Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Toll Brothers (TOL - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this home builder have returned +15.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.4% change. The Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry, to which Toll Brothers belongs, has gained 14.3% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Toll Brothers is expected to post earnings of $2.89 per share, indicating a change of -22.5% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -15.5% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $12.68 points to a change of -6% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.16 indicates a change of +11.7% from what Toll Brothers is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -1.2%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Toll Brothers.

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

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of Toll Brothers, the consensus sales estimate of $2.6 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -11.8%. The $10.71 billion and $11.18 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of -2.3% and +4.3%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryToll Brothers reported revenues of $2.53 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -7.6%. EPS of $2.72 for the same period compares with $3.5 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.41 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +5.07%. The EPS surprise was +5.43%.

Over the last four quarters, Toll Brothers surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

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

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Toll Brothers 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 Toll Brothers. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

PALM DESERT, Calif., June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, announced its newest Southern California luxury home community, Hidden Vista, is coming soon to Palm Desert, California. This exclusive gated community in a central Palm Desert location will feature sophisticated single-story home designs with modern, open floor plans and premium options, including golf cart garages and extended outdoor living spaces. Hidden Vista is anticipated to open for sale in fall 2026.

Situated along the scenic Marriott Shadow Ridge Golf Club with views of the golf course and nearby mountains, Hidden Vista offers residents the best of desert living. Each home will include a private pool and an array of available personalization options. Home designs will range up to 2,700 square feet with 3 to 4 bedrooms, 3 to 4 baths, and 2- to 4-car garages.

Toll Brothers customers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio. The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows customers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants.

“Hidden Vista will provide homeowners with an unparalleled desert lifestyle, combining luxury and convenience in one of Palm Desert’s most desirable locations featuring incredible mountain and golf course views,” said Brad Hare, Group President of Toll Brothers in Southern California. “We are excited to unveil this new community that blends our quality craftsmanship and distinctive design with the stunning natural beauty of the area.”

Residents of Hidden Vista will enjoy convenient access to upscale dining, shopping, recreational, and entertainment opportunities in Palm Desert, including living alongside the world-class Marriott Shadow Ridge Golf Club and close to the boutique shops and renowned restaurants of El Paseo, known as the "Rodeo Drive of the Desert."

“Whether you're seeking a tranquil desert retreat or an active, resort-style lifestyle, Palm Desert delivers year-round, and Hidden Vista puts residents right at the center of it all,” added Hare.

For more information and to join the interest list for Hidden Vista by Toll Brothers, call (866) 232-1631 or visit TollBrothers.com/SoCal.

About Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded in 1967 and became a public company in 1986 with common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” Toll Brothers builds new homes and communities in over 60 markets across the United States, serving first-time, move-up, active-adult, and second-home buyers. The Company also operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, landscape, and building components manufacturing businesses.

Toll Brothers was named the #1 Most Admired Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies®, the ninth year the Company has achieved this honor. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.

From Fortune, ©2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | [email protected]

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0fc56eb7-b03b-49a3-b9c0-8a5065e7e14c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/32493b4e-6f1c-43f7-9edd-c651bfed6791

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e89eafb-f90e-4d00-9d53-d6b538b11a4b

Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)

BULVERDE, Texas, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the highly anticipated model home grand opening at its newest San Antonio-area community, Toll Brothers at Thornebrook, in Bulverde, Texas. The Company will host a ribbon cutting event with the Bulverde Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, June 25 at 11:30 a.m. at the community located at 1123 Sirockham in Bulverde.

Located within the Thornebrook master plan, Toll Brothers at Thornebrook features single-family homes on expansive one-acre home sites with prices starting from the upper $800,000s. These homes feature spacious, open-concept floor plans with 4 to 5 bedrooms, 4.5 to 6.5 bathrooms, and 3- to 4-car garages. Home shoppers can explore sophisticated personalization options to design a home that perfectly fits their lifestyle.

The public is invited to tour the Winry Contemporary model home and experience the exceptional luxury offered in this gated community. This professionally designed home showcases expansive indoor and outdoor living spaces, modern architecture, and elegant finishes.

"Toll Brothers at Thornebrook offers a unique opportunity to enjoy luxury living in a serene, gated community with thoughtfully designed homes and incredible amenities," said Matt Foran, Division President of Toll Brothers in San Antonio. "We are excited to welcome the community to explore our model homes and experience the unparalleled quality and craftsmanship for which Toll Brothers is known."

Residents of Toll Brothers at Thornebrook will enjoy access to a six-acre community park, 90 acres of open space, and over four miles of scenic walking trails. The community is served by the highly acclaimed Comal Independent School District, with Rahe Bulverde Elementary School, Spring Branch Middle School, and Smithson Valley High School nearby. Conveniently located just 25 minutes from San Antonio International Airport, this community offers both tranquility and easy access to urban amenities.

Toll Brothers customers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio. The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows home shoppers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants.

For more information on Toll Brothers at Thornebrook or to schedule an appointment, call 877-500-0508 or visit TollBrothersatThornebrook.com.

About Toll Brothers

Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded in 1967 and became a public company in 1986 with common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” Toll Brothers builds new homes and communities in over 60 markets across the United States, serving first-time, move-up, active-adult, and second-home buyers. The Company also operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, landscape, and building components manufacturing businesses.

Toll Brothers was named the #1 Most Admired Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies®, the ninth year the Company has achieved this honor. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.

From Fortune, ©2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.

Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | [email protected]

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e87d6a84-ff62-40d6-9e87-183e868bf25c
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a07547a0-4247-4292-9472-d36e69d263a7
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3522882-996c-4cc0-aab2-bd070cc544fb

Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)

Micron Technology (MU 1.31%) stock has been red hot over the past year amid an ongoing shortage of memory products driven by significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI). Micron's memory products play a crucial role in that build-out.

Recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook essentially confirmed that the shortage remains a problem for his company. And while that might be bad news for consumers buying Apple devices and other tech products that are becoming more expensive, that's fantastic news for Micron investors. Here's a look at what Cook said, and why it's terrific news for Micron Technology.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cook says the company has little choice but to raise prices Apple is raising the prices of its products, even as its CEO says the company has been working to mitigate the higher costs it's been incurring. Cook says the situation simply isn't sustainable anymore. Specifically, in the DRAM market Micron serves, supply remains limited relative to demand. "There's less supply at a time when consumers want ‌devices."

Those 10 words are great news for Micron, underscoring the ongoing shortage of memory products. If Apple saw an end to the shortage in the near future, it's plausible that the company would have held out longer to avoid raising prices. But the fact that it's going through with them and plans to pass on higher costs to its customers may indicate that management doesn't see the shortage ending anytime soon.

For Micron, with earnings on deck, this could mean stellar third-quarter numbers and solid guidance ahead.

Today's Change

(

-1.31

%) $

-13.77

Current Price

$

1038.00

Is Micron's stock destined to rise higher this year? Micron reports earnings on Wednesday, and the numbers are likely to show incredible year-over-year growth yet again. Last quarter (which ended on Feb. 26), the company's revenue rose by 196%.

But investors should be cautious with Micron, as expectations may already be high heading into the upcoming earnings report. The key will be the guidance, as that could effectively make or break the stock. A glowing forecast of much more growth ahead could pave the way for future gains in the stock, while any sign of slowing could trigger a sell-off. Given what Cook recently said, however, I don't expect it to be the latter. It'll simply be a question of whether the guidance is strong enough to convince investors that Micron is an even better buy than it already is, given its rich valuation -- its market cap is $1.3 trillion.

I think the stock will rise further this year, but it's hard to predict how much upside it has left, since so much of its valuation hinges on expectations of future growth, which can also make it a risky and volatile investment to hold. If you're not comfortable with watching the tech stock and industry conditions closely, you may want to stay on the sidelines.

Millions of UK Apple customers are to be included in a class action lawsuit against the tech giant over the storage system iCloud. 

If successful, the £3bn lawsuit could see around 39.7 million people receive compensation.

Which?, the consumer rights group, first announced the lawsuit in late 2024 but has now received permission from the courts to proceed.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal gave permission on 17 June, but it is only now being publicised by the group, which needs to let people know to opt out if they don't want to be part of proceedings.

Social media ban for under-16s

Which? claims Apple "trapped" customers using its devices into having to use - and pay for - its storage system.

"Apple has stifled competition and ripped off millions of customers in the process," said Which in a statement.

It alleges that consumers were "overcharged each year through their monthly iCloud subscription fees" and were given less free storage than would otherwise have been the case.

More on Apple

Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO - as tech giant names successor

Apple issues iPhone spyware alert and tells users to update iOS operating system

Tech rental subscription service Raylo clicks on £30m fundraising

The rights group alleges Apple encouraged users to sign up to iCloud for storage of photos, videos and other data while simultaneously making it difficult to use alternative providers.

Which? says Apple doesn't allow customers to store or back-up all of their phone's data with a third-party provider, arguing this violates competition law.

The consumer rights group says once iOS users have signed up to iCloud, they then have to pay for the service once their photos, notes, messages and other data go over the free 5GB limit.

The lawsuit will represent all UK Apple customers who used iCloud services since 8 November 2018 - any that don't want to be included will need to opt out.

However, if consumers live abroad but are otherwise eligible - for example, because they lived in UK and used the iCloud but then moved away - they can also opt in.

The consumer rights group estimates that individual consumers could be owed an average of £77, depending on how long they have been paying for the services during that period.

Read more:
Note says Nancy Guthrie died
Items bought with stolen SNP funds

An Apple spokesperson previously issued a statement in response to the court update, saying the claims by Which? are "unfounded".

"We work hard to make iCloud a great experience, but no customer is required to use it and customers in the UK have plenty of alternatives to choose from."

Key Takeaways Apple currently offers a better valuation than NVIDIA, with an 8.64 P/S ratio versus 11.52.NVIDIA posted 85% revenue growth, driven by surging demand for AI chips and data center platforms.Apple's ecosystem, services growth, cash generation and AI strategy support its stronger risk-reward profile. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) and Apple Inc. (AAPL - Free Report) are two of the most influential technology companies in the world and remain favorite picks among investors. Both companies sit at the center of powerful long-term trends that are shaping the future of technology.

NVIDIA has emerged as the leading force behind artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, while Apple continues to dominate consumer technology through its unmatched ecosystem of devices and services.

The key question for investors is simple: which company offers the better mix of growth, stability and valuation right now? A closer look at their businesses, financial trends and AI strategies provides the answer.

NVIDIA: Riding on the AI BoomNVIDIA remains one of the biggest beneficiaries of the global AI revolution. The company’s latest results highlight the tremendous demand for its AI chips, networking solutions and accelerated computing platforms. In its most recent reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, revenues surged 85% year over year to a record $81.6 billion, while non-GAAP earnings per share rose 140% to $1.87.

During the last earnings call, NVIDIA noted that demand for its Blackwell architecture remains exceptionally strong, with adoption spanning hyperscalers, cloud providers, enterprises, AI startups and sovereign customers. The company is also expanding beyond GPUs with its Vera CPU platform, opening up new growth opportunities in data center computing.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, the data center end market generated $75.25 billion in revenues, representing 92% of total sales. This marked a staggering 92% year-over-year increase and 21% sequential growth.

NVIDIA’s technological leadership, strong software ecosystem and dominant market share in AI infrastructure give it a significant competitive advantage. The company also generated nearly $49 billion in free cash flow during the first quarter and returned more than $19.5 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payments.

Apple: Strength Through Ecosystem and ConsistencyApple continues to demonstrate the power of its ecosystem-driven business model. The company delivered strong financial performance in its latest reported quarter, generating record revenues and benefiting from growth across products and services. Apple’s second-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues soared approximately 17% year over year to $111.18 billion, while earnings jumped 22% to $2.01 per share.

The company’s installed base has surpassed 2.5 billion active devices, creating a massive platform for recurring revenue opportunities. Services revenues increased 14% year over year and reached an all-time high of approximately $31 billion in the first quarter, supported by strong growth in subscriptions, payments, cloud services and digital content offerings. Product sales surged 16.7% year over year to $80.21 billion.

AAPL is also strengthening its AI strategy through Apple Intelligence, which is deeply integrated into its hardware and software ecosystem. Unlike many competitors that focus primarily on cloud-based AI, Apple emphasizes privacy-focused, on-device AI experiences powered by its custom silicon. This approach enhances the value of iPhones, Macs, iPads and wearables while reinforcing customer loyalty.

Apple’s financial strength remains another major advantage, supported by substantial cash reserves, consistent profitability and ongoing shareholder returns through dividends and buybacks. The company ended the second quarter with $147 billion in cash and marketable securities. In the first six months of fiscal 2026, it generated nearly $83 billion of operating cash flow and returned $45 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payments.

Valuation Comparison: Apple Offers Better ValueValuation remains an important factor when comparing these two technology giants. While both companies have delivered strong stock performance, Apple currently trades at a more attractive valuation. Apple’s price-to-sales (P/S) ratio stands at 8.64, significantly below NVIDIA’s 11.52.

NVDA vs. AAPL: Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

At the same time, shareholders have enjoyed gains of a similar magnitude over the past year. Apple shares have rallied 47.2%, while NVIDIA stock has gained 44.3%. Given the relatively similar stock performance, Apple’s lower valuation suggests investors are paying less for each dollar of revenue compared with NVIDIA’s.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

NVIDIA undoubtedly deserves a premium due to its AI leadership and exceptional growth trajectory. However, much of that optimism is already reflected in the stock price. Apple, by contrast, combines solid growth prospects, a highly profitable services business, a massive installed base, growing AI capabilities and a more reasonable valuation. For investors seeking a balance between growth, stability and valuation, Apple currently presents the more attractive risk-reward profile.

Conclusion: Apple Seems the Better Buy NowBoth NVIDIA and Apple remain world-class companies with strong competitive advantages and long-term growth opportunities. NVIDIA continues to dominate the AI infrastructure market and could benefit from years of AI-related spending, which justifies its premium valuation. However, much of that optimism is already reflected in the stock price.

Apple, by contrast, combines solid growth prospects, a highly profitable services business, a massive installed base, growing AI capabilities, strong cash generation, a shareholder-friendly capital return program and a more reasonable valuation. For investors seeking a balance among growth, stability and valuation, Apple currently presents the more attractive risk-reward profile.

Currently, Apple carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), making the stock a must-pick compared with NVIDIA, which has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Shares of Apple Inc NASDAQ: AAPL are trading just below $300 this week, having staged a steady recovery from last week’s lows that followed the start of its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Apple Today

$295.65 +1.35 (+0.46%)

As of 10:26 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$199.26▼

$317.40Dividend Yield0.37%

P/E Ratio35.74

Price Target$314.85

The stock briefly notched a fresh all-time high of $317 when the new Siri AI was unveiled at the June 8 keynote, after which it reversed sharply and gave up almost two weeks of gains in a single day. By the end of the June 9 session, Apple had given up almost all of May’s gains, too.

Get Apple alerts:

But something interesting has happened since then. Rather than carrying on lower, Apple shares have been steadily clawing back the lost ground, and it’s looking more and more like the initial panic was just that, some initial panic. The longer-term picture is starting to look much more interesting than the initial reaction suggested.

Why the Market Sold Off in the First PlaceThe initial selloff wasn't entirely irrational, even if it now looks overdone. The Siri AI reveal looked, in the view of many investors, more like the start of a marathon than a sprint, with key features set to roll out gradually rather than as a single step-change moment.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) Price Chart for Wednesday, June, 24, 2026

There were also valid concerns about how much the system can really do, with limited access to third-party app data potentially capping how truly "intelligent" the experience can ultimately become.

Layered on top of that was a regulatory wrinkle. EU regulators publicly pushed back on Apple's decision not to initially roll out Siri AI in the European Union, criticizing the company for blaming EU technology rules. That's the kind of headline risk that doesn't materially change the long-term thesis, but in a jumpy market on a high-stakes announcement day, it’s exactly the kind of thing that can add fuel to the selling.

Wall Street Has Been Warming Back UpSince last week's low, however, the conversation has clearly shifted. The first thing the bulls started latching onto was Apple's surprisingly quick move toward monetization. Rather than giving Siri AI features away for free, Apple has signaled that the most powerful capabilities will be tied to its premium service tiers. That's a strong early indication that AI will feed directly into the Services revenue line rather than being treated as a feature giveaway, which has long been a central bull case for the stock.

The cross-device integration story has also helped. Siri AI is designed to work seamlessly across Apple's full ecosystem, blending on-device processing with cloud-based execution in a way that no rival can easily replicate. For a tech company just starting to introduce its primary AI play, that kind of ecosystem offers an immediate shortcut to scale.

The CapEx-Light Thesis Is AttractiveThen there’s the broader argument around capital expenditure that’s shaping up, also in Apple’s favor. Unlike many of its mega-cap peers, Apple doesn't need to spend enormous sums on AI infrastructure to participate in the agentic AI era. It can lean on its installed base of more than 2 billion active devices as the trusted endpoint through which users actually interact with AI, and monetize that position without the same CapEx burden weighing on the likes of Microsoft Inc NASDAQ: MSFT and others.

That's a quietly transformational idea. In a market where AI CapEx concerns have been holding back shares across the hyperscalers, Apple is uniquely positioned to benefit from the AI wave while spending a fraction of what its peers are committing.

Risks Worth WatchingApple isn't without its risks, of course. One of the more obvious is the recently announced CEO transition, which will see Tim Cook step down in September and John Ternus take over. Any leadership change of that magnitude introduces uncertainty, especially as the company embarks on its most important product transition in years.

The EU regulatory friction will also need to be navigated, and the broader question of how quickly Apple can really catch up to its rivals on the AI front remains a legitimate concern.

Weighing Up the OpportunityStill, when you have analysts like Maxim Group reiterating their Buy rating in light of all this last week, while boosting their price target to $350, it’s hard not to think that Apple will be well able to thread the needle here.

For investors who took fright last week and ran for the exits, the price action from the past few sessions is becoming hard to ignore. The initial drop screamed caution, but the fresh analysts' commentary, the recovery in the share price, and the underlying strategic picture are now all pointing in the same direction. Sometimes the best opportunities really are the ones that look messy at first.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Apple Right Now?Before you consider Apple, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Apple wasn't on the list.

While Apple currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

With the proliferation of data centers and electric vehicles, the electric grid will only get more strained. Download this report to learn how energy stocks can play a role in your portfolio as the global demand for energy continues to grow.

Get This Free Report

According to recent news, Citizens Financial Group announced on June 15 that Chris Emerson has been appointed head of investor relations.

Kevin Simpson, Capital Wealth Planning, picked Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).

Lending support to his choice, BofA Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan reiterated a Buy rating on Apple on June 18 and maintained a $380 price target.

Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here

Brian Belski, Founder, CEO & chief investment officer at Humilis Investment Strategies, recommended F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE:FNB).

On the earnings front, FNB reported on April 16 first-quarter earnings of 38 cents per share, meeting the analyst consensus estimate. The company reported quarterly sales of $450.263 million, which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $453.596 million.

Joseph M. Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, named The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV).

Travelers Companies will review its second quarter results on Friday, July 17. Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings at $4.87 per share on revenue of $10.97 billion.

Price Action

Citizens Financial shares gained 1.5% to close at $68.99 on Tuesday. Apple fell 0.9% to settle at $294.30 during the session. FNB shares gained 2.1% to close at $18.75 on Tuesday. Travelers Companies shares jumped 2% to settle at $316.96. Photo via Shutterstock

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

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

To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

SummaryCompaniesAdvanced Intel chips can take 2-3 years to make, analysts sayApple may test Intel with lower-end products firstAnalysts split on which manufacturing process Apple will chooseJune 24 (Reuters) - Apple turning to Intel for chips, as Washington announced last week, has the neat logic of necessity meeting ambition. But ​it is not that simple, as analysts say any advanced Intel chip will take two to three years to make and even ‌longer to translate into gains due to the long and exacting production process.

A deal - which neither company has formally announced - would pair Intel's effort to rebuild its credibility as a contract chipmaker with Apple's search for more manufacturing capacity, as its supplier TSMC (2330.TW), opens new tab struggles to meet surging AI chip demand from the likes of Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab.

The Reuters Inside Track newsletter is your essential guide during the World Cup. Sign up here.

Supply constraints at the contract manufacturer have held back ​iPhone sales, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in April.

Baked into this deal is a strategic calculation. Intel has emerged as a key pillar ​in the U.S. plan to rebuild domestic chipmaking through tariffs and incentives, thanks to its 10% stake in the company ⁠and a $5 billion investment from Nvidia at the behest of President Donald Trump.

"The absolute best possible case would be 2-3 years before the first chips ​flowed off the line. It takes 2 years to design an SoC (system on chip) of this complexity, and a further 4 months through production cycle time to ​volume ramp up," said Malcolm Penn, CEO of chip research firm Future Horizons.

This assessment assumes Intel's technology is fully worked out and its design tools are reliable enough for Apple to depend on, Penn said. "With no track record, that's a huge leap of faith and commercial and financial risk," said Penn, who termed the deal "a shotgun wedding".

FIRST TESLA, NOW APPLEAfter missing out ​on the early stages of the AI boom, Intel has begun to show tentative progress, landing Tesla TSLA.O as a customer in April and positioning itself ​for a more consequential partnership with Apple.

Analysts are divided on which Intel manufacturing process Apple will choose.

Some see it following Tesla onto Intel's next-generation 14A, a process years away ‌from volume ⁠production but built on the world's most advanced chipmaking tools.

Others expect Apple to sacrifice cutting-edge gains for reliability, favoring 18A-P, a refined version of Intel's most advanced process that began initial production this month - or an older, reliable node like Intel 3.

"Apple would probably want to use Intel's 14A process technology... and that's expected to be available in 2028 or 2029 so it's still going to be a while," said Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at TECHnalysis Research.

"However, if it proves ​to be true, it's an extremely ​important development for Intel's foundry business ⁠and US-based semiconductor manufacturing in general."

Daniel Newman, CEO of tech research firm Futurum Group, said volume production of Apple-designed chips was unlikely until late 2027 or early 2028, with the initial work focused on less critical components used in ​MacBook Air or some iPad Pro models.

INTEL HAS FACED POOR CHIP YIELDSApple may even hedge, testing Intel with lower-end ​products before committing its ⁠most critical chips, analysts said.

Intel, which has historically faced issues with the timeline and quality of its chips, will have to meet Apple's high expectations for yield, a standard that the world's largest consumer electronics company has come to expect from TSMC. Yield is the percentage of chips on a silicon wafer that work correctly ⁠when manufacturing ​is done.

"Investors are pricing in perfect execution by Intel, which is a company that hasn't delivered ​for about 20 years. Granted, it looks like Intel has made strides with its latest manufacturing process, but I think we should all at least modestly discount a perfect outcome," said Paul ​Meeks, head of tech research at Freedom Capital Markets and an Intel investor.

Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala and Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Arun Koyyur

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives outside court in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 18, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

June 23 (Reuters) - Meta (META.O), opens new tab CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently dispatched a small team at his company to create a smartphone app ​similar to Polymarket and Kalshi, the New York Times reported ‌on Tuesday, citing two employees with knowledge of the matter.

The app will probably rely on a video game-like points system instead of users wagering money, though the ​company has not ruled out betting real money eventually, according to ​the report.

Get a daily digest of breaking business news straight to your inbox with the Reuters Business newsletter. Sign up here.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters ⁠request for comment. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

Prediction markets ​surged in popularity during the 2024 U.S. presidential election and have evolved ​into an asset class that lets investors wager on a variety of events, from monetary policy to sports tournaments. Trading platforms such as Robinhood (HOOD.O), opens new tab and Interactive Brokers (IBKR.O), opens new tab have rolled ​out event contracts.

The Times report said the app is internally referred ​to as "Arena" by Meta that would function independently from its social networking apps including ‌Facebook, ⁠Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.

Arena is one of several applications Meta is testing. Another of these standalone apps, Meta Photos, is designed to generate new forms of media, the report said.

Meta aims to grow the app by ​leveraging its large social ​networking audiences ⁠and directing them toward using it, according to the report. In April, the company reported 3.56 billion daily active ​people, a metric it uses to track unique users ​who open ⁠any one of its apps in a day.

Prediction markets could balloon to $1 trillion in annual trading volumes by decade-end, Bernstein said in April. But they have ⁠also drawn ​increasing scrutiny as well-timed trades ahead of ​U.S. President Donald Trump's major policy surprises have potentially led to millions of dollars in profits ​for unknown traders.

Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has directed staff to create a prediction markets platform, a person familiar with the company's plans who asked not to be named confirmed to CNBC.

The New York Times was first to report the development on Tuesday. 

The person familiar, who was not authorized to speak on the record about the company's plans, also confirmed to CNBC that the prediction markets app would not use actual money to trade on the platform, a contrast to other prediction markets where traders use cash to speculate on future events.

The Times report said Meta's app would instead rely on a video game-style points system, but that money may be used on the app in the future.

Two employees with knowledge of the plans told the Times the app — referred to internally as "Arena" — would be separate from Meta's social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook. Meta would seek to leverage its Facebook and Instagram user base to direct potential traders to the platform, the report said. 

The company declined a request to comment from CNBC.

DraftKings shares Tuesday

Sports betting platform DraftKings fell more than 2% after the report was released, reaching its low of the day. The stock ended off 2%. FanDuel parent Flutter Entertainment also fell nearly 2% after the report, but was still positive on the day, up 0.4%. 

Flutter and DraftKings have both struggled over the past year on worries about how prediction market platforms — which offer sports-related event contracts — could disrupt their sports gambling businesses. 

Trading platform Robinhood, which offers contracts from various prediction market platforms, also declined after the Times' initial report. 

Key Takeaways Meta expanded Instagram for TV to Samsung Smart TVs, adding to Fire TV and Google TV reach. META is testing channels, Reel casting, Stories on TV and longer-form creator content. Meta said Instagram drove a 10% lift in reel time spent; Facebook video time rose 8% globally. Meta Platforms (META - Free Report) is benefiting from its strategic expansion of Instagram TV (IGTV) reach, leveraging the platform’s growing emphasis on video content to drive higher user engagement. The company’s focus on enhancing video experiences, including improvements to content recommendations and AI-driven personalization, has led to significant increases in time spent on video features such as Reels and IGTV.

Meta Platforms' expanding portfolio has been noteworthy. The company recently expanded Instagram for TV to Samsung Smart TVs in the United States, adding to its availability on Amazon Fire TV and Google TV devices. The company is also testing new features to make shared viewing easier, including interest-based channels, casting Reels from phones, Stories on TV and support for horizontal videos. META is exploring longer-form creator content, episodic series and live broadcasts tailored for the living room experience. The updates aim to make Instagram a more social, communal viewing platform while helping creators reach audiences on larger screens.

Meta Platforms' AI advancements facilitate the auto-translation and dubbing of videos, making IGTV content accessible to a broader, global audience. Over half a billion users on both Facebook and Instagram now watch AI-translated videos weekly. This broadening of reach increases the potential audience for IGTV creators and enhances the platform’s appeal to advertisers seeking to target diverse demographics with localized content. The company continues to see improvements on Instagram, which have driven a 10% lift in reel time spent, while Facebook saw an 8% increase in total video time globally, the largest quarter-over-quarter gain in four years.

Meta Platform’s strong portfolio is fueling robust financial results and is expected to benefit the company’s top-line growth. For the second quarter of 2026, the company expects total revenues between $58 billion and $61 billion.

META Faces Stiff CompetitionMeta Platforms is facing stiff competition from competitors like Snap (SNAP - Free Report) and Reddit (RDDT - Free Report) . Both Snap and Reddit are expanding their portfolio to compete in the rapidly growing digital ad market.

Reddit is continuing to grow as engagement rises and monetization gets better through a stronger performance ad stack. The company is benefiting from an increase in daily active users and weekly active users, along with a higher average revenue per user and more advertisers using tools like Reddit Max, Dynamic Product Ads and improved measurement. AI-led features, including translation and better discovery, are helping broaden the user base and deepen intent-driven use cases, while content licensing adds diversification.

Snapchat has reached 956 million monthly active users and 483 million daily active users in the first quarter of 2026, driven by continued adoption of Augmented Reality Lenses, Spotlight and AI-powered features. Key growth drivers include its AI-powered automation solutions, AI Sponsored Snaps, Sponsored Snaps, Promoted Places, Dynamic Product Ads and subscription offerings including Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+.

META’s Share Price Performance, Valuation, and EstimatesMETA’s shares have lost 14.6% in the year-to-date period, underperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s return of 20%.

META Stock's Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

META shares are overvalued, with a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 5.15X compared with the Internet - Software’s 3.66X. META has a Value Score of C.

META's Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $33.01 per share, which has increased by a penny over the past 30 days. This suggests 40.53% year-over-year growth.

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

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is quietly developing a prediction markets app that could challenge industry leaders Polymarket and Kalshi, according to a report.

Zuckerberg recently tasked a small team inside Meta with building the experimental app, which is internally known as “Arena,” the New York Times reported, citing two employees familiar with the matter.

The standalone smartphone app would allow users to make predictions on everything from sports and politics to major news events, according to the report.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pushing ahead with plans for a standalone prediction markets app, according to a report. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Unlike existing prediction markets that allow users to wager real money, Arena is expected to initially rely on a video game-style points system, though Meta has not ruled out eventually incorporating real-money betting, one person familiar with the plans told the Times.

The app would operate independently from Meta’s flagship platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, according to the report.

Meta is reportedly hoping to leverage its massive audience to drive adoption of the new service. More than 3.5 billion people use at least one of the company’s apps daily.

The effort is said to be part of a broader push by Zuckerberg to identify emerging online behaviors and build new products around them as growth on Meta’s established platforms matures.

Kalshi has emerged as one of the fastest-growing players in the prediction markets industry. AP Photo/Erin Hooley The Post has sought comment from Meta.

Arena is one of several experimental projects currently under development, according to the report. Another initiative, dubbed “Meta Photos,” is said to focus on creating new forms of media using artificial intelligence.

Prediction markets have surged in popularity over the past two years, drawing users who place bets on outcomes ranging from election results and sporting events to entertainment awards and economic developments.

Polymarket helped popularize online prediction markets covering politics, sports and current events. AP Photo/Erin Hooley The sector has become a lucrative business. According to the newspaper, prediction-market operators handled more than $50 billion in trades last year, with volume already exceeding $130 billion this year.

The boom has attracted interest from traditional gambling operators, cryptocurrency firms and media companies eager to tap into the growing market.

At the same time, the industry has faced increased regulatory scrutiny amid concerns that traders could exploit nonpublic information to profit from bets tied to real-world events.

Meta is no stranger to the concept.

The company launched a prediction app called Forecast in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing users to make forecasts about future events using a points-based system.

Meta ultimately shut down the service in 2022.

People walk behind a logo of Meta Platforms company, during a conference in Mumbai, India, September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

June 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is pressing Meta (META.O), opens new tab to submit its AI models for voluntary review, which would allow the government ​to evaluate their abilities and vulnerabilities, the New York Times ‌reported on Tuesday, citing four people familiar with the confidential request.

The request was made in emails with the social media giant, the report said, as the administration steps ​up oversight of the AI industry.

Get weekly news and analysis on U.S. politics and how it matters to the world with the Reuters Politics U.S. newsletter. Sign up here.

The Facebook parent, which launched the Muse ​Spark AI model in April, is the only major U.S. ⁠developer of AI technology that has not reached an agreement to voluntarily ​share its models with the federal government for review, according to the report.

"We ​share the administration's goal of advancing U.S. leadership on robust and secure frontier AI. While we are working through the details, we hope to sign the agreement soon," ​Meta told Reuters in an emailed response.

The U.S. Commerce Department did not ​immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Earlier this month, the U.S. government ordered Anthropic to ‌suspend ⁠access to its most advanced AI models for foreign nationals, citing national security concerns.

OpenAI and Anthropic had already been working with the U.S. government to test unreleased AI models, while Google DeepMind (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab and xAI agreed in May ​to provide the ​government early access ⁠to new models for national-security evaluations.

Concern is growing in Washington over the national security risks posed by powerful AI ​systems. By securing early access to frontier models, U.S. ​officials are ⁠aiming to identify threats ranging from cyberattacks to military misuse before the tools are widely deployed.

On June 2, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing ⁠a ​voluntary framework for AI developers to offer "covered ​frontier models" to the U.S. government for up to 30 days before releasing them to trusted ​partners.

Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Vijay Kishore

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Mark Zuckerberg says Meta's new AI glasses must balance fashion with function for people to wear them By You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.

Meta's new AI glasses, starting at $299, aim to blend fashion with advanced wearable technology. Meta Mark Zuckerberg wants Meta's latest AI glasses to be more than a gadget.

For the Meta CEO, the challenge isn't cramming more AI into a pair of frames — it's making glasses people actually want to wear.

During an interview with Feed Me creator Emily Sundberg, Zuckerberg sounded less like a Silicon Valley executive and more like a fashion designer.

"I think there's going to be a spectrum both of styles and different amounts of functionality and different price points," Zuckerberg said. "But the challenge is that each one you need to hit the sweet spot of making it good-looking and comfortable to wear and delivering on the functionality."

"I'm pretty involved in everything we build," Zuckerberg added.

On Tuesday, Meta unveiled a new line of smart glasses starting at $299, cheaper than the company's entry-level Ray-Ban glasses, as it pushes harder into wearable technology. The new glasses were developed with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica but don't carry Ray-Ban or Oakley branding.

Zuckerberg said working on smart glasses has exposed him to a different set of priorities than the software world. Through Meta's partnership with EssilorLuxottica, he said he learned about "how they build their brands, how they do their design, what they feel is important."

The Meta CEO developed some fashion interests of his own and evolved from what he said used to be his favorite item back in the aughts: Adidas slides.

Zuckerberg, right, and Dustin Moscovitz, left. Zuckerberg was wearing his Adidas slides.  Justine Hunt/The Boston Globe via Getty Images "The future is going to be these different wearable platforms that I think merge with fashion," Zuckerberg said.

For Zuckerberg, the future of AI hardware may need to look more like runway fashion than gaming accessories, and that mindset is increasingly shaping Meta's wearable ambitions as rivals, including Google and Snap, race into AI-powered eyewear. Snap's new AI glasses, for example, immediately received online rebuff for being expensive and clunky after launching earlier in June.

"And I think the key for any one of these," Zuckerberg added, "Whether it's on your wrist or on your face or anything else, it needs to be something that you're proud to wear and it needs to be comfortable."

Read next

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

Fashion Mark Zuckerberg Meta More Big Tech

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) stock has fallen sharply in recent months, sliding from its record high of $796 in August last year to $562. Although the decline has left the company looking increasingly undervalued, downside risks remain, and the stock could face further weakness in the near term.

Tesla (TSLA, Financials) is under another federal safety review after a Model 3 crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a special crash investigation into the incident.

Tesla pushed back on the idea that its self-driving system caused the crash. Elon Musk said on X that the incident “makes no sense,” arguing that FSD drives slowly on neighborhood streets.

Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's Autopilot head, said the driver manually overrode the system by pressing the accelerator all the way down. He said the car reached 73 mph and the pedal was still pressed after impact.

The case comes after another recent Tesla crash into a home in California that injured six people.

For investors, the concern is familiar. Tesla is trying to build more value around FSD and future robotaxis, but each new safety review keeps regulatory risk in the spotlight.

Tesla shares fell sharply on Tuesday after US regulators opened an investigation into a fatal crash in Texas involving one of the company's vehicles, adding fresh scrutiny to the automaker's driver-assistance technology.

The stock dropped about 5% in early trading as investors weighed the implications of the investigation against an already challenging backdrop for technology stocks.

The broader market also came under pressure. The S&P 500 fell 1%, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.5% as a technology selloff intensified. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded around the flatline.

Technology stocks outside the semiconductor sector showed more resilience, with companies, including Microsoft and Amazon, advancing alongside defensive names such as Walmart, Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson.

The immediate catalyst for Tesla's decline appeared to be an announcement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration late Monday that it had opened a special crash investigation into a fatal accident involving a Tesla Model 3.

The crash occurred in Katy, Texas, near Houston, where a Tesla vehicle struck a home, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.

According to Harris County authorities, the driver, Michael Butler, told investigators he had been using Tesla's partially automated driving systems when the vehicle left its lane and crashed into the residence.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would examine the incident as part of a special investigation.

Tesla executives publicly disputed aspects of the driver's account following the crash.

Chief Executive Elon Musk questioned whether Tesla's Full Self-Driving system could have been responsible for the accident.

"This crash makes no sense," Musk wrote on X.

"FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets and this was a high speed crash!" he added.

Tesla Vice President of Autopilot and AI Ashok Elluswamy also commented on the incident.

"In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area," Elluswamy wrote in a response on X.

"They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash."

The competing accounts remain under investigation and have not been independently verified.

Tesla's owner manuals state that Full Self-Driving (Supervised) requires drivers to remain attentive, monitor the road, and be prepared to take control of the vehicle at any time.

Deliveries outlook remains constructiveDespite the regulatory overhang, Wall Street analysts remain focused on Tesla's upcoming second-quarter delivery results.

UBS reiterated its Neutral rating on Tesla and maintained a $364 price target.

The firm raised its second-quarter delivery forecast to 405,000 vehicles from a previous estimate of 380,000 units.

That projection would represent a 5% increase from a year earlier and a 13% increase from the first quarter.

UBS noted that the estimate sits slightly above the Visible Alpha consensus forecast of 402,000 deliveries.

The bank said buyside expectations currently range from 400,000 to 420,000 vehicles, placing its forecast toward the lower end of investor expectations while acknowledging the potential for upside if Tesla finishes the quarter strongly.

Beyond vehicle deliveries, UBS also expects continued strength in Tesla's energy business.

The firm forecasts energy storage deployments of 13.4 gigawatt-hours during the quarter, representing growth of 40% year-over-year and 53% sequentially.

For investors, Tuesday's decline highlighted the tension between Tesla's improving near-term operating outlook and the ongoing regulatory and legal scrutiny surrounding its driver-assistance technologies, which remain central to the company's long-term autonomous driving ambitions.

With SpaceX (SPCX) now settling in its second full week on public markets, @morningstar's Seth Goldstein turns his attention to Tesla (TSLA) and its struggling EV business. He sees deliveries improving as the Mag 7 company hits the gas on robotaxi production.

Shares of Tesla Inc NASDAQ: TSLA are trading around $410 this week, holding on to most of the gains they’ve logged since hitting a multi-month low in late April. The broader bull case has been well documented, from full self-driving and robotaxis to Optimus and the longer-term robotics ambition.

Tesla Today

$382.60 +0.99 (+0.26%)

As of 10:25 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$288.77▼

$498.83P/E Ratio349.45

Price Target$405.06

But in recent weeks, a new and potentially more significant narrative has been quietly building in the background. That narrative is the growing consensus that Tesla and SpaceX are heading toward a merger, and the latter’s blockbuster IPO last week has brought it into even sharper focus. SpaceX has gone officially public, and the timing has triggered a fresh round of commentary from Wall Street's most vocal Tesla bulls.

Get Tesla alerts:

While Tesla’s retail investors have been busy debating robotaxi rollouts, the conversation among serious institutional voices has shifted.

The SpaceX IPO Changes EverythingLast Friday, SpaceX listed on the Nasdaq in what's considered the biggest IPO in history. It was oversubscribed fourfold; retail investor demand alone topped $100 billion, and firms like BlackRock were looking to invest at least $5 billion themselves.

But beyond the headlines, the IPO has fundamentally changed the conversation around Tesla in a way that hasn't quite sunk in yet. Up until last week, the prospect of a Tesla-SpaceX merger was a fascinating theoretical exercise built on speculation and Musk's track record.

However, now there's a publicly traded counterparty with a real market valuation, a real share structure, and a real set of public shareholders. The merger thesis has gone from being hypothetically interesting to a tangible scenario that the market can actually start pricing in.

Why Ives Thinks It's ComingThat brings us to the comments from Wedbush's Dan Ives, one of Wall Street's most consistently bullish voices on Tesla. Speaking to Bloomberg ahead of the SpaceX listing last week, Ives put the odds of a Tesla-SpaceX merger within the next year at 80% and framed it as the logical next step in a broader strategy that Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of both companies, has been quietly executing for years.

His reasoning is worth exploring properly. Ives sees the merger not as a corporate vanity project, but as part of a deeper play around AI and data. In his words, the eventual combination is about consolidating "the broader plan, specifically when it comes to AI data and all under that Musk ecosystem associated from a control perspective."

He went further, arguing that SpaceX itself should be viewed less as a traditional space company and more as a "data AI play" with the potential to host data centers in space within three or four years.

That reframing matters because it directly challenges the way many investors currently think about both companies. If Ives is right, then everything from full self-driving to robotaxis to Starlink will eventually form part of a single, integrated AI and data empire that's far more valuable as one entity than as two.

Musk Has Done This BeforeWhat gives the merger thesis genuine credibility isn't just Ives's commentary; it's the pattern that comes before it. Earlier this year, Tesla invested in Musk's xAI, which had acquired X (formerly Twitter). SpaceX has since acquired xAI, meaning Tesla shareholders already have a substantial indirect link to SpaceX sitting on their balance sheet, without a formal merger having even taken place.

That's not a coincidence; it's an intentional and methodical chain of transactions. Each step has brought Tesla and SpaceX closer together operationally and financially, quietly laying the foundations for something much larger.

Add in the joint Terafab semiconductor fabrication facility currently under development, which will manufacture chips for both companies, and the picture of two organizations being deliberately stitched together becomes hard to ignore. Now that SpaceX is publicly listed, the final structural barrier to a formal combination has effectively been removed.

A Long Shot Worth WatchingAll that being said, the risks are real, and there are still plenty of reasons to be cautious. Both companies are trading at stretched multiples in their own right, and merging them introduces meaningful execution risk.

Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Price Chart for Wednesday, June, 24, 2026

Prediction markets, which have become increasingly recognized for their forecasting accuracy, are still placing the odds of a merger before May 2027 at around 50%, well below Ives's call. There's also the not-so-small matter of the legal scrutiny and shareholder battles that any deal of this scale would inevitably attract.

Still, the direction of travel feels clearer than it did even a month ago. Musk has a long track record of eventually delivering on ideas that initially seemed implausible, and the SpaceX IPO might have just handed him the final piece of the puzzle.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Tesla Right Now?Before you consider Tesla, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Tesla wasn't on the list.

While Tesla currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

Click the link to see MarketBeat's guide to investing in 5G and which 5G stocks show the most promise.

Get This Free Report

Elon Musk is no longer a trillionaire after sharp declines in SpaceX and Tesla shares wiped out more than $150 billion from his fortune and dragged his net worth below the $1 trillion mark.

According to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, Musk's wealth stood at $957 billion on Wednesday, down from the historic milestone he crossed earlier this month after SpaceX's blockbuster initial public offering propelled him into the trillionaire club.

The reversal comes amid a broad selloff in technology stocks and growing investor concerns over the sustainability of massive spending on artificial intelligence and ambitious long-term projects.

SpaceX had become the centrepiece of Musk's fortune after its June 12 market debut.

The rocket company was briefly valued at nearly $3 trillion as retail investors flocked to the stock, attracted by Musk's vision of building space-based data centres and eventually establishing a human presence on Mars.

However, the rally has cooled rapidly.

SpaceX shares plunged 16% on Monday and ended the session on Tuesday at $156, only modestly above their opening trading price of $150 and well below the record high of $225 reached just a week ago.

The IPO itself was priced at $135 a share, meaning early investors remain in profit despite the recent declines.

The weakness has cut SpaceX's market capitalisation from a peak of around $2.99 trillion to just over $2 trillion, erasing almost $1 trillion in value in little more than a week.

Monday's decline alone erased more than $152 billion from Musk's net worth, according to Forbes estimates.

The decline has coincided with increasing scrutiny of SpaceX's valuation and its long-term business plans.

Ahead of its public listing, the company's regulatory filings revealed that it posted a loss of $4.9 billion in 2025.

Its artificial intelligence segment also incurred capital expenditures of $12.7 billion, underscoring the enormous financial commitments required to pursue its expansion plans.

Some investors have begun questioning whether the company's moonshot projects can justify its valuation.

The upcoming expiry of the lockup period, when early investors and insiders are permitted to sell their shares, is also emerging as a key test for the stock.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said the recent volatility was not unusual for newly listed companies.

"SpaceX might have seemed charmed after its record-breaking IPO and subsequent rally, but it's come down to earth with a bump over the past couple of days, with shares at one point falling below the opening price on its market debut."

She noted that newly public companies often experience periods of volatility as investors reassess valuations and decide whether to lock in gains.

"Post-IPO stocks often enter a period of volatility as the market gets to grips with the new entrant, some investors rush to cash out, and others assess at what price they are willing to jump in."

"For a stock like SpaceX, a lot of decision-making might have been emotional and based on the anticipation of huge leaps forward in space exploration and utilisation, but investing should be something treated with clear eyes and patience, even when such huge numbers are involved."

Despite the recent decline, SpaceX remains by far Musk's most valuable asset.

According to Bloomberg data, his SpaceX holdings are worth about $744 billion and account for nearly 80% of his total net worth.

Musk's fortune has also been hit by weakness in Tesla shares.

The electric vehicle maker fell 5.8% on Monday as technology stocks broadly sold off amid concerns over elevated valuations and heavy spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

His stake in TSLA is currently valued at approximately $158 billion.

Like all market fortunes, Musk's wealth remains closely tied to the performance of his companies and could rebound if SpaceX shares recover.

Despite dropping below the $1 trillion threshold, Musk remains comfortably the world's richest person.

Bloomberg estimates that his lead over the second-richest individual, Google co-founder Larry Page, is roughly $660 billion, a gap larger than the entire fortunes of several of the world's wealthiest individuals combined.

SpaceX and Tesla stocks have fallen sharply this week and Elon Musk's wealth has taken a hit.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), Renew Home, and Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA), today announced an agreement to deliver more than 16 gigawatts1 of flexible energy capacity to hyperscalers and utilities. The agreement establishes a framework for three of the largest players in home energy to aggregate millions of existing demand side and energy exporting devices in states across the country into local, turnkey solutions that require no additional hardware, software, interconnection, water, or land usage for offtaking parties.

Deployable in months, not years, this capacity-as-a-solution framework creates headroom on the existing grid by freeing up transmission capacity, easing congestion on distribution infrastructure, and extending the duration and depth of available capacity, all while helping American households lower energy bills, earn rewards, and power through outages.

Together, the companies would form the largest distributed power plant in the country — capable of injecting net new electrons onto the grid from home batteries paired with solar generation while simultaneously shifting household load during peak demand hours. The combined 16-gigawatt resource draws dispatchable capacity from hundreds of thousands of home battery systems operated by Sunrun and Tesla, alongside flexible peak capacity from more than 8 million smart thermostats and devices managed by Renew Home.

“The grid of the 1800s cannot power the innovation of 2026,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “Americans deserve innovation that does not create unnecessary energy costs. When data centers are asked to throttle down operations during the most expensive and stressful hours of the day, we can activate our distributed power plants to help provide them the power they need while also protecting American families from footing the bill for costly new infrastructure.”

An Untapped Opportunity Requires a Bold Solution
In Virginia — the heart of Data Center Alley — the companies already have more than 300 megawatts of capacity readily available for immediate deployment. By 2030, that figure is expected to grow to at least 500 megawatts, rivaling some of the largest generation facilities in the state, as installations of home batteries and smart thermostats ramp.

The companies are capable of building multiple gigawatts of additional capacity across the country. Given the unprecedented race for power, hyperscalers interested in securing these local energy resources are encouraged to engage immediately, as available capacity will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Together, the companies have also committed to provide capacity to PJM’s proposed Reliability Backstop Process. If accepted, PJM would immediately unlock over a gigawatt of capacity today, with more deployable in the years ahead for peak shaving, locational grid relief, and fast-responding ancillary services.

“Renew Home convened this strategic coalition because we believe hyperscalers are motivated to drive down costs through this transition and that this group of residential-focused energy companies can help them accomplish that goal,” said Ben Brown, Chief Executive Officer at Renew Home.

Speed to Power Through Distributed Resources
As electricity demand increases and tech leaders align with the Presidential Ratepayer Protection Pledge, the need for a technology neutral energy strategy to support cost-effective economic growth is critical.

Hyperscalers are racing to bring AI compute online while interconnection queues lengthen and energy costs increase. The grid is sized for peak hours that occur only a fraction of the year, leaving expensive infrastructure underutilized most of the time, a cost ultimately borne by every ratepayer.

New analysis from The Brattle Group finds that better utilization of the existing power grid could reduce U.S. electricity bills by $110 billion to $170 billion over the next decade and accelerate data center interconnection by several years. Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla designed this framework to capture exactly that dual benefit: hyperscalers come online faster, and costs go down for everyone.

“The stakes are clear. America’s grid faces mounting pressure from data centers, electrification, and manufacturing growth that no single infrastructure solution can solve fast enough,” said Colby Hastings, Senior Director of Residential Energy at Tesla. “Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla believe that a huge piece of the answer is already in place — in the batteries, thermostats, and electric vehicles inside millions of American homes, waiting to be put to work.”

A Win-Win-Win For Customers, Communities, and Economic Development
Residential customers, data centers, and utilities can all benefit from the improved scale, speed, and cost effectiveness this framework activates. Key aspects include:

Better grid utilization, lower rates for everyone: When customers choose to shift how they use energy during peak periods, it allows grid operators to focus on more cost-effective infrastructure — and that means lower energy costs for all ratepayers, not just owners of distributed energy resources.Innovative customer offers and experiences: Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla are building new customer offerings and AI-driven tools to lower the cost of solar-plus-storage systems and expand access to reliable home energy and more ways to participate in grid programs.Savings and rewards for households that have enabled these devices: The companies will unlock new ways to help households manage their energy costs and earn rewards for participating in grid-supporting programs.Latent existing capacity: Gigawatts of capacity and customer savings sit on the sidelines today in the form of idle home batteries, HVAC systems, and EVs. The three companies, in partnership with data centers and utilities, can unlock this latent capacity immediately.Speed to new capacity: Distributed capacity through residential installations is the fastest way to meet immediate system needs without expensive new poles and wires or additional land usage. This agreement between three of the largest players in home energy can create a structure to stand behind commitments on development timelines.National coverage: Meeting the needs of hyperscalers requires scale across several key geographic areas. Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla have the largest combined residential energy footprint in the country, with deployable capacity and utility relationships in most major electricity markets.Joint market development: Data center and utility procurement teams are stretched thin. This new joint capacity delivery framework can give them a single, trusted source for gigawatts of flexible capacity by cutting through the complexity of managing multiple resource developers and accelerating the path from need to deployment.
For more information about working with Sunrun, Renew Home and Tesla for flexible capacity and household savings, visit www.vppcapacity.com.

About Sunrun
Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) is America’s largest provider of home battery storage, solar, and home-to-grid power plants. As the pioneer of home energy systems offered through a no-upfront-cost subscription model, Sunrun empowers customers nationwide with greater energy control, security, and independence. Sunrun supports the grid by providing on-demand dispatchable power that helps prevent blackouts and lowers energy costs. Learn more at www.sunrun.com.

About Renew Home
Renew Home brings households and energy providers together to help households save energy and earn rewards while offering energy providers cost-effective, reliable grid capacity at scale. With its home energy management platform, Renew Home empowers millions of households to save and shift their energy use to times when it's cleaner, less expensive or better for the grid. Renew Home VPP is building the country’s largest virtual power plant solution for energy providers, with more than 6 million connected households. Renew Home is a Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) company. Learn more at www.renewhome.com.

About Tesla
Tesla Energy Operations, Inc. is the sustainable energy division of Tesla, Inc. that develops, manufactures, sells and installs photovoltaic solar energy generation systems, battery energy storage products and other related products and services to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Media Contacts
Wyatt Semanek
Sr. Director, Corporate Communications
[email protected]

Sarah Spitz
Director, Communications
[email protected]

Investor & Analyst Contact
Patrick Jobin
SVP, Deputy CFO & Investor Relations Officer
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding Sunrun’s, Renew Home’s, and Tesla’s framework to pursue distributed energy resource opportunities; the potential availability, timing, scale, dispatchability, and benefits of aggregated capacity; potential participation in PJM’s proposed Reliability Backstop Process and other utility or market programs; potential opportunities with utilities, hyperscalers, data centers, and other large energy customers; anticipated customer participation, customer benefits, grid benefits, cost savings, and ratepayer impacts; potential deployment timelines; and potential new customer offerings, software capabilities, and AI-driven tools.

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions, and beliefs, and may be identified by words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “target,” “estimate,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “potential,” “designed to,” “seek,” “pursue,” and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied, including customer enrollment and authorization; device availability, performance, interoperability, and dispatch accuracy; utility program design and participation; PJM and other market rules, acceptance, implementation, and settlement processes; regulatory approvals and changes in regulatory frameworks; interconnection, telemetry, data access, cybersecurity, and privacy requirements; the ability of the parties to integrate operational capabilities while maintaining appropriate information controls; supply chain availability and costs; macroeconomic conditions; changes in utility rate structures, net metering policies, incentive programs, and tax rules; partner performance; market demand from utilities, hyperscalers, data centers, and other customers; and other risks described in Sunrun’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Sunrun undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

1 Battery Storage MW calculation is based on the installed battery rated capacity. HVAC MW calculation is based on the 1-hour peak load shift potential from connected smart HVAC systems and thermostats across Renew Home’s HVAC partners.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c86e0633-6933-4ed6-b257-920ccc2a54ae

Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla Team Up to Deliver Gigawatts of Fast, Flexible Power Together, the companies offer 16.8 GW of flexible capacity across the nation's largest data center m...

The family of a woman killed when a Tesla crashed into her home, allegedly while in self-driving mode, is suing Elon Musk's company and the driver.

Jennifer Barbour, the daughter of the 76-year-old victim, Martha Avila, filed the lawsuit alongside her husband.

It alleges a "design defect" in Teslas and negligence against both Tesla and the driver, Michael Butler.

According to the lawsuit, the victim was standing in the front room of her brick home at around 8pm on Friday when the car smashed into it, causing her to be "pinned in the wreckage".

She was airlifted to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Image: Pic: Harris County Constable Precinct 5 The driver said he was using the car's self-driving system when it crashed, according to the sheriff's office, which said he was cooperative and didn't show any signs of intoxication.

Although Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Sky's partner newsroom, NBC, Elon Musk did respond to a news story about the crash on Monday night.

More on Elon Musk

Elon Musk loses billions as SpaceX shares slump in tech sell-off

Shares of Elon Musk's SpaceX soar past Amazon

SpaceX IPO latest: Elon Musk becomes world's first trillionaire as opening shares soar

Referring to the vehicle's full self-driving mode, he wrote on X: "FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets, and this was a high-speed crash!"

Ashok Elluswamy, vice president of AI software at Tesla, defended the vehicle's systems.

"In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area," he wrote on X on Monday.

"They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash."

Image: Pic: Harris County Constable Precinct 5 NBC has seen a copy of the lawsuit, which alleges that the Tesla was in "Autopilot" mode and that the system has "a history of known danger".

It cites a 2023 Washington Post analysis of government data that "identified at least 17 fatal incidents linked to Tesla's Autopilot".

"The actions and inactions of Defendant Butler were done with reckless disregard for a substantial risk of severe bodily injury," the lawsuit alleges.

Although no criminal charges have been filed, the crash is under investigation, according to the sheriff's office, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also launching a special investigation.

The Barbour family thanked first responders in a statement released by their lawyers.

"Your quick response, professionalism, and kindness have been a significant reason that we have been able to deal with this unimaginable situation," they said.

"Thank you for all that you do to help families like ours during the hardest moments of our lives."

The lawsuit seeks more than $1m (£760,100) in damages.

The solar-energy company is partnering with home energy platform Renew Home and electric car maker Tesla to power data centers.