At $390, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) looks compelling to contrarians. The AI capital spending panic dragging the stock lower looks more like a setup than a warning sign. The stock has shed roughly a fifth of its value over the past year despite four straight earnings beats, giving contrarians a rare opening on a business whose contracted backlog is nearly doubling.
Microsoft sits at the center of enterprise AI adoption. Azure, Microsoft 365, and the restructured OpenAI partnership feed a single cloud franchise that produced $54.5 billion in Microsoft Cloud revenue last quarter, up 29% year over year. Shares have derated hard, sliding from $552.51 at the Q4 FY25 filing to $390.34, a trajectory that maps almost perfectly to escalating quarterly capex.
The Backlog Is Doing the Talking Commercial remaining performance obligations reached $627 billion, up 99% year over year. That is contracted revenue backed by signed customer commitments. Microsoft’s $190 billion planned calendar 2026 capex is building against signed obligations competitors do not hold.
Monetization is showing up. AI annual run rate hit $37 billion, growing 123%, while Azure ran at 40% growth and Copilot seats climbed 250% year over year. Amy Hood told analysts, “We remain confident in the return on these investments given higher demand signals and increasing product usage.” Return on equity of 33.28% and operating margin of 45.62% confirm spending has not broken profitability.
What the Capex Skeptics See The bear case is real. Q3 capex jumped to $30.88 billion, up 84.39%, and full-year FY25 free cash flow already declined 3.32% as reinvestment accelerated. At a P/E near 28 and P/FCF around 40, Microsoft is priced for the AI story to compound.
OpenAI-related losses widened to $3.1 billion in Q1 FY26 from $523 million a year earlier, and OpenAI is no longer exclusive to Azure for non-API products. More Personal Computing shrank 1%, and insiders have been net sellers across 33 recent transactions. If Azure decelerates below the high 30s, multiple compression accelerates.
Why Patience Has a Case Composite sentiment sits at 42.91, neutral with a 7-day decline of 19.38 points, and Polymarket assigns only a 44.5% probability that shares close above $390 by month-end. The next Azure growth print and Q4 capex disclosure land within days. A guide toward the “over $40 billion” quarterly capex range without matching revenue acceleration would validate the bear thesis. Confirmation of Azure holding 40% or expanding operating margin tips the picture the other way.
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The Numbers Behind the Setup Shares trade at $390.34, down 18.93% year to date and 22.13% over the past year. The S&P 500 gained 9.6% year to date and 18.85% over the same twelve months. The gap is roughly 40 points of relative underperformance during accelerating fundamentals.
Consensus analyst target sits at $557.79, implying 43% upside. The full-chain put/call ratio of 0.44 shows options traders are not positioned for further crash, and Polymarket puts 89.5% probability on a Q4 earnings beat.
At $390, the Contrarian Setup The path to price appreciation is mechanical. A $627 billion contracted backlog converts to revenue on schedule, and management has committed the capacity to service it. Hood said Microsoft expects “another year of double-digit revenue and operating income growth in FY ’27” and supply will “remain constrained at least through 2026.” Constrained supply against contracted demand creates a favorable pricing environment.
Buying a business earning a 33.28% return on equity with interest coverage above 53 times at a P/E in the high 20s reflects a market multiple for elite compounding on a stock that has already given back the froth. Reddit’s most engaged recent post asked whether “MSFT at $385 an absolute steal right now” and sustained bullish traction for nine days running.
The thesis breaks if Azure growth prints below the mid-30s, if capex intensity climbs without matching bookings, or if OpenAI losses meaningfully compress consolidated margins. None are visible in current data. The market is pricing spending as sin while the customer is signing the check, and that gap defines the contrarian opportunity.
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Microsoft stock is trading at depressed levels. Where are MSFT shares going? Earnings Preview & HistoryMicrosoft is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings on July 29. Analysts estimate EPS of $4.23 along with revenue of $87.61 billion. For the prior quarter, Microsoft reported EPS of $4.27, beating the consensus estimate of $4.07. The company also posted revenue of $82.89 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $81.42 billion.
Microsoft has beaten EPS estimates in eight consecutive quarters. Over the last four quarters, the company has averaged an EPS surprise of 0.08% and a revenue surprise of 0.02%.
What to WatchInvestors will be watching Azure growth and AI contribution closely, since commentary on AI services mix, easing capacity constraints, or signs of re-acceleration will matter more than the consolidated revenue beat itself. Capex and forward infrastructure spending, including any signals from long-term purchase commitments, will also be closely tracked, as that’s where the market will handicap future margins.
Finally, Microsoft Cloud segment margins and operating leverage should draw attention, since the bull case hinges on AI revenue scaling faster than compute and data center costs.
From a trend perspective, Microsoft is sitting about 11.2% below its 200-day SMA ($437.53), which keeps the longer-term bias tilted bearish until the stock can reclaim that area. It’s also trading 3% below its 50-day SMA ($400.32) and 2.7% below its 100-day SMA ($399.23), so rallies are still running into overhead supply near the $400 zone.
Near-term, the stock is 1% above its 20-day SMA ($384.64), suggesting it has stabilized versus the last few weeks even if the bigger trend remains heavy. The moving-average structure is still a headwind, with the 20-day SMA below the 50-day SMA (bearish) and the death cross that formed in January (50-day SMA below the 200-day SMA) still in place.
Momentum is best read through RSI, which is at 49.10—basically neutral—implying the stock isn’t stretched enough to scream "capitulation" or "chase." RSI is a quick way to gauge whether recent buying or selling has become overdone, and right now it’s signaling a range-like tug-of-war rather than a clean trend day.
Key levels are tight enough to matter for swing traders watching the next directional break:
Key Resistance: $395.50 — a nearby ceiling that lines up with the stock’s struggle to get back above the $400 area and reclaim intermediate moving averages Key Support: $373.50 — a nearby floor that sits in the lower part of the recent range and closer to the stock’s June low zone than the current price Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price forecast of $547.41. Recent analyst moves include:
Bernstein: Outperform (Maintains Target to $646.00) (July 22) Oppenheimer: Outperform (Maintains Target to $515.00) (July 22) Truist Securities: Buy (Maintains Target to $575.00) (July 22) Microsoft Shares Edges LowerMSFT Price Action: At the time of publication, Microsoft shares are trading 0.42% lower at $388.72, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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, /PRNewswire/ -- (ACCESSWIRE) Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft Corporation ("Microsoft" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: MSFT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
The class action concerns whether Microsoft and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
You have until August 11, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Microsoft securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On January 28, 2026, Microsoft announced disappointing results for its fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2025. First, during the quarter Microsoft's Azure growth had slowed suddenly and fallen below analyst expectations. During the related earnings call, CFO Amy E. Hood revealed that the slower Azure growth was primarily due to computational capacity constraints, as Microsoft had diverted CPU and GPU capacity to Copilot applications and AI-related R&D. Second, Microsoft revealed that its capital expenditures had increased to $37.5 billion during the quarter, causing Microsoft's capital expenditures for the first six months of its fiscal 2026 to increase to $72.4 billion compared to $88.2 billion for all of Microsoft's fiscal 2025. Third, Microsoft revealed, for the first time, that the number of paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats totaled only 15 million to date, materially below analyst estimates and a fraction of the more than 450 million commercial Microsoft 365 users.
On this news, the price of Microsoft stock fell nearly 10%.
Then, on February 3, 2026, The Wall Street Journal revealed, in an article titled "Microsoft's Pivotal AI Product Is Running Into Big Problems," that severe challenges and functionality issues had plagued Microsoft's Copilot offerings, leading to Copilot losing market share during the Class Period to competing products such as Google's Gemini. The price of Microsoft stock continued to fall in the days after Microsoft's second quarter 2026 earnings announcement as the market continued to digest the adverse news and sources such as The Wall Street Journal revealed new adverse information.
Thereafter, on March 17, 2026, The Wall Street Journal revealed in an article titled "Microsoft Seeks More Coherence in AI Efforts With Copilot Reorganization" that Microsoft was reorganizing its Copilot product teams to unify commercial and consumer versions partly in response to the challenges revealed by The Wall Street Journal's prior reporting on Copilot's problem-plagued development and disappointing customer adoption.
On this news, the price of Microsoft stock continued to fall.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Deadline Alert: Understanding Lead Plaintiff Selection Under the PSLRA in the Microsoft Corporation Securities Class Action
, /PRNewswire/ -- IMPORTANT DATE: August 11, 2026. Investors who purchased Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) securities between May 1, 2025 and January 28, 2026 and wish to seek appointment as lead plaintiff must file a motion by this date. Submit your information now. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (888) SueWallSt.
A securities class action is pending against Microsoft and four of its senior executives in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The action alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements about the success, adoption, and performance of Microsoft's AI initiatives, including the Copilot product family and Azure cloud platform integration, while concealing significant technical and organizational problems. Microsoft stock traded above $550 per share during the Class Period before alleged concealed deficiencies surfaced.
What Is a Lead Plaintiff?
Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("PSLRA"), the court appoints a lead plaintiff to represent the interests of all class members. The lead plaintiff is typically the investor or group of investors with the largest financial interest in the case who is otherwise adequate and typical of the class. In the Microsoft action, lead plaintiff applicants must demonstrate losses from purchases of MSFT securities between May 1, 2025 and January 28, 2026.
Lead Plaintiff Facts
The lead plaintiff selects and retains lead counsel to prosecute the case on behalf of the entire class Courts generally appoint the applicant with the largest provable financial loss during the Class Period There is no minimum loss threshold required to apply for lead plaintiff status Lead plaintiffs are not personally responsible for litigation costs; counsel works on a contingency basis The lead plaintiff deadline of August 11, 2026 applies only to those seeking this appointment, not to class membership generally Post-Deadline Procedures
After the August 11, 2026 deadline passes, the court will review all motions and appoint a lead plaintiff. The appointed lead plaintiff and lead counsel then guide the litigation through discovery, class certification, and potential settlement or trial. This process typically spans two to four years.
Absent Class Member Rights
Investors who do not seek lead plaintiff appointment are not excluded from the case. Absent class members retain the right to participate in any recovery obtained on behalf of the class. No action is required before the deadline to preserve class membership rights.
"The lead plaintiff process is designed to ensure the class is represented by shareholders with substantial interests in the outcome of the litigation. Investors with significant MSFT losses during the Class Period should evaluate whether seeking this role aligns with their objectives." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Find out if you might qualify to recover losses or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (888) SueWallSt.
WHY SUEWALLST: SueWallSt is powered by Levi & Korsinsky LLP. Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions About the MSFT Lawsuit
Q: What is a lead plaintiff and why does it matter? A: A lead plaintiff is the investor appointed by the court to represent the entire class. Lead plaintiffs are typically investors with the largest documented losses. Being appointed does not increase individual recovery but gives direct oversight of how the case is run.
Q: How do I know if I lost enough money to be the lead plaintiff? A: There is no minimum loss threshold. Courts appoint the investor with the largest provable loss who is willing and able to represent the class adequately. Contact SueWallSt before August 11, 2026 to evaluate.
Q: What documents do I need to make a claim? A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.
Q: What if I missed the lead plaintiff deadline? A: The deadline applies only to investors seeking lead plaintiff appointment. Class members who miss it can still participate in any settlement or recovery.
Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. The overwhelming majority of class members never appear in court or give depositions. You submit a claim form to receive your portion of recovery.
Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: Nothing. Securities class actions are handled on a pure contingency basis. No upfront fees, no retainer, no out-of-pocket costs.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (888) SueWallSt
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Stock futures are lower as worries about AI spending pressure big tech shares; Tesla shares are falling after the electric vehicle maker said rising R&D costs squeezed profits; Alphabet shares are taking a hit too after the company lifted its capital expenditures forecast; strong AI spending trends could favor chipmaker Intel, due to release results after the closing bell today; and Advanced Micro Devices is set to showcase its latest tech at its “Advancing AI” keynote. Here's what you need to know today.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $CRSR--CORSAIR® (Nasdaq: CRSR) today announced its participation in AMD Advancing AI 2026, taking place July 22–23 at Moscone West in San Francisco. CORSAIR has collaborated with AMD to showcase how CORSAIR PRO systems, powered by AMD, deliver real-world AI performance, from professional AI development to live, interactive experiences on the show floor. The CORSAIR PRO FlexPrime R80T is featured in the Corsair booth, a workstation built to run compute and rendering side.
Bank of America’s semiconductor desk has been busy this week, and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD | AMD Price Prediction) investors have every reason to pay attention. Analyst Vivek Arya added Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) to the firm’s “U.S. 1 List” with a $1,550 price target, a call that reads as a broader endorsement of the AI-memory-and-compute stack that AMD anchors.
Combined with Microsoft’s decision to deploy AMD’s Helios Rackscale Solution in Azure by late 2026, the setup for AMD heading into its August 4 earnings report is unusually loaded.
Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for AMD is $577.42, implying 6.06% upside from the current $544.43. Our recommendation is buy, with high confidence at 90%.
24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $544.43 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $577.42 Upside 6.06% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% A 154% YTD Run Meets an August Earnings Test AMD is up 154.22% year to date and 246.77% over the past year, closing yesterday roughly 7% below its 52-week high of $584.73 after an 8.11% single-session pop on July 21. That move followed a Wall Street Zen upgrade to Buy tied to the Microsoft Helios news.
Q1 2026 revenue hit $10.25 billion, up 37.9% YoY, with non-GAAP EPS of $1.37 beating the $1.29 consensus. Data Center revenue grew 57% to $5.78 billion, and Q2 2026 guidance calls for $11.2 billion in revenue and 56% non-GAAP gross margin.
Why Bulls See a Path to $631 The bull case points to $631.59 over the next 12 months, a 16% return. Drivers are concrete: 6 GW of OpenAI GPU deployment, Meta committing to a 1 GW MI450-based rollout, an Oracle 50,000-GPU supercluster in Q3 2026, and Microsoft standardizing on Helios racks with Instinct MI455 GPUs, Pensando DPUs, and Venice CPUs.
CEO Lisa Su said “Customer engagement around MI450 Series and Helios is strengthening, with leading customer forecasts exceeding our initial expectations.” Analysts are aligned: 42 Buy ratings versus 9 Holds and zero Sells.
What Could Go Wrong The bear case is $444.48, an 18.4% drawdown. Valuation is the pressure point. AMD trades at a P/E of 164 and an implied forward P/E of 119. Polymarket traders are pricing a 73% probability of an earnings miss on August 4, and 91 recent insider transactions have been net selling, including CTO Mark Papermaster’s 6,000-share disposition at $556.43.
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Bulls note that Papermaster’s sale was under a Rule 10b5-1 plan and that institutions still own 71.34% of the float, with Swiss National Bank alone adding 4.78 million shares worth $972 million. Export controls on MI308 shipments to China remain a live wildcard.
How AMD Compares to NVIDIA and Micron NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the direct benchmark. It trades at a forward P/E of 23 against AMD’s implied 119, with a 63% profit margin versus AMD’s 12.51%. On pure multiple math, NVDA looks cheaper, but AMD’s growth acceleration and share-gain narrative justify a premium.
Micron Technology belongs here as the memory partner behind the same hyperscaler capex cycle powering AMD. Bank of America’s $1,550 Buy target and U.S. 1 List addition for Micron validates the demand backdrop AMD is monetizing. If BofA is right on memory, AMD’s data center Instinct sales have the ecosystem tailwind to hit our target.
Against this peer set, our $577.42 target looks reasonable rather than aggressive.
The Setup Heading Into August 4 The 24/7 Wall St. price target is $577.42 with a buy rating at 90% confidence. The bull thesis holds if Q2 earnings validate the 46% growth guide and Helios visibility firms up. The thesis weakens if AMD guides Q3 gross margin below 55% or if the Microsoft ramp slips into 2027.
AMD Price Prediction 2026-2030 Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $577 2027 $618 2028 $655 2029 $685 2030 $711 These projections assume AMD executes on its Helios roadmap and hyperscaler capex holds. Meaningful upside or downside could come from MI450 share gains against NVIDIA or a broader AI capex reset.
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July 23 (Reuters) - Hong Kong-listed AGTech Holdings (8279.HK), opens new tab said on Thursday that its unit inked a technical service agreement with Hong Kong Gold Exchange (HKGX) to develop an electronic trading, clearing and settlement platform.
Here are the details:
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AGTech's unit, TGX Technology, would design, develop and maintain an electronic trading, clearing and settlement platform for the gold exchange.
TGX and HKGX will co-own the platform.
The fintech firm said all existing bullion trading, clearing, settlement and related electronic activities of HKGX are expected to migrate to the new platform after completion.
AGTech is backed by Chinese tech giant Alibaba (9988.HK), opens new tab and also provides digital payment and banking services.
Hong Kong Gold Exchange was officially launched in 2025 and is city state's sole spot gold and silver exchange.
Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Alibaba Group Holding Limited ("Alibaba" or the "Company") (NYSE: BABA). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Alibaba and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On June 24, 2026, the Financial Times reported that Anthropic has accused Alibaba "of obtaining illicit access to Claude by creating fake accounts designed to access the AI model which the American company does not offer to Chinese groups."
On this news, Alibaba's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $7.53 per ADR, or 7.34%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $95.07 per ADR on June 25, 2026.
Then, on July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a press release announcing that Alibaba had "entered a non-prosecution agreement to pay $600 million to resolve the Justice Department's allegations that they violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by failing to prevent merchants from selling and importing illegal pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, listed chemicals, and pill presses into the United States" through Alibaba's e-commerce platforms.
On this news, Alibaba's ADR price fell $1.85 per ADR, or 1.9%, to close at $96.14 per ADR on July 2, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
SummaryCompaniesBoeing won 173 orders while Airbus booked 154 jetsSMBC Aviation Capital split a 200-jet single-aisle order evenly between both planemakersAbout 300 aircraft sold at the show from major planemakers, below forecasts of as many as 800 planesFARNBOROUGH, England, July 22 (Reuters) - Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab edged Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab in a subdued series of order announcements at the Farnborough Airshow this week, as the global aerospace industry focuses on fixing lingering supply constraints and catching up on record order backlogs.
The deals — worth tens of billions of dollars — were in line with expectations within the industry for just over 300 orders, reported by Reuters ahead of the event, but fell short of some bullish external forecasts reaching as high as 800 aircraft.
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The once-addictive buzz surrounding orders at air shows has been fading in recent years as planemakers avoid giving jarring messages at a time when they are struggling industrially, and as airlines digest a record number of aircraft still on order.
"I didn't have high expectations of big commercial orders at the show, not particularly because of the current macro or geopolitical climate, but because a lot of large orders are already out there," airline analyst John Strickland said.
Boeing announced firm and preliminary orders for 173 aircraft, helped by a mix of narrowbody and widebody deals, while its European rival announced 154 firm and provisional orders, for a total of 327, according to a Reuters tally.
After excluding deals already in manufacturer order books without the buyer initially being named — including Boeing's half of a big lessor order — the overall tally was 218 aircraft.
That's up slightly on the previous Farnborough event in 2024, but well below the 2018 cyclical peak of 1,109 orders for the two dominant manufacturers.
Following years of supply-chain disruptions, labour shortages and manufacturing setbacks, Airbus and Boeing have amassed order books stretching well into the next decade.
With manufacturers focused on increasing output and airlines facing long waits for new jets, air shows are generating fewer headline-grabbing orders and even planes than in the past.
"Demand is not the issue," Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope told reporters on the eve of the show.
Airbus showed off its A350-1000 as it considers stretching the jet to counter Boeing's delayed 777X.
Boeing did not bring any of its major commercial variants, three of which are in the process of being certified.
200 AIRPLANE DEAL FOR LESSORThe week's biggest commercial deal came from the world's second-largest lessor SMBC Aviation, which split an order for 200 single-aisle jets evenly between the two main planemakers, buying 100 Boeing 737 MAX and 100 Airbus A320neo-family jets.
The deal underscored still-strong demand for narrowbody aircraft, the workhorses of short- and medium-haul travel, despite scarce delivery slots and supplier bottlenecks.
Other deals included continued demand for widebody jets, with Riyadh Air and Philippine Airlines shopping at both manufacturers and leasing giant AerCap buying more Boeing 787s.
Regional aircraft maker Embraer reported orders for 50 of its planes including 20 freighters.
Away from the main aircraft stands, a key feature of the show was a record order for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines from CFM International to power 500 previously ordered Airbus jets.
A previous aircraft order boom stoked in part by low interest rates has placed high industrial demands on the engine industry, leading to parts shortages and maintenance delays.
Both CFM and Pratt & Whitney, the main supplier affected, said the industrial situation was improving steadily.
Writing by Shivansh Tiwary; Additional reporting by Dan Catchpole, Joanna Plucińska, Maria Rugamer and Tim Hepher; Editing by Joe Brock and Sharon Singleton
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Shivansh reports on major aerospace, aviation, and industrial companies in the United States. A journalism graduate from Christ University in Bangalore, he specializes in breaking news and quarterly earnings reports for the country’s largest airlines and machinery manufacturers. His work is often featured in Reuters’ Aerospace & Defense and Autos & Transportation sections.
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Boeing (NYSE:BA | BA Price Prediction) shares were last seen trading near $210, off 4.3% over the past week and 8.7% lower over the past year. Wall Street sees a turnaround worth buying: analysts carry a consensus price target of $270.08, with 78% of ratings bullish and only one strong sell in the mix. Reddit, meanwhile, is unmoved. Boeing’s aggregate sentiment score sits at 42, a neutral read that leans cautious.
Boeing’s Q1 report told the story fueling institutional optimism: $22.22 billion in revenue, up 14%, 143 commercial deliveries, and $6.95 billion of debt repaid in a single quarter, taking consolidated debt to $47.2 billion. Backlog reached $695 billion. Retail investors, however, are looking at the same filing and seeing a $1.5 billion free cash flow burn and a Commercial Airplanes segment still running at a 6.1% negative operating margin.
Why Boeing’s Reddit Crowd Stays Skeptical Discussion volume is thin: Boeing chatter clusters in r/stockmarket rather than the speculative corners of Reddit, and activity levels register as low outside a single Tuesday morning spike. The dominant thread over the past few days is a news post titled “Boeing asks US to intervene over record EU loan to Airbus,” which has drawn 556 upvotes and 98 comments. The framing, Boeing complaining about competitor subsidies rather than winning on product, sums up the retail mood.
What is keeping sentiment stuck near neutral:
Commercial Airplanes is still losing money at the segment level, with a negative 6.1% operating margin in Q1. Free cash flow swung back to a $1.5 billion outflow after two positive quarters, denting the recovery narrative. The 777X first delivery has slipped to 2027, and 737-7 and 737-10 certifications are still pending. Lockheed’s Steady Profits Sharpen the Contrast Defense peer Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) runs a consistently profitable book while Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security unit only recently returned to positive territory at $233 million in operating earnings. That gap explains why retail investors treat Boeing as a “show me” story even as sell-side analysts lean in.
The Catalyst Boeing Needs The near-term test arrives fast. Polymarket traders assign a 65% probability that Boeing beats its next quarterly earnings, with the market resolving July 28, 2026. A clean quarter with positive cash flow would give the Reddit crowd something harder to ignore than a subsidy dispute with Airbus.
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DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--o9 Solutions, a leading software company that is powering enterprise planning and decisioning models across 30-plus industry verticals with its groundbreaking Digital Brain platform, today announced that NVIDIA cuOpt — NVIDIA's GPU-accelerated optimization solver — delivers over 10x faster solve times for large-scale supply chain challenges with near-parity solution quality when integrated into the o9 platform and run on NVIDIA Blackwell accelerated computing infrastruct.
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $QMLS #NASDAQ--QumulusAI (Nasdaq: QMLS), a neocloud infrastructure provider purpose-built for the AI computing era, today announced a signed two-year agreement, valued at more than $32 million, to supply NVIDIA Blackwell B300 capacity to an AI inference platform provider focused on generative AI applications. The agreement includes renewal options, with capacity expected to come online in the fall of 2026. The customer's platform delivers fast, scalable infrastructure for generative.
Wall Street’s institutional consensus on the mega-cap tech complex housed in Goldman Sachs Trust’s $2.4 billion, 724-position portfolio is unambiguously bullish, with analyst price targets sitting 31.0% and 25%+ above current prices on the two names carrying the widest gaps. Buy-side conviction has not blinked despite a rough July for the group, and the smart money is positioned for a re-rating higher on AI infrastructure earnings power.
The Data Behind the Signal The analyst tallies are one-sided. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) carries a consensus target of $302.31 with 10 strong buy, 48 buy, 2 hold, and 1 sell ratings. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) sits at a $557.79 target with 13 strong buy, 41 buy, and 3 hold ratings and zero sells. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) commands the highest implied upside at $822.69 against 57 buys and 6 holds. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shows 14 strong buy, 43 buy, and 7 hold ratings against a $433.51 target, and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) draws 15 strong buy and 47 buy ratings toward a $312.87 target.
Institutional ownership tells the same story. Microsoft is 76.176% institutionally held, Meta 79.897%, Alphabet 81.009%, and NVIDIA 71.224%. This is where big money lives.
The earnings backdrop supports the conviction. NVIDIA posted Q1 FY27 revenue of $81.6 billion, up 85.2% year over year, with Data Center revenue of $75.2 billion and a $91.0 billion Q2 guide. Microsoft’s 18.3% revenue growth and Alphabet’s 82% quarterly earnings growth reinforce that the fundamentals are catching up to the price targets.
The Gap Between Wall Street and Retail Here is where retail investors should pay attention. Wall Street’s targets are set against a group that has been sold off recently. NVIDIA closed at $207.29 on July 21, down 7.5% since June 1. Microsoft has fallen 17.39% year to date and 21.39% over the past year, sitting at $389.29 versus its $557.79 target. Alphabet trades at $348.24, down 7.71% since June 1. Meta at $628.43 sits nearly 24% below consensus.
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The crowd is more cautious than the analysts. NVIDIA’s composite sentiment score reads 63.59 (bullish, medium confidence), but the 7-day trend has fallen -20.68. Prediction markets peg NVIDIA’s July close in the $216 range at 73.5% probability, well shy of the $302 analyst mark. Meta’s prediction-market crowd is 49.63, neutral. Alphabet’s sits at 52.67. Retail has priced in caution; institutions have not.
The Takeaway The smart money is playing a wider time horizon. Analyst targets on this cohort imply roughly 25% to 31% upside, backed by $627 billion in Microsoft commercial RPO, NVIDIA’s $119 billion in supply commitments, and Alphabet’s $460 billion cloud backlog. The GS Trust holdings snapshot lags by seven weeks, but the pattern is consistent with how institutional AI infrastructure exposure has been positioned all year.
Wall Street’s read is the higher-quality signal here. Buy ratings outnumber sells by a ratio institutional investors rarely see, the fundamentals confirm the thesis, and current prices offer a discount to consensus. Retail investors weighing entry today are getting the same setup Goldman was buying at the end of May, at lower prices, with the earnings evidence now stronger. That is the definition of smart money conviction meeting a soft market.
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American Airlines (AAL - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.15 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.03 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.95 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +400.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this world's largest airline would post a loss of $0.45 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.4, delivering a surprise of +11.11%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
American Airlines, which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Airline industry, posted revenues of $16.74 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.22%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $14.39 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
American Airlines shares have lost about 3.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.6%.
What's Next for American Airlines?While American Airlines has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for American Airlines was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.31 on $15.86 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.57 on $62.71 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Transportation - Airline is currently in the top 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Allegiant Travel (ALGT - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 4.
This travel services company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.27 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +3.3%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 103.3% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.
Allegiant Travel's revenues are expected to be $1.03 billion, up 49.2% from the year-ago quarter.
Flight Path to Profits: American Airlines Bets on SpaceXAmerican Airlines Group NASDAQ: AAL reported record quarterly revenue in the second quarter of 2026, as executives said gains from commercial initiatives helped offset a sharp year-over-year increase in fuel costs.
Chief Executive Officer Robert Isom said the airline delivered revenue growth of more than 16% from a year earlier, with improvement across every region served and every cabin offered. He attributed the results to American’s four-part commercial strategy: improving the customer experience, growing the global network, driving premium revenue and leading in loyalty.
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Boarding Passes Now Being Issued for the Ultimate eVTOL Arbitrage“This outstanding broad-based revenue performance reflects the strength of our commercial strategy,” Isom said. He added that the quarter’s revenue performance helped offset nearly 50% of a $2.2 billion year-over-year increase in fuel expense.
The company ended the quarter with more than $11 billion in available liquidity, and Chief Financial Officer Devon May said American finished the period with $11.3 billion of liquidity. May said the airline expects to produce positive free cash flow for the full year at the midpoint of its current guidance and to end 2026 with lower net debt than at the start of the year.
Fuel Costs Pressure Outlook Sky Wars: United's Predator Play for AmericanFuel was the central challenge discussed on the call. May said second-quarter fuel expense increased more than $2.2 billion, or 83%, from a year earlier. He said fuel forecasts had worsened quickly in recent weeks, with expected third-quarter fuel expense rising more than $700 million since the beginning of July and nearly $230 million in the prior week alone.
Based on the forward curve as of July 21, American expects an average fuel price of about $3.75 per gallon in the third quarter, which would result in a $1.7 billion year-over-year increase in fuel expense for the quarter.
As a result, American now expects third-quarter capacity to rise 3% to 5% year-over-year, about two percentage points lower at the midpoint than originally planned. May said the company will continue to evaluate capacity based on fuel prices and demand trends.
The airline guided to a third-quarter adjusted loss per diluted share of $0.70 to $0.10. For the full year, American adjusted its guidance to a range between a loss of $0.65 and a profit of $0.65 per diluted share. Isom said the company expects full-year adjusted earnings to be breakeven at the midpoint despite an anticipated nearly $6 billion year-over-year fuel headwind.
Revenue Strength Broad-Based Across Regions Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper said total revenue increased 16.3% year-over-year in the quarter, reaching the high end of the airline’s initial guidance. He said all geographic regions exceeded the company’s initial expectations.
Domestic unit revenue increased nearly 11%, with Washington National, Dallas Fort Worth and Los Angeles cited as standouts. Atlantic unit revenue rose about 9%, led by London. Pacific unit revenue increased 15%, with Japan described as noteworthy. Latin America unit revenue rose about 7%, supported by a recovery in Mexico beach demand. Pieper said customer experience metrics also improved. Total Net Promoter Score increased five points year-over-year, and for on-time flights, NPS improved for the 15th time in 17 months. He also cited a 7% year-over-year improvement in the ACSI survey.
The airline plans to install Starlink high-speed Wi-Fi on its fleet beginning in 2027. Pieper said connectivity is increasingly important to customers and that such investments strengthen American’s competitive position.
Premium and Loyalty Remain Key Priorities American emphasized premium demand as a key driver of its strategy. Pieper said premium unit revenue increased more than 13% year-over-year, driven by strong leisure and corporate demand. Main cabin unit revenue increased nearly 9% and accelerated during the quarter.
In response to an analyst question, Pieper said premium revenue rose 19% in the quarter, compared with a 15% increase in non-premium revenue. He said premium accounts for nearly half of ticketed revenue on roughly 30% of seats. He also said nearly 60% of American’s revenue comes from households earning $150,000 or more, which he described as demand more likely to hold up during economic uncertainty.
The airline is expanding premium capacity through new Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321XLR deliveries, as well as retrofit programs on 777-300ER, 777-200ER, A320 and A319 aircraft. Pieper said lie-flat and premium economy capacity grew nearly twice as fast as main cabin capacity during the quarter.
Corporate demand was another area of strength. Pieper said managed corporate revenue rose 26% from a year earlier, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. In response to a media question about Southwest Airlines’ efforts to attract corporate customers, Pieper said American’s managed corporate revenue, small and medium business product and travel management company business were all growing, adding, “We’re not losing it.”
The AAdvantage loyalty program also posted growth. Pieper said enrollments increased more than 30% year-over-year in the second quarter, surpassing the record growth achieved in the first quarter. He said the largest enrollment gains occurred in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, with international growth also strong. Co-branded card spending across American’s Citi portfolio grew 8% year-over-year.
Network, Fleet and Balance Sheet Plans American executives said the airline is focused on improving hub performance and selectively growing its network. Pieper said a new bank structure at Dallas Fort Worth, implemented in April, has reduced systemwide misconnects by nearly 25% year-over-year and helped DFW unit revenue outperform the system average by about four points.
The airline also launched new routes from Philadelphia to Budapest and Prague, and from Dallas Fort Worth to Athens. Pieper said American resumed service to Venezuela with flights to Caracas and Maracaibo, describing the airline as the first U.S. carrier to do so.
May said American expects to take delivery of 48 new aircraft this year and continues to expect about $4 billion in capital expenditures for 2026. In response to an analyst question, he said 2027 capital expenditures are likely to be around $4.5 billion, while noting that some delivery schedules later in the decade still need smoothing.
On the balance sheet, May said American completed about $1.3 billion in incremental financings during the second quarter, bolstering liquidity and addressing its only meaningful 2027 maturity. He said the company’s longer-term goals remain reducing total debt to inside $35 billion, bringing net debt well inside $30 billion and achieving a double-B credit rating, which would require net debt to EBITDA inside three turns.
Isom closed by saying American remains focused on execution, customer service and long-term value creation. He said the company still has work to do but is seeing momentum from its strategy and expects additional progress in 2027 and beyond.
About American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL)American Airlines Group Inc is a leading global airline holding company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Formed in December 2013 through the merger of AMR Corporation (parent of American Airlines) and US Airways Group, the company operates one of the world's largest passenger and cargo networks. Its subsidiaries include American Airlines, which provides mainline service, and American Eagle, a network of regional carriers operating short- and medium-haul routes on behalf of the mainline carrier.
The company offers scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 350 destinations in over 50 countries.
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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From the pitch to the community, AT&T is bringing fans closer to the game through unforgettable experiences, local impact, and the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T
Key Takeaways:
Through AT&T's wireless and fiber networks, including Turbo Live by AT&T, fans can stay connected to the action throughout MLS All-Star Week. AT&T has been an MLS partner since 2009, supporting the players, fans, and communities that help the sport grow. From Soccer Celebration and player appearances to the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T, AT&T is bringing people together around the sport they love. AT&T is investing in Charlotte through community engagement initiatives, including a $25,000 donation to Katie Blessing Center. , /PRNewswire/ -- Soccer's momentum across North America has never been stronger, and AT&T is right at the center of it during MLS All-Star Week in Charlotte.
As the Official Wireless and Wireline Provider of Major League Soccer, AT&T is creating unforgettable moments across Charlotte, from player appearances to community investments and the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T. In its 17th season as an MLS partner, AT&T continues to help grow the game on and off the pitch.
"Soccer has the unique ability to bring communities together through a shared passion," said Sabina Ahmed, assistant vice president of media and sponsorships, AT&T. "As excitement for the sport continues to build, MLS All-Star Week is an opportunity to celebrate the players, fans, and local communities who make soccer culture so special. We're proud to be part of that story."
Celebrating Soccer Across Charlotte
The celebration kicks off July 25-26 at MLS Soccer Celebration, the league's free fan festival at Romare Bearden Park. Fans can test their skills in the AT&T Shooting Challenge – an interactive experience with real-time performance tracking and personalized digital highlights inspired by the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T.
Additional experiences include giveaways and appearances by MLS and U.S. Soccer legend Landon Donovan, Charlotte FC midfielder Brandt Bronico, and U.S. Men's National Team captain and Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream.
The excitement continues Monday, July 27, where fans can visit the AT&T Promenade retail store located at 230 E. W.T. Harris Blvd from 6:30-8 p.m. for a chance to meet Charlotte FC captain Ashley Westwood. Fans can also learn how to score Fanatics FanCash to use on their favorite MLS merch, while supplies last.
AT&T will also donate $25,000 to Katie Blessing Center, reinforcing the company's commitment to supporting the Charlotte community and creating a positive impact beyond matchday.
MLS All-Star Skills Challenge Presented by AT&T
On July 28 at Truist Field, the best of MLS and LIGA MX go head-to-head in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T. AT&T is sponsoring both the All-Star Shooting Challenge and the MLS vs. LIGA MX Relay Challenge, showcasing the elite talent and competitive spirit that fuels the sport's growth.
At the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime, 20,000 co-branded AT&T and MLS shirts will fill the stands, featuring MLS's "Thanks World, We'll Take It From Here" campaign message.
Through AT&T's wireless and fiber networks, including Turbo Live by AT&T, fans can stay connected to the action throughout MLS All-Star Week – whether they're posting content, replaying highlights, or following along in real time.
Since 2009, AT&T has helped grow the game alongside Major League Soccer. Today, that commitment extends from world-class fan experiences and community investments to the technology that keeps millions connected. As soccer's next chapter unfolds across the country, AT&T is proud to help bring fans closer to every moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has AT&T been a partner of Major League Soccer? AT&T has been a partner of MLS since 2009. What soccer organizations and leagues does AT&T support? AT&T's soccer portfolio includes partnerships with Major League Soccer (MLS), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), U.S. Soccer, Mexican National Team, and Leagues Cup. Why is investing in soccer important to AT&T? Soccer is the fastest-growing sport in North America. AT&T has invested in the game for nearly two decades because it brings people together — across cultures, generations, and geographies. How is AT&T supporting the growth of soccer in North America? Through partnerships with MLS, U.S. Soccer, NWSL, Leagues Cup, and the Mexican National Teams, AT&T helps create fan experiences, invest in local communities and bring people closer to the sport. About AT&T
We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 150+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com
Mastercard has added new security controls, single application programming interface (API) access, and expanded embedded payments capabilities to its virtual card number platform, Mastercard In Control.
Together, these new features help enterprises and financial institutions manage virtual card programs with greater security, visibility and scale, the company said in a Thursday (July 23) press release emailed to PYMNTS.
The security controls include new Issuer Enforced Controls that allow issuers to set spend limits and other baseline guardrails when creating the virtual card number, and enhanced Clearing Controls that enable corporates and platforms to block invalid transactions, apply more precise controls and better manage payment timing, according to the release.
The new enhancements to the single-API front door, Commercial Connect API, include expanded card controls, simplified integration and accelerated access to end-to-end payment capabilities, the release said.
The expanded embedded payments capabilities provide a simpler, more unified corporate payment experience; reduce onboarding complexity for issuers, platforms and corporates; and features and expanded ecosystem gained through strategic partnerships and innovative use cases, per the release.
“As payments become more digitized and embedded into business workflows, expectations for performance, security and control are higher than ever,” Marc Pettican, global head of corporate solutions at Mastercard, said of the latest enhancements to Mastercard In Control. “We’re expanding our virtual card capabilities to deliver more unified and scalable experiences — helping partners simplify how they implement and scale virtual card programs with greater security, control and consistency.”
Card-based B2B payments scale most effectively when they align with existing workflows rather than asking supplier to change how they operate, Pettican told PYMNTS in an interview posted in January.
Pettican described Mastercard’s Commercial Connect API as “the one front door to Mastercard,” designed to link payment initiation, remittance data, reconciliation, consent and controls across platforms and acquirers. Virtual card rails were embedded from the outset, and support for additional B2B payment capabilities was set to be added over time.
When Mastercard and J.P. Morgan Payments announced in March that they launched a new virtual card in Europe that is designed to support traditional accounts payable needs in industries such as insurance, healthcare, travel and commercial real estate, Karen Ions, head of commercial card client management and delivery at J.P. Morgan Payments, said “virtual cards bring clarity, security and agility to the process.”
Tepper Sports & Entertainment showcases fan-focused enhancements in new renderings and increases private investment, bringing the total project to more than $1.3 billion
Key points
Bank of America and Carolina Panthers have extended the naming rights for Bank of America Stadium, continuing one of NFL's longest-standing naming rights partnerships. New stadium renderings highlight enhancements and a broader vision for a year-round weekend destination anchored by Bank of America Stadium that will serve sports, entertainment and community events. Tepper Sports & Entertainment opts to increase private investment to move forward with all optional projects presented to City of Charlotte, bringing the total project to more than $1.3 billion. TSE will also fund all potential overages and ongoing maintenance obligations under the agreement. Construction on the multi-year renovation remains on schedule and is being carefully phased to allow Bank of America Stadium to continue hosting Carolina Panthers games and Charlotte FC matches throughout the project. , /PRNewswire/ -- The Carolina Panthers and Bank of America today announced long-term extension of their naming rights agreement for Bank of America Stadium. The renewal builds on a decades-long relationship between two organizations deeply connected to Charlotte and the Carolinas, extending a naming rights partnership that has become one of the longest-running in the NFL.
Bank of America Official Bank of the Carolina Panthers logo As part of the announcement, Tepper Sports & Entertainment released new renderings that provide the clearest look yet at the future of the stadium, highlighting enhancements shaped by fan feedback, new ways to experience gameday, and design elements inspired by the character of the Carolinas.
"The long-term extension with Bank of America reflects the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to the Carolinas," said David Tepper, owner and chairman of Tepper Sports & Entertainment. "For over three decades, Bank of America Stadium has helped create lasting memories for our fans and we're excited for them to see what's ahead. Our goal is to create experiences that enhance the passion and energy of the region while transforming this corridor into a weekend destination for world-class sports, entertainment and community events."
The relationship between Bank of America and the Carolina Panthers dates back to the team's founding in the early 1990s, when former Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl played a key role in helping secure the NFL expansion franchise for the Carolinas. That shared history laid the foundation for a partnership that has helped shape countless moments for fans while maintaining a longstanding commitment to community impact.
"Over the years, Bank of America's partnership with the Carolina Panthers has become one of the most enduring in professional sports," said Brian Moynihan, chair and chief executive officer of Bank of America. "With nearly 20,000 teammates and a local history dating back to 1874, our ties to Charlotte run deep, and so does our commitment to its continued growth. The extension recognizes Bank of America Stadium's important role of attracting millions of visitors, driving economic opportunity and showcasing Charlotte and the Carolinas."
The renewed partnership comes as Bank of America Stadium enters its next chapter through a comprehensive renovation designed to serve one of the nation's fastest-growing regions and strengthen its role as a premier destination for sports, entertainment and community events. New imagery released alongside the announcement reflects the full scope of projects originally contemplated during discussions with the City of Charlotte, whose commitment remains fixed at $650 million. TSE has elected to move forward with the complete owner-elected scope, as well as additional design enhancements, bringing the total project investment to more than $1.3 billion. TSE will also fund all potential overages and ongoing maintenance obligations under the agreement.
Every inch of the stadium is being reimagined to create a better experience for every fan, with many of the enhancements informed by feedback gathered through surveys, focus groups and online engagement. New renderings showcase expanded indoor-outdoor gathering spaces across all levels, a 500-level social patio with sweeping views of Uptown Charlotte, larger and more dynamic scoreboards and displays, upgraded seating options, premium offerings, and technology designed to create a more connected and personalized experience. The renderings also reveal an elevated vision for the stadium exterior, with upgraded materials and a signature illuminated crown for the Queen City skyline. Design details will draw inspiration from the people, places and landscapes of the Carolinas, creating spaces that feel authentic to the region. Additional improvements include expanded retail and food-and-beverage options, increased restroom capacity, and flexible event spaces that will support game days while serving community, corporate and other special events throughout the year. Imagery released also includes a sneak peek at the 4,400-capacity planned entertainment venue that will host 80- 100 events a year and provide enhanced hospitality on NFL gamedays.
"The City of Charlotte takes great pride in the future of Bank of America Stadium. It remains one of our city's crown jewels as an important public asset supporting thousands of local jobs, strengthening our economy, and serving as a cornerstone of the Charlotte community that brings people to Charlotte and brings Charlotteans together," said Mayor Rob Harrington. "This work is an investment in Charlotte's future – preserving an iconic venue, enhancing the fan experience and ensuring Bank of America Stadium continues to create unforgettable memories while giving visitors countless reasons to return to our city for years to come. We appreciate Tepper Sports & Entertainment's partnership and commitment to invest in our community and ensuring Bank of America Stadium continues to connect Charlotte to the world as a premier destination for sports and entertainment."
Construction on the multi-year renovation remains on schedule and is being carefully phased to allow Bank of America Stadium to continue hosting Carolina Panthers games and Charlotte FC matches throughout the project. Interior work is taking place in 2026 with fan-facing elements set to begin in 2027.
About the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers became the 29th National Football League franchise on October 26, 1993. The Panthers began play in the 1995 season, winning an expansion-team-record seven games. In 31 seasons, Carolina has won seven division titles, including three consecutive NFC South division titles from 2013-15. The Panthers have played in 18 playoff games, winning two NFC Championships and appearing in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl 50. David A. Tepper, the founder and president of global hedge fund Appaloosa Management, L.P. and a well-known philanthropist, is the owner of the Carolina Panthers. Truly representing both Carolinas, the Panthers play their home games at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., just miles from the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Serving the two-state region is a priority for the team. The Panthers work with over 3,800 community partners, non-profit agencies and schools in the Carolinas each year and are committed to positively impacting the region by providing philanthropic funding, resources and opportunities throughout the Carolinas.
Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) owns and operates the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), Major League Soccer's (MLS) Charlotte Football Club, and Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. TSE is committed to making the greater Charlotte metro area the premier year-round destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas and beyond. Bank of America Stadium hosts nearly 50 annual ticketed events. The diverse array of events attracts audiences spanning NFL, NCAA, high school football, MLS, international soccer, and blockbuster concerts. Beyond sports and entertainment, the venue accommodates hundreds of corporate and community events throughout the year and has served as a mass vaccination site in 2020, as well as an early voting site in the 2020, 2022 and 2024 elections.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 60 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries and/or jurisdictions. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.
Reporters may contact
Sarah Clark, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Phone: 1.704.724.5394
[email protected]
Don Vecchiarello, Bank of America
Phone: 1.980.387.4899
[email protected]
Audent Global Asset Management LLC lowered its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Free Report) by 51.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,208 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 6,507 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. makes up approximately 1.9% of Audent Global Asset Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Audent Global Asset Management LLC’s holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $1,826,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in JPM. Quadrant Private Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 12.3% during the first quarter. Quadrant Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,242 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,072,000 after buying an additional 1,884 shares during the last quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC lifted its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.6% during the first quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC now owns 28,688 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,439,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 2.9% during the first quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 17,412 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,122,000 after purchasing an additional 496 shares in the last quarter. Kesler Norman & Wride LLC raised its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 5.9% in the first quarter. Kesler Norman & Wride LLC now owns 17,087 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,026,000 after buying an additional 958 shares during the period. Finally, Heartland Bank & Trust Co lifted its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 38.7% during the 1st quarter. Heartland Bank & Trust Co now owns 17,788 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,233,000 after buying an additional 4,962 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.55% of the company’s stock.
Insider Transactions at JPMorgan Chase & Co. In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, CFO Jeremy Barnum sold 3,022 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $309.41, for a total value of $935,037.02. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 32,438 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,036,641.58. This represents a 8.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, COO Jennifer Piepszak sold 4,919 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $309.42, for a total transaction of $1,522,036.98. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 85,082 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $26,326,072.44. This represents a 5.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 18,876 shares of company stock worth $5,907,051. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Trending Headlines about JPMorgan Chase & Co. Here are the key news stories impacting JPMorgan Chase & Co. this week:
Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan posted record Q2 2026 results, with record revenue across all business lines and net income of $16.9 billion, underscoring strong underlying business momentum. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media outlets highlighted JPM as one of the top big-bank picks after strong earnings and an improving outlook, which supports the stock’s valuation narrative. Buy 3 Top-Ranked Big Investment Banks Amid Solid Q2 Earnings & Outlook Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan stock was noted as being on track for its longest weekly winning streak since early 2024 after the earnings beat, showing momentum traders are still piling in. QUICK SPARK: JPMorgan Stock Eyes Longest Weekly Winning Streak Since Early 2024 Positive Sentiment: Coverage around JPMorgan’s AI adoption suggested automation is already reducing costs in some units, which could help protect margins even if revenue growth moderates. Jamie Dimon Says AI Has Already Cut 30% to 40% of Jobs in Some JPMorgan Units Positive Sentiment: Reports that JPMorgan may help finance Japan’s $550 billion U.S. investment plan and other large global deals point to additional fee opportunities. JPMorgan, other US banks set to help finance Japan’s $550 billion US investment plan, sources say Neutral Sentiment: Jamie Dimon repeated warnings about macro risks, bond market stress, and geopolitical uncertainty. These comments do not directly change JPM’s fundamentals, but they can temper enthusiasm for bank stocks if investors become more cautious. ‘Worse than people expect’: Jamie Dimon sounds alarm about the next credit crisis Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on Dimon’s broader market commentary, including his view that stocks and long-term Treasurys look expensive; while notable, this is more about market caution than JPM’s own operating results. JPMorgan CEO Urges Investor Patience Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades JPM has been the topic of several analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $375.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $325.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $360.00 price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $391.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $358.67.
Check Out Our Latest Report on JPM
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Price Performance Shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock opened at $348.72 on Thursday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $321.65 and a 200-day moving average price of $310.67. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a one year low of $279.10 and a one year high of $351.24. The stock has a market cap of $934.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.85.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $6.14 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.59 by $0.55. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a net margin of 21.86% and a return on equity of 18.23%. The company had revenue of $58.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $50.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.96 earnings per share. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s quarterly revenue was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 23.59 EPS for the current year.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 6th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 25.71%.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profile (Free Report)
JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) is a diversified global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. The company provides a wide range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, corporations, governments and institutional investors worldwide. Its operations span retail banking, commercial lending, investment banking, asset management, payments and card services, and treasury and securities services.
The firm’s principal business activities are organized across several core lines: Consumer & Community Banking, which offers deposit accounts, mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and branch and digital banking under the Chase brand; Corporate & Investment Banking, which provides capital markets, advisory, underwriting, trading and risk management services; Commercial Banking, delivering lending, treasury and capital solutions to middle-market and corporate clients; and Asset & Wealth Management, which offers investment management, private banking and retirement services to institutions and high-net-worth individuals.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than JPMorgan Chase & Co. Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play
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Investigational MonumenTAL-6 trial is the first and only Phase 3 study of a dual antigen, BCMA and GPRC5D targeting regimen in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma Fifth positive Phase 3 study evaluating Johnson & Johnson's multiple myeloma T-cell therapy portfolio in second line, further strengthening the company's leadership and commitment to advancing immunotherapy-based regimens earlier in the treatment journey RARITAN, N.J., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), a worldwide leader in multiple myeloma therapies, today announced positive topline results from the three-arm investigational Phase 3 MonumenTAL-6 study evaluating TECVAYLI® (teclistamab-cqyv) + TALVEY® (talquetamab-tgvs), a BCMA and GPRC5D dual antigen targeting regimen, and TALVEY® + pomalidomide in adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who received 1 to 4 prior lines of therapy, including an anti-CD38 antibody and lenalidomide.1 The study demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival for both investigational arms compared with investigator's choice standard of care.
Zoom Communications (ZM - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Over the past month, shares of this video-conferencing company have returned +0.4%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Software industry, which Zoom falls in, has gained 7.3%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Zoom is expected to post earnings of $1.50 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -2%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $6.17 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +4.2%. This estimate has changed +2.8% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.27 indicates a change of +1.7% from what Zoom is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.6%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Zoom is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
In the case of Zoom, the consensus sales estimate of $1.27 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +4.2%. The $5.09 billion and $5.28 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +4.5% and +3.7%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryZoom reported revenues of $1.24 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.5%. EPS of $1.55 for the same period compares with $1.43 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.22 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.26%. The EPS surprise was +9.93%.
Over the last four quarters, Zoom surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Zoom is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Zoom. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Apple on Thursday announced a new set of developer tools that will let automakers embed Apple Maps navigation and mapping directly into their vehicles’ infotainment systems.
The software development kit, called MapKit for Automotive, will debut with Ford and its new line of electric vehicles, starting with a $30,000 midsize truck in 2027.
Ford is placing a hefty bet on its next-generation of EVs, which it has promised will be affordable and efficient while still offering the latest technology. To build them, Ford ditched its century-old tradition and instead started with a universal EV platform, or UEV, that will underpin the midsize truck and eventually other vehicles including a sedan, crossover, three-row SUV and even small commercial vans.
Features like Apple Maps integration may seem minor compared to Ford’s decision to use single-piece aluminum unicastings for the vehicle, which are large components cast as one piece to eliminate parts and allow for faster assembly.
But the Apple Maps integration is central to Ford’s plan to deliver more responsive features to owners, such as navigation that includes efficient routing designed for EVs and turn-by-turn directions with natural language capabilities.
Drivers will be able to see real-time traffic and incident information, search for destinations, and view detailed place information. Importantly, Apple MapKit runs natively in the vehicle and is separate from Apple CarPlay, which mirrors apps from an iPhone onto the vehicle’s central display.
The integration will also feed road-level information from Apple Maps to Ford’s next-generation BlueCruise hands-free driver assistance system. The upgraded version of BlueCruise, which is expected to roll out next year, will be able to handle an entire highway journey, including entrance and exits ramps. The company has said the new system will ultimately handle “point-to-point autonomy,” similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, before progressing to eyes-off driving in 2028.
The companies said that by embedding Apple Maps directly in the vehicle, drivers will gain access to smarter EV routing, including battery preconditioning. This feature prepares the battery before arriving at a charger, reducing charge times by ensuring it’s at the optimal temperature.
It could also enable smart home integrations, like opening the garage door and turning on the lights when the driver arrives at home.
While the technology will be open to any automaker, Ford is Apple’s first partner on the new effort. The companies have signed a commercial agreement, but did not disclosed its terms.
Ford noted that the Apple integration could also help its Ford Pro business, which serves its commercial fleet customers. For example, businesses could use the technology to route drivers to their next job site or display other fleet vehicles on the map. Those kinds of fleet features become much easier when the mapping platform is built directly into the vehicle.
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Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software.
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Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade. She is currently the transportation editor at TechCrunch and co-host of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast, “The Autonocast.” She previously wrote for Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review and CBS Interactive.
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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IONATE today announced a collaboration with General Motors to deploy its Hybrid Intelligent Transformer at GM's Romulus manufacturing plant.
, /PRNewswire/ -- GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) announced today that National Airlines has committed to purchase one GE90-110B and six CF6-80C2 engines to power their Boeing 777F/747F cargo airplanes.
National Airlines has extensive experience with GE Aerospace, already owning thirty CF6 engines and eight GE90 engines
National Airlines B777-200F
National Airlines B747-400F Mohamed Ali, President & CEO, GE Aerospace Commercial Engines & Services, said, "We're thrilled that National Airlines continues to invest in our engines after recently purchasing eight GE90 engines. These additional engines will help National meet growing cargo demand and demonstrates their continued confidence in these aircraft-engine combinations."
The GE90 engine family powers all Boeing 777 models and is the exclusive powerplant on the 777-300ER, -200LR, and Freighter. The GE90 engine features several technology firsts, including carbon fiber composite front fan blades, the world's largest front fan at 128 inches in diameter and the world-record setting thrust of 127,900 pounds during certification testing.
National Airlines Chairman Chris Alf said, "Reliability, performance, and consistency are the foundation of successful air cargo operations, which is why National Airlines has built its freighter fleet around GE Aerospace engine technology. The addition of these CF6 and GE90 engines further strengthens our operational capability, ensuring we have the flexibility, capacity, and long-term resilience needed to support our customers' evolving requirements for years ahead."
GE Aerospace's CF6 turbofan engines collectively power nearly 70% of the world's widebody airplanes dedicated to hauling cargo. Since first entering service more than 50 years ago, the CF6 engine's technology has advanced, earning a reputation for dependability and durability which translates to an ever-ready fleet, on-time arrivals, and lower maintenance costs for customers.
About GE Aerospace
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 49,000 commercial and 29,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 53,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow and the future at www.geaerospace.com.
About National Airlines
Established in 1991, National Air Cargo, Inc. provides premium global end-to-end logistics, freight forwarding, and charter airline services. National Airlines, the airline division of the company, is a U.S. FAA-certificated Part 121 air carrier operating a fleet of nine Boeing 747-400 freighters, four Boeing 777-200 freighters, and three passenger aircraft, including the Airbus A330-300 and A330-200.
The company provides on-demand commercial cargo and passenger charter services to more than 450 airports worldwide. From humanitarian relief missions to time-critical shipments, National Airlines delivers customized air cargo charter solutions for customers across the defense, e-commerce, automotive, energy, high-tech, fashion, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, and space technology sectors.
With offices and operational hubs in Buffalo, Orlando, Houston, Chicago, Frankfurt, Madrid Amsterdam, Dubai, Bengaluru, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taipei, National manages seamless global operations anytime, anywhere, always.
GE Aerospace (GE - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this industrial conglomerate have returned -6.8%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Aerospace - Defense industry, which GE falls in, has lost 2.5%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
GE is expected to post earnings of $1.96 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +18.1%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +4.9%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $7.82 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +22.8%. This estimate has changed +5.8% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $8.86 indicates a change of +13.3% from what GE is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +2.3%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for GE.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
For GE, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $12.45 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +10.1%. For the current and next fiscal years, $50.81 billion and $55.1 billion estimates indicate +20.1% and +8.4% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryGE reported revenues of $12.63 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +24.5%. EPS of $2.02 for the same period compares with $1.66 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.86 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +6.52%. The EPS surprise was +8.6%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
GE is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about GE. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Goldman Sachs (GS - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this investment bank have returned +2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Financial - Investment Bank industry, which Goldman falls in, has gained 2.2%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Goldman is expected to post earnings of $15.59 per share, indicating a change of +27.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +13.1% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $68.83 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +34.1%. This estimate has changed +15.5% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $72.1 indicates a change of +4.8% from what Goldman is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +8.8%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Goldman.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Goldman, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $17.01 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +12.1%. For the current and next fiscal years, $69.53 billion and $70.85 billion estimates indicate +19.3% and +1.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryGoldman reported revenues of $20.34 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +39.5%. EPS of $20.98 for the same period compares with $10.91 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.49 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +23.31%. The EPS surprise was +44.99%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Goldman is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Goldman. However, its Zacks Rank #1 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this cruise operator have returned -8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.4% change. The Zacks Leisure and Recreation Services industry, to which Norwegian Cruise Line belongs, has lost 6.6% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to post earnings of $0.39 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -23.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.8%.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.71 points to a change of -19% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.3%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.02 indicates a change of +18% from what Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +1%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Norwegian Cruise Line is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.
For Norwegian Cruise Line, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $2.63 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +4.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $10.13 billion and $10.8 billion estimates indicate +3.1% and +6.6% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryNorwegian Cruise Line reported revenues of $2.33 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +9.6%. EPS of $0.23 for the same period compares with $0.07 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.34 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -0.5%. The EPS surprise was +53.33%.
Over the last four quarters, Norwegian Cruise Line surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Norwegian Cruise Line is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Norwegian Cruise Line. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
PepsiCo is rated 'sell' as the turnaround remains unproven, with core North American segments still struggling and gross margins under pressure. Recent sales growth was driven solely by international markets and currency effects, while North America saw declining volumes and ineffective pricing strategies. PEP's leverage is concerning, with $42B net debt and a high FCF multiple of 25–26x, leaving little room for deleveraging or capital flexibility.
Since the advent of modern-day artificial intelligence platforms, Nvidia (NVDA -1.52%) has been the chip provider of choice thanks to its dominance in data center graphics processing units (GPUs). Even computing powerhouses like Intel and Advanced Micro Devices were on the fringe of the market. Mobile processor maker Qualcomm (QCOM -2.07%) wasn't even part of the discussion.
Now, that's changing. The often-overlooked mobile technology name recently inked deals to supply three hyperscalers -- including Microsoft (MSFT -0.74%) and Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META -2.91%) -- with artificial intelligence (AI) processing chips. All told, Qualcomm expects to do at least $15 billion worth of data center business in its fiscal 2029, up from none a year ago. For perspective on that figure, the company reported revenue of $44.3 billion for its fiscal 2025, which ended in September.
Qualcomm's budding presence in the AI data center business is not only undeniable, but meaningful.
It's also an opportunity for volatility-tolerant investors.
Qualcomm makes a well-deserved splash It shouldn't come as a complete surprise. Qualcomm has been alluding to this next evolution of its high-performance, energy-efficient mobile processing tech (you've probably heard of its popular Snapdragon processor) for some time now. However, it plainly confirmed its plans to enter the AI data center business in October of last year, when it "announced the launch of its next-generation AI inference-optimized solutions for data centers: the Qualcomm AI200 and AI250 chip-based accelerator cards, and racks." It then expanded its AI portfolio last month, introducing the Dragonfly AI300 inference accelerator, which was designed with agentic AI in mind.
That's also when the company confirmed that its Dragonfly C1000 data center central processing unit (CPU) will "power Meta's next-generation server fleet, underscoring the growing importance of high-performance, power-efficient compute in large-scale scale-out environments" as part of a multi-generation collaboration. Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform, in the meantime, will utilize Qualcomm's HBC (high-bandwidth compute) chips alongside the AI200 and AI250 beginning next year, as the combination of this hardware becomes available at scale.
Image source: Getty Images.
This tech isn't a mere replication of solutions that are already available from rival chipmakers. There's a very specific reason Meta and Microsoft are interested enough to give Qualcomm's solutions a shot when it's the least-proven name in the business. That reason is efficiency, or more specifically, lower operating costs.
By directly connecting processing cores to high-bandwidth memory, Qualcomm says its hardware can deliver on the order of 4 to 8 times more computing performance per watt compared to existing GPU-based architectures, addressing one of the AI industry's chief challenges at this time.
Growth ahead on many fronts Qualcomm's still something of an outsider within AI data center computing circles. However, the company's forecast for a minimum of $15 billion worth of artificial intelligence data center revenue in fiscal 2029 (which ends in September 2029) isn't outrageous in the least. The outlook from Precedence Research suggests that the global AI processor market is poised to grow from a little less than $58 billion last year to more than $146 billion by 2029, en route to a total of $550 billion in 2035. Qualcomm would only need to capture about one-tenth of the projected market to reach its 2029 target.
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The fact that its technology is built to handle the relatively new demands of agentic AI matters, too. Precedence Research's study also asserts that the agentic artificial intelligence market is on pace to grow from less than $8 billion last year to more than $32 billion in 2029, although it doesn't anticipate that this sliver of the artificial intelligence industry will outright explode until the first half of the 2030s. For 2034, its expected market size is just under $200 billion.
All that being said, it's arguable that investors are overlooking -- and therefore undervaluing -- Qualcomm's future on the automotive and the Internet of Things (IoT) fronts. The company's expectations that both its automobile-related and IoT (wearables, robotics, security systems, industrial automation, etc.) will more than double in size over the coming four years are realistic as well.
Qualcomm expects its revenues from sources beyond its mobile handset business to grow by an average of 40% per year through 2029, making it one of the hotter growth names of the next chapter of the AI revolution.
Data source: Morningstar. Chart by author.
This might help: Although the majority of analysts only rate QCOM stock as a hold right now, their consensus price target of $228.57 is 33% above the ticker's current price. That's not a bad way to start out a new trade in this recently discounted stock. Just keep in mind that its volatility is likely to linger for at least a while longer.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) will release its second quarter earnings report after the closing bell on Thursday, July 23.
Analysts expect the Santa Clara, California-based company to report quarterly earnings of 22 cents per share, versus a loss of 10 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Intel’s quarterly revenue is $14.45 billion. It reported $12.86 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.
On July 21, Intel and Fortinet announced a strategic collaboration to develop Fortinet Security Processor 6.
Intel shares fell 2.7% to close at $102.62 on Wednesday.
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.
Considering buying INTC stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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Shares of Nvidia (NVDA -1.52%) and Intel (INTC +0.10%) have enjoyed contrasting fortunes on the stock market over the past year. While Intel stock has jumped by more than 4x during this period, Nvidia's gains have been way lower at just 20%.
Investors have been buying Intel stock hand over fist to capitalize on the company's turnaround. The semiconductor giant has been cutting its losses, and its chips have been gaining traction in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers to support inference and agentic AI workloads. Nvidia, on the other hand, continues to deliver impressive growth, but concerns about the growing competition in AI chips seem to have dented investor confidence.
Does this mean Intel is the better semiconductor stock to buy and hold for the next three years due to its resurgence? Or will Nvidia's dominant presence in this market help it regain its mojo and deliver stronger gains than Intel? Let's find out.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Nvidia's growth is significantly better than Intel's Nvidia reportedly controls 80% of the AI accelerator market, which includes graphics cards, server processors, and custom AI chips. Intel failed to make a mark in AI graphics processing units (GPUs) when they were in high demand, while Nvidia ran away with the market thanks to its early inroads in this space. This explains why Nvidia's growth has been much better than Intel's.
Data by YCharts
The situation isn't expected to change much over the next three years. That's because Nvidia has diversified beyond GPUs. It is going to sell its Vera server central processing unit (CPU) as a stand-alone product, anticipating $20 billion in revenue from this product alone in 2026. Nvidia is therefore now entering a market that Intel dominates.
Mercury Research estimates that Intel controlled just over two-thirds of server CPUs in Q1 this year. However, it has been losing ground to AMD in this market, and Nvidia's arrival could make things worse for Intel. For some perspective, Intel's data center and AI (DCAI) segment revenue was $5.1 billion in Q1, growing by 22% from the year-ago period. That translates into an annual run rate of just over $20 billion.
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Nvidia is already forecasting $20 billion in stand-alone server CPU sales this year. Moreover, Nvidia sees a $200 billion addressable opportunity in the server CPU market, and its 2026 server CPU forecast indicates it is poised to make a big dent in this market. Meanwhile, Nvidia is also making solid progress in fast-growing AI niches such as physical AI. At the same time, the company has already lined up potential revenue of $1 trillion from sales of its Vera Rubin and Blackwell AI processors in 2026 and 2027.
All this explains why analysts are expecting Nvidia to grow faster than Intel over the next three years.
Data by YCharts
A simple reason why Nvidia can deliver more upside than Intel Intel's stunning surge over the past year has made it expensive. The stock is trading at 110 times forward earnings, which is way higher than Nvidia's forward earnings multiple of 23. We have already seen that Nvidia's growth rate will be higher than Intel's for the next three years, and that's going to filter down to its bottom line as well.
Data by YCharts
Assuming Nvidia trades at 25 times earnings after three years and its earnings per share reach $15.98 (as shown in the chart above), its stock price could jump to $400. That's nearly double its current stock price. But if Intel trades at a similar valuation and delivers $2.45 in earnings per share, its stock price would land at $71. That's lower than Intel's current stock price, suggesting it will need to trade at a higher valuation.
So, Nvidia looks like the better AI stock to buy right now compared to Intel, considering its impressive growth and cheaper valuation.
Intel (INTC) shares are more than 25% below its all-time high but up over 330% year-over-year. Tom White shows how substantial the really has been over recent months to help investors prepare for the legacy tech company's earnings after Thursday's close.
Intel is slated to report earnings after the closing bell today, with traders anticipating a sizable move from the chipmaker's stock following the results.
This article was written by Doug Nathman, with research by his team at Trefis.
If you are an Adobe (ADBE) shareholder, the past year has been quite tumultuous. The stock has lost 38% of its value and is currently trading approximately 39% lower than its 52-week peak. This type of performance often leads to doubts about the narrative.
But what if the market is misinterpreting the story? What if the very factor that is causing short-term worry, a conscious shift that management claims “lowers our second half ARR growth expectations,” is actually laying the groundwork for the stock's next prolonged rise? Adobe is making a substantial, calculated wager: prioritizing immediate, predictable revenue loss for an expansive acquisition of new users. And initial indications are that this strategy is yielding results.
Adobe sign with logo mounted on building exterior, San Francisco, California, September 18, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Gado via Getty Images
How substantial is this user acquisition?
The figures are nearly staggering. Over the last year, Adobe’s “Creative Freemium” monthly active users (MAU), those utilizing free versions of products like Firefly and Express, have surged from 50 million to 90 million. This increase comes in addition to its established user base, where Acrobat and Express MAU rose from over 700 million to more than 850 million. This is not a minor increase; it resembles a deluge. Management describes the traffic to its site as “gushing” and is redirecting that influx away from immediate paywalls and toward seamless, free experiences.
The approach is straightforward: introduce the tools to hundreds of millions of new creators and professionals, allow them to develop a habit, and subsequently monetize that involvement over time. It’s a tried-and-true strategy, similar to the one that turned Adobe Reader into a ubiquitous platform that has enjoyed decades of success.
The signs are apparent: early monetization is occurring.
A large user base is beneficial, but it doesn’t generate revenue. The pivotal question is whether these free users will ultimately transition to paying customers. Here, the company is pointing to genuine revenue figures. Adobe’s “AI-first” annual recurring revenue (ARR) has experienced a “3x year-over-year increase” exceeding $500 million. This growth is driven by the very AI tools supporting the freemium initiative. The mechanism is already in motion. For example, ARR for Firefly rose about 50% from one quarter to the next.
This indicates that the funnel is functioning. Users are drawn in by a free tool, become engaged with the AI features, and a significant portion of them start to pay for it. While the company’s recent results have stirred debate, we’ve examined whether the stock is genuinely flawed or simply drastically marked down.
What’s the drawback?
This strategy entails a genuine, short-term cost. To fully commit to user acquisition, Adobe opted to “defer previously established Creative Cloud second half line optimizations,” a courteous way of stating it is postponing price increases for its core professional products. This, in conjunction with the transition to a slower-converting freemium model, is the reason the company revised its ARR growth projections. It’s a trade-off: reduced assured revenue now in exchange for a chance at a significantly larger future revenue stream.
The market detests uncertainty, and this transition fosters it. Management acknowledges that the complete return from this strategic pivot “will unfold, I believe, over 2027.” That’s quite a wait. However, for investors with a similar timeframe, that presents an opportunity. The company is expanding its competitive edge, drawing in the next generation of creators who might have otherwise chosen different paths. The gamble is that by the time the market appreciates the full worth of this vast, engaged user base, the stock will have already initiated its steady ascension.
What constitutes the strongest evidence of an opportunity becoming reality?
Such an opportunity only holds value once it begins to manifest in the numbers, and the first concrete indication arises in management's outlook. The instant a company can foresee new revenue streams, it raises its forecasts, and an increased forecast that the market is already favoring is among the clearest signs that a narrative like this is materializing. Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Parker Hannifin (PH), and Ross Stores (ROST) are currently signaling exactly that. Our Guidance Momentum screen monitors every S&P 500 entity where an ascending forecast is already coinciding with real price momentum, allowing you to seek the next opportunity like this one while it is still in its early stages. And if you prefer to own the entire sector rather than risking it on a single stock, a software ETF such as IGV encompasses the entire industry.
What is the intelligent way to support a narrative like this?
A growth story of such credibility warrants action, but engaging through a single stock means accepting all the fluctuations that one firm encounters along the way. The more prudent strategy is to maintain a collection of stocks where the long-term case is as compelling, ensuring that the continuous upside is preserved and no isolated surprise can derail it. This approach is how patient investments compound.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio assesses the comprehensive quality across thousands of stocks, retains the 30 strongest, and re-balances them according to rules that prevent any one position from jeopardizing the entire portfolio.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Hertz Global Holdings ("Hertz" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: HTZ). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Hertz and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On June 24, 2026, Hertz issued a press release "announc[ing] that its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary, The Hertz Corporation ('Hertz Corp.'), intends to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $300 million in aggregate principal amount of Exchangeable Senior First-Lien Secured PIK Notes due 2030 (the 'Notes') in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers[.]" The press release specified that "Hertz Corp. intends to use the net proceeds received from the offering of the Notes for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of outstanding indebtedness."
On this news, Hertz's stock price fell $2.06 per share, or 40.71%, to close at $3.00 per share on June 24, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of $4.40 per share, up from $4.08 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for American Express quarterly revenue is $19.7 billion. It reported $17.86 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.
On Wednesday, American Express and ALL Accor announced a new global partnership featuring elite status match and points transfer.
With the recent buzz around American Express, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends too. As of now, AXP has an annual dividend yield of 1.09%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 95 cents per share ($3.80 a year).
So, how can investors exploit its dividend yield to pocket a regular $500 monthly?
To earn $500 per month or $6,000 annually from dividends alone, you would need an investment of approximately $550,660 or around 1,579 shares. For a more modest $100 per month or $1,200 per year, you would need $110,202 or around 316 shares.
To calculate: Divide the desired annual income ($6,000 or $1,200) by the dividend ($3.80 in this case). So, $6,000 / $3.80 = 1,579 ($500 per month), and $1,200 / $3.80 = 316 shares ($100 per month).
Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.
How that works: The dividend yield is computed by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock’s current price.
For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and is currently priced at $50, the dividend yield would be 4% ($2/$50). However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield drops to 3.33% ($2/$60). Conversely, if the stock price falls to $40, the dividend yield rises to 5% ($2/$40).
Similarly, changes in the dividend payment can impact the yield. If a company increases its dividend, the yield will also increase, provided the stock price stays the same. Conversely, if the dividend payment decreases, so will the yield.
AXP Price Action: Shares of American Express fell 0.6% to close at $348.74 on Wednesday.
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Both American Express (NYSE:AXP | AXP Price Prediction) and Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) report Q2 2026 results before market open on Friday, July 24, 2026, with Verizon's earnings call confirmed for 8:30 AM ET.
International Business Machines Corp. cut its full-year sales outlook, including for its software unit, after reporting a dip in demand for its mainframe business. Shares still rose after the closing bell.
International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:IBM) shares were set to open about 2% lower on Thursday after the technology company reported second-quarter revenue and adjusted earnings that missed Wall Street expectations while lowering its full-year constant currency revenue growth forecast.
For the quarter, IBM reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.93, below the $2.97 expected by analysts, while revenue rose 1% year-over-year to $17.16 billion, missing the LSEG consensus estimate of $17.58 billion.
The company now expects full-year constant currency revenue growth of 4% to 5%, down from its previous outlook, while maintaining its expectation for free cash flow to increase by about $1 billion year-over-year in 2026. IBM also said it aims to expand its full-year pre-tax margin by about one percentage point through productivity improvements.
Software revenue increased 5% to $7.8 billion, led by 11% growth in Hybrid Cloud, including Red Hat (NYSE:RHT), and a 19% increase in Data. Automation revenue rose 4%, while Transaction Processing declined 8%.
Consulting revenue was flat at $5.3 billion, or up 1% in constant currency, with both Strategy and Technology and Intelligent Operations posting flat reported growth.
Infrastructure revenue declined 7% to $3.8 billion, reflecting a 42% drop in IBM Z revenue and a 10% decline in Hybrid Infrastructure, partially offset by 37% growth in Distributed Infrastructure. Financing revenue increased 12% to $200 million.
"We are confident in IBM's strategy and portfolio, and in our ability to capture growth opportunities ahead,” IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a statement.
“We fundamentally believe that we are in the early innings of a structural shift for business, and that our portfolio - across software, infrastructure, and consulting - is well-positioned to help our clients tap the value, and manage the challenges, of an AI-driven future.”
Jefferies analysts wrote that the revenue miss was primarily driven by weaker-than-expected software performance, with software revenue growing 5% versus the firm's expectation for 10% growth. The analysts noted that consulting was broadly in line with expectations, while infrastructure revenue also came in weaker than anticipated.
The analysts said management attributed the software shortfall to customers accelerating spending on supply-constrained servers, storage and memory ahead of expected price increases, which reduced near-term software spending. They added that roughly one-third of the delayed mainframe deals had already closed during the first three weeks of the third quarter, supporting management's view that the weakness was largely a timing issue rather than a structural change in demand.
Jefferies also noted that IBM's updated guidance reflects a range of possible outcomes. The low end of the company's 4% to 5% constant currency revenue growth forecast assumes little recovery in delayed transactions during the second half of the year, while the high end assumes most of those deals are completed. The analysts said the burden now shifts to third-quarter execution, with investors looking for evidence that the delayed business materializes.
The firm added that IBM's recurring software revenue base and unchanged free cash flow guidance provide support for the investment case, but it would wait for more of the delayed transactions to appear in reported results before becoming more constructive. Jefferies maintained its $260 price target on the stock.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM" or the "Company") (NYSE: IBM). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether IBM and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On July 14, 2026, IBM released its financial results for the second quarter of 2026. IBM announced a disappointing quarter that it attributed to "a shortfall in our Z performance and the associated software stack, primarily in Transaction Processing." IBM also disclosed that it had "faltered," and "did not adapt and move quickly enough" so that "numerous large deals failed to close on the timelines we expected, driving the majority of our shortfall."
On this news, IBM's stock price fell $73.16 per share, or 25.21%, to close at $217.07 per share on July 14, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Diane King Hall touches on the top earnings moving markets after Thursday's opening bell. RTX Corp. (RTX) and Lockheed Martin (LMT) added muscle to the defense trade while Southwest Airlines (LUV) and American Airlines (AAL) fell following their reports and added fuel pressures.
Lending support to his choice, UnitedHealth, on July 16, reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its full-year 2026 earnings guidance. Adjusted earnings came in at $6.38 per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $4.86. Revenue increased to $112.03 billion from $111.62 billion a year earlier and exceeded Wall Street expectations of $110.83 billion.
Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington, chief executive officer of Gilman Hill Asset Management, LLC, said Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE:AMBP) has an 8.5% yield.
Wells Fargo analyst Gabe Hajde, on July 15, maintained Ardagh Metal Packaging with an Equal-Weight rating and raised the price target from $4 to $5.
Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here
Liz Young Thomas, SoFi head of investment strategy, picked Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSE:RSP)
Joseph M. Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, recommended NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA).
According to recent news, NVIDIA expanded its NVIDIA Agent Toolkit by adding Omniverse libraries that help AI agents prepare 3D content for physical AI simulations. Announced at SIGGRAPH on Monday, the update adds tools for RTX sensor simulation, GPU-accelerated physics and simulation-ready asset validation, with the libraries now available on GitHub.
Price Action Ardagh Metal Packaging shares gained 0.4% to close at $4.71 on Wednesday. UnitedHealth Group shares fell 1.2% to settle at $431.31 during the session. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF slipped 0.03% on Wednesday. Nvidia shares gained 2.3% to close at $212.06 during the session. Photo via Shutterstock
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AR Asset Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT – Free Report) by 11.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,900 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 800 shares during the quarter. AR Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Caterpillar were worth $4,180,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Caterpillar by 68,427.2% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,140,603 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,224,992,000 after purchasing an additional 3,136,020 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors bought a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,225,317,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in Caterpillar by 573.1% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,504,612 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $861,947,000 after buying an additional 1,281,087 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in Caterpillar by 16.0% during the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,738,802 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $3,860,457,000 after buying an additional 928,974 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cynosure Group LLC grew its position in shares of Caterpillar by 8,359.6% during the 4th quarter. Cynosure Group LLC now owns 513,754 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $294,314,000 after buying an additional 507,681 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.98% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. HSBC boosted their target price on Caterpillar from $850.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Truist Financial increased their target price on Caterpillar from $1,043.00 to $1,218.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Caterpillar in a report on Friday, May 8th. Wolfe Research upped their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $670.00 to $750.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Caterpillar from $1,050.00 to $1,155.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $980.57.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on CAT
Caterpillar Stock Down 0.0% Caterpillar stock opened at $889.79 on Thursday. Caterpillar Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $405.46 and a fifty-two week high of $1,073.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $409.83 billion, a PE ratio of 44.29, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.57. The company’s 50-day moving average is $929.39 and its 200-day moving average is $801.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 0.81.
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $5.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.65 by $0.89. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 48.21% and a net margin of 13.33%.The firm had revenue of $17.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.53 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.25 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 24.87 earnings per share for the current year.
Caterpillar Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 19th. Investors of record on Monday, July 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 20th. This is a positive change from Caterpillar’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Caterpillar’s payout ratio is presently 32.45%.
Insider Activity at Caterpillar In other news, insider Denise C. Johnson sold 12,605 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $907.91, for a total value of $11,444,205.55. Following the transaction, the insider owned 49,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $45,236,615.75. This represents a 20.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Andrew R. J. Bonfield sold 15,674 shares of Caterpillar stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $918.71, for a total value of $14,399,860.54. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 52,935 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $48,631,913.85. This represents a 22.85% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 95,773 shares of company stock valued at $87,642,635. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about Caterpillar Here are the key news stories impacting Caterpillar this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts have been raising their outlook on Caterpillar, with one report saying the stock’s fair value estimate was lifted to $970.37 as investors continue to focus on strong demand in construction, energy, data centers, and infrastructure. Caterpillar Stock Fair Value Edges Higher After Analysts Lift Targets Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar was highlighted in several pieces as a stock with AI exposure and reliable dividend growth, which can attract investors looking for both growth and defensive characteristics. These Stocks Offer AI Exposure and Dividend Payouts Positive Sentiment: The company is also being discussed as a “solid defensive play” thanks to its long dividend-increase streak and stable yield, which may help support the stock during uncertain markets. A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play (CAT) Positive Sentiment: Caterpillar also announced it will release second-quarter 2026 results on August 4, keeping attention on upcoming earnings that could provide another catalyst for the shares. Caterpillar Inc. to Announce Second-Quarter 2026 Financial Results on August 4 Neutral Sentiment: A local article noted Caterpillar is renovating a recently purchased Texas property, which appears to be a routine real-estate and facilities update rather than a major stock-moving event. Caterpillar embarks on renovations after purchasing property in Texas Caterpillar Company Profile (Free Report)
Caterpillar Inc is a global manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and locomotives. The company’s product portfolio includes earthmoving machines such as excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders and off‑highway trucks, as well as a range of power generation products including generator sets and power systems for industrial and commercial use. Caterpillar serves customers across heavy construction, mining, energy, transportation and related industries with both equipment and integrated technology solutions.
In addition to manufacturing, Caterpillar provides a broad range of aftermarket parts and support services, including maintenance, repair, remanufacturing and fleet management tools.
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Key Takeaways Stocks like AGX, CIEN, HUBS and SMTC were screened for strong liquidity and asset efficiency.The screen narrowed 7,700 stocks to 12, with these four meeting strict efficiency and growth criteria.Each stock also boasts higher asset utilization than its industry average and solid growth attributes. Liquidity measures a company’s capability to meet short-term debt obligations. Investors seeking strong portfolio returns should benefit from adding stocks with sound liquidity, which encourages business growth. Stocks with high liquidity levels have always been in demand, owing to their potential to provide maximum returns.
Investors may want to consider adding four top-ranked stocks — Argan, Inc. (AGX - Free Report) , Ciena Corporation (CIEN - Free Report) , HubSpot (HUBS - Free Report) and Semtech Corporation (SMTC - Free Report) — to their portfolios to boost returns.
However, it is important to exercise caution. While high liquidity can indicate that a company is efficiently managing its short-term obligations, it may also suggest underutilization of resources. In some cases, companies with excess liquidity may not be deploying their assets effectively, which could limit growth potential.
Hence, one may consider a company’s efficiency level in addition to its liquidity while identifying prospective winners. A balanced assessment of both liquidity and efficiency can help identify truly promising investment opportunities.
Measures to Identify Liquid StocksCurrent Ratio: It measures current assets relative to current liabilities. The ratio gauges a company’s potential to meet short and long-term debt obligations. A current ratio — the working capital ratio — below 1 indicates that the company has more liabilities than assets. A high current ratio does not always suggest that the company is in good financial shape. It may also indicate that the firm failed to utilize its assets significantly. Hence, a range of 1-3 is considered ideal.
Quick Ratio: Unlike the current ratio, the quick ratio — the “acid-test ratio” or “quick assets ratio” — indicates a company’s ability to pay short-term obligations. It considers inventory, excluding current assets, relative to current liabilities. A quick ratio of more than 1 is desirable, like the current ratio.
Cash Ratio: This is the most conservative ratio among the three, considering cash, cash equivalents and invested funds relative to current liabilities. It measures a company’s ability to meet existing debt obligations using the most liquid assets. Though a cash ratio of more than 1 may suggest sound financials, a higher number may indicate inefficiency in cash utilization.
A ratio greater than 1 is always desirable, but it may not always represent a company’s financial condition.
Screening ParametersTo pick the best of the lot, we have added asset utilization — a widely used measure of a company’s efficiency — as one of the screening criteria. Asset utilization is the ratio of total sales in the past 12 months to the last four-quarter average of total assets. Though this ratio varies across industries, companies with a ratio higher than that of their industry can be considered efficient.
We added our proprietary Growth Score to the screen to ensure these liquid and efficient stocks have solid growth potential.
Current Ratio, Quick Ratio, and Cash Ratio between 1 and 3: While liquidity ratios greater than 1 are desirable, significantly high ratios may indicate inefficiency.
Asset utilization is more significant than the industry average: A higher asset utilization than the industry average indicates a company’s efficiency.
Zacks Rank equal to #1 (Strong Buy): Only Strong Buy-rated stocks can get through. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Growth Score less than or equal to B: Back-tested results show that stocks with a Growth Score of A or B handily beat other stocks when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy).
These criteria have narrowed the universe of more than 7,700 stocks to only 12.
Here are four of the 12 stocks that qualified the screen:
Argan offers comprehensive construction and related services to the power industry through its operations at Gemma Power Systems and Atlantic Projects.
Driven by favorable project timings in the Power segment, AGX reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenues of $291 million, up 50% year over year. It ended the quarter with a backlog of $2.8 billion. The Power segment remained the top contributor, accounting for 78% of total revenues.
Increasing demand for energy infrastructure, driven by electrification trends, data center expansion, electric vehicles and grid reliability needs, is creating strong opportunities, positioning Argan well for long-term growth. The company expects to add a “handful” of new projects over the next 10-18 months and believes it can execute 10-12 concurrent jobs.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AGX’s fiscal 2027 earnings stands at $12.60 per share, unchanged over the past seven days. The company has a Growth Score of A and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 40.49%, on average.
Ciena, headquartered in Hanover, MD, is a leading provider of optical networking equipment, software and services. Fiscal second-quarter 2026 revenues rose 39.5% year over year to $1.57 billion, driven by cloud demand and higher adoption of optical networking solutions.
Networking Platforms remained the largest contributor, generating $1.27 billion in revenues and representing 81.1% of total sales. Within the segment, Optical Networking revenues increased to $1.10 billion from $773.6 million a year ago, while Routing and Switching revenues advanced to $174.2 million from $92.7 million.
For fiscal third-quarter 2026, management expects revenues of $1.625 billion (+/- $50 million). Adjusted gross margin is projected at 45% (+/-50 bps), while adjusted operating margin is expected between 19% and 20%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CIEN’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $6.52 per share, unchanged in the past seven days. The company has a Growth Score of A and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 19.45%, on average.
HubSpot is an AI-driven customer relationship management (CRM) platform. The integration of advanced AI tools and state-of-the-art features, such as AI assistance, AI agents, AI insights, and ChatSpot, across its entire product suite and customer platform is delivering greater value to customers. HubSpot added more than 10,800 net new customers during the first quarter, bringing the total customer count to 299,458.
The company is gaining from upmarket momentum as customers consolidate their go-to-market stack. Another major driver is multi-hub adoption and platform consolidation, followed by pricing tailwinds. For 2026, management estimates revenues between $3.7 billion and $3.708 billion, up 18% year over year on a reported basis.
The software-as-a-service vendor’s first-quarter 2026 revenues improved to $881 million, up 23% from the year-ago quarter. Subscription revenues increased 23% year over year to $862.3 million.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HUBS’ 2026 earnings stands at $13.11 per share, unchanged in the past seven days. The company has a Growth Score of A and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.97%, on average.
Semtech Corporation is a semiconductor company that builds high-performance chips for AI data center networking, IoT connectivity and intelligent connected devices.
As for any semiconductor company right now, the most powerful growth driver for Semtech is its data center business. This business delivered record revenues of $71.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, growing 39% year over year. Rising hyperscaler demand for high-speed connectivity solutions, particularly in 800G linear pluggable optics and next-generation 1.6T optical and copper interconnects, bodes well.
The traction seen in LoRa (long range) wireless technology is another catalyst. LoRa revenues grew 14% in the first quarter, and the company expects it to reach an all-time high with more than 15% sequential growth in the fiscal second quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SMTC’s fiscal 2027 earnings stands at $2.66 per share, unchanged in the past seven days. The company has a Growth Score of B and a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.81%, on average.
