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HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NextDecade Corporation (“NextDecade”) (NASDAQ: NEXT) announced today that its partially-owned subsidiary, Rio Grande LNG, LLC (“RGLNG”) intends to offer and sell, subject to market and other conditions, senior secured notes (the “Senior Secured Notes”), in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and to non-US persons outside the United States only in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

RGLNG intends to use the net proceeds from any offering of Senior Secured Notes to (i) repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under its existing credit agreements, (ii) to pay related fees and expenses thereto and (iii) pay or reserve for payment of interest rate hedge termination payments, as applicable. The Senior Secured Notes would rank pari passu to RGLNG’s existing term loan facilities, working capital facility, senior secured notes, and senior secured loans.

The offer of the Senior Secured Notes has not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Senior Secured Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Senior Secured Notes are being offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States only in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of these Senior Secured Notes, nor shall there be any sale of these Senior Secured Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale of these Senior Secured Notes would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About NextDecade Corporation

NextDecade is committed to providing the world access to reliable, cleaner energy. We are focused on delivering secure and affordable energy through the safe and efficient development and operation of natural gas liquefaction capacity at Rio Grande LNG. Through our subsidiaries, we are constructing and developing the Rio Grande LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility near Brownsville, Texas, with approximately 48 MTPA of potential liquefaction capacity currently under construction or in development, sufficient space at the site for up to 10 liquefaction trains, and a potential carbon capture and storage project. NextDecade’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “NEXT.” NextDecade is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. The words “anticipate,” “contemplate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “can have,” “likely,” “continue,” “design,” “assume,” “budget,” “guidance,” “forecast,” and "target," and other words and terms of similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may relate to the business of NextDecade and its subsidiaries. These statements have been based on assumptions and analysis made by NextDecade in light of current expectations, perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and projections about future events and trends and involve a number of known and unknown risks, which may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Although NextDecade believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations will prove to be correct. NextDecade’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in NextDecade’s periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, any development of additional expansion trains at the Rio Grande LNG Facility or CCS projects remains contingent upon receipt of requisite governmental approvals, execution of definitive commercial and financing agreements, securing all financing commitments and potential tax incentives, achieving other customary conditions and making a final investment decision to proceed. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak as of the date of this release. NextDecade may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, however, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.

Geopolitical instability, particularly the unresolved Iranian situation, is driving higher and more volatile oil and gas prices for the foreseeable future. Comstock Resources (CRK), Antero Resources (AR), Exxon Mobil (XOM), Crescent Energy, Vaalco Energy (EGY), and Meren Energy (MRNFF) are highlighted as strong buy or long-term opportunities. XOM's Guyana expansion could contribute up to 10% of company production by 2030.

A view shows EQT AB's logo at the company's office in Tokyo, Japan May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Miho Uranaka Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesLONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - Private equity fund EQT is acquiring Berlin-based space company Exolaunch, which helps satellite companies launch into orbit by partnering with rocket operators such as ​Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The deal, announced by the companies Thursday, highlights strong investor interest in ‌the space industry and marks the Stockholm-listed fund's first private equity investment in the field. It is looking to grow the company's operations around the world and invest in developing new satellite ​launch and deployment technologies.

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Exolaunch was spun out of the department of space technology ​at the Technical University of Berlin in 2013, having been founded ⁠by associate professor Dmitriy Sternharz.

"There has never been a better time to be in ​the space economy," said Robert Sproles, Chief Executive Officer of Exolaunch, in an interview. "There is ​such tremendous growth, it really is a confluence of technology, demand, end-product use and funding that is coming together to enable these opportunities."

The investment is being made from EQT's flagship private equity fund ​which invests equity checks from €300 million to €1.5 billion ($348 million to $1.74 billion). The Exolaunch acquisition ​was at the lower end of the range, a person with knowledge of the matter said, ‌speaking on ⁠condition of anonymity because the terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

"It's a fantastic moment to invest in that company both from a market perspective but also where the company is in terms of its development," Nils Ketter, partner and head of industrial ​technology in the EQT ​Private Equity advisory ⁠team, said, adding that they had been eyeing the company since last year. "It is a bit of a hidden gem of ​German industry."

Exolaunch has deployed over 790 satellites across 47 missions for ​more than ⁠200 commercial and government customers from North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

It has maintained a strategic relationship with SpaceX since 2020, having participated in every Falcon 9 Transporter ⁠and ​Bandwagon rideshare mission since the programs' inception.

The German company ​recently started procuring its own dedicated launches, with the first secured Falcon 9 missions from SpaceX, Exo-1 and ​Exo-2, scheduled for 2027 and 2028.

($1 = 0.8629 euros)

Reporting by Anousha Sakoui. Editing by Mark Potter

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Energy markets are shifting as global demand for natural gas grows alongside new carbon capture initiatives. Choosing between EQT Corp (EQT +2.21%) and Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY +0.25%) requires weighing regional dominance against global diversification.

EQT operates as a pure-play natural gas leader, while Occidental maintains a broader reach across oil and world markets. Both companies are navigating a volatile commodity landscape but offer distinct paths for investors looking to capture value in the evolving energy landscape of 2026.

The case for EQT Corp.EQT is a vertically integrated natural gas company that focuses its upstream and transmission work within the Appalachian Basin. The company manages its own contract and hedging strategies through EQT Energy, LLC, and relies on several third-party midstream partners for processing. It sells natural gas to a variety of utilities and industrial buyers across North America as the global landscape shifts toward renewable energy stocks and cleaner alternatives.

In FY 2025, the company’s revenue reached nearly $8.6 billion, representing an impressive 61.5% growth rate over the prior year. This jump in top-line results helped produce a net income of more than $2.0 billion. The company reported a net margin of nearly 22.5%, which measures the portion of each dollar earned that remains as profit after all expenses are paid.

As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was approximately 0.3x. This ratio measures total debt relative to shareholders’ equity, with a lower number indicating the company relies less on borrowed funds to finance its operations. During the same period, the business generated nearly $2.8 billion in free cash flow, which is the cash remaining after the company pays for its capital expenditures.

Occidental Petroleum is an international energy giant that produces oil and natural gas while expanding into carbon management technologies. The company utilizes Western Midstream for gathering services in the U.S. and works with international partners like Al Hosn Gas to manage processing in the Middle East. Following the divestiture of its chemical segment to Berkshire Hathaway Corp (BRKB 0.16%), which closed in early 2026, the company maintains a customer base of global refiners and industrial end users.

For FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $21.6 billion, down  almost 2% from the previous fiscal year. Despite the decline in revenue, the company achieved a net income of nearly $1.68 billion. This resulted in a net margin of close to 8% for the year, showing the percentage of revenue remaining after accounting for all costs and taxes.

According to the December 2025 balance sheet, the company's debt-to-equity ratio was roughly 0.7x. This indicates that for every dollar of equity, the company carries about 70 cents in total debt. The company also generated around to $3 billion in free cash flow, defined as cash flow from operations minus capital expenditures.

Risk profile comparisonEQT faces significant risks from commodity price volatility, as its financial health is directly tied to the market prices of natural gas. The company also faces regulatory hurdles and public opposition to its midstream projects, such as the MVP Mainline, which can lead to costly delays. Furthermore, increasing pressure from environmental regulations regarding methane emissions could force EQT to spend more on compliance, potentially impacting its bottom line.

Occidental Petroleum is exposed to global oil price fluctuations, which are often influenced by geopolitical stability and OPEC decisions. The company's heavy investment in carbon storage technology carries execution risk, as these projects depend on new technology reaching commercial viability. Additionally, Occidental must manage operational hazards like well blowouts and potential regulatory limits on water disposal, while competing against giants like ExxonMobil (XOM +0.43%) and Chevron (CVX +0.71%).

Valuation comparisonOccidental Petroleum appears to be the more affordable option based on its forward price-to-earings ratio, which compares the stock price to future earnings estimates, and its price-to-sales ratio, which measures the stock price against revenue.

MetricEQTOccidental PetroleumSector BenchmarkForward P/E11.0x9.7x20.8xP/S ratio3.3x2.5xSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLE sector ETF.
Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.

Which stock would I buy in 2026?Oil and gas producers are closely tied to fluctuations in the global price of the commodity, so both EQT and Occidental Petroleum face the benefits and risks of being so closely tied to natural gas and crude oil prices.

Occidental has done an admirable job of paying down debt in recent years, wiping $15.6 billion from its books since 2024. While the company’s revenues have benefited greatly from the spike in oil prices due to the Iran war, Oxy management has lowered its expectations for production in 2026, and the ongoing uncertainty in the Persian Gulf promises to continue to roil crude prices for better or worse.

EQT, as a pure-play natural gas producer operating in the U.S., has a lot less macroeconomic risk in the months ahead. Spot natural gas prices are currently around their long-term average, so there’s no price-spike benefit for EQT as there is for Occidental, but the long-term shift of the European Union away from Russia for its natural gas supply and toward the U.S. is a tailwind for the business. EQT sells some of its production at fixed contract prices, but can still benefit from higher export prices for a significant portion of its production. Like Oxy, EQT has done a great job paying down debt, making it cheaper in the long run for it to finance improvements that lower its cost of production.

EQT trades at a higher P/E and P/S than Occidental Petroleum, but for stability and long-term growth, the premium for EQT appears to be worth it.

Oil equities are performing well this year, but it's a different scenario with natural gas stocks. That makes sense because natural gas is notoriously volatile.

Recently, natural gas prices retreated due to rising inventories and declining exports (the U.S. is the largest exporter), among other factors. So it's not surprising that some natural gas equities are struggling. Down 15.1% for the month ending June 18 and 25.7% below its 52-week high, EQT (EQT +2.21%) is part of that dubious group.

EQT is a battered natural gas stock, but its punishment may be too harsh. Image source: Getty Images.

Price action like that may imply that this integrated natural gas producer is a falling knife or a name to be ignored. Still, there are reasons why investors may want to put this energy stock on their watch lists, because EQT's slump may be a sign that market participants are overlooking an appealing fundamental story.

Examining EQT rebound potential EQT is one of the leading natural gas producers in the Appalachian Basin, with enviable positioning in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. It differs from competitors in that 90% of its output is dry natural gas, so it's prone to that commodity's wide price swings. So this isn't a stock for the faint of heart, but there are some sources of allure.

The company reintegrated its Equitrans midstream unit, resulting in a 15% reduction in net unit costs. Some experts view it as a shrewd move because, now that EQT is a more integrated energy company, it can realize pricing across its various service areas while enhancing its earnings potential.

The reintegration of Equitrans speaks to another important point about EQT, one that's often missing with some exploration and production oil stocks. The company is a master of production efficiency, as evidenced by a 13% drop in well costs in the first quarter. That and other efficiencies helped EQT generate $1.8 billion in free cash flow in that period.

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Another consideration for patient investors is EQT's potential to benefit from the artificial intelligence (AI) trade. These days, it feels as if most stocks are backdoor AI plays, but EQT's thesis is viable. Its production area is close to the data center-rich Northeast Corridor. If utilities in the region invest more heavily in natural gas plants to meet power demand from data centers, EQT could benefit, provided those investments occur in areas the company's pipelines reach.

Firming finances It's frustrating when a stock is in a bear market. Still, investors can save themselves some headaches by avoiding "junk" companies, those laden with debt and flimsy balance sheets. EQT, on the other hand, is rapidly erasing debt.

At the end of 2025, the energy company had $7.7 billion in outstanding liabilities, but that total was $5.7 billion at the end of the first quarter. That's a "good" type of decline. Eliminating debt supports the EQT dividend, which has grown solidly in recent years.

For risk-tolerant traders with long-term views in search of an energy sector rebound candidate, there's a lot to like with this natural gas producer.

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Company debuts new high-performance machine vision camera and showcases solutions that empower connected frontline workers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitizing and automating workflows to deliver intelligent operations, today announced its participation in Automate 2026, highlighting an ecosystem of solutions that fuse the physical and digital worlds. Visitors to Booth #1825 will experience how Zebra’s portfolio of RFID, machine vision, industrial scanning and automation solutions empowers frontline workers and optimizes workflows from raw-material receiving to the final distribution of products.

Zebra’s booth experience presents an end-to-end modern manufacturing journey, showcasing how organizations create smarter, more efficient operations by leveraging intelligent automation and advanced asset visibility.

Share According to Zebra’s latest Manufacturing Vision Study, 92% of manufacturing leaders cite digital transformation as a strategic priority. Zebra provides the foundation for intelligent operations, designing hardware, software, and automation solutions that help manufacturers achieve actionable visibility, optimized quality and an augmented workforce. Zebra’s booth experience presents an end-to-end modern manufacturing journey, showcasing how organizations create smarter, more efficient operations by leveraging intelligent automation and advanced asset visibility.

“We relentlessly deliver innovation to help our customers overcome their biggest operational challenges,” said Charlie Long, Vice President and General Manager, Machine Vision, Zebra Technologies. “We are eager to connect with attendees at the event to discuss how combining machine vision, data, and AI with human expertise can drive immediate efficiency gains, tailored to their unique environments.”

High-Performance Camera Optimizes Quality Control

As manufacturers look to automation to improve quality, Zebra’s study shows that 98% of those surveyed plan to use machine vision by 2029. At Automate, Zebra debuts its new CV70 CXP machine vision camera, a high-performance solution for customers implementing high-speed, high-resolution applications.

The CV70’s design accelerates demanding tasks like small parts inspection, EV battery assembly, and semiconductor inspection. With Zebra’s Aurora software, frame grabbers, and vision controllers, customers have a complete vision solution and fully tested and validated system from a single vendor to solve their most challenging machine vision needs.

Interactive Demonstrations Highlight Live Workflows

Attendees visiting Zebra’s booth will experience live demonstrations of how Zebra’s solutions create fully connected, optimized operations including the 4Sight XV7 vision controller and the Rapixo CXP Pro Octo frame grabber. Other solutions on display include:

Machine vision hardware and software featuring 3D inspection, AI-based anomaly detection, and AI-based optical character recognition (OCR). An in-line, fully automated print and apply process using machine vision and RFID technology for package and label validation. An automated factory staging and storage setup with Zebra’s RFID solutions driving real-time tracking and workflow efficiency. Photoneo, now part of Zebra Technologies, is demonstrating vision-guided robotics applications for bin pick, box depalletizing, and picking parts from custom dunnage, alongside 3D volume measurement. In addition, Charlie Long will lead a speaking session titled, “The Augmented Operator: Driving Productivity with Machine Vision and Mobile Intelligence,” which takes place on June 22 from 12:00 – 12:30 CT at the Automate Innovation Stage in Booth #19046.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

At Automate 2026, Zebra showcases intelligent automation solutions that empower frontline workers and create smarter, end-to-end supply chain operations extending from raw material receiving to final distribution. Zebra launches the CV70, a new high-performance, ultra-compact machine vision camera designed to accelerate performance in high-speed and high-resolution applications. Visit Zebra in Booth #1825 at McCormick Place in Chicago, June 22-25, to experience an ecosystem of solutions for asset visibility and intelligent automation. WHO IS ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES?

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) provides the foundation for intelligent operations with an award-winning portfolio of connected frontline, asset visibility and automation solutions which empower our customers to deploy AI on the frontline. Organizations globally across retail, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, healthcare, and other industries rely on us to deliver outcomes today while driving innovation for what’s next. Together with our partners, we create new ways of working that improve productivity and empower organizations to be better every day. Learn more at www.zebra.com.
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Key Takeaways YUM will sell Pizza Hut China and ex-China operations in deals worth about $2.7B total.YUM expects roughly $2.3B in net proceeds and authorized a new $4B share repurchase program.Yum! Brands will maintain technology and strategic partnerships tied to the Pizza Hut business. Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM - Free Report) has agreed to sell Pizza Hut in transactions valued at approximately $2.7 billion, concluding a strategic review of the business that began in November 2025.

Under the agreements, Yum China Holdings, Inc. (YUMC - Free Report) will acquire Pizza Hut China for roughly $1.2 billion, while private equity firm LongRange Capital will purchase Pizza Hut operations outside Mainland China for approximately $1.5 billion. The transaction also includes a potential earn-out payment of up to $75 million for Yum! Brands by 2030.

The deal marks one of the most significant portfolio changes in Yum! Brands' history and highlights management's efforts to sharpen its strategic focus while enhancing long-term shareholder value.

Why YUM Chose to Sell Pizza HutFollowing a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives, Yum! Brands' leadership team and board concluded that selling Pizza Hut represented the most effective path to maximizing shareholder value. The company determined that the brand would be better positioned under ownership structures tailored to the unique characteristics, competitive dynamics and growth opportunities of its respective markets.

The review also occurred against a backdrop of heightened competition across the quick-service restaurant industry and increasingly value-conscious consumer spending patterns. In this environment, YUM concluded that specialized owners with deep restaurant expertise could help Pizza Hut pursue market-specific growth strategies more effectively.

At the same time, the transaction enables Yum! Brands to simplify its portfolio and concentrate resources on growth initiatives, technology investments and operational priorities across its remaining brands. The move is expected to create a more focused organization with greater flexibility to pursue long-term opportunities.

Financial Benefits and Shareholder ReturnsThe transaction is expected to generate approximately $2.3 billion in net proceeds after taxes, transaction fees and closing adjustments. Although YUM anticipates about $85 million in one-time separation-related expenses during the remainder of 2026, the company stands to gain substantial financial flexibility from the deal.

Management intends to deploy the proceeds in accordance with its capital allocation strategy, balancing investments in the business with returns to shareholders. Demonstrating that commitment, the YUM board approved an additional $4 billion share repurchase authorization alongside the transaction announcement.

The expanded buyback program could support earnings-per-share growth over time while providing an attractive mechanism for returning excess capital to investors.

Maintaining Strategic PartnershipsWhile Pizza Hut is changing ownership, Yum! Brands will continue to maintain several important relationships tied to the business. The company will keep providing its proprietary Byte by Yum! technology platform to Pizza Hut Ex-China and will offer transition services to facilitate an orderly separation. Management expects the associated fees to offset corporate expenses previously allocated to Pizza Hut.

Yum! Brands also strengthened its relationship with Yum China through agreements that create incentives linked to future acceleration in KFC China system sales growth. In addition, both companies intend to continue collaborating on Taco Bell's long-term expansion plans in Mainland China.

Upon completion of the transactions, Pizza Hut will no longer be included among YUM’s reportable operating segments, reflecting its transition toward a more streamlined business structure.

YUM's Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesBeyond the strategic implications of the transaction, investors may also want to examine YUM's stock performance and valuation.

YUM’s shares have gained 14% over the past year, outperforming the restaurant industry's decline of 4.2%. During the same period, the stock also delivered stronger returns than Yum China, McDonald's Corporation (MCD - Free Report) and Domino's Pizza, Inc. (DPZ - Free Report) .

Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Despite the stock's recent advance, YUM continues to trade at a reasonable valuation relative to the industry. The company currently has a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 22.27X, below the industry average. In comparison, Yum China, McDonald's and Domino's trade at 13.9X, 21.37X and 16.12X, respectively.

P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Investor sentiment has also improved in recent months. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for YUM's 2026 and 2027 earnings per share has moved higher over the past 60 days, indicating optimism regarding its earnings outlook.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Bottom LineThe Pizza Hut divestiture is less about exiting a globally recognized brand and more about repositioning Yum! Brands for its next phase of growth. By placing Pizza Hut under owners focused on its regional opportunities and operational needs, YUM believes the brand can pursue growth more effectively while the parent company concentrates on its highest-priority initiatives.

With approximately $2.3 billion in expected net proceeds, a newly authorized $4 billion share repurchase program and a simplified corporate structure, YUM appears well positioned to strengthen shareholder returns and enhance financial flexibility. If the transactions close as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the deal could represent a meaningful step toward improving the company's long-term growth profile and creating sustainable value for investors.

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

Pizza Hut once dominated American pizza. Now its U.S. business is being sold for $1.7 billion by parent company Yum!

Xylem is a US-based global water technology company. Founded in 2011, it is now a $26 billion (by market cap) major water tech provider employing more than 20,000 people. Xylem has increased its dividend for 16 consecutive years. Its 10-year dividend growth rate of 11% is fairly impressive. Xylem escalated its revenue from $3.8 billion in FY 2016 to $9 billion in FY 2025. That's a compound annual growth rate of 10.1%.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Yiren Digital Ltd. (NYSE: YRD) ("Yiren Digital" or the "Company"), a leading fintech company specializing in digital consumer lending, insurance and financial technology innovation across China and global markets, today announced that it plans to release its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026 before U.S. market opens on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Yiren Digital's management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on June 25, 2026 (or 8:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on June 25, 2026).

Participants who wish to join the call should register online in advance of the conference at: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10209861/10439ec2351.

Once registration is completed, participants will receive the dial-in details for the conference call.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at https://ir.yiren.com.

About Yiren Digital

Yiren Digital Ltd. is a leading fintech company specializing in digital consumer lending, insurance, and financial technology innovation across China and global markets. The Company leverages advanced artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to enhance customer experience, optimize capital efficiency, and expand financial inclusion. Following the regulatory filing of its in-house developed Large Language Model Zhiyu, and the significant enhancement of its MagiCube Agent platform, Yiren Digital is establishing a new growth engine to accelerate its evolution into an AI-native, multi-industry operating platform extending beyond traditional financial services. For more information, please visit https://ir.yiren.com.

SOURCE Yiren Digital

In the latest trading session, McKesson (MCK - Free Report) closed at $750.63, marking a -3.74% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 1.09% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.14%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 1.91%.

The prescription drug distributor's shares have seen an increase of 3.33% over the last month, surpassing the Medical sector's gain of 3.16% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.29%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of McKesson in its upcoming earnings disclosure. In that report, analysts expect McKesson to post earnings of $9.63 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 16.59%. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $104.39 billion, indicating a 6.7% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $44.28 per share and a revenue of $432.83 billion, indicating changes of +13.22% and +7.29%, respectively, from the former year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for McKesson. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional 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 shifted 0.03% upward. At present, McKesson boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

With respect to valuation, McKesson is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 17.61. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 15.32, so one might conclude that McKesson is trading at a premium comparatively.

Also, we should mention that MCK has a PEG ratio of 1.28. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Medical - Dental Supplies industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.58.

The Medical - Dental Supplies industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 75, putting it in the top 31% of all 250+ industries.

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

Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.

Expedia is positioned at the forefront of technological shifts transforming the travel industry. EXPE's evolution leverages advanced technology to adapt to changing consumer travel behaviors and preferences. The company's strategic focus on innovation aims to capture growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving market landscape.

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 rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company value investors might notice is Centene (CNC - Free Report) . CNC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.35. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 18.06. Over the past 52 weeks, CNC's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.40 and as low as 4.41, with a median of 8.43.

Investors will also notice that CNC has a PEG ratio of 0.82. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. CNC's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 0.93. Within the past year, CNC's PEG has been as high as 0.98 and as low as 0.38, with a median of 0.77.

Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. CNC has a P/S ratio of 0.15. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.32.

These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Centene is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, CNC feels like a great value stock at the moment.

Weekly Market HighlightsDuring the week, market breadth showed a slight skew towards decliners, with 4,779 advancing stocks compared to 4,802 declining stocks.

Key Takeaways SpaceX IPO sparked market optimism, lifting the S&P 500 and boosting broader sector sentiment.Centene gained 48.3% YTD as improving Medicaid margins and AI initiatives support profits.DaVita and BrightSpring surged as operational gains and healthcare demand drive growth. The stock markets are seeing a renewed interest from investors, especially retailers, following the debut of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SPCX - Free Report) or SpaceX, which has been setting new records each day. The SpaceX IPO is the biggest ever IPO globally, raising an unprecedented $75 billion and beating the previous record of $29 billion set by Saudi oil firm Aramco in 2019.

The frenzy around this IPO led to a 4x oversubscription, attracting nearly $300 billion. SPCX secured a place among the world’s 10 largest companies on the day of its debut — a coveted position that most companies take decades to achieve.

The SpaceX IPO also made its owner, Elon Musk, the first and only trillionaire in the world. The second on the wealth list, Larry Page, co-founder of Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GOOGL - Free Report) , trails him by nearly $900 billion.

The S&P 500 Index is up nearly 1.5% since SpaceX IPO and has gained 9.7% so far this year. The plethora of upcoming large IPOs could continue to attract funds, likely pushing the index higher in the second half of 2026.

Although funds are likely to flow primarily in the technology sector, a positive S&P 500 Index should help drive a broader rally across several sectors. The following three companies — Centene (CNC - Free Report) , DaVita (DVA - Free Report) and BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. (BTSG - Free Report) — from the medical sector may benefit from a potential rally. Each of these companies currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and has a VGM score of A or B, reflecting strong upside potential. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

SpaceX & Upcoming IPOsThe SpaceX stock is already up 37% since its debut on June 11. Investors are dumping shares of other companies to become a part of this historic company. The strong optimism around the stock is unlikely to fizz out anytime soon.

Several indices, including NASDAQ 100, have fast-tracked the inclusion of SPCX into their constituent list. The company will be added to MSCI and Russell Indices by June-end, and will be included in the NASDAQ 100 on July 6. Apart from investor optimism, these inclusions are likely to drive additional investment into SPCX, as several passive funds that track these indices will begin adding the stock to their portfolios.

Following the SpaceX IPO, several other mega IPOs are slated to be launched in the second half of 2026, including AI giants — Anthropic and OpenAI. Alphabet is planning to raise approximately $80 billion through an equity sale soon. Alphabet plans to use the fund to support its AI-related capital expenditure.

Sound Prospect in Medical SectorApart from space exploration companies, a small section of medical companies is focusing on developing space medicine. Companies such as Eli Lilly, Merck, and Bristol Myers Squibb are conducting drug-development experiments on the International Space Station, while Vaxxinity is focused on developing vaccines and biologics.

However, these projects are unlikely to bring material impact to these companies anytime soon and should deliver results over the long term. Currently, the prospects of medical companies are being driven by the strong adoption of artificial intelligence and digital tools. The majority of large healthcare companies, as well as many smaller firms, are leveraging AI for drug development and integrating it into medical devices, thereby accelerating drug discovery and disease diagnosis.

The U.S. healthcare sector appears positioned for a stronger second half of 2026, supported by accelerating innovation cycles, favorable regulatory momentum, AI adoption, rising specialty drug demand, migration toward outpatient care, hospital capex recovery, and improving valuation attractiveness versus technology stocks. Per a Business Insider article, UBS and Franklin Templeton recently turned bullish on healthcare, citing structural demand growth, demographic tailwinds, and improving earnings visibility.

With a steady Fed rate, the accelerating capital spending by Hospitals is likely to continue in the second half of 2026, driving demand for robotic surgery, imaging, and advanced monitoring systems. Hospitals are also accelerating cloud migration and digital infrastructure modernization. The rising demand for cancer and rare-disease drugs is likely to drive Specialty pharmaceutical distribution. Moreover, growing home-healthcare demand is expanding direct-to-patient distribution opportunities.

The opening of the Strait of Hormuz following a peace deal between the United States and Iran is likely to bring energy prices down and clear the supply glut, benefiting all industries, including the medical sector.

The 5.8% decline so far this year in the Zacks Medical sector has led to attractive valuations. The sector has been trading at a discount to the S&P 500 Index since the beginning of 2025. The forward 12 month price-to-earnings (P/E F12M) ratio for the sector is 19.77X currently, below its five-year median of 20.45X.

P/E F12M Valuation: Medical sector vs S&P 500

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

3 Medical Stocks to Bet on Right NowCentene, DaVita and BrightSpring Health Services have already surged so far this year amid these strong macro factors. Here, we discuss how the outlook for these companies is likely to evolve in the second half of 2026. While the Medical sector has declined 5.8% so far this year, these stocks have strongly outperformed the sector as well as the broader S&P 500 Index.

YTD Performance: CNC, DVA & BTSG

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Centene

Shares of Centene have gained 48.3% so far this year. The company appears well-positioned for a stronger performance in the second half of 2026. The improving Medicaid margins, disciplined medical cost management, and favorable Medicare execution continue increasing profitability.

Management raised the EPS guidance for 2026, following strong performance in the first quarter. Marketplace risk-adjustment benefits and AI-driven fraud detection initiatives could further support margin recovery, strengthening confidence in sustained earnings momentum.

Centene currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and carries a VGM score of A. While the company’s sales are estimated to decline 1.9% year over year in 2026, earnings estimates reflect growth of 66.8%. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 15.3% over the past 60 days. CNC’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 37.1% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 18.5%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

DaVita

DaVita’s shares have surged 83% in the year-to-date period. Its second-half 2026 outlook remains favorable, supported by improving dialysis treatment volumes, productivity-driven labor efficiencies, and expanding Integrated Kidney Care operations. The company raised full-year earnings guidance as clinic transfers from competitor closures, AI-led operational optimization, and sustained cost discipline are expected to drive stronger profitability and reinforce its resilient cash-generation profile.

DVA currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1 and carries a VGM score of A. The company’s sales and earnings estimates for 2026 suggest growth of 4.8% and 39.8%, respectively, compared to the year-ago period. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 6.4% over the past 60 days. DVA’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 20.2% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 12.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

BrightSpring Health Services

BrightSpring is entering the second half of 2026 with strong momentum driven by rapid specialty pharmacy growth, expanding infusion services, and accelerating provider-services demand. Margin expansion from operational efficiencies, successful integration of acquired home-health assets, and a stronger balance sheet following divestiture proceeds position the company to capitalize on rising home-based healthcare demand and deliver robust earnings growth. The company’s shares have risen 76.9% so far this year.

BTSG currently flaunt a Zacks Rank of 1 and a VGM score of B. The company’s sales and earnings estimates for 2026 suggest growth of 16.6% and 67%, respectively, compared to the year-ago period. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 10.6% over the past 60 days. BTSG’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 46.5% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 15.5%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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Before Michael Burry shut down Scion Asset Management in late 2025 and pivoted to publishing a Substack newsletter warning of an “AI Bubble,” his final 13F filings reportedly disclosed put options against NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) and Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) alongside a heavy rotation, around 51% of the disclosed portfolio, into health insurer Molina Healthcare. That is the documented record, a snapshot rather than a live position.

This distinction matters because Burry of The Big Short fame is now an opinion writer, not a regulated filer. Scion was deregistered, so there are no ongoing 13F disclosures to verify what he holds right now. His current commentary lives on his newsletter. The trades below are a snapshot of how he was positioned before closing the fund, paired with his ongoing public warnings about AI-era valuations.

What the final filings actually said The pairing was tidy. Short the most crowded story in the market, long the most ignored one. The puts targeted NVIDIA and Palantir, the two names most often used as shorthand for AI-infrastructure excess. NVIDIA carries a market capitalization of roughly $4.95 trillion and a price-to-sales ratio of 19.5. NVIDIA’s forward P/E of 23x looks restrained next to Palantir, which trades at elevated multiples on both earnings and book value.

The long side was Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH), a Medicaid-focused managed-care operator whose shares are down 34% over the past year and trade at a price-to-sales ratio of 0.2x. The contrast is the entire trade.

The thesis, reconstructed from the data On NVIDIA, the bear case sidesteps the operating business entirely. Q1 FY27 revenue grew 85.2% year over year to $81.61 billion, with Data Center revenue up 92%. The bear case is that hyperscaler capex cycles historically revert, that the Q2 guide assumes zero Data Center compute revenue from China, and that $119 billion of supply commitments sit on the balance sheet against customer concentration that has rarely looked this top-heavy. The stock is down 8% over the past month even as fundamentals beat estimates.

Molina is the mirror image. Q4 2025 produced an adjusted loss of $2.75 per share against a $0.50 estimate, dragged down by roughly $2.00 per share of unfavorable California Medicaid retroactive premium adjustments plus surging Medicare and Marketplace costs. CEO Joseph Zubretsky called 2026 “a trough year for Medicaid industry margins” and pointed to more than $11.00 per share of embedded earnings from new contracts in California, Texas, Georgia, Ohio and others between 2027 and 2029. The company executed a $1 billion buyback in FY25 at depressed prices. That is the contrarian setup: identifiable margin trough, contracted growth, shrinking share count.

What a retirement investor should actually take from this Copying the short side is the wrong lesson. Put options expire, Scion no longer files, and Burry has been early or wrong on macro calls between the housing trade and now. The 13F snapshot captures only what he believed at one moment in the past.

The long side is more useful. Molina trades at a forward P/E of 21x (on 2027 earnings), with an analyst sentiment that skews cautious: 13 holds against 4 buys. Shares have rallied 9.6% year to date, suggesting the trough-margin narrative is starting to find buyers. For a retirement-focused portfolio, the thesis worth studying is the patient one: own the cyclical bottom of an essential service business, collect the buyback yield, and wait for rate restoration. That is a thesis you can underwrite yourself. The NVIDIA puts are theater.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several 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.

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

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest 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 ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight 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 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 ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

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.

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.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

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.

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

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

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

Stock to Watch: Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. (KNSL - Free Report) Headquartered in Richmond, VA, Kinsale Capital was established in 2009. It offers various insurance and reinsurance productsacross all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It operates primarily through two markets – Commercial and Personal. While personal lines include homeowners insurance; commercial lines offerings cover construction, small business, excess casualty, commercial property, product   liability, allied health, general casualty, management liability, inland marine, commercial insurance and public entity.

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

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 14.96; value investors should take notice.

Eight analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.35 to $20.65 per share. KNSL boasts an average earnings surprise of +8.9%.

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

After a rally that has lifted Rambus (NASDAQ:RMBS | RMBS Price Prediction) 133.15% over the past year, the memory interface IP leader trades at $141.17. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for Rambus is $117.57 over the next 12 months, implying 16.72% downside from current levels.

Our recommendation is sell, with high confidence at 90%. The shares are pricing in flawless execution against a backdrop of tightening DRAM supply and compressing margins.

24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $141.17 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $117.57 Upside/Downside -16.72% Recommendation SELL Confidence Level 90% Why We Could Be Wrong Our 24/7 Wall St. price target of $117.57 sits below where Rambus trades today, and the bull case is real. The HBM4E memory controller IP ramp and the AI inference data center cycle could push product revenue meaningfully above guidance.

Wall Street analysts carry a consensus target of $145.25 with 7 buy ratings and zero sells. Treat our target as one datapoint among many.

A Year-Long Rally Meets a Margin Squeeze RMBS is up 53.63% year to date and 15.68% over the past month, though it pulled back 2.28% last week and sits 17% from its 52-week high of $174.10.

Q1 2026 revenue of $180.19 million beat slightly, but non-GAAP EPS of $0.63 missed the $0.6363 consensus. Non-GAAP operating margin compressed to 42% from 46%, R&D rose 18%, and royalty revenue declined year over year. An analyst downgrade citing tightening DRAM supply followed the report.

The Case for $175+ Bulls have catalysts. CEO Luc Seraphin said “The growth of AI inference and agentic workloads in the data center continues to drive demand for higher memory bandwidth, efficient data movement, and scalable connectivity.”

DDR5 RCD leadership, the LPDDR5X SOCAMM2 server module chipset, and the industry-fastest HBM4E memory controller IP position Rambus squarely inside the AI capex wave. Q2 2026 guidance calls for revenue of $186 million to $204 million. Our bull-case 12-month scenario reaches $175.08, a 24.02% gain.

The Risks Worth Watching RMBS trades at 62 trailing earnings and a price-to-sales ratio of 20, leaving little margin for error. Royalty revenue declined to $69.64 million in Q1, the CFO transitioned in Q4 2025, and supply chain disruption was disclosed.

Bulls would counter that R&D spending is the kind of investment that funds the HBM4E and SOCAMM2 ramps, and the balance sheet shows $1.39 billion in equity. Still, our bear case lands at $98.18, a 30.45% decline.

Rambus Price Prediction 2026-2030 The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $117.57 reflects a sell call at 90% confidence. The tipping factor is valuation: a forward multiple of 24 is reasonable, but the stock trades far above that anchor.

The bull thesis strengthens if HBM4E design wins translate into a step-function ramp in product revenue. The bear thesis strengthens if royalty revenue keeps slipping and margins keep compressing. Today, the setup favors patience.

Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $117.57 2027 $115.00 2028 $110.50 2029 $108.25 2030 $107.71 These projections assume Rambus continues executing its current DDR5 and HBM roadmap. Significant upside could result from accelerated HBM4E adoption, while downside risk centers on prolonged DRAM supply tightness and royalty erosion.

By PYMNTS  |  June 22, 2026

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Happen, formerly known as LendingClub, has announced the official launch of its digital bank.

The new Happen Bank brand is available now on the company website, mobile app and via customer communications and advertising, the lender said in a news release Monday (June 22), the same day Happen’s stock began trading on Nasdaq.

“We’ve reached an exciting milestone for our company and for the millions of members we serve,” said Scott Sanborn, CEO of Happen Bank.

“Becoming Happen Bank and now trading on Nasdaq reflects how far we’ve come in building a modern digital bank designed around people’s real financial needs. The Happen Bank brand more clearly reflects the role we play in consumers’ lives: helping people make things happen with products that are smart, transparent, and easy to use.”

The release said Happen Bank’s products are designed to reward members for “positive financial behaviors.”

For instance, members who have a personal loan from the bank can get 2% of their monthly payment in cash back for making on-time payments from their checking account with Happen.

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“Whether it’s consolidating debt, building savings, improving their credit, or planning for what’s next, we clear the way for our members to make meaningful progress and we reward their positive financial behaviors along the way,” said Mark Elliot, the bank’s chief customer officer.

The company announced its plans to rebrand in April, saying the name “Happen Bank” is meant to denote action, progress and forward momentum.

Speaking with PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster soon after, Sanborn said he has been lobbying for LendingClub to change its name for 10 years, including during a conversation with the board that would ultimately hire him as chief executive.

“True story: literally in the interview process,” Sanborn said. “I said, ‘The name is very limiting and it is very transactional.’”

He added that the company focuses on a “very, very specific customer,” a cohort Sanborn referred to as “motivated middle” consumers who have high income and credit scores, but still actively use credit and financial tools.

“They’re not the underserved bottom of the market and they’re not private banking clients,” the report said. “They’re people managing real cash flows, paying down debt, and the part Sanborn likes to highlight, building up an average of $19,000 in savings on the platform after working through their borrowing.”

© Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway’s (NYSE:BRK.B | BRK.B Price Prediction) CEO a little over 6 months ago, though he’s still the chairman. Greg Abel has been entrusted with steering the company, and he has largely followed in Buffett’s footsteps by continuing to pile up cash and not participate in a stock market rally while valuations are frothy.

Buffett has a lot to say about Abel’s performance so far, even though BRK stock remains flat over the past six months.

During the May 2026 annual meeting, Buffett sat in the front row and took the microphone to reflect on the board’s decision a year before naming Abel as his successor. He gave Abel an absolute perfect score and said, “This is the best decision we’ve ever made—100% successful. He’s done everything I did—and more. He is the right person.”

That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Buffett’s effusive comments on Greg Abel Buffett said that nearly all of his net worth is in Berkshire stock during an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick. Abel is effectively managing Buffett’s personal wealth. He said, “I’d rather have Greg handling my money than any of the top investment advisors or any of the top CEOs in the United States.”

Earlier this month, Abel hit the ground running by deploying nearly $17 billion in under 48 hours. Berkshire bought homebuilder Taylor Morrison and took a massive $10 billion stake in Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) AI infrastructure). Buffett went on to praise Abel’s execution to CNBC.

He noted that Abel executed the Taylor Morrison acquisition “faster than I could have done it, smoother than I could have done it.” He added that Abel “has launched” due to his aggressive start.

Buffett has called Abel “the decider.” He “can’t imagine how much more he can get accomplished in a week than I can [in] a month.” He kept praising Abel for not letting the position change his character, because he is not a “distorted individual.”

Why Greg Abel refuses to buy into the hype Buffett’s cash-hoarding caused BRK stock to slide down in the first half of 2025 and trade sideways in the second half of that year. The trend has continued under Abel, as he did not make any radical changes. Berkshire’s philosophy does not allow it to chase the AI rally by buying stocks at high prices. Not paying for up has cost the company dearly in the past three years, even though most people don’t bring it up.

The big-name expensive stocks three years ago were only expensive due to the market being forward-looking. Wall Street’s bet that companies like Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) will be able to deliver stellar growth rates for years has paid off.

It’s a good idea to look at the Dot Com era to understand what is happening right now.

Buffett refused to buy into the internet boom early in the Dot Com era, and 1999 was a hard year for Berkshire Hathaway. Tech stocks were up by double digits while BRK-B fell by almost 20%. Buffett gave his own capital allocation a “D” grade, joking that his performance was like a quarterback with a report card of four Fs and a D. He gave a warning during a speech at the Allen & Co. Sun Valley conference to an audience of tech billionaires and venture capitalists.

The bubble finally started popping the next year, and by then Buffett was armed with enough cash to opportunistically buy some fallen angels. Something similar may be going on with today’s rally.

Should you buy or sell BRK stock now? Most investors are overweight on the AI rally, and it doesn’t hurt to snap up some BRK. Unfortunately, even Berkshire is vulnerable to an AI crash. It still holds plenty of businesses that are directly linked to the broader market’s performance, so you should not expect it to come out unscathed. At the same time, you shouldn’t expect continued underperformance from Buffett’s businesses.

It’s still a buy.

© inray27 / Shutterstock.com

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B | BRK.B Price Prediction), now run by CEO Greg Abel with Warren Buffett serving as chairman, disclosed in Q1 2026 13F filings that it nearly tripled its Alphabet stake to roughly 57.8 million shares worth about $16.6 billion, vaulting Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) into a top-five Berkshire holding.

In the same window, Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square reportedly liquidated more than 95% of its Alphabet position and reallocated into Microsoft. Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater bought heavily on the same side as Berkshire, and Trump and Pelosi disclosed early-2026 buys of Alphabet as well. The smart money split itself in half over the same stock.

Why Berkshire tripled down on Alphabet The case Abel’s team appears to be underwriting is straightforward, which is partly why it feels so Buffett-shaped. Alphabet’s Q1 2026 results showed EPS of $5.11 versus a $2.63 consensus, revenue of $109.90 billion, up 21.8% year over year, and Google Cloud growth of 63% with backlog nearly doubling quarter over quarter to over $460 billion. That backlog is the number that matters. It is contracted future demand, not a projection, and it dwarfs anything Alphabet has previously reported.

Valuation is the other half. Alphabet trades at a trailing P/E of 28x and a forward P/E of 25x, with an analyst target of $417. Sundar Pichai’s framing was characteristically measured: “Our AI investments and full stack approach are lighting up every part of the business.” Shares are up 115% over the past year and 15% year to date, but down 6% over the past month. Berkshire bought a compounder, on a pullback, at a multiple cheaper than the S&P average. That is the Buffett playbook even when Buffett isn’t pushing the buttons.

Ackman’s pivot to Microsoft Ackman’s exit deserves to be read as a reallocation, not a thesis-breaking sell signal. He moved capital into Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), where the AI numbers are arguably louder. Microsoft’s most recent quarter showed an AI business annual run rate of $37 billion, up 123% year over year, Azure growth of 40%, and commercial RPO of $627 billion, up 99%. The restructured OpenAI partnership leaves Microsoft with a roughly 27% stake worth approximately $135 billion and IP rights extended through 2032.

The trade is contrarian on price. Microsoft is down 20% year to date and 20.6% over the past year, trading around $378.9 against an analyst target of $565.9. Ackman is buying enterprise software lock-in at a forward P/E below 20x after a brutal drawdown. Different stock, similar instinct.

What retirement investors should take from the split Both sides are betting on AI infrastructure. The disagreement is about who captures the economics. Berkshire’s wager is that Alphabet’s $175 to $185 billion of 2026 CapEx translates into durable cloud market share. This is at a price the market still treats as suspect. Ackman’s wager is that Microsoft’s enterprise distribution converts AI workloads to recurring revenue faster than anyone else.

The honest answer for a retirement-focused investor is that copying either trade without understanding the thesis is the wrong instinct. Following Berkshire into Alphabet makes sense if you believe cloud backlog is a real signal and the antitrust overhang is priced in. Following Ackman into Microsoft makes sense if you believe enterprise AI monetization has been temporarily mispriced. Both can be right. Owning a slice of each, sized to your time horizon, is closer to what the institutions are actually doing than picking a winner in someone else’s argument.

Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, Greg Abel, made some major moves in his first quarter as the company's leader. He sold off a slew of small positions, including Amazon (AMZN 4.38%), concentrating the portfolio in 29 stocks, and he tripled the company's position in Alphabet (GOOG 5.04%)(GOOGL 5.05%).

Is Alphabet a better buy than Amazon today?

Two tech titans Amazon and Alphabet are two top tech stocks and two of the most valuable companies in the world. Alphabet, though, has skyrocketed over the past five years, and it has the second-highest market cap of any global company, with $4.4 trillion, while Amazon has underperformed the S&P 500.

GOOG Total Return Level data by YCharts

The companies have many similarities, starting with their varied revenue streams, something Warren Buffett says he looks for in a great company.

Amazon's core segments are e-commerce and cloud computing, but it also has a streaming service, healthcare products, and more.

Alphabet's core product is its search engine, but it also has a formidable cloud business in addition to YouTube, Android, and more.

Both of these companies are leagues ahead of any competition in their main businesses, with strong economic moats.

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How do they compare? Let's take a look at how they compare on recent metrics and valuation.

MetricAlphabetAmazonSales growth22%17%Operating income growth30%30%Operating margin36%13.4%P/E ratio27.628.4 Data sources: Amazon and Alphabet quarterly reports, yCharts. All growth is year over year.

From this simple comparison, Alphabet looks like the better buy. It's growing faster, and it's turning more dollars into profits.

But that's not the whole story. Amazon is much bigger than Alphabet; in fact, it's nearly double its size, with $743 billion in trailing-12-month revenue versus $423 billion for Alphabet. Therefore, its 17% growth is much more in absolute terms and a very impressive showing.

The operating margin is lower because Amazon deals with e-commerce and sells actual products, while Alphabet is mostly a services company. Wider margins are a good reason to own tech stocks, but it doesn't necessarily point to a better-run organization. Amazon Web Services (AWS) itself had a 38% operating margin, while Google Cloud's was 33%.

Image source: Alphabet.

Personally, I find this a tough call, even though Abel clearly doesn't. These are both terrific powerhouses with tons of long-term opportunity.

Alphabet stock has been trading at a lower P/E ratio for most of the year, which might be why it looks like the better buy. It also has the top position in several industries, including an unparalleled lead in search at about 90%. Even Amazon doesn't have that in e-commerce. And while AWS is still the leader in cloud, Google Cloud is growing faster, at 63% in the first quarter versus 28% for AWS. While in absolute terms AWS brought more in, the growth potential is compelling.

Alphabet does look like the better buy today, although keep in mind that a $337 billion portfolio looks different than yours, and Amazon is still an excellent pick.

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Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B | BRK.B Price Prediction) used its first full quarter under Greg Abel to nearly triple its position in New York Times (NYSE:NYT), adding roughly 199% to the Class A stake in the same quarter it tripled Alphabet and started a Delta Air Lines position. For a firm that mostly sat out media after the Washington Post era, that signals a meaningful redirection of cash, and no other major fund manager carries the Times as a conviction buy.

What Abel actually bought The Times is an unusual Berkshire holding. It is a $11.7 billion market cap publisher with a 175-year history, a dual-class capital structure, and an analyst target of $84.89 against a current price of $72.3. Mechanically, what Berkshire bought is a digital subscription business wearing a newspaper costume. Digital-only subscriptions hit $389.04 million in Q1 2026, up 16.1% year over year, on 13.08 million digital subscribers and ARPU of $9.77. Digital advertising grew 31.6%, the kind of acceleration normally reserved for AI darlings Abel was also buying. The print decline that bears keep pointing at is now small enough to ignore: print advertising fell 9.8% to $33.57 million, barely a rounding line in the model.

Inside that same Q1 filing, the valuation contrast is hard to miss. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) trades at roughly 11 times sales and a P/E of 28x on $422 billion in trailing revenue. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) is the cyclical hedge, up 24% year to date. The Times is the slow-grower of the three, and trades at roughly 4 times sales, a level no AI-era media name comes near.

The thesis hiding in the financials Berkshire’s playbook is paying for durable cash flow, and the Times now produces it. Full-year 2025 free cash flow grew 44.36% to $550.51 million. Moreover, its balance sheet carries $1.1 billion in cash and marketable securities with zero debt. This is the kind of structure Abel grew up with at Berkshire Energy.

Plus, management raised the quarterly dividend 27.8% to $0.23 per share and keeps repurchasing stock. It has $291.2 million remaining under authorization as of May 1, 2026.

The moat argument runs through bundling. The Times now sells games, recipes, The Athletic, Wirecutter, and audio as one product, and the financials show it working. CEO Meredith Kopit Levien said Q1 was “another great quarter, and our results reflect strong demand for the uncompromised journalism and premium lifestyle content that The Times is uniquely capable of delivering”. Guidance backs the language. The company expects digital-only subscription revenue up 14-17% and digital advertising up high-teens for Q2 2026. EPS keeps beating, with Q1 2026 coming in at $0.61 versus $0.47 expected. This is a 30.23% surprise and a fourth consecutive beat.

Should a retirement investor follow the trade Start with valuation. NYT trades at a trailing P/E of 32x and forward P/E of 26x. That looks rich on a screen, but against a business compounding subscribers, ARPU, and margins simultaneously, it is reasonable. Second, entry timing favors the buyer. The stock sits below both its 50-day moving average of $77.83 and the consensus target, and its one-year gain of 36.82% lags GOOGL’s 112.95% by a wide margin.

Third, the risks are knowable. Generative AI litigation cost $4.2 million pre-tax in Q1, and the Ochs-Sulzberger family controls the vote through the dual-class structure. Insider selling has been steady, with Kopit Levien selling 51,949 shares at a weighted average $79.70 in March, though that reads as scheduled RSU monetization. For a retirement portfolio already heavy in AI winners, a low-beta (0.94) subscription compounder with a fortress balance sheet is the ballast Abel appears to be assembling.

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Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B | BRK.B Price Prediction) disclosed a brand-new 3.04 million-share stake in Macy’s (NYSE:M) in its Q1 2026 13F filing, revealed on May 15, 2026, the first quarterly portfolio reshuffle under Greg Abel’s tenure as CEO. The position, valued at $55 million last quarter, lands in Macy’s alongside a new stake in Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL). While every other fund manager spent the quarter chasing AI infrastructure exposure, Abel’s opening move was a 166-year-old department store.

What Abel bought The size is tiny by Berkshire standards, which is itself the tell. Buffett’s known fingerprint is a small initial position that gets scaled if the thesis holds, and Barron’s noted the size matches Buffett’s typical starter bites even as CNBC flagged that the actual decision-maker, between Buffett, Abel, and remaining portfolio manager Ted Weschler, is unclear.

The price paid, however, is clear. Macy’s traded at $10.67 a year ago and the entire equity could be had for a market cap well under $6 billion at the time of purchase. Since the filing dropped, the stock has run hard. Macy’s is up 21% over the past month and 135% over the past year.

The thesis hiding in plain sight Macy’s fits precisely because it is a steady cash generator rather than a turnaround pitch. The Q2 FY27 report filed June 3, 2026 showed adjusted diluted EPS of $0.13 against a $0.03 estimate, revenue of $4.89 billion beating by 6.06%, and Bloomingdale’s posting a 10.2% comp, its seventh straight quarter of gains. CEO Tony Spring raised full-year guidance to net sales of $21.5 billion to $21.75 billion and adjusted EPS of $2.00 to $2.20. So the stock trades at roughly 12x forward earnings, carries a 2.99% dividend yield, and sits on a real estate portfolio whose value has been litigated by activists for years. There is also $1.1 billion remaining on a $2.0 billion buyback authorization.

The philosophical frame matches Delta. Both businesses generate cash, own hard assets, and trade at prices that reflect investor exhaustion rather than operating collapse. Abel inherited a cash pile north of $300 billion and his first deployment is into businesses Wall Street finds boring. That is a signal worth absorbing.

Should a retirement investor follow the trade The candid answer is that the easy money has already been made. Anyone copying Berkshire on May 16 paid roughly 18% less than today’s print. The current setup is different. You are buying a department store after a 126.18% one-year run, at a forward multiple that is no longer obviously cheap, with tariff headwinds already hitting gross margins by 30 basis points and roughly $145 million in annual sales walking out the door from planned closures.

What is worth following is the framework. Abel’s Berkshire appears willing to underwrite businesses with durable cash generation and out-of-favor narratives, the same playbook that built the original conglomerate. For a retirement-focused investor, the takeaway is structural rather than tactical. Macy’s is a coupon-clipping equity now, paying a $0.1915 quarterly dividend while it executes Spring’s Reimagine 200 store-upgrade program. If the comps at the +2.4% Reimagine cohort hold across more locations, Berkshire’s basis looks brilliant. If they fade, you own a low-multiple retailer with real estate optionality. Either way, the framework is what bears copying here, while the entry window has closed.

Key Takeaways Amcor launched its first Moda rotary vacuum chamber sealing system in Brazil with Barra Mansa.AMCR installed three Moda Vac systems, replacing up to nine belt chamber machines.Barra Mansa is expected to run a leading rotary vacuum sealing system by 2026. Amcor plc (AMCR - Free Report) recently introduced its Moda rotary vacuum chamber sealing technology in Brazil through a partnership with Barra Mansa Alimentos, a leading meat processor in the country. The installation marks the first deployment of the Moda system in Brazil and represents an important step in Amcor's expansion across Latin America's protein market.

The project was undertaken as part of Barra Mansa's new deboning line. The company sought a solution to improve productivity, enhance vacuum packaging performance for its Oranges Alimentos brand and simplify production processes. To support the initiative, Amcor supplied its Moda Vac high-speed system, along with packaging materials, equipment services and technical support.

The installation included three Moda Vac rotary vacuum chamber sealing systems, replacing up to nine belt chamber machines that are commonly used across the Latin American protein industry. The upgraded setup increased production capacity while improving vacuum performance, operational consistency and process reliability. It also enhanced throughput and packaging quality across production lines.

The project reflects Amcor's integrated approach of combining packaging materials, equipment, and technical expertise to support customer operations. Brazil remains an important market for the company as it continues to invest in packaging technologies, manufacturing capabilities and technical resources across the region.

Once all three production lines are completed in 2026, Barra Mansa is expected to operate one of the region's most advanced rotary vacuum sealing systems.

AMCR’s Price PerformanceOver the past year, the company’s shares have lost 4.3% compared with the industry’s 4% decline.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Amcor’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderAmcor currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the Industrial Products sector are Fastenal Company (FAST - Free Report) , Valmont Industries, Inc. (VMI - Free Report) and Vestis Corporation (VSTS - Free Report) ,each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Fastenal has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 0.06%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FAST’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $1.24 per share, which indicates year-over-year growth of 13.76%. The company’s shares have grown 10.4% in a year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Valmont’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $22.83 per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 19.59%. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 6.71%. Valmont’s shares have soared 77.6% in a year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VSTS' fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at 52 cents per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 108%. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 36.11%. VSTS’ shares have skyrocketed 120% in a year.