Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Apple's new CEO John Ternus faces his first real test before he has even settled in, as customers weigh whether to absorb two price increases inside two weeks or simply sit out the upgrade cycle entirely.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) is asking customers to pay more on two fronts inside a fortnight, and the second raise arrives today. Apple stock trades at $316.06, down 0.1% in Wednesday morning trading, and it’s up 17% year to date.

Two broad benchmarks are drifting alongside the launch. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) trades at $763.94, down 0.3%. Meanwhile, the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) sits at $718.29, practically unchanged.

Two Price Hikes in Two Weeks Apple raised the U.S. Apple TV subscription to $14.99 a month from $12.99, per a MacRumors report dated August 28. Today’s product event is expected to widen the hardware ask, with CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos reporting the Street looks for like-for-like iPhone price increases of $200 to $500 versus comparable iPhone 17 models.

Former CEO Tim Cook had framed the hardware repricing as forced by supply-chain math on Apple’s fiscal Q3 2026 call, saying Apple “reluctantly raised prices” because of a “100-year flood on the memory pricing.” Apple posted revenue of $109.42 billion, up 16.4% year over year, with iPhone revenue of $54.3 billion and Services of $30.7 billion.

The Bundle Took a Raise, Too The streaming increase didn’t travel alone. Apple One Individual went to $21.95 a month from $19.95 on the same day, since the bundle carries Apple TV inside it. Apple One Family and Apple One Premier held steady that day, but only because both had already been raised in July alongside an Apple Music increase. Read across the summer and the count isn’t two price increases in a fortnight. It’s a rolling sequence that started well before the September event, with Apple One Individual the last plan to get pulled up to the new line.

The Apple TV ladder is steeper than the single step suggests. The service launched in 2019 at $4.99 a month. It moved to $6.99 in 2022, to $9.99 in 2023, to $12.99 in 2025, and now to $14.99, with the annual plan going to $119 from $99. That’s four increases against one launch price, and the U.S. wasn’t alone: Brazil, Chile and Mexico were repriced the same day, while every other market was left untouched.

The revenue lands on a delay, which matters for how fast any of this reaches the Services line. New subscribers pay the higher rate immediately, while existing subscribers are notified roughly a month before their renewal bills at the new price. That gap is also the window in which cancellations happen, so the increase gets tested by subscribers before it gets counted by Apple. Whether it holds is Ternus’s problem, not Cook’s.

Streaming Peers Face the Same Playbook Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) says its own hikes are landing well. Netflix Q2 2026 revenue reached $12.56 billion, up 13.4%, and Greg Peters stated “our recent price adjustments are going well on the pricing side.” Netflix stock is down 18% year to date.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) leaned on the same lever, with Entertainment SVOD subscription revenue growing 15% in fiscal Q3 2026 on rate and volume. Spotify Technology (NYSE:SPOT) crossed 300 million Premium subscribers with ARPU up 7% to $5.63. Disney shares are down 8.27% year to date, and Spotify shares are down 8.93%.

What Ternus Inherits John Ternus stepped in as Apple’s chief executive on August 31, which means the streaming raise and the memory-cost reasoning both belong to Cook. What Ternus owns is execution: whether customers absorb a second increase inside two weeks or hold their current iPhone for another cycle.

Apple stock carries a P/E ratio of 41x and a market cap near $4.61 trillion, so pricing follow-through matters for the multiple. Investors can size their positions with room to add if the hardware bump sticks and its gross margin holds inside the guided 47% to 48% September-quarter range. Shareholders may want to keep an eye on whether iPhone upgrade rates cool after a $200 to $500 like-for-like step up.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC lowered its stake in Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META – Free Report) by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 33,983 shares of the social networking company’s stock after selling 2,104 shares during the quarter. Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC’s holdings in Meta Platforms were worth $19,143,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of META. RHL Group LLC bought a new stake in Meta Platforms in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Meta Platforms in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Advantage Trust Co acquired a new stake in Meta Platforms in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Axiom Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Meta Platforms in the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Safe Harbor Fiduciary LLC bought a new stake in shares of Meta Platforms during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.91% of the company’s stock.

Meta Platforms Stock Down 0.5% META opened at $613.48 on Wednesday. Meta Platforms, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $520.26 and a fifty-two week high of $790.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.56 trillion, a P/E ratio of 23.11, a PEG ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.25. The company’s 50-day moving average is $598.23 and its 200 day moving average is $608.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.23 and a quick ratio of 2.23.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The social networking company reported $6.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.19 by ($1.01). The firm had revenue of $60.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.22 billion. Meta Platforms had a return on equity of 33.18% and a net margin of 29.83%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $7.14 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Meta Platforms, Inc. will post 28.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $825.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $800.00 to $750.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Meta Platforms from $830.00 to $780.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Mizuho set a $750.00 target price on shares of Meta Platforms in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Meta Platforms from $766.00 to $715.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty-four have given a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Meta Platforms has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $785.22.

Get Our Latest Analysis on META

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

Positive Sentiment: Meta launched Muse, a personal AI agent that can interact with Facebook, Instagram and third-party applications to perform tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, shopping and making payments. The product includes free and paid subscription tiers, offering a potential new revenue stream beyond digital advertising. Meta launches AI agent that can access other apps to send emails, make payments Positive Sentiment: The rollout follows the release of Muse Spark 1.3, a model aimed at coding and extended agentic tasks. Investors viewed the development as evidence that Meta’s substantial AI investment could eventually generate financial returns; Bank of America reportedly continues to see meaningful upside in the stock. Meta stock jumps 4% after Muse Spark 1.3: why BofA still sees 32% upside Positive Sentiment: Meta and Panmnesia proposed a data-center architecture designed to connect computing resources more tightly for extremely large AI models. The initiative supports Meta’s strategy of building extensive AI infrastructure and could improve long-term computing efficiency. One Chip, One Datacenter: Meta and Panmnesia Extend Tight Coupling Beyond the Rack with CXL Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and investors remain divided over Meta’s large AI infrastructure spending, reportedly including a potential $130 billion capital-expenditure commitment. Strong advertising growth and user monetization support the investment case, but the scale of spending raises execution and return-on-investment concerns. Wall Street Keeps Asking How Much Meta Will Spend Negative Sentiment: Muse increases Meta’s exposure to privacy, security and consumer-trust concerns because it can access sensitive information and act across other applications. Reports noted internal concerns about potential misuse or mishandling of personal data, which could increase regulatory and reputational risks. Meta pushes into personal AI agents as company faces public reckoning over privacy and safety Negative Sentiment: Meta faces continuing legal pressure, including a reported lawsuit alleging facial-recognition data was used to train smart-glasses systems. Separately, the company’s chief accounting officer sold 3,240 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan; the planned nature of the sale reduces its significance, but insider selling may weigh modestly on sentiment. Insider Transactions at Meta Platforms In other news, CFO Susan Li sold 9,196 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $550.61, for a total value of $5,063,409.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 13,186 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,260,343.46. This represents a 41.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, COO Javier Olivan sold 3,348 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $600.97, for a total value of $2,012,047.56. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 9,498 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,708,013.06. The trade was a 26.06% 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. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 36,227 shares of company stock worth $21,205,509. 13.53% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Meta Platforms Company Profile (Free Report)

Meta Platforms, Inc develops technologies that help people connect, communicate and build communities online. The company’s principal products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, which enable social networking, messaging, content sharing and digital communication.

Meta generates most of its business through advertising displayed across its family of apps. It also develops artificial intelligence technologies, business messaging tools and hardware and software through its Reality Labs division, including Quest virtual- and mixed-reality devices and related experiences.

The company was founded as Facebook in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and was renamed Meta Platforms in 2021 to reflect its broader focus on building the metaverse.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Meta Platforms Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For Want to see what other hedge funds are holding META? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META – Free Report).

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Mark Zuckerberg shared on a podcast how he is using Muse, Meta's new AI agent. Bloomberg/Getty Images Mark Zuckerberg is testing Meta's new personal AI agent with a decidedly low-stakes assignment: helping him bake with his 3-year-old daughter.

Speaking on the "Sources" podcast released on Tuesday, the Meta CEO said he set up the agent, called Muse, to plan a baking project for them every weekend.

Its job is to pick something manageable for a toddler and an adult who knows little about baking, then use a service such as Instacart to make sure the ingredients are ready.

The early verdict? Muse may need to adjust its difficulty settings.

"Cake pops, really difficult, surprisingly difficult," Zuckerberg said. "Don't start with cake pops."

Zuckerberg said he reports back after each project so the agent can learn what worked and what didn't.

"You give it projects, or you give it goals," Zuckerberg said. "And then it just works, and it works 24-7, and it doesn't stop until it's helped achieve the goal."

You can see Zuckerberg's comments below:

The example reflects one of Meta's broader claims about Muse. Unlike a chatbot that simply responds to a prompt, it is designed to pursue longer-term tasks, work in the background, and retain information about a user's preferences.

He said he is also using Muse for other family-related tasks.

The agent watches for mountain-climbing permits for his older daughter and alerts him when one becomes available. It also created a guide to "Civilization" — a video game about building societies — for another of his daughters, then suggested turning it into a history lesson.

Away from parenting, Zuckerberg uses Muse to review footage from cameras in his MMA gym. Its feedback can be blunt: "It looks like you really gave up," he said the agent once told him.

"I was like, yeah, I did. I was really tired right there," Zuckerberg said.

Meta plans to offer Muse with what Zuckerberg described as a large free allowance — about 100 million tokens a week — alongside a paid subscription option.

The company says the agent could eventually help users run small businesses, manage ad campaigns, and handle other tasks that require access to outside services.

That ambition requires users to trust Muse with sensitive data and account access. Zuckerberg said Meta built a confidential virtual-machine system that the company itself cannot inspect, along with monitoring agents and approval prompts for actions such as payments and sending emails.

For now, Muse's assignment in Zuckerberg's household has exposed a potential limitation of AI assistants: they can organize the ingredients, but they may not know that cake pops are an ambitious place to start.

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

Georgia is a Business News Fellow at Business Insider's London office.Before joining Business Insider, she worked at Japan's largest newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun, and interned at the Financial Times. She is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with a degree in Philosophy from the University of Birmingham.

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

Theron Mohamed is a London-based correspondent on the International team at Business Insider. His coverage spans finance, investing, wealth, markets, and the economy.Theron joined BI in 2019 as a reporter at Markets Insider and rose to the rank of correspondent before moving to the Trending team then the broader International team. He previously covered tech, media, and telecom stocks for Investors Chronicle magazine and had a brief stint on the Financial Times' Data team. He interned at the Wall Street Journal in New York where he primarily wrote for Heard on the Street.Theron has freelanced for The Independent, The Telegraph, WIRED, and several smaller publications. He holds an undergraduate degree in geography from the London School of Economics, and a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.Theron often covers Warren Buffett, Michael Burry, and other elite investors. He also writes about the world's wealthiest people and shares financial advice from all manner of rich and successful people.Email Theron at [email protected] and follow him on X @theron_mohamed.

Meta AI Mark Zuckerberg More Big Tech

Key Takeaways Tesla secured FSD Supervised approval in Slovenia, its sixth European country to authorize the system.An EU-wide approval vote could take place as early as October 6, per Tesla.France has begun testing two FSD-equipped Tesla vehicles after constructive talks with Musk. Tesla (TSLA - Free Report) has secured approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised driver-assistance system in Slovenia, making it the sixth European country to authorize the technology as the company prepares to expand its rollout.

Tesla announced that FSD Supervised has been approved for use on Slovenian roads, adding that the rollout will begin soon. CEO Elon Musk also reposted the announcement on X.

The approval follows the Netherlands’ provisional authorization in early April, making it the first European Union country to permit Tesla’s FSD system. While the software can control various driving functions, drivers must remain attentive and responsible for the vehicle.

Per Tesla, an EU-wide approval vote could take place as early as Oct. 6. The company released a company-produced dataset covering its FSD testing in Europe and North America last week.

In addition to Slovenia and the Netherlands, four other European countries have approved Tesla’s driver-assistance technology, while Finland and Greece are evaluating potential approvals.

Meanwhile, France, which had raised safety concerns over FSD approval in July, has started testing two FSD-equipped Tesla vehicles following what its transport minister described as a constructive exchange with Musk. TSLA currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Updates on Autonomous Driving by Other AutomakersIn December 2025, Rivian Automotive (RIVN - Free Report) introduced its first in-house self-driving chip alongside Autonomy+, a new subscription-based driver-assistance package. All new Rivian R1S and R1T deliveries come with a 60-day trial of Autonomy+, which includes features such as hands-free driving and lane-change assistance. Rivian has also confirmed that Autonomy+ is available exclusively on Gen 2 vehicles (2025 and newer), while Gen 1 models come standard with the Driver+ suite.

In June, Lucid Group (LCID - Free Report) began rolling out its latest over-the-air software update for the Lucid Gravity SUV. The update adds hands-free driving capabilities and improvements to navigation, charging and overall usability. Hands-Free Drive Assist is designed to make highway driving more convenient while requiring drivers to remain attentive. The feature supports steering, acceleration and braking on compatible highways across North America.

Tesla’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesTesla has underperformed the Zacks Automotive – Domestic industry in the last six months. It has lost 7.8% compared with the industry’s decline of 6%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation perspective, Tesla appears overvalued. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 12.73, higher than the industry’s 3.24.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

 
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved down 32 cents and 25 cents, respectively, in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Tesla Inc‘s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Cybercab rollout in Austin, Texas, is producing two completely different stories. On some trips, riders have paid less than half of what Uber Technologies, Inc (NYSE:UBER) charged for the same route. On others, Cybercab fares have surged well above Uber’s prices. The contrast offers an early look at the economics behind Tesla’s robotaxi strategy—and the biggest challenge it still faces.

Tesla Cybercab PricingEarly fare comparisons suggest Tesla’s autonomous ride-hailing model can deliver a meaningful cost advantage when demand is under control.

Several riders shared side-by-side screenshots showing Cybercab fares undercutting Uber on identical routes. In one comparison, a 15-minute trip cost $9.65 in a Cybercab versus $21.00 on Uber—a discount of more than 50%. Another comparison showed Tesla charging $19.35 for a route where Uber quoted $34.98, while a shorter 3.3-mile journey cost just $4.31 on Tesla’s network compared with $10.96 for UberX.

Those early comparisons support Elon Musk‘s long-held thesis that removing the human driver could eventually make autonomous rides cheaper than traditional ride-hailing.

Read Next

Uber Price AdvantageCybercab wait times stretched beyond an hour in Austin, and prices climbed sharply. For one 1.3-mile trip, Cybercab charged $15.24, while Uber listed the same route for $7.95, with its Wait & Save option falling to $6.41.

Perhaps the clearest sign of the supply crunch was that Cybercab briefly became more expensive than Tesla’s own four-seat Model Y Robotaxi on comparable trips.

The fluctuations do not necessarily undermine Tesla’s long-term economics. Instead, they reflect a familiar marketplace dynamic: when demand outpaces supply, prices rise.

Replying to a post about the increase in registration numbers for the Cybercab in Texas, Musk said “The degree to which Cybercab is optimized for lowest possible cost per mile (fully loaded) is understood by very few.”

With only a limited Cybercab fleet operating in Austin, surge pricing appears to be doing exactly what it is designed to do—balance demand until more vehicles become available.

What Investors Should WatchThe most important takeaway from Austin’s early fare data is not whether Tesla or Uber was cheaper on a particular day. It is that Tesla’s robotaxi economics appear capable of delivering lower prices—assuming enough vehicles are available.

That shifts the investment question from pricing to production. If Tesla can rapidly expand its Cybercab fleet, lower operating costs could become a durable competitive advantage over traditional ride-hailing. If fleet growth lags demand, however, frequent surge pricing could narrow that advantage and give platforms like Uber more room to compete, even in an autonomous future.

Read Next

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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

Meta just attached a price tag to its AI ambitions, and traders are now asking whether a consumer subscription can justify one of the biggest capital budgets in tech history while a key rival takes an immediate hit.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META | META Price Prediction) put a price tag on its AI buildout Tuesday evening with Muse, a personal AI agent sold through a tiered consumer subscription, and investors moved quickly Wednesday morning. The launch answers the standing bear case that Meta Platforms’ capital spending carried no direct consumer revenue line, and the reaction reads as a company-specific repricing rather than a broader bid for AI names. Overnight endorsements from commerce and startup leaders added credibility to the rollout heading into the open.

Meta Platforms stock is up 6% to $649.20 Wednesday morning, the first meaningful vote for the company’s AI monetization since its July earnings report. Meanwhile, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) stock is down 2% to $330.53 as investors read Muse as encroachment on Gemini’s consumer agent footprint.

For broader market context, the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) is down 0.5% to $714.55. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down 0.3% to $763.38, confirming today’s move is a single-name story rather than a sector rotation.

Muse Puts a Price on the AI Spend [chart symbol=”META”]

Meta Platforms launched Muse Tuesday evening as a personal AI agent available through a dedicated app and through WhatsApp. Muse can use a browser, run in the background, connect to a user’s existing services, and complete tasks including sending email, organizing calendars, planning trips, filling forms, and making payments. The agent runs on Meta Platforms’ Muse Spark model, which the company said drove a 60% jump in daily interactions with Meta AI after integration.

Meta Platforms introduced paid plans at $20 per month and $100 per month above a free tier, the first direct consumer revenue line attached to its AI buildout. Alexandr Wang, chief AI officer at Meta Platforms, said Muse follows a “principle of least privilege,” with users deciding which connectors are enabled and whether the agent can read or modify data. Shopify (NASDAQ:SHOP) CEO Tobi Lütke and Y Combinator’s Garry Tan publicly praised the launch overnight, positioning Muse as an ecosystem asset rather than a walled-garden play.

The launch matters because Meta Platforms has faced sustained criticism for pouring capital into AI without a subscription line to model against. Meta Platforms reported Q2 2026 capital expenditures of $30.1 billion and guided full-year 2026 capex to $130 to $145 billion, with operating margin compressing to 31% from 43% a year earlier. Muse gives investors the first pricing anchor to weigh against that spend.

Alphabet Slips as the Repricing Stays Company-Specific [chart symbol=”GOOGL”]

Alphabet reported Q2 2026 revenue of $119.8 billion, up 24.2% year over year (YoY), with Google Cloud growing 82% to $24.77 billion and the Gemini App reaching 950 million monthly active users. That’s a strong AI adoption story, yet Alphabet stock is falling today because Muse targets the consumer agent surface Google has been building around Gemini.

Alphabet’s Q2 capital expenditures hit $44.92 billion, its free cash flow turned to negative $5.9 billion, and the company suspended its stock buyback in Q2 2026. Traders want to see who wins the consumer agent race before paying up further for Alphabet stock, and Muse arriving with a WhatsApp distribution footprint compresses that timeline.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Shopify sit adjacent to the story without occupying the same seat. Microsoft’s fiscal Q4 2026 results showed Copilot crossing 30 million paid seats with Azure past $100 billion in annual revenue. Amazon’s AWS grew 37% to $42.23 billion in Q2 2026, with its AI business at a $25 billion annualized run rate (we profiled seven suppliers powering that data-center buildout, from power to cooling, in a free AI infrastructure report). Shopify remains a commerce-AI adjacency, and Lütke endorsing Muse frames it as a distribution partner for merchants rather than a rival.

What to Watch Meta Platforms delivered $60.8 billion in Q2 2026 revenue against that full-year capital budget, and its free cash flow narrowed to $784 million from $8.55 billion a year earlier. A subscription line at those price points has to scale meaningfully before it moves that math. Today’s rally is sentiment moving ahead of evidence.

Meta Platforms stock is down 2% year to date (YTD), so Wednesday’s gain narrows a losing year rather than extending momentum. Investors can watch for early Muse adoption disclosures, WhatsApp attach rates, and any read-through in the Q3 2026 earnings call, when Meta Platforms will need to translate agent engagement into a monetization curve.

Traders weighing their exposure should calibrate their holdings carefully given a Muse thesis that rests on a consumer subscription yet to prove it can offset a capital budget of this size. A moderate position that reflects both today’s monetization catalyst and Meta Platforms’ free cash flow compression is the sensible frame from here.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Family Legacy Inc. bought a new position in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 26,000 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock, valued at approximately $6,197,000. Amazon.com comprises 1.7% of Family Legacy Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of AMZN. Trust Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Amazon.com by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 107,563 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 3,414 shares during the period. MilWealth Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Amazon.com by 79.0% during the 4th quarter. MilWealth Group LLC now owns 179 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the period. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in shares of Amazon.com in the fourth quarter worth approximately $45,000. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership boosted its position in shares of Amazon.com by 900.0% in the fourth quarter. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership now owns 200 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fairway Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Amazon.com by 95.6% in the fourth quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC now owns 221 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. 72.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Phillip Securities downgraded shares of Amazon.com from a “strong-buy” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Arete Research upped their price objective on Amazon.com from $301.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 target price on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Truist Financial upped their price target on Amazon.com from $320.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Citizens Jmp restated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $315.00 price objective on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Friday, July 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifty-six have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Amazon.com presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $323.26.

View Our Latest Report on AMZN Amazon.com Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ AMZN opened at $256.97 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.77 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.67, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a current ratio of 1.03 and a quick ratio of 0.87. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 1-year low of $196.00 and a 1-year high of $287.20. The business has a 50-day moving average of $254.88 and a 200-day moving average of $243.41.

Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The e-commerce giant reported $5.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.82 by $3.93. Amazon.com had a return on equity of 18.00% and a net margin of 17.44%.The firm had revenue of $200.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $197.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.68 EPS. Amazon.com’s quarterly revenue was up 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 8.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, SVP David Zapolsky sold 9,258 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $259.77, for a total transaction of $2,404,950.66. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 41,190 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,699,926.30. This trade represents a 18.35% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed 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 Matthew S. Garman sold 14,541 shares of Amazon.com stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.06, for a total transaction of $3,766,991.46. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 17,794 shares in the company, valued at $4,609,713.64. This trade represents a 44.97% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 71,589 shares of company stock valued at $18,568,785. Corporate insiders own 8.90% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Amazon.com Here are the key news stories impacting Amazon.com this week:

Positive Sentiment: AWS expands its custom-chip strategy. Amazon and Qualcomm announced a multi-generation collaboration to develop customized AI data-center silicon, initially focused on AWS inference, along with optical-connectivity solutions of up to 1.6T. The agreement diversifies Amazon’s supply chain beyond Nvidia, Broadcom and its internally developed Trainium chips, while supporting AWS’s long-term AI infrastructure buildout. Qualcomm Announces Multi-Generational Product Collaboration with Amazon Positive Sentiment: Profitability remains a key investment argument. Commentary highlighted AWS’s roughly 39% operating margin and recent acceleration in cloud growth as reasons investors may view Amazon’s valuation as attractive, particularly with the stock trading near its 50-day moving average and below its recent high. Amazon’s AWS Operating Margin Neutral Sentiment: Amazon is preparing a sterling bond offering. The company has hired banks for its first sterling-denominated bond sale, apparently seeking additional funding sources for major AI and infrastructure investments. The move may improve financing flexibility, but it also underscores the scale of Amazon’s capital requirements. Amazon Hires Banks for First Sterling Bond Sale Negative Sentiment: Fatal Prime Air crash increases operational and reputational risk. Federal investigators are examining why a contractor-operated Boeing 767 cargo jet overshot the Miami runway by about 1,300 feet, killing five people. The investigation could bring additional scrutiny to Amazon Air’s contractor oversight, logistics practices and potential liability. Investigators Probe Amazon Cargo Plane Crash Negative Sentiment: Employment lawsuit adds legal and regulatory uncertainty. Four former warehouse workers allege Amazon discriminated against pregnant employees by penalizing medically necessary breaks and absences. The class-action complaint could create litigation costs and renewed scrutiny of warehouse labor policies. Amazon Sued for Allegedly Discriminating Against Pregnant Workers Amazon.com Company Profile (Free Report)

Amazon.com, Inc is a global technology and e-commerce company that operates online marketplaces and provides a broad range of consumer products and services. Its retail business sells merchandise directly to customers and enables third-party sellers to offer products through Amazon’s websites and applications. The company also operates physical stores and provides services such as digital content, subscriptions, and consumer devices, including Kindle and Echo products.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides cloud computing, storage, database, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology services to businesses, governments, and organizations.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For

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Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new position in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 69,665 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock, valued at approximately $16,604,000. Amazon.com accounts for 2.2% of Clearstead Trust LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest position.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. MilWealth Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Amazon.com by 79.0% in the fourth quarter. MilWealth Group LLC now owns 179 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in Amazon.com during the 4th quarter worth about $45,000. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership grew its holdings in Amazon.com by 900.0% during the 4th quarter. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership now owns 200 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC increased its position in Amazon.com by 95.6% during the 4th quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC now owns 221 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, Prudent Man Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Amazon.com by 87.7% during the 4th quarter. Prudent Man Investment Management Inc. now owns 229 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. 72.20% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Amazon.com In other news, CEO Douglas Herrington sold 1,000 shares of Amazon.com stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $254.77, for a total transaction of $254,770.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 475,681 shares in the company, valued at approximately $121,189,248.37. The trade was a 0.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, VP Shelley Reynolds sold 2,343 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $259.01, for a total transaction of $606,860.43. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 119,780 shares in the company, valued at $31,024,217.80. This trade represents a 1.92% 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. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 71,589 shares of company stock valued at $18,568,785. Company insiders own 8.90% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Pivotal Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $333.00 target price (up from $320.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Friday, July 31st. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $320.00 target price (up from $315.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Monness Crespi & Hardt lifted their price target on Amazon.com from $315.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Citizens Jmp reissued a “market outperform” rating and issued a $315.00 price target on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Friday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifty-six have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $323.26. View Our Latest Stock Report on Amazon.com

Amazon.com Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ AMZN opened at $256.97 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.03. The company has a market cap of $2.77 trillion, a PE ratio of 20.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.44. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $254.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $243.41. Amazon.com, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $196.00 and a fifty-two week high of $287.20.

Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The e-commerce giant reported $5.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.82 by $3.93. The company had revenue of $200.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $197.03 billion. Amazon.com had a net margin of 17.44% and a return on equity of 18.00%. Amazon.com’s revenue for the quarter was up 19.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.68 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 8.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Amazon.com News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Amazon.com this week:

Positive Sentiment: AWS expands its custom-chip strategy. Amazon and Qualcomm announced a multi-generation collaboration to develop customized AI data-center silicon, initially focused on AWS inference, along with optical-connectivity solutions of up to 1.6T. The agreement diversifies Amazon’s supply chain beyond Nvidia, Broadcom and its internally developed Trainium chips, while supporting AWS’s long-term AI infrastructure buildout. Qualcomm Announces Multi-Generational Product Collaboration with Amazon Positive Sentiment: Profitability remains a key investment argument. Commentary highlighted AWS’s roughly 39% operating margin and recent acceleration in cloud growth as reasons investors may view Amazon’s valuation as attractive, particularly with the stock trading near its 50-day moving average and below its recent high. Amazon’s AWS Operating Margin Neutral Sentiment: Amazon is preparing a sterling bond offering. The company has hired banks for its first sterling-denominated bond sale, apparently seeking additional funding sources for major AI and infrastructure investments. The move may improve financing flexibility, but it also underscores the scale of Amazon’s capital requirements. Amazon Hires Banks for First Sterling Bond Sale Negative Sentiment: Fatal Prime Air crash increases operational and reputational risk. Federal investigators are examining why a contractor-operated Boeing 767 cargo jet overshot the Miami runway by about 1,300 feet, killing five people. The investigation could bring additional scrutiny to Amazon Air’s contractor oversight, logistics practices and potential liability. Investigators Probe Amazon Cargo Plane Crash Negative Sentiment: Employment lawsuit adds legal and regulatory uncertainty. Four former warehouse workers allege Amazon discriminated against pregnant employees by penalizing medically necessary breaks and absences. The class-action complaint could create litigation costs and renewed scrutiny of warehouse labor policies. Amazon Sued for Allegedly Discriminating Against Pregnant Workers Amazon.com Company Profile (Free Report)

Amazon.com, Inc is a global technology and e-commerce company that operates online marketplaces and provides a broad range of consumer products and services. Its retail business sells merchandise directly to customers and enables third-party sellers to offer products through Amazon’s websites and applications. The company also operates physical stores and provides services such as digital content, subscriptions, and consumer devices, including Kindle and Echo products.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides cloud computing, storage, database, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology services to businesses, governments, and organizations.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For

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BIP Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 53,933 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock, valued at approximately $12,854,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in AMZN. Trust Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Amazon.com by 3.3% in the second quarter. Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 107,563 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 3,414 shares in the last quarter. MilWealth Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Amazon.com by 79.0% in the 4th quarter. MilWealth Group LLC now owns 179 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the period. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Amazon.com during the 4th quarter worth approximately $45,000. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in Amazon.com by 900.0% in the fourth quarter. Elkhorn Partners Limited Partnership now owns 200 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fairway Wealth LLC grew its stake in Amazon.com by 95.6% in the fourth quarter. Fairway Wealth LLC now owns 221 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $51,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the period. 72.20% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Amazon.com News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Amazon.com this week:

Positive Sentiment: AWS expands its custom-chip strategy. Amazon and Qualcomm announced a multi-generation collaboration to develop customized AI data-center silicon, initially focused on AWS inference, along with optical-connectivity solutions of up to 1.6T. The agreement diversifies Amazon’s supply chain beyond Nvidia, Broadcom and its internally developed Trainium chips, while supporting AWS’s long-term AI infrastructure buildout. Qualcomm Announces Multi-Generational Product Collaboration with Amazon Positive Sentiment: Profitability remains a key investment argument. Commentary highlighted AWS’s roughly 39% operating margin and recent acceleration in cloud growth as reasons investors may view Amazon’s valuation as attractive, particularly with the stock trading near its 50-day moving average and below its recent high. Amazon’s AWS Operating Margin Neutral Sentiment: Amazon is preparing a sterling bond offering. The company has hired banks for its first sterling-denominated bond sale, apparently seeking additional funding sources for major AI and infrastructure investments. The move may improve financing flexibility, but it also underscores the scale of Amazon’s capital requirements. Amazon Hires Banks for First Sterling Bond Sale Negative Sentiment: Fatal Prime Air crash increases operational and reputational risk. Federal investigators are examining why a contractor-operated Boeing 767 cargo jet overshot the Miami runway by about 1,300 feet, killing five people. The investigation could bring additional scrutiny to Amazon Air’s contractor oversight, logistics practices and potential liability. Investigators Probe Amazon Cargo Plane Crash Negative Sentiment: Employment lawsuit adds legal and regulatory uncertainty. Four former warehouse workers allege Amazon discriminated against pregnant employees by penalizing medically necessary breaks and absences. The class-action complaint could create litigation costs and renewed scrutiny of warehouse labor policies. Amazon Sued for Allegedly Discriminating Against Pregnant Workers Amazon.com Price Performance Amazon.com stock opened at $256.97 on Wednesday. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 52 week low of $196.00 and a 52 week high of $287.20. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $254.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $243.41. The stock has a market cap of $2.77 trillion, a P/E ratio of 20.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The e-commerce giant reported $5.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.82 by $3.93. The company had revenue of $200.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $197.03 billion. Amazon.com had a return on equity of 18.00% and a net margin of 17.44%.Amazon.com’s quarterly revenue was up 19.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.68 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 8.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Amazon.com news, CEO Douglas Herrington sold 6,362 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.01, for a total value of $1,647,821.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 476,681 shares in the company, valued at $123,465,145.81. This represents a 1.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP David Zapolsky sold 9,258 shares of Amazon.com stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.77, for a total transaction of $2,404,950.66. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 41,190 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,699,926.30. This represents a 18.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 71,589 shares of company stock valued at $18,568,785. 8.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets AMZN has been the subject of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $325.00 price objective (up from $315.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Friday, July 31st. Monness Crespi & Hardt lifted their price target on shares of Amazon.com from $315.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and set a $390.00 price target (up from $280.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and set a $365.00 price objective (up from $330.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Amazon.com from $330.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifty-six have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $323.26.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on AMZN

Amazon.com Company Profile (Free Report)

Amazon.com, Inc is a global technology and e-commerce company that operates online marketplaces and provides a broad range of consumer products and services. Its retail business sells merchandise directly to customers and enables third-party sellers to offer products through Amazon’s websites and applications. The company also operates physical stores and provides services such as digital content, subscriptions, and consumer devices, including Kindle and Echo products.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides cloud computing, storage, database, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology services to businesses, governments, and organizations.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMZN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report).

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Bridgewater Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 76,356 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock, valued at approximately $21,687,000. Amazon.com comprises 1.2% of Bridgewater Advisors Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 13th biggest holding.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SFE Investment Counsel purchased a new stake in Amazon.com in the second quarter valued at approximately $19,383,000. Alesco Advisors LLC An ESL Co purchased a new stake in Amazon.com in the 2nd quarter valued at $5,100,000. Bank Hapoalim BM purchased a new stake in Amazon.com in the 2nd quarter valued at $20,761,000. BIP Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Amazon.com during the 2nd quarter worth $12,854,000. Finally, Phillips Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in Amazon.com during the 2nd quarter worth $2,450,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.20% of the company’s stock.

Amazon.com News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Amazon.com this week:

Positive Sentiment: AWS expands its custom-chip strategy. Amazon and Qualcomm announced a multi-generation collaboration to develop customized AI data-center silicon, initially focused on AWS inference, along with optical-connectivity solutions of up to 1.6T. The agreement diversifies Amazon’s supply chain beyond Nvidia, Broadcom and its internally developed Trainium chips, while supporting AWS’s long-term AI infrastructure buildout. Qualcomm Announces Multi-Generational Product Collaboration with Amazon Positive Sentiment: Profitability remains a key investment argument. Commentary highlighted AWS’s roughly 39% operating margin and recent acceleration in cloud growth as reasons investors may view Amazon’s valuation as attractive, particularly with the stock trading near its 50-day moving average and below its recent high. Amazon’s AWS Operating Margin Neutral Sentiment: Amazon is preparing a sterling bond offering. The company has hired banks for its first sterling-denominated bond sale, apparently seeking additional funding sources for major AI and infrastructure investments. The move may improve financing flexibility, but it also underscores the scale of Amazon’s capital requirements. Amazon Hires Banks for First Sterling Bond Sale Negative Sentiment: Fatal Prime Air crash increases operational and reputational risk. Federal investigators are examining why a contractor-operated Boeing 767 cargo jet overshot the Miami runway by about 1,300 feet, killing five people. The investigation could bring additional scrutiny to Amazon Air’s contractor oversight, logistics practices and potential liability. Investigators Probe Amazon Cargo Plane Crash Negative Sentiment: Employment lawsuit adds legal and regulatory uncertainty. Four former warehouse workers allege Amazon discriminated against pregnant employees by penalizing medically necessary breaks and absences. The class-action complaint could create litigation costs and renewed scrutiny of warehouse labor policies. Amazon Sued for Allegedly Discriminating Against Pregnant Workers Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on AMZN shares. Monness Crespi & Hardt upped their target price on shares of Amazon.com from $315.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Amazon.com in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Amazon.com from $330.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Benchmark increased their price objective on Amazon.com from $370.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $360.00 target price (up from $355.00) on shares of Amazon.com in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifty-six have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $323.26. Get Our Latest Analysis on Amazon.com

Insider Activity at Amazon.com In related news, VP Shelley Reynolds sold 2,343 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.01, for a total value of $606,860.43. Following the sale, the vice president owned 119,780 shares in the company, valued at $31,024,217.80. This represents a 1.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Andrew Jassy sold 20,000 shares of Amazon.com stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.01, for a total value of $5,180,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,235,766 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $579,085,751.66. This represents a 0.89% 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. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 71,589 shares of company stock worth $18,568,785. 8.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Amazon.com Trading Down 0.6% NASDAQ:AMZN opened at $256.97 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $254.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $243.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.77 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.67, a PEG ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.03. Amazon.com, Inc. has a 1 year low of $196.00 and a 1 year high of $287.20.

Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The e-commerce giant reported $5.75 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.82 by $3.93. Amazon.com had a net margin of 17.44% and a return on equity of 18.00%. The firm had revenue of $200.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $197.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.68 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 8.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Amazon.com (Free Report)

Amazon.com, Inc is a global technology and e-commerce company that operates online marketplaces and provides a broad range of consumer products and services. Its retail business sells merchandise directly to customers and enables third-party sellers to offer products through Amazon’s websites and applications. The company also operates physical stores and provides services such as digital content, subscriptions, and consumer devices, including Kindle and Echo products.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides cloud computing, storage, database, analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology services to businesses, governments, and organizations.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For

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

Qualcomm (QCOM +1.98%) isn't one of the first names that come to mind when considering data center infrastructure, but that may change soon. The chip company announced a deal with Amazon (AMZN -1.94%) to buy up to $60 billion of its AI data center chips.

As part of the deal, Qualcomm will grant Amazon warrants worth about $4 billion that will vest with product purchases. Amazon will be able to purchase Qualcomm shares at $161.26 per share.

Qualcomm and Amazon will also work together to improve high-performance optical connectivity to support fast-growing bandwidth demands in AI infrastructure. And Qualcomm will increase its use of Amazon Web Services and Amazon Bedrock infrastructure to reduce chip design cycles.

"As AI demand accelerates, data center infrastructure will require advances in both computing and connectivity to deliver greater performance with more efficiency," Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said. "Qualcomm is pleased to work with AWS on customized silicon and connectivity solutions, bringing decades of leadership in advanced processing and power-efficient compute, to deliver breakthrough performance and enable the next generation of AI infrastructure."

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Qualcomm's partnership with Amazon is expected to continue for multiple generations of chips for large-scale AI data centers. It signals Qualcomm's growing effort to broaden its portfolio beyond smartphones -- particularly important, as Apple has announced plans to phase out its reliance on Qualcomm cellular modems and use in-house C-series silicon.

About Qualcomm stockQualcomm, which is based in San Diego, has long been best known for designing high-performance, low-power chips for mobile devices, personal computers, automobiles, robotics, and wearable devices. Shares have been on a roller-coaster this year and have fallen throughout the summer.

Revenues for the fiscal third quarter (ending June 28) fell 4% to $9.94 billion, net income dropped 25% to $2 billion, and diluted earnings per share slid 23% to $1.87. Handset revenue plummeted 20% to $5.08 billion.

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Meanwhile, Qualcomm said it expects its Apple revenue to fall 50% from the September to December quarter, although that will be offset somewhat by sequential growth in Android phones.

Qualcomm enters the data center marketIt's against this backdrop that Qualcomm is pinning its hopes on securing a foothold in the fast-growing AI data center market.

Qualcomm previously identified Meta Platforms as its first data center customer, announcing in June that it reached a multi-generation supply agreement to power Meta's servers with Dragonfly C1000 CPUs. It also acquired AI software start-up Modular in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $4 billion. Modular makes software that supports CPUs, GPUs, and custom chip architectures, enabling AI models to run across them without requiring developers to rewrite code for each processor.

"This is the ideal and logical time for Qualcomm to enter the market, as agentic workloads are reshaping the economics of AI," Amon said. "Efficient token generation and total cost of ownership are fundamental to scaling AI. And as a result, inference is becoming disaggregated in the data center and will be increasingly distributed. This means hybrid inference will evolve across the entire compute continuum from data center to on-premise network edge and edge devices. Given Qualcomm's assets, it's a natural evolution of our growth story."

Qualcomm is projecting that its non-handset business -- including automotive, technology for the Internet of Things, and data center -- will rise to $40 billion by the 2029 fiscal year, or roughly two-thirds of Qualcomm's revenue for its semiconductor business. That is a dramatic change from its 2025 fiscal year, when handset revenue made up about 75% of the segment's revenue.

Qualcomm believes there is a $1 trillion total market opportunity in its data center segment, including connectivity, custom silicon, AI accelerators, and server-class CPUs. It aims to generate more than $15 billion in that business by 2029, with a long-term goal of capturing 5% of the total market.

The Amazon deal is a major step toward Qualcomm achieving its goal. Qualcomm stock rose 3% on Tuesday's announcement.

Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT – Free Report) by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 473,877 shares of the software giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 14,673 shares during the period. Microsoft accounts for about 2.3% of Crossmark Global Holdings Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc.’s holdings in Microsoft were worth $176,766,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC grew its holdings in Microsoft by 51.3% in the 2nd quarter. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 59 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. Shepherd Kaplan Krochuk LLC boosted its position in shares of Microsoft by 4.9% in the third quarter. Shepherd Kaplan Krochuk LLC now owns 431 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $223,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Fischer Investment Strategies LLC boosted its position in shares of Microsoft by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Fischer Investment Strategies LLC now owns 697 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $337,000 after acquiring an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Pollock Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Microsoft by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pollock Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,805 shares of the software giant’s stock valued at $1,453,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. Finally, Better Money Decisions LLC increased its position in Microsoft by 0.6% during the second quarter. Better Money Decisions LLC now owns 3,498 shares of the software giant’s stock worth $1,740,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.13% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity In other news, EVP Takeshi Numoto sold 4,810 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $496.48, for a total transaction of $2,388,068.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 42,677 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,188,276.96. The trade was a 10.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Satya Nadella sold 86,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.46, for a total transaction of $43,388,826.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 486,763 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $244,092,173.98. This trade represents a 15.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 101,335 shares of company stock worth $50,655,795 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Microsoft in a report on Friday, July 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $640.00 price target on shares of Microsoft in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Microsoft from $540.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Microsoft in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Microsoft in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Forty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $564.27. View Our Latest Report on MSFT

Microsoft Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ MSFT opened at $493.95 on Wednesday. Microsoft Corporation has a 1-year low of $349.20 and a 1-year high of $553.72. The business has a 50-day moving average of $449.56 and a 200-day moving average of $417.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The company has a market capitalization of $3.67 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.50, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 1.11.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The software giant reported $4.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.24 by $0.50. The business had revenue of $90.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $87.62 billion. Microsoft had a return on equity of 31.98% and a net margin of 40.31%.The company’s revenue was up 17.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.65 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Microsoft Corporation will post 19.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Microsoft News Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week:

Positive Sentiment: Microsoft disclosed that Azure is generating more than a $100 billion annualized revenue run rate and reorganized reporting around AI infrastructure and agents. Greater Azure transparency and accelerating demand could support revenue visibility and investor confidence. Microsoft Breaks Out Azure Sales at $100 Billion Annualized Pace, Reorganizes AI Segments Positive Sentiment: Microsoft is positioned at the center of a projected multitrillion-dollar AI infrastructure buildout, with Azure demand, large customer commitments, and its partnership with NVIDIA potentially creating a long-term growth opportunity. Nvidia, Microsoft at Center of $7 Trillion AI Boom Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly constructive, with recent buy or overweight ratings and a reported median price target of $540. However, the stock’s sharp advance and proximity to its prior high make continued gains dependent on cash-flow conversion and the payoff from heavy AI investment. Microsoft Stock Opinions on Recent Earnings and Business Reorganization Negative Sentiment: Two additional lawsuits from news organizations over the use of news content in AI training increase legal uncertainty around Microsoft’s OpenAI relationship and could create financial, reputational, or operational costs. Microsoft’s OpenAI Partnership Draws Fresh Legal Fire Negative Sentiment: Microsoft’s effort to measure the “useful yield” produced by each AI infrastructure dollar and watt highlights investor concerns about whether massive data-center spending will generate adequate returns. The scrutiny could pressure sentiment toward Microsoft and key supplier NVIDIA. Microsoft’s Useful Yield Test Raises the Stakes for NVIDIA’s AI Economics Negative Sentiment: Recent reports also cite insider selling, including sales by Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella, while separate reports of Outlook and Microsoft 365 service disruptions add modest execution and reliability concerns. Microsoft’s OpenAI Partnership Draws Fresh Legal Fire About Microsoft (Free Report)

Microsoft Corporation is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices and digital solutions for consumers, businesses and public-sector organizations. Its products and services include the Windows operating system, Microsoft 365 productivity applications, Teams collaboration software, Dynamics business applications and Azure cloud computing services.

The company also operates LinkedIn, GitHub and Xbox, which includes gaming consoles, video games and related online services.

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Azure and Google Cloud are posting jaw-dropping growth numbers just as Treasury yields hit levels that have historically crushed high-multiple tech stocks. Whether Microsoft's fortress balance sheet or Alphabet's cheaper valuation wins this rate-scare showdown could determine which mega-cap compounds…

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Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) both posted blowout AI-fueled quarters just as the 10-year Treasury yield pushed to 4.78%, its 98.8th percentile reading over the past year. With rate-hike anxiety squeezing growth multiples, these two mega-caps stand out because their balance sheets absorb the shock other hyperscalers have to borrow through. Huge cash reserves make borrowing-cost worries less prominent for both.

Azure Crosses $100 Billion, Google Cloud Accelerates to 82% Microsoft’s fiscal Q4 delivered revenue of $90.01 billion, up 17.8%, with Intelligent Cloud jumping 32% and Azure growing 43%. Satya Nadella called out that “Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time, and Microsoft 365 Copilot reached over 30 million paid seats.” Commercial RPO ballooned to $678 billion, up 84%, a booking backlog that dwarfs peers.

Alphabet’s Q2 was arguably louder. Revenue hit $119.80 billion, up 24.2%, marking its 12th straight quarter of double-digit growth. Google Cloud accelerated to 82% growth at $24.77 billion, a stunning jump. Sundar Pichai noted “nearly 90% of the Fortune 100 using” Gemini Enterprise, and Search still cranked out $63.27 billion, up 17%.

Business Driver Microsoft Alphabet Cloud growth Azure +43% Google Cloud +82% FY CapEx $115.95B $91.45B (FY25) Main AI wedge Copilot + OpenAI Full-stack Gemini + TPUs Cash Fortress vs. Debt-Funded Sprint Microsoft generated $182.94 billion in operating cash flow for FY26 and still returned over $43 billion to shareholders. Amy Hood emphasized flexibility: “You have a big book of business that’s flexible… It does allow us to have a lot more flexibility to manage through those.” Free cash flow was pinched to $19.64 billion, but the war chest keeps rate sensitivity muted.

Alphabet leaned harder on financing. Q2 free cash flow turned negative $5.86 billion, long-term debt jumped from $46.5 billion to $98.2 billion, and buybacks were suspended. Alphabet raised roughly $70 billion in combined equity and debt. Rising yields matter more here, though Google’s P/E of 17 gives it valuation cushion versus Microsoft’s P/E of 28.

What Decides the Next Leg I will be watching whether Microsoft can convert that $678 billion RPO into revenue without margin slippage as capacity finally catches demand. For Alphabet, the key metric to watch is when free cash flow turns positive again and whether Google Cloud’s 82% pace holds. If yields keep climbing from 4.78%, the debt-funded builder will feel it first (the power, cooling, and networking names taking the other side of that capex are in our free AI infrastructure report).

Why I Lean Toward Alphabet on Valuation Right Now Personally, I find Alphabet more interesting at these levels. A forward P/E of 23 for a business compounding 24% with an 82% cloud growth rate looks mispriced against Microsoft’s premium multiple. Microsoft is the safer AI compounder, and if you want the cleanest balance sheet and a 0.71% yield with buybacks intact, it fits defensive portfolios well. For a growth investor willing to absorb capex volatility, Alphabet’s ad moat plus Gemini traction stands out through this rate scare.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

A securities class action alleges Alibaba's own filings described its MIIT licensing and AI "distillation" risks in ways that omitted its status as a designated Chinese military company and an ongoing campaign against a U.S. AI developer's model, as investors watched BABA slide from $173.68 to $95.07.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP reminds purchasers of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) securities of a pending securities class action on behalf of investors who acquired shares between June 26, 2025 and June 24, 2026. See if you could be eligible to recover. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500.

BABA declined from a Class Period high of $173.68 on October 9, 2025 to $95.07 on June 25, 2026, a drop of $78.61 per share, or approximately 45.26%. Investors have until October 5, 2026 to seek lead plaintiff status.

Chronology of Material Events

June 26, 2025: the 2025 Form 20-F, with SOX certifications, incorporated a Hong Kong annual report stating that the Company's online and mobile commerce businesses require an operating license from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It is alleged that the same filing warned about U.S. restrictions on Chinese military companies while omitting that the MIIT affiliation placed Alibaba within the FY2025 NDAA definition.

May 20, 2026: the 2026 Form 20-F described "unauthorized distillation of third-party models" as a perceived or inadvertent risk. As set forth in the complaint, a large-scale distillation campaign was already underway.

Timeline of Alleged Disclosure Failures

June 26, 2025: Class Period opens with the 2025 annual report and accompanying SOX certifications. May 20, 2026: AI distillation described in hypothetical, forward-looking terms. June 8, 2026: the U.S. Department of Defense publishes an updated Chinese military company list naming Alibaba; shares fall $4.69, or 3.9%, over two trading days to close at $115.38 on June 10, 2026. June 24, 2026: Bloomberg reports Anthropic PBC accused Alibaba of "illicitly" accessing its Claude model through 28.8 million exchanges and roughly 25,000 fraudulent accounts; shares close at $99.80, down $2.80, or 2.7%. June 25, 2026: shares fall a further $4.73, or 4.7%, to close at $95.07. "The sequence here matters: this complaint alleges that risk language filed in May 2026 characterized third-party model distillation as hypothetical while the conduct described weeks later was already ongoing. Shareholders are entitled to have annual report disclosures reflect what is actually happening inside a company." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

Calculate your potential recovery or call (212) 363-7500.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR REPRESENTATION — Levi & Korsinsky, LLP provides sophisticated counsel to institutional investors evaluating lead plaintiff opportunities. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars. Ranked among ISS Top 50 for seven consecutive years.

Frequently Asked Questions About the BABA Lawsuit

Q: What specific misstatements does the BABA lawsuit allege? A: The complaint alleges Alibaba made materially false or misleading statements regarding its MIIT affiliation and resulting classification as a Chinese military company under the FY2025 NDAA, and regarding the characterization of unauthorized distillation of third-party AI models as merely hypothetical. When the Department of Defense listing and the Anthropic allegations were reported, the stock price declined.

Q: When did Alibaba Group Holding Limited allegedly mislead investors? A: The Class Period runs from June 26, 2025 to June 24, 2026. The complaint alleges that corrective disclosures in June 2026 revealed information that caused significant stock declines.

Q: What court was the BABA class action filed in? A: The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, governed by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Q: What do BABA investors need to do right now? A: Gather brokerage records including purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Contact Levi & Korsinsky for a free, no-obligation evaluation at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500. No immediate action is required to remain eligible as an absent class member.

Q: What is a lead plaintiff and why does it matter? A: A lead plaintiff is the investor appointed by the court to represent the entire class. Lead plaintiffs are typically investors with the largest documented losses. Being appointed does not increase individual recovery but gives direct oversight of how the case is run.

Q: What if I already sold my BABA shares -- can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold the shares. Investors who bought during the Class Period and sold at a loss may still be eligible to participate.

Q: What if I live outside the United States? A: U.S. securities class actions generally cover purchases on U.S. exchanges regardless of the investor's country of residence.

Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: There is no upfront cost to contact the firm. Securities class actions are generally handled on a pure contingency basis, with no retainer and no out-of-pocket costs. Any attorneys' fees and expenses awarded to class counsel are subject to court approval.

CONTACT:\
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP\
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.\
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.\
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor\
New York, NY 10004\
[email protected]\
Tel: (212) 363-7500\
Fax: (212) 363-7171

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Berkshire Hathaway B (BRK.B - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Shares of this company have returned -2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, to which Berkshire Hathaway B belongs, has lost 2.6% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

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

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

Berkshire Hathaway B is expected to post earnings of $5.66 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -9.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +4.5%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $21.67 points to a change of +5.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $22.07 indicates a change of +1.9% from what Berkshire Hathaway B is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +1.7%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Berkshire Hathaway B is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Berkshire Hathaway B, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $97.3 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +2.5%. For the current and next fiscal years, $392.1 billion and $409.7 billion estimates indicate +5.6% and +4.5% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryBerkshire Hathaway B reported revenues of $101.81 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10%. EPS of $6.02 for the same period compares with $5.17 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $95.3 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +6.83%. The EPS surprise was +14.89%.

Over the last four quarters, Berkshire Hathaway B surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

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

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Berkshire Hathaway B is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Berkshire Hathaway B. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

NVIDIA has minted fortunes once before, and its latest earnings suggest the AI hardware machine is still accelerating. But ballooning supply commitments, margin pressure, and a China-shaped hole in its revenue raise a real question about what the next decade…

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NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) has been the defining trade of the AI era. Over the past decade, the stock has returned a staggering 14,460.09%, turning a $10,000 stake into roughly $1.45 million.

The question every shareholder is asking now: can the next 10 years even come close? Our proprietary model says the next 12 months, at least, still point higher.

NVIDIA trades near $226.18 as of September 8, 2026. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for NVIDIA is $308.85 over the next 12 months, implying 36.55% upside. Our recommendation is buy with high confidence.

Metric Value Current Price $226.18 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $308.85 Upside 36.55% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% What Has Actually Happened This Year NVDA is up 21.23% year to date and 31.73% over the past year.

Fiscal Q2 FY27, reported August 26, 2026, delivered revenue of $96.22 billion (+105.85% YoY) and non-GAAP EPS of $2.22, the fifth consecutive beat. Data Center hit $89.02 billion (+117% YoY). Q3 guidance calls for revenue of $108 billion at 74% gross margins.

Meanwhile, supplier Wistron announced a $1.5 billion global stock sale this week, a reminder of how much capital is being raised across the NVIDIA ecosystem.

Why Bulls See a Path Well Above $350 CEO Jensen Huang told investors “AI is now doing productive and useful work” and that “our demand is much higher” than the 70% supply NVIDIA can currently deliver. Management guided fiscal 2028 revenue growth of approximately 70%, describing it as supply-constrained.

Vera Rubin, now in full production, generates a $40 billion revenue opportunity per gigawatt versus $25 billion for Blackwell. Top-5 hyperscaler capex is projected at nearly $800 billion in 2026 and $1.3 trillion in 2027. Our bull scenario points to $352.95, roughly in line with the Street-high target of $327.13.

What Could Go Wrong Guidance excludes any China Data Center compute revenue. Supply commitments swelled to $279 billion, largely memory for Vera Rubin, tying up cash. DSO extended from 45 to 60 days, and NVIDIA has extended $108.5 billion in guarantee obligations to AI cloud partners.

Gross margins are expected to bottom in Q4 at 71% to 72% on memory pricing. Our bear scenario lands at $260.50. Bulls would counter that the margin dip reflects the Vera Rubin ramp, which should re-expand margins as volumes normalize.

How NVIDIA Compares to AMD and Broadcom Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) is the closest US-listed head-to-head competitor in AI accelerators. AMD posted Q2 2026 revenue of $11.54 billion (+50.11% YoY) with Data Center up 107%, but trades at a trailing P/E of 180 versus NVDA’s 46. On growth-adjusted valuation, NVDA looks cheaper, which supports our target.

Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) is the custom-accelerator alternative. AVGO’s Q3 AI semiconductor revenue reached $16.70 billion (+221% YoY), with Q4 guided to $21.7 billion. Growth is comparable, but Broadcom’s opportunity is narrower and customer-specific. That relative concentration makes NVDA’s platform breadth look more defensible for our $308.85 target.

Company P/E Latest Revenue Growth NVIDIA 46 +105.85% AMD 180 +50.11% Broadcom n/a +85.5% NVIDIA Price Prediction 2026-2030 My verdict: Buy, with a 24/7 Wall St. price target of $308.85 and 90% confidence. The tipping factor is Huang’s own admission that supply covers only 70% of demand into fiscal 2028.

The thesis strengthens if Vera Rubin ramps into 20% of Data Center revenue in Q3 as guided. The thesis weakens if China restrictions widen or hyperscaler capex slips meaningfully below the $1.3 trillion 2027 mark.

Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $226.18 2027 $308.85 2028 $371.01 2029 $472.93 2030 $510.76 These projections assume NVIDIA continues executing on the Vera Rubin ramp and hyperscaler capex holds. Meaningful upside or downside could come from China policy shifts or a stalled AI infrastructure cycle.

The harder question, whether another NVIDIA is already forming somewhere in the AI stack, is the one we tried to answer by reverse-engineering what past monster winners looked like early in a free playbook you can grab here.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

It seems all but confirmed that 2026 will be a year given over to AI, with chipmakers like NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA always at the forefront of discussions of the potential for further growth. Companies tied to data center infrastructure buildout have thrived as industries pour billions of dollars into creating more AI computing capacity.

Visa (NYSE: V) today announced the Visa Trust Index for agentic commerce, providing new insight into how consumers are navigating the next evolution of AI shopping and payments. While consumers are increasingly using AI across the shopping journey, only 23% of U.S. consumers trust GenAI to handle payment transactions on their behalf. However, confidence in agentic commerce shifts when payments brands come into consideration. Visa emerged as the most trusted brand for AI-powered payments with 61% of respondents saying they would trust Visa to handle agentic transactions. The findings suggest that while consumers are intrigued by agentic commerce, trust remains the key factor determining whether adoption moves from possibility to reality.

"AI has the potential to fundamentally reshape how people discover, buy and pay for goods and services, much like e-commerce and mobile commerce did before it," said Oliver Jenkyn, Group President, Visa. "While we're still in the early days, trust will be foundational to driving agentic commerce adoption. Consumers will increasingly look to trusted payment experiences and brands as they deploy AI agents to shop on their behalf.”

Trust Will Unlock the Promise of Agentic Commerce

The Visa Trust Index found that consumer adoption of AI is already widespread, with 72% of consumers having used an AI assistant. Yet when it comes to agentic commerce, trust becomes increasingly important in the path to adoption. As AI continues to change the way people discover and shop, trust will shape how they pay.

Visa’s research looked across multiple sectors, including payments, technology and social media, and found that Visa was the most trusted brand for AI-powered payments among respondents surveyed. Visa maintained this leadership across key demographic groups, rising to 68% among consumers ages 18 to 34 and 71% among frequent AI users.

The findings suggest that consumers distinguish between the AI tools they use and the payment brands they trust. While consumers may engage with a range of AI assistants and platforms, trusted payments remain central to their willingness to complete transactions in agentic environments.

"Throughout every major shift in commerce, from the growth of e-commerce to the rise of mobile payments, trust provides stability and certainty to consumers as the world changes around them," Jenkyn said.

Building the Foundation for AI-Powered Commerce

For more than 60 years, Visa has helped enable new forms of commerce by delivering the security and reliability consumers expect when making payments. As agentic commerce continues to evolve, Visa is working with partners across the ecosystem to help establish the capabilities, standards and infrastructure needed to support secure, permissioned agent-initiated transactions.

Through Visa Intelligent Commerce and related initiatives, Visa is helping prepare the payments ecosystem for the next generation of digital commerce through technologies that support secure transactions, identity verification, authentication, and consumer controls.

According to the Visa's Trust Index, consumers are beginning to define what they expect from the companies that will help power the next era of commerce. As AI transforms how people discover, shop, and transact, Visa will continue to track consumer sentiment and help build the trusted foundation for the future of commerce.

Learn more about Visa's leadership in building the trusted infrastructure for agentic commerce at Visa Payments Frontier and on the Visa Newsroom.

Methodology

This survey was conducted on behalf of Visa by the Harris Poll using its Omnibus survey platform - a recurring bi-weekly survey tool that can accommodate ad hoc questions at a moment’s notice for quick turnaround.

The survey was fielded May 26 - 28, 2026, in the United States. Respondents are matched to the US General Adult population based on the US Census. The total sample size was 2,065 US consumers. The payment transaction question sample was 1,028 – 1,034 per brand tested.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260909232260/en/

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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Bridgewater Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 12.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 48,665 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,324 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. accounts for 0.9% of Bridgewater Advisors Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position. Bridgewater Advisors Inc.’s holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $17,161,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 66,385,268 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $21,390,662,000 after acquiring an additional 939,421 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 15.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 65,660,460 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $19,314,681,000 after acquiring an additional 8,941,351 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $11,396,496,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 5.4% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 23,424,482 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $7,547,837,000 after purchasing an additional 1,194,583 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc raised its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 19,019,564 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $6,128,484,000 after purchasing an additional 110,586 shares during the last quarter. 71.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Price Performance Shares of JPM stock opened at $353.38 on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 12-month low of $279.10 and a 12-month high of $366.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $939.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $350.99 and a 200-day moving average of $321.24.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $6.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.59 by $0.55. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 18.23% and a net margin of 21.86%.The firm had revenue of $58.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $50.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.96 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 24.28 earnings per share for the current year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have issued reports on JPM. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $370.00 to $384.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. UBS Group raised their price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $384.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group set a $350.00 price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $408.00 to $420.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $391.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $359.96.

Check Out Our Latest Report on JPM

Key JPMorgan Chase & Co. News Here are the key news stories impacting JPMorgan Chase & Co. this week:

Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan expects approximately $138 billion of buyout debt to come to market, highlighting potential fee opportunities for its leveraged-finance and investment-banking businesses. Buyout Debt Is Surging to Levels Not Seen Since Before the Financial Crisis Positive Sentiment: The bank appointed its APAC and EMEA technology investment-banking chiefs as international co-heads, reinforcing its global technology franchise and succession depth. JPMorgan names APAC, EMEA tech investment banking chiefs as international co-heads Positive Sentiment: Heavy Treasury and corporate-bond issuance could support JPMorgan’s underwriting and trading businesses, although the benefit depends on sustained issuer and investor demand. Why Corporate Bonds Are Giving Treasuries a Tough Time Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan was named broker for CSL’s on-market share buyback and ceased substantial-holder status in Peet Limited. These mandates and portfolio changes demonstrate client activity but are unlikely to materially affect JPM’s earnings. CSL Appoints J.P. Morgan as Broker for On-Market Share Buy-Back Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan’s research points to a possible rebound in healthcare ETF flows, while its analysts remain constructive on selected sectors and stocks. This may generate research-related attention but has limited direct impact on JPM’s financial results. Healthcare ETFs Were Left Behind. JPMorgan Sees the Money Coming Back Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn that fading capital-markets momentum could produce uneven third-quarter results for JPMorgan and other large banks, particularly if deal activity and trading revenue soften. Capital Markets Momentum Fades: What it Means for Big Banks in Q3 Negative Sentiment: One valuation-focused analysis recommends holding JPM’s common shares rather than aggressively buying them at roughly 3.2 times book value, signaling limited upside after the stock’s strong run. JPMorgan: Start Accumulating The Preferred For Income, Hold The Common At 3.2x Book Insider Buying and Selling In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, insider Robin Leopold sold 2,500 shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $361.41, for a total value of $903,525.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 73,547 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $26,580,621.27. The trade was a 3.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Stacey Friedman sold 5,467 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $330.73, for a total transaction of $1,808,100.91. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 40,961 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $13,547,031.53. This trade represents a 11.78% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.41% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City. Through its businesses, the company provides banking, lending, payments, investment banking, asset management and wealth management services to consumers, businesses, institutional clients and governments.

The company operates through four primary business areas: Consumer & Community Banking; Commercial & Investment Banking; Asset & Wealth Management; and Corporate. Its offerings include deposit accounts, credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, business banking, commercial lending, treasury services, investment banking, securities trading, investment management and private banking.

JPMorgan Chase serves customers in the United States and maintains operations and client relationships across numerous international markets.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected Despite Post-Earnings Drop, Wall Street Analysts Eye New Highs for Broadcom Stock Morgan Stanley Eyes Good Things Ahead for Meta After $18 Billion Legal Settlement Q3 Earnings Could Be the Catalyst the Market Has Been Waiting For Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JPM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Free Report).

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Target Corporation (TGT) has surged 73% since my last bullish call, outperforming the benchmark and providing a solid hedge. At a 16x forward P/E, TGT now trades at a 6% premium to the sector median, suggesting fair valuation. I see Target as a steady dividend payer with sector-like fundamentals, but upside appears muted after the recent rally.

While the debate over how high interest rates will go rages on, the FOMC almost certainly won't cut rates anytime soon. The takeaway for investors is that the “new normal” of higher-for-longer, which took effect two or three years ago, is now normal and unlikely to change. For investors, this means refocusing on high-quality, rate-resistant stocks that deliver value.

Rate-resistant stocks share a few qualities that drive positive stock price performance over time, whether the FOMC is hiking or cutting rates, including healthy balance sheets, pricing power, and reliable cash flow. Low- or fixed-rate debt insulates companies from rising borrowing costs, while strong cash positions provide yield on deposits. Pricing power comes from brand strength and market position, which typically entails essential goods and services—dailies and necessities people and businesses can’t live without. This enables the ability to pass through higher costs and maintain margins, which is critical.

Reliable cash is what matters. Rate-resistant stocks can drive cash flow in all cycles and, more importantly, free cash flow for reinvestment and capital returns. Capital returns often include dividends and share buybacks, both of which can drive investment. In this light, many Dividend Champions and Dividend Kings would qualify as inflation-resistant, having proven their ability to sustain cash flow and capital returns through business cycles.

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JPMorgan Chase & Co: Benefiting From Structural TailwindsWhile higher rates may impair JPMorgan’s NYSE: JPM business traffic, they are good news for its cash flow and balance sheet. Higher rates mean higher margins, improved cash flow from investments and net interest income (NII) growth. NII growth underpins its ability to sustain top-tier financial health and substantial capital returns.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Today

JPM

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

$355.39 +1.88 (+0.53%)

As of 10:42 AM Eastern

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

$279.10▼

$366.501.69%

15.24

$359.96

JPM yields approximately 1.7% annually as of early September, paying out less than 30% of its annualized earnings and on track to sustain annual distribution increases.

As it stands, JPM's dividend has increased for 15 consecutive years, making it a Dividend Achiever on track for Champion status.

JPMorgan’s growth outlook isn’t robust but remains positive, expected to sustain a mid- to low-single-digit pace over the next five to 10 years while maintaining margins.

The 10-year forecast suggests the stock trades at a deep value, approximately half the current-year valuation, setting the stage for a triple-digit stock price increase over time.

Analysts and institutions express confidence in the outlook, with 28 analysts rating it a consensus Moderate Buy, a Buy-side bias to the data, an uptrend in price targets, and institutions accumulating in 2026.

Exxon Mobil: Well Positioned, and Higher Oil Prices, Too!Exxon Mobil NYSE: XOM is a rate-resistant stock because its foresightful management takes a prudent, cash-conserving approach to the business.

ExxonMobil Today

$163.76 +3.11 (+1.93%)

As of 10:42 AM Eastern

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

$110.39▼

$176.412.52%

20.99

$167.45

While it could deliver windfall capital returns as oil prices drive margin strength, it doesn’t, choosing instead to preserve financial health and prepare for when oil prices aren’t as favorable.

As a result, Exxon Mobil maintains a healthy balance sheet and capital-return capacity, including reliable dividends and share buybacks.

The dividend, yielding about 2.6% in early September, isn’t the highest in the energy sector, but it is incredibly consistent, and the distribution grows annually.

Exxon Mobil has increased its payment for over 40 consecutive years, putting it on track to be crowned a Dividend King before 2035 (a catalyst for ownership, attracting institutional and retail buy-and-hold investors).

Analysts rate XOM a consensus Hold, with a 45% Buy-side bias among 22 tracked analysts. The price-target trend is bullish, and the institutional group is accumulating.

Alphabet: Defying Logic in an AI-Driven WorldAlphabet NASDAQ: GOOGL is not unique, but unlike most other mega-cap tech companies, it has a fortress balance sheet, a massive cash pile, and a nearly unmatched capacity to self-fund growth.

Alphabet Today

$330.36 -8.00 (-2.37%)

As of 10:42 AM Eastern

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

$235.84▼

$408.610.27%

16.56

$420.19

Its dominance in search—an estimated 90% market share—anchors a highly profitable advertising business that throws off enormous cash.

Self-funding growth is a key detail in 2026, as Alphabet is a top-3 hyperscaler central to the data center buildout, and is accelerating capital expenditure (CapEx) plans quarterly. While risks remain, its surging backlog helps to mitigate them, pointing to sustained, high-level growth and margins over time.

Alphabet’s dividend is not robust, only a token meant to enable broader investment among institutional groups, but buybacks are more substantial.

The caveat for 2026 is that buybacks are effectively halted while the AI buildout is underway, but they are expected to resume as the front-loaded CapEx converts to revenue and cash flow.

Until then, analyst trends are bullish, with 54 analysts rating GOOGL a consensus Buy, sentiment firming, and price targets trending higher. Consensus forecasts more than 20% upside from early Q3 support levels, with revisions pushing toward the high end, implying another high-teens advance.

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

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

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Ford (F) is rated Buy, with improving earnings quality and potential for upward estimate revisions driven by premium product mix and operational enhancements. Premium and off-road variants, sharing 80%+ parts with base models, are boosting margins and attracting a younger, wealthier customer base. Normalization of aluminum supply and additional Super Duty capacity are set to lift profitability, with lean dealer inventory supporting sales growth.

Ford's multibillion-dollar EV ambitions collapsed faster than almost anyone predicted, and the company's bold plan to rebuild from scratch raises more questions than it answers.

Ford’s (NYSE: F | F Price Prediction) first attempt to conquer the EV world was supposed to cost $30 billion. By the end of the decade, a huge share of its new-car sales would be EVs. They would sell hundreds of thousands a year. They even used two of their iconic brands for EV launches. The F-150 Lightning was named after America’s best-selling vehicle for decades. The Mustang Mach-E was named after one of the best-selling cars in Ford history.

Ford has finally run out of EVs just as it tries to enter the sector again

In July, Ford sold only 141 Lightning units, down 95% from the year before. That is less than five a day across the entire US. Ford sold 1,863 Mach-Es, down 64.9%. Inventory for both must be near zero.

Ford has made an odd decision about re-entering the EV segment. It will build and sell just one vehicle. It will cost a fortune to get it off the assembly line, and Ford has not said what it will introduce behind it. The Fathom is a small EV pickup, which will sell for under $30,000. Its feature list is close to what you would get on a Tesla. But Tesla had them years ago.

Ford will build the Fathom using the Universal EV Production System. It is, says Ford, the largest advance in assembly lines since the one Henry Ford created to make the Model T. Here is the most astonishing thing. Of all the huge car companies in the world, all the new Chinese EV companies, and the EV segment led by Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), no other car company has been able to create a similar, wildly advanced assembly line. Ford, and only Ford, has figured this out. Impossible? No. Very improbable? Yes

The sun has finally set on what was to be the worst decision in Ford’s history. It is rising on one that is meager, with one small vehicle to be sold into a US market that does not want EVs.

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