Key Takeaways BoE launches first private-market stress test with 46 firms, including APO, ARES, BX, KKR and JPM.BoE Stress test assumes a 4% U.K. GDP drop, 7% inflation, 7% interest rates and a 35% equity market fall.Initial findings will be shared by 2026-end, with a second test early next year and conclusions in 2027. The Bank of England (“BoE”) has turned its attention to one of global finance’s fastest-growing sectors, private markets. The BoE has launched a “doomsday” stress test designed to determine whether the rapidly expanding private markets sector can withstand a severe global financial shock. The exercise, described as the first of its kind worldwide, reflects growing regulatory concerns over the increasing role of private credit and private equity in the global financial system.
In the stress test, 46 firms have agreed to take part, including alternative asset managers Apollo Global Management Inc. (APO - Free Report) , Ares Management Corp. (ARES - Free Report) , Blackstone Inc. (BX - Free Report) and KKR & Co. (KKR - Free Report) . Also, major banks, which provide leverage across the private markets ecosystem like Barclays and JPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) , and asset managers such as BlackRock have also participated.
Here’s Why Private Markets Are Under the SpotlightPrivate markets, including private equity, private credit and other non-public investments, have expanded rapidly over the past decade, attracting trillions of dollars from institutional investors seeking higher returns.
But scale changes the risk profile. With global private-market assets estimated at $16 trillion, the sector has become too large to ignore. Regulators are increasingly focused on its limited transparency, complex valuation practices and growing links to the broader financial system. Unlike publicly traded assets, private investments can be difficult to price and may become harder to sell during periods of market stress.
The Financial Stability Board has recently warned of emerging stresses in private credit, which often involves opaque, non-bank lending to mid-sized companies. The BoE is concerned that this opacity could amplify isolated failures into wider financial instability, especially given private equity-backed firms’ significant role in U.K. employment and corporate debt.
The BoE concern is not that private markets are inherently fragile, but that they have not yet been tested through a prolonged downturn at their current scale. Much of the industry’s growth took place during a period of low interest rates, abundant liquidity and strong fundraising. A sustained environment of higher borrowing costs, weaker valuations and tighter refinancing conditions could reveal vulnerabilities that have been hidden in more favorable market conditions.
The BoE’s Stress Test ScenarioThe BoE's private markets’ stress test is built around a severe but plausible five-year global recession designed to assess how private equity firms, private credit managers, banks and institutional investors would respond to extreme financial stress. Rather than evaluating the resilience of individual firms, the exercise focuses on identifying vulnerabilities that could threaten the stability of the broader financial system.
The test scenario assumes that U.K. interest rates and inflation both rise to 7% in the first year, while the economy subsequently enters a deep recession, with UK GDP contracting 4% in the second year. During the recovery period, unemployment increases to 7.5%, U.K. equity markets fall 35%, leveraged loan spreads widen by 400 basis points and market volatility rises sharply, with the volatility index reaching around 40. Although the economy is expected to recover, growth remains weak over the following three years, averaging 0.7% annually.
In addition to macroeconomic shocks, the scenario incorporates artificial intelligence (AI)-related risks by assuming higher energy costs, shortages of advanced semiconductors and slower adoption of AI technologies. These factors are intended to test how reduced productivity gains and disruptions to AI-dependent sectors could affect investment portfolios and financial stability.
Participants like Apollo Global, Ares Management, Blackrock, KKR & Co. and JPMorgan are required to evaluate how they would respond to the stress scenario, submit their expected actions and portfolio adjustments, and review market-wide aggregated feedback provided by the BoE. The BoE will then revise and resubmit their responses in a second round.
The BoE will publish only aggregate results, using the exercise to better understand how stress in the private markets could transmit through the broader financial system. Initial findings from the information-gathering phase will be included in the July Financial Stability Report. Interim results from Round 1 will be released later in 2026, with the final report expected in 2027.
Final TakeawaysThe BoE’s stress test marks a significant step in expanding regulatory oversight beyond traditional banks to the rapidly growing private markets sector. By simulating an extended period of economic stress, higher interest rates, declining asset values and AI-related disruptions, the exercise aims to identify how risks could spread through an increasingly interconnected financial system.
While the test is not intended to assess the resilience of individual firms, the participation of major firms like BlackRock, KKR & Co., Ares Management, Apollo Global and JPMorgan, the stress test may deliver critical insights into how vulnerable the system may be under severe strain.
As private equity and private credit continue to play a larger role in global finance, the results of this pioneering exercise could shape future regulatory frameworks, risk management practices and transparency standards for the industry. Ultimately, the findings will help regulators better understand whether private markets can remain resilient under extreme conditions or whether additional safeguards are needed to protect broader financial stability.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.
Over the past month, shares of this Mexican food chain have returned -1.3%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.6% change. During this period, the Zacks Retail - Restaurants industry, which Chipotle falls in, has gained 2.4%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
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, Chipotle is expected to post earnings of $0.32 per share, indicating a change of -3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.5% over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.13 points to a change of -3.4% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.1%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.35 indicates a change of +19.5% from what Chipotle is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.2%.
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 Chipotle.
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 Chipotle, the consensus sales estimate of $3.32 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +8.3%. The $12.93 billion and $14.31 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +8.4% and +10.7%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryChipotle reported revenues of $3.09 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.4%. EPS of $0.24 for the same period compares with $0.29 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.08 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.41%. The EPS surprise was 0%.
Over the last four quarters, Chipotle surpassed consensus EPS estimates three 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.
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.
Chipotle is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
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 Chipotle. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $31.86, demonstrating a -2.3% change from the preceding day's closing price. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.22%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 0.98%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 1.35%.
The stock of Mexican food chain has fallen by 1.3% in the past month, leading the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 2.86% and undershooting the S&P 500's gain of 1.56%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Chipotle Mexican Grill in its upcoming release. The company is slated to reveal its earnings on July 29, 2026. On that day, Chipotle Mexican Grill is projected to report earnings of $0.32 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 3.03%. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $3.32 billion, reflecting a 8.25% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $1.13 per share and a revenue of $12.93 billion, signifying shifts of -3.42% and +8.4%, respectively, from the last year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Chipotle Mexican Grill. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.07% higher. Chipotle Mexican Grill presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Chipotle Mexican Grill has a Forward P/E ratio of 28.82 right now. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 19.48.
It's also important to note that CMG currently trades at a PEG ratio of 2.1. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Retail - Restaurants industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.84 as trading concluded yesterday.
The Retail - Restaurants industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 205, this industry ranks in the bottom 16% of all industries, numbering over 250.
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.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
The investment community is showing no signs of losing interest in the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. This tech-driven trend is driving the overall market higher, even though it's been a volatile year with the Middle East conflict stoking inflation, a new Federal Reserve chair, and worries about AI disruption.
However, not all businesses have been resilient enough to ride the momentum. Investors are certainly familiar with this restaurant enterprise that has seen its shares fall 54% from their peak (as of June 17), which was reached two years ago in June 2024. It's trying to return to strong growth.
The market is clearly punishing this consumer discretionary stock. Is this the buying opportunity investors have been waiting for?
Image source: Getty Images.
Investors have been losing their appetites Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG +2.08%) was once lauded as the gold standard in the fast-casual segment of the broader restaurant sector. In the five years leading up to its all-time high, the stock surged 368%. This was a fantastic investment opportunity.
However, the company has dealt with some negative developments in the past 24 months. Brian Niccol, the CEO credited with bringing the business back to notable success following its E. coli health crisis with stricter food standards and by leaning into digital transformation, left Chipotle in August 2024 to take the top job at Starbucks.
Shares dipped 7% on the day of the leadership announcement. The market believed that nobody could fill Niccol's shoes.
Chipotle has also been a victim of the uneven economic backdrop. The third-quarter 2025 earnings call mentioned that consumers from households that bring in less than $100,000 in annual income have tightened their spending as they've been facing pressure in this environment. The same is true for younger customers.
In the first, second, and fourth quarters of 2025, Chipotle reported declining year-over-year same-store sales. For the full year, this figure was down 1.7%. This was a surprise for the market, as the company posted same-store sales growth in the previous eight consecutive years.
In an effort to boost growth, the management team has raised its marketing spend, which totaled 3.5% of revenue in Q4 2025. This was up from a 3% share in the prior-year quarter. Profit margins have come under pressure.
Today's Change
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31.18
Reasons to be bullish After seeing the share price fall 54% in two years, it makes sense that investors would adopt a pessimistic view. However, I think there are three reasons to be bullish on Chipotle.
During Q1 2026 (ended March 31), the company surprised investors by registering a same-store sales gain of 0.5%. Wall Street analysts expected a 0.7% drop. That's a significant difference. Transaction counts were up 0.6%, indicating improving traffic trends that might be the start of positive momentum.
The growth story is another reason to be bullish. Chipotle opened 334 net new company-operated locations in 2025. It plans to open 340 to 355 (excluding international partner-operating restaurants) in 2026. The leadership team still believes that the business can one day operate 7,000 restaurants in North America, up from nearly 4,100 company-owned stores as of March 31.
A bigger store footprint, combined with the potential for annual unit sales volumes to rise, should lead to higher profits five or 10 years from now.
Of course, due to the stock's massive decline, the valuation has become more attractive. Investors can buy this stock at a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.2. This is about as cheap as Chipotle shares have been in the past five years.
Chipotle continues to navigate a difficult operating environment, and the market is showing that it's losing confidence. But this is a great opportunity for patient investors to buy an industry-leading business while it's on the dip.
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Fast-casual chains like Chipotle and Cava are gaining ground amid the K-shaped economic recovery. Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images The old recession playbook said consumers under financial pressure would trade down to the cheapest meal they could find.
That's not what's happening these days.
Instead, Americans are eating out less often, scrutinizing every restaurant purchase, and concentrating their spending among a shrinking group of perceived winners. And increasingly, those winners look a lot like Chipotle and Cava.
A year ago, fast-casual chains built around customizable bowls and salads were among the restaurant industry's biggest casualties thanks to stretched consumers. Diners balked at lunch tabs creeping past $20, traffic slowed, and executives spent much of 2025 talking about value.
Now, those same chains are pulling away from the rest of the pack.
The shift reflects a broader K-shaped economy that has upended traditional restaurant wisdom. Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore previously told Business Insider that restaurant chains have been dealing with softer demand among lower-income consumers for years, while spending among higher-income households has remained resilient. That dynamic has helped casual dining outperform parts of the quick-service sector and complicated the assumption that consumers under pressure automatically migrate to the cheapest options.
A worthwhile splurgeConsumer Edge's 2026 restaurant outlook describes a "barbell-shaped recovery" in which consumers are increasingly either trading down into value-oriented quick-service restaurants or trading up for experiences they believe are worth the money, while the middle gets squeezed. In that environment, brands like Chipotle and Cava are "regaining momentum through innovation and improved value perception," the report says.
The report found consumers are allocating a larger share of food spending to groceries while becoming more deliberate about restaurant visits. When they do spend, they're rewarding brands that offer a compelling combination of quality, convenience, portion size, and perceived value.
Chipotle's recent menu innovations include its traffic-driving high-protein menu, chicken al pastor, cilantro-lime sauce, and the return of its Chipotle Honey Chicken limited-time offer. Bloomberg/Getty Images That distinction matters — because it isn't that Chipotle and Cava suddenly became cheap. It's that diners increasingly see them as a better use of their restaurant budget than many alternatives.
Consumer Edge found that for transactions above $30, Chipotle and Cava were among the brands gaining share, while pizza chains and chicken chains lost ground. The report said consumers are reallocating larger-ticket spending away from traditional shareable formats and toward "healthier, higher-quality customizable fast casual options."
Executives at both companies are leaning into that shift.
Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said during the company's Q1 earnings call that Chipotle's "recipe for growth" strategy is gaining traction, helped by a steady drumbeat of menu innovation, including the high-protein menu, chicken al pastor, cilantro-lime sauce, and the return of Chipotle Honey Chicken.
He said Chipotle continues to price below inflation because "reinforcing our value proposition is the right thing to do in this environment."
During Cava's Q1 call, CEO Brett Schulman pointed to broad-based demand and said lower-income customer cohorts continue to outperform "as we bridge this K-shaped economy."
The Mediterranean chain raised its full-year outlook after first-quarter same-restaurant sales rose 9.7%, driven primarily by traffic growth.
Consumer spending is still softNot every fast-casual chain is sharing in the rebound.
Other fast-casual chains like Sweetgreen are not seeing the same boost as Chipotle and Cava. Bloomberg/Getty Images Consumer Edge found stronger performance at Chipotle and Cava, offset by softer results at Sweetgreen, Panera Bread, and smaller concepts. While the category overall remained roughly flat, the report said larger players had managed to "rehabilitate perceived value" through menu innovation and pricing discipline, while weaker brands continued losing traffic.
Customer-satisfaction data tells a similar story. The American Customer Satisfaction Index said consumers are spending "more selectively" and placing greater emphasis on "consistency, reliability, and perceived value" rather than simply chasing the lowest price. Brands that consistently deliver are gaining ground; those that don't are getting left behind.
The consumer hasn't bounced back, and restaurant traffic hasn't magically returned. Americans are still cutting back.
However, in an industry where diners are questioning every meal away from home, the customizable bowl has become one of the few splurges that still feels justified.
Read next
Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert is a senior reporter on Business Insider's West Coast team. When she's not writing about trending business and tech news, from the latest supply chain snarls or advancements in AI, she covers the food and restaurant industries, specifically companies such as Starbucks and McDonald's.Some of her prior areas of focus have included coverage of the Supreme Court and emerging technologies such as quantum computing.Katherine has worked on award-nominated projects and has appeared on Good Morning America, NBC, CNN, and other outlets to discuss her reporting.Prior to joining Business Insider, she covered retail, hospitality, and nonprofits at the San Fernando Valley Business Journal and received a master's degree in investigative reporting from the University of Southern California.Reach outDo you have feedback or a story tip? Contact Katherine on Signal at byktl.50, or email her at [email protected] her on Twitter and Instagram @scrawlgirl.Some of her recent scoops, exclusives, and original stories include: Starbucks set up a new office. It's a 5-minute drive from the CEO's California home.Inside Starbucks' crackdown on cup notesEndless Shrimp was Red Lobster's rock bottom. Now it's clawing back.Chipotle's new PAC signals a change in how the company engages in politicsKFC lost its footing in the Chicken Wars. Now it's gunning for a 'Kentucky Fried Comeback.'A few other highlights include: Clarence Thomas raised him 'as a son.' Now he's facing 25-plus years on weapons and drug charges.Call her Ivanka Kushner'Maybe I'll just resign:' Federal workers react to DOGE productivity emailSpaceX launches cause late-night booms that rattle windows, set off car alarms, and may damage property. Locals are pushing back.The US-China tech race is moving from chips to the raw materials they're made of
, /PRNewswire/ -- Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ/GS: STLD) today provided second quarter 2026 earnings guidance in the range of $3.51 to $3.55 per diluted share. Comparatively, the company's sequential first quarter 2026 earnings were $2.78 per diluted share, and prior year second quarter earnings were $2.01 per diluted share.
Estimated second quarter earnings have been reduced by $16 million, as a result of asset write-downs related to the decision to relocate the company's planned second satellite aluminum recycled slab center from Arizona to Columbus, Mississippi, as differences with Arizona state officials risked the construction and operations of the facility.
Second quarter 2026 profitability from the company's steel operations is expected to be meaningfully higher than first quarter results, driven by strong demand and metal margin expansion across the platform, as average realized selling values increased more than scrap raw material costs. Order activity remains strong, supported by underlying demand and persistently low steel inventories, which continue to support favorable pricing conditions. Demand across key end markets remains solid, with non-residential construction, energy, automotive, and industrial sectors leading performance.
Second quarter 2026 earnings from the company's metals recycling operations are expected to be similar to sequential first quarter results, as increased ferrous and non-ferrous shipments are expected to be offset by expected nonferrous unrealized hedging losses.
Second quarter 2026 earnings from the company's steel fabrication operations are expected to be incrementally below sequential first quarter results, as the benefit from stronger shipments combined with steady pricing is offset by higher steel raw material input costs. Customer order activity has remained strong, continuing the momentum beginning at the end of 2025. The order backlog is now nearly 40% higher than a year ago and extends through the end of the year and into 2027. Current demand is being supported by commercial construction, data center and warehouse buildouts, manufacturing, and healthcare end markets. The company expects further volume improvement throughout the year and into 2027, supported by domestic manufacturing investment, U.S. infrastructure investment, other stimulus programs, and ongoing onshoring activity.
Second quarter 2026 earnings from the company's aluminum operations are expected to improve significantly compared to first quarter sequential results, based on increased shipments and higher realized pricing. The aluminum team continues to make strong progress on the commissioning and startup of the company's aluminum flat rolled products mill in Columbus, Mississippi. Two of the three cold mills are now operational, and the third cold mill is expected to begin qualifying material in July. Additionally, the first of two Continuous Annealing and Solution Heat (CASH) lines, which support the production of finished automotive products, is operating and shipping material for customer qualification. The second CASH line is also expected to begin material qualifications in the fourth quarter 2026.
The company has repurchased $170 million, or one half of one percent, of its common stock so far during the second quarter 2026.
The company currently plans to release its second quarter 2026 earnings after the market closes on July 20, 2026, and will hold a conference call the next day at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss the company's performance.
About Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Steel Dynamics is a leading industrial metals solutions company, with facilities located throughout the United States, and in Mexico. The company operates using a circular manufacturing model, producing lower-carbon-emission, quality products with recycled scrap as the primary input. Steel Dynamics is one of the largest domestic steel producers and metal recyclers in North America, combined with a meaningful downstream steel fabrication platform. The company also has aluminum operations, further diversifying its product offerings to supply aluminum flat rolled products with higher recycled content to the countercyclical sustainable beverage can industry, in addition to the automotive and industrial sectors. Steel Dynamics is committed to operating with the highest integrity and to being the safest, most efficient producer of high-quality, broadly diversified, value-added metal products.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains some predictive statements about future events, including statements related to conditions in domestic or global economies, conditions in steel, aluminum, and recycled metals marketplaces, Steel Dynamics' revenues, costs of purchased materials, future profitability and earnings, and the operation of new, existing or planned facilities. These statements, which we generally precede or accompany by such typical conditional words as "anticipate", "intend", "believe", "estimate", "plan", "seek", "project", or "expect", or by the words "may", "will", or "should", are intended to be made as "forward-looking", subject to many risks and uncertainties, within the safe harbor protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements speak only as of this date and are based upon information and assumptions, which we consider reasonable as of this date, concerning our businesses and the environments in which they operate. Such predictive statements are not guarantees of future performance, and we undertake no duty to update or revise any such statements. Some factors that could cause such forward-looking statements to turn out differently than anticipated include: (1) domestic and global economic factors; (2) global steelmaking overcapacity and imports of steel, together with increased scrap prices; (3) the cyclical nature of the metals industries and the industries we serve; (4) volatility and major fluctuations in prices and availability of scrap metal, scrap substitutes and supplies, and our potential inability to pass higher costs on to our customers; (5) cost and availability of electricity, natural gas, oil, and other energy resources are subject to volatile market conditions; (6) increased environmental, greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability considerations from our customers and investors or related regulations; (7) compliance with and changes in environmental and remediation requirements; (8) significant price and other forms of competition from other steel and aluminum producers, scrap processors and alternative materials; (9) availability of an adequate source of supply of scrap for our metals recycling operations; (10) cybersecurity threats and risks to the security of our sensitive data and information technology; (11) the implementation of our growth strategy; (12) our ability to retain, develop and attract key personnel; (13) litigation and legal compliance; (14) unexpected equipment downtime or shutdowns; (15) difficulties in the launch or production ramp-up of new products; (16) our aluminum operations depend on a core group of significant customers; (17) governmental agencies may refuse to grant or renew some of our licenses and permits; (18) our existing debt agreements contain, and any future financing agreements may contain, restrictive covenants that may limit our flexibility; and (19) the impacts of impairment charges.
More specifically, we refer you to our more detailed explanation of these and other factors and risks that may cause such predictive statements to turn out differently, as set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K under the headings Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, or in other reports which we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are available publicly on the Securities and Exchange Commission website, www.sec.gov, and on our website, www.steeldynamics.com under "Investors – SEC Filings."
In the latest trading session, Steel Dynamics (STLD - Free Report) closed at $249.91, marking a -7.49% move from the previous day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.09%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.91%.
Coming into today, shares of the steel producer and metals recycler had gained 18.32% in the past month. In that same time, the Basic Materials sector gained 1.77%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.29%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Steel Dynamics in its upcoming release. In that report, analysts expect Steel Dynamics to post earnings of $4.18 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 107.96%. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $5.58 billion, reflecting a 22.18% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $15.85 per share and a revenue of $21.84 billion, signifying shifts of +98.37% and +20.17%, respectively, from the last year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Steel Dynamics. 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 reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 7.28% higher. As of now, Steel Dynamics holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Steel Dynamics is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 17.04. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 13.87, so one might conclude that Steel Dynamics is trading at a premium comparatively.
It's also important to note that STLD currently trades at a PEG ratio of 0.54. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As the market closed yesterday, the Steel - Producers industry was having an average PEG ratio of 0.48.
The Steel - Producers industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 43, putting it in the top 18% 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.
To follow STLD in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
Key Takeaways STLD expects Q2 EPS of $3.51-$3.55, up from Q1 and year-ago levels on stronger steel profits. Steel Dynamics sees robust demand and rising metal margins lifting steel operations' earnings. STLD's aluminum segment earnings are projected to improve on higher shipments and prices. Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD - Free Report) expects second-quarter 2026 earnings of $3.51 to $3.55 per share. This reflects an increase from $2.78 in the first quarter and $2.01 a year earlier, driven by significantly stronger anticipated profitability in its steel operations amid robust demand and expanding metal margins.
Second-quarter results include an estimated $16 million asset write-down tied to the relocation of the company's planned second satellite aluminum recycled slab center from Arizona to Columbus, MI, after issues with Arizona state officials created risks for the project's construction and operations.
Steel operations are expected to post higher earnings meaningfully as rising selling prices outpaced scrap raw material costs. Demand remains strong across non-residential construction, energy, automotive and industrial markets, supported by low steel inventories and favorable pricing conditions.
Earnings from metals recycling operations are projected to be in line with the first quarter, as higher ferrous and non-ferrous shipments are expected to be offset by unrealized hedging losses. Steel fabrication earnings are expected to be lower sequentially due to higher steel input costs despite stronger shipments and steady pricing. The fabrication backlog has risen nearly 40% from a year ago and extends into 2027.
The aluminum segment is expected to deliver significantly improved earnings on higher shipments and stronger pricing. Steel Dynamics continues to advance the startup of its aluminum flat-rolled mill in Columbus, with two of three cold mills now operational. The first of two Continuous Annealing and Solution Heat (CASH) lines is already shipping material for customer qualification.
During the second quarter, the company repurchased $170 million of its common stock. Steel Dynamics plans to report second-quarter 2026 results after market close on July 20.
Shares of STLD are up 98.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 93.4% rise.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
STLD’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksSTLD carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Nucor Corporation (NUE - Free Report) , L.B. Foster Company (FSTR - Free Report) and Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) . NUE, FSTR and ALB carry a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NUE’s current-year earnings stands at $15.71 per share, implying a 103.8% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice, with the average surprise being 8.1%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSTR’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.74 per share, implying a 152.2% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the trailing four quarters and missed thrice, with the average surprise being 3.62%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALB’s current-year earnings is pegged at $12.39 per share, indicating a 1,668.4% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 74.5%.
On June 17, 2026, we present a detailed DCF analysis for Nasdaq Inc NDAQ , a company currently trading at $89.29. Over the past year, NDAQ has shown a price performance of +4.3%, despite a year-to-date decline of -7.5%. This analysis will provide insights into the intrinsic value of NDAQ based on earnings and free cash flow models, as well as the proprietary GF Value™.
DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value: $67.65 vs current price $89.29 (margin of safety: -32.0%) DCF FCF-based intrinsic value: $62.39 vs current price $89.29 (second opinion) GF Score™ of 91/100 indicates high reliability of the DCF inputs What Is NDAQ Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model To determine the intrinsic value of Nasdaq Inc, we utilized a two-stage discounted cash flow (DCF) model. The first stage accounts for high growth in earnings over the next 10 years, while the second stage reflects a more stable growth rate in the following 10 years.
Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $3.65 10-Year Growth Rate 12.2% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.43% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% In the first stage, we project that EPS will grow at a rate of 12.2% per year for the next 10 years, which is then discounted at a rate of 11%. The calculated value for this growth stage is $38.74 per share. In the second stage, we assume a terminal growth rate of 4% for the subsequent 10 years, also discounted at 11%, yielding a terminal stage value of $28.91 per share.
Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 12.2%, discounted at 11% $38.74 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $28.91 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $67.65 When comparing the current price of $89.29 to the intrinsic value of $67.65, we find that NDAQ is modestly overvalued, with a margin of safety of -32.0%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research indicates that stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For a detailed calculation, visit the NDAQ DCF Calculator.
What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? In addition to the earnings-based model, we also calculated the intrinsic value based on free cash flow (FCF), which yielded a value of $62.39 per share. This FCF-based intrinsic value is lower than the earnings-based intrinsic value of $67.65. Both models indicate that NDAQ is modestly overvalued, with the FCF model showing a margin of safety of -43.1%.
How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for Nasdaq Inc is calculated at $78.12, providing a third perspective on the valuation. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. When comparing all three models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—we observe a consensus that NDAQ is overvalued. For further details, visit the GF Value™ page.
What Does NDAQ's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been found to generate higher long-term returns (backtested from 2006 to 2021).
Metric Rating GF Score™ 91/100 Financial Strength 6/10 Profitability 9/10 Growth 9/10 Valuation 6/10 Momentum 7/10 With a predictability rank of 1/5 stars, it is important to note that higher predictability ratings indicate that the DCF model is more reliable for this stock. For more information, visit the NDAQ stock page.
Key Assumptions and Limitations It is essential to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as NDAQ, tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. Additionally, the terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not reflect actual future performance.
What This Means for Investors In summary, the analysis of the three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—indicates that Nasdaq Inc is currently overvalued. Investors should consider these insights when making investment decisions regarding NDAQ. For the full DCF analysis, visit the NDAQ DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.
Frequently Asked Questions What is NDAQ's intrinsic value based on DCF?
According to our analysis, the earnings-based intrinsic value is $67.65, while the FCF-based intrinsic value is $62.39.
Is NDAQ overvalued or undervalued?
Both the DCF and GF Value™ analyses indicate that NDAQ is overvalued at its current price of $89.29.
How reliable is the DCF model for NDAQ?
Given its predictability rank of 1/5, the DCF model for NDAQ is considered less reliable.
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Key Takeaways NDAQ is benefiting from growth in Index, Data, Workflow & Insights and Anti-Financial Crime businesses. Cross-selling and acquisitions are broadening solutions, growing customer retention and revenue visibility. Strong cash flow and a healthy balance sheet support dividends, buybacks and future growth initiatives. Shares of Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ - Free Report) have gained 3.4% over the past year, outperforming the industry's 11.7% decline.
Arch Capital has outperformed its peers, including Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE - Free Report) , CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) and OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCM - Free Report) . Shares of ICE, CME and OTCM have lost 21.4%, 3.9% and 2.8%, respectively, in the past year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
With a market capitalization of $50.49 billion, the average volume of shares traded in the last three months was 3.1 million. NDAQ has a solid track record of beating earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average of 4.93%.
NDAQ Shares are OvervaluedNasdaq shares are trading at a discount to the Zacks Securities and Exchange industry. Its forward price-to-earnings of 21.89X is higher than the industry average of 19.84X.
NDAQ’s Growth Projection EncouragesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nasdaq’s 2026 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 10.9%. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $5.76 billion, implying a year-over-year improvement of 9.7%.
The consensus estimate for 2027 earnings per share and revenues indicates an increase of 12% and 7.6%, respectively, from the corresponding 2026 estimates.
The long-term earnings growth is expected to be 13%, better than the industry average of 12.2%.
Optimist Analyst Sentiment on NDAQNine of the 12 analysts covering the stock have raised estimates for 2026 and 2027 over the past 60 days. Thus, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 earnings has moved up 0.7% and 0.7%, respectively, in the past 60 days.
Average Target Price for NDAQ Suggests UpsideBased on short-term price targets offered by 17 analysts, the Zacks average price target is $109.24 per share. The average suggests a potential 19.99% upside from the last closing price.
Nasdaq’s Favorable Return on CapitalReturn on equity in the trailing 12 months was 17.5%, better than the industry average of 16%. This highlights the company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Also, the return on invested capital (ROIC) has been increasing over the last few quarters as the company raised its capital investment over the same time frame, reflecting NDAQ’s efficiency in utilizing funds to generate income. ROIC in the trailing 12 months was 7.9%, better than the industry average of 6.6%.
Key Points to Note for NDAQ StockNasdaq’s organic growth has also been aided by its strategy of accelerating its non-trading revenue base, which includes Trading Services and Marketplace Technology businesses, Data & Listing Services, Index and Workflow & Insights businesses and Anti-Financial Crime business, thereby infusing dynamism into its business profile.
Growth in non-trading segments was driven by higher Index revenues, demand for IR and ESG solutions, steady analytics solutions sales to asset managers and increasing recurring data revenues. Anti-Financial Crime revenues should continue to gain from solid demand for fraud detection and anti-money laundering solutions, as well as the SaaS-based surveillance solutions.
Nasdaq focuses on cross-selling multiple products to existing clients and integrating acquisitions to broaden its solutions portfolio, thereby increasing customer stickiness and revenue visibility.
Nasdaq has grown meaningfully over the years through a number of strategic expansions. These acquisitions have helped the company gain direct access to the Canadian equities market, expand its technology offering and improve its market surveillance techniques.
Nasdaq boasts a healthy balance sheet and cash position, along with modest operating cash flow from its diverse business model. A healthy balance sheet ensures the distribution of wealth to shareholders in the form of dividend hikes and share repurchases.
ConclusionNasdaq is set to grow on impressive organic growth, an increasing on-trading revenue base and strategic buyouts to capitalize on market opportunities. The company’s focus on Market Technology and Information Services businesses helps explore vast opportunities through its developmental strategies.
NDAQ’s dividend story is impressive. Per its growth strategy, Nasdaq will bring the payout ratio of 35-38% by 2027 and resume share buybacks to offset dilution from the Adenza buyout.
Higher return on capital, favorable growth estimates and attractive valuations should continue to benefit NDAQ over the long term.
It is, therefore, wise to hold on to this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
NEW YORK, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced today that it has notified QMMM Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: QMMM) that its securities will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on June 24, unless the company appeals to a Listing Qualifications Hearings Panel. The securities will remain halted, and unavailable to trade, until any appeal is resolved, and the securities are removed from Nasdaq. Following removal from Nasdaq the securities may be eligible for trading in the over-the-counter market.
Following a temporary trading suspension in the Company’s securities by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/trading-suspensions/34-104112-ts) Nasdaq halted trading in the Company’s ordinary shares on October 11, 2025. Nasdaq has now determined that it is appropriate to use its authority under IM-5101-4 to delist the Company’s securities from Nasdaq.
For news and additional information about the company, please review the companies’ public filings or contact the company directly.
For more information about The Nasdaq Stock Market, visit the Nasdaq Web site at http://www.nasdaq.com. Nasdaq’s rules governing the delisting of securities can be found in the Nasdaq Rule 5800 Series, available on the Nasdaq Web site: https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rules/nasdaq-5800-series.
NEW YORK, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced today that it has notified Smart Digital Group Limited (Nasdaq: SDM) that its securities will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on June 24, unless the company appeals to a Listing Qualifications Hearings Panel. The securities will remain halted, and unavailable to trade, until any appeal is resolved. Following removal from Nasdaq the securities may be eligible for trading in the over-the-counter market.
Following a temporary trading suspension in the Company’s securities by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/trading-suspensions/34-104112-ts) Nasdaq halted trading in the Company’s ordinary shares on October 11, 2025. Nasdaq has now determined that it is appropriate to use its authority under IM-5101-4 to delist the Company’s securities from Nasdaq.
For news and additional information about the company, please review the companies’ public filings or contact the company directly.
For more information about The Nasdaq Stock Market, visit the Nasdaq Web site at http://www.nasdaq.com. Nasdaq’s rules governing the delisting of securities can be found in the Nasdaq Rule 5800 Series, available on the Nasdaq Web site: https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rules/nasdaq-5800-series.
June 17, 2026 17:47 ET | Source: Wilco 63 Corporation
New York, NY, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wilco 63 Corporation (the “Company”) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units are expected to be listed on The Nasdaq Global Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and begin trading on June 18, 2026, under the ticker symbol “WLCOU.” Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. An amount equal to $10.00 per unit will be deposited into a trust account upon the closing of the offering. Once the securities constituting the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “WLCO” and “WLCOW,” respectively. The offering is expected to close on June 22, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.
The Company is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business or industry or at any stage of its corporate evolution. The Company’s primary focus, however, will be on technology-enabled businesses operating within sectors undergoing structural transformation driven by artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, advanced analytics, sensor fusion, cloud intelligence, and human-in-the-loop remote operations.
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.
The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 110 East 59th Street, New York, New York 10022, or by email at [email protected], or by accessing the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.
A registration statement relating to the securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and became effective on June 17, 2026. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the expected closing of the proposed initial public offering and search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all.
Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
On June 17, 2026, Nasdaq Inc NDAQ shares fell 6.7% to a current price of $83.29. This decline comes amidst a challenging performance period, with the stock experiencing a YTD decrease of 13.7% and a 52-week range between $77.09 and $101.79.
GF Value™ verdict: The current price is 6.6% above the GF Value™ estimate of $78.12, indicating it is overvalued.GF Score™: With a score of 91/100, Nasdaq Inc is considered strong, suggesting potential for long-term growth.Most notable signal: Insider activity shows a net sale of $7.8M in the last three months, with insiders selling $12.7M and buying $4.9M. Is NDAQ Overvalued or Undervalued? Based on the current price of $83.29 and the GF Value™ estimate of $78.12, Nasdaq Inc is classified as overvalued by approximately 6.6%. This overvaluation indicates a lack of margin of safety for potential investors, as the stock is trading above its intrinsic value. The GF Valuation label categorizes it as fairly valued, which suggests that the market may not have fully recognized the risks associated with its current price relative to its intrinsic value.
Being overvalued poses a risk, particularly in a volatile market environment, where price corrections can occur. Investors may want to exercise caution and consider the implications of this overvaluation when making investment decisions.
How Does NDAQ's Valuation Compare to Its History? Metric Current Historical P/E (TTM) 25.1x 28.0x Forward P/E 21.2x - The current P/E (TTM) of 25.1x is below its 5-year median P/E of 28.0x, suggesting that the stock is trading at a discount compared to its historical valuation metrics. This P/E analysis aligns with the GF Value™ verdict that indicates overvaluation, as the lower relative P/E may imply that the stock is not as attractive at its current price.
What Does NDAQ's GF Score™ Tell Us? Metric Rating GF Score™ 91 Financial Strength 6/10 Profitability 9/10 Growth 9/10 Valuation 6/10 Momentum 7/10 The GF Score™ of 91 demonstrates that Nasdaq Inc is strong across multiple dimensions, particularly in profitability and growth, where it received scores of 9/10. However, its financial strength score of 6/10 suggests there are some areas for improvement. The valuation score of 6/10 aligns with the overvaluation indicated by the GF Value™, implying that while the company has strong profit margins and growth potential, its current pricing may not reflect its financial health accurately.
What Are Insiders Doing with NDAQ Stock? In the past three months, insider activity in Nasdaq Inc has shown a net sale of $7.8 million, with insiders selling $12.7 million worth of stock while only buying $4.9 million. This pattern of selling may indicate that insiders have concerns regarding the stock's current valuation or future performance. Typically, significant selling by insiders can serve as a cautionary signal for investors, as it may reflect their expectations of future stock performance.
What This Means for Investors Based on the GF Value™, Nasdaq Inc is currently overvalued. Given the current price of $83.29 compared to the GF Value™ of $78.12, there may be limited upside potential in the short term. Investors might want to analyze market conditions and insider activity further before making any commitments.
For the complete analysis, visit the Nasdaq Inc NDAQ stock page. You can also explore the GF Value™ page for detailed valuation methodology, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find similar opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions What is NDAQ's GF Score™?
NDAQ has a GF Score™ of 91, indicating a strong performance across key metrics that can lead to higher long-term returns.
Is NDAQ overvalued or undervalued?
NDAQ is currently overvalued, with a GF Value™ estimate of $78.12 compared to the current price of $83.29.
What is NDAQ's P/E ratio?
NDAQ has a P/E ratio of 25.1x (TTM), which is below its 5-year median of 28.0x, suggesting it may be trading at a discount relative to its historical valuation.
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
MOUNTAINSIDE, N.J., June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yorkville International Capital Corp. (the “Company”) announced today that it closed its initial public offering of 23,000,000 units, including the issuance of 3,000,000 units as result of the underwriters' exercise of their over-allotment option in full, at $10.00 per unit. The gross proceeds from the offering were $230 million before deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. The units began trading on the Global Market tier of The Nasdaq Stock Market ("Nasdaq") under the ticker symbol "YICCU" on June 16, 2026.
Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-third of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Class A ordinary share of the Company at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols "YICC" and "YICCW," respectively.
Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of Cohen & Company Securities, LLC (“CCM”), acted as the sole book-running manager in the offering.
A registration statement on Form S-1 (333-295912) relating to these securities sold in the initial public offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and was declared effective on June 15, 2026. The offering was made by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from CCM, Attn: Cohen & Company Capital Markets, 3 Columbus Circle, 24th floor, New York, NY 10019, by email at [email protected], or from the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Yorkville International Capital Corp.
The Company is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company has not selected any specific business combination target and has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination. While the Company may pursue a business combination target in any business, sector or geographic location, it intends to focus its search on established businesses operating in emerging markets, with a particular emphasis on Latin America and Venezuela.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the registration statement and related final prospectus filed in connection with the initial public offering with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.
Contact Information:
Yorkville International Capital Corp.
1012 Springfield Avenue
Mountainside, New Jersey 07092
NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a release issued under the same headline on June 17, 2026 by Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq: NDAQ), please note that the link to the Trading Suspension by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was replaced. The corrected release follows:
The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NDAQ) announced today that it has notified QMMM Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: QMMM) that its securities will be delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on June 24, unless the company appeals to a Listing Qualifications Hearings Panel. The securities will remain halted, and unavailable to trade, until any appeal is resolved, and the securities are removed from Nasdaq. Following removal from Nasdaq the securities may be eligible for trading in the over-the-counter market.
Following a temporary trading suspension in the Company’s securities by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/trading-suspensions/34-104113-ts) Nasdaq halted trading in the Company’s ordinary shares on October 11, 2025. Nasdaq has now determined that it is appropriate to use its authority under IM-5101-4 to delist the Company’s securities from Nasdaq.
For news and additional information about the company, please review the companies’ public filings or contact the company directly.
For more information about The Nasdaq Stock Market, visit the Nasdaq Web site at http://www.nasdaq.com. Nasdaq’s rules governing the delisting of securities can be found in the Nasdaq Rule 5800 Series, available on the Nasdaq Web site: https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rules/nasdaq-5800-series.
Shares of Sleep Number Corporation will no longer be publicly traded after next week.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC), the embattled mattress and bedding company confirmed that its stock (Nasdaq: SNBR) will be delisted from the Nasdaq after it had received written notice from the exchange’s listings qualifications staff.
The company’s stock will be delisted when the market opens on Tuesday, June 23.
The news follows Sleep Number’s Friday, June 12, voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
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In its delisting announcement, Sleep Number stated, “Nasdaq’s determination was based on the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases and associated public interest concerns raised thereby, concerns regarding the residual equity interest of common stockholders and concerns about the Company’s ability to sustain compliance with all requirements for continued listing on Nasdaq.”
As for current stockholders, Sleep Number says its “common stock may be quoted on over-the-counter markets, although the Company does not provide any assurance regarding whether the common stock will trade on such markets, whether broker-dealers will provide quotes for the common stock or whether an efficient market for the common stock will develop.”
Sleep Number’s shares fell more than 50% in after-hours and into premarket trading on Thursday. At close on Wednesday, the company’s shares were already over 95% down year-to-date (YTD).
June 22, 2026 17:02 ET | Source: Wilco 63 Corporation
New York, NY, June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wilco 63 Corporation (the “Company”) announced today the closing of its initial public offering of 23,000,000 units, which includes 3,000,000 units issued pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option in full. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $230,000,000. The Company’s units began trading on June 18, 2026 on The Nasdaq Global Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) under the ticker symbol “WLCOU.” Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share of the Company at an exercise price of $11.50 per share, subject to certain adjustments. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Once the securities constituting the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “WLCO” and “WLCOW,” respectively. Of the proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering (including the exercise of the over-allotment option) and a simultaneous private placement of warrants, $230,000,000 (or $10.00 per unit sold in the offering) was placed in trust.
The Company is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business or industry or at any stage of its corporate evolution. The Company’s primary focus, however, will be on technology-enabled businesses operating within sectors undergoing structural transformation driven by artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, advanced analytics, sensor fusion, cloud intelligence, and human-in-the-loop remote operations.
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. acted as sole book-running manager for the offering.
A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 17, 2026. The offering has been made only by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained by contacting Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 110 East 59th Street, New York, New York 10022; Email: [email protected]. Copies of the registration statement can be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” including with respect to the search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated.
Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.
Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
One company value investors might notice is Helix Energy Solutions Group (HLX - Free Report) . HLX is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A.
Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a preferred metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. HLX has a P/S ratio of 0.98. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.32.
Finally, we should also recognize that HLX has a P/CF ratio of 4.91. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. HLX's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 10.25. HLX's P/CF has been as high as 9.68 and as low as 4.11, with a median of 6.20, all within the past year.
These are only a few of the key metrics included in Helix Energy Solutions Group's strong Value grade, but they help show that the stock is likely undervalued right now. When factoring in the strength of its earnings outlook, HLX looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.
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.
Featuring 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, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
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 assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and 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 The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) PBF Energy Inc. is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Through six oil refineries and associated infrastructure in the United States, the company produces unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products. The refineries can collectively process about 1,000,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
PBF is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 4.85; value investors should take notice.
Five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $3.55 to $7.69 per share. PBF boasts an average earnings surprise of +113.3%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, PBF should be on investors' short list.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many 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.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
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 are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow 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.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing 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: PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) PBF Energy Inc. is a leading independent refiner of crude oil based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Through six oil refineries and associated infrastructure in the United States, the company produces unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products. The refineries can collectively process about 1,000,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
PBF is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. PBF has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 286.2% for the current fiscal year.
Five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $3.54 to $7.69 per share. PBF also boasts an average earnings surprise of +113.3%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, PBF should be on investors' short list.
CHICAGO, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced its longest-serving Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy will transition to Executive Chairman on March 1, 2027. Lynne Fitzpatrick, currently President and Chief Financial Officer, will be named Chief Executive Officer and will join the CME Group Board of Directors at that time.
CME Group's longtime leader Terry Duffy will step down as chief executive officer next year, succeeded by President and Chief Financial Officer Lynne Fitzpatrick.
Duffy, 67, will transition to executive chairman effective March 1, 2027, the company said Wednesday. It marks a more than two-decade run that transformed the Chicago-based exchange operator into one of the world's largest derivatives marketplaces.
"Leading CME Group through more than 25 years of transformative growth has been among the highest honors of my life," said Duffy in a statement.
Since becoming chairman in 2002, Duffy has overseen CME's transformation from a floor-based exchange into a global derivatives powerhouse. He led the company's initial public offering, its shift to electronic trading and industry-defining acquisitions, including the 2007 merger with the Chicago Board of Trade and the 2008 purchase of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Duffy also guided CME through the financial crisis, the collapse of broker-dealer MF Global and sweeping changes in market structure. More recently, the company expanded through its acquisition of NEX Group, a partnership with Google Cloud and a venture with FanDuel aimed at reaching a broader retail audience.
Fitzpatrick, a 20-year veteran of CME, has served as president and chief financial officer since 2022 and has played a key role in the company's strategy, capital allocation and investor relations efforts.
"I appreciate the confidence that he and the Board have placed in me, and I look forward to working with our investors, clients and employees around the world as we grow our core business and create value for our shareholders," Fitzpatrick said in a statement.
Correction: CME Group made the announcement Wednesday. An earlier version misstated the day of the week.
CME Group CME shares fell about 4% on Wednesday after the derivatives exchange said it plans a leadership change that will hand the chief executive role to its current president and finance chief, Lynne Fitzpatrick, in 2027.
CME Group said Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy will move to executive chairman on March 1, 2027. Duffy has led the company in several top roles over the years, including chairman, executive chairman and chairman and CEO.
CME Group said Fitzpatrick, who has served as president and CFO since 2024, will become CEO and join the board at the same time. The company did not give further details on the transition.
CME Group, which operates one of the world's largest derivatives marketplaces, is preparing for a planned handoff after nearly two decades with Duffy in senior leadership. The change appears designed to provide continuity at the exchange operator as it moves toward the next phase of management.
Outgoing CME Group CEO Terrence Duffy said on CNBC's "Fast Money" on Wednesday afternoon that the exchange operator will sue the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over the agency's move to approve perpetual futures.
The CFTC approved prediction market platform Kalshi in late May to begin offering bitcoin perpetual futures, or "perps." These are futures contracts that have no expiration date but allow traders to speculate on a price without owning the underlying asset. This approval marked the first time that the asset class, already popular overseas, was allowed in the U.S. Kalshi has since expanded its perps offerings to include other cryptocurrencies.
Duffy asserted that perpetual futures are actually swaps under the Dodd-Frank Act. He said this will be the basis of the CME's lawsuit, which will be filed on Thursday.
"We have an exclusive license with every single provider of the benchmarks. So all of these would have to go through CME regardless of the perpetual," Duffy said on "Fast Money."
"They would have to list them as swaps, if that's the way that it came out," he added.
watch now
Duffy, who will be stepping down as CEO in March 2027, added that he'd been working on this plan with his board for the past eight months, and that he was "always up for a good battle."
"I've never shied away from one, and I won't shy away from this," he said. "I'm prepared, and I will be prepared to go through this. And that's why I wanted to announce on your show that we will be filing this litigation tomorrow, because we are not taking this lightly."
The CFTC did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Earlier this week, CFTC chair Michael Selig defended his agency's decision to approve perpetual futures domestically in an appearance on CNBC's "Fast Money."
"It's time to approve regulated futures contracts that have no expiration date," he said. "We're going to make sure the product's available, but it's well regulated here in the U.S."
Disclosure: CNBC and Kalshi have a commercial relationship that includes customer acquisition and a minority investment.
The CFTC recently greenlighted Kalshi's plan to list perps in the U.S. CME, the dominant derivatives exchange, argued the regulator violated federal law.
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
Based in Chicago, CME Group (CME - Free Report) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -7.52%. Currently paying a dividend of $1.30 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.06%. In comparison, the Securities and Exchanges industry's yield is 1.48%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.44%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $5.20 is up 4% from last year. Over the last 5 years, CME Group has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 8.52%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. CME's current payout ratio is 44%, meaning it paid out 44% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for CME for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $12.28 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 9.64%.
Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.
For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, CME is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Investors looking for stocks in the Securities and Exchanges sector might want to consider either London Stock Exchange Group plc - Unsponsored ADR (LSEGY - Free Report) or CME Group (CME - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.
There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.
London Stock Exchange Group plc - Unsponsored ADR and CME Group are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This means that LSEGY's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.
Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.
Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.
LSEGY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.32, while CME has a forward P/E of 20.06. We also note that LSEGY has a PEG ratio of 1.46. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. CME currently has a PEG ratio of 2.75.
Another notable valuation metric for LSEGY is its P/B ratio of 1.92. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, CME has a P/B of 3.35.
These are just a few of the metrics contributing to LSEGY's Value grade of B and CME's Value grade of D.
LSEGY is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that LSEGY is likely the superior value option right now.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American” or the “Exchange”) announced today that the staff of NYSE Regulation has determined to immediately suspend trading in the common stock of Perfect Moment Ltd. (the “Company”) — ticker symbol PMNT — from NYSE American. On June 12, 2026, NYSE American announced that it was commencing proceedings to delist the Company. The Company had the right to request a review of this determination by the Listings Qualifications Panel of the Committe.
Intercontinental Exchange is rated 'hold' due to high leverage and concerns over its mortgage segment, despite strong market leadership and undervaluation. ICE delivered strong Q1 2026 results, with revenue up 18% and EPS beating estimates, but share price remains down 17% YTD amid economic uncertainty. Dividend safety is excellent, with a 14-year growth streak, conservative payout ratio (26%), and robust free cash flow coverage; forward yield is 1.47%.
Burnaby, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 18, 2026) - The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") of Canlan Ice Sports Corp. (TSX: ICE) (the "Company") was held on June 18, 2026, at ScotiaBarn in Burnaby, BC. Each of the matters voted upon at the Meeting is discussed in detail in the Company's Management Information Circular dated May 14, 2026, which can be found on the website www.sedarplus.ca.
The total number of shares represented by shareholders in person and by proxy at the meeting was 12,528,822 shares, representing approximately 93.94% of the Company's outstanding shares. The voting in relation to the election of directors was conducted by way of ballot at the Meeting and the results were as follows:
Name of Director Votes for Votes Withheld* Frank D. Barker 99.95% 0.05% Geoffrey J. Barker 100.00% 0.00% Doug Brownridge 99.80% 0.20% Connie Carras 99.80% 0.20% Don Crowe 99.80% 0.20% Victor D'Souza 99.95% 0.05% Chris McMullen 100.00% 0.00% Joey St-Aubin 100.00% 0.00%The Company has also filed a report of voting results on all other resolutions voted on at the Meeting on www.sedarplus.ca
About Canlan
Canlan Ice Sports Corp. is the North American leader in the development, operations and ownership of multi-purpose recreation and entertainment facilities. We are the largest private sector owner and operator of recreation facilities in North America and currently own, lease and/or manage 15 facilities in Canada and the United States with 47 ice surfaces, as well as 10 indoor soccer fields, and 18 hard court services. To learn more about Canlan please visit www.icesports.com.
Canlan Ice Sports Corp. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ICE."
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/302147
Launch Partner Environmental Resources Trust’s leading carbon crediting programs ACR and ART migrated to ICE GreenTrace™, which offers cutting edge financial market infrastructure to the carbon credit market for the first time
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), one of the world's leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, and the world’s largest operator of environmental and energy derivatives markets, today announced the launch of ICE GreenTrace™, an environmental registry technology service to bring cutting edge financial market infrastructure and technology to carbon credit registries for the first time. ICE GreenTrace™ supports the life cycle of environmental instruments, including carbon credits, emission allowances and energy attribute certificates.
Winrock International's Environmental Resources Trust (ERT) has migrated its registry operations onto ICE GreenTrace™. As launch partner, ERT now leverages the new platform to power its world-leading crediting programs, ACR (formerly American Carbon Registry), the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART), and the Standard for the Transformation of the Electric Power Sector (STEPS).
The migration of ACR and ART to ICE GreenTrace™ was one of the most complex transitions ever undertaken in the carbon credit market. The team transferred over two and a half decades of GHG emission reduction and removal credits and associated data and documentation. Approximately 437 million serialized credits and over 40,000 documents and files were migrated from 1,162 projects and programs to 857 Registry Account Holders from issuance to retirement.
“ERT’s migration to ICE GreenTrace™ is a landmark moment for carbon markets,” said Gordon Bennett, Managing Director of Utility Markets at ICE. “ACR was founded in 1996 as the world’s first carbon crediting program, and ERT has now moved its three programs to ICE so that they are operated on the same technology stack that powers globally systemic financial infrastructure and operates under the strictest financial regulations in the world.”
“ICE was founded on the vision that analogue markets could be transformed through digital infrastructure. For over two decades, ICE has built the network that prices and transfers risk for environmental markets. ICE GreenTrace™ extends ICE's digital network to carbon credits, from inception to retirement, creating the foundation for carbon credits to scale and become an institutional asset class,” continued Bennett.
“ICE GreenTrace™ is a leap forward in leveraging ICE’s trusted financial market infrastructure to scale carbon markets,” said Mary Grady, CEO of Environmental Resources Trust. “Our globally recognized crediting programs – ACR and ART – are now positioned to meet the demands of institutional investors around the world. We are incredibly excited about what this will enable for the evolution of carbon markets globally.”
For the first time, ICE GreenTrace™ provides carbon market participants with access to a registry technology service operated by ICE, where participants can benefit from ICE’s deep expertise in operating platforms with differing regulatory reporting across multiple jurisdictions, as well as differing data requirements, timelines and legal obligations.
ICE’s environmental markets underpin price discovery across five cap-and-trade programs globally, as well as the world’s first exchange-traded CORSIA Phase 1 and Phase 2 Eligible Emissions Units futures contracts, which recognize ACR and ART among eligible crediting programs. In 2025, a record 20.9 million environmental contracts traded on ICE, equivalent to over $1 trillion in notional value for the fifth consecutive year, with $117 billion physically delivered to multiple registries.
To find out more about ICE GreenTrace™, please visit www.ice.com/energy/environmental/ice-greentrace or contact [email protected].
Visit the ACR and ART registries on ICE GreenTrace™: https://greentrace.ice.com/acr and https://greentrace.ice.com/art.
About Intercontinental Exchange
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE’s futures, equity, and options exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. We offer some of the world’s largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalise on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity.
Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located at www.ice.com/privacy-security-center/terms-of-use.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2026.
About Environmental Resources Trust
Environmental Resources Trust (ERT), a nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, offers trusted solutions to environmental markets to catalyze transformational climate impacts. With the mission of harnessing the power of markets to improve the environment, ERT operates internationally recognized carbon crediting programs, ACR and the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART). Founded in 1996 as the world’s first private carbon registry, ACR has extensive operational experience in global compliance and voluntary carbon markets, having issued 375 million high-quality, verified CO2 emission reduction and removals credits. ART is the leading global carbon market initiative for jurisdictional REDD+, ensuring the social and environmental integrity of climate results from protecting and restoring forests at scale. ART’s growing pipeline of participating jurisdictions currently includes over two dozen governments on five continents covering 400 million hectares of tropical forests. ERT has also developed the Standard for the Transformation of the Electric Power Sector (STEPS), a first-of-a-kind sector-wide carbon crediting standard that aims to incentivize host country planning and policies to deliver long-term structural changes necessary for electric power sector emissions to peak sooner and decline faster to meet Paris Agreement temperature goals.
ATLANTA & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), one of the world’s leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, and OKX, one of the world’s largest global blockchain technology company serving more than 120 million customers worldwide, today announced the formation of their joint venture focused on building next-generation infrastructure for tokenized and digitally native financial products.
Subject to certain regulatory approvals, it is expected that the joint venture will operate as a U.S. registered broker dealer and FCM for the purpose of enabling OKX’s customers in the U.S. and overseas to access ICE futures and NYSE tokenized equities markets. The 50-50 venture will also explore adjacent opportunities for regulatory-compliant blockchain-enabled markets.
The joint venture will be co-chaired by ICE and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Cuomo, who served as New York’s 56th governor, New York State Attorney General, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, began working with OKX in 2023.
“The next chapter of financial markets will be defined by how well innovation and government regulation can move forward together,” said Governor Cuomo. “This partnership brings together OKX’s world-class blockchain technology and ICE’s trusted market infrastructure to help build a more modern, transparent, and resilient financial system for the future. I am personally excited by the prospect of the societal impact that blockchain technology can lead to: the democratization of finance, bringing basic financial services to underserved populations.”
“The ICE-OKX joint venture is a step towards building the infrastructure that will define how global markets operate in the decades ahead,” said Trabue Bland, Senior Vice President, Futures Exchanges at ICE. “ICE’s global benchmarks and regulated market technology have earned the trust of institutions and traders everywhere and now, through our partnership with OKX, we are working towards extending that reach to OKX’s 120 million retail traders.”
The establishment of the Joint Venture follows ICE’s strategic investment in OKX, announced in March.
About Intercontinental Exchange
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE’s futures, equity, and options exchanges -- including the New York Stock Exchange -- and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. We offer some of the world’s largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalize on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity.
Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading “Key Information Documents (KIDS).”
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2026.
About OKX
OKX is a fintech company known for its global crypto trading platform and its onchain wallet and marketplace. The company develops technology and applications to modernize money and markets. OKX is known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto and payment apps, having processed trillions of dollars in transactions by more than 120+ million people around the world.
OKX is headquartered in San Jose, California, for the Americas and in Dubai for the Middle East, with regional offices in São Paulo, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Republic of Türkiye, Australia and Europe. Over the past several years, OKX has built one of the world's most comprehensive regulatory compliant, licensed crypto companies. It holds licenses in the United States, the UAE, EEA, Singapore and Australia, as well as in other markets.
OKX is steadfastly committed to transparency and security and publishes Proof of Reserves reports on a monthly basis. To learn more about OKX, download the app or visit: okx.com.
Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.
Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits.
Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.
One stock to keep an eye on is Qorvo (QRVO - Free Report) . QRVO is currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 14.12. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 14.28. Over the past year, QRVO's Forward P/E has been as high as 16.37 and as low as 9.06, with a median of 13.69.
We also note that QRVO holds a PEG ratio of 1.29. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. QRVO's industry has an average PEG of 1.31 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, QRVO's PEG has been as high as 12.38 and as low as 0.57, with a median of 1.87.
These are only a few of the key metrics included in Qorvo's strong Value grade, but they help show that the stock is likely undervalued right now. When factoring in the strength of its earnings outlook, QRVO looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.
Key Takeaways Keysight completed the VPIphotonics acquisition to enhance optical system simulation capabilities.KEYS expands from component design to full optical-link simulation and hardware validation.Rising AI, HPC demand and silicon photonics growth support Keysight's strategic move. Keysight Technologies, Inc. (KEYS - Free Report) recently announced that it has completed the buyout of VPIphotonics. VPIphotonics boasts a strong expertise in system-level simulation software for optical communication networks and photonic systems.
AI clusters, hyperscale data centers, and high-performance computing systems require fast data transmission. Legacy electrical interconnects often fail to address these growing requirements. Bandwidth limitations, power consumption, signal losses and heat generation are major bottlenecks in the legacy systems. The industry is moving toward silicon photonics, copackaged optics and optical interconnects. These technologies use light instead of electrical signals to transmit data among data centers.
KEYS already boasts a comprehensive photonic design automation portfolio. KEYS Photonic Designer provides circuit-level design and verification for photonic integrated circuits, while its RSoft provides device-level simulation for waveguides, gratings, modulators, and laser sources. Now the acquisition of VPIphotonics augments Keysight's capabilities from component design to complete optical system simulation.
Per a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global silicon photonics market is projected to witness a 29.5% CAGR between 2025 and 2030. KEYS aims to capitalize on this emerging market trend. The strategic acquisition is allowing Keysight to create a comprehensive platform that spans device physics, photonic circuit design, full optical-link simulation, and hardware validation. Such an end-to-end approach boosts Keysight’s reliability among enterprises developing next-generation AI and data-center interconnect technologies.
Other Major Tech Firms in Photonic Design AutomationSynopsys, Inc. (SNPS - Free Report) is a vendor of electronic design automation software and related solutions for the semiconductor and electronics industries. The company offers products used across the chip design flow, from design capture and implementation to verification, signoff and manufacturing. It has formed a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA. The collaboration brings NVIDIA’s advanced GPU, AI and digital-twin technologies directly into Synopsys’ design and simulation tools, which should boost performance and improve customer adoption. Faster simulation, better accuracy and lower engineering costs make Synopsys’ platform even more valuable for chipmakers, automotive firms, and industrial customers.
Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS - Free Report) is a leader in the electronic system design space. Cadence’s Intelligent System Design strategy aids users to transform design concepts into reality by offering computational software, hardware and IP. Broad-based demand for its solutions, especially the AI-driven portfolio, amid increasing design complexity, is the key catalyst. Secular trends like 5G, increasing usage of hyperscale computing and autonomous driving are influencing design activity across semiconductor and systems companies. Going ahead, Cadence is likely to benefit from customers increasing their R&D spending in AI. Management noted that now EDA spending has increased from approximately 7% to 11% of customer R&D budgets, and this is expected to rise further with AI-driven automation.
KEYS’ Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesKeysight shares have rallied 118.3% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 126.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 31.24 forward earnings, lower than 33.57 for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have increased over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Keysight stock currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Keysight (KEYS - Free Report) . Shares have added about 2.5% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Keysight due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
Keysight Q2 Earnings Surpass Estimates on Solid Revenue Growth
Keysight reported mixed second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the bottom line beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate while the top line missing the same.
The leading electronic design and testing solution provider reported a 31% year-over-year increase in revenues, driven by strong demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, semiconductor, wireless and defense markets. Growing investments in advanced networking and chip technologies also supported the company’s top-line growth.
Net Income
Net income on a GAAP basis was $349 million or $2.02 per share compared with $257 million or $1.49 per share in the prior-year quarter. Strong top-line growth boosted the bottom line during the quarter.
Non-GAAP net income in the reported quarter was $497 million or $2.87 per share compared with $295 million or $1.70 per share in the prior-year quarter. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 54 cents.
Revenues
Net sales during the quarter increased to $1.72 billion from $1.31 billion in the year-ago quarter. owing to a healthy growth in both the Communication Solutions Group (CSG) and Electronic Industrial Solutions Group (EISG) segments. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.07%. Total orders were $2.05 billion compared with $1.32 billion in the year-ago quarter.
CSG generated $1.23 billion in revenues, up from the year-ago quarter’s $913 million. The 35% year-over-year growth was primarily driven by healthy growth in both wireline and wireless, AI data center expansion, and rising investments in next-generation wireless (5G/6G and NTN).
EISG segment’s revenues increased to $486 million from $393 million in the prior-year quarter. Growth was driven by strong AI-related investments, higher demand for wafer and lithography solutions for advanced chip development and growth in software-defined vehicles, cybersecurity and EV charging solutions.
Region-wise, Asia-Pacific revenues aggregated $746 million compared with $573 million in the prior-year quarter. The company reported a 26% year-over-year improvement in revenues from the Americas to $644 million. Revenues from Europe were $327 million, up 47% from the year-ago quarter's $223 million.
During the quarter, revenues from Aerospace, Defense and Government increased to $373 million from $301 million in the year-ago quarter. The company reported a 40% year-over-year improvement in revenues from the Commercial Communications to $858 million. Electronic Industrial generated $486 million in revenues, up from the year-ago quarter’s $393 million.
Other Details
During the quarter, the company’s non-GAAP gross profit totaled $1.24 billion, up from $844 million in the year-ago quarter, with gross margins of 72.3% and 64.6%, respectively. Non-GAAP operating income totaled $572 million compared with $328 million in the year-ago period, with operating margins of 33.3% and 25.2%, respectively.
CSG reported a non-GAAP operating income of $411 million compared with $236 million in the year-ago period. EISG non-GAAP operating income increased to $161 million from $92 million in the prior-year quarter.
Cash Flow & Liquidity
In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Keysight generated $501 million of net cash from operating activities compared with $484 million in the year-ago quarter. As of April 30, 2026, the company had $2.41 billion in cash and cash equivalents and $1.83 billion of long-term debt.
Outlook
For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Keysight expects revenues in the range of $1.73-$1.75 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share are estimated to be between $2.43 and $2.49.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimates review have trended upward during the past month.
The consensus estimate has shifted 12.21% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresCurrently, Keysight has a average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a score of F on the value side, putting it in the lowest quintile for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. It comes with little surprise Keysight has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, announced today its upcoming integration with Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. The integration extends Check Point's trusted security controls into agentic workflows.
Through the integration, Check Point will provide AI behavioral monitoring for destructive or misaligned actions, AI-native guardrails for prompt attacks and content moderation, and partner-specific detection signals such as prompt injection detection, sensitive data and DLP indicators, content inspection, and behavioral threat detection. These signals feed into AgentCore policy, where AgentCore acts at the gateway, outside the agent's reasoning loop. This enables enterprise security teams to pair Check Point's detection capabilities with deterministic, automated enforcement. While detection may be probabilistic, enforcement remains deterministic, giving customers consistent allow-or-deny decisions for every agent action.
"AI agents are no longer just answering questions — they are taking action, which changes how enterprises must approach security," said Adam Ely, GM of AI Security at Check Point. "With Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, we are bringing Check Point's behavioral security into the enterprise agent lifecycle, helping organizations move beyond defining what agents are permitted to do and toward ensuring they do the right thing. Permissions define the boundary. We secure what happens inside it."
The upcoming Amazon Bedrock AgentCore integration is Check Point's latest advancement in securing AI workloads for AWS customers. Customers can learn more about Check Point with AgentCore here.
Follow Check Point on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube and our Corporate Blog
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a global cyber security leader protecting more than 100,000 organizations worldwide. Its mission is to secure enterprises' AI transformation. With a prevention-first approach and an open ecosystem architecture, Check Point helps organizations block advanced threats, prioritize exposures, and automate security operations across complex digital environments. The unified architecture simplifies protection across hybrid networks, multi-cloud environments, digital workspaces, and AI systems. Structured around four strategic pillars, Hybrid Mesh Network Security, Workspace Security, Exposure Management, and AI Security, Check Point delivers consistent protection and visibility across multivendor environments, enabling organizations to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and accelerate innovation without increasing complexity.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding our products and solutions, our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point's industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2026. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
On June 2, 2026, Director Yoav Chelouche of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP +2.40%) reported the exercise and immediate sale of 25,000 ordinary shares through an options-related transaction, as detailed in the SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)25,000Transaction value~$3.5 millionPost-transaction shares (direct)4,008Post-transaction value (direct ownership)~$561KTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($140.28); post-transaction value based on June 2, 2026, market close ($140.07).
Key questionsHow does this transaction affect Yoav Chelouche’s ownership in Check Point Software Technologies Ltd?
Following the sale, direct holdings decreased from 29,008 to 4,008 shares, representing an 86.18% reduction in Chelouche’s direct ownership position.Was this a direct sale or did it involve indirect entities or trusts?
All shares involved in this transaction were held and transacted directly by Chelouche; no indirect or trust accounts participated in this event.What was the structure and context of the transaction?
This was an options-driven event in which Chelouche exercised employee stock options for 25,000 ordinary shares and sold the resulting shares immediately, providing liquidity without affecting indirect ownership channels.Does Chelouche retain a meaningful economic interest after this transaction?
Although the direct shareholding is now 4,008 shares, Chelouche maintains additional economic exposure through vested and unvested stock options, which are convertible into ordinary shares upon exercise and vesting.Company overviewMetricValuePrice (as of market close 2026-06-02)$140.28Revenue (TTM)$2.76 billionNet income (TTM)$1.06 billion1-year price change-41.83%* 1-year performance calculated using June 2nd, 2026 as the reference date.
Company snapshotOffers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity products, including network, endpoint, data, and cloud security solutions, as well as security gateways and threat prevention technologies.Serves a global customer base ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises, data centers, and telecommunications providers.Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is a leading provider of IT security solutions, focusing on integrated cyber defense across networks, endpoints, and cloud environments. The company leverages its Infinity Architecture to deliver advanced threat prevention and zero-day protection, positioning itself as a key player in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
With a scalable product portfolio and a diverse global customer base, Check Point emphasizes innovation and comprehensive coverage to address the complex security needs of organizations worldwide.
What this transaction means for investorsYoav Chelouche, Director at Check Point Software Technologies (CHKP), recently sold about 25,000 shares of Check Point stock for approximately $3.5 million. Here are some key takeaways for investors.
First, let’s review Check Point’s recent stock performance. Shares of the cybersecurity company have been up and down over the last three years. Overall, Check Point stock is virtually unchanged, recording a total return of -2% during this period and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -0.6%. That’s well below what the S&P 500 has achieved over the same period, with a total return of 78% and a CAGR of 21.3%.
However, most of this underperformance has come in the last 12 months, with Check Point stock down about 44%. As a result, the stock’s valuation is now reaching multi-year lows. Its current price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 4.9x. That’s very close to its five-year low of 4.4x, last reached only a month ago. Similarly, its current P/S ratio is well below its five-year average of 7.6x, suggesting the stock may be undervalued.
Part of the reason why the company’s stock has come under pressure is the discovery and exploitation of a vulnerability within Check Point’s software.
In summary, the company’s stock has suffered due to negative headlines. This may present an opportunity for long-term investors who see value in Check Point shares at its current level.
Jake Lerch has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Check Point Software Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The expanded partnership places Check Point among a select group of security vendors cleared to bring OpenAI's defensive AI into the tools enterprises use every day
, /PRNewswire/ -- Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today announced the use of OpenAI's frontier cyber capabilities into its customer-facing defenses. Through the OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program, open to only a select group of security vendors, Check Point can embed OpenAI models directly into the products, workflows, and managed services its customers rely on.
It marks a meaningful shift, from using these models internally to embedding them directly inside the defenses that protect customers, carrying the safety controls, abuse-prevention standards, and scoped outputs that enterprise security demands. The aim is to sharpen threat prevention, faster remediation, and stronger security operations, delivered through the products and services customers already rely on.
The threat landscape is being shaped by AI. Threat actors are using it to move faster, craft more convincing attacks, and find weaknesses at scale. Defenders need equivalent or stronger capabilities, delivered safely and within clear boundaries. The quality of the models powering defensive workflows has become a strategic variable, not a technical detail.
"Our partnership with OpenAI represents a shared commitment to putting highly advanced AI to work inside the Check Point defenses customers rely on. As one of a select group of security vendors chosen for the OpenAI Daybreak Cyber Partner Program, Check Point is uniquely positioned to bring frontier AI capabilities directly into the security solutions customers depend on every day. This is what it means to lead in AI-powered security: not just adopting new technology, but shaping how it gets built and deployed responsibly across the industry," said Roi Karo, Chief Strategy Officer at Check Point Software.
Through this expanded partnership, Check Point is identifying the defensive security workflows and solutions where OpenAI's trusted access for cyber models, paired with the right safeguards, can deliver measurable customer value.
Check Point and OpenAI are working together to help define the standards for using trusted access frontier AI responsibly in security, building protections against misuse and the controls to catch and stop it. The rollout is deliberately gradual: it begins with carefully controlled defensive uses and widens only as those protections prove themselves. This disciplined approach reflects how Check Point brings AI into its platform across the board, with the rigor and responsibility enterprise security demands.
Follow Check Point on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube and our Corporate Blog.
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a global cyber security leader protecting more than 100,000 organizations worldwide. Its mission is to secure enterprises' AI transformation. With a prevention-first approach and an open ecosystem architecture, Check Point helps organizations block advanced threats, prioritize exposures, and automate security operations across complex digital environments. The unified architecture simplifies protection across hybrid networks, multi-cloud environments, digital workspaces, and AI systems. Structured around four strategic pillars, Hybrid Mesh Network Security, Workspace Security, Exposure Management, and AI Security, Check Point delivers consistent protection and visibility across multivendor environments, enabling organizations to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and accelerate innovation without increasing complexity.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding our products and solutions, our expectations regarding future growth, the expansion of Check Point's industry leadership, the enhancement of shareholder value and the delivery of an industry-leading cyber security platform to customers worldwide. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results or events in the future are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2026. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Check Point as of the date hereof, and Check Point disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Zscaler, Inc. (“Zscaler” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: ZS) for violations of the securities laws.
The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Zscaler is the subject of a report by CNBC on May 27, 2026, which stated the Company’s shares “tumbled more than 23% after the cloud security company guided for current-quarter revenue of between $875 million to $878 million, falling short of the $879 million analysts were seeking, per LSEG.” Based on this news, shares of Zscaler opened down more than 30% on the same day.
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].
The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
CONTACT:
The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.
310-301-3335 [email protected]
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Zscaler, Inc. ("Zscaler" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ZS). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Zscaler and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On May 26, 2026, Zscaler reported its financial results for the third quarter of its 2026 fiscal year. Although Zscaler's revenue and earnings exceeded expectations, the Company guided for current-quarter revenue of between $875 million to $878 million, falling short of the $879 million consensus expectation.
On this news, Zscaler's stock price fell $58.19 per share, or 31.52%, to close at $126.41 per share on May 27, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Key Takeaways CrowdStrike's Falcon Flex adoption remains strong, but revenue growth has moderated from prior years.ZS is gaining traction with Zero Trust Everywhere, surpassing 700 enterprise customers in Q3 FY26.ZS trades at a much lower sales multiple than CRWD, offering a more attractive valuation. CrowdStrike (CRWD - Free Report) and Zscaler (ZS - Free Report) are both at the forefront of the cybersecurity space, playing key roles in guarding organizations from extensive cyberattacks. While Palo Alto Networks focuses broadly on next-generation firewalls, cloud security and AI-driven threat detection, Zscaler is a leader in zero-trust security and specializes in secure access service edge and cloud security.
Both CRWD and ZS are riding the key industry trends, driven by the mounting incidents of credential theft, remote desktop protocol breaches and social engineering-based strikes by malicious actors. However, from an investment point of view, one stock offers a more favorable outlook than the other right now. Let’s break down their fundamentals, growth prospects, market challenges and valuation to determine which stock offers a more compelling investment case.
The Case for CrowdStrike StockCrowdStrike provides its cybersecurity services mainly through its Falcon platform. CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform is renowned for being the industry’s first multi-tenant, cloud native, intelligent security solution. The Falcon platform helps secure workloads across on-premise, cloud-based and virtualized environments running on several endpoints, such as desktops, laptops, servers, virtual machines and IoT devices.
CrowdStrike’s cloud-based Falcon platform currently provides 33 cloud modules via a software-as-a-service subscription model that is categorized under three categories: Endpoint Security, Security & IT Operations and Threat Intelligence. The share of subscription-based sales to CrowdStrike’s total revenues grew from 72% in fiscal 2017 to 95% in fiscal 2026.
CrowdStrike’s Falcon Flex subscription model is becoming an important driver of its growth. Falcon Flex makes it easier for customers to access multiple modules of the Falcon platform through a single contract. This makes it easier for customers to deploy additional security products over time and expand their use of the Falcon platform, which has now become the company’s primary go-to-market model.
Annual recurring revenue (ARR) from Flex accounts crossed $1.9 billion, growing more than 99% year over year, in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, which shows strong adoption across enterprise customers. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, CrowdStrike added more than 300 Flex customers and ended the first quarter with over 1,900 customers who have adopted Falcon Flex.
However, CrowdStrike’s recent quarterly reports have shown a deceleration in its growth rate. The company's revenue growth, while still robust, is not as explosive as in previous years. CrowdStrike had enjoyed more than 35% year-over-year top-line growth till fiscal 2024. The growth rate decelerated to 29% in fiscal 2025 and to 22% in fiscal 2026. For fiscal 2027, CrowdStrike expects total revenues to be in the range of $5.915 billion to $5.959 billion. This indicates that the top-line growth is expected to stay around 23% to 24%, which is way lower than the explosive growth enjoyed by the company in the previous years.
The Case for Zscaler StockZscaler is seeing strong adoption of its Zero Trust Everywhere strategy, which is helping the company expand beyond its traditional user security offerings. The strategy combines security for users, cloud workloads and branch locations on a single platform, allowing customers to secure more parts of their IT environment through Zscaler.
The company ended the third quarter of fiscal 2026 with more than 700 Zero Trust Everywhere enterprises, up from more than 550 in the previous quarter. Management stated that customers are increasingly looking for security solutions that protect users, workloads and branches together rather than using separate products. This trend should help Zero Trust Everywhere support the rising adoption of Zscaler’s platform.
The strategy is also helping Zscaler win larger deals. During the third quarter, the company signed the largest branch deal in its history with a healthcare system that is deploying its Zero Trust Branch solution across 2,000 sites. Zscaler also won a seven-figure deal with a healthcare technology company that adopted Zero Trust Cloud, Zero Trust Branch and four data security modules. In another deal, a large automotive manufacturer expanded its use of Zero Trust Cloud to secure its multi-cloud environment.
Management believes demand for Zero Trust Everywhere will continue to increase as enterprises adopt more cloud applications, connected devices and AI technologies. Customers are no longer focused only on securing users. They are also looking to secure workloads, branches and AI environments through a unified platform.
Zscaler views this as an important competitive advantage over traditional firewall-based security vendors. As more customers adopt multiple products across the platform, Zero Trust Everywhere could help the company increase customer spending, win larger deals and support long-term growth.
CRWD vs. ZS: Earnings Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRWD’s fiscal 2027 and 2028 EPS is pegged at $4.93 and $6.24, respectively. The estimates for fiscal 2027 and 2028 have been revised up by 8 cents and 9 cents, respectively, over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Zscaler’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS is pinned at $4.13 and $4.58, respectively. The estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027 have been revised upward by 12 cents and 4 cents, respectively, over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CRWD vs. ZS: Price Performance and ValuationYear to date, shares of CRWD have surged 46.1%, while ZS shares have plunged 44.5%.
CRWD Vs. ZS: YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, ZS is trading at a forward sales multiple of 5.26X, significantly lower than CRWD’s forward sales multiple of 27.08X. ZS’ reasonable valuation makes it more attractive for investors looking for value and stability.
CRWD vs. ZS: Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion: ZS Has an Edge Over CRWDBoth CrowdStrike and Zscaler are key players in the cybersecurity space, but CrowdStrike is witnessing a slowdown in its sales growth. In contrast, Zscaler shows steadier execution, where the company is witnessing strong adoption of its security products. Further, ZS’s reasonable valuation offers some downside protection as well, giving ZS a clear edge over CRWD for investors seeking exposure to cybersecurity growth at a fair price.
Currently, Zscaler carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), giving the stock a clear edge compared to CrowdStrike, which has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zscaler (ZS - 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.
Over the past month, shares of this cloud-based information security provider have returned -32%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Security industry, which Zscaler falls in, has gained 4.5%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather 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, Zscaler is expected to post earnings of $1.08 per share, indicating a change of +21.4% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +531.3% over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.13 points to a change of +25.9% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +436.5%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.58 indicates a change of +10.9% from what Zscaler is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.8%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Zscaler.
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 Zscaler, the consensus sales estimate of $877.19 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +22%. The $3.33 billion and $3.9 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +24.6% and +17.2%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryZscaler reported revenues of $850.47 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +25.4%. EPS of $1.08 for the same period compares with $0.84 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $834.76 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.88%. The EPS surprise was +8%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
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.
Zscaler is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Zscaler. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
On June 18, 2026, ConocoPhillips COP shares fell 3.1% to a current price of $107.74. The shares have experienced a decline of 13.5% over the past month, with a year-to-date increase of 16.9%. The stock has traded within a 52-week range of $85.57 to $135.87.
GF Value™ verdict: The stock is currently trading at $107.74, which is 2.0% below the GF Value™ estimate of $109.98.GF Score™: ConocoPhillips has a GF Score™ of 69/100, indicating an above-average rating.Most notable signal: Insider activity shows that insiders sold $81.6 million worth of shares in the last three months, with no buying activity. Is COP Overvalued or Undervalued? ConocoPhillips' current share price of $107.74 represents a slight discount of 2.0% compared to the GF Value™ of $109.98. This indicates a marginal margin of safety, suggesting that the stock is fairly valued according to GF Value™. However, the stock's recent performance and insider selling could warrant caution. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure of intrinsic value, calculated from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates.
Given that the GF Valuation label indicates the stock is fairly valued, it presents a modest opportunity for value-seeking investors. However, potential buyers should consider the recent decline in share price and the lack of insider buying as signals that may reflect some underlying concerns about the company's future performance. Therefore, while there is a slight undervaluation according to GF Value™, investors need to weigh these risks carefully.
How Does COP's Valuation Compare to Its History? Metric Current Historical P/E (TTM) 18.3x 12.5x Forward P/E 10.6x N/A The current P/E (TTM) of 18.3x is significantly above the 5-year median P/E of 12.5x, reflecting a 46% premium. This analysis indicates that ConocoPhillips is trading above its historical valuation, which contradicts the GF Value™ verdict of being fairly valued.
What Does COP's GF Score™ Tell Us? Metric Rating GF Score™ 69 Financial Strength 6/10 Profitability 7/10 Growth 4/10 Valuation 7/10 Momentum 2/10 The GF Score™ of 69/100 indicates that ConocoPhillips ranks above average, with the strongest performance seen in Profitability (7/10) and Valuation (7/10). However, the company's Growth rank of 4/10 and Momentum rank of 2/10 highlight areas of concern, particularly in terms of its recent stock performance and growth potential.
What Are Insiders Doing with COP Stock? Recent insider activity has shown a notable trend, with insiders selling a substantial $81.6 million in shares over the last three months without any buying activity. This pattern may suggest a lack of confidence in the stock's short-term prospects from those closest to the company.
The absence of insider buying can be seen as a red flag, indicating that insiders may not believe the stock is undervalued or poised for immediate recovery, which adds to the caution that potential investors should exercise.
What This Means for Investors Based on the analysis of GF Value™, ConocoPhillips appears to be fairly valued at the current price of $107.74. While there is a slight margin of safety, the high P/E ratio relative to historical valuations and recent insider selling suggests potential caution for investors considering this stock.
For the complete analysis, visit the ConocoPhillips COP stock page. You can also explore the GF Value™ page for detailed valuation methodology, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find similar opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions What is COP's GF Score™?
COP has a GF Score™ of 69/100, indicating that it ranks above average based on key aspects such as financial strength, profitability, and valuation.
Is COP overvalued or undervalued?
According to GF Value™, COP is fairly valued at its current price of $107.74, with a slight margin of safety of 2.0% below its estimated intrinsic value.
What is COP's P/E ratio?
The current P/E (TTM) ratio for COP is 18.3x, which is significantly higher than its 5-year median P/E of 12.5x, indicating that it is trading above its historical valuation.
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
ConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) closed at $107.74 in the latest trading session, marking a -3.12% move from the prior day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.09%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.91%.
The stock of energy company has fallen by 9.11% in the past month, lagging the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 7.57% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.29%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of ConocoPhillips in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $2.72, reflecting a 91.55% increase from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $17.05 billion, up 15.71% from the prior-year quarter.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $10.03 per share and a revenue of $66.52 billion, signifying shifts of +62.82% and +8.08%, respectively, from the last year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for ConocoPhillips. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 4.19% increase. As of now, ConocoPhillips holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Looking at its valuation, ConocoPhillips is holding a Forward P/E ratio of 11.09. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 19.17.
One should further note that COP currently holds a PEG ratio of 1.23. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.95 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 191, positioning it in the bottom 22% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
To follow COP in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.
While the hopes for a permanent cease-fire and a cessation of hostilities are the ultimate end-game plan for Iran and the Middle East, the reality is that while spot prices have plummeted to the lowest level since March, there will be an incredible amount of work and resources to put the supply chain and the storage market back to pre-war levels. Given those challenges, many on Wall Street expect energy complex pricing to be higher than they had projected. In fact, before the war with Iran, estimates for Brent crude ranged from $50 to $60 for 2026; now those numbers are anywhere from $60 to $80 for 2026, and about the same for 2027, depending on which bank you put your chips on. The reality is that energy, which has outperformed recently, may continue that streak for the rest of this year and into 2027.
We read an interesting piece from Morning Bullets, which noted that while oil closed the week lower, with WTI under pressure, you shouldn’t let that headline drop mislead you. A busier Strait of Hormuz, layered with shifting restrictions and rising tensions, is precisely the kind of setup where one unexpected incident can rapidly escalate into a full-blown pricing shock. Delays compound, insurance costs surge, tankers reroute, and suddenly the market is scrambling for immediate barrels. This dynamic also explains why energy equities often decouple from crude prices. The sector isn’t just trading the spot or front-month contract; it’s pricing the full distribution of potential outcomes. When tail risks increase, high-quality producers and midstream assets with strong, resilient cash flows can attract aggressive buying, even as futures drift sideways or lower.
We decided to screen our 24/7 Wall St. energy stock database, looking for companies that still deliver large and dependable dividends while remaining good investments on a valuation basis. We remain quite positive on the mega-cap integrated giants; they have had spectacular runs, but all have pulled back sharply from the late March highs and are offering tremendous entry points and dividend yields.
Six companies that offer shareholders some of the best valuations currently are at the top of our strong buy list for investors. All still offer outstanding upside potential to the posted Wall Street target prices. All six are also rated Buy at the top Wall Street firms we cover at 24/7 Wall St.
Why do we cover the high-yielding energy dividend stocks?
Since 1926, dividends have accounted for approximately 32% of the S&P 500’s total return, while capital appreciation has accounted for 68%. Therefore, sustainable dividend income and the potential for capital appreciation are essential to total return expectations. A study by Hartford Funds, in collaboration with Ned Davis Research, found that dividend stocks delivered an annualized return of 9.18% over the past 50 years (1973 to 2023). Over the same timeline, this was more than double the annualized return for non-payers (3.95%).
Integrated Oil Mega-Caps Chevron Chevron (NYSE: CVX | CVX Price Prediction) is an American multinational energy company primarily focused on oil and gas. This integrated giant is a safer option for investors looking to position themselves in the energy sector and pays a substantial 3.84% dividend, which was raised by 5% earlier this year. Chevron operates integrated energy and chemicals businesses worldwide through its two segments.
The Upstream segment is involved in the following:
Exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas Processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas Transportation of crude oil through pipelines, and transportation and storage Marketing of natural gas, as well as operating a gas-to-liquids plant The Downstream segment engages in:
Refining crude oil into petroleum products Marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants Manufacturing and marketing renewable fuels Transporting crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car Manufacturing and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives It also involves cash management, debt financing, insurance operations, real estate, and technology businesses.
Chevron completed its $53 billion acquisition of Hess in July 2025. The merger went forward following a favorable arbitration outcome against Exxon Mobil regarding Hess’s lucrative offshore oil assets in Guyana. The purchase has strengthened an already solid balance sheet and earnings.
Mizuho has an Overweight rating and a price target of $230.
ConocoPhillips The big always gets bigger, and this company completed a $22.5 billion purchase of Marathon Oil in November of 2024. This deal added high-quality assets, particularly in the Eagle Ford and Bakken shales, to the company’s portfolio. ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is an exploration and production company with a rich dividend yield of 2.77%.
Its Alaska segment primarily explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs. The Lower 48 segment comprises operations in the 48 contiguous states of the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Canadian operations consist of the Surmont oil sands development in Alberta, the liquids-rich Montney unconventional play in British Columbia, and commercial operations.
The Europe, Middle East, and North Africa segment consists of operations principally located in:
The Norwegian sector of the North Sea The Norwegian Sea Qatar Libya Equatorial Guinea The United Kingdom The Asia Pacific segment has exploration and production operations in China, Malaysia, and Australia, as well as commercial operations in China, Singapore, and Japan. The Other International segment includes interests in Colombia as well as contingencies associated with prior operations in other countries.
Jefferies has a Buy rating with a $161 target price.
Exxon Mobil Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) manages an industry-leading portfolio of resources and is one of the world’s largest integrated fuels, lubricants, and chemical companies. The decline in oil prices presents investors with an excellent entry point, and they will likely seize the opportunity to secure a strong 2.87% dividend yield. Exxon is the world’s largest international integrated oil and gas company, exploring for and producing crude oil and natural gas in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere.
Exxon also manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene, and polypropylene plastics, as well as specialty products. Additionally, the company transports and sells crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products.
Top Wall Street analysts expect the company to remain a key beneficiary in a higher oil price environment, and most remain optimistic about the company’s sharp positive inflection in capital allocation strategy. The upstream portfolio offers leverage to a further demand recovery, and Exxon offers greater Downstream/Chemicals exposure than its peers.
Exxon completed its purchase of oil shale giant Pioneer Natural Resources in 2024 in an all-stock transaction valued at $59.5 billion. The deal created the largest U.S. oilfield producer and guarantees a decade of low-cost production.
Barclays has an Overweight rating on the shares, with a $182 target price.
High-Yielding Midstream MLPs Energy Transfer Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) is one of North America’s largest and most diversified midstream energy companies. This top master limited partnership is a safe option for investors seeking energy exposure and income, as the company pays a 7.06% distribution yield. Energy Transfer owns and operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States, with a strategic footprint across all major domestic production basins.
The company is a publicly traded limited partnership with core operations that include:
Complementary natural gas midstream, intrastate, and interstate transportation and storage assets Crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL), and refined product transportation and terminalling assets NGL fractionation Various acquisition and marketing assets Following the acquisition of Enable Partners in December 2021, Energy Transfer owns and operates over 114,000 miles of pipelines and related assets in 41 states, spanning all major U.S. producing regions and markets. This further solidifies its leadership position in the midstream sector. Through its ownership of Energy Transfer Operating, formerly known as Energy Transfer Partners, the company also owns Lake Charles LNG; the general partner interests, the incentive distribution rights, and 28.5 million standard units of Sunoco (NYSE: SUN); and the public partner interests and 39.7 million standard units of USA Compression Partners (NYSE: USAC).
Jefferies has a Buy rating on the shares, with a $23 target price.
Enterprise Products Partners This top midstream giant is an American midstream natural gas and crude oil pipeline company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) is one of the most extensive publicly traded energy partnerships, paying a reliable 5.88% dividend. The company’s debt-to-EBITDA ratio ranges from 3.1x to 3.4x, which is moderate for a midstream energy company, and its interest coverage ratio is 5x. It generates strong free cash flow, with an operating cash flow of approximately $8.8 billion, resulting in approximately $4.2 billion in free cash flow annually after deducting capital expenditures. Another significant benefit for shareholders is that most of the corporate debt is fixed-rate, thereby limiting the risk of rising interest rates.
Enterprise Products Partners provides various midstream energy services, including:
Gathering Processing Transporting and storing natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL), and fractionation Import and export terminalling Offshore production platform services The company has four reportable business segments:
Natural Gas Pipelines and Services NGL Pipelines and Services Petrochemical Services Crude Oil Pipelines and Services One reason many analysts like the stock might be its distribution coverage ratio. The company’s coverage ratio is well above 1x, making it relatively less risky among the MLPs.
UBS has a Buy rating with a $45 price objective.
MPLX MPLX (NYSE: MPLX) is a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership formed by Marathon Petroleum. This company is one of the top holdings in the Alerian MLP Energy Exchange-Traded Fund and pays a healthy 7.46% dividend. The company is primarily engaged in transporting crude oil and refined products, with terminals in the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, and in natural gas gathering and processing in the Northeast, following its 2015 acquisition of MarkWest Energy.
The company’s assets include:
Network of crude oil and refined product pipelines Inland marine business Light-product terminals Storage caverns Refinery tanks Docks Loading racks and associated piping Crude and light-product marine terminals MPLX also owns:
Crude oil and natural gas gathering systems Pipelines, natural gas, and NGL processing and fractionation facilities in key U.S. supply basins Wells Fargo has a $61 target price to accompany its Overweight rating.
