Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways Valero Energy stands to benefit as falling crude prices lower input costs and lift refining margins.Tight global refining capacity and low fuel inventories are keeping margins strong for VLO.VLO shares have jumped 72% over the past year, outpacing the industry's 38% improvement. The United States and Iran have inked an interim deal to end the war and eventually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for the passage of significant oil volumes that are consumed across the globe. So, once the oil starts flowing, there will be more supply, leading to declining commodity prices. The price of West Texas Intermediate crude is hovering around the $75-per-barrel benchmark, reflecting a sharp decline from the more than $100 per barrel a month ago.

Although oil prices are still high, the significant decline is definitely having a much bigger impact on the energy business landscape. For refiners like Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) , the considerable decline in oil prices will likely increase refining margins, as input costs have fallen remarkably.

Apart from this, investors should note that the global refining capacity is constrained, and fuel inventories are low. On the demand side, gasoline, diesel and jet fuel remain resilient. This means people are still driving and flying quite often, while diesel demand suggests transportation, freight, agriculture and industrial activity are still holding up. As a result, with higher refinery activities and constrained fuel supply, refining margins for refiners like VLO are quite strong.

Will MPC & PSX Also Gain?Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC - Free Report) and Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) are two other leading refining companies that are well poised to gain from falling crude prices and the tight refining capacities across the globe.

MPC runs refining systems that are the largest in the United States. With high utilization of refineries, Marathon Petroleum is well-positioned to capture almost all of the available profitable opportunities.

Phillips 66’s refineries have excellent processing capacity and can handle different grades of crude, and hence can earn a handsome margin after processing low-cost heavy crude. Importantly, PSX expects its refining operations to be responsible for contributing almost 33% of its total adjusted EBITDA by 2027.

VLO’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of VLO have jumped 72% over the past year compared with the 38% improvement of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, VLO trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 7.25X. This is above the broader industry average of 5.55X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VLO’s 2026 earnings has seen upward estimate revisions over the past seven days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

VLO currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

© Tom Merton / OJO Images via Getty Images

Many investors and drivers breathed a sigh of relief after the 2024 election. President Trump campaigned hard on bringing down energy costs, and the first year of his second term saw gas prices fall sharply from the year before. 

Then the outbreak of the Iran conflict briefly sent oil above $100 a barrel and pushed average gasoline prices past $5 per gallon. Although chances for a peace deal brought oil prices down again and pulled the national average gas price toward $3.95 today, negotiations have hit roadblocks. The price of a barrel of oil is climbing again. Yet a much larger threat to gas prices may be emerging — and it has nothing to do with Iran.

The Coming Crisis The culprit is a set of aggressive federal rules that require oil refiners to use far more biofuels — fuels made from corn, soybeans, used cooking oil, and animal fats — in the gasoline and diesel Americans buy every day. 

When refiners cannot blend enough biofuel, they must buy compliance credits (called renewable identification numbers, or RINs) on the open market. Those RIN prices have soared because the government’s targets now exceed what the country comfortably produces. The mechanics are straightforward. 

Every year the EPA sets a growing quota for biofuels that must enter the domestic fuel supply. Refiners can meet the quota by actually mixing in ethanol or renewable diesel, or they can buy RINs generated by biofuel producers. When there aren’t enough RINs to go around, their prices jump. Refiners then pass much of that extra cost along the chain, ultimately hitting the pump.

In late March, the EPA finalized record-high targets of roughly 25.82 billion RINs required for 2026 and 25.98 billion for 2027. These are the largest mandates in the program’s history. The rules also put about 70% of exemptions previously granted to small refineries back into the general pool, raising the burden on larger players.

The Current Squeeze Biofuel production continues to expand, but not quickly enough to create a comfortable cushion against the EPA’s increasingly aggressive targets. The buffer of unused RINs built up in prior years is running low. 

EPA data released June 18 showed 2.02 billion credits generated in May — up 4% from last year — but the overall cushion continues to shrink. Bloomberg analysts expect it will hit zero at the end of this year and go into deficit in 2027. 

This shortage has already driven RIN prices to all-time highs, from around $1 at the start of the year to almost $2.25 today. Refiners without their own biofuel production face the full hit when they buy on the open market. The growing pressure has already sparked a legal challenge.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers trade group argues the mandates are unrealistic, could cost more than $100 billion over two years, and may force refiners to limit domestic fuel sales to remain compliant. They estimate the impact could mean gas prices rise by $0.26 to $0.45 per gallon — on top of the elevated prices that are already likely to remain.

Regulation is rewriting the energy market, and your wallet is the target. Discover the hidden 'squeeze' driving fuel costs to new highs. © 24/7 Wall St. Winners and Losers Among Energy Stocks Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO | VLO Price Prediction) has emerged as a potential standout winner from the coming crisis. The company operates large ethanol plants and holds a major stake in Diamond Green Diesel, one of the country’s biggest renewable diesel facilities. In the first quarter, Valero’s renewable diesel segment reported $139 million in operating income — a sharp turnaround from a $141 million loss in the year-ago period. Its ethanol business added another strong contribution. This vertical integration lets Valero generate many of its own credits instead of buying them at inflated prices.

Similarly, ethanol producer Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM) reported a 48% increase in operating profit for its carbohydrate solutions segment, while operating profit for its Vantage Corn Processors unit — which includes ADM’s dry mill ethanol plants — nearly quadrupled. It expects the improved margin environment for ethanol to continue in Q2.

In contrast, pure merchant refiners like PBF Energy (NYSE:PBF) lack big biofuel arms and must purchase most credits externally, which squeezes margins when prices rise. 

Key Takeaway Investors should view the coming RIN squeeze as a reminder that energy markets are often shaped as much by regulation as by geopolitics. While headlines remain focused on Iran and oil prices, refiners are increasingly focused on compliance costs that could ripple through the entire fuel supply chain.

Companies with meaningful renewable diesel and ethanol operations, such as Valero, may be positioned to benefit as credit prices rise, while refiners that must purchase credits on the open market could face margin pressure. As earnings season approaches, investors should pay close attention to management commentary on RIN costs, renewable fuel profitability, and the outlook for EPA mandates. 

The next major move in gasoline prices may have less to do with events overseas than with decisions being made in Washington.

Here are three stocks with buy ranks and strong growth characteristics for investors to consider today, June 17:

DaVita Inc. (DVA - Free Report) : This kidney dialysis company has a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 6.4% over the last 60 days.

DaVita Inc. has a PEG ratio of 0.69 compared with 2.18 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of B.

Five Below, Inc. (FIVE - Free Report) : This specialty retail company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 8.1% over the last 60 days.

Five Below has a PEG ratio of 1.06 compared with 2.01 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of A.

Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI - Free Report) : This shipping and mailing services company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 11% over the last 60 days.

Pitney Bowes has a PEG ratio of 0.77 compared with 0.84 for the industry. The company possesses a Growth Score of A.

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

Learn more about the Growth score and how it is calculated here.

HENDERSON, Nev., June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is opening NSU Health, a regional campus in Henderson, Nev., initially to offer its nationally recognized Anesthesiologist Assistant (AA) program to address a state and national shortage of anesthesia professionals.

Nova Southeastern University, the first university to offer an AA program in Nevada, will enroll its first cohort of 26 students in the 27-month program in its facilities at 876 Seven Hills Dr., this summer. NSU Health AA program graduates typically obtain a master’s degree in two years, after completing undergraduate studies, then taking graduation work under the direction of a physician anesthesiologist in surgical settings.

Nevada is among the states ranked lowest in the availability of primary care physicians and surgeons, as well as anesthesiologists. Nova Southeastern University, the nation’s largest educator of healthcare professionals, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., intends to soon introduce a respiratory therapy degree program at its Henderson facility. The university plans to add more healthcare programs at that campus in the future.

“NSU Health at Nova Southeastern University brings together education, patient care, and groundbreaking research aimed at resolving some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges,” said NSU Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Chad Perlyn, M.D. “Nevada’s recent authorization of licensure of AAs during a significant shortage of the healthcare workforce in the state further underscores the need for these professionals in the local workforce. Training the next generation of AAs through NSU Health means our graduates can meet this growing need and contribute to a more resilient healthcare system for patients throughout the region.”

Students enrolled in the AA program at the NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus will also benefit from the U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP) Center for Anesthesia Education and Leadership at the university, which is a national hub for innovation, education, and leadership in anesthesia care. The Center prepares students for their careers as AAs, certified registered nurse anesthetists CRNAs), and physicians by leveraging NSU Health’s industry-leading program. USAP’s direct support and network of anesthesia clinicians will serve as mentors and proctors during clinical rotations.

"We are excited to have the campus in Henderson be a hub for the USAP Center for Anesthesia Education and Leadership at NSU Health,” said Mo Azam M.D., MBA, head of innovation at USAP. “The Center brings USAP and NSU Health together, making an even bigger impact in addressing the country’s need for more anesthesia clinicians. It brings together a nation-leading anesthesiologist assistant program, a new CRNA program, strong medical school affiliations, a division of clinical research, an innovation center, and a business school track for anesthesia practice management and leadership.” 

The NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus will offer students the education and training to be practice-ready upon graduation. The program there will provide students with hands-on clinical experience mirroring work-world scenarios. It will use on-site simulation facilities featuring high-fidelity simulators and fully operational, state-of-the-art operating rooms. 

AAs will be trained to monitor patients, develop anesthesia care plans, administer anesthesia, and provide pre- and post-operative care, among other responsibilities. This makes them highly coveted members of surgical care teams and explains why anesthesia providers are in high demand.

“The opening of our regional campus is another significant milestone in our mission to provide a world-class education to students across the country,” said NSU president and chief executive officer Harry K. Moon, M.D. “As the largest educator of healthcare professionals in the nation, we look forward to our role as a partner in advancing higher education, healthcare, and workforce development in Nevada and beyond.”

The NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus is the university’s 11th campus. Our others are in Centennial, Colo.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and throughout Florida in Fort Lauderdale (Main and Ocean campuses), Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa Bay. For more information on the NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus, visit https://www.nova.edu/campuses/nevada/index.html.

NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus

NSU Health Nevada Regional Campus The new Nova Southeastern University (NSU) regional campus location in Henderson, Nevada, marks NSU'...

• Why are LDOS shares at support?

The Leidos Holdings Analyst: Analyst Mariana Perez Mora downgraded the rating from Buy to Neutral, while cutting the price target from $200 to $125.

The Leidos Holdings Thesis:  Leidos is an American defense, aviation, information technology and biomedical research company.

The company booked awards worth $8 billion over the past 15 months, and management projected awards of $9 billion more in the next 12 months, but growth continues to "get deferred," Mora said in the downgrade note.

Check out other analyst stock ratings.

Headwinds from certain programs winding down could offset Leidos Holdings' overall growth for the next couple of years, the analyst stated. So, while the company's defense portfolio does present opportunities, investors are unlikely to price in their full value until results begin to materialize, she added.

Leidos Holdings' managed health care business had been a "standout performer," the analyst noted. She added, however, that there is downward pressure in the near term from:

DHMSM (Defense Healthcare Management System Modernization) is winding down and DHA (Defense Health Agency) is still trying to work directly with suppliers MDE (Medical Disability Exams) is up for recompete, weighing on the company's market share and pricing power "While we anticipate LDOS will be able to leverage its existing capabilities and network to win business in managed health (like recent Military OneSource), increasing competition in the health care sector limits future upside," Mora further wrote.

LDOS Price Action: Shares of Leidos Holdings had declined by 2.94% to $110.24 at the time of publication on Wednesday.

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The blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) for Space Exploration Technologies (a.k.a. SpaceX) has sent shockwaves through the market, turning it into a multitrillion-dollar giant. That historic debut triggered a temporary liquidity vacuum, with some investors selling off smaller aerospace positions to fund their SpaceX orders, but it ultimately validated the huge scale of the modern space economy.

With SpaceX having a premium valuation that leaves almost zero room for error, the smarter risk-reward plays often lie in the crucial infrastructure and defense partners supporting this boom. Here are three compelling reasons to buy Rocket Lab (RKLB 0.53%) and Leidos (LDOS 1.43%) in a post-SpaceX IPO world:

Image source: Getty Images.

The valuation arbitrage: Buying growth at a discount SpaceX has captured the world's attention, but at an astronomical multitrillion-dollar valuation, it has to execute flawlessly just to justify its share price. Doubling your money requires it to reach more than $5 trillion in market value, an incredibly high bar.

Rocket Lab is a space stock with huge potential at a fraction of its market capitalization. It's pulling in record revenue, with $200 million in the first quarter alone, up more than 63% year over year, and has a backlog of $2.2 billion.

The stock gives you an entry into an established, rapidly growing player where operational execution can still yield asymmetric, exponential returns.

Leidos is an even better value, trading at less than 11 times trailing earnings. It is growing revenue more slowly, though, with $4.4 billion in the first quarter, up 4% over the same period last year, but it has a huge backlog of $48.4 billion.

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Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket will lift the stock Until now, SpaceX has dominated the medium-to-heavy commercial launch market with the Falcon 9. But commercial operators, constellation builders, and government agencies desperately want a reliable backup to break that monopoly.

Rocket Lab's highly anticipated medium-lift reusable rocket, the Neutron, is slated for its debut late this year. It will immediately scale up Rocket Lab's payload capacity to 13,000 kilograms (just under 28,700 pounds or 14.3 tons), allowing it to compete directly for the high-margin national security and deep-space missions currently monopolized by SpaceX. The company has already locked in a five-launch deal for the Neutron before it even leaves the pad.

Leidos' single largest financial footprint in space operations is the contract for Advanced Enterprise Global Information Technology Solutions (AEGIS), a 10-year deal that it landed in 2021 with NASA. With the contract valued at up to $2.5 billion, Leidos manages the entire telecommunications, cloud, data center, and cybersecurity infrastructure that connects all NASA centers, enabling the data transmission necessary for deep-space exploration and tracking.

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Both space companies are crucial pick-and-shovel plays Launches grab the headlines, but the real recurring money in the trillion-dollar space economy comes from satellite manufacturing, software, payload integration, and cybersecurity.

More than half of Rocket Lab's revenue actually comes from its thriving Space Systems segment. It builds the solar arrays, flight software, and components that power other companies' satellites. It is also building 18 whole satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agency.

As a premier defense tech contractor, Leidos handles complex data processing, ground control software, and cybersecurity networks that enable space assets to operate for the Pentagon and civil agencies.

As SpaceX dramatically lowers the cost of reaching orbit, the volume of satellites in space will explode. Investors should buy Rocket Lab and Leidos because they provide the essential infrastructure and data systems required to support that huge influx of hardware.

Don't chase the herd into a crowded, expensive megacap IPO. The secondary market sell-off has created a fantastic entry point to accumulate the nimble operators and defense staples that keep the space economy running.

All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Based in Conshohocken, Hamilton Lane (HLNE - Free Report) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -38.78%. The private-market investment firm is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.54 per share, with a dividend yield of 2.92%. This compares to the Financial - Investment Management industry's yield of 2.59% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.43%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.40 is up 11.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Hamilton Lane has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 11.96%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Hamilton Lane's current payout ratio is 37%, meaning it paid out 37% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

HLNE is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.33 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 7.29%.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, HLNE is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

New Insight and Activation Agents link intelligence to execution, while open connectivity lets advertisers access DV’s platform on their terms, through their preferred AI tools June 17, 2026 09:00 ET  | Source: DoubleVerify Inc.

NEW YORK, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DoubleVerify (“DV”) (NYSE: DV), the leading software platform to verify media quality, optimize advertising performance and prove campaign outcomes, today introduced DV Neura™, the cognitive engine powering artificial intelligence across DV MAP™, the DV Media AdVantage Platform. As DV continues to invest in AI to reshape the future of digital advertising, DV Neura brings that strength to life by enabling more seamless access to customer insights and performance data through open agentic protocols and specialized agents. DV Neura powers faster, more accurate content classification and creates new channels for verification data delivery in agentic buying and optimization systems.

As part of today’s announcement, DV is introducing new capabilities that enable advertisers to access their DV data using their preferred conversational AI tools, supported by the Model Context Protocol (MCP) open standard. Clients can use Anthropic Claude today to connect with the DV Neura Insight Agent, which analyzes DV’s media quality and performance data to surface campaign insights and recommendations through natural-language interactions. Additional integrations with Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and other leading AI assistants are expected to follow.

DV is also introducing the DV Neura Activation Agent, which will autonomously execute approved campaign changes within advertiser-defined guardrails and become available in Q3.

“Most of the innovation around agentic advertising remains trapped in silos, with AI-enabled features and point solutions disconnected from the broader advertiser opportunity and the core platform,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. “DV Neura changes that by connecting DV’s AI-powered capabilities across our platform, from verification and content classification to performance optimization and outcomes measurement, while also enabling flexible, dynamic agentic workflows that connect insight with execution across the campaign lifecycle. We are helping define what agentic advertising should become: faster, smarter and built on transparency, trust and tangible results.”

“Healthcare marketers operate in some of the most complex advertising environments, where every decision must balance performance, compliance, brand suitability and consumer trust,” said Gina Whelehan, Group Director of Strategic Partnerships at Butler/Till. “We’re excited to work with DV to bring verification earlier into agentic advertising workflows and help shape how AI-powered campaign execution can operate in practice. DV Neura is helping our teams move faster and drive stronger outcomes while maintaining governance and accountability.”

DV Neura also enhances DV’s AI-powered products and solutions through a hybrid architecture that combines large language models, specialized machine learning and deterministic rules. In content classification, this approach helps DV interpret emerging topics and nuanced meaning across text, images, video and audio with greater speed, scale and consistency.

DV has increased its content classification output by nearly 300x, demonstrating how AI is expanding the depth and breadth of DV’s analysis. DV’s AI-powered capabilities are also driving measurable impact across media quality and performance. Since the beginning of the year, DV has monitored or blocked more than 500 million impressions across AI slop sites and other low-quality GenAI open web environments, while DV Scibids AI optimizes 25 billion impressions each month, helping advertisers improve efficiency and maximize outcomes.

“AI is changing how advertising operates, but it does not change what advertisers need most: transparency, control and measurable performance. DV Neura gives advertisers the intelligence and infrastructure to operate with confidence in a more automated, agent-driven world,” added Zagorski.

DV Neura is organized around four core pillars:

Media Intelligence: Uses advanced AI to stop fraud, filter AI slop and strengthen content classification, helping advertisers protect brand equity and improve media quality.

Adaptive Performance: Optimizes media investment through AI-powered bidding and measures business impact using MTA and incrementality.

Open Connectivity: Enables secure access to DV’s data, insights and capabilities through conversational AI, APIs, MCP integrations and ADCP support, connecting DV MAP with advertiser and partner workflows.

Agentic Execution: Connects insight with action through the DV Neura Insight Agent, which generates campaign insights and recommendations, and the DV Neura Activation Agent, which executes approved changes within advertiser-defined guardrails.

DV Neura builds on nearly two decades of innovation in media quality, performance optimization and outcomes measurement. Powered by DV’s proprietary data and extensive integrations across the open web, social, streaming TV and retail media, it brings trusted intelligence into campaign decisioning and execution to help brands protect and maximize their media investments with greater confidence, control and performance.

For more information about DV Neura, contact [email protected].

About DoubleVerify
DoubleVerify (“DV”) (NYSE: DV) is the industry’s leading media effectiveness platform that leverages AI to drive superior outcomes for global brands. By powering media efficiency and performance, DV strengthens the online advertising ecosystem, preserving the fair value exchange between buyers and sellers of digital media. Learn more at www.doubleverify.com.

Chris Harihar 
646-535-9475 
[email protected] 

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.

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

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

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

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

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

Momentum ScoreMomentum 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.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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.

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

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

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

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

Stock to Watch: Dropbox (DBX - Free Report) Dropbox offers a cloud-based platform that businesses and individuals can create, access and share digital content globally. It serves more than 700 million registered users across approximately 180 countries.

DBX is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. DBX has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 8.5% for the current fiscal year.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.03 to $3.08 per share. DBX also boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.6%.

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

In the latest close session, AppFolio (APPF - Free Report) was down 5.89% at $148.59. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.22%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.98%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 1.35%.

Shares of the property management software maker have depreciated by 1.21% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 1.19%, and the S&P 500's gain of 1.56%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of AppFolio in its forthcoming earnings report. The company's upcoming EPS is projected at $1.67, signifying a 21.01% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $276.98 million, reflecting a 17.58% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $6.75 per share and a revenue of $1.12 billion, signifying shifts of +27.6% and +17.47%, respectively, from the last year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for AppFolio. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

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. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. At present, AppFolio boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In the context of valuation, AppFolio is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 23.39. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 18.64, so one might conclude that AppFolio is trading at a premium comparatively.

The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 86, placing it within the top 36% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained 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.

Progressive Corp (NYSE:PGR) reported a 36% surge in monthly net income and announced a leadership shake-up, as Personal Lines President Pat Callahan prepares to retire after nearly 24 years with the insurer.

The Cleveland-based auto insurer posted net income of $1.45 billion for the month ended May 31, up from $1.07 billion a year earlier, with earnings per share rising to $2.47 from $1.81.

Net premiums written grew 6% year-over-year to $7.037 billion, while net premiums earned rose 10% to $7.36 billion.

Total policies in force reached approximately 39.97 million, up 8% from the prior year. Direct auto policies climbed 11% to 16.715 million, while agency auto policies rose 8% to 11.172 million.

On the leadership front, Callahan will remain in his role until January 2027, then transition to a part-time advisory capacity.

To manage the transition, Lori Niederst, currently CRM president, will move into a newly created Chief Personal Lines Officer role overseeing both Personal Lines and CRM operations. Heather Day, currently general manager of Customer Experience Strategy within the CRM organization, will become CRM president in July.

Progressive said it will conduct an internal search for Callahan's permanent successor.

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, OHIO, June 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) today reported the following results for the month ended May 31, 2026:

 May (millions, except per share amounts and ratios; unaudited)2026
 2025
 Change Net premiums written$7,027 $6,634 6 % Net premiums earned$7,361 $6,715 10 % Net income$1,445 $1,065 36 % Per share available to common shareholders$2.47 $1.81 36 % Total pretax net realized gains (losses) on securities$215 $211 2 % Combined ratio 82.1  86.9 (4.8)pts. Average diluted equivalent common shares 584.2  587.7 (1)%              May 31, (thousands; unaudited)
2026 2025 % Change Policies in Force      Personal Lines      Agency – auto11,172 10,341 8 Direct – auto16,715 15,089 11 Special lines7,234 6,787 7 Property3,632 3,601 1     Total Personal Lines38,753 35,818 8 Commercial Lines1,217 1,184 3 Total39,970 37,002 8                See Progressive’s complete monthly earnings release for additional information.

About Progressive

Progressive Insurance® makes it easy to understand, buy and use car insurance, home insurance, and other protection needs. Progressive offers choices so consumers can reach us however it’s most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, via the Progressive mobile app, or in-person with a local agent.

Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes; it is a leading seller of personal auto, commercial auto, motorcycle, and boat insurance, and one of the top 15 homeowners insurance carriers in the United States. 

Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of offering shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price®, Snapshot®, and HomeQuote Explorer®.

The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, trade publicly at NYSE: PGR.

Company Contact:
Julianna Paterra
(231) 600-3060
[email protected]

The Progressive Corporation 
300 North Commons Blvd.
Mayfield Village, Ohio 44143
http://www.progressive.com

Download PDF: Progressive May 2026 Complete Earnings Release

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

Over the past month, shares of this insurer have returned +0.9%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.3% change. During this period, the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, which Progressive falls in, has gained 1.7%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

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

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.

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

For the current quarter, Progressive is expected to post earnings of $3.74 per share, indicating a change of -23.4% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -1.7% over the last 30 days.

The consensus earnings estimate of $16.35 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of -10.4%. This estimate has changed -0.3% over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $16.32 indicates a change of -0.2% from what Progressive is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.8%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Progressive is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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

12 Month EPS

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

In the case of Progressive, the consensus sales estimate of $22.89 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +5.9%. The $92.6 billion and $99.58 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +6.5% and +7.5%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryProgressive reported revenues of $22.31 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.2%. EPS of $4.96 for the same period compares with $4.65 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.03 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.27%. The EPS surprise was +2.48%.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Progressive Corporation has underperformed the S&P 500, but recent earnings reveal improving fundamentals and attractive long-term positioning. PGR delivered 6% YoY growth in premiums written, 10% in premiums earned, and a 36% surge in net income, signaling operational strength. While top-line growth is slowing and unit growth outpaces dollar growth, revenue growth still exceeds expense growth, driving margin expansion.

KLA Corporation (KLAC) shares jump over 108% in last six months on AI demand.

KLAC supplies process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related nano-electronics industries, which is vital for AI growth. The company’s third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings report showed annual revenue of $3.415 billion (an 11% year-over-year jump), annual GAAP diluted per-share earnings of $9.12, along with quarterly revenue and GAAP EPS midpoint guidance of $3.575 billion and $9.66, respectively.

It’s no wonder KLAC shares are up 96% so far this year – and they could rise more. MoneyFlows data shows how Big Money investors are again betting heavily on the stock.

KLA Draws in Big Money Institutional volumes reveal plenty. In the last year, KLAC has enjoyed strong investor demand, which we believe to be institutional support.

Each green bar signals unusually large volumes in KLAC shares. They reflect our proprietary inflow signal, pushing the stock higher:

Source: www.moneyflows.com Plenty of technology names are under accumulation right now. But there’s a powerful fundamental story happening with KLA.

KLA Fundamental Analysis Institutional support and a healthy fundamental backdrop make this company worth investigating. As you can see, KLAC has had strong sales and earnings growth:

3-year sales growth rate (+10.5%) 3-year EPS growth rate (+14.6%) Source: FactSet

Also, EPS is estimated to ramp higher this year by +37.7%.

Now it makes sense why the stock has been generating Big Money interest. KLAC has a track record of strong financial performance.

Marrying great fundamentals with MoneyFlows software has found some big winning stocks over the long term.

KLA has been a top-rated stock at MoneyFlows for years. That means the stock has unusual buy pressure and growing fundamentals. We have a ranking process that showcases stocks like this on a weekly basis.

It’s garnered eight outlier inflow signals in the last year and 119 since 1994. The blue bars below show when KLAC was a top pick on the Outlier 20 report in the last year…institutional support keeps driving gains:

Source: www.moneyflows.com Tracking unusual volumes reveals the power of money flows.

This is a trait that most outlier stocks exhibit…the best of the best. Big Money demand drives stocks upward.

KLA Price Prediction The KLAC action isn’t new at all. Big Money buying in the shares is signaling to take notice. Given the historical gains in share price and strong fundamentals, this stock could be worth a spot in a diversified portfolio.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in KLAC at the time of publication.

If you are a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) or are a serious investor, take your investing to the next level and follow our free weekly MoneyFlows insights.

Momentum investing is essentially an exception to the idea of "buying low and selling high." Investors following this style of investing are usually not interested in betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.

Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves ahead of their future growth potential. In such a situation, investors find themselves loaded up on expensive shares with limited to no upside or even a downside. So, going all-in on momentum could be risky at times.

It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing price momentum recently. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, is pretty useful in identifying great momentum stocks, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

There are several stocks that currently pass through the screen and ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. (CHPT - Free Report) is one of them. Here are the key reasons why this stock is a great candidate.

A dash of recent price momentum reflects growing interest of investors in a stock. With a four-week price change of 17.5%, the stock of this company is certainly well-positioned in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. CHPT meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 36.1% over the past 12 weeks.

Moreover, the momentum for CHPT is fast paced, as the stock currently has a beta of 1.74. This indicates that the stock moves 74% higher than the market in either direction.

Given this price performance, it is no surprise that CHPT has a Momentum Score of A, which indicates that this is the right time to enter the stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success.

In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped CHPT earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Most importantly, despite possessing fast-paced momentum features, CHPT is trading at a reasonable valuation. In terms of Price-to-Sales ratio, which is considered as one of the best valuation metrics, the stock looks quite cheap now. CHPT is currently trading at 0.42 times its sales. In other words, investors need to pay only 42 cents for each dollar of sales.

So, CHPT appears to have plenty of room to run, and that too at a fast pace.

In addition to CHPT, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

This is not the only screen that could help you find your next winning stock pick. Based on your personal investing style, you may choose from over 45 Zacks Premium Screens that are strategically created to beat the market.

However, keep in mind that the key to a successful stock-picking strategy is to ensure that it produced profitable results in the past. You could easily do that with the help of the Zacks Research Wizard. In addition to allowing you to backtest the effectiveness of your strategy, the program comes loaded with some of our most successful stock-picking strategies.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. (CHPT - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Auto-Tires-Trucks peers, we might be able to answer that question.

ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. is a member of our Auto-Tires-Trucks group, which includes 100 different companies and currently sits at #12 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

The Zacks Rank is a successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CHPT's full-year earnings has moved 8.3% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, CHPT has moved about 25.2% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Auto-Tires-Trucks companies have returned an average of -8.4%. This means that ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Federal Signal (FSS - Free Report) is another Auto-Tires-Trucks stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 9.1%.

For Federal Signal, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. is a member of the Automotive - Original Equipment industry, which includes 52 individual companies and currently sits at #148 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 6.5% so far this year, so CHPT is performing better in this area.

Federal Signal, however, belongs to the Automotive - Domestic industry. Currently, this 16-stock industry is ranked #156. The industry has moved -8.6% so far this year.

ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. and Federal Signal could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has delivered the VC-25B Bridge aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, marking a significant milestone in the modernization of the Air Force One fleet.

L3Harris transformed a 747-8i aircraft into the first VC-25B within 10 months, ensuring continuity of the Presidential Airlift mission as the current VC-25A aircraft age and next-generation aircraft remain under development. To meet this accelerated timeline, the team moved with urgency across three shifts with around-the-clock operations, demonstrating the depth, discipline and commitment required to deliver for the customer.

“Through a trusted, fast-tracked partnership with the Air Force, we have proven that the U.S. defense industrial base can move at maximum velocity when the mission demands it,” said Christopher Kubasik, Chairman and CEO, L3Harris. “L3Harris rose to the challenge, and we are deeply honored to deliver to the Commander-in-Chief a symbol of American strength that meets the nation’s highest standards without compromise.”

The VC-25B provides the Office of the President with an airborne command post equipped with a new communications system that enables resilient, secure connectivity to respond to global events without disruption. This unprecedented delivery reflects L3Harris’ decision to invest early in the program - ahead of formal demand - so that capacity, talent and production readiness were in place when the customer needed them.

As a global leader in aerospace integration and aircraft missionization, L3Harris delivers high-performance, integrated solutions for head-of-state transport and VIP aircraft worldwide. The company equips national leaders with actionable intelligence, secure communications and advanced protection systems to support no-fail missions.

About L3Harris Technologies

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security. Visit L3Harris.com for more information.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

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

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? 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 ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

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

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

VGM ScoreIf you 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, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

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.

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

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

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

Stock to Watch: CoStar Group (CSGP - Free Report) CoStar Group is a prominent provider of online real estate marketplaces, data, and analytics in the United States. The company has been expanding its international footprint with operations in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Germany. CoStar Group's services cover various property types, including office, retail, industrial, multifamily, commercial land, mixed-use, and hospitality. Through the acquired businesses of Homesnap and Homes.com, it offers an online platform for residential real estate agents and brokers. Homebuyers can view residential property listings through the portal.

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

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. CSGP has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 54% for the current fiscal year.

Four analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.02 to $1.34 per share. CSGP boasts an average earnings surprise of +23%.

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

Sale positions Heat Controller for continued growth

Divestiture represents final exit of the firm's investment in HVAC/R distributor Motors & Armatures

, /PRNewswire/ -- Platinum Equity today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell Heat Controller, a leading HVAC equipment supplier, to Lennox (NYSE: LII). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, Heat Controller serves distributors across North America through its established Comfort-Aire and Century brands. Heat Controller was acquired by Platinum Equity in 2024 as part of its investment in Motors & Armatures, Inc. ("MARS"), a leading distributor of HVAC/R parts, supplies and equipment.

"The sale of Heat Controller represents the culmination of our MARS investment and delivers a successful outcome driven by focused execution on our original investment thesis," said Platinum Equity Co-President Jacob Kotzubei. "During our stewardship, we partnered with the company's management team to create value through new product introductions, strategic M&A, synergy realization, investments in leadership talent, and an exit strategy that maximized value while divesting separate divisions to their most natural strategic buyers."

"We are grateful for our partnership with the entire MARS and Heat Controller team and are proud of what we accomplished during our ownership," said Platinum Equity Managing Director Dan Krasner. "We believe Lennox is an ideal strategic home for the Heat Controller business and are confident the company is well positioned to continue building on its momentum in this next chapter as part of the Lennox platform."

"We appreciate Platinum Equity's support and partnership during an important chapter in our company's evolution," said Philip Windham, Chief Executive Officer of Heat Controller. "Their operational resources, strategic guidance and commitment to investing in the business helped strengthen our platform and create new opportunities for growth. We are excited to begin our next chapter with Lennox and continue delivering the service, flexibility and value our customers depend on."

After investing in MARS in July 2024, Platinum Equity led a comprehensive transformation of the company, which included:

Completing the strategic acquisition of Global, the Source, bringing US-based in-house manufacturing capabilities to MARS and enhancing the combined company's financial profile Expanding into new product categories such as pads, pans, equipment hangers, float switches, chemicals, and other accessories Driving significant cost savings across procurement, freight, and damage reduction Recruiting a world-class management team from a leading HVAC OEM, led by Philip Windham as CEO Divesting the MARS parts division in 2025 to CSW Industrials, Inc. (NYSE: CSW) for $650 million Now divesting Heat Controller to Lennox The Heat Controller transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP is serving as legal advisor to Platinum Equity on the sale of Heat Controller.

About Platinum Equity
Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $48 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 60 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 30 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 550 acquisitions.

About Lennox
Lennox (NYSE: LII) is a leader in energy-efficient building solutions and is committed to creating healthier and more comfortable environments. Serving residential and commercial customers, the company delivers innovative heating, cooling, indoor air quality, refrigeration, and water heating systems. Through trusted products, parts, and services, and advanced technology, Lennox delivers connected solutions that support the full lifecycle of customer needs. Additional information is available at www.lennox.com. Media inquiries may be directed to [email protected].

Contact:

Dan Whelan
Platinum Equity
[email protected]

SOURCE Platinum Equity

Investors looking for stocks in the Banks - Major Regional sector might want to consider either Truist Financial Corporation (TFC - Free Report) or Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Currently, Truist Financial Corporation has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Fifth Third Bancorp has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that TFC has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

TFC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.73, while FITB has a forward P/E of 12.86. We also note that TFC has a PEG ratio of 0.83. 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. FITB currently has a PEG ratio of 1.05.

Another notable valuation metric for TFC is its P/B ratio of 1.02. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, FITB has a P/B of 1.5.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to TFC's Value grade of B and FITB's Value grade of C.

TFC is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that TFC is likely the superior value option right now.

I change my rating for Sonic Automotive from 'Hold' to 'Buy', after assessing its near- and long-term prospects. SAH has a good chance of beating Q2 consensus revenue estimates, given that the industry and its key OEM partner have done well in the recent month. A stabilization of used vehicle pricing and a proposal to widen the EchoPark footprint bode well for SAH's under-penetrated used car business.

WINCHESTER, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As Trex Company, Inc. (NYSE:TREX) celebrates 30 years of innovation and impact, the company today announced the release of its 2025 Sustainability Report. Trex was the first company to bring wood composite decking to the market, creating an entirely new category of circular decking.

“Trex designs for the people who use our products today and for those who will inherit them tomorrow.”

Share Over the past three decades, many have imitated, but Trex remains the global leader, continuing to define and perfect composite decking made from 95% recycled and reclaimed wood and plastic film. The report highlights Trex’s unique commitment to the quality, durability and sustainability of its products.

“The Trex magic lies in transforming reclaimed and recycled materials into premium, enduring products that elevate outdoor living. Creating beautiful, low-maintenance spaces where people can gather, relax and experience life outside in comfort and style,” said Trex Company President and CEO Adam D. Zambanini. “Trex designs for the people who use our products today and for those who will inherit them tomorrow.”

For 30 years, Trex has consistently designed its products not only for today’s customers, but for the generations who will use them in the future. Quality, longevity, sustainability and innovation are at the heart of Trex products. Each product is engineered for performance, designed for beauty and built to enhance outdoor living for years to come.

“The enduring success of Trex is rooted in integrity with an unwavering commitment that inspires trust, drives innovation and shapes everything we build,” said Amy Fernandez, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer of Trex Company. “Our 2025 report demonstrates how principled, ethical leadership is the foundation for our business, fostering long-term relationships based on trust.”

Highlights in the 2025 Report include:

Circular Materials Leadership: Trex is one of North America’s largest recyclers of waste plastic film. Since its founding, the company has upcycled more than 6.4 billion pounds of waste plastic film.

NexTrex® Recycling Network: Expanded to more than 15,300 retail locations, collecting over 353 million pounds of waste polyethylene film in 2025 through partnerships with retailers and consumers.

NexTrex® Grassroots Movement: Trex makes recycling accessible to more and more communities. The program added 38 new centralized drop-off sites in 2025, recycling a record amount of waste plastic film and promoting recycling in numerous schools and community organizations.

Climate & Operations: Trex manufacturing operations reduced total energy use by 3% and energy intensity by 5% compared to 2024 - part of an ongoing program to lower its operational footprint.

Employee Development: Trex invested significantly in employee training and development. Employees completed over 52,000 hours of training across leadership development, compliance, onboarding and technical skills.

Community investment: Trex grows alongside the communities it calls home. Through charitable giving, employee volunteering and partnerships, Trex and its employees directed hundreds of thousands of dollars to community causes and continued a long-standing partnership with United Way.

External Recognition: Named to Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies and received multiple honors, including Green Builder® Sustainable Product of the Year, a Greater Good Award for Trex Select® decking, Large Business of the Year from the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber and the Reworld Waste Sustainability Award.

The full 2025 Sustainability Report is available at www.trex.com/why-trex/sustainability.

About Trex Company, Inc.

For more than 30 years, Trex Company [NYSE: TREX] has invented, reinvented and defined the wood-alternative decking category. Today, the company is the world’s #1 brand of premium, sustainable, wood-alternative decking and residential railing, and a leader in high-performance, low-maintenance outdoor living products. Boasting the industry’s strongest distribution network, Trex sells products through more than 6,700 retail outlets across six continents. Through strategic licensing agreements, the company offers a comprehensive outdoor living portfolio that includes deck drainage, flashing tapes, deck lighting, outdoor kitchen components, fencing, pergolas, spiral stairs, lattice, cornhole and outdoor furniture – all marketed under the Trex® brand.

Based in Winchester, Va., Trex is proud to have been named America’s Most Trusted® Outdoor Decking^ for the past 6 years (2021-2026) and included in Newsweek’s list of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2026. Additionally, USA Today included Trex on its 2026 list of “America’s Climate Leaders.” The company has also been ranked on Barron’s list of the 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies (2024 and 2025), was named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024 by Newsweek, highlighted as one of the 100 Best ESG Companies by Investor’s Business Daily, and named the Sustainable Brand Leader in the decking category by Green Builder Media for 16 consecutive years. For more information, visit Trex.com. You may also follow Trex on Facebook (trexcompany), Instagram (trexcompany), X (Trex_Company), LinkedIn (trex-company), TikTok (trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) and Houzz (trex-company-inc), or view product and demonstration videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).

^2021-2026 DISCLAIMER: Trex received the highest numerical score in the proprietary Lifestory Research 2021-2026 America’s Most Trusted® Outdoor Decking studies. Study results are based on the experiences and perceptions of people surveyed. Your experiences may vary. Visit www.lifestoryresearch.com.

More News From Trex Company, Inc.

BOLINGBROOK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) today unveiled findings from a new Ulta Beauty-commissioned study conducted by NielsenIQ, “Smart Beauty: AI, Personalization & the Gen Alpha Consumer,” exploring how Gen Alpha consumers are navigating beauty and wellness in an increasingly AI-driven world. The study underscores Ulta Beauty’s commitment to understanding and evolving alongside the next generation, as well as building beauty and wellness experiences that are personalized, empowering, responsible and rooted in trust.

Smart Beauty Study: Gen Alpha Values Both AI & In-Person Experiences

The Smart Beauty study reveals a generation embracing technology while still valuing in-person experiences and trusted guidance – challenging assumptions about what it means to be digital and AI natives.

“Our Smart Beauty research shows that Gen Alpha is embracing AI and personalization in ways that are fundamentally changing how beauty and wellness is discovered and shopped, while still valuing the importance of physical stores and real-world experiences,” said Kelly Mahoney, chief marketing officer at Ulta Beauty. “What’s especially powerful is that technology is fueling more exploration and engagement with the category, making discovery faster, more relevant and more inspiring for Gen Alpha consumers.”

Among the findings:

Gen Alpha Blends Digital Discovery With Real-World Validation: While 78% of Gen Alpha consumers discover beauty products through at least one online source, nearly as many (77%) then seek real-world validation, including visiting stores to try products in person (37%), asking family or friends how to use products (37%) and discussing products with peers (36%). “In Real Life” (IRL) Shopping Wins on Instant Gratification: Despite being digital natives, the majority of Gen Alpha consumers still prefer shopping for beauty products in-store, including 73% of fragrance users, 70% of makeup users, 66% of skincare users, 66% of hair care users and 66% of nail care users. The top reasons: being able to take products home immediately (43-51% across categories) and discovering or exploring new products in person (33-49% across categories). AI Is Reinforcing the In-Store Beauty Experience: Gen Alpha consumers who use AI tools are significantly more likely to visit stores to browse and try products in person than non-AI users (57% vs. 36%), revealing that technology is amplifying discovery rather than replacing physical retail. Personalization Is Becoming Part of Everyday Beauty Discovery: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Alpha beauty consumers already use personalization tools while shopping for beauty products, turning to tailored product recommendations (35%), AI-powered search results (31%) and interest-based content suggestions (29%). The top reasons for using these tools include discovering new products (53%), trying something new (45% overall; 54% among teen girls) and learning how to use products (42% overall; 49% among nail care users). Teen Boys Are Emerging as Early AI Beauty Adopters: Teen boys are leading Gen Alpha’s adoption of AI-powered beauty tools, with 26% using AI shopping assistants – nearly double the rate of other Gen Alpha groups (~15%). Compared to pre-teen boys, they are also more likely to be aware of (84% vs. 72%) and use (79% vs. 65%) personalization tools, underscoring their comfort with customized beauty experiences. AI Beauty Users Feel More Confident in Their Product Choices: Compared to non-users, Gen Alpha consumers who use AI shopping assistants are significantly more likely to say personalization makes beauty feel more relevant (44% vs. 24%), more fun and engaging (42% vs. 27%) and more efficient by helping save time while shopping and exploring products (42% vs. 29%). They are also more likely to trust recommendations when they understand why products are being suggested (38% vs. 23%). Parents Want More Guidance & Transparency in Beauty: Gen Alpha parents remain highly involved in beauty purchasing decisions, with 98% saying they play an active role in what beauty and personal care products are purchased. They are also the single most helpful beauty influence for Gen Alpha (41%), outranking social media (34%) and friends (29%). For retailers, trust starts with safety and guidance: one-third of parents and guardians (33%) say the most important way to build trust is by creating safe, welcoming environments for Gen Alpha, including age-appropriate assortments, clear ingredient labeling and knowledgeable in-store associate guidance. “What stands out in these findings is the clear convergence of digital and physical behaviors,” said Jacqueline Flam, managing director, beauty & health at NIQ. “Gen Alpha is highly fluent in AI and personalization, but they are using these tools to enhance discovery and build confidence, not to replace in-store experiences. For brands and retailers, this means creating connected journeys that link digital influence with real-world engagement.”

As Gen Alpha continues to influence the future of consumer culture, Ulta Beauty believes the opportunity for the beauty and wellness industry is not simply to innovate faster, but to innovate more responsibly – combining AI-powered innovation and personalization with safety, inclusivity, education and human connection. From AI partnerships with Adobe and Google to its collaboration with NIQ to deepen understanding of beauty shoppers and market trends, Ulta Beauty is investing in thoughtful innovation grounded in insight. The company is also expanding education-first experiences – from in-store associate training to birthday programs for younger guests and their families – to advance the beauty and wellness experience for guests of all ages and life stages.

For more information and insights from the “Smart Beauty: AI, Personalization & the Gen Alpha Consumer” study, visit https://www.ulta.com/smartbeauty.

About the “Smart Beauty” Study

This research was conducted from April through May 2026 by NIQ on behalf of Ulta Beauty. The study explored how Gen Alpha consumers are engaging with beauty and wellness in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world, including their shopping behaviors, attitudes toward personalization and technology and expectations for brands and retailers. The survey is based on a nationally representative sample of 522 Gen Alpha consumers across the United States, along with 500 Gen Alpha parents and guardians.

About Ulta Beauty

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA) 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.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™—helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com.

For the quarter ended April 2026, Ulta Beauty (ULTA - Free Report) reported revenue of $3.16 billion, up 11.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $7.74, compared to $6.70 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.11 billion, representing a surprise of +1.64%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +12.2%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $6.90.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

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

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

Comparable sales - YoY change: 5.3% versus the eight-analyst average estimate of 4.3%.Total stores open at end of the quarter: 1,521 compared to the 1,517 average estimate based on six analysts.Number of stores opened during the quarter: 18 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 13.Net Sales by Primary Category - Other: 2% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 2%.Net Sales by Primary Category - Fragrance: 12% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 11%.Net Sales by Primary Category - Haircare: 18% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 18%.Net Sales by Primary Category - Cosmetics: 40% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 39.2%.Net Sales by Primary Category - Services: 4% compared to the 3.8% average estimate based on two analysts.View all Key Company Metrics for Ulta here>>>

Shares of Ulta have returned -3.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

(We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original article, issued on June 2, 2026, should no longer be relied upon.)