LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz reminds investors of upcoming lead plaintiff deadlines in securities class action lawsuits filed on behalf of shareholders of The Chemours Company, Compass, Inc., and Millrose Properties, Inc. Investors who wish to seek appointment as lead plaintiff must file a motion by the deadlines listed below.
If you lost money on these investments, contact The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz about these class actions to learn about your legal rights, by calling 310-914-5007 or emailing [email protected].
The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC)
Class period: February 20, 2026 through August 4, 2026Lead plaintiff motion deadline: December 7, 2026Case: Darcy v. The Chemours Company et al., filed in the U.S. District Court District of Delaware (Wilmington) According to the Chemours Company complaint, throughout the class period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Defendants had materially overstated aftermarket demand for their Opteon products; (ii) demand for such products was decreasing as a result of Defendants' overselling Opteon products in the preceding fiscal year; and (iii) as a result of these undisclosed issues, Defendants' financial guidance for the 2026 fiscal year was unreliable.
If you are a The Chemours Company shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
Compass, Inc. (NYSE: COMP)
Class period: January 9, 2026 through October 7, 2026Lead plaintiff motion deadline: December 8, 2026Case: Magloire v. Compass, Inc. et al., filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York According to the Compass, Inc. complaint, throughout the class period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Compass and Anywhere failed to “use their respective reasonable best efforts to obtain [] authorizations and consents” from “certain regulatory authorities” and “to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate actions and . . . all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable law (including any antitrust laws) to consummate and make effective the merger at the earliest practicable date”; (ii) Compass was not in “compliance with applicable laws,” with “the absence of governmental investigations and the possession of and compliance with licenses and permits necessary for the conduct of business.”; and (iii) Defendants hired a well-connected lobbyist and lawyer to obtain access to high-level Department of Justice officials to circumvent the antitrust merger review process.
If you are a Compass, Inc. shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
Millrose Properties, Inc. (NYSE: MRP)
Class period: February 7, 2025 through October 2, 2026Lead plaintiff motion deadline: December 8, 2026Case: Rubenstsein et al. v. Millrose Properties, Inc. et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida According to the Millrose Properties, Inc. complaint, throughout the class period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) despite representations to the contrary, Millrose's objectives were not limited to engaging in land purchases, horizontal development, and homesite option purchase arrangements for Lennar and potentially other homebuilders and developers; (ii) despite representations to the contrary, Millrose would in fact enter into lease agreements and would have tenants in its properties; (iii) Millrose would purchase $200 million worth of properties from Lennar; and (iv) Millrose would lease the properties purchased from Lennar out at a loss.
If you are a Millrose Properties, Inc. shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
What should investors in these cases do now?
Investors need not take any action at this time to be class members in these cases. Investors may retain counsel of their choice or take no action and remain absent class members. No class has been certified yet in any of these cases.
For more information about these class actions or your rights, contact Frank R. Cruz of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz at 310-914-5007, by email at [email protected], or visit the firm's case page.
If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
About The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz
The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz investigates and prosecutes securities fraud and corporate malfeasance class actions. With nearly 20 years of litigation experience, the firm focuses on complex securities class actions and gives each client personal, one-on-one attention throughout the legal process.
BENSALEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Chemours Company ("Chemours" or the "Company") (NYSE: CC) investors who wish to serve as lead plaintiff in a pending securities fraud class action lawsuit must move the Court by December 7, 2026. The suit was filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities from February 20, 2026 through August 4, 2026, inclusive. The Law Offices of Howard G. Smith today highlighted the deadline in the case, Darcy v. The Chemours Compan.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK), a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, today issued the following statement in response to the Delaware Supreme Court order regarding the AccuLynx transaction:
“We respect the Delaware Supreme Court’s order to affirm the judgment of the Delaware Chancery Court. We will proceed in accordance with the Court’s order. The transaction remains subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and FTC review, and there is no guarantee that the transaction will be completed. We remain focused on serving as a strategic data and technology partner to the global insurance industry and continuing to deliver long-term value for our shareholders.”
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About Verisk
Verisk (Nasdaq: VRSK) is a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry. It empowers clients to strengthen operating efficiency, improve underwriting and claims outcomes, combat fraud and make informed decisions about global risks, including climate change, catastrophic events, sustainability and political issues. Through advanced data analytics, software, scientific research and deep industry knowledge, Verisk helps build global resilience for individuals, communities and businesses. With teams across more than 20 countries, Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work. For more, visit Verisk.com and the Verisk Newsroom.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond our control and that could materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.
Contact Data Investor Relations Stacey Brodbar Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations Verisk 201-469-4327 [email protected] Media Alberto Canal Verisk Public Relations 201-469-2618 [email protected]
Washington is handing refiners $150 million to expand fuel supply at the same moment those same refiners are posting the biggest margins in their history.
Key Takeaways VLO surged 149.2% over the past year versus PSX's 110.8% gain, with both benefiting from strong margins.VLO's access to cheaper heavy crude and diverse feedstocks helps control costs amid elevated oil prices.PSX's diversified operations and debt reduction bolster resilience, while VLO trades at a lower valuation. Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Free Report) and Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) are two large-cap energy players with promising business prospects, supported by their strong refining operations. Investors’ preference for both stocks is reflected in the price chart. Over the past year, VLO surged 149.2%, outperforming PSX’s 110.8% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
However, the stock price performance does not necessarily establish VLO's superiority over PSX as a refining energy giant. Before arriving at an investment conclusion, let's examine the broader downstream business environment, which plays a crucial role in determining the cash flow potential of both energy majors.
VLO's Advantageous Position in Heavy Crude Aids ItThe Middle East tensions are driving crude oil prices higher, with West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) hovering around $100 per barrel, according to Oilprice.com. The high crude price has significantly increased input costs for refiners such as VLO and PSX. However, unlike many refiners, Valero Energy has a heavy crude advantage, as heavy crude is cheaper than light crude like WTI.
Regarding the company’s access to diverse crude feedstocks, Valero has an advantage because its Gulf Coast refineries can buy crude oil from many low-cost sources, including the United States, Canada and Venezuela. This gives the company more flexibility to purchase cheaper oil, which helps keep refining costs low and can boost profits when competitors have fewer sourcing options.
Constrained Global Refining Capacity is a Boon for VLO & PSX?Global refining capacity is constrained and fuel inventories are low. On the demand side, gasoline and diesel remain resilient. This means people are still driving, while diesel demand suggests transportation and freight activity are still holding up. As a result, with refineries busy and fuel in limited supply, refiners’ margins are quite strong.
With crude prices likely to remain high, investors shouldn’t allocate their money only to exploration and production companies but also to refining players like VLO, even though high crude prices have been increasing refiners’ input costs.
The same story applies to PSX, as the energy major also noted that there aren’t enough refineries or products globally right now because much refining capacity is offline and fuel inventories are low.
PSX’s Resilient Business Model & Debt Reduction FocusAlthough a leading refiner, PSX, unlike most of its refining peers, has diversified its business across midstream and chemicals. Along with investing in refining operations, Phillips 66 is allocating significant capital to midstream.
The midstream business, by its very definition, is stable since the company generates stable cash flows as the assets are being utilized for the long term and is less vulnerable to commodity price volatility. Hence, with a diversified business model, PSX is largely insulated from commodity price volatility.
Moreover, debt reduction remains on track, with PSX targeting roughly $17 billion of total debt by 2026-end versus almost $21 billion in the second quarter, while net debt is expected to improve from $16.5 billion to less than $16 billion.
Image Source: Phillips 66
VLO or PSX: Which is a Better Stock?Coming to the valuation, VLO stock is currently relatively cheap, as the energy company is trading at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA multiple of 9.00x, which is lower than PSX’s 12.52x. In other words, investors are willing to pay a premium price for PSX over VLO.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The premium valuations reflect PSX’s strong business fundamentals, sound balance sheet and resilient business model. VLO also presents a compelling investment case, given its relatively attractive valuation and the prevailing strength in the refining business environment.
Currently, both stocks are highly investment-worthy and sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Key Takeaways The Q3 earnings season has picked up rapid pace, with a decent amount of companies already reporting. VLO, RTX, and IBKR all posted quarterly records, reflecting favorable business momentum. All three sport favorable Zacks Ranks, providing a solid backdrop for near-term share performance. The Q3 earnings season continues its rapid pace, with several companies, including Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) , RTX (RTX - Free Report) , and Interactive Brokers (IBKR - Free Report) delivering record-breaking results while also sporting favorable Zacks Ranks.
Valero Energy Posts Record ProfitValero Energy, one of the largest independent petroleum refiners, delivered a highly positive release, benefiting significantly from the favorable refining environment.
Adjusted earnings totaled $23.90 per share, comfortably exceeding the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate of $21.23 and climbing more than 550% YoY. Revenues of roughly $46.1 billion also exceeded the Zacks Consensus estimate of $38.8 billion, reflecting a beat of nearly 19%.
VLO posted record quarterly profit, with net income reaching $6.8 billion compared to $1.1 billion in the year-ago period. Refining operating income soared to $8.8 billion from $1.6 billion, reflecting a sizable improvement in margins. Valero also saw record quarterly ethanol production of 4.8 million gallons per day, with its refineries operating at near-record utilization rates.
The stock sports a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), with its earnings outlook benefiting heavily from positive revisions over recent months.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
RTX Reports Record BacklogRTX, a leading aerospace and defense company and current Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), delivered strong quarterly results,with adjusted earnings of $2.26 per share exceeding the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate of $1.78 by nearly 27% and climbing 33% YoY. Revenues of $24.5 billion similarly exceeded the $24.0 billion consensus estimate by 4%, reflecting 11% YoY growth.
RTX exited the period with a record $340 billion backlog, including $176 billion from commercial aerospace and $164 billion from defense. The impressive backlog provides strong revenue visibility, undoubtedly a major positive for investors. EPS revisions for its current and next fiscal year remain on a positive trajectory, suggesting growth rates of 17% for FY26 and 6.7% in FY27.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Interactive Brokers Sees Record Customer GrowthInteractive Brokers, an automated global electronic brokerage firm, delivered another solid quarter, benefiting from continued account growth and higher trading activity.
Adjusted earnings of $0.67 per share matched the Zacks Consensus estimate, climbing 17.5% YoY. Revenues of $1.9 billion exceeded the $1.8 billion consensus estimate by 1.9%, reflecting 16.3% YoY growth.
Importantly, customer accounts reached a record 5.58 million, climbing 35% YoY. Customer equity similarly grew 27% to nearly $965 billion, while net interest income increased 19% to roughly $1.2 billion.
The company also raised its quarterly dividend by more than 70%, reflecting a strong commitment to increasingly rewarding shareholders. IBKR sports a favorable Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), with annual EPS estimates continuing to remain on a bullish trajectory.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bottom Line
The Q3 earnings season continues to deliver impressive results, with Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) , RTX (RTX - Free Report) , and Interactive Brokers (IBKR - Free Report) all posting quarterly records.
In addition to reporting quarterly records, all three sport favorable Zacks Ranks, reflecting positive earnings outlooks and providing a constructive near-term backdrop for shares.
On its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 22, 2026, Robert Half (RHI +20.81%) announced global enterprise revenues of $1.359 billion and its first year-over-year growth in quarterly earnings per share since 2022. Long-term investors care because recovering hiring activity and expanding consultant margins show the specialized staffing model is regaining momentum. Three things management said stand out.
1. Regulatory Pressure Is Driving High-Margin Compliance WorkBank regulators are stepping up enforcement, creating immediate demand for risk and compliance consulting that feeds both Protiviti and contract staffing operations.
During the last 90 days, Treasury Department regulators imposed significant fines and major enforcement actions against multiple large financial institutions.
-- Keith Waddell, President and Chief Executive Officer2. AI Adoption Creates Fresh Opportunities and Verification NeedsGenerative artificial intelligence tools let job candidates pad credentials, making human screening and candidate evaluation far more valuable for hiring managers.
At the same time, the growing use of generative AI by job seekers is making it more challenging for employers to distinguish between candidates' stated qualifications and demonstrated capabilities.
-- Keith Waddell, President and Chief Executive Officer3. Pricing Discipline and Higher Bill Rates Are Expanding SpreadsContract talent bill rates accelerated year over year, lifting segment gross margins through higher billable skill mixes and deliberate pricing execution.
Contract Talent Solutions bill rates for the third quarter increased 3.6% compared to 1 year ago, adjusted for changes in the mix of revenues by functional specialization currency, and country.
-- Michael C. Buckley, Chief Financial OfficerLooking AheadTechnology consulting is reaching record quarterly performance as clients fund core infrastructure upgrades.
Technology consulting again posted all-time-high quarterly revenues with high demand for platform transformation, cybersecurity, and data-related and AI engagements.
-- Keith Waddell, President and Chief Executive OfficerManagement watches pricing discipline, consultant utilization, and compliance project backlogs across both divisions to protect operating margins. The cross-selling model between staffing and consulting provides a structural buffer.
Backed by our trusted brand, exceptional people, innovative capabilities, and diversified business model, we remain confident in our ability to create long-term value for our clients, our employees and our shareholders.
-- Keith Waddell, President and Chief Executive OfficerThe Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Shares of Robert Half (RHI +20.81%) soared on Friday. The human resources veteran's stock is up 20.1% at 12:35 p.m. ET, down from an intraday peak of 22.9%. The company reported Q3 2026 results on Thursday evening, and its financials were largely in line with analyst expectations.
Wait, what? Simply meeting Wall Street's targets usually doesn't result in single-day jumps of more than 20%.
Image source: Getty Images.
Talent Solutions finally turns a cornerRobert Half's third-quarter revenue came in at $1.36 billion, which was essentially flat year over year on an adjusted basis. However, earnings per share jumped 14% to $0.49, marking the company's first quarterly bottom-line increase since 2022.
The core Talent Solutions staffing segment also finally returned to growth, ticking up 2% as demand for technology, finance, and accounting professionals stabilized. Profitability improved across the board, with adjusted operating margins expanding to 5.3% from 4.5% last year, largely thanks to recent cost-cutting measures and better pricing on contract placements.
$45.52+$7.84 (+20.81%)
NYSE · As of 1:14 PM ET 10/23/26
Why Wall Street loves the new Protiviti pipelineThe real catalyst behind today's massive stock jump was the earnings call, where management delivered bullish commentary on the Protiviti consulting business.
While Protiviti's revenue actually slipped 3% in the third quarter, a recent wave of severe government fines against large financial institutions has created a massive pipeline of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance projects. Since Protiviti already works with 80% of the world's largest banks, it is positioned to capture this highly lucrative, contractor-heavy remediation work.
Friday's price jump brought Robert Half's stock back to its level before the macroeconomic panic in September. The company is finding ways to stay relevant despite a cautious job market. However, the stock is still down 38% in three years and 60% since October 2021, reflecting Robert Half's stagnant long-term revenue growth.
While Protiviti's success is a strong short-term catalyst, I prefer to look to the modern freelance economy when investing in the changing world of work.
Anders Bylund has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Investors interested in Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States stocks are likely familiar with ConocoPhillips (COP - Free Report) and Cactus, Inc. (WHD - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
ConocoPhillips and Cactus, Inc. are sporting Zacks Ranks of #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy), respectively, right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that COP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.
Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.
The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.
COP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.01, while WHD has a forward P/E of 19.62. We also note that COP has a PEG ratio of 1.45. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. WHD currently has a PEG ratio of 1.61.
Another notable valuation metric for COP is its P/B ratio of 2.68. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, WHD has a P/B of 3.31.
Based on these metrics and many more, COP holds a Value grade of B, while WHD has a Value grade of C.
COP sticks out from WHD in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that COP is the better option right now.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGTX), today announced initial results from the Company’s Phase 1 study evaluating azercabtagene zapreleucel (azer-cel), an investigational, allogeneic CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The data represent the first reported clinical evaluation of an allogeneic CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy in progressive MS and were presented in a late-breaking oral session at MSToronto2026, the 10th Joint Meeting of the Americas and European Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS), being held October 21–23, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.
Michael S. Weiss, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TG Therapeutics, stated, “These initial azer-cel results are particularly encouraging given that all patients entered the study with progressive disability despite prior treatment with high-efficacy therapies, including anti-CD20 treatment. The safety findings to date, together with evidence of B-cell depletion in both the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, demonstrate biological activity at doses that appear tolerable, while stable or improved disability scores in most subjects provide a potential signal of clinical activity. Of particular interest, five of the 18 evaluable patients experienced improvements in disability scores, including three patients with improvements of two or more points on the EDSS scale, an encouraging early finding in a disease where even slowing progression can represent an important therapeutic advance.”
Mr. Weiss continued, “While these results remain preliminary, we believe an off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapy has the potential to offer a meaningful new treatment option for patients with progressive MS, where substantial unmet need remains. We look forward to continuing dose escalation and evaluating longer-term outcomes, and we are grateful to the patients, their families, and the clinical teams who are making this research possible.”
TG PRESENTATION:
Late-Breaking Oral Presentation: First Clinical Evaluation of an Allogeneic CD19-Directed CAR T-Cell Therapy in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Initial Results from the Phase 1 TG-Azercel-101 Study
The presentation includes data from 26 participants with progressive MS treated across six azer-cel dose levels, ranging from 30 million to 500 million CAR T-cells, following bendamustine lymphodepletion. All participants had experienced progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) within the prior 12 months despite high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy, and all had previously received anti-CD20 therapy. The median baseline EDSS score was 6.0, reflecting substantial disability, with patients typically requiring assistance to walk even relatively short distances. As of the September 3, 2026 data cutoff, median follow-up was 4.9 months, with a range of 0.1 to 15.0 months.
Presentation Highlights:
Azer-cel demonstrated an encouraging initial safety profile in 26 participants, with no dose-limiting toxicities or high-grade CAR T associated toxicities observed across dose levels including no Grade ≥3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS), Grade ≥2 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), graft-versus-host disease, immune effector cell-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (IEC-HS) and no Grade ≥3 infections. Despite documented progression prior to enrollment, EDSS scores were stable or improved in 89% of evaluable participants at Day 90 (16/18) and 88% at Day 180 (7/8). Three participants achieved EDSS improvements of at least 2.0 points at Day 90, including one with a 4.0-point improvement. At Day 90, most evaluable participants demonstrated stable or improved walking performance (94%; 16/17), upper extremity function (94%; 17/18) and cognitive processing speed (78%; 14/18), with no gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions or new or enlarging T2 lesions observed in any of the 22 participants evaluable by MRI. Peripheral blood B-cell counts were depleted to below 10 cells/µL in 96% of participants (25/26), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 21 participants showed a median reduction in CD19-positive B-cell events of 52.3% at Day 10. B-cell reconstitution was observed as early as Day 42 and favored transitional and naïve populations. These initial findings are from an ongoing, open-label Phase 1 study and are limited by the small number of participants and short follow-up. Dose escalation and longer-term follow-up are ongoing.
The full data presentation is also available on the Publications page of the Company’s website at https://www.tgtherapeutics.com/publications/.
ABOUT BRIUMVI® (ublituximab-xiiy) 150 mg/6 mL Injection for IV
BRIUMVI is a novel monoclonal antibody that targets a unique epitope on CD20-expressing B-cells. Targeting CD20 using monoclonal antibodies has proven to be an important therapeutic approach for the management of autoimmune disorders, such as RMS. BRIUMVI is uniquely designed to lack certain sugar molecules normally expressed on the antibody. Removal of these sugar molecules, a process called glycoengineering, allows for efficient B-cell depletion at low doses.
BRIUMVI is indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of adults with RMS, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease and in several countries outside of the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with RMS with active disease defined by clinical or imaging features.
A list of authorized specialty distributors can be found at www.briumvi.com.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Contraindications: BRIUMVI is contraindicated in patients with:
Active Hepatitis B Virus infection A history of life-threatening infusion reaction to BRIUMVI WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Infusion Reactions: BRIUMVI can cause infusion reactions, which can include pyrexia, chills, headache, influenza-like illness, tachycardia, nausea, throat irritation, erythema, and an anaphylactic reaction. In MS clinical trials, the incidence of infusion reactions in BRIUMVI-treated patients who received infusion reaction-limiting premedication prior to each infusion was 48%, with the highest incidence within 24 hours of the first infusion. 0.6% of BRIUMVI-treated patients experienced infusion reactions that were serious, some requiring hospitalization.
Observe treated patients for infusion reactions during the infusion and for at least one hour after the completion of the first two infusions unless infusion reaction and/or hypersensitivity has been observed in association with the current or any prior infusion. Inform patients that infusion reactions can occur up to 24 hours after the infusion. Administer the recommended pre-medication to reduce the frequency and severity of infusion reactions. If life-threatening, stop the infusion immediately, permanently discontinue BRIUMVI, and administer appropriate supportive treatment. Less severe infusion reactions may involve temporarily stopping the infusion, reducing the infusion rate, and/or administering symptomatic treatment.
Infections: Serious, life-threatening or fatal, bacterial and viral infections have been reported in BRIUMVI-treated patients. In MS clinical trials, the overall rate of infections in BRIUMVI-treated patients was 56% compared to 54% in teriflunomide-treated patients. The rate of serious infections was 5% compared to 3% respectively. There were 3 infection-related deaths in BRIUMVI-treated patients. The most common infections in BRIUMVI-treated patients included upper respiratory tract infection (45%) and urinary tract infection (10%). Delay BRIUMVI administration in patients with an active infection until the infection is resolved.
Consider the potential for increased immunosuppressive effects when initiating BRIUMVI after immunosuppressive therapy or initiating an immunosuppressive therapy after BRIUMVI.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Reactivation: HBV reactivation occurred in an MS patient treated with BRIUMVI in clinical trials. Fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure, and death caused by HBV reactivation have occurred in patients treated with anti-CD20 antibodies. Perform HBV screening in all patients before initiation of treatment with BRIUMVI. Do not start treatment with BRIUMVI in patients with active HBV confirmed by positive results for HB surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HB tests. For patients who are negative for HBsAg and positive for HB core antibody [HBcAb+] or are carriers of HBV [HBsAg+], consult a liver disease expert before starting and during treatment.
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML): PML is an opportunistic viral infection of the brain caused by the JC virus (JCV) that typically only occurs in patients who are immunocompromised, and that usually leads to death or severe disability. JCV infection resulting in PML has been observed in patients treated with anti-CD20 antibodies, including BRIUMVI, and other MS therapies.
If PML is suspected, withhold BRIUMVI and perform an appropriate diagnostic evaluation. Typical symptoms associated with PML are diverse, progress over days to weeks, and include progressive weakness on one side of the body or clumsiness of limbs, disturbance of vision, and changes in thinking, memory, and orientation leading to confusion and personality changes.
MRI findings may be apparent before clinical signs or symptoms; monitoring for signs consistent with PML may be useful. Further investigate suspicious findings to allow for an early diagnosis of PML, if present. Following discontinuation of another MS medication associated with PML, lower PML-related mortality and morbidity have been reported in patients who were initially asymptomatic at diagnosis compared to patients who had characteristic clinical signs and symptoms at diagnosis.
If PML is confirmed, treatment with BRIUMVI should be discontinued.
Vaccinations: Administer all immunizations according to immunization guidelines: for live or live-attenuated vaccines, at least 4 weeks and, whenever possible, at least 2 weeks prior to initiation of BRIUMVI for non-live vaccines. BRIUMVI may interfere with the effectiveness of non-live vaccines. The safety of immunization with live or live-attenuated vaccines during or following administration of BRIUMVI has not been studied. Vaccination with live virus vaccines is not recommended during treatment and until B-cell repletion.
Vaccination of Infants Born to Mothers Treated with BRIUMVI During Pregnancy: In infants of mothers exposed to BRIUMVI during pregnancy, assess B-cell counts prior to administration of live or live-attenuated vaccines as measured by CD19+ B-cells. Depletion of B-cells in these infants may increase the risks from live or live-attenuated vaccines. Inactivated or non-live vaccines may be administered prior to B-cell recovery. Assessment of vaccine immune responses, including consultation with a qualified specialist, should be considered to determine whether a protective immune response was mounted.
Fetal Risk: Based on data from animal studies, BRIUMVI may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Transient peripheral B-cell depletion and lymphocytopenia have been reported in infants born to mothers exposed to other anti-CD20 B-cell depleting antibodies during pregnancy. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during BRIUMVI treatment and for 6 months after the last dose.
Reduction in Immunoglobulins: As expected with any B-cell depleting therapy, decreased immunoglobulin levels were observed. Decrease in immunoglobulin M (IgM) was reported in 0.6% of BRIUMVI-treated patients compared to none of the patients treated with teriflunomide in RMS clinical trials. Monitor the levels of quantitative serum immunoglobulins during treatment, especially in patients with opportunistic or recurrent infections, and after discontinuation of therapy, until B-cell repletion. Consider discontinuing BRIUMVI therapy if a patient with low immunoglobulins develops a serious opportunistic infection or recurrent infections, or if prolonged hypogammaglobulinemia requires treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins.
Liver Injury: Clinically significant liver injury, without findings of viral hepatitis, has been reported in the postmarketing setting in patients treated with anti-CD20 B-cell depleting therapies approved for the treatment of MS, including BRIUMVI. Signs of liver injury, including markedly elevated serum hepatic enzymes with elevated total bilirubin, have occurred from weeks to months after administration.
Patients treated with BRIUMVI found to have an alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) greater than 3x the upper limit of normal (ULN) with serum total bilirubin greater than 2x ULN are potentially at risk for severe drug-induced liver injury.
Obtain liver function tests prior to initiating treatment with BRIUMVI, and monitor for signs and symptoms of any hepatic injury during treatment. Measure serum aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin levels promptly in patients who report symptoms that may indicate liver injury, including new or worsening fatigue, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, right upper abdominal discomfort, dark urine, or jaundice. If liver injury is present and an alternative etiology is not identified, discontinue BRIUMVI.
Most Common Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions in RMS trials (incidence of at least 10%) were infusion reactions and upper respiratory tract infections.
Physicians, pharmacists, or other healthcare professionals with questions about BRIUMVI should visit www.briumvi.com.
The full Summary of Product Characteristics approved in the European Union (EU) for BRIUMVI can be found here: Briumvi | European Medicines Agency (europa.eu).
ABOUT BRIUMVI PATIENT SUPPORT in the U.S.
BRIUMVI Patient Support is a flexible program designed by TG Therapeutics to support U.S. patients through their treatment journey in a way that works best for them. More information about the BRIUMVI Patient Support program can be accessed at www.briumvipatientsupport.com.
ABOUT TG THERAPEUTICS
TG Therapeutics is a fully integrated, commercial stage, biotechnology company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of novel treatments for B-cell diseases. In addition to a research pipeline including several investigational medicines, TG Therapeutics has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for BRIUMVI® (ublituximab-xiiy) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, as well as approval by several foreign nations for BRIUMVI to treat adult patients with RMS who have active disease defined by clinical or imaging features. For more information, visit www.tgtherapeutics.com, and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @TGTherapeutics and on LinkedIn.
BRIUMVI® is a registered trademark of TG Therapeutics, Inc.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. In addition to the risk factors identified from time to time in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially include the below.
Such forward looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the potential safety, efficacy, durability of response and therapeutic benefits of azercabtagene zapreleucel (azer-cel) in progressive multiple sclerosis; its potential to provide an off-the-shelf treatment option; the interpretation and potential implications of the preliminary clinical findings described; and the Company’s plans for continued dose escalation, longer-term follow-up and further clinical development of azer-cel. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.
These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the preliminary nature of the results from this ongoing, open-label Phase 1 study, which involves a small number of participants, multiple dose levels, limited follow-up and no concurrent control group; the possibility that reported results may change as additional participants are treated, follow-up increases and data are collected, reviewed and analyzed; the risk that observed stabilization or improvements in disability and other clinical measures may not be attributable to azer-cel, may not persist or may not be replicated in additional participants or subsequent studies; the risk that changes in B-cell populations or other biomarkers may not translate into clinical benefit; the potential for serious or previously unobserved adverse events associated with azer-cel, lymphodepleting treatment or their combination to emerge with additional treatment or longer follow-up; and the fact that the absence of certain adverse events in a limited population does not establish safety.
Additional risks include delays or difficulties in enrollment, dose escalation, manufacturing, supply, study conduct or data analysis; reliance on third parties for clinical development and manufacturing; the possibility that regulators may require additional studies, longer follow-up or changes to the development program; the Company’s ability to obtain adequate funding and maintain the rights and resources necessary to advance development; and the risk that azer-cel may not obtain regulatory approval or become commercially available. Azer-cel is investigational, and its safety and efficacy have not been established.
Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are available at www.tgtherapeutics.com. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.
Key Takeaways KLA's Q1 earnings are expected to rise 34.09%, with revenues projected to grow 26.09% year over year.AI investments, rising HBM adoption and advanced packaging demand are expected to drive KLA's Q1 growth.KLA's 21.6% YTD stock gain beats the sector, but margin pressure remains a concern.
KLA (KLAC - Free Report) is set to report its first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Oct. 28.
For the to-be-reported quarter, KLAC expects revenues of $4 billion, plus/minus $200 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $4.05 billion, indicating an increase of 26.09% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.
For the fiscal first quarter, non-GAAP diluted earnings are projected at $1.16 per share (plus or minus 10 cents). The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at $1.18 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 34.09%.
Consensus Estimate Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KLAC’s earnings have surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.75%.
Let us see how things have shaped up for the upcoming announcement.
Key Factors to Note Ahead of KLAC’s Q1 ResultsKLA's first-quarter fiscal 2027 results are expected to have benefited from accelerating investments in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, particularly advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Increasing demand for AI processors, high-performance computing chips and sophisticated semiconductor designs is driving the adoption of KLA’s inspection and metrology solutions. The transition toward 2-nanometer manufacturing and gate-all-around transistor architectures is increasing process control requirements. The company's Semiconductor Process Control business is expected to have benefited from these trends in the to-be-reported quarter.
Increased investments in DRAM manufacturing, particularly high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators and data centers, are expected to have driven top-line growth in the fiscal first quarter. Growing HBM adoption, increasing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography applications and rising memory-device complexity are creating additional demand for process control equipment. HBM’s larger die sizes, stringent performance specifications and complex stacking architectures require more sophisticated inspection and metrology capabilities. These factors bode well for KLAC.
Moreover, fiscal first-quarter results are expected to have benefited from robust demand for advanced packaging solutions, supported by growing adoption of heterogeneous integration, chiplets and high-performance computing architectures. Increasing packaging complexity is encouraging semiconductor manufacturers to deploy more advanced inspection and metrology tools to improve yields and manufacturing efficiency. KLA expects its advanced packaging process control systems revenues to reach approximately $1.1 billion in calendar 2026, indicating growth of more than 70% year over year. The company is also witnessing growing adoption of its front-end inspection technologies in advanced packaging manufacturing.
Meanwhile, fiscal first-quarter results are also expected to reflect improving component availability and expanding manufacturing capacity. KLA expects revenues in the second half of calendar 2026 to increase approximately 20% from the first half, reflecting accelerating customer demand and improving supply chain execution. Strong equipment orders and a backlog of approximately $12.57 billion at fiscal 2026-end are providing substantial revenue visibility.
Nevertheless, KLAC management has highlighted that calcium fluoride optical components can have lead times of 18-24 months or longer, potentially limiting production flexibility. Rising memory prices have also pressured gross margins, with the company indicating a negative impact exceeding 100 basis points in recent quarters.
KLAC Shares Outperform Sector & PeersKLA shares have returned 21.6% year to date (YTD), outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s return of 18%. However, the company has underperformed peers, including Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) , Teradyne (TER - Free Report) and Axcelis Technologies (ACLS - Free Report) , YTD. Shares of Applied Materials, Teradyne and Axcelis have returned 46.1%, 58.2% and 30.3%, respectively, over the same timeframe.
KLAC Stock’s Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The KLAC stock is not so cheap, as suggested by the Value Score of D. In terms of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), KLAC is trading at 25.44X, higher than the broader sector and peers like Applied Materials and Axcelis but cheaper than Teradyne. The broader sector is trading at 19.79X while Applied Materials, Axcelis and Teradyne trade at 20.69X, 20.67X and 28.37X, respectively.
KLAC Stock’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KLA’s Prospects Ride on Strong Advanced Packaging GrowthKLA’s advanced packaging business represents a significant long-term growth opportunity as semiconductor manufacturers increasingly adopt chiplets, heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging architectures. The company expects KLA’s share of the advanced packaging market to increase to approximately 7-8% in 2026 from only a few percentage points in 2023. The increasing application of front-end manufacturing processes in advanced packaging is driving demand for more sophisticated inspection and metrology solutions. Growing adoption of hybrid bonding and high-density interconnect technologies should further expand KLA’s addressable market.
The company is well-positioned to capitalize on increasing wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) spending, supported by AI infrastructure investments, semiconductor capacity expansion and technology transitions. The company raised its calendar 2026 WFE market outlook to the low-$150-billion range, representing mid-20% growth from approximately $120 billion in 2025. KLAC management indicated that industry growth in 2027 could match or exceed 2026 levels, with a scenario approaching $190 billion in WFE spending.
KLA’s growing installed equipment base is expected to support sustained expansion in its services business. The company has established a long-term annual services revenue growth target of 13-15%, supported by increasing equipment installations, maintenance requirements, upgrades and productivity-enhancing solutions. Approximately 80% of services revenues are contract-based, providing recurring revenue visibility. Strong equipment shipments in calendar 2026 and 2027 should expand the installed base, creating additional opportunities for service contracts and customer support.
ConclusionKLA’s strong positioning in the semiconductor process control market, accelerating AI infrastructure investments and robust demand for advanced packaging solutions bode well for its growth prospects. Increasing process control intensity, rising HBM adoption and expanding WFE spending are expected to sustain revenue momentum. A strong backlog and growing services business further strengthen its long-term outlook.
KLA currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which implies that investors should start accumulating the stock ahead of the fiscal first-quarter earnings results. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Hilltop NYSE: HTH reported third-quarter 2026 net income attributable to common stockholders of $24.9 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, as growth in its banking operations was partly offset by interest-rate-driven pressure in its mortgage and broker-dealer businesses.
Chairman, President and CEO Jeremy Ford said the company generated a 0.67% return on average assets and a 4.7% return on average equity during the quarter. Hilltop’s diversified model continued to produce “solid foundational results,” Executive Vice President and CFO Will Furr said, though sharp market-rate moves created valuation adjustments in mortgage pipelines and trading assets.
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Furr said mark-to-market losses related to rate and volume impacts totaled approximately $16 million on a pre-tax basis during the quarter. Hilltop also reported a negative accumulated other comprehensive income impact of about $21 million, reflecting mark-to-market adjustments in its available-for-sale securities portfolio, net of hedges. Merchant banking portfolio investments produced net valuation gains of $4.6 million.
Banking segment posts loan, deposit and income growth PlainsCapital Bank reported $44 million in pre-tax income, supported by growth in core loans and deposits, as well as a higher net interest margin. Net interest income for Hilltop totaled $122 million in the third quarter, up $10 million, or 9%, from the year-earlier period.
Furr said the increase reflected commercial loan growth and improved deposit costs. Net interest margin rose 12 basis points from the second quarter to 3.33%, while Ford said the bank’s margin expanded more than 25 basis points year over year to 3.49%. The differing figures reflect the measures cited by the executives in their prepared remarks.
Period-ending held-for-investment loans increased by $134 million from the second quarter, while loans rose $580 million, or 7%, from the third quarter of 2025. Furr said roughly $300 million of the growth came from commercial real estate lending, with the rest coming from commercial and industrial loans.
The company expects full-year average total bank loans to increase 7% to 8% from 2025 levels, excluding mortgage warehouse lending and retained PrimeLending mortgages. Furr said commercial loan pipelines remained robust and that recruiting new bankers has supported growth across Texas markets.
Average total deposits were approximately $10.7 billion during the quarter. Ford said PlainsCapital’s deposit balances grew by $500 million, helped by large-balance customers and new granular depositors. Deposits swept from HilltopSecurities to PlainsCapital increased by $100 million.
Management expects deposit balances to seasonally expand in the fourth quarter, though Furr said interest-bearing deposit yields have likely reached their low point for the cycle and could rise as short-term rates increase. He said the company expects net interest income to move modestly higher, driven mainly by loan growth, while net interest margin could level off or move somewhat lower as deposit competition intensifies.
Credit reserve builds, but management sees no systemic portfolio risk Hilltop recorded a $10.1 million provision for credit losses at the bank. The allowance for credit losses increased by $9 million to $94 million, representing 1.07% of held-for-investment loans. Furr said the increase included $3.6 million associated with loan growth and approximately $4.4 million from the net effect of risk-rating adjustments.
Nonperforming assets declined by $2 million from the second quarter to $60 million. Net charge-offs totaled $1.2 million, or 6 basis points of the loan portfolio.
Furr said the company continues to monitor risks associated with interest-rate volatility, inflation, economic conditions and other events, but does not anticipate significant systemic risk across the portfolio. He noted, however, that Hilltop could experience idiosyncratic credit events involving individual clients.
Mortgage and securities businesses face rate volatility PrimeLending posted a pre-tax loss of $10.8 million, as mortgage rates rose sharply during September. Ford said average 30-year mortgage rates increased by nearly 70 basis points during the month, reducing purchase activity and negatively affecting the fair value of loans in the company’s existing pipeline.
Mortgage revenue declined $9 million from the prior-year quarter. Rate-lock volume fell 18% year over year to $2.2 billion, while gain-on-sale margins on loans sold to third parties declined 26 basis points to 200 basis points.
Furr said mortgage rates near 7% and continued affordability constraints are expected to weigh on mortgage sales activity into 2027. PrimeLending is focused on expense management, productivity improvements, selective recruitment of loan officers and pricing optimization, he said.
HilltopSecurities generated $7 million in pre-tax income on $117 million of net revenue, for a 5.9% pre-tax margin. Public Finance Services produced $37 million in net revenue, consistent with the third quarter of 2025, as the company continued to see a robust municipal issuance market.
However, Structured Finance and Fixed Income Services encountered difficult conditions amid volatility in long-duration bonds, according to Ford. Principal transactions, commissions and fees declined on lower municipal, derivatives and mortgage-backed securities trading activity. The quarter included $6.6 million in pre-tax mark-to-market valuation losses tied to the mortgage trading pipeline.
Wealth Management revenue exceeded the prior-year third quarter across its retail and clearing businesses. Ford said Hilltop expects continued strength in Public Finance and Wealth Management, while its more rate-sensitive businesses will continue operating with caution.
Capital returns and expense outlook Hilltop ended the quarter with a common equity tier 1 capital ratio of 18.3% and tangible book value per share of $32.20, down modestly from the prior quarter. The company returned $33 million to stockholders during the quarter, including $12.6 million in dividends and $20 million in share repurchases.
Furr said Hilltop repurchased less stock than in the prior two quarters because its share price was elevated and rising rates were expected to affect accumulated other comprehensive income. The company had $85 million remaining under its authorization, which expires in January, though Furr said the full remaining amount could not be completed in one quarter.
Non-interest expense declined $7.8 million from the year-earlier period to $264 million, driven primarily by lower variable compensation in the broker-dealer and mortgage businesses. Management said it expects expenses excluding variable compensation to remain relatively stable as it pursues operational efficiencies while investing in revenue-producing personnel.
About Hilltop (NYSE:HTH)Hilltop Holdings Inc NYSE: HTH is a Dallas-based financial services holding company. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides commercial and consumer banking, mortgage lending, and securities brokerage and investment-banking services.
PlainsCapital Bank is Hilltop's banking subsidiary and serves businesses, professionals, and individuals primarily in Texas. Its offerings include commercial and real estate lending, deposit accounts, treasury management, wealth management, and other banking services.
Hilltop also operates PrimeLending, a residential mortgage lender that originates home loans through a network of loan officers and offices across the United States.
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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Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) Q3 2026 Earnings Call October 23, 2026 9:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Matthew Dunn - Head of Investor Relations
Jeremy Ford - President, CEO & Chairman
William Furr - Executive VP & CFO
Conference Call Participants
Hannah Wynn - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division
Matt Olney - Stephens Inc., Research Division
Evan Yee - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us, and welcome to Hilltop Holdings Second (sic) [ Third ] Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] I will now hand the conference call over to Matt Dunn. Matt, please go ahead.
Matthew Dunn
Head of Investor Relations
Thank you. Before we get started, please note that certain statements during today's presentation that are not statements of historical facts, including statements concerning such items as our outlook, business strategy, future plans, financial condition, credit risks and trends in credit, allowance for credit losses, liquidity and sources of funding, funding costs, dividends, stock repurchases, subsequent events and impacts of interest rate changes as well as such other items referenced in the preface of our presentation are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations concerning future events that, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties.
Our actual results, capital, liquidity and financial condition may differ materially from these statements due to a variety of factors, including the precautionary statements referenced in the preface of our presentation and those included in our most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC.
Please note that certain information presented is preliminary and based upon data available at this time. Except to the extent required by law, we expressly disclaim any obligation to update earlier statements as a result of new information.
RLI Corp. (RLI - Free Report) could be a solid choice for investors given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
Since a changing earnings picture is a powerful factor influencing near-term stock price movements, the Zacks rating system is very useful for individual investors. They may find it difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, as these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for RLI Corp. basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for RLI Corp. imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsAs empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, tracking such revisions for making an investment decision could be truly rewarding. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for RLI Corp.For the fiscal year ending December 2026, this specialty insurance company is expected to earn $3.06 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for RLI Corp.. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 9.2%.
Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>
The upgrade of RLI Corp. to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Key Takeaways Cadence expects Q3 revenues of $1.595-$1.625 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $2.01-$2.07, driven by AI demand.Growing adoption of agentic AI tools and robust demand across EDA, IP and SDA are likely to support growth.CDNS benefits from strong backlog, though macro uncertainty and U.S.-China tensions remain concerns. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS - Free Report) will release results for the third quarter of 2026 on Oct. 26.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings is $2.04 per share, unchanged in the past 60 days. The consensus mark implies a 5.7% increase from the year-ago actual. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pinned at $1.61 billion, indicating a nearly 20.3% uptick from the year-ago actual.
Management expects revenues to be $1.595-$1.625 billion for the third quarter. The company reported sales of $1.339 billion in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP EPS is anticipated to be between $2.01 and $2.07. The company reported an EPS of $1.93 in the year-ago quarter.
Cadence has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 4.94%.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CDNS stock has lost 7% in the past six months against the Computer-Software industry’s growth of 16.6%. The S&P 500 composite and the Zacks Computer and Technology sector have risen 7.5% and 8.6%, respectively, in the same time frame.
Factors Shaping CDNS’ Q3 ResultsBroad-based momentum across electronic design automation (“EDA”), IP and System Design & Analysis (“SDA”), supported by sustained demand for its AI-oriented portfolio amid robust design activity and new system architectures across hyperscaler infrastructure and physical AI, remains the key catalyst.
The company had a backlog of $8.1 billion at the second quarter-end driven by bookings momentum, while revenues expected to be recognized over the following 12 months from remaining performance obligations totaled $4.2 billion. This provides substantial visibility into future business performance. Cadence’s ratable software model and high mix of recurring revenues are other positives.
AI has been driving a major transformation in semiconductor and system design and Cadence is deeply integrated into this shift. Design activity across several verticals, especially data centers, drones, robotics and automotive, has been robust due to AI, hyperscale computing and 5G. The focus on Generative AI, Agentic AI and Physical AI has been leading to an exponential increase in computing demand and semiconductor innovation.
Rising customer R&D investments in AI-driven automation have been creating a favorable demand environment for Cadence.
On the last earnings call, management cited agentic AI as a durable tailwind. Cadence expects agentic tools to drive higher EDA consumption and usage across its platform as customers run more simulations, verification and implementation cycles, thereby expanding the addressable market. Management highlighted “strong early traction” for its AI Super-Agent portfolio.
Cadence's agentic AI portfolio includes ChipStack, ViraStack, and InnoStack. In September, the company introduced an RTL Generation Agent for its ChipStack AI Super Agent. The expanded capabilities, expected to become available to select early-access customers in the fourth quarter, strengthen the company's longer-term AI-driven growth prospects.
The company has been collaborating with several tech giants, including Qualcomm and NVIDIA, on their next-generation AI designs across both training and inference. Expanding partnerships with Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Intel and Arm Holdings, bodes well.
Cadence expanded its collaboration with TSMC in September, securing tool certification for advanced A14 design tools and introducing additional silicon-proven IP for N3P and N2P technologies. In October, Cadence collaborated with NVIDIA and launched Europe's first sovereign AI platform for semiconductor, system and AI factory design.
Nonetheless, ongoing uncertainty prevailing over global macroeconomic conditions, especially U.S.-China tech tensions, along with stiff competition in the EDA space and inflation, remains a concern ahead of the third-quarter earnings. Management expects third-quarter non-GAAP operating margin between 43.5% and 44.5%, compared with 47.6% in the prior-year quarter.
A Look at SegmentsCore EDA business (which constitutes Custom IC, Digital IC and Functional Verification businesses) is likely to have gained from demand for the new hardware systems, especially among AI, automotive and high-performance computing clients. Continued adoption of Cadence's digital full-flow solutions, including Tempus and Certus signoff technologies, is likely to have cushioned the segment’s performance.
The SDA division is likely to have gained from the increasing demand for BETA CAE solutions, PCB and advanced packaging solutions and the integration of Hexagon's Design and Engineering business. Growing adoption of the AuraStack AI Super Agent, which automates PCB and advanced packaging design workflows, could further strengthen the division's prospects.
The IP business has been gaining from an expanding silicon solutions portfolio and increasing demand for solutions in AI and HPC use cases. The company has been witnessing higher demand for its Star IP portfolio across AI and HPC applications, including HBM, PCIe, UCIe and LPDDR6.
Earnings Whispers for CDNSOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Cadence this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. This is exactly the case here.
CDNS currently has a Zacks Rank #2 and an Earnings ESP of +0.91%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few other stocks that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these, too, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this season.
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.49% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
STX is scheduled to report quarterly figures on Oct. 27, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Seagate Technology’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pinned at $7.40 per share and $4.11 billion, respectively. Shares of Seagate Technology are up 162.8% in the past year.
Intel (INTC - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.22% and a Zacks Rank #2. INTC is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on Oct. 29, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Intel’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues stands at 39 cents per share and $16.44 billion, respectively. Shares of Intel have gained 123.4% in the past year.
Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.89% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. The company is scheduled to report quarterly figures on Oct. 28, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vertiv’s to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pinned at $1.82 per share and $3.76 billion, respectively. Shares of Vertiv are up 5.2% in the past year.
Marvell booked a record number of AI design wins and secured a partnership worth billions with Google, yet a wave of Taiwanese chip designers is quietly undercutting the margins that make those wins valuable.
Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL | MRVL Price Prediction) is a Hold at $223.47. Its AI growth outlook is still strong, but Taiwanese design houses are going after the same hyperscaler contracts.
Marvell is a fabless chip designer. It sells custom AI accelerators (XPUs), optical interconnect, and Ethernet switching to cloud giants. Its Data Center segment brought in $2.17B last quarter, which was 79% of revenue.
The stock is up 163.4% this year but has fallen 14.8% over the past month. That includes an 8.7% drop in the latest session. The selling began after an Investor Day where management raised its fiscal 2028 revenue outlook. Over the next five trading days, shares fell 17.2%.
Google’s $120 Billion Deal Powers the Upside Case
Second-quarter revenue came in at $2.739B, up 36.55%. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.94 beat the $0.9289 estimate. Guidance calls for $3.15B in revenue and $1.10 in EPS next quarter. Management expects the custom business to “more than double year over year in fiscal 2028 and accelerate significantly in fiscal 2029.”
Google expanded its partnership with Marvell and received a warrant to buy up to 7% of Marvell’s shares. On the earnings call, an analyst described the program as worth “$120 billion in cumulative revs over six years.” Management replied, “Your math is not wrong.” Non-GAAP operating margin should reach the 38% to 40% range in fiscal Q4. Against that growth, a PEG ratio of 1.387 looks reasonable.
Taiwan’s Chip Designers Are Coming at Marvell From Three Sides
MediaTek is the biggest threat. Under Google’s TPU v8 setup, Google designs the compute die and MediaTek supplies the I/O die. That split removes the 15%-20% markup charged under a turnkey model. Counterpoint Research projects that MediaTek will take 26% of AI ASIC server compute shipments by 2028, placing second behind Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO).
Alchip has long been seen as a contender for Marvell’s AWS XPU work, according to The Next Platform. SemiAnalysis notes that Trainium projects leave much less profit pool for design partners. Meanwhile, MediaTek, Global Unichip, and Alchip are escalating a funding war ahead of a hyperscaler ASIC production boom.
Price competition is starting to show in margins. Gross margin guidance of 57.5%-58.5% is below last quarter’s 58.9%, and management blamed the custom mix. The stock’s trailing earnings multiple is 81, with a beta of 2.26.
Record Guidance Meets an Unsettled Fight for Market Share
Management has raised guidance and booked a record number of design wins. That strength rules out a Sell. At the same time, the losing bid for Google’s compute die and the pressure on AWS margins rule out a Buy.
Two outside events could move the picture. Counterpoint’s forecast excludes a possible MediaTek win at Meta MTIA. MediaTek’s next TPU also relies on Intel packaging that faces execution risks.
Wall Street Sees 53% Upside After a Sharp Pullback
Marvell trades at $223.47. The consensus target of $341.63 implies 52.9% upside. Analyst targets are not guarantees. The shares sit 32.2% below their 52-week high of $329.73. Ratings from 46 analysts break down as follows:
Strong Buy: 8
Buy: 32
Hold: 6
Sell: 0
Over the past year, Marvell gained 176.18%, while the S&P 500 gained 14.41%. Over the past month, Marvell fell 14.8%, while the index slipped 1.21%. Forward P/E stands at 62.
Marvell Earns a Hold Until the Custom Ramp Shows Up
At $223.47, Marvell Technology is a Hold. The reasoning follows below.
Three things would support a Buy: fiscal Q3 revenue at or above the $3.15B midpoint, clear custom acceleration, and operating margin reaching the 38% range in Q4. Three things would support a Sell: AWS shifting orders toward Alchip, MediaTek winning Meta, or gross margin falling below guidance.
Waiting has a cost if the stock rebounds toward the target. Acting too early carries more risk, since a beta above 2 can produce deeper declines. Each quarter, investors should track custom revenue, gross margin, and any hyperscaler supplier changes.
Marvell’s growth is real, but Taiwan’s cheaper design model is still competing for those same contracts, and the next two earnings reports should show which side is winning.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
SummaryEvery so often, the market hands investors high-yielding opportunities on a platter after throwing out the baby with the bathwater.I detail why I think there are certain BDCs that this applies to right now.I discuss the specifics of what I am looking for as well as some of my top picks of the moment.Looking for a portfolio of ideas like this one? Members of High Yield Investor get exclusive access to our subscriber-only portfolios. Learn More » MicroStockHub/iStock via Getty Images
Investors typically associate low- to mid-teens percentage dividend yields with highly risky, financially distressed businesses that have impending dividend cuts. However, sometimes a market becomes so pessimistic about a specific sector that it throws the babies out with the bathwater.
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ET, MPLX, OTF, OBDC, SLRC either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Investors with an interest in Leisure and Recreation Products stocks have likely encountered both Yeti (YETI) and Pool Corp. (POOL). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Paychex (PAYX - Free Report) . Shares have added about 17% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Paychex due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.
Paychex's Q1 Earnings Beat EstimatesPaychex has reported an impressive first quarter of fiscal 2027, wherein earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
PAYX has registered adjusted earnings of $1.34 per share, rising 9.8% year over year and beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.33 by a slight margin. Total revenues rose 5.9% to $1.63 billion, topping the consensus mark of $1.62 billion by a small margin.
The quarter benefited from higher revenue per client, stronger PEO worksite employee growth and increased PEO insurance volumes. PEO and Insurance Solutions remained the standout growth area, while the adjusted operating margin also expanded from the year-ago period.
PAYX's Management Solutions Revenues Rise 4%Management Solutions revenues increased 4% year over year to $1.21 billion in the fiscal first quarter. Growth was driven by higher revenues per client, reflecting price realization and greater product penetration.
The business remained Paychex's largest revenue contributor. Total service revenues advanced 6% year over year to $1.58 billion, supported by growth across Management Solutions and PEO and Insurance Solutions.
Paychex's PEO & Insurance Revenues Jump 12%Professional Employer Organization and Insurance Solutions revenues climbed 12% year over year to $367.6 million. Growth primarily reflected an increase in average PEO worksite employees and higher PEO insurance volumes.
Interest on funds held for clients increased 5% year over year to $49.8 million, aided by higher average interest rates. The improvement provided another source of revenue growth, alongside the company's payroll, human resources and benefit offerings.
PAYX's Margin Expansion Supports Profit GrowthTotal expenses increased 1% year over year to $1.01 billion, slower than revenue growth. Cost of service revenues rose 4% to $430.1 million, while selling, general and administrative expenses declined 1% to $581.2 million.
Operating income increased 14% to $619.2 million, lifting the operating margin to 38% from 35.2%. Adjusted operating income rose 9% to $684.7 million, while the adjusted operating margin improved to 42% from 40.7%.
Paychex's Net Income Rises as Acquisition Costs EaseNet income advanced 12% year over year to $429.7 million, while GAAP earnings increased 14% to $1.21 per share. Adjusted net income grew 9% to $479.2 million.
Acquisition-related costs declined to $65.5 million from $84.8 million a year earlier. The latest-quarter amount included $56.9 million of amortization tied to the Paycor acquisition, $8.5 million of acquisition and integration compensation costs, and $0.1 million of other acquisition-related costs.
PAYX's Cash Flow & Balance Sheet Stay in FocusCash flow from operations declined 42.4% year over year to $413.5 million. Paychex paid out $424.1 million in dividends, or $1.19 per share, during the fiscal first quarter.
As of Aug. 31, 2026, cash, restricted cash and total corporate investments stood at $1 billion. Long-term borrowings, net of debt issuance costs, were $4.6 billion, while total assets were $15.66 billion.
Paychex Advances WISE AI CapabilitiesPAYX continued to expand its WISE artificial intelligence platform and launched WISE Hire, an agentic recruiting solution. The company is embedding AI-enabled automation and insights across its human capital management platforms to support productivity and client outcomes.
Management also highlighted efforts to make WISE capabilities available within Microsoft business applications, wherein clients already work. The company views the broader deployment as part of its strategy to combine technology with advisory expertise across payroll, human resources and benefits.
PAYX Raises PEO & Client Funds OutlookFor fiscal 2027, Paychex continues to expect total revenue growth of 5-6% and Management Solutions revenue growth of 5-6%. It also maintained its adjusted operating margin forecast of about 44% and adjusted earnings growth outlook of 7-9%.
Management raised its PEO and Insurance Solutions revenue growth forecast to 7-8% from 6-7%. Interest on funds held for clients is expected to be $200-$210 million, up from the prior mentioned $195-$205 million. The effective income tax rate forecast remains about 24%.
Adjusted earnings of 99 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.2% and increased 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. Total revenues of $1.2 billion also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.5% and increased 7.4% year over year.
Revenues in Detail
Revenues from Management Solutions segment increased 8% year over year to $895.3 million. The segment benefited from growth in the number of client employees served for human capital management (HCM) and additional worksite employees for HR Solutions. Also, improved revenue per client on price realization and higher product penetration, strong demand for HR Solutions, retirement, time and attendance solutions and expansion of HCM ancillary services acted as tailwinds.
Professional employer organization (“PEO”) and Insurance Solutions’ revenues were $273.3 million, up 4% from the year-ago quarter’s level. The uptick was owing to growth in the number of average worksite employees. Interest on funds held for clients increased 54% year over year to $21.7 million.
Operating Performance
Operating income increased 7% year over year to $472.3 million. EBITDA of $518.6 million increased 4.7% year over year.
Balance Sheet & Cash Flow
Paychex exited second-quarter fiscal 2022 with cash and cash equivalents of $1.1 billion compared with $1.18 billion reported at the end of the prior quarter. Long-term debt was $797.9 million compared with $797.8 million in the prior quarter. Cash provided by operating activities was $321.6 million in the reported quarter. During the reported quarter, PAYX paid out $284.7 million as dividends.
Fiscal 2023 View Tweaked
Paychex upped its adjusted earnings per share view with respect to year-over-year growth for fiscal 2023. Adjusted EPS is now expected to register 12-14% growth compared with the prior expectation of 11-12% growth. PAYX continues to expect total revenues to register 8% (prior view: 7-8%) growth. Management Solutions’ revenues are expected to grow 7-8% (prior view: 5-7%). PEO and Insurance Solutions’ revenues are expected to grow 5-7% (prior view: 8-10%).
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimates review have trended downward during the past month.
VGM ScoresAt this time, Paychex has a subpar Growth Score of D, a score with the same score on the momentum front. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock has a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Paychex has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
WTI crude crossing $103 has Permian producers sprinting past a slumping broader market, but the real question is whether Middle East tensions can keep oil in triple digits long enough to matter for Devon, Diamondback, and Occidental shareholders.
A fresh climb in crude is pushing Permian oil producers well ahead of the rest of the stock market. Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN | DVN Price Prediction) stock is up 5% to $51.64 in afternoon trading. That gain shows how directly the producer’s cash flow tracks the price of a barrel. Meanwhile, Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG) stock is rising 5% to $206.70, keeping pace with Devon stock.
Shares of Devon and Diamondback are outpacing the broader energy group. The SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEARCA:XOP) is up 3% to $203.48, a smaller advance. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down 0.3% to $762.06, leaving oil producers on the winning side of a split market.
Iran Strike Worries Push Crude Into Triple Digits
Oil prices are climbing as Middle East risks persist, with concerns about renewed U.S. strikes on Iran adding a premium to every barrel. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price is up 3.56% over the past 24 hours to $103.01 per barrel. Crude oil’s climb has turned into a broad bid for U.S. upstream producers, with Devon and Diamondback shares among the biggest beneficiaries.
Spot crude broke through on October 15 with a jump to $104.71, then peaked at $110.01 on October 19. Diamondback’s management has tied the background to the Strait of Hormuz disruption, which it described as the largest supply shock in global oil market history. Rebuilding depleted global inventories, management argued, has structurally raised the floor for oil prices.
Permian Pure-Plays Outrun the Energy Fund
Devon enters this rally with extra leverage. Its Q2 2026 oil realizations averaged $88.09 per barrel while WTI averaged $92.47, and the latest spot reading sits well above that benchmark. Management’s Q3 2026 guidance calls for oil production of 550,000 to 560,000 barrels per day as the Coterra merger contributes a full quarter of combined results.
Diamondback is a Permian pure-play, with its drilling concentrated in the Midland Basin of West Texas. Kaes Van’t Hof was Diamondback’s chief executive then. On its Q2 call, he linked the oil outlook to depleted global inventories, stating “that gives us confidence that there’s a longer-term bid for oil to refill those inventories and meet global demand.” That view biases the company toward growing production, which increases its leverage to a higher crude price.
Fellow oil producer Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) pairs its Permian core with assets in the Rockies, the Gulf of America, and the Middle East. Richard Jackson was Occidental’s chief executive then. On its August 6 call, he stated, “At higher prices, we have opportunities to add further value, both for the business and our shareholders.” OXY shares are up 3% to $64.61.
Oil’s volatility cuts both ways for Devon and Diamondback. WTI crude oil slipped to $85.23 on September 25, a reminder that triple-digit oil can retreat quickly. Service-cost inflation adds pressure, with Diamondback’s management expecting higher casing prices through the rest of 2026 and into 2027 as the Permian rig count grows.
Oil Producers Need Crude to Hold Its Gains
What comes next for Devon and Diamondback stock is whether crude holds above $100 while Middle East tensions linger. A retreat in the oil price could close the gap with the XOP exploration and production fund as quickly as it opened. Gasoline offers a consumer-side read, with the national average falling to $4.28 per gallon as of October 19 even as crude oil rallied.
Devon’s initial 2027 outlook, which management said would arrive in November, could show whether the combined company can turn higher prices into faster buybacks. Remaining buyback authorization at Devon stood at $7.8 billion after Q2, giving the company room to act on that plan.
Oil’s sharp swings this fall argue for investors keeping their new money in Devon and Diamondback shares measured, even with the rally intact. DVN, FANG, and OXY hareholders can leave room to add to their positions once the path of oil prices resolves.
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Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Cloud stocks are bouncing back, and Cloudflare is pulling away from the pack with a surge that towers over the broader ETF gains. But a massive restructuring charge and shrinking margins raise a pointed question about how long that lead…
Cloud software stocks are rallying, and the biggest gains belong to the companies that keep applications running and secure. Shares of Cloudflare (NYSE:NET | NET Price Prediction) are up 6% to $323 early in the session. That puts the network company at the front of the cloud group’s recovery.
Meanwhile, Datadog (NASDAQ:DDOG) stock is up 5% to $270.81, a solid advance that still trails Cloudflare shares. Both companies draw on cloud budgets from different directions. Cloudflare runs a global network that delivers and secures internet traffic, while Datadog sells cloud monitoring software.
Fund figures show how concentrated the rally is. The First Trust Cloud Computing ETF (NASDAQ:SKYY) is up 2% to $167.39, a smaller gain than Cloudflare stock is posting. At the same time, the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) is up 0.6% to $708.46, marking a quieter move for large-cap technology.
Cloud Rebound Puts Cloudflare Ahead of Datadog
Cloudflare stock is outpacing Datadog stock as the cloud group bounces back, and the recovery follows a slip for cloud software names in the previous session. Buying across the group looks broad, with Cloudflare drawing the strongest demand.
In its Q2 2026 results, reported August 6, Cloudflare posted revenue of $696.1 million, up 35.9% year over year, and raised its full-year 2026 sales outlook to $2.86 billion to $2.87 billion. Management tied that momentum to AI answer engines and agent-driven commerce, a theme that gives Cloudflare a growth story beyond traditional web security.
Agent Traffic Gives Cloudflare a Distinct Edge
Matthew Prince, Cloudflare’s CEO at the time of its August 6 earnings call, framed the company’s opportunity around machine traffic. He stated, “For the first time in human history, in Q2, more than 50% of the traffic flowing across Cloudflare’s network was not human.” That shift puts Cloudflare as core infrastructure for AI agents.
Risks show up in Cloudflare’s own numbers. Cloudflare booked a $150.7 million restructuring charge in Q2 tied to its shift to an “agentic AI-first operating model,” while non-GAAP gross margin slipped to 73.1% from 76.3% a year earlier. Those pressures leave Cloudflare stock less room for error if growth cools.
Datadog’s story leans on a different budget line, with software that tracks applications, infrastructure, AI models and security in one platform. Olivier Pomel, Datadog’s CEO at the time of its most recent quarterly report, stated, “Our customers are building and deploying with AI, and they are using the Datadog platform to observe, secure, and act on their AI-enabled solutions.” Competition in observability and security, along with potential pressure on IT spending, is among the risks Datadog has highlighted.
Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW), a fellow cloud software company focused on data and AI workloads, shares a home with Cloudflare and Datadog inside the SKYY ETF. The First Trust Cloud Computing ETF held Cloudflare at a 2.7% weight as of June 30, compared with 0.7% for Datadog and 0.7% for Snowflake. A bigger weighting gives Cloudflare stock more pull on the ETF. SNOW shares are up 2% to $318.92.
Cloudflare’s Q3 Report Is the Next Big Test
Cloudflare’s Q3 2026 report, expected November 5 after the close, will show whether Cloudflare stock can hold its gains. Management guided third-quarter revenue to $736 million to $737 million. Beating that range could support Cloudflare shares, while a shortfall may pressure them.
Datadog’s own quarterly report, expected November 4 before the market opens, is the open question. The question now is whether Datadog’s update continues the cloud rallying a day ahead of Cloudflare’s numbers.
Heading into that stretch, Cloudflare stock has strong momentum, along with a restructuring charge and thinner margins. Investors considering their NET stock exposure may want to keep their position sizes modest until Cloudflare’s third-quarter report is released.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Transportation - Truck industry, could be a great candidate to consider.
When looking at the last two reports, this trucking company has recorded a strong streak of surpassing earnings estimates. The company has topped estimates by 9.55%, on average, in the last two quarters.
For the most recent quarter, Old Dominion was expected to post earnings of $1.52 per share, but it reported $1.68 per share instead, representing a surprise of 10.53%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.05 per share, while it actually produced $1.14 per share, a surprise of 8.57%.
Price and EPS Surprise
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Old Dominion lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
Old Dominion has an Earnings ESP of +0.25% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on October 28, 2026.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
The market expects Exelon (EXC - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 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 earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 30, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. 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 energy company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.81 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -5.8%.
Revenues are expected to be $6.87 billion, up 2.4% 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 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 Exelon?For Exelon, 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 +3.73%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Exelon 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 Exelon would post earnings of $0.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.43, delivering no surprise.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three 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.
Exelon 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.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerIdaCorp (IDA - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $2.51 for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +11.1%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $561.11 million, up 7% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for IdaCorp has been revised 1.7% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -0.53%, 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 IdaCorp will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced disclosure of interim safety and efficacy results from the multiple sclerosis (MS) cohorts of the Phase 1, single-arm, dose-escalation Breakfree-2 study evaluating zolacabtagene autoleucel (zola-cel; BMS-986353), an investigational, autologous CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy, in patients with highly active relapsing MS (haRMS) and progressive forms of MS (PMS). The data are being presented today in an oral presentation (Abstract #1615) at MSToronto 2026, the 10th Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting taking place in Toronto, Canada.
The study included 66 patients (30 patients with haRMS and 36 patients with PMS) with ongoing disease activity or worsening disability despite treatment. Patients had a median of two prior disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) (range: 1-8 haRMS; 1-6 PMS). The primary endpoint of the study was safety, with efficacy as the secondary endpoint. The data presented show a safety profile consistent with previously reported zola-cel Phase 1 clinical trial data and early, promising efficacy across both haRMS and PMS with all patients treated at dose level 2 (DL2) (60/60) remaining off DMTs.
In the Breakfree-2 study, the majority of adverse events were brief and reversible, generally consistent with previously reported zola-cel Phase 1 clinical trial data.
Overall, 42.4% of patients (28/66) had cytokine release syndrome (CRS) events. Majority were Grade 1 (36.4%), with some Grade 2 (6.1%) and all resolved in a median of two days.7.6% of patients (5/66) had immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), most of which were Grade 1/2, which resolved in a median of two days.One Grade 4 ICANS event occurred in a patient with PMS and was managed with corticosteroids and anakinra and resolved within four days.After the data cutoff, one patient with haRMS experienced a fatal event of septic pneumonia. Following zola-cel infusion, the patient experienced late onset, non-ICANS motor symptoms that were not resolved by treatment with intermittent corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Although the patient’s CAR T cell expansion was consistent with that observed across the study, high-dose cyclophosphamide was administered and the patient developed septic pneumonia and died the following day, 44 days after infusion. No additional Grade 5 events have been reported across all zola-cel programs in autoimmune diseases, which include 190 patients treated in Phase 1 studies.
Secondary endpoints included measurements of efficacy, with zola-cel demonstrating potential for immune reset via complete B-cell depletion. At last follow up, all patients treated at DL2 (60/60) remained off DMTs, including nine patients with more than 12 months of follow-up.
Additional efficacy results from the study among evaluable patients (patients receiving DL2 with ≥ Week 26 follow-up; n=32) included:
Six of seven haRMS patients evaluable for no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) met criteria at ≥ Week 26, with all patients achieving no relapse, disability progression or MRI activity.All eight haRMS patients evaluable for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at ≥ Week 26 demonstrated stability or improvement (range: 3.0-5.5 haRMS; 4.0-6.0 PMS).Despite prior worsening at baseline, 22 of 24 (92%) PMS patients demonstrated stability or improvement in disability progression.All 24 PMS patients demonstrated no new MRI activity.“People living with relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis need treatment options that address the underlying disease while helping control relapses and preserve function,” said Dr. Jeffrey A. Cohen, Professor of Neurology and Staff Physician, Mellen Center, Cleveland Clinic. “These data suggest that CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy may offer a new approach to treating multiple sclerosis. While more research is needed, the potential to control relapses, stabilize disability and reduce reliance on disease-modifying medications is encouraging.”
“BMS is at the forefront of cell therapy science, pioneering a new era by exploring the potential for immune reset in patients living with autoimmune diseases,” said Lynelle B. Hoch, president, Cell Therapy Organization, Bristol Myers Squibb. “The Breakfree-2 data demonstrate clinical potential for zola-cel in multiple sclerosis, showcasing the opportunity for treatment-free remission in patients who have depended on chronic therapies for years. We are advancing zola-cel with the goal to redefine autoimmune care with a single, transformative treatment.”
Bristol Myers Squibb extends its gratitude to the patients, families and investigators involved in the Breakfree-2 clinical trial.
About the Breakfree-2 Study
Breakfree-2 (NCT06220201) is a Phase 1, multicenter, single-arm, dose-escalation study evaluating the safety and efficacy of zolacabtagene autoleucel (zola-cel; BMS-986353), in patients with autoimmune neurological diseases: relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, progressive forms of multiple sclerosis or refractory myasthenia gravis. Zola-cel is an investigational CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy that expresses the CD19 CAR and is manufactured using a next-generation process (NEX-T™). This platform uses an intentional five-day manufacturing process optimized so the CAR T cells reach a stable vector integration and early-differentiated phenotype prior to infusion.
Trial patients across cohorts follow a similar process: apheresis to collect T cells, after which the cells are manufactured into CD19 CAR T cells at specialized facilities utilizing the NEX-T manufacturing process. After undergoing lymphodepletion, patients receive a single infusion of zola-cel.
The primary endpoint is safety. Key secondary endpoints include number of patients meeting no evidence of disease activity criteria, number of patients with confirmed disability progression confirmed per EDSS, as well as pharmacokinetic outcomes.
Bristol Myers Squibb: Unlocking the Full Potential of Cell Therapy
A pioneer in harnessing the immune system to fight cancer and an established leader in cell therapy, Bristol Myers Squibb is uniquely positioned to unlock the full potential of this technology across blood cancers and within new frontiers, including autoimmune disease.
Bristol Myers Squibb is currently the only company with two approved CAR T cell therapies with two distinct targets, available in major markets around the world. Our bold vision for the future is one in which hundreds of thousands of patients can be treated with cell therapy’s transformational potential.
The building blocks to realize this ambition – a promising and differentiated pipeline, extensive translational and clinical data sets, a deep bench of talent, and robust manufacturing capabilities – are in our cells. We are laser-focused on advancing the field of cell therapy toward a true revolution for patients. Learn more about the science behind cell therapy and ongoing progress at Bristol Myers Squibb here.
About Bristol Myers Squibb: Transforming Patients’ Lives Through Science
At Bristol Myers Squibb, our mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. We are pursuing bold science to define what’s possible for the future of medicine and the patients we serve. For more information, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, that future study results may not be consistent with the results to date, that zola-cel may not receive regulatory approval for the indication described in this release in the currently anticipated timeline or at all, any marketing approvals, if granted, may have significant limitations on their use and, if approved, whether zola-cel for the indication described in this release will be commercially successful. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibb’s business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibb’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
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Lost Money on Carpenter Technology Corporation Stock? Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP Investigates Possible Securities Fraud After 20.62% Share Price Drop
Investors who lost money on Carpenter Technology Corporation ("Carpenter Technology" or the "Company") stock may have claims to recover their losses. Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP ("Glancy") today announced a securities fraud investigation on behalf of Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE: CRS) investors into whether the Company may have violated the federal securities laws. The investigation follows the October 22, 2026 disclosure regarding Carpenter Technology Corporation.
Investors who lost money on Carpenter Technology Corporation securities can submit their Carpenter Technology Corporation loss information to learn about potentially pursuing claims to recover their losses.
Key facts in the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation
Disclosure date: October 22, 2026Stock price decline: $75.93 per share, or 20.62%What happened?
On October 22, 2026, Carpenter Technology reported first quarter 2027 earnings, including, among other things, revenue of $798.2 million, missing consensus by $32.49M, and Specialty Alloys Operations segment operating income of $216.3 million, down 6 percent sequentially and missing the Company’s prior guidance.
In the accompanying earnings call, CFO Timothy Lain stated the Company did “build some inventory as we progress through the year, we've got more available days in the back half of the year. It's a historical trend. We'll burn that inventory off.”
On this news, Carpenter Technology stock fell as much as $75.93 or 20.62%, during intraday trading on October 22, 2026, thereby injuring investors.
"The price of Carpenter Technology Corporation shares fell 20.62% following the October 22, 2026 disclosure that Carpenter Technology's first quarter revenue of $798.2 million missed consensus by $32.49 million and its Specialty Alloys Operations operating income of $216.3 million fell 6% sequentially, missing prior guidance. Investors who suffered losses deserve to know whether they were given complete and accurate information prior to the disclosure, and our investigation seeks to answer that question," said Charles H. Linehan, Partner at Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP.
What's the next step?
Glancy is investigating potential claims on behalf of Carpenter Technology Corporation investors. Investors who lost money can contact Glancy about the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation, email [email protected], or call 310-201-9150 (toll-free: 888-773-9224).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible? Investors who bought Carpenter Technology Corporation securities and lost money may have claims, and can contact Glancy to learn whether they are affected by the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation.
What is a securities fraud investigation? In the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation, Glancy is reviewing whether the Company or its executives may have made false or misleading statements to investors in violation of the federal securities laws.
Has a lawsuit been filed? This release announces Glancy's investigation, not a lawsuit. If a securities class action is later filed against Carpenter Technology Corporation, investors may have the opportunity to seek appointment as lead plaintiff.
Does it cost anything to contact Glancy or participate in this investigation? Glancy represents Carpenter Technology Corporation investors on a contingency fee basis, so investors pay no attorneys' fees out of pocket. Any attorneys' fees and litigation expenses are paid only from a recovery, if one is obtained, and are subject to court approval.
Why work with Glancy on the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation? Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP is a premier law firm with decades of experience representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. Contact Glancy about the Carpenter Technology Corporation investigation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Whistleblower notice
Persons with non-public information about Carpenter Technology Corporation should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information that leads to a successful SEC enforcement action may receive awards of 10 to 30 percent of the sanctions collected, when those sanctions exceed $1 million. For more information, contact Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224, or email [email protected].
About Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP
Glancy was named one of Law360's Securities Groups of the Year and ranked second in total investor recoveries by ISS Securities Class Action Services in 2025.
Glancy's successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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Disclosures
I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Key Takeaways CRS reported Q1 EPS of $3.25, beating estimates, as revenues rose 8.8% year over year to $798.2M.Aerospace bookings accelerated, while higher-priced long-term agreements strengthened CRS' earnings outlook.CRS reaffirmed its FY27 operating income target of $850-$880M and FY29 goal of $1.2-$1.3B.
Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) emphasized accelerating aerospace demand, stronger pricing opportunities and confidence in its long-term profit targets during its first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings call. Management maintained its outlook despite planned maintenance downtime and uneven defense orders.
The company reported earnings of $3.25 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.97. Revenues of $798.2 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $807.8 million by 1.2%. However, revenues increased 8.8% year over year.
CRS Sees Aerospace Bookings Accelerate
Chairman and CEO Tony Thene highlighted strengthening commercial aerospace demand, with supply-chain bookings increasing 25% year over year.
Bookings in aerospace structural and distribution markets rose 23% sequentially and 49% year over year. Aerospace engine bookings advanced 10% sequentially and 22% annually.
Thene emphasized that several customers are ordering below levels needed to support current aircraft production rates. He expects additional orders as manufacturers increase production and distributors replenish declining inventories.
Carpenter Expects Continued Pricing Gains
Thene described pricing as a significant earnings driver, supported by increasing demand and constrained nickel superalloy capacity.
Management completed two significant aerospace long-term agreements during the quarter at higher prices. Additional agreements under negotiation offer further pricing opportunities.
Responding to Deutsche Bank, Thene clarified that renewed agreements primarily involve existing customers requesting higher volumes. He indicated that market-share percentages should remain relatively stable, with contractual growth driven by greater material requirements.
CRS Maintains Strong Profit Outlook
Chief Financial Officer Tim Lain projected second-quarter fiscal 2027 operating income of $192 million to $197 million, representing anticipated year-over-year growth of 24% to 27%.
Management maintained its fiscal 2027 operating income outlook of $850 million to $880 million and its fiscal 2029 target of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion.
During JPMorgan's questioning, Thene identified potential upside from volume, productivity and pricing compared with the assumptions underlying the fiscal 2027 guidance. He emphasized that confidence in the company's financial targets had strengthened since the previous quarter.
Carpenter Defends Margins Amid Maintenance
Carpenter's Specialty Alloys Operations segment recorded an adjusted operating margin excluding surcharge revenue of 37.7%, compared with 32% a year earlier.
Segment operating income reached $216.3 million, increasing 27% year over year despite planned preventive maintenance and fewer available production days.
Responding to TD Cowen, Thene explained that productivity improvements across multiple manufacturing processes helped offset downtime. Management anticipates additional margin expansion as volumes and pricing improve, although quarterly product mix could create fluctuations.
CRS Addresses Defense Orders and Cash Flow
Thene acknowledged weaker defense bookings despite substantial underlying material demand. Funding uncertainties have prevented supply-chain customers from placing orders consistent with anticipated military requirements.
During discussions with JonesTrading, he explained that greater budget clarity could trigger a significant increase in material orders. Management continues engaging with defense manufacturers preparing for future programs.
Lain reported negative quarterly free cash flow of $24.8 million, reflecting capital expenditures and working capital requirements. He maintained the fiscal 2027 free cash flow forecast of $400 million to $430 million, expecting cash generation to strengthen later in the year.
Carpenter Prioritizes Capacity and Shareholder Returns
Management reiterated its commitment to expanding manufacturing capacity while maintaining shareholder distributions. The brownfield expansion remains on schedule and within budget, with operations expected to begin in early fiscal 2028.
Carpenter repurchased $133.9 million of shares during the quarter and continued paying its quarterly dividend. Its new $1 billion repurchase authorization supports additional capital returns.
Thene maintained a confident outlook centered on operational execution. Increasing aerospace demand, improved productivity and favorable contract pricing remain central to the company's long-term growth strategy.
Zacks Rank and Style Scores Signal Mixed Prospects
CRS currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reflecting favorable earnings estimate revision characteristics. Its Growth Score of B indicates attractive growth attributes, while its Value Score of D points to weaker relative valuation characteristics. The Momentum Score of C reflects a more moderate momentum profile. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The stock's VGM Score of C indicates a middle-range combined assessment of value, growth and momentum. Although its Zacks Rank indicates favorable near-term performance potential, the mixed Style Scores provide a more measured assessment. The Zacks Rank can change as analysts revise earnings estimates following the latest quarterly results.
Fox Factory Holding Corp. (FOXF) Securities Investigation Notice - Levi & KorsinskyPR Newswire
NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026
Fox Factory lowered its full-year 2026 net sales outlook to $1.35–$1.38 billion after preliminary third-quarter sales fell short of expectations. The investigation focuses on whether the Company adequately disclosed risks affecting its business segments and financial outlook.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Fox Factory Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FOXF) shares fell after the Company reported preliminary third-quarter fiscal 2026 net sales of $336 million to $340 million, below its own guidance of $355 million to $380 million, and reduced its full-year net sales outlook by approximately $80 million at the midpoint. If you lost money on FOXF stock, you may have legal rights and are encouraged to submit your FOXF loss information now . You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
The Company tied the shortfall to four pressure points: the timing of the Marucci divestiture, a supply disruption in its Powered Vehicles Group, operating challenges in its Aftermarket Applications Group, and softer bike sales. Fox Factory had assumed approximately $46 million in Marucci sales in its guidance but now expects about $33 million, a $13 million shortfall from that business alone.
The Company also reduced its full-year outlook. Net sales guidance fell to $1.35 billion to $1.38 billion from $1.42 billion to $1.47 billion, while adjusted EBITDA guidance declined to $140 million to $150 million from $176 million to $196 million. The announcement also disclosed that CEO Michael Dennison had stepped down and that Douglas Grimm had been appointed interim CEO. Levi & Korsinsky is investigating potential securities law violations, including whether Fox Factory may not have adequately disclosed the risks tied to these business lines.
Shareholders who suffered losses on Fox Factory stock are encouraged to start your FOXF loss review today or call (212) 363-7500.
ABOUT LEVI & KORSINSKY, LLP -- Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. The firm has extensive expertise in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees. For seven consecutive years, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report.
Frequently Asked Questions About the FOXF Investigation
Q: Who is conducting the FOXF investigation? A: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating potential securities law violations on behalf of investors who purchased Fox Factory Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FOXF) securities. The firm is nationally recognized, ranked in the ISS Top 50 for seven consecutive years, and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved investors.
Q: Who is eligible to participate in the FOXF investigation? A: Investors who purchased FOXF stock or securities and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses, not on whether you still hold the shares.
Q: Which statements are being investigated as potentially misleading? A: The investigation concerns whether Fox Factory made materially false or misleading statements regarding its fiscal 2026 financial outlook and the performance of its business lines, including Marucci, its Powered Vehicles Group, and its Aftermarket Applications Group. FOXF shares declined after the Company disclosed preliminary third-quarter net sales of $336 million to $340 million, below its own guidance of $355 million to $380 million, and reduced its full-year financial outlook.
Q: What do FOXF investors need to do right now? A: Investors may gather brokerage records showing purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Submit your information for a no-cost, no-obligation evaluation of your potential recovery . No immediate action is required to remain eligible to participate in the investigation.
Q: What documents do I need to participate? A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.
Q: What if I already sold my FOXF shares -- can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold the shares. Investors who bought FOXF and sold at a loss may still participate in the investigation.
Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: There is no upfront cost to submit your information and review whether you may be eligible to recover. Should you choose to participate in any resulting action, these matters are generally handled on a contingency basis, with any attorneys' fees and expenses subject to court approval.
Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. Participating in the investigation does not require court appearances or depositions. If legal action is later pursued, the overwhelming majority of affected investors never appear in court either.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
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Shares of K12 (LRN - Free Report) have gained 0.8% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $80.68, 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 $117.2 indicates a potential upside of 45.3%.
The mean estimate comprises three short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $24.26. While the lowest estimate of $90.00 indicates an 11.6% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 69.3% to reach $136.60. 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 highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.
However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in LRN. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective 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 LRN 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.
Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 0.6%, as one estimate has moved higher compared to no negative revision.
Moreover, LRN 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 LRN could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
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.
If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Northern Oil and Gas (NOG - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.
This independent oil and gas company has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 7.50%.
For the most recent quarter, Northern Oil and Gas was expected to post earnings of $1.02 per share, but it reported $1.13 per share instead, representing a surprise of 10.78%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.71 per share, while it actually produced $0.74 per share, a surprise of 4.23%.
Price and EPS Surprise
With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Northern Oil and Gas. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
Northern Oil and Gas has an Earnings ESP of +2.96% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on November 5, 2026.
With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Pipeline stocks like MPLX and Energy Transfer keep handing investors yields above 6%, but the cash flow statements hiding beneath those steady checks tell a very different story about how safe those payouts actually are.
Pipelines are where income investors go for yield, and MPLX (NYSE:MPLX | MPLX Price Prediction) pays about 7.4% at a unit price of $58.18. Long contracts make that check look safe. The risk sits in how the industry pays for growth. It hands most of its operating cash to investors and borrows to build. The practice is so common that few investors treat it as a warning sign anymore, and that is what makes it risky.
One key check: a payout holds up when operating cash flow covers both growth spending and the dividend. When it falls short, debt fills the gap, and the payout depends on lenders remaining generous.
Why Pipelines Borrow to Pay You The model makes sense. Pipeline assets last for decades. ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) says about 90% of its earnings are fee-based. The newest projects at Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) run on “at least 20-year take-or-pay contracts”. Partnerships are built to pass cash through to unitholders. Demand keeps coming, too. Federal forecasters say rising Appalachian gas output “requires infrastructure buildout to move natural gas to the Gulf Coast”. Put together, that means the industry pays out its cash and borrows for new projects.
This screen covers Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET), Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB), MPLX, ONEOK, Kinder Morgan and Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD), ordered from most exposed to most conservative. These yields hold up even as share prices have risen. Energy Transfer is up 28.66% year to date, and MPLX is up 15.44%. The warning signs are in the cash flow statements.
Energy Transfer (ET): Debt Climbing Faster Than the Payout Energy Transfer yields about 6.8% on a $1.36 annualized distribution and has raised the payout for 19 straight quarters. Second-quarter distributable cash flow (DCF), the key coverage metric for a partnership, was $2.6 billion. That covered the $1.241 billion paid out about 2.1x.
Full-year figures show more pressure. In 2025, operating cash flow of $10.149 billion came up $879 million short of covering capex and distributions combined. Total debt reached $70.241 billion, up from $60.558 billion at the end of 2024. Management expects growth spending of “$5 billion plus” each year through the end of the decade, and its leverage target is 4 to 4.5 times EBITDA. Energy Transfer has cut before: quarterly distributions paid fell from $819 million to $405 million in late 2020. To keep the payout safe, signed projects like Hugh Brinson need to increase up as planned.
Williams (WMB): Spending Now Outruns Operating Cash At about 3.0%, Williams has the lowest yield in the group. It also has the tightest cash position. Second-quarter capex of $1.834 billion was higher than operating cash flow of $1.376 billion, and cash fell 77.5% to $203 million. Growth capex guidance of $7.3 to $7.9 billion is close to adjusted EBITDA guidance of $8.3 to $8.5 billion. On top of that, the Momentum Midstream deal adds $5.5 billion and brings pro forma leverage to about 3.75x. Momentum and the power projects have to deliver EBITDA on schedule.
MPLX (MPLX): Fast Raises Meet a Bigger Build MPLX pays $1.0765 per quarter and plans 12.5% increases in both 2026 and 2027. DCF of $1.45 billion covers the distribution about 1.34x. However, second-quarter operating cash flow fell $215 million short of capex plus distributions. The partnership also raised 2026 capex guidance by $500 million to $2.9 billion. Leverage is 3.7x against a 4.0x ceiling. The CFO said growth later in 2026 “is going to give us confidence in 1.3x” coverage, so that increase has to show up.
ONEOK (OKE): A Thin Cash Cushion Behind a Steady Check ONEOK yields about 4.6%. In the first quarter of 2026, operating cash flow was $934 million, versus $864 million in capex and $674 million in dividends. At midyear, debt stood at $33.022 billion while cash was just $161 million. In its favor, ONEOK expects capex to ease toward $2 billion to $2.5 billion a year, and cash-tax benefits of about $2.6 billion should help free cash flow.
Kinder Morgan (KMI): Conservative, With a Growing Bill Kinder Morgan yields about 3.4%. Year to date, it generated $5.04 billion in operating cash, paid $1.98 billion in dividends, and has leverage of 3.5 times. The project backlog, though, grew to $14.4 billion. Management also said about $225 million of the 2026 outperformance came from items that may not repeat.
Enterprise Products Partners: Benchmark for Coverage Enterprise yields about 6.1% and covers its distribution 1.9x on a DCF basis. Its leverage remains at a 3.0 target, and 97% of its debt is fixed-rate at an average cost of 4.7%. It still plans about $3 billion of growth capex in 2027.
What Could Break the Model Borrowing to grow works as long as credit remains cheap. Three things could break it:
Refinancing at higher interest rates. Lenders pulling back. A drop in demand that reduces the cash flow used to justify the debt. Enterprise’s fixed-rate debt protects it. Energy Transfer runs at higher leverage, which leaves it more exposed.
When a dividend gets cut, the share price usually falls with it, so a high yield alone doesn’t justify buying a stock (we outlined the main red flags before a big payout gets cut in a free report here: Dividend Traps). In pipelines, start by checking DCF coverage, then free cash flow after the payout, then where leverage is heading.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Deciding between high-growth infrastructure and steady software giants is a classic investor dilemma. Here is how Arista Networks (ANET +1.47%) and Salesforce (CRM -1.42%) stack up for your 2026 investment strategy.
Arista Networks provides the physical backbone for massive data centers, while Salesforce offers the digital tools businesses use to manage their customers. Both companies are deeply integrated into their respective technology markets, but they offer vastly different ways to play the ongoing digital transformation of the global economy.
The case for Arista NetworksArista Networks designs high-speed networking hardware and software tailored for large-scale data centers and campus environments. Its business strategy centers on the Ethernet market, specifically targeting "Cloud Titans" and specialty providers building out artificial intelligence infrastructure. Because the company historically relied on significant purchases from a small number of large customers, this revenue concentration adds a layer of risk to the business even as it expands. This expansion is particularly visible in the growing market for tech stocks that support AI infrastructure.
In the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025, revenue reached nearly $9.0 billion. This represented a growth rate of approximately 28.6% over the prior fiscal year, driven by strong demand for high-capacity networking ports. The company also maintained strong profitability during this period, reporting net income of close to $3.5 billion. Its net margin of roughly 39% reflects a competitive position in a hardware market often characterized by high barriers to entry and specialized engineering requirements.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company carries a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0x, indicating it has no total debt relative to its shareholder equity. The current ratio is approximately 3.0x, meaning the company holds three times as many current assets as current liabilities to cover its short-term obligations. Free cash flow, which is the cash remaining after paying for operating costs and capital expenditures, reached nearly $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025.
The case for SalesforceSalesforce dominates the enterprise software landscape through its integrated platform that combines data, applications, and artificial intelligence. Its current strategy focuses on the Agentforce 360 platform, which enables organizations to deploy autonomous AI agents across their sales and service departments. Unlike hardware companies that may rely on a few large buyers, no single customer accounts for more than 10% of Salesforce's total revenue. This provides a diversified revenue base as the company shifts from selling traditional software subscriptions to usage-based AI services.
In the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2026, revenue reached close to $41.5 billion. This marks a 9.6% increase over the prior fiscal year, suggesting steady expansion of its software ecosystem. Net income for the period was approximately $7.5 billion, resulting in a net margin of roughly 18%. While its growth rate is more moderate than in previous years, the company has increasingly focused on improving its bottom-line efficiency while integrating new AI capabilities across its entire product suite.
According to its January 2026 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 0.3x. This figure, which compares total debt to shareholder equity, suggests a conservative approach to leverage. The current ratio is nearly 0.8x, indicating that current liabilities exceed current assets and reflecting the company's large deferred revenue balance. Free cash flow reached close to $14.4 billion, calculated as operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. Note that stock-based compensation accounted for roughly 23.4% of operating cash flow, inflating reported cash generation, since SBC is a non-cash expense added back to cash flow.
Risk profile comparisonArista Networks faces significant risks from revenue concentration, as a small group of cloud and AI customers accounts for a large share of its sales. The company is also vulnerable to supply chain disruptions because it relies on a limited number of vendors, such as Broadcom (AVGO +0.51%), for critical silicon components. Furthermore, international trade policies and tariffs could impact its operations in Asian markets, particularly Taiwan and China. Competitive pressure remains high as established rivals like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE +3.64%) and Extreme Networks (EXTR +0.36%) vie for market share in the high-speed switching space.
Salesforce must navigate the operational complexities of integrating major acquisitions, including recent deals for Braze (BRZE -0.01%), Loops, and Fin. The company also faces intense competition in the fragmented AI software market, where both established software giants and agile start-ups are rapidly introducing new features. Cybersecurity is a constant threat, as any breach of its platforms could result in the loss of sensitive customer data and damage the company's reputation. Finally, Salesforce must comply with evolving global regulations, such as the EU AI Act, which could increase the cost and complexity of its international operations.
Valuation comparisonSalesforce appears to be the more value-oriented choice based on its lower multiples, while Arista Networks commands a premium for its faster growth.
MetricArista NetworksSalesforceForward P/E41.6x14.9xP/S ratio20.5x4.7xValuation metrics include those sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from those of other data providers.
The P/S ratio measures a company's market value relative to its sales over the past twelve months. Investors often use the Forward P/E to compare a stock price against future earnings estimates provided by analysts.
When comparing Arista and Salesforce, investors should consider a few key factors. Let's have a look at them and see what that tells us about each stock.
To start, there's growth. In this category, Arista has a clear edge. It has averaged 33% year-over-year revenue growth since 2021. Salesforce, meanwhile, has averaged 13% -- still a very respectable figure, but a far cry from Arista. What's more, in recent quarters, the gap between Arista and Salesforce has widened. In its most recent quarter, Arista posted year-over-year revenue growth of nearly 38%, while Salesforce's revenue growth dipped to 11%.
Another factor to consider is each company's profitability. Let's examine operating margin. Arista's current operating margin is 43.1%, having grown steadily over the past several years. Salesforce, too, has seen its profitability improve, but its operating margin is currently 21.5%, roughly half of Arista's rate.
Last, there's valuation. It is here that Salesforce can make a strong claim. Since both companies have been consistently profitable, let's examine their respective price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples. Salesforce has a P/E ratio of 22x, while Arista's is 55x. Even if using forward earnings estimates, Arista stock still carries roughly twice the P/E multiple of Salesforce stock.
In summary, these two stocks are both impressive in their own right. However, in a head-to-head matchup, Arista comes out ahead in two key factors: growth and profitability. Salesforce, meanwhile, has a significant valuation advantage. Ultimately, investors will likely gravitate toward the stock that best matches their investing style. Growth-oriented investors will likely select Arista, while more value-conscious investors will lean toward Salesforce.
ArcBest (ARCB - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $130.3, gaining 2.3% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $165.64 indicates a 27.1% upside potential.
The average comprises 14 short-term price targets ranging from a low of $135.00 to a high of $200.00, with a standard deviation of $16.96. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 3.6% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 53.5% upside. More than the range, one should 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.
However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in ARCB. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Here's What You May Not 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 ARCB 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.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 1.2% over the past month, as three estimates have gone higher while one has gone lower.
Moreover, ARCB 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 ARCB could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
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.
Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? New Jersey Resources (NJR - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Gas Distribution industry, could be a great candidate to consider.
This energy services holding company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 49.87%.
For the last reported quarter, New Jersey Resources came out with earnings of $0.11 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.06 per share, representing a surprise of 83.33%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $1.89 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.2 per share, delivering a surprise of 16.40%.
Price and EPS Surprise
With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for New Jersey Resources. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
New Jersey Resources currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.85%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner.
Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong momentum characteristics for investors to consider today, October 23rd:
Hasbro (HAS - Free Report) : This company, which designs, manufactures and markets games, toys and licensed products, has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 8.3% over the last 60 days.
Hasbro’s shares gained 33% over the last three month compared with the S&P 500’s gain of 3.4%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B.
Universal Insurance Holdings (UVE - Free Report) : This vertically integrated insurance holding company, which is principally engaged in the property and casualty insurance business, has a Zacks Rank #1, and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 26.4% over the last 60 days.
Universal Insurance’s shares gained 16.8% over the last three month compared with the S&P 500’s gain of 3.4%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B.
Healthcare Services Group (HCSG - Free Report) : This company, which provides housekeeping, laundry, linen, facility maintenance and food services to the health care industry, including nursing homes, retirement complexes, rehabilitation centers and hospitals, has a Zacks Rank #1, and witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 6.1% over the last 60 days.
Healthcare Services Group’s shares gained 9% over the last three month compared with the S&P 500’s gain of 3.4%. The company possesses a Momentum Score of B.
See the full list of top ranked stocks here
Learn more about the Momentum score and how it is calculated here.
Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.
Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.
Below, we take a look at Hasbro (HAS - Free Report) , a company that currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A. We also talk about price change and earnings estimate revisions, two of the main aspects of the Momentum Style Score.
It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Hasbro currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.
You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>
Set to Beat the Market? In order to see if HAS is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this toy maker holds up.
Looking at a stock's short-term price activity is a great way to gauge if it has momentum, since this can reflect both the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand at the moment. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area.
For HAS, shares are up 5.83% over the past week while the Zacks Toys - Games - Hobbies industry is up 2.95% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 35.04% compares favorably with the industry's 29.08% performance as well.
While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Shares of Hasbro have increased 24.01% over the past quarter, and have gained 50.41% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved 2.49% and 15.59%, respectively.
Investors should also pay attention to HAS's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. HAS is currently averaging 2,399,991 shares for the last 20 days.
Earnings OutlookThe Zacks Momentum Style Score encompasses many things, including estimate revisions and a stock's price movement. Investors should note that earnings estimates are also significant to the Zacks Rank, and a nice path here can be promising. We have recently been noticing this with HAS.
Over the past two months, 3 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost HAS's consensus estimate, increasing from $6.18 to $6.69 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 3 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.
Bottom LineTaking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that HAS is a #1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Hasbro on your short list.
NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: DNB) and certain of its officers.
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that: (a) sold shares of D&B common stock in the open market during the period from May 13, 2025 through August 26, 2025; (b) exchanged shares of D&B common stock into the August 26, 2025 merger of D&B with affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. for $9.15 per share in cash (the “Merger”); and/or (c) held shares of D&B common stock as of the May 9, 2025 Record Date for the special meeting of stockholders and whose shares were voted on, or entitled to vote on, the Merger, and thus were damaged by defendants’ violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/cases/dun-bradstreet-holdings-inc-dnb-class_action_lawsuit.
D&B Case Details
The Complaint alleges that Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
(1)the proposed merger was not the product of an ordinary-course strategic review and arm’s-length interest in D&B, including because Executive Chairman William P. Foley II had a personal interest in pursuing a quick sale of the Company; (2)the Proxy omitted Bank of America Securities’ valuations of potentially superior alternatives to a whole-company sale; (3)the Proxy misstated that D&B’s Board of Directors had approved downward revisions to the Company’s financial projections; (4)the Proxy failed to disclose long-standing, material ties between Foley and D&B’s financial and legal advisors; and (5)as a result, D&B’s March 23, 2025 merger announcement, May 13, 2025 definitive proxy statement, and other solicitation materials were materially false and/or misleading.
What's Next for D&B Investors?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/cases/dun-bradstreet-holdings-inc-dnb-class_action_lawsuit. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in D&B you have until November 10, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
No Cost to D&B Investors
We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for D&B Securities Class Action?
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com
"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.
Contact Info
Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]
Attorney advertising.
Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? Paylocity (PCTY - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software industry, could be a great candidate to consider.
When looking at the last two reports, this provider of cloud-based payroll and human-resources software services has recorded a strong streak of surpassing earnings estimates. The company has topped estimates by 19.21%, on average, in the last two quarters.
For the last reported quarter, Paylocity came out with earnings of $1.84 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.54 per share, representing a surprise of 19.48%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $2.43 per share and it actually produced earnings of $2.89 per share, delivering a surprise of 18.93%.
Price and EPS Surprise
With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Paylocity. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. 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.
Paylocity has an Earnings ESP of +2.07% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on November 5, 2026.
With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Dominion Energy (D - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 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 October 30. 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 energy company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.19 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +12.3%.
Revenues are expected to be $4.78 billion, up 5.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. 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 Dominion Energy?For Dominion Energy, 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 +3.29%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Dominion Energy 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 Dominion Energy would post earnings of $0.73 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.79, delivering a surprise of +8.22%.
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.
Dominion Energy 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.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsAmong the stocks in the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, WEC Energy Group (WEC - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.95 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +14.5%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $2.23 billion, up 6% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for WEC Energy has been revised 2.4% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +2.89%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that WEC Energy will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Key Takeaways F5 forecasts Q4 fiscal 2026 revenues of $870-$890 million, suggesting top-line growth of 9%.Systems demand may benefit from data center expansion, AI workloads and infrastructure modernization.F5's Earnings ESP of 0.00% and Zacks Rank #3 do not signal a likely earnings beat under its model.
F5 Inc. (FFIV - Free Report) is scheduled to report fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Oct. 27, after market close.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, F5 projects non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) in the range of $4.14-$4.26 (midpoint of $4.20). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $4.24, suggesting a year-over-year decline of 3.2%. The figure has remained unchanged for the past 60 days.
FFIV’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 16.09%.
FFIV projects its fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 non-GAAP revenues in the range of $870-$890 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $884.4 million, suggesting year-over-year growth of 9.2%.
Factors to Consider for F5 StockF5’s performance in the fiscal fourth quarter is likely to have benefited from sustained demand for its application delivery and security solutions as enterprises continue to modernize their IT infrastructure and adopt hybrid and multi-cloud architectures. The rising need to distribute workloads across on-premises data centers and cloud environments is expected to support demand for F5’s flexible application delivery offerings. Increasing AI adoption and the need to manage data-intensive workloads could further strengthen this trend.
Demand for F5’s Systems products is expected to have remained a key contributor to product performance in the to-be-reported quarter. Customers are increasingly investing in higher-performance infrastructure to support expanding data-center capacity, improve application availability and prepare their environments for AI workloads. Ongoing infrastructure modernization, workload repatriation and platform consolidation initiatives are likely to have supported demand for the company’s BIG-IP offerings. However, the sustainability of hardware demand beyond customer refresh cycles remains an important factor to watch.
The Software segment is likely to have benefited from continued traction in subscription-based offerings, including BIG-IP and NGINX. Enterprises seeking to improve application performance, automate network operations and strengthen security across distributed environments are expected to have favored integrated solutions that offer flexibility and lower operational complexity. F5’s transition toward subscription-based software could support recurring revenue generation and improve revenue visibility over time. However, the pace of software growth might have remained uneven, depending on renewal timing, customer spending priorities and the adoption of new offerings.
Growing demand for application security solutions is also expected to have supported F5’s performance. As enterprises expand their use of cloud applications, APIs and AI-powered tools, the need to protect applications against automated attacks, fraud and emerging security threats is likely to increase. F5’s Distributed Cloud Services and AI Security Platform offerings could help the company capitalize on these requirements. Recent product enhancements and partnerships aimed at securing AI applications, models and agents are expected to broaden its opportunities as organizations seek greater visibility and control over enterprise AI deployments.
Nevertheless, slower growth in perpetual software licenses and cautious enterprise IT spending amid macroeconomic uncertainty could have limited the overall pace of expansion. Higher memory and storage costs, supply-chain pressures and competitive pricing could also weigh on Systems demand and profitability. In addition, acquisition integration requirements and lingering costs associated with the previously disclosed cyber incident may remain sources of execution risk. While recurring software revenues and demand for application security are likely to have provided support, these headwinds might have tempered the benefits from F5’s expanding cloud and AI opportunities.
What Our Model SaysOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for F5 this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. However, that’s not the case here.
F5 has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Stocks With Favorable CombinationHere are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in their upcoming releases:
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS - Free Report) , Seagate Technology (STX - Free Report) and Amphenol (APH - Free Report) are some stocks with favorable combinations.
Cadence Design Systems has an Earnings ESP of +0.91% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. CDNS is slated to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 26. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Seagate Technology has an Earnings ESP of +2.49% and sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. Seagate Technology is set to report its first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Oct. 27.
Amphenol has an Earnings ESP of +1.72% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. Amphenol is set to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 28.
VERRA MOBILITY CORP (VRRM - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 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 earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 30, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. 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 company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.26 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -29.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $238.77 million, down 8.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.81% 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 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. 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 Verra Mobility?For Verra Mobility, 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 +1.56%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Verra Mobility 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 Verra Mobility would post earnings of $0.33 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.38, delivering a surprise of +15.15%.
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.
Verra Mobility 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 ResultsAnother stock from the Zacks Internet - Software industry, Twilio (TWLO - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $1.46 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +16.8%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $1.51 billion, up 16.3% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Twilio has been revised 0.4% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.71%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), this Earnings ESP indicates that Twilio will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted earnings that beat consensus estimates, alongside a multi-year cost-cutting plan, sent Winnebago Industries (WGO -2.06%) soaring 16% this week.
Winnebago Industries stock changed hands at $27.35 as of Friday morning, up 16% this week from last Friday's close. Over the same period, the S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.30%) was down 0.5%, and the Nasdaq-100 was down 0.8%.
Image source: Winnebago.
Cost cuts and fiscal 2027 guidance lift Winnebago stockThe recreational vehicle maker reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $645.1 million, a 17% year-over-year decline, reflecting soft consumer demand across the outdoor recreation market. Despite top-line pressure, adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.49 topped consensus estimates of $0.47. To protect profitability in a sluggish market, management announced a reduction in manufacturing capacity and outlined plans to generate $70 million to $80 million in cumulative gross cost savings through fiscal 2029.
Winnebago Industries manufactures recreational vehicles, motorhomes, travel trailers, and premium boats, which are sold through a network of independent dealers to outdoor enthusiasts. Beyond its flagship RV models, the company operates premium marine brands like Chris-Craft and Barletta, as well as an expanding aftermarket parts business. By consolidating towable RV production into lower-cost sites, management aims to preserve margins even if retail sales volumes stay muted across North America.
Looking ahead, management issued fiscal 2027 guidance, expecting adjusted EPS between $1.65 and $2.25 and revenue between $2.65 billion and $2.80 billion. The projected earnings growth at the midpoint depends primarily on internal efficiency gains, site consolidations, and cost discipline rather than an immediate rebound in retail RV shipments. This week's guidance and cost-cutting plan shifts the thesis from enduring cyclical RV weakness to benefiting from operational efficiency and margin expansion.
What's next for Winnebago IndustriesInvestors will be watching whether dealer destocking eases and whether cost reductions begin to trickle down to operating margins when Winnebago Industries reports fiscal 2027 first-quarter results, expected in late December. The stock trades at a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.6 on its $780 million market capitalization, a valuation that assumes management can deliver on its promised efficiency gains while preserving market share. While the company held $181.4 million in cash and short-term investments as of Aug. 29, 2026, relatively high debt and elevated dealer inventory risks remain key headwinds if broader consumer spending contracts further.
$27.98-$0.59 (-2.06%)
NYSE · As of 12:56 PM ET 10/23/26
Is Winnebago Industries Stock a Buy?Winnebago is operating in a tough environment. Consumer spending is tight, and elevated fuel prices are another headwind. The company is navigating it through operational efficiencies and cost reductions.
Fiscal 2027 guidance targets adjusted EPS between $1.65 and $2.25, signaling a partial operational earnings recovery. Cash flow provided by operations in fiscal Q4 was $142.5 million. With the stock declining by over 30% year to date, the dividend yield now sits above 5%. That payment should be covered by operating cash flow, however. The company increased the dividend by 3% in August, but it still only amounts to about $41 million per year.
An ongoing decline in sales could change that, though. The stock jump this week signals investors see signs of a recovery in the business. While business risks remain, Winnebago stock could be a good place for value investors to allocate funds now.
Winnebago Industries, Inc. maintains a slight competitive edge, but cyclical headwinds and weak demand warrant a Hold rating. Recent results were mixed: Q4/26 revenue fell $132M YoY to $645M, though gross margins held steady at 12.5%. Management's M&A acumen is evident, with Barletta's acquisition doubling market share, but macro uncertainty clouds near-term recovery.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. ( SIGI ) Q3 2026 Earnings Call October 23, 2026 8:00 AM EDT Company Participants Brad Wilson - Senior VP of Investor Relations & Treasurer John J. Marchioni - CEO, President & Chairman Patrick Brennan - Executive VP & CFO Conference Call Participants Michael Phillips - Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., Research Division Rowland Mayor - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division Michael Zaremski - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research Jon Paul Newsome - Piper Sandler & Co., Research Division Meyer Shields - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division Presentation Operator Good day, and thank you for standing by.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank 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 +23.82% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To 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.
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: Packaging Corp. (PKG - Free Report) Headquartered in Lake Forest, IL, Packaging Corporation of America is the third largest producer of containerboard products and a leading producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. The company operates ten mills and 90 corrugated products manufacturing plants.
PKG is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. PKG has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 6.5% for the current fiscal year.
Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $10.48 per share. PKG boasts an average earnings surprise of +2.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, PKG should be on investors' short list.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP (“SBS”), a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Fluence Energy, Inc. (“Fluence” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: FLNC) 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.
Shareholders who purchased shares of FLNC during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointments. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CLASS PERIOD: November 24, 2025 to September 16, 2026
DEADLINE: November 30, 2026
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
CASE DETAILS: According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Fluence would require new contract manufacturing facilities to achieve its fiscal 2026 guidance, including facilities that were not yet operational. The Company’s corrective plan failed to address its issues with contract manufacturers. The Company was unlikely to recognize revenue on the impacted portions of its backlog in fiscal year 2026. 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 Fluence, investors suffered damages.
We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall or David Schwartz of Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP, 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.
Join the case to recover your losses
WHY SBS? Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. Bringing together the extensive experience and diverse skillsets of founding partners Brian Schall, Andrew Brown, and David Schwartz, SBS is dedicated to aggressively advocating for every investor.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.
CONTACT:
Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP
Brian Schall, Esq.,
Andrew Brown, Esq.,
David Schwartz, Esq.,
www.schallfirm.com
Office: 310-301-3335 [email protected]
, /PRNewswire/ -- Fluence Energy (NASDAQ: FLNC) faces a securities class action, which seeks to represent investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Fluence securities between November 24, 2025 and September 16, 2026.
The suit follows a stream of unexpected earnings announcements that were apparently at odds with Fluence's assurances that it was positioned to capitalize on surging demand for data centers, and which collectively wiped out roughly $3 billion of the company's market capitalization.
National shareholders rights firm Hagens Berman continues its investigation into claims that Fluence violated the federal securities laws.
The firm urges Fluence investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. In addition, persons with knowledge who may be able to assist the investigation are invited to contact the firm's attorneys.
Class Period: Nov. 24, 2025 – Sept. 16, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Nov. 27, 2026
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/FLNC
Direct Contact Email: [email protected]
Firm Telephone: 844-916-0895
Video: https://youtu.be/KVTyrrRmmqM
Fluence Energy, Inc. (FLNC) Securities Class Action:
The litigation's focus is on the propriety of Fluence's assurances that it was "well positioned to capitalize on the accelerating demand for energy storage[,]" and its backlog sufficiently covered revenue expectations. The company's plan depended on successfully ramping its "fully automated" Houston manufacturing facility's production of thermal management systems for its Gridstack ProTM battery energy storage solutions.
The complaint alleges that Fluence did not disclose important information to investors – its ability to deliver on its backlog and recognize revenue depended on new contract facilities that included incomplete and non-operational facilities. The complaint also alleges the company did not disclose that facility remediation efforts were unsuccessful.
Investors began to learn the truth through a series of partial disclosures beginning on February 4, 2026. That day, Fluence reported its Q1 2026 results included a significant year-over-year margin compression due to "additional estimated costs on two projects[]" and a significant year-over-year increase in net losses.
Then, on August 5, 2026 Fluence announced its Q3 2026 results included weaker than expected revenues, a massive year-over-year margin compression, and a net loss of $44.3 million compared to net income of $6.2 million in the same quarter last year.
The company said it "now expects that $400 million in project deliveries will be delayed into fiscal 2027 due to production issues at a new international contract facility[]" and also blamed "construction related delays that affected the completion and start-up of a new U.S. contract manufacturing facility."
Finally, on September 16, 2026 Fluence slashed its 2026 revenue guidance again (by 20%). CEO Julian Nebreda Marquez blamed the continuing "delays in the ramp up of our contract manufacturing facility in Houston." He also revealed the ramp delay was caused by having to manually weld rather than employing the automated welding process.
Each of these revelations triggered sharp declines in the price of Fluence shares. Between the first partial disclosure on February 4 and September 17, 2026 shares have fallen $21.33 (-73%).
"We're focused on when the Houston welding issue was first known to Fluence management given the facility's crucial role in onshoring," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.
If you invested in Fluence and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that will assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now »
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Fluence should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
Investors interested in stocks from the Technology Services sector have probably already heard of Gen Digital (GEN) and Trane Technologies (TT). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?
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 popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium 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.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value 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 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 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 is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.82% 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.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
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: Encompass Health (EHC - Free Report) Encompass Health Corporation is a provider of integrated healthcare services. It offers facility-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals. Through its extensive network of 173 hospitals across 39 states and Puerto Rico as of Dec. 31 2025, the company delivers high-quality, cost-effective, integrated care in the healthcare space. It provides a continuum of facility-based care for its patients and their families, which will gain more prevalence as coordinated care and integrated delivery payment models, such as accountable care organizations and bundled payment arrangements.
EHC 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. EHC has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 11.6% for the current fiscal year.
For fiscal 2026, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $6.08 per share. EHC boasts an average earnings surprise of +6.8%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, EHC should be on investors' short list.
