Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Central Garden & Pet Company is rated 'Hold' due to stagnant growth and margin concerns, despite trading below sector multiples. CENT's pet segment growth has plateaued, while garden segment margin compression offsets revenue gains, raising questions about sustainable profitability. Management maintains full-year guidance despite industry spending increases, reflecting caution amid a shrinking addressable customer base and shifting consumer habits.

Key Takeaways United Rentals' Q2 revenues rose 11.8%, while adjusted earnings increased 21.9% year over year.Record rental revenues climbed 12.7%, supported by 3.4% fleet productivity growth and specialty demand.United Rentals raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion on strong project activity. United Rentals, Inc. (URI - Free Report) reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.

Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported the results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year.

URI stock gained 8.3% during yesterday’s after-hours, following the earnings release.

URI's Q2 Earnings & RevenuesURI posted adjusted earnings of $12.76 per share, up 21.9% from $10.47 a year ago and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.67 by 9.3%.

Total revenues advanced 11.8% to $4.41 billion and topped the consensus mark of $4.24 billion by 4.1%.

URI’s Rental Revenues Reach a Quarterly RecordRental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Average original equipment at cost, or OEC, rose 7.1%.

Owned equipment rental revenues increased 9% to $2.99 billion from $2.75 billion. Re-rent revenues rose 46.7% to $88 million, while ancillary and other rental revenues advanced 26.2% to $770 million.

Sales of rental equipment increased 4.1% to $330 million. Sales of new equipment rose 14.7% to $86 million, contractor supplies sales increased 7.3% to $44 million and service and other revenues grew 6.3% to $101 million.

United Rentals Sees Specialty Growth AccelerateGeneral Rentals segment equipment rental revenues increased 6.6% year over year to $2.42 billion. Equipment rental gross profit rose 8.7% to $865 million, while gross margin expanded 70 basis points to 35.8%.

Specialty segment equipment rental revenues rose 24.8% to $1.43 billion. Gross profit increased 21.1% to $636 million, but gross margin contracted 140 basis points to 44.4%. The decline reflected a revenue mix shift toward lower-margin ancillary and re-rent revenues, partly offset by lower labor and benefit expenses as a percentage of revenues.

United Rentals' Profitability ImprovesGross profit increased to $1.73 billion from $1.53 billion. The gross margin improved to 39.3% from 38.9%, as revenue growth outpaced the increase in cost of revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.6% to a quarterly record of $2.06 billion. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 70 basis points to 46.6%, including a $49 million gain from the sale of part of the scaffolding business. Excluding that gain, the margin declined 40 basis points due mainly to the Specialty Rentals mix pressure.

Net income increased 21.1% to a second-quarter record of $753 million. Net income margin expanded 130 basis points to 17.1%, including a $37 million after-tax benefit from the scaffolding transaction.

United Rentals Maintains Financial FlexibilityFor the first six months of 2026, net cash provided by operating activities increased 20.1% to $3.31 billion. Free cash flow declined 4.1% to $1.15 billion, including restructuring-related payments and gross rental equipment purchases of $2.72 billion.

URI ended June with liquidity of $3 billion, including $112 million in cash and equivalents. Its net leverage ratio improved to 1.8x from 1.9x at the end of 2025.

The company returned $998 million to its shareholders during the first half of 2026, comprising $750 million in share repurchases and $248 million in dividends. United Rentals expects to repurchase $1.5 billion of shares in 2026 and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.97 per share.

URI Raises Key 2026 Guidance RangesManagement raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.

United Rentals now expects net cash provided by operating activities of $5.85-$6.65 billion, compared with the prior projection of $5.4-$6.2 billion. The free cash flow outlook, excluding restructuring-related payments, was maintained at $2.15-$2.45 billion.

Net rental capital expenditures are projected at $3.4-$3.8 billion after gross purchases of $4.85-$5.25 billion. Management cited large-project activity, customer backlogs and year-to-date momentum as factors supporting the higher outlook.

URI’s Zacks Rank & Recent Construction ReleasesCurrently, United Rentals carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM - Free Report) reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year. The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices (ASP) and margin compression.

PulteGroup ended the quarter with a backlog of 10,966 homes, up 1.7% from the prior-year level. Backlog units increased in the Northeast, Florida, Midwest and Texas, while the Southeast and West reported declines. The value of homes in backlog slipped 0.6% to $6.80 billion. The divergence between higher units and lower value indicates that the average value of homes in backlog declined year over year, consistent with PHM’s broader pricing pressure.

D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI - Free Report) reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $3.20 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.99 by 7%. Revenues of $9.23 billion also surpassed the consensus mark of $9.19 billion by 0.5%. On a year-over-year basis, earnings declined 4.8%, while revenues increased marginally.

DHI’s earnings and revenue beat was driven by higher home-closing volumes, resilient home sales margins, disciplined management of pricing and incentives, and contributions from the Rental, Forestar and Financial Services businesses. However, lower profitability, elevated incentives and cautious consumer demand continued to weigh on results. D.R. Horton now expects fiscal 2026 consolidated revenues of $32.5-$33 billion, down from $33.5-$34.5 billion expected earlier.

Lennar Corporation (LEN - Free Report) reported mixed second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with adjusted earnings topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues missed the same. Year over year, both metrics declined, given ongoing softness in housing demand and a lower ASP for homes delivered.

LEN’s Homebuilding revenues declined 2% year over year to $7.62 billion from $7.84 billion, with home deliveries increasing 2% to 20,519 homes from 20,131 homes a year ago. Backlog at quarter-end increased to 16,818 homes from 15,538 homes. For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Lennar expects home deliveries in the range of 20,500-21,500 and new orders between 21,000 and 22,000 homes. Gross margin on home sales is expected to be approximately 16%.

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Headquartered in Chattanooga, Unum (UNM - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of 13.28% so far this year. The insurance company is paying out a dividend of $0.46 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.1% compared to the Insurance - Accident and Health industry's yield of 1.34% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.34%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.84 is up 4.5% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Unum has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 9.80%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Unum's current payout ratio is 22%, meaning it paid out 22% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

UNM is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $8.75 per share, with earnings expected to increase 7.63% from the year ago period.

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.

Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, UNM is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Super Micro Computer, Inc. delivered preliminary FQ4 results with gross margins of 15–17%, nearly double guidance, and over $60 billion in new orders. SMCI's path to $100 billion in annual revenue is supported by surging orders and expanded manufacturing capacity, with DCBBS products driving margin expansion. The company has a clear path to $10+ EPS by FY28, while consensus estimates remain far lower despite massive order momentum.

Custom Health Holdings Inc (TSX:CHLT) just landed Buy-rated coverage from Stifel, with analysts setting a C$12 price target and pointing to upside as high as C$18 a share.

The pitch: a pill-dispensing platform that's quietly solving one of healthcare's most expensive headaches.

That headache is medication non-adherence, which costs the US healthcare system an eye-watering $0.5 trillion a year. Only about half of prescriptions get taken as directed, and the fallout, hospitalizations, ER visits, disease progression, adds up fast.

Custom Health's answer is a full-stack system: a device called Spencer that dispenses and monitors pills at home, an AI-powered platform called AdhereNet, and a network of automated pharmacies behind it. Stifel says the result is a 98% adherence rate, far above the industry norm.

Insurers have taken notice. Custom Health already has more than 100,000 patients contracted through deals with major US health plans, including Humana (NYSE:HUM), Elevance and BlueCross BlueShield, plus pain management specialists Commonwealth and BKC. Stifel expects the company to nearly triple its active patient count next year, from about 6,000 to 17,000, helped along by its recent acquisition of InnovativeRx, with revenue more than doubling.

One area where Custom Health has a particularly good story to tell: opioids. The platform helps physicians safely wean patients off opioid prescriptions, which lines up with the NOPAIN Act, a law that kicked in this past January and sweetens Medicare reimbursement for opioid-reduction efforts. Better adherence also tends to boost Medicare Star ratings, translating into higher rebates and bonus payments for health plans.

The typical Custom Health patient is in their 50s or 60s and juggling more than 10 chronic medications, exactly the population set to grow as the US and Canada keep aging.

Stifel thinks the InnovativeRx deal could unlock 4x revenue growth over the next two to three years as Custom Health works through 30,000 of the 100,000 patients already under contract, with more acquisitions still on the table.

The margin story is arguably the most compelling part: the Spencer device alone represents close to a $200 million recurring revenue opportunity at gross margins north of 60%. Layered on top of traditional pharmacy dispensing margins around 20%, Stifel sees a path to EBITDA margins in the high teens, well above what most pharmacy peers manage.

Stifel's initiation wasn't the only news out of Custom Health this month. The company has since signed a binding letter of intent to acquire Wisconsin-based Evergreen Pharmacy LLC, a deal expected to add more than US$78 million in annual revenue.

The price tag is modest relative to that boost: US$3.5 million total, including at least US$1 million in prescription drug inventory and US$450,000 in net working capital, cash on closing, with US$175,000 held back for six months as an indemnity cushion.

Evergreen is licensed to operate in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, with room to expand into Minnesota, and specializes in managing complex therapies across behavioral health, dermatology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, rheumatology and neurology. It brought in about US$78.8 million in revenue and US$0.6 million in normalized EBITDA for the 12 months ended December 31, 2025, and posted positive net income in both fiscal 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.

For Custom Health, the deal fits neatly with the growth story Stifel laid out: more patients on complex drug regimens, a bigger Midwest footprint, and another building block toward that four-times revenue potential.

Eagle Bancorp NASDAQ: EGBN reported lower second-quarter 2026 earnings as elevated credit costs and continued balance-sheet repositioning weighed on results, while the company’s new chief executive outlined priorities focused on asset quality, deposits, operating performance and capital.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based bank holding company posted net income of $6.9 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, compared with $14.7 million in the previous quarter, Chief Financial Officer Eric Newell said on the company’s earnings call. Newell said the decline “primarily reflects elevated provision expense, a smaller interest-earning asset base, continued resolutions associated with addressing problem assets and strengthening the overall health of the balance sheet.”

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Steve Curley, who joined Eagle Bancorp as president and chief executive three weeks before the call, said his immediate focus is on disciplined execution and improving confidence in the franchise.

“Investors are looking for results, not promises,” Curley said. “You’ll judge us by what we do, not what we say, and that’s exactly how we intend to earn your confidence.”

Asset quality remains central focus Management repeatedly emphasized that troubled credits have been identified and are being actively managed. Newell said the company’s approach is to “recognize problems early, reserve adequately, pursue resolution, and maximize recovery.”

Credit metrics improved in several areas during the quarter. Eagle’s commercial real estate concentration ratio declined to 268% at quarter-end from 295% in the prior quarter, moving further below the 300% threshold. Its acquisition, development and construction concentration ratio ended the quarter at 66%.

Criticized and classified assets, including substandard, special mention and held-for-sale loans, fell by about $34.5 million during the quarter to $759.6 million at June 30, compared with $794.1 million at March 31. Newell said those balances have declined more than 30% from their peak in the third quarter of 2025. As a percentage of Tier 1 capital and allowance for credit losses, criticized and classified assets declined to 58.1% at quarter-end, compared with 65.7% at year-end 2025.

The company reported approximately $216 million of downgrade activity during the quarter, including $102 million tied to multifamily loans. Newell said three loans represented all of the multifamily downgrade activity, including $35 million that paid off after quarter-end. The remaining two loans, totaling $64 million, are undergoing restructuring, with “no future losses anticipated,” he said.

Nonperforming loans declined to $111.1 million, or 1.68% of total loans. Provision for credit losses totaled $21.4 million, and net charge-offs were $47.9 million. Newell said the provision was tied to disposition activity during the quarter, while $18.5 million of charge-offs were associated with loans transferred from held for investment to held for sale.

The allowance for credit losses ended the quarter at $121.1 million, or 1.83% of total loans. Newell said about $40 million of reserves were allocated specifically to the bank’s income-producing office portfolio.

Curley said he has personally visited almost all special mention and substandard relationships greater than $7 million, along with several larger watch relationships. “What I found was not a portfolio full of surprises,” he said. “I found a portfolio with known issues, active resolution plans, and teams focused on executing against them.”

Balance sheet and funding strategy Eagle continued to reduce its commercial real estate exposure. Newell said CRE loans declined by $1.7 billion year-over-year, while deposits associated with that portfolio fell by only $152 million. That improved the CRE portfolio deposit funding ratio to 36%, up from 27% a year earlier.

Period-end deposits declined $406.4 million from the prior quarter, driven mainly by lower savings, money market and brokered time deposits. Brokered deposits fell $301.5 million as Eagle reduced reliance on higher-cost wholesale funding. Noninterest-bearing deposits increased to $1.56 billion, up 5.2% from the prior quarter.

Net interest income declined $1.3 million to $62.4 million, reflecting CRE payoffs and a smaller average earning-asset base, partially offset by improved funding mix. Net interest margin expanded five basis points to 2.52%.

Curley said one of his major priorities is improving the bank’s funding profile and building relationship-based core deposits before returning to stronger loan growth. “Too often, banks start by growing loans and then figuring out how to fund them,” he said. “We’ll take the opposite approach.”

Operating performance improves despite credit costs Pre-provision net revenue increased $1.4 million from the prior quarter to $29.1 million. Noninterest expense declined $4.7 million to $44 million, mainly because of lower FDIC insurance expense tied to improved risk and performance metrics and reduced expenses related to loan dispositions. The efficiency ratio improved to 60.2% from 63.8% in the prior quarter.

Newell said year-to-date pre-provision net revenue to average assets was about 109 basis points, an improvement from 2025 and a step toward the company’s intermediate target of roughly 150 basis points.

For 2026, management revised its outlook for average deposits, average loans and average earning assets to reflect first-half reductions, but Newell said the revisions do not assume continued declines in the second half. The bank narrowed its net interest margin outlook to 2.6% to 2.7% and improved its noninterest expense outlook to a decline of 7% to 11% year-over-year. Eagle continues to expect noninterest income growth of 15% to 25% for the year.

C&I growth remains a bright spot Management pointed to commercial and industrial lending as an area of momentum. Newell said C&I loans increased 24% year-over-year, with diversified production and strong credit quality.

Evelyn Lee, chief C&I lending officer, said the bank has benefited from its reputation in the Washington metropolitan area and from hiring experienced bankers. Looking ahead, she said normalized C&I growth would likely be in the “high single digits, low double digits.”

Lee said the C&I strategy is focused on new primary relationships rather than participations, with treasury management growth serving as an indicator of deeper client relationships. She said typical C&I relationships are generally between $5 million and $10 million in exposure, while new production can range from about $7 million to $15 million or $20 million.

In commercial real estate, Ryan Riel, chief real estate lending officer, said the bank expects to stabilize balances in the second half of 2026 but does not expect growth before year-end. Curley added that the company aims to “arrest the decline in the balance sheet” in the back half of the year and return to a growth footing in 2027.

Capital and turnaround priorities Curley said capital is another area under review, though he did not provide specific targets or potential actions. He described capital as “a strategic asset” and said the company is evaluating capital levels, flexibility and ways to create long-term shareholder value.

He also said Eagle is recruiting a new chief credit officer and beginning the search for a chief human resources officer following a planned retirement. The bank plans to continue investing in technology, processes and capabilities while remaining disciplined on expenses.

Asked by analysts about the most immediate opportunity at Eagle, Curley said the key task is stopping the balance-sheet decline. “I’ve never seen a bank shrink to greatness,” he said. He added that the company has opportunities to resume disciplined CRE lending, expand business banking and improve branch productivity.

Curley closed the call by saying his objective is not to remake the company, but to strengthen it. “My objective isn’t to create a different EagleBank,” he said. “It’s to build a stronger EagleBank.”

About Eagle Bancorp (NASDAQ:EGBN)Eagle Bancorp, Inc is the bank holding company for EagleBank, a commercial bank headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Since its founding in 1998, the company has focused on serving businesses and consumers in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. EagleBank operates a network of full-service branches and commercial banking centers, providing personalized financial solutions to corporate, nonprofit, real estate and individual clients.

The company's product portfolio includes commercial real estate lending, construction and land development financing, small business administration (SBA) loans, commercial and industrial credit facilities, and residential mortgage loans.

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

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Quantum computing stocks spent late 2025 sprinting for the ceiling, but now they're rediscovering gravity. IonQ (IONQ -1.13%) is down 37% over the past month, and D-Wave Quantum (QBTS -1.01%) has fallen by 28% in the same period. Even shares of Nvidia (NVDA -1.40%), which doesn't directly compete in quantum computing despite significant indirect participation, have been drifting sideways as investors rebalance the artificial intelligence (AI) trade.

So are the two beaten-down pure plays worth buying on the dip, or is it better to just buy Nvidia?

Image source: Getty Images.

How the pure plays size up The first thing to know about IonQ and D-Wave is that they're both banking on the federal government as a major customer, both now and in the future, just like many other quantum computing businesses.

IonQ has over $100 million in Air Force Research Lab contracts, plus extensive DARPA and Oak Ridge work queued up. D-Wave has a $1.6 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, and a $100 million letter of intent for future spending under the Chips Act -- but that's not the same as an order from a paying customer, at least not yet.

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In terms of revenue, IonQ brought in $64.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 755% year over year, and raised its full-year guidance to between $260 million and $270 million. So it's not having much of a problem finding sources of growth, though there's still no timeline on when it might be profitable.

D-Wave's revenue was only $2.9 million in the same quarter, down 81% compared to a year ago, thanks to a one-time $12.6 million system sale last year, though its Q1 bookings jumped to $33.4 million. It presently looks highly reliant on the proposed Chips Act funding to fill out its top line, as its core revenue isn't growing much, even after taking into account the big sale from 2025.

Both of these companies are highly risky investments, and they might not ever be profitable enough to return capital to investors.

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For the moment, they're more reliant on narratives and catalysts than their progress toward profitability, as even starting down that road is at least a handful of years into the future for both. Among these two, IonQ thus has a fair bit more traction and $3.1 billion in cash and equivalents, whereas D-Wave only has $588 million.

Why Nvidia is the smarter call Nvidia isn't as exposed to quantum computing as IonQ or D-Wave; its intention is to create foundational resources that will drive demand for its graphics processing units (GPUs) and enable it to market various software and hardware solutions specifically for hybrid quantum-classical setups.

To that end, in October 2025, the company launched NVQLink, an interconnect that links quantum processors to GPUs for real-time error correction and hybrid workloads. Seventeen quantum hardware developers signed on, including IonQ and several of its competitors. CUDA-Q, Nvidia's open-source hybrid programming platform, is the control surface for NVQLink.

The effect of this positioning is that every serious quantum program now needs racks of Blackwell GPUs alongside its qubits. Nvidia doesn't have to pick a quantum winner to build hardware for, because they all already run on its hardware.

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But, as good as that sounds, it won't move the needle for Nvidia stock in the near term.

It generated $81.6 billion in revenue in the fiscal first quarter of 2027, with $75.2 billion of that sum from its data center segment. The entire quantum computing industry is thus, for Nvidia, mostly optionality that's bolted onto a business already generating extraordinary sales and cash flow. It's seeding the growth markets that it wants to sell to today at a small scale, and potentially at a much larger scale in the future.

Therefore, Nvidia is going to win in quantum computing, whether IonQ, D-Wave, one of their peers, or none of them end up solving their various major technical hurdles. It's almost certainly a better purchase than either of the two pure plays, and it's much lower-risk in comparison.

Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Advance Auto Parts (AAP - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry.

This auto parts retailer has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 103.60%.

For the most recent quarter, Advance Auto Parts was expected to post earnings of $0.39 per share, but it reported $0.77 per share instead, representing a surprise of 97.44%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.41 per share, while it actually produced $0.86 per share, a surprise of 109.76%.

Price and EPS Surprise

For Advance Auto Parts, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Advance Auto Parts currently has an Earnings ESP of +8.04%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner.

With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

First American Financial Corporation (FAF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 23, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Craig J. Barberio - Vice President of Investor Relations
Mark Seaton - CEO & Director
Matthew Wajner - Executive VP & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Terry Ma - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Oscar Nieves Santana - Stephens Inc., Research Division
Bose George - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division
Mark DeVries - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the First American Financial Corporation Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]

A copy of today's press release is available on First American's website at www.firstam.com/investor. Please note that the call is being recorded and will be available for replay from the company's Investor website and for a short time by dialing (877) 660-6853 or (201) 612-7415 and enter the conference ID 13761705.

We will now turn the call over to Craig Barberio, Vice President, Investor Relations, to make an introductory statement.

Craig J. Barberio
Vice President of Investor Relations

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to First American's Earnings Conference Call for the second quarter of 2026. Joining us today on the call will be our Chief Executive Officer, Mark Seaton; and Matt Wajner, Chief Financial Officer. Some of the statements made today may contain forward-looking statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current fact. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Risks and uncertainties exist that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these forward-looking statements. For more information on these risks and uncertainties, please refer to yesterday's earnings release and the risk factors discussed in

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.

That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.

However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects, makes it pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks.

Hamilton Lane (HLNE - Free Report) is on the list of such stocks currently recommended by our proprietary system. In addition to a favorable Growth Score, it carries a top Zacks Rank.

Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

Here are three of the most important factors that make the stock of this private-market investment firm a great growth pick right now.

Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Hamilton Lane is 8.7%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 9% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 6%.

Impressive Asset Utilization RatioAsset utilization ratio -- also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio -- is often overlooked by investors, but it is an important indicator in growth investing. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Hamilton Lane has an S/TA ratio of 0.37, which means that the company gets $0.37 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.24, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Hamilton Lane looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 18.6% this year versus the industry average of 4.5%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Hamilton Lane have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 1.5% over the past month.

Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Hamilton Lane a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.

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

This combination positions Hamilton Lane well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.

Medpace Holdings remains a "Buy" as Q2 2026 showed broad metric improvement and an inflection point in growth trajectory. The company's net book-to-Bill ratio rebounded to 1.13x, and backlog conversion rate rose to 24.1%, signaling strong future revenue visibility. Revenue grew 17.2% YoY to $707.3M, with EPS of $4.25 beating expectations; full-year 2026 guidance was raised to $2.805B–$2.885B.

Rollins, Inc. (ROL) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.17 per share, an increase of 13% from the last quarterly dividend paid of $0.15 per share. This quarter's dividend will be payable on August 20, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 5, 2026. 

About MGIC

Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) (mgic.com), the principal subsidiary of MGIC Investment Corporation, provides mortgage insurance solutions that support responsible credit risk management for mortgage lenders and investors and enable borrowers to qualify for mortgages with lower down payments. As the founder and longstanding leader of today's private mortgage insurance industry, MGIC continues to guide the industry's evolution while serving as a trusted partner to lenders across the country.

From time-to-time MGIC Investment Corporation releases important information via postings on its corporate website, and via postings on MGIC's website, and it intends to continue to do so in the future. Such postings include corrections of previous disclosures and may be made without any other disclosure. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information for MGIC Investment Corporation alerts can be found at https://mtg.mgic.com/shareholder-services/email-alerts. For information about our underwriting and rates, see https://www.mgic.com/underwriting.

SOURCE MGIC Investment Corporation

Key Takeaways Comcast beat Q2 earnings estimates as reported revenues fell 1.2% year over year. CMCSA posted a record wireless quarter, while Peacock reached quarterly profitability for the first time.Comcast plans to separate NBCUniversal and Sky into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spin-off. Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) delivered adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share in the second quarter of 2026, down 16.7% from the year-ago period but ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents by 7.2%.

Consolidated revenues decreased 1.2% year over year to $29.94 billion but topped the consensus mark of $29.18 billion by 2.6%. On a pro forma basis, reflecting the Versant separation completed on Jan. 2, 2026, and the sale of Sky operations in Germany completed on May 31, 2026, revenues increased 4.7% year over year.

The quarter was shaped by continued traction in the company's go-to-market reset in Connectivity & Platforms, highlighted by the best wireless quarter on record alongside Peacock reaching quarterly profitability for the first time. Comcast also announced its intention to separate NBCUniversal and Sky into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spin-off.

CMCSA Connectivity Pivot Shows Early TractionConnectivity & Platforms revenues (66.1% of revenues) decreased 3% year over year to $19.8 billion in the reported quarter as pressure in Residential Connectivity & Platforms outweighed continued gains in Business Services Connectivity.

Under the segment, Residential Connectivity & Platforms revenues decreased 4% year over year to $17.12 billion. Business Services Connectivity revenues increased 3.7% year over year to $2.67 billion.

Total Residential Connectivity & Platforms customer relationships decreased 230,000 to 47.7 million, reflecting decreases in both domestic and international customer relationships. Total domestic broadband residential customer net losses were 167,000. Total domestic wireless line net additions were 448,000, marking the company's best quarterly result on record, with total wireless lines rising to 10.2 million. Total domestic video customer net losses were 280,000.

 Content & Experiences revenues (35.8% of revenues) increased 22.9% year over year to $10.73 billion, driven primarily by Media and Studios.

Under the segment, Media revenues increased 25.3% year over year to $5.69 billion, including $440 million of incremental revenues from the FIFA World Cup. Peacock reached quarterly profitability for the first time with EBITDA of $189 million, increasing $290 million year over year, while paid subscribers rose by 2 million net additions in the quarter to 48 million, driven by the NBA Playoffs, the FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA.

Studios revenues increased 25% year over year to $3.04 billion, driven by higher theatrical revenues from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Obsession and the international distribution of Michael. Theme Parks revenues increased 2.7% year over year to $2.41 billion, reflecting higher revenues at Orlando theme parks, partially offset by lower revenues at international parks.

CMCSA’s Operating DetailsCosts and expenses in the second quarter of 2026 increased 1.9% year over year to $24.78 billion.

Programming and production costs increased 10.7% from the year-ago quarter to $8.39 billion. Marketing and promotion expenses increased 4.2% year over year to $2.26 billion while other operating and administrative expenses rose 0.2% to $10.45 billion.

Adjusted EBITDA decreased 13.4% year over year to $8.9 billion. On a pro forma basis, reflecting the Versant separation and the Sky Germany sale, adjusted EBITDA declined 5.3% year over year.

Total Connectivity & Platforms adjusted EBITDA declined 5.7% year over year to $7.96 billion. Residential Connectivity & Platforms adjusted EBITDA decreased 8% year over year to $6.45 billion, reflecting investment in the new go-to-market strategy. Business Services Connectivity adjusted EBITDA increased 5% year over year to $1.52 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 56.7%.

Content & Experiences adjusted EBITDA increased 7.1% year over year to $1.33 billion. Media adjusted EBITDA increased 3.7% year over year to $708 million. Studios adjusted EBITDA increased to $202 million from $61 million, driven by strong theatrical performance. Theme Parks’ adjusted EBITDA decreased 5.1% year over year to $609 million.

CMCSA's Cash Flow & LiquidityAs of June 30, 2026, cash and cash equivalents totaled $7.66 billion, which decreased from $9.47 billion as of March 31, 2026.

As of June 30, 2026, consolidated total debt was $90.38 billion, which decreased from $94.61 billion as of March 31, 2026.

Free cash flow was $4.6 billion in the reported quarter, which increased from $4.5 billion in the prior year quarter.

In the second quarter of 2026, Comcast generated $8.09 billion in cash from operations, which increased from $7.82 billion reported in the prior year quarter.

Comcast paid dividends totaling $1.2 billion and repurchased 33.8 million of its shares for $900 million, resulting in a total return of capital to shareholders of $2.1 billion. On June 29 2026, the company announced it would pause its share repurchase program as it works through the separation of its businesses into two independent publicly traded companies.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderCMCSA currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are Cimpress (CMPR - Free Report) , The Marcus (MCS - Free Report) and News Corporation (NWSA - Free Report) , each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Shares of Cimpress have returned 45.6% in the year-to-date period. Cimpress is slated to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on July 29.

Shares of The Marcus have returned 53.5% in the year-to-date period. The Marcus is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.

Shares of News Corporation have returned 2.8% in the year-to-date period. News Corporation is slated to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Aug. 5.

Investors interested in Beverages - Soft drinks stocks are likely familiar with Primo Brands (PRMB) and Monster Beverage (MNST). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?

Key Takeaways

Parsons’ expanding portfolio of mission-focused products – underpinned by artificial intelligence – complements and enhances the company's broader global solutions offerings across national security and critical infrastructure markets.Products including Cyber Fly-Away Kits, AresNXT™, Javelin®, DroneArmor™, TReX®, Peanut™, iNET®, BlueFly®, GOCaaS™, and OrbitXchange™ demonstrate the company's ability to innovate, commercialize, and scale technologies that support customer missions.Parsons continues to invest in product development and commercialization to deliver repeatable, high-value offerings that drive mission outcomes, long-term growth, and margin expansion.
CHANTILLY, Va., July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN), a leading global solutions provider in the defense, intelligence, and infrastructure markets, today highlighted its growing portfolio of mission-focused products – underpinned by artificial intelligence (AI) – that complement and enhance the company's global solutions and help customers address evolving challenges.

Built on decades of operational experience and customer collaboration, Parsons' product portfolio strengthens the company's ability to deliver integrated solutions across complex mission environments. These technologies provide customers with agile, scalable capabilities that enhance decision-making, improve resilience, and support mission success while creating flexible offerings.

“Our innovation is rooted in continuous advancement and a relentless focus on customer outcomes,” said Ricardo Lorenzo, chief technology officer at Parsons. “Parsons is uniquely positioned to combine deep mission expertise, AI-powered solutions, and scalable technologies to solve complex customer challenges. Through our One Parsons approach, we are extending the strength of our existing solutions portfolio by connecting experts across transportation, cyber and electronic warfare, space and missile defense, water and environment, urban development, and critical infrastructure protection.”

The company’s One Parsons approach leverages global expertise to accelerate innovation, strengthen product development, and deliver greater value for customers. Technologies developed in support of one customer mission can be adapted, integrated, and scaled across multiple markets.

“As the global threat landscape and demands on critical infrastructure continue to evolve, Parsons is expanding a product portfolio built around two urgent missions: securing the infrastructure that communities and economies depend on, and delivering AI-enabled, mission-ready technologies that help protect lives,” said Aaron Wajsgras, vice president of product strategy and commercialization at Parsons. “Every offering is rooted in customer outcomes, turning proven innovation into repeatable solutions that help customers operate with faster decision-making, greater resilience, and a mission-critical advantage.”

Parsons' portfolio spans cyber operations, biometrics and identity management, electronic warfare, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (CUAS), space operations, critical infrastructure protection, border security, and transportation. These offerings are sold directly to customers or integrated into larger company solutions.

Domain Superiority: Cyber Fly-Away Kits, TReX®, and Peanut™
Parsons' national security portfolio includes AI-enabled technologies designed to help customers maintain an operational advantage across cyber, electronic warfare, and contested environments.

Cyber Fly-Away Kits provide rapidly deployable defensive cyber capabilities that support cyber hunt and mission assurance activities.TReX® delivers high-fidelity threat emulation and electronic warfare testing capabilities that help customers prepare for evolving threat environments.Peanut™ provides resilient positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities that support operations when traditional GPS signals are degraded, denied, or unavailable.
Securing Critical Infrastructure: DroneArmor™, AresNXT™, Javelin®, BlueFly® and TAKaaS
Parsons helps customers protect global critical infrastructure, public venues, transportation systems, and high-consequence assets through a growing portfolio of security and identity management technologies.

AresNXT™ provides next-generation biometric identity management capabilities that improve security, interoperability, and operational efficiency across mobile and enterprise environments.Javelin® delivers secure identity enrollment and verification capabilities that support law enforcement, public safety, national security, and event security missions.Complementing these offerings, DroneArmor™ provides counter-unmanned aircraft system capabilities that help customers detect, identify, and respond to emerging aerial threats, supporting force protection and critical infrastructure security requirements around the world.BlueFly® search-and-rescue system helps first responders and search teams rapidly locate individuals in a difficult environment.TAKaaS offers comprehensive TAK (Tactical Assault Kit/Team Awareness Kit) development, hosting, integration, fielding, and training services unlocking the full potential of the TAK ecosystem and ensuring mission success and effective operations for militaries, security forces, first responders, and event personnel.
Space Solutions: GOCaaS™ and OrbitXchange™
Parsons expansive portfolio of space-focused technologies support resilient satellite operations.

OrbitXchange™ orchestrates automated access to global antenna networks enabling satellite communications, telemetry, tracking, and command services.GOCaaS™ delivers 24/7 operational satellite operations as a service for any satellite delivering automated telemetry, tracking, commanding, mission management, and data delivery within a secure environment, helping government and commercial customers improve efficiency, resiliency, and mission assurance across increasingly complex space environments. Infrastructure Solutions: iNET®
iNET® is a globally deployed platform that helps transportation agencies around the world connect vehicles, infrastructure, and operational systems to improve mobility, safety, and efficiency. Built on Parsons' deep transportation expertise, iNET® demonstrates how the company's One Parsons approach combines digital innovation, infrastructure delivery, and operational experience to help customers build and secure critical infrastructure worldwide.

Parsons’ smart-mobility and traffic-management expertise extend beyond North America into the Middle East, where the company has delivered major ITS, traffic management centers, and smart-city mobility programs across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait. These programs include integrated corridor management, centralized traffic operations centers, real-time monitoring and analytics, connected ITS devices, and multimodal coordination.

Parsons’ products trace their origins to customer missions around the world and are deployed across government, commercial, and critical infrastructure environments. From transportation agencies operating statewide mobility networks to security professionals conducting identity operations, cyber teams defending critical assets, and space operators supporting national security missions, the company’s solutions help customers solve complex challenges while preparing for future operational demands.

To learn more about Parsons' products and technology solutions, visit Parsons.com/products.

About Parsons:
Parsons (NYSE: PSN) is a leading disruptive technology provider in the national security and global infrastructure markets, with capabilities across cyber and electronic warfare, space and missile defense, transportation, water and environment, urban development, and critical infrastructure protection. Please visit Parsons.com and follow us on LinkedIn to learn how we’re making an impact.

Forward-Looking Statements:
This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs and assumptions, and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, changes in circumstances, trends and factors that are difficult to predict, many of which are outside of our control. Accordingly, actual performance, results and events may vary materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, and you should not rely on the forward-looking statements as predictions of future performance, results or events. Numerous factors could cause actual future performance, results and events to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: any issue that compromises our relationships with the U.S. federal government or its agencies or other state, local or foreign governments or agencies; any issues that damage our professional reputation; changes in governmental priorities that shift expenditures away from agencies or programs that we support; our dependence on long-term government contracts, which are subject to the government’s budgetary approval process; the size of our addressable markets and the amount of government spending on private contractors; failure by us or our employees to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances or certifications; failure to comply with numerous laws and regulations; changes in government procurement, contract or other practices or the adoption by governments of new laws, rules, regulations and programs in a manner adverse to us; the termination or nonrenewal of our government contracts, particularly our contracts with the U.S. federal government; our ability to compete effectively in the competitive bidding process and delays, contract terminations or cancellations caused by competitors’ protests of major contract awards received by us; our ability to generate revenue under certain of our contracts; any inability to attract, train or retain employees with the requisite skills, experience and security clearances; the loss of members of senior management or failure to develop new leaders; misconduct or other improper activities from our employees or subcontractors; our ability to realize the full value of our backlog and the timing of our receipt of revenue under contracts included in backlog; changes in the mix of our contracts and our ability to accurately estimate or otherwise recover expenses, time and resources for our contracts; changes in estimates used in recognizing revenue; internal system or service failures and security breaches; and inherent uncertainties and potential adverse developments in legal proceedings, including litigation, audits, reviews and investigations, which may result in materially adverse judgments, settlements or other unfavorable outcomes. These factors are not exhaustive and additional factors could adversely affect our business and financial performance. For a discussion of additional factors that could materially adversely affect our business and financial performance, see the factors included under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and speak only as of the date on which they are made. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release that becomes untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise, except to the extent we are required to do so by law.

Media Contact:                                        
Bryce McDevitt
+1 703.851.4425
[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:
Dave Spille
+1 703.775.6191
[email protected]

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. However, it isn't easy to find a great growth stock.

By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.

However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Our proprietary system currently recommends Vertiv Holdings Co. (VRT - Free Report) as one such stock. This company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.

Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this company is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Vertiv is 64%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 51.9% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 8%.

Cash Flow GrowthCash is the lifeblood of any business, but higher-than-average cash flow growth is more beneficial and important for growth-oriented companies than for mature companies. That's because, high cash accumulation enables these companies to undertake new projects without raising expensive outside funds.

Right now, year-over-year cash flow growth for Vertiv is 41%, which is higher than many of its peers. In fact, the rate compares to the industry average of 10.2%.

While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 31.5% over the past 3-5 years versus the industry average of 7.1%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Vertiv have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.3% over the past month.

Bottom LineVertiv has not only earned a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #2 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.

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

This combination positions Vertiv well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.

Procore Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PCOR), the leading global provider of construction management software, today announced three new Digital Coworker packages t

The U.S. energy sector has outperformed in 2026, driven primarily by geopolitical-related supply fears, elevated oil prices, and rising demand from the AI infrastructure buildout. While broad energy funds have also surged, investors can potentially enhance exposure by targeting specific segments of the energy market.

Key Takeaways Geopolitical supply concerns, elevated crude oil prices, and AI infrastructure energy demand have driven the U.S. energy sector’s strong 2026 performance. While broad market ETFs like the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) and the Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) provide core exposure, investors can potentially capture higher returns by specifically targeting different segments of the oil and gas value chain. Upstream firms capitalize on rising crude prices, while midstream companies generate steady income through fee-based models. Downstream refiners capture gains when widening crack spreads boost refining margins. Broad Market Energy Funds The State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) covers the broader oil and gas value chain by tracking the S&P Energy Select Sector Index (IXE). Integrated majors ExxonMobil (XOM) and Chevron Corporation (CVX) make up over 35% of portfolio allocations. The fund has generated a year-to-date total return of 32.63% through July 21, with inflows of $3.5 billion. 

The Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) takes a similar broad market approach, tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index. ExxonMobil and Chevron Corporation also collectively make up roughly 35% of the portfolio. VDE has risen 33.09% so far this year, receiving inflows of $720.25 million. 

Capitalizing on Elevated Crude Oil Prices Exploration & production (E&P) firms have benefited significantly from elevated crude oil prices. These upstream firms focus on finding, extracting, and selling the oil, making their performance heavily dependent on crude oil prices. The U.S. crude oil benchmark (WTI) is up 47.88% year to date through July 21, allowing E&P firms to sell the same crude oil at higher prices, directly boosting cash flows. 

Funds such as the State Street SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (XOP) provide exposure to these upstream firms. XOP tracks the S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Select Industry Index, which provides equal-weighted exposure across over 50 U.S. E&P firms. XOP has climbed 38.90% in 2026 and has seen inflows of $889.62 million. 

For targeted exposure to E&P producers in Texas, investors can turn to the Texas Capital Texas Oil Index ETF (OILT). This fund tracks the Alerian Texas Weighted Oil and Gas Index (ATXWO), using an economic-value weighted strategy. Individual holdings are weighted by the volume and value of oil and gas produced in Texas, with a cap of 10% for any single holding. OILT has gained 30.91% year to date as oil prices remain elevated. 

The VanEck Oil Services ETF (OIH) targets the 25 most liquid companies involved in upstream oil and gas services. The fund tracks the MVIS US Listed Oil Services 25 Index (MVOIH), with heavy weighting towards the fund’s top holdings. Its top holding, SLB Limited (SLB), sits at a 19.00% portfolio weight as of July 21, while the second largest holding, Baker Hughes Company (BKR), maintains a 11.93% weight. OIH primarily invests in U.S. companies, with approximately a quarter allocated to U.S. listed foreign companies. The fund has returned 34.67%  in 2026, seeing inflows of $193.89 million over the same period. 

Midstream Income and Stability While upstream producers directly benefit from elevated oil prices, midstream firms maintain stable cash flows from their fee-based business models, largely insulated from commodity price volatility. The midstream sector has performed strongly in 2026, driven by stable income, power demand from AI infrastructure projects, and record liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. 

The Alerian Energy Infrastructure ETF (ENFR) delivers midstream exposure through the Alerian Midstream Energy Select Index (AMEI), a composite of North American energy infrastructure companies. ENFR maintains a portfolio of roughly 30 holdings with larger firms holding higher portfolio weights. The fund has gained 29.38% with inflows of approximately $70 million year to date. 

For investors seeking pure exposure to midstream MLPs, the Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP) is composed of 100% MLPs. The fund tracks the Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index (AMZI), which is a capped, float-adjusted, capitalization-weighted composite of energy infrastructure MLPs that earn most of their cash flow from midstream activities. AMLP has climbed 20.30% year to date with inflows of $604 million. MLPs have attracted significant investor interest due to their track record of providing generous quarterly distributions, which provide a stable stream of income. 

Capturing Crack Spreads Downstream Looking downstream, oil refiners have performed strongly in 2026. Global supply constraints are widening the crack spread between crude oil and refined fuels, creating elevated profit margins for oil refiners. However, it’s important to note that if crude oil prices spike too quickly, refiners often can’t pass the full cost on to consumers, causing their margins to shrink.

The VanEck Oil Refiners ETF (CRAK) captures this elevated crack spread by tracking the MVIS Global Oil Refiners Index (MVCRAK). The index provides global pure-play exposure to roughly 30 to 35 oil refiners, excluding integrated majors. 

For inclusion in the fund, firms must generate at least 50% of revenues from crude oil refining and production of petrochemicals. Holdings are weighted using a modified market capitalization weighting, limiting individual holdings to a maximum portfolio weight of 8%. CRAK has climbed 48.43% in 2026, with inflows of approximately $100 million. 

For more news, information, and analysis visit the Thematic Investing Content Hub. 

vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for OILT, AMLP, and ENFR for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, OILT, AMLP, and ENFR are not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi, and VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of OILT, AMLP, or ENFR.

Partnership combines sovereign digital infrastructure, enterprise AI capabilities,
and industry expertise to help position Thailand as a leading AI economy in Southeast Asia

, /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leading AI builder and global technology services provider, and Gulf Edge Company Limited (Gulf Edge), the digital infrastructure arm of Gulf Group, today announced a landmark strategic partnership that aims to accelerate AI adoption across Thailand and support the country's transition toward an AI-native economy.

Cognizant and Gulf Edge Launch Strategic AI & Services Partnership to Accelerate Thailand’s AI Transformation. Cognizant is an AI Builder company www.cognizant.ai As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries, economies and societies worldwide, the partnership aims to establish the foundational ecosystem needed to enable Thailand's next phase of digital transformation. By combining trusted sovereign digital infrastructure with world-class AI engineering and enterprise transformation capabilities, Gulf Edge and Cognizant intend to help organizations deploy AI securely, responsibly and at scale.

The collaboration brings together Gulf Edge's leadership in digital infrastructure, energy, cloud, and strategic relationships across Thailand's most important industries with Cognizant's global expertise in AI, digital engineering, cloud modernization, data, and intelligent operations. Together, the two companies aim to deliver end-to-end AI capabilities spanning infrastructure, AI platforms, enterprise solutions, systems integration and managed services.

The partnership will initially focus on accelerating AI adoption across key sectors including banking and financial services, energy and utilities, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing and the public sector. Through industry-specific AI solutions, organizations are expected to improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, strengthen decision-making, automate complex business processes and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Beyond enterprise transformation, Gulf Edge and Cognizant share a broader ambition of strengthening Thailand's position as a regional AI hub. The partnership is expected to attract global technology expertise, stimulate investment in advanced digital capabilities and create high-value employment opportunities across AI engineering, data science, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and digital transformation. The two companies also plan to collaborate with universities, research institutions, technology partners and public-sector organizations to develop AI talent, promote responsible AI adoption and foster a sustainable innovation ecosystem for the country.

Mr. Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Development Public Company Limited, said, "Our partnership with Cognizant marks an important milestone in our vision of helping Thailand become an AI-native economy. By combining Gulf Edge's strengths in digital infrastructure, energy, cloud, and deep understanding of the Thai market with Cognizant's global expertise in enterprise AI, digital engineering, and transformation services, we are creating a comprehensive platform that enables organizations to adopt AI with confidence and generate measurable business outcomes. Together, we will develop secure, resilient, and future-ready sovereign digital infrastructure while delivering industry-specific AI solutions tailored to the needs of Thai enterprises and public institutions. We believe AI has the potential to transform every sector, creating new opportunities for productivity, innovation, and sustainable economic growth."

Mr. Ganesh Ayyar, President of Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ), Cognizant, said, "Cognizant and Gulf Edge share a clear ambition to accelerate AI adoption in Thailand, helping to position the country as a regional AI hub. As an AI Builder, Cognizant focuses on bridging the gap between AI investments and measurable business value by building AI into everyday workflows, utilizing specific business context, and embedding it directly into existing operations. Together with Gulf Edge, we intend to bring this approach to Thai organizations, helping them innovate and scale." Ayyar continued, "This joint effort has the potential to generate up to approximately 1,000 high-skilled jobs in advanced AI and digital transformation. We are excited to collaborate with Gulf Edge to develop homegrown talent and build the lasting technology capabilities required for Thailand's digital future."

About Gulf Edge
Gulf Edge Company Limited is the digital infrastructure arm of Gulf Development Public Company Limited, Thailand's leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate. Gulf Edge is building a robust digital ecosystem, spanning data centers, cloud services, satellite technology, and AI infrastructure, to accelerate Thailand's digital transformation and position the country as a regional hub for the AI economy.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, building the bridge between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for clients. Its deep industry, process, and engineering expertise enables it to build an organization's unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, realize tangible returns, and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.ai or @cognizant.

For more information, contact:

U.S.

Name Katrina Cheung

Email [email protected] 

Europe / APAC

Name Sarah Douglas

Email [email protected] 

India

Name Vipin Nair

Email [email protected] 

SOURCE Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation

Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.

Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.

Below, we take a look at Steven Madden (SHOO - Free Report) , a company that currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B. We also talk about price change and earnings estimate revisions, two of the main aspects of the Momentum Style Score.

It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Steven Madden currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.

You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>

Set to Beat the Market?Let's discuss some of the components of the Momentum Style Score for SHOO that show why this footwear and accessories retailer shows promise as a solid momentum pick.

A good momentum benchmark for a stock is to look at its short-term price activity, as this can reflect both current interest and if buyers or sellers currently have the upper hand. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area.

For SHOO, shares are up 3.36% over the past week while the Zacks Shoes and Retail Apparel industry is up 0.1% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 2.88% compares favorably with the industry's 0.05% performance as well.

While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Over the past quarter, shares of Steven Madden have risen 17.69%, and are up 61.15% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved 5.37% and 20.16%, respectively.

Investors should also pay attention to SHOO's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. SHOO is currently averaging 1,112,359 shares for the last 20 days.

Earnings OutlookThe Zacks Momentum Style Score also takes into account trends in estimate revisions, in addition to price changes. Please note that estimate revision trends remain at the core of Zacks Rank as well. A nice path here can help show promise, and we have recently been seeing that with SHOO.

Over the past two months, 1 earnings estimate moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. This revision helped boost SHOO's consensus estimate, increasing from $2.09 to $2.10 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 1 estimate has moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.

Bottom LineTaking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that SHOO is a #2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Steven Madden on your short list.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 03/09 - 03/13Huntington Bancshares NASDAQ: HBAN executives said the bank delivered a strong second quarter of 2026, citing organic loan and deposit growth, higher revenue, improving profitability and completion of the Cadence systems conversion as key milestones.

Chairman, President and CEO Stephen Steinour called the quarter “exceptional,” saying Huntington is now at an “inflection point” after completing recent integrations and expanding its footprint. He said customer activity remains steady, commercial demand is broad-based and visibility on economic trends has improved since the prior quarter.

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Huntington Bancshares Is Chasing a Bigger Growth Story“Our core businesses are performing at a high level, our conversions are complete, and we are positioned to capture the benefits of our investments, as well as the recent partnerships and expanded footprint,” Steinour said.

Cadence Conversion Completed as Management Shifts Focus to Growth Brant Standridge, Huntington’s President of Consumer and Regional Banking, said the bank completed the Cadence systems conversion 235 days after announcement. He said the process included training and transitioning 4,500 colleagues onto Huntington systems, onboarding hundreds of thousands of customers, converting ATM and ITM locations and changing more than 4,000 signs.

Regional Banking Sector Near a Critical Inflection PointStandridge said Huntington grew deposits during the conversion weekend and in the weeks that followed, a result he described as unusual for a bank conversion. He said the company is retaining about 80% of maturing CD balances in the Cadence footprint, reducing higher-cost wholesale funding and brokered deposits, and increasing checking account growth.

Management said Huntington remains on track to achieve $365 million in Cadence cost synergies in the fourth quarter. Chief Financial Officer Zach Wasserman said the combined Veritex and Cadence run-rate expense synergy target remains $435 million by the fourth quarter.

Standridge also highlighted early revenue opportunities from the Cadence combination, including nearly $1 billion of expanding client commitments across energy, commercial real estate and auto floorplan businesses. He said Huntington has completed more than 10 capital markets transactions with customers in the Cadence footprint since closing, generating approximately $12 million of fees.

Loan and Deposit Growth Remain Central to Results Wasserman said average loans increased $15 billion, or 8.6%, sequentially in the second quarter. Normalizing for the day-count effect of the Cadence balance sheet in the first quarter, average loans increased $2.2 billion, or 1.2%, which he described as strong organic expansion.

Loan growth was led by commercial and industrial categories, including corporate and specialty areas. Wasserman cited activity from the financial institutions group, industrials, diversified businesses, corporate mortgage finance and Native American financial services. Commercial real estate balances declined modestly as planned, while auto production was lower.

Average deposits increased $18.8 billion, or 9.2%, sequentially. On an organic basis adjusted for the Cadence day-count effect, deposits grew $4 billion, or 1.8%, outpacing loan growth. Wasserman said primary banking relationships increased across customer segments, with consumer relationships up 4%, business banking up 5% and commercial up 8% year-over-year.

Deposit costs increased six basis points during the quarter, including about one basis point from the full-quarter impact of Cadence and five basis points from the legacy Huntington franchise.

Revenue Momentum Includes Strong Fee Growth Net interest income was $2.1 billion, up 8.5% sequentially, supported by what management called strong core-funded asset growth. Huntington’s net interest margin increased 10 basis points year-over-year but declined three basis points sequentially. Wasserman said the second quarter should represent the trough for net interest margin, with expected improvement from fixed-asset repricing, liquidity optimization and Cadence deposit portfolio actions.

Value-added fee revenues rose more than 60% year-over-year. Excluding the impacts of Cadence, the Janney Capital Markets business acquisition and last year’s sale of the corporate trust business, Wasserman said value-added fee revenue increased about 30% organically year-over-year.

In specific fee categories, payments increased 10% year-over-year, wealth management rose 12%, capital markets increased 46% and loan and deposit fees grew 19%.

Wasserman said adjusted pre-provision net revenue increased 12% quarter-over-quarter, while value-added fee revenues increased 15%. He also said Huntington generated 210 basis points of positive operating leverage on a trailing 12-month basis.

Outlook Emphasizes NII Pressure, Fee Upside and 2027 Targets Management’s full-year outlook drew scrutiny during the question-and-answer portion of the call after UBS analyst Erika Najarian noted that the stock opened down about 5% and asked about the unchanged outlook despite a lower net interest income expectation.

Wasserman said overall revenue remains robust, but the spread outlook has shifted more toward volume-driven growth. He said Huntington expects net interest income to be at the bottom end of its range or perhaps modestly below it, largely because of deposit cost pressure. At the same time, he said fee income is tracking toward the high end of guidance or potentially above it.

Wasserman said the company expects net interest margin to rise modestly into the low 320-basis-point range in the third quarter and into the mid- to high-320s in the fourth quarter. He also said management expects loans and deposits to grow sequentially in the second half of the year.

Executives reiterated longer-term targets for 2027, including earnings per share of $1.90 to $1.93 and return on tangible common equity in the 18% to 19% range. Wasserman said Huntington expects EPS growth of approximately 30% from the 2025 level, supported by organic growth, fee income expansion, revenue synergies and expense discipline.

Credit and Capital Remain Areas of Management Confidence Wasserman said credit performance remains strong and consistent with expectations. Net charge-offs are trending near the low end of the company’s guided range, and Huntington now expects charge-offs to be in the lower half of its 25- to 35-basis-point range for the year. He said criticized assets declined during the quarter, while nonperforming assets remain elevated because of government-guaranteed loan categories with “virtually no loss content” and downgrades of select commercial credits.

Huntington completed $310 million of its planned $550 million share repurchase program for 2026 year-to-date. Wasserman said the company expects to repurchase an additional $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion in 2027.

Steinour closed the call by saying Huntington has become a “stronger, more diversified super regional bank” through new markets, broader business mix and added capabilities. He said the company remains on track for its 2027 financial targets, with the fourth quarter expected to provide a clearer view of the earnings power of the combined franchise.

About Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ:HBAN)Huntington Bancshares Incorporated NASDAQ: HBAN is a bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, that provides a broad range of banking and financial services through its principal subsidiary, Huntington National Bank. The company's operations are centered on retail and commercial banking, and it serves individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, and institutional customers.

Huntington's product offerings include traditional deposit and lending products, consumer and commercial loans, mortgage origination and servicing, auto financing, and business banking solutions.

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

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QuantumScape (NYSE:QS | QS Price Prediction) shares are down 14% to $5.03 in Thursday morning trading, extending a rough stretch for the solid-state battery developer. The move follows the company’s Q2 2026 earnings release after the July 22 close.

The selling is spreading across the small solid-state battery cohort. Solid Power (NASDAQ:SLDP) stock is down 8% to $2.15, and SES AI (NYSE:SES) shares are down 10% to $0.53.

The broader tape isn’t helping. For QuantumScape and its peers SLDP and SES, the S&P 500 is down 1.5% and the NASDAQ 100 is down 2.4% on Thursday, a risk-off backdrop that tends to punish high-beta, speculative names the hardest.

Post-Earnings Reaction Drives QuantumScape Lower QuantumScape posted a Q2 2026 net loss of approximately $98 million, or $0.16 per share, narrower than the $0.1781 loss analysts expected. The company reaffirmed its full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA loss guidance of $250 million to $275 million while trimming capital-expenditure plans to $27 million to $37 million from a prior $40 million to $60 million range.

Beyond the numbers, QuantumScape broadened its focus beyond electric vehicles. Management highlighted a multi-year partnership with Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) for solid-state lithium-metal battery technology, updated milestones with Volkswagen‘s (OTC:VWAGY) PowerCo unit, and initial QSE-5 cell shipments to a major American defense prime alongside engagement with AI data center design partners.

QuantumScape’s operating expenses also improved, falling to $106 million from $124 million a year ago, with research and development at $83 million. Customer billings reached $10.8 million in the quarter, per the 8-K filing.

The reaction looks like a classic sell-the-news response. QuantumScape stock was down 44% year to date (YTD) heading into Thursday, and even a headline EPS beat paired with a marquee Honda deal wasn’t enough to lift a name where investors want to see actual revenue.

Solid Power and SES AI Slide in Sympathy Solid Power has no company-specific catalyst today. The Colorado developer, which counts SK On, Samsung SDI, and BMW as partners, last reported Q1 2026 results in May and is targeting year-end 2026 commissioning of its continuous sulfide electrolyte pilot line. Solid Power shares are down 48% YTD.

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SES AI is trading like a pure sympathy name. The sub-$1 speculative stock has fallen 70% YTD, and with a market cap of around $200 million, SES stock tends to move sharply on any shift in sentiment across the solid-state cohort.

Balancing the Bull and Bear Cases on QuantumScape The bear case on QuantumScape stock is straightforward: no near-term revenue, ongoing cash burn, and real execution risk on scaling the Eagle Line pilot facility and Cobra separator process. Liquidity of $859 million gives the company runway, but commercialization timelines in this industry have a habit of slipping.

The bull case rests on the technology itself and its widening addressable market. If QuantumScape’s anode-free lithium-metal architecture can be manufactured at scale, the pull from EVs, AI data centers approaching a megawatt of power per compute rack, and defense customers seeking supply chain independence from Chinese graphite could be substantial.

What to Watch Next The immediate technical level to watch on QuantumScape stock is whether it can hold the $5 level after breaking below $6 on Thursday. Follow-through selling in Solid Power and SES AI shares could signal that the sympathy trade has more room to run.

Analyst notes reacting to the Honda partnership and the lowered capex outlook may shape the next leg. The current sell-side setup on QuantumScape stock is cautious, with seven holds, two sells, and a $7.16 consensus price target.

Solid-state batteries remain a promising long-term technology, but these are speculative, unprofitable names dependent on manufacturing and commercialization milestones that keep slipping. Investors should consider keeping their position sizes modest given the volatility on display in QS, SLDP, and SES shares.

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Old Republic International (ORI - Free Report) reported $2.33 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.2%. EPS of $0.76 for the same period compares to $0.83 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.85% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.38 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.77, the EPS surprise was -1.3%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Old Republic performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Specialty Insurance Segment - Loss Ratio: 65.9% compared to the 64.7% average estimate based on two analysts.Specialty Insurance Segment - Expense Ratio: 29.6% compared to the 29.9% average estimate based on two analysts.Title Insurance Segment - Combined Ratio: 95.1% compared to the 98.9% average estimate based on two analysts.Title Insurance Segment - Loss Ratio: 3% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 2.9%.Operating Revenue- Specialty Insurance Segment- Net premiums earned: $1.32 billion compared to the $1.38 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.3% year over year.Operating Revenue- Specialty Insurance Segment- Net investment income: $159.5 million versus $158.34 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.4% change.Operating Revenue- Specialty Insurance Segment- Other income: $51.2 million compared to the $50.89 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.9% year over year.Operating Revenue- Corporate & Other: $5.4 million compared to the $5.9 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -18.2% year over year.Operating Revenue- Title Insurance Segment- Net investment income: $18.3 million compared to the $17.79 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.8% year over year.Operating Revenue- Specialty Insurance Segment: $1.53 billion versus $1.59 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2.7% change.Operating Revenue- Title Insurance Segment: $717.8 million compared to the $782.15 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.4% year over year.Operating Revenue- Title Insurance Segment- Net premiums earned: $699.3 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $764.31 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.2%.View all Key Company Metrics for Old Republic here>>>

Shares of Old Republic have returned +3.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

NEW ORLEANS, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until July 27, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against AeroVironment, Inc. (NasdaqGS: AVAV) (“AeroVironment” or the “Company”), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company’s securities between 4:30 PM on June 24, 2025 and June 18, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”). These actions are pending in the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia and District of Delaware.

Get Help

AeroVironment investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-avav-1 or call toll-free (833) 538-3601. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

AeroVironment and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company understated the likelihood that it would imminently face competition from other vendors for the work it performed in connection with the U.S. Space Force’s Satellite Communication Augmentation Resource program and the U.S. Space Force’s ongoing efforts to modernize the Satellite Control Network; (ii) accordingly, defendants overstated AeroVironment’s business and financial prospects; and (iii) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

The first-filed case is Norrell v. AeroVironment, Inc., et al, No. 26-cv-01429. A subsequent case, City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Miami Beach v. AeroVironment, Inc. et al., No. 26-cv-00875, expanded the class period.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.