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Cemdisiran could be the first siRNA approved for the treatment of gMG and only therapy to be offered subcutaneously with four times a year dosing

FDA accepted NDA under Priority Review with a target action date in November 2026; European Commission decision anticipated in the second half of 2027

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have accepted the regulatory applications for cemdisiran to treat adult patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) who are anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive. The FDA will review the New Drug Application (NDA) under Priority Review with a target action date in November 2026, following use of a Priority Review Voucher. A decision from the European Commission is anticipated in the second half of 2027.

The submissions are supported by data from the Phase 3 NIMBLE trial evaluating cemdisiran, dosed subcutaneously every 12 weeks, in adults with symptomatic gMG who may be receiving standard of care immunosuppressants based on the investigator’s discretion. Full data from NIMBLE, which is one of the largest global, interventional gMG trials conducted to date, were simultaneously published in The Lancet and presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in April 2026. A regulatory filing in Japan is also planned for early 2027.

MG is a rare and chronic autoimmune disease where abnormal anti-AChR antibodies activate the complement system including C5, disrupting communication between nerves and muscles that results in debilitating and potentially life-threatening muscle weakness. Worldwide, an estimated 150 to 200 out of every million people have MG. In the U.S., the disease impacts approximately 85,000 people. Initial manifestations are usually ocular, but approximately 85% of MG patients experience progression to additional disease manifestations, which is then categorized as generalized MG. For these patients, the disease affects muscles throughout the body, resulting in extreme fatigue and difficulties with facial expression, speech, swallowing and mobility. For patients living with gMG, many continue to experience challenges with disease management including treatments that only address symptoms, long-term burden of immunosuppressants, lack of responsiveness as well as waning effectiveness, which can all affect their quality of life.

The safety and efficacy of cemdisiran, as well as its potential use for the treatment of gMG, are investigational and have not been fully evaluated or approved by any regulatory authority.

Regeneron is solely responsible for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cemdisiran as a monotherapy and in combination with C5 antibodies through a worldwide licensing agreement with Alnylam.

About Regeneron's VelocImmune Technology
Regeneron's VelocImmune technology utilizes a proprietary genetically engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically humanized immune system to produce optimized fully human antibodies. When Regeneron's co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos was a graduate student with his mentor Frederick W. Alt in 1985, they were the first to envision making such a genetically humanized mouse, and Regeneron has spent decades inventing and developing VelocImmune and related VelociSuite® technologies.

Dr. Yancopoulos and his team have used VelocImmune technology to create a substantial proportion of all original, FDA-approved or authorized fully human monoclonal antibodies. This includes REGEN-COV® (casirivimab and imdevimab), Dupixent® (dupilumab), Libtayo® (cemiplimab-rwlc), Praluent® (alirocumab), Kevzara® (sarilumab), Evkeeza® (evinacumab-dgnb), Inmazeb® (atoltivimab, maftivimab and odesivimab-ebgn) and Veopoz® (pozelimab).

About Regeneron
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases, and rare diseases.

Regeneron pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery and accelerates drug development using our proprietary technologies, such as VelociSuite®, which produces optimized fully human antibodies and new classes of bispecific antibodies. We are shaping the next frontier of medicine with data-powered insights from the Regeneron Genetics Center® and pioneering genetic medicine platforms, enabling us to identify innovative targets and complementary approaches to potentially treat or cure diseases.

For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.

Forward-Looking Statements and Use of Digital Media
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties relating to future events and the future performance of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron” or the “Company”), and actual events or results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements concern, and these risks and uncertainties include, among others, the nature, timing, and possible success and therapeutic applications of products marketed or otherwise commercialized by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, “Regeneron’s Products”) and product candidates being developed by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees (collectively, “Regeneron’s Product Candidates”) and research and clinical programs now underway or planned, including without limitation cemdisiran (an investigational siRNA therapeutic targeting C5); the likelihood, timing, and scope of possible regulatory approval and commercial launch of Regeneron’s Product Candidates and new indications for Regeneron’s Products, including cemdisiran for the treatment of adults with generalized myasthenia gravis in the United States and/or European Union as discussed in this press release as well as cemdisiran as a monotherapy or in combination with pozelimab (a C5 antibody) for the treatment of other complement-mediated disorders (including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and/or geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration); uncertainty of the utilization, market acceptance, and/or commercial success of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates and the impact of studies (whether conducted by Regeneron or others and whether mandated or voluntary), including the studies discussed or referenced in this press release, on any of the foregoing or any potential regulatory approval of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates (such as cemdisiran and pozelimab); the ability of Regeneron’s collaborators, licensees, suppliers, or other third parties (as applicable) to perform manufacturing, filling, finishing, packaging, labeling, distribution, and other steps related to Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; the ability of Regeneron to manage supply chains for multiple products and product candidates and risks associated with tariffs and other trade restrictions; safety issues resulting from the administration of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates (such as cemdisiran and pozelimab) in patients, including serious complications or side effects in connection with the use of Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates in clinical trials; determinations by regulatory and administrative governmental authorities which may delay or restrict Regeneron’s ability to continue to develop or commercialize Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight impacting Regeneron’s Products, research and clinical programs, and business, including those relating to patient privacy; the availability and extent of reimbursement or copay assistance for Regeneron’s Products from third-party payors and other third parties, including private payor healthcare and insurance programs, health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit management companies, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; coverage and reimbursement determinations by such payors and other third parties and new policies and procedures adopted by such payors and other third parties; changes to drug pricing regulations and requirements and Regeneron’s pricing strategy, including in connection with Regeneron’s April 2026 agreements with the U.S. government; other changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the healthcare industry; competing products and product candidates (including biosimilar products) that may be superior to, or more cost effective than, Regeneron’s Products and Regeneron’s Product Candidates; the extent to which the results from the research and development programs conducted by Regeneron and/or its collaborators or licensees may be replicated in other studies and/or lead to advancement of product candidates to clinical trials, therapeutic applications, or regulatory approval; unanticipated expenses; the costs of developing, producing, and selling products; the ability of Regeneron to meet any of its financial projections or guidance and changes to the assumptions underlying those projections or guidance; the potential for any license, collaboration, or supply agreement, including Regeneron’s agreements with Sanofi and Bayer (or their respective affiliated companies, as applicable), to be cancelled or terminated; the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics, or pandemics on Regeneron's business; and risks associated with litigation and other proceedings and government investigations relating to the Company and/or its operations (including the pending civil proceedings initiated or joined by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts), risks associated with intellectual property of other parties and pending or future litigation relating thereto (including without limitation the patent litigation and other related proceedings relating to EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection), the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings and investigations, and the impact any of the foregoing may have on Regeneron’s business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition. A more complete description of these and other material risks can be found in Regeneron’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and its Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2026. Any forward-looking statements are made based on management’s current beliefs and judgment, and the reader is cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements made by Regeneron. Regeneron does not undertake any obligation to update (publicly or otherwise) any forward-looking statement, including without limitation any financial projection or guidance, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Regeneron uses its media and investor relations website and social media outlets to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Regeneron is routinely posted and is accessible on Regeneron's media and investor relations website (https://investor.regeneron.com) and its LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/regeneron-pharmaceuticals).

Cerebras Systems CBRS remained in focus Monday after Wedbush reiterated its Outperform rating and $270 price target ahead of the AI chipmaker's first quarterly earnings release as a public company.

Wedbush said demand conditions for Cerebras appear supportive, citing the company's commercial relationships with OpenAI and Amazon. The firm noted that future results may depend more on operational execution and production scaling than customer demand.

Cerebras, which debuted on the Nasdaq in May, is developing large-scale AI processors and computing infrastructure. Wedbush said manufacturing capacity from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) could provide an opportunity for higher-than-expected output over the next two years.

The brokerage also pointed to potential benefits from the company's next-generation WSE-4 processor, which market observers expect could enter production in late 2026 or early 2027. Any updates related to that roadmap may be viewed favorably by investors.

Wedbush added that growing demand for AI inference computing, combined with industry supply constraints, could support Cerebras' longer-term expansion efforts as it seeks a larger position in the AI accelerator market.

The likes of Nvidia (NVDA) and Micron (MU) remain the front and center of all AI-related debates in 2026, but billionaire investor Philippe Laffont is approaching the boom from a different angle.

Speaking recently with CNBC, the founder of Coatue Management revealed his $90 billion hedge fund prefers a classic “picks-and-shovels” strategy rather than wagering on individual chipmakers like NVDA.

His preferred means of gaining exposure to AI include TSMC, Lam Research, and Applied Materials Inc – the foundational silicon factories that every semiconductor company relies on.  

Laffont owns TSMC stock for one simple reason: no matter who designs the next breakthrough AI chip, they must go through Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.

For example, Amazon is deploying its custom Trainium silicon, Alphabet Inc is committed to its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), and a wave of agile startups is entering the GPU space.

Yet, as Laffont points out, “All of them at the end of the day will need the same machines” – and almost all of them depend on TSMC’s cutting-edge foundry nodes to manufacture their silicon.

Holding a sizable stake in TSMC allows Coatue to remain agnostic in the fiercely competitive chip race while steadily capturing the rewards of a capex cycle that shows no signs of slowing down.

To build the microscopic, hyper-dense architectures required for modern AI workloads, specialized hardware is mandatory.

This reality leads Philippe Laffont directly to Lam Research Corp – an industry giant dominant in etching and deposition technology.

Modern artificial intelligence infrastructure is shifting into what the tech investor calls the “agentic era,” in which autonomous software agents execute long, multi-layered workflows.

This technological pivot needs huge amounts of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and specialized advanced packaging – and LRCX manufactures the precise capital equipment needed to etch deep, flawless vertical pathways in advanced memory chips.

For Laffont, owning Lam Research shares provides a direct window into the physical layer of the AI ecosystem, capturing reliable revenue from every tech company building out data centers.

Completing Laffont’s top trio of semiconductor capital equipment holdings is Applied Materials, the world's largest supplier of tools used to fabricate advanced microchips.

As global electronics manufacturing becomes increasingly localized, AMAT shares benefit from massive structural headwinds and government subsidies.

Laffont – an MIT graduate and notable alumnus of Julian Robertson’s Tiger Management – values the company’s near-monopoly on materials engineering solutions.

“If I’m a supplier to the fabs, I don’t need to make an exact bet on which of the chips is going to win,” he explained.

This strategic diversification protects Coatue Management’s portfolio from rapid obsolescence cycles while giving investors exposure to the hyper-growth of global AI factory expansions.

Note that all three names on Philippe Laffont’s list pay a dividend as well.

Abbott (ABT - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Over the past month, shares of this maker of infant formula, medical devices and drugs have returned +0.5%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Medical - Products industry, which Abbott falls in, has lost 3.7%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Abbott is expected to post earnings of $1.28 per share, indicating a change of +1.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

The consensus earnings estimate of $5.48 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +6.4%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.05 indicates a change of +10.5% from what Abbott is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.2%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Abbott.

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of Abbott, the consensus sales estimate of $12.53 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +12.4%. The $50.49 billion and $55.01 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +13.9% and +9%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAbbott reported revenues of $11.16 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.8%. EPS of $1.15 for the same period compares with $1.09 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.02 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.31%. The EPS surprise was +0.88%.

Over the last four quarters, Abbott surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Abbott is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Abbott. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.

In the latest close session, Eli Lilly (LLY - Free Report) was down 1.19% at $1,098.78. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 1.09% for the day. At the same time, the Dow added 0.14%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 1.91%.

The stock of drugmaker has risen by 9.14% in the past month, leading the Medical sector's gain of 3.16% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.29%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Eli Lilly in its upcoming release. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $9.01, showcasing a 42.79% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $20.44 billion, up 31.39% from the year-ago period.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $35.67 per share and revenue of $85.6 billion. These totals would mark changes of +47.34% and +31.33%, respectively, from last year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Eli Lilly. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.06% lower. Right now, Eli Lilly possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Digging into valuation, Eli Lilly currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 31.17. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 15.47.

Also, we should mention that LLY has a PEG ratio of 1.22. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.6 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry is part of the Medical sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 97, positioning it in the top 40% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY | LLY Price Prediction) just reported a quarter that should have sent bulls into a frenzy. Revenue grew 55.5% year over year to $19.80 billion, Mounjaro alone delivered $8.66 billion, and management raised full-year guidance to $82 to $85 billion.

Yet shares are up just 2.57% year to date at $1,098.57. That disconnect is the entire setup for my question: can LLY trade at $1,200 by year-end 2026? I think it can, and the math is closer than most realize.

What’s Holding Eli Lilly Back Right Now The near-term price action has been ugly. LLY is down 5.37% over the past week after touching $1,160.95 on June 11. The one-month picture is better at +7.55%, but the year-to-date number tells the story of a stock stuck in neutral despite booming fundamentals.

The market worries about pricing. Realized prices fell 13% in Q1 as Mounjaro’s addition to China’s NRDL formulary compressed international margins. Lilly also absorbed $584 million in acquired IPR&D charges from its M&A spree.

Add in 11 recent insider transactions skewed toward selling, and you understand the hesitation. With a beta of 0.517, this should be a steady compounder. Right now it is waiting for a catalyst.

Wall Street Sees Roughly 11% Upside. Our Model Sees More The consensus target sits at $1,215.79, supported by 6 Strong Buy, 18 Buy, 5 Hold, 1 Sell and 1 Strong Sell ratings. That works out to 77% bullish. Our internal model is more aggressive. The base case lands at $1,279.62, implying 16.48% upside, with a bull scenario of $1,334.55 and a bear case of $1,062.97. Confidence on the base case is 90%.

Analysts underweight two things: the speed of the Foundayo (oral GLP-1) ramp and retatrutide’s optionality. Barclays already telegraphed where this could go, maintaining a Buy rating with a $1,400 price target. With earnings growth contributing positively to our 247Factor and bullish consensus at 77%, the $1,200 line looks like a floor.

The Path to $1,200 Per Share Reaching $1,200 from today’s price of $1,098.57 requires a gain of 9.2%. With forward EPS of $35.47, a price of $1,200 implies a forward P/E of 34x. Our base case of $1,279.62 already implies 37x, meaning $1,200 sits below our base case multiple and demands no incremental rerating. The stock simply needs to grow into the earnings.

CEO David Ricks framed it on the Q1 call: “2026 is off to a strong start, we delivered 56% revenue growth in the first quarter and raised our full-year revenue guidance by $2 billion. A key milestone was the U.S. FDA approval of Foundayo.”

Early launch metrics are striking: 8,000+ prescribers and 20,000+ patients in weeks, with 80% of scripts new-to-class. Retatrutide’s Phase 3 readout showing weight loss of 25 to 37 pounds and the retatrutide late-stage trial results comparable to or exceeding Zepbound fuel the model. The primary risk remains continued price erosion outpacing volume gains.

Where Eli Lilly Trades Today vs Its Earnings Power At $1,098.57, LLY trades at roughly 31x forward EPS of $35.47. For a business compounding revenue at 28% at the 2026 guidance midpoint with a forward PE of 31x, that looks reasonable. Shares sit 3% below the 52-week high of $1,182.73 and 77.4% above the $619.40 low. The 10-year return of 1,661.56% shows what happens when this company gets a platform right. Today it has two.

Is $1,200 Realistic? Here’s My Take The $1,200 target requires a 9.2% gain from here, and my model’s base case already overshoots it. I view $1,200 by year-end 2026 as realistic.

Three things need to keep going right: Foundayo’s prescriber base must expand, retatrutide’s June obesity readout must confirm the diabetes data, and Q2 must validate the raised guidance. What derails it is sharper-than-expected pricing reset on Mounjaro and Zepbound in the back half. We’ve outlined the blueprint for how Eli Lilly could reach $1,200 in 2026.

The market for anti-obesity drugs seems to be at risk of calcifying into a dominant duopoly. Eli Lilly (LLY +0.70%) and Novo Nordisk (NVO +3.30%) split it through their GLP-1 medicines: Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight management, and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) for type 2 diabetes. Together they hold nearly the entire U.S. market for branded obesity and diabetes treatments. Those are the kind of conditions that may be ripe for a new entrant to disrupt the incumbents.

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX +7.54%) wants to be that challenger. Its lead candidate, VK2735, has strong early data in hand, and comes as both a weekly shot and a daily pill. And because the company's market cap is just $3.5 billion, the stock is small enough that a modest win of market share could translate into an outsize return for shareholders. So let's investigate how and why this biotech could threaten Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Image source: Getty Images.

The biotech's data look good but not great VK2735 is a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, meaning that it uses the same two-target approach as Eli Lilly's tirzepatide.

In one phase 2 trial, a weekly shot of VK2735 led to participants losing up to 14.7% of their weight over 13 weeks; in a separate phase 2 trial, patients taking the pill formulation saw a maximum weight loss of 12.2% over the same period. In both trials, the gastrointestinal side effects reported by patients were overwhelmingly mild or moderate. Importantly, in the injectable trial, the pace of weight loss didn't appear to be tapering at the end of the study period, leaving open the possibility that patients could lose more weight by simply staying on the treatment longer.

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For context, you should also know that in a head-to-head trial, patients treated with tirzepatide lost 20.2% of their body weight over 72 weeks, whereas patients given semaglutide lost only 13.7%. So, over its 13-week study period, Viking's candidate looks competitive with the leaders. Bear in mind, though, that these are separate trials with different patients, doses, and follow-up lengths, so any comparison is suggestive rather than direct. And weight loss on these drugs tends to slow the longer people stay on them.

But while Viking could win an efficacy matchup against Lilly's and Novo Nordisk's best products on the market, it might have a harder time with the late-stage pipeline candidates that those more mature players are trying to bring to the market.

Eli Lilly's candidate retatrutide is a triple agonist, adding glucagon as a target to the GLP-1/GIP pairing. It reported that after 80 weeks of treatment in a phase 3 clinical trial, patients had lost 28.3% of their body weight, with 45% of subjects shedding at least 30% of their weight.

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Similarly, clinical trial data for Novo Nordisk's candidate, CagriSema, show that patients lost about 22.7% of their body weight after 68 weeks of treatment. The company has already filed approval paperwork with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Viking's candidate is likely still competitive with both of those other programs, as its study period was much shorter. But be aware that the odds of VK2735 being approved and becoming a decisive win for the biotech are slim; it's still an underdog in the GLP-1 market it's targeting.

The base case is decent Viking Therapeutics could threaten the top and bottom lines of both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, if VK2735's late-stage trials confirm the data already published. If the market for weight loss medicines reaches $100 billion before the end of the decade, as some analysts predict, seizing even a 1% share of the market would lift the biotech's valuation well above its current level.

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The phase 3 trials for the injectable formulation of VK2735 only finished enrolling earlier this year, and because the studies run well over a year, their top-line data won't arrive before 2027. The oral formulation's phase 3 is expected to begin around the end of this year.

If both trials replicate the earlier results, it'll signal that Viking Therapeutics' chances of becoming a player in weight loss drugs have improved from "fair" to "pretty good." If, on the other hand, the data show that VK2735 is actually better than what Lilly and Novo Nordisk can deliver with their next crop of weight-loss candidates in the pipeline, the entire situation will shift, and its odds of being a more formidable threat will rise sharply.

Key Takeaways Biotech stocks are exhibiting relative strength amid a 5-year technical breakout. The sector is benefiting from AI-driven efficiency gains. Biotech valuations are near historic lows. Biotech’s Brutal Bear Market Starting in early 2021, the notoriously difficult-to-invest-in biotech sector suffered one of its most brutal bear markets in history. The iShares Biotechnology ETF ((IBB - Free Report) ), a proxy for the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index and pure-play biotech companies, slumped 33%, failing to notch fresh highs for more than four years. While a 33% drawdown may not seem like much in a vacuum, such a drawdown has far more meaning when compared to the S&P 500 Index, which rose more than 60% over the same period.

While U.S. markets have enjoyed a multi-year rally mainly driven by big tech, while biotech has suffered a volatile, choppy, and prolonged sell-off. Although large-cap, cash-rich, mega-cap biotech stocks saw less pain, numerous clinical-stage, speculative biotech stocks loss 50% of their value or more. What caused the carnage?

·       Higher Interest Rates: Early-stage biotech companies often must rely on borrowed money for a decade or more. Interest rate hikes made borrowing more expensive for these companies.

·       Post-COVID Hype Died: While biotech companies were the poster-child of the COVID-19 era on Wall Street, “tourist” investors rushed for the exits afterward, causing selling pressure.

·       Regulatory Red Tape: The Biden Administration’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took a very “hawkish” approach to mergers and acquisitions (M&A). M&A is the lifeblood of the biotech sector. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) introduced government negotiations for Medicare, chilling investment in certain therapeutic areas.

Has Biotech Turned the Corner?The biotech sector is showing promising signs that it has turned the corner. Often, the first sign of a turnaround shows its hand in price, which is why legendary investor Stanley Druckenmiller prefers to “invest, then investigate.” That’s exactly what’s occurring in biotech. The IBB is exhibiting extraordinary relative strength. For instance, the Nasdaq dropped nearly 1,000 points on Tuesday. However, IBB bucked the weakness and gained nearly a percent for the session.

Meanwhile, the longer timeframe also shows promising relative strength. While many tech stocks have plunged off recent highs, IBB is making new highs and is on the cusp of breaking out of a massive 5-year base. As the old Wall Street adage goes, “The longer the base, the higher in space!”

Image Source: TradingView

5 Reasons to Own Biotech Biotech’s bull case goes far beyond its price action. Below are 5 reasons to own the sector:

AI Will Drive Discovery, Reduce CostsDiscovering a drug and passing a clinical trial can result in years of research and development (R&D) expenses. However, that is likely to change with the advent of high-powered AI models. Predictive AI models and advanced computing infrastructure will dramatically reduce R&D expenses and shave off years of R&D time.

M&A & Reduced Red TapeBetween now and the end of the decade, the biotech industry faces a tsunami of patent expirations on blockbuster drugs. For instance, the Novartis ((NVS - Free Report) ) heart failure blockbuster drug recently lost key patents, and the Pfizer ((PFE - Free Report) ) breast cancer drug will soon. These massive revenue hits will cause big tech companies to acquire clinical-stage biotech companies to fill the void. Additionally, a less hawkish FTC means that more acquisitions are likely to be given the green light.

The Coming GLP-1 SupercycleBreakthrough GLP-1 drugs like Eli Lilly’s ((LLY - Free Report) ) “Mounjaro” are likely to lead to a biotech super cycle. In fact, GLP-1s are the closest thing the biotech industry has produced to a wonder drug. For instance, GLP-1s have proven to dramatically reduce obesity, inflammation, and the risk of cardiovascular-related death.

Rock-Bottom ValuationsBiotech’s multi-year bear market has resulted in poor sentiment and rock-bottom valuations – a recipe for a bull market. For example, Pfizer’s P/E is currently hovering near an all-time low.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Diversification & DefenseWall Street’s AI frenzy has likely led to overconcentration in the tech sector. As a result, money managers may look to diversify into biotech and defensive healthcare names.

Bottom Line

With the regulatory friction of a hawkish FTC easing, massive big-pharma cash piles searching for pipeline replacements, and game-changing AI efficiencies coming online, the biotech sector’s fundamentals have fundamentally transformed.

Modular design and integrated automation controls to help fast-track and optimize new Brazil refinery, expected to be one of the largest in the world

Acelen will use a sustainable feedstock native to Brazil, macaúba oil, to produce renewable fuels

, /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) today announced that its modular Ecofining™ process technology, specialized pumps, compressors, and integrated control and safety systems will help drive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel production for Acelen Renewables' greenfield site in Bahia, Brazil.

With SAF demand projected to increase to nearly 500,000 barrels per day over the next decade1, refiners are looking for ways to scale production quickly and efficiently. Honeywell's modular delivery model shortens construction time and lowers costs, allowing SAF production faster than traditional methods.

"Brazil is set to produce the fuel of the future through a project that is sustainable—economically, socially, and environmentally," said Marcelo Cordaro, COO of Acelen Renewables. "The Bahia facility project supports biodiversity and fosters an economy based on sustainability. Honeywell's process technology and automation expertise will help maximize the production of lower-emission fuels at our facility, supporting the growing global demand for renewable fuels."

The Honeywell UOP Ecofining process, developed with Eni SpA, efficiently converts waste fats, oils, and greases into renewable diesel and SAF that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% when blended with conventional jet fuel2.

"Honeywell's low-carbon process technologies are enabling companies like Acelen to address the growing demand for renewable fuels by using a variety of feedstocks," said Ken West, president and CEO of Honeywell Process Technology. "Technology and integrated automation play a pivotal role in reducing the cost of renewable fuels, which is essential for broad adoption. Advances in Honeywell's technology have reduced the cost to produce SAF and the use of novel, low-cost feedstocks will help further reduce production costs."

Honeywell has delivered more than 1,500 modular process units, across multiple technologies, worldwide. Honeywell's integrated control and safety system is enriched by Honeywell UOP's vast operational expertise and cutting-edge technologies and is embedded within the Experion® PKS platform. As a result, it can significantly reduce project timelines and risks while helping to optimize biofuel production to achieve operational excellence. The combination of process technology and automation provides a platform for digitization and data driven operating insights.

About Honeywell
Honeywell is an integrated operating company serving a broad range of industries and geographies around the world, with a portfolio that is underpinned by our Honeywell Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Forge platform. As a trusted partner, we help organizations solve the world's toughest, most complex challenges, providing actionable solutions and innovations for aerospace, building automation, industrial automation, process automation, and process technology, that help make the world smarter and safer as well as more secure and sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. 

Contact:

Media  
Whitney Ellis
704-621-4354
[email protected]

SOURCE Honeywell

Earnings are arguably the most important single number on a company's quarterly financial report. Wall Street clearly dives into all of the other metrics and management's input, but the EPS figure helps cut through all the noise.

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP, or Expected Surprise Prediction, aims to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions. The basic premise is that if an analyst reevaluates their earnings estimate ahead of an earnings release, it means they likely have new information that could possibly be more accurate.

The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.

When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Union Pacific?The last thing we will do today, now that we have a grasp on the ESP and how powerful of a tool it can be, is to quickly look at a qualifying stock. Union Pacific (UNP - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $3.15 a share 30 days away from its upcoming earnings release on July 23, 2026.

By taking the percentage difference between the $3.15 Most Accurate Estimate and the $3.14 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Union Pacific has an Earnings ESP of +0.29%. Investors should also know that UNP is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 22, 2026) - Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. (TSXV: SM) (OTCQX: SMDRF) ("Sierra Madre") and First Majestic Silver Corp. (NYSE: AG) (TSX: AG) (FSE: FMV) ("First Majestic", and together with Sierra Madre, the "Parties") are pleased to announce that, pursuant to the share purchase agreement dated December 17, 2025 (the "Share Purchase Agreement") between Sierra Madre and First Majestic, Sierra Madre has completed its previously announced acquisition (the "Acquisition") of First Majestic Del Toro, S.A. de C.V. ("Subco"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Majestic incorporated under the laws of Mexico that holds a 100% interest in the Del Toro Silver Mine ("Del Toro"), as described in further detail in Sierra Madre's and First Majestic's news releases dated December 17, 2025 and Sierra Madre's management information circular dated March 24, 2026 (the "Circular"). All amounts herein are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise stated in U.S. dollars ("US$").

Alex Langer, Sierra Madre's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The acquisition of Del Toro marks an important step for Sierra Madre Gold and Silver as we advance towards mid-tier silver production. A past-producing asset of this scale is a complementary addition to our Mexico-focused silver portfolio. With existing production infrastructure in place, our focus now turns to near-term resource expansion drilling, with approximately 30,000 metres planned. This program is expected to support an updated Mineral Resource estimate, followed by a potential mine restart, positioning the asset for a return to cash flow generation. We see significant upside at Del Toro, both from resource growth and restart potential. We are excited to get boots on the ground at Del Toro and wish to thank First Majestic for their continued support and trust."

Under the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, and as further described in the Circular, Sierra Madre acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Subco in exchange for a cash payment of US$20,000,000 and the issuance to First Majestic of 10,870,000 common shares of Sierra Madre (the "Common Shares") at a deemed price of $1.30 per Common Share, with each occurring at closing. In addition, within 18 months of closing the Acquisition, Sierra Madre must pay First Majestic US$10,000,000 in cash or, at Sierra Madre's option, Common Shares at a price per Common Share equal to the market price (as determined in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV")) on the day prior to issuance of the Common Shares, subject to a maximum of 10,575,385 Common Shares, provided that if the aggregate deemed value (based on the market price of the Common Shares on the day prior to issuance) of the maximum number of Common Shares does not equal US$10,000,000, the remaining balance will be paid in cash.

The Share Purchase Agreement also sets out the following future milestone-related payments:

if, within 48 months of closing the Acquisition, Sierra Madre files a National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") technical report over any or all of Del Toro that demonstrates "mineral resources" (as defined in NI 43-101) of at least 100 million ounces ("Moz") silver equivalent ("AgEq") or Sierra Madre issues a news release announcing "mineral resources" of at least 100 Moz AgEq (whichever occurs earlier), Sierra Madre must pay First Majestic an additional US$10,000,000 in cash or, at Sierra Madre's option, Common Shares at a price per Common Share equal to the market price (as determined in accordance with the policies of the TSXV) on the day prior to issuance of the Common Shares, subject to a maximum of 10,575,385 Common Shares, provided that if the aggregate deemed value (based on the market price of the Common Shares on the day prior to issuance) of the maximum number of Common Shares does not equal US$10,000,000, the remaining balance will be paid in cash; andif, within 60 months of closing the Acquisition, Sierra Madre achieves commercial production at Del Toro of at least 4,000 tonnes per day ("tpd") for 30 consecutive days, Sierra Madre must pay First Majestic an additional US$10,000,000 in cash or, at Sierra Madre's option, Common Shares at a price per Common Share equal to the market price (as determined in accordance with the policies of the TSXV) on the day prior to issuance of the Common Shares, subject to a maximum of 10,575,385 Common Shares, provided that if the aggregate deemed value (based on the market price of the Common Shares on the day prior to issuance) of the maximum number of Common Shares does not equal US$10,000,000, the remaining balance will be paid in cash.All Common Shares issued to First Majestic in connection with the Acquisition will be subject to a hold period ending on the date that is four months and one day following the date of issuance of the Common Shares. In addition, First Majestic has agreed to the following contractual resale restrictions on all such Common Shares issued:

Release DatesProportion of Total Escrowed Securities to 
be ReleasedDecember 19, 202625%June 19, 202725%December 19, 202725%June 19, 202825%As First Majestic is an insider of the Company, the Acquisition is a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Sierra Madre relied on the exemption from the requirement of a formal valuation for the Acquisition pursuant to subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 as its Shares are not listed on a specified market. Sierra Madre was not exempt from the minority shareholder approval requirements in MI 61-101, and the Acquisition was approved by a simple majority of the votes cast at the Siera Madre's special meeting of shareholders held on April 28, 2026 excluding, for the purposes of MI 61-101, votes attached to Shares held by First Majestic or any other persons described in items (a) through (d) of Section 8.1(2) MI 61-101. For further details, please refer to the management information circular dated March 24, 2026 available on Sierra Madre's website at www.sierramadregoldandsilver.com and on Sierra Madre's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Concurrent Financing

Concurrent with the Acquisition, Sierra Madre completed a brokered private placement offering of subscription receipts of Sierra Madre (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $1.30 per Subscription Receipt (the "Concurrent Financing") pursuant to an agency agreement dated January 14, 2026 (the "Agency Agreement") among Sierra Madre, Beacon Securities Limited ("Beacon"), as lead agent and sole bookrunner, and a syndicate of agents including Canaccord Genuity Corp., BMO Capital Markets and VSA Capital Limited (together with Beacon, the "Agents").

In connection with the Concurrent Financing, Sierra Madre issued an aggregate of 44,231,300 Subscription Receipts for aggregate gross proceeds of $57,500,690, including the full exercise of the Agents' option, in two tranches: (i) on January 14, 2026, Sierra Madre closed the first tranche and issued 30,521,724 Subscription Receipts for aggregate gross proceeds of $39,678,241; and (ii) on January 30, 2026, Sierra Madre closed the second and final tranche and issued 13,709,576 Subscription Receipts for aggregate gross proceeds of $17,822,449.

Each Subscription Receipt was deemed to be exercised, without payment of any additional consideration, for one Common Share immediately prior to closing of the Acquisition. Sierra Madre used the net proceeds of the Concurrent Financing to fund the completion of the Acquisition and intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds for exploration and development of Del Toro and for general working capital purposes.

Early Warning Disclosure

Pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, upon closing of the Acquisition, First Majestic acquired 10,870,000 Common Shares at a deemed price of $1.30 per Common Share.

Immediately prior to closing of the Acquisition, First Majestic beneficially owned or controlled 51,563,076 Common Shares of Sierra Madre, representing approximately 26.18% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis.

As a result of the Acquisition, First Majestic now beneficially owns or controls a total of 62,433,076 Common Shares representing approximately 24.77% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares as of the date of this news release on a non-diluted basis.

The Common Shares acquired by First Majestic are for investment purposes. First Majestic has no current intention to enter into any of the transactions listed in clauses (a) to (k) of item 5 of Form 62-103F1 of National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues ("NI 62-103"), but in the future First Majestic may acquire or dispose of securities of Sierra Madre depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors, in each case in accordance with applicable securities laws.

This news release and First Majestic's corresponding early warning report (the "Early Warning Report"), which is expected to be filed on SEDAR+ in the near term, constitutes the required disclosure pursuant to section 5.2 of National Instrument 62-104 Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104").

The Early Warning Report that will be filed on SEDAR+ will satisfy the requirement of section 5.2 of NI 62-104 to have the Early Warning Report filed by an acquiror, in this case by First Majestic, with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which Sierra Madre is a reporting issuer and which contains the information required by section 3.1 of NI 62-103, which includes the information required by Form 62-103F1.

A copy of the Early Warning Report filed by First Majestic in connection with the Acquisition will be available under First Majestic's profile on SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Sierra Madre

Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. is a precious metals development and exploration company focused on the Guitarra mine in the Temascaltepec mining district, Mexico, and the exploration and development of its Tepic property in Nayarit, Mexico. The Guitarra mine is a permitted underground mine, which includes a 500 tpd processing facility that operated until mid-2018 and restarted commercial production in January 2025.

The +2,600 ha Tepic Project hosts low-sulphidation epithermal gold and silver mineralization with an existing historic resource.

Sierra Madre's management team has played key roles in managing the exploration and development of silver and gold mineral reserves and mineral resources. Sierra Madre's team of professionals has collectively raised over $1 billion for mining companies.

On behalf of the board of directors of Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd.,

"Alexander Langer"

Cautionary Note

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Parties do not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, the intended use of proceeds from the Concurrent Financing, Sierra Madre's exploration and development plans for Del Toro, Sierra Madre's general business and growth strategy and the amount of cash and number of shares received as consideration by First Majestic per the milestone payments contemplated under the Share Purchase Agreement.

In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Parties have applied several material assumptions, including that Sierra Madre will have sufficient capital to fund its planned exploration and development activities at Del Toro and that there will be no material adverse changes to applicable laws, regulations or market conditions. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Parties to control or predict, that may cause Sierra Madre's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, changes in commodity prices and general economic, market and business conditions.

Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/302269

Source: First Majestic Silver Corp.

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Next-generation organics processing facility designed to significantly expand composting capacity across Southern California

, /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG), has started construction on the San Bernardino Sustainability Park, a next‑generation organics processing facility designed to significantly expand composting capacity across Southern California. The facility is expected to open in late 2026.

The Republic Services San Bernardino Sustainability Park, located in San Bernardino County will play a critical role in helping communities meet California's SB 1383 organic waste reduction requirements while advancing a more circular approach to material management.

"The San Bernardino Sustainability Park strengthens local organics infrastructure while helping communities divert organic waste from landfills," said Chris Seney, director of organics for Republic Services. "It's a circular solution that puts organic material back to work in the communities it comes from."

Once operational, the facility is expected to deliver multiple regional benefits, including:

Reducing the volume of organic waste sent to landfills Limiting long‑haul transportation to distant processors Lowering associated vehicle emissions Returning locally produced, high-quality compost back to surrounding communities Creating new jobs during construction and ongoing operations. Located on a 140‑acre site, with 60 acres dedicated to compost operations, the facility will utilize advanced aerated static pile composting technology, which accelerates processing times while producing high‑quality compost. The facility will initially process more than 300,000 tons of yard and food waste material annually, with planned scalability to 600,000 tons per year. Modern depackaging technology will also be used to remove waste contamination and improve material quality.

The San Bernadino Sustainability Park will be supported by a network of Republic Services transfer stations throughout the region, making it a significant organics hub for Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Republic Services is a leader in organics recycling and processing in California, with 17 facilities throughout the state, including six compost sites, six commercial food waste preprocessing facilities, four green waste sites and an anaerobic digester. In 2025, the company processed 886,000 tons of food and yard waste across the state, helping customers and communities divert organic material from landfills for beneficial reuse.

About Republic Services
Republic Services, Inc. is a leader in the environmental services industry. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides customers with the most complete set of products and services, including recycling, solid waste, special waste, hazardous waste and field services. Republic's industry‑leading commitments to advance circularity and support decarbonization are helping deliver on its vision to partner with customers to create a more sustainable world. For more information, visit RepublicServices.com.

Republic Services Media Relations
[email protected] 
(480) 757-9770

SOURCE Republic Services, Inc.

New product offers a unified execution architecture, bringing intelligence, resilience and enterprise scalability to modern manufacturing operations

, /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced the availability of FactoryTalk® ResilientEdge™, a next-generation execution architecture designed to support autonomous manufacturing operations across highly-automated environments.

Hayden Foot, Senior Product Manager, Rockwell Automation, introduces FactoryTalk ResilientEdge.

With Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk ResilientEdge, users have an accessible and unified execution layer. Built on FactoryTalk Optix™ and integrated across Rockwell Automation's portfolio, including Plex Manufacturing Execution System (MES), FactoryTalk ResilientEdge creates a single execution layer that spans machines, people and production systems. The platform delivers predictable, low-latency execution at the edge along with cloud capabilities that enable analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) training and enterprise orchestration. The combination of edge and cloud means that operations are continuous even if connectivity is lost.

A Unified Execution Model
FactoryTalk ResilientEdge turns advanced manufacturing capabilities into a standard operating infrastructure by unifying plant models, connectivity, execution and intelligence into a single framework. Within FactoryTalk ResilientEdge, users will find a variety of innovative features: shared production model, native and interoperable connectivity, real-time edge execution with embedded business logic, cloud-scale analytics, and AI. The result is an execution system that eliminates the divide between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), dramatically reducing the complexity of deploying and evolving modern manufacturing operations.

"At a time when 95% of manufacturers are advancing AI and machine learning initiatives, FactoryTalk ResilientEdge enables a new class of manufacturing execution," said Anthony Murphy, vice president of product management, Rockwell Automation. "Manufacturers can scale automation, intelligence, and autonomy across their operations while preserving the economic and scalability advantages of the cloud, helping manufacturers deploy faster and lower their total cost of ownership."

Enabling AI-Driven Autonomy
Modern automation initiatives require reliable execution, structured data flow and scalable architecture as the foundation for advanced analytics and AI initiatives. FactoryTalk ResilientEdge delivers a resilient execution layer that supports advanced analytics, AI and closed-loop optimization without compromising plant-level performance.

Secure, Interoperable and Built to Scale
FactoryTalk ResilientEdge helps manufacturers modernize operations by improving operational resiliency, optimized for Rockwell Automation ecosystems while remaining open and interoperable across heterogeneous production environments. The security, interoperability and scalability of the new offering is a testament to Rockwell's elastic MES solutions.

Faster Deployment and Lower Lifecycle Cost
By reducing integration complexity, centralizing monitoring and supporting modular scalability, FactoryTalk ResilientEdge can lower lifecycle costs and accelerate deployment. FactoryTalk ResilientEdge capabilities can be deployed as needed, supporting companies who phase their modernization strategy.

Representing a foundational shift in how manufacturers can scale execution systems, FactoryTalk ResilientEdge is available globally today.

Learn more about FactoryTalk ResilientEdge here.

About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries as of fiscal year end 2025. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

SOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Key Takeaways Pembina Pipeline gained 24.5% in six months, outperforming its sector and sub-industry peers.PBA raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance after a stronger marketing performance and market conditions.PBA is advancing major projects backed by demand and contracts to support future earnings growth. Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PBA - Free Report) is one of Canada’s premier energy infrastructure companies, operating a vast network of pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, liquids infrastructure, storage assets and export terminals. Its integrated business model provides end-to-end services that connect production sites with key markets across North America and beyond. Backed largely by long-term, fee-based agreements, Pembina Pipeline generates stable and predictable cash flows while maintaining a strong focus on operational safety, reliability and disciplined capital allocation. The company continues to invest in strategic infrastructure projects aimed at supporting resource development, improving market connectivity and reinforcing its competitive position in a changing global energy environment.

For investors, the central question is whether the stock’s recent strong performance justifies maintaining a position for additional upside or warrants a reassessment of valuation levels. Evaluating Pembina Pipeline’s financial strength, favorable industry dynamics and long-term growth opportunities can provide valuable insight into whether the stock remains an attractive holding.

PBA’s Price PerformanceIn the past six months, PBA’s shares have gained 24.5%, outperforming the broader oil and energy sector's rise of 19.3% and the Oil & Gas Production and Pipelines sub-industry’s growth of 17.3%.

PBA’s Six-Month Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Core Strengths of Pembina PipelineStrong Fee-Based Business Model Provides Stable Cash Flows: Pembina Pipeline's business remains heavily supported by long-term, fee-based contracts, insulating earnings from commodity price volatility. Management highlighted that the fee-based business is performing ahead of plan and continues to support the company's target of approximately 5% annual adjusted EBITDA-per-share growth through 2026. This predictable cash flow profile allows Pembina Pipeline to fund growth projects, maintain balance sheet strength and support shareholder returns even during periods of energy market uncertainty. The stability of its pipeline and midstream infrastructure network makes the company particularly attractive for income-oriented and risk-conscious investors.

Upward Revision to 2026 EBITDA Guidance Signals Momentum: Following a strong first quarter, management increased its 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance range to C$4.35-C$4.55 billion, representing a midpoint increase of approximately C$175 million from prior expectations. The upgrade reflects stronger marketing performance, improved commodity-related opportunities and favorable market conditions. Raising guidance early in the year demonstrates confidence in operating performance and suggests earnings momentum is stronger than originally anticipated. Companies that consistently outperform and raise forecasts often command higher valuation multiples over time.

A Positive 2026 Earnings Estimate: The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PBA’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.28 per share, indicating 20% year-over-year growth. The positive earnings estimate outlook makes the stock attractive for investors.

PBA’s Earnings Estimate Overview
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Significant Growth Project Portfolio Creates Long-Term Upside: The company continues to advance a substantial portfolio of projects, including Cedar LNG, the RFS IV fractionator, Alliance Pipeline expansion and the Greenlight Electricity Center. Several projects are progressing on time and under budget, while others are approaching final investment decisions. These developments should contribute incremental earnings over the next several years and expand Pembina Pipeline's integrated value chain. Importantly, many of these projects are backed by customer demand and long-term contracts, increasing the likelihood that future capital investments will generate attractive returns.

Risks That Could Hinder PBA's GrowthDeclining EBITDA in the First Quarter of 2026: Despite a solid quarter overall, first-quarter adjusted EBITDA fell approximately 3% from the prior year. Management attributed the decline partly to the new Alliance Pipeline toll structure and revenue-sharing mechanisms, as well as weaker NGL marketing economics earlier in the quarter. While the company expects improvement going forward, the decline highlights that regulatory changes, contract renegotiations and market conditions can offset volume growth and operational improvements, creating headwinds for earnings expansion.

Earnings Remain Exposed to Commodity-Related Marketing Activities: Although Pembina Pipeline's core business is fee-based, a meaningful portion of earnings still comes from marketing operations that are influenced by commodity prices, frac spreads and market conditions. Management acknowledged that guidance improvements were driven largely by stronger marketing expectations. If propane prices weaken, frac spreads narrow, or global energy markets soften, marketing profits could decline materially. This introduces earnings variability and can make financial results less predictable than those of a purely regulated pipeline operator.

Elevated Leverage Due to Growth Investments: Pembina Pipeline expects its debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio to range between approximately 3.5x and 3.7x in 2026. While manageable for a midstream company, leverage remains elevated due to ongoing capital spending and investments such as Cedar LNG. Rising interest rates, weaker earnings, or unexpected project expenditures could place additional pressure on the balance sheet. Investors seeking highly conservative financial profiles may view this leverage level as a potential concern.

Dependence on Producer Activity Levels: The company’s infrastructure volumes depend heavily on drilling activity and production levels from upstream energy companies. While management expects long-term production growth in Western Canada, short-term activity can fluctuate due to commodity price swings, mergers among producers, or changes in drilling plans. If upstream operators reduce capital spending, throughput volumes on Pembina Pipeline’s pipelines and facilities could decline, affecting revenues.

Final Thoughts on PBA StockPembina Pipeline appears well-positioned with its stable fee-based contract structure and upward 2026 EBITDA revision that supports predictable cash flows. Ongoing expansion projects and LNG export opportunities also provide visible long-term growth potential, while positive earnings expectations reinforce confidence in its operational outlook.

However, recent EBITDA pressure, exposure to commodity market fluctuations and the company’s heavy capital spending phase introduce near-term financial risks and potential earnings volatility. Given the balance between solid long-term fundamentals and short-term uncertainties, a wait-and-see approach appears prudent for this company, allowing investors to participate in structural upside while waiting for clearer earnings traction.

Key PicksCurrently, PBA has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the energy sector may consider some top-ranked stocks like Global Partners LP (GLP - Free Report) , Crescent Energy Company (CRGY - Free Report) and CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Global Partners is a Delaware limited partnership formed by affiliates of the Slifka family. It owns, controls or has access to one of the largest terminal networks of refined petroleum products in New England. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GLP’s 2026 earnings indicates 113.1% year-over-year growth.

Crescent Energy is a U.S. onshore oil and gas producer focused on three major basins: the Eagle Ford in Texas, the Permian in Texas and New Mexico and the Uinta in Utah. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRGY’s 2026 earnings indicates 39.4% year-over-year growth.

CrossAmerica Partners engages in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, consisting of gasoline and diesel fuel, and owns and leases real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CAPL’s 2026 earnings indicates 4% year-over-year growth.

Cathie Wood has been taking it slow with her shopping sprees lately. The co-founder, CEO, and chief investment officer at Ark Invest has been doing more selling than buying across her firm's aggressive growth exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Wood kicked off the new trading week by buying shares in Space Exploration (SPCX +1.61%), Roblox (RBLX 0.34%), and Alamar Biosciences (ALMR +0.70%). They were the only three stocks she purchased on Monday. Let's take a closer look at these fresh purchases.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. SpaceX It's been a wild first six days of trading for SpaceX stock. Following the record-shattering IPO, shares rose sharply in their first three days on the market, only to give most of those gains away in the past three trading sessions.

Just 3% above its first-day trade of $150, the stock has shed nearly a third of its value since peaking a week ago. But despite the swift pullback, SpaceX remains one of just seven U.S. exchange-listed stocks with market caps north of $2 trillion.

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There is some truth to the hype around this stock, because there's more to it than just pie-in-the-sky dreams of data centers in space. It offers a blank easel for the future. Starlink is the real deal, a global communications platform serving rural markets and providing connectivity for enterprises, governments, the military, and consumers in hard-to-reach areas. SpaceX is leading the pack in launches, and if Starship can nail its reusability and reliability, this will be the beginning of what's possible as costs move lower.

But SpaceX isn't cheap. It's trading for more than 100 times its trailing revenue of $19.3 billion. Analysts see it turning profitable on an adjusted basis next year -- and on a reported basis come 2028 -- but those multiples are even higher. 

Wood was able to get into the company ahead of its IPO for Ark investors. This week was the first time since the stock's debut that she was buying again. She clearly sees an opportunity after its six-day public journey.

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2. Roblox Shares of Roblox tumbled 8% on Tuesday, shedding more than half of their value over the past year. The online gaming platform developer has seen better days, although it may not seem that way at first. Roblox was entertaining 132 million daily active users on its platform, a 35% jump over the past year. The 31 billion hours of engagement on Roblox in the first three months of this year mark a 43% increase. It's great to see usage outpace the user base, right?

But zoom in a bit closer, sequentially, and the trend is less forgiving. The number of daily active users has fallen from a peak of 152 million in the third quarter of last year to 144 million in the fourth quarter, and then settled at 132 million today. Hours engaged have also experienced back-to-back quarters of sequential declines.

Losses continue, too. Roblox's stock more than tripled over the previous three years, but now the concern is whether it can get back on track. The year-over-year comparisons will get harder, particularly for the third quarter that starts in a week. Thankfully for those viewing this as a compelling entry opportunity, Roblox has bounced back from weakness before.

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3. Alamar Biosciences It's been two months since Alamar Biosciences went public at $17 per share. It didn't get the same kind of media attention as SpaceX, and it raised less than $220 million before fees in its April IPO.

Alamar is interesting. It's a commercial-stage proteomics company that leverages proprietary technology for protein detection and analysis to enable early disease detection. Unlike many bioscience debutantes, Alamar is already generating revenue in the form of instruments and consumables. It's a classic early stage razor-and-blades business.

Revenue almost doubled to $26 million in the first-quarter results it posted last month, obviously its first report as a public company. Outright profitability is still a few years away, but this is still roughly a ground-floor opportunity for today's investors. The stock is trading less than 1% from its IPO price of $22.60 and 16% below its April high.

Bumble Inc. (BMBL - Free Report) closed at $2.96 in the latest trading session, marking a -3.27% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.22%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.98%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.35%.

The company's shares have seen a decrease of 3.16% over the last month, not keeping up with the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 1.19% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.56%.

The upcoming earnings release of Bumble Inc. will be of great interest to investors. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $0.24, signifying a 62.50% drop compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $210.02 million, indicating a 15.39% downward movement from the same quarter last year.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $0.99 per share and revenue of $836.19 million, indicating changes of +116.42% and -13.41%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Bumble Inc. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Bumble Inc. is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.

Looking at its valuation, Bumble Inc. is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 3.09. This expresses a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 18.64 of its industry.

It's also important to note that BMBL currently trades at a PEG ratio of 0.1. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Internet - Software industry stood at 1.03 at the close of the market yesterday.

The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 86, putting it in the top 36% of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.

Key Takeaways FIS launched Trade & Distribution Manager to automate the full secondary loan trading lifecycle.Fidelity National reported Banking Solutions revenues up 45% and lending ACV up 63% in Q1 2026.FIS integrates the new platform with existing lending tools for one commercial lending system. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS - Free Report) recently launched Trade & Distribution Manager, a dedicated secondary loan trading platform designed to automate the entire loan trading lifecycle. The solution enables financial institutions to manage trade capture, settlement, participant allocation and position reconciliation through a single system. It also integrates with FIS' existing lending products, allowing institutions to manage the commercial lending process on one platform.

The secondary loan market processes trillions of dollars each year. Yet, many institutions continue to rely on manual workflows and separate systems. FIS launched the platform to help simplify these operations. By automating key processes and providing real-time trade visibility, the solution is expected to help lenders improve efficiency, reduce operational complexity and expand their trading activities.

The launch supports FIS' strategy of strengthening its Banking Solutions segment through product innovation and deeper client engagement. In the first quarter of 2026, Banking Solutions revenues increased 45% year over year to $2.4 billion, supported by solid margin expansion while lending ACV rose 63%, highlighting strong demand for modern lending technology solutions.

The New Trade & Distribution Manager expands the FIS Commercial Lending Suite, which now includes six integrated solutions covering origination, credit assessment, servicing, syndication, amendments and trading. The new offering can help broaden FIS' client base and strengthen its position in the commercial lending market. As banks continue to modernize operations and automate workflows, FIS is well positioned to benefit from rising technology spending in the lending industry. The expanded lending suite also positions the company to capitalize on growing demand for integrated lending technology solutions.

FIS’ Stock Price PerformanceShares of Fidelity National have lost 40.6% year to date compared with the industry’s decline of 17.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Rank & Key PicksFIS currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the business services space are Sezzle Inc. (SEZL - Free Report) , Klarna Group plc (KLAR - Free Report) and Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY - Free Report) . SEZL sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, while KLAR and RELY carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sezzle’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $5.09 per share, which has witnessed four upward revisions in the past 60 days against no movement in the opposite direction. Sezzle beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 17.4%. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pegged at $592.59 million, implying 31.6% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Klarna’s 2026 earnings indicates a 105.1% year-over-year improvement. KLAR has witnessed four upward estimate revisions over the past 60 days against no movement in the opposite direction. The consensus estimate for 2026 revenues is pegged at $4.44 billion, indicating 26.5% year-over-year growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Remitly Global’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $1.38 per share, which has witnessed one upward revision in the past 60 days against no movement in the opposite direction. The consensus estimate for RELY’s 2026 revenues is pegged at $1.97 billion, implying 20.4% year-over-year growth.

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Key facts

FIS has been ranked #1 in the Chartis BuySideRisk50, also claiming category wins for Breadth of Functionality, Strategy, Wealth Management, and Managed Services. FIS has been named a Category Leader in the Chartis RiskTech Quadrant® for client lifecycle management (CLM) Solutions for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), 2026, earning the highest policy management score of any vendor evaluated. These recognitions validate FIS’s strategy of delivering compliance technology that spans the full investment lifecycle, from pre-trade risk and portfolio analytics to client onboarding and regulatory controls. JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FIS® (NYSE: FIS) has been ranked No. 1 overall in the Chartis BuySideRisk50 and named a Category Leader in the Chartis RiskTech Quadrant® for client lifecycle management (CLM) Solutions for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), 2026, earning the highest policy management score of any vendor among the 14 evaluated. These recognitions establish FIS as the compliance technology provider of choice for buy-side institutions. With organizations facing growing regulatory complexity across the full investment lifecycle, buy-side institutions increasingly need a provider that spans pre-trade risk, portfolio analytics, and client onboarding, without stitching together point solutions.

The Chartis BuySideRisk50 ranks the 50 leading vendors of buy-side analytics. FIS ranked No. 1 overall and led four of the five scoring criteria, including outright wins in Breadth of Functionality and Strategy. It also earned category awards in Wealth Management, and Managed Services for Convertibles and Equity-Linked Instruments. Together, these recognitions reflect the depth of FIS’s Cross Asset Trading and Risk (CATR) suite, which brings together cross-asset trading, portfolio and risk management, pricing, and analytics to support complex trading and investment strategies.

In the Chartis CLM Solutions 2026 report, FIS was positioned in the Category Leader quadrant for CIB, a designation reserved for vendors that demonstrate strength across the broadest set of capabilities while showing clear execution of core strategy and innovation. FIS received the highest policy management score among all 14 vendors evaluated, reflecting its ability to deliver automated policy updates, customizable compliance frameworks, and dynamic risk-based enforcement embedded directly into client onboarding workflows. Helping to solidify its spot in the top quadrant are FIS’s capabilities in fund services, an area of growing strategic focus for financial institutions managing complex client structures and multi-jurisdictional requirements.

Andrés Choussy, President, Capital Markets, FIS said: “Compliance is no longer a discrete function that sits at either end of the investment lifecycle. As financial institutions expand into private assets, credit markets, and more complex client structures, the need for comprehensive compliance across the investment lifecycle and regulatory controls is becoming a defining factor in technology selection. FIS’s performance across both the BuySideRisk50 and the CLM quadrant reflects the investment we have made to deliver for our clients where it matters most.”

“FIS’s No. 1 placing in our BuySideRisk50 ranking reflects several key capabilities that the company brings to this space,” said Sid Dash, Chief Researcher at Chartis. “Crucially, its breadth of services, tools and platform functionality enable it to address the needs of a wide variety of buy-side players, from private credit providers and traditional asset managers through to specialist hedge funds.”

About FIS

FIS is a financial technology company providing solutions to financial institutions and businesses. We unlock financial technology to the world across the money lifecycle underpinning the world’s financial system. Our people are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests, by helping our clients to confidently run, grow, and protect their businesses. Our expertise comes from decades of experience helping financial institutions and businesses of all sizes adapt to meet the needs of their customers by harnessing where reliability meets innovation in financial technology. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS is a member of the Fortune 500® and the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index. To learn more, visit FISglobal.com. Follow FIS on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

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Snap (SNAP - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $4.66, demonstrating a -1.69% change from the preceding day's closing price. This change lagged the S&P 500's 1.09% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.91%.

The company behind Snapchat's shares have seen a decrease of 15.66% over the last month, not keeping up with the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.22% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.29%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Snap in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $0.07, indicating a 800% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $1.53 billion, up 13.99% from the prior-year quarter.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $0.6 per share and revenue of $6.7 billion. These totals would mark changes of +81.82% and +12.91%, respectively, from last year.

Any recent changes to analyst estimates for Snap should also be noted by investors. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 10.64% higher. Snap is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

In the context of valuation, Snap is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 7.97. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 18.05, so one might conclude that Snap is trading at a discount comparatively.

Investors should also note that SNAP has a PEG ratio of 0.15 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. SNAP's industry had an average PEG ratio of 1 as of yesterday's close.

The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 84, placing it within the top 35% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

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UNITE HERE Urges PENN’s Board to Take Concrete Action to Implement Annual Director Elections

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UNITE HERE announced today that PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PENN) shareholders approved the advisory proposal to declassify the Company’s Board of Directors at PENN’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June 16.

This marks the second time a majority of PENN shareholders have backed board declassification, following majority support for a similar proposal presented in 2010.

“PENN shareholders have spoken clearly: they want annual elections for all directors,” said Michael Hachey, Director of Gaming Industry Research at UNITE HERE. “The Board should now take the necessary steps toward implementing declassification.”

“Investors will be looking for real, timely responsiveness here; not performative action that kicks the can down the road, and certainly not silence from leadership,” said Derrick Wortes, founder and principal of Cora Strategies, a boutique advisory firm focused on shareholder activism, corporate governance, and investor engagement.

Annual director elections are widely recognized as a cornerstone of effective corporate governance, providing shareholders with a regular mechanism to evaluate board performance and hold directors accountable for their oversight. A classified board structure can insulate directors from shareholder feedback and diminish a board’s responsiveness to investor concerns.

“By adopting annual elections, PENN would strengthen alignment between directors and shareholders and bring its governance practices more closely in line with investor expectations,” said Hachey. “We look forward to seeing how the Board takes action.”

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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for V.F. (VFC - Free Report) . Shares have added about 7.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is V.F. due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for V.F. Corporation before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.

VFC Posts Break-Even Q4 Earnings, Beats Sales EstimatesV.F. Corporation posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year.

Net sales of $2,166 million beat the consensus mark of $2,128 million by 1.8%, and increased 1% year over year. The company reported breakeven earnings, against the consensus estimate of a loss of 2 cents a share. In the prior-year quarter, it reported a loss of 13 cents per share.

V.F. Corp. witnessed clear momentum in the Americas. Results were led by continued global gains at The North Face and Timberland, while Vans remained softer overall but began to show early signs of improvement, highlighted by a return to growth in the Americas' direct-to-consumer business. The bottom line improved versus last year, reflecting the company’s ongoing transformation efforts and tighter execution, and management pointed to further progress in strengthening the balance sheet and reducing leverage as it heads into fiscal 2027.

V.F. Corp.’s Q4 Revenue DetailsOn a regional basis, revenues in the Americas rose 2% year over year on a reported basis. In the EMEA region, revenues were up 1% on a reported basis and down 9% on a constant-currency basis. Revenues in the APAC region were flat on a reported basis but down 4% on a constant-currency basis. International revenues grew 2% year over year on a reported basis but were down 7% on a constant-currency basis.

Channel-wise, wholesale revenues fell 1% on a reported basis. Direct-to-consumer revenues were up 4% year over year on a reported basis and down 1% on a constant-currency basis. Our model estimated the wholesale revenues to fall 1.1% and direct-to-consumer revenues to rise 3.9% year over year.

Revenues in the Outdoor segment improved 11% year over year on a reported basis (up 5% on a constant-currency basis) to $1,339 million. In the Active segment, revenues of $588.6 million declined 1% year over year on a reported basis and 6% on a constant-currency basis. Revenues in the All Other segment fell 29% year over year on a reported basis (down 33% on a constant-currency basis) to $237.5 million.

Financial Details of VFCV.F. Corp. ended the fiscal year with cash and cash equivalents of $823.9 million, long-term debt of $3.52 billion and shareholders’ equity of $1.85 billion. Net debt was down $0.8 billion from the year-ago period.

What to Expect From VFC in FY27For fiscal 2027, VFC expects revenues to increase 1-2% year over year in constant currency, supported by continued growth at The North Face, Timberland and Altra, while Vans is projected to decline in the mid-single digits with trends improving in the second half versus the first. Management also noted that first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenues are expected to be down in the low single digits.

The company projected an adjusted operating margin of about 8% for fiscal 2027, driven by a higher adjusted gross margin and a lower adjusted SG&A rate versus last year. Free cash flow is expected to be flat to up from fiscal 2026’s $405 million, with operating cash flow also improving year over year.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates review.

The consensus estimate has shifted -31.6% due to these changes.

VGM ScoresCurrently, V.F. has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Interestingly, V.F. has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry PlayerV.F. is part of the Zacks Textile - Apparel industry. Over the past month, Under Armour (UAA - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 13.9%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended March 2026 more than a month ago.

Under Armour reported revenues of $1.17 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -0.8%. EPS of -$0.03 for the same period compares with -$0.08 a year ago.

Under Armour is expected to post earnings of $0.02 per share for the current quarter, representing no change from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

Under Armour has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of D.

When artificial intelligence (AI) first took off, many investors assumed companies like S&P Global (SPGI 1.62%) could eventually face disruption.

The concern seemed logical. If AI can summarize earnings reports, analyze financial statements, and answer financial questions instantly, why would investors continue paying for expensive data and analytics platforms? That fear pressured sentiment around several financial information companies over the past year.

But the market may have underestimated the sources of S&P Global's real competitive advantages. Ironically, AI could strengthen the company's moat rather than weaken it.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why did investors become concerned? The bear case is not difficult to understand. AI models are rapidly improving at tasks that once required junior analysts and research teams. Summarizing filings, screening companies, compiling industry reports, and organizing financial information are becoming increasingly automated.

That creates legitimate concerns for parts of the financial analytics industry. As information becomes easier and cheaper to generate, some lower-end research and workflow tools could gradually lose pricing power. And at first glance, S&P Global appears exposed to that risk. After all, the company sells financial data, analytics, and research tools to institutional customers worldwide.

But this view misses an important distinction.

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S&P Global is not simply selling information Many investors still think of S&P Global primarily as a ratings agency. In reality, the company has quietly evolved into one of the most important financial infrastructure businesses in the world.

Its ecosystem now spans credit ratings, benchmark indexes, commodity intelligence, enterprise analytics, and private market data. Products like Capital IQ (a financial data platform), Platts (for energy), and S&P Dow Jones indexes are deeply embedded in institutional workflows across the global financial system.

That matters because customers are not simply paying for access to information. They are paying for trusted data sets, regulatory-grade accuracy, historical consistency, and systems that have become integrated into daily investment and risk-management workflows. Replacing that kind of infrastructure is far more difficult than replacing a simple research report.

AI still depends on trusted data This is where the debate around AI and S&P Global becomes far more interesting. Large language models are powerful, but they still depend heavily on the quality of the data that feeds them. AI can organize and interpret information, but it still needs reliable data pipelines, verified records, and structured financial data sets to function effectively.

And few companies own more valuable financial datasets than S&P Global. The company has spent decades building proprietary databases across bond markets, corporate financials, commodity pricing, credit histories, and benchmark indexes. These datasets are deeply embedded in the financial system and extremely difficult to replicate.

In many ways, AI may actually increase the value of this type of proprietary information. As AI-generated content floods the internet, trust becomes more important. Financial institutions do not simply want fast answers. They want auditable outputs, verified information, trusted benchmarks, and lower hallucination risk.

That dynamic could strengthen companies like S&P Global. The company already appears to understand this shift. It has been integrating AI capabilities into platforms like Capital IQ while expanding AI-powered workflow tools across its enterprise offerings. In other words, it is positioning itself as part of the underlying data infrastructure powering the AI era.

What does it mean for investors? Let's start by saying that S&P Global is not immune to AI disruption. Some lower-end analytics and research functions could absolutely become more commoditized over time.

But the market may have misunderstood where the company's real moat resides. S&P Global is not merely selling information. It owns a trusted financial infrastructure, proprietary data sets, benchmark systems, and decades of institutional credibility. And in the AI era, where trust becomes a scarce resource, the company's strength becomes even more prevalent.

So yes, information itself may become cheaper. But a trusted financial infrastructure may become even more valuable in the AI world.

Shares of Strategy (previously known as Microstrategy), the bitcoin-accumulation firm founded by Michael Saylor, fell sharply on Tuesday and were on track for their lowest close in more than two years.

MSTR stock dropped 4.8% in afternoon trading and is now down more than 30% this year, reflecting renewed pressure across both its equity and preferred securities.

The decline comes as concerns build around the company’s funding model, which relies heavily on issuing equity and preferred stock to finance continued bitcoin purchases.

Strategy currently holds 847,000 bitcoin, roughly 4% of the total supply, with total holdings valued at over $50 billion.

The company continues to accumulate bitcoin despite market weakness, recently purchasing 520 coins at an average price of $67,068, bringing total holdings to 847,363 bitcoin acquired at roughly $75,651 each.

Investor anxiety has intensified around Strategy’s preferred securities, particularly its variable-rate preferred known as Stretch (STRC).

The instrument, which pays an 11.5% dividend on a $100 face value, has fallen below par and was trading around $88 on Tuesday after briefly reaching near $100 in late May.

The weakness is significant because the structure is designed to trade close to $100 through monthly dividend adjustments.

However, recent declines have raised doubts about the effectiveness of that mechanism and its ability to support future issuance.

The preferred stock decline also affects Strategy’s ability to raise new capital.

With pricing well below par, issuing additional shares becomes more challenging and potentially dilutive.

Preferred dividend payments across the structure now total about $1.7 billion annually, according to company data, while Strategy has about $15 billion of preferred stock outstanding, with Stretch accounting for roughly $9 billion of that total.

Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer addressed recent concerns, writing that STRC had been affected by market dynamics rather than a structural breakdown:

“The term 'peg' implies the existence of a fixed exchange relationship. Stablecoins such as TerraUSD, USDC, and USDT were designed to maintain a defined value relative to another asset, typically the US dollar. STRC has no such obligation. Strategy's objective has been to support STRC's trading at a level near $100, not to guarantee it,” he wrote.

The broader weakness in Strategy’s structure has been compounded by a decline in bitcoin prices, which fell about 3% on Tuesday to around $62,000 and are down nearly 20% over the past month.

The company generates no operating income from bitcoin and relies on capital markets to fund both purchases and preferred dividend obligations.

Recent volatility has raised concerns about the sustainability of that model, particularly as annual preferred dividend payments approach $1.7 billion.

Strategy has taken steps to strengthen liquidity, recently increasing cash reserves by $300 million to $1.4 billion, providing roughly 10 months of dividend coverage.

However, this has not been enough to stabilize sentiment, and shares of both the common and preferred stock continue to decline.

Analysts also noted that leveraged positions tied to the preferred may have amplified the selloff, with margin-related unwinding adding pressure to already weak trading conditions.

Despite criticism, Strategy maintains that its approach assumes bitcoin will appreciate at a faster rate than the cost of preferred dividends, allowing equity issuance to generate long-term value.

So far, however, falling bitcoin prices and rising funding costs have challenged that thesis.

HomeDividends AnalysisREITs AnalysisFinancials 

SummaryAGNC Investment Corp. is rated Buy, driven by improved Agency MBS spreads, better funding costs, and constructive capital issuance above book value.Despite a ~14% yield, AGNC's dividend is not risk-free; book value volatility and spread sensitivity remain central to the investment thesis.Q1 saw net spread and dollar-roll income rise to $0.42/share, comfortably covering the dividend, but book value declined, highlighting ongoing risk.AGNC’s premium to book enables accretive equity issuance, but the Buy case depends on stable or tightening Agency MBS spreads and disciplined portfolio management. Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images

AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) has a forward yield of ~14%, which makes it look like a monthly dividend producer. But AGNC is primarily a leveraged Agency MBS portfolio. The dividend tags along, but cannot be understood outside of

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

By PYMNTS  |  June 18, 2026

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Kroger’s revenues ticked up slightly last quarter as its shoppers felt increased financial strain.

“The customer is under pressure,” Greg Foran, chief executive of America’s largest traditional supermarket chain, said Thursday (June 18) as Kroger reported earnings showing revenues up 1%, compared to a 3.2% rise in the same quarter last year.

“High gas prices and reduced SNAP benefits are squeezing budgets,” Foran continued. “Customers are managing spend carefully and shopping with real intent. That pressure is showing up in the market.”

SNAP, he said later in the call, is impacted the most in three states in particular, a phenomenon that shows up in terms of the price of fuel impacting “when that price gets up to what it has.”

“I think we see that some of the basket sizes, some of the items that people buy tend to be traded down a bit. I think that helps probably with Our Brands and how we’re operating,” he added, referring to the company’s private label products.

Those brands outpaced national brands by 175 points during the quarter, said Foran, a Walmart vet who became CEO in February. The quarter also saw Kroger’s eCommerce business turn a profit, with revenues from that unit up 19% and attracting a record number of new households.

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Foran also noted that Kroger’s omnichannel customers — those who shop both online and in person — spend nearly two and a half times more than in store-only shoppers. And 95% of all transactions, he said, are tied to the company’s loyalty card.

The selective behavior Kroger is witnessing from its shoppers is in keeping with PYMNTS Intelligence research, which found that financially stressed consumers across generations continually cite grocery prices as a hardship.

Foran told Bloomberg News in May that the company was considering significant price reductions as it tries to reclaim market share from companies such as Walmart that have pushed into the traditional grocery space.

During Thursday’s call, the executive spoke of opportunities for Kroger to “sharpen” its pricing and “make value simpler” for its shoppers.

“Over time our promotions have gotten too complicated and our price position has not kept pace where it needed to,” Foran said.

“Let me be clear on what this means. We do not need to be the lowest price retailer. We need to be more competitive, more consistent and easier for customers to understand. When a customer is deciding where to shop, we want more of them.”

Meanwhile, rival grocery chain Aldi is spending $9 billion as it tries to compete with Kroger in the U.S. According to a Financial Times (FT) report Thursday, the German company plans to have 4,000 stores nationwide, giving it more locations than Kroger.

“We don’t know what the ceiling is,” Scott Patton, Aldi USA’s chief commercial officer, told the FT. “We’re trying to take market share from anyone who sells groceries.”