COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bath & Body Works today announced a strategic partnership with Ulta Beauty, bringing a curated selection of its most-loved body care and home fragrance products to more than 600 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and Ulta.com. The collaboration reflects the company’s focus on building the foundation to reposition Bath & Body Works from a specialty retailer into a category-leading global brand. It also marks an important step in its Consumer First Formula, expanding access to the brand in one of the country’s leading beauty discovery destinations.
Beginning July 12, 2026, Ulta Beauty guests can explore a curated selection of Bath & Body Works products across home fragrance and body care. This assortment includes iconic signature scents in fine fragrance mist, body cream, hand soap and more, along with a collection of the brand’s high-quality 3-wick candles and Wallflowers. It also features the return of a nostalgic favorite, Juniper Breeze, available exclusively at Ulta Beauty.
The strategic partnership reflects Bath & Body Works’ broader marketplace strategy: expanding beyond its owned stores and digital channels to meet consumers in the places they already discover, browse and buy beauty, fragrance and self-care products.
As the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S. and a leading destination for brand discovery, Ulta Beauty offers access to highly engaged consumers who actively shop across categories, frequently test and explore new products, and seek high-quality, ingredient-led beauty brands. Bath & Body Works designed its assortment with this consumer at the center.
“We’re continuing to expand our reach by bringing the best of Bath & Body Works to fragrance fans at Ulta Beauty,” said Maly Bernstein, Bath & Body Works chief commercial officer. “This strategic partnership introduces our brand to new, highly engaged consumers who love to discover and explore, with a curated selection of thoughtfully crafted scents that showcase our fragrance leadership and expertise.”
Bath & Body Works and Ulta Beauty are emotionally driven brands that combine beauty and self-care to bring joy, inspire confidence, and foster self-expression. Together, they transform everyday routines into meaningful experiences—Bath & Body Works through fragrance and personal care, and Ulta Beauty through expansive, inclusive beauty offerings designed for everyone at any stage of their beauty journey.
At the core, both brands are in the business of creating feel-good moments for all through accessible, fun, and engaging experiences that invite discovery and celebrate self-care.
For Ulta Beauty guests, the launch creates a new way to introduce and experience Bath & Body Works, whether through trial-size fragrance discovery, iconic body care favorites or elevated home fragrance from White Barn.
“Ulta Beauty is built on the power of discovery, and we are thrilled to welcome Bath & Body Works to select stores and Ulta.com as we expand the ways guests experience fragrance, bath, body and self-care,” said Lauren Brindley, chief merchandising and digital officer, Ulta Beauty. “We see a meaningful whitespace opportunity to better serve guests across high-quality home fragrance, hand soaps, lotions and body care, categories that beautifully complement our assortment and meet guests across all ages, stages and price points. Through this strategic partnership, we are bringing Ulta Beauty guests greater access to Bath & Body Works’ most-loved products, with a portion of the assortment exclusive to Ulta Beauty, including the return of Juniper Breeze, one of the brand’s most treasured classic fragrances. This launch expands our assortment into incremental categories our guests are excited to discover and reinforces Ulta Beauty as a destination for accessible, elevated beauty and self-care experiences.”
The launch assortment was curated to encourage discovery, trial and cross category exploration, with a mix of iconic fragrances, Ulta Beauty exclusives, body care favorites and home fragrance products including:
Juniper Breeze (Ulta Beauty Exclusive): Juniper Breeze returns for a limited time as an Ulta Beauty exclusive, with notes of juniper leaves, green apple, fresh woods and dewy musk. The fragrance will be available in fine fragrance mist and ultimate hydration body cream. Mini Fine Fragrance Mist Set (Ulta Beauty Exclusive): Perfect for discovery and trial, this mini set features five iconic and best-selling Bath & Body Works’ fragrances: Japanese Cherry Blossom, In the Stars, Warm Vanilla Sugar, Butterfly and Champagne Toast.White Barn Neutrals candle collection: Made with a premium soy wax base and a rich blend of fragrance oils, the White Barn Neutrals 3-wick candle collection is sophisticated, modern, and thoughtfully designed for a luxurious home fragrance experience. Featuring scents like Sweet Orange & Agave, Pistachio Milk & Honey and Mahogany Coconut offered in sleek, elevated packaging, these indulgent fragrances fit seamlessly into any décor style.
Bath & Body Works has already seen encouraging early results from selective and strategic marketplace expansion, reinforcing demand for the brand in new shopping environments. The Ulta Beauty launch builds on those learnings with a curated assortment, elevated in-store storytelling and a discovery-led consumer experience.
Bath & Body Works will be available to shop in more than 600 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and Ulta.com starting July 12, 2026.
See the full product assortment at ulta.com/brand/bath-body-works.
ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS
Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, driven by the belief that everybody deserves to feel good.
The brand’s beloved and iconic scents are expertly crafted for exceptional performance and a luxury fragrance experience. Formulated with thoughtfully chosen ingredients, Bath & Body Works’ body care products are available in multiple forms including fine fragrance mist, body cream, lotion, eau de parfum, body wash, hand soap, sanitizer and more. The brand’s famous 3-wick candles are made with rich, high quality fragrance oils layered throughout a premium soy wax base, for up to 45 hours of room-filling fragrance.
Consumers can shop Bath & Body Works anytime and anywhere they choose, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,900 stores in the U.S. and Canada, 500-plus international locations, online at bathandbodyworks.com, on Amazon and at Ulta Beauty.
ABOUT ULTA BEAUTY
Ulta Beauty is the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S. and a leading destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care, hair care, wellness, and salon services. Since opening its first store in 1990, Ulta Beauty has grown to more than 1,500 stores across the U.S. and redefined beauty retail by bringing together All Things Beauty. All in One Place®. With an expansive product assortment, professional salon services, and its beloved Ulta Beauty Rewards loyalty program, the company delivers seamless, personalized experiences across stores, Ulta.com, and the Ulta Beauty App – where the possibilities are truly beautiful. Ulta Beauty is also expanding its presence internationally through its subsidiary, Space NK, a luxury beauty retailer operating in the U.K. and Ireland, its joint venture in Mexico, and its franchise in the Middle East. For more information, visit www.ulta.com.
Bath & Body Works has teamed with Ulta Beauty to bring its products to the retailer’s stores.
The partnership, announced Tuesday (June 23), is designed to bring a “curated” selection of Bath & Body Works body care and home fragrance products to more than 600 Ulta Beauty stores around the country, as well as to Ulta.com, starting July 12.
“The collaboration reflects the company’s focus on building the foundation to reposition Bath & Body Works from a specialty retailer into a category‑leading global brand,” the company said in a news release. “It also marks an important step in its Consumer First Formula, expanding access to the brand in one of the country’s leading beauty discovery destinations.”
As America’s largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S. and a top destination for brand discovery, Ulta gives Bath & Body Works access to highly engaged consumers who shop across categories, frequently test and explore new products, and keep an eye out for high-quality, ingredient-led beauty brands, according to the release.
“Home fragrance is a really important part of the industry, and it’s not an area that Ulta has played in all that much, so we see a real opportunity,” Bath & Body Works CEO Daniel Heaf said in an interview with Reuters.
Bath & Body Works began selling products on Amazon in February, and the eCommerce platform is helping Bath & Body Works “bring new consumers to the brand,” Heaf said.
“Amazon is about convenience,” he said. “Ulta Beauty is about discovery, trial, and the physical experience. It gives the consumers a chance to see the brand, smell the fragrances and interact with the assortment.”
Added Ulta Beauty Chief Merchandising and Digital Officer Lauren Brindley, “We see a meaningful whitespace opportunity to better serve guests across high-quality home fragrance, hand soaps, lotions and body care, categories that beautifully complement our assortment.”
With this partnership, the companies are courting consumers who might be scrutinizing purchases more closely, but are still spending nonetheless, as PYMNTS wrote last week
Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed retail and food services sales totaling $763.7 billion in May, up 0.9% from April and 6.9% compared to the same month in 2025.
Research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that even as consumers cut back, there are some categories that remain off limits in terms of reduced spending, including personal care, cited by 56% of the people surveyed.
The company logo of the Space systems specialist OHB in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, southern Germany, April 18, 2016. REUTERS/Michael Dalder Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
June 22 (Reuters) - German satellite maker OHB (OHBG.DE), opens new tab said on Monday it was launching a share sale with KKR (KKR.N), opens new tab to bring in new investors and seek a higher valuation as interest in space stocks rises after Elon Musk's blockbuster SpaceX listing.
The combined offering would more than triple OHB's free float and imply a market value of 6.3 billion euros, positioning the company to capitalise on a surge in investor appetite for the sector.
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OHB said it will issue up to 1.7 million new shares at 300 euros each, raising up to 510.7 million euros. KKR-owned Orchid Lux HoldCo will sell up to 1.23 million existing shares, according to a bookrunner for the deal.
The global investment firm will trim its stake to around 20% from 28.6% and net up to 368 million euros, more than it paid for the entire stake in 2023.
The total deal size includes a greenshoe option and would increase OHB's free float to 19.2% from 5.7%, the bookrunner said.
The offer price was a 26% discount to OHB's closing price of 405.5 euros.
The Fuchs family, OHB's majority shareholder, waived its subscription rights but will not sell any shares.
SpaceX (SPCX.O), opens new tab surged past $2 trillion in its record-setting initial public offering on June 12, lifting investor appetite for space stocks. "Everyone is aiming for higher valuations after the SpaceX IPO," CEO Marco Fuchs told Reuters earlier this month.
Shares from KKR and most of the new stock will be placed with institutional investors through Wednesday, while existing shareholders can exercise subscription rights from June 25 to July 8.
($1 = 0.8728 euros)
Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro and Alexander Hübner; Editing by Joe Bavier and Matt Scuffham
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
The private credit market had been a boon for alternative investment firms. KKR (KKR 0.76%) and others raised billions of dollars from investors, which they then invested in private loans. However, the private credit sector has come under pressure over the past year due to high-profile bankruptcies and growing concerns that AI will disrupt software companies, leading to a surge in defaults.
That has investors on edge. They're flooding private credit fund sponsors with redemption requests, forcing these firms to restrict withdrawals. While the sector's growing issues are a concern for KKR, here's why the leading alternative investment manager appears to be in a strong position to weather this storm.
Image source: Getty Images.
Not all private credit is the same There are many misconceptions about private credit. The sector has grown over the last decade due to a combination of rising industry capital needs and traditional lenders pulling back amid rising regulations and capital requirements. This growing gap opened the door for alternative capital providers to underwrite loans for these borrowers.
At the core, private credit is simply a senior loan to asset owners and businesses in return for a prioritized, fixed-income return. The sector's issues all boil down to the lender. Some private credit lenders have looser underwriting standards, while others are stricter. Similarly, some lenders make loans based on a borrower's income, while others make only collateralized loans. A conservative lender making collateralized loans is taking on significantly less default risk than one making unsecured loans based on the borrower's current ability to repay.
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Built to mitigate risk KKR has been investing in private credit for more than 20 years. The global investment firm had $293 billion in credit assets under management (AUM) at the end of the first quarter. However, alternative credit is only $149 billion in its AUM, and direct lending is a mere $39 billion of that amount (which includes loans made by its public and private business development companies (BDCs)). As a result, private credit accounts for a fraction of its total AUM of $758 billion. Further, the company focuses on making lower-risk loans, including senior-secured, first-lien direct lending and collateralized ABF (Asset Backed Financing) loans. KKR has also been very disciplined in its underwriting and diversifies across industries (software is just 5% of its credit portfolio).
The global investment firm's strategy has yielded exceptional results. Every single one of its current vintage of funds is delivering returns that significantly exceed their respective benchmarks. That track record of success is attracting more capital to its funds, even as investors withdraw from other funds. KKR's CFO, Rob Lewin, noted on the first quarter conference call that it was one of its larger quarters for credit inflows, driven by its ABF business.
A compelling opportunity worth capitalizing on KKR's stock price has lost more than a third of its value over the past year due to concerns about private credit, even though it's a small yet sound part of the business. Meanwhile, KKR is more than an asset manager as it also has a leading insurance franchise (Global Atlantic) and a growing portfolio of strategic holdings. These businesses generated $4.6 billion of adjusted net income over the last 12 months, with only a small portion coming from direct lending. Given its low exposure to private credit (and high-quality operations), KKR's sell-off is a great buying opportunity.
Key Takeaways ARES is expanding across credit, real assets and secondaries, with a goal of $750B AUM by 2028.KKR is scaling across private equity, credit and insurance, targeting at least $1T AUM by 2030.ARES and KKR have raised earnings estimates, but rising expenses remain a near-term headwind for both. Ares Management Corporation (ARES - Free Report) and KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR - Free Report) are prominent alternative asset managers with diversified investment platforms across private equity, credit and real assets. ARES primarily focuses on alternative investment solutions spanning credit, private equity, real assets, secondaries and insurance-related strategies. In contrast, KKR operates a broader model that integrates alternative asset management with capital markets and insurance solutions. Both firms benefit from strong institutional relationships, wide-ranging investment capabilities and expanding sources of perpetual capital. However, differences in business mix, growth strategies and revenue drivers could shape their relative performance going forward.
The asset-management industry is navigating a shifting operating backdrop. Rising investments in technology and artificial intelligence are increasing cost pressures, while the rapid growth of ETFs, especially actively managed products, is intensifying competition. Additionally, concerns around private credit markets may weigh on near-term flows into select alternative investment strategies. Still, favorable market conditions and steady inflows continue to support AUM growth across the industry.
Against this backdrop, investors naturally ask: Which firm, ARES or KKR, is better positioned for long-term growth? To answer that, we need to examine their fundamentals more closely.
The Case for ARESAres Management has been strengthening its platform through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. In February 2026, the company acquired BlueCove Limited to strengthen its credit platform and partnered with Slate Asset Management to acquire a Polish retail real estate portfolio, expanding its European footprint. Earlier, the company acquired GCP International in 2025 to broaden its real assets platform. Together, these initiatives have diversified Ares Management's investment offerings, expanded its global footprint and strengthened its position across key alternative asset classes, supporting long-term growth prospects.
Supported by these strategic acquisitions and partnerships, Ares Management's AUM has witnessed consistent growth over the years. Strong fundraising activity through the wealth management channel, growing insurance-related assets, and continued demand for private credit, real assets and secondaries strategies have supported its AUM growth. Further, the company's expanding perpetual capital base and broad distribution network are expected to drive fundraising and deployment activity. With management targeting AUM of more than $750 billion by 2028, ARES appears well positioned to sustain growth over the long term.
Organic growth remains a key strength for Ares Management. Higher management and performance fees from a growing fee-paying asset base have continued to support revenue growth. The acquisition of GCP International has further enhanced the company's real assets and digital infrastructure capabilities, adding incremental management fee revenues. Management continues to target annual organic growth of 16-20% or more in fee-related earnings and more than 20% growth in realized income over the medium term. Going forward, continued expansion in private credit and real assets is expected to support revenue growth and earnings generation.
However, ARES' expense base has been rising due to higher compensation and benefits costs, ongoing investments in fundraising and platform expansion, and expenses associated with integrating acquired businesses. These factors are likely to keep costs elevated and could pressure near-term profitability.
The Case for KKRKKR has been expanding its platform through strategic acquisitions to enhance its investment capabilities and drive asset growth. In May 2026, the company acquired Arctos Partners, an investment firm managing approximately $16 billion in AUM, expanding its capabilities across sports investing, GP solutions and secondaries. Earlier, in July 2025, KKR acquired a majority stake in HealthCare Royalty Partners, adding nearly $3 billion to its AUM and expanding its healthcare-focused investment capabilities. These initiatives have supported KKR's efforts to scale its alternative investment platform, diversify revenue streams and accelerate AUM growth, positioning the company well for long-term expansion.
Building on these initiatives, KKR's AUM balance has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the strength of its diversified investment platform. The company's expanding presence across private equity, credit, infrastructure, real estate and insurance has supported AUM growth, while fundraising and capital deployment activity have remained healthy. Further, a growing perpetual capital base and continued expansion of investment capabilities are expected to support future asset growth. The Arctos acquisition is also expected to increase KKR's exposure to perpetual and long-dated capital and strengthen its wealth and institutional distribution capabilities. Management's goal of reaching at least $1 trillion in AUM by 2030 further underscores confidence in the company's long-term growth prospects.
Organic growth also remains a key strength for KKR. The company continues to benefit from the expansion of its traditional private equity and third-party businesses while adding capabilities across infrastructure, real estate, growth and core investing strategies. These efforts have increased deal activity and broadened KKR's revenue base over time. Continued expansion across these investment platforms is expected to support revenue growth and earnings generation over the long term.
Nevertheless, an elevated expense base remains a headwind for KKR. Higher commission, reinsurance and employee compensation expenses have increased costs, while continued fundraising activity is expected to drive higher placement fees. This could pressure the company's near-term earnings growth.
How Do Earnings Estimates Compare for ARES & KKR?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARES’ 2026 and 2027 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 27.3% and 24.4%, respectively. Earnings estimates for 2026 have been revised upward, while for 2027, it has remained unchanged over the past month.
ARES Estimates Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KKR’s 2026 and 2027 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 24.6% and 23.5%, respectively. Earnings estimates for both years have been revised upward over the past month.
KKR Estimates Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ARES & KKR: Price Performance, Valuations & Other ComparisonsOver the past three months, ARES and KKR shares gained 20.8% and 6.8%, respectively, compared with the industry’s growth of 10.3%.
Price Performance Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, ARES is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 19.14X, while KKR is currently trading at a forward 12-month P/E multiple of 15.7X. Both are trading at a premium compared with the industry average of 13.66X; however, KKR stock is cheaper than ARES.
Price-to-Earnings F12M
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Meanwhile, both Ares Management and KKR & Co reward their shareholders handsomely. In February 2026, ARES raised its quarterly dividend by 20.5% to $1.35 per share. It has a dividend yield of 4.2%. Similarly, KKR raised its annualized dividend by 5.4% to 78 cents per share in May 2026. It has a dividend yield of 0.8%.
Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ARES or KKR: Which Stock Offers More Value?Ares Management and KKR & Co. both benefit from diversified alternative investment platforms, growing perpetual capital bases and healthy fundraising activity, supporting long-term AUM growth. Both companies are also expanding through acquisitions to strengthen their investment capabilities and broaden their market reach.
However, ARES appears to have a slight edge, supported by stronger earnings growth expectations and a significantly higher dividend yield. While KKR trades at a lower valuation and offers solid growth prospects, ARES provides a more compelling combination of growth and income.
Therefore, despite its premium valuation, Ares Management appears better positioned to deliver attractive long-term shareholder returns, making it the more favorable choice for investors seeking both growth and income.
ARES and KKR currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Platform’s inaugural project is Neyland Entertainment District, a transformative mixed-use district adjacent to the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arctos, an investing business in KKR Solutions that seeks to partner with exceptional leaders in sports to help them grow and unlock their vision, today announced a strategic partnership with RVX Ventures (“RVX”), a real estate development platform specializing in mixed-use entertainment districts, and Magellan Development Group (“Magellan”), a national leader in urban mixed-use real estate, to launch a new platform targeting the rapidly growing sports-anchored development sector.
The platform’s inaugural project is Neyland Entertainment District, a new development spanning the Tennessee River waterfront adjacent to Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (the “University”). Structured as a public-private partnership with the University, the development will feature approximately 100,000 square feet of entertainment space alongside a 24-story hotel and residences, along with a private members club, designed to enhance the gameday experience while creating a year-round destination for the Knoxville community. Arctos is the majority equity investor and is participating as a general partner alongside a sponsor team led by RVX, Magellan and Dixon Greenwood.
“Neyland Stadium is an iconic venue in college sports, and we’re grateful to the University of Tennessee for their shared vision and collaboration in bringing this dynamic entertainment district to life,” said Chad Hutchinson, Partner at Arctos. “We see significant opportunity at the convergence of live sports and real estate, and we wanted to be more than a capital provider in this space. RVX and Magellan have the track records and the operational know-how to deliver on complex projects like this, and together we can define how sports-anchored districts are conceived, built and operated.”
Universities, professional sports organizations and municipalities are increasingly seeking to transform the areas surrounding their venues into year-round destinations. Delivering these districts at scale requires significant capital, large-scale development expertise, and hands-on experience programming and operating entertainment venues, capabilities this partnership is designed to bring together under a single platform.
“We believe sports-anchored entertainment districts represent one of the most compelling opportunities in experiential real estate today," said Taylor Gray, Principal of RVX Ventures. "With Arctos and Magellan as partners, we are building a platform with the expertise, relationships and capital needed to deliver transformative projects for universities, teams and communities across the country."
Neyland Entertainment District is the first project for what the partners intend to be a national platform pursuing opportunities across the collegiate and professional sports landscape. The partnership’s model spans sourcing, capitalization, development and operations, allowing the team to take projects from concept through execution under a single structure. While the platform will operate at a national scale, each project is designed to reflect the identity and priorities of the community it serves.
“This project will be one of the great sports-anchored destinations in the country. It has it all: a passionate fanbase, legendary venue and a university committed to doing something transformative,” said J.R. Berger, President of Magellan Development Group. “Magellan has spent three decades reshaping neighborhoods and creating places that endure, and we’re excited to bring those same principles to the sports and entertainment space alongside RVX and Arctos. Neyland Entertainment District will set a new standard for what development adjacent to major sports assets can look like.”
About Arctos
Arctos seeks to partner with exceptional leaders in sports and private markets to help them grow and unlock their vision. Founded in 2019 and acquired by KKR (NYSE: KKR) in 2026, Arctos is a part of KKR Solutions, a new global investing business at KKR, and serves as a catalyst for innovation, growth and business transformation across complex, illiquid and underserved markets.
Arctos is a team of business-builders, investors, operators and data scientists, which provides growth capital and liquidity solutions, differentiated thought partnership and purpose-built value creation capabilities. Its strategies include Arctos Sports, which partners with premium sports owners and franchises, and Arctos Keystone, which provides strategic capital solutions to leading alternative asset managers, real estate operators and investment managers, their funds and portfolio companies. Underpinning this approach is Arctos Insights, a proprietary quantitative research and data science platform, which supports Arctos’ investment process, market perspectives and partnership model. For more information, visit www.arctospartners.com or Arctos’ LinkedIn.
About RVX Ventures
RVX Ventures is a real estate development platform focused on mixed-use entertainment districts and design-forward urban multifamily projects in high-growth markets across the United States. The firm’s leadership team has played key roles in the development, ownership, operation, and activation of several nationally-recognized entertainment districts and mixed-use destinations around the country. Combining expertise across development, sports, entertainment, operations and hospitality, RVX creates destinations that drive long-term economic value and shape how people live, gather and connect. For more information, visit rvxventures.com.
About Magellan Development
Founded in 1996, Magellan Development Group is a national leader in urban mixed-use real estate — investing in, developing, and managing premier properties across the United States. Having delivered over $8 billion in total development value across residential, hotel, office, and retail projects, Magellan prides itself on being a builder of neighborhoods that transcend traditional single-asset development. Its portfolio includes some of the most recognized addresses in the country, from the landmark St. Regis Chicago, Thompson Austin, and W Nashville to the master-planned districts of Lakeshore East in Chicago and Union Square in Somerville, MA. For more information, visit magellandevelopment.com.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
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 given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
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.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Murphy USA (MUSA - Free Report) Murphy USA Inc. is a leading independent retailer of motor fuel and convenience merchandise in the United States. The El Dorado, AR-based company, in its current form, came into existence following the 2013 spin-off of Murphy Oil Corporation’s downstream business into a separate, independent and publicly-traded entity.
MUSA is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Retail-Wholesale stock. MUSA has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 1.6% over the past four weeks.
Five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $6.78 to $32.30 per share. MUSA boasts an average earnings surprise of +16.6%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MUSA should be on investors' short list.
Key Takeaways MUSA's same-store nicotine contribution climbed 11.5%, outpacing non-nicotine growth.Murphy USA benefited from higher merchandise margins and resilient nicotine demand.MUSA's valuation and rising EPS estimates support its long-term outlook. Murphy USA's (MUSA - Free Report) merchandise business is increasingly being driven by one category, nicotine. While discretionary consumer spending remains under pressure, the company's nicotine offerings continue to generate strong sales and higher-margin profits, helping offset weakness in other in-store categories. Recent results indicate that nicotine has evolved beyond a traffic driver into one of Murphy USA's most significant earnings contributors.
During the first quarter, MUSA reported merchandise contribution of $210.2 million, up 7.3% year over year. On a same-store basis, merchandise contribution increased 4.9%, supported by both higher sales and expanding unit margins, which improved to 20.0% from 19.6% in the prior-year quarter. Nicotine remained the standout performer, with same-store contribution rising 11.5%, far exceeding the 2.7% growth recorded in non-nicotine merchandise. Management noted that nearly every merchandise metric benefited from nicotine's continued strength, while discretionary categories such as snacks and other non-essential products remained soft as consumers carefully managed household budgets.
Murphy USA's value-focused operating model has further reinforced this trend. Management highlighted that elevated fuel prices have attracted more value-conscious customers to its stores, creating additional opportunities for nicotine purchases. Unlike discretionary merchandise, nicotine products typically experience more stable demand regardless of broader economic conditions. As a result, the category continues to provide MUSA with a dependable source of inside-store profitability even as the retail environment remains cautious.
MUSA Stands Out Among PeersMUSA is not the only convenience retailer benefiting from nicotine demand, but the category appears to be contributing more meaningfully to the recent merchandise growth than it does for several competitors.
Casey's General Stores (CASY - Free Report) has expanded its assortment of cigarettes, modern oral nicotine products and other tobacco offerings. However, Casey's still relies heavily on prepared food and beverages as its primary engine for inside-store sales growth. While nicotine remains an important category, the company's long-term strategy is centered on foodservice expansion, resulting in a more diversified merchandise mix.
ARKO Corp. (ARKO - Free Report) also generates a portion of its in-store sales from tobacco and nicotine products. Similar to MUSA, ARKO serves value-oriented consumers and views tobacco as an important traffic driver. At the same time, the company has been investing in foodservice, loyalty programs and private-label products to reduce its dependence on traditional tobacco categories. Compared with ARKO, MUSA's latest results suggest nicotine remains a more immediate catalyst for merchandise margin expansion, supported by robust demand for modern nicotine products and its everyday low-price strategy.
Although Casey's and ARKO both recognize nicotine as an important merchandise category, MUSA currently appears to be extracting greater earnings leverage from the segment, helping offset softer discretionary spending while supporting stronger merchandise contribution growth.
Valuation and Earnings Outlook Remain FavorableMUSA's long-term outlook remains supported by resilient nicotine demand, continued retail expansion and disciplined execution. While non-nicotine discretionary categories could recover as consumer spending improves, nicotine currently provides the company with a stable source of higher-margin merchandise contribution and strengthens earnings resilience.
The stock also appears attractively valued relative to its growth prospects. MUSA trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.84, well below Casey's 39.59 and ARKO's 22.11.
Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchAnalysts have also become increasingly optimistic about the company's earnings trajectory, raising 2026 EPS estimates by 26.57% and 2027 estimates by 7.35% over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a stock performance perspective, MUSA has delivered solid returns but has trailed some peers. Over the past six months, ARKO’s shares have surged 60.9%, outperforming Casey's and MUSA, which gained 46.7% and 35.5%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Murphy USA's combination of attractive valuation, strong earnings momentum and nicotine-driven merchandise growth supports its favorable long-term outlook. MUSA currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
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.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and 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 traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
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.
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.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: H&R Block (HRB - Free Report) H&R Block Inc. is a leading provider of tax preparation services. The company provides assisted income tax return preparation, do-it-yourself (DIY) tax solutions, and other products and services associated with income tax return preparation in the United States, Canada, and Australia. All these continuing operations are reported under a single segment.
HRB is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 6.64; value investors should take notice.
For fiscal 2026, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.20 to $5.18 per share. HRB boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.8%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, HRB should be on investors' short list.
ASTS has secured partnerships with roughly 60 MNOs, providing access to nearly 3 billion potential subscribers globally. Management targets $1 billion in revenue by 2027, supported by $1.2 billion of minimum contractual commitments. The company ended Q1 with $3.5 billion in liquidity, enough funding to deploy more than 100 satellites.
ASTS accelerates satellite launches, targeting 45 BlueBirds in orbit by year-end while leveraging the strong $3.5B cash position to fund over 100 satellites. With $1.2B in contracted revenue and major global operator partnerships, the management confidently guides for recurring revenues approaching $1B in FY2027. Despite the near-term cash burn and dilution risks, ASTS' high growth commercialization prospects are compelling indeed, aided by the potential breakthrough of SPCX's current monopoly.
-Grant Supports Health Economic Research Comparing In-House versus Send-Out dd-cfDNA Testing in Kidney Transplantation-
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc., (Nasdaq: IMDX), (iMDx), and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) today announced the selection of Kenneth Andreoni, MD, Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Thomas Jefferson University, and Kenneth Chavin, MD, MBA, PhD, FACS, of Temple Health, as the recipients of the ASTS-iMDx Research Grant for Understanding the Health Economics of In-House versus Send-Out of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) testing. The pursuit of this research is timely as the transplant community increasingly considers adopting in-house dd-cfDNA testing, and rigorous economic and outcomes data is essential to guide transplant programs in making informed decisions about their laboratory infrastructure and assay selection.
The $100,000 grant will be administered through ASTS and funded by iMDx. This health econometric research will compare the costs, clinical impact, and operational implications of in-house diagnostic testing versus send-out centralized laboratory testing. The results of this independent econometric study will generate important information to support future commercialization planning for GraftAssureDx™, which is currently under FDA review.
About the ASTS-iMDx Health Economics Research Grant Recipients
Dr. Andreoni serves as Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Thomas Jefferson University and brings deep clinical and administrative expertise to the evaluation of transplant program operations and diagnostic testing strategies. Dr. Chavin holds appointments at Temple Health and has a unique interdisciplinary perspective informed by his combined training in medicine, business, and science. Together, the grant recipients offer complementary experience in transplant surgery, health systems management, and clinical research that positions this project to generate meaningful and actionable insights for the transplant field.
"We are very pleased to announce Drs. Andreoni and Chavin as the recipients of this grant," said iMDx CEO Josh Riggs. "Both physicians have outstanding experience and credibility in the field of transplantation, and we are confident that their research will advance the community's understanding of the real-world economics of in-house diagnostics. We are also grateful for the opportunity to partner with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons on this important program. As more transplant centers explore in-house dd-cfDNA testing, having rigorous health economic data will be critical to helping programs evaluate their options and plan accordingly."
"The question of whether to perform dd-cfDNA testing in-house or through a centralized laboratory is one that many transplant programs are actively grappling with," said Dr. Kenneth Chavin of Temple Health. "This grant gives us the opportunity to develop a rigorous economic model that will help transplant centers think through the true costs and benefits of each approach. We look forward to producing research that can serve as a practical resource for the community."
"In-house testing has the potential to meaningfully improve turnaround times and, ultimately, patient care," said Dr. Kenneth Andreoni, Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Thomas Jefferson University. "But making the case for that investment requires data. We are excited to conduct this research in partnership with ASTS and iMDx and to contribute evidence that transplant programs can use as they evaluate their diagnostic testing strategies."
ASTS and iMDx established the grant to support research that compares the total cost of care, return on investment, clinical outcomes, and operational efficiency associated with in-house versus send-out transplant testing. Proposed studies are encouraged to utilize advanced econometric modeling such as Markov models, decision-tree analysis, or instrumental variable approaches.
iMDx Transplant Products and Product Candidates in Development
iMDx's flagship GraftAssure™ technology quantifies dd-cfDNA, a molecular biomarker of kidney transplant rejection that has been validated in peer-reviewed studies across leading academic transplant centers around the world. The Company’s scientists in Germany and the U.S. have played a critical role over the past decade in developing the science that helped establish dd-cfDNA as a trusted biomarker of transplant rejection. Under the GraftAssure™ brand, iMDx’s transplant diagnostics include the following:
GraftAssureCore – The company’s laboratory-developed test (LDT), currently reimbursed by CMS and performed at iMDx’s CLIA-certified laboratory in Franklin, Tenn.GraftAssureIQ – A research-use-only (RUO) kit intended and labeled for non-clinical applications.GraftAssureDx – iMDx has submitted GraftAssureDx™, a kitted in vitro diagnostic for clinical decision-making, to the FDA for regulatory review under the Class II de novo pathway.
About Insight Molecular Diagnostics, Inc.
Insight Molecular Diagnostics is a pioneering diagnostics technology company whose mission is to democratize access to novel molecular diagnostic testing to improve patient outcomes. Investors may visit https://investors.imdxinc.com/ for more information.
GraftAssureCore™, GraftAssureIQ™, GraftAssureDx™, GraftAssure™, and iMDx™ are trademarks of Insight Molecular Diagnostics, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to, statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," "may," and similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. These statements include those pertaining to, among other things, the expected outcomes and findings of the ASTS-iMDx grant research, the company's plans to deliver GraftAssureDx as an industry-leading molecular diagnostic kit for clinical use, the FDA's review of iMDx's submission of GraftAssureDx, and other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of diagnostic tests or products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, the capacity of Insight Molecular Diagnostics' third-party supplied blood sample analytic system to provide consistent and precise analytic results on a commercial scale, potential interruptions to supply chains, the need and ability to obtain future capital, maintenance of intellectual property rights in all applicable jurisdictions, obligations to third parties with respect to licensed or acquired technology and products, the need to obtain third party reimbursement for patients' use of any diagnostic tests Insight Molecular Diagnostics or its subsidiaries commercialize in applicable jurisdictions, and risks inherent in strategic transactions. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and accordingly such statements should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of Insight Molecular Diagnostics, particularly those mentioned in the "Risk Factors" and other cautionary statements found in Insight Molecular Diagnostics' Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, which are available from the SEC's website. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. Insight Molecular Diagnostics undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.
FDA
CAUTION: This press release concerns certain products that are under clinical investigation, and which have not yet been cleared or authorized for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products are currently limited by federal law to investigational use, and no representation is made as to the safety or effectiveness of these products for the purposes for which they are being investigated.
Investor Contact
Douglas Farrell
LifeSci Advisors LLC [email protected]
SummaryAST SpaceMobile offers a compelling growth opportunity in the emerging direct-to-cell satellite telecommunications sector.ASTS's technical edge lies in delivering up to 200 Mbps to mobile devices, surpassing current Starlink Mobile capabilities.Despite significant near-term losses and high capital expenditures, ASTS’s commercial agreements expose it to a potential market of nearly 3 billion users, supporting its long-term monetization thesis.ASTS is a high-risk, high-reward investment, with execution, financing, and regulatory risks, but its smaller scale and specialization offer greater upside potential. Getty Images
My recent investment in AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), which I discussed in my last article about the effects of inflation on the stock market, led me to analyze the aerospace sector in its telecommunications division. I found that
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ASTS 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.
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.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $73.19, demonstrating a -9.26% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.37%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.29%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.33%.
Prior to today's trading, shares of the company had lost 23.81% lagged the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 4.52% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.02%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of AST SpaceMobile, Inc. in its upcoming release. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be -$0.28, reflecting a 31.71% increase from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $34.32 million, reflecting a 2858.28% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.
Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of -$1.47 per share and revenue of $164.76 million. These totals would mark changes of -9.7% and +132.32%, respectively, from last year.
Any recent changes to analyst estimates for AST SpaceMobile, Inc. should also be noted by investors. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged. Right now, AST SpaceMobile, Inc. possesses a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).
The Wireless Equipment industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 215, this industry ranks in the bottom 12% of all industries, numbering over 250.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.
BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 will launch into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida
The mission continues the momentum established by the successful June 2026 launch of BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10, which are already operating in orbit
MIDLAND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, today announced that BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 are targeted to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida in the first half of August.
The mission will carry the next batch of next-generation satellites to low Earth orbit, further expanding the company's space-based cellular broadband network designed to provide voice, data, video, directly to standard, unmodified smartphones everywhere.
“With each successful launch, we move closer to our goal of making space-based cellular broadband accessible wherever people live, work, and travel," said Scott Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile. “BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 build on the momentum of our recent constellation and represent another important milestone as we prepare for commercial service. The progression from BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 to this next mission, together with the continued production and assembly of satellites through BlueBird 37, reflects the strength of our manufacturing capabilities and our ability to steadily expand the network while we work to connect the unconnected and under-connected around the world."
BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 feature commercial communications arrays measuring approximately 2,400 square feet, matching the scale of the BlueBird satellites currently operating in orbit. These next-generation satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of AST SpaceMobile's initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which recently achieved peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
The satellites leverage AST SpaceMobile's next-generation stackable satellite architecture, including advanced composite carbon structures designed to support efficient multi-satellite launches and accelerated constellation deployment. Combined with the company's multi-provider launch strategy, the architecture is designed to provide flexibility in deploying AST SpaceMobile's global constellation.
AST SpaceMobile has agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators globally with over 3 billion subscribers combined and strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, stc Group, and American Tower.
The exact timing of orbital launches is subject to change based on a number of factors, including launch readiness of the launch provider, weather conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the company’s control.
About AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio, and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to enable 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband to every device, everywhere, for today’s nearly 6 billion mobile subscribers globally. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on YouTube, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook. Watch this video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile’s control and are difficult to predict.
Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile’s strategies and future financial performance, including AST’s future business plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing of the launch of the Block 2 BlueBird satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and AST SpaceMobile’s ability to invest in growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile Service that would supersede preliminary agreements and memoranda of understanding and the ability to enter into commercial agreements with other parties or government entities; (iii) the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees and AST SpaceMobile’s responses to actions of its competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 11, 2026 and the future reports that it may file from time to time with the SEC.
AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors in AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 11, 2026 and the future reports that it may file from time to time with the SEC. AST SpaceMobile’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) is the only public company beaming 4G and 5G directly to unmodified smartphones from low Earth orbit. CEO Abel Avellan calls it “the only technology positioned to capture the massive direct to device broadband opportunity in full.”
Shares are up just 11.06% year to date despite a constellation buildout that should reach approximately 45 satellites in orbit by year-end 2026. Can ASTS reclaim $100 by January 2027?
What’s Holding AST SpaceMobile Back The stock has stalled. ASTS fell 17.32% in the past week and is down 8.44% over the last month, retreating from a January 2026 peak of $115.77. Q1 2026 revenue of $14.73M missed expectations by 59.72%, and net loss widened with $88.65M in induced conversion expense on convertible notes.
Insiders have been sellers. The CFO unloaded 45,809 shares at $93.81 on June 12, and the president sold 25,904 shares at $126.64 in late May. With a beta of 2.634, ASTS moves violently. Right now it is moving down.
Wall Street Is Cautious. The Setup May Be Underestimated The consensus target sits at $81.47, pinned to today’s price. Analyst ratings split 2 Buy, 7 Hold, and 2 Strong Sell, with only 18% bullish sentiment.
Our base case sees $91.65 within a year (13.63% upside), with a bull case at $108.33. Confidence is moderate at 0.5. The hold-heavy consensus anchors to trailing financials while 2026 guidance steps up to $150M-$200M, backed by over $1.2 billion in aggregate contracted revenue commitments. That step function analysts tend to update slowly.
The Path to $100 Reaching $100 from today’s price of $80.66 requires a meaningful gain. That sits inside the one-year bull case.
Forward EPS is -$1.89, so $100 implies a forward multiple that is not meaningful. ASTS trades on constellation milestones and revenue ramp. The bull case rests on three catalysts: the mid-June launch of BlueBird 8, 9, and 10, the path to 45 satellites in orbit by year-end, and Block 2 satellites that are expected to nearly double the 98.9 Mbps peak data speeds already achieved.
Avellan framed it plainly: “AST SpaceMobile is accelerating manufacturing, regulatory progress, commercial partnerships, and government programs.”
With $3.03B in cash and nearly 60 global MNO partners covering more than 3 billion subscribers, the funding gap has narrowed. The primary risk is execution: any launch slip or MNO conversion failure reprices the story fast.
Valuation Today Price-to-sales sits at 368.59, which only makes sense if the $150M-$200M 2026 revenue guide is the floor. Shares sit 39% below the 52-week high of $133.86 and well above the $36.08 low. The five-year return of 666.73% reflects how quickly this stock rerates on constellation news.
Is $100 Realistic? The bold target is $100, requiring a gain of $100.11 on January 21, 2027.
Three things must go right: mid-June BlueBird launches must hit orbit on schedule, 2026 revenue must track to the upper half of $150M to $200M, and at least one large MNO MOU must convert to a definitive agreement. Launch failure or further dilutive financing derails it. Returns at this level shouldn’t be expected every year, but the blueprint for reaching $100 in 2027 is clear.
AST SpaceMobile ASTS shares rose more than 4% on Tuesday after the company outlined the launch timeline for its next batch of BlueBird satellites and disclosed plans to expand into Japan through a joint venture with Rakuten Group.
The stock's gains came after recent weakness across the space sector, which has been under pressure following the initial public offering of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX).
Tuesday's move put AST SpaceMobile shares on track to reverse a two-session decline.
The company is continuing to expand its space-based cellular broadband network, which is designed to provide direct connectivity to standard smartphones without requiring specialized hardware.
AST SpaceMobile said its BlueBird 11, 12, and 13 satellites are targeted for launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, during the first half of August.
The satellites will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit and follow the successful deployment of BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 last week.
According to the company, the new satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds achieved by the initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which recently recorded download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 feature commercial communications arrays measuring approximately 2,400 square feet and utilize the company's stackable satellite architecture, including advanced composite carbon structures designed to support multi-satellite launches.
"With each successful launch, we move closer to our goal of making space-based cellular broadband accessible wherever people live, work, and travel," said Scott Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile.
The company said it is currently producing and assembling satellites through BlueBird 37.
The exact launch schedule remains subject to factors including launch provider readiness, weather conditions, and other variables outside the company's control.
Separately, a Nikkei report said Rakuten Group plans to form a joint venture with AST SpaceMobile in Japan this year to manage satellite operations and provide direct-to-smartphone connectivity services.
Under the proposed arrangement, the joint venture will purchase and operate satellites, enabling Rakuten to compete with Japanese telecommunications carriers already offering satellite-based services. The size of the planned investment was not disclosed.
The partnership would add to AST SpaceMobile's existing strategic relationships, which include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, stc Group, and American Tower.
The company said it has agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators worldwide representing more than 3 billion subscribers combined.
In a separate development, a regulatory filing on Monday revealed that AA Gables 2 has proposed selling 2.5 million shares of AST SpaceMobile Class A common stock.
The proposed sale represents a market value of approximately $183 million.
AST SpaceMobile founder, chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Abel Avellan serves as the sole member and managing member of AA Gables 2.
Despite the proposed share sale, investors focused on the company's operational progress and expanding international opportunities as AST SpaceMobile advances its efforts to build a global space-based cellular broadband network.
Nu Holdings (NU +0.24%) is one of the world's fastest-growing fintech companies. It owns NuBank, the largest digital-only bank in Latin America. By streamlining its digital services and offering a fee-free credit card, it expanded much faster than its brick-and-mortar competitors. It also expanded its ecosystem with more loans, e-commerce services, and crypto trading tools.
From 2021 to 2025, Nu's year-end customer base grew from 54 million to 131 million, its activity rate (active customers divided by total customers) expanded from 76% to 83%, and its monthly average revenue per customer (ARPAC) more than tripled from $4.50 to $15. Even as it added customers at that blistering pace, its average cost per active customer held steady.
Image source: Getty Images
In the first quarter of 2026, Nu's total customers rose to 135 million, its activity rate held steady at 83%, and its monthly average revenue per customer grew to $16.
Those growth rates were incredible, yet Nu's stock has still declined about 25% this year and trades at just 12 times next year's earnings. Is it an undervalued growth play in this frothy market?
Why did Nu's stock decline? From 2021 to 2025, Nu's revenue grew at a 75% CAGR. It turned profitable in 2023, and its EPS nearly doubled in 2024 and rose 45% in 2025. From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect its revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 31% and 35%, respectively.
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Those growth rates are impressive, but three issues are compressing its valuations. First, it's expanding more aggressively into Mexico and Colombia to reduce its dependence on its core Brazilian market.
That expansion increased its credit risks, since both markets require higher funding costs and credit loss allowances than Brazil. Nu's expansion of its lower-margin secured lending and payroll-backed loan businesses exacerbated that pressure.
Second, Nu earns most of its revenue in Brazilian Reais, Mexican Pesos, and Colombian Pesos but reports its earnings in U.S. dollars. As a result, it faces persistent headwinds from a strong U.S. dollar -- which will only become stronger if the Fed raises its rates this year. Lastly, the market still values Nu like a conventional bank rather than a high-growth fintech company.
Is Nu's stock a screaming bargain? I believe Nu's stock is a bargain at these levels. It's in the process of securing full bank charters in Mexico and a conditional approval in the U.S. to reduce its funding costs and expand its reach. It also recently launched a new $1.0 billion buyback program.
It won't bounce back anytime soon, but it could attract a lot more attention once its Mexican and Colombian markets mature, the dollar weakens, and investors value it as a growth play again.
Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $12.59, moving -1.56% from the previous trading session. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 1.44%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.09%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 2.22%.
Coming into today, shares of the company had gained 0.47% in the past month. In that same time, the Finance sector gained 3.16%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.08%.
The upcoming earnings release of Nu Holdings Ltd. will be of great interest to investors. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $0.2, showcasing a 42.86% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $5.36 billion, up 46.06% from the prior-year quarter.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $0.83 per share and a revenue of $21.89 billion, demonstrating changes of +33.87% and +38.76%, respectively, from the preceding year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Nu Holdings Ltd. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.48% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Nu Holdings Ltd. presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Digging into valuation, Nu Holdings Ltd. currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 15.34. This denotes a premium relative to the industry average Forward P/E of 11.65.
Investors should also note that NU has a PEG ratio of 0.51 right now. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Banks - Foreign industry held an average PEG ratio of 0.85.
The Banks - Foreign industry is part of the Finance sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 98, placing it within the top 41% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
Key Takeaways 10x Genomics is collaborating with the Cleveland Clinic on bladder cancer diagnostic applications.The study will use Flex Apex and Xenium to find biomarkers tied to treatment response.The partnership could expand 10x Genomics' role in precision oncology and diagnostics. 10x Genomics (TXG - Free Report) recently entered into a multi-year research collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic to advance novel diagnostic applications for bladder cancer. The study will use the company's Flex Apex and Xenium platforms, with potential expansion to Atera, to identify biomarkers that may predict patient response to antibody-drug conjugates and immunotherapies.
From an investor's perspective, the collaboration marks another step in 10x Genomics' strategy to expand its technologies into clinical and diagnostic applications. The partnership could strengthen the company's position in precision oncology, broaden the use cases for its single-cell and spatial platforms and create long-term growth opportunities in cancer diagnostics.
Likely Trend of TXG Stock Following the NewsShares of TXG have traded flat since the announcement on Wednesday. In the year-to-date period, shares of the company surged 113.1% against the industry’s 20.1% decline. The S&P 500 increased 8.5% in the same time frame.
The collaboration with Cleveland Clinic is likely to strengthen 10x Genomics' long-term growth prospects by generating clinical evidence for the use of its single-cell and spatial technologies in precision oncology. Successful identification of predictive biomarkers could accelerate the adoption of Flex Apex, Xenium and Atera in translational research and future diagnostic applications, expand the company's presence in the high-growth oncology diagnostics market and create new revenue opportunities beyond its core research business.
TXG currently has a market capitalization of $4.08 billion.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
More on the NewsUnder the multi-year collaboration, 10x Genomics and the Cleveland Clinic are likely to initially analyze tumor samples from patients with advanced bladder cancer undergoing emerging therapeutic regimens. The study is likely to leverage TXG's Flex Apex and Xenium platforms and could later expand to the recently launched Atera platform. The partners aim to identify clinically relevant biomarkers that may predict patient responses to antibody-drug conjugates and immunotherapies, paving the way for future diagnostic development across multiple tumor types.
The research is likely to integrate single-cell transcriptomic profiling with spatial gene expression and protein measurements to generate a comprehensive view of tumor biology and the tumor microenvironment. Investigators are likely to assess tumor microenvironment composition, immune cell infiltration and the expression of therapeutic targets to better understand mechanisms underlying treatment response and resistance.
The collaboration is expected to generate a rich multimodal dataset linking molecular insights with clinical outcomes, supporting the development of next-generation precision oncology diagnostics and advancing the scientific understanding of bladder cancer.
Favorable Industry Prospect for TXGPer a report by Precedence Research, the global bladder cancer therapeutics diagnostics market size accounted for $5.68 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from $6.01 billion in 2026 to approximately $10.04 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 5.86%.
The bladder cancer diagnostics market is expanding rapidly, driven by the rising prevalence and awareness of the disease, alongside advances in precision medicine, personalized treatment approaches and non-invasive diagnostic technologies.
A Recent Development by TXGRecently, 10x Genomics announced the acquisition of Proteintech Genomics, a division within Proteintech Group that develops high-plex proteomic solutions for single-cell and spatial biology applications. The move expands TXG's capabilities in proteomics and supports its broader strategy of advancing multiomics research through integrated RNA and protein analysis.
Proteintech Genomics brings technologies, including the Human Discovery Panel, an antibody-based single-cell protein panel compatible with 10x Genomics' Flex chemistry workflows.
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) , West Pharmaceutical (WST - Free Report) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) .
Globus Medical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reported a first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.12 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 22.1%. Revenues of $759.9 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.0%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
GMED has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 10.2% compared with the industry’s 12.6% growth. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 26.3%.
West Pharmaceutical, currently flaunting a Zacks Rank #1, reported first-quarter 2026 EPS of $2.13, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26.8%. Revenues of $844.9 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.5%.
WST has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 13.9% compared with the industry’s 9.5% growth. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.4%.
Intuitive Surgical, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.50, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.2%. Revenues of $2.77 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.2%.
ISRG has a long-term estimated growth rate of 14.6% compared with the industry’s 12.6% growth. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Record Currency Management Ltd (RCM), subsidiary of London-listed Record plc (Record Financial Group), is pleased to announce its participation in an innovative local currency bond transaction issued by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), supporting the development of Mongolia's capital markets while providing institutional investors with access to attractive frontier market opportunities.
RCM is the UK currency management arm of Record Financial Group, the London-listed specialist investment group managing USD 115 billion of assets on behalf of institutional clients worldwide. Record's client base comprises pension funds, foundations, sovereign institutions and other asset managers, with whom the Group has built long-standing relationships through its focus on bespoke investment and risk management solutions. Headquartered in London, Record has offices in Hamburg, Zurich, Zug, New York, and Hong Kong.
The investment forms part of Record Financial Group's broader strategy of expanding its specialist capabilities in emerging and frontier markets, building on the Group's longstanding expertise in currency management and institutional investing. This allocation coincides with the fifth anniversary of Record’s flagship EM Sustainable Finance Fund (EMSF) launched in 2021 and now with c. $1 billion in assets.
The transaction involves a 4-year EBRD Fixed Rate Note linked to Mongolian Tugrik (MNT), with proceeds supporting local currency financing initiatives designed to promote sustainable economic development and strengthen Mongolia's financial markets. EMSF’s investment contributed towards a total of USD 20 million under the EBRD’s Global Medium Term Note Programme at a fixed rate of 9.75%.
The EBRD has been an active investor in Mongolia since 2006, supporting the country's transition towards a more diversified and resilient economy. Its activities span infrastructure, renewable energy, agribusiness, financial institutions and corporate development, with a particular focus on strengthening local capital markets and expanding access to finance.
For institutional investors, local currency financing plays an important role in supporting sustainable economic growth by reducing currency mismatches for borrowers and helping to develop domestic financial markets. By providing funding in local currency, investments can reduce exchange rate risks for businesses and financial institutions while contributing to greater financial stability and economic resilience.
Record's participation reflects the Group's commitment to developing specialist investment solutions in emerging and frontier markets where deep market expertise and institutional investment disciplines can create attractive long-term opportunities for clients.
Commenting on the investment, Dr Othman Boukrami, CEO at Record Currency Management, said:
"Frontier and emerging markets remain an important area of strategic focus for Record. Our experience in currency and sovereign markets gives us a strong foundation for identifying innovative investment opportunities that combine attractive institutional characteristics with positive economic outcomes. We are pleased to participate in this EBRD-backed transaction, which supports the development of Mongolia's capital markets while providing investors with exposure to a differentiated frontier market opportunity."
Isabelle Laurent, Deputy Treasurer and Head of Funding at EBRD, commented:
" We greatly appreciate the successful collaboration we have been pleased to enjoy with Record since the establishment of the fund, and the recognition of the importance of local currency lending to the sustainability of our clients’ projects, especially where they are not exporters. We have undertaken transactions in many currencies over the last five years, including, most recently, for key projects in Mongolia."
The investment complements Record's growing private markets and frontier market capabilities, which span specialist currency strategies, emerging market debt, investments in real assets, and private equity and credit. Together, these activities reflect the Group's strategy of providing institutional investors with differentiated opportunities in markets where specialist expertise and long-term partnerships can create sustainable value.
Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF - Free Report) closed at $11.89 in the latest trading session, marking a -3.18% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.37%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.29%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.33%.
The stock of mining company has risen by 9.35% in the past month, leading the Basic Materials sector's gain of 3.31% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.02%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Cleveland-Cliffs in its upcoming earnings disclosure. In that report, analysts expect Cleveland-Cliffs to post earnings of -$0.13 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 74%. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $5.21 billion, showing a 5.57% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of -$0.39 per share and a revenue of $20.44 billion, signifying shifts of +84.27% and +9.85%, respectively, from the last year.
It's also important for investors to be aware of any recent modifications to analyst estimates for Cleveland-Cliffs. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 13.79% higher within the past month. As of now, Cleveland-Cliffs holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
The Steel - Producers industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 40, putting it in the top 17% of all 250+ industries.
The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
In the latest close session, Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF - Free Report) was down 6.14% at $11.16. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.44%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.09%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 2.22%.
Heading into today, shares of the mining company had gained 5.88% over the past month, outpacing the Basic Materials sector's loss of 0.5% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.08%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Cleveland-Cliffs in its upcoming release. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be -$0.17, reflecting a 66% increase from the same quarter last year. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $5.21 billion, showing a 5.57% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.
CLF's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of -$0.41 per share and revenue of $20.44 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +83.47% and +9.85%, respectively.
Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Cleveland-Cliffs. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 15.23% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Right now, Cleveland-Cliffs possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
The Steel - Producers industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 38, positioning it in the top 16% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) will host a conference call to discuss the company’s financial results for the second quarter ended May 31, 2026. The call will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 2 p.m. Pacific Time / 5 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be hosted by Michelle Gass, president and chief executive officer, and Harmit Singh, chief financial and growth officer.
To access the conference call, please pre-register using this link. Registrants will receive an email confirmation with dial-in details.
A live webcast of the event can be accessed using this link. A replay of the webcast will be available on http://investors.levistrauss.com starting approximately two hours after the event and archived on the site for one quarter.
To access the company’s related press release on July 8, 2026, please visit http://investors.levistrauss.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Levi Strauss Signature™, and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in approximately 120 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,300 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2025 net revenues were $6.3 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) will host a conference call to discuss the company’s financial results for the second quarter ended May 31, 2026. The call will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 2 p.m. Pacific Time / 5 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be hosted by Michelle Gass, president and chief executive officer, and Harmit Singh, chief financial and growth officer.
To access the conference call, please pre-register using this link. Registrants will receive an email confirmation with dial-in details.
A live webcast of the event can be accessed using this link. A replay of the webcast will be available on http://investors.levistrauss.com starting approximately two hours after the event and archived on the site for one quarter.
To access the company’s related press release on July 8, 2026, please visit http://investors.levistrauss.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Levi Strauss Signature™, and Beyond Yoga®brands. Its products are sold in approximately 120 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,300 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2025 net revenues were $6.3 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260624395064/en/
Innoviz sees an over 150,000 LiDAR unit opportunity in this program. Mobileye's initial fleet is targeted for deployment in 2027, scaling to 17,000 vehicles over the following 5 years
, /PRNewswire/ -- Innoviz Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: INVZ), a leading supplier of high-performance, automotive-grade LiDAR sensors, today highlighted its role as a LiDAR supplier for Mobileye Drive™, following the announcement by Mobileye (NASDAQ: MBLY) that it will establish a vertically integrated robotaxi business, targeting launch in a U.S. city in 2027.
Mobileye Drive™ is a standalone self-driving system that enables mobility service providers and vehicle manufacturers to make robotaxis, ride-pooling, public transport, and goods delivery fully autonomous. Innoviz LiDARs are integrated into the platform alongside Mobileye's imaging radars and high-resolution cameras, providing the 3D sensing layer that enables safe and reliable operation across complex urban environments. The Mobileye Drive™ configuration integrates a suite of nine InnovizTwo Long-Range and Short-to-Mid-Range LiDARs per vehicle, delivering comprehensive 360-degree coverage.
Under the new initiative, Mobileye will operate its own autonomous ride-hailing service, combining Mobileye Drive™ with its Moovit subsidiary's mobility platform, fleet management, and teleoperation infrastructure. Mobileye plans to deploy an initial fleet of approximately 100 vehicles in a major U.S. metropolitan market in 2027, scaling to approximately 17,000 vehicles over the following five years. The current configuration of the Drive™ platform integrates nine InnovizTwo LiDARs, representing a potential opportunity of more than 150,000 units.
"We are proud that Innoviz LiDARs are part of the technology making the robotaxi revolution possible," said Omer Keilaf, CEO and Founder of Innoviz Technologies. "Mobileye Drive™ is already operating in the real world today, and Mobileye's decision to take direct ownership of a robotaxi service at scale reflects the maturity of the platform and the confidence they have in the full technology stack. This is Physical AI in practice: intelligence acting in the real world, in real time, in real cities. We look forward to seeing it continue to scale."
About Innoviz
Innoviz is a leading provider of LiDAR technology, serving as a Tier-1 supplier to the world's leading automotive manufacturers and working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world's roads.
Innoviz's LiDAR and perception software "see" better than a human driver and reduce the possibility of error, meeting the automotive industry's strictest expectations for performance and safety. Innoviz's LiDAR sensors are designed to deliver exceptional range, resolution, and reliability, providing accurate 3D sensing in harsh weather conditions. Operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Innoviz designs solutions for automotive OEMs, system integrators, municipalities, commercial enterprises, and other use cases worldwide. InnovizSMART is an off-the-shelf solution for security, defense and homeland security, intelligent traffic management, mobility, robotics, and aerial applications.
For more information, visit https://innoviz.tech/
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Forward Looking Statements
This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the services and products offered by Innoviz, the anticipated technological capability of Innoviz's products, and the markets in which Innoviz operates. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties.
Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this announcement, including but not limited to, the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, the ability to convert design wins into definitive orders and the magnitude of such orders, the ability to achieve broader market adoption of Innoviz's products and solutions, the ability to maintain and scale initial deployments into long-term commercial relationships, the ability of preliminary arrangements, including evaluation engagements and letters of intent, to result in definitive supply, development, or commercial agreements on expected terms and volumes, the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, potential changes and developments in the highly competitive LiDAR technology and related industries, and our expectations regarding the impact of geopolitical developments in the Middle East including the evolving conflict in Israel on our ongoing operations. The foregoing list is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider such risk and the other risks and uncertainties described in Innoviz's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 4, 2026, and in other documents filed by Innoviz from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. There can be no assurances as to the number of Innoviz LiDARs, if any, that will be incorporated into vehicles deployed in connection with the project referenced in this announcement, or as to the volumes, timing, or commercial terms of any related order, all of which depend on Mobileye's deployment plans and commercial decisions. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Innoviz assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Innoviz gives no assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
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JFrog places highest for ability to execute; reinforcing the market need for a holistic, unified software supply chain solution to secure all artifacts and AI assets
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG), the Liquid Software company and creators of the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform, the system of record for trusted software artifacts, binaries, and AI assets, today announced it has been named a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Software Supply Chain Security, positioned the highest for Ability to Execute amongst any other vendor in the report.
"We are honored to be recognized by Gartner, not simply because we believe it validates our vision, but because it reflects the trust our customers place in us every day to secure and power the world's software supply chains." - Shlomi Ben Haim, JFrog CEO
Share This is the first time Gartner has published a Magic Quadrant for this segment – a complimentary copy of the full report is available here.
"Software engineering is evolving into software supply chain engineering. Developers and security teams now carry a responsibility that extends well beyond the application: not only to build software, but to build software that can be trusted in a hybrid world of human and AI agents. It is a structural shift, not a trend,” said Shlomi Ben Haim, CEO of JFrog. “The AI era is accelerating software creation faster than any organization can audit. Enterprises ship more code, from more sources, and the demand for autonomous flow is growing more than ever. This movement leads to a Tsunami of binaries and a flood of vulnerabilities that make the software supply chain the primary target for attacks. While this is Gartner's first Magic Quadrant for this category, it’s a market JFrog has been building for years. We understood early that speed without trust is a liability. Having a holistic platform – that automates software flow with security, governance, and velocity operating as one – is what enterprises need, and it's what we built.”
Closing the AI Governance Gap in Software Supply Chains
Gartner identified software supply chain attacks among the top four critical security threats where attackers currently hold the advantage1. The threat is no longer focused on the volume of code, but rather, the speed of the "CVE Blitz" – adversarial symmetry – and this risk is only accelerating with AI. The JFrog 2026 Software Supply Chain Security State of the Union report found:
Attackers are actively targeting AI models, agentic tools, and developer workflows – not just finished applications. A majority of organizations still source AI models from untrusted repositories, creating a governance gap that existing tools were not built to close. Malicious packages reached record levels, with 177,000 new malicious packages detected. Malicious npm packages surged 451% year-over-year. These findings highlight a fundamental shift: scanning finished code is necessary but no longer sufficient. Security has to be built into the supply chain itself – at every stage, for every artifact type, including AI.
Delivering Trusted Software in the AI Era Must Be Structural
JFrog is recognized in this inaugural report for its differentiated approach to software supply chain security. Unlike competitors, JFrog embeds trust, governance, and security directly into the software delivery process. Rather than adding another point solution to an already fragmented ecosystem, the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform brings together software composition analysis, OSS license compliance and third-party governance, continuous threat intelligence, end-to-end SBOM lifecycle management, third-party reputation analysis, and binary artifact management to help enterprises secure the full lifecycle of software and AI assets. Available as SaaS, on-premises, or in hybrid environments, JFrog is designed for the operational realities of the enterprise that need security and compliance without compromising developer velocity or slowing innovation.
Innovations in the Gartner evaluation of the JFrog Platform include:
JFrog Curation: Malicious packages, vulnerable dependencies, and non-compliant components are increasingly entering software environments before anyone notices – and regulations like DORA are raising the stakes for organizations that can't demonstrate control over what enters their software supply chain. JFrog Curation is designed to stop risky open-source components at the door and guides developers to pre-vetted package versions, before a bad dependency becomes everyone's problem. JFrog AI Catalog and MCP Server: As AI-generated code and agent-based development accelerate, most enterprises have no visibility into which AI models and agent skills are entering their environments – and no controls to stop the ones they shouldn't trust. JFrog AI Catalog and MCP Server apply the same security standards and trust layer enterprises already use JFrog to enforce. JFrog AppTrust: Security and compliance teams are under growing pressure to prove that policies were actually enforced – not just written down – yet most still rely on manual approvals, and disconnected evidence trails that fall apart under audit scrutiny. JFrog AppTrust replaces that with immutable evidence and automated policy gates across the software supply chain, so teams can demonstrate continuous enforcement without spreadsheets or last-minute fire drills. Expanded SBOM Evidence: Customers, auditors, and regulators are no longer satisfied knowing what software an organization uses – they want proof that known vulnerabilities were assessed, that risk decisions were documented, and that nothing was ignored. Expanded SBOM evidence capabilities, including VEX support aligned to CycloneDX and SPDX 3.0, are built to give organizations the verifiable documentation trail they need to answer those questions with facts, not explanations. Together, these capabilities enable organizations to maintain security, compliance, and velocity in the AI era across increasingly complex and distributed software supply chains. To read the full Gartner Magic Quadrant for Software Supply Chain Security, visit https://jfrog.com/gartner-magic-quadrant/. To learn more about JFrog’s vision and approach to software supply chain security read this blog.
Share on X: @JFrog has been named a Leader in the inaugural Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Software Supply Chain Security – and placed the highest on the Ability to Execute axis of any vendor evaluated. Learn why: https://bit.ly/4grCARU #SoftwareSupplyChain #DevSecOps #AI #governance #DevGovOps
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Software Supply Chain Security, By Aaron Lord, Johnny Walters, Jason Gross, 17 June 2026 - ID G00843814.
Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates.
Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from JFrog.
About JFrog
JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG), the creators of the unified DevOps, DevSecOps, DevGovOps and MLOps platform, is on a mission to create a world of software delivered without friction from development to production. Driven by a “Liquid Software” vision, the JFrog Platform is a software supply chain system of record that is designed to power organizations as they build, manage, and distribute secure software with speed and scale. Holistic security features help identify, protect, and remediate against threats and vulnerabilities. The universal, hybrid, multi-cloud JFrog Platform is available as both SaaS services across major cloud service providers and self-hosted. Millions of users and approximately 6,600 organizations worldwide, including a majority of the Fortune 100, depend on JFrog solutions to securely embrace digital transformation in the AI era. Learn more at https://jfrog.com or follow us on X @JFrog.
1 Gartner, Press Release: Gartner Identifies Four Critical Threats Requiring Urgent Improvements from Cybersecurity Leaders, NATIONAL HARBOR, MD, June 2, 2026.
JFrog Positioned as a Leader in the First Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Software Supply Chain Security JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG), the Liquid Software company and creators of the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform, the system of record for trusted software artifacts, binaries, and AI assets, today announced it has been named a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Software Supply Chain Security, positioned the highest for Ability to Execute amongst any other vendor in the report.
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JFrog places highest for ability to execute; reinforcing the market need for a holistic, unified software supply chain solution to secure all artifacts and AI assets
This is the first time Gartner has published a Magic Quadrant for this segment – a complimentary copy of the full report is available here.
"Software engineering is evolving into software supply chain engineering. Developers and security teams now carry a responsibility that extends well beyond the application: not only to build software, but to build software that can be trusted in a hybrid world of human and AI agents. It is a structural shift, not a trend,” said Shlomi Ben Haim, CEO of JFrog. “The AI era is accelerating software creation faster than any organization can audit. Enterprises ship more code, from more sources, and the demand for autonomous flow is growing more than ever. This movement leads to a Tsunami of binaries and a flood of vulnerabilities that make the software supply chain the primary target for attacks. While this is Gartner's first Magic Quadrant for this category, it’s a market JFrog has been building for years. We understood early that speed without trust is a liability. Having a holistic platform – that automates software flow with security, governance, and velocity operating as one – is what enterprises need, and it's what we built.”
Closing the AI Governance Gap in Software Supply Chains
Gartner identified software supply chain attacks among the top four critical security threats where attackers currently hold the advantage1. The threat is no longer focused on the volume of code, but rather, the speed of the "CVE Blitz" – adversarial symmetry – and this risk is only accelerating with AI. The JFrog 2026 Software Supply Chain Security State of the Union report found:
Attackers are actively targeting AI models, agentic tools, and developer workflows – not just finished applications. A majority of organizations still source AI models from untrusted repositories, creating a governance gap that existing tools were not built to close. Malicious packages reached record levels, with 177,000 new malicious packages detected. Malicious npm packages surged 451% year-over-year. These findings highlight a fundamental shift: scanning finished code is necessary but no longer sufficient. Security has to be built into the supply chain itself – at every stage, for every artifact type, including AI.
Delivering Trusted Software in the AI Era Must Be Structural
JFrog is recognized in this inaugural report for its differentiated approach to software supply chain security. Unlike competitors, JFrog embeds trust, governance, and security directly into the software delivery process. Rather than adding another point solution to an already fragmented ecosystem, the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform brings together software composition analysis, OSS license compliance and third-party governance, continuous threat intelligence, end-to-end SBOM lifecycle management, third-party reputation analysis, and binary artifact management to help enterprises secure the full lifecycle of software and AI assets. Available as SaaS, on-premises, or in hybrid environments, JFrog is designed for the operational realities of the enterprise that need security and compliance without compromising developer velocity or slowing innovation.
Innovations in the Gartner evaluation of the JFrog Platform include:
JFrog Curation: Malicious packages, vulnerable dependencies, and non-compliant components are increasingly entering software environments before anyone notices – and regulations like DORA are raising the stakes for organizations that can't demonstrate control over what enters their software supply chain. JFrog Curation is designed to stop risky open-source components at the door and guides developers to pre-vetted package versions, before a bad dependency becomes everyone's problem. JFrog AI Catalog and MCP Server: As AI-generated code and agent-based development accelerate, most enterprises have no visibility into which AI models and agent skills are entering their environments – and no controls to stop the ones they shouldn't trust. JFrog AI Catalog and MCP Server apply the same security standards and trust layer enterprises already use JFrog to enforce. JFrog AppTrust: Security and compliance teams are under growing pressure to prove that policies were actually enforced – not just written down – yet most still rely on manual approvals, and disconnected evidence trails that fall apart under audit scrutiny. JFrog AppTrust replaces that with immutable evidence and automated policy gates across the software supply chain, so teams can demonstrate continuous enforcement without spreadsheets or last-minute fire drills. Expanded SBOM Evidence: Customers, auditors, and regulators are no longer satisfied knowing what software an organization uses – they want proof that known vulnerabilities were assessed, that risk decisions were documented, and that nothing was ignored. Expanded SBOM evidence capabilities, including VEX support aligned to CycloneDX and SPDX 3.0, are built to give organizations the verifiable documentation trail they need to answer those questions with facts, not explanations. Together, these capabilities enable organizations to maintain security, compliance, and velocity in the AI era across increasingly complex and distributed software supply chains. To read the full Gartner Magic Quadrant for Software Supply Chain Security, visit https://jfrog.com/gartner-magic-quadrant/. To learn more about JFrog’s vision and approach to software supply chain security read this blog.
Share on X: @JFrog has been named a Leader in the inaugural Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Software Supply Chain Security – and placed the highest on the Ability to Execute axis of any vendor evaluated. Learn why: https://bit.ly/4grCARU #SoftwareSupplyChain #DevSecOps #AI #governance #DevGovOps
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Software Supply Chain Security, By Aaron Lord, Johnny Walters, Jason Gross, 17 June 2026 - ID G00843814.
Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc., and/or its affiliates.
Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from JFrog.
About JFrog
JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG), the creators of the unified DevOps, DevSecOps, DevGovOps and MLOps platform, is on a mission to create a world of software delivered without friction from development to production. Driven by a “Liquid Software” vision, the JFrog Platform is a software supply chain system of record that is designed to power organizations as they build, manage, and distribute secure software with speed and scale. Holistic security features help identify, protect, and remediate against threats and vulnerabilities. The universal, hybrid, multi-cloud JFrog Platform is available as both SaaS services across major cloud service providers and self-hosted. Millions of users and approximately 6,600 organizations worldwide, including a majority of the Fortune 100, depend on JFrog solutions to securely embrace digital transformation in the AI era. Learn more at https://jfrog.com or follow us on X @JFrog.
1 Gartner, Press Release: Gartner Identifies Four Critical Threats Requiring Urgent Improvements from Cybersecurity Leaders, NATIONAL HARBOR, MD, June 2, 2026.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622339694/en/
MPLX LP (MPLX - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $57.68, demonstrating a +1.37% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 1.44%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.09%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 2.22%.
The stock of company has risen by 0.76% in the past month, leading the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 7.14% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.08%.
Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of MPLX LP in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on August 4, 2026. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $1.08, showcasing a 4.85% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $3.26 billion, up 8.52% from the prior-year quarter.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $4.22 per share and revenue of $13.09 billion, indicating changes of -12.45% and +0.71%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for MPLX LP. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 1.12% decrease. As of now, MPLX LP holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, MPLX LP is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.48. This represents a discount compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 17.85.
Investors should also note that MPLX has a PEG ratio of 5.46 right now. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. The Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.85 as trading concluded yesterday.
The Oil and Gas - Production and Pipelines industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, putting it in the top 38% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
Domino's Pizza (DPZ +3.21%) has not delivered for investors in 2026, but it is flashing a signal that long-term investors should take note of.
The world's largest pizza chain has been struggling over the past few years. This year, the stock price has plummeted 25% year to date as of June 19 and is trading at $312 per share, which is close to a 52-week low.
But even more notable is its valuation. Domino's stock is trading at 17 times earnings and 16 times forward earnings. That is not only a 52-week low valuation but also the lowest valuation for Domino's stock in more than 10 years.
The last time the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio was this low was in 2012, some 14 years ago. Does this mean that Domino's stock is a buy?
Image source: Getty Images.
Domino's stock is as cheap as it's been in years Domino's stock really tanked in late April after the pizza chain released first-quarter earnings that missed revenue and earnings estimates. Overall, global sales were up about 3.5% year over year. U.S. sales were up 3%, with same-store U.S. sales increasing 1%. The miss was mainly due to lower international sales, as international same-store sales were down 0.4%.
Also, Domino's lowered its U.S. same-store growth guidance for the fiscal year from 3% to a more nebulous low-single-digits range -- which could be 3%, but it sounds worse. It cited macroeconomic pressures and challenges. Overall global sales are targeted for mid-single digits.
Domino's has been investing heavily in its website and app to increase its digital sales, including a new, more intuitive app. Last year, online orders accounted for 85% of all sales in the U.S.
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It has also expanded its relationship with third-party delivery services, adding DoorDash as a delivery provider, along with Uber Eats. The third-party delivery services expand Domino's market and result in higher margins, as third-party orders are, on average, higher due to a premium placed on menu items ordered through third-party apps.
Also, in Q1, Domino's increased its gross margin by 60 basis points year over year to 40.4% due to strong expense management and lower costs of sales. Further, CFO Sandeep Reddy said on the earnings call that the operating margin will continue to expand this year.
Also worth noting is that a challenging economic environment could lead more budget-conscious families to seek cheaper options to feed their families.
Domino's stock is a compelling option worth considering given its decade-low valuation, its expense management, and its digital and third-party delivery strategies. Wall Street analysts see the stock as a buy, with a median price target of $400 per share, which would suggest 28% upside.
Dave Kovaleski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Domino's Pizza, DoorDash, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Joe Jordan to Become Chief Executive Officer
Russell Weiner to Retire as CEO and Become Executive Chairman
David Brandon to Retire from the Board Following 28 Years of Service
, /PRNewswire/ -- Domino's Pizza Inc. (Nasdaq: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world, today announced that Russell Weiner has informed the Company's Board of Directors of his intention to retire as Chief Executive Officer following a distinguished career with Domino's. Consistent with its multi-year succession planning process, the Domino's Board of Directors has appointed Joe Jordan, currently Chief Operating Officer and President – Domino's U.S., as Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2026. Jordan will also join the Company's Board of Directors at that time. Russell Weiner will transition from Chief Executive Officer to Executive Chairman Designate on October 1, 2026, and become Executive Chairman following the Company's 2027 annual shareholder meeting. David Brandon, Executive Chairman, will retire and not stand for reelection to the Board in 2027, concluding 28 years of service to Domino's.
Domino's has announced the next chapter of the company's leadership. Joe Jordan (left), currently COO and President of Domino's U.S., has been appointed CEO effective Oct. 1, 2026, succeeding Russell Weiner (right), who will retire as CEO and transition to Executive Chairman in 2027. Current Executive Chairman David A. Brandon (middle) will retire from the Board in 2027 after nearly three decades of service to the company. "Joe is a proven leader whose experience spans virtually every aspect of our business," said David Brandon, Executive Chairman. "After a thoughtful succession planning process, the Board unanimously concluded that Joe is the right leader to serve as Domino's next CEO. He embodies Domino's culture of developing leaders from within, has earned the trust of franchisees across our global system and is uniquely qualified to guide the Company through its next phase of growth. At the same time, Russell is one of the most innovative, strategic leaders in our industry, and Domino's will continue to benefit from his creativity, franchisee relationships and extensive knowledge of the QSR category in his role as Executive Chairman."
Joe Jordan has spent nearly 15 years in leadership roles across Domino's marketing, U.S. and international operations, technology and franchisee support. He has built a proven track record of driving growth and innovation across the business, from delivering strong same store sales growth to leading Domino's international business through a period of record expansion, opening more than 3,000 stores worldwide during his tenure. Most recently, he has overseen key strategic initiatives, including the relaunch of the Company's loyalty and e-commerce platforms and the launch of Domino's global digital marketplace partnerships, leveraging strong relationships across the Company's system.
"I am honored by the Board's confidence and grateful for the opportunity to lead Domino's," said Joe Jordan, Chief Operating Officer and President – Domino's U.S. "What makes Domino's special is the strength of the people behind the brand, starting with our franchisees and including our team members and leaders around the world. I have also been fortunate to work closely with Russell over the past four years and am grateful for his leadership and contributions to Domino's. I look forward to continuing to benefit from his experience and perspective in his role on the Board. Domino's is one of the most innovative and resilient global systems in the restaurant industry and I am excited to build that foundation as we focus on reaccelerating growth and continuing to deliver delicious pizza and exceptional value to customers worldwide."
Russell Weiner will continue serving as Chief Executive Officer through September 30, 2026, after which he will become Executive Chairman Designate until Domino's annual shareholder meeting in April 2027, when he will assume the role of Executive Chairman. Weiner will help ensure continuity as the Company transitions to its next generation of leadership and will provide counsel to Joe Jordan and the Board, supporting Domino's continued growth leveraging his 18 years with the brand.
"Since joining Domino's in 2008, Russell has played a pivotal role in the Company's growth and success," said David Brandon. "Among his many contributions to the brand prior to becoming CEO, Russell led the highly successful, and somewhat infamous, 'Pizza Turnaround' campaign that was launched in 2010 and created many years of positive momentum for our brand and business. As CEO, Russell was the architect of the Hungry for MORE strategy, which continues to drive sales and store growth and expand Domino's dominant market share of the pizza category. During his tenure as CEO, the Company achieved net store growth of more than 3,200 locations, increased global retail sales by nearly $3 billion, and delivered close to a 30% increase in operating income. We owe Russell a great debt of thanks for his leadership and many accomplishments and look forward to his continued involvement as Executive Chairman of the Board."
David Brandon will retire from the Board and as Executive Chairman following the Company's 2027 annual shareholder meeting. He has served as Chairman of Domino's Board of Directors since 1999 and as Executive Chairman since 2022. He also served as Chief Executive Officer from 1999 to 2010. During his 28 years of leadership and board stewardship, Brandon helped transform Domino's into a global category leader, guiding the Company from its 2004 initial public offering through a period of significant international expansion and technological innovation, including the introduction of online ordering, Domino's Tracker and mobile ordering.
"Dave's impact on Domino's cannot be overstated," said Russell Weiner, Chief Executive Officer. "He led the Company through its transformation from a domestic pizza chain to a global technology and delivery leader, championing the digital innovations that revolutionized how customers order pizza. Beyond his strategic vision, Dave has been an invaluable mentor to countless leaders across our system. His relentless focus on franchisee success and operational excellence has shaped the culture that drives Domino's today, and his legacy will endure for generations to come."
With a leadership team that combines deep operational expertise, strategic vision and strong franchisee relationships, Domino's enters its next chapter focused on accelerating growth, strengthening its global leadership position and continuing to raise the bar on delicious food at renowned value for customers around the world.
About Domino's Pizza®
Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout. It ranks among the world's top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 22,300 stores in over 90 markets. Domino's had global retail sales of over $20.4 billion in the trailing four quarters ended March 22, 2026. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 99% of Domino's stores as of the end of the first quarter of 2026. In the U.S., Domino's generated more than 85% of U.S. retail sales in 2025 via digital channels and has developed many innovative ordering platforms.
Order – dominos.com
Company Info – biz.dominos.com
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Tencent on Monday said it is testing an AI assistant within WeChat in China as the tech giant looks to step up efforts to challenge rivals in the country's competitive artificial intelligence market.
Xiaowei, "a native AI assistant," is being tested "on a small scale" in Weixin, the Chinese version of WeChat, Tencent said in a statement translated by CNBC.
Users can interact with Xiaowei with text or voice, communicate with friends and launch "mini-programs," Tencent added. Mini-programs are apps that run inside of WeChat.
Tencent executives have been mulling further integration of AI into WeChat since last year, with investors watching closely to see if this can be a new revenue stream and a way to monetize AI.
watch now
WeChat and Weixin have more than 1.4 billion monthly active users combined, with the majority in China. It is an indispensable part of daily life in China, where people use the app to message friends, make payments, book restaurants and much more.
By integrating an AI tool into an app with a huge user base, Tencent has an opportunity to capture a large number of them for its services.
"Putting an assistant inside Weixin is the first time Tencent uses the advantage it has held all along, and that matters a lot," Howard Yu, the LEGO professor of management and innovation at IMD, told CNBC by email.
"A standalone chatbot gives you an answer. An assistant wired into Weixin completes the task. And it's this second advantage that no rival can copy," Yu added.
The company did not give further details about the capabilities Xiaowei would have or what AI models it is based on.
Tech companies are talking up the potential of so-called AI agents, which they see as digital assistants that are able to carry out complex tasks on a user's behalf across different apps and services.
The new AI assistant is part of a bigger move from Tencent to challenge rivals like Alibaba, DeepSeek and Zhipu in China, which has become an incredibly competitive AI market. This year, Tencent poached an OpenAI researcher to become its chief AI scientist.
Tencent also develops its own family of models under the brand name Hunyuan.
The global video games industry is entering a period of consolidation that is likely to favour the biggest publishers and developers, according to analysts at Bernstein, who argue that investors should look beyond slowing revenue growth and focus on rising barriers to entry.
The broker estimates the gaming market will generate around $220 billion of revenue in 2026, up 0.7%, following growth of 4.8% last year.
While that points to a softer near-term outlook, Bernstein believes the industry is becoming increasingly concentrated as smaller studios struggle with rising development costs and a tougher funding environment.
The firm said studio closures and restructuring programmes across the industry were reducing competition and strengthening the position of established developers with successful intellectual property and large player communities.
Bernstein highlighted Asian gaming groups as its preferred investments, including Tencent Holdings (HKG:0700, OTC:TCEHY), NetEase (NetEase Inc (NASDAQ:NTES)), Nintendo (OTCMKTS:NTDOY), Capcom (OTCMKTS:CCOEY) and Konami (LON: KNM).
Analyst Robin Zhu argued that Japanese, Chinese and Korean developers continue to benefit from lower development costs and improving productivity compared with many western rivals.
PC gaming was also identified as one of the industry's strongest growth areas, supported by advances in hardware and a growing number of blockbuster releases.
Attention is increasingly turning to the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, published by Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (NASDAQ:TTWO), which is expected in November.
Zhu said rival publishers had crowded release schedules into September in an effort to avoid competing directly with what is widely expected to be one of the biggest game launches in history.
The broker also dismissed concerns that AI will materially disrupt the industry's economics, arguing that successful franchises, creative storytelling and engaged player communities remain the key drivers of long-term value creation.
SAN LEANDRO, Calif., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quino Energy, a company developing water-based organic flow batteries, has been selected by Tencent for a grant, under its CarbonX program, to fund development of a MWh-scale battery system to demonstrate reliable clean energy generation for Himandhoo Island in the Maldives. The battery will be integrated into a larger microgrid featuring floating PV generation financed by the Asian Development Bank and will complement the ongoing Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development (POISED) project that will install terrestrial PV and lithium-ion batteries on the island.
The Quino Energy battery will provide the microgrid with essential energy storage capabilities to slash reliance on expensive imported diesel to generate electricity, reducing costs while providing a resilient power supply to the island. This energy supply will be critical to the island community’s safety and ability to continue daily operations in the face of extreme weather or fluctuating energy demands.
The project will be supported by Atri Energy Transition, which led Quino Energy’s Series A fundraising round in October 2025. They will be collaborating with Quino Energy to manufacture the proprietary organic electrolyte in nearby Pune, India, and will also provide Operations and Maintenance (O&M) support for the battery system at Himandhoo Island for at least five years after commissioning. Suqian Time Energy Storage will provide the flow battery hardware, and EPC and island microgrid specialist Sinosoar will take charge of installation, construction, and integration. Earlier in the month, the entire project team visited Himandhoo Island and met with representatives from the local council, as well as other representatives from the Maldives Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy in the capital, Malé.
“Quino Energy is immensely grateful for the support from the Tencent CarbonX program to enable us to demonstrate our organic flow battery in a setting that can directly benefit a community,” said Eugene Beh, CEO and cofounder of Quino Energy. “This represents the first commercial deployment of the organic flow battery technology, in addition to government-supported projects we previously announced. The collaboration showcases how Quino’s technology will continue to enable cooperation between parties from across the world to rapidly advance the next generation of flow batteries.”
“We’d like to extend our congratulations to Quino Energy and all the stakeholders of this project,” said S. Kishore, founder of Atri Energy Transition. “The selection of Quino by Tencent for the CarbonX Award is an endorsement of organic electrolyte chemistry. We are happy to be part of the transition of this chemistry from pilot to commercial scale.”
CEO Eugene Beh will attend the CarbonX Award Ceremony today, June 24, organized by TED Countdown, in tandem with London Climate Action Week to accept this grant.
In the past 18 months, Quino Energy closed its series A funding round, led by Atri Energy Transition, received a $10M grant from the California Energy Commission and secured $5M in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Facility Energy Resilience (CiFER) program to support a 5 MWh flow battery deployment in Southern California. Quino Energy also signed a Joint Development Agreement with Jena Flow Batteries, whose parent company Suqian Time Energy Systems is the flow battery hardware provider for the Himandhoo project.
中文版
About Quino Energy
Formed in 2021, Quino Energy is a start-up company that is developing water-based flow batteries that store electrical energy in organic molecules called quinones, for commercial and grid applications. These batteries are predicted to enjoy a unique combination of low capital cost, true fire safety, rapid scalability, and local manufacturability. This is made possible by a number of technological breakthroughs, some of which were first discovered at Harvard University and later licensed by Quino Energy. Please visit quinoenergy.com for more details on the team and the technology.
About CarbonX
The CarbonX Program was initiated in 2023 by Tencent, together with industry, investment, and ecosystem partners. It is dedicated to supporting emerging low-carbon technologies with substantial catalytic funding and resources. Now in its second phase, CarbonX 2.0 focuses on cutting-edge CCUS, carbon removal, and long-duration energy storage technologies, and solicits proposals from early-stage teams around the world. It aims to build first-of-its kind pilot projects in real industrial settings, incubate high-potential startups, and support capacity building projects. Visit the CarbonX website for further information on the program.
About Tencent
Tencent is a global technology and entertainment company focused on creating connections and experiences that matter. Founded in 1998, Tencent is driven by its mission to create "Value for Users" and apply "Tech for Good".
Tencent's communication and social services connect more than one billion people around the world, helping them to keep in touch with friends and family, access transportation, pay for daily necessities, and even be entertained. Tencent also develops and publishes some of the world's most popular video games and other high-quality digital content, delivering rich and immersive interactive entertainment experiences. Tencent also offers a range of services such as cloud computing and other enterprise services to support our clients' digital transformation and business growth. Headquartered in Shenzhen, Tencent has been listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since June 2004.
Shares of Viking Therapeutics (VKTX +6.61%), a clinical-stage biotech, have moved in exactly the wrong direction this year, down 8% to date. However, the drugmaker has important catalysts on the horizon that could make the stock a bargain at its current price of $32 per share. Should investors initiate positions today?
Image source: The Motley Fool.
An intriguing weight loss play Viking Therapeutics is developing medicines for chronic weight management. The company's leading candidate, subcutaneous VK2735, is currently in phase 3 studies. We should see data from these trials next year. On the one hand, subcutaneous VK2735 posted strong phase 2 results, and if it can repeat that performance in its ongoing clinical trials, Viking Therapeutics' shares will soar.
Further, the biotech has other promising candidates, including an oral formulation of VK2735 for which it could start late-stage studies by year-end. That said, the anti-obesity landscape has evolved since Viking Therapeutics revealed phase 2 clinical trial data for subcutaneous VK2735. And there will be more progress -- including more phase 2 and phase 3 assets that will complete clinical trials -- over the next year or so.
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That means the bar to impress Wall Street is now higher. That's not surprising: given that the weight-loss field is projected to grow rapidly over the coming decade, many pharmaceutical leaders are looking to carve out a niche. Where does that leave Viking Therapeutics? The stock is an intriguing -- albeit fairly risky -- way to try to capitalize on this growing therapeutic area.
Provided VK2735 can post solid phase 2 and phase 3 results across both formulations, the biotech's shares will soar, arguably making it a bargain at current levels. But the company could just as well lose significant value over the next five years if it encounters setbacks. Investors comfortable with the risk and volatility should consider initiating a small position. Everyone else will want to look elsewhere.
GLP-1 drugs are proving helpful for many conditions, not just weight loss. In studies, they have shown they can reduce cardiovascular risk, sleep apnea, and even curb addictions. They have the potential to truly transform healthcare, and thus, the opportunity here is significant.
Analysts at Grand View Research estimate that the global GLP-1 drug market will be worth more than $185 billion by 2033. That translates into a compounded annual growth rate of 12.4% between now and then, as the market was worth $66.4 billion last year.
A couple of stocks that are intriguing options in the GLP-1 market are Eli Lilly (LLY +0.14%) and Viking Therapeutics (VKTX +6.32%). The former is a heavyweight in the healthcare sector, with a valuation right around $1 trillion, and it's a rock-solid company. The latter is much smaller, but in return, it may offer more upside. Which stock is the better buy if you want to take advantage of the growth opportunities in GLP-1?
Image source: Getty Images.
Eli Lilly is dominant, but its valuation is also high Eli Lilly is the most valuable healthcare stock today, due to the impressive success of its GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. They are generating billions in revenue for the business and have resulted in a significant acceleration of Eli Lilly's growth rate. In the past, it wouldn't have been uncommon to see the company's growth rate in single digits or lower. Now, however, it's firing on all cylinders, and its growth rate was an impressive 56% during the first three months of 2026, with its revenue totaling $19.8 billion. Profits also nearly tripled, rising from $2.8 billion to $7.4 billion.
The company's incredibly strong fundamentals make it a compelling investment for long-term investors, especially when you factor in how well it's been doing in the GLP-1 race. Mounjaro's sales rose by 125% in Q1, and Zepbound rose by 80%. This is with these drugs still being in their fairly early growth stages. And yet, they combined for nearly $13 billion in revenue this past quarter.
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The only real drawback about Eli Lilly stock these days is that it isn't cheap. It trades at 39 times its trailing earnings. A premium is justifiable for the growth stock, given its impressive results; it's just a matter of how much is too much. By comparison, the average stock on the S&P 500 trades at 25 times its trailing earnings.
Viking Therapeutics doesn't have an approved drug just yet, but if it does, the stock could surge At around $4 billion in market cap, Viking's valuation is a small fraction of Eli Lilly's. But that's also to be expected for a company that doesn't have any approved products and that doesn't generate any revenue today. It's a risky option.
Normally, I wouldn't consider this type of stock, but I believe that Viking is less of a risk than other similar pharma stocks, simply because of how well its GLP-1 drug, VK2735, has been doing in clinical trials. I'm optimistic that it could obtain approval, and if that happens, the stock could instantly skyrocket and potentially become an enticing acquisition target for a larger healthcare company.
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VK2735 is in the midst of phase 3 trials for its subcutaneous version and expects to begin late-stage trials for the oral version later this year. Viking may not be far away from obtaining approval for VK2735, which, in earlier trials, showed that the subcutaneous version was able to help people lose up to 15% of their body weight, on average. While that may not be as high as the weight loss from Eli Lilly's products, it's not sheer weight loss that may be most important but overall tolerability, and thus, there is room for multiple types of drugs in the massive GLP-1 drug market, which is why there could still be strong demand for VK2735 if it obtains approval, as it may be a better fit for some patients.
Which stock should you buy? Both of these GLP-1 stocks can be good buys, but if I were picking one, it would be Viking Therapeutics. Taking a modest position in the stock could be a good strategic move to make, to ensure you aren't investing heavily into a stock with a fair bit of risk.
However, this is what I'd consider to be a calculated risk. VK2735 is involved in multiple trials and has been making good progress. Obtaining even a single approval could be a game changer for the stock. It's not a guarantee, but if you're comfortable with the risk, I think it may be worth buying Viking's stock given the massive upside it may possess in the long run.
Single ascending dose study evaluating safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of VK3019
Potential to further expand Viking's treatment options for weight loss
, /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Therapeutics, Inc. ("Viking") (NASDAQ: VKTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for metabolic and endocrine disorders, announced today the initiation of a Phase 1 single ascending dose (SAD) clinical trial of VK3019, an investigational dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA). VK3019 is being developed as a potential treatment option for weight loss. The study initiation follows the filing and clearance of VK3019's investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The Phase 1 trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled SAD study in healthy adults with BMI ≥30. The primary objectives of the study include evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of single subcutaneous doses of VK3019. Exploratory pharmacodynamic assessments include evaluations of changes in body weight after a single-dose administration.
"The initiation of VK3019's Phase 1 study marks an important expansion of our portfolio of novel therapies designed to optimize the weight loss journey for patients and their physicians," said Brian Lian, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Viking. "Therapies that target amylin and calcitonin receptors may potentially be used alone or in combination with GLP-1 or dual GLP-1/GIP agonists to improve the induction of weight loss as well as for longer-term weight management. Given the complexity of managing obesity and related metabolic conditions, broadening the potential treatment options is crucial to meeting the diverse needs of individuals seeking safe and sustainable weight loss."
Preclinical data from Viking's internally developed DACRAs showed impressive effects on body weight, food intake, and metabolism in healthy rats and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice compared to control-treated animals. Results showed Viking's DACRAs reduced food intake in lean rats within 0 to 72 hours after a single dose. At 72 hours, these compounds reduced body weight by up to 8% compared to controls.
In addition to the Phase 1 trial of VK3019, Viking is currently conducting the Phase 3 VANQUISH studies of subcutaneous VK2735, a dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors, in patients with obesity or who are overweight. The VANQUISH program consists of two trials evaluating VK2735: one in adults with obesity (VANQUISH-1), and another in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (VANQUISH-2). Each study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of VK2735 administered by subcutaneous injection once weekly for 78 weeks.
In parallel with the development of a subcutaneous formulation, Viking is advancing an oral tablet formulation of VK2735. If successful, oral VK2735 would represent the first oral dual agonist to reach the market. The company believes the availability of both oral and injectable formulations is a key differentiating feature of VK2735, compared with competitive agents, as no other dual or triple agonist is currently available in both formulations. Using the same active ingredient across formulations may also reduce the risk of unexpected side effects compared with switching between therapies that do not share the same active agent. The company plans to initiate a Phase 3 trial to evaluate oral VK2735 for the treatment of obesity and overweight later this year.
Based on VK2735's promising efficacy and differentiated pharmacokinetic (PK) profile, the company is evaluating a range of novel dosing regimens for both the induction and the long-term maintenance of weight loss. In October 2025, Viking initiated a Phase 1 study designed to explore the feasibility of various VK2735 maintenance dosing regimens. Providing flexible dosing options for long-term therapy may improve treatment persistence following achievement of individual weight loss goals. The company believes this may lead to improved adherence to therapy and increase the probability of realizing the long-term benefits of weight loss, such as reduced cardiovascular risks, improved physical function, and enhanced quality of life. The company expects to report the results of the study in 3Q26.
About VK3019
VK3019 is an investigational dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA) in development as a potential new treatment option for weight loss. It is currently being evaluated in a single ascending dose study assessing safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of VK3019 for the treatment of metabolic disorders and obesity.
About Amylin and Calcitonin
Amylin and calcitonin receptors play an important role in food intake and metabolic control. Amylin is a peptide hormone co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic β-cells that slows gastric emptying and suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion, promoting satiety and regulating blood glucose. After a meal, amylin is secreted from the pancreas and circulates in the blood to activate specific receptors in the brainstem. This results in suppression of glucagon release from the pancreas, reduced food intake, and slowed gastric emptying. The net effect of these actions is to decrease blood glucose and is associated with longer-term reductions in body weight. Calcitonin is a peptide hormone produced by the thyroid gland known for its role in regulating calcium homeostasis. To date, the addition of calcitonin receptor activation by DACRAs has demonstrated additional metabolic benefits not seen with amylin receptor activation alone, such as improved fasting glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity, and can result in a more acute reduction of food intake and greater body weight loss.
About GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1/GIP Agonists
Activation of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor has been shown to decrease glucose, reduce appetite, lower body weight, and improve insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or both. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently marketed in various dosage strengths and forms as Ozempic®, Rybelsus®, and Wegovy®. More recently, research efforts have explored the potential co-activation of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) receptor as a means of enhancing the therapeutic benefits of GLP-1 receptor activation. Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently marketed in various dosage strengths and forms as Mounjaro® and Zepbound®.
About Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel first-in-class or best-in-class therapies for the treatment of metabolic and endocrine disorders. Viking's research and development activities leverage its expertise in metabolism to develop innovative therapeutics designed to improve patients' lives. Viking's clinical programs include VK2735, a novel dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors for the potential treatment of various metabolic disorders. The company is evaluating its subcutaneous formulation of VK2735 in a Phase 3 obesity program that includes two Phase 3 clinical trials (VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2). Data from a Phase 1 and a Phase 2 trial evaluating subcutaneous VK2735 demonstrated an encouraging safety and tolerability profile as well as positive signs of clinical benefit. Concurrently, the company is evaluating an oral formulation of VK2735 in obesity. Viking is also developing VK2809, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the treatment of lipid and metabolic disorders. The compound successfully achieved both the primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 2b study for the treatment of biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. In a Phase 2a trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and elevated LDL-C, patients who received VK2809 demonstrated statistically significant reductions in LDL-C and liver fat content compared with patients who received placebo. The company's newest program is evaluating a series of internally developed dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonists (or DACRAs) for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. In the rare disease space, Viking is developing VK0214, a novel, orally available, small molecule selective thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist for the potential treatment of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). In a Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with the adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) form of X-ALD, VK0214 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated, while driving significant reductions in plasma levels of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and other lipids, as compared to placebo.
For more information about Viking Therapeutics, please visit www.vikingtherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Viking Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Viking's expectations regarding its clinical and preclinical development programs, anticipated timing for reporting clinical data and cash resources. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the success, cost and timing of Viking's product candidate development activities and clinical trials, including those for VK2735, VK3019, VK0214, VK2809, and the company's other incretin and other receptor agonists; risks that prior clinical and preclinical results may not be replicated; risks regarding regulatory requirements; and other risks that are described in Viking's most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including Viking's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the risk factors set forth in those filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Viking disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.
June 19, 2026 17:15 ET | Source: Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
SAN CARLOS, Calif., June 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IOVA) ("Iovance" or the “Company”), a biotechnology company focused on innovating, developing, and delivering novel polyclonal tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (“TIL”) therapies for patients with cancer, today announced that on June 18, 2026 (the “Date of Grant”), the Company approved the grant of inducement stock options covering an aggregate of 140,860 shares of Iovance’s common stock to twenty-seven new, non-executive employees.
The awards were granted under Iovance’s Amended and Restated 2021 Inducement Plan, which provides for the granting of equity awards to new employees of Iovance by the Company’s compensation committee in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). Each of the stock options granted as referenced in this press release has an exercise price of $3.91, the closing price of Iovance’s common stock on the Date of Grant. Each stock option vests over a three-year period, with one-third of the shares vesting on the first anniversary of the employee’s start date (the “First Vesting Date”) and the remaining shares vesting in eight quarterly installments over the next two years, commencing with the first quarter following the First Vesting Date, subject to continued employment with the Company through the applicable vesting dates.
About Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. aims to be the global leader in innovating, developing, and delivering tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (“TIL”) therapies for patients with cancer. We are pioneering a transformational approach to cure cancer by harnessing the human immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy diverse cancer cells in each patient. The Iovance TIL platform has demonstrated promising clinical data across multiple solid tumors. Iovance’s Amtagvi® is the first FDA-approved T cell therapy for a solid tumor indication. We are committed to continuous innovation in cell therapy, including gene-edited cell therapy, that may extend and improve life for patients with cancer. For more information, please visit www.iovance.com.
Amtagvi® and its accompanying design marks, Proleukin®, Iovance®, and IovanceCares™ are trademarks and registered trademarks of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release are “forward-looking statements” of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”). Without limiting the foregoing, we may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “achievable,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “may,” “can,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management’s experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements, and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in the sections titled "Risk Factors" in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS - 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 company have returned +47.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.4% change. The Zacks Medical Info Systems industry, to which Hims & Hers Health belongs, has gained 11.7% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather 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.
Hims & Hers Health is expected to post a loss of $0.06 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -135.3%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of -$0.23 points to a change of -143.4% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.5 indicates a change of +320.9% from what Hims & Hers Health 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 #5 (Strong Sell) for Hims & Hers Health.
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 Hims & Hers Health, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $689.49 million indicates a year-over-year change of +26.6%. For the current and next fiscal years, $2.9 billion and $3.4 billion estimates indicate +23.7% and +17.2% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryHims & Hers Health reported revenues of $608.1 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +3.8%. EPS of -$0.18 for the same period compares with $0.2 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $619.62 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -1.86%. The EPS surprise was -550%.
Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once 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.
Hims & Hers Health is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
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 Hims & Hers Health. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
On June 22, 2026, Hims & Hers Health Inc HIMS shares fell 5.4% today, trading at $33.54. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has ranged from a low of $13.74 to a high of $70.43, reflecting significant volatility. Additionally, HIMS has experienced a year-to-date return of +3.3% and a one-year decline of -47.8%.
GF Value™ verdict: Current price is $33.54, which is 13.0% below the GF Value™ of $38.53.GF Score™: 81/100, indicating a strong overall performance.Notable signal: Insider activity shows net sales of $3.2M in the last 3 months, suggesting potential caution among insiders. Is HIMS Overvalued or Undervalued? The current price of Hims & Hers Health Inc HIMS at $33.54 is below the GF Value™ estimate of $38.53, indicating that the stock is 13.0% undervalued. This presents an opportunity for investors who believe in the long-term potential of the company. The GF Valuation label categorizes HIMS as "Modestly Undervalued," suggesting there is a margin of safety for potential investors. However, it is essential to consider that being undervalued does not guarantee immediate price appreciation, especially in light of the company's recent performance and market conditions.
GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure of intrinsic value, calculated from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. Given the current undervaluation, investors might find this an appealing entry point, although they should remain cautious of market volatility and any underlying business challenges that might affect performance.
How Does HIMS's Valuation Compare to Its History? Metric Current Historical P/E (TTM) Not available 65.8x (5-Year Median) Forward P/E 372.7x N/A Currently, HIMS does not have an available P/E ratio (TTM), but its forward P/E stands at an extremely high 372.7x, compared to its historical median of 65.8x. This suggests that the stock may be trading at a premium compared to its past valuations. This P/E analysis aligns with the GF Value™ verdict of being undervalued, as the market may be pricing in future growth that might not yet be realized.
What Does HIMS's GF Score™ Tell Us? Metric Rating GF Score™ 81/100 Financial Strength 5/10 Profitability 4/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 9/10 Momentum 5/10 The GF Score™ of 81/100 indicates a strong overall potential for Hims & Hers Health Inc. The highest rating is in Growth (10/10), showcasing the company's ability to expand and innovate. However, the weakest area lies in Profitability (4/10), suggesting that while the company is growing, it may not be converting that growth into profits effectively. Financial Strength is also moderate (5/10), indicating stability but with room for improvement.
What Are Insiders Doing with HIMS Stock? In the past three months, insider transactions revealed that insiders bought $1.2 million worth of stock while selling $4.4 million. This net selling of $3.2 million could suggest that insiders are cautious about the company's near-term performance or are taking profits after recent price increases. While insider buying typically signals confidence in the company's future, the selling could indicate differing views on its short-term prospects.
What This Means for Investors Based on the GF Value™ analysis, Hims & Hers Health Inc HIMS is currently undervalued, presenting a potential opportunity for investors willing to accept the associated risks of volatility and insider selling activity. However, the company's moderate profitability and financial strength scores warrant careful consideration before making any investment decisions.
For the complete analysis, visit the Hims & Hers Health Inc HIMS stock page. You can also explore the GF Value™ page for detailed valuation methodology, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find similar opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions What is HIMS's GF Score™?
The GF Score™ for Hims & Hers Health Inc is 81/100, indicating a strong overall performance based on key financial metrics.
Is HIMS overvalued or undervalued?
Hims & Hers Health Inc is currently undervalued, with the stock price of $33.54 being 13.0% below the GF Value™ of $38.53.
What is HIMS's P/E ratio?
Hims & Hers does not have a current P/E ratio available, but its forward P/E is 372.7x, significantly higher than its 5-year median of 65.8x, indicating a potentially inflated valuation.
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].
In the latest close session, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (HIMS - Free Report) was down 1.73% at $32.96. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.44%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.09%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 2.22%.
The company's shares have seen an increase of 41.22% over the last month, surpassing the Medical sector's gain of 0.57% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.08%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. in its upcoming release. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at -$0.06, signifying a 135.29% drop compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $689.49 million, up 26.55% from the year-ago period.
For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of -$0.23 per share and a revenue of $2.9 billion, representing changes of -143.4% and +23.72%, respectively, from the prior year.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Hims & Hers Health, Inc. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Right now, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. possesses a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell).
With respect to valuation, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 638.86. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 23.62 of its industry.
Investors should also note that HIMS has a PEG ratio of 47.94 right now. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Medical Info Systems industry had an average PEG ratio of 1.88.
The Medical Info Systems industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 160, putting it in the bottom 35% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ - Restaurant Brands International Inc. ("RBI") (NYSE: QSR) (TSX: QSR) (TSX: QSP) will release its second quarter 2026 financial results on Thursday, August 6, 2026, and will host an investor conference call that morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
The earnings call will be webcast on the company's investor relations website (https://rbi.com/investors) and a replay will be available for a limited time following the release. Investors may also access the conference call via the following dial-in numbers: 1 (833) 461-5787 for U.S. callers, 1 (365) 657-4084 for Canadian callers, and 1 (206) 407-3770 for callers from other countries. For all dial-in numbers please use the following access code: 686849151.
About Restaurant Brands International Inc.
Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with nearly $48 billion in annual system-wide sales and roughly 33,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories. RBI owns four of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES®, and FIREHOUSE SUBS®. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities for decades. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to its food, the planet, and people and communities.
France and Germany have agreed on a framework in which the German government will take a stake in defense manufacturer KNDS, ahead of a potential multi-billion-euro IPO by the company.
KNDS is one of Europe's largest producers of military equipment, including armoured vehicles and ammunition used in Ukraine. The company is viewed as a key to the continent's rearmament push that has benefited defense companies like Rheinmetall, Saab, and BAE Systems.
"By setting out this Franco-German framework, the two States have taken a decisive step towards strengthening their common sovereignty in land defence," the French and German governments said in a joint statement on Monday.
Why Germany is seeking a KNDS stakeGermany is now seeking to acquire a 40% stake in KNDS from family shareholders, the country's government said in a separate statement.
"A stake by Germany in KNDS will secure long-term influence over a company that is strategically important for European security and defense capabilities," the statement, translated from German, said.
Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the company could be valued at between 15 billion euros ($17.2 billion) and 18 billion euros
Is KNDS going public?The parties were aiming to finalize the agreement by Monday ahead of an IPO announcement that could come as soon as Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.
KNDS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.
The transaction would bring Germany's stake in KNDS in line with France's, both governments said in a joint statement.
The French government's stake is 50% but it is expected to reduce its holding to 40%, according to multiple media reports, which would leave the two governments as equal shareholders.
Although voice artificial intelligence (AI) company SoundHound AI (SOUN 0.39%) has been generating some impressive growth in recent quarters, its stock has been struggling. Thus far in 2026, it's down around 30%, and at roughly $7, it would need to more than triple in value to get back to the high of more than $22 it reached last year.
Given the opportunities in AI and the company's continued growth through acquisitions, is SoundHound AI's stock overdue for a rebound, and could it be a good buy right now?
Image source: Getty Images.
Why SoundHound AI's strong growth may not be enough to win over investors The big problem with SoundHound AI isn't a lack of growth; it's its bottom line, which is often in the red. As you'll see from the charts below, while SoundHound AI has done an excellent job of growing revenue, its bottom line, aside from a few quarters, has typically remained in the red in recent years.
SOUN Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts
This is a concern for investors because if a business is growing its sales but not its earnings, it may be chasing growth opportunities too aggressively rather than carefully pursuing those that are accretive to the bottom line. Without strong financials, the business may need to raise cash through debt or equity offerings to invest in its operations and future growth. And those concerns may very well be weighing down the tech stock right now.
Today's Change
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-0.39
%) $
-0.03
Current Price
$
6.42
Will SoundHound AI stock rally this year? SoundHound AI's stock may not seem too expensive, with a market cap of $3 billion, but it still trades at 16 times its revenue, which isn't cheap. And although the company technically posted a profit in one of its recent quarters, there's a lot of noise in its financials due to acquisitions; without other income items, it would have landed in the red, as it has incurred an operating loss in each of the past four quarters.
Unfortunately, while SoundHound AI's business is growing, it isn't demonstrating to investors that it's becoming a safer overall investment. Investors aren't going to be impressed by growth driven primarily by acquisitions. Plus, with interest rates potentially rising further this year, risky stocks such as SoundHound AI may be under even greater pressure in the near future, which is why I don't expect a rally in the stock unless it shows a drastic improvement in its bottom line.
David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends SoundHound AI. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Chief Operating Officer Sells 65K Shares for $485KThis AI voice platform provider to enterprise clients reported a notable insider sale amid a challenging year for its shares.
Michael Zagorsek, Chief Operating Officer of SoundHound AI (SOUN 0.70%), disclosed the direct sale of 64,994 shares for a total value of approximately $485,000 on June 15, according to a SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)64,994Transaction value$484,712.25Post-transaction shares (direct)1,669,497Post-transaction value (direct ownership)$12.2 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($7.46); post-transaction value based on June 15 market close ($7.33).
Key questionsHow does this sale compare to Michael Zagorsek’s recent trading activity?
Since December 2024, Zagorsek has made seven sales, with this transaction’s size (~65,000 shares) closely matching the average sell-only event (~47,000 shares), reflecting a consistent disposition strategy as direct holdings have declined.What proportion of total direct holdings was affected by this transaction?
The sale represented 3.8% of direct holdings at the time, a moderate portion that aligns with the scale of prior sell events and leaves the majority of the executive’s direct equity interest intact.Were indirect or derivative securities involved in this transaction?
No indirect holdings or derivative awards were sold or exercised; all shares disposed were held directly, and Zagorsek retains no indirect or derivative exposure post-transaction.What is the ongoing equity exposure for the insider following this transaction?
Post-sale, Zagorsek maintains 1,669,497 shares of Class A Common Stock, providing continued alignment with shareholders and significant residual equity capacity for future liquidity events.Company overviewMetricValueMarket capitalization$3.2 billionRevenue (TTM)$184.0 millionNet income (TTM)-$169.0 millionCompany snapshotSoundHound A. operates within the voice AI sector, leveraging a comprehensive technology stack to deliver tailored conversational solutions. The company’s strategy centers on providing flexible, domain-specific voice platforms that can be deeply integrated into client ecosystems. I
Offers a proprietary AI voice platform (Houndify) featuring automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, custom wake words, text-to-speech synthesis, and embedded voice solutions.Generates revenue primarily through licensing its voice AI technology and providing enterprise solutions to brands integrating conversational interfaces into their products and services.Targets enterprise clients across industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, and customer service, enabling them to deploy advanced voice-enabled experiences for end users.What this transaction means for investorsCOO Michael Zagorsek’s share sales, although not a large percentage of his total holdings, send a cautionary signal. That’s because a number of senior executives, including CEO Keyvan Mohajer, sold SoundHound AI shares.
The other senior executes reporting sales include the chief technology officer, chief product officer, and the chief science officer. Notably, none of the shares were sold under 10b5-1 trading plans, which outline sales activity, including timing, ahead of time.
The executives’ transactions come as the shares have woefully underperformed small-cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index. SoundHound AI’s shares lost 30.7% over the last year, through June 22. During this span, the Russell 2000 returned 44.2%, including dividends.
Looking at results, SoundHound AI lost $25 million in the first quarter under generally accepted accounting principles compared to a $129.9 million profit in the year-ago period. The company reports second-quarter results in early August.
Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends SoundHound AI. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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52-Week Range$4.49▼
$16.70P/E Ratio72.26
Price Target$8.04
Shares of Sweetgreen Inc. NYSE: SG have surged 60% over the past three months, rebounding from a steep selloff that began in late 2024 as concerns about slowing consumer demand mounted. The rally has some questioning whether the company's efforts to revive the business are finally gaining traction or if the stock is simply rebounding from deeply oversold levels.
Sweetgreen's core business remains unprofitable, and the company has missed Wall Street expectations more often than not since going public, including the most recent quarter, reported on May 8.
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However, encouraging comments about its turnaround efforts seem to have sparked fresh optimism.
Sweetgreen Shares Have Surged Since Hitting March LowThe fast-casual chain, known for its salads and other healthy menu items, went public in late 2021, and its shares initially soared. However, the gains were short-lived, and the stock spent much of the next few years under pressure as the company struggled to turn a profit.
In 2024, things started to look up. The stock went from trading around $10 in January to above $44 by November. But as concerns about slowing consumer demand emerged, those gains quickly unraveled. By March 2026, the stock had plunged to an all-time low of $4.49. Since then, shares have rebounded sharply, surging nearly 100%.
The catalyst doesn't appear to be the company's most recent earnings report. Sweetgreen posted a first-quarter loss of 27 cents per share, wider than the 21-cent-per-share loss reported a year earlier and Wall Street's estimate for a 23-cent loss. Revenue of roughly $162 million fell nearly 3% year over year and missed expectations by about $2 million. The results marked the company's fourth consecutive earnings and revenue miss and its third straight quarter of declining revenue.
Turnaround Plan Is Showing Signs of TractionDespite the disappointing earnings report, the company's comments on its Sweetgrowth Transformation Plan, launched in November 2025 to help turn the business around, appeared to spark optimism among investors.
During the earnings call, co-founder and Chief Executive Jonathan Neman said, "We are beginning to see signs that the actions we are putting in place are gaining traction. We are seeing improvement in execution across our restaurants, greater consistency in the guest experience, and stronger alignment across our teams."
He added, "We saw improvement as the quarter progressed with a further step up in April."
Neman also expressed enthusiasm about the recent addition of wraps to the menu, which he described as Sweetgreen's "most significant menu expansion in several years." The company expects wraps to help drive traffic while making the brand more accessible because of its lower price point.
Sentiment Has Improved, But Wall Street Remains CautiousInvestors appeared encouraged by the company's comments about improving trends. In the weeks following the report, five analysts raised their price targets on the stock, while two upgraded their ratings.
Even with the recent upgrades, Wall Street remains somewhat cautious. The consensus rating on Sweetgreen is Hold, based on 12 Hold ratings, four Buys, and three Sells. The majority of analysts aren't anticipating upside over the next year. The average 12-month price target of just above $8 is roughly 5% below the current share price. Price targets range from a low of $4.50 to a high of $15.
There are other indicators that suggest sentiment may be improving as well. The number of shares sold short has fallen from roughly 25 million, or nearly 27% of float, at the end of March to less than 20 million, or roughly 20% of float, as of the most recent reporting period at the end of May. While the stock remains heavily shorted, some bearish investors appear to be backing away from the name.
Insiders also appear to be expressing confidence in the company. Over the past three months, Sweetgreen insiders purchased roughly $3.4 million worth of company stock. No insider sales were reported.
Despite Recent Rally, Stock Remains Well Below HighsEven after the recent rally, Sweetgreen shares are still trading around $9, well below their July 52-week high of $16.70 and far below the more than $44 level reached in November 2024.
The stock's steep decline has left Sweetgreen trading at a discount to several peers in the fast-casual restaurant sector, which could help explain the renewed interest in the shares.
On a price-to-sales basis, Sweetgreen stock trades at less than 1.6X sales, compared with roughly 8.3X for CAVA Group Inc. NYSE: CAVA, 3.4X for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. NYSE: CMG, and 6.1X for Wingstop Inc. NASDAQ: WING. Shake Shack Inc. NYSE: SHAK, which plummeted after reporting disappointing Q1 results, is the closest comparison, trading at 1.7X sales.
Sweetgreen's rebound likely began as investors saw value in a stock that had been heavily sold off. More recently, however, signs of progress in the company's turnaround efforts appear to have provided additional support for the rally.
Sweetgreen, Inc. (SG) Price Chart for Wednesday, June, 24, 2026
While the company's financial results still leave plenty of room for improvement, investors seem increasingly focused on what comes next. The second-quarter earnings report in August should provide a clearer indication of whether the recent improvement in traffic trends continued and whether Sweetgreen is beginning to translate those gains into stronger financial performance.
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