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Investors with an interest in Technology Services stocks have likely encountered both TTEC Holdings (TTEC - Free Report) and Everpure . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.

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.

TTEC Holdings has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Everpure has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that TTEC likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than PSTG has recently. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

TTEC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 1.92, while PSTG has a forward P/E of 26.16. We also note that TTEC has a PEG ratio of 0.24. 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. PSTG currently has a PEG ratio of 1.40.

Another notable valuation metric for TTEC is its P/B ratio of 0.99. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, PSTG has a P/B of 13.75.

These metrics, and several others, help TTEC earn a Value grade of A, while PSTG has been given a Value grade of D.

TTEC has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than PSTG, so it seems like value investors will conclude that TTEC is the superior option right now.

Everpure, Inc. benefits from surging AI-driven datacenter demand, with hyperscalers boosting capex and absorbing significant price increases. Despite a ~20% YTD rally and another 30% since February, P trades at reasonable multiples, supporting a continued 'buy' rating. Recent price hikes—up to 40% for most products and 10% for Evergreen//One—are expected to drive further earnings growth.

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) by 5.0% in the undefined quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,556,762 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock after buying an additional 73,734 shares during

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 5th, 2026

SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in shares of Cabot Corporation (NYSE:CBT – Free Report) by 260.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 36,301 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after acquiring an additional 26,216 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC owned 0.07% of Cabot worth $2,406,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gabelli Funds LLC lifted its stake in Cabot by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 13,570 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,032,000 after purchasing an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Cabot by 1.7% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 10,551 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $791,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of Cabot by 1.4% in the third quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 14,558 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,107,000 after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp lifted its position in shares of Cabot by 1.7% in the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 16,764 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,257,000 after buying an additional 276 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in Cabot by 227.5% during the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 429 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 298 shares during the last quarter. 93.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Cabot Price Performance NYSE:CBT opened at $75.88 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.29, a PEG ratio of 10.01 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 1.67 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $73.22 and a 200-day simple moving average of $70.11. Cabot Corporation has a 1 year low of $58.33 and a 1 year high of $83.71.

Cabot (NYSE:CBT – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.40 by $0.13. Cabot had a return on equity of 22.82% and a net margin of 8.62%.The firm had revenue of $849.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $889.11 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.76 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Cabot has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.000-6.500 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Cabot Corporation will post 7.57 EPS for the current year.

Cabot Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th were paid a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Cabot’s dividend payout ratio is currently 31.52%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have issued reports on CBT. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Cabot in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research raised shares of Cabot from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Cabot from $74.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Mizuho set a $75.00 price target on shares of Cabot and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $85.00 price objective on shares of Cabot in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cabot presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $73.75.

View Our Latest Stock Report on CBT

About Cabot (Free Report)

Cabot Corporation is a global specialty chemicals and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1882 by Godfrey Lowell Cabot, the company has grown into a diversified manufacturer with operations across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Cabot serves a wide range of end markets, including automotive, industrial, energy, and consumer products, supplying essential ingredients that enhance performance, durability and functionality.

The company operates two primary segments: Reinforcement Materials and Performance Materials.

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On April 22, 2026, 1492 Capital Management disclosed a new position in Cabot Corporation (CBT +1.63%), acquiring 48,057 shares in the first quarter. The estimated transaction value was $3.49 million based on quarterly average pricing.

What happenedAccording to an SEC filing dated April 22, 2026, 1492 Capital Management initiated a new position in Cabot Corporation (CBT +1.63%) during the first quarter, buying 48,057 shares. The estimated value of this acquisition was $3.49 million, calculated using the mean unadjusted closing price for the quarter. The fund reported a quarter-end stake valued at $3.62 million, reflecting the combined effect of share purchases and price changes.

What else to knowThis was a new position for the quarter, now representing 1.38% of the fund’s 13F reportable assets under management.Top holdings after the filing:NYSE:CRS: $11.50 million (4.4% of AUM)NASDAQ:AAOI: $10.59 million (4.0% of AUM)NASDAQ:ADTN: $7.86 million (3.0% of AUM)NYSE:ZETA: $6.53 million (2.5% of AUM)NASDAQ:LITE: $6.32 million (2.4% of AUM)As of April 21, 2026, Cabot Corporation shares were priced at $76.02, roughly flat over the past year and well underperforming the S&P 500, which is instead up about 35% in the same period.Company overviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$3.61 billionNet Income (TTM)$311.00 millionDividend Yield2%Price (as of market close April 21, 2026)$76.02Company snapshotCabot Corporation provides specialty chemicals and performance materials, with products including reinforcing carbons for tires and industrial goods, specialty carbons for inks and plastics, fumed silica and alumina, aerogel for insulation, and activated carbon for purification solutions.The company operates a diversified business model across three segments—Reinforcement Materials, Performance Chemicals, and Purification Solutions—generating revenue primarily through the sale of advanced material solutions to industrial and commercial customers worldwide.Primary customers include manufacturers in the automotive, industrial, packaging, electronics, agriculture, and energy sectors, as well as distributors and sales representatives in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific regions.Cabot Corporation is a global leader in specialty chemicals, leveraging advanced materials science to deliver performance solutions for a wide range of industries. The company’s scale and diversified product portfolio provide resilience and adaptability in dynamic end-markets. Its focus on innovation, technical expertise, and global reach supports a strong competitive position in the specialty chemicals sector.

What this transaction means for investorsWhen a stock has lagged a roughly 35% S&P 500 gain and instead stayed flat for the year, stepping in tends to signal a view that expectations are already reset and downside is limited.

And Cabot’s fundamentals back that up, but not cleanly. The firm posted first-quarter revenue of $849 million and net income of $73 million, with adjusted EPS of $1.53, down 13% year over year. Weakness is concentrated in the Reinforcement Materials segment, where EBIT fell 22% to $102 million on lower volumes, while the Performance Chemicals segment grew EBIT 7% to $48 million, thanks in part to battery materials demand.

Cash flow remains one notable bright spot. The company generated $126 million in operating cash flow and returned $76 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends, while maintaining a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.2 times. Ultimately, this doesn’t appear to be a growth story today, but it is a cyclical setup with a credible path to earnings stabilization and the makings of a turnaround.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Lumentum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

BOSTON, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) today announced results for its second quarter fiscal year 2026.

Second Quarter Highlights

Second Quarter Diluted EPS of $1.27 and Adjusted EPS of $1.61Reinforcement Materials segment EBIT of $93 million and Performance Chemicals segment EBIT of $59 millionBattery Materials momentum continues, supported by strong execution, growing battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electric vehicle related demand, providing meaningful EBITDA contributionAnnounced an increase in the quarterly dividend of 5%, raising the annualized dividend from $1.80 to $1.89Pursuing asset optimization across our global plant network with an intention to close manufacturing operations in South America and Europe, subject to local consultation processes  (In millions, except per share amounts)Three Months EndedSix Months Ended 3/31/263/31/253/31/263/31/25     Net sales and other operating revenues$904 $936 $1,753 $1,891 Net income (loss) attributable to Cabot Corporation$68 $94 $141 $187           Net earnings (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation$1.27 $1.69 $2.64 $3.36 Less: Certain items after tax per share$(0.34)$(0.21)$(0.50)$(0.30)Adjusted EPS$1.61 $1.90 $3.14 $3.66  Sean Keohane, Cabot President and Chief Executive Officer commented: “I am pleased with our strong execution during the quarter as we continued to operate at a high level in a challenging environment, delivering Adjusted EPS of $1.61 and resulting in a solid first half of the fiscal year. Our results reflect disciplined execution across the organization, particularly in commercial and operational excellence. Performance Chemicals segment EBIT increased 18% year-over-year supported by continued strong momentum in our battery materials product line and higher volumes in our specialty carbons product line. Reinforcement Materials segment EBIT declined 29% year-over-year, as 3% higher volumes were more than offset by lower gross profit per ton. Overall, I am encouraged by our team’s performance as we navigate dynamic market conditions.”

Keohane continued, “As we continue to optimize our asset footprint, the Company intends to target capacity rationalization at facilities in South America and Europe, subject to local consultation processes. These actions are intended to better align production with demand conditions and enable a more efficient manufacturing network to meet our customer supply needs. We expect these actions will generate annualized fixed cost savings of approximately $22 million once fully implemented.”

Keohane continued, “We continued to generate strong operating cash flow that enabled us to invest in capital expenditures and return cash to shareholders. Our balance sheet remains strong with available liquidity of $1.3 billion and a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.5 times as of March 31, 2026. I am pleased with the solid cash flow performance and our strong balance sheet, which enable us to continue to deliver on our capital allocation priorities.”

Financial Detail
For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, net income attributable to Cabot Corporation was $68 million ($1.27 per common share). Net income reflects an after-tax per share charge from certain items of $0.34. Adjusted EPS for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was $1.61 per share.

Segment Results

Reinforcement Materials – Second quarter fiscal 2026 EBIT in Reinforcement Materials decreased by $38 million compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025. The decrease in EBIT was largely driven by lower gross profit per ton, primarily due to lower pricing and product mix in our calendar year 2026 tire customer agreements and from increased competitive intensity in Asia Pacific. Volumes increased by 3% in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 as compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025 driven by higher volumes across all regions.

Global and regional volume changes for Reinforcement Materials for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 as compared to the same quarter of the prior year are set forth in the table below:

 Second Quarter
Year-over-Year ChangeGlobal Reinforcement Materials Volumes3%Asia Pacific5%Europe, Middle East, Africa3%Americas1% Performance Chemicals – Second quarter fiscal 2026 EBIT in Performance Chemicals increased by $9 million compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025 primarily due to higher gross profit per ton. The higher gross profit per ton was primarily due to a favorable product mix and optimization efforts. In addition, volumes increased in our battery materials and specialty carbons product lines in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 as compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Cash Performance – The Company ended the second quarter of fiscal 2026 with a cash balance of $252 million. During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, cash flows from operating activities were a source of $77 million. Capital expenditures for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 were $45 million. Additional uses of cash during the second quarter included $24 million for the payment of dividends and $49 million for share repurchases.

Taxes – During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company recorded a tax expense of $44 million with an effective tax rate of 37%, which included an $8 million charge for discrete and certain tax items. The operating rate was 28% in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and we expect our operating tax rate for fiscal 2026 to be in the range of 27% to 29%.

Outlook
Commenting on the outlook for the Company, Keohane said, “As we look ahead to the remainder of fiscal 2026, we are reaffirming our Adjusted EPS guidance for the full year to be in the range of $6.00 to $6.50 per share. Our outlook incorporates our best view of the impacts to our businesses from the conflict in the Middle East and the uncertainty it creates. While we expect near term demand to remain stable, we are cautious of potential changes in demand levels towards the end of the fiscal year due to disruptions from the Middle East crisis. In addition, we expect to maintain our margins with price increases to offset higher input costs across both segments.”

Keohane continued, “We have delivered a solid first half of the fiscal year and executed well against the financial commitments we made in a difficult demand environment. I am confident in our team’s agility and discipline to navigate the current volatile environment. To further strengthen our competitive position, we will continue to pursue actions across our network in commercial excellence, cost management, and the asset rationalizations previously mentioned.”

Keohane concluded, “We remain focused on disciplined operational execution and maintaining financial flexibility as we navigate an uncertain macro environment. Supported by a strong balance sheet and ample liquidity, I believe we are well positioned to manage near-term pressures, including elevated energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty. I believe the actions we are taking today will strengthen the company and support our strategy for long-term value creation.”

Earnings Call
The Company will host a conference call with industry analysts at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The call can be accessed through Cabot’s investor relations website at http://investor.cabot-corp.com

About Cabot Corporation
Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is a global specialty chemicals and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is a leading provider of reinforcing carbons, specialty carbons, battery materials, engineered elastomer composites, inkjet colorants, masterbatches and conductive compounds, fumed metal oxides and aerogel. For more information on Cabot, please visit the company’s website at cabotcorp.com. The Company regularly posts important information on its website and encourages investors and potential investors to consult the Cabot website regularly.

Forward-Looking Statements – This earnings release contains forward-looking statements. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including with respect to our expectations for our performance in fiscal year 2026, including our expectations for Adjusted EPS for fiscal 2026, our expectations for capital allocation and operating cash flow for fiscal 2026, our expectations for asset rationalizations and anticipated benefits we expect to achieve including for cost savings from those actions, our expected operating tax rate for fiscal 2026, and our assumptions underlying those expectations are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, potentially inaccurate assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and difficult to predict. If known or unknown risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove inaccurate, our actual results could differ materially from past results and from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, industry capacity utilization and competition from other specialty chemical companies; safety, health and environmental requirements and related constraints imposed on our business; regulatory and financial risks related to climate change developments; volatility in the price and availability of energy and raw materials, including with respect to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East; a significant adverse change in a customer relationship or the failure of a customer to perform its obligations under agreements with us; failure to achieve growth expectations from new products, applications and technology developments; failure to realize benefits from acquisitions, alliances, or joint ventures or achieve our portfolio management objectives; unanticipated delays in, or increased cost of site development projects; negative or uncertain worldwide or regional economic conditions and market opportunities, including from trade relations, global health matters or geo-political conflicts; litigation or legal proceedings; interest rates, tax rates, currency exchange controls, tariffs and fluctuations in foreign currency rates; and the accuracy of the assumptions we used in establishing reserves for our share of liability for respirator claims. These factors are discussed more fully in the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), particularly under the heading “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, which are filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov. We assume no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement Cabot’s consolidated financial statements presented on a generally accepted accounting principle (“GAAP”) basis, the preceding discussion of our results and the accompanying financial tables report Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, our operating tax rate, Free Cash Flow and Discretionary Free Cash Flow, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are not computed in accordance with, or as an alternative to, GAAP, and the definitions of these measures may not be comparable to those used by other companies. Reconciliations of Adjusted EPS to net income (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, Adjusted EBITDA to Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure of each such non-GAAP measure, operating tax rate to effective tax rate, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure and Free Cash Flow and Discretionary Free Cash Flow to Cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, are provided in the tables titled “Cabot Corporation Certain Items and Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS and Operating Tax Rate” and “Cabot Corporation Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

Management believes these non-GAAP measures provide investors with greater transparency to the information used by Cabot management in its financial and operational decision-making, allow investors to see Cabot’s results through the eyes of management, and better enable Cabot’s investors to understand Cabot’s operating performance and financial condition.

Adjusted EPS. In calculating Adjusted EPS, we exclude from our net income (loss) attributable to Cabot Corporation items of expense and income that management does not consider representative of the Company’s business operations. Accordingly, reporting earnings on an adjusted basis supplements the GAAP measure of performance and provides additional information related to the underlying performance of the business. For example, certain of the items we exclude are items that we are required by GAAP to recognize in one period that relate to activities extending over several periods or relate to single events that management considers to be unusual and infrequent, although not necessarily non-recurring. We refer to these items as “certain items.” Management believes excluding these items facilitates operating performance comparisons from period to period by eliminating differences caused by the existence and timing of certain expense and income items that would not otherwise be apparent on a GAAP basis and evaluates the Company’s operating performance without the impact of these costs or benefits. Management also uses Adjusted EPS as a key measure in evaluating management performance for incentive compensation purposes.

The items of income and expense that we exclude from our calculations of Adjusted EPS but that are included in our GAAP net income (loss) per share, as applicable in a particular reporting period, include, but are not limited to, the following:

Global restructuring activities, which include costs or benefits associated with cost reduction initiatives or plant closures and are primarily related to (i) employee termination costs, (ii) asset impairment charges associated with restructuring actions, (iii) costs to close facilities, including environmental costs and contract termination penalties, and (iv) gains realized on the sale of land or equipment associated with restructured plants or locations.Legal and environmental matters and reserves, which consist of costs or benefits for matters typically related to former businesses or that are otherwise incurred outside of the ordinary course of business.Acquisition and integration-related charges, which include transaction costs, redundant costs incurred during the period of integration, and costs associated with transitioning certain management and business processes to Cabot’s processes.Employee benefit plan settlements, which consist of either charges or benefits associated with the termination of a pension planArgentina controlled currency devaluation loss related to the foreign exchange loss from government-controlled currency devaluations on our net monetary assets denominated in the Argentine peso and investment losses related to the utilization of government bond programs established for the settlement of certain foreign payables.
Cabot does not provide an expected GAAP EPS range or reconciliation of the Adjusted EPS range with an expected GAAP EPS range because, without unreasonable effort, we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty the matters we would allocate to “certain items,” including unusual gains and losses, costs associated with future restructurings, acquisition-related expenses and litigation outcomes. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could have a material impact on GAAP EPS in future periods.

Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA reflects Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies adjusted for certain items, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, equity in earnings of affiliated companies, and unallocated corporate costs, which include unallocated corporate overhead expenses such as certain corporate salaries and headquarters expenses, plus costs related to corporate projects and initiatives.

Free Cash Flow. To calculate “Free Cash Flow” we deduct Additions to property, plant and equipment from cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities.

Discretionary Free Cash Flow. To calculate “Discretionary Free Cash Flow” we deduct sustaining and compliance capital expenditures and changes in Net Working Capital from cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities.

Operating Tax Rate. Our “operating tax rate” is calculated based upon management's forecast of the annual operating tax rate for the fiscal year applied to adjusted pre-tax earnings. The operating tax rate excludes income tax (expense) benefit on certain items, discrete tax items and, on a quarterly basis the timing of losses in certain jurisdictions. The income tax (expense) benefit on certain items is determined using the applicable rates in the taxing jurisdictions in which the certain items occurred and includes both current and deferred income tax (expense) benefit based on the nature of the certain items. Discrete tax items include, but are not limited to, changes in valuation allowance, uncertain tax positions, and other tax items, such as the tax impact of legislative changes and tax accruals on historic earnings due to changes in indefinite reinvestment assertions. Management believes that this non-GAAP financial measure is useful supplemental information because it helps our investors compare our tax rate year to year on a consistent basis and to understand what our tax rate on current operations would be without the impact of these items.

Cabot does not provide a forward-looking reconciliation of the operating tax rate range with an effective tax rate range because, without unreasonable effort, we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty the matters we would allocate to “certain items,” including unusual gains and losses, costs associated with future restructurings, acquisition-related expenses and litigation outcomes. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could have a material impact on the effective tax rate in future periods.

Explanation of Terms Used

Product Mix. The term “product mix” refers to the mix of types and grade of products sold or the mix of geographic regions where products are sold, and the positive or negative impact this has on the revenue or profitability of the business or segment.

Net Working Capital. The term “net working capital” includes accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable and accrued expenses.

                      CABOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS                             Periods ended March 31Three MonthsSix MonthsDollars in millions, except per share amounts (unaudited) 2026   2025   2026   2025             Net sales and other operating revenues$904  $936  $1,753  $1,891  Cost of sales 694   695   1,332   1,415  Gross profit 210   241   421   476  Selling and administrative expenses 67   64   136   130  Research and technical expenses 14   15   27   29  Income (loss) from operations 129   162   258   317  Interest and dividend income 7   7   14   13  Interest expense (18)  (19)  (36)  (37) Other income (expense) 2   1   2   2  Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in        earnings of affiliated companies
 120   151   238   295  (Provision) benefit for income taxes (44)  (49)  (81)  (90) Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax 2   3   3   4  Net income (loss) 78   105   160   209  Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax 10   11   19   22  Net income (loss) attributable to Cabot Corporation$68  $94  $141  $187             Weighted-average common shares outstanding        Basic 52.0   54.0   52.3   54.2  Diluted 52.2   54.4   52.6   54.7             Earnings (loss) per common share:        Basic$1.27  $1.71  $2.65  $3.40  Diluted$1.27  $1.69  $2.64  $3.36                         CABOT CORPORATION SUMMARY RESULTS BY SEGMENT                              Periods ended March 31Three Months Six Months Dollars in millions, except per share amounts (unaudited) 2026   2025   2026   2025  Sales         Reinforcement Materials$544  $594  $1,064  $1,205  Performance Chemicals 328   311   628   622  Segment sales 872   905   1,692   1,827  Unallocated and other(A) 32   31   61   64  Net sales and other operating revenues$904  $936  $1,753  $1,891             Segment Earnings Before Interest and Taxes(B)        Reinforcement Materials$93  $131  $195  $261  Performance Chemicals 59   50   107   95             Unallocated and Other        Interest expense (18)  (19)  (36)  (37) Certain items(C) (9)  (4)  (16)  (10) Unallocated corporate costs (15)  (13)  (27)  (26) General unallocated income (expense)(D) 12   9   18   16  Less: Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax 2   3   3   4  Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in        earnings of affiliated companies 120   151   238   295  (Provision) benefit for income taxes (including tax certain items) (44)  (49)  (81)  (90) Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax 2   3   3   4    Net income (loss) 78   105   160   209  Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax 10   11   19   22  Net income (loss) attributable to Cabot Corporation$68  $94  $141  $187             Diluted earnings (loss) per share of common stock        attributable to Cabot Corporation$1.27  $1.69  $2.64  $3.36             Adjusted earnings (loss) per share(E)$1.61  $1.90  $3.14  $3.66             Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 52.2   54.4   52.6   54.7              (A)Unallocated and other reflects external shipping and handling fees, the impact of unearned revenue, and discounting charges for certain Notes receivable.  (B)Segment EBIT is a measure used by Cabot's Chief Operating Decision-Maker to assess segment performance and allocate resources. Segment EBIT includes Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax, Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax, and discounting charges for certain Notes receivable.  (C)Details of Certain items are presented in the Certain Items and Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS and Operating Tax Rate table.  (D)General unallocated income (expense) consists of gains (losses) arising from foreign currency transactions, net of other foreign currency risk management activities, Interest and dividend income, the profit or loss related to the corporate adjustment for unearned revenue and unrealized holding gains (losses) for investments. This does not include items of income or expense from the items that are separately treated as Certain items.  (E)Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS is presented in the Certain Items and Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS and Operating Tax Rate table.              CABOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION                 March 31, September 30,Dollars in millions (unaudited) 2026   2025       Current assets:   Cash and cash equivalents$252  $258 Accounts and notes receivable, net of reserve for doubtful accounts of $5 and $5 657   671 Inventories:   Raw materials 144   134 Finished goods 310   303 Other 68   67 Total inventories 522   504 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 116   106 Total current assets 1,547   1,539       Property, plant and equipment 4,514   4,405 Accumulated Depreciation (2,763)  (2,694)Net property, plant and equipment 1,751   1,711 Goodwill 136   134 Equity affiliates 18   16 Intangible assets, net 53   55 Deferred income taxes 198   180 Other assets 194   180 Total assets$3,897  $3,815                    CABOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION                 March 31, September 30,Dollars in millions, except share and per share amounts (unaudited) 2026   2025       Current liabilities:   Short-term borrowings$175  $14 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 598   648 Income taxes payable 34   35 Current portion of long-term debt 261   260 Total current liabilities 1,068   957       Long-term debt 863   856 Deferred income taxes 40   39 Other liabilities 239   258 Stockholders' equity:   Preferred stock:   Authorized: 2,000,000 shares of $1 par value   Issued and Outstanding: None and none —   — Common stock:   Authorized: 200,000,000 shares of $1 par value Issued: 51,694,096 and 52,962,353 shares Outstanding: 51,579,624 and 52,842,481 shares 52   53 Less cost of 115,063 and 119,872 shares of common treasury stock (3)  (3)Additional paid-in capital —   — Retained earnings 1,835   1,835 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (316)  (335)Total Cabot Corporation stockholders' equity 1,568   1,550 Noncontrolling interests 119   155 Total stockholders' equity 1,687   1,705 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$3,897  $3,815            CABOT CORPORATION QUARTERLY RESULTS BY SEGMENT
                    Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2026 Dollars in millions,            except per share amounts (unaudited)Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY              Sales            Reinforcement Materials$611 $594 $573 $563 $2,341  $520 $544 $ ―$ ―$1,064  Performance Chemicals 311  311  320  308  1,250   300  328  — — 628  Segment sales 922  905  893  871  3,591   820  872  — — 1,692  Unallocated and other(A) 33  31  30  28  122   29  32  — — 61  Net sales and other operating revenues$955 $936 $923 $899 $3,713  $849 $904 $ ―$ ―$1,753               Segment Earnings Before Interest and Taxes(B)            Reinforcement Materials$130 $131 $128 $119 $508  $102 $93 $ ―$ ―$195  Performance Chemicals 45  50  57  42  194   48  59  — — 107  Unallocated and Other            Interest expense (18) (19) (19) (20) (76)  (18) (18) — — (36) Certain items(C) (6) (4) (3) (17) (30)  (7) (9) — — (16) Unallocated corporate costs (13) (13) (13) (13) (52)  (12) (15) — — (27) General unallocated income (expense)(D) 7  9  6  6  28   6  12  — — 18  Less: Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax 1  3  1  2  7   1  2  — — 3               Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and            equity in earnings of affiliated companies 144  151  155  115  565   118  120  — — 238  (Provision) benefit for income taxes (including tax certain items) (41) (49) (43) (63) (196)  (37) (44) — — (81) Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax 1  3  1  2  7   1  2  — — 3  Net income (loss) 104  105  113  54  376   82  78  — — 160  Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax 11  11  12  11  45   9  10  — — 19  Net income (loss) attributable to Cabot Corporation$93 $94 $101 $43 $331  $73 $68 $ ―$ ―$141  Diluted earnings (loss) per share of common stock            attributable to Cabot Corporation$1.67 $1.69 $1.86 $0.79 $6.02  $1.37 $1.27 $—$—$2.64  Adjusted earnings (loss) per share(E)$1.76 $1.90 $1.90 $1.70 $7.25  $1.53 $1.61 $—$—$3.14  Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 55.0  54.4  53.8  53.4  54.2   52.9  52.2  — — 52.6               (A) Unallocated and other reflects external shipping and handling fees, the impact of unearned revenue, and discounting charges for certain Notes receivable.
 (B) Segment EBIT is a measure used by Cabot's Chief Operating Decision-Maker to assess segment performance and allocate resources. Segment EBIT includes Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax, Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax, and discounting charges for certain Notes receivable.
 (C) Details of certain items are presented in the Certain Items and Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS and Operating Tax Rate table.
 (D) General unallocated income (expense) consists of gains (losses) arising from foreign currency transactions, net of other foreign currency risk management activities, Interest and dividend income, the profit or loss related to the corporate adjustment for unearned revenue and unrealized holding gains (losses) for investments. This does not include items of income or expense from the items that are separately treated as Certain items.
 (E) Adjusted EPS is a non-GAAP measure, and a reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS is presented in the Certain Items and Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS and Operating Tax Rate table.
                                        CABOT CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS                                             Periods ended March 31 Three Months   Six Months Dollars in millions (unaudited) 2026   2025   2026   2025                   Cash Flows from Operating Activities:               Net income (loss)$
 78  $ 105  $
 160  $ 209 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:               Depreciation and amortization 49   38   90   75 Other non-cash charges (gains), net (18)
  18   (4)
  25 Cash dividends received from equity affiliates —   —   1   12 Changes in assets and liabilities:               Changes in net working capital(A) (19)
  (76)  (14)
  (114) Changes in other assets and liabilities, net (13)
  (12)  (30)
  (10)                   Cash provided by (used in) operating activities 77   73   203   197                   Cash Flows from Investing Activities:               Additions to property, plant and equipment (45)
  (72)  (114)
  (149) Cash paid for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired $2 (66)
  —   (66)
  — Cash paid for asset acquisition —   —   —   (27) Other investing activities, net 2   2   2   2                   Cash provided by (used in) investing activities (109)
  (70)  (178)
  (174)                   Cash Flows from Financing Activities:               Change in debt, net 160   87   157   147 Cash dividends paid to common stockholders (24)
  (23)  (48)
  (47) Other financing activities, net (83)
  (47)  (148)
  (107)                   Cash provided by (used in) financing activities 53   17   (39)
  (7) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 1   10   8   (26) Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 22   30   (6)
  (10) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 230   183   258   223 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period$
 252  $ 213  $
 252  $ 213                   (A) Includes Accounts and notes receivable, Inventories, and Accounts payable and accrued liabilities.
                        CABOT CORPORATION CERTAIN ITEMS AND RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EPS AND OPERATING TAX RATE                       TABLE 1: DETAIL OF CERTAIN ITEMS        Periods ended March 31 Three MonthsSix Months   Dollars in millions, except per share amounts (unaudited)  2026  2025  2026  2025    Certain items before and after income taxes        Global restructuring activities $(8)$(3)$(15)$(3)   Acquisition and integration-related charges  (1) —  (1) —    Legal and environmental matters and reserves  —  (1) —  (6)   Other certain items  —  —  —  (1)     Total certain items, pre-tax  (9) (4) (16) (10)   Non-GAAP tax adjustments(A)  (8) (7) (10) (6)                Total certain items after tax $(17)$(11)$(26)$(16)     Total certain items after tax per share $(0.34)$(0.21)$(0.50)$(0.30)              TABLE 2: CERTAIN ITEMS STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS LINE ITEM       Periods ended March 31 Three MonthsSix Months   Dollars in millions, Pre-Tax (unaudited)  2026  2025  2026  2025    Statement of Operations Line Item(B)        Cost of sales $(7)$(2)$(13)$(8)   Selling and administrative expenses  (2) (1) (3) (1)   Research and technical expenses  —  (1) —  (1)   Other income (expense)  —  —  —  —      Total certain items $(9)$(4)$(16)$(10)              TABLE 3: RECONCILIATION OF EFFECTIVE TAX RATE TO OPERATING TAX RATE      Three months ended March 31  2026  2025    Dollars in millions (unaudited) (Provision) /
Benefit for
Income TaxesRate(Provision) /
Benefit for
Income TaxesRate   Effective Tax Rate $(44) 37%$(49) 32%   Less: Non-GAAP tax adjustments(A)  (8)  (7)    Operating tax rate(C) (D) $(36) 28%$(42) 27%              Six months ended March 31  2026  2025    Dollars in millions (unaudited) (Provision) /
Benefit for
Income TaxesRate(Provision) / Benefit
for Income TaxesRate              Effective Tax Rate $(81) 34%$(90) 30%   Less: Non-GAAP tax adjustments(A)  (10)  (6)    Operating tax rate(C) (D) $(71) 28%$(84) 28%                         TABLE 4: RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EPS BY QUARTER FOR FISCAL 2026 and FISCAL 2025         Fiscal 2026(E) Periods ended (unaudited) Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. Q FY 2026 Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS        Net income (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation $1.37 $1.27 $— $—  $2.64  Less: Certain items after tax per share  (0.16) (0.34) —  —   (0.50) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share $1.53 $1.61 $— $—  $3.14                 Fiscal 2025(E) Periods ended (unaudited) Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. Q FY 2025 Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS        Net income (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation $1.67 $1.69 $1.86 $0.79  $6.02  Less: Certain items after tax per share  (0.09) (0.21) (0.04) (0.91)  (1.23) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share $1.76 $1.90 $1.90 $1.70  $7.25              (A)Non-GAAP tax adjustments are made to arrive at the operating tax provision. It includes the income tax (expense) benefit on certain items, discrete tax items, and, on a quarterly basis the timing of losses in certain jurisdictions. The income tax (expense) benefit on certain items is determined using the applicable rates in the taxing jurisdictions in which the certain items occurred and includes both current and deferred income tax (expense) benefit based on the nature of the certain items. Discrete tax items include, but are not limited to, changes in valuation allowance, uncertain tax positions, and other tax items, such as the tax impact of legislative changes and tax accruals on historic earnings due to changes in indefinite reinvestment assertions.  (B)This table indicates the line items where certain items are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.  (C)The operating tax rate is calculated based upon management's forecast of the annual operating tax rate for the fiscal year applied to adjusted pre-tax earnings. The operating tax rate excludes income tax (expense) benefit on certain items, discrete tax items and, on a quarterly basis the timing of losses in certain jurisdictions.  (D)Our operating tax rate for fiscal 2026 is expected to be in the range of 27% to 29%.  (E)Per share amounts are calculated after tax.                               CABOT CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES                         Fiscal 2026(A)    Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2026 Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS      Net income (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation$1.37 $1.27 $— $— $2.64  Less: Certain items after tax per share (0.16) (0.34) —  —  (0.50) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share$1.53 $1.61 $— $— $3.14              Fiscal 2025(A)    Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2025 Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS      Net income (loss) per share attributable to Cabot Corporation$1.67 $1.69 $1.86 $0.79 $6.02  Less: Certain items after tax per share (0.09) (0.21) (0.04) (0.91) (1.23) Adjusted earnings (loss) per share$1.76 $1.90 $1.90 $1.70 $7.25           (A) Per share amounts are calculated after tax.
          Dollars in millionsFiscal 2026    Dec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2026 Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies      Income (loss) from operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies$118 $120 $ ―
 $ ―
 $238  Interest expense 18  18  —  —  36  Certain items 7  9  —  —  16  General unallocated (income) expense (6) (12) —  —  (18) Less: Equity in earnings of affiliated companies (1) (2) —  —  (3) Depreciation and amortization 41  44  —  —  85  Adjusted EBITDA$179 $181 $ ―
 $ ―
 $360           Dollars in millionsDec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2026 Reinforcement Materials EBIT$102 $93 $ ―
 $ ―
 $195  Reinforcement Materials Depreciation and amortization 19  21  —  —  40  Reinforcement Materials EBITDA$121 $114 $ ―
 $ ―
 $235  Reinforcement Materials Sales$520 $544 $ ― $ ― $1,064  Reinforcement Materials EBITDA Margin 23% 21% —% —% 22%          Dollars in millionsDec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2026 Performance Chemicals EBIT$48 $59 $ ―
 $ ―
 $107  Performance Chemicals Depreciation and amortization 22  23  —  —  45  Performance Chemicals EBITDA$70 $82 $ ―
 $ ―
 $152  Performance Chemicals Sales$300 $328 $ ― $ ― $628  Performance Chemicals EBITDA Margin 23% 25% —% —% 24%          Dollars in millionsFiscal 2026 Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow and Discretionary Free Cash Flow to Cash provided by (used in) operating activitiesDec. QMar. QJune QSept. QFY 2026 Cash provided by (used in) operating activities(B)$126 $77 $ ―
 $ ―
 $203  Less: Additions to property, plant and equipment 69  45  —  —  114  Free cash flow$57 $32 $ ―
 $ ―
 $89  Plus: Additions to property, plant and equipment 69  45  —  —  114  Less: Changes in net working capital(C) 5  (19) —  —  (14) Less: Sustaining and compliance capital expenditures 50  33  —  —  83  Discretionary free cash flow$71 $63 $ ―
 $ ―
 $134           (B) As provided in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
  (C) Defined as changes in Accounts and notes receivable, Inventories, and Accounts payable and accrued liabilities as presented on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
          

Cabot Corporation (CBT) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Key Takeaways CBT beat fiscal Q2 earnings estimates as battery materials demand supported segment performance.Cabot reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $6.00-$6.50 despite geopolitical uncertainty.CBT plans rationalization in South America and Europe to drive $22M in annual cost savings. Cabot Corporation (CBT - Free Report) posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share, down 15.3% from the year-ago quarter but ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.47 by 9.5%.

Revenues were $904 million, down 3.4% year over year and below the consensus mark of $916.1 million by 1.3%.

On a reported basis, Cabot logged net income attributable to the company of $68 million, down from $94 million in the prior-year quarter. Earnings were $1.27 per share compared with $1.69 a year ago. Profitability moderated year over year as a combined impact of lower gross profit and modestly higher operating costs.

Cabot pointed to disciplined execution in a challenging environment, while battery materials demand tied to energy storage systems and EV-related applications continued to support results.

CBT's Segment HighlightsReinforcement Materials sales were $544 million, down from $594 million in the year-ago quarter. It missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $583 million. Segment EBIT declined to $93 million from $131 million, as pricing and product mix pressured gross profit per ton in calendar 2026 tire customer agreements.

Competitive intensity in the Asia Pacific also weighed on profitability. Volumes increased 3% globally, with year-over-year gains across all regions, but the benefit from higher volumes was more than offset by weaker pricing and mix.

Performance Chemicals generated sales of $328 million, up from $311 million a year ago. It surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $315 million. Segment EBIT improved to $59 million from $50 million, primarily driven by higher gross profit per ton from a favorable product mix and optimization efforts.

Cabot also cited higher volumes in its battery materials and specialty carbons product lines. Management highlighted continuing momentum in battery materials, supported by strong execution and demand tied to battery energy storage systems.

CBT's FinancialsCabot ended the second quarter of fiscal 2026 with a cash balance of $252 million. Cash provided by operating activities was $77 million during the quarter, supporting continued investment and shareholder returns.

Capital expenditures were $45 million in the period. The company also paid $24 million in dividends during the quarter and repurchased $49 million of shares.

The company ended the quarter with a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 1.5x.

CBT's OutlookFor fiscal 2026, Cabot reaffirmed its adjusted earnings guidance range of $6.00 to $6.50 per share. It incorporates its assessment of the conflict in the Middle East and the uncertainty it creates, with expectations for stable near-term demand but caution around potential shifts later in the fiscal year.

The company also expects to maintain margins with price increases intended to offset higher input costs across both segments. Cabot continues to focus on commercial excellence and cost management as it navigates elevated energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty.

Separately, Cabot is pursuing asset optimization across its global plant network, with an intention of capacity rationalization at operations in South America and Europe, subject to local consultation processes. Management expects these actions to generate approximately $22 million of annualized fixed-cost savings once fully implemented.

CBT’s Price PerformanceShares of Cabot have gained 10.9% in the past year compared with the 19.3% rise of the industry. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

CBT’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksCBT currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. (IDR - Free Report) , NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB - Free Report) and Hawkins, Inc. (HWKN - Free Report) .

Idaho is expected to report first-quarter 2026 results on May 14. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 43 cents per share, indicating 258.33% year-over-year growth. IDR sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

NioCorp is expected to report third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on May 14. The consensus estimate for NB’s loss per share is pegged at 2 cents, indicating 83.33% year-over-year growth. NB presently carries a Zacks Rank #1.

Hawkins is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 results on May 13. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HWKN’s first-quarter earnings per share is pegged at 77 cents. HWKN carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present.

On May 22, 2026, Cabot Corp CBT shares rose 6.5% to a current price of $83.41. This move comes as the stock has experienced a 52-week range between $58.33 and $86.43, indicating significant volatility over the past year.

GF Value™ verdict: The current price is $83.41, which is 10.6% above the GF Value™ estimate of $75.40, indicating the stock is overvalued.GF Score™: CBT has a GF Score™ of 75/100, which is considered above average, suggesting a relatively strong overall quality.Most notable signal: The momentum rank is strong at 8/10, indicating positive price trends in the stock. Is CBT Overvalued or Undervalued? The current price of Cabot Corp CBT at $83.41 is above the GF Value™ estimate of $75.40, marking the stock as 10.6% overvalued. This overvaluation presents a risk for potential investors, as the stock may not have a sufficient margin of safety. The GF Valuation label categorizes CBT as "Modestly Overvalued," suggesting that while the company has solid fundamentals, its current price may not reflect an attractive entry point for buyers.

GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure of intrinsic value, calculated from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. Thus, the current valuation suggests that investors should exercise caution, as the stock may not provide adequate returns relative to its perceived risk at this price level.

How Does CBT's Valuation Compare to Its History? MetricCurrentHistorical P/E (TTM)15.8x12.6x (5-Year Median) Forward P/E13.2xN/A Cabot Corp's current P/E (TTM) of 15.8x is significantly above its 5-year median P/E of 12.6x, indicating that the stock is trading at a higher valuation compared to its historical levels. This trend aligns with the GF Value™ verdict that suggests CBT is overvalued, further reinforcing the notion that the current price may not be sustainable given its historical performance.

What Does CBT's GF Score™ Tell Us? MetricRating GF Score™75 Financial Strength6/10 Profitability7/10 Growth3/10 Valuation7/10 Momentum8/10 The GF Score™ of 75/100 reflects a solid performance across various metrics. The strongest area is profitability, rated at 7/10, indicating that CBT has good earning potential. However, the growth rank is weaker at 3/10, suggesting limited expansion prospects. Overall, while the company exhibits strong financials and momentum, potential investors should be cautious regarding its growth outlook.

What Are Insiders Doing with CBT Stock? There have been no insider transactions in the last three months for Cabot Corp CBT . This lack of activity may suggest that insiders are not currently taking significant positions in the stock, which can be interpreted as a sign of caution or a wait-and-see approach regarding future company performance. Insiders typically have valuable insights into their company's prospects, and a lack of buying could indicate they perceive the stock as fairly valued or overvalued at this time.

What This Means for Investors Based on the GF Value™ assessment, Cabot Corp CBT is currently overvalued at its price of $83.41, as it exceeds the GF Value™ estimate of $75.40. Investors may want to consider this overvaluation and exercise caution before making any investment decisions.

For the complete analysis, visit the Cabot Corp CBT 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 CBT's GF Score™?

CBT has a GF Score™ of 75/100, indicating that it ranks above average based on five key aspects of financial health and market performance.

Is CBT overvalued or undervalued?

CBT is currently overvalued, with a GF Value™ estimate of $75.40 compared to the current market price of $83.41.

What is CBT's P/E ratio?

CBT's P/E (TTM) is 15.8x, which is significantly above its 5-year median P/E of 12.6x, indicating that it is trading at a higher historical 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].

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 25th, 2026

Calamos Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA – Free Report) by 3.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 48,373 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,964 shares during the quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC’s holdings in HCA Healthcare were worth $22,583,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sovran Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 1.0% during the third quarter. Sovran Advisors LLC now owns 2,278 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,063,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Centerpoint Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 11.0% during the third quarter. Centerpoint Advisors LLC now owns 222 shares of the company’s stock valued at $95,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 3.9% during the third quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC now owns 590 shares of the company’s stock valued at $251,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 2.4% during the third quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,014 shares of the company’s stock valued at $432,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Finally, One Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of HCA Healthcare by 1.1% during the third quarter. One Capital Management LLC now owns 2,250 shares of the company’s stock valued at $959,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.73% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have commented on HCA. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on HCA Healthcare from $450.00 to $442.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on HCA Healthcare from $452.00 to $481.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a report on Friday, March 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on HCA Healthcare from $520.00 to $558.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on HCA Healthcare from $540.00 to $585.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, HCA Healthcare currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $534.41.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on HCA Healthcare

Key Headlines Impacting HCA Healthcare Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

Positive Sentiment: Revenue and demand beat/strength: Q1 revenue rose ~4.3% to $19.11B and the company cited strong medical care demand; some outlets note the company beat profit estimates on service demand. HCA Healthcare beats quarterly profit estimates on medical care demand Positive Sentiment: Margins still meaningful: HCA reported a ~12% operating margin in Q1, showing underlying profitability despite a dynamic operating environment. HCA posts 12% operating margin in Q1: 8 things to know Neutral Sentiment: Official results and call: HCA reported EPS of $7.15 and released its earnings call transcript and press release (revenue in line with consensus). These documents give full context on volumes, mix and expense items for analysts. HCA Healthcare Reports First Quarter 2026 Results Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Negative Sentiment: Volume weakness weighed heavily: Surgical volumes softened and total volumes missed seasonal expectations, which traders flagged as the main reason for the share decline despite a near-term beat on profits. HCA Healthcare stock plunges nearly 8% on weak volume trends despite Q1 beat Negative Sentiment: EPS/guidance miss vs. street: Reported EPS was roughly flat to estimates (small miss on some models) and FY26 guidance of $29.10–$31.50 EPS (and revenue range) sits slightly below consensus, prompting downward revisions. HCA Trading/Guidance Summary Negative Sentiment: Policy and longer-term growth concerns: Analysts warn policy headwinds (Medicaid/ACA subsidy rollbacks) may limit admissions growth to low single digits over coming years — a reason at least one shop trimmed upside and moved to Hold. Policy Pressures May Be Limiting Admissions (Upgrade) Negative Sentiment: Rising expenses and margin retracement: Several reports cite higher expenses and a ~50 bps margin retracement in the quarter, which combined with volume softness amplifies near-term earnings risk. Q1 Earnings Miss on Rising Expenses Insider Transactions at HCA Healthcare In other news, SVP Jennifer Berres sold 8,020 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $514.58, for a total transaction of $4,126,931.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 11,993 shares in the company, valued at $6,171,357.94. This trade represents a 40.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Michael S. Cuffe sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $498.09, for a total value of $747,135.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 30,003 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,944,194.27. This represents a 4.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 15,214 shares of company stock valued at $7,797,595. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

HCA Healthcare Stock Performance Shares of HCA Healthcare stock opened at $433.04 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $96.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.26, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.36. HCA Healthcare, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $321.39 and a fifty-two week high of $556.52. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $505.45 and a 200 day moving average of $485.06.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 24th. The company reported $7.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.19 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $19.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.09 billion. HCA Healthcare had a negative return on equity of 409.11% and a net margin of 8.97%.The company’s revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.45 earnings per share. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. Analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare, Inc. will post 30.15 EPS for the current year.

HCA Healthcare Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $0.78 per share. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. HCA Healthcare’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 10.99%.

HCA Healthcare Profile (Free Report)

HCA Healthcare is a for‑profit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

The company’s core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCA’s services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings.

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HCA Healthcare Inc. (NYSE:HCA) posted in-line earnings for the first quarter on Friday.

The company released first-quarter 2026 revenues of $19.11 billion, representing a 4.3% year-over-year increase, almost in line with the consensus estimate of $19.10 billion. The hospital chain operator reported adjusted earnings of $7.15, up from $6.45 a year ago, in line with the consensus.

"The start of the year presented a dynamic environment for HCA Healthcare,” said Sam Hazen, CEO of HCA Healthcare.

The company affirmed its 2026 earnings guidance of $29.10-$31.50 per share versus the consensus of $30.14, with sales of $76.5 billion-$80 billion compared to the consensus of $78.68. billion.

HCA Healthcare shares rose 2.2% to trade at $442.00 on Monday.

These analysts made changes to their price targets on HCA Healthcare following earnings announcement.

Considering buying HCA stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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On April 27, 2026, HCA Healthcare Inc HCA shares rose 3.1% today, bringing the current price to $445.77. Over the past year, the stock has experienced a notable high of $556.52 and a low of $321.39. The recent price movement reflects a challenging environment, with a year-to-date decline of 4.4% and a monthly decrease of 5.5%.

GF Value™ verdict: Current price is $445.77, slightly above GF Value™ of $445.69, indicating a margin of 0.02% upside.GF Score™ of 97/100 suggests a strong overall assessment of the company’s fundamentals.Most notable signal: Insider activity shows a sale of $29.3 million in the last three months with no buying activity. Is HCA Overvalued or Undervalued? The current price of HCA Healthcare Inc is $445.77, which is marginally above the GF Value™ estimate of $445.69, indicating that the stock is fairly valued at present. With a small margin of safety of only 0.02%, it suggests that there is limited upside potential in the short term. The GF Valuation label categorizes the stock as fairly valued, meaning that the current price aligns closely with its intrinsic value based on the assessment methodology. GF Value™ is GuruFocus' proprietary measure of intrinsic value, calculated from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates.

While HCA is not overvalued or undervalued by a significant margin, the current price signals that any potential for purchasing may require careful consideration of market conditions and performance benchmarks. If the stock were to be perceived as overvalued, it could imply a risk of price correction; however, as it stands, investors may view it as a stable investment opportunity given the near parity with GF Value™.

How Does HCA's Valuation Compare to Its History? Metric Current Historical P/E (TTM) 15.3x 14.6x Forward P/E 14.7x - HCA's current P/E ratio of 15.3x is above its 5-year median P/E of 14.6x, indicating that the stock is trading at a higher valuation compared to its historical average. The forward P/E of 14.7x also supports this view, suggesting that the market expectations for earnings may be slightly elevated. This P/E analysis aligns with the GF Value™ verdict, supporting the idea that HCA is fairly valued but on the higher end of its historical trading range.

What Does HCA's GF Score™ Tell Us? Metric Rating GF Score™ 97 Financial Strength 4/10 Profitability 10/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 9/10 Momentum 10/10 The GF Score™ of 97/100 indicates that HCA Healthcare Inc is highly regarded in terms of its investment potential. The strongest areas of HCA's score are its Profitability and Growth, both rated at 10/10, suggesting robust financial performance and significant growth prospects. However, the Financial Strength rating of 4/10 highlights a potential weakness, indicating that the company may face challenges in maintaining strong financial stability. Overall, the high GF Score™ reflects confidence in HCA’s operational efficiency and market momentum, despite some concerns in financial robustness.

What Are Insiders Doing with HCA Stock? Recent insider activity reveals that insiders have sold a total of $29.3 million in HCA stock over the last three months, with no recorded buying activity during the same period. This trend of selling could suggest a lack of confidence among insiders regarding the stock's near-term prospects, as insiders typically have a better understanding of the company's operational outlook. Consequently, this selling behavior may be interpreted as caution regarding future performance or company valuation.

What This Means for Investors Based on the analysis, HCA Healthcare Inc is currently fairly valued according to the GF Value™ assessment. The stock’s price is in close alignment with its intrinsic value, indicating limited upside potential at this time. However, the strong GF Score™ and robust profitability and growth rankings suggest that HCA may still represent a stable investment option in the healthcare sector.

For the complete analysis, visit the HCA Healthcare Inc HCA 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 HCA's GF Score™?

HCA's GF Score™ is 97/100, indicating a strong overall assessment of the company's fundamentals and potential for higher long-term returns.

Is HCA overvalued or undervalued?

HCA is currently fairly valued, with its price closely aligned to the GF Value™ estimate, suggesting minimal upside potential.

What is HCA's P/E ratio?

HCA's P/E ratio is 15.3x, which is above its 5-year median P/E of 14.6x, indicating that it is trading at a higher valuation compared to its historical average.

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].

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: HCA) is scheduled to present at the following healthcare conference:

May 20, 2026, at 11:30am ET at the RBC Global Healthcare Conference

A link to the live audio webcast, where applicable, and copies of any related presentation materials will be made available at the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, www.hcahealthcare.com.

Dates and times may be subject to change, please check the conference schedule or the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website for the latest information.

About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 189 hospitals and approximately 2,600 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 19 states and the United Kingdom.

All references to “Company” and “HCA” as used throughout this release refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates.

More News From HCA Healthcare

Back to Newsroom

On May 19, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for HCA Healthcare Inc HCA , a company that has experienced a price performance of -0.8% over the past week, -13.4% over the past month, and -9.3% year-to-date, yet shows a positive return of +9.8% over the past year. Here are some key takeaways:

DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $765.04 compared to the current price of $422.79, indicating a margin of safety of 44.7%. DCF Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value stands at $861.92, providing a second opinion on valuation. GF Score™ of 96/100 suggests high reliability of the DCF inputs. What Is HCA Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model The DCF earnings-based model for HCA Healthcare Inc employs a two-stage approach to estimate intrinsic value. The first stage focuses on a growth phase where earnings per share (EPS) are expected to grow at a robust rate of 17.5% per year for the next ten years. The second stage anticipates a slowdown to a terminal growth rate of 4% for the subsequent ten years. The discount rate applied to both stages is 11%, derived from the risk-free rate and equity risk premium.

Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $28.95 10-Year Growth Rate 17.5% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.33% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% The calculation summary for the two-stage model is as follows:

Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 17.5%, discounted at 11% $401.26 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $363.78 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $765.04 With the current price at $422.79 compared to the intrinsic value of $765.04, HCA is significantly undervalued, presenting a margin of safety of 44.7%. It is important to note that GuruFocus uses EPS without non-recurring items because research shows stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than free cash flow. For further details, you can access the HCA DCF Calculator.

What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The Free Cash Flow (FCF)-based intrinsic value for HCA is calculated at $861.92. This figure is notably higher than the earnings-based intrinsic value of $765.04, suggesting that both models agree on the undervaluation of the stock. The FCF model indicates a margin of safety of 51.0%, reinforcing the perspective that HCA is significantly undervalued.

How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for HCA stands at $447.86, providing a third valuation perspective. This proprietary measure is calculated based on historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. All three models—the DCF earnings-based, DCF FCF-based, and GF Value™—indicate that HCA is undervalued, albeit with varying degrees of margin of safety. For more insights, visit the GF Value™ page.

What Does HCA's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ ranks stocks from 0 to 100 based on five key aspects: Financial Strength, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, and Momentum. Stocks with higher GF Score™ values have been found to generate higher long-term returns (backtested 2006-2021). Here is a summary of HCA's GF Score™:

Metric Rating GF Score™ 96/100 Financial Strength 4/10 Profitability 10/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 9/10 Momentum 10/10 With a predictability rank of 2/5 stars, it suggests that the DCF model may be less reliable for this stock. For more information, visit the HCA stock page.

Key Assumptions and Limitations It is important to note that DCF models are highly sensitive to growth rate and discount rate assumptions. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as HCA's 2/5 stars, produce less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is also a simplifying assumption that may not fully capture future growth dynamics.

What This Means for Investors In synthesizing the three valuation models—DCF earnings-based, DCF FCF-based, and GF Value™—the consensus indicates that HCA Healthcare Inc is significantly undervalued. This presents an intriguing opportunity for investors. For the full DCF analysis, visit the HCA DCF Calculator. You can also explore the GF Value™ page, or use the GuruFocus Stock Screener to find undervalued predictable companies.

Frequently Asked Questions What is HCA's intrinsic value based on DCF?

HCA's intrinsic value based on DCF is $765.04 for the earnings-based model and $861.92 for the FCF-based model.

Is HCA overvalued or undervalued?

HCA is significantly undervalued according to both the DCF models and the GF Value™.

How reliable is the DCF model for HCA?

The reliability of the DCF model for HCA is moderate, as indicated by its predictability rank of 2/5 stars.

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].

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) Presents at RBC Capital Markets Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. & HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:HCA), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, and The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP), one of the largest allied healthcare training providers in Texas, today announced an agreement for HCA Healthcare to acquire ownership of CHCP. CHCP provides healthcare education to more than 8,000 students annually across 10 campuses throughout Texas and online.

“The College of Health Care Professions has built a strong legacy of preparing skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals,” said Sam Hazen, CEO of HCA Healthcare. “Together, we are investing in the future of healthcare and strengthening the talent pipeline that will serve patients and communities.”

This agreement reflects a shared commitment to student success, academic quality and workforce readiness between the organizations that have a history of working together. For decades, HCA Healthcare and CHCP have been partnering through program advisory boards, clinical sites and career placement. In 2023, HCA Healthcare collaborated with CHCP on a 12-week Medical Assistant training program aimed at upskilling colleagues and building a talent pipeline for HCA Healthcare’s urgent care centers across Texas. Since its launch, over 100 colleagues have successfully graduated from the program and increased their career opportunities within HCA Healthcare. As a part of HCA Healthcare, CHCP will continue to educate, support and empower students to succeed in healthcare careers. Eric Bing will continue to lead CHCP as Chancellor and CEO.

“CHCP is excited to be part of HCA Healthcare,” said Eric Bing, Chancellor and CEO of CHCP. “Our goal is for our shared commitment to adult learner success, academic excellence and workforce readiness to help increase opportunities for aspiring healthcare professionals and make a positive impact in communities across the country.”

Since opening its doors in 1988, CHCP has prepared more than 52,000 students for careers in healthcare. Offering a flexible, yet structured learning environment designed to meet the needs of adult learners, the college is driven by a mission for students to gain the knowledge, technical proficiency and skills needed for entry-level and stackable positions in an allied healthcare field while supporting their career goals. Through flexible hybrid and online healthcare programs offered across Texas, the college enables students to pursue meaningful careers while balancing work, family and life responsibilities. CHCP currently offers over 20 accredited programs, including Medical Assisting, Sonography, Surgical Technology, Radiologic Technology and Medical Coding and Billing.

HCA Healthcare is committed to investing in the future of healthcare by supporting education and workforce development initiatives for the next generation of caregivers.

In 2020, HCA Healthcare acquired majority ownership in Galen College of Nursing, one of the largest educators of nurses in the U.S., and since then has opened 20 new campuses, totaling 25 campuses nationwide. HCA Healthcare also operates Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri and HCA Florida Mercy College of Nursing in Miami, Florida. In 2025, HCA Healthcare helped to launch Pepperdine University’s School of Nursing within the College of Health Sciences. In 2022, the HCA Healthcare Foundation announced a $1.35 million grant to Educate Texas to help increase student access to programs that enable healthcare careers, including high schools in Texas that offer Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) healthcare career tracks. In 2025, the Foundation committed an additional $1 million to the organization. In 2024, the HCA Healthcare Foundation committed $1 million to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations to help fund its Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program, which aims to help create and expand healthcare career pathways for underserved high school students across the state of Florida. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Macquarie Capital acted as exclusive financial advisor to CHCP, while Cooley LLP was transaction and regulatory counsel. Holland & Knight LLP acted as transaction counsel for HCA Healthcare and Husch Blackwell LLP acted as regulatory counsel.

About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services comprising 189 hospitals and approximately 2,600 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 19 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44%. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its approximately 47 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives.

About The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP)

As a leader in healthcare education and training, CHCP helps students develop the skills they need to meet the demands of today's healthcare industry. Founded by physicians, CHCP is focused on healthcare education and training and its accredited programs have been developing healthcare professionals for over 35 years. CHCP faculty have real-world, on-the-job experience and are committed to helping students succeed. Just as importantly, CHCP's on-campus, blended, online and hybrid program offerings give students flexible options to learn on their schedule. CHCP offers continuing education nationwide for medical imaging and emerging healthcare technologies through the Medical Technology Management Institute (MTMI).

All references to “Company,” “HCA” and “HCA Healthcare” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Healthcare, Inc. and its affiliates.

More News From HCA Healthcare

Back to Newsroom

Many investors may hesitate to invest in healthcare stocks right now, given that the sector has lagged broader markets in recent years. However, there are plenty of excellent healthcare companies that could be long-term winners, at least for those willing to be patient and hold their shares through thick and thin. Three stocks to consider along those lines are Intuitive Surgical (ISRG 1.12%), HCA Healthcare (HCA +2.33%), and Abbott Laboratories (ABT 2.46%). Though these companies have not performed well this year, they remain strong buy-and-forget options. Let me explain.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Intuitive Surgical Intuitive Surgical's shares are down 25% this year amid a challenging macro environment. Steep tariffs are affecting the company's financial results, and many investors fear that things will get even worse over the medium term. However, Intuitive Surgical's financial results remain strong. Revenue, earnings, and procedures performed with its famous da Vinci surgical system all grew at a healthy clip during the first quarter. Importantly, Intuitive Surgical continues to grow its installed base, with the latest version of its da Vinci system making significant headway.

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A larger installed base means higher recurring revenue from instruments and accessories -- which have a pretty short lifespan -- and a stronger overall moat due to high switching costs, which could enable it to pass higher costs from tariffs to its consumers and improve its margins. Further, Intuitive Surgical is still looking at a large opportunity in the robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) market, where it is the leader.

The non-invasive procedures they help perform require less skin cutting for patients, resulting in faster recovery times. This is an underpenetrated opportunity Intuitive Surgical should tap into over the long run. Lastly, the medical device specialist should continue innovating and launching newer, better versions of its crown jewel, while also securing new label expansions to boost its sales.

Intuitive Surgical's medium-term outlook may be a bit uncertain due to ongoing economic challenges. But it is well-positioned to deliver excellent returns over the long run.

2. HCA Healthcare After beating the market in 2025, HCA Healthcare is feeling the effects of gravity. The stock has declined 21% year to date. The hospital chain is also facing a challenging economic environment with high expenses eating into its profits and margins. HCA Healthcare's first-quarter results weren't great, partly as a result of these obstacles. However, we have seen this movie before. Several years ago, HCA Healthcare faced increased expenses, due to the contract labor it had to rely on during the pandemic, and inflation. HCA Healthcare navigated that just fine and rebounded. My view is that the company can do the same this time around.

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Meanwhile, HCA Healthcare remains one of the leading hospital chains in the U.S., with a vast network of diversified facilities. HCA Healthcare's facilities are entrenched in many communities across the country, and the company has deep relationships with patients, physicians, and third-party payers, which grant it a significant advantage. Further, over the past 15 years or so, the company has gained market share from competitors, in part due to shrewd investments in cutting-edge medical technology.

HCA Healthcare is well-positioned to capitalize on long-term trends that will drive increased demand for its services, such as the world's aging population. That's why the stock is worth buying right now and sticking with for the long haul.

3. Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories' financial results haven't been great of late. Two of the company's segments, nutrition and diagnostics, are dragging down sales growth. However, Abbott Laboratories' core medical device unit remains strong. Within this business, Abbott Laboratories has several long-term growth drivers, especially its structural heart portfolio, where it offers leading products in their niches -- such as the MitraClip, a minimally invasive device used to treat a leaky heart valve -- and the company's diabetes care segment, with its FreeStyle Libre CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) franchise.

Abbott Laboratories has dozens of other products across multiple therapeutic areas and a proven track record of innovation, so we can routinely expect it to launch newer devices.

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Also, the company's diagnostic business should improve following a recent acquisition that gave it a stronger foothold in the attractive cancer screening market. Abbott Laboratories' business seems well-positioned to rebound and capitalize on the projected long-term spending growth in the sector. Lastly, the company is a phenomenal income stock. Abbott Laboratories has increased its payouts for 54 consecutive years, making it a Dividend King. That's a corporation that boasts 50 or more straight annual dividend raises. Abbott's dividend track record is another piece of evidence that the stock can perform well over the next few decades.

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Partnership provides Human Cell Atlas members with access to the Tapestri Platform for integrated single-cell DNA, RNA, and protein analysis

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mission Bio, the leader in single-cell multiomics solutions, today announced a collaboration with the Human Cell Atlas (HCA), a global consortium working to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells to advance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.

The announcement comes ahead of the upcoming Human Cell Atlas General Meeting 2026, taking place June 16–18 in Boston, where Mission Bio will participate alongside leading researchers and collaborators from across the global single-cell community.

Through the collaboration, HCA members will gain discounted access to Mission Bio’s Tapestri® Platform, an end-to-end single-cell multiomics solution enabling high-resolution analysis of DNA, targeted DNA + RNA, and DNA + protein from the same cell. The collaboration also includes access to Mission Bio’s validated assay portfolio, bioinformatics support, and custom assay development capabilities to support emerging research applications across genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and related omics fields.

The Human Cell Atlas brings together researchers and institutions worldwide to accelerate collaborative discovery and establish best practices for single-cell and spatial biology research, including standards for data processing, storage, and accessibility. By enabling high-resolution single-cell multiomic data generated on the Tapestri® Platform, the collaboration will help support the HCA’s growing computational and AI-driven efforts to build comprehensive cellular reference maps and uncover how genomic variation shapes cellular function, health, and disease.

“The Human Cell Atlas was founded to build a global, collaborative framework for understanding human health through cellular biology,” said John Randall, Executive Director of HCA. “We welcome the participation of technology developers like Mission Bio, to add single-cell multiomic insights that can help researchers better understand cellular diversity and disease biology across a wide range of applications.”

“Human biology is incredibly complex, and understanding disease requires technologies that can capture that complexity at single-cell resolution,” said Brian Kim, Chief Executive Officer of Mission Bio. “We are excited to collaborate with the Human Cell Atlas and support its global research community with integrated single-cell multiomic capabilities that connect genotype to phenotype with unprecedented clarity.”

Mission Bio’s Tapestri® Platform is designed to enable researchers to characterize cellular heterogeneity and connect genetic variation with functional biology at single-cell resolution. Applications span hematologic malignancies, cell and gene therapies, gene editing, biomarker discovery, and translational research.

For more information about Mission Bio, visit missionbio.com

About Mission Bio

Mission Bio is the single-cell multi-omics leader. The company’s Tapestri® Platform is unique in its capabilities, offering an unparalleled level of granularity and precision that is critical for complex research areas such as cancer studies, pharmaceutical development, and advanced cell and gene therapies. Unlike traditional standard of care methods, Tapestri® provides a level of precision that opens the door for more tailored and effective treatment strategies. Researchers globally depend on Tapestri® to identify rare cell populations, understand mechanisms of therapeutic resistance and response, and establish key quality metrics for next-generation medical treatments. With the Tapestri® Platform, Mission Bio continues to set the standard in the field, contributing significantly to the progress of personalized medicine and targeted therapies. To learn more about Mission Bio and the Tapestri® Platform, please visit missionbio.com.

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LAREDO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ:IBOC), one of the largest independent bank holding companies in Texas, today reported net income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 of $102.2 million or $1.64 diluted earnings per common share ($1.64 per share basic) compared to $96.9 million or $1.56 diluted earnings per common share ($1.56 per share basic), which represents an increase of 5.5% in net income and 5.1% in diluted earnings per share over the corresponding period of 2025.

Net income for the first quarter of 2026 continued to be positively affected by interest earned on our investment and loan portfolios driven primarily by both an increase in the size of those portfolios and the current rate environment. Net interest income was affected by a decrease in interest expense, primarily driven by a redistribution in rates paid on environment. Net interest income was affected by a decrease in interest expense, primarily driven by a redistribution in rates paid on deposits. We continue to closely monitor rates paid on deposits to remain competitive to grow and retain deposits.

“We are pleased with the consistency and sustainability of our industry-leading financial results in the first quarter of 2026. As we move through the rest of 2026, we will remain focused and vigilant on delivering superior customer service, continued execution of our long-standing practices of balance sheet, asset, liability and liquidity management, strong cost controls and evaluating processes for efficiencies across our organization using, among other things, AI initiatives. We believe that with continued focus on these established and long-standing practices, we will continue to deliver industry-leading financial results,” said Dennis E. Nixon, president and CEO.

Total assets at March 31, 2026, were approximately $16.8 billion compared to approximately $16.6 billion at Dec. 31, 2025. Total net loans were approximately $9.5 billion at March 31, 2026, compared to approximately $9.3 billion at Dec. 31, 2025. Deposits were approximately $12.6 billion at March 31, 2026, compared to approximately $12.4 billion at Dec. 31, 2025.

IBC is a multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with 165 facilities and 247 ATMs serving 75 communities in Texas and Oklahoma.

“Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts contain forward looking information with respect to plans, projections or future performance of IBC and its subsidiaries, the occurrence of which involve certain risks and uncertainties detailed in IBC’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Copies of IBC’s SEC filings and Annual Report (as an exhibit to the 10-K) may be downloaded from the SEC filings site located at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

International Paper swung to a first-quarter profit as it prepares to split its North American operations from its overseas business.

Key Takeaways IP reported Q1 EPS of 15 cents, missing estimates, while sales rose 13.4% but fell short of expectations.IP lowered 2026 EBITDA outlook to $3.2-$3.5B, citing inflation, higher costs and macro pressures.International Paper saw higher costs from energy and storms in NA, while EMEA reported an operating loss. International Paper Company (IP - Free Report) posted adjusted operating earnings of 15 cents per share for the first quarter of 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 18 cents by 16.7%. The figure declined 11.8% from 17 cents a year ago.

Including one-time items, the company reported earnings of 14 cents per share against a loss of 28 cents in the year-ago quarter. 

Net sales were $5.97 billion, up 13.4% year over year, but below the consensus mark of $6.05 billion by 1.2%. 

IP’s Costs Rose Faster Than Operating LeverageCost of products sold increased 11.5% year over year to $4.24 billion in the quarter. Gross profit rose 18% year over year to $1.73 billion. The gross margin came in at 28.9% compared with the year-ago quarter’s 27.7%.

Selling and administrative costs were $510 million, which increased 4.7% from $487 million in the prior-year quarter. The adjusted operating income in the quarter was $188 million, 11% higher than $169 million in the first quarter of 2025. Adjusted operating margin contracted to 3.1% from 3.2% in the year-ago quarter.

International Paper Sees Diverging Regional PerformancePackaging Solutions North America: The segment’s sales were $3.63 billion, down 2.1% from the prior-year figure. Our projection for the segment’s sales was $3.61 billion. 

The segment reported an operating profit of $248 million compared with an operating profit of $142 million in the prior-year quarter. Our projection for the segment was $304 million. 

The segment witnessed a sequential increase in the cost of products sold due to higher operating costs affected by winter storm impacts. Input costs rose due to higher natural gas costs and utility costs driven by the winter storm. Profitability, however, improved on a year-over-year basis. 

Packaging Solutions EMEA: The segment’s sales were $2.32 billion, up from the last-year figure of $1.55 billion. Our expectation for the segment’s sales was $2.39 billion. 

The segment reported an operating loss of $51 million against the prior-year quarter’s operating profit of $46 million. Our projection for the segment was a loss of $46 million. The segment’s results were impacted by higher energy costs. 

The company had earlier announced plans to separate its PS North America and PS EMEA operations into two independent, publicly traded companies. The transaction is intended to create two scaled regional leaders in packaging solutions, each supported by dedicated management teams, distinct business models and attractive financial profiles. It is expected to be completed within 12–15 months, subject to customary closing conditions.

IP’s Cash Generation Improved After Portfolio MovesInternational Paper generated $611 million of cash from operating activities in the first quarter of 2026 compared with usage of $288 million in the year-ago quarter. IP produced free cash flow of $94 million in the quarter. 

The company also received $1.1 billion of net proceeds from the sale of the Global Cellulose Fibers business and used part of that cash to reduce debt by $660 million.

Cash and temporary investments aggregated around $1.24 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2026 compared with $1.15 billion at the end of 2025.

 At the end of the first quarter, IP’s long-term debt stood at $8.18 billion, lower than $8.8 billion as of 2025-end.

International Paper Updates 2026 EBITDA ViewFor the second quarter, the company guided adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of $520-$570 million, implying a step-down from the first quarter’s adjusted EBITDA of $677 million as seasonal and cost factors persist.

Management updated its outlook to reflect what it described as a volatile environment, with ongoing inflation and macro pressures. For full-year 2026, International Paper provided a target range of $3.20-$3.50 billion in adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations. The company had earlier provided a range of $3.5-$3.7 billion for 2026. 

The company emphasized disciplined execution, improving reliability across its network and rigor around capital allocation as key levers to deliver against the updated framework. 

IP Stock’s Price PerformanceThe company’s shares have lost 26.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 11.8% decline.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

International Paper’s Zacks RankIP currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

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

Performances of Industry Peers This QuarterPackaging Corporation of America (PKG - Free Report) posted adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share in the first quarter of 2026, up 3.9% from $2.31 a year ago. The result beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.17 by 10.6%. Packaging Corp.’s net sales rose 10.6% year over year to $2.37 billion but missed the consensus mark of $2.41 billion by 1.9%. 

Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW - Free Report) posted adjusted earnings of 33 cents per share for the first quarter of 2026, down 51.5% from the year-ago period. The figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents.

Smurfit Westrock’s net revenues were $7.71 billion, up 0.7% year over year, but missed the consensus estimate of $7.76 billion. 

One Paper & Related Product Stocks Awaiting ResultsRayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM - Free Report) is slated to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 5. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the bottom line is pegged at a loss of 62 cents per share. Rayonier Advanced had posted a loss of 49 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.
The consensus estimate for Rayonier Advanced Materials’ top line is pegged at $297.5 million, indicating a 16.4% decline from the prior-year reported figure.

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Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading lower as we start off the new week, as oil surges higher amid reports that a U.S. warship was turned back in the Strait of Hormuz, but what a start we had to the new month on Friday. The Thursday close on April’s last trading day marked the best month for the venerable S&P 500 index since 2020, and it finished at a new all-time high on Friday, closing at 7,230, up 0.29%. The Nasdaq also put in some strong work to end the week, finishing the session at 25,114, up 0.89%, while the small-cap-heavy Russell 2000 also represented, closing up 0.54% at 2,815. The only index that finished lower at the start of the month was the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which was last seen at 49,499, down 0.31%. Falling oil prices and the report that Iran had replied to the U.S. peace overtures were all noted as providing a tailwind for stocks on Friday, along with some massive numbers posted by some of the Magnificent 7.

Treasury Bonds: Yields were mixed across the Treasury curve on Friday, with some buying on the long end and some sellers showing up for the belly of the curve. Inflation concerns and a strong dollar continue to draw much of the attention of fixed-income traders, and it became clear from the Federal Reserve’s April meeting messaging that interest rate cuts are not likely any time soon. The 30-year long bond closed trading Friday at 4.96% while the benchmark 10-year bond was last seen at 4.38%. 

Oil and Gas: Oil prices fell on Friday after it was reported that Iran had submitted a negotiation proposal to the United States. While it remains to be seen what the U.S. response will be, the fact that the two countries are still in discussions is a positive. As we have noted recently, many in the energy complex believe that even with a settlement, oil prices will remain higher than before the conflict. Brent Crude closed Friday at $108.70, down 1.54%, while West Texas Intermediate ended the day at $102.30, down 2.66%. Natural gas was the lone winner in the group, rising 0.80% to $2.79. 

Gold: Gold started the month off the way it ended April, closing 0.21% lower at $4,611. The precious metal has fallen a stunning 17.5% from its highs back in late January. Analysts cited inflation fears and the strengthening expectation that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer as reasons for Gold’s recent weakness. A stronger U.S. dollar and reduced safe-haven demand, despite geopolitical uncertainty, also pressured the non-yielding asset on Friday. The final trade for Silver on Friday came in at $75.33, up a solid 2.3%. 

Crypto: Cryptocurrencies jumped higher on Friday, with some major assets staging a recovery to reach their highest levels since early February. Like most other asset classes, crypto got a nice tailwind from lower oil prices and the potential for positive peace negotiations. The Friday rally prompted roughly $281 million in liquidations, with the majority ($216 million) stemming from short positions. At 8 AM EDT, Bitcoin was trading at $78,740 while Ethereum was quoted at $2,334. 

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports daily to identify new investment ideas for both investors and traders. Some of these daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy. Other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. Remember that no single analyst call should ever be used as a basis to buy or sell a stock. 

Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen on Monday, May 4, 2026.  

Upgrades: Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) was upgraded to Outperform from Perform at Oppenheimer, with a $160 target price for the shares. Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS) | ESS Price Prediction was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Sandler, which boosted the Dividend Aristocrats target price to $325 from $275. GlobalFoundries (NASDAQ: GFS) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at Cantor Fitzgerald, which boosted the price target for the shares to $80 from $50. International Paper (NYSE: IP) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Wells Fargo, which nudged the price target for the shares to $39 from $38. Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Wedbush, which has a $23 target price. Downgrades: Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at HSBC, with a $340 target price objective. Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE: ARE) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Baird, which slashed the target price for the stock to $46 from $67. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Freedom Broker, which raised the target price for the technology giant to $400 from $365. Check Point Software Technologies (NASDAQ: CHKP) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Bank of America, which has a $120 target price for the stock. Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU) was cut to Underweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley, which lowered the price target for the company to $92 from $106. Initiations: BeOne Medicines (NASDAQ: ONC) was initiated with an Overweight rating at Wells Fargo, with a $400 target price. Compass Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS) was initiated with a Buy rating at Jefferies, with an $18 target price for the shares. Federal National Mortgage Association (OTCQB: FNMA) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Mizuho, which has a $10 target price. 
FirstService (NASDAQ: FSV) was initiated with a Hold rating at Loop Capital with a  $140 target price. Postal Realty Trust (NYSE: PSTL) was started with an Outperform rating at Scotiabank, with a $24 target price.

, /PRNewswire/ -- International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.4625 per share for the period from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026, inclusive, on the common stock, par value $1.00, of the Company, payable on June 12, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on May 22, 2026.

Today, the Company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.00 per share for the period from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026, inclusive, on the cumulative $4.00 preferred stock of the Company, payable on June 12, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on May 22, 2026.

About International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) 
International Paper creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com. 

SOURCE International Paper

Dover Delaware Site to Expand IP's Presence in a Growing East Coast Market

, /PRNewswire/ -- International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC), a leader in sustainable packaging solutions, has acquired Delmarva Corrugated Packaging in Dover, Delaware. The strategic acquisition of this facility will enhance International Paper's capabilities, expand its market presence, and increase its capacity to produce the highest-quality sustainable packaging solutions for customers. 

"This acquisition strengthens our footprint in the region and supports our long term growth strategy," said Tom Hamic, Executive Vice President and President, Packaging Solutions North America, International Paper. "The Dover facility's strong customer base and strategic location expand our ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable packaging solutions with greater speed and reliability. We look forward to welcoming the team and working closely with customers to ensure a smooth and successful integration."

"We are extremely pleased to see IP step into ownership of the Delmarva Corrugated assets," said Dennis D. Mehiel, DCP President and CEO. "We cannot think of an organization better suited to help the team in Dover achieve the full potential of the business, and we are highly confident this transaction will benefit all of DCP's stakeholders."

The acquisition aligns with International Paper's strategy to maximize value creation for customers, shareholders and employees. 

About International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC)
International Paper creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.

SOURCE International Paper

Key Takeaways Synopsys is set to report Q2 FY26 results on May 27, with revenues expected to rise 40.3% year over year.Synopsys is benefiting from rising AI, 5G, IoT and cloud-related semiconductor demand.SNPS faces headwinds from weaker design starts and execution challenges in its IP business. Synopsys (SNPS - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter fiscal 2026 results on May 27, after market close.

Synopsys expects non-GAAP earnings per share between $3.11 and $3.17. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal second-quarter earnings is pinned at $3.17 per share, which indicates a year-over-year decrease of 13.6%.

The company anticipates revenues between $2.225 billion and $2.275 billion for the fiscal second quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $2.25 billion, which suggests a rise of 40.3% from the year-ago period's reported figure.

In the trailing four quarters, SNPS’ earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice while missing the same on one occasion, with an average surprise of 1.5%.

Factors Influencing Synopsys’ Q2 ResultsSynopsys is gaining from the multi-trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion, which is driving complex AI semiconductor demand and the need for advanced design tools. Increased adoption of Synopsys.ai among chip manufacturers and vendors is anticipated to have boosted top-line growth during the reported quarter.

The increasing use of AI, IoT, 5G and cloud technology is likely to have driven demand for Synopsys’ solutions in the to-be-reported quarter. Robust design investments in Synopsys’ ARC processors by automotive companies, as well as the strong adoption of security solutions for interfaces like CXL, PCI Express and DDR, are likely to aid its second-quarter results.

Given its strong portfolio, SNPS is likely to have gained from the strong bookings momentum and revenue visibility in the to-be-reported quarter. The acquisition of Ansys has already enabled Synopsys to bridge digital and physical design, creating cross-sell potential that is likely to have driven SNPS’ top-line growth in the fiscal second quarter.

However, weakness in consumer, automotive and industrial markets, where the company is witnessing subdued demand for design starts, is likely to have remained a headwind in the fiscal second quarter. Further, Synopsys’ Intellectual Property (IP) business is also going through a transitional phase, where any delays in delivering certain IP titles and execution challenges related to hyperscaler engagements could weigh on the company’s overall growth in the second quarter.

Further, tightening budgets among corporations due to ongoing macroeconomic challenges and unfavorable currency exchange rates are expected to have partially offset the positive impacts of the growth drivers. SNPS is also struggling in Chinese markets, which might have posed an investor concern in the to-be-reported quarter.

What Our Model Says About SNPSOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for SNPS this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. However, that’s not the case here.

SNPS has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and carries a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in their upcoming releases:

Dell Technologies (DELL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.51% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Dell Technologies is set to report first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on May 28. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dell Technologies’ first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $3.00 per share, up by 3 cents over the past seven days, indicating a rise of 93.6% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.

Salesforce, Inc. (CRM - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.40% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.

Salesforce is scheduled to report first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on May 27. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Salesforce’s first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $3.12 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating a rise of 20.9% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.

Autodesk (ADSK - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.35% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

Autodesk is slated to report first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on May 28. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADSK’s first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $2.84 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating a rise of 24% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.