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Key Takeaways VICI authorized $2B in share buybacks while weighing capital allocation options and Caesars lease risks.
VICI raised 2026 AFFO guidance to $2.695-$2.705B, with quarterly AFFO per share rising 4.3% to $0.62.VICI recorded a $458M credit-loss adjustment, while 2027 debt refinancing could pressure AFFO.
VICI Properties Inc. (VICI - Free Report) used its third-quarter 2026 earnings call to address shareholder concerns about its stock performance, capital allocation flexibility and uncertainty surrounding its Caesars Regional lease.

Management emphasized disciplined investment decisions, a newly authorized share repurchase program and continued portfolio diversification while raising its full-year earnings outlook. However, tenant credit concerns and refinancing costs remain important considerations.

VICI Weighs $2 Billion Share Buyback ProgramChief executive officer Edward Pitoniak acknowledged investor dissatisfaction with the company's stock performance, identifying interest-rate pressures, constrained growth economics and Caesars lease uncertainty as principal concerns.

The company's new $2 billion share repurchase authorization provides another capital allocation option, although Pitoniak emphasized that repurchases would compete with investments offering attractive long-term returns.

During questioning from JPMorgan, chief financial officer David Kieske clarified that most retained cash flow is currently committed to existing loan investments. Potential buyback funding could instead come from future loan repayments, uncommitted cash flow or asset sales.

Caesars Lease Uncertainty Draws Greater ScrutinyPitoniak said management is evaluating alternative structures for the Caesars Regional lease to determine which approach maximizes shareholder value.

Responding to Truist Securities, he outlined options involving lease modifications, retaining existing properties or selling portions of the portfolio. Management did not establish a transaction timeline.

The issue also affected reported earnings. VICI recorded a $458 million noncash credit-loss allowance adjustment, including approximately $313 million attributable to Caesars. Kieske linked the accounting impact to Caesars' credit-rating downgrade and lease-duration assumptions.

VICI Raises 2026 AFFO OutlookVICI increased its full-year 2026 adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) guidance to $2.695-$2.705 billion, compared with the previous $2.675-$2.695 billion range.

AFFO per share is now projected at $2.47-$2.48, up from $2.45-$2.47. Kieske expects approximately 4% annual AFFO-per-share growth at the updated midpoint.

Responding to Baird, Kieske attributed the revision to improved visibility into inflation-linked lease increases, loan funding commitments, variable interest rates and accelerated capital deployment.

Quarterly AFFO per share increased 4.3% to $0.62, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Revenues reached $1.06 billion, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing 5.8% year over year.

Portfolio Diversification Remains a Priority for VICIPresident and chief operating officer John Payne highlighted VICI's agreement to add Highfield Investment Group as a tenant through Canadian gaming properties.

The transaction carries initial annual rent of C$10.7 million, offset by an equivalent reduction under the existing Century lease. Consequently, aggregate rental income remains unchanged.

Payne noted that the anticipated Highfield addition would bring four new tenants during 2026, alongside Clairvest, Golden Entertainment and Club Med.

Management also continues evaluating hospitality, sports, entertainment and wellness investments. However, Payne emphasized selective underwriting rather than pursuing acquisitions irrespective of financing conditions.

VICI Addresses Debt and Loan Portfolio RisksKieske highlighted the refinancing of $1.75 billion in 2026 maturities through unsecured notes carrying an adjusted weighted-average interest rate of 5.42%.

Quarter-end liquidity totaled approximately $2.5 billion, while net debt to annualized quarterly adjusted EBITDA stood near 4.8 times.

During questioning from Mizuho, Kieske acknowledged potential AFFO pressure from refinancing $1.5 billion of debt maturing in February 2027.

Separately, management discussed credit concerns within its loan portfolio. Gabe Wasserman, managing director of business development and VICI Experiential Credit Solutions, said the company continues to work with sponsors to address challenged investments, including a loan that was placed on nonaccrual status in late 2025.

VICI Maintains a Disciplined Capital Allocation ApproachManagement's overarching message emphasized protecting financial flexibility while assessing opportunities across existing properties, new partnerships and potential capital recycling.

Pitoniak reiterated the company's preference for maintaining an AFFO payout ratio near 75%, preserving retained cash flow for investment and other corporate priorities.

The company's direction remains centered on portfolio quality, tenant diversification and measured capital deployment, with Caesars-related decisions and future financing conditions continuing to command attention.

Zacks Rank and Style Scores Signal Mixed ProspectsVICI currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating favorable near-term earnings estimate revision characteristics. Its Value Score of B highlights relatively attractive valuation characteristics under the Zacks Style Scores framework. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

However, Growth, Momentum and VGM Score of F indicate unfavorable characteristics across those categories. These weaker scores temper the favorable Rank and Value signals, particularly for investors emphasizing growth or price momentum.

The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise their earnings estimates following the recently reported results.

EPR Properties (EPR - Free Report) reached a significant support level, and could be a good pick for investors from a technical perspective. Recently, EPR broke through the 50-day moving average, which suggests a short-term bullish trend.

The 50-day simple moving average is one of three major moving averages used by traders and analysts to determine support or resistance levels for a wide range of securities. But the 50-day is considered to be more important because it's the first marker of an up or down trend.

Over the past four weeks, EPR has gained 5.1%. The company is currently ranked a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), another strong indication the stock could move even higher.

The bullish case solidifies once investors consider EPR's positive earnings estimate revisions. No estimate has gone lower in the past two months for the current fiscal year, compared to 3 higher, while the consensus estimate has increased too.

Investors may want to watch EPR for more gains in the near future given the company's key technical level and positive earnings estimate revisions.

Changes position company to execute significant infrastructure investment, advance technology and develop its workforce

, /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Chris Womack, today announced several executive leadership changes designed to position the company to continue serving growing energy needs, execute significant infrastructure investments and respond to rapidly evolving technologies and customer needs.

"We're in a transformative period for Southern Company, with tremendous growth and change creating new opportunities across our business," said Womack. "One of our strengths has always been how we develop our people, giving leaders opportunities to broaden their experience and take on new challenges. These changes build on that strength while positioning us to serve growth, deliver for customers and continue to meet the needs of the local communities we are privileged to serve."

The leadership changes, effective January 1, 2027, include the following:

Kim Greene, currently chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power, will assume the role of president, Southern Company Operations. In this role, Greene will oversee Southern Company's system operations, including generation, system planning, safety, transmission operations and policy, commercial operations, research and development, environmental affairs and sustainability, technical and business shared services and systemwide power delivery strategy. She will also lead Southern Company's enterprise strategy, bringing greater alignment between the company's long-term priorities and the operational execution required to deliver on them.

She has been instrumental in positioning Georgia Power to serve significant growth across the state and will now help lead Southern Company's efforts to plan, build and operate the infrastructure needed to meet growing energy demand across the system. She brings extensive leadership experience across the energy industry and Southern Company, including previously serving as chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company Gas.

Greene will also have responsibility for Southern Company's entire generation fleet, including nuclear. Bringing nuclear together organizationally with the company's other generation assets will create a more integrated approach to planning, operating and investing across the generation portfolio as Southern Company works to serve growing energy needs and continue delivering reliable energy for customers.

Stan Connally, currently executive vice president and chief operating officer for Southern Company, will assume the role of chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. In his new role, Connally will lead Southern Company's largest subsidiary as it serves more than 2.8 million customers across 155 of Georgia's 159 counties. His focus will be on ensuring Georgia Power has the resources and infrastructure needed to continue to serve the state's growth while protecting customers, maintaining reliability, keeping rates stable and predictable, and investing responsibly for the future. He will also continue Georgia Power's longstanding commitment to supporting the state's economic success and the communities it serves.

Connally brings extensive operational and operating company experience to the role. As Southern Company's chief operating officer, he has been responsible for how the system makes and moves electricity, with leadership across generation, system planning, transmission operations, commercial operations and other critical functions. He previously served as chairman, president and CEO of Gulf Power.

Additionally, Sterling Spainhour, executive vice president and chief legal officer, will expand his responsibilities to include the Technology Organization, creating greater alignment across Southern Company's technology and AI strategy, governance and management of emerging technologies, while Sloane Drake, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, will assume responsibility for systemwide training, more closely connecting workforce development with the skills and capabilities the company needs as technology changes how work gets done.

Together, these changes reflect Southern Company's continued focus on developing leaders, strengthening capabilities across the enterprise and positioning the company to serve growing energy needs while delivering for customers for years to come.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success, driven by our nearly 30,000 employees dedicated to delivering exceptional service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.

SOURCE Southern Company

3 Manufacturing Stocks Leading the Export WaveFlowserve NYSE: FLS reported third-quarter results marked by double-digit bookings growth, margin expansion and higher adjusted earnings, while revising its full-year sales outlook to reflect escalating disruption in the Middle East.

Bookings rose 14% year over year to $1.4 billion, including 8% organic growth, and the company finished the quarter with a record $3.5 billion backlog, up 20% from a year earlier and 4% sequentially. Adjusted operating margin increased 170 basis points to 16.5%, while adjusted earnings per share rose 19% to $1.07.

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Sales totaled $1.24 billion, increasing 5% on a reported basis but declining 1% organically. Chief Executive Officer Scott Rowe said the organic sales result reflected the Middle East conflict and the company’s 80/20 portfolio actions. The Middle East created an approximately $40 million sales headwind during the quarter, somewhat greater than Flowserve had expected.

Bookings Strength Led by Aftermarket, Energy and Power Aftermarket bookings increased 11% to $728 million, exceeding $700 million for the first time and representing the fifth consecutive quarter above $650 million. Original equipment bookings climbed 17% to $656 million, supported by power and nuclear demand, broader project activity and one larger energy award.

Rowe said Flowserve’s commercial-excellence initiatives, including faster quoting, account planning and opportunity management, have begun to improve order win rates and automated lead-generation conversions. He said the company expects its installed base, quick-response-center network and local service capabilities to support continued aftermarket growth.

Energy bookings grew 40% in the quarter and 25% year to date. The company cited a Middle East refinery upgrade and additional bookings tied to a large Canadian LNG project. While elevated utilization rates at large process facilities have supported demand, Rowe said some customers, particularly in North America, are deferring non-critical maintenance and larger turnarounds.

Power bookings rose 23% in the quarter and 12% year to date, aided by nuclear and traditional generation activity as well as the Trillium acquisition. Nuclear bookings exceeded $115 million, primarily driven by life-extension project awards in the United States. Rowe said Flowserve sees near-term nuclear opportunities in Asia and Eastern Europe, while U.S. programs appear to be progressing more slowly.

General Industries bookings declined 8% in the quarter, largely because of a difficult prior-year comparison, according to management. Within that market, pharmaceutical, water and mining activity grew. Flowserve also said it sees an emerging opportunity in data-center cooling as larger facilities shift toward liquid-cooling systems, though Rowe said it is too early for the company to size that potential market.

Middle East Disruption Prompts Sales Outlook Cut Conditions in the Middle East became more challenging late in the third quarter and worsened in October, Flowserve said. Customer site access and equipment acceptance have affected deliveries and run-rate product and service work, and the company expects the disruption to continue in the fourth quarter.

Flowserve said cancellation rates in the region remain immaterial, although a few projects in its pipeline have shifted into 2027. Management also said it now believes the potential rebuild opportunity from damaged assets exceeds its prior estimate of about $50 million, though the timing will depend on customer readiness, site access and regional conditions.

“We do not necessarily need peace in the Middle East for our business to start growing,” Rowe said during the question-and-answer session. He said a reduction in hostilities could allow repair work, normal plant operations and potential resilience investments in pipelines and storage to proceed. The company expects most of the related rebuild opportunity to occur in 2027.

Chief Financial Officer Brian Ezzell said Flowserve now expects full-year organic sales to decline 1.5% to 2.5%, reflecting lower Middle East book-and-ship activity and a modest effect on global aftermarket activity as process industries operate at high utilization rates. The company forecast total sales growth of 2% to 3% for the year.

Margins, Cash Flow and Capital Returns Adjusted gross margin expanded 190 basis points to 36.7%. Ezzell attributed the operating-margin improvement to aftermarket mix, 80/20 benefits and operational execution, partly offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses.

Flowserve Pump Division bookings rose 15% to $940 million, while adjusted operating margin expanded 220 basis points to 21.8%. Flow Control Division bookings increased 13% to $446 million, while adjusted operating margin was unchanged at 16.3%. Flow Control margins faced roughly 100 basis points of pressure from Middle East disruption, according to Ezzell, along with a smaller effect from the pre-synergy Trillium acquisition. The company generated $144 million of operating cash flow and $127 million of free cash flow in the quarter, equal to 92% conversion of adjusted net earnings. However, delayed Middle East shipments and somewhat slower collections led Flowserve to lower its full-year free-cash-flow conversion expectation to approximately 80% of adjusted net earnings.

Flowserve returned $78 million to shareholders during the quarter through $28 million in dividends and $50 million in share repurchases. Year-to-date repurchases totaled $75 million. Its board also increased the company’s share repurchase authorization to $500 million.

EPS Outlook Raised as Company Targets Further Margin Progress Despite the reduced sales outlook, Flowserve raised the low end of its full-year adjusted EPS forecast. The company now expects adjusted EPS of $4.10 to $4.20, with the midpoint representing 14% growth and approximately 150 basis points of annual margin expansion.

For the fourth quarter, Flowserve expects mid-single-digit organic sales growth and low-double-digit total sales growth, driven by backlog conversion, aftermarket strength, a smaller headwind from 80/20 actions and Trillium’s contribution. The company expects fourth-quarter adjusted operating margin to improve sequentially.

Rowe said the company remains on track for roughly 16% adjusted operating margin this year and continues to target 20% by 2030. Flowserve expects additional benefits from portfolio simplification, Trillium integration, manufacturing productivity and further facility consolidation, with management saying its 80/20 program could provide at least two more years of margin improvement.

About Flowserve (NYSE:FLS)Flowserve Corporation is a global manufacturer of flow-control equipment and related services. The company designs, produces and services pumps, valves, mechanical seals and associated systems used to move, control and protect fluids in industrial processes.

Its products and services support applications across the energy, chemical and petrochemical, water, pharmaceutical, mining, power and general industrial markets. Flowserve also provides aftermarket services, including equipment repair, maintenance, upgrades and replacement parts, helping customers improve the reliability and efficiency of their operations.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Flowserve serves customers through manufacturing, sales and service operations in North America, Europe, Asia and other international markets.

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

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Heico Corporation (HEI - Free Report) reached a significant support level, and could be a good pick for investors from a technical perspective. Recently, HEI broke through the 50-day moving average, which suggests a short-term bullish trend.

The 50-day simple moving average is one of three major moving averages used by traders and analysts to determine support or resistance levels for a wide range of securities. But the 50-day is considered to be more important because it's the first marker of an up or down trend.

HEI could be on the verge of another rally after moving 6.5% higher over the last four weeks. Plus, the company is currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock.

Looking at HEI's earnings estimate revisions, investors will be even more convinced of the bullish uptrend. There have been 4 higher compared to none lower for the current fiscal year, and the consensus estimate has moved up as well.

Given this move in earnings estimate revisions and the positive technical factor, investors may want to keep their eye on HEI for more gains in the near future.

Key Takeaways EMCOR raises 2026 revenue guidance to $20.6-$21B and adjusted EPS outlook to $34.50-$35.50 amid strong demand.Data center RPOs more than doubled year over year to $8.74B, fueled by cloud and AI infrastructure demand.EME's adjusted operating margin rose 110 bps to 10.5%, while healthcare and water project backlogs grew.
EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME - Free Report) raised its 2026 outlook following strong third-quarter execution, expanding project demand and record remaining performance obligations (RPOs). Management emphasized sustained data center investment, improving operating leverage and disciplined project selection.

The earnings call also addressed construction margins, capacity expansion and regulatory concerns surrounding data centers. Executives highlighted opportunities beyond artificial intelligence infrastructure while maintaining a selective approach to growth.

Third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $9.60 exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.33. Revenues of $5.54 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.20 billion by 6.50%.

EME Raises Full-Year Outlook on Strong Demand

EMCOR increased its 2026 revenue guidance to $20.6-$21 billion from $20-$20.5 billion. Adjusted diluted earnings guidance rose to $34.50-$35.50 from $32-$33.25.

Chairman, president and CEO Anthony Guzzi attributed the increase to sustained demand, large-project execution and record RPO visibility. Management now expects a full-year adjusted operating margin of approximately 10%.

EMCOR Sees Continued Data Center ExpansionGuzzi highlighted data center RPOs of $8.74 billion, more than double the year-earlier level and 13% higher sequentially. Demand spans electrical, mechanical and fire life safety services.

During the Q&A, a Thompson Davis analyst questioned the durability of this growth. Guzzi emphasized opportunities across established markets and noted that EMCOR primarily serves major hyperscalers rather than speculative data center developers.

Management estimated that cloud-related projects currently represent 65%-70% of data center activity, with AI accounting for the remainder. Guzzi anticipates a more balanced mix over time as AI-related projects expand.

EME Details Margin Trends and Project MixCFO Jason Nalbandian reported an adjusted operating margin of 10.5%, up 110 basis points year over year. Improved field execution and operating leverage supported profitability.

Electrical Construction achieved a 13.3% operating margin, while Mechanical Construction reported 12.1%. The latter faced pressure from a greater proportion of construction management, guaranteed maximum price and cost-plus contracts.

Responding to a Cantor Fitzgerald analyst, Nalbandian identified sustainable historical margin bands of approximately 12.5%-13% for Electrical and 12%-12.5% for Mechanical. Guzzi emphasized maximizing operating profit dollars rather than pursuing continuous margin percentage expansion.

EMCOR Highlights Growth Beyond Data CentersManagement stressed that infrastructure demand remains diversified. Healthcare RPOs increased 31% year over year to $1.71 billion, while Water and Wastewater RPOs advanced 38% to $1.42 billion.

Institutional RPOs rose 25% to $1.72 billion, supported by educational construction activity. Manufacturing and Industrial RPOs increased 10% to $1.18 billion.

In response to a UBS analyst, Guzzi acknowledged opportunities in semiconductor manufacturing but emphasized disciplined resource allocation. Management intends to balance these projects against data center opportunities based on pricing, capabilities and expected returns.

EME Expands Capacity While Managing CashGuzzi outlined additional investments in prefabrication, workforce development and project delivery capabilities. EMCOR plans to establish two fabrication-focused facilities over the next two quarters.

Responding to a Baird analyst, Guzzi explained that these facilities would support existing operations and selected external customers. Nalbandian indicated that capital expenditures should remain at or below 1% of revenues.

Operating cash flow reached $796.7 million during the quarter. Nalbandian projected full-year operating cash flow of approximately $1.5-$1.7 billion. EMCOR also authorized an additional $500 million in share repurchases.

EMCOR Addresses Regulatory and Labor ConcernsA Goldman Sachs analyst questioned 2027 growth visibility and EMCOR's capacity to recruit sufficient workers. Guzzi explained that manpower planning begins during project estimation, before contracts are accepted.

Addressing potential data center construction restrictions, Guzzi expressed confidence in Virginia and other established markets. He noted that permitting discussions have not disrupted EMCOR's current project schedules.

Management remained cautious about providing specific 2027 guidance. Instead, Guzzi reiterated EMCOR's longer-term objective of growing faster than the broader nonresidential construction market.

EME Maintains a Disciplined Operating ApproachManagement's overarching message centered on execution quality, selective contracting and workforce capabilities rather than pursuing growth indiscriminately.

Guzzi also acknowledged geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and regulatory changes. EMCOR intends to maintain pricing discipline, protect contractual rights and prioritize projects aligned with its operating capabilities.

Zacks Rank and Style Scores Signal Mixed ProspectsEME currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating an unfavorable near-term earnings estimate revision outlook. Its Value Score of D reflects weaker valuation characteristics, while its Growth Score of B and Momentum Score of A indicate comparatively favorable growth and price momentum attributes. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The stock's VGM Score of B reflects an attractive combination of growth, momentum and value characteristics overall. However, favorable Style Scores do not override the caution associated with a Zacks Rank #4. The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise their earnings estimates following the recently reported quarterly results.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Herc Holdings (HRI - Free Report) Herc Holdings Inc. is a leading equipment rental supplier in North America that provides a full-line portfolio of general and specialty equipment to contractors, industrial customers, infrastructure and government agencies, commercial facilities and event producers.

HRI is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Transportation stock. HRI has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 31.9% over the past four weeks.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $2.09 to $7.87 per share. HRI also boasts an average earnings surprise of +62.1%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, HRI should be on investors' short list.

SLM Corporation posted a $32.3 million third-quarter loss and cut its full-year outlook by more than a third, citing higher expected charge-offs. Levi & Korsinsky is investigating potential securities law violations tied to the Company's credit loss exposure.

, /PRNewswire/ -- SLM Corporation (NASDAQ: SLM) shares fell after the student lender disclosed on October 22, 2026, a third-quarter loss of approximately $32.3 million and cut its full-year EPS outlook to $1.95 to $2.05, down from $3.10 to $3.20, citing higher expected charge-offs. If you bought SLM shares and are now holding losses, this investigation concerns you. Shareholders who lost money are encouraged to click here to report your SLM losses or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.

Net charge-offs reached $90.4 million in the third quarter. Over the first nine months of 2026, net charge-offs climbed to $292 million from $248 million a year earlier, an increase of roughly 18%. The Company further increased its annual net charge-off guidance by $35 million.

SLM's October 22 Form 10-Q states that the Company is "pausing the majority of third-party recovery activities while we continue to develop and implement a more effective, customer-aligned approach." The filing also reports higher delinquency and forbearance rates. In addition, SLM said it would retain an approximately $1 billion loan portfolio it had planned to sell, keeping those loans on its balance sheet. Levi & Korsinsky is investigating whether SLM may not have adequately disclosed the scale of its credit loss exposure to investors.

SLM investors facing losses from this decline can  get a no-cost review of their losses or call Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at (212) 363-7500.

ABOUT LEVI & KORSINSKY, LLP -- Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. The firm has extensive expertise in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees. For seven consecutive years, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report.

Frequently Asked Questions About the SLM Investigation

Q: Who is conducting the SLM investigation? A: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating potential securities law violations on behalf of investors who purchased SLM securities. The firm is nationally recognized, ranked in the ISS Top 50 for seven consecutive years, and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved investors.

Q: Who is eligible to participate in the SLM investigation? A: Investors who purchased SLM stock or securities 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 do SLM 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 to participate in the investigation.

Q: What documents do I need to participate? 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 SLM 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 SLM and sold at a loss may still participate in the investigation.

Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. Participating in the investigation does not require court appearances or depositions. If legal action is later pursued, the overwhelming majority of affected investors never appear in court either.

Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: There is no upfront cost to submit your information and review whether you may be eligible to recover. Should you choose to participate in any resulting action, these matters are generally handled on a contingency basis, with any attorneys' fees and expenses subject to court approval.

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

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Key Takeaways ETR's Q3 earnings estimate of $1.71 per share indicates an 11.8% increase from the year-ago quarter.Above-normal temperatures and expanding data center demand may have strengthened Entergy's electricity sales.Tropical Storm Edouard's impact in Texas may have pushed up ETR's operating and maintenance costs. Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) is scheduled to release its third-quarter 2026 earnings on Nov. 2, before market open. The company delivered an earnings surprise of 9.57% in the last reported quarter.

Let’s discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the upcoming quarterly results.

Factors to Consider Ahead of ETR’s Q3 ResultsEntergy’s service territories witnessed warmer-than-normal weather conditions in the third quarter. Such a weather pattern is likely to have boosted electricity demand from its customers for cooling purposes this summer. This might have improved Entergy’s top-line performance.

Growth in retail and industrial sales, along with increasing demand from data centers across its service areas, is also likely to have contributed to quarterly performance.

However, Tropical Storm Edouard brought strong winds, heavy rainfall and severe flooding to Texas in September, resulting in widespread power outages. While Entergy’s crews restored service to most affected customers, the associated repair and restoration efforts may have raised operating and maintenance expenses during the quarter.

Q3 Expectations for EntergyThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $4.16 billion, which indicates year-over-year growth of 9%.

The consensus estimate for earnings per share stands at $1.71, which implies a year-over-year rise of 11.8%.

What the Zacks Model Unveils for EntergyOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Entergy this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is the case here, as you will see below.

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

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW - Free Report) is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 3, before market open. It has an Earnings ESP of +2.43% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

PNW’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 5.81%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stands at $3.40 per share, which implies a year-over-year increase of 0.3%.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK - Free Report) is slated to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 5, before market open. It has an Earnings ESP of +1.07% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

DUK’s long-term earnings growth rate is 6.38%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.87 per share, which suggests a year-over-year rise of 3.3%.

The Southern Company (SO - Free Report) is set to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Nov. 5, before market open. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.84% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

SO’s long-term earnings growth rate is 8.28%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stands at $1.71 per share, which calls for a year-over-year jump of 6.9%.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investors who lost money on FirstCash Holdings, Inc. ("FirstCash" or the "Company") stock may have claims to recover their losses. Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP ("Glancy") continues its securities fraud investigation on behalf of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCFS) investors into whether the Company may have violated the federal securities laws. The investigation follows the October 22, 2026 disclosure regarding FirstCash Holdings, Inc.

Investors who lost money on FirstCash Holdings, Inc. securities can submit their FirstCash Holdings, Inc. loss information to learn about potentially pursuing claims to recover their losses.

Key facts in the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation

Disclosure date: October 22, 2026Stock price decline: $31.97 per share, or 14.75%Closing price after the decline: $184.78 on October 22, 2026
What happened?

On October 22, 2026, the Company reported third quarter financial results earnings, including that the Company’s American First Finance (“AFF”) segment operating income fell approximately 28% year over year to $33 million, “due primarily to the loss of earnings from previously reported merchant partner bankruptcies,” referring primarily to Conn’s and American Freight, which filed for bankruptcy in 2024. The Company further reported gross transaction volume of lease and loan originations during the third quarter decreased 15% compared to the prior-year quarter, due in part to an alleged “increased strategic focus on merchant quality.”

On this news, FirstCash shares fell $31.97 per share, or 14.75%, to close at $184.78 on October 22, 2026, thereby injuring investors.

"The price of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. shares fell 14.75% following the October 22, 2026 disclosure that FirstCash's American First Finance segment operating income fell approximately 28% year over year to $33 million and its third quarter lease and loan origination volume decreased 15%. Investors who suffered losses deserve to know whether they were given complete and accurate information prior to the disclosure, and our investigation seeks to answer that question," said Charles H. Linehan, Partner at Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP.

What's the next step?

Glancy is investigating potential claims on behalf of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investors. Investors who lost money can contact Glancy about the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation, email [email protected], or call 310-201-9150 (toll-free: 888-773-9224).

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible? Investors who bought FirstCash Holdings, Inc. securities and lost money may have claims, and can contact Glancy to learn whether they are affected by the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation.

What is a securities fraud investigation? In the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation, Glancy is reviewing whether the Company or its executives may have made false or misleading statements to investors in violation of the federal securities laws.

Has a lawsuit been filed? This release announces Glancy's investigation, not a lawsuit. If a securities class action is later filed against FirstCash Holdings, Inc., investors may have the opportunity to seek appointment as lead plaintiff.

Does it cost anything to contact Glancy or participate in this investigation? Glancy represents FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investors on a contingency fee basis, so investors pay no attorneys' fees out of pocket. Any attorneys' fees and litigation expenses are paid only from a recovery, if one is obtained, and are subject to court approval.

Why work with Glancy on the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation? Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP is a premier law firm with decades of experience representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. Contact Glancy about the FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Whistleblower notice

Persons with non-public information about FirstCash Holdings, Inc. should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information that leads to a successful SEC enforcement action may receive awards of 10 to 30 percent of the sanctions collected, when those sanctions exceed $1 million. For more information, contact Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224, or email [email protected].

About Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP

Glancy was named one of Law360's Securities Groups of the Year and ranked second in total investor recoveries by ISS Securities Class Action Services in 2025.

Glancy's successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Related links

FirstCash Holdings, Inc. investigation page, Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLPFirstCash Q3 ReportFirstCash Holdings, Inc. SEC filings index, EDGARSEC Whistleblower ProgramGlancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP
Contact

Charles H. Linehan

Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP

1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 310-201-9150 | Toll-free: 888-773-9224

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This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In AppLovin To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in AppLovin between February 12, 2026 and August 5, 2026 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2026) - Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against AppLovin Corporation ("AppLovin" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: APP) and reminds investors of the November 16, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Triller To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in Triller between October 16, 2024 and December 29, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). [You may also click here for additional information] New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2026) - Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Triller Group Inc. ("Triller" or the "Company") (OTC Pink: ILLR) and reminds investors of the December 14, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Shares of Leonardo DRS, Inc. (DRS - Free Report) have gained 7.8% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $39.64, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $52.5 indicates a potential upside of 32.4%.

The average comprises 12 short-term price targets ranging from a low of $44.00 to a high of $59.00, with a standard deviation of $4.46. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 11% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to an 48.8% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.

However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in DRS. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Why DRS Could Witness a Solid UpsideThere has been increasing optimism among analysts lately about the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher. And that could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 1.4%, as one estimate has moved higher compared to no negative revision.

Moreover, DRS currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much DRS could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.82% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: American Eagle Outfitters (AEO - Free Report) Based in Pittsburgh, PA, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. is a specialty retailer of casual apparel, accessories and footwear for men and women aged 15-25 years. American Eagle, along with its subsidiaries, engages in the design and marketing of casual clothing. The company’s assortment includes jeans, cargo pants, graphic T-shirts as well as a range of accessories, outerwear and footwear.

AEO is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 9; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2027, seven analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.48 to $2.24 per share. AEO boasts an average earnings surprise of +86.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, AEO should be on investors' short list.

AutoNation (AN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $5.11 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.2 per share. This compares to earnings of $5.01 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -1.73%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this auto retailer would post earnings of $5.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $5.56, delivering a surprise of +2.39%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

AutoNation, which belongs to the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales industry, posted revenues of $7.01 billion for the quarter ended September 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.71%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $7.04 billion. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

AutoNation shares have lost about 18% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.8%.

What's Next for AutoNation?While AutoNation has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for AutoNation was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $5.41 on $7.12 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $21.07 on $27.77 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Automotive - Retail and Whole Sales is currently in the bottom 1% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, Titan Machinery (TITN - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended October 2026.

This agriculture and construction equipment seller is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.08 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -260%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Titan Machinery's revenues are expected to be $552.11 million, down 14.3% from the year-ago quarter.

AutoNation (AN - Free Report) reported $7.01 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year decline of 0.4%. EPS of $5.11 for the same period compares to $5.01 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.06 billion, representing a surprise of -0.71%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -1.73%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $5.20.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how AutoNation performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Retail vehicle unit sales - New: 63,929 versus the four-analyst average estimate of 64,503.Retail vehicle unit sales - Total: 129,339 compared to the 133,112 average estimate based on four analysts.Retail vehicle unit sales - Used: 65,410 versus 68,609 estimated by four analysts on average.Gross profit per vehicle retailed - Used: $1,524.00 versus $1,557.14 estimated by three analysts on average.Gross profit per vehicle retailed - New: $2,176.00 versus the three-analyst average estimate of $2,201.29.Revenue- Other: $5.1 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $4.98 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of 0%.Revenue- New vehicle: $3.33 billion compared to the $3.38 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -2.5% year over year.Revenue- Used vehicle: $2.04 billion compared to the $2.02 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1% year over year.Revenue- Parts and service: $1.29 billion compared to the $1.29 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5.2% year over year.Revenue- Finance and insurance net: $349 million versus $366.33 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -6.9% change.Revenue- Used vehicle- Retail used vehicle: $1.88 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.89 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.5%.Revenue- Used vehicle- Wholesale: $152.5 million compared to the $149.53 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.9% year over year.View all Key Company Metrics for AutoNation here>>>

Shares of AutoNation have returned +2.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

DXC Technology NYSE: DXC reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 results above its guidance range, but lowered its full-year outlook after weaker-than-expected bookings and pipeline conversion in its core business. The company also confirmed it is in ongoing discussions related to a possible sale of its insurance business, though management declined to provide further details.

Chief Executive Officer Raul Fernandez said the company and its board remain focused on multiple avenues for shareholder value creation, including improving its core operations, expanding agentic and artificial intelligence-based offerings, and evaluating strategic portfolio actions.

Get DXC Technology alerts:

“We have more work to do, particularly in improving sales execution and stabilizing revenue in our core business,” Fernandez said. “That remains a priority, and we are not satisfied with our current performance.”

Quarterly Results Exceed Guidance DXC reported total revenue of $3 billion in the fiscal second quarter, down 4% year over year but above the high end of its guidance range. Adjusted EBIT margin was 6.2%, down 180 basis points from a year earlier, while non-GAAP diluted earnings per share fell to $0.67 from $0.84 in the prior-year quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Rob Del Bene said the quarter included a one-time contract modification in the insurance business that had not been included in guidance. Excluding that item, revenue was within the company’s guided range and adjusted EBIT margin and earnings per share were in line with expectations.

The company’s quarterly book-to-bill ratio was 0.8, while its trailing 12-month book-to-bill ratio remained 1.0. Bookings declined 10% year over year, however, as large-deal timing and lower conversion of project-based services opportunities weighed on performance.

Del Bene said the weaker bookings were especially pronounced in the Americas and the United Kingdom and Ireland. In UKI, some larger public-sector deals were deferred but remain in the pipeline and under negotiation, he said. In the Americas, smaller project-based opportunities in financial services and retail were delayed, slipped or, in some cases, dropped out of the pipeline.

DXC said its pricing data remained relatively stable, though win rates declined during the quarter. Fernandez said clients are reassessing traditional technology projects as they consider whether agentic AI approaches could offer an alternative, adding time to decision cycles. Some customers are also opting for shorter contract terms amid uncertainty about how technology may evolve.

Segment Performance and Insurance Momentum Customer Experience Services, or CES, revenue declined 3.3% year over year, consistent with the company’s guidance and recent trends. Enterprise Application Services and GrowthX continued to grow, while DXC’s custom applications business remained under pressure. Engineering services showed momentum, supported by an expanding pipeline and year-over-year bookings growth.

CES recorded a 0.79 book-to-bill ratio, as bookings declined 17% year over year, primarily due to Enterprise Application Services. Global Infrastructure Services, or GIS, posted a 0.8 book-to-bill ratio and a 13% reduction in bookings. GIS revenue declined 10%, slightly below DXC’s expectations, amid delayed large deals and weakness in project-based services.

The insurance business reported revenue growth of 23% year over year, driven by the one-time contract modification. Excluding that modification, underlying insurance revenue was consistent sequentially, as growth in recurring software revenue offset the wind-down of a business-process-services contract expected to conclude in the fourth quarter.

DXC said its SaaS insurance business, which includes the Assure platform, Horizon solutions and AI-based Smart Apps, grew at a strong double-digit rate. Customer adoption of the Assure platform surpassed 275 enterprise insurance accounts. The company sold its first Smart App during the quarter, and its Smart Apps pipeline increased more than 20% from the prior quarter.

AI Offerings and Commercialization Efforts Fernandez emphasized DXC’s effort to convert its AI engineering capabilities into commercial growth. Since June, more than 5,700 employees have earned AI certifications, according to the company. DXC is developing expertise across platforms including Amazon, Microsoft Copilot, 7AI, Anthropic and ElevenLabs.

The company announced its first large GrowthX win with a global banking institution, which will use DXC’s Modernization as a Service offering to modernize a mission-critical core banking system and move toward the cloud. The offering combines DXC’s AI-powered modernization platform and delivery factory with Anthropic’s Claude model to identify and document business rules embedded in legacy systems.

DXC also said utilization of its OASIS agentic platform rose sixfold from the prior quarter as it expanded agent capabilities and increased the number of production workflows. The company introduced DXC Workplace Services, an AI-native workplace offering enabled by OASIS, and said patch management has emerged as a key use case. DXC is currently running two pilots with new customers.

In cybersecurity, DXC has been approved to productize Claude Mythos through a managed service called DXC Frontier Code Assurance. The service is intended to identify, validate, prioritize and help remediate vulnerabilities in critical software. Fernandez described cybersecurity as an area where customer demand may move more quickly because of the need to defend against AI-enabled threats.

Guidance Reduced on Bookings and Pipeline Conversion DXC reduced its fiscal 2027 outlook to reflect the weaker second-quarter bookings performance and an assumption that lower pipeline conversion rates will continue through the remainder of the year.

Full-year organic revenue is now expected to decline 5% to 5.5% year over year. CES revenue is projected to decline in the mid-single digits. GIS revenue is expected to decline at a high-single-digit rate, though DXC still anticipates sequential improvement in the third quarter and a more pronounced improvement in the fourth quarter. Insurance revenue is expected to grow at a mid-single-digit rate, increased from previous expectations for low-single-digit growth. Adjusted EBIT margin is expected to range from 5.75% to 6.25%. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is projected at $2.25 to $2.50. Free cash flow is expected to be approximately $600 million. For the fiscal third quarter, DXC expects organic revenue to decline about 6% year over year, adjusted EBIT margin of approximately 6%, and non-GAAP diluted EPS of approximately $0.55.

DXC generated $91 million in free cash flow during the second quarter, including a $122 million cash deposit with the Internal Revenue Service related to tax litigation involving currency losses from 2009. Excluding that payment, quarterly free cash flow was $213 million. The company also retired $400 million of U.S. dollar bonds that matured in September 2026 and repurchased $60 million of shares during the quarter.

Del Bene said DXC had entered the year with a cost-reduction plan and has increased its cost-takeout objective following the revenue outlook reduction. The company is evaluating additional actions for fiscal 2028, though the CFO said it was too early to discuss specifics.

About DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC)DXC Technology NYSE: DXC is a global information technology services and solutions company that helps organizations modernize and manage their technology environments. Its services include consulting, application development and management, cloud migration and operations, cybersecurity, data and analytics, enterprise technology management, and workplace and end-user services.

The company serves businesses and government organizations across a range of industries, including financial services, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, automotive, retail, and the public sector.

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 DXC Technology Right Now?Before you consider DXC Technology, you'll want to hear this.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

ExlService Holdings (EXLS - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $41.12, gaining 12.7% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $59.78 indicates a 45.4% upside potential.

The mean estimate comprises nine short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $34.99. While the lowest estimate of $45.00 indicates a 9.4% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 272.1% to reach $153.00. It's very important to note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.

However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in EXLS. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Why EXLS Could Witness a Solid UpsideThere has been increasing optimism among analysts lately about the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher. And that could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 1.7% over the past month, as three estimates have gone higher compared to no negative revision.

Moreover, EXLS currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much EXLS could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

, /PRNewswire/ -- CW Bancorp (OTCQX: CWBK), the parent company ("the Company") of CommerceWest Bank (the "Bank") reported consolidated net income for the third quarter of 2026 of $3,287,000 or $1.11 per diluted share as compared to $2,778,000 or $0.93  per diluted share for the third quarter of 2025, an EPS increase of 19%, and net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2026 of $9,916,000 or $3.35 per diluted share as compared to $8,795,000 or $2.93 per diluted share for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, an EPS increase of 14%.  

Key Financial Results for the three months ended September 30, 2026:

EPS of $1.11, an increase of 19%Return on Assets of 1.17%, an increase of 21%Return on Tangible Equity of 13.60%, an increase of 8%Net Income growth of 18%ACL to total loans ratio of 1.34%No outstanding FRB or FHLB borrowingsLeverage ratio of 10.56% and total risk-based capital ratio of 16.02%67 quarters of consecutive profitsKey Financial Results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026:

EPS of $3.35, an increase of 15%Return on Assets of 1.13%, an increase of 8%Return on Tangible Equity of 13.94%Net interest income growth of 6%Net income growth of 13%Mr. Ivo Tjan, Chairman, President and CEO, "Our third quarter results demonstrate the strength and resilience of CommerceWest Bank's unique business model and our continued commitment to disciplined financial management. We generated net income of $3.3 million, representing a 19% increase in earnings per share compared to the prior year, and achieved our 67th consecutive profitable quarter. Our strong earnings performance, prudent expense management, and disciplined approach to credit quality contributed to a return on assets of 1.17% and a return on tangible equity of 13.60%."

Mr. Tjan added, "We see attractive opportunities to expand our commercial banking franchise and are strategically investing in our sales team to accelerate the acquisition of high-quality commercial loans and core deposits. Our strong capital position, liquidity, and well-positioned balance sheet provide a solid foundation to support future growth while maintaining our commitment to prudent risk management. As we look ahead, we remain focused on expanding client relationships, leveraging our digital-first banking model, and delivering sustainable long-term value to our shareholders."

Total assets decreased $49.7 million as of September 30, 2026, a decrease of 4% as compared to the same period one year ago. Total loans decreased $40.7 million as of September 30, 2026, a decrease of 5% from the prior year. The Bank remains prudent and conservative about credit quality. Cash and due from banks decreased $44.5 million or 34% over the prior year. Total investment securities increased $33.1 million, an increase of 21% from the prior year.

Total deposits decreased $34.2 million as of September 30, 2026, a decrease of 4% from September 30, 2025. Non-interest-bearing deposits increased $34.4 million as of September 30, 2026, an increase of 6% from the prior year. Interest bearing deposits decreased $68.7 million as of September 30, 2026, a decrease of 17% over the prior year.  

Interest income was $13,543,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2026, as compared to $14,287,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, a decrease of 5%. Interest expense was $2,681,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2026, as compared to $3,450,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, a decrease of 22%.

Interest income was $41,450,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, as compared to $41,396,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, an increase of less than one percent. Interest expense was $8,725,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, as compared to $10,432,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, a decrease of 16%.

Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2026, was $10,862,000 as compared to $10,837,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, an increase of less than one percent. The net interest margin was 3.97% for the three months ended September 30, 2026, as compared to 3.87% in 2025, an increase of 3%. Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, was $32,725,000 as compared to $30,964,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, an increase of 6%. The net interest margin increased for the nine months ended September 30, 2026.  It increased from 3.82% in 2025 to 3.83% in 2026.

The provision for credit losses for the three months ended September 30, 2026, was zero compared to $100,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025. The provision for credit losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, reflected a reduction in reserves of $100,000, as compared to an increase in reserves of $200,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2025.

Non-interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2026, was $968,000 compared to $1,175,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of 18%. Non-interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, was $2,953,000 compared to $3,755,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of 21%.

Non-interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2026, was $7,363,000, as compared to $8,134,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of 9%. Non-interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, was $22,117,000, as compared to $22,296,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of 1%.

The efficiency ratio for the three months ended September 30, 2026, was 62.07% compared to 58.90% in 2025, which represents an increase of 5%. The efficiency ratio illustrates that for every dollar made for the three-month period ending September 30, 2026, it cost $0.6207 to make it, as compared to $0.5890 one year ago. The efficiency ratio for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, was 61.76% compared to 61.11% in 2025, which represents an increase of 1%.

Capital ratios for the Bank remain above the levels required for a "well capitalized" institution as designated by regulatory agencies. As of September 30, 2026, the tier 1 leverage ratio was 10.56%, the common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 14.77%, the tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was 14.77% and the total risk-based capital ratio was 16.02%.

On September 17, 2026, the Company provided notice to holders of its $17,500,000 in aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Fixed to Floating Rate Subordinated Notes, due April 1, 2031 (the "Notes"), of its intent to partially redeem $10,000,000 of such notes on October 19, 2026. Following such redemption, $7,500,000 of such Notes will remain outstanding. In addition, the Company also has outstanding $17,500,000 in aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Fixed to Floating Rate Subordinated Notes, due December 15, 2031.

CommerceWest Bank is determined to redefine banking for small and medium sized businesses by delivering customized products and services to each client's needs. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Irvine, California, the Bank serves businesses throughout the state of California with our robust digital banking platform.

By employing a strategically selected team of experienced professionals, we will provide flexibility, and create a complete, safe and sound banking experience for each client. We provide a full suite of commercial banking services, including remote deposit solutions, NetBanker online banking, mobile banking, lines of credit, M&A and working capital financing, commercial real estate loans, SBA lending and treasury management services.

Mission Statement: CommerceWest Bank will create a complete banking experience for each client, catering to businesses and their specific banking needs, while accommodating our clients and providing them high-quality, low stress and personally tailored banking and financial services. 

Please visit www.cwbk.com to learn more about the bank. "BANK ON THE DIFFERENCE"

Statements concerning future performance, developments or events, expectations for growth and income forecasts, and any other guidance on future periods, constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations. Specific factors include, but are not limited to, loan production, balance sheet management, expanded net interest margin, the ability to control costs and expenses, interest rate changes, financial policies of the United States government and general economic conditions. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect future events or developments.

THIRD QUARTER REPORT - SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 (Unaudited)

CW BANCORP

%

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

Increase

(dollars in thousands)

Sept 30, 2026

Sept 30, 2025

(Decrease)

ASSETS

Cash and due from banks

$                   87,274

$                 131,818

-34 %

Securities available for sale

173,618

131,552

32 %

Securities held-to-maturity

17,499

26,501

-34 %

Loans 

768,100

808,797

-5 %

  Less allowance for credit losses (ACL)

(10,327)

(11,120)

-7 %

Loans, net

757,773

797,677

-5 %

Bank premises and equipment, net

2,036

2,923

-30 %

Other assets

37,810

35,234

7 %

     Total assets

$               1,076,010

$              1,125,705

-4 %

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Non-interest bearing deposits

$                 598,524

$                 564,081

6 %

Interest bearing deposits

338,788

407,462

-17 %

     Total deposits

937,312

971,543

-4 %

Subordinated debenture

34,591

50,000

-31 %

Other liabilities

11,332

12,595

-10 %

983,235

1,034,138

-5 %

Stockholders' equity

92,775

91,567

1 %

     Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$               1,076,010

$              1,125,705

-4 %

Shares outstanding at end of period

2,928,302

2,933,670

Book value per share

$                     37.43

$                    33.89

Total loans to total deposits

81.95 %

83.25 %

ACL to total loans

1.34 %

1.37 %

Nonperforming assets (non-accrual loans & OREO)

$                   13,415

$                    8,560

COMMERCEWEST BANK CAPITAL RATIOS:

Tier 1 leverage ratio

10.56 %

12.22 %

Common equity tier 1 capital ratio

14.77 %

16.68 %

Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio

14.77 %

16.68 %

Total risk-based capital ratio

16.02 %

17.93 %

CW BANCORP

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

Increase

For the Nine Months Ended

Increase

(dollars in thousands except share and per share data)

Sept 30, 2026

Sept 30, 2025

(Decrease)

Sept 30, 2026

Sept 30, 2025

(Decrease)

INTEREST INCOME

  Loans

$         10,607

$         11,493

-8 %

$         31,483

$         33,667

-6 %

  Investments

1,987

1,273

56 %

5,251

3,914

34 %

  Fed funds sold and other

949

1,521

-38 %

4,716

3,815

24 %

       Total interest income

13,543

14,287

-5 %

41,450

41,396

0 %

INTEREST EXPENSE

  Deposits

2,213

2,981

-26 %

7,202

9,026

-20 %

  Subordinated debenture

468

469

0 %

1,523

1,406

8 %

       Total interest expense

2,681

3,450

-22 %

8,725

10,432

-16 %

NET INTEREST INCOME BEFORE CREDIT LOSS PROVISION

10,862

10,837

0 %

32,725

30,964

6 %

PROVISION FOR CREDIT LOSSES

-

100

-100 %

(100)

200

-150 %

Non-interest income:

NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER CREDIT LOSS PROVISION

10,862

10,737

1 %

32,825

30,764

7 %

NON-INTEREST INCOME

Service Charges and Fees on Deposits

652

932

-30 %

2,100

2,986

-30 %

Other Fees

316

243

30 %

853

769

11 %

NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

7,363

8,134

-9 %

22,117

22,296

-1 %

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES

4,467

3,778

18 %

13,661

12,223

12 %

INCOME TAXES

1,180

1,000

18 %

3,745

3,428

9 %

NET INCOME

$           3,287

$           2,778

18 %

$           9,916

$           8,795

13 %

Basic earnings per share

$             1.12

$             0.94

19 %

$             3.39

$             2.96

15 %

Diluted earnings per share

$             1.11

$             0.93

19 %

$             3.35

$             2.93

14 %

Return on Assets

1.17 %

0.97 %

21 %

1.13 %

1.05 %

8 %

Return on Equity

13.18 %

12.17 %

8 %

13.51 %

13.25 %

2 %

Return on Tangible Equity

13.60 %

12.60 %

8 %

13.94 %

13.72 %

2 %

Efficiency Ratio

62.07 %

58.90 %

5 %

61.76 %

61.11 %

1 %

CW BANCORP

CONSOLIDATED AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET and YIELD ANALYSIS

Three Months Ended September 30,

2026

2025

Average

Balance

Interest

Income /

Expense

Yield /

Cost

Average

Balance

Interest

Income /

Expense

Yield /

Cost

(dollars in thousands)

INTEREST EARNING ASSETS

Int Bearing Due from Banks & FFS

$         84,532

$          795

3.73 %

$       123,826

$        1,381

4.42 %

Investment Securities (1)

223,147

2,083

3.70 %

171,665

1,331

3.08 %

Loans

779,058

10,607

5.40 %

815,141

11,493

5.59 %

FHLB & Other Stocks

7,100

154

8.61 %

7,100

140

7.82 %

Total interest-earning assets

1,093,837

13,639

4.95 %

1,117,732

14,345

5.09 %

Noninterest-earning assets

18,907

22,937

Total assets

$    1,112,744

$    1,140,669

INTEREST EARNING LIABILITIES

Interest Bearing Deposits

$       350,940

$        2,213

2.50 %

$       419,484

$        2,981

2.82 %

Subordinated Debenture

34,929

468

5.28 %

50,000

469

3.75 %

Total interest-earning liabilities

385,869

2,681

2.76 %

469,484

3,450

2.92 %

Noninterest-earning liabilities

Demand Deposits

616,389

567,751

Other Liabilities

11,538

12,867

Shareholders' Equity

98,948

90,567

Total liabilities and shareholder's equity

$    1,112,744

$    1,140,669

Net Interest Spread

$      10,958

2.19 %

$      10,895

2.17 %

Net Interest Margin

3.97 %

3.87 %

Total Deposits

$       967,329

$        2,213

0.91 %

$       987,235

$        2,981

1.20 %

Total Funding Costs

$    1,002,258

$        2,681

1.06 %

$    1,037,235

$        3,450

1.32 %

(1) Amounts calculated on a fully taxable equivalent basis using the current statutory federal tax rate

CW BANCORP

CONSOLIDATED AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET and YIELD ANALYSIS

                  Nine Months Ended September 30,

2026

2025

Average

Balance

Interest

Income /

Expense

Yield /

Cost

Average

Balance

Interest

Income /

Expense

Yield /

Cost

(dollars in thousands)

INTEREST EARNING ASSETS

Int Bearing Due from Banks & FFS

$       152,907

$        4,236

3.70 %

$       102,407

$        3,399

4.44 %

Investment Securities (1)

209,410

5,495

3.51 %

175,013

4,090

3.12 %

Loans

781,943

31,483

5.38 %

805,215

33,667

5.59 %

FHLB & Other Stocks

7,100

480

9.04 %

7,100

416

7.83 %

Total interest-earning assets

1,151,360

41,694

4.84 %

1,089,735

41,572

5.10 %

Noninterest-earning assets

19,727

29,434

Total assets

$    1,171,087

$    1,119,169

INTEREST EARNING LIABILITIES

Interest Bearing Deposits

$       394,862

$        7,202

2.44 %

$       414,671

$        9,026

2.91 %

Subordinated Debenture

42,284

1,523

4.77 %

50,000

1,406

3.75 %

Total interest-earning liabilities

437,146

8,725

2.67 %

464,671

10,432

3.00 %

Noninterest-earning liabilities

Demand Deposits

622,562

553,038

Other Liabilities

13,231

12,685

Shareholders' Equity

98,148

88,775

Total liabilities and shareholder's equity

$    1,171,087

$    1,119,169

Net Interest Spread

$      32,969

2.17 %

$      31,140

2.10 %

Net Interest Margin

3.83 %

3.82 %

Total Deposits

$    1,017,424

$        7,202

0.95 %

$       967,709

$        9,026

1.25 %

Total Funding Costs

$    1,059,708

$        8,725

1.10 %

$    1,017,709

$      10,432

1.37 %

(1) Amounts calculated on a fully taxable equivalent basis using the current statutory federal tax rate

SOURCE CW Bancorp

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Stock to Watch: Marathon Petroleum (MPC - Free Report) Findlay, OH-based Marathon Petroleum Corporation is a leading independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The company, in its current form, came into existence following the 2011 spin-off of Houston, TX-based Marathon Oil Corporation’s refining/sales business into a separate, independent and publicly traded entity. In October 2018, Marathon Petroleum completed the acquisition of its rival Andeavor in a $23.3 billion deal, thereby becoming the nationwide largest refining company by market capitalization. The deal also made the company the largest U.S. refiner and the fifth largest in the world by capacity.

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With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MPC should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways EIX warns that delays in California wildfire reform could raise costs and constrain grid spending.EIX reaffirms 2026 EPS guidance of $5.90-$6.20 and targets 5%-7% annual core earnings growth through 2030. EIX eyes $38B-$41B in capital spending through 2030 while navigating Eaton Fire claims & financing pressure. Edison International (EIX - Free Report) emphasized the need for durable California wildfire liability reform during its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, warning that legislative delays could increase financing costs and constrain future grid investments.

Management reaffirmed its multiyear earnings outlook while addressing Eaton Fire liabilities, infrastructure spending priorities and the potential implications of regulatory uncertainty for customers and shareholders.

EIX Pushes for Urgent Wildfire Liability ReformPresident and CEO Pedro Pizarro expressed disappointment that California's legislative session concluded without comprehensive wildfire reform. Management continues advocating for a special session to establish durable claims-resolution liquidity and a shareholder liability cap independent of the Wildfire Fund.

Pizarro identified Nov.15 as the constitutional deadline for submitting legislation to the governor under the current legislative session.

During questioning from Goldman Sachs, Pizarro acknowledged openness among policymakers toward a special session but emphasized that agreement across legislative chambers and the governor's office remains uncertain.

Edison Reaffirms Earnings Growth OutlookExecutive vice president and CFO Aaron Moss reaffirmed 2026 core earnings guidance of $5.90-$6.20 per share, with expectations centered around the midpoint. Management also maintained its 2027 and 2028 guidance ranges and long-term core earnings growth target of 5%-7% through 2030.

Third-quarter core earnings reached $1.92 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.83, while revenues of $4.89 billion missed the $5.53 billion consensus.

Moss explained that the year-over-year earnings decline reflected 55 cents per share true-up recognized in the prior-year quarter following Southern California Edison's general rate case decision. Management characterized underlying operations as stable.

EIX Faces Rising Infrastructure Financing CostsMoss outlined approximately $38 billion-$41 billion in planned capital expenditures between 2026 and 2030, supporting projected annualized rate base growth of approximately 7% over the 2025-2030 period.

However, elevated credit spreads could increase customers' financing costs by approximately $300 million over the lifetime of bonds SCE expects to issue in 2027 alone.

Responding to Goldman Sachs, Moss explained that persistent financing pressures could shift spending toward safety, reliability and compliance. Approximately 22% of planned capital expenditures relate to load growth and interconnections, an area potentially exposed to investment reductions.

Edison Addresses Eaton Fire Liability UncertaintyPizarro acknowledged Los Angeles County Fire Department findings attributing the Eaton Fire's ignition to SCE equipment. However, he distinguished ignition findings from separate legal liability and regulatory prudence determinations.
Management maintained confidence that SCE could demonstrate reasonable utility conduct and rejected allegations involving felony liability or willful disregard for public safety.

During Barclays' questioning, executives cautioned against expecting immediate clarity on financial reserves after the November 30 compensation program deadline. More than 3,200 settlement offers totaling approximately $1.1 billion had been extended, but broader litigation and insurance-related claims remain unresolved.

EIX Advances Grid Hardening and Risk ReductionPizarro reported that SCE has hardened approximately 90% of its distribution infrastructure in high-fire-risk areas, including installing more than 7,200 miles of covered conductor.

The company continues integrating advanced wildfire modeling, AI-supported inspections and enhanced camera monitoring to identify infrastructure risks and prioritize mitigation investments.

Management highlighted regulatory approval of SCE's 2026-2028 wildfire mitigation plan. California's Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety recognized its transmission inspection program as the most comprehensive among major investor-owned utilities.

Edison Maintains a Disciplined Financial ApproachMoss emphasized balance sheet discipline, including no planned common equity issuance through 2030 and a targeted long-term funds-from-operations-to-debt ratio of 15%-17%.

Management also reiterated its dividend payout target of 45%-55% of SCE core earnings, alongside a continued focus on managing financing exposure.

Edison's near-term priorities remain securing wildfire reform, resolving outstanding claims and preserving infrastructure investment capacity while maintaining its established earnings trajectory.

What EIX's Zacks Rank and Style Scores IndicateEIX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating a neutral near-term outlook. Its Value Score of A highlights favorable valuation characteristics, while its Growth Score of C signals moderate growth attractiveness. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Momentum Score of F indicates weak price momentum, although the VGM Score of B reflects a relatively favorable combined assessment of value, growth and momentum characteristics. The mixed profile warrants attention to individual investment styles rather than relying solely on the composite score.

The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise earnings estimates following the latest quarterly results, potentially altering the stock's near-term outlook.

Key Takeaways ILMN raises 2026 revenue guidance to $4.64-$4.66 billion and adjusted EPS outlook to $5.40-$5.45.ILMN's clinical consumables grew 14% outside the United States, while NovaSeq X placements exceeded 80 in Q3.ILMN expects AI and BioInsight contributions to become more visible in 2027 amid ongoing pricing pressures. Illumina, Inc. (ILMN - Free Report) raised its 2026 outlook following strong clinical sequencing demand and elevated NovaSeq X placements in the third quarter. Management emphasized recurring consumables revenue, improving operating efficiency and expanding opportunities in AI-driven biology.

The earnings call also addressed research-market weakness, sequencing pricing pressures and the company's ability to sustain growth into 2027.

Illumina Raises 2026 Outlook After Mixed Q3 ResultsIllumina reported adjusted earnings of $1.44 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.36. Reported revenues of $1.13 billion missed the consensus estimate of $1.14 billion.

Revenues increased 4.2% year over year. Excluding tariff refunds, revenues totaled $1.17 billion, while the adjusted operating margin reached 25%.

Chief financial officer Ankur Dhingra raised 2026 revenue guidance to $4.64-$4.66 billion from $4.60-$4.64 billion. Adjusted earnings guidance increased to $5.40-$5.45 per share from $5.30-$5.40.

ILMN Sees Clinical Demand Supporting ConsumablesChief executive officer Jacob Thaysen emphasized sustained clinical sequencing demand, supported by growing diagnostic applications and increasingly complex assays.

Rest-of-world clinical sequencing consumables revenue grew 14%, while research and applied consumables declined 6%. Management maintained its expectations for mid-teens clinical growth and continued research-market declines during 2026.

Sequencing consumables generated $792 million in revenue, increasing 6% year over year. Dhingra noted signs of stabilization in research activity despite continued spending pressures.

Illumina's NovaSeq X Expansion Strengthens Revenue BaseThaysen reported more than 80 NovaSeq X placements during the quarter, bringing installations over the preceding four quarters to approximately 360.

Dhingra explained that 84% of high-throughput sequencing volume and 60% of associated revenue now originate from NovaSeq X. Clinical conversion reached 78%, with adoption expected to advance further.

During questioning from UBS, Thaysen dismissed concerns that recent placements represented accelerated future purchases. He emphasized clinical capacity expansion and increasingly sequencing-intensive assays as underlying demand drivers.

ILMN Advances AI and Multiomics Growth InitiativesIllumina continued developing its Billion Cell Atlas initiative, designed to generate standardized biological datasets supporting AI-driven drug discovery.

Thaysen highlighted growing biopharmaceutical interest, including GSK's participation in the consortium. The company also introduced BioInsight, combining analytical software, biological datasets and AI models.

Responding to RBC Capital Markets, Dhingra indicated that contributions from these initiatives should become more visible during 2027. Management maintained its framework for new products and BioInsight to contribute 1-2 percentage points of growth.

Illumina Addresses 2027 Growth and Pricing PressuresAnalysts questioned whether accelerating clinical testing volumes could translate into sustained revenue growth as NovaSeq X adoption progresses.

Responding to Leerink Partners, Thaysen reaffirmed the company's longer-term high-single-digit growth framework. He acknowledged volume-based pricing negotiations while emphasizing opportunities from larger clinical assays.

During discussions with Canaccord Genuity, Thaysen recognized opportunities beyond high-single-digit growth but stressed demonstrating that growth level consistently before targeting further acceleration.

ILMN Navigates China and Capital AllocationChina remained an important discussion point. Responding to JPMorgan, Thaysen welcomed the region's return to growth while reaffirming Illumina's commitment to Chinese customers and regulators.

Management also addressed geopolitical uncertainty and potential trade restrictions. Thaysen indicated that the company was evaluating recent developments.

Dhingra highlighted quarterly free cash flow of $378 million and approximately $1.8 billion remaining under share repurchase authorizations, providing flexibility for strategic investments and shareholder returns.

Illumina Remains Focused on Sustainable ExpansionManagement maintained confidence in clinical demand, instrument adoption and operating discipline, while acknowledging continuing research-market challenges.

Thaysen emphasized progress toward long-range financial objectives, while Dhingra highlighted recurring consumables demand from the expanding NovaSeq X installed base.

The company's immediate priorities remain executing its raised 2026 outlook, reducing transition-related pricing pressures and advancing newer growth initiatives.

ILMN's Zacks Rank and Style Scores Present Mixed SignalsILMN currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating favorable earnings estimate revision trends and positive near-term performance potential. Its Growth Score of B highlights relatively attractive growth characteristics. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

However, its Value Score of D indicates weaker valuation appeal, while its Momentum Score of F reflects unfavorable price momentum characteristics. The VGM Score of D signals that the combined value, growth and momentum profile remains less attractive despite the favorable Zacks Rank.

The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise their earnings estimates following the latest quarterly results.

Vistra Corp. (VST - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on November 6. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.40 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +37.1%.

Revenues are expected to be $7.44 billion, up 49.8% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 8.66% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Vistra?For Vistra, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -7.22%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Vistra will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Vistra would post earnings of $1.54 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.80, delivering a surprise of +16.88%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Vistra doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAmong the stocks in the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, Ameren (AEE - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $2.29 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +5.5%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $2.88 billion, up 6.8% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Ameren has been revised 1% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -0.47%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.

This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Ameren will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.