Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Credit Acceptance (CACC - Free Report) Headquartered in Southfield, MI, Credit Acceptance Corporation is a credit services company. Founded in 1972, the company operates as a single-segment business, offering financing programs and associated products and services to automobile dealers in the United States. This allows them to sell vehicles to consumers regardless of their credit history.

CACC is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. CACC has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 6% over the past four weeks.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.50 to $47.50 per share. CACC also boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, CACC should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways Hershey's North America Salty Snacks net sales rose 26% year over year to $350.1 million.LesserEvil added 20.4 percentage points to growth, while organic constant-currency sales rose 5.6%.Dot's Pretzels, Reese's Filled Pretzels and Dot's Snack Mix helped lift retail sales and share. The Hershey Company (HSY - Free Report) started 2026 on a strong note in salty snacks, with first-quarter results highlighting growth across both acquired and legacy brands. North America Salty Snacks net sales increased 26% year over year to $350.1 million, reflecting continued consumer demand and successful innovation across the portfolio.

The LesserEvil acquisition contributed approximately 20.4 percentage points to segment growth, while organic constant-currency net sales jumped 5.6%, driven by volume growth of more than five points and roughly flat pricing. Growth extended beyond the acquisition. U.S. salty snacks retail takeaway, excluding LesserEvil, rose 9.8% for the 12-week period ended March 29, 2026, while retail sales increased nearly 10%, contributing to an almost 25-basis-point share gain.

Several brands played a meaningful role in the quarter's performance. Dot’s Pretzels posted a 13% year-over-year increase in retail sales, while Reese’s Filled Pretzels added 130 basis points to pretzel category share. Dot’s Snack Mix also gained traction quickly, capturing more than 200 basis points of snack mix market share during the quarter.

LesserEvil remained a standout contributor, with retail sales surging more than 65%, supported by expanded distribution, and strong trial and repeat purchases. The company plans to further support the brand through additional distribution gains, adjacent category expansion and brand-building investments.

Taken together, the quarter's results point to broad-based strength across Hershey's salty snacks portfolio. While LesserEvil provided a meaningful boost, gains in retail takeaway, market share and brand performance indicate that growth is being supported by multiple drivers across the segment.

HSY Stock Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have risen 7% over the past year against the industry’s decline of 0.1%.

HSY Price Performance Versus Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Hershey trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 19.62, above the industry’s average of 15.28.

HSY’s Valuation Compared to Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hershey’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings per share suggests year-over-year growth of 5.1% and 33.9%, respectively.

Better Ranked Stocks to ConsiderThe Chef's Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , a specialty food distributor serving restaurants, hotels and hospitality customers, sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The Chef's Warehouse’s current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 8.3% and 24.7%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 28.9%, on average.

The Vita Coco Company, Inc.  (COCO - Free Report) is a leading beverage company best known for its Vita Coco brand, with a portfolio that also includes hydration, energy and protein-based beverages. COCO sports a Zacks Rank #1.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vita Coco’s current financial-year sales and earnings calls for year-over-year growth of 21.4% and 47.9%, respectively. COCO delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.7%, on average.

Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR - Free Report) is a global leader in converting food waste and animal by-products into sustainable ingredients and renewable energy products. DAR currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Darling Ingredients’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings suggests a year-over-year increase of 12.3% and 588.2%, respectively. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.

Vertiv Holdings LLC (NYSE:VRT) experienced a significant Power Inflow alert, a key bullish indicator that is closely tracked by traders who value order flow analytics, specifically institutional and retail order flow data.

Understanding the Power Inflow Signal

Order flow analytics analyze real-time buying and selling trends by examining the volume, timing, and order size across both retail and institutional traders. These insights offer a more detailed understanding of price behavior and market sentiment for a stock, allowing the trader or institution to make the most informed decision possible.

VRT Performance

At the time of the Power Inflow, VRT was priced at $344.67. Following the signal:

• Intraday High: $358.54 (+4.02%)

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations, or a solicitation to buy or sell securities. The analysis is based on stock order flow data, but accuracy is not guaranteed. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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In the latest trading session, Vertiv Holdings Co. (VRT - Free Report) closed at $318.32, marking a -11.07% move from the previous day. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.44%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.09%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 2.22%.

Coming into today, shares of the company had gained 9.31% in the past month. In that same time, the Computer and Technology sector gained 0.98%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.08%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Vertiv Holdings Co. in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, Vertiv Holdings Co. is projected to report earnings of $1.42 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 49.47%. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $3.37 billion, indicating a 27.69% upward movement from the same quarter last year.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $6.36 per share and a revenue of $13.73 billion, indicating changes of +51.43% and +34.2%, respectively, from the former year.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Vertiv Holdings Co. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.89% lower. Vertiv Holdings Co. currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Vertiv Holdings Co. has a Forward P/E ratio of 56.27 right now. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 12.82, which means Vertiv Holdings Co. is trading at a premium to the group.

Investors should also note that VRT has a PEG ratio of 1.55 right now. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Computers - IT Services stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.11 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 169, positioning it in the bottom 31% of all 250+ industries.

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

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARWR) today announced that the European Commission (EC) has formally granted marketing authorization for REDEMPLO® (plozasiran), a small interfering RNA (siRNA) medicine, as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS). REDEMPLO is the first and only siRNA medicine authorized by the EC for adults with FCS, diagnosed either by the presence of clinical criteria or genetic testing.

Importantly, the ability to diagnose and treat without requiring a genetic test could enable earlier treatment, which is particularly relevant in rare diseases such as FCS.

Share“FCS drives an elevated risk of recurrent and potentially fatal episodes of acute pancreatitis. Results from the PALISADE study demonstrate that plozasiran can achieve significant and sustained reductions in triglycerides for these patients,” said Professor Børge Nordestgaard, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen and President, European Atherosclerosis Society. “Importantly, the ability to diagnose and treat without requiring a genetic test could enable earlier treatment, which is particularly relevant in rare diseases such as FCS.”

Announcing its recommendation for the approval of REDEMPLO, the European Medicines Agency noted, "Although other authorised medicines can help people with FCS confirmed by genetic testing, REDEMPLO does not require genetic confirmation of the condition, thus providing a treatment option for more adults with FCS and addressing the unmet medical need in these patients."

“Today's approval marks a pivotal moment for people living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome. As a patient myself and having spoken with countless others living with FCS through leading our organization, I know firsthand how devastating the burden of FCS is on every dimension of daily life. The constant uncertainty, the worry, the fear of acute pancreatitis, the chronic pain and fatigue are challenges the FCS community faces every single day, on top of the long and often frustrating journey to receiving a diagnosis,” added Rosa Pérez Jiménez, President of Familial Chylomicronemia Association (Asociación de Quilomicronemia Familiar) Spain. “This new therapeutic option gives renewed hope to patients who have waited far too long to be seen, understood, and treated.”

Harnessing Arrowhead’s proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule (TRiM™) platform, REDEMPLO is designed to suppress production of apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3), a protein produced in the liver that raises triglyceride levels by inhibiting their breakdown and clearance.

“We are pleased to have received EC approval for REDEMPLO as a new treatment option for people living with genetically or clinically confirmed FCS. With this approval secured, we are engaging with relevant national authorities and healthcare communities across the European Union to bring REDEMPLO to people living with FCS as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Christopher Anzalone, Ph.D., President and CEO at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals. “This ongoing cadence of regulatory approvals around the world reflects the strength of our clinical data and the real progress being made across our diverse pipeline of siRNA-based therapies that leverage our proprietary TRiM™ platform.”

EC regulatory approval was supported by clinical data from the Phase 3 PALISADE study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 75 adults with clinically diagnosed or genetically confirmed FCS.1,2 The PALISADE study met its primary endpoint and all multiplicity-controlled key secondary endpoints. In PALISADE, 25 mg REDEMPLO reduced triglycerides by a median of 80% from baseline versus a 17% reduction with placebo. Additionally, the combined doses of 25 mg and 50 mg plozasiran significantly reduced the incidence of acute pancreatitis (odds ratio, 0.169; p=0.0292). The odds of acute pancreatitis were 83% lower in the pooled plozasiran groups compared with the placebo group. The most common adverse reactions were hyperglycaemia (12.8%), headache (6.8%), nausea (4.7%), and injection site reaction (4.7%).1,2

About Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome (FCS)

Familial chylomicronemia syndrome is a severe and rare disease leading to extremely high triglyceride (TG) levels, typically over 10 mmol/L (880 mg/dL). Such severe elevations can lead to various serious signs and symptoms including acute and potentially fatal pancreatitis, chronic abdominal pain, diabetes, hepatic steatosis, and cognitive issues. Currently, there are limited therapeutic options to adequately treat FCS.

About REDEMPLO® (plozasiran)

REDEMPLO (plozasiran) is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, China’s National Medical Products Administration, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, and by the European Commission as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglycerides for adults with FCS. REDEMPLO is the first and only siRNA treatment approved in these countries to be studied in both clinically diagnosed and genetically confirmed patients living with FCS.

REDEMPLO is designed to suppress the production of apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3), a protein produced in the liver that raises triglyceride levels by slowing their breakdown and clearance. By targeting APOC3 with sustained silencing, REDEMPLO delivers significant reductions in triglyceride levels. REDEMPLO is self-administered via subcutaneous injection once every three months.

REDEMPLO has been granted Orphan Medicinal Product Designation by the EMA for the treatment of patients with FCS, and Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Fast Track Designation, and Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of patients with FCS. In December 2025, plozasiran was also granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the U.S. FDA in severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Plozasiran is also being investigated in the SHASTA-3 (NCT06347003), SHASTA-4 (NCT06347016), and SHASTA-5 (NCT06880770) Phase 3 studies in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia and the MUIR-3 (NCT06347133) Phase 3 study in adults with hypertriglyceridemia.

About Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARWR) is a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company developing medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them, harnessing the natural RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism. The company has built a broad portfolio of clinical and commercial RNAi therapeutics through its industry-leading targeted RNAi molecule (TRiM™) platform, which can precisely silence genes in a wide range of cell types, including liver, lung, muscle, adipose, and central nervous system tissue. At Arrowhead, we rapidly advance potential best- and first-in-class RNAi treatments for diseases with significant unmet medical need, because every day matters to the patients we serve.

For more information, please visit www.arrowheadpharma.com, or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @ArrowheadPharma, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. To be added to the Company’s email list and receive news directly, please visit http://ir.arrowheadpharma.com/email-alerts.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act:

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained in this release except for historical information may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “hope,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “could,” “estimate,” “continue,” “target,” “forecast” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections of our future financial performance, trends in our business, expectations for our product pipeline, products or product candidates or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our beliefs and expectations regarding the long-term impacts of REDEMPLO (plozasiran) on patient health and the health care system; our beliefs and expectations regarding the pricing, value, or expected timing for availability of our drugs and drug candidates if approved; and our beliefs and expectations around the potential uses and value of the TRiM™ platform. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors and uncertainties, including the safety and efficacy of our products and product candidates, pricing and reimbursement decisions related to our products if approved, demand for our products, decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof, the duration and impact of regulatory delays in our clinical programs, our ability to finance our operations, the likelihood and timing of the receipt of future milestone and licensing fees, the future success of our scientific studies, the timing for starting and completing clinical trials, rapid technological change in our markets, the enforcement of our intellectual property rights, and the other risks and uncertainties described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. We assume no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances.

References

Watts GF, Rosenson RS, Hegele RA, Goldberg IJ, Gallo A, Mertens A, Baass A, Zhou R, Muhsin M, Hellawell J, et al. Plozasiran for managing persistent chylomicronemia and pancreatitis risk. N Engl J Med. 2024;392:127–137. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2409368 PMID: 39225259.Watts GF, Hegele RA, Rosenson RS et al. Temporal Effects of Plozasiran on Lipids and Lipoproteins in Persistent Chylomicronemia. Circulation. 2025:151(10); 733-736; https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072860 PMID:39549263.Source: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

More News From Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Greensboro, NC, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Children’s Home Society of North Carolina (CHS) is proud to announce that Child-Focused Recruiter Marieli Quintero has been named a 2026 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® Recruiter of the Year by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®.  

Presented during the 2026 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® Summit, the award recognizes an exceptional recruiter whose commitment, innovation, and dedication have helped to find permanent, loving families for children and youth in foster care. Each year, a select group of recipients are chosen from nominees across the United States and Canada. This marks the second time in three years that a CHS recruiter has received the prestigious national honor. 

Since joining CHS in 2022, Quintero has helped youth build lasting connections that lead to permanency. Known for her ability to cultivate trust-based relationships, in the last two years alone she has helped eight youth achieve permanency through adoption or legal guardianship, connected six additional youth to prospective families, and anticipates three more permanency outcomes this summer. 

“Through her work, Marieli empowers children to find their voices and make life-changing decisions rooted in trust, safety, and stability,” said Katrina LeFlore, Child-Focused Recruitment Supervisor at CHS. “She approaches each youth with dedication, compassion, and a deep belief that every child deserves to experience belonging and permanency.” 

Child-Focused Recruitment is an evidence-based approach that helps connect children and youth in foster care, particularly those who have waited the longest for permanency, identify and reconnect with relatives, supportive adults, or adoptive families uniquely suited to their needs. Research by Child Trends shows that children served through this model are up to three times more likely to achieve permanency than those receiving traditional recruitment services.  

“Marieli’s recognition reflects both her extraordinary commitment to the youth she serves and the impact of Child-Focused Recruitment across North Carolina,” said Donna Henderson, Executive Director of Programs, Permanency Support and Education for CHS. “We are thrilled to celebrate her well-deserved honor which reflects the very best of CHS and the mission we work toward every day.” 

CHS serves as North Carolina’s statewide provider of Child-Focused Recruitment, helping youth across all 100 counties build meaningful connections that lead to permanency. In partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® model, last year alone CHS served 762 youth through Child-Focused Recruitment, helping 116 youth match with permanent families. To learn more about CHS and Child-Focused Recruitment, visit CHSNC.org.  

###

About Children’s Home Society of North Carolina   

Children’s Home Society of North Carolina (CHS) works to promote the right of every child to a safe, permanent, and loving family by strengthening families and communities across North Carolina. CHS provides adoption, foster care, family preservation, parenting support, and youth services. A trusted partner for more than 120 years, CHS advances child and family well-being statewide. Learn more at CHSNC.org.  

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® 

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding permanent homes for the more than 130,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas, who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org. 

Marieli Quintero, Child Focused Recruiter Donna Henderson, Executive Director of Programs, Permanency Support and Education

Marieli Quintero, Child Focused Recruiter Children's Home Society of North Carolina Donna Henderson, Executive Director of Programs, Permanency Support and Education Children's Home Society of North Carolina

Wendy's shares surged on Wednesday, fueled by a burst of retail investor enthusiasm that appears disconnected from the fast-food chain's latest executive appointment.

The stock climbed more than 42% on heavy volume at one point after Wendy's disclosed the appointment of former Potbelly executive Steven Cirulis as chief financial officer and chief strategy officer. While management changes can influence investor sentiment, the magnitude of the move suggests other forces may be at play.

Trading was briefly halted by the New York Stock Exchange for volatility shortly after the open. When it resumed, it shot to a high of $8.89 a share. The stock was last up 30%.

Retail traders have increasingly turned their attention to the burger chain after the shares lost roughly half their value over the past 12 months. Wendy's ranked as the second-most mentioned stock across Reddit trading forums over the past 24 hours, according to data tracked by Swaggy Stocks.

Posts circulating on social media have framed Wendy's as a turnaround and recovery play. On WallStreetBets, one post titled "We need to save Wendy's" garnered significant engagement. "We need to save Wendy's before it's too late," the user wrote. Other posts framed the fast-food chain as a beaten-down consumer brand that retail investors could rally behind.

The surge in online attention echoes previous meme stock episodes like GameStop where retail traders piled into struggling companies with elevated bearish bets against them.

That dynamic could be particularly relevant for Wendy's. Roughly 23% of the company's free float is currently sold short, according to S3 Partners, leaving the stock vulnerable to a squeeze if rising prices force bearish investors to cover positions.

Wendy's didn't immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

— CNBC's Nick Wells contributed reporting.

Wendy's shares WEN surged more than 30% in early trading on Wednesday as retail investors piled into the fast-food chain, overshadowing the company's latest executive appointment and reviving memories of the meme-stock frenzy.

The rally came after Wendy's announced the appointment of former Potbelly executive Steven Cirulis as chief financial officer and chief strategy officer.

While management changes can sometimes move stocks, the scale of the gains suggested that retail trading activity was the primary driver.

Heavy buying pushed the burger chain among the most discussed names on social media platforms.

According to data tracked by Swaggy Stocks, Wendy's ranked as the second-most mentioned stock across Reddit trading forums over the past 24 hours.

Posts on WallStreetBets, the forum that helped propel stocks such as GameStop and AMC Entertainment during the 2021 meme-stock boom, appeared to fuel Wednesday's surge.

Retail investors have increasingly turned their attention to Wendy's after the stock lost roughly half of its value over the past year.

Some traders argued that the company offered characteristics lacking in many speculative meme stocks.

They pointed to its profitability, relatively low valuation, and attractive dividend yield as reasons for optimism.

Others focused on the stock's elevated short interest.

According to ORTEX, short interest in Wendy's has reached 34% of its free float as of Wednesday.

Data from S3 Partners showed that roughly 23% of the company's free float was sold short, while overall short interest represented just under 30% of publicly available shares on Wednesday.

Such positioning can create conditions for a short squeeze.

As a stock rises sharply, investors betting against it may be forced to buy shares to close their positions and limit losses.

That buying can drive prices even higher and intensify the rally.

Wednesday's surge appeared to be triggering precisely that dynamic, with buying activity accelerating as shares climbed.

ORTEX co-founder Peter Hillerberg said in a Reuters report that the stock was primed for a "short squeeze," but was not in one yet as most short sellers were still near their entry price and not forced to cover ​their positions due to ​recent share weakness.

"That ⁠only changes if the rally keeps running," he added.

Weak fundamentals remain a challengeThe enthusiasm comes despite deteriorating business performance.

Wendy's shares have fallen 49% over the past year as inflation-weary consumers have cut back on restaurant spending.

The company reported a 5.5% decline in global sales during the first quarter, driven largely by weakness at its existing US restaurants.

Same-store sales in the United States fell 7.8%, worsening from a 2.8% decline a year earlier.

Profit margins also came under pressure as lower customer traffic combined with higher food costs weighed on results.

Although the stock appears inexpensive, trading at about 11 times expected earnings for 2026, analysts forecast revenue growth of less than 1% this year.

Nevertheless, social media users have increasingly portrayed Wendy's as a turnaround and recovery play.

The renewed attention underscores how beaten-down stocks with high short interest can quickly become targets for retail traders searching for the next short-squeeze candidate.

Wendy's (WEN) looks to be the latest stock driven to massive gains in the battle of meme traders and short sellers. Shares of Wendy's soared almost 40% ahead of Wednesday's open, according to MarketSurge.

The stock ticked up modestly on Tuesday after the company appointed former Potbelly executive Steve Cirulis as its new CFO and chief strategy officer. The move reunites Cirulis with Bob Wright, who assumed the chief executive role at Wendy's in May. The two executives held similar titles and worked together on a highly effective turnaround for the Potbelly sandwich chain.

Tuesday's uptick apparently caught the eye of highly engaged retail traders, who operate a "pile-on" strategy in certain stocks wshowing high levels of short sales.

↑ X NOW PLAYING Nasdaq Undercuts Support In AI Sell-Off; Guardant Health, Fortinet, Ezcorp In Focus

Reddit mentions of Wendy's stock on Wednesday ranked second, behind only the semiconductor giant Micron Technology (MU), according to the website Ape Wisdom. That was up from being the 63rd-most mentioned stock 24 hours earlier. The wallstreetbets subreddit was plastered with posts and memes about Wendy's stock.

In the past the wallstreetbets subreddit has been responsible for pumping up the share price of GameStop (GME) and AMC Entertainment (AMC). Stocks spiking due to attention from the wallstreetbets crowd earned the name "meme stock."

Stock Market Today: Dow Holds Steady, FedEx Sells Off

Wendy's Faces Possible Short Squeeze Wednesday's early spike suggested Wendy's was in the midst of a short squeeze. A short squeeze occurs when investors who had bet on the stock to fall are forced to cover their potential losses by buying up the shares they has sold short. That buying further drives up the price.

About 30% of the public float of Wendy's stock was sold short, according to the Nasdaq website. As of May 29, roughly 50.2 million shares of Wendy's were shorted out the total public float of 156.88 million shares, according to data from Yahoo Finance.

A short interest of 30% is extraordinarily high. Generally anything above 15% to 20% is considered elevated. So Wendy's current levels indicate that investors were extremely bearish on the stock before Tuesday's executive news and Wednesday's surge threw a wrench in their plans.

Wendy's stock has struggled for about a year and a half. It has been on a steady decline since it hit a price of 20.60 a share in November 2024, according to MarketSurge. Shares closed Tuesday at 6.25, down about 25% this year. Wednesday morning's rally lifted shares to 8.08, down 3% for the year.

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Many fast food chains have had a rough several years.

Inflationary pressures are prompting consumers to cut back on discretionary spending, which in turn is leading to declining foot traffic. Declining foot traffic puts pressure on profits, which doesn’t do a company’s stock price any favors.

But today, one fast food chain’s stock price is surging. The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is seeing its shares skyrocket a day after the burger chain announced it was yet again hiring an executive who had recently worked at Potbelly Sandwich Works.

And this executive has a deep history with Wendy’s new CEO, too. Here’s what you need to know.

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What’s happened?Yesterday, Wendy’s announced the appointment of a new chief financial officer and chief strategy officer for the company. That officer is Steve Cirulis, who previously held the same two roles at the fast casual sandwich chain Potbelly.

Cirulis will replace Wendy’s most recent CFO, Ken Cook, immediately, while Cook will stay on in an advisory role at the company to help with the transition until departing in July.

Cook himself had previously held a dual role at Wendy’s. Until last month, he was also the interim CEO of Wendy’s, a position he stepped into in February 2024 after Wendy’s previous CEO left to become the CEO of The Hershey Company.

Explore Topicsfast foodmarketsstockswendys

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vontier Corporation (NYSE: VNT), a leading global provider of critical technologies and solutions to connect, manage and scale the mobility ecosystem, today announced the appointment of Cameron Richardson as Group President of its Repair Solutions business segment leading Matco Tools.

Richardson joins Vontier with more than 25 years of global leadership experience, driving large-scale transformation across the automotive aftermarket and retail sectors.

Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Store Operations at NAPA Auto Parts. Richardson led the modernization of more than 6,500 stores, including 4,500 franchise retail locations.

At NAPA, Cameron transformed stores into customer-centric, omni-channel hubs by enhancing merchandising, expanding high-growth categories and enhancing digital capabilities. He strengthened the company’s supply chain efficiency, availability and offerings, positioning NAPA for sustained growth amid evolving automotive demand. These initiatives delivered improved mix, increased foot traffic and basket size, and stronger customer retention, while modernizing NAPA’s offerings in line with shifting marketing needs.

“Cameron has a strong background in the automotive aftermarket industry and a commitment to franchisee success,” said Mark Morelli, CEO of Vontier. “He has a proven track record in building strong, accountable teams across complex organizations. I am confident he will bring that same energy and commitment to Matco’s exceptional community of distributors and technicians.”

“I am incredibly excited to join Matco Tools and become part of such a respected brand with a strong entrepreneurial and customer-focused culture,” said Richardson. “Matco Tools has a proud history, passionate franchisees and a deep connection with technicians across the industry. I look forward to listening, learning and working alongside the team and franchisee network to build on that strong foundation and help position the business for continued growth and success.”

As Group President of Matco Tools, Richardson will focus on supporting franchisees, deepening customer relationships, investing in people and positioning the business for long-term growth and innovation.

About Vontier

Vontier (NYSE: VNT) is a global technology company uniting productivity, automation and multi-energy technologies to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving, more connected mobility ecosystem. Leveraging leading market positions, decades of domain expertise and unparalleled portfolio breadth, Vontier powers the way the world moves - delivering smart, safe and sustainable solutions to our customers and the planet. Vontier has a culture of continuous improvement and innovation worldwide. Additional information about Vontier is available on the Company’s website at www.vontier.com.

About Matco Tools

Since 1979, the mission of Matco Tools has been to provide professional mechanics and auto enthusiasts with all the premium tools, storage and equipment they need to get the job done, while also offering best-in-class service and customer support. The company's network of over 1,900 premier independent mobile distributors is focused on developing and maintaining trust-based relationships with its customers. Ranked among the top 50 in Entrepreneur magazine's 2025 Franchise 500®, the company continues to expand throughout the United States and Canada, adding several hundred mobile stores each year. For more information, please visit www.MatcoTools.com. Matco Tools is a subsidiary of Vontier Corporation. Vontier is a global industrial technology company focused on smarter transportation and mobility.

Key Takeaways AI demand is powering APH, but most revenues still come from non-AI markets.Aerospace, automotive and industrial businesses provide additional growth drivers.CommScope deal expands Amphenol's reach across broadband and data infrastructure. Amphenol Corporation (APH - Free Report) is riding a powerful wave of AI-driven data center spending, but the story goes well beyond AI. The bigger question is whether the company's diverse end markets can keep growth humming when AI demand eventually cools.

Management does not exactly break out AI revenues, but recent results leave little doubt that AI-related IT Datacom demand is doing much of the heavy lifting. First-quarter 2026 sales jumped 58% year over year to $7.6 billion, while orders climbed to $9.4 billion, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.24. The Communications Solutions segment, which houses the IT Datacom business, grew 88% and accounted for roughly 60% of total sales.

That growth has fueled investor enthusiasm, but it has also raised expectations. APH trades at 32.11X forward earnings, above both its five-year median of 29.26X and the industry average of 31.92X.

Still, AI is not the whole story. IT Datacom represented just over 40% of first-quarter sales, meaning a majority of revenues came from other markets. Automotive demand continues to benefit from rising electronic content per vehicle. Commercial aerospace is gaining from higher production at Boeing and Airbus, while defense spending remains healthy. Industrial demand is supported by factory automation and electrification. Meanwhile, the $10.5 billion acquisition of CommScope's Connectivity and Cable Solutions business broadens Amphenol's exposure to broadband and data infrastructure.

These businesses are unlikely to match AI's current pace of growth, but they should help Amphenol continue outgrowing many peers. That makes the company less dependent on AI than the market often assumes, though its premium valuation leaves little room for disappointment.

How Are Peers Diversifying?Among peers, TE Connectivity plc (TEL - Free Report) and Sensata Technologies Holding plc (ST - Free Report) are also pursuing diversification, though with different emphases.

TE Connectivity serves transportation, industrial equipment, aerospace, defense, energy and communications markets, benefiting from long-term trends such as EV adoption, factory automation and grid modernization. Sensata has expanded beyond its traditional base and now operates across automotive, industrials, and aerospace, defense and commercial equipment markets, with growing exposure to electrification, battery management systems and heavy vehicles. Still, both TE Connectivity and Sensata remain more reliant on transportation and industrial demand than APH.

APH’s Price Performance and EstimatesShares of Amphenol have gained 22.8% in the year-to-date period compared with the broader sector’s rise of 20%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amphenol’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $4.76 per share, implying a 42.5% jump from the year-ago period, followed by another 18.1% growth next year.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Oil prices have already started to fall since President Trump signaled the end of the war with Iran. Lower oil prices mean lower costs for companies and an easing of pressure for consumers. However, inflation is still rampant, and the Federal Reserve just made a decision to keep interest rates steady. Although that wasn't unexpected, since it's meant to stem inflation, it could stem economic activity.

Image source: Getty Images.

One place that shows up big is in the housing market. Higher mortgage rates make it more challenging for people to buy homes, and fewer people sell when it's harder to buy, which means there's less supply in the market. Since Opendoor Technologies (OPEN +5.71%) is still building itself up as a company, it has been battered by the high-interest-rate environment, and high rates could continue to plague it.

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Opendoor has undergone drastic changes over the past year. Retail investors banded together to send the stock higher and oust the CEO, and the new CEO has made broad changes across the enterprise, including how its model works and using more artificial intelligence (AI). The company shifted its focus from identifying great deals to procuring excellent homes in high volume, and it's demonstrating progress. It had its highest-ever acquisition contract volume in the 2025 first quarter, and the resale margin has improved every month since September 2025.

The company is making lemons into lemonade, but a prolonged high-interest-rate environment could weigh on its recovery.

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

Amkor Technology (AMKR - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $86.72, demonstrating a -7.3% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 1.44%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.09%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 2.22%.

Heading into today, shares of the chip packaging and test services provider had gained 42.28% over the past month, outpacing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.98% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.08%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Amkor Technology in its upcoming release. On that day, Amkor Technology is projected to report earnings of $0.47 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 113.64%. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $1.8 billion, indicating a 19.31% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

AMKR's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $2.08 per share and revenue of $7.59 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +38.67% and +13.16%, respectively.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Amkor Technology. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. At present, Amkor Technology boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Amkor Technology is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 44.9. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 56.17.

The Electronics - Semiconductors industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 58, putting it in the top 24% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.

Adds downstream aerospace manufacturing to support next-generation engine demand

, /PRNewswire/ -- ATI Inc. (NYSE: ATI) has expanded its advanced manufacturing and inspection capabilities to support growing demand for next-generation aerospace engine components. The new operation strengthens critical capacities within ATI's forging flow path, helping customers address persistent aerospace supply chain constraints.

Fully operational, the state-of-the-art facility in Chihuahua, Mexico integrates advanced machining, nondestructive testing, finishing and quality verification technologies in a single operation. The greenfield build expands ATI's ability to efficiently move critical aerospace components from forging through final inspection, supporting legacy and next-generation engine programs. ATI is working closely with customers to swiftly qualify critical parts and capabilities.

"This investment strengthens a critical part of the aerospace value stream," said Kimberly A. Fields, Board Chair, President and CEO. "As demand for advanced aerospace engines continues to grow, this expanded capacity enables ATI to deliver high-quality products with increased throughput and the differentiated performance our customers need. ATI is improving supply chain resilience to support industry growth."

Providing access to a highly skilled aerospace workforce, the new operation strengthens ATI's integrated aerospace manufacturing network and supports the company's long-term strategy of expanding differentiated capabilities in high-growth aerospace and defense markets. The investment is included in ATI's existing capital expenditure guidance.

ATI: Proven to Perform

ATI (NYSE: ATI) is a global producer of high-performance materials and solutions for the aerospace & defense markets, and specialty energy. We're solving the world's most difficult challenges through materials science. We partner with our customers to deliver extraordinary materials that enable their greatest achievements: their products fly higher and faster, burn hotter, dive deeper, stand stronger and last longer. Our proprietary process technologies, unique customer partnerships and commitment to innovation deliver materials and solutions for today and the evermore challenging environments of tomorrow. We are proven to perform anywhere. ATImaterials.com.

SOURCE ATI

Toast (TOST - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $24.51, demonstrating a +1.03% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.44%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.09%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 2.22%.

Heading into today, shares of the restaurant software provider had gained 4.75% over the past month, outpacing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.98% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.08%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Toast in its upcoming release. The company is expected to report EPS of $0.32, up 33.33% from the prior-year quarter. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $1.87 billion, showing a 20.82% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $1.35 per share and revenue of $7.38 billion. These totals would mark changes of +51.69% and +19.95%, respectively, from last year.

It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Toast. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 1.84% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Toast presently features a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Investors should also note Toast's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 17.94. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 18.

The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 84, positioning it in the top 35% of all 250+ industries.

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

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Federated Hermes, a global leader in active investing, today announced that Kathryn (Katie) Glass, CFA, senior portfolio manager and current co-head of the Federated Hermes Domestic High Yield Group, will become head of the group following the retirement of Mark Durbiano, CFA, effective December 31, 2026, after 44 years with Federated Hermes.

As head of the high-yield group, Glass will draw upon her 29 years of investment experience as she assumes all leadership and investment oversight responsibilities for the team. She has been co-head of the group since February 2025 and has been an integral member of Federated Hermes' domestic high-yield sector for 27 years. Since joining Federated Hermes in 1999, Glass has provided investment management across a range of high-yield investment strategies and offerings spanning mutual funds, collective investment trusts, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), subadvised portfolios and institutional separate accounts.

"Katie brings extensive experience in high-yield investment management and a strong understanding of our range of investment offerings," said John Fisher, Chairman of the Federated Advisory Companies, the Federated Hermes investment advisory subsidiaries. "Her appointment reflects her experience as co-head as well as her long-term demonstrated capabilities in actively managing through multiple market cycles to balance income generation and risk management in high-yield investment portfolios."

"The appointment is part of the successful execution of our long-established investment management succession plan," Fisher said. "Katie will continue Federated Hermes' collaborative investment process, which has produced strong, risk-adjusted results in high-yield strategies."

Glass will manage a deep and experienced high-yield fixed-income team for Federated Hermes' range of high-yield offerings. The 19-person team averages 19 years of industry experience and 16 years at Federated Hermes. The group manages approximately $11 billion in US high-yield fixed income strategies, as part of the firm's $100 billion in fixed-income assets as of March 31, 2026.

Federated Hermes, Inc. (NYSE: FHI) is a global leader in active investment management, with $907.1 billion in assets under management, as of March 31, 2026. We deliver investment solutions that help investors target a broad range of outcomes and provide equity, fixed-income, alternative/private markets, multi-asset and liquidity management strategies to more than 11,000 institutions and intermediaries worldwide. Our clients include corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks and broker/dealers. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Federated Hermes has more than 2,000 employees in London, New York, Boston and offices worldwide. For more information, visit FederatedHermes.com/us.

# # #

Certain statements in this press release, such as those relating to succession plans, retirement date, effective dates, and the ability to maintain investment processes, may constitute forward-looking statements, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of the company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties include the risk factors discussed in the company's annual and quarterly reports as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in each fund's registration statement (e.g., prospectus and statement of additional information). As a result, no assurance can be given as to future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and neither the company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness, or updating, of such statements in the future.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments are subject to risks and fluctuate in value.

Bond prices are sensitive to changes in interest rates, and a rise in interest rates can cause a decline in their prices. High-yield, lower-rated securities generally entail greater market, credit/default and liquidity risks and may be more volatile than investment-grade securities.

For more complete information, visit FederatedHermes.com/us or contact your investment professional for summary prospectuses or prospectuses. You should consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. Information about these and other important subjects is in the fund's summary prospectus or prospectus, which you should read carefully before investing.

Separately managed and institutional separate accounts are made available through Federated Global Investment Management Corp., Federated Investment Counseling, Federated MDTA LLC, Hermes Fund Managers Ireland Limited, Hermes Investment Management Limited, and Hermes GPE LLP, each a registered investment advisor in one or more of the U.S., U.K. or Ireland.

Federated Securities Corp. is Distributor of the Federated Hermes mutual funds and ETFs.

SOURCE Federated Hermes, Inc.

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

Shares of this construction supply company have returned +8.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2% change. The Zacks Building Products - Retail industry, to which Builders FirstSource belongs, has gained 20.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

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

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Builders FirstSource is expected to post earnings of $1.32 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -44.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

The consensus earnings estimate of $4.26 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of -38.2%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.69 indicates a change of +33.5% from what Builders FirstSource is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Builders FirstSource is rated Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

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

12 Month EPS

Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

In the case of Builders FirstSource, the consensus sales estimate of $3.93 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -7.2%. The $14.87 billion and $15.66 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of -2.1% and +5.3%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryBuilders FirstSource reported revenues of $3.29 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -10.1%. EPS of $0.27 for the same period compares with $1.51 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.15 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +4.47%. The EPS surprise was -30.77%.

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

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

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

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

Builders FirstSource is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Builders FirstSource. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.

Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of $1.31 per share, up from $1.19 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Paychex’s quarterly revenue is $1.61 billion. It reported $1.43 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

Ahead of quarterly earnings, Stifel analyst David Grossman maintained a Hold rating on Paychex on June 17 and raised the price target from $105 to $110.

With the recent buzz around Paychex, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends too. As of now, Paychex has an annual dividend yield of 4.85%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of $1.19 per share ($4.76 a year).  

So, how can investors use its dividend yield to pocket a regular $500 per month?

To earn $500 per month or $6,000 annually from dividends alone, you would need an investment of approximately $123,881 or around 1,261 shares. For a more modest $100 per month or $1,200 per year, you would need $24,756 or around 252 shares.

To calculate: Divide the desired annual income ($6,000 or $1,200) by the dividend ($4.76 in this case). So, $6,000 / $4.76 = 1,261 ($500 per month), and $1,200 / $4.76 = 252 shares ($100 per month).

Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.

How that works: The dividend yield is computed by dividing the annual dividend payment by the stock’s current price.

For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and is currently priced at $50, the dividend yield would be 4% ($2/$50). However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield drops to 3.33% ($2/$60). Conversely, if the stock price falls to $40, the dividend yield rises to 5% ($2/$40).

Similarly, changes in the dividend payment can impact the yield. If a company increases its dividend, the yield will also increase, provided the stock price stays the same. Conversely, if the dividend payment decreases, so will the yield.

PAYX Price Action: Shares of Paychex gained 0.7% to close at $98.24 on Thursday.

Image by Tada Images via Shutterstock

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Delivered Strong Double-Digit Revenue and Earnings GrowthExpanded AI Leadership with the Launch of WISE Workforce Intelligence EngineReturned $2.2 Billion to Shareholders in Fiscal 2026
ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paychex (Nasdaq: PAYX), a leading provider of expert-enabled HR, payroll, and benefits, today reported results for the fiscal quarter ended May 31, 2026 (the "fourth quarter") of the fiscal year ended May 31, 2026 ("fiscal 2026"). Results compared to the same period last year were as follows:

  Three months ended      Twelve months ended      May 31,      May 31,    In millions, except per share amounts 2026  2025  Change(2)
 2026  2025  Change(2)Total revenue $1,605.5  $1,427.3   12% $6,512.0  $5,571.7   17%Operating income $604.7  $431.1   40% $2,510.5  $2,207.7   14%Adjusted operating income(1) $675.8  $576.7   17% $2,814.7  $2,370.0   19%Diluted earnings per share $1.17  $0.82   43% $4.89  $4.58   7%Adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) $1.32  $1.19   11% $5.51  $4.98   11%                          (1)  Adjusted operating income and adjusted diluted earnings per share are not United States ("U.S.") generally accepted accounting principle ("GAAP") measures. Please refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release for a discussion of non-GAAP measures.
(2)  Percentage changes are calculated based on unrounded numbers.

“We finished fiscal 2026 with strong momentum, delivering double-digit revenue and earnings growth while accelerating organic revenue growth throughout the year,” stated John Gibson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "These results reflect solid execution against two of our strategic priorities, the successful integration of Paycor to advance our upmarket expansion and AI innovation that further differentiates our HCM and advisory solutions. Our durable business model and strong cash generation enabled us to return $2.2 billion to shareholders this fiscal year while continuing to invest in innovation and future growth."

Gibson continued, “As businesses look for a trusted partner to help them manage increasing work and complexity, we believe Paychex is well positioned to deliver differentiated value through the combination of our AI-driven technology and deep advisory expertise. This quarter, we launched WISE, our AI-powered intelligence engine, across our HCM platforms and internal operations, enabling more proactive, autonomous execution. It leverages patent-pending technology to unlock insights from unstructured data to increase productivity and enhance client outcomes.”

Fourth Quarter Business Highlights

Fourth quarter results reflect a full quarter of revenue and expenses from Paycor HCM, Inc. (“Paycor”), acquired in April 2025, compared to a partial-quarter in the prior-year period.

Total revenue increased to $1.6 billion for the fourth quarter, representing growth of 12% over the prior year period. Highlights compared to the prior year period include:

Management Solutions revenue increased 14% to $1.2 billion for the fourth quarter. Paycor, acquired in April 2025, contributed approximately 8% to Management Solutions revenue growth year-over-year. Management Solutions revenue increased due to the following:

Higher product penetration and growth in client worksite employees for Human Resources ("HR") Solutions; andPrice realization and higher revenue per client driven by Paycor's upmarket client base. Professional Employer Organization ("PEO") and Insurance Solutions revenue increased 9% to $369.7 million for the fourth quarter, primarily due to the following:

Growth in the number of average PEO worksite employees; andIncrease in PEO insurance revenues. Interest on funds held for clients increased 15% to $52.2 million for the fourth quarter due to higher average investment balances resulting from the acquisition of Paycor.

Total expenses were relatively flat for the fourth quarter, primarily impacted by the following:

Increases in compensation-related expenses and amortization of intangible assets, primarily driven by the acquisition of Paycor; andHigher technology, selling, and marketing investments driven by the acquisition of Paycor and continued investments in our strategic priorities; offset byLower acquisition-related compensation and other acquisition-related costs, primarily consisting of professional service fees.
Operating income increased 40% to $604.7 million for the fourth quarter. The increase in operating income primarily reflected revenue growth and lower acquisition-related costs compared to the prior year period. Adjusted operating income(1), which excludes acquisition-related costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, grew 17% to $675.8 million for the fourth quarter. Operating margin (operating income as a percentage of total revenue) was 37.7% for the fourth quarter compared to 30.2% for the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin(1) (adjusted operating income as a percentage of total revenue) was 42.1% for the fourth quarter compared to 40.4% for the prior year period.

Interest expense increased $1.0 million to $64.7 million for the fourth quarter, primarily due to the issuance of incremental debt in April 2025 to finance the acquisition of Paycor. The prior-year period also included acquisition-related financing costs.

Other income, net, decreased $7.7 million to $14.2 million for the fourth quarter, primarily as a result of lower average investment balances on our corporate investments resulting from the repayment of the Company's long-term private placement debt, Senior Notes, Series A, which matured in March 2026, and higher share repurchases in fiscal 2026.

Our effective income tax rate was 24.1% for the fourth quarter and 23.7% for the prior year period. Both periods were affected by the recognition of discrete tax impacts related to employee stock-based compensation payments.

Diluted earnings per share increased 43% to $1.17 per share and adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) increased 11% to $1.32 per share for the fourth quarter.

Fiscal Year Business Highlights

Highlights for fiscal 2026 as compared to the corresponding prior year period are as follows:

Total revenue increased 17% to $6.5 billion.Operating income increased 14% to $2.5 billion and adjusted operating income(1) increased 19% to $2.8 billion.Operating margin was 38.6% for the fiscal year compared to 39.6% for the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin(1) was 43.2% for the fiscal year compared to 42.5% for the prior year period.Diluted earnings per share increased 7% to $4.89 per share. Adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) increased 11% to $5.51 per share. Financial Position and Liquidity

Our financial position and cash flow generation remained strong during fiscal 2026. As of May 31, 2026, we had:

Cash, restricted cash, and total corporate investments of $1.2 billion.Short-term and long-term borrowings, net of debt issuance costs, of $4.6 billion.Cash flow from operations was $2.6 billion for the fiscal year.
Return to Stockholders During Fiscal 2026

Paid cumulative dividends of $4.43 per share totaling $1.6 billion.Repurchased 5.6 million shares of our common stock for $611.0 million. Business Outlook

Our outlook for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2027 ("fiscal 2027") reflects current assumptions and market conditions. Changes in the macroeconomic environment could alter our guidance. Our updated business outlook is as follows:

Total revenue is anticipated to grow in the range of 5% to 6%.Management Solutions revenue is anticipated to grow in the range of 5% to 6%.PEO and Insurance Solutions revenue is anticipated to grow in the range of 6% to 7%.Interest on funds held for clients is expected to be in the range of $195 million to $205 million.Adjusted operating margin(1) is anticipated to be approximately 44%.The effective income tax rate for fiscal 2027 is anticipated to be approximately 24%.Adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) is anticipated to grow in the range of 7% to 9%.
(1) Adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, and adjusted diluted earnings per share are not U.S. GAAP measures. Please refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release for a discussion of non-GAAP measures. Forward-looking adjusted operating margin and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude acquisition-related costs.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

  Three months ended     Twelve months ended      May 31,     May 31,    $ in millions, except per share amounts 2026  2025  Change 2026  2025  ChangeOperating income $604.7  $431.1   40% $2,510.5  $2,207.7   14%Non-GAAP adjustments:                      Acquisition-related costs(1)  71.1   145.6      304.2   162.3    Adjusted operating income $675.8  $576.7   17% $2,814.7  $2,370.0   19%Adjusted operating margin  42.1%  40.4%     43.2%  42.5%                          Net income $420.6  $297.2   41% $1,760.1  $1,657.3   6%Non-GAAP adjustments:                      Acquisition-related costs(1)  71.1   166.4      304.2   196.3    Income tax benefit for acquisition-related costs  (17.1)  (33.3)     (73.3)  (40.6)   Discrete tax shortfall/(windfall) related to employee stock-based compensation payments(2)  0.0   (0.7)     (6.2)  (10.1)   Adjusted net income $474.6  $429.6   10% $1,984.8  $1,802.9   10%                       Diluted earnings per share(3) $1.17  $0.82   43% $4.89  $4.58   7%Non-GAAP adjustments:                      Acquisition-related costs(1)  0.20   0.46      0.84   0.54    Income tax benefit for acquisition-related costs  (0.05)  (0.09)     (0.20)  (0.11)   Discrete tax shortfall/(windfall) related to employee stock-based compensation payments(2)  0.00   (0.00)     (0.02)  (0.03)   Adjusted diluted earnings per share $1.32  $1.19   11% $5.51  $4.98   11%                       Net income $420.6  $297.2   41% $1,760.1  $1,657.3   6%Non-GAAP adjustments:                      Interest expense  64.7   63.7      269.5   105.4    Interest income on corporate investments  (13.0)  (20.5)     (63.4)  (72.8)   Income taxes  133.6   92.1      550.8   518.6    Depreciation and amortization expense  113.2   85.7      442.6   209.5    EBITDA $719.1  $518.2   39% $2,959.6  $2,418.0   22%Non-GAAP adjustments:                      Acquisition-related costs(1)  10.6   104.9      62.2   121.6    Adjusted EBITDA $729.7  $623.1   17% $3,021.8  $2,539.6   19%                          (1)  Acquisition-related costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses include:

$60.5 million for the fourth quarter and $242.0 million for the twelve months compared to $40.7 million for both corresponding prior-year periods, in amortization of intangibles acquired in the acquisition of Paycor,$10.4 million for the fourth quarter and $52.1 million for the twelve months compared to $70.8 million for both corresponding prior-year periods, in compensation costs related to the acquisition and integration of Paycor, including replacement awards, severance and retention bonuses, and$0.2 million for the fourth quarter and $10.1 million for the twelve months compared to $34.1 million and $50.8 million for corresponding prior-year periods, respectively, in other acquisition-related costs primarily consisting of professional service fees. In addition, acquisition-related costs for the three and twelve months ended May 31, 2025 include $20.8 million and $34.0 million, respectively, reflecting the amortization of financing fees related to debt instruments associated with the financing of the Paycor acquisition and the excluded component of the initial fair value of the interest rate swaption contracts that are included in Interest expense in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income.

(2)  Net tax shortfall/(windfall) related to employee stock-based compensation payments recognized in income taxes. This item is subject to volatility and will vary based on employee decisions on exercising employee stock options and fluctuations in our stock price, neither of which is within the control of management.

(3)  The calculation of the impact of non-GAAP adjustments on diluted earnings per share is performed on each line independently. The table may not add down by +/- $0.01 due to rounding.

In addition to reporting operating income, operating margin, net income, and diluted earnings per share, which are U.S. GAAP measures, we present adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA"), and adjusted EBITDA which are non-GAAP measures. We believe these additional measures are indicators of the performance of our core business operations period over period. Adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA are not calculated through the application of U.S. GAAP and are not required forms of disclosure by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As such, they should not be considered a substitute for the U.S. GAAP measures of operating income, operating margin, net income, and diluted earnings per share, and, therefore, they should not be used in isolation but in conjunction with the U.S. GAAP measures. The use of any non-GAAP measure may produce results that vary from the U.S. GAAP measure and may not be comparable to a similarly defined non-GAAP measure used by other companies.

Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Form 10-K")

We anticipate filing our Form 10-K before the end of July 2026. Once filed, the report will be accessible via our Investor Relations portal at https://investor.paychex.com. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Form 10-K and the related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in that Form 10-K.

Webcast Details

The Company will host an Earnings Conference Call on June 24, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, to discuss these results. The live webcast will be available for replay on our Investor Relations portal at https://investor.paychex.com, where news releases, current financial information, and investor presentations are also accessible.

Contacts

Investor Relations:Media Relations:Rachel WhiteTracy VolkmannHead of Investor RelationsManager, Public Relations(513) 954-7388(585) [email protected]@paychex.com   About Paychex

Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) provides a comprehensive suite of expert-enabled technology and advisory solutions that help businesses manage HR, payroll, and benefits. Serving approximately 800,000 clients and paying 1 in 11 U.S. private sector workers, Paychex combines scale, trusted expertise, and innovation to help businesses succeed. Built on more than 50 years of workforce experience and one of the industry’s largest proprietary HR datasets, Paychex’s WISE agentic AI platform embeds intelligence directly into workflows to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and deliver better outcomes. Learn more at paychex.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain written statements in this press release may contain, and members of management may from time to time make or discuss statements which constitute, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by such words and phrases as "expect," "outlook," "will," "guidance," "projections," "strategy," "anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "future," "may," "possible," "potential," "should," "see," and other similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all matters that are not historical facts. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding operating performance, events, or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to our outlook, revenue growth, earnings, earnings-per-share growth, and similar projections.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to known and unknown uncertainties, risks, changes in circumstances, and other factors that are difficult to predict, many of which are outside our control. Our actual performance and outcomes, including without limitation, our actual results and financial condition, may differ materially from those indicated in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

our ability to keep pace with changes in technology or provide timely enhancements to our solutions and support;risks related to our use of artificial intelligence ("AI") and new technologies in our business;software defects, undetected errors, and development delays for our solutions;the possibility of cyberattacks, security vulnerabilities or Internet disruptions, including data security and privacy leaks, and data loss and business interruptions;the possibility of failure of our business continuity plan during a catastrophic event;the failure of third-party service providers to perform their functions;the possibility that we may be exposed to additional risks related to our co-employment relationship with our PEO business;changes in health insurance and workers’ compensation insurance rates and underlying claim trends;risks related to acquisitions and the integration and performance of the businesses we acquire;our clients’ failure to reimburse us for payments made by us on their behalf;the effect of changes in government regulations mandating the amount of tax withheld or the timing of remittances;our failure to comply with covenants in our corporate bonds and debt agreements;changes in our credit ratings;changes in governmental regulations, laws, and policies;our ability to comply with U.S., state, and foreign laws and regulations;our compliance with data privacy and AI laws and regulations;our failure to protect our intellectual property rights;potential outcomes related to pending or future litigation matters;the impact of macroeconomic factors on the U.S. and global economy, and in particular on our small- and medium-sized business clients;volatility in the political, market, and economic environment, including inflation and interest rate changes;our ability to attract and retain qualified people; andthe possible effects of negative publicity on our reputation and the value of our brand. Any of these factors, as well as such other factors as discussed in our SEC filings, could cause our actual results to differ materially from our anticipated results. The information provided in this document is based upon the facts and circumstances known as of the date of this press release, and any forward-looking statements made by us in this document speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements after the date of issuance of this press release to reflect events or circumstances after such date, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

PAYCHEX, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)
(In millions, except per share amounts)               Three months ended     Twelve months ended      May 31,     May 31,      2026  2025  Change(2) 2026  2025  Change(2)Revenue:                      Management Solutions $1,183.6  $1,041.8   14% $4,867.9  $4,067.1   20%PEO and Insurance Solutions  369.7   340.3   9%  1,433.2   1,342.9   7%Total service revenue  1,553.3   1,382.1   12%  6,301.1   5,410.0   16%Interest on funds held for clients(1)  52.2   45.2   15%  210.9   161.7   30%Total revenue  1,605.5   1,427.3   12%  6,512.0   5,571.7   17%Expenses:                      Cost of service revenue  417.3   393.9   6%  1,674.5   1,540.4   9%Selling, general and administrative expenses  583.5   602.3   (3)%  2,327.0   1,823.6   28%Total expenses  1,000.8   996.2   0%  4,001.5   3,364.0   19%Operating income  604.7   431.1   40%  2,510.5   2,207.7   14%Interest expense  (64.7)  (63.7) n/m   (269.5)  (105.4) n/m Other income, net(1)  14.2   21.9   (35)%  69.9   73.6   (5)%Income before income taxes  554.2   389.3   42%  2,310.9   2,175.9   6%Income taxes  133.6   92.1   45%  550.8   518.6   6%Net income $420.6  $297.2   41% $1,760.1  $1,657.3   6%                       Basic earnings per share $1.18  $0.82   44% $4.90  $4.60   7%Diluted earnings per share $1.17  $0.82   43% $4.89  $4.58   7%Weighted-average common shares outstanding  357.6   360.3      358.9   360.2    Weighted-average common shares outstanding, assuming dilution  358.2   362.3      360.0   362.0                            (1)  Further information on interest on funds held for clients and other income, net, and the short- and long-term effects of changing interest rates can be found in our filings with the SEC, including our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as applicable, under the caption "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and subheadings "Results of Operations" and "Market Risk Factors." These filings are accessible at https://investor.paychex.com.
(2)  Percentage changes are calculated based on unrounded numbers.

n/m – not meaningful

PAYCHEX, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
(In millions, except per share amounts)
  May 31,   2026  2025 ASSETS        Cash and cash equivalents $1,088.2  $1,628.6 Restricted cash  52.8   47.9 Corporate investments  36.3   34.5 Interest receivable  36.1   27.9 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses  1,507.6   1,330.5 PEO unbilled receivables, net of advance collections  664.2   616.6 Prepaid income taxes  11.2   38.9 Prepaid expenses and other current assets  384.7   378.3 Current assets before funds held for clients  3,781.1   4,103.2 Funds held for clients  4,832.2   4,813.3 Total current assets  8,613.3   8,916.5 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation  588.9   511.5 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net of accumulated amortization  63.9   63.8 Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization  1,684.0   1,947.3 Goodwill  4,527.4   4,514.1 Long-term deferred costs  555.8   482.4 Other long-term assets  141.2   128.5 Total assets $16,174.5  $16,564.1          LIABILITIES        Accounts payable $154.8  $129.8 Accrued corporate compensation and related items  162.1   183.9 Accrued worksite employee compensation and related items  844.8   735.8 Short-term debt  —   18.6 Long-term debt, net, current portion  —   399.8 Accrued income taxes  87.8   — Deferred revenue  69.4   69.4 Other current liabilities  637.1   552.0 Current liabilities before client fund obligations  1,956.0   2,089.3 Client fund obligations  4,884.6   4,867.0 Total current liabilities  6,840.6   6,956.3 Accrued income taxes  140.5   119.0 Deferred income taxes  543.3   444.7 Long-term debt, net  4,556.1   4,548.4 Operating lease liabilities  52.2   55.5 Other long-term liabilities  306.7   312.2 Total liabilities  12,439.4   12,436.1          STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY        Common stock, $0.01 par value; Authorized: 600.0 shares;
Issued and outstanding: 355.6 shares as of May 31, 2026
and 360.5 shares as of May 31, 2025  3.6   3.6 Additional paid-in capital  1,975.6   1,901.1 Retained earnings  1,805.8   2,277.0 Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (49.9)  (53.7)Total stockholders’ equity  3,735.1   4,128.0 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $16,174.5  $16,564.1  PAYCHEX, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(In millions)
      Twelve months ended   May 31,   2026  2025 OPERATING ACTIVITIES        Net income $1,760.1  $1,657.3 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:        Depreciation and amortization  442.6   209.5 Amortization of discounts and premiums on available-for-sale securities, net  (7.6)  23.4 Amortization of deferred contract costs  249.2   236.5 Stock-based compensation costs  96.1   111.8 Provision for/(Benefit from) deferred income taxes  103.7   (15.8)Provision for allowance for credit losses  38.1   24.2 Net realized (gains)/losses on sales of available-for-sale securities  (7.6)  0.4 Net realized losses on disposal of assets  6.2   3.7 Premiums paid on cash flow hedges  —   (19.2)Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        Interest receivable  (8.2)  (3.8)Accounts receivable and PEO unbilled receivables, net  (105.8)  (130.7)Prepaid expenses and other current assets  40.0   (12.0)Accounts payable and other current liabilities  291.4   42.3 Deferred costs  (342.5)  (246.5)Net change in other long-term assets and liabilities  3.9   21.9 Net change in operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities  (2.9)  (2.1)Net cash provided by operating activities  2,556.7   1,900.9 INVESTING ACTIVITIES        Purchases of available-for-sale securities  (12,226.2)  (14,302.9)Proceeds from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities  11,517.6   14,292.5 Net change in purchased receivables  (166.1)  (157.3)Purchases of property and equipment  (234.9)  (191.8)Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired  (0.4)  (2,967.5)Purchases of other assets  (42.4)  (29.8)Net cash used in investing activities  (1,152.4)  (3,356.8)FINANCING ACTIVITIES        Net change in client fund obligations  17.6   (290.7)Net proceeds from short-term borrowings  (18.8)  — Payments on long-term debt  (400.0)  — Proceeds from the issuance of corporate bonds  —   4,180.9 Dividends paid  (1,589.6)  (1,448.5)Repurchases of common shares  (611.0)  (104.5)Debt issuance costs  —   (47.8)Activity related to equity-based plans  (52.0)  3.8 Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities  (2,653.8)  2,293.2 Net change in cash, restricted cash, and equivalents  (1,249.5)  837.3 Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents, beginning of fiscal year  2,734.3   1,897.0 Cash, restricted cash, and equivalents, end of fiscal year $1,484.8  $2,734.3          Reconciliation of cash, restricted cash and equivalents        Cash and cash equivalents $1,088.2  $1,628.6 Restricted cash  52.8   47.9 Restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents included in funds held for clients  343.8   1,057.8 Total cash, restricted cash, and equivalents $1,484.8   $2,734.3 

For the quarter ended May 2026, Paychex (PAYX - Free Report) reported revenue of $1.61 billion, up 12.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.32, compared to $1.19 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.22% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.6 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.31, the EPS surprise was +0.63%.

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

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

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

Average interest rates earned (exclusive of net realized gains) - Funds held for clients: 3.5% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 3.4%.Average investment Balance - Corporate cash equivalents and investments: $1.46 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $2.03 billion.Average investment Balance - Funds held for clients: $5.85 billion compared to the $4.97 billion average estimate based on three analysts.Average interest rates earned (exclusive of net realized gains) - Corporate cash equivalents and investments: 3.6% versus the three-analyst average estimate of 3.4%.Revenue- Management Solutions: $1.18 billion compared to the $1.19 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +13.6% year over year.Revenue- Interest on funds held for clients: $52.2 million compared to the $47.49 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.5% year over year.Revenue- Total service revenue: $1.55 billion versus $1.55 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +12.4% change.Revenue- PEO and Insurance Solutions: $369.7 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $361.05 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +8.6%.View all Key Company Metrics for Paychex here>>>

Shares of Paychex have returned +3.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

U.S. oilfield services firm Baker Hughes has offered remedies in an ​effort to secure EU antitrust approval ‌for its $13.6 billion acquisition of Chart Industries , a European Commission filing showed on Monday.

Collaboration aims to remove historical hurdles to scaling geothermal energy, targets installation of up to 500 megawatts of power in the next five yearsProjects will utilize Baker Hughes’ integrated portfolio of scalable, lower-carbon energy solutions HOUSTON and LONDON, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR), an energy technology company, and Mantle Reach Power, a dedicated geothermal development company backed by EnCap Energy Transition Fund III, announced Wednesday a new commercial agreement to facilitate the economically viable, financially sustainable large-scale deployment of geothermal energy in North America.

The agreement underscores the parties’ shared commitment to advance the next generation of clean and reliable baseload power needed to meet the demand driven by electrification and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and hyperscale computing – which require reliable, around-the-clock energy.

Under this pioneer arrangement, Baker Hughes will act as an integrated subsurface solution provider, while Mantle Reach Power – drawing on EnCap’s deep bench of power and E&P expertise – will lead project development, ownership and financing. One of the most experienced energy investment platforms in North America, EnCap Investments has approximately $47 billion raised across 25 institutional funds. By combining Baker Hughes’ integrated subsurface and surface technologies with Mantle Reach Power’s geothermal development capabilities, the collaboration aims to dramatically accelerate project development and execution, optimize risk allocation, and materially enhance pre-construction bankability – historically one of the most significant barriers to scaling geothermal energy.

The phased structure of the agreement integrates advanced technologies applicable to geothermal development, construction and operation, and supports the delivery of secure and renewable energy capacity. As the projects materialize, Baker Hughes anticipates it will provide its comprehensive portfolio of subsurface technologies, surface power generation and digital solutions to help de-risk, build and deliver up to 500MW of installed capacity, providing geothermal energy at an industrial scale and on competitive terms.

“Geothermal is a clean power solution that is proving to be a vital contributor to advancing sustainable energy development, with incredible potential to enhance U.S. energy security, support digital infrastructure, and ensure energy remains accessible and affordable. We are proud that Baker Hughes’ integrated portfolio can help de-risk and deliver the technology and solutions required to provide reliable, affordable and clean energy,” said Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. “Today’s announcement celebrates the commercial architecture the industry has been missing: a repeatable, financeable model that can be deployed at the speed and scale to meet global energy demands.”

“By aligning development capital, project finance expertise, and world-class technology, this collaboration addresses the fundamental challenges that have prevented large amounts of private capital from participating in geothermal deployment,” said Tim Rebhorn, Managing Partner, EnCap Energy Transition. “Together, we are creating a scalable model capable of delivering clean, firm power to the markets that need it most.”

“Integrating Baker Hughes’ subsurface-to-surface expertise with our capabilities in project development, finance, and execution positions Mantle Reach Power to commercialize geothermal assets at scale,” said Nick Karambelas, CEO of Mantle Reach Power. “This structure provides the construction and operating certainty necessary to access conventional project financing and accelerate our growth as an independent power producer.”

About Baker Hughes
Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

About EnCap Investments
Since 1988, EnCap Investments has been a leading provider of growth capital to the independent sector of the U.S. energy industry. The firm has raised 25 institutional investment funds totaling approximately $47 billion and currently manages capital on behalf of more than 350 U.S. and international investors. Founded in 2019, the EnCap Energy Transition platform is led by three Managing Partners, each with 30-35 years of experience in the development and operations of renewables and power generation. For more information, see encapinvestments.com.

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Mantle Reach Power is an independent power producer that develops, owns, and operates geothermal power projects across North America. The company is advancing a scalable, financeable portfolio to deliver clean, firm power to the grid. Mantle Reach Power is a portfolio company of EnCap Energy Transition Fund III.

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Vancouver, BC, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trident Resources Corp. (TSXV: ROCK) (OTCQB: TRDTF) (Frankfurt: 6BP0) (“Trident” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce inaugural assay results from eleven diamond drill holes completed during the 2026 winter drill program at the Preview South West Deposit, part of the Company's Contact Lake Gold Project in northern Saskatchewan. Preview Southwest is a cornerstone asset and target area within Trident's emerging district-scale exploration strategy in the La Ronge Gold Belt, one of Canada's up and coming premier mining jurisdictions. Together with the Contact Lake Deposit and several additional prospective target areas within a defined structural corridor, Preview Southwest forms part of a growing regional portfolio of deposits and targets that demonstrate the potential for significant resource expansion and new discoveries.

Trident’s Regional Project Location Map:
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/projects/contact-lake-gold-project/#&gid=1&pid=1

The results reported today highlight the opportunity to further define and expand mineralization at Preview Southwest while advancing Trident's broader objective of building a substantial gold camp within the La Ronge Gold Belt. These initial results reinforce management's confidence in the growth potential of both the Preview Southwest Deposit and the Company's other key assets within the broader regional land package, including the Preview North, North Lake, and Greywacke gold deposits.

Contact Lake Gold Property Map:
http://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/maps/contact-lake-property-map.jpg

Highlights:

Hole PR26004 returned 1.32 g/t gold (Au) over 132.0m from 22.00m      including 2.85 g/t Au over 40.32m from 22.00m     including 101.00 g/t Au over 1.00m from 37.00m Hole PR26006 returned 1.53 g/t Au over 51.00m from 275.00m      including 2.75 g/t Au over 24.72m from 284.88m Hole PR26007 returned 1.08 g/t Au over 77.59m from 120.91m The Preview Trend represents a string of mineralized bodies within a localized trend, with mineralization located close to surface; the Company intends to test the potential for additional mineralization along strike The summer 2026 drill program has recently commenced and will continue into the fall with an anticipated +20,000m of additional drilling “The Preview Southwest results announced today represent the first holes drilled by Trident at the target area and mark a pivotal milestone in our pursuit to unlock the full value of the La Ronge Gold Belt,” stated Jonathan Wiesblatt, CEO of Trident Resources. “Preview is not just an exploration target; it is one of several cornerstone assets in a district-scale structural play that we believe has the potential to expand our existing mineral resource base. The continuity and consistency we are seeing at Preview SW, combined with the clear geological link to the high-grade Contact Lake mineralizing system, reinforces our conviction that there is substantial high-value resource growth ahead across our property package. Building on very successful fall 2025 and winter 2026 drill campaigns, we have launched a +20,000 metre summer drilling program at the Contact Lake Gold Project, with a primary focus on expanding the Contact Lake deposit while also growing the Preview SW deposit. With approximately $26 million in cash on our balance sheet, Trident is well funded to execute aggressively on this program and to continue converting our exploration success into high-value gold ounces for our shareholders.”

Summary of Drilling:

The Preview Trend spans over 7.0km and hosts the Preview SW and Preview North deposits in addition to five other distinct gold-bearing zones. Preview SW and Preview North host current Mineral Resource Estimates that together contain over 350,000 oz Au in the Indicated category and 540,000 oz Au in the Inferred category (see Trident news release November 24, 2025). The Preview SW deposit is located 2.5km SE of the Contact Lake deposit and past producing mine within in a parallel shear zone. Though currently being advanced as a lower-grade, bulk-tonnage deposit, high-grade mineralization has been encountered historically in drilling, with previous operators reporting 633.61 g/t Au over 4.08m, including 1,123.25 g/t Au over 2.30m including 4279.00 g/t Au over 0.6m (Comstock Resources news release March 4, 2013)*.

*The drill results reported above are historical in nature and were completed by previous operators on the property. A Qualified Person (QP) has not completed sufficient work to verify these historical drilling results, as the original core, assay certificates, split samples, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocols from these programs are either partially unavailable or have not yet been fully audited. Accordingly, these historical results are unverified and should not be relied upon.

Mineralization along the Preview Trend is interpreted to be directly related to the mineralizing system at the nearby Contact Lake deposit, reinforcing the Company’s view that the entire La Ronge Gold Belt corridor represents a cohesive, district-scale structural play with substantial high-value gold ounce growth potential. 

Trident’s inaugural drill program at Preview SW was a follow-up to the current MRE that was completed in November 2025. (Trident Resources Corp. - News)

Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimate

Class.DepositIn Situ Tonnage and GradeAu MetalTonnageAu(ktonnes)(gpt)(kOz)IndicatedNorth Lake16,4100.89469.7Preview SW6,3691.537314.7Preview North9331.35940.8Greywacke1,0212.17471.4Total24,7331.127896.5InferredNorth Lake20,6660.724481.3Preview SW14,8311.115531.9Preview North3660.6287.4Greywacke2,7321.242109.1Total38,5950.911,129.60 Notes to the Resource Estimate Tables:

The Mineral Resource Estimates was completed by Sue Bird, P.Eng., with an effective date of November 6, 2025.The Mineral Resource Estimate for all four deposits have been confined by an open pit with “reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction” using the following assumptions: Metal price of US$2,600/oz Au;Payable metal of 99% for Au;Offsite costs (TC/RC/Transport) for Au of US$5.80/oz;Pit slopes are 45 degrees;Mining cost of mineralized material of CDN$2.56/t and CDN$2.40/t for waste, and;Processing costs of CDN$15.60/t with G&A costs of CDN$7.20/t. Metallurgical recoveries are 90% for all deposits.Forex = 0.72 $US:$CDNThe NSR equation is: NSR (CDN$/t) = (Au*90%*CDN$114.68/g)The specific gravity for each deposit and lithologies or domains ranges from 2.40 to 2.91.Numbers may not add due to rounding. The winter drill phase at Preview comprised 3,142.0m in eleven holes. Eight of the holes were collared at the Preview SW deposit and three were drilled at Preview Zone C, an under-explored area that is located 1.5km NE of Preview SW and 600m SW of Preview North. Drilling at Zone C confirmed that significant gold mineralization is present along the entire Preview Trend. The eight drill holes at Preview SW were designed to both infill and expand the current pit-constrained resource area. Drilling confirmed that material gold mineralization is present below and along the margins of the currently defined limits of the deposit, which remains open for expansion in all directions.

Gold mineralization is structurally controlled in quartz veins within or on the margin of sheared diorite sills, which extend 5.2km along the trend. Both Preview SW and Preview North are comprised of multiple sub-parallel shear structures that bifurcate and merge along their length and are persistent at depth.

Figure 1: Preview Drill Collar Location Map:
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/images/Preview-Drill-Collar-Location-Map.png

Figure 2: Cross Section (Holes PR26005 and PR26006) 
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/images/Section-DD-PR26005-006.png

Figure 3: Drill Core Photo (Hole PR26006)
https://www.tridentresourcescorp.com/_resources/images/Figure-3-Drill-Core-Photo-Hole-PR26006.png

Contact Lake Gold Project Overview:

The Contact Lake Gold Project covers approximately 22,790 hectares and includes the past-producing Contact Lake gold mine, which produced approx. 190,000 ounces of gold at an average head grade of 6.16 g/t Au during active mining operations between 1994 to 1998. At the time of mine closure, the price of gold hovered around USD $300/oz and Cameco Corporation reported that substantial gold resources were left unmined. Situated in the highly prospective La Ronge Gold Belt of Saskatchewan, the Contact Lake Property also hosts the Preview SW, Preview North and the North Lake orogenic gold deposits.

Along with the Greywacke North deposit (located by road 40km northeast of Contact Lake), these four deposits are wholly-owned by Trident Resources and together comprise a current Mineral Resource of more than 2.0 million ounces of gold. These estimates are supported by Mineral Resource Estimates (Trident news release November 24, 2025) which do not include any gold-related ounces from the past-producing Contact Lake target area. Trident believes that significant additional high-value resource growth opportunities exist across all of its assets, and that the Contact Lake Gold Project as a whole — anchored by Contact Lake and advanced by Preview — represents one of the most compelling development opportunities in the La Ronge Gold Belt.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control:

All drill core is logged, photographed and cut in half with a diamond saw. Half of the core is placed in sealed poly bags with unique identification numbers and transported to ALS Global in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for analysis, while the other half is archived and stored on site for verification and reference purposes.

At the lab, samples are received and digitally recorded then dried and pulverized into a fine powder. Gold is assayed using a 30g fire assay method and 49 additional elements are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) utilizing a 4-acid digestion. Secondary metallic screen analyses are performed on select mineralized zones and all samples that return >3 g/t Au to quantify the nugget effect of the gold mineralization. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) samples including field blanks, duplicates and lab-certified standards are inserted in the sample stream at a rate of greater than 10% of all samples submitted to the lab. ALS Global also conducts their own internal QAQC protocol.

Table 1: Drill Hole Assay Highlights at Preview Trend

Hole IDFrom (m)To (m)Width (m)Au Grade (g/t)PR2600156.0058.002.004.33PR2600225.5036.0010.502.17and63.0072.309.300.85and114.75131.0016.250.73PR26003no significant assay intervals to reportPR2600422.00154.00132.001.32including22.0062.3240.322.85including37.0038.001.00101.00including95.38154.0058.621.01PR2600524.00114.0090.000.31including24.0037.0013.000.69including65.4786.5021.030.33including107.40114.006.601.54PR26006161.00326.00165.000.96including161.00232.0071.001.09including275.00326.0051.001.53including180.50202.0021.502.52including284.88309.6024.722.75PR26007120.91198.5077.591.08including120.91221.00100.090.95including120.91269.00148.090.75PR26008119.00158.0039.001.17including142.00152.5010.502.99including152.00152.500.5030.10and194.50218.0023.500.79including194.50203.008.501.77PR26009160.50234.5074.000.55including160.50194.0033.500.83PR26010315.50350.0034.500.72including345.50348.503.003.95PR2601179.00117.0038.001.14including79.0094.0015.002.48 * Widths are drilled intercepts, true widths have not been determined. Gold values are length-weighted averages.

Table 2: Drill Hole ID at Preview Trend

Hole IDEastingNorthingAzimuthDipDepth (m)Elev. (m)PR260015108956140557130-45317405PR260025109066140600130-45302405PR260035108386140546130-45302405PR260045099776139192110-45239394PR260055100466139220110-44164396PR260065098936139307110-48353397PR26007509907613937697-46341391PR260085099076139376110-47338392PR260095099566139439110-58236393PR260105099466139549110-48365398PR260115102116139686110-45185386 * UTM Zone 13 NAD 83

Qualified Person: 

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Cornell McDowell, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Trident Resources and the Qualified Person for Trident as defined by NI 43-101.

About Trident Resources Corp.

Trident Resources Corp. is a Canadian, public mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on the acquisition and development of advanced-stage gold exploration projects in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company is drilling at its 100% owned Contact Lake and Greywacke Lake projects, which together host a current mineral resource of more than 2.0 million ounces of gold within the highly prospective La Ronge Gold Belt. The Company also holds the 100% owned Knife Lake copper project which contains a historical copper resource.

To find out more about Trident Resources Corp. (TSX-V: ROCK) visit the Company’s website at www.tridentresourcescorp.com.

TRIDENT RESOURCES CORP.

“Jon Wiesblatt”
                                                                               
Jonathan Wiesblatt
CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Jonathan Wiesblatt, Chief Executive Officer
Email: [email protected]

Or:

Andrew J. Ramcharan, PhD, P.Eng., SVP Corporate Communications
Email: [email protected]

Trident Resources Corp.
Telephone: 647-309-5130
Toll Free: 800-567-8181
Facsimile: 604-687-3119

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains “forward‐looking information or statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work on its projects including drilling and the expected timing of such work programs, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of uranium, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company’s views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to obtain or maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of uranium and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward‐looking statements or forward‐looking information, except as required by law.

Key Takeaways Celestica is benefiting from AI, cloud and networking demand, including 800G and 400G switches.JBL is expanding AI data center manufacturing and seeing strength across key end markets.SANM cites AI infrastructure wins, growing bookings and a pipeline extending into 2027-2028. The electronics manufacturing services (EMS) space has been benefiting from astonishing investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure, the growing transition to connected and electric vehicles and AI-led medical devices. 

The Zacks defined Electronics - Manufacturing Services industry is currently in the top 25% of the Zacks Industry Rank. Since the industry is ranked in the top half of the Zacks Ranked Industries, we expect it to outperform the market over the next three to six months.

The EMS industry players provide design, engineering and manufacturing services to electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Here we recommend three global EMS leaders, namely Celestica Inc. (CLS - Free Report) , Jabil Inc. (JBL - Free Report) and Sanmina Corp. (SANM - Free Report) ,  that are strategically positioned in the EMS landscape and have the ability to cater to the evolving AI demands of business enterprises. 

The three stocks are flying high on Wall Street year to date. Despite this stiff northward journey, they still have more fireworks in store for the rest of 2026. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The chart below shows the price performance of our three picks year to date.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Celestica Inc.Celestica is one of the largest EMS companies in the world, serving OEMs, cloud-based and other service providers, and business enterprises across several industries. CLS’ focus on product diversification and increasing its presence in high-value markets is positive. 

CLS’ strong research and development foundations allow it to produce high-volume electronic products and highly complex technology infrastructure products for a wide range of industries.

CLS is benefiting from healthy demand trends in the Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment. The growth is primarily backed by CLS’ strength in Hyperscaler Portfolio Solutions networking business and optical programs, especially increasing demand for 800G and 400G network switches. 

The growing proliferation of AI-based applications and generative AI tools is fueling solid AI investments across the technology ecosystem. This, in turn, is driving demand for CLS’ enterprise-level data communications and information processing infrastructure products, such as routers, switches, data center interconnects, edge solutions and servers and storage-related products. To further capitalize on this trend, Celestica is steadily expanding its offerings through innovation and strategic collaboration.

Solid Estimate RevisionsCelestica has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 53.8% and 67.9%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 13.6% in the last 60 days. It has a long-term (3 to 5 years) growth rate of 45.3%, significantly higher than the S&P 500 Index’s current growth rate of 17.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Jabil Inc. Jabil is one of the largest global suppliers of EMS solutions. JBL offers electronics design, production, product management and after-market services to customers in more than a dozen industry verticals. 

JBL has been benefiting immensely from healthy momentum in capital equipment, AI-powered data center infrastructure, cloud, and digital commerce business verticals. Its focus on end-market and product diversification is a key catalyst. 

JBL’s focus on end-market and product diversification is a key catalyst. JBL’s top-line is expected to benefit from strength in AI data center infrastructure, capital equipment and warehouse automation markets. 

JBL is set to invest heavily over the next several years to expand its manufacturing capabilities for the AI data center vertical. This will significantly boost the company’s position in the AI hardware supply chain. 

JBL’s unmatched end-market experience, technical and design capabilities, manufacturing know-how, supply-chain insights and global product management expertise have put it in good standing. 

Massive application of generative AI is set to drastically increase the efficiency of JBL’s automated optical inspection machines for the automation industry. A large-scale portfolio of business sectors offers JBL a high degree of resiliency during times of macroeconomic and geopolitical disruption.

An extensive global footprint is further strengthened by a centralized procurement process, which, coupled with a single Enterprise Resource Planning system, aids customers with end-to-end supply-chain visibility. A worldwide connected factory network enables JBL to scale up production per the evolving market dynamics. 

Jabil is expected to gain from the rapid adoption of 5G wireless and cloud computing in the long run. The company is benefiting from solid demand in key end markets together with excellent operational execution and skillful management of supply-chain dynamics. 

Solid Estimate RevisionsJabil has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 14.2% and 27.7%, respectively, for the current year (ending August 2026). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.8% in the last seven days. It has a long-term growth rate of 28.5%, well above the S&P 500 Index’s current growth rate of 17.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Sanmina Corp.Sanmina focuses on engineering and fabricating complex components and on providing complete end-to-end supply chain solutions to Original Equipment Manufacturers across various end markets, including industrial, medical, defense and aerospace, automotive, communications and cloud infrastructure.

SANM’s diverse portfolio and end-to-end product lifecycle management allow customers to rely on a single partner and reduce complexity in operations. Strategic expansion into high-growth industries backed by its strong global network and deep expertise in advanced electronics manufacturing, acts as a tailwind.

SANM aims to strengthen technology leadership by working closely with customers on future manufacturing requirements and aligning its engineering and software investments to those needs. SANM’s 42Q connected manufacturing platform is designed to integrate data across factories and suppliers, creating a more current operational view that can shorten decision cycles and improve visibility across distributed manufacturing. 

SANM is also using the ZT Systems integration to expand its addressable market beyond full systems builds by layering in Sanmina capabilities such as sub-assemblies and related CPS technologies over time. In communications networks and cloud and AI infrastructure, the company is witnessing program activity, with management noting continued bookings and new program wins and pointing to a pipeline that extends into 2027 and 2028. 

Solid Estimate RevisionsSanmina has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 75.5% and 85.8%, respectively, for the current year (ending September 2026). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 10.1% in the last 60 days. It has a long-term growth rate of 27.8%, well above the S&P 500 Index’s current growth rate of 17.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research