Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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Kevin Carter/Getty Images Forget the Jets and the Sharks, the Yankees and the Red Sox, or Arsenal v. Spurs (on my side of the pond). Few rivalries run as deep as Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

That explains why Madison Avenue was so stunned by last week's news: Publicis Groupe had won PepsiCo's $1.7 billion global media, data, and tech account without a traditional pitch. (Omnicom was Pepsi's global media partner for more than 25 years, though Publicis media agencies did already work with the beverage and snacks giant in some markets in Asia.)

The context: Publicis handles Coca-Cola's media in North America — and was competing against incumbent WPP for Coke's global business.

"I was gobsmacked and shellshocked all week," one marketing consultant told me. Another sent me an unprintable expletive.

Two people familiar with the matter told me Publicis has withdrawn from Coke's global pitch and is set to resign the North America account — a business it had won from WPP last year. The Coke North America business is estimated to be worth $805 million, while the global business amounts to $1.8 billion in spending, per the research company COMvergence.

PepsiCo marketing leader Jane Wakely talks sports partnerships as a growth opportunity

AdAge reported on Tuesday that Coke is now planning to put its North American media business back under review.

Publicis' coup is widely viewed as a masterstroke by Arthur Sadoun's company, which similarly clinched Microsoft's media business in April without a formal pitch. It also shows how consolidation of the agency landscape is reshaping CMOs' options — particularly for marketers who demand category exclusivity.

Madison Avenue's review cultureWhen Coca-Cola confirmed its global media review in June, Pepsi's marketing team quickly seized the opportunity to strike before it was too late.

If Publicis had won Coke, Pepsi would have had few obvious alternatives to retaining Omnicom as its global media partner. WPP and Publicis' relationship with Coke would have made those agencies off-limits, and Omnicom's acquisition of IPG, as well as Dentsu's international struggles, left few other scaled global media operations in the market for a company of PepsiCo's size.

"Top-to-top dealmaking is getting more prevalent vis-a-vis running a process with guarantees on people, remuneration, and media cost," said Ruben Schreurs, CEO of the marketing consultancy Ebiquity. "Is this a sign of the times to come?"

It's an embarrassing blow for Coke, which had been expecting to convene leaders from Publicis and WPP in Mexico City this week in the latest stage of the global media pitch. Only WPP made it.

Reviews are costly and time-consuming for both agencies and clients: WPP and Publicis execs had already flown to Shanghai and London as part of the process.

Some major global advertisers deem these lengthy processes necessary as they make major decisions over which agencies are best equipped to handle their billions of dollars in ad spending. It's not just about which agency has the most persuasive "pitch" and charismatic leaders in the presentation room. Advertisers and their procurement teams can spend months, and even years, haggling on pricing, the top people who will be assigned to their accounts, and stress-testing agencies' capabilities in areas such as data, tech, commerce media, and increasingly AI. Volkswagen's global media review memorably stretched over three years before it reappointed Omnicom's PHD in 2024.

Given all the complexity involved in such reviews, industry insiders said they were surprised that Publicis' move came as the Coke review was well underway.

"It couldn't have been more shocking in a more shocking category with two more shocking brands at a more shocking point in the process," an agency head told me.

Read next

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

Lara O'Reilly is the anchor of the CMO Insider newsletter.She is a chief correspondent who has covered the digital advertising, marketing, and media industries since 2010. Her current beat includes big tech companies like Alphabet and Meta, adtech firms, agencies, publishers, the creator economy, and CMOs.Lara has previously worked as a reporter and executive producer at titles including The Wall Street Journal, Digiday, Yahoo Finance, and Marketing Week. She was previously Business Insider's senior global advertising editor from 2014 to 2017.Lara is a regular guest on TV and radio and has appeared on outlets such as the BBC, NPR, SiriusXM's Wharton Business Daily, and CTV Television Network. She also frequently speaks on stage at major events such as Web Summit, IFA, VivaTech, Advertising Week, and Cannes Lions.To get in touch with Lara O'Reilly, email [email protected] or contact her on Signal at @loreilly.71

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Paypal (PYPL - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this technology platform and digital payments company have returned -9.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, to which Paypal belongs, has lost 2.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

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

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Paypal is expected to post earnings of $1.32 per share, indicating a change of -1.5% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.2% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.38 points to a change of +1.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.2%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.8 indicates a change of +7.8% from what Paypal is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Paypal.

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Paypal, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $8.7 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +3.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $34.66 billion and $36.1 billion estimates indicate +4.5% and +4.1% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPaypal reported revenues of $8.68 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +4.8%. EPS of $1.38 for the same period compares with $1.4 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.51 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.02%. The EPS surprise was +7.81%.

Over the last four quarters, Paypal surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

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

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

Paypal is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

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

Intel shares have surged over 300% in the past year, yet Wall Street remains skeptical and the stock sits nearly 20% off its peak. A specific set of milestones could push INTC to a price most analysts refuse to say…

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC | INTC Price Prediction) has become the most improbable comeback story in semiconductors. CEO Lip-Bu Tan told investors on the July call that Q2 delivered “the strongest revenue growth in more than 15 years,” and the market has responded.

Shares are up 183.12% year to date and 326.76% over the last year. At $104.47, the natural next question is whether Intel can double again to $200. I think it is possible, and here is what has to happen.

Why Intel Shares Have Stalled After a Historic Run The rally has cooled. INTC sits 19% below its 52-week high of $142.35, and the one-month return of just 2.77% masks a choppy period that included prints in the $88 to $90 range before the recent 17.42% one-week rebound. With a beta of 2.231, this is a violent stock.

The skepticism is real: Intel Foundry still posted a $2.1 billion quarterly operating loss, and GAAP results included an $11 billion net loss driven by a $12.53 billion non-cash CHIPS Act escrow charge. Composite sentiment reads neutral at 47.01, down 12.25 in a week. Investors are asking a fair question: how much good news is already priced in?

Wall Street Sees 11% Upside. I Think the Ceiling Is Higher The Street is cautious. The consensus target sits at $115.88, implying roughly 10.92% upside. Ratings break down as 1 strong buy, 13 buy, 32 hold, 1 sell, and 1 strong sell. Our own model is even more conservative near term at $92.39 with a hold rating and high confidence, largely because a mega-cap dampener and negative trailing earnings pull the blend down.

But only 29% of analysts are bullish, and the earnings growth contribution is scored at -0.03 using trailing data that predates the DCAI acceleration. In my view, both the Street and the model are anchored to a past that no longer describes the business. Data Center and AI revenue grew 59% year over year. That is a growth curve well beyond hold-quality.

Charting a Realistic Path to $200 Per Share Reaching $200 from today’s price of $104.47 would require a gain of 91.4%. With forward EPS of $1.14, a price of $200 implies a forward P/E of 175x. Our base case of $92.39 already implies 96x, meaning the bold target requires roughly 80x of additional multiple expansion at today’s depressed EPS.

That sounds absurd until you realize the compression story runs the other way: earnings power has to do the work. Q2 non-GAAP EPS of $0.42 beat by 93.1%, DCAI operating margin hit 40%, and the ASIC business is “approaching a $2 billion run rate” heading to $4 billion.

Tan sees CPU demand accelerating as “the next wave of AI will bring intelligence closer to the end user, moving from foundational models to inference to agentic.”

Add the NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) $5B equity stake and Xeon 6 being “one of the fastest ramping products in Intel history,” and the earnings ramp becomes plausible. The primary risk is that Intel 14A slips or loses an anchor customer.

Where Intel Trades Today vs Its Earnings Power At $104.47 against forward EPS of $1.14, Intel trades near 92x forward earnings. That looks expensive in isolation, but the number is distorted by foundry losses that are already narrowing.

Shares sit near the upper band between the 52-week low of $24.05 and high of $142.35, and the 10-year return of 263.69% still lags the broader semi complex. If DCAI and ASIC scale the way management guides, the P/E resets naturally as EPS climbs into the mid-single digits, and $200 stops looking like a fantasy multiple.

$200 Is a Stretch, But Here’s Why It’s Possible Reaching $200 requires a 91.4% gain from here. Realistic? Ambitious but achievable.

Three things have to go right: DCAI has to sustain 40%+ operating margins as Xeon 6 and Clearwater Forest ramp, Intel Foundry has to narrow its $2.1 billion quarterly loss with external customer wins on 18A-P and 14A, and the ASIC business has to hit its $4 billion run rate.

A missed 14A milestone or a PC demand collapse would derail it. Returns at this level shouldn’t be expected every year, but we’ve outlined the blueprint for how Intel could reach $200 in 2028.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

PFE's non-COVID growth, oncology pipeline and cost cuts offer a path forward as COVID sales fall and patent losses loom.

MUMBAI, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $LTM #AI--LTM today announced that it has collaborated with IBM and Red Hat on Lightwell to advance AI-driven open-source software remediation.

Company launches new, comprehensive nutrition platform featuring powders, bars, beverages, and center-of-plate offerings  | Source: Beyond Meat, Inc.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND), also known as Beyond the Plant Protein Company™, today announced the launch of the Phytosphere, a portfolio of products designed to make it easier to access the superpowers of plants. Available at the newly launched www.BeyondPlantProtein.com, the portfolio brings together powders, bars, beverages, and center-of-plate offerings in an integrated nutrition platform that allows consumers to stack nutrients—from plant protein and fiber to polyphenols and phytosterols—across the course of their day and week.

“The nutritive benefits of plants are extraordinary, yet we often fail to get meaningful amounts of these superpowers in our modern diet,” said Ethan Brown, Founder and CEO of Beyond Meat. “The Phytosphere portfolio invites the consumer into a world where access to powerful phytonutrition is cutting edge, delicious, and convenient. As with our innovation more generally, we are building out the Phytosphere portfolio with our consumers, and for our consumers, and have been looking forward to this launch.”

Meet the Phytosphere Portfolio

Beyond Star Series, including: Beyond Starmatter™: A nutrient boosted protein powder that delivers plant protein, fiber, probiotics, extracts with polyphenols, plant sterols, biotin, adaptogens, vitamins, minerals, and more. Beyond Starmatter will be available in Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Banana, Golden Latte, and Plain.Beyond Starcut™: A savory plant-based jerky bar made with plant protein and mycelium, delivering 17g of protein and 3g of fiber with 0g added sugar,1 0mg of cholesterol, no added antibiotics or hormones,2 and no added nitrates or nitrites.3 Available in Asada Style, Spicy Southwest BBQ Style, and Classic Dill Flavored. Beyond Veggie™: A burger made with more than 10 fruits and vegetables, legumes, seeds, plant protein, extracts with polyphenols, and plant sterols,4 which, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.5 Each burger patty serving delivers 12g of protein and 6g of fiber, with 0mg of cholesterol. Available in Chipotle Black Bean and Spiced Chickpea, Beyond Veggie is a good source of protein, iron,6 potassium,7 and magnesium.8 Beyond Veggie joins a broad range of center-of-plate products available on the Phytosphere, including Beyond Steak® Filet and Beyond Ground™ Faba.Beyond Immerse™: A crisp, sparkling protein beverage that delivers 20g of plant protein, 5g of fiber, electrolytes, and antioxidants with just 110 calories per can. Beyond Immerse, which is made with organic agave, is available in Peach Mango, Strawberry Lemonade, and Cherry Berry. Consumers can purchase products individually or select from curated bundles—On-the-Go, Essentials, Performance, and Elite—created to make it simple to stack complementary plant nutrients across their diets. Shoppers can also build custom bundles tailored to their individual tastes and routines.

To explore the Phytosphere and be among the first to try the new portfolio, visit www.BeyondPlantProtein.com.

About Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND), otherwise known as Beyond The Plant Protein Company™, is a plant protein company offering a portfolio of plant-based products made with non-GMO ingredients, no added hormones or antibiotics, and 0mg of cholesterol per serving. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat’s core products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. The company’s brand promise, Eat What You Love®, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based protein to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com and follow @BeyondMeat on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn.

Beyond Meat Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release constitute “forward-looking statements.” The statements are based on management’s current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While Beyond Meat believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. There are many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein including, most prominently, the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Beyond Meat’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 9, 2026, Beyond Meat’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 28, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2026, and Beyond Meat’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 27, 2026 filed with the SEC on August 6, 2026, as well as other factors described from time to time in Beyond Meat’s filings with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. Beyond Meat undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If Beyond Meat does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that Beyond Meat will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Media Contact
Melanie Daifotis
[email protected]

______________________
1 See nutrition information for sodium content.
2 Like all plant-based foods
3 Except for naturally occurring nitrates and/or nitrites
4 Made with 500mg of plant sterols and 500mg of grape seed extract with naturally occurring polyphenols.
5 A serving of Beyond Veggie supplies 0.5g of plant sterols. Foods containing at least 0.5g per serving of plant sterols eaten with meals or snacks for a daily total intake of 2g as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
6 Naturally occurring
7 Naturally occurring
8 Naturally occurring

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f7a2df1-cafd-41bc-88de-ea417a3a1f54

Beyond Meat Debuts Phytosphere Portfolio Company launches new, comprehensive nutrition platform featuring powders, bars, beverages, and cente...

CCL's 16% monthly drop reflects European demand concerns, but strong 2027 bookings and cost savings support its long-term outlook.

Schedules December Investor Days to Highlight GPC and Motion Growth and Value Creation Initiatives

Separation Remains on Track for Completion in First Quarter 2027

, /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading global service provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions, today announced future leadership teams and Board leadership for its Automotive and Industrial businesses as it advances its planned separation into two independent, publicly traded companies.

Upon completion of the separation, the company's Automotive business will operate as Genuine Parts Company ("GPC"), and its Industrial business will operate as Motion.

Court Carruthers, a current GPC Board member, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer-elect of GPC, effective immediately, and will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer upon completion of the separation, which is targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Jean-Jacques Lafont, a current GPC Board member and Co-founder of GPC's European operations, has been appointed Non-Executive Chairman of GPC upon completion of the separation, bringing deep automotive aftermarket and independent-owner experience, global business expertise and a proven track record of organic and inorganic growth. Will Stengel, current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GPC, will join Motion as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer upon completion of the separation. "The Board undertook a thoughtful and deliberate process to identify the right leaders for GPC and Motion's next chapters," said Russ Hardin, Lead Director of Genuine Parts Company. "We have great confidence in Will Stengel and Court Carruthers and believe their leadership and relevant expertise, supported by strong management teams and Board leadership, positions both companies to pursue their distinct strategies, accelerate growth and create long-term shareholder value."

Court Carruthers Appointed Chief Executive Officer-elect of Genuine Parts Company 
Carruthers is a current member of the GPC Board of Directors and brings extensive operating and executive leadership experience in business-to-business distribution.

Most recently, Carruthers served as Chief Executive Officer of TricorBraun, a global packaging distribution leader with 110 locations across North America, Europe and Australasia. During his tenure, revenue and EBITDA tripled while the company significantly expanded its global footprint. Previously, he spent 13 years at W.W. Grainger in various global leadership roles, most recently as Group President, Americas, where he led a $9 billion distribution business across North and South America. Over his career, Carruthers has completed more than 100 acquisitions and brings deep experience in commercial growth, supply chain optimization, digital transformation and international expansion.

Carruthers also brings earlier experience in the automotive aftermarket and independent-owner model through Grainger's former automotive joint venture in Canada. He has significant M&A, capital markets and public company governance expertise, including board service with US Foods, Ryerson Holding Corp., Foundation Building Materials and Dollarama. Carruthers holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Pepperdine University and is a CPA (Canada).

GPC Leadership Team and Board of Directors
The company also announced that Bert Nappier, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Operating Officer of GPC, effective immediately.

The GPC leadership team, upon the separation, will include the following individuals:

Court Carruthers, Chief Executive Officer-elect Bert Nappier, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Operating Officer Jenn Hulett, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Chris Galla, Senior Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Alain Masse, President, North America Automotive Franck Baduel, CEO European Automotive Rob Cameron, Managing Director and Group CEO, Australasia Upon the separation, the GPC Board leadership will include:

Jean-Jacques Lafont, Co-founder of GPC's European business, as Non-Executive Chairman Court Carruthers, Chief Executive Officer Will Stengel Appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Motion
Stengel currently serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genuine Parts Company and will join Motion as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer as it establishes itself as a standalone public company. He has served as a member of the GPC Board of Directors and as the company's Chief Executive Officer since June 2024.

Stengel joined GPC in 2019 as Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, bringing nearly two decades of leadership and business-to-business distribution experience. He previously served as President of GPC from 2021 to 2023 and as President and Chief Operating Officer beginning in 2023. Prior to joining GPC, Stengel held numerous executive leadership roles at HD Supply, a diversified industrial distributor, including during its transition from a private to public company. Stengel also held strategy and M&A roles at The Home Depot and in investment banking.

James Howe Appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of Motion
Howe will continue to lead Motion's day-to-day operations and strategy in an elevated role as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Prior to being named President of Motion in 2024, Howe served as Motion's Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Technology Officer. He has more than 30 years of experience at Motion, having held numerous field leadership roles before moving to the corporate office in 2019.

Howard Yu Appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Motion
Yu will join Motion as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, bringing extensive finance, capital markets and public company experience as Motion prepares to launch as an independent public company.

Yu most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ball Corporation. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Envista Holdings, a publicly traded global company and spin-off from Danaher Corporation, and helped lead its separation and initial public offering in 2019. Over his 22-year career with Danaher and Envista, Yu served as Chief Financial Officer for multiple global divisions across Asia, Europe and Latin America and led successful M&A, allocated capital and built operational finance processes to enable shareholder value creation.

Yu began his career as a Senior Auditor at Deloitte & Touche and later held finance leadership roles at Hewlett-Packard, Conexant and Beckman Coulter.

Motion Leadership Team and Board of Directors
Kevin Stone, currently Senior Vice President, IT and Procurement, will serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer, and Billy Hamilton, currently Senior Vice President, People, will serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer of Motion, effective immediately.

The Motion leadership team will include the following individuals:

Will Stengel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James Howe, President and Chief Operating Officer Howard Yu, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Stone, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Billy Hamilton, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer The GPC Board is in active discussions with Motion director candidates that will bring relevant and complementary experience and will be announced at the appropriate time, effective upon the separation.

Investor Days
GPC and Motion will host separate investor days in New York City, with GPC's Investor Day scheduled for December 8, 2026, and Motion's Investor Day scheduled for December 9, 2026.

Members of each company's leadership team will provide details on their respective businesses and outline their go-forward strategies for growth, focused investment and long-term value creation initiatives. Additional information, including webcast and registration details, will be provided in the coming weeks.

Advancing Toward Separation
As previously announced, the separation is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, subject to customary conditions, including final approval by GPC's Board of Directors and the effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Genuine Parts Company
Established in 1928, Genuine Parts Company is a leading global service provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions. Our Automotive Parts Group operates across North America, Europe and Australasia, while our Industrial Parts Group serves customers across North America and Australasia. We keep the world moving with a vast network of over 10,800 locations spanning 17 countries supported by more than 65,000 teammates. Learn more at genpt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "target," "project," "continue," "positioned," "forecast," "outlook," and other similar expressions. While the Company believes expectations for the future are reasonable in view of currently available information, these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include factors such as (a) uncertainties as to the timing of the separation and whether it will be completed; (b) the possibility that various closing conditions for the separation may not be satisfied; (c) failure of the separation to qualify for the expected tax treatment; (d) the risk that GPC and Motion will not be separated successfully or such separation may be more difficult, time-consuming and/or costly than expected; (e) the possibility that the strategic, operational and financial opportunities from the separation may not be achieved; and (f) the other risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under "Risk Factors" discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and from time to time in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release that are "forward-looking" include, without limitation, statements regarding the planned separation of GPC's Global Automotive and Global Industrial businesses, including the expected timing and anticipated benefits of the separation, the planned leadership teams, management appointments and boards of directors of GPC and Motion following the separation, the expected appointment of additional directors to the boards of GPC and Motion, the planned investor days for GPC and Motion and the go-forward strategies and future performance of GPC and Motion if the separation is completed. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law. You are advised, however, to review any further disclosures on related subjects in the Company's subsequent Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Genuine Parts Company

U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling around 350 points on Wednesday.

Following the market opening Wednesday, the Dow traded down 0.72% to 52,404.12 while the NASDAQ dipped 0.32% to 26,337.64. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.28% to 7,652.41.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Energy shares jumped by 1.8% on Wednesday.

In trading on Wednesday, consumer staples stocks fell by 1%.

Top Headline

Signet Jewelers Ltd (NYSE:SIG) shares jumped around 19% on Wednesday after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raised its FY27 adjusted EPS guidance.

Signet Jewelers reported quarterly earnings of $2.19 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.74 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $1.528 billion which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.530 billion.

Equities Trading UP
           

Megan Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:MGN) shares shot up 607% to $0.71. Megan Holdings announced a 1-for-30 share consolidation effective Sept. 17, superseding prior 1-for-40 plan. Shares of Opus Genetics Inc (NASDAQ:IRD) got a boost, surging 48% to $6.44 after the company announced 3- and 6-month results from the low-dose Cohort 1 of BIRD-1, its ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating OPGx-BEST1 in patients with BEST1-related retinal diseases, including Best vitelliform macular dystrophy and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy. Agroz Inc (NASDAQ:AGRZ) shares were also up, gaining 41% to $0.32 after the company announced it signed a multi-year Strategic Fresh Produce Supply and Offtake Agreement with Harvest Hive. Trending

Equities Trading DOWN

Green Circle Decarbonize Technology Ltd (NASDAQ:GCDT) shares dropped 32% to $0.64 after the company announced a strategic partnership agreement with SANVO Fine Chemicals Group Limited for the mass production of BocaPCM-TES Panels in China. Shares of U Power Ltd (NASDAQ:UCAR) were down 18% to $7.12. ServiceTitan Inc (NASDAQ:TTAN) was down, falling 26% to $60.73 after the company reported second-quarter financial results and issued third-quarter sales guidance with its midpoint below estimates. Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 3.1% to $95.87 while gold traded up 0.8% at $4,473.80.

Silver traded up 2% to $68.350 on Wednesday, while copper rose 0.1% to $6.8325.

Euro zone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 dipped 1.2%, while Spain’s IBEX 35 Index fell 1.8%, London’s FTSE 100 declined 1%, Germany’s DAX dipped 1.6%, while France’s CAC 40 tumbled 1.6%.

Asia Pacific Markets

Asian markets closed mostly lower on Wednesday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 falling 0.19%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index falling 0.17%, China’s Shanghai Composite gaining 0.28% and India’s BSE Sensex dipping 1.08%.

Economics

The volume of mortgage applications dipped by 2.7% during the first week of September.

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NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Over the past month, shares of this parent company of Florida Power & Light Co. have returned -2.2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, which NextEra falls in, has lost 2.8%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

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

NextEra is expected to post earnings of $1.17 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +3.5%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -1.4%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.01 points to a change of +8.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.1%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.36 indicates a change of +8.6% from what NextEra is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.1%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for NextEra.

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

12 Month EPS

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

In the case of NextEra, the consensus sales estimate of $9.19 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +15.4%. The $31.7 billion and $35.1 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +15.6% and +10.8%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryNextEra reported revenues of $7.53 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +12.4%. EPS of $1.15 for the same period compares with $1.05 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.99 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -5.76%. The EPS surprise was +5.5%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates times over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

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

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

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

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

OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model flipped the sentiment around this frontier AI lab. With roughly 47% of Oracle's RPO tied to OpenAI, I think that matters. I expected a tougher Q1 FY27 setup, then realized the Street is sitting almost exactly at management's midpoint. Oracle added 1.2GW of incremental capacity in FY26. Q1 alone could add about 1GW, which puts a lot of pressure on execution, given the broader local pushback against data centers.

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chairman- CEO Ravi Ahuja said the company’s restoration of the historic Cinerama Dome and reopening of the adjacent 14-screen former ArcLight Hollywood complex is a great way to expand the company’s brand without “mega M&A.”

“Large scale M&A is extremely disruptive,” he told the Bank of America media conference on Wednesday. “It can set you back for years.” He didn’t specifically mention the ongoing Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger saga, but that’s very much in the air as the deal is challenged by state AGs with a March trial date and costs mounting.

SPE is focused on smaller, targeted projects like its 2024 acquisitions of the Alamo Drafthouse movie chain, which will manage the former multi-screen ArcLight with typical panache including a Jeopardy-themed bar and karaoke rooms based around Sony IP. Meanwhile, restoration work started last month on the historic Cinerama Dome with an early 2028 reopening date in mind.

The division of Japanese giant Sony Corp. recently unveiled a $100 million investment and minority ownership in immersive entertainment company Cosm.

It did make a run at Paramount before David Ellison’s Skydance acquired Shari Redstone’s ownership stake in the company. Asked about that, Ahuja said, “We were interested in it briefly, but in the IP” with plans for PE giant Apollo to take the cable assets. “IP will always be interesting to us [but] mega M&A, large scale is not a priority …  The industry is evolving and you have to position yourself for how it is gong to evolve and not drown in M&A.”

SPE, currently riding a massive box office hit in Spider-Man: Brand New Day amid a newly rejuvenated box office, is one of the few independent film and television studios, which Ahuja says has served it well. He said the television market is also picking back up” from library sales to the original scripted side. “We have more in development now than we have in years. That is the first indicator.”

Allegations center on Hyliion's alleged failure to evaluate or disclose whether a four-employee counterparty had the financial resources and development capability to execute a proposed $133 million KARNO deployment.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP reminds purchasers of Hyliion Holdings Corp. (NYSE: HYLN) securities that a securities class action has been filed on behalf of shareholders who acquired shares between May 12, 2026 and June 23, 2026. Find out if you might qualify for recovery. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500.

HYLN closed at $7.37 per share on June 22, 2026 and at $4.92 per share on June 24, 2026, a two-day decline of $2.45 per share, or 33.24%. Motions for lead plaintiff must be filed with the Court by October 27, 2026.

The Alleged $133 Million Counterparty Gap

A non-binding letter of intent converts into revenue only if the counterparty can finance, permit, and build the sites where equipment is deployed. The action contends that Hyliion announced a "new data center partnership" with VFG Holdings, LLC covering up to 250 KARNO Cores, or roughly 50 megawatts of generation capacity over five years, without disclosing what evaluation, if any, had been performed of VFG's operational capabilities, financial resources, or development experience.

Deployment Capacity Behind the 250-Core Commitment

On June 23, 2026, Pelican Way Research published a report questioning the commercial viability of the arrangement, reporting that VFG had been incorporated only on January 5, 2026, appeared to have four employees and a "barely functioning" website, and had no publicly available funding history. As pleaded, that information was directly at odds with prior representations about the strength and credibility of the disclosed commercial pipeline.

Alleged Execution Risk by the Numbers

Up to 250 KARNO Cores, approximately 50 megawatts, over five years under a non-binding letter of intent Approximately $133 million in potential revenue, roughly one-third of the more than $400 million pipeline disclosed at "today's current pricing" Counterparty incorporated on January 5, 2026, roughly four months before the partnership was announced Four employees and no identified funding history reported for the counterparty Q1 2026 revenue of $2.8 million with a gross margin gain of $0.2 million, alongside reaffirmed full-year guidance of approximately $10 million Forecast net spending of just over $50 million and a projected year-end cash and investment balance of approximately $100 million "The complaint raises serious questions about whether investors received accurate information about the diligence behind a partnership that represented roughly one-third of a disclosed pipeline. Whether a counterparty could actually finance and build the proposed deployments is exactly the kind of information shareholders weigh." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

Submit your information now or call (212) 363-7500.

WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY — Ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report for seven consecutive years, Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation. With a team of over 70 professionals, the firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. Investors who suffered losses have until October 27, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff.

Frequently Asked Questions About the HYLN Lawsuit

Q: How much did HYLN stock drop? A: Shares fell approximately 33.24%, a decline of $2.45 per share, after a research report questioned the commercial viability of the announced VFG Holdings data center partnership and the credibility of the Company's disclosed commercial pipeline. Investors who purchased shares during the Class Period at artificially inflated prices and suffered losses may be eligible to seek compensation.

Q: What specific misstatements does the HYLN lawsuit allege? A: The complaint alleges Hyliion Holdings Corp. made materially false or misleading statements regarding the credibility and commercial viability of its "new data center partnership" with VFG Holdings and the strength of a pipeline that included a non-binding letter of intent representing approximately $133 million in potential revenue. When the June 23, 2026 research report questioning that partnership was published, the stock price declined sharply.

Q: What court was the HYLN class action filed in? A: The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, governed by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Q: What do HYLN investors need to do right now? A: Investors may gather brokerage records showing purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Submit your information for a no-cost, no-obligation evaluation of your potential recovery. No immediate action is required to remain eligible as an absent class member.

Q: What documents do I need to to submit my information? A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.

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

Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. The overwhelming majority of class members never appear in court or give depositions. If there is a settlement or recovery, eligible class members generally submit a claim form to seek their portion.

Q: How long will the lawsuit take to resolve? A: Securities class actions typically take two to four years from initial filing to resolution. Timing depends on the court schedule, case developments, and whether the matter is dismissed, settled, or litigated further.

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

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Benjamin Edwards Inc. lowered its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 12.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 75,598 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 10,397 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.6% of Benjamin Edwards Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest position. Benjamin Edwards Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $70,762,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Bank of America boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Roth Capital lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 target price on the stock. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,056.03.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on COST Costco Wholesale Price Performance Costco Wholesale stock opened at $910.18 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $403.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.78, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $942.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $976.18.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco reported fourth-quarter net sales of $93.9 billion, up 11.3% year over year. Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 19.5%, suggesting e-commerce and omnichannel initiatives remain important growth drivers. Costco’s Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Freedom Broker raised Costco from “hold” to “buy” and established a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful potential upside from recent trading levels. However, the upgrade has not yet overcome broader selling pressure. Costco Stock Falls Despite Freedom Broker Upgrade to Buy Neutral Sentiment: Returns and liquidation operations: Reports that Costco resells some returned merchandise through liquidation and B-stock auctions provide additional context on its inventory practices. The activity appears operational rather than a major new earnings catalyst, although it may help recover value from returned goods. How Costco Resells Items Returned Under Its Satisfaction Guarantee Policy Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and competitive concerns: Costco’s recent underperformance has renewed debate over whether its high valuation is justified. Jim Cramer argued that the retailer may have lost some of its edge, while other commentary points to competition from discount stores. With a price-to-earnings ratio above 45, investors may be particularly sensitive to any slowdown in growth or membership appeal. Cramer Warns Costco May Have Lost Its Edge Negative Sentiment: Supplier bankruptcy headline: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a beverage brand’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights vendor and product-selection risks within its merchandise ecosystem. Loss of Costco Deal Helps Push Beverage Brand Into Chapter 11 Costco Wholesale Profile (Free Report)

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.

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

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GameStop’s $2 Billion Buyback Sends a Confusing Signal to InvestorseBay NASDAQ: EBAY outlined its strategy for expanding growth in collectibles, consumer-to-consumer selling, recommerce, live commerce and vehicles during a conference fireside chat featuring Chief Executive Officer Jamie Iannone and Chief Financial Officer Peggy Alford.

Iannone said the company has sharpened its focus around categories and marketplace activities where it sees the strongest momentum. He said approximately 70% of eBay’s business is tied to focus categories, consumer-to-consumer, or C2C, activity, and recommerce. Collectively, those areas grew 20% in the second quarter, according to Iannone.

Get eBay alerts:

Recession Indicator: eBay's Stock Is Up More Than 50% Over the Past YearThe CEO also pointed to investments in artificial intelligence, trust tools and shipping capabilities as foundational components of the company’s strategy. He said newer businesses including eBay Live and vehicles are adding growth opportunities, with the vehicles business reaching “hundreds of millions of dollars of run rate.”

Consumer trends and marketplace differentiation Alford said the company continues to see greater consumer resilience in the United States than in international markets. However, she said eBay’s platform can appeal both to enthusiasts making discretionary purchases and to value-oriented shoppers seeking deals through recommerce.

GameStop's eBay Gamble: Bold Move or Balance Sheet Disaster?“We tend to thrive in environments when the economy's doing really well, as well as in times when it's tougher,” Alford said, citing the diversity of the company’s marketplace.

Iannone said eBay’s competitive position is supported by its scale, including 2.6 billion listings, 136 million buyers and 30 years of marketplace data. He said 90% of the company’s listings are “non-new in-season” goods, creating inventory that may not be readily available elsewhere online.

He also highlighted the company’s authentication, vehicle fitment and transaction-support services. These include Authenticity Guarantee in categories such as watches, sneakers and handbags, eBay Guaranteed Fit for motors parts and accessories, and vehicle-related services such as financing, delivery and title transfer.

Collectibles, live commerce and C2C growth Alford said growth in eBay’s focus categories has been broad-based, with particular strength in collectibles. Trading cards have performed especially well, she said, alongside toys and coins. eBay has developed trust and friction-reduction tools for trading cards, acquired TCGplayer and partnered with PSA, according to Alford.

eBay Live, the company’s live-selling format, grew eightfold year over year in the second quarter, Iannone said. He described the format as combining content, commerce, community and entertainment.

According to Iannone, 90% of sellers that begin using eBay Live remain active on the format, and those sellers have growth rates three times higher than comparable sellers not using it. Buyers in collectibles who begin watching eBay Live purchase 70% more than comparable buyers, he said, with a significant share of that activity occurring in eBay’s core marketplace.

The company has also emphasized converting buyers into sellers. Iannone said buyers who become sellers are two to 2.5 times more valuable as buyers on the platform. These C2C sellers can also bring unique goods to the marketplace that may not be offered by traditional businesses.

Iannone said eBay’s AI-powered Magical Listing feature has simplified the selling process. In the U.S., the company has seen 50% more listings per lister using the technology, he said. The company has also expanded shipping tools, including eBay International Shipping, to help sellers access demand outside their home markets.

AI, younger shoppers and advertising Iannone characterized AI as a structural tailwind for the company. Beyond listing tools, he cited natural-language search, card-scanning technology and marketing applications. The company’s card-scanning tool has generated more than 80 million scans, with roughly 500,000 scans per day, he said.

He also said eBay is seeing new buyers through agentic commerce experiences, and that about half of those buyers later return directly to eBay for another purchase. Trust and enablement features become increasingly important in an AI-driven commerce environment, he added.

The company also discussed its acquisition of Depop, which Iannone said strengthens eBay’s reach with Gen Z and millennial consumers. He called those groups eBay’s fastest-growing demographic and said Depop’s mobile, social-focused marketplace is aligned with younger shoppers’ interest in pre-owned goods and sustainability.

On advertising, Alford said eBay had reached 2.8% penetration toward a near-term target of 3%. She said the company does not view that target as a ceiling and sees further opportunity through greater seller adoption of Promoted Listings, new offsite advertising offerings and Promoted Stores.

Capital allocation and priorities Alford said eBay plans to maintain a balanced capital-allocation approach, investing in growth areas while returning capital to shareholders. The company’s framework calls for returning 90% to 100% of organic free cash flow through dividends and share repurchases, she said.

Looking ahead, Iannone said the company is focused on sustaining growth in focus categories, scaling newer businesses such as vehicles and eBay Live, expanding AI applications, and continuing to invest in trust, authentication and shipping capabilities.

About eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY)eBay Inc NASDAQ: EBAY operates a global commerce platform that connects millions of buyers and sellers. Its marketplace enables individuals, businesses and brands to buy and sell new, used and collectible merchandise across categories including electronics, fashion, automotive parts and accessories, home goods, collectibles and business equipment.

The company provides tools and services that support online commerce, including product listings, search and discovery features, payments, seller advertising, shipping solutions and authentication services for selected categories.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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

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9.9.2026 16:25, CASY, LULU, META

Index Dow Jones -0,75 % na 52387,9 b. S&P 500 -0,35 % na 7646,52 b. Nasdaq Composite -0,43 % na 26308,67 b.

Přední americké indexy se obchodují v červených číslech.

Z indexu S&P 500 zaznamenávají největší pokles akcie amerického řetězce obchodů se smíšeným zbožím Casey's General Stores (-17 %), který zveřejnil výsledky hospodaření za první kvartál fiskálního roku 2027, jeho porovnatelné tržby zaostaly za očekáváním.

Mateřská společnost Facebooku Meta Platforms (+5,3 %) uvedla nového agenta s umělou inteligencí nazvaného Muse, který má za uživatele samostatně vykonávat úkoly.

BMO Capital Markets zahájila pokrývání společnosti Lululemon Athletica (-4,2 %) s doporučením „Underperform" a cílovou cenou 70 USD.  Analytici z Citi přistoupili ke snížení cílové ceny u této společnosti ze 130 USD na 117 USD a ponechali doporučení „Neutral“.

Index S&P 500 -0,35 % na 7646,52 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Energie +0,9 % Zbytná spotřeba -1,1 % Informační technologie -0,1 % Průmysl -0,9 % Zdravotní péče -0,2 % Nezbytná spotřeba -0,8 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Marvell Technology (MRVL) +5,4 % Casey's General Stores (CASY) -17 % Meta Platforms (META) +5,3 % Tractor Supply (TSCO) -5,5 % Datadog (DDOG) +4,6 % Booking Holdings (BKNG) -4,3 % Dell Technologies (DELL) +4,4 % Vertiv Holdings (VRT) -4,3 % Akamai Technologies (AKAM) +4,3 % Lululemon Athletica (LULU) -4,2 % Zdroj: Bloomberg

Jan Prokeš
Fio banka, a.s.
Prohlášení

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) has rewarded investors with significant gains over the last two months as demand for its artificial intelligence platforms continues to accelerate.

In this case, an investor who put $1,000 into PLTR on July 9, when the stock was trading at $132, would now hold approximately $1,287.88 worth of shares at the current price of $170.

The investment would have generated a profit of $287.88, representing a return of about 28.8%.

PLTR stock price chart. Source: Finbold Palantir’s rally has been supported by robust financial performance and growing adoption of its artificial intelligence offerings across both commercial and government customers.

The company reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.94 billion, up 93% year-over-year. U.S. commercial revenue climbed 149% to $764 million, while U.S. government revenue increased 90% to $809 million.

Profitability also remained strong, with the technology firm generating adjusted operating income of roughly $1.19 billion and adjusted free cash flow of $1.22 billion during the quarter.

Following the results, management raised its full-year 2026 outlook and now expects revenue between $8.15 billion and $8.16 billion, representing annual growth of about 82%.

Partnerships support Palantir stock  The company has continued expanding its AI ecosystem through new partnerships and government contracts.

Most recently, Palantir announced a partnership with Nebius focused on sovereign AI infrastructure. The agreement allows customers to deploy and fine-tune AI models within secure and controlled environments.

The company also expanded its alliance with PwC to help organizations scale enterprise AI deployments and modernize business systems. In addition, Palantir continues to secure defense-related contracts, including work tied to the U.S. Army’s TITAN battlefield intelligence program.

These developments have strengthened investor confidence that Palantir can maintain its rapid growth trajectory as AI spending increases across industries.

Despite the strong rally, valuation remains one of the biggest concerns. Palantir trades at elevated earnings multiples, reflecting investor expectations for continued high growth and expanding AI adoption.

Featured image via Shutterstock

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Palantir Technologies Today

PLTR

Palantir Technologies

$170.12 -0.18 (-0.10%)

As of 10:33 AM Eastern

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

$106.37▼

$207.52145.11

$192.19

When a star investor sells one of the market's most talked-about stocks, it always grabs headlines. That's exactly what happened in early September, when Cathie Wood's ARK funds, known as one of the most bullish voices on high-growth tech stocks, trimmed their stake in Palantir Technologies Inc. NASDAQ: PLTR, one of the hottest names in AI. For nervous shareholders, the obvious question was whether they should follow her out the door.

The short answer is probably not based on that sale alone. Look closely at what ARK actually did, and the sale looks far less dramatic than the headline suggests. This wasn't a wholesale exit but a modest trim inside a broader portfolio rotation—more routine portfolio housekeeping than a vote of no confidence.

Get Palantir Technologies alerts:

With Palantir shares trading around $170 and holding the strong gains that followed last month’s earnings, the real question isn't what one fund did last week, but how much further Palantir's rally could continue.

ARK’s Palantir Sale Looks More Like Rebalancing Than a WarningFirst, it helps to understand the context of Wood's move. In the same week, her ARK Invest was also rotating capital across several other high-growth holdings, adding to some positions while trimming others. Palantir was simply one of several tech holdings it reduced, hardly the stuff of a dramatic change of heart.

To put it in perspective, ARK sold around $25 million of Palantir stock, a notable sale, but not a full exit. And trimming a position that has rallied sharply in just a few weeks is one of the most ordinary things a portfolio manager can do. After a stock has climbed as far and as fast as Palantir, taking some money off the table is basic risk management, not a signal the story has soured.

In short, reading too much into a single week's rebalancing would be a mistake. The far more important question is what lies ahead for the business itself, and here the picture is quite encouraging.

Palantir’s Business Keeps Giving Bulls AmmunitionBeneath the noise, Palantir continues to deliver the kind of growth that explains why the stock has been such a favorite in recent years. August’s earnings report was the latest in a long string of analyst beats, showing U.S. commercial revenue jumping 149% year over year—exactly the sort of momentum the bulls want to see. Management also raised forward guidance, which speaks volumes about how confident they are that this pace of expansion can continue.

At the same time, Palantir’s traditional stronghold in government work continues to pay dividends through major contracts. The U.S. Army recently moved the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node program into production, awarding Palantir a $127 million delivery order tied to the AI-enabled system. That reinforces a defense business that remains a formidable and durable moat.

The company has also been forging high-profile partnerships, including with consulting powerhouse PwC and AI infrastructure leader Nebius Group NV NASDAQ: NBIS. Together, these alliances underline the scale of Palantir's ambitions, as it positions itself as the essential operating layer for AI across business and government alike.

The Bear Case Still Starts With ValuationThat said, doubters have a point, and their argument centers on one word: valuation. This word has haunted Palantir for years, and it's no surprise it trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of around 145. That’s a level that leaves very little room for error, and even a modest disappointment in future earnings reports could send the shares tumbling.

Skeptics also question whether Palantir's hands-on, heavily customized approach can scale smoothly as it moves beyond its largest, most sophisticated clients to a broader base of smaller customers. The famed short-seller Michael Burry, for one, has been openly critical of the company, likening it to a high-priced consultant riding a wave of AI enthusiasm.

These are legitimate concerns, and anyone buying at these levels must accept that the stock is priced for continued excellence. A lofty valuation is a double-edged sword because it reflects enormous optimism, but it also raises the bar the company must clear to keep its shareholders happy.

Cathie Wood’s Sale Is Not the Whole Palantir Story69th Percentile

Moderate Buy

12.9% Upside

Healthy

N/A

0.58 Selling Shares

44.09%

See Full Analysis

Back to the original question: should investors follow Cathie Wood in trimming Palantir, or avoid it altogether? On the above evidence, the answer is no, at least not on the strength of her recent selling alone. A small, routine trim that’s one of many says very little, especially when compared to MarketBeat’s Moderate Buy consensus rating.

That is not to dismiss the risks entirely. The valuation is demanding, and investors should size their positions with the volatility in mind. But with commercial growth accelerating, government contracts rolling in, and a wave of bullish analyst coverage behind it, Palantir heads into the final months of the year with the wind at its back. One fund's routine rebalancing does little to change that.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Palantir Technologies Right Now?Before you consider Palantir Technologies, you'll want to hear this.

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

While Palantir Technologies currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

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Pinterest (PINS - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Over the past month, shares of this digital pinboard and shopping tool company have returned -15.2%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Software industry, which Pinterest falls in, has gained 3%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

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

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

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

For the current quarter, Pinterest is expected to post earnings of $0.49 per share, indicating a change of +29% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -3.4% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.06 points to a change of +28.8% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -6.3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.35 indicates a change of +14.2% from what Pinterest is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.7%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Pinterest.

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Pinterest, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $1.2 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +14.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $4.89 billion and $5.54 billion estimates indicate +15.9% and +13.2% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPinterest reported revenues of $1.18 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +18.2%. EPS of $0.43 for the same period compares with $0.33 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.39%. The EPS surprise was +19.44%.

Over the last four quarters, Pinterest surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.

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

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

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

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

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

Micron just delivered a quarter that shattered records and sent shares soaring past $1,000, but the real debate starts now: whether a stock already up over 250% this year has enough fuel left to double again before 2030.

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Micron just posted the most explosive quarter in its history, and the stock reflects it. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU | MU Price Prediction) delivered fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $41.46 billion, up 345.72% year over year, with non-GAAP EPS of $25.11 and a GAAP gross margin of 84.6%.

Shares are up 257.77% year to date to $1,020.48. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra says “the memory industry has been structurally transformed by the proliferation of AI.” The question I want to answer: can MU double to $2,000 by 2030?

What’s Actually Holding Micron Back Right Now Nothing, in the near term. That is the problem. After a powerful run, the stock is arguably digesting gains rather than lagging. MU is up 9.39% in the past week and 14.25% over the past month, so “stuck” is relative. The real gravity here is valuation math and cyclicality memory.

With a beta of 2.222, MU swings hard both ways. Our own model rates it a hold with a predicted price of $979.34 and an implied upside of -3.56%. Management even flagged a $325 million loss on debt prepayments. Add heavy capex plans of roughly $27 billion in fiscal 2026, and the pause makes sense.

Wall Street Sees Upside While Valuation Signals Fair Value The consensus is emphatic. Analysts carry a target price of $1,513.11, with 9 Strong Buys, 35 Buys, 4 Holds, and zero Sells. Bullish sentiment sits at 92%. Our internal model, run at high confidence (0.9), lands at $979.34, calling MU roughly fair here.

Where I lean toward the analysts: forward EPS estimates for fiscal 2027 have moved from $102.72 ninety days ago to $155.03 today. That is a meaningful upward revision. Wall Street’s stance looks reasonable, in my view. Our valuation approach applies discipline to mega-cap names, which limits how far the fair-value estimate can extend.

Charting Micron’s Path to $2,000 Per Share Reaching $2,000 from today’s price of $1,020.48 would require a gain of 96%. With forward EPS of $64.90, a price of $2,000 implies a forward P/E of 31x. Our base case of $979.34 already implies 23x, meaning the bold target requires roughly 8x of additional multiple expansion (or, more likely, EPS growth that compresses that forward multiple back toward the market).

Here is why that is achievable. Micron has signed 16 Strategic Customer Agreements with cumulative minimum-price revenue of approximately $100 billion, backed by $22 billion in customer cash deposits and letters of credit.

Mehrotra told investors “we expect tight conditions to persist beyond calendar 2027” and “HBM4 12 high volume ramp is tracking twice as fast as HBM3E 12 high.” Fiscal 2027 EPS consensus of $155.03 means the stock could grow into a 13x multiple at $2,000.

The primary risk: memory is cyclical, and a customer capex reset would blow up the thesis.

Where MU Trades Today Versus Its Earnings Power MU currently trades at roughly 16x forward EPS of $64.90. That looks reasonable for a company guiding fiscal Q4 revenue of $50 billion and EPS of $31. Shares sit between a 52-week low of $131.35 and a 52-week high of $1,254.81.

Over the past decade, MU has returned 6,053.28%. A double from here in four years is aggressive, yet it sits within the range of what this business has delivered when the AI cycle cooperates.

Is $2,000 Realistic? My Verdict $2,000 by 2030 requires a 96% gain and either sustained multiple expansion toward 31x forward earnings or continued upward EPS revisions that make today’s multiple look pedestrian. My verdict: a stretch, but a credible one.

Three things need to go right. HBM4 and HBM4E must ramp on schedule, the Strategic Customer Agreements must deliver the promised revenue floor, and memory supply must stay tight through 2028.

What would derail it: a demand air pocket in AI infrastructure spending. Returns at this level shouldn’t be expected every year, but we’ve outlined the blueprint for how Micron Technology could reach $2,000 in 2030.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

The biggest AI gains of the next two years may come from names most investors overlook entirely. Six stocks spanning cloud infrastructure, memory, connectivity, and quantum each have a credible path to round-number targets that leave Wall Street consensus in…

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When investors think about AI winners, the conversation usually starts and ends with a familiar handful of mega-caps. I think the more interesting bull cases for 2027 sit one layer deeper: in GPU clouds, memory, connectivity silicon, and quantum.

The buildout has to be powered, cooled, and wired by somebody, and we pulled seven of those infrastructure names into a free report on the AI stocks that aren’t chipmakers. Six more names stand out here. Here is how each could hit a round-number target above Wall Street’s consensus over the next year.

CoreWeave: A Path to $175 CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) is up 42.91% year to date at $102.34. Q2 revenue jumped 112% year over year with a $104 billion backlog, plus over $25 billion in new commitments in early Q3.

CEO Mike Intrator says “demand continues to exceed supply across sectors, geographies, and generations of infrastructure.” Consensus sits at $144.46. A push to $175 requires the market to reward accelerating margins (adjusted EBITDA margin already at 59%) and Vera Rubin ramp economics.

Nebius Group: Why $350 Is In Play Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS | NBIS Price Prediction) has ripped 197.65% YTD to $249.15. Q2 revenue grew 454% YoY, and CEO Arkady says Nebius could sell its entire 2027 capacity under mid-term contracts today. A capacity auction cleared 15% above its prior Blackwell high.

With Wall Street at $286.69, a $350 print would require the 5 GW contracted-power target and the asset-light model to translate into 2027 guidance that eclipses today’s numbers.

Micron: The Case for $1,750 Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) posted fiscal Q3 revenue of $41.456B, +345.7% YoY, its seventh consecutive EPS beat. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra flagged 16 Strategic Customer Agreements covering roughly $100 billion in minimum revenue.

Fiscal 2027 EPS estimates have climbed from $102.72 ninety days ago to $155.02. At $1,750, MU would trade near 11x FY27 EPS. Consensus target is $1,513.11; another HBM4 upgrade cycle could get us there.

IonQ: Charting a Route to $80 IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) delivered a fifth consecutive record quarter with revenue up 286.8%. CEO Niccolo de Masi says the SkyWater and Nexus closes “extend IonQ’s full-stack quantum platform.”

Shares at $43.28 are essentially flat YTD despite a $67.68 analyst target. The 256-qubit commissioning slated for 2027 plus White House quantum executive orders could catalyze a move to $80.

Rigetti Computing: Why $35 Isn’t Crazy Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI) at $15.86 is down 28.42% YTD. The 108-qubit Cepheus system hit 99.9% median single-qubit fidelity, and a Department of Commerce LOI targets up to $100 million in CHIPS Act funding. Cash sits at $541.29M with no debt.

Consensus is $28.81. Converting the LOI, plus the HPE/PSC delivery in 2027, could carry shares to $35, a level RGTI has traded well above as recently as October 2025.

Astera Labs: How $500 Happens Astera Labs (NASDAQ:ALAB) has logged eight consecutive EPS beats. Q2 revenue grew 104.5%, and CEO Jitendra Mohan sees Scorpio becoming the largest product family, “one quarter ahead of our prior expectations.”

Future Scorpio X content per XPU is targeted above $1,000. FY27 EPS estimates jumped from $4.20 to $6.39 in 90 days. Consensus target is $389.95; a $500 print implies roughly 78x FY27 EPS, rich but consistent with hyper-growth peers.

Bottom Line on the Next Winners Each of these six sits at a different point in the AI stack, and each has a credible path to a round-number bull-case target above Wall Street consensus over the next year. Returns of this magnitude should not be expected every year. But between accelerating backlogs, rising estimates, and 2027 product cycles, we have outlined the blueprint for how the next AI winners could break out.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Investors often turn to recommendations made by Wall Street analysts before making a Buy, Sell, or Hold decision about a stock. While media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm employed (or sell-side) analysts often affect a stock's price, do they really matter?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Intuitive Surgical currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.63, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 32 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.63 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 32 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 22 are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 68.8% and 6.3% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for ISRG

Check price target & stock forecast for Intuitive Surgical here>>>

While the ABR calls for buying Intuitive Surgical, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is ISRG Worth Investing In?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for Intuitive Surgical, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $10.74.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Intuitive Surgical. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Intuitive Surgical.

Institutional investors with REGN positions may need to assess alleged clinical-trial disclosure failures that preceded a $102.09 per-share decline from the Class Period high. This notice focuses on fiduciary review, portfolio loss documentation, and lead plaintiff considerations.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies institutional investors in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) that a class action has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased securities between August 1, 2025 and May 15, 2026. Find out if you might be eligible to recover losses. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500.

REGN declined from $731.77 on April 28, 2026 to $629.68 after the May 15, 2026 disclosure, a $102.09 per-share decline, or approximately 13.95%. The lead plaintiff deadline is September 14, 2026.

Institutional Investor Securities Recovery ERISA Review

The complaint alleges Regeneron presented an overly optimistic picture of its Phase III Fianlimab-Libtayo Study disclosures while minimizing the risk that a prolonged slowdown in progression-free survival event accrual reflected deeper statistical problems. For pension funds, asset managers, endowments, and other fiduciaries, the issue is practical: whether portfolio losses during the Class Period warrant evaluation for potential recovery.

Fiduciary Obligations and Recovery Options

Institutional holders often evaluate securities claims through documentation, governance, and loss-size lenses. In this matter, the pleading asserts that alleged misstatements about clinical-trial risk affected the market price of REGN shares before the later disclosures.

Review purchases and sales of REGN common stock during August 1, 2025 through May 15, 2026. Identify shares retained through the April 29, 2026 protocol-amendment disclosure and the May 15, 2026 failed-endpoint announcement. Preserve investment committee materials, manager reports, and trade confirmations tied to REGN positions. Compare realized and unrealized losses against fiduciary thresholds for monitoring securities litigation recoveries. Consider whether a lead plaintiff role aligns with portfolio size, governance policies, and oversight objectives. Portfolio Impact Assessment for REGN Holders

As detailed in the action, Regeneron disclosed on April 29, 2026 that the Phase III study protocol had been altered to expand the patient population eligible for progression-free survival analysis. The Company later announced that the trial did not reach statistical significance on its primary endpoint, after which REGN shares declined further.

"Institutional investors play a critical role in securities class actions. In this Regeneron matter, fiduciaries may wish to evaluate whether alleged clinical-trial disclosure failures affected portfolio decisions, documented losses, and potential recovery options." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

Click here to submit your information and learn more about the case or call (212) 363-7500.

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

Frequently Asked Questions About the REGN Lawsuit

Q: What is the REGN class action lawsuit about? A: A securities class action has been filed against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) alleging materially false and misleading statements between August 1, 2025 and May 15, 2026. Shares fell approximately 13.95% from the Class Period high after the Company disclosed a protocol amendment and later announced that the Phase III Fianlimab-Libtayo Study did not reach statistical significance for its primary endpoint. Investors who purchased shares during the Class Period and suffered losses may be eligible to seek compensation.

Q: Who is eligible to join the REGN investor lawsuit? A: Investors who purchased REGN stock or securities between August 1, 2025 and May 15, 2026 and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses, not on whether you still hold the shares.

Q: What specific misstatements does the REGN lawsuit allege? A: The complaint alleges Regeneron made materially false or misleading statements regarding the risk of clinical failure in the Phase III Fianlimab-Libtayo Study, including statements that allegedly framed slowing event accrual as potentially favorable when the trial allegedly faced increased statistical and clinical risk. When the protocol amendment and failed primary endpoint were disclosed, the stock price declined sharply.

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

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

Q: What documents do I need for a loss review? A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.

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

Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. The overwhelming majority of class members never appear in court or give depositions. If there is a settlement or recovery, eligible class members generally submit a claim form to seek their portion.

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

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Medtronic (MDT +1.03%) is kind of a boring business. Sure, it is one of the world's largest medical device makers, but its diversified portfolio tends to mask the exciting developments taking place in the business. But management has managed to turn this industry leader in a more attractive direction. Here's why Wall Street should be talking a lot more about Medtronic.

Medtronic got a little bloated To be fair, Medtronic's size works against it. In fact, after decades of success, the company became bogged down by excessive bureaucracy and too many business lines. It has been around a long time, noting its incredible 48-year streak of annual dividend increases (two away from Dividend King status), so this isn't really a shocking development. But it does lead investors to ignore a stock, as they focus on more exciting, focused, and smaller businesses, like surgical robotics pioneer Intuitive Surgical (ISRG +1.59%).

Image source: Getty Images.

What's notable is that Medtronic has made strategic shifts to regain its growth mojo. That's included exiting less desirable businesses and investing in new technology. For example, it spun off its diabetes business, which was growing quickly but wasn't particularly profitable. And it recently launched its Hugo surgical robot in the U.S. market, taking on Intuitive Surgical, a company that gets a lot more attention on Wall Street. While Hugo is just one of many new products that Medtronic has in the works, it highlights Medtronic's ability to develop cutting-edge technology in the medical device space.

In fact, the changes the company made allowed it to report its highest annual revenue growth in a decade in fiscal 2026. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, the company's revenues jumped 13.7%, with earnings coming in above guidance. In fact, management was so confident about the future that it increased its full-year guidance for fiscal 2027 after just one quarter.

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93.34

That's not to suggest that Medtronic will suddenly become a growth stock. But the tide appears to have turned. It is no longer a business working through a turnaround; it looks like one that has passed an important inflection point. Now add in a well-above-market dividend yield, and even conservative dividend investors should probably give this medical device giant a second look.

Wall Street is starting to wake up to Medtronic That said, Medtronic's stock has risen 15% over the past three months, as of this writing. Investors are starting to notice the improvement in the business. But the stock is still 30% below its 2021 high, suggesting there's more recovery room ahead. But don't wait too long, or you may miss the opportunity to buy this industry-leading company while it is still offering a historically high yield.

Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Medtronic. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intuitive Surgical and Medtronic. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2028 $520 calls on Intuitive Surgical and short January 2028 $530 calls on Intuitive Surgical. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.