Market Signal Briefing

TL;DR:

Strategy acquired 22,337 Bitcoin for $1.57 billion last week, raising its total reserves to 761,068 BTC. The purchase was made at an average price of $70,194 per Bitcoin, below the company’s historical average cost of $75,696. The operation was 75% financed through the sale of 11.9 million STRC preferred shares, which set a weekly record. Strategy recorded one of the largest Bitcoin purchases in its history last week, adding 22,337 BTC for a total of $1.57 billion. The acquisition, confirmed on Monday through a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ranks among the five largest purchase operations since the company launched its accumulation strategy. The previous week, the firm had already acquired 17,994 BTC for $1.28 billion.

Following this acquisition, the company’s total reserves stand at 761,068 BTC, obtained at an aggregate cost of approximately $57.61 billion. The average purchase price for the week was $70,194 per unit, slightly below the company’s historical average of $75,696, and also under the weekly market average price, which hovered around $70,571 between March 9 and 15.

Strategy Breaks Its Own Record The purchase was largely financed through the company’s perpetual preferred stock, known as Stretch (STRC). During the week, Strategy sold 11.9 million STRC shares for $1.18 billion, an amount representing 75% of the total cost of the acquisition. Additionally, the firm sold 2.8 million Class A common shares (MSTR) for $396 million.

Bitcoin Quant founder Rohan Hirani noted that this was the first week in which Strategy was able to operate the STRC sales program during extended hours with a second broker, following a relaxation of its selling rules.

According to the STRC Live platform, it is estimated that through this instrument 10,767 BTC were financed over four active trading sessions, setting a historical record for the instrument. Co-founder Michael Saylor himself described STRC as the most liquid preferred fixed-income instrument on the market at that time.

With 761,068 BTC in its treasury, Strategy would need to acquire another 238,932 BTC to reach the symbolic one-million threshold, which would require a purchase pace of approximately 5,700 BTC per week over the 42 remaining weeks of 2026.

Discussion within the XRP community has intensified around a date that some market analysts believe could mark a pivotal moment for Ripple. Dunes, a crypto expert on X, highlighted how several circulating riddles and digital media posts appear to point toward March 22, 2026, as a key date.

TLDR: Metaplanet raised ~$255M instantly through a share placement priced at a 2% market premium. Fixed-strike warrants at a 10% premium could release an additional $276M if fully exercised. The warrant structure monetizes equity volatility instead of forcing large-scale shareholder dilution. All capital raised from the $531M structure is earmarked exclusively for Bitcoin accumulation. Metaplanet, Japan’s publicly listed Bitcoin treasury company, has secured up to $531 million in new capital. The fundraise combines a direct share placement and a series of fixed-strike warrants.

New shares were sold to institutional investors at a 2% premium to market, raising approximately $255 million. The warrants, set at a 10% premium, add potential access to another $276 million upon exercise.

Together, the instruments position the company for a major push toward its 210,000 BTC target.

A Two-Part Capital Raise Designed Around Bitcoin The share placement portion of the raise closed with global institutional investors at a 2% premium over market price.

Metaplanet brought in roughly $255 million through this transaction, representing the confirmed and immediate capital from the raise.

The involvement of international institutions in the placement reflects broader interest in Metaplanet’s Bitcoin strategy. This part of the deal stands on its own and delivers capital to the company’s treasury regardless of the warrants.

The second component consists of fixed-strike warrants issued to investors at a 10% premium above market. These warrants can generate an additional $276 million for Metaplanet if holders choose to exercise their rights.

Exercise is most likely when the company’s share price stays at or above the warrant’s strike price over time. Until then, Metaplanet holds the premium income collected from selling the warrants to investors.

CEO Simon Gerovich shared the details on social media, confirming the total potential capital at $531 million. He described the warrants as tools designed to monetize the company’s equity volatility. Every dollar from the full raise, if realized, is earmarked for Bitcoin accumulation.

Metaplanet has raised ~$255m from global institutional investors via a placement of new shares priced at a 2% premium, paired with fixed-strike warrants at a 10% premium that monetize our equity volatility for up to ~$276m in additional capital upon exercise. Up to ~$531m in… pic.twitter.com/0tg62TopGR

— Simon Gerovich (@gerovich) March 16, 2026

Warrant Structure Captures Equity Volatility to Fund Bitcoin Purchases The warrant mechanism is a key distinction between this raise and a plain secondary share offering. In a standard share sale, a company issues new equity and immediately dilutes existing shareholders in the process.

Metaplanet’s approach uses the market’s appetite for its stock as a funding source without forcing dilution at scale. This design gives the structure an edge in managing shareholder perception while raising capital.

Investors who buy the warrants are paying for the option to acquire shares at a locked-in price in the future. Metaplanet receives that payment upfront and channels it alongside the share placement proceeds.

Both pools of capital flow into Bitcoin purchases. Bitcoin was priced near $73,394 per coin at the time Gerovich made the announcement.

Metaplanet has become Japan’s most prominent corporate Bitcoin holder and is frequently compared to MicroStrategy.

The company has been building its Bitcoin reserve relentlessly, guided by a long-term target of 210,000 BTC. This raise brings it measurably closer to that goal.

The next thing to track is full warrant exercise, which would deliver the entire $531 million into Bitcoin. If the stock holds, all the capital flows directly into Bitcoin purchases.

The Banking License MathGilbertie on Sunday explained Ripple’s potential path to becoming one of the world’s largest banks by capitalization. 

“There’s one of the leading theories that they just hold that on their balance sheet, they get their banking license, and they become a top 20 capitalized bank in the world,” Gilbertie said on the Coin Stories podcast.

“That’s with XRP at $3. XRP goes to some multiple of $3, they become a top 10 bank, or even the top bank in terms of capitalization,” he added.

The math is straightforward. Ripple holds approximately 40 billion XRP. At $3 per token, that equals $120 billion in balance sheet value, catapulting the company into the top 20 global banks by market capitalization. 

At $6 per token, the valuation reaches $240 billion, potentially placing Ripple in the top 10 or even number one.

The Banking License StatusRipple filed to become a bank, setting the stage for this scenario. If approved, the company could hold its massive XRP treasury on the balance sheet as a regulated banking institution rather than as a payments company.

“That would be insanely astounding, and I think a lot of people are sleeping on that idea,” Gilbertie said. 

The transformation would shift Ripple from payments infrastructure provider to a full-fledged financial powerhouse with banking credentials.

XRP Tests Critical ResistanceXRP is showing some life after weeks of selling. Price bounced off the $1.20 support zone and is attempting a recovery, but the overall structure demands caution.

The descending channel boundaries are clearly respected, and price currently hovers near the lower half of that channel.

All four EMAs remain stacked bearishly above price. The 20 EMA at $1.4106 is the only one near current price, while $1.5064, $1.7054, and $1.9606 sit as layered resistance walls above.

The Supertrend indicator sits at $1.5890, just above current price. Until XRP closes a daily candle above $1.5890, the trend remains officially bearish. That level is the most important number on the chart today.

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Bitcoin is showing two fresh bullish signals as spot demand rises and a bull flag breakout points to further upside. Together, the charts suggest buyers are still supporting the move while traders watch whether momentum can carry toward the next key target.

Bitcoin Spot Demand Strengthens as Futures Traders Turn AggressiveBitcoin is showing stronger buy side activity as spot demand increases alongside rising futures positioning. Analyst Ted Pillows shared data on X indicating that spot demand remains the key driver supporting the current market structure.

Bitcoin CVD Spot and Futures Demand Structure. Source: Ted Pillows

The chart tracks cumulative volume delta for both coin margined futures and spot markets. CVD measures the difference between aggressive buying and selling. When the indicator rises, it shows buyers are hitting market orders more frequently than sellers.

In the chart, both futures and spot CVD trend upward as Bitcoin moves higher on the intraday timeframe. The futures CVD has climbed steadily, indicating that perpetual futures traders are opening more long positions while price continues to push upward.

At the same time, the spot CVD shows a sharp rise, which suggests direct market accumulation. Spot demand often carries more weight in market structure because it reflects real purchases rather than leveraged trading activity.

Ted Pillows noted that the interaction between these two forces matters. Aggressive futures positioning can accelerate price moves, but the rally tends to remain stable only when spot buyers continue absorbing supply.

If spot demand weakens while leveraged long positions continue building, the market can become vulnerable to rapid liquidations. For now, however, the chart suggests that rising spot accumulation and expanding derivatives activity are supporting the latest upward move in Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Bull Flag Breakout Points to Possible CME Gap MoveBitcoin has broken out of a bull flag formation on the four hour chart, according to analysis shared by James Easton on X. The chart shows price pushing above a descending consolidation structure that developed after an earlier upward move. That breakout signals a continuation pattern often associated with renewed bullish momentum.

Bitcoin Bull Flag Breakout and CME Gap Structure. Source: James Easton

A bull flag typically forms when price pauses after a sharp rally and then consolidates within a downward sloping channel. In this case, the structure held for several sessions before Bitcoin pushed above the upper trendline. The breakout also occurred near a horizontal resistance level that had previously rejected price, confirming the shift in market structure.

The chart highlights that resistance break as a key technical development. Once price cleared the level, the structure changed from consolidation to continuation. Traders often monitor this type of breakout because it can trigger follow through buying as short term resistance turns into support.

James Easton also pointed to the CME futures gap shown on the chart. CME gaps appear when Bitcoin moves significantly while the Chicago Mercantile Exchange futures market is closed, leaving a price gap between sessions. Historically, these gaps tend to attract market attention because price frequently revisits those zones.

With the flag structure resolved and resistance broken, the chart outlines a potential move toward that CME gap area above. The arrow drawn on the chart suggests the next phase of the trend could target that region if upward momentum continues.

CNBC's Diana Olick breaks down the latest housing data.

Shares of Nvidia moved higher Monday as broader US equity markets rebounded and oil prices pulled back following a volatile week dominated by geopolitical tensions.

Nvidia stock was up about 2% during the session.

The gains came as US stocks advanced, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 348 points, or 0.8%.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.9%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.1%.

Markets were attempting to recover from a losing week as investors continued monitoring developments related to the war involving Iran.

Oil prices pulled back during the session, helping support risk appetite across equities.

Buy Nvidia stock instantly on eToro now.

Foxconn signals continued AI server demandSentiment toward Nvidia also received support from comments by one of its key partners, Hon Hai Precision Industry, widely known as Foxconn.

Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said the company expects strong growth in its artificial intelligence server business in 2026.

The remarks came during a post-earnings call with analysts following the company’s fourth-quarter results.

Foxconn reported net income of NT$45.2 billion ($1.4 billion) for the quarter ended December, below the average analyst estimate of NT$59.9 billion.

Despite the earnings miss, Foxconn had earlier reported revenue growth of 22% for the quarter, exceeding market expectations.

Investors turn to GTC ConferenceAttention is now turning to Nvidia’s annual developer event, Nvidia GTC, which begins Monday and runs for four days.

The conference comes after a period of subdued trading in Nvidia’s shares.

Following a surge of more than 800% between the end of 2022 and 2024, the stock has largely traded sideways for about six months.

Even a strong earnings report last month failed to excite investors, with the shares dropping 5.5% the day after the results were released.

Nvidia shares ended last week around $180.25, roughly the same level as early August.

Over the same period, the Nasdaq-100 Index has risen about 5.1%.

The stock also remains about 11% below its closing record reached in October.

Huang keynote in focusInvestors are expected to closely watch the keynote presentation from Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang, scheduled for Monday morning in San Jose, California.

The keynote will be followed by an analyst question-and-answer session on Tuesday.

While analysts do not expect a major surprise from the conference, they anticipate incremental updates on Nvidia’s long-term revenue outlook and its roadmap for future data centre chips.

Last year, Nvidia projected that sales tied to its data centre business could reach approximately $500 billion annually by the end of 2026.

In January, the company indicated that the outlook for those revenues had improved.

Shift toward AI inferenceAnother key theme expected at the conference is the growing importance of artificial intelligence inference workloads.

Nvidia’s graphics processing units, or GPUs, have been central to training large AI models, allowing the company to dominate the market for AI accelerators used in building large-scale data centres.

However, as AI systems mature, demand is increasingly shifting toward inference.

Inference workloads often require different types of chips and computing architectures than those optimised purely for training.

This shift could intensify competition for Nvidia as major technology companies such as Alphabet, along with customers like OpenAI and Meta Platforms, work to develop their own custom AI processors.

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There’s a version of income investing that most people will never discover because it doesn’t get talked about the way growth stocks do. This income investing idea doesn’t have any of the usual financial drama, and you likely won’t find it trending on financial X.com, but it does pay you, every month, like a second job you don’t ever have to show up for. Consider this: try splitting $100,000 evenly across four specific ETFs right now, and you’re looking at more than $562 per month in dividend income. This is equivalent to $6,755 a year, and you didn’t have to sell a single share to get there, you didn’t have to take on any kind of concentrated risk that would keep most retirees up at night. 

The reason this works isn’t some kind of financial magic, it’s all about asset diversification and most investors who chase dividend income will load up on equity-based dividend funds and call it a day. This might be good for some people, but it also means that all of your income is responding to the same market forces at the same time. When, not if, but when your equities are selling off, your dividend income is going to feel it. The same goes when rate expectations shift, as your entire portfolio will move in the same direction. Instead, the smarter approach is to build income from different sources like US equity dividends, enhanced equity income with options, preferred stock, and high-yield corporate bonds, so that if one layer is under pressure, the others might be holding or even benefiting. 

This is exactly what this four-ETF allocation does, as each of the options below draws income from different layers in the capital structure, which means they don’t all respond to market stress or rate changes the same way. What you end up with isn’t just more income than Treasury bonds or savings accounts, but just durable income that can keep flowing through different kinds of markets that might affect other strategies that depend on a single asset class. 

Global X SuperDividend US ETF: The High-Yield US Equity Income Base The Global X SuperDividend US ETF (NYSE:DIV) is the equity foundation of this strategy, and the strategy itself is pretty simple in that it holds 51 of the highest-yielding US dividend stocks, weighted toward income rather than market cap. What you are really getting is true exposure to real businesses that are generating real cash flow, like REITs, financials, utilities, and energy names that prioritize returning money to shareholders above almost anything else. 

The current yield is 6.76%, with a $1.28 annual dividend paid out monthly, which means that on a $25,000 investment, this is like earning $140 per month. While this might not seem like a lot at first, consider that dividend growth for this ETF is 23.21%, a meaningful figure that signals the underlying companies are increasing payouts rather than merely maintaining them. The argument gets more concrete when you look at the 87.26% payout ratio, suggesting that the dividend is well-covered. 

In a downturn, high-dividend equity funds like the Global X SuperDividend US ETF can face price pressure if the underlying companies are economically sensitive, so it’s not recession-proof. However, in a rate-cut environment, this fund tends to benefit directly as lower rates reduce borrowing costs for dividend-heavy sectors like REITs and utilities, making their payouts more sustainable and their valuations more attractive. 

Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF: Enhanced Income With a Qualify Filter The Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF (NYSE:DIVO) takes a different and move-selective approach, and rather than holding onto the highest-yielding stocks it can find, this ETF starts with a curated portfolio of high-quality large-cap companies with strong earnings histories. Try to think of blue-chip names that have proven they can sustain their dividends through rough markets, and then layer this onto a covered call strategy, which writes calls on individual positions to collect a premium income that boosts the overall yield well beyond what the underlying stocks would make alone. 

The current yield at 6.37% offers a $2.88 annual dividend, which translates to roughly $133 per month in income with $25,000 invested. What really makes this ETF stand out is that its dividend growth figure is 49.82%, which is an exceptional number and reflects both the quality of the underlying holdings and the income boost that someone can earn from options premiums, which compound over time. 

In a downturn, the Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF will hold up better than most equity income funds because of the underlying holdings that are higher-quality businesses with durable earnings. These are the kinds of companies that cut dividends last and recover fast. The covered call strategy might raise eyebrows, but it does add a cushion for those on the fence, as the premium income can continue even when stock prices aren’t moving. In a rate-cut environment, the ETF is somewhat neutral as the options strategy is driven by more volatility than by rate direction, which actually adds a layer of income stability independent of whatever the FED is doing in any given time period. 

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Global X US Preferred ETF: Monthly Income From the Preferred Stock Layer Most individual investors have heard of preferred stock but don’t actually own any, which means they are leaving a reliable income layer completely off the table. The Global X US Preferred ETF (NYSE:PFFD) alleviates this concern by bundling over 200 US preferred securities into a single, monthly-paying fund. Preferred stock sits above common equity in the capital structure, meaning preferred holdings get paid out before common shareholders in both dividends and liquidation, which can mean more income stability than most equity funds can offer. 

As of mid-March 2026, the Global X US Preferred ETF has a yield of 6.46% and pays $1.20 per share annually, distributed monthly. Assuming you invest $25,000 into this ETF, you’re looking at a payout of around $135 per month landing in your account. Dividend growth is negative at -3.73%, which is worth noting as preferred distributions don’t grow the way common stock dividends do, because they are structured more like fixed-income instruments. In other words, you own this ETF for current income and capital stability, not for its rising payouts. 

Where the ETF really earns its spot on this list is during equity drawdowns, and when the stock market sells off, preferred securities are more likely to hold their value better than common stocks because their income is more contractually stable. In a rate-cut environment, the Global X US Preferred ETF is a direct beneficiary as preferred stock prices typically rise when rates fall because their fixed distribution becomes more valuable relative to what cash and bonds are paying. This is the opposite of the kind of behavior you can expect from high-yield equity funds, which is exactly the kind of diversification this allocation is designed to capture. 

State Street SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF: Corporate Bond Income That Doesn’t Move With Stocks The State Street SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE:SPHY) brings something the other three funds on this list cannot in that it offers a fixed-income cash flow that is structurally decoupled from equity performance. It holds a broad basket of US high-yield corporate bonds, which are really just debt issued by companies that are below investment grade and pay higher rates to compensate for any additional credit risk. The result is a yield well above what investment-grade bond funds offer, all while paying out monthly, and tying it all together to interest payments rather than stock market conditions. 

At a current yield of 7.43% and with a $1.72 annual dividend paid out monthly, this is equivalent to earning $155 per month in dividends on a $25,000 invesetment, without having to sell a single share. This marks the State Street SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF as the highest-performing on this list. Of course, there is a caveat as its dividend growth number is -5.02%, which is a reflection of the fixed-income nature of the fund. Bond interest payments do not grow, but they are set up for issuance, and in this case, investors in this ETF are here for yield and consistent income, not for appreciation. 

In a downturn, high-yield bonds can face some credit spread widening, meaning that prices can and will dip as investors price in higher default risk. The reason why the State Street SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF  holds hundreds of bonds across industries is that a single-issuer risk is minimal, and the income keeps flowing even as prices move. In a rate-cut environment, the State Street SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF benefits meaningfully when rates fall, and existing bond prices rise, giving this fund price appreciation on top of the income it’s already generating. 

The $100,000 Allocation and What It Actually Pays If you split $100,000 across all four of these funds, or $25,000 each, you would be earning around $563 per month in total, or $6,755 annaully. It’s important to note that all of this money is income, and not from principal. Compare this to adding $100,000 into a high-yield savings account at 4.20%, which only generates $350 monthly, or a 10-year Treasury at 4.28%, which would only pay around $357 monthly. This allocation will generate more than 60% more monthly income than either of those alternatives, all while drawing this income from four different asset classes that respond differently to market stress. 

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Public Storage (PSA) M&A Call March 16, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Brandon Reagan - Director of Investor Relations
Joseph Russell - CEO & Trustee
David Cramer - President, CEO & Trustee
H. Boyle - Senior VP & Chief Investment Officer
Joe Fisher
Joseph Fisher - Co-President & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Todd Thomas - KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division
Michael Goldsmith - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Steve Sakwa - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Hong Zhang - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Ravi Vaidya - Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Research Division
Ronald Kamdem - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Juan Sanabria - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research
Viktor Fediv - Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, Research Division
Caitlin Burrows - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Eric Wolfe - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Samir Khanal - BofA Securities, Research Division
Michael Mueller - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the Public Storage and National Storage Affiliates Merger Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to your host, Brandon Reagan, Director of Investor Relations. Thank you. You may begin.

Brandon Reagan
Director of Investor Relations

Thank you, Melissa. Good morning, and thanks for joining us for this joint conference call to discuss the combination of Public Storage and National Storage Affiliates, which was announced earlier today. Joining me from Public Storage are Joe Russell, Tom Boyle and Joe Fisher. And from National Storage Affiliates, welcome Dave Cramer on the call.

As always, we want to remind you that certain matters discussed during this call may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain economic risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements speak only as of today, March 16, 2026, and we assume no obligation to update, revise or supplement

CHENEY, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast today announced it has connected the first homes and businesses in Cheney to multi-gigabit, symmetrical Internet from America's smartest and most reliable converged network. In partnership with the City of Cheney, Comcast's network expansion project will connect nearly 3,000 homes and businesses throughout the year. Xfinity brings Internet, mobile, entertainment, and smart home services into one simple, seamless solution – giving customers more speed, sav.

A sign stands outside of a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Getty Images

McDonald’s (MCD) has long been considered one of the most stable and dominant players in the global restaurant industry. Its scale, strong brand, and consistent cash generation have made the stock a favourite among long-term investors. However, that stability has also led to a premium valuation, which raises the question of whether the stock’s growth prospects still justify its price.

DRI and QSR are peers of McDonald’s in the Restaurants sector that exhibit:

1) A lower price-to-operating income ratio (P/OpInc) compared with McDonald’s
2) Higher revenue and operating income growth

This disparity between valuation and growth could suggest that DRI and QSR appear more attractive on these metrics than MCD.

While single-stock comparisons are useful, diversified portfolios often deliver more consistent long-term results. Imagine the potential long-term performance of your portfolio if you were to integrate 10% in commodities, 10% in gold, and 2% in cryptocurrency along with equities.

Comparison of Key Metricsmetrics

Trefis

MORE FOR YOU

OpInc = Operating Income, P/OpInc = Price To Operating Income Ratio

Differences in business models can also influence margins and growth. For example, McDonald’s operates a largely franchised, asset-light model, while Darden Restaurants owns and operates most of its locations, which can affect operating income comparisons. Furthermore, QSR’s revenue spike is largely inorganic, driven by the acquisition of Carrols Restaurant Group.

Do these figures capture the entire picture? Read Buy or Sell MCD Stock to determine whether McDonald’s still retains advantages that hold up under closer scrutiny.

While peer comparisons provide useful insights, they represent only one way to evaluate investment opportunities. Trefis High Quality Portfolio assesses numerous factors and is crafted to minimize stock-specific risks while providing opportunities for upside.

Is The Discrepancy In Stock Price Temporary?One way to gauge whether McDonald’s stock is currently overpriced relative to its peers is by comparing how these metrics fared across companies exactly one year ago. If McDonald’s has experienced a significant downward trend in the last 12 months, it may suggest that the present discrepancy is likely to correct itself. Conversely, continued underperformance in revenue and operating income growth would support the view that MCD is overpriced relative to its peers and that a reversion may not occur soon.

Key Metrics Compared From 1 Year Agoother metrics

Trefis

OpInc = Operating Income

Additional Metrics Worth Consideringadditional metrics

Trefis

While purchasing based on valuation can be appealing, it requires careful assessment from various perspectives. This type of multi-factor analysis is precisely how we develop Trefis portfolio strategies. If you are looking for upside with a less volatile experience than investing in a single stock, examine the High Quality portfolio, which has outperformed its benchmark – a mix of the S&P 500, Russell, and S&P Midcap index.

HomeIndustriesMediaThe studio’s films took home 11 Oscars after a banner year at the box office and a tumultuous and politically charged sales process for its parent companyPublished: March 16, 2026 at 11:46 a.m. ET

Michael B. Jordan won the award for best actor in a leading role for his work in “Sinners” on Sunday. The film took home four Oscars, contributing to a record-tying 11 won by films produced by Warner Bros. studio. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesWhen Michael B. Jordan won the Oscar for best actor on Sunday, he gave his first thanks, after acknowledging his family, to Warner Bros.

The Academy Awards topped off a wild stretch for the legendary Hollywood studio, whose films tied an Oscar record with 11 wins by a single studio after a stellar year at the box office — and a tumultuous and politically charged sales process for its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery WBD. 

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Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE:BMNR) stock is up 11% in Monday morning trading, pushing shares toward $23 after the company dropped a treasury update that’s hard to ignore. The catalyst: $11.5 billion in total cryptocurrency, cash, and moonshot holdings, a fresh Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) purchase, and Chairman Tom Lee tying the move directly to geopolitical tensions driving investors into crypto.

BMNR stock has been a wild ride, to say the least. The 52-week range stretches from $3.20 to $160.95, and Bitmine shares are still down 15% year-to-date. The last week has shown a pulse, though, with shares already up 10.6% in five trading sessions.

A $11.5 Billion Treasury and a Fresh ETH Buy Bitmine announced this morning that it purchased 60,999 ETH today, bringing the company’s total holdings to 4.596 million ETH. That puts the company at 3.81% of the total ETH token supply, inching toward its stated goal of owning 5%. The company now claims the title of the largest Ethereum treasury in the world.

One detail worth noting: Bitmine acquired 5,000 ETH directly from the Ethereum Foundation, a transaction structured so the Foundation can fund its core activities without selling into the open market. That kind of direct deal with the Ethereum Foundation is not something most treasury companies can arrange, and it signals a relationship that goes beyond simple accumulation.

Of the 4.596 million ETH held, 3.04 million tokens are currently staked, generating what the company estimates as $180 million in annualized staking revenues. That is the part of the story that separates Bitmine from a simple crypto holding company.

Moreover, the MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network) staking infrastructure is planned for launch in 2026, which would convert that staking potential into a more formal, scalable yield engine.

Tom Lee’s Geopolitical Thesis Lee’s framing of today’s buy is worth reading carefully: “Geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices from the Iran war are driving investors towards crypto assets, considering them ‘growth stocks’ amid economic growth concerns.” WTI crude has surged from $63.77 on February 6 to $94.65 on March 9, a move that has rattled traditional energy and equity markets. Lee is positioning Bitmine’s ETH treasury as the beneficiary of that dislocation.

He has made this argument before, drawing parallels to the post-FTX recovery in 2022. “History shows crypto prices stage V-shaped recoveries after a lingering and drawn out decline, and we expect this to again be the case in this current drawdown,” Lee stated.

ETH is down 23% year-to-date from a starting price of $2,966.84, but has bounced 11.6% over the past week. If Lee’s V-shaped thesis proves correct, Bitmine’s treasury holdings would benefit from ETH price appreciation.

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Eightco, OpenAI, and the Moonshot Layer Bitmine also announced it significantly increased its investment in Eightco (NASDAQ:ORBS), which holds equity in OpenAI. Eightco secured $125 million in institutional commitments, led by a $75 million investment from Bitmine, with additional contributions from ARK Invest and Payward. Eightco has invested $50 million in OpenAI and $25 million in MrBeast’s Beast Industries.

This is the “moonshot” component of the $11.5 billion holdings figure, and it adds a layer of exposure that pure-play crypto treasury companies do not offer. Whether you view it as diversification or distraction depends on your thesis for the stock, but the OpenAI angle is drawing attention from institutional allocators watching the AI-crypto overlap.

Institutional Backing and Analyst Views ARK Investment Management holds approximately 9.4 million BMNR shares, and BlackRock increased its stake by 165.6%. The analyst consensus sits at “Buy” with an average price target of $34.50.

Furthermore, B. Riley maintains a Buy rating with a revised price target of $30, while GuruFocus estimates fair value at $58.11. Notably, all three of these figures sit well above the current trading price of $22.91.

The broader crypto ETF allocation landscape has been covered separately for those researching the space. BMNR is not a low-volatility name. The bears are focused on share dilution and the gap between stock performance and underlying asset value.

In contrast, the bulls are counting on Lee’s V-shaped recovery thesis, the staking yield from MAVAN, and a treasury that now controls nearly 4% of all ETH in existence.

What to Watch ETH’s price action through the close will be the most direct read on whether today’s gains hold. ETH is currently trading around $2,289, and any sustained move higher would amplify the value of Bitmine’s 4.596 million token position meaningfully.

Looking further out, the MAVAN launch timeline and any further commentary from Lee on the Eightco funding round will be the next catalysts to watch as the week develops.

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Key Takeaways CRWD's Falcon Flex ARR rose 120% Y/Y to $1.69B with over 1,600 customers in Q4 FY26.CrowdStrike added more than 350 Flex customers in Q4, each averaging more than $1M ARR.CRWD sees re-Flex expansions boosting ARR about 26% on average within seven months. CrowdStrike’s (CRWD - Free Report) Falcon Flex subscription model is becoming an important driver of its growth. Falcon Flex makes it easier for customers to access multiple modules of the Falcon platform through a single contract. This makes it easier for customers to deploy additional security products over time and expand their use of the Falcon platform, which has now become the company’s primary go-to-market model.

Annual recurring revenue (ARR) from Flex accounts crossed $1.69 billion, growing more than 120% year over year, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, which shows strong adoption across enterprise customers. CrowdStrike now has more than 1,600 customers using the Flex model. In the fourth quarter alone, the company added more than 350 new Flex customers. Flex customers are also large accounts. On average, each Flex customer generates more than $1 million in ARR.

Contract expansions through “re-Flex” deals are also contributing to growth. Re-Flex happens when customers expand their original Flex contracts after deploying the platform. CrowdStrike reported more than 380 re-Flex customers, representing about 23% of the Flex customer base in the fourth quarter. These expansions usually happen within seven months of the initial deal and increase ARR by about 26% on average. Customers that have re-Flexed multiple times have seen an average ARR increase of about 48%.

Falcon Flex is also helping CrowdStrike increase module adoption. Notable example during the fourth quarter includes a large enterprise software company. The customer initially started with CrowdStrike’s threat intelligence module, and is now using 25 different CrowdStrike modules after adopting the Falcon Flex model, committing to a total Falcon Flex contract value of $86 million.

If adoption continues to rise, Falcon Flex could remain one of CrowdStrike’s most important contributor to its long-term growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 and 2028 revenues indicates a year-over-year increase of around 22.8% and 21.2%, respectively.

How Competitors Fare Against CRWDCompetitors like Palo Alto Networks (PANW - Free Report) and SentinelOne (S - Free Report) are also gaining ground through platform expansion and AI innovation.

In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Palo Alto Networks saw robust growth in its Next-Gen Security ARR, which increased 33% year over year. The growth was driven by increased customer adoption of PANW’s advanced cybersecurity offerings, including its AI-driven XSIAM platform, SASE and software firewalls.

Though comparatively a small competitor, SentinelOne posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 year-over-year growth of 22% in its ARR. The growth was fueled by the rising adoption of SentinelOne’s AI-first Singularity platform and Purple AI.

CRWD’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of CrowdStrike have lost 0.9% in the past six months compared with the Zacks Security industry’s decline of 12.5%.

CRWD 6-Month Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, CrowdStrike trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 18.52X, way higher than the industry’s average of 10.78X.

CRWD Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CrowdStrike’s fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings indicates year-over-year growth of 30% and 26.9%, respectively. The estimates for fiscal 2027 and 2028 have both been revised upward by a penny over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CrowdStrike currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

NEW YORK, March 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lowey Dannenberg has launched an investigation into whether certain officers and directors of Jet Blue (NASDAQ: JBLU) failed to manage the company in an acceptable manner, breaching their fiduciary duties, and whether Jet Blue and its shareholders have suffered damages as a result. The investigation relates to reports of toxic engine fumes entering airplane cabins and posing health risks to crew and passengers. A recently filed lawsuit even claims that Jet Blue concealed and downplayed the risks associated with exposure to the toxic fumes.

Joining our investigation comes at no cost to you. Contact us, and we will let you know what remedies you have available as a Jet Blue shareholder, and what you can expect in the process. If you currently own Jet Blue stock, please contact our attorneys Andrea Farah at (914) 733-7256 or via email to [email protected] or Vincent R. Cappucci Jr. at (914) 733-7278 or via email at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.

About Lowey Dannenberg

Lowey Dannenberg is a national firm representing institutional and individual investors, who suffered financial losses resulting from corporate fraud and malfeasance in violation of federal securities and antitrust laws. The firm has significant experience in prosecuting multi-million-dollar lawsuits and has previously recovered billions of dollars on behalf of investors. To learn more about Lowey Dannenberg, our attorneys, and our success, please visit us at www.lowey.com.

Contact

Lowey Dannenberg P.C.
44 South Broadway, Suite 1100
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: (914) 733-7256
Email: [email protected]

Bitcoin Depot Inc. (BTM) Q4 2025 Earnings Call March 16, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Christopher Buchanan - CEO & Director
David Gray - CFO & Principal Financial Officer

Conference Call Participants

Cody Slach - Gateway Group, Inc.
Michael Colonnese - H.C. Wainwright & Co, LLC, Research Division
Patrick McCann - NOBLE Capital Markets, Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Good morning, and welcome to Bitcoin Depot's Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Conference Call. My name is John, and I will be your operator today. Before this call, Bitcoin Depot issued its financial results in a press release. A copy will be furnished in a report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC and will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company's website. Joining us on today's call are Bitcoin Depot's CEO, Scott Buchanan; and CFO, David Gray. Following the remarks, we will open the call for questions. Before we begin, Cody Slach from the Gateway Group will make a brief introductory statement. Mr. Slach, please proceed.

Cody Slach
Gateway Group, Inc.

Thank you, operator. Good morning, everyone. Before management begins their formal remarks, we would like to remind everyone that some statements we're making today may be considered forward-looking statements under securities laws and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result, we caution you that there are a few factors, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. For more detailed risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our forward-looking statements, please see the disclosures in our earnings release and public filings made with the SEC.

We disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking

Structure Therapeutics said its GLP-1 pill helped patients lose more than 16% of their body weight in a midstage trial, outperforming results reported for competing obesity drugs. (Dreamstime)

The biotech firm Structure Therapeutics said its GLP-1 pill helped patients lose over 16% of their weight, on average, in a 10-month drug trial. Weight loss continued the longer patients took the pill, with no plateau in sight, the company said.

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There are many things the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHD) does very well.

For starters, it is extremely affordable with a 0.06% expense ratio. Its distributions are also relatively tax efficient because the fund excludes real estate investment trusts (REITs), meaning most of the payouts come in the form of qualified dividends.

I also like the underlying methodology. SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which uses a fairly rigorous screening process. Companies must have at least 10 consecutive years of dividend payments, and they are evaluated on several additional fundamentals including free cash flow to total debt, return on equity, dividend yield, and five-year dividend growth.

Those quality screens are a big reason why SCHD has become one of the most popular dividend ETFs on the market, with about $83.7 billion in assets under management. But despite all of those strengths, SCHD is not the right tool for every income investor.

For people who prioritize yield above all else, the ETF’s current 30-day SEC yield of about 3.45% may feel underwhelming. Investors who rely on their portfolios for income often look for much higher payouts.

At that point, many people make the mistake of chasing the latest high-yield product, particularly synthetic single-stock options income ETFs that advertise eye-catching double-digit distribution rates. The problem is that many of those strategies deliver very weak total returns compared with simply holding the underlying stock.

Fortunately, there are better options. If your goal is income first, it is possible to find diversified ETFs that generate annual yields of 10% or more while still maintaining a more balanced structure. Here are twp income-focused ETFs I like that currently offer 10%+ yields and pay investors every month.

Nasdaq Income The 100 largest non-financial companies that make up the Nasdaq 100 index are not exactly known for paying high dividends. Many of these firms operate in the technology sector or adjacent industries and prefer to reinvest their substantial free cash flow into research and development, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI).

However, ETFs can use a bit of financial engineering to transform the volatility of these stocks into a steady income stream. One standout example is the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ:JEPQ).

JEPQ’s strategy has two main components. The first is a portfolio of actively selected Nasdaq 100 stocks. While the ETF generally follows the composition of the index, the managers have flexibility to hold additional companies outside the benchmark. The goal is to capture much of the Nasdaq 100’s return while maintaining somewhat lower volatility.

The second component is where the income comes from. A portion of the portfolio is invested in structured products known as equity-linked notes, or ELNs. These are debt instruments issued by financial institutions that embed the payoff structure of an out-of-the-money covered call strategy on the Nasdaq 100 index.

As a general rule, covered call strategies tend to generate higher income when the underlying assets are more volatile. Investors selling options are effectively being compensated for the uncertainty and price swings of those stocks. Because Nasdaq stocks tend to exhibit higher volatility than many other sectors, that option premium can be substantial.

As of March 13, JEPQ’s forward distribution yield, calculated using the most recent monthly payout relative to the ETF’s net asset value, sits at about 10.46%. The ETF has also delivered strong total returns historically. Over the trailing three-year period through February 2026, JEPQ has produced an annualized return of about 23.24% with distributions reinvested.

There is one important caveat. Because the income is generated through ELNs, much of the distribution is taxed as ordinary income rather than qualified dividends. That makes the strategy less tax efficient in taxable accounts. Even so, JEPQ remains relatively cost-effective for an options-based income strategy, charging a 0.35% expense ratio.

S&P 500 Income Some investors may find the Nasdaq 100 and strategies built around it, such as JEPQ, a bit too concentrated. The concern is not only that the index is dominated by its 10 largest holdings, but also that it carries a heavy technology sector tilt. A small group of companies accounts for a significant portion of the index, which can make the overall portfolio less balanced.

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If broader diversification is your priority, an alternative is the NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF (BATS:SPYI). Instead of focusing on the Nasdaq 100, SPYI is benchmarked to the S&P 500 index. That immediately spreads exposure across a wider set of industries and reduces the technology concentration seen in many Nasdaq-based strategies.

SPYI then layers an index options strategy on top of that equity exposure. Unlike JEPQ, the fund does not rely on ELN. Instead, it sells options directly on the S&P 500 index itself. This distinction matters for tax purposes.

Options written on the S&P 500 index, which trade under the ticker SPX, are classified as Section 1256 contracts. These contracts receive blended tax treatment, where 60% of gains are taxed at long-term capital gains rates and 40% at short-term rates, regardless of the holding period. That structure can be more favorable than strategies where income is taxed entirely as ordinary income.

Another difference is how the options strategy is managed. While SPYI’s underlying stock exposure largely mirrors the S&P 500, the options component is actively managed. The managers can sell options to generate premium income and occasionally purchase options to preserve more upside participation.

So far, the results have been solid. Over the trailing three-year period through February 28, 2026, SPYI delivered a 17.21% annualized return. That compares favorably with the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Monthly Index, which returned 12.81% over the same period.

The ETF currently pays a distribution rate of about 12.04%. The tax treatment of those distributions can also be attractive. According to NEOS, an estimated 98% of the most recent distribution was classified as return of capital. Return of capital is not immediately taxable but instead reduces an investor’s adjusted cost basis.

The main drawback compared with JEPQ is cost. SPYI carries an expense ratio of 0.68%, which is almost twice as high as JEPQ’s 0.35%.

SCHD vs. JEPQ vs. SPYI Using the ETF backtesting tool from testfolio.io, I compared all three ETFs on a total return basis, meaning distributions were reinvested and taxes were not considered.

The backtest covers a roughly 3.5-year period from August 30, 2022 to March 12, 2026. Here is how a $200,000 lump sum investment in each ETF would have performed.

Starting with SCHD, the investment would have grown to $288,502.82. That represents a cumulative return of 44.25%, or an annualized return of 10.93%. For JEPQ, a $200,000 investment would have grown to $364,509.96, producing a cumulative return of 82.25% and an annualized return of 18.52%. SPYI landed between the two. The same investment would have reached $315,780.93, generating a cumulative return of 57.89% and an annualized return of 13.81%. It is important to note that these results should not be extrapolated as a prediction of future performance. The time period covered in this test happened to favor certain sectors and strategies.

SCHD’s dividend-focused portfolio lagged during much of this window largely due to its sector positioning. While the fund has received some support recently from its overweight exposure to energy companies, which have performed well amid geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the broader growth environment benefited other strategies.

JEPQ and SPYI both had greater exposure to growth-oriented sectors, and JEPQ in particular benefited from its heavier technology concentration. That helped offset the upside limitations created by their covered call strategies.

Again, these results assume all distributions were reinvested and taxes were ignored. If an investor had withdrawn part of those distributions to fund spending, or paid taxes on them in a taxable account, the outcomes could look different. That is why it is always important to consider both the type of account you hold these ETFs in and your personal tax situation.

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We started with 72 competing chefs 6 months ago, and now we’re down to the final 3. Join us for an awe-inspiring cooking contest to select Sysco NorCal’s CULINARY ARTIST OF THE YEAR!

NAPA, Calif., March 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Sysco Corporation, the leading global foodservice distribution company, is inviting media to attend a live cooking contest to select Sysco’s best chef in Northern California.

WHAT: Battle of the Blades Grand Finale
TIME AND DATE: 3 p.m. PT on March 16, 2026
WHERE: Ecolab Theatre, Culinary Institute of America at Copia
500 1st St.
Napa, CA 94559

Sysco invites media to watch, film, and enjoy the interactive, reality-TV-style format Battle of the Blades grand finale! Three of Northern California’s greatest chefs – Dean Hiatt representing Sacramento, Jon-Luc Maggi of San Francisco, and Robert Root from Central California – are sharpening their knives and preparing to show their chops. The three, each accompanied by a sous chef, will compete to create the best dish in a timed, 45-minute challenge using three products from our Sysco Pantry as well as three mystery ingredients. The selections will feature some local farms and artisan producers, and a five-judge panel will determine the winner using five criteria: visual appeal, creativity, execution, ingredient use, and taste and flavor balance. The winner will be named Culinary Artist of the Year and receive an array of prizes, including dinner at a MICHELIN restaurant.

MEET THE FINALISTS

Chef Dean Hiatt, executive chef at Poor Red's Bar-B-Q in El Dorado, Calif., for over 10 years, is the reigning champion of Sample the Sierra's and top chef of Northern California and Nevada. Chef Hiatt has dozens of awards under his belt and participates in community fundraisers. Poor Red’s is a 99-year-old establishment that opened in 1927 as Kelly’s Bar until Poor Red won it in a game of dice in 1945. Finally, 10 years ago, brothers Mike and Jeff Genovese and restaurateur Mike Hountalas came together to renovate and reopen Poor Red’s. While still serving their signature drink, the Gold Cadillac, the food has taken on new meaning under Chef Dean’s tutelage.

Chef Jon-Luc Maggi, executive chef at Tiki Tom’s in Walnut Creek, Calif., took a circuitous path through the 82nd Airborne Division as a 19 Delta paratrooper, to graduating from the Le Cordon Bleu San Francisco, paid for in part by the GI Bill. Since graduating, the chef with Japanese-Italian roots has spent the past 10 years blending bold and diverse influences in kitchens across the Bay Area, most recently at Tiki Toms, a restaurant devoted to paying homage to Polynesian cuisine and the aloha spirit.

Chef Robert Root, executive chef at The Century in downtown Modesto, Calif., has spent more than three decades crafting a culinary story from Napa’s vineyards to Yosemite’s granite peaks, blending passion, place, purpose, art, and authenticity into every dish. Trained at the California Culinary Academy, he draws inspiration from the land and the community he serves, in part by surfing, hiking and gardening when he’s not cooking.

THE JUDGES:
Steve Buer, Sysco region president, Northern California
Robert Herrera, co-founder, Miro Foods
Neil Doherty, corporate chef, Sysco
Bobby Jaklitsch, vice president, Sales Cake POS
Chef Abigail Serbins, reality food show competitor and Bay area chef

RSVP AND QUESTIONS: [email protected]

About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing, and distributing food and related products to customers who prepare meals away from home. This includes restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, entertainment venues, and more. Sysco operates 340 distribution centers in over 10 countries, with 76,000 colleagues serving approximately 730,000 customer locations. The company generated sales of more than $78 billion in fiscal year 2024, which ended June 29, 2024.

As the world’s largest food-away-from-home distributor, Sysco offers customized supply chain solutions, bespoke specialty product offerings, and culinary support to drive customers to innovate and optimize their operations. We act as a trusted business partner to our customers, helping them grow through our industry-leading portfolio that includes fresh produce, premium proteins, specialty products, sustainably focused items, equipment and supplies, and innovative culinary solutions.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com. For important news and key information for Sysco investors, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at investors.sysco.com.

Follow us:
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https://www.facebook.com/SyscoFoods
https://x.com/Sysco

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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SYY-NEWS

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.93% 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 maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

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: Veeva Systems (VEEV - Free Report) Headquartered in Pleasanton, CA, Veeva Systems Inc. offers cloud-based software applications and data solutions for the life sciences industry. The company’s product portfolio includes Veeva CRM (customer relationship management), Veeva Vault (content and information management), Veeva Network (customer master and product data management) and Veeva data services (Veeva OpenData and Veeva KOL data).

VEEV is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Medical stock. VEEV has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 2.7% over the past four weeks.

Eight analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.28 to $8.75 per share. VEEV also boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, VEEV should be on investors' short list.

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 research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.93% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

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.

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: Shell (SHEL - Free Report) Shell plc is one of the primary oil supermajors — a group of U.S. and Europe-based big energy multinationals with operations that span almost every corner of the globe. The London-headquartered company is fully integrated, meaning it participates in every aspect related to energy — from oil production, to refining and marketing.

SHEL is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Momentum investors should take note of this Oils-Energy stock. SHEL has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 13.5% over the past four weeks.

Five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.40 to $6.60 per share. SHEL boasts an average earnings surprise of +11.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, SHEL should be on investors' short list.

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 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? 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 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 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 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.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.93% 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.

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.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Quanta Services (PWR - Free Report) Quanta Services, Inc. is a leading national provider of specialty contracting services, and one of the largest contractors serving the transmission and distribution sector of the North American electric utility industry. Quanta has operations in the United States, Canada, Australia and other selected international markets.

PWR is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Construction stock. PWR has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 6.7% over the past four weeks.

Seven analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.40 to $12.84 per share. PWR also boasts an average earnings surprise of +4.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, PWR should be on investors' short list.

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth 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 ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.93% 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: Global Payments (GPN - Free Report) Global Payments, headquartered in Atlanta, GA was spun off from National Data Corporation in 2001. Since its spin-off, the company has taken the acquisition and joint venture route to expand both in existing and international markets.

GPN is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Business Services stock. GPN has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 0.3% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2026, seven analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.13 to $13.87 per share. GPN boasts an average earnings surprise of +2%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, GPN should be on investors' short list.