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These 3 GARP Stocks Show Why Growth and Value Do Not Have to ClashApplied Materials NASDAQ: AMAT sees continued strength in semiconductor equipment demand as artificial intelligence-related investment drives customer forecasts higher, Chief Financial Officer Brice Hill said at Citi’s 2026 Global TMT Conference.

Hill said the company’s rolling eight-quarter forecasts from its largest customers, particularly DRAM and leading-edge logic manufacturers, have increased throughout the year. He attributed the trend to demand for AI systems and pointed to rising capital-expenditure forecasts from cloud service providers, which he said exceed $700 billion for U.S. companies and approach $1 trillion globally.

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Applied Materials Beat Everything but Wall Street’s Expectations for Margins“Really all the indicators, all the arrows point up,” Hill said. “Our customers are investing, our customers’ customers are investing and highly profitable, and we’re investing.”

AI Systems Drive Demand Across Logic, Memory and Packaging Applied Materials is monitoring the design of AI systems, including GPU, accelerator, CPU and memory content, to assess future demand by device category. The company is also tracking more than 100 fab projects globally, with more than 10 added during each of the past two quarters, Hill said.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 06/22 - 06/26He said clean-room availability remains an important constraint on industry capacity growth over the medium term. Applied is evaluating the timing of new fabs and the capacity they will add, while using customer forecasts to plan for demand.

Hill identified advanced packaging as a major growth area alongside leading-edge logic and DRAM. Applied’s advanced-packaging business generated $1.4 billion in revenue last year, and the company expects it to grow by more than 70% this year. He said advanced packaging should continue growing in line with leading-edge logic and DRAM as AI systems require high-performance interconnects among processors, accelerators and high-bandwidth-memory stacks.

The company is also investing in panel-level packaging, which uses larger substrates to support more chips and higher-quality interconnects in computing systems. Hill said the industry remains in the development stage, with Applied generating revenue from panel-processing equipment but no volume production yet underway. The company recently acquired NEX, which provides fine-line interconnect capabilities for panel-level packaging.

ICAPS Recovery, NAND Remains Upgrade-Driven Hill said Applied expects moderate growth in its ICAPS business in 2026. ICAPS encompasses IoT, communications, automotive, power and sensor markets and had been weak for the previous several years as China added significant capacity.

Utilization rates are now improving, Hill said, and Applied expects a more normal growth year for ICAPS next year. He characterized normal growth in the underlying device markets as mid- to high-single digits, with equipment demand eventually tracking that growth as utilization normalizes.

NAND bit demand remains strong, in the “high 20% range,” according to Hill. However, he said that gains in layer counts have made NAND manufacturing more productive, allowing producers to add bit capacity with fewer wafers. As a result, NAND remains more dependent on equipment upgrades than greenfield fab construction, keeping the market smaller than the DRAM opportunity.

By contrast, Hill said DRAM capacity is entering a more significant greenfield investment cycle. He estimated that the industry had about 1.6 million DRAM wafer starts per month a year ago and is adding roughly 400,000 wafer starts per month this year. He expects additions of 300,000 to 400,000 wafer starts per month over the next several years.

Hill said an upgrade fab requires roughly 25% of the equipment investment of a greenfield facility. He estimated that process equipment for 100,000 wafer starts of greenfield capacity could total about $10 billion, illustrating the larger equipment opportunity associated with new DRAM fabs.

Capacity, Services and Process Control Applied has invested to support the ability to produce twice its current quarterly system output by 2028, Hill said, emphasizing that the target is a capacity statement rather than a revenue forecast. The company sends aggregated eight-quarter demand outlooks to suppliers by component type to help them plan hiring and capacity investments.

Hill said Applied’s services business is growing more than 20% this year, aided by high utilization across leading-edge logic, DRAM, ICAPS and NAND. Customers are purchasing more spare parts and components to maintain output, he said. The company’s longer-term services outlook is for mid-teens growth, supported by an installed base that is expanding by roughly 5% to 7% annually and higher revenue per tool from new offerings.

Those offerings increasingly include AI-based services that use tool sensors and operating data to help customers improve yield and output, Hill said.

Applied also expects its process diagnostics and control business to grow more than 50%. Hill said demand is being driven by more complex semiconductor architectures, including gate-all-around transistors, which require electron-beam inspection to identify buried defects that cannot be seen through optical inspection methods.

On profitability, Hill said Applied’s approximately 300-basis-point gross-margin improvement over the past three years has reflected the greater value of its product solutions and improved pricing processes. The company applies value-based pricing to both new and existing products, he said, while also accounting for higher costs for labor, materials and components.

About Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT)Applied Materials, Inc is a U.S.-based supplier of equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips, flat panel displays and other advanced materials. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company designs and sells capital equipment and related technologies that enable production of integrated circuits, display panels and materials used across the electronics supply chain.

Applied Materials' offerings include process equipment and factory software that support critical steps in device fabrication, such as deposition, etch, implantation, inspection and metrology, as well as systems for packaging and advanced heterogeneous integration.

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

Should You Invest $1,000 in Applied Materials Right Now?Before you consider Applied Materials, you'll want to hear this.

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While Applied Materials currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

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Robotics and automation are rapidly becoming essential infrastructure across healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and many other industries. "Physical AI" is coming. Learn which seven companies are most positioned to benefit as intelligent robots enter the workforce.

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Key Takeaways TJX raises its global store target by 500 to 7,500, leaving room for more than 2,200 new locations.TJX plans to accelerate annual store-opening growth to 4% starting in fiscal 2028, up from 3%.TJX sees rural, urban and denser-market opportunities supporting broad-based expansion across its brands. The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX - Free Report) has lifted its long-term global store target by 500 locations to 7,500 stores across its existing retail banners and current 10 countries in the latest earnings update. The company ended the second quarter of fiscal 2027 with 5,285 stores, leaving room for more than 2,200 additional locations under the revised target.

 The expansion is centered partly on the U.S. business. TJX now sees TJ Maxx and Marshalls reaching a combined 3,300 stores, an increase of 300 from its prior long-term potential. The HomeGoods division’s long-term target has also been increased by 200 stores to 2,000.

The company plans to accelerate annual store opening growth to 4% beginning in fiscal 2028, up from the previously discussed 3% pace. Several factors support the higher target. Marmaxx has opportunities in rural markets where department stores are closing, while sustained comparable-store growth has created scope to place stores closer together than previously expected. Smaller-format stores also allow expansion in densely populated urban areas.

New stores have been exceeding expectations for an extended period. The additional store growth is expected to be broad-based across the company’s brands rather than concentrated in only one or two divisions. TJX Companies also expects sufficient availability of quality merchandise to support the expansion plans as it moves toward the higher store target and faster opening pace.

How TJX Stacks Up Against ROST and BURL on Store GrowthRoss Stores (ROST - Free Report) is also stepping up physical expansion, raising its 2026 new-store opening plan to 115 locations from 110. This includes about 90 Ross Dress for Less and 25 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores. Ross Stores opened 47 stores in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Ross Stores also targets roughly 5% annual unit growth, while recent openings in existing and newer markets have been running ahead of plan.

Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL - Free Report) is also pursuing aggressive store expansion, ending the second quarter of fiscal 2026 with 1,287 locations. Burlington Stores expects about 115 net new stores in fiscal 2026, while 149 net new stores opened over the past 12 months, representing 13% store-count growth. Burlington Stores remains confident in opening at least 110 net new stores annually and reaching, or likely exceeding, 1,500 stores by end-2028.

TJX’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of TJX Companies have fallen 16.8% in the past month compared with the industry’s decline of 6.2%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, TJX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.88X, down from the industry’s average of 27.82X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TJX Companies’ fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings per share has inched up 1 cent to $5.22 and $5.74, respectively, in the past seven days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

TJX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Docusign Today

$65.08 -3.33 (-4.87%)

As of 09/8/2026 04:00 PM Eastern

$40.16▼

$86.6539.68

$67.33

The great fear hanging over so many established software firms this year has been that the AI revolution will pass them by, or worse, sweep them aside. Docusign Inc. NASDAQ: DOCU, long the dominant name in electronic signatures, has faced exactly that suspicion, with the bears wondering whether a company built on signing documents online can stay relevant in an age of agentic AI.

In recent weeks, however, investors have grown notably more optimistic, both for traditional software stocks in general and Docusign in particular. Heading into its Q2 fiscal year (FY2027) report, Docusign shares had already rallied more than 60%, and the numbers did nothing to dent the enthusiasm. The stock initially moved higher after the release, putting it within reach of its highest levels since late last year.

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Like with so many of its peers, the market has been keen to see if Docusign can reinvent itself around AI, rather than be eaten up by it. On the evidence of this past quarter, at least, the answer is clear.

Docusign’s Beat Gives the Turnaround More CredibilityStarting with the headline numbers, they gave the bulls plenty to cheer about. Docusign comfortably beat analyst expectations on both revenue and profit, with sales up more than 9% year over year and margins ahead of forecasts, too. For a company whose growth prospects some had written off, that was a solid statement.

Adding to the bullish overtones was the company’s own confidence in its outlook. Management raised forward guidance for the full year, nudging up its expectations for both revenue and, crucially, the growth of its recurring revenue base.

Underpinning it all was healthy customer growth, which hit a record high above 1.9 million - not exactly the kind of trend you’d expect from a company consigned to the dustheap. Instead, it was the kind of report that quietly rebuilds the whole investment case.

IAM Adoption Becomes the Real StoryBeyond the headline numbers and shiny metrics, however, the real story lies in how Docusign is answering the AI question head-on. Rather than treating the technology as a threat, the company is weaving it through a broader platform it calls Intelligent Agreement Management, or IAM, designed to handle the entire life of a contract rather than just the signature at the end.

The evidence that this is working is compelling. IAM now accounts for more than 15% of the company's recurring revenue, up sharply from the prior quarter, and management expects that share to climb toward 19% by the end of the financial year. That steady march is the clearest sign yet that customers are buying into the vision, not just listening to the sales pitch.

Docusign is also building AI-powered tools that let customers create and deploy their own automated agents, and knitting its platform together with the major AI providers and workplace apps. The aim is to make its software a deeply embedded hub for managing agreements, far harder to rip out than a simple signing tool, and its best defense against being commoditized.

Why the Bears Still Have an ArgumentStill, for all that progress, the bears are hanging onto some legitimate concerns, and the central one is conversion. Impressive as IAM adoption is, the company's overall growth remains fairly moderate, with revenue still expanding at single-digit rates since 2023. That puts the onus on management to ensure this AI-related momentum translates into meaningfully faster growth, not just a nicer product.

Then there is the ever-present competitive threat. Basic electronic signing is one of the more straightforward tasks that could easily and cheaply be replaced by a homegrown AI tool or a nimbler, lower-cost rival. That means Docusign has to work far harder to defend its turf than an entrenched platform like Salesforce NYSE: CRM, whose sprawling web of customer data, workflows, and integrations makes it enormously difficult to rip out. This is precisely why the ongoing shift toward the stickier, more sophisticated IAM platform matters so much.

AI Turnaround, or Just a Better Quarter?Docusign Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$67.33
3.46% Upside

Hold
Based on 18 Analyst Ratings

Current Price$65.08High Forecast$86.00Average Forecast$67.33Low Forecast$50.00Docusign Stock Forecast Details

So which is it: a real AI success story, or a stay of execution? The weight of this quarter's evidence tilts firmly toward the former. Docusign isn't merely surviving the arrival of AI; it’s using the technology to transform itself from a one-trick signing service into something altogether more valuable.

That being said, the caveats are real. The conversion of that adoption into faster company-wide growth remains unproven, and until the company is reporting revenue growth that is consistently accelerating, the jury is still out. The recent rally in Docusign shares also suggests much of the upside is already baked into the price, leaving little margin for disappointment. In other words, the company's turnaround is seeing a ton of progress, but it is not yet finished.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Docusign Right Now?Before you consider Docusign, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Docusign wasn't on the list.

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The AI boom extends far beyond the biggest tech names. Discover 10 companies supplying the memory, storage, networking, semiconductor manufacturing, and power infrastructure that make AI possible. Learn where the next wave of AI investment opportunities may emerge—and the key risks investors should watch as the global AI buildout accelerates.

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Docusign is leveraging AI to drive platform growth, profitability, and free cash flow margins. Product revenue grew 9% year-over-year, with international business expanding at 17% and total customers reaching 1.91 million. Free cash flow surged 36% year-over-year, outpacing revenue growth and supporting positive operating leverage and mid-30% FCF margins.

Key Takeaways Western Digital is benefiting as AI inference and Agentic AI drive persistent data storage demand.WDC is ramping 40TB ePMR drives, while its 44TB HAMR product remains on track for 2027.UltraSMR could reach 60% of nearline exabyte shipments by fiscal 2027, supporting WDC's capacity growth. As AI models become larger, inference workloads expand and businesses generate mountains of AI-created content, the amount of data that must be stored, accessed and retained continues to rise. Western Digital Corporation (WDC - Free Report) is becoming a durable long-term beneficiary of the data explosion. The shift from AI training to inference and Agentic AI is creating a more persistent and data-intensive storage opportunity. Training creates the initial data foundation, while inference continuously generates and retains prompts, outputs, logs and context.

As Agentic AI expands into multistep workflows, data volumes and retention needs continue to rise. Moreover, physical AI, autonomous vehicles, robotics and industrial automation are driving additional demand for synthetic data generation and storage. Together, these trends could make AI a structural, long-term driver of capacity-oriented storage demand for WDC. As AI workloads shift from deployment to sustained use, storage demand is becoming less about one-time infrastructure builds and more about the compounding of data—a key secular growth driver for WDC. Roughly 80% of hyperscale data-center data remains on HDDs, reflecting their scale, cost efficiency and power advantages for long-term storage.

This trend plays to WDC’s technology strengths. The company began shipping 40TB ePMR drives in June and is ramping volume production, while its 44TB HAMR product remains on track for the first half of calendar 2027. UltraSMR is also expected to account for about 60% of nearline exabyte shipments by the end of fiscal 2027. Beyond capacity, Western Digital is advancing high-bandwidth drives that target up to 8x the throughput of current drives without a comparable increase in power consumption, with sampling underway at five customers.

WDC vs. Rivals: Who is Winning the AI Storage Boom?Seagate Technology (STX - Free Report) is benefiting from the rapid increase in data creation, retention and reuse across cloud and enterprise environments. AI inference and agentic applications require persistent historical context, while physical AI applications such as robotics and autonomous vehicles are expected to generate significant volumes of video and sensor data. These trends reinforce the role of cost-efficient HDDs within tiered storage architectures. Data center revenues increased 57% year over year to $2.93 billion in the June quarter, while nearline exabyte shipments advanced 43% to 195 exabytes. Cloud demand has now increased sequentially for three consecutive years and enterprise OEM demand is also broadening. 

NetApp, Inc. (NTAP - Free Report) is benefiting from higher enterprise spending on AI-ready storage, with all-flash, Public Cloud and Keystone demand broadening across customer types. Customers are standardizing on NetApp for mission-critical workloads, including GPU-intensive AI pipelines, and reported share gains tied to product innovation and go-to-market execution. It also saw demand across high-performance flash, capacity flash and block-optimized storage as customers modernized adjacent data infrastructure for AI. NetApp is positioning its unified data platform to activate enterprise data for AI without requiring data movement. AI is also driving broader modernization of databases and unstructured data environments, expanding the opportunity beyond dedicated AI infrastructure.

WDC Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesIn the past year, shares of WDC have surged 394.5% compared with the Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry’s growth of 391.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 20.86 forward earnings compared with 10.67 for the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

WDC’s estimate revisions are currently on an upward trajectory. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WDC’s earnings for fiscal 2027 has been revised upward by 7.5% to $20.03 over the past 60 days, while the same for fiscal 2028 has gone up 7.6% to $34.74.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Currently, Western Digital has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Western Digital (WDC +2.14%) CEO Irving Tan said in late January that the company was "pretty much sold out for calendar '26." On the same fiscal second-quarter earnings call, he pointed to firm purchase orders from its top seven customers covering this year's hard-drive production. And multiyear agreements went further -- the company had them in place with three of its top five customers, two running through calendar 2027 and one through calendar 2028.

But Western Digital isn't the outlier.

The artificial intelligence (AI) data center build-out has storage buyers committing for years ahead. Seagate Technology (STX +6.49%) says most of its nearline exabytes (the high-capacity storage cloud data centers run on) are already allocated into calendar 2028. And Sandisk (SNDK -0.12%) has buyers locked in for over half of the memory it expects to ship this fiscal year, with price floors attached.

Here's what each company has signed, and where I'd put $2,000 today.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Western Digital: sold out, but not fully signedBy late April, Tan was saying agreement durations had stretched into calendar 2028 and calendar 2029.

Western Digital's fiscal fourth-quarter revenue (for the three months ended July 3, 2026) reached $3.75 billion, up 44% from a year earlier. Non-GAAP (adjusted) gross margin jumped about 13 percentage points year over year, to 54.4%, and earnings per share more than doubled. Management guided for fiscal first-quarter revenue to grow 42% to 49% year over year, or about $4.1 billion at the midpoint.

Cloud customers supplied 89% of revenue in the fiscal third quarter -- this is overwhelmingly a data-center business now.

However, the multiyear agreements cover only some top customers (three of the top five, as of January). And Western Digital hasn't said how much of its demand beyond this year they lock in.

Shares cost about 14 times fiscal 2028's expected earnings (that fiscal year ends in mid-2028). That isn't a rich price if the contracted growth arrives. But the risk, I think, sits in the years the contracts don't cover, when pricing could reset lower.

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2. Seagate: pricing is locked for all of 2027Seagate goes further. On its July earnings call, management said its build-to-order contracts already spell out product configurations and pricing for all of calendar 2027. Based on supply agreements in hand, most of the company's nearline exabyte supply is allocated into calendar 2028.

Growth is accelerating as those commitments stack up. Revenue for fiscal 2026 totaled $12.2 billion, up 34%, and the fiscal fourth quarter alone produced $3.63 billion, a 48% year-over-year jump. Adjusted gross margin hit 52.7%, up from 37.9%, and non-GAAP earnings per share of $5.71 was up 120%. Guidance calls for about $4.1 billion of fiscal first-quarter revenue, which implies about 56% year-over-year growth.

That acceleration is the part I keep coming back to. After all, with volumes and prices signed well in advance, a 56% outlook is largely a description of business already in hand.

At about 15 times its expected fiscal 2028 earnings, Seagate costs about what Western Digital does relative to profits. Arguably, more of Seagate's profits are already under contract.

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3. Sandisk: floors under half its shipmentsSandisk's commitments run deepest of the three. The flash memory maker has signed 10 long-term supply agreements covering eight customers.

Management expects over half of its fiscal 2027 volumes (the year now underway) to fall under the agreements, and about two-thirds of fiscal 2028's. And the contracts carry price floors. Even with every variable price at its floor, the agreements add up to at least $93.9 billion of revenue.

The floors haven't been tested by a falling market yet, though. And the boom they lock in is extraordinary: Sandisk's fiscal 2026 revenue climbed 175%, reaching $20.25 billion, on higher memory prices and a shift toward data-center customers.

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Which one would I buy?A $2,000 budget buys about four shares of Western Digital at around $467 as of this writing, two of Seagate, or one of Sandisk.

My pick is Seagate. Its contracts already fix pricing for all of calendar 2027, and most of its nearline capacity is spoken for into the year after that. Growth is accelerating, too.

Western Digital is riding the same boom at a similar price relative to expected earnings. But it hasn't shown how much of its supply beyond this year is locked in the way Seagate has, so I view that stock as a hold today. Sandisk may have the strongest protection of the three, but its floors haven't been through a downturn. I'd want to see that test first.

Of course, no contract makes the AI build-out permanent. If data-center spending slows, storage stocks could fall hard, signed volumes or not. Ultimately, though, given $2,000 to put into storage today, I'd buy Seagate.

Yum! Brands, Inc. transitions to a leaner portfolio post-Pizza Hut sale, focusing on KFC, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger. Proceeds from the Pizza Hut sale (~$2.3B) will reduce revolver debt and fund significant share buybacks, supporting a mid-single-digit yield. Post-cyclosporiasis outbreak, Taco Bell's same-store sales dipped but are expected to recover, with management guiding Q3 margins to 19–21%.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Skydance Corporation (NASDAQ: PSKY) ("Paramount") today announced the extension of the Expiration Dates in connection with the previously announced (i) offers to purchase (the "Tender Offers" and each, a "Tender Offer") for cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the related offer to purchase (the "Offer to Purchase"), any and all of the identified notes in each series of the Existing Tender Offer Notes (defined by reference to the table set forth below) issued by Discovery Global Holdings, Inc. (formerly WarnerMedia Holdings, Inc.) (the "DGH Issuer") and Discovery Communications, LLC (the "DCL Issuer" and together with the DGH Issuer, each a "WBD Issuer" and collectively the "WBD Issuers"), as applicable, and (ii) offers to exchange (the "Exchange Offers" and each, an "Exchange Offer" and, together with the Tender Offers, the "Offers" and each, an "Offer"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the related exchange offer memorandum (the "Offering Memorandum"), any and all of the identified notes in each series of the Existing Exchange Offer Notes (defined by reference to the table set forth below) (together with the Existing Tender Offer Notes, the "Offer Notes") issued by the applicable WBD Issuer for notes to be newly issued by Paramount.

The Expiration Dates for the Tender Offers and Exchange Offers (as defined in each of the Offer to Purchase and Offering Memorandum, respectively) have been extended to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 18, 2026, unless further extended. The Settlement Dates for the Tender Offers and Exchange Offers (as defined in each of the Offer to Purchase and Offering Memorandum, respectively) will occur promptly after the Expiration Date and are currently anticipated to occur in the third quarter of 2026. Paramount anticipates extending the Expiration Date for such Tender Offers and Exchange Offers until such time that would result in the Settlement Dates occurring on or promptly following the closing date of the proposed acquisition (the "Acquisition") by Paramount of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ("WBD"). Tenders of the Offer Notes in the Offers may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date. The aforementioned extensions further extend the Expiration Dates previously extended by Paramount on June 12, 2026, June 26, 2026, July 13, 2026, July 17, 2026, July 24, 2026, July 31, 2026, August 7, 2026, August 17, 2026, August 24, 2026, and August 31, 2026.

As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 4, 2026, approximately 66.28% and 75.31% of the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Tender Offer Notes and Existing Exchange Offer Notes, respectively, have been validly tendered in the applicable Offers. As Paramount previously announced that it anticipates extending the Offers to align with the closing date of the Acquisition, Paramount does not view these figures to be representative of the final results of the applicable Offers.

Information about each series of Offer Notes eligible to participate in the Offers is summarized below.

Type of Offer

Offer Notes to be Tendered
or Exchanged, as
Applicable

Issuer of Offer Notes

CUSIP No. / Common Code
/ ISIN Eligible to
Participate in the Offers (1)

Aggregate Principal
Amount of Offer Notes
Eligible to Participate in the
Offers (2)

Tender Offer

3.950% Senior Notes due
2028

DCL Issuer

25470D CP2

US25470DCP24

$1,234,458,000

Exchange Offer

4.125% Senior Notes due
2029

DCL Issuer

25470D CQ0

US25470DCQ07

$655,825,000

Exchange Offer

3.625% Senior Notes due
2030

DCL Issuer

25470D CR8

US25470DCR89

$914,183,000

Exchange Offer

5.000% Senior Notes due
2037

DCL Issuer

25470D CS6

US25470DCS62

$453,281,000

Exchange Offer

6.350% Senior Notes due
2040

DCL Issuer

25470D CT4

US25470DCT46

$438,102,000

Exchange Offer

4.950% Senior Notes due
2042

DCL Issuer

25470D CU1

US25470DCU19

$130,366,000

Exchange Offer

4.875% Senior Notes due
2043

DCL Issuer

25470D V91
CV9US25470DC

$141,584,000

Exchange Offer

5.200% Senior Notes due
2047

DCL Issuer

25470D W74
CW7US25470DC

$3,161,000

Exchange Offer

5.300% Senior Notes due
2049

DCL Issuer

25470D X57
CX5US25470DC

$247,860,000

Tender Offer

3.755% Senior Notes due
2027

DGH Issuer

254948 AH5

US254948AH58

254948 AN2

US254948AN27

U25483 AA3

USU25483AA38

$1,189,336,000

Exchange Offer

4.054% Senior Notes due
2029

DGH Issuer

254948 AJ1

US254948AJ15

254948 AP7

US254948AP74

U25483 AB1

USU25483AB11

$1,353,828,000

Exchange Offer

4.279% Senior Notes due
2032

DGH Issuer

254948 AK8

US254948AK87

254948 AQ5

US254948AQ57

$2,691,764,000

Exchange Offer

5.050% Senior Notes due
2042

DGH Issuer

254948 AL6

US254948AL60

254948 AR3

US254948AR31

U25483 AD7

USU25483AD76

$4,104,687,000

Exchange Offer

5.141% Senior Notes due
2052

DGH Issuer

254948 AM4

US254948AM44

254948 AS1

US254948AS14

$949,883,000

Exchange Offer

4.302% Senior Notes due
2030

DGH Issuer

XS3393993285

339399328

€234,382,000

Exchange Offer

4.693% Senior Notes due
2033

DGH Issuer

XS3393994507

339399450

€316,641,000

__________

(1)

No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the identifiers listed in this press release or printed on the Offer Notes. Such identifiers are provided solely for the convenience of the holders.

(2)

Represents the aggregate principal amount of Offer Notes outstanding that are eligible to participate in the Offers.

The Exchange Offers are being made pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") promulgated thereunder, and are also not being registered under any state or foreign securities laws. Any securities offered pursuant to the Exchange Offers may not be offered or sold in the United States or to any U.S. persons (as defined below) except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Exchange Offers will only be made, and the securities offered pursuant to the Exchange Offers are only being offered and issued, to holders of applicable Existing Exchange Offer Notes who are (a) reasonably believed to be "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act or (b) not "U.S. persons," as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the Securities Act (such holders, "Eligible Holders"), and only Eligible Holders who have completed and returned the eligibility certification are authorized to receive or review the Offering Memorandum or to participate in the Exchange Offers. The eligibility certification is available electronically at: https://gbsc-usa.com/eligibility/paramount.

General

Each Offer is a separate offer, and each may be individually consummated, amended, extended, terminated, or withdrawn, subject to certain conditions and applicable law, at any time in Paramount's sole discretion, and without also consummating, amending, extending, terminating, or withdrawing any other Offer with respect to any other series of Offer Notes. Paramount may terminate an Offer if any of the conditions of such Offer described in the Offer to Purchase or Offering Memorandum, as applicable, are not satisfied or waived by the applicable Expiration Date, subject to applicable law. In addition, Paramount may waive the conditions to an Offer without extending such Offer in accordance with applicable law.

The Offers are being made solely by Paramount and are not being made by WBD or the WBD Issuers. None of Paramount, WBD, the WBD Issuers, the Dealer Managers, the Exchange Agent (as defined below), the Information Agent (as defined below), the trustees under each of the indentures governing the Offer Notes, the trustee or collateral agent under the indenture that will govern the notes to be issued in the Exchange Offers, or any affiliate of any of them makes any recommendation as to whether any holder of Offer Notes should tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of the principal amount of such holder's Offer Notes for cash or notes to be issued in the Exchange Offers. No one has been authorized by any of them to make such a recommendation. Holders must make their own decision whether to tender Offer Notes in any Offer and, if so, the amount of Offer Notes to tender.

Only Eligible Holders may receive a copy of the Offering Memorandum and participate in the Exchange Offers. Paramount has engaged Global Bondholder Services Corporation to act as the exchange agent (in such capacity, the "Exchange Agent") and information agent (in such capacity, the "Information Agent") for the Offers. Questions concerning the Offers, or requests for additional copies of the Offer to Purchase or Offering Memorandum or other related documents, may be directed to Corporate Actions by telephone at (855) 654-2014 (U.S. toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers) or by email at [email protected]. Holders should also consult their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other institution for assistance concerning the Offers. The Exchange Offer documents and the Tender Offer documents can be accessed at the following link: https://gbsc-usa.com/paramount.

Paramount has engaged BofA Securities and Citigroup as dealer managers (in such capacity, the "Dealer Managers") for the Offers. Holders with questions regarding the Offers should contact BofA Securities, Inc. at +1 (888) 292-0070 (toll-free) or +1 (980) 388-3646 (collect) or [email protected] or Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at +1 (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or +1 (212) 723-6106 or [email protected]. Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal counsel to Paramount and Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP is serving as legal counsel to the Dealer Managers.

This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation

Paramount, a Skydance Corporation is a next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. PSKY's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS, CBS News, CBS Sports, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Paramount Sports Entertainment.

PSKY-IR

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" regarding the Acquisition and the other transactions referred to herein. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Paramount. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the closing conditions for the Acquisition will not be satisfied, including the risk that clearances under applicable antitrust or regulatory laws will not be obtained or will be obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; the possibility that the transactions described herein will not be completed in the expected timeframe or at all; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Acquisition; potential adverse effects to the businesses of Paramount or WBD during the pendency of the Acquisition, such as employee departures or distraction of management from business operations; negative effects of the announcement or the consummation of the Acquisition on the market price of WBD or Paramount stock; the risk of stockholder litigation relating to the Acquisition, including resulting expense or delay; the potential that the expected benefits and opportunities of the Acquisition, if completed, may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected; risks related to the streaming business of the post-Acquisition combined business (the "Combined Company"); the adverse impact on the Combined Company's advertising revenues as a result of changes in consumer behavior, advertising market conditions, and deficiencies in audience measurement; risks related to operating in highly competitive and dynamic industries; the unpredictable nature of consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies and distribution models; risks related to the Combined Company's decision to invest in new businesses, products, services, and technologies, and the evolution of the Combined Company's business strategy; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in, or the impact of negotiations for, the distribution of the Combined Company's content; damage to the Combined Company's reputation or brands; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, content and long-lived assets, including finite-lived intangible assets; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; increasing scrutiny of, and evolving expectations for, sustainability initiatives; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; challenges in protecting and maintaining the Combined Company's intellectual property rights; domestic and global political, economic and regulatory factors affecting the Combined Company's business generally or the Acquisition; the inability to hire or retain key employees or secure creative talent; disruptions to the Combined Company's operations as a result of labor disputes; risks and costs associated with the integration of, and Paramount's ability to integrate, the businesses of Paramount Global, Skydance Media, LLC, and WBD successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies, including in the amounts or on the timelines anticipated to realize such synergies; litigation related to the Acquisition and other matters or transactions; risks associated with the Combined Company's holding company structure, including its dependence on distributions from its subsidiaries to meet tax obligations and other cash requirements; risks related to our indebtedness, including our substantial outstanding debt obligations, our ability to incur substantially more debt and our ability to meet the financial and other covenants contained in the agreements governing the indebtedness of Paramount, WBD, or the Combined Company. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors and the general risks associated with the respective businesses of Paramount and WBD can be found in Paramount's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2026, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," Paramount's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, filed with the SEC on August 4, 2026, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and Paramount's subsequent filings with the SEC, and in WBD's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2026, including in the section captioned "Item 1A. Risk Factors," WBD's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, filed with the SEC on August 6, 2026, and WBD's subsequent filings with the SEC. Neither Paramount nor WBD undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Paramount Skydance Corporation

, /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Paramount Skydance Corporation (NASDAQ: PSKY) filed reply briefs in support of its request that the district court enforce the requirement that the State Attorneys General and the Writers Guild of America post a bond in connection with their lawsuit to block Paramount's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD) ("WBD"). The company has satisfied all closing conditions under the merger agreement and received clearances from regulators representing 69 jurisdictions. These two lawsuits are the only remaining barrier to closing this transaction.

"If plaintiffs insist that this transaction is paused during the pendency of their lawsuit, they must accept the financial consequences if their challenge ultimately fails. Paramount agreed to delay closing to facilitate a prompt resolution of the case, while expressly preserving its legal rights and we continue to honor that agreement. We are not asking the district court to lift the no-close order, but to require enforcement of the bond that protects our financial interests while the litigation remains pending," said a Paramount spokesperson.

"But for these lawsuits, the transaction is now otherwise ready to close, and the resulting costs of delay are substantial and quantifiable. The Clayton Act and Rule 65 provide for a bond precisely to protect against exactly those types of losses if a court determines an injunction ultimately is unwarranted. We are confident that the evidence will show that these lawsuits are meritless and look forward to closing the transaction and delivering its benefits in California, across the United States, and around the world."

Our filing today makes the following key points:

The Clayton Act and Rule 65 require plaintiffs to accept responsibility for the substantial financial harm incurred if their challenge ultimately fails. Paramount agreed to delay closing to facilitate a prompt trial. It did not waive its right to the bond protection required while the transaction is paused. Paramount has satisfied all conditions to closing the deal. These lawsuits are now the only obstacle to closing and the direct cause of substantial ticking and financing costs. Plaintiffs do not dispute Paramount's evidence that the potential harm is real and quantifiable, reaching up to $1.88 billion. The WGA itself previously argued that the Clayton Act makes a bond mandatory and requires a "very substantial bond" where an injunction threatens significant financial harm. As noted in the briefs:

"[A]t the eleventh hour, after dragging their investigations out for many months without providing feedback on any areas of competitive concern, and just days before final regulatory approvals from the European Commission were secured, plaintiff states filed suit seeking to stymie the transaction while immunizing themselves from economic accountability if Paramount prevails." "Paramount simply asks that Plaintiffs honor what the Clayton Act requires: A bond that will compensate Paramount for the damage it will suffer if the injunction proves improvidently granted, i.e., if Paramount ultimately prevails in the litigation and was therefore wrongly prevented from consummating the merger now, as it is prepared to do." "Paramount provided unrebutted evidence that, but-for the Order, it may suffer $1.88 billion in damages. Critically, the states never dispute that evidence or otherwise contest that Paramount will suffer financial injury as a result of the Order, both from the ticking fee and the incremental financing costs—a financial harm that the states outright ignore." About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation

Paramount, a Skydance Corporation is a next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Paramount's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS, CBS News, CBS Sports, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Paramount Sports Entertainment.

PSKY-IR

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" regarding the merger. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Paramount or WBD. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the closing conditions for the merger will not be satisfied, including the risk that clearances under applicable antitrust or regulatory laws will not be obtained; the possibility that the transaction will not be completed in the expected timeframe or at all; potential adverse effects to the businesses of Paramount or WBD during the pendency of the transaction, such as employee departures or distraction of management from business operations; the risk of stockholder litigation relating to the transaction, including resulting expense or delay; the potential that the expected benefits and opportunities of the merger, if completed, may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected; risks related to Paramount's streaming business; the adverse impact on Paramount's advertising revenues as a result of changes in consumer behavior, advertising market conditions and deficiencies in audience measurement; risks related to operating in highly competitive and dynamic industries; the unpredictable nature of consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies and distribution models; risks related to Paramount's decisions to invest in new businesses, products, services and technologies, and the evolution of Paramount's business strategy; the potential for loss of carriage or other reduction in, or the impact of negotiations for, the distribution of Paramount's content; damage to Paramount's reputation or brands; losses due to asset impairment charges for goodwill, content and long-lived assets, including finite-lived intangible assets; liabilities related to discontinued operations and former businesses; increasing scrutiny of, and evolving expectations for, sustainability initiatives; evolving business continuity, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection and similar risks; challenges in protecting and maintaining Paramount's intellectual property rights; domestic and global political, economic and regulatory factors affecting Paramount's businesses generally; the inability to hire or retain key employees or secure creative talent; disruptions to Paramount's operations as a result of labor disputes; risks and costs associated with the integration of, and Paramount's ability to integrate, the businesses of Paramount Global and Skydance successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies; litigation relating to the transactions contemplated by the transaction agreement entered into on July 7, 2024, between Paramount Global and Skydance, potentially resulting in substantial costs; volatility in the price of Paramount's Class B common stock; the effect Paramount's dual-class capital structure and the concentrated ownership may have on the price of its Class B common stock or business; risks related to a private sale of a controlling interest in Paramount, including that Paramount's stockholders may not realize any change of control premium on shares of Paramount's Class B common stock and that Paramount may become subject to the control of a presently unknown third party; risks associated with Paramount's status as a "controlled company" under Nasdaq rules, including its exemption from certain corporate governance requirements; risks associated with the lack of voting rights of Paramount's Class B common stock; risks that anti-takeover provisions in Paramount's amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the "Charter") and amended and restated bylaws, and under Delaware law, could deter, delay, or prevent a change of control; risks that exclusive forum provisions in the Charter could limit a stockholder's choice of forum for certain claims and discourage lawsuits against Paramount's directors and officers; risks that corporate opportunity provisions in the Charter could permit certain persons to pursue competitive opportunities that might otherwise be available to Paramount; risks associated with Paramount's holding company structure, including its dependence on distributions from its subsidiaries to meet tax obligations and other cash requirements; disruptions the merger may cause to Paramount's and WBD's business and commercial relationships; the negative impact that a failure to consummate the merger could have on Paramount's business, financial condition, results of operations and stock price; the risk that the merger may be prevented or delayed or the anticipated benefits reduced if Paramount does not obtain certain regulatory approvals; the risk that the Merger Agreement may be terminated in accordance with its terms, including if any conditions to the closing of the merger are not satisfied; the risk that litigation relating to the merger could prevent or further delay the closing of the merger or result in the payment of damages after closing; challenges realizing synergies and other anticipated benefits expected from the merger, including integrating WBD's business successfully; risks to Paramount's business, financial condition or results of operations as a result of the incurrence of substantial costs and indebtedness in connection with the merger; and risks of reduced ownership and economic interest by Paramount's existing stockholders as a result of the merger. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors and the general risks associated with the respective businesses of Paramount and WBD can be found in Paramount's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2026, Paramount's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2026, filed with the SEC on May 4, 2026, and Paramount's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2026, filed with the SEC on August 4, 2026, including, in each case, in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and Paramount's subsequent filings with the SEC, and WBD's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2026, and WBD's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2026, filed with the SEC on May 6, 2026, including, in each case, in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and WBD's subsequent filings with the SEC. Copies of these filings, as well as subsequent filings, are available online at www.sec.gov, ir.wbd.com or on request from Paramount or WBD. Paramount undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Paramount Skydance Corporation

Shares of Ovintiv Inc. (TSE:OVV – Get Free Report) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Strong Buy” by the ten brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and seven have given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$75.00.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on OVV shares. Texas Capital raised shares of Ovintiv to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Ovintiv to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Citigroup raised shares of Ovintiv from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a C$70.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners upgraded shares of Ovintiv to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd.

Read Our Latest Analysis on OVV

Ovintiv Stock Performance TSE:OVV opened at C$88.43 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.73, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 1.01. Ovintiv has a fifty-two week low of C$50.13 and a fifty-two week high of C$93.43. The firm has a market cap of C$24.46 billion, a PE ratio of 24.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.05 and a beta of 0.37. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$85.32 and a 200-day moving average price of C$80.29. Ovintiv Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 29th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 29th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Ovintiv’s payout ratio is currently 33.52%.

About Ovintiv (Get Free Report)

Ovintiv Inc is an oil and natural gas company actively engaged in the exploration for, and the development and production of, oil and natural gas reserves in the province of Alberta. Ovintiv’s primary focus is on the scalable and repeatable condensate-rich Montney formation in the Pipestone and Wapiti areas of the Alberta Deep Basin.

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NetApp, Inc. (NTAP) Presents at Citi's 2026 Global TMT Conference Transcript

Stephen R. Palmer, Vice President of Accounting at Carvana (CVNA +0.17%), disposed of 8,023 shares of Class A Common Stock on Sept. 1, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value~$576,000Shares sold8,023Post-transaction shares (directly held)128,886Post-transaction value$9.3 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($71.79); post-transaction value based on September 01, 2026, market close ($72.18).

Key questionsWhat were the specific components of this share disposition?
The filing detailed two distinct activities: 5,000 shares were sold on the open market, and the company withheld 3,023 shares to cover tax liabilities associated with the vesting of restricted stock units.What is the status of the insider's remaining equity position?
Stephen R. Palmer continues to hold 128,886 shares of Class A Common Stock directly, valued at $9.3 million as of the Sept. 1, 2026, valuation. How does the Rule 10b5-1 plan impact the interpretation of this sale?
The open-market portion of the trade was completed under a Rule 10b5-1 plan adopted on May 28, 2025, which removes the insider's discretion over the timing and execution of the transaction to avoid potential conflicts.What is the context regarding the stock's recent performance?
At the time of the transaction on Sept. 1, 2026, Carvana shares had a one-year total return of -3%. The stock was priced at $74.16 as of the Sept. 2, 2026, market close.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-09-02)$74.16Market Capitalization$53.3 billionRevenue (TTM)$25.1 billionNet Income (TTM)$2.1 billionCompany SnapshotCarvana operates a digital platform that facilitates the purchase and sale of pre-owned vehicles across the United States, generating revenue through vehicle sales, financing solutions, and complementary products and services.The company employs a vertically integrated business model encompassing vehicle sourcing and reconditioning, online transaction facilitation, consumer financing, and proprietary logistics capabilities for vehicle delivery and pickup.Carvana primarily serves retail consumers seeking to purchase pre-owned vehicles through a digital-first channel, targeting customers who prefer online convenience and transparent pricing in the automotive retail sector.

Premium Feature

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Carvana is a significant player in the automotive retail sector, with a market capitalization of $81.7 billion and TTM revenue of $25.1 billion, demonstrating substantial scale in the digital vehicle marketplace.

The company's competitive differentiation derives from its end-to-end digital platform architecture, proprietary logistics network, and integrated financing capabilities, which collectively enable a streamlined customer experience in pre-owned vehicle transactions.

With 23,100 employees and operations across the United States, Carvana has established itself as a transformative force in automotive retail through technology-enabled distribution and customer-centric service delivery.

What this transaction means for investorsThis sale shouldn't concern investors. It was completed under a pre-adopted plan for personal financial management reasons. Moreover, the insider still retains a substantial amount of shares in the company's stock. The sale represented a small percentage of the insider's holdings.

Importantly, Carvana continues to expand rapidly. TTM revenue grew over 52% year over year, while operating margin continues to hold around 9%.

If Carvana can continue expanding margins into the double-digit range over time, the stock could offer upside even at these elevated share prices. It trades at a reasonable enterprise value-to-sales ratio of about 1.8x.

John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Retail-Wholesale group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Has Fossil Group (FOSL - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Retail-Wholesale sector should help us answer this question.

Fossil Group is a member of our Retail-Wholesale group, which includes 190 different companies and currently sits at #5 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Fossil Group is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FOSL's full-year earnings has moved 73.3% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Our latest available data shows that FOSL has returned about 37% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Retail-Wholesale stocks have gained an average of 0.9%. As we can see, Fossil Group is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

One other Retail-Wholesale stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Genesco (GCO - Free Report) . The stock is up 44.6% year-to-date.

For Genesco, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4.4% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Fossil Group belongs to the Retail - Apparel and Shoes industry, a group that includes 39 individual companies and currently sits at #65 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 14.5% this year, meaning that FOSL is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Genesco is also part of the same industry.

Going forward, investors interested in Retail-Wholesale stocks should continue to pay close attention to Fossil Group and Genesco as they could maintain their solid performance.

Key executive departures of public companies, especially young companies, can raise a number of red flags and problems. Some CEO departures can cause the stock price to drop immediately, but even lower level executive departures can cause ongoing projects to stall, take with them years of industry experience, client relationships, as well as in-house know-how. Numerous departures can lower morale or signal hidden financial problems, board fights, or worse. That sets the context to explain to investors why Rivian's (RIVN +2.73%) recent CFO departure is more evolution (more on this in a second) compared to Lucid's (LCID -1.07%) that signals deeper trouble.

Rivian's evolution Let's first look at Rivian's recent departure: CFO Claire McDonough is stepping down at the end of October after nearly six years to become the CFO of GE Vernova. At first glance, this could raise investors' eyebrows as the company is currently at the most important point in Rivian's young history: the R2 production ramp. That said, it's really more of an evolution.

Image source: Rivian.

Consider that McDonough helped steer Rivian successfully through the electric vehicle (EV) maker's $13.7 billion IPO, one of the largest in U.S. history. McDonough's leadership also helped develop key strategic partnerships, such as Rivian's highly valuable joint venture with Volkswagen, among other things, such as cost-reduction initiatives that helped drive gross profits.

With the ongoing R2 production ramp, however, one could argue that Rivian is simply evolving to meet the different skill sets needed. McDonough checked all the boxes for what's needed from a start-up CFO: fundraising, capital injection, and corporate structuring. Now, as Rivian transitions to a focus on mass manufacturing, scaling the R2, and continuing to push toward profitability, perhaps the time is just right for a different style of CFO.

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There seems to be no red flags raised by Rivian's CFO leaving after a transition process -- Lucid, however, can't say the same of its departures.

A deeper crisis? While the high-profile Rivian departure was unusual for the young company, Lucid has had a sweeping overhaul of its executive suite. Starting from the top with former CEO & CTO, Peter Rawlinson, the founder abruptly resigned in early 2025, and under the newly appointed CEO, Silvio Napoli, dramatic changes were made. Lucid cut the number of executives reporting to Napoli in half and replaced nearly the entire executive suite.

Taoufiq Boussaid, former Lucid CFO, exited recently in July as part of Napoli's restructuring, while another high-profile name, Marc Winterhoff, who served as interim CEO and was supposed to stay on board, had his role completely eliminated during a 18% workforce reduction in June. Other notable departures include Eric Bach, Chief Engineer and Senior Vice President of Product, who was a 10-year veteran who led the development of Lucid Air, left on bad terms, and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit. The list truly goes on, including Emad Dlala, VP of Engineering & Software, Sanjay Chandra, VP of IT, Claudia Gast, Strategy Chief, and Michael Bell, SVP of Digital.

These two are not the same Rivian's recent CFO transition announcement may have surprised some investors, given the timing of the R2 production ramp, but McDonough is staying on to ensure a smooth transition and will leave on good terms for a solid opportunity. That pales in comparison to the near-exodus that Lucid is seeing from the top down, in addition to sweeping restructuring and multiple rounds of layoffs.

Think about it this way. Lucid investors, who rightfully can boast they are invested in a company that has produced some of the most advanced EVs out there, have lost the core driving force of its engineering and vision -- the Founder, CEO, and CTO are all out. It's perhaps unsurprising that, with sweeping moves, Lucid has delayed its more affordable midsize EV, the Cosmos, continues to bleed cash, pulled its production guidance, laid off a chunk of its workforce, and has hired AlixPartners, a firm known for corporate turnarounds and restructuring.

If investors want to get into the potentially lucrative future of the EV industry, Rivian's executive stability is but one reason it appears to be a far better long-term investment than rival Lucid.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 08/24 - 08/28Rivian Automotive NASDAQ: RIVN said early customer and media feedback for its R2 electric SUV has been strong as the company ramps production and works toward broader autonomy capabilities, including supervised point-to-point driving later this year and an eyes-off system targeted for 2027.

Speaking at a Goldman Sachs event, Chip Newcom, Rivian’s vice president of investor relations, said the company has been collecting $100 refundable deposits from prospective R2 buyers and inviting customers in waves to configure vehicles and submit purchase intentions. Conversion rates from those reservations have been “very good” and are trending ahead of Rivian’s prior expectations, he said.

Get Rivian Automotive alerts:

What Rising Delivery Forecasts Say About Rivian's Stock ProspectsNewcom said interest has continued as new vehicle trims are introduced, including the Coastal Cloud trim. While he described the R2 launch as still being in its early stages, he said the initial reviews and feedback suggest the vehicle is achieving the intended product-market fit.

R2 Production Ramp Remains Underway Rivian is continuing to ramp R2 manufacturing at its Normal, Illinois, plant and still expects to add a second production shift during the third quarter. Newcom said the company is managing the supplier ramp process and noted that vehicle output can move only as quickly as the slowest supplier in its supply chain.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 07/06 - 07/10The company’s longer-term cost objective remains a roughly 50% reduction in R2 bill of materials compared with the R1 platform once R2 reaches full production scale. Newcom said Rivian incurred about $100 million in incremental cost of goods sold during the second quarter related to the R2 ramp and expects further ramp-related costs in the third quarter.

Rivian expects those costs to begin reversing in the fourth quarter as it works toward becoming automotive gross-profit positive on an exit-rate basis by year-end. According to Newcom, increased R2 deliveries and better fixed-cost absorption across the Normal plant’s paint, stamping and other operations will be key contributors.

“It’s all about scaling and building more R2s,” Newcom said when asked whether the target relies on unusual pricing or cost-reduction assumptions.

Autonomy Development Targets Supervised Driving This Year James Philbin, Rivian’s senior vice president of autonomy and AI, said the company is making progress on its supervised point-to-point driving feature, which it plans to introduce toward the end of the year. The work includes scaling models and data, validating system performance and testing vehicles on public roads.

Philbin said the remaining technical focus is on ensuring the system behaves in a manner that feels natural to drivers while maintaining safety. That includes avoiding overly conservative operation and appropriately handling vehicle speed. He said the technology has shown encouraging performance in situations including construction zones and narrow-road negotiations, though further validation is required before release.

Rivian’s target for eyes-off driving in 2027 is based on continued development of the same end-to-end software system, Philbin said. The company expects to build confidence through exposure to more long-tail driving scenarios and a greater number of miles.

Philbin added that Rivian has access to GPU capacity through Amazon Web Services, supported by Rivian’s relationship with Amazon, that should meet its AI training needs over the next six to nine months. He said the company will continue to monitor the market for computing capacity beyond that period.

Rivian is also seeing Autonomy+ adoption track better than expected, Philbin said, describing the products as “sticky” once customers become accustomed to using the features. He said the R2 could appeal both to customers migrating from internal-combustion vehicles and to EV buyers seeking more advanced driver-assistance functions.

Custom Silicon and Robotaxi Plans Vidya Rajagopalan, Rivian’s senior vice president of electrical hardware, said the company developed its RAP1 custom processor to improve cost, performance and development speed. Because Rivian designs the hardware alongside its vehicle and autonomy software, it can tailor the silicon to physical-AI and autonomous-driving applications rather than rely on data-center-oriented merchant chips, she said.

Rajagopalan said Rivian has had the silicon in-house for more than a year and a half and expects hardware characterization testing to be substantially complete within about a month and a half. The company has vehicles operating with the chip and has exercised public features including Universal Hands-Free, Lane Change on Command and Highway Assist on the platform.

She said the Gen 3 system remains on track for late 2026, with lower-performance configurations expected to cost less than Gen 2 hardware. Rivian has not announced when Gen 3 architecture might reach the R1 platform. Point-to-point functionality, however, is expected to be available on both Gen 2 and Gen 3 systems at launch, according to Rajagopalan.

On Rivian’s partnership with Uber, Newcom said Uber is expected to provide $1.25 billion in equity capital over several years. Rivian has already received $300 million and expects another $250 million upon reaching a milestone later this year. The remaining funding is tied to technical milestones related to an L4-capable R2 robotaxi and expansion to as many as 25 markets globally, including at least one in Europe.

The agreement includes an initial plan for Uber or its fleet partners to purchase 10,000 vehicles, with an option for another 40,000. Newcom said Rivian also expects to receive software licensing fees for vehicles operating with its driver system, though the company has not disclosed pricing for those fees.

Rivian plans testing in San Francisco, Miami and Chicago by the end of the year, Philbin said, with expert-driver teams already collecting data and validating the system. The company sees robotaxis as a step toward personal Level 4 vehicles rather than its ultimate destination.

About Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN)Rivian Automotive, Inc is an American automotive technology company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of electric vehicles. The company is best known for its all-electric R1 platform, which underpins the R1T pickup truck and R1S sport utility vehicle. In addition to consumer products, Rivian has secured a significant commercial contract to produce electric delivery vans for a leading e-commerce provider, underscoring its capability to serve both retail and fleet customers.

Founded in 2009 by engineer and entrepreneur Robert “RJ” Scaringe, Rivian has grown from a research-focused startup into a publicly traded corporation.

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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Partnership Leverages OG.com's CFTC-regulated Platform Following $5 Billion Spin-off from Crypto.com

, /PRNewswire/ -- Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) and prediction market platform OG.com today announced a landmark multi-year partnership designating OG.com as an infrastructure and clearing provider for Robinhood's Prediction Markets offering.

OG.com x Robinhood x Crypto.com Under the agreement, Robinhood will route retail event contract volume through OG.com's underlying Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulated derivatives exchange and clearinghouse architecture. Prediction Markets on Robinhood are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC, a registered futures commission merchant with the CFTC and Member of National Futures Association (NFA). This agreement will represent OG.com's largest B2B prediction markets partnership in terms of transaction volumes.

The partnership follows Citadel Securities investment into Crypto.com at a $20 billion valuation, which includes a standalone $5 billion valuation of OG.com through its strategic spin-off from Crypto.com. By separating from the core digital asset exchange infrastructure, OG.com operates as an independent company with dedicated capital allocation focused exclusively on scaling its direct consumer experience and deepening its institutional-grade, CFTC-regulated framework across sports, financials, and economic contract markets and margined derivatives.

As part of the deal, Robinhood will hold initial equity stakes in Crypto.com and OG.com following the latter's spin-off as an independent trading platform and the equity will be priced in line with the recent investment of Citadel Securities into the Crypto.com Group at a $20 billion valuation.

By routing contracts to OG.com Robinhood is expanding its existing prediction markets offering, making it an even higher-capacity engine capable of handling institutional-grade liquidity, instant clearing, and a more dynamic event catalog expansion across macroeconomic indicators, global sports, elections, and cultural milestones. The rollout of OG.com-backed event contracts on the Robinhood app will begin in phases to eligible U.S. customers starting on September 8, 2026.

"This is the beginning of a strategic partnership between both companies," said Kris Marszalek, Founder and CEO of Crypto.com and OG.com. "We're looking forward to making OG.com the most liquid venue globally for innovative derivative instruments, starting with prediction markets and quickly expanding into futures and perpetuals."

"Teaming up with Crypto.com and OG.com strengthens our position as a leader in the prediction markets space and gives us even more skin in the game," said JB Mackenzie, VP and GM of Futures and Prediction Markets at Robinhood. "Prediction markets are becoming an increasingly meaningful way for investors to engage with the events they care about, and this deal helps us meet our growing customer demand."

This multi-year partnership accelerates the evolution of modern market infrastructure by directly aligning retail accessibility with institutional-grade derivatives execution. OG.com's operational separation into a standalone entity creates the dedicated agility, specialized capital allocation, and regulatory clarity required to power high-frequency prediction markets. Simultaneously, Robinhood's integration and direct equity stake position both companies to capture the surging global demand for CFTC-regulated event contract trading and other innovative products.

By partnering with OG.com, Robinhood is further improving its execution layer with an established exchange infrastructure offering deep liquidity, ensuring strict federal compliance under CFTC oversight while supporting Crypto.com and OG.com's broader vision to establish two category-defining financial powerhouses in digital assets and regulated derivatives.

About Crypto.com
Founded in 2016, Crypto.com is trusted by millions of users worldwide and is the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy. Our vision is simple: Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet™. Crypto.com is committed to accelerating the adoption of cryptocurrency through innovation and development of new use cases including prediction markets and tokenized RWAs.

Learn more at https://crypto.com.

About OG.com
OG.com is an independent trading platform that operates multiple business lines servicing customers globally. Conducting business through registered entities, including the OG of event markets North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc., a designated contract market and derivatives clearing organization registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the OG Broker, a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), OG.com offers an up-to-date trading ecosystem for prediction market contracts across various categories, including sports, financials, economics, culture, and much more.

Built around a comprehensive suite of event contracts, OG.com allows all OGs to be original, whether a customer is a sports fan, an influencer, an oracle of culture, or part of the global community - all OGs can act on uncertainty, trade predictions, engage with a vibrant community, and climb the leaderboard. Available through direct access as well as intermediaries like FCMs and Introducing Brokers, OG.com is where it pays to be right.

Find your edge today at https://OG.com.

OG.com is available in approved jurisdictions. Trading is subject to risk and may not be appropriate for all.

About Robinhood
Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) is a global leader in financial services offering retail brokerage, crypto, advisory, digital banking services, and private markets access to a new generation of investors. Additional information about Robinhood can be found at www.robinhood.com.

Futures, options on futures and cleared swaps trading is offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC ("Robinhood Derivatives"), a registered futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Member of National Futures Association (NFA). Robinhood Derivatives is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc. ("Robinhood Markets"-- when including its consolidated subsidiaries, "we," "our" or "Robinhood").

SOURCE Crypto.com

Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) shares are trading higher Tuesday. Factors include an expanded prediction markets partnership and a new IPO underwriting role, alongside fresh analyst price target increases.

Robinhood stock is showing upward movement. What’s pushing HOOD stock higher? Crypto.com Deal Expands Robinhood’s Prediction MarketsAccording to The Wall Street Journal, Robinhood struck a deal with Crypto.com to bring the crypto exchange’s yes-or-no event contracts into Robinhood’s prediction markets hub, alongside an equity stake in Crypto.com. The partnership adds Crypto.com to a growing roster of contract suppliers that already includes Kalshi, Interactive Brokers’ ForecastEx, and Rothera, Robinhood’s joint venture with Susquehanna International Group. Robinhood has recorded more than 16 billion event contracts traded in 2026, already surpassing the more than 12 billion traded across all of 2025.

Robinhood Joins Oura IPO SyndicateSeparately, The Wall Street Journal reported that Robinhood has landed its first-ever IPO underwriting role, joining the syndicate for smart-ring maker Oura’s upcoming public offering. Oura filed for its IPO seeking a valuation exceeding $16 billion, with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Allen & Co., and Jefferies serving as lead bookrunners. Robinhood is listed 18th in the syndicate, having received regulatory approval to underwrite deals just three months ago in June.

Analyst ActivityGoldman Sachs raised its price target on Robinhood to $142 from $124, maintaining a Buy rating, with analyst James Yaro citing the strong early performance of Rothera. Cantor Fitzgerald maintained an Overweight rating on Robinhood and raised its price target to $150.

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Robinhood Shares Edge HigherHOOD Price Action: At the time of publication, Robinhood shares are trading 3.28% higher at $126.11, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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Robinhood Markets (HOOD.O) said on Tuesday it will route some football event contracts through OG.com's federally regulated ​exchange, while taking equity stakes in the platform ‌and its former parent Crypto.com as it further expands into prediction markets.

Here are some more details:

The stakes will be priced in ​line with Citadel Securities' recent investment in Crypto.com ​at a $20 billion valuation, including $5 billion for the recently ⁠spun-off OG.com, Robinhood said.

Starting Tuesday, the retail trading ​platform will route selected football contracts to OG.com, adding another ​trading venue alongside its existing partners ahead of the U.S. professional football season.

Event contracts generated a record $156 million in second-quarter revenue, ​emerging as an increasingly important growth driver for Robinhood.

OG.com, ​an independent trading platform, operates a derivatives exchange and clearinghouse regulated ‌by ⁠the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Robinhood is also expanding its election-related contracts ahead of the November midterms with a dedicated hub for state and federal races, some ​of which could ​later be ⁠routed to Crypto.com and OG.com.

Prediction markets offer "yes" or "no" contracts on sports, political and economic ​events, with proponents arguing they harness the "wisdom ​of ⁠crowds". Critics liken them to gambling, and regulators have stepped up scrutiny over insider trading.

The products gained mainstream popularity ⁠during ​the 2024 U.S. presidential election and ​attracted strong demand during sports events such as the FIFA World ​Cup.

AMC stock is sliding back toward last week's levels while Robinhood barely flinches, and that disconnect raises a pointed question about what Friday's CEO feud was actually trading on.

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The tokenized-stock feud that lifted retail favorite AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) on Friday looks like it’s already unwinding, and the muted action in the broker at the center of the dispute tells the story.

AMC stock is down 5% to $2.52 in morning trading, giving back a chunk of last week’s headline-driven pop. Notably, AMC shares are still up 60% year to date, so today’s move sits inside a large annual gain rather than reversing it.

Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD | HOOD Price Prediction) stock is down 0.57% to $121.41, practically unchanged on the session. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down 0.38%, so the broad tape is soft but nothing like AMC’s decline.

Friday’s Rally Retraces on No New Development On Friday, AMC CEO Adam Aron publicly criticized Robinhood over its tokenized stock offerings and called for the broker to pull them. The Wall Street Journal captured his tone, quoting Aron calling the tokens “inexcusable” and “vile.” AMC shares rose that day on the headline, and no follow-up news has advanced the dispute since.

The plain reading here is profit taking. A stock that pops on an executive complaint and gives it back days later without any fresh development wasn’t really trading on the complaint. No company announcement from AMC explains today’s slide, and no exhibitor-wide news does either.

Robinhood’s Flat Reaction Is the Tell If tokenization access itself faced a real threat, the reaction would appear first in Robinhood shares. Robinhood stock sitting practically still on the same catalyst that whipped AMC around undercuts the idea that this was ever a fundamental fight over the broker’s product line.

Robinhood also crossed the tape with news today, announcing OG.com as its infrastructure partner for a new prediction-markets platform and taking an equity stake in the exchange engine. The stock’s non-reaction to both that release and Friday’s feud lines up with a tokenization theme that has cooled after a hot summer stretch.

Cinema Peers Aren’t Along for the Ride AMC’s listed U.S. exhibitor peers don’t share the meme-linked swings. Cinemark Holdings (NYSE:CNK) stock has climbed 51% year to date on strong Q2 2026 results, and IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) stock is up 42% year to date behind a record 2026 movie slate. Neither CNK nor IMAX currently trades on tokenization headlines.

With the SPY ETF down modestly and cinema peers holding their gains, today’s AMC slide reads as a stock-specific unwind rather than sector fatigue. The theatrical exhibition backdrop is actually strong, with Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Dune: Part Three still ahead on the 2026 slate.

What to Watch Next The immediate question for AMC stock is whether the slide stabilizes or extends into the afternoon. Traders can watch for any follow-up commentary from Aron or a formal Robinhood response, though the odds of new information dropping today look modest given the dispute has produced no resolution either company needs to answer.

For anyone weighing their exposure here, position sizing matters more than the headline (we wrote a free playbook on speculating with just 5% of a portfolio here: Small Stakes, Big Swings). AMC’s balance sheet remains stressed, with corporate borrowings of $3.85 billion and negative shareholders’ equity, so investors sizing their positions should treat single-session tokenization headlines as noise around a still-fragile capital structure.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Two Wall Street giants see a much bigger opportunity emerging Summary

Goldman Sachs and Jefferies raised their Robinhood stock targets as prediction markets, subscriptions, and blockchain activity gained momentum

Goldman Sachs and Jefferies are raising expectations for Robinhood Markets HOOD, with bullish cases extending beyond retail trading. Both see new products and prediction markets becoming meaningful growth engines.

Goldman analyst James Yaro lifted his Robinhood stock price target to $142 from $124 and maintained a Buy rating. Jefferies analyst Daniel Fannon raised his target to $140 from $127, reiterating Buy after meeting Chief Financial Officer Shiv Verma.

Why Wall Street Sees More UpsideGoldman's case centers on Rothera, Robinhood's prediction-market joint venture with Susquehanna International Group. Since launching in May, the platform has ranked between the third- and fifth-largest prediction-market exchanges by trading volume, according to Yaro.

Rothera generated a $150 million annualized revenue run rate during its first quarter of operation. Goldman expects momentum to continue as Robinhood's large retail base attracts liquidity, market makers deepen participation, and lower fees pull activity from rival exchanges. Adding brokers and products could widen the opportunity further.

Robinhood also announced a multiyear partnership making OG.com an infrastructure and clearing provider for its prediction-markets business. The platform will become independent from Crypto.com, while Robinhood receives equity stakes in both companies. Citadel Securities' investment valued Crypto.com at $20 billion and OG.com at $5 billion.

Jefferies sees strength beyond prediction markets. Fannon highlighted robust net deposits, rising Robinhood Gold subscriptions, and what he called an “aggressive” product roadmap. Robinhood Chain reached $8.2 million in daily fees and $3.8 billion in daily volume on September 4, while football season could stimulate additional Rothera activity.

The twin target hikes show analysts increasingly value Robinhood as a broader financial platform, not simply a trading app. That raises the execution bar. Prediction-market growth must prove durable, newer products must deepen engagement, and higher activity must translate into profitable revenue. If those pieces align, Wall Street's latest targets suggest Robinhood still has room to surprise.

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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UiPath, Inc. (PATH) Presents at Citi's 2026 Global TMT Conference Transcript

Investment firm Blackstone (BX.N) is looking to sell ​medical-grade skincare company ZO Skin ‌Health, which could be valued at around $2 billion in any deal, according to ​people familiar with the matter.

The ​firm is working with investment bankers ⁠at Citigroup (C.N) and Raymond James (RJF.N) on ​the sale, which is at an ​early stage, the people said, requesting anonymity because the matter is private.

Blackstone and Citi ​declined to comment. ZO and Raymond ​James did not immediately respond to comment requests.

Dermatologist ‌Dr. ⁠Zein Obagi founded the brand in 2007. ZO sells skincare products including cleansers, serums, exfoliators, and toners ​that are ​distributed by ⁠physicians and skincare professionals.

The sale process comes at a ​time when many strategic buyers ​are ⁠prioritizing clinically backed, physician-distributed skincare brands like ZO, because of their efficacy ⁠and ​steadier demand versus ​over-the-counter products.

Winter Park, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2026) - Nasdaq requires companies seeking an initial listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market to have a sufficiently broad public shareholder base. That distribution test includes:

At least 300 round-lot holders;A round-lot holder generally meaning a shareholder holding at least 100 unrestricted shares; andAdia Med has just verified that it currently has 361 round-lot holders, or 61 holders above Nasdaq's 300-holder minimum.

OTC Markets is the public venue where Adia Med's OTCQB quotation, company profile, and share-structure details are displayed. As posted on the Company's OTC Markets security details page, Adia Med had approximately 94.4 million shares outstanding, including approximately 35.8 million unrestricted shares and approximately 23.2 million shares held at DTC, as of August 27, 2026. "Adia Med has just verified 361 round-lot holders against Nasdaq's requirement of 300," said Larry Powalisz, Chief Executive Officer of Adia Med Inc. "That is another completed item on our uplisting checklist. Shareholders can see our published capitalization on OTC Markets as we continue working toward a potential Nasdaq Capital Market listing."

What this announcement covers.

This update is Adia Med's verification of the shareholder distribution component of Nasdaq's initial listing standards. It is not Nasdaq approval and does not mean the Company has satisfied every Nasdaq Capital Market requirement. Other standards still apply, including minimum bid price, market value of unrestricted publicly held shares, financial tests, and corporate governance.

Adia Med currently trades on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol ADIA and is a fully reporting SEC company. In August 2026, the Company announced that it had engaged legal counsel in connection with a planned Nasdaq Capital Market uplisting.

For questions, inquiries, or additional information, please contact Larry Powalisz at [email protected] or by phone at 321-231-2843.

About Adia Med Inc.

Adia Med Inc. (OTCQB: ADIA), headquartered in Winter Park, Florida, is a regenerative medicine company built around active, IRB-approved stem cell therapy studies. Through its Adia Med clinics, the company delivers stem cell treatments alongside complementary services like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT), supported by multiple Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved clinical studies, The current studies are targeting autism spectrum disorder, chronic kidney disease, and lower back pain, with more planned for 2026. Its Adia Labs division manufactures regenerative products (AdiaVita, AdiaLink) that supply this clinical work.

Adia Labs generates revenue by manufacturing and selling regenerative products (AdiaVita and AdiaLink) to Adia Med clinics and external providers. Adia Med clinics generate revenue through patient treatments (stem cell therapies, PRP, TPE, and aHSCT). Additional revenue comes from the company's 18% equity stake in Cement Factory LLC and from ADIA Life LLC's wellness product distribution.

Website: www.adiamed.com
Website: www.adialabs.com
Website: www.cementfactory.co
Twitter (X): @adia_med
Instagram: @adia_med
Facebook: @adia_med

Safe Harbor: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of management and are subject to a few uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect the company's current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. A more extensive listing of risks and factors that may affect the company's business prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the reports and other documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission and OTC Markets, Inc. OTC Disclosure and News Service. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, because of new information, future events or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/312989

Source: Adia Med Inc.

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, /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, and the European Energy Exchange, the world's leading exchange for power and European energy, today announced an agreement for EEX to transition its European dairy business to CME Group, already home to the dairy risk management industry in the U.S.

Under the terms of the agreement, EEX intends to phase out its dairy business and support the transition of its suite of indices underpinning existing futures contracts to CME Group before the end of 2027. The transaction, which includes the European butter and skimmed milk powder indices, will mark CME Group's entry into the European dairy market, with plans to launch its own European dairy indices, futures and options in the near future.

"The European dairy market is one of largest in the world, and the addition of European dairy futures and options will allow CME Group to build on record activity in our U.S. dairy franchise and offer clients access to a truly global market in one venue," said Derek Sammann, Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Commodities Markets, CME Group. "As the global population grows, dairy is becoming an increasingly important protein source for diets around the world. With U.S. dairy volumes increasing 73% over the past five years, expanding into Europe is the natural next step in helping producers and consumers access capital efficiencies and manage regional price risk."   

"We are proud of the leading European market for dairy derivatives that we built over the years together with our customers. With our renewed focus on core markets and related growth areas, we are delighted to have CME Group as our successor, bringing additional growth opportunities for the dairy community. We are committed to supporting CME Group and market participants with a smooth transition," said Tobias Paulun, Chief Executive Officer of EEX. "This will allow us to focus on our wider energy market offering and our drive to support the energy transition."

Dairy futures trading at EEX will remain available for the respective listed maturities, and there won't be any immediate changes to the setup of the pan-European butter and WECI indices.

The European Union accounts for roughly 20% of cow's milk production and more than 30% of nonfat dry milk exports globally, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Service. Much of that market remains unhedged.

Open interest in CME Group's dairy market climbed to a record 434,071 contracts on September 1, 2026.

The transaction is subject to pending closing conditions. For more information on CME Group dairy markets, please visit here.

As the world's leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing. 

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("S&P DJI"). "S&P®", "S&P 500®", "SPY®", "SPX®", US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

CME-G

SOURCE CME Group

Bill Ackman just placed a major bet on the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, arguing that investors have the AI threat to this business exactly backwards.

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Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square disclosed in its 2Q26 letter to shareholders that it initiated a new position in Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE | ICE Price Prediction), the owner of the New York Stock Exchange. The letter argued that ICE shares had fallen over the year before the purchase while the earnings multiple contracted sharply, and that investors overestimated both the threat AI poses to the company’s data and mortgage technology businesses and the danger perpetual futures pose to its exchanges.

Pershing initiated the position after the letter’s quarter-end date, so the decline and the multiple describe the purchase context as of that period. ICE closed at $161.26 on September 4, up 7.62% over the past month but down 6.41% over the last year.

Why the Business Gets Stronger as Markets Automate The New York Stock Exchange is the recognizable entry point, but in most cases it sits within futures, clearing, and data. Automated participants still need a regulated venue to trade on, a price feed to trade against, and a clearinghouse to stand behind the trade.

ICE’s second quarter carried the point. Recurring revenue reached $1.35 billion, up 8%, and Fixed Income and Data Services net revenue grew 8% to $645 million. Management raised full-year recurring-revenue guidance for that segment to 7% to 8%.

CEO Jeff Sprecher said “AI is making our data more valuable, not less”, describing ICE’s proprietary pricing as “data that cannot be scraped or synthesized”. The new ICE Model Context Protocol server feeds that governed data into client AI workflows with permissioning and audit trails intact.

Ackman’s Conditional Return Case Pershing’s expected return rests on two legs: earnings growth from the recurring, data-heavy businesses, and a recovery in the multiple that compressed during the drawdown. ICE beat consensus for a fifth straight quarter, posting adjusted diluted EPS of $1.9 against a $1.84 consensus.

Capital return supports the per-share math. The board authorized up to $4.0 billion in repurchases effective July 1, 2026, and management plans to raise the baseline quarterly buyback from $350 million to $400 million.

The pending $5.7 billion acquisition of Market Access at $167 per share extends ICE’s fixed-income network. Sprecher described the combined platform as a “global fixed income network” that connects retail and institutional liquidity and evaluates pricing, execution, and clearing through a single connection.

Peer Context and Where the Thesis Can Break CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) reported record market-data revenue of $238 million, up 20% year over year. Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) grew index revenue 38% to $271 million and listed SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) in an $86 billion IPO, the largest in exchange history. CME is up 6.05% year to date and NDAQ up 0.4%, versus ICE at 0.26%. That valuation gap is the setup Pershing likes.

Three vulnerabilities stand out. A prolonged weak mortgage market would keep the segment’s GAAP operating margin near the 8% reported last quarter, delaying the realization of operating leverage from Aurora adoption.

Competitive pressure on fixed-income execution and data pricing is real, and management said Market Access has faced declining market share. The old multiple may never come back on Pershing’s timetable, in which case returns depend entirely on earnings compounding.

Is ICE Stock a Buy? Pershing’s thesis is grounded in cash flows already visible on the income statement. If AI accelerates demand for governed, regulated data and ICE integrates Market Access on schedule, the recurring-revenue engine keeps compounding whether or not the multiple re-rates quickly.

Against CME’s higher growth rate and Nasdaq’s faster AI monetization, ICE is the value play in the group. For a retirement-focused investor researching market infrastructure exposure through cycles, ICE screens as the value name in the group on Ackman’s logic, with the mortgage cycle as the risk worth monitoring.

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