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Samenstelling van de treasury van Eightco op 5 augustus 2026: 90 miljoen dollar aan OpenAI-aandelen (indirect), 18 miljoen dollar aan aandelen in Beast Industries, 16.278 ETH, bijna 302 miljoen WLD-tokens en 142 miljoen dollar aan liquide middelen en kasequivalenten, goed voor een totale waarde van ongeveer 378 miljoen dollar

Eightco nam onlangs deel aan de financieringsronde van World Foundation ter waarde van 52,5 miljoen dollar, die werd geleid door Pantera en waaraan ook Bain Capital Crypto, Selini Capital, Susquehanna Crypto en andere investeerders deelnamen

OpenAI heeft onlangs aangekondigd dat het een vertrouwelijke S-1 heeft ingediend ter voorbereiding op een mogelijke toekomstige beursgang

Eightco biedt indirecte blootstelling aan enkele van de meest innovatieve private ondernemingen, waaronder OpenAI en Beast Industries

, /PRNewswire/ -- Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) ('Eightco' of de 'onderneming') heeft vandaag een update verstrekt over haar totale portefeuille, waarbij de onderneming haar posities op het gebied van digitale activa en strategische investeringen in toonaangevende particuliere technologiebedrijven toelichtte.

ORBS Holdings & Key Metrics

The ORBS Portfolio Thesis Op 5 augustus 2026 om 16:00 uur (ET) omvatten de bezittingen van ORBS een investering van 90 miljoen dollar (indirect, via SPV's) in OpenAI, een reeds gefinancierde investering van 18 miljoen dollar in Beast Industries, een investering van 1 miljoen dollar in Mythical Games, 301.971.219 Worldcoin (WLD), gewaardeerd op 0,32 dollar per WLD (volgens Coinbase), 16.278 Ethereum (ETH) en ongeveer 142 miljoen dollar aan liquide middelen en stablecoins, wat neerkomt op totale bezittingen van ongeveer 378 miljoen dollar.

Belangrijkste ontwikkelingen:

Het management van Eightco is van mening dat de treasuryportefeuille van de onderneming enkele van de meest essentiële bouwstenen voor het toekomstige AI- en digitale financiële systeem bevat. De belangrijkste ontwikkelingen van deze week zijn:

Op 2 augustus publiceerde de Wereldbank een rapport waarin werd gesteld dat kunstmatige intelligentie ontwikkelingslanden in staat zou kunnen stellen om in tien jaar tijd een eeuw‌ aan ontwikkeling te realiseren, mits ze snel werk maken van de achterstand op het gebied van energievoorziening, connectiviteit en vaardigheden. "AI heeft ontwikkelingslanden een reddingsboei toegeworpen en ze zouden die moeten grijpen", aldus Indermit Gill, hoofdeconoom van de Wereldbank (Reuters). Op 29 juli werd gemeld dat de AI-hausse duizenden goedbetaalde banen creëert voor elektriciens, timmerlieden en andere vakmensen die nodig zijn voor de bouw van de infrastructuur waarop de toekomst van AI steunt (The New York Times). Op 26 juli werd bekendgemaakt dat Nvidia met OpenAI in gesprek is om in het kader van een grootschalig datacenterproject een vangnet van ongeveer 250 miljard dollar voor OpenAI te bieden. De twee ondernemingen onderzoeken de mogelijkheden voor een datacentercampus van 10 gigawatt ter waarde van 500 miljard dollar in het zuiden van Ohio, die zou worden beheerd door SB Energy van SoftBank (WSJ). In een recente podcastaflevering stelde Sam Altman dat we mogelijk het punt van de 'singulariteit' naderen: een cruciaal moment waarop de ontwikkelingen op het gebied van AI snel zouden kunnen versnellen en nieuwe mogelijkheden zouden kunnen creëren voor wetenschappelijke ontdekkingen, economische groei en menselijke vooruitgang, terwijl dit mogelijk ook zou kunnen leiden tot het ontstaan van superintelligente systemen (Relentless). Vorige week riepen ondernemingen als BlackRock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, Goldman Sachs en SoFi het Amerikaanse Congres op om de Clarity Act aan te nemen. Zij voerden aan dat duidelijke regels beleggers zouden beschermen, ondernemingen zekerheid over de regelgeving zouden bieden en de Verenigde Staten zouden helpen concurrerend te blijven nu digitale activa steeds breder worden geaccepteerd (Coindesk). Tom Lee, bestuurslid van Eightco (ORBS), zei onlangs tijdens zijn optreden in CNBC Power Lunch op 27 juli: "Crypto verandert geld in software. Allerlei zaken kunnen in geld worden omgezet, zoals loyaliteitspunten en reputatie... Er is een toezichthoudende instantie nodig die dit alles overziet. Japan, Rusland en Europa nemen inmiddels zelfs wetsvoorstellen aan die vergelijkbaar zijn met de Clarity Act. De Verenigde Staten dreigen dus achterop te raken. Daarom denk ik dat crypto zich herstelt, want buiten de Verenigde Staten wordt crypto omarmd."

Eightco: Blootstelling aan cruciale megatrends

Eightco is gebouwd rond drie megatrends waarvan de onderneming verwacht dat ze het komende decennium van innovatie zullen bepalen: kunstmatige intelligentie, digitale identiteit en de creator-economie. De onderneming heeft posities in elk van deze trends via haar indirecte investering in OpenAI (24% van de treasuryportefeuille van ORBS), Worldcoin (25%) en Beast Industries (5%).

Kunstmatige intelligentie — OpenAI

Eightco heeft ongeveer 90 miljoen dollar geïnvesteerd in speciale doelvennootschappen die blootstelling bieden aan aandelenbelangen in de moedermaatschappij van OpenAI. Dit vertegenwoordigt ongeveer 24% van de treasuryactiva, een van de hoogste bekendgemaakte concentraties van alle beursgenoteerde beleggingsvehikels.

ChatGPT, de consumentenapp van OpenAI, is wereldwijd de populairste AI-app voor consumenten (Sensor Tower). Op 31 juli 2026 maakte OpenAI bekend dat zijn modellen inmiddels meer dan één miljard actieve gebruikers en meer dan twee miljoen ondernemingen bereiken. Zes maanden nadat zij zich hebben geregistreerd, versturen gebruikers dagelijks ongeveer 50% meer berichten en gebruiken zij ChatGPT voor ongeveer twee keer zoveel soorten werkzaamheden.

Digitale identiteit — WLD-token

Eightco bezit bijna 302 miljoen WLD, goed voor ongeveer 8,4% van het circulerende aanbod. Daarmee bekleedt de onderneming wereldwijd de grootste openbaar gemaakte institutionele positie, die ongeveer 25% van de treasuryactiva van Eightco vertegenwoordigt.

Worldcoin is de native token van World, een wereldwijd Proof of Human-netwerk dat is ontwikkeld door Tools for Humanity (mede opgericht door Sam Altman en Alex Blania) en wordt beheerd door de World Foundation. De Orb-apparaten verstrekken een privacybeschermende World ID die bevestigt dat een gebruiker een uniek mens is en geen AI-agent.

Volgens het aangekondigde bedrijfsmodel van World betalen applicaties een vergoeding per verificatie, terwijl verificatie voor eindgebruikers gratis blijft. Zowel uitgevers van digitale identiteitsbewijzen als het World-protocol genereren daarbij inkomsten uit de authenticatie van geverifieerde personen. World ziet een totale potentiële omzetkans van 6,35 biljoen dollar in dertien sectoren, waaronder het bankwezen, e-commerce, gaming, sociale media en agentische AI (volgens Tools for Humanity).

Creator-economie — Beast Industries

Eightco heeft 18 miljoen dollar geïnvesteerd in aandelen van Beast Industries, wat ongeveer 5% van de treasuryactiva vertegenwoordigt.

Beast Industries behoort wereldwijd tot de ondernemingen met het grootste rechtstreekse bereik onder consumenten, met op de verschillende platforms samen meer dan 500 miljoen volgers. Dit bereik wordt gedragen door MrBeast, wereldwijd de meest bekeken persoon op YouTube. Naarmate AI de contentproductie steeds meer tot een standaardproduct maakt, worden distributie en het vertrouwen van het publiek steeds schaarser.

Over Eightco Holdings Inc.

Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) is een beursgenoteerde onderneming die een Worldcoin (WLD)-treasurystrategie toepast die de eerste in haar soort is. Daarmee biedt zij beleggers via één beursticker indirecte blootstelling aan drie bepalende trends van deze cyclus: kunstmatige intelligentie via haar indirecte investering in OpenAI, digitale identiteit via haar positie als grootste beursgenoteerde houder van WLD en het Proof of Human-protocol, en de creator-economie via haar aandelenbelang in Beast Industries van MrBeast. Ondersteund door toonaangevende institutionele beleggers, waaronder Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BMNR), MOZAYYX, World Foundation, CoinFund, Discovery Capital Management, FalconX, Payward/Kraken, Pantera en GSR, bouwt Eightco aan de infrastructuurlaag voor menselijke verificatie in het tijdperk van agentische AI.

Voor meer informatie:

X: @iamhuman_orbs

Website: 8co.holdings 

Veelgestelde vragen

Wat is het aandeel ORBS?

Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) is een beursgenoteerde onderneming op de Nasdaq. ORBS biedt indirecte blootstelling aan OpenAI en Beast Industries en houdt een van de grootste openbaar gemaakte posities in Worldcoin (WLD) aan.

Wie bezit de meeste Worldcoin (WLD)?

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) bezit bijna 302 miljoen WLD, wat overeenkomt met ongeveer 8,4% van het circulerende aanbod en wereldwijd de grootste openbaar gemaakte institutionele positie vormt.

Wat is Proof of Human?

Proof of Human is een cryptografische verificatiemethode waarmee wordt vastgesteld dat een gebruiker een unieke, levende persoon is en geen bot of AI-agent. Het is een fundamentele infrastructuur voor sociale netwerken, het bankwezen, agentische handel en elk systeem dat 'één persoon, één account' vereist in het tijdperk van agentische AI.

Hoe verhoudt Eightco (ORBS) zich tot Proof of Human?

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) is de grootste openbaar gemaakte institutionele houder van Worldcoin (WLD), de token die het Proof of Human-netwerk van World aandrijft.

Wie is de CEO van Eightco Holdings?

Kevin O'Donnell is de CEO van Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS). De raad van bestuur van de onderneming bestaat onder meer uit Tom Lee (managing partner en hoofd onderzoek bij Fundstrat en voorzitter van Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR)). Brett Winton (hoofdfuturist bij ARK Invest) is adviseur van de raad van bestuur.

Toekomstgerichte verklaringen

Dit persbericht bevat toekomstgerichte verklaringen in de zin van de Private Securities Litigation Reform Act van 1995. Alle verklaringen in dit persbericht, met uitzondering van verklaringen over historische feiten, kunnen worden beschouwd als toekomstgerichte verklaringen, waaronder, zonder beperking, verklaringen met betrekking tot: de verwachting van de onderneming dat kunstmatige intelligentie, digitale identiteit en de creator-economie het komende decennium van innovatie zullen bepalen; de overtuiging van het management dat de treasuryportefeuille van de onderneming enkele van de meest essentiële bouwstenen voor het toekomstige AI- en digitale financiële systeem bevat; verklaringen dat OpenAI vertrouwelijk een S-1-registratieverklaring heeft ingediend en zich daarmee voorbereidt op een mogelijke toekomstige beursgang; verklaringen over de totale potentiële omzetkans van World van 6,35 biljoen dollar in sectoren als het bankwezen, e-commerce, gaming, sociale media en agentische AI; verklaringen dat distributie en het vertrouwen van het publiek steeds schaarser worden naarmate AI de productie van content tot een massaproduct maakt; verklaringen dat de onderneming de infrastructuurlaag voor menselijke verificatie in het tijdperk van agentische AI ontwikkelt; verklaringen dat Proof of Human een essentiële basisinfrastructuur vormt voor sociale netwerken, het bankwezen, agentische handel en systemen die een geverifieerde menselijke identiteit vereisen; en verklaringen dat de onderneming via haar investeringen in OpenAI, WLD en Beast Industries indirecte blootstelling biedt aan bepalende trends. Woorden en uitdrukkingen zoals 'plannen', 'verwacht', 'zal', 'voorziet', 'blijven', 'uitbreiden', 'bevorderen', 'ontwikkelen', 'gelooft', 'verwachting', 'doelstelling', 'kan', 'blijft', 'prognose', 'vooruitzichten', 'voornemen', 'schatting', 'zou kunnen', 'zou moeten', 'gepositioneerd', 'visie' en andere termen met een vergelijkbare betekenis zijn bedoeld om toekomstgerichte verklaringen aan te duiden, hoewel niet alle toekomstgerichte verklaringen dergelijke termen bevatten. Toekomstgerichte verklaringen zijn gebaseerd op de huidige overtuigingen en aannames van het management, die onderhevig zijn aan risico's en onzekerheden, en vormen geen garantie voor toekomstige prestaties. De werkelijke resultaten kunnen wezenlijk afwijken van die welke in toekomstgerichte verklaringen zijn opgenomen als gevolg van diverse factoren, waaronder, zonder beperking: het onvermogen van de onderneming om de leiding of bedrijfsvoering te sturen van particuliere ondernemingen waarin zij geen controlerende aandeelhouder is, waaronder OpenAI en Beast Industries; het risico van verliezen of afwaarderingen op de strategische investeringen van de onderneming, waaronder haar indirecte belang in aandelen van OpenAI (aangehouden via speciale doelvennootschappen), haar positie in WLD en haar belang in aandelen van Beast Industries; het vermogen van de onderneming om te blijven voldoen aan de vereisten voor voortgezette notering aan de Nasdaq; onverwachte kosten, lasten of uitgaven die de kapitaalmiddelen van de onderneming verminderen of de inzet van kapitaal anderszins vertragen; het onvermogen om voldoende kapitaal aan te trekken om haar bedrijfsactiviteiten of strategische investeringen te financieren of op te schalen; volatiliteit van de prijzen van digitale activa, waaronder WLD en ETH, die een wezenlijk effect kan hebben op de waarde van de treasuryposities van de onderneming; wijzigingen in de regelgeving, toekomstige wetgeving en nieuwe voorschriften die negatieve gevolgen hebben voor digitale activa, de toepassing van kunstmatige intelligentie of de verzameling van biometrische gegevens; risico's in verband met de ontwikkeling, toepassing en marktacceptatie van de Proof of Human-technologie en het World-netwerk; onzekerheid over het tempo en het verloop van de implementatie van agentische AI in bedrijfs- en consumententoepassingen; onzekerheid over de productroadmap en de ontwikkeling van het bedrijfsmodel van OpenAI, en over het tijdstip of het succes van een eventuele beursgang; risico's in verband met het vermogen van Beast Industries om zijn groeiprognoses te realiseren; concurrentie op de markten voor digitale identiteit en AI-infrastructuur; afhankelijkheid van externe bronnen voor de waardering van bepaalde investeringen; onzekerheid over het aanhoudende succes van MrBeast en de prestaties van het door creators aangedreven bedrijfsmodel van Beast Industries; risico's in verband met de geconcentreerde posities van de onderneming in bepaalde digitale activa en investeringen in particuliere ondernemingen; veranderende standpunten van het publiek en overheden ten aanzien van digitale activa of sectoren die verband houden met kunstmatige intelligentie; risico's in verband met het tijdstip, de functies en de commerciële ontvangst van de releases van OpenAI-modellen; en het risico dat de aanboddynamiek van WLD niet tot de verwachte markteffecten leidt. Gezien deze risico's en onzekerheden wordt u gewaarschuwd niet te sterk op dergelijke toekomstgerichte verklaringen te vertrouwen. Voor een bespreking van andere risico's en onzekerheden en andere belangrijke factoren die er elk toe zouden kunnen leiden dat de werkelijke resultaten van Eightco afwijken van die welke in de hierin opgenomen toekomstgerichte verklaringen worden beschreven, wordt verwezen naar de documenten die Eightco bij de Securities and Exchange Commission (de 'SEC') heeft ingediend, waaronder de risicofactoren en andere informatie in haar jaarverslag op formulier 10-K, dat op 15 april 2026 bij de SEC werd ingediend, en andere openbaar beschikbare documenten die bij de SEC zijn ingediend. Alle informatie in dit persbericht heeft betrekking op de datum van publicatie. Eightco neemt geen verplichting op zich om deze informatie bij te werken of de resultaten van eventuele herzieningen van de hierin opgenomen toekomstgerichte verklaringen openbaar te maken om feitelijke resultaten of wijzigingen in haar verwachtingen weer te geven.

CoreCivic, Inc. (CXW) Q2 2026 Earnings Call August 6, 2026 11:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Jeb Bachmann - Managing Director of Investor Relations
Patrick Swindle - President, CEO, COO & Director
David Garfinkle - Executive VP & CFO

Conference Call Participants

Gregory Gibas - Northland Capital Markets, Research Division
Marla Marin - Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
Jordon Hymowitz - Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC
William Sutherland - The Benchmark Company, LLC, Research Division
Edwin Groshans - Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC, Research Division
Joe Gomes

Presentation

Operator

Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Q2 CoreCivic, Inc. Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your first speaker today. Please go ahead.

Jeb Bachmann
Managing Director of Investor Relations

Thank you, operator. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to CoreCivic's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. Participating on today's call are Patrick Swindle, CoreCivic's President and Chief Executive Officer; and David Garfinkle, our Chief Financial Officer. We are also joined here in the room by our Vice President of Finance, Brian Hammonds. On this call, we will discuss financial results for the second quarter of 2026 as well as updated financial guidance for the 2026 year. We will also discuss developments with our government partners and provide you with other general business updates.

During today's call, our remarks, including our answers to your questions, will include forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities and Litigation Reform Act. Our actual results or trends may differ materially as a result of a variety of factors, including those identified in our second quarter 2026 earnings release issued after market yesterday as well as in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and also 8-K reports.

For the quarter ended June 2026, Realty Income Corp. (O - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.55 billion, up 9.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.09, compared to $0.22 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.69% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.54 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.09, the company has not delivered EPS surprise.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

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

Here is how Realty Income Corp. performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Revenue- Rental (including reimbursable): $1.43 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.41 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +6.6%.Revenue- Rental (reimbursable): $91.13 million compared to the $92.94 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.2% year over year.Revenue- Rental (excluding reimbursable): $1.34 billion versus $1.31 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +6.8% change.Net Earnings Per Share (Diluted): $0.37 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $0.42.View all Key Company Metrics for Realty Income Corp. here>>>

Shares of Realty Income Corp. have returned -1.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

Eli Lilly (LLY -0.52%) is already the leader in the weight-loss market thanks to Zepbound, the best-selling medication in this space. However, the drugmaker has been making headlines with its next-gen anti-obesity medicine, retatrutide. Eli Lilly recently announced that it will request approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for retatrutide in the first quarter of 2027. This new product could help Eli Lilly extend its lead over its biggest competitor in this space, Novo Nordisk (NVO +2.81%). Here's the rundown.

Best-in-class efficacy In a phase 3 study, retatrutide posted an average weight loss of up to 28.3% over 80 weeks. Not only is that substantially better than anything Novo Nordisk's Wegovy has ever produced in clinical trials, but it is also, as some have pointed out, comparable to what we typically see in bariatric surgeries.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

No other weight-loss medicine has shown efficacy that beats or even matches what retatrutide has demonstrated, not even Zepbound. True, it's always hard to compare across studies. But retatrutide's mechanism of action -- it mimics the actions of three gut hormones, providing a triple-pathway approach to addressing obesity -- already suggests it may be more effective than approved drugs. Retatrutide also led to significant weight loss in patients with diabetes, who typically have a harder time dropping pounds.

Beyond weight loss and diabetes, it is being investigated across obstructive sleep apnea, chronic back pain, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. This medicine could not only attract patients with very high BMIs (Body Mass Index) for whom current weight-loss options aren't aggressive enough, but its potential approval in other lucrative indications also makes it highly promising. Retatrutide won't simply cannibalize Zepbound's sales. It will help Eli Lilly expand the weight-loss market and solidify its lead.

Today's Change

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Meanwhile, Eli Lilly's financial results continue to impress, largely because of its work in this area. In the second quarter, the company's revenue increased by 48% year over year to $23 billion, while its adjusted earnings per share came in at $8.38, 33% higher than the year-ago period. Eli Lilly's results beat expectations, sending the stock slightly higher after it released its quarterly update. The company should maintain solid financial results over the medium term, especially with products like retatrutide in the pipeline. And beyond its core therapeutic area, Eli Lilly is making significant strides in other areas.

The company has expanded and diversified its pipeline and should see meaningful progress in other markets, including oncology and immunology, over the next few years. Here's the bottom line: Eli Lilly does not intend to relinquish its lead in the weight-loss space, and it also wants to dominate other fields. The company's continued success could power solid returns over the medium term. Novo Nordisk, as well as other pharmaceutical giants looking to challenge Eli Lilly, have been warned.

Dividend Aristocrats or Dividend Kings: Which Is Best for You?American States Water NYSE: AWR reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.09 per share, up from $0.87 per share a year earlier, as its water, electric and contracted services businesses each posted year-over-year gains.

President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Sprowls said the results reflected “strong execution across our business” and cited new customer rates at the regulated utilities as well as higher construction activity at the company’s contracted services segment. The company also announced an 8.2% increase in its quarterly dividend, bringing its annualized dividend rate to $2.182 per share.

Get American States Water alerts:

Water segment leads earnings growth 3 Dividend Kings Poised to Outperform the MarketGolden State Water, the company’s water utility, generated second-quarter earnings of $0.91 per share, compared with $0.73 per share in the prior-year period. Chief Financial Officer Eva Tang said the $0.18-per-share increase was driven largely by water rates implemented for 2026, including revenue from capital projects approved through advice letters in late 2025.

Other contributors included higher gains on investments supporting a retirement plan. These benefits were partly offset by higher water supply costs, interest expense net of interest income, and a higher effective income tax rate. Tang also said share issuances under the parent company’s at-the-market equity offering program reduced earnings by $0.02 per share.

What Are Utility Stocks? An Overview of the Utilities SectorWater segment revenue increased by $11.4 million from the second quarter of 2025, while electric segment revenue rose by $700,000. The gains were largely tied to new 2026 rates and revenue associated with approved advice letter projects.

Sprowls said Golden State Water benefited during the quarter from a 4% increase in customer water consumption and a more favorable supply mix, including less reliance on purchased water. Certain wells that had been temporarily offline during the first quarter returned to service during the second quarter.

However, he cautioned that those favorable trends may not persist for the rest of 2026. Golden State Water’s current regulatory framework includes a modified revenue decoupling mechanism and an incremental water supply cost balancing account, which Sprowls said expose earnings to volatility from consumption changes and shifts in water supply mix.

“It remains uncertain whether these favorable conditions in the second quarter will continue through the remainder of 2026 or if their positive earnings impact will reverse,” Sprowls said. He noted that weather, conservation, precipitation patterns, groundwater quality and pumping conditions can affect consumption and supply costs.

Rate cases and capital investment plans Golden State Water received approval in December to implement its full second-year rate increases effective Jan. 1, 2026. The approval increased adopted operating revenue less water supply costs by $32 million for 2026 compared with 2025, including nearly $11 million related to advice letter capital projects.

On July 1, Golden State Water filed a general rate case application covering 2028 through 2030. The utility requested capital budgets of approximately $1 billion for the three-year period and asked the California Public Utilities Commission to reinstate full revenue decoupling and a full water supply cost balancing account. A decision is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027.

The company’s current authorized return on rate base is 7.93%, based on a 10.06% return on equity and a capital structure of 57% equity and 43% debt. That authorization will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2027, following the CPUC’s approval to delay the next water cost-of-capital filing until May 2027.

Golden State Water and the CPUC’s Public Advocates Office also filed a joint settlement in July seeking approval to acquire an existing water system in Norwalk, California, serving nearly 900 customer connections. If approved, the system would be added to an existing rate-making area. A proposed decision is expected in the fourth quarter.

The company expects its regulated utilities to invest $185 million to $220 million in infrastructure during 2026. Tang said company-funded capital expenditures are expected to total between $185 million and $200 million for the year, after $91.7 million was invested during the first half.

Electric and contracted services results Bear Valley Electric earned $0.04 per share in the second quarter, compared with $0.03 per share a year earlier. Tang attributed the increase primarily to rate increases, partly offset by higher operating and interest expenses.

Bear Valley Electric implemented new 2026 rates in January, the final year of its current four-year rate cycle. The utility filed a new general rate case in January for rates covering 2027 through 2030, requesting approximately $133 million in capital budgets during the period and roughly $17 million plus allowance for funds used during construction for additional projects to be recovered through advice letters.

American States Utility Services, or ASUS, contributed $0.16 per share, up from $0.13 per share in the second quarter of 2025. The increase reflected higher construction activity, increased management fee revenue tied to the resolution of economic price adjustments, and lower interest expense. ASUS expects to contribute between $0.63 and $0.67 per share for full-year 2026.

Liquidity, equity offering and dividend increase Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $116.6 million in the first half of 2026, compared with $109.6 million in the prior-year period. Tang said the increase resulted from new utility rates, approved surcharges, advice letter project revenue and PFAS litigation proceeds received during the year.

The company completed its at-the-market equity offering program in June, raising the program’s maximum aggregate capacity of $200 million in gross proceeds since it was established in February 2024. During the first half, the company raised $39.9 million net of issuance and legal costs. Sprowls said American States Water does not plan to issue additional equity through at least the end of 2029 to support current operations.

Standard & Poor’s affirmed the company’s A credit rating and Golden State Water’s A+ rating, both with stable outlooks.

The company’s dividend increase marks its 72nd consecutive year of raising dividends paid to shareholders. American States Water has paid dividends every year since 1931, according to Sprowls.

About American States Water (NYSE:AWR)American States Water Company NYSE: AWR, founded in 1929 and headquartered in San Dimas, California, is a publicly traded utility holding company. The company operates primarily through two regulated segments—water and electric utilities—and provides non-regulated water system services. Over its history, American States Water has expanded its footprint through strategic acquisitions and organic growth, positioning itself as a reliable provider of essential services in its core territories.

Within its regulated water utility segment, American States Water serves more than 250,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across 35 communities in six counties of California.

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

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For the quarter ended June 2026, Hess Midstream Partners LP (HESM - Free Report) reported revenue of $399 million, down 3.7% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.75, compared to $0.74 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $395.07 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.69, the EPS surprise was +8.7%.

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

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

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

Throughput Volumes - Gas gathering: 445.00 MMcf/d versus 440.91 MMcf/d estimated by two analysts on average.Throughput Volumes - Crude oil gathering: 103.00 MBbl/d versus the two-analyst average estimate of 115.29 MBbl/d.Throughput Volumes - Water gathering: 121.00 MBbl/d compared to the 125.49 MBbl/d average estimate based on two analysts.Throughput Volumes - Crude terminals: 117.00 MBbl/d compared to the 126.53 MBbl/d average estimate based on two analysts.Throughput Volumes - NGL loading: 17.00 MBbl/d compared to the 14.97 MBbl/d average estimate based on two analysts.Throughput Volumes - Gas processing: 433.00 MMcf/d versus 428.40 MMcf/d estimated by two analysts on average.Revenue- Gathering: $209.8 million versus $210.13 million estimated by two analysts on average.Revenue- Terminaling and Export: $37.9 million compared to the $35.73 million average estimate based on two analysts.Revenue- Processing and Storage: $151.3 million versus $152.87 million estimated by two analysts on average.Adjusted EBITDA- Terminaling and Export: $30.1 million compared to the $26.37 million average estimate based on two analysts.Adjusted EBITDA- Gathering: $156.6 million versus $155.03 million estimated by two analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Hess Midstream Partners here>>>

Shares of Hess Midstream Partners have returned +3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Maggie Yuen, a director at AtriCure, Inc. (ATRC +4.81%), reported a sale of 3,500 shares of common stock on August 5, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value$134,470Shares sold3,500Post-transaction shares (directly held)14,015Post-transaction value$551,350.10Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($38.42); post-transaction value based on August 05, 2026 market close ($39.34).

Key questionsWhat was the scale of the transaction relative to the insider's total position?
Yuen reduced her direct equity stake by 20%, bringing her total beneficial ownership to 14,015 shares. How does the execution price compare to recent market levels?
The 3,500 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $38.42, which was slightly below the $39.34 market close on the day of the transaction. Shares have shown relative stability, priced at $39.49 as of the August 6 market close.What is the company's current financial profile in the healthcare sector?
AtriCure is a medical device company with a market capitalization of $2.0 billion. The firm reported trailing twelve-month revenue of $569.6 million, maintaining a focus on specialized cardiac treatment technologies.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-08-06)$39.49Market Capitalization$2.0 billionRevenue (TTM)$569.6 millionCompany SnapshotAtriCure designs, manufactures, and markets specialized medical devices for the surgical treatment of cardiac tissue and intercostal nerves, including radiofrequency ablation technologies such as the Isolator Synergy Clamps and multifunctional surgical pens like the MAX Pen that enable surgeons to diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias.The company generates revenue through the sale of proprietary ablation and surgical devices to hospitals and surgical centers, leveraging its specialized technology platform to address unmet clinical needs in cardiac surgery and arrhythmia management.AtriCure serves cardiac surgeons and surgical teams across the United States, Europe, Asia, and other international markets, with its products integrated into standard surgical protocols for atrial fibrillation and other cardiac conditions.AtriCure is a focused medical device company with a $2.0 billion market capitalization and $569.6 million in TTM revenue, positioning itself as a specialized provider of cardiac surgical solutions. The company maintains a differentiated product portfolio centered on radiofrequency ablation technology, which provides competitive advantages in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and related conditions. With a global distribution network spanning multiple continent, AtriCure has established itself as a significant player in the cardiac surgery device market.

What this transaction means for investorsTwo AtriCure directors sold on the same day, and Yuen's cut ran deeper in percentage terms, clearing a fifth of her direct stake in one go. That kind of matching timing might mean a trading window opened after earnings and a couple of board members stepped through it together, not that either soured on the company.

More importantly for long-term investors, the company gave them a solid quarter to sell into. AtriCure grew second-quarter revenue 13% to $154 million, and its appendage-management franchise, built around its AtriClip devices for reducing stroke risk, rose 14% on newer Mini versions. CEO Michael Carrel pointed to growth "fueled by continued adoption" across its franchises, and gross margin widened to 77%, all of which helped management lift its full-year outlook. Shares have recovered quite a bit since June lows of around $25, surging more than 60%, and they’re up about 15% over the past year. After a strong quarter, whether the latest momentum continues will depend a lot on continued execution — much more than share sales like this one.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA) Q2 2026 Earnings Call August 7, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

Company Participants

Tony Cheng - President, CEO & Director
Laura Cockrill - Executive VP & CFO
Jonathan Porter - Executive VP & Global Chief Risk Officer
Jayson Bronchetti - Executive VP & Chief Investment Officer

Conference Call Participants

Wesley Carmichael - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Taylor Scott - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Suneet Kamath - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Thomas Gallagher - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Joel Hurwitz - Dowling & Partners Securities, LLC
Pablo Singzon - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Wilma Jackson Burdis - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Welcome to the RGA's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please note, this event is being recorded.

If you have any objections, you may disconnect at this time. Some of the comments made during this conference call, including answers given in response to questions, may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. For more detail on the risks and uncertainties, please refer to the risk factors discussed in RGA's periodic reports to the SEC. For a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures discussed on this call as well as other information regarding these measures, please refer to the earnings release and other materials in the Investor Relations section of the company's website. There will be references to the earnings presentation slides throughout the call.

I will now turn the floor over to Tony for his opening remarks. Please go ahead.

Tony Cheng
President, CEO & Director

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining today's call. We appreciate your continued interest in RGA. I am delighted to share that we have delivered a record result, building on the strong momentum established

Key Takeaways CoreWeave’s latest earnings report is set to be released Tuesday afternoon, with the stock seen swinging up to 13% by the end of the week following the results.Sales are projected to have more than doubled from a year ago, though losses likely widened as the company spends on hardware to increase its compute capacity. CoreWeave is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings after the closing bell Tuesday, with traders expecting a sizable move in the cloud computing provider’s stock.1

Based on current options pricing, CoreWeave (CRWV) stock is seen swinging up to 13% in either direction by the end of the week following the results. A move of that size from Friday’s close could see the shares climb back above $102, or slip as low as $79.

CoreWeave shares have gained nearly 30% since the start of the year, but are close to 35% off their highs leading up to the company’s last report in May, amid worries about delays in data center construction. Shares of the cloud provider, which went public last March, have been boosted this year by deals with big names including Meta Platforms (META) and Nvidia (NVDA), along with its addition to the Nasdaq 100 index.

Why This Matters to Investors CoreWeave’s spending and delays in data center construction have rattled support for the shares lately, though they remain higher for the year.

Bank of America analysts recently wrote that “demand for GPU capacity remains elevated and customer commitments continue to grow, we believe the key debate is less about demand and more about execution,” including how quickly compute capacity can be brought online and the rate at which CoreWeave’s margins can improve.2 Oppenheimer analysts said they see concerns about capacity delays as “overblown.”3

CoreWeave’s second-quarter revenue is expected to have more than doubled year-over-year to $2.56 billion, though its losses likely widened to $1.40 per share, per Visible Alpha, as costs for some hardware components surged.

Analysts are largely bullish on CoreWeave stock, with 11 of the 14 analysts with current ratings tracked by Visible Alpha calling the stock a “buy,” compared to three neutral ratings. Their average price target of about $147 would suggest more than 60% upside from Friday’s close.

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Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images Starbucks is pulling back coverage for weight-loss drugs, a reversal that comes as employers' spending on popular GLP-1 medicines soars.

Starting in October, the Seattle-based coffee chain's health plans will no longer cover GLP-1 medications prescribed for weight loss for benefits-eligible employees, though the drugs may still be covered for other conditions. Starbucks offers health benefits to full- and part-time employees who work at least 20 hours a week.

A spokesperson for Starbucks confirmed the decision, which hasn't previously been reported, and declined to comment further.

Starbucks' move reflects a broader recalibration of a benefit that has rapidly reshaped corporate health plans. Originally developed for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs have become highly sought-after treatments for obesity, which is associated with a range of chronic health conditions. Soaring costs, however, are prompting some employers to limit eligibility.

GLP-1 drugs accounted for 11.4% of corporate employers' total annual claims last year, up from 6.9% in 2023, according to a 2026 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, a nonprofit. Further, 36% of corporate employers covered the drugs for both diabetes and weight loss in 2026, while 60% covered them only for diabetes, the findings show.

The pullback comes as employers confront faster-rising health costs more broadly. Average health-benefit costs per employee rose 6% last year and are projected to rise 6.7% this year, according to Mercer. The growing use of costly GLP-1 medications is one of the main drivers of the increase, the benefits-consulting firm said.

Other large employers have stopped covering GLP-1s for weight loss, too, including Allina Health and, reportedly, PwC.

Allina Health, a Minnesota-based health system, ended coverage for GLP-1 medications prescribed for weight loss for employees and their covered dependents in January 2025. The company said at the time that continuing the benefit would have significantly increased medical premiums. A spokesperson for Allina Health was not immediately available for comment.

Not all employers are shying away from covering GLP-1 drugs for obesity. Earlier this week, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said the bank spends more than $250 million a year on GLP-1 coverage for employees, or roughly 13% of its more than $2 billion annual healthcare budget. He said the bank views the expenditure as an investment in employee health.

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Sarah E. Needleman You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.

Sarah E. Needleman covers leadership and the workplace for Business Insider.Previously, she was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal for more than two decades, covering technology companies, entrepreneurship, and recruiting.In 2022, Sarah received an honorable mention with WSJ colleagues for their coverage of workplace misconduct at Activision Blizzard from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.Sarah graduated from Rutgers University in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. She lives with her husband, daughter, and fur child (an Australian labradoodle) in northern New Jersey.Have feedback or a tip?Contact Sarah on Signal at saraheneedleman.13, or email her at [email protected] of Sarah’s scoops, exclusives, and most-read articles include: 'Entitled,' 'complacent,' and 'sloppy': Inside the workplace tension at the world's largest HR organizationShe won a religious exemption from using AI at work. The Pope's remarks could fuel similar appeals.The CEO behind 'Grand Theft Auto' doesn't drink, smoke, or play video gamesPTO, parental leave, pensions: Even the most prized benefits are on the chopping blockGoodbye, middle managers. Hello, 'player-coaches' and 'org leads.'She used to manage 3 employees. Now she oversees 24. Welcome to the age of the megamanager.America's new sink-or-swim era is hereInside the AI divide roiling video game giant Electronic ArtsMeet your new office bestie: ChatGPT

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Oracle's (ORCL +2.47%) stock has rallied 27% over the past two weeks. Let's see what catalysts drove its stock higher, and if it can maintain its momentum over the next few months.

Why did Oracle's stock soar? The biggest catalyst for Oracle's stock was the expansion of its partnership with Alphabet's (GOOG -0.88%) (GOOGL -0.96%) Google on July 30. Google will integrate its advanced Gemini AI models into Oracle's AI Agent Studio, enabling Oracle's Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) customers to build and deploy AI agents with Google's AI software.

Image source: Getty Images.

OCI has been Oracle's primary growth engine over the past year. In fiscal 2026 (which ended on May 31), its cloud infrastructure revenue surged 77% to $18.1 billion, accounting for 27% of its top line, as more companies used its high-peformance GPU clusters to power AI applications.

OCI is much smaller than Amazon (AMZN +0.81%) Web Services (AWS), Microsoft (MSFT +0.03%) Azure, and Google Cloud, but it integrates its services into those larger cloud infrastructure platforms so that its enterprise customers can run their workloads seamlessly across multiple cloud providers without being locked into a single ecosystem. Its expanded partnership with Google complements that strategy and increases its exposure to the AI market.

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Another major catalyst was Microsoft's impressive earnings report on July 29. For fiscal 2026 (which ended on June 30), Azure's annual revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time as Microsoft 365 Copilot reached more than 30 million paid seats. That robust growth suggests the AI supercycle -- which is driving most of Oracle's growth -- isn't slowing down. Lastly, hopes for milder macro headwinds drove more investors back toward higher-growth tech stocks.

Can Oracle maintain that momentum? From fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2029, analysts expect Oracle's revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 39% and 30%, respectively. Those are incredible growth rates for a stock that trades at 22 times this year's earnings. Most of that growth should be fueled by OCI, which will directly profit from soaring AI workloads, its enterprise resource planning (ERP) services, and the growing usage of its cloud-based database services. All of those tailwinds should offset the ongoing decline of its on-premise software business -- which it's actively replacing with its cloud-based versions.

Oracle's stock is still down more than 40% this year, due to concerns about its soaring capex, ballooning debt, and its overwhelming dependence on a handful of high-growth AI companies like OpenAI and Meta Platforms. Those concerns are valid, but Oracle's spending spree could pay off as it expands its AI-oriented cloud ecosystem. Therefore, it's still a great growth stock to buy -- as long as you can stomach the near-term volatility.

Leo Sun has positions in Amazon and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Oracle. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 06/08 - 06/12Allstate NYSE: ALL reported higher second-quarter revenue, underwriting income and investment income as the insurer continued to expand policies across its auto, homeowners and protection-services businesses.

Total revenue rose 11.8% from a year earlier to $18.6 billion, while net premiums written increased 2.6%. Net income was $3.2 billion and adjusted net income was $2.3 billion, or $8.99 per share. For the first half of 2026, adjusted net income totaled $5.1 billion, or $19.65 per share.

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Allstate’s Comeback Is Turning Into a Profit MachineChair, President and CEO Tom Wilson said the company’s strategy centers on gaining property-liability market share, expanding its protection offerings and generating capital for growth investments, acquisitions, dividends and share repurchases. Allstate reported an adjusted net income return on equity of 44.2% over the past 12 months.

Underwriting Results Improve Allstate’s property-liability combined ratio improved by 4.5 points from the prior-year quarter to 86.6. The underlying combined ratio was 79.4, in line with the year-earlier period. Property-liability underwriting income increased nearly 57% to $2 billion.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 05/11 - 05/15President of Property-Liability Jess Merten said net premiums earned in the segment rose 4% to $14.9 billion, supported by growth in both auto and homeowners insurance.

Auto insurance recorded an 83.3 combined ratio, improving 2.7 points year over year. Homeowners insurance recorded a 94.6 combined ratio, improving 7.4 points. Lower catastrophe losses contributed 2.4 points to the overall combined-ratio improvement. Prior-year reserve re-estimates contributed 2 points, while a higher expense ratio offset 1 point of improvement. Merten said about half of the higher expense ratio reflected advertising, with most of the remainder tied to non-recurring legal expenses. He also said auto claim reserve releases totaled $1.5 billion year to date, with approximately half of bodily-injury changes relating to accident years 2023 and 2024.

Allstate’s annualized auto premium per policy was $1,486 in the second quarter, down slightly from the year-earlier period, while adjusted underlying loss and expense per policy was $1,337. The company implemented rate increases and decreases in 36 locations during the quarter, resulting in a net rate impact of zero.

On severity trends, Merten said Allstate does not provide a forward outlook, but noted that bodily-injury severity remained relatively elevated compared with physical-damage severity. He said future trends will depend on inflation affecting parts and labor as well as bodily-injury development.

Policy Growth and Distribution Expansion Total policies in force increased 3.8% to 215.9 million. Property-liability policies rose 2.6%, while Protection Services policies increased 4.1%. Issued applications increased 9.9%.

Chief Operating Officer Mario Rizzo said Allstate’s Transformative Growth initiative is supporting market-share gains through a mix of Allstate agents, independent agents and direct sales. Auto new-business volume rose to 2.3 million items in the quarter from 1.5 million three years earlier. Homeowners new business increased 46.8% to 411,000 policies.

Auto policy growth was 2.8% in the second quarter, while homeowners policy growth was 2.9%. Rizzo said the company spent $1.1 billion on advertising in the first half, citing returns on marketing investment and increased acquisition sophistication.

During the call, executives emphasized that growth is not based solely on price reductions. Wilson said the company is pursuing a “multifaceted approach” that includes customer affordability, new products, distribution expansion, marketing capabilities and claims effectiveness.

Management also discussed its approach to homeowners growth and catastrophe exposure. Wilson said Allstate is using pricing, analytics and individual-roof assessment capabilities to manage risk, while relying on a substantial catastrophe reinsurance program. He said the company does not require homeowners customers to also purchase auto insurance, although it seeks to offer customers multiple protection products.

Protection Services and Technology Investments Protection Services had 177 million policies in force and contributed $3.4 billion of top-line revenue, according to Rizzo. The segment generated more than $200 million of adjusted net income over the last 12 months.

The businesses include Allstate Protection Plans, Dealer Services, Arity, roadside assistance and Allstate Identity Protection. Rizzo said Allstate Protection Plans are distributed through more than 30 major retailers, including Walmart, Costco and The Home Depot. Allstate Identity Protection serves 3.4 million customers, while roadside assistance performs 1.75 million rescues annually.

Wilson also highlighted ALLIE, the company’s Large Language Intelligent Ecosystem, which is intended to use agentic artificial intelligence to improve customer service, reduce costs and support growth. He said Allstate has more than 250 analytical models using more than 40 petabytes of data and 1.5 billion CPU compute hours.

Wilson said the company’s existing orchestration layer, developed as part of Transformative Growth, should help accelerate ALLIE’s deployment by connecting underlying systems. He said Allstate does not use public large language models for its internal work and remains focused on cybersecurity and customer-data protection.

Investment Income, Capital and Share Repurchases Net investment income increased 33.8% to $1 billion in the quarter, reflecting a larger portfolio, longer bond duration, and higher performance-based income. President of Investments and Corporate Strategy and Interim CFO John Dugenske said trailing-12-month investment income has risen more than 57% since 2022 to nearly $3.8 billion.

The investment portfolio is 80% interest-bearing assets, with equity securities and performance-based investments providing growth-oriented exposure. Allstate increased public-equity holdings by $7.1 billion last year and lengthened bond-portfolio duration, actions that contributed to investment income and mark-to-market equity gains, management said.

Allstate returned $1.3 billion to shareholders during the quarter, including $1 billion in common-stock repurchases. The company had $2.6 billion remaining under its $4 billion repurchase authorization announced in February. Deployable capital at the holding company rose to $9.5 billion, or approximately $37 per common share outstanding.

Wilson also welcomed Chris Lown, who joined Allstate as chief financial officer during the week of the call. Dugenske will continue leading investments and corporate strategy after serving as interim CFO.

About Allstate (NYSE:ALL)Allstate Corporation is a publicly traded insurance company headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, and is one of the largest personal lines property and casualty insurers in the United States. Founded in 1931 as a subsidiary of Sears, Roebuck and Co, Allstate has grown into a diversified insurer that serves millions of consumers and businesses through a mix of distribution channels and product offerings.

The company underwrites a broad range of insurance products, with primary emphasis on auto and homeowners coverage.

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

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Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB +9.46%) jumped 9.5% on Friday. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were up 0.6% and 1.2%, respectively.

Shares of the rocket and satellite manufacturer were lifted by another successful Electron mission, a day after the company announced a new $397 million U.S. Space Force award.

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Another successful Electron launch Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket -- its current workhorse -- from its Complex 1 site in New Zealand at 9:18 p.m. local time Thursday, carrying a single satellite for a Japanese operator of Earth-imaging satellites. The payload was placed in orbit to join the customer's existing imaging constellation.

That was the 92nd Electron flight since the rocket debuted. Rocket Lab has another 10 dedicated missions booked for the customer before 2030.

A $397 million Space Force contract steals the show The Electron launch was icing on the cake, however. The real story is the company's latest Space Force contract. Rocket Lab was selected for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program and will build, launch, and run a constellation of flat satellites. It recieves $397 million for the project.

Image source: Getty Images.

Rocket Lab has already booked $816 million from the Space Development Agency for 18 missile-tracking satellites, plus a $266 million deal for suborbital missile-defense launches.

Is Rocket Lab stock a buy now? Rocket Lab is moving in the right direction financially and operationally. The big question is whether it can get its Nuetron program off the ground, the company's medium lift rocket that will allow it to compete more directly with SpaceX. The newest Space Force contract is contingent on Neutron being a success.

Meanwhile, the company is still losing money, and the stock is richly valued, to put it lightly. Still, there is upside if the company can hit its targets.

Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Rocket Lab. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE - HE) (HEI) today reported net income for the second quarter of 2026 of $123 million, or $0.71 per share, compared to net income of $26 million, or $0.15 per share in the second quarter of 2025. The quarter’s results include the impact of remeasuring the remaining Maui wildfire settlement liability to present value after the settlement agreement was finalized in April, resulting in the remaining payment obligations becoming fixed under contract. Excluding Maui wildfire-related items and expenses taken in connection with the review of strategic options for Pacific Current, Core net income was $22 million, or $0.13 per share, compared to $35 million, or $0.20 per share in 2025.

“In June we filed our annual action plan update to our IGP, laying out immediate actions necessary to meet customers’ growing energy needs while improving reliability, resilience and affordability. These actions include using competitive procurements for all types of generation to attract the lowest pricing for customers, and on July 17 we submitted our IGP Request for Proposals to the PUC. We are seeking to procure nearly 1,650 gigawatt-hours of variable renewable energy, 465 megawatts of grid forming resources and 111 megawatts of firm generating capacity. The proposed procurement is one of our largest ever, and would help us build a portfolio that meets the requirements of reliability and lower carbon emissions at the least cost to customers,” said Scott Seu, HEI president and CEO.

“We’ve also continued progressing our Wildfire Mitigation Plan implementation, with the PUC fully approving our Wildfire Mitigation Plan costs, which we plan to securitize as we prioritize customer affordability. Our positive credit ratings trajectory has continued as another rating agency upgraded us in recent months, acknowledging the progress we’ve made reducing wildfire risk in our service territories. Stronger credit ratings ultimately lower our cost of borrowing, which directly improves customer affordability. Moving forward, we’ll continue to focus on making the investments outlined in our Wildfire Mitigation Plan, while operating efficiently and maintaining financial strength,” said Seu.

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY (HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC) EARNINGS

Hawaiian Electric’s net income for the second quarter of 2026 was $138 million compared to net income of $39 million in the second quarter of 2025, with the increase primarily driven by the following pre-tax variances (among others):

$154 million from remeasurement of the remaining settlement liability to present value (as the remaining settlement liability was adjusted from $1.44 billion to $1.30 billion and recognized on the income statement as a reduction to expense of $154 million); $9 million of insurance recoveries recognized as an adjustment to the tort-related legal claims; $8 million in higher revenues, primarily from the annual revenue adjustment mechanism; and $1 million in higher interest income. These items were partially offset by (among others):

$23 million in higher interest expense, which includes $18 million of accretion expense related to remeasuring the remaining settlement liability to present value; $9 million in higher O&M (driven by higher generation, transmission and distribution costs, higher labor and employee benefits costs and higher other general and administrative costs partially offset by lower WMP expenses); and $2 million in higher depreciation expense. Hawaiian Electric’s Core net income for the second quarter was $33 million compared to $42 million in 2025, with the decrease primarily driven by higher interest expense and higher O&M.

UTILITY OUTLOOK AND GUIDANCE

Hawaiian Electric continues to expect 2026 adjusted O&M excluding pension3, to significantly outpace inflation as we progress through a transitional year ahead of a 2027 rate rebasing. This is due to the following factors: higher insurance premiums, primarily reflecting the deferral treatment of wildfire insurance premiums prior to 2026; storm response expenses related to severe weather in February and March; higher vegetation management expenses; higher overhauls and station maintenance expenses as the utility prioritizes reliability; higher IT-related costs to improve cyber defenses; and higher labor and benefits costs. In addition, the maximum penalty of ~$3.7 million (pre-tax) is expected under the Fuel Cost Risk Sharing mechanism, which is recorded as a reduction of fuel revenue. Additionally, the remeasurement of the remaining wildfire settlement liability in the second quarter reduced the liability to its present value and resulted in a non-cash benefit in the quarter. This benefit will be offset over time by future interest accretion (expense) as the liability increases to the full settlement amount when payments become due. Hawaiian Electric’s proposed rate rebasing and proposed modifications to the PBR framework are intended to address many of the higher O&M costs, such as increased insurance premiums. Additionally, the Company is in the process of reprioritizing work to mitigate expense headwinds, while managing expenses to operate as efficiently as possible.

HOLDING AND OTHER COMPANIES

The holding and other companies’ net loss was $15 million in the second quarter of 2026 compared to $13 million in the second quarter of 2025. The higher net loss for the quarter was primarily driven by lower interest income due to the lower cash balance following the first wildfire settlement payment made in April, partially offset by a lower loss related to the ongoing review of strategic options for Pacific Current. Core net loss for the quarter was $10 million compared to $7 million in the same quarter of 2025, primarily due to lower interest income.

EARNINGS RELEASE, WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL TO DISCUSS EARNINGS

HEI will conduct a webcast and conference call to review its second quarter 2026 consolidated financial results today at 10:30 a.m. Hawaii time (4:30 p.m. Eastern).

To listen to the conference call, dial 1-888-660-6377 (U.S.) or 1-929-203-0797 (international) and enter passcode 2393042. Parties may also access presentation materials (which include reconciliation of non-GAAP measures) and/or listen to the conference call by visiting the conference call link on HEI’s website at www.hei.com under “Investor Relations,” sub-heading “News and Events — Events and Presentations.”

A replay will be available online and via phone. The online replay will be available on HEI’s website about two hours after the event. The audio replay will also be available about two hours after the event through August 14, 2026. To access the audio replay, dial 1-800-770-2030 (U.S.) or 1-647-362-9199 (international) and enter passcode 2393042.

HEI and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric) intend to continue to use HEI’s website, www.hei.com, as a means of disclosing additional information; such disclosures will be included in the Investor Relations section of the website. Accordingly, investors should routinely monitor the Investor Relations section of HEI’s website, in addition to following HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s press releases, HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and HEI’s public conference calls and webcasts. Investors may sign up to receive e-mail alerts via the “Investor Relations” section of the website. The information on HEI’s website is not incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s SEC filings unless, and except to the extent, specifically incorporated by reference.

Investors may also wish to refer to the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Hawaii (PUC) website at https://hpuc.my.site.com/cdms/s/ to review documents filed with, and issued by, the PUC. No information on the PUC website is incorporated by reference into this document or into HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s SEC filings.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

Measures described as “Core” are non-GAAP measures which exclude Maui wildfire-related items, and expenses taken in connection with HEI’s ongoing review of strategic options for Pacific Current. “Adjusted O&M excluding pension” is a non-GAAP measure which excludes pension nonservice retirement benefits and net income neutral items (consisting of O&M covered by surcharges or covered by third parties). See “Explanation of HEI’s Use of Certain Unaudited Non-GAAP Measures” and the related GAAP reconciliations at the end of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release may contain “forward-looking statements,” which include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and usually include words such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “predicts,” “estimates” or similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance, ongoing business strategies or prospects or possible future actions are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and the accuracy of assumptions concerning HEI and its subsidiaries, the performance of the industries in which they do business and economic, political and market factors, among other things. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.

Forward-looking statements in this release should be read in conjunction with the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” discussions (which are incorporated by reference herein) set forth in HEI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and HEI’s other SEC periodic and current reports and other filings that discuss important factors that could cause HEI’s results to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the report, presentation or filing in which they are made. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, HEI, Hawaiian Electric, and their subsidiaries undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

ABOUT HEI

HEI’s electric utility, Hawaiian Electric, supplies power to approximately 95% of Hawaii’s population and is undertaking an ambitious effort to decarbonize its operations and the broader state economy, and modernize and harden the grid to ensure public safety, reliability and resilience. For more information, visit www.hei.com.

  Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) and Subsidiaries

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA

(Unaudited)

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

2026

2025

2026

2025

Revenues

Electric utility

$

936,864

$

742,482

$

1,680,904

$

1,480,848

Other

2,839

3,910

5,246

9,614

Total revenues

939,703

746,392

1,686,150

1,490,462

Expenses

Electric utility (includes $154 million benefit for the tort settlement remeasurement)

718,300

677,938

1,399,807

1,340,367

Other

17,189

14,707

28,752

33,928

Total expenses

735,489

692,645

1,428,559

1,374,295

Operating income (loss)

Electric utility

218,564

64,544

281,097

140,481

Other

(14,350

)

(10,797

)

(23,506

)

(24,314

)

Total operating income

204,214

53,747

257,591

116,167

Retirement defined benefits credit—other than service costs

879

919

1,758

1,836

Interest expense, net

(48,383

)

(27,256

)

(79,511

)

(61,468

)

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

1,997

1,462

3,702

2,879

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

4,387

3,702

8,151

7,287

Interest and dividend income

5,284

7,579

15,279

20,202

Loss on sale of a subsidiary and impairment loss on assets held for sale

(3,716

)

(178

)

(3,716

)

(13,389

)

Income before income taxes

164,662

39,975

203,254

73,514

Income tax expense

41,462

13,417

49,604

19,812

Net income

123,200

26,558

153,650

53,702

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries

—

473

—

946

Net income for common stock

$

123,200

$

26,085

$

153,650

$

52,756

Basic earnings per common share

$

0.71

$

0.15

$

0.89

$

0.31

Diluted earnings per common share

$

0.71

$

0.15

$

0.89

$

0.31

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding

172,637

172,496

172,632

172,487

Weighted-average shares assuming dilution

173,222

172,655

173,353

172,832

Income (loss) for common stock by segment

Electric utility

$

137,858

$

39,150

$

173,201

$

86,966

Other

(14,658

)

(13,065

)

(19,551

)

(34,210

)

Income for common stock

$

123,200

$

26,085

$

153,650

$

52,756

Comprehensive income attributable to HEI

$

123,125

$

25,779

$

153,501

$

51,990

Return on average common equity (%) (twelve months ended)1

13.6

NM

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric) and Subsidiaries

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME DATA

(Unaudited)

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

($ in thousands, except per barrel amounts)

2026

2025

2026

2025

Revenues

$

936,864

$

742,482

$

1,680,904

$

1,480,848

Expenses

Fuel oil

336,615

210,587

573,528

449,308

Purchased power

223,559

174,963

368,833

321,680

Other operation and maintenance

166,743

158,217

328,960

301,325

Wildfire tort-related claims

(162,383

)

—

(162,383

)

—

Depreciation

66,447

63,974

132,893

127,993

Taxes, other than income taxes

87,319

70,197

157,976

140,061

Total expenses

718,300

677,938

1,399,807

1,340,367

Operating income

218,564

64,544

281,097

140,481

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

4,387

3,702

8,151

7,287

Retirement defined benefits credit—other than service costs

1,049

1,052

2,099

2,103

Interest expense and other charges, net

(45,351

)

(21,706

)

(73,227

)

(44,158

)

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

1,997

1,462

3,702

2,879

Interest income

2,713

1,215

6,581

3,196

Income before income taxes

183,359

50,269

228,403

111,788

Income tax expense

45,501

10,620

55,202

23,824

Net income

137,858

39,649

173,201

87,964

Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries

—

229

—

458

Net income attributable to Hawaiian Electric

137,858

39,420

173,201

87,506

Preferred stock dividends of Hawaiian Electric

—

270

—

540

Net income for common stock

$

137,858

$

39,150

$

173,201

$

86,966

Comprehensive income attributable to Hawaiian Electric

$

137,811

$

39,103

$

173,107

$

86,872

OTHER ELECTRIC UTILITY INFORMATION

Kilowatthour sales (millions)

Hawaiian Electric

1,496

1,509

2,953

2,962

Hawaii Electric Light

260

257

518

512

Maui Electric

259

266

516

523

2,015

2,032

3,987

3,997

Average fuel oil cost per barrel

$

145.67

$

100.40

$

119.71

$

102.56

Return on average common equity (%) (twelve months ended)1

15.0

3.7

Explanation of HEI’s Use of Certain Unaudited Non-GAAP Measures

HEI management uses certain non-GAAP measures to evaluate the performance of HEI. Management believes these non-GAAP measures provide useful information and are a better indicator of the companies’ core operating activities. Core earnings and other financial measures as presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. The accompanying tables provide a reconciliation of reported GAAP1 earnings to non-GAAP Core earnings.

The reconciling adjustments from GAAP earnings to Core earnings are limited to the items related to the Maui wildfires and costs related to HEI’s ongoing review of strategic options for Pacific Current. Management does not consider these items to be representative of the company’s fundamental Core earnings.

  Reconciliation of GAAP1 to non-GAAP Measures

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) and Subsidiaries

Unaudited

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

(in thousands)

2026

2025

2026

2025

Maui windstorm and wildfires related items

Pretax expenses:

Legal expenses

$

3,325

$

5,888

$

5,232

$

14,738

Outside services expense

—

11

—

135

Other expense

1,270

5,859

1,378

11,787

Interest expense

—

870

—

2,901

Pretax expenses

4,595

12,628

6,610

29,561

Insurance recoveries2

(7,842

)

2,418

(9,174

)

(4,304

)

Settlement remeasurement3

(153,870

)

—

(153,870

)

—

Accretion expense4

17,714

—

17,714

—

Deferral of cost

—

(9,889

)

—

(15,572

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related items, net

(139,403

)

5,157

(138,720

)

9,685

Pretax loss on sale of a subsidiary and asset impairment

3,716

178

3,716

13,389

Income tax expense (benefit)5

34,940

3,936

34,764

(632

)

After-tax adjustments

$

(100,747

)

$

9,271

$

(100,240

)

$

22,442

Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Measures (continued)

Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) and Subsidiaries

Unaudited

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

(in thousands)

2026

2025

2026

2025

HEI Consolidated

GAAP1 net income (as reported)

$

123,200

$

26,085

$

153,650

$

52,756

Excluding special items related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires (after tax)2:

Legal expenses

2,469

4,372

3,885

10,943

Outside services expense

—

8

—

100

Other expense

943

4,350

1,023

8,752

Interest expense

—

646

—

2,154

After tax expenses

3,412

9,376

4,908

21,949

Insurance recoveries3

(5,823

)

1,795

(6,812

)

(3,196

)

Settlement remeasurement4

(114,248

)

—

(114,248

)

—

Accretion expense5

13,153

—

13,153

—

Deferral of cost

—

(7,342

)

—

(11,562

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related items, net (after tax)

(103,506

)

3,829

(102,999

)

7,191

Loss on sale of a subsidiary and asset impairment (after tax)2

2,759

5,442

2,759

15,251

Non-GAAP (Core) net income

$

22,453

$

35,356

$

53,410

$

75,198

GAAP Diluted earnings per share (as reported)

$

0.71

$

0.15

$

0.89

$

0.31

Non-GAAP (Core) Diluted earnings per share

$

0.13

$

0.20

$

0.31

$

0.44

Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Measures (continued)

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Unaudited

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

(in thousands)

2026

2025

2026

2025

Maui windstorm and wildfires related items

Pretax expenses:

Legal expenses

$

1,109

$

4,304

$

2,564

$

8,153

Other expense

1,116

5,792

1,116

11,487

Interest expense

—

660

—

2,412

Pretax expenses

2,225

10,756

3,680

22,052

Insurance recoveries1,2

(7,870

)

3,620

(8,831

)

556

Settlement remeasurement3

(153,870

)

—

(153,870

)

—

Accretion expense4

17,714

—

17,714

—

Deferral of cost5

—

(9,889

)

—

(15,572

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related items, net

(141,801

)

4,487

(141,307

)

7,036

Income tax expense (benefits)6

36,514

(1,156

)

36,387

(1,812

)

After-tax adjustments

$

(105,287

)

$

3,331

$

(104,920

)

$

5,224

Hawaiian Electric consolidated net income

GAAP7 net income (as reported)

$

137,858

$

39,150

$

173,201

$

86,966

Excluding special items related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires (after tax)6:

Legal expenses

824

3,195

1,904

6,053

Other expense

828

4,300

828

8,529

Interest expense

—

490

—

1,791

After tax expenses

1,652

7,985

2,732

16,373

Insurance recoveries1,2

(5,844

)

2,688

(6,557

)

413

Settlement remeasurement3

(114,248

)

—

(114,248

)

—

Accretion expense4

13,153

—

13,153

—

Deferral of cost5

—

(7,342

)

—

(11,562

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related items, net (after tax)

(105,287

)

3,331

(104,920

)

5,224

Non-GAAP (Core) net income

$

32,571

$

42,481

$

68,281

$

92,190

Twelve months ended June 30

2026

2025

Ratios (%)

Based on GAAP - Return on average equity8

15.0

3.7

Based on Non-GAAP (core) - Return on average equity8,9

5.7

7.2

Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Measures (continued)

Holding and Other Companies

Unaudited

  Three months ended June 30

Six months ended June 30

(in thousands)

2026

2025

2026

2025

Maui windstorm and wildfires related costs

Pretax expenses:

Legal expenses

$

2,216

$

1,584

$

2,668

$

6,585

Outside services expense

—

11

—

135

Other expense

154

67

262

300

Interest expense

—

210

—

489

Pretax expenses

2,370

1,872

2,930

7,509

Insurance recoveries

28

(1,202

)

(343

)

(4,860

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related expenses, net of insurance recoveries

2,398

670

2,587

2,649

Pretax loss on sale of a subsidiary and asset impairment

3,716

178

3,716

13,389

Income tax expense (benefits)1

(1,574

)

5,092

(1,623

)

1,180

After-tax adjustments

$

4,540

$

5,940

$

4,680

$

17,218

Holding and Other Companies net loss

GAAP2 net loss (as reported)

$

(14,658

)

$

(13,065

)

$

(19,551

)

$

(34,210

)

Excluding special items related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires (after tax)1:

Legal expenses

1,646

1,177

1,981

4,890

Outside services expense

—

8

—

100

Other expense

115

50

195

223

Interest expense

—

156

—

363

Maui windstorm and wildfires related expenses (after tax)

1,761

1,391

2,176

5,576

Insurance recoveries

20

(893

)

(255

)

(3,609

)

Total Maui windstorm and wildfires related expenses, net of insurance recoveries (after tax)

1,781

498

1,921

1,967

Loss on sale of a subsidiary and asset impairment

2,759

5,442

2,759

15,251

Non-GAAP (Core) net loss

$

(10,118

)

$

(7,125

)

$

(14,871

)

$

(16,992

)

More News From Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

Shares of QuantumScape (QS +9.95%) fell 31% in July, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The battery technology outfit had a rough month after reporting its Q2 earnings, amid a decline in stock prices across high-risk areas of the stock market.

After a brief rise at the start of August, QuantumScape now trades at $6 per share and is down 95% from its highs. Here's why it was falling again in July.

Today's Change

(

9.95

%) $

0.55

Current Price

$

6.08

Breakthroughs in battery technology After going public in 2020, QuantumScape stock rose during the COVID-19 electric vehicle (EV) bubble, before slowly falling back to earth. The company has been working for years on a solid-state battery technology for EVs, which promises better performance and less fire safety risks compared to current liquid lithium-ion systems.

Still, in 2026, it had failed to make enough progress with its batteries to reach full production. The company has never generated a lick of revenue and is burning hundreds of millions of dollars in free cash flow each year.

Now, the company has begun to give up its hopes of manufacturing batteries at scale, instead licensing these systems to other manufacturers, such as automakers. This did not go over well with Wall Street and is a reason the stock fell in July.

In July, QuantumScape reported second-quarter earnings, but they are not very relevant to the business today, as it has no products to sell. Investors need to look closely at the company's product development to see whether it is meeting its timeline for implementing this technology in EVs at scale. Right now, management believes it will be ready by 2029.

Image source: Getty Images.

Should you buy the dip on QuantumScape stock? QuantumScape has $860 million in cash on its balance sheet. It is currently burning just under $300 million in cash per year, giving it around three years of product development before it needs to raise more money.

The stock now trades at a market cap of $3.7 billion, down significantly from previous highs but still at a premium for a company that has never generated revenue. It has proven much more difficult to develop these battery innovations than previously assumed, and Wall Street is beginning to get impatient with the stock.

QuantumScape believes it is on a better track by not manufacturing its own batteries and by partnering with companies across the automotive sector, like Honda, but it still needs a working battery if this business is going to have a whiff of viability. Don't buy the dip on QuantumScape stock.

Key Takeaways Cipher Digital delivered initial Black Pearl HPC capacity two months early, with rent starting in August.CIFR's portfolio totals about 5.3 GW across 11 sites, including a 4.4-GW future-development pipeline.CIFR priced $810 million of Stingray secured notes at 6%, with the offering about eight times oversubscribed. Cipher Digital Inc. (CIFR - Free Report) used its second-quarter 2026 earnings call to emphasize execution on its shift toward contracted hyperscale data centers. Black Pearl provided the clearest proof point, with initial HPC capacity delivered two months early and rent beginning in August.

Cipher reported a loss of 65 cents per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 21 cents. Revenues of $24.8 million also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29.3 million. During the earnings call, management focused on Black Pearl execution, leasing demand and project financing. 

Cipher Accelerates Black Pearl DeliveryCEO Tyler Page said Cipher accelerated initial Black Pearl capacity at the tenant's request, demonstrating that the company can compress construction schedules when the economics and tenant coordination support it.

Page clarified during the Jefferies Q&A that the early handoff applies to part of the project. The remaining Black Pearl delivery deadlines remain unchanged.

At Barber Lake, Page said the approximately 168-critical-IT-megawatt first phase remains on track, with rental payments expected to begin in October. Stingray remains targeted for delivery in the first half of 2027.

CIFR Expands Its Texas PipelinePage said Cipher's portfolio now totals about 5.3 GW across 11 sites, including a 4.4-GW future-development pipeline.

The company added an option on Apollo, a site near San Antonio with up to 900 MW, and submitted a planned 200-MW Stingray expansion as a studied load in ERCOT's Batch Zero process.

Page also said the three executed data-center campus leases are expected to generate about $793 million of average annualized net operating income from October 2026 through September 2036.

Cipher Sees Its Strongest Demand BackdropA Chardan analyst asked about tenant demand and partner selection. Page described the demand environment as the strongest Cipher has seen, with higher rents, longer lease terms and more triple-net structures.

A Macquarie analyst asked about Reveille and Ulysses. Page said multiple parties are interested in both sites, while Cipher is prioritizing counterparty quality, lease terms and risk-adjusted returns over signing the first available deal.

In response to H.C. Wainwright, Page said Odessa, Reveille and Ulysses represent 477 MW that have cleared the major milestones needed to support lease execution.

CIFR Extends Its Project Financing ModelCFO Greg Mumford said the $810 million Stingray secured-notes offering priced at a 6% coupon and was about eight times oversubscribed. The financing funds the project through substantial completion.

Mumford said Cipher ended June with $870 million of unrestricted liquidity, excluding undrawn revolver availability, and no cash borrowings on its revolver.

During the Jefferies Q&A, Mumford added that near-term sites can be handled without an equity raise. He also said a future lease spanning several hundred megawatts or more could create an equity requirement.

Cipher Flags ERCOT Timing and Cost PressureA Morgan Stanley analyst asked about Texas interconnection uncertainty following the governor's letter. Page said the expected near-term Batch Zero decision would be delayed and declined to provide a new timing forecast.

Page said Cipher had completed the required attestations and water surveys and expects its sites to remain well positioned. He added that delays increase the value of near-term megawatts outside the batch process and of self-generation options.

Rosenblatt and Needham analysts pressed on procurement and construction costs. Page said labor and equipment inflation are pushing future budgets higher, while current builds are running at contingency levels, and some contract structures cap Cipher's exposure.

CIFR Stays Focused on ExecutionPage said Cipher does not anticipate additional capital investment in bitcoin mining as it prioritizes HPC. The operating focus is on delivering current campuses and converting development sites into leases.

Mumford's financing commentary reinforced that strategy, with project-level debt intended to fund contracted builds while preserving parent-company liquidity for the development pipeline.

Cipher's Zacks Signals Remain MixedCIFR carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Under the Style Score framework, the strongest historical combinations pair Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks with A or B Style Scores, making the Hold rank a more neutral starting point. 

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Momentum Score of A indicates favorable momentum characteristics, while the Growth Score of C is middle-tier and the Value Score of F and VGM Score of D are weaker. The Zacks Rank can change as earnings estimates are revised after the just-reported results.

Key Takeaways JOBY posted Q2 revenues of $38.6M, beating estimates, while its loss widened to 25 cents a share. Blade contributed $36.2M in Q2, helping Joby Aviation raise its 2026 revenue outlook to $115M-$125M. Joby Aviation targets first eIPP flights in Texas in September and its first passengers later in 2026. Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) reported a second-quarter 2026 loss of 25 cents per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 23 cents. In the year-ago quarter, JOBY reported a loss of 41 cents.

However, the results had a positive impact on the market, as the stock gained 5.5% since its earnings release on Aug. 5.

Quarterly revenues were $38.6 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $29 million. Revenues increased from $15,000 in the prior-year period, with Blade contributing $36.2 million in the reported quarter amid seasonal demand and strong passenger activity.

In the June-end quarter, total operating expenses increased 78.4% year over year to $299.52 million. Research and development expenses rose 42.7% to $194.66 million, while selling, general and administrative expenses climbed 143.2% to $76.56 million as Joby invested in certification, manufacturing and commercial readiness and supported Blade’s growth.

Adjusted EBITDA in second-quarter 2026 was a loss of approximately $197 million compared with a loss of about $179 million in the first quarter. Management attributed the sequential change to the quarter's revenues and expense dynamics.

JOBY exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $629.86 million and total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $2.26 billion. As of June 30, 2026, long-term debt totaled $701.87 million.

JOBY's GuidanceThe company raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to $115-$125 million from $105-$115 million, citing Blade's continued strength. For the second half of 2026, Joby expects to use between $385 million and $415 million of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.

On the operating front, Joby expects its first flights under the White House-backed eIPP program in Texas in September and aims to carry its first passengers in 2026. The company said five aircraft are flying and another 12 are in production, while it recorded its strongest quarterly progress yet in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification.

Currently, JOBY has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Q2 Performances of Other Transportation CompaniesWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies (WAB - Free Report) , operating as Wabtec Corporation, reported encouraging second-quarter 2026 results, wherein both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year.

Quarterly adjusted earnings of $2.76 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.63 by 4.9% and increased 21.6% year over year, owing to higher sales and operating margin expansion.

Revenues climbed 17.5% to $3.18 billion and surpassed the consensus mark of $3.08 billion by 3.2%.

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL - Free Report)  reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.99 per share, down 48.6% year over year but above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.92 by 3.7%.

Operating revenues rose 16% to $17.67 billion and were essentially in line with the $17.68 billion consensus mark. A 12.1% increase in total revenues per available seat mile or TRASM, and broad-based gains across premium, loyalty and cargo revenues, supported the top line despite sharply higher fuel costs.

Key Takeaways SoundHound's Q2 revenues jumped 45% to a record $61.9M as enterprise demand for OASYS strengthened.SOUN raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $230-$260M, lifting the lower end by $5M after first-half gains.OASYS cut development timelines, while GAAP gross margin rose 610 basis points to 45.1% in Q2. SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN - Free Report) delivered a record second quarter as enterprise demand for OASYS helped lift revenues and management raised the floor of its 2026 outlook. The result strengthens the case that the platform is becoming a more meaningful growth driver.

Investors now have a tougher test to watch. Faster deal conversion and improving margins need to persist while SoundHound absorbs acquisition risk and works toward better cash generation.

SoundHound's Record Q2 Shows OASYS MomentumSecond-quarter revenues rose 45% year over year to a record $61.9 million, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $52.49 million by 17.9%. The adjusted loss narrowed to 2 cents per share from 3 cents a year earlier and beat the consensus estimate of 3 cents.
 

Management attributed the top-line growth to major enterprise AI deals linked to OASYS. The self-learning, orchestrated platform lets customers build and deploy conversational agents across phones, chat, kiosks, smart devices, drive-thrus, televisions and vehicles.

SOUN's Guidance Raise Extends the Growth StorySoundHound raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $230-$260 million from $225-$260 million, lifting the lower end by $5 million. The revision followed its first-half performance and continued demand for OASYS and the company's broader voice and agentic AI portfolio.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 sales is $233 million, up 37.9% from 2025. That figure sits near the lower end of management's new range, while the unchanged $260 million ceiling leaves the raised floor as the principal guidance change.

OASYS Helps SoundHound Shorten Deal TimelinesManagement said work that previously took months can now be built in minutes using OASYS. One eight-figure commitment moved from demonstration to contract in less than 90 days. OASYS also helped SoundHound convert pilots and customer evaluations more quickly.

Cerence Inc. (CRNC - Free Report) , a listed Zacks industry peer, develops conversational AI for automotive use cases. Five9, Inc. (FIVN - Free Report) , another listed peer, offers agentic and voice AI for contact centers. Those businesses frame the competitive pressure SoundHound faces across automotive and enterprise customer-service deployments.

SOUN's Margin Improvement Adds Quality to the BeatGAAP gross margin expanded 610 basis points year over year to 45.1% from 39%, while GAAP gross profit rose 68% to $27.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed 33% to $9.6 million from $14.3 million.

Non-GAAP gross margin was unchanged at 58.4%, indicating stable underlying gross profitability after the company's adjustments. Losses remain material, however. GAAP net loss totaled $42.8 million and first-half operating cash outflow widened to $60 million from $43.7 million a year earlier.

SoundHound's Outlook Excludes LivePerson UpsideThe new 2026 outlook does not contemplate SoundHound's pending acquisition of LivePerson, Inc. (LPSN - Free Report) . SoundHound expects the transaction to close before the end of 2026 and plans to update guidance after completion.

That structure leaves any post-close contribution outside the current range, but the transaction also adds execution risk. SoundHound must integrate technologies, engineering teams and enterprise platforms while continuing to convert OASYS demand into scaled deployments.

SoundHound's Scores Temper the Post-Earnings SetupThe second-quarter report strengthens the operating case for OASYS, but the next phase depends on whether faster deployments can support durable margin improvement and better cash generation while acquisition risks remain in focus.

SOUN currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), a VGM Score of F, Value Score of F, Growth Score of D and Momentum Score of F. The Zacks Rank reflects earnings-estimate revisions over a one- to three-month horizon, while the Style Scores assess value, growth and momentum characteristics. The weaker grades temper the setup despite the stronger quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

GE Vernova (GEV -1.00%), the former energy division of General Electric (GE -1.19%) that was spun off as a stand-alone company in 2024, has soared since its market debut. Its stock opened at $143 on the first day, and it's trading at around $994 as of this writing.

The rapid growth of the power-hungry cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and data center markets generated strong tailwinds for GE Vernova's business, and its backlog swelled 37% year over year to $176.3 billion in the second quarter of 2026. Yet over the past month, its stock dipped by about 5% while the S&P 500 rose by 3%. Let's see why it lost momentum and whether that pullback represents a good buying opportunity for long-term investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

How fast is GE Vernova growing? GE Vernova operates three main segments: Power (55% of its 2025 orders), Electrification (33%), and Wind (13%). The Power segment develops gas turbines for combined-cycle plants, steam turbines for coal, gas, and nuclear plants, and provides services for nuclear power plants. The Electrifification segment sells transformers, breakers, substations, high-voltage direct current systems, along with automation, optimization, and protection services for electrical grids. The Wind segment primarily sells onshore and offshore wind turbines.

GE Vernova's total orders grew 34% organically in 2025, accelerating from its 7% growth in 2024. Its Power and Electrification orders surged 51% and 23%, respectively, as more utilities expanded their infrastructure to support the growing cloud and AI markets. That robust growth offset the slower growth of its Wind segment, which grappled with supply chain issues.

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In the first half of 2026, its total orders grew 89% year over year. Its Power and Electrification orders rose 99% and 131%, respectively, easily offsetting its 11% decline in Wind orders. For the full year, it expects its revenue to rise 19% to 22%, and its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin to expand from 8.4% to 12%-14%.

Why did GE Vernova's stock pull back? GE Vernova's business is firing on all cylinders, but a few issues weighed down its stock after its second-quarter report on July 22. First, its adjusted EBITDA and EPS missed Wall Street's expectations as it ramped up spending to increase its capacity and recognized additional losses from the Wind division's offshore and onshore segments. Second, GE Vernova was already priced for perfection. Therefore, any perceived imperfections would drive its stock lower.

With an enterprise value of $255 billion, GE Vernova still isn't cheap at 40 times this year's adjusted EBITDA. However, I believe the AI-driven growth potential of its Power and Electrification businesses justifies that higher valuation and makes it a great buy today.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Waste Connections, Inc. (TSX/NYSE: WCN) (“Waste Connections” or the “Company”) today announced that it has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) for the annual renewal of its normal course issuer bid (the “NCIB”). The renewal will follow on the conclusion of the Company’s current NCIB expiring August 11, 2026 (the “2025 NCIB”).

Pursuant to the renewed NCIB, Waste Connections proposes to purchase through the facilities of the TSX, the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), NYSE Texas and/or alternative Canadian trading systems, from time to time over the next 12 months, if considered advisable, up to 12,578,462 common shares, being 5% of its 251,569,244 issued and outstanding common shares as of July 31, 2026.

In accordance with TSX rules, any daily repurchases would be limited to a maximum of 95,113 common shares, which represents 25% of the average daily trading volume on the TSX of 380,453 common shares for the period from February 1, 2026, to July 31, 2026, excluding any purchases made on the TSX under the 2025 NCIB. The TSX rules also allow the Company to purchase, once a week, a block of common shares not owned by any insiders, which may exceed such daily limit. The maximum number of shares which can be purchased per day on the NYSE and NYSE Texas will be 25% of the average daily trading volume for the four calendar weeks preceding the date of purchase, subject to certain exceptions for block purchases.

Waste Connections is authorized to make purchases during the period of August 12, 2026, to August 11, 2027, or until such earlier time as the NCIB is completed or terminated at the option of the Company. Any common shares Waste Connections purchases under the NCIB will be purchased on the open market through the facilities of the TSX, the NYSE, NYSE Texas and/or alternative Canadian trading systems at the prevailing market price at the time of such transaction.

Management’s decisions regarding any share repurchases will be based on market conditions, share price and other factors, including potential acquisition growth opportunities. The NCIB has been renewed because Waste Connections believes that the repurchase of common shares is consistent with its objective to return capital to shareholders over time. All common shares purchased through the NCIB will be cancelled.

Under the 2025 NCIB, the Company sought and obtained approval from the TSX to purchase up to 12,855,691 common shares for cancellation. As of August 6, 2026, the Company had purchased 6,103,527 common shares through the facilities of the NYSE under the 2025 NCIB.

About Waste Connections

Waste Connections (wasteconnections.com) is an integrated solid waste services company that provides non-hazardous waste collection, transfer and disposal services, including by rail, along with resource recovery primarily through recycling and renewable fuels generation. The Company serves approximately nine million residential, commercial and industrial customers in mostly exclusive and secondary markets across 46 states in the U.S. and six provinces in Canada. Waste Connections also provides nonhazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery and disposal services in several basins across the U.S. and Canada, as well as intermodal services for the movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest. Waste Connections views its sustainability efforts as integral to its business, with initiatives consistent with its objective of long-term value creation and focused on reducing emissions, increasing resource recovery of both recyclable commodities and clean energy fuels, reducing reliance on off-site disposal for landfill leachate, further improving safety and enhancing employee engagement. Visit wasteconnections.com/sustainability for more information and updates on our progress towards targeted achievement.

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”), including “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance and reflect Waste Connections’ current beliefs and expectations regarding future events and operating performance. These forward-looking statements can be identified by use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “should,” or “anticipates,” or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, or by the discussions of strategy. All of the forward-looking statements included in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA and applicable securities laws in Canada. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements about the return of capital to shareholders, including repurchases of common shares of the Company and management’s decisions related thereto. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in Canada. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Waste Connections undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

More News From Waste Connections, Inc.

Nvidia NVDA , the AI chip giant powering much of the world's data-center boom, gained about 2.2% in Friday's regular session after investors cheered SpaceX's SPCX decision to build its AI platform exclusively around Nvidia hardware. Elon Musk said SpaceX expects to secure a significant share of Nvidia's GPU supply next year, immediately putting the spotlight on what could become one of Nvidia's largest AI infrastructure customers. While neither company disclosed the value or size of the deal, the message was clear: Nvidia remains the chipmaker everyone wants when building AI at scale.

The numbers show why this matters. SpaceX poured roughly $15.83 billion into AI infrastructure last quarter while generating $2.56 billion in AI revenue and expanding installed computing capacity to around 1.4 gigawatts, with even more capacity on the way. Not every dollar of that spending will land in Nvidia's pocket because AI campuses also require networking gear, power systems, cooling equipment and construction. Still, winning exclusive GPU supplier status gives Nvidia a front-row seat as one of the industry's most aggressive AI builders continues spending.

The GF Score chart only strengthens the bull case. Nvidia posts an outstanding GF Score of 95 out of 100, backed by elite profitability, explosive growth and rock-solid financial strength, all signs of a business still firing on nearly every cylinder. The only soft spot is GF Value, which suggests investors are already paying a hefty premium for that quality. That means execution matters more than ever. If SpaceX's AI expansion turns into a steady stream of GPU orders instead of a one-off deployment, Nvidia could reinforce its grip on the AI infrastructure race and give investors another reason to stay bullish despite the stock's premium valuation.

Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Dover Corporation (NYSE: DOV) today increased its quarterly cash dividend to $0.525 (fifty-two and one-half cents) per share, from the previous $0.52 (fifty-two cents) per share, an increase of $0.005 (one-half cent). This is the 71st consecutive year in which the Company has increased its annual cash dividend, demonstrating Dover's longstanding commitment to returning capital to shareholders.

This increased dividend will be paid on September 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 31, 2026.

About Dover:

Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of over $8 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 70 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com.

Investor Contact:

Media Contact:

Jack Dickens

Adrian Sakowicz

Vice President – Investor Relations

Vice President – Communications

(630) 743-2566

(630) 743-5039 

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Dover

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Key Takeaways Cardinal Health is expected to post Q4 sales of $65.61B, up 9.1%, with EPS projected to rise 16.4%.CAH's Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions business likely stayed a key growth driver on strong demand.Cardinal Health's GMPD unit faced tariff, inflation and customer volume pressures despite cost initiatives. Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) is scheduled to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Aug. 11, before market open.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $65.61 billion, implying 9.1% year-over-year growth. The bottom line estimate is pinned at $2.42, suggesting growth of 16.4%.

The EPS estimates have remained stable over the past seven days.

The company delivered an earnings surprise of 13.21% in the last reported quarter. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 10.27%.

What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Cardinal Health this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. This is not the case here, as you will see below.

Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate Estimate ($2.45 per share) and the Zacks Consensus Estimate is +1.24% for CAH. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Factors Likely to Have Driven Q4 PerformanceCardinal Health is expected to have delivered robust performance during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, supported by sustained momentum in its Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions business and continued strength across its higher-margin growth businesses. Pharmaceutical demand is likely to have remained healthy across specialty, branded, generic and consumer health products.

The ongoing expansion of the company's specialty platform, including Solaris integration and its Specialty Alliance physician network, should have continued to boost revenue growth. Management had previously indicated that specialty revenues were growing at more than 20% and were expected to exceed $50 billion in fiscal 2026, suggesting that the segment likely remained a key driver of earnings.

Within the Pharmaceutical segment, profit growth is expected to have continued outpacing revenue growth, supported by favorable branded and specialty product contributions, resilient generic market dynamics, and preserved economics on distribution contracts despite Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)-related pricing changes. However, revenue growth may have remained moderate due to lower wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) pricing under the IRA, slower GLP-1 growth normalization and ongoing loss-of-exclusivity transitions.

The Global Medical Products and Distribution (GMPD) segment is likely to have remained a mixed performer. Continued growth in Cardinal Health-branded products, cost optimization initiatives and operational simplification should have supported underlying execution, although tariffs, selective customer volume losses and inflationary pressures on certain product categories may have continued weighing on profitability.

Meanwhile, the company's Other businesses — At-Home Solutions, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions, and OptiFreight Logistics — are expected to have sustained their robust growth trend, aided by strong demand, theranostics expansion, ADS integration synergies and logistics volume gains.

Continued investments in technology, automation and distribution infrastructure are also likely to have supported long-term growth. Cardinal Health's disciplined capital allocation, ongoing share repurchases and resilient operating execution are expected to have supported another quarter of healthy earnings growth despite persistent pricing and tariff-related headwinds.

CAH Share Price PerformanceIn the year-to-date period, CAH shares have rallied 15.6%, outperforming its industry’s 4.8% growth over the same period.

CAH has also comfortably outpaced the S&P 500’s 12.7% gain, underscoring strong investor confidence in the company's specialty momentum and expansion in theranostic and at-home services.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CAH has also delivered markedly stronger returns than its MedTech peers. While McKesson (MCK - Free Report) has gained 6.2% year to date, Cencora (COR - Free Report) has declined 3.8%. The stock has also significantly outperformed the broader Zacks Medical sector, which has generated a modest 0.9% return during the same period.

CAH’s Key Valuation MetricFrom a valuation standpoint, Cardinal Health is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 19.5X, reflecting a premium valuation relative to its MedTech peers.

The elevated multiple suggests that investors are assigning a higher valuation to the company's long-term growth prospects, particularly its specialty expansion and productivity gains from high-growth businesses.

CAH currently trades well above Cencora, which carries a forward 12-month P/E of 16.65X, and McKesson, which is valued at 18.84X sales.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CAH’s Long-Term Investment VisibilityCardinal Health's focus on transforming its business toward higher-margin specialty healthcare services, while reinforcing the resilience of its core Pharmaceutical distribution franchise, is likely to drive long-term growth. Management continues to expand its Specialty platform through investments in specialty distribution, physician management services (MSOs), biopharma solutions and strategic acquisitions.

The integration of Solaris into the Specialty Alliance, continued expansion of its multi-specialty physician network through tuck-in acquisitions, and growing collaboration between Specialty Networks, MSOs and Nuclear businesses are expected to deepen customer relationships and drive above-market specialty growth.

The company also expects specialty revenues to exceed $50 billion in fiscal 2026, underscoring the increasing importance of this business to long-term earnings. Cardinal Health continues to strengthen its pharmaceutical distribution network through automation, productivity initiatives, and technology investments, enabling it to deliver record service levels while preserving distribution economics despite pricing changes under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Beyond Pharma, Cardinal Health is building multiple long-term growth engines across At-Home Solutions, Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions, and OptiFreight Logistics, all of which continue to benefit from favorable healthcare trends. The company is investing to expand its home health distribution capacity, integrate ADS, grow the ContinuCare Pathway program, and capitalize on the ongoing shift toward home-based care.

Cardinal Health's Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions segment continues to strengthen its position in theranostics through increased Actinium-225 production capacity and expanding pharmaceutical collaborations, supporting future growth as targeted cancer therapies gain traction. At the same time, the company is advancing enterprise-wide initiatives focused on operational efficiency, supply-chain resilience, prudent capital deployment, and selective acquisitions, while pursuing a multiyear turnaround effort in GMPD. Combined with robust cash flow, continued buybacks, technology investments, and a growing mix of higher-margin businesses, these efforts should support durable earnings growth and long-term value creation for shareholders.

Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY)'s leadership reshuffle expanded with the unexpected departure of Chief Marketing Officer Jennie Weber, Jefferies analysts have highlighted while reiterating their ‘Hold’ rating on the retailer.  

Jefferies maintained its $85 price target on Best Buy, which is currently trading at about $82.   

The firm wrote that Weber’s departure came as a surprise given a July 14 company announcement that she would report to incoming CEO Jason Bonfig following a series of leadership role reassignments.

Weber will be replaced by current Chief Creative Officer Marty Senn, who joined Best Buy in January. During her tenure as CMO, Weber oversaw marketing, creative, media, membership and customer insights. Jefferies noted that she relaunched the Best Buy brand in 2024 around a campaign focused on the benefits of technology for consumers.

The firm also highlighted Weber’s role in establishing Geek Squad as a key part of Best Buy’s customer service strategy, revamping the retailer’s rewards points program and developing Best Buy Ads into a retail media network. Jefferies also noted that Weber oversaw the retailer’s in-house creative agency and launched the Best Buy Creator Program, which has grown to more than 2,000 creators.

Jefferies wrote that Bonfig’s incoming leadership could bring a fresh perspective to Best Buy, particularly given his vendor relationships and focus on alternative profit streams such as Best Buy Ads and the company’s third-party marketplace.

The firm also viewed incoming CFO Bramman as a strong replacement for recently departed CFO Bilunas, citing her previous public-company CFO experience in retail and consumer businesses.

However, Jefferies wrote that its concern is the number of leadership roles that have been reassigned over a relatively short period, with changes to the marketing organization now adding to the reshuffling.

Looking ahead, Jefferies wrote that Best Buy Ads and the third-party marketplace could support EBIT margins over the longer term, while replacement cycles in consumer electronics, including televisions, could also provide support.

In the near term, however, the firm sees potential pressure on demand in categories including PCs and mobile devices from rising memory costs, which could contribute to category declines. Jefferies wrote that this could result in a roughly flat comparable sales performance next year, below the Street expectation of more than 1.5% growth, with subsequent SG&A deleverage potentially offsetting gross-margin benefits from alternative profit streams.

Key Takeaways MED targets a Q4 return to profitability as Trilivy and cost cuts support its turnaround.Medifast's coach productivity rose 41%, but the active coach base continues to shrink.MED expects Q3 losses before targeting profitability in Q4, making execution on Trilivy critical. Medifast, Inc. (MED - Free Report) is entering a decisive phase of its turnaround as the Trilivy metabolic-health platform rolls out alongside another round of cost reductions. Management expects progress toward profitability to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The near-term setup remains demanding. Revenues are still well below year-ago levels and the active coach base continues to shrink, leaving the Q4 target dependent on cost execution, steadier sales and better productivity.

MED's Q2 Beat Offers an Early Turnaround SignalSecond-quarter 2026 revenues fell 27.6% year over year to $76.4 million but edged above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $76 million. The company posted a loss of 28 cents per share, narrower than the consensus loss of 67 cents.

Operating indicators offered some encouragement. Revenue per active earning coach rose 41% year over year to $6,529 and improved for a third consecutive quarter. Management views higher coach productivity as an early indicator because it has historically preceded client acquisition, coach growth and revenue expansion.

Medifast Is Repositioning Around TrilivyTrilivy succeeds OPTAVIA as Medifast's primary consumer brand and expands the company's focus from traditional weight loss to broader metabolic health. The system is organized around Reset, Refine and Renew phases and is designed to support clients using GLP-1 medications, transitioning off them or pursuing non-medication approaches.

For peer context, investors evaluating Medifast can also look at Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) and US Foods Holding Corp. (USFD - Free Report) . MED's investment case, however, remains centered on whether Trilivy, improving coach productivity and Catalyst-led savings can stabilize revenues and restore profitability.

MED's Catalyst Program Targets More Cost SavingsThe Catalyst program is designed to generate millions of dollars in additional savings through facility rationalization, artificial-intelligence-related efficiencies and broader business simplification. These initiatives build on more than $30 million of previously identified cost savings.

Management has not yet quantified the new savings target, but expects to provide more detail with third-quarter results. The objective is to remove costs without impairing revenue growth, making Catalyst an important part of the company's effort to improve profitability while continuing to invest in Trilivy.

Medifast Still Expects Losses Before Q4Medifast expects third-quarter revenues of $60 million to $80 million and a loss of 15 cents to 65 cents per share, excluding one-time Catalyst-related costs. The company also expects the active earning coach count to keep declining in the near term even as productivity improves.

For 2026, management projects revenues of $270 million to $300 million and a loss of 25 cents to $1.75 per share. The Q4 profitability goal therefore rests on sustained revenue stability, successful commercialization of Trilivy and enough cost savings to offset continued fixed-cost pressure.

MED's Ratings Frame a High-Risk Recovery StoryThe turnaround has identifiable catalysts, but valuation adds another consideration. MED trades at 0.5X forward 12-month sales, below the food-miscellaneous sub-industry multiple of 0.81X but above its one-year median of 0.40X. The relative discount may look attractive, though the premium to Medifast's own historical median and the company's shrinking coach network and ongoing losses keep execution risk elevated.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). MED also has a Momentum Score of A, but a Value Score of D, Growth Score of F and VGM Score of D. Since the Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, the mix points to favorable momentum characteristics but a less convincing broader profile, supporting a measured view until the recovery becomes more established. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.