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Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd bought a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 653 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $611,000.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco’s fourth-quarter net sales increased 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion. Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, substantially outpacing overall growth and highlighting continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel shopping. Costco’s Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong Positive Sentiment: August sales remained robust: Costco reported a 9.9% year-over-year increase in August sales, driven by strong U.S. comparable-store performance and record digital growth. The update gives investors further evidence that membership and customer traffic remain resilient. Costco Reports Double-Digit Growth in August 2026 Sales Neutral Sentiment: Holiday closures are routine: Costco closed its U.S. warehouses for Labor Day, consistent with its long-standing policy of shutting stores on seven holidays annually. The practice may reinforce the company’s employee-focused culture but has no meaningful near-term earnings impact. Most national retailers close on 2 holidays. Costco shuts down for 7. Neutral Sentiment: Membership loyalty remains a theme: Coverage of members with decades-long Costco relationships underscores the strength of the retailer’s recurring membership model, though it provides limited new financial information. What Happens If You Are A Costco Member For Over 40 Years? Negative Sentiment: Supplier relationship risk: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a functional-beverage company’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights the importance—and potential volatility—of major retail partnerships. Loss of Costco deal helps push beverage brand into Chapter 11 Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 target price for the company. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.90. Read Our Latest Report on Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance Shares of COST opened at $915.74 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $942.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $976.78. The stock has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Profile (Free Report)

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale 3 Under-the-Radar Defense Stocks With Record Backlogs This Korea ETF Has Soared, But the Rally May Not Be Over Why Guidewire’s Post-Earnings Plunge May Not Last Ride-Share Reckoning: Tesla Drives Into Uber’s Lane Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report).

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Fox Hill Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 2,585 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $2,418,000.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $6,781,946,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $672,690,000 after buying an additional 6,720,130 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $2,362,188,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts recently commented on COST shares. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.90. Read Our Latest Stock Report on COST

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance NASDAQ:COST opened at $915.74 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a PE ratio of 46.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $942.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $976.78.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco’s fourth-quarter net sales increased 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion. Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, substantially outpacing overall growth and highlighting continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel shopping. Costco’s Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong Positive Sentiment: August sales remained robust: Costco reported a 9.9% year-over-year increase in August sales, driven by strong U.S. comparable-store performance and record digital growth. The update gives investors further evidence that membership and customer traffic remain resilient. Costco Reports Double-Digit Growth in August 2026 Sales Neutral Sentiment: Holiday closures are routine: Costco closed its U.S. warehouses for Labor Day, consistent with its long-standing policy of shutting stores on seven holidays annually. The practice may reinforce the company’s employee-focused culture but has no meaningful near-term earnings impact. Most national retailers close on 2 holidays. Costco shuts down for 7. Neutral Sentiment: Membership loyalty remains a theme: Coverage of members with decades-long Costco relationships underscores the strength of the retailer’s recurring membership model, though it provides limited new financial information. What Happens If You Are A Costco Member For Over 40 Years? Negative Sentiment: Supplier relationship risk: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a functional-beverage company’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights the importance—and potential volatility—of major retail partnerships. Loss of Costco deal helps push beverage brand into Chapter 11 Costco Wholesale Company Profile (Free Report)

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale 3 Under-the-Radar Defense Stocks With Record Backlogs This Korea ETF Has Soared, But the Rally May Not Be Over Why Guidewire’s Post-Earnings Plunge May Not Last Ride-Share Reckoning: Tesla Drives Into Uber’s Lane

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BNP Paribas increased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 523.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,107 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,769 shares during the period. BNP Paribas’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,996,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after acquiring an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,212,433,000 after acquiring an additional 107,775 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $7,488,203,000 after acquiring an additional 773,651 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $915.74 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $942.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $976.78. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a PE ratio of 46.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%. More Costco Wholesale News Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco’s fourth-quarter net sales increased 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion. Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, substantially outpacing overall growth and highlighting continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel shopping. Costco’s Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong Positive Sentiment: August sales remained robust: Costco reported a 9.9% year-over-year increase in August sales, driven by strong U.S. comparable-store performance and record digital growth. The update gives investors further evidence that membership and customer traffic remain resilient. Costco Reports Double-Digit Growth in August 2026 Sales Neutral Sentiment: Holiday closures are routine: Costco closed its U.S. warehouses for Labor Day, consistent with its long-standing policy of shutting stores on seven holidays annually. The practice may reinforce the company’s employee-focused culture but has no meaningful near-term earnings impact. Most national retailers close on 2 holidays. Costco shuts down for 7. Neutral Sentiment: Membership loyalty remains a theme: Coverage of members with decades-long Costco relationships underscores the strength of the retailer’s recurring membership model, though it provides limited new financial information. What Happens If You Are A Costco Member For Over 40 Years? Negative Sentiment: Supplier relationship risk: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a functional-beverage company’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights the importance—and potential volatility—of major retail partnerships. Loss of Costco deal helps push beverage brand into Chapter 11 Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have issued reports on COST shares. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Capital raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Truist Financial upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.90.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Profile (Free Report)

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.

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Jim Cramer told viewers Costco has lost its edge and pointed them toward dollar stores instead. Five days later, Clark Howard sent retirees straight back, and the math behind his advice could cost you thousands if you ignore it.

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On CNBC last week, Jim Cramer told viewers he is “beginning to wonder whether this is the Costco of old” and suggested the great value in American retail may have shifted to the dollar stores. Five days later, on September 8, consumer advocate Clark Howard pointed his retirement-age audience in the opposite direction, telling them Costco’s cheaper hearing aids are just fine: “You’re not going to get a worse hearing aid” for paying less.

Two well-known money voices, one week apart, opposite verdicts on the same question: is a Costco (NASDAQ:COST | COST Price Prediction) membership still worth it? The stakes are concrete. If Cramer is right and the value has eroded, a retiree on a fixed income who renews out of habit is quietly losing money to the annual fee. If Howard is right, skipping Costco could cost that same retiree thousands on a single healthcare purchase.

Howard Wins This Round, and Here Is the Math Howard has the stronger case, but only for shoppers who understand what they are buying. Cramer’s dollar-store pitch confuses low sticker price with low cost per unit of value. For high-ticket categories retirees actually spend on (prescription drugs, hearing aids, tires, gasoline, eyeglasses) dollar stores do not compete at all. Costco does, and the pricing gap can dwarf the membership fee many times over.

To see why, walk through the break-even. Costco’s Gold Star membership runs roughly $65 a year, with the Executive tier at $130. Executive members get 2% back on most purchases, capped annually. The break-even between the two tiers is straightforward: you need to spend enough at Costco each year for the 2% rebate to cover the extra fee. Below that threshold, Gold Star wins. Above it, Executive wins, and the reward grows with every dollar.

Now layer in Howard’s hearing aid example. Hearing aids at audiology clinics often run several thousand dollars per pair. If Costco’s private-label Kirkland Signature devices come in materially cheaper (and Howard has been telling listeners for years they do), a single purchase can pay the membership fee for decades. That is the mechanic Cramer’s “dollar store” line ignores entirely. A retiree does not buy hearing aids at Dollar Tree.

Why the Business Still Works, Even With Cramer’s Doubt The financials back up the value story. Costco’s worldwide renewal rate sits at 89.7%, meaning nearly nine in ten members re-up every year. Executive members now drive about 75% of net sales, which tells you the heaviest users are voluntarily paying the higher fee because the math works for them. Membership fee income reached $1.37 billion in fiscal Q3 2026, up almost 11% year over year, and comparable sales rose 9.8%. Shoppers who feel ripped off do not behave that way.

The stock, meanwhile, has cooled. Shares closed near $910, down about 4% over the past year and up roughly 6% year to date. Costco reports fiscal Q4 results after the close on September 24, 2026, which is when the value argument gets tested in numbers rather than soundbites.

One Variable Decides It for You The factor that swings the membership from smart to wasteful is annual spend at the warehouse. Run two scenarios:

Light user: a retiree who visits twice a month for household staples and spends $1,500 a year. A 2% Executive rebate returns $30, which does not cover the $65 upgrade over Gold Star. Stick with Gold Star, and even that only pays off if the per-trip savings on groceries, gas, and pharmacy beat the $65 fee. Heavy or healthcare-driven user: a retiree who spends $6,000 a year across groceries, gas, tires, and one hearing aid or eyeglass purchase. Executive rebate returns $120, nearly covering the fee, and the healthcare purchase alone likely saves four figures versus retail. Membership pays for itself many times over. What to Do Before You Renew Pull last year’s Costco receipts or the annual summary Costco emails Executive members. Add the total. If you spent under about $3,250, the 2% Executive rebate cannot cover the tier upgrade on its own, so downgrade to Gold Star and reassess. Then price one or two big-ticket items you are likely to buy in the next year (hearing aids, tires, a mattress, prescription eyeglasses) against Costco. If any single purchase saves more than the fee, Howard’s advice holds and Cramer’s doubt does not apply to you. The membership question comes down to arithmetic.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

California State Teachers Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD – Free Report) by 12,498.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 241,168,657 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 239,254,365 shares during the quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System owned about 19.45% of Gilead Sciences worth $30,469,248,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC bought a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 71.4% in the 4th quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 204 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quattro Advisors LLC bought a new position in Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Institutional investors own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on GILD. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $166.00 to $165.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 27th. HSBC raised shares of Gilead Sciences from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $133.00 to $155.00 in a report on Monday, July 6th. Daiwa Securities Group dropped their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $161.00 to $150.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Barclays reduced their price target on Gilead Sciences from $155.00 to $145.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $157.00 to $156.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Gilead Sciences has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $158.04.

Read Our Latest Report on GILD Gilead Sciences Price Performance Shares of GILD stock opened at $150.99 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $137.17 and a 200 day simple moving average of $136.36. The company has a market cap of $187.22 billion, a P/E ratio of -56.55 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a twelve month low of $108.46 and a twelve month high of $157.29.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($6.75) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($7.25) by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $7.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.40 billion. Gilead Sciences had a negative net margin of 10.64% and a negative return on equity of 2.11%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.01 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post -0.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.82 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is -122.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling In related news, insider Johanna Mercier sold 28,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.64, for a total transaction of $3,853,920.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 118,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,273,727.76. This trade represents a 19.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Anthony Welters sold 18,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.62, for a total value of $2,675,160.00. Following the sale, the director owned 12,894 shares in the company, valued at $1,916,306.28. This represents a 58.26% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 105,000 shares of company stock worth $14,495,820 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile (Free Report)

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead’s product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.

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Gilead Opens State-of-the-Art Research Center to Advance the Next Generation of Medicines Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today celebrated the opening of its 182,000-square-foot Research Center at its Foster City headquarters, expanding capabilities in oncology, inflammation and research data science to advance medicines for some of the world’s most challenging diseases. The new Research Center builds on Gilead's longstanding presence in California. Today, Gilead employs approximately 11,000 people across the United States, including more than 7,400 in California and nearly 4,700 in the Bay Area.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260908951870/en/

Gilead's new 182,000-square-foot Research Center in Foster City, Calif., marks the latest milestone in the company's $32 billion investment in U.S. research, development and manufacturing through 2030

Gilead marked the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by company leaders, scientists and government and community guests, including U.S. Representative Kevin Mullin of California’s 15th Congressional District and California State Assemblymember Diane Papan.

“We are in a moment of unprecedented opportunity in science and technology. Our new Research Center will help Gilead scientists make the most of that opportunity, delivering more breakthrough medicines faster," said Daniel O'Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gilead Sciences. “As part of our broader $32 billion investment in the United States, this new facility also reflects our long-term commitment to American innovation."

The Research Center is one of three major Foster City projects advancing Gilead’s broader U.S. investment in research, development and manufacturing through 2030. The Technical Development Center, expected to open in 2027, and the biologics facility, which broke ground in August and is expected to open in 2029, will further strengthen Gilead’s U.S. research and development infrastructure. “The future of biomedical innovation depends on bringing together exceptional science, advanced technologies and diverse expertise,” said Flavius Martin, MD, Executive Vice President, Research, Gilead Sciences. “This center was designed to do exactly that. By co-locating key research disciplines and expanding our data science capabilities, we are strengthening the infrastructure needed to accelerate discovery and advance meaningful innovations.”

Designed with input from Gilead research colleagues, the five-story center will support approximately 325 employees, including 260 laboratory scientists. Flexible laboratory neighborhoods, specialized collaboration spaces and shared technology platforms will enable teams to adapt as scientific needs evolve. All-electric systems, energy-efficient design and water-saving landscaping featuring California native plants are expected to support LEED Gold certification.

“Foster City is home to some of the most important biomedical research happening anywhere in the world, and Gilead’s continued investment here is a vote of confidence in California’s life sciences workforce,” said Kevin Mullin, U.S. Representative for California’s 15th Congressional District. “The new center expands Gilead’s research capacity in Foster City, supporting the region’s biotechnology leadership and skilled workforce.”

A dedicated bridge to an adjacent building streamlines the transfer of equipment and research materials, while the new Research Quad provides a central gathering space for collaboration and scientific exchange.

“San Mateo County is one of the most important and vital biotechnology centers in the world,” said Diane Papan, California State Assemblymember, 21st District. “Gilead’s sustained support for science, infrastructure and skilled jobs only strengthens our position.”

For more information about Gilead's U.S. investments, visit Gilead's U.S. investment webpage.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer and inflammation. In 2025, Gilead announced a $32 billion investment to further strengthen its U.S. footprint to power the next era of discovery, job creation and public health preparedness – while continuing to invest globally to ensure patients everywhere benefit from its scientific innovation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including Gilead’s ability to effectively manage or realize the anticipated benefits from its U.S. investment strategy, including the new Research Center, the Technical Development Center or the biologics facility; difficulties or unanticipated challenges in executing the investment strategy, including Gilead’s ability to complete planned initiatives in a timely basis or at all and uncertainties relating to regulatory approvals that may be required; any resulting adverse impacts to our corporate reputation; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation and disclaims any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.

For more information about Gilead, please visit the company's website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on X/Twitter (@Gilead Sciences) and LinkedIn (@Gilead-Sciences).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260908951870/en/

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.

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CALGARY, AB, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Enbridge Inc. (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB) today announced that Greg Ebel will retire as President and Chief Executive Officer effective December 31, 2026, and that Michele Harradence has been appointed to succeed him as President and Chief Executive Officer and to the Board of Directors effective January 1, 2027.

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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.

Past performance is not an indicator of future performance. This post is illustrative and educational and is not a specific offer of products or services or financial advice. Information in this article is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned herein. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change.

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.

Realty Income's 5.3% yield offers only a modest premium to Treasuries, putting more weight on AFFO growth, acquisitions and valuation.

Three tickers, one retirement paycheck, and a yield gap that can quietly unravel the whole plan before a single RMD arrives. Here is what the headline number leaves out.

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The headline number is $7,300 a month, which annualizes to roughly $87,600 a year. That is a comfortable retirement paycheck in most of the country, and this article walks through what it would take to generate it from three tickers: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHD), JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ:JEPQ), and Realty Income (NYSE:O | O Price Prediction).

Blended across a rough 50% JEPQ, 25% O, 25% SCHD allocation, the yields land somewhere between 7% and 8%. That implies a required capital base of roughly $1.15 million to $1.25 million, depending on which JEPQ figure you trust. That range, not a single number, is the realistic answer.

SCHD: The Compressed-Yield Anchor A hugely popular ETF, SCHD trades around $34 after a 29% one-year run. Its forward annualized distribution is $1.01 per share, slightly below its trailing 12-month total of $1.048. Because yield moves inversely to price, every new dollar committed here buys less income than it did last year. Payments arrive quarterly, and the underlying holdings are mature dividend payers like QUALCOMM, Texas Instruments, UnitedHealth, and Coca-Cola. This sleeve drives dividend-growth compounding, and it is the least tax-inefficient of the three because distributions are largely qualified.

JEPQ: The Income Engine With an Asterisk As popular as it is, JEPQ is where the arithmetic gets uncomfortable. The ETF trades near $60 and runs a covered-call overlay on Nasdaq-100 exposure, meaning it sells option premium against holdings like NVIDIA, Apple, Micron, and Alphabet. Distributions are monthly and variable. The latest monthly payment was $0.68255, and the forward annualized figure is $8.1906. The trailing 12-month total is only $6.76379.

That gap matters. Option premium expands with market volatility and collapses when markets are quiet. The September 2025 monthly payment was $0.44195, versus $0.68255 in September 2026. Same fund, same month, wildly different check. Sizing a retirement paycheck off the forward figure builds in the optimistic case. The conservative move is to plan on the trailing figure and treat the extra as upside, which pushes required capital in this sleeve materially higher.

Realty Income: One Stock, One Quarter of the Portfolio Realty Income trades near $61, pays $0.271 monthly, and yields about 5%. The company just declared its 674th consecutive monthly dividend, and Q2 2026 AFFO per share of $1.09 comfortably covers the $3.252 annualized payout. Guidance was raised to $4.44-$4.45 AFFO. Solid. But this is one company with tenant concentration, not an index, and 25% of the portfolio sitting in a single net-lease REIT is a real single-name risk.

Payment Calendar Is Lopsided For their part, JEPQ and O pay monthly, while SCHD pays four times a year, in March, June, September, and December. That means January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November arrive with two checks instead of three. A retiree drawing $7,300 every month needs at least one quarter of SCHD’s expected distribution parked in cash to bridge the lean months. That cash buffer is essential (if the uneven cadence is what pushed you toward this mix in the first place, we rounded up seven funds that pay every 30 days in a free monthly-income report here).

Concentration and What Is Missing Three tickers leave the portfolio under-diversified. There are no bonds, no cash sleeve, no international exposure, and nothing defensive to draw on in a drawdown. SCHD and JEPQ are both equity, and JEPQ’s covered-call overlay caps precisely the upside its tech-heavy underlying would otherwise deliver. A retiree forced to sell shares in a bear market to cover expenses faces sequence risk, meaning early losses can permanently shrink the portfolio’s ability to fund later years.

RMDs, IRMAA, and the Tax Character Problem A saver born in 1957 turned 69 this year and has not yet hit his required minimum distribution age, which for his cohort is 73. The window before RMDs is prime Roth-conversion territory. Medicare IRMAA surcharges are based on income from two years earlier and structured as cliffs. In 2026, a single filer with MAGI over $109,000 pays $81.20 extra per month on Part B plus $14.50 on Part D. At the income implied here, one dollar over a threshold triggers the full surcharge tier. JEPQ distributions are largely ordinary income because option premiums are not qualified. REIT distributions are also mostly nonqualified, though a slice may qualify for the QBI deduction or be classified as a return of capital, which reduces cost basis rather than being taxed immediately. Two of the three sleeves belong in a tax-advantaged account.

And the Verdict Three tickers are under-diversified, dressed up as elegance. The one worth adding is a short-duration Treasury or investment-grade bond fund to create the cash buffer this portfolio badly lacks. Actions to take: model your income at JEPQ’s trailing rate rather than the forward figure, verify your projected MAGI against the $109,000 single or $218,000 joint IRMAA threshold, and locate JEPQ and O inside an IRA if you have the room.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

AbbVie (ABBV - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $248.78, moving -2.99% from the previous trading session. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.58%. Meanwhile, the Dow experienced a drop of 1.18%, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq saw a decrease of 0.32%.

The drugmaker's stock has climbed by 3.42% in the past month, exceeding the Medical sector's gain of 2.73% and the S&P 500's loss of 0.36%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of AbbVie in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $3.86, reflecting a 107.53% increase from the same quarter last year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $17.36 billion, indicating a 10.02% upward movement from the same quarter last year.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $14.05 per share and a revenue of $67.56 billion, demonstrating changes of +40.5% and +10.47%, respectively, from the preceding year.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for AbbVie. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the business and profitability.

Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.09% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. As of now, AbbVie holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In the context of valuation, AbbVie is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 18.25. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 17.92.

Investors should also note that ABBV has a PEG ratio of 1.16 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As the market closed yesterday, the Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry was having an average PEG ratio of 2.27.

The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry is part of the Medical sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 102, this industry ranks in the top 42% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow ABBV in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.

Gold mining is supposed to be a boring business. Dig rock out of the ground, sell it, repeat.

SSR Mining (SSRM -0.56%) turned that sleepy venture into one of the market's hottest trades in August, with shares surging 45.3%, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Two things drove the gold stock higher.

Image source: Getty Images.

The massive Copler boost amid the gold rush Heading into August, investors were still haunted by the 2024 disaster at the Çöpler mine in Turkiye, an overhang that had completely stalled SSR Mining stock. That operational nightmare was already in the rearview mirror, though, with the company finally selling off the assets in June for $1.5 billion.

Yet, when SSR Mining dropped its second-quarter earnings report in August, investors saw the full, clean reality of the Copler sale on SSR Mining's financial health. That single move transformed its balance sheet overnight. SSR Mining was suddenly sitting on nearly $1.8 billion in pure cash with no debt.

Management immediately put that cash to work by repurchasing over $300 million of its own stock and reinstating a quarterly dividend. SSR had suspended dividends after the fatal Copler accident.

Gold prices broke out at the same time, after a stretch of weak economic data in August gave the Federal Reserve more reasons to hold off on raising interest rates. When interest rates stay low, gold remains attractive as it doesn't pay any interest itself, so there's not much to lose in terms of opportunity cost.

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A miner has high fixed costs, so when gold's price rises, almost all of the incremental revenue drops straight to profit. With SSR Mining also selling off Copler, the stock surged as investors bought into a rare turnaround in the gold industry.

This number suggests more upside for SSR Mining stock SSR Mining's August rally wasn't a typical gold-driven rally. The business is genuinely stronger than it was a year ago, debt-free, dividend-paying, and no longer carrying Turkey's operational risk.

The gold miner generated $299.1 million in free cash flow during the first six months of 2026, more than double its FCF in the year-ago period. Management remains confident that operational momentum will carry through a strong second half of 2026.

Despite the 45% August run, SSR Mining stock is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9.5 versus a trailing P/E ratio of around 14.6. That gap tells you Wall Street expects earnings to jump sharply as higher gold prices and other factors flow through. The stock hit a 52-week high of $39.44 on Sept. 3.

eBay Inc. (EBAY) Presents at Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026 Transcript

Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB) Presents at Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026 Transcript

Key Takeaways RH is expected to post Q2 revenue growth of 0.5%-2.5% amid housing and sourcing pressures.RH's Q2 adjusted EBITDA margin is guided at 11.5%-13%, hit by 380 bps of startup costs.RH's global expansion may support demand, with larger benefits expected later in fiscal 2026. RH (RH - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended Aug. 1, 2026) results on Sept. 10, after the closing bell.

In the last reported quarter, the company’s adjusted loss per share of $1.97 was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.13 by 7.5%. In the year-ago quarter, RH reported adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share. Net revenues of $800.3 million topped the consensus estimate by 1.1% but declined 1.7% year over year.

RH’s earnings surpassed estimates in only one of the trailing four quarters and missed on the other three occasions, but the average surprise was negative 12.8%.

How Are Estimates Placed for RH Stock?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fiscal second quarter indicates earnings of 42 cents per share, which has declined from 79 cents over the past 30 days. In the year-ago period, the company reported earnings of $2.93 per share.

The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $914.2 million, indicating a 1.7% year-over-year growth.

Factors Likely to Have Shaped RH’s Q2 PerformanceAssessing the Sales Environment: RH’s fiscal second-quarter revenue performance is likely to have remained constrained by a difficult housing backdrop, tariff-related sourcing disruptions and elevated backorder and special-order balances. Management expects these balances to remain unusually high in the fiscal second quarter before normalizing later in fiscal 2026. Accordingly, RH guided for fiscal second-quarter revenue growth of 0.5% to 2.5%, suggesting only modest top-line improvement during the period.

Despite these pressures, RH’s luxury positioning, international expansion and broader product transformation may have supported demand. The company has been building its presence across key European luxury markets, with Paris and Milan ramping up and London viewed by management as a potential accelerator for the international business. RH also continued expanding its trade platform and introducing higher-end customization through RH Bespoke Furniture and RH Couture Upholstery.

However, the larger benefits from RH Estates, backlog conversion and new-store growth are expected to be weighted toward the second half of fiscal 2026 rather than the fiscal second quarter. Management expects these initiatives to collectively drive a meaningful acceleration later in the year.

Factors Affecting Profitability: Profitability is likely to have remained under pressure from RH’s elevated investment cycle. Management guided for a fiscal second-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.5% to 13%, including an estimated 380-basis-point negative impact from pre-opening and startup expenses related to international expansion. Management indicated that a meaningful portion of these opening-related costs is transitory and should ease in the second half.

Overall, RH’s second-quarter results are expected to reflect modest revenue growth alongside continued near-term margin pressure from international investments and sourcing disruptions.

What the Zacks Model Says for RHOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for RH this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. This is exactly the case here, as you will see below.

Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of +127.49%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.

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

Peer ReleasesWilliams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM - Free Report) posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.10 per share, up 5% year over year and came in above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.05 by 2.4%. Net revenues rose 6.7% to $1.96 billion and beat the consensus mark of $1.91 billion by 2.5%.

Williams-Sonoma raised fiscal 2026 guidance after strong year-to-date performance. The company now expects annual net revenues to increase 4.7% to 7.2%, with comparable brand revenue growth of 4.0% to 6.5%. Non-GAAP operating margin is projected to be between 17.8% and 18.2%.

The Home Depot, Inc. (HD - Free Report) has delivered solid second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the top and bottom lines surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Adjusted earnings were $4.92 per share, up 5.1% year over year from $4.68. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.71.

Home Depot reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook, calling for total sales growth of 2.5-4.5% and comps growth of flat to 2%. The company anticipates earnings per share to be flat to up 4% from $14.23 in the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, adjusted earnings per share are also projected to be flat to up 4% from the $14.69 reported in the year-ago quarter.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (LOW - Free Report) reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $4.40 per share, up 1.6% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.22. Revenues rose 8.3% to $25,956 million but missed the consensus estimate of $26,135 million.

Lowe’s expects fiscal 2026 total sales of $92 billion compared with its prior range of $92-$94 billion. Comparable sales are projected to be flat, versus the previous expectation of flat to up 2%. The revision reflects first-half operating results and current demand trends.

Key Takeaways AIG's GI combined ratio stayed favorable at 89% in Q2 2026, supporting healthy insurance margins.AIG returned about $1.7B to shareholders in H1 2026, including $1.2B through share buybacks.AIG's forward P/E fell to 8.96X, below its five-year median of 10.11X and industry average of 9.40X. American International Group, Inc. (AIG - Free Report) is well poised to grow on the back of improving underwriting results in the North America Commercial and Global Personal segments, supported by lower catastrophe losses. Healthy premium growth and strong capital returns are major tailwinds.

American International — with a market cap of $29.8 billion — is a leading global insurance organization offering products for commercial, institutional, as well as individual customers.

Courtesy of solid prospects, this presently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is worth retaining at the moment.

Key DriversAIG's underwriting performance has strengthened considerably in recent quarters. General Insurance's combined ratio improved to 87.3% in the first quarter of 2026 and remained favorable at 89% in the second quarter. Continued underwriting discipline, expense management and selective risk-taking could help the company sustain healthy insurance margins and support earnings growth.

The insurer continues to expand its premium base despite becoming more selective in areas where pricing has weakened. Growth across several commercial and personal insurance lines highlights AIG's ability to attract business while maintaining underwriting discipline. This balanced approach should help the company preserve profitability without chasing unprofitable volume.

AIG continues to reward shareholders through a combination of sizable share repurchases and a growing dividend. During the first half of 2026, the insurer returned approximately $1.7 billion to shareholders, including $1.2 billion through buybacks and $504 million in dividends. It repurchased roughly 15 million shares over the period. AIG also increased its quarterly dividend 11% to 50 cents per share. It had $2.6 billion available under its repurchase authorization as of July 31.

AIG shares continue to trade at a relatively modest earnings multiple despite the company's improved underwriting profitability. Shares of the company declined 11% year to date, which lowered its forward price-to-earnings to 8.96X. This is lower than AIG’s five-year median of 10.11X and the industry average of 9.40X, indicating there’s more room to grow.

Estimates for AIGThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for American International’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $8.02 per share, which remained stable over the past week and indicates 13.1% year-over-year growth. AIG beat on earnings in each of the last four quarters, the average being 12.9%. Further, the consensus estimate for 2026 revenues stands at $28.97 billion, signaling an increase of 5.5% from a year ago.

RisksThere are a few factors that investors should keep an eye on.

AIG is operating in a less favorable pricing environment after several years of broad rate increases. In the second quarter of 2026, renewal pricing in International Commercial declined 6%, while Global Energy and Financial Lines pricing fell 15% and 4%, respectively. Pricing pressure is also evident in North America Property, where AIG has deliberately reduced business rather than accept inadequate rates.

AIG absorbed $210 million of catastrophe-related charges in the second quarter of 2026, up from $170 million a year earlier. The total included $75 million of losses associated with the Middle East conflict. Catastrophe losses represented 3.4 percentage points of the quarterly loss ratio. A period of elevated natural disasters or geopolitical events could quickly erode underwriting gains and introduce greater volatility into AIG's results.

Key PicksSome better-ranked stocks in the broader Finance space are Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN - Free Report) , CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO - Free Report) and Assurant, Inc. (AIZ - Free Report) . While HMN currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), CNO and AIZ carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Horace Mann Educators’ current-year earnings is pegged at $4.78 per share, which has witnessed one upward revision over the past 30 days and no movement in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the consensus estimate for HMN’s 2026 revenues indicates a 3.9% year-over-year increase.

The consensus mark for CNO Financial’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.74 per share, which indicates 16.2% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed two upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past 60 days. CNO beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 23.2%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Assurant’s current-year earnings is pegged at $22.05 per share, which indicates 11.5% year-over-year growth. It has witnessed two upward estimate revisions against none in the opposite direction in the past month. AIZ beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 17.7%.

Kentucky Renters Can Now Get Fast, Affordable Coverage Starting at $5 Per Month

, /PRNewswire/ -- Lemonade (NYSE: LMND), the tech-first insurance company, today announced the availability of its renters insurance in Kentucky. The expansion gives renters across the state a simple, fast way to get coverage that fits their lifestyles.

Lemonade Renters provides flexible coverage options via an app where renters can get quotes, purchase policies, update existing policies, and file claims, all in one place. About 40% of claims are handled instantly, helping renters receive assistance more quickly after a covered loss.

"Kentucky represents another important step in Lemonade's continued expansion across the United States," said Dan Timsit, Head of Renters Insurance at Lemonade. "Our goal is to make insurance easier to understand, easier to access, and easier to manage. We're excited to offer Kentucky renters a modern alternative to traditional insurance."

Coverage starts at just $5 per month, making it one of the more affordable renters insurance options available. Based on company and industry data, Lemonade's renters insurance rates are approximately 30% lower than the national average.

Customers may also be eligible for additional savings through policy bundling, having qualifying home safety devices, or choosing annual billing.

Lemonade currently serves more than 3 million active customers and has earned recognition from organizations and publications including Forbes, CNBC, and U.S. News & World Report for its insurance products and customer experience.

For a full list of Renters state availability, visit Lemonade.com.

About Lemonade

Lemonade's mission is to become the most loved insurance company in the world. As a customer-centric tech company, we created an insurance experience across Renters, Home, Pet, Car, and Life that is smart, instant, and delightful. Our team of 1,200+ Lemonade Makers make it possible for over 3M customers throughout the US, UK and Europe to get coverage instantly, with nearly half of claims paid in a matter of seconds. Powered by AI and social impact, Lemonade is a purpose-built, technology-first insurance carrier. A Certified B-Corp, our commitment to social impact is embedded in every aspect of the company, and our Giveback program, which donates a percentage of leftover premiums to nonprofits selected by our community, has donated over $10M to organizations in need.

SOURCE Lemonade, Inc.

MIAMI & AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) and Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ: NBIS) today announced a strategic partnership to bring Nebius's AI-native compute infrastructure and cloud platform to Palantir's commercial customers. As part of the partnership, Palantir has named Nebius its preferred sovereign AI infrastructure partner and, following the integration period, will bring Nebius compute and inference endpoints inside the Palantir enterprise perimeter, ena.

Palantir just handed Nebius a coveted sovereign AI label, but traders are punishing one side of the partnership and rewarding the other in ways that reveal exactly where the market thinks the real leverage sits.

Sovereign AI infrastructure is driving today’s action across the AI cloud complex. Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR | PLTR Price Prediction) named Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS) its preferred sovereign AI infrastructure partner this morning, and the compute provider is outperforming the software vendor.

Nebius stock is up 6% to $239.23 in Tuesday morning trading, extending what has already been a monster advance for the year. Meanwhile, Palantir stock is down 1% to $172.39 in early action, giving back some of last month’s ground.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down 0.46%, so today’s announcement is landing on a slightly lower broad tape. That leaves the divergence between Nebius and Palantir looking like a stock-specific reaction on an otherwise quiet session.

Sovereign AI Partnership Fuels Nebius Rally Palantir has named Nebius its preferred sovereign AI infrastructure partner, integrating Nebius cloud and compute capabilities inside Palantir’s enterprise perimeter. The pact plugs a scaled GPU cloud directly into Palantir’s AIP software stack for customers that want to keep their data, models, and weights under their own control. That positioning matches how Palantir has been marketing sovereignty on recent earnings calls, where the company has argued that generic token-based AI services quietly transfer enterprise IP to third parties.

CEO Alex Karp framed the demand backdrop on Palantir’s Q2 2026 earnings call, stating, “Demand for AI sovereignty has now been unleashed. And Palantir is the only company that has demonstrated it can transform tokens into actual economic value…The sovereign AI revolution makes us very optimistic about the future.” Karp also flagged on the same call that Palantir was actively hunting for technically capable partners to help scale that push, and today’s announcement gives that pitch a named infrastructure counterparty behind it.

Credential Versus Contract for Nebius The market is treating today’s news as demand validation for Nebius. Palantir picks up an incremental distribution channel from the deal, and today’s split reaction shows the market sees more near-term upside on the infrastructure side of the pairing. Nebius stock has run hard this year while Palantir stock has traded lower, so the announcement reads as a fresh reason to own compute exposure and as a smaller catalyst for the enterprise software name.

Nebius reported Q2 2026 revenue of $582.3 million, up 454% year over year (YoY), with its AI Cloud segment growing 514% YoY. Its remaining performance obligations reached $37.49 billion, and management reaffirmed FY26 revenue guidance of $3 billion to $3.4 billion.

However, the preferred-partner designation carries no disclosed committed capacity or dollar figure, so its value to Nebius is more credential than contract. Nebius already carries heavy customer concentration, with three customers representing 24%, 21%, and 14% of Q2 2026 revenue, so additional named logos in the pipeline can help dilute that risk over time.

CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) is the closest listed comparable to Nebius on GPU cloud capacity, with no direct involvement in this Palantir partnership. Its own Q2 2026 report showed revenue of $2.575 billion, up 112.3% YoY, and a revenue backlog near $104 billion, so the peer set is scaling in its own right.

Session Scorecard Ticker Session Move Year to Date NBIS +6% +183% PLTR -1% -2% CRWV +7% +35% Nebius stock has run 183% year to date (YTD), so today’s move extends an already large uptrend. Palantir stock is down 2% YTD, which reframes today’s fade as another leg in a sideways-to-lower year even as the underlying business keeps compounding revenue.

CoreWeave stock is up 35% YTD, and the company was recently added to the NASDAQ 100. That backdrop shows the AI cloud pure-play trade has been rewarded broadly ahead of today’s Palantir-Nebius headline (we profiled seven non-chipmaker names powering the same data-center buildout in a free report on AI infrastructure winners).

What to Watch Next The bull case for Nebius rests on the guided revenue ramp and a contracted power target of more than 4 GW by year-end 2026, which would support the ARR outlook management has already put on the board. The bear case is that a credential without contracted dollars can fade quickly if CoreWeave or another peer signs a larger, disclosed sovereign AI deal in the same window.

Traders can watch for follow-through in Nebius shares and any additional color from either company on whether the preferred-partner tag converts into disclosed capacity or revenue. Investors sizing their exposure should keep their positions modest given customer concentration and a price-to-sales multiple that already prices in aggressive growth.

Palantir’s story is intact on the reported numbers, with FY26 revenue guidance raised to $8.15 billion to $8.16 billion, a Rule of 40 score of 155, and a P/E ratio near 247x. Shareholders can check for firmer support and a clearer read on how sovereign AI partnerships translate into billings before adding to their positions on today’s dip.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Palantir Picks Nebius for AI Infrastructure Summary

The partnership could help Nebius expand its enterprise reach as demand grows for controlled AI computing and inference capacity

Nebius Group NBIS shares climbed 3% Tuesday after Palantir Technologies PLTR selected the company as its preferred infrastructure partner for sovereign artificial intelligence services.

The agreement is aimed at giving Palantir customers access to computing and AI inference capabilities within a controlled environment. The companies also plan to speed up the deployment of additional AI capacity as demand for localized infrastructure grows.

For Nebius, the partnership provides another route to expand its role in the AI infrastructure market. Its technology will support customers seeking to operate AI models while maintaining greater control over their data and computing environment.

Palantir and Nebius also intend to combine their respective technologies to support commercial clients using optimized open AI models. The arrangement could help Nebius deepen relationships with enterprise customers through Palantir's platform.

The deal comes as companies and governments place greater emphasis on keeping sensitive AI workloads within trusted infrastructure. That trend could create additional opportunities for specialized computing providers.

The partnership may improve Nebius' growth prospects by adding another enterprise channel for its AI infrastructure services.

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.

Click for the complete disclosure

Palantir keeps beating Wall Street's expectations while trading at a valuation that makes most analysts flinch, and the tension between those two realities is exactly what makes its next move so hard to predict.

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Few names on the market divide investors quite like Palantir. The nine consecutive quarters of EPS beats, the 155% Rule of 40 score, and the AI sovereignty narrative make it a fundamentals story. The P/E near 247x makes it a valuation debate. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target tries to adjudicate that tension with math rather than opinion.

Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR | PLTR Price Prediction) currently trades at $172.24. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for Palantir is $184.84 over the next 12 months, implying 7.38% upside. Our recommendation is buy with high confidence at 90%.

24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $172.24 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $184.84 Upside 7.38% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 90% Choppy Price Action With Fundamentals Still Accelerating PLTR has cooled recently, falling 7.54% over the past week but still up 8.71% over the past month and 10.31% over the past year. Shares sit roughly 8% below the $207.52 52-week high, well above the $106.37 low.

Q2 FY2026 was extraordinary: revenue of $1.935 billion, up 92.83% year over year, EPS of $0.41 versus the $0.28 estimate, and U.S. commercial revenue growing 149%. Management raised FY2026 revenue guidance to $8.150 to $8.158 billion, the largest full-year raise in company history.

Why Bulls See a Path to $213 Our bull case one-year price target is $213.34, implying 23.94% upside. The drivers are visible in the earnings report. U.S. commercial TCV bookings hit $2.132 billion, up 153% year over year, and net dollar retention climbed to 157%.

CEO Alex Karp said, “I am driving the business to grow at a rate equal or above to what we have in U.S. commercial for the next 18 months.” If AIP adoption keeps compounding and sovereign AI wins accelerate, forward EPS re-rates higher, and the target rises with it.

What Could Go Wrong Our bear case lands at $158.11, an 8.15% decline. The starting problem is valuation: a trailing P/E of 247x and P/FCF near 191x leave little room for a growth deceleration. Stock-based compensation was $265 million in Q2 alone, a real dilution drag.

Bulls would counter that heavy SBC funds the forward-deployed engineering talent that just closed 73 deals of $10 million or more. Insider activity is net selling across recent transactions, though executive selling at these price levels is typically routine.

How Palantir Compares to Snowflake, Salesforce, and C3.ai Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) is the closest AI-platform valuation contrast. SNOW trades at a P/B of 61 with a P/FCF of 104, still growing product revenue 37% year over year, but PLTR’s 92.83% growth and GAAP profitability justify a fatter multiple.

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) is the mature comp: a P/E of 29, 10.83% revenue growth, and a 34.3% non-GAAP operating margin. CRM sets the floor: this is what AI software valuations look like once growth normalizes.

C3.ai (NYSE:AI) is the cautionary comp, with revenue down 25.46% year over year and a market cap of just $1.59 billion. The peer spread makes our 24/7 Wall St. price target look reasonable: rich versus CRM, cheaper than SNOW on growth-adjusted terms, and worlds away from AI’s execution problems.

Company Revenue Growth YoY Operating Margin Palantir 92.83% 31.59% Snowflake 35.09% -30.64% Salesforce 10.83% 21.47% C3.ai -25.46% -194.86% Palantir Price Prediction 2026-2030 Our 24/7 Wall St. price target of $184.84 and buy rating rest on one tipping factor: Palantir is the only richly-valued AI software name delivering both hypergrowth and GAAP profitability.

The bull thesis strengthens if U.S. commercial growth stays above 100% into Q4. The bear thesis gains traction if net dollar retention slips below 140% or bookings decelerate meaningfully. For long-term holders, the setup still favors patience over exit.

Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $184.84 2027 $184.32 2028 $192.31 2029 $208.94 2030 $214.71 These projections assume Palantir continues executing on AIP adoption and sovereign AI wins at roughly current trajectories. Significant upside or downside could come from federal budget shifts, AI regulatory action, or a broader software multiple reset.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Shares of Nebius Group (NBIS +7.73%) were moving higher today, even as the broad market was down, after the neocloud stock announced a new partnership with Palantir (PLTR -2.31%).

As of 2:29 p.m. ET, Nebius was up 8.9% on the news.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nebius gets a big customer win This morning, Palantir and Nebius announced a partnership to deliver sovereign AI to Palantir customers as the fast-growing data analytics platform named Nebius as its preferred sovereign AI infrastructure partner.

The news represents a key win for Nebius as it shows it branching beyond its core customer base of hyperscalers and winning over software companies, which can give it an advantage in partnering with their customers.

Palantir is a particularly valuable company as it's seen as a winner in AI and has seen tremendous growth in recent quarters.

As part of the deal, Palantir will bring Nebius compute and inference inside its perimeter. The two companies will work together to accelerate the deployment of new compute capacity for Palantir customers.

Today's Change

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7.73

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17.49

Current Price

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243.88

What it means for Nebius Palantir itself doesn't represent a major revenue source for Nebius, as the company is much smaller than hyperscalers, but it can connect Nebius to governments with strong demand for sovereign AI.

The move could also pave the way to more such deals, as it acts as validation for the broader neocloud space.

Nebius is already delivering scorching-hot growth, with revenue up 454% in its most recent quarter to $582.3 million, and the Palantir partnership should extend its runway.

Jeremy Bowman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

In the latest close session, Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR - Free Report) was down 2.31% at $170.30. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.58% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 1.18%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.32%.

Shares of the company have depreciated by 0.51% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 0.12%, and the S&P 500's loss of 0.36%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Palantir Technologies Inc. in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $0.41, showcasing a 95.24% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $2.17 billion, up 83.95% from the year-ago period.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $1.6 per share and revenue of $8.14 billion. These totals would mark changes of +113.33% and +81.77%, respectively, from last year.

Investors should also pay attention to any latest changes in analyst estimates for Palantir Technologies Inc. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. At present, Palantir Technologies Inc. boasts a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

With respect to valuation, Palantir Technologies Inc. is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 109.06. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 20.46, so one might conclude that Palantir Technologies Inc. is trading at a premium comparatively.

Also, we should mention that PLTR has a PEG ratio of 1.97. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. Internet - Software stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.08 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 84, this industry ranks in the top 35% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.

Collecting $1,000 a month in dividends sounds simple until you realize the capital required shifts every time prices move, and choosing the wrong yield can leave you exposed to a dividend cut when you can least afford it.

Every income investor eventually asks the same question: what does $1,000 a month in dividends actually cost to buy? The answer is the annual target ($12,000) divided by the yield, so it moves as prices move. That is why a sector-diversified roster matters more than a single fat yield. Realty Income (NYSE:O | O Price Prediction), the roster’s anchor, currently yields 5.04% and pays monthly, and its $0.271 per share monthly rate flows straight into a retiree’s account without waiting on a quarterly cycle. The five names below all pass a coverage screen first; the income math comes second.

Realty Income (O): Monthly Dividend Anchor Realty Income trades at $61.25 with a 5.04% yield and an annualized forward dividend of $3.252 per share. The distribution is paid monthly, which is the entire reason this name headlines the roster.

Q2 2026 AFFO per share was $1.09 (up 3.8% year over year) against $0.8115 in monthly dividends paid during the quarter. Management raised full-year AFFO guidance to $4.44 to $4.45, portfolio occupancy sits at 98.8%, and Fitch rates the company A with Stable Outlook. The dividend track record includes 670 consecutive monthly dividends declared and 115 consecutive quarterly increases.

The bull case for an income buyer: reliable monthly cash, investment-grade balance sheet, and a growth pipeline that now includes a $6 billion hyperscale data center joint venture. The caveat: Net Debt/EBITDAre rose to 5.4x from 5.2x, and REIT valuations remain sensitive to interest rates.

Verizon Communications (VZ): Telecom Cash Machine Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) closed at $50.14 and pays a quarterly dividend of $0.7075 per share, or $2.83 annualized. That is a high-yield telecom paycheck backed by one of the largest free cash flow bases in US equities.

Q2 2026 free cash flow was $6.426 billion, up 27.12% year over year, and full-year FCF guidance was raised to $21.94 to $22.14 billion. Adjusted EPS came in at $1.30, beating the $1.27 consensus, and 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was lifted to $4.99 to $5.04. CFO Tony Skiadas told investors “The dividend is still ironclad for us, and we raised the dividend”, adding that the January raise marked the 20th consecutive year of dividend increases.

The bull case: fiber growth (broadband connections reached roughly 17.1 million, up 34.5% year over year), 6% to 7% EPS growth, and a management team publicly protecting the payout. The caveat: total unsecured debt of $136.5 billion and net leverage that ticked up to 2.5x from 2.2x after the Frontier deal.

Enterprise Products Partners (EPD): Midstream Coverage King Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD) trades at $38.94 and just raised its distribution to $0.56 per common unit quarterly, or $2.24 annualized, a 2.8% year-over-year increase. This is a fee-based midstream operator with unusually thick distribution coverage.

Q2 2026 operational distributable cash flow of $2.3 billion provided 1.9 times coverage of the cash distribution. Adjusted EBITDA hit a record $2.83 billion, up 17% year over year, on record pipeline volumes of 14.7 MMBPD. The recent quarterly progression from $0.545 to $0.55 to $0.56 confirms a still-active increase cadence, and management is executing on a $6.5 billion pipeline of growth projects under construction.

The bull case for income: 1.9x coverage is one of the highest in midstream, buybacks add optionality ($5.0 billion authorization, 34% utilized), and the LPG export terminal expansion comes online by year-end 2026. One caveat: EPD is a partnership that issues a K-1 rather than a 1099-DIV, which complicates taxes and generally makes it a poor fit for IRAs.

Altria Group (MO): Tobacco Cash Cow Altria Group (NYSE:MO) closed at $68.88 and just declared a new quarterly dividend of $1.11 per share, taking the annualized forward dividend to $4.44. That is one of the largest cash yields in the S&P 500.

Coverage rests on a pricing-power model. 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance is $5.56 to $5.72, comfortably above the payout, and Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.32 beat the $1.25 consensus. Altria returned $8 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and buybacks combined and announced its 60th dividend increase in 56 years. Smokeable segment adjusted operating income rose 6.3% to $2.68 billion with a 65.1% margin.

The bull case: enormous, predictable cash generation and a management team that treats the dividend as sacrosanct. The caveat is real: domestic cigarette volumes declined roughly 10% in 2025, Marlboro’s retail share is slipping, and stockholders’ equity is negative $3.211 billion from years of buybacks. Volume decline is the secular headwind pricing must keep outrunning.

Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY): Pharma Payer With a 94-Year Streak Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) trades at $66.83 with a quarterly dividend of $0.63 per share, or $2.52 annualized. The most recent hike marked the 17th consecutive annual dividend increase and the 94th consecutive year of dividend payments.

Payout coverage here is the strongest of the group. 2026 non-GAAP EPS guidance is $6.05 to $6.35 against the $2.52 payout, and management said results are trending toward the upper end of the range. Q1 2026 revenue was $11.49 billion, up 3%, and the Growth Portfolio grew 12% to $6.23 billion, led by Eliquis at $4.14 billion (+16%) and Camzyos at $314 million (+97%). CFO David Elkins said the company will keep “returning cash to shareholders through our commitment to the dividend”.

The bull case: a growth portfolio offsetting legacy erosion, roughly $5 billion in share buyback authorization remaining, and a payout ratio near 40% of non-GAAP EPS. The caveat: the Legacy Portfolio (Revlimid, Pomalyst, Sprycel, Abraxane) is expected to decline 12% to 16% in 2026, and net debt sits near $33.6 billion.

Putting the $1,000 a Month Together The capital required to collect $1,000 a month falls as yields rise and rises when prices climb, so treat any capital figure as a snapshot rather than a fixed sticker. Spreading a target income across a REIT, a telecom, a midstream partnership, a tobacco payer, and a pharma diversifies the cycle risk that sinks single-industry income plans. Every one of these dividends is currently covered by cash flow or earnings, with management commentary reinforcing the payout, though dividends are never guaranteed and can be reduced. Anchoring the roster with Realty Income’s monthly schedule smooths the quarterly cadence of the other four, which is exactly what a $1,000-a-month plan is supposed to do.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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

Shares of this company have returned -11.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The Zacks Internet - Commerce industry, to which PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR belongs, has lost 6.2% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

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

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

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

For the current quarter, PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is expected to post earnings of $2.50 per share, indicating a change of -15.5% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -5.6% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $11.03 points to a change of +6.5% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +8.3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $12.83 indicates a change of +16.4% from what PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +5.7%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR.

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

12 Month EPS

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

In the case of PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR, the consensus sales estimate of $17.65 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +16.1%. The $70.08 billion and $77.75 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +15.6% and +10.9%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR reported revenues of $16.56 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +14.1%. EPS of $2.85 for the same period compares with $3.08 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $17.13 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -3.35%. The EPS surprise was 0%.

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

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

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

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

PDD Holdings Inc. Sponsored ADR is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

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