Akcie General Mills za zhruba měsíc od posledních výsledků oslabily o 3,1 %. Firma zároveň ve fiskálním roce 2027 očekává pokles upraveného provozního zisku o 8 % až 13 %.
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for General Mills (GIS - Free Report) . Shares have lost about 3.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is General Mills due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for General Mills, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
General Mills Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Organic Sales Flat Y/YGeneral Mills reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of 95 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 82 cents. The bottom line also increased 27% year over year on a constant-currency (cc) basis, driven by elevated adjusted operating profit, a reduced adjusted effective tax rate and fewer shares outstanding, partially offset by higher net interest expense.
Net sales increased 1% to $4,609.6 million, benefiting from a 7-point contribution from the 53rd week and a 1-point benefit from foreign currency exchange, partially offset by a 7-point headwind from the net impact of divestitures and acquisitions. On an organic basis, sales were broadly unchanged, including a 1-point benefit from favorable trade expense timing. The top line also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,604 million.
The adjusted gross margin increased 150 basis points (bps), reaching 34.2% of net sales, supported by favorable pricing and mix, with higher input costs partially offsetting these gains. Favorable trade expense timing contributed a 60 bps benefit to adjusted gross margin. We expected an adjusted gross margin expansion of 50 bps. General Mills’ adjusted operating profit increased 13% in constant currency to $705 million, driven by elevated adjusted gross profit dollars, including a 7-point benefit from favorable trade expense timing. Adjusted operating margin improved 160 bps to 15.3%. We expected an adjusted operating margin of 14.3% for the quarter.
Decoding GIS’ Segmental PerformanceNorth America Retail: Revenues in the segment were $2,466.6 million, down 4% year over year, including a 10-point headwind from the divestiture and a 7-point benefit from the 53rd week. Organic net sales were essentially unchanged from the prior year, while Nielsen-measured retail sales declined 4%. The difference was primarily cused by a previously anticipated 2-point benefit from trade expense timing and favorable changes in retailer inventory levels.
North America Pet: Revenues rose 4% year over year to $702.4 million, benefiting by 7-points from the 53rd week. Sales grew at a double-digit rate in cat food, increased at a low-single-digit rate in dog food and declined slightly in pet treats. Organic net sales declined 3%, while all-channel retail sales fell approximately 1%. The difference was largely attributable to changes in retailer inventory levels.
North America Foodservice: Revenues were $574.6 million, which decreased 1%, including a 7-point headwind from the U.S. yogurt divestiture and a 6-point benefit from the 53rd week. Organic net sales were essentially flat, including a 2-point headwind from index pricing on bakery flour.
International: Revenues in the segment were $858.4 million, up 16% year over year, benefiting from an 8-point contribution from the 53rd week and a 5-point benefit from foreign currency exchange. Organic net sales grew 3%, driven by strong performance in Brazil, Europe, India and China.
What to Expect From GIS in Fiscal 2027?General Mills expects consumer demand to remain challenging in fiscal 2027 and plans to drive growth through product innovation focused on health, flavor, indulgence and pet humanization trends. The company aims to support profitability with at least $750 million in cost savings, although earnings will face headwinds from the absence of the prior year's 53rd week, higher incentive expenses and the impact of recent divestitures.
The company has provided its full-year fiscal 2027 outlook. Organic net sales are projected to range from a decline of 1.5% to growth of 0.5%. On a constant-currency basis, adjusted operating profit is expected to be down 8% to 13% from the fiscal 2026 base of $2.8 billion. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be between $3.00 and $3.20, with an immaterial impact from foreign currency exchange. The company also expects free cash flow conversion to be approximately 95% of adjusted after-tax earnings.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates review.
The consensus estimate has shifted -10.82% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresCurrently, General Mills has a average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a D. However, the stock has a score of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise General Mills has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.
Zebec spojil síly se Stellar a Tangem a představuje hardwarové peněženky pro firemní výplaty. Zaměstnanci tak mají dostávat USDC přímo do non-custodial peněženek bez seed phrase.
A Three-Way Push Into Corporate Payroll@Zebec_HQ has joined forces with @StellarOrg and @Tangem to roll out custom, hardware-based wallets aimed squarely at the global employee payroll market. The initiative marks the latest step in Zebec's expanding relationship with the Stellar network, which selected the company as its global stablecoin payroll infrastructure provider earlier in 2026.
Announced in March 2026, Zebec's integration with Stellar allows businesses to pay employees continuously in USDC on a per-second basis, a feature selected by the Stellar Development Foundation. The new hardware wallet programme takes that infrastructure one step further by putting a physical, branded device directly into workers' hands at the point of onboarding.
Employees and contractors can receive salaries rapidly into their digital wallets, spend funds via Zebec's Mastercard-powered cards, and convert digital dollars into local fiat currencies. The addition of Tangem's hardware layer is designed to make that experience accessible to staff who may have little or no prior crypto experience.
Seedless Security at the Point of OnboardingThe wallets use NFC technology to deliver a tap-to-sign experience, removing the friction that has historically made self-custody impractical in a corporate setting. Critically, the setup eliminates the need for traditional seed phrases while keeping the wallet non-custodial. Tangem generates and stores the master key securely on a chip within the wallet card, reducing the risk of theft or loss from unprotected backups, with recovery achieved through additional cards rather than written phrases.
When a Tangem wallet is initialised, the chip's hardware random number generator creates a private key that never leaves the secure element, not during setup, not during transactions, and the key is stored in tamper-resistant hardware that will physically destroy itself if extraction is attempted.
For Zebec, the partnership addresses one of the most persistent barriers in crypto payroll adoption: key management. By handing employees full key ownership upon onboarding, the company removes the corporate intermediary from the salary pipeline entirely, a meaningful step for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions where wage portability and financial access remain uneven.
Founded in 2021, Zebec Network has built a broad portfolio spanning crypto-linked payment cards, streaming payroll systems, and cross-border settlement tools. The Tangem collaboration is the latest in an ongoing hardware wallet partnership between the two firms, with a prior co-branded wallet run having reportedly sold out.
Sources
Zebec Launches Stablecoin Payroll on Stellar for Global Workforces (FX Daily Report)
How Seedless Wallets Work (Tangem Blog)
AllUnity and Zebec Deploy EURAU-Powered Employee Benefits on Stellar (Business Wire)
Stellar Development Foundation uvedla, že ve 2. čtvrtletí rostl počet aktivních účtů i nově vydaných aktiv, což ukazuje na vyšší adopci sítě. Do dalších měsíců míří na tokenizaci reálných aktiv, přeshraniční platby a nástroje pro compliance.
The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) hosted a live webinar at 3pm ET, bringing together senior executives to review recent network performance and share expectations for the second half of 2025. The session featured CEO Denelle Dixon, Chief Product Officer Tomer Weller, Chief Technology Officer Raja Chakraborty, and VP of Product Jose Da Ponte.
Q2 network growth and product advancementsThe leadership team reported steady progress throughout the second quarter, emphasizing the expansion of payment volumes, advances in tokenization, and upgrades to developer tools. Stellar, which operates as an open blockchain focused on fast, low-cost global payments, continues to attract real-world asset issuers and stablecoin projects.
While the SDF did not disclose specific growth metrics for Q2, it identified an uptick in active accounts and newly issued assets as primary indicators of institutional and fintech adoption on the Stellar network.
Stellar has concentrated on growing network participation by making tokenization and payment solutions more accessible to businesses and developers integrating real-world assets and regulated digital currencies.
Leadership insights and ecosystem prioritiesPanelists including Dixon, Da Ponte, Weller, and Chakraborty outlined the current strategy that links new protocol features to practical business applications. The team discussed ongoing integration of Soroban smart contracts and regulatory compliance tools, which are increasingly in demand among companies seeking to launch regulated assets and streamline digital operations.
In addition to improving underlying infrastructure, the SDF plans to develop user-friendly products tailored to crypto exchanges, custodians, and legacy financial institutions. This approach aims to facilitate compliance with dynamic global regulations, positioning Stellar as a viable settlement network for institutional clients.
The Foundation also mentioned product priorities for the months ahead, focusing on real-world asset tokenization, cross-border payments, and new incentive programs for its ecosystem. These initiatives come as part of a broader industry trend, with increased institutional interest in blockchain-based settlements and asset digitization—an area also being advanced by platforms such as Ethereum and Polygon.
Mini dictionary: Soroban is a smart contract platform built for Stellar that enables developers to deploy decentralized applications with support for advanced logic and programmable features. Designed for scale, Soroban allows for the customization of on-chain assets and supports compliance with regulatory requirements.
By focusing on regulatory-compliant infrastructure and ecosystem incentives, Stellar intends to accelerate network usage and adoption among established financial players entering the digital asset sector.
NetworkMain FocusQ2 DevelopmentsStellarPayments, RWA tokenizationActive accounts and asset issuance up; new smart contract tools (Soroban)EthereumSmart contracts, DeFiInstitutional settlement platforms, ongoing scaling upgradesPolygonScalability, sidechainsRising settlement volumes, expanded business partnershipsDisclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Chainlink Reserve uzavřela červenec s rekordním měsíčním přírůstkem přes 706 000 LINK a celkové zásoby vzrostly na 5 210 976 LINK. Nové nákupy měly hodnotu přes 5,7 milionu USD.
July Brings Another Month of Steady AccumulationThe Chainlink Reserve closed July 2026 with its largest single-month token haul yet, adding more than 706,000 $LINK throughout the month. The latest purchases were valued at over $5.7 million, bringing total Reserve holdings to 5,210,976 LINK.
The pace of accumulation marks a significant step up from earlier in the programme's life. Early inflows averaged 80,000 to 90,000 LINK per week in late 2025, rising to between 125,000 and 137,000 LINK per week by early 2026. July's figure implies the programme has continued to accelerate from there.
How the Reserve Works and Why It MattersThe Chainlink Reserve is an on-chain reserve that accumulates its native LINK token using revenue from fees paid by large institutions and decentralised applications. It is funded through Payment Abstraction, an on-chain infrastructure that converts payments made in gas tokens and stablecoins into LINK using decentralised exchange infrastructure.
Chainlink has said it does not expect any withdrawals from the Reserve for multiple years, and the balance is expected to grow as more enterprise revenue is directed on-chain. The Reserve operates transparently through a public dashboard and a time-locked Ethereum contract.
Launched on August 7, 2025, the initiative is part of the Chainlink Economics 2.0 upgrades. Since then it has grown from roughly $1 million at inception to a holding now worth well into the tens of millions of dollars at current market prices. Reported milestones driving that growth include DTCC's approval of tokenisation, UBS's launch of tokenised funds, and Coinbase's bridging of $7 billion in wrapped assets using Chainlink infrastructure.
The Reserve's long-term effect on LINK tokenomics depends on whether revenue growth outpaces ongoing token unlocks. For now, the trajectory points firmly upward, with each monthly update reinforcing the programme's role as a structural demand driver for the token.
Sources
Chainlink Reserve official dashboard
Chainlink blog: Introducing the Chainlink Reserve
CoinDesk: Chainlink Launches LINK Reserve to Fuel Network Growth
Circle získala od NYDFS schválení nové trustové charty v New Yorku pro Circle Internet Trust Company LLC. Pro USDC to znamená další regulační posílení.
Circle Internet Group has picked up a fresh regulatory milestone in New York, one of the states most closely watched in the digital asset space.
A New Charter, a Decade in the Making
Circle’s new trust charter comes from New York’s financial regulator, the NYDFS, which issued the approval for a limited purpose trust entity tied to the stablecoin issuer. The new unit will now operate under the name Circle Internet Trust Company LLC, doing business as Circle New York Trust.
The move builds on a relationship that stretches back more than a decade. Circle became the first company to receive a BitLicense from NYDFS back in 2015, a distinction that marked the start of its long-running regulatory relationship with the state.
Why New York Matters Here
New York’s financial regulator is widely viewed as a global benchmark for digital asset oversight, and the state also happens to be where Circle is headquartered. Landing a trust charter there gives USDC an added layer of institutional credibility as regulated digital dollars continue moving further into mainstream finance.
What Circle’s CEO Had to Say
Circle co-founder, chairman, and CEO Jeremy Allaire framed the charter as a milestone the company had been pursuing for years. CEO Jeremy Allaire called it a longstanding goal tied to regulatory clarity now, pointing to the significance of the timing.
“NYDFS is an international standard setter for digital asset regulation, and New York is Circle’s global headquarters,” Allaire said. “This charter reflects over a decade of regulatory commitment and positions USDC within a strong, respected framework as digital dollars become central to the global financial system.”
Story Ends Here
Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
Sponsored and Advertisements:Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.
MoonPay nasadil MoonPay Trade do MiracleTrade a automatizoval funding v ekosystému Hyperliquid. Obchodníci teď mohou vkládat prostředky přímo pomocí $BTC, $SOL nebo $ETH bez ručního přemosťování.
Direct Funding Replaces Manual Bridging@MoonPay has deployed its MoonPay Trade execution layer to @MiracleTrade, automating capital flows across the @Hyperliquid ecosystem and removing a friction point that has long slowed traders entering the platform.
Until now, funding a Hyperliquid trading account required a manual, multi-step process: buying $USDC on an external exchange, bridging it through @Arbitrum, and then depositing it into the DEX. Previous workarounds required users to buy USDC on another chain, bridge it to Arbitrum (Hyperliquid's settlement layer), and then deposit it into the DEX, with each step taking time, costing gas fees, and introducing opportunities for mistakes. The MoonPay Trade integration collapses that workflow into a single action, allowing traders to fund their wallets directly using $BTC, $SOL, or $ETH.
How MoonPay Trade WorksThe system relies on deterministic routing to execute cross-chain swaps in the background, keeping the process non-custodial while consolidating fragmented liquidity. Unlike standard bridge or DEX aggregators, MoonPay Trade handles cross-chain routing and settlement automatically. Cross-chain trades are routed and settled automatically, meaning users do not need to manually manage bridges, wrapped assets, or gas on the destination chain.
MoonPay Trade is powered by the technology and team from Decent.xyz, the Y Combinator-backed cross-chain routing company MoonPay acquired. Decent developed proprietary bridge infrastructure, routing algorithms, and an aggregation layer that delivers optimized execution across 200-plus chains and millions of assets.
MoonPay Trade is designed to reduce that burden by combining transaction execution, settlement, conversion, and payment support for more than 120 fiat currencies on one platform. Where MoonPay once handled the entry and exit points, MoonPay Trade now powers everything in between: cross-chain execution, collateral movement, tokenized fund subscriptions, and onchain settlement, all backed by institutional-grade compliance infrastructure.
The Miracle integration extends those capabilities directly to Hyperliquid traders, giving the platform's users a faster path to capital deployment without leaving a non-custodial environment.
Grainger má 4. srpna oznámit za 2. čtvrtletí tržby 4,95 miliardy USD a EPS 11,28 USD, obojí nad loňskou úrovní. Odhad EPS za posledních 60 dní vzrostl o 1,3 %.
Key Takeaways Grainger is expected to report Q2 sales of $4.95 billion and EPS of $11.28, both up y/y.GWW's High-Touch Solutions may benefit from strength in key industries and customers growth.GWW's Endless Assortment is likely to gain from customer acquisition, repeat business and MonotaRO and Zoro. W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, before the opening bell.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GWW’s sales is pegged at $4.95 billion, indicating 8.8% growth from the year-ago reported figure.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $11.28 per share. The consensus estimate for GWW’s earnings has moved up 1.3% in the past 60 days. The estimate indicates a year-over-year increase of 13.1%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
GWW’s Earnings Surprise HistoryGrainger’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 4.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What the Zacks Model Unveils for GraingerOur model predicts an earnings beat for GWW this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is precisely the case here.
You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Earnings ESP: Grainger has an Earnings ESP of +2.50%.
Zacks Rank: GWW currently has a Zacks Rank of 3.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped GWW’s Q2 PerformanceGrainger has been focusing on enhancing the end-to-end customer experience through investments in its e-commerce and digital capabilities, while executing supply-chain improvement initiatives. These factors are likely to have contributed to its quarterly performance. We expect organic daily sales growth of 8.5%.
The company’s High-Touch Solutions North America segment is expected to have benefited from strength in commercial, transportation and heavy manufacturing; strong revenue growth across its North America regions; and an expansion in the number of large and midsize customers. Our model projects quarterly organic daily sales growth of 7.4% from the year-ago quarter's reported level.
We expect the segment’s sales to be $3.81 billion for the second quarter, suggesting 7.4% growth from the second-quarter 2025 reported level.
GWW’s Endless Assortment segment is likely to have benefited from robust customer acquisition and repeat business. Our model predicts quarterly organic daily sales to grow 12.2% from the prior-year reported level. Customer growth at MonotaRO and Zoro is expected to have positively impacted the segment’s sales. Our model predicts the Endless Assortment segment’s sales to be $1.03 billion, indicating a 10.8% rally from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.
However, GWW has been witnessing elevated material and freight costs for some time. This, coupled with higher operating costs and incremental SG&A costs from higher technology investments, is likely to have negatively impacted its margins.
Grainger Stock’s Price PerformanceGWW shares have gained 31.1% in a year against the industry’s 0.1% loss.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks That Warrant a LookHere are some other companies with the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.
CECO Environmental Corp. (CECO - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, has an Earnings ESP of +30.23% and sports a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CECO Environmental’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 22 cents per share, suggesting a year-over-year dip of 8.3%. CECO has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 46.5%.
Xometry, Inc. (XMTR - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, currently has an Earnings ESP of +66.67% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Xometry’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 36 cents per share, suggesting a year-over-year rise from 9 cents. XMTR has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 46.2%.
Ferguson Enterprises Inc. (FERG - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 10, has an Earnings ESP of +1.22% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ferguson’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.23 per share. Ferguson has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 6.5%.
Lemonade ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila tržby o 79 % na 294 milionů USD a zúžila čistou ztrátu na 43,4 milionu USD. Celoroční výhled IFP ale lehce zaostal za očekáváním Wall Street.
Lemonade's (LMND -0.15%) stock slumped after it posted its second-quarter earnings report on July 29. The online insurance company's revenue surged 79% year over year to $294 million, beating analysts' estimates by $3 million, and it narrowed its net loss from $43.9 million to $43.4 million, or $0.56 per share, which matched the consensus forecast.
Those headline numbers looked healthy, but Lemonade's full-year in-force premium (IFP) outlook slightly missed analysts' estimates. Let's see if that miss means that its growth story is ending -- or if its valuations are simply cooling off after a big multi-year rally.
Image source: Getty Images.
How fast is Lemonade growing? Lemonade simplifies the Byzantine process of buying insurance through AI-powered chatbots and claims processing services. That digital-first approach made it a popular choice among younger and first-time insurance buyers.
Today's Change
(
-0.15
%) $
-0.08
Current Price
$
48.50
Lemonade initially only offered homeowners and renters insurance at the time of its 2020 IPO, but it subsequently launched pet health, term life, and auto insurance products. It significantly expanded its auto business by acquiring Metromile in 2022.
Lemonade ended the second quarter of 2026 with 3.31 million customers. That's up 23% from a year earlier and more than triple its 1.00 million customers at the end of 2021. Its IFP, gross earned premium (GEP), and gross margins have consistently risen since its public debut, while its gross loss ratio has steadily declined.
Was Lemonade's guidance that bad? For 2026, Lemonade expects its IFP to rise 32%-33%, its GEP to grow 31%, and its revenue to increase 65%. That guidance was actually higher than its full-year guidance in the first quarter, which called for 32% IFP growth, 30%-31% GEP growth, and 62%-63% revenue growth. It also reiterated its prior outlook for achieving a positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) by the fourth quarter of 2026.
The only issue was that the high end of Lemonade's IFP guidance (between $1.632 billion and $1.639 billion) fell short of Wall Street's target of more than $1.642 billion. Therefore, Lemonade's guidance wasn't bad at all -- it simply wasn't as aggressive as Wall Street's target.
With an enterprise value of $4.03 billion, Lemonade still looks like a bargain at three times this year's sales. It's still an undervalued growth stock, and its latest pullback is a great buying opportunity for long-term investors.
Palantir má v pondělí po uzavření trhu oznámit výsledky a opce naznačují pohyb akcií až o 10 % oběma směry do konce týdne. Akcie letos ztratily téměř třetinu hodnoty.
Key Takeaways Palantir’s latest quarterly results are due Monday afternoon, with options pricing suggesting traders see the stock swinging up to 10% in the days following the report. Shares of Palantir have been pressured this year amid a broader slump in software stocks. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise.
Palantir is due to report earnings Monday afternoon, with traders expecting a big swing in the software maker’s stock.1
Based on recent options pricing, Palantir (PLTR) shares are seen moving up to 10% in either direction by the end of the week following the results. From the Friday morning’s level around $120, that could see the shares rise back above $132, recovering some of their recent losses, or slip below $109.
Palantir shares have lost nearly a third of their value since the start of the year. Solid earnings haven’t been enough to lift the stock out of its slump, amid a broader pullback in software stocks.
Why This Matters to Investors Another strong quarter could help improve sentiment around Palantir’s stock, which has taken a hit lately.
Citi analysts wrote ahead of the report that Palantir’s recent slide could offer investors an opportunity to buy, and said they expect a strong performance from Palantir’s commercial business.2
Analysts expect Palantir to report second-quarter revenue of $1.81 billion, up over 80% year-over-year, along with adjusted earnings of 35 cents per share, more than double what Palantir reported a year ago.
Analysts are largely bullish on Palantir stock, with the six tracked by Visible Alpha split between four “buy” and two neutral ratings. Their mean price target of $197 would suggest more than 60% upside from the stock’s recent level.
Thermo Fisher ve 2. čtvrtletí podpořil růst bioprodukce 3% organickým růstem Life Sciences Solutions a akvizicí filtračního byznysu Solventum. Firma zároveň rozšiřuje AI nástroje, zákaznickou spolupráci i klinická datová řešení.
Key Takeaways Thermo Fisher grew bioproduction with 3% organic Life Sciences Solutions growth and a filtration acquisition.TMO opened a U.S. Bioprocess Design Center to expand customer collaboration and process development.TMO added Clario's clinical data capabilities as integration and revenue-synergy efforts progressed. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO - Free Report) is building around three growth forces in life sciences: biologic-drug manufacturing, AI-enabled workflows and closer customer collaboration.
These themes can support longer-term expansion, but they also raise the bar. Thermo Fisher must keep launching relevant technologies, integrating acquisitions and proving that scale can translate into better execution.
Year to date, TMO shares have slipped 0.5%, compared with the industry's steeper 11.7% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TMO Expands Its Bioproduction PlatformBioproduction remained a key growth driver in the second quarter. Demand for tools and services used in biologic-drug development and manufacturing helped Life Sciences Solutions deliver 3% organic growth.
The Solventum filtration and separation acquisition broadens Thermo Fisher’s bioproduction offering across upstream and downstream workflows. Management expects the business to support revenue and cost synergies over time.
Thermo Fisher Brings AI Into WorkflowsThermo Fisher is expanding AI capabilities across its software portfolio. Those tools are designed to support smarter workflows and faster analysis in complex scientific applications.
The company is also applying AI within its PPI Business System. That matters because productivity, quality and customer responsiveness are becoming more important as laboratories handle larger datasets and more integrated workflows.
TMO Deepens Customer CollaborationThermo Fisher opened its flagship U.S. Bioprocess Design Center in Massachusetts during the quarter. The site expands its network of customer collaboration centers.
The center allows teams to work with pharma and biotech customers on process development, manufacturing optimization and commercial scale-up. TMO also announced a Singapore precision-health collaboration that combines Olink proteomics with the Orbitrap Astral platform.
Thermo Fisher Advances Clinical Data CapabilitiesThe Clario acquisition adds digital endpoint data solutions to Thermo Fisher’s portfolio. These capabilities can generate deeper clinical insights and improve drug-development productivity.
Clario also fits with Thermo Fisher’s clinical research business. The business exceeded management’s expectations in the second quarter, while integration remained on track and the revenue-synergy pipeline continued to grow.
TMO Innovation Must Outrun CompetitionCompetition remains a real constraint. Thermo Fisher operates in markets where technology changes quickly and customer requirements keep evolving.
Rivals can introduce alternative platforms, compete on pricing or bundle products and services more aggressively. That makes timely product launches, customer adoption and acquisition integration essential to sustaining share gains.
Danaher (DHR - Free Report) and Agilent Technologies (A - Free Report) remain relevant peers for investors watching innovation in life sciences tools, diagnostics and laboratory technologies. Danaher describes itself as a life sciences and diagnostics innovator, while Agilent supplies application-focused solutions across life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemical markets.
Thermo Fisher Momentum Supports the Trend StoryThe bottom line is that Thermo Fisher is aligned with attractive life-science trends, especially bioproduction, AI-led workflow improvement and clinical data capabilities. The case depends on execution as much as market demand.
Here’s how Thermo Fisher’s five-year sales multiple looks like compared to the industry average.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TMO currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). That indicates the long-term technology and demand themes have not yet translated into a stronger short-term rating.
The Momentum Score of A is encouraging because it points to favorable near-term trading characteristics. However, the Value Score, Growth Score and VGM Score of C call for measured expectations, especially after the stock’s recent earnings-driven support.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
ServiceNow tento týden vzrostl až o 13,8 % po hospodářských výsledcích za 2. čtvrtletí a zvýšení celoročního výhledu. Tržby z předplatného stouply meziročně o 23 % v konstantní měně na 3,88 miliardy USD.
Shares of ServiceNow (NOW +0.53%) have jumped by as much as 13.8% this week, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The software provider reported earnings last week and raised its full-year guidance, prompting investors to buy the stock. As a software stock, shares have still suffered a massive drawdown over the last 12 months, down 41%.
As of this writing at 11:50 AM EST on Friday, July 31, ServiceNow is up 11.4% this week.
Today's Change
(
0.53
%) $
0.58
Current Price
$
110.65
Earnings boost leading to recovery Late last week, ServiceNow reported its Q2 2026 earnings. It beat previous guidance for subscription revenue, which grew 23% year-over-year in constant currency to $3.88 billion. For the full year, ServiceNow is now guiding to $15.76 billion in subscription revenue, which is set to grow to $30 billion by 2030.
Importantly, it expects much of this revenue to come from AI services as it works to embed modern tools into its existing software to orchestrate complex workflows across enterprises.
Image source: Getty Images.
Is ServiceNow a buy? ServiceNow stock has begun to rebound, but is still trading at one of its lowest price-to-sales ratios (P/S) in years. As of this writing, its sales multiple is 7.8, and will keep falling if it can compound revenues from now through 2030. Assuming strong profit margins, ServiceNow stock could be a buy after this week's rebound.
Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ServiceNow. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Rockwell Automation má 4. srpna před otevřením trhu oznámit výsledky za 3. fiskální čtvrtletí; konsensus čeká EPS 3,39 USD při tržbách 2,26 mld. USD. To by znamenalo meziroční růst o 20,2 % u EPS a 5,2 % u tržeb.
Key Takeaways Rockwell Automation is expected to post Q3 EPS of $3.39 on $2.26B in sales, both up y/y.ROK may benefit from pricing, supply-chain optimization and projected 6.8% organic sales growth.ROK's Software & Control and Intelligent Devices are seen growing, while Lifecycle Services may decline. Rockwell Automation Inc. (ROK - Free Report) is scheduled to report third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Aug. 4, before the opening bell.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Rockwell Automation’s earnings has moved 2.1% north in the past 60 days to $3.39 per share. The consensus mark implies 20.2% growth from the year-ago actual. The consensus estimate for sales is pegged at $2.26 billion, indicating a 5.2% year-over-year rise.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ROK’s Earnings Surprise HistoryRockwell Automation’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 10.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What the Zacks Model Indicates for Rockwell AutomationOur model predicts an earnings beat for ROK this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. That is precisely the case here.
Earnings ESP: Rockwell Automation has an Earnings ESP of +1.71%. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped ROK’s Q3 PerformanceRockwell Automation is expected to have continued to benefit from price increase actions to mitigate the impacts of inflationary pressures, which are likely to have improved margins. ROK has been planning to mitigate tariff costs through pricing actions and supply-chain optimization. These tailwinds are likely to have aided growth in the to-be-reported quarter.
Our model, thus, predicts an organic sales improvement of 6.8% for the quarter.
The broader manufacturing environment remained supportive during the quarter, as reflected in the Institute for Supply Management reporting readings above 50 (denoting expansion). The index was 52.7% in April, 54% in May and 53.3% in June. The New Orders Index also remained above 50 throughout this period. This is likely to have reflected in Rockwell Automation’s orders.
However, ROK has faced margin headwinds in recent quarters, including higher logistics prices due to increased energy prices and constrained air freight lanes. Increased spending on talent and growth, an unfavorable mix and currency are expected to have impacted its margins.
Q3 Expectations for Rockwell Automation’s SegmentsWe expect the Intelligent Devices segment’s fiscal third-quarter sales to improve 7.3% year over year to $1.04 billion. Our prediction for the segment’s operating profit is $211 million, indicating a year-over-year rise of 16.2%.
Our model predicts sales of $698 million for the Software & Control segment, indicating 11.1% growth from the prior year’s actual. The segment’s operating profit is pinned at $230 million, which implies 15.5% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
We expect the Lifecycle Services segment’s sales to be $502 million, indicating an 8.3% dip from the prior-year period’s actual. The estimate for the segment’s operating profit is pegged at $77 million, suggesting a 5.4% increase from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
ROK Stock’s Price PerformanceIn the past year, Rockwell Automation’s shares have gained 36.1% compared with the industry’s 58.9% rally.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks That Warrant a LookHere are some other companies with the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.
CECO Environmental Corp. (CECO - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, has an Earnings ESP of +30.23% and sports a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CECO Environmental’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 22 cents per share, suggesting a year-over-year dip of 8.3%. CECO has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 46.5%.
Xometry, Inc. (XMTR - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, currently has an Earnings ESP of +66.67% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Xometry’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at 36 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year rise from 9 cents. XMTR has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 46.2%.
Ferguson Enterprises Inc. (FERG - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 10, has an Earnings ESP of +1.22% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ferguson’s second-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.23 per share. Ferguson has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 6.5%.
Roblox po změnách doporučovacího algoritmu čeká první čtvrtletní pokles bookings za čtyři roky, ve třetím čtvrtletí o 14 % až 18 % meziročně. Akcie v pátek spadly téměř o 30 %.
July 31 (Reuters) - Roblox (RBLX.N), opens new tab shares plunged nearly 30% on Friday, set for their worst one-day decline on record, after the gaming platform forecast a sharp drop in bookings, stocking concerns that recommendation algorithm changes could further pressure near-term spending.
If losses hold, Roblox is on track to erase more than $10 billion from its market value, which stood at about $34.9 billion before the selloff.
The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
Roblox said on Thursday it revamped its recommendation algorithm to prioritize games with stronger long-term retention over "cash-grabby" titles focused on short-term spending, hurting bookings as users shifted toward less-monetized experiences.
The changes led second-quarter bookings to the low end of Roblox's forecast range at $1.56 billion, with executives cautioning that monetization weakness could persist in the current quarter.
"Comparisons get tougher through August and September just as monetization is more challenged, particularly for U13 users, where we suspect parents are simply less willing to hand over highly discretionary dollars right now," analysts at Wedbush said, after downgrading the stock to neutral.
Roblox forecast its first quarterly bookings decline in four years, expecting a 14% to 18% year-over-year drop in the third quarter, compared with LSEG-compiled estimates for roughly an 8% decline.
Earlier this year, Roblox unveiled age-based accounts and age-verification features that tailor platform access and communication settings to a user's age, helping curb interactions between younger children and older users.
With these changes pressuring near-term growth, management declined to provide an updated full-year outlook for bookings, which is generated from in-game purchases of virtual currency "Robux".
Investors are also bracing for a more competitive gaming market later this year, with the launch of Take-Two's "Grand Theft Auto VI" expected to intensify the battle for player engagement and discretionary spending.
Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Zcash [ZEC] za posledních 24 hodin vzrostl o 3,2 % po úspěšném spuštění upgradu Ironwood. Upgrade opravil dříve oznámenou chybu a během 24 hodin převedl asi 176 000 ZEC.
Zcash [ZEC] gained 3.2% over the past 24 hours and is trading at $475.95 at the time of writing, outperforming a largely flat Bitcoin [BTC] after the successful rollout of its highly anticipated Ironwood network upgrade. Activated on July 28, the upgrade fixed a previously disclosed counterfeiting flaw by replacing the older Orchard shielded pool with a more secure version.
Within the first 24 hours, approximately 176,000 ZEC worth about $80 million had already moved to the new system, indicating strong early adoption and that confidence has been reinstated in the network as a whole.
With Bitcoin trading largely sideways, ZEC’s gains appear to have been driven primarily by its own network developments rather than broader market momentum. With that said, is this upgrade enough to sustain this increase?
Is ZEC’s rally the start of a reversal?
Zcash has rebounded 3.2% over the past 24 hours, but the move may not be enough to signal a broader trend reversal. On the daily chart, ZEC is trading above a long-standing support zone between $361.59 and $377, an area that has repeatedly attracted buyers since early May. While this has helped prevent a deeper decline, the token has yet to establish a convincing higher high, leaving the broader bearish structure intact.
Volume also offers little confirmation that buyers are regaining control. The On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator has remained largely flat before gradually turning lower, suggesting buying demand has been too weak to outweigh selling pressure.
Momentum indicators paint a similar picture. The MACD recently crossed below the zero line, a sign that bearish momentum continues to dominate, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains below the neutral 50 level, indicating that the recent price bounce has yet to be supported by stronger market momentum.
The four-hour chart reinforces this cautious outlook. While ZEC was trading around $474 at the time of writing after recovering over the past day, the move appears more consistent with a short-term relief rally than the start of a sustained uptrend.
OBV continues to trend lower, showing that sellers still hold the advantage despite the recent recovery. Meanwhile, the MACD crossover below the zero line, along with the RSI remaining just below the neutral 50 level, indicates that bullish momentum is still limited.
Final summary The success of the Ironwood upgrade has restored confidence in Zcash’s network, resulting in the token’s recent price increase. Unless buyers return with stronger momentum, ZEC may struggle to extend its rally and remain within its broader downtrend.
Key Takeaways Devon Energy is expected to post Q2 EPS of $1.30 on revenues of $6.3 billion.The Coterra merger is projected to lift Q2 production to 1.315-1.36 million boe/d.Debt reduction, hedging, cost discipline and buybacks may support Devon Energy's quarterly earnings. Devon Energy Corporation (DVN - Free Report) is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug 4, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is currently pegged at $1.30 per share on revenues of $6.3 billion.
The bottom-line projection indicates a 54.76% increase from the year-ago number. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues indicates a year-over-year increase of 47.02%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
DVN Stock’s Earnings Surprise HistoryDevon Energy’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 4.57%.
What the Zacks Model UnveilsOur proven model predicts a likely earnings beat for Devon Energy this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. That is the case here, as you can see below.
You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
DVN’s Earnings ESP: Devon Energy has an Earnings ESP of +0.61%.
Zacks Rank of DVN: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Some companies in the same sector also have the right combination of the two factors for an earnings beat this season are Calumet, Inc. (CLMT - Free Report) , Western Midstream Partners (WES - Free Report) and National Energy Services Reunited Corp. (NESR - Free Report) . CLMT, WES and NESR have an Earnings ESP of +169.57%, +0.33% and +7.80%, respectively. CLMT and WES currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 each, and NESR sports a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped DVN Stock’s Q2 EarningsDevon Energy completed the merger with Coterra Energy on May 7, 2026, projecting combined second-quarter production between 1.315 million and 1.36 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) compared with initial standalone production volumes in the range of 851,000-868,000 Boe per day. It is evident that the Coterra Energy acquisition will boost Devon's second-quarter production volumes. Devon, by sharing best practices with Coterra Energy, will also enjoy benefits from operating margin improvements and corporate cost reduction.
DVN’s second-quarter earnings are likely to have benefited from ongoing debt reduction initiatives. Systematic hedging, which safeguards the company from price fluctuations, will also likely be a tailwind.
Devon Energy’s disciplined cost management has helped keep operating expenses under control. Strong cash flow generation has also supported its share repurchase program, potentially providing an additional boost to quarterly earnings. Furthermore, the company’s U.S.-focused operations limit its exposure to geopolitical and regulatory uncertainties, which may have benefited its second-quarter performance.
DVN Stock’s Price PerformanceDVN shares have gained 33% in the past year compared with the Zacks Oil and Gas Exploration and Production – United States industry’s rise of 11.1%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Devon Energy’s Shares Trading at a PremiumThe company is currently valued at a discount compared with its industry on a forward 12-month cash flow. Devon Energy is trading at 4.25X compared with its industry’s 9.65X.
THORChain testuje v3.20, které má snížit nestabilitu po exploitu a odemknout soft launch Monera jako beta období. Monero je podle týmu téměř připravené, ale čeká na churn.
THORSday Community Podcast #221 ft. CBarraford, KentonC137 & Patriotsounds | July 30, 2026 | Watch the full episode on YouTube
By Raynalytics
TL;DRv3.20 is in testing, and Chad hopes it is done this week or early next. It targets the exploit's second-order mainnet instability and carries the fix that would let more affiliates onto the dynamic fee model.ADR31 passed on option 1, and ADR27 passed with it. Minimum slip is now zero bps, so the Rujira app layer can arb pools tighter than the 10 to 20 bps band arbitrageurs hold today, once Rujira's side is switched on.Monero's code is essentially ready and the churn is the blocker. Zcash probably takes the next churn, with Monero after. Chad's separate churn-removal work would not cover $XMR, which brings its own signing algorithm.The plan settled on air is to launch Monero as a soft launch, an openly labelled beta period with its length still open, on what Denny called the most complicated chain client THORChain has added.Protocol-owned liquidity should switch on with v3.20, Chad hopes, and would pick its own pools by comparing depth against revenue. Gas assets are enabled by default, while stablecoins and ERC20s each need a node vote.1. v3.20 Is in Testing, and It Takes the Post-Exploit Wobble With Itv3.20 is being tested now, and Chad hopes testing wraps this week or early next. From there, as he recalls the sequence: exchanges are notified, the release is cut, and community adoption follows roughly a week behind.
Much of the mainnet trouble since the exploit has not been the exploit itself but second-order damage from it, and v3.20 aims at that directly. Chad expects a good percentage of the instability to go away, not all of it.
The stable reserve is in the v3.20 code, but Chad wants more data analysis and simulations before he is confident in it, so he does not expect this release to activate it.
v3.20 also fixes the small bug currently gating additional affiliates on the dynamic fee model, and changes the protocol-owned liquidity Mimir from an economic setting to an operational one.
2. ADR31 and ADR27 Pass, and Minimum Slip Drops to ZeroDenny opened the show wearing a celebratory hat for what he called his Rujira boys: ADR31 passed on option 1, which last week's recap covered as continuing the Rujira relationship as it stands. Denny's read was that the nodes are overwhelmingly excited for the app layer.
ADR27, which passed alongside it, is the one with immediate mechanical consequences. Minimum slip is now zero bps. Arbitrageurs currently pull pools to within roughly 10 to 20 bps on either side of market, and with the floor gone, the app layer can push them as close to zero as is reasonably possible once Rujira's arbing code is switched on. Chad's understanding is that roughly half the income earned doing it would route back to the base protocol.
The dynamic fee model currently discounts swaps partly to absorb slippage. Take the slippage out and Chad thinks THORChain could raise its prices and theoretically hold the same volume.
CodeHans told him it would be done toward the end of the week.
"He's a dev like I'm a dev. So sometimes our timelines aren't exactly on point." (Chad)Chad expects a week or two after it flips on before the effect is readable. Rujira also posted its highest trade volume day on record the day of recording, though Denny did not have the figure to hand. Live ADR vote counts sit on Ray's governance tracker on raynalytics.net.
3. Chad Wants Chain Launches to Stop Waiting on a ChurnMonero is, in Chad's words, pretty much ready to go. THORChain has not been able to churn for a while because of the instability around the exploit, and both Zcash and Monero need a churn to launch.
So Chad started writing a code change to take the churn out of adding a chain, with one carve-out: he said a chain bringing a new signing algorithm would still need a churn, and $XMR is exactly that. The change removes the churn for ordinary chains that reuse an algorithm THORChain already has.
The churn is fragile: every node has to be online and communicating inside a reasonable window, and one node fumbling it forces a retry. THORChain churns every three days, while Chainflip does it roughly once every seven months.
It also gets more fragile as THORChain grows. Every added chain is another way for a churn to fail, since a broken Litecoin means no transactions and no churn. Every added signing algorithm is another key: Monero needs its own private key, making three instead of two, DKLS would be a fourth, and Schnorr a fifth.
"If we lean towards the more secure route, we'll also lean towards a less reliability route. Those two things kind of push against each other." (Chad)The insight underneath the change: you need one key per signing algorithm, not one per chain. From one public key you can derive an address on any chain sharing the same algorithm. Chad's illustration was the TON chain: if it uses an algorithm THORChain already holds a key for, and he guessed EdDSA without being sure, the network could derive a TON address today with none of the TON code written.
Chad rates the work as mid, not a lot of code but a lot of thinking, architecture and edge cases. The branch is most of the way through and needs a large amount of testing.
Zcash probably takes the next churn, unless stagenet testing turns up something significant. Monero follows.
4. Monero Gets a Soft LaunchKenton has been flip-flopping on when to push Monero: promote it at launch and ride the momentum, or wait two months for the pool to stabilize and risk losing that window.
Denny's answer was to announce it and be honest that there could be bugs. Chad supplied the phrase that settled it: soft launch. A beta period, caution advised, in a term everyone already understands.
Denny called this the most complicated chain client THORChain has added, and the team has been testing it for over a month.
"This is the jungle. No one's ever done this." (Denny)Monero locks UTXOs, and Chad was not sure whether the lock runs 20 blocks or about 20 minutes. Either way, no other chain THORChain supports does it. He thinks THORChain consolidates once it holds more than 8 or 13 UTXOs and would have to check the code to confirm what Monero does by default, but applying the same logic there would lock all those funds at once, and an outbound could arrive with nothing spendable behind it.
He said the existing logic might be good enough. If it is not, his fallback is lazy UTXO consolidation: cap how many UTXOs a single spend may use, then work through successive batches until there is enough.
Chad expects arbitrage not to be the worry, since it happens mostly internally rather than on the layer 1. Organic volume is. Worst case is a backlog of outbound transactions, which THORChain Swap could reflect in its outbound time estimate. He thinks that is more likely than not, and would still rather let the network's own data name the real problem than build for it now.
On wallets, Trezor support is now live on THORChain Swap and open for testing, prioritized partly because Kenton called it one of the more popular Monero wallets.
Denny's longer ambition is that THORChain becomes Monero's center of liquidity and sets the real price of $XMR. Chad put a floor of six months on that, probably more, and listed what it needs: chain stability, depth in the pools, and more wallets integrating. He would not call it crazy. Continued $XMR delistings from centralized exchanges only make the case easier.
5. Protocol-Owned Liquidity Returns, and It Picks Its Own PoolsPOL should kick in with v3.20, Chad hopes, since its Mimir moved from economic to operational. He believes that makes it votable but would have to check the code to verify. If it is, Kenton noted, nodes could vote it on and back off if they disagreed. The percentage then goes to a node vote: 5%, 20%, 80%, whatever the community sets.
POL compares a pool's depth against its revenue and favors low depth and high revenue over deep and quiet. It is self-correcting, because as a pool deepens, clearing that revenue-to-depth bar gets harder and the allocation moves on.
Chad does not think anyone can add liquidity to the Bitcoin pool, protocol or otherwise, so $BTC and some other assets would not be eligible.
"I want the liquidity to go to Solana, Zcash and Monero, to build those smaller pools. Bitcoin's got enough." (Chad)Gas assets are enabled by default. Non-gas assets are not, deliberately: Chad did not want protocol income automatically invested into every ERC20 on the network. Stablecoins and specific ERC20s would each need a node vote. He expects $USDC and $USDT to pass without argument, while a more divisive token would draw real debate. Kenton flagged TRON $USDT as one he wants moving.
Chad thinks the allocation runs daily but was not certain without rechecking the code. He expects Solana or Monero to take the early allocations, assuming Monero carries the highest volume in its opening days.
The treasury typically seeds a new pool with about $100k. Kenton asked whether Monero warrants more; Chad said probably not, especially with POL there to supplement, and it is the treasury's call. Kenton's firm ask was that POL be on before Monero goes live.
https://raynalytics.net/dashboards/dynamic-fees6. Dynamic Fees Add Another 0.7% at ShapeShiftShapeShift is still the only affiliate with dynamic fees switched on. Maybe one or two more follow once v3.20 lands, which Chad expects in a week or two.
Chad went back for a baseline. In May, 5.6% of ShapeShift's total swap volume routed to THORChain, with the vast majority of the rest going to Chainflip. June came in around the same 5 to 6%, though he called June a weak data source given how much of it THORChain spent offline after the exploit. The two months agree, which he called consistent.
Last week's July figure was significantly up, but Chad suspected an anomalous $RUNE trader sat inside it, so he pulled a fresh chart with one more week of data. On that longer read, THORChain's share is up another 0.7%, with NEAR Intents and Chainflip down 0.7%. He called it not very much, slightly up rather than significant.
The sample is small, deliberately: Chad puts ShapeShift at roughly $5 million a month in volume, and THORChain picked it rather than testing an experimental feature on SwapKit or another large affiliate first.
7. ADR29 Rev-Share, and Why SwapKit Would Get the ExperimentADR29 would let a partner take a percentage of THORChain's fees instead of charging its own affiliate fee on top. The vote is still in progress.
Kenton relayed Scorch's questions from the governance discussion as he remembered them: could this be net negative? Why give away fees, and what is the proof it worked?
Kenton answered in two parts. For new providers the math is trivial, because their current volume is zero, so anything they bring is additive. For existing partners he agreed with the objection: hand rev-share to the partners THORChain already has and revenue drops 10 to 20% instantly. He does not think they should.
SwapKit is the proposed exception, mechanically rather than sentimentally. Under the design, it would not keep the rev-share: it would put the money into discounting future trades, which is the dynamic fee model again, pushed out from the core of the protocol to the edge where the real-time information is better. Chad's condition for any existing partner is a number attached.
"If we give you 20%, we want to see 30% improvements or something like this." (Chad)Nobody knows the answer, SwapKit included, which is why he calls it an experiment: small, low risk to the protocol, and switched off if it does not work. He wants community approval before trying it. He also likes a side effect: a working rev-share would make SwapKit reliant on THORChain, because Chainflip and NEAR Intents do not currently offer the same thing.
8. Why an Engaged Community Beats a Bigger Market CapAn audience question asked why $TAO is being lined up ahead of $HYPE, $TON or $LINK, if bigger assets mean more volume.
Kenton accepted market cap and volume as a starting point. What matters more is whether the chain's community is engaged and wants to be on THORChain, because that community brings volume with it. Bittensor is engaged, and $TAO is not listed on any other DEX, which would make THORChain the first. Add a large cap whose users are indifferent, Hyperliquid being his example, and he expects little more than some traders and some arb volume.
Same for the smaller privacy coins: Dash, Firo and Zano all have communities that want in, and Kenton expects more activity from those engaged communities than from randomly added tokens.
Chad's read matched. Zcash was added because competitors were doing real volume in it, which is the market telling you the value is there. Monero was added because it is Monero. $TAO has real support behind it, if not quite as much.
"It's not an exact science. You just kind of lick your finger and put it up in the air to get a vibe check to decide what's next." (Chad)Chad added that the process is not political, and market cap is one attribute among several. Kenton expects $HYPE, $TON and $LINK eventually, and said he and StarSquid both want a lot more chains. The churn has been holding the queue up.
9. Chad's Plan to Put Huginn on Mainnet WatchTwo Huginn threads, both early.
The first is documentation. Chad has just started wiring it up: Huginn will read the docs against the codebase and open a code change when it finds a discrepancy, so the docs stop drifting behind fast-moving code.
The second he has wanted for a long time and kept deferring behind the dynamic fee model. A model cannot watch mainnet in real time, because it is too much data and would cost far too much, which Chad called completely impractical. So in his design, mathematical heuristics would do the watching and post to Discord when something looks anomalous, whether slow block times, strange prices or odd logs. Huginn would read that channel, open a thread on the event, run a deep analysis, and post its report where developers, node operators and community members all see the same data at the same time.
Chad named the failure mode: false positives. His example was Huginn hallucinating that the Bitcoin pool is empty, with a co-host adding the Dev Discord screenshot landing on Twitter while the pool sits perfectly fine. The thread is the mitigation, because technical node operators can look and say so publicly. He does not think false positives can ever be eliminated, since today's AI is non-deterministic in much the way humans are.
Huginn does already re-audit. Whenever a new model ships, Chad points it at the codebases again, and it re-reviews any file changed since its last pass and opens a GitLab issue when it finds something significant.
Separately, THORChain is working on being legible to AI agents. A community question about the Robinhood talks brought it up, and Kenton pointed to Robinhood's agent-facing interface: he said IBEC, who works on THORChain Swap with Unstoppable Wallet, could build something comparable. Chad has a developer assigned to AI work and handed over the MCP server code he wrote for Badlands, an unlaunched THORChain project, which already reads THORNode and Midgard data. He is asking for community ideas, on Discord rather than Twitter or Telegram, and floated an online AI developer conference with $RUNE for the top three entries.
What to Watchv3.20 shipping: testing wraps this week or early next, Chad hopes, then exchanges are notified, the release is cut, and community adoption follows about a week behind, he thinks. Maybe one or two more affiliates join the dynamic fee model once it lands, which would finally give it a larger sample.Zcash first, Monero second: Zcash probably takes the next churn, unless stagenet testing turns up something significant, then Monero as an openly labelled soft-launch beta.POL's percentage: if v3.20 turns POL on as hoped, a node vote sets the allocation percentage, with likely follow-up votes to enable stablecoins and specific ERC20s.ADR29 and TOR anchors: both votes are still in progress. If the community approves ADR29, watch the SwapKit trial against Chad's condition of returning more than it costs, with a switch-off if it misses. On TOR anchors, adding more stablecoins for valuing TOR, his default is yes.Huginn's mainnet watch: still a design rather than a deployment. Expect false positives when it does land, since Chad does not think they can be eliminated.Possible Bitcoin forks, and a Discord gap: Kenton flagged talk of one or two Bitcoin forks, his read being that they concern data and ordinals in blocks, which he put at about half right. As the code stands, forked coins in THORChain's Bitcoin pool would most likely be burned, and Chad would only spend engineering time rescuing them if the amount justifies it. Separately, the community Discord is closing with a few channels expected in the dev Discord, so THORChain Swap ticket support may pause for a week or two.Next up: Depouch joins on Saturday. Next Thursday is a Rujira focus with Pragmatic Monkey and CodeHans while Chad is on vacation.More THORChain data, check out raynalytics.net
Follow Raynalytics for more Weekly Analytics and Podcast recaps.
Franklin Resources (BEN) ve 3. čtvrtletí vydělal 0,72 USD na akcii a tržby dosáhly 2,36 miliardy USD, obojí nad odhady. Zisk i tržby tak překonaly konsensus.
Franklin Resources (BEN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.66 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.49 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +9.09%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this investment manager would post earnings of $0.55 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.71, delivering a surprise of +29.09%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Franklin Resources, which belongs to the Zacks Financial - Investment Management industry, posted revenues of $2.36 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.11%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.06 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Franklin Resources shares have added about 38.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.7%.
What's Next for Franklin Resources?While Franklin Resources has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Franklin Resources was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.74 on $2.36 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.81 on $9.26 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Financial - Investment Management is currently in the top 26% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Capital Southwest (CSWC - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 3.
This business development company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.55 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.2% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.
Capital Southwest's revenues are expected to be $60.4 million, up 8% from the year-ago quarter.
Franklin Resources vykázala ve 3. fiskálním čtvrtletí čisté dlouhodobé přílivy ve výši 18,4 mld. USD a rekordní aktiva pod správou ve výši 1,8 bilionu USD. Upravený provozní zisk vzrostl meziročně o 35 % na 508,9 mil. USD.
3 of the Most Highly Anticipated IPOs of 2026Franklin Resources NYSE: BEN reported positive long-term net inflows across every asset class and geography during its fiscal third quarter ended June 30, 2026, as the asset manager cited broad demand for public markets, private markets, exchange-traded funds and customized portfolio solutions.
Chief Executive Officer Jenny Johnson said the company generated $18.4 billion of long-term net inflows in the quarter, bringing fiscal year-to-date long-term net inflows to $63.3 billion. Long-term inflows reached a record $122 billion, while assets under management rose to a record $1.8 trillion.
Get Franklin Resources alerts:
Safe Space? 3 Dividend Aristocrats With 5% Yield “This was another strong quarter for Franklin Templeton that demonstrated our strategy is working,” Johnson said, pointing to positive flows across all asset classes and geographies and record assets in alternatives, ETFs, retail separately managed accounts and Canvas, its custom portfolio platform.
Private-Market Fundraising Exceeds Original Target Alternatives AUM reached a record $294 billion after $3 billion of realizations and distributions. The company raised $11.8 billion across its alternatives platform during the quarter, including $10.3 billion in private markets. Fiscal year-to-date fundraising totaled $33 billion, exceeding Franklin’s original full-year private-markets fundraising target of $25 billion to $30 billion.
Johnson said the company expects to end the fiscal year with about $40 billion in private-markets fundraising. She said Lexington Partners accounted for roughly 40% of quarterly private-markets fundraising, with contributions from its flagship, middle-market, continuation and perpetual strategies. However, she emphasized that more than 30 strategies across secondaries, real estate, private credit and venture capital contributed to fundraising.
Franklin’s Evergreen platform, which includes secondary private equity, private credit and real estate strategies for wealth-management clients, grew to $8.9 billion in AUM. Wealth management represented about 20% of private-markets fundraising year to date across Evergreen and drawdown vehicles.
Co-President and Chief Commercial Officer Daniel Gamba said the wealth channel raised $3 billion for alternative strategies during the quarter and $6.6 billion year to date. He added that 29% of alternative sales came from international markets, including 18% from Europe and the Middle East and 11% from Asia-Pacific.
Public Markets and Credit Platform Draw Inflows Equities returned to positive net flows of $2 billion, supported by demand for U.S. large-cap value and core, international equity, infrastructure and systematic strategies. The global fixed-income platform posted $2.6 billion in net inflows, driven by enhanced liquidity, municipal, multi-sector and stable-value strategies, as well as customized institutional mandates.
Excluding Western Asset, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income reported its 10th consecutive quarter of positive net flows, totaling $3.5 billion. Johnson said Franklin is integrating its liquid and private credit capabilities more closely, with $520 billion in fixed-income AUM and more than $100 billion in private-credit AUM.
Gamba said the company won a U.S. public-pension multi-asset credit mandate and is participating in additional requests for proposals. Franklin has also repositioned a target-date strategy, Retirement Advantage Plus, to include between 2% and 8% in private real estate and private credit, he said.
Multi-asset solutions generated $4.7 billion of positive net flows, led by Canvas, the Franklin Income Fund and Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions.
ETF, SMA and Canvas Businesses Set Records Franklin’s ETF business ended the quarter with a record $75.6 billion in AUM and $7.1 billion in net inflows. Active ETFs accounted for 61% of ETF net flows, according to Johnson.
Retail SMA AUM reached $187.6 billion after $4.4 billion of net inflows. Canvas, which provides custom portfolio and tax-overlay capabilities, reached $30.3 billion in AUM and recorded $3.7 billion of net inflows.
Johnson said Canvas has expanded from $2 billion in AUM when Franklin acquired it to $30 billion. Gamba said the platform added 26 partners during the quarter, bringing its total to 220. The company also introduced a preferred-partner program that allows strategic partners to use Canvas’s tax-overlay technology with their active investment strategies.
Profitability, Capital Returns and Corporate Name Change Adjusted operating income was $508.9 million, up 7% sequentially and 35% from a year earlier. Johnson attributed the increase to higher average AUM, expense management and efficiency initiatives.
Chief Financial Officer Matt Nicholls said Franklin expects its effective fee rate to remain in the mid-to-high 37 basis-point range in the fiscal fourth quarter. The company expects to be near a 30% operating margin in the fourth quarter and at least in the mid-27% range for fiscal 2026. Nicholls said Franklin expects a full-year operating margin of roughly 29% to 30% in fiscal 2027, assuming flat markets.
The company returned $521.5 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $348.1 million in share repurchases. Nicholls said the repurchase total included an opportunistic transaction with Great-West Lifeco, which sold more than 1% of Franklin’s outstanding shares above its previously disclosed 4.9% long-term strategic investment.
Franklin also said it will change its corporate name from Franklin Resources Inc. to Franklin Templeton Inc. effective Aug. 17, 2026. The company said the change will not affect its capital structure, shares, CUSIP number or shareholder rights, and its stock will continue trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the BEN ticker.
Digital Assets and AI Investments Digital-asset AUM ended the quarter at $3.2 billion, including $2.4 billion in tokenized funds and about $600 million in crypto ETFs. Franklin completed its acquisition of 250 Digital, launched Franklin Crypto, and announced partnerships with MoonPay and Payward, Kraken’s parent company, to expand access to tokenized investment products.
Johnson said Franklin’s Microsoft-supported Intelligence Hub has helped territories increase client visits or contacts by 25% and sales by more than 11%. The company is also using artificial intelligence across investment research, operations, marketing, risk management and other functions, while tracking the costs and expected productivity benefits of its AI initiatives.
About Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN)Franklin Resources, Inc, doing business as Franklin Templeton, is a global investment management organization that offers a wide range of asset management solutions to institutional and individual investors. The firm's core focus is on delivering active portfolio management across equities, fixed income, multi-asset strategies and alternative investments. Franklin Templeton's product lineup includes mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds, separately managed accounts and sub-advisory services designed to meet varying risk-return objectives and income needs.
Founded in 1947 by Rupert H.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Franklin Resources Right Now?Before you consider Franklin Resources, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Franklin Resources wasn't on the list.
While Franklin Resources currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Learn the basics of options trading and how to use them to boost returns and manage risk with this free report from MarketBeat. Click the link below to get your free copy.
T. Rowe Price ve 2. čtvrtletí 2026 zvýšila upravený zředěný EPS na 2,57 USD z 2,24 USD před rokem. Aktiva ve správě dosáhla 1,9 bilionu USD, ale čisté odlivy činily 6,5 miliardy USD.
Worried About a Fading Rally? Consider These 3 Dividend StocksT. Rowe Price Group NASDAQ: TROW reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.57, up from $2.52 in the first quarter and $2.24 a year earlier, as higher average assets under management and investment advisory revenue outweighed increased expenses.
The asset manager ended the quarter with $1.9 trillion in assets under management and $6.5 billion in net outflows. Chair and CEO Rob Sharps said markets rebounded during the quarter after a difficult beginning to the year, while fundamental active equity strategies remained under pressure. He said the company expects that pressure to continue in the second half of 2026.
Get T. Rowe Price Group alerts:
10-year yield is below 4.5%...these dividend growth yields aren’tHowever, T. Rowe Price recorded positive flows in May and June, including a large defined-contribution investment-only mandate for its hybrid target-date series in May and a large sub-advisory mandate in research and integrated equity strategies in June. The company also reported positive client flows in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as Asia-Pacific.
Revenue Growth and Expense Outlook Chief Financial Officer Jen Dardis said adjusted net revenue was $1.9 billion in the second quarter, increasing 2.7% from the first quarter and 8.5% from the prior-year period. Investment advisory revenue totaled $1.7 billion, rising from both comparison periods on higher AUM.
The company’s annualized effective fee rate, excluding performance-based fees, declined to 38.1 basis points from 38.4 basis points in the first quarter. Dardis attributed the continuing fee-rate pressure to asset and vehicle mix changes, client demand for lower-fee strategies and vehicles, and redemptions from higher-fee equity strategies and mutual funds.
Adjusted operating expenses were $1.2 billion, up 4.2% sequentially and 4.9% year over year. The increase reflected higher market-driven costs, product and record-keeping expenses, and nonrecurring general and administrative costs. Higher technology, occupancy and facilities expenses also contributed to the year-over-year increase, partly offset by savings initiatives.
Based on average AUM and revenue trends in the first half, T. Rowe Price now expects full-year adjusted operating expenses, excluding carried-interest expense, to rise 4% to 7% from 2025’s $4.6 billion. Dardis said the company intends to continue investing in ETFs, separately managed accounts, outcome-oriented products, advice-led offerings and artificial intelligence while aiming to keep controllable expense growth in the low single digits.
During the quarter, T. Rowe Price repurchased $157 million of stock, bringing year-to-date repurchases to more than $497 million, or nearly 2.5% of shares outstanding. The company ended the quarter with 213.3 million shares outstanding and $4.4 billion in cash and discretionary investments.
Strategic Focus on ETFs, SMAs and Alternatives Sharps said T. Rowe Price is pursuing growth across fixed income, alternatives, ETFs, SMAs and direct platforms, while continuing to support its active equity franchise. Direct active equity accounts for about $900 billion of the company’s AUM, he said, and remains important despite continued outflows.
The company’s integrated equity and fixed-income strategies, which combine fundamental research and quantitative insights, represent about $200 billion in AUM and generated $16 billion in net inflows year to date. T. Rowe Price launched two lower-tracking-error active core equity ETFs earlier this year.
The ETF platform expanded to 34 funds with $30 billion in AUM, including $4.4 billion of net inflows during the second quarter. In June, the company launched the T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Market Opportunities ETF. In mid-July, it launched the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF, an actively managed multi-token exchange-traded product and the firm’s first non-investment-company ETF.
Sharps said the pace of U.S. ETF launches is expected to slow as the firm focuses more heavily on scaling its existing lineup. He identified ETF use as building blocks in wealth-management model portfolios as a major opportunity. President, Co-Head of Global Investments and CIO Eric Veiel added that the company is building relationships with technology providers and platforms to expand its reach in both customized and off-the-shelf models.
The separately managed account business included 43 products and $20 billion in AUM at quarter-end. Sharps said the company was a late entrant to the market but has placed strategies with 35 sponsors and plans to launch its own tax-efficiency capability with a vendor partner.
T. Rowe Price also advanced its alliance with Goldman Sachs. The firms launched the T. Rowe Price Goldman Sachs Private Markets Fund, their first interval fund collaboration, on July 1. A public-private equity interval fund is in registration and expected to launch later this year. Sharps said the firms have also launched five model portfolios that are approaching $500 million in AUM.
Investment Results and Second-Half Flows Veiel said more than half of T. Rowe Price funds outperformed their Morningstar peer groups over one-, three- and 10-year periods, while 44% outperformed over five years. On an asset-weighted basis, 79% of funds outperformed over 10 years, compared with 44%, 57% and 43% over one, three and five years, respectively.
Fixed-income performance was stronger on an asset-weighted basis, with more than 75% of funds outperforming in each reported period. Veiel highlighted global multi-sector, institutional floating-rate and several municipal strategies for top-quartile three-, five- and 10-year results.
Sharps cautioned that net flows will become “meaningfully more challenging” in the second half. He cited continued active-equity outflows, the absence of the large mandates that supported first-half results, expected portfolio rebalancing away from equities after market gains, and a late-stage lull in the target-date pipeline.
Still, he said the company expects 2026 to be a record year for gross flows, supported by client demand across lower-tracking-error strategies, active ETFs, fixed income, alternatives and international markets.
About T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ:TROW)T. Rowe Price Group, Inc is a global investment management firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, founded by Thomas Rowe Price Jr. in 1937. The company provides a broad range of investment products and services for individual investors, financial intermediaries, retirement plan sponsors and institutional clients. Its offerings are built around active investment management and in-house research across equity, fixed income and multi-asset strategies, reflecting a long history as a research-driven asset manager.
The firm's product lineup includes mutual funds, separate accounts, collective investment trusts, target-date and target-risk funds, and managed account solutions, as well as services for defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in T. Rowe Price Group Right Now?Before you consider T. Rowe Price Group, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and T. Rowe Price Group wasn't on the list.
While T. Rowe Price Group currently has a Reduce rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 31, 2026 8:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Linsley Carruth - Director of Investor Relations
Robert Sharps - CEO & Chair of the Board
Jen Dardis - CFO & Treasurer
Eric Veiel - President, Co-Head of Global Investments & Chief Investment Officer
Conference Call Participants
William Katz - TD Cowen, Research Division
Michael Cyprys - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Glenn Schorr - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
Alexander Blostein - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Daniel Fannon - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Benjamin Budish - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Alexander Bond - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division
Patrick Davitt - Autonomous Research US LP
Y. Cho - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good morning. My name is Howard, and I will be your conference facilitator today. Welcome to T. Rowe Price's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this call is being recorded and will be available for replay on T. Rowe Price's website shortly after the call concludes. I will now turn the call over to Linsley Carruth, T. Rowe Price's Director of Investor Relations.
Linsley Carruth
Director of Investor Relations
Hello, and thank you for joining us today for our second quarter earnings call. The press release and the supplemental materials document can be found on our IR website at investors.troweprice.com. Today's call will last approximately 45 minutes. We'll start the call with our Chair and CEO, Rob Sharps; CFO, Jen Dardis; and President, Co-Head of Global Investments and CIO, Eric Veiel, discussing the company's results. Then we'll open it up to your questions. We ask that you limit it to one question per participant.
I'd like to remind you that during the course of this call, we may make a number of forward-looking statements and
For the quarter ended June 2026, VALE S.A. (VALE - Free Report) reported revenue of $10.5 billion, up 19.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.36, compared to $0.50 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.4 billion, representing a surprise of +0.9%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -12.2%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.41.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how VALE performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Volume sold in tons - Pellets: 7,748.00 Kmt versus 7,791.80 Kmt estimated by two analysts on average.Volume sold in tons - Nickel: 44.00 Kmt compared to the 43.45 Kmt average estimate based on two analysts.Volume sold in tons - Fins: 69,946.00 Kmt compared to the 69,883.47 Kmt average estimate based on two analysts.Volume sold in tons - ROM: 2,053.00 Kmt compared to the 1,995.24 Kmt average estimate based on two analysts.Volume sold in tons - Copper: 78.00 Kmt versus the two-analyst average estimate of 96.43 Kmt.Average Price - Iron ore pellets realized price: $137.00 compared to the $136.00 average estimate based on two analysts.C1 cash cost - Iron ore fins - excluding third-party purchase costs: $24.10 versus $24.80 estimated by two analysts on average.Revenue- Vale Base Metals: $2.61 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.61 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +41.8%.Revenue- Iron ore solutions- fines: $6.64 billion compared to the $6.69 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.3% year over year.Revenue- Vale Base Metals- Copper: $1.56 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.53 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +96.1%.Revenue- Vale Base Metals- Nickel: $1.24 billion versus $1.23 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +88.9% change.Revenue- Iron ore solution- Pellets: $1.06 billion versus $1.02 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.8% change.View all Key Company Metrics for VALE here>>>
Shares of VALE have remained unchanged over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.
Rivian Automotive, Inc. (RIVN) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 30, 2026 5:00 PM EDT
Company Participants
Robert Scaringe - Founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board
Claire McDonough - Chief Financial Officer
Javier Varela - Chief Operations Officer
Conference Call Participants
Mark Delaney - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
George Gianarikas - Canaccord Genuity Corp., Research Division
Shreyas Patil - Wolfe Research, LLC
Rajat Gupta - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Itay Michaeli - TD Cowen, Research Division
Joseph Spak - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Dan Levy - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Andrew Percoco - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Christopher Pierce - Needham & Company, LLC, Research Division
Philippe Houchois - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us for Rivian's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. Today, I'm joined by RJ Scaringe, our CEO and Founder; Claire McDonough, our Chief Financial Officer; and Javier Varela, our Chief Operations Officer.
Before we begin, matters discussed on this call, including comments and responses to questions, reflect management's views as of today. We will also be making statements related to our business, operations and financial performance that may be considered forward-looking statements under federal securities law. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are described in our SEC filings and the earnings presentation we filed with the SEC today.
During this call, we will discuss both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of historical non-GAAP to GAAP financial measures is provided in our earnings presentation and press release. Just before the earnings call, we posted our earnings presentation, which includes an overview of our progress over the recent months. I encourage you to read it for additional details around some of the items we will cover on today's call.
Ballard Power Systems vykázala ve 2. čtvrtletí ztrátu 0,07 USD na akcii, oproti odhadu ztráty 0,04 USD. Výnosy 20,6 mil. USD také zaostaly za odhady o 23,62 %.
Ballard Power Systems (BLDP - Free Report) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.07 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.04. This compares to a loss of $0.08 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -75.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this fuel cell technology company would post a loss of $0.06 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.04, delivering a surprise of +33.33%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Ballard, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, posted revenues of $20.6 million for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 23.62%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $17.84 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Ballard shares have added about 9.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.7%.
What's Next for Ballard?While Ballard has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Ballard was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is -$0.05 on $37.83 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$0.16 on $125.15 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Utility - Electric Power is currently in the bottom 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Avista (AVA - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 3.
This utility is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -17.7%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Avista's revenues are expected to be $419.2 million, up 2% from the year-ago quarter.
Robinhood Chain se od poloviny července více než ztrojnásobil a tokenizované akcie na něm dosáhly zhruba 70 milionů USD. Nejpopulárnější byly GameStop, Nvidia a SpaceX s objemem asi 47 milionů USD.
Robinhood (HOOD -1.13%), the online brokerage that popularized commission-free trades, launched its own blockchain, Robinhood Chain, on July 1. Robinhood wanted its investors to trade tokenized stocks on the blockchain, but meme coins dominated most of its early trading.
However, Robinhood's investors gradually pivoted toward tokenized stocks over the following weeks. According to DefiLlama, real-world assets (RWAs) on Robinhood Chain -- including tokenized stocks -- reached about $70 million by late July.
Image source: Getty Images.
The entire blockchain has more than tripled in size since mid-July, and a dozen tokenized stocks now exceed $500,000 in daily trading volume. The most popular tokenized stocks during the month included GameStop, Nvidia, and SpaceX, which had a combined trading volume of approximately $47 million. Could the growth of this blockchain be a game changer for Robinhood's stock?
Why are tokenized stocks better than traditional stocks? When a stock is tokenized, it becomes a digital token on a blockchain, allowing it to be traded much faster than traditional stocks without any middlemen. Those tokens can be traded 24/7, easily split into fractional shares, seamlessly flow across international borders, and are easily integrated into decentralized finance (DeFi) applications through smart contracts.
Blockchains are also public ledgers that enable the secure, real-time audit of a tokenized stock's ownership and transaction history. Those features reduce the risk of settlement failures, administrative fraud, and hidden discrepancies.
Today's Change
(
-1.13
%) $
-0.98
Current Price
$
85.62
Why does Robinhood Chain widen Robinhood's moat? Robinhood Chain bridges the gap between DeFi applications and traditional finance (TradFi) platforms. Larger brokerages and banks are also trying to bridge that gap with tokenized assets, but they're mainly dabbling in bonds and Treasuries rather than jumping straight into stocks.
Robinhood's early mover advantage in tokenized stocks could widen its moat against larger competitors. It also increases the stickiness of its ecosystem by locking its users into a single closed loop for trading stocks and cryptocurrencies, earning yields from tokens, and accessing decentralized apps without external wallets, bridges, or other crypto exchanges. Its tokenized stocks could help it reach more overseas users, who want to invest in U.S. stocks without going through expensive cross-border brokerages, and keep its trading momentum going around the clock even after the markets close.
Therefore, the growth of Robinhood Chain could be a game changer for the company and make it even more appealing than traditional brokerages over the long term. It could also support its expansion and evolution into a more diversified fintech and digital banking platform.
Agree Realty ve druhém čtvrtletí investovala přes 500 milionů USD, což je rekord, a zvýšila celoroční investiční výhled na 1,6 až 1,8 miliardy USD. Zároveň zvedla výhled AFFO na akcii na 4,57 až 4,59 USD.
3 Stocks to Buy After Heavy Insider BuyingAgree Realty NYSE: ADC reported record second-quarter investment activity and raised its full-year outlook, citing strong acquisition, development and portfolio performance.
President and CEO Joey Agree said the company invested more than $500 million across its three external growth platforms during the quarter, calling it a company record. The investment activity included $451 million of acquisitions involving 82 retail net-lease assets, along with development and developer funding platform activity.
Get Agree Realty alerts:
“The combination of real estate attributes, credit composition, and lease terms similarly represent the highest quality quarter in our company’s history,” Agree said.
Guidance Raised as Investment Pipeline Expands The company raised its full-year 2026 investment-volume guidance to a range of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion. At the midpoint, the updated range exceeds the company’s investment activity last year and represents a 24% increase from its initial guidance for 2026, according to Agree.
Agree Realty also increased its full-year adjusted funds from operations, or AFFO, per-share guidance to $4.57 to $4.59. The midpoint was raised by $0.02 and implies nearly 6% year-over-year growth, CFO Peter Coughenour said.
Core FFO per share was $1.13 in the second quarter, up 7.5% from a year earlier. AFFO per share was $1.14, an increase of 7.4% year over year.
Coughenour said the updated outlook reflects higher investment activity and continued portfolio strength. The company now assumes 25 basis points of credit and occupancy loss for the year, at the low end of its prior 25-to-50-basis-point range. Through the first half of the year, Agree Realty experienced 10 basis points of fully loaded credit and occupancy loss.
Acquisitions Emphasized Retail Credit and Ground Leases Second-quarter acquisitions were concentrated in sectors including auto parts, home improvement, grocery, farm and rural supply, and convenience stores. Notable investments included three Walmart Supercenter ground leases in Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin; a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Oregon; BP-branded travel centers; and a Home Depot ground lease in New Hampshire.
The acquired assets carried a weighted-average capitalization rate of 7% and a weighted-average lease term of 11.2 years. Investment-grade retailers accounted for more than 73% of annualized base rent acquired during the quarter, while ground leases represented approximately 13.5% of acquired annualized base rent.
Agree said the company has not seen material changes in competitive bidding conditions or cap rates, which he said have remained within a relatively consistent range for about three years. He attributed the company’s ability to acquire higher-credit assets without sacrificing yield to its retailer relationships, internal team and ability to offer multiple transaction structures.
Regarding the approximately $75 million BP transaction, Agree said the assets are large-format travel centers backed by BP North America, which carries an A-minus credit rating. He said the properties are generally located near interstate exits and feature long-term leases with significant escalations.
Ground leases accounted for more than 10% of Agree Realty’s annualized base rent at quarter-end. Agree described them as among his preferred risk-adjusted opportunities because the tenant has typically funded the building while the company owns the land. If a tenant leaves, the building reverts to the landowner, he said.
Development Activity Reaches Record Level The company commenced five development and developer funding projects during the quarter, with anticipated costs of about $88 million. The projects included its seventh and eighth 7-Eleven locations under construction, three Ross Dress for Less sites, two Burlington locations and three TJX concepts.
Through June 30, Agree Realty had commenced more than $105 million of projects, more than three times the volume in the prior-year period. It had 20 projects completed or under construction in the first half, representing roughly $200 million of committed capital.
The company is pursuing a medium-term goal of $250 million in annual development and developer funding platform commencements. Agree said there is a “50/50 shot” that the company reaches that target this year, subject to diligence and timing, and that management would set a new goal if it reaches the target ahead of schedule.
Agree said the development effort centers on tenants already represented in its portfolio, though the company may selectively develop for new tenants. The company continues to focus on off-price retail and large-format convenience stores, he said.
Portfolio Occupancy, Liquidity and Capital Position Agree Realty sold 14 properties during the quarter for approximately $30 million in gross proceeds at a weighted-average cap rate of 7%. The dispositions primarily included three Goodyear locations and four Advance Auto Parts stores. Agree said the properties were non-investment-grade assets with roughly 6.9 years of remaining lease term.
The company executed new leases, extensions or options on about 760,000 square feet during the quarter, producing a recapture rate of approximately 105%. Occupancy increased 10 basis points sequentially to 99.8%, matching a company record.
At quarter-end, the portfolio comprised 2,825 properties in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly two-thirds of the portfolio was investment grade, while 268 ground leases accounted for more than 10% of annualized base rent.
Year-to-date capital markets activity exceeded $1 billion. During the quarter, the company sold about 400,000 shares of forward equity for approximately $31 million in net proceeds and settled about 4.3 million shares of existing forward equity for nearly $315 million.
Agree Realty ended the quarter with approximately $1.9 billion of liquidity, including cash, forward equity and more than $750 million available under its revolving credit facility, net of commercial-paper borrowings. Pro forma for the settlement of outstanding forward equity, net debt to recurring EBITDA was approximately 3.7 times.
The company also said it has $300 million of forward-starting swaps in place, effectively fixing the base rate for a contemplated 10-year unsecured debt issuance at about 4.1%. Coughenour said the company could issue 10-year debt in the low-5% range based on current conditions and its swaps.
Agree Realty increased its monthly common dividend to $0.267 per share for April through June, equivalent to an annualized dividend of more than $3.20 per share. The dividend represented a 4.3% year-over-year increase and had a second-quarter AFFO payout ratio of 70%.
About Agree Realty (NYSE:ADC)Agree Realty Corporation NYSE: ADC is a publicly traded real estate investment trust headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1971, the company converted to a REIT structure in 2013 and focuses on acquiring, developing and managing a diversified portfolio of retail properties under long-term, triple-net (NNN) leases. Its tenant roster spans national and regional retailers in sectors such as grocery, home improvement, convenience and specialty retail.
Agree Realty's primary business activities include sourcing and underwriting new property acquisitions, originating build-to-suit projects and executing value-add redevelopment programs.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Agree Realty Right Now?Before you consider Agree Realty, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Agree Realty wasn't on the list.
While Agree Realty currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.
Společnost Kratos Defense čeká ve 2. čtvrtletí slabší výsledky kvůli načasování dodávek, vyšším režijním nákladům a výdajům na nabídky. Firma ale má rekordní backlog 2 mld. USD a pipeline přes 14 mld. USD.
Key Takeaways Kratos Defense's record backlog and expanding pipeline provide strong revenue visibility.KTOS may benefit from target drone demand, Spartan engine expansion and the Orbit Technologies acquisition.KTOS expects softer sequential results due to shipment timing, higher overhead and bid-related spending. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS - Free Report) is expected to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, after market close.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 13 cents per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 18.18%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pinned at $411.7 million, indicating growth of 17.1% from the year-ago reported figure.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KTOS’ Earnings Surprise HistoryThe company beat on earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 22.64%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Our Quantitative Model PredictsOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for Kratos Defense this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as you will see below.
Earnings ESP: The company’s Earnings ESP is +11.70%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Stocks Worth a LookSome stocks in the same industry that have the combination of factors indicating an earnings beat are Curtiss-Wright (CW - Free Report) and ATI INC (ATI - Free Report) . Curtiss-Wright and ATI have an Earnings ESP of +0.36% and +1.32%, respectively. ATI holds a Zacks Rank #2 and Curtiss-Wright carries a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Factors That Might Have Impacted KTOS’ Q2 PerformanceIn June 2026, Kratos Defense announced the expansion of Spartan turbojet engine production. This could have served as a positive catalyst in the second quarter, as it reinforces growing demand for the company's propulsion systems used in missiles and loitering munitions.
One of the biggest positives during the quarter was Kratos Defense's record backlog and expanding opportunity pipeline. The company finished the first quarter with a record $2 billion backlog, a 1.6X consolidated book-to-bill ratio, and an opportunity pipeline exceeding $14 billion. Management also highlighted an impressive 3:1 book-to-bill ratio within its satellite business, reflecting exceptionally strong demand for space-related programs. These metrics provide strong revenue visibility and suggest that demand across KTOS' core defense markets may continue to accelerate.
The successful integration and flight testing of KTOS’ J85-powered Firejet drone validate the company's vertically integrated drone and propulsion strategy while demonstrating the performance of its domestically produced J85 engine. The upgraded Firejet offers greater speed, range, endurance and climb performance, expanding its appeal for both target and tactical missions, while reducing supply-chain risk through U.S.-made engines.
Solid revenue growth from increased target drone production activity is likely to have bolstered the top line of the Unmanned Systems business segment in the second quarter.
The recent acquisition of Orbit Technologies is expected to have strengthened Kratos Defense's competitive position. It expands the company's satellite communications portfolio and enhances its relationships with key Israeli defense contractors.
Despite the strong outlook, the second quarter is likely to have been weaker sequentially, according to management. Guidance calls for revenues of $400-$410 million, implying slower organic growth than the first quarter. Management attributed the softer outlook primarily to the timing of unmanned systems shipments, less favorable revenue mix, higher manufacturing overhead, administrative expenses, and bid-and-proposal spending that are being incurred ahead of anticipated second-half growth.
KTOS Stock Price PerformanceIn the past month, the stock has lost 13.5% compared with the industry’s decline of 10.6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KTOS Stock Trading at a DiscountKratos Defense is currently trading at a discount compared to its industry on a forward 12-month P/S basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KTOS Stock’s Poor ROICThe image below shows that the stock’s trailing 12-month return on invested capital (ROIC) lags the peer group’s average return. This suggests that the company's investments are not yielding sufficient returns to cover its expenses.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Investment ThesisKratos Defense is one of the leading providers of unmanned aerial target drones for U.S. and allied militaries, with its strong reputation and proven technology driving consistent contract wins, strategic partnerships, global expansion and long-term competitiveness.
Labor availability also remains challenging. Although hiring conditions have improved over the past year, management noted ongoing shortages of highly specialized engineering talent, particularly propulsion engineers with security clearances. These workforce constraints could slow production ramp-ups and limit Kratos' ability to capitalize fully on growing defense demand.
End NoteKratos Defense's leadership in unmanned aerial target drones continues to drive contract wins, strategic partnerships and global expansion, supporting its long-term growth prospects. However, ongoing shortages of highly specialized engineers, particularly propulsion experts with security clearances, could limit production ramp-ups and the company's ability to fully capitalize on rising defense demand.
Given its lower price performance and poor ROIC, investors must consider avoiding the stock at present.
Wynn Resorts čeká za 2. čtvrtletí tržby téměř 1,84 miliardy USD, což je meziročně o 5,9 % více. Zisk ale mohou stlačit vyšší mzdové, personální a renovační náklady.
Key Takeaways Wynn Resorts' Q2 revenues are projected at $1.84 billion, up 5.9% year over year.Las Vegas strength and premium Macau demand may support gaming, hotel and non-gaming revenues.Higher labor, staffing, renovation and pre-opening costs are likely to weigh on profitability. Wynn Resorts, Limited (WYNN - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, after the closing bell.
WYNN’s earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the trailing four quarters, and missed on the remaining three occasions, with an average surprise being negative 9.1%.
Trend in the Estimate Revision of WYNNThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for adjusted earnings per share (EPS) has decreased to $1.01 from $1.08 over the past 30 days. The estimated figure indicates a 7.3% decline from the year-ago EPS of $1.09.
For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at nearly $1.84 billion, implying a rise of 5.9% from the prior-year quarter’s figure.
Let's look at how things might have shaped up in the quarter.
Factors Likely to Shape Wynn Resorts’ Q2 ResultsWynn Resorts’ second-quarter performance is likely to have benefited from continued strength in Las Vegas, supported by healthy gaming volumes, solid hotel demand and customer spending. Management noted that favorable casino and hotel trends carried into the second quarter, with gaming activity and room rates running above the prior-year levels. The successful openings of Zero Bond and Sartiano's Italian Steakhouse, along with continued premium positioning and the Encore Tower renovation, are likely to have supported visitation, hotel demand and spending during the quarter.
Macau operations are expected to have remained a key growth driver in the to-be-reported quarter. Management highlighted strong mass-market gaming activity and sustained demand from premium customers entering the quarter. Continued momentum at Wynn Palace, supported by high occupancy and the expanded Chairman’s Club, is likely to have aided gaming and non-gaming revenues.
The Gourmet Pavilion at Wynn Palace and ongoing room refurbishments at Wynn Macau are also expected to have supported visitation and customer engagement. The company’s enhanced loyalty program, luxury amenities and “Only at Wynn” offerings are likely to have helped maintain its competitive position in Macau. Encore Boston Harbor is likely to have generated relatively stable revenues, supported by gaming volumes running ahead of the prior-year period at the beginning of the quarter. Continued efforts to expand the property’s customer database beyond its immediate market may also have aided performance.
Our model predicts revenues from Las Vegas to rise 5.3% year over year to $672.5 million and Macau operations to decline 1.1% year over year to $339.9 million in the quarter under review. We expect Encore Boston Harbor’s second-quarter revenues to rise 1.8% year over year to $219.6 million.
Wynn Resorts’ earnings are likely to have declined due to elevated labor costs, increased staffing expenses for new venues and higher spending on property enhancements. Wage pressure at Encore Boston Harbor, cost-of-living adjustments in Macau and pre-opening expenses related to Wynn Al Marjan Island may also have weighed on profitability. Fluctuations in VIP gaming hold could have created additional margin volatility.
Nonetheless, operating leverage from stronger business volumes in Las Vegas and Macau, healthy premium demand, higher hotel rates and disciplined cost management may have partly offset these pressures. Our model predicts second-quarter total operating expenses to increase 8.1% year over year to $1.59 billion.
What Our Model Says About WYNN StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Wynn Resorts this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. Unfortunately, this is not the case here, as you will see below.
WYNN’s Earnings ESP: Wynn Resorts has an Earnings ESP of +1.49%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Wynn Resorts’ Zacks Rank: The company has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) at present.
Stocks Poised to Beat on EarningsHere are some stocks from the Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (VAC - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.26% and a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Marriott Vacations earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 1%. VAC reported better-than-expected earnings in three of the trailing four quarters and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 0.7%.
Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.52% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
In the to-be-reported quarter, Expedia’s earnings are expected to surge 28.5%. Expedia’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 13.9%.
Marriott International, Inc. (MAR - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.88% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
MAR’s earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 15.5%. Marriott reported better-than-expected earnings in the trailing three out of four quarters and missed once, the average surprise being 1.5%.
Yum China ve 2. čtvrtletí zvýšila tržby o 13 % na 3,14 miliardy USD a upravený EPS o 21 % na 70 centů. Provozní zisk stoupl o 14 % na rekordních 348 milionů USD.
Key Takeaways YUMC trades at 14.55X forward earnings, below industry, sector and its five-year median valuation.Yum China posted Q2 revenue up 13%, adjusted EPS up 21% and a ninth straight margin expansion.YUMC plans 1,900 new stores in 2026 while returning $1.5 billion to shareholders. Yum China Holdings (YUMC - Free Report) offers investors a mixed but potentially attractive setup after its second-quarter 2026 earnings beat, better profitability and continued store expansion.
The question is whether earnings momentum and a lower valuation are enough to offset limited upside to the six-to-12-month $49 price target, delivery-cost pressure and risks tied to consumer demand in China.
YUMC Trades Below Key Valuation BenchmarksYUMC traded at 14.55X forward 12-month earnings, below the restaurant sub-industry at 22.96X, the broader Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector at 22.52X and the S&P 500 at 20.1X.
That discount is notable against the stock’s own history. The current multiple sits below its five-year median of 19.35X but above the five-year low of 12.52X, suggesting the valuation is cheaper than normal without being deeply distressed.
Yum China Delivers Improving EarningsAdjusted earnings per share were 70 cents, up 21% year over year and above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents. Revenues rose 13% to $3.14 billion and topped the consensus mark of $3.06 billion.
Operating profit increased 14% to a second-quarter record of $348 million. Operating margin widened 20 basis points to 11.1%, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of expansion.
YUMC Offers Growth Beyond Existing StoresYum China’s investment case also rests on a larger store base. The company plans more than 1,900 net new store openings in 2026 and expects its total count to exceed 20,000 units during the year.
Franchisees are expected to account for 40-50% of net new openings at both KFC and Pizza Hut. That mix can bring local capital and resources into lower-tier cities and remote markets, although franchise locations represented only 18% of total stores at the end of the second quarter.
Yum China Supports Shareholder ReturnsCash generation adds another layer to the investment case. Net cash provided by operating activities reached $976 million in the first half of 2026, up from $864 million in the prior-year period.
Yum China plans to return $1.5 billion to shareholders in 2026. It returned $718 million in the first half and intends to distribute 100% of annual free cash flow after minority dividend payments beginning in 2027.
YUMC Faces Limits to Its Upside CaseThe valuation case is not open-ended. The $49 price target implies only modest upside from the $46.47 share price cited as of July 30, 2026.
Risks remain visible. KFC’s average ticket fell 3% in the second quarter, while Pizza Hut’s declined 11%. Delivery represented about 54% of company sales, lifting rider-cost pressure, while uneven Chinese consumer spending and intense competition continue to limit pricing power.
The planned acquisition of the Pizza Hut brand in Mainland China adds another financial consideration. Yum China expects to fund the deal primarily through a $1.2 billion offshore bridge loan with a term of up to 12 months.
Yum China Shows a Constructive but Mixed SetupYUMC has a constructive near-term profile, but the stock still depends on execution. Earnings growth, margin expansion, lower valuation and capital returns are positives, while the modest price-target gap and delivery economics keep the setup balanced.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It also has a VGM Score of A, with a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B and Momentum Score of B. That mix points to favorable near-term investment characteristics across valuation, growth and price trends. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Restaurant peers such as Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG - Free Report) and Darden Restaurants (DRI - Free Report) offer useful context for investors comparing traffic, pricing and margin execution across the industry. Against that backdrop, Yum China’s longer-term appeal depends on sustaining transactions, protecting margins and keeping earnings estimates supportive.
Band VRF je nyní spuštěn na mainnetu OPN Chain a přináší ověřitelnou náhodnost pro on-chain aplikace. IOPn jej už využívá pro loterie a giveaway mechaniky.
Band is thrilled to announce the live mainnet deployment of Band VRF (Verifiable Random Function) on OPN Chain, the sovereign blockchain at the heart of the IOPn ecosystem. This integration brings cryptographically secure, publicly verifiable randomness to OPN Chain, giving developers and users on IOPn a foundation for fair, tamper-proof on-chain experiences.
Why Band VRF on OPN Chain?IOPn is building the Internet of People: sovereign infrastructure where AI, blockchain, and digital identity converge to return ownership to users. At the center of that vision sits OPN Chain, a Cosmos SDK-based blockchain with full EVM compatibility that powers IOPn's ecosystem of products.
When you are building systems where trust is the product, even randomness has to be held to the same standard. Band VRF brings cryptographically secure, on-chain verifiable randomness to OPN Chain, solving a critical need for any application where the fairness of an outcome cannot simply be assumed. It has to be proven.
What Does Band VRF Do?Band VRF provides secure, tamper-proof, and unpredictable randomness, which is essential for on-chain applications like lotteries, giveaways, NFT drops, and games. In all of these cases, the random outcome must be free from manipulation.
Band VRF achieves this by generating fresh randomness that is verifiable and completely independent of any application's internal state. Every result comes with a cryptographic proof that anyone can check on-chain. It is impossible to cheat, predict, or manipulate the outcome.
Band VRF on OPN Chain is:
Plug-and-Play: Minimal setup via Band VRF provider contracts, accessible through standard Solidity interfacesFully Verifiable: Every random output is backed by cryptographic proofs and Merkle inclusion, publicly auditable on-chainScalable: Built for high-volume requests across lotteries, giveaways, NFT mechanics, and moreVerifiable Fairness for IOPn's On-Chain LotteryIOPn is now using Band VRF to power its on-chain lottery and giveaway mechanics. Every draw is executed on-chain, and every outcome comes with a verifiable proof. Participants do not have to trust that the selection was fair. They can verify it themselves.
This is what trustless randomness looks like in practice: no black boxes, no off-chain draws, no admin-controlled seeds. Just a cryptographic proof, on-chain, for anyone to check.
Get StartedDevelopers building on OPN Chain can integrate Band VRF today using the manual coupled with the addresses below.
git clone https://github.com/bandprotocol/vrf-worker-v1.git cd vrf-worker-v1 cp config.yaml.example config.yaml Bridge: 0xdca381D661D22274b58A47fdA3A02Ad84431526bVRFProvider: 0x3d29B6f57Cf8ee7fbED5b24201C91915c7468504VRFLensV2: 0xdc994dCCaA393D63764774e4Ef6e0819E2E00fEFBand VRF Docs: https://docs.bandchain.org/verifiable-random-function/introductionOPN Chain Developer Docs: https://iopn.gitbook.io/iopn/developer-docsJoin Band Discord: https://discord.com/invite/3t4bsY7Contact: [email protected] AheadAs the IOPn ecosystem grows, Band remains committed to expanding its data infrastructure across OPN Chain. Band VRF is live today, and the integration of Band Price Feeds is being explored, which would bring real-time, reliable price data to DeFi applications, RWA protocols, and AI-powered products being built on IOPn.
For the new wave of developers arriving on OPN Chain, Band provides the full data layer: verifiable randomness, real-world price feeds, and battle-tested infrastructure that scales with your application. With further convergence in AI ahead, the foundation being built here extends well beyond randomness.
Build on OPN Chain with Band. Every outcome provably fair, every data point trustless.
About IOPn
IOPn stewards the Internet of People, a sovereign ecosystem built around digital identity, AI infrastructure (Siada), and on-chain ownership. At its core is OPN Chain, a Cosmos SDK-based Layer 1 with full EVM compatibility, designed for identity, AI workloads, and real-world assets.
Learn more: https://iopn.io
About Band
Band is the data layer that trains AI engines and powers blockchain applications. By empowering DeFi, GameFi, and AI agents, it enables developers, institutions, and users to access real-time data with zero counterparty risk.
With Band's open, battle-tested data infrastructure built for blockchains and LLMs, it ensures that real-time information is always accessible, fueling everything from financial protocols to autonomous AI systems.
The market expects Berkshire Hathaway B (BRK.B - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $5.24 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +1.4%.
Revenues are expected to be $95.3 billion, up 3% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Berkshire Hathaway B?For Berkshire Hathaway B, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -5.53%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Berkshire Hathaway B will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Berkshire Hathaway B would post earnings of $4.82 per share when it actually produced earnings of $5.25, delivering a surprise of +8.92%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Berkshire Hathaway B doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerUnited Fire Group (UFCS - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.7 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -22.2%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $375.43 million, up 11.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for United Fire has remained unchanged. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -3.60%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that United Fire will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
AEP ve 2. čtvrtletí přidala 6 GW smluvní zátěže a do roku 2030 má už 69 GW. Současně potvrdila investiční plán 78 miliard USD a zvýšila celoroční výhled zisku na akcii na 6,25 až 6,55 USD.
Key Takeaways AEP added 6 gigawatts of contracted load in Q2, lifting additions through 2030 to 69 gigawatts.AEP reaffirmed its $78 billion capital plan for 2026-2030, targeting nearly 11% rate base growth.AEP secured 3 gigawatts of gas-fired turbine capacity, bringing total secured capacity to 13 gigawatts. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP - Free Report) used its second-quarter 2026 earnings call to emphasize accelerating customer demand, a larger investment pipeline and steps to support long-term infrastructure growth. Management raised its full-year outlook while highlighting expanded contracted load opportunities and generation planning.
The call focused less on quarterly earnings pressure and more on how AEP is positioning its transmission, generation and regulatory platforms for sustained expansion. Executives also addressed investor questions around capital deployment, financing and emerging customer demand.
AEP Expands Demand OutlookAEP reported earnings of $1.36 per share for the second quarter of 2026, below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49. Revenues reached $5.45 billion, ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.26 billion.
Chief executive officer William Fehrman said the company added 6 gigawatts of contracted load during the quarter, bringing total contracted load additions through 2030 to 69 gigawatts. The company attributed much of the increase to fully executed agreements in Texas.
Fehrman emphasized that large-load customers, including hyperscalers and industrial users, are central to AEP’s growth strategy. Management said these agreements are structured to provide customer commitments while helping spread fixed costs across a broader base.
American Electric Power Advances Capital PlanAmerican Electric Power reaffirmed its $78 billion capital plan for 2026 through 2030, which management expects to support nearly 11% rate base compound annual growth. The company also identified more than $10 billion of potential incremental investments beyond the base plan.
Chief financial officer Trevor Mihalik said AEP expects operating earnings growth of 7% to 9% annually through 2030 and operating EPS CAGR of more than 9%, supported by infrastructure investments and regulatory improvements.
Management highlighted potential additions from the Wyoming fuel cell project, the Piketon transmission opportunity and incremental generation investments. Executives said these projects could expand the company’s long-term investment runway.
AEP Secures Generation CapacityAEP said it secured an additional 3 gigawatts of gas-fired turbine capacity during the quarter, increasing total secured turbine capacity to approximately 13 gigawatts for deployment through 2031. The company is also evaluating up to 10 gigawatts of additional turbine capacity through 2035.
Fehrman said securing equipment early provides flexibility as demand increases and generation resources become more constrained. Management noted that the turbine strategy is intended to support customer growth and replace aging generation assets over time.
The company also discussed early-stage nuclear opportunities. Fehrman said AEP remains disciplined on capital allocation and would require strong protections, financial safeguards and regulatory support before advancing such projects.
American Electric Power Faces Investor QuestionsAmerican Electric Power faced analyst questions about whether growth opportunities could require new financing structures. A Wells Fargo analyst asked about alternative approaches for serving hyperscale customers, including potential generation company structures.
Fehrman said AEP is evaluating the GenCo structure because it could provide advantages in serving large customers. He also highlighted opportunities in West Virginia, where the company is pursuing projects aligned with regional economic development goals.
A Jefferies analyst questioned how AEP views new nuclear development and customer-specific generation structures. Management reiterated that any approach would prioritize balance sheet protection and disciplined investment decisions.
AEP Maintains Financial DisciplineAEP raised its 2026 operating earnings guidance to $6.25 to $6.55 per share from the prior range of $6.15 to $6.45 per share. Management cited strong first-half performance and expected regulatory benefits in the second half of the year.
The company also completed a $3 billion marketed equity transaction intended to support the current capital plan. Management said the transaction addressed anticipated equity needs associated with the $78 billion investment program.
Executives highlighted customer affordability efforts, including up to $16 billion in expected cost offsets from new large-load agreements and nearly $1.4 billion in estimated customer benefits from DOE loans and grants.
AEP Focuses on Long-Term ExecutionAEP ended the call by emphasizing execution across financial performance, affordability, growth and regulatory outcomes. Management pointed to customer demand, infrastructure investment and regulatory progress as key priorities.
The company said it continues to pursue growth while maintaining investment-grade credit metrics, including a targeted FFO-to-debt ratio of 14% to 15%.
Management’s outlook centered on expanding infrastructure capacity, supporting new customer demand and advancing projects that could extend growth beyond the current five-year plan.
Zacks Signals for AEPAEP carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank focuses on earnings estimate revisions and is designed to help identify stocks with potential relative performance over the next one to three months. The Rank can change as analysts update earnings expectations following quarterly results.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The stock has a Value Score of C, Growth Score of D, Momentum Score of A and VGM Score of C. Zacks Style Scores rate stocks from A to F, with stronger scores indicating more favorable characteristics within each investment style category.
Uniswap spustil program Earn s Morpho, který umožňuje vkládat USDC, USDT a ETH do vaultů Gauntlet a získávat výnos při zachování self-custody. UNI v den spuštění lehce vzrostl o zhruba 1 % na 4,32 USD.
Uniswap launched Earn on July 31, a lending product built on Morpho’s infrastructure that lets users deposit USDC, USDT, and ETH into Gauntlet-curated vaults and collect yield, all while keeping self-custody of their funds.
How Earn actually works The product routes user deposits into lending vaults curated by Gauntlet, the risk management firm that has built a reputation for institutional-grade optimization across DeFi. Gauntlet’s vaults have accumulated nearly $1B in assets under management in roughly a year and a half.
Morpho serves as the lending protocol backbone. Coinbase launched its USDC Earn product in September 2025 using Morpho-powered vaults (those were curated by Steakhouse), and Robinhood followed with its own Earn product in July 2026.
Advertisement
Users deposit supported assets, the vault handles allocation, and they earn lending yield without lockup periods. For context on returns: Coinbase’s USDC yield product hit as high as roughly 10.8% at one point.
Why Uniswap is doing this now This launch is part of a broader strategic arc that started with the introduction of Unichain in February 2025. Governance proposals have actively pushed Uniswap toward integrating lending and borrowing functionality, with Morpho receiving specific governance support for this kind of integration.
Morpho has established itself as the second-largest lending protocol by total value locked, with billions in deposits flowing through its markets.
What this means for investors UNI traded at approximately $4.32 on launch day, ticking up about 1% with a market capitalization of $2.7B.
The risk side deserves attention. Gauntlet has a strong track record, but users depositing into Earn are taking on smart contract risk across multiple protocol layers: Uniswap’s interface, Morpho’s lending contracts, and whatever strategies Gauntlet deploys within the vaults.
Morpho powering yield products for Coinbase, Robinhood, and now Uniswap creates a dynamic where these platforms are effectively competing for the same pool of lending demand while sharing infrastructure. If borrowing demand doesn’t scale proportionally with the flood of new deposits, yields could compress across all three platforms. Investors should watch utilization rates closely as a leading indicator of whether Earn can sustain compelling returns.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
NEAR Protocol spustil nový AI staking, který mění stakované NEAR na compute credits pro placení AI služeb. Uživatelé tak tokeny neutrácejí a po unstaku je dostanou zpět v plné výši. Systém navíc poskytuje přístup ke 43 modelům na NEAR AI od různých poskytovatelů, včetně OpenAI, Anthropic a Googlu.
NEAR Protocol has rolled out a new staking mechanism for its AI platform, letting users stake NEAR tokens to access AI compute services rather than spending tokens outright. The feature marks a notable step in the protocol's push to position itself as core infrastructure for onchain AI activity.
How the Staking Mechanism Works Under the new system, staked NEAR tokens are converted into compute credits that can be used to pay for AI services. Crucially, users do not lose their tokens in the process. Once they are done, they can unstake and receive their NEAR back in full. All payments are settled onchain, keeping the process transparent and verifiable.
The feature provides users with compute credits to access 43 models on NEAR AI across several providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The breadth of model coverage signals that NEAR is targeting a wide range of AI use cases rather than locking users into a narrow set of tools.
Part of a Broader AI Infrastructure Push The AI staking launch fits into a wider strategic shift at NEAR. NEAR rolled out a suite of AI-focused products in 2026, including automatic PII anonymization for AI prompts, meaning that when an AI agent processes a user's request, personally identifiable information gets scrubbed before it ever touches inference infrastructure.
The protocol has also been expanding its privacy tooling. NEAR AI launched IronClaw, an open-source and verifiable AI agent runtime built in Rust and deployed inside an encrypted Trusted Execution Environment on NEAR AI Cloud, designed to enable autonomous agents with built-in privacy safeguards and controlled access to user assets and data.
NEAR's co-founder Illia Polosukhin has characterized the protocol as fundamental infrastructure for handling AI-driven commerce and execution. The new AI staking feature reinforces that thesis by creating a direct, token-based economic link between NEAR holders and AI compute demand. Tying AI access to a staking model rather than a direct spend model could encourage longer-term token lock-up while still giving users full utility from their holdings.
The move comes as competition in the onchain AI space intensifies, with protocols racing to offer credible, privacy-preserving alternatives to centralised AI providers.
Sources:
Crypto Briefing: NEAR Protocol targets AI-driven commerce with new products and tokenomics improvements
CoinDesk: Near Protocol to automate its own growth
International Flavors & Fragrances čeká ve 2. čtvrtletí tržby 2,68 miliardy USD a EPS 1,14 USD, obojí meziročně níže. Tahounem mají být růst objemů a úspory, ale marže zatěžují vyšší náklady na suroviny.
Key Takeaways International Flavors is expected to report Q2 sales of $2.68 billion and EPS of $1.14, both down y/y.IFF's volume growth and productivity efforts may support results despite higher raw material costs.IFF expects growth in Taste, Scent and Health & Biosciences, while Food Ingredients may decline. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, after the closing bell.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $2.68 billion, indicating a 2.9% dip from the year-ago reported figure.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.14 per share, which has been moved down in the past 60 days. The estimate indicates a year-over-year decline of 0.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
IFF’s Earnings Surprise HistoryInternational Flavors’ earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average beat being 4.1%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What the Zacks Model Unveils for International FlavorsOur model predicts an earnings beat for IFF this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is precisely the case here.
Earnings ESP: IFF has an Earnings ESP of +0.73%. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped IFF’s Q2 PerformanceThe company has been witnessing volume growth, with broad-based contributions across each of its businesses. IFF’s ongoing efforts to improve productivity and reduce costs are likely to have benefited its margins.
However, International Flavors has been incurring high raw material costs and additional costs related to labor, shipping and cleaning. Despite its pricing actions and focused cost-reduction efforts, these factors are likely to have dented margins in the to-be-reported quarter.
Projections for International Flavors’ Segments in Q2Our model estimates the Taste segment’s second-quarter sales to rise 2.6% year over year to $647 million. The segment’s adjusted operating EBITDA is projected to be $127 million, indicating growth of 1.7% from the year-ago quarter’s reported numbers.
Our model estimates the Food Ingredient segment’s second-quarter sales to dip 5.4% year over year to $804 million. The segment’s adjusted operating EBITDA is estimated to be $126 million, indicating an increase of 1.6% from the year-ago reported figure.
We expect the Scent segment’s sales to increase 3.5% year over year to $624 million. The ongoing momentum in Consumer Fragrance, as well as improvement in Fragrance Ingredients and Fine Fragrance, is likely to have aided its performance. However, the gains might have been partially negated by higher costs. Our estimate for the segment’s quarterly operating EBITDA is $131 million, indicating a year-over-year rise of 0.4%.
The Health & Biosciences segment’s sales are projected to be $601 million, indicating a 4.3% increase from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. We expect operating EBITDA to increase 2.1% to $154 million.
IFF Stock’s Price PerformanceIn the past year, International Flavors shares have gained 13.4% compared with the industry’s 6.9% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are some Basic Materials stocks, which, according to our model, also have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.
The Chemours Company (CC - Free Report) , scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 4, has an Earnings ESP of +27.17% and currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Chemours’ quarterly earnings are pegged at 43 cents per share, indicating a year-over-year dip of 25%. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 69%.
Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) , scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 6, has an Earnings ESP of +0.87% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings for Avient for the second quarter of 2026 is 89 cents per share, indicating an 11.2% year-over-year increase. Avient has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 2.1%.
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM - Free Report) , slated to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 6, currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.20% and a Zacks Rank of 3.
Wheaton Precious Metals’ quarterly earnings are pegged at $1.13 per share, indicating a year-over-year jump of 79%. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 14%.
NRG Energy má oznámit za druhé čtvrtletí zisk 1,66 USD na akcii při tržbách 5,89 miliardy USD. Odhad zisku na akcii za posledních 60 dní klesl o 21,70 %.
Key Takeaways NRG Energy is expected to post Q2 earnings of $1.66 per share on revenues of $5.89 billion.New gas capacity, customer growth and data center power deals may support NRG Energy's results.Higher interest expenses may offset gains, while buybacks could provide a favorable earnings boost. NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG - Free Report) is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 4, before market open. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is currently pegged at $1.66 per share on revenues of $5.89 billion.
Second-quarter earnings estimates have gone down 21.70% over the past 60 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues indicates a year-over-year decrease of 12.61%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NRG’s Earnings Surprise HistoryNRG Energy’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 3.98%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What the Zacks Model Unveils for NRGOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for NRG Energy this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as you will see below.
Earnings ESP: The company’s Earnings ESP is 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: Currently, NRG Energy carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Some companies in the same industry with the right combination of the two factors for an earnings beat this season are Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW - Free Report) , Versigent PLC (VGNT - Free Report) and Duke Energy Corporation (DUK - Free Report) . PNW, VGNT and DUK currently have an Earnings ESP of +0.95%, +8.82% and +0.16, respectively. PNW and VGNT each currently hold a Zacks Rank #2, while DUK carries a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
Factors Likely to Have Influenced NRG’s Q2 PerformanceIn June 2026, NRG Energy completed construction and commenced commercial operations of 456 megawatts of new natural gas-fueled simple-cycle generating units at its TH Wharton Generating Station in Houston. The project is expected to strengthen NRG's generation capacity, improve grid reliability during peak demand, support a more reliable power supply for customers and drive higher revenues and earnings, which is likely to favorably impact its upcoming quarterly results.
Growth in the customer base, an increase in load growth, rising electrification and expanding data center power agreements are expected to have supported NRG Energy’s quarterly performance. Synergies from acquired assets are likely to have contributed to second-quarter earnings.
The company's robust free cash flow generation is expected to have supported ongoing share repurchases, lowering shares outstanding and providing a favorable boost to overall earnings.
However, higher interest expenses may have trimmed some of the gains in the quarter to be reported.
NRG Stock Price PerformanceNRG Energy shares have fallen 10.2% over the past six months against the industry’s rise of 3.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NRG Shares Are Trading at a DiscountThe company is currently valued at a discount compared with its industry on a forward 12-month P/E basis. NRG Energy is trading at 13.06X compared with its industry’s 16.06X.
Leonardo očekává další akvizice, aby podpořil dlouhodobý růst, protože evropské výdaje na obranu prudce rostou. Firma už letos zvýšila celoroční výhled na nové zakázky na 28,2 miliardy eur.
Leonardo's new CEO told CNBC he expects to pursue further acquisitions to support the company's long-term growth, as Europe's defense spending boom gathers pace.
"The ramping gap in how we fulfil the demand is really the key element to deliver to our customers what they need… both for our European arm and for the U.S. arm," Lorenzo Mariani told CNBC's Carolin Roth in Rome, pointing to M&A, including over the past few days, as an area of opportunity.
Europe's defense industry is scrambling to meet soaring demand for new military equipment, amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and increased NATO spending targets.
Alongside investment in factories and hiring, contractors are using acquisitions to add technologies, secure supply chains and expand industrial capabilities more quickly.
"What really matters today is accelerating all our processes," Mariani said.
Defense dealmakingMariani said the company would continue pursuing acquisitions and strategic partnerships to support long-term growth. His comments come as Leonardo has broadened its defense portfolio through acquisitions in land systems, cybersecurity and AI-enabled mission software.
It completed a 1.6-billion-euro ($1.8 billion) acquisition of Iveco Defence Vehicles in March. Its U.S. subsidiary Leonardo DRS this week agreed to buy software company Raft for $450 million to expand its AI and mission software capabilities.
Earlier this year, the group also agreed to acquire British cybersecurity company Becrypt.
More defense news‘Project Firepower’: Inside Rheinmetall’s gunpowder expansion as Europe races to replenish its ammunitionEurope’s defense boom faces a new test: Can it actually deliver weapons?Ukraine’s drone playbook is wreaking havoc in Russia — and upending where NATO wants to investTank maker KNDS postpones IPO amid market struggles for defenseDefense stocks plummet on reports Germany is scrapping warships; Rheinmetall stock down 18%Why Europe is suddenly betting big on dronesLeonardo's Italian peer Fincantieri recently unveiled what CEO Pierroberto Folgiero described to CNBC as the company's "second M&A wave," announcing major stakes in four underwater technology companies as part of plans to build an international leader in the rapidly expanding underwater defense sector.
Meanwhile, German defense electronics maker Hensoldt this year acquired Dutch optronics specialist Nedinsco to secure supply chains and expand production capacity.
Record order backlogLike most of its peers, Leonardo reported a record order backlog in its earnings on Thursday, rising 30% year-on-year to 59 billion euros by the quarter ended June.
The partly Italian state-owned company hiked its full-year guidance after reporting a 45% rise in new orders in the first six months of the year. It now sees earnings before interest, tax, and amortization of 2.21 billion euros, up from 2.03 billion euros previously.
Leonardo is in a perfect position to benefit from increased European defense spending due to its multi-domain approach and differentiated offering, Mariani told CNBC.
Defense stocks have been under pressure this year after a years-long boom following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Defense stocks' performance over the past 12 months.
As government spending translated to soaring order books for defense companies, some investors now question whether valuations have run ahead of the industry's ability to ramp up production.
Leonardo shares are up about 11% year-to-date, similar to the gains of the pan-European blue-chip index Stoxx 600.
In its earnings, Leonardo said it now sees full-year new orders at 28.2 billion euros, up from 25 billion euros previously.
Leonardo is leaning heavily into defense technologies as wars in Ukraine and Iran exemplify how modern war has changed, with an increasing emphasis on unmanned systems and AI-powered weapons.
Rarible po hlasování komunity rozšiřuje plnou infrastrukturu na Solanu; vývoj, integrace a bezpečnostní audity už běží. Plné spuštění má přijít do čtyř týdnů.
Community Vote Triggers Solana Expansion@Rarible, the multichain onchain commerce platform, is moving to deploy its full architecture on the @Solana blockchain after a decisive community mandate. The platform confirmed the decision publicly, stating: "We're kicking off the work to bring Rarible to Solana. Development, integrations, and security audits start now."
According to the announcement, technical integration and comprehensive security audits are currently underway, with a full rollout targeted within four weeks. The move marks a significant step for Rarible, which has steadily expanded its chain support over recent years and positions Solana as a priority destination for its next phase of growth.
A Multichain Platform Adding a High-Volume ChainRarible describes itself as the onchain commerce platform powering the future of digital asset trading, offering fast, multichain infrastructure that has been battle-tested over five years. The platform allows users to create, buy, and sell NFTs, while letting the community govern it through the $RARI token.
In 2026, Rarible operates as both a multichain marketplace and an aggregator layer, making chain choice a normal part of the NFT shopping experience rather than a separate workflow. Supported mainnet chains already include Ethereum, Base, HyperEVM, LightLink, Somnia, RARI Chain, Camp Network, and Arena-Z. Solana would be a notable addition given its scale in digital asset activity.
Rarible began supporting Solana NFTs in 2022, enabling users to buy and sell Solana tokens on its marketplace, but the forthcoming deployment marks a shift from passive chain support toward an active product built on Solana's consumer application layer. Most recently, Rarible launched Gacha Station on Solana, powered by Collector Crypt.
The four-week timeline is contingent on the outcome of ongoing security reviews. No further financial terms or partnership details have been disclosed at this stage.
Sources:
Rarible: Meet the New Rarible, Lightspeed Trading and Cross-Chain Rewards
Solana Compass: Rarible Gacha Station Launches on Solana via Collector Crypt
Inside Bitcoins: Rarible Launches On-Chain Storefronts
EUR/USD uzavřel červenec poblíž 1,1500 a za poslední obchodní týden přidal přes 1,1 %. Euro podpořila slabší data z USA a lepší výsledky z Německa a eurozóny.
The EUR/USD pair closes July with modest gains near the 1.1500 mark, adding over 1.1% in the last trading week. Price action throughout the month was dull to say the least as investors remained clueless, although the pair managed to hit 1.1530 ahead of the close. The lack of action was compounded by persistent uncertainty, centered on developments in the Middle East and the United States (US) Federal Reserve’s (Fed ) monetary policy path.
Regarding the first, an escalation of the US-Iran war spurred US Dollar (USD) demand at the beginning of the week after continued tit-for-tat attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, which, by the way, is once again closed. Mood improved early in the week amid a pause in attacks and headlines suggesting a fresh round of negotiations.
Renewed war headlines, however, were quickly overshadowed by the US Fed monetary policy announcement on Wednesday. The USD plunged after the central bank decided to leave the benchmark rate unchanged, with the split vote leaving it at a range of 3.50%-3.75%. Three regional bank presidents dissented, preferring an immediate 25-basis-point (bps) rate hike: Cleveland's Beth Hammack, Minneapolis's Neel Kashkari, and Dallas's Lorie Logan.
Chairman Kevin Warsh chickens outThe USD collapsed following the Fed’s decision as investors believed Chair Warsh had chickened out. He kept repeating his commitment to curb inflation and to price stability, but the Fed left rates unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting.
Of course, he did not provide clear guidance on the future path of monetary policy, not actually a surprise. And he failed to specify how he intends to resolve five-year-long inflationary pressure despite affirming that there is no “soft” inflation target.
“We are on the job, we will deliver, we are focused like a laser on making sure we can do it, but the suggestion that we're going to be able to do it with our magic wand is one I want to disabuse you and everyone else of,” Warsh said.
Market players did not take well to the myriad empty words and the lack of action. However, bets on a September rate hike have increased after the dust settled. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the chances of a hike increased to 65% from 55% one week before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announcement.
Still, there’s a long way ahead of September, and loads could happen in the way. The focus will remain on data — inflation and employment figures — and Middle East developments.
Meanwhile, the US published the preliminary estimate of the Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which showed that the economy expanded at an annual rate of 1.5%, missing expectations and below the Q1 reading of 2.1%. Other details of the report showed that the GDP Price Index jumped to 6.3% in Q2 from 3.6% in Q1, while the quarterly core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, increased 3.3% on a yearly basis, matching the market expectation. In June, the core PCE Price Index ticked lower on a yearly basis, to 3.3% from 3.4% in May, still far above the Fed’s 2% goal.
Middle East crisis here to stayUS President Donald Trump said for the umpteenth time on Friday that the war is “going well” and that the US “keeps winning.” No strikes between Washington and Tehran were reported by the end of the week, a short truce that at least was enough to contain fears. Still, unrest leads the region as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz declined to the levels seen before the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), while Kuwait and Egypt reported Iranian attacks early Friday.
On a positive note, US President Trump announced an historic agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas, while a senior Hamas official confirmed it to CNN, contingent on Israel upholding its obligations. This is the first time Hamas has agreed to a specific plan to hand over weapons.
The song remains the same: the US demands Iran drops its nuclear program, while Iran requests full control of the critical sea passage. Neither side is willing to give up on those terms.
Euro finds support in dataData coming from Europe provided support to the Euro: Germany and the Eurozone (EU) released the preliminary estimates of the Q2 GDP. Annualized growth in Germany rose 0.9%, modest yet better than the 0.4% posted in Q1. The EU figure printed at 1%, up from the previous 0.3%.
German inflation met expectations as the preliminary estimate of the July Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices printed at 2.8% YoY, higher than the 2.4% from June. The EU HICP in the same period resulted in 2.5%, in line with expectations and slightly above the previous 2.4%.
Still, financial markets price in roughly a 65% probability that the European Central Bank (ECB) will deliver a 25 bps rate hike at the September meeting. Again, too early to speculate about that.
Regardless, European data was encouraging enough to spook concerns, which ended up helping the Euro on its way north. It should not be a surprise, however, if the Greenback resumes its rally on the back of war-related fears.
What’s next in the docketThe first week of August will be a busy one. Germany will kick-start macroeconomic releases by publishing June Retail Sales, while the US will publish the ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) on Monday. The ISM Services PMI will be out on Wednesday, while EU June Retail Sales are scheduled for Thursday.
S&P Global, alongside local banks, will release the final estimates of the July PMIs for major economies throughout the week.
Midweek, the focus will turn to employment as the US releases June JOLTS Job Openings, the July ADP Employment Change report, and July Challenger Job Cuts ahead of the July Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report scheduled for Friday. The US is expected to have added 91K new jobs in the month, up from the 57K added in June, while the Unemployment Rate is foreseen at 4.3%, up from the 4.2% posted in June.
EUR/USD Technical Outlook:From a technical perspective, based on the daily chart, EUR/USD has partially recovered its bullish poise. The pair has run past a now mildly bullish 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 1.1430, although it remains below the 100-day and 200-day simple SMAs at 1.1568 and 1.1631, respectively, keeping the broader backdrop bearish despite the latest bounce. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator turned lower but stands at 58, while the Momentum indicator holds flat above its midline, suggesting that buying interest has improved, though not enough to confirm a trend change.
In the weekly chart, EUR/USD maintains a mildly bearish near-term bias, holding below the 20-week SMA at 1.1565 while still trading above the 100- and 200-week SMAs at 1.1311 and 1.1032, respectively. Technical indicators have rotated higher, but remain below their midlines, reflecting the latest advance yet far from suggesting a bullish extension ahead.
On the topside, initial resistance is at the 100-day SMA near 1.1568, with the 200-day SMA at around 1.1631 as the next significant barrier if buyers extend the advance. On the downside, immediate support emerges at the 20-day SMA at 1.1424, where a break would expose a deeper pullback toward the June low at 1.1324.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Fed credibility questions underpin USD SSA spreads as EUR and GBP seen outperformingAccording to TD Securities, recent price action has seen "US swap spreads have tightened, and the yield curve has steepened," reshaping relative value across rates and credit markets. The bank argues that "questions around the Fed's credibility are supportive for USD SSA G-spreads," and, in this context, it "look[s] for front-end EUR and GBP to outperform vs USD" as investors reassess opportunities along the front end of major curves.
Allegro oznámilo, že výnosy z datových center pro AI dosáhly rekordních 17 % celkových výnosů a ve čtvrtletí se více než zdvojnásobily. Celkové výnosy vzrostly meziročně o 27 % na 259 milionů USD.
Key Takeaways Allegro reported Q1 sales growth as AI data center revenue reached a record 17% of total sales.ALGM's data center sales more than doubled, driven by current sensors, fan drivers and power solutions.Allegro sees automotive design wins up 30% and robotics growth from new sensor opportunities. Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (ALGM - Free Report) highlighted accelerating demand from AI data centers, electrification and automation during its first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings call, with management pointing to expanding design wins and backlog growth.
Executives emphasized that higher-value content opportunities in data centers, electric vehicles and robotics are becoming key drivers of the company’s long-term growth strategy.
ALGM Expands AI Data Center OpportunityPresident and CEO Michael Doogue said Allegro began fiscal 2027 with strong momentum, reporting its sixth consecutive quarter of sales growth. He highlighted AI infrastructure as a major growth area, with data center revenue reaching a record 17% of total sales in the quarter.
The company said data center sales more than doubled from fiscal 2026 levels, supported by demand for current sensors, fan driver ICs and future power solutions. Current sensors represented 22% of first-quarter data center sales and were growing faster than motor driver products.
Allegro reported first-quarter sales of $259 million, up 27% year over year, while non-GAAP EPS increased to $0.23 from $0.09 in the prior-year period. Results exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.21 EPS and $253 million revenue.
Allegro Builds Content Across AI SystemsDoogue said next-generation AI servers create opportunities beyond rack growth because higher power levels require more sensing and control content. He noted that current sensors and fan drivers account for a significant portion of potential AI rack content expansion.
During Q&A, a Wells Fargo analyst asked about data center growth assumptions within second-quarter guidance. Doogue said customer signals remain strong and pointed to continued content growth as a driver of the business.
Management also highlighted future opportunities from isolated gate drivers and other power technologies. Doogue said isolated gate drivers could become a more meaningful contributor over an 18-to-24-month timeframe.
ALGM Advances Automotive Growth StrategyAutomotive remained a core growth area, with first-quarter automotive sales increasing 15% year over year to $165 million. Management attributed gains to expanding content in xEV and ADAS applications.
Doogue said Allegro is benefiting from rising semiconductor content per vehicle, driven by electrification, advanced safety systems and electromechanical braking technologies. He noted that automotive design wins increased 30% year over year.
A Barclays analyst questioned recent automotive trends and competitive dynamics. Doogue responded that Allegro continues to see strong customer activity, supported by design wins, bookings and increased content opportunities across global markets.
ALGM Targets Robotics ExpansionAllegro also identified robotics and automation as emerging growth opportunities. Doogue said the company expects robotics and automation to contribute 3% to 4% of fiscal 2027 sales.
The company secured current sensor wins with Chinese humanoid robot manufacturers and inductive position sensor wins with a North American robotics customer. Management said robotics applications benefit from Allegro’s existing expertise in safety-focused motion control.
A Needham analyst asked about the longer-term robotics opportunity. Doogue said growth will depend on adoption rates and the number of joints and motion-control points incorporated into future robotic systems.
Allegro Improves Margins Through MixCFO Derek D’Antilio said first-quarter non-GAAP gross margin reached 51.1%, while operating margin improved to 19.4%. He attributed margin expansion to operating leverage, product mix and early pricing actions.
The company is targeting gross margins of 55% and beyond over time. Management cited factory efficiency improvements, product bill-of-material transitions and selective pricing actions as contributors to margin expansion.
During Q&A, Wolfe Research asked about pricing actions. D’Antilio said most automotive contracts reset annually, while selective pricing actions in distribution began late in the first quarter and are expected to contribute more meaningfully in the second half of the fiscal year.
ALGM Provides Positive OutlookFor the second quarter of fiscal 2027, Allegro expects sales between $265 million and $275 million, representing 26% year-over-year growth at the midpoint. The company forecast non-GAAP EPS of $0.23 to $0.26.
Management expects both automotive and industrial markets to deliver mid-single-digit sequential growth. The company also highlighted continued backlog expansion and increasing bookings as indicators of demand strength.
The company ended the quarter with $170 million in cash, $285 million in term debt and $115 million in net debt. Free cash flow was $14 million during the quarter.
Zacks SignalsAllegro carries Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that earnings estimate revisions are currently balanced. The Zacks Rank is designed to help identify stocks with stronger potential over the next one to three months based on changes in earnings estimates. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The stock has a Value Score of F, Growth Score of A, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of C. Zacks Style Scores range from A to F, with higher grades representing stronger characteristics within each style category. The Zacks Rank may change as analysts revise earnings estimates following new company developments.
Itron tento týden vyskočil až o 18,7 % po silných výsledcích za druhé čtvrtletí a zvýšení celoročního výhledu. EPS činil 1,59 USD, nad odhadem 1,29 USD.
Shares of Itron (ITRI -1.04%) jumped as much as 18.7% this week, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The global utility technology provider posted strong second-quarter earnings and raised its full-year guidance, sending the stock higher.
As of 10:44 AM EST on Friday, July 31, shares of Itron are up 17.4%. Here's why, and whether now is a good time to buy the stock.
Today's Change
(
-1.04
%) $
-1.03
Current Price
$
97.82
Raised full-year guidance Itron makes utility meters and grid intelligence technology to help manage the electric grid. It helps meters manage electricity demand volatility, a growing need amid the current artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
This quarter, Itron posted non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $1.59, well above analyst expectations of $1.29, and raised its full-year earnings guidance. Management commentary indicates there is significant demand for Itron's products and services for electric grid stability as the AI infrastructure build-out continues.
Image source: Getty Images.
Should you buy Itron stock? After this week's pop, Itron trades at just below $100. Its full-year EPS guidance is for $6.40 at the midpoint, or a forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) a touch above 15. For anyone who believes the AI revolution will be a tailwind for Itron, this does not look like an overly expensive stock to buy right now.
Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Itron. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Wall Street čeká, že Vistra Corp. vykáže za čtvrtletí zisk 2,02 USD na akcii a tržby 6,29 miliardy USD, tedy meziroční růst o 100 % a 48,1 %. Akcie mohou reagovat na výsledky, které mají být zveřejněny 7. srpna.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Vistra Corp. (VST - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 7. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.02 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +100%.
Revenues are expected to be $6.29 billion, up 48.1% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 13.78% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Vistra?For Vistra, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -16.63%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Vistra will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Vistra would post earnings of $2.21 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.87, delivering a surprise of +29.86%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Vistra doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAnother stock from the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, Evergy Inc (EVRG - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.82 per share for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate indicates no change from the year-ago quarter. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $1.47 billion, up 2.6% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Evergy has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -6.75%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Evergy will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Key Takeaways Resmed's Q4 revenues are projected to rise 8.4% to $1.46 billion, with EPS increasing 13.7% to $2.90. Strong mask demand, AirSense availability and NightOwl adoption may support Resmed's quarterly growth. Resmed may gain from VirtuOx and Noctrix, while MEDIFOX helps offset pressure in senior living software. Resmed (RMD - Free Report) is set to release fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Aug. 6, after the closing bell.
The renowned sleep health device maker posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.86 in the last reported quarter, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.51%. The company topped earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 3.26%.
RMD’s Q4 EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $1.46 billion, indicating an increase of 8.4% from the year-ago reported figure.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS suggests a 13.7% rise to $2.90.
Estimate Revision Trend Ahead of RMD’s Q4 EarningsEstimates for earnings have remained stable over the past 60 days.
Here’s a brief review of the company’s performance leading up to the announcement.
Factors Likely to Influence RMD’s Q4 ResultsSleep and Breathing Health
Within this segment, Resmed is likely to have benefited from strong demand for its mask portfolio across the United States, Canada and Latin America. Growth might have also accelerated in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world region. Mask and other sales are expected to have witnessed continued growth in resupply and new patient setups, while the VirtuOx acquisition must have contributed to incremental revenues. The company is strategically expanding its mask portfolio with product innovations like AirTouch N30i, F30i Comfort and F30iClear, among others, which should have supported revenues in the fiscal fourth quarter.
Device sales numbers are likely to reflect the ongoing combined availability of Resmed’s AirSense 10 and AirSense 11 sleep devices, supporting underlying global demand. The company is also expected to have introduced AirSense 11 to additional countries following regulatory clearances. Resmed’s use of ML, AI and generative AI technology in its digital health products might have positively impacted its overall top line. The company must have also gained from the widespread U.S. adoption of NightOwl, its fingertip-sized home sleep apnea test.
In June, Resmed completed its acquisition of Noctrix Health, Inc., a medical device company developing clinically validated wearable therapeutics for chronic neurological disorders. The acquisition expands Resmed’s clinical sleep health portfolio for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). We expect this acquisition to have had a positive impact on the quarterly top line.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sleep and Breathing Health revenues implies an 8.8% increase.
Residential Care Software
The division, which provides business management software-as-a-service to out-of-hospital health providers, remains a key strategic enabler of the core Sleep and Breathing Health business. Resmed is likely to have executed its RCS portfolio management strategy, channeling more investment into the high-growth, higher-margin parts of the portfolio while reducing exposure to lower-growth, lower-margin areas, such as the services businesses.
The fiscal fourth-quarter performance might have been affected by a challenging growth environment for the senior living and long-term care vertical. This must have been offset by strong performance from the MEDIFOX platform.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this segment’s revenues indicates a rise of 6.1%.
What Our Model Unveils for RMDPer our proven model, a stock with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), along with a positive Earnings ESP, has a higher chance of beating estimates, which is not the case here, as you can see below.
Earnings ESP: Resmed has an Earnings ESP of -1.39%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Key MedTech PicksHere are some other medical stocks worth considering, as these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this time around.
Hinge Health Inc. (HNGE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +4.24% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. The company is expected to release second-quarter 2026 results soon.
In the trailing four quarters, HINGE delivered an average earnings surprise of 179.54%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter EPS implies a decrease of 11.9% from the year-ago reported figure.
Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +40.60% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. The company is expected to release second-quarter 2026 results soon.
NBIX’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 9.08%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s second-quarter EPS calls for an increase of 112.3% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.
West Pharmaceutical Services (WST - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.09% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 23.
WST’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.37%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WST’s second-quarter EPS implies a rise of 13% from the year-ago reported figure.
The market expects Sylvamo Corporation (SLVM - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 7, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.14 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -137.8%.
Revenues are expected to be $800 million, up 0.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.64% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Sylvamo?For Sylvamo, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #5.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Sylvamo will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Sylvamo would post a loss of$0.25 per share when it actually produced a loss of -$0.53, delivering a surprise of -112.00%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Sylvamo doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Granite Protocol byl zalistován na Borrow on Bitcoin. Na Stacks mohou uživatelé vložit sBTC jako zástavu a půjčit si USDCx s proměnlivou úrokovou sazbou 1,66 % APR.
Granite Protocol has been listed on Borrow on Bitcoin, adding another lending route for users who want to put Bitcoin-linked collateral to work without leaving the broader Bitcoin DeFi stack.
The listing centers on Granite’s Stacks-based lending market, where users can deposit sBTC collateral and borrow USDCx. The validated notes point to a variable borrow rate of 1.66% APR, along with features including isolated pools, soft liquidations, and no rehypothecation of user collateral.
The product is not available in the US, and that limitation matters.
Still, the listing is another sign that Bitcoin DeFi is becoming more specific. Instead of broad claims that Bitcoin can support DeFi one day, the market is now seeing comparison pages, lending markets, collateral routes, and user-facing products built around BTC-linked assets.
That does not mean Bitcoin DeFi has gone mainstream. It means the infrastructure is becoming easier to evaluate.
For more details, visit the official Granite platform.
TL;DR Granite Protocol has been listed on Borrow on Bitcoin. Users can deposit sBTC collateral on Stacks to borrow USDCx. The integration is a useful Bitcoin DeFi signal, but it should not be overstated as broad adoption. Bitcoin DeFi Needs Practical Products Bitcoin DeFi has always had a slightly awkward pitch.
Bitcoin is the largest crypto asset and the strongest store-of-value brand in the market, but most DeFi activity historically happened elsewhere. Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, and newer Layer 2 ecosystems built the lending markets, DEXs, stablecoin systems, yield protocols, and composable financial apps.
Bitcoin had the capital. Other chains had the app layer.
Stacks has been one of the ecosystems trying to close that gap by giving Bitcoin holders more ways to interact with DeFi-style products while keeping the narrative tied to BTC.
Granite’s Borrow on Bitcoin listing fits that direction.
It gives users another way to compare borrowing options, collateral terms, and risk models in a Bitcoin-linked environment.
The 1.66% APR Detail Gets Attention A 1.66% variable borrow rate is the kind of number that immediately attracts attention, especially if traders compare it with higher borrowing costs in other markets.
But the rate should be treated carefully.
Borrow rates can change. They depend on utilization, available liquidity, risk parameters, market demand, and protocol design. A low advertised rate is useful, but it is not a guarantee that conditions will remain the same.
The more important point is that Bitcoin DeFi products are starting to compete on familiar lending-market terms.
Users can ask practical questions: What collateral do I deposit? What stablecoin can I borrow? What happens in liquidation? Is the pool isolated? Is collateral rehypothecated? What jurisdictions are supported? Where is the liquidity coming from?
Those are normal DeFi questions, and that is progress.
Bitcoin DeFi becomes real when users can compare products by actual risk and cost, not just by slogans.
Why Soft Liquidations Matter The soft liquidation feature is important because liquidation design shapes user experience.
In traditional DeFi lending, a sharp move against collateral can trigger liquidation. If the system is aggressive, users may lose more than expected or have little time to react. Softer liquidation mechanics are designed to reduce the shock, though the exact effect depends on protocol design.
For Bitcoin-backed borrowing, liquidation risk is one of the main barriers.
Bitcoin holders often do not want to sell BTC, but they may want liquidity. Borrowing against BTC-linked collateral offers that route, but a sudden BTC drawdown can put the position at risk.
A product that emphasizes soft liquidations is trying to make that borrowing experience less brutal.
That does not eliminate risk. It just changes how the protocol handles stress.
No Rehypothecation Is A Custody Signal Granite’s no-rehypothecation claim is also worth noting.
Rehypothecation became a dirty word after the last cycle’s lending failures, where users learned that “earn” and “borrow” products often involved hidden layers of counterparty risk. If collateral is reused, lent onward, or tied into opaque strategies, users may be exposed to risks they did not understand.
A protocol that does not rehypothecate collateral is making a clearer custody and risk claim.
That does not make the system risk-free. Smart contract risk, oracle risk, liquidity risk, liquidation risk, bridge risk, and governance risk can still exist. But it does address one of the biggest trust problems from centralized lending.
Bitcoin users are usually especially sensitive to custody assumptions, so that design detail matters.
A Small But Useful Bitcoin DeFi Step The right way to read this listing is measured.
Granite landing on Borrow on Bitcoin does not prove that Bitcoin DeFi has reached escape velocity. It does not mean BTC holders are suddenly moving in size to Stacks lending markets. It does not make Bitcoin an Ethereum-style DeFi ecosystem overnight.
But it does show continued product formation.
Comparison indexes, collateralized lending markets, stablecoin borrowing routes, and clearer risk terms are the kind of boring infrastructure that needs to exist before larger adoption becomes possible.
Bitcoin DeFi will not grow through one headline. It will grow if users find products that are cheaper, safer, clearer, and more useful than the alternatives.
Granite’s listing is one more test of whether that market is starting to form.
This article is based on Granite Protocol and Borrow on Bitcoin product materials.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
AUD/USD včera vzrostl o více než 1 % a dnes se dostal na intradenní měsíční maximum 0,7045. Růst podporují vyšší očekávání sazeb RBA a slabší americký růst.
Higher-for-longer RBA interest rate expectations, persistent domestic inflation, and widening yield differentials against the U.S. Federal Reserve continue to fuel the currency's upward trajectory Broader risk-on sentiment is adding tailwinds, as investors favor growth-sensitive, higher-yielding currencies like the Aussie over safe havens amid improving global market mood The RBA's August 11 decision and upcoming US data could quickly reverse momentum The Australian dollar experienced significant gains this week. Yesterday, it rose over 1% against the US dollar, marking one of its most substantial single-day movements this year. This upward trend continued today, reaching an intraday monthly high of 0.7045.
Zoom out, and the pair is up roughly 9% over the past twelve months. So what’s behind this fresh burst of momentum, and is it something traders should lean into or treat with caution?
What Is Driving this Jump? The main reason for the Aussie dollar’s quick rise is the growing gap in monetary policy between Australia and the United States.
Back home, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock again took a hawkish tone. She warned that underlying inflation is still too high, meaning more interest rate hikes aren’t off the table.
The official RBA Monetary Policy Statement confirms the central bank is determined to bring inflation back to its target. They’re keeping the official cash rate at a high 4.35%. This firm approach has made markets expect a longer period of tight policy compared to other G10 countries.
Concurrently, the US dollar faced headwinds following macroeconomic reports showing a distinct deceleration in second-quarter US GDP growth.
The combination of weaker US economic growth figures and expectations of future monetary easing by the Federal Reserve has put downward pressure on US dollar yields. This situation is prompting a redirection of capital towards commodity-linked currencies, such as the Australian dollar, which offer higher yields.
Secondary support for the Australian dollar comes from commodity prices and global risk appetite. Australia’s export sector is closely tied to industrial metals and energy. Consequently, any improvement in global market sentiment generally benefits the Australian dollar.
Is It Sustainable? That’s the harder question. The rate-differential argument holds only as long as the data keeps cooperating. A hotter-than-expected US inflation print or a surprisingly resilient jobs report could quickly revive Fed-hawkish bets and cap the Aussie’s gains.
On the Australian side, the RBA’s next decision on August 11 is a real event risk. Any indication of concern regarding the currency’s current strength or a resurfacing of growth anxieties could rapidly shift market sentiment. In the near-term, the price range of 0.7045-0.7065 is likely to be the key resistance level to monitor.
What Traders and Investors Should Consider For short-term traders, this market movement appears driven by specific data points and upcoming events, rather than a fundamental change in valuation. Therefore, careful position sizing in anticipation of the RBA announcement and the next US inflation and payrolls data releases is more critical than attempting to capitalize on the immediate breakout.
For longer-term investors, including those with Australian equity or currency exposure, it’s worth remembering not to overreact to a single week’s move. Rate-differential shifts like this can unwind quickly if either central bank changes its guidance.
Why has the Australian dollar risen sharply against the US dollar?
A shifting interest-rate differential is driving it, and markets now expect a more dovish Fed while the RBA looks set to hold rates through 2026.
Should investors increase AUD exposure immediately?
A measured approach is preferable. Confirmation of the breakout and favourable upcoming data would strengthen the case for adding positions.
Will the Reserve Bank of Australia increase interest rates again soon?
While the RBA remains hawkish, recent cooling inflation makes an extended rate hold much more likely.
SummaryVertiv is upgraded to 'Buy' as earnings estimates rise despite a recent stock pullback.Q1 results showed strong EPS and margin growth, with a 51% YoY adjusted operating profit increase and a 22.6% margin.Management raised the FY 2026 outlook across all key metrics, projecting $14 billion in net sales and $6.70 EPS.VRT trades at a compelling growth-adjusted valuation, with technicals signaling potential recovery from oversold conditions. onurdongel/iStock via Getty Images
July was not a kind month to the AI trade. Throw a dart at Industrial-Tech names linked to the data center buildout and semiconductor themes, and chances are that you’ll land on red. That goes for shares of Vertiv (
9.51K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Blackbaud zavádí do fundraisingu, vzdělávání a financí řízené AI agenty; Development Agent překonal oborové benchmarky a pomohl oslovit více dárců bez navýšení počtu zaměstnanců.
Key Takeaways Blackbaud is embedding supervised AI agents into fundraising, education and finance workflows.The Development Agent beat industry benchmarks while helping customers reach more donors without more staff.BLKB expects no meaningful 2026 revenue from its five AI products as higher spending pressures margins. Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB - Free Report) is pushing its software model beyond conventional workflow automation. Its next step is agentic AI, with supervised digital agents embedded in fundraising, education and finance processes used by social impact organizations.
The investor question is whether those agents can deepen customer reliance and create more cross-sell opportunities. Near-term revenue benefits remain limited, but the strategy could make Blackbaud’s platform more central to daily operations.
Blackbaud's Agents Move AI Into Daily WorkflowsBlackbaud’s Development Agent is designed to identify dormant donors outside a major gift officer portfolio. It then builds personalized, brand-aligned outreach sequences and executes them under human supervision.
Management said production results exceeded industry benchmarks for reply rates, open rates and average attributable gift size. The bigger operational point is that customers can reach more donors without adding staff, a useful outcome for organizations with limited resources.
BLKB's New Agents Broaden the Addressable Use CasesBlackbaud has announced four additional Agents for Good. The planned Data Health Agent will address duplicate records, contact accuracy and life-change updates inside fundraising systems.
The Admissions Agent targets independent K-12 schools, while the Digital Marketing Agent is intended to support campaign planning, audience selection, content generation and channel optimization. The Accounts Payable Agent extends the strategy into Financial Edge NXT, where it can help automate invoice intake and payments.
Blackbaud's Data Base Strengthens AI AdoptionMore than half of Raiser’s Edge NXT customers already use machine-learning-enabled donor prospecting. That usage generates tens of billions of predictions annually within Blackbaud’s systems.
This installed base matters because AI adoption is easier when recommendations appear inside a system of record customers already trust. Blackbaud’s sector data, embedded workflows and permissioned information can improve recommendations over time while reducing the friction created by separate tools.
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM - Free Report) is relevant because its Nonprofit Cloud also targets fundraising, stakeholder relationships and impact measurement. Oracle Corporation (ORCL - Free Report) , through NetSuite, competes for nonprofit finance and operational workflows, making Blackbaud’s embedded-agent approach important for differentiation.
BLKB's AI Investment Delays Near-Term PayoffThe platform opportunity comes with cost pressure. In the second quarter of 2026, Blackbaud increased spending on marketing, research, internal software and AI while continuing to support broader product modernization.
Non-GAAP operating margin declined 110 basis points to 32.6%. Management also does not expect the five AI products launched or announced in 2026 to make a meaningful revenue contribution this year, keeping the AI payoff more long-term than immediate.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Blackbaud's Neutral Rank Tempers the AI StoryThe bottom line is that Blackbaud’s agentic AI push is becoming a clearer platform strategy, not just a product feature. The agents could support adoption, cross-sales and customer productivity if early results scale across the installed base.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The company’s recurring revenue visibility and AI optionality are offset by modest revenue growth, renewal pressure and higher investment spending.
Blackbaud also has a Value Score of A, Growth Score of A, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of A. The A grades suggest favorable value, growth and combined style characteristics, while the Momentum Score of D signals weaker timing on that factor. For now, investors may need more evidence that adoption and cross-sales can translate into sustained revenue acceleration and margin recovery.
Blackbaud uvedl, že pět AI produktů nemá v roce 2026 výrazně podpořit tržby. Opírá se hlavně o opakované tržby, které ve 2. čtvrtletí vzrostly o 3,3 % na 285,3 milionu USD.
Key Takeaways Blackbaud's AI agents target deeper customer penetration across fundraising and operational workflows.About 90% of contractual recurring revenue is tied to agreements lasting at least three years.Payments rose to $98.9 million, while five AI products are not expected to materially lift 2026 revenue. Blackbaud, Inc. (BLKB - Free Report) combines subscription software, payments and purpose-built workflows for nonprofit, education and social impact customers. That gives the company a large recurring base before its newer artificial intelligence products scale.
The investor question is whether multi-year contracts, embedded payments and cross-selling can move Blackbaud beyond modest near-term revenue growth as AI agents broaden the platform.
Blackbaud's Recurring Base Anchors VisibilityRecurring revenue increased 3.3% to $285.3 million in the second quarter and represented 98.2% of total revenue. That mix gives Blackbaud more visibility than a model that depends heavily on implementation work or other services.
Contractual recurring revenue comes from subscription and maintenance arrangements. Transactional recurring revenue is tied to activity such as payment processing and tuition management, so it can fluctuate more from period to period.
BLKB's Contract Terms Extend Revenue DurabilityBlackbaud’s contract base also supports revenue durability. Approximately 90% of contractual recurring revenue is tied to agreements lasting at least three years, while 25% is linked to terms of four years or longer.
That structure is reflected in deferred revenue of $406.4 million and roughly $1.6 billion of remaining performance obligations. These figures do not remove renewal risk, but they show a meaningful amount of contracted business already lined up for future periods.
Blackbaud's Payments Add Transactional GrowthTransactional recurring revenue increased $2.8 million to $98.9 million in the second quarter. Higher Blackbaud Integrated Payments and Tuition Management volumes added a growth channel alongside the company’s subscription base.
Payments also deepen Blackbaud’s position inside customer workflows because donation, tuition and related transactions connect directly to its software systems. Still, transaction volumes can vary between periods, making this revenue stream less predictable than contractual recurring revenue.
BLKB's AI Pipeline Expands Cross-Sell PotentialBlackbaud’s Development Agent has moved into production, adding supervised donor outreach to its product set. Early engagement results give management a basis to expand the use case across fundraising workflows.
The roadmap includes four additional agents focused on data health, admissions, digital marketing and accounts payable. Management does not expect the five AI products to contribute materially to 2026 revenue, so the near-term case rests more on adoption signals and cross-sell potential than on immediate financial impact.
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM - Free Report) provides a useful comparison because nonprofit organizations often evaluate broad customer relationship management platforms alongside purpose-built fundraising software. Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC - Free Report) is another relevant software name for investors watching how automated workflows can support recurring application revenue.
BLKB's Neutral Signals Frame the OutlookThe bottom line is that Blackbaud has the ingredients for steadier growth, but the timing remains measured. Recurring revenue visibility, long-term contracts and payment volume growth support the model, while modest revenue expansion and renewal pressure keep the outlook balanced.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
BLKB has a VGM Score of A. The VGM Score combines value, growth and momentum characteristics, and an A is favorable within the Zacks Style Scores framework.
For investors, the AI pipeline is best viewed as an option on deeper customer penetration. Blackbaud still needs to convert product activity into renewal strength, cross-selling and sustained revenue acceleration before the story moves beyond visibility to faster growth.
Američtí zákonodárci chtějí po DoorDash informace o používání čínských AI modelů, včetně nasazení Kimi K2.6 od Moonshot AI. Vyšetřování se zaměřuje na bezpečnostní rizika pro americké firmy.
U.S. lawmakers have requested information from food delivery company DoorDash on its use of Chinese artificial intelligence models, CNBC has learned, as scrutiny around American businesses' use of systems developed by China ramps up.
In a letter obtained by CNBC, the chairmen of two House Select Committees conducting a joint investigation into security implications of U.S. companies using Chinese AI models asked DoorDash to share "information and documents" relating to its evaluation and deployment of AI systems from China.
"DoorDash proudly supports American AI leadership and is working to ensure AI benefits Main Street, not just the biggest companies," a DoorDash spokesperson told CNBC. "We look forward to engaging with the Committees on how we safely and responsibly use AI, including American-developed frontier models and open-weight models."
Rising adoption of China-built AI models has led to growing calls from U.S. lawmakers for strategies to combat the trend, including via an ongoing investigation from The House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
An initial step in the joint investigation was for the chairmen of those committees to send letters to Cursor and Airbnb, over their "use of or exposure to these risks" through AI developed in China.
The letter cited a post on X by Andy Fang that details how DoorDash is delegating lower-level AI work to Chinese AI model Kimi K2.6, which is developed by Moonshot AI.
Read more CNBC tech newsAmazon posts 'booming' cloud growth, hikes 2026 capex to $220 billionApple earnings: Revenue tops estimates, but supply constraints weigh on guidanceChina's open-weight model lead exposes America's AI blind spotNew details in the OpenAI Hugging Face hack show how far agents will go: 'It's now remarkably easy'DoorDash's AI research lab had said on X that it had seen Kimi K2.6 and Anthropic's Fable 5 vastly outperform other Anthropic models it had used, including "Sonnet 4.6 and Opus 4.8 harness at a cheaper cost."
"The Committees recognize that U.S. companies, from large technology firms to startups, may evaluate and deploy PRC-developed open-weight models because they can provide competitive capabilities, lower costs, greater customization, and alternatives to reliance on a small number of proprietary model providers," the letter reads.
It added: "Those practical considerations do not eliminate the need for risk-based safeguards or diminish the national security concerns associated with growing dependence on models developed by entities subject to PRC jurisdiction."
AI arms raceAI has emerged as a key point of rivalry between the U.S. and China, with both nations vying for supremacy in the field.
"The Chinese Communist Party is no longer just nipping at our heels in artificial intelligence; it is racing to close the gap in some of the exact capabilities that will shape the future of cybersecurity," Andrew Garbarino, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, previously told CNBC.
"Recent reporting that a Chinese open-weight model can match leading U.S. models in certain vulnerability discovery and cybersecurity tasks is highly alarming," said Garbarino.
Moonshot AI's release of open weight model Kimi K3 earlier this month claimed to have largely closed the performance gap with leading U.S. models.
While some government departments have banned the usage of Chinese AI models like DeepSeek, adoption by U.S. companies is not prohibited. Tech chiefs, including crypto company Coinbase's Brian Armstrong and AI startup Lindy's Flo Crivello, have been publicly touting the use of models from China to reduce costs.
"An effective federal approach should therefore scrutinize U.S. companies' reliance on [People's Republic of China]-developed models and strengthen the availability, security, and competitiveness of American open-weight alternatives," the letter said.
The availability of open weight models was thrown into the spotlight recently after it emerged that a cyber attack by rogue OpenAI models on Hugging Face was stopped by using a Chinese system.
Open weight models can be downloaded, modified and self-hosted by companies. The most capable open weight models are Chinese made. The leading frontier models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic are closed.
"The Committees are also examining whether the United States has a sufficient open-weight AI strategy to ensure American companies and cyber defenders are not forced to choose between expensive or restricted U.S. models and cheap, capable PRC-developed alternatives," a Committee aide, who asked not to be named as they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing probe, previously told CNBC.
Dominion Energy ve 2. čtvrtletí vykázala zisk na akcii 0,79 USD a tržby 4,48 miliardy USD, obojí nad odhady. Zisk překonal konsensus o 8,22 % a tržby o 10,33 %.
Dominion Energy (D - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.79 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.73 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.75 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +8.22%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this energy company would post earnings of $0.89 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.95, delivering a surprise of +6.74%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Dominion Energy, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, posted revenues of $4.48 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.33%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $3.81 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Dominion Energy shares have added about 19% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.7%.
What's Next for Dominion Energy?While Dominion Energy has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Dominion Energy was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.19 on $4.95 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.57 on $18.3 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Utility - Electric Power is currently in the bottom 32% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
One other stock from the same industry, Otter Tail (OTTR - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 3.
This power company and manufacturer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.48 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -20%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 8.9% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
Otter Tail's revenues are expected to be $334.5 million, up 0.4% from the year-ago quarter.
