Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Investors in Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jan. 15, 2027 $3 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Cenovus Energy shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Cenovus Energy is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) in the Oil and Gas - Integrated – Canadian industry that ranks in the Top 3% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60  days, two analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while none dropped the estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $1.01 per share to $1.07 in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about Cenovus Energy right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

Eastern Bank grew its stake in shares of Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE – Free Report) by 12,875.5% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 28,546 shares of the technology company’s stock after acquiring an additional 28,326 shares during the period. Eastern Bank’s holdings in Lumentum were worth $27,726,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Lumentum during the second quarter valued at $1,621,396,000. Aspex Management HK Ltd acquired a new stake in Lumentum during the 4th quarter worth about $251,363,000. WT Asset Management Ltd acquired a new stake in Lumentum during the 2nd quarter worth about $494,688,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in Lumentum during the second quarter valued at about $376,539,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its stake in Lumentum by 188.7% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 658,427 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $564,970,000 after buying an additional 430,355 shares in the last quarter. 94.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Lumentum In other news, SVP Jae Kim sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $852.58, for a total transaction of $10,230,960.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 37,804 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $32,230,934.32. This represents a 24.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Vincent Retort sold 38,663 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $852.59, for a total value of $32,963,687.17. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 78,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $66,877,159.60. This trade represents a 33.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 94,496 shares of company stock valued at $85,978,498. Insiders own 0.43% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group set a $820.00 target price on shares of Lumentum in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Lumentum from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,036.00 target price on shares of Lumentum in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Lumentum from $800.00 to $820.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Lumentum from $1,200.00 to $1,400.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lumentum has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,078.75. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Lumentum

Lumentum Stock Up 0.4% NASDAQ LITE traded up $3.91 during trading on Monday, reaching $1,089.33. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,861,181 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,509,059. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The stock has a market capitalization of $97.71 billion, a PE ratio of -13.24 and a beta of 1.53. Lumentum Holdings Inc. has a 1-year low of $147.81 and a 1-year high of $1,124.40. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $881.39 and a 200-day moving average price of $857.35.

Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 11th. The technology company reported $3.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.26. Lumentum had a negative net margin of 230.15% and a positive return on equity of 26.34%. The business had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $987.70 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.88 EPS. Lumentum’s revenue for the quarter was up 109.3% on a year-over-year basis. Lumentum has set its Q1 2027 guidance at 4.050-4.350 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Lumentum Holdings Inc. will post 19.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

More Lumentum News Here are the key news stories impacting Lumentum this week:

Positive Sentiment: Analyst support strengthened. Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $1,300 price target, while Stifel Nicolaus raised its target from $1,100 to $1,232 and also assigned a “buy” rating. The higher targets reinforce expectations for additional upside. Lumentum Given Buy Rating at Rosenblatt Securities Lumentum Stock Gets Price Target Bump from Stifel Nicolaus Positive Sentiment: AI-driven demand remains the main catalyst. Recent coverage highlights expanding demand for Lumentum’s optical products from AI infrastructure and cloud-computing buildouts. Nvidia-related developments are also being viewed as a potential catalyst for the company’s AI-optics business. Nvidia Gave Lumentum Stock a New AI Catalyst Automatic Data Processing vs. Lumentum Positive Sentiment: Operating momentum is strong. Lumentum recently reported quarterly revenue of $1.01 billion, up 109.3% year over year, and adjusted EPS of $3.23, exceeding analyst expectations. Management’s next-quarter EPS guidance of $4.05 to $4.35 further supports the bullish outlook. Lumentum Revenue Growth Report Neutral Sentiment: Technical and valuation debate. Analysts and market commentators see potential for the rally to continue, but the stock’s record-level valuation and proximity to major resistance could increase volatility or prompt profit-taking. Lumentum Stock Hits Crucial Resistance Lumentum AI Optics Valuation Debate Lumentum Profile (Free Report)

Lumentum Holdings Inc is a photonics and optical technology company that develops and manufactures products used to transmit, process and manage light. Its solutions support communications networks, data centers, cloud computing infrastructure, industrial applications, and other technology markets that rely on high-speed optical connectivity and precision lasers.

The company’s product portfolio includes optical components and modules for telecommunications and networking, lasers and laser systems, optical amplifiers, wavelength-management products, and photonic subsystems.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Lumentum What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? Datadog’s Rally Has Insiders Selling—Can It Keep Climbing? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LITE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE – Free Report).

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, /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF) (FNF), a leading provider of title insurance and transaction services to the real estate and mortgage industries and a leading provider of insurance solutions serving retail annuity and life customers and institutional clients through its majority-owned, publicly traded subsidiary F&G Annuities & Life, Inc. (NYSE:FG) (F&G), will release third quarter 2026 earnings after the close of regular market trading on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

A webcast and conference call to discuss the results will follow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, November 6, 2026. Additional information about the quarterly financial results, including the earnings release, will be available on FNF's Investor Relations website at investor.fnf.com.

Webcast, Conference Call and Replay Information
The event can be accessed in the following ways:

Live Webcast: Register and access the webcast on FNF's Investor Relations website at investor.fnf.com Conference Call: Dial 1-877-407-0784 (U.S.) or 1-201-689-8560 (International) Replay: A webcast replay will be available on FNF's Investor Relations website after the live event About Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF) is a leading provider of title insurance and transaction services to the real estate and mortgage industries, and a leading provider of insurance solutions serving retail annuity and life customers and institutional clients through its majority owned subsidiary F&G Annuities & Life, Inc. (NYSE: FG). FNF is the nation's largest title insurance company through its title insurance underwriters - Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title, Alamo Title and National Title of New York - that collectively issue more title insurance policies than any other title company in the United States. More information about FNF can be found at www.fnf.com.

FNF-G

SOURCE Fidelity National Financial, Inc.

Eastover Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE:AMP – Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 13,481 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $6,637,000. Ameriprise Financial comprises about 2.8% of Eastover Investment Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 1,279.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 63,365,362 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,069,493,000 after acquiring an additional 58,772,775 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Ameriprise Financial by 960.8% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,352,117 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,537,817,000 after purchasing an additional 3,036,128 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,024,758 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $455,387,000 after purchasing an additional 19,731 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 18.7% during the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 983,096 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $436,888,000 after purchasing an additional 154,659 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ameriprise Financial by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 817,247 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $374,920,000 after purchasing an additional 22,819 shares in the last quarter. 83.95% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on AMP shares. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Ameriprise Financial from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Ameriprise Financial from $636.00 to $645.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $570.00 target price on shares of Ameriprise Financial in a research report on Monday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on Ameriprise Financial from $515.00 to $545.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Ameriprise Financial from $467.00 to $489.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $556.80.

View Our Latest Research Report on Ameriprise Financial Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CFO Walter Berman sold 11,012 shares of Ameriprise Financial stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $548.95, for a total value of $6,045,037.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 5,609 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,079,060.55. The trade was a 66.25% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Deirdre Mcgraw sold 2,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $558.28, for a total transaction of $1,339,872.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,373 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,883,078.44. The trade was a 41.57% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 29,988 shares of company stock valued at $16,316,497. 0.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Ameriprise Financial Stock Up 0.4% AMP traded up $1.75 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $492.67. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 178,763 shares, compared to its average volume of 644,516. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. has a 1 year low of $422.37 and a 1 year high of $572.56. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $544.14 and its 200-day moving average is $493.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.89, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99.

Ameriprise Financial (NYSE:AMP – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $11.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.81 by $0.26. Ameriprise Financial had a net margin of 20.24% and a return on equity of 64.19%. The firm had revenue of $4.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.87 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $9.11 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Ameriprise Financial, Inc. will post 46.27 EPS for the current year.

Ameriprise Financial Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 21st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 3rd were paid a dividend of $1.70 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 3rd. This represents a $6.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. Ameriprise Financial’s payout ratio is presently 16.40%.

Ameriprise Financial declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, September 29th that permits the company to repurchase $5.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the financial services provider to purchase up to 12.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

(Free Report)

Ameriprise Financial, Inc is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company provides financial planning, investment advice, wealth management, retirement planning and insurance solutions to individuals, families, business owners and institutional clients.

Ameriprise serves clients primarily through a network of financial advisors and offers products and services that include brokerage and advisory accounts, mutual funds and other investments, retirement accounts, annuities, life and long-term-care insurance, banking products and personalized financial planning.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Ameriprise Financial What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? Datadog’s Rally Has Insiders Selling—Can It Keep Climbing?

Receive News & Ratings for Ameriprise Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ameriprise Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Oct. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) announced today that it will report results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2026, after the market closes on Monday, October 26, 2026. There will be a conference call for investors and analysts on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

A live webcast and audio archive of the call may be accessed through the investor relations section of the company’s website at ir.uhs.com. To participate via telephone, please register in advance using this link. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number along with a unique passcode and registrant ID that can be used to access the call.

About Universal Health Services
Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) is one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services. Since our founding in 1979, UHS has grown steadily into a premier Fortune 500® corporation perennially recognized by multiple esteemed national rating entities. Through its subsidiaries, UHS employs more than 102,000 employees and operates 30 inpatient acute care facilities, more than 380 inpatient behavioral health facilities, approximately 170 outpatient and other facilities, nationwide virtual behavioral health services, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services with physical locations in 40 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United Kingdom. www.uhs.com  

Investor Contact:
Darren Lehrich
610-382-3310
[email protected]

Strategy's high-profile STRC preferred stock may once again open the door to an important line of capital for the Bitcoin treasury juggernaut to grow its cryptocurrency position.

The chart for STRC is one of the most important in crypto. Now that it is close to reclaiming the $100 level, Strategy could soon start announcing more major BTC purchases. 

This is one of the most important charts in crypto right now $STRC is a vehicle used by Strategy to buy more Bitcoin Since May 2025 STRC has been trading below its $100 peg and is now just 0.6% away from it Every time STRC has traded at $100 or higher Strategy has bought BILLIONS in Bitcoin I think we’ll soon see it trading above $100

HOT Stories

— Sweep (@0xSweep) October 5, 2026 Why $100 is significantThe level is significant because it would open up a new source of capital for Strategy without issuing more MSTR common shares. 

Strategy's STRC is a preferred stock with an annualized variable dividend of 12% at the $100 price level that Strategy has been trying to stay near.

Strategy has made clear it has no current intent to issue new STRC shares at less than par. While STRC has been below $100, Strategy has been engaged in share buybacks.

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Get STRC back to $100 and more, and that equation could change. Strategy could once again start selling the STRC stock through its at-the-market program, which had roughly $17.5 billion of remaining capacity as of Oct. 4.

And STRC proceeds could be used for general corporate purposes, which include buying Bitcoin.

A remarkable turnaroundSTRC spent time near the $100 level in May. In June, however, it experienced significant selling pressure. STRC moved from over $95 in mid-June down to an intraday low of $71.25 on June 26. 

From there, STRC bounced to the mid-$80s and then consolidated in July. The stock then topped $90 in early August and has advanced to a series of higher highs and higher lows in August and September. On Sept. 18, STRC hit $98.51. On Sept. 29, it moved up to $99.56. STRC was last traded at $99.41 as of Oct. 2, up some 40% from its June low.

Could STRC pave the way to billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin buying? That's not exactly the case. Reaching $100 doesn't automatically trigger Bitcoin buying.

Rather, when STRC is trading at or above $100, it makes it a more appealing source of capital for Strategy, based on its current policies.

With that being said, it is true that there is a history of STRC playing a role in funding extremely large buys of Bitcoin.

For example, Strategy's original issuance of STRC raised around $2.47 billion in net proceeds back in July 2025. Then, days later, the company announced the purchase of 21,021 BTC for about $2.46 billion. 

Key Takeaways Howmet shares gained 21.4% in the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 and its industry.HWM raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $10.00-$10.10 billion amid strong aerospace demand.Howmet's growth outlook is supported by engine spares demand, but high debt and valuation pose risks. Howmet Aerospace Inc.’s (HWM - Free Report) shares have gained 21.4% in the past year, outpacing the S&P 500’s gain of 15.4% and the industry’s 18.1% decline. The leading provider of jet engine components and fastening systems for the aerospace and transportation industries has also outshone its peers like Textron Inc. (TXT - Free Report) and L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX - Free Report) , which have lost 11.6% and 22%, respectively, over the same time frame.

HWM Outperforms the Industry, S&P 500 & Peers
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Closing at $231.27 on Oct. 2, the stock is trading below its 52-week high of $310.00 but higher than its 52-week low of $183.83. However, the stock is trading below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Let’s take a closer look at the company’s fundamentals, growth prospects and challenges to make an informed choice.

Factors Driving HowmetHowmet continues to benefit from robust commercial aerospace demand. Strong narrow- and wide-body aircraft activity is driving higher OEM spending, while increased air travel is boosting aircraft utilization and demand for the company’s parts and products.

Revenues from the commercial aerospace market rose 28% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, accelerating from 20% growth in the first quarter. The market accounted for 53% of HWM’s total business, driven by strong demand for engine spares. Solid A320 and A350 build rates at Airbus and the recovery in Boeing 737 MAX production are expected to support demand for HWM’s engine spares.

While the commercial aerospace market has remained the major driver for the company, the defense side of the industry has also been witnessing positive momentum, cushioned by steady government support. HWM has been experiencing robust orders for engine spares for the F-35 program and other legacy fighters. Revenues from the defense aerospace market increased 11% year over year in the second quarter, constituting 15% of the company’s total business.

Howmet expects demand across the commercial aerospace, defense aerospace and gas turbine markets to rise in 2026, supported by higher engine spares demand. The company raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $10.00-$10.10 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is anticipated between $3.21 billion and $3.25 billion, with adjusted earnings projected at $5.23-$5.31 per share.

Howmet’s shareholder-return initiatives remain supportive. In the first half of the year, HWM paid $97 million in dividends. In July 2026, the company increased its quarterly dividend 17% to 14 cents per share, or 56 cents annually. Through July, Howmet also repurchased $800 million of shares year to date.

Howmet’s measures to reward shareholders are also encouraging. During the first half of the year, HWM distributed $97 million in dividends. In July 2026, it raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 14 cents per share, equivalent to 56 cents annually. Additionally, through July, the company had repurchased $800 million worth of shares year to date.

Howmet’s shareholder-friendly policies are supported by its healthy liquidity position. Exiting the second quarter, HWM’s cash equivalents were $563 million, higher than its short-term borrowings of $450 million. In the first half of the year, Howmet generated cash of $1.04 billion from operating activities (up 48% year over year), while its free cash flow totaled $838 million (up 75% year over year).

Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings estimates for HWM have moved north over the past 60 days, reflecting analysts’ optimism.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $5.33 per share, suggesting year-over-year growth of 7.2%. The consensus mark for 2027 earnings is pinned at $6.38 per share, indicating a year-over-year increase of 7.4%. As earnings estimates increase, the stock is likely to follow suit.

Near-Term ConcernsHowmet’s high debt level remains a concern. Exiting the second quarter of 2026, the company’s long-term debt (less amount due within one year) was $4.1 billion. The same stood at $2.86 billion at 2025-end. This increase was primarily attributable to funds raised for the company’s Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing buyout (in April 2026).

HWM’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The stock trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 37.73X, higher than the industry average of 28.37X. Also, it is overvalued compared with its peers, Textron and L3Harris Technologies. Notably, Textron and L3Harris Technologies are trading at 10.85X and 18.03X, respectively. This elevated valuation could make the stock vulnerable to further pullbacks if market sentiment sours.

Final Take on HWMStrong trends across commercial and defense aerospace markets, driven by healthy production rates, engine spare demand and robust defense spending, support Howmet’s growth prospects. A solid liquidity position and shareholder-friendly actions further strengthen HWM’s investment appeal.

Despite its expensive valuation and rise in debt level, positive analyst sentiment, robust growth prospects and higher annual guidance for revenues and earnings indicate it is the appropriate time for potential investors to bet on this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Tompkins Financial Corp decreased its holdings in TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE:TEL – Free Report) by 15.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,045 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after selling 5,427 shares during the period. Tompkins Financial Corp’s holdings in TE Connectivity were worth $6,342,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TEL. MCF Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of TE Connectivity by 14.1% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 364 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $83,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. JNBA Financial Advisors grew its holdings in TE Connectivity by 67.1% during the 2nd quarter. JNBA Financial Advisors now owns 127 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC raised its position in TE Connectivity by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 7,837 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $1,580,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares during the period. Advocacy Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of TE Connectivity by 1.0% during the second quarter. Advocacy Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,747 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $1,159,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the period. Finally, Kennebec Savings Bank grew its stake in shares of TE Connectivity by 1.7% during the first quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank now owns 3,455 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $722,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.43% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $241.00 target price on shares of TE Connectivity in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on TE Connectivity from $240.00 to $225.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Sanford C. Bernstein started coverage on TE Connectivity in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $243.00 price target for the company. Barclays boosted their price target on TE Connectivity from $297.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, June 15th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of TE Connectivity from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, September 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $251.36.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on TE Connectivity TE Connectivity Price Performance TEL stock traded down $0.73 during trading on Monday, reaching $219.63. 338,166 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,366,885. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $209.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $209.42. The company has a market cap of $63.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.54, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 1.88. TE Connectivity Ltd. has a 52-week low of $190.27 and a 52-week high of $252.56.

TE Connectivity (NYSE:TEL – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The electronics maker reported $2.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $5.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.01 billion. TE Connectivity had a net margin of 15.61% and a return on equity of 24.59%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.27 EPS. TE Connectivity has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.050-3.050 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that TE Connectivity Ltd. will post 11.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

TE Connectivity Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 11th. Investors of record on Friday, November 20th will be given a dividend of $0.78 per share. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 20th. TE Connectivity’s dividend payout ratio is 30.59%.

(Free Report)

TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL) is a global technology and manufacturing company that designs and produces connectivity and sensor solutions. Its products include connectors, terminals, relays, sensors, switches, circuit-protection devices, antennas and related components used to transmit power, data and signals reliably in demanding environments.

The company serves customers across the automotive, commercial transportation, industrial, aerospace and defense, medical, energy, data communications and consumer-device markets.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than TE Connectivity A Manufacturing Surprise Could Be a Big Win for These 2 Companies What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TEL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE:TEL – Free Report).

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Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. lessened its holdings in MKS Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI – Free Report) by 41.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,545 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after selling 1,815 shares during the period. Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc.’s holdings in MKS were worth $675,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MKSI. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of MKS by 47.5% during the 2nd quarter. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 87 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of MKS by 4.8% during the second quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 917 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $408,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of MKS by 1.1% in the first quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,274 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $982,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of MKS during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in MKS by 2.9% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,252 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,002,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. 99.79% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other MKS news, EVP John Williams sold 457 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $288.31, for a total transaction of $131,757.67. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,098 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,181,494.38. This represents a 10.03% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO John Tseng-Chung Lee sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $302.01, for a total value of $3,020,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 134,776 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $40,703,699.76. The trade was a 6.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 10,757 shares of company stock worth $3,227,146. 0.57% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

MKS Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ MKSI traded up $2.09 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $281.24. 431,264 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,373,221. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 1.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 2.03. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $274.52 and its 200 day simple moving average is $298.68. MKS Inc. has a 52 week low of $120.91 and a 52 week high of $447.62. MKS (NASDAQ:MKSI – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $3.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.91 by $0.39. MKS had a return on equity of 24.72% and a net margin of 10.15%.The firm had revenue of $1.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.20 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.77 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 28.3% compared to the same quarter last year. MKS has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.270-3.890 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that MKS Inc. will post 13.13 EPS for the current year.

MKS Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 25th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 25th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. MKS’s payout ratio is presently 15.95%.

Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages recently issued reports on MKSI. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of MKS from $380.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MKS from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on MKS from $360.00 to $475.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Mizuho decreased their target price on MKS from $360.00 to $330.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 25th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $600.00 price objective on shares of MKS in a report on Monday, August 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, MKS has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $375.93.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on MKSI

MKS Profile (Free Report)

MKS Instruments, Inc develops technologies used to measure, control and analyze the processes involved in manufacturing semiconductors, electronics, specialty materials and other industrial products. The company serves original equipment manufacturers and production facilities worldwide, with solutions spanning vacuum control, pressure measurement, gas and fluid delivery, process monitoring and control.

Its product portfolio includes vacuum gauges and valves, mass flow controllers, gas and vapor delivery systems, pressure controllers, plasma-generation and power-delivery systems, analytical instruments, lasers and photonics equipment.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than MKS A Manufacturing Surprise Could Be a Big Win for These 2 Companies What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You?

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Shares of Nu Holdings (NU +13.48%) charged sharply higher on Monday, climbing as much as 15.1% in early trading. As of 1:10 p.m. ET, the stock was still up 13.3%.

The catalyst that sent the fintech stock higher was the initial outcome of the primary elections in Brazil.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Voters get their sayBrazilian presidential elections were held on Sunday. The initial outcome showed that neither current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva nor challenger Flávio Bolsonaro -- son of disgraced former President Jair Bolsonaro -- had secured enough votes for a 50% majority needed for an outright victory. As a result, the two will face a run-off election on Oct. 25.

However, with more than 99% of the votes counted, Bolsonaro won 47% of the vote, while da Silva captured 45.1%. The remaining votes went to a variety of challengers, forcing the run-off to be held later this month. Bolsonaro is favored to win, following a strong showing by other right-wing candidates, who won various gubernatorial or congressional races.

On the heels of the election results, the Ibovespa index (IBOV) -- Brazil's main stock index -- opened at a record high.

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So what does this have to do with Nu Holdings? Bolsonaro campaigned on a business-friendly platform focused on lowering taxes and reducing government spending. If successful, his approach could result in lower interest rates, which -- in turn -- would be a boon for financial stocks, including Nu Holdings. Furthermore, lower interest rates would take some of the pressure off debt-laden consumers, thereby reducing late payments and defaults on unsecured debt.

And at just 21 times earnings, Nu Holdings stock is attractively priced.

Danny Vena, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nu Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ:NBIS – Get Free Report) CTO Danila Shtan sold 14,546 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.16, for a total value of $3,406,091.36. Following the sale, the chief technology officer owned 260,217 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $60,932,412.72. This represents a 5.29% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Nebius Group Stock Down 4.4% Shares of NBIS stock traded down $10.68 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $232.13. 7,479,952 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 17,584,018. Nebius Group N.V. has a 52-week low of $73.52 and a 52-week high of $299.86. The stock has a market cap of $58.73 billion, a P/E ratio of -7,746.55 and a beta of 4.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 4.03 and a quick ratio of 4.03. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $219.62 and its two-hundred day moving average is $200.43.

Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The company reported ($0.12) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.67) by $0.55. Nebius Group had a negative return on equity of 6.03% and a net margin of 4.55%.The business had revenue of $582.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $567.91 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.38 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 454% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Nebius Group N.V. will post -3.48 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on NBIS. Northland Securities increased their target price on Nebius Group from $248.00 to $410.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Nebius Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, August 16th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Nebius Group from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Nebius Group from $278.00 to $324.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Nebius Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Nebius Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $241.80. Read Our Latest Report on Nebius Group

Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Nebius Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Nebius Group in the second quarter worth $28,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nebius Group in the second quarter worth $28,000. Eastern Bank raised its stake in shares of Nebius Group by 66.3% in the third quarter. Eastern Bank now owns 158 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Nebius Group by 76.0% in the second quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 176 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. 21.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Nebius Group Here are the key news stories impacting Nebius Group this week:

Positive Sentiment: Inferize acquisition strengthens AI offerings: Nebius acquired Inferize to enhance its Token Factory inference platform, reduce “cold starts,” improve GPU utilization, and potentially lower idle-capacity costs as AI workloads expand. Nebius Strengthens Token Factory With Inferize Acquisition Positive Sentiment: Large contracted demand provides revenue visibility: Contracts with Microsoft and Meta reportedly total about $32 billion, with potential commitments reaching roughly $49 billion. Microsoft is obligated to pay for contracted capacity even if it does not fully use it, supporting Nebius’ long-term growth outlook. Nebius Has $40 Billion of Customer Commitments Positive Sentiment: Competitive positioning remains favorable: One analysis argues Nebius is winning AI infrastructure customers that CoreWeave cannot serve, citing its balance sheet and ability to expand capacity more quickly. CoreWeave vs. Nebius Neutral Sentiment: Partner-owned infrastructure could improve capital efficiency: Allowing partners to own some buildings and GPUs may reduce Nebius’ capital requirements and risk, but partner economics could also limit the profit retained by shareholders. Can Nebius Earn Better Returns by Letting Partners Own the Hardware? Negative Sentiment: Customer concentration is a risk: Most commitments come from Microsoft and Meta, increasing exposure to the spending plans and creditworthiness of just two customers. Negative Sentiment: CEO sold shares: Chief Executive Officer Arkadiy Volozh sold 37,778 shares for approximately $8.85 million, reducing his stake by 4.59%. Although he still owns a substantial position, the sale may weigh on sentiment. SEC Form 4 filing Negative Sentiment: AI valuation and pricing concerns persist: Investor Michael Burry expects an AI-bubble reversal that could sharply pressure Nebius by mid-2027. Separate commentary says AI compute pricing is already slipping, raising concerns about future margins and the sustainability of high growth expectations. About Nebius Group (Get Free Report)

Nebius Group N.V. is a technology company focused on artificial intelligence infrastructure and related services. Through its Nebius AI business, the company provides cloud-based computing infrastructure designed for developing, training and deploying machine-learning and generative AI applications, including access to accelerated computing, data storage, networking and managed cloud services.

The company also develops tools and services intended to support AI developers and businesses, including data and machine-learning infrastructure.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Nebius Group What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? Datadog’s Rally Has Insiders Selling—Can It Keep Climbing?

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The artificial intelligence (AI) cloud company Nebius (NBIS -4.01%) has gone on a fantastic run over the past 12 months, with its share price soaring 110%. Demand for neocloud companies that rent out data center capacity to tech companies is accelerating, and Nebius is tapping straight into that need.

The trajectory for many AI stocks looks good right now, but where will Nebius be in a few years, and how much might $1,000 invested in the company be worth?

On the bullish side, I think Nebius' shares could double from their current price, turning $1,000 into $2,000 by 2030. Here's why.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

The neoclouds are having their day in the sun The need for data center capacity for AI has accelerated over the past several years, spurring growth in neoclouds that run compute-as-a-service businesses.

While traditional hyperscalers like Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon have their own data centers and cloud services, neoclouds simply rent out compute capacity. This makes companies like Nebius especially critical for tech companies looking to accelerate their AI capacity quickly.

And that's done wonders for Nebius' cloud contracts. The company signed four contracts in the second quarter, each averaging more than $1 billion. And Nebius recently announced a five-year agreement with Meta worth at least $12 billion, with the potential to rise to $15 billion. Palantir also named Nebius as one of its preferred AI infrastructure partners, giving Palantir's customers access to Nebius' infrastructure.

The total amount of Nebius' backlog commitments exceeds $40 billion. Though it's worth mentioning that this hasn't been realized as revenue yet. Still, Nebius' total sales outlook for 2026 is for about $3.2 billion -- more than double its 2025 revenue.

Nebius is building new data centers to meet demand and has said it will have 16 by the end of this year. Nebius is trying to keep up with its customers' needs, and CFO Dado Alonso said on the second-quarter earnings call,

"[O]nce again, we sold out of capacity because, as fast as we bring capacity online, we can sell it."

That's a very good problem to have, and it could keep Nebius' sales accelerating for years to come. Research firm Gartner estimates that neocloud providers could take 20% of the $267 billion AI cloud market by 2030.

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One factor that could keep Nebius stock from accelerating There's one issue that tech investors are starting to side-eye: rising capital expenditures paired with no profits.

Unfortunately, that explains Nebius. Management says capex will be around $22.5 billion this year, at the midpoint of guidance, which is more than 5 times last year's level. That's quite a spending spree, especially when sales are only expected to be just over $3 billion this year.

You don't have to look hard to find AI stocks that are suffering under the weight of their spending. Space Exploration Technologies' capex rose 309% to $28.5 billion in the first half of this year, with most of it directed toward artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, its total sales over the same period were less than half that.

SpaceX's shares are still around their opening trading price from back in June, as investors have questioned whether the spending will eventually translate into profits.

Nebius is a different company from SpaceX, but both rent out AI cloud computing to customers and are spending money freely.

Nebius appears to be on the right track to capitalize on the growing demand for neocloud computing capacity. But if its sales don't start closing the gap to its spending, and if profits don't come fast enough, investors may start cooling on this red-hot AI stock.

The past year has been a tremendous one for Sandisk (SNDK -2.05%), as it has rallied an incredible 1,200%. But at $250 billion in market cap, it's still not among the top tech companies in the world in terms of valuation.

Sandisk's stock has been taking a breather in recent months as it's down around 27% from the high of $2,354 that it hit earlier this year. With a reduced valuation and plenty of growth opportunities due to the ongoing memory shortage, could the tech stock double in value within the next 12 months?

Image source: Getty Images.

Analysts still see plenty of upside for the stockWhile there may be less excitement around Sandisk's stock these days, analysts remain optimistic that it can go higher in the near term. Of 28 analyst ratings, 24 rate the stock a buy (the others are just 'hold'). The consensus analyst price target for Micron is just under $2,114, which implies an upside of around 24% from where it's trading right now.

Analyst price targets reflect expectations about where analysts think the stock will go in the short term, typically over the next 12 to 18 months. While a 24% gain is encouraging, the consensus suggests the stock isn't likely to double within the next 12 months.

However, if the company's upcoming earnings report features a rosy outlook and a significant upgrade to its guidance, analysts could very well raise their price targets for the stock.

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The stock may seem cheap, but I don't think it'll doubleSandisk has achieved impressive growth in recent quarters, and so the stock is trading modestly related to earnings -- its price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple is 23, which is in line with what the S&P 500 average is. But with Sandisk, its growth potential is massive, and thus, it may warrant a higher multiple. Based on its projected future profits, its forward P/E multiple is just eight.

However, investors don't appear willing to pay more for the stock due to uncertainty about how long the memory shortage will last. Once it ends, demand could slow significantly, and prices may also come down. Sandisk and other memory stocks could be vulnerable to significant declines.

Given the uncertainty, investors may thus not be as willing to price Sandisk's stock much higher than where it is right now. While it may still rise in value, particularly if its earnings results and guidance remain promising, I don't think it'll double in value within the next 12 months.

Seagate just shed billions in market cap on a single Toshiba headline, yet its nearline drives are locked into contracts stretching deep into 2027. Whether Friday's selloff was a warning shot or a buying window depends on one question the…

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Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX | STX Price Prediction) is trading at $825.46 after a sharp Friday sell-off. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target is $948.73 over the next 12 months. From today’s price, that works out to 14.9% upside.

Metric Value Current Price $825.46 Price Target from 24/7 Wall St. $948.73 Upside/Downside 14.9% Model Rating HOLD Confidence Level 90% Our model gave Seagate a hold rating when the stock closed Thursday at $945.57. At that price the target sat only 0.33% higher, with high model confidence. Friday’s drop opened a wider gap, and the question now is whether the AI storage cycle has topped out or the market has overreacted.

Toshiba Supply Fears Hit a Triple-Digit Rally Shares fell 12.7% on Friday and are down 8.88% for the week. Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) dropped too after a report on Toshiba’s production raised concern that the AI storage shortage could ease (Investopedia, Barron’s). Even so, Seagate is up 200.75% year to date. The stock trades 27.8% below its 52-week high of $1,143.27 and far above its low of $207.78.

Fiscal Q4 revenue was $3.629 billion, up 48.49% and ahead of the $3.49 billion consensus. EPS came in at $5.71, beating the $5.09 estimate. Management guided fiscal Q1 to $4.1 billion in revenue and $7.30 in EPS.

Locked-In Demand Could Push Shares Past $1,200 Seagate says its nearline capacity is “almost fully allocated through calendar 2027“, and its build-to-order contracts set pricing through fiscal 2027. Mozaic 4 holds up to 44 terabytes per drive, and Mozaic 5 targets 50 terabytes with qualification shipments planned for late 2027.

Management raised its annual revenue growth target to a minimum of 20%. Analysts count 22 Buy or Strong Buy ratings and set a consensus target of $1,125. Our bull case is $1,220.53, which would be 47.9% above today’s price.

Supply Relief Is the Threat Bears Are Pricing In Friday’s sell-off reflects the main risk: if competitors add supply, hard drive pricing could moderate. Cloud customer concentration, tariffs and possible dilution from the Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2028 add to that risk.

The bear case is $720.21, or 12.8% below today’s price. On the other side, contracted pricing protects fiscal 2027 margins, and Seagate grows capacity through areal density rather than by adding units.

Seagate Outgrows Western Digital and NetApp Western Digital is Seagate’s direct hard drive rival. Its revenue grew 43.84% and its non-GAAP gross margin reached 54.4%, slightly above Seagate’s 52.7%.

NetApp (NASDAQ:NTAP) sells AI data infrastructure built on flash. Its revenue grew 29.89%, which is slower than Seagate. Seagate’s faster growth supports a premium, so the peer group makes our target look reasonable.

Company Market Cap Latest Quarter Revenue Growth Seagate $187.45B 48.49% Western Digital $145.2B 43.84% NetApp $45.17B 29.89% Seagate Price Prediction 2026-2030 The 24/7 Wall St. price target remains $948.73, with the model’s hold rating set at 90% confidence. Seagate’s contracted capacity is what tips the scale for me.

The key test is whether pricing holds through fiscal 2027 contract renewals. Keep an eye on whether Toshiba’s added production starts to drag down revenue per terabyte. Friday’s drop looks larger than the fundamentals support.

Here is where our model projects Seagate would trade assuming present trends continue:

Year Price Target from 24/7 Wall St. 2026 $948.73 2027 $955.92 2028 $939.45 2029 $990.12 2030 $1,049.49 These projections assume Seagate keeps executing its Mozaic roadmap. Faster HAMR adoption could drive results well above these figures, and a supply glut could drive them well below.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

A big reason investors are bullish on the long-term trajectory of Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SPCX +5.78%), better known as just SpaceX, is due to its visionary CEO, Elon Musk. Without Musk, I don't believe the stock would have been able to fetch a valuation anywhere near $2 trillion. But with his ability to grow businesses and sky-high expectations for future growth, growth investors are drawn to his companies.

But there have also been times when Musk's role as CEO hasn't been all that great for shareholders. A year ago, when he was working closely with the government, Tesla's stock struggled, largely due to negative press surrounding Musk and questions about his leadership.

Now, Musk is back to working with the U.S. government. Here's why that could be a concerning development for SpaceX investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

Musk appointed to taskforce relating to the future of warfareLast week, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that Musk will co-lead a project related to studying the future of warfare, called "Project Meridian." It's planned as a 120-day project aimed at “identifying the capabilities required to achieve absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield."

Musk was previously involved with the Department of Government Efficiency last year, which received significant negative press for its aggressive cost-cutting measures. Musk was seen as the figurehead for that initiative, and his company, Tesla, nosedived amid the drama. From Jan. 20, 2025, through April 30, 2025, the stock fell by 34%, while the S&P 500 declined by a more modest 7%. Musk would ultimately leave the position shortly afterward, and Tesla's stock would end up recovering.

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Why SpaceX stock could be more vulnerableMusk, working closely with the U.S. government, could once again create a ripple effect for his companies. SpaceX, however, with a monstrous valuation of $2.2 trillion, could be much more vulnerable to a significant decline. Unlike Tesla, it isn't profitable. Investors are bullish on the stock's long-term future, and thus a fair degree of speculation is inevitable. If there's a repeat of DOGE and plenty of negative press surrounding Musk's latest initiative with the government, that could once again weigh on his companies, with SpaceX potentially being the most vulnerable due to its high valuation.

This is the type of risk that SpaceX investors need to be cognizant of before buying the space stock, since its value depends more on expectations and Musk's management of the company than on its fundamentals, which don't support the stock's incredibly high valuation. Speculation and volatility are an inevitability with SpaceX, and investors who aren't comfortable with that may be better off sitting on the sidelines.

Options traders are betting on a single Elon Musk empire, and prediction markets now put the odds of a Tesla and SpaceX merger at better than coin-flip. What the latest delivery numbers, insider comments, and Polymarket contracts reveal about where…

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Options traders treat Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA | TSLA Price Prediction) and SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) as one Elon Musk trade. The two stocks now trade at a 30-day correlation of roughly 0.7, so when one of the stocks rises or falls, the other usually does, too. Tesla options drew over $400 million in total premium, with over 70% tied to calls. SpaceX options volume ran at more than twice the 30-day average, with over $250 million in contracts traded by mid-morning.

Options Flow Shows Traders Pricing a Single Musk Empire SpaceX supplied the spark. The stock is on its best two-day run since August, up almost 12%, after its fastest-ever Falcon 9 launch-to-docking at the International Space Station, which took under eight hours. Tesla brought its own catalyst: Q3 deliveries of 486,000, ahead of the 462,000 analysts expected. By midday Monday, Tesla shares were up 2.2% at $378.79.

Polymarket Odds Now Tilt Toward a Merger by 2027 Polymarket turns that trade into clear odds. Traders put a 62.5% chance on a Tesla-SpaceX merger being officially announced by December 31, 2027, and that Yes price has risen 0.165 over the past month. The June 30, 2027 contract trades at 42.5%, although it fell 0.11 this past week. Earlier contracts with June 30 and September 30, 2026 deadlines both resolved No.

A Yes result would need an official announcement that one Musk company is acquiring or merging with the other, or a sale that transfers a controlling interest. An investment that stops short of control does not count. The market is also small, with total volume of about $277,000.

Existing Ties Keep Merger Talk Alive The two companies already work closely together. Tesla is building a semiconductor fab with SpaceX at its Gigafactory Texas campus, and it has a $2B investment in xAI preferred stock. SpaceX already merged with xAI in February in a $1.25 trillion deal. In Q2 2026, Tesla booked a $1 billion mark-to-market gain on its SpaceX holdings.

Asked about combining the companies on the July call, Musk said, “Obviously, we can’t talk about combining companies,” and added that “it’s got to be done with the appropriate process.” On September 28, Jim Cramer said “there is nothing stopping” Musk from merging the two.

What Tesla Holders Should Track Before Any Deal News Tesla shares are down 15.7% this year, from $449.72 at year-end 2025. SpaceX is up less than 4% since its June 12 debut. Tesla’s Q2 EPS of $0.33 missed the $0.54 estimate, and its operating margin narrowed to 1.4% as AI spending rose. Even after that miss, the stock trades at about 386 times earnings.

To be clear, no merger has been announced, so any business combination is speculation at this point. The next things to watch are Tesla’s Q3 report later this month and any potential hint of a deal from Musk or Tesla’s board.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

by Todd Bishop on

Pedram Rezaei, a 20-year Microsoft veteran, is joining Amazon Web Services as a distinguished engineer. (Amazon Photo) A longtime Microsoft engineering leader who was previously a Copilot chief technology officer is joining Amazon Web Services to work on its competing AI tools for coding and workplace productivity.

Pedram Rezaei, a nearly 20-year Microsoft veteran who was most recently a corporate vice president on the Microsoft Superintelligence team, starts Monday as a distinguished engineer in the AWS Agentic AI and Emerging Technologies organization, led by Swami Sivasubramanian.

Rezaei will work initially on Kiro, the AWS coding tool, and Quick, Amazon’s AI assistant for workplace tasks, Sivasubramanian wrote in a memo to his team Monday. “He is a hands-on engineer who is still in the code every day, and he plans to keep it that way here,” he added.

Kiro’s user count doubled from the first quarter to the second, and monthly AI users for Quick grew fourfold, according to the memo. Rezaei’s plan for his first few months is to “meet people, learn how things work here, and ship something real,” Sivasubramanian wrote.

Sivasubramanian’s organization was expanded in July to include emerging technologies, part of a broader reshuffling of Amazon’s AI teams.

The hire comes as Amazon and Microsoft compete more directly in AI tools for work. Microsoft last month unveiled an all-in-one Copilot app that combines chat, coding and agents, its answer to OpenAI and Anthropic. Amazon made its Quick desktop app generally available in September and brought its main features to mobile.

Rezaei joined Microsoft in 2006 and held senior technical roles on Power BI, Dynamics 365, Cortana, Bing and Azure Maps before moving to Copilot, according to his LinkedIn profile. He became Copilot’s CTO in February and moved to the Microsoft Superintelligence team in June, according to the profile. Sivasubramanian’s memo said Rezaei was most recently working on training foundation models.

We’ve contacted Microsoft for comment on his departure.

Rezaei is the latest Microsoft executive to move to AWS this year. Shawn Bice returned to AWS in May from a security role at Microsoft to lead its Automated Reasoning Group.

In his memo Monday, Sivasubramanian also told his team that two longtime AWS engineers, Marvin Theimer and Reto Kramer, have returned to work on neurosymbolic AI and automated reasoning, which he called “one of our biggest bets for the future.” Both came back from Microsoft, according to their LinkedIn profiles.

Neurosymbolic AI pairs large language models with rule-based systems that can check whether an AI agent is following a company’s policies and procedures.

Speaking at Madrona’s IA40 Summit in Seattle last week, Sivasubramanian said nearly every CIO and CEO raises the same question about AI agents. “How do I know it is always going to obey all my rules and regulations?” he said. “This is a real concern.”

Solving that problem “actually unlocks so many use cases for all these enterprises,” he added.

Theimer, an AWS distinguished engineer for nine years before leaving in 2022, joined Microsoft in July 2024 as a corporate vice president and technical architect and stayed until March. It was his second stint at the company, where he worked from 1998 to 2006. He rejoined AWS in July as a vice president and distinguished engineer.

Kramer, who led an automated reasoning team at AWS before leaving in 2023, joined Microsoft in September 2025 as vice president of Security Platform & AI and stayed until May. He rejoined AWS in September as vice president of applied science.

Sivasubramanian hinted at more hires to come, writing that Rezaei joins “as we continue to build out our technical leadership team to help take on the ambitious work we have planned.”

Key Takeaways Citigroup expands Citi Token Services to Japan and the UAE, reaching seven markets globally.C's token platform enables near-instant fund transfers and supports treasury and liquidity management.Citigroup expects Services revenues to grow at a low to mid-single-digit rate in 2027-2028. Citigroup Inc. (C - Free Report) is taking Citi Token Services to Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), broadening its digital payments network across key financial hubs and potentially supporting growth in its Services franchise.

The move comes as corporations increasingly seek faster and more flexible ways to manage liquidity across markets. Built on a private and permissioned blockchain, Citi Token Services enables near-instantaneous movement of funds within Citigroup’s network, helping clients overcome traditional banking cut-off times, holidays and time-zone constraints. This can make cross-border liquidity management more efficient while strengthening C’s transaction banking offering.

With the addition of Japan and the UAE, Citi Token Services is now available across seven markets, including the United States, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Japan will support USD transactions, while the UAE will support USD and euro transactions. The platform already processes billions of dollars in transactions and supports collateral management, potentially making it increasingly integral to clients’ treasury operations and expanding opportunities across payments, liquidity management and institutional finance.

The latest expansion builds on C’s broader rollout of Token Services. Launched commercially in 2024 following an initial Singapore-New York pilot, the platform was integrated with Citigroup’s 24/7 U.S. dollar Clearing capabilities in 2025 and subsequently expanded to support euro transactions through its Dublin operations. The addition of Japan and the UAE extends the platform’s reach across additional financial centers and currencies, advancing the company’s strategy of connecting traditional financial infrastructure with emerging digital networks.

For Citigroup, the opportunity extends beyond payments, as a wider tokenized network will likely increase cross-border transaction activity, deepen corporate relationships and create opportunities in payments, cash management and transaction banking. The initiative aligns with its 2026 Investor Day strategy, which identified tokenization and next-generation platforms as longer-term Services growth drivers. With Services revenues expected to grow at a low to mid-single-digit rate in 2027-2028, greater adoption of Citi Token Services could strengthen C’s position in global transaction banking and support the franchise’s longer-term growth.

How Are Other Banks Expanding Digital Payments?HSBC Holdings (HSBC - Free Report) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM - Free Report) are also expanding digital payment capabilities to strengthen cross-border transactions, liquidity management and corporate client relationships.

HSBC Holdings expanded its Tokenized Deposit Service to the UAE in June 2026, following its U.S. rollout in April. HSBC Holdings enables eligible clients to move funds 24/7 across borders, supporting faster liquidity and treasury management. This expansion could further strengthen HSBC Holdings’ digital payments franchise.

JPMorgan partnered with Mitsubishi Corporation in March 2026 to enable global payments through its Kinexys blockchain platform. It has processed more than $3 trillion in Kinexys transactions, supporting faster cross-border transfers and liquidity management. Broader adoption could further strengthen JPMorgan’s payments franchise.

Citigroup’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesIn the past six months, shares of Citigroup have gained 9.5% compared with the industry’s 9.8% growth.

6-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Citigroup trades at a 12-month forward price-to-earnings (P/E) of 10.25X, below the industry’s average of 12.73X.

P/E F12M
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for C’s 2026 and 2027 earnings implies year-over-year increases of 40.4% and 15.8%, respectively. Both estimates have been revised downward over the past week.

Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Currently, Citigroup carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can seethe complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Walmart shares have shed nearly a quarter of their value from the 52-week high, yet one Wall Street strategist sees a path to gains that would dwarf the average analyst target. Here is what the bull case rests on and…

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Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT | WMT Price Prediction) trades at $104.26. The average analyst price target stands at $126.78, which means 21.6% upside.

Walmart runs the largest discount store chain in the U.S., plus Sam’s Club and fast-growing advertising, marketplace, and membership businesses. Tigress Financial’s Chief Investment Strategist Ivan Feinseth set a Street-high $155 target, means 48.7% upside.

A Strong Quarter Couldn’t Stop a 23% Slide From the High The selloff accelerated after second-quarter earnings when weak guidance outweighed strong results. Adjusted EPS of $0.81 beat the $0.74 consensus, and revenue rose 5.9%. Management guided third-quarter EPS to $0.62 to $0.64, below the prior $0.6834 estimate. The consensus has since fallen to $0.6352, with 29 downward revisions and no upward ones.

Three headwinds pressured guidance. Walmart expects more than $2 billion in extra fuel costs, new drug pricing rules are cutting about 125 basis points from U.S. comparable sales, and Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale creates a third-quarter headwind of more than 100 basis points.

Shares sit 22.7% below the 52-week high of $134.84 and below the 200-day moving average of $118.32. For a stock with a beta of 0.595 and a valuation near 38 times trailing earnings, that is a steep pullback.

Why the Street’s Biggest Bull Still Sees a Path to $155 Tigress says Walmart is becoming a higher-margin business. Global advertising grew 38%, Walmart Connect grew 43%, U.S. marketplace sales jumped 52%, and membership income rose 17%. Management said about half of operating profit growth came from these platform businesses.

E-commerce supports the efficiency side of the thesis. U.S. online sales grew more than 20% for the 10th consecutive quarter and posted double-digit incremental margins in the first half. Automated facilities now handle more than 50% of e-commerce fulfillment volume.

Analysts remain generally positive. The 43 covering analysts break down as follows:

Strong Buy: 10 Buy: 27 Hold: 5 Strong Sell: 1 Their numbers have been slipping, though. The EPS consensus for the fiscal year ending in January 2028 fell to $3.2255 from $3.2858 90 days ago. Over the past 30 days, analysts cut that estimate 25 times and raised it only 4 times. At that EPS, a $155 stock would trade at about 48 times forward earnings, versus about 32 times today. The near-term catalysts are the third-quarter report and market share gains from more than 11,000 price rollbacks, which are funded by about $2.9 billion in tariff refunds.

Walmart Fell While Target Held Its Gains The peer group held up while Walmart fell. Target (NYSE:TGT) is up 63.92% this year at $155.99. Its $164.68 target means just 5.6% upside, and Hold ratings lead with 22, while 12 analysts rate it Buy or Strong Buy and 4 rate it Strong Sell.

Walmart has the largest consensus upside in the group. That makes it the clearest case of a gap between the share price and analyst targets.

Walmart Sits Well Below Its Average Analyst Target At $104.26, Walmart stands 21.6% below the $126.78 average target set by 43 analysts. Price targets are estimates, and they can be wrong.

I Lean Toward Walmart, but $155 Is a Stretch Optimists get a boost if advertising, marketplace and membership keep growing faster than retail sales, and if the rollbacks lead to lasting share gains that lift fourth-quarter results. Risks grow if fuel costs and pharmacy deflation keep driving estimates lower, because a multiple near 32 times forward earnings leaves little room for cuts.

I lean bullish. Walmart raised full-year EPS guidance to $2.80 to $2.87 and still has $25.1 billion left in its buyback authorization. The consensus target looks reachable. Tigress’s $155 needs both earnings growth and a higher valuation, so it represents the best-case scenario.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Argent Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE – Free Report) by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 514,892 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 28,981 shares during the period. Hewlett Packard Enterprise comprises approximately 0.2% of Argent Capital Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Argent Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $32,896,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of HPE. Capital World Investors acquired a new stake in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 4th quarter worth approximately $901,751,000. Elliott Investment Management L.P. boosted its position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 47.2% during the 1st quarter. Elliott Investment Management L.P. now owns 27,421,735 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $652,912,000 after purchasing an additional 8,790,757 shares during the period. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC acquired a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,027,139,000. Primecap Management Co. CA bought a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the 2nd quarter worth $773,225,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 6.1% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 13,088,774 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $590,435,000 after buying an additional 756,972 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.78% of the company’s stock.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Price Performance Shares of NYSE:HPE traded down $1.06 during trading on Monday, reaching $68.27. The company had a trading volume of 6,863,687 shares, compared to its average volume of 21,286,521. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $55.81 and its 200 day moving average is $43.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $90.63 billion, a PE ratio of 35.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.39. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company has a twelve month low of $19.84 and a twelve month high of $70.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 1.11.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 2nd. The technology company reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $12.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.97 billion. Hewlett Packard Enterprise had a net margin of 6.60% and a return on equity of 15.50%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 33.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.44 earnings per share. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 1.200-1.300 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 3.750-3.850 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company will post 3.34 EPS for the current year. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 16th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 17th will be issued a $0.1425 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 17th. This represents a $0.57 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s dividend payout ratio is 29.69%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have recently issued reports on HPE. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $79.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $75.00 price objective (up from $70.00) on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a research report on Thursday. Daiwa Securities Group raised shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $75.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday. Raymond James Financial raised their price target on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $74.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $59.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Hewlett Packard Enterprise presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.06.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on HPE

Insider Activity at Hewlett Packard Enterprise In related news, Director Gary M. Reiner sold 17,000 shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.91, for a total transaction of $967,470.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 65,072 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,703,247.52. The trade was a 20.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Antonio Neri sold 250,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.44, for a total transaction of $15,110,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,432,393 shares in the company, valued at approximately $86,573,832.92. This trade represents a 14.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 301,456 shares of company stock valued at $18,193,758 over the last 90 days. 0.44% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:HPE) is a global technology company that provides information technology products, services and solutions for businesses, governments and other organizations. Its offerings are designed to help customers build, manage and secure data center, cloud and edge-computing environments.

HPE’s portfolio includes enterprise servers, high-performance computing systems, data storage, networking equipment, software and technology consulting services. The company also provides hybrid cloud and as-a-service solutions through HPE GreenLake, allowing customers to access and manage computing, storage, data protection and other IT capabilities through a flexible consumption model.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Hewlett Packard Enterprise What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You? Datadog’s Rally Has Insiders Selling—Can It Keep Climbing?

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Caterpillar
CAT +1.04% 84

, the construction, mining and distributed-power equipment company, won Morgan Stanley's backing as strategists favored high-quality industrial names, lifting shares 0.5% to $849.54 at 11.45am ET on Oct. 5. The stock sits 83.52% above its $462.92 GF Value estimate, signaling that investors have already priced in plenty of future growth.

The operating engine is delivering. Caterpillar's second-quarter results showed revenue jumping 24% to a record $20.5 billion, while adjusted operating margin reached 21.9%. Its Helios platform adds another layer, powering analytics, machine learning and AI tools across connected equipment.

The AI angle cuts both ways—in a good sense. Caterpillar can sell power equipment into data centers while using software and autonomy to make customers more productive. But valuation is the pressure point. At such a steep premium to GF Value, backlog conversion and recurring digital revenue must keep climbing to justify the next leg higher.

Check the Warning Signs for

CAT

now!

Wall Street warmed to Synopsys's (SNPS -0.46%) recent investor day presentation, with several analysts promptly hiking price targets, including a Deutsche Bank analyst who maintained a buy rating and raised the target to $640 from $590.

Analysts liked the tech company's growth targets and the multi-year agreement with Amazon.com, which supported its long-term growth aspirations. Are they right to be enthusiastic? I think so, and here's why.

Synopsys is moving to where the AI market is heading The company's roots lie in electronic design automation (EDA) solutions that help customers --  predominantly semiconductor companies -- design and test chips. That's still a major end market for the company, but chip design is moving beyond traditional semiconductor companies and into a wider range of end-market customers. At the same time, the rapid expansion of physical AI (think autonomous vehicles and robots) is increasing the need for computing power in increasingly complex systems.

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Moneyball Superscore

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The growth opportunity is encapsulated in the announcement of a $1 billion multi-year agreement with Amazon, whereby the hyperscaler will accelerate its "custom silicon innovation and advance the development of increasingly complex AI-powered products."

Meanwhile, Synopsys continues to integrate its acquisition of the engineering simulation solutions company Ansys as it strives to offer a suite of "silicon-to-systems" solutions to an ever-increasing range of customers. By adding Ansys (systems testing) to its silicon design solutions, Synopsys can let customers design and modify chips while also testing their designs.

Image source: Getty Images.

Growth targets from investor day These factors combine to create an opportunity for Synopsys to develop what management calls "differentiated silicon tailored to specific workloads and system architectures." It's an opportunity that management sees as leading to the following over the long term:

Mid-teens revenue growth Operating margin of 50% by 2030, compared to about 44% in 2026 Earnings-per-share growth (EPS) in the mid-20% range Free cash flow (FCF) growth in the mid-20% range Those are pretty aggressive targets, and based on management's guidance for 2026 and 2027, a rough estimate for EPS in 2030 could be $0.37, with FCF of $6 billion. Those estimates would put Synopsys at a price-to-earnings multiple of about 13 and a price-to-FCF multiple of about 15.3 in 2030. These valuations are highly attractive for a company growing at such a rate.

Image source: Getty Images.

Where next for Synopsys? There's no guarantee that these end markets will grow organically in line with Synopsys' expectations, especially since they rely on assumptions about new market growth and technological adoption that might not unfold as smoothly as management's estimates anticipate.

On the other hand, in-house chip design is growing in response to the increasing complexity and demands of physical AI development. Those trends are powerful, and the customer Synopsys just signed, Amazon, is a great example of the kind of lead customer driving that evolution. All this makes Synopsys an excellent stock option for AI bulls.

Key Takeaways Verizon is joining AT&T and T-Mobile in a venture using satellites to expand wireless coverage.VZ will use direct-to-device satellite services to provide backup connectivity during disruptions.Common technical standards could improve compatibility, innovation and efficient spectrum use. Verizon Communications (VZ - Free Report) has entered into a joint venture with AT&T Inc. (T - Free Report) and T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS - Free Report) to expand wireless coverage and reduce mobile dead zones across the United States. The partnership will use satellite connectivity to help provide mobile service to rural, remote and underserved areas where traditional networks have limited reach.

Through this venture, Verizon will complement its existing network with satellite connectivity, helping users stay connected when traditional mobile service is unavailable. Its focus on direct-to-device services will let compatible devices connect to satellite networks while providing backup connectivity during natural disasters or other network disruptions. The initiative is expected to reduce coverage gaps, improve reliability and provide more satellite service options.

The partnership will help Verizon adopt common technical standards that improve compatibility among devices, operating systems and satellite networks, making it easier to introduce new connectivity services. It could also encourage competition and innovation in satellite services, support more efficient use of licensed spectrum and help the company improve network performance while enhancing the overall service experience.

Existing carrier-satellite agreements will remain in place, allowing Verizon to continue its independent connectivity initiatives alongside the new venture. This will give the company an additional platform to extend coverage, strengthen network reliability and provide greater connectivity across the United States.

How Are Competitors Advancing?Verizon faces competition from Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN - Free Report) and Optimum Communications, Inc. (OPTU - Free Report) . Lumen is expanding its fiber network to support growing demand for high-speed connectivity from businesses and data centers. The company is improving its infrastructure to increase capacity and support cloud computing, AI and other data-intensive applications. These investments are helping Lumen improve network performance and provide more reliable connectivity across key markets.

Optimum is strengthening its fiber footprint to bring high-speed broadband to more homes and businesses. The company is advancing its infrastructure to support higher data usage and improve service performance. Optimum is investing in network upgrades to support the growing use of cloud, streaming and other data-intensive services.

VZ’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesVerizon’s shares have gained 10.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 119.6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Verizon trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 8.77, significantly below the industry average of 37.6.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings estimates for 2026 have remained static at $5.03 per share, while the same for 2027 have increased 0.2% to $5.30 over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Argent Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET – Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 121,303 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $11,422,000.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in MetLife during the second quarter worth approximately $4,381,692,000. Pzena Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife during the second quarter valued at about $941,792,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 5.9% in the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 6,026,518 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $509,904,000 after purchasing an additional 336,794 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in MetLife during the second quarter valued at approximately $455,424,000. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of MetLife in the second quarter worth $326,904,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MetLife Stock Up 2.1% NYSE:MET traded up $2.00 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $96.43. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,059,373 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,631,547. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.20 and a quick ratio of 0.20. The company has a market cap of $62.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 0.78. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $67.33 and a one year high of $100.93. The business’s 50-day moving average is $96.51 and its 200-day moving average is $86.78.

MetLife (NYSE:MET – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $13.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.67 billion. MetLife had a return on equity of 23.39% and a net margin of 4.57%.The business’s revenue was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.02 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.83 EPS for the current year. MetLife announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, August 5th that authorizes the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to reacquire up to 4.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

MetLife Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 4th were issued a dividend of $0.5925 per share. This represents a $2.37 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is 45.40%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of MetLife from $106.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on MetLife from $105.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Atlantic Securities set a $103.00 price objective on MetLife in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of MetLife in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on MetLife from $102.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $104.69.

View Our Latest Analysis on MetLife

About MetLife (Free Report)

MetLife, Inc is a global financial services company that provides insurance, employee benefits and retirement solutions. Its products and services include life insurance, dental and vision coverage, disability insurance, accident and health benefits, annuities, and savings and retirement products.

The company serves individuals, employers and institutions through group benefits, workplace solutions and individual insurance offerings. MetLife also provides investment and retirement services designed to help employers and employees prepare for long-term financial needs.

Founded in 1868, MetLife is headquartered in New York City and operates through businesses in the United States and international markets, including regions across Latin America, Asia and Europe.

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Brazilian e-commerce software company StoneCo (STNE +21.41%) stock took off like a rocket Monday, soaring 24.8% through 10:50 a.m. ET.

You can thank the voters of Brazil for that.

Image source: Getty Images.

Election Brazil 2026

Brazil wrapped up its first round of voting for a new President last night, with conservative candidate Flávio Bolsonaro -- son of the former President Jair Bolsonaro and a Brazilian senator in his own right -- outpolling incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva47.3% to 44.8%, with 98% of votes counted.

https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/flavio-bolsonaro-surges-past-lula-setting-up-a-bitter-brazil-election-runoff-0432b9c5

Bolsonaro the younger didn't win the election outright; he'd have needed more than 50% of the vote to do so. He does seem well-positioned to win the presidency, however, when a second round of voting is held on Oct. 25. As The Wall Street Journal reports, "other right-wing candidates" won about 5% of the votes in the first round. Those voters are more likely to vote for Bolsonaro than for Lula. If even half of them swing their votes to Bolsonaro, it's likely to put him over the top.

What does any of this have to do with StoneCo?

Although incorporated in the Cayman Islands, StoneCo is a Brazilian company, and investors are presumably thinking today that a Bolsonaro victory will be good for Brazilian stocks. As the Journal points out, voters are upset about high taxes and Lula's "stewardship of the economy." Investors seem to agree and think that change will be good for the economy and for StoneCo stock.

It wouldn't take much to prove them right.

Priced at just 3.6 times trailing earnings, StoneCo stock is priced to move. With analysts already forecasting the company would grow earnings more than 16% annually over the next five years, this stock could perform well... whoever ends up winning the election.

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