Acuity (AYI - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $5.77 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.53 per share. This compares to earnings of $5.2 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +4.34%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this lighting maker would post earnings of $5.2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $5.31, delivering a surprise of +2.12%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Acuity, which belongs to the Zacks Technology Services industry, posted revenues of $1.24 billion for the quarter ended August 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.6%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.21 billion. 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.
Acuity shares have lost about 14% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 11.8%.
What's Next for Acuity?While Acuity has underperformed 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 Acuity 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 $5.09 on $1.18 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $21.41 on $4.86 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, Technology Services is currently in the bottom 27% 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, Coursera (COUR - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026.
This online learning platform is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.19 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +90%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Coursera's revenues are expected to be $368.93 million, up 90% from the year-ago quarter.
Studie v The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics ukázala, že Haystack MRD dosáhl u kolorektálního karcinomu 100% specificity bez falešně pozitivních výsledků při 3letém i 5letém sledování a senzitivity 100 % a 83,3 %.
Test showed 100% specificity, with no false-positive results in the cohort, at both 3- and 5-year follow-up, and sensitivity of 100% and 83.3%, respectively, for predicting disease recurrence
, /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics showed that the Haystack MRD® test is highly accurate at detecting residual and recurrent disease, demonstrating clinical performance in specimens from the landmark DYNAMIC colorectal cancer trial series. The study also validated the test’s analytical performance across 23 solid tumor types. Provided by Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), Haystack MRD is an ultrasensitive circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) liquid biopsy test for identifying residual or recurrent disease in patients with solid tumor cancers.
The study evaluated the clinical performance of the commercially available Haystack MRD test by retrospectively testing residual specimens from patients enrolled in the DYNAMIC and DYNAMIC-III trials, which evaluated the use of ctDNA-based MRD results (generated with an earlier version of the Haystack MRD technology) to guide chemotherapy decisions in stage II and III colorectal cancer. In this cohort, Haystack MRD results were highly associated with recurrence, demonstrating 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity at 3-year follow-up and 83.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity at 5-year follow-up. Haystack MRD also substantially outperformed carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a standard blood-based biomarker, detecting recurrence with 88.9% sensitivity versus 11.1% for CEA (median follow-up 60 months).
Scientists from Quest and Haystack Oncology conducted the study together with investigators from the two institutions that led the DYNAMIC trials: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Melbourne, Australia.
"The DYNAMIC trial demonstrated the potential for ctDNA to guide more individualized treatment decisions in stage II colon cancer but realizing that potential depends on a highly sensitive assay that can reliably detect the extremely small amounts of tumor DNA that may remain after treatment, while maintaining high specificity," said Professor Jeanne Tie,* a medical oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and lead investigator for the DYNAMIC trial series. "This study helps bridge the gap between clinical research and real-world patient care."
In other key findings, Haystack MRD:
Demonstrated ultrasensitive detection of residual disease, with a 95% limit of detection (LoD95) of 0.063 mean ctDNA molecules per milliliter (mL) of plasma. Earlier validation established an LoD95 of 6 parts per million (PPM), a metric commonly reported for tumor-informed MRD assays1. Achieved sub-PPM detection of 0.8 PPM, and as low as 0.2 PPM in some samples, with no false positives in cancer-free controls using an investigational whole-genome version of the test. This whole-genome version is currently only available to clinical investigators and biopharma partners while the commercial test uses whole-exome sequencing. Established a limit of quantitation (LOQ) suitable for response monitoring of 0.25 mean ctDNA molecules per mL. Establishing the LOQ allows a change in a patient's ctDNA level between serial tests to be interpreted as a real change in tumor burden rather than assay variability. Demonstrated analytical performance across the complete testing process, starting from plasma collection and including cell free (cf) DNA extraction, rather than starting with already extracted cfDNA. As a result, analytical performance can be directly translated to clinical performance, versus assay validations that begin with extracted cfDNA and do not account for extraction variability. "To our knowledge, this is the first time that the full ctDNA MRD testing process, starting from plasma collection and including cfDNA extraction, has been characterized for the limit of detection (at 95%) and quantitative analytical performance," said study co-author Dan Edelstein, Vice President and General Manager, Haystack Oncology. "The precise quantitative measurements demonstrated in this validation provide confidence that the Haystack MRD test accurately measures changes in ctDNA levels over time and can be used for serial ctDNA monitoring during and after treatment. With these insights, clinicians can understand the degree of change in ctDNA levels related to tumor biology in an individual patient, supporting earlier evaluation of treatment response and detection of molecular progression or recurrence."
In addition, the study examined a real-world clinical cohort from an Early Experience program in which Haystack MRD detected ctDNA across 27 solid tumor types, including at ultra-low concentrations, with 42% of positive results below 0.5 mean ctDNA molecules/mL.
The new study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the clinical value of Haystack MRD, following two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Published in 2022, DYNAMIC was the first prospective, interventional study to demonstrate the clinical utility of ctDNA-based MRD testing to reduce the use of chemotherapy in stage II colon cancer without compromising recurrence-free survival. In 2025, a study on response to immunotherapy in mismatch repair-deficient cancers found that the Haystack MRD test was a "reliable liquid biopsy surrogate" that identified clinical complete response at a median of 1.4 months, compared with more than 6 months using imaging.
*Dr. Tie has served as an advisor and consultant for Haystack Oncology.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across healthcare to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We connect people, from clinicians to consumers, with laboratory insights that illuminate a path to better health. With a focus on delivering smarter, simpler testing, we help reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, empower healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics serves half the physicians and hospitals in the United States and one in three American adults each year, and our nearly 60,000 employees work together to deliver diagnostic insights that inspire actions to transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com
About Haystack Oncology
Haystack Oncology represents the culmination of over 20 years of collaboration to advance technical and clinical development in liquid biopsy technologies by cancer genomics pioneers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, developed Haystack MRD, a tumor-informed, next-generation MRD test that detects ultralow levels of ctDNA to uncover residual or recurrent disease with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. Haystack Oncology works with biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate and inform clinical development programs and advance important therapeutics to global markets, from early phase clinical development to companion diagnostics. Haystack MRD was developed and validated in a CLIA-certified laboratory and is available for commercial use as a lab-developed test (LDT) by Quest Diagnostics. The FDA granted Haystack MRD Dx Breakthrough Device Designation in 2025 for use in Stage II colorectal cancer. Haystack MRD is also available for clinical trials as an investigational device by Haystack Oncology in laboratories located in Baltimore, Maryland; Hamburg, Germany; and Helsinki, Finland. Haystack MRD is now authorized for patient access in all 50 U.S. states. www.haystackmrd.com
Prathapam R, Champion K, Blakely K, et al. Analytical validation of the Haystack MRD assay for the detection of extremely low ctDNA in solid tumor patients. Poster presented at: Association for Molecular Pathology 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo; November 19, 2024; Vancouver, BC, Canada. doi:10.1016/S1525-1578(24)00232-0 SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
Apollo rozšířila denní oceňování na další investory napříč svým úvěrovým byznysem za 850 miliard USD, aby zvýšila transparentnost soukromého úvěru. Oceňování na úrovni jednotlivých aktiv má být dostupné od 30. října 2026.
Builds on July 1 Launch for Investment-Grade Fixed Income Replacement Product Suite, Complements Data Standardization and Secondary Trading Initiatives
NEW YORK, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that it has begun providing Daily Pricing information to additional investors across its $850 billion credit business, marking another step in the firm’s broader efforts to build a more transparent private credit market. Apollo launched Daily Pricing for investors in its investment-grade Fixed Income Replacement product suite on July 1, 2026, and has now extended the initiative across various direct lending, asset-backed finance, multi-credit and opportunistic credit vehicles. Asset-level pricing for applicable funds is expected to be made available to investors beginning on October 30, 2026.
The initiative reflects the continued evolution of private credit toward the pricing, data and market making infrastructure familiar in other established credit markets. More frequent pricing, standardized asset-level information and secondary trading are complementary parts of that development, designed to help investors evaluate and manage private credit alongside their public market investments.
John Zito, Co-President of Apollo Asset Management, said, “As public and private markets continue to converge, investors increasingly expect a more consistent experience across their portfolios. That requires more timely pricing information, standardized data and the infrastructure to support more efficient market making. Daily pricing is another step in that evolution. Together with our broader efforts, it is designed to give investors greater visibility into their holdings and support their ability to participate in private markets with confidence. We believe greater transparency supports a better experience for all market participants and the broader financial system.”
The expansion complements Apollo’s other initiatives to strengthen private market infrastructure. In March 2026, Apollo partnered with Intercontinental Exchange to launch ICE Private Credit Intelligence, which has introduced unique asset identifiers, ICE IDs. The ICE IDs will be leveraged to offer standardized reference data sets, as well as analytics and independent pricing on private assets over time. To date, over 5,000 ICE IDs have been created. Apollo’s dedicated secondary trading desk, launched in 2024, has also facilitated over $30 billion of trading volume to date with a growing number of partners, demonstrating how price discovery can support the continued evolution of private markets.
Together, these initiatives are intended to support greater transparency, broader participation and modern product structures as private credit becomes a more established component of investor portfolios.
Daily Pricing is available to investors through Apollo’s investor portal. Where information relates to a registered fund, it is published through the channels applicable to that vehicle.
Daily Pricing refers to an estimated fair value for a fund, portfolio, asset, security or other investment position, calculated as of a specified date. Daily Pricing is not a market-clearing price and is based on Apollo’s internal pricing methodology and benchmarked to relevant public market data. Daily Pricing is provided solely for informational and transparency purposes and is not intended to constitute a definitive valuation or to serve as a basis for any investment decision, subscription, redemption, transaction or other action.
About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of June 30, 2026, Apollo had approximately $1.05 trillion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.
Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540 [email protected]
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491 [email protected]
Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE:PEG) v úterý klesl na nové 52týdenní minimum 66,15 USD na akcii. Zároveň několik brokerů snížilo cílové ceny akcie.
Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG – Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday. The company traded as low as $66.15 and last traded at $66.9710, with a volume of 69286 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $66.73.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have commented on PEG. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of Public Service Enterprise Group from $91.00 to $84.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Public Service Enterprise Group from $91.00 to $88.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 18th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Public Service Enterprise Group from $91.00 to $89.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Public Service Enterprise Group from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Public Service Enterprise Group from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, September 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $89.23.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on PEG
Public Service Enterprise Group Price Performance The company has a market capitalization of $33.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.50. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $73.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $77.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.67. Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE:PEG – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The utilities provider reported $0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.06. Public Service Enterprise Group had a net margin of 16.04% and a return on equity of 12.42%. The company had revenue of $2.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.66 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.77 EPS. Public Service Enterprise Group’s quarterly revenue was down 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Public Service Enterprise Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.280-4.400 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated will post 4.36 EPS for the current year.
Public Service Enterprise Group Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 9th were given a $0.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 9th. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. Public Service Enterprise Group’s dividend payout ratio is presently 66.67%.
Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Ralph LaRossa sold 2,083 shares of Public Service Enterprise Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.47, for a total transaction of $159,287.01. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 283,656 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,691,174.32. This trade represents a 0.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP Richard Thigpen sold 8,000 shares of Public Service Enterprise Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.56, for a total value of $596,480.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 20,970 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,563,523.20. The trade was a 27.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Public Service Enterprise Group Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in Public Service Enterprise Group during the second quarter worth about $4,366,570,000. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group by 1.4% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,481,434 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,392,713,000 after buying an additional 399,191 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,207,400,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $554,994,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Public Service Enterprise Group by 5.1% in the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,994,372 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $401,048,000 after buying an additional 241,058 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.34% of the company’s stock.
(Get Free Report)
Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE: PEG) is an energy company headquartered in Newark, New Jersey. Founded in 1903, the company operates primarily through its regulated utility subsidiary, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), and its competitive energy businesses.
PSE&G is New Jersey’s largest electric and gas utility, providing electricity and natural gas delivery, transmission, distribution, and related customer services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the state.
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MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/4 - 11/8Altimmune NASDAQ: ALT executives outlined the company’s strategy to build a liver-disease franchise around pemvidutide, a dual glucagon/GLP-1 agonist being developed for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, alcohol use disorder, or AUD, and alcohol-related liver disease, or ALD.
Speaking at a Stifel session, Chief Executive Officer Jerome Durso said pemvidutide’s potential across several liver-related conditions was a primary reason he joined the company. He described the drug’s balanced dual mechanism, clinical tolerability and ability to keep patients on therapy as central elements of its development strategy.
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How Altimmune Could Grab a Big Chunk of the GLP-1 Market“What we continue to see evidence of as the data emerges is a differentiated opportunity across MASH,” Durso said, adding that Phase 2 AUD data released in July created an additional opportunity for the company’s liver-focused portfolio.
MASH Program and PERFORMA Trial Altimmune is advancing pemvidutide in the Phase 3 PERFORMA trial in patients with F2 and F3 MASH. Chief Medical Officer Christophe Arbet-Engels said the trial includes placebo, 1.8-milligram and 2.4-milligram treatment arms. The company’s statistical powering is based on results observed with the 1.8-milligram dose in Phase 2, while the 2.4-milligram arm is intended to assess potential additional benefit.
This Small Cap Wealth Management Stock Could Provide Big ReturnsArbet-Engels said Phase 2 findings showed improvements in noninvasive tests and biological markers consistent with an anti-fibrotic effect, including continued improvement between 24 and 48 weeks. He noted that the company did not see an early fibrosis outcome at 24 weeks, which he said had been anticipated.
The Phase 3 trial will use a three-pathologist biopsy-reading process, supported by AIM-MASH Assist, an artificial intelligence-assisted tool intended to reduce variability in pathology assessments. Altimmune said it has trained pathologists and tested the approach ahead of the trial.
Key features of PERFORMA include a 52-week assessment period and simplified monthly titration. The company expects the longer study duration to better assess fibrosis improvement and said the titration approach could further reduce early gastrointestinal events and support treatment adherence.
Arbet-Engels characterized success as a positive trial demonstrating MASH resolution and fibrosis improvement, while also assessing effect size, patient subgroups, weight loss, discontinuations and adherence. The company will additionally evaluate the quality of weight loss, including measures related to lean mass preservation, using MRI-PDFF, blood biomarkers and functional testing.
Positioning Against Other Incretin-Based Therapies Altimmune executives emphasized what they view as pemvidutide’s differentiated molecular design. Arbet-Engels said pemvidutide has a 1:1 glucagon-to-GLP-1 ratio and strong affinity for both receptors. In contrast, he described survodutide as having a 7:1 glucagon-to-GLP-1 ratio and retatrutide as having substantially different receptor affinities.
The company also highlighted tolerability as a potential commercial and clinical differentiator. Arbet-Engels said pemvidutide’s EuPort domain is designed to slow delivery of the drug, reducing peak concentration and delaying the time to peak concentration. He said this profile supported favorable tolerability in Altimmune’s MASH trials.
Chief Commercial Officer Linda Richardson said the company believes pemvidutide could be relevant for patients who cannot tolerate GLP-1 therapy over time, who do not achieve desired efficacy with available options, or who may be at risk of sarcopenia. She also said the company sees potential opportunities both as a first-line treatment and as an add-on option in areas where other therapies may have limitations.
AUD and ALD Development Plans Durso said Altimmune’s Phase 2 RECLAIM results in AUD were encouraging, citing consistency across drinking-related endpoints, including two endpoints he said are approvable by the FDA. He also pointed to weight loss, safety and tolerability findings, as well as results from PEth testing, which is used to assess alcohol consumption.
Arbet-Engels added that exploratory FIB-4 findings provided indications of potential liver-related benefits, which the company plans to assess more rigorously in later-stage development.
Altimmune plans to hold an end-of-Phase-2 meeting with regulatory agencies to align on a Phase 3 AUD program. Durso said the company sees an opportunity to study a broad moderate-to-severe AUD population, including patients with active liver disease.
Arbet-Engels said AUD and ALD populations appear to overlap substantially, including through patterns of heavy drinking and obesity. While the company collected more extensive liver measurements in its ALD trial than in the Phase 2 AUD study, it expects future AUD studies to more comprehensively evaluate potential liver benefits.
Funding and Enrollment Chief Financial Officer Greg Weaver said Altimmune had $519 million as of June 30 and that the balance sheet was sufficient to fund the MASH trial through completion. For a potential Phase 3 AUD program, he said the company is focused on non-dilutive funding options, which could include strategic partnerships, clinical-trial financing or royalty-based structures.
The company also reported early enthusiasm from investigators for the PERFORMA study. Arbet-Engels said Altimmune moved from financing to dosing its first patient in about 90 days and cited the study’s weight-loss component, AI-assisted pathology process and ability for investigators to recycle screened patients between biopsy and noninvasive-test cohorts as attractive design elements.
About Altimmune (NASDAQ:ALT)Altimmune, Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for obesity and liver diseases. The company's lead product candidate is pemvidutide, a dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist being studied for chronic weight management and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a form of liver disease associated with metabolic disorders.
Altimmune's research programs are designed to address diseases with significant unmet medical needs, including obesity-related complications and conditions involving liver inflammation and fibrosis.
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].
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KULR získala více než 1 milion USD v produkčních objednávkách bateriových systémů pro program Drone Dominance amerického ministerstva obrany. Dodávky mají začít v říjnu a skončit do konce listopadu 2026.
Production deliveries begin in October with completion expected by the end of November as KULR expands its role in the U.S. defense drone supply chain
HOUSTON, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KULR Technology Group, Inc. (NYSE American: KULR) (the "Company" or "KULR"), a developer of safe, high-power energy systems that enable physical AI across space, defense, drones, data centers, robotics, and other mission-critical applications, today announced that it has received more than $1 million in production purchase orders for high-performance battery systems supporting the U.S. Department of War’s (DoW) Drone Dominance Program.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in October 2026, with KULR expecting to complete all shipments by the end of November 2026, providing near-term revenue visibility and demonstrating the Company’s ability to move defense programs into production.
The Drone Dominance Program is a $1.1 billion, multi-phase DoW initiative focused on accelerating the procurement and fielding of small unmanned aerial systems. KULR believes its position at the battery-system level creates an opportunity to support increasing production volumes as participating platforms advance through the program.
The production orders also represent an important validation of KULR’s investment in Forge 2, its new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, as the Company transitions customer programs from qualification into scaled production. Forge 2 increases KULR’s capacity to support defense drones and other autonomous platforms, positioning the Company as an important high-volume domestic supplier of battery systems designed to meet NDAA requirements as the first DoW compliance deadline approaches in 2027.
“These purchase orders mark another meaningful step in KULR’s expansion within the defense drone market,” said Michael Mo, Chief Executive Officer of KULR Technology Group. “Our focus is execution -- building and delivering advanced battery systems at the volumes our customers require. As U.S. drone production scales, successful execution positions KULR to support larger requirements and additional platform opportunities.”
Rising demand for KULR’s high-performance battery systems reflects accelerating U.S. defense investment in next-generation unmanned systems, where power, reliability, safety, and performance are mission-critical. KULR’s technology is engineered to meet these demanding requirements across advanced UAS platforms.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains certain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, intentions and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business, which include the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2026, as may be amended or supplemented by other reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” and “would” or similar words. All such forward-looking statements that are provided by management in this release are based on information available at this time, and management expects that internal expectations may change over time. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About KULR Technology Group, Inc.
KULR Technology Group, Inc. (NYSE American: KULR) is an energy-systems platform company that designs and manufactures safe, high-power battery solutions for physical AI and other mission-critical applications. Its KULR ONE® platform integrates advanced battery architecture, thermal management, safety engineering, battery management systems, and power electronics to serve space and defense, drones and electric aviation, AI data-center backup, robotics, and Energy-as-a-Service markets. Based in Webster, Texas, KULR is scaling domestic production to support the growing energy demands of physical AI and autonomous systems. Learn more at KULR.ai.
Nebius letos vzrostl o 181,8 % díky silné poptávce po AI, ale investoři sledují riziko ředění kvůli vysokým kapitálovým výdajům a konvertibilním dluhopisům. Tržby za 2. čtvrtletí činily 582,3 mil. USD, z toho 574,9 mil. USD připadalo na AI cloud.
Nebius has surged 181% this year on a tidal wave of AI demand, a blockbuster Meta deal, and a $37 billion backlog, but a closer look at its financing structure reveals how much has to go right before today's shareholders…
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Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS | NBIS Price Prediction) trades at $235.88. The stock has gained 181.8% year to date, making customer concentration, capex needs and share dilution critical to watch.
Nebius runs a full-stack AI cloud renting GPU compute, storage and inference services. The AI cloud produced $574.9M of $582.3M in second-quarter revenue. Shares rose from $88.62 in February to $208.50 in August, driven by a $27B five-year deal with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and a $2B equity investment from NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA).
A $37.5 Billion Backlog Gives Bulls Years of Visibility Nebius holds $37.49B in remaining performance obligations covering several years. Second-quarter revenue grew 454%, and GAAP EPS of -$0.68 beat the -$0.8633 estimate. Adjusted EBITDA for the AI cloud reached $285.7M, up from $9.5M a year earlier.
Management said it “could sell today our entire 2027 capacity”, and its first capacity auction cleared 15% above prior highs. With a forward P/E of 46 and a PEG ratio of 0.511, bulls argue the stock remains cheap relative to growth.
Three Customers and $20.8 Billion in Convertibles Define the Exposure Three customers made up 24%, 21%, and 14% of second-quarter revenue, a combined 59%. Capex of $5.66B in the quarter far exceeded $2.25B of operating cash flow, and full-year capex guidance runs $20 to $25 billion.
The convertible notes carry a value of $8.5B on the books but a fair value of $20.8B, which points to heavy dilution if they convert. The company also sold 12.7M shares through its at-the-market program, and interest expense jumped to $119.1M from $4.8M. First-quarter revenue missed expectations by 32.74%, and the operating loss grew to $175.9M.
Prepayments Buy Time While the Buildout Proves Itself Management expects more than $9 billion in customer prepayments this year, with recent deals covering 50 to 60% of associated capex. New contracts with Reflection, Cohere and others reduce reliance on the largest buyers, part of the same picks-and-shovels AI expansion we mapped in a free report on seven companies powering AI data centers. Newly connected power takes months to produce revenue, so execution is moving ahead of reported results.
Analysts See 20% Upside as the Stock Trails Its Peak At $235.88, Nebius sits below the consensus target of $283.58, meaning 20.2% upside. Targets are estimates, and coverage is thin:
Strong Buy: 1 Buy: 4 Hold: 2 Year to date, the stock is up 181.8%, while the S&P 500 is up 11.84%. Over the past month, Nebius gained 14.33% as the index fell 0.58%. Even so, shares trade 21.3% below their 52-week high of $299.86, at roughly 48 times trailing sales.
What Nebius Must Prove Before Capacity Turns Into Revenue At $235.88, Nebius faces a financing test.
Spending guidance of up to $25 billion means more debt, convertibles or share sales before 2027 capacity comes online. Each new raise sets the cost today’s shareholders pay for future growth.
A stronger case needs third-quarter revenue showing that capacity deployed late in Q2 is contributing as promised, and the next financing leaning on asset-backed debt rather than new shares. A worse case would follow a delay at a major customer or another large revenue miss.
The stock is well off its high. Dilution risk remains until the company proves it can turn power into revenue. Watch quarterly prepayments, share count and how fast connected megawatts convert to revenue.
Nebius has the demand, but at $235.88 the share price already assumes financing will go smoothly, so execution remains the key test.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
AstraZeneca investuje do Summit Therapeutics 2 miliardy USD za zhruba 12% podíl a bude s ní spolupracovat na několika klinických studiích s ivonescimabem.
Summit Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ:SMMT – Get Free Report)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday. The stock had previously closed at $15.48, but opened at $18.91. Summit Therapeutics shares last traded at $16.3970, with a volume of 10,558,930 shares traded.
Key Summit Therapeutics News Here are the key news stories impacting Summit Therapeutics this week:
Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca’s investment validates Summit and provides substantial funding. AstraZeneca will invest $2 billion for an approximately 12% stake in Summit and collaborate on multiple clinical studies involving ivonescimab. The investment gives Summit additional resources to advance development while bringing validation from a major global pharmaceutical company. AstraZeneca’s $2 Billion Vote of Confidence Leaves Summit Therapeutics Trading Well Below Street Targets Positive Sentiment: Analysts characterized the transaction as a “win-win.” UBS said the partnership could benefit both companies by supporting ivonescimab’s development and potentially broadening its commercial opportunity. The strategic collaboration also helped drive a sharp rally in Summit shares after the announcement. AstraZeneca’s $2 Billion Investment in Summit Therapeutics Seen as ‘Win-Win,’ UBS Says Positive Sentiment: The deal substantially exceeds Summit’s recent market valuation. Commentary noted that AstraZeneca agreed to a valuation that the public market had not been matching, suggesting potential upside if ivonescimab’s clinical results support the partnership’s expectations. Summit Shares Jump on $2B Strategic Investment From AstraZeneca Neutral Sentiment: Clinical execution remains the key near-term issue. Two clinical milestones expected in 2026 are likely to determine whether Summit’s valuation converges toward analyst targets or remains pressured. Positive trial data could further support the AstraZeneca deal, while disappointing results would weaken the investment thesis. AstraZeneca’s $2 Billion Vote of Confidence Leaves Summit Therapeutics Trading Well Below Street Targets Negative Sentiment: The transaction does not eliminate biotechnology risk. Summit remains dependent on successful clinical development and regulatory progress for ivonescimab. The equity investment also introduces some dilution for existing shareholders, while the large valuation implied by AstraZeneca’s purchase could raise expectations ahead of the upcoming data readouts. Analysts Offer Insights on Healthcare Companies Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on SMMT shares. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Summit Therapeutics from $45.00 to $38.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $43.00 price objective (up from $40.00) on shares of Summit Therapeutics in a report on Friday, September 25th. Morgan Stanley lowered Summit Therapeutics to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Summit Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, Leerink Partners upgraded shares of Summit Therapeutics from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $12.00 to $13.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Summit Therapeutics currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $28.45.
Check Out Our Latest Report on SMMT Summit Therapeutics Price Performance The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $15.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.34. The firm has a market cap of $13.49 billion, a P/E ratio of -15.10 and a beta of -1.24.
Summit Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SMMT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The company reported ($0.28) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.27) by ($0.01). Equities research analysts anticipate that Summit Therapeutics PLC will post -1.2 earnings per share for the current year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Summit Therapeutics A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SMMT. Ball & Co Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Summit Therapeutics during the first quarter valued at $28,000. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Summit Therapeutics by 4,178.0% in the 1st quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,139 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 2,089 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its position in Summit Therapeutics by 24.4% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,732 shares of the company’s stock valued at $71,000 after purchasing an additional 732 shares during the last quarter. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Summit Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at about $73,000. Finally, Havemeyer Place LP bought a new stake in Summit Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at about $109,000. 4.61% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Summit Therapeutics Company Profile (Get Free Report)
Summit Therapeutics plc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative cancer treatments. The company’s lead program is ivonescimab, an investigational bispecific antibody designed to combine immune checkpoint inhibition targeting PD-1 with anti-angiogenic activity targeting VEGF. Summit is evaluating ivonescimab in clinical studies for multiple solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer.
Summit obtained exclusive rights from Akeso, Inc to develop and commercialize ivonescimab in markets outside China, including the United States and other international territories.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Summit Therapeutics Deutsche Bank Makes a Contrarian Call on Netflix—What Does It Mean for Investors? O’Reilly Automotive’s Stock Slump Hides a Stronger Business McDonald’s Stock Slump Makes Its AI Pricing Bet Even Riskier Broadcom’s AI Growth Story Faces a $161 Billion Anthropic Test Receive News & Ratings for Summit Therapeutics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Summit Therapeutics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Hyperscaleři uzavírají s jadernými firmami dlouhodobé kontrakty, protože kapacita sítě se napíná. Společnost Constellation Energy během čtvrtletí podepsala asi 920 MW smluv s průměrnou délkou 18,5 roku.
Hyperscalers are signing multi-decade nuclear contracts as grid capacity tightens, and three stocks give investors very different exposure to that trade, with one belonging in the speculative bucket only.
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AI is turning nuclear baseload into the most contested resource on the grid, and hyperscalers are lining up multi-decade contracts to lock it down.
The pressure is quantifiable: PJM’s capacity auction cleared at $329.17/MW-day for 2026/27 and $325/MW-day for 2028/29, with combined 2026 hyperscaler CapEx guidance topping $710 billion.
Three U.S.-listed names give investors distinct angles on that trade, but they are not equivalent risks. One is a cash-generating merchant operator. One is a profitable, dividend-paying contractor. One is a pre-revenue developer that belongs in the speculative bucket only.
Constellation Energy: Largest US Nuclear Fleet Signing the Hyperscaler Deals Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG | CEG Price Prediction) is the anchor position in this segment. It operates the largest U.S. nuclear fleet and, following the January 2026 close of the Calpine acquisition, is now the largest private power producer in the world. This is a cash-generating merchant IPP with an established earnings base.
The Q2 2026 earnings report tells the story. Constellation reported adjusted operating earnings of $2.55 per share and raised full-year guidance to $11.50 to $12.50 per share. More importantly, the company signed approximately 920 megawatts of long-term nuclear contracts during the quarter, with an average duration of 18 and a half years and investment-grade counterparties. Roughly 30% of clean baseload output is now under long-term contract. The Crane Clean Energy Center restart is targeting 2027, with the NRC fuel license already approved. Nuclear operations delivered a 93% capacity factor in the quarter.
The bull case: Existing nuclear is being repriced as a premium product, PJM capacity prices are lifting the entire revenue stack, and the Nuclear Production Tax Credit provides a floor. Shares are down nearly 31% year to date, which has taken some of the froth out of a name that ran hard in 2024 and 2025.
The risk: Regulation. PJM’s proposed Reliability Backstop Procurement and Interim Resource Adequacy Service frameworks remain unresolved, and the Illinois ZEC program ends in May 2027. Calpine integration also introduces near-term execution complexity.
BWX Technologies: The Only Big Nuclear Manufacturer Left Standing BWX Technologies (NYSE:BWXT) is the picks-and-shovels play. It supplies naval nuclear propulsion to the US Navy and manufactures commercial nuclear components, field services, and fuel handling equipment. This is a profitable, dividend-paying contractor with multi-year backlog visibility, and it sits in a different risk bucket than a merchant generator or a developer.
Q2 2026 revenue was $902 million, up 18% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $1.07 marking the fifth consecutive EPS beat. Commercial operations revenue grew 72%, including 33% organic growth. Backlog ended the quarter at $8.4 billion, up 40% year over year, with a trailing 12-month book-to-bill of 1.7 times. Management raised full-year revenue guidance to approximately $3.8 billion and free cash flow guidance to $345 million to $360 million. The Precision Components Group acquisition closed July 1, 2026, adding US commercial nuclear manufacturing capacity.
CEO Rex Geveden framed the setup bluntly, saying the “industry is in the early stages of a multi-decade super cycle of growth” and that BWXT was “kind of the last man standing in commercial” nuclear manufacturing. He also flagged “a credible opportunity to secure at least one new build nuclear equipment order before the year end” across AP1000, X300, and additional SMR opportunities at Darlington.
The bull case: Any reactor built in North America over the next decade, large or small, plausibly runs through BWXT’s fabrication footprint. Shares are down nearly 24% year to date, offering a more reasonable entry than earlier in the year.
The risk: Federal budget uncertainty. Naval propulsion revenue depends on shipbuilding funding cadence, and commercial customer capex timing on SMRs is inherently lumpy.
Oklo: A Speculative, Pre-Revenue SMR Position That Belongs in a Small Allocation Only Oklo (NYSE:OKLO) is a fundamentally different animal from the first two names and must be treated that way. It is a pre-revenue small modular reactor developer with a development-stage, cash-burning profile. It carries meaningfully higher risk than Constellation or BWXT, and it is only size-appropriate as a small speculative allocation.
The company’s Aurora powerhouse design has been expanded to 75 MW, with first commercial power targeted late 2027 to early 2028. Oklo’s customer pipeline includes a 12 GW master power agreement with Switch targeting delivery by 2044, plus a letter of intent with Equinix for up to 500 MW with a $25 million prepayment. Investors must be clear-eyed that these are largely non-binding LOIs and master agreements, not signed take-or-pay PPAs. Groves reached first criticality in early August 2026, and the company ended the quarter with $3 billion in cash and marketable securities. Management raised 2026 cash-use guidance to $120 million to $150 million for operations and $400 million to $500 million for property, plant, and equipment.
The bull case: Optionality. an integrated platform across power, fuel, and isotopes, direct hyperscaler alignment, and a supportive regulatory backdrop under the ADVANCE Act. Shares reflect the volatility of the profile, down more than 51% year to date and down more than 66% over the past year.
The risk: Oklo has no operating commercial project, no signed take-or-pay revenue, ongoing NRC execution risk, and will likely need additional financing to build plants. First commercial power is a 2027 to 2028 event at the earliest. If the timeline slips or licensing stalls, the equity has a long way to fall.
Positioning the 3 Constellation offers core exposure to nuclear baseload getting repriced by hyperscaler demand, backed by real cash flows and signed long-dated contracts. BWXT is the manufacturing choke point that benefits regardless of which reactor design wins. Oklo represents a small, speculative call option on advanced nuclear, sized accordingly and never confused with the other two.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Quantum Computing Inc. představila Dirac-3S, který zvládne až 9 980 proměnných, tedy zhruba 10násobek oproti současnému systému. První dodávka zákazníkovi je očekávána v listopadu 2026.
Scales quantum optimization to up to nearly 10,000 variables, a 10x increase over QCi's current 1,000-variable system, while delivering faster performance, production-ready reliability and scalable manufacturing First customer shipment of Dirac-3S upgrade expected in Q4 2026 , /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Computing Inc. ("QCi" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: QUBT), a vertically integrated quantum systems company pioneering photonics and semiconductor manufacturing, today announced Dirac-3S, the next-generation of its Dirac-3 quantum optimization machine, marking a significant step toward commercial deployment of QCi's quantum optimization technology.
Dirac-3S advances the platform across three areas – Speed, Scale and Solutions – with faster performance, improved solution quality, increased computing capacity and a modular architecture designed to support customers as their requirements grow. The first customer shipment of Dirac-3S is expected in November 2026.
Speed. Scale. Solutions.
Speed: Dirac-3S is engineered to efficiently solve increasingly complex optimization problems, with practical computation times demonstrated on problems involving up to 9,980 variables while consistently finding the optimal solution. This enables customers to tackle larger problems and explore more possibilities in less time.
Scale: Dirac-3S features a modular architecture designed to scale with customer requirements. The compact 5U base system can be extended with Expansion Modules to support larger and more complex optimization problems, with QCi demonstrating configurations supporting up to 9,980 variables with one Expansion Module. The architecture is designed to accommodate additional Expansion Modules, enabling customers to expand their system as their optimization needs grow. QCi has also advanced the Dirac-3S hardware architecture, manufacturing processes and supply chain to support increased production volumes, consistent product quality and broader commercial deployment. These improvements include enhanced error correction, component control and operational reliability.
Solutions: Dirac-3S is designed to address a broad range of real-world optimization problems on a single platform, through multiple optimization approaches including continuous, integer and higher-order optimization. QCi's latest error-correction techniques are designed to improve solution quality across applications in financial services, logistics and supply chains, manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, scientific research, and aerospace and defense.
The platform can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud and integrated into AI/ML pipelines, enabling organizations to incorporate quantum optimization into existing computational workflows.
"Dirac-3S takes our quantum optimization platform from demonstrating what is possible to delivering a system built for practical commercial use," said Yong Meng Sua, Chief Technology Officer of QCi. "We have increased performance and computing capacity, expanded the size and complexity of problems the system can address through a modular architecture, and advanced the hardware and manufacturing architecture needed to support broader deployment. This gives customers a flexible path to adopt quantum optimization and scale their computing capacity as their needs grow."
Building on the Dirac-3 Foundation
Dirac-3S builds on QCi's first-generation Dirac-3 quantum optimization machine, which has been used by academic researchers exploring quantum optimization algorithms and applications.
"Our experience with the first-generation Dirac-3 quantum optimization machine validated its potential as a powerful tool for solving meaningful optimization problems. QCi's continued innovation with the Dirac-3S, including its expanded computational capabilities, enables us to pursue significantly larger and more complex optimization challenges. We look forward to exploring new research directions and accelerating the development of practical, high-impact applications," said Professor Paul Griffin, Associate Professor, Singapore Management University.
QCi has published a new Technical Review evaluating Dirac-3S across synthetic, graph-based and industry-standard optimization benchmarks, including comparisons with Projected Gradient Descent and commercial classical solver Hexaly. On synthetic problems with known global optima ranging from 2,000 to 9,980 variables, Dirac-3S was the only evaluated solver to achieve the optimal solution across all tested instances, while solution times increased only modestly as problem size approached 9,980 variables. On industry-standard DIMACS maximum-clique benchmarks, Dirac-3S more frequently identified the highest-quality solutions than the other evaluated methods.
QCi has also published a survey paper demonstrating how NP-hard problems can be mapped to simplex formulations native to Dirac-3S, expanding its potential applications across continuous, discrete and combinatorial optimization. The Technical Review, along with the detailed benchmarking methodology and results is available in QCi's Dirac-3S Technical Reference at: https://quantumcomputinginc.com/learn/module/dirac-3s-technical-reference.
To learn more about the Dirac-3S, visit QCi's Dirac-3S webpage.
Quantum Computing Inc. (Nasdaq: QUBT) is a vertically integrated quantum systems company pioneering photonics and semiconductor manufacturing, and delivering accessible, scalable, and cost-effective quantum machines, photonics products, and advanced packaging. The Company provides foundry services for photonic chips and semiconductor manufacturing and offers a vertically integrated portfolio spanning photonics and electronic components, subsystems, and full-stack systems.
Designed to operate at room-temperature with low-power requirements, QCi's technologies enable practical deployment across high-growth markets, including high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace and defense, and advanced sensing and imaging.
Headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, QCi also has operations in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Virginia. By combining advanced materials, device engineering, and scalable manufacturing, QCi delivers integrated quantum, photonics, and semiconductor technologies, accelerating commercialization and real-world adoption.
Company Contacts:
Investor Relations
David Moskowtiz, Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]
Media & Communications
Karen Jeffers, Director, Marketing and Communications
[email protected]
Agency Contact:
IMS Investor Relations
John Nesbett/Zach Nevas
[email protected]
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements and forecasts, generally identified by terms such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "enhance," "intends," "goal," "objective," "seek," "attempt," "aim to," or variations of these or similar words, involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief, or current expectations of QCi and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including the timing of the first delivery of a Dirac-3S, the ability of the Dirac-3S to solve larger and more complex problems than the first generation of Dirac-3, deliver higher quality solutions and faster performance, the functionality of the Dirac-3S modular design, and delivering improvements in the performance, system maturity and manufacturability, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by federal securities law, QCi undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward- looking statements to reflect changed conditions.
On Unchained, Biden called the accusations against him “a speed bump” next to the Trump family’s dealings, including World Liberty Financial, and said the TRUMP memecoin took money from Trump’s own supporters.
Hunter Biden: Trump's World Liberty part of a 'Mount Everest of corruption'
Posted October 1, 2026 at 7:39 am ET.
Asked about World Liberty Financial, Hunter Biden said the Trump family’s business dealings make the accusations against him look like “a speed bump as compared to the Mount Everest of corruption that they are engaged in.”
Host Laura Shin asked Biden on the show, in an episode that streamed Wednesday, about his August post on X, which said, “The Trump family’s business, World Liberty Financial, is corruption at a scale we’ve never seen.” Shin noted that the post compared World Liberty’s borrowing against its own token to how FTX operated before it collapsed.
Biden answered by pointing beyond World Liberty to the rest of the family. He urged listeners to look at “each family member individually” and at “what they have done that has been reported in the public,” and to compare it with the accusations made against him. “I literally did no business other than sell paintings while my dad was President of the United States,” he said.
Earlier in the interview, Biden said every move Trump has made in crypto has been “for the benefit of himself and not for the community, not for cryptocurrency as a whole, not for the policy.”
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World Liberty’s Business Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure shows about $592 million from World Liberty token sales and equity, part of roughly $1.4 billion in crypto income. An entity backed by the UAE’s national security adviser agreed to pay $500 million for 49% of World Liberty, The Wall Street Journal reported, according to Fortune. The company’s trust arm won preliminary conditional approval for a national trust charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in August. In April, World Liberty borrowed about $75 million against its own token on Dolomite. World Liberty said at the time that it was “nowhere near liquidation” and would “simply supply more collateral” if needed.
Justin Sun’s Lawsuit Tron founder Justin Sun, who says he invested $45 million in WLFI tokens, is suing World Liberty, alleging it secretly froze his tokens. At the parties’ joint request, a federal judge paused the case on Tuesday until Oct. 22 over a jurisdiction question. World Liberty has called Sun’s claims meritless, and it has filed its own defamation suit against him in Florida state court.
The TRUMP Memecoin Explaining why he launched his own memecoin, LAPTOP, Biden said Trump presented himself as “the crypto king” but has done more damage than good to the crypto community. Biden called it “the cardinal sin of what he did” that the money came from Trump’s most devoted followers. Trump “literally took the money out of their pockets” and put it into his own, Biden said. “I can’t believe that a sitting president of the United States, let alone anyone, would do that.”
TRUMP launched on Jan. 17, 2025, three days before the President’s inauguration. CIC Digital, a Trump Organization affiliate, and Fight Fight Fight LLC together own 80% of its supply, unlocking over three years, according to the token’s website. About 1 million wallets have net losses totaling $4.5 billion on the token, NBC News reported in July. Trump reported $635 million in 2025 royalties from a licensing agreement with Celebration Coins, which NBC News described as a group specializing in meme coins bearing his name. TRUMP traded near $2.18 on Wednesday, 97% below its January 2025 peak.
Related Listen: The Chopping Block: CLARITY Dies on the Senate Floor, Hunter Biden’s LAPTOP Rug, and the AI Pause Pact
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
Fiserv spustil svou platformu pro digitální aktiva pro klienty z řad finančních institucí. Prvním živým využitím je stablecoin Roughrider Coin Bank of North Dakota.
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, today announced that its digital asset platform is live with financial institution clients, marking a significant milestone in the commercialization of stablecoin-enabled banking and payments.
The platform’s first live use case is Roughrider Coin, Bank of North Dakota’s dollar-backed stablecoin designed to enable more efficient money movement across the state’s interbank network. VersaBank serves as issuer for Roughrider Coin, Fireblocks is providing secure digital asset infrastructure and tokenization services, and transactions are processed on the Solana blockchain.
“The launch of our digital asset platform is an important milestone for Fiserv and the financial institutions we serve,” said Sunil Sachdev, Head of Embedded Finance and Digital Assets at Fiserv. “By moving from concept to production with leading institutions, we are helping clients unlock new efficiencies in banking and payments while maintaining the trust, security and regulatory standards they expect.”
Participating banks and credit unions will access Roughrider Coin through Commercial Center, Fiserv’s commercial online banking system that financial institution clients rely on today for traditional interbank money movement.
Roughrider Coin Launches as First Live Use Case
Bank of North Dakota is using the Fiserv platform’s issuance, reserve, custody and settlement infrastructure to deploy Roughrider Coin across the state’s banking and payments workflows. The dollar-backed stablecoin gives more than 90 participating banks and credit unions in North Dakota a more efficient way to conduct bank-to-bank transactions while establishing a foundation for additional digital money use cases.
“Bank of North Dakota proudly works alongside our financial partners to strengthen agriculture, commerce and industry across our state,” said Don Morgan, chief executive officer of Bank of North Dakota. “Launching Roughrider Coin with Fiserv builds on that legacy by giving our partner community banks and credit unions a new tool to move money more efficiently across North Dakota’s interbank network. We are proud to lead this next chapter in banking innovation while supporting the continued strength, resilience and relevance of North Dakota’s financial industry.”
VersaBank, a North American leader in business-to-business digital banking and digital asset technology, issues Roughrider Coin and provides custody services. Its role includes minting, burning, custody and reserve asset management—core functions that enable financial institutions to operate stablecoins within a nationally regulated framework.
“VersaBank is proud to partner with Fiserv to build and operate the first product on its digital asset platform,” said David Taylor, Founder and President, VersaBank. “Pairing Fiserv’s scale with VersaBank’s regulated digital asset capabilities gives the industry a trusted foundation to bring stablecoins into established banking and payment systems.”
The Fiserv Digital Asset Platform helps financial institutions, corporates, marketplaces and fintechs enable emerging stablecoin use cases, including stablecoin card issuance, cross-border payments, programmable commerce and treasury automation. The platform also supports tokenized deposits, global currency account services, including U.S. dollar accounts for financial institutions worldwide.
About Fiserv
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a Fortune 500 company, is a global leader uniting commerce and finance. The company powers sustained growth and innovation at scale for financial institutions and businesses worldwide across payments, account processing, digital banking, merchant acquiring, network services, e-commerce, and Clover®, the all-in-one business management platform. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and one of FORTUNE® America’s Most Innovative Companies. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.
For more information contact:
Media Relations:
Chase Wallace
Director, External Communications
Fiserv [email protected]
NANO Nuclear podepsala definitivní dohodu o koupi strategických amerických jaderných zpracovatelských aktiv s licencí NRC. Po dokončení transakce a převodu licence NRC by vlastnila jedno z deseti licencovaných zařízení palivového cyklu v USA.
Acquisition would provide NANO Nuclear with strategically valuable NRC-licensed fuel cycle assets and optionality to pursue domestic nuclear fuel cycle activities, independently or in collaboration with strategic partners
Upon completion of the transaction and transfer of the NRC license, NANO Nuclear would own one of ten NRC-licensed fuel cycle facilities in the United States
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2026) - NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) ("NANO Nuclear" or the "Company"), an advanced nuclear energy and technology company developing microreactors, nuclear fuel cycle capabilities and nuclear transportation solutions, today announced that NANO Nuclear and its wholly owned subsidiary, HALEU Energy Fuel Inc., have entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with Radnostix, Inc. (formerly International Isotopes Inc.) and its subsidiary International Isotopes Fluorine Products, Inc. to acquire strategic U.S. nuclear fuel processing assets, including a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC") license and related intellectual property and technical materials associated with a previously planned depleted uranium hexafluoride ("DUF6") deconversion and fluorine extraction facility in Lea County, New Mexico.
The proposed acquisition would provide NANO Nuclear with existing NRC-licensed fuel cycle assets and a substantial body of associated licensing and technical work. Upon completion of the transaction and transfer of the NRC license, NANO Nuclear would own one of ten NRC-licensed fuel cycle facilities in the United States. The acquisition is also subject to the satisfaction of future closing conditions.
Figure 1 - NANO Nuclear Energy Advances Vertical Integration Strategy by Signing Definitive Agreement to Acquire Strategic NRC-Licensed U.S. Nuclear Fuel Processing Assets - IIFP General Site Location, Proposed Facility Boundary, and Plant Throughput for the DUF₆ Deconversion Process.
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By acquiring an existing NRC-licensed fuel cycle asset, NANO Nuclear is strategically positioned with the flexibility to pursue a depleted uranium hexafluoride ("DUF6) deconversion facility or additional fuel cycle processes through amendments to the existing NRC license, which NANO Nuclear believes could provide a significantly more efficient regulatory pathway than developing and licensing a comparable facility on a new site. The licensing, regulatory, engineering and technical foundation derived from the acquired assets could also inform and potentially streamline the development and licensing of similar fuel cycle capabilities at other locations. Together, these assets would provide NANO Nuclear with increased optionality to pursue domestic fuel cycle opportunities, either independently or in collaboration with other nuclear fuel processing companies.
If completed, the proposed acquisition would represent another important milestone in NANO Nuclear's long-term strategy to establish a vertically integrated advanced nuclear energy and fuel platform, extending its potential capabilities, whether internally or through strategic collaborations, across uranium conversion, enrichment, deconversion and transportation through reactor deployment.
Figure 2 - NANO Nuclear Energy Advances Vertical Integration Strategy by Signing Definitive Agreement to Acquire Strategic NRC-Licensed U.S. Nuclear Fuel Processing Assets
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Establishing a Strategic U.S. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Platform
The NRC license was originally issued to construct and operate a DUF6 deconversion and fluorine extraction facility in Lea County, New Mexico. The proposed acquisition also includes related patented technology, engineering and safety analyses, regulatory and permitting materials, equipment and historical project development records. The facility contemplated under the existing license was not previously constructed.
While the site is licensed by the NRC under 10 CFR Part 40, "Domestic Licensing of Source Material," the licensing basis was required by the NRC to meet applicable requirements of Subpart H of 10 CFR Part 70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," in connection with a rulemaking framework previously contemplated by the NRC. NANO Nuclear expects the acquisition of an existing licensed fuel cycle facility developed to these requirements to facilitate a more streamlined regulatory pathway for adding certain additional fuel cycle processes requiring authorization under 10 CFR Part 70 through future license amendments if desired, subject in each case to applicable NRC review and approval.
Following closing and transfer of the NRC license, NANO Nuclear plans to continue its evaluation of several options in determining the optimal commercial and development pathway for the acquired assets, including potential deconversion and other fuel cycle activities, as well as opportunities to collaborate with potential strategic partners. No final investment decision has been made, and any future development remains subject to applicable technical, commercial, financing and regulatory considerations.
"This proposed acquisition is fundamentally about securing a strategically valuable position within the U.S. nuclear fuel cycle," said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear Energy. "An existing NRC-licensed fuel cycle facility, supported by years of regulatory and technical development, provides us with a foundation we believe is extremely difficult to recreate from the ground up. It gives us multiple potential pathways to expand our domestic fuel cycle capabilities while preserving the flexibility to determine the development strategy that creates the greatest long-term value."
"Our objective is to build the capabilities necessary to support a more complete and resilient domestic nuclear energy industry," said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. "This transaction would establish another critical pillar of our vertically integrated nuclear fuel strategy, providing us with an important platform from which to pursue future fuel cycle opportunities, both independently and alongside strategic industry collaborators. I am very pleased with our continued business and commercial approach to creating long-term shareholder value in the nuclear energy sector."
Transaction Terms and Next Steps
Under the asset purchase agreement, the consideration being paid for the assets at closing is $9.5 million in cash and $4.0 million in NANO common stock, payable and issuable at closing in accordance with the agreement. Closing remains subject to NRC consent to the license transfer, other required approvals and consents (including from New Mexico officials), satisfactory site arrangements and other closing conditions. The parties currently expect closing in approximately 90 to 120 days, although the timing will depend on those approvals and conditions.
About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is a North American advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel supply chain, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services.
Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear's reactor products in development include the proprietary KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the ZEUS™ system, a portable solid core battery reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™ system, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.
Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, bolstered by the May 2026 acquisition of Secured Transportation Services (STS), is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world and provides nuclear engineering and materials transport services in the U.S. and globally. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy.
HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear's own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.
NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear's developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS' initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon's surface.
For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/
This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear's management and collaborators in connection with this news release contain or may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "explore," "plans", "aim," "goal," "believes", "potential", "future," "will", "should", "could", "would" or "may" or derivations of these words and other words of similar meaning about the future, although forward-looking statements could be denoted by other terms as well. In this press release, forward-looking statements include those relating to (i) the future anticipated closing of the asset purchase agreement with Radnostix described herein, which remains subject to significant conditions to closing, including NRC approval, and other conditions precedent and (ii) the anticipated potential benefits to NANO Nuclear of the assets to be acquired and its vertical integration strategy and other business plans. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, risks associated with conditions to closing the asset purchase agreement, which may not be satisfied, including for reasons beyond NANO Nuclear's control, as well as the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE"), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("NRC"), Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission ("CNSC") or related state or other U.S. or non-U.S nuclear licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complementary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) risks related to our ability to obtain key vendor, technology and customer contracts and the significant funding necessary to execute on our business plan, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the U.S. Department of Energy, and the NRC, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating a developing business a highly regulated, competitive and rapidly evolving industry, including that our plans may change and we may use our cash on hand faster or in different ways than anticipated as our business requires. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/316891
Source: NANO Nuclear Energy Inc.
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nVent dokončil akvizici Maverick Power za 1,75 miliardy USD, s možným dalším plněním až 550 milionů USD. Posílí tak expozici v datových centrech a nabídku pro nové napájecí architektury.
Broadens nVent’s exposure to the high-growth infrastructure vertical, particularly in data centers, with a power distribution platform, complementing nVent’s data center offeringsExpands nVent’s offerings for new power architectures, and system-level solutions and services for data centers LONDON, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- nVent Electric plc (nVent), a global leader in electrical connection and protection solutions, today announced it has completed the previously announced intention to acquire Maverick Power for a purchase price of $1.75 billion, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction also includes the potential additional consideration of up to $550 million in cash based on achieving certain performance metrics in 2027 and 2028. Maverick Power is a leading manufacturer of engineered power distribution and infrastructure solutions for data centers.
“We are excited to welcome the Maverick Power team to nVent,” said nVent Chair and CEO Beth Wozniak. “Maverick Power adds a power distribution platform to our portfolio, which complements our current data center offerings. Additionally, Maverick Power expands our offerings for new power architectures, and system-level solutions and services for data centers.”
Headquartered in McKinney, Texas, Maverick Power has approximately 900 employees in Texas and Arizona.
About nVent
nVent is a leading global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions. We believe our inventive electrical solutions enable safer systems and ensure a more secure world. We design, manufacture, market, install and service high performance products and solutions that connect and protect some of the world's most sensitive equipment, buildings and critical processes. We offer a comprehensive range of systems protection and electrical connections solutions across industry-leading brands that are recognized globally for quality, reliability and innovation. Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis. Our robust portfolio of leading electrical product brands dates back more than 100 years and includes nVent CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE. Learn more at www.nvent.com.
nVent, CADDY, ERICO, HOFFMAN, ILSCO, SCHROFF and TRACHTE are trademarks owned or licensed by nVent Services GmbH or its affiliates.
CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains statements that we believe to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed by or that include the words “targets,” “plans,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “likely,” “may,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “positioned,” “strategy,” “future,” “are confident,” or words, phrases or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Among these factors are adverse effects on our business operations or financial results, including the overall global economic and business conditions impacting our business; the ability to achieve the benefits of our restructuring plans; the ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, including the Maverick Power acquisition; competition and pricing pressures in the markets we serve, including the impacts of tariffs; volatility in currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices; inability to generate savings from excellence in operations initiatives consisting of lean enterprise, supply management and cash flow practices; inability to mitigate material and other cost inflation; risks related to the availability of, and cost inflation in, supply chain inputs, including labor, raw materials, commodities, packaging and transportation; increased risks associated with operating foreign businesses; risks associated with or arising from military conflicts; the ability to deliver backlog and win future project work; failure of markets to accept new product introductions and enhancements; the impact of changes in laws and regulations, including those that limit U.S. tax benefits; the outcome of litigation and governmental proceedings; and the ability to achieve our long-term strategic operating goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. nVent assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update the information contained in this press release.
Accenture ve 4Q překonala odhady: tržby vzrostly o 6,3 % na 18,68 mld. USD a nové objednávky dosáhly 22,2 mld. USD. Firma navíc potěšila výhledem na fiskální rok 2027.
Poradenská společnost Accenture oznámila své výsledky hospodaření za čtvrtý kvartál fiskálního roku 2026, který skončil 31. srpna 2026. Výnosy společnosti vzrostly meziročně o 6,3 % na 18,68 mld. USD a umístily se nad predikcí Wall Street i nad horní hranicí výhledu společnosti. Nové objednávky dosáhly 22,2 mld. USD a překonaly odhady analytiků ve výši 20,04 mld. USD. Analytici pozitivně hodnotí poskytnutý výhled pro celý fiskální rok 2027.
Výsledky společnosti Accenture (ACN) za 4Q FY 2026 4Q FY 2026 Konsensus 4Q 2026 4Q FY 2025 Výnosy (mld. USD) 18,68 18,04 17,60 Čistý zisk (mld. USD) 1,99 -- 1,41 Zisk na akcii (EPS, USD/akcie) 3,29 -- 2.25 Výsledky za 4Q Na úrovni výnosů společnost vykázala meziroční růst o 6,3 % na 18,68 mld. USD, čímž předčila tržní konsenzus 18,04 mld. USD. V konstantních měnách výnosy meziročně vzrostly o 7 %.
Nové objednávky meziročně vzrostly o 4,2 % na 22,2 mld. USD, čímž překonaly analytické odhady ve výši 20,04 mld. USD. Poměr nových objednávek k výnosům činil 1,2. Nové konzultační objednávky vzrostly meziročně o 6 % na 9,40 mld. USD při očekávání 9,18 mld. USD. Nové objednávky v oblasti řízených služeb zaznamenaly meziroční růst o 2,7 % na 12,77 mld. USD při očekávání 10,86 mld. USD.
Výnosy Accenture ve 4Q dle divize
(mld. USD) Divize Výnosy Konsensus Meziroční změna Komunikace, média, technologie 3,26 3,13 +10 % Finanční služby 3,47 3,38 +5 % Zdravotnické a veřejné služby 3,86 3,68 +8 % Produkty 5,56 5,48 +3 % Zdroje 2,52 2,34 +6 % Hrubá marže společnosti meziročně vzrostla o 0,1 p. b. na 32,0 %, zatímco trh očekával 31,8 %.
Provozní marže se meziročně zvýšila o 370 bazických bodů na 15,3 %. Oproti očištěné provozní marži ve 4Q FY 2025 ve výši 15,1 % jde o zlepšení o 20 bazických bodů.
Provozní hotovostní toky meziročně poklesly o 21 % na 3,10 mld. USD, trh však očekával pouze 2,6 mld. USD. Volné hotovostní toky činily 2,85 mld. USD, což představuje meziroční pokles o 25 %.
Výhled V prvním kvartále fiskálního roku 2027 společnost očekává:
Výnosy v rozmezí 18,95 až 19,60 mld. USD, což implikuje meziroční růst o 2 až 6 % v konstantních měnách. Dopad měnových kurzů na výsledky by měl být přibližně -1 %. V celém fiskálním roce 2027 Accenture projektuje:
Růst výnosů v rozmezí 3 až 6 % v konstantních měnách. Zisk na akcii v rozmezí 14,39 až 14,81 USD. Provozní marže by se měla pohybovat mezi 15,9 a 16,1 %. Provozní hotovostní toky v rozmezí 11,9 až 12,7 mld. USD. Volné hotovostní toky mezi 11,0 a 11,8 mld. USD. Akcionářům chce společnost ve fiskálním roce 2027 vrátit nejméně 9,5 mld. USD. Návrat kapitálu akcionářům Akcionářům společnost za fiskální rok vrátila 11,5 mld. USD, z toho 7,5 mld. USD formou zpětných odkupů akcií a 4,0 mld. USD na dividendách. Společnost zároveň deklarovala kvartální dividendu ve výši 1,71 USD na akcii, což představuje zvýšení o 5 %.
Komentář CEO „Překonali jsme náš výhled výnosů pro čtvrtý kvartál a završili další rok širokého růstu napříč celým naším byznysem. Zvýšili jsme očištěný zisk na akcii o 8 %, vrátili akcionářům rekordních 11,5 mld. USD a dosáhli nového maxima 141 klientů, u nichž čtvrtletní objem objednávek přesáhl 100 mil. USD. Tyto výsledky odrážejí trvalou důvěru, kterou v nás klienti vkládají při transformaci podnikání a vytváření hodnoty, vysokou míru inovací, kterou každý den přinášíme, a mimořádné nasazení našich lidí pro úspěch našich klientů,“ uvedla CEO společnosti Julie Sweet.
Pohled analytiků Analytici z RBC Capital Markets uvedli, že Accenture vykázala široké překonání očekávání, přičemž růst byl pozitivní napříč regiony i odvětvovými segmenty. Zpráva podle nich ukazuje solidní dynamiku nových objednávek a zejména nové maximum 141 klientů s kvartálními objednávkami nad 100 mil. USD ve 4Q, což signalizuje stabilní až zlepšující se poptávku.
Podle analytiků Vital Knowledge jde o působivou zprávu i výhled od Accenture, v ostrém kontrastu se zklamáním z posledních výsledků. Společnost překonala očekávání ve všech hlavních ukazatelích, což podtrhuje, že její byznys (alespoň zatím) v éře AI obstojí velmi dobře.
Analytici z Bloomberg Intelligence uvedli, že nový výhled Accenture na fiskální rok 2027, počítající s růstem výnosů o 3 až 6 % při konstantních měnových kurzech, podporuje jejich investiční tezi, že společnost dokáže překonat konsenzus i bez plošného oživení diskrečních výdajů na IT.
Akcie Accenture Akcie Accenture (ACN) v předburzovní fázi obchodování posilují o 17,24 % na 214,99 USD.
Akcie Accenture (ACN) před výsledky na 183,37 USD Ukazatel Ukazatel Kapitalizace (mld. USD) 112,2 P/E 13,1 Vývoj za letošní rok (%) -31,7 Očekávané P/E 12,5 52týdenní minimum (USD) 118,2 Prům. cílová cena (USD) 188,0 52týdenní maximum (USD) 291,1 Dividendový výnos (%) 3,6 Zdroj: Accenture, Bloomberg
Disclaimer: In compliance with MiCA requirements, unauthorized stablecoins are subject to certain restrictions for EEA users. For more information, please click here. This is a general announcement and marketing communication. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Fellow Binancians, From 2026-10-02 00:00 (UTC), Binance will continue the airdrop campaign rewarding all eligible users who hold World Liberty Financial USD (USD1) on our platform. Eligible users will share rewards from a grand prize pool of 150 million World Liberty Financial (WLFI) tokens and up to 2.5 million USD1 tokens. The rewards will be distributed as weekly rewards to USD1 holders every Friday. Campaign will have two stages: Stage 1: 2026-10-02 00:00 (UTC) - 2026-10-16 00:00 (UTC), with 75 million WLFI token rewards Stage 2: 2026-10-16 00:00 (UTC) - 2026-10-30 00:00 (UTC), with 75 million WLFI and up to 2.5 million USD1 token rewards Please stay tuned for Stage 2 Campaign Participation Terms. We will update the Stage 2 campaign terms on or before 2026-10-16. How to Participate in Stage 1: Eligible users must hold USD1 in balance (net assets), in any of the following account categories on Binance: Spot Account;Funding Account;Margin Account (USD1 as Collateral in Cross Margin, Isolated Margin, or Portfolio Margin); USDⓈ-M Futures Account (USD1 as Collateral in USDⓈ-M Futures Accounts, Multi-Assets mode is included). USD1 in Binance Futures or Margin accounts can receive a 1.2x bonus multiplier on rewards, only if the user’s Daily Open Interest on USD1 Futures pair(s) is maintained at a minimum of 300 USD1. Binance will take hourly daily snapshots of each user’s Open Interest each day and use the lowest recorded amount to determine if the users’ Daily Open Interest on that day meets the minimum requirement and their eligibility of the 1.2x bonus multiplier. Note: If the users’ Daily Open Interest on USD1 Futures pair is less than 300 USD1 on certain days, and hold more than 0.01 USD1 in their Margin or Futures Accounts, they will still receive 1x rewards on those days, but not the 1.2x bonus rewards. USD1 acquired through borrowing of other stablecoins will receive a haircut of 70%, after accounting for liabilities in Margin Accounts from other stablecoins, including USDT, USDC, U, RLUSD, and FDUSD. Campaign Details: Distribution: Rewards will be airdropped directly to eligible users’ Binance Spot Accounts. Distribution Frequency: Weekly airdrops during the Campaign Period. Reward Distribution: Rewards start accruing from 2026-10-02 00:00 (UTC). Weekly rewards will be distributed by 18:00 (UTC) every Friday in WLFI tokens. Distribution records can be found in Distribution History. The Weekly Reward Amount will be roughly calculated as follows: Qualifying Balance of each day = Lowest USD1 balance captured during those hourly snapshots on each day.Weekly Rewards = (7-day average of the Qualifying Balance * Effective APR on the distribution day * 7) / 365 After each weekly distribution, the effective APR for that period will be updated in this announcement. In determining the effective APR on the distribution day, Binance will take into account a number of factors, including, without limitation: Minimum recorded amount of Open Interest per day;Lowest balance of the snapshots each day;The daily aggregated amount of Qualifying Balances across all eligible holders of USD1;7-day average across all eligible holders of USD1 For USD1 acquired through borrowing other stablecoins: Eligible balance in Margin Account = USD1 Balance Before Leverage + Leveraged Amount * (1 - 70%): USD1 Balance before Leverage = MAX [USD1 Balance in Margin Account - Margin Account Liabilities of the Other Stablecoins, 0] Leveraged Amount = USD1 Balance in Margin Account - MAX [USD1 Balance in Margin Account - Margin Account Liabilities of the Other Stablecoins, 0] Note: ”Other Stablecoins” include USDT, USDC, U, RLUSD, FDUSD. Case examples: User A’s Daily Open Interest on USD1 Futures pair from Day 1 to Day 6 is maintained at 1,500 USD1, Day 7 at 100 USD1. Throughout the 7 days, the user holds 10,000 USD1 in Spot and 20,000 USD1 as collateral in Margin, and effective base APR is 20%, effective boosted APR is 24%, User A's rewards due to be received at the end of 7 days will be as follows:[(10,000 * 20% * 7) / 365] + [(20,000 * 24% * 6) / 365] + [(20,000 * 20% * 1) / 365] = 128.21 USD worth of WLFIUser B’s Daily Open Interest on the USD1 Futures pair is maintained at 1,500 USD1 throughout week 1. The user borrowed 5,000 USD1 from VIP loan or Margin (“liabilities”). Among this borrowed 5,000 USD1, 4,000 USD1 was used as collateral in Margin, the remaining 1,000 USD1 was held in their Spot Account in week 1. The effective base APR is 20%, effective boosted APR is 24%, User B’s rewards due to be received at the end of week 1 will be as follows:Qualifying Balance = 0 [(0 * 20% * 7) / 365] + [(0 * 24% * 7) / 365] = 0 USD worth of WLFIUser C’s Daily Open Interest throughout Week 1 was maintained at 100 USD1. The user had 1,000 USD1 in the Margin Account and used it as collateral to borrow 4,000 USDT through Margin (“Liabilities of the other Stablecoins”), then converted this 4,000 USDT to USD1. The user now holds 5,000 USD1 in Margin (“USD1 Balance”) in week 1. The effective base APR is 20%, effective boosted APR is 24%, User C’s rewards due to be received at the end of week 1 will be as follows:Since Daily Open Interest < 300, User C doesn’t qualify for 1.2x bonus rewards. Qualifying Balance = MAX [5,000 - 4,000, 0] + {5,000 - MAX[5,000 - 4,000, 0] } * (1 - 70%) = 1,000 + (5,000 - 1,000) * (1 - 70%) = 2,200[(2,200 * 20% * 7) / 365] = 8.43 USD worth of WLFI Important Notes: Snapshots of user’s Open Interest will be taken at any point of time each hour to get users’ hourly Open Interest. The lowest USD1 Open Interest captured during those snapshots on each day will constitute their Daily Open Interest. If the Daily Open Interest is lower than 300 USD1 for a specific day, then for that day the user won’t receive 1.2x bonus rewards.Users’ USD1 Qualifying Balance will be calculated as net assets (assets minus liabilities). USD1 as liabilities (e.g., borrowed from VIP loans, Margin loan, etc.) will be excluded from the Qualifying Balance for this campaign. Snapshots of user balances and total qualifying balances will be taken at any point of time each hour to get users’ hourly balances in the above mentioned account categories. The lowest USD1 balance captured during those snapshots on each day will constitute their Qualifying Balance and be used to calculate their rewardsFor example, a user’s lowest USD1 balance captured on 2026-10-02 is zero, then their qualifying balance for that day is zero. At any snapshot time, any one of users’ supported assets must be greater than 0.01 USD1 to be included in the calculation.Users are recommended to maintain their USD1 holding throughout the Campaign Period to maximize their rewards. Rewards distributed are rounded down to 2 decimal places. Rewards of sub-accounts will be distributed to the Spot Account of corresponding sub-accounts. Kindly note that the distribution time is not guaranteed and may change from time to time.There is no individual cap on rewards. Users’ rewards depend on their qualifying balance relative to the total qualifying balance of all eligible users and other factors. Stay tuned for weekly reward distributions and updates on the Campaign. Terms and Conditions: Users may not be eligible for rewards if there are active restrictions on their accounts.WLFI token value for airdrop distribution will be based on the official Binance market closing price one day before the airdrop distribution day.Snapshots of user balances and total pool balances will be taken multiple times at any point of time each hour to get users’ hourly balances in the aforementioned account categories. The lowest USD1 balance captured during those snapshots on each day will constitute the user’s Qualifying Balance and be used to calculate their rewards.At any snapshot time, any one of users’ supported assets must be greater than 0.01 USD1 to be included in the calculation.Broker accounts are not eligible for this campaign. Binance reserves the right to periodically update the rules to accommodate changes in legal, regulatory, or other factors.Users must complete account verification (KYC) and also be from an eligible jurisdiction to participate in the campaign. Currently, users residing in the following countries or regions will not be able to participate in the USD1 campaign (notwithstanding that they may hold USD1): Åland Islands (Finland), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Crimea (Ukraine – disputed territory), Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Donetsk People’s Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luhansk People’s Republic, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cuba, Réunion, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Martin (French part), Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America and its territories.Please note that the list of excluded countries provided here is not exhaustive and may be subject to changes due to evolving local rules, regulations, or other considerations. 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Elevate Service Group si zajistila až 25 milionů USD na akvizice a navýšila revolvingový provozní úvěr na 7,5 milionu USD. Zároveň snížila sazbu u provozní facility na prime plus 1,00 %.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2026) - Elevate Service Group Inc. (TSXV: SERV) (OTCQB: ESVCF) (FSE: Y19) ("Elevate" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an amended and restated credit agreement with a Schedule I Canadian lender, providing up to $25 million of acquisition financing and increasing its revolving operating facility to $7.5 million (the "Credit Facility"). The expanded Credit Facility provides Elevate with additional financial flexibility to execute its acquisition strategy while supporting the working capital requirements of its growing operating platform.
The amended Credit Facility includes: a new $25.0 million undrawn acquisition facility to support qualifying acquisitions in Canada and the United States; a $7.5 million revolving operating facility, increased from $6.0 million, to support working capital requirements; and approximately $14.5 million of existing term debt previously advanced in connection with completed acquisitions.
"The expansion of our credit facility reflects the continued support of our banking partner and provides Elevate with additional flexibility to pursue our growth strategy," said Paul Bissett, Chief Executive Officer of Elevate. "With up to $25 million of acquisition capacity and an expanded operating line, we are well positioned to pursue opportunities within our active acquisition pipeline across Canada and the United States while maintaining a disciplined approach to leverage and capital allocation."
"This facility is a powerful strategic tool that significantly enhances our ability to execute on our acquisition pipeline," said Romeo Di Battista Jr., Executive Chairman of Elevate. "By combining senior bank debt with our public market currency, balance sheet cash and vendor financing, we can structure compelling acquisitions, accelerate our growth and continue building Elevate into a leading North American services platform."
The amended Credit Facility also improves the Company's borrowing terms. The interest rate on the operating facility has been reduced to prime plus 1.00% from prime plus 1.25%, while the interest rate on the acquisition facility is based on prime plus a margin determined by the prevailing leverage ratio. The $25 million acquisition facility may be drawn in multiple tranches to finance qualifying acquisitions in Canada and the United States, subject to the terms and conditions of the credit agreement. Amounts drawn under the facility are amortized over seven years.
The Credit Facility contains customary financial and other covenants, including a maximum Total Funded Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.50x, subject to a temporary increase to 3.75x following certain material acquisitions, and a minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of 1.10x. The Credit Facility matures on May 10, 2028 and is secured against the assets and subsidiaries of the Company.
Elevate Service Group Inc.
Elevate Service Group is a national facilities management and essential commercial services company focused on building an integrated platform through disciplined acquisitions and organic growth. Through its operating companies, Elevate brings decades of experience serving national, blue-chip customers. The Company is building a scalable platform supported by shared infrastructure, technology and operational best practices. This approach drives efficiencies, expands service offerings, and delivers superior customer outcomes. Elevate trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker "SERV", on the OTCQB Venture Market under the ticker "ESVCF", and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker "Y19".
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as of the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events, or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budgets", "schedules", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events, or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.
In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information, or otherwise.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: Elevate Service Group Inc.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/316851
Source: Elevate Service Group Inc.
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Meta Platforms spustila agenty Muse AI, kteří mohou přinést nové příjmy z předplatného, transakcí a affiliate poplatků. První ohlas je silný: v USA a Kanadě měli za 12 dní 1,8 milionu stažení.
Meta Platforms' (META -1.84%) stock has emerged from its slumber, but I think the best days are still ahead of it as its AI infrastructure spending begins to pay off with new revenue streams. The stock has spent much of the past year down from its summer 2025 highs, but recently climbed back to breakeven year-over-year thanks to a strong rebound since mid-August, when it traded below $550.
The stock really broke out following the debut of its Muse AI agents. Over the past couple of years, Meta has invested heavily in AI, both through significant infrastructure capital expenditures and by poaching top AI talent from other companies, promising to become a leader in what it calls "personal superintelligence." However, given how Meta spent tens of billions of dollars on its metaverse ambitions and came away with essentially nothing to show for it, investors have been skeptical about the social media company's increasing AI-related capex.
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AI agents add more revenue streams That all changed with the launch of Meta Platforms' Muse AI agent, which introduced an intriguing product that could open up multiple new revenue streams. Muse AI agents can independently perform a wide array of multistep tasks for users starting from simple initial instructions, including making appointments and reservations, planning and booking trips, shopping, writing emails, creating budgets, and even negotiating with companies to lower bills. The agents are free to use, and Meta won't share the data with its ad systems. However, the company can monetize the agents in a couple of ways.
First, its free tier has a limited number of tokens, so power users who want to do more with Muse will need to buy higher-usage subscriptions. The $20-a-month plan includes 500 million tokens per week, while the $100-per-month maximum plans include 3 billion tokens per week. The latter subscription is largely for those who plan to use AI agents constantly.
There are no other differences between the plans besides token use. Meta expects most users to remain on its free plan, but that does give it a nice start toward a recurring subscription business.
The bigger revenue opportunity for Meta is through transaction processing and affiliate fees. The company will take a small cut of the proceeds when its AI Muse agents help facilitate transactions or direct users to certain products. Another huge opportunity involves using Muse agents to automate and monetize its large Facebook Marketplace presence, which currently generates little revenue.
The early reception for the agents has been strong. According to Apptopia, the new app saw 1.8 million downloads in the U.S. and Canada within its first 12 days. SimilarWeb reported approximately 700,000 daily users just 11 days after its introduction. Evercore analyst Mark Mahaney, meanwhile, is predicting Muse will reach 100 million users over the next six to 12 months.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Meta also has plans to move its agents beyond personal AI. A few weeks after its original announcement, the company introduced Muse agents for small businesses, connecting them to popular software platforms such as Salesforce's Slack, Zoom, Box, and Canva. Similar to personal agents, the commercial version of the service will have a free tier with relatively low usage limits and subscription tiers with higher ones.
Meta also announced that it is launching an enterprise platform that will bring together its AI agents, AI models, coding tools, and AI infrastructure on one platform. This is a much broader and deeper push, and the company poached MongoDB CEO Chirantan "CJ" Desai to lead the charge. This is a huge opportunity, but it also pits the company against some pretty large foes.
Time to buy the stock? Despite the recent jump in its stock price, Meta is still attractively valued, trading at 21 times analysts' 2027 earnings estimates. Meanwhile, it's been seeing strong growth in its core social media advertising business, with AI helping improve its recommendation algorithm to keep users on its platform longer and boost ad conversions.
Meta was already hitting on all cylinders with its core business, so if you add new revenue streams beyond advertising, it has the potential to become the next big AI stock in the coming years. Expect its recent rebound to continue as it demonstrates that its AI investments were worthwhile.
Tesla začala vyvážet produkci ze Šanghaje do Vietnamu, kde chce využít rychle rostoucí trh s elektromobily. Narazí ale na VinFast, který má 92% podíl na domácím trhu.
If you follow the global automotive industry or Tesla (TSLA +0.56%) you likely know that the electric vehicle (EV) maker has a big China problem. To be fair, all automakers in China, domestic or foreign, have a China problem amid the country's economic uncertainty and a brutal EV price war that has squeezed margins across the board. To combat this, Tesla is opting to send vehicles from its Shanghai plant to more profitable destinations in Asia.
That has Tesla's sights on Vietnam, a fast-growing economy with EV sales more than doubling last year. But Tesla will face a local powerhouse with 92% of the domestic market. Of course, Tesla has at least one advantage that could help it not only boost global sales but also improve margins.
Exports to save the day! One only has to glance at Tesla's domestic sales in China and its exports to see the trend: Through the first eight months of 2026, Tesla delivered just over 316,000 vehicles in China, down 12% from the prior year. On the flip side, Tesla's export volume over that same time period rose 115%, topping 331,000 vehicles.
Considering export sales are generally more profitable than domestic sales in China right now, it's a prudent move. Now Tesla has started exporting Chinese production to Vietnam, which became Southeast Asia's largest EV market last year, with 40% EV market share of new car sales in the region. During the second quarter, EV sales in Vietnam surged nearly 90% compared to the prior year.
But standing in the way of Tesla's otherwise sound strategy is VinFast Auto (NASDAQ: VFS), which, again, has captured a remarkable 92% of the Vietnam EV market.
"It would be difficult for Tesla to compete with VinFast in Vietnam because VinFast has advantages that go well beyond product availability," Koketso Tsoai, senior auto analyst at BMI, told CNBC.
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Only veteran auto industry investors will have heard of VinFast, especially given its debacle entering the U.S. market, marked by consistent quality issues, a transition from direct-to-consumer sales to a dealership network, and an ultra-thin product lineup of just two vehicles.
Despite its failure in the U.S. market, it's an entirely different game on VinFast's home turf. Tesla does, however, have a few things in its favor. VinFast can't compete with Tesla on its global brand image or its advanced technology and software, including its controversial full self-driving functionality, all of which appeal more to premium EV buyers in Vietnam hoping to stand out. VinFast vehicles with such a commanding market share have become commoditized, giving Tesla a perfect opportunity to export its premium China-made vehicles.
VinFast's VF9 is one of the only two VinFast vehicles American's might recognize competing domestically. Image source: VinFast.
What it all means Vietnam is a different animal from other Southeast Asian markets Tesla has entered. Consider that Thailand's EV market has a more mature production ecosystem and a range of well-known, affordable Chinese-brand options, while Indonesia's market is primarily focused on battery materials and incentivizes local production.
On the one hand, Tesla won't need to generate EV demand from scratch in Vietnam, with market awareness already high; on the other hand, it will have to prove that its brand, ownership experience, and technology all deserve a premium over the local stalwart. All that said, this is but one move of many that Tesla is making to boost its operations in China amid the critical market's instability and price war. That alone makes this development worth noting for investors.
Alphabet vynese ve čtvrtek své AI čipy do oběžné dráhy na raketě SpaceX Falcon 9 jako první test projektu Suncatcher. Cílem je ověřit, zda mohou ve vesmíru fungovat škálovatelná datová centra pro AI.
Alphabet plans to launch its homegrown AI chips into orbit on Thursday in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, a step towards making data centers in space a reality.
The launch is scheduled for 11:15 am PT from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California's Santa Barbara County.
SpaceX has promoted supercomputers in space as the next frontier in artificial intelligence infrastructure, touting "infinite real estate" in orbit as a means of escaping the data center backlash on the ground. During the uncrewed Transporter-18 mission, SpaceX will carry Planet Labs satellites, including a solar-powered prototype equipped with Google's tensor processing units (TPUs).
It marks the first in-orbit test for Alphabet's Project Suncatcher, a "moonshot" initiative Google first revealed in November 2025. The company aims to develop reliable, solar-powered AI computing infrastructure that can operate continuously in space.
In a post announcing the launch plan, Alphabet said Project Suncatcher is a means of "exploring whether space could one day host scalable machine learning infrastructure."
Alphabet is a significant investor in SpaceX, which went public in June in a record IPO, and the businesses are close partners even as their AI divisions compete with one another. Alphabet's stake in SpaceX is currently valued at over $82 billion.
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In low Earth orbit, satellites can "access near-constant sunlight, generating up to eight times more solar power than on Earth," Alphabet said in the post. Eventually, they expect to be able to "link together multiple constellations of satellites, allowing them to manage larger AI workloads while in orbit."
The Google parent has already tested its TPUs running AI workloads in a facility at the University of California at Davis, but doesn't yet know how its chips will perform in the challenging conditions of low Earth orbit.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has also announced that it plans to build and launch its own orbital data centers. They will be comprised of swarms of satellites the company develops in Redmond, Washington, equipped with graphics processing units and solar arrays it plans to produce with Tesla, Musk's automaker.
Earlier this year, Musk said data centers in space would be the cheapest way to train AI, "and that will be true within two years, maybe three at the latest." SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell said at an event in September that the company will deploy "supercompute in space" in 2027.
Industry experts say space-based data centers represent a far-out mission, if they can even become feasible, in part because rocket launches remain capacity-constrained and expensive. Orbital data centers would also require cooling systems and chips that can withstand extreme temperatures, as well as protection from radiation. Clutter and orbital debris could also impede their viability.
The Transporter-18 flight will be the second potentially historic launch in a single day for SpaceX, which is also slated to carry astronauts to the International Space Station from Florida's Space Coast for NASA on Thursday, marking the start of a six-month mission in orbit.
Americké spotové Bitcoin ETF ukončily devítidenní příliv kapitálu ve výši 3,1 miliardy USD a ve středu zaznamenaly čistý odliv 148,7 milionu USD. Nejvíc odtékalo z Fidelity FBTC, zatímco BlackRock IBIT přišel o 9,5 milionu USD.
The U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds' nine-day, $3.1 billion net inflow streak came to an end on Wednesday, with a combined $148.7 million in net outflows, according to data compiled by The Block.
BlackRock's usually dominant IBIT product ended its own nine-day, $1.6 billion inflow run, with $9.5 million exiting the fund. Fidelity's FBTC led the day's net outflows with $125.6 million, followed by Bitwise's BITB with $13.6 million. The remaining funds all registered zero flows.
Spot bitcoin ETF flows. Image: The Block. The nine-day streak had marked one of the most positive runs for the bitcoin funds this year, taking cumulative flows back into positive territory for 2026.
"Here's a nice look at the lifetime cumulative flows for the Bitcoin ETFs… getting really close to a new high water mark, which is arguably astonishing given what they've been through over the past 11months," Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas said ahead of the latest daily figures.
However, the funds remain about $5 billion away from their cumulative flow peak on Oct. 10 last year, fellow Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart noted.
Cumulative flows into bitcoin ETFs. Image: Bloomberg. Overall, the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have generated over $57 billion in cumulative net inflows since their debut in January 2024 and $970 million year-to-date, with over $100 billion in assets under management, per The Block's Bitcoin ETF Tracker page.
Last week, the newest Bitcoin ETF from Morgan Stanley, which launched in April this year, topped 10,000 BTC in assets under management for the first time, according to the firm's MSBT fund page.
Spot Bitcoin ETF AUM. Image: The Block. Meanwhile, U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs saw $59.6 million in net outflows on Wednesday, led by $26.6 million exiting Fidelity's FETH fund. That extends their net outflow streak to two days, following a prior seven-day, $850 million inflow streak. Total net inflows for the Ethereum funds, which launched later in July 2024, currently stand at around $14 billion.
Spot Ethereum ETF flows. Image: The Block. Bitcoin whipsaws as soft PCE cools October Fed rate hike bets Bitcoin whipsawed around the $84,000 level on Wednesday, as a softer-than-expected reading of the Federal Reserve's preferred PCE inflation gauge reduced expectations for another interest rate hike in October.
"A 0.2% monthly rise in core PCE prices is welcome news for the Fed," said Brendan Ma, head of investment strategy at the Arbitrum Foundation. "If September CPI points the same way, the pressure for an October hike eases."
Bitcoin closed positive for September, up 6.4%. It is currently trading at around $83,950 on Thursday, per The Block's (BTC) price page.
AMD oznámila páté rekordní čtvrtletí v řadě u serverových procesorů, ale růst ohrožují vlastní Arm čipy cloudových hyperscalerů. Tržby datových center vzrostly na 6,72 mld. USD, meziročně o 107 %.
AMD just posted its fifth straight record quarter for server CPUs, yet a quiet structural shift in the cloud threatens to cap how far that streak can run. The answer hinges on one upcoming chip and which hyperscalers choose to…
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AMD (NASDAQ:AMD | AMD Price Prediction) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) both posted strong summer quarters. AMD reported its fifth consecutive quarter of record server CPU revenue. NVIDIA put its Vera CPU into full production. Cloud giants keep building their own Arm chips, and AMD feels that pressure most.
EPYC Sets Records as Vera Arrives Uninvited AMD’s Data Center revenue reached $6.72B, up 107% YoY, with operating income of $2.10B swinging from $155M loss. Cloud and enterprise server CPU sales each grew more than 70% year-over-year, with unit growth higher than price growth, indicating continued demand.
NVIDIA’s Data Center revenue hit $89.02B (+117% YoY). Trailing 12-month Grace CPU revenue exceeded $5 billion, and CFO Colette Kress said Vera expands their TAM even further, putting NVIDIA in direct competition with EPYC.
CPU Lens AMD NVIDIA Next Server CPU 6th Gen EPYC Venice, Zen 6, 2 nanometer Vera Architecture x86 Arm Growth Signal Server revenue more than 80% in 2H 2026 CPU revenue to more than double in fiscal 28 Headline Claim up to 3.3 times the performance per watt of leading Arm CPUs Agentic task completed 1.8x faster on SPEC Graviton, Cobalt and Axion Hurt AMD and Help NVIDIA Each hyperscaler Arm chip takes an x86 socket that EPYC could have won. AMD said it gained x86 server revenue share year-over-year, a measure excluding Arm entirely. Management did not name any hyperscaler custom CPU on the call.
For NVIDIA, the same chips work like proof of concept. Every Graviton fleet shows Arm runs at cloud scale, and Vera uses Arm too. NVLink Fusion lets outside chips connect to NVIDIA’s fabric, so NVIDIA gets GPU and networking spending when it loses a CPU socket. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) shows this: it designs Graviton, yet AWS is deploying an additional 2 million GPUs that include Vera CPUs.
Venice Cloud Wins Will Settle the CPU Fight Venice is in production now, with cloud deployments beginning later this year. Watch whether hyperscalers add Venice instance types or move workloads to their own chips. AMD expects the 2027 server supply situation should be better than 2026. Track AWS Vera volumes against the $108B Q3 revenue guide.
Why NVIDIA Holds the Edge on the Arm Question AMD shares are up 185.66% year to date; NVIDIA is up 22.74%. AMD trades at 40x forward earnings versus 25x for NVIDIA, meaning EPYC wins for years.
AMD pairs faster CPU momentum with a 2.476 beta. NVIDIA holds the structural edge on the Arm question because Arm’s spread in the cloud strengthens its platform while pressuring AMD’s x86 franchise. That outlook changes if Venice lands major hyperscaler instance types in early 2027.
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Ripple has performed its scheduled monthly release of 1 billion XRP from escrow as October begins. Blockchain tracker Whale Alert reported four transactions that saw a total of 1 billion XRP unlocked from escrow.
The transactions are given as 400,000,000 XRP worth $595,636,565 at the time of unlock; 200,000,000 XRP worth $297,818,282; 300,000,000 XRP worth $446,727,424; and 100,000,000 XRP worth $148,909,141.
The release follows Ripple's established practice of unlocking XRP at the beginning of each month from its escrow accounts. While the headline figure is 1 billion XRP, the entire amount does not necessarily enter the circulating market.
Ripple has often returned a large portion (about 700 to 800 million XRP) of unlocked XRP to escrow, with the remainder used for operational purposes, ecosystem initiatives, and other activities.
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According to XRPScan data, the total XRP escrowed is given as 31,845,130,805 XRP (31.9% of supply), while the XRP circulating supply is given as 68,126,080,636 (68.1% of total supply of 100 billion XRP). A total of 14,394,279 XRP has been burned so far (0.014% of supply).
The next 24 hours will be watched to see how much Ripple returns to its escrow to get the exact amount of XRP left. For now, 31.845 billion XRP remains escrowed, down from over 32.4 billion XRP reported months back.
Ripple newsLendingProtocolV1_1 is open for validator voting. It introduces closed-ended vaults and cash-basis accounting for XRPL lending, and it must activate before the Lending Protocol and Single Asset Vault amendments can proceed.
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In a recent milestone, over 10 million x402 payments have now settled on the XRP Ledger, less than 3 months after hitting the 1 million milestone.
According to RippleX head of engineering JA Akinyele, the volume is still dominated by AI agents paying for inference and data, but a broader range of x402 services are beginning to show up across financial data, risk, credit, and other agent APIs. In addition, the latest 7-day run rate is now 500,000 payments per day'
In a major milestone, central securities depository CSD BR is recording securities ownership on a public blockchain for the first time—on the XRP Ledger. CSD BR is partnering with Ripple to bring Brazil's regulated capital markets onchain, starting with BTG Pactual fund shares secured by Ripple Custody.
XRP Ledger has processed more than 10 million x402 payments. The network now averages about 500,000 x402 payments daily. AI agents remain a major driver of automated payment activity. x402 supports payments using XRP and RLUSD for digital services. Ripple joined the x402 Foundation as a Premier Member to support protocol development. The XRP Ledger has passed 10 million x402 payments, less than three months after reaching its first million. RippleX head J. Ayo Akinyele said the network averages 500,000 x402 payments daily. He linked the rise to AI agents paying for online services.
XRP Ledger Records Rapid x402 Payment Growth The x402 protocol lets software send payments through HTTP requests. Coinbase launched the protocol in May 2026 using the HTTP 402 “Payment Required” code. Agents can pay for APIs, data, and digital services without accounts or manual approval.
We are excited to introduce x402–a new open source payments protocol built on HTTP rails.
Let’s break it down: pic.twitter.com/9PNI49NK7A
— Coinbase Developer Platform🛡️ (@CoinbaseDev) May 6, 2025
XRPL joined x402 through an implementation from t54. It supports XRP and RLUSD, while settlement usually finishes within seconds. The growth follows x402 adoption for AI agent payments, with networks connecting to the protocol.
AI Agents Drive Automated Payment Activity Akinyele said AI agents remain the source of most x402 activity on XRPL. These agents can locate services, pay for access, and continue tasks without waiting for manual approval.
The network crossed one million x402 payments within weeks of adding support in June. Activity rose after developers gained the XRPL AI Hub and AI Starter Kit. The kit lets agents send and receive XRP and RLUSD.
Low Fees Support Machine-to-Machine Payments XRPL charges a transaction fee near $0.0002, supporting frequent low-value payments. Payments settle within three to five seconds, giving automated systems a result before another task. Recent RLUSD growth across the XRP Ledger shows another payment asset gaining use on the network.
t54 said APIs and data services account for much of x402 activity. New services are appearing in financial data, credit, and risk tools. These uses give agents more options for buying digital resources directly.
Ripple Joins Wider x402 Standards Effort Ripple joined the Linux Foundation-backed x402 Foundation as a Premier Member. The group launched in July 2026 with 40 members from payments, cloud services, finance, and technology. Ripple can take part in technical and governance discussions around the protocol.
XRPL development continues beyond agent payments. Recent XRP Ledger upgrade activity includes work on features for linked transactions and other payment functions. For x402, the milestone shows automated payments now account for more network activity.
Akinyele previously said he expected XRPL to pass 10 million x402 payments quickly. He also said the network could reach 100 million over several years if AI agent use and supporting infrastructure continue to grow.
Uphold spustil Vault Inheritance pro Bitcoin, XRP a HBAR, aby držitelé mohli určit dědice svých digitálních aktiv. Po úmrtí Uphold po kontrole dokumentů schválí převod na účet dědice.
Uphold has rolled out Vault Inheritance, which is described as a legacy-planning option for customers who keep Bitcoin, XRP, and Hedera in the platform’s assisted self-custody wallet.
The company framed the product as a response to a problem unique to crypto: legal title can pass to an heir, but the cryptographic control needed to move coins often does not.
Vault itself launched in late 2023 as a 2-of-3 multisignature wallet inside the Uphold app.
Two keys belong to the user and one belongs to Uphold.
Two signatures are required to move funds, so the firm cannot unilaterally spend customer assets, while users still get help replacing a lost key and can trade without first leaving the app.
Inheritance is now layered on that structure. A holder invites a beneficiary from the Vault dashboard.
The invitee must be at least 18 and hold an Uphold account.
That person receives no view of balances, history, or addresses while the owner is alive, and the designation can be changed at any time.
After a death, the beneficiary starts a claim in the app and submits official records such as a certified death certificate or probate order.
Uphold’s compliance team reviews the paperwork.
Only after that review does the firm co-sign a transfer of Vault holdings into the beneficiary’s own Uphold wallet.
The company says the beneficiary needs no prior crypto experience.
For XRP, the ledger’s reserve rules still apply, so a small amount of XRP must remain in the account.
Nancy Beaton, Uphold’s president of consumer, said digital assets have become part of how many people build wealth, yet few simple tools exist to pass them on securely, “especially for XRP holders.”
The firm cited widely circulated estimates that millions of bitcoin—valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars—sit in wallets that are effectively unreachable because owners died or lost keys.
Those figures mix several kinds of inaccessibility and should be treated as industry estimates rather than a precise inventory.
Even so, they capture the practical gap the product is meant to close.
Vault currently supports BTC, XRP, HBAR, and a short list of XRPL tokens, with more networks planned.
Availability follows Uphold’s existing footprint, including the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, most US states, and other supported regions.
The design is a compromise.
Users keep day-to-day control and can still move coins independently if Uphold’s systems fail.
They also accept a paid subscription and place trust in the firm to verify claims and co-sign the final transfer.
That is different from leaving seed phrases in a will or relying on a purely self-managed wallet, where a missing phrase can lock an estate out of the funds forever.
It is also different from a conventional brokerage account, where beneficiary designations are usually free and the custodian already holds the assets.
For holders who want self-custody without treating key management as a family project, Vault Inheritance is a narrower, productized path: name one adult beneficiary, keep the coins private in life, and let a documented claim, plus Uphold’s remaining key, complete the handoff after death.
Wall Street chce od Nvidie u financování AI zajištěného čipy větší záruky, než firma původně plánovala. Banky nevěří, že její GPU udrží hodnotu a výnosnost tak dlouho, jak Nvidia tvrdí.
Nvidia's mammoth financing plan has opened a debate on Wall Street about how much its advanced chips and the infrastructure around them are worth. The answer for banks and investors seems to be: Not as much as Nvidia thinks.
Some lenders want higher guarantees than the company had originally outlined, even for Nvidia's industry-leading AI processing power, as they try to calculate how long the revenue from its chips will last, banking sources and credit managers told Reuters, some requesting anonymity.
The chips, which provide the critical processing power known as "compute", are at the center of a potential mismatch in views between Nvidia and a more cautious Wall Street, raising potential future financing headaches for AI companies seeking to tap deep new pools of capital.
The bankers and asset managers said they have some doubts that the chips can act as long-term collateral as Nvidia says, and therefore want more guarantees from the company on its $500-billion financing plan that relies on chip-backed loans.
Already, sources told Reuters, deals in the pipeline likely offer investors more certainty including stronger guarantees.
"Wall Street is much more conservative," Tony Trzcinka, a senior portfolio manager at Impax Asset Management, said of Nvidia's claim that its most specialized chips can earn revenues for a decade.
In a statement, an Nvidia spokesperson said that its "AI compute is a productive, durable and fungible asset that can support long-term financing. Our financing partners independently assess each opportunity, including customer commitments, expected cash flow and residual value."
"Financing structures will vary as this market develops," the spokesperson added.
QUESTIONS OVER PLAN
The questions over Nvidia's financing plan come as companies and investors are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers, chips and power capacity to support the broader AI boom, which is driving US economic growth. That has increased scrutiny of the more complex deals, and assumptions about the longer-term value of computing hardware.
Some have questioned the use of private credit, vendor financing and circular deals, the last two of which played a role during the dot-com boom and bust more than 25 years ago, Morningstar analysts said in a recent note.
Nvidia's plan, announced with financiers including Blackstone, Apollo and KKR in August, had envisioned using chips as collateral with limited guarantee in order to allow AI developers a way to facilitate their access to Nvidia's compute. The strategy was seen as an expensive but necessary way to create a financing market similar to that used in the leasing of aircraft.
Nvidia has said that some of the deals could have no more than a 25% residual value guarantee, saying the initiative is designed to address concerns around circular financing.
This was seen as offering less support than other recent AI financing deals, raising expectations among some on Wall Street that Nvidia would need to get more creative.
Three banking sources, who were familiar with the matter but not part of the original financing group, said Nvidia may need to offer guarantees on all of its deals, or they may have to be backed by a revenue stream from investment-grade customers such as a technology firm to cover the debt.
For now, they told Reuters, the market is not ready to treat the chip-maker's compute as an investment-worthy asset akin to aircraft.
MORE CERTAINTY
Nvidia is seeking to ease these concerns, the sources added, giving details that had not previously been reported.
Tens of billions of dollars of loan deals in the pipeline are likely to have strong guarantees and contracts, one source said. A second source said that some structures being explored would potentially give lenders guarantees.
These initial deals will give AI developers access to the company's compute, and they are secured by Nvidia's own chips and will be backed by customer contracts and by Nvidia's underlying guarantee, said the first source.
Despite the concerns over guarantees, there remains high demand to finance the deals, the sources said.
The Nvidia spokesperson did not directly address Reuters' questions about potentially expanded guarantees.
Chief Executive Jensen Huang has said he aimed to make Nvidia's compute "an investable infrastructure asset", as opposed to the typical system of customers buying subscription contracts to AI firms in order to get access to the compute.
Huang said in a blog post in August that the $500-billion initiative was designed to address concerns about circular financing, or when a company helps finance purchases of its own products. It brings independent institutional capital into the AI infrastructure market, while Nvidia's financial partners raise money from investors to support loans, he said.
A third banking source said that lenders and private capital are expected to play a role in this funding.
Five of the company's six financial partners declined to comment for this article, while Apollo did not respond to a request for comment.
CHIP LIFE
The CEO addressed some skepticism when he said in the post that Nvidia's graphics processing units, or GPUs -- specialized chips whose compute is used to train and run AI models -- have a useful life of up to a decade.
Some credit investors and bankers see a more modest lifespan of chips generating revenue.
"Nvidia would imply that the GPUs work well north of five years, and that actually has been proven to be true thus far," said Andrew Chang, a director at S&P Global Ratings. Yet "we take a conservative view of the value of those chips," he said.
The first banking source said that part of the divergence in views with the company is that there still isn't enough historical data for lenders to confidently underwrite long-term residual value based on GPUs.
"Banks typically underwrite GPUs over a 3-4 year depreciation schedule," said Trzcinka of Impax.
"That is different than Nvidia which argues top-tier GPUs can earn revenue for a decade," he said, adding investors are likely to seek higher interest rates, bigger financial cushions and stronger repayment protections before backing loans secured by AI chips.
"As investors, you're going to be a lot pickier about the levels that you need to get compensated for to take incremental risk," said Loren Moran, fixed income portfolio manager at Wellington Management, with $1.3 trillion in assets under management.
Nvidia pointed to several third-party studies that showed major cloud companies extending the depreciation periods for servers up to five to six years, from three to four.
It also pointed to a finding from Barkr, a firm that provides valuations for AI collateral such as GPUs, that the company's most recent GB300 NVL72 systems could have a useful life of 9 to 10 years.
CHIP-BACKED LOANS
Some companies have tested the market with chip-backed loans, but, unlike Nvidia's, these deals were backed by revenue from a technology firm to support debt payments.
CoreWeave, in which Nvidia has a stake, closed an $8.5-billion facility in the first investment grade GPU-backed loan earlier this year. The loan is rated A3 largely because lenders rely on Meta's contractual payments, which are viewed as highly dependable.
Separately, Broadcom, an Nvidia rival that is helping finance AI computing capacity for Anthropic, backstopped more than 80% of a $35-billion financing structure, helping to attract debt investors.
Nvidia itself previously provided a residual-value guarantee to support financing for SB Energy's Ohio data-center project, according to S&P and Moody's.
"The precedent transactions so far would suggest that the creditor community does not subscribe to long average lives for these assets," said Brian Gelfand, co-head of global credit at TCW, which manages more than $200 billion.
S&P 500 je blízko historického maxima, ale jeho forward P/E je 19,4, nejnižší od dubna 2025. Nvidia, Alphabet i Amazon přitom zlevnily, protože jejich zisk roste rychleji než akcie.
Despite multiple major sell-offs, the S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.25%) has more than doubled since the start of 2023 and is up 13.1% year-to-date. That's significant outperformance relative to the index's annual total returns of 9% to 10% over long periods.
Investors sometimes associate higher stock prices with stocks being more expensive. Nvidia (NVDA +0.52%), Alphabet (GOOG +1.01%)(GOOGL +0.93%), and Amazon (AMZN +1.00%) show why that isn't always the case, and why the S&P 500 remains a good value.
Image source: Getty Images.
The S&P 500 forward P/E ratio is just 19.4 Valuations expand when stock prices outpace earnings growth. Valuations compress if earnings hold up during steep sell-offs or if earnings are simply growing faster than stock prices -- which can happen during periods of rapid innovation like the one we are in now.
You may be surprised to learn that, despite the major indexes being around all-time highs, many of the largest growth stocks have actually gotten cheaper based on their forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios.
AAPL PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts
As you can see in the chart, Nvidia trades at just 24.4 times forward earnings, Amazon is just 20.1, and Alphabet is 17.2. That's because earnings and forward earnings estimates have been rising faster than their stock prices. Those are three of the five most valuable companies in the world. The other two are Microsoft (MSFT +0.77%) and Apple (AAPL +1.10%). Microsoft's valuation has been more consistent. Whereas Apple has staged an epic rally in recent months and isn't projected to grow as quickly, which is why its forward P/E is so much higher than its mega-cap peers.
The forward P/E of the S&P 500 is just 19.4 -- which is the lowest since April 2025 during the height of the tariff-induced sell-off. Earnings growing faster than stock prices is a signal that there's considerable uncertainty about whether hyperscalers and chip giants will live up to lofty expectations. Doubt may be creeping in, particularly for stocks like Amazon and Alphabet, which are hovering around valuations comparable to the index, even though they are far higher-quality companies than the typical S&P 500 component.
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Nvidia stock is up 21.9%, but its earnings are growing even faster Inexpensive valuations from top growth stocks are a reminder that stock price charts only tell part of the story. And ultimately, what matters more than tickers fluctuating between green and red is how the underlying business is doing and how it is projected to perform. Take Nvidia, for example.
In late August, Nvidia reported blowout second-quarter fiscal 2027 results, with record profits and high margins despite soaring memory chip costs. Nvidia buys memory chips from suppliers to include in its rack-scale solutions for data centers, which are a plug-and-play offering that includes graphics processing units, central processing units, and other chips and networking hardware. Even with half of fiscal 2027 still to go, Nvidia is already guiding for a 70% year-over-year increase in fiscal 2028 revenue as its latest platform, Vera Rubin, began shipments in August with clear visibility for sales well into fiscal 2028.
So despite Nvidia's stock price increasing 21.9% year-to-date, and 38.9% last year, its valuation has compressed because its earnings growth is even faster.
Amazon and Alphabet are also good examples of affordable growth stocks. Amazon has a track record of aggressively reinvesting in its best ideas rather than buying back stock. Whereas Alphabet has been consistently free cash flow (FCF) positive, profitable, and regularly buys back stock. But both companies view artificial intelligence (AI) as such a massive opportunity that they have turned FCF negative, with a lot of that spending going to companies like Nvidia for compute capacity.
However, hyperscaler margins could soar once capital investments in AI data centers begin raking in revenue. And while chip stocks like Nvidia, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices would be impacted if their top customers pulled back on spending, they also stand to benefit from future upgrades of existing infrastructure with next-generation tech, as well as the overall demand for compute growing from non-hyperscalers -- such as AI start-ups. Nvidia views the opportunity outside of its core hyperscaler customer base as massive, which is why it's partnering with a consortium of financial institutions to raise $500 billion for AI infrastructure.
Leading AI stocks at compelling valuations The rapid run-up of many top AI growth stocks in recent years may give investors pause -- especially with major indexes like the S&P 500 near all-time highs. But the earnings growth has been so exceptional that many stocks have actually gotten cheaper.
That said, there are risks with valuing stocks based on forward P/E. It puts pressure on companies like Nvidia to meet high expectations, which Nvidia has so far done. But if there is a slip-up, or one or two key customers pull back on spending, then that could let out hot air from the valuation.
Therefore, investors who believe that AI spending will ultimately yield a solid return on investment are getting an exceptional opportunity to buy these industry leaders at compelling valuations. Whereas investors who are skeptical of the spending spree may prefer that hyperscalers transition back toward capital-light, high FCF companies rather than capital-intensive, negative FCF companies before smashing the buy button.
Netflix CEO Says Growth Is Too Slow as Live Programming Takes Center Stage Summary
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the streaming company is not expanding as quickly as he would like while highlighting live content’s ability to attract customer
Netflix (NFLX) is looking to lift its growth rate as co-CEO Ted Sarandos said subscriber and business expansion has not matched his expectations, while the streaming company continues to invest in live programming, according to remarks at the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Sarandos said Netflix is devoting about 5% of its roughly $20 billion annual content budget to live events. That spending accounts for about 1% of viewing, but he said live programming can attract new customers and help limit cancellations.
Netflix has also been building its position around creator-led video, including deals involving YouTube talent. Sarandos said those arrangements do not represent a major strategic shift, even as YouTube remains a larger force in online video.
Sarandos also addressed Netflix's pursuit of Warner Bros. content and the broader streaming landscape. He said the effect of the potential combination involving Warner Bros. Discovery remains uncertain, while Netflix continues to assess where live content, creators and its existing programming slate can support further growth.
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Amazon a Flipkart na svých indických platformách prověřují nabídky bezpečnostních kamer bez státního schválení. Reuters našel více než 700 zhruba ze 770 inzerátů bez povolení.
Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart have begun checking security camera listings on their platforms in India after hundreds of unlicensed products were offered for sale despite strict government testing rules imposed six months ago amid concerns about espionage risks.
The two e-commerce companies, which dominate online shopping in India, were reviewing internet-enabled surveillance cameras listed by third-party sellers and brands on their platforms after Reuters discovered the listings, two people familiar with the checks said. Any without government approval would be removed, the people said.
Amazon, in an email, declined to comment, while Flipkart did not respond to Reuters queries.
From roads to homes, security cameras have become ubiquitous across India, fuelling an industry worth $4.4 billion, but unapproved sales online are a "serious concern", said Gulshan Rai, who was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cybersecurity chief from 2015 to 2019.
"A compromised camera can become both a surveillance risk and a cybersecurity entry point," he told Reuters.
A Reuters analysis this week found more than 700 of roughly 770 internet security camera listings on Amazon and Flipkart were for models that were not on the Bureau of Indian Standards' public database of approved brands or cameras.
Since April, surveillance camera manufacturers have been required to submit hardware and software for testing to obtain certification from the standards bureau before they can sell their equipment in the world's most populous country.
The rules, first announced in 2024, reflect growing concern in New Delhi that sensitive footage could be transferred abroad. In April, the Delhi police said they had uncovered a Pakistan-linked spying network that used Chinese-made SIM-enabled CCTVs near military sites in northern India to send live footage to handlers in Pakistan.
Since Tuesday, at least a dozen listings have been removed from the e-commerce platforms, including at least two models from Hikvision's EZVIZ brand, which Amazon now shows as "currently unavailable".
Hikvision (002415.SZ) and Zhejiang Dahua Technology (002236.SZ) had 30% of the Indian security camera market, Counterpoint Research told Reuters last year. The companies did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The Bureau of Indian Standards did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment about the listings.
'LIVE FOOTAGE FROM ANYWHERE'
Global e-commerce giants have often come under fire in India for having restricted products, including e-cigarettes, gender-test kits and banned wildlife products, listed on their platforms.
Reuters found at least eight unlicensed WiFi camera models from Hikvision and Dahua on Amazon. The US has barred its government agencies from buying some of their equipment over Beijing-related security concerns.
Other listings included Maizic Smarthomes, which describes itself as India's best-selling AI security brand. None of its 138 "wifi camera" offerings on Amazon, including some slotted inside bulbs, had an Indian approval, the standards bureau's website showed.
One listing sold by Maizic India on Amazon said its "Fish Eye Bulb WiFi 360 Degree Camera" connected to a WiFi network, "allowing you to stream live footage from anywhere in the world through your smartphone or tablet."
Maizic co-founder Santosh Kumar Singh told Reuters it had removed WiFi functionality that allowed live feeds from its cameras and the devices would only be enabled for direct connectivity with a nearby mobile device until it secured government approval.
ESPIONAGE RISK
In July, a confidential email reviewed by Reuters showed, Amazon told one of its sellers it was removing its camera listing for not having the necessary approval marks, following a complaint by Sujatha Thammadi, the standards bureau's head of registration.
Thammadi did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Hundreds of listings remained online as of Thursday.
One Dahua Wireless Dome Camera was listed on Amazon for 779 Indian rupees ($8.10) after a 70% discount. Dahua's popular brand Imou, meanwhile, has a dedicated page on Amazon India — with promotional videos, separate indoor and outdoor WiFi camera categories and a "Hot Selling" section.
One of the sources said Amazon had decided to remove the brand page.
Citigroup zvýšila 12měsíční cílovou cenu pro Bitcoin na 113 000 USD z 82 000 USD a pro ether na 3 028 USD z 2 240 USD. Důvodem jsou obnovené přílivy do ETF a příznivé makroekonomické podmínky.
Citigroup raised its 12-month bitcoin forecast to $113,000 from $82,000 and its ether target to $3,028 from $2,240, citing renewed exchange-traded fund inflows and favorable economic conditions.Citi expects cryptocurrency investment products to attract $5 billion over the next year as advisers and brokerages gradually increase bitcoin allocations.Bitcoin rose more than 10 percent after the Senate rejected the Clarity Act on Sept. 15, while subsequent SEC announcements and Treasury bond buybacks helped ease negative sentiment and revive the broader cryptocurrency market.Financial services giant Citigroup (C) has raised its outlook for bitcoin BTC$83 921,58 and ether ETH$2 705,54 on account of exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows resuming and supportive macroeconomic conditions, in a note on Wednesdy.
Citi raised its 12-month forecast for bitcoin from $82,000 to $113,000 and for ether from $2,240 to $3,028. The targets represent increases for BTC and ETH of around 35% and 12% respectively based on their current prices.
Citi expects “slower but stickier” inflows into products like ETFs as advisers and brokerages favour gradual increases in bitcoin allocations, forecasting $5 billion of inflow over the next 12 months.
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs had experienced year-to-date net outflows of $5.8 billion as of July 13. This has been reversed in the months since though, with net inflows for 2026 reaching $800 million as of late September.
Despite the U.S. Senate failing to advance the Clarity Act in the middle of last month, Citi says the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s subsequent rule announcements dampened negative sentiment, referring to them as “a temporary but meaningful positive.”
“At this stage of the electoral cycle stage, rulemaking clarity may substitute for a durable Clarity Act,” Citi said. “However, we see risk that a 2028 administration change could roll back agency-promulgated rules, albeit this concern lies outside our forecast horizon.”
The cryptocurrency market showed resilience in the aftermath of the Clarity Act’s rejection by the Senate on Sept. 15, with bitcoin gaining more than 10% by the end of the month.
Citi cited the U.S. Treasury’s move to buy back longer-dated bonds which revived momentum across the crypto market and helped it break out of a months-long slump of trailing other risk assets.
UPDATE (Oct. 1, 12:00 UTC): Removes Reuters attributions and adds additional detail from Citi’s note.
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12345678910The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: Asia Pacific
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Sep 15, 2026
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Why it matters:
As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.
Key Takeaways DogeOS introduced its public testing network on Wednesday, enabling Ethereum-compatible smart contract functionality for Dogecoin. The platform facilitates decentralized finance activities including swaps, borrowing protocols, stablecoins, betting markets, and gaming applications using test tokens. Dogecoin currently changes hands around $0.0955, representing a roughly 60% decline year-over-year. The OP_CHECKZKP Dogecoin Core enhancement proposal would enable native proof verification by miners, though it remains under development. Technical analyst Trader Tardigrade identifies a bullish pennant formation suggesting upside toward $0.124. Dogecoin maintains its position near $0.0955 while a fresh initiative seeks to expand the cryptocurrency’s functionality beyond simple transactions and speculative trading. DogeOS, a secondary protocol layer constructed atop Dogecoin’s blockchain, activated its public testing environment this Wednesday.
Dogecoin (DOGE) Price The testing network provides infrastructure for developers to create decentralized applications spanning exchange platforms, credit markets, dollar-pegged tokens, forecasting services, and entertainment products. Transaction costs are paid using testnet DOGE. The architecture maintains compatibility with Ethereum’s development ecosystem, enabling programmers to leverage existing frameworks and toolkits.
With approximately $13 billion in total market capitalization, DOGE’s circulating supply predominantly remains dormant in addresses serving storage or speculative purposes.
DogeOS Technical Architecture DogeOS functions as an independent chain that periodically commits state changes to Dogecoin’s base layer. The system employs cryptographic proofs to demonstrate computational integrity without requiring full transaction replay.
1/ DogeOS Testnet is Open to Builders!
Millions of Dogecoin holders are waiting for more things to do with DOGE.
What are you going to build for them?
Start here ↓ pic.twitter.com/L2yPs2ASU5
— DogeOS (@DogeOS) September 30, 2026
Currently, the infrastructure operates through authorized participants. A designated sequencer arranges transaction ordering, while validators working alongside secure execution environments verify proof validity. Oversight comes from an appointed Security Council.
Dogecoin miners cannot yet validate these cryptographic proofs natively. DogeOS developers have introduced OP_CHECKZKP, a proposed modification to Dogecoin Core that would grant miners direct proof verification capabilities. Initially published in July 2025 with a preliminary code submission following in December, the enhancement awaits community review and potential activation.
The DogeOS initiative originates from the developers of MyDoge, a Dogecoin wallet application. The organization secured $6.9 million in venture funding during May 2025, with Polychain Capital leading the investment round.
According to CEO Jordan Jefferson, the project addresses Dogecoin’s need for fundamental utility independent of celebrity associations.
“We’re focused on the public testnet, giving developers time to build and test applications while we validate the network,” he stated. The team has not disclosed a timeline for mainnet deployment.
Timothy Stebbing, serving as a director at the Dogecoin Foundation, expressed support for the initiative. “My hopes are that DogeOS becomes the springboard for a wave of new utility engineering, the gateway for the next 100 startups to build on Dogecoin,” he remarked.
Historical Context and Price Movement Previous initiatives pursued comparable objectives. Dogechain’s 2022 debut attracted $4.6 million in locked value within its initial days, yet current data from DeFiLlama shows protocol holdings under $300. Shibarium, developed by Shiba Inu’s contributors and launched during 2023, has experienced contraction from approximately $6.4 million in peak deposits to roughly $140,000 presently.
DogeOS distinguishes itself through official Dogecoin Foundation recognition, contrasting with Dogechain’s independent status. Additionally, the project pursues integration with Dogecoin’s mining infrastructure through the proposed protocol enhancement.
From a market perspective, analyst Trader Tardigrade published analysis on X indicating Dogecoin is “breaking out of a Bull Pennant” formation visible on the 12-hour timeframe, projecting a price objective of $0.124. This assessment emerged while DOGE fluctuated between $0.094 and $0.0955, reflecting a 60% reduction from year-ago levels.
Three Dogecoin exchange-traded funds available to U.S. investors have accumulated approximately $12 million in aggregate net capital flows across nearly ten months of operation. Bitwise’s Dogecoin ETF maintained assets below $700,000 prior to the company’s decision to discontinue the product.
Charles Hoskinson odmítl odpovědnost za adopci Cardana a řekl, že vede jen IOG, zatímco síť je decentralizovaná. ADA se 1. října obchodovala kolem 0,2491 USD, asi 92 % pod historickým maximem z roku 2021.
Charles Hoskinson says he is not responsible for driving Cardano adoption. He clarified that he leads IOG, not Cardano, which operates as a decentralized network. ADA traded near $0.2491 on October 1, about 92% below its 2021 record high. Cardano development continues through projects including Ouroboros Leios and RealFi. Petrobras is testing Cardano for sustainable aviation fuel claims, though adoption-scale data remains undisclosed. Charles Hoskinson has rejected demands that he take responsibility for Cardano adoption and measurable network growth. The Cardano founder responded after a market commentator urged him to focus on developers, trading activity, and everyday uses.
Hoskinson Sets Boundaries on Cardano Adoption On September 29, Hoskinson said Cardano operates without central control. He said he has no official role within the network. “I am not accountable for Cardano adoption,” he wrote.
I am not accountable for Cardano adoption. Full stop. You people cannot seem to get it. Cardano is decentralized. I have no official role. Founders aren't slaves.
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) September 29, 2026
The critic also questioned Hoskinson’s attention to subjects outside his core expertise. Hoskinson responded that founders are not slaves and said community members misunderstand his role.
He separately corrected a community member who called him Cardano’s chief executive. Hoskinson said he leads Input Output Global, or IOG, the research and engineering company that helped build the network.
ADA Performance Remains Under Scrutiny A September 28 ADA market report placed the token near $0.2537 after an 11.5% weekly gain. Traders had repeatedly failed to push its price above $0.26.
On October 1, ADA traded around $0.2491, roughly 92% below its September 2021 peak of $3.10. Some holders have questioned their investment decisions and Cardano adoption after the prolonged decline.
Hoskinson has previously put his losses from ADA’s decline at about $3 billion.
Separately, Robinhood’s planned crypto futures rollout includes Cardano among eight assets for eligible U.S. customers. The company announced the plans on September 29 but gave no firm launch date. These contracts let traders bet on price changes without an expiry date. Robinhood plans to offer the contracts through Bitstamp.
Network Projects Continue Alongside the Debate Hoskinson remains optimistic about Cardano’s prospects. He has said ADA could return to the ten largest cryptocurrencies by market value before the end of 2026.
His development outlook includes Ouroboros Leios and RealFi. Leios aims to help Cardano process more transactions. RealFi develops financial products that connect crypto capital with assets including loans and government debt. RealFi plans to keep records on Cardano as it reaches other networks.
Meanwhile, Petrobras has developed a Cardano fuel claims platform with PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs and the Cardano Foundation. The research project records environmental claims linked to sustainable aviation fuel. It tracks who receives each claim and prevents reuse.
The case study does not disclose airline customers, tracked fuel volumes or completed claims. It describes a research application, without providing figures that establish the scale of Cardano adoption.
Orchestra BioMed oznámila, že studie BACKBEAT překročila plný cíl náboru: randomizováno bylo 330 pacientů, více než plánovaných 316. Data mají být předložena k úvaze o late-breaking prezentaci na velké kardiovaskulární konferenci ve 2. čtvrtletí 2027.
330 patients randomized as of September 30, 2026, surpassing full trial enrollment targetCompany reiterates prior guidance: primary endpoint data to be submitted for late-breaking presentation consideration at a major cardiovascular conference in Q2 2027 Data expected to support future marketing application submissions by Medtronic to the FDA and other global regulatory agencies
NEW HOPE, Pa., Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchestra BioMed Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OBIO) (“Orchestra BioMed” or the “Company”), a biomedical company accelerating high-impact technologies to patients through strategic partnerships with market-leading medical device companies, today announced that it has surpassed full enrollment in the BACKBEAT Global Pivotal Trial (“BACKBEAT Trial”), exceeding its previously announced target of 316 randomized patients. The BACKBEAT Trial is evaluating Atrioventricular Interval Modulation Therapy (“AVIM Therapy”) in pacemaker-indicated patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite the use of medication. Hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for death worldwide and the most common comorbidity among the pacemaker population.1
The BACKBEAT Trial (NCT06059638) is being conducted with Medtronic plc (“Medtronic”), the Company's strategic collaborator for the BACKBEAT Trial and, subject to regulatory approval, for the commercialization of AVIM Therapy in pacemaker-indicated patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite the use of medication.
As of September 30, 2026, 330 patients have been randomized in the BACKBEAT Trial at 81 sites across 13 countries.The BACKBEAT Trial’s protocol, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), specifies 284 evaluable randomized subjects for the primary endpoint analysis, with a total enrollment target of 316 patients to account for potential loss to follow-up. The BACKBEAT Trial is a global, multi-center, prospective, randomized, double-blind pivotal trial. Patients are randomized 1:1 to AVIM Therapy combined with continued medical therapy and pacing (treatment) or continued medical therapy and standard pacing alone (control). The primary efficacy endpoint of the BACKBEAT Trial is the between-group difference in the change in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (“aSBP”) at three-month follow-up from pre-randomization baseline. The primary safety endpoint is freedom from unanticipated serious adverse device events in the AVIM Therapy arm at three-month follow-up. The protocol-specified sample size provides greater than 90% statistical power for both primary endpoints and is designed to detect a between-group difference of at least 5 mmHg in aSBP.
David Hochman, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Orchestra BioMed, commented, “Achieving and surpassing full enrollment of the BACKBEAT Trial is a defining milestone for Orchestra BioMed, for our collaboration with Medtronic and potentially for the millions of high cardiovascular risk patients who remain above blood pressure target despite the medications available to them today. We are grateful for and excited about the enrollment momentum built across our global trial site network over the last year. I want to thank the patients and their families who chose to participate, and the clinical teams and investigators at our trial sites globally whose commitment made this milestone possible. Our focus now turns to completing three-month follow-up, database lock, and the delivery of a rigorous, well-powered data set next spring.”
Robert C. Kowal, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President and General Manager for Cardiac Pacing Therapies in the Medtronic Electrophysiology Therapies operating unit, stated, “For decades, cardiac pacing has been foundational in the management of rhythm disorders. Reaching full enrollment in the BACKBEAT Trial brings us a big step closer to understanding whether AVIM Therapy can extend the role of cardiac pacing therapy to include hypertension management for patients at increased cardiovascular risk. We are proud of the collaborative work our team and Orchestra BioMed’s team have done alongside investigators around the world, and we look forward to the primary endpoint results.”
Vivek Reddy, M.D., Executive Chairman of the BACKBEAT Clinical Steering Committee, Director of Cardiac Arrhythmia Services at The Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and Director of Electrophysiology for the Mount Sinai Health System, commented, “Randomized, double-blind evidence is the highest standard by which a new therapeutic modality earns its place in clinical practice, and that is exactly what the BACKBEAT Trial was designed to generate. The pilot data for AVIM Therapy have been exciting, consistent and mechanistically coherent, but the field needs a pivotal trial to answer the question definitively. On behalf of the Steering Committee, I want to recognize the investigators, coordinators and other professionals whose work enabled the trial to reach full enrollment, and I look forward to seeing the three-month primary endpoint results.”
Clinical, Regulatory and Commercial Next Steps
Orchestra BioMed and Medtronic intend to submit the BACKBEAT Trial’s primary endpoint results for consideration as a late-breaking clinical trial presentation at a major cardiovascular conference in the second quarter of 2027. Assuming positive results from the BACKBEAT Trial, Medtronic plans to submit AVIM Therapy marketing applications to the FDA and other global regulatory agencies promptly.
About Orchestra BioMed
Orchestra BioMed is a biomedical innovation company accelerating high-impact technologies to patients through strategic collaborations with market-leading global medical device companies. The Company’s two flagship product candidates, Atrioventricular Interval Modulation (AVIM) Therapy and Virtue Sirolimus AngioInfusion Balloon (Virtue SAB), are currently undergoing pivotal clinical trials for their lead indications, each representing multi-billion-dollar annual global market opportunities. AVIM Therapy is a bioelectronic treatment for hypertension, the leading risk factor for death worldwide, and is designed to be delivered by a pacemaker and achieve immediate, substantial and sustained reductions in blood pressure in patients with hypertensive heart disease. The Company has a strategic collaboration with Medtronic, one of the largest medical device companies in the world and the global leader in cardiac pacing therapies, for the development and commercialization of AVIM Therapy for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in pacemaker-indicated patients. AVIM Therapy has FDA Breakthrough Device Designations for these patients, as well as an estimated 7.7 million total patients in the U.S. with uncontrolled hypertension despite medical therapy and increased cardiovascular risk. Virtue SAB is a highly differentiated, first-of-its-kind non-coated drug delivery angioplasty balloon system designed to deliver a large liquid dose of proprietary extended-release formulation of sirolimus, SirolimusEFR™, for the treatment of atherosclerotic artery disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Virtue SAB has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA for the treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis, coronary small vessel disease and below-the-knee peripheral artery disease. For further information about Orchestra BioMed, please visit www.orchestrabiomed.com, and follow us on LinkedIn.
About AVIM Therapy
AVIM Therapy is an investigational therapy compatible with standard dual-chamber pacemakers designed to substantially and persistently lower blood pressure. It has been evaluated in pilot studies in patients with hypertension who are also indicated for a pacemaker. In MODERATO II, a double-blind, randomized pilot study, AVIM Therapy-treated patients had a mean reduction of 11.1 mmHg in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (aSBP) from pre-randomization baseline at six months, representing a net reduction of 8.1 mmHg versus control patients. At the same time point, the net reduction in office systolic blood pressure (oSBP) was 12.3 mmHg versus control.
Additional MODERATO II data showed an immediate mean oSBP reduction of 13.2 mmHg when AVIM Therapy was activated during setup before randomization, with 97% of patients achieving a reduction of at least 5 mmHg. In addition to reducing blood pressure, clinical results using AVIM Therapy demonstrate improvements in cardiac function and hemodynamics.
The BACKBEAT (BradycArdia paCemaKer with atrioventricular interval modulation for Blood prEssure treAtmenT) global pivotal trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of AVIM Therapy in lowering blood pressure in patients who have systolic blood pressure above target despite anti-hypertensive medication and who are indicated for or have recently received a dual-chamber cardiac pacemaker. AVIM Therapy has been granted two Breakthrough Device Designations by the FDA for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in patients who have increased cardiovascular risk.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the timing, implementation, results and design of the Company’s ongoing pivotal trials, the timing of regulatory submissions, realizing the clinical and commercial value of the Company’s product candidates, the potential safety and efficacy of the Company’s product candidates, the size of the potential markets for the Company’s product candidates, and the ability of the Company’s partnerships to accelerate clinical development. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of the Company’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; risks related to regulatory approval of the Company’s commercial product candidates and ongoing regulation of the Company’s product candidates, if approved; the timing of, and the Company’s ability to achieve expected regulatory and business milestones; the impact of competitive products and product candidates; and the risk factors discussed under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, which was filed with the SEC on March 12, 2026.
The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. Given these risks and uncertainties, the Company cautions against placing undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only speak as of the date of this press release. The Company does not plan and undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made herein, except as required by law.
1 World Health Organization, Global Report on Hypertension 2025 (an estimated 1.4B adults aged 30–79 with hypertension in 2024, 33% of that age group; ~23% of those living with hypertension have their blood pressure effectively controlled).
Nine Mile Metals přesunula druhou vrtnou soupravu na cíl Tribag-West Wedge a v nejbližších dnech začne vrtat na Tribagu. Současně pokračuje 10 000metrový program 2026 na Wedge Mine.
Rig now on site, approximately 3.0 km northwest of the Wedge Mine, with drilling expected to commence at Tribag in the coming days; Phase 3 drilling continues at the Wedge Mine
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 1, 2026 / Nine Mile Metals Ltd. (CSE:NINE)(OTCID:VMSXF)(FSE:KQ9) (the "Company" or "Nine Mile") is pleased to announce that its second drill rig has mobilized and is now on site at the Tribag-West Wedge target area of its Wedge VMS Project in the Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick. The rig will test the high-priority Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) VMS targets first announced by the Company on January 6, 2025, with drilling expected to commence at Tribag in the coming days. Drilling at the Wedge Mine continues in parallel as part of the Company's 10,000-metre 2026 drill program.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Second rig on site: The Company's second drill rig, previously announced on June 24, 2026, has mobilized and is now on site at the Tribag-West Wedge target area, with drilling expected to commence at Tribag in the coming days.High-priority targets: Seven modelled TDEM conductor plates (A1, B1, C1, C2, C3, C4 and D1) associated with the Tribag (Pb-Zn) and West Wedge (Cu-Pb-Zn) VMS occurrences, on the same magnetic trend as the historic Wedge Mine.Program progress: As of September 21, 2026, the Company had completed 18 drill holes and 4,934.50 metres of its 10,000-metre program at the Wedge Mine.What's next: Eight borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) surveys are commencing on perimeter holes at the Wedge Mine to guide a second round of drilling on the depth and lateral extent of the Wedge lenses, while drilling gets underway at Tribag.Moving from Targets to Drilling
The Tribag-West Wedge targets have been part of the Company's 10,000-metre 2026 drill program since it was announced in May, with drilling planned to follow Phase 3 work at the Wedge Mine. The second drill rig, first announced on June 24, 2026, now allows the Company to begin testing the target area, starting at Tribag, while drilling continues at the Wedge Mine.
"We are pleased to finally have our second drill rig on site at the Tribag-West Wedge targets. The rig was contracted for this season, but with the demand for drill rigs right now, it took longer to arrive than we had planned. It's here now, and having a second rig means we can keep drilling at the Wedge Mine while we start testing the exploration potential along the Wedge VMS Trend, beginning at Tribag. These targets have been a priority since the TDEM survey was completed, and this is the kind of exploration drilling we have been waiting for. The whole team is excited to finally put a drill into them. We look forward to updates from the drill site." - Patrick J. Cruickshank, MBA, CEO & Director
The Tribag-West Wedge TDEM Targets
EarthEx Geophysical Solutions Inc. ("EarthEx") reprocessed legacy MegaTEM and Aerodat airborne data across the Company's Western Portfolio and, using late-time conductance analysis, defined eleven priority VMS trends. Priority Targets 3 and 4 lie approximately 3.0 kilometres northwest of the Wedge Mine and correspond directly to the West Wedge and Tribag VMS occurrences. Target 7 lies approximately 6 kilometres northwest of the Wedge Mine along the same Wedge VMS Trend, which extends for approximately 6.5 kilometres (Figure 1).
FIGURE 1: BMC Western Portfolio Projects
Maxwell plate modelling of the strong conductors defined seven individual target plates associated with the two VMS occurrences, all lying along the same magnetic trend as the historic Wedge Mine. Six of the seven plates (B1, C1, C2, C3, C4 and D1) are shown in plan view in Figure 2.
FIGURE 2: Plan View - Mineral Occurrences, Survey Grid and Modelled Target Plates over the RMI
The plates were modelled from 17.4 line kilometres of TDEM surveying completed by EarthEx over the Tribag and West Wedge areas (Figure 3).
FIGURE 3: Wedge TDEM Survey Grid over Remanent Magnetic Intensity (RMI), Target Areas 3, 4, 6 and 7
All plates other than A1 sit at modelled depths of 300 to 450 metres. Plate A1 is large and at depth, suggesting a regional, stratigraphic or structural feature that has yet to be determined (Figure 4).
FIGURE 4: Looking West - Modelled Target Plates A1, B1, C1, C2, C3, C4 and D1
At Tribag (Target 4), mineralization has been identified at surface and in previous shallow drill holes, with a grab sample from trench LF17-11 returning 12.6% Zn, 7.22% Pb and 0.53% Cu. At West Wedge (Target 3), historical drilling completed in the 1980s returned assays of up to 0.78% Cu, 5.35% Pb, 12.9% Zn, 70.62 g/t Ag and 1.37 g/t Au over a 3.75-metre drill width.
"The Tribag conductors sit on the same magnetic trend as the Wedge Mine, and six of the seven modelled plates sit at 300 to 450 metres. Strong conductors at depth, on trend with the Wedge, with known mineralization at surface and in the shallow historic holes. That is exactly the setup you look for in the Bathurst Camp. Results from the first holes at Tribag will guide how we continue to test the target area, and we look forward to seeing what the core tells us." - Gary Lohman, B.Sc., P.Geo., VP Exploration and Director
Wedge Mine Drilling Continues
Phase 3 drilling at the Wedge Mine is ongoing. As reported on September 24, 2026, eight BHEM surveys are commencing on perimeter holes to guide a second round of drilling on the depth and lateral extent of the Wedge lenses. Drill core is logged, photographed and sampled at the Company's warehouse in Bathurst, New Brunswick, with samples submitted to ALS Global in Moncton for analysis.
Qualified Person
Technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Gary Lohman, B.Sc., P.Geo., VP Exploration and Director, the Company's Qualified Person, who is not independent of the Company.
About Nine Mile Metals Ltd.
Nine Mile Metals Ltd. is a Canadian public mineral exploration company focused on Critical Mineral VMS (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag and Au) exploration in the world-famous Bathurst Mining Camp, New Brunswick. The Company is exploring four VMS projects: Wedge, Nine Mile Brook, California Lake, and Canoe Landing Lake (East - West), positioning for the boom in AI data centers, EV and green technologies requiring copper, silver, lead, and zinc, with a hedge with gold.
Social Media
X: @NineMileMetals
LinkedIn: Nine Mile Metals
ON BEHALF OF NINE MILE METALS LTD.
Patrick J. Cruickshank, MBA
CEO & Director
T: +1.506.804.6117
E: [email protected]
Jonathan Holmes
President & Director
T: +1.506-804-6117
E: [email protected]
This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation concerning the business of Nine Mile, based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management, identifiable by words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include that (a) drilling in the Tribag-West Wedge target area is expected to commence at Tribag in the coming days, with further drilling in the target area to be guided by results, (b) drilling will continue at the Wedge Mine as part of the Company's 10,000-metre 2026 drill program, (c) the Company will complete eight (8) BHEM surveys on perimeter holes to guide a second round of drilling, and (d) further certified assay results will be reported upon receipt from ALS Global. Although Nine Mile believes the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on it, as Nine Mile can give no assurance they will prove correct. Grab samples are selective by nature and may not be representative of mineralization on the property. The West Wedge drill results referenced in this release are historical and have not been verified by the Qualified Person. TDEM conductors are geophysical targets only, and their source can only be determined by drilling.
The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.
The Canadian Venture Building, 82 Richmond Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 1P1
T: (506) 804-6117 · www.ninemilemetals.com
United Airlines said it installed Starlink on over 560 of its airplanes as of mid-September. Gary Hershorn/Getty Images United Airlines is trying to pry away its rivals' loyal fliers with a not-so-subtle jab at their lack of Starlink.
"Don't keep buffering: switch to United and get the fastest WiFi in the sky," reads its offer to match travelers' loyalty status on Delta Air Lines or American Airlines.
Early on Thursday, United's X account replied to a dozen posts from users who were discussing the offer or complaining about Delta's in-flight WiFi.
The offer is open until October 15, and customers will have 90 days to spend or fly with United to maintain their status level through the end of January 2028. It applies to members with elite status, which starts with American Gold or Delta Silver Medallion.
United was the first US airline to announce a deal with Elon Musk's Starlink, back in 2024. As of mid-September, Starlink was equipped on about a third of its fleet, including mainline aircraft and regional ones operated by United Express subsidiaries.
Why cheap bus travel is disappearing in America
It hopes that all its airplanes will be equipped with the ultra-fast satellite WiFi service by the end of next year.
Although American signed on with Starlink in May, the service is not yet available as the airline plans to start rolling it out next year on narrow-body airplanes.
American also announced a loyalty-status match program late on Wednesday. It's offered to travelers with status on Southwest, JetBlue, Delta, and United, and lasts for four months.
However, switching your airline of choice may not be practical for everyone.
While the Big Three airlines compete fiercely in major cities, many travelers may find one of them offers more routes — or perhaps the only ones — from their local airport. For example, Delta has a larger presence in the South thanks to its enormous hub in Atlanta.
Unlike its rivals, Delta has passed on Starlink in favor of Amazon Leo. Leo similarly uses a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit for internet connection, but its only other airline customer is JetBlue. Delta plans to start installing the service on 500 aircraft in 2028.
Delta's decision has repeatedly drawn Musk's ire.
On Tuesday, he posted on X saying Delta CEO Ed Bastian will "lose his job over this." The world's richest person also responded with a laughing emoji to one user who joked that AI agents could be isolated from crawling the internet by giving them Delta's in-flight WiFi.
It was at least the third instance of Musk bashing Delta since it announced the Amazon Leo deal in May.
At the time, Bastian told Bloomberg that Amazon's service has an "improved bandwidth with a much lower price point than what we've ever seen from Starlink."
He also highlighted Amazon's retail and video-gaming offerings, and an airline spokesperson cited the potential for a "broader partnership" beyond in-flight WiFi.
Delta and United did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Pete Syme is an aviation reporter for Business Insider, based in London.He writes about all things related to the industry, from aviation safety and CEO interviews to route reveals and airplane tours. Pete also uses data for industry analyses and to visualize breaking news events.Before joining Business Insider in 2022, he graduated with an MA in Newspaper Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English from the University of Exeter.
SpaceX Starlink Elon Musk More United Airlines American Airlines Aviation Airlines
Fed schválil změny zátěžových testů bank, které mají snížit volatilitu kapitálových požadavků zhruba o 50 %. Od roku 2028 se SCB bude počítat z průměru dvou posledních testů.
Key Takeaways JPMorgan and peers could see steadier capital planning as SCB volatility falls roughly 50%.Two-year SCB averaging may moderate sharp capital swings, but broad relief is unlikely for U.S. banks.Trading exposure and fee-income mix could shape how much flexibility each bank gains under the new framework. The Federal Reserve has finalized major changes to its annual bank stress-testing framework, seeking to make the process more transparent and reduce fluctuations in stress-related capital requirements. The overhaul should give large banks greater visibility into future capital needs, though it is unlikely to result in broad-based capital relief.
The Fed finalized two rules that largely follow proposals released in 2025 and significantly modify the framework used to determine stress capital buffers (SCBs). Under the first rule, the central bank will seek public feedback each year on its hypothetical stress scenarios and material changes to the models used to estimate bank losses. It will also provide additional documentation on those models and revise the annual testing calendar. These steps should give banks greater insight into the assumptions that influence their regulatory capital requirements.
The changes are particularly relevant for major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM - Free Report) , Bank of America Corporation (BAC - Free Report) , Citigroup Inc. (C - Free Report) , Wells Fargo & Company (WFC - Free Report) and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS - Free Report) . Under the second rule, beginning in 2028, a bank's SCB will be calculated using the average results of its two most recent annual supervisory stress tests, provided it participated in both. According to the Fed, the combined changes could reduce year-over-year volatility in capital requirements by roughly 50%, while leaving aggregate capital requirements across the banking system broadly unchanged.
How Fed Stress-Test Changes Could Affect Major U.S. BanksThe revised framework could improve capital planning stability for major banks, including JPM, BAC, C, WFC and GS. Smoother SCB requirements should make it easier for them to plan dividends, share repurchases, lending activity and balance-sheet growth without having to respond as sharply to a single year's stress-test outcome.
The impact, however, is likely to vary, depending on each bank's existing capital requirements. JPMorgan, Bank of America and Wells Fargo currently have SCBs of 2.5% compared with 3.6% for Citigroup and 3.4% for Goldman Sachs. For JPM, BAC and WFC, the revised methodology is therefore more likely to reduce the risk of a sharp future increase in required capital than provide immediate relief. For C and GS, averaging two years of results could moderate the impacts of an unusually adverse stress-test outcome and support more consistent capital-allocation decisions.
Potential benefits could be partly offset for banks with sizable trading operations. Under the revised framework, firms with large trading books will be subject to two global market-shock components, with the scenario generating the larger loss used in the stress-test calculation. This provision could be particularly relevant for banks such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Citigroup, given their substantial capital-markets and trading businesses.
The Fed is also seeking feedback on revisions to its non-interest-income model to better reflect differences in banks' fee-generating businesses. Changes in this area could affect institutions with significant exposure to investment banking, trading, wealth management and asset management, adding another bank-specific factor to future stress-test outcomes.
Final Thoughts on Fed Stress Test RevampOverall, the stress-test overhaul appears geared more toward reducing regulatory uncertainty than lowering capital requirements. Greater transparency and the use of two-year average stress-test results should make capital needs less sensitive to a single adverse scenario, giving major banks a steadier foundation for planning buybacks, dividends and balance-sheet deployment.
However, the ultimate benefit will remain bank-specific, with trading exposure, fee-income mix, stress-test performance and existing capital cushions determining how much flexibility each institution gains. Thus, while the new framework should improve capital-planning visibility, it is unlikely to materially loosen the industry's overall capital constraints.
IBM uvedl self-hosted nasazení pro IBM Bob, které firmám umožní provozovat AI vývoj na vlastních on-premise, private-cloud, sovereign-cloud i air-gapped prostředích. Akcie IBM po zprávě rostou o 5,94 %.
International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) shares are trading higher Thursday after the company announced self-hosted deployment for IBM Bob, its agentic software development platform, designed to help enterprises advance AI sovereignty and governance.
IBM shares are climbing with conviction. Why is IBM stock up today? The new deployment option allows organizations to bring AI-powered software development to on-premises, private-cloud, sovereign-cloud, and air-gapped environments, rather than requiring sensitive code, data, or workflows to move to external services. IBM said the offering is aimed at enterprises in regulated industries that need greater control over data residency, security policies, and AI governance, allowing them to run supported models on premises — including in air-gapped environments — or connect Bob to external model services through hybrid configurations.
“The future of enterprise AI will depend on security, governance and sovereignty,” said Neel Sundaresan, GM of AI and Automation at IBM. “Organizations need AI that operates inside environments they have control over, especially when working with sensitive code and regulated data. Bob’s self-hosted deployment provides a way for enterprises to bring agentic AI directly to those environments so they can benefit from the technology while maintaining security, compliance, and operational control.”
IBM Shares Rush HigherIBM Price Action: At the time of publication, IBM shares are trading 5.94% higher at $233.00, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Image via Shutterstock
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Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, will hold its third-quarter 2026 sales and earnings conference call with institutional investors and analysts at 9:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29. During the call, company executives will provide an overview of Merck’s performance for the quarter.
Investors, journalists and the general public may access a live audio webcast of the call via this weblink. A replay of the webcast, along with the sales and earnings news release, supplemental financial disclosures and slides highlighting the results, will be available at www.merck.com.
All participants may join the call by dialing (800) 369-3351 (U.S. and Canada Toll-Free) or (517) 308-9448 and using the access code 9818590.
About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261001868272/en/
Innovative Industrial Properties uzavřela závazek k mezzaninovému úvěru ve výši 245 milionů USD pro Alewife Park v Cambridge. Očekává výnos kolem 15,8 % a další růst zisku.
Investment Expected to Yield 15.8% and Generate Significant Earnings Accretion for IIP Shareholders
Investment Expands on IIP's Commitment to Diversify into the Life Science Sector
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (NYSE: IIPR) ("IIP" or the "Company") announced today that it entered into definitive agreements to provide $245 million under a new mezzanine loan commitment to affiliates of IQHQ, Inc. ("IQHQ") in connection with the completion, lease-up, tenant improvements and stabilization of Phase I of Alewife Park, a master-planned life science campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts (the "Investment"). The loan is secured by pledges of equity interests in the entities that own the Alewife Park campus.
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Alewife Park is a 27-acre life science campus comprised of three existing buildings totaling 392,000 square feet (Phase I) and two pad-ready sites with up to 364,000 square feet of additional development potential (Phase II). According to IQHQ, the campus has approximately $800 million invested prior to IIP’s investment and Phase I is currently 78% leased to Lila Sciences, a Cambridge, MA based AI-enabled next generation scientific discovery company.
“We are pleased to further expand our life science portfolio through this investment for Alewife Park, which we believe will provide attractive risk-adjusted returns for IIP shareholders and significant accretion to our earnings,” said Alan Gold, Executive Chairman of IIP. “This transaction reflects our disciplined approach to capital allocation by providing financing in support of a premier Class A life science campus in Cambridge that has demonstrated strong leasing momentum and further allows us to capitalize on the attractive, long-term strength of the life science industry.”
IIP funded approximately $111 million at closing, which was used to repay in full the borrower’s existing $85 million bridge loan, together with accrued interest, fees and expenses, with the remaining $134 million expected to be funded through the fourth quarter of 2027, as additional amounts are drawn and funding conditions are satisfied. The loan is expected to yield an interest rate of approximately 15.8% over the term of the loan, subject to a floor of 14%.
The loan matures in February 2028 and has a one-year extension option. IIP may also purchase all or a portion of the other mezzanine lender’s notes at IIP’s option, thereby increasing its investment by up to $155 million on the same terms. All items described in this paragraph are subject to certain conditions set forth in the loan agreements.
The Company expects to fund the Investment with cash on hand and borrowings under its revolving credit facilities.
About IQHQ
IQHQ, Inc. is a life science focused real estate company founded in 2019 to meet the industry's needs through the acquisition, development, redevelopment, leasing and management of life science assets.
About Innovative Industrial Properties
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. is an internally managed real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of specialized properties leased to experienced, state-licensed operators for their regulated cannabis facilities and financial investments in the life science industry. Additional information is available at www.innovativeindustrialproperties.com.
This press release contains statements that IIP believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as IIP “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “believes” or “should” or the negative thereof or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected benefits or impact of the transactions described in this press release; the Company’s ability to fund future advances under the mezzanine loan and anticipated funding sources; the Company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the right of first offer; estimated interest rates and projected yields on the Investment; and the borrower’s ability to satisfy its obligations under the loan. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates, including fluctuations in SOFR; the borrower’s ability to satisfy conditions to future advances; the borrower’s ability to achieve projected leasing levels; risks related to the development, construction, and lease-up of life science properties; changes in real estate market conditions; the Company’s ability to maintain its REIT qualification; and the risk factors discussed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as updated by the Company’s subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements. IIP disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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OFAC sankcionoval 10 cílů napojených na Tren de Aragua. Mezi nimi bylo 7 kryptoměnových adres napojených na vůdce Tren de Aragua „Prometheus“ a jeho síť praní peněz. Adresy podle TRM Labs přijaly asi 6,1 milionu dolarů od března 2022.
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 10 targets on Wednesday. They are tied to an ATM jackpotting scheme run by Tren de Aragua (TdA).
The network allegedly washed the stolen cash through cryptocurrency, among other channels. The action also listed 7 crypto addresses belonging to ringleader “Prometheus,” an FBI Most Wanted fugitive, and his associates.
Inside Tren de Aragua’s Alleged ATM Jackpotting PlaybookTdA originated in Venezuela, and the State Department designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2025. According to Treasury, ATM fraud has since become a key revenue source for the group.
Jackpotting attacks use malware to make ATMs release cash without debiting any account. Court filings in Nebraska name the strain as Ploutus, which was set to erase itself after each attack.
Treasury identifies Prometheus as Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, the alleged engineer of that malware. He sits on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and faces charges in Nebraska federal court.
Treasury said reported US losses from alleged jackpotting attacks reached $40.73 million as of August 2025. That total spans more than 1,500 incidents.
OFAC separately sanctioned Juan Gabriel Rivas Nunez, a senior TdA leader linked to illicit gold mining.
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How the Sanctioned Wallets Tie Into Wider Laundering NetworksTRM Labs says each of the 7 addresses is a deposit account held at a centralized exchange. They took in about $6.1 million since March 2022, though TRM notes not all of it necessarily ties to jackpotting.
The addresses also sent funds to other TdA-linked wallets. Those wallets, in turn, moved roughly $35 million to a network US authorities link to Jorge Figueira. Figueira, a Venezuelan national, faces charges of laundering about $1 billion and has not been convicted.
Separately, Chainalysis found the wallets’ counterparties had exposure to a laundering network used by Colombian and Mexican cartels. Chainalysis Senior Intelligence Analyst Kaitlin Martin described the pattern.
“The on-chain insights show us that criminal organizations are leveraging common infrastructure for laundering,” Martin said.
Chainalysis added that these networks rely heavily on stablecoins. Tether had previously frozen Tether (USDT) balances on several wallets exposed to the newly sanctioned addresses.
Because OFAC used Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, foreign financial institutions knowingly handling significant transactions for designees risk secondary sanctions. Meanwhile, TRM said the exchange hosting all 7 addresses may be able to identify the account holders behind them.
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Článek uvádí, že pět dividendových titulů prochází testem krytí dividend; největší rezervu mají Johnson & Johnson a Gaming and Leisure Properties. Tři z nich navíc vyplácejí více než 10letý Treasury s výnosem 5,18 %.
With the 10-year Treasury now paying more than most income stocks, five dividend names face a simple question: does real cash actually back the payout, or just the yield number on the screen?
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The 10-year Treasury now pays 5.18%, its highest reading of the past year as of Sept. 24. That raises the bar for every income stock. A dividend payer yielding less than a risk-free bond has to earn its place through growth, and one yielding more has to prove the payout is funded by real cash. This basket runs five names through the coverage metric that fits each business: free cash flow for the drugmakers, adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) for the REITs, and distributable cash flow for the pipeline partnership. Three of the five out-yield Treasuries. All five pass, and the margins of safety vary more than the yields suggest.
Gaming and Leisure Properties: An 8.32% Yield With the Most Room Among Ultra-High Yielders Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) yields 8.32%, which clears the ultra-high-yield threshold and tops the 10-year Treasury well. The quarterly dividend stands at 82 cents, or $3.28 on an annualized forward basis.
Dividend safety read: AFFO is the right metric for a triple-net REIT because it strips out non-cash depreciation that distorts GAAP earnings. Second-quarter AFFO came in at $304 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, up 10.1% year over year, with full-year 2026 AFFO guidance raised to $4.10 to $4.12 per share. Set that against a $3.28 annualized dividend and the cushion is wide. Leverage sits at 4.8x net debt to adjusted EBITDA, below the company’s 5x to 5.5x target range, giving it the ability to fund its pipeline without issuing new equity. The dividend history shows steady steps higher: 76 cents through 2024, 78 cents through 2025 and a 5.1% raise to 82 cents in the second quarter of 2026.
Bull case: Growth is already contracted. A $2.02 billion development pipeline carries a blended 8.77% cap rate, and management projects per-share AFFO growth of through 2027 and into 2028. Second-quarter adjusted EBITDA rose 12.2% to $405.5 million, and the vast majority of tenant rent coverage sits above 1.8x. The shares trade with a 50-day moving average of $42.79, below the 200-day average of $45.26 and well under the $52.39 analyst target. Sentiment leans positive, with 6 Strong Buy and 10 Buy ratings against 7 Holds and 1 Strong Sell.
Risk: Tenant concentration. A few of regional casino operators generate most of the rent, and the weakest master lease covers rent at only 1.59x. Construction on a Chicago casino project adds execution risk. If a major tenant hits a gaming downturn, lease coverage compresses first, and that is where investors should look before the dividend ever feels pressure.
Western Midstream: An 8.33% Distribution Backed by Guided Cash Flow Western Midstream (NYSE:WES | WES Price Prediction) yields 8.33%, the second ultra-high yielder in the group. The quarterly distribution is 93 cents per unit, or $3.72 annualized, with $3.68 paid over the trailing 12 months. As a master limited partnership, it issues a K-1 at tax time.
Distribution safety read: Distributable cash flow is the correct test for an MLP, and 2026 guidance calls for $1.85B to $2.05B, or $4.59 to $5.08 per unit. Even the low end sits well above the $3.72 annualized payout, and management expects results toward the high end of its ranges. First-quarter adjusted EBITDA hit a record $683.1M, up 15% year over year. The partnership holds an investment-grade balance sheet with roughly $2.0 billion of liquidity, and fee-based contracts with minimum-volume commitments protect cash flow when volumes wobble. The track record deserves a clear-eyed read: The quarterly payout climbed from 57 cents in early 2024 to 87 cents later that year and to 93 cents today, but it was cut from 62 cents to 31 cents in 2020.
Bull case: The $1.6 billion Brazos Delaware II acquisition adds roughly $100 million of additional EBITDA in 2026, and the Aris Water integration has captured about 85% of a $40 million synergy target. At 11 times forward earnings, the units price in modest expectations for a business guiding toward the top of its range.
Risk: Growth spending is eating into the cushion. Second-quarter capital expenditures of $741.791 million exceeded operating cash flow of $524.847 million, and free cash flow after distributions was -$137.4 million in the first quarter. If producers pull back drilling plans while capex stays elevated, the partnership leans harder on its balance sheet to hold the payout.
Realty Income: 5.93% Monthly Income With AFFO Coverage Intact Realty Income (NYSE:O) yields 5.93%. That is high-yield territory rather than ultra-high-yield, and it sits only slightly above the 5.18% Treasury, the thinnest premium among the three names that beat the risk-free rate. The next ex-dividend date is September 30, 2026.
Dividend safety read: Second-quarter AFFO rose 3.8% to $1.09 per share, while monthly dividends paid in the quarter totaled to 81 cents per share. Full-year AFFO guidance moved up to $4.44 to $4.45, well clear of the annualized dividend of $3.252 as of June 30. The company reported its 115th consecutive quarterly dividend increase and 670 monthly dividend announcements in a row. Fitch rates it ‘A’ with a Stable Outlook, and occupancy stands at 98.8%.
Bull case: The acquisition engine is accelerating. Realty Income invested $2.6 billion in the second quarter at a 7.3% initial cash yield and raised 2026 investment guidance to $10 billion. A $6 billion large-scale data center joint venture and a management platform with $3.5 billion of third-party assets open new growth opportunities beyond retail. A free cash flow yield of 7.35% supports continued raises.
Risk: Leverage is moving the wrong way. Net debt to annualized pro forma adjusted EBITDAre rose to 5.4x from 5.2x in the first quarter, and 65.7% of annualized base rent is tied to tenants below investment grade. With the 10-year yield up 0.54% in a month, higher refinancing costs pinch the spread between what Realty Income earns on new deals and what it pays to fund them. Analysts reflect that caution, with 15 Hold ratings.
AbbVie: Why Free Cash Flow Tells the Real Dividend Story AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) yields 2.62% at a share price of $264.28. That trails the Treasury, so AbbVie earns its spot through coverage strength and payout growth rather than raw yield.
Dividend safety read: On paper, the payout looks extended. Trailing GAAP earnings per share of $3.55 sit below the $6.83 dividend per share, which puts the GAAP payout ratio above 100%. That figure misleads because GAAP earnings include huge non-cash charges tied to past acquisitions. In 2025, AbbVie booked net income of $4.226 billion but recorded $8.139 billion in depreciation and amortization, an expense that uses no cash. Free cash flow shows what actually funds the check: operating cash flow of $19.03 billion, less capital expenditures of $1.214 billion, still exceeds the $11.657 billion paid in dividends by a wide margin. Adjusted EPS guidance of $13.87 to $14.07 for 2026 tells the same story.
Bull case: The post-Humira transition is working. Skyrizi grew 24.4% to $5.505B and Rinvoq rose 24.5% to $2.525 billion in the second quarter, more than offsetting a 35.9% Humira decline. Adjusted EPS of $3.65 beat the $3.08 consensus on revenue of $16.99 billion, up 10.2%. Chief executive Robert A. Michael said “AbbVie delivered another excellent quarter… long-term outlook remains very strong.” The stock trades at 16x forward earnings after an 14.97% year-to-date gain.
Risk: The quarterly cushion narrowed in 2026. Second-quarter operating cash flow of $3.436 billion only slightly exceeded the $3.07 billion dividend payment, and the roughly $10.9 billion Apogee Therapeutics acquisition adds dilution and integration demands. Should Skyrizi and Rinvoq growth slow while Imbruvica keeps sliding (down 29.4%), the dividend growth rate is the first thing to give.
Johnson & Johnson: AAA Credit Behind a Payout Ratio That Is Creeping Higher Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) yields 2%, the lowest in the group and well under the Treasury. Its case rests on balance-sheet quality: It is one of only two U.S.-based companies with a AAA credit rating.
Dividend safety read: The direction of the payout ratio is the key tell. In the second quarter of 2025, J&J earned net income of $5.537 billion and paid $3.129 billion in dividends. A year later, net income was essentially flat at $5.534 billion while dividends rose to $3.227 billion. Quarterly earnings growth of -0.9% against a dividend raise from $1.30 to $1.34 per share (3.1%) means the payout ratio edged up over the trailing year. The starting point remains conservative: trailing EPS of $8.62 against a $5.24 dividend per share, and 2025 free cash flow of $19.7B against $12.381 billion in dividends. In absolute dollars, no name here has more room.
Bull case: Newer drugs are carrying the load. First-quarter sales of DARZALEX rose 22.5% to $3.96 billion, TREMFYA jumped 68.3% to $1.61 billion and CARVYKTI climbed 62.1% to $597 million. Guidance calls for 2026 revenue of $100.3 billion to $101.3 billion and adjusted EPS of $11.45 to $11.65, which would pull the adjusted payout ratio back in the right direction.
Risk: STELARA biosimilars. Sales fell 59.7% in the first quarter, a roughly 920bps drag on Innovative Medicine, and litigation charges added $330 million. First-quarter operating cash flow of $2.514 billion came in below the $3.131 billion dividend, a reminder that quarterly cash is lumpy. If the planned Orthopaedics separation or patent cliffs slow earnings growth further, the payout ratio keeps drifting up.
Coverage Scorecard: Who Passes With the Most Room Johnson & Johnson and Gaming and Leisure Properties pass with the widest cushions, one on AAA-rated free cash flow and the other on AFFO guidance paired with leverage below target. Western Midstream and AbbVie clear their correct metrics well, though growth spending and a big acquisition trim their near-term margin. Realty Income passes on AFFO with the smallest balance-sheet room as leverage climbs. With the 10-year Treasury at 5.18%, only GLPI, WES and O pay more than the risk-free rate, and coverage is what separates the yields worth owning from the ones that merely look generous (we listed the seven warning signs that a fat yield is about to be cut, available here: Dividend Traps).
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Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) remains a key beneficiary of AI-driven memory demand as investors weigh strong earnings momentum against questions about pricing power, future supply, and the durability of the current cycle.
Micron beat earnings and raised revenue and EPS guidance, keeping the AI-driven memory demand story intact even as analysts and CNBC’s “Fast Money” traders debated whether the stock’s extraordinary run leaves room for another major leg higher.
The stock gained almost 300% year-to-date, driven by an AI-driven boom in High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) chips required to power NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) accelerators. The company hit a $1 trillion market capitalization for the first time on May 26, 2026.
Wedbush Sees AI Demand Keeping Memory TightWedbush analyst Matt Bryson focused on Micron’s earnings guidance of more than $38 per share, which he said sits near the middle of the $36-to-$40 range he had heard from buy-side investors.
Bryson told CNBC on Thursday that his memory pricing checks continue to show increases, although at a slower pace. He said the reason behind Micron’s margin trajectory matters, particularly if greater high-bandwidth memory shipments supporting AI influence profitability.
He expects additional memory supply to arrive in late 2027 and 2028, noting that increasing supply historically ends memory cycles.
However, Bryson questioned whether supply can catch demand as AI accelerator and CPU deployments expand rapidly while memory capacity grows more slowly.
“So as long as you have this strength in AI, um, even if you get more supply coming on, it’s really unclear to me that supply catches demand,” Bryson said.
He also expects Micron to favor share buybacks after restrictions tied to its CHIPS Act funding expire on Dec. 9, given the cash the company has accumulated.
Fast Money Traders Focus on Margins and ExpectationsCNBC’s Fast Money trader Tim Seymour called the quarter good but said investors should focus more heavily on Micron’s margin profile than its previous data-center growth rates.
He pointed to pricing and longer-term contracts as important factors but warned that the memory story could face turbulence as additional competitors expand supply.
“I’m not chasing Micron here, but there was nothing wrong with this print,” Seymour said.
Steve Grasso, another trader, turned more constructive on Micron because expanding AI-agent use should increase inference workloads and memory demand.
“I think it could actually go higher, because agents create token demand. Tokens are inference, and inference runs on memory,” Grasso said.
Nathan Questions Size of Future Earnings BeatsTrader Dan Nathan took a more cautious view, arguing that Micron’s biggest earnings surprises may already be behind it.
He noted that the latest quarter beat consensus earnings and sales estimates by roughly 5%-6%, while current-quarter guidance was about 8% above expectations. That contrasts with the much larger surprises that helped drive Micron’s earlier rally.
Nathan said investors could increasingly price in best-case outcomes, which may explain the stock’s muted after-hours reaction.
Trader Guy Adami also highlighted Micron’s roughly 86% margins and supportive AI spending trends but cautioned that competition will eventually increase.
He pointed to the limited stock reaction despite options markets pricing in a roughly 7%-8% earnings move, suggesting investors may already have incorporated substantial optimism into the shares.
Price ActionMU Stock Price Activity: Micron Technology shares were up 0.37% at $1069.00 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Goldman Sachs zvýšila doporučení pro Occidental Petroleum na Buy a cílovou cenu na 69 USD kvůli snižování dluhu, růstu dividend a cíli zlepšit cash flow o 4 miliardy USD do roku 2030.
Goldman points to debt reduction and dividend growth four months into Richard Jackson's tenure Summary
Goldman Sachs upgraded Occidental Petroleum to Buy and raised its target to $69, citing debt reduction, dividend growth potential and a discounted valuation.
Occidental Petroleum OXY rose 0.87% in premarket after Goldman Sachs (GS) upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral and lifted its price target to $69 from $63. The call came about four months into Richard Jackson's tenure as chief executive, after he succeeded Vicki Hollub on June 1.
Goldman cited Occidental's differentiated advanced recovery approach, along with a strong outlook for debt reduction and room for dividend growth. It also flagged a self-help program targeting $4 billion in cash flow improvement by 2030, and said the stock's discounted valuation offered attractive risk-reward.
Goldman noted that its oil exploration and production coverage had gained 34% year-to-date on elevated oil prices. Occidental shares had risen by about the same amount, despite the capital efficiency and deleveraging gains the company has made under its new chief executive.
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Broadcom souhlasil, že Anthropicu půjčí až 42 miliard USD na financování infrastruktury a pronájmu čipů. Anthropic varuje před možnými střety zájmů kvůli roli Broadcomu jako dodavatele i financujícího partnera.
Anthropic’s IPO prospectus documents extensive partnerships with a handful of big tech firms. One stands out: chip maker Broadcom (AVGO.O).
The company's relationship with Anthropic spans compute supply, equipment leasing and financing -- giving the semiconductor company a central role in Anthropic's infrastructure buildout. That differentiates it from other major partners and investors such as Amazon (AMZN.O), which primarily provide cloud infrastructure and distribution for Anthropic's model Claude.
As part of that complex relationship, revealed in the IPO filing, Broadcom has agreed to lend Anthropic up to $42 billion to finance infrastructure spending.
In turn, Anthropic stands to become the largest customer in Broadcom’s bread-and-butter chip design business next year, making their relationship a prime example of the reciprocal spending that has animated AI skeptics on Wall Street, even as the AI lab readies a public offering that could see it valued at $2 trillion.
"It feels that there's quite a concentrated bet right now on two companies being able to generate enough revenues to support all the financing that's happened," said Robert Leitao, managing partner of Rothschild & Co.
As part of the financing arrangement, Broadcom could designate a financing partner, and the debt instruments could be converted into Anthropic shares. Anthropic said in its filing it doesn't expect any notes to be sold before it completes its IPO.
The convertible note Anthropic would issue could finance about a third of the $125.2 billion commitment the AI lab has made for a five-year lease of tensor processing unit (TPU) computing capacity.
Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Broadcom have collaborated on several generations of the TPUs. Anthropic announced in April an expanded partnership with Broadcom and Google that will give it access to multiple gigawatts of next-generation TPU compute capacity beginning in 2027.
For Broadcom, the financing arrangement follows what rival Nvidia (NVDA.O) has done in recent years -- use its strong financial position to help boost chip sales.
"Nvidia is putting in place a massive amount of its balance sheet, and Broadcom is having to follow suit," Seaport Research analyst Jay Goldberg said.
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Anthropic disclosed that Broadcom's role in supplying hardware and acting as a financing partner creates "potential conflicts of interest" that might affect Anthropic's ability to access the computing power needed for its work, according to the prospectus.
The AI lab also warned that Broadcom's decisions around pricing and hardware could affect its ability to procure enough computing infrastructure.
Broadcom did not comment. Anthropic declined to comment.
Related to the convertible debt, Anthropic said it deposited cash into a restricted account for Broadcom's benefit in April 2026 and may be required to contribute additional amounts in certain circumstances, according to the filing.
The company warned that certain payment or performance defaults could make a substantial portion of its lease obligations immediately due while limiting its ability to use the $42 billion financing facility to cover those payments.
Meanwhile, Anthropic is expected to become Broadcom's largest compute customer in 2027. Broadcom projects AI semiconductor revenue of about $115 billion in fiscal 2027 and $230 billion in fiscal 2028.
Spojené státy zařadily sedm adres TRON na sankční seznam kvůli údajnému ATM jackpottingu napojenému na Tren de Aragua. Adresy podle TRM přijaly asi 6,1 milionu USD.
TRON has been pulled into another U.S. sanctions action after the Treasury Department added seven addresses on the network to its sanctions list over an alleged ATM jackpotting operation tied to Tren de Aragua.
Summary
Seven TRON addresses that received about $6.1 million were added to the U.S. sanctions list over an alleged Tren de Aragua ATM jackpotting operation. All seven addresses were hosted by a centralized crypto exchange, potentially allowing the underlying accounts and connected activity to be identified. U.S. authorities reported $40.73 million in losses across more than 1,500 alleged Tren de Aragua jackpotting attacks as of August 2025. Funds from the sanctioned TRON addresses were sent to other wallets associated with Tren de Aragua, with another connected network receiving about $35 million. According to TRM Labs, the seven TRON addresses received approximately $6.1 million in total inflows since March 2022. The blockchain intelligence firm cautioned that not all of the funds were necessarily connected to the alleged ATM scheme.
The addresses were added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List as the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned eight individuals and two Mexico based companies over the operation. A separate Tren de Aragua leader accused by Treasury of involvement in illicit gold mining was designated in the same action.
TRM found that all seven TRON addresses were deposit addresses hosted by a centralized crypto exchange, giving the sanctions action a direct link to accounts held through a virtual asset service provider instead of self custody wallets.
Seven TRON addresses received $6.1 million TRM traced the largest portion of the $6.1 million to the TRON address attributed to Eric Gabriel Cardenas Arzola, which received approximately $2.1 million.
According to the firm’s analysis, activity across the seven addresses followed a similar pattern. Each received funds from numerous sources through deposit addresses hosted at a centralized exchange, while most have remained dormant for months. The most recent inflow identified by TRM went to the address attributed to Cardenas Arzola in July 2026.
Funds did not stop at the seven wallets. TRM said the sanctioned addresses sent cryptocurrency to other addresses associated with Tren de Aragua. The second group of addresses subsequently sent approximately $35 million to a network that U.S. authorities have affiliated with Venezuelan national Jorge Figueira.
U.S. authorities have charged Figueira with laundering approximately $1 billion in illicit funds. According to TRM, Figueira has not been convicted and the charges against him remain allegations.
The latest findings resemble another TRON based pattern TRM identified in September. Exchange hosted deposit addresses were used in the Xinbi Guarantee network, where illicit value largely settled through USDT on TRON.
Tether subsequently froze $39.3 million in USDT across 10 TRON addresses linked to Xinbi Guarantee, crypto.news previously reported. TRM had identified Xinbi as one of Southeast Asia’s largest illicit crypto marketplaces, with approximately $24.2 billion in transactions since 2022.
Treasury ties TRON wallets to alleged ATM attacks Treasury described the operation behind the latest sanctions as an ATM jackpotting scheme, a cyberattack in which criminals exploit vulnerabilities in ATMs or interactive teller machines and install malware that forces them to dispense cash without debiting a bank account.
According to the Treasury account cited by TRM, the attacks typically involve monitoring a targeted machine before malware is installed and remotely activated to bypass its security controls. The network operates from Mexico and Venezuela while targeting machines in the United States. Stolen funds are allegedly laundered through several methods, including cryptocurrency transactions, before being sent to Tren de Aragua members in different countries.
Reported U.S. losses from alleged Tren de Aragua jackpotting attacks reached $40.73 million across more than 1,500 attacks as of August 2025, according to Treasury. Since Oct. 21, 2025, the Department of Justice has indicted 98 people over their alleged roles in ATM jackpotting schemes.
Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, known as “Prometheus,” was identified as the main target of the latest action. Treasury alleges Canelon Aguirre engineered the malware used in the attacks. Six alleged associates were designated alongside him, with OFAC linking each of the seven individuals to one of the TRON addresses.
The defendants face charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska that include providing material support to Tren de Aragua, bank fraud conspiracy, bank burglary conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. All charges remain allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
TRON remains prominent in stablecoin transfers TRON’s appearance in the latest sanctions action comes as the blockchain handles a large share of global USDT activity.
During the second quarter, TRON processed $2.1 trillion in USDT transfers while its stablecoin market reached a record $89.2 billion. USDT supply on the blockchain ended the quarter at $87.9 billion, according to Messari data published in August.
The network has repeatedly appeared in recent sanctions and asset freeze cases involving USDT. OFAC added 131 TRON addresses to its ISIS K designation in July, with Chainalysis saying Tether subsequently froze balances across all of the addresses. The wallets had received more than $1.4 million since 2023, while Tether froze the balances following the sanctions update.
More recently, Tether said it had helped freeze nearly $550 million in Iran linked USDT during 2026. Four TRON wallets holding more than $130 million were frozen in a July action tied to the Central Bank of Iran.
A separate September case involved $61.2 million in USDT that U.S. prosecutors are seeking to forfeit. Court records identified 10 TRON addresses holding the funds, which prosecutors alleged were connected to proceeds from sanctioned Iranian oil sales. Tether had frozen all 10 wallets.
Exchange accounts face screening after TRON sanctions According to TRM, the latest Tren de Aragua addresses differ from self custody wallets because all seven are deposit addresses hosted at a centralized exchange. The exchange hosting the addresses may therefore be able to identify the underlying account holders and accounts connected to them.
TRM said virtual asset service providers and financial institutions should screen the seven TRON addresses and review historical transactions for exposure. Its analysis recommended extending those checks to indirect counterparties because funds moved from the designated addresses to other wallets associated with Tren de Aragua.
Since the designations were made under Executive Order 13224, foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct or facilitate a significant transaction on behalf of a designated person may face secondary sanctions. According to the report, possible measures include restrictions involving U.S. correspondent or payable through accounts.
The immediate compliance work falls on the exchange hosting the seven addresses and other virtual asset service providers that processed funds moving to or from them, TRM said. The firm plans to continue tracking activity connected to the addresses and Tren de Aragua’s financial network.
Clover Health oznámila nabídku plánů Medicare Advantage pro rok 2027 s důrazem na PPO s pojistným 0 USD, širší volbu poskytovatelů a preventivní péči. Plány budou dostupné pro 5,2 milionu oprávněných příjemců Medicare ve 203 okresech v pěti státech.
WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clover Health Investments, Corp. (Nasdaq: CLOV) (“Clover,” “Clover Health” or the “Company”), a physician enablement technology company committed to bringing access to great healthcare to everyone on Medicare, today announced its 2027 Medicare Advantage (MA) plan offerings, with a continued focus on PPO choice, affordable access to preventive care and meaningful member value. Clover’s Medicare Advantage model is powered by Clover Assistant (CA), which is designed to give physicians across Clover’s broad provider network access to relevant patient information to identify care needs and support better-informed clinical decisions.
Clover Health’s 2027 portfolio provides options for members with different healthcare needs and financial circumstances including:
$0 to low premium PPO with broad provider choice and no referrals required*$0 primary care physician (PCP) in-network copaysSome of the lowest specialist copays in the industry$0 lab services at preferred providersRoutine dental, vision, OTC and gym benefits across all plansUp to $400 in LiveHealthy Rewards for eligible healthy activitiesOptions that pair well with Extra Help/PAAD as well as an MA only planClover Assistant-powered care model, designed to help physicians identify care needs and make better-informed clinical decisions “Medicare Beneficiaries are once again navigating a market where plans are changing, choices can be harder to understand, and affordability matters more than ever,” said Jamie Reynoso, CEO of Medicare Advantage at Clover Health. “Our teams have been deliberate about protecting meaningful PPO choice and access to care for our members, and our ability to pair that flexibility and value with top-ranked clinical quality shows what this model can deliver even as others in the industry pull back.”
High-Choice PPO Access in a Changing MA Market
As MA organizations reassess plan footprints, benefits and distribution strategies, Clover continues to emphasize PPO choice and flexibility. For 2027, Clover will offer a commissionable $0-premium PPO, making it one of relatively few plans to offer this combination in its markets.
Top-Ranked Clinical Quality, Powered by Clover Assistant
Powered by Clover Assistant, Clover’s flagship PPO has ranked #1 nationally among PPO plans on core HEDIS clinical quality measures for two consecutive years, demonstrating the strength of a care model designed to surface relevant information for physicians to identify care needs and support better-informed clinical decisions.1
Clover’s locally focused strategy complements this model. Its 2027 geographic footprint remains consistent with 2026, with New Jersey and Georgia continuing as core markets where Clover is focused on deepening relationships among members, physicians and local healthcare resources.
The 2027 Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. Clover Health plans will be available to 5.2 million Medicare-eligible beneficiaries within 203 counties across five states. Plans available based on location are available to view here.
About Clover Health:
Clover Health (Nasdaq: CLOV) is a physician enablement technology company committed to bringing access to great healthcare to everyone on Medicare. This includes a focus on seniors who have historically lacked access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Our strategy is powered by our software platform, Clover Assistant, which is designed to aggregate patient data from across the healthcare ecosystem to support clinical decision-making and improve health outcomes through the early identification and management of chronic disease. For our members, we provide PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plans in several states, with a differentiated focus on our flagship wide-network, high-choice PPO plans. For healthcare providers outside Clover Health's Medicare Advantage plan, we extend the benefits of our data-driven technology platform to a wider audience via our subsidiary, Counterpart Health, and aim to enable enhanced patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs on a nationwide scale. Clover Health has published data demonstrating the technology’s impact on Medication Adherence, Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and in Underserved Populations as well as the earlier identification and management of Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease.
*Out-of-network/non-contracted providers are under no obligation to treat Clover members, except in emergency situations.
Clover Health is a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Clover Health depends on contract renewal.
Y0129_26EX091_M
1 This analysis focuses on performance by non-SNP PPO plans with over 2,000 lives as of September 1, 2025 on HEDIS measures applicable to non-SNPs that were used for CMS’s MY 2024 Star ratings, applying the measure ranges used by CMS.
XPENG na autosalonu v Paříži globálně představí SUV G9L a otevře evropské objednávky i ceny. Zároveň ukáže svou nabídku Physical AI včetně robotů a létajících aut.
XPENG will showcase its Physical AI ecosystem spanning its technology stack, humanoid robots, flying cars and AI-defined vehicles, including the G9L, L03, P7+, G6, G9 and X9. The G9L flagship SUV will make its global launch at the Paris Motor Show, with European order books open and pricing revealed, reinforcing XPENG's premium positioning globally. XPENG and Tesla will be the only automakers participating in the show's official Autonomous Lab, marking XPENG's first large-scale NGP test ride experience outside China. XPENG will present one of the largest stands among Chinese automakers, spanning more than 1,000 square meters in Hall 6 alongside European legacy brands and Chinese counterparts. The Paris Motor Show will showcase XPENG's "In Europe, For Europe" approach through European intelligent-driving development, local production and a growing regional product portfolio. , /PRNewswire/ -- XPeng Inc. ("XPENG" or the "Company,"NYSE: XPEV; HKEX: 9868), a leading global Physical AI company, will make a major appearance at the 2026 Paris Motor Show from October 12 to 18, bringing its latest advances in intelligent mobility, robotics and future transportation to one of Europe's most prominent automotive stages. At the show, XPENG will make the global launch of its Next-Gen AI Flagship SUV, the G9L, marking another milestone in the company's expansion in Europe.
Advancing Physical AI into the Real World
XPENG
XPENG At its more than 1,000-square-meter stand in Hall 6, XPENG will create an immersive "Physical AI Museum" spanning four areas: brand technology stack, AI-defined vehicles, humanoid robots and flying cars.
The exhibition will demonstrate how XPENG is extending its technology foundation beyond the conventional automobile. Its Car-as-a-Robot concept brings vehicle and robotics technologies onto a common platform, while the company is also advancing the mass production of its IRON humanoid robot and developing flying cars and Robotaxi.
Together with the G9L, L03, P7+, G6, G9 and X9, these technologies will offer visitors a view of XPENG's broader Physical AI ecosystem — from intelligent vehicles and robots to future forms of mobility.
G9L: The Next Generation of AI-Defined Mobility
At the center of XPENG's presence will be the G9L, its Next-Gen AI Flagship SUV, making its global launch in Paris on October 12.
The G9L brings together XPENG's latest advances in AI, intelligent driving and vehicle technology with a premium SUV experience, with a focus on safety, driving and comfort across a range of scenarios. At the Paris Motor Show, XPENG will open European order books and announce European pricing, marking the model's transition from a China launch to a global market rollout.
The G9L will also become the fourth XPENG model produced in Europe, following the company's expansion of local manufacturing capabilities. It represents XPENG's approach to developing global products while increasingly building and producing for European users.
XPENG and Tesla to Take on the Official Autonomous Driving Experience
Beyond the vehicle premiere, XPENG will put its NGP intelligent driving technology directly to the test with its recently launched L03 SUV coupe as part of the Paris Motor Show's official Autonomous Lab program.
XPENG and Tesla will be the only two automakers taking part in the official experience, giving the public a first-hand opportunity to experience next-generation intelligent driving in real-world conditions. For XPENG, the event marks its first large-scale overseas NGP test ride experience, offering early access to its latest capabilities for European customers and media.
XPENG is also advancing the localization of intelligent driving technology for Europe, enabled by the strong generalization capabilities of its foundation model. The company's European R&D capabilities are being further developed to adapt intelligent driving to local roads, traffic environments and regulatory requirements.
In Europe, For Europe
XPENG is expanding its presence in Europe as it builds out its sales and service network and local capabilities, including its European R&D centre in Munich. The company has delivered more than 100,000 vehicles overseas, including over 60,000 in Europe. In France, XPENG has delivered more than 6,000 vehicles since entering the market two years ago.
The company is also expanding its European product portfolio. Following its global debut in Munich in July 2026, the L03 SUV coupe is now preparing to begin its first deliveries to European customers.
From European intelligent driving development and local manufacturing to products tailored for European users, XPENG is strengthening its "In Europe, For Europe" approach — bringing global technology capabilities closer to local customers.
A New Chapter in XPENG's Global Expansion
2026 has marked another step in XPENG's international expansion, with continued growth in overseas sales, stores and localized operations alongside the commercialization of its Physical AI technologies.
In the second quarter, overseas deliveries surpassed 20,000 units for the first time, up 81% year-on-year. In August, its robotics business completed a first funding round of over US$900 million — the largest single-round private raise in China's embodied AI industry. And in September, IRON, its advanced general-purpose humanoid robot, rolled off its newly commissioned production line, a key step toward mass production.
As the automotive industry gathers in Paris, XPENG will demonstrate how Physical AI is moving from technology into real-world mobility — and from China to the world, with Europe playing an increasingly important role in that journey.
XPENG Paris Night
Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
Format: Brand Event & Fireside Chat & Dinner
Venue: Downtown Paris
XPENG Paris Motor Show Press Conference
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Time: 11:10 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.
Location: Hall 6, Booth A51
Venue: Paris Motor Show, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles
If you are interested in XPENG's Paris Motor Show event, please contact:
[email protected]
XPENG Paris Motor Show Press Kit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I8SLTqDREdDCzeY5YUu8LjLe7jlPI6e2
About XPENG
XPENG is a leading global Physical AI company, dedicated to bringing artificial intelligence into the physical world to reshape future mobility and smart living. Through in-house R&D, XPENG has developed a full-stack Physical AI architecture spanning Turing AI chips, world foundation models, and highly integrated software and hardware applications. This unified technology foundation of XPENG powers an expansive product portfolio of smart EVs, robotaxis, and humanoid robots, advancing the deployment of Physical AI at scale. Headquartered in Guangzhou, China, XPENG is dual-primary listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. With global capabilities across R&D, manufacturing, sales, and services, XPENG drives continuous technological innovation and fosters an open Physical AI ecosystem, making life smarter, safer, and better for users worldwide. For more information, please visit https://www.xpeng.com/.
Chainlink spustil CCIP 2.0 a roste o něj institucionální zájem. Grayscale v září nakoupil 159 480 LINK za zhruba 2,36 milionu USD; celkové zářijové nákupy činily 629 100 LINK za zhruba 8,3 milionu USD.
Chainlink [LINK] launched the Cross Chain Interoperability Protocol 2.0 recently, allowing institutions to have greater control over asset flows between chains. The launch coincided with tokenization, payments, and stablecoins gaining traction with institutions.
As it stands, there is increasing more demand for cross-chain infrastructure. Chainlink’s partnership with SWIFT gave it a bridge to TradFi too.
In other news, Grayscale bought 159,480 LINK valued at $2.36 million via its Chainlink ETF. The combined September purchases came to 629,100 LINK, worth around $8.3 million.
Bitwise filed a new SEC prospectus for its Chainlink ETF that would also allocate 20% of the fund’s holdings towards staking.
Hence, the question — Can the ETF news and the CCIP 2.0 launch catalyze a bullish price reaction?
LINK challenges December 2025 highs Source: LINK/USDT on TradingView Chainlink has shifted its weekly structure bullishly. The $10.87 swing level from May was breached in mid-August (green), and retested as support too. This retest was the launchpad for the move to the next key swing level at $15.01 (white).
A weekly session close above this swing level too would be an encouraging sight. The DMI indicator highlighted a strong uptrend in progress, in agreement with the weekly structure’s findings.
The RSI on this timeframe was not yet overbought, nor did it show any kind of bearish divergence yet. The OBV has also been recovering since July, showing steady buying pressure.
Overall, the odds of a bullink LINK recovery in the coming months seemed to be good. A price drop below $10.6 would be the first sign of trouble.
Traders’ call to action — Stay bullish Source: LINK/USDT on TradingView The 4-hour structure has been bullish. The retracement from $15.77 dropped from just under $14 and into a local demand zone that had formerly been a resistance in late August. So far, the bulls have defended this area.
Technically, a Chainlink retracement down to $12.85 may be possible, especially if Bitcoin [BTC] sees significant selling pressure and is forced to correct below $80K.
However, the H4 swing structure would be bullish so long as the price remains above $12.05. At the time of writing, the evidence showed that a price dip below $13.91 would be a buying opportunity.
Final Summary Chainlink CCIP 2.0 and steady institutional interest could catalyze a bullish Q4 for the altcoin. Higher timeframe price action was showing signs of recovery and was beginning to establish an uptrend.
Lloyds Banking Group a Visa během sedmidenního pilotního programu vypořádaly závazky za 750 000 USD v USDC, přičemž peníze dorazily za méně než hodinu, i o víkendu.
Lloyds Banking Group and Visa have completed a seven day live stablecoin pilot that settled $750,000 in cross border payment obligations, with funds reaching Visa in under an hour even during the weekend.
Summary
Lloyds and Visa settled $750,000 in live cross border payment obligations using USDC during a seven day pilot. Funds reached Visa in under an hour, including during the weekend, compared with traditional settlement that can take a day or longer outside banking hours. Lloyds bought USDC through UK regulated exchange Archax and used its own Canton node, while Visa supported settlement on a separate public blockchain. The pilot tested whether stablecoins could support round the clock settlement while improving visibility over when funds arrive. According to Lloyds Banking Group, the trial used USDC for a series of real world U.S. dollar settlements between its Corporate Markets branch in Jersey and Visa in the United States.
Lloyds purchased the USDC through Archax, a UK regulated digital asset exchange, before transferring the settlement funds to Visa. The companies focused on the settlement process between financial institutions instead of changing how customers make payments.
Transactions continued outside normal banking hours, including over the weekend. Lloyds said traditional cross border settlement can take a day or longer when transactions begin outside banking hours, while funds moved during the pilot reached Visa in less than an hour.
Lloyds and Visa test stablecoin settlement across blockchain networks The trial tested more than the time required to move the funds. Lloyds operated its own node on Canton Network, using the blockchain’s configurable privacy features, while Visa supported settlement on a separate public blockchain.
Running the transactions across different blockchain environments allowed the companies to test whether stablecoin settlement could work without requiring participating institutions to operate entirely on the same network.
Visa has been working on similar infrastructure before its latest test with Lloyds. In June, crypto.news previously reported that the payments company had tested private stablecoin settlement with Brale using the SBC dollar backed stablecoin on Canton Network.
The earlier proof of concept examined whether financial institutions could settle transactions onchain while restricting access to sensitive transaction information. Visa had previously supported USDC settlement on public blockchains, while the Brale test brought its stablecoin work into Canton’s privacy focused institutional infrastructure.
Lloyds has been testing a different form of digital money on the same network. The bank recently participated in live tokenized deposit transactions alongside Barclays and NatWest as UK banks tested blockchain based payments using commercial bank money.
Its earlier work included issuing tokenized sterling deposits on Canton and using them to buy a tokenized UK government bond from Archax. Lloyds later completed three live transactions under the Bank for International Settlements led Project Agorá involving sterling, euros and Swiss francs.
The Visa pilot took another route by using USDC instead of a token representing a commercial bank deposit.
Stablecoin pilot targets round the clock settlement Settlement timing was one of the main areas tested during the seven day trial.
Banks and companies moving funds internationally can face delays when transactions fall outside the operating hours of the institutions and payment systems involved. Lloyds and Visa tested whether stablecoins could give financial institutions another way to complete certain settlement obligations around the clock.
For treasury operations, Lloyds said the structure could provide more certainty over when funds arrive and improve visibility into their status. Faster settlement could leave less liquidity waiting for transactions to complete during weekends and holidays, according to the bank.
Peter Left, head of digital assets at Lloyds Banking Group, said moving money across different markets, currencies and financial systems can add time and complexity to cross border transactions.
“Settling $750,000 of live payment obligations between Lloyds and Visa using stablecoins has allowed us to move beyond theory and test these capabilities in a real-world setting,” Left said.
He said digital money could make international payments faster, more transparent and more flexible for businesses, while giving companies more certainty over the movement of their funds.
Visa has continued building stablecoin settlement infrastructure as financial institutions experiment with using blockchain networks behind existing payment products.
Its stablecoin card network had reached more than 160 programs by September. Some participants have used USDC to meet Visa settlement obligations seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.
Visa has pursued institutional partnerships outside the UK as well. In August, South Korea’s Shinhan Financial Group signed an agreement with Visa covering stablecoin issuance, transfers and redemption, with the companies planning tests involving stablecoins in card payment settlement.
Rob Cameron, Visa’s group country manager for the UK and Ireland, said existing money movement infrastructure has not always provided the same operating flexibility required by businesses working across borders and around the clock.
“This pilot with Lloyds shows how stablecoins can work alongside existing banking infrastructure to give financial institutions more choice over how and when they settle funds,” Cameron said.
Canton becomes part of Lloyds’ digital money tests Canton Network has become a recurring part of Lloyds’ experiments with blockchain based financial infrastructure.
The bank’s work with tokenized sterling earlier this year involved a different structure from the latest USDC transactions. Tokenized deposits represent a commercial bank deposit onchain, while USDC is issued by Circle and backed by reserves held outside the banking deposit represented by the token.
Other financial institutions have been testing both models as potential settlement assets.
JPMorgan, Citigroup, Bank of America and Wells Fargo have been working through The Clearing House on a shared settlement network designed to let corporate clients move tokenized deposits around the clock, with the project targeting the first half of 2027. Visa, meanwhile, has continued testing stablecoins across public and institution focused blockchain infrastructure.
Canton has attracted stablecoin projects alongside those bank deposit experiments. World Liberty Financial launched its USD1 stablecoin natively on the network in August, allowing the dollar backed token to be used for activities including collateral, lending, issuance, redemptions and cross border settlement.
Financial institutions in other markets are testing similar arrangements. SBI Digital Practice and South Korea’s Nodeinfra agreed in August to develop a cross border settlement network connecting Japan and South Korea through Canton, initially using yen and won test tokens before any planned use of regulated stablecoins.
Lloyds’ latest test kept the existing banking and Visa infrastructure in place while introducing USDC into the settlement process.
The $750,000 in obligations was booked through Lloyds’ Corporate Markets branch in Jersey, converted into USDC obtained through Archax and transferred to Visa in the United States.
Left said the trial gave Lloyds a live environment for examining digital money instead of limiting the work to theoretical models.
Lloyds said the initiative forms part of its ongoing work examining how digital assets and tokenized forms of money can be used to move value between businesses and financial institutions.
, /PRNewswire/ -- McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC), a global leader in flavor, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended August 31, 2026 and reaffirmed its outlook for fiscal 2026.
Net Sales increased 17.4% in the third quarter and included a 0.9% favorable impact from currency. Organic sales growth was 1.9%. Gross profit margin in the third quarter expanded by 190 basis points versus prior year. Adjusted gross profit margin expanded by 180 basis points versus prior year. Operating income was $217 million in the third quarter compared to $289 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted operating income was $359 million compared to $294 million in the year-ago period. Earnings per share was $0.36 in the third quarter as compared to $0.84 in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings per share was $0.86 as compared to $0.85 in the year-ago period. For fiscal year 2026, McCormick reaffirmed its net sales growth, adjusted operating income and adjusted earnings per share outlook. McCormick remains on track with integration planning for the proposed Unilever Foods combination and remains confident in delivering the expected strategic and financial benefits, including significant earnings per share accretion post-close. Chairman, President, and CEO's Remarks
Brendan M. Foley, Chairman, President, and CEO, stated, "Third quarter results demonstrate the resilience and differentiated performance of our flavor-focused business model in a dynamic operating environment. We delivered strong sales growth, including organic growth across our global flavor portfolio, while expanding our profit margins. Disciplined productivity initiatives helped offset rising input and freight costs, supporting margin expansion and enabling continued investment in our brands to drive long-term profitable growth. Overall, performance reflected solid base business contribution and accretion from the McCormick de Mexico acquisition, where we have substantially completed its integration."
"Looking ahead, our enhanced margin profile and operational discipline position us to continue investing in our brands, capabilities, and innovation to support organic sales growth and drive long-term shareholder value creation. Our advantaged categories combined with our strong year-to-date performance, including solid organic growth, margin expansion, and robust cash flow, give us confidence in our ability to deliver on our 2026 outlook."
"We remain confident in the strategic benefits of the proposed combination with Unilever Foods and have made substantial progress on integration planning. We have established the future leadership team and operating model, mobilized cross-functional resources, and developed detailed plans to support business continuity and planned synergy delivery post-close."
"Finally, I want to recognize the engagement of our employees. Their focus, collaboration, and commitment to serving consumers and customers continue to support our differentiated performance. I also want to acknowledge the teams executing our standalone priorities, as well as those serving on the Integration Team, who are advancing the planning needed to prepare for the proposed Unilever Foods combination. I am grateful for their contributions, which continue to strengthen and sustain our Power of People culture."
Third Quarter 2026 Results
Sales Metrics
Third Quarter 2026
As Reported
Organic(1)
Acquisition
Constant Currency
% Change
Volume/ Mix
Price
% Change
% Change
% Change
Total Net Sales
17.4 %
(0.3) %
2.2 %
1.9 %
14.6 %
16.5 %
Total Consumer
24.9 %
(1.1) %
2.2 %
1.1 %
23.2 %
24.3 %
Americas
31.7 %
(2.5) %
2.2 %
(0.3) %
32.1 %
31.8 %
EMEA
5.2 %
2.0 %
3.0 %
5.0 %
— %
5.0 %
APAC
10.7 %
4.1 %
0.3 %
4.4 %
— %
4.4 %
Total Flavor Solutions
7.7 %
0.8 %
2.2 %
3.0 %
3.4 %
6.4 %
Americas
8.4 %
(0.1) %
2.8 %
2.7 %
4.9 %
7.6 %
EMEA
1.6 %
(1.0) %
2.2 %
1.2 %
— %
1.2 %
APAC
14.2 %
10.0 %
(1.7) %
8.3 %
— %
8.3 %
(1) Organic sales growth is defined as the impact of volume/mix and price and excludes the impact of acquisitions or divestitures, as applicable, and foreign currency.
Profitability Metrics
Third Quarter 2026
(in millions except per share data)
As Reported
Adjusted
Q3 2026
vs. 2025
Q3 2026
vs. 2025
Gross profit
$ 794.9
23.2 %
$ 794.9
23.0 %
Gross profit margin
39.3 %
190 bps
39.3 %
180 bps
Operating income
$ 217.0
(24.8) %
$ 358.5
22.1 %
Operating income margin
10.7 %
(600) bps
17.7 %
70 bps
Net income attributable to McCormick
$ 97.6
(56.7) %
$ 231.7
1.1 %
Earnings per share - diluted
$ 0.36
(57.1) %
$ 0.86
1.2 %
Third Quarter 2026 Results
Net sales increased 17% in the third quarter compared to the year-ago period and included a 1% favorable impact from currency. Sales from McCormick de Mexico contributed 14% to the sales increase. Organic sales increased 2%, driven by price.
Consumer segment net sales increased 25% from the third quarter of 2025 to $1,215 million including a 23% contribution from McCormick de Mexico and a 1% favorable impact from currency. Organic sales increased 1%, driven by a 2% increase from price partially offset by a 1% decline in volume and product mix. Flavor Solutions segment net sales increased 8% from the third quarter of 2025 to $809 million and included a 1% favorable impact from currency and 4% contribution from McCormick de Mexico. Organic sales increased 3%, driven by a 2% increase in price and a 1% increase in volume and product mix. Gross profit for the third quarter increased by $150 million from the comparable period in 2025. Gross profit margin expanded 190 basis points versus the third quarter of last year. Excluding special charges in the prior year period, gross profit margin expanded by 180 basis points versus the third quarter last year. The expansion was driven by contribution from the acquisition of McCormick de Mexico, higher sales, and cost savings led by the Company's Comprehensive Continuous Improvement (CCI) program, partially offset by higher commodity and freight costs.
Operating income was $217 million in the third quarter of 2026 compared to $289 million in the third quarter of 2025. Excluding special charges, adjusted operating income was $359 million compared to $294 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted operating income increased 22% from the year-ago period, including a 1% favorable impact from currency. In constant currency, adjusted operating income increased 21% driven by higher gross profit, cost savings led by the CCI program, including selling, general and administrative (SG&A) streamlining initiatives, partially offset by higher SG&A expenses primarily due to acquisition related increases, as well as increased brand marketing investments and technology investments.
Consumer segment operating income, excluding special charges, increased 24% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the year-ago period to $241 million, or 24% in constant currency. The increase was driven by higher gross profit, partially offset by increased SG&A expenses including investments in brand marketing and technology. Flavor Solutions segment operating income, excluding special charges, increased 18% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the year-ago period to $117 million, or 16% in constant currency. The increase was driven by higher gross profit, partially offset by increased SG&A expenses including investments in technology. Earnings per share was $0.36 in the third quarter of 2026 compared to $0.84 in the third quarter of 2025. Special charges, including transaction and integration costs and a non-cash impairment charge related to non-core long-lived assets1, lowered diluted earnings per share by $0.50. Excluding special charges, adjusted earnings per share was $0.86 in the third quarter of 2026 compared to $0.85 in the third quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily attributable to higher adjusted operating income, partially offset by a higher tax rate and higher interest expense.
1 Reflect a noncash impairment charge of approximately $43.1 million and exit costs of $1.8 million, related to a decision to cease operations of a development-stage pepper sourcing project in Malaysia.
Fiscal Year 2026 Financial Outlook
McCormick's fiscal 2026 outlook continues to reflect the Company's prioritized investments in key categories to sustain its volume trends and drive long-term profitable growth while appreciating the uncertainty of the consumer and macro environment, including global trade policies and the conflict in the Middle East. The Company's CCI program is continuing to fuel growth investments while also driving operating margin expansion. Lastly, the outlook reflects meaningful contributions from the acquisition of a controlling interest in McCormick de Mexico, which closed on January 2, 2026.
Current Guide(1)
October 2026
Reported
Constant Currency
Net sales growth
13% to 17%
12% to 16%
Contribution from acquisition of McCormick de Mexico
11% to 13%
11% to 13%
Organic sales growth(2)
---
1% to 3%
Adjusted operating income
16% to 20%
15% to 19%
Adjusted Earnings per share (EPS)
$3.05 to $3.13
2% to 5%
1% to 4%
(1)
Amounts are rounded with percentages calculated from the underlying amounts
(2)
Organic sales growth is defined as the impact of volume/mix and price and excludes the impact of acquisitions or divestitures, as applicable, and foreign currency.
Current Guide - Expectations
Net Sales:
Total volumes expected to be stable with increased pricing benefits relative to the prior year. Adjusted Operating Income:
Adjusted gross margin is expected to expand by 100 to 120 basis points from 2025. Favorable impacts from organic sales growth, McCormick de Mexico accretion, and the Company's CCI program. The benefit of the IEEPA tariff refund, recognized primarily in the second quarter of 2026, will be offset with increased inflationary costs, including costs related to the Middle East conflict, as well as continued investments in business growth. The increase in SG&A reflects continued investment in brand marketing, technology, and other growth initiatives, as well as the build back of incentive compensation. In addition, SG&A is expected to benefit from the Company's CCI program, inclusive of streamlining initiatives. Adjusted Earnings per Share:
Adjusted operating income growth partially offset by: Tax rate of approximately 24.0% vs. 21.5% in 2025. Higher net interest expense, primarily associated with the McCormick de Mexico transaction. Income from unconsolidated operations no longer reflects ownership interest in McCormick de Mexico subsequent to the January 2026 acquisition. The acquisition of the additional ownership interest resulted in the consolidation of McCormick de Mexico's financial results in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. Income attributable to noncontrolling interest reflects elimination of the 25% minority interest in McCormick de Mexico Net Income attributable to Grupo Herdez. The Company expects foreign currency rates to favorably impact net sales by 1%, adjusted operating income by 1%, and adjusted earnings per share by 1%.
For fiscal 2026, the Company expects strong cash flow driven by profit and working capital initiatives and anticipates returning a significant portion of cash flow to shareholders through dividends.
The Company's outlook for 2026 adjusted operating income and adjusted earnings per share are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude or otherwise adjust for items impacting comparability of financial results. The Company does not provide guidance on a GAAP basis as it cannot predict certain items included in GAAP results such as special charges, including transaction and integration expenses.
McCormick's Proposed Combination with Unilever Foods
In March 2026, the Company announced the agreement to combine McCormick with Unilever's Foods business, excluding India and other excluded businesses1 to create a preeminent global flavor-focused company operating in attractive, high-growth categories, with approximately $20 billion in fiscal year 2025 revenue2 and a 21% operating margin and strong cash flow generation. The transaction is expected to be accretive to McCormick's net sales growth rate, operating margin, and adjusted EPS with mid- to high-single-digit adjusted EPS accretion anticipated within the first twelve months post-close and mid-to high-teens accretion expected in Year 3.
The combined company is expected to realize approximately $600 million of annual run-rate cost synergies, net of growth reinvestments and potential dis-synergies, with approximately two-thirds expected to be achieved by Year 2 post-close. The Company also expects to identify approximately $100 million of incremental cost and revenue synergies that will be reinvested to further support growth. Cost synergies are expected to be driven primarily by SG&A, procurement, and manufacturing and logistics efficiencies.
Integration planning remains on track. McCormick has announced the planned future operating model and leadership team, established a dedicated Integration Management Office, and mobilized 20 cross-functional teams comprising more than 200 employees from McCormick and Unilever Foods. Detailed bottom-up Day 1 planning has identified a clear pipeline of quantified initiatives, supported by defined actions, ownership, timing, and resources. The companies have also established global transition service agreements designed to support business continuity from Day 1 and facilitate a phased exit over approximately two years following close. Lastly, McCormick continues to advance the regulatory approval process, with filings submitted on schedule across jurisdictions.
The transaction is expected to close by mid-2027, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
1 Transaction excludes Unilever's food business in India, Nepal and Portugal; its Lifestyle & Nutrition business; its Buavita business; its Lipton Ready-to-Drink business; and certain other excluded businesses.
2 Combined sales figure represents McCormick's net sales for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, including McCormick de Mexico, and Unilever Foods' net sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. Unilever Foods' financials based on 2025 reported financials, prepared under IFRS adjusted for the separated Foods business and translated from EUR to USD at the Unilever 2025 average rate of 1.124.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The following tables include financial measures of organic net sales, adjusted gross profit, adjusted gross profit margin, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating income margin, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted income tax rate, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share. These represent non-GAAP financial measures which are prepared as a complement to our financial results prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles. These financial measures exclude the impact, as applicable, of the following:
Special charges - Special charges consist of expenses and income associated with certain actions undertaken by us to reduce fixed costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness and are of such significance in terms of both up-front costs and organizational/structural impact to require advance approval by our Management Committee. Expenses associated with the approved actions are classified as special charges upon recognition and monitored on an ongoing basis through completion. Included in special charges are transaction and integration costs incurred in conjunction with acquisitions and impairments of long-lived assets. Gain on remeasurement of previously held equity interest - On January 2, 2026, we completed the acquisition of an additional 25% ownership interest in McCormick de Mexico which increased our ownership to a 75% controlling interest. Prior to the acquisition of the additional ownership interest, we accounted for our 50% ownership interest as an equity method investment. The acquisition of the additional ownership interest resulted in the consolidation of McCormick de Mexico's financial results. As a result of the consolidation, the carrying value of our previously held 50% ownership interest was remeasured to fair value resulting in a gain. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are important. The exclusion of the items noted above provides additional information that enables enhanced comparisons to prior periods and, accordingly, facilitates the development of future projections and earnings growth prospects. This information is also used by management to measure the profitability of our ongoing operations and analyze our business performance and trends.
These non-GAAP financial measures may be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP; however, they should not be viewed as a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. Furthermore, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, as they may calculate them differently than we do. We intend to continue providing these non-GAAP financial measures as part of our future earnings discussions, ensuring consistency in our financial reporting.
A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the related GAAP financial measures follows:
(in millions except per share data)
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
8/31/2026
8/31/2025
8/31/2026
8/31/2025
Gross profit
$ 794.9
$ 645.1
$ 2,282.0
$ 1,871.9
Impact of Special charges included in cost of goods sold
—
1.0
15.0
1.0
Adjusted gross profit
$ 794.9
$ 646.1
$ 2,297.0
$ 1,872.9
Gross profit margin(1)
39.3 %
37.4 %
39.1 %
37.5 %
Impact of Special charges(1)
— %
0.1 %
0.3 %
— %
Adjusted gross profit margin(1)
39.3 %
37.5 %
39.4 %
37.5 %
Operating income
$ 217.0
$ 288.7
$ 720.9
$ 759.7
Impact of Special charges
141.5
4.9
241.6
17.7
Adjusted operating income
358.5
293.6
962.5
777.4
Operating income margin(2)
10.7 %
16.7 %
12.4 %
15.2 %
Impact of Special charges(2)
7.0 %
0.3 %
4.1 %
0.4 %
Adjusted operating income margin(2)
17.7 %
17.0 %
16.5 %
15.6 %
Income tax expense
$ 49.9
$ 39.3
$ 162.1
$ 130.2
Impact of Special charges
19.8
1.3
30.7
4.3
Adjusted income tax expense
$ 69.7
$ 40.6
$ 192.8
$ 134.5
Income tax rate(3)
32.3 %
15.9 %
29.0 %
20.4 %
Impact of Special charges
(9.7) %
0.2 %
(5.5) %
0.1 %
Adjusted income tax rate(3)
22.6 %
16.1 %
23.5 %
20.5 %
Net income attributable to McCormick & Company
$ 97.6
$ 225.5
$ 1,263.9
$ 562.8
Impact of Special charges, net of non-controlling interest(4)(5)
134.1
3.6
227.4
13.4
Gain on remeasurement of previously held equity interest
—
—
(866.8)
—
Adjusted net income
$ 231.7
$ 229.1
$ 624.5
$ 576.2
Earnings per share – diluted
$ 0.36
$ 0.84
$ 4.69
$ 2.09
Impact of Special charges
0.50
0.01
0.85
0.05
Gain on remeasurement of previously held equity interest
—
—
(3.22)
—
Adjusted earnings per share – diluted
$ 0.86
$ 0.85
$ 2.32
$ 2.14
(1)
Gross profit margin, impact of special charges, and adjusted gross profit margin are calculated as gross profit, impact of special charges, and adjusted gross profit as a percentage of net sales for each period presented. The impact of special charges included in cost of goods sold represents the step-up of acquired inventory recognized in cost of goods sold as the related inventory was sold.
(2)
Operating income margin, impact of special charges, and adjusted operating income margin are calculated as operating income, impact of special charges, and adjusted operating income as a percentage of net sales for each period presented.
(3)
Income tax rate is calculated as income tax expense as a percentage of income from consolidated operations before income taxes. Adjusted income tax rate is calculated as adjusted income tax expense as a percentage of income from consolidated operations before income taxes excluding special charges of $308.4 million and $252.8 million for the three months ended August 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively, and $820.5 million and $656.7 million for the nine months ended August 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.
(4)
The impact of special charges, net of noncontrolling interests, for the nine months ended August 31, 2026 includes a $2.6 million non-controlling interest effect associated with the step-up of acquired inventory recognized in cost of goods sold as the related inventory was sold.
(5)
The impact of special charges, net of noncontrolling interests, for the three and nine months ended August 31, 2026 includes a net income impact of $12.4 million and $19.2 million, respectively, related to transaction expenses included in interest expense.
Because we are a multi-national company, we are subject to variability of our reported U.S. dollar results due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Those changes can be volatile. The exclusion of the effects of foreign currency exchange, or what we refer to as amounts expressed "on a constant currency basis," is a non-GAAP measure. We believe that this non-GAAP measure provides additional information that enables enhanced comparison to prior periods excluding the translation effects of changes in rates of foreign currency exchange and provides additional insight into the underlying performance of our operations located outside of the U.S. It should be noted that our presentation herein of amounts and percentage changes on a constant currency basis does not exclude the impact of foreign currency transaction gains and losses (that is, the impact of transactions denominated in other than the local currency of any of our subsidiaries in their local currency reported results).
We provide organic net sales growth rates for our consolidated net sales and segment net sales. We believe that organic net sales growth rates provide useful information to investors because they provide transparency to underlying performance in our net sales by excluding the effect that foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, acquisitions, and divestitures, as applicable, have on year-to-year comparability. A reconciliation of these measures from reported net sales growth rates, the relevant GAAP measures, are included in the tables set forth below.
Percentage changes in sales and adjusted operating income expressed on a constant currency basis are presented excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange. To present this information for historical periods, current period results for entities reporting in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at the average exchange rates in effect during the corresponding period of the comparative year, rather than at the actual average exchange rates in effect during the current fiscal year. As a result, the foreign currency impact is equal to the current year results in local currencies multiplied by the change in the average foreign currency exchange rate between the current fiscal period and the corresponding period of the comparative year.
Rates of constant currency and organic growth (decline) follow:
Three Months Ended August 31, 2026
Percentage
change as
reported
Impact of
foreign
currency
exchange
Percentage
change on
constant
currency
basis
Impact of
acquisition
Percentage
change on an
organic basis
Total Net Sales
17.4 %
0.9 %
16.5 %
14.6 %
1.9 %
Total Consumer
24.9 %
0.6 %
24.3 %
23.2 %
1.1 %
Americas
31.7 %
(0.1) %
31.8 %
32.1 %
(0.3) %
EMEA
5.2 %
0.2 %
5.0 %
— %
5.0 %
APAC
10.7 %
6.3 %
4.4 %
— %
4.4 %
Total Flavor Solutions
7.7 %
1.3 %
6.4 %
3.4 %
3.0 %
Americas
8.4 %
0.8 %
7.6 %
4.9 %
2.7 %
EMEA
1.6 %
0.4 %
1.2 %
— %
1.2 %
APAC
14.2 %
5.9 %
8.3 %
— %
8.3 %
Nine Months Ended August 31, 2026
Percentage
change as
reported
Impact of
foreign
currency
exchange
Percentage
change on
constant
currency
basis
Impact of
acquisition
Percentage
change on an
organic basis
Total Net Sales
16.9 %
2.2 %
14.7 %
13.1 %
1.6 %
Total Consumer
24.1 %
2.0 %
22.1 %
20.9 %
1.2 %
Americas
30.0 %
0.1 %
29.9 %
29.7 %
0.2 %
EMEA
10.5 %
6.5 %
4.0 %
— %
4.0 %
APAC
8.9 %
5.8 %
3.1 %
— %
3.1 %
Total Flavor Solutions
7.6 %
2.5 %
5.1 %
3.0 %
2.1 %
Americas
8.2 %
1.6 %
6.6 %
4.2 %
2.4 %
EMEA
4.6 %
4.2 %
0.4 %
— %
0.4 %
APAC
9.1 %
5.9 %
3.2 %
— %
3.2 %
Three Months Ended August 31, 2026
Percentage change
as reported
Impact of foreign
currency exchange
Percentage change on
constant currency
basis
Adjusted operating income:
Consumer segment
24.4 %
0.6 %
23.8 %
Flavor Solutions segment
17.6 %
2.2 %
15.4 %
Total adjusted operating income
22.1 %
1.2 %
20.9 %
Nine Months Ended August 31, 2026
Percentage change
as reported
Impact of foreign
currency exchange
Percentage change on
constant currency
basis
Adjusted operating income:
Consumer segment
26.5 %
1.4 %
25.1 %
Flavor Solutions segment
18.9 %
3.7 %
15.2 %
Total adjusted operating income
23.8 %
2.2 %
21.6 %
To present the percentage change in projected 2026 net sales, adjusted operating income, and adjusted earnings per share (diluted) on a constant currency basis, the projected 2026 results for entities reporting in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars at the actual exchange rates in effect for each month during 2025. These 2026 figures are then compared to our actual results for 2025. This determines what 2026 results would be if currency exchange rates had not changed from 2025.
Projections for the Year Ending
November 30, 2026
Percentage change in net sales
13% to 17%
Impact of favorable foreign currency exchange
1 %
Percentage change in net sales in constant currency
12% to 16%
Impact of acquisition
11% to 13%
Percentage change in organic net sales
1% to 3%
Percentage change in adjusted operating income
16% to 20%
Impact of favorable foreign currency exchange
1 %
Percentage change in adjusted operating income in constant currency
15% to 19%
Percentage change in adjusted earnings per share - diluted
2% to 5%
Impact of favorable foreign currency exchange
1 %
Percentage change in adjusted earnings per share in constant currency - diluted
1% to 4%
Live Webcast
As previously announced, McCormick will hold a conference call with analysts today at 8:00 a.m. ET. A live audio webcast of the call along with the accompanying presentation materials will be available on the McCormick website, ir.mccormick.com.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain information contained in this release, including statements concerning expected performance such as those relating to net sales, gross margin, earnings, cost savings, special charges, including transaction and integration expenses, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, brand marketing support, volume and product mix, income tax expense, tariff-related matters, and the impact of foreign currency rates are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "should," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "plan," and similar expressions. These statements may relate to: the anticipated benefits and timing of, and our plans, strategies and objectives relating to, the pending transaction with Unilever Foods, including: the parties' ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the pending transaction, including changes in relevant tax and other applicable laws; the possibility of failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals, anticipated tax treatment or any required financing, or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the pending transaction; the possibility that unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, and business and management strategies could impact the value or expected benefit of, timing or pursuit of the pending transaction; the risks and costs of the pursuit and/or implementation of the anticipated separation of Unilever Foods' business prior to closing, including the anticipated timing required to complete the separation, any adjustment to the terms of the separation and any changes to the configuration of the businesses included in the separation if implemented; the financing of the pending transaction, including with respect to the Bridge Facility, the Term Loan Facility, and any other subsequent financing; the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-4 and our receipt of shareholder approval for the pending transaction and certain related matters; the anticipated ownership percentages of McCormick shareholders, Unilever shareholders and Unilever following the closing of the pending transaction; the effect of the announcement or pendency of the pending transaction on Unilever Foods' or our business relationships, competition, business, financial condition and operating results; our ability to successfully integrate Unilever Foods' operations and the implementation of and compliance with plans, agreements, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Unilever Foods' business or the combined business after the closing of the pending transaction; our ability to manage additional debt and successfully de-lever following the transaction; general economic and industry conditions, including consumer spending rates, recessions, interest rates, and availability of capital; expectations regarding sales growth potential in various geographies and markets, including the impact of brand marketing support, product innovation, and customer, channel, category, heat platform, and e-commerce expansion; the expected results of operations of businesses acquired, including the additional 25% ownership interest in McCormick de Mexico; expected trends in net sales, earnings performance, and other financial measures; the expected impact of pricing actions on our results of operations, including our sales volume and mix as well as gross margins; the expected impact of the inflationary cost environment on our business; the anticipated effects of factors affecting our supply chain, including the availability and prices of commodities and other supply chain resources such as raw materials, packaging, labor, and transportation; the potential impact of trade policies, including tariffs; the potential impact of legal challenges to U.S. tariffs, tariff refunds, and the timing and anticipated benefits thereof; the expected impact of productivity improvements, including those associated with our CCI program and the Global Business Services operating model initiative; the ability to identify, attract, hire, retain, and develop qualified personnel and the next generation of leaders; the impact of ongoing or future geopolitical conflicts, including those between Russia and Ukraine and the war/conflict in the Middle East, including the potential for broader economic disruption, in particular related to fuel and freight prices; expected working capital improvements; the anticipated timing and costs of implementing our business transformation initiative, which includes the implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system; the expected impact of accounting pronouncements; expectations regarding pension and postretirement plan contributions and anticipated charges associated with those plans; the holding period and market risks associated with financial instruments; the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations; the adequacy of internally generated funds and existing sources of liquidity, such as the availability of bank financing; the anticipated sufficiency of future cash flows to enable payments of interest, repayment of short- and long-term debt, working capital needs, planned capital expenditures, quarterly dividends, and our ability to obtain additional short- and long-term financing or issue additional debt securities; and expectations regarding purchasing shares of our common stock under the existing repurchase authorization.
These and other forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. Actual results may be materially affected by factors that are beyond McCormick's and Unilever's control such as: the Company's ability to drive revenue growth; the Company's ability to increase pricing to offset, or partially offset, inflationary pressures on the cost of our products; damage to the Company's reputation or brand name; loss of brand relevance; increased private label use; the Company's ability to offset cost pressures or business impacts related to trade policies such as tariffs, including relating to tariff refunds; the Company's ability to drive productivity improvements, including those related to our CCI program and other streamlining actions; product quality, labeling, or safety concerns; negative publicity about our products; actions by, and the financial condition of, competitors and customers; the longevity of mutually beneficial relationships with our large customers; the ability to identify, interpret and react to changes in consumer preference and demand; business interruptions due to natural disasters, unexpected events or public health crises; issues affecting the Company's supply chain and procurement of raw materials, including fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw and packaging materials; labor shortage, turnover and labor cost increases; the impact of changing political and geopolitical conditions, including the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and the war/conflict in the Middle East, and the potential for broader economic disruption; government regulation, and changes in legal and regulatory requirements and enforcement practices; the lack of successful acquisition and integration of new businesses; global economic and financial conditions generally, availability of financing, interest and inflation rates, and the imposition of tariffs, quotas, trade barriers and other similar restrictions; foreign currency fluctuations; the effects of the amount of our outstanding indebtedness and related level of debt service as well as the effects that such debt service may have on the Company's ability to borrow or the cost of any such additional borrowing, our credit rating, and our ability to react to certain economic and industry conditions; impairments of indefinite-lived intangible assets; assumptions we have made regarding the investment return on retirement plan assets, and the costs associated with pension obligations; the stability of credit and capital markets; risks associated with the Company's information technology systems, including the threat of data breaches and cyber-attacks; the Company's inability to successfully implement our business transformation initiative; fundamental changes in tax laws, including interpretations and assumptions we have made, and guidance that may be issued, and volatility in our effective tax rate; climate change; sustainability matters; infringement of intellectual property rights, and those of customers; litigation, legal and administrative proceedings; the Company's inability to achieve expected and/or needed cost savings or margin improvements; negative employee relations; risks related to the pending transaction with Unilever Foods, including: direct transaction costs and substantial transition and integration-related costs associated with the pending transaction; the parties' ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction, and the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or any required financing, or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the proposed transaction; the possibility that unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies could adversely impact the value or expected benefit of, timing or pursuit of the proposed transaction; the risks and costs of the pursuit and/or implementation of the anticipated separation of Unilever Foods' business prior to closing; uncertainties as to access to available financing to consummate the proposed transaction upon acceptable terms and on a timely basis or at all; the failure to obtain the effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-4 or our receipt of shareholder approval for the transaction; the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on our or Unilever Foods' business relationships, competition, business, financial condition and operating results, including risks that the transaction disrupts current plans and operations of us or Unilever Foods; our or Unilever Foods' ability to retain and hire key personnel, risks related to diverting either management team's attention from ongoing business operations, and risks associated with third-party contracts containing consent and/or other provisions that may be triggered by the proposed transaction; our ability to successfully integrate Unilever Foods' operations and the implementation of and compliance with plans, agreements, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Unilever Foods' business or the combined business after the closing of the proposed transaction; our ability to manage additional debt and successfully de-lever following the proposed transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us or Unilever Foods related to the proposed transaction; and other risks as described herein under Part II, Item 1A "Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Proposed Transaction"; and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
About McCormick
McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor. With approximately $7 billion in annual sales across 150 countries and territories, we manufacture, market, and distribute herbs, spices, seasonings, condiments and flavors to the entire food and beverage industry including retailers, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Our most popular brands with trademark registrations include McCormick, French's, Frank's RedHot, Stubb's, OLD BAY, Lawry's, Zatarain's, Ducros, Vahiné, Cholula, Schwartz, Kamis, DaQiao, Club House, Aeroplane, Gourmet Garden, FONA and Giotti. The breadth and reach of our portfolio uniquely position us to capitalize on the consumer demand for flavor in every sip and bite, through our products and our customers' products. We operate in two segments, Consumer and Flavor Solutions, which complement each other and reinforce our differentiation. The scale, insights, and technology that we leverage from both segments are meaningful in driving sustainable growth.
Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland USA, McCormick is committed to its Purpose – To Make Life More Flavorful – and driven by its Vision - To be the World's Most Trusted Source of Flavor.
To learn more, visit: www.mccormickcorporation.com or follow McCormick & Company on Instagram and LinkedIn.
