Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways CME Group's Q3 earnings are expected to rise 11.2%, with revenues projected to grow 11.4% year over year.CME Group's Q3 average daily volume rose 16% to 29.4 million contracts, driven by robust trading activity.CME's clearing fees are projected to rise 11%, while market data revenues are expected to increase 16.7%.
CME Group Inc. (CME - Free Report) is expected to register an improvement in both top and bottom lines when it reports third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 21, before the opening bell.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CME’s third-quarter revenues is pegged at $1.71 billion, indicating an 11.4% increase from the year-ago reported figure.

The consensus estimate for earnings is pegged at $2.98 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CME’s third-quarter earnings has moved 2 cents north in the past seven days. The estimate suggests a year-over-year increase of 11.2%.

What the Zacks Model SaysOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for CME Group this time around. This is because the stock has the right combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), which increases the chances of an earnings beat.

Earnings ESP: CME Group has an Earnings ESP of +0.73%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate of $3.00 is pegged higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.98. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Factors Likely to Shape Q3 ResultsCME Group’s third-quarter results are likely to benefit from solid trading activity across its major asset classes, driven by interest-rate uncertainty, fluctuations in equity markets, commodity price volatility and growing demand for risk-management products.

Revenue growth is likely to have been aided by gains in market data and information services, as well as higher clearing, transaction and other fee-based income.

Increased volatility across asset classes appears to have boosted trading volumes, which, in turn, supported clearing and transaction fees. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for clearing and transaction fees stands at $1.4 billion, indicating an 11% increase from the same period last year.

CME Group reported a quarterly average daily volume (ADV) of 29.4 million contracts in the third quarter, which increased 16% year over year. Trading activity increased across asset classes. Agricultural ADV of 2 million contracts in the third quarter of 2026 increased 18% from the prior-year period. Equity Index ADV of 87.7 million contracts increased 23% year over year.

Market data and information services revenues are likely to have benefited from pricing adjustments on certain products as well as increased demand and usage. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this segment is pegged at $236.3 million, suggesting a 16.7% year-over-year increase.

On the cost side, expenses are expected to have risen during the quarter, primarily due to higher spending on employee compensation and benefits, along with increased investment in technology.

Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are three finance stocks you may want to consider, as our model shows that these also have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.94% and carries a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $3.41, indicating a year-over-year increase of 27.7%. CBOE’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.

Nasdaq (NDAQ - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.98% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.02, indicating a year-over-year increase of 15.9%. NDAQ’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.

The Allstate Corporation (ALL - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.38% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 earnings is pegged at $6.91, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 38.1%. ALL’s earnings beat estimates in each of the last four reported quarters.

Chainspect data shows Polkadot (DOT) is the costliest Layer-1 for 100,000 transactions over seven days, while Sui (SUI) is the cheapest at $0.27.

Polkadot ($DOT) ranks as the most expensive Layer-1 blockchain to use, according to a fee comparison from analytics platform @chainspect_app. The data indicates that processing 100,000 transactions on @Polkadot cost more than $1,000 over the past seven days.

That puts the network at the top of the Layer-1 cost ranking. Other high-performance blockchains and rollup systems clear similar transaction volumes for a fraction of a cent per transaction. Sui (@SuiNetwork, $SUI) is the cheapest Layer 1 in the comparison, with 100,000 transactions costing $0.27.

Why Polkadot's Costs Look DifferentPolkadot's fee model helps explain how the figures can diverge from the network's usual reputation. According to the project's developer documentation, transaction fees on Polkadot are built from a base fee, a length fee and a weight fee, with an optional tip to prioritise inclusion. The weight fee reflects computational complexity, while the length fee scales with transaction size.

The architecture is also different from most Layer-1 networks. CoinShares describes Polkadot as a layer-0 network that connects multiple blockchains (parachains) under a shared security umbrella. Developers can use the Polkadot SDK to build their own chains and choose the fee model that suits them. That means costs on the relay chain are not necessarily representative of costs across the wider ecosystem.

Usage on the relay chain is also light. Chainspect's Polkadot page shows just 63 transactions in a one-hour window and an average transaction fee of about $0.0096. With so little activity, per-transaction cost comparisons can swing sharply depending on the period measured and the fee methodology used.

What It Means for DOTA high cost per 100,000 transactions does not by itself show that Polkadot is expensive for typical users, and the result depends on how Chainspect calculates fees over the seven-day window. Still, the ranking highlights a gap between Polkadot's interoperability-focused design and chains built for low-cost, high-volume activity such as Sui. Investors tracking $DOT and developers choosing a base layer may want to compare fee data across several time periods before drawing conclusions.

Sources:

Chainspect: Polkadot TPS, finality, fees and block timePolkadot Docs: Calculate Transaction FeesCoinShares: Polkadot (DOT) guide

Have you assessed how the international operations of FMC (FMC - Free Report) performed in the quarter ended September 2026? For this chemical producer, possessing an expansive global footprint, parsing the trends of international revenues could be critical to gauge its financial resilience and growth prospects.

In the modern, closely-knit global economic landscape, the capacity of a business to access foreign markets is often a key determinant of its financial well-being and growth path. Investors now place great importance on grasping the extent of a company's dependence on international markets, as it sheds light on the firm's earnings stability, its skill in leveraging various economic cycles and its broad growth potential.

Being present in international markets serves as a counterbalance to domestic economic challenges while offering chances to engage with more rapidly evolving economies. However, this kind of diversification introduces challenges like currency fluctuations, geopolitical uncertainties and varying market trends.

Upon examining FMC's recent quarterly performance, we noticed several interesting patterns in the revenue generated from its international segments, which are commonly analyzed and observed by Wall Street experts.

The company's total revenue for the quarter amounted to $841.4 million, marking a decrease of 19.9% from the year-ago quarter. We will next turn our attention to dissecting FMC's international revenue to get a clearer picture of how significant its operations are outside its main base.

A Closer Look at FMC's Revenue Streams AbroadDuring the quarter, Europe/Middle East/Africa contributed $214.1 million in revenue, making up 25.5% of the total revenue. When compared to the consensus estimate of $227.69 million, this meant a surprise of -5.97%. Looking back, Europe/Middle East/Africa contributed $306.9 million, or 40.5%, in the previous quarter, and $260 million, or 24.8%, in the same quarter of the previous year.

Of the total revenue, $277.9 million came from Latin America during the last fiscal quarter, accounting for 33%. This represented a surprise of -3.09% as analysts had expected the region to contribute $286.77 million to the total revenue. In comparison, the region contributed $177 million, or 23.3%, and $310 million, or 29.5%, to total revenue in the previous and year-ago quarters, respectively.

Asia accounted for 15% of the company's total revenue during the quarter, translating to $126.3 million. Revenues from this region represented a surprise of +27.87%, with Wall Street analysts collectively expecting $98.78 million. When compared to the preceding quarter and the same quarter in the previous year, Asia contributed $77.1 million (10.2%) and $159 million (15.1%) to the total revenue, respectively.

Revenue Projections for Overseas MarketsIt is projected by analysts on Wall Street that FMC will post revenues of $868.01 million for the ongoing fiscal quarter, a decline of 9.7% from the year-ago quarter. The expected contributions from Europe/Middle East/Africa, Latin America and Asia to this revenue are 9.4%, 26.8%, and 6.2%, translating into $81.51 million, $232.5 million, and $53.83 million, respectively.

For the entire year, the company's total revenue is forecasted to be $3.54 billion, which is a reduction of 9% from the previous year. The revenue contributions from different regions are expected as follows: Europe/Middle East/Africa will contribute 21.8% ($771.67 million), Latin America 29.2% ($1.03 billion) and Asia 11.6% ($410.3 million) to the total revenue.

The Bottom LineThe dependency of FMC on global markets for its revenues presents a mix of potential gains and hazards. Thus, monitoring the trends in its overseas revenues can be a key indicator for predicting the firm's future performance.

In an era of growing international interdependencies and escalating geopolitical disputes, Wall Street analysts are vigilant in tracking these trends for businesses with a global reach, in order to refine their predictions of earnings. It should be noted, however, that a multitude of other elements, such as a company's domestic position, also play a significant role in shaping the earnings forecasts.

We at Zacks strongly focus on the dynamic earnings forecast of companies, given that empirical studies have demonstrated its potent impact on the immediate price movement of stocks. Invariably, there's a positive relationship -- upward earnings predictions often result in an increase in stock prices.

Our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, with its externally validated exceptional track record, harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions to serve as a dependable measure for anticipating the short-term price trends of stocks.

At the moment, FMC has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), signifying that it may underperform the overall market trend in the upcoming period. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Examining the Latest Trends in FMC's Stock ValueOver the preceding four weeks, the stock's value has diminished by 43.9%, against an upturn of 1.5% in the Zacks S&P 500 composite. In parallel, the Zacks Consumer Staples sector, which counts FMC among its entities, has appreciated by 3.6%. Over the past three months, the company's shares have seen a decline of 49.9% versus the S&P 500's 1.9% increase. The sector overall has witnessed an increase of 1.7% over the same period.

The trading week is just getting underway, and one of the most notable developments in the currency market has been the renewed strength of the Canadian dollar. This can be seen in the recent performance of USD/CAD, which has now declined for three consecutive sessions and is down approximately 1.0% over the period, highlighting the CAD's growing strength against the U.S. dollar.

For now, selling pressure around the pair remains relevant even after the release of Canadian inflation data. This is largely because the Canadian bond market has maintained relatively stable yields, helping to support demand for Canadian dollar-denominated assets. At the same time, the relationship between oil prices and the CAD has begun to regain importance in recent sessions. As long as these factors remain in place and the U.S. dollar continues to move through a corrective phase, selling pressure on USD/CAD could remain an important theme in the days ahead.

Canada Inflation Day Arrives
Canada's latest inflation figures were released during today's session. Overall, the main core inflation measures came in slightly below market expectations. The Trimmed CPI y/y, which excludes more volatile components, was reported at 1.8% versus an expected 1.9%, while Median CPI y/y, a measure used to track underlying inflation trends, came in at 1.9% compared to the 2.0% forecast.

However, annual CPI remains near 3.1%, highlighting that inflation pressures are still relatively elevated. Although some indicators came in below expectations, the data does not yet point to a sufficiently consistent slowdown that would justify a significantly more dovish stance from the Bank of Canada in the coming months. Current inflation levels also remain well above the lows seen in February, when annual CPI was close to 1.8%.

Source: TradingEconomics

This remains important because, even after the inflation release, Canadian 10-year government bond yields have shown little sign of weakness. Instead, yields continue to develop near the 4.0% area, maintaining a relatively stable environment that continues to support the attractiveness of Canadian dollar-denominated investments.

At the same time, U.S. dollar strength has begun to moderate. The DXY, which measures the dollar against its main peers, continues to trade near the 102-point area without being able to establish a sustained bullish trend. As a result, CAD has found room to recover part of the ground lost in previous weeks.

Source: TradingEconomics

Taking all of this into account, it is important to note that while inflation data did not surprise to the upside, it also failed to show a meaningful slowdown in price pressures. This has helped preserve stability in Canada's bond market and, combined with the recent loss of momentum in the U.S. dollar, has allowed the Canadian dollar to regain relevance in the short term. As long as this dynamic remains in place, selling pressure around USD/CAD could continue to be a dominant theme.

Is the Relationship with Oil Becoming Relevant Again?

Another important factor to consider is the close relationship between the Canadian economy and the energy sector. Canada remains one of the world's largest oil producers and exporters, meaning that significant moves in crude oil prices often have an important impact on demand for the Canadian dollar. As oil prices rise, export revenues tend to increase, supporting stronger capital inflows and helping strengthen the CAD in the short term.

Over recent sessions, this relationship has begun to regain relevance. The CXY, an index that measures the strength of the Canadian dollar, continues to advance while WTI crude oil maintains a bullish trend that has pushed prices increasingly closer to the $100 per barrel area.

The most interesting element emerges when looking at the short-term correlation between both markets. The correlation coefficient currently stands near 0.56, reflecting a meaningful positive relationship between recent movements in oil and the Canadian dollar. This suggests that rising crude prices may be providing additional support to CAD’s recent recovery. It is important to remember that correlation can change over time.

Source: TVC, StoneX, Tradingview

This relationship is particularly important because it had weakened during previous months. However, the recent strength in oil prices appears to be bringing it back into focus and may help explain part of the resilience currently being displayed by the Canadian dollar against the USD. As long as oil remains in an upward trend and the positive correlation persists, this factor could continue supporting downside pressure on USD/CAD in the coming sessions.

USD/CAD Technical Forecast

Source: StoneX, Tradingview

The bearish bias is regaining relevance: Although USD/CAD attempted to develop a short-term bullish trendline in recent weeks, that structure gradually lost momentum as price approached highs not seen for several months. A renewed bearish bias is now beginning to emerge on the chart. However, it is important to remember that a lack of direction remains a key characteristic of the market and, unless important support levels are broken, a broader period of consolidation could still develop over the coming weeks.

 
MACD: The MACD histogram continues to fluctuate very close to the 0 neutral line, reflecting a relatively balanced dynamic in short-term moving-average momentum. This reading continues to support the possibility that a phase of indecision remains relevant on the chart.

 
RSI: A similar picture can be observed in the RSI, which continues to trade near the 50 neutral level. This behavior reflects a relatively balanced momentum environment and suggests that the recent lack of direction remains an important feature of price action.

 
Key Levels:

1.42321 – Key Resistance: A major high observed over recent months and the most important upside barrier on the chart. A move back toward this level could restore relevance to the bullish bias and support a more consistent bullish structure.

 
1.41606 – Near-Term Barrier: A level that aligns with significant retracement zones observed several weeks ago and could become the main area to monitor in the event of short-term bullish corrections.

 
1.39959 – Critical Support: The last major support barrier on the daily chart and a level that coincides with the 50-period simple moving average. Sustained moves below this area could reinforce the bearish bias and open the door to a more established downtrend in the weeks ahead.

 
Written by Julian Pineda, CFA, CMT – Market Analyst

Follow him on: @julianpineda25

Key Takeaways IONQ will acquire Elisity in a deal valued at up to $1.3 billion to expand its cybersecurity platform.IONQ's acquisition combines its PQC and QKD capabilities with Elisity's enterprise Zero Trust technology.IONQ gains access to Elisity's 100 global customer deployments and the $10B microsegmentation market.
IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire Elisity, Inc., a Zero Trust security company, in an all-stock transaction valued at up to $1.3 billion. The deal will combine IonQ's post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum key distribution (QKD) capabilities with Elisity's enterprise Zero Trust technology to expand its cybersecurity platform and help uncover and protect against current LLM and emerging quantum threats. It will also add Elisity's high-growth enterprise security business and a team of industry leaders to IonQ.

Elisity has a strong track record of doubling its revenues and customer base year over year with zero churn among deployed customers. IonQ will gain expanded channels to market its PQC, QKD and quantum computing offerings to enterprise and government networks through Elisity’s more than 100 global customer deployments and strong relationships across the CISO and security communities. The acquisition provides IonQ with an entry into the microsegmentation market, a more than $10 billion opportunity with a double-digit CAGR.

According to IonQ’s chairman and CEO, the acquisition will enhance the company’s ability to secure critical infrastructure and enterprise networks throughout the transition to the quantum era, as Q-Day may arrive sooner than expected.

IonQ has deployed quantum-safe communications networks in several countries and offers security solutions spanning QKD and PQC. Its multiproduct revenues grew 40% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting increased adoption of multiple offerings. The Elisity acquisition is expected to create cross-selling opportunities and help IonQ expand its enterprise and government customer base.

The agreement price includes up to $150 million in earnout opportunity subject to performance of the Elisity business. The number of shares IonQ will issue will be based on its volume-weighted average stock price over the 20 trading days preceding the third business day before closing. The price used to calculate the share count will be capped at $49.61 per share, with a floor of $33.07.

Updates From IONQ PeersThis month, D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS - Free Report) and the Supply Chain Management Research Center in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas (“SCMRC”) announced a collaboration to explore quantum computing’s impact on complex supply-chain problems. The partnership establishes the Quantum Supply Chain Initiative Support Fund with the SCMRC, meant to advance thought leadership, education and independent research focused on the application of quantum computing to supply-chain management across retail, transportation and national defense.  D-Wave has also joined the SCMRC partnership program, which presently has more than 25 industry partners.

Quantum Computing Inc. (QUBT - Free Report) , or QCi, announced Dirac-3S, the next-generation of its Dirac-3 quantum optimization machine. Dirac-3S advances the platform across three areas — Speed, Scale and Solutions — with faster performance, improved solution quality, increased computing capacity and a modular architecture designed to support customers as their requirements grow. The development marks a significant step toward commercial deployment of QCi’s quantum optimization technology, with the first customer shipment of Dirac-3S expected in November 2026.

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

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 26, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

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

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.52 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +26.7%.

Revenues are expected to be $203.16 million, up 11.2% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.79% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

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

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

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

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

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

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

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

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Bank of Hawaii?For Bank of Hawaii, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -2.17%.

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

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Bank of Hawaii will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

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

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Bank of Hawaii would post earnings of $1.46 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.47, delivering a surprise of +0.68%.

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

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

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

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

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAmong the stocks in the Zacks Banks - West industry, First Hawaiian (FHB - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.6 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +1.7%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $229.71 million, up 1.5% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for First Hawaiian has been revised 7.5% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%, reflecting an equal Most Accurate Estimate.

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

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

Okta (OKTA - Free Report) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.

Shares of this cloud identity management company have returned +2.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. The Zacks Security industry, to which Okta belongs, has lost 5.4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

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

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

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Okta is expected to post earnings of $0.93 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +13.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

The consensus earnings estimate of $3.93 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +12.3%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.44 indicates a change of +13% from what Okta is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for Okta.

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

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthEven though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

In the case of Okta, the consensus sales estimate of $815.52 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +9.9%. The $3.22 billion and $3.55 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +10.4% and +10.1%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryOkta reported revenues of $805 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.6%. EPS of $1.05 for the same period compares with $0.91 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $792.14 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.62%. The EPS surprise was +9.38%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

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

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

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

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Okta. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

Marvell Technology shed 17% in a single week after one of the strongest runs in the AI trade, and that gap between the selloff and the business fundamentals is exactly what makes the timing interesting right now.

AI investors have reason to track Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL | MRVL Price Prediction), and last week brought a sharp decline. Shares fell 17.24% in the week ended October 16 to $227.83, after a 168.54% year-to-date run. The next earnings report will show how fast the business is moving.

Why Marvell Sits at the Center of AI Networking
Marvell builds parts that let AI chips talk. These include optical DSPs, Ethernet switches, and custom silicon designed alongside hyperscalers. Clusters keep getting bigger, and every bigger cluster needs more bandwidth. Management addressed bandwidth needs for these multi-site networks.

The needs are projected to be more than 10 times greater than current front-end networks. Marvell sells that connectivity. It is one of several suppliers we profiled in a free report on the companies powering the AI buildout outside the chipmakers.

Three Data Points Driving Marvell’s Growth Case
First, growth is speeding up. Data Center revenue grew 21% in Q4 FY2026, then 27%, then 46% last quarter. Management guided Q3 Data Center growth to roughly 75% year-over-year on total revenue of $3.150 billion. Fiscal 2027 revenue should reach roughly $12 billion.

Second, the deal with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) unit Google changes how big the custom business can get. Marvell granted a warrant letting Google acquire up to 7% of its shares, tied to revenue targets. Custom revenue should more than double year over year in fiscal 2028. When an analyst cited a $120 billion cumulative revenue opportunity over six years, management replied, “your math is not wrong.”

Third, margins are expanding. Non-GAAP operating margin rose to 36.6% from 34.8%, and management expects to enter its 38% to 40% target range in Q4. Q3 non-GAAP EPS guidance of $1.10 compares with $0.94 last quarter.

How Marvell Stacks Up Against NVIDIA and AMD
While NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) dominates AI, its financing exposure keeps growing. Supply commitments reached $279 billion, guarantees for AI cloud partners are limited at $108.5 billion, and days sales outstanding rose to 60 days from 45 days on extended payment terms. If credit tightens for AI builders, Marvell’s biggest partner is Google, a company that designs and pays for its own chips.

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) trades at a P/E of about 199, and its non-GAAP operating margin of 27% trails Marvell’s. Data Center makes up only 58% of AMD’s revenue, so AMD offers less focused exposure to the AI expansion.

Risks That Could Derail Marvell’s Run
Concentration concerns me. Data Center now makes up 79% of revenue, a few customers drive much of it, and any hyperscaler could bring more chip design in-house. Chinese trade restrictions and $4.963B of debt due in future years add risk. The stock also swings hard: it fell 10.28% on the day it reported a beat in August.

A strong balance sheet protects against those risks. Net debt runs just 0.27 times EBITDA. The Google warrant gives Marvell’s largest partner a stake in keeping the relationship going. Over the last seven quarters, Marvell reported six beats and no misses.

What to Watch as Marvell’s AI Business Scales
The quarterly dividend is only $0.06, so Marvell offers little for income-focused investors and stands primarily as a growth story. Buybacks of $2.0401B in fiscal 2026 returned capital to shareholders. With Data Center growth expected to top 60% in fiscal 2028, investors will watch whether bookings and margins keep pace with that outlook.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Provides financial protection for penalties and interest* when resolution efforts do not obtain reliefHelps businesses protect cash flow, save time, and reduce the stress associated with payroll tax issuesAI-driven innovation combined with Paychex expertise expands payroll tax notice support by managing eligible issues regardless of cause and working directly with tax agencies on customers’ behalf ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paychex (Nasdaq: PAYX), a leading provider of expert-enabled HR, payroll, and benefits, today introduced Paychex Tax Penalty Protection Service, powered by WISE (Workforce Intelligence Strengthened by Expertise), a first-of-its-kind offering designed to help businesses resolve eligible payroll tax issues more easily and with less financial risk. Paychex’s unique combination of AI-driven innovation and industry expertise has enabled the company to transition the management of eligible issues from the business to its team of experienced advocates at scale. The new service relieves businesses of the burden of navigating complex tax matters on their own and saves them valuable time, protects cash flow, and reduces compliance-related stress.

“Payroll tax issues can divert valuable time and resources from running a business,” said Frank Fiorille, Paychex managing vice president of risk and compliance. "Paychex has always worked to help customers address payroll tax issues, and AI innovation in our back office has evolved what we can offer our customers at scale. We now provide a real, outcome-based solution and stand behind it financially. Our advocates take on eligible payroll tax issues regardless of cause, and if penalties and interest remain after our resolution efforts, we cover them. Business owners get their time back, their cash flow protected, and real peace of mind."

Payroll Tax Issues Can Be Costly and Time-consuming for Businesses
Tax notices can result from federal and state agency processing errors, account discrepancies, or other administrative complexities. In 2025, the IRS assessed more than 4.4 million employment tax penalty notices.

New Service Expands Paychex Support for Payroll Tax Issues
Paychex has long supported customers with payroll tax notice research and resolution. Paychex Tax Penalty Protection Service, powered by WISE, expands that support by covering the cost of eligible payroll tax issues, including customer and tax agency errors. As part of the service, Paychex researches the issue and works directly with tax agencies to pursue a correction, abatement, or appeal on the customer's behalf. The company has built AI into its back-office payroll and tax operations, supported by decades of experience and one of the industry's largest payroll tax datasets. As a result, Paychex can identify, prevent, and resolve payroll tax issues with speed and accuracy at scale that was not possible before. That confidence has enabled Paychex to move from helping with tax notices to standing behind the outcome.

The service is currently available to Paychex Flex® customers. Visit paychex.com to learn more about the Paychex Tax Penalty Protection Service, powered by WISE.

* Financial protection for penalties and interest, subject to applicable terms, conditions, and limits.

About Paychex
Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) provides a comprehensive suite of expert-enabled technology and advisory solutions that help businesses manage HR, payroll, and benefits. Serving approximately 840,000 customers and paying 1 in 11 U.S. private sector workers, Paychex combines scale, trusted expertise, and innovation to help businesses succeed. Built on more than 50 years of workforce experience and one of the industry’s largest proprietary HR datasets, Paychex’s WISE agentic AI engine embeds intelligence directly into workflows to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and deliver better outcomes. Learn more at paychex.com.

Media Contact
Tracy Volkmann
Paychex, Inc.
Manager, Public Relations
(585) 387-6705
[email protected]

Cognizant Logo

Google Cloud Logo Initiative establishes new Gemini Frontier Capability Group, dedicating more than 18,000 engineers to help drive AI adoption for global enterprises. More than 55,000 associates completed Build with Gemini, the largest Gemini partner workshop held to date, part of a shared commitment to scale client execution through Cognizant's Frontier Certified Engineers. , /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) and Google Cloud today announced a significant expansion of their partnership to accelerate the adoption of agentic AI, including a new Gemini Frontier Capability Group. The group brings together a dedicated global workforce that pairs Google's full-stack, enterprise-ready AI platform with Cognizant's domain, industry and engineering expertise as an AI Builder.

Backed by more than 18,000 dedicated Cognizant associates, the new group represents a substantial joint investment and builds on the momentum created by Cognizant's dedicated Gemini practice launched in April 2026. The new group is designed to bridge the path from pilot to production, equipping enterprises with the ability to safely deploy resilient, enterprise-grade agents that can help drive measurable business value.

"Establishing our dedicated Gemini Frontier Capability Group lets our best frontier engineering talent focus entirely on getting frontier AI into production for clients," said Ravi Kumar S, CEO of Cognizant. "Our Build with Gemini workshop gave over 55,000 associates that experience directly, earning them tangible skills on one of the world's most advanced AI platforms, and this new group is where that experience goes to work every day."

"Deploying AI agents at scale requires trusted partners with deep architectural and integration expertise," said Thomas Kurian, chief executive officer, Google Cloud. "Cognizant's dedicated Frontier Capability Group and their skilling initiative for tens of thousands of engineers on Gemini will help our joint customers accelerate the adoption of autonomous agents throughout the enterprise."

Introducing the Gemini Frontier Capability Group

Designed to meet surging enterprise demand for scaled AI execution, the group aims to deliver production-grade, AI solutions designed to drive business outcomes for global enterprises by leveraging Gemini, Google Cloud's AI platform for building, governing, and deploying agents. The group will initially concentrate its engineering capabilities across legacy modernization, developer experience, autonomous business process agentification and frontier cyber defense.

To operationalize these capabilities, the group plans to deploy standardized, security-first agentic architecture built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and fortified by Google Cloud's Model Armor. These trusted frameworks are expected to power a new suite of collaborative, production-ready enterprise solutions, including Cognizant's Catalog Support Agent (CSA) for retail, the Neuro® San-orchestrated Healthcare Agentic Marketplace, and multi-agent Order-to-Cash (O2C) workflows for manufacturing.

Scaling outcomes with Frontier Certified Engineers

Underpinning the group is a shared commitment by Google Cloud and Cognizant to scale client execution through Frontier Certified Engineers. One early proof point shows what this looks like in practice: by integrating Gemini AI models across its software development lifecycle, Cognizant helped a leading retailer achieve a 40% increase in developer productivity, reduce time-to-market by 30%, and realize a 35% cost savings, underscoring the transformative potential of AI-driven software engineering.

As part of Cognizant's frontier certification skills drive, the company recently concluded the Build with Gemini workshop with Google Cloud, where Cognizant associates built AI agents and applications while earning Gemini skills credentials. Completed by more than 55,000 Cognizant associates, it is the largest single Gemini partner workshop held to date, representing a meaningful step in building Cognizant's frontier-certified workforce.

Cognizant is also applying Gemini internally at scale. As announced in July, the company is deploying Gemini to 100,000 associates this year, with plans to scale up to 200,000, and continues to increase its certification commitment for professionals on the platform.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is an AI Builder and technology services provider, bridging the gap between AI investment and enterprise value by building full-stack AI solutions for our clients. Our deep industry, process and engineering expertise enables us to build an organization's unique context into technology systems that amplify human potential, drive tangible outcomes and keep global enterprises ahead in a fast-changing world. See how at www.cognizant.ai or @cognizant. 

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud offers a powerful, optimized AI stack — including AI infrastructure, leading models like Gemini, data management capabilities, multicloud security solutions, developer tools and platform, as well as agents and applications — that enables organizations to transform their business for the Agentic Era. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

Cognizant media contacts:

Google Cloud media contact:

SOURCE Cognizant Technology Solutions

Wall Street analysts expect Huntington Bancshares (HBAN - Free Report) to post quarterly earnings of $0.38 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year decline of 5%. Revenues are expected to be $2.82 billion, up 31.2% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, there has been a downward revision of 6.2% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.

Prior to a company's earnings release, it is of utmost importance to factor in any revisions made to the earnings projections. These revisions serve as a critical gauge for predicting potential investor behaviors with respect to the stock. Empirical studies consistently reveal a strong link between trends in earnings estimate revisions and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors typically rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to gauge how the business may have fared during the quarter, examining analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics often helps gain a deeper insight.

Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific Huntington Bancshares metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.

Analysts expect 'Net Interest Margin (FTE)' to come in at 3.2%. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 3.1% in the same quarter of the previous year.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Efficiency Ratio' of 58.7%. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 57.4% in the same quarter of the previous year.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Average Balance - Total earning assets' will reach $258.05 billion. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $192.73 billion.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Regulatory Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio' should come in at 11.5%. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 12.4%.

Analysts forecast 'Tier 1 Leverage Ratio' to reach 8.9%. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 9.0% in the same quarter last year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Regulatory Total risk-based capital ratio' will likely reach 13.7%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 14.7%.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Wealth and asset management revenue' should arrive at $135.85 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $104.00 million.

Analysts predict that the 'Customer deposit and loan fees' will reach $129.87 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $102.00 million.

The consensus estimate for 'Payments and cash management revenue' stands at $206.66 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $174.00 million.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Capital markets and advisory fees' will reach $129.55 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $94.00 million.

Analysts' assessment points toward 'Mortgage banking income' reaching $41.01 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $43.00 million.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Net interest income - FTE' at $2.09 billion. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $1.52 billion.

View all Key Company Metrics for Huntington Bancshares here>>>

Over the past month, shares of Huntington Bancshares have returned -3.8% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. Currently, HBAN carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), suggesting that it may underperform the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Image: Bigstock

Read MoreHide Full Article

Key Takeaways Quanta's Q2 revenues reached $9.6 billion, supported by infrastructure demand and strong operating momentum.Record $53B backlog supports growth, with acquisitions expected to add $1.2-$1.4B in 2026 revenues.PWR faces inflation, labor shortages and permitting delays that could pressure margins and cash flow.
Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR - Free Report) is benefiting from robust infrastructure demand, driven by power grid modernization, electrification and expanding data-center capacity. However, macroeconomic uncertainty, inflationary pressures, supply-chain constraints and project execution challenges could test the company's ability to sustain growth despite its record project pipeline.

PWR’s second-quarter 2026 performance reflected strong operating momentum, with revenues reaching $9.6 billion and adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share posting strong double-digit growth. A record backlog of approximately $53 billion provides significant visibility into future activity. Management expects larger programs across utility generation and technology load centers to build over the coming years, supported by rising electricity demand and investments in critical infrastructure. Quanta's acquisitions of Phalcon, Enerfab, Percheron and PSD are also expected to contribute $1.2-$1.4 billion in 2026 revenues and $120-$140 million in adjusted EBITDA, while broadening its capabilities and market reach.

Nevertheless, backlog conversion remains crucial. Adverse weather, permitting delays, regulatory requirements, labor availability, supply-chain disruptions and inflation could affect project schedules, costs and profitability. Higher interest rates and weaker economic conditions could also influence customer spending decisions and the timing of infrastructure investments. Integrating acquisitions while maintaining execution discipline adds another challenge.

Quanta's strong demand pipeline and raised outlook provide a solid foundation for growth, but sustained performance will depend on managing costs, executing complex projects efficiently and converting backlog into cash flow. Investors should monitor margins, free cash flow and project delivery to assess whether the company can overcome macroeconomic headwinds and maintain its growth trajectory.

Quanta vs. AECOM & Dycom: Competitive LandscapeQuanta is well positioned to benefit from rising investments in North American infrastructure, even as it shares the market with renowned names like Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY - Free Report) and AECOM (ACM - Free Report) .

AECOM complements this growing public spending trend through its asset-light engineering, design, consulting and program management expertise, benefiting from growing public infrastructure, transportation, water and environmental projects supported by long-term government funding. Meanwhile, Dycom continues to ride the communications infrastructure cycle as broadband expansion, fiber deployments and network upgrades by major telecom operators sustain demand for its specialty contracting services.

While AECOM provides the planning and engineering capabilities, Dycom strengthens digital connectivity, and Quanta executes complex, large-scale utility and energy infrastructure projects, positioning all three to benefit from secular infrastructure modernization trends despite ongoing macroeconomic and regulatory uncertainties.

Published in construction

Key Takeaways VLY's proposed Bluevine and Providence buyouts aid deposits, expand reach and diversify revenues.Bluevine and Providence target over 8% and 2% EPS accretion, respectively, by 2028. Integration costs, TBV dilution and deposit attrition could limit earnings gains at Valley National. Valley National Bancorp (VLY - Free Report) is pursuing inorganic growth through its proposed acquisitions of Bluevine Inc. and Providence Financial Corporation. Bluevine is expected to add a nationwide digital customer-acquisition platform, while Providence will likely expand its presence in the Chicago market. Both stock-cum-cash transactions are expected to close in early 2027, subject to the applicable closing conditions and regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Additionally, the transactions are expected to strengthen VLY’s deposit franchise and support growth in commercial lending and fee income. However, integration expenses, tangible book value (TBV) dilution and execution challenges could put pressure on near-term profitability.

How Will the Acquisitions Strengthen VLY’s Financials?The impending Bluevine and Providence acquisitions will likely strengthen Valley National’s funding profile by adding lower-cost deposits to its existing deposit base. Bluevine will bring approximately $2.1 billion in digitally sourced core deposits, with a deposit cost of 1.44% as of the second quarter of 2026. Providence is expected to add almost $1.35 billion in deposits at 1.49%, with 26% of its deposits in non-interest-bearing accounts and no brokered deposits. Meanwhile, at the end of the second quarter, Valley National’s deposit cost was 2.28%.

Cost of Total Deposits

Image Source: Valley National Bancorp

Nearly 99% of Bluevine’s deposits come from non-borrowing customers, offering opportunities to develop lending relationships and cross-sell additional products. Providence complements this digital funding base with a relationship-driven deposit franchise and a loans-to-deposits ratio of approximately 81%, providing capacity to support commercial lending.

Together, the acquisitions are expected to improve Valley National’s funding mix, reduce reliance on higher-cost brokered funding and support a more diversified deposit franchise. The Bluevine transaction alone is projected to reduce the pro forma deposit cost to 2.23% and improve the loans-to-deposits ratio to 93%, above management’s 90% target.

Pro Forma Deposit Franchise

Image Source: Valley National Bancorp

Beyond funding benefits, the acquisitions are expected to expand Valley National’s customer base and revenue opportunities. Bluevine brings approximately 175,000 active small-business customers and an integrated platform offering business banking, payments, lending and financial-management solutions. The deal also adds approximately 180 research and development professionals and engineers, strengthening Valley National’s technology, data science and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Providence complements these capabilities with 14 full-service retail branches, approximately $1.09 billion in loans and an established presence in the Chicago market. Providence’s local relationships could help Valley National deepen retail and small-business ties, expand commercial lending and increase recurring fee income.

Chicago Loans and Deposits Before and After the Acquisition

Image Source: Valley National Bancorp

Providence also brings approximately $800 million in wealth-management assets under management (AUM), creating opportunities to broaden Valley National’s wealth-management business. Meanwhile, Bluevine’s digital platform could extend VLY’s reach beyond its traditional branch footprint.

The transactions also offer opportunities to improve operating efficiency and earnings. The Bluevine acquisition is expected to generate more than 8% accretion to 2028 earnings per share (EPS), supported by approximately $50 million in annual run-rate pre-tax cost savings. However, approximately $20 million in annual pre-tax Durbin-related dis-synergies is expected to offset part of these benefits. Providence is projected to generate approximately 2% accretion to 2028 EPS and approximately $10 million in annual run-rate pre-tax cost savings, with 75% of the savings expected to be phased in during 2027.

Together, the acquisitions will likely improve funding flexibility, expand commercial banking operations, strengthen technology capabilities and diversify revenue streams. Realizing these benefits will depend on successful deposit migration, customer retention and delivery of the planned cost savings.

Integration Costs and Capital Implications Pose Risks for VLYDespite the strategic benefits, integrating two acquisitions with different operating models presents execution challenges. Aligning technology, customer service, risk management and operations while retaining customers will be critical to realizing the expected benefits.

The acquisitions also carry different capital implications. Bluevine is expected to result in approximately 5% TBV dilution at closing, with an estimated three-year earn-back period. Providence is projected to cause less than 1% TBV dilution, with a payback period of less than three years. Integration expenses or delayed synergies could extend these recovery periods and temper the expected earnings benefits.

Valley National expects its common equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio to remain above 10.3% at Bluevine’s closing, inclusive of the proposed Providence acquisition. Maintaining adequate capital while funding integration costs and pursuing growth will remain important as the bank works to realize the benefits of both deals.

Other risks include customer attrition during Bluevine’s deposit migration, technology integration challenges, employee retention and slower-than-expected commercial lending growth. Higher operating expenses or Durbin-related dis-synergies could also offset some anticipated cost savings.

Our Take on Valley National’s Inorganic Growth StrategyValley National’s proposed acquisitions of Bluevine and Providence offer complementary opportunities to strengthen its competitive position and improve its long-term growth prospects. The projected earnings accretion and cost savings are encouraging, but the benefits are not guaranteed. Bluevine’s higher TBV dilution and integration requirements could weigh on near-term returns, while both transactions depend on effective execution.

Successful integration, disciplined capital management and the realization of projected synergies will likely strengthen Valley National’s funding profile and support sustainable profitability. Conversely, deposit attrition, integration delays or higher-than-expected costs could temper the expected financial benefits.

Others Also Pursue Strategic Acquisitions to Drive GrowthStoneX Group Inc. (SNEX - Free Report) is expanding its physical commodities business through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its supply-chain capabilities and broaden its geographic reach. The planned acquisition of Integra Trading S.A.S. will enhance its Colombian coffee origination, processing and export capabilities, while the acquisition of Advanced Marketing Group (AMG) will expand its feed-ingredients platform across North America.

These initiatives will likely strengthen StoneX’s physical commodities operations, deepen producer relationships and support long-term growth. The company’s focus on combining physical operations with its global client network and risk-management capabilities could further diversify revenue streams and enhance its competitive position.

Commerce Bancshares (CBSH - Free Report) is expanding its fee-based businesses through strategic acquisitions to deepen client relationships and diversify revenue streams. The acquisition of Nolan & Associates adds investment banking capabilities in M&A, capital raising and ownership-transition advisory, complementing its middle-market banking franchise. This could strengthen the company’s non-interest income by generating transaction fees and connecting middle-market clients with lending, treasury and wealth management services. 

The FineMark Holdings buyout (in February 2026) expanded its private banking and wealth management footprint. These initiatives will likely broaden Commerce Bancshares’ service offerings, create cross-selling opportunities and support long-term growth.

The upcoming report from CBRE Group (CBRE - Free Report) is expected to reveal quarterly earnings of $1.98 per share, indicating an increase of 23% compared to the year-ago period. Analysts forecast revenues of $11.89 billion, representing an increase of 16% year over year.

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.3% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This reflects how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reevaluated their initial estimates during this timeframe.

Prior to a company's earnings release, it is of utmost importance to factor in any revisions made to the earnings projections. These revisions serve as a critical gauge for predicting potential investor behaviors with respect to the stock. Empirical studies consistently reveal a strong link between trends in earnings estimate revisions and the short-term price performance of a stock.

While investors usually depend on consensus earnings and revenue estimates to assess the business performance for the quarter, delving into analysts' forecasts for certain key metrics often provides a more comprehensive understanding.

Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific CBRE metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Total Revenue- Real Estate Investments' should arrive at $213.47 million. The estimate suggests a change of +1.2% year over year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Total Revenue- Advisory Services' will likely reach $2.44 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +9.1%.

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Total Revenue- Building Operations & Experience' of $6.81 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +17.5%.

It is projected by analysts that the 'AUM - Investment Management' will reach $78639.00 billion. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $155.80 billion.

Analysts expect 'Total segment operating profit (loss)- Advisory Services' to come in at $423.69 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $374.00 million.

Analysts forecast 'Total segment operating profit (loss)- Real Estate Investments' to reach $110.93 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $11.00 million.

Analysts predict that the 'Total segment operating profit (loss)- Project Management' will reach $159.05 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $123.00 million.

The average prediction of analysts places 'Total segment operating profit (loss)- Building Operations & Experience' at $341.14 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $177.00 million in the same quarter last year.

View all Key Company Metrics for CBRE here>>>

Over the past month, CBRE shares have recorded returns of -4.6% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. Based on its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), CBRE will likely exhibit a performance that aligns with the overall market in the upcoming period. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when Simpson Manufacturing (SSD - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 26, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

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

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis building materials company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.56 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -0.8%.

Revenues are expected to be $625.5 million, up 0.3% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.76% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

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

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

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

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

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

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

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

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Simpson Manufacturing?For Simpson Manufacturing, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.85%.

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

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Simpson Manufacturing will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

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

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Simpson Manufacturing would post earnings of $2.72 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.09, delivering a surprise of +13.60%.

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

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

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

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

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAnother stock from the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, United Rentals (URI - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $13.83 per share for the quarter ended September 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +18.2%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $4.67 billion, up 10.4% from the year-ago quarter.

Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for United Rentals has been revised 1.1% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +1.17%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate.

This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggests that United Rentals will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

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

On its third quarter of 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 15, 2026, Home Bancshares (HOMB -0.39%) announced record net income of $129.1 million. The bank demonstrated how disciplined balance sheet positioning protects profitability during changing interest rate cycles. Its focus on capital returns and underwriting discipline continues to generate high returns for shareholders. Three takeaways from the call stand out for long-term investors.

1. Balance Sheet Discipline Protects Profitability As Rates RiseManagement avoided buying long-term securities when interest rates were low, preventing the balance sheet losses that hit peer banks. That strategy expanded the net interest margin (the difference between interest earned on assets and interest paid on deposits) to 4.53% for the third quarter.

Home avoided taking excessive duration risk, maintained balance sheet flexibility and protected shareholder capital. Our disciplined decision not to build a large, long-duration securities portfolio has proven to be the right one.
-- John Allison, Chairman2. Shareholder Capital Returns Remain a Core Management PriorityThe company raised its quarterly dividend 9.5% to $0.23 per share and repurchased 3.3 million shares for $94.4 million through the first three quarters of 2026. Management plans to continue share buybacks to return excess capital to owners.

It is our goal to return as much capital to our shareholders as prudent to do so. I understand the importance of shareholders because they are the ones we work for.
-- John Allison, Chairman3. Underwriting Discipline Takes Priority Over Unprofitable GrowthManagement prioritizes asset quality over expanding loan volume, refusing to lower credit standards or offer irrational pricing. This disciplined strategy keeps nonperforming loans low while protecting core profitability.

We remain focused on asset quality, profitability and growth in that order. One thing I can confidently tell you for my 65 quarters leading the lending function of this company is that this is the only formula for long-term success in this industry.
-- Kevin Hester, President and Chief Lending OfficerLooking AheadLoan opportunities are increasing across the bank's footprint, and management isn't hiding its enthusiasm for upcoming origination activity. The bank maintains strong capital reserves and a low efficiency ratio (a measure of operating expenses as a percentage of revenue where lower numbers signal better efficiency) of 40.84%, while keeping pricing discipline front and center.

We will grow when opportunities meet our standards for credit quality, pricing and shareholder returns. We will stay the course and you can bank on that.
-- John Allison, ChairmanManagement plans to complete back-office integration for its Mountain Commerce acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2026, creating additional cost savings. The bank continues to position its balance sheet for sustained performance and ongoing capital distribution.

We remain focused on finishing the year out strong and delivering long-term value for our shareholders.
-- John Allison, ChairmanThe Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Takeaways Sales of Corcept's Cushing's syndrome drug Korlym rose 6.2% to $373.5 million in the first half of 2026.CORT's Lifyorli generated $47.6 million in its first commercial quarter, offering a new revenue stream.Lifyorli's approval adds a new commercial product as Corcept seeks to expand beyond its lead drug, Korlym. Corcept Therapeutics (CORT - Free Report) remains focused on building long-term growth visibility beyond its lead marketed drug, Korlym (mifepristone), which is approved for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome. The drug recorded sales of $373.5 million in the first six months of 2026, up 6.2% year over year.

Corcept has also been expanding its efforts to identify and treat patients with Cushing’s syndrome, providing a potential runway for continued Korlym demand.

Korlym is likely to remain an important contributor to Corcept’s top-line growth, supported by increasing demand for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome and continued growth in prescriptions. However, Corcept’s heavy reliance on Korlym for revenue growth remains a concern. A decline in the drug’s sales will significantly hinder the company’s prospects.

CORT Eyes Lifyorli to Potentially Lower Dependence on KorlymIn March 2026, the FDA approved Lifyorli (relacorilant), Corcept’s selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of adult patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The approval of Lifyorli should help Corcept diversify its revenue base.

Lifyorli generated $47.6 million in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting its first quarter of commercial availability. Though still in the early stages, we expect Lifyorli to help reduce CORT’s heavy dependence on Korlym over time.

Last month, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued a positive opinion recommending approval of Lifyorli in combination with nab-paclitaxel for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

A final decision from the European Commission is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.

CORT’s Other Development Activities With RelacorilantRelacorilant, in combination with other anticancer therapies, is also being studied in other solid tumors, including platinum-sensitive ovarian, prostate, endometrial, cervical and pancreatic cancers.

The phase II BELLA study (part A) is evaluating relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel and Roche’s (RHHBY - Free Report) Avastin (bevacizumab) for treating patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

The BELLA study is designed to understand whether combining relacorilant with two medicines — nab-paclitaxel and RHHBY’s Avastin — offers patients an additional treatment option or not.

The company is also evaluating relacorilant plus Pfizer’s (PFE - Free Report) Xtandi (enzalutamide) in patients with early-stage prostate cancer. A phase II study is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Chicago.

Xtandi, which is approved for different stages of prostate cancer, has been one of Pfizer’s key revenue drivers.

Importantly, Corcept is also developing relacorilant, a selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist for treating Cushing's syndrome. The company resubmitted the new drug application (NDA) for relacorilant for the treatment of patients with hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome) to the FDA in June 2026. The FDA accepted the application and assigned a target action date of Dec. 17, 2026.

Successful clinical development and approval of relacorilant for additional indications could help Corcept establish additional revenue streams and reduce its dependence on Korlym.

SummaryMid-America Apartment Communities is rated 'Buy' for its discounted valuation, strong balance sheet, and historically high 5.25% dividend yield.MAA trades at 13.7x forward P/FFO, well below its long-term average of 16.1x, offering attractive value for long-term investors.Improving lease pricing, record-low turnover, and robust Sunbelt migration trends support a recovery in rental growth and FFO/share expansion.Redevelopment projects generate 25% cash-on-cash returns, while declining new supply and high occupancy underpin MAA’s medium-term growth outlook.Looking for a portfolio of ideas like this one? Members of iREIT®+HOYA Capital get exclusive access to our subscriber-only portfolios. Learn More »benedek/iStock via Getty Images

Dividend stocks tend to take a back seat when interest rates rise, due to competition for yield from treasury bonds. However, I would make the case that dividend stocks backed by hard assets are worthwhile to own, especially when their

23.65K 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 MAA 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.

I am not an investment advisor. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute as financial advice. Readers are encouraged and expected to perform due diligence and draw their own conclusions prior to making any investment decisions.

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.

Doximity, Inc. (NYSE:DOCS – Get Free Report) CAO Siddharth Sitaram sold 2,613 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.68, for a total value of $80,166.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 101,432 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,111,933.76. This represents a 2.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Siddharth Sitaram also recently made the following trade(s):

On Tuesday, September 15th, Siddharth Sitaram sold 2,077 shares of Doximity stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.02, for a total value of $54,043.54. On Thursday, August 13th, Siddharth Sitaram sold 1,770 shares of Doximity stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.94, for a total value of $44,143.80. Doximity Stock Down 0.5% Shares of Doximity stock opened at $30.81 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $5.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.25, a P/E/G ratio of 24.22 and a beta of 1.22. Doximity, Inc. has a 12-month low of $17.15 and a 12-month high of $71.37. The business’s 50 day moving average is $26.75 and its 200-day moving average is $23.63.

Doximity (NYSE:DOCS – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.29 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $156.62 million during the quarter. Doximity had a net margin of 25.48% and a return on equity of 18.06%. Doximity’s quarterly revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.36 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Doximity, Inc. will post 0.74 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Doximity Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in shares of Doximity by 1,176.9% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,826 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,000 after acquiring an additional 1,683 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in Doximity by 111.0% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,560 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,000 after acquiring an additional 1,347 shares during the period. Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its position in Doximity by 31,271.4% during the third quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 2,196 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,000 after acquiring an additional 2,189 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Doximity by 937.7% in the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,833 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 2,560 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Continuum Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Doximity in the 2nd quarter worth about $67,000. Institutional investors own 87.19% of the company’s stock.

Key Doximity News Here are the key news stories impacting Doximity this week:

Positive Sentiment: Doximity extended its 13-year alliance with U.S. News, supporting physician searches, appointment booking and hospital rankings. The partnership could reinforce user engagement and patient-access offerings. Doximity Deepens U.S. News Alliance to Improve Patient Access to Care Neutral Sentiment: Doximity will release fiscal 2027 second-quarter results on November 5, giving investors the next major opportunity to assess growth, advertising trends and management’s outlook. Doximity to Release Fiscal 2027 Second Quarter Results on November 5, 2026 Negative Sentiment: Several law firms publicized a securities-fraud class action against Doximity and certain individuals, including co-founder and former Chief Strategy Officer Nate Gross. The allegations reportedly concern statements that Doximity could gain market share while older advertising formats were losing ground to programmatic and social-media competitors; the claims have not been established in court. Negative Sentiment: Investors who purchased DOCS shares between August 8, 2024 and May 13, 2026 are being reminded that November 16, 2026 is the deadline to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. Repeated announcements from Robbins Geller, SBS Law, Kaplan Fox, Rosen, Pomerantz, Bronstein Gewirtz Grossman and other firms increase the visibility of the legal overhang and could weigh on sentiment. DOCS Investor Alert Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Doximity from $20.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a $20.00 target price (down from $38.00) on shares of Doximity in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Doximity from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Zacks Research raised Doximity from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Doximity from $26.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $30.73.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Doximity

Doximity Company Profile (Get Free Report)

Doximity, Inc operates a digital platform designed for U.S. medical professionals. Its network enables physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other healthcare providers to connect with colleagues, exchange clinical information and access professional resources.

The company offers tools for telehealth and care coordination, including video and phone-based communication services, as well as digital faxing and secure messaging capabilities. Doximity also provides medical news and research content tailored to healthcare professionals.

Doximity generates additional business through recruiting and marketing solutions that help healthcare organizations reach clinicians and promote employment opportunities, services and products.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Doximity These 3 Green Stocks Have a Growth Story That Goes Far Beyond Washington Meta Claims Frontier-Class AI Status With New Muse Wonder Models Berkshire Just Backed This Little-Known Stock—Should You Chase It? Broadcom’s CEO Sees Years of AI Demand But Warns of a Bigger Threat to the Boom

Receive News & Ratings for Doximity Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Doximity and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Key Takeaways Tempus AI's Q2 revenues rose 22% to $382.5M, while adjusted EBITDA improved $13.6M to a positive $8M.
Tempus AI expects its $460M convertible notes offering to cut annual interest expenses by more than $30M.
Tempus AI raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $1.595-$1.605B, maintaining adjusted EBITDA guidance of $65M.

Tempus AI (TEM - Free Report) demonstrates improving operating leverage as revenues scaled in the second quarter of 2026. Second-quarter revenues increased 22% year over year to $382.5 million. Meanwhile, adjusted EBITDA reached $8 million, marking a $13.6 million improvement from a loss of $5.6 million in the year-ago quarter. GAAP net income was $5.6 million and cash used in operating activities narrowed to $7.5 million. 

The company ended the quarter with $820.7 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. It also completed a $460 million offering of 0.0% convertible senior notes due 2032, using part of the proceeds to repay its outstanding loan from Ares Capital. It expects the transaction to reduce annual interest expense by more than $30 million and support its goal of achieving positive free cash flow by year-end 2026. 

Against this backdrop, Tempus raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $1.595-$1.605 billion, implying approximately 25% growth, while maintaining adjusted EBITDA guidance of about $65 million. 

Additionally, this combination of stronger revenue growth, positive quarterly adjusted EBITDA and lower expected interest costs supports the company’s progress toward positive free cash flow. However, achieving its year-end target remains a key execution milestone.

Peer UpdateInspire Medical (INSP - Free Report) exited the second quarter of 2026 with cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $320.7 million compared with $283.8 million at the end of first-quarter 2026. INSP does not have any debt on its balance sheet. Therefore, there appears to be no near-term threat to Inspire Medical’s solvency. 

Cumulative net cash provided by operating activities at the end of second-quarter 2026 was $36.1 million compared to the cumulative net cash used in operating activities of $4 million a year ago.

iRhythm Holdings (IRTC - Free Report) exited the second quarter of 2026 with cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $591 million compared with $550 million at the end of the first quarter of 2026. IRTC does not have any current-year payable debt. Therefore, there appears to be no near-term threat to iRhythm’s solvency. However, the balance sheet is somewhat leveraged. Total debt of $651 million at the end of second-quarter 2026 has remained unchanged sequentially.

Charles Hoskinson, Cardano founder, has teased a special gesture if RealFi’s USD stablecoin, sUSDrf, reaches a milestone of $1 million in deposits.

Hoskinson made the remark after Cardano-based DeFi platform Strike Finance disclosed that $70,000 had flowed into its liquidity vault through sUSDrf. Subsequently, RealFi reported that the vault held around $200,000, raising expectations that it could eventually reach the $1 million milestone. 

Something Special Incoming?  In response to the development, Hoskinson promised to do something special if the vault hits the $1 million target. However, he left the decision open to the community, asking users to suggest what the gesture should be. 

If we reach a million, I have to do something special. What should I do? https://t.co/7mI3Y0Lrl7

— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) October 18, 2026

The comment followed an earlier post in which Hoskinson asked whether users would like to create a prediction market on Bodega Market to forecast when the vault would reach $1 million in deposits. Although the timeline remains uncertain, his remarks have sparked interest in what he might do if the vault achieves the target.

RealFi Integration Boosts Strike Finance Liquidity The development comes after Strike Finance integrated RealFi’s yield opportunities into its platform. At the time, Hoskinson announced that RealFi was open for business.

The integration enables users to earn RealFi yields alongside existing Strike Finance vault rewards. Additionally, with eligible collateral, users can borrow USD without interest, while deploying the funds into vaults linked to Strike Liquidity Provider. 

Meanwhile, Strike Finance reported that its liquidity vault had surpassed $1 million, with $200,000 flowing into it over the preceding 72 hours through RealFi’s USD stablecoin. 

RealFi Could Support Cardano’s Liquidity Growth Hoskinson has positioned RealFi as a project that could attract additional capital to Cardano’s ecosystem and increase its total value locked (TVL). Through its integration with Strike Finance, the project could broaden access to yield opportunities and encourage more users to deploy capital across Cardano-based decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.

However, growth in a single liquidity vault does not necessarily translate into an equivalent increase in Cardano’s overall TVL. The broader impact depends on where the assets are deployed and how the respective platforms account for them.

At press time, Cardano’s TVL stood at $62.77 million, representing a 0.21% decline over the previous 24 hours. Nevertheless, the reported growth in Strike Finance’s vault offers an encouraging sign for the ecosystem. Whether it leads to sustained growth in Cardano’s DeFi liquidity will depend on the platform’s ability to attract and retain capital. 

Cardano TVL

Key Takeaways Rigetti's Q2 revenues jumped to $5.1M from $1.8M, driven by Novera system sales and related products.RGTI's dependence on major contracts and two key customers raises concerns over quarterly revenue volatility.Rigetti's operating expenses surged 48% to $30.3M, while its $541.3M liquidity supports continued investments.
Rigetti Computing (RGTI - Free Report) is making progress in commercializing its quantum computing technology, but revenue concentration and unpredictable contract timing continue to cloud its near-term growth outlook. Second-quarter 2026 revenues increased to $5.1 million from $1.8 million in the prior-year quarter, driven primarily by sales of its 9-qubit Novera systems and related products. However, the company remains reliant on a limited customer base, with two customers accounting for 64% and 16% of quarterly revenues, respectively.

Moreover, the $8.4 million quantum computing system order from India’s C-DAC is expected to be recognized only after installation and acceptance testing in the fourth quarter of 2026. This highlights the potential for significant fluctuations in quarterly results as revenue recognition depends on the completion of large customer projects. Although demand for on-premises quantum systems and development contracts is gaining traction, Rigetti’s current offerings remain primarily research-oriented, limiting visibility into sustained, recurring commercial demand.

Meanwhile, Rigetti’s aggressive investments in quantum technology continue to weigh on profitability. Second-quarter 2026 operating expenses rose 48% year over year to $30.3 million, reflecting a 53% surge in research and development expenses to $20.7 million. Consequently, the company reported an operating loss of $28.1 million. Management expects substantial investments in R&D, cryogenic infrastructure and fabrication capacity to continue as Rigetti advances its technology roadmap.

While its $541.3 million liquidity position provides considerable financial flexibility to fund these initiatives, persistent operating losses and elevated capital requirements remain concerns. Potential shareholder dilution also warrants attention if funding needs increase. For now, Rigetti’s long-term opportunity rests on translating technological progress and growing customer interest into a more predictable revenue stream, while managing costs and improving the commercial viability of its quantum computing systems.

Peers Updates

D-Wave Quantum (QBTS - Free Report) finalized a definitive agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce for up to $100 million in CHIPS Act funding to advance its quantum technology roadmap, reinforcing its position as a dual-platform provider of annealing and gate-model quantum systems. While the company reported a wider-than-expected second-quarter 2026 loss, missed revenue estimates and weaker adjusted gross margins, it continued to build commercial momentum through stronger bookings, deeper engagements with major global organizations and progress across its technology roadmap.

IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) signed an $8.18 million commercial agreement with Congruity360 to integrate its post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution appliances into the latter's enterprise data management platform, strengthening its foothold in the enterprise cybersecurity market. The company also advanced its hardware roadmap with the launch of Superion 256, its sixth-generation quantum computing platform, after fabricating its first integrated 256-qubit quantum processing units with SkyWater and successfully trapping the first ions in prototype systems across multiple U.S. facilities.  

CoreWeave CRWV shares rebounded on Monday after a bruising week, gaining support from bullish analyst calls as investors returned to technology stocks despite lingering concerns about the company's debt-funded expansion.

The Nvidia-backed cloud computing company rose around 2%, trading at $62.9 in early trading. The recovery followed a 24% decline over the five sessions through last week, while the stock has fallen 43% since August 11.

The broader market also provided support. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.92%, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.44%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, opened 0.1% lower.

The rebound extended beyond CoreWeave, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising more than 2% after eight consecutive sessions of losses, offering some relief to a technology sector under pressure from concerns about AI spending and financing costs.

A key catalyst for CoreWeave on Monday was positive analyst sentiment despite the stock's steep correction.

Goldman Sachs upgraded the company to Buy from Neutral, arguing that investor concerns about its risks may have become overstated.

Analyst Gabriela Borges lowered her price target to $106 from $139 following last week's sell-off but maintained that the shares had substantial room to recover.

She said developments expected over the next 12 months could provide positive signals for the business following the recent decline.

Other Wall Street firms also maintained positive ratings.

Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating and $176 price target, arguing that demand remained strong while computing capacity was still scarce. The firm also viewed the recent sell-off as excessive.

Evercore ISI maintained its Outperform rating with a $150 price target, while Deutsche Bank retained its Buy rating and $150 target. Both targets suggest significant upside from CoreWeave's early trading price of $63.40.

Debt concerns remain a major headwindMonday's rebound follows a sharp deterioration in investor sentiment last week as concerns mounted over CoreWeave's borrowing requirements and the cost of financing its expansion.

The company's £2.8 billion ($4 billion) in bonds carrying a 9.75% coupon, issued in April, traded at 79.5 cents on the dollar last week and yielded more than 15%, according to data from BondCliQ.

CoreWeave has approximately £50 billion ($72.9 billion) in debt, adding to investor concerns about its ability to finance continued growth as borrowing costs rise.

The company is a loss-making cloud computing provider that rents out Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) and supplies computing capacity to AI developers, including OpenAI, as well as major technology companies such as Meta Platforms.

It operates data centers across the United States and internationally, with its business model built around supplying the computing power required to train and run advanced AI systems.

That expansion requires substantial upfront spending. While demand for computing capacity has been strong, investors are increasingly weighing the potential for future revenue against the financial burden of building and operating additional infrastructure.

CoreWeave's latest rebound highlights the tension facing companies that have positioned themselves at the centre of the AI infrastructure boom.

For CoreWeave shareholders, the key question is whether the company can convert demand for computing capacity into financial returns sufficient to support its capital-intensive expansion.

Monday's gains offered a reprieve after a sharp sell-off, but the stock remains well below its recent levels. Investors will continue to assess whether improving sentiment and analyst support can sustain the recovery amid the broader debate over the cost and profitability of AI infrastructure.

Analysts on Wall Street project that Tractor Supply (TSCO - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $0.40 per share in its forthcoming report, representing a decline of 18.4% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $3.8 billion, increasing 2.3% from the same quarter last year.

Over the last 30 days, there has been no revision in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.

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

While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.

Bearing this in mind, let's now explore the average estimates of specific Tractor Supply metrics that are commonly monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts.

The consensus estimate for 'Comparable store sales increase/(decrease)' stands at -1.1%. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 3.9% in the same quarter last year.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Number of stores - Petsense' will reach 184 . Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 206 in the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Number of stores' should come in at 2,669 . The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 2,570 .

The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Number of stores - Tractor Supply' of 2,481 . Compared to the current estimate, the company reported 2,364 in the same quarter of the previous year.

The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Sales per selling square foot' will likely reach $90.31 . The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $92.39 .

Analysts expect 'Total selling square footage' to come in at 42 millions of square feet. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of 40 millions of square feet.

Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'New stores opened - Tractor Supply' should arrive at 18 . Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 29 in the same quarter last year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Tractor Supply here>>>

Shares of Tractor Supply have experienced a change of +3% in the past month compared to the +1.5% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), TSCO is expected to underperform the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Key Takeaways NVT plans to open its Blaine 2 liquid cooling facility in the first half of 2027 to meet rising demand.NVT expects 2026 data center sales to exceed $2 billion, backed by a $2.5 billion backlog.NVT plans to spend $130 million on 2026 capital expenditures, up 40%, to expand data center capacity.
nVent Electric (NVT - Free Report) is expanding its liquid cooling capacity to meet rising demand from AI data centers. The company has announced a third facility expansion in Minnesota, called Blaine 2, which will be similar in size to its existing Blaine facility and is expected to open in the first half of 2027. The expansion follows strong customer demand and growing orders for liquid cooling products.

NVT’s existing Blaine facility has effectively doubled its liquid cooling capacity and is ramping up production. However, management said the added capacity will not be enough to meet expected demand. The company is expanding production to support its growing customer base, which includes hyperscalers, neocloud providers and colocation data center operators. NVT expects its total data center sales to exceed $2 billion in 2026, more than double the prior year’s level.

Strong orders and backlog support the company’s expansion plans. NVT ended the second quarter with a backlog of $2.5 billion and reported strong orders at the start of the third quarter. Management said the company is also working with suppliers to ensure they can increase production as demand rises. For 2026, NVT expects capital expenditures of approximately $130 million, up 40% from the prior year, with much of the investment directed toward data centers, power utilities and supply chain capacity.

As AI data centers adopt more powerful chips, demand for liquid cooling and related infrastructure is expected to increase. NVT is also preparing to launch a new modular liquid cooling platform in fall 2026. The company believes its current investments will help it serve customers and support growth through 2027 and beyond. The pace at which new facilities ramp up, along with suppliers’ ability to meet demand, will be important as NVT works to keep its capacity aligned with the expanding AI data center market. The Blaine 2 expansion should help NVT add capacity to serve this demand and support its data center growth.

How Do Competitors Fare Against NVTnVent Electric faces stiff competition from AI data center infrastructure players such as Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) .

Vertiv is also benefiting from strong AI data center spending and has a broad portfolio covering power and thermal management. VRT offers power, cooling and services as an integrated solution and is expanding its liquid-cooling capabilities through acquisitions, including Strategic Thermal Labs, which added server-side liquid cooling and cold-plate expertise. VRT expects 2026 sales of $14 billion, suggesting 37% year-over-year growth, with organic growth of 31%.

Super Micro Computer is another strong player in AI data-center infrastructure, with its business spanning servers, storage, networking and direct liquid cooling. Its data center building block solutions combine GPU and CPU servers, storage, direct liquid cooling, cooling distribution units, networking and data-center management software. SMCI is also expanding its liquid-cooling capacity and expects its manufacturing network to support more than 3,000 direct liquid-cooled racks per month. For fiscal 2027, the company expects revenues to be in the range of $65-$72 billion.

NVT's Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of nVent Electric have jumped 39.3% year to date against the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Components industry’s decline of 22.4%.

nVent Electric’s YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, NVT trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 3.70X, higher than the industry’s average of 3.40X. NVT has a Value Score of D.

NVT’s Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for nVent Electric’s 2026 and 2027 earnings per share (EPS) implies year-over-year growth of 53.1% and 23.8%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2026 and 2027 have both been revised down over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

NVT currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

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