Mobileye (NASDAQ:MBLY) has announced plans to expand beyond supplying autonomous driving systems and enter direct operation of a robotaxi service, marking a strategic shift toward a vertically integrated mobility business.
The company said it intends to launch a fully driverless ride-hailing service in a major US city in 2027, initially deploying a fleet of roughly 100 vehicles.
The initiative will combine Mobileye’s self-driving technology stack, Mobileye Drive, with its Moovit mobility platform and related fleet-management, rider-facing applications, and teleoperation infrastructure. Mobileye said the program will cover the full ride-hailing value chain, including fleet operations, mission control, and trip planning services.
The company highlighted that the new robotaxi business will operate alongside its existing model of supplying autonomous driving systems to automakers and mobility providers. Mobileye said it continues to view its technology licensing and direct operations as complementary approaches, with both expected to develop in parallel.
Following the initial rollout, Mobileye plans to expand the fleet significantly, targeting approximately 17,000 vehicles over a five-year period, subject to operational validation and scaling.
“The robotaxi revolution has only just begun,” said Amnon Shashua, founder and CEO of Mobileye, adding that combining autonomous driving technology with operational control could support broader deployment and provide additional real-world experience for its platform.
"As interest in autonomous mobility accelerates, the industry has become increasingly dependent on a small number of technology providers and business models,” Shashua said.
“We believe there is an opportunity for a new approach—one built on deep autonomous-driving expertise, strong industry partnerships, and proven capabilities across the mobility ecosystem.
Mobileye said it will work with vehicle platform manufacturers, fleet operators, integration partners, and technology suppliers to build out the service. The company also highlighted the role of Moovit, which provides multimodal trip planning and mobility services across more than 3,500 cities, as part of its consumer-facing infrastructure.
Mobileye Drive, the company’s autonomous driving system, is currently being integrated into partner programs globally. The company said more than 230 million vehicles have been produced with its technology to date.
Mobileye said further details on the planned US launch market and operational timeline will be disclosed closer to deployment.
Mobileye has pitched itself as an autonomous vehicle technology supplier. Now it wants the operator label, too.
The Intel subsidiary and publicly traded company said Tuesday it plans to launch a robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027, marking an expansion beyond its supplier strategy. Mobileye didn’t name the U.S. city. However, the Israeli-based company said it will have an initial fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles, which will be phased in throughout 2027.
If successful, Mobileye said it plans to scale to about 17,000 robotaxis over the following five years.
“The robotaxi revolution has only just begun, and its potential for transforming how we travel around the world continues to increase,” Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua said in a statement, noting that the industry has become increasingly dependent on a small number of technology providers and business models.
Mobileye rose to prominence supplying automakers with millions of computer vision chips designed to support automotive safety features and advanced driver-assistance systems. The company later began developing chips and software that could handle autonomous driving and tested the tech in several cities. It now supplies its self-driving system to Volkswagen and its MOIA subsidiary.
But Mobileye apparently wants to own some of the robotaxi market, even if that puts it in direct competition with companies it supplies its self-driving system to.
These robotaxi aspirations aren’t entirely new. In a 2020 interview with TechCrunch, Shashua said he believed that the “Holy Grail” was passenger car autonomy — in which consumers could buy a car that could operate fully driverless. But to get there he needed to pursue robotaxis.
“The realization is that you can’t reach that Holy Grail if you don’t go through the robotaxi business,” Shashua said at the time.
Mobileye said it will create a new operating business for its robotaxi service, which will use its self-driving system. Mobileye plans to manage the fleet and will leverage Moovit, the transit and ride-hailing app it owns, for the consumer-facing piece.
Mobileye said this new business will complement its supplier business. The company didn’t name which vehicle will be used in its fleet, only noting that it will work with “AV-ready vehicle platform manufacturers.” However, the company’s press release announcing the partnership shows a photo illustration of what appears to be a modified Ora iQ, the electric crossover produced by the Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors.
“This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them,” said Shashua. “We remain deeply committed to enabling automakers and mobility providers with Mobileye Drive. At the same time, operating our own service allows us to accelerate adoption, gain direct operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility.”
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Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade. She is currently the transportation editor at TechCrunch and co-host of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast, “The Autonocast.” She previously wrote for Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review and CBS Interactive.
You can contact or verify outreach from Kirsten by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at kkorosec.07 on Signal.
Mobileye has pitched itself as an autonomous vehicle technology supplier. Now it wants the operator label, too.
The Intel subsidiary and publicly traded company said Tuesday it plans to launch a robotaxi service in a U.S. city in 2027, marking an expansion beyond its supplier strategy. Mobileye didn’t name the U.S. city. However, the Israeli-based company said it will have an initial fleet of 100 autonomous vehicles, which will be phased in throughout 2027.
If successful, Mobileye said it plans to scale to about 17,000 robotaxis over the following five years.
“The robotaxi revolution has only just begun, and its potential for transforming how we travel around the world continues to increase,” Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua said in a statement, noting that the industry has become increasingly dependent on a small number of technology providers and business models.
Mobileye rose to prominence supplying automakers with millions of computer vision chips designed to support automotive safety features and advanced driver-assistance systems. The company later began developing chips and software that could handle autonomous driving and tested the tech in several cities. It now supplies its self-driving system to Volkswagen and its MOIA subsidiary.
But Mobileye apparently wants to own some of the robotaxi market, even if that puts it in direct competition with companies it supplies its self-driving system to.
These robotaxi aspirations aren’t entirely new. In a 2020 interview with TechCrunch, Shashua said he believed that the “Holy Grail” was passenger car autonomy — in which consumers could buy a car that could operate fully driverless. But to get there he needed to pursue robotaxis.
“The realization is that you can’t reach that Holy Grail if you don’t go through the robotaxi business,” Shashua said at the time.
Mobileye said it will create a new operating business for its robotaxi service, which will use its self-driving system. Mobileye plans to manage the fleet and will leverage Moovit, the transit and ride-hailing app it owns, for the consumer-facing piece.
Mobileye said this new business will complement its supplier business. The company didn’t name which vehicle will be used in its fleet, only noting that it will work with “AV-ready vehicle platform manufacturers.” However, the company’s press release announcing the partnership shows a photo illustration of what appears to be a modified Ora iQ, the electric crossover produced by the Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors.
“This initiative is not a replacement for our existing partnerships; it is an extension of them,” said Shashua. “We remain deeply committed to enabling automakers and mobility providers with Mobileye Drive. At the same time, operating our own service allows us to accelerate adoption, gain direct operational experience, and showcase the full potential of autonomous mobility.”
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade. She is currently the transportation editor at TechCrunch and co-host of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast, “The Autonocast.” She previously wrote for Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review and CBS Interactive.
You can contact or verify outreach from Kirsten by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at kkorosec.07 on Signal.
Mobileye Global Inc. is upgraded to a Strong Buy, driven by a new vertically integrated U.S. robotaxi launch planned for 2027. MBLY's robust autonomous tech stack and existing mobility tools position it to scale rapidly in a competitive market. Despite formidable competition from Waymo and Tesla, MBLY stock's valuation—8.64x 2029 earnings—remains attractive, with potential for upward EPS revisions.
~ Chris Blunt to Retire as Chief Executive Officer of F&G; Continues as Director of F&G and Chief Executive Officer of Peak Altitude ~ ~ Conor Murphy Appointed Chief Executive Officer and President ~~ Michael Bailey Named Chief Financial Officer Effective August 3 ~~ Mark Wiltse Will Serve as Interim Chief Financial Officer Until August 3 ~ DES MOINES, Iowa, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- F&G Annuities & Life, Inc. (NYSE: FG) (F&G or the Company), a leading provider of insurance solutions serving retail annuity and life customers and institutional clients, today announced that Chris Blunt will retire from his current role as Chief Executive Officer of F&G to focus on his roles as a Director of F&G and Chief Executive Officer of subsidiary Peak Altitude Equity, LLC (Peak Altitude). Conor Murphy, current President and Chief Financial Officer, will assume a broader role as Chief Executive Officer and President.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FG Communities, whose mission is to preserve and improve affordable housing by acquiring and operating manufactured housing communities, is excited to announce its most recent acquisition of a community located in Waynesville, NC.
Located in the mountains of western North Carolina just outside of Asheville, Waynesville has become a sought-after destination for retirees and outdoor enthusiasts, creating a growing demand for quality affordable housing in the region.
Michael Anise, CEO of FG Communities, said, "Western North Carolina is a market we believe in. Waynesville offers a great quality of life, and we're excited to provide residents an affordable place to call home in such a desirable part of the state."
About FG® Communities
FG Communities, co-founded by Joe Moglia, Kyle Cerminara, and Michael Anise, is a self-administered, self-managed real estate holding company. The company has a growing portfolio of 87 properties with over 4,000 homesites either owned or pending acquisition. FG Communities is committed to improving quality of life and preserving affordable housing for its residents.
Contact:
Michael Anise, CEO [email protected]
https://fgcommunities.com
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.
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 also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also 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 ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
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, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
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.
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.
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: JFrog Ltd. (FROG - Free Report) JFrog Ltd. offers a unified platform for managing and securing the software supply chain, which it calls “Liquid Software,” enabling continuous, trusted delivery across hybrid teams. The JFrog Platform integrates development, security, governance, and distribution for artifacts, packages, containers, and AI/ML models, with capabilities in artifact management, vulnerability scanning, policy enforcement, curation, and secure distribution. Deployments include self-managed, SaaS, and hybrid, with integrations across development tools and cloud providers.
FROG is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. FROG has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 18.4% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2026, eight analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.05 to $0.95 per share. FROG boasts an average earnings surprise of +22.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, FROG should be on investors' short list.
, /PRNewswire/ -- MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) will host a conference call on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EDT to discuss 2026 second-quarter financial results.
Interested parties may listen to the conference call by visiting MPLX's website at www.mplx.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on MPLX's website for two weeks. Financial information, including the earnings release and other investor-related material, will also be available online prior to the conference call and webcast at www.mplx.com.
About MPLX LP
MPLX is a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and logistics assets and provides fuels distribution services. MPLX's assets include a network of crude oil and refined product pipelines; an inland marine business; light-product terminals; storage caverns; refinery tanks, docks, loading racks, and associated piping; and crude and light-product marine terminals. The company also owns crude oil and natural gas gathering systems and pipelines as well as natural gas and NGL processing and fractionation facilities in key U.S. supply basins. More information is available at www.MPLX.com.
Not for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States
VICTORIA, BC / ACCESS Newswire / June 18, 2026 / BEACN Wizardry & Magic Inc. (TSXV:BECN) ("BEACN" or the "Company") announced today the closing of the second series under its previously disclosed shipment-triggered loan program (the "Loan Program"), as well as the upcoming release of BEACN App Version 1.4, with public beta expected to begin in summer 2026.
The Loan: The maximum Advanced Amounts under this Series (the "Series Amount") of the Loan Program shall not exceed CA$111,250 and shall be provided by Huang Qian 2008 Revocable Trust (the "Lender").
The Loan Program is governed by a master loan agreement (the "MLA") and is intended to provide BEACN with nondilutive financing to enhance the production and shipment of finished goods inventory. Details of the MLA and the Loan Program were initially disclosed by the Company via press release on May 13, 2026.
Building on that announcement, BEACN App version 1.4 represents a significant step forward in how users personalize and control their setup, introducing per‑ear binaural audio personalization, enhanced parametric EQ, and new workflow tools like Live Profiles and Snapshots that better reflect real‑time use. Additional improvements to routing, mixing flexibility, and overall responsiveness are designed to reduce friction and deliver a more consistent, refined experience across the BEACN ecosystem.
"We've always focused on building tools that remove complexity for creators, and this update is a clear extension of that approach," said Kevin Alexander, CEO of BEACN. "At the same time, our second series of our new loan program reinforce its role as a repeatable, shipment‑aligned financing tool that can support our growth."
Amounts advanced under the Series bares a fixed premium of 10% of funds advanced and are repayable from product sales over the applicable repayment period. The Series has a contractual maturity of up to twelve (12) months following the final shipment date of the applicable inventory. The Company may repay amounts outstanding under the Series prior to maturity without penalty or premium. When the 10% fixed premium along with the principal amount of the loan is repaid, there will be no on-going premiums or payments required on the applicable product or inventory. Any premium or principal amounts under this Loan Program are not convertible into securities of BEACN without prior approval of the Exchange.
Obligations under the Series are secured by a general security agreement over most of the Company's assets. This Series does not include any finder's fees, commissions or other direct or indirect compensation.
Related Party Disclosure
The Lender is considered related party of the Company. As a result, the entering into of the MLA with the Lender constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the directors of the Company have determined that the Lender's participation in the Loan Program is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 in reliance on the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101.
About BEACN
BEACN (TSX-V:BECN), a Victoria BC based consumer electronics company, develops innovative audio equipment, peripherals and technology for gamers, live streamers, and content creators. BEACN is committed to delivering premium products that enable everyone to produce studio-quality content. BEACN's award-winning product ecosystem includes BEACN Mic, BEACN Studio, BEACN Mix and BEACN Mix Create. BEACN is listed on the TSXV under the symbol BECN.
Media & Investor Enquiries
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+1 (778) 561-1450
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements relating to future advances under the Loan Program.
Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation: Company's ability to maintain manufacturing volume for its products and its ability to sustain sales of products to customers and general economic and market conditions will not change in an adverse manner.
Additionally, forward-looking statements involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of the information in this press release. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives shall have any liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to you or any person resulting from the use of the information in this press release by you or any of your representatives or for omissions from the information in this press release. We seek safe harbor.
Reader Advisory
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Keurig Dr Pepper, Novo Nordisk, Sonoco Products, Domino's Pizza, and Realty Income are top June dividend picks, all rated Buy or Strong Buy. KDP, NVO, SON, DPZ, and O are each trading 15–37% below estimated fair value, offering yields averaging 3.78% and projected annual returns of ~14%. I expect robust dividend growth and improving margins across these picks, with strong balance sheets and resilience to economic uncertainty prioritized.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- Domino's Pizza, Inc. (Nasdaq: DPZ) announces the following event:
What:
Domino's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Webcast
When:
Monday, July 20 at 8:30 a.m. ET
Where:
ir.dominos.com
How:
Live webcast (web address above)
Contact:
Greg Lemenchick, Vice President of Investor Relations & Sustainability
[email protected]
This event will be archived on Domino's website for replay.
Results and supplemental material will be distributed at 6:05 a.m. ET on July 20, 2026, and will be available on our website.
About Domino's Pizza®
Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 22,300 stores in over 90 markets. Domino's had global retail sales of over $20.4 billion in the trailing four quarters ended March 22, 2026. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 99% of Domino's stores as of the end of the first quarter of 2026. In the U.S., Domino's generated more than 85% of U.S. retail sales in 2025 via digital channels and has developed many innovative ordering platforms.
Order – dominos.com
Company Info – biz.dominos.com
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Please visit our Investor Relations website at ir.dominos.com to view news, announcements, earnings releases, investor presentations and conference webcasts.
Tencent Holdings is deeply undervalued, trading at a forward P/E of 12.7 despite robust fundamentals and resilient cash generation. Gaming is accelerating, with domestic gross receipts up in the teens percent and international gaming revenue up 13% YoY, signaling a revitalized growth trajectory. Weixin's closed-loop ad platform is driving 20% YoY marketing revenue growth, leveraging AI and integrated commerce for superior conversion and monetization.
Core headline earnings are expected to increase between 19% to 28% reflecting strong revenue growth and profitability across its businesses, most notably Tencent.
Tencent's largest shareholder expects core earnings for fiscal 2026 to get a boost from revenue growth across its own operations as well as its investment in the tech giant.
Berenberg has downgraded Anglo American PLC (LSE:AAL), the FTSE 100 mining group, to 'hold' from 'buy', taking what it called a breather after a strong run in the shares.
The broker said it sat below market consensus for Anglo's first-half results and expected a more neutral share price until the company's merger with Canada's Teck Resources completes.
Despite the downgrade, Berenberg remained broadly positive on the sector, repeating its call for investors to hold an above-average weighting in mining stocks.
Glencore PLC (LSE:GLEN), the blue-chip commodities trader and producer, was named the broker's top pick among the diversified miners, which produce a range of commodities rather than a single one.
Berenberg described Glencore as a bridge between two scenarios for markets, one in which the recent Middle East conflict escalates and one in which tensions ease.
The broker upgraded Central Asia Metals, which mines copper, zinc and lead, to buy from hold, calling the shares cheap and flagging the potential boost from its planned deal with Cygnus Metals.
It said the company could even become a takeover target itself.
Berenberg also upgraded Valterra Platinum to 'buy', alongside Sylvania Platinum (ASX:SLV) and Tharisa, reflecting an upbeat view on platinum group metals, a family of precious metals used in vehicle catalytic converters and emerging clean energy technologies.
Antofagasta, the Chilean copper miner listed in London, was kept at 'hold', with the broker seeing better value later in 2027 as the company's growth projects come on stream.
In uranium, Berenberg reiterated its buy rating on Yellow Cake, the investment vehicle that holds physical uranium, describing the metal as a high-conviction call.
Among gold producers, the broker said it continued to favour Endeavour Mining PLC (LSE:EDV, TSX:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF, FRA:6E2) and Wheaton Precious Metals among the larger companies, and Pan African Resources and Resolute Mining among smaller and mid-sized names.
It pointed to Cornish Metals, Ecora Royalties PLC (LSE:ECOR, TSX:ECOR, OTCQX:ECRAF, FRA:HGR) and Guardian Metal Resources as stocks with specific catalysts that could drive their shares higher.
Berenberg said delivery on its plans should prompt a re-rating for Metlen Energy & Metals, while Griffin Mining should benefit from a stronger second half at its Caijiaying mine in China.
The broker raised its copper price forecast to between $13,500 and $14,000 a tonne, having initially expected the metal to weaken after the Middle East conflict on concerns over demand.
Instead, it said, the risk had shifted to supply.
Berenberg lifted its forecasts for thermal and metallurgical coal, trimmed its gold estimates while maintaining a supportive view, and left iron ore little changed.
The broker said it preferred small and mid-cap miners to the largest companies, arguing that recent market volatility had opened gaps between commodity and share prices and their fair value.
In the latest close session, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX - Free Report) was up +2.16% at $30.29. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 1.22% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.98%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.35%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the company had gained 4.4% outpaced the Medical sector's gain of 4.11% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.56%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Viking Therapeutics, Inc. in its upcoming release. On that day, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is projected to report earnings of -$1.21 per share, which would represent a year-over-year decline of 108.62%.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of -$4.7 per share and revenue of $0 million, indicating changes of -47.34% and 0%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Viking Therapeutics, Inc. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. 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. 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 ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.72% lower. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 150, putting it in the bottom 39% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.
IOVA guides for $350M–$370M 2026 revenue (36% YoY growth), with Q2'26 expected to be a record Amtagvi quarter. Expansion into new indications (NSCLC, endometrial, sarcoma) and global markets underpins the pipeline-in-a-drug thesis. A more receptive FDA increases the likelihood of accelerated approvals based on single-arm data, streamlining IOVA's development path.
The Novo Nordisk partnership transformed Hims & Hers Health, Inc. from a fringe obesity player into an official healthcare ecosystem participant. Short interest remains elevated near 30%-32% of the HIMS float, leaving roughly 63 million shares vulnerable to further covering. HIMS management targets at least $6.5 billion in revenue and $1.3 billion in adjusted EBITDA by 2030 through platform expansion.
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS - Free Report) closed at $31.89 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.33% move from the prior day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 1.22% loss on the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.98%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.35%.
Shares of the company witnessed a gain of 40.24% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Medical sector with its gain of 4.11%, and the S&P 500's gain of 1.56%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be -$0.08, reflecting a 147.06% decrease from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $689.29 million, reflecting a 26.52% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of -$0.09 per share and a revenue of $2.91 billion, representing changes of -116.98% and +23.78%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Hims & Hers Health, Inc. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
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, 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 past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained steady. Hims & Hers Health, Inc. is currently a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Hims & Hers Health, Inc. has a Forward P/E ratio of 786.75 right now. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 24.89.
We can also see that HIMS currently has a PEG ratio of 59.04. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. Medical Info Systems stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.93 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Medical Info Systems industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 157, putting it in the bottom 36% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.
Hims & Hers remains attractive at $33, supported by renewed Novo Nordisk partnership and unique access to patient demand. Despite weak Q1 2026 results—4% revenue growth, declining margins, and a net loss—international expansion and diversified categories are strengthening the long-term outlook. Management targets $6.5B+ revenue and $1.3B+ adjusted EBITDA by 2030, with valuation justified if retention and cross-sell improve.
Hims & Hers Health stock is among today’s top performers. What’s behind HIMS gains? Barclays Expects Renewed Strength In GLP‑1 SegmentBarclays highlighted several demand signals. Website traffic rose 12% year-over-year in April and 35% year-over-year in May. Barclaycard data showed a 16% month-over-month increase in transactions during May, while total spending climbed 14% month-over-month.
HIMS Stock: Key Levels And Momentum IndicatorsHims & Hers continues to trade well above its short term trend markers. The stock sits about 30% above the 20 day simple moving average at $27.08 and roughly 34% above the 50 day simple moving average at $26.32. It also trades about 5% above the 200 day simple moving average at $33.39, a level many longer term traders view as an important dividing line for trend direction.
Momentum signals remain constructive. MACD is positioned above its signal line and the histogram is positive, which reflects strengthening buying pressure compared with the prior pullback. When MACD holds above the signal line, it often indicates that buyers are gaining control while selling pressure fades.
The broader backdrop is still uneven. The stock is recovering from a difficult twelve-month stretch where it fell 42.39%, and it continues to trade under the influence of the death cross that appeared in December 2025 when the 50-day average slipped below the 200-day average. This type of setup often produces sharp rallies that can run into resistance quickly as overhead supply reappears near earlier pivot zones.
Key Resistance: $36.50 — A nearby pivot zone where sellers have previously stepped in and where rallies may slow. Key Support: $33.00 — A short term floor near the 200 day region where dip buyers may attempt to stabilize the trend. HIMS Shares Are RisingHIMS Price Action: Hims & Hers shares were up 9.94% at $35.06 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.
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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 16, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce that our wholly owned subsidiary Heal Wellness ("Heal") has secured a real estate location for our existing Richmond Hill franchisee. Heal Wellness is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and smoothies, built around clean ingredients and a better-for-you lifestyle.
Happy Belly 1
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Richmond Hill, Ontario, combines an affluent, health-conscious, family-oriented population with strong daytime and commuter traffic in the heart of York Region. The city is populated with a large core of residents who are in the prime demographic target for Heal, representing a customer base for convenient, better-for-you meals and snacks. With its diverse, urban-suburban community, strong household base, and proximity to offices, schools, fitness studios, shopping plazas, and major corridors, Richmond Hill offers the ideal mix of families, professionals, students, and active lifestyle consumers who are likely to embrace fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, and clean-ingredient smoothies as part of their daily routines.
"Securing a real estate location for our franchisee further advances Heal's disciplined, asset-light growth strategy as the brand continues to expand across Ontario's high-growth urban and suburban markets," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "This location reflects our continued focus on expanding Heal into strong, community-oriented markets with favorable demographic and traffic fundamentals. The City of Richmond Hill benefits from steady population growth, a growing commercial base, and a well-balanced mix of residents and families seeking convenient, health-forward food options. These characteristics align well with Heal's functional, grab-and-go offering and support sustainable, long-term unit performance."
Happy Belly 2
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"Heal Wellness continues to expand rapidly across Canada and into the United States, solidifying its position as a leading acai and smoothie bowl brand," said Sean Black. "With 42 locations now open and more than 166 in development, Heal remains a key driver of growth within Happy Belly's broader portfolio of 686 contractually committed retail franchise locations across multiple emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. We continue to build a predictable and disciplined growth engine designed to create long-term shareholder value."
"We are just getting started," said Sean Black.
About Heal WellnessHeal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.
FranchisingFor franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at [email protected].
About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada.
Happy Belly 3
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Sean Black
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Moniz
Co-founder, President
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/301667
Source: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 18, 2026) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging restaurant brands, is pleased to announce the grand opening of its newest Heal Wellness location located at #120 70 Shawville BV SE in Shawnessey Village, Calgary, Alberta, this Saturday, June 20th, 2026. Heal Wellness is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant ("QSR") brand specializing in fresh smoothie bowls, açaí bowls, smoothies, and other better-for-you menu offerings built around clean ingredients and an active lifestyle.
Happy Belly 1
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"Opening Heal in Shawnessey Village marks another meaningful milestone in our Alberta expansion strategy," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. "This location reflects our continued focus on expanding Heal into strong, community-oriented markets with favorable demographic and traffic fundamentals. Shawnessey Village benefits from strong daily traffic, dense surrounding residential communities, and a well-established retail environment anchored by major national tenants. As a vibrant retail destination serving South Calgary, the centre is supported by a complementary mix of grocery, fitness, service, and restaurant uses that drive consistent visitation throughout the day. These characteristics align well with Heal's functional, grab-and-go offering and support sustainable, long-term unit performance."
Heal Wellness continues to gain momentum as consumer demand for functional, wellness-focused QSR concepts grows across both urban and suburban markets. With its strong brand positioning, scalable format, and expanding franchise pipeline, Heal is well positioned to deepen its footprint across Alberta and other key Canadian regions.
Happy Belly 2
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"Heal Wellness continues to expand rapidly across Canada and into the United States, solidifying its position as a leading acai and smoothie bowl brand," said Sean Black. "With 43 locations now open and more than 165 in development, Heal remains a key driver of growth within Happy Belly's broader portfolio of 686 contractually committed retail franchise locations across multiple emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. We continue to build a predictable and disciplined growth engine designed to create long-term shareholder value."
"We are just getting started", said Sean Black.
About Heal WellnessHeal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more.
FranchisingFor franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at [email protected].
About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands.
Happy Belly 3
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6625/302038_bc41e90ef494b8b1_004full.jpg
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.
All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/302038
Source: Happy Belly Food Group Inc.
Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.
Swedish defence equipment maker Saab said on Wednesday it had invested €11.1 million ($12.9 million) for a 10% stake in Paris-based defence technology company Comand AI.
SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Over the past month, shares of this company have returned -12.2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, which SoundHound AI falls in, has remained unchanged. 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, SoundHound AI is expected to post a loss of $0.05 per share, indicating a change of -66.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of -$0.18 points to a change of -38.5% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -18.3%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.17 indicates a change of +6.7% from what SoundHound AI is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, SoundHound AI is rated Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For SoundHound AI, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $52.61 million indicates a year-over-year change of +23.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $233.14 million and $270.1 million estimates indicate +38% and +15.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistorySoundHound AI reported revenues of $44.19 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +51.7%. EPS of -$0.06 for the same period compares with -$0.06 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $42.71 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.48%. The EPS surprise was -20%.
Over the last four quarters, SoundHound AI surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
SoundHound AI 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.
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 SoundHound AI. However, its Zacks Rank #4 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
At $7.35, SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:SOUN) screens as a wait-and-watch setup, with research framing suggesting a more attractive entry near $6.50 on macro-driven weakness.
Key Takeaways SoundHound trades above its industry's P/S average as investors weigh AI growth against risks.SOUN posted 52% Q1 revenue growth, reaffirmed 2026 guidance and launched its OASYS platform.SOUN's losses, weaker estimates and acquisition risks make its risk-reward profile unfavorable. SoundHound AI (SOUN - Free Report) has emerged as one of the more prominent pure-play conversational AI companies, benefiting from growing enterprise adoption of voice and agentic AI solutions. However, while the company's growth prospects remain attractive, its valuation continues to spark debate among investors. SOUN stock currently trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 12.6X, above the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry's average of 11.88X. Such a premium typically reflects expectations for stronger growth, expanding market opportunities and future profitability. The question is whether SoundHound's business momentum can justify paying more than the industry average.
SOUN Stock’s Valuation (P/S F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SoundHound continues to deliver strong revenue growth, launch new AI products and expand its enterprise customer base. At the same time, losses remain elevated, earnings estimates have moved lower, and the stock has plunged 26.2% year to date. Investors must therefore weigh the company's long-term AI opportunity against its near-term execution and profitability risks when deciding how to play the stock.
SOUN’s YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Strong Demand Supports Growth Story for SOUN StockSoundHound entered 2026 with solid operating momentum. First-quarter revenues increased 52% year over year to a record $44.2 million. Management highlighted that excluding acquisition-related contributions, revenues from its core automotive and IoT AI business jumped 88%, reflecting strong customer demand across its key markets.
The company continues to benefit from growing adoption of conversational AI across industries. During the first quarter, SoundHound signed new agreements and expanded existing relationships across automotive, financial services, healthcare, retail, telecommunications and energy markets. The company also reported strong traction in enterprise AI, which remained its largest revenue contributor.
Management reaffirmed its 2026 revenue guidance of $225-$260 million, signaling confidence that current demand trends will continue through the remainder of the year.
SoundHound’s OASYS Expands the AI OpportunityOne of SoundHound's biggest recent developments is the launch of OASYS, its self-learning agentic AI platform. The platform is designed to automate the creation, deployment and continuous improvement of AI agents. Unlike traditional AI solutions that require ongoing manual updates, OASYS can automatically evaluate performance, identify gaps and improve workflows over time. The company believes this approach can significantly reduce implementation time and lower operating costs for customers.
Another advantage is channel flexibility. Businesses can deploy AI agents across phones, websites, text messaging, drive-thrus, kiosks, vehicles and smart devices using a unified platform. This capability strengthens SoundHound's position as enterprises increasingly seek integrated AI solutions rather than standalone products.
Management views OASYS as a key step toward building a unified agentic AI ecosystem that combines technologies from its acquisitions and internal development efforts.
LivePerson Deal Could be Transformational for SOUNAnother major growth catalyst is SoundHound's planned acquisition of LivePerson. The transaction would combine SoundHound's voice AI and agentic AI capabilities with LivePerson's digital messaging and customer engagement platform. Together, the companies would serve enterprise customers in more than 30 countries, including many leading banks, airlines, automakers and telecommunications providers.
The acquisition broadens SoundHound's reach into digital customer engagement while creating opportunities to cross-sell voice AI solutions to LivePerson's customer base. Management expects the combined platform to offer one of the most comprehensive conversational AI ecosystems in the market.
The company believes the existing customer base alone could support a long-term revenue opportunity approaching $500 million, while the combined business is expected to generate annual revenues of at least $350-$400 million in 2027 after the transaction closes.
SOUN’s Customer Expansion Remains a Key TailwindSoundHound is not only winning new customers but also expanding relationships with existing ones. A recent example is Casey's General Stores, which expanded its partnership with SoundHound after the company's AI-powered ordering agents handled more than 21 million guest interactions across more than 2,600 locations. The success of such deployments demonstrates the practical value customers are receiving from SoundHound's technology.
The company also reported increased cross-selling activity among restaurant customers, stronger adoption of Voice Insights and growing deployment of voice commerce solutions across automotive and consumer electronics platforms. These trends support management's strategy of generating more revenue from existing customers while adding new ones.
Profitability Challenges Remain for SoundHoundDespite strong revenue growth, profitability continues to be SoundHound's biggest challenge. The company reported a first-quarter adjusted EBITDA loss of $26.7 million and a non-GAAP net loss of $26.6 million. Operating expenses increased as SoundHound continued investing in research and development, sales expansion and acquisition integration activities.
Management is also investing in proprietary AI foundation models that are expected to power OASYS and reduce long-term dependence on third-party AI models. While these investments may improve future margins, they are likely to keep near-term profitability under pressure.
On a positive note, SoundHound ended the quarter with $216 million in cash and no debt, providing financial flexibility to support growth initiatives and acquisitions.
SOUN Stock’s Estimate Revisions Raise ConcernsInvestor sentiment has also been affected by deteriorating earnings expectations. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SoundHound's 2026 loss widened to 18 cents per share from 9 cents. The projected loss is also wider than the 13-cent loss reported in the previous year.
Although analysts expect revenues to grow 38% in 2026 and another 15.9% in 2027, earnings are still expected to remain in negative territory. The consensus estimate calls for a loss of 17 cents per share in 2027.
Negative estimate revisions often indicate that analysts expect profitability improvements to take longer than previously anticipated, which can weigh on stock performance.
SOUN Stock’s Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AI Rivals Are Also Chasing GrowthSoundHound competes in a rapidly evolving AI market alongside companies such as C3.ai (AI - Free Report) , BigBear.ai Holdings (BBAI - Free Report) and Innodata (INOD - Free Report) .
C3.ai remains a leading enterprise AI software provider focused on helping organizations deploy AI applications across industries. C3.ai continues to benefit from growing enterprise AI spending, and it has built strong relationships with government and commercial customers. However, C3.ai faces intense competition from both large software vendors and emerging AI companies.
BigBear.ai has carved out a niche in defense, intelligence and government markets. BigBear.ai is benefiting from rising demand for AI-enabled decision-making tools, while it continues expanding its presence in national security applications. However, BigBear.ai remains dependent on government contract activity and funding cycles.
Innodata has become an important player in AI data engineering and model training services. Innodata is benefiting from increasing demand for high-quality AI training data, and it continues to win business from leading AI developers. While Innodata operates in a different area of the AI ecosystem, it competes for investor attention as another high-growth AI stock.
How to Play SOUN StockSoundHound offers an attractive long-term growth story driven by expanding enterprise adoption, growing customer relationships, the OASYS platform launch and the pending LivePerson acquisition. The company is building a broader conversational AI ecosystem that could support significant revenue growth over the next several years.
However, investors must balance these positives against ongoing losses, rising investment spending, acquisition integration risks and worsening earnings estimates. While the stock trades at a premium valuation, profitability remains elusive and estimate revisions have moved in the wrong direction.
Given these factors, the current risk-reward profile appears unfavorable despite the company's promising growth prospects. This view is consistent with SoundHound's current Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), suggesting investors should remain on the sidelines until earnings trends and estimate revisions begin to improve.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice and agentic AI, today released new data revealing that customer service leaders are beginning to see ROI on agentic AI as more businesses deploy AI agents to deal with consumer queries and transactions.
Key Takeaways SOUN cited Q1 analysis showing higher revenues at QSR locations using its drive-thru voice AI.SoundHound saw increased cross-selling activity and stronger adoption of SoundHound Voice Insight.Restaurants remain a key vertical for SOUN, given their high-volume and execution-sensitive operations. SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN - Free Report) is building a stronger case for restaurant automation, supported by early ROI evidence from its drive-thru voice AI deployments.
In the first quarter of 2026, management cited a major QSR customer analysis showing that locations deploying SoundHound’s drive-thru voice AI generated higher revenues than locations without the technology. The data point provides an early ROI reference for SOUN’s restaurant automation offering, particularly as operators focus on throughput, order accuracy and labor efficiency.
The restaurant opportunity is also broadening beyond order-taking automation. During the quarter, SoundHound cited increased cross-selling activity and stronger adoption of SoundHound Voice Insight, which provides operators with analysis of customer interactions and staff responses. These tools could support deeper customer relationships and broader account penetration over time.
Restaurants remain a relevant vertical for SoundHound because drive-thru operations are high-volume, labor-intensive and execution-sensitive. Automation that improves throughput and service consistency can offer a practical return on investment, particularly for quick-service operators focused on operational efficiency. SoundHound’s AI is designed to support order handling, improve service accuracy and assist employees in delivering faster service.
For SOUN, the key test is whether early customer evidence converts into broader restaurant rollout activity. If operators expand deployments across more locations and adopt adjacent analytics tools, the vertical could become a more meaningful contributor to SoundHound’s enterprise AI growth strategy.
SOUN’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesSoundHound’s shares have lost 26.1% in the past year compared with the industry’s fall of 30.1%. At the same time frame, other industry players, including C3.ai, Inc. (AI - Free Report) , have declined 57.4%, while BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (BBAI - Free Report) has fallen 2.1%.
SOUN’s Stock One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SOUN stock is currently trading at a discount. It is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 11.96, above the industry average of 11.89. Then again, other industry players, such as C3.ai and BigBear.ai, have P/S ratios of 6.67 and 12.11, respectively.
SOUN’s P/S Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SoundHound’s 2026 loss per share has widened from 9 cents to 18 cents in the past 60 days.
EPS Trend of SOUN Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company is likely to report dismal earnings, with projections indicating a 38.5% fall in 2026. Conversely, industry players like BigBear.ai are likely to witness growth of 69.5% year over year in 2026 earnings. C3.ai is likely to project a rise of 40% in fiscal 2027 earnings.
In the latest close session, SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN - Free Report) was up +2.3% at $7.12. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.09%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.14%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.91%.
The company's stock has dropped by 17.63% in the past month, falling short of the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.22% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.29%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of SoundHound AI, Inc. in its upcoming release. The company is predicted to post an EPS of -$0.05, indicating a 66.67% decline compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $52.61 million, up 23.27% from the year-ago period.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of -$0.18 per share and a revenue of $233.14 million, representing changes of -38.46% and +38.02%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for SoundHound AI, Inc. 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 shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. 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, 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 past month, there's been a 18.3% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. SoundHound AI, Inc. is currently a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
The Computers - IT Services industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 167, this industry ranks in the bottom 32% of all industries, numbering over 250.
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.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
Dutch Bros (BROS +7.61%) and Sweetgreen (SG +5.28%) have basically the same playbook in different food categories: Both are fast-growing chains that have built cult followings by making everyday coffee and salads feel like a lifestyle choice rather than just a snack. Both bet big on loyal superfans, rapid expansion, and making people feel like a part of a club rather than just customers.
Then again, they are far from the same company, especially from an investor's point of view. Dutch Bros is all about speed, convenience, and pure indulgence, offering a low ticket price, high volume, and quick transactions. Sweetgreen, on the other hand, leans into the premium health-conscious crowd with $15-plus salads and a high-tech ordering experience.
So Dutch Bros and Sweetgreen play related but distinct roles in today's food culture. But which stock is the better buy right now?
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Sweetgreen's growth story is wilting When I dove into this head-to-head matchup, I expected a close call. I'm looking at two fast-growing chains, building out their restaurant networks nationwide with ambitious long-term goals. Right?
I mean, those things are certainly true for Dutch Bros. The coffee chain is expanding at a breakneck pace, with less than 1,200 locations today and a target of 2,029 restaurants in the year 2029. That works out to roughly 19% annual growth for three years, which sounds reasonable for a company that doubled its locations over the past five years. The build-out is easier because Dutch Bros sets up small drive-through boxes with long car lines but no dining areas to build, clean, and maintain.
Sweetgreen can't quite measure up to Dutch Bros' growth plans, though. The salad chain's revenue used to grow more than 20% per year but actually wilted to year-over-year revenue drops in the past three quarterly reports. The number of customers per restaurant fell 11% year over year in Q1 2026, alongside a product mix that was 2% less profitable. The company raised prices, but customers chose lower-priced items instead of paying up for their favorites.
Today's Change
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7.61
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Both stocks trade at premium prices So far, Dutch Bros looks like a stronger success story. But that doesn't necessarily make it a buy. After all, even a great company's stock can get overvalued, making new investors start from a difficult entry point.
Some investors surely feel that way about Dutch Bros today. The stock trades at a lofty 105 times trailing earnings on June 15. It also fetches a 6.3 multiple to trailing sales, a multiple usually reserved for restaurant chains with lots of franchisees and asset-light operations. But Dutch Bros owns and operates 72% of its locations and keeps building more fully owned ones. The franchisor-grade multiples don't apply here. In short, Dutch Bros' drinks may be affordable, but the stock trades at a premium price.
What about Sweetgreen? Well, the company insists on owning every location, giving it full control over the operations while pocketing all profit (or accepting losses). In that light, its 1.6 price-to-sales ratio makes sense. But Sweetgreen's stock also trades at a juicy 71 times earnings, and management expects net losses in 2026 and 2027.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why I'd pick Dutch Bros over Sweetgreen This one isn't close. Dutch Bros is serving up consistent growth with a side of profitability, while Sweetgreen is still trying to figure out how to make fancy salads pay the bills. The financial scorecards tell the story: One company has $116 million in retained earnings; the other has torched $884 million more than it ever made. Spoiler alert: The profitable one serves lattes and energy drinks.
With 19% of Sweetgreen's float sold short, plenty of traders are betting the kale empire has more wilting ahead. And the analyst community agrees, rating Sweetgreen as a "hold" while Dutch Bros sports a "strong buy."
Sweetgreen may not be uninvestable forever, of course. If management can stabilize customer traffic, prove that its Infinite Kitchen automation reduces costs to a meaningful degree, and get back to positive sales growth, the salad stock would deserve another look.
But that's a turnaround thesis at this point, not a high-octane growth story. Dutch Bros is the stock I'd buy today.
The brand will bring its scratch-made salads, warm bowls, protein plates and wraps- including its new seasonal summer menu - to 341 11th Avenue South starting June 30, alongside a week of local partnerships and opening celebrations
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sweetgreen, the mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, is bringing its first-ever Nashville location to 341 11th Avenue South in Nashville's Gulch neighborhood on June 30. The restaurant marks Sweetgreen's debut in Tennessee, and to celebrate, the brand will host a week of community activations and local partnerships starting opening day.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the 2,755-square-foot restaurant will offer Sweetgreen’s signature salads, warm bowls, protein plates, wraps and sides. Guests can enjoy fan favorites like the Harvest Bowl and Crispy Rice Bowl, alongside Sweetgreen’s new summer menu featuring the Tomato Panzanella, Picnic Bowl and Summer Market Bowl, as well as protein-forward offerings like the Caramelized Garlic Steak and Miso Glazed Salmon.
Sweetgreen's commitment to high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients is reflected throughout the restaurant experience. From the open kitchen, where meals are prepared fresh daily, to the source board showcasing the farmers and growers behind its ingredients, every detail brings the brand's farm-to-fork mission to life.
Guests can order in-restaurant, online or through the Sweetgreen app, where they can join SG Rewards. Members earn 10 points for every eligible dollar spent, unlocking personalized offers, exclusive perks and free menu favorites. Get all the details about SG Rewards here.
“Choosing where to grow is one of the most important decisions we make, and Nashville was an easy one,” said Ryan Slemons, Chief Development Officer at Sweetgreen. “We're not just opening a restaurant here; we're investing in a community we believe in and planning to be a great neighbor for the long haul.”
Ahead of opening day, guests are invited to RSVP via Eventbrite for a sneak peek and complimentary meal on June 26 and 27.
Sweetgreen will then kick off a week of community activations at The Gulch, beginning with a grand opening event on Tuesday, June 30. Event details include:
Tuesday, June 30 (starting at 10 a.m.) – Grand Opening: A day of celebration featuring live music from Nick Howard, a Sweetgreen Prize Wheel featuring Rustler Hat Co., floral bouquets from Amelia’s Flowers and other exciting prizes! From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while supplies last.* Plus, the first 50 guests in line at 10 a.m. will receive a free entree (up to $20).** Thursday, July 2 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) – Custom Bandanas: Stop by for live bandana stitching from RangerStitch, custom keepsakes made on-site. Friday, July 3 (12 to 2 p.m.) – Sweet Treats: Cool down with a KOKOS Ice Cream cart pop-up on the patio. Saturday, July 11 (9 to 9:45 a.m.) – Wellness Event: Join us at Noble Park for a morning wellness event with Barre3 Nashville and Lululemon. All attendees will receive a Sweetgreen workout towel. RSVP via Eventbrite. While supplies last. Below terms apply.
Sweetgreen is proud to partner with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, a nonprofit committed to ending hunger across the region. For every meal purchased on opening day, Sweetgreen will donate a bowl to Second Harvest to nourish people experiencing food insecurity in the Nashville community.
To learn more about Sweetgreen Nashville, its menu and its loyalty program, visit www.sweetgreen.com and follow @sweetgreen on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.
About Sweetgreen:
Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, the brand has reimagined what fast food can be: fresh, flavorful and built on real relationships with growers. Born at the farmers market, Sweetgreen’s supply chain now spans the country, still rooted in relationships with local farmers and growers. That foundation continues to guide its seasonal, chef-crafted menus across more than 285 locations nationwide, creating spaces where food, people and purpose come together.
Terms and Conditions:
All promotional items available in-store only at Sweetgreen Nashville (The Gulch). While supplies last. No purchase necessary. All times CT.
*For Prize Wheel: Available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or while supplies of prizes last, whichever is sooner. Void where prohibited. Official Rules apply here. Limit one spin per person.
**The first 50 guests will receive a complimentary entree (up to $20), on a first come, first served basis. Limit one per person. Ends 11 a.m. or when 50 entrees have been provided, whichever is sooner. Full terms at bit.ly/sg-terms.
Assets:
Images linked here
Photos Courtesy of Sweetgreen
Sweetgreen (SG +5.28%), the fast casual restaurant chain specializing in salads and warm bowls, went public at $28 per share on Nov. 18, 2021. It opened at $52 on the first day, reached a record high of $53 the following day, but now trades at around $9.
Sweetgreen initially impressed investors with its rapid same-store sales growth and ambitious expansion plans, but its growth eventually sputtered out. Let's see why it disappointed the market, and if it might bounce back in the future and deliver millionaire-making gains.
Image source: Getty Images.
What happened to Sweetgreen? Sweetgreen, which was founded in 2006, had already expanded from its first restaurant in Washington, D.C., to 130 locations across 13 states before its public debut. At the time, it was already serving 1.35 million customers and generating more than two-thirds of its sales from digital channels. It still owns and operates all of its stores rather than franchising them.
Sweetgreen carved out a niche in the fast-casual space with its health-conscious offerings, and its same-store sales, average unit volume (AUV, or average annual revenue per restaurant), and total revenue initially grew by double digits as it opened dozens of new stores per year.
Metric
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Total Revenue Growth
54%
38%
24%
16%
0%
New Store Openings
31
36
35
25
35
Same-Store Sales Growth
25%*
13%
4%
6%
(8%)
AUV Growth
20%*
12%
0%
0%
(8%)
Total Digital Revenue Percentage
67%
62%
59%
56%
62%
Data source: Sweetgreen. *Adjusted for temporary COVID-19 closures in 2020.
Unfortunately, that growth spurt ended over the past three years as inflation drove up its prices, more people worked remotely and ate lunch at home (instead of at their offices, which were closer to many of Sweetgreen's stores). Many consumers also thought its salads and bowls were overpriced, and that they were being nickel-and-dimed for additional toppings and customizations.
Sweetgreen then fell into the trap of opening more stores to boost revenue, but those new stores merely drove up its costs while failing to boost its AUV or same-store sales. Its turnaround efforts -- including an ill-fated attempt to automate all its stores with robots and increase portion sizes to attract more customers -- also backfired, crushing its margins. That's why the company has remained unprofitable ever since its public debut.
Today's Change
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For 2026, Sweetgreen expects that pain to continue with a 2%-4% decline in same-store sales. Analysts expect its total revenue to rise 4%, but new store openings will entirely drive that growth. Sweetgreen's stock only trades at 1.4 times this year's sales, but it deserves that discount because there aren't any catalysts on the horizon.
Sweetgreen is trying to stabilize its business by diversifying its menu and simplifying its pricing, but those efforts probably won't stop the bleeding. Therefore, I doubt its stock will revisit its all-time highs -- or deliver multibagger, millionaire-making gains -- within the next decade.
Victoria's Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO) could continue delivering strong earnings growth as sustained sales momentum supports margin expansion, according to Bank of America, which maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on the retailer.
Bank of America analysts wrote that recent sales trends have eased concerns about a potential slowdown following the company's first-quarter earnings beat and increased full-year guidance.
The analysts expect continued momentum to drive operating margin expansion and mid- to high-teens earnings-per-share growth over the next several years.
The firm said it believes Victoria's Secret can achieve a 10% EBIT margin by fiscal 2028 through expense leverage and a greater mix of full-price sales.
Bank of America's updated sensitivity analysis indicated that 8% total sales growth and a 10% operating margin in fiscal 2027 would produce earnings per share about 15% above its base-case forecast, which assumes 6% sales growth and a 9% operating margin.
The analysts also highlighted store productivity initiatives as a longer-term opportunity to improve profitability. Victoria's Secret has been remodeling stores under its "Store of the Future" concept, with remodeled locations generating double-digit sales increases despite operating with smaller footprints. Management aims to remodel half of its global store base by the end of fiscal 2027, leaving additional room for productivity gains beyond that period.
Bank of America maintained its $95 price target on the shares, citing expectations for several years of mid- to high-teens earnings growth driven by operating margin expansion.
Shares traded hands at about $80 on Wednesday afternoon, up about 48% so far in 2026.
Victoria's Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO) could continue delivering strong earnings growth as sustained sales momentum supports margin expansion, according to Bank of America, which maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on the retailer.
Bank of America analysts wrote that recent sales trends have eased concerns about a potential slowdown following the company's first-quarter earnings beat and increased full-year guidance.
The analysts expect continued momentum to drive operating margin expansion and mid- to high-teens earnings-per-share growth over the next several years.
The firm said it believes Victoria's Secret can achieve a 10% EBIT margin by fiscal 2028 through expense leverage and a greater mix of full-price sales.
Bank of America's updated sensitivity analysis indicated that 8% total sales growth and a 10% operating margin in fiscal 2027 would produce earnings per share about 15% above its base-case forecast, which assumes 6% sales growth and a 9% operating margin.
The analysts also highlighted store productivity initiatives as a longer-term opportunity to improve profitability. Victoria's Secret has been remodeling stores under its "Store of the Future" concept, with remodeled locations generating double-digit sales increases despite operating with smaller footprints. Management aims to remodel half of its global store base by the end of fiscal 2027, leaving additional room for productivity gains beyond that period.
Bank of America maintained its $95 price target on the shares, citing expectations for several years of mid- to high-teens earnings growth driven by operating margin expansion.
Shares traded hands at about $80 on Wednesday afternoon, up about 48% so far in 2026.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated Research ("IR"), a leading global observability software provider, today announced that its UC&C observability solution, Collaborate, now supports NICE CXone, one of the world's most widely adopted cloud contact center platforms.
Part of the release of Prognosis 13.3, IR's core observability platform, Collaborate now offers enterprise teams a single place to monitor performance and customer journeys across CXone, bring‑your‑own‑carrier (BYOC) infrastructure, and multi‑vendor UC platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Webex.
"Contact centers live and die by the experiences they deliver, but those experiences rarely start and end on a single platform," said Ian Lowe, CEO of IR.
"By bringing NICE CXone into Collaborate, we're giving operations teams one clear, real‑time view of performance – from the first carrier hop to the agent's desktop – so they can find and fix issues before customers feel the impact."
Collaborate for NICE CXone: One true view
With Prognosis 13.3, Collaborate ingests and correlates telemetry from NICE CXone, BYOC SBCs, and UC platforms into a single high‑performance intelligence layer. This provides an end‑to‑end picture of each interaction, even as it moves between voice, digital channels and multiple systems.
Key capabilities include:
Multi‑source data aggregation – Collaborate pulls in SBC metrics, UC call flows and third‑party platform data alongside CXone events, giving operations teams one "source of truth" across their entire contact estate. Reporting built for operations – Real‑time and historical dashboards help teams track skills performance, team workload, agent utilization, queue wait times and contact outcomes in one place, without stitching together multiple tools. Customer‑centric analytics – Users can follow customer journeys across channels, analyze handle times, abandon rates and first‑contact‑resolution proxies, and pinpoint where interactions are breaking down. Pre‑emptive alerting – Threshold‑based alerts on wait times, queue volumes and agent utilization help IT and operations teams get ahead of potential SLA breaches, rather than reacting after customers complain. Historical depth – Prognosis 13.3 supports up to five years of history, enabling trend analysis, capacity planning and long‑range SLA reporting for complex environments. Deeper visibility into Call Detail Records
As part of the release of Prognosis 13.3, Collaborate introduces unified Call Detail Record (CDR) search, a single database with AI-powered search, giving deeper visibility into interactions across any vendor. AI powered insight at individual call level is significant as IT teams must assess performance and experience at individual call level to identify root cause and to remediate issues.
Using Iris, IR's conversational AI intelligence layer for multi‑vendor UC&C observability, teams can now search a single CDR database that spans CXone, UC platforms, SBCs and other vendors instead of querying separate systems.
"Iris is already changing the way enterprises use UC&C observability data to drive faster, better decisions," added Ian Lowe.
"Bringing that same AI‑driven experience to CXone and contact center analytics means leaders can spend less time hunting for data and more time improving journeys, agent productivity and overall business performance."
For more information about IR Collaborate and Prognosis 13.3, visit www.ir.com.
About IR
At IR, we power elite business performance. Trusted by the world's largest organizations for more than 30 years, our market-leading observability solutions are powered by Prognosis – the real-time intelligence platform built for multi-vendor infrastructure, UC&CX and payments environments. To find out more, visit www.ir.com.
Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.
Considering buying NICE stock? Here’s what analysts think:
Photo via Shutterstock
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June 18, 2026 16:01 ET | Source: Geron Corporation
FOSTER CITY, Calif., June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, today reported that, effective June 17, 2026, it granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 690,000 shares of common stock to eight newly hired employees as an inducement material to such employees’ acceptance of employment with Geron.
The stock options have an exercise price of $1.23 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Geron’s common stock on the grant date, have a ten-year term and vest over four years, with 12.5% of the shares underlying the options vesting on the six-month anniversary of commencement of employment of such employee and the remaining shares vesting over the following 42 months in equal installments of whole shares, subject to continued employment with Geron through the applicable vesting dates.
The equity awards were granted by the Compensation Committee of Geron’s Board of Directors in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and are subject to the terms and conditions of Geron’s 2018 Inducement Award Plan and the form of stock option agreement under the plan.
About Geron
Geron is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to change lives by changing the course of blood cancer. Our first-in-class telomerase inhibitor RYTELO® (imetelstat) is approved in the United States and the European Union for the treatment of certain adult patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes with transfusion dependent anemia. We are also conducting a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of imetelstat in JAK-inhibitor relapsed/refractory myelofibrosis, as well as studies in other hematologic malignancies. Inhibiting telomerase activity, which is increased in malignant stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow, aims to potentially reduce proliferation and induce death of malignant cells. To learn more, visit www.geron.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
CONTACT:
Dawn Schottlandt
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs [email protected]
In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at biotech M&A, the rise of India’s Anthem Biosciences, and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.
Pharmaceutical M&A reached $65 billion in the first quarter, its highest number since 2020, according to new data from PwC.
getty
Healthcare M&A is surging. The pharma industry saw $65 billion in deals for the first quarter of 2026, the highest figure since 2020, with 16 of them for $1 billion or more, according to new data from accounting giant PwC.
One big reason for all the dealmaking is the looming patent expirations for blockbuster drugs, among them Merck’s Keytruda and Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo, that will cut into pharma companies’ revenue. The desire to fill that gap helps explain why many of this year’s acquisitions so far–including Gilead’s $8.2 billion acquisition of cancer biotech Arcelix, Lilly’s $7.8 billion buy of neurology-focused Cantesa Pharmaceuticals and Merck’s $6.7 billion deal for oncology startup Terns Pharmaceuticals–involve next-generation modalities that would be expected to have a long patent runway.
Despite political pushback, big pharma’s rush to license therapies from China keeps going as that country’s biotechs have moved from fast followers to increasing innovation. As the report notes, these companies “are looking to China for truly innovative molecules across oncology, immunology, and metabolic disease.” Large buyers can also get more favorable deal terms from Chinese startups than from American and European ones, the report’s authors note.
Expect more M&A activity over the next six months. Not only do the big pharma companies have reason to buy, but increasingly biotechs may be looking to sell because the IPO window remains tight, and mostly confined to those startups with drugs that are either approved or nearly through the clinical process.
Inside The Rise Of India’s Anthem BiosciencesAnthem Biosciences founder Ajay Bhardwaj
HARSHITH DAMBEKODI FOR FORBES ASIA
Over a two-decade career at Indian biopharma firm Biocon, Ajay Bhardwaj had climbed the ranks to become a key member of the senior management team, overseeing marketing. His boss was the company’s founder and chairman, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, a pioneer in Indian biotech and the country’s first self-made woman billionaire.
But when he was passed over for a promotion, he quit. At age 46 and with two children to put through university, Bhardwaj ploughed all of his savings into Anthem Biosciences, a provider of outsourcing services to pharma companies for all stages of drug development, in 2006.“It was a huge gamble,” says Bhardwaj in a March interview at company headquarters in an industrial hub near Bangalore’s outskirts.
It was also a timely one. Confronted by spiraling costs and declining success rates of bringing a new drug to market, pharma companies had turned to outsourcing as a cost-effective way to speed up the process. According to an Anthem-commissioned 2024 report from research firm Frost & Sullivan, only one in 10,000 to 15,000 compounds in preclinical trials gets FDA approval, while the time it takes to develop a new drug has more than doubled to over 13 years since the 1970s. For American pharma companies, outsourcing to Indian firms can save 75% on R&D costs and 55% on manufacturing.
Bhardwaj's $9 million (at historical exchange rates) wager, funded by selling his 1% stake in Biocon and taking out a bank loan, has paid off several times over. Today, Anthem is one of India’s most valuable listed companies in the sector with a recent market cap of $4.5 billion. Its July 2025 IPO landed the 65-year-old founder on Forbes’ Billionaires list for the first time, with a net worth of $2.4 billion.
Now Bhardwaj is aiming for expansion, including earmarking funds to build a new factory near Bangalore, in an effort to nearly quintuple sales to $1 billion. Analysts estimate he could reach that goal in around seven years.
Read more here.
What We’re ReadingCompanies have been providing increased IVF benefits, a trend that’s likely to continue given the national political focus on birth rates.
The White House wants more doctors, but its immigration policies block them.
Fertility specialists and bioethicists are divided over a new approach to precisely edit the genes of human embryos and whether its result will be medical cures or designer babies.
Big Medicare insurers often deny requests for nursing-home stays, according to new federal reports.
Otsuka acquired psychiatric treatment biotech Transcend Therapeutics for $700 million.
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Tech Stocks Front Rebound After Fed-Fueled Market Slide; 4 Top Stocks In Or Near Buy Zones Granite Construction (GVA), HSBC Holdings (HSBC), Credicorp (BAP) and Cummins (CMI) all reached new 52-week highs Thursday. These names are in financials and industrials, two sectors that are rebounding. Three stocks are near buy points, and one is just out of a buy zone. Unlike so many other leading stocks, these four aren't technology companies. Stocks To Buy And Watch: Top IPOs, Big…
Hong Kong, Hong Kong--(Newsfile Corp. - June 19, 2026) - The 2026 International Automotive and Supply Chain Expo (Hong Kong) officially opened today. Under the theme "Luxury, Elevated to a New Realm", ZEEKR unveiled the global expansion strategy for its dual flagship 9-Series models — the ZEEKR 9X and ZEEKR 009 Grand.
As a key gateway connecting China with global markets, Hong Kong serves as an important benchmark for the premium automotive industry and a strategic platform for luxury brands expanding internationally. Launching the global strategy for the 9-Series in Hong Kong marks a significant new chapter in ZEEKR's growth across the global premium new energy vehicle market.
800,000 Deliveries Milestone Underscores ZEEKR's Global Growth Momentum
Strong market performance continues to support ZEEKR's expansion in the global premium new energy vehicle segment. As of June 16, 2026, ZEEKR's cumulative global deliveries officially exceeded 800,000 vehicles, marking a major milestone for the brand.
In Hong Kong, ZEEKR has maintained strong momentum. From January to May 2026, ZEEKR captured a 40.7% market share of Hong Kong's luxury vehicle segment, ranking first among all luxury automotive brands. The ZEEKR 009 ranked as Hong Kong's best-selling luxury MPV, while the ZEEKR 7X became the city's best-selling luxury SUV.
Across key international markets, ZEEKR continues to achieve strong results. In Thailand, the brand was the best-selling luxury pure-electric MPV brand in 2025 and retained its leadership position from January to May 2026. In Malaysia, ZEEKR ranked No.1 among luxury pure-electric brands during the same period, with the ZEEKR 7X leading the luxury electric SUV category and the ZEEKR 009 remaining the top-selling luxury electric MPV. In Australia, ZEEKR continued to lead the luxury SUV segment priced above AUD 65,000 from January to May. In Mexico, the ZEEKR 7X secured the monthly luxury EV sales title in both April and May.
At this year's expo, ZEEKR is showcasing five models spanning family mobility, executive transportation and flagship luxury, highlighting the breadth of its premium product portfolio.
The ZEEKR 9X, ZEEKR's new global flagship of ultra-luxury SUV, is built on the SEA-S architecture and features a 900V high-performance silicon carbide electric drive system delivering more than 1,030 kW of maximum power. Four integrated safety structures combined with extensive use of 2,000 MPa ultra-high-strength steel contribute to a torsional rigidity rating of 41,600 N·m/deg, setting a new benchmark for safety in the hybrid SUV segment. The ZEEKR 9X recently opened pre-sales in the Middle East, where it has received strong market interest. The model is scheduled to expand into key markets across Latin America, Central Asia and Europe.
The ZEEKR 009 Grand, the brand's global ultra-luxury four-seater flagship MPV, features a 720-degree comprehensive safety architecture and the world's first integrated die-cast C-ring cabin structure, delivering segment-leading rear-seat protection. The second row is equipped with two ultra-soft aniline leather executive seats featuring 20 massage points and an industry-leading seven-zone graphene heating system, creating an exceptional luxury experience for rear passengers. The right-hand-drive version of the ZEEKR 009 Grand is scheduled to launch in Hong Kong in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The ZEEKR 8X, a super hybrid high-performance flagship SUV, also makes its Hong Kong debut. Built on the SEA-S Super Hybrid Architecture, the ZEEKR 8X delivers a flagship experience across four key dimensions: performance, intelligence, safety and comfort.
Expanding Global Capabilities and Opening a New Chapter of Technology Luxury
As its product lineup continues to grow and its international footprint expands, ZEEKR is accelerating the development of a comprehensive global operating system spanning R&D, product planning, market operations and customer services. Today, ZEEKR's overseas business covers more than 60 major cities worldwide with a rapidly growing global user base.
As the global automotive industry accelerates toward electrification and intelligent mobility, the luxury vehicle market is entering a new era in which technological innovation is redefining the premium experience. Leveraging Hong Kong's position as a globally connected international hub, ZEEKR will continue to deepen its global presence and advance the evolution of luxury through innovation. Through cutting-edge technologies, exceptional products and comprehensive lifecycle services, ZEEKR is committed to delivering a distinctive technology-luxury mobility experience for customers around the world.
About ZEEKR
ZEEKR is a global technology brand focused on premium electric vehicles. Utilizing advanced software-defined architectures and cutting-edge propulsion technologies, ZEEKR is dedicated to creating a fully integrated user ecosystem with innovation at its core.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/302163
Source: Hmedium
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SPCX stock is up. See the chart and price action here. ‘Your Mistake Is Trying To Understand SPCX’Retail investors are sharing their views, SpaceX predictions and investment strategies on Reddit Inc. (NYSE:RDDT).
‘No One Cares About Valuation’It looks like they are applying the same logic to SpaceX.
“No one cares about valuation when there are always people looking to speculate,” one commenter wrote.
“Tesla has been trading flat, so people will start pouring money into SpaceX. It’s not a long-term stock, just short-term speculation. Good PR is all you need.”
The underlying fundamental case is, at minimum, complicated.
Morningstar pegged SpaceX’s discounted cash flow value at $780 billion — less than half its IPO valuation of $1.77 trillion.
‘None of That Matters, Get In or Miss Out’One Reddit commenter went further with a pointed challenge: “Ask yourself why 60% of the world has slow internet and then ask if they can pay for Starlink.”
It’s a fair question. Analysts at Payload Space project Starlink will account for roughly 79% of SpaceX’s total 2026 revenue.
A company trading near $2 trillion is therefore largely a bet on whether a satellite internet service can penetrate markets that may lack the income to sustain it.
Reddit isn’t ignoring that, but it is pricing it differently.
“Lol no one is buying SPCX on fundamentals,” another commenter wrote. “You’re either fundamentally lying to yourself or fundamentally bad at maths.”
The bears got a similar reception. “You bears keep talking about the fundamentals as if they matter at all,” wrote one bull. “None of that matters, get in, or miss out.”
Whether that’s wisdom or recklessness depends, in part, on the time horizon — and on whether Elon Musk‘s next headline arrives before that trader's stop-loss does.
In the meantime, Defiance ETFs launched the Defiance Daily Target 2X Long SpaceX ETF (BATS:SPCU) — a 2x leveraged daily SPCX product — on Monday.
Wall Street, it turns out, is happy to sell the vibes right alongside retail.
SPCX Stock Price Activity: SpaceX stock was up 10.70% at $213.09 at the time of publication Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro.
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@LikeFolio's Megan Brantley talks about social sentiment trends on Reddit (RDDT) as shares trade over 25% lower this year. She isn't as bullish heading into Reddit's current quarter earnings as the previous one because of a slight deceleration in ad revenue.
Key Takeaways Ultra Clean is benefiting from AI-driven chip spending and rising wafer fabrication equipment demand.UCT 3.0 supports factory optimization, capacity expansion and digital transformation efforts.Acquisitions expanded UCTT's fluid handling, precision components and contamination-control capabilities. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (UCTT - Free Report) is benefiting from a balanced growth strategy that combines robust organic expansion with opportunistic buyouts. The company is well-positioned to capitalize on the next wave of semiconductor industry growth, fueled by healthy artificial intelligence (AI) spending, advanced chip manufacturing and expanding global fab investments.
AI-Driven Semiconductor Boom Fuels Organic GrowthUltra Clean's growth prospects remain closely tied to the semiconductor capital equipment market. The company operates as a critical supplier to the semiconductor equipment industry, providing high-purity subsystems, precision components and contamination-control services used in wafer fabrication processes. As chipmakers ramp up investments in advanced nodes and AI infrastructure, Ultra Clean stands to benefit from rising demand for wafer fabrication equipment.
The rapid adoption of generative AI applications is driving unprecedented demand for high-performance computing chips, GPUs and advanced memory solutions. This trend has triggered aggressive capital spending by semiconductor manufacturers to expand leading-edge production capacity.
UCT 3.0 Lends SupportUltra Clean’s products are embedded in semiconductor manufacturing equipment used for advanced logic and memory production. Increasing complexity at 3nm and 2nm nodes is driving higher subsystem content per tool, creating favorable growth opportunities for the company. It is benefiting from growing investments in advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory technologies, both of which are essential for AI workloads.
The company is also making progress under its UCT 3.0 transformation strategy, which focuses on enhancing operational efficiency, improving manufacturing flexibility and strengthening its ability to support customer ramps. Capacity expansion initiatives, factory optimization efforts and digital transformation programs are expected to support future revenue growth while driving operational leverage.
Acquisitions Expand CapabilitiesUltra Clean has consistently expanded its technological and operational capabilities through acquisitions. The buyouts have broadened its addressable market while enhancing its ability to serve increasingly complex semiconductor manufacturing requirements.
The acquisitions of HAM-LET and HIS Innovations Group expanded the company's capabilities in high-purity fluid handling, precision-engineered components and contamination-control solutions. These buyouts have diversified Ultra Clean's product portfolio and broadened its exposure to attractive end markets.
Management continues to focus on integrating acquired businesses and realizing operational synergies. Cross-selling opportunities, manufacturing efficiencies and broader customer engagement are expected to contribute to long-term revenue and margin expansion.
Price PerformanceUltra Clean has surged a stellar 460.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 241.1%. It has outperformed peers like Veeco Instruments Inc. (VECO - Free Report) and Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (KLIC - Free Report) . While Veeco has gained 303.7%, KLIC jumped 234.3% over this period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Integrated Businesses Aid GrowthThe company’s dual business model further strengthens its growth profile. While its Products segment supplies critical subsystems and assemblies to semiconductor OEMs, its Services segment generates recurring revenue through ultra-high purity cleaning and contamination-control solutions for semiconductor fabs. As semiconductor manufacturing processes become increasingly sophisticated, demand for precision-engineered components and contamination management solutions continues to rise.
Investor TakeawayUltra Clean's ability to execute on both organic and inorganic growth initiatives remains a key differentiator. As semiconductor manufacturers increase investments to support AI and next-generation technologies, the company is expected to benefit from higher demand across its core businesses. At the same time, acquisitions are expanding its capabilities and strengthening its market position, providing an additional avenue for growth.
Ultra Clean currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
With a favorable Zacks Rank and healthy growth dynamics, Ultra Clean appears primed for further stock price appreciation. Consequently, investors are likely to profit if they bet on this high-flying stock now.
Investors in the semiconductor capital equipment sector often face a structural question about where value is created in the supply chain. The largest equipment manufacturers—companies such as Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT | AMAT Price Prediction) and Lam Research (NYSE:LRCX)—design and sell complete semiconductor manufacturing systems. Surrounding these firms is a large ecosystem of suppliers that provide subsystems, fluid delivery systems, precision components, robotics, and process control technologies that are integrated into those systems.
Because these suppliers participate directly in the manufacturing tools sold by the equipment companies, their revenue growth is closely tied to wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) spending cycles. This relationship has drawn renewed attention following recent earnings reports and analyst upgrades across several supply chain companies.
For example, following its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings beat, Needham raised its price target on Ultra Clean Holdings (NASDAQ:UCTT) to $70 from $50 on February 24 while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm cited improving customer forecasts and expectations for 15%–20% growth in wafer fabrication equipment spending, with a step-function increase anticipated later in the year. TD Cowen also raised its price target on UCTT to $70 from $35 while maintaining a Buy rating and highlighting strengthening demand expectations for leading-edge logic and DRAM, particularly high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which benefits deposition, etch, and CMP equipment suppliers. On the same day, Oppenheimer reiterated its Outperform rating on UCTT and raised its price target, citing strong guidance and a 2026 revenue growth outlook of roughly 15%–20%.
Such upgrades reinforce the view that subsystem suppliers tied to leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing are positioned to benefit from the next capital spending cycle in wafer fabrication equipment.
Yet the critical investment question remains unresolved. While suppliers participate in the growth of semiconductor capital spending, the equipment manufacturers themselves control the system architecture, the customer relationship with semiconductor fabs, and the majority of system-level revenue. Historically, this structural position has allowed equipment companies to capture a larger share of the value created during semiconductor capital spending cycles.
This article therefore examines a fundamental investment question within the semiconductor equipment ecosystem: is it better to invest in the equipment manufacturers themselves—Applied Materials and Lam Research—or in key suppliers within their supply chains such as MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI), Ultra Clean Holdings (UCTT), and Ichor Holdings (NASDAQ:ICHR)?
Pros and Cons of Investing in Smaller Supply Chain Companies
Supply chain companies are typically smaller than their major customers and can therefore offer potentially higher growth rates. Their products are often highly specialized and tightly integrated into the design of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. These relationships can create long-term customer partnerships and recurring revenue streams.
Subsystem suppliers also frequently possess niche technological expertise that makes them difficult to replace once their components are designed into a semiconductor tool platform. This dynamic can provide stable revenue opportunities during industry upcycles.
MKS Instruments differs somewhat from Ichor and Ultra Clean in that it serves multiple end markets including industrial, photonics, and life sciences applications. This diversification reduces reliance on semiconductor capital spending and can partially offset cyclicality in the semiconductor equipment sector.
However, investing in smaller supply chain companies carries significant risks. These firms are often heavily dependent on a small number of customers. If those customers experience order declines or adjust production schedules, the impact on supplier revenue can be immediate and severe.
Smaller companies also tend to have fewer financial resources and less pricing power than their larger customers. During semiconductor industry downturns, subsystem suppliers often experience sharper revenue contractions and more volatile earnings than the equipment manufacturers themselves.
Analysis of Applied Materials and Lam Research
Applied Materials and Lam Research are among the largest semiconductor equipment manufacturers in the world. According to Chart 1, which shows 2025 semiconductor equipment market share and is derived from my report entitled “Global Semiconductor Equipment: Markets, Market Share, Market Forecasts“, Applied Materials ranked second globally with approximately 18% market share while Lam Research ranked third with roughly 11% share.
Chart 1. Global Semiconductor Equipment Suppliers Top 10 2025
The scale of these market shares reflects not only the strength of the equipment companies themselves but also the extensive network of suppliers that provide the subsystems and components integrated into each tool platform.
These companies assemble complex semiconductor manufacturing systems using thousands of parts sourced from suppliers around the world. Subsystem providers supply critical technologies ranging from gas delivery systems and vacuum components to robotics, motion control systems, and precision machined parts.
According to Table 1, the diversity of suppliers supporting Applied Materials reflects the global nature of the semiconductor equipment supply chain.
Sales Analysis of Suppliers to Applied Materials and Lam Research Subsystem suppliers generate significant revenue from their largest customers, reflecting the highly integrated nature of semiconductor equipment manufacturing. Companies such as Ichor Holdings, Ultra Clean Holdings, and MKS Instruments provide subsystems that are designed directly into the equipment platforms of Applied Materials and Lam Research.
According to Table 2, revenue derived from these two equipment manufacturers represents a substantial portion of total sales for these suppliers. The table illustrates how dependent subsystem suppliers can be on a small number of equipment companies, which exposes them to fluctuations in tool demand but also allows them to benefit directly when equipment build rates increase during semiconductor capital spending upcycles.
The data illustrate the concentration risk inherent in the semiconductor equipment supply chain. While subsystem suppliers participate directly in equipment growth cycles, their revenues remain closely tied to the order patterns of a limited number of customers. When tool shipments rise, suppliers benefit from higher subsystem demand, but when capital spending slows, revenue declines can occur rapidly because of the limited diversification of their customer base.
Structural Value Capture in the Semiconductor Equipment Supply Chain The structural position of semiconductor equipment manufacturers within the value chain helps explain why they have historically delivered stronger financial performance than many of their subsystem suppliers. Equipment companies such as Applied Materials and Lam Research sell complete manufacturing systems directly to semiconductor fabs, often with average selling prices ranging from several million dollars to well over $100 million for advanced process tools.
Subsystem suppliers, by contrast, typically provide specialized components that represent only a fraction of the total system value. Fluid delivery systems, vacuum components, robotics, gas panels, and other subsystems are essential to tool performance, but they account for a relatively small portion of the final system price. As a result, suppliers generally operate with lower margins and have limited pricing leverage compared with the equipment manufacturers that control the overall system design.
Another important structural difference is the ownership of the customer relationship. Semiconductor manufacturers purchase equipment systems directly from companies such as Applied Materials and Lam Research, which maintain long-term service contracts and process integration partnerships with their customers. Subsystem suppliers, however, typically sell to the equipment companies rather than directly to the semiconductor fabs.
These structural dynamics help explain why the largest semiconductor equipment manufacturers often capture a disproportionate share of the financial returns generated during semiconductor industry upcycles.
According to Chart 2, share price performance over the past year reflects the strong recovery in semiconductor capital spending following the 2023 downturn. Lam Research and Applied Materials both benefited from accelerating demand for deposition and etch equipment tied to advanced logic, memory, and AI-related infrastructure. Suppliers such as MKS Instruments and Ultra Clean Holdings also participated in this recovery as tool build rates increased across major equipment manufacturers. However, the magnitude of performance across the group varies significantly, illustrating the differing levels of operating leverage and market exposure among the equipment companies and their subsystem suppliers.
AMAT data by YCharts
Chart 2. Share Price Performance – 6 Months
According to Chart 3, the longer three-year performance horizon provides a clearer view of how value has been captured across the semiconductor equipment supply chain. Over this period, the largest equipment manufacturers have generally outperformed their suppliers, reflecting their control of the system architecture, customer relationships with semiconductor manufacturers, and a larger share of the total system revenue. Subsystem suppliers such as Ichor Holdings and Ultra Clean Holdings remain highly leveraged to equipment demand, but their financial performance is more sensitive to cyclical fluctuations in tool shipments and customer concentration.
AMAT data by YCharts
Chart 3. Share Price Performance – 3 Years
Over a longer three-year period the performance divergence becomes more apparent, with the largest equipment manufacturers generally outperforming their suppliers.
Investor Takeaway The semiconductor equipment ecosystem illustrates a classic supply-chain investment dilemma. Suppliers participate in the growth of semiconductor capital spending and can experience significant revenue expansion during industry upcycles. However, the equipment manufacturers themselves control system architecture, customer relationships, and the majority of system-level revenue.
The historical share-price performance presented in this article suggests that the equipment manufacturers have captured a larger portion of the value created during semiconductor capital spending cycles.
While companies such as MKS Instruments, Ultra Clean Holdings, and Ichor Holdings remain important participants in the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, investors seeking exposure to long-term growth in wafer fabrication equipment spending may find that the system manufacturers—Applied Materials and Lam Research—have historically provided more consistent returns.
The Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL +19.43%) is soaring today. What started as a milder 16% opening-bell increase evolved into gains around the 20% mark from 11 a.m. ET to noon ET. The 3x leveraged version of the classic iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX +6.62%) reflects a swell of enthusiasm in the chip sector, based on several bullish developments.
Washington drops a semiconductor bombshell The biggest chip news of the day comes from Washington, D.C., not Silicon Valley. In a social media post, President Trump said that Apple (AAPL +0.86%) will set up an all-American semiconductor supply chain with Intel (INTC +10.75%) providing the manufacturing expertise.
Intel's stock surged more than 9% on the news, backed by broad gains across the chip sector. Some of the strongest jumps came from companies that make the equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. The factories churning out Apple chips won't just build themselves, you know. For instance, Ichor Holdings (ICHR +10.24%) is up by 10.6% at 12:20 p.m. ET and Ultra Clean Holdings (UCTT +8.66%) gained 9.9%. The equipment makers are included in the SOXX and SOXL funds.
Image source: Getty Images.
A word of caution for the less adventurous Leveraged ETFs like SOXL amplify daily moves in both directions, making them popular tools for short-term traders but risky holdings for longer periods. The unlevered SOXX fund is up by 6.5%, approximately one-third of the SOXL jump. That should be enough volatility for most long-term investors.
As for the Intel-Apple partnership, the announcement came via social media post rather than a formal press release. The details remain fuzzy, and neither Intel nor Apple has confirmed Trump's social media post yet.
Still, chip investors are betting that American-made Apple silicon would be a big deal for Intel's foundry business and the entire domestic supply chain.
Anders Bylund has positions in Intel. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Intel, and iShares Semiconductor ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Applied Optoelectronics stock is showing positive momentum. What should traders watch with AAOI? What Is Driving AAOI’s Recent Momentum?The latest bid in AAOI has been tied to renewed focus on optical interconnect demand for AI-scale data centers, with the idea that copper can become a bottleneck as "500K+ GPU factories" push more traffic toward optics. The stock has also been treated as a Russell 2000 "infrastructure of the AI grid" standout after over 900% gains over the past year, keeping momentum traders engaged beyond the mega-cap chip complex.
Applied Optoelectronics' setup is also being reinforced by the same "copper bottleneck" framing that helped drive that 9%+ jump earlier this week, keeping the trade centered on connectivity demand rather than just GPU headlines.
AAOI Critical Levels To WatchThe longer-term trend is still doing most of the talking: AAOI is up 908.31% over the past 12 months and remains far above its 100-day SMA ($120.92) and 200-day SMA ($75.48). Structurally, the 20-day SMA is above the 50-day SMA (bullish), and the golden cross from August 2025 keeps the big-picture trend biased higher unless key supports fail.
In the near term, the stock is trading 5.3% below its 20-day SMA ($178.53), but still 0.5% above its 50-day SMA ($168.26), which makes the $160s-$170s zone the current "decision area" for trend traders. The nearby levels to watch are:
Key Resistance: $173.50 — a nearby pivot area where rebounds can stall, sitting close to the stock's short-term consolidation zone Key Support: $160.50 — a nearby level where buyers previously stepped in, and a break would put more focus on the 50-day trend area RSI is the cleanest momentum lens right now: at 49.10, it's neutral, which fits a "reset" phase after the big run rather than an overheated chase. RSI measures how stretched buying or selling has become, and this reading suggests neither side has a clear momentum edge at the moment.
Applied Optoelectronics is a provider of fiber-optic networking products across four end markets: internet data center, CATV, telecom and FTTH. It designs and manufactures optical communications products at different levels of integration—from components and subassemblies to modules that can be used in turn-key equipment.
That matters for the current tape because the AI buildout story is increasingly shifting from just GPUs to the "connective tissue" inside and between data centers, where optical links can take share as bandwidth needs rise. The company supports this with manufacturing and R&D across the U.S., Taiwan, and China, coordinating closely with customers on product design, qualification and performance.
AAOI Stock Price Activity TodayAAOI Stock Price Activity: Applied Optoelectronics shares were flat at $170.80 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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Donald Trump’s fortune is split between two very different businesses. One trades on Wall Street and lurches with the price of Bitcoin. The other is built from clubhouses, fairways, and resort suites. Over the past year the digital side has slumped while the golf side has boomed, and together they help anchor a net worth that Forbes now estimates at $6.5 billion.
The digital side stumbles The steepest losses come from Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social. In 2025 the company reported a net loss of $712.3 million on just $3.7 million in revenue. Most of that loss was on paper, tied to a drop in the value of the cryptocurrency it had piled onto its balance sheet.
Searching for a workable model, the company kept reinventing itself. It built a Bitcoin treasury in 2025, announced a $6 billion all-stock merger with fusion-energy firm TAE Technologies in December 2025, and by early 2026 was weighing whether to spin off Truth Social altogether.
The shifts did little to steady the stock, which trades far below its 2024 debut. Forbes estimates the slide erased about $1.3 billion from Trump’s personal stake over the past year, leaving it worth roughly $1.2 billion.
The golf side booms Trump’s brick-and-mortar holdings have moved the other way. Forbes values his golf courses, owned and licensed, collectively in the neighborhood of $1 billion, a major pillar of his fortune.
The engine is rising operating profit. Combined operating profits across his ten U.S. golf clubs climbed from $19 million in 2020 to $66 million in 2024, lifted by a wave of new club memberships and steep initiation fees. Joining his marquee Bedminster club in New Jersey, for example, runs more than $350,000.
Mar-a-Lago cashes in on politics No property captures the mix of politics and hospitality better than Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club in Palm Beach. Forbes now values it at about $560 million.
The political bump is not new. In a 2016 deposition, Trump recalled his manager telling him it was the best year the club had ever had, crediting the presidential campaign. Business has only grown since.
Doral rebounds, Turnberry expands Trump National Doral near Miami has also recovered strongly. Trump refinanced the resort in May 2022 with a $125 million mortgage, and it remains one of his largest properties.
Across the Atlantic, Trump Turnberry in Scotland is adding to its golf offering with “Trump’s Twelve,” a new 12-hole Par 3 course built from the old Arran layout and due to open in 2026.
A casino payday in the Bronx The golf business has also delivered one-off windfalls. In 2023, Trump’s company sold its rights to run a public golf course in the Bronx to Bally’s for $60 million, with a clause promising more if a casino ever rose on the site. When New York regulators cleared Bally’s for a casino license in December 2025, that clause triggered an additional $115 million payment to the Trump Organization.
Two businesses, two trajectories The split tells a simple story. The market-traded, crypto-tied side of Trump’s empire swings hard with investor mood, while the golf courses, clubhouses, and resorts keep generating cash through the cycle. For now, the fairways are the steadier half of the fortune.
