It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: The Cooper Companies (COO - Free Report) The Cooper Companies is a global medical device company operating through two main segments: CooperVision (CVI) and CooperSurgical (CSI). CVI focuses on contact lenses, with a strong presence in daily silicone hydrogel lenses, torics, multifocals, and myopia management. Its flagship MyDay franchise, including MyDay Energys and toric/multifocal expansions, continues to capture premium share, while MiSight addresses the growing myopia epidemic. CSI provides products and services in fertility and women’s health, offering in-vitro fertilization (IVF) solutions, contraceptives such as Paragard, and office/surgical devices.
COO is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. COO has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 12.4% for the current fiscal year.
Four analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $4.63 per share. COO also boasts an average earnings surprise of +5.8%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, COO should be on investors' short list.
SummaryBroadstone Net Lease remains a compelling Buy for long-term income and total return, underpinned by a focused industrial and retail portfolio.BNL's build-to-suit strategy drives growth, with $382M in pipeline projects offering initial cash yields of 7.3% and long lease terms.Q1 2026 results showed 5.6% AFFO/share growth, 99.8% occupancy, and a safe, growing 5.5% dividend yield supported by a BBB-rated balance sheet.Looking for a portfolio of ideas like this one? Members of iREIT®+HOYA Capital get exclusive access to our subscriber-only portfolios. Learn More »Sitewide Sale 2026: Get 20% OffNicoElNino/iStock via Getty Images
The S&P 500 (SPY) has had a decent run since the start of the year, despite fits and starts along the way. While it's easy to ignore lesser-followed sectors of the market, like REITs, it's the value sectors that
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BNL either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
I am not an investment advisor. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute as financial advice. Readers are encouraged and expected to perform due diligence and draw their own conclusions prior to making any investment decisions.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Key Takeaways Magnolia Oil & Gas reportedly leads bidding for WildFire Energy in a deal valued at more than $4 billion.MGY's potential purchase would be its largest acquisition and would expand its shale asset portfolio.WildFire operates 2,000 wells producing over 50,000 boe/d, making it an attractive acquisition target. Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY - Free Report) is reportedly emerging as the leading contender to acquire privately held WildFire Energy in a deal valued at more than $4 billion. According to a Bloomberg report cited by SeekingAlpha, the acquisition would be the largest in MGY's history and signal a significant shift from its traditionally conservative growth strategy.
If finalized, the transaction would further underscore the ongoing consolidation trend in the U.S. oil and gas industry, where producers are seeking larger, higher-quality asset portfolios to strengthen long-term competitiveness.
Magnolia Oil & Gas Reportedly Leads the Bidding ProcessAccording to reports, Magnolia Oil & Gas is poised to win the auction for Texas-based WildFire, which is backed by private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Kayne Anderson. While the companies have not officially confirmed the transaction, sources indicate that negotiations are at an advanced stage and an announcement could come within weeks.
The acquisition process remains competitive, meaning another bidder could still emerge before a final agreement is reached.
A Major Strategic Shift for Magnolia Oil & GasA transaction exceeding $4 billion would represent a notable departure from Magnolia Oil & Gas' long-standing strategy of disciplined capital allocation and smaller, bolt-on acquisitions.
The company has built its reputation on maintaining capital efficiency, preserving a strong balance sheet and returning value to shareholders. Acquiring WildFire would significantly expand MGY's operational footprint while demonstrating a greater willingness to pursue transformative growth opportunities.
If completed, the deal would become Magnolia Oil & Gas' largest acquisition to date and could redefine its position among independent U.S. exploration and production companies.
WildFire Brings High-Quality Shale AssetsWildFire has become an attractive acquisition target thanks to its sizable portfolio of producing assets. The company operates more than 2,000 wells that collectively produce over 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).
Its management team also brings substantial industry experience, having previously led WildHorse Resource Development before selling that company to Chesapeake Energy in 2019.
These established operations and experienced leadership make WildFire a valuable asset for companies seeking immediate production growth.
Industry Consolidation ContinuesThe reported acquisition reflects a broader trend reshaping the U.S. upstream energy sector. Over the past two years, oil and gas companies have increasingly pursued mergers and acquisitions to secure premium shale acreage, improve operating efficiencies and achieve greater economies of scale.
Strong commodity prices have generated substantial cash flows, allowing many producers to pursue strategic acquisitions while positioning themselves for long-term competitiveness against larger integrated energy companies.
Private equity-backed producers such as WildFire have become especially attractive targets as public companies look to expand through acquisitions rather than organic development alone.
Investors to Watch Financing and Capital AllocationAlthough Magnolia Oil & Gasappears to be the leading bidder, investors are likely to focus on how the company finances a transaction of this size.
The acquisition could have implications for Magnolia Oil & Gas' capital allocation strategy, including shareholder returns programs such as dividends and share repurchases that have been central to its investment appeal.
Market participants will also evaluate whether the expected operational synergies and production growth justify the scale of the investment.
What the Deal Could Mean for Magnolia Oil & GasWhile the reported acquisition has not yet been finalized, Magnolia Oil & Gas appears to be positioning itself for a transformational expansion. If the company successfully acquires WildFire, it would gain a significant portfolio of shale assets while joining the growing list of independent producers pursuing larger-scale consolidation.
As the energy industry continues to evolve, the outcome of this potential deal could shape MGY's long-term growth strategy and further accelerate consolidation across the U.S. upstream sector.
MGY’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksMagnolia Oil & Gas is an independent upstream operator engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids. Currently, MGY carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors interested in the energy sector may consider some top-ranked stocks like Global Partners LP (GLP - Free Report) , Delek US Holdings, Inc. (DK - Free Report) and Liberty Energy Inc. (LBRT - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Global Partners is a Delaware limited partnership formed by affiliates of the Slifka family. It owns, controls or has access to one of the largest terminal networks of refined petroleum products in New England. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GLP’s 2026 earnings indicates 113.1% year-over-year growth.
TN-based Delek US Holdings is an independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The company’s operations are organized into two reportable segments: Refining and Logistics. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DK’s 2026 revenues indicates 5.9% year-over-year growth.
Liberty Energy is a leading North American oilfield services company, specializing in hydraulic fracturing and completion solutions. The company provides differentiated services through advanced technology integration and real-time data analytics. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LBRT’s 2026 earnings indicates 66.7% year-over-year growth.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW - Free Report) Based in Minnesota, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. is a third-party logistics company. As an asset-light transportation provider, it offers freight transportation services and logistics solutions across industries. The company’s services range from commitments on a specific shipment to more comprehensive and integrated relationships.
CHRW is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. CHRW has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 19.7% for the current fiscal year.
Eight analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.11 to $6.09 per share. CHRW boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.4%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, CHRW should be on investors' short list.
Goosehead (GSHD) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Key Takeaways Dave posted 47% top-line growth in Q1'26, with net income surging 101% and profit up 64%.SoFi Technologies added 1.1 million customers and 1.8 million products, lifting revenues 43% y/y.Dave improved credit metrics, while SoFi faces refinancing pressure and higher funding-cost risks. Both Dave (DAVE - Free Report) and SoFi Technologies (SOFI - Free Report) operate within the fintech space and offer digital banking and financial services through mobile platforms. These companies target tech-savvy consumers who seek alternatives to traditional banks.
We have analyzed both stocks to find out which of these two fintech stocks provides an upside.
The Case for DAVEDave registered 47% year-over-year growth in its top line in the first quarter of 2026. The company demonstrated an efficient business model as it incurred customer acquisition costs of $18, flat with the year-ago quarter, coupled with a lofty 101% jump in its net income. This highly profitable business model helped the bottom line surge 64% year over year. The disproportionate rallies in revenues and profit highlighted Dave’s operational prowess, further justified by a 300-basis-point year-over-year expansion in adjusted EBITDA.
The company improved on the credit front as well. Dave’s CashAI v5.5, its proprietary credit mitigation apparatus, resulted in a record-low 28-day past-due rate of 1.69% despite a 37% year-over-year increase in ExtraCash originations, which could raise credit risks. Furthermore, the company maintained a solid credit profile amid an 18% year-over-year increase in monthly transacting members and successfully raised the net monetization rate to 5.1%, the highest level achieved over the past four years.
Dave’s customer-first strategy was solid, driving new member count 22% year over year to 695,000 in the first quarter of 2026. The company operates in an environment experiencing dynamic financial needs, evidenced by a dip in user demand for short-term liquidity during tax refund season. However, Dave was successful at keeping engagement intact, leading to a recovery in April with an average origination size of $214.
An efficient business model that boosts profitability, accompanied by strength in the credit mitigation strategy, allows the company to scale while maintaining its credit profile. Dave’s customer-first approach, which includes a simplified fee model, allows members to access credit faster and more easily than traditional banks, deepening customer relationships.
The Case for SOFIIn the first quarter of 2026, SOFI witnessed a 35% year-over-year increment in total members. The 1.1-million customer addition took the total to 14.7 million. The company added a record 1.8 million products, up 39% from the year-ago quarter, taking the total to 22.2 million.
Strong member addition, coupled with product additions, reflects the efficacy of SOFI’s customer-centric strategy. This strategy drove the top line 43% year over year, leading to an explosive 134% rise in adjusted net income. This growth trajectory signals strength in the company’s operations, which can be utilized by the company to scale its business.
SoFi Technologies managed to increase cross-buy to 43%, fueled by continued investment in brand building, hinting at a growing percentage of members who are adopting multiple products within the ecosystem. This drove SOFI’s unaided brand awareness to an all-time high of 10%. Enhancement in visibility positions SoFi Technologies to operate within a sustainable environment in the long run, which is vital to its competitive moat.
SOFI accelerated renewed investor interest in cryptocurrencies by relaunching its crypto trading platform. SoFi Coach, launched to provide bespoke financial insights across customer accounts, strengthened its value proposition as a one-stop shop for financial services. SoFi Smart Card enhanced customer engagement as well, offering cashback rewards on food purchases alongside credit-building tools and access to competitive borrowing and deposit rates.
While the company managed to improve its customer stickiness and strengthen its brand loyalty, it shoulders the pressure of rising interest rates affecting refinancing incentives. Student loan refinancing, which was considered to be the major long-term growth catalyst, faces slower momentum as customers delay refinancing decisions amid economic setbacks.
The company’s business model is sensitive to funding costs. With deposit competition intensifying across the banking sector, SOFI might find maintaining attractive rates for customers increasingly expensive. In the off chance that funding expenses rise faster than the loan yield, the net interest margin could take a hit, creating earnings pressure.
How Do Estimates Compare for DAVE & SOFI?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DAVE’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 28.8% and 26%, respectively. Four EPS estimates have moved upward for 2026, with no downward revision over the past 60 days. For the same period, the consensus estimate for EPS rose 13.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SOFI’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year rallies of 29.8% and 51.3%, respectively. One EPS estimate for 2026 has moved north in the past 60 days against six southward revisions. During that period, the consensus mark for EPS has been flat at 59 cents.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
DAVE Priced Lower Than SOFIDave is currently trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 18.6 times, marginally lower than the 12-month median of 18.7 times. SoFi Technologies is trading at 25.8 times, substantially lower than the 12-month median of 45.8 times.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Add DAVE to Your Portfolio, Hold SOFI for NowDave’s explosive first-quarter 2026 performance was marked by hefty top and bottom-line growth, displaying high profitability in its core operations. It is impressive how the company managed to maintain a strong credit profile, leveraging CashAI v5.5 despite a significant upsurge in ExtraCash originations. Dave’s rising membership count despite seasonal setbacks hints at robust customer engagement.
SoFi Technologies' top and bottom-line growth took a similar trajectory to that of Dave’s. SOFI’s customer-centric approach involved the launch of SoFi Coach and SoFi Smart Card, which promote the company’s ability to become the one-stop shop for financial services. However, the company shoulders the pressure of rising interest rates and high sensitivity to funding costs. These lingering headwinds could delay refinancing and create earnings pressure.
While both companies hold solid top and bottom-line prospects, DAVE trades significantly cheaper than SoFi Technologies. Therefore, we urge investors to add Dave to their portfolios, while a wait-and-see approach is a must for SOFI.
DAVE flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), whereas SOFI carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Palantir Technologies is among the top vendors of artificial intelligence (AI) software solutions, and it has been witnessing phenomenal growth in revenue and earnings in recent quarters due to the healthy spending on its offerings by both commercial and government customers.
However, Palantir stock has retreated 33% so far in 2026, primarily due to concerns about its expensive valuation. On the other hand, shares of cloud communications platform provider Twilio (TWLO +2.20%) have jumped by 38% this year, as the demand for the company's AI-focused solutions is now driving stronger revenue and earnings growth.
What's more, Twilio trades at a significantly cheaper valuation than Palantir. Let's look at the factors driving Twilio's growth and check why this AI stock is primed for more gains.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Twilio's AI products are encouraging its customers to spend more money Twilio's cloud communications platform enables its clients to remain in touch with their customers through voice, text, chat, video, email, and other channels. The company's application programming interfaces (APIs) help customers integrate these communication channels into their applications.
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Twilio's APIs have helped clients replace traditional contact centers with a cloud-based platform, reducing the costs and overhead of operating physical call centers. And now, Twilio is providing its clients with AI tools and solutions to enhance their customer service and drive stronger sales.
Twilio noted on its April earnings call that a digital marketing agency used its voice, messaging, and voice AI solutions to build an AI agent. The client witnessed a 39% increase in bookings in three months following the deployment of this agent, generating an additional $8.4 million in revenue. Not surprisingly, Twilio is now witnessing stronger spending by its clients, who can now gain better insights into customer behavior with the help of AI.
Using AI tools is helping Twilio customers increase product adoption, make appointments, reduce fraud attempts, and increase click rates, among other things. As a result, Twilio's dollar-based net expansion rate increased to 114% in the first quarter, up by seven percentage points from the year-ago period.
This metric compares Twilio's total revenue for the quarter to revenue from the same customer cohort in the year-ago period. A reading of more than 100% means that Twilio's existing customers have increased their adoption of its offerings or have increased the usage of its products. Getting more business from existing customers is ideal for Twilio's bottom line, as it won't have to spend additional money on customer acquisition.
This explains why Twilio's earnings per share increased by 31.5% year over year in Q1 to $1.50. That was well above the 20% jump in its top line to $1.41 billion. What's more, Twilio is now expecting stronger growth in 2026. It now expects revenue to increase by 14% to 15% in 2026 to $5.8 billion, up from the prior expectation of 12%. It is also expecting a stronger jump in both earnings and free cash flow.
However, don't be surprised to see Twilio increase its guidance further as the year progresses. That's because the integration of AI in cloud communications applications will boost its addressable market to $158 billion by 2028. It was earlier anticipating $119 billion in revenue from its core communications and data platform markets.
So, it is easy to see why analysts have been becoming bullish about Twilio's top-line growth prospects.
Data by YCharts
The attractive valuation and earnings growth prospects suggest more upside for investors The improvement in Twilio's revenue growth and the company's ability to win more business from existing customers explain why analysts expect healthy, double-digit earnings growth.
Data by YCharts
It won't be surprising if it exceeds those expectations. But even if Twilio's earnings increase in line with consensus estimates and it trades at 34 times earnings after three years (in line with the tech-focused Nasdaq-100 index's earnings multiple), its stock price could reach $264 (based on the $7.77 earnings per share estimate seen in the above chart). That's a potential 37% jump from current levels.
Given that Twilio is trading at 34 times forward earnings, investors are getting a good deal on this growth stock. Also, its sales multiple of 5.7 is almost in line with the Nasdaq Composite index. So, investors looking to capitalize on the AI software market's growth can consider buying Twilio as it offers a nice mix of growth and value.
Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?
Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Sterling Infrastructure (STRL - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.
Sterling Infrastructure currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.00, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by nine brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.00 indicates Strong Buy.
Of the nine recommendations that derive the current ABR, nine are Strong Buy, representing 100% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for STRL
Check price target & stock forecast for Sterling Infrastructure here>>>
The ABR suggests buying Sterling Infrastructure, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.
Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.
In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.
Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.
Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABRIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.
Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Is STRL a Good Investment?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Sterling Infrastructure, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 1.9% over the past month to $19.12.
Analysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to soar in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Sterling Infrastructure. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
Therefore, the Buy-equivalent ABR for Sterling Infrastructure may serve as a useful guide for investors.
We’re excited to announce that USDC, EURC, and CCTP support are live on Cronos.
Cronos Network is a high-performance, EVM-compatible, Layer-1 (L1) blockchain network supported by Crypto.com, supporting payments, AI-native workflows, and DeFi trading. Native USDC, EURC, and CCTP bring trusted and interoperable stablecoin infrastructure to Cronos’ large and established ecosystem. USDC will also serve as the settlement layer for the Cronos app, the upcoming mobile-first trading platform where users will be able to trade tokenized stocks, crypto, and prediction markets from a single account, with 24/7 markets, and access in 180+ countries.1
With the launch of native USDC, EURC, and CCTP, Cronos gains access to the leading regulated2 dollar and euro stablecoins. This unlocks dollar- and euro-denominated DeFi trading, payments, treasury management, and more on a blockchain designed for EVM compatibility, AI-friendly workflows, and transaction efficiency. Native USDC will also serve as the dollar settlement layer for the Cronos app. Users will be able to deposit dollars and trade every asset class from one account.
Benefits of USDC and EURC on Cronos:
Regulated,2 fully reserved stablecoins redeemable 1:1 for USD and EUR,3 respectivelyInstitutional on/offramps with Circle Mint4 for qualified businesses Integrate easily with apps and protocols on CronosUnlock dollar- and euro-denominated DeFi markets and AI-powered transactionsCCTP on Cronos enables developers to:
Securely and efficiently move USDC between Cronos and other supported blockchainsBuild apps directly on the protocol layer that support high-performance DeFi and AI-powered transactionsKey use cases of USDC and EURC on CronosNative USDC and EURC can help establish a trusted dollar- and euro-denominated ecosystem on Cronos. With MiCA compliance, full reserve backing, and 1:1 redeemability for dollars and euros respectively, USDC and EURC support DeFi, traditional markets, and agent-to-agent transactions by serving as collateral and settlement infrastructure. Establishing deep liquidity for both EUR/EURC and USD/USDC trading pairs can support lower-slippage DeFi activity and AI-driven applications at the scale institutions and enterprises need. Through CCTP, users and developers can move USDC securely across ecosystems without relying on wrapped assets.
Beyond institutional use cases, native USDC will also bring dollar settlement to everyday users. As the dollar layer for the Cronos app, the upcoming mobile-first trading platform, USDC will let people deposit dollars and trade tokenized stocks, crypto, and prediction markets from a single account.
Together, native USDC, EURC, and CCTP can give businesses and developers on Cronos access to regulated2 fiat rails for institutional-grade trading, programmable payments, and compliant onchain settlement. While USDC is widely used around the world, euro-denominated EURC may be especially well suited for payments, settlement, and other onchain activity within the EU, where 1:1 euro redeemability and MiCA compliance can help support trusted euro-denominated use cases.
Popular Cronos apps include: Crypto.com, LI.FI, Relay, VVS, Wolfswap.
Bridged vs native USDC on CronosCronos also supports bridged USDC (i.e., USDC.e), a non-native version of USDC. The Cronos team plans to work with ecosystem apps and protocols to smoothly migrate bridged USDC liquidity to native USDC over time.
This gives Cronos the same native stablecoin features that are already available on other supported chains. There is no immediate impact to existing bridges and they will continue to operate normally. Bridged USDC will remain clearly labeled as “USDC.e” in block explorers, app interfaces, and documentation.
Get started todayBusinesses can access institutional on/offramps to convert to Circle stablecoins on Cronos by applying for a Circle Mint4 account. Individuals and smaller institutions can access USDC and EURC through various exchanges, wallets, and providers. Visit circle.com/eurc and circle.com/usdc to learn more.
Get started today with our developer docs for USDC, EURC, and CCTP. Both USDC and EURC are open-source, permissionless stablecoin protocols that anyone can build with.
1 Products may be subject to jurisdictional availability
2 USDC is issued by regulated affiliates of Circle. EURC is issued by Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS. A list of Circle’s regulatory authorizations can be found here.
3 Circle Mint customers are able to redeem USDC and EURC directly from Circle. In addition, Circle will redeem all USDC and EURC presented to it for redemption in compliance with MiCAR, regardless of whether the holder is a Circle Mint customer. Circle Mint is currently available only to institutions and is not available to individuals.
4 Circle Mint and money transmission services are provided by Circle Internet Financial, LLC, NMLS # 1201441, and Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS, Electronic Money Institution License No. 17788, when provided in France.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
In the realm of cryptocurrencies, Cronos has made a significant move: integrating native USDC and EURC along with its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP). According to Circle’s announcement, this milestone was achieved on June 18, 2026. It’s not just a tech update; it’s a pivot that could redefine Cronos as a major player in decentralized finance and blockchain payment systems.
This news from Cronos and Circle marks the first time native stablecoins USDC and EURC, alongside CCTP, have been integrated on the same blockchain simultaneously. Cronos aims to be the settlement layer for the Cronos App—a mobile-first platform targeted at facilitating trading in tokenized stocks and digital assets.
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What this means for Cronos Native USDC and EURC allow for 1:1 redemption and full reserve backing, compliant with MiCA regulations. The contracts—USDC at 0x3D7F2C478aAfdB65542BCB44bCeeC05849999d2D and EURC at 0xA6dE01a2d62C6B5f3525d768f34d276652C554c8—are now live. Developers currently have access to testnet versions via Circle’s faucet, with mainnet deployment expected soon, although no specific date has been set.
A strategic chess move The integration is backed by Crypto.com’s Cronos L1, which has over 150 million users. By reducing reliance on third-party bridge technologies, the network aims to mitigate risks and increase efficiency. A planned migration from bridged USDC.e to native USDC is underway, with existing bridged tokens not expected to be impacted immediately.
The wider landscape for investors Circle’s involvement, given its reputation as a regulated issuer, adds legitimacy to the integration. The launch of native USDC and EURC provides more secure and compliant options compared to bridged solutions previously used in DeFi. As liquidity increases, transaction volumes on the Cronos network are expected to rise, potentially creating more robust DeFi ecosystem opportunities.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR), a leading investment bank, is pleased to announce the addition of John D'Amico as a managing director in the Piper Sandler restructuring group. D'Amico will be focused on advising a broad range of clients in complex restructurings and special situation transactions.With approximately 25 years of investment banking and corporate advisory experience, D'Amico has advised companies, boards of directors, official and ad hoc creditor com.
Key Takeaways ACHR expands flight testing to validate aircraft systems and support regulatory certification.ACHR advances Midnight certification through compliance, testing and system validation activities.ACHR certification progress supports future aircraft deliveries and commercial deployment plans. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) continues making progress toward aircraft certification, a critical milestone in its path to commercial operations. The company is working closely with regulators to complete certification activities for its Midnight aircraft while continuing flight testing, system validation and compliance efforts. Achieving certification is expected to support commercial deployment and strengthen Archer Aviation's position within the emerging electric aircraft market.
Aircraft certification requires extensive testing and validation to demonstrate that an aircraft satisfies regulatory safety and performance standards. Archer Aviation continues expanding its test program by evaluating aircraft systems, flight characteristics and key components while generating data that supports the certification process. These activities help the company refine its aircraft while advancing toward regulatory approval.
Certification progress also strengthens Archer Aviation's commercial prospects. Reaching this milestone would enable the company to begin aircraft deliveries, support planned customer deployments and execute commercial agreements. Continued advancement through the certification process also reflects Archer Aviation's growing operational and engineering capabilities as it prepares for commercial production.
As the advanced aviation market evolves, regulatory approval is expected to remain one of the most important milestones for industry participants. Archer Aviation's continued focus on certification activities positions the company to support future commercial operations while strengthening its long-term growth outlook.
Companies Advancing Aircraft Certification ProgramsAircraft developers continue investing in certification activities as they prepare next-generation aircraft for commercial service. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and BETA Technologies, Inc. (BETA - Free Report) are also progressing certification efforts for their electric aircraft platforms.
Joby Aviation continues advancing flight testing and certification activities for its electric aircraft while working toward commercial passenger operations.
Beta Technologies is making progress in the certification of its electric aircraft through continued flight testing, system validation and regulatory engagement to support future commercial operations.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Trading at a DiscountArcher Aviation is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.78X compared with the industry average of 6.02X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past three months, ACHR shares have fallen 1.4% against the industry’s 3.9% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher Aviation currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
AI-Driven Cardiovascular Diagnostics Company Brings Early Detection Technology to Capital Markets
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cboe Canada Inc. (“Cboe Canada”) today announced the listing of GuideAI Health Corp. (“GuideAI”), an artificial intelligence healthcare company focused on improving the detection, management, and outcomes of vascular disease. The company's common shares are now available for trading on Cboe Canada, under the symbol GDAI.
GuideAI is developing an AI platform designed to transform complex medical imaging and clinical data into actionable diagnostic insights. Its mission is to make advanced cardiovascular diagnostic intelligence accessible to a broader range of healthcare providers beyond major academic and research centers.
"We are pleased to welcome GuideAI to Cboe Canada," said CEO, Joacim Wiklander. "Their work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cardiovascular health represents exactly the kind of innovative, high-growth company that Canadian public markets should be supporting. We look forward to their continued growth as a publicly listed company."
The listing on Cboe Canada gives GuideAI access to an internationally recognized exchange with deep expertise in emerging sectors and a strong commitment to capital formation for innovative companies.
"Going public marks an important milestone for GuideAI as we scale our platform and broaden access to life-changing diagnostic technology," said Raj Shah, CEO of GuideAI Health Corp. "We are excited to join the Cboe Canada community and look forward to delivering on our mission for patients, clinicians, and shareholders alike."
Investors can trade shares of GDAI through their usual investment channels, including discount brokerages and full-service dealers. To explore all listed securities on Cboe Canada, click here.
Cboe Canada continues to attract innovative companies and asset managers by offering a streamlined listing process, competitive fee structure, and access to a diverse and engaged investor base. The exchange is home to leading Canadian and international growth companies, ETFs from Canada’s most reputable ETF issuers, and an expansive suite of Canadian Depositary Receipts (CDRs). Cboe Canada consistently facilitates close to 15% of all trading volume in Canadian listed securities.
About Cboe Canada
Cboe Canada is Canada’s senior stock exchange providing a best-in-class listing experience for issuers that are shaping the economies of tomorrow. Fully operational since 2015, Cboe Canada lists companies and investment products seeking a robust and internationally recognized platform that enables investor trust, quality liquidity, and broad awareness including unfettered access to market data.
Connect with Cboe Canada: Website | LinkedIn | X
About GuideAI Health Corp.
GuideAI Health Corp. is a healthcare technology company using artificial intelligence to enable the early detection of vascular disease and support more precise treatment decisions. Its platform analyzes routine CT scans to identify peripheral vascular disease. By surfacing disease earlier, GuideAI aims to improve patient outcomes while helping hospitals and radiology groups deliver more comprehensive vascular care.
It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Outfront Media (OUT - Free Report) Headquartered in New York, OUTFRONT Media Inc. is a leading provider of out-of-home (OOH) advertisement space in key U.S. markets. With billboard and transit displays, the company provides advertising structures and sites to diverse industries across the largest markets in the United States. Its inventory consists of billboard displays primarily located on heavily traveled highways and roadways in top Nielsen Designated Market Areas and transit advertising displays operated under exclusive multi-year contracts with municipalities in large cities across the United States. The company has displays in approximately 120 markets across the United States, including the 25 largest markets. As of Dec. 31, 2025, the company had approximately 19,100 lease agreements with approximately 17,500 different landlords.
OUT is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. OUT has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 3.1% over the past four weeks.
Three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $2.26 per share. OUT boasts an average earnings surprise of +12.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, OUT should be on investors' short list.
Key Takeaways RadNet's DeepHealth received FDA clearances for BAC Assessment and Mammo Dx functionalities.BAC Assessment detects breast arterial calcifications on 2D and 3D screening mammograms.Mammo Dx compares current and prior mammograms to track lesion changes and reduce recalls. DeepHealth, a wholly owned subsidiary of RadNet (RDNT - Free Report) , recently received FDA clearances for two new functionalities within its AI-powered Breast Suite. The FDA clearances expand its AI-powered Breast Suite with cardiovascular risk assessment and prior exam integration, strengthening its end-to-end breast imaging platform. The approvals cover Breast Arterial Calcification (BAC) Assessment and prior exam integration into ProFound Pro, which will be marketed as Mammo Dx.
The BAC Assessment automatically detects breast arterial calcifications on standard mammograms to identify the potential risk of cardiovascular disease. Whereas Mammo Dx compares current and prior mammograms to track lesion changes, improving cancer detection and reducing patient recalls. Both functionalities are now commercially available in the United States.
Per management, DeepHealth's strategy has always focused on using AI to find disease early. The launch of BAC Assessment and Mammo Dx transforms its Breast Suite into a fully integrated suite of solutions that gives radiologists a complete patient overview and adds clinical confidence in the top causes of death in U.S. women.
Likely Trend of RDNT Stock Following the News
Shares of RDNT have gained 1.2% since the announcement on Thursday. Year to date, the stock has declined 14.9%, underperforming the industry’s 14.3% growth and the S&P 500’s 7.4% rise.
The FDA clearance of BAC Assessment and Mammo Dx is positive for RadNet as it expands DeepHealth's AI-powered breast imaging portfolio and strengthens its competitive position. The new solutions enhance cancer detection and cardiovascular risk assessment and improve radiologist decision-making without additional imaging. In addition, deployment across RadNet's imaging centers will generate real-world validation, support broader customer adoption and reinforce the company's AI-driven growth strategy.
RDNT currently has a market capitalization of $4.78 billion.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
More on the FDA-Cleared Functionalities
BAC Assessment automatically identifies breast arterial calcifications on both standard 2D (FFDM) and 3D (DBT) screening mammograms without requiring additional imaging. These calcifications have been associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
In clinical testing, the assessment demonstrated more than 90% sensitivity and over 88% specificity across dense and non-dense breast tissue. The assessment will be deployed across RadNet imaging centers for real-world validation.
Mammo Dx enables radiologists to analyze current and prior mammograms together, helping identify subtle tissue changes and undetected lesions in a single examination. By incorporating historical findings into the diagnostic workflow, the solution aims to improve cancer detection, reduce false-positive recalls and support more informed clinical decision-making.
With these additions, DeepHealth's Breast Suite offers a comprehensive AI platform supporting cancer detection, cardiovascular risk assessment, breast density evaluation, future cancer risk assessment and workflow optimization. So far, components of Breast Suite support diagnostic accuracy and standardization of care across more than 10 million mammograms annually worldwide.
Industry Prospects Favoring the Market
Going by the data provided by Precedence Research, the artificial intelligence (AI) in the breast imaging market is valued at $666.9 million in 2026 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 15.9% through 2035.
Factors like increased breast cancer awareness and early detection, growing health insurance and an increasing aging population are boosting the market’s growth.
Other News
DeepHealth recently launched Reporting Pro, an AI-powered reporting solution that streamlines radiology workflows. The platform combines speech recognition, AI-generated findings and impressions, automated measurements, quality assurance and structured reporting into a single, integrated workflow for radiologists.
RDNT’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks
Currently, RDNT has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are BrightSpring Health (BTSG - Free Report) , Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) and West Pharmaceutical (WST - Free Report) .
BrightSpring Health, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 39 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 34.5%. Revenues of $3.61 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.35%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
BrightSpring Health has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 46.5%. BTSG’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, the average surprise being 14.6%.
Globus Medical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reported a first-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.12, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 22.1%. Revenues of $759.9 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.0%.
GMED has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 10.2%. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 26.3%.
West Pharmaceutical, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, reported first-quarter 2026 EPS of $2.13, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26.8%. Revenues of $844.9 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.5%.
West Pharmaceutical has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 13.9%. WST’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.4%.
LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Helen of Troy Limited (“Helen of Troy” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: HELE) for violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Investors who purchased the Company’s securities between April 24, 2024 and October 8, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”), are encouraged to contact the firm before August 3, 2026.
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].
The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.
According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Helen of Troy misled investors about the success of its Project Pegasus restructuring program. The Company touted the “fuel” produced by Project Pegasus, despite what it called “implementation hiccups.” The Company continued to tout its restructuring effort, telling shareholders, "despite the delayed savings related to our Tennessee distribution center, Project Pegasus continues to move forward. We have made good progress on the cost of goods sold work streams, implementing multiple projects that reduce costs and simplify our supplier base." Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Helen of Troy, investors suffered damages.
Join the case to recover your losses.
The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
CONTACT:
The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335 [email protected]
Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) was a big mover last session on higher-than-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions might help the stock continue moving higher in the near term.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL - Free Report) Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated — popularly known as JLL — is a leading full-service real estate firm that provides corporate, financial and investment management services to corporations and other real estate owners, users and investors worldwide.
JLL is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. JLL has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 21.5% for the current fiscal year.
For fiscal 2026, five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $1.09 to $22.84 per share. JLL boasts an average earnings surprise of +12.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, JLL should be on investors' short list.
Key Takeaways ELF enters fiscal 2027 with more growth levers but slower momentum in its flagship brand. Rhode topped $500M in annualized global retail sales and grew net sales more than 80%. ELF expects fiscal 2027 net sales of $1.835B-$1.865B and adjusted EBITDA of $379M-$385M. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF - Free Report) enters fiscal 2027 with a wider platform but a more complicated investment setup.
Rhode, Naturium, e.l.f. SKIN and international expansion give the company more growth levers. The key question is whether those levers can offset slower momentum in the flagship e.l.f. brand.
ELF Has More Than One Growth Enginee.l.f. Beauty is no longer just a low-price cosmetics story. Its portfolio now includes e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, rhode, Naturium and Well People, spanning mass beauty, prestige skin care and digital-led brands.
The shift has changed the risk profile. Non-e.l.f. brands rose from 0% to 30% of global consumption over the past three years, while skin care increased from 9% to 23%. That lowers dependence on a single product cycle and gives ELF multiple paths to growth.
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL - Free Report) remains a relevant benchmark in prestige beauty because its portfolio spans skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care. Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA - Free Report) is also central to the beauty ecosystem as a specialty retailer that connects consumers with mass, prestige and emerging brands.
Rhode Gives e.l.f. Beauty New ReachRhode is the clearest growth catalyst in the portfolio. On an annualized basis in fiscal 2026, the brand generated more than $500 million in global retail sales and about $390 million in net sales, with net sales rising more than 80% year over year.
Its retail start has been notable. Rhode reached the number one beauty brand ranking in Sephora North America and delivered record-breaking launches with Sephora in the United Kingdom and MECCA in Australia and New Zealand.
Distribution still leaves room for growth. Rhode is in less than 20% of Sephora’s global stores, while about 20% of its direct-to-consumer sales and 74% of social followers are outside the United States.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ELF Needs Its Core Brand to ReaccelerateThe flagship e.l.f. brand still drives the investment case. e.l.f. Cosmetics produced about $1.8 billion in fiscal 2026 global retail sales and gained 115 basis points of U.S. color cosmetics market share during the year.
That scale also makes the recent slowdown harder to ignore. e.l.f. brand global consumption moderated from high single digits in fiscal 2026 to low single digits in the final 12 weeks of the year, as spring 2026 innovation produced less lift across core items than expected.
Management is responding through pricing, innovation, international focus and leadership changes. The company cut the price of Halo Glow Skin Tint from $18 to $14, with initial tests showing a 38% lift on Amazon and a 36% lift across all retailers.
e.l.f. Beauty Faces Margin PressureTop-line growth is not fully flowing through to earnings. Fiscal 2026 net sales rose 25%, while adjusted EBITDA increased 13%, showing that spending and cost pressures are absorbing part of the revenue benefit.
Marketing and digital expenses were about 24% of net sales in fiscal 2026. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company is also navigating tariff exposure, inflation and a more retail-heavy Rhode channel mix, which can affect near-term profitability as the brand scales beyond direct-to-consumer sales. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The fiscal 2027 outlook still points to growth. Management expects net sales of $1.835 billion to $1.865 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $379 million to $385 million, compared with fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $335 million.
How ELF Stock Signals Fit the SetupELF looks like a balanced story rather than a straightforward momentum call. Rhode, Naturium, e.l.f. SKIN and international growth have expanded the company’s runway, but the core brand must reaccelerate for investors to regain confidence in organic growth.
The stock’s setup is also constrained by signal gaps. Specific Zacks Rank and Style Scores are not available for investors to lean on, leaving the brand reset, Rhode’s rollout and margin execution as the more useful near-term markers.
For investors, that argues for discipline. A favorable Zacks Rank and strong Style Scores can help identify stocks with better earnings-revision and style characteristics over the next one to three months, but ELF’s current case depends more on execution than on a clean quantitative read.
e.l.f. Beauty (ELF - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this cosmetics company have returned +20.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.9% change. The Zacks Cosmetics industry, to which e.l.f. Beauty belongs, has lost 4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, e.l.f. Beauty is expected to post earnings of $0.73 per share, indicating a change of -18% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -15.5% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $3.31 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +5.8%. This estimate has changed -1.6% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.57 indicates a change of +7.8% from what e.l.f. Beauty is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -2.7%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for e.l.f. Beauty.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
For e.l.f. Beauty, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $424.55 million indicates a year-over-year change of +20%. For the current and next fiscal years, $1.86 billion and $1.99 billion estimates indicate +13.6% and +7% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise Historye.l.f. Beauty reported revenues of $449.29 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +35.1%. EPS of $0.32 for the same period compares with $0.78 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $425.82 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +5.51%. The EPS surprise was +10.34%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
e.l.f. Beauty is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about e.l.f. Beauty. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Key Takeaways ELF is leaning on skincare and global expansion as larger parts of its growth profile. Skincare rose to 23% of global consumption, helped by Rhode, Naturium and e.l.f. SKIN. ELF still faces softer core brand demand, tariff uncertainty and heavy marketing spending. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF - Free Report) is moving into a new phase as skincare and international distribution become larger parts of its growth profile.
The company still depends on value-led cosmetics, but investors are watching whether Rhode, Naturium and e.l.f. SKIN can extend the runway.
ELF Is Riding the Skincare ShiftSkincare has become the clearest portfolio shift at e.l.f. Beauty. The category represented roughly 9% of global consumption three years ago and has grown to about 23%, supported by Rhode, Naturium and e.l.f. SKIN.
That shift broadens ELF beyond color cosmetics. e.l.f. SKIN generated about $200 million in fiscal 2026 global retail sales, while Naturium delivered nearly $250 million, roughly double its pre-acquisition level.
Rhode adds a prestige skincare platform with demand across direct-to-consumer and retail channels. The trend places ELF near The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL - Free Report) , whose portfolio spans skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care.
e.l.f. Beauty Sees Global White SpaceInternational expansion is the second major trend. International net sales grew 38% in fiscal 2026, but markets outside the United States still represented only about 21% of total company sales.
That mix leaves room for ELF to scale abroad through new retail partners and additional doors. The company added eight international retail partners across 14 countries during fiscal 2026 and exited the year with improving trends in the U.K. and Germany.
Rhode strengthens that opportunity. The brand generated more than $500 million in annualized fiscal 2026 retail sales and about $390 million in net sales, yet remains in less than 20% of Sephora’s global store base.
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA - Free Report) is relevant because specialty beauty retailers help shape discovery across cosmetics, skincare and wellness. Its role as a major beauty destination highlights why retail access still matters for digitally popular brands.
ELF Shows Digital Demand Still MattersELF’s model remains digitally oriented and community-led. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company uses connected commerce, social media and direct consumer engagement to test product ideas, build demand and support launches. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The approach also supports speed. Management is fast-tracking products not originally planned for fiscal 2027 after softer spring innovation, showing how quickly ELF can adjust its calendar.
For a multi-brand platform, that feedback loop can be valuable. Rhode, Naturium and e.l.f. SKIN can all benefit from the same playbook of marketing, digital commerce, retail execution and faster product response.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ELF Also Reflects Cost and Demand StrainThe trend story is not risk-free. ELF’s namesake brand consumption slowed from high-single-digit growth in fiscal 2026 to low-single-digit growth in the final 12 weeks of the year.
Management also cited softer spring innovation and a more pronounced decline in units after a fiscal 2026 price increase. Value-led beauty is not immune to a more selective consumer backdrop.
Costs are another constraint. The fiscal 2027 outlook assumes tariff rates remain at 35%, and oil near $100 per barrel could add $15 million to $20 million of cost headwinds.
Marketing and digital spending is expected to remain high at roughly 23% to 25% of net sales in fiscal 2027. Those investments may support brand building but limit near-term earnings leverage when core demand softens.
Where ELF Fits in a Trend-Led Stock ViewELF has credible exposure to skincare penetration, international expansion, social commerce and value-led product innovation. Fiscal 2027 sales guidance of $1.84 billion to $1.90 billion still implies 12% to 14% year-over-year growth.
The stock view is less straightforward because EBITDA margin is expected to be in the high teens in the first half before improving toward about 21% for the full year. That puts more weight on execution as the year progresses.
The risk-reward profile looks balanced rather than clearly bullish. Strong trend exposure supports investor interest, but softer core demand, tariff uncertainty and heavy marketing spending keep earnings visibility limited.
Without a disclosed Zacks Rank or Style Scores, investors have fewer clean quantitative signals to lean on. ELF may fit watchlists focused on skincare and global beauty growth, but the stock still needs better evidence of core demand recovery and margin stability before the setup becomes conviction-driven.
Key Takeaways ELF trades at 19.3X forward earnings after falling 48.5% over the trailing 12 months.Rhode grew fiscal 2026 net sales more than 80% and remains in under 20% of Sephora stores.ELF's buy case hinges on Rhode growth, skin care gains and a core brand reset lifting earnings. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF - Free Report) has pulled back sharply, but the stock is not being valued like a no-growth story. ELF trades at 19.3X forward 12-month earnings while management still projects fiscal 2027 sales growth of 12%-14%.
That leaves investors weighing a cheaper multiple against a business in transition. Rhode, Naturium and international expansion support the growth case, but core brand softness and margin pressure keep the buy case from being straightforward.
ELF Valuation Looks Lower but Not CheapELF’s valuation has reset materially. Shares are down 14.4% year to date and 48.5% over the trailing 12 months, while the stock trades well below its five-year median earnings multiple of 52.36X.
The current 19.3X multiple sits close to the Zacks sub-industry’s 18.78X and below the S&P 500’s 20.95X. That is more reasonable than ELF’s former premium, but not cheap for a company that still needs above-category growth, portfolio scaling and better operating leverage.
e.l.f. Beauty Still Has Real Growth DriversThe strongest reason to keep ELF on the watchlist is that it no longer depends only on e.l.f. Cosmetics. Non-e.l.f. brands now represent about 30% of global consumption, while skincare has climbed to roughly 23% of the mix from 9% three years ago.
Rhode is the clearest growth engine. The brand delivered about $390 million in fiscal 2026 net sales, grew more than 80% year over year and remains in less than 20% of Sephora’s global stores.
Naturium delivered nearly $250 million in fiscal 2026 global retail sales, roughly double its pre-acquisition level. International markets represented 21% of fiscal 2026 net sales, giving ELF another runway if it can extend its retail and digital playbook.
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA - Free Report) gives investors another way to assess beauty demand through specialty retail. Coty Inc. (COTY - Free Report) , with exposure across fragrance, color cosmetics and skin care, remains a relevant peer for tracking broader beauty-category sentiment.
ELF Earnings Power Is Under PressureRevenue growth alone does not settle the investment debate. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues increased 35% year over year to $449.3 million, but adjusted earnings fell 59% to 32 cents per share.
The pressure came from spending. Marketing and digital investment increased to 31% of sales from 23% a year earlier, while adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses rose to 67% of sales from 52%.
Management expects first-half fiscal 2027 adjusted EBITDA margins to remain in the high teens. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company is still investing behind pricing initiatives, faster innovation, Rhode support and global infrastructure, which may delay a clearer earnings recovery. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
ELF Guidance Requires a Second-Half TurnFiscal 2027 guidance calls for net sales of $1.84 billion to $1.90 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $379-$385 million. Adjusted earnings are expected in the range of $3.27-$3.32 per share.
That outlook depends on improvement after a muted start. Guidance assumes first-quarter organic sales decline at a high-single-digit rate before benefiting from easier comparisons and better execution later in the year.
The timing matters because the core e.l.f. brand has slowed from high-single-digit consumption growth in fiscal 2026 to low-single-digit growth in the final 12 weeks of the year. Pricing tests, accelerated launches and potential cost relief need to arrive on schedule.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What ELF Signals Say About Risk and RewardELF looks more balanced after the decline, but not clean enough to call a simple value opportunity. The stock is cheaper than it was, yet the business still needs Rhode growth, skincare expansion and a core-brand reset to translate into steadier earnings growth.
The Zacks Rank and Style Scores are most useful when they give investors a cleaner signal. A favorable setup would typically include a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) along with A or B Style Scores, especially on the VGM Score, which combines value, growth and momentum indicators.
For ELF, the current debate is more mixed. The valuation reset improves the entry point, but weaker core trends and high near-term investment intensity limit earnings visibility. That makes the stock one to watch for execution progress rather than a clear buy based on valuation alone.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Urban Outfitters (URBN - Free Report) Urban Outfitters, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. It is a lifestyle products and services company that sells fashion apparel, accessories, footwear, home goods and related offerings through a portfolio of global consumer brands. The company’s key brands include Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement, Urban Outfitters and Nuuly. Anthropologie also includes the Terrain and Maeve brands. Free People also includes FP Movement. The company operates in North America and Europe, and also sells through franchise partners in the Middle East.
URBN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Retail-Wholesale stock. URBN has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 1.2% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2027, four analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.17 to $6.01 per share. URBN boasts an average earnings surprise of +12.2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, URBN should be on investors' short list.
Krystal Biotech (KRYS) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Key Takeaways APO capped ADS withdrawals after redemption requests neared 17% versus a 5% quarterly limit.ARES capped ASIF withdrawals after redemption requests exceeded 14% of outstanding shares.Blackstone and KKR have also faced elevated redemption requests in recent quarters. The private credit industry is once again under scrutiny after leading alternative asset managers Apollo Global Management (APO - Free Report) and Ares Management (ARES - Free Report) imposed fresh limits on investor withdrawals from their flagship retail-focused private credit funds. The restrictions came after redemption requests once again exceeded the funds' quarterly repurchase limits.
Private credit has become one of the fastest-growing segments of alternative investments by offering investors attractive yields through loans to middle-market companies. However, unlike publicly traded bonds, these loans are inherently illiquid and cannot be sold quickly without potentially disrupting valuations.
To balance illiquid assets with investors' demand for periodic liquidity, most non-traded private credit funds allow quarterly redemptions of only up to 5% of outstanding shares. When redemption requests exceed that limit, withdrawals are processed on a pro-rata basis.
That is precisely what occurred again this quarter.
Apollo capped withdrawals from its roughly $25-billion Apollo Debt Solutions (“ADS”) fund after investors sought to redeem nearly 17% of outstanding shares during the latest redemption window. Because the fund permits repurchase of only 5% of shares per quarter, this marks the second consecutive quarter in which investor requests exceeded the allowable limit.
Similarly, Ares Management restricted withdrawals from its approximately $23-billion Ares Strategic Income Fund (“ASIF”) after redemption requests climbed above 14% of outstanding shares, also well beyond the fund's quarterly limit. The parallel actions by two of the industry's largest managers suggest that redemption pressures are broad-based across retail private credit rather than isolated incidents.
Here's Why Investors Are Pulling BackThe redemption wave reflects shifting investor sentiment toward an asset class that has expanded rapidly over the past several years. Higher interest rates initially boosted the appeal of direct lending by increasing yields, attracting capital from institutional investors, family offices and high-net-worth individuals.
More recently, however, concerns over private credit valuations, uncertainty surrounding the impacts of artificial intelligence on software-sector borrowers, and expectations of lower interest rates have prompted some investors to rebalance their portfolios.
Importantly, both Apollo Global and Ares Management continue to report that the overwhelming majority of their underlying loans remain current. This indicates that the withdrawal restrictions stem primarily from liquidity management rather than weakening credit fundamentals.
A notable trend is the persistence of redemption pressure across multiple quarters. Apollo has reported that gross outflows have exceeded inflows this year, while ARES has also experienced a meaningful increase in redemption requests compared with the prior quarter.
Management at both firms noted that much of the redemption has come from offshore investors, family offices and certain institutional clients, whereas demand from U.S. retail wealth investors has remained comparatively resilient. This divergence suggests that investor confidence has softened unevenly rather than deteriorating across the entire market.
The challenge extends beyond Apollo and Ares Management. Other leading asset managers, including Blackstone (BX - Free Report) and KKR & Co. (KKR - Free Report) , have also experienced elevated redemption requests in recent quarters, underscoring that liquidity pressures are becoming an industry-wide phenomenon rather than a manager-specific issue.
What it Means for the Private Credit MarketThe latest withdrawal caps reinforce one of private credit's defining trade-offs: investors gain access to higher yields and reduced mark-to-market volatility in exchange for limited liquidity. During periods of heightened uncertainty, redemption gates serve as a critical safeguard, allowing managers to avoid selling long-term loans at distressed prices and protecting remaining investors from value erosion.
As private credit continues to evolve into a mainstream asset class, investors are likely to place greater emphasis not only on credit performance but also on fund liquidity structures, redemption policies and portfolio transparency.
For industry leaders such as Apollo Global, Ares Management, Blackstone and KKR & Co., the ability to navigate this period without meaningful credit losses will be an important test of underwriting discipline and portfolio resilience. At the same time, recurring redemption limits may reshape investor expectations, reinforcing that private credit is designed as a long-term investment, wherein liquidity is deliberately constrained in exchange for enhanced returns.
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) will release its second quarter earnings report after the closing bell on Wednesday, July 8.
Analysts expect the San Francisco, California-based company to report quarterly earnings of 24 cents per share, up from 22 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Levi Strauss’ quarterly revenue is $1.52 billion. It reported $1.45 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.
On April 7, Levi Strauss reported better-than-expected first-quarter financial results and raised its FY26 guidance.
Levi Strauss shares gained 2.3% to close at $24.54 on Friday.
Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.
Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent period.
Considering buying LEVI stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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JFrog (FROG) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MPLX either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?
Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX - Free Report) .
Viking Therapeutics currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.30, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 20 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.30 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 20 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 17 are Strong Buy, representing 85% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for VKTX
Check price target & stock forecast for Viking Therapeutics here>>>
While the ABR calls for buying Viking Therapeutics, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.
Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.
In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.
ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.
Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Is VKTX a Good Investment?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for Viking Therapeutics, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at -$4.7.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Viking Therapeutics. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Viking Therapeutics.
The architectural boundaries dividing traditional institutional debt markets from decentralized liquidity networks have dissolved further. In a major advancement for the on-chain economy, the tokenized private credit product mGLOBAL has officially gone live on the newly activated Aave Horizon RWA Market. The strategic integration, which launched on June 24, enables institutional and Web3 investors to utilize a highly secure, asset-backed corporate strategy as live collateral. For the first time within this specialized framework, users can leverage these tokenized positions to borrow stablecoins and extract capital directly from Aave, the world’s largest decentralized lending protocol, which currently commands more than $24billion in net deposits.
Demystifying the mGLOBAL Tokenized Infrastructure Engineered and issued by digital asset innovator Midas, mGLOBAL operates as a fully compliant security token structurally linked to the financial performance of Fasanara Capital’s flagship receivables strategy. Moving away from the volatile, crypto-native backing that characterized early decentralized lending models, the underlying portfolio invests heavily in short-duration trade receivables, digital supply-chain invoices, and asset-based corporate finance exposures.
This underlying focus on real-world transactional commerce constructs an exceptionally diversified private credit grid designed to maintain steady yields across shifting macroeconomic cycles. The current operational parameters of the underlying credit portfolio highlight its massive scale:
Global Footprint: Asset exposure and risk distribution extending across more than 60 sovereign countries.
Diversified Origination: Upwards of 140 independent credit originators actively channeling high-quality debt instruments into the fund.
Granular Risk Mitigation: A massive baseline comprising more than 700,000 active open positions to minimize individual counterparty defaults.
Institutional Scaling and Capital Foundations Fasanara Capital, a technology-driven global asset manager, brings deep institutional validity to the on-chain ecosystem, currently managing over $6billion in assets on behalf of traditional pension funds, insurance firms, and family offices. The mGLOBAL vehicle debuts on Aave’s RWA platform with a robust $40million in Total Value Locked (TVL), anchored by a prominent seed allocation from specialized Web3 institutional investment platform InfiniFi.
The deployment underscores the aggressive growth trajectory maintained by Midas since its operational market entry. Established originally in 2024, the tokenization platform recently closed a major $50million Series A funding round to expand its real-world asset engineering pipeline. To date, Midas has orchestrated over $2billion in total digital asset issuance while successfully distributing more than $43million in yield payouts directly to its international client roster.
Real-World Assets Mature into Core Corporate Treasury Rails The implementation of mGLOBAL within Aave’s ecosystem marks a definitive maturity phase for the digital asset landscape. Historically, decentralized lending protocols operated as highly cyclical, speculative sandboxes heavily dependent on native token rewards. By systematically introducing asset-backed corporate invoices and short-term global trade debts into the protocol’s collateral tiers, the network is establishing a more resilient, low-volatility environment for corporate capital.
For sophisticated asset managers, the capability to lock institutional trade receivables into a protocol like Aave to instantly draw stablecoin liquidity represents a profound optimization of capital efficiency. It permits traditional yield-bearing assets to be leveraged natively onchain without forcing the premature liquidation of the underlying private credit positions. As traditional capital markets and distributed ledger technology continue to merge into a single, cohesive financial system, alliances between automated clearing networks like Aave and asset heavyweights like Midas and Fasanara are actively drawing the blueprint for the next generation of global corporate treasury management.
The decentralized finance (DeFi) market experienced significant momentum on June 26, 2026, as digital assets staged a sharp recovery following a period of persistent selling. Leading the broader market rebound was Aave (AAVE), the largest decentralized lending protocol, which surged by more than 19% within a 24-hour window.
This massive rally propelled the token to intraday highs near $95, demonstrating exceptional relative strength even as the broader cryptocurrency market worked to establish solid footing. The surge reflects an asymmetric setup for the protocol, driven by a combination of institutional interest, an upcoming structural architecture rewrite, and radical tokenomic overhauls.
Why Is Aave Price Surging? Strategic Stake Rumors Trigger Massive Inflows The initial spark for the rally came from reports indicating that crypto exchange giant Kraken (operated by parent company Payward) is exploring a strategic investment in the leading DeFi lender. According to sources, the proposed deal involves Kraken investing 35,000 Ethereum (ETH) in exchange for 250,000 AAVE tokens and a 15% equity stake in Aave Group, valuing the corporate entity at roughly $385 million.
While the $385 million corporate valuation represents a steep markdown compared to AAVE’s fully diluted token market capitalization of roughly $1.52 billion, it instantly drew massive institutional eyes back to the protocol. The market quickly digested the long-term implications of a deepened tie between Aave and Kraken. Notably, the two firms have already established deep infrastructure synergies; in 2025, the Aave DAO voted with a 99.8% majority to license its core code to Kraken’s Ink network, which powers a white-label lending market named Tydro that routes revenue back to the Aave DAO.
Aave founder Stani Kulechov quickly stepped in to clarify the structural dynamics of the reported talks, correcting the market’s initial misinterpretation of a token “dump” and shifting the narrative into a hyper-bullish fundamental catalyst.
Lots of discussions around Aave so I want to clarify a few things:
• First off, there is NO WAY we’d sell AAVE at a 70% discount lol.
• 100% of Aave Protocol and GHO revenue goes to the $AAVE token. This was established in the Aave Will Win proposal.
• AWW also applies to…
— Stani (@StaniKulechov) June 25, 2026
Strategic Commentary:
Kulechov’s communication style serves a dual purpose. First, by outright dismissing the “70% discount” framing, he reassured the market that Aave Labs has no intention of offloading tokens cheaply to institutional buyers. Second, and more importantly, he drew a firm line between corporate equity in Aave Group and the intrinsic value of the AAVE token.
By reminding investors that 100% of the protocol’s roaring $134 million annualized revenue stream belongs entirely to the token holders via the AWW framework, Kulechov reframed the asset as a highly productive index of DeFi activity. The mention of the upcoming automated buybacks under Aavenomics 3.0 reminded traders that holding AAVE offers direct exposure to the protocol’s cash flows, separating it from the vast majority of governance tokens that lack structural value accrual.
Automated Buybacks and Aavenomics 3.0 Restructure the Economic Engine The true fuel behind the sustained rally, however, lies in Kulechov’s confirmation of Aavenomics 3.0. Responding to the speculation surrounding the Kraken equity deal, Kulechov utilized X (formerly Twitter) to lay out the protocol’s current and future revenue distribution models. He confirmed that Aave is currently generating approximately $134 million in annualized revenue for the Aave DAO, with all-time protocol fees exceeding $2.2 billion.
Under the revolutionary “Aave Will Win” (AWW) framework passed by governance in April 2026, 100% of all revenues generated across the ecosystem—including the Aave Protocol, the native GHO stablecoin, the Aave App, Aave Pro, and native Swaps—flow entirely to the Aave DAO treasury to benefit token holders directly. Aave Labs operates strictly as a service provider funded by a DAO-approved development budget, holding no rights to product revenue.
Aave’s tokenomics might be about to get A LOT better…
Despite dominance of the DeFi lending sector, $AAVE‘s price performance has not lived up to it, down -68% on the year. This might be about to change.
In a recent post, @aave founder @StaniKulechov revealed that the team is… pic.twitter.com/1diNcjVsBz
— BSCN (@BSCNews) June 27, 2026
Aavenomics 3.0 takes this structure a step further by introducing a hardcoded, automated, and non-discretionary on-chain buyback mechanism. This will replace the current discretionary buyback program managed by the Aave Finance Committee, which was capped at $1 million per week (~$50 million annually). Once implemented, the protocol will continuously buy back AAVE from the secondary market using accumulated revenue streams, creating constant, non-speculative buying pressure directly linked to real protocol utility.
Technical Analysis and Long-Term Aave Price Prediction Our customized technical analysis reveals that the fundamental news has allowed AAVE to front-run its major architectural milestone. On the daily chart, AAVE broke decisively above a major descending trendline that had capped every single relief rally since January.
Technical Metric
Value / Level
Market Context / Significance
Current Trading Price
$93.99 – $94.86
Up 19% over 24 hours, showing immense relative strength.
0.382 Fibonacci Level
$80.85
Reclaimed decisively in a single session.
0.500 Fibonacci Level
$87.98
Cleared with strong spot volume backing the move.
Relative Strength Index (RSI)
69.22
Building aggressive bullish momentum, sitting just below overbought.
Key breakout target once the psychological $100 area is cleared.
Primary Support Zone
$60.00 – $80.00
Multi-year ascending trendline intact since October 2023.
From a high-timeframe structural perspective, analysts view the current price action as a classic re-accumulation phase following a brutal 76% correction from its all-time high. Price compression between descending resistance and rising support is resolving to the upside.
If buyers can comfortably flip the $100 psychological barrier into a support floor, a multi-month macro reversal will be confirmed. This technical breakout aligns perfectly with a highly ambitious Aave Price Prediction released by banking giant Standard Chartered, which set a long-term target of $3,500 by 2030, representing a monumental 50x move predicated on institutional DeFi adoption and continuous automated revenue buybacks.
Source-TradingView.com Conversely, if the $100 zone rejects the current run, expect short-term consolidation back toward the 100-day EMA near $91.45, or the key liquidation cluster at $90, which must be defended to keep the immediate bullish market structure intact.
Generation V4 Architecture: The Ultimate Catalyst Looming right behind the tokenomic updates is the official deployment of Aave V4, slated to go live on June 30, 2026. Traders are treating this upgrade as a massive generational milestone rather than a standard roadmap bump.
V4 completely restructures how liquidity is managed across DeFi by introducing a “Hub and Spoke” design. Instead of isolating capital across fragmented pools on various Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks, V4 establishes a central liquidity Hub. Individual Spokes connect to this hub to serve specific asset types or risk profiles, unlocking unparalleled capital efficiency and significantly boosting supplier yields.
Source – Aave v4 Overview | Aave Protocol Documentation Crucially, V4 positions Aave’s native stablecoin, GHO, at the center of the protocol’s architecture. GHO’s circulating supply already sits at $599 million, and V4 is optimized to route more borrowing demand directly through it. Because the protocol retains 100% of the interest generated from GHO loans, the growth of the stablecoin feeds directly into the upcoming automated buyback engine, making the V4 launch a compounding win for token value.
Broader Crypto Market Performance: Bitcoin and Solana Stabilize The aggressive move in the DeFi sector comes as the broader crypto landscape attempts to find an equilibrium. Bitcoin (BTC) managed to stabilize and climb back above the psychological $60,000 mark following a sharp mid-week sell-off.
While large-cap assets like Ethereum (ETH) and XRP posted modest single-digit gains, capital heavily rotated into decentralized applications and infrastructure. Alongside Aave’s 19% explosion, the Solana ecosystem experienced a parallel surge. Driven by an acceleration in tokenized equity and stock trading volumes—which topped $2.5 billion and secured Solana an 80% market share in the Real World Asset (RWA) space—assets like JTO skyrocketed by 30%, while DEX protocols like Raydium (RAY) and liquidity networks like Kamino (KMNO) advanced between 7% and 9%.
Aave Price FAQ Is Kraken going to buy out Aave?
No, Kraken is not buying out the Aave protocol. Reports indicate that Kraken’s parent company, Payward, has engaged in early talks to acquire a 15% minority equity stake in Aave Group (the corporate development entity) for roughly $71 million, alongside purchasing a portion of the AAVE token allocation held internally by Aave Labs. The decentralized Aave protocol itself remains completely autonomous and governed by the global Aave DAO.
Will AAVE reach $1,000?
Yes, a move to $1,000 is mathematically achievable but requires sustained fundamental execution. Our technical Aave Price Prediction models indicate that clearing the intermediate milestones of $200, $350, and $600 will open the door to the $1,000 macro target. This trajectory is heavily supported by the structural change under Aavenomics 3.0, which turns a portion of the protocol’s $134 million annualized revenue into continuous open-market token repurchases.
Is AAVE a good buy right now?
AAVE exhibits some of the strongest fundamental backings in DeFi today due to the combination of the V4 upgrade, rising protocol revenues, and the upcoming automated buyback overhaul. However, because the token has already rallied aggressively into the June 30 launch date, short-term volatility, “buy the rumor, sell the news” behavior, and smart-contract migration risks remain present. Investors should always monitor the key support zone between $60 and $80.
Bottom Line
The thesis driving the current Aave market cycle is incredibly straightforward. While a major corporate equity discussion with Kraken has restored institutional visibility, the impending launch of Aave V4 and the transition to a non-discretionary, automated buyback structure under Aavenomics 3.0 fundamentally alter the token’s value proposition.
By transforming real-world, on-chain lending utility directly into mechanical buying pressure, Aave is carving out a unique position in the digital asset landscape. Investors should look past short-term price fluctuations and closely monitor post-launch TVL migration and GHO supply growth to track the protocol’s true trajectory.
SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this company have returned -28.8%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.9% change. During this period, the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, which SoundHound AI falls in, has lost 8.2%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, SoundHound AI is expected to post a loss of $0.05 per share, indicating a change of -66.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of -$0.18 points to a change of -38.5% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.17 indicates a change of +6.7% from what SoundHound AI is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, SoundHound AI is rated Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
For SoundHound AI, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $52.61 million indicates a year-over-year change of +23.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $233.14 million and $270.1 million estimates indicate +38% and +15.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistorySoundHound AI reported revenues of $44.19 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +51.7%. EPS of -$0.06 for the same period compares with -$0.06 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $42.71 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.48%. The EPS surprise was -20%.
Over the last four quarters, SoundHound AI surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
SoundHound AI is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about SoundHound AI. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?
Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about Reddit Inc. (RDDT - Free Report) .
Reddit Inc. currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.90, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 30 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.90 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 30 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 17 are Strong Buy and one is Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 56.7% and 3.3% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for RDDT
Check price target & stock forecast for Reddit Inc. here>>>
While the ABR calls for buying Reddit Inc., it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.
Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.
This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.
Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.
ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.
Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Should You Invest in RDDT?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Reddit Inc., the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $4.83.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Reddit Inc. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Reddit Inc.
GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS) today announced it has been awarded a contract modification valued at $52.7 million from the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the United States Department of Health and Human Services to supply ACAM2000® (Smallpox and Mpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live) vaccine, ancillaries as well as diluent replacement lots for smallpox preparedness and response needs. Deliveries are expected to begin this month.
“This new contract modification for ACAM2000® underscores the U.S. government’s continued focus on biodefense preparedness and reflects Emergent’s longstanding role to collaborate and help protect civilians and warfighters against potential smallpox and mpox threats,” said Paul Williams, senior vice president, head of products business, global government & public affairs at Emergent. “In this increasingly dangerous world, we are proud to continue supporting the U.S. government as they continue to take critical, proactive steps on biodefense preparedness.”
This award follows Emergent’s recent announcements that the Saudi Food and Drug Authority has approved ACAM2000® for immunization against smallpox and mpox in high-risk individuals and that Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority has approved an expanded indication for ACAM2000® to include prevention of mpox disease in adults determined to be at high risk for mpox infection.
Experts consider smallpox to be a credible bioterror threat, with potential health, economic and national security implications due to its mortality rate.1 Emergent specializes in developing, manufacturing and delivering medical countermeasures to the U.S. government and allies around the world to support health preparedness and help protect the public from potential threats like smallpox, mpox, Ebola, anthrax and botulism.
This contract modification is under Emergent’s existing 10-year contract (75A50119C00071) with ASPR.
Indication and Select Important Safety Information for ACAM2000® (Smallpox and Mpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live)
Indication
ACAM2000® is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of smallpox and mpox disease in individuals determined to be at high risk for smallpox or mpox infection.
Important Safety Information
Warning: Serious Complications
Myocarditis and pericarditis (suspect cases observed at a rate of 5.7 per 1000 primary vaccinees (95% CI: 1.9-13.3)), encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, encephalopathy, progressive vaccinia, generalized vaccinia, severe vaccinial skin infections, erythema multiforme major (including STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME), eczema vaccinatum resulting in permanent sequelae or death, accidental eye infection (ocular vaccinia) which can cause ocular complications that may lead to blindness, and fetal death, have occurred following either primary vaccination or revaccination with ACAM2000® or other live vaccinia virus vaccines that were used historically.
Contraindications
Do not administer ACAM2000® to individuals with severe immunodeficiency. These individuals may include persons who are undergoing bone marrow transplantation or persons with primary or acquired immunodeficiency states who require isolation.
Warnings and Precautions
Serious complications that may follow either primary or revaccination with ACAM2000® include myocarditis and/or pericarditis, ischemic heart disease and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, encephalopathy, progressive vaccinia (vaccinia necrosum), generalized vaccinia, severe vaccinial skin infections, erythema multiforme major (including Stevens-Johnson syndrome), eczema vaccinatum, fetal vaccinia, fetal death, and accidental eye infection (ocular vaccinia) that may lead to blindness. ACAM2000® is a live vaccinia virus that can be transmitted to persons who have close contact with the vaccinee and the risks in contacts are the same as those stated for vaccinees.
Adverse Reactions
Common adverse reactions include inoculation site signs and symptoms, lymphadenitis, and constitutional symptoms, such as malaise, fatigue, fever, myalgia, and headache.
To report Suspected Adverse Reactions, contact Emergent BioSolutions at 1-877-246-8472 (U.S.), 1-800-768-2304 (Canada), or [email protected]; or VAERS at 1-800-822-7967 or https://vaers.hhs.gov.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for ACAM2000® for complete Boxed Warning and safety information.
About Emergent BioSolutions
At Emergent, our mission is to protect and save lives. For over 25 years, we’ve been at work preparing those entrusted with protecting public health. We deliver protective and life-saving solutions for health threats like smallpox, mpox, botulism, Ebola, anthrax and opioid overdose emergencies. To learn more about how we help prepare communities around the world for today’s health challenges and tomorrow’s threats, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the expected timing for delivery of the ACAM2000® vaccine, are forward-looking statements. We generally identify forward-looking statements by using words like “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “position,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions or variations thereof, or the negative thereof, but these terms are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current intentions, beliefs, and expectations regarding future events based on information that is currently available. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be accurate. Readers should realize that if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or if known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could differ materially from our expectations. Readers are, therefore, cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect new information, events, or circumstances. Readers should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors identified in our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, when evaluating our forward-looking statements.
Investor Contact:
Richard S. Lindahl
Executive Vice President, CFO [email protected]
Media Contact:
Assal Hellmer
Vice President, Communications [email protected]
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regions Bank on Monday announced Jeff Sundheimer has been named head of Government, Institutional and Nonprofit Banking within the bank's Commercial Banking Group. Sundheimer's move to Regions Bank is part of the company's strategy for building more Commercial Banking growth in specialized industries and consistently enhancing client service. Who is Jeff Sundheimer? Jeff Sundheimer is a senior commercial banking executive who brings to Regions nearly 25 years.
Shares of Signet (SIG - Free Report) have gained 0.2% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $87.54, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $110.6 indicates a potential upside of 26.3%.
The average comprises 10 short-term price targets ranging from a low of $90.00 to a high of $150.00, with a standard deviation of $19.13. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 2.8% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 71.4% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.
While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.
However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in SIG. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Here's What You Should Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.
While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?
They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.
However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.
That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.
Here's Why There Could be Plenty of Upside Left in SIGAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current year, two estimates have moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 2.6%.
Moreover, SIG currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much SIG could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
The Consumer Discretionary group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Alto Ingredients (ALTO - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Alto Ingredients is one of 246 companies in the Consumer Discretionary group. The Consumer Discretionary group currently sits at #9 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.
The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Alto Ingredients is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALTO's full-year earnings has moved 184.2% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.
Our latest available data shows that ALTO has returned about 80.2% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Consumer Discretionary group have lost about 9.4% on average. This means that Alto Ingredients is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.
One other Consumer Discretionary stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Central Garden (CENT - Free Report) . The stock is up 39.7% year-to-date.
For Central Garden, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 2.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Looking more specifically, Alto Ingredients belongs to the Consumer Products - Discretionary industry, which includes 26 individual stocks and currently sits at #65 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 5.4% so far this year, meaning that ALTO is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Central Garden is also part of the same industry.
Investors interested in the Consumer Discretionary sector may want to keep a close eye on Alto Ingredients and Central Garden as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
Fresh short‑interest data for late June shows a tightly packed group of mid‑ and large‑cap names where bearish positioning has reached extreme territory, setting the stage for violent moves if sentiment flips.
LCID stock is moving. See the chart and price action here. For short sellers, these are high‑conviction trades. For longs, they are potential powder kegs.
The image below shows the top 10 most heavily shorted stocks (market caps above $2 billion, average 14-day volume above 5 million and free floats above 5 million) based on data from Benzinga Pro as of June 29, 2026:
RH (NYSE:RH) follows closely, with short interest near 56.7% and a triple‑digit share price, giving bears significant exposure to any rebound in high‑end consumer spending or housing‑related demand.
The TakeawayWith short interest this elevated, the group is highly sensitive to any broad improvement in risk appetite or sector‑specific catalysts.
A stronger macro backdrop, easing rates or a string of positive company‑level headlines could flip the trade quickly, turning today’s crowded bearish trades into tomorrow’s forced‑buying stampedes.
For traders tracking potential squeeze setups, these 10 names are the current powder‑keg shortlist.
Photo: Militarist / Shutterstock
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The Loopring team closed its decentralized exchange due to poor adoption, obsolescence, and operational issues. The team will return all user funds directly to their Ethereum wallets and cover all gas fees during the distribution process. Loopring officially shut down its decentralized exchange, marking the end of one of Ethereum’s earliest zk-rollup platforms. All trading functionalities were immediately stopped, and the relayer was turned off right after the official announcement made via Loopring’s X account.
The shutdown ends a project that once demonstrated how zero-knowledge rollups could efficiently scale Ethereum. Loopring raised $45 million through its initial coin offering in 2017.
Despite its technical merits, Loopring acknowledged that users never adopted the platform on a meaningful scale. The team pointed out that the lack of a virtual machine on the platform did not allow developers to compose and develop more advanced real-world applications. Without payment use cases and an evolving ecosystem, Loopring found it difficult to compete with new infrastructure built for blockchain technology.
Source: X Article
Additionally, Loopring admitted it was good at the software but failed to build the business acumen needed to drive adoption. Furthermore, it mentioned that the delisting of the LRC token throughout 2026 only worsened the problems.
New zkEVM Networks Outperformed Loopring’s Technology Finally, the development team admitted that modern zkEVM-based networks were able to surpass its proprietary technology. New projects such as zkSync, Scroll, and StarkNet created Ethereum-based environments that allowed deploying smart contracts more easily and developing a decentralized applications ecosystem.
The team admitted that it simply did not make sense anymore to continue working on Loopring. This is why the exchange was closed down in an orderly fashion. The project had earlier ended wallet services in July 2025 owing to scaling issues. The latest update marks Loopring’s eventual exit from the original decentralized exchange business.
Direct Distribution of Assets by Team The Loopring team made assurances that all user funds are still safe despite the imminent closure. Final balances will be computed, an inventory of assets provided, and two weeks allocated to check balances before any distribution can take place.
Distributions will follow after the two-week period, whereby the Loopring team will distribute assets directly to the wallets in batches. The team will automatically convert liquidity pool holdings to the respective token, take care of all gas fees, and undertake the whole process without the need for Merkle proofs.
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Loopring has announced the immediate closure of its decentralized exchange and automated market maker after concluding that years of limited adoption, business shortcomings, and technological competition left the project without a sustainable future.
Summary
Loopring has shut down its decentralized exchange after citing weak adoption, business challenges and competition from newer Ethereum scaling networks. Users will receive their remaining balances through direct Ethereum wallet distributions, with Loopring covering the gas fees. More than 60 crypto projects have closed in 2026, with Pyra, Carrot, Botanix Labs and several others also ending operations. Loopring disclosed the decision in a post on X on Sunday, confirming that all trading services have stopped and the protocol’s relayer has ceased operating. The team attributed the shutdown to three factors: weak user adoption, limited business development capabilities, and competition from newer zkEVM based Ethereum scaling networks.
The developers acknowledged that Loopring pioneered zero knowledge rollup technology but stated that the protocol’s architecture lacked a virtual machine, which prevented composability and limited practical payment use cases. These design constraints restricted ecosystem growth, the team wrote.
Engineers behind the project also admitted they excelled at technical development but failed to build the commercial side of the business. The announcement added that exchange delistings of LRC during 2026 accelerated a process that had already become unavoidable.
The team further stated that modern Ethereum compatible zkEVM networks eventually outpaced Loopring’s specialised design. Rather than continue operating what it described as a hollow service, the developers chose to discontinue the platform.
User withdrawals to continue after trading ends Loopring confirmed it will calculate final user balances before distributing funds directly to users’ Ethereum wallets in batches. The team also committed to paying the gas fees associated with those withdrawals.
Wallet services had already closed in July 2025 after the project cited scaling challenges. The latest announcement completes the shutdown of Loopring’s remaining core products.
The protocol reached a total value locked of about $760 million during the crypto market peak in November 2021, but that figure has since fallen by almost 99% to roughly $8 million, based on L2Beat data. LRC has followed a similar trajectory, falling to about $0.01 from its all-time high of $3.75 recorded during the same month.
Loopring secured one of its highest-profile partnerships in 2021 when it agreed to power GameStop’s NFT marketplace, which launched the following year.
Crypto closures continue through 2026 RootData has recorded more than 60 crypto projects and protocols that have discontinued services during 2026, as prolonged market weakness and changing technology trends have affected businesses across the sector.
As previously reported by crypto.news, Pyra announced plans to wind down after concluding it could not recover from losses linked to the Drift exploit. The crypto payments platform halted new user registrations, cancelled payment cards, and gave customers until Sept. 15, 2026, to withdraw funds and export private keys through a dedicated web portal while it prepares to distribute any future Drift recovery tokens.
Other projects have also exited the market this year. Solana-based yield protocol Carrot attributed its shutdown to losses connected to the Drift Protocol exploit, while Bitcoin Layer 2 developer Botanix Labs stated that user demand had not reached a level capable of supporting long term operations.
Loopring announced that it has shut down its decentralized exchange (DEX) services, with its relayer going offline immediately after the announcement on Sunday.
Though widely recognized as the first zkRollup project on Ethereum, the project said in an X article that it never gained measurable traction.
"As the first zkRollup, we lacked a virtual machine — no composability, no real‑world payment use cases," the team wrote. "That limitation kept our ecosystem from growing."
Loopring also said its zkEVM architecture had been outpaced by modern solutions that are fully compatible with Ethereum smart contracts. The lack of business development and external pressures, including the major exchange delistings of its native token LRC, also contributed to the decision, the team said.
Direct refunds Loopring noted that it will return users' assets directly and cover all transaction costs, instead of requiring users to generate and submit Merkle proofs. The team said the approach would be the "fairest and most hassle-free" way for users.
In the coming days, Loopring said it will publish a full list of users' final balances on Layer 2, including spot balances and AMM positions. Following a two-week review period of the list, the team plans to then upgrade the Loopring DEX smart contract to only allow team-controlled, whitelisted addresses to transfer assets out of the Layer 2.
The closure of Loopring's DEX comes roughly a year after the project sunsetted its DeFi products, including Dual Investment and Portal, saying it would instead focus on improving the Layer 2 network. Loopring had announced the closure of its wallet service earlier that year. Loopring's CEO, Steve Guo, also stepped down in August 2025.
The price of LRC fell 4.24% in the past 24 hours to trade at $0.012 as of 2:45 a.m. ET on Monday, according to The Block's Loopring price page.
"Loopring was born from a pure cypherpunk vision — we were coders who believed that zero‑knowledge proofs could scale Ethereum," Loopring wrote. "Rather than running a hollow service, we choose to end it gracefully."
Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.
Loopring will distribute funds directly to users and cover transaction fees. Users do not need to take any action.
Loopring, the first project to launch a zero-knowledge rollup on Ethereum, has announced that its decentralized exchange will immediately stop all trading services. The relayer has already been taken offline.
The team said the decision was made with regret after years of trying to keep the platform operating.
Outdated Technology and Poor Adoption According to the announcement, one of the main reasons behind the closure was the platform’s technical limitations. Loopring said its early zkRollup design did not include a virtual machine, which limited composability and prevented broader real-world applications, including payment use cases. These restrictions hindered ecosystem growth and made it difficult for the platform to compete with newer technologies.
The team also admitted that it had stronger engineering capabilities than business development skills, while describing itself as “engineers at heart, not business operators.” In addition, the delisting of LRC from major exchanges in 2026 added further pressure to the project.
“We poured countless late nights into building the very first zkRollup on the market. That achievement still fills us with pride. But today, we must face reality and announce, with deep regret, that Loopring DEX will cease all trading services effective immediately.”
Loopring explained that newer zkEVM solutions, which support Ethereum smart contracts and offer broader compatibility, have surpassed its specialized architecture. The team said its technology now feels outdated and that shutting down the service was preferable “rather than running a hollow service.”
The company stated that user funds remain safe and announced a distribution process to return assets. Instead of requiring users to submit Merkle proofs through the original self-custody withdrawal mechanism, Loopring said it will handle the entire process itself and cover all transaction fees. The team acknowledged that this method is more centralized but described it as the simplest option for users.
Loopring also revealed plans to publish a complete list of final account balances over the coming days. This includes spot holdings and liquidity pool positions, which will be converted into underlying tokens. A two-week review period will allow users to verify balances before distributions begin.
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The breach was traced to a flaw in the service’s two-factor authentication system, which allowed attackers to impersonate wallet owners and gain access to their accounts.
Key HighlightsThe Journey From Promise to ClosureMajor Exchange Removals and Executive DeparturesCentralized Withdrawal Process Raises QuestionsReflects Wider 2026 Industry Contraction Loopring, a pioneering zk-rollup solution on Ethereum, has permanently discontinued its decentralized exchange platform The protocol’s developers acknowledged insufficient user adoption, weak marketing capabilities, and competition from advanced zkEVM platforms Platform TVL plummeted 99% from a November 2021 peak of $760 million to approximately $8 million LRC token value crashed from $3.75 at its zenith to roughly $0.01 Withdrawal of user assets will occur through a centralized batch system managed by the team, replacing the original trustless withdrawal feature Loopring, recognized as Ethereum’s pioneering zero-knowledge rollup solution, has permanently discontinued operations of its decentralized exchange and automated market maker platform. The development team made the announcement via X, immediately suspending all trading activity and deactivating the relayer infrastructure.
🚨ETHEREUM zkROLLUP PIONEER LOOPRING IS SHUTTING DOWN ITS DEX
Once worth over $5 BILLION, Loopring is shutting down the DEX that helped pioneer Ethereum's zkRollup revolution.
The team says newer zkEVM technology has made its architecture obsolete, marking the end of one of… pic.twitter.com/pNFzpSsdpV
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) June 29, 2026
According to the team’s statement, three primary factors drove the decision: the platform’s inability to achieve substantial user adoption, deficiencies in business development expertise, and obsolescence caused by emerging zkEVM innovations.
“To be honest, Loopring never gained meaningful adoption,” the team wrote.
The Journey From Promise to Closure The protocol secured $45 million through a 2017 token offering and demonstrated the viability of scaling Ethereum using zero-knowledge rollup technology. This foundational work influenced the development of subsequent projects including zkSync, Scroll, and StarkNet.
Loopring’s most significant breakthrough arrived in 2021 when GameStop selected it to support the company’s NFT marketplace initiative. This collaboration brought substantial mainstream visibility to the protocol.
However, the momentum proved unsustainable. The platform’s total value locked reached its apex near $760 million in November 2021, only to decline approximately 99% to current levels around $8 million.
The LRC token mirrored this trajectory, collapsing from its record high of $3.75 to current trading levels near $0.01.
Major Exchange Removals and Executive Departures External developments compounded the platform’s struggles. South Korean exchange Upbit removed LRC from its listings in early 2026, referencing questions about operational transparency and project viability. Binance implemented a similar delisting several weeks thereafter.
Reports indicate the project’s chief executive officer departed in August 2025. Prior to this, Loopring had already terminated its consumer wallet service in July 2025.
Centralized Withdrawal Process Raises Questions A particularly notable aspect of the shutdown involves modifications to the withdrawal mechanism. Loopring is implementing a smart contract upgrade that limits withdrawals exclusively to team-controlled whitelisted addresses.
This change eliminates the original trustless withdrawal capability — a fundamental security component that previously enabled users to extract funds directly from Ethereum without team intermediation.
The development team characterizes this approach as more accessible for users, eliminating the technical requirements of generating cryptographic proofs. The statement candidly acknowledges the method is “more centralized than the original self-custody exit mechanism.”
User accounts with terminal balances under $10 will receive no distribution whatsoever.
Reflects Wider 2026 Industry Contraction Loopring’s discontinuation represents part of a larger pattern. According to RootData, over 60 cryptocurrency projects have ceased operations during 2026, as an intensifying bear market eliminates user bases and revenue streams for smaller development teams.
Additional 2026 closures encompass a16z-backed Entropy and infrastructure platform Syndicate.
The team has committed to publishing a comprehensive final balance roster, establishing a two-week dispute resolution period for discrepancies, then executing batch distributions to users’ Ethereum addresses while absorbing transaction fees.
Users are advised to verify their listed balances thoroughly and remain aware of the $10 minimum eligibility requirement for fund recovery.
Loopring, an early pioneer of zero-knowledge proof-based scaling solutions on Ethereum, has announced the permanent closure of its decentralized exchange. The project’s transaction relaying infrastructure has been disabled, with the team stating that its current architecture is unable to compete with the new generation of Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible layer 2 networks.
Architecture losing ground in the raceAlthough Loopring was among the first to implement a zkRollup solution for Ethereum, the team acknowledged it could not drive meaningful adoption. The protocol’s lack of EVM compatibility restricted the development of diverse decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and payment solutions. As developers increasingly favored EVM-compatible layer 2s, Loopring’s ecosystem suffered from limited liquidity and stunted growth.
Mini glossary: EVM compatibility means a blockchain network can run smart contracts written for Ethereum with minimal changes. zkEVM combines this capability with zero-knowledge proof security in a layer 2 solution.
According to the project, the Ethereum scaling landscape has evolved significantly in recent years. The latest solutions now offer both zero-knowledge proof security and EVM compatibility, enabling developers to deploy applications without the need to rewrite existing codebases. This shift has made standalone zkRollup platforms, which require a separate development environment, increasingly uncompetitive.
The Loopring team emphasized that the lack of EVM compatibility limited the growth of DeFi applications and payment solutions on its platform, prompting developers to migrate to EVM-compatible layer 2 networks.
Internal challenges and LRC impactIn addition to technical constraints, internal shortcomings also played a role in Loopring’s decline. While the project described itself as technically strong, it admitted lacking the business development capabilities necessary to boost adoption. The delisting of its native token LRC from top cryptocurrency exchanges in 2026 further exacerbated these challenges.
Following the shutdown announcement, LRC traded at around $0.01228. The token declined 2.95% over 24 hours, with its market capitalization hovering near $16.8 million. This price movement suggests investors are monitoring the development, but there was no immediate severe market reaction.
User balances to be returned automaticallyLoopring has announced a fully automated refund process for user funds. The team confirmed that users will not need to generate Merkle proofs or initiate separate withdrawal actions to retrieve their layer 2 balances.
Once the calculations—including adjustments for liquidity pool balances—are finalized, distribution details will be publicly shared. Balances over $10 will be transferred, without fees, directly to users’ associated layer 1 wallets.
Transformation in the layer 2 marketLoopring’s exit marks a new stage in the evolution of zkRollup-based scaling on Ethereum, moving from an experimental phase to one dominated by interoperable zkEVM chains. This transition highlights that technical innovation alone is not sufficient; developer engagement, ecosystem size, liquidity, and viable business models are also critical for success.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Local time on the 29th, Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released excerpts from an interview with Foreign Minister Badr. Badr stated that Oman is committed to maintaining a safe, peaceful, and free navigation environment for all parties in the Strait of Hormuz. He pointed out that Oman and Iran have reached a consensus in their ongoing dialogues that any future arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz must be conducted within the framework of international law. Addressing the widely discussed transit fee issue, Badr said Oman does not support levying tolls on passing vessels, though he did not rule out the possibility of exploring mechanisms related to maritime services. Badr added that topics such as strengthening navigation safety, improving maritime accident emergency response capabilities, and preventing marine pollution could be discussed, with reference to practices from other straits. He noted that such arrangements would be developed in consultation with countries and shipping companies that use the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to enhance maritime services and ensure navigation safety rather than imposing new burdens on global trade. (CCTV News)
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A Solana memecoin bearing the name of well-known crypto influencer Ansem briefly reached a market capitalisation of more than $120 million, yet the wallet that originally deployed the token walked away with a realized profit of just $5,500, according to on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain.
A $6,300 Bet That Barely Paid Off According to Lookonchain data, the deployer spent $6,300 to launch the token and acquired a large initial position in $ANSEM. The wallet subsequently transferred 650 million tokens to Ansem and sold the remaining 142.45 million tokens for $11,800, producing a net profit of only $5,500. For a token that reached a nine-figure valuation, the deployer's realized return is a sharp illustration of the gap between a token's market cap and what the people closest to it actually pocket.
The token gained traction after Ansem publicly criticized Solana token launchpad pump(.)fun over its handling of user rewards, stating he would deliver a financial "stimulus" directly to retail traders. The narrative quickly spread across crypto social media, triggering a wave of speculative buying. The market capitalisation briefly surpassed $120 million, setting a new all-time high, with a 24-hour increase of roughly 9.7 times and trading volume of $88.2 million.
Ansem Holds 60.4% of Supply With Paper Gains Above 80,000% While the deployer's realized profit was modest, the picture looks very different for Ansem himself. GMGN data shows that Ansem holds the number one developer address for the token, with his wallet controlling approximately 604 million $ANSEM tokens, accounting for 60.4% of total supply. His unrealized return rate stands above 80,000%, per GMGN data, reflecting the difference between his average entry cost and current market prices.
One early trader purchased 14.2 million ANSEM tokens for approximately $2,330, then sold 4.2 million for $68,100 while continuing to hold 10 million tokens worth about $548,800, pushing total profit to roughly $614,500.
The episode underlines a dynamic common in Solana memecoin markets: concentrated supply at launch, social media-driven price moves, and a wide divergence between realized and unrealized gains. Given the extreme volatility inherent to this category of asset, and the documented existence of multiple $ANSEM contract versions, careful verification and disciplined risk management remain essential for anyone considering involvement.
Sources:
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Solana Meme Coin ANSEM Surges 115x in 24 Hours (KuCoin)
