Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways ArcBest's Q2 earnings estimate implies 69.1% growth, while revenues are projected to rise 16.8%. Tightening truckload capacity and expanding manufacturing support a stronger pricing environment for ARCB.ArcBest's technology and training initiatives are generating annualized cost savings that may aid margins. ArcBest Corporation (ARCB - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 29, before the market opens.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARCB’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is currently pegged at $2.3 per share, indicating an uptick of 62 cents in the past 60 days. The consensus mark implies a 69.1% upward movement from the year-ago actual.

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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARCB’s second-quarter 2026 revenues is currently pegged at $1.2 billion. The consensus mark implies a 16.8% upward movement from the year-ago actual.

For full-year 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARCB’s revenues is pegged at $4.51 billion, implying an increase of 12.5% year over year. The consensus mark for full-year EPS is pinned at $6.62, calling for a 78.9% year-over-year expansion. Moreover, the consensus mark for 2026 EPS points to a 25.1% upward revision over the past 60 days.

ARCB’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters (missing the mark twice). The average miss is 0.8%.

Factors at Play Ahead of ARCB's Q2 ResultsWe expect the company’s second-quarter 2026 results to benefit from the improving freight scenario. Truckload capacity has been tightening as carriers exit the industry, while manufacturing indicators have moved into expansion. That backdrop has been helping create a more supportive pricing environment for ArcBest.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter Asset-Based revenues is currently pegged at $795 million, highlighting a 21.4% increase from the first-quarter 2026 actuals. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter Asset-Light revenues is currently pegged at $431 million, highlighting a 14% increase from the first-quarter 2026 actuals.

Technology is central to the margin story. ArcBest’s continuous improvement training has reached the majority of its network and has been generating annualized cost savings. This trend is likely to have continued in the second quarter and aided bottom-line performance. However, geopolitical woes and macro risks may dent results.

What Our Model Says About ARCBOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for ArcBest this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. This is not the case here.

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

ARCB has an Earnings ESP of -0.33% and a Zacks Rank #1.

Highlights of ARCB’s Q1 EarningsArcBest reported impressive first-quarter 2026 results, wherein both earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Quarterly earnings per share (excluding 37 cents from non-recurring items) of 32 cents beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 27 cents but declined 37.3% year over year.

Revenues of $998.8 million marginally outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate and grew 3.3% year over year. Operating cash flow during the quarter was $8.5 million. The company returned more than $10 million through a combination of share repurchases ($7.4 million) and dividends ($2.7 million) in the March quarter. It exited the quarter with cash & short-term investments of $86.4 million.

 Stocks to ConsiderInvestors may consider the following players from the same sector, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.

 Allegiant Travel (ALGT - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +34.29% and a Zacks Rank #2. Impressive air travel demand is expected to aid the carrier’s second-quarter results. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Allegiant is scheduled to report results on Aug. 4. ALGT’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters (missing the mark once). The average beat is 21.9%.

United Parcel Service's (UPS - Free Report) second-quarter results are likely to reflect its focus on improving profitability over sheer volume. Under the cost-cutting initiatives, UPS has substantially reduced its U.S. operational workforce and closed daily operations at multiple leased and owned buildings. Moreover, UPS has been focusing on increasing automation in sorting and operations, and leveraging AI for logistics planning to boost efficiency.

UPS is scheduled to release second-quarter results on July 28. The company's earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters (missing the mark once), with the average beat being 10.6%. The company has an Earnings ESP of +1.06% and a Zacks Rank of 3.  

Key Takeaways Vulcan's second-quarter revenues are expected to rise 2.5% year over year to $2.16 billion.Aggregates revenues are projected to grow 6.7%, supported by public construction and nonresidential demand.Concrete revenues are expected to fall 17.6% as divested California operations reduce volume and revenues. Vulcan Materials Company (VMC - Free Report) is scheduled to release its second-quarter 2026 financial results on July 29, before the opening bell.

In the last reported quarter, the company’s adjusted earnings and revenues topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.5% and 5.2%, respectively. Also, year over year, both the metrics grew 35% and 7.4%, respectively.

Vulcan’s earnings topped the consensus mark in two of the last four quarters and missed on the remaining two occasions, with an average surprise of 0.6%.

How are Estimates Placed for VMC Stock?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) has declined to $2.50 from $2.65 over the past 30 days. However, the estimated figure reflects an improvement of 2% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus estimate for total revenues is pegged at $2.16 billion, indicating 2.5% year-over-year growth.

Factors Likely to Shape Vulcan’s Q2 ResultsRevenues

During the second quarter, Vulcan’s top-line performance is expected to have gained on the back of increasing public construction demand, mainly for highway, street and bridge projects, alongside growing momentum in private nonresidential activities. These market tailwinds are likely to have boosted aggregates volume growth. Moreover, the acquisition of the southern Colorado and Dallas-Fort Worth operations of Brannan Sand & Gravel, LLC, is also likely to have added to revenue scale. Backlogs in both public and private projects gave better visibility, creating a strong pipeline of demand to support top-line expansion.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues from the Aggregates (78.2% of the first quarter of 2026 total revenues) and Asphalt mix (11.6% of the first quarter of 2026 total revenues) business segments is pegged at $1.76 billion and $375 million, reflecting year-over-year growth of 6.7% and 1.6%, respectively. In the second quarter, we expect unit shipment volume for Aggregates to increase year over year to 60,054 tons from 59,300 tons, while for Asphalt mix the same is anticipated to decline to 3,742 tons from 3,900 tons.

Conversely, the consensus estimate for revenues from the Concrete (10.1% of the first quarter of 2026 total revenues) business segment is pegged at $182 million, indicating a 17.6% downturn year over year. The recently divested ready-mixed concrete operations in California are expected to have resulted in the segment losing revenue and volume contribution as the divested assets leave the portfolio.

The Zacks model expects unit shipment volume for Concrete to tumble year over year to 1,065 tons from 1,200 tons.

Earnings & Margin Trends

Vulcan’s bottom line is likely to have gained from its intent focus on two strategic disciplines, the Vulcan Way of Selling and the Vulcan Way of Operating. Through these initiatives, the company is likely to maintain operational excellence while maintaining work value. Although cost inflation and ongoing geopolitical risks are concerning, VMC’s aim at maintaining stable pricing and a favorable mix is expected to have aided the quarter’s bottom-line growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for gross profit from the Aggregates business segment is pegged at $568 million, reflecting year-over-year growth from $560 million. However, the consensus mark for gross profit from the Asphalt and Concrete business segments reflects year-over-year declines of 15.9% to $47.94 million and 2.4% to $8.3 million, respectively.

What the Zacks Model Unveils for VMCOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for Vulcan this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. However, it is not the case this time around.

VMC's Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of -0.89%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

VMC's Zacks Rank: The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Stocks Poised to Beat EarningsHere are some companies in the Zacks Construction sector, which according to our model, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.

Boise Cascade Company (BCC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +6.50% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.

Boise Cascade’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters, missed on one occasion and met on the remaining occasion, the average surprise being 40.8%. The company’s earnings for the second quarter of 2026 are expected to decline 25% year over year.

Amentum Holdings, Inc. (AMTM - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.18% and a Zacks Rank of 2.

Amentum’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 4%. The company’s earnings for the second quarter of 2026 are expected to increase 12.5% year over year.

CRH plc (CRH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +4.08% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

CRH’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters, missed on one occasion and met on the remaining occasion, the average surprise being 0.7%. The company’s earnings for the second quarter of 2026 are expected to inch up 1% year over year.

Key Takeaways DAR's sales rose 12.3%, while adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $406.8 million. DAR trades below industry and market multiples, but near its own five-year median valuation. Debt of $4.1 billion and weaker cash flow leave leverage reduction dependent on stronger execution. Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR - Free Report) has a better operating story after a sharp first-quarter recovery, but the case is mixed.

The shares combine stronger earnings, a discounted forward multiple and improving renewable-fuel conditions with elevated leverage and raw-material limits.

DAR’s Earnings Rebound Strengthens the Bull CaseDarling’s first-quarter results gave investors a clearer view of earnings power. Total net sales rose 12.3% year over year to $1.6 billion, and earnings were 83 cents per share, reversing a year-earlier loss.

Combined adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $406.8 million from $195.8 million. Core ingredients execution, better finished-product pricing and a larger Diamond Green Diesel contribution all supported the rebound.

The recovery still needs context. The quarter included Darling’s share of a favorable lower-of-cost-or-market inventory adjustment of about $48.4 million at DGD, and management said that benefit has now been exhausted.

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

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Darling’s Valuation Offers a Relative DiscountDAR trades at 11.56X forward 12-month earnings. That is below 14.58X for its sub-industry, 17X for its sector and 20.41X for the S&P 500.

The discount supports the value argument, but it is not extreme versus the stock’s own history. DAR’s five-year median multiple is 11.92X, making the current valuation close to its normal range.

Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) is relevant because it is Darling’s Diamond Green Diesel partner. Its renewable diesel exposure provides context for DGD margin swings.

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DAR’s Cash Flow Has Yet to Match EarningsCash flow did not keep pace with earnings. Operating cash flow was $153 million in the first quarter, down from $249 million in the prior-year period.

The gap reflects timing issues. Darling contributed $190.1 million to DGD, mainly for short-term working-capital needs tied to margin calls, while production-tax-credit receipts are expected in later quarters.

Management expects much or all of the temporary DGD funding to be returned. Until then, the earnings rebound has not fully converted into balance-sheet flexibility.

Darling’s Leverage Keeps the Risk ElevatedLeverage remains the main restraint on the bull case. Darling ended the first quarter with total debt of $4.1 billion, net debt of about $4 billion and a preliminary leverage ratio of 3.17 times.

Management continues to target total debt of approximately $3 billion or less. That objective depends on stronger operating cash flow, DGD distributions, production-tax-credit collections and planned asset-sale proceeds.

The path is achievable only if the improved earnings environment turns into cash. Accounting earnings alone would do less to reduce financial risk.

DAR Faces Supply and Cost ConstraintsRaw-material availability remains a structural issue. The North American cattle herd is at a multi-decade low, limiting access to beef-derived fats that can carry attractive renewable-fuel value.

Poultry volumes help offset supply pressure, but poultry yields less fat than beef. That limits upside when the best economics are tied to fats.

International markets add another risk. Tariff-related disruptions in Brazil, higher ocean freight costs and slower improvement in Europe could pressure margins if pricing or renewable-fuel economics soften.

Rising expenses also matter. Selling, general and administrative costs increased across segments in the first quarter, while corporate costs rose largely because of incentive compensation.

Bunge Global SA (BG - Free Report) provides a useful comparison because it operates across agricultural commodities, oils, proteins, animal feed and biofuel-related supply chains. Its exposure shows how broader agricultural processors also face commodity and logistics swings.

Darling’s Neutral View Reflects Balanced RisksThe bottom line is that DAR looks improved, but not risk-free. The Neutral view and $66 price target fit a stock with better earnings momentum, a relative valuation discount and a renewable-fuel recovery, offset by debt and cash-flow questions.

No Zacks Rank or Style Scores are provided, so investors cannot make a report-grounded assessment of DAR’s Value, Growth, Momentum or VGM classifications. That limits the ability to apply factor-based signals to the stock.

Without those classifications, the decision rests more on execution. DAR needs to hold core margins, convert earnings into cash and reduce leverage for the rebound to become a stronger investment case.

Key Takeaways Johnson Controls is expected to post higher fiscal Q3 revenues of $6.43 billion and EPS of $1.32 on July 29.JCI may benefit from HVAC demand in data centers, services strength and growth from the OpenBlue platform.Johnson Controls faces margin pressure from higher SG&A costs and foreign currency headwinds. Johnson Controls International plc (JCI - Free Report) is scheduled to release third-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended June 2026) financial numbers on July 29, before market open.

The company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average surprise was 5.6%. In the last reported quarter, its earnings of $1.19 per share beat the consensus estimate of $1.12 by 6.3%.

The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $6.43 billion, indicating an increase of 6.2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The consensus estimate for adjusted earnings is pinned at $1.32 per share, indicating an increase of 25.7% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

Key Factors and Estimates to Note Ahead of JCI’s Earnings ReleaseThe Americas segment is expected to have benefited from solid demand for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) platforms in data centers and strength in services businesses in the fiscal third quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $4.34 billion, indicating a 7.4% increase from the year-ago figure.

The Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) segment is expected to have benefited from strength in products and systems businesses. However, disruptions caused by the Middle East conflicts and lower non-recurring services volumes are likely to mar the segment’s results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $1.25 billion, indicating a 1.6% decrease from the year-ago figure.

Solid momentum in the applied HVAC business, driven by data center application growth, is expected to have driven the performance of the Asia Pacific segment. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $777 million, indicating a 5.4% increase from the year-ago figure.

Investments in digital offerings, like the OpenBlue platform that plays an integral part in meeting customer needs, are expected to have driven the company’s revenues.

However, the escalating selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses pose a threat to Johnson Controls’ bottom line. High organizational realignment and transaction/separation costs are expected to have pushed up the SG&A expenses, which are likely to have impacted its margins in the fiscal third quarter.

JCI has considerable exposure to overseas markets. Given the company’s substantial international operations, foreign currency headwinds are likely to have marred its profitability.

Earnings WhispersOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for JCI this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is the case here, as elaborated below.

Earnings ESP: JCI has an Earnings ESP of +1.85% as the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at $1.34 per share, which is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: JCI currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies, which according to our model, also have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in this reporting cycle.

Boise Cascade Company (BCC - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +6.50% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. The company is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 3.

Boise Cascade’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the preceding four quarters, missing one and matching the other, the average surprise being 40.2%.

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. (FERG - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.22% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 10.

Ferguson’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.5%.

Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.61% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.

Ingersoll Rand’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters while matching the mark in two, the average surprise being 2.4%.

Key Takeaways Newell's innovation, pricing and productivity efforts are expected to support second-quarter sales growth. NWL continues restructuring and supply-chain optimization to offset inflation and expand margins. Positive Earnings ESP and a Buy Rank point to favorable odds of an earnings beat despite cost pressures. Newell Brands Inc. (NWL - Free Report) is expected to register a year-over-year increase in the top line when it reports second-quarter 2026 results on July 31, 2026, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $2 billion, indicating a rise of 1.7% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.

The consensus estimate for the bottom line is pegged at 19 cents per share, which indicates a decline of 20.8% from the year-ago quarter. The consensus mark has been stable in the past 30 days.

In the last reported quarter, the Atlanta, GA-based company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 44.4%. Its bottom line beat the consensus estimate by 9.7%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

Factors Likely to Impact NWL’s Q2 ResultsNewell’s top-line performance is likely to have reflected gains from front-end commercial capabilities, mainly innovation and new business development, coupled with a more streamlined organizational structure. On the operational front, productivity initiatives, restructuring actions and supply-chain efficiencies are expected to have provided partial offsets to cost pressures.

Newell is focused on disciplined pricing and revenue management by improving customer program efficiency, optimizing promotional spending and implementing targeted pricing actions. It also continues to drive productivity through restructuring initiatives, supply-chain optimization and disciplined cost management to offset inflationary pressures and support margin expansion.

Newell has been strengthening its growth strategy by expanding its pipeline of consumer-focused innovations across its portfolio. The company plans to introduce more high-impact product launches in 2026, supported by greater advertising and retail activation, to drive consumer demand, improve market share and create additional distribution opportunities. Such endeavors are likely to have aided its top line in the to-be-reported quarter.

On its last earnings call, management had expected both net sales and core sales to be flat to up 2% each for the second quarter. Our model expects sales growth of 1.2% year over year and a core sales rise of 0.6% for the second quarter. We anticipate core sales growth of 0.5% each for the Home & Commercial Solutions and Learning and Development segments, and 1% for the Outdoor and Recreation segment in the to-be-reported quarter.

On the flip side, Newell continues to witness a volatile operating backdrop, along with soft consumer demand, elevated tariffs and commodity cost inflation. Higher raw material and freight expenses are likely to have acted as a major headwind in the quarter under review. Rising resin prices and elevated transportation costs with higher oil prices are likely to have increased operating costs and pressured margins. Management, in its last earnings call, had envisioned normalized operating margin of 9.6-10.2% and normalized earnings per share (EPS) of 16-19 cents for the second quarter. We expect normalized operating margin of 9.7%, and normalized EPS of 18 cents for the quarter under review.

What the Zacks Model Unveils For NWLOur proven model conclusively predicts an earnings beat for Newell this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is exactly the case here.

Newell currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.36% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Valuation PictureFrom a valuation perspective, Newell offers an attractive opportunity, trading at a discount relative to historical and industry benchmarks. With a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 8.41x, which is below the five-year high of 15.23x and the Consumer Products - Staples industry’s average of 18.23x, the stock offers compelling value for investors seeking exposure to the sector.

The recent market movements show that NWL’s shares have gained 17.8% in the past six months against the industry's 0.6% drop.

Other Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some other companies, which according to our model, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.

Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FMX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +37.42% and a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The company is expected to register bottom and top-line increases when it reports second-quarter 2026 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FMX’s quarterly bottom line has dipped 10.9% in the past 30 days to 82 cents per share. The consensus mark for earnings indicates an improvement of 95.2% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.

The consensus estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $12.9 billion, which indicates a rise of 19.3% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. FMX has delivered a negative earnings surprise of 17%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.61% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is likely to register a bottom and top-line growth when it reports second-quarter 2026 numbers.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Monster Beverage’s quarterly revenues is pegged at $2.4 billion, indicating an increase of 14.5% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. The consensus estimate for MNST’s quarterly earnings of 59 cents per share implies a rise of 13.5% from the year-ago quarter’s level. MNST has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.6%, on average.

Coty (COTY - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.03% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is expected to register a top-line decline when it reports fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 numbers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COTY’s quarterly bottom line has remained unchanged in the past 30 days at a loss of a cent per share. The consensus mark for earnings indicates an improvement of 80% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.

The consensus estimate for quarterly revenues is pegged at $1.2 billion, which indicates a drop of 4.8% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. COTY has delivered a negative earnings surprise of 214.1%, on average, in the trailing four quarters.

Key Takeaways Alto Ingredients is adding CO2 storage capacity to boost throughput and serve Pacific Northwest demand.The Columbia project targets premium CO2 sales, stronger reliability and summer customer demand.Pekin options could combine utilization and sequestration while reducing Alto Ingredients' capital needs. Alto Ingredients, Inc. (ALTO - Free Report) is looking to turn biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) into a larger revenue opportunity rather than treating it simply as a byproduct of ethanol production. The company is pursuing a strategy that combines higher-value CO2 sales with CO2 utilization and sequestration initiatives.

In the first quarter of 2026, Alto Ingredients began a project to add a third storage tank at its Columbia liquid CO2 processing facility. The project is intended to increase throughput and storage capacity and help the company capitalize on growing demand and limited supply of premium CO2 in the Pacific Northwest. Maintenance performed during a planned outage was also aimed at improving plant reliability and supporting CO2 customer demand during the summer demand period.

At its Pekin campus, Alto Ingredients continues to evaluate large-scale CO2 utilization and sequestration opportunities. Management has indicated that a future project could involve a combination of utilization and sequestration, potentially lowering the facility’s carbon-intensity score, increasing eligibility for carbon-related incentives and generating additional liquid CO2 revenues. The company is also holding discussions with outside parties regarding structures that could reduce the capital commitment required from it compared with the earlier standalone project.

Overall, the initiatives reflect Alto Ingredients’ effort to more effectively monetize its biogenic CO2 production. However, the Pekin opportunities remain under evaluation, and their timing, structure, economics and regulatory benefits have not yet been finalized.

What Do the Latest Metrics Say About Alto Ingredients?Alto Ingredients, which competes with Green Plains Inc. (GPRE - Free Report) and MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGPI - Free Report) , has seen its shares rally 300% in the past year, way higher than the industry’s 5.3% growth. Shares of Green Plains have risen 98.3%, while MGP Ingredients has declined 42.9% during the same period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Alto Ingredients’ forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.36 is lower than the industry’s average of 3.2. The company is trading at a discount to Green Plains (with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.6) and MGP Ingredients (0.75).

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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alto Ingredients’ 2026 and 2027 earnings per share implies a year-over-year rise of 671.4% and 53.7%, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Key Takeaways SW's Q2 results may reflect stable packaging demand but weaker North American volumes and box demand.Lower volumes and inflation may pressure results; pricing and cost cuts may offset headwinds.Europe, MEA and APAC revenues are expected to rise, while North America EBITDA may fall 8.1% y/y. Smurfit Westrock PLC (SW - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 29, before market open.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $7.99 billion, indicating 0.6% growth from the year-ago quarter's reported figure.

The consensus mark for earnings per share is pegged at 42 cents, indicating a year-over-year dip of 6.7%. The bottom-line estimate has moved down in the past 60 days.

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Smurfit Westrock’s Earnings Surprise HistoryThe company’s earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, delivering an average negative surprise of 17.6%.

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Factors Likely to Shape SW’s Q2 ResultsThe demand for corrugated packaging and containerboard used to package essential items, such as food, beverages and medicines, has been stable. Strong growth in e-commerce and rising demand for paper as a sustainable packaging solution have favored the industry. These trends are expected to get reflected in Smurfit Westrock’s second-quarter 2026 results.

However, some of these gains are likely to have been offset by lower volumes in North America and lower box demand. This is expected to hurt Smurfit Westrock’s quarterly results. Even though the company pointed to improving demand and expects volume growth in the second half, the early-2026 volume backdrop shows that recovery can be slower and uneven across regions.

Inflation in freight, energy, and labor and operational downtime are expected to have affected SW’s quarterly performance and free cash flow margin. Pricing actions and cost-saving initiatives are likely to have negated some of these headwinds.

Smurfit Westrock’s Q1 Segmental ProjectionThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Europe, MEA and APAC’s revenues is pegged at $2.83 billion for the second quarter, indicating an increase from the $2.77 billion reported in the second quarter of 2025. The segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $384 million. In the prior-year quarter, the segment reported adjusted EBITDA of $372 million.

The estimates for the North America segment’s second-quarter 2026 revenues are pegged at $4.75 billion, whereas it reported $4.65 billion in the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $690.8 million, suggesting an 8.1% year-over-year dip.

The LATAM segment’s revenue estimate is pegged at $539 million, suggesting year-over-year growth from $515 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $121.7 million, indicating a rise from the $123 million reported in the prior-year quarter.

What the Zacks Model Unveils for SW StockOur model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Smurfit Westrock this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here.

SW’s Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for Smurfit Westrock is 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

SW’s Zacks Rank: SW currently has a Zacks Rank #3.

Smurfit Westrock Stock’s Price PerformanceShares of the company have gained 4.5% in the past year against the industry’s 7.3% decline.

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Stocks to ConsiderHere are some Basic Materials stocks, which, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.

The Chemours Company (CC - Free Report) , scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 4, has an Earnings ESP of +27.17% and currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Chemours’ quarterly earnings are pegged at 43 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year dip of 25%. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 69%.

B2Gold Corp. (BTG - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug.6, has an Earnings ESP of +8.64% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for B2Gold’s earnings is pegged at 7 cents per share, implying a dip from the 12 cents per share reported in the year-ago quarter. B2Gold delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 0.3%.

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug.6, currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.16% and a Zacks Rank of 3.

Wheaton Precious Metals’ quarterly earnings are pegged at $1.13 per share, indicating a year-over-year jump of 79%. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 14%.

NVTS stock is up ahead of earnings. See the chart and price action here.  Consensus calls for revenue of $9.97 million and losses per share of four cents, according to estimates from Benzinga Pro. 

Options pricing implies an expected move of 15.46% around the report, well above the stock’s typical single-session swing and signaling traders expect another volatile reaction regardless of direction.

The stakes are elevated because shares have already fallen hard. Navitas dropped from a June 30 close of $17.92 to $10.92 by last Friday, a decline of 39.06% in less than a month, touching an intraday low of $10.74 on July 17. 

The sell-off has been driven by a patent infringement lawsuit filed by rival Wolfspeed and broader concerns about power semiconductor demand.

Navitas has struggled to satisfy Wall Street on the bottom line even when revenue comes in ahead of forecasts. In the first quarter, the company posted actual revenue of $8.6 million against a consensus estimate of $8.2 million, a top-line beat. 

Earnings per share came in at a loss of eight cents versus a consensus estimate for a loss of five cents, a miss that helped drive shares down 4.96% the following session. 

The pattern shows investors have been more sensitive to earnings quality than revenue growth alone heading into tonight’s print.

Experts Weigh InWall Street sentiment has turned cautious in the second quarter. Of the nine analysts covering the stock, three rate it Buy, five rate it Hold, and one rates it Sell, giving Navitas a consensus rating of Buy despite the split. 

The average consensus price target sits at $9, implying a downside of 17.4% from current levels, according to Benzinga data — a shift from the bullish targets analysts held in the first quarter and a signal that some on the Street see further room to fall even before tonight’s numbers land.

The setup leaves Navitas at a pivotal moment. A revenue beat paired with a narrower loss could stabilize sentiment and slow the drawdown. Another EPS miss, however, could extend the month’s steep slide and test the stock’s 52-week low of $5.44.

NVTS Stock Price Activity: Navitas Semiconductor shares were up 1.56% at $11.09 at the time of publication on Monday, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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Key Takeaways Camden Property enters Q2 with improving occupancy and stronger lease rates as apartment demand recovers.CPT is expected to report lower revenue and core FFO year over year despite moderating new supply.Camden expects seasonal expenses to offset revenue gains, with acquisitions providing limited support. Camden Property Trust (CPT - Free Report) is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 30, after market close. The company’s quarterly results are likely to witness a year-over-year decline in revenues and funds from operations (FFO) per share.

In the last reported quarter, this residential real estate investment trust (REIT) reported FFO per share of $1.70, delivering a surprise of 1.80%. Results reflected higher same-property net operating income (NOI).

In the preceding four quarters, CPT’s FFO per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate on all occasions, with the average beat being 1.18%. The graph below depicts this surprise history:

In this article, we will dive deep into the U.S. apartment market environment and the company's fundamentals and analyze the factors that might have contributed to its second-quarter 2026 performance.

US Apartment Market in Q2The U.S. multifamily market entered the second half of 2026 with a clearer recovery taking shape, as strong renter demand and a rapidly shrinking supply pipeline began translating into lower vacancy and improving rent growth.

According to a Cushman & Wakefield report, net absorption reached roughly 124,600 units, up from 83,500 units in the first quarter and 8% above the prior year, making it the fifth-strongest quarter in nearly 25 years. The supply picture also became more favorable. Approximately 88,000 units were delivered during the quarter, down 27% year over year. Around 475,000 units remained under construction at quarter-end, equal to just 3.5% of existing inventory.

Improving demand and slowing supply pushed the national vacancy rate down 35 basis points quarter over quarter to 8.9%, its first move below 9% since 2024. On a trailing four-quarter basis, absorption of approximately 362,000 units exceeded deliveries of about 358,000 units for the first time since early 2022, indicating vacancy is likely to have passed its cyclical peak. The recovery was particularly pronounced in previously overbuilt markets: Austin; Charleston, SC; Savannah, GA; Huntsville, AL; Salt Lake City, UT, and Colorado Springs recorded some of the largest quarterly vacancy declines.

Rent growth remains modest but is beginning to improve. National asking rents reached approximately $1,945 per month, up 1.5% year over year, compared with 1.1% growth in the first quarter. The Bay Area led the recovery, with San Francisco rents rising 13%, San Jose 7% and the East Bay 4.8%. Norfolk, VA; Toledo, OH; Reno, NV, and Boise, ID, also posted strong gains.

High-supply markets remained softer, with rents still declining in Austin and Sarasota, FL, although the pace of those declines moderated as excess supply was absorbed. Overall, the market appears to be shifting from stabilization into an occupancy-led recovery, with broader rent growth likely as the construction pipeline continues to shrink.

Factors at Play for Camden Property and Q2 ProjectionsCamden is expected to have benefited from gradually improving apartment fundamentals as peak leasing season gained momentum and new supply continued to moderate across its Sun Belt markets. April occupancy increased to approximately 95.4% from 95.1% in the first quarter, while blended lease rates improved by about 100 basis points sequentially. Strong resident retention, historically low turnover and renewal offers in the mid-3% range are likely to have supported revenue stability, although seasonal expense pressure, including higher repair and maintenance costs and annual merit increases, may have weighed on same-store NOI and earnings growth.

For the second quarter, management guided to core FFO of $1.65-$1.69 per share, down approximately $0.03 sequentially at the midpoint. The decline is expected to reflect a roughly $0.04 reduction in same-store NOI, as improving revenues are more than offset by seasonal repair and maintenance costs, and annual merit increases, partly cushioned by $0.01 of incremental non-same-store NOI from acquisitions.

For the second quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CPT’s revenues currently stands at $391.7 million, implying a 1.2% decline from the year-ago reported number.

However, before the second-quarter earnings release, the company’s activities were not adequate to gain analysts’ confidence. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarterly core FFO per share has been revised southward by a cent to $1.67 over the past week, which lies within the guided range and shows a decline of 1.8% year over year.

Here Is What Our Quantitative Model Predicts for CPT:Our proven model does not conclusively predict a surprise in terms of FFO per share for Camden this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an FFO beat, which is not the case here.

Camden currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3 and has an Earnings ESP of -0.78%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks That Warrant a LookHere are two stocks from the broader REIT sector — Extra Space Storage (EXR - Free Report) and Highwoods Properties (HIW - Free Report) — you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to report an FFO beat this quarter.

Extra Space Storage is slated to report quarterly numbers on July 28. EXR has an Earnings ESP of +0.39% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Highwoods Properties is slated to report quarterly numbers on July 28. HIW has an Earnings ESP of +0.47% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) — a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs.

Key Takeaways Waste Connections beat Q2 estimates as earnings rose 16.3% y/y and revenues climbed 6.4%.Strong pricing offset a 1.9% drop in solid waste volumes and lifted adjusted EBITDA 6.8%.WCN raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $10.02-$10.05B and sees adjusted EBITDA growth to $3.34 billion. Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN - Free Report) reported impressive second-quarter 2026 results, wherein earnings and revenues outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimates.

The stock price has not witnessed any significant impact of the earnings beat since the company released results on July 22.

WCN reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.50 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.35 by 11.1%. Earnings increased 16.3% from $1.29 in the year-ago quarter.

Revenues of $2.56 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $2.53 billion by 1.1% and rose 6.4% year over year. Strong pricing and operational execution supported the results, although solid waste unit volumes declined 1.9%.

Waste Connections shares have moved up 3.9% in the past three months, beating the industry's 2.7% increase and the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s 3.2% rally.

WCN's Solid Waste TrendsSolid waste internal growth was 3.6% in the quarter. Core price increased 5.6%, while yield, which reflects the average price per unit of service after customer and business-mix changes, improved 4.6%. Fuel and material surcharges contributed 1.1%.

Unit volumes fell 1.9%, reflecting sluggish construction activity and customer churn related partly to fuel surcharges. Roll-off pulls declined 2%, while rates per pull rose 5%. Landfill tons were nearly flat, as a 1% increase in construction and demolition volumes offset weaker special waste activity.

Waste Connections' Segmental RevenuesSolid Waste Collection revenues increased 5.8% year over year to $1.78 billion. Solid Waste Disposal and Transfer revenues advanced 5.1% to $464.3 million. These businesses benefited from pricing, while softer volumes limited organic growth.

Solid Waste Recycling revenues declined 8.1% to $61.4 million due to lower commodity values. E&P Waste Treatment, Recovery and Disposal revenues surged 18.3% to $201 million. Intermodal and Other revenues rose 18.3% to $51.3 million.

WCN's Margin & Cost PictureAdjusted EBITDA increased 6.8% year over year to $840.1 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 10 basis points to 32.8%. Underlying margin expansion was 70 basis points, driven partly by improved employee retention, safety performance and lower risk-management costs.

Fuel costs reduced the margin by approximately 40 basis points, while lower commodity values created a 20-basis-point drag. Management expects full-year core pricing of at least 5.5% and anticipates recovering elevated fuel expenses over time through surcharges.

Operating expenses increased 6.2% to $1.48 billion. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose 7.2% to $260.5 million. Reported operating income declined 4.8% to $437.6 million, reflecting $58.5 million in impairments and other operating items.

Waste Connections' Cash Flow & Balance SheetNet cash provided by operating activities totaled $733.3 million in the quarter compared with $638.2 million a year earlier. The adjusted free cash flow increased 24.7% to $457.5 million, representing 17.9% of revenues.

For the first six months of 2026, capital expenditure was $598.9 million. WCN also spent $614.5 million in share repurchases and $177.1 million in dividends. The company ended June with $98.2 million in cash and equivalents, and $9.28 billion in long-term debt.

Waste Connections' Growth InvestmentsThe company completed acquisitions representing approximately $100 million in annualized revenues during the first half. Another $30 million of exclusive-market franchise transactions was expected to close shortly, while management continued to anticipate an above-average acquisition year.

WCN’s artificial intelligence pricing tool has generated roughly $20 million in annualized EBITDA benefits. Management is also testing AI-based routing technology and developing customer-service tools. Across seven programs, Waste Connections expects its $100-million AI investment to ultimately produce $100 million in EBITDA improvement as implementation progresses through 2028 and 2029.

WCN’s 2026 OutlookWaste Connections raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $10.02-$10.05 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pinned at $10 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is projected between $3.33 billion and $3.34 billion, implying a margin of 33.2% to 33.3%.

The company maintained its adjusted free cash flow forecast of $1.4 billion to $1.45 billion, and capital expenditure projection of $1.25 billion. The outlook excludes acquisitions that may close during the remainder of the year.

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

Earnings SnapshotEquifax Inc. (EFX - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.25 per share, up 12.5% year over year. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.21 by 1.8%.

Revenues increased 10.6% year over year to $1.7 billion and surpassed the consensus mark by a slight margin.

FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS - Free Report) posted third-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $4.53 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.44 by 2%. The figure increased 6.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Revenues of $622.9 million surpassed the consensus mark of $617.2 million by 0.9% and rose 6.4% year over year.

In its upcoming report, Apple (AAPL - Free Report) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $1.88 per share, reflecting an increase of 19.8% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $108.75 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 15.6%.

Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 0.3% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.

Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors usually depend on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to assess the business performance for the quarter, delving into analysts' forecasts for certain key metrics often provides a more comprehensive understanding.

That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Apple metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Net Sales by Category- Wearables, Home and Accessories' will likely reach $7.81 billion. The estimate points to a change of +5.4% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts forecast 'Net Sales by Category- iPhone' to reach $53.97 billion. The estimate indicates a change of +21.1% from the prior-year quarter.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Net Sales- Services' at $31.38 billion. The estimate suggests a change of +14.5% year over year.

The consensus estimate for 'Net Sales by Category- Mac' stands at $8.67 billion. The estimate points to a change of +7.8% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Net Sales- Products' will reach $77.36 billion. The estimate points to a change of +16.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts predict that the 'Net Sales by Category- iPad' will reach $6.92 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +5.1%.

Analysts expect 'Gross margin- Services' to come in at $24.04 billion. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $20.73 billion in the same quarter last year.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Gross margin- Products' should arrive at $28.09 billion. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $22.99 billion in the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Cost of Sales- Services' should come in at $7.35 billion.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Cost of Sales- Products' of $49.31 billion.

View all Key Company Metrics for Apple here>>>

Apple shares have witnessed a change of +17.4% in the past month, in contrast to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.8% move. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), AAPL is expected closely follow the overall market performance in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

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Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL | GOOGL Price Prediction) and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) both reported Q2 results on July 22, 2026, and both got sold. Only one earned it. Google crushed estimates with Cloud accelerating to 82% growth. Tesla missed EPS by nearly 38.51% as operating margin collapsed. Same market reaction, opposite fundamentals.

One Beat Was Historic. The Other Miss Was Ugly. Alphabet posted EPS of $9.11 against a $3.0427 estimate, its 11th straight beat. Revenue hit $119.796 billion, up 24.23% YoY. Google Cloud jumped to $24.768 billion on enterprise AI demand. Sundar Pichai noted that “nearly 90% of the Fortune 100” now use Gemini Enterprise. Operating margin expanded to 34%. That is a high-margin cash engine widening its moat.

Tesla told a different story. EPS came in at $0.33 versus a $0.5367 estimate. Deliveries were a record 480,126 vehicles, yet operating income fell to just $398 million, a 56.88% drop. CFO Vaibhav Taneja said automotive margins excluding credits “declined sequentially from 19.2% to 16.3%”. Volume grew. Profit did not follow.

Business Driver Alphabet Tesla Headline Growth Engine Cloud +82% YoY Deliveries +25% YoY Operating Margin 34%, +2 pts 1.4%, compressed EPS Surprise +199.41% -38.51% Same Cash Drain, Very Different Reasons Both printed negative free cash flow, and that is where the market conflated them. Alphabet reported FCF of -$5.855 billion because CapEx doubled to $44.924 billion. Operating cash flow still grew 40.8% to $39.069 billion. The drain is a choice, funded by a machine that already prints cash.

Tesla’s -$1.092 billion in FCF is a squeeze. OpEx jumped 47% to $4.35 billion, CapEx rose 141.81%, and the core auto business is delivering thinner unit economics. Elon Musk framed it as “the best CapEx returns that we’ve ever seen”. The market disagreed. TSLA dropped 16.30% in two days, while GOOGL fell 6.53%. One drop looks like an overreaction. The other looks like a repricing.

What I’m Watching Into the Back Half For Alphabet, the question is whether Cloud can hold this trajectory to justify the $70 billion capital raise and the suspended buyback. A retail thread on r/stocks captured the concern plainly: “How do they plan to fund $180-190B in capex?” For Tesla, I want to see automotive ASPs stabilize before Cybercab and Optimus start pulling meaningful weight.

Why I Lean Alphabet Until Tesla’s Margins Recover On the fundamentals, Alphabet looks structurally stronger here. A high-margin business choosing to spend aggressively differs fundamentally from a low-margin business forced to. Tesla’s punishment fits the earnings report. If you are a turnaround investor who believes Robotaxi and Optimus reroute the P&L, TSLA at -30.39% YTD reflects that thesis. The cash engine funding its own moat carries a cleaner risk profile today.

Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Google didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Key Takeaways Bank of America delivered strong EPS growth, fueled by record NII, and strong trading and IB revenues.BAC recorded its 17th straight quarter of trading revenue growth and a 50.5% rise in IB fees.BAC reaffirmed its 2026 NII growth expectations and returned capital through dividends and buybacks. Bank of America (BAC - Free Report) delivered a strong second-quarter 2026 performance, underscoring the resilience of its diversified business model despite an uncertain macroeconomic environment. The bank reported 34.4% year-over-year earnings per share growth, driven by record net interest income (NII), robust trading and investment banking (IB) revenues, healthy loan growth, and resilient credit quality.

This quarter marked the 17th consecutive quarter of growth in trading revenues. Sales and trading revenues (excluding net DVA) increased 33% year over year to $7.16 billion. IB fees soared 50.5% to $1.15 billion, reflecting strong advisory and capital markets activity. Likewise, NII (fully taxable-equivalent basis) rose 9.1% to a record $16.16 billion, highlighting the strength of the bank’s core lending franchise.

The results also showcased the benefits of Bank of America’s long-term strategic investments. The company maintained a robust balance sheet, continued to reward shareholders through higher dividends and share repurchases, and reaffirmed its expectation for sustained NII growth in 2026.

Strength across its Consumer Banking, Global Banking, Global Markets, and Global Wealth & Investment Management segments further demonstrates the bank’s ability to generate balanced earnings from multiple businesses rather than relying on a single revenue source.

Given these strong operating trends, Bank of America appears well-positioned to create shareholder value. However, before making an investment decision, it is important to evaluate the company’s underlying fundamentals and growth drivers to determine whether the stock remains an attractive investment opportunity.

Key Factors Supporting Bank of AmericaRobust Top-Line Growth: Bank of America has been witnessing an increase in revenues over the past several years. Total net revenues witnessed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% over the last five years (2020-2025), with the uptrend continuing in the first half of 2026.

Revenue Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The rise has been driven by consistent loan growth (net loans and leases saw a CAGR of 5.2% over the same time frame) and a favorable interest rate backdrop, along with a decent rise in fee income (total non-interest income witnessed a CAGR of 4.7%).

Despite declines in interest rates in 2024 and 2025, the company’s NII saw a CAGR of 6.7% in the five years ended 2025, primarily supported by increasing loan balances. The uptrend for NII has continued in the first six months of 2026.

With interest rates expected to remain elevated and the possibility of a rate hike later in the year, along with a continued rise in loan balances and fixed-rate asset repricing, BAC’s NII is expected to continue to improve in the near term. Management expects full-year 2026 NII (FTE) to grow in the upper end of 6-8%. This, coupled with fee income growth, will likely keep supporting revenue expansion.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BAC’s 2026 and 2027 revenues is pegged at $123.5 billion and $129.9 billion, which indicates year-over-year growth rates of 12% and 5.1%, respectively.

Revenue Growth Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Strong Recovery in Investment Banking Franchise: Bank of America’s IB business has regained strong momentum following the industry-wide slowdown in global deal-making during 2022-2023.

After IB fees declined 45.7% in 2022 and 2.4% in 2023, the franchise rebounded with 31.4% growth in 2024 and an 8.4% increase in 2025. The recovery accelerated in the first half of 2026, with IB fees rising 36.4% year over year, driven by a 61% surge in advisory revenues, a 52.8% increase in equity underwriting fees and a 10.9% rise in debt underwriting income.

With corporate confidence gradually improving, capital markets reopening and Bank of America maintaining a robust investment banking pipeline, the company is well-positioned to sustain fee income growth and further diversify earnings beyond its traditional lending business.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence With Branch Expansion: Bank of America is integrating AI with its branch expansion strategy by building a “phygital” banking model that combines AI-driven digital capabilities with modern, tech-enabled financial centers. While the bank plans to open more than 150 new centers by 2027, AI tools like Erica, fraud-detection systems and automated workflows are increasingly handling routine transactions and customer interactions.

This allows branch employees to focus on higher-value advisory services and cross-selling products such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The strategy is expected to improve operating efficiency, lower costs, enhance customer engagement, and drive stronger fee income and NII growth over the long term, ultimately supporting sustained operating margin expansion.

Strong Balance Sheet & Liquidity Position: As of June 30, 2026, Bank of America had total debt worth $732.1 billion. Its cash and cash-equivalents balance was $229.7 billion. Despite a high debt burden, the company’s liquidity position seems sufficient to meet near-term obligations since BAC has easy access to the debt markets, given its investment-grade long-term credit ratings of A1, A- and AA- from Moody’s, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, respectively, along with a stable outlook.

The company has an efficient capital distribution plan, supported by its earnings strength, through which it keeps enhancing shareholder value. After clearing the 2026 stress test, Bank of America raised its quarterly dividend 14.3% to 32 cents per share. Prior to this, it increased its dividend 7.7% in 2025, 8.3% in 2024, 9.1% in 2023, 4.8% in 2022 and 17% in 2021.

Also, BAC engages in regular share repurchases. In July 2025, it authorized a $40-billion repurchase program. As of June 30, 2026, $17 billion worth of authorization remained available for repurchase.

Analyzing Bank of America’s Price Performance & ValuationSo far this year, shares of Bank of America have gained 12.8%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index’s 7.5% rally and the industry’s 10.4% growth.

If we look at BAC’s two key peers, JPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) and Citigroup (C - Free Report) , it appears that while BAC has outperformed JPM year to date, it has underperformed Citigroup.

Shares of JPMorgan have gained 9.6%, whereas the Citigroup stock has appreciated 13.3%.

YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Looking at Bank of America’s valuation, the stock is currently trading at a 12-month trailing price-to-tangible book (P/TB) of 2.19X, which is below the industry’s 3.40X. This shows that BAC is currently trading at a discount relative to the industry average.

P/TB Ratio (TTM)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

JPMorgan has a P/TB of 3.29X, while Citigroup’s P/TB ratio is 1.34X. Thus, currently, BAC is overvalued compared with Citigroup but undervalued compared with JPMorgan.

Final Verdict on Bank of AmericaBAC has a strong fundamental positioning, driven by scalable AI capabilities, data advantage from its vast customer base and a well-executed strategy that blends digital efficiency with targeted branch expansion. With continued investments in technology and a disciplined expansion approach, the company will likely deliver steady margin expansion and long-term value creation.

In addition to this, BAC’s diversified revenue base across consumer banking, wealth management and institutional operations provides resilience across economic cycles. The bank continues to benefit from a large, low-cost deposit franchise, improving NII and disciplined cost management, all of which are expected to support steady profitability. Looking at these positives, it seems to be a wise idea to add the BAC stock to your portfolio now.

Analysts also seem optimistic regarding the company’s earnings growth potential. Over the past seven days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for BAC’s 2026 and 2027 earnings has been revised upward. Earnings estimates for 2026 suggest a year-over-year rise of 22.1% and the estimates for 2027 indicate growth of 12.6%.

Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

At present, Bank of America carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. lowered its position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Free Report) by 0.6% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 275,470 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,749 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. comprises about 2.0% of Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc.’s holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $81,032,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 7.9% in the 4th quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 70,077 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $22,580,000 after purchasing an additional 5,101 shares during the last quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 18.2% during the 4th quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. now owns 25,784 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $8,308,000 after purchasing an additional 3,976 shares during the period. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 51.7% during the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,883 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,862,000 after purchasing an additional 3,027 shares during the period. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 11.0% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 48,732 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $11,682,000 after purchasing an additional 4,841 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KTF Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 4th quarter worth about $6,449,000. 71.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have commented on JPM. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $375.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $391.00 to $420.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. DZ Bank restated a “neutral” rating on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Argus increased their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $340.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $330.00 to $370.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $358.67.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on JPMorgan Chase & Co.

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

Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan continues to draw favorable analyst attention, with multiple reports saying it remains a strong long-term and momentum pick for investors. Wall Street Analysts Think JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) Is a Good Investment: Is It? Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary highlighted JPMorgan’s earnings strength and AI-related growth themes in banking, which supports the view that the company can keep outperforming peers. JPMorgan Sees AI-Powered Growth For Banks; Stock Pops Into Buy Zone After Earnings Growth Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan was also cited as a top momentum candidate and long-term stock pick by Zacks, adding to the bullish sentiment around the shares. Are You Looking for a Top Momentum Pick? Why JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is a Great Choice Neutral Sentiment: The bank completed $9 billion in debt offerings, which is a routine capital-markets transaction that may help funding flexibility but is not clearly a major near-term catalyst. JPMorgan Chase Raises $9 Billion Through Debt Offerings Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan’s broader market commentary on oil, Iran-related disruption, and global risks reflects its macro views, but these notes are more informative than directly stock-moving for JPM itself. Here’s what each additional month of Iran-conflict disruption means for oil prices Negative Sentiment: House lawmakers questioned former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley over Epstein-related ties, which keeps reputational and legal-overhang concerns in the background for the bank. House lawmakers grill former JPMorgan executive Jes Staley over Epstein ties Insider Activity at JPMorgan Chase & Co. In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, CFO Jeremy Barnum sold 3,022 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $309.41, for a total transaction of $935,037.02. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 32,438 shares in the company, valued at $10,036,641.58. This represents a 8.52% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, COO Jennifer Piepszak sold 4,919 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $309.42, for a total transaction of $1,522,036.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 85,082 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $26,326,072.44. This represents a 5.47% decrease in their position. 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. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 18,876 shares of company stock worth $5,907,051. Corporate insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance Shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. stock opened at $352.88 on Monday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $323.74 and a 200 day moving average of $310.97. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 12 month low of $279.10 and a 12 month high of $353.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $945.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.86.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 14th. The financial services provider reported $6.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.59 by $0.55. The company had revenue of $58.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $50.72 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 18.23% and a net margin of 21.86%.JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s revenue was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.96 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 23.97 earnings per share for the current year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 31st. Investors of record on Monday, July 6th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 6th. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s payout ratio is 25.71%.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co. (Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) is a diversified global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. The company provides a wide range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, corporations, governments and institutional investors worldwide. Its operations span retail banking, commercial lending, investment banking, asset management, payments and card services, and treasury and securities services.

The firm’s principal business activities are organized across several core lines: Consumer & Community Banking, which offers deposit accounts, mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and branch and digital banking under the Chase brand; Corporate & Investment Banking, which provides capital markets, advisory, underwriting, trading and risk management services; Commercial Banking, delivering lending, treasury and capital solutions to middle-market and corporate clients; and Asset & Wealth Management, which offers investment management, private banking and retirement services to institutions and high-net-worth individuals.

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Here's a fact for you -- the average dividend yield on the S&P 500 is currently at 1.09%, the lowest it has been in at least 155 years, dating back to 1871.

This means that of the more than 400 companies which pay dividends, the average yield among them is just over 1%. Average yields among S&P 500 companies have been between 1% and 2% throughout the 2020s; the last time it was over 2% was in 2018.

Why have yields dropped to historic lows? There are a few reasons for that. One, the stock market has been on one of its best runs in decades as the S&P 500 has had three straight years of strong returns.

When stock prices are higher, yields are typically lower. That's because the yield is based on the annual dividend per share divided by the share price. So if the share price is up, and the dividend stays the same, the yield will be lower.

Image source: Getty Images.

Also, the S&P 500 has become top-heavy, dominated by the Magnificent Seven and other large tech stocks. The large tech stocks that do pay dividends don't typically pay high yields. That's largely because they are growth companies that typically invest excess capital into AI and other growth initiatives.

But there is one S&P 500 stock -- a Dividend King, no less -- that pays a yield that is more than three times higher than the S&P 500 average: Target (TGT +1.86%). (A Dividend King is a company that's raised its dividend for 50 or more consecutive years.) Here's why it's a good time to buy Target stock by early August.

Target turnaround Target stock has been in a turnaround mode, as shares are up 40% year to date. The retail stock has been long overdue for a turnaround as it endured four straight years -- from 2022 through 2025 -- of negative calendar-year returns.

Target's stock was so beaten down that its P/E ratio had dropped to 10 late last year. So, it became more attractive from a valuation standpoint. New management has been able to right the ship. In the first quarter, Target increased sales by 7% year over year and had a 4.4% boost in comparable-store sales.

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Management also raised its guidance, calling for 4% sales growth in 2026, up from the previous guidance of 2% growth. In addition, Target adjusted its operating income margin rate so that it is 20 basis points higher than the 4.6% rate in 2025. Further, it expects earnings per share (EPS) to be at the high end of its $7.50 to $8.50 range. In 2025, full-year EPS was $8.13 per share.

Dividend royalty But the major benefit Target has for investors is its dividend, which has always been one of the best. It has raised its dividend for 55 consecutive years and pays out a high yield of 3.45%. And it just raised its dividend again, bumping it up 1.8% to $1.16 per share.

Target is a good buy right now because shareholders of record as of Aug. 12 will get the dividend raise when it gets paid out on Sept. 1. And with its still-cheap valuation and sales momentum, the stock could charge higher heading into its Q2 earnings report on Aug. 19.

Key Takeaways Verizon cut consumer phone churn to 0.84% while adding 184,000 postpaid phone customers.VZ raised service revenue growth guidance to 2.5-3% and adjusted EPS to $4.99-$5.04.Verizon added 348,000 broadband customers and signed a $1 billion-plus dark fiber deal with Google. Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ - Free Report) used its second-quarter 2026 earnings call to argue that lower churn, disciplined customer acquisition and broadband expansion are creating a more durable growth model.

Management raised several full-year targets while detailing a sharper shift away from handset subsidies. Adjusted earnings of $1.30 topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.27, while revenues of $34.25 billion missed the $35.31 billion consensus.

VZ Sees a Structural Shift in Customer EconomicsCEO Daniel Schulman said Verizon’s transformation is producing a meaningful change in operating performance. He emphasized that subscriber gains are coming alongside lower churn and reduced acquisition and retention spending.

Consumer postpaid phone churn was 0.84%, down 6 basis points year over year. Verizon added 184,000 postpaid phone customers, while total mobility and broadband net additions exceeded 550,000.

Schulman said promotional acquisition costs fell about 15% and retention costs declined roughly 17%. Management views this combination of stronger volumes, improved retention and lower unit costs as a central driver of earnings and cash flow growth.

Verizon Raises Its Growth OutlookCFO Anthony Skiadas said mobility and broadband service revenues grew 2.8% to $23.4 billion, accelerating by 120 basis points from the first quarter.

Verizon raised its 2026 mobility and broadband service revenue growth outlook to 2.5-3%. Management expects growth to approach 3% in the third quarter and reach approximately 4% in the fourth quarter.

The company also raised adjusted earnings guidance to $4.99-$5.04 per share, representing 6-7% growth. Free cash flow is now expected to increase 9-10%, supported by EBITDA growth and lower equipment-related working-capital requirements.

VZ Reduces Its Reliance on Device SubsidiesManagement repeatedly highlighted a strategic move away from subsidy-heavy customer acquisition. Equipment revenues declined nearly 20%, or more than $1.2 billion, as upgrade volumes fell nearly 27%.

Schulman said each new account joining the Simplicity offering is effectively subsidy-free. The plan separates device financing from wireless pricing, which management expects to improve transparency and margins.

In the analyst discussion, a Morgan Stanley representative asked how the new value proposition was affecting customer growth. Schulman said gross additions were about 16% above internal forecasts, while new account additions were 31% better than expected.

Verizon Builds on Broadband ConvergenceVerizon added 348,000 broadband customers, including 193,000 fixed wireless and 155,000 fiber additions. Its broadband base reached approximately 17.1 million connections.

Schulman said 58% of broadband customers also use Verizon mobility services. Management sees these converged relationships as valuable because customers taking both products generate higher revenue and lower churn.

A UBS analyst questioned slowing fixed wireless additions and competition from satellite providers. Schulman said Verizon expects its broadband mix to shift toward fiber as coverage expands, while fixed wireless remains important in areas without fiber availability.

VZ Positions Fiber for AI Infrastructure DemandManagement introduced AI Connect as an additional long-term growth opportunity. Verizon signed an agreement valued at more than $1 billion to provide Google with dark fiber connecting data centers.
Schulman said other potential agreements could generate several billion dollars of revenues over the coming years.

Customers may purchase either dark or lit fiber, depending on whether they want Verizon to provide the supporting electronics and services.

Verizon is also converting selected central offices into edge data-center locations. Management expects AI infrastructure revenues to begin contributing in 2027, with margins equal to or above the company’s existing margin profile.

Verizon Expands Shareholder ReturnsSecond-quarter free cash flow increased 24.4% to $6.4 billion. First-half free cash flow rose 16% to $10.2 billion.
Verizon repurchased $1 billion of shares during the quarter, bringing first-half repurchases to $3.5 billion. Management raised its full-year repurchase target to as much as $4.5 billion.

Skiadas said net unsecured leverage improved to 2.5 times adjusted EBITDA. Verizon remains focused on investing in fiber and spectrum while reducing debt and maintaining its dividend.

VZ Management Maintains an Execution FocusManagement’s tone centered on operational discipline rather than promotional spending. Lower churn, convergence and cost reductions remain the immediate priorities.

Schulman said the second half of 2026 should outperform the first half, while 2027 should improve on 2026 as core service revenues accelerate and AI Connect begins contributing.

What Zacks Rank and Style Scores SignalVZ currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating a neutral near-term earnings-estimate revision outlook. Value, Momentum and VGM Scores of A point to favorable characteristics in those styles, while the C Growth Score reflects a more balanced growth profile.  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, with stronger combinations generally associated with Zacks Rank #1 and #2 (Buy) stocks. Verizon’s Rank may change as analysts revise estimates following the reported results and updated guidance.

Intel (INTC -1.91%) recently delivered blowout earnings results for the second quarter of 2026.

Adjusted earnings per share of $0.42 came in double what Wall Street analysts had been expecting, while revenue of $16.1 billion came in nearly $1.7 billion higher than consensus estimates.

“Strong demand for our products continue to outpace our growing supply,” Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan said on the company’s earnings call. “The surging demand and rapid build-out of compute infrastructure across the world creates a meaningful opportunity for us in our product business as well as our foundry business.”

Intel also provided strong guidance for the current quarter, estimating adjusted EPS of $0.38 and revenue between $15.8 billion and $16.8 billion. Both came in higher than analysts had been modeling.

The positive news, however, has done little for Intel’s stock, which is down nearly 33% over the past month.

Is Intel a buy after its latest earnings report?

Image source: The Motley Fool.

High capex continues to plague AI stocksWhile the top- and bottom-line numbers looked great, Intel also raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to $20 billion, up about $2 billion from prior guidance.

Intel’s CFO David Zinsner also said it expects capex in 2027 “to be significantly above the 2026 levels.” Zinsner said Intel remains disciplined with capex and is spending only in areas where it sees good long-term returns.

All artificial intelligence stocks that have raised their capex guides have come under pressure, as investors question whether these massive investments can yield adequate returns.

Some analysts are also concerned that Intel will be forced to raise capital to fund its spending ambitions.

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“The prospect of shareholder dilution and continued pressure on free cash flow are likely to weigh on investor sentiment and cap the stock’s upside over the short to medium term,” Hendi Susanto, a portfolio manager at Gabellie Funds, told Barrons.

However, some analysts view the increased capex guidance as evidence that Intel will be able to acquire more customers and see demand flow through.

Intel’s strong results in the recent quarter have led to a big turnaround for the stock, which is up nearly 128% this year and roughly 335% over the past year.

The question is, how much revenue and earnings growth has the market already pulled forward?

If you were to annualize Intel’s projected adjusted EPS of $0.38, that means Intel still trades at about 59 times forward earnings. On revenue, the valuation looks more reasonable with the stock trading at 7.2 times forward earnings.

Intel falls into the same category as many other AI stocks right now.

The stock took off when investors realized that central processing units (CPUs), a product Intel has always excelled in, play a critical role in AI infrastructure, particularly for powering agentic AI, systems that can carry out autonomous tasks.

But now that the easy money has been made, Intel’s success partly depends on AI demand continuing to ramp. That looks likely this year and next, but even the faintest signs of slowing AI demand could hit many of these stocks hard.

Intel also has a newer Foundry business for chip manufacturing, but the company is still reportedly seeking an anchor customer.

While the pullback in shares over the past month makes Intel stock more reasonable, it still carries risk, so I would start with a small position and dollar-cost average for now.

The stock will do well if AI demand continues to rise, but shares are likely to be highly volatile.

Charter Communications, Inc (NASDAQ:CHTR) stock gained by almost 5% on Monday as buyers lean into a rebound attempt in Communication Services, even while the broader tape stays mixed.

The Nasdaq is down 0.69% while the S&P 500 has shed 0.04%.

RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin said Charter continues to face broadband pressure, weaker ARPU and rising costs, prompting him to lower his price target and trim financial estimates.

• Charter Communications shares are climbing with conviction. Why is CHTR stock up today?

Broadband Pressure PersistsAtkin maintained a Sector Perform rating on Charter and cut his price forecast to $150 from $160. He said Charter has not successfully slowed broadband subscriber losses, while ARPU declines and cost inflation have created fresh challenges.

Charter lost 172,000 broadband customers in the second quarter, worse than the 145,000 loss analysts expected. Broadband ARPU fell 1.7% year over year and came in below expectations, while free cash flow of $1 billion missed consensus by 12%.

RBC Cuts EstimatesAtkin now expects 2026 revenue of $54.11 billion (down from $54.22 billion) and fiscal 2027 revenue of $53.27 billion (down from $53.53 billion).

The analyst lowered RBC’s 2026 EBITDA estimate to $22.6 billion from $22.8 billion and its 2027 estimate to $22.3 billion from $22.6 billion. He also cut free cash flow estimates to $5.1 billion for 2026 and $6.2 billion for 2027.

He now expects Charter to lose 473,000 broadband customers in 2026 and 453,000 in 2027, up from prior loss estimates of 425,000 and 405,000, respectively.

Cost Cuts and Cox Deal In FocusAtkin said a large cost-cutting program appears to be the next logical step as Charter deals with broadband share losses, fuel costs and employee-benefit inflation. He said the company may use AI automation for efficiency, but stronger action may be needed.

He expects the Cox Communications deal to close in mid- to late August and sees a broader cost-transformation program following the close.

Technical AnalysisEven with Monday’s pop, Charter remains in a longer-term downtrend: it’s trading 4.1% below its 20-day SMA, 6.4% below its 50-day SMA, and still deeply below the 100-day and 200-day averages (down 25.5% and 34.6%, respectively). The 20-day SMA sitting below the 50-day SMA keeps the near-term trend bearish, and the 50-day below the 200-day confirms the "death cross" backdrop that’s been in place since August 2025.

CHTR Price ActionCharter Communications shares were up 4.18% at $128.47 at the time of publication on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Key Takeaways Chevron subsidiary awarded Velesto Drilling a $51 million i-RDC contract for the North Malay Basin campaign.CVX will deploy the NAGA 8 jackup rig to support drilling and completion work for the 2026-2028 program.CVX continues using an integrated drilling model to improve efficiency and support sustained gas production. Chevron Corporation (CVX - Free Report) has strengthened its offshore Malaysia development plans after its subsidiary, Hess Exploration and Production Malaysia, awarded Velesto Drilling a $51 million contract for integrated rig, drilling and completion (i-RDC) services, according to Offshore Magazine. The contract supports the 2026-2028 North Malay Basin Full Field Development campaign, reinforcing ongoing efforts to sustain gas production from one of Malaysia's key offshore energy hubs.

The award marks another important milestone in the long-standing collaboration between the companies and further expands Velesto Drilling's role in the North Malay Basin development program. As part of the agreement, the NAGA 8 jackup rig will be deployed for the campaign after completing its current assignment in Malaysia.

CVX Expands Malay Basin Development Through Its SubsidiaryHess Exploration and Production Malaysia, now a Chevron subsidiary following its acquisition of Hess, continues to operate several gas-producing assets offshore Malaysia. The latest contract highlights Chevron's commitment to advancing the development of the North Malay Basin while maintaining operational continuity across its offshore portfolio.

The North Malay Basin remains one of Malaysia's most significant offshore gas-producing regions, supplying natural gas for domestic industries as well as regional energy markets. Development activities in the basin have progressed through multiple drilling phases designed to sustain production and maximize recovery from existing producing fields.

By awarding this integrated drilling contract, Chevron continues to support long-term field development while streamlining offshore operations through an integrated service model.

Velesto Drilling Secures Second i-RDC Contract for North Malay BasinThe latest award represents Velesto Drilling's second i-RDC contract for the North Malay Basin Full Field Development.

Under the i-RDC framework, the contractor delivers a bundled package that combines drilling rig services, drilling operations and well-completion services under a single contract. This integrated approach is intended to improve operational efficiency while reducing project interfaces between multiple service providers.

The contract further strengthens Velesto's position within Malaysia's offshore drilling sector and reflects continued participation in Chevron-operated development campaigns across the North Malay Basin.

NAGA 8 Jackup Rig Selected for Multi-Year Development CampaignAccording to the news, to execute the newly awarded project, Velesto Drilling will allocate the NAGA 8 jackup rig for operations associated with the North Malay Basin campaign.

The drilling program is scheduled to begin next month, allowing the rig to transition directly from its current assignment. NAGA 8 is presently completing drilling activities for Jadestone Energy (Malaysia) under the East Belumut Phase 9 infill drilling project.

Following completion of the existing work scope, the rig will move into the Chevron-operated campaign, supporting drilling and completion activities through the planned 2026-2028 development period.

The deployment ensures continuity for the rig while supporting Chevron's long-term offshore development objectives in Malaysia.

North Malay Basin Remains a Strategic Offshore Gas HubThe North Malay Basin gas fields, located offshore Peninsular Malaysia, form an important component of Malaysia's offshore natural gas production network.

The region has undergone phased field development programs focused on maintaining production from mature assets while maximizing hydrocarbon recovery. These drilling campaigns continue to play an important role in supporting reliable gas supplies for domestic industrial demand and regional energy markets.

As development progresses, integrated drilling campaigns remain central to improving operational coordination and execution across multiple offshore wells.

The latest contract reinforces continued activity within one of Malaysia's most active offshore drilling regions while supporting future field development objectives.

Integrated Drilling Model Supports Operational EfficiencyThe i-RDC structure adopted for the North Malay Basin campaign combines several critical offshore services into a unified operational framework.

Rather than managing separate drilling, rig and completion contracts, the integrated model enables a single contractor to coordinate multiple project components. This approach is intended to improve workflow efficiency, reduce operational interfaces and simplify project execution throughout the drilling campaign.

For long-term offshore developments involving multiple wells, integrated contracting models can provide greater operational consistency across different phases of field development.

The North Malay Basin campaign continues this approach, building upon previous integrated drilling programs in the region.

Velesto Extends Presence in Malaysia's Offshore Drilling MarketThe new contract further extends Velesto Drilling's footprint within Malaysia's offshore energy sector.

Its continued involvement in the North Malay Basin demonstrates the company's established role in supporting offshore gas development programs operated by Chevron. Securing a second i-RDC award for the basin also reflects the continuation of an existing working relationship on one of Malaysia's most active offshore development projects.

The multi-year nature of the campaign positions the company for sustained operational activity while supporting ongoing offshore drilling efforts in the region.

Recent NAGA 8 Contract Termination Offshore IndonesiaBefore receiving the North Malay Basin award, Velesto Drilling and PETRONAS North Ketapang agreed earlier this week to terminate a contract involving the NAGA 8 jackup rig for offshore Indonesia.

With the Malaysian development campaign scheduled to begin next month, the rig will transition from its current Malaysia assignment into the Chevron-operated North Malay Basin program.

The new deployment ensures that NAGA 8 remains engaged in offshore drilling operations while supporting continued field development activities in Malaysia.

Chevron Advances Offshore Malaysia DevelopmentThe integrated drilling and completion contract awarded by a Chevron subsidiary reinforces the ongoing development of the North Malay Basin Full Field Development campaign. By selecting Velesto Drilling and deploying the NAGA 8 jackup rig, Chevron continues advancing offshore gas development in Malaysia through an integrated operational model designed to support drilling efficiency and sustained production from one of the country's key offshore gas regions.

CVX's Zacks Rank & Key PicksCurrently, CVX has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the energy sector might consider some better-ranked stocks, such as Par Pacific (PARR - Free Report) , Delek US Holdings (DK - Free Report) , both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Cheniere Energy (LNG - Free Report) , carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Par Pacific is valued at 3.88 billion. It is a diversified energy company that owns and operates petroleum refineries, logistics assets and retail fuel businesses across the United States. Par Pacific focuses on refining, transporting and marketing fuel products while serving regional markets with reliable energy solutions.

Delek US Holdings is valued at $3.87 billion. It is a diversified downstream energy company engaged in petroleum refining, renewable fuels, asphalt production and logistics operations. Delek US Holdings operates multiple refineries in the United States and is committed to delivering safe, reliable energy while investing in cleaner energy initiatives.

Cheniere Energy is valued at $56.52 billion. It is a leading U.S. producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), supplying energy to customers across more than 40 international markets. Cheniere Energy operates major LNG export terminals in Louisiana and Texas and focuses on providing reliable, lower-carbon energy solutions.

Key Takeaways NextEra Energy maintained 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $3.92-$4.02 and targets the high end. FPL has 21 GW of large-load interest, with advanced discussions covering 12 GW.Energy Resources' backlog reached 35.1 GW as storage additions and recontracting lifted asset value. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE - Free Report) used its second-quarter 2026 earnings call to emphasize accelerating electricity demand, expanding large-load opportunities and improving returns across its contracted energy pipeline.

Management kept its outlook unchanged while arguing that FPL, renewables, storage, transmission, gas and nuclear capabilities create multiple paths to serve data-center customers.

NEE Keeps Growth Targets IntactMichael Dunne, executive vice president and chief financial officer, maintained the 2026 adjusted earnings range of $3.92 to $4.02 per share and is targeting the high end.

NextEra continues to expect adjusted earnings growth of at least 8% annually through 2032, with the same target from 2032 through 2035, off a 2025 base of $3.71.

Second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.15 per share topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09, while revenues of $7.53 billion missed the $7.99 billion consensus mark. Adjusted earnings rose from $1.05 a year earlier.

NextEra Sees FPL Large-Load MomentumJohn Ketchum, chairman, president and chief executive officer, said FPL has roughly 21 gigawatts of large-load interest and is in advanced discussions involving 12 gigawatts.

Management still expects at least one transaction under FPL’s large-load tariff by year-end. Ketchum said each gigawatt initially could represent roughly $2 billion of capital spending and earn the same return on equity as other FPL investments.

Scott Bores, FPL president and chief executive officer, told a Goldman Sachs analyst that community acceptance depends on selecting welcoming locations and transparency. He said that discipline supports FPL’s 8-gigawatt target for 2032.

NEE Expands Storage and BacklogKetchum highlighted 3.6 gigawatts of renewables and storage additions, including 2 gigawatts of battery storage. The Energy Resources backlog reached approximately 35.1 gigawatts.

The company also recontracted more than 500 megawatts since the prior call, lifting the year-to-date total above 1,100 megawatts. Those contracts averaged about 15 years and pricing roughly $20 per megawatt-hour above recent realized levels.

Responding to a Barclays analyst, Ketchum said recontracting and storage co-location increase asset option value. Brian Bolster, Energy Resources president and chief executive officer, said project scale and complexity are supporting returns.

NextEra Builds Data-Center HubsKetchum said Energy Resources is discussing 30 potential hubs and expects the figure to reach 40 by year-end.

The strategy combines renewables for initial power, gas for firm capacity and storage for reliability. Four origination channels support a base-case goal of 15 gigawatts of new large-load generation by 2035, with an upside case of at least 30 gigawatts.

A Wolfe Research analyst questioned delays in agreements for 9.5 gigawatts of federal hub projects. Ketchum cited negotiations involving the U.S. and Japanese governments, while Bolster told Goldman Sachs that the expected startup timing has not changed.

NEE Sets Limits on Nuclear RiskKetchum said the Duane Arnold recommissioning remains on track for no later than the first quarter of 2029 after regulatory approval and the acquisition of the remaining minority ownership.

Asked by a JPMorgan analyst about advanced nuclear, Ketchum said such development requires risk-sharing among customers, government, equipment providers and contractors.

He said NextEra would not accept uncapped construction cost-overrun exposure. The company is evaluating 6 gigawatts of small modular reactor co-location opportunities.

NextEra Advances Dominion CombinationKetchum said the proposed Dominion Energy combination has entered regulatory review, with shareholder meetings expected in early September and closing still expected in the second half of 2027.

The combined company is expected to support approximately 11% annual growth in regulatory capital employed through 2032 and adjusted earnings growth of at least 9% through 2032.

Ketchum told analysts that local operations would remain intact, while NextEra’s balance sheet, procurement scale and development platform would support Dominion’s service territories.

NEE Maintains an Execution FocusManagement’s tone centered on converting power demand into regulated and long-term contracted investment without changing its financial targets.

Priorities are securing large-load contracts, completing hub agreements, expanding the backlog and progressing the Dominion review while limiting construction and affordability risks.

What Zacks Signals Say About NextEraNEE carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Its Value Score is D, Growth Score is D, Momentum Score is C and VGM Score is D, indicating mixed style characteristics, with momentum stronger than value and growth.

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

Zacks Style Scores complement the Zacks Rank, and higher grades are generally more favorable. A Hold rank can remain appropriate, but the D grades offer less support than A or B scores. The Zacks Rank can change as analyst estimates are revised after the results.
 

Wall Street analysts forecast that Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY - Free Report) will report quarterly earnings of $1.59 per share in its upcoming release, pointing to a year-over-year increase of 8.9%. It is anticipated that revenues will amount to $11.67 billion, exhibiting a decrease of 4.9% compared to the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone an upward revision of 1.1% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial estimates during this timeframe.

Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.

Bearing this in mind, let's now explore the average estimates of specific Bristol Myers metrics that are commonly monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Net Sales- Zeposia' will reach $156.09 million. The estimate suggests a change of +4.1% year over year.

Analysts predict that the 'Net Sales- Orencia' will reach $940.44 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -2.3%.

The consensus estimate for 'Net Sales- Eliquis' stands at $4.00 billion. The estimate points to a change of +8.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Net Sales- Yervoy' reaching $725.82 million. The estimate indicates a change of -0.3% from the prior-year quarter.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Net Sales- Abraxane- U.S.' will reach $11.33 million. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -65.7%.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Net Sales- Opdivo- U.S.' should come in at $1.33 billion. The estimate suggests a change of -11.6% year over year.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Net Sales- Pomalyst/Imnovid- U.S.' should arrive at $157.65 million. The estimate points to a change of -73% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts forecast 'Net Sales- Pomalyst/Imnovid- International' to reach $52.98 million. The estimate suggests a change of -57.3% year over year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Net Sales- Revlimid- U.S.' will likely reach $116.34 million. The estimate suggests a change of -84.1% year over year.

Analysts expect 'Net Sales- Revlimid- International' to come in at $58.84 million. The estimate points to a change of -44.5% from the year-ago quarter.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Net Sales- Reblozyl- U.S.' at $516.22 million. The estimate points to a change of +14% from the year-ago quarter.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Net Sales- Reblozyl- International' of $138.36 million. The estimate indicates a change of +21.4% from the prior-year quarter.

View all Key Company Metrics for Bristol Myers here>>>

Shares of Bristol Myers have demonstrated returns of +8% over the past month compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.8% change. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), BMY is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

The best reason to consider buying Roblox (RBLX -0.10%) stock before its second-quarter earnings report on July 30 is the rapid growth in its higher monetizing over-18 cohort. Winning over older users to the gaming platform is key to management's long-term strategy to capture 10% of the global gaming content market.

As the company made clear in its Q1 shareholder letter: "We are aggressively moving to capture the untapped opportunity to expand our [over 18] user base, the largest segment of the traditional gaming market."

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Over-18 users accounted for a quarter of daily active users in the first quarter, and that share is growing rapidly. The 18-34 cohort grew 50% year over year last quarter. This is very bullish for Roblox, because over-18 players monetize at rates more than 50% higher than under-18 players.

Today's Change

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47.50

The stock has collapsed this year, but it is largely due to temporary headwinds. Players are now required to verify their age before communicating with other players on the platform. This is necessary for player safety and the long-term health of the platform. But it has pressured near-term engagement, prompting management to lower its full-year bookings guidance (a non-GAAP revenue measure). Bookings are expected to increase between 8% to 12% in 2026.

Nothing has changed Roblox's opportunity. In the long term, an older player base could lead to higher-quality games on the platform, studio partnerships, and graphical upgrades. This would help Roblox achieve its goal of capturing 10% of the gaming content market.

It's impossible to predict how the stock will perform after the earnings report, but from a long-term perspective, it seems an attractive buy. It has already fallen 68% from its previous peak and is trading at a reasonable 22 times trailing free cash flow. If there's one reason to be confident in Roblox's long-term growth trajectory, it's the momentum in its highest-monetizing cohort.

John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Roblox. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Plug Power stock remains in a deep bear market after falling by over 50% from the highest point this year. This retreat will be put to the test on August 7 after the company publishes its financial results. So, will the stock rise or drop after its earnings report?

Plug Power stock normally experiences substantial volatility whenever it publishes its financial results. For example, it jumped by 13% when it released its numbers in April and 30% after its numbers in March.

The options market is positioning itself for high volatility after the earnings release, with the implied volatility for those expiring on August 7 being at 107%. This puts it in the top 25% in terms of volatility.

Barchart data shows that its total put volume stands at 956, while the call volume is at 973. This gives it a put/call volume ratio at 0.98. In terms of open interest, the put and call open interest soared to 1,071 and 7,457, respectively. It has a put/call open interest ratio of 0.14, which is a highly bullish sign as it means that investors are buying more calls than puts.

One potential reason behind the bullish positioning is that analysts predict the company will continue growing, helped by its large deals with Amazon and Walmart.

The average estimate among analysts is that its revenue will come in at $170 million, with one analyst seeing it rising to $173 million. 

Notably, the loss per share is expected to improve from 18 cents to 8 cents, a sign that the company is making progress in its profitability ambitions. Plug Power expects that it will turn a net profit in the next few years.

For the year, analysts expect the company to make $813 million, up by 15% YoY, followed by $$962 million next year. There is a likelihood that the company will cross the $1 billion annual revenue mark as soon as next year.

The most recent results showed that Plug Power’s business did well, with its revenue rising by 22% to $163 million. Its gross margin improved to minus 13% from minus 55% in the same period last year. 

PLUG stock chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the PLUG stock has been in a strong bearish trend, falling from $4.32 in May to the current $2.09. It is slowly approaching the extreme oversold level of the Murrey Math Lines tool.

At the same time, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is nearing the oversold level of 30. It has been falling since peaking at 73 earlier this year.

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the stock will rebound, potentially to the ultimate support level of $2.35. This rebound is possible as the company is highly shorted, with the short interest rising to 24%. 

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 27th, 2026

First Trust Advisors LP reduced its stake in shares of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW – Free Report) by 42.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 409,159 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after selling 299,457 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in Corning were worth $55,633,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in GLW. Berbice Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Corning during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Basepoint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Corning during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Corning during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Litman Gregory Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Corning in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Corning by 58.8% in the 4th quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 381 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 141 shares during the period. 69.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently issued reports on GLW shares. Zacks Research cut Corning from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 26th. Bank of America raised their price target on Corning from $223.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Corning from $149.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Corning from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Corning from $225.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $194.69.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on GLW

Insider Transactions at Corning In other news, VP John Z. Zhang sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $198.34, for a total transaction of $1,983,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 5,138 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,019,070.92. The trade was a 66.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Wendell P. Weeks sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $186.46, for a total value of $18,646,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 908,353 shares in the company, valued at $169,371,500.38. This trade represents a 9.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 160,655 shares of company stock valued at $30,692,560 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Corning Price Performance GLW stock opened at $146.57 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $126.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 70.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Corning Incorporated has a 52-week low of $54.89 and a 52-week high of $271.78. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $188.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $155.61.

Corning (NYSE:GLW – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The electronics maker reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.01. Corning had a return on equity of 19.45% and a net margin of 11.09%.The firm had revenue of $4.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.30 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.54 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 18.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Corning has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.730-0.770 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Corning Incorporated will post 3.18 EPS for the current year.

Corning Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 29th. Investors of record on Monday, August 31st will be given a $0.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Corning’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.59%.

About Corning (Free Report)

Corning Incorporated is a global manufacturer specializing in specialty glass, ceramics and related materials and technologies. Headquartered in Corning, New York, the company supplies engineered materials and components used across multiple industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, automotive emissions control, pharmaceutical and life sciences, and industrial and scientific applications. Corning emphasizes materials science and precision manufacturing to develop durable, high-performance glass and ceramic products.

Key product lines include specialty display glass used by television and mobile-device manufacturers, cover glass marketed under well-known trade names for smartphones and tablets, and optical fiber and cable and related hardware for telecommunications networks.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Corning RTX and Lockheed Earnings: Can Strong Guidance Reset the Defense Trade? These 4 Earnings Reports Expose the Market’s Growing Economic Divide Broadcom May Be the Biggest Winner From Alphabet’s Earnings Volatility Is Back and These 3 Market Tollbooths Are Best Positioned to Profit

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Delta Global Management LP bought a new position in Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM – Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm bought 4,011 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock, valued at approximately $624,000.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp grew its holdings in shares of Yum! Brands by 135.7% during the first quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp now owns 24,020 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,735,000 after buying an additional 13,830 shares during the last quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA raised its stake in Yum! Brands by 21.9% in the 1st quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 35,110 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $5,459,000 after acquiring an additional 6,300 shares during the last quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC raised its stake in Yum! Brands by 30.3% in the 1st quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC now owns 14,408 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $2,240,000 after acquiring an additional 3,347 shares during the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP lifted its position in Yum! Brands by 25.4% during the 1st quarter. Entropy Technologies LP now owns 37,926 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $5,897,000 after acquiring an additional 7,676 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgewater Advisors Inc. grew its stake in Yum! Brands by 3.5% during the 1st quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 2,108 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $311,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.37% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on YUM. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and issued a $165.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Monday, April 20th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $168.00 target price on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Monday, May 4th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Yum! Brands from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $177.00 price objective on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $174.81.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on YUM

Insider Buying and Selling In other Yum! Brands news, CEO Aaron Powell sold 6,001 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.42, for a total value of $962,680.42. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 12,003 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,925,521.26. This represents a 33.33% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Christopher Lee Turner sold 270 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.14, for a total transaction of $39,997.80. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 64,282 shares in the company, valued at $9,522,735.48. The trade was a 0.42% 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. Insiders sold a total of 12,423 shares of company stock valued at $1,953,721 in the last three months. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Yum! Brands Stock Performance NYSE YUM opened at $148.82 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $154.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $156.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $41.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.00, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.56. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $137.33 and a fifty-two week high of $170.14.

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The restaurant operator reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.11. Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 23.51% and a net margin of 20.48%.The firm had revenue of $2.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.04 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 15.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 6.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Yum! Brands Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 27th were issued a $0.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 27th. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. Yum! Brands’s payout ratio is presently 48.39%.

Yum! Brands declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, June 16th that permits the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the restaurant operator to buy up to 9.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Yum! Brands (Free Report)

Yum! Brands, Inc (NYSE: YUM) is a global quick-service restaurant company that develops, operates and franchises a portfolio of well-known restaurant brands. The company’s principal brands are KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, each focused on distinct product categories—KFC on fried chicken and related menu items, Pizza Hut on pizza and complementary offerings, and Taco Bell on Mexican-inspired quick-service food. Yum! is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and was formed as Tricon Global Restaurants in 1997 when PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses, later adopting the Yum! Brands name.

The company’s operating model centers on brand development, system growth and franchising; a large portion of its restaurants are operated by independent franchisees, and Yum! generates revenue through franchise royalties and fees in addition to sales from company-operated locations.

Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Yum! Brands RTX and Lockheed Earnings: Can Strong Guidance Reset the Defense Trade? These 4 Earnings Reports Expose the Market’s Growing Economic Divide Broadcom May Be the Biggest Winner From Alphabet’s Earnings Volatility Is Back and These 3 Market Tollbooths Are Best Positioned to Profit Want to see what other hedge funds are holding YUM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM – Free Report).

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