More than three years into the artificial intelligence (AI) race, demand for computing power continues to outstrip companies' ability to supply it. Neocloud companies like Nebius Group (NBIS -13.58%) and CoreWeave aim to capitalize on that supply/demand imbalance by building new AI-focused data centers to help meet those capacity needs. In fact, some of their largest customers are hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Meta Platforms.
Nebius has pushed to differentiate itself from smaller neocloud businesses with its own server design optimized for cooling efficiency and power usage, its own software, and complete service management. That's pushing it closer to the level of Microsoft's Azure platform than the low-level infrastructure-as-a-service offering of the average neocloud company.
Recently, Nebius started offering its data center stack of design and software management as a stand-alone product. It's asking businesses to front the cash to build a data center and pay for the infrastructure, and the company will take care of the rest. But the new model exposes a huge problem facing Nebius and other neocloud companies.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why is Nebius introducing a new strategy? Nebius is positioning this new asset-light approach as a way for it to expand its capacity with minimal capital requirements. The company is capital-constrained: Its balance sheet shows about $8.5 billion in debt, up from about $4.1 billion at the end of 2025. It raised an additional $775 million earlier this month and expects to raise even more capital later this year.
That's all part of the neocloud business model. Nebius contracts with large customers and uses those contracts as collateral to secure financing to build the data centers to fulfill them. With a strong demand pipeline, the business model should theoretically pay off in the long run as it scales up.
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So, investors need to ask the question: If Nebius can secure financing using contracted revenue to build data centers itself, why would it want to let other companies build the data centers instead? The simplest explanation is that the cost of capital currently exceeds its return on invested capital.
Nebius isn't unique in that regard, and it's to be expected of a company that's heavily investing in capacity. Once it reaches a scale at which existing capacity generates meaningful recurring revenue, it may be able to deliver higher returns on invested capital. But there's a big challenge for neocloud companies.
To produce strong returns on invested capital, you need a differentiated product. So far, the neocloud is proving relatively undifferentiated, with growth driven by demand. However, more supply is coming to market, which could weigh on potential returns for graphics processing units (GPUs), especially if it reduces utilization rates.
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX for short) has started offering its excess GPU capacity to other companies. Meta Platforms is considering entering this market as well. While their entries indicate huge demand for computing capacity, they're also well-funded competitors that could add significant capacity to the market. Meta could add capacity with a lower cost of capital, enabling it to compete on price, and SpaceX could, over the long run, lower the structural costs of data centers with its plans for orbital data centers, putting further pricing pressure on the market.
Although Nebius and other neocloud companies have contracts in place for the medium term, enabling them to secure financing and build new data center locations with confidence that they can recoup their investments, the long-term potential of those capital investments is in doubt. Nebius' attempt to mitigate that risk while supporting its near-term results with its new business model has highlighted that challenge for everyone else in the industry.
Only a few neocloud companies will be able to maintain the high utilization rates needed to produce returns that exceed their cost of capital. Those with more scale, like Nebius and CoreWeave, are in a better position, but there's still no guarantee.
Huge competitors like SpaceX or Meta could completely upend the market and put pressure on the smaller companies. Furthermore, it's hard to discount the possibility that AI spending could slow significantly in the near future, given that the entire business model relies on continuous growth.
In May, the U.S. government announced plans to invest $2 billion in nine different quantum computing companies to help America take a leadership position in this revolutionary industry. Rigetti Computing (RGTI -4.71%) will receive $100 million over three years, and the news sent its stock soaring by as much as 65%.
However, it has since given up all of those gains and then some. Although Rigetti produces some of the industry's best quantum systems, they still make too many errors to reliably solve most real-world problems, so it's difficult for the company to generate meaningful sales. It could take many years to overcome this challenge, and the U.S. government's support probably won't do much to speed up the timeline.
Rigetti will release its operating results for the second quarter of 2026 (ended June 30) after the stock market closes on Aug. 6, and here's why I predict it will lead to more downside for shareholders.
Image source: Getty Images.
Quantum computers have a long path to commercialization Quantum computers can use a concept called superposition to simulate multiple solutions to a given problem simultaneously, so they are better at processing specific, data-intensive workloads in areas like science and cryptography than traditional computers.
Rigetti's flagship Cepheus-1-108Q quantum computer is the industry's largest multichip system. It features 108 qubits, which is three times as many as the company's previous Cepheus-1-36Q computer. It also boasts a single-qubit gate fidelity of 99.9%, meaning it makes one error per 1,000 quantum operations. However, its two-qubit gate fidelity is 99.1%, implying nine errors per 1,000 operations, which isn't ideal when trying to solve complex real-world problems.
Qubits are highly sensitive to noise and interference, so making several of them work together in harmony is one of the greatest challenges in quantum computing. Rigetti thinks it can upgrade Cepheus-1-108Q to achieve a two-qubit fidelity of 99.5% by the end of 2026, but the company thinks achieving 99.9% could take another three years.
The good news is that Rigetti has built its own supply chain, so it can bring new systems to market much faster than its competitors. It has a fabrication facility, a proprietary programming language called Quil, and a cloud platform where it rents computing capacity to other businesses for a fee.
Nevertheless, an estimate by Ark Investment Management suggests it could take at least 20 years for quantum computers to become accurate enough to disrupt areas like cryptography, so Rigetti shareholders might have a long wait ahead.
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Sales are gathering momentum, but remain small Rigetti generated $4.4 million in revenue during the first quarter of 2026 (ended March 31), a whopping 198% increase from the year-ago period. According to Wall Street's average estimate (provided by Yahoo Finance), the company's revenue likely climbed by 184% to $5.1 million in the second quarter. The official figures will be released on Aug. 6.
That means Rigetti might have generated more revenue in the first half of 2026 than it did during all of 2025, when it brought in $7.1 million. But it gets better, because the company plans to deliver an $8.4 million order for Cepheus-1-108Q to India's Center for Development of Advanced Computing later this year, which will put its annual revenue comfortably in growth territory.
But there are a couple of issues. First, Rigetti is generating a tiny amount of revenue for a company with a market capitalization of $4.7 billion (more on that in a moment). Second, it's losing a truckload of money; it had operating expenses of $27.3 million during the first quarter of this year alone, which dwarfed its revenue and led to a net loss of $20.5 million.
Fortunately, Rigetti had $569 million in cash and equivalents on hand as of March 31, so it can sustain its losses for the foreseeable future. However, the company might need to raise more money if it isn't profitable within a couple of years. The U.S. government's $100 million investment over three years won't stretch very far based on the current rate of cash burn.
Rigetti's valuation opens the door to downside after Aug. 6 Given Rigetti's modest revenue and sizable market cap, its stock trades at a sky-high price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 445. That means it's a staggering 74 times more expensive than the Nasdaq-100 technology index, which has a P/S ratio of just 6.1.
Even if we value the stock based on Wall Street's average 2026 revenue estimate of $23.5 million, its forward P/S ratio is still almost 200.
RGTI PS Ratio data by YCharts
Even if Rigetti stock plunged by 95% in the second half of 2026, it would still be more expensive than the Nasdaq-100.
Rigetti has already lost 40% of its value in 2026, and based on its valuation alone, I think the stock is likely to suffer further downside after it releases its second-quarter operating results on Aug. 6. In my opinion, not even a spectacular report will be enough to justify its substantial premium to the broader market.
MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has signed a transformational framework agreement with the Department of War (DoW) and Lockheed Martin, leveraging the government's multi-year procurement authorities to enable a long-term contract for the PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE). This landmark step represents a dramatic acceleration in America's ability to surge critical munitions production—fortifying the nation's Arsenal of Freedom and ensuring its warfighte.
North America’s largest natural gas producer will become leading gas marketer, reaching customers across key demand markets in the United States and CanadaTransaction will accelerate Expand’s marketing and commercial ambitions, combining industry-leading natural gas supply with sophisticated and experienced asset-backed gas marketing capabilities Immediately accretive transaction, initially expected to contribute more than $200 million of projected annual EBITDA; $150 million per year of synergies by year-end 2028
SPRING, Texas and HOUSTON, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) (“Expand” or the “Company”), the largest natural gas producer in North America, announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Twin Eagle Holdings, N.A., LLC (“Twin Eagle”), a leading private asset-backed natural gas marketing and optimization business, for $1.25 billion from Five Point Infrastructure. The transaction is subject to typical purchase price adjustments, including working capital, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending customary closing conditions and required regulatory approvals. The Company expects to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under its revolving credit facility.
The transaction unites Expand’s industry-leading supply and financial strength with Twin Eagle’s premier physical marketing platform, creating a fully integrated natural gas company positioned to capture value across the entire chain in key U.S. and Canadian markets. Twin Eagle’s earnings are primarily supported by recurring physical supply and delivery relationships, asset-backed portfolio optimization, and experienced commercial, logistics and operating capabilities, consistently delivering earnings growth across a wide range of market conditions.
“This transaction accelerates Expand’s evolution into a leading integrated natural gas company with a commercial and marketing advantage compared to peers,” said Michael Wichterich, Expand Energy’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re already North America’s largest natural gas producer, and now we’ll be its leading gas marketer, with direct access to customers and structural demand growth. By combining Expand’s scale, resource depth and financial strength with Twin Eagle’s marketing and optimization platform, we’ll capture additional margin across the natural gas value chain and deliver more durable shareholder returns.”
Founded in 2010, Twin Eagle has established itself as one of the leading independent natural gas and power marketers in North America. Its business spans wholesale marketing, asset management, structuring and analytics, logistics and market intelligence.
“This is an exciting day for Twin Eagle, our employees and our customers,” said Jeremy Davis, Twin Eagle’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This powerful combination pairs Expand’s enviable financial position and large, lower-cost natural gas supply with the talented team and marketing platform we have spent the past 16 years developing. We thank Five Point Infrastructure for their partnership and vision over the last dozen years. Together, with our new partner, we can create additional value in ways neither company could have accomplished on its own.”
“We saw a tremendous opportunity to partner with Twin Eagle management to expand its platform and capitalize on the growing demand for North American gas,” said David Capobianco, CEO and Managing Partner of Five Point Infrastructure. “Twin Eagle has generated exceptional returns for all stakeholders, while solidifying its standing as one of the leading independent asset-backed natural gas marketing and optimization platforms. We wish Jeremy and the team all the best as they move forward in partnership with Expand.”
Today, Twin Eagle markets more than 5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas and manages roughly 44 Bcf of storage capacity and approximately 2 Bcf/d of firm transportation. It serves more than 1,000 customers across a diversified footprint spanning the U.S. and Canada. On a pro forma basis, the combined portfolio will have approximately 14 Bcf/d of marketed volume supported by roughly 9 Bcf/d of firm transportation and 49 Bcf of storage capacity.
The combination does more than add scale, it will enhance how Expand creates value by:
Accelerating the Company’s Marketing and Commercial strategy. The Company now expects to deliver $750 million per year of incremental free cash flow from its marketing and commercial strategy. This is an increase of 50% from its previous target, reflecting the value of the new integrated platform and the repeatable earnings of Twin Eagle. Expanding customer and market reach to capture greater value from every molecule. The acquisition will broaden access to premium demand centers across the U.S. and Canada, reaching approximately 90% of the natural gas market. The combined production, transportation and storage capacity will enable the Company offer additional reliability and flexibility to respond to customers’ needs and provide optimization opportunities. Leveraging scale and financial strength. Expand’s diversified portfolio and financial strength will elevate Twin Eagle’s asset-backed natural gas marketing and optimization business, enabling the combined business to extend contract terms, attract additional high-quality customers, and reach high-value markets. Adding experienced team with highly successful track record. Since its inception, Twin Eagle has consistently grown cash flows by leveraging its natural gas market expertise and effective risk management. Following the close of the merger, Twin Eagle will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Expand, with key members of Twin Eagle’s management, including Jeremy Davis, continuing with the Company after closing.
Advisors
PJT Partners is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Expand Energy in connection with its acquisition of Twin Eagle. White & Case, LLP served as legal counsel and DrivePath Advisors served as communications advisor to Expand. Lazard is serving as financial advisor for Twin Eagle, Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as the lead legal counsel for Twin Eagle and Kekst CNC served as communications advisor to Five Point Infrastructure.
About Expand Energy
Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) is North America’s largest natural gas producer, powered by dedicated and innovative employees focused on expanding the value of natural gas by connecting global scale to growing markets. Expand Energy’s returns-driven strategy strives to create sustainable value for its stakeholders by leveraging its advantaged portfolio, financial strength and operational excellence. Expand Energy is committed to expanding America’s energy reach to fuel a more affordable, reliable, lower carbon future.
About Twin Eagle
Founded in 2010, Twin Eagle is a leading physical energy marketer. Today, Twin Eagle is a recognized leader in customized and reliable energy products and services to suppliers, customers, and asset owners across the U.S. and Canada. The basis for Twin Eagle’s success is the depth of its customer relationships, the capabilities of its talented staff, and emphasis on culture, grounded by its Core Values: Safety, Integrity, Performance, Learning, and Teamwork.
About Five Point Infrastructure
Five Point Infrastructure LLC is a private equity and infrastructure investor focused on investments within the North American water management, surface management, powered land, and sustainable infrastructure sectors. The firm was founded by industry veterans with demonstrated records of success investing in, building, and running infrastructure companies. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Five Point has approximately $7.2 billion of assets under management across multiple investment funds. For more information, please visit www.fpinfra.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include our current expectations or forecasts of future events, including statements regarding the proposed transaction with Twin Eagle, including the expected closing of the proposed transaction and the timing thereof, expected synergies, EBITDA and free cash flow contributions from the proposed transaction, the acceleration of Expand Energy’s marketing and commercial ambitions and the operations, strategies and plans of the combined company, and anticipated future performance. Information adjusted for the proposed transaction should not be considered a forecast of future results. Forward-looking statements often address our expected future business, financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "aim", "predict", "should", "expect," “could,” “may,” "anticipate," "intend," "plan," “ability,” "believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," “estimate,” “forecast,” "target," “guidance,” “outlook,” “opportunity” or “strategy.” The absence of such words or expressions does not necessarily mean the statements are not forward-looking.
Although we believe the expectations and forecasts reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. No assurance can be given that such forward-looking statements will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate or will not change over time. Particular uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements include: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the risk that we or Twin Eagle may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction, or required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the transaction or result in the imposition of conditions that could cause the parties to abandon the merger; the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of the Company or Twin Eagle to retain and hire key personnel, on the ability of the Company and Twin Eagle to attract customers and maintain its relationships with counterparties and on the Company’s and Twin Eagle’s operating results and businesses generally; the risk that problems may arise in successfully integrating Twin Eagle’s business with the Company’s; the risk that the Company may be unable to achieve synergies or other anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction or it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies or benefits and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected; the volatility in commodity prices; the effect of future regulatory or legislative actions on the companies or the industries in which they operate; the ability of management to execute its plans, to meet its goals and other risks inherent in the Company’s and Twin Eagle's businesses; the potential disruption or interruption of the Company’s or Twin Eagle’s operations due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, severe weather, cyber threats, terrorist acts, or other natural or human causes beyond the Company’s or Twin Eagle’s control; and the combined company's ability to identify and mitigate the risks and hazards inherent in operating in the global energy industry; and other factors that are described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC.
We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, which speak only as of the filing date, and we undertake no obligation and have no intention to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures in this news release and our filings with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.
All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Non-GAAP measures
The Company has not provided projected net income or a reconciliation of projected EBITDA to projected net income, the most comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Net income includes the impact of one-time, non-recurring and non-cash changes and certain other items that impact comparability between periods and the tax effect of such items, which may be significant and difficult to project with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Therefore, projected net income, and a reconciliation of projected EBITDA to projected net income (loss), are not available without unreasonable effort.
The Company has not provided projected net cash provided by operating activities or a reconciliation of projected free cash flow to projected net cash provided by operating activities, the most comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. The Company is unable to project net cash provided by operating activities for any future period because this metric includes the impact of changes in operating assets and liabilities related to the timing of cash receipts and disbursements that may not relate to the period in which the operating activities occurred. The Company is unable to project these timing differences with any reasonable degree of accuracy without unreasonable efforts such as predicting the timing of its payments and its customers' payments, with accuracy to a specific day, months in advance. Furthermore, the Company does not provide guidance with respect to its average realized price, among other items, that impact reconciling items between net cash provided by operating activities and free cash flow. Natural gas prices are volatile and out of the Company's control, and the timing of transactions and the income tax effects of future transactions and other items are difficult to accurately predict. Therefore, the Company is unable to provide projected net cash provided by operating activities, or the related reconciliation of projected free cash flow to projected net cash provided by operating activities, without unreasonable effort.
A U.S. Dollar note is seen in this June 22, 2017 illustration photo. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJuly 27 (Reuters) - Expand Energy (EXE.O), opens new tab said on Monday it would buy privately held natural gas marketer Twin Eagle Holdings from Five Point Infrastructure for $1.25 billion to expand its marketing business across North America.
With U.S. natural gas demand expected to grow, producers are increasingly expanding into marketing and logistics businesses to improve margins and gain greater control over how gas reaches end-users.
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Founded in 2010, Twin Eagle is an independent natural gas and power marketer, with operations spanning wholesale marketing, asset management, logistics and analytics.
Following the deal's completion, it will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Expand, with key members of Twin Eagle's management team, including Chief Executive Jeremy Davis, remaining with the company, the companies said.
Expand now expects $750 million per year of incremental free cash flow from its marketing and commercial strategy, a 50% jump from its previous target.
Twin Eagle currently markets more than 5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day and manages about 44 billion cubic feet of storage capacity, but together, they would market about 14 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
The combined company is expected to reach about 90% of the U.S. and Canadian natural gas market through access to key demand centers, the companies said.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. Expand plans to fund the acquisition through a mix of cash on hand and borrowings under its revolving credit facility.
Reporting by Sumit Saha in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
CleanSpark (NASDAQ:CLSK | CLSK Price Prediction) shares closed at $14.52 on July 24, 2026, up 43.5% year to date, yet still trading at a meaningful discount to what its infrastructure would likely fetch if sold as a private data center portfolio. CleanSpark reported Q2 FY26 revenue of $136.41 million, a 24.9% decline year over year, with the net loss driven largely by a $224.11 million unrealized bitcoin fair-value hit. Shareholders’ equity has compressed to $986.16 million from $2.18 billion at fiscal year-end 2025, against a still-stable $2.91 billion asset base.
CleanSpark controls 585 MW of ERCOT-approved capacity, including 300 MW newly approved in Brazoria, inside a portfolio that exceeds 1.8 GW of power, land, and data centers. Hyperscaler capex is racing to secure exactly that kind of gigawatt-scale, ERCOT-connected footprint. Below is a ranked list of plausible strategic acquirers, ordered from the longest shot to the cleanest fit.
5. MARA MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) is the longest shot here. It is running its own AI/HPC pivot, with a pending 505 MW Long Ridge acquisition and a Starwood joint venture that covers roughly 90% of its non-hosted mining capacity. With a market cap of $4.6 billion and Q1 revenue of $174.60 million, which missed expectations, MARA lacks the balance sheet to swallow CleanSpark cleanly.
4. Riot Platforms Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) is further along than any miner in the data center pivot, generating $33.15 million in debut data center revenue and securing a $636 million, 10-year AMD lease at Rockdale. Riot’s $8.5 billion market cap and reported $311 million in liquidity give it the size to consider a stock-and-cash roll-up. Regulatory scrutiny of miner-on-miner combinations is the sticking point.
3. Microsoft Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) at a $2.8 trillion market cap could buy CleanSpark outright with rounding-error cash. Azure grew 40% in Q3 FY26, and Microsoft’s AI business surpassed a $37 billion annual run rate. Microsoft has largely preferred long-term power purchase agreements and third-party colocation contracts over acquiring miners directly.
Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and CleanSpark didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
2. Amazon Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is the cleaner hyperscaler fit. AWS grew 28% in Q1, its fastest in 15 quarters, and capex hit $44.20 billion. OpenAI has committed to roughly 2 GW of Trainium capacity from 2027, and Anthropic up to 5 GW. AWS already builds bespoke campuses, and ERCOT-approved MW at scale is scarce. A CleanSpark deal at a healthy premium would be a rounding error against a $2.5 trillion cap.
1. Alphabet Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is the cleanest strategic fit. Google Cloud accelerated to 82% growth in Q2, with capex up 100% to $44.92 billion and a combined roughly $70 billion equity-plus-debt raise earmarked for AI infrastructure. Gemini App reached 950 million monthly active users. Alphabet’s demand for power is running well ahead of its secured supply, and CleanSpark’s Texas footprint and its Sandersville, Georgia, buildout map directly to Google’s active expansion regions.
Where Private Equity Fits An LBO angle is credible. CleanSpark carries $1.79 billion in long-term debt against a market cap of roughly $3.7 billion. Infrastructure sponsors including Blackstone, KKR, Brookfield, and Stonepeak have announced multi-billion-dollar AI-data-center vehicles. A sponsor could take CleanSpark private, treat bitcoin mining as a cash-flowing tail, and market the 1.8 GW portfolio as a build-to-suit hyperscaler platform.
What to Watch Look for a first signed AI/HPC tenant lease at Sandersville or Brazoria, which would immediately reprice the equity. A 13D filing or unusual call activity would signal interest. The CleanSpark full-chain put/call ratio is 0.29, skewed toward calls, though nothing yet suggests organized accumulation. Analysts are bullish, with a $22.35 mean price target that is nearly 54% higher than the current price. That is the setup: a strategically scarce asset, a depressed equity, and a hyperscaler capex cycle desperate for gigawatts.
Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and CleanSpark didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $OKLO #advancedfission--Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO) ("Oklo," or "the Company"), an advanced nuclear technology company, today announced it will release its financial results and provide business updates for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, before market opens on Friday, August 7, 2026, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (5:30 a.m. Pacific Time).Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Craig Bealmear, Chief Financial Officer, will participate.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL), one of the world's leading financial platform companies, today announced the acquisition of fundamental assets from the IBM blockchain patent portfolio. The portfolio comprises over 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, spanning foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations. With this acquisi.
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #4G--GCT Semiconductor Holding, Inc. to Give Business Update and Announce Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results on August 10, 2026.
Company to Host Conference Call to Discuss Results at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 11, 2026 July 27, 2026 07:00 ET | Source: Harrow, Inc.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harrow (Nasdaq: HROW), a leading provider of ophthalmic disease management solutions in North America, today announced that it will report its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, on Monday, August 10, 2026, after the market close. The Company will also post its second quarter Letter to Stockholders to the “Investors” section of its website, harrow.com. Harrow will host a conference call and live webcast at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, to discuss the results and provide a business update.
Conference Call Information
Participants can access the live webcast of Harrow’s presentation on the “Investors” page of Harrow’s website. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company’s website for one year.
To participate via telephone, please register in advance using this link. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a confirmation email with detailed instructions, including a unique dial-in number and PIN, for accessing the call.
About Harrow
Harrow, Inc. (Nasdaq: HROW) is a leading provider of ophthalmic disease management solutions in North America, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products that address conditions affecting both the front and back of the eye, such as dry eye disease, wet (or neovascular) age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, refractive errors, glaucoma and a range of other ocular surface conditions and retina diseases. Harrow was founded with a commitment to deliver safe, effective, accessible, and affordable medications that enhance patient compliance and improve clinical outcomes. For more information about Harrow, please visit harrow.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.
Contact:
Mike Biega
VP of Investor Relations & Communications [email protected]
617-913-8890
SanDisk stock NASDAQ:SNDK climbed 4.5% in early US premarket trading on Monday, rebounding after a bruising selloff as investors returned to memory and semiconductor stocks.
The shares were up 4.5% at about 4:30 am ET on July 27. The market data showed a gain of roughly 5% before the opening bell.
The advance did not follow a new company announcement.
SanDisk’s investor-relations feed showed no fresh material news on Monday morning, leaving bargain hunting, improving market sentiment and confidence in tight NAND supply as the clearest drivers.
SanDisk stock dropped 10.8% on Friday to close at $1,436.56, reversing part of its extraordinary 2026 advance.
Micron fell about 7%, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index lost more than 4% as investors reduced exposure to crowded AI and memory trades.
Monday’s recovery extended beyond SanDisk. Marvell, Nvidia and other chip stocks rose as a pause in US-Iran fighting sent oil prices sharply lower, easing immediate concerns about inflation and interest rates.
The broad move suggests buyers were rotating back towards risk assets rather than responding to SanDisk-specific news.
Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore had already argued that the memory selloff created an entry point.
“This is not a normal cycle,” Moore said in a note cited by Business Insider, describing memory as “increasingly THE bottleneck” for AI infrastructure and agentic-computing systems.
His comments preceded Monday’s rise, so they should be viewed as context for dip-buying rather than a fresh catalyst.
Still, they help explain why investors were willing to revisit a stock that had just suffered a double-digit decline.
Also read: DRAM ETF inflows rise as Micron, SanDisk, SK Hynix, Samsung lead rally amid risks
SanDisk sells NAND flash for consumer devices and solid-state drives, but its increasingly important opportunity lies in enterprise storage.
AI data centres require storage capacity for models, training information and inference workloads, strengthening demand for high-capacity enterprise SSDs.
TrendForce said the NAND market remained undersupplied throughout 2026 because AI-related demand accelerated while manufacturers added little capacity.
It estimates a 4% to 5% supply deficit this year, with constraints expected to ease gradually only during the second half of 2027.
Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani reinforced the bullish case by raising his SanDisk price target to $3,100 from $1,400 and retaining an Outperform rating.
Barron’s reported that he believed investors were “underappreciating” the durability of earnings and free cash flow.
Daryanani argued that long-term customer agreements could provide better visibility into revenue, pricing and profits than investors usually receive from a commodity-memory supplier.
Citi also retained a $2,500 target and a positive short-term view, citing AI-driven demand for NAND and storage.
Those forecasts make Friday’s decline look like a valuation reset to bullish investors.
They do not eliminate risk, because SanDisk’s several-hundred-per-cent gain this year has left the shares sensitive to changing expectations.
Amentum (AMTM) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) selected them to negotiate a phased lease at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The proposed public-private project would pair a 1-gigawatt (GW) AI data center with approximately 2 GW of dedicated on-site generation. The site would initially be powered by natural gas as a bridge to advanced nuclear energy. The proposal connects three important investment themes: AI, natural gas, and nuclear.
Key Takeaways Amentum was selected for a proposed 1 GW AI data center and approximately 2 GW of on-site generation at the Savannah River Site. The project would use natural gas first while creating a path to advanced nuclear energy, addressing the different deployment timelines of data centers and reactors. Amentum, GE Vernova (GEV), and Oklo (OKLO) are positioned at different points in the gas-to-nuclear development model. Amentum Brings AI and Power Development Together The Savannah River proposal is part of a broader DOE effort to use federal land for new AI and energy infrastructure. DOE identified 16 potential sites in 2025 and advanced Savannah River as one of four locations for private-sector development.
The structure brings new generation alongside new demand. DOE said dedicated on-site power could meet the data center’s needs without shifting costs to existing utility customers, with the goal of increasing power available to the grid.
Still, the announcement begins a process rather than finalizing a project. DOE emphasized that the lease remains subject to negotiations, permitting, safety and security reviews, and other approvals. No reactor vendor or nuclear technology have been disclosed.
Gas-to-Nuclear Addresses the Timing Mismatch The model separates time to first power from the longer-term energy mix. Gas can support the data center while nuclear moves through licensing, financing, supply-chain development, and construction. The bridge does not shorten those steps, but it can let site development and customer demand advance sooner.
Blue Energy (private) and GE Vernova unveiled a similar proposed 2.5 GW project in Texas. Two GE Vernova gas turbines could provide approximately 1 GW as early as 2030. The project would then ramp to approximately 1.5 GW from GE Vernova Hitachi’s BWRX-300 small modular reactors as early as 2032. The companies are targeting a final investment decision in 2027, and the project remains subject to investment and regulatory approvals.
See more: Partnerships, Positive Sentiment Boost U.S. Nuclear
Oklo has pursued the same idea through multiple partnerships. Their memorandum of understanding with RPower envisions deploying gas first, adding Aurora powerhouses later, and shifting the gas equipment toward backup and resilience. A separate strategic alliance with Liberty Energy (LBRT) combines immediate gas power with future Aurora deployment.
Implications for Investors and the Nuclear Value Chain The Texas and Oklo examples are separate from the Savannah River proposal. Together, they show how gas-to-nuclear is emerging as a repeatable development concept. A large customer load can support site work, equipment reservations, licensing, and financing before a reactor begins operation.
The VettaFi Nuclear Renaissance Index (NUKZX) includes companies across these phases. Amentum brings nuclear operations, infrastructure development, and program delivery experience. In their separate projects, GE Vernova participates through gas turbines and BWRX-300 technology, while Oklo offers exposure to advanced reactors and new commercial pathways.
If the Savannah River proposal advances, it could create earlier opportunities for engineering, site development, equipment, and project services while the nuclear plan matures. Gas may provide power first, but nuclear-related commercial activity can begin before reactor operation.
NUKZX serves as the underlying index for the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ). Its exposure across advanced reactors, construction and services, utilities, and fuel can reduce dependence on any single project or deployment schedule.
Related Research: NUKZ Growth Expected With Accelerated Nuclear Infrastructure Spending
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Profiling Reactor Technology: Westinghouse and Oklo
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For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Nuclear Energy Content Hub.
vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for NUKZ, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, NUKZ is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi. VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of NUKZ.
Gold (XAU/USD) has been consolidating gains during the European trading session, following a bullish gap at the week’s opening as a moderate improvement of risk sentiment hurt the safe-haven USD. A pause in the US-Iran hostilities has boosted hopes of a second round of peace talks, sending Oil prices about $10 lower from last week’s peak and pushing US Treasury yields lower.
Precious metals’ rallies, however, remain subdued so far with investors looking from the sidelines, ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) monetary policy meeting, due on Wednesday. Later today, the release of US Durable Goods Orders and the Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index will provide further insight into the momentum of US industrial activity, to frame Wednesday’s decision.
Futures markets are pricing a 33% chance of a Fed rate hike on Wednesday. The most likely scenario, thus, is that of a steady monetary policy, but strong growth data and above-target inflation might prompt the Fed’s Chairman to convey a hawkish message. In this context, the risk is skewed to the downside for gold.
Technical Analysis: Gold is forming a descending triangle
XAU/USD trades at $4,101. The metal holds a constructive immediate bias, yet with price action contained within an ever-narrowing range since late June. Momentum indicators in 4-hour charts are in neutral-to-positive territory, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) wavering around the 50 midline and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) just above zero, hinting at a consolidation rather than an impulsive bullish reversal.
Bulls would need a clear break of the area between the descending trend-line now around $4,160 and the June 22 high around the $4,200 area to confirm a trend shift and bring mid-June highs, at the $4,380 area, into focus.
It's worth mentioning, however, that triangles are often continuation patterns and that, in that sense, a bearish outcome is favoured. Supports are at the triangle's bottom, in the $3,940-$3,960 area, and the late October 2025 low, near $3,885. The Triangle's measured target is at the $3,700 area.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Gold FAQs Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.
The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.
GFL Environmental is rated Buy, supported by expanding margins, strong pricing, and the transformative SECURE acquisition. A $50/share takeover is plausible but not guaranteed; no formal offer exists, and financing such a deal is complex. GFL trades at a forward EBITDA discount to peers, reflecting higher leverage and acquisition dependence, but offers valuable non-core assets.
SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) extended its stock market decline throughout the previous week and closed on Friday at $115.07 following a 2.68% daily drop.
SpaceX stock price one-week chart. Source: Google Despite the recent trend, however, ChatGPT’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) estimated that a new SPCX all-time high (ATH) – the current one was recorded at $225.64 on June 16 – remains in the cards within the relative short term.
Specifically, the popular platform explained that SpaceX is in a somewhat unique position on account of operating several different high-tech businesses under the roof of a single company.
Should the firm’s growth strategy be executed as planned, ChatGPT concluded, SPCX equity is likely to reverse its decline and re-enter a rally in early 2027.
ChatGPT outlines the key SpaceX stock tailwinds and headwinds. Source: Finbold & ChatGPT The AI named continued Starlink user base expansion, an improved rocket launch cadence, optimization for profitability, and proof that Starship has become a meaningful commercial business as the key tailwind generators.
On the flip side, ChatGPT also warned that SpaceX’s initial valuation of $1.77 trillion relative to its most recent known financials remains a powerful source of headwinds.
Nonetheless, the advanced platform added that, after factoring in publicly available data on the company, SPCX shares are likely to record a new ATH on April 27, 2027, as they reach a temporary peak of $248 – 115.52% above the latest close and 9.91% above $225.64.
ChatGPT predicts the next SpaceX stock ATH. Source: Finbold & ChatGPT Why ChatGPT expects new SpaceX stock ATH on April 27, 2027 Reflecting on its prediction, ChatGPT explained that the early second quarter (Q2) of 2027 appears a reasonable timeframe, as it would give investors sufficient time to absorb and process the initial public offering (IPO) dynamics, including insider lockups and the actual effects of the Nasdaq-100 benchmark index inclusion.
Similarly, the date will come after multiple earnings reports are published, giving additional insights into SpaceX’s operations and providing room for the firm’s fundamentals to catch up with valuation.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT revealed the new ATH target it set was determined as plausible, as it constitutes only a modest move above $225.64, meaning it would not require a full-blown hype cycle akin to what was seen just after the SPCX shares IPO.
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The biggest initial public offerings often create the biggest expectations. Wall Street has a long history of turning marquee IPOs into can’t-miss events, only for reality to catch up once the excitement fades. That pattern has repeated itself across multiple market cycles, particularly with mega-cap debuts where sky-high valuations leave little room for disappointment.
SpaceX‘s (NASDAQ:SPCX | SPCX Price Prediction) historic IPO followed the same script. Yet unlike most blockbuster offerings, Elon Musk made a deliberate effort to ensure everyday retail investors — not just institutional funds and wealthy clients — had a meaningful opportunity to own shares from day one. Ironically, he also warned those same investors that the stock might not be right for them.
A Different Kind of IPO Most IPOs overwhelmingly favor Wall Street. Large investment banks typically allocate the bulk of available shares to institutional investors, hedge funds, and high-net-worth clients, leaving retail investors buying only after trading begins — often at much higher prices.
SpaceX took a different approach. The company reserved a sizeable portion of its IPO allocation for retail investors, making the largest public offering in history one of the most accessible as well. It reflected Musk’s long-standing view that individual investors deserve the same opportunities traditionally reserved for large institutions.
That accessibility helped fuel enormous demand. SpaceX priced its IPO at $135 per share, but enthusiasm quickly drove the stock sharply higher in its first days of trading. Like many headline-grabbing IPOs before it, however, the initial excitement proved difficult to sustain.
Today, SPCX trades around $114 per share, roughly 22% below its IPO price and 49% below the post-IPO high it reached shortly after its debut.
Surprisingly, that isn’t an unusual outcome. History shows that many mega IPOs often struggle after their initial surge as lofty expectations collide with the realities of running a public company.
SpaceX Warned Investors From the Beginning SpaceX has been warning investors all along its long-term ambitions could conflict with quarterly earnings expectations. President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said at the time of the IPO that the company is measuring its operating horizon in decades, not months.
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Musk reinforced that message during a recent interview with Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist. He acknowledged that public companies face relentless pressure to produce strong quarterly results instead of investing for the next decade.
“One of the challenges with being a public company is the pressure to have great results every single quarter and not really invest in things that may only pay off in five to 10 years.”
He then pointed directly to SpaceX’s ambitions to expand humanity beyond Earth, saying the company could willingly sacrifice near-term profits to build infrastructure on the Moon or Mars — even knowing investors might react negatively.
“We’ll be spending all this money on a Moon base or a Mars base… people will say, ‘You missed your earnings this quarter because you spent too much on Mars.’ I’m like, ‘Yes.'”
This possibility was also disclosed in the company’s prospectus long before the IPO, yet public markets often remain focused on quarterly margins rather than decade-long returns.
That doesn’t make SpaceX a bad investment. It simply makes it a specialized one. Companies pursuing transformative technologies often require years of heavy spending before shareholders see the full payoff. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) spent decades prioritizing growth over profits. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) endured years of skepticism while expanding manufacturing capacity. SpaceX appears prepared to follow a similar path.
Key Takeaway In short, SpaceX’s IPO wasn’t just historic because of its size. It also challenged the traditional IPO model by giving retail investors access typically reserved for Wall Street’s biggest clients. Yet Musk paired that opportunity with an equally clear warning: don’t expect the company to optimize for next quarter’s earnings.
At its current depressed price, SpaceX stock reflects how difficult that message can be for public markets to embrace. Ultimately, investors considering SpaceX should focus less on where the shares trade today and more on whether they’re willing to own a company whose biggest investments — and potentially its biggest rewards — may still be a decade away.
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SpaceX’s (NASDAQ: SPCX) post-IPO sell-off has reached a new milestone, with the stock now ranking among the worst-performing major U.S. public offerings of the past decade.
Notably, SpaceX closed the Friday session at $115, down more than 27% from its first-day closing price following the company’s June 12, 2026 market debut.
The decline leaves SpaceX underperforming roughly 90% of all U.S. IPOs valued at $1 billion or more since July 2009. While post-IPO pullbacks are common, the scale and speed of SpaceX’s decline stand out.
Data shows that many large IPOs experience first-year declines of between 17% and 25%. However, few billion-dollar listings have fallen as sharply as SpaceX within weeks of going public.
SpaceX stock analysis. Source: Carbon Finance SpaceX stock reverses IPO gains The latest drop extends a sharp reversal that began shortly after the stock’s initial surge. Following its historic IPO, SpaceX shares climbed to around $225, briefly pushing the company’s market capitalization above $2.5 trillion.
Since then, the equity has fallen about 45% to 50% from its post-listing peak, wiping out more than $1 trillion in market value.
SpaceX went public at $135 per share in the largest IPO ever, raising more than $85 billion and securing an initial valuation of approximately $1.8 trillion.
Investor enthusiasm initially drove the stock higher, supported by a limited public float that amplified buying pressure. However, sentiment shifted as investors reassessed the company’s valuation, financial performance, and capital requirements.
SpaceX stock fundamentals The company generated approximately $18.7 billion in revenue in 2025 but reported a net loss of about $5 billion. Investors have also expressed concerns over the substantial spending required for Starship development, Starlink expansion, and AI infrastructure investments following the acquisition of xAI.
Additional pressure has come from expectations that upcoming lockup expirations will significantly increase the number of shares available for trading, potentially creating further selling pressure.
The stock has also been affected by a broader market rotation away from high-growth technology and AI-related names. A scrubbed Starship test flight in July and concerns surrounding the company’s ESG profile further weighed on investor sentiment.
Despite the sell-off, some Wall Street analysts remain optimistic about SpaceX’s long-term prospects, citing Starlink’s growth potential and the company’s dominant position in commercial space launches.
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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock rose in Monday’s premarket trading as investor sentiment improved ahead of the opening bell. Nasdaq futures climbed 1.6%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.97%.
Apple’s early gains largely tracked the broader rally in U.S. equity futures, with other mega-cap technology stocks also moving higher.
The stock is trading near a key resistance level around its recent highs. That makes even modest gains meaningful for short-term traders.
Investors are also positioning ahead of Apple’s quarterly earnings report later this week. As a result, trading could remain sensitive around key technical levels until the results are released.
AI Strategy In Focus: Apple Is Zigging While Big Tech Zags on AIApple’s artificial intelligence strategy is also drawing increased attention ahead of its earnings report.
Unlike Alphabet Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp., Apple is not spending heavily on AI infrastructure or developing large foundation models. Instead, the company is leaning on its large installed base of consumer devices to deliver AI features.
Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani told CNBC on Friday that Apple appears to view foundation models as less critical to long-term differentiation. That approach allows the company to avoid the heavy capital spending seen across the hyperscaler group while preserving greater flexibility to return cash to shareholders.
Needham analyst Laura Martin told CNBC on Saturday that Apple has chosen to position itself as the primary gateway between consumers and AI services rather than building its own foundation model.
Despite Android’s larger global market share, she said Apple is making a high-stakes wager that it can succeed without developing its own large AI model.
According to Martin, that strategy could either generate exceptional long-term returns if it proves successful or pose a significant existential risk to the company if it fails. She added that she believes Apple has made the wrong choice.
The key question for investors is whether Apple Intelligence can drive a new hardware upgrade cycle. The analyst pointed to faster iPhone replacement rates and improving demand in China as important metrics to watch.
Technical AnalysisApple traded at $334.00, just below its 52-week high of $334.99 reached in July. A move above $335 could attract momentum buyers, while failure to break through may trigger profit-taking.
The broader trend remains positive. The stock trades 6.2% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $314.39 and 20.9% above its 200-day SMA of $275.98.
The 20-day SMA remains above the 50-day SMA. In addition, the 50-day SMA continues to trade above the 200-day SMA following the golden cross that formed in September 2025. That setup suggests the longer-term uptrend remains intact.
Momentum indicators also support the bullish outlook. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) indicator remains above its signal line, while the histogram is positive. Together, those signals point to strengthening buying momentum.
The next key resistance level is $335.00. Initial support sits near $287.50, an area where buyers have previously stepped in.
Earnings And Analyst OutlookApple is scheduled to report quarterly results on Thursday, July 30.
Wall Street expects earnings of $1.89 per share, up from $1.57 a year earlier. Revenue is projected to reach $108.86 billion, compared with $94.04 billion in the prior-year quarter.
The stock trades at 40.3 times earnings, reflecting a premium valuation.
Analysts maintain a consensus Buy rating with an average price forecast of $325.36. Recent rating changes include:
Morgan Stanley raised its price forecast to $364 on July 23 while maintaining an Overweight rating. HSBC upgraded the stock to Buy on July 17 and raised its price forecast to $366. KeyBanc downgraded Apple to Underweight on July 14 with a $250 price forecast. ETF ExposureBecause Apple represents such a large portion of these funds, strong ETF inflows or outflows can drive automatic buying or selling of the stock.
Price ActionAAPL Stock Price Activity: Apple shares were up 0.29% at $334.00 during premarket trading on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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The U.S. stock market is in a two-month rut, bond yields are making new highs, and earnings from Alphabet and Tesla dropped the ball. Bulls need a hero.
Enter Apple, the only stock among the ten biggest in the S&P 500 that's near an all-time high.
After going nowhere for seven months, Apple stock is up 20% since its late-June low and less than two dollars below a fresh all-time record made just over a week ago.
Apple reports earnings after the bell Thursday, and options traders are leaning into the stock's recent strength, with big-money traders buying in-the-money calls and speculators looking for a ramp to new highs by this Friday, according to trades put on before the market close Friday, and open interest that's built up around the stock this summer.
Apple, YTD
Of the $590 million in options premium traded on Apple Friday, $442 million was tied to calls, according to SpotGamma. Traders bought almost 560,000 calls, compared to just 332,00 puts, ThinkOrSwim data show. Perhaps more importantly, options prices currently imply an almost 4% move for Apple after earnings, an unusually large move considering the average historical 1% swing over the past year, according to Cboe LiveVol data.
"I think the probability is fairly high that Apple could help stabilize the market this week," said Nigam Arora, founder and author of The Arora Report newsletter. "Investors are viewing Apple as a defensive stock because, unlike several of its peers, it isn't spending hundreds of billions on AI capex."
The biggest trade in Apple Friday was someone opening a new position in $2.6 million of 280-strike calls in Apple expiring mid-August, a bullish position with a delta near one, meaning the trade acts as stock replacement for the owner.
The strike with the biggest open interest in options expiring this Friday is at $320, with 13,000 calls 5,000 puts, according to data from BarChart. That suggests even if the earnings don't lead to a rally, investors are confident last week's lows will hold.
The most popular contract expiring Friday by volume bought on Friday was the 300-strike put, with 7,500 contracts traded but for just $374,000 in total premium. The second-most popular was the 340 strike call with 5,000 contracts totaling $2.3 million in premium, SpotGamma data show.
That contract goes for $4.25 as of Friday's close, meaning buyers need Apple to rally 3.4% this week to beyond its all-time high of $335.
Meta's logo at the company's offices in Menlo Park, California, U.S. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)
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Technology giant Meta - the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp - has exited from a clean energy pact it had been a signatory to for over a decade, following a natural gas-powered push for its hyperscale data centers.
The company’s exit from the RE100 - a corporate renewable energy initiative - was revealed late last week by Recharge News. The initiative was floated by non-profit outfit The Climate Group founded by former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair.
Despite Meta’s exit, its other big tech rivals Apple, Google and Microsoft remain among the initiative’s 400-plus signatories. Another rival Amazon is not RE100 member. While confirming the "amicable" move, a Meta spokesperson declined further comment.
Renewables Can’t Keep PaceThe company needs reliable power sources for data centers at the heart of its artificial intelligence development and expansion plans.
While Meta’s renewable energy partnerships for wind and solar energy continue, it is also turning to natural gas-fired power sources in the U.S. as renewables simply cannot keep pace with its near-term demand projections.
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ForbesU.S. Banking On ‘Co-Innovation’ For Its Trillion Dollar Energy BuildBy Gaurav SharmaForbesU.S. Market Expected To Lead Multibillion Dollar Investments In LNGBy Gaurav SharmaForbesBig Oil Is Pairing Up With Big Tech For An Opportunity Worth BillionsBy Gaurav SharmaRecent overtures include Meta’s backing of ten such power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 7.5 gigawatts of electricity, following on from a 200 megawatt facility in Ohio that it backed in June 2025.
And the tech giant is not alone in turning to natural gas. Both Google and Microsoft have also invested in power sourced from fossil fuels. However, Meta’s moves dwarf its rivals in wattage terms.
As AI development morphs into a multibillion dollar industry, deployments accelerate, and the hyperscale data centers needed for the activity continue to grow exponentially, the tension between 'Big Tech’ headline growth and clean energy commitments continues to grow too.
End Of Decade ScenariosMany tech firms have inked long-term power purchase agreements with utilities and suppliers. These contracts are underpinned by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
But with power demand for data centers tipped to grow between 10% and 15% per year between now and 2030, if not more, as noted by S&P Global Commodity Insights, additional power sourced from natural gas-fired plants is increasingly coming into view both within the U.S. and elsewhere.
Meta’s predicament and response offer a true case in point. In the company’s 2025 sustainability report, Meta said it will continue matching 100% of its annual electricity use with clean and renewable energy.
Till date, Meta-supported wind and solar projects total up to nearly 30GW in the U.S. and global markets it operates in. Yet, with the AI sphere witnessing a bit of a super-cycle of sorts, and all of us living in a world where a a single ChatGPT query requires 2.9Wh of electricity, compared with 0.3Wh for a routine Google search (nearly ten times as much) - Meta and its competitors are reactively doing what they need to as energy hungry businesses.
And its not just natural gas, even coal could be a beneficiary, according to the International Energy Agency. The Paris, France-based think-tank recently forecast that demand from data centres remains a significant near-term driver of growth for natural gas-fired and coal-fired generation, through both higher utilization of existing assets and new power plants.
Natural gas and coal together are expected to meet over 40% of the additional electricity demand from data centres until 2030, it added. In such a scenario that is appearing highly likely, many clean energy pacts and pledges may well be broken by major tech brands out of necessity.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA | TSLA Price Prediction) investors got a brutal reminder last week that ambitious targets can curdle into cautionary tales. A Bloomberg report published July 22, 2026 argued the Cybertruck has eclipsed the Ford Edsel as the auto industry’s benchmark commercial flop on a target-versus-actual basis. Hours later, Tesla posted a Q2 earnings miss, and the stock logged its worst week since 2022.
The Edsel Yardstick Ford launched the Edsel in 1957 with projections of 200,000 units in its first year. It sold less than one-third of that target, and its vertical grille (mocked as resembling a toilet seat) became shorthand for corporate failure that has endured nearly seven decades.
Elon Musk set a higher bar. He projected the Cybertruck could reach 250,000 units annually and called it Tesla’s “best product ever.” In its first full year, the truck sold roughly one-sixth of that target. Per Bloomberg’s chart, Year 2 sales fell to well under 25,000, a steeper proportional miss than the Edsel’s.
An Accelerating Decline Cox Automotive figures show the trajectory. Cybertruck sold 38,965 units in 2024, then 20,237 units in 2025, a 48.1% year-over-year decline. Q4 2025 volume was 4,140 units, down 68.1% from 12,991 a year earlier. Q1 2026 hit a record low of 3,519 deliveries, and only 7,133 Cybertrucks were registered in the U.S. through May 2026, per S&P Global Mobility data cited by Bloomberg.
The truck posted the steepest sales decline of any EV nameplate in the U.S. in 2025. Tesla’s earnings materials list the Cybertruck alongside Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, Cybercab, Semi and Roadster, but it has not appeared as a growth driver in the last four quarterly reports.
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The Stock Rout The Cybertruck story is one strand in a broader unraveling. Tesla shares fell 17.81% in the week ending July 24, 2026, closing at $313.03. The single-session drop after earnings ran to 14%, sending the stock to an 11-month low.
The Q2 report explains the reaction. Revenue reached $28.24 billion, up 25.52% year-over-year, on record deliveries of 480,126 vehicles. Adjusted EPS of $0.33, missing the $0.5367 consensus. Operating income slid 56.88% to $398 million, free cash flow swung to negative $1.09 billion, and operating expenses surged 47% to $4.35 billion on AI infrastructure, R&D and stock-based compensation. Full-year capex is guided to over $25 billion for Optimus, Cybercab and AI data centers.
Short sellers booked $4.3 billion in mark-to-market gains from the single day’s selloff. The stretch cost Musk roughly $130 billion in personal net worth.
What to Watch Shares are down 30.39% year-to-date, and prediction markets imply consolidation in the $300 to $330 range through month-end, against an analyst consensus target of $402.76. Whether the Cybertruck earns a legacy similar to the Edsel remains an open question.
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Elon Musk's Tesla on Monday won its bid to revive a London lawsuit brought against U.S. technology firm InterDigital and a patent licensing platform, seeking a patent licence ahead of the automaker's launch of 5G vehicles in Britain.
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Coca-Cola Company today announced that fairlife, LLC, a dairy company owned by Coca-Cola, has resumed the majority of production at its four facilities in the United States. The company previously disclosed that fairlife experienced a ransomware event. This event involved access by an unauthorized third party to a portion of the company's systems and taking of certain data, and a temporary suspension of production operations. The company continues working diligentl.
A driver delivers Coca-Cola products to stores in Boston, Massachusetts, April 24, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
July 27 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola (KO.N), opens new tab on Monday said its dairy company, fairlife, resumed most of the production at four U.S. facilities, where operations were halted after unauthorized third-party access on some systems.
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Fairlife, earlier this month, joined companies grappling with a surge in AI-driven cyberattacks and ransomware that steal sensitive data and disrupt operations, leading to a halt in domestic production.
The Chicago-based company launched an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts and advisers; Coca-Cola, which wholly owns fairlife, had said product quality and safety had not been affected by the incident.
Hacking gang Anubis claimed credit for the hack on Tuesday, and said it had stolen 1 terabyte of data from fairlife.
The beverages giant said fairlife was working to restore impacted systems and operations; existing inventory helped maintain retail availability of products.
The company said the incident is not likely to have a material impact on its financial condition or results. Coca-Cola is expected to report second-quarter results on Tuesday.
Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das
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Net income is one of the best ways to value a company. It's the metric people use to determine a company's price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) and whether its operations are sustainable. However, Alphabet (GOOG +0.24%) (GOOGL +0.58%) has become an exception.
The stock currently trades at a 16 P/E after investors were concerned about rising capital expenditures. Taking this ratio at face value can cause investors to think that Alphabet is far more undervalued than it actually is. Investors should focus on net operating income instead if they want the full picture on how the business is doing.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why Alphabet's net income is different Net income is normally one of the best metrics when assessing a company. It subtracts nonoperating expenses like interest and taxes from operating income. Companies with positive operating income can end up with negative net income if their tax bills and interest payments are high enough.
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The flaw with Alphabet's net income is that it includes unrealized gains from investments. It's not some underhanded policy and actually complies with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), but that doesn't mean it's a reliable metric when investments do most of the carrying.
That happened when the company reported second-quarter earnings. Its early investments in Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX for short) and other companies did most of the work. Alphabet reported $112.1 billion in net income compared to $119.8 billion in revenue. That's a net profit margin above 90%.
Operating income, which reflects how much money Alphabet's business actually makes, was up 30% year over year, reaching $40.8 billion. To the company's credit, the second-quarter press release led with operating income and acknowledged that net unrealized gains drove its net income growth rate.
Management's P/E ratio uses the $112.1 billion in the quarter's net income, not the $40.8 billion in operating income. That's what makes its P/E ratio an unreliable metric right now.
Should investors buy Alphabet? The company still posted tremendous results, showing that its artificial intelligence (AI) efforts are working. Cloud revenue continues to scale up in ways that surprise bulls. An 82% year-over-year jump is very meaningful, and it now makes up more than 20% of total revenue. If growth rates continue, its Google Cloud segment will account for a larger share of future sales, accelerating the company's overall growth.
Although net income is unreliable right now, the 30% jump in operating income shows the company is still boosting profits. Rising capital expenditures are an issue, but that extra spending has translated into strong financial results.
Alphabet still looks promising, especially after the post-earnings dip. However, you must go into the investment understanding that the 16 P/E is too good to be true.
July 22 was a pivotal day for Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL +0.58%)(GOOG +0.21%). It marked the first time in its storied history as a public company that it generated negative free cash flow -- an indication that management is spending aggressively on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure expansion.
But there's a lot more to Alphabet than just cloud infrastructure services platform Google Cloud and the company's integration of generative AI and large language model capabilities. Alphabet has evolved into one of Wall Street's savviest investors, and the company's second-quarter 10-Q filing with regulators fully or partially spilled the beans on how much its stakes in Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) (SPCX -2.85%) and AI start-up Anthropic are now worth.
Image source: Getty Images.
Google initially invested $900 million into Elon Musk's space and AI conglomerate in January 2015, when SpaceX was valued at roughly $12 billion. Although this 7.5% initial stake has been diluted a bit over the years, Alphabet's stake in SpaceX remains sizable.
In Alphabet's June-ended quarter, the 10-Q notes that $80 billion of its stake is subject to early release sale restrictions, while the remaining $14.1 billion is to abide by long-term restrictions through the third quarter of 2027. In other words, this $900 million initial investment is now worth a cool $94.1 billion.
JUST IN: Google discloses owning $94,100,000,000.00 in SpaceX stock, roughly a 6% stake.
-- Polymarket (@Polymarket) July 23, 2026 Alphabet may have the opportunity to begin ringing the register in a little over a week.
Whereas most newly public companies prohibit insider selling for the first 180 calendar days after an initial public offering, SpaceX has implemented a staggered and accelerated unlock schedule. Beginning two trading days after the company's first quarterly report on Aug. 4, early release-eligible insiders, including Alphabet, can start cashing in their chips.
Image source: Getty Images.
Google's stake in Anthropic may be approaching $124 billion In addition to outlining how much Google's longtime stake in SpaceX is worth, Alphabet's 10-Q also highlights the massive scale of its stake in Anthropic, the developer of the Claude large language model.
As of June 30, the carrying value of Alphabet's non-marketable equity securities in private companies was $124.3 billion. Bloomberg suggests that the overwhelming majority of this market value traces back to Google's stake in Anthropic.
$GOOGL stake in Anthropic is now worth $124B. pic.twitter.com/K9yyLbUgYy
-- Shay Boloor (@StockSavvyShay) July 23, 2026 Google has made several investments in Anthropic, starting with a 10% stake that cost $300 million in April 2023. This was followed up by another $2 billion investment, with $500 million upfront, in October 2023. More recently, in April 2026, Alphabet pledged $40 billion in add-on investments, with $10 billion upfront and the remainder dependent on performance milestones.
Having watched SpaceX and SK Hynix recently debut at $1 trillion-plus valuations, it's not out of the question that Anthropic adds that extra zero if and when it chooses to go public. If that happens, Alphabet will have cemented itself as a truly legendary investor.
Sean Williams has positions in Alphabet. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Euro (EUR) gives back a majority of its early gains against the US Dollar (USD) after failing to rise above the intraday high of 1.1418 on Monday. During European trade, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which gauges the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades almost 0.2% higher to near 1.1395.
The major currency pair surrenders early gains as the US Dollar (USD) bounces back after a weak start of the week. The US Dollar started lower as the pause in military aggression between the United States (US) and Iran over the weekend diminished the appeal of safe-haven assets.
This week, major triggers for the pair will be the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) monetary policy announcement on Wednesday, and the release of the Eurozone Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) data for July on Friday.
Investors expect the Fed to leave interest rates unchanged in the range of 3.50%-3.75% again and deliver no monetary policy guidance, while warning of upside inflation risks.
On the Eurozone front, the inflation data will influence the European Central Bank‘s (ECB) interest rate expectations, as officials have expressed concerns regarding prolonged elevated inflationary pressures.
EUR/USD technical analysis
EUR/USD trades higher at around 1.1392, but is keeping a mildly bearish near-term tone as the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at around 1.1419 continues to act as a key barrier. The pair has also faced rejection near the breakdown region of the 20-day EMA, which is around 1.1420.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 43 suggests subdued bearish momentum rather than outright oversold conditions.
On the topside, initial resistance is located at the former channel floor turned barrier near 1.1420, with the upper channel boundary around 1.1550 acting as the next key cap if buyers regain traction. On the downside, immediate support is the prior trend-line reaction levels around 1.1381, with a deeper slide exposing structural support near 1.1312.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Economic Indicator Fed Interest Rate Decision The Federal Reserve (Fed) deliberates on monetary policy and makes a decision on interest rates at eight pre-scheduled meetings per year. It has two mandates: to keep inflation at 2%, and to maintain full employment. Its main tool for achieving this is by setting interest rates – both at which it lends to banks and banks lend to each other. If it decides to hike rates, the US Dollar (USD) tends to strengthen as it attracts more foreign capital inflows. If it cuts rates, it tends to weaken the USD as capital drains out to countries offering higher returns. If rates are left unchanged, attention turns to the tone of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement, and whether it is hawkish (expectant of higher future interest rates), or dovish (expectant of lower future rates).
NEW YORK, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after its significant stock drop resulting from potential violations of the federal securities laws.
If you invested in Microsoft, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/microsoft-class-action-lawsuit.
Key Details of the Microsoft ($MSFT) Class Action:
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: August 11, 2026Alleged Misconduct: Securities fraud alleging that Microsoft misled investors regarding its Azure cloud computing platform and AI chatbot CopilotStock Drop: January 28, 2026 – 10% Stock DropCourt: U.S. District Court for the Western District of WashingtonAction: Contact BFA Law to discuss your rights Investors have until August 11, 2026 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts securities fraud claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Microsoft common stock. The class action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It is captioned City of St. Clair Shores Police and Fire Retirement System, et al., No. 26-cv-02071.
Why is Microsoft Being Sued for Securities Fraud?
Microsoft is a multinational technology company that develops software, cloud services, and devices. In recent years, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform named Azure has been Microsoft’s main growth driver. A key reason for Azure’s recent growth is Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar investment into AI, including the development of its own generative AI chatbot named Copilot.
According to the complaint, during the relevant period, Microsoft consistently touted Copilot’s best-in-class capabilities, which purportedly drove widespread and growing user adoption. Copilot’s apparent success allowed Microsoft to report surging Azure-related revenue.
As alleged, in truth, Copilot suffered from severe functionality issues that caused user adoption to decline and put Microsoft’s Azure revenue at risk.
Why did Microsoft’s Stock Drop?
On January 28, 2026, Microsoft announced disappointing 2Q 2026 financial results and that Azure growth had slowed suddenly. Microsoft also allegedly revealed for the first time that the number of Microsoft 365 Copilot premium customers totaled only 15 million, materially below analyst estimates.
This news caused the price of Microsoft common stock to decline $48.13 per share, or 10%, from $481.63 per share on January 28, 2026, to $433.50 per share on January 29, 2026.
Additionally, on February 3, 2026, The Wall Street Journal reported in an article titled “Microsoft’s Pivotal AI Product Is Running Into Big Problems” that severe challenges and functionality issues had plagued Copilot, causing the application to lose market share. Specifically, The Wall Street Journal reported that “[c]onfusing brand positioning and interoperability problems have frustrated users.”
Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/microsoft-class-action-lawsuit.
What Can You Do?
If you invested in Microsoft, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis; there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.
BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, “Litigation Stars” by Benchmark Litigation, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters.
Most recently, The Legal 500 awarded BFA the most client satisfaction accolades of any plaintiff’s securities litigation law firm, with clients noting: “[t]here is no better service provider in the practice area,” “[t]he interest of the client is always front and center,” and “[t]here isn’t a better firm in this space.” One testimonial described the firm as “nimble and entrepreneurial,” with a “relentless focus on adding value for clients.”
Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.
For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.
ISS has recommended that Aurora's shareholders vote FOR all director nominees and meeting resolutions Shareholders are encouraged to vote early in favour of all resolutions – every vote matters, no matter how many shares you own Shareholders who have questions or need assistance with voting their shares should contact Aurora's strategic advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Kingsdale Advisors, by telephone at 1-800-749-9052 or by email at [email protected] or visit www.MyAuroraVote.com , /PRNewswire/ -- Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB) ("Aurora" or the "Company"), the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, is pleased to announce that Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), the leading independent proxy advisory firm whose voting recommendations are widely relied upon by major institutional investors, has recommended that Aurora's shareholders vote FOR all resolutions set forth in the Company's management information circular (the "Circular") in advance of its upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
The Circular is available on the Company's website and under Aurora's profile on SEDAR+.
Welcoming the positive ISS recommendations, Miguel Martin, Aurora's Executive Chairman and CEO, stated: "We are pleased that ISS has recognized the strong governance framework and Board oversight in place at Aurora by recommending that shareholders vote FOR all meeting resolutions put forward at our upcoming AGM. We appreciate the trust and support of our shareholders as we continue to expand our global medical cannabis business and focus on building long-term value."
Shareholder Meeting Details
The Meeting will be held virtually on Friday, August 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time) / 11:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) and will be conducted via live webcast at: meetnow.global/MPUKQY6. The virtual meeting format allows shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders to have an equal opportunity to participate regardless of geographic location or ownership. Meeting details, including instructions on how to vote, can be found within the Circular.
At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to consider and vote on the following items, each of which the Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote "FOR":
Fix the number of directors to be elected at five (5); Elect directors for the ensuing year; Appoint the auditor for the ensuing year; and A non-binding advisory resolution on our approach to executive compensation (Say-on-Pay) Before voting, we also invite shareholders to view a message from Miguel Martin, CEO and Simona King, CFO, as they reflect on Fiscal 2026 and the future for Aurora.
Shareholders are encouraged to review the Circular and vote early to ensure their shares are represented. Voting now means one less thing to think about as the proxy voting deadline draws near. The deadline for voting your shares is at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on Wednesday August 5, 2026.
Aurora's Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote FOR all the director nominees and meeting resolutions.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. VOTE YOUR SHARES FOR AURORA'S DIRECTOR NOMINEES AND MEETING RESOLUTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Shareholder Questions & Voting Assistance
Shareholders who have any questions or require assistance with voting may contact Aurora's proxy solicitation agent and shareholder communications advisor:
Kingsdale Advisors
Call: 1-800-749-9052 (Toll Free in North America)
Text or Call: 416-623-4172 (Outside North America)
Visit: www.MyAuroraVote.com
About Aurora
Aurora is a global leader in medical cannabis, dedicated to improving lives through scientific expertise, proven performance, and a deep commitment to patient care. Aurora serves medical markets across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with a portfolio of trusted, leading brands including Aurora®, MedReleaf®, Pedanios®, IndiMed™, San Raf®, and Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation®. With world-class GMP-certified manufacturing facilities in Canada and Germany, and a team of industry-leading professionals, Aurora continues to expand its global footprint and deliver consistent, high-quality cannabis products with the purpose of Opening the World to Cannabis™.
Learn more at www.auroramj.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Aurora's common shares trade on the NASDAQ and TSX under the symbol "ACB".
About ISS
ISS is the world's leading provider of corporate governance solutions to the global financial community. More than 1,700 institutional clients rely on the expertise of ISS to help them make more informed investment decisions on behalf of their shareholders.
Forward Looking Information
This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's Annual General Meeting, the Company's global medical cannabis business and leadership, and the continued focus on building long-term value.
Forward-looking information or statements contained in this news release have been developed based on the Company and its management's good faith assumptions relating to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect the Company's business and operations in the future. Forward-looking information and statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among other things, assumptions about: development costs remaining consistent with budgets; the ability to manage anticipated and unanticipated costs; access to favorable equity and debt capital markets; the ability to raise sufficient capital to advance the business of the Company; favorable operating and economic conditions; political and regulatory stability; obtaining and maintaining all required licenses and permits; receipt of governmental approvals and permits; sustained labour stability; stability in financial and capital goods markets; favorable production levels and costs from the Company's operations; the pricing of various cannabis products; the level of demand for cannabis products; the availability of third-party service providers and other inputs for the Company's operations; and the Company's ability to conduct operations in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. The Company does not give any assurance that the assumptions on which forward-looking information or statements are based will prove to be correct, or that the Company's business or operations will not be affected in any material manner by these or other factors not foreseen or foreseeable by the Company or management or beyond the Company's control. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the ability to retain key personnel, the ability to continue investing in infrastructure to support growth, the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, the continued quality of our products, customer experience and retention, the development of third party government and non-government consumer sales channels, management's estimates of consumer demand in Canada and in jurisdictions where the Company exports, expectations of future results and expenses, the availability of additional capital to complete construction projects and facilities improvements, the risk of successful integration of acquired business and operations, management's estimation that SG&A will grow only in proportion to revenue growth, the ability to expand and maintain distribution capabilities, the impact of competition, the general impact of financial market conditions, the yield from cannabis growing operations, product demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, and the possibility for changes in laws, rules, and regulations in the industry, epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, and other risks as set out under "Risk Factors" contained in the Annual Information Form dated June 10, 2026 (the "2026 AIF"). Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that the list of risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the 2026 AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Although the Company believes that the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available to the Company on the date hereof, no assurance can be given as to future results, approvals or achievements.
Collaborative Wealth Managment Inc. cut its holdings in NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report) by 58.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,267 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after selling 5,948 shares during the period. Collaborative Wealth Managment Inc.’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $744,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in NVDA. Diversified Enterprises LLC increased its holdings in shares of NVIDIA by 44.2% during the fourth quarter. Diversified Enterprises LLC now owns 127,604 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $23,798,000 after purchasing an additional 39,129 shares during the period. ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V. boosted its stake in shares of NVIDIA by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V. now owns 3,169,377 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $591,086,000 after buying an additional 54,877 shares during the period. Storen Legacy Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of NVIDIA in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,350,000. Weaver Capital Management LLC grew its position in NVIDIA by 5.5% during the fourth quarter. Weaver Capital Management LLC now owns 85,216 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $15,893,000 after buying an additional 4,439 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its position in NVIDIA by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 26,652,420 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $4,970,704,000 after buying an additional 936,506 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.27% of the company’s stock.
Trending Headlines about NVIDIA Here are the key news stories impacting NVIDIA this week:
Positive Sentiment: NVIDIA announced a joint AI research lab with KAIST in Seoul, a $300 million collaboration that will fund researchers, internships, and AI infrastructure to advance agentic AI in South Korea. NVIDIA and KAIST Launch Joint AI Research Lab to Accelerate AI Innovation in Korea Positive Sentiment: The company also struck a $1.5 billion partnership with Amkor to expand advanced semiconductor packaging and test capacity in the U.S., reinforcing NVIDIA’s AI supply chain and manufacturing footprint. Nvidia, Amkor strike $1.5 billion chip packaging deal Positive Sentiment: Jensen Huang and NVIDIA joined Microsoft, Meta, and others in publicly backing open-source AI models, which could support broader AI adoption and future demand for NVIDIA GPUs. Nvidia, Microsoft and other tech giants back open-source AI models Positive Sentiment: Several technical reports say NVDA is holding support and may be forming a bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, while other analysts point to a breakout above the 50-day moving average as a possible catalyst. NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) Price Forecast: Can NVDA Break Above Key Resistance? Neutral Sentiment: Institutional filings show continued buying from some funds, but insider activity remains dominated by sales, which keeps sentiment mixed rather than decisively bullish. Fund Update: 337,821 NVIDIA (NVDA) shares added to COMGEST GLOBAL INVESTORS S.A.S. portfolio Negative Sentiment: Broader semiconductor shares have pulled back as investors take profits and worry about AI valuation levels and heavy capex spending, which has weighed on NVIDIA along with the rest of the AI trade. Semiconductor Crossroads: Healthy Consolidation or Deeper Repricing? Negative Sentiment: News flow also highlights investor rotation out of the biggest AI winners and concerns that the “Magnificent 7” are digesting a surge in AI infrastructure spending, creating near-term pressure on NVDA despite strong long-term demand. Magnificent 7 stocks shed hundreds of billions amid AI spending fears Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on NVDA. Robert W. Baird set a $500.00 price objective on NVIDIA and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of NVIDIA in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Citic Securities raised their price target on NVIDIA from $242.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Seaport Research Partners raised their price target on NVIDIA from $140.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $250.00) on shares of NVIDIA in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, forty-eight have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $304.26.
View Our Latest Analysis on NVDA
NVIDIA Stock Performance Shares of NVDA stock opened at $206.84 on Monday. NVIDIA Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $164.07 and a fifty-two week high of $236.54. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $207.85 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $195.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 2.85 and a current ratio of 3.44. The company has a market cap of $5.01 trillion, a PE ratio of 31.68, a P/E/G ratio of 0.40 and a beta of 2.21.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The computer hardware maker reported $1.87 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.11. NVIDIA had a return on equity of 96.94% and a net margin of 62.97%.The company had revenue of $81.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $78.42 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.81 EPS. NVIDIA’s revenue was up 85.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that NVIDIA Corporation will post 8.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.
NVIDIA Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 4th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 4th. This is a positive change from NVIDIA’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.01. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. NVIDIA’s payout ratio is presently 15.31%.
NVIDIA declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, May 20th that authorizes the company to buyback $80.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the computer hardware maker to purchase up to 1.5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.
Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, Director Mark A. Stevens sold 885,000 shares of NVIDIA stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.17, for a total transaction of $186,000,450.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 5,207,271 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,094,412,146.07. The trade was a 14.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Stephen C. Neal sold 15,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $215.73, for a total transaction of $3,343,815.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 116,135 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $25,053,803.55. This represents a 11.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 1,901,125 shares of company stock valued at $410,583,015. 3.94% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
NVIDIA Company Profile (Free Report)
NVIDIA Corporation, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a global technology company that designs and develops graphics processing units (GPUs) and system-on-chip (SoC) technologies. Co-founded by Jensen Huang, who serves as president and chief executive officer, along with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, NVIDIA has grown from a graphics-focused chipmaker into a broad provider of accelerated computing hardware and software for multiple industries.
The company’s product portfolio spans discrete GPUs for gaming and professional visualization (marketed under the GeForce and NVIDIA RTX lines), high-performance data center accelerators used for AI training and inference (including widely adopted platforms such as the A100 and H100 series), and Tegra SoCs for automotive and edge applications.
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CNBC's Kai Nicol-Schwarz discusses a White House official accusing Chinese AI company Moonshot of accessing advanced Nvidia chips despite an export ban.
Nvidia said on Monday it had formed a coalition with other companies to develop and share tools for AI safety and cybersecurity, days after the Hugging Face incident drew attention to the dangers of losing control of autonomous AI agents.
Waymo (GOOG) faces operational challenges in Austin, incurring $9,325 in parking fines since launching its robotaxi service in 2024. Nvidia (NVDA) will invest $1B for a 4.5% stake in Naver (NHNCF), supporting Naver's AI factory expansion to 200MW by 2028.
Nvidia and a host of tech giants on Monday launched a new artificial intelligence safety initiative focused on open models, as the fallout from a cyberattack committed by rogue OpenAI models continues.
Last week, it emerged that the target of the attack, startup Hugging Face, was unable to use leading U.S. frontier models to defend itself, with guardrails not distinguishing between aggressor and defender. Instead, it turned to a self-hosted, open-weight Chinese model, which was not bound by those same restrictions.
In the wake of U.S. lawmakers increasingly weighing how to curb growing adoption of Chinese AI models, the most advanced of which are open weight, tech giants have launched an initiative aimed at building and sharing open AI tools.
Open models can be downloaded, modified and self-hosted, in contrast to closed models — including frontier systems built by Anthropic and OpenAI — which can only be accessed through specific infrastructure.
"The Open Secure AI Alliance will work to remediate and disclose vulnerabilities using open technologies," Nvidia said in a statement. "The recent Hugging Face security incident delivered a clear reminder: cyber defenders need open, frontier agentic systems for self-defense."
Alongside Nvidia, other members of the alliance include Microsoft, SpaceX, Palantir, and dozens of other tech companies from the U.S. and Europe.
The push to curb Chinese AIThere are growing calls for measures to limit access to models built by Chinese AI companies, which have been accused of campaigns to extract information from U.S. rivals' systems, known as "distillation" — when one model extracts knowledge from a better-trained model.
Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened sanctions on Chinese companies that commit distillation attacks against U.S. companies.
"There is a real possibility the US government does impose restrictions on Chinese models," Chris McGuire, senior fellow for China and emerging technologies, at think tank the Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC.
That could include a ban on transactions involving the models, such as purchasing tokens via an API or U.S. companies hosting the model on the cloud and charging customers for inference, he said.
"In Washington this is not a debate about open-source vs closed-source, it is a debate about whether or not to tolerate Chinese IP theft," McGuire said. "Any actions would be focused on Chinese companies, not the open-source ecosystem."
watch now
But with the majority of the most capable open-source models being built by Chinese companies, there are concerns over restrictions.
Last week, Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta, Palantir and more than 20 other companies released a letter urging policymakers to avoid "premature restrictions" on open-weight AI models that would "stifle competition or drive innovation overseas."
The OpenAI-Hugging Face incident showed a "practical truth," said Nvidia. "When defenders cannot inspect, adapt and run advanced AI on their own infrastructure, their ability to respond is constrained at exactly the moment speed matters most."
Despite $5 trillion proving a difficult valuation to hold for Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) stock through late 2026 and the first half of 2026, ChatGPT’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) estimates that an upsurge to $10 trillion is within reach.
Specifically, the popular AI platform noted the speed and scale of the expansion of investments in infrastructure related to the technology it is itself based on and reflected in particular on the partnerships of blue-chip chipmaker.
Additionally, ChatGPT cited growing beyond a traditional GPU maker in recent years and turning into one of the pivotal players in the industry as additional proof that Nvidia can turn into a $10 trillion company.
Thus, the AI estimated that the semiconductor giant is likely to end 2026 at $5.5 trillion, 2027 at a significantly higher $7.2 trillion, and then soar in earnest starting in 2028 to hit $10 trillion by September 15 of the year.
ChatGPT outlines Nvidia’s path to a $10 trillion market capitalization. Source: Finbold & ChatGPT Why ChatGPT estimates Nvidia valuation will hit $10 trillion in 2028 Simultaneously, ChatGPT explained its timetable by stating that faster growth is unlikely without a major rerating of the company – as was the case after 2022 – and that the overall AI infrastructure sector would have to mature and fully prove its ability to support a firm larger than the GDP of the vast majority of countries.
A soaring above $10 trillion is unlikely to come much later than 2028, however, as the scale of ongoing investments signals compute is widely viewed as a strategic resource and one Nvidia is well-positioned to dominate thanks to the new Vera Rubin hardware.
Meanwhile, OpenAI’s flagship product also warned that, despite being plausible, $10 trillion remains a highly ambitious target, leaving room for it to not be met after all within the foreseeable future.
Why ChatGPT estimates Nvidia valuation will hit $10 trillion in 2028. Source: Finbold & ChatGPT Nvidia stock performance in 2026 Elsewhere, Nvidia stock performance since 2026 started equally indicates that the company remains on the ascendancy, but also that it has already grown sufficiently to reach, at the very least, a glass ceiling.
Nvidia stock price YTD chart. Source: Google NVDA shares began the year at $188.85 and have risen 9.53% to $206.84 since. Between January 2 and July 27, 2025, the semiconductor equity was up 20%. Within the same period in 2024, Nvidia stock soared more than 130%, highlighting just how ambitious the $10 trillion valuation target is.
Featured image via Shutterstock
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The artificial intelligence boom has reshaped more than the technology industry — it has changed how the biggest AI infrastructure projects get funded. Companies are no longer just competing to build the fastest models. They are racing to secure enough computing power to train them, forcing billions of dollars into new data centers and AI chips.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) has been the biggest beneficiary of that spending, but as the cost of AI infrastructure continues climbing, investors are beginning to pay closer attention to who is ultimately paying the bill. A new report suggests Nvidia may once again play a larger role than simply supplying GPUs.
Nvidia’s Role Appears to Be Expanding According to The Wall Street Journal, Nvidia is in talks to support as much as $600 billion of OpenAI-related financing. The proposal could include $250 billion tied to OpenAI’s planned Ohio data center and another $350 billion supporting GPU purchases.
If true, the arrangement would represent a dramatic expansion of Nvidia’s relationship with its largest AI customers. OpenAI already depends on Nvidia’s GPUs to train and run models like ChatGPT. Increasingly, it may also depend on Nvidia to help finance the infrastructure required to buy those chips.
This isn’t the first time such reports have surfaced. Last year, reports suggested Nvidia was considering a financing package approaching $100 billion for OpenAI’s infrastructure ambitions. Those negotiations ultimately produced a much smaller investment than initially reported. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang later indicated media reports overstated the scope of the discussions, explaining the conversations centered around a non-binding memorandum of understanding rather than Nvidia funding the entire project outright.
That history matters because none of the latest reports have been confirmed by Nvidia or OpenAI. Investors should remember that negotiations often evolve — or disappear entirely.
The criticism isn’t new. Nvidia has invested directly in AI startups while partnering with lenders and infrastructure providers to expand AI capacity. Those investments remain tiny compared to Nvidia’s nearly $200 billion in annual revenue and hundreds of billions of dollars in cash generation, but a $600 billion financing package would inevitably attract renewed scrutiny if completed.
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Granted, facilitating financing isn’t uncommon in capital-intensive industries. Aircraft manufacturers, industrial equipment makers, and energy companies have long helped customers secure funding. The difference is the sheer size of today’s AI infrastructure projects.
OpenAI’s Economics Remain the Bigger Question The financing discussion also shines a spotlight on OpenAI itself. Earlier this year, reports indicated OpenAI had reached roughly $2 billion in monthly revenue, an extraordinary growth rate for any software company. Yet multiple reports have also suggested the company continues generating massive operating losses as it spends aggressively on AI infrastructure, talent, and model development.
That creates a delicate balancing act. OpenAI needs ever-larger computing clusters to stay competitive, while Nvidia needs customers capable of purchasing ever-larger quantities of GPUs.
Ironically, that mutual dependence is exactly what makes investors uneasy. If OpenAI requires outside financing to sustain its expansion, skeptics may once again question whether AI chip demand is entirely organic or increasingly supported by creative financing structures.
Key Takeaway In short, investors should treat the reported $600 billion financing discussions with caution until Nvidia or OpenAI confirms the details. Similar reports last year ultimately proved far less sweeping than early headlines suggested.
Regardless, the report underscores a broader trend that matters far more than one rumored transaction: Nvidia is evolving from the world’s dominant AI chip supplier into a central player in financing the AI ecosystem itself. That strategy could deepen customer relationships and protect future GPU demand, but it also invites greater scrutiny over whether demand is being driven by end-market economics or increasingly by the availability of capital.
Ultimately, that distinction may become one of the most important questions surrounding Nvidia’s valuation over the next several years.
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PALO ALTO, Calif. & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NASDAQ: QBTS), (“D-Wave” or the “Company”), the only dual-platform quantum computing company providing both annealing and gate-model systems, software and services, and AT&T (NYSE: T) today announced that AT&T has signed an agreement to expand its use of D-Wave's quantum computing technology and plans to use the technology to address complex optimization challenges across its network operations. AT&T's initial focus i.
As a Netflix (NFLX +1.73%) shareholder for the last 24 years -- yes, two dozen years this October -- I'll be the first to concede that the value of my stake in the leading premium video streaming platform has withered lately. The shares are down more than 40% over the past year, cut nearly in half from the all-time high it notched in June of last year.
I was hoping that its second-quarter results earlier this month would reverse the bearish narrative. I was wrong. The stock went on to plummet 9% in the two trading days following its July 16 financial update. Despite inching higher over three of the four subsequent trading days, Netflix investors are still down 6% since its earnings report. My financial position in holding has weakened, but the same can't be said about my conviction.
Image source: Getty Images.
I was wrong Ahead of Netflix's earnings report, I argued that it was too cheap to ignore. Netflix was trading for 24 times earnings, a historical low outside of the market's short-lived but potent 2022 swoon. Expectations seemed low for the second quarter. I was about to learn that cheap stocks can get cheaper, and low expectations can be undercut by reality.
Netflix did have a challenging second quarter. Revenue came in lighter than its own guidance three months earlier. Guidance was worse. The 11.7% top-line growth that the company is targeting for the current quarter would be its weakest revenue increase in three years. Netflix did come through with a modest beat on the bottom line, but it was a forgotten cherry on top of a melting ice cream sundae.
Netflix stock now carries a P/E ratio of 22. Expectations are understandably even lower now than they were before. It's not a good place to be, but this doesn't have to be where the story ends.
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I might still be right Everything seems so clear in the rearview mirror. Netflix's willingness to pay a premium for Warner Bros. Discovery, chatter about free entry-level tiers in select markets, and analysts' cautionary notes and price target reductions in the days leading up to July 16 were signs of weakness.
Year-over-year revenue is now likely to decelerate for the third consecutive quarter. Netflix testing a return to free-trial subscription offers and exploring a free tier outside of the U.S. should question even the most ardent bull's perception of pricing elasticity. Netflix not posting subscriber or engagement metrics anymore only makes the storm cloud darker.
I still support Netflix here. It remains highly profitable. It continues to grow on both ends of the income statement, now trading for an even more reasonable 18 times next year's earnings target. No other platform comes close to the more than 300 million paying accounts Netflix serves, which gives it content scalability that is difficult to match.
Netflix has sold off before. It has always bounced back, so far. I was wrong about the second quarter. My conviction remains bullish at today's more compelling starting line.
Rick Munarriz has positions in Netflix. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA – Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 1,867 shares of the credit services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $933,000.
Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MA. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 820.0% in the 4th quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 46 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Strive Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Mastercard during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hyposwiss Advisors SA purchased a new position in Mastercard in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. First Pacific Financial grew its stake in Mastercard by 113.8% in the 1st quarter. First Pacific Financial now owns 62 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 54.1% in the 4th quarter. Bay Harbor Wealth Management LLC now owns 57 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.28% of the company’s stock.
Mastercard News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Mastercard this week:
Positive Sentiment: Mastercard expanded its virtual card platform with new security controls, single-API access, and broader embedded payments capabilities, which could support more B2B transaction volume and deepen relationships with banks and businesses. Mastercard Expands Virtual Card Platform with New Security Controls, Embedded Payments Network and Single API Access Positive Sentiment: Mastercard is also pushing into the creator economy with a new business debit card partnership, suggesting continued expansion into newer customer segments and additional payment use cases. Mastercard puts its cards on creators with a new business debit card Positive Sentiment: Wall Street still sees room for earnings growth ahead of Mastercard’s upcoming report, and the stock continues to be viewed as a high-margin “payments-tech” compounder. MasterCard (MA) Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth Neutral Sentiment: Truist trimmed its price target to $554 from $561 but kept a Buy rating, which signals slightly less upside than before without changing the overall bullish stance. Read More Neutral Sentiment: Several articles highlighted Mastercard’s positioning in agentic AI, virtual cards, and the creator economy, but these are largely strategic updates rather than immediate financial catalysts. Sunrate and Mastercard Release White Paper on Agentic AI and the Future of B2B Global Payments Negative Sentiment: Broader market concern around capex spending and the tech sell-off could create some near-term pressure on valuation multiples, even though Mastercard is not a direct AI infrastructure spender. Capex fears trigger biggest Tech sell-off since ‘Liberation Day’ Insider Buying and Selling In other news, insider Sandra A. Arkell sold 200 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $540.00, for a total value of $108,000.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 3,322 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,793,880. This trade represents a 5.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Raj Seshadri sold 1,977 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $529.73, for a total value of $1,047,276.21. Following the transaction, the insider owned 16,429 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,702,934.17. This represents a 10.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,005 shares of company stock worth $3,689,976. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.
Mastercard Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:MA opened at $539.48 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $476.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $508.29 and a 200-day moving average price of $514.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.56. Mastercard Incorporated has a 12 month low of $464.52 and a 12 month high of $601.77.
Mastercard (NYSE:MA – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The credit services provider reported $4.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.41 by $0.19. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.88% and a return on equity of 212.96%. The company had revenue of $8.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.26 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.73 earnings per share. Mastercard’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 19.62 EPS for the current year.
Mastercard Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 9th will be issued a $0.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 9th. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Mastercard’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.14%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $605.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $679.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on Mastercard from $656.00 to $629.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Mastercard in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their target price on shares of Mastercard from $670.00 to $665.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $653.65.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on MA
Mastercard Company Profile (Free Report)
Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments.
Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners.
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Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT – Free Report) by 37.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 19,073 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 5,227 shares during the period. Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd’s holdings in Target were worth $2,312,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in Target during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Jessup Wealth Management Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Target in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Target in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Target during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, MidFirst Bank bought a new position in shares of Target during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. 79.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Insider Buying and Selling at Target In other news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total transaction of $1,258,900.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 45,930 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,782,127.70. This represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.
Target Trading Up 0.1% NYSE TGT opened at $136.85 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.98. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $130.97 and a 200 day simple moving average of $121.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.30. Target Corporation has a one year low of $83.44 and a one year high of $144.40.
Target (NYSE:TGT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The retailer reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.24. The firm had revenue of $25.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.66 billion. Target had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 3.24%.The company’s revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.30 earnings per share. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-8.500 EPS. Research analysts expect that Target Corporation will post 8.35 earnings per share for the current year.
Target Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be issued a dividend of $1.16 per share. This is an increase from Target’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.14. This represents a $4.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 12th. Target’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.24%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts recently commented on the company. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on Target from $148.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 21st. KeyCorp restated a “sector weight” rating on shares of Target in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Piper Sandler restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Target in a research report on Friday, June 12th. DA Davidson boosted their price target on shares of Target from $140.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Target from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Target presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $132.15.
View Our Latest Analysis on Target
Target Profile (Free Report)
Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) is a U.S.-based general merchandise retailer headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company operates a network of full-line and small-format stores across the United States alongside a national e-commerce platform and mobile app. Target’s retail assortment spans apparel, home goods, electronics, groceries and household essentials, plus beauty, baby and pet categories. The firm complements national brands with a portfolio of owned and exclusive labels and partnerships that help differentiate its merchandise assortment.
Target traces its roots to the Dayton Company, founded by George Dayton in 1902; the Target discount chain was launched in 1962 and the parent company later adopted the Target Corporation name.
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Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Invest, is known for her aggressive investment style. Ark Innovation ETF is heavily invested in growth stocks, including Tesla, Tempus AI, and CRISPR Therapeutics. Roughly half of the fund's assets are invested in just 10 companies.
Among the fund's top holdings is Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX -2.85%). The space stock accounts for around 4.5% of the fund's invested assets.
Immediately after its IPO, SpaceX stock soared well above $200. After a sharp correction, however, shares now trade below their initial IPO price of $135 per share.
Wood capitalized on the correction by purchasing more SpaceX stock. According to reports, she purchased $21.3 million in SpaceX stock across multiple funds as the price fell.
What do other Wall Street analysts think of Wood's purchases? As expected, there is a wide range of opinions. But the consensus opinion strongly supports Wood's actions.
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Wall Street thinks SpaceX stock has 111.5% in potential upside SpaceX wasn't shy about projecting its growth potential in its IPO prospectus. "We believe we have identified the largest actionable total addressable market in human history," the company claimed in that document. In all, SpaceX believes its total growth opportunity totals $28.5 trillion.
Compared to SpaceX's current $1.5 trillion market cap, the company's project growth opportunities make shares look like a steal. And apparently, most of Wall Street agrees.
Nearly 30 analysts currently cover the stock, with an average 12-month price target of $243.81 -- roughly 111% above the current stock price. Note, however, that analysts have a wide range of expected outcomes. One analyst has an astounding $800 price target. Another thinks shares are actually a "sell," with a price target of just $115.
If most of Wall Street's estimates prove true, Wood is very wise to load up on more SpaceX shares as their value dips. But why exactly is Wall Street so bullish?
Image source: Getty Images.
More than 90% of SpaceX's claimed total addressable market focuses on a single opportunity: AI. Unsurprisingly, Wall Street projects massive growth from SpaceX's AI division.
Morgan Stanley, for example, believes SpaceX's revenue will jump from $18.7 billion in 2025 to $319 billion by 2030. By 2040, the bank expects companywide revenues to reach $3.3 trillion. Morgan Stanley believes nearly all of this sales growth will be driven by success in its AI division.
Morgan Stanley recently reiterated its $300 price target for SpaceX stock. But investors must understand the context.
First, Morgan Stanley was one of the underwriters for SpaceX's IPO. It's not hard to see why a bank looking to sell one of the biggest IPOs in history is very bullish on the stock. SpaceX remains unprofitable, meaning it will likely raise more capital in the future. Morgan Stanley undoubtedly wants to remain in the mix to handle more of SpaceX's financing needs.
Second, even Morgan Stanley analysts admit that there is a wide range of potential outcomes. While $300 remains its average price target, they bet that SpaceX shares could ultimately settle anywhere between $75 and $600 over the next 12 months.
In short, Wall Street likely applauds Wood's ongoing purchases of SpaceX stock. But there remains significant uncertainty about whether SpaceX will ultimately be a wise investment in the year to come.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Target Hospitality Corp. ("Target Hospitality", "Target" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TH), one of North America's largest providers of vertically integrated modular accommodations and value-added hospitality services, today announced the closing of a new $660 million asset-based revolving credit facility (the "ABL Facility"). The ABL Facility significantly strengthens the Company's liquidity position, extends its debt maturity profile and enhances financial flexibility as Target continues to pursue an active commercial pipeline representing more than 20,000 beds, driven by sustained development activity across high-value end markets.
The ABL Facility replaces Target's previous $175 million senior secured revolving credit facility (the "Previous Facility"), nearly quadrupling the Company's committed borrowing capacity to $660 million, subject to borrowing base availability, to support strategic growth initiatives and general corporate purposes. The ABL Facility has a five-year term maturing in July 2031 and includes an accordion feature providing for up to $190 million of incremental commitments, which could increase total committed borrowing capacity to $850 million, subject to lender commitments, customary conditions, and borrowing base availability.
Borrowings under the new ABL Facility are expected to bear interest at Term SOFR plus 2.25% to 3.00%, depending on the Company's Total Leverage Ratio.
The new ABL Facility represents a reduction in borrowing costs of up to 250 basis points compared to the Previous Facility, meaningfully lowering Target's cost of capital, enhancing expected returns on incremental growth investments, and supporting a disciplined balance sheet.
"The closing of our new ABL Facility marks an important step in the evolution of Target's capital structure," said Jason Vlacich, Chief Financial Officer of Target Hospitality. "This facility significantly increases our committed capacity, extends our debt maturity profile and meaningfully lowers our cost of capital. The size of the commitments extended by both new and existing lenders, and the terms we secured, reflect the durability of our contracted revenue base and confidence in our growth strategy. Combined with internally generated cash flow, this facility provides substantial flexibility to capitalize on the largest commercial pipeline in our history across high-value end markets with durable, long-term demand, while maintaining a disciplined and resilient financial position."
The ABL Facility was arranged by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., acting as Administrative Agent, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., PNC Bank, National Association, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association serving as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners. Morgan Stanley and Huntington Bank served as Documentation Agents. Deutsche Bank AG and First National Bank of Omaha also participated as lenders in the ABL Facility.
Additional details regarding the ABL Facility will be available in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Target Hospitality
Target Hospitality is one of North America's largest providers of vertically integrated specialty rental modular accommodations and full-service value-added hospitality solutions in the United States. Target builds, owns and operates a customized and growing network of communities for a range of end users through a full suite of value-added solutions including premium catering and food services, maintenance, housekeeping, grounds-keeping, concierge, laundry services, logistics, security, recreational facilities services, community management, and community design and construction.
Certain statements made in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: operational, economic, including inflation, political and regulatory risks; our ability to effectively compete in the specialty rental accommodations and hospitality services industry, including growing the Workforce Hospitality Solutions segment; our ability to execute, expand, and manage WHS projects supporting critical mineral development, power generation, and data center infrastructure projects; our ability to achieve margin improvement through the effective servicing of contracts in our WHS segment; effective management, utilization, and performance, of our communities (including workforce hubs); natural disasters and other business disruptions including outbreaks of epidemic or pandemic disease; the duration of any future public health crisis, related economic repercussions and the resulting negative impact to global economic demand; the effect of changes in state building codes on marketing our buildings; changes in demand within a number of key industry end-markets and geographic regions, including natural resources, critical minerals, and data center/AI infrastructure; changes in customer capital spending, project schedules, or end-user demand that may result in delays, non-renewals, or cancellations of contracts, including the contract that is terminable for convenience in the Government segment; our reliance on third party manufacturers, suppliers and service providers; our ability to attract and retain key personnel and maintain workforce availability for specialized hospitality and construction operations; increases in raw material, food, labor or other operating costs; the effect of impairment charges on our operating results; our future operating results fluctuating, failing to match performance or to meet expectations; our exposure to various possible claims and the potential inadequacy of our insurance coverage; unanticipated changes in our tax obligations; our obligations under various laws and regulations, including those applicable to government contracts; the effect of litigation, judgments, orders, regulatory or customer bankruptcy proceedings on our business; our ability to successfully acquire and integrate new operations; global, national or local economic and political developments, including any changes in policy under the current or any future U.S. presidential administrations; federal government budgeting and appropriations; our ability to manage credit risk and collect on our accounts receivable; our ability to fulfill Target Hospitality's public company obligations; cybersecurity threats, incidents, or failures of our management information systems; and risks related to our liquidity, access to capital markets, and obligations under existing or future debt agreements, including compliance with financial covenants. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Investor Contact
Mark Schuck
(832) 702 – 8009
[email protected]
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Ford Motor is expanding its accessory and parts business in an effort to boost profits and better tap into the $53 billion U.S. aftermarket industry.
The automaker is planning to increase its aftermarket products — from exterior detailing and vehicle wraps to performance parts and systems — and have more exclusive moments it's comparing to a "Nike shoe drop," with new and special-edition vehicle models, according to Matt Simpson, Ford Customization's executive director.
"Think like a 'Nike dropping a sneaker' is the vision," Simpson told CNBC during an event at the Michigan International Speedway racetrack here promoting the company's efforts. "We're significantly increasing our investment in this group to bring more choice and to engage customers in this aftersales."
Automakers have long used special-edition vehicles and souped-up models to boost vehicle prices and profits, but Ford says it is methodically taking steps to increase customers' ability to customize vehicles across all price levels.
That includes expanding accessories as well as investing additional resources in Ford Custom Garage, which launched last year as a one-stop shop for customizations from the carmaker.
Ford Custom Garage's first shoe-like "vehicle drop" occurred Monday. It unveiled a sunrise-inspired Ford Bronco SUV that wouldn't be out of place in a new Barbie movie — although the company's designers say they did not have the Mattel toy in mind when developing the vehicle.
The automaker said it will produce 1,000 of the limited-edition Broncos with the Desert Rising package as part of the Ford Custom Garage's new Bronco Horizon Series. The $13,695 package boosts the vehicle's price to $57,350.
Other full packages through the Ford Custom Garage start at thousands of dollars and can run up to $16,000 to $18,000 for some Mustang performance packages and nearly $27,000 for a special performance version of the F-150 pickup truck.
"It is a growth lever for us. It's been a good business for us. We think it can be significantly bigger, hence the investment," Simpson said.
The efforts come as vehicles have grown increasingly more complex and harder for individual owners or non-automaker certified stores to work on in the aftermarket.
CEO Jim Farley came under fire last month after President Donald Trump said Ford and crosstown rival General Motors were supporting legislation to make it harder to keep owners from working on their own vehicles.
Farley later clarified that he thinks customers shouldn't work on cars under warranty since new vehicles require specialty tools. He has touted the automaker's aftermarket business as a major growth opportunity, including by boosting software services in addition to traditional parts and accessories.
Ford has said it is targeting growing its $15 billion high-margin software and physical services revenue — which includes its customization business — by 8% annually through the end of this decade.
"We've never had a Ford showroom as prime for this as we have today," Simpson said. "Bronco, the Mustang, Maverick, the F-Series, this is the most passionate lineup of vehicles that Ford has ever had."
Ford reports 46% of its new vehicle buyers in the U.S. customize their vehicles in some way, with Bronco buyers leading, followed by consumers with Mustang pony cars and pickup trucks.
Simpson declined to disclose exact growth targets for the customization division but said Ford is aiming to increase the number of buyers who opt into those packages as well as the money they're spending on them.
"The more that someone spends on accessories with us, the higher the loyalty is," Simpson said.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association, an auto aftermarket trade association, reports U.S. consumers spent $52.9 billion on vehicle accessories and modifications in 2025.
Unlike when a customer puts parts or accessories onto their vehicle after purchase, Ford is including customizations through its efforts into a new vehicle's warranty. Buyers also have the option to roll the cost of additional parts and packages into their monthly vehicle payments for the purchase or lease of the car, truck or SUV.
"Even with declining sales and unaffordability squeeze, a lot of these accessories, especially the kind of basic, like I want to protect my vehicle, that's margin for the dealer to add in," Simpson said.
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Entropy Technologies LP reduced its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL – Free Report) by 72.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 7,015 shares of the company’s stock after selling 18,230 shares during the quarter. Entropy Technologies LP’s holdings in Royal Caribbean Cruises were worth $1,930,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of RCL. Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC now owns 2,485 shares of the company’s stock worth $693,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC now owns 779 shares of the company’s stock worth $217,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC now owns 1,208 shares of the company’s stock worth $337,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Waterloo Capital L.P. grew its holdings in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Waterloo Capital L.P. now owns 1,191 shares of the company’s stock worth $332,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, REAP Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in Royal Caribbean Cruises by 16.8% during the 4th quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 243 shares of the company’s stock worth $68,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. 87.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes RCL has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research note on Monday, June 1st. They set a “hold” rating and a $304.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Royal Caribbean Cruises from $310.00 to $280.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Royal Caribbean Cruises in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $370.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $410.00 price objective on Royal Caribbean Cruises in a report on Friday, May 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Royal Caribbean Cruises presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $345.05.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on RCL
Royal Caribbean Cruises News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Royal Caribbean Cruises this week:
Positive Sentiment: Analysts say Royal Caribbean heads into Q2 earnings with strong booking demand and improving digital momentum, which could support another solid quarterly result. Should Investors Hold or Fold RCL Stock Ahead of Q2 Earnings? Positive Sentiment: The company recently beat first-quarter expectations, reinforcing the view that Royal Caribbean’s earnings power remains strong even though the stock has lagged broader market gains this year. Should You Buy Royal Caribbean Stock Before July 28? Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street estimate roundups ahead of Q2 earnings are keeping attention on key operating metrics, but these previews are not signaling a major new catalyst by themselves. Curious about Royal Caribbean (RCL) Q2 Performance? Explore Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics Neutral Sentiment: Royal Caribbean’s community-center outreach in Mahahual may help strengthen local government relations, but the stock impact is likely limited in the near term. Royal Caribbean courts Mexican government with community center in Mahahual Negative Sentiment: Some broader consumer-discretionary commentary remains cautious, noting that demand trends across the group have been mixed, which could temper enthusiasm for cruise stocks. 3 Consumer Stocks We Steer Clear Of Negative Sentiment: Citigroup trimmed its price target on Royal Caribbean, which can weigh on sentiment even though the firm still sees upside from current levels. Citigroup Lowers Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) Price Target to $327.00 Royal Caribbean Cruises Trading Down 0.2% NYSE RCL opened at $293.00 on Monday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $289.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $289.19. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has a 12 month low of $232.10 and a 12 month high of $366.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96, a current ratio of 0.20 and a quick ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $78.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.76.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $3.60 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.20 by $0.40. Royal Caribbean Cruises had a net margin of 24.36% and a return on equity of 45.25%. The firm had revenue of $4.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.46 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. Royal Caribbean Cruises’s quarterly revenue was up 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Royal Caribbean Cruises has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 3.830-3.930 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 17.100-17.500 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will post 17.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 2nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 3rd were given a $1.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 3rd. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Royal Caribbean Cruises’s dividend payout ratio is 36.61%.
About Royal Caribbean Cruises (Free Report)
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL), operating as part of the Royal Caribbean Group, is a global cruise company that develops, markets and operates passenger cruise ships. The company operates multiple consumer-facing cruise brands that offer short- and long-duration itineraries and a range of onboard experiences. Its core activities include itineraries and voyage operations, guest services and hospitality, onboard food and beverage, entertainment and recreation programming, and the commercial activities needed to sell and support cruises through both direct and travel‑agent channels.
Royal Caribbean’s ships serve a broad set of geographies worldwide, regularly deploying vessels in the Caribbean, North America (including Alaska), Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
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