Key Takeaways Gilead raised 2026 HIV sales growth guidance to about 8% on strong HIV performance and Yeztugo guidance.GILD and Merck reported positive phase III data for a once-weekly oral HIV regimen supporting filings.Gilead expects no major HIV exclusivity losses until 2036 and sees up to seven new HIV therapies by 2033. Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD - Free Report) has a market-leading HIV franchise, led by flagship HIV therapies — Biktarvy for treatment and Descovy for prevention.
The company’s HIV business continues to maintain momentum, driven by solid performances of Biktarvy and Descovy, and incremental contributions from Yeztugo.
Biktarvy continues to be a dominant player in the HIV treatment market, holding more than 52% market share and retaining its position as the most prescribed therapy for both treatment-naïve and switch patients across major markets.
Gilead’s HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) portfolio comprises daily oral Descovy and the first and only twice-yearly injectable Yeztugo.
Descovy’s performance continues to be strong, primarily driven by higher demand and average realized price.
The approval of injectable lenacapavir, a first-in-class capsid inhibitor (under the brand name Yeztugo), has solidified GILD’s HIV portfolio. With a twice-yearly dosing schedule, the therapy offers meaningful adherence advantages over daily oral regimens and targets a broad patient population.
Driven by increased Yeztugo sales expectations and strong first-quarter HIV performance, Gilead now projects total 2026 HIV sales growth of approximately 8% year over year, up from its prior guidance of 6% issued in February.
Gilead continues to make efforts to strengthen its HIV portfolio further. The company has also collaborated with Merck (MRK - Free Report) to advance its HIV pipeline.
Gilead and Merck recently announced positive phase III results from the ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 studies evaluating their investigational once-weekly oral HIV regimen, islatravir plus lenacapavir. At week 48, the regimen was non-inferior to daily standard-of-care treatments, including Biktarvy, in maintaining virologic suppression and demonstrated a comparable safety profile with no new safety concerns. Patients receiving the once-weekly therapy also reported higher treatment satisfaction and lower treatment burden.
The data will support regulatory submissions for what could become the first once-weekly oral HIV treatment.
The FDA had earlier accepted Gilead’s new drug application for bictegravir/lenacapavir (BIC/LEN) for virologically suppressed people living with HIV under priority review, setting a target action date of Aug. 27, 2026. A potential approval of BIC/LEN will further bolster its HIV portfolio.
With no significant loss-of-exclusivity (LOE) events expected until 2036, Gilead’s HIV franchise is well positioned for sustained long-term growth, supported by the potential launch of up to seven new HIV therapies by 2033.
Approval of additional treatments should strengthen its dominant HIV franchise.
Competition for GILD’s HIV BusinessThe HIV treatment landscape is dominated by many bigwigs, such as GSK plc (GSK - Free Report) and Merck, apart from GILD.
HIV sales account for a major chunk of GSK’s Specialty Medicines portfolio. GSK continues to grow its HIV business, driven by strong patient demand for long-acting injectable medicines (Cabenuva and Apretude) and Dovato. The solid growth from these drugs has helped GSK combat the decline in Triumeq sales.
MRK markets doravirine for treating adults with HIV-1 in the United States, either as a monotherapy under the brand name Pifeltro or as part of the single-tablet combination regimen under the brand name Delstrigo (doravirine/lamivudine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate).
MRK recently won FDA approval of Idvynso, a once-daily, two-drug single-tablet regimen containing doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0.25 mg), for adults living with HIV-1 who are virologically suppressed on a stable antiretroviral regimen. The approval covers patients with no history of treatment failure and no known resistance-associated mutations to doravirine, allowing them to switch from their current HIV therapy.
Merck is also evaluating a once-daily, oral, two-drug, single-tablet regimen of doravirine/islatravir [DOR/ISL (100 mg/0.25 mg)] in treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection.
GILD’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of GILD have gained 6.2% year to date compared with the industry’s growth of 1.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Going by the price/earnings ratio, GILD’s shares currently trade at 25.56X forward earnings, higher than its mean of 14.92X and the large-cap pharma industry’s 17.29X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The bottom-line estimate for 2026 has deteriorated sharply over the past 60 days, shifting to a loss of 77 cents per share from projected earnings of 8 cents per share. The estimate for 2027 has moved north to $9.73 per share from $9.58 during the same period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
While Gilead’s recent aggressive dealmaking strategy strengthens its long-term pipeline and growth potential, the sizable upfront payments and integration-related costs are pressuring near-term profitability.
If you're looking to invest your way to serious wealth, you're probably a fan of growth stocks. And understandably so. By definition, they're supposed to dish out big gains.
Just don't dismiss the power of steady, cumulative dividend growth. If you pick the right payer, you can also ride these holdings to a sizable fortune.
And one particular oil and gas pipeline name proves it. Better still, it could continue proving it to patient newcomers. That company is Enbridge (ENB +0.21%).
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The business is simple enough: It owns and operates over 18,000 miles of crude oil and natural gas pipelines in Canada and the U.S., handling nearly 5 billion barrels/equivalent every year.
Unlike the energy industry's explorers and refiners, though, Enbridge isn't affected by the price of the gas or oil it transports. It simply charges an ever-rising fee for the amount of product pushed through its pipes.
As long as North America continues consuming crude oil and natural gas, Enbridge continues generating revenue -- which turns into profits, which turn into dividends. That's how the company has not only paid a quarterly dividend like clockwork for decades, but has also raised its annual per-share payout every year for the past 31 years -- and by more than a little. Since 1995, the dividend has risen by an average of 9% per year.
You wouldn't have needed to accept those dividend payments, too. The chart below illustrates the upshot of reinvesting any dividend payments on an initial investment of $10,000 in Enbridge made 30 years ago. Today, that position would be worth more than $228,000.
ENB data by YCharts.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but past performance is a reasonable indication of what's likely in the future. And it's not like demand for natural gas or crude oil is drying up anytime soon. Enbridge could conceivably repeat the feat over the next 30 years.
More than anything, though, don't dismiss the impact of compounding provided by steady cash payments, even if they seem small at the time.
James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark & NORTH CHICAGO, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today provided clarification on the primary endpoints from the Phase 3 EPCORE® DLBCL-1 study evaluating monotherapy epcoritamab (DuoBody®-CD3xCD20), a T-cell engaging bispecific antibody administered subcutaneously, compared with investigator's choice of chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) of either rituximab plus gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin (R-GemOx) or bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) in adults.
With the Customer Protection Plus framework, Duke Energy is committed to responsibly managing growth while maintaining reliability and creating customer benefits , /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy customers will benefit from billions of dollars in long-term bill relief as data centers begin operations.
"Data centers will provide billions of dollars in customer benefits," said Harry Sideris, president and CEO of Duke Energy. "Duke Energy remains laser-focused on ensuring data centers not only pay their fair share but also yield savings for our existing customers."
Working with customers, regulators and other stakeholders, Duke Energy will ensure growth in energy demand creates lasting value for everyone. New revenues from growth support ongoing investments that improve the grid and expand energy resources.
How Duke Energy creates customer value from data center growth
Duke Energy's Customer Protection Plus framework guides how the company evaluates, plans for and manages data center growth. It's built on three priorities:
Preserve Reliability: Before new data center customers connect to the electric system, Duke Energy conducts engineering studies to ensure the grid can safely serve them while maintaining reliable service and power quality for existing customers. Power Responsible Growth: Large customers like data centers sign long-term agreements designed to protect existing customers and deliver customer savings. Agreements can include customer-funded connection costs, long-term commitments, upfront financial security, termination charges and temporary curtailment provisions for limited, targeted grid events. Together, these provisions provide greater certainty, support long-term planning and help ensure growth creates value for customers.
Produce Shared Value: When revenues from new large-load customers exceed the cost of serving them, those projects will create customer benefits while supporting investments that strengthen the grid, expand energy resources and support long-term economic growth across communities. Learn more about the Customer Protection Plus framework and Duke Energy's approach for data centers at duke-energy.com/DataCenters.
What they're saying
"We've always put customers first, and these agreements are designed to do exactly that. Through long-term commitments, financial protections and careful planning, we're working to ensure growth supports reliability and creates lasting value for customers."
-Harry Sideris, president and CEO, Duke Energy
"A lot of the discussion around data centers focuses on how much energy they use. We're equally focused on what that growth can mean for all customers. We're committed to an ongoing, collaborative and transparent partnership with our customers, regulators and other stakeholders to ensure projects create meaningful customer benefits, all while ensuring the energy system is prepared for future growth."
-Sasha Weintraub, EVP and chief customer officer, Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.
More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2026. VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Verisign”) reported revenue of $435 million for the second quarter of 2026, up 6.0 percent from the same quarter in 2025. Operating income was $296 million for the second quarter of 2026, compared to $281 million for the same quarter of 2025. Ver.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global leader in providing essential elements for mobility, energy, connectivity and health, today announced that its Board of Directors (the "Board") has appointed Eduardo Bartolomeo to the Board, effective July 21, 2026.
Bartolomeo brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in complex global industrial environments, particularly in mining and logistics. Bartolomeo most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Vale S.A., one of the world's largest mining companies, from 2019 to 2024. During his tenure, he led the company's operational, safety, and cultural transformation and oversaw business lines in global mining, logistics, and metals.
"Eduardo is a highly respected executive with extensive experience across mining, metals, logistics and global operations," said Albemarle Chairman and CEO Kent Masters. "His insights and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategy, strengthen our competitive position and create long-term value for our stakeholders. We are pleased to welcome him to the Board."
Prior to serving as Vale's CEO, Bartolomeo held several senior leadership positions at the company, including Executive Director of base metals and Executive Director of logistics operations. He also previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Nova Transportadora do Sudeste and as Chairman of Log-In Logística Intermodal.
He holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an MBA from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, and a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering from Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Boston Metal, Inc., a privately held global company based in Massachusetts. Bartolomeo will join the Board's Audit & Finance Committee and the Safety, Sustainability, Operations & Capital Committee.
About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is a world leader in transforming essential resources into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity and health. We partner to pioneer new ways to move, power, connect and protect with people and planet in mind. A reliable and high-quality global supply of lithium and bromine allows us to deliver advanced solutions for our customers. Learn more about how the people of Albemarle are enabling a more resilient world at Albemarle.com.
Albemarle regularly posts information to Albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, non-GAAP reconciliations, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and other information regarding the company, its businesses and the markets it serves.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements concerning our expectations, anticipations and beliefs regarding the future, which constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, which are based on assumptions that we have made as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, often contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "may," "should," "would," and "will" and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements may include statements regarding: expectations relating to Company strategy, operations, or performance; plans and expectations related to board composition and contributions; other underlying assumptions and outlook considerations, and all other information relating to matters that are not historical facts. These and other forward-looking statements are based on management's current assumptions and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements if one or more of the underlying estimates, assumptions or expectations prove to be inaccurate or are unrealized. Factors that could cause Albemarle's actual results to differ materially from the outlook expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: breaches of contract; changes in economic and business conditions; changes in availability to serve on the board of directors; trade policies and tariffs; technological change and development; changes in laws and government regulation; regulatory actions, proceedings, cyber-security breaches, and the other factors detailed from time to time in the reports Albemarle files with the SEC, including those described under "Risk Factors" in Albemarle's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are filed with the SEC and available on the investor section of Albemarle's website (investors.albemarle.com) and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Albemarle assumes no obligation to provide any revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.
NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTON) will release its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results before the U.S. stock market opens on Thursday, August 6, 2026. The company will host a conference call and live audio webcast to discuss the financial results at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) that day.
Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS) heads into its second-quarter earnings report with a setup that looks a bit more favorable than it has in recent quarters, even as the fundamental debate about the stock remains unresolved, according to a new note from Jefferies.
The firm, which reiterated a Hold rating and $21 price target on Pinterest, modeled Q2 revenue in line with Street estimates of 15% year-over-year growth, though it sees room for upside toward the high end of the company's guidance range.
On an organic basis, Jefferies noted the Q2 revenue midpoint implies deceleration from 17% year-over-year growth to 13% year-over-year growth, even as the constant currency comp stays stable.
Looking ahead to the third quarter, Jefferies said Street estimates of 14% year-over-year revenue growth look achievable. The Street's Q3 forecast implies just 4% quarter-over-quarter growth, compared with 5% to 8% growth over the past three years, while ongoing tariff refunds could help support advertising budgets among importers.
Comps also ease through the rest of the year, with third and fourth quarter constant currency comps easing by roughly 100 basis points and 300 basis points, respectively.
On profitability, Jefferies expects third-quarter and full-year EBITDA margin guidance to stay in line with or be reiterated at 28% and 29%, respectively.
The firm characterized fiscal 2026 as an investment year for Pinterest, with elevated marketing and R&D spend weighing on margins, though it expects second-half margins to ramp seasonally and gross margin deleverage to peak in the second quarter.
Jefferies pointed out that the full-year EBITDA margin guidance of 29% includes roughly a 100 basis point drag from tvScientific, implying a stable organic EBITDA margin of around 30% year-over-year.
Despite the improved near-term setup and easier comps ahead, Jefferies said its core concerns about Pinterest haven't changed. The firm continues to question the durability of Pinterest's use case as artificial intelligence advances, along with its ability to monetize the platform through a scaled, high-performing direct response ad product.
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) announced it will release second quarter 2026 financial results after market close on Thursday, August 6.On June 15, Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX) and Roku announced a definitive agreement under which FOX will acquire Roku. In light of the pending transaction, Roku will not host an earnings call and will not provide financial outlook.About Roku, Inc.Roku pioneered streaming on TV. Today, it is the #1 TV streaming platform.
NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of Class A or Class C common stock of Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZG) (NASDAQ: Z) between February 11, 2025 and May 7, 2026, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important August 10, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Zillow Group, Inc. ("Zillow" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: Z, ZG) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit.
IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ZILLOW GROUP, INC. (Z, ZG), CLICK HERE BEFORE AUGUST 10, 2026 (THE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT.
What Is The Lawsuit About?
The complaint filed alleges that, between February 11, 2025 and May 7, 2026, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Zillow's agreement with Redfin was not a "partnership," but rather an acquisition of Redfin's business; (2) as a result of the Redfin Agreement, Zillow faced a materially heightened risk of regulatory scrutiny and liability under federal antitrust laws; (3) upon the filing of an antitrust lawsuit, Zillow continued to downplay its legal exposure; and (4) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us.
The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz,
Email us at: [email protected]
Call us at: 310-914-5007
Visit our website at: www.frankcruzlaw.com
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Two of the biggest heavyweights in the chip sector are Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM -1.42%) and Nvidia (NVDA -1.56%). They have a great working relationship in the real world, as Nvidia designs its logic chips and then sends them to TSMC to be fabricated. So, as one succeeds, so does the other. However, TSMC has plenty of other clients for which it does foundry work.
For those investors who may be curious about which of these behemoths is the better buy right now, let's compare them across a few key categories.
Image source: Getty Images.
Taiwan Semiconductor is a broader investment Taiwan Semiconductor has a large client list that includes Nvidia's primary competitors. It also has exposure to other industrial markets, and chips for everything from automobiles to smartphones. Nvidia, on the other hand, is at this point nearly a pure-play investment in artificial intelligence. While Nvidia has other products, the reality is that the vast majority of its revenue now comes from data center-related items. This focus is making Nvidia a boatload of money and has propelled it to the position of the world's largest company by market cap. So clearly, its bet on data center processors is paying off.
However, while that kind of business concentration can be incredible during boom times, it can be a disaster when spending in that focus area slows. There are no signs that will occur in the data center space anytime soon, but when it does, it will hammer Nvidia.
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Make no mistake, Taiwan Semiconductor is making a ton of money from the data center build-out as well. In Q2, 66% of its revenue came from chips dedicated to "higher-powered computing," TSMC's descriptor for data center products. However, TSMC has a more diverse customer base in that field. As long as the downstream buyers for those chips continue to increase their data center build-outs each year, TSMC's business will continue to roll.
That's exactly what's projected to happen. During TSMC's Q2 earnings call earlier this month, CEO C.C. Wei told analysts that he expects AI chip demand to stay elevated through at least 2029 or 2030. Wei has far more information about long-term chip demand than the average investor, and I think investors should keep that in mind when deciding which AI stocks to invest in.
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But which has the better business? I'd say it's close, but I'll give the nod to Taiwan Semiconductor in this category for having a more diverse customer base.
Winner: Taiwan Semiconductor
Nvidia's growth rate is far superior TSMC is growing at a strong rate, but it looks tepid compared to Nvidia's rapid growth.
NVDA Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts.
For their current fiscal years, Wall Street expects 82% growth from Nvidia and 42% from TSMC. Nvidia gets the win here, tying them up as we head into the last category.
Winner: Nvidia
Nvidia is cheaper despite its faster growth rate Because each company is growing rapidly and has strong growth expectations, I think the best way to gauge the value of these stocks is by their forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios. From this standpoint, Nvidia is actually cheaper, but not by much.
NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts.
Considering that the S&P 500 (^GSPC -1.21%) trades at 21.5 times forward earnings and these two are posting growth rates several times faster than the S&P 500's typical 10% rate, I think they both make for excellent buys. However, if I had to pick just one to add to my portfolio now, I'd take Nvidia all day long.
Winner: Nvidia
Investors can and should own both While I think Nvidia is the better buy today, I think investors would be better off owning both, as TSMC is a good hedge against Nvidia losing market share to any of its competitors. If that happens, TSMC will still be a great semiconductor stock to hold, as whichever rival chip designers might gain ground on Nvidia will likely be using TSMC's foundries to produce their chips. Both of these stocks are primed to crush the market over the coming years, and I'm happy to own them.
Key Takeaways ISRG is favored for its expanding robotic surgery ecosystem and stronger long-term growth outlook.Intuitive Surgical grew procedures, expanded its installed base and advanced da Vinci 5, SP and Ion.Abbott posted broad-based growth across devices, diagnostics, diabetes care and nutrition. Despite sharp declines in 2026, Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) and Abbott Laboratories (ABT - Free Report) remain among the highest-quality names in MedTech. ISRG has declined 32.1% year to date, while ABT is down 20.1%, though both continue to execute well in their core businesses.
Intuitive Surgical’s growth is being fueled by the expanding adoption of its robotic surgery ecosystem, including da Vinci 5, SP and Ion platforms, while Abbott is benefiting from balanced momentum across cardiovascular devices, diagnostics, diabetes care and nutrition.
Looking ahead, both companies expect growth to continue through 2026, although Intuitive Surgical’s expanding robotic surgery franchise and innovation pipeline position it for stronger long-term upside.
YTD Price Chart ISRG vs ABT
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for ISRGIntuitive Surgical continues to widen its competitive moat by building a comprehensive robotic-assisted surgery ecosystem rather than relying on a single platform. During the second quarter, total procedures increased 16%, supported by 15% growth in da Vinci procedures and an impressive 36% increase in Ion procedures.
Adoption remained strong across da Vinci 5, single-port (SP) systems and Ion, while the company expanded its installed base to nearly 13,000 systems globally. Continued upgrades to da Vinci 5, broader adoption of XiR in ambulatory surgery centers and cost-sensitive international markets, and ongoing investments in AI-enabled workflow, simulation and telepresence reinforce management's long-term growth strategy.
Growth opportunities extend well beyond traditional robotic surgery. SP procedures surged 61%, Ion procedures surpassed 400,000 cumulatively, and management continues to invest in new disease areas such as gastrointestinal robotics, cardiac surgery and nipple-sparing mastectomy. Programs designed to reduce customer costs, including the upcoming EndoWrist extended-use initiative, should further expand adoption across outpatient procedures and international markets.
The company also faces several challenges, including slower U.S. elective procedure growth tied to changing patient coverage dynamics, competitive pressure in China, GLP-1-related weakness in bariatric surgery and higher R&D spending. Nevertheless, Intuitive Surgical continues to guide toward healthy procedure growth for 2026 while investing aggressively to extend its technology leadership.
ISRG’s Sales & EPS Growth Estimate
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Case for ABTAbbott's growth strategy is built on diversification across multiple healthcare markets rather than dependence on any single business. Medical Devices remained a key contributor in the second quarter, with 8.5% growth driven by electrophysiology, rhythm management, heart failure and continuous glucose monitoring. Management expects growth to accelerate further as Volt 2.0, TactiFlex Duo, Libre Duo, Amulet 360 and several cardiovascular products are commercialized over the coming year. Strong momentum in diagnostics, emerging-market pharmaceuticals and improving nutrition performance also support ABT’s balanced growth outlook.
Abbott's broad portfolio provides resilience, but it also means growth is spread across numerous franchises rather than being driven by a single transformational platform. While continuous glucose monitoring remains a significant long-term opportunity, management acknowledged that reimbursement expansion timing remains difficult to predict.
Cancer diagnostics, core laboratory testing and electrophysiology are expected to drive second-half acceleration, while nutrition continues recovering steadily. Risks include declining respiratory testing volumes, reimbursement uncertainties for diabetes products and the need to execute multiple product launches successfully to sustain projected acceleration. Overall, Abbott's diversified model provides stability but offers a less concentrated growth story than Intuitive Surgical's robotics franchise.
ABT’s Sales & EPS Growth Estimate
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation ComparisonDespite a steep fall in its valuation since the beginning of 2025, ISRG trades at a premium, supported by sustained double-digit growth, expanding global adoption, and a long runway in minimally invasive surgery. Its performance demonstrates resilience despite external pressures, such as tariffs. The company currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E multiple of 30.55, above the industry average of 24.41, and carries a Value Score of D.
ISRG’s P/E F12M Chart
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ABT offers a more balanced risk profile, with dependable earnings growth and margin expansion driven by operational discipline. Its upside potential appears comparatively constrained, given its mature and diversified business mix. The company currently trades at P/E F12M ratio of 17.33X, slightly above the industry average of 16.02X. ABT carries a Value Score of C.
ABT’s P/E F12M Chart
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ConclusionBoth companies possess durable competitive advantages and robust innovation pipelines. Abbott offers investors diversified exposure across diagnostics, cardiovascular devices, diabetes care and nutrition, helping reduce reliance on any single market. Intuitive Surgical stands out for its leadership in robotic-assisted surgery, expanding clinical indications, accelerating adoption of da Vinci 5, SP and Ion, and sustained investment in next-generation technologies. Although ISRG trades at a premium valuation, its stronger innovation pipeline, faster-growing robotic ecosystem and Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) make it a more compelling long-term MedTech investment than Abbott, which carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The life science giant’s quarterly sales of $11.994 billion increased 10% year-over-year, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $11.701 billion. Organic revenue growth was 5%.
Customer Activity Improves Across End MarketsIn an earnings conference call, the company noted good customer activity continues to strengthen across end markets during the second quarter.
Life Sciences Solutions sales increased 12.6% to $2.815 billion. Analytical Instruments sales were up 6.9% at $1.847 billion.
Specialty Diagnostics revenues reached $1.205 billion (+6.3%), and Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services sales were up 11.6% to $6.693 billion.
Pharma, Academic And Industrial Businesses Drive GrowthWithin pharma and biotech, Thermo Fisher delivered mid-single-digit growth in the second quarter, led by bioproduction and clinical research businesses, as well as the Research and Safety Market channel.
The academic and government segment grew low single digits in the second quarter, driven by the chromatography and mass spectrometry business.
The industrial and applied segment delivered mid-single-digit growth.
Thermo Fisher Raises 2026 Guidance"It’s great to see customer activity continue to strengthen across our end markets," said Marc Casper, Chairman and CEO.
"Our recently closed acquisitions are performing very well, and at the halfway point in the year we’re well positioned to deliver a great 2026."
Thermo Fisher Scientific raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance from $24.64-$25.12 to $24.93-$25.33 versus the consensus of $24.86.
The company increased its annual sales guidance from $47.3 billion-$48.1 billion to $47.40 billion-$48.10 billion compared to the consensus of $47.767 billion.
Thermo Fisher says expectations for 2026 revenue growth have increased to about 4%. It added that the guidance range remains 3%-4%, and now expects to deliver at the upper end of that range.
"We continue to have an active pipeline of M&A opportunities in our highly fragmented industry," Casper further added.
TMO Price Action: Thermo Fisher Scientific shares were up 9.05% at $574.09 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo: Shutterstock
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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 23, 2026 8:30 AM EDT
Company Participants
Rafael Tejada - Vice President of Investor Relations
Marc Casper - Chairman & CEO
James Meyer - Senior VP & CFO
Conference Call Participants
Michael Ryskin - BofA Securities, Research Division
Tycho Peterson - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Jack Meehan
Matthew Larew - William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division
Daniel Arias - Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division
Daniel Brennan - TD Cowen, Research Division
Patrick Donnelly - Citigroup Inc. Exchange Research
Luke Sergott - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Thermo Fisher Scientific 2026 Second Quarter Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] I would like to introduce our moderator for the call, Mr. Rafael Tejada, Vice President, Investor Relations.
Mr. Tejada, you may begin the call.
Rafael Tejada
Vice President of Investor Relations
Good morning, and thank you for joining us. On the call with me today is Marc Casper, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and Jim Meyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Please note this call is being webcast live and will be archived on the Investors section of our website, thermofisher.com, under the heading News, Events and Presentations until October 20, 2026. A copy of the press release of our second quarter earnings is available in the Investors section of our website under the heading Financials. So before we begin, let me briefly cover our safe harbor statement.
Various remarks that we may make about the company's future expectations, plans and prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in the company's most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q
Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 23, 2026 8:45 AM EDT
Company Participants
Vincenzo Vena - CEO & Director
Eric Gehringer - Executive Vice President of Operations
Jennifer Hamann - Executive VP & CFO
Kenny Rocker - Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Conference Call Participants
Ken Hoexter - BofA Securities, Research Division
Christian Wetherbee - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Walter Spracklin - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Jonathan Chappell - Evercore ISI Institutional Equities, Research Division
David Vernon - Bernstein Institutional Services LLC, Research Division
Stephanie Benjamin Moore - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Thomas Wadewitz - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Brian Ossenbeck - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Jason Seidl - TD Cowen, Research Division
Ariel Rosa - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Brandon Oglenski - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Jordan Alliger - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Bascome Majors - Stephens Inc., Research Division
Madison Pasterchick - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Jeffrey Kauffman - Citizens Bank
Harrison Bauer - Susquehanna Financial Group, LLLP, Research Division
Richa Talwar - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Presentation
Unknown Attendee
Thank you for accessing Union Pacific Corporation's 2026 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call held at 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time on July 23, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska.
This presentation and the accompanying materials include statements that contain estimates, projections or expectations regarding the company's financial results and operations and future economic conditions.
These statements are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. The materials accompanying this presentation include more detailed information regarding forward-looking information and these risks and uncertainties. In addition, please refer to the company's website and SEC filings for additional information about our risk factors.
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) between August 22, 2025 and May 20, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important September 8, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Intuit securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Intuit class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/intuit-inc/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 8, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) they had overstated Intuit’s competitive advantages and growth, as well as the overall strength and sustainability of its business model and operations; (2) in reality, Intuit was losing significant business in its tax-related business, particularly in its Turbo Tax business, as a result of, inter alia, increasing competitive and pricing pressures; (3) accordingly, Intuit’s previously issued full year (“FY”) 2026 TurboTax revenue growth guidance was unreliable and/or unrealistic; and (4) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Intuit class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/intuit-inc/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
-------------------------------
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com
Lockheed Martin delivered accelerating Q2 sales growth of 11% YoY, signaling effective capacity expansion and robust demand. The company raised full-year guidance, projecting 8% sales growth and maintaining a solid segment operating margin around 10.7%. Backlog reached $230 billion with a 3.2x book-to-bill ratio, underscoring sustained demand and future revenue visibility.
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 23, 2026 8:30 AM EDT
Company Participants
Mark Kvasnak - Vice President of Investor Relations
James Taiclet - Chairman, President & CEO
Evan Scott - Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
Scott Deuschle - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Scott Mikus - Melius Research LLC
John Godyn - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Gautam Khanna - TD Cowen, Research Division
Sheila Kahyaoglu - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Robert Stallard - Vertical Research Partners, LLC
Matthew Akers - BNP Paribas, Research Division
Kristine Liwag - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Gavin Parsons - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good day, and welcome, everyone, to the Lockheed Martin Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Results Conference Call. Today's call is being recorded. [Operator Instructions] At this time, for opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the call over to Mark Kvasnak, Vice President, Investor Relations. Please go ahead.
Mark Kvasnak
Vice President of Investor Relations
Thank you, Sarah, and good morning. I'd like to welcome everyone to our second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. Joining me today on the call are Jim Taiclet, our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Evan Scott, our Chief Financial Officer. Statements made today that are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of federal securities laws. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Please see Lockheed Martin's SEC filings for a description of some of the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. We posted slides on our website today that we plan to address during the call to supplement our comments. These slides also include information regarding non-GAAP measures that may be used in today's call. Please access our website at www.lockheedmartin.com and click
HUNT VALLEY, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $OHI #Healthcare--Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE:OHI) today announced that the Company's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.68 per share, increasing the quarterly dividend on its common stock by $0.01 per share over the previous quarter. The dividend is payable Friday, August 14, 2026, to common stockholders of record as of the close of business on Monday, August 3, 2026.Taylor Pickett, Omega's Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are pleased to announce a.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 23, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) between October 31, 2024 and April 30, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important August 7, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Roblox common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Roblox class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/roblox-corporation-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 7, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the complaint, defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Roblox's organic growth potential; notably, that Roblox would see a significant slowdown in its growth rates as enrollment in the age verification rollout would quickly taper, compounding the resulting slowdown in on-platform communication, resulting in app store rating reductions and a swift reduction in organic growth. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Roblox class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/roblox-corporation-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/306342
Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA
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Snap Inc (NYSE:SNAP) is expected to remain under pressure to demonstrate stronger advertising revenue growth when it reports second-quarter earnings, with Jefferies saying the company's ads business continues to be the key issue despite expectations for improving overall revenue growth.
The brokerage reiterated its ‘Buy’ rating on Snap while lowering its price target to $5.50 from $8, writing that although it remains positive on the company's engagement scale and long-term monetization opportunity, "the core issue remains ad rev growth, which has yet to show meaningful improvement."
Snap shares traded hands at about $4.40 on Thursday afternoon, down about 45% so far this year.
Jefferies expects Snap to report Q2 revenue growth of 14% year over year, in line with Wall Street estimates. The analysts wrote that advertising revenue should reaccelerate from 3% growth in the first quarter, helped by an easier year-over-year comparison and guidance that had already incorporated a full quarter of Middle East-related headwinds.
The firm said revenue from Snap+ subscriptions and Memories products remains more difficult to forecast because of limited visibility, though it remains constructive on the recent momentum in those businesses.
For the third quarter, Jefferies wrote that the Street's forecast for 13% year-over-year revenue growth appears achievable, with potential upside from World Cup-related advertising spending and Memories Storage. The analysts noted that consensus implies quarter-over-quarter revenue growth consistent with seasonal trends over the past three years, while the expiration of the 12-month Memories Storage grace period in September could provide an additional boost.
Jefferies also identified daily active user growth as a swing factor, citing age verification requirements and other regulatory changes. While the firm sees limited revenue risk from those changes, it noted they could weigh on investor sentiment if engagement growth slows further.
On profitability, Jefferies expects Snap to reiterate its full-year cost guidance following its April restructuring, including operating expenses of about $2.75 billion, other cost of goods sold at 16% to 17% of revenue, and infrastructure costs of $1.6 billion to $1.65 billion.
While Jefferies remains constructive on Snap's longer-term monetization opportunity, it wrote that continued investment in Specs following a weak initial reception, along with the collapse of a partnership with Perplexity, has tempered expectations, leaving the company's advertising growth as the primary focus heading into earnings.
The Trump administration has officially opened a new chapter in its trade strategy. On July 15, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a 25% Section 301 tariff on many Brazilian imports, citing what it described as unfair trade practices involving digital payments, intellectual property, market access, and other policies.
The tariffs took effect on July 22 and cover thousands of products, although several key imports, including coffee, beef, orange juice, and aerospace components, are exempt. Some companies stand to benefit, and some stand to get hurt. Here are two worth watching.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Nucor One potential beneficiary is North Carolina-headquartered Nucor (NUE +2.23%). Brazil is one of the largest foreign suppliers of steel-related products to the United States, particularly pig iron, a key raw material used in electric arc furnaces. While some steel products were excluded from the new tariffs because they are already subject to separate Section 232 duties, the broader trade action could still encourage buyers to source more materials domestically where possible. And that could create a favorable backdrop for Nucor.
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Nucor is North America's largest steel producer and continues investing billions of dollars in expanding production capacity. Its downstream businesses also give it exposure to construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy markets.
To be sure, tariffs alone -- which importers pay -- won't determine Nucor's future earnings. Steel demand ultimately depends on industrial activity and construction spending. But trade barriers that reduce import competition have historically supported domestic pricing and utilization rates. So if the current tariff regime remains in place, Nucor could be among the companies that benefit indirectly.
2. Embraer On the other side of the equation sits Sao Paolo-headquartered Embraer (EMBJ -0.91%). This Brazilian aircraft manufacturer gets nearly 60% of its revenue from North America, making access to the U.S. market critically important.
The good news is that the final tariff list exempted civil aircraft and hundreds of aerospace-related products, limiting the direct impact on Embraer's U.S. business. This exemption reflects the importance of integrated aerospace supply chains between the United States and Brazil.
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Still, the company isn't completely insulated. Trade disputes rarely remain static. Additional tariffs, retaliatory measures, or broader restrictions could increase uncertainty for future aircraft orders or complicate cross-border supply chains. Even if aerospace remains exempt, prolonged trade tensions could weigh on investor sentiment toward Brazilian exporters generally.
Exposure to Brazil The truth is, tariffs rarely produce clear winners and losers overnight. And indeed, plenty of companies can adapt by shifting suppliers, renegotiating contracts, or passing higher costs on to customers. Others benefit simply because foreign competitors become less price-competitive.
For now, however, the companies with the greatest exposure to Brazilian imports (or those competing directly against them) are likely to see the biggest effects. Nucor appears positioned to benefit if domestic steel demand shifts toward U.S. producers, while Embraer may continue operating largely unaffected as long as aerospace exemptions remain intact.
A more important scenario for investors to consider right now is whether Brazil will retaliate and whether this will become the first step in a broader expansion of Section 301 tariffs.
Freeport McMoRan Post-Earnings: Why Good Enough May Finally Be Good EnoughFreeport-McMoRan NYSE: FCX executives said the copper producer’s second-quarter 2026 results reflected “progress” across its major operating regions, citing better-than-forecast copper sales and unit cash costs, a continuing recovery at the Grasberg Block Cave mine in Indonesia and stronger performance from U.S. operations.
Richard Adkerson, Freeport-McMoRan’s chairman of the board, said the company continues to benefit from its long-standing focus on copper and its portfolio of long-lived assets. “Electricity means copper,” Adkerson said, adding that the company is positioned to grow as global electrification increases copper demand.
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3 Multi-Metal Stocks for Income and Long-Term GrowthPresident and Chief Executive Officer Kathleen Quirk said second-quarter copper sales and unit cash costs exceeded the company’s forecast. She also said favorable metal prices supported “significant margins, cash flows, and earnings.” For the first half of 2026, Quirk said Freeport-McMoRan’s U.S. mining operations contributed 2.4 times more operating income than in the prior-year period, while consolidated net income rose 65% from the first half of 2025.
The company returned $600 million to shareholders in the first half of the year, including roughly $200 million through share repurchases. Quirk also said Freeport-McMoRan increased its ownership in Cerro Verde through open-market purchases, bringing total purchases over roughly two years to more than $300 million and increasing its ownership by 2 percentage points to more than 55%.
Grasberg Ramp-Up Remains Central to 2026 Outlook Freeport Tanks Again on Mine Delay—Long Term Outlook Stays StrongExecutives highlighted the ongoing ramp-up of the Grasberg Block Cave mine as a major operating priority. Quirk said production rates at the mine doubled during the quarter, rising from an average of 34,000 tons per day in April to 69,000 tons per day in June.
Freeport-McMoRan continues to target overall rates in the Grasberg district at approximately 65% of full capacity in the second half of 2026, rising to 80% by mid-2027 and approaching full capacity by the end of 2027. Quirk said upgrades to the material handling system for the automated rail system are progressing on schedule, and the company is advancing work to restart Production Block One South in 2027.
Mark Johnson, president and chief operating officer of Freeport-McMoRan Indonesia, said the company is installing new technology in chute galleries and pursuing risk mitigation initiatives, including drilling and drainage work related to the old pit bottom.
Freeport-McMoRan also submitted a formal application in June to extend its operating rights in Indonesia for the life of the resource, following a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian government earlier this year. Quirk said the company is working through the regulatory process and aims to complete the extension this year, though there is no prescribed timeline. Adkerson said recent meetings with Indonesian officials were positive and that the extension would benefit shareholders, the government, workers and local communities.
U.S. Operations Show Higher Mining Rates In the U.S., Quirk said the company is making “important and tangible progress” in increasing mining and processing rates. At Morenci, second-quarter mining rates were 30% higher than the average achieved over the past five years. Quirk said sustaining those higher rates should translate into improved copper production over time.
Cory Stevens, president and chief operating officer for the Americas, said the company has focused on people, process and technology to improve equipment reliability and mine performance. He said Freeport-McMoRan is also transitioning trucks at Morenci to higher-capacity 400-ton ultra-class trucks, with additional trucks planned next year.
The company continues to pursue its leaching initiative, which is aimed at increasing copper recovery from existing stockpiles. Quirk said Freeport-McMoRan is currently producing around 200 million pounds annually from these efforts and is targeting a 300 million-pound run rate by the end of 2026. Longer term, the company has described a potential path to 800 million pounds per year.
Stevens said early results from the company’s first-generation leach additives have been better than expected, and additional additive tests are planned at Morenci, New Mexico and El Abra. Freeport-McMoRan is also testing heated leaching solutions at Morenci and El Abra.
Growth Projects Advance in Arizona, Chile and Indonesia Quirk said Freeport-McMoRan is nearing an investment decision on a major expansion of its Bagdad mine in Arizona. The project would more than double production at Bagdad and make it the second-largest copper mine in the U.S. behind Morenci, according to Quirk.
The company is finalizing capital cost estimates and expects to seek board approval in the second half of 2026. Preliminary indications based on current market conditions point to capital of about $4.5 billion, approximately 30% above a 2023 estimate. Quirk attributed the increase to commodity and labor escalation, revisions to project scope and updated engineering estimates. She said the project remains supported at a $4 per pound copper price, below current market levels.
Freeport-McMoRan is also advancing regulatory work for a major expansion at El Abra in Chile, where it partners with Codelco. Quirk said the Chilean government is engaged in the review process following the company’s environmental impact study submission in March. The company is also studying expansion and development options in the Safford Lone Star District in the U.S. and continuing development of the Kucing Liar project in Indonesia.
Financial Outlook Reflects Higher Volumes Ahead Chief Financial Officer Maree Robertson said Freeport-McMoRan’s three-year outlook for copper, gold and molybdenum sales remains broadly consistent with April estimates. The company expects second-half 2026 copper sales to be more than 20% higher than the first half, while gold sales are expected to be more than 65% higher.
For 2027, Robertson said annual copper sales are expected to increase by more than 20% compared with 2026, while gold volumes are expected to rise by more than 50%. Additional growth is projected in 2028.
Robertson said the company now estimates 2026 average unit net cash costs at approximately $1.90 per pound, slightly below the April estimate of $1.95 per pound, as higher by-product credits more than offset other cost increases. She noted that oil, sulfur and acid markets remain volatile.
Freeport-McMoRan’s modeled outlook shows annual EBITDA ranging from approximately $13 billion at $5 per pound copper to $20 billion at $7 per pound copper, using average 2027 and 2028 volume and cost estimates and assuming gold at $4,000 per ounce and molybdenum at $30 per pound. Robertson said each $0.10 per pound move in copper equates to about $390 million in annual EBITDA during that period.
Capital expenditures for 2026 remain consistent with the prior forecast, while 2027 capital is now estimated at $4.8 billion, about $300 million higher than the April estimate. Robertson said the increase reflects investments in upgraded mining equipment and revised cost estimates. The forecast excludes major projects still subject to final studies and board approval, including the Bagdad expansion.
Robertson said Freeport-McMoRan’s financial policy remains focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet, returning cash to shareholders and investing in value-enhancing growth projects. Since adopting the policy in 2021, she said the company has distributed $6.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share purchases.
About Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX)Freeport-McMoRan Inc is a U.S.-based natural resources company primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of copper, gold and molybdenum. Its operations encompass large-scale open-pit and underground mining as well as associated concentrator and milling facilities. The company produces copper in the form of concentrates and cathodes, and also recovers gold and molybdenum as co-products; its business model includes exploration, development, mining, beneficiation and the sale of bulk commodities to smelters and industrial customers.
Freeport-McMoRan conducts operations and development activities across multiple geographies, with substantial assets in the Americas and Indonesia.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Freeport-McMoRan Right Now?Before you consider Freeport-McMoRan, you'll want to hear this.
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Nuclear energy is entering a new growth cycle as rising power demand, expanding data centers, and renewed policy support bring the sector back into focus. After strong gains in recent years, the most impactful phase of nuclear investment may still be ahead. This report highlights seven nuclear energy stocks positioned across the value chain—combining near-term revenue with long-term upside as next-generation technologies scale. Click the link below to unlock the full list.
(Kitco News) - Even as gold prices suffered their steepest quarterly decline in more than 13 years, the mining sector continues to set a brisk pace as earnings season kicks off with the world’s largest copper producer.
Although its core metal is copper, Freeport-McMoRan's (NYSE: FCX) gold business proved remarkably resilient, underscoring how elevated bullion prices continue to support the company’s earnings.
Despite gold’s sharp correction, prices remained elevated by historical standards, allowing Freeport to realize an average gold price of $4,520 an ounce, a 37% increase from $3,291 an ounce in the second quarter of 2025. At the same time, the copper price climbed 36% to $6.17 per pound from $4.54 per pound in the second quarter of 2025.
The stronger gold price, combined with robust copper prices, helped Freeport report adjusted second-quarter earnings of $1.1 billion, or $0.74 per share, compared with $790 million, or $0.54 per share, a year earlier. Net income attributable to shareholders rose to $984 million, or $0.68 per share.
The company’s earnings were slightly lower than analyst expectations as consensus estimates forecasted $0.78 per share.
"Our team achieved strong results in the second quarter, supported by solid execution of our operating plans and favorable pricing for our products," said President and CEO Kathleen Quirk. "We made steady progress with our Grasberg ramp-up and our Americas operations delivered excellent performance, which resulted in year-over-year improvements to bottom-line results."
Freeport produced 192,000 ounces of gold and sold 123,000 ounces during the quarter. Gold production remains constrained by the ongoing recovery of the company's Grasberg Block Cave underground mine in Indonesia, where operations continue to ramp up following last September's mud rush incident. Copper production totaled 786 million pounds, while copper sales of 710 million pounds exceeded the company's April guidance.
Management said the Grasberg recovery remains on schedule. Production Blocks 2 and 3 achieved their planned operating rates during the second quarter, and the company expects the mine to operate at approximately 65% of capacity during the second half of 2026, reaching 80% by mid-2027 before returning to full production by the end of next year.
Grasberg remains one of the world's premier gold assets. At full operating rates, the underground complex is expected to produce roughly 1.3 million ounces of gold annually, alongside 1.7 billion pounds of copper, making the successful restoration of operations one of the mining sector's most closely watched developments.
Looking ahead, Freeport expects to sell approximately 650,000 ounces of gold this year while assuming an average gold price of $4,000 an ounce during the second half of 2026. Under that price scenario, the company forecasts full-year operating cash flow of roughly $8.3 billion, highlighting how even after gold's sharp quarterly correction, prices remain high enough to generate substantial cash flow for major producers.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
MONTREAL, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) will issue its second-quarter 2026 financial and operating results at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time on July 24, 2026.
Crown Castle (CCI) is becoming an interesting investment as a confluence of improved organic growth, reduced headwinds, and attractive valuation makes it potentially the most opportunistic it has been in a decade. However, there is simultaneously a massive unknown in the form of the terrestrial versus satellite debate. Scenario outcomes of this debate range from obsolescence of towers to getting a 4th major tower customer, making it the pivotal factor for the future of CCI.
We shall begin by discussing:
CCI’s strong 2Q26. Positive growth inflection. Opportunistic valuation. Then we will show that the market does not care about any of these factors as the satellite harbinger looms overhead.
If and when one can get a clear idea of where the satellite versus terrestrial debate will conclude, there could be tremendous opportunity in CCI stock.
CCI's Strong Quarter And Growth CCI had a strong quarter with upped AFFO guidance and an upward inflection in organic growth. A central point of their conference call was that 2026 was the trough of organic growth and that they see strong acceleration in the short, mid, and long term. Factors creating the upward inflection in growth are:
MLAs with visibility into near-term contractual growth. AT&T 600 megahertz spectrum closing. Mobile data usage is expected to double over 5 years. As more spectrum gets deployed and data usage increases, tower tenants will want more equipment installed on towers, which will come with increased rent to CCI.
Analyst consensus estimates show a very strong outlook for Crown Castle with AFFO/share expected to rise from $4.36 in 2025 to $6.05 in 2030.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
That growth rate is quite opportunistic relative to what is now a fairly cheap valuation.
CCI is trading at 16.7X 2026 AFFO.
Tower REITs have traditionally traded at AFFO multiples in the mid-20s and occasionally in the 30s.
We believe the now cheap valuation is the result of fear related to satellites as a potential competitor to macro towers. This can be clearly seen in the CCI trading action since the Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX) IPO.
CCI is down 18% even though the CCI-specific news has been positive in this period.
SA
SpaceX’s Starlink was already a potential threat to towers; the IPO merely made it front of mind for investors. In perception, it went from a potential future threat to being a highly visible part of one of the largest companies in the world.
On July 21st, SPCX launched an additional 24 satellites into its mega-constellation already consisting of over 10,000 low earth orbit satellites.
Starlink is unequivocally huge and powerful, but its impact on towers remains completely unknown.
The Pivotal Unknown I am not an engineer and do not have a full grasp on the subtleties in transmission that make satellites better or worse than a tower network. Thus, I can merely relay what I have heard from others who are more directly in the field.
The basic framework seems to be that satellites are great at covering massive areas inexpensively and reliably but perhaps less effective in highly congested areas.
Bears on the tower REITs worry that Starlink could be effective enough to disrupt the traditional cell carriers, which make up CCI’s tenant base.
Bulls believe Starlink or peer satellite companies could become a 4th major carrier and that they would use macro towers to supplement their satellites. Specifically, they would put equipment on macro towers in major population centers where towers tend to outperform and use satellites in rural areas. Thus, Starlink or peers could actually benefit the tower REIT industry in the form of an additional revenue source.
Christian Hillabrant is knowledgeable on the subject but also biased due to his role as CEO of CCI. He discussed satellites versus terrestrial networks at length on the 2Q26 call:
“Let me summarize the key reasons why we believe that terrestrial networks will continue to be an essential for mobile phone service based on reports available on the WIA website and analysis from sell-side research. First, satellite services generally require a clear line of sight to the sky and provide weaker indoor coverage, which is significant given approximately 90% of mobile usage occurs indoors or in vehicles. Because satellite signals travel hundreds of miles farther than the terrestrial connections, their signal strength is approximately 10,000x weaker, challenging performance in dense environments where buildings, obstructions and interference can further degrade the signal. To compensate for the weaker signal, phones must operate at higher transmit power levels, increasing battery consumption. Second, satellite operators have access to significantly less spectrum. Direct-to-device satellite services generally have access to only tens of megahertz of spectrum, while each major U.S. wireless carrier controls hundreds of megahertz. Third, a typical satellite beam covers approximately 100 square miles to 600 square miles versus roughly 3 square miles to 20 square miles for a terrestrial cell site, requiring substantially more users to share the same spectrum resources. This means that for every megahertz of spectrum, terrestrial cell sites can support 30x more users. More importantly, as satellite operators seek to improve capacity, mobility and indoor performance, we believe terrestrial infrastructure will become an increasingly important complement to satellite networks.”
I think there is merit to his analysis that satellites could be complementary to macro towers rather than a substitute. However, it remains a major unknown.
The return outlook of CCI as an investment is heavily impacted by what happens in this debate. We see 3 main branches of scenarios to consider:
Satellites do not materially enter the cell carrier business. Satellites compete and at least partially replace demand for towers. Satellites become carriers and use macro towers to complement their network. CCI is opportunistic in scenarios 1 and 3 but would likely underperform in scenario 2.
Scenario 1 would just be business as usual for tower REITs. This seems to be what the consensus AFFO estimates out to 2030 are penciling in. CCI’s 16.7X AFFO multiple is just too cheap relative to the AFFO/share growth rate, which would make it a strong investment.
Scenario 2 risks major damage in the form of CCI losing one or more of their 3 major tenants. If Starlink competes as a cell carrier and captures substantial market share, there is potential for Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile to go out of business, and CCI could lose massive amounts of rental revenue.
Scenario 3 would be Starlink or a peer competing in a more balanced way, taking some market share but not killing the existing ecosystem. A potential 4th tenant in this scenario would potentially add back the revenues that were previously lost when Sprint got absorbed.
I’m not going to pretend to know how this will all shake out. Instead, I’ll be focusing on data points that could serve as early indicators. Here is what we will be watching to potentially happen:
Starlink or peers signing leases with macro towers (good sign for CCI). The extent to which Starlink attempts to become a major cell carrier. Financial health of Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile deteriorating. Customer adoption of satellite-based cell service. Customer reviews of the quality of satellite-based cell service. How We Are Playing It Tower REITs are potentially quite opportunistic given high-growth relative to valuation, but given the unknown, they are also risky. We currently are underweight relative to the REIT index but hold a small position in American Tower (AMT). AMT and CCI are similar investments, but we give a slight edge to AMT for its ownership of CoreSite, through which it has access to strong data center growth.
As more information rolls in and we get greater clarity on the satellite versus terrestrial debate, we will be watching and trading accordingly.
Key Takeaways ALGN is expanding globally, with double-digit Clear Aligner volume growth across EMEA and APAC regions. ALGN is strengthening digital dentistry through iTero platform enhancements and workflow software innovation. ALGN faces foreign exchange and macroeconomic pressures that continue to weigh on margins and costs. Align Technology’s (ALGN - Free Report) international expansion efforts to broaden the business are poised to bring significant growth in the upcoming quarters. Also, iTero is gaining from the rapidly evolving intraoral scanning technology in the industry. However, a dull macroeconomic environment and unfavorable foreign exchange movements raise concerns about the company’s sales growth.
In the past year, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s shares have lost 11.1% against 11.9% growth of the industry. In contrast, the S&P 500 composite has risen 21.9%.
The renowned medical device company has a market capitalization of $11.26 billion. ALGN projects a long-term estimated earnings growth rate of 10.3% compared with 9.6% for the industry. Its earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 7.8%.
Let’s delve deeper.
Upsides for ALGN StockGeographic Expansion Continues: Align Technology is expanding its sales and marketing reach by entering new countries and regions, including previously unexplored areas in Africa and Latin America. At the end of 2025, the company has 13 fabrication and treatment locations throughout the world.
In the EMEA region, Clear Aligner volumes grew double digits year over year, led by increases in Iberia, Italy, Nordics, United Kingdom and Turkey. Growth was driven primarily by utilization gains across both GP and orthodontic channels. In APAC, Clear Aligner volumes also grew double digits year over year, led by China, India, Korea, Japan, India and Taiwan. Growth was broad-based, with teen and growing kid patient categories posting double-digit growth alongside continued growth among adult patients.
iTero in Focus: ALGN’s iTero intraoral scanners, alongside its Exocad CAD/CAM software, continue to gain traction globally as key tools in digital dentistry. iTero scanning remains central to digital workflows, enabling precise treatment planning and visualization.
Additionally, new innovations, including the Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro, iTero Design Suite, and Align Oral Health Suite, are being used to enhance diagnostic, restorative and orthodontic workflows. Recently, the company has introduced a set of enhancements to its iTero Digital Solutions platform — a comprehensive system that puts together intra-oral scanners, software tools and digital workflows used by dental and orthodontic practices.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Ails ALGN?Currency Headwinds: Foreign exchange is a major headwind for Align Technology due to a considerable percentage of its revenues coming from outside the United States. Time to time, Clear Aligner Average Selling Prices (“ASP”) are significantly impacted by unfavorable foreign exchange across multiple currencies, especially the Japanese yen, Euro and Brazilian real. First-quarter gross margin was unfavorably impacted by foreign exchange of 0.4 points year over year.
Macroeconomic Concerns: Align Technology continues to navigate macroeconomic pressures, including inflation-driven increases in labor and freight costs, staffing shortages and ongoing supply-chain challenges — factors that are affecting profitability across the elective dental treatment space. In the first quarter of 2026, these issues led to a 1.4% increase in the company cost of sales.
ALGN Stock Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has remained unchanged at $11.36 in the past 30 days.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues is pegged at $4.19 billion, suggesting a 3.7% rise from the year-ago reported number.
Key PicksSome better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Alcon (ALC - Free Report) , Integra LifeSciences (IART - Free Report) and Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) .
Alcon has an earnings yield of 5.1% against the industry’s negative 2.8% yield. Shares of the company have gained 22.8% compared with the industry’s 4.8% growth. ALC’s earnings topped estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in one, the average surprise being 3.7%.
ALC carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Integra LifeSciences, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 16% against the industry’s negative 3% yield. Shares of the company have gained 22.8% compared with the industry’s 4.8% growth. IART’s earnings topped estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.
Phibro Animal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 9.2% compared with the industry’s 2.8% yield. Shares of the company have climbed 43.1% against the industry’s 27.9% decline. PAHC’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.3%.
TEMPE, Ariz & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® System of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today introduced new innovations across its integrated Align™ Digital Platform*, designed to help doctors visualize, plan, and treat with greater confidence and predictability. Throug.
Fortinet Inc (NASDAQ:FTNT) is set to report its second quarter results on July 29, with Jefferies analysts highlighting that the company needs to show an acceleration in product revenue growth to support investor confidence in the durability of its recent performance.
The firm expects solid product trends in the quarter, driven by price increases and improving channel checks, but wrote that investors will be looking for evidence the momentum can extend beyond the near term.
Jefferies expects product revenue growth to strengthen from the first quarter as Fortinet benefits from a full quarter of higher pricing and what it described as improving demand trends. The firm's proprietary survey showed performance versus plan improved sequentially, while channel checks pointed to healthy firewall demand despite some inventory constraints and longer appliance lead times.
The firm wrote that while product strength could continue for another quarter or two, it needs greater confidence that growth can be sustained into 2027 and that services billings, particularly subscriptions, will remain strong before becoming more constructive on the stock.
Billings will also be closely watched. Jefferies expects Fortinet to exceed its second-quarter billings guidance, which calls for 20% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, but does not expect management to significantly raise its full-year billings outlook given tougher comparisons in the second half of the year and longer lead times for appliances.
Margins are another focus. Jefferies expects Fortinet's midpoint guidance for a 34% non-GAAP operating margin to be achievable, supported by recent price increases and lower-cost inventory. However, it wrote that investors are likely to monitor the impact of rising memory costs and longer procurement cycles on margins later this year.
Jefferies' latest survey showed Fortinet's average performance versus plan improved to 2.3% above plan in the second quarter from 0.5% below plan in the first quarter, outperforming the average across cybersecurity vendors covered in the survey. The firm also wrote that investors will be looking for further signs of momentum in Fortinet's secure access service edge (SASE) business as the company continues to expand its bundled offerings.
Shares of Fortinet are up about 90% so far this year, trading hands at $151 on Thursday.
Key Takeaways West Pharmaceutical beat Q2 earnings and revenue estimates as high-value products drove growth.WST raised its 2026 EPS outlook after strong Proprietary Products and HVP performance.WST shares jumped pre-market as margins expanded and revenues grew across key product lines. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST - Free Report) delivered adjusted second-quarter 2026 earnings per share (EPS) of $2.37, which moved up 28.8% year over year. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.9%.
The adjustments include expenses related to the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, among others.
GAAP EPS for the quarter was $2.15, reflecting an improvement of 18.1% from the year-ago figure.
WST’s Q2 Revenues in DetailWest Pharmaceutical registered revenues of $872.3 million, up 13.8% year over year. The figure surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.2%.
Organic net sales, which exclude the impact of acquisitions and/or divestitures, were up 12.7% year over year.
Robust performance by the Proprietary Products segment, along with continued growth in West Vantage (previously known as Contract-Manufactured Products) segment, drove the top-line improvement.
Shares of WST were up approximately 6% in today’s pre-market trading. The company’s shares have gained 30.2% in the year-to-date period against the industry’s 0.7% decline. The S&P 500 Index has risen 9.5% in the same time frame.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
West Pharmaceutical’s Segment DetailsWST operates under two segments: Proprietary Products and West Vantage.
In the quarter under review, Proprietary Products reported worldwide revenues of $722.6 million, up 16.6% year over year on a reported basis. Our estimate for the segment’s revenues was pinned at $680.3 million.
On an organic basis, revenues were up 15.5% year over year.
The segment’s high-value product (HVP) accounted for 49% of its net sales during the period. Sales of HVP components were up 19.4%, driven by strength in Westar and NovaPure products. HVP Delivery Devices, which represented 15% of total company net sales, increased 29.6%. The growth was primarily driven by the increased sales of self-injection device platforms and Daikyo Crystal Zenith. Standard Products, 19% of total company sales, increased 2.4%.
Revenues in the West Vantage segment totaled $149.7 million, up 2% year over year on a reported basis. This growth was driven by an increase in sales of self-injection devices for obesity and diabetes. Our estimate for this segment’s quarterly revenues was pegged at $152.4 million.
Organically, revenues were up 0.8% year over year.
WST’s Margin AnalysisIn the quarter under review, West Pharmaceutical’s gross profit increased 20.2% year over year to $329.2 million. The gross margin expanded approximately 200 basis points (bps) to 37.7%. We had projected a 36% gross margin for the second quarter of 2026.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 22.6% year over year to $117.6 million. Research and development expenses increased 3.1% to $19.7 million.
Adjusted operating profit totaled $197.4 million, reflecting a 27.1% improvement from the year-ago quarter’s level. The adjusted operating margin expanded 230 bps to 22.6%. We had projected a 20.6% operating margin for the quarter.
West Pharmaceutical’s Financial PositionWST exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $435.8 million compared with $521.4 million as of the end of the first quarter. Total debt was $202.8 million compared with $202.9 million at the end of the first quarter.
Cumulative net cash provided by continuing operating activities at the end of the second quarter was $213.9 million compared with $306.5 million a year ago.
West Pharmaceutical has a consistent dividend-paying history, with a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 5.26%.
WST’s Guidance for Q3 & 2026West Pharmaceutical has issued third-quarter guidance and updated its financial outlook for 2026.
WST expects its third-quarter sales to be in the range of $820-$835 million, implying organic growth of 7-8.9%. The company expects EPS to be in the range of $2.14-$2.24. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and EPS is pegged at $817 million and $2.14, respectively.
WST projects full-year revenues to be between $3.345 billion and $3.380 billion (up from its previous guidance of $3.295 billion to $3.350 billion). Full-year revenues include a 1% benefit based on current foreign exchange rates. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $3.33 billion.
For 2026, organic net sales are expected to grow 10-11% from the prior-year level.
For the full year, adjusted EPS is now anticipated to be in the range of $8.85-$9.05 (up from the previous guidance of $8.40-$8.75). The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $8.60.
HVP Momentum & Execution Strength Drives 2026 PerformanceWest Pharmaceutical exited the second quarter of 2026 with robust results. Solid top-line results, along with improvements in organic revenues, were impressive. Robust performance by the Proprietary Products segment was encouraging. Strength in HVP and upside growth in the Biologics, Pharma and Generics market units during the reported quarter were also promising. Gross margin and adjusted operating margin expansion bode well for the stock. Improving organic revenue trends reinforce confidence in the company’s execution capabilities.
WST reported a strong first half of 2026, with revenues and adjusted EPS exceeding expectations in the first two quarters. Performance was driven by the HVP Components business, which delivered double-digit growth across both GLP-1 and non-GLP-1 segments. The better-than-expected results can be attributed to sustained market demand and effective execution in scaling production capacity, particularly in Europe. Given the strong first-quarter performance and continued business momentum, management has raised its full-year 2026 guidance, signaling confidence in the company’s growth trajectory.
Management’s 2026 higher sales and EPS outlook suggests steady demand fundamentals, favorable currency tailwinds and portfolio optimization initiatives, including the planned SmartDose divestiture.
West Pharmaceutical’s Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to ConsiderWST currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are McKesson (MCK - Free Report) , Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) and Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) .
McKesson, carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 13.7%. GMED’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 3.09%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Globus Medical’s shares have gained 8.8% against the industry’s 12.7% decline in the year-to-date period.
Phibro Animal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 21.5%. PAHC’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.25%.
Phibro Animal Health stock has climbed 44.2% against the industry’s 17.1% decline in the year-to-date period.
Cardinal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 17%. CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 10.27%.
Cardinal Health’s shares have lost 2.6% compared with the industry’s 3.1% decline in the year-to-date period.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 23, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID) between February 25, 2026 and April 13, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important July 28, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Lucid securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Lucid class action, go to https://www.rosenlegal.com/cases/lucid-group-inc-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 28, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) a supplier quality issue had significantly disrupted deliveries of the Lucid Gravity; (2) the foregoing was likely to, and did, have a material negative impact on Lucid's business and financial results; (3) accordingly, the defendants had overstated the purported enhancements to Lucid's manufacturing and delivery capabilities and overall operations; and (4) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Lucid class action, go to https://www.rosenlegal.com/cases/lucid-group-inc-2026/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA
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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds investors about a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID) between February 25, 2026 and April 13, 2026. Lucid describes itself as a “technology company that designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles (“EVs”), EV powertrains, and battery systems.” For more information, submit a form, email attorney Phillip Kim, or give us a call at 866-767.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. ("ZoomInfo" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: GTM) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit.
IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ZOOMINFO TECHNOLOGIES INC. (GTM), CLICK HERE BEFORE AUGUST 24, 2026 (THE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT.
What Is The Lawsuit About?
The complaint filed alleges that, between November 3, 2025 and May 11, 2026, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) ZoomInfo's optimistic plan for continued growth was undermined by slowing seat-based demand, weakening upsells and customers revising decisions to purchase AI products and develop internal AI-driven go-to-market solutions, making ZoomInfo's 2026 full year revenue guidance increasingly unlikely to be met; and (2) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us.
The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz,
Email us at: [email protected]
Call us at: 310-914-5007
Visit our website at: www.frankcruzlaw.com
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles
SummaryUpstart Holdings is down over 60% in the past year, yet I view the decline as overdone.Despite trading at a 13x forward P/E, a 10% premium to the sector median, UPST's rapid top- and bottom-line growth justifies a higher valuation.UPST is expected to deliver 44% revenue growth, signaling robust fundamentals even as its earnings multiple has contracted.I assign UPST a Buy rating, citing undervaluation and strong growth prospects despite a 27% short interest. J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images
I had Upstart Holdings (UPST) for quite some time on my watchlist, but I was hesitant to initiate coverage. Now, that's about to change. The stock is down by more than 60% over the past year, and I am
2.19K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PGY either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Southwest Airlines hired a ship this spring to send jet fuel from Texas to California, where prices are much higher and concerns had grown about supply, Chief Financial Officer Tom Doxey told CNBC. It was a first for the Dallas airline.
"It brought like a week's supply to the West Coast at a time when when supply was most constricted ... when it was most at risk," Doxey said.
The ship, which left from Houston and went through the Panama Canal, arrived May 28 in Los Angeles and had about 12.6 million gallons aboard, Southwest said. For context, Southwest used 564 million gallons of jet fuel in the last quarter.
The West Coast is much more reliant on imports than other parts of the country. Jet fuel prices spiked and have been volatile since the U.S. and Israel struck Iran in February.
Southwest said Thursday that its fuel expenses were up nearly $900 million in the second quarter from last year.
For the shipment to California, the airline said it used a waiver of the Jones Act, a law from 1920 that requires shipments between U.S. ports to be carried on a U.S. ship. President Donald Trump waived that requirement in March as fuel prices were soaring in the weeks following the start of the Iran war and subsequent shipping snarls erupted in the Strait of Hormuz, a key channel.
Worries about supplies intensified as countries restricted exports this year, fearful of running low on fuel. Those concerns have since eased, a Southwest spokesman said.
Jet fuel is airlines' biggest expense after labor. Prices eased in late spring and early summer but rose again as tensions reignited with Iran this month.
Last week, United Airlines, which flies more internationally than any other U.S. carrier, said it is using the latest available fuel prices for its quarterly estimates because prices have been so volatile.
In its July 15 report, it said jet fuel increased $575 million, or a $1.12 hit to adjusted earnings per share, for the third quarter alone.
U.S. airlines have abandoned fuel hedges, which help them lock in costs through futures contracts, over the past decade or so as the U.S. was awash in supply, keeping a lid on prices.
This time around, carriers have scaled back their capacity growth plans, which is also helping boost fares. Airline executives this month said demand remains strong despite higher fares, which they say are likely to stick.
Read more CNBC airline newsDelta launches ‘basic business’ fares without lounge access, seat selectionRecord heat, crowds drive offseason boom in international travelDelta expects higher airfare to last, bringing 2026 profit goal in reach'Bring 'em on': Delta wants United's crown over the Pacific, tooSpirit's collapse, high fuel prices test limits of summer vacation spendingMeet the pilots flying Spirit Airlines' yellow jets to the desert
When the year began, I named Rivian (RIVN -4.19%) my top growth stock for 2026. The thesis was simple: Rivian's growth journey has become much more lucrative, yet the stock continues to trade at a discount to competitors like Lucid Group (LCID -4.87%) and Tesla across several key valuation metrics.
In the past, Rivian was viewed mostly as an electric vehicle (EV) stock. Indeed, the company now produces three electric vehicles: the R1S, R1T, and R2 SUV. But the company's future doesn't rest solely on vehicle manufacturing. Instead, Rivian has positioned itself as an artificial intelligence (AI) stock. The company expects to ramp up its AI investments so significantly that management quietly dropped its 2027 profit guidance earlier this year.
Image source: Rivian.
Overall, I'm a big fan of Rivian pushing out its profitability goals in order to invest more aggressively in AI technologies. In the future, EVs will rely heavily on self-driving software. A vehicle's ability to drive itself will fuel not only consumer purchases but also commercial opportunities such as robotaxis. If an EV maker wants to sell into both markets, it will need to have fully self-driving vehicles. AI is these companies' best chance of achieving full autonomy and, in the future, selling cars.
The catch is that Rivian has been forced to do something painful, something Lucid investors understand all too well.
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Rivian must copy this painful financing option that Lucid has come to rely on Earlier this month, Rivian revealed that it would be selling 75 million additional shares at $15.50 apiece -- a slight discount to the prevailing market price. Underwriters have the option to buy another 11.25 million shares, which would increase Rivian's total outstanding shares by around 6%.
Rivian isn't a total stranger to share dilution. Its total shares outstanding have increased by more than 30% over the past three years to help make up for an unprofitable core business. But the company has also been able to raise non-dilutive financing, including its multibillion-dollar partnership with Volkswagen.
Lucid investors haven't been as fortunate. The company's total outstanding share count has risen far faster than Rivian's in recent years, driven by high capital expenditures alongside an even more unprofitable core business.
While painful over the short term, Rivian's share sale will raise around $1.2 billion in new capital. That could be enough to scale R2 production enough to reach sustainable profitability over the next handful of years. The company has already posted a positive gross margin in recent quarters.
If R2 production scales as expected, that could narrow losses for the company significantly, enabling Rivian to maintain its higher investment into AI. And given AI is a critical long-term growth driver, Rivian's latest share dilution is a painful but reasonable mechanism for maximizing shareholder value over the long term.
Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CROX) has received a higher price target from Bank of America ahead of its second-quarter earnings report, with the firm reiterating its ‘Buy’ rating and raising its target to $160 from $145 on expectations that sustained direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth in North America could support further valuation expansion.
The firm increased its valuation multiple to 11 times its 2027 earnings estimate from 10 times previously, writing that additional evidence of durable North American DTC growth could drive further multiple expansion.
This price target implies upside from current levels of about $132.
Bank of America forecasts Q2 earnings per share of $4.24, broadly in line with Visible Alpha consensus estimates.
The firm sees the potential for upside in the quarter, supported by continued DTC momentum and an improving setup for the second half of the year as the company laps strategic actions taken last year that weighed on sales.
The analysts expect total second-quarter sales to decline 1% year over year, with growth in the Crocs brand's DTC business offset by weaker wholesale sales and continued declines at Heydude. They forecast North American DTC sales to rise 1%, below the Street's expectation of 2%, but noted that demand for newer products, including sandals, could support stronger results.
Bank of America highlighted continued consumer interest in new product launches, pointing to popular sandal styles such as the Miami Flip, where it has observed products selling out even after restocking.
On margins, the firm expects gross margin to decline 150 basis points year over year, in line with company guidance that incorporates tariff-related headwinds. While lower tariff rates and the potential for refunds could provide some relief, the analysts wrote that a greater contribution from newer products and sales channels with lower gross margins could offset those benefits.
Looking beyond the second quarter, Bank of America expects a more favorable operating environment in the second half of the year, supported by upcoming product launches, including the Echo 2 and Mellow 2 collections, and easier comparisons following last year's reductions in promotional activity and wholesale shipments.
The firm also sees the possibility that improving demand for new products could eventually benefit North American wholesale sales, although its current forecasts continue to assume negative wholesale trends through the remainder of 2026.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBIX) today announced the appointment of three Senior Vice Presidents, further strengthening its leadership team as the company executes its next phase of growth, expands its commercial portfolio and advances one of the industry's strongest neuroscience pipelines. These appointments reflect Neurocrine's continued evolution into a diversified, multi-product biopharmaceutical company positioned to deliver sustainable long-term growth.
The appointments include Bret Paulson, who joins the company as Senior Vice President, Market Access, and the promotions of David Bradfute to Senior Vice President and Global Head of Intellectual Property, and Aaron Vosburgh to Senior Vice President, Finance and Accounting.
"Neurocrine is entering a new phase of growth as we expand our commercial portfolio, advance one of the industry's most productive pipelines and prepare to bring more innovative medicines to patients," said Kyle W. Gano, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Neurocrine Biosciences. "Successfully executing on that opportunity requires exceptional leadership across every function of our company. Bret, Aaron and David each bring outstanding expertise, judgment and a proven ability to build high-performing organizations. Together, they strengthen our ability to execute today while positioning Neurocrine for the opportunities ahead, ultimately enabling us to deliver greater value for patients, healthcare providers and shareholders."
Bret Paulson is an accomplished leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and insurance industries. He will be responsible for shaping and driving Neurocrine's global market access vision, strategy and execution to provide patient access to the company's current and future medicines, while strengthening payer partnerships and reimbursement strategies across an increasingly diversified portfolio. He joins Neurocrine after more than six years at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies, most recently as Vice President and Head of Market Access & Channel Strategy. Prior to that, he was Area Vice President, National Accounts at Horizon after working in the commercial organizations at Schering Plough, Eli Lilly & Company, and Amgen. Paulson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Asian studies from Brigham Young University.
David Bradfute, who joined Neurocrine in 2017, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Global Head of Intellectual Property and will also serve as Managing Director of Neurocrine Switzerland GmbH, based in the company's Basel, Switzerland, office. In his expanded role, Bradfute will lead the company's global intellectual property strategy and oversee the protection of Neurocrine's products, diversified portfolio, technology platforms, and scientific innovations. Before joining Neurocrine, Bradfute held leadership roles across the healthcare and life sciences industry, including a 13-year career at Arena Pharmaceuticals and later as Head of Legal and Intellectual Property at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. He earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Swarthmore College, master's and doctoral degrees in biological sciences from Stanford University, and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.
Aaron Vosburgh, an eight-year Neurocrine employee, will oversee enterprise financial strategy, partnering with executive leadership to align capital allocation, long-range financial planning and portfolio investments with Neurocrine's strategy to advance innovation and deliver new therapies to patients. While at Neurocrine, he has helped build, scale and strengthen the company's accounting, finance, tax, treasury, and financial planning and analysis capabilities while serving as a strategic advisor on many of the company's most important financial decisions. Prior to joining Neurocrine, Vosburgh held senior finance leadership roles at Applied Proteomics, Synthetic Genomics, Verenium Corporation, and Natural Alternatives International, following the start of his career at Ernst & Young. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of San Diego.
About Neurocrine Biosciences
Neurocrine Biosciences is a leading biopharmaceutical company with a simple purpose: to relieve suffering for people with great needs. We are dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing life-changing treatments for patients with under-addressed neurological, psychiatric, endocrine and immunological disorders. The company's diverse portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, chorea associated with Huntington's disease, classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hyperphagia in Prader-Willi syndrome, endometriosis* and uterine fibroids*, as well as a robust pipeline including multiple compounds in mid- to late-phase clinical development across our core therapeutic areas. For more than three decades, we have applied our unique insight into neuroscience and the interconnections between brain and body systems to treat complex conditions. We relentlessly pursue medicines to ease the burden of debilitating diseases and disorders, because you deserve brave science. For more information, visit neurocrine.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and YouTube. (*in collaboration with AbbVie)
NEUROCRINE, the NEUROCRINE BIOSCIENCES Logo, and YOU DESERVE BRAVE SCIENCE, are registered trademarks of Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
July 23, 2026 16:05 ET | Source: WW International Inc.
NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ: WW) (“Weight Watchers” or the “Company”) will release its results for the second quarter 2026 ended June 30, 2026, after market close on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Weight Watchers will host a conference call to discuss results at 5:00 p.m. ET the same day. The webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s corporate website, corporate.ww.com, under Events and Presentations. A replay of the webcast will be available on this site for at least 90 days.
About Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is the global leader in science-backed weight management, offering an integrated support system built for the GLP-1 era that combines scientific expertise, medication, cutting-edge technology, and human connection. With more than 60 years of experience, Weight Watchers is the most studied commercial weight management program in the world, delivered through its No. 1 U.S. doctor-recommended weight-loss program. Its holistic, personalized approach also includes U.S.-based clinical interventions and access to GLP-1 medications when clinically appropriate, and a global network of coaches and community support. Since 1963, the company has led with science to deliver its members the personalized support they need to reach and sustain their goals. Members can access these solutions directly, or through Weight Watchers for Business’ full-spectrum platform for employers, health plans, and payers. In a landscape crowded with contradictory advice, isolating apps, and one-size-fits-all solutions, Weight Watchers offers a proven path forward that is rooted in research, grounded in empathy and designed to help every member feel better in their body and live a longer, healthier life. For more information, visit weightwatchers.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements because actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied. The reports filed by the Company pursuant to United States securities laws contain discussions of these risks and uncertainties. The Company assumes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are advised to review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (which are available on the SEC's EDGAR database at www.sec.gov and via the Company's website at corporate.ww.com).
For investor inquiries, please contact:
Anna Kate Heller [email protected]
For media inquiries, please contact:
Melissa Garbayo [email protected]
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yelp Inc. (NYSE: YELP), the company that connects people with great local businesses, announced that it will release its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 after the market closes on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Yelp will issue a press release when its Shareholder Letter has been posted on its investor relations website at www.yelp-ir.com. Following the release of the Shareholder Letter, Yelp will host a webcasted conference call to discuss its se.
Capital One has announced the open-source release of its in-house agentic AI security tool.
The banking giant’s VulnHunter is designed “to apply proactive, attacker-perspective analysis directly to the source code,” Capital One said in a news release.
“Advanced AI models have dramatically lowered the barrier for bad actors to discover and exploit vulnerabilities in software,” the release said.
“What once required significant skill and time can now be automated, accelerated, and scaled. The world faces an increasingly short window of time before highly sophisticated, next-generation AI attack capabilities become affordable and accessible to virtually every adversary. Across the industry, organizations are racing to prepare for this paradigm shift.”
According to the release, VulnHunter introduces technical innovations designed to “minimize speculative alerts and maximize actionable repair.”
Among these is a falsification engine built to “challenge its own conclusions” and minimize false positives before they get to development. Upon surfacing a finding, VulnHunter runs a structured reasoning workflow to “disprove its own argument,” the company said.
“This falsification engine actively searches for assumptions that don’t hold, logical gaps in the exploit path, and conditions that would prevent the attack from succeeding. It is designed to immediately discard findings that rely on unsupported assumptions,” the release said.
“The result: what reaches a developer’s attention has already survived a rigorous internal challenge. Every flagged vulnerability is one the tool has tried and failed to rule out.”
VulnHunter is available now and requires access to Claude Opus 4.8 and a working Claude Code environment, the release said.
In other Capital One news, PYMNTS wrote this week about the company’s latest earnings, which spotlight a more segmented consumer credit market.
In this environment, the report said, “lenders are drawing finer distinctions within credit tiers, millions of new accounts are still being opened and card products are increasingly being matched to both a borrower’s credit profile and expected spending behavior.”
Capital One’s treatment of its Discover portfolio demonstrates how much can differ among borrowers within large credit categories, the report added. Discover began expanding credit in 2022 before scaling back originations and credit-line increases starting in late 2023.
“Since acquiring the company, Capital One has tightened further in areas where it is less comfortable with borrowers’ ability to withstand financial pressure, particularly among high-balance revolvers,” PYMNTS added.
Key Takeaways Molina Healthcare beat Q2 earnings estimates despite lower revenues, premium income and membership.MOH benefited from lower operating expenses but faced higher medical cost ratio and weaker investment income.MOH Healthcare raised 2026 EPS and adjusted net income guidance while reaffirming premium revenue outlook. Molina Healthcare, Inc. (MOH - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.51, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.2%. The bottom line declined 72.4% from the year-ago period's level.
Revenues amounted to $10.9 billion, which decreased 4.8% year over year. The top line marginally missed the consensus mark by 0.08%.
Second-quarter earnings benefited from lower operating expenses. However, lower premium revenues, declining membership, and weaker investment income weighed on its performance.
Molina Healthcare, Inc Price, Consensus and EPS SurpriseMOH’s Q2 Operational UpdatePremium revenues of $10.2 billion decreased 5.7% year over year and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8%. The decline primarily reflected lower membership levels, partially offset by pricing actions.
As of June 30, 2026, total membership decreased 14.3% year over year to around 4.9 million and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.6%. The health insurer witnessed a year-over-year decrease in customers across all segments, especially in Marketplace and Other.
Investment income declined 4.7% year over year to $101 million. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8%.
Total operating expenses were $10.7 billion, down 2.9% year over year and slightly below our model estimate of $11 billion, driven by lower medical care costs. The adjusted general and administrative expense ratio increased to 6.5% from 6.1% a year ago. Interest expense increased 12.5% year over year to $54 million.
The consolidated MCR (medical costs as a percentage of premium revenues) was 92.2% in the reported quarter. It rose from 90.4% a year ago but was marginally below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 92.5%.
Molina Healthcare’s adjusted net income decreased 73.8% year over year to $77 million.
MOH’s Q2 Financial UpdateMolina Healthcare exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $5 billion, which increased from the 2025-end level of $4.2 billion. Total assets of $16 billion rose from $15.6 billion as of 2025-end.
Long-term debt totaled $3.8 billion, which remained unchanged from the 2025-end level.
Total stockholders’ equity of $4.2 billion inched up from $4.1 billion at the end of 2025.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $788 million compared to net cash used in operating activities of $112 million in the prior-year period.
MOH’s 2026 GuidanceThe company's full-year 2026 premium revenue guidance has remained unchanged at about $42 billion, down roughly 2% from 2025.
Management expects 2026 GAAP earnings of at least $2.15 per diluted share, up from its previous guidance of at least $1.90. It also raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance by $0.25 to at least $5.25 per diluted share.
MOH raised its 2026 adjusted net income guidance to $268 million from $256 million. It also increased its GAAP net income guidance to $110 million from the previous estimate of $97 million.
MOH’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksMolina currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Medical space are Humana Inc. (HUM - Free Report) , currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and CVS Health Corporation (CVS - Free Report) and Cencora, Inc. (COR - Free Report) , both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Humana is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 29, before the market closes. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $6.22 per share, which has witnessed three upward revisions over the past 60 days, with no movement in the opposite direction. The company beat on earnings in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 3.8%. The consensus estimate for Humana’s second-quarter revenues is pinned at $40.65 billion, indicating a 25.5% year-over-year increase.
CVS Health is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 5, before the market closes. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.87 per share, indicating a 3.3% year-over-year increase. The company beat on earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 16.8%. The consensus estimate for CVS Health’s second-quarter revenues is pinned at $100.18 billion, indicating a 1.3% year-over-year increase.
Cencora is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 5, before the market closes. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $4.37 per share, indicating a 9.3% year-over-year increase. The company beat on earnings in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 1.6%. The consensus estimate for Cencora’s second-quarter revenues is pinned at $84.89 billion, indicating a 5.2% year-over-year increase.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA +0.53%) (BRKB +0.30%) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average have a lot in common. Berkshire is one of the most well-respected conglomerates in the world, while the Dow is one of the most well-respected market indexes in the world.
Both have a deep-rooted history and own some of the largest, most prominent companies in the U.S. In fact, there's actually quite a bit of overlap, as former Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett and current CEO Greg Abel have steered Berkshire's capital into several Dow companies.
Nearly 59% of Berkshire's stock portfolio sits in five Dow stocks. This is my top pick right now.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
1. Apple -- 21% of portfolio The consumer tech giant Apple (AAPL -1.27%) is a Buffett pick through and through. Buffett allegedly began buying Apple stock after seeing how distraught his friend became when he lost his iPhone, Apple's blockbuster product.
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Buffett began buying Apple in 2016 and at one point built the position to roughly 40% of Berkshire's massive portfolio. While Apple possesses many qualities of a typical Buffett stock, including an incredible brand and tremendously strong moat, one thing that must have stood out to Buffett is the amount of share repurchases the company conducts.
Between the beginning of 2016, when Berkshire first purchased Apple, and 2025, Apple repurchased over $700 billion worth of stock.
2. American Express -- 15% Berkshire's second-largest position, American Express (AXP -2.37%), is one of Buffett's longest holdings.
Berkshire acquired the bulk of its Amex position in the early 1990s and has let it appreciate. It's now collecting hundreds of millions in dividends annually. Amex has also established an incredible brand, and its credit cards have become a symbol of status.
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Plus, the company has an excellent business model. The credit card business, which is often perceived as a higher-risk category by investors, serves an affluent clientele that is typically more resilient during economic downturns. Meanwhile, the company's closed-loop payments network captures fees on every Amex transaction, creating a strong stream of annual recurring revenue.
3. Coca-Cola -- 9.3% Berkshire began purchasing the iconic beverage company Coca-Cola (KO -1.25%) in the late 1980s. Similar to Amex, the position now yields hundreds of millions in annual dividends.
In fact, Coca-Cola is a Dividend King, meaning it has paid and increased its annual dividend for at least 50 years. Coca-Cola is on year 64 and counting. Coca-Cola is viewed as a high-quality consumer staples stock, a category that tends to perform better during market turbulence and economic struggles.
The company has greatly diversified its product line beyond soda and now has many brands in different beverage categories.
4. Alphabet -- 8.6% Buffett initiated Berkshire's Alphabet (GOOG -6.88%) (GOOGL -7.12%) position only last year, but Abel has greatly expanded it. Berkshire purchased over $10 billion in Alphabet Class A and Class C shares in the first quarter of the year, and then followed that up by purchasing another $10 billion in a private placement.
It's an interesting move because Alphabet is a clear bet on artificial intelligence, and the company is expected to spend as much as $190 billion in capital expenditures on AI-related infrastructure.
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Berkshire had seemingly been ignoring these bets in recent years and hoarding cash, but Buffett recently said that Alphabet has a tremendous track record for generating high returns on capital. The company also operates many other strong tech businesses that can thrive even if AI is not as successful as expected.
5. Chevron -- 4.5% Since the pandemic, Buffett and the Berkshire team have loaded up on energy stocks and assets, and Chevron (CVX +0.75%) now accounts for 4.5% of Berkshire's equity portfolio.
Buffett and his team may have realized that oil and gas dependence isn't going anywhere as power demand surges. They may also see U.S. oil as a good hedge against geopolitical risks, which turned out to be a prudent assumption, given what has happened to oil prices this year as a result of the Iran war.
Of these five stocks, I like Apple the best right now. The stock has risen nearly 21% this year, beating the broader market and many of its peers in the "Magnificent Seven."
While the hyperscalers poured hundreds of billions into AI capex, Apple largely stayed on the sidelines, choosing to position its AI strategy differently. At times, it certainly seemed like Apple's AI strategy lagged its peers', but the company is now being rewarded for its patience.
What's more, Apple can still benefit from AI by playing a key role in the AI ecosystem. It will be able to bring AI to consumers through many of its hardware products. People will be able to access large language models and other AI tools through Apple products, likely generating significant referral revenue for Apple.
More AI use on Apple products could also increase iCloud usage, leading to better monetization of Apple's cloud storage.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) Board of Directors today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share of Otis' common stock. The dividend will be payable on September 11, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 14, 2026.
About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation, service and modernization of elevators and escalators, we move 2.5 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.5 million customer units worldwide – the industry's largest Service portfolio. You'll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 45,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.
Cautionary Statement
This release includes statements related to anticipated earnings, cash flow and dividends that constitute "forward-looking statements" under the securities laws. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Past dividends provide no assurance as to future dividends. The payment and amount of future dividends could vary significantly from past amounts due to a number of risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include: (1) the effect of economic conditions in the industries and markets in which Otis and its businesses operate in the U.S. and globally and any changes therein, including financial market conditions, fluctuations in commodity prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, future availability of credit and factors that may affect such availability or costs (including tighter credit conditions), levels of end market demand in construction, pandemic health issues, natural disasters and the financial condition of Otis' customers and suppliers; (2) risks associated with indebtedness; (3) challenges in the development and production of new products and services; and (4) the effect of changes in laws and regulations, political conditions and geopolitical conflicts in countries in which we operate and other factors beyond our control. The above list of factors is not exhaustive or necessarily in order of importance. For additional information on identifying factors that may cause actual results to vary from those stated in forward-looking statements, see the reports of Otis on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the SEC from time to time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Otis assumes no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
