OpenAI and Broadcom on Wednesday unveiled their debut custom chip, called Jalapeño, marking the ChatGPT maker's first entry into artificial intelligence silicon.
The chips will be made by Broadcom and used by OpenAI for inference, the compute-intensive process of serving its AI models to users in ChatGPT and other applications.
OpenAI President Greg Brockman told CNBC's David Faber on Wednesday that the chips were designed from end to end in nine months with help from the company's AI models.
"The degree to which our models have been able to accelerate it was very surprising to us," Brockman said.
Broadcom has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the generative AI boom by helping hyperscalers and frontier labs create their own custom chips for AI. Shares of the chipmaker are up 10% so far in 2026 and have multiplied by almost sevenfold since the end of 2022.
The chipmaker's shares climbed on Wednesday following the announcement.
Brockman told CNBC that OpenAI "cannot get compute fast enough," and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan backed up that take, saying compute demand from the company's six customers is "simply insatiable."
"It's just much more than we can address," he said, "and this is not just '26, not '27, we're seeing that same and even elevated demand in '28 as well."
Jalapeño is a major step in OpenAI's plan to "build the full stack behind its models and products," according to the press release.
"By designing more of the stack ourselves, we can serve more intelligence with greater efficiency and keep pushing advanced AI toward broader access," Brockman said in a release announcing Jalapeño.
Read more CNBC tech newsGoogle's online dominance is showing signs of cracking in AI eraOracle has cut 21,000 roles over the past year, adding to wave of tech AI layoffsTesla faces federal probe after Model 3 slams into Texas home, killing 76-year-oldSpaceX signs computing power deal with open-source AI startup Reflection worth up to $6.3 billionSince OpenAI kick-started the generative AI boom in 2022, the company has been one of the biggest buyers of Nvidia's pricey graphics processing units, the key piece of infrastructure for building AI models and running large workloads. But OpenAI is experiencing such an explosion in demand that it needs other sources of advanced silicon.
Earlier this year, OpenAI forged a deal with Amazon Web Services that includes use of the company's Trainium AI chips. OpenAI has also signed agreements with Nvidia rival Advanced Micro Devices and with AI chipmaker Cerebras, which held its initial public offering in May.
In October, after 18 months spent working together, OpenAI and Broadcom went public with plans to develop and deploy racks of OpenAI-designed chips starting late this year, ultimately aiming to build enough to require 10 gigawatts of power.
The chip with Broadcom is an ASIC, which industry experts say is less flexible than Nvidia's GPU, but is also less expensive and can be designed for specific AI tasks. OpenAI said that it designed the chip in nine months, and that it also crafted large parts of the computer system where it will be used.
The companies are calling the chip an "Intelligence Processor" and describe it as the first "AI accelerator" in a platform they're building "to make advanced AI faster, more reliable, and more accessible to more people."
A physical sample of the new chip will be delivered to OpenAI on Wednesday. The companies said they're aiming for initial deployment of the Jalapeño chips by the end of 2026, "expanding in the years ahead."
Tan told CNBC on Wednesday that there would be "small prototype development" in late 2026 and then it would scale from there.
"We will start seeing it really ramp up in '27 and really going full tilt in first half '28," Tan said.
OpenAI introduced its Jalapeño AI inference chip, developed with Broadcom silicon and Celestica rack technology, as the ChatGPT maker pushes deeper into custom hardware.
On Wednesday, OpenAI unveiled its first custom-built inference processor, designed and manufactured in collaboration with Broadcom. Named Jalapeño, the new processor was designed specifically for the unique needs of OpenAI’s inference systems. OpenAI’s own AI models assisted in the development of the chip, the company said.
While the chip is still being tested, OpenAI says early results show significantly better performance-per-watt than current state-of-the-art alternatives.
The partnership was officially announced in October, but OpenAI’s chip plans have long been rumored as a way to reduce the company’s dependence on Nvidia’s GPUs. Google and Amazon have both built custom chips to serve a similar purpose, often called “AI accelerators” — silicon designed specifically to speed up machine learning workloads.
OpenAI president Greg Brockman explained the company’s approach to chip development on its in-house podcast, shortly after the Broadcom partnership was announced.
“We have a deep understanding of the workload,” Brockman said in the episode. “We’ve really been looking for specific workloads that are underserved, [and asking] how can we build something that will be able to accelerate what’s possible?”
Jalapeño is specifically designed for inference, the process of running pre-built AI models in response to user commands. In the announcement, OpenAI emphasized the chip’s low operating cost when running real-time coding models. It’s likely that more performance-intensive tasks like pre-training will still rely on Nvidia hardware, but even small reductions in inference costs could do a lot to improve the company’s bottom line.
Optimizing that inference system may prove to be a crucial factor in the economics of AI going forward — and it’s likely to take place at every level of the stack. OpenAI is already building agentic products like Codex and the models that power them, as well as data centers to run those models. Moving into purpose-built chips lets the company go even further in that process, as the company explained in its announcement.
“OpenAI is not only developing frontier models or building products on top of them; it is designing the infrastructure underneath them: chip architecture, kernels, memory systems, networking, scheduling, deployment systems, and product experience,” the company wrote. “Because OpenAI operates across the stack, each layer can be optimized around the same goal: making its models faster, more reliable, and more affordable for users.”
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Russell Brandom has been covering the tech industry since 2012, with a focus on platform policy and emerging technologies. He previously worked at The Verge and Rest of World, and has written for Wired, The Awl and MIT’s Technology Review. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at 412-401-5489.
The chip, called Jalapeño, was built to improve efficiency and lower costs, advancing OpenAI's strategy to build out a full stack behind its models and products.
HomeIndustriesComputers/ElectronicsTech StocksTech StocksThe custom chip is designed to support the ChatGPT maker’s future AI models and productsPublished: June 24, 2026 at 11:20 a.m. ET
Broadcom’s stock hasn’t seen the same level of investor appreciation as smaller chip plays this year, but the company showed on Wednesday that it’s very much still in the game when it comes to artificial-intelligence semiconductors.
The company unveiled its first custom chip for OpenAI on Wednesday, calling it the first of multiple generations focused on running future AI models.
WESTLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Charles Schwab Corporation announced that it has scheduled a Summer Business Update for institutional investors on Tuesday, July 21st.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Stryker (NYSE: SYK), a global leader in medical technologies, today announced a new partnership with Major Champion and globally recognized golfer Shane Lowry at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, naming him a sponsored brand ambassador for its Joint Replacement division. Through this collaboration, Lowry will share a deeply personal story, highlighting the critical role caregivers play in supporting loved ones through joint pain, surgery and recovery.
As a caregiver to his father, Brendan, a former Gaelic football player and knee and hip replacement recipient, Lowry brings a unique perspective, having seen firsthand the impact joint pain has on both patients and their families. Research shows that support from family and caregivers can positively impact recovery and outcomes.1,2 Together with Stryker, Lowry will help raise awareness of the experience someone struggling with joint pain may go through and empower caregivers to take an active role throughout their loved one's journey, from education to recovery.
"Watching my dad in pain because of his hip and knee was as hard as anything I've come across on the course. As a caregiver, you want to help, but it's not always clear where to start," said Lowry. "I've learned that asking the right questions, finding the right doctor and simply being there along the way can make a big difference. I didn't realize at the time how many Stryker technologies are out there to support those who suffer from joint pain, and I'm proud to now be partnering with a company helping people to keep moving forward. I hope sharing my story encourages others to take that first step with a loved one."
Through a global campaign spanning media, social channels and educational initiatives, Lowry will help elevate the role of caregivers and encourage a more proactive engagement in the joint replacement journey. By focusing on awareness, education and access to information, the campaign aims to support caregivers as they help loved ones take the first step, from understanding treatment options to navigating recovery.
"We know joint replacement is more than surgery – it's a personal journey that affects both patients and the people who support them every step of the way," said Katherine Truppi, president of Stryker's Joint Replacement division. "As we continue to move lives, we also value the essential and often underrecognized role caregivers play in helping loved ones navigate treatment decisions and recovery. Shane's story brings that perspective to life in an authentic and meaningful way that we hope can help more people."
Throughout the Travelers Championship, fans are invited to stop by the Fan Zone to learn about treatment options for joint pain.
For more information and downloadable resources, please visit www.MoveLivesTogether.com.
About Stryker
Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. We offer innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology and Orthopaedics that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside our customers around the world, we impact more than 150 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com.
Wylde V, Kunutsor SK, Lenguerrand E, Jackson J, Blom AW, Beswick AD. Is social support associated with patient-reported outcomes after joint replacement? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Rheumatol. 2019;1(3):e174-e186. doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(19)30050-5 Singh J, Saag K, Lemay C, Allison J, Franklin P. Effect of Family Support on Short-and Intermediate Term Pain and Function Outcomes after Knee or Hip Replacement. Abstract Number 64 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting 2014. November 14-19, 2014. Boston, MA. SOURCE Stryker
Key Takeaways CRON reported Q1 net revenues up 40% to $45.2M and gross profit up 39% to $19.2M.CRON's brands grew retail sales 18% in Canada; Spinach became the top vape brand.CRON expanded in Israel and Germany, while CanAdelaar closing shifted to summer 2026. Cronos Group (CRON - Free Report) continues to attract investor attention as the cannabis company strengthens its global footprint and executes on several strategic initiatives.
The company has been expanding its presence across international markets while reinforcing its position in Canada through a growing portfolio of cannabis brands. At the same time, Cronos' strong balance sheet provides the financial flexibility to pursue additional growth opportunities.
These developments raise an important question for investors: Do they make the cannabis stock an attractive investment opportunity at current levels? Let’s examine the company’s fundamentals to better assess the appropriate course of action.
CRON’s Encouraging Q1 ResultsCronos Group delivered encouraging first-quarter 2026 results, reflecting strength across both its domestic and international operations.
Net revenues increased 40% year over year to $45.2 million, driven by higher cannabis flower sales in Israel, Canada and other international markets, as well as higher cannabis extract sales in Canada. Gross profit increased 39% year over year to $19.2 million, benefiting from higher sales volumes and a favorable product mix.
The quarter also highlighted the strength of Cronos' Canadian business. Its brands generated 18% year-over-year retail sales growth, significantly outpacing the industry's 2% growth rate. Spinach became the No. 1 vape brand in Canada during the quarter, while the company maintained its leadership position in edibles and improved its standing in the flower category as production constraints eased following the expansion of its GrowCo cultivation operations.
Cronos also continued to expand its international footprint, with Israel and Germany remaining important growth markets. Meanwhile, the completion timeline for the CanAdelaar acquisition has been pushed out, with management now expecting the transaction to close in the summer of 2026, subject to certain closing conditions.
Cutthroat CompetitionDespite recent positive developments, Cronos continues to operate in an intensely competitive cannabis market. The company faces pressure from peers, such as Aurora Cannabis (ACB - Free Report) and Tilray Brands (TLRY - Free Report) .
Both ACB and TLRY are actively pursuing international expansion opportunities and product portfolio diversification. Sustaining market share gains and pricing power could remain challenging as more players target the same growth markets.
CRON Stock Performance & EstimateYear to date, shares of the Canada-based cannabis operator have risen more than 2% against the industry’s nearly 7% fall.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bottom-line estimates for 2026 have remained unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating stable earnings expectations in the near term.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How to Play CRON Stock?Cronos is making steady progress across multiple areas of its business, supported by strong first-quarter results, improving brand performance in Canada and continued international expansion efforts.
However, the company continues to operate in a highly competitive industry, while some of its longer-term growth initiatives remain subject to execution and regulatory risks. While Cronos continues to execute on its strategic initiatives, analysts remain cautious about the pace at which these efforts will translate into sustained earnings growth.
Given these factors, investors may prefer to remain cautious on the stock at the current levels. CRON currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that investors may be better off staying on the sidelines for now.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GD Culture Group Limited, a Nevada corporation (Nasdaq: GDC) (the "Company" or "GDC"), today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements with certain investors for the purchase and sale of 259,301,306 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares”), at a purchase price of $0.021 per share in a registered direct offering (the “Offering”) priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules.
The gross proceeds to the Company of this offering are expected to be approximately $5.45 million. The transaction is expected to close on or about June 24, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Univest Securities, LLC is acting as the sole placement agent.
The registered direct offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-292934) previously filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 26, 2026 and became effective by on March 18, 2026. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at [email protected], or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus will be filed by the Company and, upon filing, can be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
About GD Culture Group Limited
GD Culture Group Limited is a Nevada corporation and holding company. The Company is currently undergoing a strategic transition toward leveraging its artificial intelligence and virtual content generation technologies to enter the interactive reading and narrative entertainment market. The Company's main businesses include AI-driven digital human technology. For more information, please visit the Company's website at https://www.gdculturegroup.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.
For more information, please contact:
GD Culture Group Limited
Investor Relations Department
Email: [email protected]
JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GD Culture Group Limited (Nasdaq: GDC) (the “Company” or “GDC”) today announced that the Company had received a written notification letter (the “Notification Letter”) from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) on June 22, 2026, notifying the Company that it is not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rules 5550(a)(2) for continued listing on the Nasdaq.
Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) requires listed securities to maintain a minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share, and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) provides that a failure to meet the minimum bid price requirement exists if the deficiency continues for a period of 30 consecutive business days. Based on the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock for the 30 consecutive business days from May 7, 2026 to June 18, 2026, the Company no longer meets the minimum bid price requirement.
The Notification Letter does not impact the Company’s listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market at this time. In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company has been provided 180 calendar days, or until December 21, 2026, to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). To regain compliance, the Company’s common stock must have a closing bid price of at least US$1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days. In the event the Company does not regain compliance by December 21, 2026, the Company may be eligible for additional time to regain compliance or may face delisting. To qualify, the Company will be required to meet the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for the Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the bid price requirement, and will need to provide written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during such compliance period, including by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.
The Company’s business operations are not currently affected by the receipt of the Notification Letter. The Company is monitoring the closing bid price of its common stock and may, if appropriate, consider implementing available options, including, but not limited to, implementing a reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement under the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
About GD Culture Group Limited
GD Culture Group Limited is a Nevada corporation and holding company. The Company is currently undergoing a strategic transition toward leveraging its artificial intelligence and virtual content generation technologies to enter the interactive reading and narrative entertainment market. The Company’s main businesses include AI-driven digital human technology. For more information, please visit the Company's website at https://www.gdculturegroup.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. Such statements may be, but need not be, identified by words such as "may," "believe," "anticipate," "could," "should," "intend," "plan," "will," "aim(s)," "can," "would," "expect(s)," "estimate(s)," "project(s)," "forecast(s)," "positioned," "approximately," "potential," "goal," "strategy," "outlook" and similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding assembly and distribution capabilities, decentralized production, and fully digitalized autonomous driving solutions. All such forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions, and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in this communication. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact the Company’s forward-looking statements, please see disclosures contained in the Company’s public filings with the SEC, including the "Risk Factors" in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2026 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that the Company has filed or may file with the SEC, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
For more information, please contact:
GD Culture Group Limited
Investor Relations Department
Email: [email protected]
On June 24, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for Illinois Tool Works Inc ITW , a company that has shown a price performance of +6.9% year-to-date and +9.8% over the past year. Despite its recent gains, the valuation metrics suggest a more cautious outlook.
DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value is $153.16, indicating a margin of safety of -70.8% compared to the current price of $261.64. DCF FCF-based intrinsic value stands at $112.23, suggesting a significantly overvalued status with a margin of safety of -133.1%. The GF Score™ of 85/100 indicates a reliable assessment of the DCF inputs, reflecting strong fundamentals. What Is ITW Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model The DCF earnings-based model employs a two-stage approach to estimate the intrinsic value of ITW. In the first stage, we forecast earnings growth over the next ten years, followed by a terminal growth phase. The assumptions used in this model are critical for accurate valuation.
Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $10.77 10-Year Growth Rate 8.2% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.49% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% In the growth phase, we project that EPS will grow at 8.2% annually for ten years, discounted at a rate of 11%. The terminal phase assumes a 4% growth rate for the subsequent ten years. The summary of the calculations is as follows:
Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 8.2%, discounted at 11% $93.83 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $59.33 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $153.16 With the current price at $261.64, the intrinsic value of $153.16 indicates that ITW is modestly overvalued, with a margin of safety of -70.8%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research indicates a stronger correlation between stock prices and earnings rather than free cash flow. For further calculations, visit the ITW DCF Calculator.
What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? When we analyze ITW using the free cash flow (FCF) DCF model, the intrinsic value is calculated at $112.23. This value diverges significantly from the earnings-based valuation, reinforcing the notion that ITW is significantly overvalued with a margin of safety of -133.1%. The disparity between the two models suggests that the market may be pricing in more optimistic growth expectations than what the cash flow metrics support.
How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for ITW is calculated at $265.92, which positions the stock as slightly undervalued by 1.6%. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. While the DCF models indicate overvaluation, the GF Value™ presents a contrasting perspective, suggesting that the stock may be more fairly valued than the earnings and FCF models imply. For more insights, visit the GF Value™ page.
What Does ITW's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been shown to generate higher long-term returns based on backtesting from 2006 to 2021.
Metric Rating GF Score™ 85/100 Financial Strength 5/10 Profitability 9/10 Growth 6/10 Valuation 9/10 Momentum 7/10 With a predictability rank of 1/5 stars, the reliability of the DCF model for ITW is limited. For more details, check the ITW stock page.
Key Assumptions and Limitations It is crucial to note that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Additionally, stocks with low predictability ratings tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not accurately reflect future economic conditions.
What This Means for Investors In synthesizing the three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—the consensus indicates that ITW is overvalued. The DCF earnings-based model suggests a significant discrepancy from the current market price, while the FCF model reinforces this view with an even lower intrinsic value. The GF Value™ offers a slightly more optimistic perspective but does not fully align with the DCF findings.
For the full DCF analysis, visit the ITW DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.
Frequently Asked Questions What is ITW's intrinsic value based on DCF?
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Shares of this drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager have returned +12% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.3% change. The Zacks Medical Services industry, to which CVS Health belongs, has gained 4.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
CVS Health is expected to post earnings of $1.86 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +2.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.2%.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $7.44 points to a change of +10.2% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -0.1%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $8.37 indicates a change of +12.5% from what CVS Health is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.2%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, CVS Health is rated Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For CVS Health, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $100.18 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +1.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $409 billion and $425.13 billion estimates indicate +1.7% and +3.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryCVS Health reported revenues of $100.43 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.2%. EPS of $2.57 for the same period compares with $2.25 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $94.38 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +6.41%. The EPS surprise was +16.29%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
CVS Health is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about CVS Health. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
Segro PLC's (LSE:SGRO) rejection of a £12.6 billion takeover approach from US giant Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD) may be only the opening round in what could become one of the biggest UK property deals in years.
The US logistics giant's all-share proposal valued Segro at 925p a share, a 24.6% premium to the undisturbed share price and broadly in line with the company's last reported net asset value.
That was not enough for Segro's board, which dismissed the approach as "opportunistically timed" to take advantage of the "clear dislocation between Segro's current share price and its highly attractive underlying business and strong prospects" and "falls a long way short" of its assessment of the company's value.
The key question now is whether Prologis comes back with more.
Analyst John Cahill at Stifel believes it can. With a market value of around $139 billion and substantial financial resources, "an improved offer is clearly possible" from Prologis.
And the act of taking its offer public, said AJ Bell's Dan Coatsworth, "suggests the initial all-share bid submitted last week is just its opening salvo and that Segro’s rejection won’t be the final word in the story".
Segro's shares trade at about a 20% discount to net assets, reflecting a wider malaise across the UK REIT sector that has left even its strongest companies looking vulnerable to deep-pocketed overseas bidders.
Other analysts argued that a bid based on current NAV understates Segro's attractions.
Bjorn Zietsman at Panmure Liberum said the important consideration is whether an offer adequately compensates shareholders for the future returns available from Segro's development pipeline, urban logistics portfolio, power infrastructure and emerging data centre operations.
Notably, Prologis' own rationale "appears to support this view", Zietsman said, noting that the US company repeatedly highlighted the embedded value within these opportunities and its belief that its scale and financial strength can accelerate their monetisation.
Peel Hunt analyst Matthew Saperia agreed that future returns were a key consideration, arguing that the latent value in Segro's pipeline alone warrants a premium valuation. As such, he said, "we do not view an offer on these terms as attractive".
On the other side of the coin, Cahill said the Segro board and management team "would need to consider the best interests of shareholders given the UK REIT sector has traded at a significant discount to NTA for some years," even for companies with benefit from fully liquid equity, a portfolio in a structurally supported sector, a strong balance sheet and a management team with a proven track record for excellence".
The wider implications extend beyond Segro, as the company represents almost a fifth of the UK listed property sector by value.
If Prologis succeeds, it would remove one of the market's largest and highest-quality REITs and, said Cahill, "would represent a serious challenge to the long-term viability of the UK listed property sector".
Here at Zacks, we offer our members many different opportunities to take full advantage of the stock market, as well as how to invest in ways that lead to long-term success.
The Zacks Premium service, which provides 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 like the Earnings ESP filter, makes these more manageable goals. All of the features can help you identify what stocks to buy, what to sell, and what are today's hottest industries.
Also included in Zacks Premium is the Focus List. This is a long-term portfolio of top stocks that have all the traits to beat the market.
Breaking Down the Zacks Focus ListIf you could get access to a curated list of stocks to kickstart your investment portfolio, wouldn't you jump at the chance to take a peek?
That's what the Zacks Focus List, a portfolio of 50 stocks, offers investors. Not only does it serve as a starting point for long-term investors, but all stocks included in the list are poised to outperform the market over the next 12 months.
One thing that makes the Focus List even more advantageous is that each pick comes with a full Zacks Analyst Report. This helps explain why each stock was selected and why we believe it's a good pick for the long-term.
The portfolio's past performance only solidifies why investors should consider it as a starting point. For 2020, the Focus List gained 13.85% on an annualized basis compared to the S&P 500's return of 9.38%. Cumulatively, the portfolio has returned 2,519.23% while the S&P returned 854.95%. Returns are for the period of February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2021.
Focus List MethodologyWhen stocks are picked for the Focus List, it reflects our enduring reliance on the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Earnings estimates, or expectations of growth and profitability, come from brokerage analysts who track publicly traded companies; these analysts work together with company management to analyze every aspect that may affect future earnings, like interest rates, the economy, and sector and industry optimism.
Earnings estimate revisions are very important, since investors also need to take into consideration what a company will earn in the future.
When a stock receives upward earnings estimate revisions, it will likely get even more positive changes in the future. For instance, if an analyst raised their earnings outlook last month, they'll probably do so again this month, and other analysts will follow.
Utilizing the power of earnings estimate revisions is when the Zacks Rank joins the party. A unique, proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank uses changes to quarterly earnings expectations to help investors create a winning portfolio.
Four primary factors make up the Zacks Rank: Agreement, Magnitude, Upside, and Surprise. Each is given a raw score that's recalculated every night and compiled into the Rank, and with this data, stocks are then classified into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell."
The Focus List is comprised of stocks hand-picked from a long list of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) ranked companies, meaning that each new addition boasts a bullish earnings consensus among analysts.
Because stock prices react to revisions, buying stocks with rising earnings estimates can be very profitable. Focus List stocks offer investors a great opportunity to get into companies whose future earnings estimates will be raised, potentially leading to price momentum.
Focus List Spotlight: Prologis (PLD - Free Report) Prologis, Inc. is a leading industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, operates and manages industrial real estate space in the Americas, Asia and Europe. The company principally targets investments in distribution facilities for customers who are engaged in global trade and depend on the efficient movement of goods through the global supply chain.
Since being added to the Focus List on June 3, 2020 at $95.46 per share, shares of PLD have increased 52.16% to $145.25. The stock is currently a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank.
One analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $6.18. PLD boasts an average earnings surprise of 2.1%.
Earnings for PLD are forecasted to see growth of 6.4% for the current fiscal year as well.
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The appointment of a CEO from a NYSE American-listed mining company will further strengthen ARE's Board as it progresses its planned Nasdaq listing. Mr Gili brings deep Wyoming, hydrometallurgical and mine development expertise to the largest known rare earth deposit in the United States.
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aerwave today announced the launch of its first Wi-Fi 7 community at AvalonBay’s Kanso Twinbrook in Rockville, Maryland, bringing next-generation managed connectivity to a property widely recognized as a model for the future of apartment living without a traditional leasing office. AvalonBay’s Kanso brand was recently profiled by Multifamily Executive as “the future of apartment buildings,” highlighting the brand’s digital-first, self-service operating model and technology-driven resident experience.
Wi-Fi 7 is the newest generation of wireless technology, designed to deliver significantly higher speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than prior Wi-Fi standards. It enables more devices to connect simultaneously, supports bandwidth-intensive applications like streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and smart home technology, and provides a more consistent experience in dense environments such as apartment communities.
“At Kanso Twinbrook, connectivity is not an add-on, it is the backbone of the entire operating model,” said Ed Wolff, CEO of Aerwave. “Launching Aerwave’s first Wi-Fi 7 site with AvalonBay at such an innovative community is a meaningful milestone for our company. We are honored that AvalonBay chose Aerwave to help power a property that is redefining the future of apartment buildings.”
Kanso Twinbrook was built from the ground up as a self-touring, low-staffing model, where prospects can either self-tour or take virtual tours supported by a centralized call center, and residents rely on digital tools for access, applications, maintenance requests, parking, and package delivery. All of these experiences depend on secure, ubiquitous, and high-performing connectivity that Wi-Fi 7 is uniquely suited to support.
“We are excited to launch Wi-Fi 7 at Kanso Twinbrook with Aerwave,” said Karen Thompson, Director, Telecommunications at AvalonBay Communities. “This property shows what is possible when you prioritize self-service, centralized operations, and a digital-first resident experience. Cutting-edge connectivity is essential to that vision. Wi-Fi 7 gives us the speed, reliability, and capacity to support self-guided tours, remote support, smart devices, and everyday digital life without compromise, and it positions Kanso Twinbrook for what residents will expect five years from now, not just today.”
Aerwave’s managed Wi-Fi platform and Wi-Fi 7 deployment at Kanso Twinbrook deliver instant-on connectivity, broad coverage, and the performance needed to power modern resident expectations across remote work, streaming, smart devices, and building operations. As apartment communities continue to modernize, connectivity is no longer simply an amenity; it is critical infrastructure that shapes leasing, living, and operational efficiency.
Kanso Twinbrook offers other streamlined features including electronic locks, package lockers, parking, in-unit washers and dryers, and remote customer support seven days a week, reflecting AvalonBay’s tech-forward approach to a more efficient and seamless residential experience. Aerwave’s Wi-Fi 7 launch adds future-ready network capabilities to that vision, supporting a community intentionally designed to deliver “everything you need and nothing you don’t.”
“The future of apartment buildings will be defined by how well technology disappears into the experience,” Wolff added. “At Kanso Twinbrook, connectivity is helping make self-guided touring, self-service living, and operational simplicity possible at scale. That is the kind of innovation Aerwave is proud to enable alongside AvalonBay.”
About Aerwave
Aerwave is a next-generation managed WiFi provider purpose-built for the multifamily industry. By combining property-wide connectivity, resident-first experience, and operator-focused insights, Aerwave helps owners and operators transform connectivity into a strategic asset that powers resident satisfaction, operational efficiency, and NOI growth.
Engineering collaboration brings together deep automotive expertise and the ambition to provide one software platform, language and standard for trucks, buses and other transport vehicles, built to evolve continuously across the 15+ year vehicle lifecycle
GOTHENBURG, Sweden & KRONBERG I. TS., Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coretura, the software-defined vehicle (SDV) platform company founded by Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, has signed an engineering agreement with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to accelerate the development of its software platform for trucks, buses and other medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The collaboration supports Coretura’s current roadmap to deliver first commercialized products toward the end of the decade.
As Coretura’s engineering partner, Accenture brings SDV and broader automotive engineering capabilities, including strengths in electrical and electronic (E/E) architecture and software abstraction, as well as proven experience from the commercial and passenger car industry. Combined with Coretura’s platform vision, these capabilities will enable fast, seamless innovation for the entire commercial vehicle industry.
Collaboration beats isolation
When Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, two world leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, chose to build a joint software foundation, they made a structural bet on openness and collaboration—that the future of commercial vehicles matters more than competition. This future is built on vehicles that are no longer defined by hardware alone, but increasingly by software. Important functions that used to rely on many separate built-in electronic control units are increasingly managed by a central software system.
Today, manufacturers buy and integrate software, but each new project starts from zero rather than building on a shared platform. Coretura was founded to bring platform thinking to the industry and address this cycle directly. The company will deliver one platform with one language and one standard for the software that powers commercial vehicles operating around the clock for 15+ years.
Engineering teamwork at eye level
To accelerate the development of the platform, Coretura has commissioned Accenture as its engineering partner. The two companies will bring a shared AI-driven innovation mindset and complementary roles to the collaboration. Coretura gains specialist capacity that accelerates foundational platform development while retaining full ownership of the architecture and strategic direction. Working alongside Coretura's team on the development, integration, testing, documentation, and compliance of the platform, Accenture helps to drive both speed and scale.
“Our purpose is to advance mobility at the speed of ideas, and that takes depth. Building a full-stack SDV platform demands expertise across embedded software, middleware, cybersecurity, and functional safety, all designed for vehicles with lifecycles measured in decades. Accenture’s reinvention capabilities let us move faster without compromising the standards our customers depend on. This is acceleration, not course correction.”
Johan Lundén, Chief Executive Officer, Coretura
“Helping the industry advance software-defined vehicles is a priority for Accenture. Our landmark collaboration with Coretura is designed to change embedded software engineering for automotive platforms. Together, we are looking to solve the challenges of a fully software-defined architecture – addressing critical areas such as hardware abstraction, API management and AI-based engineering optimizations.”
Rainer Oder, SDV Embedded Software Lead, Accenture
“The commercial vehicle industry is a prime example of the need for companies to reinvent. It requires bold strategic moves like Daimler Truck and Volvo Group are making with Coretura and Coretura is making with Accenture. Our collaboration is testament to Accenture’s commitment to supporting the products we develop with clients long-term.”
Tracey Countryman, Global Lead, Supply Chain and Engineering, Accenture
What it means for the industry
The shift from hardware-first to software-defined is a profound cultural and operational change. The industry is moving from concept to industrialisation, from SDV marketing to AI-based software engineering. The collaboration of Coretura, a purpose-built platform company, and Accenture, a global engineering powerhouse, signals the importance of the work for the industry.
To commercial vehicle manufacturers across the globe, Coretura’s new platform will provide a reusable, generation-independent software stack that lowers costs and secures consistent time to market. For fleet operators and end customers, it will enable commercial vehicles that keep getting smarter, safer, and more valuable long after launch, with new features and performance upgrades delivered continuously over the air. Coretura, with support from Accenture, will bring those benefits to market faster.
Growing the team, strengthening the foundation
The collaboration complements Coretura’s ongoing investment in its own team. The company continues to actively hire across system architecture, high-performance compute, middleware, functional safety, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure. With over 100 engineers from more than 15 countries, Coretura sits at the rare intersection of deep commercial vehicle knowledge and modern software thinking - and that combination is what makes this work different.
Coretura is a 50:50 joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group. Both founding shareholders fully support this collaboration.
About Coretura
Coretura is the software-defined vehicle platform company founded by Daimler Truck and Volvo Group. Its purpose is to advance mobility at the speed of ideas. Coretura builds one platform, one language, and one standard for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles - the foundational software layers the industry needs, but no single manufacturer should build alone. The result: fast, seamless innovation that ensures commercial vehicles keep getting smarter, safer, and more valuable long after launch. Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, Coretura brings together over 130 engineers from more than 15 countries, working at the intersection of deep automotive expertise and modern software engineering.
For more information, visit www.coretura.com.
About Accenture
Accenture helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed for organizations across industries. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and lead in the safe, widespread adoption of AI, and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. We bring together the talent of our approximately 799,000 people with proprietary assets and platforms, deep process and industry expertise, and leading ecosystem relationships to deliver end-to-end solutions and measurable outcomes at scale. Through our Reinvention Services, we offer broad expertise across Cybersecurity, Digital Core, Finance, Industry and Enterprise, Song, Supply Chain and Engineering, and Talent, with advanced capabilities in AI and Data, Industry and Process, and Technology. We serve approximately 9,000 clients and generated approximately $70 billion in FY25 revenue. Visit us at accenture.com.
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On June 24, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for Accenture PLC ACN , a company that has faced significant price declines recently. The stock is currently priced at $127.01, reflecting a year-to-date drop of 52% and a one-year decline of 55.8%. Below are key insights from our analysis:
DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $230.85 compared to current price, indicating a margin of safety of 49.5%. DCF Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value stands at $397.61, providing a second opinion on valuation. GF Score™ of 77/100 suggests a reliable basis for the DCF inputs used in this analysis. What Is ACN Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model The DCF earnings-based model employs a two-stage valuation approach, incorporating a growth phase followed by a terminal phase. In the first stage, we project earnings growth based on the current EPS and an expected growth rate. In the terminal phase, we apply a more conservative growth rate to estimate the company's long-term value.
Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $13.67 10-Year Growth Rate 10.8% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.49% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% In the growth phase (Years 1-10), we project that EPS will grow at 10.8% annually, discounted at a rate of 11%. The calculated value for this stage is $135.36 per share. Following this, in the terminal phase (Years 11-20), we assume a slower growth rate of 4%, also discounted at 11%, yielding a terminal stage value of $95.49 per share.
Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 10.8%, discounted at 11% $135.36 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $95.49 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $230.85 Comparing the current price of $127.01 to the intrinsic value of $230.85, we find that Accenture PLC is significantly undervalued, with a margin of safety of 49.5%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research indicates that stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For further analysis, you can visit the ACN DCF Calculator.
What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The alternative DCF model based on Free Cash Flow (FCF) yields an intrinsic value of $397.61. This FCF-based valuation aligns with the earnings-based model in indicating that Accenture PLC is significantly undervalued, with a margin of safety of 68.1%. Both models suggest a strong potential for upside, reinforcing the notion that the current market price does not reflect the company's intrinsic value.
How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for Accenture PLC is calculated at $357.60, providing a third perspective on valuation. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. Notably, all three models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—indicate that the stock is undervalued, reinforcing the findings from our analysis. For more details, visit the GF Value™ page.
What Does ACN's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been found to generate higher long-term returns based on backtested data from 2006 to 2021.
Metric Rating GF Score™ 77/100 Financial Strength 8/10 Profitability 9/10 Growth 9/10 Valuation 2/10 Momentum 2/10 The predictability rank for Accenture PLC is 2 out of 5 stars, indicating that the DCF model may be less reliable due to the lower predictability rating. For more information, you can visit the ACN stock page.
Key Assumptions and Limitations It is essential to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as Accenture PLC, tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. Additionally, the terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not fully capture future market conditions.
What This Means for Investors In summary, the DCF earnings model, the DCF FCF model, and the GF Value™ all point toward Accenture PLC being significantly undervalued at its current price of $127.01. The consensus across these models suggests that the stock presents an attractive opportunity for investors.
For the full DCF analysis, visit the ACN DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.
Frequently Asked Questions What is ACN's intrinsic value based on DCF?
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Accenture is rated a 'Strong Buy' as the stock trades at least 50% below its intrinsic value, even under conservative assumptions. ACN's Q3 2026 results showed 5.6% revenue growth, stable margins, and robust ROIC above 20%, dispelling fears of a collapsing business model. Short-term risks include declining new bookings and lowered revenue guidance, but buybacks, a solid balance sheet, and a 5.3% dividend yield support long-term value.
Have you evaluated the performance of Accenture's (ACN - Free Report) international operations for the quarter ending May 2026? Given the extensive global presence of this consulting company, analyzing the patterns in international revenues is crucial for understanding its financial strength and potential for growth.
The global economy today is deeply interlinked, making a company's engagement with international markets a critical factor in determining its financial success and growth path. It has become essential for investors to comprehend how much a company relies on these foreign markets, as this understanding reveals the firm's potential for consistent earnings, its capacity to harness different economic cycles, and its overall growth prospects.
Being present in international markets serves as a counterbalance to domestic economic challenges while offering chances to engage with more rapidly evolving economies. However, this kind of diversification introduces challenges like currency fluctuations, geopolitical uncertainties and varying market trends.
While analyzing ACN's performance for the last quarter, we found some intriguing trends in revenues from its overseas segments that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.
For the quarter, the company's total revenue amounted to $18.72 billion, experiencing an increase of 5.6% year over year. Next, we'll explore the breakdown of ACN's international revenue to understand the importance of its overseas business operations.
A Closer Look at ACN's Revenue Streams AbroadDuring the quarter, Europe, Middle East and Africa contributed $6.87 billion in revenue, making up 36.7% of the total revenue. When compared to the consensus estimate of $6.89 billion, this meant a surprise of -0.19%. Looking back, Europe, Middle East and Africa contributed $6.57 billion, or 36.4%, in the previous quarter, and $6.23 billion, or 35.2%, in the same quarter of the previous year.
Of the total revenue, $2.71 billion came from Asia Pacific during the last fiscal quarter, accounting for 14.5%. This represented a surprise of +29.74% as analysts had expected the region to contribute $2.09 billion to the total revenue. In comparison, the region contributed $2.58 billion, or 14.3%, and $2.53 billion, or 14.3%, to total revenue in the previous and year-ago quarters, respectively.
Revenue Forecasts for the International MarketsWall Street analysts expect Accenture to report $18 billion in total revenue for the current fiscal quarter, indicating an increase of 2.3% from the year-ago quarter. Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific are expected to contribute 37.7% (translating to $6.78 billion), and 12.9% ($2.31 billion) to the total revenue, respectively.
For the full year, a total revenue of $73.76 billion is expected for the company, reflecting an increase of 5.9% from the year before. The revenues from Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific are expected to make up 36.8%, and 13.2% of this total, corresponding to $27.18 billion, and $9.71 billion, respectively.
Wrapping UpThe dependency of Accenture on global markets for its revenues presents a mix of potential gains and hazards. Thus, monitoring the trends in its overseas revenues can be a key indicator for predicting the firm's future performance.
In an era of growing international ties and escalating geopolitical disputes, financial analysts on Wall Street pay keen attention to these developments to fine-tune their earnings estimations for businesses operating across borders. It's important to note, however, that a range of additional variables, like a company's local market status, also play a crucial role in shaping these forecasts.
Here at Zacks, we put a great deal of emphasis on a company's changing earnings outlook, as empirical research has shown that's a powerful force driving a stock's near-term price performance. Quite naturally, the correlation is positive here -- an upward revision in earnings estimates drives the stock price higher.
The Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating mechanism, demonstrates a notable performance history confirmed through external audits. It effectively utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions to act as a predictor of a stock's price performance in the near term.
Currently, Accenture holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), signifying its potential to match the overall market's performance in the forthcoming period. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
A Look at Accenture's Recent Stock Price PerformanceOver the past month, the stock has seen a decline of 28.2% in its value, whereas the Zacks S&P 500 composite has posted a decrease of 1.3%. The Zacks Computer and Technology sector, Accenture's industry group, has descended 2.2% over the identical span. In the past three months, there's been a decline of 36% in the company's stock price, against a rise of 12.3% in the S&P 500 index. The broader sector has increased by 21.2% during this interval.
Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Red Hat today announced a collaboration to help organizations identify vulnerabilities early and deploy protections fast across open source software, commercial applications, operational technology (OT) and healthcare technologies. By integrating Palo Alto Networks Virtual Patching capability with Project Lightwell from IBM and Red Hat, the collaboration combines rapid network-level protection with software remediation to help organizations reduce exposure to emerging threats.
AI has supercharged vulnerability discovery, enabling flaws to be identified at unprecedented speed and scale. AI-driven threats can uncover security gaps across codebases far faster than defenders can patch them, exposing organizations to systemic supply-chain risks.
Nikesh Arora, CEO and Chairman of Palo Alto Networks
"AI has compressed the window between vulnerability discovery and exploit from weeks to minutes. Traditional patching cannot keep pace. By collaborating with IBM and Red Hat, we are shifting the advantage back to defenders. This powerful combination allows us to neutralize threats in the network while providing uninterrupted business continuity for our global clients."
Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM
"IBM established Project Lightwell to secure the open-source software foundation that enterprises rely on every day. By collaborating with Palo Alto Networks, we are extending that security from the source code directly to the network front lines. This joint solution gives our clients exactly what they need to thrive in the AI era: immediate, automated resilience against emerging threats, combined with the rigorous validation required to safely update their core systems."
A Seamless "Shield-and-Fix" Workflow
The collaboration connects IBM and Red Hat’s $5 billion commitment to open source security via Project Lightwell with Palo Alto Networks’ security platform. This creates a dual-action defense: Palo Alto Networks rapidly deploys a virtual patch at the network layer to block exploit attempts, while IBM and Red Hat’s Project Lightwell offers software remediation for open source software that customers can test and deploy in their environments.
The collaboration combines vulnerability intelligence, software remediation and network-based protections to help organizations respond quickly to newly discovered vulnerabilities. Key capabilities include:
Broader Vulnerability Coverage: Protection across open source software, commercial applications, operational technology (OT) environments and connected devices. Preemptive Coverage: Organizations can receive virtual patch protections before official software patches become available, helping reduce exposure while remediation is underway. Rapid Protection: When a new vulnerability is discovered, network-level protections can be deployed the same day, with a long-term goal of reducing the time from validated discovery to protection. The companies also plan to establish secure processes for sharing vulnerability information across participating software vendors, technology providers and security teams. This collaboration is expected to support coordinated vulnerability disclosure, accelerate protection development and provide anonymized telemetry on real-world exploitation attempts.
Expert Deployment via IBM Consulting
To help organizations respond more effectively to newly discovered vulnerabilities, IBM Security Services can also provide advisory and deployment services that help customers identify which vulnerabilities pose the greatest risk to their business and determine the best path to remediation. Working alongside Palo Alto Networks' virtual patching capabilities and Project Lightwell's software remediation capabilities, IBM Security Services can help customers prioritize, deploy and validate protections and fixes across complex environments.
About Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), the global AI cybersecurity leader, protects our digital way of life with a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and platforms across Network, Cloud, Security Operations, AI and Identity. Trusted by 70,000+ customers and powered by Unit 42 threat intelligence, our AI-driven platforms eliminate complexity, empowering enterprises to modernize with confidence and securing the speed of innovation. Explore the future of security at www.paloaltonetworks.com.
Palo Alto Networks, Prisma, Prisma AIRS, Idira and the Palo Alto Networks logo are trademarks of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other trademarks, trade names, or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. Any unreleased services or features (and any services or features not generally available to customers) referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available (or are not yet generally available to customers) and may not be delivered when expected or at all. Customers who purchase Palo Alto Networks applications should make their purchase decisions based on services and features currently generally available.
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.
Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
About Red Hat
Red Hat is the open hybrid cloud technology leader, delivering a trusted, consistent and comprehensive foundation for transformative IT innovation and AI applications. Its portfolio of cloud, developer, AI, Linux, automation and application platform technologies enables any application, anywhere—from the datacenter to the edge. As the world's leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, Red Hat invests in open ecosystems and communities to solve tomorrow's IT challenges. Collaborating with partners and customers, Red Hat helps them build, connect, automate, secure and manage their IT environments, supported by consulting services and award-winning training and certification offerings.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements with respect to Palo Alto Networks that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation, statements regarding the benefits, impact, or performance or potential benefits, impact or performance of Palo Alto Networks products, technologies, and integrations or future products, technologies, and integrations. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and there are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this release. Palo Alto Networks identifies certain important risks and uncertainties that could affect its results and performance in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time-to-time, each of which are available on Palo Alto Networks' website at investors.paloaltonetworks.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements in this release regarding Palo Alto Networks are based on information available to Palo Alto Networks as of the date hereof, and Palo Alto Networks does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260624513461/en/
NEW YORK, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds Roblox Corporation (“Roblox” or the “Company”) (NYSE: RBLX) investors of the August 7, 2026 deadline involving a securities fraud class action lawsuit commenced against the Company.
Should You Join The Roblox Corporation Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX)?Did you sell your shares between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026, inclusive?Did you lose money in your investment in Roblox Corporation?
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Roblox Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 7, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the common stock of Roblox between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026, inclusive, alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the Company and certain of its senior officers.
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Roblox common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
NEW YORK, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Roblox securities between October 30, 2025 and April 30, 2026, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/RBLX.
Roblox Case Details
The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
Defendants overstated Roblox’s organic growth potential and the Company’s ability to sustain “tremendous organic growth” following the rollout of its age verification features;Defendants downplayed and failed to adequately disclose the severity and certainty of headwinds associated with the age verification rollout, including a slowdown in user enrollment, reduced on-platform communication, and associated negative impacts on app store ratings;as a result of these undisclosed trends, Roblox’s growth rates were expected to decline more sharply than represented; andas a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. What's Next for Roblox Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/RBLX or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Roblox you have until August 7, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to Roblox Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Roblox Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
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Contact Info
Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]
EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands, June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) today announced that Jeff Palmer, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, has decided to retire following a distinguished 16-year career with the company. Following Jeff’s retirement, Mike Lucarelli will serve as Senior Vice President of Investor Relations. Mike will report to Bill Betz, Chief Financial Officer, serving as a key liaison to the investment community.
On behalf of NXP, Bill Betz and the NXP Management Team would like to thank Jeff for his 16 years of dedicated service and leadership where he played a critical role in strengthening NXP’s engagement with the investment community and shaping its strategic narrative. Jeff’s deep understanding of the business, ability to translate investor perspectives into actionable insights, and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on NXP, and the team wishes him all the best in his retirement.
NXP is delighted to welcome Mike, who brings deep industry expertise across the semiconductor and technology sectors. Most recently, Mike was the Global Head of FP&A and Corporate Finance at Uber. His extensive background includes a decade at Analog Devices—where he served as Head of Investor Relations and oversaw the FP&A organization—along with seven years as a sell-side analyst covering semiconductors.
Mike will formally step into the Investor Relations role as of the third quarter 2026 earnings cycle. Jeff will continue as an advisor to the company through the fourth quarter 2026 earnings cycle in early 2027.
About NXP Semiconductors
NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) is the trusted partner for innovative solutions in the automotive, industrial & IoT, mobile, and communications infrastructure markets. NXP's "Brighter Together" approach combines leading-edge technology with pioneering people to develop system solutions that make the connected world better, safer, and more secure. The company has operations in more than 30 countries and posted revenue of $12.27 billion in 2025. Find out more at www.nxp.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This document includes forward-looking statements which include statements regarding NXP’s business strategy, financial condition, results of operations, market data, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. These factors, risks and uncertainties include the following: market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; our ability to successfully introduce new technologies and products; the demand for the goods into which NXP’s products are incorporated; global trade disputes, potential increase of barriers to international trade, including the imposition of new or increased tariffs, and resulting disruptions to our established supply chains; the impact of government actions and regulations, including as a result of executive orders, including restrictions on the export of products and technology; increasing and evolving cybersecurity threats and privacy risks; our ability to accurately estimate demand and match our production capacity accordingly or obtain supplies from third-party producers; our access to production capacity from third-party outsourcing partners, and any events that might affect their business or our relationship with them; our ability to secure adequate and timely supply of equipment and materials from suppliers; our ability to avoid operational problems and product defects and, if such issues were to arise, to correct them quickly; our ability to form strategic partnerships and joint ventures and to successfully cooperate with our strategic alliance partners; our ability to win competitive bid selection processes; our ability to develop products for use in customers’ equipment and products; our ability to successfully hire and retain key management and senior product engineers; global hostilities, including the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and resulting regional instability, sanctions and any other retaliatory measures taken against Russia and the continued hostilities and the armed conflict in the Middle East, which could adversely impact the global supply chain, disrupt our operations or negatively impact the demand for our products in our primary end markets; our ability to maintain good relationships with our suppliers; our ability to integrate acquired businesses in an efficient and effective manner; our ability to generate sufficient cash, raise sufficient capital or refinance corporate debt at or before maturity to meet both NXP's debt service and research and development and capital investment requirements; and a change in tax laws could have an effect on our estimated effective tax rates. In addition, this document contains information concerning the semiconductor industry, our end markets and business generally, which is forward-looking in nature and is based on a variety of assumptions regarding the ways in which the semiconductor industry, our end markets and business will develop. NXP has based these assumptions on information currently available, if any one or more of these assumptions turn out to be incorrect, actual results may differ from those predicted. While NXP does not know what impact any such differences may have on its business, if there are such differences, its future results of operations and its financial condition could be materially adversely affected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak to results only as of the date the statements were made. Except for any ongoing obligation to disclose material information as required by the United States federal securities laws, NXP does not have any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after we distribute this document, whether to reflect any future events or circumstances or otherwise. For a discussion of potential risks and uncertainties, please refer to the risk factors listed in our SEC filings. Copies of our SEC filings are available on our Investor Relations website, www.nxp.com/investor or from the SEC website, www.sec.gov.
All-New, Land-Based Entertainment Destination Offers Guests Gaming, Entertainment, World-Class Dining, Premier Hotel and Wellness Spa
WYOMISSING, Pa. & AURORA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PENN Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) (“PENN” or the “Company”) today celebrates the grand opening of Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora, the all-new, $360 million state-of-the-art casino and hotel. PENN’s latest land-based property replaces the former riverboat property that operated on the Illinois shores of the Fox River since 1993.
PENN is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon that will include Illinois Gaming Board officials, area dignitaries, state legislators, and team members prior to opening to the public at 8:30pm CST. Inside, guests will experience over 1,000 of the newest slot machines, over 50 table games and a baccarat room, a retail sportsbook, elevated national and Chicagoland celebrity-led dining, a 226-room premier hotel and wellness spa, event center, and, above all, a prime guest experience.
“We are proud to officially welcome guests and players to the exciting, all-new Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment. “Together with our landside move in Joliet last summer, we have reinvested over $500 million in the Chicagoland market over the last three years, resulting in more jobs, meaningful state and local tax revenue, and further enhancing the region as a must-visit destination. Our roots in Aurora run deep, and we are committed to extending our 33-year legacy as a leader in world-class dining, hospitality, entertainment, gaming, and guest experience for years to come.”
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora, made possible through support from the city of Aurora, the Illinois Gaming Board, and all of our partners, including the hundreds of tradesmen and women who built this incredible new property from the ground up,” said Rafael Verde, Senior Vice President of Regional Operations for PENN. “We are grateful for these partnerships and are eager to showcase the collaborative effort to transition from riverboat gaming to an entertainment destination.”
The roughly 388,500 square foot facility employs approximately 700 team members and supported roughly 700 construction jobs. Open seven days a week and 24 hours a day, the fun and excitement will continue 365 days a year.
Gaming Floor
Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora’s gaming floor features over 1,000 of the latest video reel slot and video poker machines, as well as over 50 exciting table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, and more. The Sportsbook includes one of Chicagoland’s largest TV screens to create the ultimate watching experience, sports betting tellers, and sports wagering and racing kiosks, along with interactive games.
Dining and Entertainment
Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora features multiple world-class dining options throughout the property, including many options for guests of all ages.
PENN partnered with celebrity chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis to create Sorella by Giada, an elevated Italian steakhouse that combines De Laurentiis’ signature fusion of classic Italian cuisine and modern California influence. The restaurant seats roughly 170 guests with both indoor and outdoor options and features a unique menu of handmade pastas, steaks, and more.
Boulevard Food & Drink Hall is a dynamic dining experience operated by McClain Camarota Hospitality, which was founded by James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Shawn McClain. Open to all ages with both indoor seating and an outdoor patio with a fire feature, Boulevard Food & Drink Hall includes Chicago favorites Antique Taco and Pretty Cool Ice Cream, as well as Five50 Pizza, Stephanie Izard’s Lucky Goat, Tabo Sushi by Takashi Yagihashi, and Urbanbelly.
In addition to the numerous betting opportunities and massive screen highlighting the hottest sports action from around the world, The Sportsbook is also a full-service, classic casual restaurant that seats roughly 163 patrons in the dining room and bar. Guests can enjoy a wide array of food and beverage options, featuring favorites such as burgers, crispy wings, sandwiches, and shareables, plus a wide selection of craft and domestic beers and hand-crafted cocktails.
Red Lotus Asian Kitchen will serve patrons authentic made-to-order Asian cuisine, featuring popular noodle and southeast Asian specialties designed to excite the senses in a sleek, modern designed open kitchen. Nearby on the gaming floor is &Vine, a 110-seat bar and entertainment lounge offering distinctive beverages and will be host to various artists for guests to enjoy.
In addition, Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora’s 12,000 square foot event center and meeting rooms are adaptable to accommodate weddings, galas, community events, concerts, sports events, conferences, and more. The event center is accessible for all ages and offers an outdoor entertainment courtyard for special events.
Hotel and Wellness Spa
Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora’s all-new seven-story hotel adds 226 standard rooms and premier suites to the Aurora area and features modern amenities, state-of-the-art in-room technology, a fitness center, and a seamless design throughout the facility. Guests will have room service options as well as full indoor access to the property’s food hall, celebrity chef restaurant, bars and live entertainment lounges, thrilling gaming areas, and wellness spa.
Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora’s Drift Spa blends classic spa treatment with hair and beauty services, including 11 stations for hair, makeup, and nails, plus seven dedicated rooms for massage therapies. In addition, Drift Spa will debut Drift Drybar, a refined hybrid concept pairing high-end, non-chemical salon services with elevated hospitality.
PENN Play™ Rewards Program
Guests can elevate their experience with PENN Play, PENN Entertainment’s industry-leading loyalty program, available at more than 35 destinations nationwide. This free membership offers exclusive access to events, experiences, and personalized rewards across gaming, dining, hotel stays, entertainment, and a network of partners.
With five membership tiers—Play, Advantage, Preferred, Elite, and Owners Club, members enjoy benefits such as priority access, premium partner perks, and personalized offers. Members can easily track their rewards and tier progress through the PENN Play app, which also manages their loyalty dollars “PENN Cash”, redeemable for PENN SlotPlay, hotel stays, dining, and more. Once members reach 3,000 Tier Points, they unlock Real Time Rewards, delivering instant PENN Cash bonuses. The program also proudly features PENN Heroes, honoring active-duty military, veterans, and first responders with exclusive benefits, including annual tier upgrades, hotel and dining discounts, and special promotions.
About Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora
The new Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora, operated by PENN Entertainment, is now open at 2500 N. Farnsworth Ave. adjacent to the Chicago Premium Outlets near Interstate 88 in Aurora, Ill. The best-in-class facility will feature roughly 1,200 gaming positions, a premium hotel with 226 rooms, a retail sportsbook, outdoor entertainment area, full-service spa, high-quality bars and restaurants including Sorella by Giada, an approximately 12,000-square-foot event center with meeting areas and approximately 1,700 parking spaces. The new entertainment destination recently replaced the former riverboat located on the Fox River in downtown Aurora, Illinois, since 1993. For more information, visit: www.hollywoodcasinoaurora.com.
About PENN Entertainment, Inc.
PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (“PENN,” or the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), operates in 27 jurisdictions throughout North America, with a broadly diversified portfolio of casinos, racetracks, and online sports betting and iCasino offerings. PENN’s focus is on organic cross-sell opportunities, reinforced by its market-leading retail casinos, sports media assets and technology, including a proprietary state-of-the-art, fully integrated digital sports betting and iCasino platform, and an in-house iCasino content studio. The Company’s portfolio is further bolstered by its industry-leading PENN Play™ customer loyalty program, offering its approximately 34 million members a unique set of rewards and experiences.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “goal,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “look forward to,” or “anticipates” or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of timing, future results, or performance. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in these statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those factors described in PENN Entertainment’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including PENN Entertainment's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except for PENN Entertainment’s ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, PENN Entertainment undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.
Considering buying NUE stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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Key Takeaways NUE shares have climbed 46.9% YTD, outperforming the industry and the S&P 500.Nucor's 2026 earnings estimate was raised 30.1% in 60 days, with earnings seen up 103.4% year over year.Nucor is expanding capacity, pursuing acquisitions and benefiting from higher U.S. steel prices. Nucor Corporation (NUE - Free Report) benefits from healthy demand in key markets, actions to expand its production capabilities and higher steel prices. Its shares have surged 46.9% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Steel Producers industry’s rise of 34.4% and the S&P 500’s increase of 8.9%.
We are positive about NUE’s prospects and believe that the time is right for you to add the stock to the portfolio, as it looks promising and is poised to carry the momentum ahead.
NUE’s YTD Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let's see what makes NUE stock an attractive investment option at the moment.
NUE’s Rising Earnings Estimates Reflect Positive SentimentThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 for NUE has been revised 30.1% upward over the past 60 days. The consensus estimate for second-quarter 2026 has also been revised 31.6% up over the same time frame. The favorable estimate revisions instill investor confidence in the stock.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NUE’s Strong Growth ProspectsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for NUE’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $15.68, suggesting a 103.4% increase from the previous year’s tally. Earnings are projected to increase by 71.5% in second-quarter 2026.
Superior Return on Equity (ROE) for NucorROE is a measure of a company’s efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds. ROE for the trailing 12 months for NUE is 10.7%, above the industry’s level of 4.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Expansion Actions & Acquisitions Aid Nucor StockNucor remains committed to boosting production capacity, which should drive profitable growth and strengthen its position as a low-cost producer. It is executing a series of growth projects to tap significant end-market demand. Nucor is seeing strong demand from non-residential construction & infrastructure, military & defense, and energy end markets and has a healthy order backlog. The company has already commissioned some of its growth projects with Gallatin and Brandenburg mills, showing strong production and shipment performance.
The construction of the 3 million tons per annum (tpa) sheet mill with a low-cost profile in West Virginia is in the final phases and commissioning of operations is expected through 2026, with production expected in 2027. The new 500,000 tpa galvanizing line at the Berkeley County sheet mill in South Carolina is also on track. Its greenfield project in Utah is also on course for production commencement by mid-2027.
The company has been focusing on growth through strategic acquisitions over the past several years. The recent acquisition of Southwest Data Products expanded its growing portfolio of solutions for data center customers. The buyout of Rytec Corporation will also allow Nucor to further expand beyond its core steelmaking businesses into related downstream businesses. Adding high-performance doors is expected to create cross-selling opportunities with other Nucor businesses and significantly expand its product portfolio for the commercial space.
NUE’s Capital Allocation Backed by Robust Financial HealthNucor is maximizing its returns to shareholders by leveraging its strong balance sheet and cash flows. It ended first-quarter 2026 with strong liquidity of roughly $3.2 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of around $2.2 billion. It also generated cash from operations of $886 million in first-quarter 2026.
The company returned around $1.2 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases, representing nearly 70% of net earnings. Returns to its shareholders were $254 million in the first quarter. It remains committed to its policy of returning at least 40% of earnings to shareholders. Nucor has returned roughly $630 million through share buybacks and dividends year to date till June 17, 2026.
Higher Steel Prices Drive NUE’s MarginsHigher U.S. steel prices have created a favorable landscape for American steel producers. U.S. steel prices recovered in the fourth quarter of 2025, following the lows seen in the third quarter, and the momentum continued in the first quarter of 2026. Overall demand weakness and abundant steel mill output dragged benchmark hot-rolled coil (“HRC”) prices below $800 per short ton in late August and continuing through early September.
HRC prices rebounded in the fourth quarter on major steel mills' price increase, extending lead times and tightening supply, partly due to plant outages and reduced imports driven by tariffs. The recovery, which has been more pronounced since November, has led to HRC prices surging to above $1,100 per short ton. With end-market demand improving, steel prices will likely continue to climb, benefiting U.S. steelmakers, including NUE, with higher profit margins.
NUE’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksNUE currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Other top-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are L.B. Foster Company (FSTR - Free Report) , Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB - Free Report) . While FSTR and ALB carry a Zacks Rank #1, LYB has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for L.B. Foster’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.74 per share, implying a 152.2% year-over-year increase. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSTR’s current-year earnings has been revised 60.5% higher over the past 60 days.
The consensus estimate for Albemarle’s current-year earnings is pegged at $12.39 per share, indicating a 1,668.4% year-over-year increase. ALB’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 54.1%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LyondellBasell’s current-year earnings stands at $8.73 per share, implying an 413.5% year-over-year increase. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LYB’s current-year earnings has been revised 12.3% higher over the past 60 days.
Dan Yergin, S&P Global vice chairman, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the state of crude prices, gasoline price trends, impact of the Iran war, and more.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The greenhouse gas intensity of Canadian oil sands production has declined for a 13th straight year, according to a new analysis by S&P Global Energy. Since 2009, annual emissions intensity has declined every year but one (2012).
The annual S&P Global Energy analysis finds that the benchmark average GHG intensity of oil sands production declined 2% to 59 kilograms of "carbon dioxide equivalent" per barrel (kgCO2e/bbl) in 2025, the most recent calendar year available.
Source: S&P Global Energy Since 2009, the average GHG intensity of oil sands production has declined by 31%, or nearly 27 kgCO2e/b of marketable product.
"The downward trajectory of oil sands emissions intensity is now a well-established, multi-decade trend," said Kevin Birn, Vice President, Head of Carbon Research, S&P Global Energy. "Ongoing optimization efforts to maximize output from existing facilities, which are much more capital efficient compared to new projects, has been a critical factor, and this is expected to continue."
Improvements in mining operations experienced the greatest gains, which came from improved fleet optimization, better waste-heat integration, improved predictive maintenance and shorter maintenance turnaround periods, the analysis finds.
Integrated mines have also been where the larger step-out technologies have been tested and deployed, such as the completion of the Quest Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) project in 2015 and Suncor's coke boiler replacement in 2024. Meanwhile greater volumes of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) and Mined dilibit—operations on average less intensive than integrated mines—diluted and reduced the overall industry average.
While GHG intensity continues to decline, absolute emissions from oil sands have continued to rise, but at a slower rate. Between 2024-2025, absolute emissions rose 2% on account of a 150,000 b/d rise in overall production.
"As oil sands output has increased, emissions have been spread over more units pushing intensity lower, even as it also pushed absolute emissions higher, but at a slowing rate," Birn said. "With growing speculation that oil sands production growth may accelerate, absolute emissions growth should also be expected to rise without the application of CCUS. However, the learnings over the past two decades may mean these barrels still come at even lower intensity."
Media Contacts:
Jeff Marn
S&P Global Energy
+1 202 463 8213
[email protected]
About S&P Global Energy
At S&P Global Energy, our comprehensive view of global energy and commodities markets enables our customers to make superior decisions and create long-term, sustainable value. Our four core capabilities are: Platts for pricing and news; CERA for research and advisory; Horizons for energy expansion and sustainability solutions; and Events for industry collaboration.
S&P Global Energy is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global enables businesses, governments, and individuals with trusted data, expertise, and technology to make decisions with conviction. We are Advancing Essential Intelligence through world-leading benchmarks, data, and insights that customers need in order to plan confidently, act decisively, and thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape. Learn more at www.spglobal.com/energy.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The greenhouse gas intensity of Canadian oil sands production has declined for a 13th straight year, according to a new analysis by S&P Global Energy. Since 2009, annual emissions intensity has declined every year but one (2012).
The annual S&P Global Energy analysis finds that the benchmark average GHG intensity of oil sands production declined 2% to 59 kilograms of "carbon dioxide equivalent" per barrel (kgCO2e/bbl) in 2025, the most recent calendar year available.
Since 2009, the average GHG intensity of oil sands production has declined by 31%, or nearly 27 kgCO2e/b of marketable product.
"The downward trajectory of oil sands emissions intensity is now a well-established, multi-decade trend," said Kevin Birn, Vice President, Head of Carbon Research, S&P Global Energy. "Ongoing optimization efforts to maximize output from existing facilities, which are much more capital efficient compared to new projects, has been a critical factor, and this is expected to continue."
Improvements in mining operations experienced the greatest gains, which came from improved fleet optimization, better waste-heat integration, improved predictive maintenance and shorter maintenance turnaround periods, the analysis finds.
Integrated mines have also been where the larger step-out technologies have been tested and deployed, such as the completion of the Quest Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) project in 2015 and Suncor's coke boiler replacement in 2024. Meanwhile greater volumes of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) and Mined dilibit—operations on average less intensive than integrated mines—diluted and reduced the overall industry average.
While GHG intensity continues to decline, absolute emissions from oil sands have continued to rise, but at a slower rate. Between 2024-2025, absolute emissions rose 2% on account of a 150,000 b/d rise in overall production.
"As oil sands output has increased, emissions have been spread over more units pushing intensity lower, even as it also pushed absolute emissions higher, but at a slowing rate," Birn said. "With growing speculation that oil sands production growth may accelerate, absolute emissions growth should also be expected to rise without the application of CCUS. However, the learnings over the past two decades may mean these barrels still come at even lower intensity."
At S&P Global Energy, our comprehensive view of global energy and commodities markets enables our customers to make superior decisions and create long-term, sustainable value. Our four core capabilities are: Platts for pricing and news; CERA for research and advisory; Horizons for energy expansion and sustainability solutions; and Events for industry collaboration.
S&P Global Energy is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global enables businesses, governments, and individuals with trusted data, expertise, and technology to make decisions with conviction. We are Advancing Essential Intelligence through world-leading benchmarks, data, and insights that customers need in order to plan confidently, act decisively, and thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape. Learn more at www.spglobal.com/energy.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canadian-oil-sands-greenhouse-gas-intensity-continues-a-17-year-decline--down-nearly-one-third-since-2009-sp-global-energy-analysis-finds-302809420.html
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and 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 trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
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 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.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus 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.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee 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.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Automatic Data Processing (ADP - Free Report) Automatic Data Processing, Inc. is one of the leading providers of cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) technology solutions - including payroll, talent management, Human Resources and benefits administration, and time and attendance management - to employers around the world. The company delivers its global HCM strategy and makes investments in highly strategic areas and technology in order to strengthen its underlying business model and prospects for continued growth.
ADP is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. ADP has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 1% over the past four weeks.
Seven analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.10 to $11.07 per share. ADP also boasts an average earnings surprise of +2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, ADP should be on investors' short list.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AGNC either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. 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.
Disclaimer: I am not an investment advisor or professional. This article is my own personal opinion and is not meant to be a recommendation of the purchase or sale of stock. The investments and strategies discussed within this article are solely my personal opinions and commentary on the subject. This article has been written for research and educational purposes only. Anything written in this article does not take into account the reader’s particular investment objectives, financial situation, needs, or personal circumstances and is not intended to be specific to you. Investors should conduct their own research before investing to see if the companies discussed in this article fit into their portfolio parameters. Just because something may be an enticing investment for myself or someone else, it may not be the correct investment for you.
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.
Chubb (CB - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Over the past month, shares of this insurer have returned +2.1%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.3% change. During this period, the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, which Chubb falls in, has gained 1.7%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Chubb is expected to post earnings of $6.57 per share, indicating a change of +7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $26.8 points to a change of +8.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $28.86 indicates a change of +7.7% from what Chubb is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Chubb.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Chubb, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $15.89 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +7.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $64.4 billion and $67.58 billion estimates indicate +7.4% and +4.9% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryChubb reported revenues of $15.3 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.9%. EPS of $6.82 for the same period compares with $3.68 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $14.85 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.97%. The EPS surprise was +5.25%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Chubb is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Chubb. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Private markets are entering a new phase of growth, as strong investor demand and broader access for individual investors reshape how capital is raised, structured and delivered, according to new research from State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT).
Delivering private markets to a broader investor base at scale is fundamentally reshaping how the industry operates. Success will depend on who can manage complexity and deliver consistent outcomes across a much wider set of clients. -Joerg Ambrosius
Share State Street’s fifth annual Private Markets Study, “Resilience Meets Opportunity,” shows that private markets demand remains highly resilient, even amid geopolitical uncertainty, inflation pressures and market volatility. Just 7% of firms expect to reduce allocations, while half plan to increase exposure, reinforcing private markets’ role as a core component of long-term portfolio construction.
At the same time, the industry is undergoing a structural shift toward individual investor participation, as firms expand access through wealth channels. More than 84% of asset and wealth managers either already offer or plan to offer private markets strategies for individual investors, signaling that access has moved from a long-term ambition to a core component of industry strategy.
“The private markets story is defined by resilience on one side and reinvention on the other,” said Joerg Ambrosius, president of Investment Services at State Street. “Demand remains strong but delivering private markets to a broader investor base at scale is fundamentally reshaping how the industry operates. Success will depend on who can manage complexity and deliver consistent outcomes across a much wider set of clients.”
While expanding access to individual investors remains a defining opportunity, firms are becoming more measured about the pace of growth. Around 43% of organizations now expect individual-focused vehicles to account for at least half of private markets fundraising within the next three years, down from 56% in the prior year’s survey, reflecting a more realistic view of operational and distribution challenges. Demand is being driven primarily by diversification and return potential, as well as access to key investment themes.
The study also points to a clear shift in where capital is being deployed. Artificial intelligence and AI infrastructure rank as the top investment theme globally, underscoring private markets’ role in financing long-term structural growth across economies.
“Even in a more uncertain environment, private markets are increasingly where investors access the most important long-term growth themes, serving as a critical source of returns and diversification,” said Donna Milrod, chief product officer at State Street. “AI, infrastructure and other structural opportunities are reinforcing the asset class’s role as a core portfolio allocation. Firms will have to continue adapting to meet demand from a broader range of investors.”
As firms scale private markets strategies to individual investors, operational complexity is emerging as the defining challenge, as asset and wealth managers adapt to serving a larger and more diverse client base. Nearly eight in ten respondents cite liquidity management as a key challenge, with specific pressure points including redemption management, cash forecasting and liquidity stress testing as firms adapt to more dynamic investor flows. Compliance, reporting and investor servicing are also increasing as firms move beyond institutional client bases.
“Democratization is raising the bar for how private markets are structured and supported,” said Scott Carpenter, global head of Alternatives at State Street. “Delivering these strategies at scale requires more than product innovation. It requires the infrastructure, data and operational capabilities to provide transparency, manage liquidity and meet the expectations of a very different investor base.”
The study also highlights a clear consensus on distribution. Wealth management platforms are viewed as the primary channel for private markets access, while defined contribution structures remain a secondary pathway for most firms. This reflects both investor suitability considerations and the role of financial advisors in navigating more complex investment structures.
The survey also reveals that institutional investors’ demand for private markets remains notably resilient despite ongoing market and geopolitical uncertainty. Demand is being driven primarily by return expectations and diversification benefits, reinforcing private markets’ role as a core allocation in long-term portfolio construction.
Taken together, the findings point to an industry entering a more demanding phase where growth, resilience and innovation must be matched by operational discipline and scalability. Private markets are no longer defined solely by access. Instead, competitive advantage is shifting toward firms that can deliver quick liquidity frameworks, transparency and performance at scale across both institutional and individual investors.
Click here to download the findings in State Street’s 2026 Private Markets Survey.
About State Street Corporation
State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world's leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With US$54.5 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and US$5.6 trillion* in assets under management as of March 31, 2026, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 51,000 worldwide. For more information, visit State Street's website at www.statestreet.com.
*Assets under management as of March 31, 2026 includes approximately US$184 billion of assets with respect to SPDR® products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Investment Management are affiliated.
State Street® SPDR® Portfolio Nasdaq® 100 ETF (QNDX) offers access to large-cap market leaders at 10 bps
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--State Street Investment Management today announced the launch of the State Street® SPDR® Portfolio Nasdaq® 100 ETF (QNDX), designed to track the Nasdaq-100 Index® and provide investors with a low-cost, growth-oriented core equity allocation. Priced at 10 bps, investors may consider QNDX a foundational portfolio building block across market cycles.
The Nasdaq-100 Index® is designed to represent 100 of the largest Nasdaq-listed non-financial companies, offering exposure to sectors that have driven durable earnings growth through changing market conditions1 — including Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Health Care — while also capturing established companies with global scale. Nine of the 10 largest US publicly traded companies by market capitalization are in the Nasdaq-100 Index®, underscoring its role in large-cap growth leadership.2
“Investors today are looking for efficiency at the core of their portfolios without sacrificing growth potential,” said Anna Paglia, Chief Business Officer at State Street Investment Management. “QNDX has been built with this need in mind, combining low cost with exposure to many of the market’s largest and most established growth companies, which may make it a compelling core allocation rather than a tactical position.”
"We're excited to expand our partnership with State Street Investment Management through the launch of QNDX,” said Emily Spurling, Global Head of Index at Nasdaq. “The Nasdaq-100® is one of the most widely recognized benchmarks globally and home to many of the most influential companies shaping the modern economy. We’re pleased to see expanded access to the large-cap innovation and growth that define the Nasdaq-100®.”
Investors looking to complement a broad market allocation may consider adding QNDX for a more intentional growth tilt to their equity foundation. When used as a long-term allocation, QNDX may provide cost-effective growth exposure, with the potential to support capital appreciation and long-term compounding.
QNDX is the latest addition to the State Street® SPDR® Portfolio ETF suite, 26 portfolio building blocks designed to help investors build a diversified core portfolio while keeping more of what they earn. The suite provides exposure to US equity, international equity, and fixed income asset classes. As of June 15, 2026, the suite had approximately $433 billion in assets under management.3
For more information about the State Street® SPDR® Portfolio Nasdaq® 100 ETF, visit www.statestreet.com/QNDX.
About State Street Investment Management
At State Street Investment Management, we have been helping create better outcomes for institutions, financial intermediaries, and investors for nearly half a century. Starting with our early innovations in indexing and ETFs, our rigorous approach continues to be driven by market-tested expertise and a relentless commitment to those we serve. With over $5 trillion in assets managed*, clients in 60 countries, and a global network of strategic partners, we use our scale to deliver a comprehensive and cost-effective suite of investment solutions that help investors get wherever they want to go. State Street Investment Management is the asset management arm of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT).
*This figure is presented as of March 31, 2026 and includes ETF AUM of $1,940.32 billion USD of which approximately $184.18 billion USD in gold assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Investment Management are affiliated. Please note all AUM is unaudited.
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Nasdaq®, Nasdaq-100 Index®, NDX®, and Nasdaq-100® are registered trademarks of Nasdaq, Inc. Information contained above is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and nothing contained herein should be construed as investment advice, either on behalf of a particular security or an overall investment strategy. Neither Nasdaq, Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any recommendation to buy or sell any security or any representation about the financial condition of any company. Statements regarding Nasdaq-listed companies or Nasdaq proprietary indexes are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investors should undertake their own due diligence and carefully evaluate companies before investing. ADVICE FROM A SECURITIES PROFESSIONAL IS STRONGLY ADVISED.
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Not FDIC Insured - No Bank Guarantee - May Lose Value
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Freeport (NYSE: FCX) announced today that its Board of Directors declared cash dividends of $0.15 per share on FCX’s common stock payable on August 3, 2026, to shareholders of record as of July 15, 2026. The declaration includes a base dividend of $0.075 per share and variable dividend of $0.075 per share in accordance with FCX's performance-based payout framework. The payment of dividends is at the discretion of the Board, which will consider FCX's financial results, cash requirements, global economic conditions and other factors it deems relevant.
FREEPORT: Foremost in Copper
FCX is a leading international metals company with the objective of being foremost in copper. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, FCX operates large, long-lived, geographically diverse assets with significant proven and probable reserves of copper, gold and molybdenum. FCX is one of the world’s largest publicly traded copper producers.
FCX’s portfolio of assets includes the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest copper and gold deposits; and significant operations in the U.S. and South America, including the large-scale Morenci minerals district in Arizona and the Cerro Verde operation in Peru.
By supplying responsibly produced copper, FCX is proud to be a positive contributor to the world well beyond its operational boundaries. Additional information about FCX is available on FCX's website at fcx.com.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of 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? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means 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 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 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.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
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.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Freeport-McMoRan (FCX - Free Report) Based in Phoenix, AZ, Freeport-McMoRan Inc., formerly Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., is engaged in mineral exploration and development; mining and milling of copper, gold, molybdenum and silver; as well as the smelting and refining of copper concentrates. The company conducts its operations primarily through its principal operating subsidiaries, PT Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI), Freeport Minerals Corporation and Atlantic Copper. PT Freeport Indonesia’s principal asset is Papua, Indonesia-based Grasberg mine, which contains the world’s largest copper and gold reserves.
FCX is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. FCX has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 44.6% for the current fiscal year.
Four analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.09 to $2.56 per share. FCX also boasts an average earnings surprise of +32.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, FCX should be on investors' short list.
Key Takeaways Kroger's grocery engine remains steady, with identical sales excluding fuel up 1% in fiscal Q1.Adjusted e-commerce sales rose 19%, led by delivery and under-one-hour convenience orders.Kroger's Our Brands gained share and outpaced national brands by 175 basis points in Q1. The Kroger Co. (KR - Free Report) is being judged on more than store traffic. Its investment case now depends on whether grocery momentum, digital growth, retail media and private-label strength can offset cost and consumer pressures.
The latest results show that Kroger still has durable operating advantages. They also show why investors are likely to keep watching margins and sales acceleration closely.
Why KR’s Grocery Engine Still MattersKroger’s identical sales excluding fuel increased 1% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. That growth came despite a 130-basis-point headwind tied to the Inflation Reduction Act and 64 basis points of pressure from egg deflation.
The company expects identical sales without fuel to rise 1-2% in fiscal 2026. That outlook points to steady progress in the core grocery business, but not a sharp acceleration.
Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) remains a relevant comparison because grocery value and convenience are central to how consumers choose where to shop. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST - Free Report) also matters in the sector context, as membership-based food retail keeps pressure on traditional grocers to defend traffic and value perception.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Kroger Is Expanding Beyond StoresKroger has built a broad omnichannel network that includes supermarkets, pharmacies, fuel centers and digital commerce platforms. As of Jan. 31, 2026, it operated 2,697 supermarkets, 2,250 pharmacies and 1,731 fuel centers.
The company offers pickup and delivery to substantially all customers. Store-based fulfillment, third-party delivery partnerships and automated capabilities are becoming more important as shoppers shift between in-store and online purchases.
KR’s Digital Business Is Becoming More ImportantAdjusted e-commerce sales grew 19% in the first quarter, led by delivery. Under-one-hour convenience orders represented roughly 50% of digital growth, showing how speed is becoming a larger part of Kroger’s customer proposition.
Kroger also reached a key milestone as e-commerce, including media, turned profitable. That matters because lower cost to serve, better store-based fulfillment and digital scale can help protect margins while the company continues investing in convenience.
Why Kroger’s Private Labels Stand OutKroger’s Our Brands portfolio gained share and outpaced national brands by 175 basis points in the first quarter. Momentum was supported by Simple Truth and Private Selection, with innovation helping the company sharpen its merchandising position.
Private label gives Kroger two advantages in a cautious spending environment. It helps customers manage affordability while giving the company more control over assortment, differentiation and margin flexibility.
What KR’s Ratings Say About the SetupThe bottom line is that Kroger has useful operating levers, but the setup is not without near-term friction. Digital profitability, private-label gains and grocery traffic trends support the bull case, while pharmacy pressure, diesel-related transportation costs and cautious consumers keep the story balanced.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). That rank fits a company with visible strengths but also execution questions as investors wait for clearer evidence of stronger sales momentum and margin stabilization. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Kroger’s Value Score of A and VGM Score of A support investor interest from a valuation and blended-style standpoint. Its Momentum Score of D is a reminder that timing remains less favorable, which may keep some investors on the sidelines until operating trends become cleaner.
Key Takeaways KR is tied to food retail shifts as investors watch digital demand, value trends and margin pressure.Kroger Precision Marketing profit rose over 20%, aided by traffic and advertiser commitments.Our Brands gained share, while e-commerce sales rose 19% and turned profitable with media. The Kroger Co. (KR - Free Report) is increasingly a window into the forces reshaping food retail. Investors are watching more than identical sales as grocery operators adapt to digital demand, value-seeking shoppers and margin pressure.
Kroger’s scale, loyalty data, private-label reach and omnichannel model give it several structural levers. The question is whether those trends can translate into cleaner earnings momentum.
Why Kroger Is Leaning Into Retail MediaKroger Precision Marketing remains one of KR’s clearest high-margin growth drivers. Profit from the business grew more than 20% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, supported by stronger on-site traffic and increased advertiser commitments.
The appeal is Kroger’s data advantage. Management noted that 95% of transactions are tied to a loyalty card, backed by more than 20 years of history. Partnerships with Google’s Display & Video 360 and TikTok, along with artificial intelligence tools for audience creation and budget allocation, widen the retail media opportunity.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How KR Benefits From Trade-Down BehaviorA pressured consumer backdrop makes private label more important. Kroger’s Our Brands portfolio helps the company meet affordability needs without relying only on price cuts.
Our Brands was described as an approximately $39 billion business in fiscal 2025. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, it gained share and outpaced national brands by 175 basis points, with Simple Truth and Private Selection showing momentum.
Why Kroger’s Digital Model Is EvolvingKroger’s digital growth is shifting toward faster and more practical convenience. Adjusted e-commerce sales increased 19% in the first quarter, led by delivery.
Under-one-hour convenience orders represented roughly 50% of digital growth. E-commerce, including media, also turned profitable for the first time, helped by store-based fulfillment, lower cost to serve and the closure of three fulfillment centers.
What KR Reveals About Margin PressuresKroger also shows that scale does not remove pressure from the grocery model. Gross margin was 22.7% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, down from 23% a year earlier.
The decline reflected higher transportation costs, egg deflation, planned price investments and mix factors. Transportation alone created a 15-basis-point headwind, while pharmacy-related sales pressure included a 130-basis-point Inflation Reduction Act impact.
Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) remains a key comparison because it competes across grocery, value and retail media. Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) is also relevant as retailers use owned brands and advertising platforms to protect customer engagement and improve economics.
How KR’s Signals Fit These Industry ShiftsKroger’s emerging trends are attractive, but the investment case is not one-sided. Retail media, private label and profitable digital growth point to better long-term optionality, while transportation inflation, promotional investment and pharmacy sales drag keep near-term expectations measured.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). That rank suggests a balanced near-term outlook rather than a clear positive or negative earnings-revision signal. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
KR has a Value Score of A and a VGM Score of A, indicating favorable valuation and combined style characteristics. Its Growth Score of B also supports the longer-term case, but the Momentum Score of D shows weaker price action. For now, the market still wants more proof that these industry shifts can lift stock performance.
KR's low valuation, cash returns and balance-sheet flexibility support its value case, but consumer, pharmacy and margin pressures keep the buy case cautious.
On June 24, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for Aon PLC AON , a company currently facing a challenging price performance with a year-to-date decline of 8.7% and a one-year drop of 10.1%. The current price stands at $320.74, which prompts a closer examination of its intrinsic value through discounted cash flow models.
DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value: $354.04 vs price $320.74 (margin of safety: 17.1%) DCF FCF-based intrinsic value: $366.72 vs price $320.74 (second opinion) GF Score™: 89/100, indicating high reliability of the DCF inputs What Is AON Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model The DCF earnings-based model for Aon PLC utilizes a two-stage approach to estimate the intrinsic value of the stock. In the first stage, we project the earnings growth over the next ten years at a rate of 13.2%. In the second stage, we apply a terminal growth rate of 4% for the subsequent ten years. The discount rate used for both stages is 11%, which combines the risk-free rate and equity risk premium.
Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $17.87 10-Year Growth Rate 13.2% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.49% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% The calculation summary for the DCF earnings-based model is as follows:
Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 13.2%, discounted at 11% $199.39 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $154.65 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $354.04 Comparing the current price of $320.74 with the intrinsic value of $354.04, we find that Aon PLC is modestly undervalued, with a margin of safety of 17.1%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research indicates that stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For further details, you can visit the AON DCF Calculator.
What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The alternative DCF model based on free cash flow (FCF) yields an intrinsic value of $366.72. When comparing this with the earnings-based intrinsic value of $354.04, both models suggest that Aon PLC is modestly undervalued, with a margin of safety of 12.5%. This alignment between the two models adds credibility to the valuation results.
How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? According to GuruFocus, the GF Value™ for Aon PLC is $397.06, providing a third perspective on the valuation. The GF Value™ is a proprietary measure calculated from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. All three models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—indicate that Aon PLC is currently undervalued, reinforcing the investment thesis. For more insights, visit the GF Value™ page.
What Does AON's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been found to generate higher long-term returns based on backtested data from 2006 to 2021.
Metric Rating GF Score™ 89/100 Financial Strength 4/10 Profitability 9/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 8/10 Momentum 4/10 The predictability rank of 3/5 stars suggests that the DCF model is reasonably reliable for Aon PLC. For more information, visit the AON stock page.
Key Assumptions and Limitations It is essential to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Additionally, stocks with low predictability ratings tend to produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not reflect future economic conditions accurately.
What This Means for Investors In synthesizing the results from the three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—we conclude that Aon PLC is currently modestly undervalued. This suggests a potential opportunity for investors looking for stocks with favorable valuations.
For the full DCF analysis, visit the AON DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.
Frequently Asked Questions What is AON's intrinsic value based on DCF?
earnings-based $387.07, FCF-based $366.72
Is AON overvalued or undervalued?
Based on the DCF and GF Value™ consensus, AON is currently undervalued.
How reliable is the DCF model for AON?
The predictability rank of 3/5 suggests that the DCF model is reasonably reliable for AON.
This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Mlink chipsets expand the ecosystem for Iridium's standards-based NB-IoT and D2D connectivity
, /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM), a leading provider of global voice, data, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite services, today announced that Mlink Technology Inc. (Mlink), a leading fabless semiconductor company specializing in IoT and satellite communication chipsets, has begun live, on-air testing of its MS150-IR IoT-NTN chipset using Iridium NTN Direct℠. MS150-IR is a specialized version of the MS150 chipset family, developed specifically for Iridium NTN Direct as part of Mlink's global IoT-NTN product portfolio.
The Iridium Network Mlink joins a growing ecosystem of chipset providers supporting Iridium NTN Direct, Iridium's 3GPP standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) service. By integrating Iridium NTN Direct, Mlink's chipsets will help device manufacturers, module makers and mobile network operators (MNOs) extend low-power IoT connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial networks through a single global satellite platform. The companies anticipate certification and product availability before the end of 2026.
"We're excited by Mlink's strong progress and the successful transition from lab testing to live on-orbit validation over the Iridium network," said Tim Last, Executive Vice President, Iridium. "This achievement demonstrates the technical maturity of both teams and the readiness of Iridium NTN Direct. We look forward to certification of the MS150-IR chipset later this year, giving our partners and customers additional high-quality, standards-compliant options for global NB-IoT and D2D connectivity."
"Having the opportunity to collaborate with Iridium in the emerging NTN field is a tremendous opportunity for Mlink," said Zhiping An, Co-Founder and Vice President, Mlink. "Our MS150-IR chipset platform has successfully completed Iridium's laboratory testing and has now progressed into the over-the-air (OTA) testing phase. We also have introduced a comprehensive reference design kit, enabling our customers to accelerate product development and commercialization. We look forward to leveraging Iridium NTN Direct to provide high-quality low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication services to customers around the world, enabling reliable and efficient global connectivity."
Iridium NTN Direct leverages Iridium's unique network of 66 cross-linked LEO satellites and 3GPP standards to deliver low-latency, reliable connectivity with excellent signal penetration on a truly global basis. The service is designed for IoT applications including asset tracking, logistics, utilities, agriculture, automotive, industrial monitoring and remote infrastructure, extending connectivity where terrestrial coverage is unavailable, limited or unreliable.
For chipset vendors, module manufacturers, OEMs, and MNOs, Iridium NTN Direct reduces the technical and commercial barriers to integrating satellite connectivity into existing products and networks without requiring additional terrestrial infrastructure. The service enables partners to expand coverage, improve resilience and support new connected-device applications using globally recognized standards.
Mlink's advancement adds to Iridium's expanding roster of chipset partners and reinforces growing momentum toward commercial availability of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026. Iridium NTN Direct is designed to deliver truly global, standards-based NB-IoT and D2D connectivity, enabling devices, sensors and assets to remain connected anywhere on Earth.
For more information on Iridium NTN Direct and how to join the ecosystem, visit: www.iridium.com/ntn-direct.
For more information about Iridium, visit: www.iridium.com
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) operates the world's only truly global mobile satellite network, delivering reliable voice, data, and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services anywhere on Earth. Iridium supports safety- and mission-critical operations for diverse markets such as aviation, maritime, government, emergency services, critical infrastructure, autonomous systems, and remote monitoring applications, where connectivity is essential.
Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Iridium provides its products and services through an ecosystem of 500-plus partner companies around the world. For more information, visit www.iridium.com.
About Mlink Technology Inc.
Mlink Technology Inc, founded in 2013, is a leading innovator in semiconductor solutions for satellite and cellular communications. Mlink has launched SatCom chipsets covering multiple standards such as IoT-NTN, NR-NTN, and GMR, as well as cellular communication chips for 5G RedCap and NB-IoT. Mlink's MS150 series IoT-NTN chipsets and MS340 series NR-NTN chipsets have successfully completed extensive LEO and GEO satellite testing across multiple countries and regions worldwide. Today, they are recognized as among the industry's most widely adopted NTN chipset platforms.
Headquartered in Beijing, the company has established research and development centers in Shanghai, Hefei, and Xiamen. For more information about Mlink, visit: www.mlink-tech.cn.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has based these statements on its current expectations and the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the capabilities, benefits and availability of the Iridium NTN Direct service. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding the timing of commercial availability of the Iridium NTN Direct service, the company's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 12, 2026, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no assurance that Iridium's expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Key Takeaways Iridium launched the 9604 Hybrid IoT Module with satellite, LTE-M and GNSS connectivity.Iridium says the module cuts board space needs by 60% versus multi-component designs.Iridium expanded its IoT portfolio to support uses from low-power sensors to industrial apps. The IoT market is entering a new growth phase as demand for reliable connectivity in remote areas increases. Recognizing this opportunity, Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM - Free Report) has commercially launched its new Iridium 9604 Hybrid IoT Module and accompanying Development Kit. The solution combines Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) satellite connectivity, LTE-M cellular communications and GNSS positioning into a compact platform, allowing IoT devices to transition between terrestrial and satellite networks seamlessly.
A key component of the 9604 is its compact design. At just 16 mm × 26 mm × 2.4 mm, the module reportedly reduces board space requirements by 60% or more compared to traditional multi-component architectures. This smaller footprint offers lower manufacturing costs, reduced complexity, simplified RF routing, easier power management and faster hardware validation. For IoT device manufacturers, these efficiencies can translate into cost savings while shortening development cycles. Iridium built the 9604 on the proven u-blox SARA-R5 platform, combining established cellular capabilities with its global satellite network.
The company has been known primarily for satellite-only communications. With this release, Iridium is embracing hybrid connectivity, recognizing that future IoT deployments will increasingly combine multiple communication technologies. The broader ecosystem now includes traditional Iridium SBD modules, the new Iridium 9604 hybrid module, Iridium NTN DirectSM direct-to-device capabilities and the higher-bandwidth Iridium Certus 9704 platform. This diversified portfolio positions Iridium to serve a wider range of IoT use cases, from low-power sensors to bandwidth-intensive industrial applications.
If Iridium executes effectively and continues expanding its ecosystem, the 9604 Hybrid IoT Module could strengthen its competitive edge and position it to capture a larger share of the rapidly growing global IoT market.
How Competitive is the Evolving Satellite Market for IRDM?Globalstar, Inc. (GSAT - Free Report) satellite connectivity platform is poised to support asset tracking, remote monitoring and autonomous operations in areas with limited infrastructure. It continues to benefit from expanding opportunities in government, defense and large-scale IoT deployments, supported by demand for small size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) technologies. Its upcoming C-3 constellation of more than 50 satellites is expected to boost network capacity, reliability and support growing direct-to-device, IoT and enterprise connectivity demand. First-quarter service revenue rose 17%, driven by higher wholesale capacity services, growing Commercial IoT subscriptions and increased government-related revenue, while equipment sales increased 13% due to stronger demand for Commercial IoT and SPOT devices.
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS - Free Report) has deployed an initial set of commercial satellites in low Earth orbit, branded BlueBird and continues to expand its launch campaign. These satellites support non-continuous service and have been used to validate voice and data capabilities directly to unmodified smartphones. Management expects BlueBird 8, BlueBird 9 and BlueBird 10 to be launched in mid-June on a Falcon 9 vehicle and stated that BlueBird 11 through BlueBird 33 are in advanced stages of production and assembly. The company continues to target roughly 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026 with launches expected every one to two months.
IRDM Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of IRDM have gained 52.7% in a year compared with the Zacks Satellite and Communication industry’s growth of 217.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, IRDM trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) of 5.14X, above the industry’s 3.06X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IRDM earnings for 2026 has been revised downward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Iridium currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here
Recognition Positions Airrived Among the World's Leading Agentic AI Companies and Validates Its Vision for Autonomous Enterprise Operations
DUBLIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Airrived, creator of the Agentic OS for enterprise AI, today announced it was ranked #1 overall in the prestigious AWS/CTIB Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator, a global program backed by Amazon Web Services (AWS), CrowdStrike, CyberE71, and the UAE Cyber Security Council.
"The question is no longer whether Agentic AI will transform the enterprise," added Gurtu. "The question is who will provide the infrastructure enterprises trust to run it."
Share Selected from hundreds of cybersecurity and AI startups worldwide, Airrived was recognized for its Agentic OS platform, which enables organizations to design, deploy, govern, and scale autonomous AI agents across cybersecurity, IT operations, compliance, risk management, and business workflows.
The recognition further establishes Airrived as one of the fastest-growing companies in the emerging Agentic AI category and highlights the increasing enterprise demand for autonomous, governed, and outcome-driven AI systems.
The AWS/CTIB Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator is an equity-free initiative designed to identify and accelerate breakthrough cybersecurity technologies while supporting the UAE's vision of becoming a global hub for cybersecurity innovation.
"This recognition reinforces what our customers have already proven in production," said Anurag Gurtu, Co-Founder and CEO of Airrived. "The future will not be built on AI assistants that simply answer questions. It will be built on autonomous systems that can reason, decide, act, and continuously improve under enterprise governance. Our mission is simple: don't buy a black box—build the intelligence your business actually needs."
Building the Foundation for the Agentic Enterprise
While much of the market remains focused on copilots and chat-based experiences, Airrived has developed what it calls the Agentic OS—a foundational platform designed to support autonomous execution across enterprise environments.
The platform combines:
Fine-tuned domain-specific AI models Deep reasoning systems Reinforcement learning Multi-agent orchestration Human-in-the-loop governance Enterprise-grade security and compliance controls This architecture enables organizations to create specialized AI agents capable of performing complex operational tasks rather than simply generating recommendations.
Airrived's vision is simple: enterprises should not be forced to adopt black-box AI systems. They should have the ability to build, govern, and control intelligence tailored to their own data, workflows, and business outcomes.
Proven in Production
Since emerging from stealth in February 2026, Airrived has secured deployments across Fortune 150 enterprises, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, sovereign cloud environments, and global restaurant brands while earning recognition from Gartner, AWS, Snowflake, Intellyx, and leading cybersecurity industry organizations.
The platform is already deployed across some of the world's most demanding environments, including:
Qatar sovereign cloud infrastructure through Wisdom Technology Fortune 150 insurance organizations Global banking institutions Major telecommunications providers Large fast-casual restaurant chains Global technology and fintech organizations These deployments demonstrate that governed agentic AI has moved beyond experimentation and is now delivering measurable outcomes in production environments.
Industry Recognition Accelerates
The AWS Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator recognition follows a series of significant industry milestones for Airrived, including:
Ranked #1 in the AWS/CTIB Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator. Recognized by Gartner twice as a Tech Innovator, including recognition in Agentic AI and AI Agent Management Platforms. Selected among the Top 3 Startups Globally in the Snowflake Startup Challenge. Recipient of the Intellyx Digital Innovator Award. Winner of the Cybersecurity Excellence Award for Agentic AI Platform. Recipient of the Global InfoSec Award. Recipient of the Security Today CyberSecured Award. Recipient of the BIG Innovation Award. Recipient of the AI Excellence Award. These recognitions, spanning analyst firms, hyperscalers, cybersecurity leaders, and enterprise technology providers, reinforce Airrived's position as one of the leading companies shaping the future of Agentic AI and AI Agent Management Platforms.
Why This Matters
Industry analysts increasingly view Agentic AI as the next major evolution of enterprise software. Organizations are rapidly moving beyond isolated AI assistants toward networks of AI agents capable of orchestrating complex business processes across departments, applications, and infrastructure.
As adoption accelerates, governance, security, explainability, and operational trust have emerged as the defining requirements for enterprise-scale deployment.
Airrived's Agentic OS was designed specifically to address these challenges, providing enterprises with a governed foundation for deploying autonomous AI safely at scale.
"The question is no longer whether Agentic AI will transform the enterprise," added Gurtu. "The question is who will provide the infrastructure enterprises trust to run it."
Acknowledgements
Airrived extends its gratitude to AWS, CyberE71, CrowdStrike, and the UAE Cyber Security Council for their commitment to advancing cybersecurity innovation globally.
The company also extends special thanks to H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government and Chairman of the UAE Cyber Security Council, for his leadership in building one of the world's most ambitious cybersecurity innovation ecosystems and for supporting the next generation of cybersecurity and AI entrepreneurs.
About Airrived
Airrived is the creator of the Agentic OS, a platform that enables enterprises to design, deploy, govern, and scale autonomous AI agents across cybersecurity, IT operations, compliance, risk management, and business functions.
The platform combines deep reasoning, fine-tuning, reinforcement learning, and multi-agent orchestration to deliver intelligent systems that are explainable, controllable, and production-ready. Organizations use Airrived to automate complex workflows, improve operational efficiency, strengthen security operations, and accelerate digital transformation initiatives.
With deployments spanning Fortune 150 enterprises, sovereign cloud providers, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and global brands, Airrived is helping define the future of Agentic AI.
Organizations transform security operations with Falcon Next-Gen SIEM, establishing the Falcon platform as the operating system of the agentic SOC
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) today announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SIEM 2026 Vendor Assessment.1 We believe this recognition reflects how CrowdStrike Falcon® Next-Gen SIEM is transforming security operations at global scale, as organizations replace legacy SIEMs to build the agentic SOC on the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform.
Legacy SIEMs were built for a threat environment that no longer exists. As AI-enabled adversaries attack across domains at machine speed, legacy architecture forces security teams to stitch together telemetry from disconnected sources, increasing complexity and imposing a tradeoff between cost and security. IDC found "73 percent of organizations ingest less than 75 percent of the data needed to fully monitor their environments." That gap creates the blind spots where attackers operate. Falcon Next-Gen SIEM closes this gap through a structural advantage no legacy vendor can match.
The IDC MarketScape noted, “For SIEM buyers, the breadth of native telemetry sources and the consolidation pitch are central: Many of the data feeds traditionally routed into a SIEM, including endpoint, identity, and cloud signals, originate inside the Falcon platform itself.”
“Legacy SIEMs were built to record what happened; Falcon Next-Gen SIEM is built to stop the adversary,” said Ajit Sancheti, GM, Falcon Next-Gen SIEM at CrowdStrike. “Our structural advantage starts with the data that defines modern detection already living on the Falcon platform, and Charlotte AI is now the reasoning engine across Falcon, triaging alerts, correlating cross-domain telemetry, and automating investigation at machine speed.”
Falcon Next-Gen SIEM Is the Operating System of the Agentic SOC
Falcon Next-Gen SIEM has proven itself a scaled market disruptor, with performance and cost advantages that set it apart from legacy SIEMs, exceeding $600 million in ending ARR.2 Organizations are replacing legacy SIEMs and consolidating fragmented tooling on a single platform, benefiting from better economics, faster search, and autonomous response through Charlotte AI's triage that eliminates swivel-chair alert management.
The IDC MarketScape for CrowdStrike notes:
Endpoint, identity, cloud, and exposure data already collected by the Falcon platform flow into Falcon Next-Gen SIEM without re-ingest fees and without external stitching. Customers report that this design eliminates duplicate ingest costs and shortens onboarding for organizations that already run the Falcon sensor. In September 2025, CrowdStrike acquired Onum, a real-time data pipeline vendor, and integrated it as the data routing layer for Falcon Next-Gen SIEM. Charlotte AI provides a set of generally available agents for detection triage, response, hunting, malware analysis, exposure prioritization, data onboarding, search analysis, correlation rule generation, data transformation, and workflow generation, plus AI-generated parsers and natural-language investigation. Falcon Flex licensing lets organizations shift committed spend across Falcon modules over time, and customers describe the ingestion-based pricing model as transparent compared with credit-based alternatives. To learn more about why CrowdStrike has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SIEM 2026 Vendor Assessment, visit here.
About IDC MarketScape:
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers.
About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with the world’s most advanced cloud-native platform for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk – endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data.
Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft, and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting, and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities.
Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity, and immediate time-to-value.
CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.
Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/
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Start a free trial today: https://www.crowdstrike.com/trial
Along with solid earnings results, cloud-based cybersecurity leader CrowdStrike (CRWD 0.34%) announced a 4-for-1 stock split, which will go into effect on July 2. This will help make CrowdStrike's stock more accessible to retail investors after it has soared by roughly 60% so far in 2026.
To be sure, CrowdStrike's business has been performing exceptionally well, and it has some massive opportunities ahead of it. But after the stock's rapid rise this year, is it still worth buying before its split goes into effect?
Image source: Getty Images.
As mentioned, CrowdStrike will start trading on a split-adjusted basis on July 2. You may see some other dates mentioned, such as a record date, but for most investors, here's the key point. If you own 100 shares of CrowdStrike today, you'll have 400 shares in your portfolio when you log into your brokerage account on July 2, with each of those shares trading for about one-fourth of their previous value.
Excellent business momentum CrowdStrike's business is performing quite well, with 26% year-over-year revenue growth in its most recent fiscal quarter. It added $256 million in net new annual recurring revenue (ARR), the most added in a fiscal first quarter in company history. On the bottom line, CrowdStrike generated $468 million in free cash flow, an all-time high, and it handily beat earnings expectations.
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Not only that, but we're seeing clear signs that the agentic AI revolution is likely to be a big tailwind for CrowdStrike, not a threat as many originally thought. CEO George Kurtz said that "CrowdStrike is AI security infrastructure, critical to successful AI adoption."
Not a cheap stock The biggest risk factor for investing in CrowdStrike is valuation. While shares trade for about 12% below recent highs, the company is still valued at about 34 times trailing revenue, one of the highest multiples for a large-cap stock in the S&P 500.
It's fair to say that CrowdStrike is pricing in quite a bit of ARR growth at these levels. If it becomes the go-to cybersecurity platform for agentic AI security over the next few years, the current valuation could look cheap. But a lot will need to go right to justify the stock's current price, and any missteps could cause significant volatility.
To be clear, this is an excellent business. But it's not a good idea to buy CrowdStrike (or any other stock for that matter) just because it is splitting its shares. If you decide to buy, be aware that you're paying a hefty premium, and size your position accordingly.
CHIBA, JAPAN - 2026/06/12: Falcon producer Crowdstrike branding above their exhibition booth at Interop26. (Photo by Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
This article was written by Doug Nathman, with research by his team at Trefis.
The cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike (CRWD) has approved its inaugural stock split at a ratio of 4-for-1, planned for execution post-market closure on July 1. A share priced near $680 will reduce to approximately $170 subsequent to the split. This action comes in light of a prolonged operational recovery following the global IT disruption in July 2024. CrowdStrike’s shares hit a low of $217.89 on August 2, 2024, amid intense regulatory evaluation. Over the span of the next 22 months, the stock surged by more than 210%. This recovery indicated a genuine retention on the platform. CrowdStrike improved its subscription gross margins to 81%, expanded its cloud security offerings, and achieved an annualized recurring revenue of $5.51 billion. Therefore, the pivotal question for investors remains: will the split propel CrowdStrike’s stock upwards?
Implications Of The SplitStock splits do not fundamentally change a company’s prospects; they frequently initiate an increase in stock prices following the announcement. While CrowdStrike underwent a brief market consolidation after its fiscal first-quarter announcement due to broader technology sector adjustments, historical trends support the action. Reduced nominal prices typically draw in wider retail participation, enhancing trading volumes and demand. Such moves also imply that management anticipates continued share price growth. In a comparable situation, cybersecurity counterpart Palo Alto Networks (PANW) observed notable momentum in its share price post-split. Overall, research from Bank of America last year indicated that stocks that undergo splits tend to yield returns between 20% and 25% over the subsequent 12 months, surpassing the average market return of 12% for the same timeframe.
Reasons Why CrowdStrike’s Growth May Remain RobustUltimately, whether the split results in further gains will rely more on CrowdStrike's capacity to maintain this operational progress than on the split. CrowdStrike reported a 26% revenue increase in the first quarter, with new annual recurring revenue climbing to $256 million. In contrast, SentinelOne (S), a direct competitor in the segment, is forecasting full-year revenue growth in the low twenties percentage range.
Analysts predict that CrowdStrike will sustain 23% revenue growth for fiscal 2027, aiming for total sales near $5.95 billion. The stock currently trades at about 29x forward sales based on FY 2027 projections, which consensus models deem justifiable when compared to its historical average of 35x.
This cash flow is supported by a single-agent architecture that provides CrowdStrike advantages that traditional point-solution vendors find difficult to replicate. The proprietary Falcon platform processes and interprets trillions of endpoint events daily, establishing a data gravity moat that continuously enhances its inherent threat detection models. The company has also successfully transitioned its clientele to the Falcon Flex subscription model, enabling enterprise accounts to interchange security modules without procurement challenges, leading to sustained growth among renewing customers.
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These advantages may be challenging to duplicate. Building a unified cloud security, identity protection, and next-generation log management infrastructure requires years of investment in engineering. Following significant industry consolidations, competing legacy platforms, including VMware Carbon Black, have faced drastic channel overhauls, steering enterprise customers toward consolidated industry leaders.
Steering through a high-growth yet unpredictable stock like CrowdStrike necessitates a balance between bold investments and a comprehensive strategy grounded in reliable cash-generating operations. A prudent portfolio aids in maintaining investment by minimizing the effects of market volatility. Although consistently outperforming the market is a challenge, the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio is crafted to render this an achievable objective. The HQ strategy has persistently surpassed its market benchmark since its inception, offering cumulative returns exceeding 105 percent.
The first round of peace talks aimed at ending the Iran war are in the books, but the damages stemming from the global oil supply shock will linger for years to come.
Prices for Brent crude, the benchmark for two-thirds of the world’s oil, have moderated from their one-year high of around $114 per barrel in early May to the high-$70s today. But that remains well above the one-year low of around $58 in December 2025, months before the conflict began.
For investors, the lesson is not simply that oil prices can spike during conflict. It is that energy security and vehicle electrification are becoming increasingly connected investment themes.
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Two big winners have emerged: American oil and electric vehicles (EVs). However, those two results are incongruous, and knowing how they will affect the global economy could indicate future winners of their respective industries.
U.S. Record Oil Production Helped Absorb the Global Supply ShocksAccording to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States once again set records for natural gas and crude oil production in 2025.
EIA data found that “total energy production in the United States increased to a new record of 107 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2025, a 3.4% increase from the previous record set in 2024.”
That gave the country a clear advantage over others as the Iran war rattled global markets. Throughout the war, the United States was able to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to help offset price shocks. As the world’s largest producer of natural gas and oil, the country was able to withstand a degree of the fallout, leaning on domestic production and passing through costs where it could.
Today, SPR stocks are at their lowest level since 1983, underscoring how limited that emergency cushion has become. Nonetheless, the SPR can be replenished at an estimated rate of 680,000 to 1 million barrels per week, which could take anywhere from several months to a few years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Meanwhile, countries without access to domestic crude supplies had to adapt, as they have been doing for years. That has largely centered on increasing renewable energy and broader sustainability efforts—two things the current administration is resistant to. President Trump has, for example, continuously vocalized his support of coal while issuing executive orders freezing wind energy leasing and letting EV tax credits expire.
However, while fossil fuels remain a critical part of the global energy landscape, outside of the United States, their role in transportation is under increasing pressure.
Global EV Adoption Is Accelerating Despite North America's SlowdownFor the global EV market, conditions are radically different.
North America is a laggard in adoption, with 91% of EV sales occurring outside the region last year. Sales in Europe and Asia, however, are illustrating how quickly the market is growing.
In 2025, the European EV market grew by 33% year over year (YOY), with sales in Germany—Europe’s largest economy—growing by 48% YOY. Meanwhile, Asia remains the world’s EV leader.
China saw 12.9 million units sold, compared to 4.3 million in Europe and just 1.8 million in North America, where sales contracted 4% last year. EV sales in China grew by 17% YOY, driven by increased domestic competition, aggressive pricing, and expanded model availability in the world’s second-most populous country, which is home to 1.4 billion people.
Underscoring that trend, industry consultancy firm Grand View Research forecasts the global EV market to reach more than $12.6 trillion by 2030, good for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.7% per year, while the global EV battery market is forecast to undergo a CAGR of 22.2% through 2030.
BYD: Looks Discounted After Becoming the Global EV Sales LeaderBYD Today
$9.72 +0.02 (+0.19%)
As of 11:56 AM Eastern
52-Week Range$9.50▼
$17.75P/E Ratio17.35
In 2025, BYD OTCMKTS: BYDDF—a leading maker of EVs, rechargeable batteries, and renewable energy solutions—surpassed Magnificent Seven member Tesla NASDAQ: TSLA in global EV sales.
In its automotive segment, BYD designs and produces a broad range of passenger cars, buses, trucks, and commercial vehicles, with a particular emphasis on battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models.
BYD had surpassed Tesla in sheer production in 2024, but last year, sales eclipsed the Elon Musk-led firm’s, as Tesla’s sales declined around 10% over the past year.
But while shares of TSLA have gained more than 16% over the past year, shares of BYDDF have lost around 40%, including more than 30% since hitting their year-to-date (YTD) high on April 16.
But fundamentally, the company is sound, making the stock appear to be trading at a deep discount. In Q1, BYD missed earnings by one cent, but quarterly revenue of $21.77 billion beat analyst expectations of $21.05 billion.
The stock sports a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of about 17, furthering the discount argument, and its 0.14 beta suggests that the stock is dramatically less volatile than the broad market. Short interest also hints that a share price floor could be in, with just 0.14% of the float currently being sold short.
BYD Company Limited (BYDDF) Price Chart for Wednesday, June, 24, 2026
NIO: Moving From Recovery Story to Execution TestNIO Today
$5.04 -0.06 (-1.08%)
As of 12:33 PM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
52-Week Range$3.38▼
$8.02Price Target$6.70
Established in 2014, NIO NYSE: NIO is a pioneer in the premium EV space, dedicated to the design, development, and manufacture of smart, high-performance EVs.
While the company’s approximately $12.5 billion market cap pales in comparison to BYD's $87.25 billion and Tesla's $1.52 trillion, its shares have seen a resurgence over the past year, gaining more than 47%.
But like BYD, NIO has corrected since its YTD high on April 16, falling by more than 26%.
Still, the stock is trading at a perceived discount. Despite a consensus Hold rating, analysts’ average 12-month price target for NIO implies more than 30% potential upside from current prices.
In its Q1 2026 earnings report, Shanghai-based NIO showed strong deliveries of 83,465 vehicles, up 98.3% YOY but down about 33.1% sequentially. Revenue rose 112.2% YOY to about $3.7 billion, while gross margin improved to 19%.
However, institutional ownership remains low at just under 49%, and current short interest of 5.88% of the float is worth monitoring. But the company has averaged nearly 22% revenue growth over the past three years, punctuated by nearly 39% growth in 2025, alongside earnings per share growth of more than 35%.
NIO Inc. (NIO) Price Chart for Wednesday, June, 24, 2026
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SLINGERLANDS, N.Y., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a global leader in comprehensive hydrogen solutions for the hydrogen economy, today announced the completion of a critical execution phase at the Måde Power-to-X (PtX) facility in Esbjerg, Denmark, developed and operated by European Energy. Power-to-X infrastructure uses renewable electricity to produce hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels, helping decarbonize industrial and energy applications. This milestone includes the successful installation, commissioning, site acceptance testing (SAT), and handover of a 5 MW GenEco PEM electrolyzer system, bringing one of Denmark’s earliest operational PtX sites online and into active hydrogen production.
The project underscores Plug’s ability to deploy complex hydrogen systems with both speed and precision, delivering full operational readiness. The fully containerized design reduced on-site complexity and accelerated time to production. The Måde facility represents a prime example of PtX infrastructure operating at scale, supporting Europe’s broader transition to low-carbon energy systems and helping meet growing demand for renewable hydrogen. At full capacity, the facility is expected to produce approximately 550 metric tons of green hydrogen annually, equivalent to roughly 1,500 truckloads, with output certified as Renewable Fuel of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) under the ISCC certification scheme.
“As Plug enters its next phase of disciplined growth and operational maturity, we're seeing a shift from one-off deployments to repeatable execution,” said José Luis Crespo, CEO of Plug. “Each project builds on prior experience, allowing us to standardize delivery, reduce timelines, and improve performance with every Plug system we bring online.”
With more than 70 GenEco electrolyzer systems operating across six continents, Plug is leveraging its expanding global install base to refine system design, streamline commissioning, and optimize performance, creating a more reliable and scalable platform. This accumulated operating experience is enabling more consistent execution across projects and reinforcing Plug’s ability to deliver proven hydrogen solutions at scale.
“The Måde facility is an important step in bringing Power-to-X projects from concept into operation,” said Rene Alcaraz Frederiksen, EVP and Head of Power-to-X at European Energy. “Working with Plug, we’ve been able to move efficiently through installation and commissioning to begin producing certified renewable hydrogen. Projects like this demonstrate how PtX can be implemented in practice and support the continued development of Europe’s hydrogen market.”
As Europe accelerates hydrogen adoption through supportive regulatory frameworks and efforts to meet industrial decarbonization targets, projects like Måde reflect the broader transition from early-stage deployments to commercially viable, operational hydrogen infrastructure. Plug continues to expand its presence across the region, supporting customers with integrated solutions spanning hydrogen production, infrastructure, and delivery.
About Plug Power
Plug designs, builds, and operates a fully integrated hydrogen ecosystem spanning production, storage, delivery, and power generation, enabling the global hydrogen economy. A first mover in the industry, Plug delivers electrolyzers, fuel cells, and hydrogen production plants to customers across material handling, industrial applications, and energy markets, advancing energy resilience and industrial decarbonization.
Plug’s GenEco electrolyzers span five continents, while more than 74,000 GenDrive fuel cell systems operate worldwide across 280+ hydrogen-powered material handling sites. Plug also operates its own hydrogen generation network to ensure a reliable, domestically produced supply, with production facilities currently operational in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana, representing a combined capacity of approximately 40 tons per day.
With employees and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the world, Plug serves global leaders including Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, BMW, and BP.
For more information, visit www.plugpower.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding Plug’s expectations regarding future opportunities deploying electrolyzers; Plug’s ability to deploy complex hydrogen systems, standardize delivery, reduce timelines for commissioning and testing, and improve performance of its deployed systems; Plug’s ability to meet market needs with reliable and scalable execution; the extension of Plug's hydrogen ecosystem into emerging high-specification markets; and the advancement of energy resilience and growth of Europe’s hydrogen and Power to X market. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, including but not limited to: The implementation and growth of executable Power to X projects in Europe and globally; competition in the electrolyzer supply market; technological challenges; regulatory and policy changes; market acceptance of hydrogen solutions; Plug’s ability to achieve profitability and manage liquidity; supply chain disruptions; and general economic and market conditions. Additional risks are described in Plug’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Plug undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, except as required by law.
