Bank of America vidí jadernou energii jako trh za 10 bilionů USD, ale u SMR bude růst kolem roku 2030. NuScale i Oklo zatím prodělávají a při poklesu trhu jim hrozí silné ředění akcionářů.
Experts increasingly agree that nuclear energy presents a compelling long-term opportunity for investors.
Research from Bank of America projects nuclear to be a $10 trillion global opportunity over the next couple of decades. The benefits won't be evenly spread throughout the nuclear sector, however.
The majority of the nuclear renaissance will be dominated by conventional nuclear power plants. Many big tech companies, for instance, are either restarting old nuclear reactors or constructing new facilities. Starting around 2030, however, Bank of America believes a relatively new kind of nuclear energy will begin scaling: small modular reactors, or SMRs. By 2050, up to 20% of the world's nuclear power would come from SMRs.
"Amid surging electricity demand, driven in part by the rise in AI/data centers, nuclear energy offers a potential solution," concludes Bank of America's research. "And new advancements in technology may now make the tipping point in sight for small modular reactors (SMRs) to reshape nuclear energy supply chains over the next decade."
From this perspective, SMR stocks including NuScale Power (SMR -0.57%) and Oklo (OKLO -2.03%) appear like promising investments, especially considering both companies have seen their valuations drop by roughly 50% this year. But as Bank of America's research suggests, mass SMR adoption could still be decades away. With how capital-intensive the industry is, both companies could face serious challenges during a bear market or economic weakness.
Can NuScale and Oklo survive a market crash? The answer is likely yes. But understanding how a sell-off could impact each company is critical before making an investment.
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Here's how NuScale and Oklo could suffer during a market crash SMR adoption is expected to rise globally over the coming decades. Importantly, only two SMR systems are currently in commercial operation. More than 80, however, are in development.
Given this, NuScale and Oklo have yet to successfully commercialize any of their SMR designs, despite both companies having impressive customer pipelines. NuScale may not get its first SMR project online until the 2030s. Oklo may get a system online sooner, but the company isn't even approved by U.S. regulators to begin deployment. Some of Oklo's bigger projects, meanwhile, have a start date of 2030 or later.
Building nuclear power plants, even miniature ones, is capital-intensive. So until Oklo and NuScale actually get a project up and running, investors should expect both companies to continue producing losses. Last quarter, NuScale posted a net loss of roughly $355 million, whereas Oklo lost around $105 million.
Image source: Getty Images.
This is where both Oklo and NuScale could get in trouble during a market downturn. Both companies have impressive technologies chasing lucrative long-term growth runways. But continued losses, coupled with distant revenue streams, force these nuclear developers to rely on capital markets to survive. This summer, NuScale unveiled a $750 million share sale. Weeks later, Oklo announced its own $1 billion share sale.
Share sales dilute shareholders. When equity prices are high, this dilution is less impactful. When stock market prices fall, however, dilution can be onerous.
Given each company's liquidity position, NuScale and Oklo won't be facing severe financial constraints anytime soon. If their share sales are executed as planned, insolvency risk drops even further. That should prove true even during a market correction.
What could happen during a market crash, however, is a heavy amount of shareholder dilution at rock-bottom prices. This is what investors should be worried about during a bear market.
Tesla se obchoduje jako technologická akcie hlavně kvůli sázce na robotaxi a humanoidní roboty Optimus, ne kvůli dnešnímu byznysu s elektromobily. Trh čeká, že právě tyto projekty ospravedlní její vysoké ocenění.
Most investors understand that you typically have to pay a premium price to buy good growth stocks. But shares of electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla (TSLA +0.64%) are taking the premise to an extreme. The stock's currently priced at 200 times this year's projected earnings of $1.75 per share, and over 160 times next year's expected earnings of $2.16 per share. That's expensive by any standard, including in the technology sector.
The valuation (sort of) makes sense, though, when you understand what Tesla is in the process of becoming. Soon, it will no longer be an EV company that also makes and markets solar panels and energy-storage batteries. Instead, the plan is for it to be a robotics and robotaxi outfit that also manufactures electric vehicles. Investors are pricing the stock based on this hoped-for future rather than what the business is doing in the present. Here's what they need to know.
Comparing and contrasting Although the company is winding down its solar roof tile business, it still makes and markets its own solar panels, as well as the energy storage equipment that makes these panels practical power sources. Moreover, EVs remain Tesla's biggest business -- accounting for $20.5 billion of its $28.2 billion in Q2 revenue -- and Tesla is still the second-biggest name in the global EV market, right behind China's BYD. Moreover, last quarter's year-over-year top-line growth of 26% suggests the company still has a little bit of magic left.
Its stock's price, however, has left the organization's fiscal results in the rear-view mirror.
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Shares aren't expensive simply because Tesla is struggling to turn its revenues into profits, to be clear. The stock's also expensive by revenue standards, trading at 13 times trailing-12-month sales versus the S&P 500's trailing price-to-sales ratio of 3.7. For further comparison, the S&P 500 is currently trading at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 23.5 and a forward P/E of just under 20. Based on these numbers, Tesla trades at valuations between 4 and 10 times those of the average publicly traded company.
It's not like we've never seen something like this before, though. Sometimes, a company eventually grows into such steep valuations. Think Amazon, for example.
The market's pricing in growth that hasn't even started yet Getting straight to the point, investors are pricing in a large amount of the future growth they expect from Tesla, as opposed to pricing the stock based on the business's current results. And there are two key components to this highly anticipated future. One of them is robotaxis.
Tesla's robotaxi ride-hailing venture, which at this early stage still relies largely on its Model Y vehicles, is up and running in a handful of markets. Its purpose-built Cybercab, however, represents the next generation of this venture's tech. Although the company has only rolled out a small fleet of Cybercabs in one market so far-- Austin, Texas -- it's reportedly planning to launch Cybercab-supported robotaxi services in a dozen states before the end of this year.
Although the development of these autonomous taxis has been agonizingly slow, once they're ready for wider-spread commercialization, the deployment is apt to happen fast. This will plug Tesla into a robotaxi market that Goldman Sachs expects to grow from nearly nothing now to $415 billion globally by 2035, with $48 billion of that being generated within the United States alone.
Image source: Tesla.
The other factor pumping up Tesla stock's premium valuation is arguably even more exciting. That's Tesla's entry into the AI-enabled humanoid robotics space. CEO Elon Musk suggested early this year that the company would be commercially selling its humanoid Optimus robots at scale by the end of 2027, and he hasn't said anything since to suggest that the timeline will have to be pushed back.
The commercial debut of these robots could be game-changing for the company -- not to mention the world -- in light of Musk's assessment that "Optimus will be not just Tesla's biggest product ever, but probably the biggest product ever." Although that remains to be seen, Barclays believes the market for humanoid work robots will grow to $200 billion annually by 2035. While even Musk concedes his company is facing stiff robotics competition from China, just capturing a healthy fraction of this potential business could be a boon for Tesla and its shareholders.
The growth Tesla needs from robots and robotaxis So how much optimism about the robotics and robotaxi businesses are investors pricing in here? It's difficult to say for sure. But we can come up with a rough idea.
As it stands right now, Tesla is on pace to do on the order of $106 billion worth of EV, solar panel, and battery-storage business this year, en route to a top line of over $120 billion next year. How much more revenue would the company need to generate with robotaxis and Optimus to make its current $1.4 trillion market cap make sense? Even allowing for the type of premium valuation that many technology stocks achieve, Tesla would need a top line on the order of $300 billion to $400 billion for its current stock price to reflect a valuation in line with its peers. That's about 3 times its current sales, and most of that growth will need to come from robots and robotaxis rather than EVs and solar, as both of those businesses are now running into competitive headwinds.
Or if you want to look at the matter through the lens of earnings, Tesla's earnings per share would arguably need to quintuple -- at a minimum -- to justify the stock's current price. That would put its annual bottom line in the ballpark of $10 per share (or hopefully more) to bring the stock to a valuation that's closer to that of a typical technology company. It's likely that to deliver that type of earnings growth will take improving contributions from all of the businesses it's going to be in for the foreseeable future.
And that's just to justify the stock's price today. For Tesla shares to validly grow in value, the company will need even more top- and bottom-line growth than that.
The thing is, if the outlooks for the worldwide robotaxi and humanoid AI robot businesses are anywhere near on target, Tesla may well reach these lofty sales and earnings numbers -- eventually.
The difficult part for current shareholders and interested investors will be the waiting and the volatility stemming from the uncertainty. While Cybercab is reportedly almost ready for widespread commercialization and Tesla's Optimus robots are supposed to go into scaled-up commercial production before the end of 2027, don't forget that Musk has something of a penchant for underestimating time frames. That could leave things very unpredictable for this stock in the meantime.
The truth is, in the long run, you'd probably be just fine with any of them. If you've only got room in your portfolio right now for one new position among "Magnificent Seven" members Alphabet (GOOG -1.50%)(GOOGL -1.44%), Amazon (AMZN -0.14%), and Microsoft (MSFT +0.60%), however, it should arguably be Google parent Alphabet. Here's why.
Why not Microsoft or Amazon? If you already hold stakes in Amazon or Microsoft, you're hardly doomed. Microsoft remains the centerpiece of the personal and professional computing business, and Amazon is still the king of e-commerce as well as the leader in the cloud computing market.
In a valuation environment that leaves no room for error or weakness, however, those two bring company-specific concerns to the table that could turn into stumbling blocks.
Image source: Getty Images.
For Microsoft, the key concern is its waning relevancy within the workplace, or for that matter, at home. Although its productivity software titles like Word and Excel are still popular enough, Microsoft Office's dominance in the basic enterprise software arena continues to wane. It's ceding ground to Google Workspace, which is increasingly seen as less restrictive to use.
The company's also losing ground on the chat-based AI assistant front. Sure, Microsoft recently touted the fact that its Copilot app serves 30 million paying Microsoft 365 Copilot customers.
Yet take a look at the details. While this professional version of Copilot integrates nicely into the cloud-based/subscription-based version of Microsoft Office 365, the AI tool isn't necessarily being sought out by users. Rather, many of these subscribers are being added to existing Office 365 subscriptions, whether those subscribers asked for it or not (very likely at nominal additional costs). And it's still tethered to productivity software that's slowly losing market share. Meanwhile, the free-to-use consumer-facing version of Copilot only accounts for about 3% of the AI chatbot market while ChatGPT boasts a commanding share of 79%, according to data from Statcounter.
Statcounter adds that Microsoft's flagship operating system, Windows, is also losing ground. It slid to a record low market share of 63% in August thanks to soaring use of Apple's OS and even open-source Linux, both of which reached record market shares that month. In this vein, Microsoft has now reported two consecutive quarterly declines in Windows' revenue.
Connect the dots. It's not doing anything "wrong," per se. Microsoft's cloud business appears to be thriving, in fact, with revenues up 27% year over year a quarter ago, thanks to AI-driven demand. The company's just running into headwinds on too many other fronts -- even its video gaming arm, which suffered a 10% slump in revenue for the quarter ending in June.
As for Amazon, the worry is simpler and far more straightforward. It's planning on spending an enormous sum on capital investments this year -- mostly on AI infrastructure -- with no assurance that this capex will curb the deterioration in its share of the cloud computing market. Though it's on pace to shell out $220 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2026, numbers from Synergy Research Group indicate Amazon Web Services' market share has continued shrinking from 2020's peak of 34% to 28% as of Q2 of this year. Microsoft Azure has also been sliding, by the way. Meanwhile, third-place Google Cloud has been gaining share.
Data source: Synergy Research Group. Chart by author.
Sure, there's more to both companies than their cloud businesses. But it's difficult to deny that every technology company is prioritizing the cloud opportunities being driven by AI's growth. These two names aren't knocking it out of the park on this front.
Why Alphabet Google parent Alphabet is knocking it out of the park on the cloud computing front, of course, reporting 82% year-over-year revenue growth for this arm during the second quarter. Whatever it's doing (particularly as it pertains to AI) is clearly working.
Moreover, unlike Microsoft and Amazon, everything else Alphabet is doing is also working well.
Take its search business as an example. Google's advertising revenue -- including YouTube -- grew by more than 14% during the second quarter, with search-based advertising revenue specifically improving 15%. Subscription-based revenue and device revenue (Google makes its own smartphones and owns the Android mobile operating system, which funnels people to the Play Store) grew by more than 15% year over year.
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The company is demonstrating strength in ways that don't appear directly on its income statement, too. Statcounter's numbers suggest that Android is at least maintaining its leading share of 67% of the worldwide mobile operating system market. And within the United States, TV ratings agency Nielsen reports YouTube is the most-watched streaming platform in terms of total viewing time, and is growing its share largely at the expense of venerable Netflix.
This leadership doesn't directly generate revenue. It does, however, confirm that Alphabet is doing the things that generate revenue, and doing them well.
Now, and for a while This won't always be the case, of course. There was a time when Microsoft could do nothing wrong. Ditto for Amazon. Those times may come again for those two, just as a time may come when macro conditions don't favor Alphabet's strengths as much.
The environment right now and for the foreseeable future, however, is one that favors Google's parent far more than it does the iconic software and e-commerce giants.
The personal computing space has been democratized, for instance, not just by more hardware choices (mobile devices are now viable alternatives to traditional desktops and laptops), but also by the wider adoption of options other than Windows or Microsoft's productivity software. Amazon's early lack of in-house technological development capabilities, meanwhile, is still a key reason its cloud business is losing share to Alphabet.
Alphabet, conversely, entered this era of connected computing ideally positioned. Not only is Google Search a perfect jumping-off point for Alphabet's AI-powered chat assistant, Gemini, but the demand for more mobile computing has turned Android into a critical platform. Recently rising streaming subscription prices have also made YouTube more attractive as a free-to-use alternative.
This backdrop and these conditions will eventually change. They aren't apt to change for a while, though, which means they should provide sustained tailwinds for Alphabet. Yes, the stock has essentially drifted since May, but this dynamic is much bigger than a few tepid months.
Goldman Sachs přidal na svůj Conviction List Amazon, Burlington Stores, Occidental Petroleum, Johnson Controls International a Huntington Ingalls Industries. HII je letos zatím nejhorší z pětice, když klesl o více než 20 %.
Goldman Sachs has eyes on five new stocks. On Thursday, the Wall Street bank updated its monthly Director's Cut list, better known as the Conviction List, to include Amazon (AMZN), Burlington Stores (BURL), Occidental Petroleum (OXY), Johnson Controls International (JCI), and the shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII).
The Director's Cut is a list of 20 to 25 stocks Goldman Sachs recommends to investors every month from among the stocks it rates a buy.
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Huntington Ingalls Industries
Of the five new additions, Huntington Ingalls is by far the worst performer, having fallen more than 20% year to date. Huntington Ingalls is the largest military shipbuilder in the U.S. Late last year, HII stock broke out from a buy point of 330 when the U.S. Navy announced plans to build a new class of battleship. The new warships raised the prospect of hefty orders for Huntington Ingalls.
Best IBD 50 Stocks To Buy
The stock rose as much as 40% from that mid-December breakout, MarketSurge charts show. It then turned and dropped 40% from its February high. Huntington Ingalls rose about 1.5% on Thursday.
Goldman Sachs analyst Noah Poponak now rates the stock a buy. A White House release in August effectively aims to restructure and streamline the U.S. military shipbuilding industry.
The order stabilizes design directives in order to cut costs and delays, enables limited foreign competition under strict guidelines and initiates plans for a fifth U.S. Naval shipyard. Newport News, Va.-based Huntington Ingalls, the largest builder of U.S. military ships and the sole builder of U.S. aircraft carriers, is generally seen as a direct beneficiary.
Poponak raised his price target on HII stock to 439, from 431, in August, which implies a 63% gain from Thursday's opening price of 269.09.
Amazon To Put Slump Behind
Among the other additions to Goldman Sachs' list, Amazon is also having a lackluster year. Amazon's 7% gain in 2026 lags the S&P 500's more than 11% increase. Goldman Sachs has a 375 price target on Amazon stock, which points to a 52% increase from Thursday's open. The stock is forming a flat base with a 287.20 buy point.
Stocks To Buy And Watch: Top IPOs, Big And Small Caps, Growth Stocks
Amazon's bullish outlook is due to a strong forecast for revenue growth and margin expansion because of rising demand for the computing space it sells to AI developers, according to analyst Eric Sheridan. Like other hyperscalers, Amazon's stock suffered when investors got spooked that huge capital spending on AI might not yield commensurate returns.
Among analysts, Amazon has a consensus buy rating with a mean price target of 331.35, according to FactSet.
Burlington, Occidental Petroleum and Johnson Controls
Burlington Stores joins Amazon and Huntington Ingalls in making the list as a turnaround story.
The retailer is down about 6% in 2026. The stock had been on a solid win streak before tanking in August when investors fled as weak near-term guidance raised concerns that the rising cost of living was finally catching up to its budget-conscious shoppers.
Goldman Sachs was undeterred. The dip is a buying opportunity because Burlington still deliver revenue growth above 10% through 2028, according to Goldman analyst Brooke Roach.
The last two additions to Goldman Sachs' list — Johnson Controls International and Occidental Petroleum — have had excellent years so far. Johnson Controls, which designs HVAC and fire sprinkler systems for commercial buildings, is up 25% this year. Meanwhile, Occidental Petroleum, which counts Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB) as a major investor, rose close to 40%. Both stocks benefited from macroeconomic trends: Johnson Controls from the data center buildout, and Occidental Petroleum from rising energy prices.
OXY has been consolidating since March, showing consistent support at its 40-week moving average. Aggressive investors could plot an early entry at 63.77. Meanwhile, JCI is less than 5% below a cup-base buy point of 157.06, according to MarketSurge.
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Amazon se dohodl na urovnání sporu o pomalejší doručování v chudších čtvrtích Washingtonu, D.C. Vrátí 7,25 milionu USD na poplatcích za Prime a zaplatí pokutu 1 milion USD.
Amazon on Thursday settled a lawsuit brought by the District of Columbia over claims it made slower deliveries in the city’s low-income neighborhoods, as the e-commerce giant faces pressure from government officials over how it runs its vast logistics network.
The lawsuit, filed in 2024 by Attorney General Brian Schwalb in Superior Court of the District of Columbia, argued Amazon had excluded two ZIP codes from its in-house Prime delivery services. Those ZIP codes covered historically low-income areas, the lawsuit said. The company failed to inform customers about the slower deliveries and violated the District of Columbia’s consumer protection laws, according to the lawsuit.
Under the terms of the settlement, Amazon will refund $7.25 million in Prime membership fees to affected customers, according to a news release. The company will also pay a $1 million penalty to the district and agreed to notify Amazon customers there of future restrictions on its delivery service. The attorney general’s office said roughly 69,000 members of Amazon’s Prime service experienced slower deliveries as a result of Amazon’s practices.
“Amazon deceived thousands of its customers,” Mr. Schwalb said in a news release. “Now, we’re putting more than $7 million back in the pockets of people who were taken advantage of.”
An Amazon spokesman, Steve Kelly, said the company had never deceived anyone about the deliveries and in “no way is this settlement an admission of wrongdoing.”
“Rather than engage in prolonged litigation, we chose to resolve this matter so we can stay focused on what we do best: delivering great service to every customer across Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Amazon faces new pressure over the way it operates its sprawling web of warehouses, trucks and drivers that ferry goods to its customers. Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York earlier this year endorsed local legislation that would require Amazon and other delivery companies to directly employ drivers, rather than treating them as contractors. Chicago is considering similar legislation, which is supported by unions.
Administrativní pracovníci Boeingu schválili novou čtyřletou smlouvu, čímž odvrátili hrozbu stávky. Dohoda přináší zaručené 10% zvýšení mezd po ratifikaci.
Boeing's (BA.N) largest white-collar union said on Thursday its members approved a sweetened contract offer, easing fears of a strike that could have stalled work on two long-delayed jetliners and slowed the pace of aircraft deliveries.
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, which represents about 17,000 Boeing workers, said both its bargaining units voted to approve the new four-year offer.
The proposal included a guaranteed 10% wage increase upon ratification, along with annual raises of 4% and the possibility of an additional 2% hike based on performance.
About 68% of the professional unit, which represents roughly 13,000 engineers and scientists, voted in favor of the deal, as did over 53% of the technical unit, representing about 4,000 designers, analysts and technicians. The two units bargain together but vote separately.
The ratification provides much-needed relief for Boeing, easing concerns over a potential strike as early as October 7, the day after current contracts expire.
A work stoppage could have delayed critical certification efforts for the 737 MAX 10 narrowbody and 777X widebody, while also disrupting the company's plans to increase production and accelerate deliveries.
Members of both the professional and technical units had previously rejected Boeing's initial offer, which linked guaranteed raises to inflation, capped at 3%, with up to an additional 2.5% based on performance.
SPEEA's last strike against Boeing was in 2000, when engineers and technical workers walked out for 40 days in a dispute over pay and benefits.
The stoppage, which affected commercial-aircraft production and deliveries, was one of the largest white-collar strikes in US history.
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) shares are dropping Thursday. The latest pressure on Disney appears tied to recently reported layoffs, which can signal ongoing cost-cutting and restructuring efforts.
Walt Disney shares are sliding. What’s weighing on DIS shares? Disney Is Cutting Several Hundred Jobs in HR and TechnologyReuters reported Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Disney plans to cut a few hundred jobs spanning its human resources and technology teams. The news lands during a stretch of notable turnover in Disney’s executive ranks under CEO Josh D’Amaro, who took the role in March.
These cuts aren’t isolated. Disney eliminated around 1,000 roles in April, several hundred more last year, and 7,000 positions in 2023 under then-CEO Bob Iger as part of a $5.5 billion cost-cutting push. The company’s global headcount stood near 231,000 heading into fiscal 2026.
BofA Sees “Underlying Positive Trends” Ahead of November EarningsDisney is set to report its fiscal fourth-quarter results on November 12. BofA Securities analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich maintained a Buy rating and $125 price target this week, expecting a solid quarter helped by theme park attendance strength and two new cruise ships, though she sees the Entertainment segment staying weak given soft box office showings from Moana and The Dog Stars.
Looking ahead to fiscal 2027, Ehrlich described the year as having a “lot of moving parts,” with a lighter content slate creating a tougher setup in Entertainment, while Sports should benefit from the NFL Network deal and Super Bowl. She kept her revenue estimate at $105 billion and earnings at $7.52 per share, while raising her operating income projection to $20.8 billion from $20.7 billion.
Disney carries an overall Buy rating, with an average price target of $126 across 24 analysts. Guggenheim maintained Buy with a $120 target on Sept. 28, Wells Fargo raised its target to $132 on Aug. 6 and Argus Research maintained Buy with a $134 target the same day.
Disney’s Chart Shows a Stock Testing its Moving AveragesTechnically, Disney trades below its 20-day, 50-day, 100-day and 200-day averages, keeping recent rallies capped. Momentum remains soft, with MACD below its signal line.
Still, the 20-day average sits above the 50-day, and the 50-day remains above the 200-day following a golden cross in September, a mixed setup overall. Traders are watching $109.50 as resistance and $98 as support.
DIS Shares Are FallingDIS Price Action: Walt Disney shares were down 3.00% at $101.75 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.
United Airlines spustila status match pro držitele elitního statusu u Delta Air Lines a American Airlines a nabízí jim 90 dní statusu u United. Pro udržení do 31. ledna 2028 musí během těchto 90 dnů absolvovat let a utratit stanovenou částku na letech United mainline nebo regionálních.
United Airlines wants you to defect from your airline.
The carrier is in the middle of an unusually pointed status-match campaign to woo travelers who have earned a spot in elite frequent flyer tiers with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines by offering similar treatment at United.
Here's how it works: Travelers with any tier of elite status on Delta or American will be granted United status for 90 days.
To keep it through Jan. 31, 2028, they'll have to take a flight and spend a certain amount on United mainline or regional flights within those 90 days.
For example, if a traveler has the lowest level Delta Medallion status, silver, or the same on American, which is gold, they would have to spend $1,500 on United in the roughly three months.
To get a status match of United's 1K, its highest level before invitation-only Global Services, the person would have to spend $7,000.
Delta and American have their own status matches for a host of other airlines, but United's call-out of rivals and social media campaign shows how heated the battle for big-spending customers has become, said Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group.
"This is war, airline style," he said. "It's very rare for an airline to be as blatant as United is being" with Delta and American.
Airlines have been adding new lounges, extra premium seats and more international routes to lure those high-spenders.
Read more about United, Delta and AmericanAmerican Airlines to add seatback screens, bigger first class in race to catch up to Delta and UnitedCompanies spurn airlines’ cheapest business class tickets‘Bring ‘em on’: Delta wants United’s crown over the Pacific, tooUnited CEO brushes off airline mergers after American rejection: ‘There’s nothing’How Delta made itself America's luxury airline — and what United wants to do about itIn this push, United is using its new Starlink Wi-Fi from SpaceX as a hook for customers looking to potentially defect from their airlines.
The carrier is in the process of outfitting its aircraft with the satellite Wi-Fi, which is free for frequent flyer program members, though it is not available across the fleet yet, and customers still have to pay at least $8 per flight with current providers. American Airlines also signed with Starlink for hundreds of its narrow-body jets, while Delta is planning to change the provider of its free, in-flight Wi-Fi to Amazon's Leo.
"Our long-term strategic partnership with Amazon Leo will provide high-bandwidth connectivity while creating opportunities to bring their broad ecosystem of entertainment and digital services to the skies," Delta said in a statement.
American, where United's CEO Scott Kirby worked until a decade ago, didn't immediately comment.
ExxonMobil rozšiřuje těžbu v Guyaně a Permské pánvi, aby podpořila dlouhodobé cash flow. V Permské pánvi využívá nové vrtné techniky a v Guyaně chystá pátou plovoucí jednotku, která má zahájit provoz do konce roku 2026.
Key Takeaways ExxonMobil is expanding production from advantaged Guyana and Permian Basin assets.New drilling techniques are helping XOM enhance well recovery and optimize Permian production.ExxonMobil targets durable cash flows through production growth and structural cost reductions. ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation (XOM - Free Report) is a leading oil and gas company with a global presence and a portfolio of high-quality assets that support its earnings and profitability. The company’s low-cost, high-return upstream assets, particularly those in Guyana and the Permian Basin, are expected to aid its earnings and cash flows, especially in the current oil price environment. The West Texas Intermediate crude price is currently trading at approximately $90 per barrel, which is extremely favorable to XOM’s exploration and production activities.
The company is actively working to increase oil and gas production from its advantaged assets. In the Permian Basin, the company is leveraging technology and newer drilling techniques to enhance well recovery and optimize overall production. In Guyana, a fifth floating production, storage and offloading vessel is on track to start operations by the end of 2026, while a final investment decision on the Longtail development is expected soon.
ExxonMobil’s upstream business, which accounts for a large portion of its earnings, is poised to deliver sustainable cash flows in the long run through production growth from its advantaged assets and structural cost reductions. The company prioritizes allocating its capital toward competitive, high-return projects and maintaining a strong balance sheet, which provides operational flexibility and enables it to return shareholder value through consistent share buybacks and a growing dividend across market cycles.
Other Industry Majors With a Low-Cost Production Profile
ConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) and EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG - Free Report) are two other energy firms that boast a low-cost resource base in the shale basins of the United States.
ConocoPhillips is involved in the exploration and production of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), bitumen and natural gas. The company boasts a strong asset base in the shale basins of the United States, including the Delaware Basin, Midland Basin, Eagle Ford and Bakken shale. These assets support low-cost production, which enables ConocoPhillips to maintain its profitability and generate free cash flow across various commodity pricing environments.
EOG Resources is a leading independent exploration and production company with operations focused on prolific acres in the United States and several resource-rich international basins. EOG boasts a high-return, low-decline asset base and is among the low-cost producers in the United States. The company’s focus on maintaining a resilient balance sheet and lowering production costs should aid its profitability.
XOM’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of ExxonMobil have risen 50.4% over the past year compared with the 44.8% increase of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, XOM trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 9.08X. This is above the broader industry average of 5.80X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for XOM’s 2026 earnings has seen upward revisions over the past seven days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
XOM, COP and EOG currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
HPE po zveřejnění výsledků za fiskální 3. čtvrtletí vyskočila o 8,85 % na 66,93 USD a překonala své 52týdenní maximum. Výnosy vzrostly na 12,21 miliardy USD a EPS činil 1,11 USD.
HPE just shattered its 52-week high on a single session surge, yet its forward multiple still sits far below every major competitor building the same AI infrastructure boom. Something in the valuation math does not add up.
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE | HPE Price Prediction) trades at $66.93 this morning. That is up 8.85% on the session as AI demand keeps raising its networking business. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for HPE is $73.07 over the next 12 months. The model rates it a buy with high confidence.
Metric Value Current Price $66.93 Price Target from 24/7 Wall St. $73.07 Upside 9.2% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% We ran the model off Tuesday’s close of $61.49, showing to 18.84% upside. Today’s jump cuts the remaining gap to 9.2%. Our confidence rests on five straight EPS beats, guidance raised through fiscal 2027, and zero Sell ratings on the Street.
Record Q3 Results Pushed HPE Past Its Prior 52-Week High HPE is up 9.67% over the past week, 28.25% over the past month and 181.79% year to date. Today’s price sits above its prior 52-week high of $65.65 and far above the $19.57 low.
Fiscal Q3 revenue hit $12.21B, up 32.7%, exceeding the $11.91B consensus. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.11 cleared the $0.93 estimate. Networking revenue rose 74.9% to $2.89B, and routing went up 270%. HPE announced a $3.5 billion inferencing server deal with a hyperscaler and expanded work with Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) on gigawatt-scale AI networking.
The AI expansion keeps pulling in suppliers well beyond the chipmakers, and networking gear like HPE’s is a big part of the plumbing (we covered seven of these non-chip AI infrastructure names in a free report available here: 7 Stocks Powering the AI Boom).
Why Bulls See $83 and Beyond In the model’s bull case, HPE reaches $83.23. Management’s fiscal 2027 framework calls for EPS of $4.40 to $4.60 and free cash flow of at least $5 billion. That framework leaves out the AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) Helios opportunity, which the CEO sized at “tens of billions of dollars” across the market.
Networks for AI orders reached $700 million in the quarter. Juniper synergies are on track for $600 million in annual run-rate savings by FY28.
The Street is supportive, with 5 Strong Buy ratings, 10 Buys and 8 Holds. The stock already trades above the $68.08 consensus target, so analysts may raise their numbers.
Margin Normalization Is the Risk Worth Watching Under a downside scenario, HPE slips to $56.43. Management expects gross margin to normalize as AI systems grow. Operating margin guidance of 14-15% for FY27 trails Q3’s 16.2%. Stripping out Juniper, networking grew just 10%.
DDR5 and NAND shortages slow shipments. Orders outpace revenue: networking orders rose 36% with record backlog, suggesting supply delays revenue rather than kills demand.
HPE Trades at a Steep Discount to Dell and Arista Company Forward P/E Quarterly Revenue Growth (YoY) HPE 14x 33.7% Dell 21x 57.7% Arista 39x 37.7% Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) competes directly for AI server spending. Dell grows faster, earning a higher forward multiple. HPE’s larger networking mix yields higher margins that its 14x forward P/E does not reflect.
Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET) competes head-on in data center switching. Arista’s operating margin is 45.4% versus 12.6% for HPE, explaining most of its premium. HPE’s networking margin is guided to the mid to high 20% range, so part of that gap should close. Our target of about 15x forward earnings looks conservative.
HPE’s Backlog Tips the Scale Toward Upside Our $73.07 target carries a buy rating with 90% confidence. A record backlog priced at a valuation well below peers tips the scale toward upside.
The case strengthens if supply eases and backlog turns to revenue in Q4. It weakens if gross margins contract faster than networking growth can offset. HPE’s valuation still falls behind its fundamentals.
Year Price Target from 24/7 Wall St. 2026 $63.11 2027 $77.21 2028 $85.24 2029 $93.56 2030 $102.38 These projections assume HPE keeps executing on its networking-led strategy. A strong Helios ramp could drove results higher, while long-running memory shortages could hold them back.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Florida podala žalobu na Pfizer a generálního ředitele Alberta Bourlu kvůli údajnému klamání o bezpečnosti a účinnosti vakcíny proti COVID-19. Stát tvrdí, že firma vydělala přes 80 miliard USD a v roce 2023 zvýšila cenu dávky z 30 USD na 110 až 130 USD.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Pfizer (PFE.N) and its CEO, Albert Bourla, accusing the drugmaker of misleading consumers about the safety and effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Here are more details:
Uthmeier filed the lawsuit in state court, alleging that Pfizer told consumers its COVID-19 vaccine was safe while failing to disclose potential risks, including heart inflammation and other adverse events.
Pfizer, according to the lawsuit, urged people to get the shot to protect others, even though the company never tested whether the vaccine stopped the virus from spreading.
Florida has also accused Pfizer of using unfair tactics to dominate the market.
It said the company made more than $80 billion from vaccine sales, then nearly quadrupled the price of the vaccine to $110 to $130 a dose in 2023 from $30.
The state, suing under its consumer protection law, wants a court order to stop the alleged conduct, fines of $10,000 per violation, or $15,000 when seniors or disabled people were harmed, and the return of profits.
Pfizer said in a statement the state's allegations have no merit and that it would respond to the suit in due course.
"The representations made by Pfizer about its COVID-19 vaccine have been accurate and science-based, and the company stands behind the safety and efficacy of its vaccine," the company said.
"The complaint and comments by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speak for themselves," the Florida Attorney General's Office said in response to a Reuters request for additional comment.
Clorox dokončil pětiletou digitální transformaci a očekává přínosy od druhé poloviny fiskálního roku 2027. Zároveň zvyšuje investice do inovací a po akvizici GOJO posílil portfolio v oblasti zdravotní hygieny.
Key Takeaways Clorox is expanding its health and hygiene portfolio through the GOJO acquisition.Clorox completed its digital transformation, with productivity benefits expected from fiscal 2027.Clorox is increasing innovation spending to improve brand relevance and regain market share. The Clorox Company (CLX - Free Report) is strengthening its business through strategic portfolio actions, innovation, productivity initiatives and improved execution as it navigates a challenging consumer environment. The company’s strategy is increasingly focused on rebuilding market share, enhancing brand superiority and creating a stronger operating platform for sustainable growth. Portfolio expansion is also playing an important role, with the acquisition of GOJO Industries significantly broadening Clorox’s presence in the health and hygiene market.
Clorox has completed its five-year digital transformation program, including the rollout of its U.S. enterprise resource planning system. The company is now shifting its focus from implementation to optimization. Better demand planning, lower inventory, automation and improved order-to-cash processes are expected to generate productivity benefits beginning in the latter part of fiscal 2027 and building into fiscal 2028. The enhanced digital infrastructure should also support stronger e-commerce execution and improve collaboration with retail partners.
Innovation remains a key pillar of Clorox’s growth strategy. The company has increased innovation spending and plans further investment focusing on areas such as health and wellness, pet care, convenience and value. Clorox is also combining product innovation with packaging improvements, targeted promotions, stronger advertising and optimized price-pack architecture to improve brand relevance and regain market share.
The GOJO acquisition has further strengthened Clorox’s health and hygiene portfolio, which now accounts for more than half of net sales on a combined basis. GOJO is expected to contribute significantly to fiscal 2027 sales growth, while Clorox sees opportunities to generate revenue synergies over time. The company is taking a disciplined approach to integration while leveraging GOJO’s capabilities and market position to expand its presence in attractive health and hygiene categories.
Overall, Clorox is concentrating on strengthening its brands, accelerating innovation, expanding its health and hygiene portfolio, improving digital capabilities and driving productivity. These initiatives are designed to enhance consumer value, support market-share recovery and create a more efficient operating platform for long-term growth.
CLX’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Clorox have lost 19.4% in the past six months against the industry’s growth of 3.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, CLX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.62X compared with the industry’s average of 18.11X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CLX’s fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 6% and 8.9%, respectively. The company’s EPS estimate for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027 has been stable in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Clorox stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Stocks to Consider in the Consumer Staples Space The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , which is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chefs' Warehouse's current financial-year sales indicates growth of 10.8% from the prior-year level. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) , which is a global manufacturer, marketer and distributor of value-added frozen potato products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The consensus estimate for Lamb Weston’s current financial-year sales is expected to drop 1.8% from the year-ago reported figure. LW delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 24.6%, on average.
Medifast, Inc. (MED - Free Report) , which is a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically-proven healthy living products and programs, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. MED delivered an average earnings surprise of 58.2% in the last reported quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Medifast’s current financial-year sales indicates a decline of 27.3% from the year-ago number.
Key Takeaways S&P Global Ratings upgraded Wells Fargo's issuer credit rating to 'A-' from 'BBB ', with a stable outlook.WFC has terminated 14 consent orders since 2019, reflecting progress in risk management and oversight.Wells Fargo's ROTCE rose to 16.1% as of June 2026 from 14.4% a year earlier. S&P Global Ratings (S&P) upgraded the issuer credit rating of Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC - Free Report) to ‘A-’ from ‘BBB+’, while maintaining a stable outlook. S&P affirmed WFC’s short-term issuer credit rating at ‘A-2’ and the ‘A+/A-1’ issuer credit ratings on several core operating subsidiaries.
The upgrade reflects Wells Fargo’s significant progress in risk management, culture and oversight, along with improving profitability and deepening client relationships. Following an improvement in Wells Fargo’s group stand-alone credit profile to ‘a’ from ‘a-’, S&P now incorporates one notch of uplift for additional loss-absorbing capacity support.
What Led to the Upgrade in WFC’s Ratings?Improved Risk Management and Governance: A key factor behind the upgrade is Wells Fargo’s continued progress in strengthening its risk management framework, corporate culture and oversight. Since 2019, the bank has terminated 14 consent orders, highlighting the progress made in addressing regulatory concerns. In June 2025, the Federal Reserve removed the asset cap that had restricted WFC’s balance-sheet growth for nearly seven years. Regulators terminated another consent order in March 2026, further advancing the bank’s remediation efforts.
Wells Fargo currently has no outstanding consent orders, although a formal agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency related to financial crimes risk management and anti-money laundering controls remains in place. S&P believes the bank is on a path toward resolving this remaining matter.
Broader Client Relationships Support Growth: Since the asset cap was removed, WFC has expanded its businesses and deepened client relationships, particularly in credit cards, auto lending, commercial loans and capital markets. The broader customer base is supporting capital markets growth and adding revenue diversification, although WFC’s capital markets revenue remains below that of its global systemically important bank (GSIB) peers.
Improving Profitability Profile: The expansion of earning assets, higher net interest income (NII), increased fee income and disciplined expense management have improved profitability, driving growth in pre-provision net revenue and strengthening the bank’s earnings profile.
Reflecting this improvement, WFC raised its medium-term return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) target to 17%-18% in the third quarter of 2025 from its previous target of 15%. As of June 30, 2026, ROTCE had increased to 16.1% from 14.4% a year earlier, with S&P expecting further improvement as balance-sheet growth remains controlled.
Manageable Balance-Sheet Growth: Wells Fargo’s balance sheet has expanded faster than the banking industry since the asset cap was removed. Through the second quarter of 2026, its assets rose 15% year over year, while loans grew 12%, driven by lending and market-related businesses. S&P continues to view the expansion as manageable.
Nonbank lending was a key contributor, with balances rising 33% year over year to account for 22% of total loans. Auto lending also grew 33%, while trading assets increased 33% to roughly 11% of total assets. Despite the faster growth, credit quality remained solid, with net charge-offs better than those of most peers in recent years. S&P expects balance-sheet growth to moderate starting in 2027 and move broadly in line with industry levels.
Adequate Capital Position: The bank’s capital position continues to support its credit profile. Its Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio stood at 10.3% as of June 30, 2026, down from 11.1% a year earlier, remaining within its 10.0%-10.5% target range and well above the 8.5% minimum requirement. Its risk-adjusted capital ratio was 8.5%, within S&P’s adequate 7%-10% range. While higher long-term rates could increase unrealized losses, most of its longer-duration securities are held to maturity and do not affect regulatory capital ratios.
Looking ahead, proposed changes to the U.S. risk-based capital framework and GSIB surcharge could influence capital levels across large banks. Management has indicated that, if finalized, the changes could reduce WFC’s risk-weighted assets by 7%, equivalent to an increase of nearly 80 basis points in its CET1 ratio. S&P expects WFC’s capital ratios to remain broadly in line with those of large regional bank peers.
Final Words on WFCThe stable outlook reflects S&P’s expectation that Wells Fargo will maintain controlled balance-sheet growth, prudent risk management, improving profitability and adequate capital. However, downward pressure could arise from weaker capital, aggressive growth, or weaker profitability and credit quality.
Other Financial Firms Receiving S&P Rating UpgradesIn September 2026, S&P upgraded the ratings of several other financial firms, including Rithm Capital Corp. (RITM - Free Report) and Capital One Financial Corp. (COF - Free Report) , citing stronger diversification, earnings stability and franchise strength.
Rithm Capital’s issuer credit rating was upgraded to ‘B+’ from ‘B’, with a stable outlook, reflecting greater earnings diversification through asset management, residential transitional lending and commercial real estate businesses. Rithm Capital’s stable Newrez earnings also support its mortgage finance operations.
Capital One’s long-term issuer credit rating was upgraded to ‘BBB+’ from ‘BBB’, with a stable outlook, reflecting its stronger franchise and progress integrating Discover. Capital One is expected to benefit from higher card purchase volumes, fee income and revenue stability, while its auto lending and corporate finance businesses provide additional diversification.
WFC’s Zacks Rank & Price PerformanceShares of WFC have lost 2.4% over the past six months against the industry’s growth of 10.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks (Strong Buy) here.
Duke Energy vyhlásila čtvrtletní dividendu ve výši 1,085 USD na kmenovou akcii, splatnou 16. prosince 2026 akcionářům zapsaným k 13. listopadu 2026. Na kmenové akcii vyplácí dividendu už 100 po sobě jdoucích let.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of $1.085 per share. This dividend is payable on Dec. 16, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 13, 2026.
The company also declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Series A preferred stock of $359.375 per share payable on Dec. 16, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 13, 2026. This is equivalent to $0.359375 per depositary share.
Duke Energy has paid a cash dividend on its common stock for 100 consecutive years.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.
More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.
Media Contact: Gillian Moore
24-hour: 800.559.3853
Analyst Contact: Mike Switzer
Office: 704.382.6473
NEAR Intents po exploitu přišel asi o 3,8 milionu USD a zastavil vklady i výběry na 11 sítích. Tým tvrdí, že chyba byla v jeho infrastruktuře, ne v samotném blockchainu NEAR.
NEAR Intents, a cross-chain swap service built on NEAR Protocol (NEAR), lost about $3.8 million to an exploit on Thursday. The NEAR token fell 8.6% within hours, although the underlying blockchain was not named as the target.
The hack landed two days after Bitwise opened the first US spot NEAR exchange-traded fund (ETF). Bitwise pitched that fund partly on NEAR Intents, which it says has processed over $32 billion in swaps.
How the NEAR Intents Hack HappenedNEAR Intents lets users swap a token on one blockchain for a token on another. Users state the trade they want, and outside market makers compete to fill it.
The team said a bug caused the loss. The flaw sat in how its Omni deposit and withdrawal system interacted with the NEAR Intents smart contract, the self-running code that records each swap.
Earlier today NEAR Intents services were stopped after a security incident was detected. The incident was caused by a bug in the Omni deposit and withdrawal infrastructure interaction with NEAR Intents smart contract.
The preliminary report indicates the total loss of…
— NEAR Intents (@near_intents) October 1, 2026 On-chain investigator ZachXBT flagged the attack, saying the service’s hot wallet on BNB Chain, an online wallet used to pay out withdrawals, saw several unusual outflows before it stopped processing transactions.
The stolen funds went straight to crypto exchange KuCoin and were converted into Bitcoin (BTC), according to ZachXBT.
ZachXBT flagged irregular BSC hot wallet outflows linked to the exploit.NEAR Intents said it has patched the contract flaw and will compensate affected users in full. It has also reported the incident to law enforcement.
Is NEAR Protocol Safe After the $3.8 Million Hack?Deposits and withdrawals remain paused for about 12 more hours on 11 networks. These include BNB Chain, Polygon, TON, Optimism, Avalanche, Stellar, Monad, X Layer, ADI, Scroll, and Plasma.
Neither the official statement nor ZachXBT’s alert reports any loss from the NEAR blockchain itself. Both point to the swap service’s bridge and its BNB Chain wallet.
Users holding assets from the paused chains inside NEAR Intents can still swap them into other tokens once core service resumes, the team said.
Meanwhile, NEAR traded at $4.92 at press time, with a market value near $6.4 billion. The token had climbed about 175% in September ahead of the Bitwise NEAR ETF launch.
NEAR Price Performance. Source: BeInCryptoIt is the second major exploit in the NEAR ecosystem this year, after Rhea Finance lost $7.6 million in April. NEAR Intents has promised a full technical report in the coming days.
SanDisk vzrostl o více než 2 % poté, co Citi potvrdila doporučení Buy a cílovou cenu 2 100 USD, což znamená více než 20% potenciál růstu. Banka vidí podporu v napjatém trhu NAND a silné poptávce z AI datacenter.
SanDisk shares SNDK rose in afternoon trading Thursday after Citi reiterated its Buy rating on the memory and storage company following Micron Technology’s latest earnings report.
The stock was up over 2% after staying under pressure in morning trading.
Citi maintained a $2,100 price target for SanDisk, implying more than 20% upside from current levels.
The brokerage said Micron’s results offered a favorable read-through for NAND fundamentals, particularly as demand from artificial intelligence data centers continues to expand.
Micron reported a 42% sequential increase in NAND revenue, while NAND prices rose about 30%, well ahead of the roughly 20% increase expected by consensus estimates.
Micron management also indicated that its NAND supply is expected to grow more slowly than overall industry supply growth in calendar 2026, reinforcing expectations that the market will remain tight.
"Sequentially, NAND revenue +42%, B/S +10% as prices increased ~30% (vs. consensus +20% qq/Citi +34% qq) on tight NAND conditions," said Citi analyst Atif Malik in a Thursday investor note.
"Mgmt expects Micron NAND supply to grow less than industry supply growth in CY26. For CY27/CY28, expect industry NAND bit shipments to grow in the mid-20% range and the industry to remain supply constrained during both years."
Citi said the NAND market could remain supported by structural demand from AI infrastructure.
One key driver is the increasing use of solid-state drives to offload key-value cache, or KV cache, from more expensive and constrained high-bandwidth memory and other computing resources.
"We remain constructive on favorable NAND S/D fundamentals on durable AI-led datacenter demand (KV cache offloading to more cost-effective SSDs), and this read-through supports SanDisk's thesis of strong business fundamentals and increased visibility," Malik said.
Citi acknowledged that Micron’s expected NAND supply growth is higher than SanDisk’s expectation for industry compound annual growth of roughly the mid-teens.
However, the brokerage maintained its constructive view because of resilient demand and visibility provided by non-binding manufacturer agreements.
"We note while MU NAND B/S growth is higher than SanDisk's expectations for industry CAGR of mid-teens, we remain constructive given durable demand and visibility via NBMs," Citi said.
The favorable NAND backdrop has already translated into a dramatic rally for SanDisk shares.
The stock has gained more than 530% this year and more than 1,300% over the past 12 months, as investors have increasingly focused on AI-driven demand for memory and storage products.
Micron shares, however, were down more than 0.15% Thursday despite reporting better-than-expected quarterly results and providing an upbeat outlook.
One concern for investors is that Micron's earnings beat was smaller than those delivered in previous quarters.
Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore noted that Micron posted an earnings beat of about 5% in the latest quarter, compared with beats of roughly 20% to 40% in several preceding quarters.
The company's gross-margin guidance of about 86.25% also came in slightly below elevated expectations.
Micron attributed the sequential decline to temporary costs, including inventory absorption, higher fiscal 2027 bonus accruals and cleanroom startup expenses.
Management described the quarter as the cyclical floor for gross margins in fiscal 2027 and expects profitability to expand as revenue grows through the remainder of the year.
Analysts remain bullish on Micron Analysts nevertheless continued to see support from tight supply conditions.
"The report 'isn't an earnings surprise story anymore,'" said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
"We're into the realm where earnings durability is driving shares higher, rather than any single set of blowout results."
Raymond James analyst Melissa Fairbanks highlighted Micron's comments that it has no clear visibility into when NAND supply will catch up with demand.
While the shortage could allow Micron to continue raising prices and expanding profitability, Fairbanks said the constrained supply environment could also limit near-term volume growth.
Goldman Sachs raised its price target for Micron to $1,250 from $1,100 while maintaining a Neutral rating.
Analyst James Schneider cited strong demand and a growing base of customer commitments.
Micron now has 26 long-term agreements covering about 35% of projected revenue through fiscal 2030, with roughly 75% of those agreements carrying structured pricing.
For SanDisk, the combination of AI-driven storage demand, limited NAND supply, and long-term customer commitments provides a supportive backdrop, even after the stock's extraordinary gains this year.
Honeywell Aerospace po spin-offu oznámil tržby ve výši 4,5 miliardy USD, což je meziročně o 5 % více, ale snížil celoroční výhled růstu tržeb na 4 % až 5 %.
The need to modernize commercial and defense aerospace fleets is expected to drive increased spending in the sector. One report estimates that global aerospace spending will rise from $434.17 billion this year to $846.30 billion by 2035, a compound annual growth rate of 7.7% -- and so the industry is transforming as a result.
In 2024, one key player -- then known as just plain-old Honeywell International-- announced it would split its three segments of advanced materials, automation, and aerospace into three companies. In October of 2025, it spun off its advanced materials business into Solstice Advanced Materials (SOLS +0.21%). Three months ago, on June 29, the company completed the spinoff of Honeywell Technologies (HON +1.79%) for its automation business and Honeywell Aerospace (HONA -0.34%) for its aerospace business.
Deciding which Honeywell company is the right one to buy for the aerospace boom may seem like a trick question. The answer is so obvious, it can't be right, can it?
Image source: Getty Images.
The choice isn't as simple as it seems The name makes Honeywell Aerospace seem like the obvious stock to play the aerospace boom. The company builds aircraft engines, avionics, auxiliary power units, and other aviation systems for commercial and defense aircraft. However, the other two Honeywell companies each benefit from aerospace spending.
Solstice makes low-global-warming-potential hydrofluoroolefin solvents, which are critical for precision cleaning of sensitive flight instruments, oxygen lines, hydraulic systems, and jet turbine components. The company also makes high-purity chemicals, specialized blowing agents, and fluoropolymers used in semiconductors, radomes, thermal insulation, and circuit boards integrated into modern aircraft avionics.
Honeywell Technologies, which is what remains of Honeywell International, is a pure-play industrial automation company, but its products are critical to how aerospace equipment is manufactured, tested, and housed, including its distributed control systems, robotics, assembly line controls, and test facilities and environmental chambers.
So, the answer isn't so easy. To figure out which of these companies should thrive the most from an aerospace boom, you have to look back at the third quarter of 2025, when all three segments were under the same roof. In that quarter, Honeywell Aerospace reported 15% year-over-year sales growth, well ahead of the other two segments.
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In the second quarter of this year, Honeywell Aerospace's first as an independent company, it reported sales of $4.5 billion, up 5% year over year. It also reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.87, down 32% from the same period last year, though that figure is somewhat skewed by short-term spinoff costs. It may take a while for the company to overcome those expenses, as its long-term debt increased to $15.85 billion from $4 million, reflecting financing moves related to its separation from Honeywell Technologies.
Investors have been lukewarm on the stock Since its spinoff, the stock is down more than 18%, worse than the roughly 11% drop for Honeywell Technologiesso far this year and less than the 32% decline for Solstice stock. One reason for Honeywell Aerospace's decline is that it trimmed its full-year sales growth guidance from 7%-9% to 4%-5%.
Of the three, Solstice is predicting the most growth, 6%, at the midpoint, with Honeywell Technologiesexpecting 3% to 4% revenue growth.
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The backlog is a big deal As of the second quarter, Honeywell Aerospace had a backlog of $18.1 billion, and it continues to add to its orders. Year to date, Honeywell Aerospace has built significant commercial and defense momentum, securing an estimated $15 billion in lifetime value across a series of major new contract wins. Headlining these accomplishments is a historic deal with Indian carrier IndiGo, which selected Honeywell's flagship avionics and power systems for its massive order of 810 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, marking the largest new-aircraft-selectable equipment win in the company's history.
In addition to major original equipment manufacturer (OEM) selections, Honeywell Aerospace continues to advance its retrofit, modification, and upgrade (RMU) growth strategy, highlighted by Aeromexico's intention to adopt its latest Surface Alerts (SURF-A) runway safety technology across its fleet of more than 100 Boeing 737NG and 737MAX aircraft. On the defense front, European OEMs have named Civitanavi Systems' ARGO 4000 inertial measurement unit as a preferred solution to integrate critical guidance capabilities into missile programs, unmanned platforms, maritime vessels, and land vehicles.
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These orders provide great transparency of the company's earnings over the next couple of years. That backlog is largely tied to defense modernization programs, military avionics upgrades, and next-generation propulsion systems. The increase in defense budgets worldwide should give the company steady cash flow visibility even during broader economic pullbacks.
One of its biggest concerns is supply chain issues, but as a stand-alone company, it can focus on that issue more directly than when it was a segment of Honeywell International.
Taking the long-term view Honeywell Aerospace, among the three Honeywell-related stocks, is best positioned to benefit from the aerospace boom. It has the most industry exposure of the three stocks, with Honeywell Technologies and Solstice having only tertiary exposure to aviation. Honeywell should also have more long-term growth, and its huge backlog of orders means it should have little difficulty paying down its debt.
Down the line, the stock could even offer a dividend or stock repurchases, making it more appetizing to investors. With more than $18.1 billion in revenue anticipated this year and a high-margin commercial aftermarket business, Honeywell Aerospace generates substantial free cash flow. This financial profile gives the board the flexibility to consider initiating a regular quarterly dividend once baseline operational and capital allocation priorities stabilize.
Intuit prodloužil partnerství s NFL do roku 2030 a rozšíří tak Intuit Intelligence na více než 400 milionů fanoušků po celém světě. Dohoda zároveň přidává práva v Kanadě, Británii, Austrálii a na Novém Zélandu.
Key Takeaways Intuit extends its NFL partnership through 2030, expanding rights across four international markets.Intuit Intelligence will showcase data, AI and human expertise across four key financial products.Intuit will feature Peyton Manning, the Kittles and small-business owners throughout the NFL season. Intuit (INTU - Free Report) is putting its latest AI push in front of a much bigger audience. The company has extended its National Football League (“NFL”) partnership for four years through 2030, with the expanded deal designed to showcase Intuit Intelligence to more than 400 million NFL fans worldwide. The agreement also expands Intuit’s official rights to Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.
The campaign moves beyond advertising individual products. Intuit Intelligence brings together data, AI and human expertise across TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp. Credit Karma is also joining Intuit’s NFL portfolio, helping the company showcase more of its broader financial technology platform to NFL fans.
Intuit plans to keep the campaign visible throughout the season. Peyton Manning will introduce Intuit Intelligence, while QuickBooks will feature George and Claire Kittle and small-business owners. Credit Karma will run its latest financial-guidance campaign during the regular season, while TurboTax will be exclusively featured in the postseason as the sponsor of the AFC and NFC Divisional Round and Championship games.
The move builds on years of AI investment. In June 2023, Intuit introduced GenOS, its generative-AI operating system, followed by Intuit Assist in September 2023, which brought personalized AI-powered recommendations across its products. In 2025, Intuit added AI agents to QuickBooks to automate accounting, finance and other business workflows.
That technology now has considerable data behind it. Intuit's platform spans 82 million consumers, 10 million businesses and 650,000 accountants, while its AI agents can use more than 60 large language models and 100-plus AI skills.
ConclusionThe NFL deal could therefore serve as a large-scale brand-building channel for Intuit’s broader AI strategy. Fiscal 2026 revenues rose 14% to $21.4 billion, while its Big Bets grew 34% and represented 30% of revenues. Greater awareness of Intuit Intelligence could support platform adoption and customer growth if the campaign converts NFL visibility into greater engagement with Intuit’s products.
In the past three months, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 0.1% compared with the industry's growth of 23.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the Zacks-Computer Software sector are Cadence Design Systems (CDNS - Free Report) and Synopsys (SNPS - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CDNS’ 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has moved 2 cents northward to $8.12 over the past two months.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SNPS’ fiscal 2026 EPS has moved 3 cents upward to $15.13 over the past month.
Accenture zveřejní výsledky za 4. čtvrtletí a celý fiskální rok 2026 na dnešním konferenčním hovoru k výsledkům. Na hovoru vystoupí CEO Julie Sweet a CFO Angie Park.
Accenture plc (ACN) Q4 2026 Earnings Call October 1, 2026 8:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Alexia Quadrani - Executive Director of Investor Relations
Julie T. Sweet - CEO & Chairman
Angie Park - Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
Tien-Tsin Huang - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Darrin Peller - Wolfe Research, LLC
Bryan Keane - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Jason Kupferberg - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Keith Bachman - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research
James Schneider - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Bryan Bergin - TD Cowen, Research Division
David Koning - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good day, and welcome to the Accenture Fourth Quarter 2026 Financial Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Please note today's event is being recorded.
I'd now like to turn the conference over to Alexia Quadrani, Executive Director and Head of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.
Alexia Quadrani
Executive Director of Investor Relations
Thank you, operator, and thanks, everyone, for joining us today on our fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2026 earnings call. As the operator just mentioned, I'm Alexia Quadrani, Executive Director, Head of Investor Relations. On today's call, you will hear from Julie Sweet, our Chair and Chief Executive Officer; and Angie Park, our Chief Financial Officer. We hope you've had an opportunity to review both the earnings release and the accompanying presentation issued prior to this call.
Let me outline the agenda for today. Julie will begin with an overview of our Q4 results and step back to look at fiscal 2026 overall before following with a brief update on our market positioning. Angie will then take you through the detailed financial numbers, including the income statement and balance sheet, along with key operational metrics for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year before providing a business outlook for the first quarter
Kroger ve 2. fiskálním čtvrtletí zvýšil upravený zisk na akcii (EPS) o 4,8 % na 1,09 USD, ale identické tržby bez paliva vzrostly jen o 0,2 %. Firma zároveň snížila výhled identických tržeb pro fiskální rok 2026 na 0,2 % až 0,8 % z 1 % až 2 %.
Key Takeaways Kroger's fiscal Q2 adjusted EPS rose 4.8%, while identical sales excluding fuel increased just 0.2%.Kroger cut fiscal 2026 identical-sales guidance to 0.2%-0.8% but kept EPS guidance at $5.10-$5.30.Kroger's e-commerce sales rose 20%, while Private Selection sales increased more than 14%. The Kroger Co. (KR - Free Report) presents a valuation-versus-execution trade-off. Its discounted earnings multiple, improving digital economics and expanding private-label business support the case for value, while softer comparable-sales growth and persistent operating pressures keep the near-term picture mixed.
The question is whether the current discount sufficiently compensates for slower sales momentum. Kroger’s latest results show that earnings can hold up even when the top line is less supportive, but clearer sales acceleration would strengthen the case.
Kroger’s Valuation Leaves Room for DebateKroger trades at 10.78X forward 12-month earnings, below its five-year median of 12.08X. The multiple also sits below 30.68X for the Zacks sub-industry, 20.83X for the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector and 19.66X for the S&P 500.
That discount is consistent with Kroger’s Value Score of A. Still, valuation does not eliminate execution risk. The stock’s lower multiple must be weighed against slower comparable-sales growth and the need for continued investment in pricing, stores and fulfillment.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KR’s Earnings Hold Up as Sales Momentum SlowsSecond-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings rose 4.8% year over year to $1.09 per share and topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.05. Total sales increased 2% to $34.62 billion but missed the consensus mark of $34.69 billion.
Identical sales excluding fuel rose only 0.2%, down from 3.4% growth a year earlier. Kroger lowered fiscal 2026 identical-sales guidance excluding fuel to 0.2%-0.8% from 1%-2%, while maintaining adjusted earnings guidance of $5.10-$5.30 per share.
Kroger’s Growth Engines Still Have SupportAdjusted e-commerce sales increased 20% in the quarter, and Kroger delivered a second consecutive quarter of profitable e-commerce growth when combined with retail media. Kroger Precision Marketing profit climbed 24%, its best growth rate since 2021.
Our Brands also outpaced national brands by 250 basis points. Private Selection sales increased more than 14%, while Our Brands penetration rose about 50 basis points. These businesses give Kroger growth and profit levers that extend beyond core grocery comparable sales.
KR Faces Cost and Consumer Spending PressureHigher shrink, transportation costs, healthcare expenses and planned wage investments weighed on profitability, while management expects additional diesel and freight pressure through the rest of fiscal 2026. Customers are also buying more on need as household budgets remain pressured.
Competition adds another layer. Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) reported 2.6% U.S. comparable-sales growth excluding fuel and 24% U.S. e-commerce growth in its latest quarter. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) posted 7.2% adjusted U.S. comparable-sales growth and 19.8% adjusted digitally enabled growth in its fiscal fourth quarter, underscoring a retail environment where value and convenience remain central.
Kroger’s Signals Favor Patience Over MomentumKroger’s valuation and higher-growth businesses provide support, but muted identical-sales growth and ongoing cost pressure keep the setup balanced. The operating model is still producing earnings growth, yet the next step in the case depends on stronger sales productivity and sustained margin execution.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a VGM Score of A, Value Score of A, Growth Score of B and Momentum Score of D. The favorable value and growth characteristics contrast with weaker near-term momentum. For investors weighing Kroger today, that combination supports a measured, wait-and-see view rather than a momentum-driven conclusion. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
NIO ve 3. čtvrtletí dodal 109 178 vozů, meziročně o 25,4 % více, a splnil svůj výhled na 108 000 až 111 000 kusů. Růst ale během čtvrtletí zpomalil a v září klesl na 7,7 % meziročně.
Key Takeaways NIO delivered 109,178 vehicles in Q3 2026, up 25.4% year over year and within its guidance range.NIO's vehicle margin climbed to 18.5% in Q2, helped by higher-margin products and lower costs.NIO faces slowing monthly delivery growth, rising input costs, high debt and weaker earnings estimates. China’s electric vehicle (EV) company NIO Inc. (NIO - Free Report) delivered 109,178 vehicles in the third quarter of 2026, up 25.4% year over year and within its own guided range of 108,000-111,000 units. Third-quarter deliveries consisted of 62,500 units from the NIO brand, 27728 units from the ONVO brand and 18,950 from Firefly. Cumulative deliveries as of Sept. 30, 2026 totaled 1,297,893 units.
Meanwhile, growth at close peers XPeng (XPEV - Free Report) and Li Auto (LI - Free Report) was less impressive. XPeng’s third-quarter deliveries came in at 118,390 units, marking a 2% increase from year-ago quarter deliveries. In contrast, Li Auto reported 99,964 deliveries in the September quarter, up 7.2% from the corresponding quarter of 2025.
While NIO’s delivery growth stands out, let’s look beyond the headline numbers to assess whether the stock is truly a buy at current levels.
NIO's Product Lineup Driving GrowthNIO's growth is being buoyed by its newer and upgraded vehicle models, with two flagship SUVs leading the way.
The ES8 reached 150,000 cumulative deliveries on Sept. 20, exactly one year after its launch. During the year, it topped sales among large SUVs and among all vehicles priced above RMB 400,000. The ES9 began deliveries on May 28 and crossed 30,000 units on Sept. 23, 2026. It has also been the best-selling battery electric vehicle priced above RMB 500,000 for three months in a row. These models are strengthening NIO's standing in the premium electric SUV segment.
NIO also reaches a broader range of customers at different price levels through its three brands— NIO, ONVO and Firefly.
NIO’s Profitability ImprovingNIO's profitability has strengthened as it sells more vehicles and a larger share of them are higher-end models. Its vehicle margin rose to 18.5% in the second quarter of 2026, up from 10.3% in the same quarter last year. This gain came from selling more high-margin products and from lower costs.
Management plans to hold the vehicle margin close to the second-quarter 2026 level through the third and fourth quarters, even though material costs are expected to rise further. The company also expects both operating cash flow and free cash flow to be positive in each of these two quarters.
NIO's Battery Swapping Network ExpandsNIO and Geely Automobile (GELHY - Free Report) have agreed to combine their charging and battery-swapping networks, with each company taking a stake in the other. As part of the deal, Geely will launch more electric models that work with shared swapping standards, with NIO providing support.
NIO Power has set a target of running 10,000 battery-swapping stations worldwide by 2030. At that scale, its yearly electricity use is expected to go beyond 10 billion kWh.
The company is already building on a solid base. When it passed 100 million total swaps in February, it had 3,790 swapping stations, and it plans to open another 1,000 this year. Earlier in 2026, it also set a one-day record of 175,976 battery swaps.
NIO's Road Isn't All SmoothBeneath the strong headline deliveries, investors should note that delivery growth slowed sharply as the third quarter progressed. Year-over-year growth was 71% in July, then fell to 14.5% in August and 7.7% in September.
Additionally, rising input costs could squeeze margins. Management aims to keep the vehicle margin near the second-quarter level, but achieving that will depend on how well the company manages sourcing and its product mix.
NIO's debt also remains high, with long-term debt-to-capitalization at about 82%.
Earnings estimates are moving in the wrong direction as well. Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for NIO's 2026 loss per share has widened by 3 cents to 13 cents. The 2027 estimate still points to a return to profit, but the consensus EPS figure has dropped from 9 cents to 5 cents over the same period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NIO’s Price Performance & ValuationYear to date, shares of NIO have fallen roughly 33%, wider than the industry’s decline of 18%. However, shares of Li Auto and XPeng have also underperformed the industry, sliding 33% and 53%, respectively, during the same time frame.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation perspective, NIO currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.39, below the industry’s 0.57.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Our TakeNIO's third-quarter deliveries, new product momentum, improving margins and expanding swapping network make a strong case. But slowing monthly year-over-year growth over the third quarter, elevated debt, rising costs and falling earnings estimates keep the risks real.
The third-quarter earnings report will be the key test. It should show whether margins held near the second-quarter level. Management's commentary on fourth-quarter deliveries will indicate whether the slowdown seen in August and September is temporary or a sign of weaker demand ahead.
Until then, the risk-reward looks balanced at best. Existing shareholders can stay put, but new investors would be better off waiting for the results and clearer fourth-quarter guidance.
NIO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here
Injective představil první demo CypherOS, své nativní vrstvy soukromí pro zastíněné transakce a soukromé RFQ toky. Projekt zatím nezveřejnil plnou architekturu ani auditní zprávy.
Injective has put its privacy ambitions on display. The first demo of CypherOS, the blockchain’s privacy platform, is now live.
What CypherOS is supposed to do Injective is a Layer 1 blockchain built with trading and institutional-scale activity in mind.
CypherOS is its native on-chain privacy layer. The project has described three headline features: confidential trading, shielded transactions, and private RFQ flows.
Shielded transactions hide the details of a transfer from public view.
RFQ stands for request for quote. A trader asks one or more counterparties for a price on a specific trade, rather than posting an order on a public book. Making that process private means the request itself does not tip off the rest of the market.
That last point matters for large traders. Broadcasting a big order on a public chain can invite front-running, where others jump ahead of the trade to profit from the expected price move. Privacy at the RFQ stage is designed to close that window.
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Injective has emphasized that CypherOS is embedded in the core network. It is not a bolt-on app or a standalone tool sitting off to the side.
How Injective got here On September 18, 2026, Injective teased an upcoming CypherOS demo, promising privacy for INJ across trades and transactions.
Six days later, on September 24, the network activated its Meridian mainnet upgrade. It went live at block height 184,394,000.
Stakers backed the upgrade with 99% approval.
Meridian did two notable things. It improved the chain’s support for real-world asset tokenization, or RWAs, which turns things like bonds or funds into on-chain tokens. It also laid the groundwork for CypherOS testing.
On September 25, Injective formally confirmed CypherOS as a native privacy layer for shielded transactions and private RFQ flows. The project flagged a private RFQ testnet alpha as the first live test of the system.
The market noticed INJ, Injective’s native token, responded to the run of announcements. The token traded near $8 on September 25.
That price represented a 32% gain for the week. Over the prior 30 days, INJ was up 42%.
What still needs to happen As of early October 2026, Injective had not disclosed the full architecture of CypherOS. Audit reports had also not been made public.
The community has been watching for public demos as a key validation milestone. The live demo addresses part of that. The architecture details and audits remain the next shoes to drop.
What this means for Injective and its users The RWA angle reinforces the pitch. Tokenized versions of traditional financial assets tend to attract the same institutions that are used to private negotiation in conventional markets. Pairing tokenization upgrades from Meridian with private RFQ from CypherOS points to a coherent target audience.
Privacy features on public blockchains often draw regulatory scrutiny, since confidentiality tools can be framed as compliance headaches. How Injective balances privacy with the reporting needs of institutional clients will be an important detail to watch as more of the design is revealed.
The near-term checklist is straightforward. Watch for the private RFQ testnet alpha to open up, for the full CypherOS architecture to be published, and for audit results to land.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
15 amerických států a teritorium Guam zažalovaly Cortevu a Vylor kvůli údajnému podvodnému vyčlenění semenářského podnikání, které mělo obejít desítky miliard USD v závazcích spojených s PFAS.
A group of US states sued Corteva (CTVA.N) and Vylor (VYLR.N) on Thursday, alleging Corteva's spinoff of its seed business to Vylor was a fraudulent attempt to avoid tens of billions in legacy liabilities related to "forever chemicals" polluting the environment.
The lawsuit, filed in Indiana state court by 15 US states and the territory of Guam, alleges that Vylor received the "crown jewels" of Corteva's business without assuming its liabilities for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Corteva and Vylor are corporate successors to DuPont, which has been named in thousands of lawsuits alleging the company's chemicals have polluted the environment and exposed millions of Americans to potential health risks.
Corteva completed the spinoff of its seed and genetics business into a separate publicly traded company on Thursday.
Corteva was formed during the 2015 merger of Dow Chemical Company and DuPont, taking on the combined companies' agriculture business and becoming the corporate parent of the old DuPont companies, according to the complaint.
At the time Corteva contractually assumed DuPont's PFAS liabilities, but the new Vylor transaction attempts to spin off the profitable seed business without taking on any of the old company's PFAS debts. The states allege that the spinoff is an attempt to defraud PFAS creditors by placing assets out of reach of their lawsuits against former DuPont companies.
YPF získala od Ex-Im Bank USA nabídku financování až do výše 6 mld. USD pro projekt Argentina LNG. Projekt za 24 mld. USD má začít se dvěma plovoucími jednotkami s kapacitou 12 MTPA.
Key Takeaways YPF received an offer of up to $6B in U.S. Export-Import Bank financing for Argentina LNG.The $24B project is expected to start with two floating LNG units totaling 12 MTPA.YPF aims to secure two to three LNG sales deals before the planned November investment decision. YPF Sociedad Anónima (YPF - Free Report) , an Argentinian energy company, recently mentioned that the U.S. Export-Import Bank has offered up to $6 billion in financing for the Argentina LNG project. The project is a major natural gas project aimed at extracting and monetizing the country’s significant shale gas resources. The Argentina LNG project is led by YPF alongside the Italian energy firm Eni and Abu Dhabi's ADNOC. The project is expected to become the largest infrastructure project in Argentina’s history.
The project is anticipated to require an investment of $24 billion to build the necessary infrastructure, which includes natural gas processing facilities, pipelines and liquefaction units. The YPF-led consortium is seeking financing to fund a part of the project's costs. The partners intend to make a final investment decision in November this year, but may proceed with only letters of intent from banks and export credit agencies to finalize the lending terms.
Earlier this month, YPF also announced that it was on track to sign two to three LNG sales agreements for the Argentina LNG export project. These contracts cover a combined capacity of 500 thousand to 1.5 million metric tons per year (MTPA) of LNG. The companies intend to secure these deals before the final investment decision in November, as the contracts can provide future earnings visibility and demonstrate demand for the project's output.
The project is initially expected to include two floating LNG facilities with a combined capacity of 12 MTPA, with the potential to increase its capacity to 18 MTPA. It will also include a 527-kilometre pipeline to transport natural gas from Vaca Muerta to Argentina's Atlantic coast in Rio Negro province. For Argentina, this project could help convert its large domestic gas resources into export revenues and further develop its energy sector. However, YPF’s stock has declined 6% since the announcement.
YPF’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksYPF currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the energy sector are PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) , Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) and Galp Energia SGPS SA (GLPEY - Free Report) . While PBF Energy and Valero sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, Galp Energia carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.
PBF Energy has a geographically diverse refining network with large-scale processing capacity and a highly complex refining system. It operates six refineries, including Delaware City Refinery, Paulsboro Refinery, Toledo Refinery, Chalmette Refinery, Torrance Refinery and Martinez Refinery, with a combined throughput capacity of 1 million barrels per day and the ability to process a wide range of feedstocks. The diversified refining footprint provides the company exposure to several regional refining markets, supporting higher margins.
Valero Energy is a leading refining player with a robust network of 14 refineries and a combined high-complexity throughput capacity of 3 million barrels per day, which distinguishes it from other independent refiners. VLO’s refineries have a combined Nelson Complexity Index of 11.5, which implies that the refineries can process a wide variety of feedstocks, convert them into higher-value products and shift product yields according to market conditions.
Galp Energia is a Portuguese energy company engaged in exploration and production activities. The company’s oil exploration efforts have yielded positive results, particularly with the Mopane discovery in the Orange Basin, offshore Namibia. This discovery allows Galp to diversify its global presence with the potential to become a significant oil producer in the region. It refines and markets oil products and gas, as well as engages in marketing and sales activities.
CNA Financial ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila čisté předepsané pojistné v P&C o 4 % díky 11% růstu nového obchodu na rekordních 718 milionů USD. Čistý investiční výnos vzrostl na 701 milionů USD.
Key Takeaways CNA Financial's P&C net written premiums rose 4% despite just a 2% renewal premium change. CNA Financial's new business grew 11% to a record $718 million, while retention remained 83%. CNA Financial's second-quarter net investment income rose to $701 million, supporting earnings growth. CNA Financial Corporation (CNA - Free Report) can potentially sustain growth even as insurance pricing softens, but the growth mix is likely to shift from rate-driven expansion toward new business, retention, specialization and disciplined underwriting.
In the second quarter of 2026, CNA’s P&C net written premiums increased 4% year over year, despite a renewal premium change of only 2% and flat renewal rate increases. Importantly, new business grew 11% to a record $718 million, while retention remained strong at 83%. This indicates that CNA is increasingly generating premium growth through customer acquisition and portfolio management rather than relying solely on higher renewal rates.
CNA’s Specialty and Commercial businesses provide additional avenues for growth. Specialty NWP increased 5% in the second quarter, while Commercial NWP also rose 5%. Management said it continues to identify opportunities to write accounts at appropriate prices, terms and conditions while pulling back from areas where risk-adjusted returns are less attractive. This selective approach could help CNA defend underwriting profitability as competition increases and pricing moderates.
However, investors will need to monitor whether CNA can maintain premium growth without sacrificing margins. CNA’s second-quarter P&C underlying combined ratio deteriorated to 94.2% from 91.7%, while the underlying loss ratio increased to 64.1%. The pressure was particularly evident in Commercial, where the underlying combined ratio rose to 92.8% from 90.6%.
CNA's growth story is becoming less dependent on pricing and more reliant on 11% new-business growth, strong retention, specialty-market opportunities and disciplined risk selection. Higher investment income also provides some earnings support, with second-quarter net investment income rising to $701 million.
What About Other Players? The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV - Free Report) faces the challenge of softer insurance pricing, particularly in its Business Insurance operations, where moderating renewal rates could reduce the contribution of pricing to premium growth. In the second quarter of 2026, Business Insurance net written premiums increased 5%, excluding the impact of the Canadian divestiture, while renewal premium change was 4.8%. This means Travelers increasingly needs to generate growth through new business, retention, and exposure growth rather than relying on higher renewal prices. At the same time, Travelers must maintain underwriting discipline, as slower pricing growth can make it harder to absorb claims inflation and other loss-cost pressures.
Chubb Limited (CB - Free Report) is also facing softer insurance pricing, particularly in commercial property, but the impact is uneven across its portfolio. In the second quarter of 2026, Chubb said soft underwriting conditions persisted in large-account and E&S property, while softer conditions were also spreading to certain casualty and financial-lines businesses. This pressured North America Commercial P&C NWP, which declined 2.3% year over year, although NWP excluding large-account and E&S property increased 4.1%. Chubb is responding by maintaining underwriting discipline rather than pursuing volume at inadequate prices. Management noted that it would not knowingly underwrite business at a loss. Growth is increasingly coming from areas with better opportunities, including Middle Market and Small Commercial, which grew 8.9%, as well as international markets, where Overseas General NWP increased 10.2%.
CNA’s Price PerformanceShares of CNA have lost 2.7% in the past year compared with the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CNA’s UndervaluationThe stock is undervalued compared with its industry. It is currently trading at a price-to-book value multiple of 1.09, lower than the industry average of 1.39. It carries a Value Score of B.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Estimate Movement for CNAThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNA’s third-quarter 2026 EPS moved down 1.6% in the past 60 days. The same for full-year 2026 EPS has moved up 2.4% in the past 60 days.
AWK v první polovině roku 2026 přidala přibližně 52 700 zákazníků prostřednictvím akvizic a téměř 9 000 organicky. Má také 19 čekajících akvizic s potenciálem asi 56 600 zákazníků.
Key Takeaways AWK added about 52,700 customers via acquisitions and nearly 9,000 organically in first-half 2026. AWK had 19 pending acquisitions representing around 56,600 potential customers as of June 30, 2026.AWK plans to invest $19-$20 billion through 2030, supporting 8-9% rate-base growth. American Water Works (AWK - Free Report) is expanding its operations through regulated acquisitions and organic growth, adding customers across its service territories. The expansion is strengthening its regulated footprint and increasing the number of customers served by its water and wastewater systems.
In the first six months of 2026, AWK added approximately 52,700 customers through regulated acquisitions, including about 47,000 customers from its Nexus Water Group acquisition, which was completed in June. It also added nearly 9,000 customers organically across existing systems.
AWK also had 19 pending acquisition agreements as of June 30, 2026, representing around 56,600 potential customers. Alongside its proposed merger with Essential Utilities, continued customer additions could broaden AWK’s regulated footprint and create opportunities for further infrastructure investment.
Customer expansion, supported by continued infrastructure investment, provides AWK with additional opportunities to recover costs through regulated rates. The company plans to invest approximately $3.7 billion in 2026 and $19-$20 billion through 2030, supporting 8-9% rate-base growth through infrastructure investments, regulated acquisitions and organic expansion. AWK also reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.02-$6.12.
As the regulated customer base expands, AWK can increase demand for water and wastewater infrastructure, supporting additional investment and regulated cost recovery. This expansion can strengthen the company’s revenue base and support sustained long-term earnings growth.
Utilities Expand Customer Base Organically & InorganicallyUtilities expand their customer base through organic growth from population and economic development, while acquisitions provide additional expansion opportunities. These strategies can support higher demand, infrastructure investment and long-term revenue growth.
ONE Gas (OGS - Free Report) benefited from customer growth in Oklahoma and Texas, which contributed $1.4 million to second-quarter 2026 residential sales revenues and supported ongoing system expansion.
Southwest Gas Holdings (SWX - Free Report) benefited from 1% net customer growth during the 12 months ended June 2026, which added $4.5 million to operating margin and supported continued infrastructure investment.
The Zacks Rundown on AWKAWK’s Earnings EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share indicates an increase of 7.98% and 8.27%, respectively, year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AWK’s Stock Trading at a Premium AWK is trading at a premium to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 20.03X versus the industry average 16.02X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AWK’s Stock Price PerformanceIn the past three months, the company’s shares have plunged 6.9% compared with the industry’s 5.6% decline.
AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ:APP) shares are trading lower, falling further below their moving averages to a fresh 52-week low, after a Unity spokesperson’s comments appeared to weigh on the stock. Here’s what you should know.
AppLovin shares are approaching critical lows. What’s behind APP weakness? AppLovin Sues Unity Over Alleged Data MisuseAppLovin filed for a temporary restraining order against Unity Software Inc (NYSE:U) in California court this week. The filing accuses Unity’s Ad Quality software of improperly gathering data tied to AppLovin’s ads. That data reportedly includes details on creatives, users, devices, revenue and engagement, Digiday reported.
AppLovin further claims Unity fed that information into its own models to compete against AppLovin in mobile ad auctions. The company has not proven those claims in court.
AppLovin wants the court to block Unity from collecting what it calls its “Protected Data.” That includes pricing and auction information tied to AppLovin’s business. AppLovin is also asking Unity to halt the relevant data collection within five business days and rework its software within 30 days. Separately, AppLovin initiated a JAMS arbitration case. That filing alleges breach of contract, trade-secret misappropriation and violations of California’s unfair competition law.
Unity fired back through a spokesperson. The statement called AppLovin’s lawsuit “a classic case of a dominant incumbent resorting to litigation and intimidation” meant to address “increased competition and slowing growth.” Unity framed the dispute as targeting a small, free tool built to keep harmful ads out of games.
AppLovin’s Chart Shows a Stock in a Clear DowntrendBeyond the legal dispute, AppLovin’s chart tells its own story. The stock had spent much of September struggling to hold its 20-day moving average. That support finally gave way this week, and the stock has faced heavy selling pressure since. Shares now trade below every major moving average and sit at a fresh 52-week low.
The stock has fallen 11.4% below its 20-day average of $314.58 and sits 39.2% under its 200-day average of $458.24. The 20-day average trading below the 50-day points to near-term weakness. A death cross from March, when the 50-day average dropped beneath the 200-day, continues to weigh on the stock’s broader trend. The next meaningful support level may sit near $220, an area where the stock found buyers during a bounce in late March 2025.
APP Shares Are DroppingAPP Price Action: AppLovin shares were down 2.84% at $282.18 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading at a new 52-week low, according to Benzinga Pro.
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Barclays zvýšila cílovou cenu Bloom Energy na 308 USD z 276 USD. Akcie nejprve rostly, pak oslabily v širším poklesu kvůli vyšším výnosům státních dluhopisů.
Bloom Energy (BE) and FuelCell Energy (FCEL) are having a wild week, driven by Wall Street rating changes, AI timeline concerns and legal scrutiny. On Thursday, Bloom Energy stock wavered even as Treasury yields reversed lower.
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Why Is BE Stock Up And Down Today?
Bloom Energy stock rose initially in Thursday's stock market action following a price-target hike, but then got caught in a broader downdraft due to rising Treasury yields.
On Thursday, Barclays raised its price target on Bloom Energy stock to $308 from $276. BE stock initially rose on the news, before edging lower.
AI stocks tend to be rate-sensitive. While Treasury yields retreated Thursday, the near-vertical uptrend continues. Higher interest rates makes financing projects costlier, while increasing the discount rate for future growth However, in a positive sign, BE stock continues to hold above short-term support.
Intraday, BE stock traded right around 276. The AI power player has undercut a 288 deep cup-with-handle buy point, which it initially cleared on Friday, the MarketSurge chart shows. But it is riding above the 21-day exponential moving average, and comfortably above longer-term support levels.
Catalysts For AI Power Play Bloom Energy
Barclays analyst Christine Cho cited several catalysts, based on recent news reports and the firm's own analysis:
Factory Expansion: The City of Fremont, Calif., said in a recent LinkedIn post that Bloom Energy acquired a 158,000-square-foot facility. This would be almost as large as Bloom's current plant and suggests that Bloom Energy plans a massive capacity increase.
Amid the boom in power-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, Bloom shows explosive growth.
Utility Pipeline Growth: On Monday, Missouri utility Ameren (AME) unveiled a 20-year plan including 500 megawatts (MW) of fuel cells by 2030. That served as a big endorsement of fuel cells for round-the-clock power, which AI data centers need. And it could open up a major new market. Ameren did not name any fuel-cell company. However, Bloom is perhaps the only firm capable of supplying gas-powered fuel cells at the massive 500 MW scale, which could power up to 10 large AI data centers.
Insulated Oracle Supply: Cho also addressed recent concerns around Bloom customer Oracle (ORCL). Last week, Oracle declared force majeure over a New Mexico data center site, which will let it halt payments if the project is delayed.
According to Cho, Oracle faces a straightforward choice on that project, called Jupiter: Take fuel-cell deliveries on time or risk its spot in the line. However, Cho expects that Oracle will keep the units and shift it to another data center site (like Project Lighthouse in Wisconsin), rather than walk away.
Rival FuelCell Energy's Woes
While hiking the BE stock price target on Thursday, Barclays kept an equal weight rating. The $308 target implies a further 12% upside, after shares have more than tripled in 2026.
Meanwhile, FuelCell Energy shares rose 2.4% to 16.82 on Thursday, but still some distance below the 50-day line. FCEL stock has more than doubled in 2026 despite more than halving since July.
FuelCell Energy slumped after a worse-than-feared loss for the second quarter. It has now been accused of misleading investors in several lawsuits.
But on Thursday, Oppenheimer initiated FCEL stock at outperform with a $24 price target. That suggests the firm's analysts see the Bloom rival's long-term AI data center potential outstripping its short-term financial and legal woes.
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The Canadian dollar continues to face one of its most challenging environments in recent months when it comes to maintaining strength against the U.S. dollar. The weakness of the Canadian currency is clearly reflected in USD/CAD, which has now recorded nine consecutive bullish sessions and gained more than 1.7% during that period. This price action highlights that buying pressure remains firmly in control of the pair in the short term.
For now, the primary driver behind this move continues to be the strength of the U.S. bond market, which remains supportive of dollar demand. As long as this backdrop persists, and even if it proves resilient to tomorrow's U.S. employment data release, buying pressure around USD/CAD could remain an important feature of the market in the sessions ahead.
Can Anything Slow the Bond Market Rally?
As trading continues, a similar trend remains visible across both Canadian and U.S. bond markets. Ten-year government bond yields in both countries have moved higher in recent weeks, although the gap between them remains substantial.
While U.S. 10-year Treasury yields continue to trade near 5.2%, Canadian government bond yields remain close to the 4.0% area. This spread continues to provide a meaningful advantage for U.S. assets, particularly given that Treasury bonds are perceived as lower-risk investments while also offering higher returns. As a result, U.S. dollar-denominated assets continue to enjoy a stronger relative appeal among international investors.
Source: TradingEconomics
This dynamic has been a consistent theme for several weeks and helps explain part of the weakness observed in the Canadian dollar. Even so, it is worth noting that this trend could begin to shift depending on expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve, which is precisely why tomorrow's NFP release has become such an important event.
The employment report will provide a clearer picture of labor market conditions during September and could directly influence expectations for future U.S. monetary policy. Markets currently expect approximately 90,000 jobs to have been added, compared with 162,000 in the previous report. This anticipated slowdown is important because it could begin to reduce the scope for a more aggressive Federal Reserve.
In fact, if payroll growth comes in below expectations, it could further reduce the likelihood of additional rate hikes over the coming months. This cautious outlook is already beginning to appear in market pricing, where current probabilities suggest nearly a 70% chance that interest rates will remain unchanged at the October meeting. Nevertheless, those expectations remain highly sensitive to tomorrow's employment data.
Source: CMEGROUP
With all of this in mind, the NFP release stands out as one of the most important short-term events for USD/CAD. If the report confirms a slowdown in labor market conditions and reinforces the idea of a more patient Federal Reserve, some of the recent strength in U.S. Treasury yields could begin to moderate, potentially limiting further gains in the U.S. dollar. Under that scenario, a more balanced environment could begin to develop around USD/CAD.
That said, the opposite outcome remains equally important. If employment data once again points to a resilient U.S. economy, it could continue to support expectations of restrictive monetary policy for longer. In that case, both Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar could maintain part of their current strength, allowing the buying pressure that has characterized USD/CAD in recent weeks to remain a relevant theme.
USD/CAD Technical Forecast
Source: StoneX, Tradingview
The bullish trend remains dominant: USD/CAD price action continues to reflect a clearly dominant bullish bias. This dynamic has helped establish a short-term uptrend that continues to guide most of the pair's recent movements. However, it is also important to note that the market is approaching key resistance levels and that the recent advance has been relatively rapid, a situation that could begin to signal overstretched bullish momentum and leave room for temporary corrective pullbacks.
MACD: The MACD histogram continues to trade above the 0 neutral line, reflecting that the average strength of short-term moving averages remains supportive of a bullish outlook. As long as this behavior persists, buying pressure may continue to dominate the chart.
RSI: A similar picture can be observed in the RSI, which continues to develop above the 50 neutral level. However, the indicator has also moved beyond the 70 overbought threshold, a signal that is often associated with excessive recent buying momentum and could open the door to short-term corrective declines.
Key Levels:
1.42348 – Key Resistance: The last major barrier observed in recent months and a high not seen since July. A sustained move above this level would not only reinforce the dominance of the current bullish bias but could also confirm a more consistent higher-high structure on the daily chart. Such a scenario could pave the way for a broader and more meaningful uptrend in the weeks ahead.
1.41564 – Near-Term Barrier: A significant retracement level observed several weeks ago that now stands as the closest support reference to monitor. This area could become the primary level to watch in the event of short-term corrective pullbacks.
1.40526 – Critical Support: An important equilibrium zone observed during previous weeks that remains the most relevant downside barrier within the pair's recent price action. A move toward this level could begin to signal a loss of directional momentum, place the current uptrend under pressure, and open the door to a broader phase of indecision over the coming weeks.
Written by Julian Pineda, CFA, CMT – Market Analyst
Vertiv v 2. čtvrtletí zvýšil tržby o 24 % díky silné poptávce po AI datových centrech; v Americe i APAC rostly o 29 %. Na 3. čtvrtletí čeká tržby 3,65–3,85 mld. USD.
Key Takeaways Vertiv shares are up 48.9% YTD, helped by AI data center demand and a broad power and cooling portfolio. Q2 sales rose 24% as Americas and APAC each grew 29%, while acquisitions contributed 5% to revenues. Vertiv expects Q3 sales of $3.65B-$3.85B and a 24%-25% adjusted operating margin. Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) shares have gained 48.9% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s increase of 22.4%. The Zacks Computers - IT Services industry declined 18.8% in the same time frame.
The company’s shares have also outperformed its peers, which include Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) , Broadcom (AVGO - Free Report) and Amphenol (APH - Free Report) . All three companies are expanding their capabilities in the AI and data center infrastructure markets. Shares of Super Micro Computer, Broadcom, and Amphenol have gained 40.3%, 1.4%, and 24.7%, respectively.
The outperformance of VRT stock can be attributed to its rich partner base and extensive product portfolio spanning thermal systems, liquid cooling, UPS, switchgear, busbars, and modular solutions. Vertiv remains leveraged to rising data center power and thermal needs as AI deployments drive higher infrastructure density and faster build cycles. These factors are helping VRT to fend off its competitors like Super Micro Computer, Broadcom, and Amphenol.
VRT Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Vertiv Capitalizes on Strong AI Data Center GrowthVertiv is benefiting from strong demand for AI infrastructure as hyperscalers, colocation providers, neocloud operators and enterprises continue to expand data-center capacity. The company’s global pipeline remains robust across its core markets, particularly in the Americas and APAC regions. In the second quarter of 2026, net sales increased 24% year over year, with the Americas and APAC both growing 29%. EMEA also returned to positive net sales growth.
Acquisitions have further strengthened Vertiv’s data center portfolio. The recent acquisitions of ThermoKey and Strategic Thermal Labs have expanded Vertiv’s capabilities in heat rejection and high-density thermal management, respectively. These moves enhance Vertiv’s ability to offer comprehensive solutions across the thermal spectrum from heat rejection to direct-to-chip cooling. In the second quarter of 2026, acquisitions contributed 5% to revenues.
Further expanding its portfolio, Vertiv recently agreed to acquire King Environmental Services (“KES”), a Europe-based provider of fluid management, commissioning and load-testing services for high-density, liquid-cooled data centers. The acquisition is expected to expand Vertiv’s thermal management services across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and strengthen support for AI and high-density infrastructure.
KES brings specialized capabilities in system preparation, performance validation, monitoring, maintenance and lifecycle optimization. The transaction, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, builds on Vertiv’s North American fluid-management presence established through its PurgeRite acquisition.
VRT Benefits From Margin GainsVertiv is benefiting from significant margin gains. In the second quarter of 2026, the company reported an adjusted operating margin of 22.6%, a substantial increase of 410 basis points year over year and well above its previous guidance. This margin expansion was driven by disciplined operational execution, productivity improvements and favorable price-cost dynamics, partially offset by tariff impacts.
Margin improvement was broad-based across Vertiv’s geographic segments. In the Americas, strong commercial execution and operational performance drove adjusted operating margin expansion of 360 basis points year over year. APAC margins improved 270 basis points as strong revenue growth generated operating leverage, while EMEA recorded a 380-basis-point improvement, aided by better operational execution. The broad-based gains indicate that Vertiv’s profitability improvement extends beyond any single region.
Vertiv expects margin momentum to continue in the second half of 2026. For the third quarter of 2026, adjusted operating profit is projected to be between $898 million and $938 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 24% to 25%, supported by organic growth, operating leverage and productivity. Regional manufacturing, supply chain actions and disciplined capacity investment remain key to sustaining the margin trajectory as projects scale. Management raised 2026 adjusted operating margin guidance to 23.3%-24.3% and expects pricing to exceed inflation, including current tariffs and countermeasures.
VRT Initiates Positive Q3 2026 GuidanceVertiv’s expanding AI data center footprint and strategic acquisitions signal further upside potential. For the third quarter of 2026, Vertiv expects net sales of $3.65 billion to $3.85 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.77 to $1.83 per share.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vertiv’s third-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $3.77 billion, suggesting growth of 40.79% year over year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 earnings is currently pegged at $1.83 per share, up by 0.75% over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a year-over-year increase of 47.58%.
Vertiv Stock Is Trading at a PremiumVertiv is currently overvalued, as suggested by a Value Score of D.
In terms of the trailing 12-month Price/Book, Vertiv is currently trading at 19.53X compared with the broader Computer and Technology sector’s 9.21X.
VRT Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ConclusionVertiv is benefiting from its strong portfolio and rich partner base, which are driving order growth. These factors justify the company’s premium valuation.
Vertiv stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a Growth Score of A, a favorable combination that offers a strong investment opportunity, per the Zacks proprietary methodology. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for MongoDB (MDB - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 7.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is MongoDB due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
MDB Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Atlas & EA Strength, Outlook RaisedMongoDB delivered second-quarter fiscal 2027 non-GAAP earnings of $1.90 per share, which rose 90% year over year and topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 18.75%.
Total revenues increased 30.5% year over year to $771.8 million and surpassed the consensus estimate by 5.2%. Results benefited from strength among large enterprise customers, solid Atlas consumption and broad Enterprise Advanced demand.
Total company net ARR expansion improved to 122% from 119% a year ago and 121% in the prior quarter.
MDB's Q2 Revenue Mix Reflects Broad StrengthSubscription revenues rose 30.5% year over year to $747.1 million, while services revenues increased 29.3% to $24.6 million. The subscription business remained the primary contributor to the top line.
Atlas-related revenues totaled $565.9 million, up 28.9% from $439.0 million a year ago. MongoDB Enterprise Advanced and other revenues reached $181.2 million, rising 35.9% from $133.4 million, reflecting broad strength across financial services, the public sector and technology.
MongoDB's Customer Metrics Keep ExpandingMongoDB ended the quarter with more than 70,600 customers, up from 59,900 a year ago, after adding approximately 2,900 customers sequentially. Atlas customers increased to more than 69,300 from 58,500 in the prior-year period.
Customers generating at least $100,000 in annual recurring revenues rose 17% year over year to 2,999. Among Atlas customers in this cohort, 48% used two or more platform features, up from 42%, driven largely by Vector Search and text search adoption. Remaining performance obligations climbed 91% to $1.52 billion.
MongoDB's Q2 Operating DetailsIn the fiscal second quarter, MongoDB’s non-GAAP gross profit increased to $585.7 million, with the non-GAAP gross margin expanding to 76% from 74% a year ago.
Subscription gross margin was 78.3%, up about 70 basis points, primarily reflecting the higher Enterprise Advanced revenue mix.
Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses rose 6.9% year over year to $215.7 million. Research and development expenses increased 30.7% to $137.4 million, while general and administrative expenses advanced 9.6% to $46.7 million.
Non-GAAP income from operations rose to $185.9 million from $86.8 million. The corresponding operating margin expanded to 24% from 15%, underscoring stronger operating leverage alongside the quarter's revenue growth.
MongoDB's Balance Sheet & Cash FlowAs of July 31, 2026, MongoDB had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $2.4 billion compared with $2.4 billion as of April 30, 2026.
During the quarter, the company allocated $100 million toward share repurchases and $59 million to settle taxes on employee restricted stock units.
Operating cash flow was $141.9 million in the fiscal second quarter compared with $201.6 million reported in the prior quarter.
Free cash flow during the quarter was $137.6 million compared with $197.5 million in the prior quarter.
MongoDB Raises Fiscal 2027 GuidanceFor the third quarter of fiscal 2027, MongoDB expects revenues of $756 million to $761 million. Non-GAAP income from operations is projected between $152 million and $156 million, while non-GAAP earnings are expected between $1.57 and $1.61 per share.
For fiscal 2027, revenues are now anticipated between $2.99 billion and $3.03 billion, up from the prior $2.92-$2.96 billion range. Non-GAAP earnings are projected between $6.39 and $6.58 per share compared with the previous $5.95-$6.14 range. Management now expects Atlas growth of approximately 27% and Enterprise Advanced and other revenue growth of about 11% for the year.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimates revision have trended upward during the past month.
The consensus estimate has shifted 296.43% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresAt this time, MongoDB has a great Growth Score of A, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. However, the stock has a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the lowest quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. It comes with little surprise MongoDB has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerMongoDB is part of the Zacks Internet - Software industry. Over the past month, Rubrik, Inc. (RBRK - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 31.3%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended July 2026 more than a month ago.
Rubrik, Inc. reported revenues of $427.26 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +37.9%. EPS of $0.20 for the same period compares with -$0.03 a year ago.
For the current quarter, Rubrik, Inc. is expected to post earnings of $0.09 per share, indicating a change of -10% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.4% over the last 30 days.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Rubrik, Inc.. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of C.
Key Takeaways Selective Insurance's Commercial Lines combined ratio improved 350 basis points to 99.3%. Selective Insurance's after-tax investment income rose 18% to $119.2 million in the second quarter. Selective Insurance delivered an eighth straight quarter of double-digit operating ROE at 13.7%. Shares of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (SIGI - Free Report) have gained 1.8% over the past year, outperforming the industry’s 0.8% growth.
Selective Insurance has outperformed its peers, including NMI Holdings Inc. (NMIH - Free Report) , W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB - Free Report) and RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) . NMIH shares have gained 0.2%, while WRB and RLI shares have lost 11.3% and 12.8%, respectively, over the past year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The insurer has a market capitalization of $4.98 billion. The average volume of shares traded in the last three months was 0.5 million.
SIGI’s Growth Projection EncouragesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Selective Insurance’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) indicates a 9.8% year-over-year increase. The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $5.45 billion, implying a 2.3% year-over-year improvement. The consensus estimate for 2027 EPS and revenues indicates an increase of 7.7% and 0.06%, respectively, from the 2026 estimates. SIGI has an impressive Growth Score of B. This style score helps analyze the company’s growth prospects.
SIGI’s Favorable Return on EquityReturn on equity in the trailing 12 months was 14.5%, better than the industry average of 7.5%. This highlights the company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds.
Factors Favoring SIGI StockSelective Insurance continues to prioritize underwriting profitability and risk-adjusted growth as insurance market conditions evolve. Its Excess & Surplus (E&S) business remains well positioned to benefit from demand for customized coverage as admitted markets tighten underwriting standards, particularly in casualty-oriented classes. Although competition is rising and property pricing is moderating, Selective's 50-state E&S footprint, expanding distribution network and disciplined underwriting provide a foundation for sustainable growth.
SIGI is also taking a measured approach to its Standard Commercial Lines business. Net premiums written declined 6% in the second quarter as Selective reduced exposure to underperforming accounts and focused on retaining more profitable business. This strategy helped improve the segment's combined ratio by 350 basis points to 99.3%. The company's geographic expansion also supports longer-term growth.
Personal Lines remains another area of repositioning. Net premiums written declined 8%, reflecting the company's emphasis on its target mass-affluent market rather than premium volume. Renewal pure price increased 8.9%, while target-market customers accounted for about 70% of homeowners premiums.
Meanwhile, higher investment yields are providing an important earnings tailwind. Second-quarter after-tax net investment income rose 18% year over year to $119.2 million, prompting management to raise its 2026 guidance to $480 million. Selective's conservative investment portfolio provides balance-sheet support.
ConclusionOverall, Selective's strategy emphasizes underwriting quality, portfolio optimization and disciplined capital deployment. The company delivered an eighth consecutive quarter of double-digit operating ROE, reaching 13.7% in the second quarter, above its 12% target.
Continued E&S strength, improving commercial underwriting, investment income growth and geographic expansion could support earnings and book-value growth as the company navigates a more competitive insurance market.
SIGI should benefit from favorable growth estimates, higher return on capital and prudent capital deployment. Therefore, it is wise to retain this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Selective Insurance also has a VGM Score of B. Stocks with a favorable VGM Score are those with the most attractive value, best growth and most promising momentum compared with peers.
Mattel oznámil projekt Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, který má otevřít v Bellevue v Nebrasce na konci roku 2027. Areál o zhruba 100 000 čtverečních stopách propojí značky Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, UNO a další značky Mattel.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT), a leading global play and family entertainment company and owner of one of the world's most iconic brand portfolios in the world, announces a milestone in the expansion of its worldwide experiences business, confirming Bellevue, Nebraska, is now the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark planned to open at the end of 2027.
Designed as a year-round, multi-brand destination, the approximately 100,000-square-foot waterpark will bring Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, UNO and more Mattel brands together through attractions, play, food and shared experiences. American Resort Management, a proven leader in high-volume resort and entertainment operations including Epic Waters and Wild Rivers, will oversee sustainable day-to-day performance and guest-flow optimization.
Natalia Premovic, Chief Consumer Products and Experiences Officer, Mattel, said: “Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks are about bringing great experiences to where our fans actually live. We see a real opportunity to take the kind of immersive entertainment traditionally concentrated in major markets and bring it to more communities in a scalable, year-round format. Bellevue becoming our first Waterpark to open is an important step in that strategy and a significant chance to show what happens when you bring so many of our brands together in one place.”
The new renderings (found here) from the Bellevue location offer an early look at how Mattel’s iconic brands will be translated into immersive attractions and themed environments. The Waterparks will share a common vision while offering unique experiences at each location. Including Bellevue, Mattel has confirmed four of the five planned Waterpark locations across North America. Other confirmed locations are Orlando, Florida; Bradley, Illinois; and Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.
The Waterpark will feature a vibrant environment where Mattel’s brands are woven into the story. Featured experiences at Bellevue will include a Barbie activity pool and FlowRider® surf simulator; a Hot Wheels "Challenge Accepted" multi-slide tower; a lazy river inspired by Mattel Games favorites including UNO, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and Magic 8 Ball, a Fisher-Price water play structure; and themed food and beverage offerings. Designed for a wide range of ages and thrill levels, the destination offers something for every guest, blending immersive storytelling with signature attractions that invite visitors to step inside the worlds of Mattel. Featuring a signature retractable roof, the climate-controlled venue will offer year-round operation while bringing natural light and fresh air.
Rusty Hike, Mayor of Bellevue, Nebraska, said: "Bellevue is proud to be home to the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, bringing a one-of-a-kind location to our community and welcoming visitors from across the region. This project represents an important investment in Bellevue's future, and we're excited to work with Mattel and American Resort Management to create a place where people can experience all our community has to offer.”
Construction continues on the indoor destination, which is being developed within Bellevue's growing Good Life District, a mixed-use destination designed to increase tourism, through a collaboration between Mattel, the City of Bellevue and American Resort Management.
“Seeing the building take shape is exciting, but the interior is where the vision will really come to life,” said Rick Coleman, CEO of American Resort Management. “Our goal is to create an experience that feels unmistakably Mattel while delivering the quality, service and guest experience families expect from a world-class waterpark.”
ABOUT MATTEL, INC.
Mattel is a leading global play and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®, Monster High®, and Polly Pocket®, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us at mattel.com.
ABOUT AMERICAN RESORT MANAGEMENT
American Resort Management, LLC (ARM) is a leading destination resort management and development company with extensive experience in lodging and resort operations, specializing in indoor/outdoor waterpark resorts, family entertainment centers, and destination resorts. For over 20 years, ARM has been committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences and is dedicated to innovation and excellence in the industry. Visit americanresortmanagement.com for more information.
RBC Bearings v 1. čtvrtletí fiskálního roku 2027 zvýšila výnosy v Aerospace & Defense o 36,9 % na 225,4 mil. USD. Firma čeká ve 2. čtvrtletí výnosy 505–515 mil. USD, tedy meziroční růst o 10,9–13,1 %.
Key Takeaways RBC's Aerospace & Defense revenues jumped 36.9% in fiscal Q1 2027 to $225.4 million.Commercial aerospace revenues rose 21.8%, while defense revenues surged 64.6% in the quarter.RBC sees fiscal Q2 sales of $505-$515 million, implying year-over-year growth of 10.9%-13.1%. RBC Bearings Incorporated (RBC - Free Report) is witnessing persistent strength in aerospace and defense markets. Strong momentum in the commercial aerospace market, driven by higher aircraft build rates and growth in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and aftermarket orders, is driving the company’s Aerospace & Defense segment. Following year-over-year growth of 32.9% in fiscal 2026 (ended March 28, 2026), revenues from the segment surged 36.9% in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 (ended June 27, 2026) to $225.4 million.
Solid demand for the company’s bearings and engineered component products in the defense market, supported by growth in missile and space applications orders, augmented the segment’s performance in the quarter. Within the segment, revenues from the commercial aerospace market increased 21.8%, while those from the defense market were up 64.6% in the fiscal first quarter. The company’s VACCO Industries buyout (July 2025) also contributed to the revenue increase.
The robust backlog level of $2.3 billion at the end of the fiscal first quarter, along with the company’s strong execution on incremental orders in the commercial aerospace market, is expected to act as a tailwind for the segment.
RBC Bearings’ aerospace & defense segment is poised to maintain solid demand momentum in the quarters ahead, supported by robust budgetary provisions for the U.S. defense sector and strength in air travel. Driven by strength across both its Aerospace & Defense and Industrial segments, RBC anticipates net sales of $505-$515 million for second-quarter fiscal 2027, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 10.9-13.1%.
Segment Snapshot of RBC’s PeersHowmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM - Free Report) has also been witnessing positive momentum in the defense sector, cushioned by steady government support. Howmet has been witnessing robust orders for engine spares for legacy fighters. In the second quarter, revenues from the defense aerospace market surged 11% year over year, constituting 15% of the company’s revenues.
GE Aerospace (GE - Free Report) is benefiting from persistent strength in its Defense & Propulsion Technologies segment. Revenues from the segment increased 16% year over year to $3.4 billion in second-quarter 2026. The top-line growth was supported by healthy demand for GE Aerospace’s propulsion & additive technologies, critical aircraft systems and aftermarket services in the defense market.
RBC's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Shares of RBC Bearings have gained 11.3% in the year-to-date period compared with the industry’s growth of 2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, RBC is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 31.75X, above the industry’s average of 20.93X. RBC Bearings carries a Value Score of F.
Akcie GitLabu za poslední měsíc po zveřejnění výsledků klesly o 4,7 %, přesto společnost ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila tržby meziročně o 21,3 % na 286,25 milionu USD.
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for GitLab Inc. (GTLB - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 4.7% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Gitlab due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for GitLab Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
GitLab Q2 Earnings Beat on Revenue Growth and Sales ProductivityGitLab reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 non-GAAP earnings of 24 cents per share, which remained unchanged year over year and 33.33% above the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Revenues of $286.25 million rose 21.3% year over year and beat the consensus mark by 4.74%.
Broad-based strength across new and existing customers supported the quarter. Net annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth accelerated to 42% year over year, while the dollar-based net retention rate was 117%.
GTLB’s Revenue Mix Shows Broad-Based GrowthSubscription, self-managed and SaaS revenues increased 21.5% year over year to $258.31 million. License, self-managed and other revenues rose 20.1% year over year to $27.94 million.
SaaS revenues represented 34% of total revenues and increased 36% year over year. Calculated billings grew 24%, while total remaining performance obligations rose 16% to $1.2 billion and current RPO increased 20% to $744.7 million.
GitLab’s Customer Expansion AcceleratesCustomers generating more than $5,000 of ARR reached 11,114, up 8% year over year. Customers with more than $100,000 of ARR increased 17% year over year to 1,571. Ultimate ARR grew roughly 35% and accounted for 59% of total ARR. Eight of GitLab’s 10 largest second-quarter deals purchased Ultimate, while gross retention remained above 90%.
GitLab recorded approximately 1,700 first orders, more than double the year-ago level, while first-order net ARR increased 39%. Deals worth at least $500,000 grew more than 150% year over year. Account executive capacity increased about 30%, while productivity per rep improved about 10%.
GitLab's Flex and AI Products Gain TractionGitLab Flex attracted more than 130 customers with over $20 million in commitments during its first six weeks in market. Paid consumption run rate exceeded $40 million at quarter-end, up from $15 million exiting the first quarter. Management is targeting more than $100 million by fiscal year-end.
Duo Agent Platform paid consumption run rate increased roughly 50% sequentially. GitLab Orbit, which entered public beta in June, had more than 2,200 organizations enabled indexing and generated more than 170,000 customer queries. Roughly 80% of query volume came from customers connecting Orbit to external agents.
GTLB's Operating DetailsIn the second quarter of fiscal 2027, non-GAAP gross margin was 86%, down from 90% in the prior year.
On a non-GAAP basis, sales and marketing expenses rose 15.8% year over year to $103.82 million, research and development costs increased 24.6% year over year to $65.17 million, and general and administrative expenses advanced 19.1% year over year to $36.00 million.
Non-GAAP operating income increased 7.6% year over year to $42.57 million. However, the corresponding operating margin was 15%, down from 17% in the year-ago quarter.
GTLB’s Cash Flow Weakens on Collection TimingAs of July 31, 2026, cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments were $1.26 billion compared with $1.36 billion as of April 30, 2026.
Operating cash outflow was $3.09 million compared with operating cash flow of $49.37 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted free cash flow declined to $9.75 million from $46.45 million.
The company repurchased approximately 3.5 million shares during the quarter and had about $245 million remaining under its current authorization.
GitLab Raises Fiscal 2027 OutlookFor the third quarter of fiscal 2027, GitLab expects revenues of $281-$283 million, implying 15%-16% year-over-year growth. Non-GAAP operating income is projected to be $35-$37 million, while non-GAAP earnings are expected to be between 19 cents and 20 cents per share.
For fiscal 2027, revenues are now projected to be $1.129-$1.133 billion, representing 18-19% growth. Non-GAAP operating income is expected to be $148-$152 million, and earnings are likely to be between 85 cents and 87 cents per share. The outlook assumes a normalized bookings pace, modest Duo Agent Platform revenue contribution and excludes the potential revenue-timing impact of Flex. Management estimates a maximum $13 million fiscal 2027 revenue-timing impact from Flex adoption.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, fresh estimates have trended upward during the past month.
The consensus estimate has shifted -11.11% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresCurrently, Gitlab has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Following the exact same course, the stock has a score of F on the value side, putting it in the fifth quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Gitlab has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerGitlab belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software industry. Another stock from the same industry, Elastic (ESTC - Free Report) , has gained 2.4% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended July 2026.
Elastic reported revenues of $478.11 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +15.1%. EPS of $0.70 for the same period compares with $0.60 a year ago.
Elastic is expected to post earnings of $0.81 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +26.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1%.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Elastic. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of D.
Portland General Electric začala obchodovat na novém denním trhu EDAM (Extended Day-Ahead Market) od CAISO. Po plném rozběhu má zákazníkům ušetřit asi 14 milionů USD ročně.
Portland, Oregon--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2026) - Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) today began buying and selling energy through the California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) new Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), putting years of technology investment and regional collaboration to work for customers.
PGE is among the first utilities to participate in EDAM, which allows participating utilities to buy and sell energy in the day-ahead timeframe. Participation could save PGE customers approximately $14 million annually once the market is fully built out by optimizing supply, demand and transmission across a broader geographic footprint. In addition to lower costs, EDAM participation improves reliability and supports greater use of renewable energy.
"PGE has been long preparing for a reginal energy system that is dynamic and interconnected," said Maria Pope, president and CEO of Portland General Electric. "Our early investments in advanced systems and operational capabilities as well as regional collaboration have positioned us to lead while staying focused on reliable service and affordability."
EDAM builds on years of preparation at PGE. At its Integrated Operations Center in Tualatin, Ore., the company has invested in the technology, systems and operational expertise needed to manage an increasingly dynamic energy system. Since joining the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) in 2017, PGE has generated approximately $377 million in cumulative benefits for customers. The imbalance market, which is a real-time market operating in 15-minute and 5-minute intervals, has grown to include 24 participating entities serving nearly 80 percent of electricity demand in the West. That scale gives utilities a foundation to unlock even greater savings by expanding into the day-ahead market.
"PGE's participation in EDAM reflects the growing momentum behind regional market collaboration in the West," said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California ISO. "The addition of PGE expands resource diversity and strengthens the market's ability to deliver economic and reliability benefits to participants and their customers."
PGE's decision to join EDAM followed years of evaluating regional market options and active participation in EDAM's design. Studies commissioned by PGE concluded that EDAM offered greater economic benefits than alternative market options. EDAM also enables more efficient use of the diverse energy resources available across the West, including hydropower and wind from the Pacific Northwest and solar generation from California and the desert Southwest.
About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is an integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to nearly 960,000 customers serving an area of approximately 2 million Oregonians. Since 1889, Portland General Electric (PGE) has been powering economies, delivering safe, affordable and reliable electricity while working to transform energy systems to meet evolving customer needs. PGE continues to make progress toward emissions reduction targets, and customers have set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. PGE is ranked a top ten utility in the 2025 Forrester U.S. Customer Experience Index. In 2025, PGE employees and retirees volunteered over 18,300 hours to more than 400 nonprofit organizations. Through the PGE Foundation, along with corporate contributions and the employee matching gift program, more than $5 million was directed to charitable organizations supporting economic growth and community resilience across our service area. For information: portlandgeneral.com/news. Contact Info: PGE Communications, [email protected]; 503-464-2067
About the California ISO
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) is a nonprofit public-benefit corporation responsible for the reliable operation of California's bulk electric grid. The ISO provides transmission planning, open and nondiscriminatory access to one of the world's largest high-voltage transmission networks and operates competitive wholesale electricity markets for the benefit of consumers.
About the Western Energy Markets
The Western Energy Markets include the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) and the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), which provide regional market coordination across the West. The WEIM, launched in 2014, helps participants balance electricity supply and demand in real time and has delivered billions in benefits to market participants and their customers. EDAM began operation in 2026 and extends those benefits into the day-ahead timeframe through broader regional coordination. The Western Energy Markets Governing Body has primary decision-making authority over market rules specific to the WEIM and EDAM.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected customer savings, reliability benefits, renewable energy integration and the anticipated benefits of PGE's participation in the EDAM. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, changes in market conditions, energy prices, transmission availability, regional market participation, market design and implementation, regulatory developments, operational performance, weather, customer demand and other risks described in PGE's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and PGE undertakes no obligation to update them, except as required by law.
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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/316754
Source: Portland General Electric
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ANF ve fiskálním roce 2026 očekává asi 130 čistých nových prodejních zkušeností, včetně 50 nových prodejen a 80 remodelací a rightsizingu. Obchod SoHo překonává očekávání a firma plánuje jeho prvky rozšířit i do dalších prodejen.
Key Takeaways ANF expects about 130 net new store experiences in FY26, including 50 openings and 80 remodels.ANF says FY26 will mark its fifth straight year as a net store opener, with growth weighted to the Americas.ANF's SoHo store is performing above expectations, and elements of the concept may roll out to more stores. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF - Free Report) continues to strengthen its physical retail footprint as part of its broader growth strategy. For fiscal 2026, the company expects to deliver approximately 130 net new store experiences, including 50 new stores and 80 remodels and rightsizes, against roughly 20 closures. New stores are expected to be relatively balanced across the Abercrombie and Hollister brands and weighted toward the Americas. The initiative reflects ANF’s focus on combining selective new-store openings with modernization of its existing fleet to create more productive and engaging shopping environments.
Management remains confident in the runway for store expansion. ANF noted that 2026 marks its fifth consecutive year as a net store opener, underscoring the consistency of its real estate strategy. Rather than viewing store growth as having a fixed endpoint, management continues to identify opportunities across markets and formats. The recently opened Abercrombie SoHo location has been particularly encouraging, with customer response described as strong and the business performing above expectations. The company plans to incorporate elements of the SoHo concept into additional stores over time.
The store strategy also complements Abercrombie & Fitch’s broader push to expand its reach through digital channels, partnerships and new product categories. Management has emphasized continued investment in owned-and-operated stores and digital businesses while layering in growth from third-party channels. If new locations, remodels and rightsizing initiatives continue to improve the customer experience and support brand momentum, the physical fleet could remain an important contributor to ANF’s longer-term growth. However, execution will be key as the company balances expansion spending with its focus on maintaining healthy profitability and disciplined capital allocation.
ANF’s Zacks Rank & Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have jumped 46% in the past six months, outperforming the industry and the broader Retail-Wholesale sector, which fell 6.1% and 0.7%, respectively.
ANF Stock's Six-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ANF currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 11.15X, which is lower than the industry average of 12.24X and notably below the sector average of 20.89X. This valuation positions the stock at a modest discount relative to both its direct peers and the broader consumer staples sector.
ANF P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderWe have highlighted three other top-ranked stocks in the retail space, namely, FIGS Inc. (FIGS - Free Report) , Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK - Free Report) and Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (BOOT - Free Report) .
FIGS is a direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand, and it currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FIGS’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 19.7% from the year-ago reported number. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 201.8%, on average.
Deckers is a leading designer, producer and brand manager of innovative, niche footwear and accessories. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. DECK delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 15.2%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Deckers’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 6.8% and 7.9%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals.
Boot Barn operates specialty retail stores in the United States and internationally. At present, it carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
The consensus estimate for Boot Barn’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 15.8% and 23.5%, respectively, from the year-ago figures. BOOT delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.4%, on average.
Reynolds Consumer Products ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila hrubou marži o 200 bazických bodů meziročně a upravená EBITDA vzrostla asi o 5 % na 171 milionů USD. Firma ale čeká tlak z komoditních nákladů kolem 400 milionů USD ročně.
Key Takeaways REYN's Q2 gross margin expanded 200 bps year over year as productivity gains lowered costs.Adjusted EBITDA rose about 5% to $171 million, marking a third straight quarter of growth.REYN faces roughly $400 million in annualized commodity headwinds and a July pricing impact. Reynolds Consumer Products Inc. (REYN - Free Report) delivered a notable improvement in profitability during the second quarter of 2026, supported by productivity gains across its supply chain and particularly strong execution within manufacturing operations. The company continues to benefit from lean initiatives and automation, which are helping lower costs and improve operating efficiency. These savings are also enabling REYN to reinvest in R&D, innovation and other growth priorities, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that management believes can support profitable growth despite a challenging consumer and commodity environment.
The impact of these initiatives was evident in the quarter, with gross margin improving 200 bps year over year, following a 50-bps expansion in the first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA increased $8 million, or about 5%, to $171 million, marking the third consecutive quarter of EBITDA growth. For the first half of 2026, gross profit increased $38 million, while gross margin expanded 120 basis points, even as pricing taken to recover higher commodity costs remained dilutive to the margin rate. These results highlight the growing contribution from Reynolds’ productivity programs.
However, sustaining the same pace of margin expansion in the second half could be challenging. Management expects incremental pricing implemented in July to create a numerical headwind to the margin rate, while annualized commodity headwinds have risen to roughly $400 million from $200 million previously. REYN plans to counter these pressures through continued supply-chain productivity and automation benefits, which are expected to help offset both commodity inflation and potential pricing elasticity. The company’s ability to execute further cost savings while navigating higher input costs will therefore be critical to its margin trajectory in the remainder of 2026.
REYN’s Zacks Rank & Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 2.1% in the past six months, outperforming the industry’s rise of 1.3% and the broader Consumer Discretionary sector’s fall of 6.6%.
REYN Stock's Six-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
REYN currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 13.22X, which is lower than the industry average of 13.86X and the sector average of 15.24X.
REYN P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderVince Holding Corp. (VNCE - Free Report) provides luxury apparel and accessories in the United States and internationally. It operates through Vince Wholesale and Vince Direct-to-Consumer segments. At present, the company flaunts a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VNCE’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 12.7% and 172.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. VNCE has delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 561.4%, on average.
Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB - Free Report) , a lifestyle apparel company, designs, manufactures, procures, sells and licenses apparel, footwear and accessories, primarily under the Wrangler, Lee and Helly Hansen brands. At present, KTB carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KTB’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies a decline of 14.3% and 6.1%, respectively, from the year-ago figures. KTB delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.4%, on average.
Savers Value Village, Inc. (SVV - Free Report) , a thrift operator, sells second-hand merchandise in retail stores in the United States, Canada and Australia. SVV currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SVV’s current financial-year sales and earnings is expected to rise 6.1% and 6.7%, respectively, from the corresponding year-ago reported figures. SVV delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 1.6%, on average.
Největší známá peněženka Kaspa, Entity X, zpomaluje nákupy KAS: v červnu činil čistý příliv kapitálu asi 56 milionů KAS, v září už jen 7 milionů KAS. V září peněženka akumulovala kolem 24 milionů KAS a zároveň stáhla 17 milionů tokenů. Začátkem října už peněženka stáhla dalších 4,52 milionu KAS.
The largest known whale wallet on the Kaspa network, tracked by @kaspaunchained as Entity X, appears to be pulling back on its $KAS buying activity. On-chain data from the Kas.live explorer shows a clear deceleration in net inflows over recent months, raising questions about what the shift in behavior might signal for the broader market.
Accumulation Slows Sharply Since Summer Peak The data tells a straightforward story. In June, Entity X posted a net inflow of roughly 56 million KAS. That figure dropped to around 32 million in July, then fell further to approximately 20 million in August. September marked the weakest month yet: the wallet accumulated around 24 million KAS but also withdrew 17 million tokens, resulting in a net inflow of just 7 million KAS.
As of early October, the whale has already withdrawn a further 4.52 million KAS, suggesting the cooler posture has carried into the new month.
Despite the reduced buying pace, the position remains substantial. Entity X currently holds an unrealized profit and loss figure worth $65.71 million, according to the same explorer data.
Context: A Broader Shift in Kaspa Whale Dynamics Entity X has attracted significant attention in the Kaspa community, with the wallet said to have accumulated over a billion KAS and described as one that "almost never sells," alongside speculation about institutional or Gulf capital backing. Whether those rumors hold any weight remains unverified, but the wallet's scale is not in dispute.
Kaspa's emission schedule shows that roughly 27.37 billion KAS have already been mined, representing approximately 95.39% of its hard-capped 28.7 billion supply, with remaining issuance approaching zero by late 2026. That supply dynamic adds weight to how large holders position themselves, since new tokens entering circulation are becoming increasingly scarce.
The slowdown in Entity X's accumulation does not necessarily indicate selling pressure. The wallet's net position continues to grow, and withdrawals from on-chain wallets often reflect movement to cold storage rather than exchange deposits. Still, the declining pace of net inflows is a notable shift from the aggressive buying seen earlier in the summer.
Observers will be watching whether October marks a continued cooling off or a temporary pause before another accumulation phase begins.
Sources:
CoinMarketCap: Kaspa Surges Amid Broad Crypto Rally and Social Hype Around Entity X
CryptoNews: Kaspa Is 95% Mined With Supply Running Out by Late 2026
OpenAssets a Sui spolupracují na standardu OTAS (Open Tokenized Asset Standard), který má sjednotit tokenizovaná aktiva a umožnit jejich interoperabilitu napříč sítěmi. Standard je hostován v Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust.
OpenAssets and Sui set to collaborate on developing OTAS, an open, agnostic standard hosted by LF Decentralized Trust that defines how tokenized asset systems can seamlessly connect to the Sui ecosystem.
, /PRNewswire/ -- OpenAssets, a leading digital asset infrastructure provider, today announced a collaboration with Sui to advance the development of the Open Tokenized Asset Standard (OTAS) within Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust.
OpenAssets and Sui Advance Institutional Tokenization Standards Under Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust Institutions are increasingly issuing tokenized versions of securities, funds, commodities, and other assets, with projections putting the tokenized asset market at $30 trillion by 2034, according to Standard Chartered. Those assets often remain locked inside separate, incompatible systems, and connecting them has historically required time-consuming, expensive custom integration work for every chain involved.
OTAS is designed as a neutral, auditable foundation for identity, compliance, asset representation, and reporting, one institution can build on rather than adopt wholesale. The collaboration focuses on making tokenized financial assets interoperable, meaning they can be moved and verified across different networks without the need for expensive, custom-built software for every single chain. With OTAS available on Sui, assets issued in the Sui ecosystem follow the same open rules as assets on other networks, so their history and status can be trusted wherever they move.
OTAS is an open standards lab hosted at Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust (LFDT), initiated by OpenAssets and sponsored by Sui Foundation, which joined LFDT in September 2026. The lab was formally added to LFDT in Spring 2026, and includes open source smart contract reference implementations for tokenized financial instruments.
Neutral, shared standards have repeatedly helped emerging technology markets scale. The Linux Foundation has spent more than two decades helping build trusted, vendor-neutral governance for technologies including Linux, Kubernetes, and PyTorch. OpenAssets, a Premier Member of LF Decentralized Trust, proposed OTAS to bring that same model of open governance to tokenized capital markets.
"Extending OTAS to Sui makes compliance and ownership history portable, giving institutions a consistent, trusted view of an asset across networks," said Gabor Gurbacs, Chairman and CEO of OpenAssets. "We welcome Sui's contribution to OTAS and the broader effort to build open, interoperable standards for tokenized assets."
"Financial markets have always depended on trusted standards," said Daniela Barbosa, General Manager, Decentralized Technologies, Linux Foundation, and Executive Director, LF Decentralized Trust. "OTAS applies that principle to tokenized assets by creating an open framework that the broader industry can shape together. Sui and OpenAssets are key collaborators helping shape the neutral governance of this LFDT lab as a model for the next generation of digital capital markets."
"The process of issuing tokenized assets is only the first step into a much broader ecosystem. For digital capital markets to grow efficiently, institutions and financial platforms need a common framework for identity, ownership, compliance, and settlement across different systems," said Adeniyi Abiodun, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Mysten Labs, the original contributor to Sui. "OTAS provides that shared language without forcing institutions onto a single blockchain or technology stack. Open standards like this can connect what are today fragmented markets and help unlock the scale and breadth of opportunity that tokenized finance has long promised."
About the OTAS Standard
OTAS (Open Tokenized Asset Standard) is a Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust lab providing open source smart contract reference implementations for tokenized financial instruments. OpenAssets is a founding member of OTAS and proposed the lab, with Sui Foundation as an initial sponsor; OTAS formally launched as an LFDT lab in April 2026. OpenAssets joined LF Decentralized Trust as a Premier Member in January 2026, and Gabor Gurbacs holds a seat on the LF Decentralized Trust Governing Board.
The standard is also designed with an eye toward automated finance. As AI agents take on more tasks such as collateral management, trade execution, and settlement, they require machine-readable, consistent rules for evaluating asset ownership and compliance status. OTAS is built to provide that shared layer, so automated systems can interact with tokenized assets across platforms without custom integration work for every new asset type.
The Open Tokenized Asset Standard is actively being developed today as an open source Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust lab. Financial institutions, infrastructure providers, developers, and other market participants are invited to contribute to its ongoing development. Learn more at openassets.to and sui.io.
About OpenAssets
OpenAssets builds infrastructure for digital financial systems. Through shared standards and purpose-built technology for real-world asset tokenization and sovereign digital currency, the company works with institutions, governments, and technology companies to modernize capital markets infrastructure. OpenAssets is developing and contributing the open standards for tokenization in collaboration with the Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust. Learn more at openassets.to.
About Sui
Sui, where money moves as freely as messages, is a next-generation Layer 1 blockchain built for onchain finance and agentic infrastructure. Founded by the core team behind Meta's stablecoin initiative and powered by an object-centric model, Sui makes assets, permissions, and user data programmable and ownable. Sui's primitives offer builders everything they need to create high-performance payments and financial applications, including instant agentic payments. Learn more at sui.io.
DAO Steps Back From Block Production@Coredao_Org is pushing deeper into decentralization, with the project preparing to hand block production responsibilities entirely to independent validators over the coming months.
Since the network's launch in 2023, the DAO's own validators played a key supporting role in keeping block production running continuously. That arrangement helped stabilize the network in its early stages, but it was always intended as a temporary measure. Independent validators have already been carrying out operations under the network's existing framework, and the DAO is now ready to step back from that function altogether.
The transition is a natural extension of how Core was designed. On the Core blockchain, validators are essential nodes responsible for maintaining the network's security, decentralization, and integrity. They validate transactions, produce new blocks, and participate in governance through Core's Satoshi Plus consensus, which blends Delegated Proof of Work (DPoW), Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), and Self-Custodial Bitcoin Staking to ensure decentralization, security, and scalability.
How Satoshi Plus Supports Independent Validators The Satoshi Plus consensus selects validators based on a hybrid scoring system that considers delegated Bitcoin, CORE tokens, and Bitcoin hash power. Validator sets are rotated periodically, and validator elections occur in epochs, typically every 24 hours, to select the top 31 active validators based on their hybrid scores.
The election process allows miners and stakers to participate in validator selection, promoting decentralization and preventing the concentration of control. By removing the DAO from block production, Core aims to ensure the network is governed by a broad, permissionless set of independent operators rather than any centrally coordinated group.
Validators operate independently and globally, ensuring fair participation. The gradual handover reflects the DAO's broader vision: a network that runs on its own, sustained by the economic incentives and community participation that Satoshi Plus is designed to encourage.
The move signals a maturation of the Core network and aligns with the principles its consensus mechanism was built on from the start.
Sources:
Core DAO Docs: Validators on the Core Network
Core DAO Blog: Validators on Core, Role, Election and Rewards
Petrobrasova platforma P-80 opustila Singapur a míří do pole Búzios, kde má začít produkovat v roce 2027. Je první z šesti jednotek, které mají snížit náklady a urychlit rozvoj pole.
Key Takeaways PBR's P-80 platform has left Singapore and is heading to the Buzios field for 2027 production.PBR expects series-based construction to reduce costs and project risks, and accelerate field development.Buzios set monthly and daily natural gas export records, exceeding 10 million cubic meters per day. Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras’ (PBR - Free Report) P-80 platform, also known as Búzios 9, has left the Tuas Boulevard Yard shipyard in Singapore and is heading toward the Búzios field in Brazil’s pre-salt Santos Basin. The platform is the first of a series of six giant units being developed by Petrobras and is expected to begin production in 2027.
The P-80 is designed to produce up to 225,000 barrels of oil and process 12 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, placing it among the largest units of its kind in the global industry. Its deployment is expected to support further development of the Búzios field, which is Brazil’s largest field in terms of reserves and production.
Advanced Technology Supports EfficiencyAccording to Petrobras’ director of engineering, technology and innovation, Renata Baruzzi, the P-80 combines high production capacity with advanced technologies and digital solutions. These features are intended to enhance operational and energy efficiency.
The platform forms part of Petrobras’ broader strategy of deploying standardized units across its offshore developments. The P-82, which is in the final stages of construction, is next in the series and is also scheduled to start production in 2027.
PBR’s Series Construction to Improve ExecutionPetrobras is using a series-based construction approach for the six platforms to reduce costs and improve shipyard productivity. The company expects the approach to enhance system reliability, reduce project risks and accelerate field development.
Another strategy involves transporting the platforms with their crews already on board, supporting operational readiness as the units move toward deployment.
Earlier in March 2026, Petrobras had announced that it is prioritizing faster ramp-up operations at the P-78 platform, which is already producing, and the P-79 platform, which is nearing the final commissioning phase. A key milestone had already been achieved at P-78, where the company completed the first gas injection just 61 days after first oil production.
Brazilian Shipyards Contribute to ConstructionThe P-80 process modules were manufactured in Brazil at the Seatrium BrasFELS shipyard in Angra dos Reis, while P-82 modules are being produced at the Seatrium Aracruz shipyard in Espírito Santo. The work is contributing to workforce development and employment within Brazil’s shipbuilding industry.
Construction activities also took place in China, Singapore and Indonesia, with the modules subsequently transported to Singapore for completion. Petrobras contracted the platforms under an EPC model, under which the contractor handles engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning until delivery of the units for operation in Brazil.
Búzios Continues to Expand Gas ExportsThe arrival of the P-80 comes as the Búzios field continues to demonstrate strong natural gas production and export capabilities. In August, the field set both monthly and daily records for natural gas exports, exceeding 10 million cubic meters per day on a monthly basis and reaching 14.1 million cubic meters per day on a daily basis.
Petrobras operates Búzios in partnership with CNOOC, CNPC and Pré-Sal Petróleo SA (PPSA). The deployment of the P-80 is expected to add further production and processing capacity as Petrobras continues developing the field.
PBR’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksHeadquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras is the largest integrated energy firm in Brazil and one of the largest in Latin America. Currently, PBR has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors interested in the energy sector may consider some top-ranked stocks like Delek US Holdings, Inc. (DK - Free Report) , Eni S.p.A. (E - Free Report) and Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Brentwood, TN-based Delek US Holdings is an independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The company’s operations are organized into two reportable segments: Refining and Logistics. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DK’s 2026 earnings indicates 127.7% year-over-year growth.
Eni, based in Rome, Italy, is an integrated energy company. Its upstream operations cover the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for E’s 2026 earnings indicates 76.9% year-over-year growth.
Based in Houston, TX, Phillips 66 is a diversified and integrated energy company established following the 2012 spin-off of ConocoPhillips' downstream operations. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PSX’s 2026 earnings indicates 339.1% year-over-year growth.
Encore Capital zvýšila výhled pro rok 2026: očekává nákupy portfolií v objemu 1,40–1,50 mld. USD a GAAP EPS 13–14 USD. Akcie ECPG jsou letos zatím výše o 73,8 %.
Key Takeaways Encore Capital benefits from strong U.S. portfolio supply, record collections and a growing ERC balance.ECPG raised 2026 guidance for purchases of $1.40-$1.50B and GAAP EPS of $13-$14.U.S. concentration, rising legal expenses and funding costs could pressure margins and earnings growth. Shares of Encore Capital Group, Inc. (ECPG - Free Report) have skyrocketed 73.8% so far in 2026 against the industry’s decline of 16.2%. In the same period, the S&P 500 has gained 17.2%.
ECPG stock has also fared better than its peers, Credit Acceptance Corporation (CACC - Free Report) and PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA - Free Report) . Year to date, Credit Acceptance and PRA Group shares have rallied 19.7% and 10.2%, respectively.
YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Federal Reserve’s recent 25-basis-point rate hike and hawkish stance are likely to work in Encore Capital’s favor by keeping borrowing costs elevated and adding pressure on consumers. This may fuel credit card delinquencies and charge-offs, boosting the supply of debt portfolios available for purchase. With this backdrop supporting its core business, does ECPG stock still have room to run despite recent price strength?
Let us take a closer look at its fundamentals and growth prospects.
Key Factors Supporting Encore CapitalRobust U.S. Supply & Collection Strength: The United States remains Encore Capital’s primary growth market, supported by high revolving credit balances, elevated charge-off rates, and stable consumer payment behavior. In the first half of 2026, U.S. receivable portfolio purchases reached $688.1 million, while global purchases totaled $806.7 million. Smaller buyers continue to face regulatory and funding constraints, supporting a favorable competitive environment for Encore Capital. Management expects 2026 portfolio purchases of $1.4-$1.5 billion, with the majority of deployment directed toward U.S. opportunities. The company’s scale, analytics capabilities, and funding access are expected to enable disciplined purchasing despite modestly higher portfolio pricing.
Outstanding U.S. Revolving Credit and U.S. Credit Card Charge-Off Rate
Image Source: Encore Capital Group, Inc.
Collection performance is adding further support to the earnings outlook. Enhanced consumer outreach, new technologies, digital capabilities, advanced analytics, and a growing payer base helped Encore Capital generate $99 million in cash overs in the first half of 2026, while global collections reached a record $1.46 billion. U.S. vintage multiples were 2.5x for 2024, 2.4x for 2025, and 2.3x for 2026.
Estimated Remaining Collections (ERC) reached $10.18 billion as of June 30, 2026, up 9% year over year. Management expects the contribution from cash overs to increasingly shift toward portfolio revenues as ERC curves are revised upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects 2026 and 2027 sales to increase 8.9% and 2.1% year over year, respectively.
Sales Estimate
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Selective European Deployment Protects Returns: Encore Capital continues to prioritize disciplined capital deployment in Europe as subdued consumer lending, low delinquencies and strong competition weigh on the U.K. market. Its Cabot business is focusing on fresher portfolios, forward-flow arrangements, cost management and the adoption of MCM best practices. Portfolio purchases reached $118.6 million in the first six months of 2026, while collections increased to $325.4 million. This selective approach may constrain near-term purchase growth, but it helps preserve return thresholds and keeps Cabot positioned to capitalize on more attractive supply opportunities as it continues to emphasize cost and operational improvements in the business.
Balance Sheet Strength Supports Capital Deployment: Encore Capital continues to preserve financial flexibility while operating within its targeted 2.0x-3.0x leverage range and maintaining its objective of a strong BB debt rating. Leverage was 2.3x as of June 30, 2026, down from 2.6x a year ago. The company had $793.4 million available under its revolvers and facilities and no significant debt maturities until 2028.
In May, Encore Capital refinanced approximately $1 billion of debt through two lower-coupon bonds, further extending its maturity profile. These resources provide flexibility to fund portfolio purchases while supporting share repurchases and other capital allocation initiatives. As of June 30, 2026, approximately $255 million remained available under the share repurchase authorization. Its 29.83% ROE, compared with the 12.49% industry average, further highlights its capital efficiency.
Debt Maturity Profile
Image Source: Encore Capital Group, Inc.
Higher 2026 Guidance Signals Earnings Momentum: Encore Capital raised its full-year 2026 outlook, reflecting expectations for continued growth in portfolio purchases and collections. The company now expects portfolio purchases of $1.40-$1.50 billion, collections of $2.80-$2.85 billion, and GAAP EPS of $13.00-$14.00, including a $1 per share impact from refinancing costs.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects earnings to increase from $10.91 per share in 2025 to $13.52 in 2026 and $14.64 in 2027. Higher collections, disciplined portfolio deployment, favorable macro trends and potential upward revisions to ERC are expected to support portfolio revenue and earnings growth.
Earnings Estimate
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Challenges Faced by Encore CapitalU.S. Concentration: Encore Capital’s growth remains heavily dependent on favorable U.S. credit conditions. Midland Credit Management (MCM) accounted for 85.3% of global portfolio purchasing dollars in the first half of 2026, while the U.K. market remains subdued due to lower consumer lending, low delinquencies, and continued competition. Although management expects U.S. purchasing conditions and consumer payment behavior to remain favorable, limited geographic diversification could leave the company more exposed if U.S. portfolio supply, pricing or collections performance deteriorates. A reversal in charge-off trends or payment behavior could therefore weigh on portfolio deployment, collections and earnings growth.
Higher Collection and Funding Costs Could Pressure Margins: Encore Capital’s earnings remain sensitive to rising collection-related expenses and funding costs. Legal collections expenses increased 25.8% year over year in the first half of 2026, compared with 7.5% growth in total operating expenses, potentially limiting operating leverage if collection growth moderates. At the same time, borrowings rose to $4.18 billion as of June 30, 2026, from $4.0 billion at year-end 2025, while first-half interest expense totaled $147.0 million. The May refinancing extended maturities and is expected to save approximately $15 million annually, but generated $30.5 million of refinancing costs in the second quarter. With 2026 interest expense and other income expected at about $295 million, higher funding costs combined with elevated legal expenses could weigh on cash efficiency, margins, and earnings if portfolio returns or collections growth weaken.
ECPG’s Valuation AnalysisIn terms of valuation, Encore Capital stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) of 6.58X, compared with the industry average of 7.33X. This indicates that the stock is trading at a discount to the industry.
Price-to-Earnings F12M
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Moreover, ECPG is trading at a discount to Credit Acceptance, while trading at a premium to PRA Group. At present, Credit Acceptance and PRA Group trade at a trailing 12-month P/E of 10.05X and 5.26X, respectively.
How Should You Approach ECPG Stock Now?Encore Capital appears well positioned for continued growth, supported by robust U.S. portfolio supply, strong collection performance, disciplined portfolio deployment, and improving earnings visibility. Record MCM collections, a growing expected remaining collections balance, disciplined European strategy, and favorable U.S. purchasing conditions are expected to support portfolio revenues, while balance sheet flexibility and expense management provide capacity for further investments and capital returns.
Although U.S. concentration, rising legal collection expenses and reliance on debt financing remain risks, Encore Capital’s updated 2026 guidance reflects a clear earnings-growth framework. Currently, ECPG stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
BitMine je 98 % cesty k cíli nákupů Etherea a už drží přes 6 milionů tokenů, z toho přes 5,1 milionu je stakováno. To může omezit ředění akcií a zvýšit stakingové výnosy.
Buy BMNR. Catalysts stack: it’s ~98% through its Ethereum buying target, which should slow dilution and boost ETH staking intensity; it’s already staked 5.1M+ tokens with very high staking revenue potential; and the stock has golden-cross + bullish-flag technicals with a clear path to $35. Valuation is a sum-of-parts bargain: ETH holdings alone (~$16.1B) are near the whole market cap (~$15.9B), with extra crypto/cash upside.
Key Risk: Ethereum price falls hard or stays weak, crushing staking revenue and the value of its ETH holdings.
ETH spot ETF inflows
Buy ETH (or ETH spot ETF exposure). The article points to accelerating spot ETF inflows ($832M in September) and a Citi target hike to ~$3,028—this is the demand engine that can lift ETH and, by extension, BMNR’s NAV and staking cash flow. If ETH breaks higher, BMNR’s “end dilution + more staking” story compounds the move.
Key Risk: ETF inflows reverse (outflows) and ETH breaks down below key trend levels.
BitMine stock has lost momentum this week as the broader crypto market weakened. BMNR dropped to $26.43, a few points below last month's high of $28.76. This softness could be the calm before the storm, with a larger move possible in the coming weeks.
BMNR stock will be in the spotlight this month, possibly as it concludes its Ethereum buying process. The company now holds over 6 million tokens and has staked over 5.1 million tokens. It is 98% of the way of hitting its target.
Completing these purchases will be important because it will end the pace of dilution that has seen its outstanding shares jump in the last 15 months.
At the same time, it will help the company to intensify its ETH staking. It has now staked over 5 million tokens and is earning, with Tom Lee estimating that its annualized staking revenue is worth over $358 million. Eventually, he expects that the company will make over $424 million when it stakes all its tokens.
These numbers are important because of BitMine’s business model. Unlike Strategy, which has a software business with employees, BitMine has about 3 workers. This means that most of the staking revenue will be profit.
The other bullish catalyst for BitMine is that Ethereum may surge in October. In a report today, Citigroup hiked its target for ETH price to $3,028 from the previous $2,240.
The company noted that flows into the crypto market will continue, albeit at a slower pace. This inflow will happen as money managers start to gradually allocate cash to ETH and other assets.
Indeed, data shows that spot Ethereum ETF inflows jumped by $832 million in September after adding $1.8 billion last month. These funds have had inflows in the last three months, a move that has coincided with the weakness in the artificial intelligence market.
Technicals are highly supportive. It has formed a bullish flag pattern and retested its upper side. A break-and-retest pattern is one of the most common continuation signs in technical analysis.
Ethereum price also formed a golden cross pattern, which happens when the 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages cross each other. This means that the coin may jump to $3,000, which would value its Ethereum holdings at $18 billion.
ETH price chart | Source: TradingView
The daily chart shows that BitMine stock has some highly bullish technicals. It has just formed a golden cross pattern and is in the process of forming a bullish flag pattern. A bullish flag is made up of a vertical line and a descending channel.
BitMine stock remains above the ascending trendline that links the lowest swings since June 30th. It also sits above the Supertrend indicator. Therefore, the stock may continue rising as bulls target the psychological level of $35.
BMNR stock chart | Source: TradingView
More data shows that BitMine is trading at bargain prices, especially when considering the sum of parts. This is an approach where one looks at a company’s segments and compares with the valuation.
In this case, the company has a market capitalization of $15.9 billion and has no debt. In contrast, its Ethereum holdings are valued at $16.1 billion. Its crypto holdings, together with cash and Moonshots have a valuation of $17.2 billion, higher than its current valuation.
Akcie IREN ztratily asi 18 % od uzavírací ceny ze 22. září, i když poptávka po AI kapacitě zůstává silná. Trh ale znepokojuje plán kapitálových výdajů ve výši 25 až 30 miliard USD do fiskálního roku 2027.
IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ:IREN) shares have lost about 18% from their Sept. 22 close, even as demand for the company’s AI computing capacity remains strong.
The concern is what that growth will cost. IREN plans $25 billion to $30 billion of fiscal 2027 capital spending, raising questions over financing and future returns.
AI Demand Isn’t the ProblemIREN said in August it had $4 billion of contracted annualized run-rate revenue (ARR) for 2026 capacity, including $1 billion already operating, with 2026 capacity largely sold out.
Management said recent three-year contracts were pricing above $20 million in revenue per megawatt of IT load.
IREN cautions that ARR is not a GAAP measure and recognized revenue may be materially lower.
The $30 Billion QuestionAgainst a planned $25 billion to $30 billion of fiscal 2027 spending, IREN has about $14 billion of cash, committed GPU financing and customer prepayments. It is targeting another $8 billion from GPU financing and prepayments, with the remainder expected from data center financing, operating cash flow and other sources.
That does not mean IREN needs to raise $30 billion from shareholders. But it does mean the company still has to secure billions more in funding, build the capacity on time and generate enough revenue from it to justify the cost.
That has become more expensive as borrowing costs have risen. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield touched 5.34% Thursday, its highest since 2002, increasing the cost of financing a buildout on this scale.
Bullish Analysts Still See RisksMost of Wall Street still sees upside in IREN, with Benzinga data showing 17 of 21 analysts at Buy or better and no Sell ratings.
But Rothschild Redburn initiated IREN at Neutral with a $40 target, while Jones Trading started at Hold, citing customer credit quality.
Those concerns landed as investors were already reassessing the economics of AI infrastructure. IREN fell sharply Sept. 25 alongside other cloud-computing providers after Nscale’s IPO filing put fresh attention on the sector’s huge capital requirements and the durability of GPU pricing.
Prediction Traders Watch GPU PricesH100 rental prices are also under pressure. The Ornn H100 index fell 11.1% over seven days to $2.71 per GPU-hour on Sept. 30.
Prediction traders are not betting heavily on a rebound. Polymarket puts about 22% odds on H100 rental prices finishing 2026 between $2 and $2.50 per hour, with roughly 65% of the market’s probability below $3. About $61,000 has been traded.
The market does not track IREN’s contracts directly, but falling H100 prices add to questions over returns on new AI capacity.
IREN shares were down about 2% at $40.80 at last check Thursday.
Akcie Apple ve čtvrtek klesly asi o 0,8 % poté, co Morgan Stanley snížila cílovou cenu na 355 USD z 360 USD. Investoři zároveň řeší riziko, že agentní AI oslabí její byznys.
Apple shares AAPL traded lower on Thursday after Morgan Stanley trimmed its price target on the iPhone maker, while investors also weighed growing concerns about the impact of agentic artificial intelligence on Apple’s business.
Apple stock was down about 0.8% in trading, compared with a 0.13% decline in the S&P 500.
The Nasdaq was nearly flat, down about 0.015%.
Morgan Stanley lowered its Apple price target to $355 from $360 while maintaining an Overweight rating.
The stock was trading at $330 per share on Thursday.
The brokerage said agentic AI represented both “a potential emerging risk” and an opportunity for the company.
Apple shares have gained about 30% over the past six months, leaving less room for further upside based solely on the company’s latest product launches, according to the firm.
Morgan Stanley said Apple’s product roadmap remains among the most exciting in more than a decade, but its earnings outlook changed little following the latest iPhone launch.
Morgan Stanley modestly raised its revenue estimates after Apple’s fall product launches, citing stronger iPhone production, higher Mac revenue and pricing benefits in its Services business.
However, the brokerage expects those gains to be largely offset by lower iPhone average selling prices and higher memory costs.
The firm continues to forecast earnings per share of about $10 for fiscal 2027 and close to $11 for fiscal 2028, which would put its estimates 0% to 3% above Wall Street expectations.
Morgan Stanley said the September quarter could benefit from resilient iPhone production, stronger Mac revenue, Services pricing tailwinds and tariff refunds.
The December quarter presents a more mixed picture.
The brokerage said Street estimates have not fully incorporated the staggered iPhone launch, leaving projected iPhone shipments for the quarter potentially too high.
Needham also reiterated a Hold rating on Apple on Thursday, citing competitive threats from Meta Platforms and other AI-focused companies.
Analyst Laura Martin said the biggest investment risk for Apple shareholders would be Meta or another AI-first company developing an AI-agent, hardware and monetization stack capable of disintermediating the iPhone.
Such a shift could weaken the ecosystem that has supported Apple’s valuation, according to Martin.
She noted that Meta’s projected fiscal 2026 revenue of $263 billion is roughly half of Apple’s, and said the social media company aims to narrow that gap.
Martin also pointed to the long-running competitive tension between the companies following Apple’s 2021 App Tracking Transparency changes.
Meta has previously said the privacy changes reduced its advertising revenue by billions of dollars.
Bank of America raised a similar concern earlier this week after Apple shares declined following its analysis of Meta’s Muse AI agent.
Analyst Wamsi Mohan warned that AI agents could shift online shopping activity away from Apple’s ecosystem.
Muse can browse websites, complete forms and continue tasks after users leave the application.
It has also gained access to commerce services including Shopify, Expedia and PayPal, although Amazon has blocked the agent.
The concern is not necessarily that Apple would immediately lose device sales.
Instead, Apple could retain control of the hardware while losing some of the digital activity surrounding product discovery, referrals and transactions.
Mohan also noted that Apple’s updated Siri, built around Apple Foundation Models and Private Cloud Compute, currently lacks some of Muse’s background-task capabilities and broader third-party actions.
Bank of America nevertheless maintained its Buy rating on Apple, citing its large installed base, customer trust, and privacy-focused technology.
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
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Shares of Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL fell 2.66% on Tuesday, Sept. 29, adding to a decline in the prior session, despite having set an intraday all-time high on Tuesday, Sept. 22. A federal jury’s $5.7 billion verdict against Apple on Friday, Sept. 25, added a fresh legal overhang, providing a reminder that even the largest companies can see their stock spooked by a single piece of legal news.
The ruling ordered the tech giant to pay more than $5.7 billion to Taction Technology after finding that Apple’s Taptic Engine infringed claims in two patents covering haptic-feedback technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple has said it will appeal. A $5.7 billion one-time payment might be material in absolute terms, but Apple has substantial financial capacity to absorb it, having generated nearly $117 billion in operating cash flow during the first nine months of fiscal 2026.
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However, here is where the verdict gets interesting: the real threat isn't the one-time payout. It's the possibility of an ongoing royalty on every affected iPhone and Apple Watch sold going forward. That scenario would put material pressure on hardware margins over time, and it's why some are treating this verdict as more than a legal sideshow.
Why the Royalty Risk Matters More Than the VerdictThankfully for investors, Apple's scale makes the headline figure look worse than the underlying economics. The company can comfortably absorb a multibillion-dollar charge without threatening its balance sheet, buybacks, or ability to invest in new products.
A recurring royalty is different. It would affect the economics of every affected device for years rather than hitting earnings once. The market, therefore, has good reason to focus less on the Sept. 25 award and more on what Apple might ultimately have to agree to pay to keep using the technology.
Apple’s Pricing Power Still Supports the Bull CaseFor now, Apple's pricing power remains the foundation of the broader bullish thesis. The company has consistently raised prices on iPhone Pro models without losing meaningful volume, and it's done so while managing component-cost inflation and maintaining solid gross margins.
Services revenue, which has started to exceed Hardware in some quarters, provides a diversification buffer that didn't exist five years ago. Recent iPhone Pro demand indicators remain healthy, with lead times elevated in several markets—a backdrop consistent with pricing power holding up.
The bulls argue that this cash-generation capacity can absorb the $5.7 billion hit. The real constraint is whether Apple can avoid paying a recurring royalty, and here the appeal front offers a credible path forward.
A federal district court originally granted Apple summary judgment of noninfringement in 2023, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated that ruling on Aug. 13, 2025, and sent the case back for further proceedings. A successful appeal or a settlement that avoids a significant ongoing royalty would remove much of the overhang. Under that framework, the verdict creates a window for a settlement that removes longer-term uncertainty without gutting margins.
Valuation Leaves Less Room for Legal SetbacksThe bearish argument continues to rest on valuation and execution risk, but they’ll consider the Sept. 25 verdict to be another string in their bow. When you consider how Apple's valuation continues to look stretched compared to historical levels, there’s not that much room for stumbles like this.
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If hardware margins were to be compressed by new recurring royalty payments, if the current upgrade cycles disappoint, or if component costs rise faster than pricing can offset them, the stock’s valuation could start to contract rather sharply.
Bears will also argue that Apple’s new premium devices may raise average selling prices without generating enough net-new incremental earnings growth to justify the current valuation. A legal headwind only compounds that concern when the stock is already priced at an elevated multiple.
Yet here is the critical detail—the vast majority of analysts remain bullish on Apple, and the MarketBeat consensus rating is still a Moderate Buy, even after the verdict. That consensus suggests Apple's fundamental economics are strong enough to weather this verdict without a material shift in the investment case.
A Legal Scare, Not Yet a Thesis BreakerThat said, the $5.7 billion verdict is a real risk, and the royalty question deserves close monitoring as the appeal proceeds. But Apple's pricing power, broader revenue growth, and fortress balance sheet make this a problem the company has substantial resources to address, whether through appeal, settlement, or through the kind of margin management it has proven adept at executing.
For those who are bullish on Apple over the long term, the verdict might actually be creating a window for an entry point, as it’s almost certainly not a reason to abandon the bullish thesis. That means investors comfortable with Apple’s valuation at current levels might see the recent pullback as a buying opportunity dressed up as a legal scare.
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Meta oznámila kapitálové výdaje na rok 2026 ve výši 130 až 145 miliard USD, zatímco volný cash flow ve 2. čtvrtletí spadl na 784 milionů USD z 8,55 miliardy USD.
Meta's ad machine keeps growing, but a massive capex bill just cratered free cash flow and snapped a six-quarter earnings streak. Here is whether the math actually works for doubling the stock price by 2030.
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Meta (NASDAQ:META | META Price Prediction | META Price Prediction) runs the biggest ad business in the world, and it is still getting faster. Ad revenue reached $59.36 billion last quarter, up 27%, across 3.60 billion daily users.
The stock trades at $720.16. It is up only 9.37% this year and down 3.53% over 12 months. Can Meta reach $1,500 per share by 2030, about double today’s price? I think there’s a real path.
A $145 Billion Spending Bill Is Holding Meta Back The problem is spending. Meta guided 2026 capex to $130 billion to $145 billion, and second-quarter free cash flow fell to $784 million from $8.55 billion. EPS of $6.18 missed expectations by 14.42%. That ended a six-quarter run of beats. A Forbes headline summed up the mood: AI overspending fears.
The recent rally is shaky. Shares gained 25.09% over the past month and 8.25% over the past week, then dropped 4.19% today. With a beta of 1.243, Meta tends to swing more than the market. Analysts keep cutting estimates too: 45 downward revisions to 2026 EPS in 30 days, against 4 up.
Wall Street Sees 9.7% Upside. Our Model Says 29.4% The consensus target is $790.27. That’s 9.7% upside, based on 8 Strong Buys, 47 Buys, 7 Holds and 0 Sells. Our one-year forecast projects $931.99, or 29.4% upside. Bear-case estimates go as low as $792.62 and bull-case estimates as high as $1,073.84, with model confidence high at 0.9.
I think the Street is too cautious. 89% of analysts are bullish, yet their targets just clear the 52-week high. The earnings growth factor (-0.013) shows one-time costs. Strip out legal charges and severance, and operating income would have grown 9%.
Here’s What It Takes for Meta to Reach $1,500 Getting from today’s $720.16 to $1,500 would take a gain of 108.3%. Forward EPS is $31.6803, so $1,500 works out to a forward P/E of 47x. The base case already means 23x. The bold target would need 24x more.
Earnings growth closes that gap. At the consensus growth rate of 19.16%, EPS would reach about $53.60 in three years. At that level, $1,500 is only 28x. Our 2030 bull path reaches $1,560.67 by September of that year.
These catalysts are real. Advantage Plus is running at over $75 billion in annual revenue. More than 1 million businesses use Meta’s business agents every week, and Meta has a BlackRock venture for a one gigawatt data center. Zuckerberg put it this way: “AI is accelerating our core business today, powering our next generation of products, and opening the door to entirely new enterprise opportunities.”
All of that data-center capacity has to be powered, cooled, and connected by somebody, which is why the suppliers behind the hyperscaler expansion keep showing up in our free report on seven AI infrastructure stocks that aren’t chipmakers.
If capex keeps growing faster than revenue, margins could stay pressured for years.
Where Meta Trades Today Versus Its Earnings Power Meta trades at 23x forward earnings with a PEG ratio of 0.985. That looks cheap for a business growing revenue at over 20%. Shares sit between a 52-week low of $519.37 and a high of $779.82.
Over 10 years, the stock has returned 464.86%. Today’s multiple leaves room for earnings growth to do most of the work.
$1,500 Is a Stretch, But Here’s Why It’s Possible Reaching $1,500 takes a 108.3% gain. I’d call it a stretch, but a reachable one. Three things need to happen. Ad growth has to stay above 20%.
Business agents and API services have to become real revenue. And capex has to start producing free cash flow again. A long ad slowdown or large legal losses from the youth-related trials could derail it.
We’ve outlined the plan for how Meta could reach $1,500 in 2030, though gains like this shouldn’t be expected every year.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Tesla je letos v mínusu 21 %, ale podíl prodejních doporučení na Wall Street klesl na 13,1 % z 23,3 % v lednu. JPMorgan zároveň snížil odhad dodávek za 3. čtvrtletí na 482 000 vozů.
Sell ratings have fallen sharply even as Tesla shares remain down 21% this year and analysts cut vehicle-delivery expectations. Summary
Tesla shares are down 21% year to date as concerns persist around its core electric-vehicle business.
Wall Street is becoming less pessimistic about Tesla Inc. (TSLA, Financials), the electric car manufacturer that is branching out into robotics and artificial intelligence, despite the fact that its stock has down 21% so far this year.
According to statistics provided in the study, sell ratings currently account for 13.1% of 61 analyst recommendations, which is their lowest percentage since April 2023 and down from 23.3% in January.
The change does not equate to widespread belief. Analysts are still hesitant to give value to Tesla's robotaxi, humanoid robot, and other AI goals before they produce significant income, as seen by the rise in hold ratings to their highest level in over two years.
This caution also applies to the main car industry. Rajat Gupta, a JPMorgan analyst, recently reduced his price objective from $445 to $415 while keeping a neutral rating.
Due to weaker-than-expected deliveries in China and the United States, he also lowered his third-quarter delivery projection from 516,000 cars to 482,000.
It makes Tesla's worth more dependent on whether companies other than electric cars can generate significant profits.
Next, investors will keep an eye on car deliveries and proof that Tesla's robotics, AI, and autonomous driving initiatives can start boosting profits.
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Wells Fargo zvedla cílovou cenu Microsoftu z 700 na 725 USD a nechala rating Overweight. Změna vykazování má podle banky zpřehlednit Azure a odhalit silnější poptávku po cloudu a AI.
Wells Fargo added Microsoft to its fourth-quarter Tactical Ideas list and maintained an Overweight rating. Summary
Microsoft’s new reporting structure could give investors a clearer view of consumption-based cloud revenue.
The software and cloud computing business Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, Financials) was added to Wells Fargo's Tactical Ideas list. The company cited anticipated product launches, new financial disclosures, and artificial intelligence as catalysts for the fourth quarter.
Michael Turrin, an analyst, increased his price objective from $700 to $725 while maintaining an Overweight rating. He pointed out that the price of Microsoft stock is almost 25 times its earnings.
Microsoft's proposed sector reorganization represents a significant shift. Starting with its fiscal first-quarter results, the business will reduce its reporting divisions from three to two: Agents and Infra and Devices and Consumer.
According to Wells Fargo, the updated disclosures ought give offer more insight into Azure. In order to provide a clearer picture of the underlying cloud demand, Microsoft will present Azure revenue in monetary terms while excluding non-consumption components from the statistic.
Investors may find it simpler to assess Azure growth as a result, exposing upside that was less apparent under the old reporting format.
Another motivator is Microsoft's Ignite conference in November, when Wells Fargo anticipates more information on AI models, apps, and custom silicon.
The new Azure disclosures on cloud and AI revenue growth will be the first thing investors look for in October results.
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
