Analytik očekává, že akcie Phillips 66 (PSX) vzrostou o 25 % na 346 USD díky přetrvávajícímu nedostatku rafinovaných produktů a vyšším rafinérským maržím.
SummaryPhillips 66 stands to benefit from global refined product scarcity, driven by Russian supply disruptions and Gulf instability.I rate PSX a Buy, targeting 25% upside to $346 using a 12x PE multiple, higher than consensus due to its diversified business mix.Consensus underappreciates the duration and magnitude of elevated crack spreads; I expect normalization to take longer, supporting higher forward earnings.Key risks include rapid normalization of energy flows or resolution of the Ukraine conflict, but current geopolitics suggest continued supply tightness. Olga Kostrova /iStock via Getty Images
Introduction The Iran war and subsequent shock to energy prices led me to research and invest in refining, LNG, and oil stocks. At first, as a short-term hedge, they have now become a core part of the portfolio. As
4.17K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PBF either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Audit společnosti BailSec uvádí, že 1inch Aqua brání dvojímu využití likvidity ve smart kontraktech, ačkoli off-chain systémy mohou sdílený kapitál započítat dvakrát.
An audit can reduce risk, but it can never guarantee that a DeFi protocol is safe. 1inch spoke to Vik from BailSec about what smart contract audits actually tell us, the risks that exist beyond the code and what stood out when BailSec audited 1inch Aqua.
Smart contract audits have become a standard part of DeFi security. But hacks still happen to audited protocols. And increasingly, the weak point may not be the smart contract at all.
So what does an audit really prove? And how should you assess the security of a new architecture such as 1inch Aqua?
1inch spoke to Vik from BailSec, one of the security firms that audited Aqua, about the limits of audits and the security implications of Aqua’s approach to liquidity.
When you assess the security of a DeFi protocol today, what are the biggest risks you look for beyond obvious smart contract bugs?Many risks come from beyond the code. We look at the ecosystem itself, composability, design patterns, economic attacks and governance.
Ecosystem-level risks involve things like flash loans, liquidity manipulation, unusual token variations and potential breaks caused by future EVM hard forks.
Composability is a core value proposition of DeFi. But it also means a system may be used in ways its authors did not intend when they wrote it. Assessing that risk requires long experience with protocol security and a broad understanding of how people actually use smart contracts.
Design patterns matter as well. Established standards such as ERCs and well-understood techniques can lead to more robust interactions. A well-designed protocol uses established patterns to solve standard problems so developers can focus on the parts that are genuinely new.
Then there are economic attacks. These include second-order vulnerabilities that go beyond smart contract security and require familiarity with how DeFi products actually get used.
Finally, there is governance risk. The question is: what happens if a trusted part of the system is not so trusted? A well-designed system takes a defense-in-depth approach and limits even privileged roles to the minimum permissions they need.
How should teams think about the limits of an audit? What can a strong audit establish and what can it never guarantee?Auditors are skilled experts, but they are limited by the scope of the engagement. We are limited both by time and by which portions of the system are under review.
An audit is also time-bound. If the client introduces additional complexity in the middle of the engagement, it may no longer be possible to achieve the coverage that the original time estimate was intended to provide.
And auditors can make mistakes. At BailSec, we rigorously test the auditors we work with and hire some of the best auditors in the space to dramatically reduce the risk that an auditing team misses a substantial bug. But that risk is never zero.
If an audit report contains many medium- and high-severity findings, that density can suggest there may be more bugs remaining after the review. In that case, we recommend engaging another audit team for a second round.
The development team might also change the code after the audit. We cannot ensure that those changes do not introduce new bugs or violate invariants that were verified during our audit.
Even without any of those issues, an audit can never guarantee that a codebase is bug-free or cannot be hacked. It provides a high degree of assurance that the system behaves as designed. It is not proof.
Even formal verification cannot ensure that a codebase is entirely free of unexpected behavior. Formal verification establishes that reviewed code matches a formal specification, but the specification itself may be incomplete. It could miss an attack vector. And the code eventually deployed may not be the code that was reviewed.
Smart contract audits used to be mostly about the contracts themselves. How much does security now depend on protecting the whole stack?Infrastructure and key compromise have become a major root cause of losses across the ecosystem by dollar value.
Unless otherwise specified, a smart contract audit typically does not include those components. Some may also contain intellectual property or trade secrets that a project does not want to disclose to a third-party smart contract auditing firm.
That makes it difficult for us to ensure that the combination of APIs, the frontend, infrastructure and other off-chain components maintains the invariants intended by the team.
Good smart contract design can go a long way toward mitigating these risks. Where possible, logic can be moved from off-chain components on-chain, while the mutability of on-chain components can be minimized.
Immutability is a desirable quality in a robustly designed smart contract system because it reduces exceptions and assumptions and can provide a higher degree of assurance.
What do SOC 2 and ISO 27001 cover that a smart contract audit cannot?These security controls and certifications help cover a missing component: the combination of smart contracts, off-chain components and the larger organization operating them.
The frameworks address the organization that builds and operates the system, including access controls, key management, change management, vendor risk and incident response.
Supply-chain attacks have also become a greater risk in recent years. These standards provide evidence that an organization has taken steps to reduce that risk. Controls over endpoints and personnel can also help reduce the risk of insider attacks.
There is an important distinction within SOC 2 between a Type I attestation, which looks at controls at a point in time, and Type II, which covers how controls operate over a period of time.
But SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are not magic bullets. Just as a smart contract audit cannot completely prevent a hack, these frameworks cannot eliminate risk. They reduce the risk caused by weaknesses in other components of the system.
BailSec audited 1inch Aqua earlier this year. What was unusual or particularly interesting about Aqua from a security perspective?First of all, Aqua was something very fresh and new to the DeFi world, which was refreshing for us to review. It was not another fork of something else.
Aqua has a special design in two respects. It allows a high degree of customizability and flexibility in the strategies through which market makers deploy their capital. And it increases capital efficiency by allowing makers to deploy the same capital into multiple strategies.
That customizability puts more responsibility on the software components used to design strategies. They need to follow robust compositional rules and avoid invalid strategy configurations that could result in a loss of funds.
Deploying the same capital across multiple strategies also means that, while capital efficiency increases, the exposure of a maker’s capital to an economic vulnerability in a strategy can increase as well.
Another unusual feature is the requirement for takers to explicitly specify the maker strategies they interact with. That is an inversion of the typical AMM design, where multiple makers put capital into a single pool and interaction with it does not depend on the number of underlying makers.
Aqua lets liquidity remain in the maker’s wallet until a taker fills a position. Does that create additional risks?Aqua’s design eliminates certain classes of attacks that can drain capital held in liquidity pools. Eliminating that line of attack improves the security posture of the design.
It also gives makers an effective mechanism for cutting off their exposure to undesirable strategies by docking or revoking allowances.
Some risk is not fully eliminated but instead moves from balances held in pools to ERC-20 allowances. Still, the overall posture is an improvement.
What about double-spending? If the same balance backs multiple strategies, can the same liquidity be used twice?The smart contracts themselves ensure that liquidity cannot be used twice.
But shared capital does mean that one strategy may run out of available liquidity because a neighboring strategy has consumed it.
It is also important to keep this shared-capital model in mind when calculating aggregate market depth, TVL or available liquidity. Otherwise, off-chain components that do not understand how the system works could count the same liquidity twice.
So the liquidity cannot be spent twice by the smart contracts, but it can potentially be counted twice by off-chain systems.
Aqua gives takers more flexibility. Can that flexibility also increase risk?Yes. The order in which liquidity is consumed by the taker can affect the price at which future swaps take place.
Off-chain components that assess liquidity therefore need enough domain knowledge to sequence interactions appropriately.
For makers, a single economically risky strategy could potentially produce losses affecting the capital deployed across strategies. For takers, the main risk is that a particular maker may run out of capital during a swap because of collateral sharing. Systems deciding how to use the available liquidity need to account for that.
All swaps should also be protected by appropriate slippage limits to reduce exposure to risks such as MEV and front-running.
Aqua has been audited. Does that mean it is safe?An audit cannot ensure total safety. The fact that Aqua has undergone multiple audits is a strong indication that its authors take security seriously. It also provides evidence that the security of the system has been improved from its initial implementation.
But protocol security is a continuum. It is not a single state. Completing audits with multiple expert teams moves a protocol further along that continuum, but issues can still slip through an auditor’s review. That is why it is important to engage multiple teams and put as many expert eyes as possible on the contracts.
Users should also consider the risks of interacting with DeFi products and avoid exposing themselves to losses they cannot tolerate.
For sufficiently technical users and partners, the published audit reports themselves provide details about the potential pitfalls of the system and exactly what the auditing teams considered as part of their reviews.
At BailSec, we always recommend reading the reports. For non-technical users, AI tools can now also make it much easier to summarize audit findings and understand what a report actually says about a protocol’s security.
Security is never a finished job. Audits, careful protocol design and ongoing review can reduce risk, but none can turn DeFi into a risk-free environment.
For more on blockchain security, subscribe to our newsletter
Společnost Hormel Foods ve 3. čtvrtletí 2026 zvýšila upravenou provozní marži o 60 bazických bodů na 9 %, přestože objemy prodeje v maloobchodě klesaly.
Key Takeaways HRL began benefiting from lower pork commodity prices in the third quarter, with more gains expected ahead.HRL faced elevated beef, freight, logistics and fuel costs, plus higher short-term turkey supply-chain costs.HRL is using pricing, mix, efficiency gains and SG&A actions to improve profitability amid cost pressures. Hormel Foods Corp. (HRL - Free Report) continues to improve profitability despite softer Retail volumes pressuring sales. In the third quarter of 2026, the company expanded its adjusted operating margin by 60 basis points to 9%, contributing to a 30-basis-point improvement in the first nine months. Adjusted earnings per share increased 6% year over year to 37 cents.
The margin improvement came despite Retail volume declines, driven by business exits, lower whole-bird and private-label snack nut volumes, contract manufacturing and pricing-related elasticity. Consumer takeaway across branded Retail weakened, while total company dollar consumption declined 1% during the quarter compared with approximately 1% growth earlier in the year.
However, Hormel Foods continued to benefit from operational measures supporting profitability across its business. The Foodservice segment delivered another quarter of strong performance, with profit growth outpacing sales growth and driving further margin expansion. Management attributed this performance to disciplined product mix management and a continued focus on profitability. Foodservice remains an important contributor to the company's overall performance.
In addition, the company also began recognizing benefits from lower pork prices, with further benefits expected in future quarters due to cost-recognition timing. Adjusted SG&A expenses, as a percentage of net sales, improved year over year due to lower employee-related expenses and the timing of marketing and advertising investments. The company remains focused on cost discipline and prioritizing high-return SG&A investments.
Overall, continued strength in Foodservice, benefits from lower pork costs and disciplined expense management could help Hormel Foods sustain margin improvement while it works to stabilize Retail volumes and support overall profitability.
The Zacks Rundown for HRLThis Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company’s shares have lost 21.1% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 13.9% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, HRL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 12.58, lower than the industry’s average of 13.46.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HRL’s current and next fiscal year earnings implies a year-over-year increase of 8% and 3.6%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks have been discussed below:
The Chef’s Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East, and Canada. CHEF currently carries a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CHEF’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 10.8% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.
Mama’s Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) , together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. MAMA currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MAMA's current fiscal-year sales & earnings implies growth of 30.3% and 66.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. MAMA delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 121.7%, on average.
Medifast, Inc. (MED - Free Report) operates as a health and wellness company that provides habit-based and coach-guided lifestyle solutions to address obesity and support a healthy life in the United States. MED currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MED's current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies a decline of 10.8% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. MED delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 462.2%, on average.
Proti společnosti Baidu (BIDU) byla podána hromadná žaloba kvůli údajnému nadhodnocování schopnosti byznysu s umělou inteligencí kompenzovat pokles tradičních marketingových aktivit a zkreslování výhledu tržeb.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP (“SBS”), a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Baidu, Inc. (“Baidu” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: BIDU) for violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Shareholders who purchased shares of BIDU during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointments. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CLASS PERIOD: November 18, 2025 to August 17, 2026
DEADLINE: November 13, 2026
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
CASE DETAILS: According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Baidu overstated the ability of its AI business to cover the rapid decline in its legacy marketing business. The Company was likely to suffer a decline in revenue. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Baidu, investors suffered damages.
We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall or David Schwartz of Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].
The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.
Join the case to recover your losses
WHY SBS? Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. Bringing together the extensive experience and diverse skillsets of founding partners Brian Schall, Andrew Brown, and David Schwartz, SBS is dedicated to aggressively advocating for every investor.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
CONTACT:
Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP
Brian Schall, Esq.,
Andrew Brown, Esq.,
David Schwartz, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335 [email protected]
Očekává se, že Commerce Bancshares za čtvrtletí končící v září 2026 vykáže zisk na akcii ve výši 1,07 USD a výnosy 492,85 milionu USD, což představuje meziroční nárůst o 0,9 %, respektive 11,8 %.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Commerce Bancshares (CBSH - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 20. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +0.9%.
Revenues are expected to be $492.85 million, up 11.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.22% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Commerce?For Commerce, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.31%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Commerce will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Commerce would post earnings of $1.04 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.10, delivering a surprise of +5.77%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Commerce appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAmong the stocks in the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, Commerce Bancshares (CBSH - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $1.07 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +0.9%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $492.85 million, up 11.8% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Commerce has been revised 0.2% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.31%.
This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), suggests that Commerce will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Perpetual Ltd increased its position in shares of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL – Free Report) by 1,178.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 220,331 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 203,099 shares during the period. Perpetual Ltd’s holdings in Oracle were worth $30,251,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake in shares of Oracle by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 14,680,278 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock valued at $2,151,395,000 after buying an additional 123,294 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its holdings in shares of Oracle by 8.6% during the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 14,539,366 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock worth $2,815,242,000 after buying an additional 1,148,698 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its position in shares of Oracle by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 13,251,059 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock valued at $1,949,363,000 after buying an additional 384,984 shares during the period. Amundi raised its position in shares of Oracle by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 9,878,184 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock valued at $1,447,648,000 after buying an additional 144,087 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Oracle by 1.7% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 8,586,492 shares of the enterprise software provider’s stock valued at $1,262,827,000 after acquiring an additional 147,048 shares during the last quarter. 42.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Stephen H. Rusckowski bought 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $139.35 per share, with a total value of $3,483,750.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 25,390 shares in the company, valued at $3,538,096.50. The trade was a 6,410.26% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Maria Smith sold 2,631 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.70, for a total transaction of $399,122.70. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 64,357 shares in the company, valued at $9,762,956.90. This trade represents a 3.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 36,075 shares of company stock valued at $5,342,123. Corporate insiders own 38.40% of the company’s stock.
Key Oracle News Here are the key news stories impacting Oracle this week: Positive Sentiment: Director Stephen Rusckowski reportedly purchased approximately $3.48 million of Oracle shares. The transaction may signal confidence in Oracle’s long-term prospects after the stock’s substantial retreat from its peak. Monster insider trading alert for Oracle stock Positive Sentiment: Commentary highlights Oracle’s reported $664 billion backlog, including major AI infrastructure commitments. Supporters argue that this contracted demand could eventually translate into significant revenue growth and make the recent selloff excessive. Contrarian bet on Oracle Positive Sentiment: Oracle is reportedly transporting natural gas to keep certain AI data-center projects moving while pipeline and permitting delays are addressed. The workaround could help the company meet customer commitments and avoid penalties tied to large contracts. Oracle data centers and natural gas Neutral Sentiment: Oracle’s AI opportunity remains tied to OpenAI and other customers’ ability to expand computing demand. Analysts and commentators are debating whether the large backlog represents durable future revenue or depends on aggressive AI spending assumptions. Oracle has $664 billion lined up Negative Sentiment: Reports that OpenAI’s annualized revenue is near $50 billion, potentially below earlier expectations, have raised questions about its valuation, future infrastructure needs and the economics of Oracle’s reported approximately $300 billion contract. The news has pressured Oracle alongside other AI-related stocks. Why Oracle stock is falling Negative Sentiment: Investors remain focused on Oracle’s substantial borrowing and capital requirements for its AI buildout. Comparisons with Broadcom have intensified concerns that debt financing, construction costs and the timing of cash generation could limit the value of the backlog. Broadcom versus Oracle AI financing Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have issued reports on ORCL shares. Phillip Securities cut their target price on Oracle from $275.00 to $237.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on Oracle from $190.00 to $165.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $275.00 price target (up from $235.00) on shares of Oracle in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Oracle from $220.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $290.00 price objective (down from $320.00) on shares of Oracle in a report on Thursday, September 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-six have given a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $251.72.
Get Our Latest Analysis on Oracle
Oracle Stock Down 2.8% NYSE:ORCL opened at $137.48 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $146.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $159.00. Oracle Corporation has a 52 week low of $114.50 and a 52 week high of $322.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $415.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.00 and a beta of 1.78.
Oracle (NYSE:ORCL – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 10th. The enterprise software provider reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.74 by $0.18. Oracle had a return on equity of 48.85% and a net margin of 26.36%. The business had revenue of $19.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.13 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.47 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 29.6% on a year-over-year basis. Oracle has set its Q2 2027 guidance at 1.850-1.930 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 8.100-8.100 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Oracle Corporation will post 6.69 EPS for the current year.
Oracle Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, October 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 9th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.5%. Oracle’s dividend payout ratio is presently 31.35%.
About Oracle (Free Report)
Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) is a global technology company that develops enterprise software, cloud services and related hardware. Its offerings help businesses manage databases, applications, data, infrastructure and other core information-technology operations.
The company is best known for its Oracle Database, along with cloud-based infrastructure and platform services. Oracle also provides enterprise applications for functions such as finance, human resources, supply-chain management, customer experience and industry-specific operations.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Oracle Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORCL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Oracle Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oracle and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Key Takeaways Costco's September net sales surged 13% to $30.02 billion, with comparable sales rising 11.4%.Costco's membership growth, digital expansion and plans for 33 warehouse openings support its outlook.COST's forward P/E of 41.55 exceeds the industry's 27.76, suggesting investors wait for a better entry point.
Costco Wholesale Corporation’s (COST - Free Report) September sales update offers fresh insight into the retail giant’s momentum. A dominant force in the warehouse club space with a long track record of growth, Costco has remained an investor favorite. However, the latest sales figures raise a key question: Should investors buy the stock now, hold their positions or book profits?
The September report showed solid comparable sales growth across regions, along with accelerating e-commerce sales. This reinforces the view that Costco’s operational execution and customer loyalty remain strong despite a challenging retail backdrop.
Breaking Down Costco’s September Sales ReportCostco reported net sales of $30.02 billion for the five weeks ended Oct. 4, 2026, representing a 13% increase from $26.58 billion in the year-ago period. Total comparable sales rose 11.4%, reflecting healthy demand across its operating regions. Comparable sales increased 12.5% in the United States, 6.3% in Canada and 10.8% in Other International markets. Excluding the impacts of gasoline price fluctuations and foreign exchange movements, total comparable sales advanced 7.6%.
Costco’s membership-driven business model remains a key competitive strength, with high renewal rates providing a steady revenue stream and reinforcing customer loyalty. Its bulk purchasing power, strong supplier relationships and efficient inventory management enable the retailer to maintain competitive pricing. This value-focused approach resonates with budget-conscious consumers seeking affordability and quality, supporting consistent demand and strengthening Costco’s position in a competitive retail environment. (Read: Costco's September Sales Rise 13% on Strong Comps, Digital Growth)
Unlocking Costco’s Growth DriversCostco continues to stand out as a compelling long-term investment opportunity, supported by its resilient business model, strong customer loyalty and continued market-share gains. The warehouse retailer’s focus on offering quality merchandise at competitive prices continues to attract shoppers and encourage higher spending, even in an uncertain consumer environment. Its ability to cater to both value-conscious households and consumers seeking premium products strengthens its competitive positioning. The continued expansion of its Kirkland Signature private-label portfolio, which offers meaningful savings over national brands without compromising quality, reinforces Costco’s pricing advantage.
The company’s membership-driven business model remains a cornerstone of its long-term investment appeal, providing a dependable recurring revenue stream and supporting sustained customer engagement. Costco ended fiscal 2026 with 84.1 million paid memberships, representing 3.8% growth, while total cardholders increased 3.6% to 150.4 million. Fourth-quarter membership fee income advanced 7.3% to approximately $1,850 million. Worldwide renewal rates improved 10 basis points sequentially to 89.8%, while U.S. and Canadian renewal rates reached 92.3%. The company is also attracting younger consumers, with members under 40 now representing more than a quarter of its membership base.
Growing adoption of Costco’s premium Executive membership tier provides a meaningful opportunity to strengthen customer engagement and increase spending per member. Executive members generally spend more and renew at higher rates than Gold Star members. Costco ended fiscal 2026 with 42.3 million paid Executive members, up 9.4% year over year. These members accounted for 75.6% of total sales. Management believes the combination of membership expansion, stronger Executive penetration and greater spending per member can sustain revenue growth. Targeted digital communications, enhanced membership benefits and personalized engagement initiatives should further reinforce customer loyalty and strengthen Costco’s ability to capture a larger share of household spending.
Costco’s expanding digital capabilities provide another compelling growth avenue as consumers increasingly prioritize convenience, faster fulfillment and seamless shopping experiences. The retailer is strengthening its omnichannel ecosystem through website and mobile application improvements, personalized product recommendations, and expanded delivery partnerships with Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats. These initiatives are helping attract younger shoppers and capture additional purchasing occasions beyond traditional warehouse visits. Digitally enabled sales exceeded $33 billion in fiscal 2026, growing more than 20%. Management indicated that third-party delivery sales are largely incremental, complementing rather than replacing warehouse purchases. Costco is also exploring opportunities in artificial intelligence-driven product discovery while improving online product visibility and customer engagement.
Costco’s expanding warehouse network and diversified ancillary businesses further strengthen its long-term growth prospects. The company ended fiscal 2026 with 939 warehouses worldwide and plans to open 33 locations in fiscal 2027, including five relocations. Its longer-term ambition of reaching approximately 30 net new warehouses annually highlights substantial opportunities across underserved U.S. markets and international regions. Alongside physical expansion, Costco continues to broaden its appeal through gasoline, pharmacy and travel services, which provide compelling reasons for members to engage more frequently with the brand. Management plans roughly $7.5 billion in fiscal 2027 capital expenditures, primarily supporting warehouse expansion and supply-chain improvements. These investments should strengthen Costco’s operating capabilities and support sustainable growth over the long term.
Costco Navigates Competitive Landscape as Peers Scale UpCostco's impressive sales figures are part of a larger retail picture where competition is intensifying. Rivals like Dollar General Corporation (DG - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) are investing in expanding their product assortments, enhancing supply-chain efficiency and upgrading in-store and digital experiences to capture greater market share. These retailers are also sharpening their value propositions through competitive pricing, private-label expansion and targeted promotional strategies.
Margins remain an area to monitor, as Costco continues to navigate rising costs related to healthcare, general liability, commodities, freight and tariffs. While the company has leveraged productivity initiatives and supply-chain efficiencies to mitigate some pressures, uncertainty around oil prices, tariffs and other input costs could weigh on margin performance.
Does Costco Tick the Boxes for Value Investing?Costco stock has climbed 11.2% year to date compared with the industry’s rise of 8.4%. A sneak peek into key retail peers' performance reveals that shares of Dollar General have tumbled 4.7% during the same time frame, while Target has surged 57.1%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Despite Costco’s strong fundamentals, its premium valuation remains a key consideration for investors. The stock has commanded a premium multiple due to its consistency, brand strength and membership economics.
Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 41.55, higher than the industry’s ratio of 27.76. However, it is trading below its 12-month median level of 44.79, indicating some moderation in valuation. Costco is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 15.78) and Dollar General (15.32).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Consensus Estimates Stack Up for CostcoThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 8.2% and 11.7%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.1% rise in sales and 9.1% growth in earnings.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How to Play Costco Stock: Buy, Hold or Sell?Costco’s strong September sales, loyal membership base, expanding digital capabilities and warehouse growth plans reinforce its long-term investment appeal. However, its premium valuation, intensifying competition and lingering cost pressures warrant a measured approach despite encouraging earnings growth expectations. Existing investors may consider holding their positions to benefit from Costco’s long-term growth prospects, while prospective investors should wait for a more attractive entry point before initiating positions.
Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Costco uzavřelo fiskální rok 2026 s hotovostí a krátkodobými investicemi ve výši 21,3 miliardy USD oproti dluhu ve výši 6,2 miliardy USD a v roce 2027 plánuje kapitálové výdaje ve výši 7,5 miliardy USD.
Key Takeaways COST's fiscal 2026 cash and short-term investments reached $21.3 billion, far exceeding its $6.2 billion debt.Operating cash flow rose to $15.8 billion, generating $9.4 billion in free cash flow after capex.Costco plans $7.5 billion in fiscal 2027 capital spending for new warehouses and supply-chain investments. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) continues to demonstrate solid financial strength, supported by substantial cash reserves, manageable debt and robust operating cash flows that provide it with a competitive edge in the retail landscape characterized by evolving consumer spending patterns, inflationary pressures and rising operating costs. Its fiscal 2026 balance sheet highlights a healthy liquidity position and an expanding equity base, providing the warehouse retailer with considerable financial flexibility.
Costco ended fiscal 2026 with cash and cash equivalents of $20,207 million, up from $14,161 million a year earlier. Including short-term investments of $1,094 million, its combined cash and short-term investments reached approximately $21,301 million. Current assets increased to $46,582 million from $38,380 million in the last fiscal year and exceeded current liabilities of $43,952 million.
Total debt stood at approximately $6,162 million, significantly below its cash holdings. While long-term debt, excluding current maturities, declined to $3,914 million from $5,713 million, the current portion of long-term debt increased to $2,248 million from $75 million. Nevertheless, Costco's substantial net cash position provides a cushion, enabling it to meet operating requirements and manage debt obligations.
The company's financial resilience is further reinforced by healthy cash generation. Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $15,825 million in fiscal 2026 from $13,335 million last year. With capital expenditures totaling $6,435 million, Costco generated approximately $9,390 million in free cash flow, demonstrating its ability to fund substantial investments through internally generated resources.
This financial capacity is particularly important as the company plans approximately $7.5 billion in capital expenditures for fiscal 2027, primarily to support new warehouse openings and supply-chain investments. Its strong cash generation provides the flexibility to pursue these growth initiatives while limiting dependence on external financing.
Costco's total assets also increased to $89,045 million from $77,099 million, while stockholders' equity climbed to $35,803 million from $29,164 million. Retained earnings rose to $28,591 million from $22,650 million, strengthening its capital base.
That said, Costco's sizable cash reserves, manageable debt, robust operating cash flows and expanding equity underscore its solid financial foundation. These strengths provide meaningful flexibility to withstand industry challenges, invest in operational improvements and support long-term expansion. While competitors must also balance growth investments with financial obligations, Costco's substantial liquidity and internally generated cash flow reinforce its ability to pursue strategic priorities without placing undue strain on its balance sheet.
Does Costco Have a Balance Sheet Edge Over TGT & BJ?Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) maintains substantial liquidity, although its debt obligations remain significant. Target ended second-quarter fiscal 2026 with cash and cash equivalents of $5,411 million and total debt of approximately $15,357 million. Target generated $4,519 million in operating cash flow during the first six months, supporting capital investments and shareholder returns. With capital expenditures rising, Target continues to balance liquidity management, debt obligations and strategic investments to strengthen its competitive positioning.
BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (BJ - Free Report) continues to demonstrate disciplined financial management, supported by healthy cash generation and manageable leverage. BJ’s Wholesale generated $265.5 million in adjusted free cash flow during second-quarter fiscal 2026, while its net leverage remained at 0.5 times. Although BJ’s Wholesale held approximately $30 million in cash against $629.2 million in debt, its improving cash generation supports club expansion and digital investments. BJ’s Wholesale remains focused on balancing growth investments with shareholder returns.
How Does Costco Stack Up Against Its Industry?Costco stock has climbed 11.3% year to date compared with the industry’s rise of 9.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Does Costco’s Current Valuation Suggest?Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 41.55, higher than the industry’s ratio of 27.76. However, it is trading below its 12-month median level of 44.79, indicating some moderation in valuation.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Do Earnings Estimates Signal for Costco?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 8.2% and 11.7%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.1% rise in sales and 9.1% growth in earnings.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Costco’s Investment CaseCostco's strong balance sheet, substantial liquidity and robust cash generation reinforce its ability to navigate industry challenges while funding expansion and strategic investments. Its financial flexibility and resilient membership-driven business model support long-term growth prospects. However, inflationary pressures and lingering tariff-related uncertainties warrant caution. Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SolarEdge na summitu OCP představí technologii napájení datových center pro AI, která převádí střední napětí na 800 V DC; její konverzní stupeň již v laboratořích funguje pod zátěží.
SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEDG) today announced that its MVAC-to-800 VDC AI Factory Power Technology for AI data centers is being featured at the NVIDIA AI Factory MGX Ecosystem Showcase during the 2026 Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit, October 12–15, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California.
The showcase features a SolarEdge solid-state transformer (SST) cell and a 3D-printed model of the company’s containerized data center power architecture, illustrating key elements of the power conversion system SolarEdge is developing for next-generation AI infrastructure.
SolarEdge is developing a full DC powertrain spanning medium-voltage conversion, 800 VDC distribution, protection and monitoring to the rack power input. The three-phase MVAC-to-800 VDC AI Factory Power Technology conversion stage is operating under load in SolarEdge engineering labs, with system-level validation of the full power path underway.
“AI infrastructure is forcing the industry to rethink how power moves from the grid all the way to the rack,” said Shuki Nir, Chief Executive Officer of SolarEdge. “Our work on MVAC-to-800 VDC power architecture is about applying SolarEdge’s deep experience in DC power electronics and protection to that challenge, while working with NVIDIA and the broader ecosystem to help establish the common interfaces and protection principles needed to deploy these architectures at scale.”
The OCP showcase follows recent work between SolarEdge and NVIDIA on protection and grounding considerations for 800 VDC AI data center architectures. In September, SolarEdge published the “800 VDC Protection and Grounding for AI Data Centers” white paper, developed while working with NVIDIA and offered as a technology-neutral framework for industry evaluation. The paper addresses grounding, fault behavior and protection coordination while supporting an open, multi-vendor ecosystem rather than prescribing a single implementation.
Branch-level sensing and interruption, insulation monitoring and system-level monitoring are designed into the architecture SolarEdge is developing. SolarEdge is applying two decades of experience in PV DC power electronics, monitoring and protection to the requirements of high-density AI infrastructure.
The work aligns with broader Open Compute Project efforts to establish common, interoperable infrastructure for increasingly power-dense AI systems, including the evaluation of high-voltage DC architectures and solid-state transformers for scalable data center power distribution.
About SolarEdge
SolarEdge Technologies is a global leader in smart energy technology that applies engineering and innovation to power management across generation, storage and consumption. The company develops DC-optimized power electronics, energy management and optimization solutions, energy storage and grid services, with technology installed in more than 146 countries. SolarEdge is applying two decades of PV DC power electronics and DC protection experience to AI data center infrastructure and is developing an MVAC-to-800 VDC AI Factory Power Technology platform spanning medium-voltage conversion, distribution, protection and monitoring.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include information, among other things, concerning: the development, validation, performance, cost, reliability, timing of commercial availability and potential adoption of our DC powertrain and other AI data center products; the completion of system-level validation of the full DC path; the publication, evaluation and adoption of, and industry response to, the white paper “800 VDC Protection and Grounding for AI Data Centers”; the anticipated transition of the data center industry to 800 VDC distribution and the pace and extent of that transition; the actions of standards development organizations, testing laboratories and certification bodies; our possible or assumed future results of operations; future demand for our solutions; business strategies; technology developments; financing and investment plans; competitive position; industry and regulatory environment; general economic conditions; potential growth opportunities; and the effects of competition. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negative or plural of those terms and other like terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Given these factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
These factors include, but are not limited to, the matters discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed on March 23, 2026, and other reports filed with the SEC. All information is as of the date of this release. This release does not update or reaffirm any previously issued forward-looking statement, and no statement in this release should be read as a preview of, or as limiting, any information to be presented at the company’s previously announced analyst day. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261013444026/en/
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC boosted its stake in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 553.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 103,390 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 87,572 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC owned about 0.07% of CF Industries worth $12,950,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vertrix Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in CF Industries in the 3rd quarter valued at $3,604,000. Balefire LLC increased its holdings in CF Industries by 36.8% in the third quarter. Balefire LLC now owns 8,197 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $976,000 after buying an additional 2,207 shares in the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital raised its holdings in CF Industries by 409.2% during the third quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 15,654 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,962,000 after purchasing an additional 12,580 shares during the last quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC raised its stake in shares of CF Industries by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 55,706 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,417,000 after buying an additional 874 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Douglas Lane & Associates LLC raised its position in CF Industries by 465.0% during the third quarter. Douglas Lane & Associates LLC now owns 609,443 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $76,313,000 after acquiring an additional 501,586 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently issued reports on CF. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on CF Industries from $140.00 to $135.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $140.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 15th. set a $115.00 target price on shares of CF Industries and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. KeyCorp initiated coverage on CF Industries in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $115.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of CF Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, July 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $121.11.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CF CF Industries Trading Up 2.7% Shares of NYSE CF opened at $114.53 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $17.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.22 and a beta of 0.53. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $75.42 and a 12-month high of $141.96. The company has a current ratio of 4.86, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $123.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.59.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.63 by ($0.90). The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a return on equity of 24.41% and a net margin of 27.12%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.37 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.90 EPS for the current year.
CF Industries Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio is presently 17.79%.
CF Industries Company Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CF) is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.
CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than CF Industries Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for CF Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CF Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Pound Sterling-Dollar Forecast: UK Policy Clarity Holds Key to Recovery
BofA expects a medium-term Pound Sterling recovery, but UK policy uncertainty and the US Dollar's appeal during a narrow US equity rally complicate the path.
Bank of America's forecast for the Pound to reach $1.45 by the end of 2027 depends on a recovery that has yet to emerge convincingly from recent trading.
GBP/USD was near $1.3250 at the time of writing, up 0.30% on Tuesday, following a 2.10% fall during September.
Latest-Exchange Rates:
Pound to Dollar (GBP/USD): 1.324505 (+0.26%)
Euro to Dollar (EUR/USD): 1.119239 (+0.29%)
Dollar to Yen (USD/JPY): 158.36742 (-0.10%)
BofA's latest Global FX Weekly retains a $1.37 projection for end-2026, alongside the longer-term $1.45 forecast, which stands roughly 9.4% above the latest rate.
Strategists Michalis Rousakis and Claudio Piron write: "Elsewhere, we maintain a constructive medium-term view on GBP but prefer to await greater clarity on UK policies."
Image: GBP/USD 48hr chart
UK resilience helps, but the policy test remains
Its quantitative FX team writes: "UK data have recently surprised consistently to the upside, while growth expectations have been revised materially higher."
Those observations support Sterling's relative appeal, particularly against a Euro weakened by French fiscal concerns, but they do not remove the uncertainty around Britain's own Budget on 28 October.
Higher government borrowing costs can reflect concern about fiscal credibility as well as expectations of monetary tightening.
In his 8 October speech on financial resilience, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned that doubts about government finances can drive yields higher and tighten financial conditions.
See our analysis of the Budget's spending-credibility test which explores that risk alongside the protection offered by resilient activity.
BofA nevertheless expects the BoE to respond to the inflation threat.
Its central-bank assessment states: "We changed our BoE call- we now expect the BoE to hike twice in Nov '26 and Feb '27 to 4.25% to guard against risks of second round effects, assuming high energy prices persist into early next year and barring big downside surprises in data."
The BoE held Bank Rate at 3.75% in September, with three of its nine policymakers preferring an increase.
The Dollar has support beyond interest rates
A tighter UK stance would not automatically improve Sterling's yield advantage if US policy also became more restrictive.
BofA's Federal Reserve call remains hawkish, although it acknowledges uncertainty about the number of increases still to come: "We maintain our call for a hike at both the Oct and Dec meeting, though we acknowledge the risks is that we may only get one more hike this year".
The bank also sees investment in US technology companies as an important source of Dollar demand.
Adarsh Sinha and Claudio Piron explain why the composition of the stock-market rally matters: "Intuitively, such breadth measures tell us about the US vs. rest of the world prospects, which are key for the USD exchange rate. A broad rally typically reflects a global growth upswing, with cyclical sectors outperforming and growth differentials versus the US narrowing. In contrast, a technology-led rally reinforces the US exceptionalism narrative, attracting capital inflows and supporting the USD."
For GBP/USD, this means a stronger UK economy can coexist with a firm Dollar if international investors continue concentrating their money in US assets.
Rousakis and Piron write: "However, risks continue to accumulate for already nervous markets, including the ongoing Iran war and associated supply shock, rising concerns about the existential risks posed by AI, the apparent intractability of fiscal challenges, renewed trade tensions and, of course, the upcoming US midterms."
BofA therefore distinguishes a broadening equity rally from a general retreat in share prices.
Sinha and Piron write: "Looking ahead, what would a transition away from a narrow rally regime imply? A broadening would be USD negative from both the equity level & breadth effects, most clearly against high beta FX. An equity correction would be more nuanced: the level effect would be USD positive (except vs. JPY) but dampened if the sell-off is concentrated in large cap technology stocks."
A more widely shared global expansion would give the Pound's recovery a different foundation from a brief rise caused by disappointing US figures.
GBP/USD Exchange Rate FAQ
What is BofA's Pound-Dollar forecast?
The bank projects $1.37 at end-2026 and $1.45 at end-2027.
How far is $1.45 above the current rate?
Roughly 9.4% above the 13 October rate of $1.3250.
Does BofA expect UK interest rates to rise?
Its forecast includes November 2026 and February 2027 increases, conditional on persistent energy costs and no major downside data surprises.
Duke Energy plánuje v letech 2026–2030 investovat 103 miliard USD do výrobních kapacit a elektrické sítě; po hurikánu Isaias obnovila dodávky asi 10 000 zákazníkům na severu Floridy.
Key Takeaways Duke Energy restored approximately 10,000 customers in North Florida following Hurricane Isaias as of Oct. 10.Duke Energy will invest $103 billion during 2026-2030 to expand generation capacity and grid infrastructure.DUK forecasts 6.5% annual EPS growth in 2026 and 2027, while trading at a P/E premium to the industry. Duke Energy (DUK - Free Report) is nearing the completion of power restoration across North Florida following Hurricane Isaias. As of Oct. 10, the company had restored approximately 10,000 customers.
The response highlights the importance of maintaining resilient electricity infrastructure in storm-prone regions. Duke Energy stated that investments in a stronger, smarter grid help reduce outages, shorten their duration and accelerate restoration following severe weather. Although the company did not quantify the specific contribution of these improvements during Isaias, the event underscores the operational value of grid reliability initiatives.
Duke Energy Florida follows a systematic restoration process that prioritizes safety and aims to restore power to the greatest number of customers as quickly as possible. Crews first address downed power lines and then repair critical transmission infrastructure, substations and major distribution lines.
This approach illustrates why utilities need both reliable infrastructure and sufficient emergency-response resources. Severe weather can damage multiple parts of the electricity network simultaneously, requiring coordinated repairs and careful prioritization. For Duke Energy, grid upgrades and operational preparedness remain important elements of its broader strategy to strengthen reliability and serve customer demand.
Duke Energy’s infrastructure strategy extends beyond immediate storm recovery. The company continues to position its approximately $103 billion investment plan for 2026-2030 as a core driver of regulated rate base growth. During the second quarter of 2026, management said DUK was deploying more than $1 billion per month to expand generation capacity and grid infrastructure across its regulated jurisdictions.
Utilities Focus on Grid Modernization and ReliabilityDuke Energy’s response to Hurricane Isaias highlights the operational importance of grid modernization and coordinated restoration efforts. As utilities keep investing in infrastructure, reliability improvements may help protect customers and support long-term service quality.
NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) operates Florida Power & Light, one of the state's major electric utilities. Its regulated utility business provides a relevant comparison for investors evaluating grid modernization, electricity reliability and infrastructure investment in the state.
Southern Company (SO - Free Report) serves customers across several southeastern states through its regulated utility businesses. It balances infrastructure investment, reliable service and the financial implications of severe weather while meeting customer demand.
DUK’s Earnings EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 EPS indicates an increase of 6.5% each, year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
DUK Stock Trading at a PremiumDUK is trading at a premium relative to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings of 16.67X compared with the industry average of 14.04X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
DUK Stock Price PerformanceIn the past three months, the company’s shares have lost 6.8% compared with the industry’s 10.6% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
DUK’s Zacks RankThe company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Westpac očekává, že NZD/USD dosáhne 0,59 v prosinci 2026 a 0,65 v prosinci 2027, přičemž jej podpoří výnosy z vývozu a další zpřísňování měnové politiky RBNZ.
NZD/USD Forecast: Westpac Targets 0.65 by December 2027 Westpac forecasts a New Zealand Dollar recovery through 2027 despite weaker housing and higher fuel costs, with export incomes cushioning the economy. Currency strategists at Westpac forecast the New Zealand Dollar to recover to US$0.65 by December 2027, even after worsening its assessment of the domestic economy's immediate prospects.
The bank has cut its housing outlook and raised its inflation forecasts, but continues to see enough resilience in exports and employment to keep the recovery going.
That is a demanding backdrop for a currency which fell 4.86% against the US Dollar in September.
At the time of writing, NZD/USD traded at 0.5614, up 0.49% on the day.
Latest — Exchange Rates:
Pound to New Zealand Dollar (GBP/NZD): 2.359005 (-0.23%)
Euro to New Zealand Dollar (EUR/NZD): 1.992836 (-0.24%)
New Zealand Dollar to Dollar (NZD/USD): 0.561345 (+0.48%)
Westpac's nearer target is 0.59 for December 2026, placing much of its projected appreciation beyond the next few months.
Its weekly report, dated 12 October with information current to 9 October, sets out an uneven recovery rather than a rapid improvement in household fortunes.
Kelly Eckhold, Westpac's Chief Economist NZ, writes: "None of those developments, on their own, are enough to derail the recovery. Together, however, they point to a tougher finish to 2026 for households and businesses. We have therefore revisited our near-term inflation, housing and growth forecasts. The broad story remains one of continued economic expansion and gradually improving labour demand, but with a more pronounced inflation spike and slightly less momentum in consumer spending."
Image: NZD to USD exchange rate 48-hour rolling chart as seen 13th October 2026. Export income cushions a weaker housing market The currency forecast sits alongside an economy in which export earnings and property wealth are pulling in different directions.
Westpac now expects national house prices to fall 1.4% in 2026, reversing its previous forecast for a small increase.
Eckhold sees little sign of an imminent turnaround: "The headwinds are familiar: the labour market remains soft, mortgage rates are higher and employment growth is still moderate. Those forces are likely to keep the market subdued for some time, with risks tilted towards another weak year in 2027."
The bank's stronger Kiwi projection therefore cannot be read as a prediction that housing will quickly restore consumer confidence.
Agricultural regions have a more supportive source of income, with the benefit extending beyond farm owners through local spending and employment.
Eckhold says: "Regional outcomes will continue to differ. Tourism- and agriculture-focused areas should benefit from stronger income and employment growth, supported by robust commodity export prices. We have lifted our 2026/27 Fonterra Milk Price forecast to $9.75/kg and set an opening forecast of $9.50/kg for 2027/28."
Those export receipts provide a counterweight to the domestic weakness that has also helped keep Sterling elevated against the Kiwi.
They do not remove the immediate squeeze on households facing dearer petrol and falling property values.
As Eckhold explains: "When petrol absorbs more of the household budget and home values are drifting lower, consumers tend to become more cautious. That combination is likely to crimp discretionary spending in the run-up to Christmas and could take some steam out of the construction recovery."
Higher inflation leaves Westpac's rate forecast unchanged The weaker currency compounds the fuel shock by making imported energy more expensive in New Zealand Dollars.
Westpac expects annual inflation to ease temporarily to 3.7% in September before reaching 4.2% in December, half a percentage point above its previous year-end forecast.
Yet Eckhold has retained his call for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to pause at the 28 October review and raise the Official Cash Rate to 3% in December.
Eckhold writes: "The latest developments raise headline inflation but, so far, there is little evidence that inflation expectations are moving higher or that the fuel shock is generating broader, persistent price pressure. At the same time, growth risks warrant some caution."
Westpac's forecast table subsequently takes the OCR to 4% by September 2027.
That path would narrow New Zealand's policy-rate disadvantage against the US, where the bank envisages much less additional tightening, offering a potential support for the Kiwi as the recovery develops.
However, higher borrowing costs are already restraining activity before those forecast increases arrive.
Eckhold notes: "Financial conditions have also tightened from an unexpected source: longer-term interest rates have risen markedly over the past six weeks. That increase has at least offset the easing impulse from the lower exchange rate, even though the weaker currency is adding to imported inflation in the near term."
Stats NZ's next selected price indexes release is due on 16 October, ahead of the full September-quarter CPI report on 22 October.
Westpac will be looking beyond petrol for evidence about how widely the pressure is spreading.
Its preview says: "In terms of the big categories, we're forecasting a roughly 6% rise in petrol costs, along with a 0.7% rise in food prices. That's balanced against continued softness in housing rents (which are the single largest component of the CPI)."
NZD/USD exchange rate FAQ What is Westpac's NZD/USD forecast?
Westpac forecasts 0.59 for December 2026 and 0.65 for December 2027.
Why does Westpac see scope for a Kiwi recovery?
Its economic outlook combines strong export incomes and gradually improving hiring with further RBNZ tightening, despite weak housing and higher fuel costs.
When is the next RBNZ rate decision?
The next review is 28 October 2026. Westpac expects a pause, followed by an increase to 3% in December.
Terra Nova Asset Management ve třetím čtvrtletí nově investovala do společnosti Palantir Technologies (PLTR), když nakoupila 7 530 akcií v hodnotě přibližně 1,408 milionu USD.
Terra Nova Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR – Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 7,530 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,408,000.
Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of PLTR. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in Palantir Technologies by 0.4% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 189,817,693 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,146,030,000 after acquiring an additional 757,322 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its position in shares of Palantir Technologies by 2.8% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 104,490,468 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,190,903,000 after acquiring an additional 2,863,874 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Palantir Technologies by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 22,415,082 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,984,281,000 after acquiring an additional 616,297 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Palantir Technologies by 1.0% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 19,020,265 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,219,094,000 after acquiring an additional 180,486 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi boosted its stake in shares of Palantir Technologies by 7.4% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 17,623,053 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,056,082,000 after acquiring an additional 1,212,653 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 45.65% of the company’s stock.
Key Headlines Impacting Palantir Technologies Here are the key news stories impacting Palantir Technologies this week:
Positive Sentiment: New sovereign-defense AI venture: Palantir and Ondas announced Regna AI, a standalone company designed to develop and deploy specialized AI models for governments and mission-critical operations involving drones, surveillance systems, ground vehicles and unmanned vessels. The partnership could expand Palantir’s defense reach and reinforce its role as an infrastructure provider regardless of which major AI model wins. Ondas Announces Regna AI, Powered by Palantir, to Advance Sovereign AI Positive Sentiment: Continued AI optimism: Several reports cited rising enterprise AI adoption, potential government contracts and strong demand for Palantir’s software. Bullish analysts, including Dan Ives, expect the company’s growth to continue into 2027, while other coverage pointed to rising earnings estimates and a growing proportion of buy ratings. Dan Ives Remains Bullish on Palantir’s Stock in 2027 Positive Sentiment: Upcoming earnings catalyst: Palantir will report third-quarter 2026 results after the market closes on November 2, with a webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET. Investors will be watching whether its previously reported rapid revenue growth and strong deal activity are continuing. Palantir Announces Date of Third Quarter 2026 Earnings Release and Webcast Neutral Sentiment: Barclays initiated research coverage, adding another institutional view of the stock, but the supplied report did not include its rating or price target. Palantir Technologies Research Coverage Started at Barclays Negative Sentiment: Phillip Securities downgraded Palantir from “strong buy” to “hold.” The action highlights concern that the stock’s valuation—at roughly 179 times earnings and a market capitalization above $500 billion—already discounts exceptional future growth. Analysts also warned that competition and the company’s very high price-to-sales multiple increase downside risk if growth slows. Palantir Stock Moved Down to Hold by Phillip Securities Insider Transactions at Palantir Technologies In related news, insider Jeffrey Buckley sold 1,250 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.29, for a total transaction of $217,862.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 56,921 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,920,761.09. This represents a 2.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Shyam Sankar sold 35,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $155.70, for a total value of $5,449,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 642,786 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $100,081,780.20. This represents a 5.16% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 536,364 shares of company stock valued at $93,083,303 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 9.53% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Palantir Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. They set an “overweight” rating for the company. Barclays assumed coverage on Palantir Technologies in a report on Friday. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $265.00 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Palantir Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $200.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Palantir Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Finally, Oppenheimer lowered shares of Palantir Technologies from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Palantir Technologies has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $200.54.
Get Our Latest Research Report on PLTR
Palantir Technologies Stock Down 0.0% PLTR opened at $209.00 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $179.67 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $150.60. Palantir Technologies Inc. has a 52 week low of $106.37 and a 52 week high of $212.94. The company has a market capitalization of $502.24 billion, a PE ratio of 178.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 1.60.
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.07. Palantir Technologies had a return on equity of 30.57% and a net margin of 49.01%. The firm had revenue of $1.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.16 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 92.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Palantir Technologies Inc. will post 1.31 earnings per share for the current year.
(Free Report)
Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: PLTR) develops software platforms that help organizations integrate, analyze and act on large and complex datasets. Its principal platforms include Gotham, which is designed primarily for government and defense applications; Foundry, which supports commercial and institutional data operations; Apollo, which helps deploy and manage software across diverse environments; and the Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which connects large language models and other AI tools with an organization’s data and workflows.
The company serves government agencies, defense and intelligence organizations, and commercial businesses in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy and financial services.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Palantir Technologies Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PLTR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Palantir Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Palantir Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Palantir měla na konci 2. čtvrtletí objem nasmlouvaných zakázek ve výši 13,1 mld. USD, což představuje meziroční nárůst o 83 % a posiluje její růstový výhled.
Palantir Technologies (PLTR -0.72%) has staged a stunning rally recently, with shares of the artificial intelligence (AI) software specialist rising by a stunning 70% since the beginning of August.
This phenomenal jump in Palantir stock has brought its price to just over $200, as of this writing. Investors may now be wondering whether Palantir can sustain its rally and reach the $300 milestone.
Let's take a closer look at Palantir's prospects in this article and check why it can indeed reach that mark by the end of 2028.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Investors have finally recognized Palantir's potential While the AI play has primarily focused on hardware-oriented companies in recent years, software will eventually help users increase productivity and unlock the benefits of this technology. Not surprisingly, AI software spending has been increasing rapidly.
Premium Feature
Moneyball Superscore
89/100
Today's Change
(
-0.72
%) $
-1.52
Current Price
$
207.49
Gartner estimates that AI software spending is poised to jump from $283 billion in 2025 to $452.5 billion this year, a jump of nearly 60%. The trend is poised to continue in 2027, with spending expected to jump to $636 billion. I won't be surprised to see the strong AI software spending environment continuing in 2028, given the technology's productivity gains.
For instance, AI has increased the productivity of software engineers by nearly 33%, as reported by the IT-focused digital publication CIO. This is great news for Palantir. That's because Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) has been designed to connect generative AI models with an organization's proprietary data, helping them build agents, models, workflows, and other tools so that they can take real-time decisions, reduce redundancy, or increase productivity, among other things.
Moreover, Palantir's AIP has been a massive hit. It has significantly accelerated the company's growth since its launch in April 2023.
Data by YCharts
Given that the AI software market still has significant room for growth, Palantir can sustain its phenomenal growth over the long run, resulting in more stock price upside. In fact, I won't be surprised to see the company breaching the $300 mark by the end of 2028.
Here's the math behind a $300 stock price Analysts expect Palantir's earnings to jump by 116% in 2026 to $1.62 per share. However, as the chart below indicates, consensus estimates suggest it will take two years for Palantir to double its earnings per share again.
Data by YCharts
However, that's unlikely to be the case given Palantir's huge backlog. The company had total remaining deal value (RDV) worth $13.1 billion at the end of Q2, up by 83% over the year-ago period. This metric indicates the total value of unfulfilled contracts at the end of a quarter, which means that Palantir has a robust revenue pipeline.
Also, the company's margin profile has been improving owing to the increased spending by existing customers. For instance, Palantir secured $3.37 billion in new contracts in Q2, well ahead of its quarterly revenue of $1.93 billion. As the company receives more contracts from both existing and new customers, there is a solid chance that its profit margin will increase.
Data by YCharts
Assuming Palantir doubles its bottom line in 2027 and 2028, its earnings per share could jump to $6.48 in 2028. That could be enough to send Palantir's stock price to $300 in the next two years, even if it trades at just 46 times earnings, a significant discount to its earnings multiple of 163 and a small premium to the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite index's earnings multiple of 43.
However, Palantir could maintain a larger premium if it indeed sustains triple-digit earnings growth, opening the possibility of greater gains.
Palantir ve čtvrtletí meziročně zvýšil tržby o 93 %; analytici nyní pro rok 2027 očekávají tržby ve výši 12,3 miliardy USD a zisk na akcii (EPS) 2,3442 USD.
Palantir has posted triple-digit annual gains three years running, and analysts keep raising their estimates even as the stock trades well above their price targets. One number reveals whether $300 per share is a legitimate target or a valuation trap.
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR | PLTR Price Prediction) offers large organizations a simple deal. They can plug any AI model into their operations and still keep their data, logic, and know-how under their own control.
Its AIP platform runs on top of Foundry and Gotham, and that pitch has produced the fastest growth in Palantir’s history. Revenue rose 93% year-over-year last quarter, and CEO Alex Karp called the quarter “otherworldly”.
The stock has rallied sharply. Shares are up 15.52% year-to-date and 20.58% over the past month. They have rose 76% from June’s month-end close of $116.67. So what would it take for Palantir to hit $300 per share in 2027?
Palantir Has Outrun Wall Street’s Price Target
The average price target among analysts is $199.84, about 2.7% below today’s $205.34. The estimates behind that target are moving higher.
Analysts expect 2027 revenue of $12.3 billion, roughly 50% above the 2026 estimate, and EPS of $2.3442, up 45% from $1.6201. Ninety days ago, the 2027 EPS estimate stood at $2.0945. Over the past 30 days it has drawn 26 upward revisions and zero cuts.
Palantir has also beaten EPS estimates in each of the past eight quarters. Last quarter it reported $0.41 against $0.346 expected, extending that run of beats.
Here’s the Math Behind $300 Per Share
At today’s price, Palantir trades at about 88x estimated 2027 earnings. At $300, that multiple rose to about 128x. That is a high premium. Palantir supports it with a Rule of 40 score of 155%, a 62% adjusted operating margin, and 2026 adjusted free cash flow guidance of $4.5 billion to $4.7 billion.
What Could Push Palantir to $300?
Serial guidance raises: Full-year revenue guidance has rose from $7.18 billion to $7.65 billion to $8.15 billion.
U.S. commercial growth: Revenue grew 149% to $764 million, while U.S. commercial TCV reached $2.132 billion.
Customer expansion: Net dollar retention hit 157%, and Palantir closed 220 deals worth $1 million or more.
Management ambition: Karp said, “I am driving the business to grow at a rate equal to or above what we have in U.S. commercial for the next 18 months.”
Government momentum: U.S. government revenue rose 90%. Even so, Department of War revenue remains under 25 basis points of the Pentagon’s budget.
Palantir’s History Shows a 46% Gain Is Within Reach
Hitting $300 requires a 46% gain. Palantir has cleared that bar in three straight years. Shares rose 167% in 2023, 340% in 2024, and 135% in 2025. The stock also swings hard both ways.
It has a beta of 1.6 and fell 65% in 2022. With a market cap near $472.4 billion, triple-digit gains are harder to repeat. A 46% move still fits well within Palantir’s track record.
$300 Is a Stretch, but Palantir Has the Growth Engine
Getting to $300 requires a 46% gain and a forward multiple near 128x. Several things support that case. Estimates keep rising, Palantir keeps beating them, U.S. commercial demand is accelerating, and its sovereign AI pitch is winning over large companies.
Valuation remains the main hurdle. Stock-based compensation of $265 million last quarter is also worth tracking. Yearly returns may vary at this level, and rising estimates, accelerating demand, and consistent beats show how Palantir could see outsized returns in 2027.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Společnost Albemarle má hodnocení Zacks Rank #5 („silný prodej“), protože konsenzuální odhad zisku na akcii pro aktuální čtvrtletí za posledních 30 dní klesl o 24,9 %.
Albemarle (ALB - 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 specialty chemicals company have returned -14.4%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry, which Albemarle falls in, has lost 4.8%. 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.
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.
For the current quarter, Albemarle is expected to post earnings of $2.44 per share, indicating a change of +1384.2% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -24.9% over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $11.25 points to a change of +1524.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -1.3%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $11.11 indicates a change of -1.2% from what Albemarle is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.4%.
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 #5 (Strong Sell) for Albemarle.
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 Albemarle, the consensus sales estimate of $1.49 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +14.2%. The $6.08 billion and $6.32 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +18.2% and +4%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAlbemarle reported revenues of $1.74 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +31.1%. EPS of $3.75 for the same period compares with $0.11 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.59 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +9.94%. The EPS surprise was +11.94%.
Over the last four quarters, Albemarle 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.
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.
Albemarle 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 Albemarle. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
Perpetual Ltd increased its position in Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU – Free Report) by 408.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 42,495 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer’s stock after purchasing an additional 34,141 shares during the quarter. Perpetual Ltd’s holdings in Micron Technology were worth $45,262,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bullseye Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Micron Technology in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Micron Technology during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Steph & Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Micron Technology during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Montgomery Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Micron Technology during the 2nd quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, JNBA Financial Advisors boosted its position in shares of Micron Technology by 77.3% during the 2nd quarter. JNBA Financial Advisors now owns 39 shares of the semiconductor manufacturer’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.84% of the company’s stock.
Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra sold 40,000 shares of Micron Technology stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $968.90, for a total value of $38,756,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 264,503 shares in the company, valued at approximately $256,276,956.70. The trade was a 13.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Sumit Sadana sold 15,000 shares of Micron Technology stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.29, for a total value of $14,014,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 191,021 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $178,469,010.09. The trade was a 7.28% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 95,879 shares of company stock valued at $90,939,466. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth MU has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $1,250.00 target price on shares of Micron Technology in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. DA Davidson raised their price target on shares of Micron Technology from $2,100.00 to $3,000.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Arete Research lifted their price objective on Micron Technology from $852.00 to $1,500.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price objective on Micron Technology from $1,600.00 to $1,700.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, President Capital upped their price objective on Micron Technology to $1,500.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-one have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,407.88. View Our Latest Report on MU
Micron Technology Stock Down 3.9% Shares of NASDAQ:MU opened at $989.04 on Tuesday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $983.23 and its 200-day moving average is $849.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 2.94 and a current ratio of 3.31. Micron Technology, Inc. has a 52 week low of $186.25 and a 52 week high of $1,255.00. The company has a market capitalization of $1.12 trillion, a PE ratio of 13.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.18 and a beta of 2.22.
Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, September 30th. The semiconductor manufacturer reported $33.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $31.77 by $1.65. Micron Technology had a net margin of 63.80% and a return on equity of 92.62%. The business had revenue of $54.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $51.33 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.03 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 379.1% on a year-over-year basis. Micron Technology has set its Q1 2027 guidance at 37.150-39.150 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Micron Technology, Inc. will post 175.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Micron Technology Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 29th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 14th. Micron Technology’s dividend payout ratio is currently 0.81%.
More Micron Technology News Here are the key news stories impacting Micron Technology this week:
Positive Sentiment: Micron increased its share-repurchase authorization to a record $35.16 billion, with buybacks expected to begin shortly. The plan signals management’s confidence in cash generation and could support earnings per share. Why Is Micron Stock Rising Today? Positive Sentiment: Micron’s latest results substantially exceeded expectations, with $54.23 billion in revenue and $33.42 in adjusted EPS, while revenue surged 379% year over year. Analysts remain optimistic about AI-related memory demand, tight DRAM supply and long-term customer agreements. One bullish analyst raised a price target to $3,000, while several research firms continue to rate MU favorably. Micron: More For Longer Neutral Sentiment: Despite the recent pullback, valuation screens continue to identify Micron as an attractive value and growth stock, with a low forward earnings multiple and strong earnings momentum. However, investor sentiment remains cautious after the stock’s substantial year-to-date advance. Micron Is a Top-Ranked Value Stock Negative Sentiment: China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) reported progress on a denser “4F square” DRAM design aimed at server memory. The development has renewed concerns that Chinese competition could eventually pressure Micron’s pricing power, margins and market share. Micron Stock Falls on Competition From China Rival CXMT Negative Sentiment: Elon Musk’s warning regarding Chinese memory chips added to the market’s concerns, while a broader selloff in semiconductor shares and weakness in South Korean technology stocks amplified pressure on MU. Micron Stock Falls Again as Musk Issues Warning on Chinese Memory Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning whether AI infrastructure spending can remain strong after Australian data-center company Firmus canceled its IPO because of weak demand. Any slowdown in AI investment could reduce future demand for Micron’s high-value memory products. Nvidia and Micron Received Bad News From an Unlikely Place Micron Technology Profile (Free Report)
Micron Technology, Inc is a semiconductor company that develops and manufactures memory and storage solutions. Its product portfolio includes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), NAND flash memory, three-dimensional XPoint-related technologies, solid-state drives, and high-bandwidth memory products designed for demanding computing applications.
The company serves customers across the data center, artificial intelligence, networking, automotive, industrial, mobile, consumer electronics, and embedded markets.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Micron Technology Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Micron Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Micron Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Micron Technology dosáhla ve 4. čtvrtletí fiskálního roku 2026 hrubé marže 87 %; rychlejší náběh HBM4 a vyšší ceny kontraktů na rok 2027 mohou marže dále podpořit.
Key Takeaways Micron's HBM4 ramp-up and higher contract prices could lift margins further amid robust AI memory demand.MU's Q4'26 gross margin hit 87%, while HBM4 production is ramping twice as fast as HBM3E.Micron secured most 2027 HBM supply deals at higher prices, potentially narrowing the margin gap with DRAM. Micron Technology, Inc. (MU - Free Report) is positioned to benefit from the rising demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) as AI companies build more powerful data centers. Its HBM4 ramp-up could support further margin growth if strong demand, higher prices and efficient production continue.
Micron’s fourth-quarter 2026 revenues jumped 379.3% year over year to $54.23 billion, while the full fiscal 2026 top line surged 256.3% to $133.19 billion. The fourth-quarter non-GAAP gross margin reached 87%, up from 45.7% in the year-ago quarter. The company’s full fiscal 2026 gross margin reached 81.1% from 41.1% in fiscal 2025, highlighting the benefits of favorable memory pricing and strong demand.
HBM is an important part of this opportunity. Micron reported that HBM revenues grew faster than total company revenues in the fourth quarter. It has also completed agreements covering most of its HBM bit supply for calendar year 2027, with significantly higher prices than the previous year. These agreements offer better revenue visibility and could help support profitability as shipments increase.
Micron’s HBM4 progress adds another growth opportunity. The company said its 12-high HBM4 production ramp-up is advancing twice as fast as the comparable HBM3E generation, and it has already shipped more than $1 billion in HBM4 revenues. Faster production growth and better manufacturing yields could help reduce costs and improve returns as volumes rise.
Pricing is another potential margin driver. Micron has secured most of its 2027 HBM supply agreements at significantly higher year-over-year prices. Management expects these prices to narrow the gross-margin gap between HBM and conventional DRAM. However, the actual benefit will depend on production costs, product yields and how quickly shipments increase.
Micron’s HBM4 ramp-up and higher contract prices provide a strong foundation for further margin improvement. Its 87% fourth-quarter gross margin already reflects favorable market conditions, but sustaining such high levels will depend on execution and continued AI spending. For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Micron expects non-GAAP gross margin of approximately 86.25%.
How Do Rivals Fare Against Micron in AI Memory Space?Micron’s major competitors, SK hynix (SKHY - Free Report) and Sandisk Corporation (SNDK - Free Report) , are also benefiting from AI-led demand for memory and storage solutions.
SK hynix is one of Micron’s closest DRAM rivals and has a strong position in HBM, which is critical for AI accelerators. In the second quarter of 2026, SK hynix generated 79.3 trillion Korean won in revenues, up 257% year over year, while operating profit surged 557% to 60.5 trillion won. HBM, AI-server DRAM and enterprise SSDs drove the strong results.
Sandisk is more focused on NAND and storage than DRAM, but it is another stock that stands to benefit from AI infrastructure spending. Its fiscal 2026 revenues jumped 175% to $20.25 billion, while data-center revenues soared 437% to $5.15 billion. Sandisk’s fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues also surged 372% sequentially to $8.97 billion, showing strong demand for storage products used in data centers.
Both companies highlight the broadening AI-driven demand for memory and storage, although Micron remains particularly well-positioned in DRAM and HBM.
Micron’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Micron have surged 246.5% year to date compared with the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s return of 23.4%.
From a valuation standpoint, MU trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 5.47, significantly lower than the sector’s average of 20.93.
Micron Technology 12-Month Forward P/E Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Micron’s fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings implies year-over-year increases of 133.9% and 20.6%, respectively. Bottom-line estimates for fiscal 2027 and 2028 have been revised upward over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Micron currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Woodstock Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG – Free Report) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 84,643 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,503 shares during the period. Intuitive Surgical comprises approximately 2.8% of Woodstock Corp’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Woodstock Corp’s holdings in Intuitive Surgical were worth $34,418,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ISRG. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in Intuitive Surgical by 17.4% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,128,735 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $2,338,350,000 after acquiring an additional 611,268 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in Intuitive Surgical by 3.3% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,616,973 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $1,667,388,000 after purchasing an additional 116,292 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in Intuitive Surgical in the second quarter worth $1,335,753,000. Amundi increased its position in Intuitive Surgical by 8.6% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 2,428,356 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $1,119,448,000 after buying an additional 193,096 shares during the last quarter. Finally, J. Stern & Co. LLP increased its position in Intuitive Surgical by 18,504.6% in the fourth quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 2,127,248 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $1,204,788,000 after buying an additional 2,115,814 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.64% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ISRG has been the subject of several research reports. UBS Group assumed coverage on Intuitive Surgical in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $500.00 price target for the company. Leerink Partners cut their target price on shares of Intuitive Surgical from $573.00 to $454.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of Intuitive Surgical from $590.00 to $500.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 17th. HSBC downgraded shares of Intuitive Surgical from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $391.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Mizuho set a $500.00 target price on Intuitive Surgical and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $501.98.
View Our Latest Report on ISRG Insider Buying and Selling at Intuitive Surgical In related news, VP Fredrik Widman sold 1,089 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $374.44, for a total value of $407,765.16. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 1,026 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $384,175.44. This trade represents a 51.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Gary S. Guthart sold 10,000 shares of Intuitive Surgical stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total value of $4,000,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,245,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $498,271,600. This represents a 0.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 12,370 shares of company stock valued at $4,891,989. 0.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Intuitive Surgical Stock Performance Shares of ISRG stock opened at $427.64 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $151.08 billion, a PE ratio of 48.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.46. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has a 52-week low of $328.57 and a 52-week high of $603.88. The business’s fifty day moving average is $387.41 and its 200 day moving average is $410.47.
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.48 by $0.32. Intuitive Surgical had a return on equity of 16.91% and a net margin of 28.45%. The firm had revenue of $2.89 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.81 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Intuitive Surgical, Inc. will post 8.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.
(Free Report)
Intuitive Surgical, Inc develops and commercializes robotic-assisted systems and related technologies designed to support minimally invasive medical procedures. The company’s products are intended to help surgeons perform operations through small incisions while providing enhanced visualization, precision, and control.
Its principal product is the da Vinci Surgical System, a platform used across a range of specialties, including general surgery, urology, gynecology, thoracic surgery, and cardiac procedures.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Intuitive Surgical Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Intuitive Surgical Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intuitive Surgical and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Společnost Perpetual Ltd ve třetím čtvrtletí snížila svůj podíl v Abbott Laboratories o 5,6 % prodejem 26 238 akcií. Na konci období držela 444 048 akcií v hodnotě 43 885 000 USD.
Perpetual Ltd trimmed its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT – Free Report) by 5.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 444,048 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after selling 26,238 shares during the quarter. Perpetual Ltd’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $43,885,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Portfolio Resources Advisor Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $109.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $119.00 to $127.00 in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $108.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $135.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Finally, Barclays initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $120.00 price target for the company. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $118.88.
Read Our Latest Analysis on ABT Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance ABT opened at $101.79 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.38. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $81.97 and a 52-week high of $133.34. The firm has a market cap of $176.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 0.59. The business’s fifty day moving average is $106.14 and its 200-day moving average is $98.29.
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 16th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.31 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $12.59 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.52 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 17.69% and a net margin of 11.65%. Abbott Laboratories’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.26 earnings per share. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.380-1.46 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.450-5.60 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 16th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 15th will be issued a $0.63 dividend. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 15th. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 81.55%.
(Free Report)
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a diversified healthcare company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, diagnostic products, nutritional products and branded generic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1888 by Wallace C. Abbott, the company serves healthcare providers, institutions, retailers and consumers worldwide.
Abbott’s medical device portfolio includes cardiovascular products, such as coronary stents, structural heart systems and heart failure devices, as well as diabetes-care technologies, including the FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Abbott Laboratories Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Abbott očekává ve 3. čtvrtletí 2026 zisk na akcii ve výši 1,42 USD, což by představovalo meziroční nárůst o 9,2 %, a tržby ve výši 12,91 miliardy USD, meziročně vyšší o 13,5 %.
Key Takeaways Abbott is expected to report Q3 EPS of $1.42, up 9.2%, and revenues of $12.91 billion, up 13.5%.ABT's Diagnostics revenues may surge 45.9%, led by cancer testing, Alinity platform growth and Exact Sciences.ABT shares gained 7.2% in Q3, while its forward P/E of 16.71X remains below its five-year median of 23.03X. Abbott Laboratories (ABT - Free Report) is slated to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 21, before the opening bell.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) suggests 9.2% year-over-year growth to $1.42. The estimate has remained constant in the past 60 days. The consensus mark for third-quarter revenues currently stands at $12.91 billion, implying a 13.5% increase over the prior-year period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the trailing four quarters, the company topped earnings estimates twice and broke even on two occasions, the average surprise being 0.81%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Q3 Earnings Whispers for AbbottPer our proven model, a stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), along with a positive Earnings ESP, has a higher chance of beating estimates. This is not the case here, as you can see below.
Earnings ESP: Abbott has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
What May Have Influenced ABT’s Q3 Performance?DiagnosticsThebusiness is likely to have continued to seestrong and stable testing demand in the third quarter of 2026. Within this, Core Laboratory may have delivered another robust performance in the United States while extending its solid track record in Latin America, reflecting continued growth in diagnostic test sales on the Alinity platform. Rapid and Molecular Diagnostics results may improve following the end of a weaker-than-normal respiratory virus season in the second quarter.
Abbott’s acquisition of Exact Sciences has strengthened its position in cancer diagnostics and broadened its portfolio with products including Cologuard, Oncotype DX and Cancerguard. Cancer Diagnostics may have contributed to third-quarter sales growth, with Cologuard benefiting from a growing base of new and repeat users as well as growth in precision oncology and international markets.
The business may have also benefited from higher volumes through care gap programs, recently launched tests and continued international adoption, in line with management’s expectation of stronger growth in the second half of 2026 than in the first half.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate anticipates Diagnostics revenues to increase 45.9% year over year.
Established Pharmaceutical Products (“EPD”)Similar to the previous quarter, the segment is likely to have seen broad-based growth across the largest markets, including India, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Demand for health care in these emerging markets may have remained a key growth driver, supported by expanding access to care, aging populations and a rising need to treat both acute and chronic conditions. Abbott’s expanding biosimilars portfolio, which includes several leading oncology therapies, may have helped it meet growing demand across these markets and support revenues.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests EPD revenues will grow 6.8% from the prior-period levels.
Medical DevicesAbbott’s cardiovascular businesses are expected to have accounted for the largest share of Medical Devices’ sales in the third quarter of 2026. Electrophysiology may have benefited from the transition of the Volt 2.0 PFA catheter to a full U.S. market release. Internationally, the continued rollout of Volt Pulsed Field Ablation and TactiFlex Duo Ablation Catheter, Sensor Enabled, may have continued to gain strong traction, aiding revenues. During the quarter, Abbott secured FDA approval for TactiFlex Duo and CE Mark approval of Amulet 360 Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Occluder, which is intended for people with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke.
In Rhythm Management, the continued expansion of AVEIR across single- and dual-chamber pacemaker segments may have supported revenues, alongside broader international adoption. Heart Failure performance in the United States is expected to have been driven by Abbott’s heart assist devices portfolio. Vascular sales may have benefited from growth in endovascular products.
The Diabetes Care business is likely to have maintained its growth momentum, led by continued growth in Abbott’s continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in the United States and internationally. The company’s CE Mark approval for Libre Duo earlier this year may have also favored the quarter’s top line. The two-in-one biowearable provides real-time visibility into both glucose and ketone levels.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate expects Medical Devices revenues to increase 7.8% year over year.
NutritionIn the third quarter of 2026, the segment may have seen improving trends in both Pediatric and Adult Nutrition. International Pediatric Nutrition may have sustained its sales growth in the third quarter, having been the first of Abbott’s Nutrition businesses to return to positive growth. In the U.S. market, sales are likely to have continued to benefit from recent WIC contract wins.
Abbott may have also continued to see positive volume trends in Adult Nutrition following price actions implemented late last year. Product innovations, including new versions of Ensure featuring higher protein, lower sugar and refreshed labeling and packaging, may have supported the quarter’s sales. In August 2026, Abbott marked the U.S. launch of Similac360 Total Care Made With Whole Milk, the first and only commercially sterile, ready-to-feed liquid infant formula made with whole milk.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates Nutrition revenues will rise 2.7% year over year.
ABT Peers: Upcoming ReleasesLabcorp Holdings (LH - Free Report) is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 28, before the opening bell. Strength in both Diagnostics and Biopharma Laboratory Services businesses is expected to have supported performance. Labcorp has been making progress against its strategic priorities, including strengthening its specialty testing capabilities across oncology, neurology, autoimmune disease and women's health. Partnerships with health systems and regional and local laboratories are likely to support results by expanding access to Labcorp’s laboratory services, scientific expertise and broad testing portfolio, including specialty diagnostics.
Another close peer, Thermo Fisher (TMO - Free Report) , is slated to report its 2026 third-quarter results before the market opens on Oct. 21. Strength across the pharma and biotech end markets is expected to have supported performance, driven by bioproduction and clinical research businesses, as well as the research and safety market channel. Thermo Fisher’s strong cadence of high-impact innovations may have been a major boost to its revenues. Recent acquisitions, including Clario and Solventum’s filtration and separation business, are likely to support results as well.
ABT’s Price Performance & ValuationDuring third-quarter 2026, Abbott shares have risen 7.2% compared with a 0.7% gain for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of valuation, Abbott currently trades at a forward five-year Price/Earnings (P/E) of 16.71X, representing a slight premium to the industry average of 15.93X. However, the stock trades at a steep discount to its five-year median of 23.03X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
EndnoteAbbott’s upcoming third-quarter results may reflect contributions from its diversified businesses, including Core Laboratory diagnostics, EPD products and Diabetes Care. Cancer Diagnostics sales may have benefited from increased Cologuard use, growth in precision oncology and continued international adoption. Improving demand and ongoing product innovation are likely to have supported the Nutrition business. In terms of share performance, Abbott outpaced the industry in the July-September quarter. The consensus outlook also points to year-over-year growth in earnings and revenues. With its current valuation below its historical average, ABT stock may offer an attractive entry point for prospective investors.
Thermo Fisher má ve třetím čtvrtletí roku 2026 vykázat tržby ve výši 11,91 miliardy USD, což představuje meziroční růst o 7,1 %, a EPS ve výši 6,40 USD, meziročně vyšší o 10,5 %.
Key Takeaways Thermo Fisher's Q3 revenues are projected to rise 7.1% to $11.91B, with EPS up 10.5% to $6.40. Life Sciences Solutions and Laboratory Products revenues are expected to grow 10.1% and 9.8%, respectively. TMO's product innovations may boost Q3 sales, while Specialty Diagnostics revenues are expected to fall 3%. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO - Free Report) is set to release third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 21, before the market opens.
In the last reported quarter, the company posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $6.03, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.60%. The company’s earnings topped estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 4.42%.
Q3 Estimates for TMOThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $11.91 billion, indicating an increase of 7.1% from the year-ago reported figure.
The consensus mark for the company’s EPS implies a 10.5% year-over-year rise to $6.40. The estimate has remained unchanged in the past 30 days.
Factors Likely to Influence TMO’s Q3 ResultsLife Sciences SolutionsThe segment’s performance is expected to have benefited from continued strength in the Bioproduction business.
A steady cadence of product launches is also expected to have supported the Life Sciences Solutions segment. Among its newer innovations, Thermo Fisher introduced the Gibco CHO-K1 Catalog Panel, a cGMP-ready portfolio of basal and feed media designed to support strong cell growth and protein production across CHO-K1 cell lines.
The company also launched the Multiskan Ease Absorbance Microplate Reader to support protein quantification, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), cell viability studies, microbial growth monitoring and other routine laboratory applications with simplified operation and dependable performance. Thermo Fisher’s new Applied Biosystems PowerFlex Thermal Cycler is designed to help deliver enhanced flexibility, precise thermal performance and improved productivity for modern molecular biology laboratories. We expect all these developments to have positively boosted revenues in the third quarter of 2026.
Per the Zacks Consensus Estimate, the Life Sciences Solutions revenues are expected to increase 10.1% year over year.
Analytical InstrumentsThe segment is likely to have witnessed growth across all three businesses, led by the electron microscopy business in third-quarter 2026.
Also, Thermo Fisher’s strength in innovations may have remained a bright spot. The company introduced the EMPAD G2 detector to help researchers capture more information about materials in a single scan, recording both the strongest and weakest signals without sacrificing imaging speed or data quality.
TMO also introduced Orbitrap Isora Mass Spectrometer and Orbitrap Isora Pro Mass Spectrometer, the company’s first Orbitrap instruments with a dedicated isotope ratio analysis mode. In the previous quarter, Thermo Fisher collaborated with NVIDIA, which is expected to have made further progress toward commercializing AI-enabled scientific workflow solutions. These developments might have favorably boosted the company’s top line in the third quarter.
Per the Zacks Consensus Estimate, revenues in this segment are projected to increase 2.6% year over year.
Specialty DiagnosticsSimilar to the previous quarter, the segment’s growth may have been driven by the immunodiagnostics and transplant diagnostics businesses. The healthcare market channel likely contributed to third-quarter revenues.
Recent product innovations are also expected to have supported the segment's performance. These include InstaFlux, an integrated media-on-demand enrichment workflow that helps food microbiology laboratories simplify media preparation, improve productivity and enhance sample traceability, as well as Thermo Scientific Brilliance Candida 2 Agar and Spectra Candida Agar, new color-based (chromogenic) culture media to quickly detect and differentiate clinically important Candida species.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Price and EPS SurpriseThermo Fisher marked a notable development in August 2026, completing the sale of its microbiology business to Astorg for approximately $1.075 billion.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Specialty Diagnostics revenues implies a decline of 3% year over year.
Laboratory Products and Biopharma ServicesIn the third quarter of 2026, the segment is likely to have delivered solid performance due to its clinical research business and the research and safety market channel.
Thermo Fisher launched the PPD CorEvitas Vitiligo Registry, a prospective, observational clinical registry designed to generate longitudinal real-world evidence in adolescents and adults living with nonsegmental vitiligo (NSV). During the previous quarter, Thermo Fisher’s PPD clinical research business expanded its global bioanalytical capabilities by opening a new bioanalytical and biomarker laboratory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Collectively, these developments are expected to have supported the segment's third-quarter revenues.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues indicates an increase of 9.8% year over year.
What Our Model Unveils for TMOPer our proven model, a stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), along with a positive Earnings ESP, has a higher chance of beating estimates, which is not the case here, as you can see below.
Earnings ESP: Thermo Fisher has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
MedTech PicksHere are some medical stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around:
TG Therapeutics (TGTX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +71.43% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. The company is expected to release third-quarter 2026 results soon.
TGTX’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters and missed on the remaining three occasions, the average surprise being 184.65%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter EPS implies a decrease of 84.8% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Revvity (RVTY - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.03% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is slated to release third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 3.
RVTY’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.59%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter EPS indicates an increase of 9.3% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
HeartSciences (HSCS - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.70% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is expected to release second-quarter fiscal 2027 results soon.
HSCS’ earnings surpassed estimates in two of the trailing four quarters and missed in the other two, the average negative surprise being 0.06%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal second-quarter loss per share calls for an improvement of 12.9% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
Experimentální lék retatrutid od Eli Lilly vedl ve studii fáze 3 k průměrnému úbytku hmotnosti o 22,6 % za 80 týdnů; firma plánuje podat žádost o schválení FDA v prvním čtvrtletí roku 2027.
Eli Lilly (LLY -0.65%) will report third-quarter earnings on Oct. 29, with the market paying particularly close attention to sales of its blockbuster diabetes and obesity drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound. But the company's experimental obesity treatment, retatrutide, could have a much greater influence on its long-term growth.
If you're unfamiliar, retatrutide is a once-weekly injection that targets three hormone receptors involved in regulating appetite, blood sugar, and metabolism. By comparison, Zepbound targets two. And thus far, clinical results have been impressive.
Image source: Getty Images.
Results matter
In July, Lilly announced that retatrutide achieved average weight loss of 22.6% over 80 weeks in a Phase 3 trial involving patients with obesity and established cardiovascular disease. Another Phase 3 study involving overweight or obese patients and type 2 diabetes produced average weight loss of up to 20.8%. Earlier Phase 3 research showed that patients without diabetes who received the highest dose of retatrutide lost an average of 28.3% of their body weight over 80 weeks. That said, the latest results also raised some questions.
Although retatrutide improved several cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure and cholesterol, its Phase 3 TRIUMPH-3 study didn't establish whether the drug reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events. That leaves Lilly with more work to do in demonstrating benefits beyond weight loss. Still, retatrutide could eventually complement Zepbound rather than simply replace it, giving physicians another treatment option for patients who need greater weight reduction.
Premium Feature
Moneyball Superscore
96/100
Today's Change
(
-0.65
%) $
-7.64
Current Price
$
1,174.99
Lilly plans to submit retatrutide for FDA approval in the first quarter of 2027. Meanwhile, its existing obesity treatment business continues growing rapidly. Second-quarter revenue reached $22.97 billion, up 48% year over year, driven largely by demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound. Those sales will likely dominate the Oct. 29 earnings discussion.
But retatrutide's regulatory progress, eventual commercial launch, and ability to demonstrate additional health benefits could play a much larger role in determining where Lilly's business stands several years from now. In other words, don't lose sight of the long-term horizon for this company.
Jeff Siegel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC grew its holdings in Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT – Free Report) by 14.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 105,147 shares of the medical technology company’s stock after buying an additional 13,074 shares during the quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Medtronic were worth $9,227,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MDT. WCM Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Medtronic during the 1st quarter worth $965,922,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Medtronic by 37.2% in the second quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 13,783,983 shares of the medical technology company’s stock valued at $1,078,321,000 after acquiring an additional 3,739,288 shares during the period. Cullen Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Medtronic in the second quarter valued at about $202,764,000. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 2.7% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 63,399,315 shares of the medical technology company’s stock worth $5,005,320,000 after acquiring an additional 1,658,301 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi increased its holdings in shares of Medtronic by 36.3% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 6,070,236 shares of the medical technology company’s stock worth $525,986,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,739 shares in the last quarter. 82.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on MDT shares. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $99.00 price target (up from $86.00) on shares of Medtronic in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Medtronic from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Medtronic from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. Piper Sandler restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Medtronic in a report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and set a $92.00 target price on shares of Medtronic in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Eighteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $102.88.
Get Our Latest Report on MDT Insider Buying and Selling at Medtronic In other news, EVP Harry Kiil sold 1,483 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $93.65, for a total transaction of $138,882.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,186 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,950,718.90. This trade represents a 3.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
More Medtronic News Here are the key news stories impacting Medtronic this week:
Positive Sentiment: Medtronic said its MiniMed exchange offer was oversubscribed and that it will exchange all of its remaining 252.8 million MiniMed shares. The transaction simplifies Medtronic’s portfolio and allows the company to focus more directly on its core medical-device operations. Medtronic Announces Preliminary Results of MiniMed Group Exchange Offer Positive Sentiment: The MiniMed offer had an 18.3% proration rate, indicating substantial investor demand to participate in the exchange. The result provides further clarity on the ownership transition and separation. Medtronic Reports 18.3 Percent MiniMed Proration Positive Sentiment: BTIG Research maintained a Buy rating while trimming its price target modestly to $99 from $100, still implying meaningful upside from the stock’s recent level. Medtronic Price Target Cut by BTIG Research Positive Sentiment: A new industry report projects the global bioelectronic-medicine device market to expand at approximately a 17% annual rate through 2030. Medtronic’s participation in neuromodulation and closed-loop technologies could provide a favorable long-term demand backdrop, although the report is not company-specific. Global Bioelectronic Medicine Device Market Report Neutral Sentiment: Medtronic’s valuation and improving growth outlook are attracting attention after a period of underperformance versus the broader market. The investment case depends on whether operational improvements can produce more consistent growth. Negative Sentiment: Short interest in Medtronic increased, signaling that more investors are betting against the shares and potentially creating future selling pressure. Medtronic Sees Increase in Short Interest Medtronic Stock Up 3.5% MDT stock opened at $91.61 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.07 and a quick ratio of 1.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $117.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.55. The business has a 50-day moving average of $90.38 and a 200-day moving average of $84.80. Medtronic PLC has a fifty-two week low of $73.31 and a fifty-two week high of $106.33.
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, September 1st. The medical technology company reported $1.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.06. Medtronic had a return on equity of 14.78% and a net margin of 13.93%. The business had revenue of $9.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.55 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.26 earnings per share. Medtronic’s quarterly revenue was up 13.7% on a year-over-year basis. Medtronic has set its Q2 2027 guidance at 1.320-1.340 EPS and its FY 2027 guidance at 5.940-6.000 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Medtronic PLC will post 5.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Medtronic Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 25th will be paid a dividend of $0.72 per share. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 25th. Medtronic’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 70.94%.
Medtronic Company Profile (Free Report)
Medtronic plc is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures devices, therapies and healthcare solutions for treating chronic and acute conditions. Its products are used in areas including cardiac and vascular care, neuroscience, medical and surgical procedures, and diabetes management.
The company’s portfolio includes pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, cardiac ablation systems, stents and other cardiovascular products; neuromodulation systems, deep-brain stimulation devices and spinal technologies; surgical instruments, robotic-assisted surgery systems and gastrointestinal diagnostic tools; and insulin pumps and related diabetes technologies.
Medtronic traces its origins to 1949, when Earl Bakken and Palmer Hermundslie founded the company in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Medtronic Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Medtronic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medtronic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Morgan Stanley před zveřejněním výsledků čelí ochlazení trhu M&A; analytici za 3. čtvrtletí očekávají růst tržeb o 10 % na 20,1 mld. USD a EPS ve výši 2,92 USD.
Buy MS. The selloff is driven by M&A/IPO cooling, but earnings are the near-term catalyst and the options market is pricing only moderate volatility. With MS still above its ascending trendline and the 50-week moving average, a rebound is the base case. Upside path: reclaim ~$200 first, then push toward ~$220 if results beat and guidance doesn’t confirm a deeper banking slowdown.
Key Risk: Earnings/guidance show a sharper investment-banking collapse than expected, breaking the ascending trendline and turning the rebound into a fresh downtrend.
MS 205 Calls
Buy MS 205 call exposure (or a call spread centered around 205). Options positioning is call-heavy and the market is targeting ~$205, suggesting upside skew into the print. If MS stabilizes/rebounds on earnings, calls should outperform stock because implied volatility is already elevated versus history and the move can trigger a fast repricing.
Key Risk: MS misses or guides lower enough that the stock trades below ~$200, causing call premium to decay quickly despite any volatility.
Morgan Stanley stock has slipped substantially in the past few weeks as enthusiasm about mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and IPOs cooled. MS initially jumped to $230 in July and then tumbled to a low of $182.62. Focus now shifts to its upcoming earnings, with the options market pointing to moderate volatility.
Morgan Stanley stock has come under pressure in the past few weeks as recent data shows that mergers and acquisitions activity has cooled. A recent report showed that global M&A activity totalled $993 billion in the third quarter, down 41% compared to the second quarter. It marked the first quarter that the figure dropped below $1 trillion since the second quarter of last year.
Morgan Stanley is highly exposed to the M&A business because it is one of the biggest names in the industry. Dealogic data shows that it has advised deals worth over $1.084 trillion this year, up from $892 billion in the same period last year. It ranks as the third-largest bank after Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.
Morgan Stanley also ranks as the third-biggest bank in equity capital markets after Goldman and JPMorgan. Its ECM value has jumped to $73.2 billion from $58 billion last year. In total, Dealogic estimates that its investment banking revenue stands at over $5.88 billion from $4.7 billion.
READ MORE: Morgan Stanley: look for opportunities in these two markets
The next important catalyst for Morgan Stanley stock is the upcoming earnings announcement, which will provide more color about its business. Yahoo Finance data shows that the average estimate is that its third-quarter revenue rose by 10% to $20.1 billion, with the earnings-per-share (EPS) rising from $2.8 to $2.92. The company often beats estimates, and this trend may continue.
The last earnings report showed that Morgan Stanley’s institutional securities revenue rose to $11.04 billion in Q2 from $7.6 billion in the same period last year. Its wealth management revenue rose from $7.7 billion to $8.8 billion, while the smaller investment management segment made $1.6 billion.
The options market expects moderate volatility when it publishes its financial results. Data shows that it has an implied volatility of 51%, up from its historical average of $20. Most of the calls are concentrated at $205, up by about 8% from the current level. It has a put/call ratio of less than 0.50, a sign that there are more calls than puts.
MS stock chart | Source: TradingView
The weekly chart shows that the MS stock has retreated in the past few weeks. It dropped in the last six consecutive weeks as investors brace for weak earnings. On the positive side, it has remained above the ascending trendline that links the lowest levels in April last year, March this year, and September. It also coincided with the 50-week moving average.
Therefore, there is a likelihood that the stock will rebound after earnings. If this happens, the next initial target to watch will be at $200. A move above that level will point to more gains towards $220. A move below the ascending trendline will invalidate the bullish outlook.
ServiceNow's AI business just crossed a milestone that has analysts arguing over whether the stock's recent selloff is a gift or a warning sign. The answer depends on one number management has promised to hit before year-end.
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW | NOW Price Prediction) trades at $139.75. The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $247.40 implies 77.03% upside over the next 12 months, and our model rates the stock a buy.
24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $139.75 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $247.40 Upside/Downside 77.03% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% The model has high confidence in this call. It rests on AI. In Q2, annual contract value (ACV) from ServiceNow AI passed $1B, and management said it is “on track to beat our target of one and a half billion ACV by the end of 2026.”
That engine sits on top of subscription revenue growing 24.5% per year. The share price has fell behind those results.
Shares Are Climbing Back After a Brutal Year ServiceNow is up 2.4% over the past week and 5.11% over the past month. It is still down 7.91% year to date and 22.86% over 12 months. It trades about 24% below its 52-week high of $192.97 and well above its low of $81.24.
Q2 revenue rose 24% to $3.987B. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.90, ahead of the $0.86 estimate. Current remaining performance obligations (cRPO), which track contracted revenue due over the next 12 months, rose 21% to $13.20B. Management also raised full-year subscription guidance to $15.76-$15.78B.
Why Bulls See $274 Within Reach Agentic AI customer adoption rose 9x over the last nine months, with AI ACV growing over 40% quarter over quarter. ServiceNow’s Level 1 support agents close 80 to 85% of service requests without human help.
The Armis and Veza acquisitions add security and identity products to a cybersecurity business management called “billion-dollar-plus.” The long-term goal is $30B+ subscription revenue by 2030. Analysts are firmly bullish, with 10 Strong Buy and 35 Buy ratings. Our bull case reaches $274.21.
GAAP Profits Are the Risk to Keep an Eye On GAAP operating income fell 54.75% to $162M, and GAAP subscription gross margin slipped to 73.5% from 80%. Part of Q2’s strength came from federal revenue pulled forward from Q3, with guidance pointing to slower growth of +20.5% next quarter.
The pressure comes from amortization and stock-based pay linked to the Moveworks, Veza and Armis deals. Free cash flow still grew 20.53%. The bear case still lands at $195.11.
Is ServiceNow Pricier Than Salesforce, Workday and Palantir? Company Forward P/E Quarterly Revenue Growth YoY ServiceNow 28x 24% Salesforce 14x 10.8% Workday 18x 12.8% Palantir 85x 92.8% Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) competes directly with ServiceNow’s 2 billion ACV CRM business at half the multiple but less than half the growth.
Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY) competes for HR workflow budgets at roughly half ServiceNow’s growth rate.
Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) trades at 85x forward earnings as the premium enterprise-AI benchmark. ServiceNow sits between these names: costlier than slower-growing application peers and far less than the AI leader, making our target reasonable.
ServiceNow Price Prediction 2026-2030 The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $247.40 carries a buy rating at 90% confidence. The deciding factor is AI growth coupled with a modest forward multiple.
Conviction would grow if AI ACV tops $1.5 billion by year-end. Caution would rise if cRPO growth slows significantly below guidance. Right now, fundamentals point higher.
Our model projects the stock could trade at these levels if current growth trends and market conditions hold.
Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $144.16 2027 $242.85 2028 $368.90 2029 $478.47 2030 $581.16 ServiceNow’s ability to perform its AI and security strategy supports these projections. Faster AI rollout could add upside. Weaker federal spending or ongoing GAAP margin pressure could pull results lower.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Key Takeaways Intuit's Mailchimp revenues fell 1% to $1.3 billion in fiscal 2026, with growth expected to remain weak.Mailchimp's operating margin expanded 4.9 percentage points to 47.5%, while operating income rose 10%.INTU focuses on retention, value-based pricing and cross-selling, with separate FY27 reporting for Mailchimp. Intuit (INTU - Free Report) is working to stabilize Mailchimp amid weak revenue growth and rising customer churn. Mailchimp’s fiscal 2026 revenues declined 1% year over year to $1.3 billion, contrasting with Intuit’s overall revenue growth of 14%. The outlook remains challenging, with management expecting Mailchimp’s fiscal 2027 revenues to range between $1.256 billion and $1.266 billion, indicating a decline of 1% to flat growth.
Despite these challenges, Mailchimp is making progress on profitability. Its fiscal 2026 operating margin expanded 4.9 percentage points to 47.5%, while operating income increased 10% to $604 million. These improvements reflect better cost discipline, although sustained profitability gains alone may not be enough to revive revenue growth.
High-value, sales-assisted mid-market bookings’ monthly recurring revenues grew 9% year over year in fiscal 2026. Paid SMS customers increased 35%, while average spending among SMS customers was 11% higher. Active high-value customer dollar churn also improved 1% year over year, suggesting progress in retaining valuable customers.
Intuit is strengthening accountability by managing Mailchimp as a separate operating segment from August 2026, with independent reporting beginning in fiscal 2027. Management is prioritizing customer retention, value-based pricing, cross-selling and disciplined spending to improve monetization and profitability. However, higher effective prices are expected to offset increased customer churn, highlighting the challenges facing its growth strategy.
Margin expansion, SMS adoption and improving high-value customer retention provide encouraging signs, but the near-term revenue outlook remains subdued for Mailchimp. Sustained customer retention and stronger bookings conversion will be essential for Mailchimp to return to meaningful growth and contribute more significantly to Intuit’s performance.
How Are INTU’s Competitors Faring?Klaviyo (KVYO - Free Report) provides AI-powered marketing automation and customer relationship management solutions, helping businesses deliver personalized customer experiences through email, SMS and other digital channels. In the second quarter of 2026, revenues increased 26% year over year to $370.6 million. The company raised its full-year revenue guidance to $1.526-$1.534 billion.
Braze (BRZE - Free Report) offers a customer engagement platform that enables businesses to deliver personalized, cross-channel marketing campaigns through mobile apps, email and other digital channels. In the second quarter of fiscal 2027, revenues grew 26.2% year over year to $227.2 million, supported by new customer additions, upselling and renewals.
INTU’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of Intuit have gained 8.3% over the past three months, underperforming the broader industry but outperforming the S&P 500 composite.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S), Intuit is currently trading at 3.43X, which is at a discount to the industry average of 6.43X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Intuit’s estimate revisions reflect a negative trend. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 EPS has been revised downward 15.8% to $23.49 over the past two months. The consensus estimate for 2027 calls for negative 3.2% growth year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, Intuit carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
NorthCrest Asset Management ve třetím čtvrtletí snížila svůj podíl v Lockheed Martin o 5,7 % prodejem 1 555 akcií; nadále drží 25 650 akcií v hodnotě 13,027 milionu USD.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC reduced its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT – Free Report) by 5.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 25,650 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 1,555 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $13,027,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LMT. Basso Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Lockheed Martin during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Burnham & Co LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Field & Main Bank bought a new position in Lockheed Martin during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Bard Associates Inc. bought a new position in Lockheed Martin during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, TD Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 450.0% during the fourth quarter. TD Capital Management LLC now owns 55 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. 74.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Lockheed Martin Price Performance LMT opened at $511.90 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $546.39 and its 200 day simple moving average is $545.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.01. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a 1 year low of $437.25 and a 1 year high of $692.00. The firm has a market cap of $118.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.87, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.09.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.94 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.22 by $0.72. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 91.42% and a net margin of 8.16%. The business had revenue of $20.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.46 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. Lockheed Martin has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.950-30.650 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 30.44 earnings per share for the current year. Lockheed Martin Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be issued a $3.60 dividend. This is a positive change from Lockheed Martin’s previous quarterly dividend of $3.45. This represents a $14.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. Lockheed Martin’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 50.87%.
Key Stories Impacting Lockheed Martin Here are the key news stories impacting Lockheed Martin this week:
Positive Sentiment: Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky unveiled a containerized drone deployment system, potentially expanding the company’s offerings in rapidly growing unmanned and autonomous defense markets. Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky unveils containerized drone deployment system Positive Sentiment: Lockheed Martin received approximately $114 million in GPS modernization awards. Rising demand for secure satellite-navigation systems could support longer-term growth in its Space segment. Can GPS Modernization Strengthen Lockheed Martin’s Growth Outlook? Positive Sentiment: The company raised its quarterly dividend 4.3% to $3.60 per share, or $14.40 annualized, supporting its income-investment appeal and signaling continued confidence in cash generation. Lockheed Martin raises dividend by 4.3% to $3.60 Positive Sentiment: Lockheed is promoting a faster, longer-range PAC-3 interceptor designed to counter more capable missiles, which could reinforce demand for its missile-defense portfolio, although pricing remains an investor consideration. Lockheed bets on revolutionary Patriot to stop faster missiles Neutral Sentiment: Barclays initiated coverage with an “Equal Weight” rating, suggesting limited near-term conviction on outperformance. Lockheed Martin Stock Rated Equal Weight in New Coverage at Barclays Neutral Sentiment: Large-cap stocks recently approached record highs while smaller shares weakened, indicating a generally favorable but selective market backdrop for LMT. Big Board Names Near Highs While Smaller Shares Lag the Broad Tape Negative Sentiment: Anduril’s development of a cheaper Steelfin interceptor and potential Patriot/THAAD alternative raises competitive risks for Lockheed Martin’s missile-defense business and may prolong the stock’s underperformance. Lockheed Martin stock at risk as Anduril builds cheaper Patriot, THAAD alternative Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen issued a pessimistic forecast for LMT, adding to concerns about valuation, growth and competitive pressure. TD Cowen Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Lockheed Martin Stock Price Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on LMT shares. Barclays began coverage on shares of Lockheed Martin in a report on Friday. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $554.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Lockheed Martin from $653.00 to $690.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Lockheed Martin from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Sunday, September 20th. UBS Group raised shares of Lockheed Martin from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the company from $581.00 to $674.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn started coverage on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research report on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $650.00 target price on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $634.50.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin Profile (Free Report)
Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global aerospace, defense and technology company headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. The company develops and produces advanced systems for government and commercial customers, with the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies representing its primary customers.
Its principal activities include the design and manufacture of military aircraft, missiles, air and missile defense systems, radar and sensor technologies, naval and rotary-wing systems, satellites, space exploration systems, and cybersecurity and information technology solutions.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Lockheed Martin Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Raydium has announced the launch of $INJ token staking on the Solana platform, as revealed by Injective on social media. This development enables increased participation and liquidity for INJ within Solana’s decentralized ecosystem, which includes decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and wallet services. Since becoming a Solana SPL token in September 2026, INJ has been actively integrated into the Solana network, with Raydium providing a pivotal venue for its exchange.
Key Takeaways
The launch of $INJ staking on Solana by Raydium appears to enhance INJ’s integration within Solana’s decentralized environment.
Market pricing suggests this development could be consistent with a positive outlook for Solana, potentially increasing its user base and liquidity.
Current market pricing reflects a cautious but possibly optimistic view of Solana reaching higher price thresholds in October 2026.
What to Watch
Observers will be keen to see if the introduction of $INJ staking influences Solana’s price trajectory, particularly regarding the “Will Solana reach $190 in October?” market. Any subsequent announcements from Solana Labs or partnerships that further solidify Solana’s ecosystem could align with scenarios supportive of a YES outcome in related prediction markets. Additionally, broader market trends and regulatory developments could impact these expectations.
Key Takeaways Fastenal's Q3 2026 EPS estimate stands at 34 cents, implying 17.2% year-over-year growth.August daily sales rose 16.6% to $38.7M, led by manufacturing demand and strong direct fastener sales.Productivity gains and margin initiatives may offset unfavorable customer mix & higher freight costs. Fastenal Company (FAST - Free Report) is scheduled to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 14, before the opening bell.
In the last reported quarter, its earnings per share (EPS) met the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents but grew year over year by 15.9%. Net sales topped the consensus mark by 1.9% and grew 14.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Fastenal’s earnings met the consensus mark in three of the last four quarters and missed on the remaining occasion, with the average negative surprise being 0.8%.
How Are Estimates Placed for FAST Stock?For the third quarter, FAST’s Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS has remained unchanged over the past 60 days at 34 cents. However, the estimated figure indicates 17.2% year-over-year growth.
The consensus mark for net sales is pegged at $2.49 billion, indicating a 16.6% increase from the year-ago reported figure of $2.13 billion.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped Fastenal's Q3 PerformanceSales
In the third quarter, the top-line performance of Fastenal is likely to have increased year over year because of an improving industrial backdrop. Key account wins, larger customer sites and deeper use of managed inventory and digital tools sustain market share gains, while several sales-boosting initiatives contributed additionally. The company’s focus on growing its digital footprint, increasing inventory and improving picking efficiency at its hubs is expected to have paid off.
Direct materials, which include fasteners, cutting tools and other production-related items, are expected to have added to the sales growth of Fastenal, led by improved demand trends for direct fasteners and hardware. Besides, its manufacturing exposure is likely to have been another major driver for its performance. Moreover, a balanced mix of on-site and off-site services, along with market share gains across various product categories, is likely to have been an additional growth contributor.
If we go by the latest monthly sales report, August’s daily sales grew 16.6% year over year to $38.7 million and grew 3% from July 2026.
In terms of end markets in August 2026, Heavy Manufacturing and Other Manufacturing daily sales increased 21.8% and 14.3%, respectively, with Non-residential Construction growing 9.6%. In terms of customer usage, daily sales for Direct Fasteners/Hardware and Direct non-Fasteners/Hardware jumped 16.7% and 21.8%, respectively. Daily sales under Direct Cutting Tools and Abrasives also climbed 21.7% in August 2026.
During the same month, the daily sales growth of contract and non-contract customers was 19% and 11%, respectively, with daily sales through eBusiness and FMI increasing 15% each.
Margins
The bottom line of FAST is expected to have improved during the third quarter on the back of labor productivity, fixed-cost leverage, the ongoing fastener expansion project, supply-improvement initiatives and cost control strategies. The company’s efforts in controlling costs, especially container and transportation costs, are encouraging. Automating warehouses, increasing delivery efficiency through its trucking network and selling more private-label products with higher margins are likely to have aided the fourth quarter’s bottom-line growth.
Fastenal is likely to have faced an unfavorable customer and product mix, alongside higher freight and overhead costs, given the broader macro uncertainties spanning the economy. However, the increased leverage from top-line growth and margin expansion initiatives is expected to have more than offset these headwinds.
What the Zacks Model Unveils for FastenalOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for Fastenal this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. However, it is not the case here.
FAST’s Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of -0.97%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
FAST’s Zacks Rank: Currently, the stock carries a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some companies from the Industrial Products sector, which according to our model, also have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their respective quarters to be reported.
Eaton Corporation plc (ETN - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.53% and a Zacks Rank of 2.
Eaton’s earnings topped the consensus mark in three of the last four quarters and met on the remaining occasion, with the average surprise being 1.3%. Earnings for the company’s third quarter of 2026 are expected to grow 15% year over year.
Kennametal Inc. (KMT - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.50% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
Kennametal’s earnings topped the consensus mark in each of the last four quarters, with the average surprise being 29.3%. Earnings for the company’s third quarter of 2026 are expected to surge a whopping 682.4% year over year.
Watsco, Inc. (WSO - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.19% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
Watsco’s earnings topped the consensus mark in one of the last four quarters and missed on the remaining three occasions, with the average negative surprise being 4.9%. Earnings for the company’s third quarter of 2026 are expected to improve 3.8% year over year.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its holdings in shares of Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report) by 18.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 83,145 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,703 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Accenture were worth $15,246,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of ACN. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Accenture by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,354 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $269,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. City National Bank of Florida MSD lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. City National Bank of Florida MSD now owns 1,073 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $288,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 38.0% during the 1st quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 218 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. GS Investments Inc. boosted its position in Accenture by 0.5% during the first quarter. GS Investments Inc. now owns 12,415 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $2,462,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Camelot Portfolios LLC boosted its position in Accenture by 1.4% during the second quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLC now owns 4,526 shares of the information technology services provider’s stock valued at $563,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.14% of the company’s stock.
Insider Activity at Accenture In related news, COO Catherine Hogan sold 1,320 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total transaction of $264,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 12,556 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,511,200. This trade represents a 9.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 10,498 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.98, for a total transaction of $1,710,964.04. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 17,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,890,450.30. The trade was a 37.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.02% of the company’s stock.
Accenture Stock Performance ACN opened at $214.86 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $143.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $185.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $173.65. Accenture PLC has a 52-week low of $118.15 and a 52-week high of $291.09. Accenture (NYSE:ACN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The information technology services provider reported $3.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.11. Accenture had a net margin of 11.28% and a return on equity of 26.53%. The business had revenue of $18.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.03 EPS. Accenture’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Accenture has set its FY 2027 guidance at 14.390-14.810 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Accenture PLC will post 14.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Accenture declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, June 23rd that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the information technology services provider to buy up to 2.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Share repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.
Accenture Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, October 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.71 per share. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 13th. This is a positive change from Accenture’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. Accenture’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.08%.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have commented on ACN shares. William Blair lowered shares of Accenture from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Accenture from $175.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. DA Davidson reduced their price objective on shares of Accenture from $275.00 to $175.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $179.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $175.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Accenture has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $219.15.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ACN
Accenture News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:
Positive Sentiment: Accenture acquired Sagacity Solutions to strengthen Accenture Song’s AI-powered customer intelligence capabilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The deal supports the company’s strategy of expanding AI-driven services and could contribute to future growth. Accenture Acquires Sagacity Solutions to Scale AI-Driven Customer Intelligence Across Accenture Song’s UK & Ireland Operations Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights Accenture’s quarterly revenue and EPS beats, along with fiscal 2027 guidance for 3%–6% revenue growth. Management expects at least $11 billion of free cash flow and plans to return more than $9.5 billion through dividends and share repurchases, supporting the investment case. Accenture: Market Sentiment Resets, But The Valuation Remains Deeply Discounted Positive Sentiment: Analysts and value-focused research outlets have emphasized ACN’s relatively low forward valuation and robust free-cash-flow yield. This perception that the shares remain discounted after the recent rally is helping attract buyers. Accenture Is a Top-Ranked Value Stock Positive Sentiment: Accenture’s inclusion among recent dividend raisers reinforces confidence in its cash-generation capacity and adds to the appeal for income-oriented investors. Three Stocks Raise Dividends Neutral Sentiment: Call-option volume was roughly 3.5 times its average level, signaling heightened bullish positioning or speculative interest. Options activity can support near-term momentum but does not necessarily reflect changes in Accenture’s underlying business. Negative Sentiment: Accenture’s chief operating officer reportedly sold approximately $264,000 of company stock. The transaction is relatively small compared with the company’s market value, limiting its significance, but insider selling can weigh modestly on sentiment. Accenture COO Sells Stock Accenture Profile (Free Report)
Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) is a global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance, modernize operations and respond to technological and market changes. Its services span strategy and consulting, technology, operations, and managed services, with expertise across industries including communications, financial services, health care, public service, retail, manufacturing and resources.
The company provides digital transformation, cloud migration, data and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, systems integration and technology implementation services.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Accenture Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Key Takeaways Accenture's growth is fueled by rising AI adoption, digital transformation demand and strategic buyouts.ACN invested $4.9 billion in 17 acquisitions in fiscal 2026 and plans about $5 billion more in fiscal 2027.ACN targets 3-6% revenue growth in fiscal 2027, supported by AI demand, despite spending and pricing risks. Accenture’s (ACN - Free Report) growth is driven by rising enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, demand for digital transformation and targeted acquisitions. Its expanding AI capabilities and diversified service portfolio support deeper client engagement and long-term organic growth. Operating efficiencies support margin expansion, while strong cash flow funds investments and shareholder returns.
ACN has a Growth Score of B. This style score condenses key financial metrics to reflect a fair sense of the quality and sustainability of its growth.
The company’s fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings are expected to increase 5.1% and 8.2% year over year, respectively. Its revenues are projected to grow 4.2% in fiscal 2027 and 4.7% in fiscal 2028.
Factors That Bode Well for ACN’s SuccessAI-Led Transformation Drives Growth: Rising enterprise AI adoption is fueling demand for Accenture's digital transformation and data modernization services. In fiscal 2026, more than 400 clients initiated their first advanced AI engagements. Revenues from its eight emerging AI and data partners more than doubled, while bookings more than tripled year over year. With nearly 110,000 AI and data professionals, the company is positioned to capture growing demand for enterprise-wide AI deployment. Management expects broader AI adoption and large-scale reinvention to support sustained revenue growth and deeper client relationships.
Strategic Acquisitions Broaden Opportunities: The company is expanding its capabilities in AI, cybersecurity, digital engineering and industry-specific solutions through targeted acquisitions. In fiscal 2026, the company invested $4.9 billion across 17 acquisitions, including Ookla and Whalar, while recent Cyber OT acquisitions strengthened its security portfolio. For fiscal 2027, management expects inorganic revenues to contribute 2% to 2.5% and plans about $5 billion in additional acquisitions. These investments should broaden Accenture's service offerings, deepen industry expertise and support higher organic growth over time.
Operating Efficiency & Cash Generation Support Returns: Accenture's focus on operating efficiency and contract profitability continues to support earnings growth and shareholder returns. In fiscal 2026, adjusted operating margin expanded 20 basis points to 15.8%, while adjusted EPS rose 8% to $13.97. Free cash flow increased 7% to $11.6 billion, supporting record shareholder returns of $11.5 billion. For fiscal 2027, management expects an operating margin of 15.9-16.1%, EPS of $14.39-$14.81 and free cash flow of $11-$11.8 billion. Sustained cash generation should provide flexibility for strategic investments and shareholder returns, while operating efficiencies support long-term profitability.
Watch Out for These Risks to ACN StockWeak Discretionary Spending Weighs on Growth: Accenture faces demand uncertainty as clients remain cautious about discretionary technology spending. Demand showed limited improvement in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026, while Middle East disruptions worsened. The region represents approximately $1 billion in annualized revenues, with fiscal 2027 guidance assuming no growth at the upper end and potential deterioration at the lower end. Management expects local-currency revenue growth of 3-6% in fiscal 2027. Persistent spending weakness and regional disruptions could constrain organic growth and delay demand recovery.
Pricing Competition & AI Efficiencies Weigh on Margins: Accenture faces pricing pressure as competition intensifies and AI-driven efficiencies reshape service delivery. Despite stable overall pricing in fiscal 2026, management reported lower pricing across several areas in the fourth quarter. AI-led productivity gains also require greater client value at potentially lower costs. Fiscal 2027 operating margin guidance of 15.9-16.1% reflects continued competition. Persistent pricing pressure and AI-driven efficiencies could limit margin expansion unless offset by higher business volumes and expanded service offerings.
ACN’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderAccenture currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
A couple of better-ranked stocks in the broader Computer and Technology sector are Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO - Free Report) and CoStar Group, Inc. (CSGP - Free Report) .
Cisco Systems carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 10.9%.
CSCO beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an earnings surprise of 2.6%, on average.
CoStar Group also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 36.6%.
CSGP beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 21.2%.
Nucor investuje 105 milionů USD do rozšíření závodu v Indianě vyrábějícího stožáry pro elektrické sítě. Projekt má přidat více než 120 000 čtverečních stop výrobních prostor a vytvořit 100 pracovních míst.
Key Takeaways Nucor plans a $105M expansion of its Indiana utility structures facility, subject to regulatory approvals.The project will add over 120,000 square feet of manufacturing space, advanced automation and 100 new jobs.NUE's expansion supports electric grid modernization and rising power needs. Nucor Corporation (NUE - Free Report) is strengthening its position in the utility market with a $105 million investment aimed at expanding production capacity at its Nucor Towers & Structures facility in Crawfordsville, IN. The expansion is subject to regulatory and other approvals and will increase manufacturing capacity for utility poles and related products used in the nation's power transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The project will add more than 120,000 square feet of manufacturing space and incorporate advanced automation, modern production equipment and updated manufacturing technologies. It is also expected to create 100 new jobs, with average annual wages of $87,500, adding to the facility’s existing workforce of 328 members.
The expansion supports growth in the region by investing in modernizing the electric grid and meeting increasing electricity needs. Nucor Towers & Structures was established in 2022 following the company's acquisition of Summit Utility Structures. Since then, Nucor has developed facilities in Alabama and Indiana and is building another plant in Utah. Its highly automated operations and advanced hot-dip galvanizing capabilities support product quality.
NUE shares have gained 81.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s 56.5% rise in the same period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NUE’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksNUE currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Reliance, Inc. (RS - Free Report) , Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD - Free Report) and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (AXTA - Free Report) .
RS sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while APD and AXTA carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RS’ 2026 earnings is pegged at $23.70 per share, indicating a 66.2% year-over-year increase. RS’shares have gained 45.3% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APD’s current fiscal-year earnings is pinned at $13.46 per share, indicating an 11.89% rise on a year-over-year basis. APD’sshares have gained 8.3% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXTA’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.63 per share, indicating a rise of 5.62% year over year. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 6.45%.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC increased its position in Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB – Free Report) by 85.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 99,758 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 46,025 shares during the quarter. Chubb accounts for approximately 0.8% of NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Chubb were worth $32,446,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in CB. XXEC Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Chubb in the second quarter valued at about $228,226,000. Berkshire Hathaway Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Chubb by 9.3% during the fourth quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 34,249,183 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $10,689,855,000 after purchasing an additional 2,916,288 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Chubb during the second quarter worth about $9,913,336,000. GQG Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Chubb in the second quarter worth about $4,250,113,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in shares of Chubb by 3.1% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 4,908,624 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,599,868,000 after purchasing an additional 147,876 shares during the last quarter. 83.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Chubb Stock Performance Shares of CB opened at $345.12 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $340.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $335.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 0.29 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $133.15 billion, a PE ratio of 12.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.36. Chubb Limited has a one year low of $265.30 and a one year high of $365.91.
Chubb (NYSE:CB – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $7.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.77 by $0.49. The firm had revenue of $11.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.07 billion. Chubb had a return on equity of 14.47% and a net margin of 18.10%. The business’s revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.14 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Chubb Limited will post 27.68 EPS for the current fiscal year. Chubb Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, October 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 11th were issued a $1.02 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 11th. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. Chubb’s dividend payout ratio is 14.43%.
Insiders Place Their Bets In other Chubb news, Director Michael Connors sold 5,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.00, for a total transaction of $1,897,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 12,803 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,417,035. This trade represents a 30.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Joseph F. Wayland sold 8,502 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $364.54, for a total transaction of $3,099,319.08. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 33,749 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,302,860.46. This trade represents a 20.12% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have commented on CB. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price target on Chubb from $330.00 to $333.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. HSBC reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $359.00 price objective on shares of Chubb in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $374.00 target price on shares of Chubb in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Chubb from $360.00 to $350.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price target on Chubb from $340.00 to $374.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $358.36.
Read Our Latest Report on Chubb
Chubb Profile (Free Report)
Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) is a global insurance company that provides property and casualty, accident and health, life, and reinsurance products and services. Its offerings serve individuals, businesses, multinational corporations, and institutional customers.
The company provides commercial and personal property and casualty coverage, including general liability, commercial property, professional liability, cyber insurance, workers’ compensation, homeowners insurance, automobile coverage, and specialty insurance.
Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Chubb Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Chubb Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chubb and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Chubb (CB - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 20, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis insurer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $6.42 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -14.3%.
Revenues are expected to be $16.72 billion, up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.06% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Chubb?For Chubb, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.10%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Chubb will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Chubb would post earnings of $6.63 per share when it actually produced earnings of $7.26, delivering a surprise of +9.50%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Chubb doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsW.R. Berkley (WRB - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $1.14 for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +3.6%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $3.8 billion, up 3.1% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for W.R. Berkley has been revised 0.7% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +1.31%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that W.R. Berkley will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Tržby CrowdStrike ve 2. čtvrtletí fiskálního roku 2027 vzrostly meziročně o 26 % na 1,47 mld. USD, zatímco čisté přírůstky ARR stouply o 51 % na rekordních 333 mil. USD.
Key Takeaways CRWD sees rising platform adoption, with 51% of subscription customers using six or more Falcon modules in Q2.CRWD added over 935 Falcon Flex accounts, while Flex new-logo ARR contributed 34% of net new ARR. CRWD's Q2 FY27 revenues rose 26% to $1.47 billion, while record net new ARR climbed 51% to $333 million.
CrowdStrike (CRWD - Free Report) is seeing stronger customer demand for platform consolidation as enterprises look to reduce the number of security vendors they use. In the second quarter of fiscal 2027, 51% of subscription customers had adopted six or more CrowdStrike modules, while 35% had adopted seven or more and 26% had adopted eight or more. Management stated that its unified platform strategy is helping customers consolidate security products on the Falcon platform.
Falcon Flex is supporting this platform consolidation trend by allowing customers to buy multiple products under a single subscription model. CrowdStrike added more than 935 Flex accounts in the second quarter, while Flex new-logo ARR contributed 34% of net new ARR. Customers moving from standard subscriptions to Flex also generated an average ending ARR uplift of more than 40%. These trends show that platform consolidation can help CrowdStrike increase spending from both new and existing customers.
CrowdStrike is also using platform consolidation to replace multiple legacy security products at the same time. A key customer win in the second quarter includes a European automotive manufacturer, which signed an eight-figure Falcon Flex agreement to replace its existing next-generation endpoint detection and response product, legacy SIEM and vulnerability management tool. In another deal, a major American power provider replaced a legacy SIEM with CrowdStrike's Next-Gen SIEM. Such wins allow the company to expand its presence across several parts of a customer's security environment.
The impact of CRWD’s unified platform strategy is visible in the company’s financial results. Second-quarter revenues grew 26% year over year to $1.47 billion, while ending ARR reached $5.84 billion, up more than 25%. Net new ARR rose 51% to a record $333 million, and management raised its fiscal 2027 net new ARR growth outlook to 34%. With customers adding more modules and replacing multiple security tools with Falcon, continued platform consolidation could help CrowdStrike drive further customer expansion and revenue growth.
How Competitors Fare Against CRWDCompetitors like Palo Alto Networks (PANW - Free Report) and SentinelOne (S - Free Report) are also gaining ground through platform expansion and AI innovation.
In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Palo Alto Networks saw robust growth in its Next-Gen Security ARR, which increased 60% year over year. The growth was driven by increased customer adoption of PANW’s advanced cybersecurity offerings, including its AI-driven XSIAM platform, SASE and software firewalls.
Though comparatively a small competitor, SentinelOne posted second-quarter fiscal 2027 year-over-year growth of 22% in its ARR. The growth was fueled by the rising adoption of SentinelOne’s AI-first Singularity platform and Purple AI.
CRWD’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of CrowdStrike have surged 124.4% in the year-to-date period compared with the Zacks Security industry’s return of 117.6%.
CRWD’s YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, CrowdStrike trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 38.84, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 21.34. The Zacks Value Score of F suggests that CRWD stock is overvalued.
CRWD’s Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CrowdStrike’s fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 35.5% and 28.2%, respectively. The estimates for fiscal 2027 and 2028 have remained unchanged over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CrowdStrike currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Perpetual Ltd lifted its holdings in Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT – Free Report) by 2,214.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 167,738 shares of the software maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 160,492 shares during the period. Perpetual Ltd’s holdings in Fortinet were worth $29,985,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Fortinet during the second quarter valued at $9,561,650,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in shares of Fortinet in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,432,842,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in Fortinet in the 2nd quarter worth about $979,062,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its stake in Fortinet by 87.4% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 9,651,024 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $788,682,000 after purchasing an additional 4,500,194 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in Fortinet during the 2nd quarter worth about $656,852,000. 83.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In FTNT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price objective on Fortinet from $115.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Piper Sandler reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $175.00 target price (up from $110.00) on shares of Fortinet in a report on Thursday, July 30th. HSBC lifted their target price on shares of Fortinet from $102.00 to $107.00 in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Robert W. Baird set a $165.00 target price on shares of Fortinet and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Fortinet from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Fortinet currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $156.51.
View Our Latest Research Report on Fortinet More Fortinet News Here are the key news stories impacting Fortinet this week:
Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target from $190 to $210, signaling additional potential upside and reflecting continued confidence in Fortinet’s growth and profitability. Barclays raises target for Fortinet stock from USD 190 to USD 210 Positive Sentiment: Fortinet’s record margins, raised 2026 guidance and artificial-intelligence security initiatives support the company’s profitability narrative. Its most recent quarterly results also exceeded analyst expectations for earnings and revenue, with revenue growth of 25.6% year over year. Does Fortinet’s Strong Margin Profile Make the Stock Worth Buying Now? Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada increased its Fortinet price target from $185 to $205. Although RBC maintained a “sector perform” rating, the higher target indicates improved expectations for the shares. Fortinet Stock Price Target Raised at Royal Bank Of Canada Neutral Sentiment: Fortinet reached a fresh 52-week high, highlighting strong momentum, but analysts note that investors must assess whether its fundamentals justify further gains after the stock’s substantial 2026 advance. Fortinet Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run? Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s call for stronger AI safeguards produced little immediate reaction across cybersecurity stocks, limiting any near-term sector catalyst for FTNT. Microsoft CEO’s AI Warning Draws Little Reaction From Cybersecurity Stocks Negative Sentiment: Valuation and cost risks are becoming more important. FTNT trades near its high with a P/E ratio around 68, while rising chip costs and an unfavorable product mix could pressure margins. Investors with large gains across cybersecurity stocks may also take profits after the sector’s sharp rally. Cybersecurity stocks rally and profit-taking risks Insider Activity at Fortinet In other Fortinet news, COO John Whittle sold 2,835 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.74, for a total value of $478,377.90. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 96,987 shares in the company, valued at $16,365,586.38. The trade was a 2.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Ken Xie sold 161,482 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.66, for a total value of $26,266,662.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 52,972,372 shares in the company, valued at $8,616,486,029.52. This trade represents a 0.30% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 221,303 shares of company stock valued at $36,164,034. Insiders own 17.60% of the company’s stock.
Fortinet Stock Down 0.9% FTNT stock opened at $192.94 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $167.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $140.42. The company has a market cap of $141.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 67.94, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 1.03. Fortinet, Inc. has a 12-month low of $73.55 and a 12-month high of $196.87. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.
Fortinet (NASDAQ:FTNT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software maker reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.15. Fortinet had a net margin of 28.17% and a return on equity of 191.54%. The business had revenue of $2.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.89 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. Fortinet’s revenue was up 25.6% on a year-over-year basis. Fortinet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.410-3.470 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.830-0.870 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Fortinet, Inc. will post 3.10 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
About Fortinet (Free Report)
Fortinet, Inc develops and provides cybersecurity products and services for businesses, governments, and service providers. The company’s portfolio is designed to protect networks, endpoints, applications, cloud environments, and operational technology from cyber threats.
Its offerings include FortiGate next-generation firewalls, FortiSwitch secure networking switches, FortiAP wireless access points, FortiClient endpoint security, and FortiSASE secure access service edge solutions. Fortinet also provides centralized management and analytics through products such as FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer, along with security operations, threat intelligence, and other subscription-based services through its FortiGuard portfolio.
Founded in 2000, Fortinet serves customers globally through direct sales, channel partners, and managed security service providers.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Fortinet Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Fortinet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fortinet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Terra Nova Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT – Free Report) by 24.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 14,599 shares of the software maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,865 shares during the quarter. Fortinet makes up approximately 1.8% of Terra Nova Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. Terra Nova Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Fortinet were worth $2,610,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Fermata Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Fortinet in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $256,000. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC lifted its position in Fortinet by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 51,747 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $9,785,000 after buying an additional 2,603 shares in the last quarter. Perpetual Ltd lifted its position in Fortinet by 2,214.9% in the 3rd quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 167,738 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $29,985,000 after buying an additional 160,492 shares in the last quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Fortinet by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC now owns 15,206 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $2,718,000 after buying an additional 256 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jacobs & Co. CA acquired a new stake in shares of Fortinet during the 3rd quarter valued at $223,000. 83.71% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. William Blair restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Fortinet in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Zacks Research upgraded Fortinet from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Fortinet from $165.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley reissued a “positive” rating and set a $136.00 price objective (up from $133.00) on shares of Fortinet in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their target price on Fortinet from $90.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $156.51.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on Fortinet Fortinet News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Fortinet this week:
Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target from $190 to $210, signaling additional potential upside and reflecting continued confidence in Fortinet’s growth and profitability. Barclays raises target for Fortinet stock from USD 190 to USD 210 Positive Sentiment: Fortinet’s record margins, raised 2026 guidance and artificial-intelligence security initiatives support the company’s profitability narrative. Its most recent quarterly results also exceeded analyst expectations for earnings and revenue, with revenue growth of 25.6% year over year. Does Fortinet’s Strong Margin Profile Make the Stock Worth Buying Now? Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada increased its Fortinet price target from $185 to $205. Although RBC maintained a “sector perform” rating, the higher target indicates improved expectations for the shares. Fortinet Stock Price Target Raised at Royal Bank Of Canada Neutral Sentiment: Fortinet reached a fresh 52-week high, highlighting strong momentum, but analysts note that investors must assess whether its fundamentals justify further gains after the stock’s substantial 2026 advance. Fortinet Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run? Neutral Sentiment: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s call for stronger AI safeguards produced little immediate reaction across cybersecurity stocks, limiting any near-term sector catalyst for FTNT. Microsoft CEO’s AI Warning Draws Little Reaction From Cybersecurity Stocks Negative Sentiment: Valuation and cost risks are becoming more important. FTNT trades near its high with a P/E ratio around 68, while rising chip costs and an unfavorable product mix could pressure margins. Investors with large gains across cybersecurity stocks may also take profits after the sector’s sharp rally. Cybersecurity stocks rally and profit-taking risks Insider Activity at Fortinet In related news, CEO Ken Xie sold 161,482 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.66, for a total value of $26,266,662.12. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 52,972,372 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,616,486,029.52. This represents a 0.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, COO John Whittle sold 2,835 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.74, for a total transaction of $478,377.90. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 96,987 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,365,586.38. This represents a 2.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 221,303 shares of company stock valued at $36,164,034. Insiders own 17.60% of the company’s stock.
Fortinet Price Performance NASDAQ FTNT opened at $192.94 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $141.56 billion, a PE ratio of 67.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 1.03. Fortinet, Inc. has a 12-month low of $73.55 and a 12-month high of $196.87. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $167.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $140.42.
Fortinet (NASDAQ:FTNT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software maker reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.15. Fortinet had a net margin of 28.17% and a return on equity of 191.54%. The company had revenue of $2.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.89 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.64 EPS. Fortinet’s quarterly revenue was up 25.6% on a year-over-year basis. Fortinet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.410-3.470 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.830-0.870 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Fortinet, Inc. will post 3.10 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Fortinet Company Profile (Free Report)
Fortinet, Inc develops and provides cybersecurity products and services for businesses, governments, and service providers. The company’s portfolio is designed to protect networks, endpoints, applications, cloud environments, and operational technology from cyber threats.
Its offerings include FortiGate next-generation firewalls, FortiSwitch secure networking switches, FortiAP wireless access points, FortiClient endpoint security, and FortiSASE secure access service edge solutions. Fortinet also provides centralized management and analytics through products such as FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer, along with security operations, threat intelligence, and other subscription-based services through its FortiGuard portfolio.
Founded in 2000, Fortinet serves customers globally through direct sales, channel partners, and managed security service providers.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Fortinet Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Fortinet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fortinet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Pentair očekává za čtvrtletí EPS ve výši 1,07 USD, což představuje meziroční pokles o 13,7 %, a tržby ve výši 963,31 milionu USD, meziročně nižší o 5,7 %.
The market expects Pentair plc (PNR - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -13.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $963.31 million, down 5.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Pentair?For Pentair, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -2.17%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Pentair will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Pentair would post earnings of $1.12 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.14, delivering a surprise of +1.79%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Pentair doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Halliburton (HAL - Free Report) is expected to deliver flat earnings compared to the year-ago quarter on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 20, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis provider of drilling services to oil and gas operators is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.58 per share in its upcoming report, which represents no change from the year-ago quarter.
Revenues are expected to be $5.59 billion, down 0.1% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Halliburton?For Halliburton, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.38%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Halliburton will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Halliburton would post earnings of $0.54 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.55, delivering a surprise of +1.85%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Halliburton doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Akcie Dell Technologies za poslední měsíc posílily o 8 %; konsenzus pro fiskální rok očekává zisk 26,09 USD na akcii, což představuje meziroční nárůst o 153,3 %.
Dell Technologies (DELL - 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.
Over the past month, shares of this computer and technology services provider have returned +8%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Computer - Micro Computers industry, which Dell Technologies falls in, has gained 2.4%. 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.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere 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.
Dell Technologies is expected to post earnings of $6.63 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +156%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $26.09 points to a change of +153.3% 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 $30.24 indicates a change of +15.9% from what Dell Technologies is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.3%.
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, Dell Technologies is rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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 Dell Technologies, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $50.63 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +87.5%. For the current and next fiscal years, $195.68 billion and $230.9 billion estimates indicate +72.3% and +18% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryDell Technologies reported revenues of $46.97 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +57.7%. EPS of $7.04 for the same period compares with $2.32 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $45.34 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.6%. The EPS surprise was +41.65%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times 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.
Dell Technologies 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.
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 Dell Technologies. However, its Zacks Rank #1 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC trimmed its position in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) by 3.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 180,152 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after selling 5,572 shares during the quarter. Applied Materials makes up 2.1% of NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest position. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $91,800,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. HF Advisory Group LLC lifted its stake in Applied Materials by 24.1% in the third quarter. HF Advisory Group LLC now owns 7,668 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $3,922,000 after buying an additional 1,490 shares during the period. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. increased its stake in Applied Materials by 67.0% in the third quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 593 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $303,000 after purchasing an additional 238 shares in the last quarter. Oak Grove Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 3rd quarter valued at $477,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Applied Materials by 94.4% during the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 210 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $107,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Finally, Gilpin Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Applied Materials by 4.8% in the third quarter. Gilpin Wealth Management LLC now owns 455 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $221,000 after buying an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Key Stories Impacting Applied Materials Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:
Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials unveiled a planned $5 billion EPIC Center in Silicon Valley, described as the world’s largest semiconductor equipment and process-technology R&D facility. The site will bring chipmakers, systems companies, equipment suppliers and universities together to accelerate development and commercialization of AI-era manufacturing technologies. Applied Materials EPIC Center announcement Positive Sentiment: The expanded partnership with Intel covers next-generation transistors, chip interconnects and advanced packaging, including Intel’s Foveros 3D-stacking technology. The collaboration could strengthen Applied Materials’ position as AI chip manufacturing becomes more complex, although financial benefits are expected over time. Intel and Applied Materials partnership Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating and maintained a $650 price target, citing structural wafer-fabrication equipment growth and potential earnings upside. Bank of America rating Neutral Sentiment: Applied Ventures participated in funding for Flexcompute, which is developing AI-based physics models for applications including chip-package design. The investment supports Applied’s exposure to semiconductor design innovation, but the financial impact was not disclosed. Flexcompute strategic investment Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned that Applied Materials may not be capturing enough of the industry’s growth. Global wafer-fabrication equipment spending is projected to rise 23.1% to $143.9 billion in 2026, while Applied’s reported market share declined from 20% in 2024, raising questions about competitive positioning. Applied Materials market-share analysis Negative Sentiment: The EPIC Center’s large capital commitment could pressure near-term returns if commercialization takes longer than expected. Likewise, the Intel partnership’s manufacturing payoff remains prospective, which may explain why investors focused more on execution risk than on the strategic announcements. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth AMAT has been the topic of several research reports. HC Wainwright set a $850.00 target price on Applied Materials in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $575.00 target price (up from $500.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $675.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, August 14th. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $720.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $700.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Friday, August 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $640.20. Get Our Latest Analysis on Applied Materials
Applied Materials Stock Down 1.9% Applied Materials stock opened at $497.53 on Tuesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $488.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $483.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The stock has a market cap of $394.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.89, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.60. Applied Materials, Inc. has a twelve month low of $203.40 and a twelve month high of $739.67.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.40 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.99 billion. Applied Materials had a return on equity of 38.02% and a net margin of 30.05%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.48 earnings per share. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.79 EPS for the current year.
Applied Materials Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.28%.
Insider Transactions at Applied Materials In other news, CAO Adam Sanders sold 725 shares of Applied Materials stock in a transaction on Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.56, for a total transaction of $394,806.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,181 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,732,245.36. This trade represents a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $465.00, for a total transaction of $465,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 25,544 shares in the company, valued at $11,877,960. This trade represents a 3.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 9,225 shares of company stock valued at $4,454,181. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Applied Materials Profile (Free Report)
Applied Materials, Inc is a global supplier of equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips, flat-panel displays and other advanced electronic products. Its technologies help customers build and enhance materials at the nanoscale, supporting processes such as deposition, etching, inspection, metrology and packaging.
The company’s offerings include semiconductor manufacturing systems, process-control and inspection equipment, and services designed to improve the performance, productivity and longevity of production equipment.
Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Applied Materials Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMAT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Applied Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Synchrony očekává za čtvrtletí zisk na akcii (EPS) ve výši 2,48 USD, což představuje meziroční pokles o 13,3 %, při tržbách 4,84 miliardy USD. Earnings ESP ve výši +5,87 % naznačuje překonání odhadů.
The market expects Synchrony (SYF - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 20, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis consumer credit company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.48 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -13.3%.
Revenues are expected to be $4.84 billion, up 2.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.13% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Synchrony?For Synchrony, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +5.87%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Synchrony will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Synchrony would post earnings of $2.08 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.59, delivering a surprise of +24.52%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Synchrony appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Stegent Equity Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY – Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 14,327 shares of the technology retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,264,000.
Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in BBY. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Best Buy during the second quarter worth about $1,932,812,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in Best Buy in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $174,893,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its position in Best Buy by 104.1% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 2,020,539 shares of the technology retailer’s stock valued at $135,685,000 after buying an additional 1,030,544 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new stake in Best Buy in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $116,003,000. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its stake in Best Buy by 50.5% in the 1st quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,584,803 shares of the technology retailer’s stock valued at $101,745,000 after acquiring an additional 531,998 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.96% of the company’s stock.
Best Buy Trading Up 0.0% NYSE BBY opened at $87.02 on Tuesday. Best Buy Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $55.10 and a 12 month high of $96.53. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $87.55 and a 200-day moving average of $76.79. The company has a market cap of $18.25 billion, a PE ratio of 14.48, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.26.
Best Buy (NYSE:BBY – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 27th. The technology retailer reported $1.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.08. Best Buy had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 48.14%. The business had revenue of $9.78 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.59 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.28 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Best Buy has set its FY 2027 guidance at 6.700-6.900 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Best Buy Co., Inc. will post 6.82 EPS for the current fiscal year. Best Buy Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 17th were paid a dividend of $0.96 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, September 17th. This represents a $3.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. Best Buy’s payout ratio is currently 63.89%.
Insider Activity In related news, EVP Kathleen Scarlett sold 116,062 shares of Best Buy stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.15, for a total transaction of $10,695,113.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 116,173 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,705,341.95. This trade represents a 49.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Richard M. Schulze sold 300,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.51, for a total value of $27,753,000.00. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Loop Capital downgraded Best Buy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Guggenheim lifted their price objective on shares of Best Buy from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 28th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $90.00 price objective (up from $86.00) on shares of Best Buy in a research report on Friday, August 28th. Truist Financial set a $100.00 target price on shares of Best Buy in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Best Buy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $85.65.
View Our Latest Analysis on BBY
Best Buy Company Profile (Free Report)
Best Buy Co, Inc (NYSE: BBY) is a specialty retailer of technology products and services. The company sells consumer electronics, computers and tablets, mobile phones, appliances, entertainment products, smart-home devices, gaming equipment and related accessories through its stores and digital platforms.
Best Buy also provides technology services through Geek Squad, including product installation, setup, repair, troubleshooting and technical support. Its operations include retail stores, e-commerce, delivery and fulfillment services, as well as membership and protection offerings.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Best Buy Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Best Buy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Best Buy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
NetApp má čistou hotovost ve výši 1,1 mld. USD a v prvním fiskálním čtvrtletí vytvořil volný peněžní tok ve výši 401 mil. USD, což podporuje expanzi v oblasti AI prostřednictvím akvizic.
Key Takeaways NTAP's $1.1 billion net cash position and $401 million in quarterly free cash flow support its AI expansion.Acquisitions of DataPelago & JetStream, with the planned PEAK:AIO buyout, strengthen NTAP's AI capabilities.NetApp raised its fiscal 2027 revenue outlook to $7.975B-$8.225B, while integration risks remain a concern.
NetApp’s (NTAP - Free Report) soild balance sheet and healthy cash generation provide ample financial flexibility to boost its AI investments. The company ended the first quarter of fiscal 2027 with $3.6 billion in cash, cash equivalents and investments against $2.5 billion in gross outstanding debt, resulting in a net cash position of $1.1 billion.
This financial strength positions NetApp to pursue strategic M&A and product innovation to capitalize on increasing demand for AI infrastructure while maintaining flexibility to support shareholder returns.
NetApp generated $503 million in operating cash flow and $401 million in free cash flow during the fiscal first quarter. The company also returned $302 million to its shareholders, comprising $200 million in share repurchases and $102 million in dividends in the fiscal first quarter.
The strong top-line performance further supports its investment capacity. Fiscal first-quarter revenues increased 30% year over year to $2.03 billion, while non-GAAP operating income grew 61% to $645 million.
For fiscal 2027, revenues are now forecasted at $7.975-$8.225 billion, with the $8.10 billion midpoint representing 17% growth and a $650 million increase from prior guidance.
M&A Strengthens AI CapabilitiesNetApp is strategically deploying capital to expand its AI capabilities. The company acquired DataPelago, which specializes in AI data infrastructure. The deal expands NetApp's intelligent data infrastructure portfolio by bringing GPU-accelerated data processing directly to the storage layer.
The subsequent JetStream acquisition strengthened its cloud-native disaster recovery and migration capabilities, particularly for VMware environments.
NetApp recently announced its intention to acquire PEAK:AIO. The deal focuses on a key challenge for large AI clusters – enabling thousands of GPUs to access huge amounts of data and metadata quickly and efficiently. The proposed combination of PEAK:AIO’s metadata architecture and parallel file-system technology with NetApp’s ONTAP platform could give the company a pathway toward supporting AI environments containing trillions of files and multi-exabyte datasets.
Though acquisitions add capabilities, they also increase integration and intangible-asset exposure. Goodwill and purchased intangible assets increased to $2.95 billion as of July 31, 2026, from $2.79 billion as of April 24, and represented about 27% of total assets.
NetApp's substantial liquidity provides a solid foundation for its AI expansion strategy, but effective integration of acquisitions and sustained cash generation will remain integral to translating these investments into long-term growth amid intense competition.
Cash Profile for CompetitorsEverpure (P - Free Report) , formerly Pure Storage, is one of the closest competitors to NetApp. The company is strengthening its AI infrastructure portfolio through innovation and strategic M&A. In May 2026, it completed the acquisition of 1touch, which specializes in data intelligence and orchestration.
P generated $1.19 billion in second-quarter fiscal 2027 revenues, up 38% year over year. The company ended the quarter with more than $1 billion in cash and investments. However, Everpure reported negative operating cash flow of $136 million and negative free cash flow of $238 million in the quarter, primarily reflecting strategic component purchases to secure supply. Management expects fiscal 2027 free cash flow of $600-$800 million. In September, Everpure reaffirmed its fiscal 2027 revenue outlook of $5.03-$5.07 billion and provided a preliminary fiscal 2028 revenue outlook of $7-$7.3 billion.
International Business Machines (IBM - Free Report) is also pursuing strategic M&A to expand its AI capabilities. Its acquisition of Confluent (March 2026) strengthened its real-time data streaming capabilities, supporting enterprise AI applications. In August 2026, IBM completed the acquisition of HRL Laboratories to accelerate the quantum computing roadmap, reflecting its broader investment in next-generation technologies.
IBM's acquisition-led transformation has increased balance sheet complexity. Total debt was $62 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026, while cash, restricted cash and marketable securities fell to $8.2 billion from $14.5 billion at year-end 2025, partly due to the Confluent acquisition. Goodwill increased to $74.6 billion. Although IBM generated $4.8 billion of free cash flow in the first half of 2026, elevated leverage can limit flexibility for dividends, acquisitions and other growth investments.
NTAP Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesNTAP’s shares have gained 27.1% in the past month against the Computer Storage Devices industry’s decline of 2%
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is trading at a 12-month forward price/sales ratio of 22.79X, considerably higher than 9.63X for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NTAP’s current year earnings has been revised upward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NTAP currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Perpetual Ltd. ve třetím čtvrtletí roku snížila svůj podíl v Permian Resources o 7 % prodejem 92 914 akcií; nadále drží 1 231 631 akcií v hodnotě 26 012 000 USD.
Perpetual Ltd lessened its stake in Permian Resources Corporation (NYSE:PR – Free Report) by 7.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,231,631 shares of the company’s stock after selling 92,914 shares during the period. Perpetual Ltd owned about 0.15% of Permian Resources worth $26,012,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Permian Resources by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 20,156,113 shares of the company’s stock worth $371,074,000 after purchasing an additional 763,059 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its stake in shares of Permian Resources by 63.1% during the first quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 6,230,034 shares of the company’s stock valued at $132,824,000 after purchasing an additional 2,411,292 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of Permian Resources during the first quarter valued at approximately $121,041,000. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Permian Resources by 66.6% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 5,564,528 shares of the company’s stock valued at $118,636,000 after purchasing an additional 2,224,560 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Permian Resources by 1.8% in the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,733,183 shares of the company’s stock worth $100,911,000 after purchasing an additional 85,509 shares during the last quarter. 91.84% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Permian Resources Stock Up 1.6% Shares of NYSE:PR opened at $23.39 on Tuesday. Permian Resources Corporation has a 1 year low of $11.92 and a 1 year high of $24.65. The company has a market cap of $19.59 billion, a PE ratio of 15.49 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.62 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $22.47 and its 200 day moving average is $20.90.
Permian Resources (NYSE:PR – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.10. Permian Resources had a return on equity of 13.47% and a net margin of 21.52%. The business had revenue of $1.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.66 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.28 EPS. Permian Resources’s quarterly revenue was up 55.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Permian Resources Corporation will post 2.28 EPS for the current year. Permian Resources Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 16th were paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 16th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Permian Resources’s payout ratio is 42.38%.
Insider Activity at Permian Resources In related news, EVP Robert Shannon sold 5,104 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.75, for a total transaction of $121,220.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 1,346,698 shares in the company, valued at $31,984,077.50. This represents a 0.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Guy Oliphint sold 5,103 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.75, for a total value of $121,196.25. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 537,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,763,250. The trade was a 0.94% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold a total of 15,699 shares of company stock worth $372,851 over the last quarter. 5.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts recently commented on PR shares. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Permian Resources from $24.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of Permian Resources from $25.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 15th. Mizuho raised shares of Permian Resources to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Zacks Research raised shares of Permian Resources from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Permian Resources from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $25.28.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Permian Resources
(Free Report)
Permian Resources Corporation (NYSE: PR) is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its operations are concentrated in the Delaware Basin, a major portion of the broader Permian Basin in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico.
The company develops its properties primarily through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Its activities include identifying and acquiring acreage, drilling and completing wells, producing hydrocarbons, and managing related gathering and infrastructure operations.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Permian Resources Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Permian Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Permian Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Wolfspeed získal podmíněný příslib financování až ve výši 1,5 mld. USD od amerického ministerstva obrany se splatností 30 let. Musí však zajistit nejméně 750 mil. USD souběžného kapitálu a vydat opční listy až na 7,5 % akcií.
Wolfspeed, Inc. NYSE: WOLF recently secured a conditional commitment from the Department of Defense for up to $1.5 billion in 30-year financing. Shares jumped initially as investors digested the headline number, but the deal's mechanics warrant a closer look.
Wolfspeed Today
$27.11 -0.92 (-3.28%)
As of 11:41 AM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
$13.48▼
$80.82$25.00
Wolfspeed emerged from a restructuring phase just last year and currently operates with negative margins.
Get Wolfspeed alerts:
A capital injection of this size rewrites Wolfspeed's balance sheet, but it comes with strings attached. Management agreed to equity warrants for the government and strict parallel funding requirements.
Weighing the long-term operational runway against staggered shareholder dilution helps investors understand Wolfspeed's trajectory.
The underlying narrative goes beyond the cash. It centers on the strategic shift from a commercial semiconductor manufacturer to a critical defense asset, creating a unique dynamic for investors tracking the silicon carbide space.
Strategic Reserves: The Department of Defense Steps InThe Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital is stepping in with a delayed-draw term loan. This capital does not arrive in a lump-sum grant. Instead, the funding arrives in planned tranches, with the initial $600 million earmarked primarily to refinance existing debt obligations due around 2030.
The 2030 debt overhang previously cast a shadow over Wolfspeed's capital expenditure plans, forcing investors to question whether the business could survive long enough to reach capacity. Refinancing that debt clears a liquidity hurdle for Wolfspeed, which reported earnings per share of negative $15.76 over the trailing 12 months.
The defense establishment is not operating like a traditional bank. The strategic mandate here links domestic manufacturing output to national security priorities. The government requires radiation-hardened gallium nitride components for aerospace, radar, and electronic warfare applications. By acting as the senior secured lender, the defense sector secures a domestic supply chain for critical technologies while giving Wolfspeed a 30-year capital runway.
The agreement requires Wolfspeed to secure at least $750 million in parallel qualifying capital, keeping some execution risk on the table before it can tap the full facility. This contingency ensures Wolfspeed maintains access to private capital markets and does not become solely reliant on federal subsidies to maintain operations.
Tactical Dilution: Weighing the Equity Trade-OffWhen the government provides capital to a distressed company, it usually extracts a toll. The commitment requires issuing volume-weighted average price warrants, allowing the government to purchase up to 7.5% of Wolfspeed's fully diluted equity.
Investors often view dilution as an immediate negative catalyst, but the warrant structure requires context. The equity rights are not granted entirely upfront. They trigger on a pro-rata basis as each funding tranche is disbursed over the drawdown lifecycle. This staggered approach aligns the dilution with actual cash receipts, meaning shareholders give up equity only as the balance sheet strengthens.
Comparing this arrangement to alternative financing methods reveals why the market received the agreement favorably. Securing $1.5 billion through traditional private credit markets with current cash flow constraints would likely carry punitive interest rates and restrictive operational covenants. Giving up 7.5% of equity over time is a manageable cost of capital to avoid liquidity traps and maintain long-term solvency. The market is pricing in the reality that a slightly diluted stake in a fully funded, operational manufacturer is worth more than a concentrated position in an undercapitalized one.
Building the Base: Scaling Siler City ProductionSolving the balance sheet is only half the equation. The operational turnaround hinges on the $5 billion John Palmour Manufacturing Center in Siler City, North Carolina. This facility is tasked with scaling the production of 200mm silicon carbide wafers, a transition necessary to drive down unit costs and reverse severe margin compression.
Currently, net margins sit near negative 159 %. The capital injection helps to de-risk the physical expansion of the Siler City plant, allowing Wolfspeed management to focus on yield improvements rather than cash preservation. The transition to 200mm wafers produces more chips per wafer than the legacy 150mm standard, changing the business's unit economics once operating at scale. Silicon carbide handles higher voltages, switches faster, and offers better thermal management than traditional silicon, making it a required material for next-generation power electronics.
While the defense-mandated gallium nitride upgrades secure the government funding, the broader revenue story relies on commercial tailwinds. Silicon carbide remains a structural requirement for the electric vehicle supply chain, where efficiency translates directly to vehicle range.
Additionally, high-density power systems used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers increasingly rely on these advanced substrates to manage heat and power consumption. The federal financing bridges the gap between today's cash burn and tomorrow's capacity utilization, positioning Wolfspeed to capture rebounding commercial demand alongside its new defense obligations.
Strategic Positioning: Smart Money Enters the RoomRecent 13F filings show accumulation by institutional asset managers, including T. Rowe Price and Fidelity Management. Smart money appears to be pricing in the long-term viability of the physical manufacturing buildout rather than reacting to the near-term noise of equity warrants. Large funds recognize that aligning with Department of Defense supply chain mandates creates a floor under the Wolfspeed business model that commercial demand alone could not provide during an economic downturn.
At the same time, Wolfspeed carries high short interest. Bears positioned for a potential liquidity crisis are now trapped by a government-backed financial runway. Price volatility after the loan announcement highlighted this tension, as shares briefly spiked to around $39 before retracing back into the $25 range. Any definitive closing of the loan tranches or execution of the required $750 million parallel capital raise could trigger a prolonged short-covering event. When short sellers are forced to buy shares to cover their positions, the resulting buying pressure can drive the stock price significantly higher, especially in a heavily shorted name like Wolfspeed.
Investors tracking the semiconductor sector might view the current valuation as a calculated entry point. The risk profile has shifted from immediate solvency concerns to long-term operational execution. Those with an appetite for manufacturing turnaround stories may want to add Wolfspeed to their watchlist as the initial capital tranches clear and the Siler City facility begins to scale.
Should You Invest $1,000 in Wolfspeed Right Now?Before you consider Wolfspeed, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Wolfspeed wasn't on the list.
While Wolfspeed currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.
Get This Free Report
Continue following MarketBeat
Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.
NorthCrest Asset Management ve třetím čtvrtletí zvýšila svůj podíl ve společnosti Capital One Financial o 21,4 % na 89 494 akcií v hodnotě 16,229 milionu USD.
NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC grew its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF – Free Report) by 21.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 89,494 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 15,757 shares during the quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC’s holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $16,229,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Perpetual Ltd increased its stake in Capital One Financial by 144.1% during the third quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 13,670 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,639,000 after acquiring an additional 8,070 shares during the last quarter. Scott Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Capital One Financial during the third quarter valued at approximately $226,000. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. raised its position in Capital One Financial by 235.3% during the third quarter. Armstrong Advisory Group Inc. now owns 11,253 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,173,000 after purchasing an additional 7,897 shares during the period. Marquette Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Capital One Financial by 584.2% in the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 691 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $133,000 after purchasing an additional 590 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Gilpin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. 89.84% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades COF has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. BTIG Research lifted their target price on Capital One Financial from $224.00 to $259.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price target on Capital One Financial in a report on Thursday, August 20th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Capital One Financial in a research report on Friday. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $219.00 price target for the company. Wolfe Research lifted their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $255.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 25th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $255.04.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on COF Capital One Financial Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:COF opened at $200.93 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $123.27 billion, a PE ratio of 12.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 1.04. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $209.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $199.88. Capital One Financial Corporation has a one year low of $174.24 and a one year high of $259.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.02.
Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The financial services provider reported $5.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.79 by $1.02. The business had revenue of $15.83 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.76 billion. Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 11.28% and a net margin of 13.37%. The business’s revenue was up 26.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $5.48 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Capital One Financial Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.
Capital One Financial Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Monday, August 17th were paid a $0.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 17th. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. Capital One Financial’s dividend payout ratio is 19.80%.
Insider Activity at Capital One Financial In other Capital One Financial news, insider Michael Zamsky sold 5,473 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.02, for a total transaction of $1,193,223.46. Following the transaction, the insider owned 27,992 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,102,815.84. This trade represents a 16.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Timothy Golden sold 3,487 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.00, for a total transaction of $735,757.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 7,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,567,519. This represents a 31.94% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 33,850 shares of company stock worth $7,167,152 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.78% of the company’s stock.
Capital One Financial Company Profile (Free Report)
Capital One Financial Corp. is a diversified financial services company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Founded in 1994, the company provides credit cards, consumer banking products, auto financing and commercial banking services through its Capital One brand.
Capital One offers credit cards for consumers and businesses, checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, personal loans and auto loans. Its commercial banking operations serve businesses, institutions and commercial real estate clients with lending, deposit, treasury management and other financial services.
Capital One primarily serves customers in the United States, with additional operations in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Capital One Financial Salesforce Just Got a Rare Double Upgrade—What Changed? OpenAI’s Revenue Scare Could Be a Big Opportunity for Investors China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment
Receive News & Ratings for Capital One Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Capital One Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Společnost Capital One před zveřejněním výsledků očekává zisk na akcii (EPS) ve výši 5,43 USD, což představuje meziroční pokles o 8,7 %, při tržbách 16,12 miliardy USD (+5 %).
Capital One (COF - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 20. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis credit card issuer and bank is expected to post quarterly earnings of $5.43 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -8.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $16.12 billion, up 5% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.01% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Capital One?For Capital One, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.50%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Capital One will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Capital One would post earnings of $4.85 per share when it actually produced earnings of $5.81, delivering a surprise of +19.79%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Capital One appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
