The Verus Ethereum Bridge has been targeted by a major security breach for the second time in just over two months, resulting in the theft of approximately $7.54 million in various crypto assets. The incident occurred on July 23 when attackers exploited a vulnerability, once again raising concerns about the security of cross-chain protocols in decentralized finance (DeFi).
Attacker Drains Bridge’s Ethereum ReservesThe breach allowed the attacker to abuse the bridge’s submitImports function, which triggered Ethereum-side payouts without equivalent assets being locked on the Verus blockchain. This vulnerability enabled the unauthorized extraction of funds from the bridge’s reserves.
Blockchain security firm Blockaid and independent researcher exvulsec both confirmed and investigated the exploit. According to on-chain data, roughly 1,137 ETH, as well as tBTC, USDC, USDT, EURC, MKR, and scrvUSD, were drained from the bridge reserves at around 03:45 UTC. The stolen assets were quickly swapped through decentralized exchanges, then consolidated into nearly 3,916 ETH before parts of the funds were routed through Tornado Cash.
Mini dictionary: Tornado Cash, a decentralized non-custodial privacy solution on Ethereum, is designed to break the on-chain link between source and destination addresses, making transaction tracing more difficult.
AssetAmount stolenEstimated valueETH1,137Included in $7.54M totaltBTCUnknownUSDCUnknownUSDTUnknownEURCUnknownMKRUnknownscrvUSDUnknown Investigators noted that by exploiting the same contract, function entry point, and vulnerability as a previous May breach, the attacker bypassed standard cross-chain verification and triggered unbacked payouts, draining several digital assets from Verus’ Ethereum bridge reserves.
Recurring Security Flaws and Recent HistoryThe latest breach revived scrutiny over Verus’ handling of a previous exploit in May, which resulted in an $11.58 million loss. Experts stated that this attack exploited the exact vulnerability from the earlier incident, indicating that core issues may have remained unaddressed. Blockaid observed that while this latest event involved a different attacker wallet, the method and targeted contract remained unchanged.
Following the May attack, the same attacker returned 4,052 ETH—about 75% of the stolen funds—after reaching an agreement with Verus. Despite that partial restitution, the repetition of the exploit has heightened doubts regarding the bridge’s security remediation process.
Experts pointed out that the repeated vulnerability likely resulted from an incomplete technical fix after the earlier breach, leaving Verus exposed to additional attacks. There is growing pressure for the protocol team to publish a thorough incident report and technical breakdown.
Ongoing Investigations and Broader RisksThe Verus incident is one of several recent DeFi bridge attacks highlighted by on-chain monitoring services. Lookonchain reported that combined losses from incidents involving Verus, AFX Trade, and B² Network have climbed to approximately $35.55 million.
Mini dictionary: Lookonchain is an on-chain analytics platform known for monitoring blockchain transactions and identifying patterns related to hacks, large movements, and abnormal activities.
Security analysts explained that bridge protocols are increasingly targeted due to logical flaws in cross-chain messaging mechanisms, which, if exploited, can allow fund withdrawals without equivalent collateralization.
Next Steps for Verus and UsersAmid the investigation, Verus halted all bridge operations but has not announced a compensation plan or released a detailed technical report. The absence of a clear official explanation has drawn criticism from the user community.
Observers expect the Verus team to prioritize closing the technical vulnerability, improve their validation process, and offer a roadmap to locate and potentially recover missing assets. Until these steps are made public, scrutiny around trust and transparency in the protocol will likely continue.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
Even though the meme cryptocurrency is still trading close to multi-month lows, Dogecoin has seen a significant increase in trading activity, with 24-hour spot volume rising by more than 123%. The increase in participation indicates that traders are becoming more active in the current support zone, even though price action is still weak.
Dogecoin's volumes riseThe most recent market data shows that DOGE's spot trading volume has increased to about $219 million, and its futures volume has reached about $1.5 billion. The fact that open interest is more than $1.1 billion shows that leveraged traders are still heavily exposed even though the asset is having difficulty making a significant comeback. But from a technical standpoint, the chart is still very negative.
DOGE/USDT Chart by TradingViewAfter yet another rejection below the 26-day exponential moving average, which is now close to $0.074, Dogecoin is trading at about $0.069. Additionally, the price is still significantly below the 50-day EMA at $0.078 and the 100-day EMA at $0.087, indicating that sellers continue to control the medium- and longer-term trends.
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The 200-day moving average, which is currently above $0.10, is still sloping downward, indicating how much more work bulls have ahead of them before a structural reversal is feasible. Momentum indicators are just as cautious. With an RSI of roughly 34–35, DOGE is in the vicinity of oversold territory.
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Even though that raises the likelihood of a technical bounce, oversold conditions by themselves seldom indicate a long-term bottom during established downtrends. It is interesting to note that derivatives positioning paints a more positive picture.
Who's exposed to DOGE?Top traders on Binance and OKX have substantially more long than short exposure, and long-to-short ratios on major exchanges continue to be strongly skewed toward bullish wagers. However, this optimism has not yet resulted in persistent spot market buying pressure.
Thus, the rise in trading volume warrants consideration. Increasing volume during a protracted decline frequently indicates one of two things: either accumulation as larger players covertly take supply from weaker hands, or capitulation as remaining holders give up their positions.
Price confirmation is necessary to differentiate between those results. As of right now, Dogecoin is still printing lower highs and lower lows, indicating that the trend has not altered. Bulls' first task is still to recover the 26-day EMA at $0.074. A stronger breakout would aim for the $0.087 resistance zone, while a move above that level might set off a recovery toward the 50-day EMA near $0.078.
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) plunged 6% on Thursday, as Elon Musk admitted in an Economist interview that he got “carried away” with politics and the Department of Government Efficiency.
What Did Musk Actually Say About DOGE?In a wide-ranging interview with the Economist, Musk said he backed Trump with $200 million in 2024 before heading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, overseeing $150 billion in budget cuts and forcing tens of thousands of people out of federal jobs.
“I think instead of doing Doge, I would have basically worked on my companies,” Musk said.
While DOGE the government department and DOGE the cryptocurrency have no official connection, Musk’s long association with the token through public statements and social media has kept the two tightly linked in market perception.
Where Does DOGE Stand After 20 Months Of Losses?Crypto analyst CrediBULL Crypto noted on X that DOGE has fallen roughly 78% against Bitcoin over the past 20 months and has now entered his first area of interest on the DOGE/BTC pair.
He said he is still looking for a bit more downside on the USD pair before considering a position for the first time.
Meanwhile, spot Dogecoin ETFs recorded net inflows of $345,130 on July 21, their first inflow since June 17, according to SoSoValue data. However, those inflows returned to zero by July 23.
Is Today’s Bounce A Recovery Or A Trap?DOGE attempts a 1% bounce to $0.069 Friday after yesterday’s breakdown below $0.07, a support level that held for weeks.
The $0.07 level has now flipped from support to resistance, and every major EMA sits overhead in a bearish stack: 20-day at $0.073, 50-day at $0.078, 100-day at $0.087, and 200-day at $0.103.
Any bounce that fails to reclaim $0.07 on a daily close traps fresh longs rather than signals a reversal. Breakdown targets sit at $0.055 to $0.058 on continuation.
Key levels for DOGE: $0.07 — broken support now acting as resistance $0.073 — 20-day EMA, next ceiling above $0.068 — immediate demand zone below $0.060 to $0.058 — next meaningful floor if $0.068 fails Photo via Shutterstock
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"The next big move could shock everyone," one analyst predicted.
The biggest meme coin by market capitalization is down 12% over the past month, while its most recent plunge below a critical level suggests sellers may now be in full control.
On the other hand, Ali Martinez pointed to the formation of a rare setup that could be a precursor to a major bull run.
Will Bears Keep the Wheel? DOGE has tumbled by roughly 5% on a 24-hour scale and is currently worth around $0.069 (according to CoinGecko). The X account BSCN noted that in its weekly anomaly report, Santiment flagged the meme coin as “hype without news,” warning that a price drop below $0.071 would hand control to the sellers.
“Santiment’s core read was that DOGE trades as amplified Bitcoin beta, falling harder in selloffs, and this session proved it on cue,” it added.
According to the analytics platform, a quick reclaim of the key $0.071 zone would repair the setup, but staying beneath it would indicate that bears continue to dominate.
Other market observers who also touched upon DOGE include Kamran Asghar and Scient. The former claimed that the token is approaching “a make or break” level, predicting that “the next big move could shock everyone.” The latter was firmly on the bearish side, expecting a further drop in the coming days.
The Bullish Signals Contrary to its poor performance as of late, the renowned analyst Ali Martinez outlined that DOGE’s weekly TD Sequential indicator has flashed numerous consecutive buy signals. He labeled the development “a rare setup that could be warning a major bull rally is approaching.”
X user Cryptollica chipped in, too, noting the “dead attention” surrounding Dogecoin recently. At the same time, they believe this is the best moment to jump on the bandwagon, saying:
You may also like: Mining Profits Dry Up Across Bitcoin, DOGE, LTC, and BCH Could Dogecoin (DOGE) Be Setting Up for Its Next Big Move? Analysts Think So ‘Dead Meme’ or Major Opportunity? DOGE Is Flashing The Same Signal That Preceded Its Biggest Rallies “Invest when no one else cares. That way, you will make money.”
The institutional interest is also worth mentioning. Earlier this week, spot DOGE ETFs witnessed their first green day since mid-June. However, the capital flowing into these products remains negligible, and appetite from big players like pension funds and hedge funds should seriously increase to positively impact the price.
Dogecoin is once again trading at an important long-term support area that has historically marked cyclical lows, according to several technical analysts. The memecoin is entering this zone after months of declining prices, raising questions over whether it is poised for another accumulation phase or if further losses are ahead.
Dogecoin revisits historical cycle supportAnalysis from Cryptollica has identified a rising support level that previously anchored major Dogecoin cycle bottoms in 2015, 2020, and 2022. Each retest of this area coincided with periods of weak momentum and low market interest, typically preceding significant recoveries for the cryptocurrency.
A 10-day chart shared by Cryptollica illustrates how Dogecoin tends to form higher cyclical floors, even as it undergoes large price swings between bull and bear market cycles. This recurring pattern has prompted speculation that DOGE may be re-entering an accumulation period, mirroring previous phases in its price history.
Cryptollica’s proprietary cycle indicator, used to gauge the current phase of Dogecoin’s market cycle, recently began to rise from significantly low levels. With its score currently at 23, the analyst describes DOGE as being in a “rebuilding phase,” rather than having started a confirmed upward expansion. This suggests that while selling pressure might be easing, buyers have yet to demonstrate strong momentum.
Dogecoin’s cycle indicator is showing early signs of recovery from extreme lows, putting the token in a rebuilding phase rather than suggesting an imminent breakout.
Despite similarities to previous market cycles, analysts warn that historical data alone cannot confirm a new bottom has been reached. Any decisive breakdown below this rising support would weaken the bullish outlook and could lead to an extended decline.
Analysts are closely monitoring whether DOGE will continue consolidating above this key support. A sustained recovery from this structure, followed by a break above the current series of lower highs, could serve as the first clear signal for a wider rebound.
Critical support zone follows sustained downtrendDOGE is now trading near $0.069, having dropped from its 2024 high of approximately $0.48. The token remains under a descending resistance trendline, reflecting that sellers still have control over the broader market structure.
Analyst Kamran Asghar has highlighted the $0.055 to $0.060 support band as an area that stabilized Dogecoin during sharp selloffs in both 2022 and 2023. The latest test of this level is viewed as crucial for DOGE’s medium-term direction.
If the green support zone continues to hold, a relief rally may materialize. This would especially be the case if buyers manage to reclaim the $0.075 to $0.095 region, signaling potential strength and breaking the sequence of lower highs.
The area has held through several major corrections, making the latest test critical for Dogecoin’s long-term structure.
However, favorable risk-to-reward dynamics depend on support remaining intact. A weekly close below $0.055 risks invalidating the historical support thesis and could open the door to a deeper bearish move.
Currently, Dogecoin stands at a crucial decision point. Its price action in the coming weeks will determine whether this support level marks the base for renewed accumulation or signals the breakdown of a multiyear floor.
Year/CycleSupport Zone TestedOutcome2015Cycle Low SupportFollowed by Recovery2020Cycle Low SupportMajor Rally2022-2023$0.055-$0.060Stabilization, Relief MoveNow (2024)$0.055-$0.060Decision PendingDisclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Dogecoin fell after Elon Musk admitted he got "carried away" with politics while reflecting on his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
Elon Musk has acknowledged that his involvement in U.S. politics and the Department of Government Efficiency went further than he intended.
“I think I got a little too involved in politics,” Musk said in an interview with The Economist published on July 23.
“Got carried away, frankly.”
Dogecoin fell sharply after the interview was released, extending the memecoin’s recent losses despite having no formal connection to the government initiative that shared its DOGE acronym.
Musk reflects on his DOGE rolePresident Donald Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency by executive order on Jan. 20, 2025, tasking it with modernizing federal technology and improving government efficiency.
Musk became the initiative’s most visible figure as it pushed to reduce federal spending, contracts and staffing. His appointment as a special government employee was limited to 130 days, and his government role ended in late May 2025. DOGE’s cost-cutting work continued after Musk’s departure until the initiative officially terminated on July 4, 2026.
Trending on TheStreet Roundtable:Analyst cuts Coinbase price target 40% ahead of Q2 earningsNew Senate bill could ban Trump from launching his own tokensPopular crypto firm files for Chapter 11 after token collapseDuring the July 23 interview, Musk continued to defend the initiative’s work but conceded that politics had taken too much of his attention.
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His latest comments echo an earlier admission that he would have prioritized his businesses differently.
“I think instead of doing Doge, I would have basically worked on my companies,” Musk previously said.
Dogecoin drops following interviewDogecoin traded near $0.0723 shortly before the interview’s publication before falling below $0.07, according to CoinMarketCap data shown in the accompanying chart.
DOGE dropped to approximately $0.0685, representing a decline of more than 5% from its pre-publication level. It was also down around 4.9% over the previous seven days.
Dogecoin drops after Elon Musk's statement: Coinmarketcap
The Department of Government Efficiency and Dogecoin are unrelated.
However, their shared acronym and Musk’s years of public support for the memecoin have kept the two closely connected in traders’ minds.
Attention and sentiment surrounding Musk’s social media activity have historically influenced Dogecoin’s market performance.
Dogecoin has repeatedly reacted quickly to Musk’s statements, endorsements and jokes. This time was no exception, with DOGE trading at about $0.0686 at the time of writing.
Cardano (ADA) price is down by 3.74% today, July 24, to trade at $0.167 at the time of writing. This drop comes as Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson warns that President Trump’s ties to the crypto sector are delaying the passage of the CLARITY Act bill.
Besides Cardano, the rest of the crypto market remains down today, July 24, after the Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that the CLARITY bill might not pass before August.
Charles Hoskinson Sounds CLARITY Act Warning In a recent post on X, Hoskinson revealed that the debate around the CLARITY Act has been reduced to three talking points: crypto, Trump, and corruption.
He says that Trump’s ties to the crypto sector, including the recent disclosure that he made $1.4 billion in profit from crypto activities in 2025, will continue to push Democratic senators away from voting for the CLARITY Act and all other crypto bills.
“The process was mismanaged, and it led to this talking point. No progress can be made if crypto is partisan,” the Cardano founder said.
Hoskinson’s remarks come as Senator Elizabeth Warren asks Trump to disclose any profits that he has made from crypto since July 15. Warren says that the disclosure should come before Senate can vote on CLARITY Act.
Democratic Senators also argue that the White House concessions on ethics rules are not enough, saying that state Attorneys General, and not the DoJ, should ensure that the President does not issue digital assets.
Cardano Price Tests Ascending Channel Support Amid Selling Pressure The price of Cardano has been moving within a rising channel since July 14. This channel suggests that ADA has been on an uptrend for ten days.
But ADA is now testing the support at the lower boundary of the rising channel. If it closes below this support, it will suggest that ADA price is about to start a downtrend, and the price could drop to the psychological support of $0.15.
The RSI reading of 42 supports a bearish long-term Cardano price prediction. The RSI line is also creating a lower low on the four-hour chart, suggesting that the selling pressure is rising.
ADA/USDT: 4H Chart (Source: TradingView) The AO bars that are red and negative also suggest that bears are tightening their grip, and this further strengthens a bearish case of a move to $0.15.
Whales Scoop 30M ADA After Van Rossem Upgrade Whales have scooped 30 million Cardano tokens despite the recent decline in price, per analyst Ali Charts.
The purchases come after the Van Rossem hard fork went live on Cardano to pave the way for the Leios upgrade that will make the network 60 times faster.
Still, Hoskinson notes that Cardano and other blockchain networks need to improve their security and prevent hacks, failure to which the crypto industry could die within 15 years.
His remarks come after a recent hack on the Wanchain bridge that links Cardano to BNB Chain.
The SecondFi protocol is also shutting down after being hacked in June with this marking the third project on Cardano to shut down after TapTools and JPG Store.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has argued that President Donald Trump should not actively participate in the cryptocurrency market while serving in office.
Hoskison’s comments came after Senator Elizabeth Warren urged lawmakers to reject the latest version of the Clarity Act, claiming it does not adequately prevent President Trump from financially benefiting from his crypto-related activities.
Warren Raises Conflict-of-Interest Concerns According to Warren, the bill lacks sufficient safeguards to stop the president from profiting from cryptocurrency ventures while in office. She also argued that the legislation does not do enough to combat illicit finance or protect investors and the broader financial system.
Additionally, Warren described the proposal as a missed opportunity to address potential conflicts of interest involving Trump’s crypto businesses, which she claimed generated approximately $1.4 billion in revenue last year.
It is worth noting that the U.S. President is associated with several cryptocurrency ventures, including the Official Trump meme coin and the World Liberty Financial project, which have fueled broader discussions about potential conflicts of interest.
Cardano Founder Reacts Reacting to Warren’s criticism, Hoskinson revealed that he had expressed similar concerns more than a year ago during several interviews. He argued that the political approach to cryptocurrency regulation had been misguided from the outset.
According to Hoskinson, those decisions ultimately strengthened the narrative that cryptocurrency regulation revolves around President Trump, making bipartisan cooperation increasingly difficult.
He stressed that meaningful progress cannot occur if cryptocurrency becomes a partisan political issue.
Hoskinson Calls Trump “the Ultimate Insider” In a follow-up statement, Hoskinson argued that no sitting president should participate directly in financial markets because of the extraordinary influence and privileged access associated with the office.
He stated that the president occupies a unique position of power and information, making Trump “the ultimate insider.” Although Hoskinson acknowledged that he rarely agrees with Senator Warren, he said her concerns about presidential involvement in financial markets were justified.
He added that stronger safeguards are necessary to prevent potential conflicts of interest and preserve public confidence in cryptocurrency policymaking.
Updated Clarity Act Introduces Ethics Restrictions Meanwhile, the Clarity Act continues to attract significant attention in Washington.
Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers introduced an updated draft of the legislation that includes a new ethics provision. The proposal would prohibit the President, Vice President, members of Congress, and their spouses from issuing or sponsoring digital assets while serving in office.
Congressional leadership is reportedly aiming to bring the bill to a Senate floor vote before the upcoming August recess. However, a packed legislative schedule and continued Democratic criticism over the strength of the ethics provisions could delay its passage.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
A closer look at everything most interesting surrounding ADA, BTC, and ETH.
Cardano’s ADA has rebounded over the past week, with some key factors supporting a more substantial upward trend ahead. Another element, though, suggests a renewed correction might be on the way.
Several analysts believe Bitcoin (BTC) has yet to reach its bottom for this cycle, while the recent exodus from exchanges hints that Ethereum (ETH) might be gearing up for a rally.
ADA Stuck in an Indecisive Zone Earlier this week, Cardano’s native token soared to a two-week high of around $0.18 before retracing to the current $0.166 (per CoinGecko). This represents a 5% weekly increase, while the latest whale activity hints at a further upswing in the near future.
The large investors recently boosted their total holdings to 25.6 billion coins (the highest level since February). The stash translates into roughly 70% of the token’s circulating supply. Moreover, whales have bought 30 million ADA (worth more than $5 million) over the last 30 days.
These market participants rarely make intuitive decisions, as some believe they enter the ecosystem after careful research or inside information that others lack. That said, their activity may encourage smaller players to hop on the bandwagon, too.
Another bullish ADA element is its Relative Strength Index (RSI), which yesterday (July 23) slipped to 28 and now stands at 31. It remains quite close to the oversold zone that is usually seen as a buying opportunity.
On the other hand, exchange inflows have recently exceeded outflows, meaning that investors have moved some of their holdings to centralized platforms, thereby increasing immediate selling pressure.
You may also like: Bitcoin’s Sharpe Ratio Signals an ‘Optimal’ Spot Accumulation Window Ethereum (ETH) Is Cheap, But Not at Bottom Yet: Analysts Ethereum’s Next Leg Higher? Historic Indicator and Whale Activity Align Major BTC Warning The bear market over the past several months has been quite persistent, briefly dragging Bitcoin’s price below $60K. It currently trades at nearly $65,000, and every resurgence gives some investors hope that the bulls might finally regain full control.
However, X user BATMAN poured cold water on these expectations, drawing a parallel between BTC’s current performance and that of the autumn of 2022, which was later followed by a massive collapse to roughly $16,000.
Other short-term skeptics include Kabuki and Ali Martinez. The former predicted a plunge to $47,000 by August, while the latter noted that the following month has historically been an unfavorable period for BTC, resulting in a correction every time since 2022.
ETH’s Next Move? Earlier this week, the second-largest cryptocurrency made another attempt to surpass the $2,000 psychological level but was rejected and currently trades at around $1,880.
Still, the declining amount of ETH stored on exchanges suggests the bears may soon loosen their grip. Over the past month, investors have withdrawn approximately 1 million units (worth over $1.8 billion at ongoing rates) from centralized platforms. The total figure dropped to a 10-year low of roughly 15.1 million ETH as the development results in reduced immediate selling pressure.
Analysts on crypto X remain largely optimistic about the asset. Not long ago, Arthur Hayes acquired ETH for over $2.5 million, while popular pundits like KALEO think the price could rise toward $2,400 within the next month. However, the latter warned that the pump might be short-lived and followed by a major crash to nearly $1,200 by September.
Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson says the next phase of cryptocurrency adoption will be driven less by faster blockchains and more by safety, governance and consumer protections.
Ethereum ‘Keeps Doing Things Wrong’In an interview with CoinDesk on July 23, Hoskinson, a co-founder of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) before launching Cardano, was sharply critical of the network’s governance model.
He argued Ethereum lacks an on-chain treasury capable of sustainably funding long-term development and instead depends on a handful of influential organizations.
"If Ethereum was to just take 5% of protocol revenue and give it to the Ethereum Foundation, they’d have $390 million a year to work with," he said.
Hoskinson also criticized Ethereum’s reliance on large companies to shape development priorities, arguing that meaningful decentralization requires token holders, not corporations, to determine the network’s future through on-chain voting.
He said Cardano’s governance framework, while slower to develop, provides a more sustainable long-term model.
"People are starting to wake up, especially in the age of AI hacking where everything is getting broken, that speed to market is not necessarily the most desirable thing," Hoskinson said.
Crypto Needs An Insurance LayerFollowing a recent bridge exploit involving Cardano-related infrastructure, Hoskinson said the industry’s biggest missing component is insurance.
He proposed optional insurance products for crypto wallets and cross-chain bridges, funded through premiums and backed by collateral pools.
Under the model, users would pay recurring fees while protocols meeting defined security standards could qualify for coverage.
Insurance would compensate victims after hacks and encourage better software practices across the industry, he said.
"You need financial systems with rule of law and checks and balances and the ability to get restitution when bad things happen," Hoskinson said.
Hoskinson expects the next wave of crypto adoption to come from integrating blockchain with identity, privacy, insurance and real-world financial infrastructure rather than simply increasing transaction throughput.
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Cardano has emerged as one of the fastest-growing blockchains for real-world assets (RWAs), reinforcing its expanding role in the rapidly evolving tokenization sector.
According to data shared by the RWA Foundation, citing Token Terminal, Cardano ranked as the fifth fastest-growing blockchain by RWA value over the past 30 days. During the period, the value of tokenized real-world assets on the network surged 23.1% to $55.3 million.
The ranking tracks month-over-month growth in RWA value across leading blockchain ecosystems, providing insight into where tokenized assets are expanding at the fastest pace.
Cardano Outpaces Several Larger RWA Ecosystems Despite hosting a smaller RWA market than several competing networks, Cardano outperformed many established blockchains in terms of growth.
For instance, Avalanche recorded a 22.6% increase, even though it maintains one of the largest RWA ecosystems at $2.5 billion. Sonic followed with 22.1% growth, bringing its RWA value to $124.2 million.
Meanwhile, Fraxtal expanded 18.4% to $39 million, while BNB Chain, which hosts the largest RWA market among the ranked blockchains at $9.2 billion, posted a 16.5% monthly increase. TON completed the top 10 with 6.4% growth, lifting its RWA value to $670.4 million.
Notably, four blockchain networks recorded even stronger monthly RWA growth. Robinhood Chain dominated the rankings with an extraordinary 11,416.2% surge, increasing its RWA value to $323.7 million. Tempo claimed second place with 74.3% growth, followed by Monad at 36.7% and Plume Network at 35.7%.
Cardano Ranks Among Fastest-Growing Blockchains in July Charles Hoskinson Says RWA Could Spur Crypto Growth The real-world asset sector continues to gain momentum as analysts project it could evolve into a multi-trillion-dollar industry over the coming years.
Specifically, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has projected that the RWA market could reach $10 trillion by 2030, fueled by the tokenization of traditional financial assets. He expects tokenized real-world assets to account for a substantial share of the crypto industry’s growth before the end of the decade.
Cardano Expands Its Presence in RWA Tokenization As the RWA market grows, Cardano continues to position itself as a key infrastructure provider for asset tokenization.
Recently, the network participated in an initiative involving the London Stock Exchange, which introduced the MCM Fund I from Members Capital Management (MembersCap). While the investment was recorded on the London Stock Exchange’s private blockchain, Archax tokenized the fund on the Cardano blockchain.
Cardano has also continued to strengthen its RWA ecosystem through strategic partnerships. Earlier this year, Kinka partnered with EMURGO to issue gold-backed tokens on Cardano. In addition, EMURGO collaborated with compliant tokenization platforms, including Haus, OpenEden, and DigiFT, to bring tokenized assets such as private credit, U.S. government bonds, and insurance factoring onto the network.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
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Cardano saw a significant drop in spot flows in a matter of hours as traders reacted to the ongoing decline in the market.
The crypto market largely traded in the red on Friday, with most cryptocurrencies, especially in the top 100, posting losses between 1% and 11%.
Cardano itself was down 4.60% in the last 24 hours to $0.166. Amid the drop, the spot flow metric, which depicts the capital moving into and out of spot markets across crypto exchanges, is flashing a signal that might be hard to ignore.
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Cardano spot flows dropped by 1,917.11% in four hours, with outflows exceeding inflows, according to CoinGlass data. In this time frame, $1.19 million was recorded as inflows while outflows amounted to $1.49 million, with a negative net flow recorded at $303,100. The negative net flow might suggest increased withdrawals from crypto exchanges rather than deposits in the timeframe, indicating a rise in buying activity at the time.
Cardano prepares for next major upgradeFollowing a successful van Rossem hard fork upgrade, Cardano, through the Intersect hard fork working group, is already discussing, assessing, and coordinating preparations for the next major Cardano upgrade, the Dijkstra era hard fork, which will introduce Ouroboros Leios to the network.
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The van Rossem hard fork governance action was enacted at the epoch boundary in epoch 644 on July 18, 2026, at 21:44:51 UTC. The hard fork marked an achievement for the Cardano ecosystem and the whole community, being the first hard fork in the full governance era, voted on by all three governance bodies: DReps, SPOs, and CC.
In a fresh post-hard fork update, Intersect reported that there was a nearly 10-minute gap before the first block was produced after the enactment of the hard fork governance action. Although transient in nature, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and engineering teams continue to monitor the network behavior.
Observations made while entering a new epoch showed no issues, with a block being created just under 15 seconds into the new epoch, well within the standard average 20-second block range.
Cardano faced a sharp decline in spot flows within a few hours on Friday as the broader crypto market remained in negative territory. Most major cryptocurrencies from the top 100 traded lower, with losses ranging from 1% to 11% during the day.
Cardano’s spot flows see sharp declineADA, the native token of Cardano, dropped 4.60% over the past 24 hours to $0.166. The decrease came amid strong selling pressure, with traders reacting to continued weakness across digital assets.
Spot flow, a key metric that tracks capital moving in and out of cryptocurrency exchanges, saw a drastic swing. According to data from CoinGlass, Cardano’s spot flows fell by 1,917.11% in just four hours. Inflows during this period reached $1.19 million, while outflows totaled $1.49 million, leaving Cardano with a negative net flow of $303,100.
A negative net flow in spot markets generally reflects more assets being withdrawn from trading platforms than deposited, which can indicate increased accumulation by holders and a temporary rise in buying activity despite overall price declines.
Mini dictionary: CoinGlass is a data analytics platform widely used by cryptocurrency traders for on-chain metrics, derivatives, and spot flow analysis.
MetricValue (4-hour window)Inflows$1.19 millionOutflows$1.49 millionNet Flow-$303,100Change in Spot Flows-1,917.11% Cardano’s spot flows dropped by 1,917.11% in four hours with outflows surpassing inflows by $303,100, suggesting investors pulled more funds from exchanges than they deposited.
Cardano’s recent hard fork activityCardano, a public blockchain platform focused on scalability and research-driven development, recently completed the van Rossem hard fork. This upgrade, enacted at epoch boundary 644 on July 18, 2026, marked a first for Cardano as it was voted on by all three governance entities: Delegated Representatives (DReps), Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), and the Constitutional Committee (CC).
The upgrade was carried out by the Intersect hard fork working group, an organization dedicated to coordinating key changes within the Cardano ecosystem. The successful execution of the van Rossem hard fork transitioned Cardano into its official “full governance era,” accelerating plans for further upgrades.
Preparations are already underway for the Dijkstra era hard fork, which intends to bring Ouroboros Leios to the network.
Mini dictionary: Ouroboros Leios is a protocol upgrade aimed at improving network efficiency, consensus security, and scalability in the Cardano blockchain.
Post-upgrade network performanceShortly after the van Rossem hard fork, Intersect reported a nearly 10-minute delay before the network produced its first block. While initially notable, this lag proved transient. Both Site Reliability Engineering and core engineering teams continue to monitor for irregularities as the network stabilizes.
As the blockchain entered the new epoch, block creation normalized. The first block appeared just under 15 seconds into the new epoch, aligning well within the typical target of a 20-second average block interval. No technical issues were observed and network operations remained stable through the transition.
Block production following the van Rossem hard fork resumed within standard parameters despite a brief initial delay, according to updates from Intersect.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
A crypto market analyst has highlighted that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Cardano are nearing a pivotal technical crossroads at a time when U.S. Senate action on the Clarity Act and renewed tensions involving Iran signal a period of heightened uncertainty for the digital asset market.
Regulatory moves and geopolitical uncertaintyCurrent uncertainty centers on both the evolving situation in the Middle East, where the U.S. continues to strike Iranian military positions, and the lack of clear progress in Washington on the Clarity Act, a crypto market structure bill before the Senate. The market observer noted that digital assets historically react poorly to extended periods of uncertainty, and stressed the importance of imminent news from the U.S. Senate.
On the legislative front, Patrick Witt, a lead negotiator for the Clarity Act, reportedly expressed confidence about the bill advancing, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune cast doubt, reportedly telling reporters the measure remains unlikely to reach a floor vote before the August recess.
The risk of indefinite delays in the Senate could sustain recent volatility and extend ongoing price consolidation in the crypto market. Market participants are paying close attention to the possibility that Senate leadership may decline to call the bill to a vote prior to the recess, which could postpone regulatory clarity.
The analyst identified the next several business days as especially critical, with August 7 cited as the latest practical deadline before the U.S. Senate breaks for recess. Positive signals from lawmakers or easing geopolitical tension could help digital assets break out of their current patterns, while negative developments are likely to reinforce risk-off sentiment.
Technical set-ups for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and CardanoFrom a technical perspective, Bitcoin is now forming a potential inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, which has historically been viewed as a bullish reversal signal. However, the analyst noted this formation has not yet been confirmed and depends on Bitcoin’s ability to hold or move higher. A push toward the 200-day moving average, now close to $72,000, would mark a significant bullish development and could reverse weeks of declining momentum.
Key support for Bitcoin lies in the $61,000 to $59,000 range. A sustained breakdown below this area could push the asset toward a broader Fibonacci retracement band from approximately $48,000 to $57,000, with $56,000 highlighted as a crucial pivot level.
AssetKey ResistanceInitial SupportCritical Support ZoneBitcoin$72,000$61,000-$59,000$48,000-$57,000Ethereum$2,100Near downtrend line$1,500CardanoTesting moving averages$0.13$0.10-$0.12Ethereum currently trades just above a descending trendline, while its 20-day moving average attempts to cross above the 50-day average. The analyst cautioned that similar patterns have failed in the past, but a solid rally toward the 200-day average near $2,100 would be a notable bullish signal. Conversely, if weakness returns, Ethereum may target the $1,500 zone.
Cardano is also grappling with declining momentum, testing key moving averages after several unsuccessful reversal attempts. A sharp downturn could cause ADA to revisit $0.13 or even fall toward the $0.10 to $0.12 range.
Legislation, charts, and investor strategyThe analyst emphasized that while regulatory developments are not the only factor shaping market direction, they are arriving at a moment when technical indicators for major cryptocurrencies are at critical levels. This convergence makes support, resistance, and proactive allocation strategies increasingly important for investors in the coming weeks.
As markets await clarity from U.S. lawmakers, traders are closely monitoring geopolitical updates and technical inflection points on major crypto charts. Outcomes over the next business days may set the tone for price action into the end of the summer.
Mini dictionary: Clarity Act, a proposed U.S. law aiming to define the regulatory status of digital assets and clarify the roles of federal agencies regarding cryptocurrency oversight.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Bloomberg has published an investigation examining Tether’s role in negotiations leading up to the passage of the GENIUS Act. It alleged that the stablecoin issuer worked to shape provisions of the landmark U.S. legislation through lobbying, political relationships, and engagement with policymakers.
According to Bloomberg, the investigation draws on interviews with current and former U.S. officials, industry participants, court filings, and other records.
It explores Tether’s interactions with key figures in the Trump administration, discussions around stablecoin regulation, and negotiations over provisions affecting foreign issuers.
Bloomberg details Tether’s Washington campaign Bloomberg reported that Tether executives and advisers sought to influence negotiations over the GENIUS Act as lawmakers debated the first federal framework for payment stablecoins.
The publication said the company’s efforts focused on issues such as compliance requirements for overseas issuers, reserve rules, and the treatment of foreign-issued stablecoins in the U.S. market.
The report also examined relationships involving Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and White House AI and crypto adviser David Sacks. Bloomberg said it reviewed court filings, financial disclosures, and other records, and interviewed people familiar with the negotiations.
Bloomberg further reported that negotiations evolved as lawmakers refined the bill, with debates covering reciprocal regulatory arrangements, anti-money laundering requirements, and compliance timelines for foreign issuers seeking access to the U.S. market.
Investigation focuses on changes to stablecoin legislation According to Bloomberg, several provisions in the final version of the GENIUS Act differed from earlier legislative proposals. The report said discussions centred on how overseas stablecoin issuers would comply with U.S. requirements.
Also, the transition period before compliance obligations take effect, and the conditions under which foreign-issued stablecoins could continue operating in the country.
Bloomberg noted that the legislation ultimately established the first federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins in the United States. This came after months of negotiations among lawmakers, regulators, and industry participants.
Ardoino praised GENIUS Act after White House signing The investigation comes over a year after Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino attended the White House ceremony marking President Donald Trump’s signing of the GENIUS Act.
In a post on X following the event, Ardoino thanked Trump for the invitation and said the administration’s embrace of digital assets could help expand USDT’s global adoption while strengthening the U.S. dollar’s international position.
Source: X At the time of writing, neither Ardoino nor Tether had publicly responded to Bloomberg’s investigation.
Final Summary Bloomberg published an investigation into Tether’s lobbying efforts and its role in negotiations over the GENIUS Act. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has not publicly addressed the investigation. However, he previously praised the GENIUS Act after attending its White House signing ceremony.
The United States owes more than $39 trillion in gross federal debt. But here’s where it gets interesting: the composition of who’s actually lending America all that money is shifting in ways that should make both traditional finance and crypto investors pay very close attention.
Foreign investors hold approximately $9.1 to $9.5 trillion in US Treasuries, representing roughly 30% to 32% of the publicly held debt. That sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But it’s a dramatic decline from where things stood just over a decade ago, when foreign holders owned nearly 49% of publicly held US debt back in 2011-2012.
The great rotation away from Treasuries Japan remains the largest foreign holder at roughly $1.18 trillion, followed by the UK at approximately $866 billion and China at around $683 billion. China’s position is particularly notable because it has been steadily reducing its exposure for years, a trend that accelerates every time US-China tensions flare up.
The current account deficit sits close to 4% of GDP. Someone has to fund that gap. And increasingly, the “someone” isn’t a central bank in Tokyo or Beijing. It’s domestic mutual funds, the Federal Reserve’s residual holdings, and, in a twist that would have seemed absurd five years ago, a stablecoin company based in the British Virgin Islands.
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Recent reports indicate that foreign demand for US Treasuries is slowing, with several sovereign wealth funds and central banks diversifying into other countries’ government bonds.
Enter Tether, America’s unlikely creditor Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, was one of the top foreign net buyers of US Treasuries in 2024, purchasing approximately $33.1 billion on a net basis. A crypto company that didn’t exist 11 years ago is now a more aggressive buyer of American government debt than most countries.
This isn’t charity. Tether backs its stablecoin reserves primarily with short-dated US Treasury bills, which means every time someone mints new USDT, Tether essentially needs to go shopping for more government paper.
Tether’s Treasury holdings also create an unusual feedback loop. The more widely USDT is adopted globally, the more Treasuries Tether needs to buy, which in theory supports demand for US debt at precisely the moment when traditional foreign buyers are pulling back.
Why this matters for crypto and traditional investors The AI boom has already demonstrated a key dynamic, as private capital floods into US equities, particularly tech stocks, rather than parking in government bonds.
For crypto investors specifically, Tether’s growing role as a Treasury buyer introduces a novel form of systemic interconnection. A major disruption to USDT, whether from regulatory action, a de-pegging event, or a sudden wave of redemptions, could theoretically ripple into the Treasury market if Tether were forced to liquidate holdings quickly. The $33.1 billion in net purchases during 2024 alone makes Tether a meaningful participant, not just a rounding error.
On the flip side, several stablecoin bills currently moving through Congress would essentially mandate that issuers hold high-quality liquid assets like Treasuries. If those bills pass, the crypto industry could become an even larger structural buyer of US debt, partially filling the gap left by retreating foreign governments.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Two hot tech stocks and a quieter healthcare mover take the attention of @Stockstotrade's Tim Bohen to close out the trading week. He sees Alphabet (GOOGL) tapping notable support as a tentative buy opportunity, expects Super Micro (SMCI) to make a similar bull run it saw earlier this week, and points to CVS Health (CVS) as a reliable, low beta stock.
First Hawaiian NASDAQ: FHB executives said the bank delivered loan growth, wider net interest margin and continued solid credit quality in the second quarter of 2026, while preparing for its proposed combination with TriCo Bancshares.
Chairman, President and CEO Bob Harrison said the company was “very excited” about the TriCo transaction, which is expected to close near the end of the year. He said First Hawaiian is focused on the work required to complete the deal and does not have additional information beyond what was presented during its July 23 investor call.
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Hawaii economy and loan growth Harrison pointed to relatively stable economic conditions in Hawaii. The statewide employment rate was 2.5% in May, compared with a national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Total visitor arrivals through May rose 2.9% from a year earlier, driven primarily by visitors from the U.S. mainland and Japan, while year-to-date visitor spending reached $9.7 billion, up 7.5% from 2025 levels.
Hawaii housing prices also remained firm. The median Oahu single-family home sales price was $1.2 million in June, up 10.4% year over year, while the median condo price was $528,000, up 3.5%.
Total loans increased $137 million during the quarter, representing annualized growth of about 3.6%. Growth was led by commercial and industrial, or C&I, lending and commercial real estate lending. C&I balances increased $98 million, primarily because of dealer-flooring growth and expansion in the company’s Hawaii corporate portfolio.
Completed construction projects resulted in the conversion of $95 million in construction loan balances into commercial real estate loans. Construction loan payoffs and lower residential balances partly offset the broader growth, as residential payoffs exceeded new production.
Harrison said management continues to see a “very robust pipeline” in C&I and commercial real estate, with construction activity representing a meaningful portion of commercial real estate opportunities. The bank also is working with some new customer relationships, he said. Residential lending, however, is expected to remain slow because of the interest-rate environment.
Deposits, margin and earnings outlook Total deposits declined $623 million in the second quarter, largely due to expected public-deposit outflows. Chief Financial Officer Jamie Moses said retail deposits were essentially flat, while commercial deposits fell about $156 million because of seasonal volatility. Public deposits declined $467 million, mainly in operating accounts, and public time deposits decreased by $115 million. The remaining public time-deposit balance was $9 million.
Moses said the declines did not reflect lost customer relationships. Municipal partners found other ways to invest certain balances off the bank’s balance sheet, he said, while First Hawaiian expects retail and commercial deposits to increase in the second half because of seasonal patterns. The company’s noninterest-bearing deposit ratio was 32%, and its total cost of deposits declined two basis points from the first quarter.
Net interest income increased $3.5 million sequentially to $171 million. Net interest margin rose six basis points to 3.25%, helped by deposit mix and repricing, higher loan and securities yields, and lower cash balances.
Management revised its full-year net interest margin outlook to a range of 3.24% to 3.25%, based on market expectations for one rate increase later this year. First Hawaiian expects third-quarter margin of about 3.27%. Moses said the company assumed a rate increase early in the fourth quarter in its outlook.
The balance sheet remains asset-sensitive, according to Harrison. Moses said roughly $6 billion of assets would reprice immediately following a rate increase based on SOFR, while approximately $3.5 billion to $4 billion of liabilities would also reprice to some degree.
Cash balances declined in the quarter primarily because of public-deposit outflows. Management expects to keep cash around the quarter-end level, approximately $1 billion, through the rest of the year, even as it anticipates further loan growth.
Fees, expenses and credit quality Noninterest income totaled $60.3 million, aided by higher bank-owned life insurance income, an excise tax refund and increased swap fees. Moses said the BOLI contribution reflected a component of the portfolio that is sensitive to market movements rather than a death benefit.
First Hawaiian maintained its full-year noninterest income outlook of about $220 million. Moses said the company generally views approximately $55 million per quarter as a baseline, though one-time or market-related items can cause quarterly variation.
Noninterest expense was $130.4 million, including $4.2 million in costs related to the TriCo transaction. The company expects more transaction costs in the second half as it moves toward closing and integration. Excluding TriCo-related costs, First Hawaiian expects reported expenses of $515 million to $520 million for the full year.
Moses said higher second-half expenses will reflect continued hiring to support loan growth, along with project-related salary, professional-services and information-technology costs.
Chief Risk Officer Lea Nakamura said credit performance and credit metrics remained healthy. The allowance for credit losses declined both in dollar terms and relative to coverage, primarily because of a material reduction in classified assets.
The company reported a return on average tangible assets of 1.28% and a return on average tangible equity of 16.34% for the quarter. Its effective tax rate was 22.9%.
TriCo transaction and capital plans Harrison said First Hawaiian did not repurchase shares during the second quarter and is unlikely to conduct buybacks for the remainder of the year while the TriCo deal proceeds through regulatory review, though he said that could change. The company’s common equity tier 1 ratio remained above 13%, according to an analyst’s question during the call.
Management reiterated a target of 25% cost savings from the TriCo transaction. Moses said the company remains comfortable with that objective and expects to achieve it through a variety of measures, but did not provide further detail.
Harrison said three TriCo executives—Richard Smith, Dan Bailey and Peter G. Wiese—are expected to join First Hawaiian’s senior management team. He said First Hawaiian intends to retain much of TriCo’s management team, describing the California bank as a well-run institution that First Hawaiian plans to support while learning from its operations.
About First Hawaiian (NASDAQ:FHB)First Hawaiian, Inc is the oldest and largest bank in Hawaii, operating as the bank holding company for First Hawaiian Bank. Established in 1858, the company offers a full suite of financial services to individual, business and institutional clients. Its product portfolio includes consumer and commercial lending, deposit accounts, treasury and cash management, foreign exchange and trade finance, as well as wealth management and trust services.
First Hawaiian serves customers through an extensive network of branches, ATMs and digital channels across the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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SouthState Bank NYSE: SSB reported second-quarter 2026 results marked by continued loan growth, stable net interest margin, low credit losses and ongoing investment in banker recruiting and artificial intelligence initiatives.
Chief Executive Officer John Corbett said the company generated a 1.36% return on assets and a 17.6% return on tangible common equity during the quarter. He said results reflected “solid balance sheet growth, stable margins, improving efficiency, and continued strength in credit quality.”
Over the past year, loans increased 8% and deposits rose 5%, both within the company’s previously issued guidance ranges. During the second quarter, loan growth totaled $1.35 billion, representing an 11% annualized rate. Average loan growth also ran at an 11% annualized pace.
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Corbett said growth was broad-based across SouthState’s footprint, with Florida leading the company in loan-growth dollars. Florida, Texas and South Carolina were the largest contributors by dollar amount, while Atlanta, Virginia and Alabama posted strong percentage growth, including commercial and industrial lending gains in Atlanta.
Recruiting Supports Growth Strategy SouthState has expanded its commercial banking sales force by more than 10% over the past three quarters as it seeks to capitalize on disruption in its markets. Corbett said the company had offered division presidents the opportunity to increase their commercial relationship manager teams by 15% to 20% over several years.
The newer hires have generated $600 million of loan production so far and have a $1.5 billion pipeline, according to Corbett. Texas has been the strongest market for sales-force expansion, with its commercial relationship manager count up 25%.
The company expects loan growth to remain in the mid- to upper-single-digit range. Corbett said SouthState sees a potential mix shift in the second half, with commercial and industrial lending expected to increase while planned commercial real estate payoffs, including multifamily projects, rise.
Construction lending increased during the quarter, driven partly by owner-occupied projects for commercial clients and multifamily construction. However, Corbett noted that the overall construction category remained about 10% below its level a year earlier.
Margin Outlook Remains Stable SouthState reported a net interest margin of 3.78%, down 1 basis point from the first quarter and within its 3.75% to 3.80% guidance range. Deposit costs were unchanged from the prior quarter at 1.76%, while loan yields declined 5 basis points to 5.91% due to lower purchase-accounting accretion income.
Excluding accretion, loan yields increased 1 basis point and net interest margin rose 4 basis points, the company said. Net interest income totaled $576 million, up $14 million from the first quarter.
Chief Strategy Officer Steve Young said management’s outlook assumes no interest-rate increases or reductions through 2027 and calls for net interest margin to remain within the 3.75% to 3.80% range. He said deposit costs could rise modestly as the company funds loan growth, but anticipated asset repricing should help support the margin.
SouthState said approximately 76% of quarterly loan production carried floating rates. The share of the overall loan portfolio in floating-rate loans has increased to 38%, from 32% a year earlier.
Management also pointed to future repricing opportunities, including roughly $6 billion of loans expected to reprice over the next year and about $1 billion of securities expected to cash flow and be reinvested. Young said legacy loans with coupons in the 3% to 4% range are being replaced at rates in the 6% range.
Credit Quality and Expenses Credit quality improved during the quarter. Nonperforming assets declined 14%, classified loans also decreased, and net charge-offs were 6 basis points. It was the eighth time in the past nine quarters that SouthState’s net charge-offs were below 10 basis points.
Provision expense was $16 million, primarily reflecting loan growth. Management said it expects modest downward pressure on reserve levels absent meaningful changes in Moody’s economic forecasts and other loss drivers. The company continues to use a more conservative weighting toward Moody’s pessimistic scenario than its traditional model weighting.
Noninterest income was $97 million, or 57 basis points of average assets, within the company’s 55- to 60-basis-point guidance range. The figure was $3 million below the first quarter, as higher deposit fees were offset by lower mortgage revenue. SouthState said it continues to expect correspondent banking revenue of roughly $25 million per quarter.
Noninterest expense totaled $358 million, slightly better than guidance. Management maintained its forecast for 4% noninterest expense growth in 2026. It expects compensation costs to rise in the second half as recently hired employees remain in the run rate and company merit increases take effect July 1.
Capital Returns and Technology Investment SouthState repurchased 1 million shares during the quarter at a weighted average price of $97.62, producing a 68% total payout ratio including dividends. Year-to-date repurchases totaled 2.5 million shares and the total payout ratio was 80%.
Corbett said the company repurchased nearly 5% of its outstanding shares over the past year while increasing its dividend and maintaining a common equity tier 1 capital ratio above 11%. CET1 ended the quarter at 11.1%, tangible common equity was 8.7%, and tangible book value per share was $58.72, up 13% from a year earlier.
Management reiterated its longer-term total capital return framework of 40% to 60%, saying recent higher repurchase activity is not expected to be sustained if the company continues to target mid- to high-single-digit loan growth while maintaining CET1 in an 11% to 12% range.
Corbett also highlighted artificial intelligence as a strategic priority. The company is using the technology in credit operations, fraud management and call-center support, as well as through an internally developed small language model. SouthState is also testing commodity-hedging and foreign-exchange offerings, though Young said those initiatives are expected to launch in 2027 rather than materially affect 2026 results.
About SouthState Bank (NYSE:SSB)SouthState Bank NYSE: SSB is a bank holding company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida, that provides a range of commercial and retail banking services. Through its subsidiary, SouthState Bank, the company serves businesses, institutions and individuals with deposit, lending and treasury management solutions. Its core business lines include commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate lending, consumer mortgages and home equity loans.
In addition to traditional lending and deposit products, SouthState Bank offers specialized services such as treasury and cash management, merchant services, payment solutions and online banking.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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SouthState Bank Corporation (SSB) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 24, 2026 9:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
William Matthews - Senior Executive VP & CFO
John Corbett - CEO & Chairman
Stephen Young - Senior Executive VP & Chief Strategy Officer
Conference Call Participants
Stephen Scouten - Piper Sandler & Co., Research Division
John McDonald - Truist Securities, Inc., Research Division
Hannah Wynn - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division
Michael Rose - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division
Sun Young Lee - TD Cowen, Research Division
Gary Tenner - D.A. Davidson & Co., Research Division
Anthony Elian - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Benjamin Gerlinger - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
David Chiaverini - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
David Bishop - Hovde Group, LLC, Research Division
Samuel Varga - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us, and welcome to the SouthState Bank Corporation Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
I will now hand the conference call over to Will Matthews, Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Matthews, please go ahead.
William Matthews
Senior Executive VP & CFO
Good morning. This is Will Matthews, and welcome to SouthState's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call.
I'm here with John Corbett, Steve Young and Jeremy Lucas. We'll follow our typical pattern of brief prepared remarks and then move into Q&A. And I'll refer you to the Investor Relations tab of our website for the earnings materials.
Before we begin our remarks, I want to remind you that comments we make may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws and regulations. Any such forward-looking statements we may make are subject to the safe harbor rules. Please review the forward-looking disclaimer and safe harbor language in the press release and presentation for more information about our forward-looking statements and risks and uncertainties, which may affect us.
PECO Pullback Presents a Retail REIT Worth Shopping ForPhillips Edison & Company, Inc. NASDAQ: PECO reported higher second-quarter funds from operations and same-center net operating income, citing sustained demand for space at its grocery-anchored shopping centers, record in-line occupancy and strong leasing spreads. The company also raised its 2026 outlook for earnings, same-center NOI growth and acquisitions.
Chairman and CEO Jeff Edison said the company generated 8.1% year-over-year growth in NAREIT FFO per share, 7.8% growth in Core FFO per share and 3.8% same-center NOI growth during the second quarter. He attributed the performance to occupancy gains, leasing activity, rent spreads and operating execution across the portfolio.
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“Our centers generated 2% year-over-year traffic growth in June and 2% traffic growth year-to-date,” Edison said, adding that consumers continued to make frequent trips to necessity-based retail destinations despite seeking value.
Occupancy and Leasing Reach New Highs President Bob Myers said second-quarter leasing activity reached a record number of leases, while retailer demand showed “no current signs of slowing.” Necessity-based categories such as quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, health and wellness, beauty, fitness, services and medical retail continued to drive activity. The company said 74% of its rent comes from necessity-based goods and services.
Portfolio leased occupancy was 97.3%. Leased anchor occupancy was 98.4%. Leased in-line occupancy reached a record 95.5%. Economic in-line occupancy reached a record 94.8%. Comparable renewal rent spreads were 21.2%. Comparable new rent spreads were 33.7%. Annual rent bumps on in-line renewal leases averaged a record 3.1%. Myers said the company retained roughly 90% of its tenants and spent less than $1 per square foot to retain them. He said Phillips Edison expects it can increase in-line occupancy by another 100 basis points over time and lift anchor occupancy by 50 to 60 basis points by year-end.
The company reported lower-than-expected bad debt of about 70 basis points of revenue in the quarter and reduced its full-year bad-debt outlook. Management now expects bad debt for 2026 to be in line with or slightly better than 2025.
FFO, NOI and Balance Sheet CFO John Caulfield said second-quarter NAREIT FFO rose to $93.7 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, while Core FFO increased to $95.5 million, or $0.69 per diluted share. Same-center NOI rose 3.8%, primarily because of higher average rents and economic occupancy.
Phillips Edison raised its full-year 2026 guidance for NAREIT FFO per share, Core FFO per share and same-center NOI growth. At the midpoint, the updated outlook implies 6.3% growth in NAREIT FFO per share from 2025, 6.2% growth in Core FFO per share and 3.7% same-center NOI growth.
Caulfield said the increased FFO outlook reflects strong first-half operations and healthy tenant credit trends. However, he noted that asset sales occurring ahead of reinvestment in acquisitions create a short-term cash-flow gap, while positioning the company for growth in 2027.
The company ended the quarter with $857 million of liquidity. Net debt to trailing 12-month annualized adjusted EBITDAre was 5.1 times at quarter-end and 5.0 times on a last-quarter annualized basis. Its debt had a 4.4% weighted average interest rate and a 5.6-year weighted average maturity, including extension options. Fixed-rate debt represented 95.9% of total debt, including Phillips Edison’s share of joint-venture debt.
Moody’s revised the company’s outlook to positive, which Caulfield said reflected operating performance, balance-sheet management and liquidity.
Acquisition Target Increased Management raised 2026 gross acquisition guidance to $500 million to $600 million, an increase of $100 million. Caulfield confirmed in response to an analyst question that the net acquisition outlook also increased by $100 million.
The company completed $278 million of acquisitions at its share year to date through the week of the call, including eight grocery-anchored shopping centers, three everyday retail centers, an outparcel and land for future development. It had more than $225 million of awarded or contracted assets expected to close in the second half.
Management said acquisitions have been funded through dispositions, equity issuance and the company’s revolving credit facility. Phillips Edison raised $92 million of equity during June and July, though Caulfield said the full-year guidance does not assume additional equity issuance.
The company continues to target unlevered internal rates of return of 9% for grocery-anchored centers and 10% for everyday retail centers. Myers said the acquisition pipeline consists of about 60% grocery-anchored properties and 40% everyday retail assets. He said the company has identified more than 50,000 potential everyday retail opportunities near leading grocers and has acquired 12 such assets to date, where it has increased occupancy by 450 basis points.
Phillips Edison also maintained 2026 disposition guidance of $100 million to $200 million. Edison said the company had sold nearly $100 million of properties at a 6.3% capitalization rate and with an IRR below 7.5%, intending to redeploy that capital into higher-return opportunities.
Development Pipeline and Grocery Outlook The company has 21 active development and redevelopment projects with estimated investment of about $82 million and estimated average yields of 9% to 12%. Eleven projects stabilized year to date, delivering more than 212,000 square feet and approximately $3.4 million of annual incremental NOI, according to Myers.
Management also discussed grocer industry developments, including Kroger’s announced acquisition of Giant Eagle. Edison called the transaction positive for Phillips Edison, which has 10 Giant Eagle-anchored centers. He said Kroger’s investment in brick-and-mortar stores signaled confidence in physical grocery locations as a channel for sales and fulfillment.
While Edison acknowledged that grocers are responding to consumer caution by investing in price and observing shifts toward private-label products, he said Phillips Edison has not seen a deterioration in portfolio traffic. The company plans to continue monitoring consumer behavior and retailer health while pursuing growth through leasing, development, acquisitions, joint ventures and portfolio recycling.
About Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:PECO)Phillips Edison & Company, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and operation of grocery-anchored, necessity-based shopping centers. The company's investment strategy is centered on properties that benefit from everyday consumer demand, seeking to deliver stable cash flows through long-term, triple-net leases with national and regional tenants in the grocery, drugstore and essential retail sectors.
In addition to its core retail portfolio, Phillips Edison & Company provides integrated services covering property management, asset management, leasing, development and acquisition sourcing.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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Consumer-Driven Stocks Boost Buybacks, Including Visa's $20B PlanByline Bancorp NYSE: BY reported record second-quarter net income of $40.2 million, or $0.90 per diluted share, as revenue increased and expenses declined from the prior quarter. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.91, up 10% sequentially and 21% from a year earlier, President Alberto Paracchini said during the company’s earnings call.
The Chicago-based commercial bank posted a 1.63% return on average assets and a return on average common equity of just under 14.5%. Its pre-tax, pre-provision return on assets was 2.49%, marking the company’s 15th consecutive quarter above 2%, according to management.
Get Byline Bancorp alerts:
Could This Entertainment Stock be the Belle of the Gaming Ball?“We delivered net income of $40.2 million or $0.90 per diluted share,” Paracchini said. “Record net income and excellent profitability really stood out this quarter.”
Revenue Growth and Efficiency Improvement Revenue totaled $118 million, up 4.7% from the prior quarter, while non-interest expenses fell. The adjusted efficiency ratio improved to 46.5% from 49.8% in the first quarter, which Paracchini described as the company’s best result since becoming a public company in 2017.
Boyd Gaming stock: All signs point to a significant break higherNet interest income was $101 million, up modestly from the preceding quarter. Net interest margin declined 5 basis points to 4.28%, primarily reflecting higher funding costs associated with a maturing balance-sheet hedge and changes in earning-asset mix, CFO Tom Bell said.
Management emphasized that it prioritizes growth in net interest income dollars rather than managing to a particular margin target. Paracchini said the bank may accept lower spreads on high-quality, relationship-oriented business if it is accretive to earnings and supports long-term franchise value.
For the third quarter, Byline projected net interest income of $100 million to $102 million, non-interest income of $14 million to $15 million, and gain-on-sale revenue averaging about $5.5 million per quarter. The company maintained its full-year non-interest expense outlook of $59 million to $60 million per quarter.
Bell said second-half expenses are expected to rise due largely to employee-related costs, including health care benefits and commissions tied to production. Management also said potential opportunities to hire banking talent are included in its outlook.
Loans, Deposits and Rate Environment Total loans ended the quarter at $7.6 billion, increasing at a 4.2% annualized rate. New originations totaled $234 million, while payoffs were elevated at $339 million. Loan commitments rose slightly, and line utilization increased to 60% from 59% in the prior quarter.
Management expects full-year loan growth in the mid-single digits if payoff activity normalizes in the second half. Paracchini said the recent elevated payoff activity partly reflects the bank’s effort to recycle acquired loan portfolios into new customer relationships.
Total deposits reached $7.9 billion, rising at a 3.5% annualized rate. Growth in interest-bearing checking balances was partly offset by lower money-market balances. The loan-to-deposit ratio ended the quarter at 96%.
Byline said competition for both loans and deposits remains elevated. Paracchini said price competition has intensified in commercial real estate, particularly as larger institutions return to certain segments of that market. He cited multifamily and industrial properties as areas where more capital is competing for a reduced level of transaction activity.
Bell said the company remains focused on relationship deposits rather than more rate-sensitive funding. He added that commercial customers moving balances from money-market accounts to interest-bearing checking could indicate they anticipate uses for that capital.
Credit Trends Remain Favorable Credit costs were $7.2 million during the quarter, including $4.4 million of net charge-offs and a $2.8 million reserve build. Net charge-offs equaled 24 basis points of loans, down from 32 basis points in the first quarter.
Criticized loans declined to 3.9% of total loans from 4.5% both sequentially and from a year earlier. Nonperforming loans totaled $69.1 million, or 92 basis points of total loans, up marginally from the prior quarter and flat year over year. The allowance for credit losses rose to $112 million, or 1.48% of total loans.
Chief Credit Officer Mark Fucinato said the decline in criticized and classified loans reflected improved performance at several larger operating companies, as well as the resolution of a workout situation in which an operating company sold a mortgaged asset and repaid its exposure in full. The bank also recorded a recovery on a prior charge-off.
Paracchini said management’s near-term expectation for net charge-offs remains in the range of 30 to 40 basis points, although he expects that level may migrate lower over time as the SBA portfolio becomes a smaller part of Byline’s overall balance sheet.
Capital Returns and $10 Billion Threshold Byline ended the quarter with total assets of $9.9 billion. Tangible common equity rose to 11.4%, while the common equity tier 1 ratio reached 12.9%. Tangible book value per share increased 14% from a year earlier to $24.48.
During the quarter, the company repurchased about 275,000 shares for $9.1 million. Including dividends and buybacks, its total shareholder payout ratio was 36%.
The board also approved a 16.7% increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.14 per share. Paracchini said the increase reflects the company’s capital position and earnings profile.
Management said it continues preparing to cross the $10 billion asset threshold. Paracchini said the company is not currently constraining normal balance-sheet activity to stay below that level, but it could manage the balance sheet near year-end if doing so would delay the effects of the Durbin amendment until mid-2028.
On acquisitions, Paracchini described the environment for smaller-bank transactions as constructive. He said Byline would generally seek deals with tangible book value earn-backs within three years, while continuing to weigh acquisitions against organic growth, investments in the business and share repurchases.
About Byline Bancorp (NYSE:BY)Byline Bancorp, Inc is the bank holding company for Byline Bank, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Established under its current name in 2016, the company operates as a community-focused financial institution offering a broad array of banking products and services to corporate, professional and consumer clients.
On the commercial banking side, Byline Bancorp serves small and midsize businesses, real estate developers, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Byline Bancorp wasn't on the list.
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NEW YORK CITY & NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”) are investigating the proposed sale of Finward Bancorp (NasdaqCM: FNWD) to First Financial Bancorp. (NasdaqGS: FFBC). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Finward will receive 1.35 shares of First Financial for each share of Finward that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the.
Earnings DERBY, VT / ACCESS Newswire / July 24, 2026 / Community Bancorp. (NASDAQ:CMTV), the parent company of Community National Bank (the "Bank"), reported consolidated earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, of $4.7 million or $0.84 per share, an increase of $628,008 or 15.47% compared to $4.1 million or $0.72 per share reported for the second quarter of 2025. Earnings for the six months ended June 30, 2026, were $9.1 million, or $1.62 per share, also a significant increase of $1.5 million or 19.40% compared to $7.6 million or $1.34 per share in the same period in 2025.
Second Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
(Unaudited)
Six months Ended
Quarter Ended
Six months Ended
Quarter Ended
June 30, 2026
June 30, 2026
June 30, 2025
June 30, 2025
Return on average assets
1.47
%
1.53
%
1.29
%
1.38
%
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue return on average assets
1.96
%
2.11
%
1.67
%
1.81
%
Return on average shareholders' equity
15.63
%
15.83
%
15.05
%
15.62
%
Net Interest Margin
3.88
%
3.95
%
3.56
%
3.64
%
Efficiency Ratio
54.2
%
52.8
%
57.3
%
55.8
%
Noninterest expense to average assets
2.31
%
2.37
%
2.24
%
2.29
%
Dividend payout
30.86
%
29.76
%
35.82
%
33.33
%
Fully diluted tangible book value per common share (1)
$
19.51
$
19.51
$
16.63
$
16.63
Total capital to risk-weighted assets (2)
16.05
%
16.05
%
14.85
%
14.85
%
Total common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets (2)
14.79
%
14.79
%
13.60
%
13.60
%
Tier I Capital to Average Assets (2)
10.63
%
10.63
%
10.06
%
10.06
%
Tangible common equity to tangible assets (1)
9.41
%
9.41
%
8.21
%
8.21
%
Earnings per common share
$
1.62
$
0.84
$
1.34
$
0.72
Weighted average number of common shares
used in computing earnings per share
5,590,465
5,594,749
5,608,997
5,612,675
(1)
Refer to the "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures" section of this document for additional detail.
(2)
Represents Bank-only ratios. Current period capital ratios are preliminary subject to finalization of the Bank's June 30, 2026 FDIC Call Report.
Total assets for the Company at June 30, 2026, were $1.17 billion, a decrease of $114.8 million from year end 2025, but $6.2 million or 0.53% higher compared to $1.17 billion as of June 30, 2025. The year-to-date change primarily reflects annual maturities of municipal non arbitrage relationships and lower cash balances used to pay off two maturing advances totaling $25.0 million, as well as a cyclical decrease in deposit balances. Contributing to the Company's year-over-year growth in assets was growth in the Company's gross loan portfolio of $28.8 million, or 3.06%, compared to the 2025 period. Deposit balances increased $48.7 million, or 5.22%, compared to the same period in 2025 but decreased $89.0 million or 8.31% since year end 2025 reflecting cyclical changes. The year-over-year loan growth was primarily funded by a combination of cash, maturities of securities, as well as an increase in core deposits.
The Company's securities portfolio totaled $128 million as of June 30, 2026, an 11.45% decrease compared to $144.6 million as of December 31, 2025. The portfolio is classified as available-for-sale and is required to be reported at fair market value with the unrealized loss, net of a deferred tax adjustment, as an adjustment to total equity. Such unrealized losses reflect the interest rate environment, as current rates remain below the coupon rates on the securities, resulting in a fair market value lower than current book values. As of June 30, 2026, the adjustment to equity was $9.4 million, representing an improvement of $3.1 million from the adjustment to equity of $12.5 million on June 30, 2026 and $9.6 million as of December 31, 2025.
Total net interest income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, increased $1.4 million, or 13.68%, to $11.2 million, compared to $9.9 million for the same quarter in 2025. The quarter-over-quarter improvement reflects an increase of $1.1 million, or 7.72%, in interest and fees on loans due to strong loan growth and higher yields, partially offset by higher interest on deposits expense of $37,533, or 0.94%. Net interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2026, increased $2.9 million or 14.81%, to $22.2 million, compared to $19.3 million for the same period in 2025, reflecting the same trends.
The provision for credit losses for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, was $720,967 compared to $407,046 for the same period in 2025. The year-to-date provision for credit losses was $1.1 million, compared to $732,100 for the same period in 2025. The $380,373 year-over-year increase was driven primarily by strong loan growth. The provision for credit losses for June 30, 2026, was determined under Accounting Standard No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, commonly referenced as the Current Expected Credit Losses, or CECL.
Total non-interest income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, of $2.3 million increased $254,036, or 12.34%, compared to $2.1million for the same period in 2025. Total non-interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2026, grew to $4.1 million, compared to $3.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $420,767, or 11.57% year-over-year. Total non-interest expenses increased $497,838, or 7.47%, for the second quarter comparison period, and $1.1 million, or 7.98%, for the six months period year-over-year.
Equity capital increased to $120.9 million, with a book value per share of $21.58, as of June 30, 2026, compared to equity capital of $113.7 million and a book value per share of $20.36 as of December 31, 2025, and $106.3 million and book value per share of $18.69 as of June 30, 2025. This change includes a decrease of $237,432 in unrealized losses in the investment portfolio year-to-date and a decrease of $3.1 million year-over-year, due to changing bond rates, which increased the fair market value of the investment portfolio, as well as an increase of $6.3 million year-to-date and an increase of $12.8 million year-over-year in retained earnings. The unrealized loss position is considered temporary and does not impact the Company's regulatory capital ratios. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the Company completed the optional redemption of all fifteen of the Company's outstanding shares of its Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock. The preferred stock value of $1,500,000 was included in the Company's equity capital as of June 30, 2025.
President and CEO Christopher Caldwell commented on the Company's results: "Through the first half of 2026, the company continued its strong performance. Community banking thrives through relationship-based banking and this long-term approach to clients and our communities continues to serve us well. Our inclusion in both the ABA Nasdaq Community Bank Index and the Russell 2000 Index has increased the Company's visibility among investors and may support broader market awareness of our stock over time. Tangible book value per share increased by 17% for the year-to-date period compared to the same period of 2025. Year-to-date earnings per share increased 20% compared to the same period last year, and 16% for the second quarter compared to the same quarter of 2025. These results demonstrate the Company's commitment to serving our customers as Vermont's Community Bank. We are grateful for the trust that our communities, clients, and shareholders have placed in us."
As previously announced, the Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share payable August 1, 2026, to shareholders of record as of July 15, 2026.
About Community Bancorp.
Community Bancorp. is the parent holding company for Community National Bank, headquartered in Derby, Vermont. Community National Bank is an independent bank that has been serving its communities since 1851, with retail banking offices located in Derby, Derby Line, Island Pond, Barton, Newport, Troy, St. Johnsbury, Montpelier, Barre, Lyndonville, Morrisville and Enosburg Falls as well as loan offices located in Burlington, Vermont and Lebanon, New Hampshire
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements about the Company's financial condition, capital status, dividend payment practices, business outlook and affairs. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words like "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," and "intend" or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or "may." Although these statements are based on management's current expectations and estimates, actual conditions, results, and events may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements, as they could be influenced by numerous factors which are unpredictable and outside the Company's control. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from such statements include, among others, the following: (1) general national or regional economic conditions, national fiscal or monetary policies, or national or international tariff or trade conditions result in a deterioration of the credit quality of our loan portfolio or diminished demand for the Company's products and services; (2) changes in laws or government rules, or the way in which courts interpret those laws or rules, adversely affect the financial industry generally or the Company's business in particular, or may impose additional costs and regulatory requirements; (3) interest rates change in such a way as to reduce the Company's interest margins and its funding sources; and (4) competitive pressures increase among financial services providers in the Company's northern New England market area or in the financial services industry generally, including pressures from nonbank financial service providers, from increasing consolidation and integration of financial service providers and from changes in technology and delivery systems, and other factors that are listed from time to time in our financial filings with the SEC, including our Forms 10Q and 10K. The Company cautions you not to rely unduly on forward-looking statements because the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and projections about future events may, and often do, differ materially from actual results or events. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as to the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect developments occurring after the statement is made, except as otherwise required by law.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to evaluating the Company's results of operations in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), management supplements this evaluation with certain non-GAAP financial measures such as pre-tax, pre-provision income; fully diluted tangible book value per common share and tangible common equity to tangible assets. Management believe these non-GAAP financial measures help investors better understand the Company's operating performance and trends and allow for better performance comparisons to other financial institutions. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures remove the impact of unusual items that may obscure trends in the Company's underlying performance. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for GAAP operating results, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other financial institutions. Reconciliations to the comparable GAAP financial measures can be found at the end of this document.
Community Bancorp. And Subsidiary
Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)
June 30,
December 31,
2026
2025
Assets
Cash and due from banks
$
19,772,554
$
11,802,391
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits
5,840,996
116,259,370
Total cash and cash equivalents
25,613,550
128,061,761
Securities available-for-sale (amortized cost $139,848,277
and $156,694,754 at 06/30/26 and 12/31/25, respectively
127,982,828
144,528,758
Restricted equity securities, at cost
1,918,950
2,933,050
Loans held-for-sale
813,332
138,000
Loans
970,535,252
965,285,662
Allowance for credit losses
(11,881,321
)
(10,864,983
)
Deferred net loan costs
940,423
786,604
Net loans
959,594,354
955,207,283
Bank premises and equipment, net
12,220,494
12,090,886
Accrued interest receivable
4,505,039
4,607,975
Bank owned life insurance
5,435,603
5,398,085
Goodwill
11,574,269
11,574,269
Other real estate owned
-
319,019
Other assets
23,090,295
22,699,860
Total assets
$
1,172,748,714
$
1,287,558,946
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Liabilities
Deposits:
Demand, non-interest bearing
$
204,738,374
$
218,842,543
Interest-bearing transaction accounts
278,551,211
299,636,739
Money market funds
125,665,889
187,132,921
Savings
146,071,626
142,543,291
Time deposits, $250,000 and over
48,195,437
46,913,997
Other time deposits
178431659
175,598,510
Total deposits
981,654,196
1,070,668,001
Repurchase agreements
35,019,257
41,498,171
Borrowed funds
10,975,022
35,975,022
Junior subordinated debentures
12,887,000
12,887,000
Accrued interest and other liabilities
11,319,225
12,843,774
Total liabilities
1,051,854,700
1,173,871,968
Shareholders' Equity
Common stock - $2.50 par value; 15,000,000 shares authorized,
5,902,267 shares issued at 06/30/26, 5,882,266 shares issued at 12/31/25
14,755,668
14,705,665
Additional paid-in capital
40,757,013
40,076,561
Retained earnings
79,287,690
73,021,908
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(9,373,705
)
(9,611,137
)
Less: treasury stock, at cost; 300,409 shares at 06/30/26 and 299,399
shares at 12/31/25
(4,532,652
)
(4,506,019
)
Total shareholders' equity
120,894,014
113,686,978
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$
1,172,748,714
$
1,287,558,946
Book value per common share outstanding
$
21.58
$
20.36
Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary
Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited)
Quarter Ended
Quarter Ended
June 30, 2026
June 30, 2025
Interest income
Interest and fees on loans
$
14,748,598
$
13,691,705
Interest on taxable debt securities
741,821
948,048
Interest on tax-exempt debt securities
80,411
80,411
Dividends
47,363
58,595
Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits
424,413
71,857
Total interest income
16,042,606
14,850,616
Interest expense
Interest on deposits
4,009,541
3,972,008
Interest on borrowed funds
301,838
444,596
Interest on repurchase agreements
262,376
298,057
Interest on junior subordinated debentures
221,045
241,413
Total interest expense
4,794,800
4,956,074
Net interest income
11,247,806
9,894,542
Credit loss expense
720,967
407,046
Net interest income after credit loss expense
10,526,839
9,487,496
Non-interest income
Service fees
988,219
969,775
Income from sold loans
89,692
96,705
Other income from loans
537,043
331,759
Income from investment in CFS Partners
579,795
548,307
Other income
117,998
112,165
Total non-interest income
2,312,747
2,058,711
Non-interest expense
Salaries and wages
2,632,767
2,392,661
Employee benefits
1,102,841
1,056,273
Occupancy expenses, net
779,462
794,451
Other expenses
2,650,168
2,424,015
Total non-interest expense
7,165,238
6,667,400
Income before income taxes
5,674,348
4,878,807
Income tax expense
986,564
819,031
Net income
$
4,687,784
$
4,059,776
Earnings per common share
$
0.84
$
0.72
Weighted average number of common shares
used in computing earnings per share
5,594,749
5,612,675
Dividends declared per common share
$
0.25
$
0.24
Six Months Ended
Six Months Ended
June 30, 2026
June 30, 2025
Interest income
Interest and fees on loans
$
29,181,219
$
26,906,737
Interest on taxable debt securities
1,546,571
1,807,276
Interest on tax-exempt debt securities
160,823
160,823
Dividends
99,321
106,485
Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits
1,081,511
393,806
Total interest income
32,069,445
29,375,127
Interest expense
Interest on deposits
8,186,172
8,157,915
Interest on borrowed funds
687,788
815,574
Interest on repurchase agreements
556,106
584,016
Interest on junior subordinated debentures
443,692
484,758
Total interest expense
9,873,758
10,042,263
Net interest income
22,195,687
19,332,864
Credit loss expense
1,112,473
732,100
Net interest income after credit loss expense
21,083,214
18,600,764
Non-interest income
Service fees
1,924,696
1,856,557
Income from sold loans
159,237
166,082
Other income from loans
887,238
601,927
Income from investment in CFS Partners
822,234
797,658
Other income
264,682
215,096
Total non-interest income
4,058,087
3,637,320
Non-interest expense
Salaries and wages
5,211,603
4,712,727
Employee benefits
2,214,118
2,074,245
Occupancy expenses, net
1,554,443
1,576,307
Other expenses
5,242,433
4,807,731
Total non-interest expense
14,222,597
13,171,010
Income before income taxes
10,918,704
9,067,074
Income tax expense
1,861,817
1,481,843
Net income
$
9,056,887
$
7,585,231
Earnings per common share
$
1.62
$
1.34
Weighted average number of common shares
used in computing earnings per share
5,590,465
5,608,997
Dividends declared per common share
$
0.50
$
0.48
Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary
Earnings Per Share ("EPS") (unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
For the Quarter Ended June 30,
For the Six Months Ended June 30,
2026
2025
2026
2025
(In thousands, except per share data)
Net income
$
4,688
$
4,060
$
9,057
$
7,585
Less: dividends to preferred shareholders
-
$
28
-
$
56
Net income available to common shareholders
$
4,688
$
4,032
$
9,057
$
7,529
Weighted average number of common shares used in computing earnings per share
5,594,749
5,612,675
5,590,465
5,608,997
Earnings per common share
$
0.84
$
0.72
$
1.62
$
1.34
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures
(unaudited)
Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary
(Dollars in thousands, except share data)
Quarter Ended
June 30, 2026
Computation of Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue
Net interest income
$
11,247,806
Non-interest income
$
2,312,747
Less: Non-interest expense
$
7,165,238
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue
$
6,395,315
Computation of Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue return on average assets
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue
$
6,395,315
Average Assets
$
1,228,309,434
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue return on average assets
2.11
%
As of
June 30, 2026
December 31, 2025
June 30, 2025
Computation of Fully Diluted Tangible Book Value per Common Share
Total shareholders' equity
$
120,894
$
113,687
$
106,343
Less:
Preferred Stock
-
-
$
1,500
Common shareholders' equity
$
120,894
$
113,687
$
104,843
Less:
Goodwill
$
11,574
$
11,574
$
11,574
Other Intangibles
-
-
-
Tangible common shareholders' equity
$
109,320
$
102,113
$
93,269
Common shares issued and outstanding
5,601,858
5,582,927
5,608,914
Fully Diluted Tangible Book Value per Common Share
$
19.51
$
18.29
$
16.63
As of
June 30, 2026
December 31, 2025
June 30, 2025
Computation of Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets
Common Equity
$
120,894
$
113,687
$
106,343
Less:
Goodwill
$
11,574
$
11,574
$
11,574
Other Intangibles
-
-
-
Tangible Common Equity
$
109,320
$
102,113
$
94,769
Total Assets
$
1,172,749
$
1,287,559
$
1,166,586
Less:
Goodwill
$
11,574
$
11,574
$
11,574
Other Intangibles
-
-
-
Tangible Assets
$
1,161,175
$
1,275,985
$
1,155,012
Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets
9.41
%
8.00
%
8.21
%
For more information, contact:
Investor Relations
[email protected]
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NorthEast Community Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NECB) (the “Company”), the parent holding company of NorthEast Community Bank (the “Bank”), reported net income of $9.8 million, or $0.75 per basic share and $0.72 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to net income of $11.2 million, or $0.85 per basic share and $0.82 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2025.
Key Takeaways Boston Beer's Q2 EPS fell 33% y/y to $3.65, while revenues declined 3.3% to $568 million.SAM's depletions dropped 6% as weakness across key brands offset growth in Sun Cruiser and Angry Orchard.SAM cut its 2026 capital spending forecast to $60-$80 million from $70-$90 million. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM - Free Report) reported lower-than-expected revenues and earnings in second-quarter 2026. The top and bottom lines also fell year over year. It posted second-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.65, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.77. The reported number decreased 33% from the year-ago figure.
Net revenues declined 3.3% to $568 million and missed the consensus estimate of $572 million by 0.7%. Higher advertising, promotional and selling expenses, along with lower volumes, weighed on results.
SAM Faces Weaker Volumes and Brand PressureDepletions dipped 6% in the quarter, while shipment volume declined 4.5% to about 2 million barrels. Lower shipments of Twisted Tea, Truly, Samuel Adams, Hard Mountain Dew and Dogfish Head more than offset growth in Sun Cruiser and Angry Orchard.
Year-to-date depletions through the 26-week period ended June 27, 2026, decreased roughly 5% from the comparable period in 2025.
Boston Beer said distributor inventories were appropriate at the quarter-end and averaged roughly four and a half weeks on hand, unchanged from the comparable 2025 period. Favorable product mix and pricing partly cushioned the impact of lower volumes.
Analysis of Boston Beer’s Q2 Margins & ExpensesSAM reported a gross margin of 50.4%, up 60 basis points (bps) from the second quarter of 2025, benefiting from price increases, a favorable product mix, procurement savings and enhanced brewery efficiencies. The gain was partly offset by inflationary, commodity and tariff costs. Gross margin also included $1.6 million of shortfall fees and non-cash expenses of third-party production pre-payments in total, which hurt the metric by nearly 28 bps on an absolute basis.
Advertising, promotional and selling expenses increased 16.4%, or $26.2 million, from the prior-year quarter. The increase included $17.5 million of higher brand, local marketing and point-of-sale investments.
Freight costs rose $8.6 million because of higher rates, partly offset by lower volumes. General and administrative expenses increased $3.1 million, mainly because of higher legal fees and salary and benefit costs.
SAM Maintains Liquidity and Returns Cash to HoldersBoston Beer ended the quarter with $265.5 million in cash and no debt. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $117.6 million for the first 26 weeks of 2026, while capital expenditures were $22.9 million.
The company repurchased $54.1 million of Class A shares from Dec. 29, 2025, through July 17, 2026. About $174 million remained under its board-authorized $1.6 billion repurchase limit as of July 17.
SAM Updates 2026 GuidanceBoston Beer updated its full-year 2026 guidance while cautioning that results remain sensitive to volume trends, supply-chain execution, inflation, commodity costs and tariff policies. The company continues to expect depletions and shipments to decline in the low-single-digit to mid-single-digit range, with price increases of 1-2%. It raised the lower end of its gross margin outlook to 48.5% from 48%, while retaining the upper end at 50%. Tariff costs are still projected at $20-$30 million.
Management lowered its anticipated year-over-year increase in advertising, promotional and selling expenses to $0-$20 million from $20-$40 million expected earlier. It also revised the GAAP loss outlook to $6.23-$4.23 per share from a loss of $7.02-$5.02, reflecting a reduced litigation-related impact of $14.73 per share versus $15.52 previously. The adjusted tax rate forecast remains 29-30%, while adjusted earnings guidance was maintained at $8.50-$10.50 per share. Capital spending is now expected to be $60-$80 million, down from the prior projection of $70-$90 million.
The company continues to monitor commodity inflation, particularly energy costs, which affect freight and aluminum expenses. Supply-chain improvements implemented in 2025 have helped stabilize distributor inventory levels, though shipment timing is expected to influence second-half comparisons. Boston Beer anticipates shipments to decline in the low- to mid-single-digit range in the third quarter, followed by modest growth in the fourth quarter.
Gross margin improvement is expected to be most pronounced in the fourth quarter, aided by lower shortfall fees compared with the prior year. However, shortfall fees and non-cash expenses related to third-party production prepayments are still projected to reduce full-year gross margin by 40-60 basis points. Advertising investment is expected to decline year over year in the fourth quarter due to lower planned spending and a tough comparison with elevated production costs in the prior-year period.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s shares have declined 25.5% in the past three months, underperforming the industry’s 3.8% growth.
SAM Stock's Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks have been discussed below:
Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FMX - Free Report) operates as a franchise bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages worldwide. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FMX's current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 17.3% and 131%, respectively. FMX delivered a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of nearly 17%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, the company flaunts a Zacks Rank of 1. Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 129.2%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30% and 73.3%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
The Vita Coco Company, Inc. (COCO - Free Report) develops, manufactures, markets and distributes coconut water products under the Vita Coco brand name. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COCO's current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 22.3% and 48.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. COCO delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.7%, on average.
Southern California Edison today announced that more than 12,000 participants have sought compensation directly through its [url="]Wildfire Recovery Compensati
Investors interested in Insurance - Multi line stocks are likely familiar with Radian (RDN) and Axa Sa (AXAHY). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's merger with Berkshire Hathaway, what to expect from housing demand and much more.
SEI Investments (SEIC - Free Report) could be a solid choice for investors given the company's remarkably improving earnings outlook. While the stock has been a strong performer lately, this trend might continue since analysts are still raising their earnings estimates for the company.
Analysts' growing optimism on the earnings prospects of this investment management firm is driving estimates higher, which should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. This insight is at the core of our stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank.
The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.
Consensus earnings estimates for the next quarter and full year have moved considerably higher for SEI Investments, as there has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising estimates.
The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Current-Quarter Estimate RevisionsThe company is expected to earn $1.59 per share for the current quarter, which represents a year-over-year change of +22.3%.
Over the last 30 days, four estimates have moved higher for SEI compared to no negative revisions. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 6.01%.
Current-Year Estimate RevisionsThe company is expected to earn $6.20 per share for the full year, which represents a change of +10.1% from the prior-year number.
There has been an encouraging trend in estimate revisions for the current year as well. Over the past month, four estimates have moved up for SEI versus no negative revisions. This has pushed the consensus estimate 5.4% higher.
Favorable Zacks RankThanks to promising estimate revisions, SEI currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.
Bottom LineWhile strong estimate revisions for SEI have attracted decent investments and pushed the stock 10% higher over the past four weeks, further upside may still be left in the stock. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away.
Key Takeaways FICO's Q3 revenues are expected to rise 26.64%, with earnings projected to grow 40.26% year over year.Higher mortgage pricing, healthy originations and Score 10T adoption may support FICO's Scores growth.FICO Platform ARR rose 49% to $349 million on customer wins, broader use cases and migrations. Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO - Free Report) is set to report its third-quarter 2026 results on July 29.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $679.31 million, suggesting an increase of 26.64% from the reported figure in the year-ago quarter.
The consensus mark for third-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $12.02 per share, down by 0.25% over the past 30 days, while indicating 40.26% year-over-year growth.
The company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 8.78%.
Let us see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.
Factors Likely to Impact FICO’s Q3 PerformanceFICO's third-quarter 2026 performance is likely to have been driven by continued strength in its Scores business, supported by higher mortgage pricing and healthy origination activity. Mortgage origination revenues surged 127% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting the benefit of higher pricing and stronger volumes.
The rollout of FICO Score 10T is expected to have provided another growth tailwind in the to-be-reported quarter. During the second quarter of 2026, the company added 11 lenders to its Early Adopter Program, bringing the total to 55 lenders that represent more than $495 billion in annual serviceable mortgage originations. Three of the five largest mortgage resellers have signed up for the Direct Licensing Program, with the remaining two expected to join pending final regulatory approval. These developments are likely to have supported broader adoption of FICO Score 10T in the to-be-reported quarter.
Fair Isaac’s software business is also likely to have benefited from continued momentum in the FICO Platform. Total software ARR increased 10% year over year to $789 million in the second quarter of 2026, while Platform ARR jumped 49% to $349 million. Platform revenues grew 54%, supported by new customer wins, expanded use cases among existing customers and migrations to the platform. Management noted that software bookings are expected to be stronger in the second half of fiscal 2026 than in the first half, reflecting a healthy sales pipeline. This momentum is expected to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter as well.
FICO’s investments in explainable artificial intelligence (AI) and decisioning software are expected to remain a positive catalyst. The company highlighted that the FICO Platform is "agentic-by-design," with more than 150 customers using it across multiple use cases. Management noted that FICO has been issued 137 AI-related patents and continues to invest in explainable AI capabilities for highly regulated industries, strengthening its competitive positioning as enterprise AI adoption accelerates.
However, delays in regulatory approvals for the FICO Score 10T Direct Licensing Program and uncertainty regarding the timing of its commercial rollout could affect the pace of adoption in the to-be-reported quarter. Management continues to assume conservative mortgage volume trends, while macroeconomic conditions and housing market activity remain variables that could influence quarterly performance.
What Our Model Says About FICOPer the Zacks model, the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the exact case here.
Fair Isaac currently has an Earnings ESP of -0.04% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks to ConsiderHere are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.
Amphenol (APH - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.12% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Amphenol shares have gained 16.5% year to date. Amphenol is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 results on July 29.
ASE Technology (ASX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +21.21% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
ASE Technology shares have surged 145.1% year to date. ASE Technology is set to report its second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.
Fortive (FTV - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.82% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Fortive shares have gained 9.8% in the year-to-date period. Fortive is set to report its second-quarter 2026 results on July 29.
Key Takeaways Liquidia is seeing rapid YUTREPIA adoption, rising referrals, more prescribers and market-share gains.Energy Transfer's 140,000-mile pipeline network supports stable fee-based revenue across key U.S. basins.PBF Energy may benefit as strong refinery utilization offsets high-oil-price input costs. Oil prices are climbing again as the Iran war intensifies. This is creating uncertainty, and the market will likely be volatile. With fears dominating the market, it is an ideal time for investors to increase their allocation to low-beta companies. Stocks that seem to be good bets now are Liquidia Corporation (LQDA - Free Report) , Energy Transfer LP (ET - Free Report) and PBF Energy Inc. (PBF - Free Report) .
What Does Beta of a Stock Measure?
Beta measures the volatility or risk of a particular asset compared to the market. In other words, beta measures the extent of a security’s price movement relative to the market. In this article, we are considering the S&P 500 as the market.
If a stock has a beta of 1, then the price of the stock will move with the market. So, the stock is more volatile than the market if its beta is more than 1. In the same way, the stock is not as volatile as the market if its beta is less than 1.
For example, if the market offers a return of 20%, a stock with a beta of 3 will return 60%, which is overwhelming. Similarly, when the market slips 20%, the stock will sink 60%, which is devastating.
Screening Criteria Using Research Wizard:
We have taken a beta between 0 and 0.6 as our prime criterion for screening stocks that are less volatile than the market. However, this should not be the only factor to be considered while selecting a winning strategy. We need to take into account other parameters that can add value to the portfolio.
Percentage Change in Price in the Last 4 Weeks Greater Than Zero: This ensures that the stocks saw positive price movement over the last month.
Average 20-Day Volume Greater Than 50,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stocks are easily tradable.
Price Greater Than or Equal to $5: They must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.
Zacks Rank Equal to 1 (Strong Buy):Zacks Rank #1 stocks indicate that they will significantly outperform the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Here are three of the 24 stocks that qualified for the screening:
Liquidia
Liquidia is experiencing rapid growth in YUTREPIA adoption, with increasing patient referrals, expanding prescriber base and rising market share. The company has achieved profitability and is generating positive cash flow, supported by a strong cash position. It is also pursuing expansion into additional indications and larger market opportunities through ongoing and planned clinical developments.
Energy Transfer
Energy Transfer has a stable business model with its huge pipeline network of natural gas, oil and refined petroleum products across 140,000 miles. The partnership has midstream assets in all the key basins in the United States, generating stable fee-based revenues.
The partnership has offered a higher dividend yield than the composite stocks belonging to the industry over the past three consecutive years. For this year, the partnership is likely to see earnings growth of 18.2%.
PBF Energy
PBF Energy is among the leading refiners in the United States. Strong refinery utilization in the United States to meet resilient demand is expected to continue to offset the negative impacts of elevated input costs, driven by high oil prices. This is possibly aiding PBF’s bottom line.
These 3 Cash-Flow Stocks Give Investors More Than Just Growth PotentialComfort Systems USA NYSE: FIX reported second-quarter 2026 revenue above $3 billion for the first time, as demand from technology and industrial customers helped drive higher bookings, record backlog and sharply improved profitability.
Chief Executive Officer Brian Lane said the company generated $3.3 billion in quarterly revenue and earned $12.53 per share, a 92% increase from the prior-year period. The company’s backlog reached a record $14.1 billion at quarter-end, supported by continued technology-sector demand and favorable project margins.
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Industrials Are Leading in 2026, But These ETFs Take Different Routes“We had a fantastic quarter with amazing execution by our teams,” Lane said. “Demand remains strong, especially in technology, as we continue to book work with good margins and favorable working conditions for our valuable people.”
Revenue, Profit and Cash Flow Rise Chief Financial Officer Bill George said second-quarter revenue increased by $1.1 billion from a year earlier, with same-store revenue up 44%. Electrical-segment revenue rose 81%, while mechanical-segment revenue increased 40%.
3 Infrastructure Stocks Fueling the Data Center Building BoomFor the first six months of 2026, same-store revenue grew 47%. The company expects full-year same-store revenue growth to finish in the mid- to high-30% range, George said.
Gross profit increased to $844 million from $510 million in the second quarter of 2025, while gross margin expanded to 25.9% from 23.5%. Mechanical gross margin rose to 25.6% from 22.9%, and electrical gross margin increased to 26.4% from 25.3%.
SG&A expense increased to $287 million from $210 million as the company invested in personnel and innovation, though SG&A as a percentage of revenue declined to 8.8% from 9.7%. Operating income rose 86% to $558 million, and operating margin increased to 17.1% from 13.8%.
Net income was $442 million, or $12.53 per share, compared with $231 million, or $6.53 per share, a year earlier. EBITDA increased 80% to $600 million, bringing trailing 12-month EBITDA to approximately $2 billion.
Free cash flow totaled $999 million in the quarter. George attributed the result partly to advanced customer cash, strong payment terms and broad-based project performance, rather than a single factor. He said the company expects cash flow over time to align with net income plus noncash expenses.
The company ended the quarter with a net cash position of more than $1.8 billion, despite acquisition spending and capital investments. It expects capital expenditures for the full year to equal approximately 5% of revenue, primarily supporting production facilities and modular capacity.
Backlog Expands as Technology Work Drives Demand President Trent McKenna said backlog increased by $1.6 billion sequentially, including a $1.4 billion same-store increase. Compared with a year earlier, total backlog increased $5.9 billion, or 73%, with $5.6 billion of the gain coming from same-store operations.
Same-store backlog entering the third quarter was 69% higher than a year earlier. McKenna said project pipelines remained at historically high levels, led by technology-sector construction and modular work.
Industrial customers accounted for 75% of first-half revenue. Technology, which is included within industrial, represented 58% of revenue, up from 40% in the prior year. Institutional markets, including education, healthcare and government, represented 17% of revenue. Commercial markets accounted for 8% of revenue. Construction represented 90% of revenue, while service represented 10%. New-building construction accounted for 75% of total revenue, including modular activity, while existing-building construction represented 15%. Modular revenue represented 17% of year-to-date revenue.
During the quarter, modular operations booked $510 million, enough to cover the business’s production activity and add roughly $500 million to backlog, according to George. The company said demand from customers remains consistent with its plans to expand modular manufacturing capacity.
Modular Capacity Plans Tied to Customer Commitments Comfort Systems USA has more than 3.5 million square feet of capacity dedicated to modular operations and expects to exceed 4 million square feet in production by year-end. It plans to reach approximately 5 million square feet of capacity by late summer 2027.
Management said the planned capacity expansion is principally intended to serve existing customers and existing orders. The company is pursuing pilot contracts with frontier labs and colocation providers, but said meaningful programmatic business from those newer customers would require additional manufacturing space.
George said the company will not add buildings solely on speculation and will expand only when customers provide meaningful multiyear commitments. He said recent capital investments have generated rapid returns, with projects producing what he described as full paybacks within one or two years.
Management said it does not see a slowdown in data-center demand despite public opposition and moratorium discussions in some markets. Lane said the company’s direct relationships with hyperscalers and key intermediaries provide visibility into customer plans, and that management sees “no letdown whatsoever” in their need to continue building capacity.
McKenna said much of the company’s current backlog consists of projects that were already planned and permitted. He added that modular capacity is more programmatic and can be directed toward customer locations as needed.
Acquisition and Capital Allocation The company also discussed its acquisition of Hunt Electric, a Utah-based electrical contractor that closed May 1. Lane said Hunt is expected to contribute approximately $250 million in annualized revenue.
McKenna said Hunt has begun pursuing opportunities jointly with Comfort Systems USA’s mechanical contractors in Utah and called it the premier electrical provider in that market.
Comfort Systems USA increased its quarterly dividend by $0.10 to $0.90 per share. George said capital allocation will continue to include investments in facilities, selective share repurchases and a patient approach to acquisitions.
Management also highlighted the longer-term service opportunity created by its growing data-center installed base. McKenna said service revenue increased 7% during the year and remains profitable, though the data-center service opportunity is expected to develop over time as newly constructed facilities move beyond warranty periods.
About Comfort Systems USA (NYSE:FIX)Comfort Systems USA, Inc is a U.S.-based mechanical contracting company that provides a range of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) services to commercial, industrial and institutional customers. The company focuses on the design, installation, maintenance and repair of HVAC systems, and it supports projects from initial engineering and system selection through long-term service agreements and upgrades.
Its service offerings include new construction and retrofit installations, preventive and corrective maintenance, emergency repair, energy management and building automation systems.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Comfort Systems USA Right Now?Before you consider Comfort Systems USA, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Comfort Systems USA wasn't on the list.
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Discover the 10 Best High-Yield Dividend Stocks for 2026 and secure reliable income in uncertain markets. Download the report now to identify top dividend payers and avoid common yield traps.
Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
Associated Banc-Corp (ASB - Free Report) is headquartered in Green Bay, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of 17.47% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.24 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.17%. In comparison, the Banks - Midwest industry's yield is 2.51%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.33%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.96 is up 3.2% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Associated Banc-Corp has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 5.59%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Associated Banc-Corp's current payout ratio is 33%, meaning it paid out 33% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for ASB for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.91 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 5.05%.
From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.
Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, ASB is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 24, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) between October 14, 2024 to May 4, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 24, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Peabody Energy common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Peabody Energy class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/peabody-energy-corporation/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 24, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Peabody Energy's Centurion mine and the multitude of issues causing delays to the ramp-up and the return to full longwall production dates. On March 30, 2026, Peabody Energy issued a press release lowering guidance pertaining to Centurion mine's expected first quarter 2026 output ahead of Peabody Energy's full earnings release. In pertinent part, defendants announced that sales volume from the Centurion mine was expected to deliver approximately 250,000 tons in the first quarter due to mining commissioning challenges (compared to previous estimates of around 700,000 tons). When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Peabody Energy class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/peabody-energy-corporation/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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AI, Satellites and Staples: Insiders Are Buying and Selling 3 Big NamesLamb Weston NYSE: LW reported higher fourth-quarter sales and continued volume growth in fiscal 2026, led by North America, while international operations faced pressure from weaker European demand, higher costs and disruption tied to the Middle East conflict.
Fourth-quarter net sales increased 6% from a year earlier, including a 7% increase in sales volume and a 2% favorable currency effect, partly offset by a 3% decline in price and mix. On a constant-currency basis, net sales rose 4%. The quarter marked Lamb Weston's sixth consecutive quarter of sales-volume growth.
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Frozen Out: Lamb Weston Beats Earnings, but the Stock Still Slides“We made meaningful progress as an organization in fiscal 2026,” President and CEO Mike Smith said, pointing to the stabilization of the company’s North American business, progress on cost savings and reduced capital spending.
North America drives quarterly performance North America net sales rose 9% in the fourth quarter, as volume increased 11%, supported by customer wins, share gains, retention and an extra week in the fiscal calendar. Price and mix declined 2%, with price investments and a shift toward lower-priced channels, including chains and private label, each contributing to the decline.
5 Under-the-Radar Consumer Staples Stocks With Pricing PowerNorth American segment EBITDA increased 17%, or $45 million, in the quarter. Smith said volume growth, modest price-and-mix investment and cost savings more than offset inflation. The segment ended the fiscal year with a 26% EBITDA margin, according to Smith.
U.S. restaurant traffic was flat during the quarter, based on Circana Crest data cited by Chief Financial Officer Jim Gray. Quick-service restaurant traffic was also flat, as 3% growth in quick-service chicken traffic was largely offset by a 4% decline in quick-service burger traffic.
Smith said the company extended several large customer contracts during the year, supported customer rollouts and introduced higher-margin limited-time offers. He also said Lamb Weston’s U.S. net promoter score rose from the prior year and was the highest among major competitors, according to the company’s proprietary research.
For the full fiscal year, North America net sales increased 3%, with a 9% volume increase partly offset by a 6% price-and-mix decline. The company said the 53rd week in fiscal 2026 added $86 million to annual North American sales.
International business faces EMEA headwinds International net sales declined 2% in the fourth quarter. Sales volume fell 2% and price and mix declined 4%, while currency provided a partial offset. Growth in Asia-Pacific and Latin America was more than offset by conditions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including shipment disruption and higher freight costs resulting from the Middle East conflict.
Gray said quick-service traffic declined 2% in the U.K. and France and 1% in Italy during the quarter, while traffic rose slightly in Germany and Spain. The company also faced higher raw potato costs, lower fixed-cost absorption amid slower European demand and higher freight expenses.
For the full year, international sales increased 1%, aided by a 5% currency benefit and 2% volume growth, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Price and mix declined 6%. On a constant-currency basis, international sales declined 4%.
International EBITDA declined for the year due to lower organic sales in a competitive environment and higher manufacturing costs. The higher costs included write-offs of excess potatoes, lower utilization at international plants and startup expenses at the company’s Argentina facility.
Lamb Weston temporarily curtailed a line in the Netherlands during the fourth quarter and announced plans in June to close an older plant in Broekhuizenvorst, Netherlands. Smith said the facility represents about 10% of EMEA production capacity. He said the closure is expected to improve utilization by roughly 10 percentage points, moving utilization into the high-80% to low-90% range.
Executive Chair Jan Craps said the company is conducting a broader strategic review of its international footprint, evaluating country clusters, profit pools, resource allocation and potential roles for mergers and acquisitions, partnerships or divestitures. “Technically, everything is on the table,” Craps said in response to an analyst question, adding that more details are expected at an investor day planned for early calendar 2027.
Cash flow, cost savings and shareholder returns Full-year adjusted EBITDA declined 9%, as international challenges only partly offset gains in North America. The extra week added $29 million in adjusted EBITDA for the year.
The company generated $943 million of operating cash flow, up $75 million from the prior year, helped by $55 million of favorable working-capital changes. Capital expenditures fell by more than $240 million year over year to $410 million, resulting in free cash flow of $537 million.
Lamb Weston returned $321 million to shareholders during fiscal 2026, including $208 million in cash dividends and $113 million in share repurchases. The company repurchased $63 million of stock during the fourth quarter. It also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share, payable Sept. 4.
At year-end, the company had approximately $1.3 billion available under its revolving credit facility. Net debt was $3.8 billion, and its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio was 3.4 times on a trailing 12-month basis.
Smith said the company exceeded its first-year cost-savings milestone under a program targeting at least $250 million in annualized run-rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The first-year target had been $100 million. Savings have come from supply-chain improvements, lower manufacturing cost per pound and reduced selling, general and administrative expenses, he said.
Fiscal 2027 outlook For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales ranging from flat to up 1% compared with a 52-week adjusted fiscal 2026 sales base of $6.5 billion. The company forecast adjusted operating income of $720 million to $800 million, adjusted EBITDA of $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.95 to $3.25, compared with adjusted EPS of $2.90 for the comparable 52-week fiscal 2026 period.
The outlook assumes flat global restaurant traffic. Gray said lower raw potato costs, further supply-chain savings, higher utilization and the absence of prior-year potato write-offs and Argentina startup costs are expected to be largely offset by inflation in other inputs.
North America sales are expected to range from flat to up low single digits on a comparable-week basis, with low-single-digit volume growth and a low-single-digit price-and-mix decline. International sales are expected to decline by low single digits, reflecting competitive conditions in EMEA, while international EBITDA is projected to improve 40% to 50% as prior-year charges are lapped. First-quarter fiscal 2027 sales are expected to be flat and EBITDA is expected to decline by the low teens before earnings growth accelerates through the remainder of the year. The company expects operating cash flow of $750 million to $800 million and capital expenditures of approximately $380 million to $410 million in fiscal 2027. On an accrual basis, it expects investments of up to $350 million as it applies tighter capital-allocation discipline.
About Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW)Lamb Weston, traded on the NYSE under the symbol LW, is a leading global processor and supplier of frozen potato products. The company's portfolio includes a variety of potato-based items such as French fries, potato wedges, hash browns and specialty cuts tailored to the foodservice and retail grocery channels. Lamb Weston serves quick-service restaurants, full-service operators, grocery chains and food distributors, offering customized product formats, packaging solutions and seasoning options to meet evolving customer demands.
Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Eagle, Idaho, Lamb Weston has grown from a regional processor into one of the world's largest producers of frozen potato products.
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Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW) Q4 2026 Earnings Call July 24, 2026 9:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Debbie Hancock - Vice President of Investor Relations
Jan Eli B. Craps - Executive Chair
Mike Smith - President, CEO & Director
James Gray - Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
Andrew Lazar - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Peter Galbo - BofA Securities, Research Division
Thomas Palmer - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Max Andrew Gumport - BNP Paribas, Research Division
Scott Marks - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good day, and welcome to the Lamb Weston Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. Today's call is being recorded. At this time, I'd like to turn the call over to Debbie Hancock. Please go ahead.
Debbie Hancock
Vice President of Investor Relations
Thank you. Good morning, and thank you for joining us for Lamb Weston's Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. I'm Debbie Hancock, Lamb Weston's Vice President of Investor Relations. Earlier today, we issued our press release and posted slides that we will use for our discussion today. You will find both on our website at lambweston.com.
Please note that during our remarks, we will make forward-looking statements about the company's expected performance that are based on our current expectations. Actual results may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the cautionary statements and risk factors contained in our SEC filings for more details on our forward-looking statements.
Some of today's remarks include non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a replacement for and should be read together with our GAAP results. You can find the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations in our earnings release in the appendix to our presentation. Joining me today are Jan Craps, Executive Chair; Mike Smith, President and CEO; and Jim Gray, Chief Financial Officer.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston's fiscal Q4 sales rose 6% as volume grew 7% for a sixth consecutive quarter.North America sales climbed 9% on contract wins, share gains, retention and an extra week.Fiscal 2027 sales are seen flat to up 1%, with adjusted EPS projected at $2.95-$3.25. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) reported solid fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While net sales increased, earnings decreased from the year-ago period’s actuals.
LW’s adjusted earnings were 87 cents per share, down 5% year over year. However, the bottom line beats the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 62 cents.
Net sales amounted to $1,770.1 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,701 million. The top line increased 6% year over year, driven by a 7% increase in sales volume, a 2% favorable currency impact and the benefit of an extra week, partially offset by a 3% decline in price/mix. Sales volume increased for the sixth consecutive quarter. Our model suggested a volume increase of 1.9% in the quarter.
LW’s Quarterly Results: Key Metrics & InsightsAdjusted gross profit decreased 0.2% year over year to $342.9 million. The adjusted gross margin decreased 110 basis points (bps) to 19.4%. Our model projected adjusted gross margin contraction of about 220 basis points to 18.4%.
Adjusted SG&A expenses were up 11.1% to $163.5 million from $147.1 million reported in the year-ago quarter. As a percentage of sales, the same increased 40 bps to 9.2%.
Adjusted EBITDA declined 2% to $287.6 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 130 bps to 16.2%.
LW Provides Q4 Insights by SegmentNet sales for the North America segment increased 9% to $1,206.2 million compared with the prior-year quarter, driven by 11% sales volume growth, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of volume growth. This increase was fueled by customer contract wins, market share gains, strong customer retention and the benefit of an additional week. The segment’s price/mix declined 2%, reflecting modest pricing and trade support for customers, as well as an ongoing mix shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products.
The North America segment adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $304.7 million, driven by higher sales volumes and lower manufacturing costs per pound, reflecting operating leverage from cost savings initiatives and improved manufacturing efficiencies. These benefits more than offset inflationary pressures, unfavorable price/mix and higher operating expenses.
Net sales for the International segment declined 2% to $563.9 million, reflecting a 2% decrease in sales volume and a 4% decline in price/mix, partially offset by a favorable foreign currency impact. Growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America, along with the benefit of an additional week, was more than offset by challenging market conditions in EMEA, including the impact of the Middle East conflict that began early in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.
International segment adjusted EBITDA fell 81% to $11.8 million, primarily due to lower net sales, higher manufacturing costs per pound and increased operating expenses.
Lamb Weston’s Financial Health SnapshotThe company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $68.2 million, long-term debt and financing obligations (excluding the current portion) of $3,595.2 million and total shareholders’ equity of $1,824.9 million.
Lamb Weston generated $942.9 million as net cash from operating activities for fiscal 2026, wherein capital expenditures amounted to $410.1 million.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, Lamb Weston returned $116 million to its shareholders through cash dividends and stock repurchases.
On July 23, management declared a quarterly dividend of 38 cents per share, payable on Sept. 4, to its shareholders of record as of Aug. 7, 2026.
What to Expect From LW in FY27?For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales to be flat to 1% growth over the adjusted fiscal 2026 52-week base of $6.5 billion. The company expects adjusted EBITDA to be between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion, while adjusted EPS is projected at $2.95 to $3.25, compared with $3.01 in fiscal 2026. Capital expenditures are expected to be $380 million to $410 million.
LW’s Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 13.5% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 5.8% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderUnited Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI - Free Report) distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. At present, United Natural sports a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for United Natural’s current fiscal-year earnings implies growth of 254.9% from the year-ago figures. UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 29.9%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 129.2%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30% and 73.3%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL - Free Report) develops, processes and distributes various meat, nuts and other food products to foodservice, convenience store and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. HRL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.2%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hormel Foods’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 1.4% and 9.5%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
Key Takeaways AppFolio beat Q2 earnings and revenue estimates as Value Added Services and premium tiers grew.APPF raised 2026 revenue and non-GAAP operating margin guidance after a strong second quarter.AppFolio expanded premium-tier adoption, boosted cash flow and grew units under management to 9.6 million. AppFolio, Inc. (APPF - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 non-GAAP earnings of $1.71 per share, which increased 23.9% year over year. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.67 by 2.4%.
Revenues rose 19.3% to $281 million and beat the consensus mark of $277 million by 1.5%. Growth reflected strength in Value Added Services, premium-tier adoption and new customer wins. Units under management increased 8% to 9.6 million.
APPF's Q2 Revenue Mix StrengthensSubscription Services revenues increased 14% year over year to $59.8 million. Management attributed the gain to new customer additions, growth in units under management and continued upgrades to the Plus and Max premium tiers.
Value Added Services revenues advanced 21.8% to $219.5 million, led by FolioGuard risk mitigation services, FolioScreen offerings and online payments. Resident Onboarding Lift, Move-In Services through LiveEasy and Realm-X Performers also contributed a growing share. Other revenues declined 37.2% to $1.9 million.
AppFolio Expands Platform AdoptionAppFolio ended the quarter with 22,751 customers, up 6% from 21,403 a year earlier. Nearly one in three units was on a premium tier compared with approximately one in four previously, indicating deeper adoption of the company’s Plus and Max offerings.
The company expanded Realm-X Flows, its workflow orchestration layer, to five times the number of triggers and more than 1,000 conditional routing options. Among customers using Flows, runs grew at a triple-digit rate across lead nurturing, rental applications, move-ins, delinquency and renewals.
Leasing Performer was involved in roughly half of completed showings for customers that deployed it. Bluestone’s use of the product handled more than 10,000 leads, 55% of which arrived after hours, while delivering an average response time of less than nine seconds.
APPF Widens Operating MarginsNon-GAAP operating income grew 23.8% year over year to $76.2 million. The non-GAAP operating margin expanded 90 basis points to 27.1%, reflecting operating leverage as revenues grew faster than several expense categories.
GAAP operating income increased 30.8% to $53 million, while the corresponding margin improved 160 basis points to 18.8%. GAAP net income rose 15.5% to $41.5 million.
Non-GAAP cost of revenues, excluding depreciation and amortization, was 36% of revenues, up from 35%. Operating efficiencies were offset by the payments product mix and incremental data-center capacity supporting increased customer use of AI capabilities.
Research and development declined to 15% of revenues from 16%, aided by productivity gains from AI tools. Sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses remained at 14% and 7% of revenues, respectively. The workforce grew 3% to 1,732 employees.
AppFolio's Cash Flow and Balance SheetOperating cash flow totaled $87.6 million, up 66.4% from $52.6 million in the year-ago quarter. The measure represented 31.2% of revenues compared with 22.3% a year earlier, highlighting stronger cash conversion alongside profit growth.
APPF ended June with $217.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and $4.3 million in current investment securities. The company had no borrowings under its $150 million revolving credit facility and remained in compliance with its covenants.
The company did not repurchase shares during the second quarter after spending $125 million on buybacks in the first quarter. Management said its capital-allocation priorities remain focused on business investment, with repurchases conducted opportunistically.
APPF Raises 2026 OutlookAppFolio raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $1.117-$1.127 billion. The midpoint implies 18% growth, supported by premium-tier adoption, new business units and increased use of offerings, including agentic AI Performers and resident services. The Zacks Consensus Estimates for AppFolio’s revenues are pegged at $1.12 billion, implying a year-over-year increase of 17.5%.
The outlook assumes a more moderate pace of unit expansion among existing customers, while new customer acquisition and retention remain healthy. Management expects Subscription Services and Value Added Services seasonality to be broadly consistent with 2025.
The company also lifted its non-GAAP operating margin outlook to 26.5-28%. Management expects cost of revenues, excluding depreciation and amortization, to remain relatively flat as a percentage of revenues compared with 2025. Diluted weighted-average shares are projected at approximately 36 million.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AppFolio’s earnings in 2026 is pegged at $6.75, implying a year-over-year increase of 28%.
Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, TXN carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better top-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector are Analog Devices (ADI - Free Report) , Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) and Cisco Systems (CSCO - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Shares of Analog Devices have rallied 69.6% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADI’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $12.42 per share, down by a penny over the past seven days, indicating an increase of 59.4% year over year.
Shares of Applied Materials have skyrocketed 196.2% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMAT’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $12.14 per share, up by a penny over the past seven days, indicating a rise of 28.9% year over year.
Cisco Systems shares have surged 63.6% year to date. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CSCO’s fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $4.28 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating an increase of 12.3% year over year.
HTX Named in EU's Latest Russia Sanctions PackageCryptocurrency exchange HTX was sanctioned by the European Union on Thursday as part of the bloc's latest effort to tighten pressure on Russia's financial system. HTX was included in a list of 18 companies providing crypto services, and was formerly known as Huobi, established in China in 2013. Hong Kong-based billionaire Justin Sun (@justinsuntron) bought a controlling stake in the exchange in 2022.
The EU said the 18 listed companies helped Russians evade sanctions. EU authorities included the crypto companies in the bloc's 21st sanctions package against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The EU's latest sanctions package against Russia over its war in Ukraine targets banks, cryptocurrency networks, oil traders, the shadow fleet, and Russian energy revenues.
The EU's sanctioning of HTX does not amount to a full designation and does not include an asset freeze. Instead, the listing bans EU operators from transacting with the exchange, placing a compliance burden on European counterparties without directly freezing HTX's assets.
UK Action Came First, HTX Pushed BackHTX had already faced sanctions in the United Kingdom. On May 26, British authorities targeted Huobi Global S.A., the Panama-based company behind HTX, over alleged financial services involving A7 and Garantex, two entities previously sanctioned over their links to Russia. The UK Foreign Office alleged that HTX provided services to A7, a payments network backed by Russian state-controlled Promsvyazbank, and Moscow-based crypto exchange Garantex. British restrictions included an asset freeze and barred UK companies from processing payments or maintaining financial relationships with the designated entities.
The UK government suspects HTX of channeling over $1.5 billion to Russia to help the regime bypass international trade blockades. HTX responded to the UK action by arguing that Huobi Global S.A. was a legally distinct Panama entity, separate from the trading platform itself. HTX argued that the UK action targeted Huobi Global S.A. as a distinct legal entity and that the trading platform's operations remained unaffected. The EU's latest listing places both HTX and Huobi Global S.A. side by side, making that distinction harder to sustain.
The sanctions are the latest sign of countries cracking down on the use of crypto to move funds outside the mainstream financial system. HTX is the largest exchange yet caught in the Russia sanctions net, and the coordinated EU and UK actions signal that offshore platforms of any scale are now within reach of Western enforcement.
HTX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources:
Reuters via Euronext: Crypto exchange HTX included in EU's Russia sanctions
Finance Magnates: EU Adds HTX to Russia Sanctions Two Months After UK's Action
Chainalysis: UK Sanctions Crypto Companies With Russia Ties
Key Takeaways CMCSA wireless added a record 448K lines as Connectivity & Platforms EBITDA beat estimates.Peacock's first EBITDA profit helped Media EBITDA beat estimates on sports and ad strength.Studios EBITDA beat estimates, while Theme Parks EBITDA missed on weaker attendance. Comcast (CMCSA - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.04, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7 cents and declined 16.7% year over year.
Revenues of $29.94 billion beat the consensus mark by 2.33% and declined 1.2% year over year, though pro forma revenues, which adjust for the Versant separation and the sale of Sky's German operations, increased 4.7%. (Read More: Comcast's Q2 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Decrease Y/Y)
The company ended the quarter with 10.2 million domestic wireless lines, up from 8.5 million in the prior year period. However, total domestic broadband customers declined to 28.5 million from 29 million. Adjusted EBITDA declined 13.4% to $8.9 billion, or 5.3% on a pro forma basis.
Wireless and Peacock Strength Drive Segment BeatsDomestic wireless line net additions of 448,000 marked the company's best quarterly result on record and beat the consensus estimate by 11.64%. Domestic broadband customer net losses of 167,000 came in worse than expected, missing the consensus mark by 3.43%, while domestic video customer net losses of 280,000 also missed estimates by 2.28%.
At Media, Peacock achieved quarterly profitability for the first time, generating EBITDA of $189 million compared with a loss of $101 million in the prior year period, on the back of the NBA playoffs, the FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA. Media Adjusted EBITDA of $708 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 34.63%.
Studios also outperformed, with Adjusted EBITDA of $202 million beating the consensus mark by 18.07%, supported by strong theatrical performance across the slate.
Connectivity & Platforms Beats While Theme Parks MissTotal Connectivity & Platforms Adjusted EBITDA of $7.96 billion declined year over year but beat the consensus estimate by 0.69%. Within the segment, Residential Connectivity & Platforms Adjusted EBITDA of $6.45 billion beat estimates by 0.25%, while Business Services Connectivity Adjusted EBITDA of $1.52 billion beat by 2.34%, aided by growth in enterprise solutions offerings.
Theme Parks Adjusted EBITDA of $609 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.72%, pressured by softening attendance in Orlando amid higher travel costs and weaker consumer sentiment, as well as continued China-related travel restrictions affecting the Osaka park.
Total Content & Experiences Adjusted EBITDA of $1.33 billion beat the consensus mark by 13.48%, as strength in Media and Studios more than offset the Theme Parks shortfall.
Broadband and Advertising Revenue Top EstimatesDomestic broadband revenues declined 5.5% to $6.28 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.45%, as lower average rates and a smaller customer base weighed on the top line despite the beat.
Media domestic advertising revenue rose 55% to $2.16 billion, beating the consensus mark by 12.24%, driven in part by incremental FIFA World Cup advertising along with stronger NBA and Peacock advertising demand.
Within Content & Experiences, Studios content licensing revenues declined slightly to $1.80 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.04%, as lower film studio licensing activity offset gains at the television studios.
Studios’ theatrical revenues, however, surged to $972 million from $284 million a year earlier, beating the consensus mark by 199.46%, powered by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Obsession and the international distribution of Michael.
Comcast generated free cash flow of $4.6 billion in the quarter and returned $2.1 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderComcast currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector are Cimpress (CMPR - Free Report) , The Marcus (MCS - Free Report) and News Corporation (NWSA - Free Report) , each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Shares of Cimpress have returned 46.2% in the year-to-date period. Cimpress is slated to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on July 29.
Shares of The Marcus have returned 53.4% in the year-to-date period. The Marcus is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.
Shares of News Corporation have returned 0.8% in the year-to-date period. News Corporation is slated to report its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Aug. 05.
Key Takeaways Cadence reports Q2 results on July 27, with EPS and revenues expected to rise more than 20%.Recurring revenues, an $8 billion backlog and rising EDA spending support Cadence's outlook.Macroeconomic uncertainty, U.S.-China tensions and stiff competition remain concerns. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS - Free Report) will release results for the second quarter of 2026 on July 27.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings is $2.05 per share, unchanged in the past 60 days. The consensus mark implies a 24.2% increase from the year-ago actual. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pinned at $1.58 billion, indicating a nearly 23.6% uptick from the year-ago actual.
Management expects revenues to be $1.555-$1.595 billion for the second quarter. The company reported sales of $1.275 billion in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP EPS is anticipated to be between $2.02 and $2.08. The company reported an EPS of $1.65 in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP operating margin is estimated to be between 44.5% and 45.5% in the second quarter.
Cadence has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 5.48%.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CDNS stock has gained 2.7% in the past six months against the Computer-Software industry’s decline of 22.7%. The S&P 500 composite and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector have risen 5.6% and 8.7%, respectively, in the same time frame.
Factors Shaping CDNS’ Q2 ResultsBroad-based momentum across electronic design automation (“EDA”), IP and System Design & Analysis (“SDA”), supported by robust bookings, improving pricing dynamics and sustained demand tied to AI-driven semiconductor complexity, remains a key catalyst.
AI has been driving a major transformation in semiconductor and system design and Cadence is deeply integrated into this shift. Design activity across several verticals, especially data centers, drones, robotics and automotive, has been robust, due to AI, hyperscale computing and 5G. The focus on Generative AI, Agentic AI and Physical AI has been leading to an exponential increase in computing demand and semiconductor innovation.
Rising customer R&D investments in AI-driven automation have been creating a favorable demand environment for Cadence. On the last earnings call, Management noted that EDA spending has now increased from approximately 7% to 11% of customer R&D budgets, and this is expected to rise further with AI-driven automation.
The launch of ChipStack AI Super Agent (February 2026), the industry’s first agentic AI workflow purpose-built for front-end silicon design and verification, bodes well. Cadence acquired Chipstack, which provides agentic AI solutions for chip verification, in November 2025. On the last earnings call, the company emphasized its agentic AI strategy, including the launch of AgentStack framework and new AI Super Agents (ViraStack and InnoStack) that are designed to automate more of the chip design workflow. Cadence expects agentic tools to drive higher EDA consumption and usage across its platform as customers run more simulations, verification and implementation cycles.
Cadence’s ratable software model and high mix of recurring revenues are other positives. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, Cadence had a backlog of $8 billion.
The company has been collaborating with several tech giants, including Qualcomm and NVIDIA, on their next-generation AI designs across both training and inference. Expanding partnerships with its foundry partners, like Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Intel and Arm Holdings, bodes well.
Ongoing uncertainty prevailing over global macroeconomic conditions, especially U.S.-China tech tensions, along with stiff competition in the EDA space and inflation, remains a concern ahead of the first-quarter earnings. China contributed to about 13% of first-quarter 2026 revenues and management expects 2026 contribution to be about the same percentage.
Taking a Look at SegmentsCore electronic design automation (“EDA”) business (which constitutes Custom IC, Digital IC and Functional Verification businesses) is likely to have gained from demand for the new hardware systems, especially among AI, automotive and high-performance computing clients. Uptake of solutions such as Cerebrus AI Studio, Virtuoso Studio, Xcelium, Verisium SimAI and ChipStack is likely to have cushioned the segment’s performance.
The SDA division is likely to have gained from the increasing demand for BETA CAE solutions, along with 3D-IC, Sigrity and Clarity.
The IP business has been gaining from an expanding silicon solutions portfolio and increasing demand for solutions in AI, HPC and automotive use cases. The company has been witnessing higher demand for its Star IP portfolio across interface, memory and foundation IP amid higher complexity of advanced node designs and chiplet-based architectures.
Earnings Whispers for CDNSOur proven model does not predict an earnings beat for Cadence this time around. 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. This is not the case here.
CDNS currently has a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few stocks that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season.
Celestica (CLS - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.86% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Celestica is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on July 27. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CLS’ to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues stands at $2.29 per share and $4.35 billion, respectively. Shares of Celestica have gained 96.7% in the past year.
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.75% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. STX is scheduled to report quarterly figures on July 28. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Seagate Technology’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pinned at $5.10 per share and $3.49 billion, respectively. Shares of Seagate Technology are up 505.3% in the past year.
Teradyne (TER - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.59% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is scheduled to report quarterly figures on July 28. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Teradyne’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pinned at $2.04 per share and $1.22 billion, respectively. Shares of Teradyne are up 314.6% in the past year.
Paul Cunningham, Sr. Vice President of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS +1.09%), sold 2,000 shares of common stock on July 15, 2026, as disclosed in a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value~$767,000Shares sold2,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)125,586Post-transaction value$46.66 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($383.36); post-transaction value based on July 15, 2026 market close ($371.50).
Key questionsWhat is the current scale of the executive's remaining interest?
Paul Cunningham maintains 125,586 direct shares valued at $46.66 million, representing a 0.0455% insider ownership stake in the $91.0 billion company.What market context surrounded the timing of this disposition?
The sale occurred while the stock was priced at $371.50 at the July 15, 2026 market close, following a 17% one-year total return as of the transaction date.How does this transaction relate to the executive's equity compensation schedule?
The shares were acquired through the exercise of options that vested at a rate of 1/48th per month beginning in March 2021, with 8,328 derivative securities remaining in the executive's holdings.What are the fundamental indicators for the company at the time of filing?
Cadence Design Systems reported trailing twelve-month revenue of $5.5 billion and net income of $1.2 billion, supported by a workforce of 13,800 employees.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-07-16)$364.65Market Capitalization$100.6 billionRevenue (TTM)$5.5 billionNet Income (TTM)$1.2 billionCompany SnapshotCadence Design Systems delivers a comprehensive portfolio of electronic design automation (EDA) software, specialized hardware platforms, professional services, and pre-designed integrated circuit building blocks that enable semiconductor and systems companies to design, verify, and manufacture advanced chips.The company generates revenue through software licensing, subscription-based services, hardware sales for emulation and prototyping platforms, and professional consulting services that support customers throughout the semiconductor design and verification lifecycle.Cadence serves semiconductor manufacturers, fabless design companies, and systems-on-chip developers globally, with particular strength in serving enterprise customers requiring advanced functional verification, simulation, and emulation capabilities for complex chip design.Cadence Design Systems is a global leader in electronic design automation with a market capitalization of $100.6 billion and TTM revenue of $5.5 billion, commanding a dominant position in the semiconductor design software market. The company's integrated platform approach—combining software tools such as JasperGold for formal verification and Xcelium for logic simulation with enterprise-grade hardware platforms including Palladium emulation and Protium prototyping systems—creates significant switching costs and customer lock-in. With 13,800 employees and a TTM net income of $1.2 billion, Cadence demonstrates strong operational leverage and profitability while maintaining strategic focus on next-generation chip design methodologies and artificial intelligence-driven design automation capabilities.
What this transaction means for investorsCunningham’s sale of Cadence shares likely should not concern investors.
It occurred under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, indicating it was a pre-planned sale driven by portfolio management rather than concerns about the company. Moreover, the fact that he sold around 2% of his direct holdings strongly indicates that he remains bullish on the tech stock.
This logic appears sound. As previously mentioned, Cadence stock has risen over the last year. Rising demand related to AI and high-performance computing (HPC) has helped boost revenue. Furthermore, it has made tech-related deals with companies such as Intel and Samsung.
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Additionally, it remains a leader in the electronic design automation (EDA), which is critical in the design, simulation, and manufacture of semiconductors.
Admittedly, considering its P/E ratio of 85, now may not be a great time to add shares. Still, considering the AI-driven growth in its industry, now is a good time to focus on holding the 98% of shares Cunningham chose to keep rather than the modest amount he sold.
Will Healy has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cadence Design Systems and Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Americké akciové trhy rostou díky naději na obnovení rozhovorů mezi USA a Íránem a zmírnění napětí na Blízkém východě.
Širší index S&P 500 posiluje o 0,41 % na 7438,47 bodu a index Dow Jones si připisuje 0,56 % na 52002,68 bodu. Technologie však mírně zaostávají, technologický Nasdaq Composite odepisuje 0,07 % na 25120,91 bodu. Pozitivní náladu na trhu podporuje také úspěšný start výsledkové sezóny, v níž většina firem překonává očekávání ziskovosti.
V rámci jednotlivých odvětví indexu S&P 500 vykazují nejsilnější růst reality o 2,6 %, následované základními materiály s nárůstem o 1,2 % a nezbytnou spotřebou, která si připisuje 0,8 %. Na druhé straně zaznamenávají jen mírné zisky zbytná spotřeba, informační technologie i utility, které shodně přidávají 0,1 %.
Mezi nejsilnější individuální akcie se řadí Digital Realty Trust (DLR) s prudkým růstem o 14 %. Výrazně posiluje také SLB (SLB) o 10 %, Smurfit Westrock (SW) o 7,9 %, Equinix (EQIX) o 6,3 % a International Paper (IP), která si připisuje 6,2 %. Na opačné straně trhu po výprodejích v technologickém a dodavatelském sektoru klesá Coherent Corp (COHR) o 7,8 %. Nedaří se ani firmám Sandisk Corp (SNDK) a CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW), které shodně odepisují 7,5 %, Lumentum Holdings (LITE) s poklesem o 6,9 % a Robinhood Markets (HOOD), jež oslabuje o 6,1 %.
Zprávy o možném uklidnění situace na Blízkém východě tlačí dolů ceny energií. Severoamerická lehká ropa WTI klesá o 4,2 % na 88,31 dolaru za barel. Spotové zlato naopak mírně posiluje o 0,4 % na 4064,95 dolaru za unci. Americký dolar vykazuje stabilní vývoj, když k euru zůstává téměř bez změny na 1,1379 dolaru, britská libra mírně roste o 0,1 % na 1,3333 dolaru a japonský jen drží úroveň 163,76 jenu za dolar. Pokles cen ropy zmírňuje obavy z inflace, což vede ke poklesu výnosů desetiletých amerických vládních dluhopisů o tři bazické body na 4,66 %. Bitcoin reaguje na celkový vývoj poklesem o 1,9 % na 63850,84 dolaru.
Index Dow Jones +0,56 % na 52002,68 b.
S&P 500 +0,41 % na 7438,47 b.
Nasdaq Composite -0,07 % na 25120,91 b.
Index S&P 500 +0,41 % na 7438,47 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Reality +2,6 % Zbytná spotřeba +0,1 % Základní materiály +1,2 % Informační technologie +0,1 % Nezbytná spotřeba +0,8 % Utility +0,1 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Digital Realty Trust (DLR) +14 % Coherent Corp (COHR) -7,8 % SLB (SLB) +10 % Sandisk Corp (SNDK) -7,5 % Smurfit Westrock (SW) +7,9 % CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) -7,5 % Equinix (EQIX) +6,3 % Lumentum Holdings (LITE) -6,9 % International Paper (IP) +6,2 % Robinhood Markets (HOOD) -6,1 %
Daniel Marván, Fio banka, a.s.
Four VPN providers reliably take TRON: GnuVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and Ivacy. Only one of them treats TRON as a first-class payment option instead of one line in a processor’s coin list.
If you are looking for a VPN that accepts TRON because you already hold TRX or USDT on TRC20, the network is a good fit for a subscription payment. Transfers clear in about three seconds for well under a dollar, which matters more on a $67 purchase than it does on a large transfer.
Here is who accepts it, how each one handles the payment, and where the differences actually show up.
Why TRON Suits a Subscription Payment Table of Contents
Why TRON Suits a Subscription PaymentThe Providers That Accept TRON1. GnuVPN2. NordVPN3. Surfshark4. IvacyChosen, or Inherited From the ProcessorFAQWhich VPN is best for paying with TRX?Can I pay for a VPN with USDT on TRC20 instead of TRX?What happens if I send TRC20 funds to the wrong network?Is paying for a VPN with TRON anonymous?Does NordVPN accept TRON directly? TRON was built for cheap, fast transfers, and a VPN subscription is exactly the kind of small payment that punishes you on other networks.
Send USDT as an ERC20 token on Ethereum, and you pay gas, which can run from a couple of dollars to more than thirty when the network is busy. Send the same dollar as a TRC20 token on TRON, and you pay energy and bandwidth, which usually works out to cents.
TRON also cut its own costs recently. Network proposal #104 halved the energy price for USDT transfers in August 2025, pushing a typical send well under a dollar.
Here is how the common options compare on a single VPN payment:
Network Typical fee Settlement Cost on a $67 plan TRON (TRC20) Under $1 About 3 seconds Under 1.5% Ethereum (ERC20) $2 to $35 About 15 minutes 3% to 45% Bitcoin $1 to $5 10 to 60 minutes 1.5% to 7% Litecoin Cents 5 to 15 minutes Under 1% The spread is the reason buying VPN with TRON is a question worth asking before you default to Bitcoin at checkout.
The VPNs that accept TRX arrive at it in two different ways. Three route the payment through a third-party gateway that happens to support TRON, and one lists it directly.
1. GnuVPN A Portugal-based provider built around protocol choice, running SoftEther and AmneziaWG alongside WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2. It is the only provider here that names TRON as a payment option in its own right.
Accepts: TRX and USDT on TRC20, plus Bitcoin and Litecoin How it works: a GnuVPN TRON payment is one of four named coins, not an entry buried in a dropdown of twenty Price: from $2.79/month on the two-year plan, $66.99 upfront Settlement: GnuVPN TRC20 transfers clear in roughly three seconds for under a dollar Trade-off: 55+ countries and 5 devices, a smaller network than the majors, and a shorter refund window If you already hold USDT on TRON, this is the shortest path from wallet to subscription on this list.
2. NordVPN The largest name in consumer VPNs, based in Panama, with five audited no-logs assessments and servers in over 110 countries. Its crypto support is broad and its customers use it.
Accepts: 10+ coins including TRX, BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP, LTC, SOL and DOGE Processors: CoinGate, BinancePay and BitPay Worth knowing: TRX accounts for 5.4% of NordVPN’s crypto payments, with USDT at 29.1% and Bitcoin at 40.9% Price: from $3.09/month, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee NordVPN is the strongest all-round service here. TRON is available, but it is one option among many, not a deliberate focus.
3. Surfshark A budget-focused provider offering unlimited simultaneous devices on every plan, run by Nord Security since the 2022 merger. It carries the longest coin list of any mainstream VPN.
Accepts: 13+ coins including TRX, BTC, ETH, LTC, BNB, SOL, BCH, XRP, DOGE, SHIB, USDT and DAI Processors: CoinGate and CoinPayments Price: from roughly $2.49/month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee Trade-off: crypto checkout is web-only and desktop-only If you hold an unusual altcoin, Surfshark is the most likely provider on this list to take it.
4. Ivacy A budget provider known for long-term plans at low headline prices. Its crypto support comes through two gateways, not a direct integration.
Accepts: TRX, plus Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, Cardano, Dogecoin and the wider CoinGate list Processors: CoinGate and BitPay Worth knowing: TRON appears explicitly in its published coin list, which is not true of most providers this size Ivacy is the cheapest way onto this list, though it competes on price, not on protocol depth or network size.
Chosen, or Inherited From the Processor Here is the distinction that decides which of these actually suits a TRON holder.
Three of the four accept TRX because their payment processor supports it. CoinGate runs a dedicated TRON payment gateway, so any merchant using it can display TRX at checkout without making a decision about TRON at all. NordVPN, Surfshark and Ivacy all fall into that group.
That is not a criticism. Broad processor support is genuinely useful, and it is why Surfshark can take thirteen coins. But it does mean TRON is a byproduct, not a priority, and it shows in the checkout experience: one ticker among twenty, with no particular attention paid to the network you are sending on.
GnuVPN crypto payment support works the other way around. Four coins, each named, with the network stated for every one. A VPN TRC20 payment there is a labelled option, not something you locate in a dropdown and hope you have selected the right chain on.
For most purchases that distinction is cosmetic. On TRON it is not, because sending TRC20 funds to an address on the wrong network is the most common way people lose money at crypto checkout.
FAQ Which VPN is best for paying with TRX? It depends on what you want from the VPN itself. For the cleanest TRON experience, GnuVPN names TRX and USDT-TRC20 directly and clears in seconds. For the largest server network, NordVPN takes TRX through CoinGate. For unlimited devices, Surfshark does the same.
Can I pay for a VPN with USDT on TRC20 instead of TRX? Yes, and for most people it is the better choice. USDT on TRC20 is a stablecoin, so the amount you send is the amount that arrives, with no price movement while the transfer confirms. GnuVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark all support it.
What happens if I send TRC20 funds to the wrong network? The transaction confirms on the chain you selected, so the funds are not destroyed, but the receiving address cannot reach them unless someone controls the private key for that network. A TRON address starts with T, and an Ethereum address starts with 0x. Check the prefix before you send, and send a small test amount first.
Is paying for a VPN with TRON anonymous? No. Paying for a VPN with TRX removes the card and bank link, which is real, but you still provide an email address and connect from a real IP when you sign up. Most providers also route the payment through a KYC-compliant processor. It is more private than a card. It is not anonymous.
Does NordVPN accept TRON directly? No. NordVPN accepts TRX through CoinGate and BinancePay, which are third-party gateways, not a direct wallet transfer. The same applies to Surfshark and Ivacy. Among providers on this list, only GnuVPN lists TRON as a named option in its own checkout.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
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