Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

WD-40 (WDFC - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.33 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.58 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.54 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +47.47%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this maintenance and cleaning product company would post earnings of $1.39 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.5, delivering a surprise of +7.91%.

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

WD-40, which belongs to the Zacks Consumer Products - Staples industry, posted revenues of $195.12 million for the quarter ended May 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.57%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $156.91 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

WD-40 shares have added about 25.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.3%.

What's Next for WD-40?While WD-40 has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for WD-40 was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.62 on $173.1 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $5.99 on $655 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Consumer Products - Staples is currently in the bottom 19% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Newell Brands (NWL - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on July 31.

This consumer products company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.19 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -20.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Newell Brands' revenues are expected to be $1.96 billion, up 1.5% from the year-ago quarter.

In the latest close session, Coca-Cola (KO - Free Report) was down 1.02% at $82.55. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.81% for the day. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.27%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 1.3%.

Coming into today, shares of the world's largest beverage maker had lost 0.23% in the past month. In that same time, the Consumer Staples sector gained 3.31%, while the S&P 500 gained 1.13%.

The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Coca-Cola in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is scheduled to release its earnings on July 28, 2026. In that report, analysts expect Coca-Cola to post earnings of $0.92 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 5.75%. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $13.05 billion, up 4.15% from the year-ago period.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $3.26 per share and a revenue of $49.33 billion, representing changes of +8.67% and +3%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for Coca-Cola. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.

The Zacks Rank system, ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), possesses a remarkable history of outdoing, externally audited, with #1 stocks returning an average annual gain of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been no change in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Coca-Cola currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Digging into valuation, Coca-Cola currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 25.57. This valuation marks a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 20.33.

We can additionally observe that KO currently boasts a PEG ratio of 3.33. The PEG ratio is akin to the commonly utilized P/E ratio, but this measure also incorporates the company's anticipated earnings growth rate. The Beverages - Soft drinks industry currently had an average PEG ratio of 2.17 as of yesterday's close.

The Beverages - Soft drinks industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 108, placing it within the top 44% of over 250 industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to use Zacks.com to monitor all these stock-influencing metrics, and more, throughout the forthcoming trading sessions.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft Corporation ("Microsoft" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: MSFT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Microsoft and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until August 11, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Microsoft securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On January 28, 2026, Microsoft announced disappointing results for its fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2025. First, during the quarter Microsoft's Azure growth had slowed suddenly and fallen below analyst expectations. During the related earnings call, CFO Amy E. Hood revealed that the slower Azure growth was primarily due to computational capacity constraints, as Microsoft had diverted CPU and GPU capacity to Copilot applications and AI-related R&D. Second, Microsoft revealed that its capital expenditures had increased to $37.5 billion during the quarter, causing Microsoft's capital expenditures for the first six months of its fiscal 2026 to increase to $72.4 billion compared to $88.2 billion for all of Microsoft's fiscal 2025. Third, Microsoft revealed, for the first time, that the number of paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats totaled only 15 million to date, materially below analyst estimates and a fraction of the more than 450 million commercial Microsoft 365 users. 

On this news, the price of Microsoft stock fell nearly 10%.

Then, on February 3, 2026, The Wall Street Journal revealed, in an article titled "Microsoft's Pivotal AI Product Is Running Into Big Problems," that severe challenges and functionality issues had plagued Microsoft's Copilot offerings, leading to Copilot losing market share during the Class Period to competing products such as Google's Gemini. The price of Microsoft stock continued to fall in the days after Microsoft's second quarter 2026 earnings announcement as the market continued to digest the adverse news and sources such as The Wall Street Journal revealed new adverse information.

Thereafter, on March 17, 2026, The Wall Street Journal revealed in an article titled "Microsoft Seeks More Coherence in AI Efforts With Copilot Reorganization" that Microsoft was reorganizing its Copilot product teams to unify commercial and consumer versions partly in response to the challenges revealed by The Wall Street Journal's prior reporting on Copilot's problem-plagued development and disappointing customer adoption. 

On this news, the price of Microsoft stock continued to fall.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. 

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.  

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Disney is exploring making some content on its namesake streamer free to watch. Stefano Facchin/Alessio Morgese/NurPhoto via Getty Images Disney is exploring making some of its streaming content available at an unbeatable price: free.

The Mouse House is discussing making some content accessible on Disney+ without a paywall, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Product and tech chief Adam Smith spoke about enabling free-tier content during a streaming town hall on Thursday afternoon, one staffer said. Smith didn't share a timeline for this initiative or a sense of the scope, this person added.

A person familiar with Disney's streaming strategy said these talks are part of an ongoing discussion about concepts to better serve fans.

Currently, the Disney+ and Hulu bundle costs $12.99 a month with ads or $19.99 without ads at full price.

Free streaming services like YouTube have become popular with audiences, generating significant growth in viewership share on US-based TVs compared to their paid peers, according to Nielsen data. The three largest free streamers accounted for 18.7% of watch time on US TVs in April, up from 16.8% a year earlier and 12.7% in April 2024.

As paid streamers have raised prices, consumers have increasingly sought out free content on YouTube and on ad-supported services like Tubi and The Roku Channel. (Tubi parent Fox is planning to double down on free streaming by buying Roku for $22 billion.)

A free tier could help Disney+ stand out among paid streamers. Apple TV and Paramount+ let users sample some full episodes, but paid streaming services generally don't have robust free offerings.

Disney and its Hollywood peers are also looking to boost engagement by embracing new formats like short-form video, podcasts, and micro dramas, which are bite-sized vertical shows.

In recent months, Disney has added vertical clips to its flagship streaming app, as has Paramount+. Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has told staffers he's prioritizing "product and technology innovation" in streaming.

Netflix announced this week that it's adding 3- to 20-minute videos next month from publishers like BuzzFeed Studios, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, Penske Media, and People Inc. The streaming giant made a major move into video podcasts earlier this year and has also dabbled in vertical video.

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Media Exclusive Disney More Disney Plus Hulu

Investors weren’t too eager to take a swig of PepsiCo (PEP 3.26%) after the beverage and snacks giant reported second-quarter results early on Thursday. This, despite headline figures that — depending on which consensus numbers are used — beat analyst estimates. The company’s shares slid by more than 3% that trading session, contrasting poorly with the 0.8% rise of the bellwether S&P 500 index.

Let’s tuck into PepsiCo’s quarter to find out why it was such a flat, warm can of soda for many market players.

Image source: Getty Images.

Where’s the fizz?During the quarter, PepsiCo’s net revenue was just under $24.2 billion, up 6% year over year. The company’s net income under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) grew much more robustly, doubling and then some to almost $2.99 billion from the year-ago profit of $1.26 billion. Yet on a per-share, non-GAAP (adjusted, or “core” in company parlance) basis, net income only inched up by 4% to $2.20. 

This meant a pair of beats for PepsiCo, though these were modest. On average, analysts tracking the stock were modeling net revenue of $23.9 billion and core earnings per share (EPS) of $2.19.

Despite the growth in key fundamentals, other metrics were lower this quarter. The company’s largest single market remains its native North America, so weakness there is always cause for concern. Second-quarter sales in the company’s food (i.e., snacks) business there fell by 2% year over year. And while revenue from its beverages rose by 7%, much of this was due to recently integrated acquisitions and partnerships. The latter included a deal with Celsius (CELH 0.24%) to distribute that company’s hotly popular drink line Alani Nu.

It’s revealing that overall volumes for North America beverages sank in spite of this, falling by 4%. And, when stripping out acquisitions and divestitures from the mix, that drinks unit saw only a 1% organic revenue gain.

In the conference call discussing the results, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta attributed the U.S. declines to changes in consumer behavior. He speculated that the soaring price of gasoline was affecting traffic at convenience stores. This is a major sales channel for the company as items like its Pepsi and Doritos are often impulse buys for customers filling their tanks or taking a rest from driving.

International flavorOn a brighter note or two, PepsiCo performed better in markets abroad. Its international beverages business saw gains in both volume (5%) and, especially, reported revenue (11%, or 9% when adjusted for foreign currency exchange). Better, since those acquisitions were concentrated on U.S. products, that overseas growth was entirely organic.

The company’s snacks also proved to be popular outside our borders. Standouts in this category were Asia Pacific and Latin America foods, which saw reported revenue growth of 15% and 12%, respectively.

So basically, PepsiCo had two diverging trajectories — the sluggishness of the North America operations, and the dynamism of its international efforts. The latter should help the company achieve growth in the coming quarters — it reiterated its guidance for full-year 2026, forecasting organic revenue growth of 2% to 4% over 2025, with a rise in core, constant-currently EPS of 4% to 6%.

Importantly for this Dividend King — PepsiCo is one of the rare companies that has declared dividend raises at least once annually for a minimum of 50 years running — it expects to distribute $7.9 billion in shareholder payouts during the year. That’s up from the $7.6 billion it spent last year. Management also intends to devote $1 billion to share buybacks.

Potential yield trapI think PepsiCo still has some way to go in order to become an investor favorite again. Those slumps in the North America business are concerning and, outside of the unlikely possibility that international growth rockets much higher, softness in that market will negatively affect both the fundamentals and investor perception of the business.

A longer-term issue for PepsiCo is that, in many ways, it’s a poster boy for unhealthy food and drink consumption. That served it well for decades, but this century’s trend — at least on our shores — is towards more considered, healthier eating and quaffing. Yes, PepsiCo has diet/no-sugar drinks and moderately better-for-you snacks. But it’s still anchored by, and strongly identified with, goodies like Pepsi and Cheetos.

As for shareholder remuneration, PepsiCo is not only a Dividend King, its payout is bubbling into high-yield territory at almost 4.3%. This, however, is largely due to a weakened share price, which, after earnings, was teasing its one-year low.

While the dividend might be an attractive draw for investors hungry for yield or sniffing around for a bargain, that wouldn’t tip me into buying the stock. I don’t see either North America beverages or food improving much, and PepsiCo’s wares aren’t popular enough abroad to offset this significantly.

Most of the attention on Micron Technology (MU +4.55%) sits on high-bandwidth memory and the artificial intelligence data center boom. That story is real, but it hides a different shift in how the company sells its products -- a shift that could shape the next earnings report more than any single chip.

Micron is signing long-term supply agreements In the first week of July, Micron announced two strategic customer agreements within six days of each other. A strategic customer agreement is, in plain terms, a promise from a buyer to keep buying.

On July 1, it signed a deal with General Motors to secure a long-term supply of memory for the automaker's next vehicle platforms. On July 6, Micron announced a similar pact with Ford Motor Company.  

Image source: Getty Images.

Buried in both press releases is the detail that matters most. Each agreement is described as "one of the 16" discussed on Micron's fiscal third-quarter conference call. So the company has told investors it has a stack of these deals and has started revealing them one at a time. That drumbeat of announcements gives Micron a reason to stay in the news between now and its next report.

Why the automotive deals matter These are not glamorous AI chips. General Motors is locking in a supply of LPDRAM, NOR, and UFS NAND -- the memory that runs in-cabin screens and driver-assistance systems. Cars carry the kind of memory once reserved for phones and servers, and each model can stay in production for years, so a single win can feed orders long after the deal is signed.

What makes the deals valuable is their shape: multiyear commitments tied to Micron's $2 billion modernization of its Manassas, Virginia, fab.

Memory has long been a boom-and-bust business, priced like a commodity. Contracts that pin down volume across a car's production life turn some of that swing into something closer to a backlog. For a company investors treat as a cyclical bet, contracted demand is a quiet form of insurance on an investment.

Today's Change

(

4.55

%) $

43.22

Current Price

$

992.02

The risks investors should weigh None of these agreements discloses price or volume, so the financial impact remains unknown until it shows up in the results. Auto production can soften, and a broad memory downturn would pressure margins. The stock has climbed a long way, which raises the bar for any surprise.

The catalyst is not a number. If Micron keeps converting that list of 16 agreements into signed deals before its fiscal fourth-quarter report, I think the market gets a running preview of demand that most cyclical suppliers cannot offer. Investors who own the stock or watch it should track the number of these agreements as a real-time signal ahead of earnings.

APA (APA - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $33.29, moving -5.05% from the previous trading session. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.81%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.27%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.3%.

The oil and natural gas producer's stock has dropped by 7.74% in the past month, falling short of the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 3.61% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.13%.

The upcoming earnings release of APA will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on August 5, 2026. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.83, up 110.34% from the prior-year quarter. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $2.5 billion, down 4.36% from the prior-year quarter.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $5.29 per share and revenue of $9.09 billion. These totals would mark changes of +40.32% and -1.37%, respectively, from last year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for APA. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the business outlook.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 3.86% lower within the past month. APA currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, APA is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 6.63. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 9.61.

The Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 177, positioning it in the bottom 29% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hub Group, Inc. ("Hub Group" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: HUBG). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. 

The class action concerns whether Hub Group and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

You have until August 28, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Hub Group securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 5, 2026, Hub Group announced that the Company's financial statements for the first three quarters of 2025 should not be relied upon due to "an error that resulted in the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable in the first nine months of 2025."  The Company revealed that its reports for those quarters "were in each case materially misstated due to the aforementioned error and should no longer be relied upon" and that "the Company [wa]s also continuing to assess the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting and appropriate remediation steps." The Company also estimated that "[t]he total amount of the reduction to accounts payable and purchased transportation costs related to this issue that was recorded during these periods is $77 million."  As such, Hub Group stated that it "plans to restate its financial statements for the first, second and third quarters of 2025."

On this news, Hub Group's stock price fell $9.37 per share, or 18.25%, to close at $41.96 per share on February 6, 2026. 

Then, on May 12, 2026, Hub Group announced that it had "identified certain transactions that were prematurely or incorrectly recognized or not adequately supported," causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports filed with the SEC to be "materially misstated," such that they "should no longer be relied upon."  The Company did not quantify the expected misstatement, although it "expect[ed] to conclude that it did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023."  

On this news, Hub Group's stock price fell $5.24 per share, or 12.52%, to close at $36.62 per share on May 12, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. 

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980 

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE: CNS) today reported preliminary assets under management of $100.1 billion as of June 30, 2026, an increase of $644 million from assets under management of $99.5 billion at May 31, 2026. The increase was due to market appreciation of $611 million and net inflows of $495 million, partially offset by distributions of $462 million.

 Assets Under Management

(unaudited)

($ in millions)

AUM

  Net

Market

 AUM

By investment vehicle:

5/31/2026

 Flows

App/(Dep)

Distributions

 6/30/2026

Institutional Accounts:

  Advisory

$22,698

$36

$171

-

$22,905

  Subadvisory

15,712

(236)

194

(52)

15,618

Total Institutional Accounts

38,410

(200)

365

(52)

38,523

Open-end Funds

48,456

695

196

(354)

48,993

Closed-end Funds

12,589

-

50

(56)

12,583

Total AUM

$99,455

$495

$611

($462)

$100,099

About Cohen & Steers. Cohen & Steers is a leading global investment manager specializing in real assets and alternative income, including listed and private real estate, preferred securities, infrastructure, resource equities, commodities, as well as multi-strategy solutions. Founded in 1986, the firm is headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.

SOURCE Cohen & Steers, Inc.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra (NYSE: SRE) today announced leadership appointments that mark another strategic milestone in advancing the company's mission to build America's leading utility growth business while bolstering leadership continuity and talent development.

The appointments follow the company's September 2025 announcement of its agreement to sell a 45% equity interest in Sempra Infrastructure Partners (Sempra Infrastructure), one of North America's leading energy infrastructure platforms, to affiliates of KKR. The company continues to expect the transaction to close in the third quarter of 2026, and Bob Patel was recently announced as the incoming chief executive officer of Sempra Infrastructure, effective upon close.

Advancing Utility Growth Strategy with New Leadership Appointments
With the closing of the referenced transaction, Karen Sedgwick, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sempra, will become chief executive officer and president of the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), bringing over 30 years of experience at the Sempra family of companies, including an established leadership background in utility practice and procedure, external and regulatory affairs, operations and safety, to lead the nation's largest gas distribution utility. In addition, she will continue to serve on the board of directors of SoCalGas.

Concurrently, Justin Bird, executive vice president of Sempra and chief executive officer of Sempra Infrastructure, will become executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sempra. Combined with his track record of value creation in the capital markets at the helm of Sempra Infrastructure, Bird has a strong, multi-disciplinary foundation for a successful transition into the CFO role. With more than 20 years of experience at Sempra, Bird has held leadership roles in treasury, financial planning, corporate development and legal, including five years of prior experience in commercial and project finance. In addition to his current oversight of Sempra's corporate development program, Bird will also lead the company's investor relations, treasury, financial planning, audit, insurance and tax functions. He will continue to serve on the boards of directors of Sempra Infrastructure and Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC.

The referenced leadership changes will become effective on or around the closing of the transaction, expected in the third quarter of 2026, subject to necessary regulatory and other approvals and closing conditions.

"This is an exciting time for our company as we continue to advance the growth of our utility businesses. These appointments further our mission alignment and strengthen our ability to deliver long-term value for our stakeholders," said Jeffrey W. Martin, chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra. "Our board has great confidence in both Karen and Justin and the leadership they will bring to their new roles. Karen is a proven leader who has touched all aspects of our California utilities over the last three decades and I am excited to see her take on the role of leading America's largest natural gas distribution utility. I am also excited to partner with Justin as he broadens the scope of his financial and strategic responsibilities and extends his positive impact across the enterprise."

Sempra's focus on developing and rotating leaders at all levels of the company has helped cultivate a mission-driven culture centered on the recognition that human capital is the most important corporate resource, as demonstrated by its recent inclusion on The Wall Street Journal's inaugural "Best Companies for the Future" list, where the company ranked among the top companies in America for leadership and talent readiness.

Strengthening Financial Position and Funding Growth
The pending transaction plays a central role in advancing Sempra's strategic priorities by generating substantial cash proceeds and supporting disciplined capital allocation to concentrate the company's investment strategy in regulated U.S. utility operations in Texas and California. Before adjustments, the $10 billion transaction announced in September 2025 implies an equity value of approximately $22.2 billion for Sempra Infrastructure.1

Upon closing, affiliates of KKR will hold a 65% equity stake in Sempra Infrastructure, while Sempra will retain a 25% interest alongside an affiliate of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's existing 10% stake. The impact of the transaction, together with other elements of the company's simplified business strategy, are expected to result in approximately 95% of Sempra's earnings coming from regulated U.S. utilities in 2027, while also supporting the company's goal of having more than 60% of its rate base located in Texas through the end of the decade.2 These impacts also are expected to eliminate the need for common equity issuances in the company's 2026-2030 base capital plan3 and support execution of the company's 2026 value creation initiatives, including efficiently sourcing capital for growth and deconsolidating Sempra Infrastructure's debt from Sempra's consolidated financials.

About Sempra
Sempra's mission is to build America's leading utility growth business. As owner of one of the largest energy networks on the continent, Sempra is electrifying and improving energy resilience in California and Texas, the two largest economies in the U.S. The company is recognized as a leader in responsible business practices and for its high-performance culture focused on safety and operational excellence, as demonstrated by Sempra's inclusion in The Wall Street Journal's Management Top 250 and Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies. More information about Sempra is available at sempra.com and on social media @sempra.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

In this press release, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would," "will," "confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible," "proposed," "in process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity," "preliminary," "pro forma," "strategic," "initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic," "poised," "positioned," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance," "goal," "aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss our guidance, priorities, strategies, goals, vision, mission, projections, intentions or expectations.

Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: California wildfires, including potential liability for damages regardless of fault and any inability to recover all or a substantial portion of costs from insurance, the wildfire fund established by California Assembly Bill 1054 and the wildfire fund continuation account established by California Senate Bill 254, rates from customers or a combination thereof; decisions, disallowances or denials of cost recovery, audits, investigations, inquiries, ordered studies, regulations, legislative actions, denials or revocations of permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor contracts and commitments, by the (i) Comisión Nacional de Energía, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Public Utility Commission of Texas and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S., Mexico and states, counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein and in other countries where we do business; the success of business development efforts, construction projects, acquisitions, divestitures, and other significant transactions such as the planned sale of a portion of our equity interest in Sempra Infrastructure Partners, including risks related to, as applicable, (i) being able to reach a positive final investment decision, (ii) negotiating pricing and other terms in definitive contracts, (iii) completing construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget, (iv) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (v) obtaining regulatory and other approvals and (vi) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments, including with respect to closing or post-closing payments; changes to our capital expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other growth; changes, due to evolving economic, political and other factors and increasing geopolitical instability as a result of wars or other conflicts in various parts of the world, to (i) trade and other foreign policy, including the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. and foreign countries (and uncertainty related to the implementation and enforceability thereof), and (ii) laws and regulations, including those related to tax and the energy industry in the U.S. and Mexico; litigation, arbitration, property disputes and other proceedings; cybersecurity threats, including by nation-state actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our systems, the energy grid or our other infrastructure, or the systems of third parties with which we conduct business; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money or otherwise raise capital on favorable terms and meet our obligations, which can be affected by, among other things, (i) actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, and (iii) fluctuating interest rates and inflation; the impact of efforts to increase affordability of U.S. utility customer rates on our ability to obtain cost recovery from applicable regulators, our capital expenditure and other growth plans and our ability to advance statewide policies; the impact on affordability of customer rates, cost of capital and operating margin due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates, commodity prices, tariff rates, and foreign currency exchange rates and (ii) with respect to San Diego Gas & Electric Company's (SDG&E) and Southern California Gas Company's (SoCalGas) businesses, the cost of meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate policies, laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment for California natural gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable insurance; the availability of electric power, natural gas and natural gas storage and transportation capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the transmission grid or pipeline and storage systems or limitations on the injection and withdrawal of natural gas from storage facilities; Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC's (Oncor) ability to reduce or eliminate its quarterly dividends due to regulatory and governance requirements and commitments, including by actions of Oncor's independent directors or a minority member director; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control. 

These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that Sempra has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra's website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements.

Sempra Infrastructure Partners and its subsidiaries, and the Sempra Texas utilities (Oncor and Sharyland Utilities) are not the same companies as the Sempra California utilities, SDG&E or SoCalGas, nor are they regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

1 Implied valuation is based on proceeds before KKR fee reimbursement of $338M, development credits of $340M and other closing and post-closing adjustments.

2 Reflects Sempra's proportionate share of its utilities' combined projected 2030 rate base, based on Sempra's ownership interest in each utility.

3 Capital plan assumes $0.6B of shares issued via direct stock purchase plan (DRIP) and 401(k) plans, which is a projection based on historical issuances under these plans. Capital plan also assumes share issuances under existing forward contracts in Sempra's at-the-market offering program that are expected to settle within the plan period.

SOURCE Sempra

ABU DHABI, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Remitly Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: RELY) is among the first international remittance companies to secure a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) license with Exchange Business Category IV from the Central Bank of the UAE, a major milestone in one of the world's largest remittance markets. This authorization further extends Remitly’s regulated global footprint and our service to customers across more than 175 countries, strengthening our position for long term growth in the region. The license follows a rigorous review process with the CBUAE and reflects the formal recognition of Remitly's commitment to the UAE and its customers. With the license secured, Remitly will be able to bring new products, purpose-built to serve UAE customers.

The UAE moves an estimated $50 billion across borders every year. Currently people in the UAE can transfer money via Remitly across more than 175 countries, with upfront fees and exchange rates, high transfer limits, and the speed and reliability that has earned the trust of 9.6 million quarterly users worldwide, who moved over $80 billion in send volume over the last twelve months. With CBUAE authorization in place, Remitly can now build and introduce new products designed to strengthen customers' financial lives across countries.

"The UAE is one of the most important remittance regions in the world, and receiving our CBUAE license is a defining moment for Remitly”, said Davis Dominic Parakal, UAE CEO at Remitly. “We are grateful for the rigorous engagement with CBUAE throughout this process and are proud to operate to the high bar it has set for the industry. We are here to build something valuable for the diverse communities across the UAE."

This authorization arrives as the UAE accelerates its position as a global fintech leader. The CBUAE's dedicated digital remittance license category is designed specifically for globally minded operators committed to investing in the region for the long term. Remitly's presence here directly supports the UAE's 'We the UAE 2031' vision, which places fintech and digital financial services at the heart of the country's ambition to double the contribution of its digital economy to GDP.

The UAE license is the latest chapter in Remitly's global drive to expand access to fast, fair, and transparent financial services for the millions of people worldwide who have historically been underserved.

About Remitly: Remitly is a trusted provider of financial services that transcend borders. With a footprint spanning more than 175 countries, Remitly has built one of the world’s leading global money movement platforms, trusted by millions of customers. Remitly continues to evolve beyond a remittance company into a diversified, cross-border financial services provider, serving both consumers and businesses across a growing set of use cases.

Contacts

Media Inquiries:
[email protected]

Investor Relations:
[email protected]

-

IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) announced today that it will host a conference call on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 9 a.m. Eastern Time (8 a.m. Central Time) to discuss second quarter 2026 financial results, which will be released earlier that day, and provide an update on company operations. A presentation with accompanying supplemental financial data will also be available at darlingii.com/investors.

To access the call as a listener, please register for the audio-only webcast.

To join the call as a participant to ask a question, please register in advance to receive a confirmation email with the dial-in number and PIN for immediate access on July 30 or call 833-461-5787 (United States) or 626-884-3620 (international) using access code 745365725.

A replay of the call will be available online via the webcast registration link two hours after the call ends. A transcript will be posted at darlingii.com/investors within 24 hours.

About Darling Ingredients

A pioneer in circularity, Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) takes material from the animal agriculture and food industries, and transforms them into valuable ingredients that nourish people, feed animals and crops, and fuel the world with renewable energy. The company operates over 260 facilities in more than 15 countries and processes about 15% of the world’s animal agricultural by-products, produces about 30% of the world’s collagen (both gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen), and is one of the largest producers of renewable energy. To learn more, visit darlingii.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

More News From Darling Ingredients Inc.

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July 09, 2026 16:05 ET  | Source: Varonis Systems, Inc.

MIAMI, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Varonis Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRNS), the data and AI security leader, announced that it will report its second quarter 2026 financial results following the close of the U.S. financial markets Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

In conjunction with this announcement, Varonis will host a conference call Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss the company's financial results.

To access this call, dial 877-425-9470 (domestic) or 201-389-0878 (international). The conference ID number is 13761605. A replay of this conference call will be available through August 11, 2026, at 844-512-2921 (domestic) or 412-317-6671 (international). The replay passcode is 13761605.

A live webcast of this conference call will be available on the “Investor Relations” page of the company's website (https://ir.varonis.com), and the replay will be archived on the website for one year.

Additional Resources

For more information on Varonis’ solution portfolio, please visit www.varonis.com.Visit our blog, and join us on LinkedIn and YouTube. About Varonis

Varonis (Nasdaq: VRNS) secures AI and the data that powers it. The Varonis platform gives organizations automated visibility and control over their critical data wherever it lives and helps ensure safe and trustworthy AI from code to runtime. Backed by 24x7x365 managed detection and response, Varonis gives thousands of organizations worldwide the confidence to adopt AI, reduce data exposure, and stop AI-powered threats.

Investor Relations Contact:
Tim Perz
Varonis Systems, Inc.
646-640-2112
[email protected]

News Media Contact: 
Rachel Hunt
Varonis Systems, Inc.
877-292-8767 (ext. 1598)
[email protected]

HomeStock IdeasLong IdeasReal Estate Analysis

SummarySabra Health Care REIT remains a Buy, driven by its aggressive pivot into the Seniors Housing Operating Portfolio model.SBRA's SHOP transition offers direct exposure to demographic tailwinds from the 'Silver Tsunami,' positioning for significant potential occupancy and AFFO growth.Q1 results were strong, with AFFO at $0.39/share, nearly reaching the annual investment target, and a 77% dividend payout ratio supporting a ~6% yield.Despite near-term macro headwinds and increased operational risk, SBRA's intrinsic value estimate of $23.41/share implies re-rating potential above current levels. Drazen Zigic/iStock via Getty Images

Introduction The last time I covered Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA), I reiterated its Buy rating, highlighting how the company was rapidly pivoting into SHOP (Seniors Housing Operating Portfolio) in order to better position

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

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

CompaniesJuly 9 (Reuters) - Bausch + Lomb (BLCO.TO), opens new tab said on Thursday its glaucoma eye drop had missed ​the main goal in a mid-stage ‌trial of replicating visual function improvements observed in a smaller study.

The company said ​it will discontinue development of ​the eye drops for glaucoma-related vision ⁠improvement.

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Here are further details: -

Bausch acquired ​the eye drop BL1107 through a ​buyout of Whitecap Biosciences last year.

U.S.-listed shares of the company were down 2.8% in ​extended trading.

The company said it ​will continue pursuing a sustained-release implant for the ‌treatment ⁠of vision-threatening diseases, with a primary focus on geographic atrophy, an advanced, late stage of dry age-related ​macular degeneration.

Bausch ​expects clinical ⁠trials of the implant to begin in 2028.

"We’ve ​intentionally built a diversified pipeline ... ​not ⁠every program will succeed, but every study helps us make smarter decisions ⁠about ​where to invest,” said ​Bausch's medical chief Yehia Hashad.

Reporting by Puyaan Singh ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

PepsiCo’s Dividend Could Turn Patience Into Real ProfitPepsiCo NASDAQ: PEP executives reaffirmed the company’s full-year outlook during its 2026 second-quarter earnings question-and-answer session, pointing to strong international momentum and improving global volumes while acknowledging that North America, particularly impulse channels tied to gasoline purchases, performed below expectations in the quarter.

Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said PepsiCo’s first-half results showed “almost 7% revenue growth,” with global volumes up 3% in foods and 2% in beverages, which he described as the company’s fastest volume growth since 2022. CFO Steve Schmitt said reported EPS grew 6% in the first half, while constant-currency EPS rose 3%.

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These 5 Companies Just Made a Massive Bet on ThemselvesStill, management repeatedly cited a softer-than-expected North American environment in the second quarter, with higher gasoline prices affecting consumer behavior and convenience-store purchasing. Laguarta said the company continues to see strong international performance and expects North America to gradually improve in the second half, though at “a more moderate pace” than previously anticipated.

North America Focuses on Affordability, Portfolio Changes A key topic on the call was PepsiCo Foods North America, where volume was flat in the quarter despite stepped-up affordability initiatives and innovation. Laguarta said the company had two main goals for its U.S. foods business: get the salty-snacks category back to volume growth and regain volume share. He said PepsiCo has made progress on both.

Campbell's Soup Stock: Deep Value and a 7% Dividend Yield“A category that was negative in volume now is positive in volume,” Laguarta said. “We were losing share in volume. We’re gaining share in volume.”

Management said the turnaround is being driven by two pillars: price and affordability investments, and growth in “permissible” products and portion-control offerings. Laguarta said the permissible foods portfolio is already a $3 billion business and is growing “almost double digit.” He also pointed to portion-control formats and opening price points in multipacks and variety packs as areas that are working well.

At the same time, Laguarta said PepsiCo needs to improve the return on some of its pricing investments in the second half. He described the work as customer-by-customer and channel-by-channel, with different approaches needed for high-low retailers versus everyday-low-price retailers.

“It’s trying to get more volume from the investments,” Laguarta said in response to a question about what optimizing return on investment means.

Gas Prices Weigh on Convenience and Impulse Channels Executives said higher gasoline prices following the Iran war had a meaningful impact on consumers, not just in the U.S. but globally. Laguarta said the U.S. effect has been most visible in impulse channels such as convenience stores and independent outlets, where PepsiCo is seeing slower conversion of store traffic into food and beverage purchases.

To address the issue, PepsiCo is working with retail partners on offers such as bundles, meal-linked promotions and combined food-and-beverage solutions. Laguarta said the company sees benefits when it has “good offers and bundles” in the channel.

He also said PepsiCo is not trying to raise prices in single-serve products to pay for investments in take-home formats.

“That’s not what we’re trying to do,” Laguarta said.

Asked about test-market work that supported the company’s affordability strategy, Laguarta said the consumer is “worse than what we had anticipated,” largely because of gasoline prices, and that some price investments at certain customers experienced execution delays for commercial reasons. He said those issues have been addressed and should support acceleration in the second half.

Guidance Reaffirmed, Tariff Refunds to Offset Cost Pressure Schmitt said PepsiCo reaffirmed its full-year guidance, though he noted results may trend toward the low end of the EPS range the company had previously provided. He said management expects international net revenue to remain strong, North America to gradually improve and commodity pressures to increase.

PepsiCo also expects refund claims for tariffs paid last year to provide about 1 full point of EPS growth for the year. Schmitt said those refunds will help offset commodity pressure and allow the company to continue investing in the business.

“We’re not making decisions that hurt the top line in our assessment,” Schmitt said. He added that North America advertising and marketing expense is projected to increase in the second half compared with the prior year.

Schmitt said third-quarter results are expected to benefit from international strength and approximately 1 point of EPS benefit from tariff refund claims, but also face a higher year-over-year tax rate and timing of certain costs and investments. He said PepsiCo expects more productivity in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter.

International Business Remains a Growth Driver Management emphasized the strength of PepsiCo’s international business throughout the call. Laguarta said the international business is expected to cross $40 billion this year and has become a major contributor to company volume, revenue and profit. He said international beverage volumes represent about two-thirds of PepsiCo’s total company beverage volume, while international foods volumes represent more than half.

Laguarta said markets in Asia and the Middle East remained resilient despite concerns about elevated gasoline prices. He also cited strong performance in Europe, where World Cup sponsorship activity in the food business is helping activate the category, and said Latin America was growing somewhat less than the rest of the business but remained positive.

Schmitt said international operating margin increased by a full point in the second quarter, showing not only top-line growth but improved flow-through on the profit and loss statement. He noted that PepsiCo expects some commodity inflation in the second half, particularly in EMEA, but said teams have been proactive in mitigation efforts.

PBNA Margins, M&A and U.S. Productivity Initiatives In PepsiCo Beverages North America, Schmitt said operating margin declined about 90 basis points in the quarter, driven by gross profit rate. He attributed about half of the gross profit rate decline to the company’s Alani commercial arrangement, with additional pressure from softness in convenience and gas channels and product mix.

Laguarta said PepsiCo continues to see momentum in no-sugar beverages, functional hydration and energy, as well as innovation expected to scale in the second half.

On recent acquisitions, Laguarta said both Siete and poppi are “doing well.” He said poppi experienced some transition impact as it moved from its prior distributor system into PepsiCo’s system, but that issue is “pretty much solved.” Siete had ingredient-related issues in April and May, which he said have also been resolved. He also cited partnerships such as Celsius and Alani Nu as ways PepsiCo is expanding consumer offerings.

Executives also discussed productivity initiatives in the U.S., including automation, digitalization and efforts to combine scale across the company’s North American food and beverage businesses. Laguarta said PepsiCo is testing combined mixing centers, combined delivery and combined fleet concepts in Texoma, with more detail expected later this year or early next year.

Laguarta said the objective is to fund U.S. transformation without reducing investment in international markets, which he described as PepsiCo’s largest long-term growth opportunity.

About PepsiCo NASDAQ: PEPPepsiCo, Inc NASDAQ: PEP is a multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Purchase, New York. The company develops, manufactures, markets and sells a broad portfolio of branded food and beverage products, including carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, salty snacks, cereals, and other convenient foods. Its leading consumer brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Quaker, Lay's, Doritos and Cheetos, among others.

Formed through the 1965 merger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay, PepsiCo has grown into a global business with integrated manufacturing, distribution and marketing operations.

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

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Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST, XETRA:CTO) shares fell about 4% to $913 on Wednesday after the warehouse retailer reported a moderation in June comparable sales growth, though Bank of America analysts maintained their ‘Buy’ rating, arguing the company's value-focused strategy and affluent customer base should continue to support market share gains.

For the five weeks ended July 5, total sales rose 10.6%, while US comparable sales excluding gasoline increased 7.6%. Bank of America noted the result represented a slowdown on both a one-year and two-year stacked basis following a stronger May.

The analysts wrote that Costco's "philosophy of leading with value and its weighting towards a higher income consumer gives us confidence share gains across categories will continue."

Non-food comparable sales increased by a mid- to high-single-digit percentage, driven by jewelry, home furnishings and major appliances. Management also highlighted higher prices in consumer electronics and appliances due to inflation in memory chip prices.

Fresh food comparable sales rose by a mid-single-digit percentage, supported by bakery and meat, while food and sundries posted low- to mid-single-digit growth led by food, candy and frozen products.

Overall inflation remained in the low- to mid-single-digit range, with food inflation at the lower end due to egg price deflation and non-food inflation at the higher end because of rising memory prices.

Customer traffic increased 3.2% during the month, easing from 3.9% in May, while average ticket growth excluding gasoline and foreign exchange was 3.7%, compared with 4% in the prior month.

Bank of America also noted Costco is now lapping the rollout of extended shopping hours introduced last July for executive members and later for all members. Management previously estimated the additional hours contributed roughly one percentage point to weekly US sales following their introduction.

Elsewhere, ancillary sales growth slowed as gasoline prices eased, while comparable sales growth moderated in Canada and other international markets. Digital comparable sales remained strong, rising 21.5% in June and improving sequentially from the previous month.

The analysts also noted Costco shifted its member appreciation days to coincide with Amazon's Prime Day and other competing promotional events.

Micron (MU +4.55%) has lost more than 20% of its value in less than two weeks amid a broader correction among AI stocks. Most investors have been conditioned to expect these sorts of stocks to keep rising steadily, especially as tech giants continue to ramp up their AI infrastructure spending.

The fundamentals of its business suggest Micron's stock rally should continue, so when its price movements defy expectations, it creates buying opportunities for long-term investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

Micron's combination of valuation and revenue growth is rare Micron may be in a class of its own when it comes to valuation and revenue growth. 

In its fiscal 2026 third quarter, which ended May 28, the company more than quadrupled its revenue year over year, blowing past its previous guidance. Even its fiscal fourth-quarter guidance was solid, with more than 20% sequential growth expected.

Today's Change

(

4.55

%) $

43.22

Current Price

$

992.02

Yet the stock trades at a P/E ratio of 22, which is lower than the S&P 500's (^GSPC +0.81%) valuation. Meanwhile, few companies in the benchmark index came anywhere close to that kind of revenue growth. The valuation appears even more absurd when looking at Micron's 6.4 forward P/E ratio. That metric reflects expected future growth, making the current dip all the more jarring.

The company even hinted in its earnings release a few weeks ago that it is breaking free from the cyclical nature of the memory chip business. "Multiyear Strategic Customer Agreements will significantly enhance the durability and predictability of Micron's strong financial performance," said CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

The fundamentals are strong and strengthening, which makes the recent stock price slide more difficult to justify. It also comes as fellow memory product provider Samsung reported a higher quarterly profit than Apple or Nvidia. Micron is riding that same tailwind and looks poised to expand its market share.

Micron's top customers are rushing to spend more on AI infrastructure The string of strong quarters that Micron has put up lately has not been a fluke. They are the result of the company's largest customers ramping up their AI expenditures and competing with each other to gain market share in lucrative opportunities.

Amazon recently said it would issue at least $25 billion in corporate bonds to raise funds for its AI infrastructure build-out. Meanwhile, Alphabet completed an $84.75 billion equity raise a little earlier.

This spending comes from highly profitable companies that are scaling up their products and services thanks to AI. A meaningful portion of the money raised by their financial moves should flow rapidly into Micron's coffers since AI servers require copious amounts of memory chips.

Micron is even well positioned for the expected push into physical AI. Humanoid robots and self-driving vehicles will also need Micron's memory chips. While hyperscalers' big deals get the most attention, Micron also struck a multiyear agreement with Ford Motor Company to supply the memory products for its next-gen vehicles. Deals can branch well beyond tech giants as more industries embrace AI. It all bodes well for Micron despite the recent stock price action.

Marc Guberti has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Micron Technology, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

INDIA - 2023/12/14: In this photo illustration, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd (TSMC) logo seen displayed on a mobile phone screen with the AI (artificial intelligence) revolution symbol in the background. (Photo Illustration by Idrees Abbas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) reports second-quarter earnings on Thursday, July 16, with its earnings conference scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Taipei time (2:00 a.m. ET). The numbers Wall Street is penciling in tell their own story about how far this AI cycle has already run. Consensus estimates call for revenue near $40 billion, up roughly 32% year-over-year, with earnings per ADR unit expected to rise more than 50% from a year ago. TSMC itself guided to revenue between $39.0 billion and $40.2 billion, with gross margin in a 65.5% to 67.5% range.

What makes this print more interesting than a routine beat-and-raise is not the top line. TSMC has cleared elevated bars all year, leading many to name it among the best AI infrastructure plays for 2026. The real question is what management says about the back half of the year, and whether the company is finally catching up to the tsunami of demand it has been chasing for two years.

What The Market Wants to HearInvestors will be listening for three things on the call.

First, whether TSMC lifts its full-year revenue growth guidance, which currently stands at "above 30%" in dollar terms. Citi and other sell-side shops expect an upward revision given management's April commentary about "extremely robust" AI demand. Second, whether the company raises its 2026 capital budget above the high end of its existing $52 billion to $56 billion range, which would signal even more urgency to add capacity. Third, and most closely watched, is an update on advanced packaging — specifically CoWoS. This technology binds logic chips to high-bandwidth memory and has become the true chokepoint in AI chip production.

There is a modest note of caution heading into the print. TSMC's combined April and May revenue grew about 24% year-over-year, short of the roughly 35% growth some investors had penciled in for the quarter, which has introduced some near-term jitters even as the longer-term growth story remains intact.

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At the Center of AI Infrastructure BuildoutIt is difficult to overstate how central TSMC has become to the infrastructure race now underway among the major cloud platforms. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) are together on pace to spend about $700 billion on capital expenditure this year, up roughly three-quarters from 2025.

The bulk of that money is flowing into AI data centers, custom silicon and the GPUs that TSMC alone has the capacity to manufacture at scale. Nearly every leading AI accelerator — Nvidia's (NASDAQ: NVDA) GPUs, AMD's (NASDAQ: AMD) MI-series chips, and the custom ASICs designed in-house by Google and Amazon — is fabricated on TSMC's advanced nodes and finished in TSMC's packaging lines. That concentration is precisely why TSMC's order book is a telltale gauge of AI infrastructure demand more broadly, arguably more informative than any single hyperscaler's earnings call.

The Bottleneck Has Moved from Silicon to PackagingFor most of the last two decades, the constraint in this industry was the ability to shrink transistors. That is no longer true. TSMC's 3-nanometer and 2-nanometer processes are running at high yields. The harder problem now is CoWoS advanced packaging, which stacks logic dies with high-bandwidth memory into the modules that actually ship inside an AI server. Nvidia alone has reportedly secured roughly 60% of TSMC's CoWoS output for 2026, leaving other GPU and ASIC makers to scrap for what remains. Some customers have reportedly turned to Samsung Electronics (KRX: 005930) to supplement capacity TSMC cannot provide.

TSMC has responded with one of the more aggressive capacity buildouts in its history, targeting a compound annual growth rate above 80% for CoWoS capacity between 2022 and 2027, adding packaging campuses in Tainan and Chiayi, and planning a packaging hub in Arizona to serve U.S. customers directly. Industry trackers estimate the gap between packaging supply and demand, which ran as wide as 20% earlier this year, could narrow to roughly 10% by the end of 2026 as this new capacity comes online. This means that packaging, not wafer starts, is likely to remain the variable that determines how quickly new AI hardware actually reaches customers through the rest of this year.

The Great Semiconductor Onshoring ExperimentThe risks here are less about demand, which by every account remains extraordinary, and more about execution. TSMC's own disclosures flag U.S. export controls, evolving tariff policy, and customer concentration as ongoing risks to monitor.

The Arizona expansion, now framed as a $465 billion, eleven-fab program tied to a U.S.-Taiwan tariff framework, has become the highest-profile test case for reshoring chip manufacturing in America at scale. Taiwan's National Development Council has pointed to challenges including water availability in the Arizona desert, visa delays for the Taiwanese engineers rotating through on assignment, and long-term power supply as the practical constraints management is managing in real time. None of these are new problems for U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, but the scale of what TSMC is attempting in Arizona means any one of them could push a fab timeline by quarters or even years.

Consumer Device InflationThe other thread worth watching is pricing.

TSMC has told major customers, including Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Nvidia and Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM), to expect a fourth consecutive year of price increases starting in 2026, with hikes reportedly running 3% to 10% depending on the node and application, and now extending beyond 2-nanometer and 3-nanometer wafers to nodes as mature as 7-nanometer. A 2-nanometer wafer now runs upward of $30,000, more than 50% above the cost of a 3-nanometer wafer, and TSMC has guided to gross margin dilution of 2 to 3 percentage points this year from the 2-nanometer ramp and overseas expansion, even as pricing offsets much of that pressure.

For now, TSMC's biggest AI customers appear able to absorb these increases. Nvidia's margins remain wide enough to pass costs through, and demand for accelerators has shown little price sensitivity.

But further downstream, the picture is different. Smartphone and PC chipmakers operating on thinner margins are expected to pass a meaningful share of these increases on to consumers, which is one reason, along with surging prices for memory, analysts expect flagship device prices to tick higher starting later this year. It is a useful reminder that the AI capital cycle, for all its abstraction on a spreadsheet, is already showing up in the price of an iPhone or a laptop.

Managing High-Quality ProblemsWherever Q2 results land, TSMC is for the moment sitting in the catbird seat during the biggest capex cycle of this century.

They operate at the technological frontier of semiconductor fabrication worldwide. They work with the most desirable customers, and those customers fight to get allocations of their capacity. More significantly, they have built a “trust moat” based on years of meeting commitments, engineering excellence, and protecting customer IP that sets them apart from their closest competitors, Samsung Foundry and Intel.

The challenges TSMC faces reflect the ordinary friction of building enormous capacity and talent at record speed, and they are better positioned than anyone to manage them.

Their CEO C.C. Wei has burnished his credibility through a combination of bullish capital commitments to expansion, made after months of channel checks with major customers, and frank discussions about the risk of industry overcapacity. For this reason, analysts will be hanging on his every word to divine how long the AI Supercycle is likely to persist.

WILMINGTON, Del., July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clover Health Investments, Corp. (Nasdaq: CLOV) (“Clover,” “Clover Health” or the “Company”), today announced that it will release its financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The Company’s management will host a webcast presentation at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day to discuss the company’s business and financial performance for the quarter.

Second Quarter 2026 Conference Webcast Details:

What: Clover Health’s Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference CallWhen: Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern TimeWebcast: To access the webcast, you may register at https://clover-health-2q-2026-earnings.open-exchange.net/.
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be accessible from the Investor Relations section of Clover Health’s website at https://investors.cloverhealth.com/ for 12 months.

About Clover Health:
Clover Health (Nasdaq: CLOV) is a physician enablement technology company committed to bringing access to great healthcare to everyone on Medicare. This includes a focus on seniors who have historically lacked access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Our strategy is powered by our software platform, Clover Assistant, which is designed to aggregate patient data from across the healthcare ecosystem to support clinical decision-making and improve health outcomes through the early identification and management of chronic disease. For our members, we provide PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plans in several states, with a differentiated focus on our flagship wide-network, high-choice PPO plans. For healthcare providers outside Clover Health's Medicare Advantage plan, we extend the benefits of our data-driven technology platform to a wider audience via our subsidiary, Counterpart Health, and aim to enable enhanced patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs on a nationwide scale. Clover Health has published data demonstrating the technology’s impact on Medication Adherence, Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and in Underserved Populations as well as the earlier identification and management of Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease.

Investor Relations:
Ryan Schmidt
[email protected]

Press Inquiries:
[email protected]

Key Takeaways Agilent is expanding its AI software and automation portfolio to support its biopharma growth prospects. Agilent launched xCELLigence RTCA eSight AI to simplify label-free live-cell imaging analysis. A expects fiscal Q3 2026 revenues of $1.83B-$1.85B, implying 5.0%-6.5% reported growth. Agilent Technologies (A - Free Report) shares have lost 5.2% in the year-to-date period, underperforming the Zacks Medical  industry's 2.8% growth. The dip reflects cautious laboratory spending and a challenging macroeconomic environment.

However, Agilent continues to strengthen its long-term growth prospects through product innovation and expanding artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled laboratory software and automation capabilities, supported by healthy demand across the pharmaceutical, diagnostics and advanced materials markets.

The company also benefits from growing demand for AI-enabled laboratory software and automation as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies increasingly digitize research workflows and accelerate drug discovery. Agilent's integrated software ecosystem, led by its OpenLab and xCELLigence platforms, combines analytical instruments, software and laboratory automation to improve productivity, reduce manual intervention and deliver more consistent scientific results.

Agilent Expands AI-Powered Cell Analysis PortfolioAgilent continues to strengthen its AI-enabled laboratory portfolio through innovations spanning analytical instruments, laboratory software, automation and digital workflows, supporting the growing adoption of AI-driven research solutions.

Building on this strategy, the company launched xCELLigence RTCA eSight AI, a new AI-powered software module that simplifies label-free live-cell imaging analysis. The software enhances the xCELLigence RTCA eSight platform by combining AI-driven image analysis with impedance measurements, enabling researchers to analyze imaging and cell behavior simultaneously from the same experiment.

The new module replaces manual cell segmentation and subjective parameter tuning with a one-click automated workflow, helping researchers generate more consistent and reproducible results while reducing analysis time and lowering training requirements. Designed for drug discovery and high-throughput biopharma research, the software is expected to accelerate scientific workflows, improve laboratory productivity and expand adoption of Agilent's integrated cell analysis platform, supporting long-term software and biopharma growth.

AI Innovation Strengthens Agilent's Growth StoryAgilent continues to expand its AI capabilities across laboratory software, automation and digital workflows. During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, AI was highlighted as a key long-term growth driver, with increasing customer adoption and continued investments in digital laboratory solutions expected to support sustainable growth. Agilent is integrating AI across its analytical instruments, laboratory informatics and automation solutions to enhance scientific workflows and operational efficiency.

Agilent is further expanding its digital laboratory capabilities through its announcement of the China Innovation Center in June 2026, which focuses on AI, automation and digital laboratory technologies to enable next-generation smart laboratories. These initiatives strengthen Agilent's AI-enabled laboratory portfolio and are expected to address growing demand for AI-powered laboratory software and automation solutions, strengthening the company's long-term growth prospects.

Agilent Provides Strong Fiscal Q3 2026 OutlookAgilent's improving demand environment, expanding AI software portfolio and continued product innovation are expected to benefit the company’s top-line growth.

For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, A expects revenues to be in the range of $1.83-$1.85 billion, implying 5.0%-6.5% reported growth and 4.4%-5.9% core growth.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues is pegged at $1.84 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of approximately 6.02%.

The consensus estimate for third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.47 per share, which has decreased by a penny over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 7.30%.

A’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, Agilent carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Fortrea Holdings Inc (FTRE - Free Report) , Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX - Free Report) and PTC Therapeutics (PTCT - Free Report) are some better-ranked stocks that investors can consider in the broader Zacks Medical sector. Fortrea Holdings Inc, Neurocrine Biosciences and PTC Therapeutics sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

FTRE shares have lost 1.4% in the year-to-date period. The long-term earnings growth rate for Fortrea Holdings is pegged at 40.91%.

NBIX shares have risen 25.6% in the year-to-date period. The long-term earnings growth rate for Neurocrine Biosciences is pegged at 33.41%.

Shares of PTCT have gained 16.6% in the year-to-date period. The long-term earnings growth rate for PTC Therapeutics is pegged at 27.74%.

Key Takeaways PNC is expanding through FirstBank and other deals, strengthening its market reach and revenue base.PNC benefits from solid capital, liquidity and an 18% dividend hike after the 2026 Fed stress test.PNC targets long-term growth through branch expansion, though expenses and commercial loans remain risks. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (PNC - Free Report) shares have gained 14.3% in the past six months, outperforming the industry’s growth of 7.2%. Its close peers, Citigroup Inc. (C - Free Report) , have gained 16.7%, whereas shares of Wells Fargo (WFC - Free Report) have lost 9.9% during the same time period.

Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Can PNC shares continue gaining after their recent strength? Let’s take a closer look.

What’s Aiding PNC’s Performance?Business Expansion Through Strategic Acquisitions: PNC Financial has been actively expanding its business through strategic acquisitions and partnerships to strengthen its market presence and diversify its revenue base. In January 2026, the company acquired FirstBank Holding Company, substantially expanding its franchise in Colorado and Arizona. The acquisition added 95 branches and $26.8 billion in assets, with management expecting the deal to contribute nearly $1 per share to earnings by 2027. Further, the successful conversion of 780,000 FirstBank customers, more than 1,620 employees and all 95 branches in June 2026 marked the completion of a major integration milestone.

Beyond expanding its banking footprint, PNC Financial has continued to enhance its product offerings and investment banking capabilities. In August 2025, it acquired Aqueduct Capital Group to strengthen the fund placement capabilities of Harris Williams. In 2024, the company partnered with Plaid to facilitate secure customer data sharing and expanded its alliance with TCW Group to offer private credit solutions to middle-market companies. These strategic initiatives are expected to support revenue diversification and drive long-term growth.

Solid Liquidity and Capital Strength Drive Shareholder Value: The company maintains a solid liquidity and capital position. As of March 31, 2026, its total available liquidity (comprising cash and due from banks, and interest-earning deposits in banks) was $31.7 billion, while long-term debt totaled $63.9 billion, with no short-term borrowings. Further, in June 2026, PNC cleared the Federal Reserve’s 2026 stress test, with its Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 10.1% comfortably exceeding its stress capital buffer-based regulatory requirement of 7%. Backed by this capital strength, the company raised its quarterly common stock dividend by 18% to $2 per share in July 2026.

Over the past five years, PNC has increased its dividend six times, delivering a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 6%. Further, its current dividend yield of 2.76% compares favorably with the industry's average of 1.66%.

Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Likewise, its peers, WFC and C, also announced plans to increase dividends following the 2026 Fed’s stress test. Wells Fargo intends to raise its third-quarter 2026 common stock dividend by 11% to 50 cents per share, subject to board approval, while Citigroup plans to increase its quarterly common stock dividend by 12% to 67 cents per share beginning in the third quarter of 2026, subject to quarterly board approval.

Apart from regular dividend hikes, PNC also returns capital through share repurchases. The company has an existing authorization to repurchase up to 100 million common shares, with nearly 32 million shares remaining under the program as of March 31, 2026. Given its strong liquidity and capital position, PNC's capital deployment initiatives appear sustainable and are expected to continue enhancing shareholder value.

Steady Growth in Loans and Deposits: The company continues to benefit from steady growth in its loan and deposit balances, supported by a strong balance sheet and strategic expansion initiatives. Its total loans and deposits recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% and 7.3%, respectively, between 2019 and 2025. The growth momentum continued in the first quarter of 2026, with both loan and deposit balances increasing year over year. The acquisition of FirstBank further strengthened the company's balance sheet, adding nearly $16 billion in loans and $23 billion in deposits during the quarter. Earlier, in 2023, PNC Financial acquired approximately $16 billion of loan commitments from Signature Bank, enhancing its lending capacity.

Looking ahead, a well-diversified deposit base, continued growth in commercial and operational deposits and a relatively favorable interest rate environment are expected to support loan demand. Reflecting these tailwinds, management expects average loan balances to grow nearly 11% year over year in 2026, up from its earlier expectation of about 8% growth.

Expansion of Branch Network: PNC Financial continues to invest in its retail banking franchise through an aggressive branch expansion strategy. In November 2025, the company increased its planned investment in branch expansion to nearly $2 billion from the $1.5 billion announced in 2024. The initiative includes opening more than 300 branches across nearly 20 U.S. markets, renovating its entire branch network by 2029 and hiring more than 2,000 employees by 2030.

The company's focus on expanding in high-growth markets has already supported customer acquisition and checking account growth. Going forward, the expanded branch network is expected to strengthen PNC Financial's retail banking presence, deepen customer relationships and support sustainable revenue growth.

Few Concerns Prevail for PNCPersistent Expense Pressure: PNC Financial continues to witness an increase in operating expenses. The company's non-interest expenses recorded a CAGR of 4.6% between 2019 and 2025, with the upward trend continuing in the first quarter of 2026. While the company exceeded its 2025 Continuous Improvement Program cost-saving target, merger integration costs and continued investments in technology, branch expansion and personnel are expected to keep expenses elevated in the near term.

Total Expense Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Loan Portfolio Concentration: The company's loan portfolio remains heavily concentrated in commercial lending. As of March 31, 2026, commercial loans accounted for 70% of total loans. Despite a diversified commercial portfolio, persistent weakness in office real estate and an uncertain macroeconomic environment remain concerns. Commercial loans accounted for 61.5% of total non-performing loans and 47.4% of net charge-offs as of March 31, 2026. Further, management expects commercial real estate charge-offs, particularly in the office segment, to remain elevated, posing risks to asset quality if economic conditions weaken.

Parting Thoughts on PNCPNC Financial's strategic acquisitions, expanding branch network, steady loan and deposit growth and solid liquidity position are expected to support its long-term financial performance.

Over the past week, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share has been revised upward, while the estimate for 2027 has been revised downward.

Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The expected estimates imply growth of 13.5% and 11.4% for 2026 and 2027, respectively.

However, persistent expense pressure and the company's significant exposure to commercial lending remain key near-term headwinds. Additionally, the Fed's signal of a possible rate hike later in 2026 might put additional pressure on asset quality.

From a valuation perspective, PNC stock appears inexpensive relative to the industry. It is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 12.36X, below the industry's 14.67X. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo and Citigroup trade at P/E multiples of 11.51X and 11.73X, respectively.

Price-to-Earnings F12 M
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Investors already holding the stock may consider retaining their positions, given PNC Financial's diversified growth initiatives, solid liquidity profile and sustainable capital deployment strategy. Those considering fresh investments may prefer to wait for a more favorable entry point until there is greater clarity on expense trends and commercial credit quality.

Currently, PNC Financial carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 

Onsemi (NASDAQ:ON)'s proposed acquisition of Synaptics could create long-term strategic benefits, with Bank of America writing that a meeting with management increased its confidence in the rationale and potential synergies of the transaction.

The analysts wrote that Synaptics adds highly complementary compute assets to Onsemi (NASDAQ:ON)’s existing strengths in power, sensing and control, supporting the company’s ambition to build a complete edge AI portfolio.

They wrote that acquiring these capabilities through M&A allows Onsemi to accelerate time to market while avoiding the distraction of developing them internally.

Bank of America wrote that the market underappreciates the potential long-term benefits of the transaction, noting that initial cost synergy assumptions of $200 million could underestimate the ultimate savings potential. The analysts added that revenue synergies could also be significant over time as Onsemi cross-sells Synaptics products through its distribution channel.

The analysts wrote that the all-stock transaction preserves Onsemi’s balance sheet flexibility to fund buybacks and invest in new products, including Synaptics’ Astra program. They added that the deal could provide solid EPS accretion above the $7 in long-term EPS power they see for core Onsemi.

Bank of America also highlighted an expanded market opportunity, writing that Onsemi now believes the total addressable market for its core business exceeds $200 billion, compared with $64 billion at its previous analyst day, while Synaptics adds an additional $30 billion.

The analysts wrote that Synaptics’ consumer and enterprise PC exposure could be viewed negatively by investors but noted that these businesses generate gross margins in the high-50% range, above Onsemi’s typical high-40% gross margins.

On artificial intelligence opportunities, Bank of America wrote that Onsemi’s AI data center business is on track to at least double in 2026 from $250 million in 2025. The analysts highlighted the company’s vertical gallium nitride technology, writing that it is differentiated as the only device supporting high frequency and high voltages in a single chip.

The analysts wrote that Onsemi’s core initiatives remain on track, including progress in automotive silicon carbide for China electric vehicles, ethernet and zonal architecture, while industrial segments are recovering as purchasing managers’ indexes move above 50. They also noted that the recent exit of two facilities represents 50 basis points of a targeted 200 basis points of gross margin expansion from Onsemi’s fab restructuring initiatives.

Bank of America maintained its ‘Buy’ rating, writing that Onsemi’s upcoming analyst day could serve as a catalyst.

Shares of Onsemi traded up more than 5% on Thursday afternoon amid a broader rally in chipmaker stocks.

Massive dividend yields are a huge draw for investors – both because everyone likes income…and because a company that can pay a dividend surely has the cash to pay out that dividend, right?

Most of the time, that’s true. But things can get rough when a company doesn’t have the cash to continue funding the dividend. One of your early signs is an especially high yield – in general, anything over 5% or 6% is worth digging into further. A yield that high may be a signal that the market is losing confidence in the business (and in its ability to continue funding the dividend). There are, of course, exceptions, but it’s a good initial rule of thumb.

It’s also worth understanding how much of a company’s earnings or cashflow are eaten up by the dividend.

For BDCs, the right coverage test is net investment income (NII) per share versus the dividend (GAAP EPS whipsaws on mark-to-market losses and distorts the picture). When NII stops covering the payout, when NAV per share slides, and when supplemental distributions quietly disappear, the payout is stretched. Here are five 10%+ yielders where those warning signs are lit.

Saratoga Investment Corp. (SAR) Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) advertises a 14.0% annualized yield on its $0.25 monthly base dividend. Shares have since slid to $17.98, inflating the yield further.

The coverage math is the red flag. Q1 FY27 adjusted NII came in at $0.47 per share against a $0.75 quarterly dividend, a coverage ratio of just 0.63x, and NII has stepped down from $0.53 the prior quarter. Saratoga’s own filing flagged a FY26 payout ratio of 122.95%. NAV per share fell 4.9% sequentially to $23.23 on $15.2 million in net markdowns, and financing costs jumped after a $175 million bond at 4.375% was replaced with debt at 7.25% and 7.50%.

The bull case: $196.8 million of undrawn borrowing capacity and low non-accruals at 0.2% of fair value. But with NII covering less than two-thirds of the payout, the monthly $0.25 base looks stretched.

FS KKR Capital Corp. (FSK) FS KKR Capital (NYSE:FSK | FSK Price Prediction) is already mid-cut, and the numbers suggest the second reduction may not be the last. Shares are down 41.24% over the past year to $10.56.

The Q2 2026 distribution was stepped down to $0.42 from $0.48, following an earlier reduction from $0.70. Yet Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.41 missed the $0.4433 consensus by 7.51% and barely covers even the new payout. NAV per share dropped to $18.83 from $20.89, non-accruals climbed to 4.2% at fair value (8.1% at cost), and net leverage spiked to 131%.

Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Blue Owl Technology Finance didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

The KKR rescue package ($150 million preferred equity injection, $150 million tender at $11, a $300 million buyback, and a 50% incentive fee waiver for four quarters) is a lifeline that buys time without curing the underlying earnings gap. Securities class action lawsuits alleging overstated dividend durability tell you what the market thinks.

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) BlackRock TCP Capital (NASDAQ:TCPC) has already cut once and still looks fragile. The quarterly dividend was reduced to $0.17 from $0.25 for Q1 2026, and shares have fallen 50.44% over the past year to $3.18, keeping the yield above 20%.

NII of $0.22 covers the new $0.17 dividend, but the cushion is thin and the trend is ugly. NAV per share collapsed 19% in Q4 2025 to $7.07 and slipped another 4.9% to $6.72 in Q1 2026. Thirteen portfolio companies sit on non-accrual, representing 7.6% at cost, and portfolio yield compression is severe: new investments are being originated at 8.1% while exits ran off at 11.2%. With management prioritizing exits over new deployments, forward NII faces further pressure.

Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (OTF) Blue Owl Technology Finance (NYSE:OTF) is the softer warning on this list, but the setup is classic price-driven yield inflation. Shares have dropped 24.32% year-to-date to $10.15, pushing the trailing yield well into double digits.

Q1 2026 adjusted NII of $0.29 beat the $0.25 estimate, but NII has slid for four straight quarters from $0.36 in Q2 2025 to $0.29 today, while the $0.40 payout ($0.35 base plus $0.05 special) has held. Crucially, that $0.05 special is part of a five-quarter series tied to the June 2025 listing. When it rolls off, the run-rate payout drops to $1.40. Add $494.28 million in unrealized losses, NAV down to $16.49 from $17.33, and new commitment spreads compressed to 4.6% from 5.2%, and the picture is a fading tailwind.

Blue Owl Capital Corp. (OBDC) Blue Owl Capital (NYSE:OBDC) already trimmed its base dividend and left itself no cushion. The Q2 2026 payout was cut to $0.31 from $0.37, described by management as an alignment with “go-forward earnings power amid declining base rates and spread compression.”

Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.31 missed the $0.35 consensus by 10.74% and now exactly matches the new dividend, meaning zero coverage cushion. Total investment income of $396.77 million fell 11.4% sequentially, and the portfolio shrank to $15.34 billion from $16.47 billion as repayments outpaced deployments. On the other side of the ledger, Moody’s upgraded OBDC to Baa2 in January 2026, leverage improved to 1.13x, and management points to roughly $4 billion of liquidity. But 1.0x NII coverage leaves no margin for another bad quarter.

The Bottom Line Across all five names, the pattern is the same: NII squeezed by falling short-term rates, spreads compressing on new deals, and NAV grinding lower. A yield only counts if the payout survives. When a cut lands, the share price usually goes with it, and the “income” disappears in both directions at once. Yield alone has never been a buy thesis; in today’s BDC market, it may be the fastest way to walk into a trap.

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Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Key Takeaways TER benefits from AI data center demand, with Q1 2026 revenues soaring 87% year over year. TER's AI-related demand made up nearly 70% of revenues, up from about 60% in the prior quarter. TER faces competition from Advantest and Vertiv as both expand in AI and data center markets. Teradyne (TER - Free Report) is benefiting from the explosive growth in datacenter demand, particularly driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and the ongoing build-out of AI-centric infrastructure. In the first quarter of 2026, Teradyne reported revenues of approximately $1.3 billion, an 87% year-over-year increase and 18% above its previous record. This surge is directly tied to the company’s strategic focus on the ‘wafer to AI data center’ market, where AI-related demand accounted for nearly 70% of revenues, up from about 60% in the previous quarter.

The datacenter segment, especially devices that support AI workloads, has become a major source of revenue. In the auto/industrial segment, 46% of revenues came from datacenter devices in the first quarter of 2026. This marks a significant shift from past trends.

Teradyne is also seeing robust demand for memory test solutions, especially for high-bandwidth memory and DRAM, both of which are critical for AI compute applications. The company’s recent product launches, such as the Photon 100 for silicon photonics and Omnyx for server board testing, further strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving data center market. Strategic acquisitions and joint ventures, like the MultiLane Test Products partnership and the acquisition of TestInsight, further strengthen Teradyne’s capabilities in high-speed I/O and design-to-test software.

Teradyne expects continued robust demand, especially as AI data center build-outs drive increased need for compute, networking and memory test solutions. For the second quarter of 2026, Teradyne expects revenues in the range of $1.15-$1.25 billion.

Teradyne Suffers From Stiff CompetitionTeradyne is facing stiff competition from companies such as Advantest Corporation (ATEYY - Free Report) and Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) . Both Advantest and Vertiv are also expanding their footprints in the AI and data center markets.

In June 2026, Advantest and OpenLight partnered to develop silicon photonics test solutions for high-volume manufacturing, addressing growing demand for AI and high-performance computing applications. The collaboration aims to accelerate scalable production of next-generation optical interconnects for AI data centers.

In June 2026, Vertiv announced the completion of its acquisition of ThermoKey S.p.A., a move that enhances Vertiv’s thermal management portfolio, expands its heat rejection and heat-exchange capabilities and strengthens its long-standing relationships with OEMs and system integrators serving data centers and other critical infrastructure markets worldwide.

TER’s Share Price Performance, Valuation, and EstimatesTeradyne shares have surged 81.6% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s growth of 14.7% and the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Products increase of 53.3%.

TER Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

TER stock is trading at a premium with a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 11.01X compared with the Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry’s 8.31X. TER has a Value Score of D.

TER Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $7.20 per share, which has increased 1.55% over the past 30 days. This suggests 81.82% year-over-year growth.

Teradyne currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.