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Anthony Soohoo, Chairman and CEO of MoneyGram, speaking at Consensus 2026 (CoinDesk)Summary

MoneyGram is extending its cash-to-crypto service, MoneyGram Ramps, to the Solana blockchain, allowing wallets, exchanges and developers on Solana to connect to its global cash network.The service lets users convert between cash and digital assets, supporting cash deposits in more than 25 countries and withdrawals in more than 170 countries and territories.The move deepens MoneyGram’s push into stablecoin-based payments and remittances, building on its earlier USDC cash-on/off-ramp with Stellar and the launch of its own dollar-backed stablecoin, MGUSD.MoneyGram is bringing its cash-to-crypto infrastructure to Solana (SOL), extending the money-transfer company's push into blockchain rails to connect stablecoins and digital wallets with its sprawling global cash network.

The company said Tuesday that MoneyGram Ramps has become available to wallets, exchanges and developers building on Solana. The service lets users convert cash into digital assets or cash them out through MoneyGram's payment network without each crypto app having to build its own connections to banks and cash outlets.

The service allows someone holding crypto in a supported wallet to turn it into local currency using MoneyGram's network. Users can also deposit cash to access digital assets. Ramps supports cash deposits in more than 25 countries and withdrawals across more than 170 countries and territories, the firm said.

The move comes as stablecoins are increasingly being used beyond crypto trading, in payments and remittances. Fintechs, banks and payment companies are increasingly experimenting with dollar-pegged tokens to move money across borders without relying on chains of correspondent banks.

MoneyGram, which serves roughly 60 million active customers, views blockchain rails as a way to make cross-border transfers faster, cheaper and easier to track, without requiring customers to think about the technology powering them. Ramps fits into the vision as it connects digital assets into MoneyGram’s extensive brick-and-mortar network to help everyday customers turn tokens into local cash.

“The future of payments is built on access,” MoneyGram CEO Anthony Soohoo said in a statement. “Bringing MoneyGram Ramps to Solana is another step toward building a truly open, global payments network.”

MoneyGram has spent several years building connections between its traditional payments network and crypto. In 2022, it rolled out a service with the Stellar Development Foundation that allowed users to move between cash and Circle's USDC stablecoin through its retail network, giving crypto wallets a physical entry and exit point for digital dollars.

The firm took that strategy further in June, announcing MGUSD, its own dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Bridge, the stablecoin infrastructure company owned by Stripe, on the Stellar XLM$0.1611 network.

The company has also been deepening its ties with Solana, becoming a validator in June, helping process and secure transactions on the network.

MoneyGram was also listed as a one of the partners in Open USD, the Stripe-led stablecoin initiative that aims to share revenue with a consortium of backers.

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Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness

Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

Jun 30, 2026

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

Why it matters:

Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.

With crypto showing strength against volatility and uncertainty in broader markets, institutional players appear to be once again allocating to $SOL.

Led by Bitwise’s $BSOL, Solana ETFs are on track for one of the best weeks in months, suggesting allocators are dipping their toes back into crypto markets.

Meanwhile, onchain activity and application revenue is awakening from its bear market slumbers, consistently pushing new highs in Solana’s non-vote transaction count.

$BSOL Leads Solana ETF Drive Wall Street is getting back into crypto. After many months of languishing prices and stagnant market activity, institutional capital is back on the move, and crypto ETFs have witnessed an uptick in flows.

According to Sosovalue data, Bitcoin ETFs have just recorded their best week since April 17, with buyers outpacing sellers and spearheading $853M in net inflows. Returning institutional demand had a powerful impact on $BTC’s market value, pushing the internet’s favorite store-of-value back to the $65,000 price mark and completing a 4% move.

With confidence returning to $BTC, and crypto markets in general, allocators now appear to be shifting their attention down the risk curve. On August 10, Bitwise’s Solana ETF, $BSOL, witnessed over $8.83M in net inflows, its strongest single day performance since May 12th. 

Monday’s impressive performance is an encouraging sign for the week ahead. While nothing is set in stone until Friday’s market close, Solana ETFs are currently on track for their strongest week since May.

Onchain Activity and App Revenue Climbs Renewed institutional flows into Solana ETFs come following a significant increase in user activity. Driven largely by memecoin fervor and speculation, Solana’s onchain economy has recorded new all-time highs in non-vote transactions for the last two consecutive days, suggesting runaway demand for blockspace.

With traders rejoining the memecoin race in droves, application revenue across the ecosystem is steadily climbing. Led by applications like pumpfun, fomo, and Collector Crypt, Solana’s weekly application revenue hit $23.9M last week, its highest point since February 2026.

In the coming weeks, the Solana community is expected to vote on a governance proposal designed to resolve outstanding tokenomics issues surrounding $SOL value capture. Authored by cavemanloverboy, SGP-003 suggests implementing a resource fee, forcing a programmatic $SOL burn based on the complexity of onchain transactions.

With onchain activity steadily returning, a potential token burn mechanism could have a significant influence on $SOL’s market dynamics. SGP-003 advocates claim that surging onchain activity will amplify $SOL’s burn rate, adding a scarcity premium to the asset that may result in greater value appreciation long term.

$PUMP Leads Solana Ecosystem Coins As confidence and bullish optimism flood back into crypto markets, certain Solana ecosystem coins are rallying. Outside memecoins, $PUMP leads the network’s established project tokens, surging 22% in the last 7D.

$PUMP’s price action is largely supported by its buyback-and-burn mechanism, which routes 50% of all protocol revenue to purchasing $PUMP directly off the open market.

Since the inception of the program, pump.fun has spent over $425M on buybacks, removing 15.82% of the coin’s total supply from circulation.

Read More on SolanaFloor MoneyGram Deepens its Ties with Solana

MoneyGram Ramps Goes Live on Solana, Shoulder-Taps Rift as First Integration

How Does SGP-003 Fix $SOL's Tokenomics?

Robinhood has expanded its cryptocurrency trading services to the United Kingdom, creating another potential avenue for Shiba Inu (SHIB) adoption among UK investors.

The trading platform announced the launch on Monday, August 10, 2026, confirming that eligible UK customers can now trade cryptocurrencies like Shiba Inu directly through the Robinhood app, alongside stocks and shares ISAs, equities, options, and futures.

Notably, Robinhood will provide the service through Bitstamp, the UK-registered crypto-asset service provider it acquired in 2024. 

Robinhood Launches Zero-Fee Crypto Trading in the UK Robinhood said its UK crypto service will offer zero-trading fees, while customers will also avoid account maintenance and custody fees. The company positioned the service as a low-cost alternative to traditional UK crypto platforms, particularly those that rely on complex pricing structures and wider spreads.

The rollout will initially reach eligible UK customers this week and will provide access to more than 50 cryptocurrencies. The lineup includes major assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, and Hyperliquid (HYPE). 

Robinhood’s Support for SHIB  More importantly for the Shiba Inu community, Robinhood’s broader cryptocurrency ecosystem already supports SHIB alongside other popular assets, including Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Dogecoin (DOGE).

Meanwhile, Robinhood remains a major platform for SHIB trading, with substantial amounts of the meme coin flowing through its ecosystem. The platform has also featured in notable on-chain transactions involving Shiba Inu.

For example, an investor transferred 210 billion SHIB to Robinhood, highlighting the scale of capital that can move through the platform. Furthermore, a Robinhood-associated address ranks among the largest single holders of SHIB. According to Etherscan data, the address holds 39.27 trillion SHIB, representing about 3.92% of the token’s total supply. 

Robinhood Shiba Inu holdings UK Expansion Could Broaden SHIB’s Reach Robinhood’s UK expansion could benefit Shiba Inu by giving more retail investors direct access to SHIB through a widely used, all-in-one investment platform.

The timing also appears significant because the UK’s cryptocurrency regulatory framework is undergoing major changes. In June, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) finalized a package of rules for the crypto sector covering areas such as financial resilience and market conduct.

At the same time, the FCA’s 2025 consumer research showed that 8% of UK adults owned crypto-assets, down from 12% in the previous year’s research. However, crypto ownership remains widespread enough to represent a substantial potential market for platforms offering regulated access to digital assets. Crypto awareness also remained extremely high at 91% of the population.

Moreover, the FCA found that 73% of crypto users acquired their assets through centralized exchanges. This figure could be particularly relevant to SHIB because Robinhood’s expansion gives UK investors another centralized platform through which they can access the token.

Consequently, Robinhood’s UK launch could strengthen SHIB’s visibility in a market where crypto awareness remains high and centralized exchanges continue to play a dominant role in asset acquisition. Robinhood’s expansion also follows its registration with the FCA, strengthening the company’s regulatory footing as it grows its digital-asset operations in the UK. 

DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.

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NuScale Power (NYSE:SMR) stock is down 32% year to date (YTD), trading at $9.61 Tuesday afternoon after a mild bounce off last week’s lows. The stock is climbing 5% on the session, but it still sits far below the $15 level where NuScale stock started 2026.

The bulls can point to SMR stock’s 52-week range of $7.21 to $57.42 as evidence that a move back to $15 is well within recent trading history. The question is whether the catalysts are in place to get it there.

NuScale’s core reactor-deployment business is still pre-revenue, and the past 12 months have punished holders. NuScale shares are down 77% over the trailing year, a reminder that this remains one of the higher-volatility names in the small modular reactor (SMR) trade.

Why NuScale Stock Is Down This Year The Q2 FY2026 earnings report set the tone. NuScale reported revenue of $75,000, down 99.1% year over year (YoY) from $8.05 million, after the Fluor (NYSE:FLR | FLR Price Prediction) engineering contract for the RoPower project wound down in late 2025 with no replacement work booked.

NuScale Power’s GAAP loss came in at -$0.13 per share, essentially in line with estimates, but the net loss widened to $47.54 million. Dilution has been the other pressure point: NuScale’s weighted-average diluted share count expanded to 364.5 million from 133.4 million a year earlier, after the company raised roughly $984.48 million in net equity proceeds during the first half.

The upside is a balance sheet with real staying power. NuScale Power finished the quarter with $1.9 billion in cash, cash equivalents and investments, giving management room to fund supply-chain readiness while it waits for firm customer contracts.

What It Would Take to Get SMR Stock Back to $15 The recovery thesis rests on converting NuScale’s regulatory lead into firm orders and revenue. CEO John Hopkins highlighted on the Q2 2026 call that “NuScale remains the only small modular reactor company to have received design certification from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” and that the company has a supply chain of more than 60 specialized partners with over 30 agreements already executed.

The most watched catalyst is the potential large-scale U.S. deployment with the Tennessee Valley Authority via strategic partner ENTRA1 Energy. Hopkins assured that “the conversations we understand are progressing well. And I can tell you that when the agreement is signed, NuScale will be ready to implement.” A definitive power purchase agreement, plus movement on the six-module RoPower project at Doicești, Romania with Nuclearelectrica, could reshape investor perception.

Beyond project wins, NuScale Power stock likely needs three additional supports to retrace to $15: sustained AI and data-center power demand, supportive federal nuclear policy, and a broader sentiment recovery across the SMR trade. Investors may want to watch for evidence that the regulatory edge is translating into signed orders rather than continued dilution.

Peers and the Broader Nuclear Trade Oklo (NYSE:OKLO), a fellow advanced-nuclear developer, is down 35% YTD. Fuel and uranium names have held up better: Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) is down 24% YTD, while Uranium Energy (NYSE:UEC) is down 2% YTD.

The diversification story sits with the sector ETF. The Global X Uranium ETF (NYSEARCA:URA) is up 5% YTD, with an expense ratio of 0.69%. A diversified basket of uranium and nuclear-related equities has actually gained ground while several single names posted sharp drawdowns. The URA ETF is a sector-concentrated thematic fund and unleveraged, so concentration caution still applies.

What to Watch Next The near-term signal is any definitive TVA power purchase agreement announced through ENTRA1, followed by movement on the Romania project once the new government is seated. Either would give NuScale Power stock a fundamental catalyst to reprice.

Given that NuScale remains pre-revenue in its core deployment business and carries real execution and dilution risk, position sizing matters here. Traders can watch for whether SMR shares can hold above the mid-single digits and reclaim the $10 line before $15 becomes a serious conversation. The next scheduled catalyst is NuScale Power’s Q3 2026 report later this fall.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) will release its second quarter earnings report after the closing bell on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Analysts expect the Livingston, New Jersey-based company to report a quarterly loss of $1.45 per share, versus a loss of 60 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for CoreWeave’s quarterly revenue is $2.56 billion. It reported $1.21 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

On Aug. 5, CoreWeave announced a multi-year agreement with Solidigm for priority access to enterprise SSD capacity.

CoreWeave shares fell 2.7% to close at $88.19 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent period.

Citigroup analyst Tyler Radke maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $158 to $142 on Aug. 5, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 68%. Rosenblatt analyst John McPeake maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $250 on Aug. 5, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 50%. Piper Sandler analyst James Fish initiated coverage on the stock with an Overweight rating and a price target of $151 on Aug. 3, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 70%. Truist Securities analyst Arvind Ramnani upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy and cut the price target from $131 to $126 on July 22, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 51%. Baird analyst Rob Oliver initiated coverage on the stock with an Outperform rating and a price target of $100 on July 22, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 56%. Considering buying CRWV stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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The U.S. is making progress toward breaking China’s dominance of the rare-earth supply chain. But there is a catch: non-China rare earths are already dramatically more expensive, meaning Western companies may have to pay a premium to reduce their dependence on Beijing.

That is the emerging reality described by USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) CEO Barbara Humpton on the company’s second-quarter earnings call. She said companies are increasingly prioritizing supply security over price as China’s control of critical minerals becomes a bigger geopolitical risk.

"For decades, price governed this industry because availability was assumed," Humpton said. "Availability, or lack thereof, is what governs the rare earth industry now."

That shift is creating what Humpton called a "two-tier market": a China tier and a non-China tier, with the two markets pricing and contracting differently.

The China-Free Premium Is Already HugeThe price difference is striking.

Western prices for dysprosium oxide have risen more than 90% in 2026, reaching nearly $2,000 per kilogram in August, according to Benchmark Minerals Intelligence data cited by USA Rare Earth. That is more than nine times the price in China, Humpton said.

The gap is even wider for yttrium oxide. Humpton said its Western price has climbed more than 60% since March and is now more than 200 times China’s price.

Those numbers illustrate the cost of rebuilding a supply chain that has become heavily concentrated in China. Rare earths are used in products ranging from electric motors and robotics to aircraft, semiconductors and defense systems, making reliable supply strategically important.

Companies Are Willing to Pay for SecurityThe striking part is that customers appear increasingly willing to accept that premium.

"More and more customers are no longer asking whether they need a non-China supply, but are now asking how quickly we can deliver one," Humpton said.

USA Rare Earth said it has engaged more than 30 potential customers for non-magnetic rare-earth products from its Round Top project, while its magnet business has more than 100 potential customers in its commercial pipeline. The company has also secured MOUs and letters of intent covering 2,500 metric tons.

That demand is giving Western suppliers an unusual pricing opportunity. CFO Rob Steele said USA Rare Earth has already raised prices on its products and expects the impact to show up in upcoming quarters.

Read Next

The US Is Paying for IndependenceThe challenge is that building a China-free supply chain takes more than opening a mine. USA Rare Earth is pursuing an integrated operation spanning mining, processing, metals, alloys and magnets, while developing domestic capacity and acquiring assets in Brazil and Europe.

The company expects Round Top to reach commercial operations in late 2028, with 10,000 tons of U.S. metal, alloy and magnet manufacturing capacity targeted by 2029.

For investors, that creates a powerful trade-off: the West may be gaining supply-chain independence from China, but it isn’t getting it at China’s price.

And for manufacturers, that premium could become part of the cost of doing business in a less China-dependent economy.

Read Next

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AITECH Cloud Network, formerly Solidus AI Tech, has announced a strategic partnership with Secret Network to integrate confidential computing capabilities into Agent Forge, its no-code AI agent platform developed fully by ACN’s internal development team and launched in April 2025.

The collaboration will enable users of Agent Forge to build and deploy AI agents and workflows with enhanced privacy, verifiable execution, and confidential processing powered by Secret Network’s confidential computing infrastructure.

The partnership represents a significant step towards addressing one of the biggest challenges facing enterprise AI adoption: how to utilise powerful AI systems while maintaining data privacy, security, and trust.

Under the agreement, Secret Network’s confidential AI infrastructure will be integrated into Agent Forge’s growing ecosystem, allowing developers and businesses to access secure AI models and confidential workflow execution directly from the platform. Initial integration efforts will focus on Agent Forge’s light-mode chat interface, with plans to expand confidential execution capabilities across the broader workflow builder environment.

Agent Forge has rapidly expanded since private beta launch, offering users a no-code environment for building AI agents, workflow automations, and integrations through a growing library of templates and external services. The platform recently completed its migration to Ethereum, positioning it for broader institutional adoption.

The collaboration will also introduce verification tools that allow users to confirm that AI workloads are running within trusted confidential computing environments. By combining Agent Forge’s agent orchestration capabilities with Secret Network’s confidential infrastructure, organisations will be able to deploy AI workflows with greater confidence in data security and operational integrity.

John Mendez, Head of AI Development of AITECH Cloud Network, said:

“Agent Forge was built to make AI agent creation accessible to everyone, from first-time users to enterprise teams. As AI adoption accelerates, privacy and trust become critical requirements. Our partnership with Secret Network allows us to introduce confidential AI capabilities directly into the platform, giving users the ability to build, deploy, and verify secure AI workflows without adding complexity to the user experience.”

Luke B, Chief of Operations at Secret Network Foundation, said:

“Confidential computing is becoming a foundational layer for the next generation of AI applications. By integrating Secret Network’s confidential infrastructure into Agent Forge, we are enabling developers and businesses to leverage advanced AI while maintaining control over sensitive data. Together, we are helping establish a future where AI systems are both powerful and verifiable.”

The companies expect the initial integration to focus on confidential model access and verification features, followed by the deployment of confidential execution environments capable of supporting fully private AI workflows. Future collaboration will include joint community initiatives, educational content, and ecosystem development activities.

The partnership reflects a broader industry shift towards confidential AI, where privacy-preserving technologies and trusted execution environments are increasingly viewed as essential components of enterprise-grade AI infrastructure.

About AITECH Cloud NetworkAITECH Cloud Network, formerly Solidus AI Tech, is a provider of AI and high-performance computing infrastructure. Its ecosystem includes Agent Forge, a no-code AI agent platform developed by ACN’steam, a competitor to n8n and make.com, that enables users to build, deploy, and manage intelligent agents and workflow automations, through a conversational interface.

About Secret NetworkSecret Network is a leading confidential computing platform that enables private and secure applications through trusted execution environments and privacy-preserving infrastructure. The network provides developers with tools to build confidential AI, secure data applications, and verifiable computing solutions.

SpaceX stock SPCX fell sharply on Tuesday after a three-day rally pushed the stock back above its $135 initial public offering price.

The stock fell around 5% to $131.94 in afternoon trading.

Despite Tuesday's decline, the stock remained about 18% higher over the previous five sessions.

The pullback follows a sharp rebound that had taken SpaceX shares back above their IPO price.

Investors had been closely watching the first lock-up expiration last week, when a large block of restricted shares became eligible for trading. The expected wave of selling did not materialize.

SpaceX shares have fallen substantially from their June 16 record close of $201.80.

The stock had lost more than 30% from that level ahead of the first lock-up expiration before rebounding.

With the initial share release passing without the heavy selling some investors had anticipated, attention is now shifting to the next scheduled unlock on August 20.

That event is expected to release another 7% tranche of restricted employee and pre-IPO shares, representing roughly 320 million shares.

The additional supply seems to be prompting some investors to reduce risk after the recent rally, while short-term traders may also be locking in gains after SpaceX moved back above its IPO price.

SpaceX's recent rebound was also supported by its first earnings report as a public company.

The rocket and AI company reported second-quarter revenue of $7.81 billion, above the $6.93 billion expected by analysts.

Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen said during the earnings call that SpaceX is on pace to reach $100 billion in annualized recurring revenue by the end of the year.

Deutsche Bank analysts said Monday that the target is "likely very achievable."

The analysts said SpaceX's second-quarter run rate was about $31 billion, but expect the company to reach its $100 billion target primarily through contributions from its neocloud business and its acquisition of AI coding company Cursor.

Citi analysts also raised their 2026 and 2027 forecasts after incorporating the sources of SpaceX's second-quarter earnings beat.

The analysts reiterated their Buy rating while maintaining a $200 price target.

Morgan Stanley sees significant potential for SpaceX's artificial intelligence business to increase the company's value.

"As investors see more breadcrumbs on the Cursor/Grok story, we see potential for the implied valuation discount on SpaceX’s AI business to lift, driving potentially substantial appreciation of the stock," analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a report to clients.

He added that few investors currently appear bullish on SpaceX's AI business beyond its neocloud operations, creating what he described as an upside-skewed catalyst path at current levels.

Morgan Stanley maintained its Overweight rating and $300 price target on SpaceX shares.

SpaceX agreed to acquire Cursor for $60 billion in stock shortly after its June IPO.

The transaction is intended to strengthen the company's AI business following its merger with xAI earlier this year.

Morgan Stanley said more than 60% of Fortune 500 companies and 50,000 enterprises use Cursor's coding tool.

Legendary hedge fund investor and billionaire Bill Ackman went all in on Uber Technologies (UBER +0.24%) at the start of 2025, but more than a year and a half later, his $2 billion investment in the rideshare operator hasn't gone very far. He's still probably up on his investment, having reportedly bought most of his shares in early January 2025, but after a surge to over $100 per share, the stock is off 25% from its highs and up only about 15% from early January 2025.

When Ackman revealed his stake in Uber in February 2025, he called it "one of the best-managed and highest quality businesses in the world." He said the long-term risk from autonomous driving looked limited, believing these companies are more likely to partner with Uber given its scaled network.

He also noted that delivery, which makes up half its bookings, is unlikely to be affected given the need for a person to pick up and deliver the food. Ackman also believed the company was well positioned to see rapid earnings growth in the medium term coming from a combination of strong revenue growth and expense control.

Today's Change

(

0.24

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0.19

Current Price

$

78.22

Bullish thesis remains on track Ackman's thesis that Uber would see strong operating leverage and brisk earnings growth has largely been playing out, even if the stock hasn't always followed suit. The stock immediately fell in the aftermath of its Q2 results, reported before the bell on Aug. 5, although it has since rebounded.

Bill Ackman. Image source: Getty Images.

For the quarter, Uber's revenue climbed 12% year over year, or 11% on a constant currency basis, to $14.19 billion. However, it saw an 8-percentage-point headwind because of a business model change in some international markets that affected its accounting.

The change stems from laws in the U.K. and some other European countries that require the company to classify drivers as workers rather than independent contractors, shifting how things such as fares and drivers' earnings affect revenue in these markets. However, the reclassification doesn't affect other metrics such as operating income, adjusted EBITDA, or free cash flow.

Nonetheless, the revenue number came up just short of the analyst consensus for revenue of $14.24 billion, as compiled by LSEG, and its guidance was below expectations.

Both the company's main segments -- mobility (rideshare) and delivery (home to UberEats) -- saw strong gross bookings (the total dollar amount billed to customers) in Q2. Mobility gross bookings climbed 22% to $29 billion, although its revenue rose by just 1% to $7.4 billion because of the business model change. Segment adjusted EBITDA, however, climbed 28% to $2.2 billion. Its U.S. mobility operations benefited from the World Cup, as well as newer offerings like U4B, or Uber for business.

Delivery gross bookings climbed 26% to $27.5 billion, while revenue grew 28% to $5.2 billion and segment EBITDA increased 38% to nearly $1.1 billion. The company also announced earlier that it will acquire Germany's Delivery Hero to help expand its international presence.

Uber's overall gross bookings rose 24% year over year in the quarter, while trips in the quarter climbed 18% to 3.9 billion. Showing strong operating leverage in the business, adjusted EBITDA surged 33% to $2.8 billion, while adjusted EPS soared 35% to $0.81. However, that just met analyst EPS estimates.

Looking ahead, the company forecast gross bookings to rise between 18% and 22% to a range of $58.25 billion to $60.25 billion. It projected that adjusted EPS would increase to a range of $0.84 to $0.88, representing growth of 28% to 35%. That was below the $0.89 analyst consensus, according to LSEG.

Is the stock a buy? Trading at a forward P/E of 17 based on 2027 analyst estimates, Uber's stock is attractively valued given the strong bookings growth and operating leverage its business is seeing. The company isn't sitting still, with new offerings, such as U4B, and expansion into lower-density markets representing solid growth opportunities. Meanwhile, the acquisition of Delivery Hero should help it scale its delivery network in international markets via its various brands.

The ultimate impact of robotaxis on its business remains a question, but the company is investing in the space with various partners and targeting being in 15 cities or more by the end of 2027. It looks as if the company should continue to play an important role in the rideshare and delivery markets in the future. Given its current valuation, I think the stock looks attractive at current levels.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) The KeyBanc Technology Leadership Forum 2026 August 11, 2026 11:30 AM EDT

Company Participants

Matthew Ramsay - Vice President of Financial Strategy & Investor Relations

Conference Call Participants

John Vinh - KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division

Presentation

John Vinh
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division

Great. Good morning, everybody. I'm John Vinh with KeyBanc Capital Markets. I cover semis here. We're pleased to have AMD with us this morning and pleased to have Matt Ramsay, Corporate Vice President of Financial Strategy and Investor Relations. Welcome, Matt.

Matthew Ramsay
Vice President of Financial Strategy & Investor Relations

Thank you, John, and thank you for all your colleagues at KeyBanc hosting us. And I think we got -- I live in Atlanta, so we got a little bit of warm weather here too, but humidity is, I think, a factor of 6 below where I'm used to. So this is great. So thank you guys for having us.

Question-and-Answer Session

John Vinh
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division

Great. Maybe where we could start off our conversation, Matt, is server CPU sounds like it's on fire for you guys. I think you talked about 80% growth in the second half, 70% revenue growth next year. And you talked about having secured enough capacity to support that growth and potentially even upside to that number.

Maybe you can talk through what's been the primary constraint that you've had to work on to secure that sort of capacity. And then for the upside to the 70% number, I've got to imagine you've got a lot more demand than that. What needs to happen in order for you to be able to raise that number going forward?

Matthew Ramsay
Vice President of Financial Strategy & Investor Relations

Thank you

Tilray Brands stock rose by nearly 4% as investors rotated to companies in the cannabis industry after a report said that Curaleaf was planning a hostile bid for Aurora Cannabis. TLRY rose to an intraday high of 4.70, up by 25% from its lowest level this year.

According to the WSJ, Curaleaf, which is valued at $2.2 billion, plans to launch a hostile bid for Aurora, a Canadian cannabis company, after its board refused to negotiate. Curaleaf stock jumped by 2.35%, while Aurora rose by 20% to $3.45, valuing it at $226 million. Aurora plans to buy it in a $272 million deal.

Other cannabis companies jumped, with the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) rose by over 2%. In a statement, the Chief Executive of Curaleaf said:

“We will now take our proposal directly to Aurora shareholders because the premium is significant, the strategic rationale is compelling, and further delay is unjustified.”

Tilray Brands, valued at over $624 million, jumped after the M&A report sparked excitement across the industry. Some investors believe the company could also become a takeover target if the sector enters a consolidation phase.

The M&A news came at a time when the cannabis industry is waiting for a major deadline in the reclassification process in the US. On August 17, participants in the DEA rescheduling hearing will submit their post-hearing briefs to the administrative law judge (ALJ) by this date. 

After this, the ALJ will submit a report with recommendations, a process that may take weeks or months, with participants given 20 days to file formal objections.

Tilray Brands, which was once one of the biggest cannabis companies, has gone through some major changes. It has expanded its business to other countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and in Latin America. This division grew by 36% in the second quarter of the year.

The company has also expanded aggressively in the beverage industry, making major acquisitions, including companies like BrewDog and brands from companies like Molson Coors and AB InBev. 

Its most recent results showed that Tilray’s revenue rose by 11% in the last financial year to $915 million. Its cannabis, beverage, distribution, and wellness revenues rose to $268 million, $254 million, $327 million, and $65 million, respectively.

Key Takeaways Visa is combining Pismo and DPS to expand modern issuer-processing solutions for banks and fintechs.Visa plans to pilot DPS Full Service Credit in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 with its first U.S. client.Pismo has entered 19 new markets, helping financial institutions modernize core banking and move to the cloud. Visa Inc. (V - Free Report) is focusing on deepening its role in banking infrastructure as it combines the capabilities of Pismo and DPS to address growing demand for modern issuer-processing solutions. The strategy could help Visa expand relationships with smaller and midsized banks and fintechs, giving it a greater role in the technology infrastructure that supports everyday banking.

Pismo provides a cloud-native, API-based platform covering products including debit, credit, commercial payments and current accounts, while DPS remains a leading U.S. debit issuer-processing platform. V is expanding these capabilities with DPS Full Service Credit, an integrated credit issuer-processing solution combining Visa, DPS and Pismo for fintechs and small to midsized banks. The company plans to pilot the solution in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 with its first U.S. client, with general availability expected next year.

Visa is also using Pismo to help financial institutions modernize their core banking platforms and migrate to the cloud. The platform has entered 19 new markets since its acquisition, with demand coming from clients of different sizes for both issuer processing and core banking services. This broader reach could allow V to become more deeply embedded in clients’ technology stacks and expand its presence across the banking ecosystem.

Still, the strategy is a longer-term growth play rather than an immediate revenue catalyst. Visa focuses on strengthening client relationships, expanding its product footprint and addressing evolving technology needs. If adoption builds across banks and fintechs, the platform could give V another avenue to diversify revenues while reinforcing its position across the financial-services ecosystem.

How Are Competitors Faring?Some of V’s competitors in the fintech space include Mastercard Incorporated (MA - Free Report) and PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL - Free Report) .

Mastercard is deepening its role in banking infrastructure through switching, reaching 72% penetration and providing switching technology for the UAE’s domestic payments infrastructure. MA also won several hundred issuer flips and deal expansions in the first half of 2026, supporting longer-term network and services growth.

PayPal is focused on modernizing its payment ecosystem through cloud-based technology, AI-driven commerce tools and faster checkout solutions. PYPL continues to expand Venmo, strengthen merchant capabilities and integrate AI-powered features, positioning itself to benefit from rising digital-payment activity across online, mobile and omnichannel commerce.

Visa’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesOver the past year, shares of Visa have gained 7.3%, outperforming the industry’s 12.3% fall.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, V trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 24.59, well above the industry average of 18.64. V carries a Value Score of D.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa’s fiscal 2026 earnings implies a 14.7% jump from the year-ago period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Key Takeaways Intel's Q2 2026 revenue rose 25% to $16.1B, with DCAI sales surging 59% to $6.3B.AI PC revenue climbed 26% sequentially and made up roughly two-thirds of Intel's client revenue.Intel is boosting wafer output and 18A production, while export limits and pricing pressure weigh on margins. Intel Corporation (INTC - Free Report) appears to be gaining momentum, with improving revenues highlighting a significant turnaround in the chipmaker’s fortunes. Strength across the data center and client computing businesses, growing AI-related demand and improving manufacturing execution are helping revive the company’s growth trajectory.

The company reported second-quarter 2026 revenues of $16.1 billion, up 25% year over year. The solid top-line improvement reflects strengthening demand across Intel’s product portfolio and indicates that its restructuring and technology investments are beginning to bear fruit.

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Data Center Growth Remains a Key CatalystIntel’s Data Center and AI (DCAI) business is emerging as a major growth driver. DCAI revenues surged 59% year over year to $6.3 billion in the second quarter, benefiting from healthy hyperscale and enterprise demand.

The proliferation of generative AI applications is driving significant investments in data center infrastructure. Although GPUs remain at the center of AI computing, CPUs continue to play an important role in supporting AI workloads. This is creating incremental opportunities for Intel’s Xeon portfolio. The momentum is encouraging as AI-related infrastructure spending is likely to remain healthy, providing Intel with an opportunity to capitalize on rising compute requirements.

Client Computing Business Gains MomentumIntel is also witnessing improving trends in its client computing business. Client Computing and Physical AI Group revenues totaled $8.9 billion in the second quarter, increasing 15% sequentially. The rising adoption of AI-enabled PCs represents an important growth opportunity. AI PC revenues increased 26% sequentially and accounted for roughly two-thirds of Intel’s client revenues during the quarter.

Intel is ramping Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake products based on its advanced 18A process technology. Increasing adoption of these products, coupled with an eventual enterprise PC refresh cycle, should support the client business over the long run. The company is also expanding its presence in edge computing and physical AI applications, including robotics. These emerging markets could broaden Intel’s addressable opportunity beyond traditional PCs.

Improving Manufacturing Execution Bodes WellImproving manufacturing execution is another positive for Intel. Demand for its products remains strong, with supply constraints limiting the company’s ability to fully satisfy customer requirements. The company is increasing wafer output across Intel 7, Intel 3 and Intel 18A to address the demand. Improving yields and cycle times are helping boost production while lowering manufacturing costs.

The progress of Intel 18A is particularly encouraging. Output from the process exceeded the company’s internal target during the second quarter and increased sharply on a sequential basis. Intel’s ability to consistently execute on advanced process nodes remains crucial to its turnaround. Better manufacturing execution should strengthen the competitiveness of its product portfolio while supporting gross-margin expansion over time.

Price PerformanceIntel has gained a stellar 347.1% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 29.1%, outperforming peers like Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD - Free Report) and NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) . While NVIDIA stock is up 18.8%, Advanced Micro has gained 168.4% over this period. 

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Estimate RevisionEarnings estimates for Intel for 2026 have moved up 116.2% to $1.47 over the past year, and the same for 2027 has increased 38.3% to $1.95. The positive estimate revision depicts bullish sentiments for the stock.

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INTC Growth Hurt by Operating RisksDespite the uptrend, Intel has been facing challenges due to the disruptive rise of over-the-top service providers in this dynamic industry. This has affected its margins. Price-sensitive competition for customer retention in the core business is expected to intensify in the coming days. An accelerated ramp-up of AI PCs has adversely impacted Intel’s margins, as it shifted production to a high-volume facility in Ireland, where wafer costs are typically higher. Competitive pricing pressure from rivals has further dented its profitability.

China accounted for more than 24% of Intel's total revenue in 2025, making it the company's second-largest market after the United States. However, the communist nation's purported move to replace U.S.-made chips with domestic alternatives significantly affected INTC’s revenue prospects. The directive to phase out foreign chips from key telecom networks by 2027 underscores Beijing's accelerating efforts to reduce reliance on Western technology amid escalating U.S.-China trade and tariff tensions.

As Washington tightens restrictions on high-tech exports to China, Beijing has intensified its push for self-sufficiency in critical industries. This shift poses a dual challenge for Intel, as it faces potential market restrictions and increased competition from domestic chipmakers. In addition, weaker spending across consumer and enterprise markets, especially in China, resulted in elevated customer inventory levels.

End NoteIntel's innovative AI solutions hold immense promise for the broader semiconductor ecosystem. By addressing the challenges of scalability, performance and interoperability, it is paving the way for widespread AI adoption across enterprises worldwide. Management is focusing on simplifying parts of its portfolio to unlock efficiencies and create value. Significant capital infusion to revive its lost glory is likely to spur growth. All these efforts appear to resonate well, as exhibited by an uptrend in the stock price performance and rising earnings estimates.

However, margin woes amid strict export restrictions, unfavorable product mix and elevated customer inventory levels weigh on its bottom line. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), Intel appears to be treading in the middle of the road, and investors could be better off if they exercise caution and stay invested for long-term gains. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cisco Systems CSCO shares are inching lower ahead of the AI infrastructure giant’s Q4 earnings scheduled to be released after the market closes on August 11.

Consensus is for CSCO to record $1.17 a share of earnings (EPS) for its fourth quarter on $16.85 billion in revenue, representing mid-to-high teen gains in both the top and the bottom line.

The quarterly print arrives at a time when Cisco stock is already hovering a little under its year-to-date high of $130.  

Despite massive year-to-date gains, the derivatives market believes CSCO shares will push higher and print a new YTD high after the Q4 print late on Wednesday.

According to Barchart, the put-to-call ratio on options contracts expiring August 14th sits at 0.6 at writing. A reading below 1 is often interpreted as signaling a bullish skew.

The upper price on those contracts is set at nearly $130 currently, indicating Cisco Systems could soar as much as 6.6% within days after its financial release.

Investors should also note that the options traders’ optimism is mirrored in the technical setup as well.

CSCO is currently trading firmly above its key moving averages (MAs) – with an RSI in the late 50s indicating intense buying pressure.

To convert bullish options bets into a sustained rally, Cisco must demonstrate that its massive AI order pipeline is rapidly converting into recognized top-line revenue.

Investors are no longer content with cumulative booking metrics alone; market watchers want proof that Silicon One switching architectures and Acacia optical interconnect deployments are expanding rapidly within tier-one hyperscalers.

Furthermore, industry experts emphasize that a strong post-earnings surge in Cisco shares requires validation beyond hyperscaler capital expenditure.

CSCO needs to show accelerating enterprise traction across its sovereign AI pipeline while proving that its multi-billion-dollar “Catalyst 9000” campus refresh cycle is picking up speed as legacy hardware reaches end-of-support deadlines.

While demand tailwinds remain robust, CSCO stock faces near-term profitability friction that could temper market enthusiasm.

Higher memory chip prices and a shifting product mix toward high-volume hardware carry tighter margin profiles compared to software subscriptions, keeping gross margins under scrutiny.

Additionally, Splunk’s ongoing business model transition from legacy on-premise licensing to cloud-native subscriptions creates short-term revenue recognition lag.

If management provides confident forward guidance that reassures Wall Street on gross margin expansion and software recurring revenue trajectory, Cisco stands well-positioned to maintain its multi-month momentum and justify its expanding valuation multiples.

Heading into the quarterly release, Wall Street rates Cisco Systems Inc at Moderate Buy, with price targets going as high as $150, indicating potential upside of roughly 25% from current levels.

Key Takeaways Realty Income raised 2026 investment guidance to $10 billion after solid Q2 AFFO growth.Realty Income invested $2.6 billion in Q2 as industrial, Europe and data centers broaden growth channels.Realty Income's strong liquidity and private capital support growth, while higher rates remain a risk. Realty Income Corporation (O - Free Report) entered the second half of 2026 with better earnings visibility after a solid second quarter. AFFO per share increased 3.8% year over year to $1.09, while first-half AFFO per share rose 5.2% to $2.22. Management also raised its full-year AFFO guidance and investment target, pointing to continued opportunities across its expanding property and capital platforms.

The stock reaction, however, was muted. Realty Income shares fell 0.54% to $62.36 on Aug. 6, the first trading session after the Aug. 5 results, and closed at $61.89 on Aug. 10 after another 0.99% decline.

So far this year, Realty Income stock has gained 9.8% but underperformed the Zacks REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry. However, O stock has outpaced its close peers, like Agree Realty Corporation (ADC - Free Report) and Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT - Free Report) .

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The question now is whether stronger investment activity, steady property fundamentals and an expanding funding platform can support further per-share growth. At the same time, interest rates, acquisition pricing and the valuation investors assign to dependable REIT income remain important considerations.

Realty Income’s Q2 Shows Steady Progress in Core OperationsRealty Income's underlying business remained healthy in the second quarter. Revenues increased to $1.55 billion from $1.41 billion a year ago, while AFFO available to common shareholders rose to $1.02 billion from $947.5 million. Portfolio occupancy was 98.8% compared with 98.9% at the end of the first quarter and 98.6% a year earlier.

The company also generated a 102.7% rent recapture rate on re-leased properties. Same-store rental revenues increased 1.2%, showing that organic growth remains modest but positive. Realty Income's portfolio included 15,588 properties across 92 industries at quarter-end, giving it a level of diversification that is difficult for smaller net-lease operators to match.

Agree Realty and Essential Properties offer similar exposure to long-duration net leases, but both operate with smaller portfolios and somewhat different tenant mixes. Realty Income’s larger scale gives it broader sourcing access across retail, industrial and international markets, while ADC remains more concentrated in high-quality retail properties and EPRT has built a strong position in service-oriented and middle-market tenants.

That scale can help Realty Income find more investment opportunities, although it also means the company needs a much larger volume of acquisitions to generate meaningful per-share growth.

Investment Activity Is the Main Growth Driver of OInvestment activity remains central to Realty Income's outlook. The company invested roughly $2.6 billion during the second quarter, or $2.1 billion at its pro-rata share, at a weighted average initial cash yield of 7.3%. First-half investments totaled about $5.34 billion. Management consequently raised 2026 investment guidance from $9.5 billion to $10 billion.

Industrial properties represented about 65% of second-quarter real estate investment activity. Realty Income is also expanding in Europe, private capital and data centers. Its $6 billion programmatic hyperscale data-center venture with Cloud Capital could involve up to $1.4 billion of equity from Realty Income over time. Management said its wider investment channels allow it to pursue opportunities across asset types, geographies and different parts of the capital structure.

The broader investment approach gives Realty Income more growth channels than either Agree Realty or Essential Properties. ADC remains focused largely on retail net lease, while EPRT continues to expand through a smaller and more targeted acquisition platform. Realty Income, by comparison, is deploying capital across industrial properties, Europe, private-capital vehicles and data centers. This diversification can support longer-term growth, but it also introduces more execution risk as management moves into areas that sit outside the traditional retail net-lease model.

Funding Strength Aids O’s Growth, Rates Remain a RiskRealty Income ended the second quarter with about $3.5 billion of available liquidity and net debt to annualized pro forma adjusted EBITDAre of 5.4 times. After quarter-end, the company expanded its revolving credit facilities to $5.5 billion, increased its commercial-paper capacity and issued €600 million of unsecured notes.

Private capital is also reducing Realty Income’s dependence on common-equity issuance. Management noted that public equity represented only 18% of year-to-date investment volume compared with an average of 47% during the prior three years. This broader funding base could strengthen Realty Income’s ability to compete with Agree Realty, Essential Properties and private-market buyers for attractive assets.

Still, higher Treasury yields remain a challenge for REIT valuations. The real-estate sector came under pressure again on Monday as long-term bond yields rose. Higher financing costs can narrow acquisition spreads and make income-oriented REIT shares less attractive relative to bonds.

Realty Income’s Estimate Revisions and ValuationOver the past 30 days, FFO per share estimates for both 2026 and 2027 have remained unchanged, though the figures suggest 3.97% and 3.47% growth year over year, indicating a balanced view of growth and cost pressures. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Valuation-wise, Realty Income stock is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-FFO of 13.62X, below the retail REIT industry average of 16.75X but ahead of its three-year median of 13.24X. O stock is also currently trading at a reasonable discount compared with its industry peers, Agree Realty Corporation and Essential Properties Realty Trust. This valuation disparity might not be as favorable as it seems. Agree Realty is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-FFO of 15.80X, while Essential Properties Realty Trust is trading at 14.22X.

The Value Score of C suggests that Realty Income may not be a bargain at current levels. Still, the company’s strategic investments, consistent dividend growth, underpinned by predictable rental income, keep it appealing for long-term income-oriented investors.

Management's higher AFFO guidance is encouraging, yet the increase is modest. Realty Income now expects about 4% AFFO-per-share growth at the midpoint. This suggests investors should weigh the reliable income profile against a growth rate that remains measured.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Conclusion: Hold Realty Income Stock for NowRealty Income's second-quarter results support the case for patience rather than a major change in positioning. The company is producing AFFO growth, maintaining high occupancy and finding enough investment opportunities to raise its 2026 deployment target. Its stronger liquidity position and broader access to private capital are additional upsides. However, the post-earnings share-price weakness, interest-rate sensitivity and modest internal growth argue against chasing the stock after its earlier gains.

For investors who already own Realty Income, maintaining the existing position appears appropriate while collecting the monthly dividend and monitoring whether the larger investment pipeline produces sustained per-share growth over the coming quarters. Check Realty Income’s dividend history here.

At present, Realty Income carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) — a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

Key Takeaways Lyft says partnerships linked about 30% of North American rideshare rides in Q2 2026, an all-time high.Robotaxi ties with Waymo and Baidu expand Lyft's AV exposure across the United States and United Kingdom.Lyft's partner-heavy model broadens supply but raises risks around pricing, data and rider relationships. Lyft, Inc. (LYFT - Free Report) is moving beyond its roots as a primarily North American rideshare platform. Autonomous vehicle partnerships, European acquisitions and partner-linked rides are making the company a broader mobility network with more transportation supply across more markets.

The strategy has appeal because Lyft can expand its addressable market without owning every vehicle, taxi fleet or autonomous vehicle (“AV”) system. The risk is control. As more rides come through partners, Lyft must prove it can keep enough influence over pricing, customer relationships and marketplace economics.

Lyft Makes Partnerships Central to Ride GrowthPartnerships are already a meaningful driver of Lyft’s ride activity. In the second quarter of 2026, approximately 30% of North American rideshare rides were linked to a partnership, an all-time high for the company. That model broadens supply without requiring Lyft to own every mobility service directly. The Curb expansion into New York City, the largest taxi market in the United States, reflects the same approach: Lyft is adding transportation options through established, licensed operators rather than building every fleet from scratch.

LYFT Builds Out Its Robotaxi EcosystemLyft is applying the partnership model to autonomous vehicles. In Nashville, the company said fleet operations with Alphabet’s (GOOGL - Free Report) Waymo officially began in June and are running smoothly as Lyft prepares to open an 80,000-square-foot purpose-built AV depot in October.

The Baidu (BIDU - Free Report) relationship gives Lyft another AV option outside the United States. Freenow by Lyft and Baidu’s Apollo Go have started autonomous vehicle testing in London with RT6 vehicles, extending Lyft’s robotaxi exposure into the U.K. market.

Multiple AV partners give Lyft optionality. Waymo strengthens the U.S. robotaxi path, while Baidu adds a European testing and deployment angle. That reduces dependence on a single AV technology provider, although it also makes execution more complex. We believe such moves are likely to boost LYFT's top-line growth.

Lyft Pushes Beyond North AmericaInternational expansion is another part of the mobility shift. Lyft acquired Freenow in 2025, giving it a European multimodal app with taxis at its core and access to local markets outside North America.

The acquisition of TBR Global Chauffeuring added premium ground transportation and chauffeur services, strengthening Lyft’s position in higher-value travel. Lyft also completed acquisitions in the second quarter of 2026, primarily Gett UK, adding further exposure to London’s taxi and ride-hail market.

These deals widen Lyft’s market, but they also add integration and regulatory complexity. Europe’s taxi, private-hire and chauffeur markets are fragmented, locally regulated and operationally different from the U.S. rideshare model.

LYFT’s Hybrid Model Faces Disintermediation RiskLyft’s hybrid strategy may keep the platform relevant as autonomous transportation expands. The company can match riders with human drivers, taxis, private-hire vehicles and AVs depending on availability, market rules and customer preference.

The risk is that robotaxi operators eventually control more of the economics. If AV companies own the vehicles, technology stack and fleet operations, they may push for more control over pricing, data and rider relationships. Lyft’s marketplace gives it distribution, but distribution alone may not guarantee bargaining power if AV supply becomes concentrated.

Lyft’s own disclosures point to that uncertainty. The company’s forward-looking statements cite risks tied to strategic partnerships, AV deployment, macro conditions and whether partnerships materialize as expected.

Lyft’s Technology Leadership Takes on More WeightTechnology execution matters more as Lyft integrates AV fleets, international acquisitions and partner supply. Lyft named Senthil Padmanabhan as chief technology officer, effective July 20, 2026, with responsibility for engineering foundations as AI reshapes technology development.

That appointment comes at a key moment. Lyft’s platform must coordinate more ride types, more geographies and more third-party systems while keeping pricing, routing, reliability and customer experience consistent. The more partnership-heavy the model becomes, the more important the technology layer is to maintaining control.

LYFT’s Scores Temper the Mobility TransformationLyft’s mobility strategy is evolving, but the investment signal remains measured. The company is adding AV exposure, broadening its international reach and using partnerships to expand available transportation supply.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that the strategy has not yet translated into a stronger near-term signal. Lyft’s  VGM Score of A and Growth and Value Scores of B support the longer-term opportunity, while the Momentum Score of D reflects lingering uncertainty around execution and investor conviction. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Every gold rush produces two kinds of investors: the ones betting on which prospector strikes it rich, and the ones who just sell the picks and shovels. The humanoid robot race has turned into exactly that kind of rush, with dozens of companies — American, Chinese, and everywhere in between — racing to put a walking, talking machine on a factory floor. 

Investors keep trying to guess which robot maker wins. That’s the wrong question. The right one is: what does every single robot need, regardless of who builds it or where it ships? The answer is memory, and that points investors toward a company that never shows up in the humanoid robot headlines at all — Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU | MU Price Prediction).

The Robot Race Nobody Can Handicap Figure AI‘s Brett Adcock announced the company’s 1,000th Figure 03 unit on July 23, off a line running at roughly one robot per hour. China’s AgiBot rolled its 15,000th unit off the line in late June — and by its own disclosures, the jump from 5,000 to 10,000 units took just three months. TrendForce’s December 2025 forecast called 2026 the inflection year, projecting 50,000 humanoid shipments, up more than 700% from 2025.

Forbes says reality outpaced even that. Smart Analytics Global’s newest report puts global shipments at 19,100 units in the first half of 2026 alone – up 272% year over year — with the full year now tracking toward 60,000 units and 500,000 by 2030. Chinese vendors built 97% of them, and Chinese buyers absorbed 85% of demand. 

Meanwhile, the most documented American deployment — Figure’s fleet at BMW‘s Spartanburg plant — ran eleven months, helped build 30,000 X3s, and was retired in November for a newer model.

That’s the trap: China currently owns the volume, and picking the eventual global winner among Figure, AgiBot, Unitree, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), and a few hundred others is genuinely unknowable this early.

Every humanoid needs 10x the memory of a smart car, but only three companies hold the keys to the supply. Forget the robot race and trade the structural supply squeeze instead. © 24/7 Wall St. Every Robot Needs a Landlord for Its Memory Here’s what skips the guessing game entirely. Whoever wins, every humanoid robot buys memory. On Micron’s fiscal Q3 earnings call, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra told investors a humanoid robot carries roughly ten times the DRAM content of today’s average L2+ driver-assist vehicle, and he expects a “sustained, substantial multi-decade memory demand cycle” to begin in the back half of this decade. A humanoid running multiple cameras continuously through a full shift needs serious bandwidth just to move that video through its model.

Only three companies make DRAM at scale: Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix (NASDAQ:SKHY). Mehrotra said on that same call Micron has no line of sight to supply catching up with demand, with tightness persisting beyond 2027. Granted, 50,000 or even 500,000 robots’ worth of DRAM is negligible compared to data center consumption — a hyperscaler’s data center can have between 10 million and 20 million individual DRAM silicon chips. 

But that demand arrives after data centers have already claimed most of the available supply — and the training behind these fleets runs in data centers too, scaling with fleet size rather than chip count per unit. This thesis doesn’t require any of the predictions to land exactly; it just needs shipments to keep growing at the torrid pace companies are already announcing, while new fab capacity takes years to come online.

SK Hynix and Samsung have committed roughly $870 billion combined toward new capacity, but SK Hynix’s first new fab doesn’t open a clean room until February 2027, and Micron’s newly approved capacity doesn’t arrive until 2028.

Key Takeaway Investors don’t need to guess whether Figure, AgiBot, or Unitree wins the humanoid race. Every winner buys DRAM from one of three suppliers, and Micron trades at a fraction of the market’s growth multiple while supply stays structurally tight into 2028. That’s a memory trade, not a robotics bet — and it’s the more durable way in.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Sea Limited (SE) stock soared on Tuesday morning after the tech conglomerate posted better-than-expected Q2 revenue and raised its guidance for the full year.

Management now expects $1 billion in adjusted EBITDA from Shopee – up from a previous floor for $881 million – while expectations for GMV growth have been reaffirmed at 25%.

Still, a deeper dive into the earnings release points to more than a few pockets of weakness, which should make investors consider taking profit in Sea Limited shares that are now up more than 60% versus their year-to-date low.

Caution is warranted in sticking with SE shares at current levels mostly because bullish guidance is masking the adjusted EPS miss.  

While revenue went up, earnings came in at $0.7 per share on an adjusted basis, significantly below $0.83 that analysts had called for.

This reveals a key vulnerability: top-line sales growth is requiring meaningfully higher operational expenditures.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ($917 million) actually dropped sequentially from Q1 (just over $1 billion), indicating profit margins are compressing under heavy spending on user acquisition, logistics infrastructure, and AI tools.

Sea's financial services wing, Monee, grew its loan book by 62.5% year-over-year to $11.1 billion.

However, expanding a digital credit portfolio this fast in emerging markets carries elevated default risk; provisions for credit losses surged 71.5% year-over-year to $555.2 million.

A conservative view holds that Sea is basically buying top-line fintech growth by extending looser credit, exposing it to potential non-performing loan spikes if macroeconomic conditions weaken across Southeast Asia or Brazil.

This further makes Sea Limited stock a prime candidate to sell into the post-earnings strength today.

To fend off rivals like TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Temu, Shopee must maintain aggressive spending on subsidized shipping, seller rebates, and marketing.

Management raised Shopee's full-year Adjusted EBITDA guidance to $1 billion, but relative to its massive $38.3 billion in quarterly GMV, net EBITDA margins remain thin.

The core bear case is that e-commerce in Southeast Asia remains a low-margin race to the bottom where pricing power is strictly limited.

Meanwhile, Garena, the gaming segment, continues to act as the primary cash cow funding Shopee and Monee’s expansion.

Bookings came in up 15.5% in those businesses, but the performance remained disproportionately reliant on a single franchise (Free Fire).

Without a clear pipeline for new blockbuster titles, any slowdown in Free Fire’s active user base or monetization would starve the e-commerce and fintech arms of internal capital.

That said, Wall Street analysts rate Sea Limited at Strong Buy, with a bullish mean price target of just over $142.  

Ethereum’s Layer 2 landscape is increasingly a volume game, and OP Mainnet is playing it well. Monthly transactions on the network are now three times higher than levels recorded in early 2024, a climb that accelerated sharply through what the Optimism team internally tracks as “Year 4.”

That period alone saw monthly transaction counts surge more than 60%, driven by a combination of collapsing fees, high-profile project arrivals, and infrastructure changes that made the network meaningfully faster and cheaper to use.

What’s actually driving the numbers The single clearest catalyst in recent months has been ether.fi’s migration of its non-custodial crypto card product onto OP Mainnet, completed between February and April 2026.

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The move brought roughly $220 million in total value locked to the network, added 300,000 new accounts, resulted in 70,000 Visa debit cards being issued, and is generating around $2 million in daily payment volume.

On February 5, 2026, that load hit a single-day record: 3,823,880 transactions processed in 24 hours.

Fees are a significant part of the story too. By Q4 2024, average transaction costs on OP Mainnet had fallen to $0.03, a direct consequence of EIP-4844’s blob data availability upgrade that reduced the cost of posting transaction data to Ethereum’s base layer.

Infrastructure bets paying off The network has also been making structural changes that go beyond raw throughput. Fault proofs, a mechanism that allows anyone to challenge potentially invalid state transitions without needing to trust a central operator, have been implemented. This matters because it moves OP Mainnet closer to the “Stage 1” decentralization benchmark that researchers like L2Beat use to evaluate rollup maturity.

Starting May 26, 2026, Optimism also kicked off a four-week experiment with stake-based transaction ordering. Under this model, holders of the OP token who stake their tokens gain priority in how their transactions get sequenced.

What this means for the OP Stack ecosystem OP Mainnet does not exist in isolation. It anchors the OP Stack, a shared codebase that powers a growing number of chains including Base, which Coinbase launched in 2023. The relationship is collaborative rather than competitive: chains built on the OP Stack route a percentage of sequencer revenue back to the Optimism Collective, creating a flywheel where more chains mean more funding for Optimism’s development.

The ether.fi migration is a particularly useful data point because it represents a product with genuine consumer adoption, not just protocol-to-protocol liquidity flows. Seventy thousand issued Visa cards generating $2 million in daily payment volume is the kind of traction that turns skeptics into infrastructure customers.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) Q4 2026 Earnings Call August 11, 2026 8:30 AM EDT

Company Participants

David Frost - Vice President of Finance, Global Operations & Supply Chain
Jason Hollar - CEO & Director
Aaron Alt - Chief Financial Officer

Conference Call Participants

Erin Wilson Wright - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Elizabeth Anderson - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Lisa Gill - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Eric Percher - Nephron Research LLC
Allen Lutz - BofA Securities, Research Division
George Hill - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Stephen Baxter - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Kevin Caliendo - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Lucas Romanski - TD Cowen, Research Division
Eric Coldwell - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us, and welcome to Cardinal Health, Inc. Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Earnings Release. [Operator Instructions]

I will now hand the conference over to David Frost, Vice President of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

David Frost
Vice President of Finance, Global Operations & Supply Chain

Good morning. Welcome to Cardinal Health's Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2026 Earnings Conference Call, and thank you for joining us. With me today are Cardinal Health's CEO, Jason Hollar; and our CFO, Aaron Alt. You can find this morning's earnings press release and investor presentation on the Investor Relations section of our website at ir.cardinalhealth.com.

Since we will be making forward-looking statements today, let me remind you that the matters addressed in these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. Please refer to our SEC filings and the forward-looking statement slide at the beginning of our presentation for a description of these risks and uncertainties.

Please note that during our discussion today, the comments will be on a non-GAAP

Key Takeaways Wynn Palace revenue rose 21.1%, with EBITDAR up 28.2% and margin expanding to 30.8%.Macau mass table drop increased 5.5% to $3.65 billion, while VIP turnover fell sharply at both properties.Las Vegas and Boston margins weakened as costs rose, while Wynn's UAE project budget increased $600 million. Wynn Resorts, Limited (WYNN - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.24 per share, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01. Operating revenues of $1.86 billion beat the $1.84 billion consensus mark and rose 6.9% year over year.

The beat was led by Wynn Palace and stronger Macau mass-market activity. Still, weaker property-level profitability in Las Vegas and Boston, along with higher project costs in the UAE, keep the earnings readout balanced rather than uniformly positive.

Wynn Palace Drives Wynn Resorts' Q2 BeatWynn Palace generated operating revenues of $653.4 million, up 21.1% year over year. Adjusted property EBITDAR increased 28.2% to $201.5 million, while the property margin improved to 30.8% from 29.1%.

Casino revenues rose 25.9% to $564.4 million, providing the main lift. With EBITDAR growing faster than revenues and the margin expanding, Wynn Palace was the clearest contributor to the quarter's property-level earnings strength.

WYNN's Macau Mix Shows Mass-Market StrengthCombined Macau Operations mass table drop increased 5.5% to $3.65 billion. Wynn Palace mass table drop rose 3%, while Wynn Macau posted an 8.3% increase, showing that mass-market play advanced at both properties.

VIP activity moved in the opposite direction. Turnover fell 32% at Wynn Palace and 56.4% at Wynn Macau. MGM Resorts International (MGM - Free Report) also reported relatively flat second-quarter revenue at MGM China and a 15% decline in segment adjusted EBITDAR. Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS - Free Report) operates an integrated-resort portfolio across Macao and Singapore, making its Macao exposure another relevant industry reference.

Las Vegas Margins Temper Wynn Resorts' QuarterLas Vegas Operations generated $643.2 million of revenues, up modestly from $638.6 million a year earlier. Adjusted property EBITDAR fell 8.3% to $215.2 million, and the margin declined to 33.5% from 36.8%.

Operating expense per day increased 6.2% to $4.50 million as business volumes, contractual wage increases and investments in premium offerings lifted costs. Encore Boston Harbor added to the pressure, with adjusted property EBITDAR down 12.2% to $56.1 million. Consolidated adjusted property EBITDAR margin fell to 30.6% from 31.8%.

UAE Budget Increase Raises WYNN's Execution StakesWynn Al Marjan Island's total project budget increased by about $600 million. Roughly half of the increase reflects regional conflict disruption, higher material and shipping costs and added pre-opening and capitalized interest tied to the longer construction timeline.

The resort is expected to open in September 2027. Wynn's remaining equity contribution for the project is expected to be about $525 million to $650 million. The larger budget raises the cost of execution even as construction and pre-opening work continue.

WYNN's Ratings Reflect a Mixed Earnings SetupThe quarter strengthens the operating case for Macau, but margin contraction and higher development spending leave investors with offsetting signals. The earnings beat alone does not remove the near-term cost and execution risks.

WYNN currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Its Value Score of A, Growth Score of B and VGM Score of B point to favorable value, growth and combined style characteristics, while the Momentum Score of F signals weak momentum. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current fiscal year has moved 1.4% lower over the past four weeks, supporting a measured post-earnings view rather than a clear directional call. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways Universal Display posted lower second-quarter and first-half revenue, income and material volumes.OLED expects second-half revenue to exceed the first half as product launches and customer growth develop.New OLED capacity, next-generation technologies and broader applications support long-term growth potential. Universal Display Corporation (OLED - Free Report) has gained 19.7% in the past month, even as second-quarter and first-half results reflected weaker material volumes. Second-quarter revenues fell 11.4% year over year to $152.2 million, while first-half revenues declined 12.9% to $294.4 million. Net income fell 26.6% to $49.4 million in the quarter and 35.2% to $85.3 million in the first half.

The company now expects 2026 revenues to track toward the lower end of its $630-$670 million range. The recent stock advance therefore needs to be weighed against softer near-term demand visibility and the potential for a stronger second half as new OLED capacity ramps and product cycles develop.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Universal Display Gains Momentum Amid Mixed FundamentalsUniversal Display's recent share-price strength contrasts with its first-half operating trend. Material sales fell 14.2% to $149.9 million in the first half, primarily because of lower unit material volume and changes in customer mix. Royalty and license fees declined 9.3% to $135.4 million, while operating income dropped to $96.4 million from $138.2 million.

Management still expects second-half revenue to exceed first-half revenue. It cited product launches and customer forecasts as reasons for expecting broader growth across its customer base. That outlook gives the stock a potential fundamental catalyst, but the company has also acknowledged limited visibility in parts of the consumer electronics supply chain.

OLED Faces Near-Term Demand Visibility ChallengesRising memory costs, supply constraints and higher component costs are weighing on smartphone demand expectations. Universal Display said the 2026 guidance adjustment is driven by lower expected material volume rather than unusual pricing pressure, with customer agreements typically covering about five years and pricing remaining relatively consistent.

China revenue also remains lumpy, and management said customers with greater exposure to the mid- and low-end smartphone market are facing more pressure. These factors could make material volumes and customer purchasing patterns uneven even if the second half follows the company's expected seasonal improvement.

Universal Display Retains Long-Term OLED Growth DriversManagement continues to see OLED expanding beyond smartphones into IT, automotive, TVs and new form factors. OLED penetration in smartphones is already about 65%, according to the call, while IT, automotive and TVs remain in the low single digits. Gen 8.6 manufacturing is also becoming commercial, with Samsung Display and BOE having started mass production and other manufacturers advancing projects.

Universal Display is developing phosphorescent blue, tandem architectures and other next-generation technologies while using artificial intelligence, machine learning and agentic AI to accelerate materials discovery. LG Display (LPL - Free Report) has also showcased tablet-size prototypes incorporating phosphorescent blue in a hybrid tandem structure, providing an industry example of progress toward the technology's commercial use.

Universal Display Still Carries Significant Execution RisksCustomer concentration, cyclical consumer-electronics demand and uneven geographic purchasing remain risks. Universal Display also faces manufacturing cost variables, including fluctuations in iridium prices, although management expects greater operating leverage as plant utilization increases.

The company's second-quarter material gross margin was 50%, down from 61% a year earlier, partly because of an unfavorable product and materials mix. Management expects material gross margins to move back toward historical levels of about 60% in the second half, while total gross margin guidance remains 74% to 76% for 2026.

Universal Display Needs Momentum to Align With FundamentalsThe 19.7 % one-month gain has room to extend only if operating trends begin to support the market's improved sentiment. Higher second-half revenue, broader customer growth and contributions from newly operational OLED fabs could provide that support. Management said some benefit from new capacity is already included in 2026 guidance, with greater potential expected as facilities operate at mass-production scale in 2027 and beyond.

MKS Inc. (MKSI - Free Report) , which supplies process technologies for flexible and rigid OLED manufacturing, offers another Nasdaq-listed reference point for the investment cycle around OLED production. Its exposure is to manufacturing technology rather than Universal Display's materials and licensing model, so it is best viewed as an industry indicator rather than a direct peer.

Momentum Meets a Cautious Zacks ViewUniversal Display carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), with a Value Score of D, Growth Score of F, Momentum Score of C and VGM Score of F. The Momentum Score reflects the stock's recent price trend, while the weaker Value, Growth and VGM Scores point to unresolved fundamental concerns.

The Zacks Style Scores are complementary indicators designed to help evaluate stocks by value, growth and momentum characteristics, while the Zacks Rank places primary emphasis on earnings estimate revisions. A #4 Rank therefore remains a key caution signal even with the stock's recent momentum. For Universal Display, the central question is whether improving OLED capacity, product launches and second-half customer demand can begin to close the gap between share-price performance and earnings fundamentals. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways United Rentals raised 2026 revenue guidance to $17.5-$17.8 billion on stronger customer demand.URI's Specialty rental revenues jumped 24.8%, while General Rentals grew 6.6% in Q2.United Rentals lifted 2026 gross rental CapEx to $4.85-$5.25 billion as fleet use remains high. United Rentals, Inc. (URI - Free Report) appears to be entering the second half of 2026 with considerable momentum. The equipment rental giant raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion, reflecting stronger-than-expected customer demand and confidence in large projects. Adjusted EBITDA guidance was also lifted by $300 million to $7.975-$8.125 billion.

The underlying rental trends provide reason for optimism. Second-quarter 2026 total equipment rental revenues jumped 12.7% year over year to $3.85 billion. Specialty emerged as a key growth engine, with rental revenues increasing 24.8% to $1.43 billion. General Rentals also delivered healthy growth of 6.6%, while its rental gross margin expanded 70 basis points to 35.8%. Demand is being supported by large projects across diverse end markets. URI highlighted activity involving hospitals, airports and LNG terminals, while data centers continued to contribute to growth. Power posted double-digit industrial growth, with metals and minerals also expanding at a healthy pace.

To capitalize on this demand, URI increased its 2026 gross rental CapEx guidance to $4.85-$5.25 billion. Year-to-date gross rental CapEx already exceeded $2.9 billion, while historically high fleet utilization is prompting further investment.

However, elevated capital expenditure and Specialty margin pressure remain watch items. Still, with strong project visibility, disciplined costs and raised guidance, United Rentals appears well-positioned to test the upper end of its outlook.

United Rentals vs. Gibraltar vs. CRH: Who Has the Stronger Demand Runway?United Rentals appears to have the strongest near-term demand visibility when compared with CRH plc (CRH - Free Report) and Gibraltar Industries, Inc. (ROCK - Free Report) , supported by robust large-project activity and customer backlogs.

CRH enters the second half with favorable demand trends. Second-quarter 2026 revenues increased 6% year over year to $10.8 billion, aided by positive pricing, underlying demand and acquisitions. Its Road Solutions business benefited from project execution and backlog conversion, while transportation, water infrastructure and reindustrialization remain key growth drivers.

Conversely, Gibraltar offers a more mixed picture. Second-quarter 2026 sales surged 64.6%, helped by acquisitions and organic growth, but Agtech backlog declined 34% to $66.2 million due to project timing. Strong quoting activity provides some encouragement, although backlog visibility remains less compelling than URI’s and CRH’s.

Overall, URI appears best positioned for near-term growth, while CRH benefits from broad infrastructure demand. Gibraltar’s outlook hinges more heavily on backlog conversion and project timing.

URI Stock’s Price Performance & Valuation TrendShares of this Connecticut-based equipment rental company climbed 30.8% in the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, the broader Zacks Construction sector and the S&P 500 Index.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

URI stock is currently trading at a premium compared with the industry peers, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21.49, as the trend lines suggest below.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings Estimate Trend of URIURI’s earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have moved upward over the past seven days to $48.55 and $55.71 per share, respectively. The revised estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year improvement of 15.4% and 14.7%, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

United Rentals currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Key Takeaways Marathon Petroleum generated $6.7B in R&M adjusted EBITDA on 94% refinery utilization.Its 112% refining capture rate reflected advantaged crude sourcing and coordinated operations.Two high-return projects are expected to generate returns above MPC's 25% investment hurdle. Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC - Free Report) delivered one of its strongest refining quarters in recent years, but the real story extends beyond a favorable refining environment. Management attributed the record performance to disciplined value-chain optimization — integrating crude sourcing, refinery operations, logistics and commercial execution to maximize profitability across every barrel processed.

This strategy helped the company generate $6.7 billion in Refining & Marketing (R&M) adjusted EBITDA during the second quarter of 2026, while the metric reached $ 8.5 billion in total. More importantly, MPC achieved the lowest level of unplanned refinery downtime this decade, highlighting the role of operational reliability in sustaining strong earnings.

The integrated model produced tangible operating benefits. MPC processed nearly 3 million barrels per day during the quarter, with systemwide refinery utilization reaching 94% and Gulf Coast utilization touching 100%. R&M EBITDA reached $24.84 per barrel, supported by crude optimization, improved jet fuel yields and strong domestic and export demand.

The company's refining capture rate climbed to 112%, reflecting its ability to source advantaged crude, optimize feedstocks and align planning, commercial and operational activities across the refining network. Extensive pipeline and logistics infrastructure also limited exposure to higher-priced Brent-linked crude during the Middle East disruptions, preserving margins while competitors faced greater feedstock cost pressure.

Marathon Petroleum also strengthened its competitive position through targeted investments rather than large-scale capacity additions. During the quarter, the company completed two high-return refining projects. The Robinson refinery investment adds roughly 10,000 barrels per day of incremental jet fuel production, while the El Paso project enhances specialty gasoline yields for attractive regional markets. Management expects both projects to generate returns exceeding its 25% investment hurdle, demonstrating how incremental operational improvements can enhance profitability without materially increasing capital intensity.

How Does MPC Compare With Peers?Among independent refiners, San Antonio, TX-based Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) continues to emphasize operational excellence through its highly complex refinery system and disciplined cost management. Like Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy benefits from processing discounted crude grades and maximizing product yields across its integrated refining network. However, Marathon Petroleum's extensive logistics footprint and coordinated value-chain optimization strategy increasingly differentiate its ability to capture additional margin opportunities.

Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) is pursuing a similar strategy through refinery optimization and commercial integration while expanding its Midstream and Marketing businesses to improve earnings resilience. Although Phillips 66 has invested heavily in operational efficiency and portfolio optimization, Marathon Petroleum's second-quarter performance suggests its integrated planning, logistics and commercial execution delivered particularly strong margin capture during a volatile refining environment.

Rather than relying solely on supportive refining margins, Marathon Petroleum demonstrated that disciplined execution across its integrated value chain can materially enhance profitability. While refining conditions will inevitably fluctuate, the company's focus on operational reliability, advantaged crude sourcing and high-return refinery improvements may provide a durable competitive advantage through future market cycles.

MPC’s Stock Performance, Valuation and Earnings ProspectsOver the past year, Marathon Petroleum’s stock gained 102%, outperforming the Oil Refining & Marketing sub-industry’s 71.7% increase. However, Valero Energy led the group with a 139% gain, while Phillips 66 advanced 82.4% over the same period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Marathon Petroleum’s trailing P/E ratio stands at approximately 7.54, below its sub-industry average of 8.61, indicating that the stock appears relatively undervalued from a valuation perspective.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

MPC has seen significant upward revisions to its earnings estimates, with the consensus estimates for 2026 and 2027 rising 55.27% and 31.86%, respectively, over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

MPC currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

3 Stocks to Gain From Trump’s Return-to-Office MandateAramark NYSE: ARMK reported fiscal third-quarter organic revenue growth of 9% to $5 billion, while highlighting record client retention, rising new-business wins and early progress in its Aramark Nexus data-center hospitality initiative.

Chief Executive Officer John Zillmer said client retention reached approximately 98%, while fiscal year-to-date new client wins exceeded $1.6 billion, up 51% from the comparable prior-year period. He said growth was broad-based across the company’s U.S. and international operations, with every U.S. sector growing organically aside from an education-related calendar shift.

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3 Compelling Reasons to Keep Aramark Stock on Your RadarThe calendar shift reduced company organic revenue growth by approximately 2 percentage points during the quarter, management said. Aramark expects the education-related impact to be fully recaptured in the fourth quarter.

Revenue Growth Across U.S. and International Segments Food and Support Services U.S. organic revenue rose 8% to $3.5 billion, or more than 10% excluding the calendar shift, according to Zillmer. Education would have posted growth of more than 7% without the timing impact, aided by increased residential meal-plan enrollment, record retention and what management described as its strongest collegiate selling season in recent history.

Sports, Leisure & Corrections also contributed to U.S. growth, supported by Major League Baseball activity and an expanded client portfolio in Major League Soccer and collegiate athletics. The company served 15 FIFA World Cup matches at stadiums it operates during the quarter, with four additional matches occurring after quarter-end. Zillmer said those events produced unprecedented attendance and record per-capita spending.

Aramark also cited higher NHL and NBA playoff activity, including the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals. Recent sports-related client wins included Florida State University Athletics and Texas State Athletics.

In Healthcare+, Aramark continued the rollout of services at Penn Medicine and began mobilizing multiple service lines across RWJBarnabas Health’s 18 locations. Workplace Experience and Refreshments delivered double-digit compounded growth for the 19th consecutive quarter, according to the company.

International organic revenue increased 11% to $1.5 billion, led by Spain, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. Concert and festival activity was particularly strong in Europe, while the company served more than 300,000 fans at the Formula One Grand Prix in Barcelona through nearly 100 food and beverage locations.

Aramark International won nearly 200 client-location accounts during the quarter, including remote hospitality work for Discovery Silver Mine in Canada and Codelco’s Chuquicamata and Antofagasta’s Los Pelambres copper mines in Chile.

Profit, Earnings and Cash Flow Operating income increased 18% from the prior-year period to $216 million. Adjusted operating income, or AOI, rose 13% to $261 million, with margins expanding nearly 20 basis points. Chief Financial Officer Jim Tarangelo said the calendar shift reduced AOI by an estimated $20 million; excluding that impact, AOI growth would have been approximately 21%, with nearly 50 basis points of constant-currency margin expansion.

FSS U.S. AOI increased 11%, with margins improving more than 20 basis points. Excluding the calendar shift, management said AOI growth would have been about 22% and margin improvement would have approached 65 basis points. International AOI grew 24%, while constant-currency margins expanded nearly 60 basis points.

GAAP earnings per share were $0.36, and adjusted EPS was $0.52, up nearly 30% year over year. Tarangelo said adjusted EPS growth would have been almost 45% excluding the calendar effect.

Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $41 million, while free cash flow reached $42 million. Subsequent to the quarter’s end, the company repaid $100 million of term loans. Aramark had more than $1.4 billion in cash availability at quarter-end and reiterated its goal of reducing leverage below three times by fiscal year-end.

Nexus Expansion Targets Data-Center Workforce Communities Aramark began operating its first Texas site for a top global hyperscaler late in the third quarter. Zillmer said the scope of the first site increased approximately 40% from original estimates, with expected annual revenue of roughly $140 million. A second site for the same client is being mobilized and is expected to be larger, at approximately $160 million of annual revenue.

The first hyperscaler site was originally expected to support about 3,500 employees, while the second is estimated at 4,000 beds. The company also has an agreement with an AI data-center colocation provider covering five additional sites in varying stages of development. One co-location site, expected to have approximately 4,500 beds, is scheduled to begin mobilizing in the first half of Aramark’s next fiscal year.

Management said the three sites under active mobilization and development could represent $400 million to $500 million of annualized revenue as they ramp through fiscal 2027 and into fiscal 2028. Nexus contributed only a small amount of revenue in the third quarter, while Tarangelo said it is expected to account for roughly 1% of fourth-quarter revenue growth.

Zillmer said Nexus contracts are intended to provide food, retail, housekeeping, facilities management and other hospitality amenities for workers living at remote construction and data-center communities. Tarangelo said the contracts are primarily cost-reimbursable, capital-light and carry margins above the company average.

Outlook Raised for Revenue Growth Aramark raised its fiscal 2026 organic revenue growth outlook to 9% to 10%, citing broad-based momentum and early contributions from the hyperscaler contract. The company reaffirmed projected AOI growth of 12% to 17% and adjusted EPS growth of 20% to 25%.

Management expects accelerated AOI growth and margin expansion in the fourth quarter, though it also noted that record new-business mobilizations will bring startup costs. Tarangelo said newly won accounts in higher education, destinations and healthcare are expected to ramp further in fiscal 2027.

Looking beyond the current year, management said it expects continued margin expansion in the core business of roughly 30 to 40 basis points, with Nexus providing an additional tailwind as the business scales.

About Aramark (NYSE:ARMK)Aramark NYSE: ARMK is a global provider of food services, facilities management and uniform solutions, serving clients across a wide array of industries including education, healthcare, business and government. The company operates through three primary segments: Food and Support Services, Uniform and Career Apparel, and Facility Services, delivering integrated solutions designed to enhance guest experiences, improve operational efficiencies and maintain safe, clean environments. Aramark's offerings include corporate dining, patient and senior nutrition, campus dining, sports and entertainment concessions, custodial services, technical maintenance and industrial laundry.

Founded in 1959 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Aramark has expanded its footprint to more than 20 countries, with a strong presence in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

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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