Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Shares of Elastic (ESTC - Free Report) have gained 7% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $57.33, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $72.4 indicates a potential upside of 26.3%.

The mean estimate comprises 25 short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $13.37. While the lowest estimate of $55.00 indicates a 4.1% decline from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 84.9% to reach $106.00. It's very important to note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.

But, for ESTC, an impressive average price target is not the only indicator of a potential upside. Strong agreement among analysts about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier strengthens this view. While a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't gauge how much a stock could gain, it has proven to be powerful in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You Should Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Why ESTC Could Witness a Solid UpsideAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current year, one estimate has moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 13.5%.

Moreover, ESTC currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much ESTC could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

MaxLinear Inc. (NASDAQ:MXL) on Thursday reported upbeat second-quarter earnings and issued strong third-quarter guidance.

Second-quarter revenue rose 55% year over year and 23% sequentially to $168.8 million, beating the $164.702 million analyst estimate. GAAP earnings were 2 cents per share, while adjusted earnings of 35 cents per share topped the 33-cent estimate.

“Our Q2 financial results highlight the exciting inflection in our business trajectory and the beginning of a multiyear growth phase for MaxLinear,” CEO Kishore Seendripu said.

For the third quarter, MaxLinear expects revenue of $210 million to $220 million, above the $173.837 million analyst estimate.

MaxLinear shares dipped 14.6% to trade at $77.90 on Friday.

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

Needham analyst N. Quinn Bolton maintained the stock with a Buy and raised the price target from $60 to $100. Susquehanna analyst Christopher Rolland maintained the stock with a Neutral and raised the price target from $45 to $80. Considering buying MXL stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.

Life and the stock market are both about expectations, and rising above what is expected is often rewarded, while falling short can come with negative consequences. Investors might want to try to capture stronger returns by finding positive earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction, or ESP, works by locking in on the most up-to-date analyst earnings revisions because they can be more accurate than estimates from weeks or even months before the actual release date. The thinking is pretty straightforward: analysts who provide earnings estimates closer to the report are likely to have more information.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Most stocks, about 60%, fall into the #3 (Hold) category, and they are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with a #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) rating, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks outperforming more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Teradyne?Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. Teradyne (TER - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $2.05 a share, just four days from its upcoming earnings release on July 28, 2026.

TER has an Earnings ESP figure of +0.59%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $2.05 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04. Teradyne is one of a large database of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

TER is one of just a large database of Computer and Technology stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Lam Research (LRCX - Free Report) .

Slated to report earnings on July 29, 2026, Lam Research holds a #2 (Buy) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and its Most Accurate Estimate is $1.71 a share five days from its next quarterly update.

For Lam Research, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69 is +1.38%.

TER and LRCX's positive ESP metrics may signal that a positive earnings surprise for both stocks is on the horizon.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Key Takeaways Deckers beat Q1 earnings and revenue estimates, driven by HOKA, UGG and strong DTC demand.DECK raised fiscal 2027 EPS guidance but increased its forward tariff cost assumption to 12.5%.Deckers expects Q2 gross margin pressure from higher tariff and freight costs, despite healthy demand. Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK - Free Report) reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, with both earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company reported earnings of 94 cents per share, up 1.1% year over year, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 88 cents by 6.8%. Net sales increased 5.7% year over year to $1,019.5 million and topped the consensus estimate of $1,017 million by 0.3%. On a constant-currency basis, net sales grew 4.8% year over year.

The company delivered its first-ever June quarter with more than $1 billion in revenues, driven by continued momentum in the HOKA and UGG brands, strong direct-to-consumer (DTC) demand and disciplined full-price selling across channels. Management also raised its fiscal 2027 earnings outlook following stronger-than-expected first-quarter profitability.

However, investors remained cautious as the company projected lower second-quarter gross margin due to tariff and freight headwinds, and increased its tariff cost assumption for the remainder of fiscal 2027. Consequently, shares of the company lost 6.1% yesterday.

DECK’s Brand Momentum Led by HOKA & UGGThe HOKA brand remained the primary growth driver in the first quarter, with net sales increasing 7.7% year over year to $703.5 million, slightly missing our estimate of $705.3 million. Growth was driven by a 17% increase in DTC revenues, supported by continued strength in Europe, China, Japan and the United States.

Management highlighted broad-based demand across franchise families, with Clifton, Bondi, Speedgoat 7, Mach 7, Mafate Speed 2 and Skyward contributing to growth. The company also noted encouraging early consumer response to the recently launched Clifton Pro, while healthy full-price selling and disciplined marketplace management continued to support the brand's performance.

The UGG brand delivered solid first-quarter results, with net sales increasing 4.9% year over year to $278 million, beating our estimate of $276.2 million. Growth was balanced across wholesale and DTC channels, with international markets, particularly Asia, leading performance. Management highlighted continued progress in its 365 and men's growth initiatives, supported by strong demand for the Lowmel family, Golden collection and Otzo Clog. The company cited encouraging consumer response to its spring apparel collection, particularly fleece products, reinforcing UGG's expansion as a year-round lifestyle brand.

Meanwhile, net sales from Other Brands declined 18.1% year over year to $37.9 million compared with our estimate of $37.5 million, primarily reflecting the continued phase-out of Koolaburra standalone operations.

Deckers’ DTC & International Businesses Drive Q1 GrowthWholesale net sales increased 2.2% year over year to $666.7 million in the first quarter. Reported wholesale growth reflected planned timing differences that shifted certain international wholesale and distributor shipments to later in fiscal 2027 compared with the prior year. Management emphasized that underlying demand remained healthy, supported by higher U.S. wholesale sell-in, strong full-price sell-through and record reorder activity in the EMEA region.

DTC net sales increased 13% year over year to $352.8 million, while comparable DTC sales rose 6.8%, driven by continued strength across both HOKA and UGG. HOKA's international DTC business continued to post robust growth in Europe, China and Japan.

From a geographic perspective, domestic net sales increased 3.2% year over year to $517.4 million. International net sales rose 8.4% to $502.1 million. Management noted that both HOKA and UGG continued to generate healthy demand across international markets, with Europe, China and Japan remaining key contributors to growth.

DECK’s Full-Price Selling Lifts Gross MarginGross profit increased 6.9% year over year to $575.2 million in the first quarter. Gross margin expanded 60 basis points to 56.4% and surpassed our estimate of 54.6%. Favorable channel and product mix, full-price selling, foreign exchange benefits and better management of closeout inventory more than offset a 150-basis-point tariff headwind. Closeout management contributed about 60 basis points to the year-over-year margin comparison.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 12.7% year over year to $419.9 million. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A expenses increased to 41.2% from 38.6% in the prior-year quarter. Higher spending reflected continued investments in marketing, technology, additional personnel supporting key growth initiatives, higher occupancy costs related to new HOKA stores and unfavorable foreign currency remeasurement.

Operating income declined 6% year over year to $155.3 million from $165.3 million in the year-ago quarter. The operating margin contracted to 15.2% from 17.1%.

DECK Maintains Strong Liquidity & Shareholder ReturnsCash and cash equivalents were $1.60 billion as of June 30, 2026, compared with $1.72 billion a year earlier. Inventories declined 4.9% year over year to $807.6 million, and the company maintained a debt-free balance sheet with no outstanding borrowings. Total stockholders' equity stood at $2.30 billion at the end of the quarter.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Deckers repurchased approximately 3.3 million shares of its common stock for $338.2 million at an average price of $103.79 per share. The company noted that share repurchases continued to be an important component of its capital allocation strategy.

As of June 30, 2026, approximately $4.7 billion remained available under the company's existing share repurchase authorization.

Q2’27 Outlook for DECKFor the fiscal second quarter, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company expects consolidated revenues to increase approximately 5% year over year. HOKA revenues are projected to grow at a high-single-digit rate, while UGG is expected to maintain its mid-single-digit growth rate. Other Brands revenues are expected to decline approximately 50% from the prior-year quarter, primarily reflecting the continued streamlining of the company's brand portfolio following the wind-down of the Koolaburra business.

Management indicated that second-quarter results will continue to reflect planned timing differences in the wholesale and distributor businesses, with some international shipments moving later into the fiscal year. Similar to the first quarter, these timing dynamics are expected to affect reported wholesale growth but do not reflect any change in underlying consumer demand. The company expects continued strength in its direct-to-consumer business, while emphasizing that HOKA and UGG will continue to experience healthy demand across regions and channels.

Gross margin is expected to decline year over year due to higher tariff costs and rising freight expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses will remain elevated as the company continues to make first-half weighted investments in its strategic growth initiatives, including brand-building, technology and marketplace expansion. As a result, earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $1.73-$1.78.

Management also reiterated that revenue growth is expected to accelerate in the second half of fiscal 2027, primarily driven by the HOKA brand and the normalization of international wholesale and distributor shipment timing. The company noted that quarterly growth is not expected to be linear as it continues to prioritize a pull model of demand and disciplined marketplace execution to support long-term sustainable growth.

Deckers’ Fiscal 2027 View Reflects Higher Tariff AssumptionsFor fiscal 2027, Deckers continues to expect consolidated net sales to be in the range of $5.86-$5.91 billion, representing high-single-digit growth from the prior year. HOKA revenues are still expected to increase at a low-double-digit rate, while UGG revenues are projected to grow at a mid-single-digit pace. Management continues to expect revenue growth to accelerate in the second half of fiscal 2027, primarily driven by the HOKA brand and the normalization of international wholesale and distributor shipment timing.

The company now expects gross margin to be slightly better than 56.5%, reflecting stronger-than-expected first-quarter performance. The updated outlook incorporates a higher forward tariff assumption of 12.5%, up from the previous 10% and continues to exclude any benefit from potential refunds of tariffs previously paid. Management indicated that it is pursuing tariff refunds but has not included any related assumptions in its fiscal 2027 guidance given the uncertainty around timing and recovery.

Selling, general and administrative expenses are still expected to be approximately 35% of net sales as Deckers continues investing in its long-term growth initiatives. Planned investments remain focused on strengthening the company's brand portfolio through marketing, expanding technology capabilities and data analytics, supporting key growth initiatives and reinforcing the foundation of the business. Management stated that these investments are intended to position the company for operating expense leverage beginning in fiscal 2028 and beyond.

Operating margin is now anticipated to be slightly better than 21.5%, reflecting the improved gross margin outlook. The company continues to project an effective tax rate of approximately 23% and has raised its fiscal 2027 earnings per share guidance to $7.35-$7.50, as compared with its prior outlook of $7.30-$7.45, driven by higher expected gross margin. The guidance also assumes share repurchases with a value equal to approximately 80% of projected fiscal 2027 free cash flow.

DECK Stock Past Three-Month Performance

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Shares of the company have lost 9.9% over the past three months compared with the industry’s 1.2% decline.

Other Key Retail PicksGenesco Inc. (GCO - Free Report) is a Nashville-based specialty retailer and branded company. It sells footwear and accessories through retail stores. The company flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Genesco’s current fiscal-year earnings indicates growth of 55.2% from the year-ago actuals. GCO delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 3.8%.

Canada Goose (GOOS - Free Report) is a designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of premium outerwear for men, women and children. The company also holds a Zacks Rank #1 at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Canada Goose’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 58.9% and 3.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. GOOS delivered a negative trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 43.3%.

Designer Brands Inc. (DBI - Free Report) designs, produces and retails footwear and accessories. It offers shoes, boots, sandals, sneakers, socks, handbags and accessories. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Designer Brands’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests growth of 137.5% and 0.5%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. DBI delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 112.8%.

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

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

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

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

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

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

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

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

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

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

Stock to Watch: Deckers (DECK - Free Report) Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Goleta, Deckers Outdoor Corp. is a leading designer, producer and brand manager of innovative footwear, apparel and accessories developed for outdoor sports, high-performance activities and lifestyle use. The company sells products primarily under three proprietary brands — UGG, HOKA and Other brands (primarily comprised of Teva).

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

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. DECK has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 6.3% for the current fiscal year.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $7.46 per share. DECK also boasts an average earnings surprise of +15.2%.

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

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

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

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

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

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

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

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

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

Stock to Watch: Sensata (ST - Free Report) Headquartered in Attleboro, MA, Sensata Technologies is a global industrial technology company that develops, manufactures and sells sensors and sensor-rich solutions as well as electrical protection components and systems.

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

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 12.23; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $3.73 per share. ST boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.3%.

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

The market expects Church & Dwight (CHD - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 31. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis maker of household and personal products is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.89 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -5.3%.

Revenues are expected to be $1.5 billion, down 0.2% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.27% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Church & Dwight?For Church & Dwight, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.65%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination indicates that Church & Dwight will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Church & Dwight would post earnings of $0.93 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.95, delivering a surprise of +2.15%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Church & Dwight appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Planet Fitness, Inc. (“Planet Fitness” or “the Company”) (NYSE: PLNT) for violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investors who purchased the Company’s securities between November 6, 2025 and May 6, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”), are encouraged to contact the firm before September 14, 2026.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Planet Fitness failed to effectively roll out a national price increase on its Black Card offering. The Company overstated its growth outlook. The Company exaggerated its ability to drive new member joins with its existing market campaign. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Planet Fitness, investors suffered damages.

Join the case to recover your losses.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.        

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335
[email protected]

SOURCE:

 The Schall Law Firm

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SummaryGoosehead Insurance delivered 20% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 2026, with $113.4 million in revenues and 86% client retention.GSHD's dual distribution model leverages a growing franchise network and technology platforms, supporting scalable premium growth with limited capital intensity.The company trades at a forward P/E of 36.7x, reflecting high-growth expectations but exposing investors to valuation risk if growth or retention falters.Revenue concentration in homeowners and auto insurance and sensitivity to real estate and insurer risk appetite present structural risks to GSHD's outlook. seb_ra/iStock via Getty Images

Introduction In my view, Goosehead's strong growth confirms the business quality, though the current price requires almost flawless execution in the coming quarters.

Goosehead Insurance, Inc. (GSHD) is an independent personal lines insurance brokerage

162 Followers

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Portland General Electric (POR - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 31. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis electric utility is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.64 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -3%.

Revenues are expected to be $846.61 million, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 9.58% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Portland General Electric?For Portland General Electric, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Portland General Electric will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Portland General Electric would post earnings of $0.83 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.58, delivering a surprise of -30.12%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Portland General Electric doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

An Industry Player's Expected ResultsXcel Energy (XEL - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $0.79 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +5.3%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $3.58 billion, up 9% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Xcel has been revised 0.5% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -0.42%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.

When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Xcel will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

Investors in AAON, Inc. (AAON - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Oct 16, 2026 $55 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for AAON shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, AAON is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry that ranks in the Top 19% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 30 days, one analyst has increased the earnings estimate for the current quarter, while none have revised their estimates downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $5.50 per share to $5.53 in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about AAON right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

Newell Brands (NWL - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 31. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis consumer products company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.19 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -20.8%.

Revenues are expected to be $1.97 billion, up 1.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.02% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Newell Brands?For Newell Brands, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +5.36%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2.

So, this combination indicates that Newell Brands will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Newell Brands would post a loss of$0.09 per share when it actually produced a loss of -$0.05, delivering a surprise of +44.44%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates just once.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Newell Brands appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

NEW YORK, July 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is investigating potential securities violations against GoDaddy Inc. (“GoDaddy” or the “Company”) (NYSE: GDDY). CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION If you are a GoDaddy investor and have suffered losses, or if you have information that could assist in the GoDaddy investigation, you may CLICK HERE to contact us.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

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

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

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

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

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

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

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

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

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

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

Stock to Watch: Quest Diagnostics (DGX - Free Report) Headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, Quest Diagnostics Inc. provides diagnostic information services to a broad range of customers within its primary customer channels of physicians, hospitals, patients, and consumers. The company provides services to Independent Delivery Networks (IDN) throughout the United States, through its Professional Lab Services (PLS) offerings, which allow them to build and execute their laboratory strategy, improve quality, reduce healthcare costs, and focus on core competencies. The company is a key provider of reference testing for approximately half of the hospitals in the United States.

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

Momentum investors should take note of this Medical stock. DGX has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 10.5% over the past four weeks.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.02 to $10.72 per share. DGX also boasts an average earnings surprise of +5.8%.

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

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

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

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

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

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

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

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

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

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

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

Stock to Watch: Burlington Stores (BURL - Free Report) Founded in 1972 and headquartered in New Jersey, Burlington Stores, Inc. is a Fortune 500 company and an off-price retailer operating in the United States and Puerto Rico. Through its subsidiary, Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation, the company provides a line of value-priced products, including women’s ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats.

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

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. BURL has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 20% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2027, five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.36 to $11.71 per share. BURL boasts an average earnings surprise of +14%.

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

Wall Street analysts expect Sprouts Farmers (SFM - Free Report) to post quarterly earnings of $1.35 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates no change from the year-ago quarter. Revenues are expected to be $2.33 billion, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 1.8% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.

Ahead of a company's earnings disclosure, it is crucial to give due consideration to changes in earnings estimates. These revisions serve as a noteworthy factor in predicting potential investor reactions to the stock. Numerous empirical studies consistently demonstrate a strong relationship between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.

In light of this perspective, let's dive into the average estimates of certain Sprouts Farmers metrics that are commonly tracked and forecasted by Wall Street analysts.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Comparable store sales growth' should come in at -0.8%. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 10.2% in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts expect 'Stores at end of period' to come in at 492 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 455 .

The average prediction of analysts places 'New Stores Opened' at 8 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 12 .

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Stores at beginning of period' will likely reach 483 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 443 .

View all Key Company Metrics for Sprouts Farmers here>>>

Shares of Sprouts Farmers have experienced a change of -10.4% in the past month compared to the +0.6% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), SFM is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Miniatures of solar panel and electric pole are seen in front of Canadian Solar logo in this illustration taken January 17, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesJuly 24 (Reuters) - Canadian Solar (CSIQ.O), opens new tab opened a solar cell factory in Indiana on Friday that the company says will help fill a major gap in U.S. solar ​manufacturing by producing a key component that is largely produced in ‌Asia.

The U.S. is seeking to build a domestic solar supply chain through tax incentives and trade measures aimed at reducing dependence on imports. China controls about 80% of the global solar supply chain.

The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.

The ​nearly $1 billion investment by Canadian Solar's U.S. manufacturing arm, CS PowerTech, is ​expected to produce 6 gigawatts of cells annually and employ ⁠more than 1,200 people once it reaches full production by early next year.

"For ​us this is a tremendous milestone," Canadian Solar CEO Colin Parkin said in ​an interview.

Canadian Solar, which is based in Ontario, Canada, is one of the biggest solar equipment manufacturers in the world, with factories in China, Southeast Asia and the United States.

The Jeffersonville, ​Indiana, facility is the first U.S. plant designed to make heterojunction, or ​HJT, solar cells, a high-efficiency technology that Parkin said offers better performance than conventional technologies and ‌has ⁠more room for future improvements.

The United States has added significant solar module assembly capacity since the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act created a tax credit for advanced clean energy manufacturing. But production of cells that are assembled into panels has ​lagged, leaving manufacturers dependent ​on imports.

Output from ⁠the Jeffersonville plant will be used by Canadian Solar's module factory in Mesquite, Texas, which is being expanded to ​10 GW of annual capacity.

"It will directly reduce our reliance ​on imported ⁠cells," Parkin said, though the company will still depend on some imports.

U.S. tariffs on solar imports and manufacturing incentives helped justify the investment, Parkin said, adding that ⁠producing both ​cells and modules domestically allows the company to ​capture the full value of available tax incentives.

Canadian Solar is also actively evaluating investments further upstream ​in the solar supply chain, he said.

Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Nia Williams

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

7.01K Followers

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 24, 2026) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is investigating potential securities violations against Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. ("Fulcrum Therapeutics" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: FULC).

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION

If you are a Fulcrum Therapeutics investor and have suffered losses, or if you have information that could assist in the Fulcrum Therapeutics investigation, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (212) 329-8571.

Fulcrum Therapeutics is a "clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing small molecules to improve the lives of patients with rare hematological disorders[.]"

On June 1, 2026, after market close, Fulcrum Therapeutics announced in a press release "the discontinuation of its pociredir program for the treatment of SCD [(sickle cell disease).]" The Company stated that the "meeting minutes from recent end-of-phase interactions with the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA")]" "reflected heightened FDA concerns regarding pociredir's benefit-risk profile in SCD, stemming from an unexpectedly high rate of secondary hematologic malignancies observed with Tazverik® (tazemetostat), another PRC2 inhibitor, which was withdrawn from the global market in March 2026." After submitting further information, the FDA "concluded that any pharmacological intervention targeting the PRC2 complex carries equivalent malignancy risk regardless of the specific subunit engaged." As a result, the Company has "no viable regulatory path forward for further clinical development of pociredir."

Following this news, the price of Fulcrum Therapeutics stock declined from a closing price on June 1, 2026 of $6.42 per share to close at $3.14 per share on June 2, 2026, a decline of $3.28 per share, or by 51.09%.

WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX?

Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is a nationally recognized law firm focused on complex litigation, with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey. Founded in 1956, the firm has spent more than 50 years prosecuting securities, antitrust, and consumer protection actions in federal and state courts nationwide, recovering more than $10 billion for clients and the classes it has represented.

Kaplan Fox is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier plaintiffs' securities litigation firms and has received recognition from Chambers and Partners, Benchmark Litigation, Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon. Serving as lead or co-lead counsel in many landmark cases, the firm has secured some of the largest recoveries in the history of securities litigation, including a $2.425 billion recovery on behalf of Bank of America shareholders in In re Bank of America—the largest recovery ever obtained for claims under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act—$800 million recovered for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and other pension funds in ATRS v. Allianz Global Investors, and a $475 million settlement in In re Merrill Lynch.

For decades, Kaplan Fox has represented public pension funds, institutional investors, businesses, and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Through its successful advocacy and precedent-setting victories, the firm has helped shape important areas of securities and corporate law while advancing accountability and protecting investor interests.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

If you have any questions about this investigation, please contact:

Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.

https://www.kaplanfox.com/case/fulcrum-therapeutics-inc-investigation-learn-more-now/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/306380

Source: Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP

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High-frequency trading firms are paying up to $100,000 a month for a direct API feed to President Trump’s Truth Social posts, according to Wall Street Journal reporting discussed on CNBC Friday morning. Gunjan Banerji, the Journal’s lead markets writer, walked through the mechanics of the arrangement and explained why algorithmic traders view the fee as a cost of doing business rather than a discretionary spend.

The service routes posts from Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) to subscribing firms through a low-latency data pipe. Trump Media says every post remains available to the public at the same moment it is delivered to paying clients, so the debate centers on how quickly each recipient can actually process the message and route trades to exchanges.

Why Nanoseconds Translate Into Dollars Banerji framed the stakes in the smallest possible time unit. “For the high frequency traders, the types of firms that are subscribing to this data, nanoseconds matter. We’re talking billionths of a second can make a difference in terms of their profits or losses,” she said. Algorithmic desks that trade equities, Treasury futures, currency pairs, and index derivatives can capture or lose meaningful spreads on a single Trump statement about tariffs, sanctions, or personnel.

The market has repeatedly demonstrated that sensitivity. In April 2025, Trump posted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” on Truth Social hours before announcing a 90-day tariff pause, and stocks surged on the follow-up news. Traders who read the initial post ahead of the tape captured the move. Firms that saw it later paid a worse price.

The Wall Street vs. Main Street Question Banerji’s second point tied the pricing structure to a broader market-fairness issue. “This could shift the balance of power further towards Wall Street and away from many Main Street investors who might want to trade on this data,” she said. Retail investors watching Truth Social through the free consumer app receive the same words, only after the algorithms have already positioned around them.

The CNBC host highlighted the unprecedented layer. “Historically, when presidents or other federal officials have put news out, they also haven’t owned the device with which people are going to pay to get the milliseconds of news ahead of time,” he noted. Trump Media is controlled by the sitting president, which distinguishes the arrangement from feeds sold by neutral venues such as the NYSE or NASDAQ.

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“No Choice” for the Subscribers Traders told the Journal that opting out would leave them behind competitors already on the feed. “We haven’t had a president who’s profiting from these payments before. But then they went on to say, look, we have to do this. We have no choice but to subscribe to this feed if we want to keep up with our competitors,” Banerji said. The dynamic mirrors how HFT shops treat exchange colocation and proprietary market-data products, where sitting out is the same as paying to lose.

Lawmaker Pushback Several Democratic senators have raised concerns. “Senator Warner of Virginia said this amounts to self-dealing by the president. He said this creates a two-tiered system for market data. Elizabeth Warren has spoken out against it. So has Chuck Schumer,” the host said. Warner, Warren, and Schumer have publicly flagged potential emoluments clause and market-structure issues, though no court or regulator has ruled that any law has been violated.

Trump Media’s counter is that simultaneity of publication removes the legal problem: everyone technically receives the post at the same instant, and firms are paying for delivery infrastructure rather than exclusive content. Details of the offering, including subscriber counts and contract terms, have been disclosed in company communications and can be tracked through Trump Media’s filings with the SEC.

For investors, the open question is whether the venture can sustainably monetize presidential communications and whether Congress or regulators eventually restrict the model. The commercial logic is straightforward. The governance question remains unresolved.

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Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

USA: Prodeje nových domů v červnu meziměsíčně vzrostly o 1,6 % při očekávání růstu o 4,8 %

C3.ai, Inc. (AI - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.

Shares of this company have returned -6.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, to which C3.ai belongs, has lost 0.9% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, C3.ai is expected to post a loss of $0.26 per share, indicating a change of +29.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of -$0.82 points to a change of +39.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $0.5 indicates a change of +39.8% from what C3.ai is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, C3.ai is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

For C3.ai, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $51.46 million indicates a year-over-year change of -26.8%. For the current and next fiscal years, $221.58 million and $240.78 million estimates indicate -11.5% and +8.7% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryC3.ai reported revenues of $51.6 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -52.5%. EPS of -$0.33 for the same period compares with -$0.16 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $49.75 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.72%. The EPS surprise was +13.16%.

Over the last four quarters, C3.ai surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

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

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

C3.ai is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about C3.ai. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

24.7.2026 16:25, CHTR, CMCSA, AXP, SLB, VZ, SNDK

Index Dow Jones +0,27 % na 51848,77 b., S&P 500 +0,11 % na 7416,35 b., Nasdaq Composite -0,47 % na 25018,65 b.

Americké akcie se v úvodu páteční seance obchodují smíšeně, když investoři vyhodnocují další várku kvartálních výsledků. Zatímco indexy Dow Jones a S&P 500 mírně rostou, technologický Nasdaq ztrácí, přičemž pod tlakem zůstávají informační technologie. Naopak se daří realitnímu, energetickému a zdravotnickému sektoru.

Telekomunikační společnost Verizon reportovala za 2Q očištěný zisk na akcii ve výši 1,30 USD, čímž překonala očekávání analytiků na úrovni 1,27 USD. Volné peněžní toky meziročně vzrostly o 24,4 % na 6,4 mld. USD a počet nových zákazníků širokopásmového připojení dosáhl 348 tis. Společnost zvýšila celoroční výhled očištěného zisku na akcii na 4,99 až 5,04 USD (z 4,95 až 4,99 USD) a očekává růst volných peněžních toků o 9 až 10 %. Analytici pozitivně hodnotili nižší odchodovost zákazníků a příznivý vývoj hospodaření. Akcie Verizonu přidávají 2,94 %.

Kabelový operátor Charter Communications vykázal za 2Q tržby ve výši 13,53 mld. USD, které meziročně poklesly o 1,7 %, ale mírně překonaly očekávání trhu. Očištěný zisk EBITDA meziročně klesl o 4,3 % na 5,45 mld. USD a zaostal za konsensem ve výši 5,58 mld. USD, přičemž nižší než očekávané byly rovněž volné peněžní toky (0,97 mld. USD oproti očekávaným 1,14 mld. USD). Počet zákazníků internetových služeb se snížil o 166 tis., zatímco počet mobilních linek vzrostl o 406 tis. Společnost nadále očekává celoroční kapitálové výdaje přibližně 11,4 mld. USD. Akcie Charter Communications odepisují 4,45 %.

Také telekomunikační a mediální konglomerát Comcast reportoval své kvartální výsledky za 2Q roku 2026. Výnosy sice meziročně poklesly o 1,2 %, překonaly však očekávání analytiků. Nad odhady se umístil rovněž očištěný zisk na akcii a volné peněžní toky. Streamovací služba Peacock poprvé vykázala kladný očištěný zisk EBITDA, když těžila mimo jiné z vysílání play-off NBA a mistrovství světa ve fotbale. Akcie Comcast +1,67 %.

Americká finanční společnost American Express reportovala za 2Q zisk na akcii ve výši 4,53 USD, nad očekáváním analytiků na úrovni 4,41 USD. Tržby meziročně vzrostly o 10 % na 19,64 mld. USD, avšak mírně zaostaly za konsensem, obdobně jako příjmy z poplatků za karty (2,86 mld. USD oproti očekávaným 3,01 mld. USD). Pozitivně překvapily nižší opravné položky na úvěrové ztráty, které meziročně poklesly o 21 % na 1,1 mld. USD. Společnost zvýšila celoroční výhled růstu tržeb na 10 %. Akcie American Express -6,06 %.

Americká společnost SLB (dříve Schlumberger), která poskytuje služby v oblasti ropného průmyslu vykázala za 2Q očištěný zisk na akcii ve výši 0,55 USD, zatímco analytici očekávali 0,51 USD. Tržby meziročně vzrostly o 5 % na 8,97 mld. USD, přičemž růst ve většině zahraničních regionů a vyšší výnosy divize Production Systems (3,77 mld. USD, +24 % meziročně) kompenzovaly slabší vývoj na Blízkém východě. Volné peněžní toky dosáhly 716 mil. USD a výrazně překonaly konsensus ve výši 327 mil. USD. Analytici vyzdvihli zejména rychlý růst segmentu datových center a přínos akvizice ChampionX. Akcie SLB přidávají 9,66 %.

Akcie výrobce paměťových medií Sandisk odepisují 8,5 %, když investoři upravovali své pozice před zveřejněním kvartálních výsledků a vybírali zisky v sektoru paměťových čipů.

Index S&P 500 +0,11 % na 7416,35 b. Nejsilnější sektory S&P Změna Nejslabší sektory S&P Změna Reality +2,5 % Informační technologie -0,7 % Energie +1,2 % Zbytná spotřeba -0,1 % Zdravotní péče +0,9 % Finanční sektor +0,2 % Nejsilnější akcie S&P Změna Nejslabší akcie S&P Změna Digital Realty Trust (DLR) +14 % Sandisk Corp (SNDK) -8,5 % SLB (SLB) +9,5 % Coherent Corp (COHR) -8,0 % Equinix (EQIX) +6,7 % CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) -6,8 % Universal Health Services (UHS) +6,3 % Lumentum Holdings (LITE) -6,7 % ServiceNow (NOW) +5,1 % Robinhood Markets (HOOD) -6,6 %
Zdroj: Bloomberg

Marek Krejčiřík
Fio banka, a.s.
Prohlášení

Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.81 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.48 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +21.48%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this defense contractor would post earnings of $1.32 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.78, delivering a surprise of +34.85%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Booz Allen, which belongs to the Zacks Consulting Services industry, posted revenues of $2.8 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.92 billion. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Booz Allen shares have lost about 21.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.2%.

What's Next for Booz Allen?While Booz Allen has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Booz Allen was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.58 on $2.87 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $6.31 on $11.41 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Consulting Services is currently in the bottom 35% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, Information Services Group (III - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5.

This market advisory service company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.09 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +12.5%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Information Services Group's revenues are expected to be $62.75 million, up 1.9% from the year-ago quarter.

The Pentagon's AI Pivot Supercharges Defense StocksBooz Allen Hamilton NYSE: BAH reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $2.8 billion, down 4.2% from a year earlier, as growth in its national security portfolio was offset by continued weakness in civil work. The government-services company said profitability and cash flow exceeded its expectations and reaffirmed its full-year guidance.

Adjusted EBITDA rose to $334 million, producing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.9%, up 130 basis points year over year. Adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 22% to $1.81. Chief Financial Officer Troy Lahr said earnings benefited from profit growth, a lower tax rate, fewer shares outstanding and a $19 million pretax unrealized gain on a venture investment.

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Catching Falling Knives: Is It Time to Buy These Beaten-Down Stocks?Free cash flow was $261 million in the quarter, supported by strong collections and favorable timing, according to Lahr. Days sales outstanding increased by seven days year over year to 80 days, which the company attributed to revenue-recognition treatment related to its Defy business. Booz Allen expects DSO to remain above its historical level.

National Security Growth Offsets Civil Pressure National security revenue grew 1% year over year in the first quarter, while civil revenue declined 16%. Lahr said the company expects national security revenue to grow at a mid-single-digit rate for the full fiscal year, with stronger growth in the second half as new work ramps up.

Booz Allen Hamilton Earnings: 3 Bullish Signals for BAH StockCivil revenue continued to face pressure from the roll-off of larger contracts, prior contract reductions, Treasury-related impacts and fewer new program starts after a slower award environment last year. The company also said some recompete awards are transitioning to follow-on contracts with smaller scopes and shorter performance periods.

Booz Allen expects another sequential double-digit decline in civil revenue in the second quarter as additional contracts end, though management expects those pressures to ease gradually in the second half. President and COO Kristine Martin Anderson said the company still expects civil revenue to decline by a high-single-digit percentage for the year, an improvement from the prior year.

“Demand is strengthening, and we are winning work,” Anderson said of the civil portfolio, pointing to an expanding pipeline and efforts to bring the company’s cyber and defense technology solutions into civil agencies.

Funding trends improved during the quarter. Chairman and CEO Horacio Rozanski said funding was up 17% year over year, while Anderson said funding rose about 18% in both civil and national security. Funded backlog increased 15% to $4.7 billion, while total backlog rose 3% to more than $39 billion. The company’s book-to-bill ratio was 1.5 times in the quarter and 1.1 times on a trailing 12-month basis.

National security funded backlog increased 23%, and management said it is accelerating hiring to support anticipated growth. Anderson noted that the company is facing some supply constraints in recruiting personnel with security clearances.

Government Contracting Changes and Funding Uncertainty Management said the market remains uneven despite improving funding. Rozanski cited the midterm election year, potential continuing resolutions, the National Defense Authorization Act, possible reconciliation legislation and potential supplemental funding as factors that could affect the government funding environment later in the year.

The company is also preparing for a government push toward fixed-price and outcomes-based contracts. Anderson said recent guidance directs agencies to use firm fixed-price contracting as the default for new contracts unless an exception is approved. Booz Allen welcomed the shift, saying it could improve alignment between costs, accountability and mission results while offering more flexibility in delivery.

“Early indications are positive,” Rozanski said, while adding that the transition will take time because existing contracts do not convert immediately. Lahr said the company’s first-quarter profitability benefited in part from early shifts toward outcomes-based fixed-price contracting.

Anderson also said Booz Allen’s pipeline of other transaction authority opportunities increased 18% year over year. The company has been placing technology offerings on government marketplaces including Tradewind, Aeris and Platform One, which management said can provide faster procurement channels.

Cyber, Defense Technology and Ultra Acquisition Rozanski highlighted cyber and defense technology as the company’s primary growth vectors. He said agentic artificial intelligence is changing the cyber threat environment by enabling more autonomous attacks and that Booz Allen is expanding Vellox, its suite of agentic cyber products. He cited the company’s zero-trust capabilities and its Ranger product, which is designed to help organizations identify and remediate vulnerabilities at AI speed.

In defense technology, the company is focusing on command-and-control software, edge computing, resilient communications and autonomy. Booz Allen expects to close its acquisition of Ultra I&C Mission Solutions during the second quarter. The business brings products spanning command-and-control software, ruggedized edge computing and encryption management.

Lahr said Ultra is expected to deliver strong double-digit revenue growth for the next several years and EBITDA margins above 20%, though he did not provide a revenue run rate. Booz Allen plans to update guidance after the transaction closes.

The company deployed $447 million during the quarter, including $324 million for the Defy acquisition and venture investments, along with $123 million for dividends and share repurchases. It ended the quarter with $540 million in cash, $2 billion in total liquidity and net leverage of 2.7 times trailing-12-month adjusted EBITDA.

Booz Allen said it will continue pursuing a balanced capital-allocation strategy, including shareholder returns, venture investments and acquisitions that can accelerate its cyber and defense technology businesses.

About Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE:BAH)Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation is a publicly traded management and technology consulting firm headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The company provides a wide range of professional services and solutions in strategy, analytics, digital transformation, engineering and cyber security. Its expertise spans from supporting federal civilian agencies to defense, intelligence and homeland security organizations, as well as select commercial industries.

Key offerings include data analytics and artificial intelligence applications, software development and modernization, systems integration, and cyber risk management.

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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