Walmart v USA zvýšil srovnatelné tržby o 4,1 %, když transakce vzrostly o 3 % a průměrný nákup o 1,1 %. Firma má asi 7 200 rollbacků, což je meziročně o více než 20 % více.
Key Takeaways Walmart U.S. comparable sales rose 4.1%, with transactions up 3% and average ticket up 1.1%. Walmart has about 7,200 rollbacks, up more than 20% year over year, to help shoppers stretch budgets.Higher fuel costs are making lower-income shoppers more selective, keeping value investment central. Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) continues to draw shoppers with its value-focused retail proposition as household budgets come under greater pressure. The company is seeing clear differences in spending behavior across income groups, making its ability to preserve traffic and unit growth — an important measure of consumer resilience.
Higher fuel prices are putting added strain on household finances, particularly for lower-income customers. On its last earnings call, Walmart stated that these shoppers are becoming more budget-conscious, while higher-income customers continue to spend confidently across many categories.
Walmart is responding by leaning further into value. The company has about 7,200 rollbacks in place, up more than 20% year over year, as it looks to help customers stretch their dollars. This approach supported solid first-quarter fiscal 2027 performance, with Walmart U.S. comparable sales rising 4.1%. Transactions increased 3%, while average ticket advanced 1.1%. The company also recorded broad-based share gains across income tiers, led by upper-income households.
Consumer pressure could remain a key consideration in the coming quarters. Like-for-like inflation was a little above 1% in the quarter, and persistent fuel costs could put upward pressure on average unit retail prices.
Walmart's continued emphasis on rollbacks and low prices remains central to sustaining customer traffic as lower-income shoppers become more selective with spending. This dynamic keeps value and price investment at the center of Walmart's consumer strategy.
How KR & TGT Are Navigating Consumer Budget PressureThe Kroger Co. (KR - Free Report) is seeing consumers manage spending carefully as high gas prices and reduced SNAP benefits squeeze household budgets. The company is sharpening its price position and simplifying value, while traffic increased and loyal households grew for the 17th consecutive time in the first quarter. KR’s identical sales, excluding fuel, rose 1% in the quarter. Kroger also expanded fuel reward promotions, helping drive a 10% increase in fuel reward redemptions year over year as customers sought savings at the pump.
Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) is also emphasizing affordability as busy families remain highly choiceful about where they spend their time and money. TGT’s first-quarter comparable sales increased 5.6%, while comparable traffic grew 4.4%. Target is combining distinctive merchandise with accessible price points to appeal to these shoppers. These affordable assortments helped support double-digit comparable sales growth in toys during the quarter.
WMT Stock Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Walmart have risen 14.5% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 12.4%.
WMT Price Performance Versus Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, WMT trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 37.3, higher than the industry’s average of 33.98.
WMT Valuation Compared to Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Target jmenoval svého prvního šéfa pro AI, aby sjednotil AI strategii a podpořil růst i efektivitu provozu. Firma už nasazuje generativní AI pro nákupy a řízení zásob.
The retail giant Target (TGT -0.93%) doesn't want to be left behind in the artificial intelligence revolution. To keep up with the ever-evolving technology landscape, the company has hired its first-ever Chief AI Officer, Chandhu Nair. The hope is that Nair will develop a cohesive AI strategy to boost Target's growth and improve operational efficiency.
The main responsibilities of the role will be to tie together Target's AI initiatives to improve the shopping experience and more efficiently manage inventory. Target has had a rough few years amid declining foot traffic and consumer backlash regarding DEI policies.
Image source: Getty Images.
Target has already begun investing in generative AI tools, including Target Trend Brain, which can identify future style, color, and material trends. Target also launched an AI chat assistant last holiday season that helped shoppers find gifts.
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Rivals such as Walmart (WMT -0.56%) are also investing in AI, so Target needs a smart strategy to keep pace.
This is all part of a greater effort to turn around a struggling Target. The company's multi-year strategy includes up to $5 billion in investments to improve growth through modernization. Target's stock has rebounded substantially in 2026, up more than 55% as of this writing. Still, over five years, the stock is down 40%. In the first-quarter earnings report, Target reported a 6.7% increase in net sales, well above company expectations.
The turnaround thus far seems to be working, and appointing a Chief AI Officer should expedite the strategy. If Nair is successful in his endeavor, I'd expect the Target turnaround to not only continue but perhaps accelerate as we head into the holiday shopping season.
Catie Hogan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Target and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL, Financials) were higher in early trading after Berkshire Hathaway increased its stake in the carrier. Regulatory filings show that Berkshire upped its investment in Delta to 8.7% as of June 30 from 6.1% previously. It's a big deal because Delta is the only airline that Berkshire owns right now.
Berkshire had stakes in numerous major U.S. airlines before, but sold its holdings in the industry during the pandemic. This time it's a more targeted approach to the sector – as shown by its greater concentration on Delta.
Berkshire's bigger position is a high-profile statement of confidence in Delta investors as airlines wrestle with fuel costs, capacity issues and changing travel demand. The size of the increase matters too. That's no little change in the portfolio, a jump from 6.1% to 8.7% is a substantial increase in ownership.
However, the filing covers Berkshire's holdings as of June 30, therefore does not indicate whether the position has changed since then. The challenge for investors is if Berkshire keeps adding and makes Delta an even bigger long-term commitment.
ExxonMobil sice ve 2. čtvrtletí mírně minula odhad EPS, ale vykázala nejvyšší čtvrtletní zisk za zhruba čtyři roky, 14,5 miliardy USD, a rekordní volný peněžní tok 17,2 miliardy USD.
ExxonMobil (XOM +1.13%) technically missed Wall Street's expectations for the second quarter. Adjusted earnings came in at $3.52 per share, just below the consensus estimate of $3.60. That was enough to trigger a negative reaction. But focusing only on the earnings miss overlooks what was arguably one of ExxonMobil's strongest operating quarters in years.
The company reported $14.5 billion in earnings and $14.7 billion in adjusted earnings, its highest quarterly earnings in roughly four years. ExxonMobil also generated $23.6 billion in cash flow from operations and $17.2 billion in free cash flow, giving it plenty of room to continue investing in growth while returning cash to shareholders.
Operations continue to improve Perhaps the most encouraging numbers weren't on the income statement at all. Exxon delivered its highest upstream production in more than two decades, excluding temporary Middle East disruptions. Production in the Permian Basin reached a record 1.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, while the company's fifth floating production vessel for Guyana is scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter, adding another 250,000 barrels per day of production capacity.
The downstream business also performed well. Exxon reported record diesel production, helping offset refinery maintenance earlier in the year. Chemical products earned $1.13 billion, while the Energy Products segment rebounded sharply to $5.47 billion after posting a loss during the previous quarter.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
All about the cash One reason Exxon continues separating itself from many competitors is its ability to generate cash across a wide range of commodity prices. During the quarter, the company returned $9.4 billion to shareholders through $4.3 billion in dividends and $5.1 billion in share repurchases. It also reduced net debt by approximately $7 billion, further strengthening an already healthy balance sheet.
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Meanwhile, management continues investing heavily in future production. Year-to-date capital expenditures reached $13 billion, supporting growth in the Permian Basin, Guyana, LNG projects, and higher-value chemical businesses. Exxon also says its cumulative structural cost savings have now reached $16.3 billion, exceeding the combined savings reported by its international oil major peers.
Looking beyond one quarter The earnings miss largely reflected factors that were difficult for analysts to model, including volatile commodity prices, refinery maintenance, and temporary production disruptions in the Middle East. CFO Neil Hansen said the company's underlying business remained strong despite those short-term headwinds.
Quarterly earnings estimates can fluctuate by a few cents for any number of reasons. But production growth, free cash flow, balance-sheet strength, and capital allocation are much better indicators of long-term performance. And Exxon appears to be executing well on all four.
The company continues to expand production from some of the world's lowest-cost oil assets, generate significant cash flow, reduce debt, and return billions of dollars to shareholders. Those are the numbers that ultimately determine long-term value. Yes, the earnings miss may have spooked some investors, but the company's underlying operating performance remains solid.
Home Depot HD stock is inching lower heading into the home improvement retailer’s fiscal Q2 earnings scheduled to be released before the market opens on August 18.
Consensus is for the company to record $4.72 a share of earnings (EPS) on $47.4 billion in revenue – which would represent a nearly 10% increase in topline but under 1% bottom-line growth.
Heading into the quarterly print, Home Depot shares are down more than 2% year-to-date.
Despite its underperformance in 2026, options traders believe HD stock is unlikely to recover on the back of its upcoming earnings release.
According to data from Barchart, the put-to-call ratio on contracts expiring August 21 sits at 2.06 currently; a reading above 1.00 is typically considered bearish.
The derivatives market has the lower price on Home Depot contracts set at $325 at writing, which signals potential for a 3.4% decline through the end of this week.
Crucially, the dovish sentiment is mirrored in the technical setup as well; HD slipped below its 50-day moving average (MA) this morning, signaling the bearish momentum could sustain in the near term.
The options market doesn’t expect much from Home Depot’s second-quarter financials given the persistent chill in the US housing market.
High mortgage rates continue to freeze home turnover, sharply reducing the discretionary spending home buyers typically allocate toward major renovations.
While professional contractor sales have provided a relative cushion, DIY retail traffic is still soft as lower-income consumers continue to prioritize essentials over big-ticket DIY projects.
If management highlights ongoing weakness in high-ticket categories or lowers full-year revenue guidance, investors could react sharply, triggering a post-earnings sell-off as the market re-evaluates the timing of a broader housing recovery.
That said, Home Depot stock currently pays a rather attractive 2.77% dividend yield, which makes it compelling as a long-term holding for income-focused investors.
Beyond macro housing trends, fundamental valuation dynamics add another layer of vulnerability for shareholders.
Trading at more than 22x forward earnings, HD shares command a premium multiple compared to the broader specialty retail sector, which averages under 20x.
This elevated valuation means Wall Street expects near-flawless operational execution.
Any unexpected margin compression – whether from elevated promotional intensity, lingering supply chain costs, or integration expenses associated with recent commercial expansions – could prompt analysts to slash price targets.
Heading into the quarterly print, Wall Street firms have a consensus Moderate Buy rating on Home Depot, with a mean price target of $373 indicating potential for a significant rally from here.
However, without strong, proactive forward guidance to justify its valuation multiple, HD risks a period of prolonged consolidation or further short-term contraction.
McDonald's poprvé zařadil do nabídky energetické nápoje a uvedl Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer. Nápoj je z Red Bullu, s příchutí blue raspberry a kousky lyofilizovaného dračího ovoce.
huettenhoelscher/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
McDonald's adds energy drinks for first time. (0:15) L3Harris CEO steps down over conduct. (1:01) Big Tech has $3T in off-balance-sheet commitments. (1:29)
This is an abridged transcript of the podcast:
Our top story so far, from Happy Meals to Hyper Meals.
McDonald's (MCD) officially added energy drinks to its menu for the first time today with the debut of its new Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer.
The energy drink is made with Red Bull, blue raspberry flavoring and freeze-dried dragonfruit pieces. Customers can also order a reduced-sugar option with Red Bull Zero or a regular 8.4-ounce Red Bull can.
A Citi survey showed that 60% of energy beverage consumption at restaurants and coffee shops is incremental. Meanwhile, 49% of respondents said an energy drink purchased at a restaurant would replace one purchased elsewhere.
And 74% of respondents are very or somewhat interested in purchasing energy drinks from a restaurant or coffee shop, including 44% who are very interested.
Morgan Stanley thinks the energy drink platform could be a "swing factor" for McDonald's investors to watch in the second half of the year.
Among active stocks, L3Harris Technologies (LHX) is lower after Chairman and CEO Christopher Kubasik stepped down over conduct that was "not consistent" with the company's values. But L3Harris stressed the departure was not related to its financials or operations.
Wells Fargo upgraded Okta (OKTA) to Overweight from Equal Weight, citing signs of improving demand and execution in its core business.
Analyst Richard Poland said the company's focus on large enterprises, including adding capacity and expanding partnerships, is "bearing fruit."
And nine big tech companies have around $3T in off-balance-sheet commitments, mostly tied to AI infrastructure, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The paper looked at expenses at Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta (META), Oracle (ORCL), Nvidia (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Broadcom (AVGO), SpaceX (SPCX) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) that aren't reflected on their balance sheets but instead appear in the footnotes of their most recent securities filings.
The items include obligations under outstanding leases, long-term borrowings and purchase commitments. And they're growing faster than traditional capex.
In other news of note, popular ice cream maker Rebel Creamery has filed for bankruptcy less than one month after losing a lawsuit against rival Van Leeuwen over trademark rights.
The privately owned company built its identity around low-carb, high-fat products with no added sugar.
Van Leeuwen sued Rebel in April 2021, alleging that Rebel’s packaging copied its distinctive pastel, monochromatic look and black-script branding.
And the first-ever electric car manufactured by Ferrari (RACE) was sold at Sotheby's for $40M -- a new vehicle auction record.
Ferrari filled its entire 2026 allocation of just under 500 Ferrari Luce cars in less than two months after its May launch, despite a base price around $640K and mixed public reactions to its design.
And in the Wall Street Research Corner, space is moving from the final frontier to an institutional asset class, as falling launch costs, private investment and public-market funding reshape the orbital economy.
In a report titled "The Second Space Age," Goldman Sachs said space is becoming “a new pillar of the industrial economy,” with its own supply chains, infrastructure nodes and points of concentration where economic power can accumulate.
The global space-based economy (NASA) (UFO) is forecast to reach $1.8T by 2035. More than $55B was invested into the space ecosystem in 2025, while the first quarter of 2026 posted a record $36B of investment.
Akcie Cisco klesly v obchodování po uzavření trhu až o 8,4 % i přes rekordní tržby 17,3 miliardy USD a zisk nad odhady Wall Street. Investory znepokojil slabý výhled hrubé marže.
Key Takeaways Cisco shares fell 8.4% despite record $17.3 billion revenues and earnings that topped Wall Street estimates.Cisco's AI infrastructure orders reached $4 billion in Q4, lifting its fiscal 2026 pipeline to $9.3 billion.ETFs like IYZ offer Cisco exposure across telecom, internet and cybersecurity industries. Shares of Cisco Systems (CSCO - Free Report) fell as much as 8.4% in the immediate trading session following the release of its fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 financial results. Despite reporting record quarterly revenues of $17.3 billion and solid earnings that topped Wall Street estimates, investors remained skeptical of the company’s compressed gross margin guidance.
For long-term investors, this post-earnings sell-off may present a compelling buying opportunity, considering Cisco’s dominant position in the expanding artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The company is capitalizing on rapid, AI-driven demand from hyperscalers, which enabled it to generate a solid $4 billion in AI infrastructure orders in the fiscal fourth quarter, bringing its total fiscal 2026 AI order pipeline to $9.3 billion.
However, direct investment in CSCO shares carries clear single-stock risks. As Cisco expands its footprint in AI data center networking, it faces stiff competition from established players in the industry. If Cisco's Ethernet-based architectures face adoption delays against proprietary alternatives like InfiniBand, or if lower-margin AI hardware shipments continue to pressure profitability, the stock could face continued valuation adjustments.
For investors seeking to capture Cisco's AI-driven growth trajectory without taking on individual stock risk, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with heavy allocations to CSCO offer a prudent alternative. This basket approach allows investors to gain exposure to Cisco and the broader networking hardware sector while cushioning against single-stock volatility, margin pressures, and macroeconomic shifts.
Before evaluating these ETFs, let us take a closer look at Cisco's fiscal fourth-quarter performance across key operating metrics.
A Brief Analysis of CSCO's Q4 ResultsCisco's earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.3%, while revenues topped the mark by 2.4%. On a year-over-year basis, the company registered double-digit growth in its top and bottom-line numbers.
The reported quarter marked the eighth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth for Cisco’s networking portfolio overall, in line with the company’s view that it is in the midst of a multiyear, multibillion-dollar networking supercycle.
Cisco’s industrial IoT portfolio achieved its ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit order growth, driven by accelerating demand across manufacturing, utilities, and data center facilities in the fiscal fourth quarter. This sustained momentum is fueled by strong demand for ruggedized networking hardware built to operate in harsh environmental conditions.
Circuit, Cisco’s proprietary on-premises AI assistant, is now fully integrated into the company’s operations and supported more than 75 million prompts during the reported quarter.
Looking ahead, CSCO’s management projects AI infrastructure revenues alone to scale to $7.5 billion in fiscal 2027 as cloud titans build out their next-generation data centers.
The company expects multiple AI design wins across its Silicon One chip families and Optics over the next six months, driven by strong hyperscaler demand for its scalable, programmable architecture.
By fully integrating Silicon One across its networking systems by fiscal 2029, Cisco aims to gain control over its supply chain, silicon, systems, and software to deliver superior performance, security, and market share growth.
CSCO-Heavy ETFs to BuyiShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ - Free Report)
This fund, with net assets worth $1.27 billion, offers exposure to 24 U.S. companies that provide telephone and internet products, services, and technologies. Of these, Cisco carries the first spot, holding 20.86% of the fund.
IYZ has gained 29.3% year to date and charges 37 basis points (bps) as fees. It traded at a volume of 0.66 million shares in the last trading session.
First Trust Dow Jones Internet ETF (FDN - Free Report)
This fund, with net assets worth $5.41 billion, offers exposure to 41 U.S. companies from the Internet industry. Of these, Cisco carries the third spot, holding 7.38% of the fund.
FDN has rallied 8.3% year to date and charges 49 bps as fees. It traded at a volume of 0.26 million shares in the last trading session.
First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR - Free Report)
This fund, with net assets worth $15.84 billion, offers exposure to 42 companies engaged in the cybersecurity segment of the technology and industrials sectors. It includes companies primarily engaged in developing, implementing, and managing security protocols for private and public networks, computers, and mobile devices to protect data integrity and network operations. Of these, Cisco carries the fourth spot, holding 6.64% of the fund.
CIBR has surged 39.4% year to date and charges 58 bps as fees. It traded at a good volume of 1.29 million shares in the last trading session.
Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (HACK - Free Report)
With net assets of $3.04 billion, this fund provides exposure to 23 companies actively involved in delivering cybersecurity hardware, software, and services. Of these, Cisco carries the seventh spot, holding 4.88% of the fund.
HACK has soared 47.1% year to date and charges 60 bps as fees. It traded at a volume of 0.23 million shares in the last trading session.
Exxon Mobil a Chevron těží z drahé ropy: ve 2. čtvrtletí vykázaly zisk 14,5 mld. USD a 12,1 mld. USD. Další eskalace kolem Íránu by mohla jejich zisky ještě zvýšit.
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Oil has become one of the clearest financial beneficiaries of the Iran war — and one of the biggest headaches for American drivers. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy shipments, remains effectively closed, with little tanker traffic moving through the waterway.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is above $82 a barrel and Brent is above $88, compared with roughly $73 Brent before the war. The result has been a windfall for Big Oil. Bloomberg reported in July that combined earnings for the five supermajors were on track to be the third-highest in history, while several companies have already reported profits more than double a year ago.
Exxon And Chevron Are Already Cashing In Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM | XOM Price Prediction) reported $14.5 billion of second-quarter profit, up from $7.1 billion a year earlier. Chevron (NYSE:CVX) reported $12.1 billion, compared with $3.1 billion. Together, they generated roughly $26.6 billion in quarterly earnings.
Both companies are integrated — meaning they produce crude, refine it into gasoline and diesel, and market those products. That matters when a geopolitical shock disrupts the entire energy chain.
Chevron’s upstream earnings jumped to $8.2 billion, while downstream earnings reached $4.9 billion. Exxon generated $17.2 billion of free cash flow and returned $9.4 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
Their stocks reflect that strength, with Exxon and Chevron both up 33% year-to-date. Neither, though, is at its March peak, leaving room for further gains if crude prices remain elevated.
While American drivers face $4 at the pump, two oil giants just pocketed a combined $26.6 billion by turning global chaos into a record-breaking windfall. War Escalation Could Raise Gas Prices Further Trump has repeatedly accused oil companies of gouging consumers, singling out Exxon, Chevron, BP (NYSE:BP), and Shell (NYSE:SHEL), and demanding lower prices. In June, he said gasoline should be $2.25 a gallon and ordered a Justice Department investigation into potential price gouging.
However, Exxon and Chevron don’t simply choose the price posted at every gas station. Local competition, regional supply, refining margins, transportation costs, and crude prices all influence what motorists pay.
AAA’s national average was about $4.06 a gallon this morning, versus $3.98 a month earlier and $3.11 a year ago. Gasoline had been below $3 before the Iran war began. Notably, widening the war could make Trump’s price problem worse.
Trump has repeatedly extended the truce to give negotiations with Iran more time. Yet Iran continues threatening shipping through Hormuz, and Reuters reported today that Tehran is considering a shift to a “fully offensive” posture if diplomacy fails.
Now Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of peace talks. Oman is a U.S. ally and has been mediating between Washington and Tehran.
The Bigger Risk For Investors An attack on Oman would introduce another Middle Eastern country into the conflict. If other Gulf states that have so far remained outside the fighting begin choosing sides, the market could price an even larger supply disruption.
That would be bullish for Exxon and Chevron’s upstream businesses and potentially their refining operations. But investors shouldn’t assume every additional $10 in crude translates directly into another $10 billion of profit. Demand can weaken, refining margins can reverse, and a peace deal reopening Hormuz could send oil prices sharply lower. Brent crude is already well below its $126 wartime peak.
Key Takeaway In short, Exxon and Chevron are unusually well positioned for a prolonged oil shock because their integrated businesses can capture profits from production through refining and marketing. Another escalation could push quarterly earnings above their already massive Q2 totals — but investors shouldn’t chase the stocks solely on the prospect of war.
The better thesis is that Exxon and Chevron have demonstrated they can convert elevated crude and refining margins into billions of dollars of cash. If Hormuz remains closed, that cash machine could keep running. If peace finally reopens the strait, the windfall can disappear almost as quickly as it arrived.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Newmont ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšil AISC o 22 % meziročně na 1 938 USD za unci. Firma čeká v roce 2026 další růst na 1 680 USD kvůli nižším objemům a vyšším poplatkům.
Key Takeaways Newmont's co-product AISC rose 22% year over year to $1,938 per ounce in the second quarter.Lower sales volumes, higher royalties and taxes are expected to lift 2026 AISC to $1,680 per ounce.Higher sustaining capital spending and oil prices are expected to drive a sequential cost rise in Q3. Newmont Corporation’s (NEM - Free Report) gold costs applicable to sales (CAS) rose roughly 20% year over year to $1,463 per ounce on a co-product basis in the second quarter of 2026. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) — the most important cost metric of miners — were $1,938 per ounce, reflecting a roughly 22% year-over-year increase. Both metrics also increased year over year on a by-product basis. AISC increased due to higher CAS and increased sustaining capital spending. CAS was impacted by lower gold volumes.
Lower production is expected to lead to higher unit costs in 2026. NEM expects AISC to be $1,680 per ounce on a by-product basis, indicating a notable increase from $1,358 per ounce in 2025. The expected increase is due to lower sales volumes as a result of planned mine sequencing, higher royalties and production taxes, deferral of sustaining capital from 2025 into 2026 and inventory changes.
Newmont also sees a sequential rise in unit costs in the third quarter, mainly due to increased sustaining capital spending and higher oil prices. The production decline and higher costs could undercut the profitability goals.
Looking across the competitive landscape, Barrick Mining Corporation (B - Free Report) saw an 11% year-over-year increase in AISC to $1,866 per ounce in the second quarter. Barrick projects AISC to be $1,760-$1,950 per ounce for 2026. Cash costs per ounce are forecast to be $1,330-$1,470. Barrick also expects cost of sales of $1,870-$2,070 per ounce.
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM - Free Report) also remains exposed to higher production costs. AEM’s AISC was $1,459 per ounce in the second quarter, marking a roughly 14% year-over-year rise, impacted by higher total cash costs and an uptick in sustaining capital expenditures. Agnico Eagle forecasts total cash costs per ounce in the range of $1,020 to $1,120 and AISC per ounce between $1,400 and $1,550 for 2026, suggesting a year-over-year increase at the midpoint of the respective ranges.
The Zacks Rundown for NEMShares of Newmont have shot up 70.7% in the past year compared with the Zacks Mining – Gold industry’s 50.5% rise.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, NEM is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 12.31, a modest 0.3% premium to the industry average of 12.27X. It carries a Value Score of B.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NEM’s 2026 and 2027 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 30.6% and 10.1%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 and 2027 have been trending lower over the past 60 days.
Key Takeaways Nordson's Q3 revenues are expected to rise 5.1%, while adjusted EPS is projected to increase 13.2%.Industrial Precision Solutions may benefit from demand in coating, polymer processing and packaging.Advanced Technology Solutions is expected to gain from healthy demand for electronics dispense systems. Nordson Corporation (NDSN - Free Report) is scheduled to release third-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended July 31) results on Aug. 19, after market close.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal third-quarter earnings has remained steady in the past 60 days. The company has an impressive earnings surprise history, having outperformed the consensus estimate in each of the preceding four quarters. The average surprise was 2.3%.
The consensus estimate for fiscal third-quarter revenues is pegged at $779 million, suggesting growth of 5.1% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The consensus estimate for adjusted earnings is pinned at $3.09 per share, indicating a 13.2% increase from the year-ago quarter’s number.
Let’s see how things have shaped up for Nordson this earnings season.
Factors to Note Ahead of NDSN’s Q3 ResultsThe Industrial Precision Solutions segment’s results are likely to benefit from growing demand for industrial coating and polymer processing systems. Continued investments in packaging, product assembly and precision agriculture end markets are expected to have boosted revenues. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $364 million, indicating a 3.7% increase from the year-ago figure.
The Advanced Technology Solutions segment is expected to have benefited on the back of healthy demand for electronics dispense systems. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $191 million, indicating a 11.7% increase from the year-ago figure.
Increased demand for engineered fluid solutions and medical product lines is likely to have aided the Medical and Fluid Solutions segment in the to-be-reported quarter. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $224 million, indicating a 2.3% increase from the year-ago figure.
In March 2026, Nordson acquired CapstanAG to strengthen its precision agriculture portfolio and expand its presence in North America. The buyout, which enhanced the company’s portfolio of advanced solutions for fluid management and precision spraying, is expected to have boosted its top line during the quarter.
However, rising costs and operating expenses have been concerns for Nordson for some time now. The impacts of high labor and raw material costs are likely to have affected its margins and profitability. Also, investments associated with product development and growth initiatives are expected to have hurt the company’s performance.
Given the company’s substantial international operations, foreign currency headwinds are likely to have marred its margins and profitability.
Earnings Whispers for NDSNOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for NDSN this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as elaborated below.
Earnings ESP: NDSN has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% as both the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $3.09 per share. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: NDSN presently carries a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Performance of Other CompaniesGraco Inc. (GGG - Free Report) posted quarterly earnings of 91 cents per share in the second quarter of 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents per share. This compares with earnings of 75 cents per share a year ago.
Graco posted revenues of $591 million for the quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3%. This compares with year-ago revenues of $572 million.
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (SWK - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.57 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.20. The bottom line increased 45.4% year over year.
Stanley Black’s net sales of $3.96 billion beat the consensus estimate of $3.93 billion. The top line increased 0.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 86 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 83 cents. The bottom line increased 7.5% year over year.
Total revenues of $2.05 billion beat the consensus estimate of $1.96 billion. The top line increased 8.5% year over year.
Costco zvýšila tržby z členských poplatků ve 3. čtvrtletí o 10,7 % na 1,373 miliardy USD. Executive členství vzrostlo o 9,6 % na 41,2 milionu a tvořilo 75 % tržeb.
Key Takeaways Costco membership fee revenues rose 10.7%, while Executive memberships grew 9.6% to 41.2 million. Executive members generated 75% of Costco sales, as upgrades and new premium sign-ups continued. Costco's personalized recommendations drove 3x conversion rates and nearly $500 million in e-commerce sales. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) continues to unlock fresh potential in member monetization by expanding its high-value executive tier and deepening digital engagement. During the third quarter of fiscal 2026, membership fee revenues climbed 10.7% to $1,373 million from the year-ago period. The September 2024 membership fee increase contributed a little more than one-fourth of that growth. Excluding the fee increase and foreign exchange effects, membership income still advanced 7% year over year.
A key driver of this acceleration remains the strong momentum in Executive memberships, which grew 9.6% year over year to 41.2 million. Executive members also accounted for 75% of sales. Management said these members generally shop more frequently and spend more. Costco is seeing both Gold Star members upgrade and a higher share of new members choose Executive membership.
The expansion of Executive memberships into international markets such as China highlights additional runway for growth. Early adoption in China has exceeded expectations, showing that premium membership structures hold strong appeal across diverse geographies. Targeted digital communications and retention initiatives are helping stabilize renewal rates, even as online sign-ups naturally scale. Global renewal rates reached 89.7%, while U.S. and Canada renewals ticked up to 92.2% at the end of the third quarter.
Beyond core fee increases, member monetization is benefiting from expanded digital capabilities and value-added services. Personalized product recommendation carousels delivered conversion rates three times higher than standard rates, generating nearly half a billion dollars in e-commerce sales during the quarter. Enhanced pharmacy offerings, including GLP-1 treatments and member prescription programs, alongside third-party same-day delivery services, are driving higher engagement among top-tier spenders.
By growing its higher-tier memberships and offering more digital and convenient services, Costco continues to strengthen member monetization.
How Does Costco Stack Up Against Its Industry?Costco, which competes with Dollar General Corporation (DG - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) , has seen its shares drop 10.7% over the past three months compared with the industry’s 1.1% decline. While shares of Dollar General have risen 16%, those of Target have jumped 25.2% in the aforementioned period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Does Costco’s Current Valuation Suggest?From a valuation standpoint, Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 42.85, higher than the industry’s ratio of 31.18. However, the stock is trading below its 12-month median level of 45.79, indicating some moderation in valuation despite sustained investor confidence in the stock.
Costco is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 17.75) and Dollar General (15.97).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Do Earnings Estimates Signal for Costco?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 9.7% and 13.5%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.8% rise in sales and 10.2% growth in earnings.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Peloton po 96% propadu od maxima zůstává v problémech: tržby ve fiskálním roce 2026 klesly na 2,4 miliardy USD a firma čeká další pokles v roce 2027. Přesto se po velkém škrtání nákladů dostala do zisku 63,2 milionu USD.
Peloton Interactive (PTON -3.55%) stock went public in September 2019 priced at $29, but by the end of 2020, it had reached a record-closing high of almost $163. The COVID-19 pandemic fueled a surge in demand for the company's stationary exercise bikes, treadmills, and rowing machines, because they helped fitness enthusiasts maintain their workout routines at home.
But lockdowns and social restrictions gradually ended in 2022, and demand for Peloton's exercise equipment subsequently collapsed. The company quickly found itself losing billions of dollars per year because sales fell so sharply, threatening its very survival.
As a result, Peloton stock has plunged by 96% from its peak. But although the company continues to struggle with weak sales, its bottom line has improved significantly. Could this be the ultimate buying opportunity for investors?
Image source: Peloton Interactive.
Let's start with the bad news Peloton's annual revenue peaked at $4 billion in its fiscal 2021 (ended June 30, 2021), led by equipment sales, which accounted for $3.1 billion of that total. Five years later, the company's total revenue was down 40% to just $2.4 billion in fiscal 2026 (ended June 30, 2026), with equipment sales bringing in just $770 million -- less than one third of the total.
There are two reasons for the steep decline in hardware sales. First, demand for Peloton's at-home exercise equipment collapsed after the worst of the pandemic was over, because gyms and other training facilities quickly reopened. Even after tapping into third-party retailers like Amazon and Dick's Sporting Goods, the company has struggled to revive its slumping sales.
Second, Peloton has pivoted toward selling digital subscriptions because they carry higher profit margins than hardware, and these now account for the majority of its revenue.
There is the connected fitness subscription, which allows equipment owners to access virtual classes and performance tracking features. Then there is a separate subscription for the company's mobile app, which can be used by fitness enthusiasts who don't own any Peloton equipment. It provides them with workout plans and other basic features.
Unfortunately, the subscription business isn't doing very well, either. As of June 30, Peloton had 5.5 million connected fitness subscribers, down 8% year over year, and 503,000 app subscribers, down 9%.
With both equipment and subscription sales sputtering, management now expects Peloton to generate somewhere between $2.3 billion and $2.4 billion in revenue during fiscal 2027, representing a decline of 6% at the low end of the range. It would be the sixth straight annual revenue decline since fiscal 2021.
It seems management was caught off guard by the steep decline in equipment demand after fiscal 2021, because they positioned Peloton's costs as if more sales growth was coming. As a result, with more money going out and less money coming in, the company suffered a mind-boggling net loss of $2.8 billion during fiscal 2022.
At that point, Peloton was in a race against time to slash costs, or else it would have run out of cash and potentially not survived. Fortunately, management has turned the ship around in that respect. The company's total operating expenses were just $1.1 billion during fiscal 2026, down 68% from their fiscal 2022 peak of $3.4 billion.
As a result, Peloton just eked out an annual GAAP profit of $63.2 million. After excluding one-off and non-cash expenses like stock-based compensation, it delivered adjusted (non-GAAP) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $468.2 million. Simply put, the company is no longer at risk of going under -- at least for now.
Should investors buy Peloton stock? The only way Peloton can maintain profitability is by continuing to slash costs, or by finding a way to generate more revenue. Since we know revenue is slated to fall yet again in fiscal 2027, that option might be out the window. Cutting costs is a road to nowhere in the long run, because every time management pulls money away from areas like marketing, it becomes even harder to find new customers and grow sales.
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As a result, I think Peloton is in a dangerous spiral that could wind up threatening its viability in the next few years. The company is sitting on over $1.2 billion in cash, so it has some headroom to continue experimenting with different strategies to reignite equipment and subscription sales. However, it's also carrying $944 million in long-term debt, so it doesn't have an endless amount of time to produce results.
In my opinion, it's never a good idea to invest in shrinking businesses because they tend to destroy shareholder value over time, so it might be a good idea to avoid Peloton stock.
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Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO | AVGO Price Prediction) trades at $392.99, well below the Wall Street average analyst price target of $527.88, a gap of roughly 34%. The dominant custom silicon partner for hyperscale AI buildouts supplies Google TPUs, Meta MTIA accelerators, and Ethernet networking for AI clusters. Its most recent quarter posted AI semiconductor revenue of $10.8 billion, up 143% year over year, with management guiding the current quarter to $16 billion.
A Sharp Fade From the $494 Peak Broadcom shed 8.13% in a single week, sliding from a 52-week high of $494.18 to $392.99. The three-month move sits at negative 6.43%.
The business remains solid. Q2 fiscal 2026 delivered revenue up 47.9% year over year and non-GAAP EPS of $2.44 against a $2.40 estimate, extending the streak to eight consecutive EPS beats. Investors are questioning whether triple-digit AI growth sustains into 2027 and whether hyperscaler capex remains durable. A broader wobble in AI-capex sentiment drove Reddit sentiment on Broadcom to its lowest reading of the year, a very bearish score of 12, and the stock got caught in that downdraft.
Why Sell-Side Analysts Remain Bullish Coverage has essentially ignored the pullback. Roughly 92% of covering analysts remain bullish, with 7 Strong Buy and 37 Buy ratings against 4 Holds and zero Sells. The mean price target of $527.88 implies 34% upside. The Street-high sits at $675 from BNP Paribas Exane, worth roughly 72% upside from here.
The bull thesis rests on three pillars. First, custom AI ASIC dominance. Google TPU deployments, Meta MTIA acceleration, and expanded custom ASIC partnerships all lean on Broadcom’s design leadership. Q2 AI bookings hit $30 billion against $10.8 billion shipped, and management has guided fiscal 2026 AI revenue to roughly $56 billion, with fiscal 2027 targeted in excess of $100 billion. Second, AI networking. The Tomahawk 6 Ethernet switch platform already accounts for almost 40% of AI revenue at “very rich margins,” per CFO Kirsten Spears. Third, VMware. Infrastructure Software delivered $7.2 billion at a 79% operating margin as customers migrated to VCF 9.1 subscription pricing.
The AI Chip Cohort Has Split Two Ways The AI chip complex has diverged sharply. NVIDIA and Marvell have rallied hard year to date, and AMD has more than doubled. Broadcom stands alone as the major AI silicon name trading at a meaningful discount to consensus.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) sits at $225.16, up 20.87% YTD. The average $302.83 target implies roughly 34% upside, essentially matching Broadcom’s mean, with 10 Strong Buy, 48 Buy, 2 Hold, and 1 Sell rating.
AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) trades at $514.39, up 140.19% YTD after landing OpenAI and Anthropic gigawatt deals. The $612.84 target implies about 19% upside. Ratings run 5 Strong Buy, 36 Buy, 10 Hold, 0 Sell.
Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) sits at $222.02, up 161.64% YTD on custom AI silicon momentum. The $257.29 target implies roughly 16% upside. Ratings run 8 Strong Buy, 30 Buy, 5 Hold, 0 Sell.
The largest analyst-implied upside in the group sits with Broadcom on both the mean and the Street-high. NVIDIA is comparable on the mean, while AMD and Marvell have already priced in most of theirs.
Where the Broadcom Numbers Land Broadcom trades at $392.99 against a mean 12-month target of $527.88 across roughly 45 covering sell-side analysts, implying 34% upside. The Street-high $675 target from BNP Paribas Exane implies 72%. Ratings distribute as 7 Strong Buy, 37 Buy, 4 Hold, 0 Sell.
The stock is off 8.13% over the past week and 6.43% over three months, yet still up 13.97% YTD, essentially matching the S&P 500’s 13.85% year-to-date gain. Trailing PE runs 65 and forward PE runs 21. Q2 free cash flow reached $10.3 billion, or 46% of revenue. Management has cited demand visibility running into 2028.
What to Watch Next The bull case rests on hyperscaler AI capex sustaining through 2027 and CEO Hock Tan’s guide to “semiconductor revenue from AI to grow over 200 percent year-over-year to $16.0 billion” in Q3. The path to the $527 mean target runs through the next earnings report validating that guide, the $30 billion AI backlog converting to shipments, and networking holding roughly 40% of AI mix. Deliver on all three, and BNP Paribas Exane’s $675 becomes plausible.
The bear case builds if the AI-capex sustainability narrative develops real teeth. Broadcom carries genuine hyperscaler concentration risk across six named core customers. If even one meaningfully pulls back TPU or MTIA orders, the forward 21x multiple compresses quickly.
Given eight consecutive earnings beats, backlog visibility into 2028, and a 34% mean target upside that widens to 72% at the Street-high, the setup leans cautiously bullish. The bear case is real, but it lives at the macro AI-capex level rather than inside Broadcom itself.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
CVS ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila upravený EPS na 2,58 USD, tedy o více než 40 %, hlavně díky lepší ziskovosti segmentu Health Care Benefits.
Firma zároveň zvýšila výhled AOI pro Health Care Benefits v roce 2026 na 5,03–5,37 mld. USD.
Key Takeaways CVS Health's Q2 EPS rose more than 40%, driven mainly by improved Health Care Benefits profitability.CVS' Health Care Benefits AOI improved by more than $2 billion year over year so far in 2026.CVS now expects 2026 Health Care Benefits AOI of $5.03B-$5.37B, over $1B above prior guidance. In the second quarter of 2026, CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) delivered adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.58, up more than 40% from the prior-year quarter. The strong earnings growth was mainly driven by improved adjusted operating income in the Health Care Benefits segment.
The division generated more than $37 billion in revenues, rising more than 3% year over year, as growth in the government business more than offset some of the impact of CVS’ planned exit from the Individual Exchange business in 2026. Medical membership was approximately 26 million at quarter end, flat sequentially but down roughly 700,000 from the prior-year quarter. The decline mainly reflected CVS’ Individual Exchange exit, partly offset by gains in commercial fee-based membership.
Adjusted operating income (AOI) came in at approximately $2.4 billion, while the medical benefit ratio (MBR) was 87.4%. Both improved meaningfully from the prior-year quarter as CVS continued executing its margin recovery plan.
CVS Health is beginning to see the results of actions taken at Aetna over the past two years. The company has strengthened its clinical programs, improved operations and maintained a disciplined approach to cost management and pricing. Those efforts have helped drive more than $2 billion in year-over-year AOI improvement so far this year.
The quarter’s results also included the impact of changes in the Individual Exchange risk adjustment position for the 2025 plan year and favorable prior-year development. These items contributed approximately 140 basis points to the MBR. Even excluding these items, CVS Health’s core performance came in ahead of expectations, driven largely by Medicare, owing to strong medical cost management and disciplined pricing. Medicaid and Commercial businesses performed in line with expectations.
Management now expects Health Care Benefits AOI of $5.03 billion to $5.37 billion for 2026, more than $1 billion above its previous guidance.
Key Developments Among CVS Health’s PeersThe Cigna Group (CI - Free Report) delivered total revenues of $71.7 billion and adjusted EPS of $7.78 in the second quarter of 2026, up 7% and 8.1%, respectively. Specialty and Care Services benefited from secular tailwinds, along with strength at Accredo and its broader specialty pharmacy services. Cigna Healthcare also delivered results ahead of expectations, supported by customer growth in the U.S. employer business, disciplined pricing and execution, including in the stop-loss business.
Walmart (WMT - Free Report) completed the acquisition of Vibe.co, a leading self-service streaming TV advertising platform, earlier this month. The addition will help the company’s U.S. commerce media business, Walmart Connect, bring to market new and distinct ways for advertisers to plan, buy and measure streaming TV advertising.
CVS’ Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesOver the past year, CVS Health shares have risen 38.4% compared with the industry’s 12.2% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of valuation, CVS shares are trading at a forward sales multiple of 0.29 over the past five years compared with its 0.52 industry average.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Here’s how estimates for the company’s earnings have been shaping up.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CVS currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Strategy získala 333,7 milionu USD čistého výnosu prodejem 3,46 milionu akcií MSTR mezi 10. a 16. srpnem. Bitcoinové držby zůstaly beze změny na 840 447 BTC.
Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy) MSTR stock surged 3% on Monday as the Bitcoin-focused company led by Michael Saylor kept its Bitcoin holdings unchanged over the past week while continuing to raise cash through sales of its own shares.
According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Strategy sold 3.46 million shares of MSTR common stock between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16, generating about $333.7 million in net proceeds.
The company did not buy or sell any Bitcoin during the period.
The latest stock sale comes as Strategy continues to use equity markets to strengthen its liquidity position while maintaining its long-term Bitcoin treasury strategy.
Strategy allocated the proceeds from the latest share sale across three areas.
About $52.4 million was used to fund dividends on its STRC preferred stock, while another $132.2 million went toward repurchasing STRC shares under its Digital Credit Securities Repurchase Program.The remaining $149.1 million was added to the company's USD Reserve, which is designed to cover preferred-stock dividends and interest payments on debt.
The reserve reached approximately $4.8 billion following the latest transaction, according to the filing.
It has increased by roughly $1.5 billion over the past three weeks, providing Strategy with a larger liquidity cushion as it manages its financing obligations.
The latest stock offering continues a broader pattern of using MSTR shares to raise capital.
Strategy sold roughly 4.8 million shares for $466.7 million in July and followed that with additional sales in August.
The company has said such transactions are intended to fund preferred-stock dividends and strengthen its USD Reserve rather than indicate a broader departure from its Bitcoin strategy.
Bitcoin holdings remain at 840,447 BTCStrategy held approximately 840,447 Bitcoin following the latest reporting period. The holdings were valued at about $53.4 billion based on the price cited in the filing.
The company acquired its Bitcoin at an average price of $75,385 per coin, with its total cost reaching approximately $63.4 billion, including fees and expenses.
Strategy's Bitcoin holdings remain equivalent to roughly 4% of Bitcoin's 21 million maximum supply.
The latest pause in Bitcoin transactions follows several sales earlier this year.
Since May, Strategy has sold approximately 6,948 BTC for about $431.8 million. Its most recent reported Bitcoin sale involved 1,690 BTC for roughly $108 million.
The company has also authorized a framework allowing it to sell Bitcoin to fund its reserve, dividends, interest payments and securities repurchases.
Strategy's approach comes as Bitcoin treasury companies face increased scrutiny over their valuations and market structure.
Under its Digital Credit Capital Framework, the company has restricted its USD Reserve to preferred-stock dividends and interest payments while authorizing a $1 billion repurchase program for digital credit securities.
It has also approved a $1 billion common-stock buyback program.
Meanwhile, Strategy and fellow Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet could face removal from MSCI's Global Investable Market Indexes under a proposed methodology for identifying non-operating companies.
A simulation using May 2026 data showed Strategy, Metaplanet and uranium investment company Yellow Cake would be deleted from the MSCI ACWI IMI under the proposal.
Despite the scrutiny, institutional interest in Bitcoin treasury companies remains.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund increased its indirect Bitcoin exposure to a record 11,549 BTC in the first half of the year, with Strategy holdings accounting for 86% of that exposure, according to K33.
Dan Loeb otevřel ve Warner Bros. Discovery novou pozici za 533,2 mil. USD; ve stejném čtvrtletí do ní nakupovali i David Einhorn a George Soros. WBD zároveň čeká na dokončení prodeje společnosti Paramount Skydance.
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Third Point’s Dan Loeb opened a brand new stake of 20,000,000 shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD | WBD Price Prediction), valued at $533,200,000, according to the fund’s Q2 2026 13F disclosure. It was the single largest new position Loeb established in the quarter, built from zero. Two other prominent managers joined him. In the same three-month window, David Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital and George Soros’s Soros Fund Management were also buyers of Warner Bros. Discovery. Positions are dated as of June 30, 2026 and were filed August 13-14, 2026.
That’s an unusual alignment. Activist, value, and macro schools rarely converge on the same media stock in the same quarter. Warner Bros Discovery is far from a widely held Magnificent 7 stock. Let’s see why some of the biggest names in investing are all piling in.
What Each Manager Did Dan Loeb / Third Point. New position: 20,000,000 shares valued at $533,200,000. Built from zero and Loeb’s largest new bet of the quarter.
David Einhorn / Greenlight Capital. New position: 2,246,180 shares valued at $59,883,158. Also built from zero.
George Soros / Soros Fund Management. Added 396,080 shares to reach 1,488,690 shares, valued $39,688,475.
13F filings disclose long US-listed equity positions only and never state rationale. They’re a snapshot of what funds held on June 30th, so positions could have moved since then.
What’s Actually Happening at WBD WBD sits at the center of the biggest corporate reshuffling in media. The board initiated a review of strategic alternatives and later agreed to a sale to Paramount Skydance. Management said on the Q2 call, “We remain confident that our agreed upon sale to Paramount Skydance will be completed.” The closing is on hold until the earlier of five days after legal proceedings complete or June 1, 2027. A December 2025 Netflix(Nasdaq: NFLX) bid was terminated, with a $2.80 billion Netflix termination fee paid in Q1 2026.
The operating picture is mixed but improving where it counts. Q2 2026 streaming revenue crossed $3 billion for the first time, with Adjusted EBITDA of $512 million and a margin near 17%. GAAP EPS came in at $0.06 versus a consensus of -$0.10. Revenue of $8.72 billion missed by 5.39%, dragged by a 39% ex-FX drop in Studios and NBA-rights loss. Net leverage sits at 3.4x with $29.7 billion net debt. Market cap is roughly $70.17 billion.
The forward slate is loaded: Harry Potter series premiering on HBO Max Christmas Day 2026, plus 2027 tentpoles including a new Batman, Man of Tomorrow, and Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Management is targeting 150 million streaming subscribers by year-end 2026 and a long-term 20%+ streaming Adjusted EBITDA margin.
The Bull Case and the Risks The setup offers multiple structural paths: deal close at a premium, standalone separation, or continued streaming inflection. Shares are up 137.61% over the past year, though still down 2.88% year-to-date at $27.99. The analyst target sits at $29.82.
Then there are the risks. Merger completion is uncertain into mid-2027, domestic linear pay TV subs are declining 10%, and separation costs run roughly $350 million quarterly. Gross debt is $33.1 billion.
The Take Three elite managers buying the same media name in one quarter is a signal worth studying, not a trade to copy blindly. Remember what a 13F is: a 45-day-old snapshot of long US equity positions. Prices have moved since June 30, and none of these managers has explained why they bought. The filings show conviction. The thesis is up to the investor to build.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Align ve Spojeném království zaúčtovala závazek z DPH ve výši 37,5 mil. USD po zrušení dřívější výjimky. Od 7. září začne u vybraných produktů účtovat 20% DPH, ceny ale nemění.
Key Takeaways Align recorded a $37.5M U.K. VAT liability after the tribunal reversed the prior tax exemption.Align will charge 20% VAT on certain U.K. products from Sept. 7 while keeping list prices unchanged. ALGN expects about 6% Clear Aligner volume growth as international demand helps offset U.K. uncertainty. Align Technology (ALGN - Free Report) is dealing with a new U.K. tax issue in 2026. A July Upper Tribunal decision overturned the prior value-added tax exemption for clear aligners, adding a fresh earnings and pricing variable.
The ruling arrives as international Clear Aligner demand remains healthy but foreign exchange, softer retail demand and scanner mix continue to complicate the margin picture.
ALGN Absorbs a $37.5 Million U.K. VAT LiabilityAlign recorded an estimated $37.5 million liability, including interest, after the U.K. Upper Tribunal reversed the earlier VAT-exemption ruling. The charge makes the dispute an immediate earnings matter rather than a legal issue with only future consequences.
The accrual also contributed to higher second-quarter operating expenses. Those expenses rose 10.7% year over year to $603.4 million, with the U.K. VAT accrual and higher employee compensation among the main drivers.
In the past year, ALHC shares have risen 25.1% compared with the industry’s 21.5% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Align Will Add 20% VAT Without Raising List PricesFrom Sept. 7, 2026, Align plans to charge 20% VAT on applicable U.K. Invisalign aligners and Vivera retainers while keeping list prices unchanged. That changes the economics of an established product line without changing published list prices.
The development adds another pricing variable in the U.K. Align already expects 2026 Clear Aligner average selling prices to be flat to slightly down from 2025, reflecting broader mix pressure across countries and products.
Per the Zacks Consensus Estimate, the company’s 2026 revenues are pegged at $4.17 billion, indicating 3.3% year over year growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ALGN’s Appeal Keeps the Final Cost UncertainAlign plans to appeal the tribunal decision, so the final financial outcome remains unresolved. The $37.5 million liability is already recorded, but the longer-term cost and operating consequences will depend on how the appeal process develops.
That distinction matters for investors. The current accrual is visible in 2026 results, while the durability of the VAT treatment remains uncertain and could continue to influence how Align manages the U.K. business.
Align Faces the VAT Issue Amid Other Margin PressuresForeign exchange was already weighing on profitability before the VAT issue became more prominent. In the second quarter, currency movements reduced gross margin by about 0.8 percentage points and operating margin by about 1.4 points year over year.
The broader dental market provides useful context. DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (XRAY - Free Report) manufactures professional dental products and technologies across equipment, consumables and specialty products. Henry Schein, Inc. (HSIC - Free Report) supplies office-based dental practitioners with merchandise, equipment and technology solutions, making both relevant industry reference points even though Align’s VAT dispute is company-specific.
ALGN’s Global Growth Helps Offset the U.K. RiskInternational Clear Aligner growth remains a counterweight. Second-quarter volume increased at double-digit rates in both EMEA and APAC, while Latin America delivered record second-quarter shipments.
That geographic momentum supports Align’s broader 2026 volume outlook. Management now expects Clear Aligner volume growth of approximately 6%, leaving investors to weigh expanding international demand against the incremental cost and uncertainty concentrated in the U.K.
Align’s Ratings Point to Caution Around the EventThe VAT ruling has already created a measurable charge, while the appeal leaves the longer-term impact unsettled. For 2026, the issue adds to currency and mix pressures rather than standing alone as the only driver of Align’s earnings outlook.
ALGN currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B, VGM Score of B and Momentum Score of F. The B scores are favorable within the Style Score framework, but the F Momentum Score signals weak timing support. That combination is consistent with monitoring the appeal and operating impact rather than treating the VAT ruling by itself as a decisive bullish or bearish catalyst.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Corning podle CEO Wendella Weekse čelí clům jen minimálně, protože 90 % tržeb v USA tvoří produkty amerického původu a jen 1 % toho, co firma prodává v USA, vyrábí v Číně. Firma zároveň uvedla, že její Q2 core EPS činil 0,78 USD a překonal odhady 0,75 USD, tržby divize Optical Communications vzrostly meziročně o 32 % na 2,07 miliardy USD a core provozní marže se zvýšila o 190 bazických bodů na 20,9 %.
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On Jim Cramer’s Mad Money on August 14, 2026, Corning (NYSE:GLW | GLW Price Prediction) Chair and CEO Wendell Weeks was asked a question that many retirement-focused shareholders have been asking themselves this year: are tariffs hurting the business? His answer was blunt.
“No. Tariffs really have de minimis impact on us and that’s because of our philosophy,” Weeks said. “You got a sense of that today in the factory we locate close to our customers because the primary way that we win is with innovation.”
The Two Numbers Behind the Claim Weeks then offered the specific figures that anchor the argument: “So as a result, let’s take the U.S. for example. 90% of our U.S. revenue is created by U.S. origin products. Only 1% of what we sell in the United States we make in China. So tariffs, because of our fundamental philosophy and our values tend not to have a significant impact on us.”
Those two figures, attributed to Weeks on the broadcast rather than to a formal company disclosure, are the spine of the case. If 90% of what Corning sells into the United States is made in there, and only 1% of U.S. sales originate from Chinese factories, the surface area exposed to Section 301 duties and the ongoing U.S.-China trade friction is narrow by construction.
A Strategy That Wasn’t Designed as a Tariff Hedge The mechanism Weeks described predates the current tariff cycle. Corning has long placed plants near its largest customers and competed on product innovation rather than low-cost labor arbitrage. That posture shows up in the current customer roster: the Kentucky facility producing 100% of iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass, the Nvidia partnership to expand U.S. optical connectivity manufacturing, and the Amazon multi-billion-dollar agreement for U.S. data center fiber, cable, and connectivity. A footprint built for proximity to customers happens to also insulate the company from import duties.
The Gap Between the Stock and the Thesis Cramer’s question was premised on tariffs weighing on the stock even as the underlying business seemed unaffected. The price data reflects that tension. Corning opened at $169.74 as of August 17, 2026, up 9.6% over the prior month, but still up 93.4% year to date and 158.8% over the past year.
The Q2 numbers back Weeks’ operational confidence. Core EPS of $0.78 beat consensus of $0.75, Optical Communications revenue rose 32% year over year to $2.07 billion, and core operating margin expanded 190 basis points to 20.9%. Guidance called for Q3 core EPS of $0.85 to $0.89, roughly 28% growth.
For investors weighing tariff risk against fundamentals, the CEO drew the line clearly. Whether the market accepts 90% and 1% as the right frame is what to watch as Corning heads into Q3.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Synchrony oznámila enterprise spolupráci s OpenAI, která má přenést financování, odměny a věrnostní programy do AI-native nákupních a platebních zkušeností. Firma také nasadí nejnovější modely OpenAI napříč podnikem.
Synchrony's collaboration with OpenAI emphasizes innovative AI strategy and investments to lead in agentic commerce
Key Highlights (LLM & Reader Snapshot)
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) has entered an enterprise collaboration with OpenAI to bring financing, rewards and loyalty into AI-native shopping and checkout experiences. Synchrony's ChatGPT plugin, now available in the ChatGPT plugin directory, allows consumers to discover savings and offers within ChatGPT and browse promotional financing, deals and everyday value from participating Synchrony partners in a fast, conversational experience. Synchrony will deploy the latest OpenAI models across its enterprise and is accelerating enterprise-wide AI adoption by building AI fluency with job-relevant training and deploying AI tools to scale high-impact use cases. , /PRNewswire/ -- Synchrony (NYSE: SYF), a premier consumer financial services company, today announced an enterprise collaboration with OpenAI to strengthen Synchrony's positioning at the center of AI's next chapter in shopping and payments. The collaboration supports the company's work to bring financing, rewards, and loyalty into AI-native shopping and checkout experiences.
This collaboration is part of Synchrony's strategy across the AI ecosystem to leverage frontier models, technology and innovation collaborations to deliver secure, flexible experiences that preserve merchant and consumer choice as commerce becomes more agent-driven.
"AI is creating an opportunity to reimagine the entire commerce experience - from how customers discover products to how they pay, earn rewards, and build loyalty," said Kaylin Voss, VP of Americas and Industries at OpenAI. "Synchrony is approaching that opportunity from both sides: bringing OpenAI into the experiences it creates for customers and partners, while deploying our most advanced models and tools across its own enterprise. That combination can help Synchrony create better, more seamless experiences for customers while giving its teams the tools to move faster and bring new ideas to life."
"With decades of experience at the intersection of consumer financing, payments, loyalty, and merchant partnerships, Synchrony is uniquely positioned to help shape how AI-powered commerce evolves - securely, and at scale," said Maran Nalluswami, EVP & Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Synchrony. "This collaboration with OpenAI marks a major milestone for Synchrony, our millions of customers and hundreds of thousands of partner locations. Together, we aim to ensure the value they've entrusted in Synchrony products will thrive in the agentic commerce era."
As part of the collaboration, Synchrony will deploy the latest models from OpenAI like GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna across its enterprise through ChatGPT Work, Codex, and AWS Bedrock, enabling deeper engagement with advanced capabilities, more meaningful product development, and faster technology innovation across the enterprise.
Synchrony has long focused on ensuring its partners extend leadership in every arena of consumer financing —from online shopping to digital wallets. The OpenAI collaboration reflects Synchrony's focus on building AI in a secure, scalable way across the enterprise and strengthens Synchrony's role in defining what trusted, AI-powered commerce looks like.
Synchrony will also launch a ChatGPT plugin into the ChatGPT plugin directory. The plugin will allow consumers to discover savings and offers within the Synchrony Marketplace directly within ChatGPT and browse promotional financing, deals and everyday value from participating Synchrony partners in a fast, conversational experience. By bringing Marketplace offers into ChatGPT, Synchrony is expanding discoverability, creating a more convenient discovery journey and exploring new ways for businesses to drive conversion and engage consumers.
Synchrony is also accelerating enterprise-wide AI adoption by building AI fluency with job-relevant training as well as deploying AI tools to scale high-impact use cases across the organization. With nearly 100% of its professional workforce actively using AI tools like ChatGPT since 2024 and the upcoming access to Chat GPT Enterprise and ChatGPT Work, employees will have the ability to integrate AI into daily workflows to enhance productivity, decision-making, and customer outcomes. Employee trust remains strong, with 90% of employees expressing confidence in Synchrony's commitment to using AI fairly, ethically, and responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the significance of the Synchrony and OpenAI collaboration?
A1: The enterprise collaboration strengthens Synchrony's positioning at the center of AI's next chapter in shopping and payments, bringing financing, rewards and loyalty into AI-native shopping and checkout experiences as commerce becomes more agent-driven.
Q2: How does this compare to existing approaches to AI in consumer financing?
A2: Synchrony is leveraging the benefits of frontier models, technology and innovation collaborations to deliver secure, flexible experiences that preserve merchant and consumer choice. The collaboration reflects Synchrony's focus on building AI in a secure, scalable way across the enterprise and strengthens its role in defining what trusted, AI-powered commerce looks like.
Q3: Where can I learn more about Synchrony's AI-powered commerce products?
A3: Visit www.synchrony.com or the Synchrony investor relations site at https://investors.synchronyfinancial.com/. Synchrony's plugin is available in the ChatGPT plugin directory.
Q4: How is Synchrony using AI across its enterprise?
A4: Synchrony is accelerating enterprise-wide adoption through job-relevant training and AI tools designed to support high-impact use cases across the organization. Nearly 100% of Synchrony's professional workforce is actively using AI tools, soon to include ChatGPT Enterprise and ChatGPT Work, to support daily workflows, productivity, decision-making and customer outcomes.
About Synchrony
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a leading consumer financing company that has been at the heart of American commerce and opportunity for nearly a century. Synchrony delivers credit and banking products that empower tens of millions of consumers to improve their financial lives and access what matters most. Leveraging innovative solutions that are shaping the future of retail commerce, Synchrony supports the growth and success of some of the nation's most respected brands, alongside hundreds of thousands of small and midsize businesses, including health and wellness providers. Committed to excellence in service and culture, Synchrony is honored to be ranked the #1 Best Company to Work For® in the U.S. by Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit www.synchrony.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "will," "aim" or words of similar meaning. The forward-looking statements convey our expectations related to the collaboration with Open AI, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes that are difficult to predict, may change over time and many of which are beyond our control. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. For these reasons, we caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements, which should also be read in conjunction with our public filings, including under the headings "Risk Factors Relating to Our Business" and "Risk Factors Relating to Regulation" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, as filed on February 6, 2026. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as otherwise may be required by law.
Media Contact
Tyler Allen
Synchrony
[email protected]
Western Digital ve 4. čtvrtletí fiskálního roku 2026 zvýšila tržby z cloudu o 43 % na 3,3 miliardy USD a hrubou marži zvedla o 1 310 bazických bodů na 54,4 %. Pro 1. čtvrtletí fiskálního roku 2027 očekává tržby 4,1 miliardy USD, tedy meziročně o 45 % více.
Key Takeaways Western Digital's cloud revenue surged 43% as demand for higher-capacity nearline drives strengthened.Higher-capacity sales and better pricing lifted WDC's gross margin by 1,310 bps year over year.WDC expects fiscal Q1 2027 revenue of $4.1 billion, up 45% year over year. Western Digital Corporation (WDC - Free Report) has entered fiscal 2027 with a favorable combination of strong storage demand, improving pricing and better visibility across its key end markets – Cloud, Consumer and Client. Its latest performance suggests that the recovery in its HDD business is gaining broader momentum, while the rapid expansion of AI and cloud infrastructure is creating a structural driver of demand for high-capacity storage.
Cloud is the centerpiece of WDC’s growth strategy. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, cloud revenue accounted for 89% of total revenue. It rose 43% year over year to $3.3 billion, driven by strong demand for higher-capacity nearline drives and a more favorable pricing environment. Improving pricing is also helping WDC translate stronger storage volumes into better profitability. WDC reported a non-GAAP gross margin of 54.4%, up 1,310 basis points (bps) year over year. Higher-capacity drive sales, improved pricing and manufacturing discipline boosted results, with the average price per terabyte increasing from the high single digits to the high teens year over year. If WDC can maintain pricing discipline while continuing to introduce higher-capacity products, margin expansion could remain an important earnings catalyst.
Although Cloud remains dominant, WDC is seeing encouraging trends across its other end markets. Revenues from the Client end market were up 61% year over year, while the Consumer end market rallied 38%. Both markets benefited from stronger exabyte growth and improved pricing. Fueled by robust demand, improving long-term visibility and favorable pricing across its end markets, WDC anticipates first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenues of $4.1 billion (+/- $100 million), up 45% year over year.
However, competition is another consideration. Seagate Technology (STX - Free Report) remains a formidable rival, particularly in high-capacity HDDs and emerging HAMR technology. Any improvement in competitors' supply or technology could put pressure on pricing.
Can WDC Outpace Seagate and Other Storage Rivals?Seagate is banking on strong data center demand, HAMR adoption and pricing discipline. Management expects cloud spending and AI-led storage demand to remain healthy. Demand visibility remains strong, with most nearline capacity allocated through 2028 and customer commitments extending into 2029. Seagate expanded non-GAAP gross margin for the 13th consecutive quarter as fiscal fourth quarter non-GAAP gross margin reached 52.7%, up 1,480 bps year over year. Driven by HDD demand, AI adoption, the Mozaic rollout and disciplined pricing, it expects fiscal first-quarter revenue at $4.1 billion (+/-100 million), up 56% year over year at the midpoint.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) profitability continues to vary sharply with customer and product mix. Non-GAAP gross margin rose to 17.6% in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 from 10.1% in the prior quarter, but management said about 75% of the sequential improvement came from favorable mix, including contracts that shifted into fiscal 2027. Lower tariff costs and inventory reserves accounted for the rest. For first-quarter fiscal 2027, management expects gross margin of only 10.4% to 10.8%, indicating that the fourth-quarter level is not expected to persist. AI solutions accounted for approximately 60% of revenues compared with more than 80% in the prior quarter, primarily because of the timing of large AI project ramps.
WDC Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesIn the past year, shares of WDC have surged 566.9% compared with the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry’s growth of 460.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 23.62 forward earnings compared with 10.03 for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
WDC’s estimate revisions are currently on an upward trajectory. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WDC’s earnings for fiscal 2027 has been revised upward by 9.3% to $20.03 over the past 60 days, while the same for fiscal 2028 has gone up 7.6% to $34.74.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, Western Digital has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Berkshire Hathaway ve 2. čtvrtletí prodala 4,15 milionu akcií Capital One a snížila svůj podíl na 3 miliony akcií. Dan Loebův Third Point naopak nakoupil 685 tisíc akcií.
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Two of the most closely tracked investors in America moved in opposite directions on the same consumer lender last quarter. According to Q2 2026 13F filings, positions as of June 30, 2026, filed August 14, 2026, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B | BRK.B Price Prediction) sold 4,150,000 shares of Capital One, leaving 3,000,000 shares valued at $601,860,000, a share delta of about negative 58%.
In the same quarter, Dan Loeb’s Third Point bought 685,000 shares to reach 825,000 shares, valued at $165,511,500, with a share delta of roughly 4.89. George Soros’ Soros Fund Management also trimmed, selling 33,043 shares to 147,062 shares, valued at $29,503,578.
One note before we move further: Buffett retired as Berkshire’s CEO at the end of 2025, but remains active as Chairman of the company. Greg Abel now makes day to day decisions for the conglomerate.
What Capital One Actually Is Capital One (NYSE:COF) is a consumer credit machine. Credit cards and auto lending drive the business, which means earnings are levered to the health of the American household. Q2 2026 revenue reached $15.85B, with Domestic Card revenue of $11.10B, up 30% year over year after the May 18, 2025 Discover acquisition and the April 7, 2026 Brex deal. Diluted EPS came in at $4.73.
The Berkshire Side Capital One was not an isolated trim. In the same filing, Berkshire also cut Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) by 30,230,150 shares to 483,394,015 shares and cut Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY) by 2,000,000 shares to 27,000,000 shares. The filings show a broader lightening of consumer-credit exposure. The disclosures reveal positioning changes only. Funds sell for rebalancing, risk limits, and dozens of other reasons.
The Loeb Side Third Point moved the other way, multiplying its position from a small base. Loeb is buying a franchise trading at a trailing PE of 13, a price-to-book of 1.226, and a forward PE of 11, with an analyst target price of $256.5 against a current price of $227.34. Return on tangible common equity ran 18.04% last quarter.
What Would Make Each Side Right Berkshire’s trim looks vindicated if consumer credit quality cracks. Today it is not cracking. The domestic card charge-off rate fell 39 basis points sequentially to 4.71%, and the FRED credit card delinquency series sits at 2.92%, inside the normalizing band.
Loeb wins if the Discover integration compounds as management projects. CEO Richard Fairbank said Capital One is “14 months into our planned 24-month integration of Discover, and integration is going well.” The Global Payment Network volume of $189.6B, up 156% year over year, hints at the optionality.
The Takeaway Two elite investors read the same filings and reached opposite conclusions. In the most recent quarter Berkshire’s largest additions were Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOGL) and Delta Airlines. Its largest sells included Kroger, Bank of America, and Capital One. The company’s largest positions are Apple, American Express, and Coca-Cola.
The largest buys for Loeb in the quarter were Warner Bros, Alphabet, and Keysight Technologies. Loeb’s biggest sells were Amazon, Telephone and Data Systems, and Carpenter Technology. It’s worth noting where the two agree: both funds have beeen loading up on Alphabet.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
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The optics complex is ripping higher in Monday’s session. AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) is up 13.71% intraday, with Coherent (NYSE:COHR | COHR Price Prediction) climbing 8.12%, Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE) adding 6.79%. AXTI is now trading at $92.83, extending a run that has the stock up 399.33% year to date.
Indium Phosphide Price Hikes Detonate the Optics Trade The proximate catalyst is a United Daily News report published Monday out of Taipei detailing severe undersupply in indium phosphide (InP) substrates and epitaxial wafers. Q4 price increases are brewing at more than 10%, which the report calls the largest increase on record. Earlier expectations had been for 3% to 5%. InP substrate prices began rising in Q4 of last year and have already been raised three times, now heading for a fourth consecutive increase. Epitaxial wafers have been raised twice and are heading for a third. A supplier is quoted saying even with money, buyers may not be able to secure supply.
AXT is the natural US-listed read-through. It is a leading producer of InP substrates, and rising InP pricing flows directly to its economics. That leverage was already visible last quarter: Q2 2026 revenue hit $47.6 million, up 164% from Q2 2025, with indium phosphide revenue at $30.7 million, the highest in company history, and non-GAAP gross margin expanding to 45.0%. CEO Morris Young told analysts “customer demand continues to outpace supply no matter how fast we add capacity.” AXT is targeting roughly $60 million per quarter in InP capacity exiting 2026 and ~$130 million per quarter exiting 2027.
Named Taiwanese beneficiaries in the UDN piece include Visual Photonics Epitaxy, LandMark Optoelectronics and IET-KY. None are US-listed, so treat those as supply-chain color rather than investable tickers in most brokerage accounts.
Coherent and Lumentum Ride the Same Wave, With a VR200 Kicker Coherent and Lumentum are the demand side of the InP story. Both are building internal InP capacity and buying substrate from AXT. Coherent’s CEO Jim Anderson said the company is on track to double internal InP output capacity by end of the current quarter, one quarter ahead of original plan, with 80% year-over-year growth in InP laser production in the June quarter. Coherent’s Q4 revenue printed at $2.05 billion, and management guided fiscal Q1 to $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion.
Lumentum flagged the AXT relationship directly. CEO Michael Hurlston told investors “we went out and we found additional substrate help from AXTI. They’ve been a great partner.” Lumentum posted Q4 revenue of $1.01 billion, up 109% year-over-year, with non-GAAP gross margin at 50.4%, and guided Q1 revenue to roughly $1.25 billion.
Adding to Monday’s tone, a Mizuho note published Sunday August 16, 2026 says VR200 NVL72 ramps look strong, a tailwind for Lumentum and Coherent, and also for Wolfspeed on the power-supply side. Wolfspeed’s Q3 update highlighted approximately 30% sequential growth in AI data center revenue from Q2 to Q3, though the SiC story is peripheral to InP pricing.
For readers who want the theme without single-stock risk, the Roundhill Photonics & Optics ETF (CBOE:LYTE), a brand-new fund that began trading in early August 2026, is also trading higher on Monday as the optics basket lifts. Its stated objective is capital appreciation via photonics and optics exposure. The InP squeeze is really an AI data-center story in disguise, and we rounded up seven suppliers powering that buildout, from optics to power to cooling, in a free report you can grab here.
Positioning Backdrop From Friday’s 13F Filings Institutional filings that hit the tape on August 14 (positions as of 2026-06-30) show the smart-money footprint heading into this move. In AXT, D. E. Shaw added, to 2,250,085 shares valued $162,186,127, Millennium Management added, to 854,322 shares valued $61,579,530, and Balyasny opened a new position of 114,386 shares. In Coherent, NVIDIA disclosed 7,788,161 shares valued $3,072,195,870, equal to 4.84% of its 13F portfolio, and SRS Investment Management opened a new position of 929,963 shares valued $366,842,505. In Lumentum, Balyasny added, to 154,180 shares valued $132,295,691. These are point-in-time disclosures as of June 30, and today’s proven catalyst is the UDN InP pricing report.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
BWXT rozšiřuje své aktivity v oblasti jaderné sanace a správy odpadu, včetně projektu West Valley, kde tým začal pracovat 24. června 2025. Firma se zapojuje i do programů v Paducahu a Hanfordu.
Key Takeaways BWXT applies its nuclear expertise across decommissioning, remediation and waste-management programs.BWXT's West Valley project expands its role in nuclear cleanup, waste management and environmental monitoring.BWXT supports Paducah and Hanford programs, broadening its exposure to complex government nuclear projects. BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT - Free Report) is expanding its role in the nuclear industry through decommissioning, remediation and nuclear site management services. Beyond designing and manufacturing nuclear components, the company participates in programs focused on facility cleanup, waste management and the disposition of nuclear materials. These activities allow BWXT to apply its nuclear engineering and operational expertise across another part of the nuclear lifecycle.
A key opportunity is the West Valley Demonstration Project Phase 1B, where a BWXT-led team began work on June 24, 2025. The program includes demolition of remaining plant components, soil remediation, waste management and disposition, environmental monitoring and ongoing site support. This expands BWXT's involvement in the cleanup and closure of a major nuclear site.
BWXT is also participating in nuclear deactivation and waste-disposition activities at other government sites. Its Paducah project involves nuclear operations, deactivation and remediation, while the Hanford Integrated Tank Disposition Contract focuses on accelerating cleanup of high-risk waste at the Hanford Tank Farms. These programs provide BWXT with opportunities to apply its nuclear materials and site-management capabilities to complex government projects.
The expansion of nuclear cleanup activity could provide BWXT with another avenue for leveraging its longstanding nuclear expertise. As government programs address aging nuclear infrastructure, facility decommissioning and radioactive waste, BWXT's participation across cleanup and remediation projects can broaden its exposure to long-duration nuclear services opportunities.
Companies Expanding Nuclear Cleanup CapabilitiesThe nuclear industry continues to require specialized services for decommissioning, remediation and waste management. Companies like Jacobs Solutions Inc. (J - Free Report) and Fluor Corporation (FLR - Free Report) are also involved in nuclear cleanup and remediation programs.
Jacobs provides engineering and environmental services for nuclear facilities and complex cleanup programs.
Fluor supports nuclear decommissioning, remediation and waste-management programs across government and commercial applications.
Earnings Estimates for BWXT StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests year-over-year growth of 18.45% and 10.52%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BWXT Stock Trading at a DiscountBWX Technologies is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-sales of 3.96X compared with the industry average of 8.88X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BWXT Stock Price PerformanceOver the past month, BWXT shares have risen 2.2% compared with the industry’s 7.3% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BWXT’s Zacks RankBWX Technologies currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) stock is down 4% to $7.96 in late-morning trading Monday after the company signaled a retreat from the bitcoin treasury strategy it embraced last year. The move extends a bruising stretch for the stock.
Trump Media shares are down 38% year to date (YTD). Over the trailing year, Trump Media stock is down 53%, well below its 52-week high of $18.97.
Bitcoin Retreat Sparks the Selloff The catalyst is a strategic pivot back to media and advertising after nearly $200 million in crypto losses, including a reported $190 million paper loss on its holdings. Trump Media built the position as bitcoin was peaking.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) has been sliding for more than 10 months, quoted at $63,000 against an all-time high of $126,000. The token is down 46.61% over the past year and down 28.32% YTD, a backdrop that turned Trump Media’s balance sheet bet into a growing drag on earnings.
Interim CEO Kevin McGurn stated the company has “refined” its approach to capital allocation, redirecting resources toward Truth Social, Truth+, and the Truth API data feed. Trump Media has also agreed to acquire TAE Technologies, a private nuclear fusion energy firm, in a deal it aims to close by year-end.
The Financial Picture Behind the Pivot Trump Media posted a second-quarter net loss of $238 million, driven almost entirely by paper losses on its crypto holdings. Trailing 12-month revenue is $4.5 million against a trailing net loss of $1.3 billion, while market capitalization was about $2.3 billion as of the August 12 close.
Truth Social generated $1.7 million in revenue last quarter, underscoring how small the operating business is next to the balance sheet bets. General Counsel Scott Glabe disposed of 25,546 shares on August 13 at a weighted average price of $8.32, retaining 586,497 shares, a routine administrative transaction tied to tax withholding on vesting equity that doesn’t signal an outlook.
Strategy Shows the Peer Read Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction) stock is up 4% to $96.99 midday Monday, though the shares are down 75% over the past year. The one-year drop illustrates how punishing the treasury-first model has become.
Strategy reported a paper loss of nearly $10 billion on its bitcoin holdings in the past quarter, having acquired 840,447 BTC at an average price of $75,482 against a current bitcoin price well below that mark. That leaves an open concern: forced selling by a large holder could pressure the wider crypto market.
Rumble Trades Higher as the Alt-Media Alternative Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM) stock is up 4% to $7.77 Monday morning as investors rotate into the alternative-media peer. Rumble shares are up 18% YTD, though still down 7% over the past year.
Rumble’s positioning as an alt-tech platform trading higher while Trump Media falls captures the day’s rotation. Reddit sentiment on Strategy has swung to very bearish, driven by a WallStreetBets thread titled “Why I Expect $MSTR at $40ish in 8-12 Weeks”, suggesting retail skepticism toward the treasury model itself, not just Trump Media’s exit.
What to Watch What a Trump Media shareholder owns now is a bet on the pivot working, a pending and unproven fusion acquisition, and a social platform with minimal revenue. Investors can watch for how the company funds and executes the media pivot, whether the TAE Technologies deal closes by year-end, what happens to the remaining bitcoin position, and whether Truth Social revenue grows from its current base.
The read-through for Strategy is more complicated. If Trump Media’s exit marks a broader loss of confidence in the corporate bitcoin treasury playbook, MSTR — the archetype of that model — faces both sentiment pressure and the tail risk that a large holder eventually becomes a forced seller.
For Rumble, today’s rotation is a reminder that the alt-media trade doesn’t require a crypto balance sheet. Execution on the Northern Data AI infrastructure integration and the Tether ad commitment will determine whether the RUM bid holds beyond a single session’s peer swap.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Na Hub Group (HUBG) je podána hromadná žaloba kvůli údajnému předčasnému a nesprávnému uznávání výnosů a chybám v účetnictví. Investoři mohou do 28. srpna 2026 žádat o jmenování hlavním žalobcem.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - August 17, 2026) - National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces a class action lawsuit against Hub Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUBG) ("Hub Group" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired Hub Group securities during the period from April 28, 2023 through May 11, 2026 (the "Class Period").
Investor Deadline: Investors who purchased or acquired Hub Group securities during the Class Period may, no later than August 28, 2026, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class. To learn your rights, CLICK HERE.
Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Hub Group is a transportation and logistics freight carrier that provides trucking and related supply chain services across North America.
According to the complaint, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements concerning the premature and incorrect revenue recognition of certain transactions, the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable, the effectiveness of the Company's internal controls, and the drivers of its financial results and growth.
As the suit alleges, the truth began to emerge on February 5, 2026, when Hub Group announced that its financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 should no longer be relied upon and would be restated due to an error that resulted in the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable during the first nine months of 2025. The Company also estimated that the total reduction to purchased transportation costs and accounts payable related to the issue was $77 million. Following this disclosure, Hub Group's stock price declined approximately 18%, from $51.33 per share on February 5, 2026, to $41.96 per share on February 6, 2026.
Then, on May 12, 2026, Hub Group announced that certain transactions had been prematurely or incorrectly recognized or were not adequately supported, causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports to be materially misstated and should no longer be relied upon. The Company further disclosed that it expected to conclude it had not maintained effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting for 2023 and 2024. Following this disclosure, Hub Group's stock price declined an additional 13%, from $41.86 per share on May 11, 2026, to $36.62 per share on May 12, 2026.
If you are a Hub Group investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267) 764-4865.
About Berger Montague
Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/309839
Source: Berger Montague
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Stříbro (XAG/USD) v pondělí posílilo o 2,47 % na zhruba 66,30 USD, protože slábnoucí dolar a nižší sázky na další zvýšení sazeb Fedu podpořily poptávku.
Silver (XAG/USD) extends its advance on Monday and trades around $66.30 at the time of writing, up 2.47% on the day. The white metal continues to rebound from the $63.50 area reached on Friday, mainly supported by the weakening US Dollar (USD) and fading expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will raise interest rates again in September.
The shift in monetary policy expectations follows a series of disappointing US economic releases. US Retail Sales declined by 0.6% in July, while markets had expected a 0.1% increase, following a 0.2% rise in June.
These figures add to the annual slowdown in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI), as well as the weak July Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report. The accumulation of signs pointing to a slowdown in the US economy is reducing pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates further.
According to the CME FedWatch tool, markets now see around a 70% chance that the US central bank will leave interest rates unchanged at its September meeting, up from 48% a week earlier.
This repricing weighs on the US Dollar and provides support to Silver. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the Greenback’s value against a basket of six major currencies, trades around 99.50 at the time of press after touching 99.30, its lowest level since June 5. A weaker US Dollar tends to make precious metals denominated in the US currency more attractive to investors using other currencies.
Investors remain attentive to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. Persistent risks to energy supplies are keeping Oil prices elevated and could fuel inflationary pressures, potentially limiting the Fed’s ability to adopt a more accommodative stance.
Market attention now turns to the Minutes of the July Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, due on Wednesday. The document could provide further insight into the balance of risks within the Fed and determine whether the recent decline in rate hike expectations can persist, a factor likely to remain a key driver for Silver in the near term.
XAG/USD technical analysisIn the one-hour chart, XAG/USD trades at $66.36, retaining a bullish near-term bias as price holds well above the 100-period simple moving average (SMA) near $65.14 and the 200-period SMA around $64.04. The metal also respects an ascending trend-line support coming from $63.51 and now intersecting near $65.38, reinforcing the constructive structure, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 65 suggests firm but not yet extreme upside momentum.
On the topside, the immediate hurdle is the horizontal resistance at $66.80, where buyers could face profit-taking. On the downside, initial protection is seen at the rising trend-line support near $65.38, followed by the 100-period SMA at $65.14; a deeper retreat would expose horizontal support at $64.25 ahead of the 200-period SMA at $64.04, where broader bulls would be expected to defend the uptrend.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
SouthState Bank spouští novou divizi Government Contractor Banking a do jejího čela jmenuje veterána Davida Mathise. Divize má podporovat firmy z oblasti vládního kontraktování včetně financování, treasury managementu, kapitálových trhů a M&A.
, /PRNewswire/ -- SouthState Bank today announced its foray into a new vertical, Government Contractor Banking, as well as a veteran banker to lead the new area of expertise.
David Mathis will serve as director of Government Contractor Banking. He and his team will support local markets to advise companies in the government contracting space with various needs, including financing, treasury management, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.
David Mathis to Lead SouthState GovCon Banking "Government contractors play a critical role in supporting federal agencies and advancing missions that matter. SouthState's nine-state footprint is home to many ports, military bases and operations that support our nation's armed forces and civil agencies, including NASA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Energy. Expanding into Government Contractor Banking allows SouthState to bring specialized guidance, responsive service and a relationship-first approach to companies operating in this dynamic sector," said Richard Murray, president of SouthState Bank.
Mathis joins SouthState following nearly a decade at MartinFederal Consulting (MartinFed), where he served as CEO for the federal solutions company he successfully sold this year. He led the company to record growth and recognition as one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list and a certified Great Place to Work.
In addition to his executive leadership experience, Mathis spent 25 years as a commercial banker in the North Alabama market with a focus on the government contracting industry. Mathis' blend of banking expertise and first-hand government contracting experience makes him uniquely suited for this role and the ideal candidate to lead this vertical for SouthState.
"I know firsthand the opportunities and complexities government contractors navigate every day. SouthState is building a team that understands this industry and can deliver the banking expertise, strategic perspective and personal partnership these companies need to grow with confidence," Mathis said.
In the Huntsville, Alabama community, Mathis has served in numerous board and leadership positions, including the Huntsville Committee of 100, Southern Development Council, and Huntsville Marina and Port Authority. Volunteer service includes Kairos Prison Ministries and mentoring young professionals.
SouthState Bank Corporation (NYSE: SSB) is a financial services company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida. SouthState Bank, N.A., the company's nationally chartered bank subsidiary, provides consumer, commercial, mortgage and wealth management solutions to more than 1.5 million customers throughout Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee. The bank also serves clients nationwide through its correspondent banking division. Additional information is available at SouthStateBank.com.
Tokenizované akcie za měsíc více než zdvojnásobily počet držitelů na 1,31 milionu a objem převodů vzrostl o 179 % na 23,13 miliardy USD. Vede Ondo s 872 miliony USD, před Krakenem a Binance.
Tokenized stocks accelerate their progress in the crypto market. In one month, holders more than doubled, while transfers jumped nearly 180%. This evolution also accompanies a rise in active addresses and distributed value. Behind this dynamic, several players compete for a central place. Ondo maintains the top position, ahead of Kraken’s xStocks and Binance’s bStocks. RWA.xyz data shows a clear expansion in activity in this segment.
In Brief Tokenized stock holders exceeded 1.31 million, more than doubling in one month. Monthly transfer volume jumped 179%, reaching $23.13 billion. Ondo dominates with $872 million distributed, ahead of Kraken’s $557.8 million and Binance’s $521.8 million. SpaceX tokenized stocks via bStocks reached $67.9 million since listing. Tokenized Stocks Scale Up The number of holders of the tokenized stock market reached 1.31 million over the last month. The monthly transfer volume increased by 179%, reaching $23.13 billion. Monthly active addresses also rose by 34.62%, to nearly 572,000. This increase reflects broader activity around blockchain-represented securities.
The distributed value also follows a positive trajectory, at $2.38 billion. It rose by 5.9% over one month, according to the same data. Tokenized stocks thus gain presence among related products and real-world assets.
Ondo Maintains the Lead Ahead of Kraken and Binance Ondo currently leads the ranking with about $872 million in distributed value. Kraken’s xStocks follows with $557.8 million, ahead of Binance’s bStocks at $521.8 million. Launched in June, bStocks is about $36 million behind its competitor. Tokenized stocks thus become a field where offerings evolve rapidly.
RWA.xyz also ranks Securitize among the main individual assets, with $145.2 million distributed. Strategy PP Variable xStock reaches $135.6 million, while Ondo’s Circle stocks display $99.7 million.
RWA.xyz shows the strong growth of the tokenized stocks market, with 1.31 million holders and a monthly volume of $23.13 billion. Source: RWA.xyz
Pre-IPO Products Accelerate the Momentum The rise of tokenized stocks comes after the arrival of several crypto platforms in private markets. Earlier this year, several players offered products linked to SpaceX before its June 12 IPO. Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, Bybit, Bitget, and Blockchain.com launched various offerings. These ranged from tokenized pre-IPO exposure to perpetual futures and substitute tokens.
However, not all pre-IPO operations met initial expectations. One Binance campaign notably raised $557 million before SpaceX’s IPO. Binance, Bybit, and Bitget Wallet later canceled their campaigns after allocation difficulties. xStocks did not secure enough underlying shares to satisfy demand, leading to subscriber reimbursements. Despite this episode, SpaceX’s tokenized stocks via bStocks have continued to progress since the listing.
The momentum might now depend on the evolution of volumes and user numbers. Recent data shows rapid growth in this market. This trend fits into a broader tokenization of real-world assets. Standard Chartered estimates this market could reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028. The coming months will therefore measure if this growth maintains its current pace across global markets.
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Journaliste et rédacteur web passionné par l’univers des cryptomonnaies et des technologies Web3. J’y traite les dernières tendances et actualités afin de proposer un contenu de haute qualité à un large public du secteur.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
Cap integroval standard OVault od LayerZero a umožnil cross-chain vklady i mintování cUSD a stcUSD přes Ethereum, Tempo, MegaETH a Katanu. Uživatelé tak už nemusí aktiva ručně bridgeovat před vkladem.
Cap, the stablecoin protocol behind cUSD and stcUSD, has integrated LayerZero’s OVault standard to enable cross-chain deposits and minting across four blockchain networks. Users can now interact with a single central hub vault from Ethereum, Tempo, MegaETH, and Katana, sidestepping the fragmented liquidity problem that has plagued multi-chain DeFi for years.
How the plumbing works Traditional multi-chain deployments require protocols to spin up individual vaults on every supported network, each needing its own liquidity, security monitoring, and maintenance. OVault collapses that into a single vault that communicates across chains through LayerZero’s messaging infrastructure.
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For Cap specifically, this means users minting cUSD or stcUSD no longer need to bridge assets manually before depositing. The process happens in one step, with the cross-chain routing handled under the hood. cUSD is minted on a 1:1 basis against blue-chip dollar assets, while stcUSD serves as its yield-bearing staked counterpart.
Cap’s operational model has three layers: users who mint stablecoins at par value, operators who borrow those assets to deploy yield-generation strategies, and delegators who restake with smart contract compliance enforcing the rules.
LayerZero’s OVault standard itself launched in September 2025 and reportedly secured approximately $9 billion in assets on its first day.
Cap’s multi-chain trajectory Cap first extended to MegaETH on January 5, 2026, using LayerZero’s OFT bridging to support real-time operations for both cUSD and stcUSD. At the time of that launch, Cap reported a total value locked exceeding $400 million and a circulating supply of more than $350 million for cUSD.
Cross-chain messaging layers add complexity, and complexity is where exploits tend to hide. LayerZero’s infrastructure has been battle-tested to a degree, and the $9 billion secured by OVault on launch day suggests meaningful confidence from the market. But any system that routes value across multiple chains introduces attack surface that wouldn’t exist in a single-chain deployment.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Lumentum po výsledcích za fiskální Q4 2026 nejprve klesl o 5 %, ale další den po konferenčním hovoru vyskočil o 14 %. Tržby byly 1 006,3 milionu USD a non-GAAP EPS 3,23 USD, nad odhadem.
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The following recap comes from a segment of The AI Investor Podcast, hosted by 247 Wall St. Analysts Eric Bleeker and Austin Smith. In the episode titled A New Portfolio Add In Our Most Important Episode Of The Year, the hosts broke down Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE | LITE Price Prediction) after its blockbuster fiscal Q4 earnings report and touched on the resurgence of Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) as a Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) custom silicon partner. Below, we recap the Lumentum thesis first, then the shorter Marvell segment.
Watch The Episode
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The Big Picture This segment is from The AI Investor Podcast, hosted by Eric Bleeker and Austin Smith. Lumentum was originally recommended around $83.85 and is now trading around $926 per share, with shares up 14% on the day following its conference call. Eric Bleeker highlighted that co-packaged optics demand from Lumentum’s largest customer, NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), is coming in the second half of 2027, and that near-package optics is “completely additive,” expanding total addressable market. On Marvell, Microsoft’s Maya 300 custom accelerator is targeting 300,000 chips in 2027 with Marvell as a key design partner. Lumentum Earnings: A 5% Drop That Flipped To A 14% Surge Eric Bleeker walked through Lumentum’s fiscal Q4 2026 earnings report, which he described as an unusually sharp intraday reversal. The stock initially dropped 5% on results before surging 14% the day following the conference call. Bleeker’s take was straightforward: the market keyed off headline supply chain chatter first, then rerated the stock as management addressed those concerns head-on.
The report itself was strong on the numbers. Revenue came in at $1,006.3 million, up 109.3% year over year, with non-GAAP EPS of $3.23 versus the $2.97 consensus. Non-GAAP gross margin hit 50.4%, up 1,260 basis points year over year, and management guided Q1 FY27 revenue to a midpoint of $1.25 billion, arriving at their target model more than a quarter ahead of schedule.
Why The Conference Call Flipped Sentiment Per Bleeker, the call rebutted widespread supply chain chatter about delays in co-packaged optics and 800G technology. Lumentum said visibility had actually sharpened. Management framed the company as sitting at the center of a genuine architectural shift in AI data centers, with CEO Michael Hurlston stating that “Lumentum is positioned at the heart of a secular industry shift. As AI compute workloads increase in both speed and bandwidth, data center architects are turning to optical links as a primary means of connectivity.”
Bleeker read out one quote from the call that captures the scale of what is being built. Per management: “For one major hyperscaler, the network capacity connecting just two AI data center sites could double the total global backbone capacity they built over the entirety of the last decade.” That single line reframes the pump laser and high-power laser demand story. Lumentum disclosed that pump lasers are effectively sold out for the foreseeable future despite rapid capacity expansion, with a four-fold increase in pump laser shipments expected over the next several quarters and market share in the 70-80% range.
Co-Packaged Optics And The NVIDIA Timeline The other narrative shift Bleeker flagged was on co-packaged optics, or CPO. Lumentum said co-packaged optics demand from their largest customer, NVIDIA, is landing in the second half of 2027. Management noted that ultra-high power laser chips are expected to ramp in the second half of calendar 2027, ahead of customer scale-up deployments in calendar 2028.
Then there is the near-packaged optics angle. Bleeker emphasized that near-package optics is “completely additive,” expanding Lumentum’s total addressable market rather than substituting for CPO. Management on the call confirmed the framing, stating that “The NPO opportunity is completely additive for us, significantly increasing the optical TAM.” Even Lumentum’s largest CPO customer is evaluating NPO for specific new use cases, and multiple high-velocity engagements are already underway using the company’s differentiated laser chips.
The Recommendation Math: From $83.85 To $926 The reason this episode carries the framing it does: Lumentum was originally recommended by 24/7 Wall St.’s AI Investor Podcast around $83.85. Shares are now trading around $926 per share, with the stock up 708.01% over the past one year and up 151.27% year to date through August 14, 2026. Stock picks in the portfolio are given away (for free!) in new episodes of the AI Investor Podcast. You can subscribe to receive new episodes on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast providers.
Bleeker’s forward case rests on the layering of Lumentum’s growth engines. Optical circuit switch backlog exceeded $400 million as of the prior quarter, and management said Q1 FY27 will mark the first triple-digit OCS revenue quarter. A multi-hundred-million-dollar CPO order, deliverable in first half calendar 2027, is already booked. And 1.6T transceivers are ramping into production as tier-one hyperscalers transition their custom AI clusters off 800G.
Marvell: The Microsoft ASIC Story The shorter secondary discussion focused on Marvell’s resurgence as a custom silicon partner. Per the hosts, Microsoft’s Maya 300 custom accelerator is reportedly targeting 300,000 chips in 2027 with Marvell as a key design partner. That fits Marvell’s broader trajectory: management has told investors custom revenue is on track to more than double year over year in FY2028, tracking toward a long-term target of over $10 billion in custom revenue in fiscal 2029.
The most recent quarter reinforced that setup. Marvell reported Q1 FY27 revenue of $2.418 billion, up 27.6% year over year, with data center revenue of $1.833 billion representing 76% of total revenue. CEO Matt Murphy told investors: “We are seeing exceptional AI-related bookings, and as a result, we are significantly raising Marvell’s revenue outlook for both fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 compared with the guidance we provided last quarter.”
The stock has responded. Marvell shares are up 181.5% over the past year and up 161.64% year to date through August 14, 2026. Marvell’s next earnings report is scheduled for August 27, 2026, with prediction market odds implying a 69% probability of a beat against a $0.93 non-GAAP EPS consensus.
What Investors Should Watch Next For Lumentum, the setup Bleeker outlined implies three catalysts to monitor. First, whether pump laser capacity expansion tracks the four-fold shipment increase management guided to. Second, OCS execution as the company scales into its first triple-digit revenue quarter for the product line. Third, the initial ELS module shipments and NPO ramps that would confirm the additive TAM thesis.
For Marvell, the near-term catalyst is the company’s August earnings report and any update on the Maya 300 volume ramp, followed by the trajectory of the scale-up optics business the Celestial AI acquisition unlocked. Both stocks sit on the same secular thesis: AI compute is bottlenecked by interconnect, and the companies solving that bottleneck are pricing it in.
For readers looking to go deeper on the Lumentum story, our prior coverage tracks the earnings arc across the fiscal year: Lumentum’s Q2 preview after the 416% rally, the Q3 setup after the 1,444% surge, and the Q4 live coverage after the 600% one-year rally.
Subscribe To The AI Investor Podcast If you enjoyed this segment, subscribe to The AI Investor Podcast. Every week we break down the biggest stories in the AI space and invest in a publicly available AI portfolio. Our average recommendation is up nearly 150% across more than 50 seperate recommenations!
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Salesforce oznámil, že ARR platformy Agentforce přesáhl 1 miliardu USD, protože zákazníci přecházejí od AI pilotů k nasazení do provozu. Atlassian naopak čeká ve fiskálním roce 2027 pomalejší růst ARR a nižší GAAP provozní marži kvůli vyšším výdajům na AI.
Key Takeaways Salesforce's Agentforce ARR topped $1 billion as customers increasingly deploy AI products in production.Atlassian expects slower ARR growth and lower GAAP operating margins in fiscal 2027 amid higher AI spending.Salesforce trades at 3.32X forward sales, below Atlassian's 5.44X, offering an attractive valuation. Atlassian (TEAM - Free Report) and Salesforce (CRM - Free Report) are two of the most important enterprise cloud software companies, helping large organizations modernize operations, automate workflows and manage critical business processes.
While both benefit from long-term digital transformation trends, their business momentum and execution profiles differ meaningfully. For investors trying to choose between these two software leaders, a closer look at their fundamentals, growth outlook and risks helps determine which stock currently offers a stronger investment case.
The Case for Atlassian StockAtlassian is seeing higher AI adoption help drive customer expansion. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues rose 28% year over year, while cloud revenues grew 31% year over year. Further, RPO increased 44% year over year, and subscription ARR grew 23% year over year. Management said customers are signing larger deals, adding more seats and using more Atlassian products as they adopt AI.
Rovo is playing an important role in this trend. More than 80% of Fortune 500 companies now use Rovo, while Rovo-assisted actions increased 50% sequentially in the fourth quarter. Atlassian said customers using Rovo are growing their ARR at more than twice the rate of non-adopters. The company is also seeing customers expand Rovo into more workflows and business functions, which could create more opportunities for cross-selling and seat expansion.
The Teamwork Graph is another key part of Atlassian's AI strategy. The graph now spans more than 200 billion objects and connections and is designed to give AI agents better access to enterprise data and context. Management said AI and the Teamwork Graph are among the top two reasons customers upgrade to the cloud and Teamwork Collection. The company also reported record activity in large enterprise deals, with customers generating more than $3 million in ARR growing over 50% year over year and those with more than $5 million growing over 70%.
However, Atlassian's long-term AI strategy requires significant upfront investment, which may continue to weigh on GAAP profitability despite strong revenue growth. Atlassian expects a 6.5% GAAP operating margin in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 and 4.5% for fiscal 2027 compared with a 12% GAAP operating margin in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026. This shows that Atlassian expects significantly lower profitability in fiscal 2027 than it achieved in the latest quarter.
Further, Atlassian also expects subscription annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth to slow to 18% in fiscal 2027, down from 23% in fiscal 2026. Management said the fiscal 2027 outlook reflects caution around the macro environment, fiscal policy and geopolitical conditions. While demand in the fourth quarter remained strong, the combination of slower ARR growth and a drop in GAAP operating margin could limit earnings growth and might weigh on Atlassian’s ability to turn its strong AI and enterprise demand into higher profits in fiscal 2027.
The Case for Salesforce StockSalesforce's Agentforce platform is becoming one of the company's key growth drivers as customers increase spending on AI-powered products. Agentforce's ARR exceeded $1 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, making Agentforce one of Salesforce's fastest-growing businesses. The strong momentum can be attributed to customers who are moving beyond AI pilots and deploying the technology in production.
Agentforce is also helping Salesforce generate larger deals. The company closed a record 98 deals worth more than $1 million in new annual contract value during the first quarter. Management stated that demand for Agentforce, Data 360 and Slack was a major contributor to this performance.
Customer expansion remains another important driver. About 50% of Agentforce and Data 360 bookings came from existing customers who increased their spending with Salesforce. Management noted that its top 10 customers by Agentforce usage increased their overall Salesforce spending by 1.5 times over the past year.
Usage trends indicate that adoption is still growing. During the first quarter, Salesforce processed 28.6 trillion AI tokens, up 152% sequentially, and generated 3.8 billion agentic work units, up 111% sequentially. Agentforce is being used across customer service, sales, IT and other business functions. Salesforce's own support organization has used Agentforce to handle more than four million customer inquiries.
The platform is also supporting growth across Salesforce's broader business. Bookings for premium AI offerings grew nearly 60% year over year in the first quarter. With Agentforce ARR exceeding $1 billion, along with growing customer adoption, the platform remains one of the key growth drivers for Salesforce and continues to play an important part in the company's long-term AI strategy.
How Do Earnings Estimates Compare for TEAM & CRM?CRM has a steady earnings growth outlook compared with TEAM.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TEAM’s fiscal 2027 EPS is pinned at $5.69, revised downward by 7 cents over the past seven days, indicating a year-over-year decline of 2.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRM’s fiscal 2027 EPS is pinned at $14.16, revised upward by 4 cents over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 13.1%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TEAM vs. CRM: Price Performance and ValuationOver the past year, shares of TEAM and CRM have plunged 4.1% and 19.6%, respectively.
TEAM Vs. CRM: 1-Year Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, CRM is trading at a forward sales multiple of 3.32X, lower than TEAM’s forward sales multiple of 5.44X. CRM’s reasonable valuation makes it more attractive for investors looking for value and stability.
TEAM vs. CRM: Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion: CRM Has an Edge Over TEAMBoth Atlassian and Salesforce are well-positioned to benefit from the AI wave. However, Atlassian faces near-term risks from higher AI spending, lower expected GAAP operating margins and slower ARR growth, all of which could weigh on the company’s profitability in fiscal 2027.
In contrast, Salesforce shows steadier execution, where the company is witnessing strong adoption of its AI products and its earnings estimates are being revised upward. CRM’s reasonable valuation offers some downside protection as well, giving CRM a clear edge over TEAM.
Currently, CRM carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), giving the stock a clear edge over TEAM, which has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Duquesne Family Office nově drží podíl v hodnotě 23 milionů USD v Hyperliquid Strategies, čímž získává nepřímou expozici vůči HYPE prostřednictvím treasury firmy kótované na Nasdaqu. Firma drží miliony tokenů HYPE.
Duquesne Family Office has disclosed a $23 million position in Hyperliquid Strategies Inc., giving Stanley Druckenmiller’s investment office indirect exposure to HYPE through the Nasdaq-listed digital asset treasury company.
Summary
Duquesne Family Office disclosed a new $23 million stake in Hyperliquid Strategies. The Nasdaq listed company holds millions of HYPE tokens as part of its digital asset treasury strategy. Duquesne’s former partner Kevin Warsh became Federal Reserve chairman in May 2026. Warsh disclosed more than $100 million in assets before his confirmation. The SEC filing for the second quarter of 2026 showed Duquesne held shares of Hyperliquid Strategies, which trades under the ticker PURR, as of June 30, with the position appearing in the family office’s portfolio for the first time.
The disclosure adds Duquesne to the institutional investors gaining exposure to Hyperliquid through publicly traded shares instead of purchasing the protocol’s HYPE token directly. Hyperliquid Strategies operates as a digital asset treasury company built around accumulating and managing HYPE.
Fintel data based on the filing also lists PURR as a new Duquesne position, accounting for roughly 0.44% of the investment manager’s reported portfolio.
Duquesne adds Hyperliquid Strategies to its portfolio Hyperliquid Strategies has built one of the largest corporate HYPE holdings since establishing its digital asset treasury business.
As crypto.news previously reported in February, the Nasdaq-listed company purchased another 5 million HYPE for about $129.5 million at an average price of $25.90 per token. The acquisition increased its holdings at the time to 17.6 million HYPE while leaving the company with about $125 million in cash.
Its holdings later increased substantially. Artemis data cited in a June treasury report showed Hyperliquid Strategies controlled about 23.7 million HYPE and was sitting on more than $1.1 billion in unrealized gains at the time.
The report found HYPE-focused treasury companies were among the few major digital asset treasury groups still carrying sizeable paper profits during the June market downturn. Bitcoin, Ether and Solana treasury companies, by comparison, were recording substantial unrealized losses as prices fell.
Duquesne’s $23 million PURR holding gives the family office exposure to that treasury structure through a regulated U.S. equity. The 13F does not show whether the firm bought the shares in a single transaction or accumulated them at different points during the quarter, since the filing only reports holdings as of June 30.
Form 13F reports are required from institutional investment managers that exercise investment discretion over at least $100 million in certain securities. The disclosures provide a quarterly snapshot of reportable holdings but do not show positions purchased or sold after the reporting date.
Hyperliquid Strategies has accumulated millions of HYPE Institutional interest in Hyperliquid Strategies came as HYPE recorded large price swings during the second quarter.
HYPE reached a record of about $73.7 on June 1 after gaining more than 70% over the preceding month. At the time, Hyperliquid Strategies was already one of the largest publicly identified corporate holders of the token.
Demand for HYPE had also expanded through regulated investment and derivatives products. In June, Kalshi launched CFTC-regulated HYPE perpetual futures for U.S. traders, after which HYPE futures open interest rose to $2.48 billion and briefly surpassed XRP open interest, according to a June 11 report.
Institutional exposure has not been limited to listed treasury companies. Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan said in May that HYPE had gained 77% since the start of 2026 while Hyperliquid processed about $170 billion in monthly trading volume.
Bitwise also said it would direct 10% of management fees collected from its BHYP Hyperliquid exchange-traded fund toward purchasing and holding HYPE on its own balance sheet, as detailed in May.
Hyperliquid’s token model sends a large share of protocol trading fees toward HYPE purchases through its Assistance Fund. The mechanism has provided another source of demand alongside corporate treasury purchases and investment products.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh previously worked with Duquesne Duquesne’s newly disclosed PURR investment also comes with a connection to Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, who worked with the family office before returning to the central bank.
The Federal Reserve’s official biography says Warsh served as a partner at Duquesne Family Office after leaving the Fed’s Board of Governors in 2011. Warsh had previously served as a governor from 2006 to 2011 and returned to the central bank as chairman on May 22, 2026.
Before his confirmation, financial disclosures filed as part of the nomination process provided more detail about his relationship with Stanley Druckenmiller’s investment office.
Warsh disclosed assets worth well over $100 million, according to his April financial disclosure, although government ethics forms report investments in ranges and do not always provide precise valuations.
Two positions in the Juggernaut Fund LP were each listed at more than $50 million. The disclosure did not identify the underlying investments because of pre-existing confidentiality agreements, while Warsh committed to divesting the positions if confirmed.
The same filing showed that Warsh had received $10.2 million in consulting fees from Druckenmiller’s investment office during the period covered by the disclosure. His overall consulting income exceeded $13 million across several financial firms.
Warsh also agreed to dispose of assets required under Federal Reserve ethics rules before assuming the chairmanship. Fed investment rules introduced in 2022 place restrictions on the securities that senior officials and their immediate families may hold, including crypto-related assets.
After completing the confirmation process, Warsh took office as Federal Reserve chairman on May 22 for a four-year term ending May 21, 2030. He also became chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee and holds a separate term as a member of the Board of Governors through January 31, 2040.
CEO Wintermute Evgeny Gaevoy označil americkou regulaci za největší dlouhodobé riziko pro Hyperliquid. Varoval, že případné KYC by mohlo oslabit jeho permissionless model a tlačit platformu k centralizaci.
Hyperliquid’s expansion beyond crypto derivatives has been one of the more aggressive pushes into tokenized real-world assets, commodities, and equity trading. But Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy is not treating that growth as a clean path toward becoming a full-scale market venue. In an interview with The Archive Pod, he framed US regulation as the biggest long-term obstacle for the perps exchange, according to the original report.
Gaevoy said Hyperliquid has performed well across those asset classes, but the platform will eventually have to confront two structural constraints. One is regulatory pressure from the United States. The other is throughput, especially if Hyperliquid wants to compete against incumbent venues like CME and Nasdaq. That second issue compounds the first: scaling into traditional market competition may require order matching and data infrastructure that do not map neatly onto a fully decentralized validator set.
The regulatory concern is not abstract. If Hyperliquid is eventually required to implement know-your-customer checks, the product would need identity verification at deposit, withdrawal, or even trading layers. That would erode the permissionless model that has made the venue attractive to traders who are outside major jurisdictions. Gaevoy noted that a KYC mandate and a desire to compete with CME and Nasdaq could push Hyperliquid toward becoming increasingly centralized. That is the core tradeoff: the closer the platform gets to institutional equities and commodities, the more it may look like the intermediaries it set out to replace.
The KYC and Centralization Tension US regulators have been moving unevenly on market structure rules, and the stakes for crypto venues have become clearer as the fight over the biggest crypto bill in US history showed how much banks and legacy financial players still control the process. For Hyperliquid, the question is whether it will be treated as a derivatives exchange, an alternative trading system, or something else entirely.
A KYC requirement would not just add a compliance layer. It would change the sequencing and clearing assumptions behind a decentralized perpetuals venue. Users could still trade without custody, but their on-chain addresses would need to be tied to identities. That undermines one part of the value proposition while leaving the operational complexity intact. Hyperliquid’s fast block times and low-fee execution may still work, but the user experience would shift dramatically if a regulator demands real-time screening and transaction monitoring.
The bigger unknown is token classification. If the HYPE token is seen as facilitating an unregistered exchange or clearing activity, the pressure would extend beyond KYC to delisting, fines, or geographic blocks. Gaevoy’s comments did not go that far, but they reflect a recognition that US enforcement often uses market access as a lever even when formal rules are unresolved.
Throughput Is the Second Friction Point Competing with CME and Nasdaq is not only a legal problem. It is an engineering problem. Traditional venues operate with microsecond-level matching and deeply optimized order books. Hyperliquid’s own throughput has been a differentiator in crypto, but the gap remains when compared with centralized derivatives infrastructure. Gaevoy identified throughput as the second long-term challenge, which suggests that raw transaction speed alone will not close the distance if compliance and data retention requirements add friction.
Even among the top blockchains by developer activity this week, sequencing and scalability remain design constraints rather than solved problems. Hyperliquid’s approach uses a specialized L1 with a smaller validator set, which improves performance at the cost of decentralization. That architecture may be a preview of where high-performance trading chains are headed, but it also makes the regulatory conversation harder because there are fewer independent operators to distribute legal responsibility.
What the Market Is Watching Next Hyperliquid’s positioning sits at the intersection of two growing narratives. On one side, tokenized real-world assets have gained traction as on-chain tokenization volumes crossed $20 billion, with institutions beginning to treat the space as a serious settlement layer. On the other side, US enforcement and legislative uncertainty continue to weigh on venues that try to list equities or commodities without traditional registration.
For traders, the practical question is whether Hyperliquid will be forced to restrict US users, introduce gradual KYC, or split its product into compliant and non-compliant silos. Each option changes the liquidity profile. Institutional participants may prefer a KYC-enabled order book because it gives them clearer legal standing, while offshore retail traders may migrate if identity checks become mandatory.
What remains uncertain is timing. Regulators have not issued a specific rule targeting Hyperliquid, and the platform has not signaled a shift toward centralized compliance. But the Wintermute CEO’s warning matters because it comes from a market maker that deals with liquidity and risk across venues. His concern is less about whether Hyperliquid can scale technically, and more about whether the final version of the platform will still be recognizable as the decentralized venue it is today.
AUTHOR
Tokoni Uti is a Lagos-based writer with several years of experience. Her work has appeared in the Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Free Press and the San Diego Free press among others. She is a graduate of Bowen University.
Par Pacific Holdings spustila první komerční prodeje obnovitelné nafty z Hawaii Renewables, které v dubnu 2026 vyrobilo palivový produkt v požadované kvalitě. Závod může časem posílit růst tržeb a diverzifikovat zisk PARR.
Key Takeaways PARR's Hawaii Renewables produces on-specification renewable diesel and completes its first commercial sales.PARR can produce up to 60% SAF or 90% renewable diesel, allowing flexibility to meet market demand.The facility's ramp-up could diversify PARR's earnings and emerge as a meaningful long-term growth engine. Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (PARR - Free Report) is a leading refiner with 219,000 barrels per day in refining capacity and a diversified portfolio spanning refining, logistics, retail and a 46% interest in Laramie Energy. Par Pacific is expanding beyond conventional refining through Hawaii Renewables, which could become an important long-term growth driver. The facility is designed to produce 61 million gallons of renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable naphtha annually using PARR’s existing infrastructure.
Hawaii Renewables produced on-specification renewable diesel in April 2026, marking an important operational milestone. Its flexibility to produce up to 60% SAF or 90% renewable diesel allows Par Pacific to adjust its product mix based on market demand. Production ramped during the second quarter, with June throughput reaching approximately 3,000 barrels per day before the plant-wide turnaround. PARR completed its first commercial renewable diesel sales, creating a pathway for future revenue growth.
The joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation and ENEOS Corporation further strengthens the project’s prospects, with the partners contributing $100 million for a 36.5% interest. The joint venture provides feedstock-sourcing and customer-access capabilities across Asia-Pacific and California. Par Pacific has not yet provided mid-cycle earnings guidance for Renewables as it continues the commissioning and ramp-up process. As utilization and commercial sales increase during the ramp-up, Hawaii Renewables could emerge as a meaningful growth engine and diversify PARR’s earnings over the longer term.
Are VLO & CVX Producing Renewable Fuels?Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) and Chevron (CVX - Free Report) have exposure to renewable fuels through different approaches, with VLO emphasizing large-scale renewable diesel production and CVX pursuing a broader lower-carbon fuels strategy.
Valero's renewable fuels portfolio is anchored by its Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) joint venture, which has 1.2 billion gallons of annual renewable diesel capacity. In its latest earnings call, VLO reported a sharp improvement in its renewable diesel business, with operating income of $717 million, against a $79 million loss a year earlier, while sales volumes averaged 3.8 million gallons per day.
Chevron is strengthening its renewable-fuels portfolio as part of its broader lower-carbon strategy. CVX’s renewable-fuels portfolio is well-positioned to benefit from its existing infrastructure and conventional fuel technologies.
PARR’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Par Pacific have surged 167.9% over the past year compared with the industry’s 83.8% growth.
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From a valuation standpoint, PARR trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 3.38X. This is below the broader industry average of 5.55X.
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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PARR's second-quarter 2026 earnings has seen downward revisions over the past seven days. Meanwhile, estimates for third-quarter 2026 and full-year 2026 earnings have seen upward revisions.
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PARR currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Enovix po rezignaci CEO Raje Talluriho přeskupuje vedení; dočasným CEO se stal CFO Ryan Benton a firma potvrdila výhled na 3. čtvrtletí 2026. Akcie ENVX v pondělí klesly o 15,72 % na 3,69 USD.
Enovix Corp. (NASDAQ:ENVX) shares are trading lower Monday morning after the company announced a major executive transition alongside operational updates.
Enovix stock is taking a hit today. Why are ENVX shares down?
CEO Raj Talluri Steps DownCEO Raj Talluri resigned to pursue another opportunity. In response, the Board appointed Chairman T.J. Rodgers as Executive Chairman and CFO Ryan Benton as Interim CEO while initiating a search for a permanent successor.
Management emphasized that the leadership change reflects a CEO transition rather than a strategy shift. Customer programs, execution teams and operational timelines remain unchanged.
Enovix meanwhile reaffirmed its third-quarter 2026 financial guidance. Operational priorities focus on final qualification for smartphone programs, scaling AI-1 smart eyewear production and expanding capacity for defense and drone applications, which generated 65% of second-quarter revenue.
Battery Innovation Drives MomentumThe announcement also highlights technical breakthroughs with the company’s 100% silicon-anode battery technology. Enovix successfully demonstrated a 1,000-cycle life on its AI-class smartphone batteries, marking a milestone over competitors that hover around 32% silicon anode content.
To streamline execution, COO Michael Vyvoda will take end-to-end control of manufacturing, supply chain and engineering facilities in Malaysia and Korea. The 80-person R&D team will also report to Vyvoda to accelerate product transitions to commercial manufacturing.
ENVX Shares Slide Monday MorningENVX Price Action: Enovix shares were down 15.72% at $3.69 at the time of publication on Monday. The stock is trading near its 52-week low of $3.67, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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Credo očekává ve fiskálním roce 2027 růst tržeb o více než 80 % a udrží čistou non-GAAP marži kolem 50 %, i přes asi 50% růst provozních výdajů včetně výdajů na výzkum a vývoj.
Key Takeaways Credo expects fiscal 2027 revenue to grow more than 80%, with acceleration starting in the second half.Optical revenue is expected to top $600 million, with key products each contributing more than $100 million.Credo plans to boost R&D spending while keeping non-GAAP net margins near 50%. Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (CRDO - Free Report) has entered fiscal 2027 with strong revenue momentum and a continued focus on investing in new product development. In fiscal 2026, revenue reached a record $1.3 billion, up 206% year over year, while gross margin increased 310 basis points to 68.1%. The company also delivered significant operating leverage, with operating margin improving 21.44% as operating expenses rose considerably more slowly than revenue. In the fourth quarter, non-GAAP gross margin was 68.3%, while non-GAAP operating margin totaled 49.6% and non-GAAP net margin reached 51.9%.
For fiscal 2027, Credo expects to maintain its strong margin profile even as it increases investment in research and development. Management expects non-GAAP gross margin to remain broadly consistent with fiscal 2026 levels. At the same time, non-GAAP operating expenses are expected to increase approximately 50% year over year, well below the expected revenue growth rate, as the company continues investing in R&D to support new product development and address growth opportunities. As a result, Credo expects its non-GAAP net margin to remain in the vicinity of 50%.
Credo expects fiscal 2027 revenue to grow more than 80% year over year, with mid-single-digit sequential growth in the first half and an inflection beginning in the second half. This acceleration is expected to be supported by more than $600 million in optical revenue, with ZeroFlap optics, silicon photonics PICs and optical DSPs each expected to contribute more than $100 million. On the last earnings call, management stated that about half of the expected absolute dollar revenue growth in fiscal 2027 should come from the optical portfolio and about half from the existing copper portfolio, predominantly AECs and retimers.
The near-term outlook also points to continued strong profitability. For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Credo expects revenue between $465 million and $475 million, non-GAAP gross margin of 67% to 69%, and non-GAAP operating expenses of $86 million to $90 million. With revenue growth expected to remain substantially ahead of operating expense growth, the company expects to continue supporting higher R&D investment while maintaining non-GAAP net margins near 50%.
Taking a Look at CRDO’s CompetitorsBroadcom (AVGO - Free Report) continues to benefit from strong AI semiconductor demand and operating leverage, supporting its margin profile. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, free cash flow reached $10.26 billion, representing 46% of revenues, while cash flow from operations was $10.49 billion. However, the company operates in highly competitive markets where pricing pressure can weigh on margins, while higher integration costs, acquisition complexity and elevated commitments could also create profitability risks. Broadcom’s infrastructure software business continues to provide support, with second-quarter revenue increasing 9% year over year to $7.18 billion and annual recurring revenue rising 17%. Management expects infrastructure software revenue of approximately $8.9 billion in the third quarter, up 31% year over year. Strong AI demand and recurring software revenue support Broadcom’s margin profile, although competition and execution risks remain important constraints.
Marvell Technology’s (MRVL - Free Report) margin profile remains supported by strong AI-driven growth and operating discipline. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, non-GAAP gross margin was 58.9%, slightly below 59% in the fourth quarter, while non-GAAP operating margin was 35% compared with 35.7% previously. As custom silicon, interconnect and optics businesses scale, strong data center growth could support operating leverage. However, profitability remains sensitive to product mix, competitive pricing and ramp-related costs. Marvell’s restructuring efforts are expected to support cost discipline, while its fabless model helps maintain capital efficiency. Overall, AI-driven growth provides margin support, although mix shifts and pricing pressure could create volatility.
CRDO’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of CRDO have gained 22.6% compared with the Electronics-Semiconductors industry’s growth of 5.4% in the past month.
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In terms of the forward 12-month price/sales ratio, CRDO is trading at 18.09, higher than the industry’s multiple of 5.36.
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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRDO’s earnings for fiscal 2027 has been revised marginally upward over the past 60 days.
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CRDO currently sports a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
OCC udělil společnosti World Liberty Trust Company předběžné podmíněné schválení národní trustové licence, které jí umožní přímo vydávat a vykupovat stablecoin USD1. Dosavadní emise přes BitGo tak přejde pod vlastní správu.
The limited-purpose bank charter lets World Liberty Trust Company issue and redeem USD1 in-house, displacing BitGo — and immediately triggers Warren's 'Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act.'
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has granted preliminary conditional approval for a national trust bank charter to World Liberty Trust Company, N.A., an affiliate of the Trump family-backed World Liberty Financial. The approval, issued August 14 under OCC Corporate Decision #1385, follows an application filed January 7 and authorizes the entity to directly issue and redeem the USD1 stablecoin.
The charter is surgically narrow. World Liberty Trust Company can manage and hold customer assets, settle payments, and custody the reserves backing USD1 — but it cannot take deposits, make loans, or operate as a federally insured depository. It is not a bank under the Bank Holding Company Act, and it is not seeking a Federal Reserve master account. What it gets is the federal imprimatur of OCC supervision without the capital and liquidity requirements of a full commercial bank. The USD1 stablecoin, previously issued through BitGo Bank & Trust, will move under the new entity’s proprietary umbrella.
CoinDesk and Reuters reported the approval. The OCC imposed conditions including a $20 million minimum capital requirement, a qualified internal audit manager, and satisfaction of all preopening requirements before the bank can open. The OCC retains the right to modify, suspend, or rescind the conditional approval.
The ownership structure is what makes this charter a political event. World Liberty Financial is approximately 38% owned by an entity tied to Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump family members. The trust company’s president is Zach Witkoff, son of Steve Witkoff, who serves as a presidential special envoy. Senator Elizabeth Warren, ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, called the approval “the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen,” adding that “President Trump is now the first President in history to approve, operate, and supervise his own bank.”
On August 15, Warren introduced the “Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act” with nine co-sponsors, including Senators Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Murphy, Sanders, Blumenthal, Reed, Kim, Duckworth, and Gallego. The bill would prohibit the Fed, OCC, and FDIC from approving banking applications involving a president, vice president, members of Congress, or their immediate families.
World Liberty’s response frames the charter as a hedge against future political risk rather than a product of current political access. Spokesman David Wachsman told Newsweek the firm is “running towards regulation and continuous oversight.” The company maintains the charter ensures “robust and permanent OCC regulatory supervision that will outlast the Trump administration” — an argument that uses the permanence of federal oversight as a shield against the perception of political favoritism.
The structural question is whether a limited-purpose trust charter can serve as a stablecoin regulatory template. The model concentrates on custody, reserve management, and redemption mechanics while explicitly excluding the systemic risks of deposit-taking. For stablecoin issuers navigating the GENIUS Act’s emerging framework, a trust charter offers a path to federal legitimacy without the overhead of full banking regulation. Circle has pursued a different route — a national trust bank subsidiary through the OCC’s standard process — but the outcome here suggests the trust charter model may be more accessible than previously assumed.
The catch is that this particular trust charter is inseparable from its political context. Whether the “regulatory moat” it creates for USD1 is a genuine institutionalization of stablecoin infrastructure or a one-time artifact of political proximity depends on whether the model survives the legislative response now gathering around it.
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Mizuho vybrala CUZ a PECO jako své nejlepší REITy pro druhou polovinu roku 2026 po silném 2. čtvrtletí, které překonalo odhady a vedlo ke zvýšení celoročního výhledu. CUZ těží ze zlepšení v Sunbeltu, PECO z vysoké obsazenosti 97,5 %.
Buy CUZ. Mizuho’s call is backed by Q2 beat and raised full-year guidance, plus clear Sunbelt leasing momentum (cash rent spreads up ~12% H1) and a 1M sq ft pipeline. The setup is a rebound story with improving fundamentals and a ~4.3% dividend while the market re-rates office landlords.
Key Risk: Sunbelt office leasing stalls again, forcing rent spreads and occupancy to roll over and making guidance lifts look temporary.
PECO (Phillips Edison)
Buy PECO. Grocery-anchored centers are the “need-to-have” retail REIT, and the thesis is supported by Q2 core FFO beat, raised guidance, ~97.5% occupancy, and limited new supply. Mizuho also expects above-average FFO growth through 2027, with a ~3.2% dividend as carry.
Key Risk: A wave of grocery-tenant weakness or lease losses (or a supply shock) drives occupancy/FFO down despite the “necessity” model.
Mizuho has refreshed its rolling conviction list of top real estate investment trusts (REITs) for the second half of 2026, pointing investors toward subsectors with proven earnings momentum.
The investment bank selected office landlord “Cousins Properties” and grocery-anchored owner “Phillips Edison & Company” as its standout picks across commercial property.
Both companies delivered Q2 earnings that topped Wall Street estimates, prompting management teams to lift full-year profit guidance.
Mizuho analysts have set price objectives for both REITs, implying meaningful upside from current levels, anchoring their thesis in strong operational execution.
These single-stock calls also arrive alongside broad tailwinds for real estate stocks, which continue to post better returns than the broader market this year.
A fundamental rebound across Sunbelt office markets underpins the case for Cousins Properties.
Analyst Vikram Malhotra maintains a $33 price target on the stock – implying about a 12% upside from recent trading levels, on top of significant year-to-date gains.
The Atlanta-based REIT manages some 20 million square feet of office space across high-growth hubs such as Austin, Dallas, and Charlotte.
Its Q2 funds from operations reached 75 cents per share on $268.5 million in revenue, exceeding estimates of 74 cents and $263.5 million – bringing enough confidence for the management to lift the lower end of its full-year guidance.
In its press release, CUZ said growth is being driven by leasing momentum, cash rent spreads up roughly 12% in first-half of this year, and a 1-million-square-foot pipeline.
Finally, balance sheet capacity supports opportunistic acquisitions, while Cousins Properties stock pays a rather lucrative 4.31% dividend yield as well.
Other Wall Street analysts also agree with Mizuho’s view on CUZ, given the consensus rating on it sits at Buy with price targets going as high as $35.
Phillips Edison stock rests on a necessity-based retail thesis: grocery-anchored centers hold demand through economic cycles.
Mizuho analyst Haendel St. Juste has a $43 price target, implying about 7% upside on top of nearly 14% rally since the start of this year.
PECO’s portfolio spans roughly 330 shopping centers anchored by grocers like Kroger and Publix, with occupancy near the sector-leading 97.5%.
Its Q2 core FFO reached 69 cents per share on $189.6 million in revenue, beating estimates of 68 cents and $187.5 million, prompting management to raise full-year guidance.
St. Juste expects above-average FFO growth through 2027 on acquisitions and limited new supply, with minimal watchlist tenant exposure. Plus, any bankruptcies would offer a chance to re-let space at higher rents,
PECO shares also currently pay a 3.2% dividend yield – while Wall Street more broadly rates the real estate investment trust at Overweight. The consensus $46 price target signals significant upside potential from here.
Strategy už osmý týden po sobě nekoupila žádný Bitcoin a veškerý čistý výnos 333,7 milionu USD z prodeje 3 458 866 akcií MSTR použila na dividendy, odkupy preferenčních akcií a rezervu v USD.
The company raised $333.7 million selling MSTR shares last week and spent all of it on preferred dividends, preferred buybacks and its dollar reserve, leaving its 840,447 bitcoin untouched.
Original Image Credits: Gage Skidmore / flickr.com
Posted August 17, 2026 at 9:48 am EST.
“No bitcoin purchases or sales were made this week,” Strategy said in a Form 8-K filed Monday. The company neither bought nor sold bitcoin between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16, and every dollar it raised selling stock went to servicing its preferred shares instead.
The company sold 3,458,866 MSTR shares for $333.7 million in net proceeds, about $96.48 a share after commissions. It sent $52.4 million to dividends on its STRC preferred stock, $132.2 million to buying that same preferred stock back, and $149.1 million into its USD Reserve. Those three uses account for the entire raise. Strategy sold no preferred stock, having halted the STRC issuance that once funded its bitcoin buying.
Eight Weeks Since the Last Buy Strategy last bought bitcoin in the week ended June 21, when it added 520 BTC for $34.9 million at an average of $67,068 a coin. Monday’s filing was the eighth straight to report no purchase, a stretch that has taken in a $216 million bitcoin sale and the start of a financing overhaul. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor had pledged in May to buy 10 to 20 bitcoin for every one the company sold.
Holdings stand at 840,447 BTC bought for $63.36 billion, an average of $75,385 a coin. With bitcoin near $63,530 on Monday, the position is roughly $9.96 billion underwater.
Buying Back Preferred Below Par The week’s repurchase covered 1,388,720 STRC shares at about $95.19 each, close to 5% under the $100 par value and a shade above STRC’s $94.78 close on Friday. Strategy told investors in June that it wanted the security to trade near par. About $653 million of the $1 billion preferred repurchase authorization remains, alongside an untouched $1 billion for common stock.
The USD Reserve finished the week at $4.80 billion, up from $4.65 billion. Strategy’s board set a floor in June of 12 months of expected preferred dividends and interest, which the company put at about $1.76 billion a year. In a post on X, Strategy said the week “increased USD Duration by 41 days to 2.8 yrs and tightened STRC’s BTC Credit by 4 bps to 114 bps.”
Related Listen: Strategy Sells $216M in Bitcoin. Is Saylor a Buyer or a Seller Now?: Bits + Bips
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
Goldman Sachs přikoupila akcie Strategy za 386 milionů USD a celkově v ní drží 558 milionů USD. Banka tak nepřímo sází na bitcoin přes firmu Michaela Saylora.
Goldman Sachs just made its Bitcoin bet a lot harder to ignore. The bank added $386 million worth of Strategy Inc. shares to its portfolio, bringing its total position in the company formerly known as MicroStrategy to $558 million.
How Goldman is playing the Bitcoin trade Goldman’s approach here is worth understanding. The bank has not gone out and bought Bitcoin directly. Instead, it has accumulated roughly 2.33 million shares of Strategy Inc., the NASDAQ-listed company that Executive Chairman Michael Saylor has spent years turning into a publicly traded Bitcoin holding vehicle.
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Goldman added approximately 237,874 shares in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, according to 13F filings. Those filings, mandatory disclosures that large institutional investors submit to the SEC each quarter, revealed the scale of the bank’s accumulating conviction.
Strategy funds its Bitcoin purchases primarily through equity offerings and convertible notes, a capital-raising playbook it has run since 2020. When Goldman buys Strategy shares, it is effectively financing that machine, and betting that the machine keeps working.
Why Strategy, why now Strategy completed a rebranding from MicroStrategy in February 2025, a move that was equal parts marketing and mission statement. The new name strips away any pretense that this is a software company with a side interest in crypto. It is a Bitcoin treasury company, full stop.
Strategy holds more Bitcoin than any other corporation on earth, a title it has defended aggressively through continued purchases. For institutions that want Bitcoin exposure without the custody headaches, regulatory uncertainty around direct holdings, or internal risk committee drama, Strategy stock is the path of least resistance.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Strategy, the Nasdaq-listed digital asset company formerly known as MicroStrategy, entered another week without purchasing or selling Bitcoin. The company maintained its Bitcoin holdings unchanged, opting instead to strengthen its cash reserve amid market turbulence.
Cash reserve strategyAccording to a recent regulatory filing, Strategy raised $333.7 million by issuing 3,458,866 shares of its MSTR common stock. The company allocated $149.1 million of this sum to expand its USD reserve, while $52.4 million was used to pay dividends on STRC preferred stock. Additionally, Strategy spent $132.2 million repurchasing its own stock.
Chairman Michael Saylor emphasized the company’s efforts on social media, highlighting the $150 million increase in reserves and the repurchase of $132 million worth of STRC stock. With this move, the USD reserve now sits at $4.8 billion. Saylor also reported that the company extended its USD duration to 2.8 years and narrowed the STRC BTC credit to 114 basis points.
Strategy raised $333.7 million through a stock sale, bolstered its USD reserve by $150 million, and repurchased $132 million of STRC shares, while maintaining its Bitcoin holdings and supporting investor returns.
Mini dictionary: Strategy is a Nasdaq-listed company focused on digital assets and is the largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin investor. Previously named MicroStrategy, it has shifted toward strengthening its cash position through stock offerings alongside its crypto holdings.
ActionAmountShares sold (MSTR)3,458,866Funds raised$333.7 millionUSD reserve addition$149.1 millionSTRC stock buyback$132.2 millionDividend payments$52.4 millionBitcoin holding policyStrategy has refrained from both buying and selling Bitcoin during the latest reporting period, halting all Bitcoin sales after previously reducing its holdings earlier in the year. This marks a shift from its aggressive accumulation strategy that peaked in 2025.
As of August 16, 2026, the company holds 840,447 BTC, worth $53.4 billion at an average acquisition price of $63,357 per coin. Despite volatile market conditions, Strategy continues to present itself as the largest corporate Bitcoin holder.
Strategy initiated its large-scale Bitcoin purchases in 2020, outlining its intention to use the asset as a hedge and a tool for enhancing shareholder value. Since then, it has served as a model for other corporations adopting similar crypto-treasury management approaches.
Stock performance and outlookMSTR shares have faced significant downward pressure throughout 2026. The stock has dropped more than 60% since the start of the year and now trades at just over $95, down nearly 80% from its 2024 peak.
Speaking earlier this month, CEO Phong Le addressed investor apprehension around the company’s strategic direction, citing confidence in their long-term commitment to Bitcoin. Le described Strategy as akin to “the J.P. Morgan of the crypto economy,” suggesting minor sales are negligible compared to their broader holdings and philosophy.
Strategy’s leadership asserts that their commitment to Bitcoin remains unchanged and that recent moves to boost cash reserves do not indicate a shift away from their core digital asset strategy.
Influence on industry peersStrategy’s approach to balancing a large Bitcoin treasury with traditional financial reserves has influenced a wave of companies to adopt similar treasury strategies. As market conditions evolve, many firms look to blend crypto assets with cash holdings to navigate volatility and support long-term objectives.
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.
Binance spustila odměnový program v hodnotě 800 000 USD vyplácený v XRP pro držitele RLUSD. Zároveň Santiment hlásí 49 929 aktivních adres XRP, což je nejvíce za více než dva měsíce.
Binance has launched an $800,000 XRP reward campaign for eligible RLUSD holders, creating another incentive to use Ripple’s stablecoin on the exchange. At the same time, XRP Ledger activity has picked up, with Santiment recording its highest daily active-address count in more than two months.
How the RLUSD XRP Rewards WorkBinance’s campaign ran from July 17 through August 14, with XRP rewards distributed every Friday. Users needed to maintain at least 0.01 RLUSD in eligible Binance Earn or Margin accounts and record at least $500 in average daily Margin or Futures trading volume.
RLUSD held in Flexible Savings, or used as collateral in Cross Margin, Isolated Margin or Portfolio Margin accounts, could qualify. Users also had to complete KYC and live in an eligible jurisdiction.
The reward calculation used the lowest RLUSD balance recorded through hourly snapshots each day. Binance then applied the weekly effective APR to the seven-day average qualifying balance.
XRP Rewards Fell as the Campaign ProgressedThe headline reward pool was $800,000 worth of XRP, divided across four weekly distributions. The effective APR changed considerably during the campaign:
July 24: 22.25%July 31: 8.22%August 7: 8.08%August 14: 7.69%This decline shows why the headline APR should not be treated as a fixed return. Binance states that the rate can change each week depending on qualifying balances and other campaign factors.
RLUSD obtained through borrowing also faced restrictions. Binance applied a 60% haircut to the leveraged portion, while borrowed RLUSD recorded as a liability did not count toward the qualifying balance.
XRP Ledger Activity Sends a Different SignalWhile XRP sentiment has weakened, blockchain activity has moved in the opposite direction. Santiment reported 49,929 active XRP addresses within 24 hours, the highest level in more than two months.
😠 XRP negativity surged throughout this week as prices have failed to rally (so far). Crowd commentary is now at a 3-month bearish extreme across X, Reddit, Telegram, and other crypto channels.
⚡ The XRP Ledger, on the other hand, is not so quiet. $XRP just saw 49,929 active… pic.twitter.com/CmXxOHSYt0
— Santiment Intelligence (@SantimentData) August 14, 2026 The increase comes after XRP market value fell below $1, with retail commentary reaching a three-month bearish extreme across social platforms, according to Santiment.
This creates an interesting contrast, while market sentiment is weak, participation on the XRP Ledger is rising.
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Xaman Wallet varuje držitele $XRP před phishingem přes nevyžádané escrow transakce na XRP Ledgeru. Samotné přijetí transakce neškodí, riziko vzniká až po schválení podezřelého odkazu nebo podpisu.
An unusual wave of unsolicited escrow transactions targeting users of the Xaman Wallet on the XRP Ledger has prompted urgent warnings from both the wallet provider and key community figures. The fraudulent activity came to light after Web3 consultant Stone received a report from another user and found two unexplained escrow-related transactions in his own wallet: one for creation and one for cancellation.
Details of the phishing techniqueStone sought clarification using the Xaman Wallet support xAPP, receiving an in-depth explanation from the support team. According to Xaman, scammers have begun sending unsolicited escrow transactions to a variety of wallet addresses. These transactions are crafted to appear as if they hold substantial amounts of tokens, in some cases presenting assets labeled as USDT0 or other fabricated tokens not supported by the real XRP Ledger.
The fraudsters intend to draw user attention to links embedded within the transaction details or memos. These links often direct unsuspecting users to external websites, which falsely claim they can assist in claiming or releasing the escrowed assets. Engaging with these sites can result in users authorizing harmful transactions that provide scammers with access to their funds.
The wallet provider urges users not to connect their wallets or approve any transaction requests generated by unknown third-party sites. These unauthorized operations are specifically designed to secure account-level permissions, which could subsequently compromise user assets.
Xaman stressed that simply receiving an unsolicited escrow transaction is not sufficient for scammers to steal funds. For fraud to succeed, users must actively authorize a malicious transaction, granting the attacker the ability to control balances or redirect assets. Unless a user takes such action, their wallet remains secure despite receiving suspicious escrow activity.
Public nature of the XRP Ledger and user limitationsThe XRP Ledger’s decentralized and open structure means that any active wallet can send a transaction to another address without prior approval. As a result, users are unable to stop other parties from sending them transactions or to delete those entries from the ledger.
Xaman likened the process to receiving unwanted physical mail, where recipients cannot determine who sends messages to their address. Additionally, the technical team clarified that any fees associated with these unsolicited transactions are covered by the sender, not the recipient.
The support team’s response notes that users are not financially impacted by network fees in these cases, as those costs are paid entirely by the originator of the scam transaction.
Official guidance and next steps for usersTo further mitigate risk, Xaman has flagged the scammer accounts in its blacklist database and is actively monitoring the situation. The company advises wallet holders to disregard unsolicited escrow transactions, refrain from clicking on suspicious links embedded in transaction metadata, and avoid signing or approving transactions without deliberate intent.
Stone publicly thanked Xaman for its detailed explanation and rapid action, sharing the company’s recommendations across the broader XRP Ledger community. This experience underscores the importance for wallet users to utilize official support channels when encountering unexpected on-chain activity and to avoid direct interaction with transactions that seem unfamiliar.
As the digital asset sector continues to evolve, parallel trends are emerging within traditional financial markets. While monitoring for phishing attempts and new token-based threats remains central for XRP holders, investors are also witnessing a significant transition as Wall Street moves its operations to Web3 infrastructure. Platforms such as 1stepSwap now allow digital asset holders to keep tokenized shares of major U.S. companies, as well as assets like gold and silver, directly in their crypto wallets. By automatically sourcing the best available market prices and removing traditional intermediaries, these solutions are redesigning the landscape for both conventional and crypto-native investors.
Xaman reiterates the need for ongoing vigilance, emphasizing that security depends on users not authorizing or initiating transactions for unrecognized assets or sources. For any unexpected or unclear wallet activity, consulting official support is strongly encouraged before taking action.
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.
XRP futures open interest na Binance v srpnu vzrostl z 181 milionů USD na 232,7 milionu USD. Podle CryptoQuant za tím stály hlavně medvědí pozice a přetrvávající prodejní tlak.
XRP’s price has been under pressure after a recent correction brought it down to a multi-year low of $0.98. Despite this, the derivatives market for XRP on Binance has displayed a notable increase in trading activity.
Latest analytics from CryptoQuant, a leading blockchain data provider, indicated that open interest (OI) in XRP futures on Binance rose sharply in August. Figures show that OI reached $232.7 million on August 17, up from $181 million on August 3. This 28.6% increase pushed XRP’s futures OI to its highest point since June 2026.
Rising open interest generally indicates an influx of new capital and positions in the market. However, the report highlighted that this heightened activity emerged during a period marked by increased volatility and continued price declines for XRP.
An analyst from CryptoQuant observed that the majority of the surge stemmed from intensified bearish positions by traders, rather than fresh bullish momentum. This interpretation is based on several on-chain indicators tracked during the same period.
Market data points to continued sellingThe analytics further tracked XRP’s seven-day open interest trend. Open interest shifted from a decrease of $40 million on July 29 to a gain of $38.9 million by August 17. This swing, according to the report, demonstrates that many traders opened new positions in August, with both bullish and bearish strategies in play.
While open interest rose, Binance’s Perpetual Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD)—which summarizes net buying and selling activity—showed persistent selling pressure, falling to -$463.2 million. This metric provided clearer insight into market sentiment, revealing that aggressive sell-side orders have outweighed buying even as OI climbed.
The combination of a jump in open interest and falling CVD presents mixed signals for XRP. The rising OI might typically suggest renewed interest, yet the dominance of bearish bets paints a less optimistic picture for the short term.
CryptoQuant is a South Korea-based blockchain analytics provider offering real-time data on flow, activity, and sentiment across major cryptocurrencies and exchanges.
Mini dictionary: Open Interest (OI), the total value of outstanding futures or options contracts that have not been settled. Higher OI reflects increased participation and can indicate market sentiment.
XRP open interest on Binance soared from $181 million to $232.7 million between August 3 and August 17, as bearish positions dominated trade and sell-side pressure continued to build.
DateXRP Open Interest (Binance)Cumulative Volume Delta (Binance Perpetual)July 29~$181 million–August 3$181 million–August 17$232.7 million-$463.2 millionDespite hopes for a price recovery, most new trades in $XRP derivatives on Binance have focused on selling, signaling ongoing caution among market participants.
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.
Papa John's oznámil za 2. čtvrtletí výnosy 482,4 mil. USD, meziročně o 8,8 % méně, a globální srovnatelné tržby klesly o 5,7 %. Akcie PZZA po výsledcích spadly zhruba o 17 %.
Papa John's Q2 2026 revenue came in at $482.4 million versus $529.2 million a year earlier, global comparable sales fell 5.7%, and PZZA shares declined following the operating update. Levi & Korsinsky is investigating potential securities law violations.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Papa John's International (NASDAQ: PZZA) shareholders absorbed losses after the Company's Q2 2026 operating update, which reported revenue of $482.4 million -- down 8.8% year over year from $529.2 million -- and a 5.7% decline in global comparable sales. If you lost money on PZZA, you are encouraged to submit your investor information here. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
The reported quarter reflected a wide split between the headline earnings line and the underlying business. Adjusted EPS of $0.46 came in one cent above the $0.45 consensus estimate. In the same update, North American comparable sales declined 8.3%, and the Company reduced full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $180-$190 million from $200-$210 million. Papa John's also suspended its quarterly dividend.
Analyst commentary following the update tied the market reaction to the reduced full-year outlook and the dividend suspension as key drivers of the market reaction, rather than to the adjusted EPS result itself. Levi & Korsinsky is investigating potential securities law violations on behalf of PZZA investors.
Investors who purchased Papa John's shares and suffered losses are encouraged to have their losses evaluated at no cost, or call (212) 363-7500.
ABOUT THE FIRM -- For over two decades, Levi & Korsinsky has represented shareholders in securities class actions. Ranked in ISS Top 50 for seven consecutive years.
Frequently Asked Questions About the PZZA Investigation
Q: How much did PZZA stock drop?Shares fell approximately 17% after Papa John's disclosed Q2 2026 results showing revenue of $482.4 million, down 8.8% year over year, an 8.3% decline in North American comparable sales, reduced full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance, and the suspension of its quarterly dividend.
Q: Which statements are being investigated as potentially misleading?A: The investigation concerns whether Papa John's made materially false or misleading statements regarding North American comparable-sales performance, its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook, and the sustainability of its quarterly dividend.
Q: Who is eligible to participate in the PZZA investigation?A: Investors who purchased PZZA stock or securities and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses -- not on whether you still hold the shares.
Q: What do PZZA investors need to do right now?A: Gather brokerage records showing purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid, then contact Levi & Korsinsky for a free, no-obligation evaluation at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500.
Q: What documents do I need to participate?A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.
Q: What if I already sold my PZZA shares -- can I still recover losses?A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold the shares. Investors who bought PZZA and sold at a loss may still participate in the investigation.
Q: What does it cost me to participate?A: There is no upfront cost. Securities investigations and any resulting recovery efforts are generally handled on a contingency basis -- no retainer and no out-of-pocket costs.
Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony?A: No. Participating in the investigation does not require court appearances or depositions.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Šéf BitMart Sheldon Lee označil obvinění za vykonstruovaná, zatímco uživatelé dál hlásí zmrazené výběry a chybějící výplaty zaměstnanců. Burza po červencovém orderly wind-down obchodní platformy dosud nezveřejnila rezervy ani plán splátek. Oficiální oznámení stanovilo 26. srpen jako poslední den obchodování a doporučený termín pro žádosti o výběr, přičemž přístup k přihlášení má běžet do 31. ledna 2027.
BitMart chief executive Sheldon Lee dismissed accusations circulating on X as fabricated rumors on Monday, hours after a public campaign gave him until August 19 to explain where customer money went.
BitMart announced an orderly wind-down of its trading platform in July. Many users still report blocked withdrawals, and former employees say last month’s salaries remain unpaid.
Why BitMart Users Want Proof of ReservesA Chinese-language account posting as BitMart 币市 published a five-point accountability demand on Monday. It asks Lee and business partner Yi Li to disclose wallets, assets, liabilities, and usable reserves that a third party can verify.
The account also questions who ordered the withdrawal limits. Moreover, it asks when management first knew the platform could no longer process requests normally.
Strain showed up on-chain almost immediately. Ethereum withdrawals surged to a 2026 high within days of the notice, while BMX crashed 46% as the announcement landed.
The July 26 notice stopped deposits and new Bitmart registrations at once. It also switched futures accounts to reduce-only mode, which lets traders close positions but not open fresh ones.
Staff pay sits at the center of the complaint. Rank-and-file employees never decided how company funds were managed, the account argues, so they should not absorb the cost of that decision.
“Let the fund flows be traced clearly. Let users know where their money is. Let employees get back the pay they deserve.”
Legal Threats Replace a Repayment PlanLee skipped the demands point by point. Instead, he said the company had gathered evidence and would file a police report and send a lawyer’s letter to X requesting technical forensics.
Sheldon. Source: XHe added that employee assets carry no priority over client assets. Meanwhile, the reply offered no reserve figures, no liability total, and no repayment timeline.
The campaign wants a repayment plan with an order of priority, a start date, and an independent audit. So far, BitMart has published none of that.
On-chain investigator ZachXBT pushed back within minutes.
“If you actually have the liquidity then simply return the funds to everyone instead of posting vague statements?”
The official notice sets August 26 as the final trading day and the recommended cutoff for withdrawal requests. Login access runs until January 31, 2027.
BitMart is one of several venues to exit this year. Analysts read closures as a healthy reset, though staff cuts at Luno pointed to wider stress. European regulators, meanwhile, opened a custody review under MiCA after an earlier exchange collapse.
Wednesday’s deadline now sets the next test. Verifiable reserve data would answer the question quickly, while another statement without numbers likely will not.
Bitmine přikoupila dalších 9 926 ETH a drží už 4,8 % celkové nabídky Etherea, téměř svůj cíl 5 %. Celkem má 5,815 milionu ETH v hodnotě asi 11 miliard USD.
Bitmine bought another 9,926 ETH last week, bringing its holdings to 5.815 million ETH worth about $11 billion.The Tom Lee-led company now owns about 4.8% of Ethereum’s total supply, nearing its stated goal of 5%.Lee expects tokenization, AI-agent applications and easing financial conditions to support demand for Ethereum and the broader crypto market.Ethereum treasury company Bitmine Immersion added more of the token to its balance sheet, bringing its total holdings up to 5.815 million tokens.
In an announcement Monday, the company led by Chairman Tom Lee said it bought another 9,926 ETH last week, continuing its streak of weekly buys that began in June 2025 when the company launched.
Bitmine, which trades under the ticker BMNR, now holds 4.8% of ETH’s total supply with its tokens worth about $11 billion at the current price of $1,904.
Lee said the ETH/BTC ratio has broken above a years-long downward trend, which he sees as a sign that investors are starting to price in growing demand for Ethereum from tokenization and AI-agent applications.
On the macro front, he expects “easing financial conditions to be a tailwind for crypto,” he said in a statement.
ETH is up about 1.6% over the past 24 hours while BMNR is trading more than 2% higher today.
The company also bought an additional 1.7 million shares of its own stock last week, now owning 20.8 million shares under a previously authorized $4 billion buyback program.
Akcie Wingstop za poslední rok oslabily o 62 %, ale 14. srpna vyskočily o 8 % po oznámení dividendy 0,33 USD na akcii. Tržby vzrostly o 5 %, zatímco srovnatelné tržby klesly o 7,5 %.
It has been a long year for chicken wing chain restaurant Wingstop (WING -7.47%). Its stock price is down 62% over the past year, and it is trading not just at a 52-week low but at a four-year low of around $122 per share.
But is the sell-off finally over? It may be, as Wingstopʻs stock price soared 8% on Aug. 14 -- one of its best days this year.
The catalyst? Aug. 14 was the date of record for its third-quarter dividend, payable on Sept. 5. That led to a surge of interest and may signal that Wingstop is starting to rebound.
Investors were buying in to qualify for the $ 0.33-per-share dividend payout, up from $0.30 last quarter. But beyond that, investors were looking to buy at a reduced valuation as Wingstop's P/E ratio is down to 27, from almost 43 in June.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why Wingstop stock crashed Wingstop stock has been a solid performer over the years, with an average annualized return of about 16% over the past 10 years, beating the S&P 500.
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However, the past few years have been difficult for Wingstop after a huge post-COVID-19 surge. The expansion that followed the surge was derailed by high inflation, higher costs, lower foot traffic, and massive debt for the fast food stock.
At the same time, Wingstop was way too expensive with a P/E ratio of over 100 in 2023 and 2024. Even as recently as June 2025, it was trading at 57 times earnings. It was all a recipe for a crash.
Wingstop is still seeing declining same-store sales. In Q2, they dropped 7.5%, after falling 8.7% in Q1. Wingstop has now had five straight quarters of same-store sales declines.
Is Wingstop a buy now? But there are some bright spots. Revenue increased 5% due mostly to continued expansion, as Wingstop opened 102 new stores in the quarter. Since the company operates on a franchise model, it charges franchise fees on every store, so its aggressive plan to eventually open 10,000 stores globally continues. It currently has 3,255 stores.
But the company is being more strategic about it, looking to expand more internationally, with 2026 on pace to be a record year for international openings. The company now has 527 international stores, up 29% over the past year. There are 2,728 U.S. locations, up 13%.
Wingstop also saw net income increase 17% to $31.3 million, or $1.15 per share, in Q2. This is due to a decrease in the cost of sales as a percentage of sales to 73.3%, from 75.2% in Q2 of 2025. This was driven by a decrease in food, beverage, and packaging costs. Also, selling, general, and administrative expenses dropped to $30.2 million from $32.9 million a year ago.
So, can investors assume the worst is over? No. Wingstop has had false starts before, so a wait-and-see approach may be best.
But the business has had promising results with its Club Wingstop loyalty program and its quicker and more efficient smart kitchens. When you see same-store sales start to increase again and that valuation tick a bit lower, it will be time to buy Wingstop.
Pilgrim's Europe se dohodla na koupi Walkers Deli & Sausage Company od Samworth Brothers, transakce ale ještě čeká na schválení CMA a konzultace se zaměstnanci v Británii.
Subject to Competition and Markets Authority approval | Source: Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
GREELEY, Colo., Aug. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pilgrim's Europe today announced it has agreed to acquire Walkers Deli & Sausage Company from Samworth Brothers, subject to approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and employee consultation in the United Kingdom.
Walkers is one of the UK's most established and respected producers of premium pork products, with a heritage dating back to 1824. The business operates from four production facilities on a single site in Leicester and employs approximately 1,150 team members.
The acquisition represents an important strategic step for Pilgrim's Europe, strengthening its position within the UK food industry and expanding its presence in value-added premium pork categories. It also enhances Pilgrim's footprint in the UK and builds on an existing long-standing relationship between the two businesses, with Pilgrim's currently supplying some of Walkers' raw pork requirements.
Fabio Sandri, CEO of Pilgrim’s, said:
“The addition of Walkers further advances our strategy to grow through a diversified portfolio of value-added food businesses in key markets around the world. This transaction strengthens our European platform, expands our capabilities in value-added foods and supports our long-term growth ambitions. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and confident this acquisition will strengthen our business and create long-term value for our customers, team members and shareholders.”
Walkers has a highly complementary portfolio spanning premium sausages, sliced cooked meats, cooked bacon and snacking products, and pâté. The business serves leading UK retailers and is recognised for its expertise in premium own-label food production.
Ivan Siqueira, President of Pilgrim's Europe, said:
“Walkers is a fantastic business with a proud heritage, a highly skilled team and a strong reputation for quality and innovation. This acquisition is a natural strategic fit for Pilgrim's Europe. We already have a well-established supply relationship with Walkers and see significant opportunities to build on the strengths of both businesses.
By bringing Walkers into Pilgrim's Europe, we will further strengthen our integrated supply chain, expand our presence in attractive premium pork categories and enhance our ability to serve customers across the UK. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to welcoming Walkers' colleagues to the Pilgrim's family following completion of the transaction.”
Samworth Brothers Chief Executive, Simon Wookey added:
“Walkers is an outstanding business that has made a significant contribution to Samworth Brothers over many years. As the protein sector has become increasingly specialised and integrated, we believe Walkers is well positioned for its next phase of growth as part of a business with protein at its core and expertise across the supply chain.
This transaction enables Samworth Brothers to focus investment on the significant growth opportunities we see across Food to Go, Savoury Pastry, Meals and our portfolio of Brands. We are incredibly proud of what our Walkers colleagues have built and grateful for their contribution. We are confident this move provides a strong platform for the business's future success.”
The immediate priority following completion will be to support Walkers Deli & Sausage colleagues through the transition, while maintaining the high levels of service and quality that customers expect.
Together, Pilgrim's Europe and Walkers Deli & Sausage will be well positioned to drive innovation, enhance operational efficiencies, and continue delivering high-quality products to consumers across the UK.
About Pilgrim’s Pride
Pilgrim’s employs approximately 63,000 people and operates protein processing plants and prepared-foods facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the UK, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe. The Company’s primary distribution is through retailers and foodservice distributors. For more information, please visit www.pilgrims.com.
About Pilgrim's Europe
Pilgrim’s Europe is a top UK and European food company employing 17,000+ team members across 40+ sites in the UK, Ireland, France and The Netherlands. We are a leader in making quality food sustainably in partnership with local farmers through our Poultry, Pork, Lamb and Beef supply chains.
Driven by passion and insight, we create better food for everyone, producing own label and branded fresh chicken, pork and lamb, as well as authentic chilled and frozen ready meals, snacking ranges, added value and food service products for multiple markets.
About Samworth Brothers
At Samworth Brothers we do good things with great food. We are a fourth-generation family business manufacturing high quality and ambient food enjoyed by millions of people in the UK and Ireland every day. We have a turnover of £1.8bn, with more than 12,000 colleagues working at sites all over the UK, including Leicestershire, Cornwall, East Sussex and Manchester, and also in Dublin, Ireland. Our customers include major supermarkets, convenience stores, hospitality venues, workplaces and travel outlets.
As a business we seek to be a long-term force for good. We make profit so that we can reinvest in the future of the business and make a positive difference for our people, our communities, and all of our stakeholders.
Tether oznámil, že KPMG U.S. dokončila jeho první plný nezávislý audit a vydala čistý výrok k finančním výkazům za rok 2025. Rezervy kryjící USDT na konci roku převýšily závazky o 6,814 miliardy USD.
Tether announced Thursday that KPMG U.S. completed the company's first full independent financial statement audit, issuing an unqualified opinion on Tether International's 2025 financials and confirming that reserves backing USDT exceeded liabilities by $6.814 billion at year-end.
The distinction between this and what Tether has published before matters more than the headline number. Attestations, which Tether has relied on since 2021, are limited to a snapshot in time, built on a scope the company itself defines, and carry no binding opinion from the accounting firm performing them. A full audit is different in kind: KPMG examined Tether's complete financial statements, transactions, systems, valuations, counterparties, and ownership records, and — notably — physically counted and inspected every individual gold bar Tether holds, verifying existence and identifying information directly rather than relying on custodian reports. The audit covered a balance sheet that includes more than $141 billion in direct and indirect US Treasury exposure, alongside gold and roughly $60 billion in bitcoin, according to Arkham Intelligence data cited by outlets covering the announcement; Tether's own statement did not break out its bitcoin position. CEO Paolo Ardoino called it the "largest inaugural financial audit in history," and noted that critics had spent years insisting an audit of Tether's scale could never actually be completed.
The audit result gave both sides of Tether's long-running credibility debate something to point to. Supporters treated the $6.8 billion surplus and KPMG's clean opinion as vindication after years of unresolved scrutiny. Critics were quicker to note that gold verification, however thorough, addresses only one reserve category, and that KPMG's own network has previously audited firms that later collapsed under fraud allegations — a reminder that a clean audit opinion narrows the range of open questions without eliminating all of them.
The credibility question Tether just answered first became unavoidable in October 2024, where we covered a public accusation that Tether was "a $120 billion scam" with no audit ever completed — a claim that gained traction precisely because it was, at the time, factually true: no independent audit existed, only quarterly attestations Tether itself commissioned. That gap persisted even as Tether pursued a US-facing pivot, with Blockhead reporting last September that Tether launched USAT, a dollar stablecoin built for American compliance through Anchorage Digital, after a 2021 New York Attorney General settlement first forced the company into a regime of quarterly attestations without an admission of wrongdoing. This audit is the step that gap-filling campaign had been building toward.
USDT's market capitalization has passed $180 billion, and Tether has become one of the largest private holders of US government debt globally — a scale where "trust us" stopped being a sufficient answer for regulators and institutional counterparties years ago. A single audit doesn't retroactively resolve every past criticism, and the audited entity is a Tether subsidiary rather than the parent company. But it does convert the central question that's followed Tether since 2017 — do the reserves actually exist — from something only Tether could answer into something a Big Four firm has now put its own name behind. Whether that's enough for the regulators still watching USDT's compliance status under the GENIUS Act, given Tether issues the token from outside the US, is the next question the audit alone can't settle.
