity expansion and a significant licensing program. The company has identified opportunities to raise capacity at its Andover facility toward a $1.5 billion annual revenue run rate, up from a prior $1 billion target, aided by reduced cycle times and the ability to redeploy certain process steps to a nearby facility as a bridge to a second fab. This contrasts with the more measured capacity additions typical of Texas Instruments, whose scale is already largely built out.
VICR's licensing business is also emerging as a durable growth driver. The company has signed an all-inclusive licensing agreement with an additional original equipment manufacturer covering its full patent portfolio, including Factorized Power and Vertical Power Delivery architectures. Licensing carries near-full-margin economics, and management continues to expect licensing income could eventually reach as much as 50% of product revenues, a structural advantage that Analog Devices does not share to the same degree.
VICR's broad industrial base is also a source of strength, particularly among semiconductor test equipment customers, while aerospace and defense spending are rising amid geopolitical developments and higher defense budgets. These end markets diversify VICR's revenue base beyond any single compute customer, distinguishing it from Monolithic Power Systems, whose exposure remains concentrated primarily in AI server and data center applications.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 EPS is pegged at $2.94 per share, up by 23 cents over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 12.64%.
VICR's Valuation is Backed by FundamentalsVICR currently trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales multiple of 16.26X, well above the industry average of 4.08X and the broader sector average of 6.88X. The premium also exceeds peers Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, which trade at 12.66X and 11.96X, respectively, though it is roughly in line with Monolithic Power Systems at 16.16X.
The premium looks justified given VICR's differentiated position in VPD, its expanding high-margin licensing business and a current backlog of $300.6 million that provides revenue visibility well beyond the current quarter. Gross margin reached 55.2% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, up 800 basis points year over year, underscoring the strength of VICR's growth trajectory relative to more diversified analog peers.
VICR's P/S F12M Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ConclusionDespite VICR's remarkable rally year to date, its long-term growth story remains intact. Rising demand for vertical power delivery across AI compute, along with steady strength in industrial and aerospace and defense markets, continues to support favorable demand conditions. Capacity expansion and an expanding licensing program position it for continued above-industry growth as second-generation VPD adoption broadens beyond its lead customer. With backlog building and margins expanding, VICR's premium valuation appears reasonably supported, making the stock a compelling buy for investors seeking exposure to the AI power delivery supply chain.
Vicor carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
American Financial Group (AFG) reported Q1 2026 total assets of $32.35 billion and total debt of $2.03 billion. AFG's total equity stands at approximately $4.68 billion, with EBITDA near $1.32 billion for the quarter. The company's current market capitalization is about $11.86 billion.
NEW YORK, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who sold the common stock of ChampionX Corporation (“ChampionX” or the “Company”) (formerly NASDAQ: CHX) between February 29, 2024 and April 1, 2024, inclusive.
Should You Join The ChampionX Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of ChampionX Corporation (formerly NASDAQ: CHX)?
Did you sell your shares between February 29, 2024 and April 1, 2024, inclusive?
Did you lose money in your investment in ChampionX Corporation? What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at ChampionX Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit, email Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at [email protected], or call us at (212) 951-2030.
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by July 14, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
The lawsuit alleges that defendants repurchased millions of dollars’ worth of ChampionX shares without disclosing material nonpublic information about Schlumberger Limited’s offers to purchase ChampionX at a premium to then-current prices, which, if disclosed as required, would have indicated to investors that ChampionX’s stock was worth significantly more.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises ChampionX Corporation, (“ChampionX” or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CHX) investors of a class action on behalf of investors that bought securities between February 29, 2024 and April 1, 2024, inclusive (the “Class Period”). CHX investors have until July 14, 2026 to file a lead plaintiff motion.
Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 310-692-8883 or email: [email protected], to discuss their legal rights, or join the case via https://portnoylaw.com/championx-corporation. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors’ options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.
Per the allegations of the Complaint, on February 29, 2024, ChampionX received an unsolicited non-public offer from Schlumberger Limited to purchase all the outstanding shares of ChampionX for $36.70 per share. On March 7, 2024, Schlumberger raised its offer to $37.80 per share. The ChampionX class action lawsuit alleges that while these offers were on the table and unknown to the investing public, ChampionX was repurchasing its common stock at market prices significantly below the prices offered by Schlumberger. ChampionX had an obligation to disclose that it had received a formal acquisition offer from Schlumberger or abstain from purchasing ChampionX stock from unsuspecting investors.
During the Class Period, ChampionX's average stock price was $33.32 per share. On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, during pre-market hours, ChampionX disclosed the merger with Schlumberger. The merger eventually closed on July 16, 2025, with Schlumberger acquiring ChampionX for $40.58 per share.
The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm’s founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.
Admitted CA, NY and TX Bar [email protected]
310-692-8883
www.portnoylaw.com
Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Shares of this company have returned -1.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The Zacks Alternative Energy - Other industry, to which Constellation Energy Corporation belongs, has gained 1.8% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Constellation Energy Corporation is expected to post earnings of $2.24 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +17.3%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1%.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $11.74 points to a change of +25% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.1%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $13.62 indicates a change of +16% from what Constellation Energy Corporation is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.6%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Constellation Energy Corporation is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
In the case of Constellation Energy Corporation, the consensus sales estimate of $7.51 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +23.2%. The $35.48 billion and $35.2 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +39% and -0.8%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryConstellation Energy Corporation reported revenues of $11.12 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +63.8%. EPS of $2.74 for the same period compares with $2.14 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.21 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +35.5%. The EPS surprise was +7.03%.
Over the last four quarters, Constellation Energy Corporation surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Constellation Energy Corporation is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Constellation Energy Corporation. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
LOS ANGELES, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Commvault Systems, Inc., (“Commvault” or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CVLT) investors of a class action on behalf of investors that bought securities between April 29, 2025 and January 26, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”). Commvault investors have until July 17, 2026 to file a lead plaintiff motion.
Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 310-692-8883 or email: [email protected], to discuss their legal rights, or join the case via https://portnoylaw.com/commvault-systems-inc. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors’ options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.
On January 27, 2026, Commvault reported its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 and revealed ARR growth below the Company's prior guidance. In particular, ARR growth for the quarter was only $39 million, which fell short of the Company's $45 million guidance. On this news, Commvault's stock price fell $40.23 per share, or 31.1%, to close at $89.13 per share on January 27, 2026.
The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firm’s founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.
Admitted CA, NY and TX Bar [email protected]
310-692-8883
www.portnoylaw.com
For those looking to find strong Business Services stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. (ADUR - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. is one of 247 individual stocks in the Business Services sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #7 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.
The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADUR's full-year earnings has moved 46.3% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.
Based on the most recent data, ADUR has returned 52.3% so far this year. At the same time, Business Services stocks have lost an average of 7.5%. This means that Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
One other Business Services stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Aurora Innovation, Inc. (AUR - Free Report) . The stock is up 76.8% year-to-date.
For Aurora Innovation, Inc., the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 0.5% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Breaking things down more, Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. is a member of the Technology Services industry, which includes 121 individual companies and currently sits at #110 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 1.5% this year, meaning that ADUR is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Aurora Innovation, Inc. is also part of the same industry.
Investors interested in the Business Services sector may want to keep a close eye on Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. and Aurora Innovation, Inc. as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Over the past month, shares of this server technology company have returned -38.2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Computer- Storage Devices industry, which Super Micro falls in, has gained 6.6%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Super Micro is expected to post earnings of $0.70 per share, indicating a change of +70.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.1% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $2.59 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +25.7%. This estimate has changed +2.4% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.21 indicates a change of +24.2% from what Super Micro is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -1.2%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Super Micro.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Super Micro, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $11.71 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +103.5%. For the current and next fiscal years, $39.67 billion and $51.34 billion estimates indicate +80.5% and +29.4% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistorySuper Micro reported revenues of $10.24 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +122.7%. EPS of $0.84 for the same period compares with $0.31 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12.36 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -17.14%. The EPS surprise was +33.33%.
Over the last four quarters, Super Micro surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Super Micro is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Super Micro. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - July 7, 2026) - Law office of Brodsky & Smith announces that it is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Crinetics Pharmaceuticals" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CRNX) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of federal and state law in connection with the sale of the Company to Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) for $85.00 per share in cash, for a total equity value of approximately $10.0 billion, or approximately $8.8 billion net of estimated cash acquired.
The investigation concerns whether the Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Board breached its fiduciary duties to shareholders by failing to conduct a fair process, including whether the proposed transaction is paying fair value to shareholders of the Company.
If you own shares of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals stock and wish to discuss the legal ramifications of the investigation, or have any questions, you may e-mail or call the law office of Brodsky & Smith who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Jason L. Brodsky, Esquire, or Marc L. Ackerman by email at [email protected], visit https://www.brodskysmith.com/cases/crinetics-pharmaceuticals-inc-nasdaq-crnx/, or call toll free 855-576-4847.
Brodsky & Smith is a litigation law firm with extensive expertise representing shareholders throughout the nation in securities and class action lawsuits. The attorneys at Brodsky & Smith have been appointed by numerous courts throughout the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and have successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/304234
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals shares surged after Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced an agreement to acquire the endocrinology-focused biotech company in a deal valued at approximately $10 billion.
The all-cash transaction values Crinetics at $85 per share and is expected to close during the current quarter, subject to customary conditions.
The acquisition sparked a sharp rally in CRNX stock.
CRNX shares climbed nearly 100% in pre-market trading on Tuesday to around $83.69.
Vertex shares, meanwhile, declined modestly following the announcement.
The transaction comes amid a wave of pharmaceutical industry acquisitions, as large drugmakers seek to strengthen their development pipelines by acquiring smaller biotechnology companies with promising therapies.
According to a joint press release, Vertex expects Crinetics' portfolio, including its approved acromegaly treatment Palsonify and investigational therapy Atumelnant, to contribute an estimated $5 billion in peak annual sales.
Crinetics focuses on therapies for endocrine disorders.
The company markets Palsonify, a once-daily oral treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in September for acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder caused in most cases by a noncancerous pituitary gland tumour that leads to excessive growth hormone production during adulthood.
The disease can result in enlargement of the face, jaw, hands, and feet, along with symptoms including joint pain, headaches, and nausea.
Crinetics said Palsonify works by lowering insulin-like growth factor to help alleviate these symptoms.
The company's pipeline also includes Atumelnant, a once-daily oral treatment under development for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a group of inherited disorders affecting the adrenal glands.
The condition leads to excessive production of male sex hormones known as androgens.
Patients with CAH are commonly treated with high-dose glucocorticoids, which are associated with multiple side effects.
Crinetics is developing Atumelnant as an alternative treatment approach.
The company also said the therapy has demonstrated potential in treating Cushing's syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder characterised by excessive cortisol levels that can cause rapid weight gain, muscle weakness, bruising and high blood pressure.
Vertex Chief Executive Officer Reshma Kewalramani described the acquisition as strategically aligned with the company's long-term growth plans.
"Its focus on serious diseases in specialty markets with significant unmet need, well-understood causal human biology, and potentially best-in-class medicines could deliver transformative benefit to patients," she said in a statement.
Kewalramani added that Vertex intends to build on its experience in rare genetic diseases to continue expanding the commercial potential of Palsonify.
Vertex has established its business around treatments for cystic fibrosis and has also expanded into gene-editing therapies through its partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics.
Crinetics closed at slightly above $42 per share before the announcement, meaning Vertex's offer represents a premium of more than 100%.
According to the companies, the acquired portfolio could generate approximately $5 billion in peak annual sales.
Vertex reported total revenue of $12 billion last year, making the acquisition a significant addition to its long-term growth strategy.
Market analysts also viewed the strategic rationale positively.
Citi analyst Geoff Meacham said the acquisition aligns well with Vertex's existing strengths in specialty diseases and biologically targeted medicines.
"The fit is clear, given existing expertise in specialty markets, serious diseases, causal biology, and measurable biomarkers. The $5 billion peak sales framing adds another route to sustain double-digit topline growth."
Meacham maintained a Buy rating on Vertex and set a price target of $585, indicating further upside from the stock's previous closing level.
Deciding where to allocate capital in the energy transition requires weighing established scale against high-growth potential. You might consider Bloom Energy (BE 10.11%) or Eos Energy Enterprises (EOSE 10.48%) as you build your 2026 portfolio.
Bloom Energy provides solid oxide fuel cells for onsite power, while Eos Energy Enterprises specializes in long-duration zinc batteries. Both companies aim to solve reliability and storage challenges for utilities and industrial customers, yet they operate at vastly different stages of commercial maturity.
The case for Bloom EnergyBloom Energy sells solid oxide fuel cells that generate electricity onsite without combustion, targeting high-demand users like data centers and utilities. It currently maintains high-profile partnerships with American Electric Power (AEP +2.59%) and Oracle (ORCL 3.29%) to provide clean power for artificial intelligence infrastructure. A significant $25 billion financing framework with Brookfield Asset Management (BAM 0.90%) further supports the deployment of its onsite power systems at scale.
In FY 2025, revenue reached $2.0 billion, which represented growth of 37.3% over the previous fiscal year. The company reported a net loss of roughly $88.4 million for the period, resulting in a net margin of negative 4.4%. This performance indicates that while the company is generating substantial revenue, it has yet to reach consistent bottom-line profitability.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was approximately 3.9x. This metric measures total debt against shareholder equity, where a higher number suggests a company relies more heavily on borrowed funds. The current ratio, which compares short-term assets to liabilities to measure liquidity, was roughly 6.0x, and the company generated free cash flow of approximately $57.2 million.
Eos Energy Enterprises produces zinc-based battery systems designed for long-duration energy storage among industrial stocks. The company focuses on utility and commercial applications, recently finalizing an exclusive supply agreement with CAPAC Energy for the European market. Note that customer concentration is high, as two individual customers accounted for roughly 70.3% of total revenue in fiscal 2025.
During FY 2025, revenue climbed to nearly $114.2 million, a massive increase from the roughly $15.6 million reported in the prior year. Despite this rapid expansion, the company recorded a net loss of approximately $969.6 million. This resulted in a net margin of negative 849.1%, reflecting the significant costs associated with scaling its manufacturing operations and technology.
Based on the December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was roughly -1.0x. This negative value indicates that total liabilities exceed shareholder equity. The current ratio, which helps investors understand if a company can cover its near-term debts, was approximately 4.9x, while free cash flow was negative at nearly $265.0 million for the year.
Risk profile comparisonBloom Energy faces intense competition from traditional grid providers and alternative onsite power equipment like gas turbines. The company is currently working to reach a 2 GW factory capacity by 2026, which involves significant execution risk and reliance on specialized suppliers. Furthermore, its growth is heavily tied to the expansion of AI data centers, meaning any slowdown in that sector could reduce demand for its fuel cells.
Eos Energy Enterprises is scaling production at its Turtle Creek facility, a process that carries risks regarding product quality and manufacturing efficiency. The company also faces securities class action lawsuits alleging it made misleading statements about its production capacity and guidance. Additionally, Eos must compete on price against established lithium-ion battery manufacturers like Tesla (TSLA 3.10%) that benefit from much larger economies of scale.
Valuation comparisonEos Energy Enterprises appears cheaper based on forward P/E, which uses future earnings estimates, while Bloom Energy carries a higher P/S ratio.
MetricBloom EnergyEos Energy EnterprisesSector BenchmarkForward P/E126.7x10.6x25.5xP/S ratio38.1x13.3xn/aSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLI sector ETF.
Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Which stock would I buy in 2026?Bloom Energy has become a darling of the AI infrastructure boom, as its fuel cells help address strained electrical grids that supply energy for rapidly growing data center compute capacity. But the promise of the technology and strong demand has already been priced into the stock.
Eos Energy’s long-duration zinc batteries offer another solution through its energy storage technology. Both companies seek to address the AI energy bottleneck, giving them massive market opportunities.
Eos just formed Frontier Power USA, an autonomous development and investment firm founded alongside private equity firm Cerberus, to construct, own, and manage a diverse array of long-duration battery energy storage projects using Eos battery technology.
Eos expects revenue to approximately triple this year, so it is growing faster than Bloom, though off a smaller base. I would be buying this growth over Bloom’s backlog at this time. Bloom’s valuation has grown too fast. Its forward P/S ratio is over 20, while Eos's is just about 6. That makes Eos the better buy this year.
The conflict between the U.S. and Iran reminded investors how quickly energy markets can dominate the headlines. Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel as fears of supply disruptions spread, only to retreat toward $68 after a ceasefire eased concerns.
That sharp reversal has convinced many investors the energy trade is over. It isn’t. The market continues to view energy through the narrow lens of crude oil prices when a much larger investment theme is taking shape. Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the biggest long-term consumers of electricity the world has ever seen, creating opportunities that stretch well beyond traditional oil producers.
AI’s Biggest Bottleneck Isn’t Chips — It’s Power Look beyond the price of a barrel of oil. The AI boom has unleashed a massive wave of data center construction. Every new facility packed with thousands of graphics processors consumes enormous amounts of electricity around the clock. According to the International Energy Agency, global data center electricity demand is expected to more than double by 2030, with AI responsible for much of that growth.
That creates winners across the energy landscape. Utilities stand to benefit as electricity demand rises. Nuclear power producers are seeing renewed interest because they provide stable, carbon-free baseload generation. Companies developing distributed power systems, including Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE), could also see stronger demand as hyperscalers look for reliable on-site electricity. Others, like GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV | GEV Price Prediction), are developing the critical components the power and grid infrastructure desperately need.
Ironically, many investors continue to trade energy as though oil remains the sector’s only growth driver.
The four-week average has now reached negative $1.8 billion, the weakest reading on record after standing at a record positive $2.5 billion only two months earlier.
Those numbers suggest investors have aggressively abandoned energy as oil prices retreated following the Iran ceasefire.
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Yet here’s what the numbers tell us:
Theme Short-Term View Long-Term AI Opportunity Oil producers Lower crude prices pressure profits Energy demand still rises over time Utilities Limited impact from oil prices Higher electricity demand from AI data centers Nuclear power Less tied to oil markets Growing demand for dependable baseload power Bloom Energy Sentiment follows broader energy sector Fuel-cell systems can supply expanding AI infrastructure Sometimes the market throws the baby out with the bathwater. When investors sell an entire sector because one part weakens, attractive opportunities often emerge elsewhere.
Looking Beyond Oil Could Pay Off Granted, lower oil prices may continue weighing on traditional energy companies if global supply remains ample. That said, AI’s appetite for electricity is not slowing.
Investors looking to capture this trend without betting on one company could consider an ETF such as Defiance AI & Power Infrastructure ETF (NASDAQ:AIPO), which focuses on businesses positioned to benefit from AI’s expanding ecosystem. Those comfortable taking on more company-specific risk might examine a company like Bloom, whose fuel-cell technology offers an alternative power source for electricity-hungry data centers and is rapidly growing.
Regardless of which approach investors choose, the key is recognizing that AI is creating demand for far more than semiconductors. Chips cannot run without electricity, and electricity requires enormous investments in generation, transmission, and backup power.
Key Takeaway In short, today’s weakness across many energy stocks appears driven more by falling oil prices than by deteriorating long-term fundamentals. The data shows record fund outflows, indicating investors are rotating away from the sector just as AI is creating one of the strongest structural increases in electricity demand in decades. That disconnect could create opportunities in utilities, nuclear energy, distributed power providers like Bloom Energy, and AI-focused funds such as AIPO.
Ultimately, the AI revolution won’t be powered by silicon alone — it will be powered by the companies generating the electricity that keeps those chips running.
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CACI International Inc ([url="]NYSE: CACI[/url]) announced today that it has received a ceiling increase valued at more than $140.5 million for the remaining th
OMAHA, Neb. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) today submitted the first portion of their responses to the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) May 28, 2026, request for additional information to support their accepted merger application.
Today’s filing addresses the STB’s questions regarding Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA), Kansas City Terminal Railway (KCT) and TTX Company. These entities are jointly owned with other Class I railroads, operated by independent management teams and governed by non-discrimination policies. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern do not control these companies today and remain firm in their commitment that they will not control them post-merger. The merger application and today’s supplemental filing provide the STB with options to implement this commitment, up to and including divestiture.
In particular, for the TRRA, the filing provides clear evidence that the other Class I railroads who are vocally opposing the merger are using the TRRA as a pawn in their efforts to stop or delay the merger. This includes failing to appear at a properly convened special meeting for the sole purpose of discussing ways to reduce Union Pacific’s ownership in TRRA post-merger. Only Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern board members attended the meeting called by TRRA’s corporate secretary, while members from BNSF, CSX and Canadian National did not show.
Connecting Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s end-to-end networks will finally give American shippers single-line transcontinental rail service, creating a stronger alternative to long-haul trucking, making the entire supply chain more competitive, and putting downward pressure on truck and rail prices. The opportunities opened by the merger for shifting freight from truck to rail are projected to save shippers an estimated $3.5 billion annually.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have consistently welcomed rigorous regulatory review of the proposed merger, and today’s submission reflects that commitment. The responses to the STB’s other requests for additional information will follow by July 27, 2026.
The STB accepted as complete the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application on May 28, a positive step toward creating America’s first transcontinental railroad. The railroads are committed to working constructively with the STB toward a mid-2027 completion. For more information, visit AmericasGreatConnection.com.
About Union Pacific
Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable, and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com.
About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a 22-state freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver approximately 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. It serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com
Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements relate to future events or future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s or the combined company’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements or those of the railroad industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words like “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “pro forma,” or any variations or other comparable terminology.
While Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have based these forward-looking statements on those expectations, assumptions, estimates, beliefs and projections they view as reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s or the combined company’s control, including but not limited to, in addition to factors disclosed in Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s respective filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”): the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the definitive merger agreement between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern providing for the acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific (the “Transaction”); the risk that potential legal proceedings may be instituted against Union Pacific or Norfolk Southern and result in significant costs of defense, indemnification or liability; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required Surface Transportation Board or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the combined company will not realize expected benefits, cost savings, accretion, synergies and/or growth from the Transaction, or that such benefits may take longer to realize or be more costly to achieve than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, tariffs, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern operate; disruption to the parties’ businesses as a result of the announcement and pendency of the Transaction; the costs associated with the anticipated length of time of the pendency of the Transaction, including the restrictions contained in the definitive merger agreement on the ability of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, respectively, to operate their respective businesses outside the ordinary course during the pendency of the Transaction; the diversion of Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s management’s attention and time from ongoing business operations and opportunities on merger-related matters; the risk that the integration of each party’s operations will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected or that the parties are otherwise unable to successfully integrate each party’s businesses into the other’s businesses; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of Union Pacific’s or Norfolk Southern’s customers, suppliers, employees, labor unions or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; the dilution caused by Union Pacific’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock in connection with the consummation of the Transaction; the risk of a downgrade of the credit rating of Union Pacific’s indebtedness, which could give rise to an obligation to redeem existing indebtedness; a material adverse change in the financial condition of Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern or the combined company; changes in domestic or international economic, political or business conditions, including those impacting the transportation industry (including customers, employees and supply chains); Union Pacific’s, Norfolk Southern’s and the combined company’s ability to successfully implement its respective operational, productivity, and strategic initiatives; a significant adverse event on Union Pacific’s or Norfolk Southern’s network, including, but not limited to, a mainline accident, discharge of hazardous materials, or climate-related or other network outage; the outcome of claims, litigation, governmental proceedings and investigations involving Union Pacific or Norfolk Southern, including, in the case of Norfolk Southern, those with respect to the Eastern Ohio incident; the nature and extent of Norfolk Southern’s environmental remediation obligations with respect to the Eastern Ohio incident; new or additional governmental regulation and/or operational changes resulting from or related to the Eastern Ohio incident; and a cybersecurity incident or other disruption to our technology infrastructure.
This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. These and other important factors, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in Norfolk Southern’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 9, 2026 (available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0000702165/000162828026006268/nsc-20251231.htm) and Norfolk Southern’s subsequent filings with the SEC, Union Pacific’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2026 (available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/100885/000010088526000037/unp-20251231.htm) and Union Pacific’s subsequent filings with the SEC, may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. References to Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s website are provided for convenience and, therefore, information on or available through the website is not, and should not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein. The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date they were first issued, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law or regulation.
IonQ, Inc. (IONQ - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Shares of this company have returned -22.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. The Zacks Computer - Integrated Systems industry, to which IonQ belongs, has gained 12.4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
IonQ is expected to post a loss of $0.29 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +58.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
The consensus earnings estimate of -$1.07 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +41.2%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.94 indicates a change of +12.5% from what IonQ is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +2.2%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, IonQ is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
In the case of IonQ, the consensus sales estimate of $66.36 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +220.7%. The $267.45 million and $401.88 million estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +105.7% and +50.3%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryIonQ reported revenues of $64.67 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +754.3%. EPS of -$0.38 for the same period compares with -$0.14 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $49.66 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +30.23%. The EPS surprise was -46.15%.
Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
IonQ is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about IonQ. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bank (NYSE: FITB) was recognized as a Top Financial Innovator by Global Finance for Newline™ by Fifth Third, the Bank's embedded finance platform that enables fintechs, software providers and enterprise clients to launch payment, card and deposit products. Newline was named to an elite group of fewer than 10 honorees in North America as part of the publication's annual Innovators Awards. Worldwide, the program spotlights innovation across banks and finte.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: ResMed (RMD - Free Report) Resmed Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes devices, masks and related accessories used to treat sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and other respiratory disorders. Sleep-disordered breathing includes obstructive sleep apnea and related conditions that occur during sleep. The company sells products across the United States, Canada and Latin America, and across combined Europe, Asia and other markets.
RMD is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. RMD has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 16.3% for the current fiscal year.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $11.11 per share. RMD also boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.3%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, RMD should be on investors' short list.
Investors interested in Finance stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Apple Hospitality REIT (APLE - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Apple Hospitality REIT is one of 881 individual stocks in the Finance sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #4 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.
The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Apple Hospitality REIT is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APLE's full-year earnings has moved 5.7% higher within the past quarter. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.
Based on the most recent data, APLE has returned 39.9% so far this year. In comparison, Finance companies have returned an average of 6.5%. This means that Apple Hospitality REIT is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.
Another stock in the Finance sector, Oscar Health, Inc. (OSCR - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 118.8%.
For Oscar Health, Inc., the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 131.1% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
To break things down more, Apple Hospitality REIT belongs to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry, a group that includes 92 individual companies and currently sits at #53 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 8.7% so far this year, so APLE is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.
In contrast, Oscar Health, Inc. falls under the Insurance - Multi line industry. Currently, this industry has 46 stocks and is ranked #169. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +4.2%.
Investors with an interest in Finance stocks should continue to track Apple Hospitality REIT and Oscar Health, Inc.. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.
Key Takeaways Ciena and Telefonica Deutschland completed an AI-driven network automation PoC using Blue Planet AI Studio.CIEN integrated AI into existing operational workflows to support multi-domain service orchestration.Ciena sees AI and enterprise 5G growth potential, while Nokia and Cisco intensify competition. AI is becoming a core component of network operations in the telecommunications industry. As CSPs roll out increasingly sophisticated 5G services, the operational complexity associated with designing, provisioning and managing these services continues to rise. Against this backdrop, the successful proof of concept (PoC) between Telefónica Deutschland (TELFY - Free Report) and Blue Planet, a division of Ciena Corporation (CIEN - Free Report) , demonstrates how AI-driven automation can transform network operations while strengthening Ciena's growth prospects.
The Blue Planet division was established from the 2015 Cyan Networks acquisition, integrating Cyan’s software with Ciena’s SDN/NFV controllers to develop an open, multi-vendor network automation platform. This platform was later improved through acquisitions like Packet Design and Centina for advanced analytics and closed-loop automation.
The PoC employed Blue Planet AI Studio, an OSS-native platform that allows the development and deployment of AI agents directly within operational workflows. Instead of functioning as an isolated AI experiment, the platform was integrated into Deutschland's existing Multi-Domain Service Orchestration framework. The successful deployment showcases several competitive advantages for CIEN, which has steadily expanded its software portfolio via Blue Planet. By advancing AI-driven network orchestration, the collaboration enhances Ciena's software growth opportunities, customer retention and exposure to the rapidly growing enterprise 5G market.
Ciena is already benefiting from strong investments in AI infrastructure, particularly from hyperscale cloud providers building massive data centers. AI-driven network slicing complements this trend by creating another avenue for growth within telecom networks. However, heavy investments by rivals such as Nokia (NOK - Free Report) and Cisco Systems (CSCO - Free Report) in AI-driven network automation may limit Ciena's pace of monetizing its technological edge.
Competitive Woes in the AI-Led Networking Space Temper CIENNOK benefits from a broad 5G IP portfolio, an expanding enterprise business and growing opportunities in AI-driven networking. Demand from AI and cloud customers supported IP Networks growth in first-quarter, while Nokia launched an AI Networking Innovation Lab to accelerate development of next-generation AI-native data center networking solutions alongside ecosystem partners. The initiative expands its presence in a structurally attractive infrastructure market and strengthens its position in AI-driven connectivity. In June, Nokia, t3 Broadband and Aureon partnered to deploy a hyperscale-class AI connectivity network using ultra-high-capacity optical technology, enabling high-speed, reliable data transmission to support the rising demand for AI and cloud infrastructure.
Cisco continues to expand AI data center offerings, including Nexus innovations, intelligent packet flow and configurable AI pods, which can sustain a higher mix in networking through fiscal 2026. In June, Cisco introduced Cisco Cloud Control, a unified platform that enables human operators and AI agents to collaboratively manage and secure critical IT infrastructure. The platform supports natural-language application and agent creation, integrates with third-party tools and enhances cybersecurity through innovations such as Live Protect, Quantum Ready Assessments and Cisco IQ, helping organizations operate securely at AI-driven speed and scale. Furthermore, its rich partner base supports expansion in AI infrastructure and security.
CIEN Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of CIEN have gained a whopping 451.5% in the past year compared with the Communications - Components industry’s surge of 304.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CIEN trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 57.86, above the industry’s 43.98.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CIEN’s earnings for fiscal 2026 has been revised upward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CIEN currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
FAIR LAWN, N.J., July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Columbia Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLBK), a Delaware corporation and the mid-tier holding company for Columbia Bank (the “Holding Company” or “Columbia”), announced today that Columbia Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) and the proposed successor to the Holding Company, has commenced a firm commitment underwritten offering to sell shares of common stock not subscribed for in its second-step conversion subscription offering to the general public at $10.00 per share.
Between the orders received in the subscription offering and the increased orders received in the previously announced resolicitation of maximum purchasers in the subscription offering, which concluded on June 30, 2026, the Company received approximately $1.1 billion in the subscription offering, excluding shares to be issued to Columbia Bank’s employee stock ownership plan. Accordingly, the Company expects to sell in the firm commitment underwritten offering between approximately $281 million and $769 million of its common stock.
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company, will serve as the lead-left book running manager, Piper Sandler & Co. will act as co-book running manager and Brean Capital, LLC will act as co-manager for the firm commitment underwritten offering.
Completion of the second-step conversion remains subject to (1) the receipt of all required final regulatory approvals, including the final independent appraisal, and (2) the sale of at least 142,375,000 shares of common stock, including shares that may be issued as merger consideration to stockholders of Northfield Bancorp, Inc. (“Northfield”).
About Columbia
The Holding Company is a Delaware corporation organized as Columbia Bank’s mid-tier stock holding company and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Columbia Bank MHC. The Company is a newly formed Maryland corporation that will be the successor to the Holding Company upon closing of the second-step conversion. Columbia Bank is a federally chartered savings bank headquartered in Fair Lawn, New Jersey that operates 70 full-service banking offices and offers traditional financial services to consumers and businesses in its market area. For more information about Columbia Bank, please visit www.columbiabankonline.com.
Disclaimer and Caution About Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, which statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook and expectations of Columbia and Northfield, respectively, with respect to the proposed transaction, the strategic benefits and financial benefits of the proposed transaction, including the expected impact of the proposed transaction on the combined company’s future financial performance (including anticipated accretion to earnings per share, the tangible book value earn-back period and other operating and return metrics), the timing of the closing of the proposed transaction, and the ability to successfully integrate the combined businesses. Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualified words (and their derivatives) such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “continue,” “plan,” “project” and “intend,” as well as words of similar meaning or other statements concerning opinions or judgment of Columbia or Northfield or their respective management about future events.
Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as of the time they are made and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood and degree of occurrence, which could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions, include, among others, the following: (i) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement; (ii) the possibility that the proposed transaction does not close when expected or at all because approvals and the other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; (iii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Columbia or Northfield; (iv) the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, including anticipated cost savings and strategic gains, are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Columbia and Northfield operate; (v) the possibility that the integration of the two companies may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (vi) Columbia’s ability to successfully complete its second-step conversion; (vi) the possibility that the final independent appraisal of Columbia will differ from the preliminary independent appraisal of Columbia; (viii) the impact of purchase accounting with respect to the proposed transaction, or any change in the assumptions used regarding the assets acquired and liabilities assumed to determine their fair value and credit marks; (ix) the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive or take longer to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; (x) the diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; (xi) potential adverse reactions of Columbia’s or Northfield’s customers or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; (xii) a material adverse change in the financial condition of Columbia or Northfield; (xiii) changes in Columbia’s or Northfield’s share price before closing; (xiv) risks relating to the potential dilutive effect of shares of Columbia’s common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction; (xv) general competitive, economic, political and market conditions, including the impact of any potential government shutdown; (xvi) major catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods or other natural or human disasters, including infectious disease outbreaks; and (xvii) other factors that may affect future results of Columbia or Northfield, including, among others, changes in asset quality and credit risk; the imposition of tariffs and any retaliatory responses; the inability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in interest rates; deposit flows; inflation; customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices; the impact, extent and timing of technological changes; capital management activities; and other actions of the Federal Reserve Board and legislative and regulatory actions and reforms.
These factors are not necessarily all of the factors that could cause Columbia’s, Northfield’s or the combined company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of the forward-looking statements. Other factors, including unknown or unpredictable factors, also could harm Columbia’s, Northfield’s or the combined company’s results.
Although each of Columbia and Northfield believes that its expectations with respect to forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions based on its existing knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results of Columbia or Northfield will not differ materially from any projected future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Columbia’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other documents subsequently filed by Columbia with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and in Northfield’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and its other filings with the SEC and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other documents subsequently filed by Northfield with the SEC. The actual results anticipated may not be realized or, even if substantially realized, they may not have the expected consequences to or effects on Columbia, Northfield or each of their respective businesses or operations. Investors are cautioned not to rely too heavily on any such forward-looking statements. Columbia and Northfield urge you to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating all such forward-looking statements made by Columbia and Northfield. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and Columbia and/or Northfield undertake no obligation to update or clarify these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. For purposes of this section, references to Columbia include both Columbia Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation and the current mid-tier holding company for Columbia Bank, and Columbia Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation and the proposed successor holding company of Columbia Bank.
Important Additional Information About the Transaction and Where to Find It
Columbia Financial, Inc. has filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Form S-1 Registration Statement”) that includes a prospectus of Columbia Financial, Inc. and other relevant documents concerning the proposed second-step conversion. In addition, Columbia Financial, Inc. has also filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Form S-4 Registration Statement”) that includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus concerning the proposed second-step conversion and the merger.
BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF COLUMBIA AND NORTHFIELD ARE URGED TO READ THE FORM S-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE FORM S-4 REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS.
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shall be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
A copy of the Form S-1 Registration Statement and the Form S-4 Registration Statement, Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Columbia and Northfield may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, by directing a request to Columbia Investor Relations, 19-01 Route 208 North, Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410, or by calling (833) 550-0717, or to Northfield by directing a request to Northfield Investor Relations, 581 Main Street, Suite 810, Woodbridge, New Jersey 07095 or by calling (732) 499-7200 x2519. The information on Columbia’s or Northfield’s respective websites is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this communication or incorporated into other filings either company makes with the SEC.
Columbia Financial, Inc.
Investor Relations Department
(833) 550-0717
NEW YORK, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the common stock of Peabody Energy Corporation (“Peabody Energy” or the “Company”) (NYSE: BTU) between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026, inclusive.
Should You Join The Peabody Energy Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU)?
Did you sell your shares between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026, inclusive?
Did you lose money in your investment in Peabody Energy Corporation?
What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Peabody Energy Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 24, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Peabody Energy common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- Peabody (NYSE: BTU) today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has selected the company for funding to advance the production of rare earth elements and critical minerals. The selection supports Peabody's ongoing efforts to evaluate and advance the recovery of rare earth elements and critical minerals from its extensive resource base in Wyoming's Powder River Basin.
"Coupled with the Wyoming Energy Authority grant awarded earlier this year, this selection reflects the meaningful progress Peabody has made in advancing promising unconventional rare earth and critical mineral opportunities," said Peabody President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Grech. "I thank the Trump Administration, including the Department of Energy and Secretary Wright for supporting this project as we continue advancing the technical and economic viability of a domestic rare earth and critical mineral supply chain."
The company's efforts are focused on supporting the development of a secure domestic supply chain for materials that are increasingly important to U.S. energy, technology and national security objectives.
Peabody moves more earth annually across its Powder River Basin operations than any other coal miner, providing a unique combination of scale, infrastructure and ready access to a vast resource base with promising concentrations of rare earth elements and critical minerals.
Peabody is a leading coal producer, providing essential products for the production of affordable, reliable energy and steel. Our commitment to sustainability underpins everything we do and shapes our strategy for the future.
For those looking to find strong Computer and Technology stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. GlobalFoundries Inc. (GFS - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
GlobalFoundries Inc. is a member of our Computer and Technology group, which includes 613 different companies and currently sits at #1 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.
The Zacks Rank is a successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. GlobalFoundries Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).
Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for GFS' full-year earnings has moved 0.8% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.
Based on the latest available data, GFS has gained about 97.3% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Computer and Technology group have gained about 16.6% on average. This means that GlobalFoundries Inc. is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
Avnet (AVT - Free Report) is another Computer and Technology stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 71.5%.
The consensus estimate for Avnet's current year EPS has increased 11.7% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Looking more specifically, GlobalFoundries Inc. belongs to the Electronics - Semiconductors industry, which includes 50 individual stocks and currently sits at #41 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 46% so far this year, so GFS is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.
On the other hand, Avnet belongs to the Electronics - Parts Distribution industry. This 4-stock industry is currently ranked #23. The industry has moved +50.4% year to date.
Investors interested in the Computer and Technology sector may want to keep a close eye on GlobalFoundries Inc. and Avnet as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Dropbox (DBX - Free Report) Dropbox offers a cloud-based platform that businesses and individuals can create, access and share digital content globally. It serves more than 700 million registered users across approximately 180 countries.
DBX is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. DBX has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 8.5% for the current fiscal year.
Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $3.08 per share. DBX also boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.6%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, DBX should be on investors' short list.
