Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Scancell Holdings PLC (AIM:SCLP, OTC:SCNLF, FRA:SCP), the Oxford-based cancer immunotherapy developer listed on London's junior AIM market, has agreed an all-share merger with US biotech Neuphoria Therapeutics that will give it a Nasdaq listing and access to American investors.

The combined group will keep the Scancell name and apply to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker SCLT, while retaining its existing AIM quotation.

Alongside the deal, Scancell expects to raise up to $89 million through a mix of equity and debt to fund a global registrational phase III trial of its lead treatment in advanced melanoma.

The company has secured commitments from new and existing shareholders for a private placement of $39.1 million, roughly £29.2 million.

It is launching a UK placing today to raise about $12 million and a retail offer of up to $3 million.

Scancell has also signed a non-binding term sheet with funds managed by BlackRock for debt financing of up to $25 million.

Completion of the merger is expected to bring at least a further $10 million into the enlarged group from Neuphoria's own cash balances.

Existing Scancell shareholders will own 85.5% of the combined company on a pro forma basis, with Neuphoria holders taking 14.5%.

The lead asset, iSCIB1+, is an off-the-shelf immunotherapy designed to prompt the patient's own immune system to attack tumour cells.

It has fast-track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration, a status intended to speed the review of treatments addressing serious conditions.

Data from the mid-stage SCOPE study showed 77% progression-free survival at 22 months when the treatment was combined with the established checkpoint drugs ipilimumab and nivolumab.

Further progression-free and overall survival data from that study are expected within the next 12 months.

The financing is intended to carry the phase III trial through to its primary readout in the second half of 2028 and to extend the group's cash runway into 2029.

Chief executive Dr Phil L'Huillier said the transaction gave Scancell access to US investors and the wider American life sciences sector for the capital needed to run the registrational study.

Neuphoria chairman Alan Fisher said the deal let his shareholders participate in the future value of Scancell's oncology pipeline while retaining potential upside from Neuphoria's partnered assets through contingent value rights.

Both boards have approved the transaction unanimously, and it requires shareholder approval on both sides.

The company, which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017, stands to benefit from growing support for nuclear power and President Trump's deal with Saudi Arabia.

Memory chip maker Sandisk (SNDK +0.62%) was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.14%) in 2025, and it's currently leading the index higher in 2026. The stock has advanced 570% year to date amid a severe memory chip supply shortage fueled by the artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out.

In general, analysts think Sandisk remains undervalued. Wall Street's median target price of $2,500 per share implies 57% upside from its current share price of $1,590. But I think the stock will increase 91% to $3,040 per share by August 2027 (i.e., when the company reports financial results for the full fiscal year).

Here's my logic.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Sandisk is capitalizing on AI-driven demand for NAND flash memory Sandisk develops storage solutions based on NAND flash memory. Once a sleepy consumer brand, it has shifted focus to enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs), which play an important role in supporting artificial intelligence workloads. Specifically, NAND-based SSDs provide storage for active AI training data and models before they are loaded into DRAM (working memory).

"NAND flash is emerging as the only economically viable solution to deliver the capacity, performance, and efficiency required to keep models accessible for real-time inference at scale," according to CEO David Goeckeler. Sandisk is capitalizing on that opportunity by expanding its enterprise SSD portfolio. Products based on Stargate, a new controller built to improve enterprise SSD storage density, will begin shipping this quarter.

Meanwhile, Sandisk in July started sampling chips built on BiCS10 architecture, the 10th generation of its 3D NAND flash memory technology. Compared to the previous generation, BiCS10 increases bit density by 59%, meaning more data can be store in the same physical space. Also, memory chips built on the new architecture are 33% faster and much more power efficient than chips built on the previous BiCS8 architecture.

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Wall Street expects Sandisk's revenue to grow 155% in fiscal 2027 Sandisk reported impressive financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 (ended in March). Revenue rose 251% to $5.9 billion, driven by especially strong sales growth in the data center segment. And non-GAAP earnings increased to $23.41 per diluted share, up from a loss of $0.30 per diluted share in the previous year.

Sandisk will likely keep posting strong numbers for the foreseeable future. But memory chips sales have historically been highly cyclical because manufacturers tend to overproduce during periods of robust demand. That creates supply gluts that ultimately drive prices lower. For instance, demand for memory chips soared during the pandemic, but DRAM and NAND prices had dropped about 70% by 2023.

Naturally, investors are concerned that history will repeat itself. Those fears are warranted, at least to some degree. Several memory chip manufacturers are constructing new plants to increase production capacity, and some of that new supply will hit the market in 2027 and 2028. On the other hand, demand is so intense today that memory chip manufacturers have secured multiyear contracts.

As of April, Sandisk had signed five long-term agreements. "These partnerships support durable, structurally higher earnings and a significantly more predictable and less cyclical business for Sandisk," said CEO David Goeckeler. "We believe this marks a fundamental evolution of our business centered on deeper customer alignment, enhanced visibility, and long-term value creation."

Nevertheless, concerns about a sharp decline in memory prices will likely linger, putting downward pressure on Sandisk's valuation over the next year. The stock currently trades at 18 times sales, but I will assume that metric falls to 9 times sales after Sandisk reports financial results for fiscal 2027 next August.

The Wall Street consensus says revenue will increase about 155% to $50 billion in fiscal 2027. If that forecast is accurate and shares trade at 9 times sales, Sandisk's market value would reach $450 billion. That implies 91% upside from its current market value of $235 billion. It also implies a stock price of $3,040 per share.

FTAI Aviation (FTAI) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.

Relx NYSE: RELX reported stronger first-half results, with management pointing to broad-based growth across its four divisions and continued momentum from AI-enabled analytics and decision tools.

Chief Executive Erik Engstrom said underlying revenue grew 7% in the first half, while underlying adjusted operating profit rose 9%. Adjusted earnings per share increased 11% at constant currency. Engstrom said all four business areas “continued to perform well,” with Risk maintaining strong growth, STM stepping up to strong growth, Legal posting a further acceleration, and Exhibitions continuing to grow despite some event-related disruption.

Chief Financial Officer Nick Luff said the group’s adjusted operating margin improved by 70 basis points to 35.5%. Cash conversion was 98%, and leverage stood at 2.3 times net debt to EBITDA at the end of June. Relx increased its interim dividend by 7% to GBP 0.209 per share.

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Luff said the company spent GBP 103 million on two acquisitions in the first half and completed GBP 1.75 billion of its planned GBP 2.25 billion share buyback program for the year. Total free cash flow was more than GBP 1.1 billion, while net debt stood at GBP 8.7 billion at the end of June.

Risk, STM and Legal Drive Profit Growth Ahead of Revenue Engstrom said the Risk division delivered 8% underlying revenue growth and 10% underlying adjusted operating profit growth. He attributed the performance to “deeply embedded AI-enabled analytics and decision tools,” supported by contributory and proprietary data sets. More than 90% of Risk revenue comes from machine-to-machine interactions, he said.

Within Risk, Business Services, which accounts for more than 40% of divisional revenue, continued to benefit from demand for financial crime compliance and digital fraud and identity solutions. Insurance, also around 40% of divisional revenue, saw growth from broader adoption of contributory databases and market-specific solutions.

STM revenue rose 6% on an underlying basis, while underlying adjusted operating profit increased 8%. Engstrom said growth was supported by a shift toward higher-growth, higher-value analytics and decision tools, as well as new product introductions. He cited continued rollout and usage growth of AI-enabled tools, including LeapSpace, which he described as a “research-grade AI workspace” that has been positively received by customers.

In primary research, Relx said article submissions grew more than 20% in the first half, while the number of articles published increased 7%, in line with the company’s long-term average. In response to an analyst question, Engstrom said submissions may moderate over time to low double-digit growth, but he expects strong volume growth to continue for years. He said Relx is becoming “more selective” in what it publishes as part of its quality positioning.

Legal posted 10% underlying revenue growth and 13% underlying adjusted operating profit growth. Engstrom said double-digit growth in law firms and corporate legal, which represent about 70% of divisional revenue, was driven by adoption of Lexis+ with Protégé, the company’s AI-enabled legal platform with an integrated agentic assistant.

AI Tools Remain Central to Strategy Management repeatedly pointed to AI-enabled products as a key driver of Relx’s improving growth profile. Engstrom said the company’s strategic direction is unchanged, with long-term growth supported by a business mix shift toward analytics and decision tools. He said the evolution of artificial intelligence is enabling Relx to add more value for customers and launch products faster.

On LeapSpace, Engstrom said it should be viewed both as an evolution of ScienceDirect AI and as a product with substantial new functionality. He said customer feedback has been “very, very positive,” with users citing time savings and support for critical thinking. Active users nearly doubled over a 90-day period from March to June, he said, while usage grew faster than the user base.

In Legal, Engstrom said new sales are now “pretty much” 90% from the AI-enabled platform, while roughly three-quarters of renewal value is coming from Lexis+ with Protégé. He said the initial move to the AI-enabled platform is a starting point for future growth rather than the endpoint. Luff cited the integration of Lex Machina into Lexis+ Protégé as an example of additional functionality being added to the platform.

Luff said token costs associated with AI usage remain less than 1% of the company’s overall cost base. He said Relx sees managing token costs effectively for customers as a competitive advantage, supported by how the company configures its technology and pre-processes underlying content.

Exhibitions Growth Moderated by Timing and Travel Disruption Exhibitions delivered 6% underlying revenue growth, while underlying adjusted operating profit increased 2%. Engstrom said the division’s performance reflected strong ongoing growth in the event portfolio, partly offset by travel disruption, event cycling, timing and the rescheduling of some events to the second half.

Luff said events still to run in the Middle East represent about 3% of divisional revenue, or less than 0.5% of group revenue. He said Relx is still planning to run most of those events but acknowledged uncertainty around their performance. He also said travel disruption affected participation from or through the Middle East at events outside the region.

Management Reiterates Full-Year Growth Expectations For the full year, Relx said it expects continued strong underlying revenue growth in Risk, STM and Legal, with underlying adjusted operating profit growth exceeding underlying revenue growth in each of those divisions. For Exhibitions, excluding uncertainty around remaining Middle East events, the company continues to expect strong underlying revenue growth and an improvement in adjusted operating margin over the prior full year.

Luff said Relx continues to target cost growth below revenue growth across its businesses. He said the gap between revenue growth and profit growth has widened in recent years, helped by revenue acceleration and internal use of generative AI to improve efficiency.

Engstrom said Relx’s objectives remain to sustain strong long-term growth in Risk, continue improving growth trajectories in STM and Legal, and sustain strong long-term growth in Exhibitions. He said the combination of business mix changes and process innovation should support strong earnings growth and improving returns.

About Relx (NYSE:RELX)RELX plc is a global provider of information, analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The company supplies content, data and analytical services that support decision-making across scientific, technical and medical research, legal and regulatory practice, and risk and business analytics. RELX's offerings are largely delivered via digital platforms and subscription services designed for institutions, corporations and professionals who require specialized, high-value information and workflow solutions.

RELX operates through distinct business lines that include Elsevier, which provides scientific, technical and medical journals, books and online platforms such as research and discovery tools; Legal and Professional services, which deliver legal, regulatory and compliance content and workflow solutions; Risk & Business Analytics, which offers data, analytics and decision tools for insurance, banking, corporate and government risk assessment; and Exhibitions, which organizes industry trade shows and events.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) managed the unusual feat of selling more cars than ever before and being punished for it, with shares falling 4% after hours and wiping roughly $71 billion from the electric carmaker's value.

Start with the good, because there genuinely is some. Revenue of $28.24 billion was up 26% year-on-year and comfortably ahead of the $25.71 billion analysts had pencilled in.

Deliveries of 480,126 vehicles were a second-quarter record and the first annual growth in two years, ending a slump driven by Chinese competition and a consumer backlash against Elon Musk's politics.

The services division, which includes out-of-warranty repairs, grew revenue 50% to $4.58 billion at record margins, a reminder that the most boring part of the business is quietly among the healthiest.

Subscriptions to Full Self-Driving, which despite the name still requires a human ready to grab the wheel, rose 56% to 1.48 million, generating $791 million of annual recurring revenue.

Chief financial officer Vaibhav Taneja said the company left the quarter with its biggest order backlog since 2023.

Now the bad. Adjusted earnings of 33 cents a share came in barely two-thirds of the 51 cents Wall Street expected.

Gross margin fell to 16.8%, against forecasts of 19.4%, as average selling prices dropped and revenue from selling regulatory credits to rival carmakers collapsed from $439 million to $146 million.

That last line matters more than it looks, because those credits were nearly pure profit and are not coming back.

Tesla is now selling cheaper Model 3 and Y variants after retiring the pricier Model S and X, which is a fine way to move metal and a poor way to defend margins.

Operating expenses rose 47% to $4.35 billion, roughly twice the pace of revenue growth, dragging operating margin down to 1.4% from 4.1%.

Then the ugly, or at least the expensive.

Capital expenditure jumped 142% to $5.79 billion and free cash flow swung to a deficit of $1.09 billion, from a $146 million surplus a year earlier.

Taneja has guided to more than $25 billion of capex this year, close to three times the 2025 figure, and warned that operating costs will keep climbing into 2027.

In fairness to Tesla, the burn was smaller than the $3.6 billion analysts had feared, which is the sort of consolation prize that only makes sense in this stock.

The money is going into artificial intelligence compute, six new factories, Optimus humanoid robot lines at Fremont, and Terafab, a semiconductor project run jointly with SpaceX.

Musk described Optimus as the hardest product Tesla has ever tried to manufacture, noting there is no existing supply chain for it, which is true and also not obviously reassuring.

None of it generates revenue yet, and Musk has conceded robotaxi income will not become meaningful until 2027.

The strategic subtext was harder to miss than usual.

Asked whether Tesla and SpaceX might merge, Musk cited the growing overlap around Terafab before observing that one cannot discuss combining companies on an earnings call, having just spent an hour describing two companies that increasingly cannot function without each other.

Analysts have put the odds of a combination at 80% to 90% by early 2027.

Investors have already marked Tesla down 17% this year against a rising Nasdaq, and SpaceX has shed more than 40% from its post-listing peak.

The pitch is that the spending buys a robotics and autonomy platform worth far more than a carmaker.

The problem is that shareholders are being asked to fund it out of a business whose margins are going the wrong way.

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) shares fell almost 3% after hours, wiping almost $125 billion from its valuation, despite second-quarter results that beat Wall Street forecasts on both revenue and earnings.

The Google parent reported revenue of $119.8 billion and earnings per share of $9.11, against analyst expectations of $116.9 billion.

Google Cloud revenue rose 82% year on year to $24.77 billion, and remaining performance obligations, the value of contracts signed but not yet delivered, reached $514 billion against a forecast $488.1 billion.

The share price reaction points to the number investors actually cared about.

Capital expenditure hit $44.9 billion in the quarter, double the same period last year, keeping Alphabet on track for full-year spending of $180 billion to $190 billion.

Free cash flow fell roughly 47% year on year in the first quarter to $10.1 billion, and chief financial officer Anat Ashkenazi has already told investors 2027 spending will increase significantly again.

The stock has dropped in each of the past three months and sits below its 52-week high, behind Apple and Nvidia for the year despite an 11% gain.

Adding to the unease, Bloomberg reported Google has delayed its Gemini 3.5 Pro model over concerns about how it compares with rivals, a claim the company disputes.

The click that never comes

Beneath the quarterly numbers sits a structural problem that no earnings beat resolves.

Google's advertising business, which delivered $81.63 billion this quarter, depends on an open web of publishers producing the content its search results index and monetise.

That web is contracting.

Ahrefs data published in February found AI Overviews, the AI-generated summaries Google places above search results, cut click-through rates for the top-ranked link by 58%, nearly double the figure measured eight months earlier.

Roughly 83% of searches featuring an AI Overview end without a click to any website.

The consequences are already visible: Business Insider lost 55% of its organic traffic and cut 21% of staff, CNN saw traffic fall about 30% year on year, and DMG Media, owner of MailOnline, reported click-through declines of up to 89% on affected queries.

Gartner forecasts that half or more of organic search traffic to websites will disappear by 2028.

Eating the goose

The logic is uncomfortable for Alphabet. Search advertising works because users click through to pages carrying more advertising, much of it also sold by Google.

If publishers close, the corpus of fresh, reliable content that makes AI Overviews useful thins out, and the inventory Google monetises across the wider web shrinks with it.

Advertisers then concentrate spending inside the walled gardens, which flatters Google in the short term and narrows the ecosystem it depends on over the longer term.

Wall Street has so far treated this as someone else's problem, focusing instead on cloud growth and capex discipline.

That is unlikely to hold indefinitely. The moment search revenue growth decelerates while capital spending keeps climbing, the two stories converge, and investors will be asked to value a business that has consumed part of its own supply chain.

Anna Edwards, Guy Johnson and Adam Linton break down today's key themes for analysts and investors on "Bloomberg: The Opening Trade." -------- More on Bloomberg Television and Markets Like this video?

In the July 22 after-hours session, immediately after filing second-quarter (Q2) earnings, Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) stock plummeted 3.31% from its close at $342.09 to $330.76, effectively wiping $138 billion from Alphabet’s market capitalization.

Google stock price one-day chart. Source: Google At face value, the downward move appears odd given that the blue-chip chipmaker unveiled a massive revenue beat, revealing its sales were $119.80 billion when $116.93 billion was expected.

However, already the other most-cited metric following quarterly filings – earnings per share (EPS) – offers a hint into the reason for the crash. Indeed, Google’s Q2 EPS proved lower than the expected $2.89, at $2.85.

Google CapEx to soar to $200 amid rising AI profitability concerns Additionally and perhaps most damningly from the point of view of shareholders, Alphabet has revised its capital expenditure (CapEx) expectations from the range between $180 billion and $190 billion from the previous quarter to a staggering $195 billion to $205 billion.

The move follows growing discomfort over investments in artificial intelligence (AI) as, despite the reported progress from various involved firms, there remains a general lack of clear evidence that adoption is unambiguously beneficial – especially following the 2026 trend of increasing usage prices, arguably in an effort to stop subsidizing customers.

Google’s CapEx is, in particular, controversial as the company made its first equity offer in decades in June, signalling its profits – or creditors – are no longer able to support expenditure fully.

Additional evidence backing the concern can be found in the fact that Google’s free cash flow dropped to a negative $5.9 billion for the first time in over a decade.

Meanwhile, July also brought rising competition from cheaper Chinese models, which appear to be perceived as a sufficient threat that multiple AI companies now seem to be calling for tighter regulation.

Notably, these firms have previously been against such constraints to a sufficient degree that the Federal Government made attempts to ban States from implementing their own regulation.

Google laments supply constraints, plans to lease external AI compute Finally, Alphabet also reiterated its previous point about constraints presented by insufficient capacity supply, signalling it would seek external compute and warning the new approach could have a temporary negative impact on margins.

Google recently entered an agreement with Elon Musk’s newer public company, SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX), to lease some of its data centers along with Anthropic and might be able to find additional external capacity with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META).

By press time, the actual availability of compute across the industry remains as unclear as the actual revenue and profitability from AI on account of comparatively little available information on completion of data centers relative to press releases on new planned facilities.

Featured image via Shutterstock

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An Alexa+ signage during an unveiling event in New York, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Bloomberg/Getty Images Amazon has redesigned Alexa to rely less on Anthropic models, part of a sweeping effort to lower the cost of running its AI-powered voice assistant, according to internal documents reviewed by Business Insider.

The documents, which span late last year through early this year, show Amazon pursuing a series of changes in how Alexa generates answers by routing more requests to its in-house AI models, avoiding unnecessary calls to Anthropic's Claude models, and squeezing more work from each GPU.

Together, the initiatives were expected to more than quadruple the number of customer transactions each unit of computing capacity could support.

The effort offers a glimpse into AI's next battleground.

As frontier models become more capable, competition is shifting from building smarter AI to making them cheaper to run. Google has promoted lower-cost AI through Gemini Flash, while companies including OpenAI and Cursor have introduced techniques that automatically send simpler requests to lower-cost models.

Amazon's financial projections underscore why the company has devoted so much effort to this challenge.

Internal forecasts from early this year showed AWS cloud costs for the upgraded, AI-powered Alexa+ were on pace to reach roughly $1.7 billion in 2026, nearly triple the previous year.

Alexa+ was also projected to run about 60% above Amazon's target for AWS cloud cost per monthly active user. Even after identifying roughly $450 million in potential savings, internal reviews concluded the business would not hit its financial targets. Amazon declined to comment.

A costly new AlexaUnlike earlier versions of Alexa, Alexa+ generates many responses with large language models running on GPU-intensive cloud services. That turned relatively inexpensive voice requests into AI workloads that cost far more to serve.

Those costs became more important as Amazon worked through a difficult launch. Business Insider previously reported that the company delayed Alexa+ multiple times as engineers grappled with AI hallucinations and questions about whether the service was ready for customers. Alexa+ expanded its availability in the US earlier this year.

Scaling the service only increased the financial pressure, a sign of how different generative AI is from more traditional software services.

As Alexa+ rolled out to more users, Amazon projected sharply higher AWS cloud spending as demand for AI computing capacity grew.

The company even weighed delaying some of its most expensive AI initiatives. Business Insider previously reported that Project Moonraker, Amazon's effort to give Alexa more advanced AI agent capabilities, was expected to become the service's largest AI expense this year, and the company considered delaying parts of the project as it searched for savings.

Reducing unnecessary calls to Claude

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy  Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images One of Amazon's priorities was narrowing where Anthropic's Claude models would be used inside Alexa+.

Internal roadmaps called for moving specialized Alexa "Experts" from Claude Sonnet to Amazon's own AI models while reducing other use of Claude across the digital-assistant service.

Amazon also sought to avoid inference whenever possible. Inference is how AI models are run, and one way to limit the cost of this is to use caching, which stores answers to common requests so the AI doesn't have to do the same work again.

One Amazon roadmap called for Alexa+ to stop calling Claude models when suitable answers were already available in cache, and expand "deterministic" handling, which enables Alexa to answer more predictable requests without tapping a large language model.

The strategy is notable given Amazon's deep ties to Anthropic. Amazon has invested billions in the AI startup, partners closely with it, and stands to reap a significant windfall from Anthropic's IPO, if that goes ahead.

Yet the official internal documents reviewed by Business Insider show Amazon has been looking for ways to reduce how often Alexa relies on Anthropic's models.

Amazon's approach mirrors a growing trend across the AI industry. Investment firm William Blair wrote in a recent report that software companies are starting to reserve frontier models for difficult, high-stakes reasoning while routing less complex requests to cheaper models. That lowers inference costs without changing the customer experience.

"Multi-model routing is becoming standard architecture in software," analysts at William Blair wrote in the report.

Delivering more with fewer GPUsReducing model costs was only one part of the strategy. Amazon also focused on increasing how much work each GPU could perform.

Rather than simply adding more Nvidia GPUs, Amazon wanted to process more customer requests from the same computing gear. One roadmap projected software upgrades would increase available computing capacity by roughly 50% while cutting response times by about 40%. Internal planning dashboards tracked projected customer growth, GPU utilization, available capacity and inference efficiency as Amazon prepared to scale Alexa+.

Amazon's cost-saving efforts extended beyond software. Planning documents show the company evaluating both Nvidia GPUs and its own Trainium chips to further lower the cost of running Alexa+.

More broadly, the documents show Amazon treating frontier AI models and GPU capacity as expensive resources to be deployed selectively rather than by default.

That philosophy echoes a point CEO Andy Jassy has made publicly. In his shareholder letter last year, Jassy argued there's an "urgency" to make AI inference dramatically less expensive.

"Reducing the cost per unit in AI will unleash AI being used as expansively as customers desire, and also lead to more overall AI spending," Jassy wrote.

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Eugene is Business Insider’s Chief Tech Correspondent, where he leads coverage of Amazon. His reporting spans the company’s retail operations, AWS, Alexa, and its secretive internal work culture.Previously, he worked at CNBC, Fortune Magazine Korea, and Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun. He holds degrees from NYU and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.In 2022, Eugene broke a story uncovering Amazon’s practice of deceptively enrolling customers in Prime and deliberately making cancellation difficult. A year later, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company, citing his reporting. That case culminated in a record $2.5 billion settlement in 2025.His reporting has earned multiple honors, including the SF Press Club’s Bay Area Journalism Award and SPJ NorCal’s Excellence in Journalism Award.Eugene lives in the Bay Area. Contact him via email at [email protected], or Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 650-942-3061. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. ExpertiseAmazon, Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, e-commerce, and cloud computing.Popular ArticlesAmazon:Internal Amazon emails give an exclusive look at how CEO Andy Jassy has started to run the company, with obsessive attention to the retail business and what some employees feel is micromanagingAndy Jassy will be the next CEO of Amazon. Insiders dish on what it's like to work for Jeff Bezos' successor, who built AWS into a $40 billion business.Internal documents show Amazon has for years knowingly tricked people into signing up for Prime subscriptions. 'We have been deliberately confusing,' former employee says.Inside Amazon's flailing brick-and-mortar ambitions: missed projections, pressure to cut costs, and a war with Whole FoodsInside Amazon's complex employee-review system, where workers feel left in the dark and managers expect to give 5% of reports bad reviewsAfter 28 years, 'Day 2' finally arrives at AmazonAWS, Alexa, healthcare:Inside Amazon's struggle to break into the lucrative market for SaaS business applications, including an internal pitch to buy $38 billion HubSpotInside Amazon's struggle to crack Nvidia's AI-chip dominanceAmazon's AI data center dream runs into the reality of 'zombie' facilities, higher costs, and labor shortagesAmazon is gutting its voice assistant, Alexa. Employees describe a division in crisis and huge losses on 'a wasted opportunity.'Amazon is working on a new 'Remarkable Alexa,' but internal politics and technical issues plague the projectAmazon projected huge losses from its healthcare business in 2024, but strong sales growth, internal document reveals

Amazon Alexa AI More AWS Anthropic Generative AI Exclusive

At a market capitalization of $5 trillion, Nvidia (NVDA +2.39%) is the world's most valuable company. This is arguably the biggest winner thus far of the burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) trend. Investors have profited enormously.

If you'd invested $10,000 in Nvidia stock 10 years ago, here's how much you'd have today.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Nvidia shares have catapulted 15,090% in the past decade (as of July 21). This unbelievable gain would've turned a starting $10,000 outlay into over $1.5 million today. The business has clearly generated monster wealth for its long-term shareholder base.

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In the AI boom, no company has benefited more than Nvidia. The business sells powerful graphics-processing units (GPUs), most notably its H100 chips, that support its customers' data center operations. It is estimated to command 85% market share, giving it a virtual monopoly in the industry.

The AI hyperscalers are rushing to build data centers to handle unprecedented demand for computing resources. And this has been a boon for Nvidia. Its revenue increased by 1,033% in the past three years, while diluted earnings per share are up 2,755%.

This AI stock currently trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.2. Given its impressive financial performance and its unrivaled position at the center of a major technological build-out, investors might want to take a closer look at Nvidia right now.

Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 23rd, 2026

Shares of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T – Get Free Report) shot up 3.5% on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $23.65 and last traded at $23.0350. 187,202,083 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 270% from the average daily volume of 50,654,254 shares. The stock had previously closed at $22.26.

The technology company reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $31.56 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.80 billion. AT&T had a return on equity of 12.49% and a net margin of 16.94%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.54 earnings per share. AT&T has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.250-2.350 EPS.

AT&T Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 10th will be given a $0.2775 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 10th. This represents a $1.11 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.8%. AT&T’s payout ratio is 37.25%.

Trending Headlines about AT&T Here are the key news stories impacting AT&T this week:

Positive Sentiment: AT&T beat Q2 adjusted EPS expectations at $0.65 versus roughly $0.59 expected, helping reinforce the company’s earnings momentum. AT&T Delivers Strong Second-Quarter Results as Investment-Led Strategy Gains Momentum Positive Sentiment: The company added more than 1 million advanced connectivity customers, including strong postpaid phone and broadband growth, which suggests its wireless and fiber strategy is gaining traction. AT&T tops targets for wireless subscriber additions as bundle offers gain traction Positive Sentiment: Free cash flow improved and AT&T reiterated its full-year 2026 guidance while signaling faster buybacks, which is supportive of shareholder returns and valuation. AT&T’s stock rises after earnings. Here’s why investors are cheering. Neutral Sentiment: Revenue came in slightly below estimates, so the report was not a clean beat across all metrics even though profits and subscriptions were strong. AT&T (NYSE:T) Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates In Q2 CY2026 Earnings Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention remains focused on competition from satellite players like SpaceX/Starlink, but management pushed back on those fears, suggesting the threat may be overstated for now. Why AT&T Stock Rallied Today Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth T has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. KeyCorp raised their price target on shares of AT&T from $30.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $29.25 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of AT&T from $30.00 to $25.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $27.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of AT&T from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $29.19.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on AT&T

Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in AT&T by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 664,055,700 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $16,495,144,000 after buying an additional 3,585,661 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its holdings in AT&T by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 332,089,723 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $8,249,109,000 after buying an additional 8,314,678 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in AT&T by 4.6% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 125,191,700 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $3,629,307,000 after acquiring an additional 5,449,222 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in AT&T in the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,181,977,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of AT&T by 12.7% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 72,764,509 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $2,109,443,000 after acquiring an additional 8,197,935 shares during the last quarter. 57.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AT&T Stock Up 3.5% The company’s 50 day moving average price is $22.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $25.25. The firm has a market cap of $160.06 billion, a PE ratio of 7.73, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05.

AT&T Company Profile (Get Free Report)

AT&T Inc is a global telecommunications company that provides a broad range of communications and digital entertainment services. Its core activities include consumer and business wireless services, broadband and fiber internet, and network infrastructure. The company operates branded wireless services through AT&T Mobility and deploys fixed-line and fiber networks to deliver high-speed internet and related home services.

AT&T’s product and service portfolio spans mobile voice and data plans, smartphones and device sales, home internet (including fiber-to-the-home where available), and managed connectivity solutions for enterprise customers.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than AT&T Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play Receive News & Ratings for AT&T Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AT&T and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Results were dragged by higher fuel prices and lower consumer demand due to the Middle East conflict.

Die globalen Automobilhersteller planen die Gründung eines Produktions-Joint-Ventures im Ford-Werk in Valencia (Spanien), um durch die Bündelung von Kapazitäten und eine optimale Werksauslastung gemeinsam Fahrzeuge der Marken Ford und Geely zu bauen Die Partnerschaft, die auf Vertrauen und gemeinsamen Geschäftsgrundsätzen basiert, sichert die Zukunft des Werks in Valencia, sorgt für langfristige Stabilität und schafft das Potenzial für künftiges Beschäftigungswachstum im Bereich der Hightech-Fertigung Das Joint Venture trägt den neuen Gegebenheiten des europäischen Marktes Rechnung – dem intensiven globalen Wettbewerb, dem unerbittlichen Kostendruck und den immer strengeren Vorschriften – und versetzt das Werk in Valencia in die Lage, nach den sich in der Branche abzeichnenden neuen Kostenmaßstäben zu produzieren Das Werk in Valencia wird eine neue Generation emissionsarmer und emissionsfreier Fahrzeuge für den europäischen Markt produzieren und den Kunden ein herausragendes Technologieerlebnis bieten Das Joint Venture soll voraussichtlich einen völlig neuen Multi-Energy-Crossover für Ford sowie ein neues Modell der Bronco-Familie und zwei elektrische SUVs von Geely produzieren; die Produktion soll 2028 anlaufen. Die Produktion des Kuga läuft unterbrechungsfrei weiter Die Zusammenarbeit beschleunigt die Expansion von Geely Auto in Europa und unterstützt die Produktoffensive von Ford, bis 2029 fünf neue Fahrzeuge in die europäischen Showrooms zu bringen , /PRNewswire/ -- Die Ford Motor Company und Geely Automobile Holdings (im Folgenden „Geely Auto") gaben heute eine Vereinbarung zur Gründung eines auf Europa ausgerichteten Joint Ventures (JV) am Ford-Produktionsstandort in Valencia, Spanien, bekannt.

Das neue Joint Venture wird Multi-Energy-Pkw der Marken Ford und Geely für den europäischen Markt produzieren und damit den europäischen Autofahrern eine größere Auswahl und einen höheren Mehrwert bieten.

Ford and Geely announce joint venture for Europe at Ford's Valencia plant

Ford and Geely announce joint venture for Europe at Ford's Valencia plant In Europa spielt sich derzeit einer der härtesten Wettbewerbskämpfe der globalen Automobilindustrie ab. Verschärfte Vorschriften, hohe Betriebskosten und eine neue Generation globaler Wettbewerber haben die Maßstäbe der Branche in Bezug auf Herstellungskosten, Fahrzeugtechnologie und Softwareerfahrung neu definiert.

Durch die Bündelung der Produktionsmengen werden Ford und Geely die Kapazität des Werks in Valencia optimal auslasten und die Kosten für jedes dort gebaute Fahrzeug senken. So bleiben sie im Rahmen dieses sich entwickelnden Kostenstandards wettbewerbsfähig, liefern gleichzeitig Multi-Energy-Fahrzeuge von Weltklasse und stärken dabei die lokale Wirtschaft in Valencia.

Vorbehaltlich der behördlichen Genehmigungen wird das Joint Venture im ersten Halbjahr 2027 den Betrieb aufnehmen; die ersten Neufahrzeuge sollen 2028 vom Band laufen. Das Werk in Valencia wird in der Übergangszeit weiterhin den Ford Kuga produzieren.

„Dieses Joint Venture mit Ford in Europa spiegelt unser Engagement für eine offene, kooperative Produktentwicklung als Teil unserer Wachstumsstrategie wider und vertieft unsere lokale Präsenz sowie unser Engagement für die Kunden in Europa", sagte Alex Nan, Vice President der Geely Auto Group. „Wir sind bestrebt, Fahrzeuge anzubieten, für die sich europäische Kunden aufgrund ihrer Vorzüge entscheiden: aufgrund branchenführender Ausstattungsmerkmale, aufgrund hoher Qualität und aufgrund ihres aktiven Beitrags zu einer grünen Zukunft Europas. Einfach ausgedrückt: Wir bauen Autos in Europa, für Europa, gemeinsam mit einem vertrauenswürdigen Partner."

Die Partnerschaft zwischen Ford und Geely basiert auf Vertrauen und Respekt, die bis ins Jahr 2010 zurückreichen, als Ford Volvo Cars an Geely verkaufte und beobachten konnte, wie das Unternehmen die Marke schützte und wiederbelebte. Beide Unternehmen teilen das Bekenntnis zu Qualität, kosteneffizienter Beschaffung und kontinuierlicher Verbesserung sowie die Überzeugung, dass Kunden ihren eigenen Weg durch die Energiewende selbst wählen können.

Valencia wird zum Vorreiter für CO₂-arme Mobilität

Das Joint Venture wird das Ford-Werk in Valencia – das bereits heute zu den produktivsten und modernsten Werken Europas zählt und über eine potenzielle Jahreskapazität von rund 500.000 Fahrzeugen verfügt – in einen gemeinsamen Hightech-Produktionsstandort umwandeln, der darauf ausgelegt ist, im Rahmen des neuen globalen Kostenstandards der Branche wettbewerbsfähig zu sein. Das Werk nimmt seit seiner Eröffnung im Jahr 1976 eine Vorreiterrolle auf dem europäischen Markt ein. Damals wurde dort der ursprüngliche Ford Fiesta gebaut – Fords erstes weltweit vertriebenes Fahrzeug mit Frontantrieb, das sich als großer Erfolg erwies. Ford war der erste nicht-spanische Automobilhersteller, der in Valencia produzierte. Dies war der Beginn einer Partnerschaft mit Spanien und seinen Menschen, die bis heute ungebrochen ist.

Im Rahmen der vorgeschlagenen Eigentümerstruktur wird Ford 66 % des neuen Unternehmens halten und Geely Auto 34 %.

Attraktive Modellpalette

„Seit fast 50 Jahren werden in Valencia einige der beliebtesten Autos unserer Geschichte gebaut, und nun wird dieses Team dazu beitragen, unsere Zukunft zu gestalten", sagte Jim Baumbick, Präsident von Ford in Europa. „Deshalb bauen wir gemeinsam mit einem kompetenten Partner wie Geely Auto ein flexibles, kosteneffizientes Produktionssystem auf. Gemeinsam können wir ein erstklassiges Werk mit hervorragenden Mitarbeitern voll auslasten und den neuen Kostenmaßstab der Branche erfüllen. All dies ist Teil der Vision von Ford, europäischen Autofahrern ein aus dem Rallyesport stammendes Fahrverhalten, echte Geländegängigkeit und Multi-Energy-Technologie mit der unverwechselbaren DNA von Ford zu bieten."

Das Joint Venture wird das Know-how in den Bereichen Technik, Fertigung und Entwicklung von zwei der weltweit führenden Automobilhersteller bündeln, um sowohl von Ford als auch von Geely hergestellte emissionsarme und emissionsfreie Personenkraftwagen zu bauen. Die Fahrzeuge werden speziell auf europäische Autofahrer zugeschnitten sein und ihnen eine Auswahl an Antriebstechnologien sowie herausragende digitale Erlebnisse bieten.

Ford Modelle:

Der beliebte Ford Kuga: Die Produktion des Ford Kuga – eines der beliebtesten Plug-in-Hybridfahrzeuge Europas – wird in Valencia ohne Unterbrechung fortgesetzt. Ein robuster neuer Bronco: In Valencia wird zudem ein neues Modell der weltweiten Bronco-Familie produziert – ein robuster, kompakter und abenteuertauglicher SUV, der speziell für europäische Straßen konzipiert ist und dessen Produktion 2028 anlaufen soll. Ein komplett neuer Crossover: Ein von Ford designter und gemeinsam mit Geely entwickelter Multi-Energy-Crossover für Familien wird 2028 auf den Markt kommen. Das Fahrzeug, das mit den für Ford typischen technischen Stärken und der charakteristischen Fahrdynamik ausgestattet ist, ist Teil einer ehrgeizigen Produktoffensive, in deren Rahmen bis 2029 fünf neue Multi-Energy-Fahrzeuge in Europa eingeführt werden sollen. Geely Modelle:

Elegante Elektro-SUVs: Geely Auto plant, im Werk in Valencia zwei Elektro-SUVs zu produzieren, um seine Ausrichtung auf den europäischen Markt und seine Wachstumsstrategie konsequent voranzutreiben. Die ersten Modelle der Marke Geely, die im Rahmen dieses Joint Ventures hergestellt werden, sollen 2028 vom Band laufen. Das Joint Venture unterstützt die internationale Expansion von Geely Auto, nachdem das Unternehmen im ersten Halbjahr 474.228 Fahrzeuge im Ausland verkauft hat, und treibt gleichzeitig Fords Strategie voran, durch Partnerschaften in Europa Schnelligkeit, Effizienz und Größenvorteile zu erzielen.

„Diese Partnerschaft zeigt, wie Automobilhersteller die industrielle Basis Europas stärken, aber wir können das nicht alleine schaffen", sagte Jim Baumbick. „Was wir in Valencia mit der kontinuierlichen Unterstützung der spanischen Zentral- und Regionalregierungen erreicht haben, ist ein Musterbeispiel für eine öffentlich-private Partnerschaft, das Maßstäbe für den Rest Europas setzt."

Über Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) ist ein globales Unternehmen mit Sitz in Dearborn, Michigan, das sich dafür einsetzt, eine bessere Welt zu schaffen, in der jeder Mensch sich frei bewegen und seine Träume verwirklichen kann. Der Ford+ Plan des Unternehmens für Wachstum und Wertschöpfung kombiniert bestehende Stärken, neue Fähigkeiten und ständige Beziehungen zu Kunden, um die Kundenerlebnisse zu bereichern und deren Loyalität zu vertiefen. Ford entwickelt und liefert innovative, unverzichtbare Ford-Trucks, SUVs, Nutzfahrzeuge und Pkw sowie Lincoln-Luxusfahrzeuge und vernetzte Dienste. Das Unternehmen bietet seinen Kunden die freie Wahl über drei kundenorientierte Geschäftssegmente: Ford Blue, das ikonische benzinbetriebene und Hybridfahrzeuge entwickelt; Ford Model e, das software basierte Elektrofahrzeuge entwickelt, die außergewöhnliche digitale Erlebnisse für alle Kunden definiert; und Ford Pro, das gewerblichen Kunden hilft, ihre Geschäfte mit auf ihre Bedürfnisse zugeschnittenen Fahrzeugen und Dienstleistungen zu transformieren und zu erweitern. Darüber hinaus bietet Ford Finanzdienstleistungen über die Ford Motor Credit Company an. Ford beschäftigt weltweit etwa 168.000 Mitarbeiter. Weitere Informationen über das Unternehmen sowie seine Produkte und Dienstleistungen finden Sie unter corporate.ford.com

Über Geely Auto Group

Die Geely Auto Group ist ein weltweit führendes Automobilunternehmen mit Hauptsitz in Hangzhou, China. Als Teil der Zhejiang Geely Holding Group entwickelt und produziert die Geely Auto Group Personenkraftwagen unter den Marken Geely, Lynk & Co und Zeekr.

Geely Auto erzielte im Jahr 2025 einen kumulierten Absatz von 3.024.567 Einheiten und übertraf damit das Gesamtjahresziel bei einem Wachstum von 39 % gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Der Absatz von Fahrzeugen mit alternativen Antrieben (NEV) erreichte 1.687.767 Einheiten, was einem Anstieg von 90 % gegenüber dem Vorjahr entspricht.

Mit einem starken Fokus auf technologische Innovation, Elektrifizierung und nachhaltige Mobilität betreibt die Geely Auto Group erstklassige Forschungs- und Entwicklungszentren sowie Produktionsstätten in China, Europa und wichtigen internationalen Märkten. Die Gruppe hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, sichere, hochwertige und intelligente Fahrzeuge anzubieten, die durch fortschrittliche Technologien wie Hybridantriebe, vollelektrische Architekturen, intelligente Konnektivität und autonome Fahrsysteme ermöglicht werden.

Als globales Unternehmen baut die Geely Auto Group ihre internationale Präsenz durch strategische Partnerschaften, lokalisierte Geschäftstätigkeiten und branchenführende Plattformen weiter aus. Geely ist bestrebt, Mobilitätslösungen zu entwickeln, die umweltfreundlicher, intelligenter und zugänglicher sind, und treibt so die Zukunft des nachhaltigen Verkehrs voran.

Pressemitteilungen, begleitendes Material, Fotos und Videos von Ford finden Sie unter From the Road, www.fordmedia.eu oder www.media.ford.com. Folgen Sie uns auf www.linkedin.com/company/ford-in-europe, www.youtube.com/FordNewsEurope, www.instagram.com/FordNewsEurope, www.threads.net/@fordnewseurope und www.tiktok.com/@FordNewsEurope

The global automakers plan to form a manufacturing joint venture at Ford's Valencia, Spain, plant, combining scale and factory utilization, to build Ford and Geely vehicles The partnership, built on a foundation of trust and shared business principles, secures the future of the Valencia plant, provides long-term stability and creates the potential for future high-tech manufacturing job growth The joint venture addresses the new realities of the European market -- intense global competition, relentless cost pressure and tightening regulation -- resetting Valencia to build at the industry's emerging cost benchmark The Valencia plant will produce a new generation of low- and zero-emission vehicles for European markets, offering customers an outstanding technology experience The joint venture is expected to produce an all-new multi-energy crossover for Ford, in addition to a new member of the Bronco family, plus two electric Geely SUVs, with production starting in 2028. Kuga production continues uninterrupted The collaboration accelerates Geely Auto's European expansion, and supports Ford's product offensive to bring five new passenger vehicles to European showrooms by 2029 , /PRNewswire/ -- Ford Motor Company and Geely Automobile Holdings (hereafter "Geely Auto") today announced an agreement to form a Europe-focused joint venture (JV) at Ford's Valencia, Spain, manufacturing hub.

The new JV will manufacture Ford and Geely multi-energy passenger vehicles for the European market, driving greater choice and value for European drivers.

Ford and Geely announce joint venture for Europe at Ford's Valencia plant

Ford and Geely announce joint venture for Europe at Ford's Valencia plant Europe is home to one of the fiercest competitive battles in the global automotive industry today. Tightening regulation, high operating costs and a new generation of global competitors have reset the industry's benchmark for manufacturing cost, vehicle technology and software experience.

By pooling production volume, Ford and Geely will maximize the capacity of the Valencia plant, lower the cost of every vehicle built there, and compete at this emerging cost standard while delivering world-class multi-energy vehicles and strengthening the local Valencia economy in the process.

Pending regulatory approvals, the joint venture will begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles scheduled to roll off the line in 2028. The Valencia plant will continue to produce the Ford Kuga in the meantime.

"This JV with Ford in Europe reflects our commitment to open, collaborative product development as part of our growth strategy, deepening our local presence and commitment to customers in Europe", said Alex Nan, Vice President of Geely Auto Group. "We are dedicated to delivering vehicles that European customers will choose on merit: on industry leading features, on high-quality and on actively contributing to Europe's green future. Put simply: we are building cars in Europe, for Europe, alongside a trusted partner."

Ford's partnership with Geely is built on a foundation of trust and respect stretching back to 2010 when Ford sold Volvo Cars to Geely and watched it protect and revitalize the brand. Both companies share a commitment to quality, cost-efficient sourcing and continuous improvement, as well as a belief that customers should be able to choose their own path through the energy transition.

Transforming Valencia into a Powerhouse for Low-CO2 Mobility

The JV will transform Ford's Valencia facility – already one of Europe's most productive and advanced plants, with a potential annual capacity of about 500,000 vehicles – into a shared, high-tech manufacturing hub built to compete at the industry's new global cost standard. The plant has been at the leading edge of the European market since it opened in 1976, when it built the original Ford Fiesta, Ford's first global front-wheel-drive car, and a major success. Ford was the first non-Spanish automaker to build in Valencia, the start of a partnership with Spain and its people that remains as strong today.

Under the proposed ownership structure, Ford will own 66% of the new entity and Geely Auto 34%.

An Exciting Vehicle Lineup

"For nearly 50 years, Valencia has built some of the most-loved cars in our history, and now this team will help build our future", said Jim Baumbick, President, Ford of Europe. " That's why we're building a flexible, cost-effective industrial system with a capable partner in Geely Auto. Together we can fully utilize a best-in-class plant with a great workforce and match the industry's new cost benchmark. This is all part of Ford's vision to give European drivers rally-bred handling, true off-road capability and multi-energy technology, with a distinct Blue Oval DNA."

The JV will combine the engineering, manufacturing and development know-how of two of the world's leading automakers to build both Ford and Geely low- and zero-emission passenger vehicles. The cars will be tailored for European drivers and will offer them choice in powertrain technology, as well as outstanding digital experiences.

Ford Models:

The Popular Ford Kuga: Production of the Ford Kuga -- one of Europe's favorite plug-in hybrids -- will continue uninterrupted in Valencia. A Rugged New Bronco: Valencia will also produce a new member of the global Bronco family - a tough, compact, adventure-ready SUV built for European roads, with production starting in 2028. An All-New Crossover: A multi-energy family crossover, designed by Ford and jointly developed with Geely will arrive in 2028. Engineered with Ford's signature capabilities and driving dynamics, it is part of an aggressive product offensive that will bring five new multi-energy vehicles to Europe by 2029. Geely Models:

Sleek Electric SUVs: Geely Auto plans to produce two electric SUVs at the Valencia facility in full support of their European focus and growth strategy. The first Geely-branded models to be manufactured under this joint venture are scheduled to roll off the production line in 2028. The venture supports Geely Auto's international expansion, following overseas sales of 474,228 vehicles in the first half of the year, while advancing Ford's strategy of using partnerships to compete with speed, efficiency and scale in Europe.

"This partnership shows how automakers are strengthening Europe's industrial base, but we can't do it alone," said Jim Baumbick. "What we've achieved in Valencia, with the ongoing support of Spain's national and regional governments, is a masterclass in public-private partnership that sets the benchmark for the rest of Europe."

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company's Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities, and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services, including BlueCruise (ADAS) and security. The company offers freedom of choice through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles ("EVs") along with embedded software that defines always-on digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, the company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 168,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Geely Auto Group

Geely Auto Group is a leading global automotive company headquartered in Hangzhou, China. Part of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Geely Auto Group develops and manufactures passenger vehicles under the Geely, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr brands.

Geely Auto achieved cumulative sales of 3,024,567 units in 2025, exceeding the full-year sales target with a year-on-year growth of 39%. New energy vehicle (NEV) sales reached 1,687,767 units, a year-on-year increase of 90%.

With a strong focus on technology innovation, electrification, and sustainable mobility, Geely Auto Group operates world-class R&D centers and manufacturing facilities across China, Europe, and key international markets. The Group is committed to delivering safe, high-quality, and intelligent vehicles enabled by advanced technologies such as hybrid powertrains, full-electric architectures, smart connectivity, and autonomous driving systems.

As a global company, Geely Auto Group continues to expand its international presence through strategic partnerships, localized operations, and industry-leading platforms. Geely strives to create mobility solutions that are greener, smarter, and more accessible, driving forward the future of sustainable transportation.

Ford news releases, related materials, photos and video, visit From the Road, www.fordmedia.eu or www.media.ford.com.
Follow www.linkedin.com/company/ford-in-europe, www.youtube.com/FordNewsEurope, www.instagram.com/FordNewsEurope,
www.threads.net/@fordnewseurope and www.tiktok.com/@FordNewsEurope

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 23rd, 2026

Alpha Pro Tech, Ltd. (NYSE:APT – Get Free Report) fell 0.4% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $5.08 and last traded at $5.12. Approximately 10,342 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 84% from the average daily volume of 65,579 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.14.

Alpha Pro Tech Stock Down 0.4% The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $5.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $5.10. The company has a market cap of $52.31 million, a PE ratio of 13.84 and a beta of 0.87.

Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Charles D. Montgomery sold 20,000 shares of Alpha Pro Tech stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.25, for a total value of $125,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 25,281 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $158,006.25. This trade represents a 44.17% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director David R. Garcia sold 4,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $5.88, for a total transaction of $28,812.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 19,768 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $116,235.84. The trade was a 19.86% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 28,786 shares of company stock worth $181,131 in the last quarter. Insiders own 16.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Alpha Pro Tech Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Alpha Pro Tech in the 2nd quarter valued at about $74,000. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new stake in Alpha Pro Tech during the 1st quarter worth approximately $117,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in Alpha Pro Tech by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 544,072 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,416,000 after buying an additional 21,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Needham Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Alpha Pro Tech by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Needham Investment Management LLC now owns 642,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,853,000 after acquiring an additional 7,500 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 22.69% of the company’s stock.

About Alpha Pro Tech (Get Free Report)

Alpha Pro Tech Ltd is a Canada‐based specialty manufacturer of engineered polymer products that serve construction and healthcare markets. Through its two operating segments, the company develops, produces and markets synthetic materials used in residential and commercial construction as well as personal protective equipment and respiratory protection for industrial and medical applications.

In its Building Products segment, Alpha Pro Tech offers synthetic roofing underlayment, housewrap and related weatherproofing accessories designed to enhance moisture and air control in roof and wall assemblies.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Alpha Pro Tech Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play Receive News & Ratings for Alpha Pro Tech Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alpha Pro Tech and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 23rd, 2026

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the thirty-five analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, twelve have given a hold recommendation and twenty-two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $1,059.0667.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th.

Get Our Latest Report on Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Price Performance Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $927.31 on Thursday. 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 capitalization of $411.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.65, a P/E/G ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $970.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $979.74.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. 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 completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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

Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to highlight Costco’s durable earnings growth, strong membership model, and long-term upside potential, with some articles arguing the stock could eventually move toward much higher valuations. Article Title Positive Sentiment: Costco expanded its business footprint by launching its first standalone members-only gas station in Mission Viejo, California, which reinforces its growth strategy beyond traditional warehouse sites. Article Title Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage also points to continued store expansion, including reports that more Costco locations are coming in 2026, while local officials say a new store could bring meaningful tax revenue to Clarksville. Article Title Positive Sentiment: Costco is also broadening its value proposition through new services and products, including expanded pharmacy/prescription offerings and the addition of Laifen hair dryers in select U.S. stores, which may help drive traffic and membership retention. Article Title Neutral Sentiment: Several articles were broadly positive on Costco’s brand and long-term investment case, including a Zacks analyst roundup and bullish “trillion club” projections, but they did not appear to include new company-specific catalysts for today’s trading. Article Title Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted Costco members are paying more for memberships because added perks are viewed as worth the cost, which supports the business model but is not an immediate catalyst. Article Title Negative Sentiment: One article highlighted that Costco has faced three lawsuits this year, which could add legal and reputational overhang even if the cases are not yet financially material. Article Title Negative Sentiment: Some investor commentary remains cautious on valuation, noting that Costco already trades at a premium and that another warehouse competitor may offer better upside, which can temper enthusiasm for the shares. Article Title About Costco Wholesale (Get 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.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 23rd, 2026

Shares of LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB – Get Free Report) have received an average rating of “Hold” from the twenty-one research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $71.9444.

A number of research firms have issued reports on LYB. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $68.00 to $48.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Evercore increased their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $70.00 to $73.00 in a report on Thursday, May 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $50.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on LyondellBasell Industries from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded LyondellBasell Industries from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on LYB

LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance Shares of LYB opened at $62.41 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $62.17 and a two-hundred day moving average of $63.19. The stock has a market cap of $20.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -25.06, a PEG ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.03. LyondellBasell Industries has a one year low of $41.58 and a one year high of $83.94.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $7.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.53 billion. LyondellBasell Industries had a negative net margin of 2.68% and a positive return on equity of 5.68%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 6.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.33 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that LyondellBasell Industries will post 8.73 earnings per share for the current year.

LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st were issued a dividend of $0.69 per share. This represents a $2.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 1st. LyondellBasell Industries’s dividend payout ratio is currently -110.84%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LYB. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in LyondellBasell Industries by 108.7% during the fourth quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 9,159,702 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $396,615,000 after acquiring an additional 4,770,260 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 512.9% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,093,318 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $133,941,000 after purchasing an additional 2,588,636 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 5,451.2% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,457,591 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $63,114,000 after purchasing an additional 1,431,334 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 16.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 8,971,741 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $388,476,000 after purchasing an additional 1,300,271 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $52,210,000. Institutional investors own 71.20% of the company’s stock.

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile (Get Free Report)

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB) is a global chemical company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that specializes in the production of polyolefins and advanced polymers. Through its extensive portfolio, the company supplies raw materials for a wide range of end markets, including packaging, automotive, construction, electronics and consumer goods. By combining proprietary process technologies with expertise in catalysts, LyondellBasell aims to deliver value-added solutions that enhance product performance and sustainability.

The company’s integrated operations encompass the manufacture of olefins and polyolefins, advanced polymer products, chemical intermediates and refining activities.

See Also Five stocks we like better than LyondellBasell Industries Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play

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The hottest artificial intelligence (AI) stocks this year are not names like Nvidia and Palantir Technologies, which have put on a clinic in recent years and generated phenomenal returns for shareholders. This year, parts of the AI supply chain have come into focus, propping up lesser-known companies and even some legacy tech names that had been overlooked until recently.

Two of those companies are Micron Technology (MU -1.05%) and Sandisk (SNDK +0.69%), which are up 240% and 570%, respectively, this year (as of July 22). Can the rally last through 2027?

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Micron and Sandisk are booming Micron and Sandisk both make different types of memory, which feed the graphics processing units (GPUs) data that makes AI reasoning possible.

Sandisk is focused on NAND flash memory, which is essentially longer-term, cheaper storage that maintains data even when an operating system's power is turned off. In AI, NAND is used to store massive data sets and AI models that can be quickly transferred to GPUs when they begin a task.

Micron makes NAND flash memory, too, but it also makes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). This type of memory is more expensive and loses data when the operating system's power turns off. But it is also the key to making AI possible. DRAM delivers data to GPUs incredibly quickly, enabling AI models to process, respond, and provide solutions in real time.

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Companies like Micron have been able to stack DRAM die vertically to create high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which makes AI workloads even faster by providing greater bandwidth.

Naturally, as GPU clusters and data centers have scaled, demand for NAND, DRAM, and HBM has surged, driving higher prices and, in turn, higher revenue and earnings for companies like Micron and Sandisk.

The interesting thing about memory stocks is that they have historically been quite cyclical.

That's because there is typically a timing imbalance between supply and demand. What often happens is that by the time memory companies catch up to demand, demand has fallen, and they overshoot, leading to a supply glut.

But the AI supercycle is unlike anything investors have ever seen, and most analysts expect it to be a while before supply catches up with demand.

On the company's most recent earnings call, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said he expects high demand to continue past 2027, due to AI demand and "structural supply constraints."

Furthermore, Micron announced 16 strategic customer agreements (SCAs), many of which are long-term, running from this year through 2030. These deals include fixed pricing, price floors, and ceilings. This is atypical for memory companies and does suggest a potentially new dynamic for these cyclical companies.

Ethan Tan, a memory consultant, is forecasting price hikes in the 40% to 45% range next year, and consumers are already feeling the impact. Apple recently announced higher prices for many of its core products due to high memory costs.

In May, Sandisk CEO David Goeckeler said he expects a supply shortage for memory "for a long period of time." He also said he wants to reduce the company's cyclicality, if possible.

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"Or at least when the cyclicality comes, have different techniques to deal with it than we have in the past," he told investors at the time.

Now, it's always dangerous for investors to think this time is different because history has a nasty way of catching up with investors, even if it doesn't always repeat itself exactly.

Investors should also remember that the market pulls growth forward, so Micron and Sandisk's prices likely reflect, at least to some extent, the massive demand expected for memory this year and in 2027.

Both companies should continue to deliver strong results in 2027, but the slightest hint that supply is catching up to demand could trigger a big sell-off in these stocks. I don't know if or when it will happen, but it's something investors should be on high alert for.

Texas Instruments shares were falling while STMicroelectronics stock was diving on Thursday, after both makers of analog semiconductors struggled to meet heightened expectations after reporting strong demand in the second quarter.

LONDON & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), the AI control tower for business reinvention, today announced that Experian, the global data and technology company, and strategic partner, is significantly expanding its deployment of the ServiceNow AI Platform to drive enterprise-wide AI-led transformation. As a long-standing ServiceNow customer, Experian is leveraging agentic AI workflows to automate intelligence at scale, improve operational efficiency and deliver AI-fi.

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasTech 

SummaryBroadcom Inc. delivered a record Q2 FY26 with 47.9% YoY top line growth, driven by explosive AI semiconductor demand.Robust momentum in AVGO's AI silicon business, which now comprises 49% of consolidated revenue, and an elevated backlog should support top line growth through FY26.Operating leverage is likely to keep margins strong over the coming quarters despite continued pressure from high R&D.I maintain a BUY rating on AVGO, citing attractive valuation, a leading market position, and demand visibility from multi-year AI customer commitments. Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

The Thesis The leading North American AI semiconductor company, Broadcom Inc. (AVGO), exited the first half of FY26 with strong momentum, delivering robust growth across its top line and bottom line in

1.32K Followers

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in AVGO over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

SEGRO PLC (LSE:SGRO) shares jumped 7% to 957p in early trading on Thursday after the board of the warehouse developer said it "would be minded" to recommend the "best and final" takeover proposal made by Prologis Inc (NYSE:PLD), after the US logistics property group raised its offer and committed to a secondary London listing.

Prologis offered 0.092 new shares for each Segro share, alongside a partial cash alternative of up to £3.5 billion. Based on Prologis's closing price on Tuesday, the proposal valued Segro shares at 1,031.7p each and the company at around £14 billion.

Under the offer, Segro shareholders would also retain the property group's final dividend of up to 22.56p per share, taking the total potential value to 1,054.3p. They would additionally be entitled to an interim dividend of up to 10.14p.

The revised terms represent a 9.5% improvement on Prologis's initial approach and a 39% premium to Segro's undisturbed share price.

On Monday, Segro had rejected a third proposal worth 993p per share, which led Prologis to accuse the company's board of relying on an "aspirational valuation built on unrealistic assumptions", before raising its bid for a fourth time.

Following further talks on Wednesday, Prologis has now contractually agreed to establish a secondary listing of its shares on the London Stock Exchange by the completion of any deal.

Segro's board said it had unanimously concluded that the latest financial terms were at a level it would recommend, subject to due diligence and agreement on the remaining conditions.

The takeover deadline for Prologis to announce a firm offer has been extended from Thursday to 5pm on 12 August.

Broker Panmure Liberum said: "We do not view paying shareholders with their own dividends as an increase in offer value, but this appears to be an increasingly common feature of public takeover negotiations."

Even including the retained dividend, the implied value remains below the broker's 1,300p target price and below both its assessment and SEGRO's own assessment of the value embedded in its development pipeline. 

However, the broker said that the commitment to establish a London secondary listing "is a meaningful development".

"The board's willingness to recommend materially increases the probability of a transaction completing on broadly these terms."

Chinese carmakers spent the past decade replacing gasoline engines with batteries. The next will be about integrating cars with robotics, XPeng's chief executive says.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 23rd, 2026

Shares of Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE:ELV – Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-three ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $440.9048.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on ELV. Mizuho upped their target price on Elevance Health from $435.00 to $465.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 8th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on Elevance Health from $450.00 to $475.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $395.00 price target on shares of Elevance Health in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Raymond James Financial set a $450.00 price objective on Elevance Health in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Elevance Health from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $363.00 to $498.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 20th.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Elevance Health

Insider Activity In other news, Director Robert L. Dixon, Jr. sold 151 shares of Elevance Health stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $401.77, for a total transaction of $60,667.27. Following the transaction, the director owned 10,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,312,599.18. The trade was a 1.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in shares of Elevance Health by 7.7% in the second quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 163,668 shares of the company’s stock worth $63,666,000 after acquiring an additional 11,745 shares during the period. Glenview Trust co increased its position in Elevance Health by 41.5% during the 2nd quarter. Glenview Trust co now owns 1,619 shares of the company’s stock valued at $630,000 after purchasing an additional 475 shares during the period. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main increased its position in Elevance Health by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 65,945 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,650,000 after purchasing an additional 4,272 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Elevance Health by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 42,371 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,478,000 after purchasing an additional 2,012 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its holdings in Elevance Health by 111.8% during the 2nd quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 43,911 shares of the company’s stock worth $17,080,000 after purchasing an additional 23,180 shares during the last quarter. 89.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Elevance Health Stock Down 1.1% ELV stock opened at $389.29 on Thursday. Elevance Health has a 12 month low of $273.71 and a 12 month high of $436.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.52, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $84.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.67. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $399.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $356.20.

Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $7.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.21 by $1.24. Elevance Health had a net margin of 2.47% and a return on equity of 14.64%. The company had revenue of $49.83 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.88 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $8.84 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Elevance Health will post 27.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Elevance Health Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 25th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 10th will be given a $1.72 dividend. This represents a $6.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 10th. Elevance Health’s dividend payout ratio is 30.58%.

About Elevance Health (Get Free Report)

Elevance Health, Inc (NYSE: ELV) is a large U.S.-based health benefits company that provides a broad range of health insurance products and related services. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company rebranded from Anthem, Inc to Elevance Health in 2022 while continuing to operate consumer-facing health plans under established state and national brands. Gail Boudreaux serves as chief executive officer and president, leading the company’s strategic focus on integrated health care and benefit delivery.

Elevance’s core activities include offering medical and specialty health plans for individuals, employers and government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid managed-care products.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Elevance Health Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play

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