Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Key Takeaways FIGR benefits from blockchain lending, tokenized assets and crypto-backed loans.CHYM Financial is working to bring dollar-tied stablecoins into everyday user payments.PAY integrates PayPal's "Checkout with Crypto" feature into its bill-payment technology. Wall Street’s cryptocurrency environment has improved meaningfully over the past few months, although the market remains highly sensitive to interest rates, Treasury yields and regulatory developments. The biggest shift has been the growing importance of institutional capital, with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) increasingly traded through regulated exchange-traded products rather than solely through traditional crypto exchanges. Figure Technology Solutions, Inc. (FIGR - Free Report) , Chime Financial, Inc. (CHYM - Free Report) and Paymentus Holdings, Inc. (PAY - Free Report) are three crypto-related stocks that must be watched in this environment.

ETF Demand ReturnsCrypto ETF flows have emerged as one of the clearest indicators of institutional sentiment. After periods of heavy outflows earlier in the year, demand strengthened significantly during August. Between Aug. 17 and Aug. 20, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted about $1.6 billion, their strongest weekly inflow pace of 2026 at that point.

The momentum continued into early September. Bitcoin ETFs recorded $986.9 million of inflows during the week ended Sept. 4, while demand for Ethereum and several newer altcoin ETFs cooled. More recently, Bitcoin ETFs attracted $730.8 million in a single session, while Ethereum ETFs added $141.4 million.

This suggests that institutional investors continue to view Bitcoin as the primary digital-asset exposure, while interest in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies remains more dependent on market momentum.

Regulation Improves the BackdropRegulatory developments have also become increasingly important. The proposed CLARITY Act, which seeks to establish clearer oversight of digital assets and divide responsibilities between regulators, has become a major focus for Wall Street. Although Senate action was delayed until September, the prospect of clearer rules has helped support institutional participation.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has separately moved toward a more accommodating framework. In August, SEC Chair Paul Atkins outlined proposed rules that would create exemptions specifically designed for innovation and fundraising in crypto markets.

Stablecoins are another important part of the institutional story. The GENIUS Act has established a federal framework for payment stablecoins, potentially encouraging their use in payments and financial-market infrastructure.

Rates Remain the Biggest RiskDespite the improving structural backdrop, crypto remains closely tied to Wall Street's macro environment. Bitcoin recently moved around the $80,000 level, but a stronger-than-expected August jobs report pushed Treasury yields higher and reduced expectations for near-term Federal Reserve easing.Top of FormBottom of Form

Our ChoicesThe stocks below have a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or Rank #2 (Buy), and positive returns and margins. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Figure Technology is a fintech and blockchain-native capital marketplace, using blockchain for lending and tokenized assets, with direct crypto exposure through crypto-backed loans. FIGR’s expected earnings growth rate for the next year is 168.2%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has improved 25.5% over the past 60 days. The company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

Chime Financial is a digital banking company offering payments, working to bring stablecoins (cryptocurrencies tied to the U.S. dollar) into everyday user payments. CHYM’s expected earnings growth rate for the next year is 109.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has improved 36.7% over the past 60 days. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Paymentus is a provider of cloud-based electronic bill-payment and revenue-management technology with native integration with PayPal Holdings, Inc.’s (PYPL - Free Report) "Checkout with Crypto" feature. PAY’s expected earnings growth rate for the next year is 40.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has improved 14.8% over the past 60 days. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

Bottom LineWall Street’s crypto environment appears increasingly institutional, with ETF flows, regulatory progress and stablecoin adoption providing important support. However, cryptocurrencies remain high-beta assets, leaving Bitcoin and other digital assets vulnerable to higher yields, changing Fed expectations and broader risk-off sentiment.

A trade through 29,811.50 will change the minor trend to up. If the move creates enough upside momentum, the rally could extend into the next main top at 30,343.00.

On the downside, a sustained move under 29,610.75 will signal the presence of sellers. This could trigger a break into the 50-day moving average at 29,375.89. Buyers could show up on the first test of the 50-day moving average, but if it fails, selling could extend into the intermediate 50% level at 29,150.75.

What to Watch Crude oil is the immediate risk. Brent near $99 has put $100 back in play, and another push higher would add to inflation pressure, lift Treasury yields and test the Nasdaq’s ability to ignore the macro trade. Qualcomm and the semiconductor group have the bid for now, but they are not trading in a vacuum.

The inflation reports arrive later this week. They matter because oil is already pushing the rate-hike case higher. If crude stays bid and the data come in hot, the chip rally faces a much tougher market.

The near-term bias stays bullish while the Nasdaq-100 holds the 50-day moving average at 29,375.89. A push through 29,811.50 confirms the uptrend and opens 30,343.00. The chip group has to hold Tuesday’s gains through PPI and CPI for the breakout to mean anything. The inflation numbers decide whether the Nasdaq keeps resisting the crude and yield pressure or whether the Dow’s problem becomes everybody’s problem.

More Information in our Economic Calendar.

AWS is sitting on a $496 billion backlog and doubling its power capacity, and the pressure is now pulling a surprising new name into the AI silicon race alongside Broadcom. Whether that newcomer can actually deliver before the window closes…

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Amazon’s AWS unit is now the loudest buyer in the AI compute market, and this morning it handed a piece of its silicon roadmap to a new supplier. Qualcomm announced a multi-generational product collaboration with Amazon to build next-generation AI data center infrastructure, extending AWS’s custom-chip strategy beyond in-house Trainium and incumbent Broadcom. The scale of what AWS is trying to feed is the point: AWS backlog stands at $496 billion, and Amazon is on pace to double its power capacity by the end of 2027 versus 2025. That is the demand pressure that just pulled Qualcomm into the accelerator conversation.

Amazon: Anchor Buyer With a $496 Billion Backlog Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN | AMZN Price Prediction) is the customer at the center of this story, and its Q2 FY2026 print explains why silicon vendors are lining up. AWS revenue was $42.2 billion, up 36.7% year-over-year, the fastest AWS growth in 18 quarters, with an annualized revenue run rate of $169 billion. Amazon’s own AI revenue run rate is now over $25 billion, and its chips business separately eclipsed a $25 billion run rate. Cash capital expenditures hit $53.1 billion in the quarter, and CEO Andy Jassy said AWS could “very possibly be a trillion dollar annual revenue business for us in time.”

The bull case is straightforward: Amazon has already reserved the lion’s share of 2027 capacity and is signing 2028, and management said most AI capacity is being contracted for at least five-year terms. Shares trade at a P/E of 36 with the stock up 11.03% year to date. The risk: near-term free cash flow is under pressure while data centers are built ahead of monetization, a point Amazon flagged directly on the call.

Qualcomm: New Data Center Entrant With a Signed Amazon Deal Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) just converted what had been a vaguely disclosed “leading hyperscaler” engagement into a named Amazon partnership. Per CNBC, Qualcomm is working with Amazon “across multiple generations of customized silicon” focused on inference workloads for AWS AI infrastructure, and per user context, the scope also reaches into 1.6T optical connectivity, giving Qualcomm a shot at selling both compute and networking around AI workloads. On the July earnings call, CFO Akash Palkhiwala said Qualcomm already has purchase orders and has started wafer production on its two hyperscaler engagements, with revenue starting in the December quarter.

The numbers behind the pivot: Qualcomm is targeting $5 billion in data-center revenue in fiscal 2027 and $15 billion in fiscal 2029, with total non-handset revenue targeted at $40 billion by fiscal 2029. CEO Cristiano Amon said non-handset growth will accelerate from 24% in fiscal 2026 to greater than 60% in fiscal 2027. The stock ripped on the news, up 7.4% over the past week and 3.94% on the session to $175.39, trading at a P/E of 33 with a 2.11% dividend yield.

The bull case: this is Qualcomm’s second major hyperscaler win, following Meta’s commitment to use the Dragonfly C1000 starting in 2028 production, and Bank of America sees the CPU market growing from $27 billion in 2025 to $60 billion by 2030. The risk is real and management flagged it themselves: initial custom-chip data-center revenue carries gross margins significantly lower than baseline and will reduce QCT weighted-average gross margin by one and a half to 2% during the ramp. Handset revenue also declined 20% year-over-year last quarter, so the data-center story has to work to offset the core business.

Broadcom: Incumbent With a $115 Billion AI Runway Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) is the incumbent Qualcomm is trying to catch, and last week’s print set the bar. Q3 AI semiconductor revenue was $16.70 billion, up 221% year-over-year and 54% quarter-over-quarter, representing 56% of total revenue. Q4 guidance calls for AI semi revenue of $21.7 billion, and management expects fiscal 2026 AI revenue of $58 billion, scaling to approximately $115 billion in fiscal 2027 and $230 billion in fiscal 2028. CEO Hock Tan pegged Broadcom’s content at $20 billion to $30 billion per gigawatt of AI infrastructure deployed.

The customer roster is what makes the incumbency stick: Google TPUs (Broadcom said it plans to deliver “multi-tens of billions of dollars of TPUs annually over the next several years”), Anthropic (a one-gigawatt Ironwood deployment in 2026 and another five gigawatts of TPU v8i in 2027), OpenAI (Jalapeno accelerator with 1.3 gigawatts of deployment in 2027), and Meta’s MTIA program. The stock is up 20.62% over the past year but down 12.37% over the past month to $366.52, with free cash flow last quarter of $13.66 billion (46% of revenue). The risk is customer concentration: the “vast majority” of AI demand originates from a concentrated group of frontier-model developers, and any of those customers dual-sourcing (as AWS is now doing with Qualcomm) chips away at the addressable moat.

What to Watch These are three fundamentally different bets on the same buildout. Amazon has the balance sheet and the backlog to fund the demand pull, Broadcom has the incumbent AI-silicon P&L with real free cash flow behind it, and Qualcomm is an early-revenue data-center entrant whose thesis rests on execution against a fiscal 2029 $15 billion target that has not yet shown up in the reported numbers. December-quarter shipments and the fiscal 2027 ramp are the two proof points that will decide whether Qualcomm actually takes durable share, or whether Broadcom’s TPU, Jalapeno, and MTIA pipelines simply absorb the next leg of hyperscaler capex. For readers hunting the next monster run in AI silicon, we reverse-engineered what the biggest tech winners looked like early in a free playbook here.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Qualcomm QCOM shares were surging on Tuesday after the chipmaker announced a major deal.

The stock surged as much as 10% in early trading, but gave up most of those gains to trade around 4% higher at the time of writing.

The company said it has entered a multi-generational product collaboration with Amazon Web Services to supply customized silicon for large-scale AI data centers.

The deal marks the chipmaker’s third named hyperscaler partnership as it pushes into a market dominated by Nvidia.

The companies will work together across multiple generations of custom chips focused on AI inference, the process by which trained models generate outputs.

They will also jointly develop optical connectivity solutions extending up to 1.6T, built on Qualcomm’s SerDes and optical DSP technologies, to handle the bandwidth demands of AWS’s data center networks.

The pullback from the day’s high suggests some profit-taking once the initial reaction to the Amazon news settled in.

The stock has lagged the broader semiconductor sector for most of 2026. On a year-to-date basis, the stock is up around 1.5%, while the VanEck Semiconductor ETF is up over 50%.

As part of the agreement, Qualcomm issued Amazon a warrant to purchase up to 25 million QCOM shares at $161.26 each, according to Qualcomm’s regulatory filing.

Amazon receives an initial tranche of 3.75 million shares, with the remainder tied to commercial milestones that could total up to $60 billion in business under the deal.

The warrant expires on September 3, 2036.

Qualcomm also said it plans to deepen its own use of AWS infrastructure, including Amazon Bedrock, for electronic design automation work, aiming to shorten its chip design cycles.

“As AI demand accelerates, data center infrastructure will require advances in both computing and connectivity to deliver greater performance with more efficiency,” Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said in the companies’ joint statement.

The Amazon agreement follows Qualcomm’s June 2026 Investor Day, where the company laid out its AI data center strategy in detail, introducing the Dragonfly C1000 CPU and its High Bandwidth Compute architecture, alongside separately announced AI200 and AI250 inference accelerators built for Saudi-backed Humain.

At that event, Qualcomm named Meta and Microsoft as its first data center partners, Meta as a customer for the Dragonfly C1000 CPU, with production expected in the second half of 2028, and Microsoft backing Qualcomm’s High Bandwidth Compute architecture for Azure.

Qualcomm also told investors it was targeting $15 billion in data center revenue by fiscal 2029.

Amazon now becomes Qualcomm’s third named hyperscaler relationship.

The tie-up also puts Qualcomm in a slightly unusual position relative to Amazon’s own chip ambitions.

AWS already builds its own custom silicon, including the Trainium and Graviton lines, and CEO Andy Jassy said in his April shareholder letter that annualized revenue across Amazon’s chip products was already around $20 billion, with a path toward $50 billion if AWS begins selling to outside customers.

MarketBeat Week in Review – 08/31 - 09/04Qualcomm NASDAQ: QCOM CFO and COO Akash Palkhiwala said the company’s newly announced multiyear agreement with Amazon represents a “landmark deal” for its expanding data-center business and supports its previously disclosed growth targets.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Palkhiwala said the agreement includes multiple generations of customized silicon as well as optical connectivity products beginning with 1.6T technology and future generations. Qualcomm expects to begin recording revenue from Amazon in the December quarter and said it is already producing chips for the customer.

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Qualcomm’s AI Ambitions Run Into a Smartphone Reality CheckThe transaction also includes a warrant agreement tied to Amazon purchases of up to $60 billion in Qualcomm data-center products over 10 years, according to Palkhiwala. He said roughly 15% of the warrants vest upfront based on Amazon’s initial commitments.

Data-center targets and product strategy Palkhiwala said the Amazon relationship gives Qualcomm high confidence in its target of approximately $5 billion in data-center revenue for fiscal 2027, which begins shortly for the company. He also said the agreement should support strong year-over-year growth in fiscal 2028 and is among the core components supporting Qualcomm’s goal of $15 billion in data-center revenue in fiscal 2029.

Qualcomm’s Turnaround Is Working, So Why Is Wall Street Selling?Qualcomm’s data-center approach consists of four business areas, Palkhiwala said:

Custom silicon for hyperscale customers AI accelerators Central processing units Connectivity products, including SerDes and optical connectivity The company is also working with another global hyperscaler on custom silicon, he said. Qualcomm’s custom-chip capabilities draw on its compute and connectivity technologies, experience with advanced manufacturing nodes and high-yield production, according to Palkhiwala.

In AI accelerators, Qualcomm is initially targeting inference workloads, particularly memory-bandwidth-intensive decode tasks. Palkhiwala highlighted the company’s High Bandwidth Compute technology, which combines compute and memory through stacking. He said the technology is designed to deliver high bandwidth at low power and has received a positive response from customers.

Qualcomm is also bringing its CPU technology to data centers, where it has Meta as its first silicon customer. Palkhiwala said the company believes its products can provide strong performance per watt and performance per area. He said the CPU market opportunity has expanded to more than $200 billion annually and that Qualcomm sees about half of that market moving toward Arm architecture.

Software and power efficiency Palkhiwala said Qualcomm’s acquisition of Modular addresses a key software need as the company expands in data centers. Modular’s software stack is designed to enable models to run across multiple silicon platforms, including those from NVIDIA, AMD and Qualcomm, without requiring developers to build separately for each architecture.

Qualcomm plans to use Modular as its software stack going forward and is pursuing an open-source approach for lower layers of the stack, Palkhiwala said. He compared the strategy to an Android-like model intended to make Qualcomm silicon more accessible to developers across both edge and data-center products.

He also said power constraints, wafer availability and memory supply are likely to shape the AI infrastructure market. Qualcomm’s longstanding focus on performance per watt could provide an advantage in a power-constrained environment, he said, while its manufacturing scale could also be strategically important.

Palkhiwala said AI computing will be distributed between cloud data centers and edge devices rather than concentrated solely in one environment. Qualcomm is developing AI accelerators for edge devices including smartphones, vehicles, PCs, industrial products and robotics.

Smartphones, automotive and wearables On smartphones, Palkhiwala described the market as being in transition toward agentic and voice-first experiences. He said future devices could incorporate separate AI accelerators alongside main processors, increasing silicon content.

He said global smartphone volumes have declined by low-double-digit percentages over the past year, with the largest pressure affecting devices priced below $300 as memory costs rose. However, Qualcomm has seen limited impact at the premium end of the market, where it has its greatest presence.

Palkhiwala also pointed to personal AI devices—including smart glasses, watches, pendants, pins and dongles—as another opportunity. He said companies are developing devices that can see and hear what users do and serve as AI interaction points. Qualcomm is moving toward providing modules and systems-in-package for these products, integrating processing, connectivity, AI, memory and passive components.

In automotive, Palkhiwala said Qualcomm expects to become the largest chip supplier to the auto industry next year. He said the company’s automotive compute content has increased eightfold from its third-generation products to its fifth-generation products, supported by demand for AI, advanced driver-assistance systems and in-car voice interfaces.

Qualcomm has also shifted from selling individual chips toward selling modules and systems-in-package for automotive customers, he said. The company has accelerated its automotive revenue target timetable, originally targeting $10 billion in revenue by 2031 before moving that objective to 2029 and then earlier.

Margins and investment Regarding financial implications, Palkhiwala said Qualcomm expects data-center gross margins to remain broadly in the range of current company margins. Custom products may carry lower margins, while merchant products could carry significantly higher margins, he said.

He added that operating margins should benefit as Qualcomm scales new businesses and leverages research and development investments across its product portfolio. The company has set a target of 30% operating margins three years out, with operating-expense increases expected to trail revenue growth, according to Palkhiwala.

About Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)Qualcomm Incorporated is a global semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company headquartered in San Diego, California. Founded in 1985, the company is known for its development of wireless technologies and for playing a central role in the evolution of digital cellular standards, including CDMA and subsequent generations of mobile standards. Qualcomm’s business combines the design and sale of semiconductor products with a patent licensing program for wireless technologies and related intellectual property.

The company’s product portfolio includes system-on-chip (SoC) platforms marketed under the Snapdragon brand, cellular modem and RF front-end components, connectivity solutions for Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth, and processors and platforms aimed at automotive, IoT, networking and edge-computing applications.

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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Qualcomm (QCOM) establishing an AI collaboration with Amazon (AMZN) is something Futurum CEO Dan Newman sees as "very optimistic." The partnership is currently valued at $60 billion.

Shares of Qualcomm (QCOM +3.17%) rose as much as 8.7% on Tuesday after the semiconductor designer struck a potentially highly lucrative partnership with Amazon (AMZN -0.60%).

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Accelerating the AI boom Qualcomm will help Amazon develop custom artificial intelligence (AI) chips to power its industry-leading cloud computing business.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will also deploy Qualcomm's advanced optical connectivity solutions to speed up data transfers across Amazon's sprawling data center network.

The shift from AI model training to inference -- using trained models to make predictions -- is creating an even greater need for power-efficient computing infrastructure.

That just happens to be Qualcomm's specialty.

The semiconductor designer has built expertise in energy-efficient processors over nearly two decades of developing high-performance, low-power chips for the smartphone market.

Premium Feature

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As part of the deal, Amazon obtained a warrant to buy up to 25 million shares of Qualcomm's stock at an exercise price of $161.26 per share. The warrant vests in stages based on up to $60 billion in chip orders and related purchases. It expires on Sept. 3, 2036.

A strong vote of confidence for Qualcomm's AI chips The global smartphone industry's slowing growth has prompted Qualcomm to seek greener pastures -- and there aren't many greener than the AI data center build-out race.

Earning Amazon's stamp of approval could provide a powerful boost to Qualcomm's AI customer acquisition efforts.

Joe Tenebruso has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon is not a morning person, so the meetings that decide the most get scheduled last, when nothing has to end on time. Ryan Patel spent a day with Amon at Qualcomm's San Diego campus: a ride in the 1973 Bronco he rebuilt, thirty minutes inside an all-hands where his own employees pushed back on the company's bets, and a walk through the 6G and robotics labs.

Moderna stock surges 143% in a month on positive cancer therapy results, but competition and valuation raise key questions for investors.

Jim Cramer went on live television to beg the president not to sell a chipmaker sitting on massive gains, and the reason why reveals just how much political risk now hangs over one of the hottest stocks in the semiconductor…

President Trump spent the weekend posting about the paper profit on Washington’s Intel (NASDAQ:INTC | INTC Price Prediction) stake, and on Tuesday morning Jim Cramer, whose charitable trust owns the same stock, publicly asked him to hold. On CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Carl Quintanilla noted “the president was tweeting over the weekend about his gains, his paper gains on Intel,” and Cramer responded, “Yeah, I love that because my trust owns Intel. Yeah. Please don’t sell it. Remember all the last week of August is when he can sell it.”

Why the Selling Window Matters Intel traded around $101.07 Tuesday morning, up 311.58% over the past year and up 174.5% year to date. That is the context behind Cramer’s plea: a federal disposition would be one of the largest overhangs the stock has ever faced. Cramer added “I was thinking he’s not going to sell it. I mean, I felt that he’s pounding the table on it.”

Intel’s Turnaround Underneath the Political Story The gains are backed by fundamentals. Q2 2026 revenue reached $16.13 billion, growing 25.42% year over year and beating consensus by 11.64%. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.42 versus a $0.2175 estimate. Data Center and AI revenue rose 59% to $6.26 billion, and Intel Foundry expanded 31% to $5.76 billion, though the segment still posted a $2.1 billion quarterly loss.

The GAAP picture is messier. Intel booked a $12.53 billion non-cash charge tied to its CHIPS Act escrow arrangement, driving a GAAP net loss of $2.16 per share. Intel’s Q2 filing lists U.S. government acquisition of significant equity interests among its risk factors, and CEO Lip-Bu Tan framed the setup as capturing “sustainable growth across our CPU franchise, ASICs, advanced packaging and vast wafer foundry network” (see the SEC 8-K exhibit).

Strategic capital has also come from the private side. Intel’s Q4 2025 materials referenced the completed sale of $5.0 billion of Intel common stock to NVIDIA. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) selected Intel Xeon 6 as the host CPU for its DGX Rubin NVL8 systems, tying the Intel narrative directly to the AI infrastructure buildout.

Same Playbook Just Landed on Quantum The Intel story is expanding. Quintanilla noted “today it’s a definitive agreements of deals on Rigetti and qubits and QNT,” and Cramer said “I want anything that’s quantum. I believe we should leave. Look, I believe that Intel was very much in danger.” His framing was strategic: “I believe we have a race against China… things that make it so that we win the race, whether it be what we’re doing with quantum, whether it be what we’re doing with nuclear, these are all really important.”

Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI) had already been in Commerce’s orbit. A May 2026 CHIPS letter of intent covered up to $100 million in planned funding for superconducting quantum work, part of a broader $2.013 billion package covering nine companies. Rigetti’s Q2 2026 revenue reached $5.138 million versus $1.8 million a year earlier. The stock jumped 10.85% on the session to $16.85 yet remains down 23.93% year to date.

AI Peer Backdrop Intel’s rally is happening while the broader AI stack keeps compounding. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) reported AWS revenue of $42.23 billion, up 37% year over year, its fastest growth in 18 quarters. Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) shares popped 10% Tuesday on a data center infrastructure deal with Amazon, another sign that AI capex is broadening beyond the three chipmakers investors instinctively name first (we profiled seven of the power, cooling, and networking suppliers riding that same buildout in a free report).

What to Watch Cramer’s on-air ask does not change the calculus for the Treasury, but it sharpens the market’s attention on two questions. Does the government treat Intel as a strategic long-term holding or as a monetizable position now that the last-week-of-August window has passed? And does the emerging pattern of federal equity stakes in quantum extend Cramer’s national-security thesis into more names? For Intel holders, the setup is a stock that has already run 311.58% in a year with a very visible potential seller on the cap table.

Data Sources CNBC Squawk on the Street segment used to source the Trump-Cramer exchange, the selling-window comment, and the quantum framing. 247 Wall St. price-performance API used for Intel’s session move, one-year and year-to-date returns, and for Rigetti’s intraday move. Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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INTC CPU price power

Buy Intel (INTC). A reported ~10% CPU price hike signals Intel is prioritizing gross-margin expansion to offset rising supply-chain costs while demand remains strong enough to support higher pricing. The stock already moved +8%, and the analyst framing (margin over share) fits a turnaround phase where pricing discipline can lift earnings even if the PC market softens.

Key Risk: Customers (PC and server OEMs) push back hard and Intel loses volume, forcing price cuts that erase the margin gain.

ASML High NA momentum

Buy ASML (ASML). Intel’s deepening High NA EUV collaboration and >1M wafers processed reinforces that High NA is moving from testing into scalable production. That accelerates adoption across the industry (Samsung DRAM later, TSMC advanced chips later), supporting multi-year demand for ASML’s most valuable lithography systems.

Key Risk: High NA adoption slips (technical yield, throughput, or customer delays), reducing orders and slowing the revenue ramp.

Intel stock surged 8% on Tuesday after a report said that the chipmaker is considering a 10% increase in prices for its central processing units (CPUs) starting in early October.

The potential price increase was reported by Taiwan-based technology publication DigiTimes, which cited unnamed sources.

The move would continue a series of price increases that Intel began at the end of 2025 and would come as the company faces higher supply-chain costs and strong demand for its products.

The reported price increase comes despite expectations that the broader computer market could contract next year.

Citrini analyst Jukan Choe said the move suggests Intel may be placing greater emphasis on expanding gross margins rather than pursuing additional market share.

Intel has faced rising costs for memory chips and other components as demand from artificial intelligence companies has pushed memory prices sharply higher.

In April, the company said those higher costs would reduce the overall PC market by a low double-digit percentage.

The memory price surge has created challenges across the technology sector as manufacturers compete for components needed for AI infrastructure.

For Intel, higher CPU prices could provide a way to offset some of those cost pressures if the company proceeds with the reported increase.

Separately, Intel and Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML said they have deepened their multiyear collaboration on High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (High NA EUV) lithography.

Intel said more than 1 million wafers have now been processed using High NA EUV equipment.

The figure includes testing and development work as well as production of certain layers used in its Core Ultra Series 3 processors, known as Panther Lake.

High NA EUV is a next-generation lithography technology designed to allow chipmakers to create smaller and more complex features on semiconductor wafers.

Intel is already using the technology in high-volume production, while Samsung plans to introduce it into DRAM manufacturing by 2028.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is expected to use the technology for advanced chips from 2030.

Intel said High NA EUV machines are performing as expected in areas including accuracy, production speed and availability.

It also said chips manufactured using the technology on its 18A process are matching or exceeding the performance of comparable layers produced using ASML’s existing EUV technology.

ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet described Intel as “one of the key leaders of the industry's adoption of High NA,” highlighting its role in bringing the technology into commercial production.

The developments come as analysts point to signs of improvement in Intel’s business.

Northland analyst Gus Richard upgraded Intel to Outperform from Market Perform, citing what he described as “material progress” in the company’s turnaround. He also said Intel could continue benefiting from an ongoing server CPU shortage.

Richard further said Intel’s partnership with Tesla on the Terafab semiconductor initiative could “materially benefit” the company’s foundry business.

Intel’s reported pricing strategy, progress in advanced manufacturing and potential foundry opportunities come as the company attempts to strengthen its financial performance while navigating higher component costs and shifting demand across the semiconductor industry.

Key Takeaways INTC and ASU developed an AI agent that automates football practice play-card creation from opponent footage.The tool identifies player positions, tracks movements and converts analysis into digital whiteboard diagrams.Intel aims to expand agentic AI PCs across industries to improve productivity and streamline operations. Intel Corporation (INTC - Free Report) is advancing its agentic artificial intelligence (AI) strategy with a new on-device AI application for Arizona State University’s ("ASU") football program. The initiative underscores the role of Intel-powered AI PCs in automating specialized tasks and supporting enterprise device management.

Intel’s engineers worked with ASU to develop a custom AI agent to automate the creation of football practice play cards, a time-intensive part of game preparation. The tool runs on Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition PCs powered by Intel vPro and allows coaching staff to upload opponent game footage directly to their devices. The AI agent identifies offensive and defensive player positions, tracks movements during plays and automatically converts the analysis into digital whiteboard diagrams.

The company’s new technology is expected to help ASU reduce game preparation time by approximately 15% to 20%. Its AI PCs can automate specialized workflows while reducing reliance on cloud infrastructure, and Intel vPro adds security and remote management capabilities to help IT teams protect and manage devices used both on campus and while traveling. By keeping sensitive workloads closer to the device, the platform also helps organizations maintain greater control over proprietary information.

The development reflects Intel’s broader strategy to expand the use of its AI PCs for agentic applications across industries. By combining on-device AI capabilities with its security and management technologies, the company aims to help organizations improve productivity and streamline operations.

How Are Competitors Advancing in the AI PC Market?Intel faces competition from Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM - Free Report) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD - Free Report) . Qualcomm is expanding its AI PC efforts with Snapdragon X Series processors designed to support on-device and agentic AI applications. The company is working with software partners to run AI agents locally on Snapdragon-powered PCs. Qualcomm is strengthening its AI PC lineup with new Snapdragon X2 Series processors and devices.

AMD is advancing its AI PC strategy with new technologies designed for local and agentic AI workloads. The company introduced the Ryzen AI Halo developer platform and Ryzen AI Max PRO 400 Series processors for developers and commercial AI PCs. AMD is focusing on enabling AI PCs to handle more demanding AI tasks directly on the device, reducing dependence on cloud-based processing.

INTC’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesShares of Intel have skyrocketed 292% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 39.9%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/book ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 4.69 times book value, lower than the industry average of 23.65.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

INTC’s earnings estimate for 2026 has increased 42.7% to $1.47 per share, while that for 2027 has increased 33.6% to $1.95 over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

Nvidia (NVDA) CEO asserts AI has reached general intelligence, highlighting rapid model evolution and the income-generating potential of NVDA compute infrastructure. Intel (INTC) receives an upgrade to Outperform with a $120 target, citing material turnaround progress and potential CPU price increases.

Intel Stock Jumps as Northland Turns Bullish and CPU Price Hike Looms Summary

A separate report said Intel could raise CPU prices by as much as 10%, adding another catalyst for the chipmaker

Intel INTC shares gained 4% on Tuesday after Northland Securities lifted its rating and a report pointed to possible increases in the company's CPU prices.

Northland analyst Gus Richard moved his view to Outperform from Market Perform and set a $120 price target. He cited progress in Intel's turnaround and said the company could continue benefiting from tight supply of server processors.

Richard also pointed to Intel's work with Tesla TSLA on the Terafab semiconductor project as a potential boost for Intel's foundry operations, which manufacture chips for customers.

Separately, DigiTimes reported that Intel could raise CPU prices by as much as 10%, citing people familiar with the matter. The potential increase would cover Intel's processor business and comes as the company seeks to improve its financial and manufacturing position.

The combination of a more favorable analyst view and potential pricing changes gave Intel shares a lift in premarket trading. The report on CPU prices was separate from Northland's rating action.

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.

Click for the complete disclosure

Two things at Intel (INTC +9.05%) have nearly quadrupled over the past 12 months. One is the quarterly operating income of the chipmaker's data center business. The other is its stock price, which trades near $96 as of this writing, up from a 52-week low of $24.05 and about a third below the high of $142.35 it set in late June.

The rally has lifted Intel's market value to about $500 billion -- this for a company that lost $11 billion on paper in its most recent quarter. And the price is about 47 times what analysts think the company can earn next year.

The business is improving faster than it has in years. I just don't think it has improved as fast as the price.

Image source: Intel.

The data center business earned the rallyIntel's second-quarter revenue of $16.1 billion was up 25% year over year -- growth CEO Lip-Bu Tan called the company's strongest in more than 15 years.

No part of the company improved more than the data center and artificial intelligence (AI) segment. A year ago, the segment earned $633 million of operating income in a quarter. In the first quarter of 2026, it earned $1.5 billion. And in the second quarter, the figure reached $2.5 billion. Revenue growth is accelerating as well, from 22% in the first quarter to 59% in the second.

Management said the quarter's server growth was the strongest on record. The segment's operating margin, meanwhile, now sits at about 40%.

Companywide, adjusted earnings per share swung from a year-ago loss of $0.10 to a profit of $0.42.

The $11 billion net loss Intel reported for the period, meanwhile, traces to a $12.5 billion noncash charge tied to shares held in escrow for the U.S. government, which took a stake in the company last year. Cash from operations during the quarter was $7 billion.

Is the foundry fixed?Not yet -- but it is losing money more slowly. Intel Foundry's second-quarter revenue grew 31% year over year to $5.8 billion, and it still lost $2.1 billion at the operating line, an improvement from $3.2 billion in the same period last year. First-half losses total $4.5 billion, down from $5.5 billion a year earlier.

Nearly all of that revenue, however, still comes from Intel buying from itself. Customers outside the company accounted for just $293 million in the period, compared with $22 million in the same quarter of 2025. That leaves external sales at less than 2% of Intel's total revenue.

So far, Intel has yet to announce a high-volume outside customer for Intel 14A, its next-generation manufacturing process. The foundry did sign a named customer in July, when cybersecurity specialist Fortinet picked Intel to build its next security chip. But that chip will use an older Intel process, not 14A.

Of course, the spending comes first. David Zinsner, Intel's chief financial officer, said in the second-quarter earnings release that to support expected growth "this year and next across products and foundry, we are meaningfully increasing our investments in equipment, clean room space, and substrates."

Additionally, Intel sold about 242 million new shares at $95 apiece in August, raising about $23 billion. The sale gives Intel a war chest for the build-out, and it puts the share count about 20% above the year-ago average.

The stock is priced ahead of the businessIntel's adjusted earnings per share total $0.71 through two quarters, and management guided to $0.38 for the third. Even with a stronger fourth quarter, 2026 looks likely to land near $1.50 per share. Analysts expect about $2 next year.

Premium Feature

Moneyball Superscore

67/100

Today's Change

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9.05

%) $

8.67

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104.47

That works out to 47 times next year's earnings with the stock at about $96. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +2.35%), the world's largest chip foundry and arguably the finished version of the business Intel is trying to build, costs about 20 times its expected earnings for next year.

In other words, the market is not paying for what Intel earns today. It is paying for what could happen: the data center segment keeps growing quickly, the foundry approaches breakeven, and outside customers sign on in volume. Each looks more believable after the second quarter. But at this valuation, all three need to happen just to hold the current price.

Ultimately, is Intel stock a buy after a year like that? I don't think so.

Growth could keep accelerating, and the foundry's losses could keep narrowing. The second quarter showed both. But the price already assumes years more of it. If I wanted to own a leading-edge foundry today, I'd rather buy Taiwan Semiconductor at less than half the forward price-to-earnings multiple. As for Intel, I'd wait for a better entry point.

Adobe has delivered a 30% gain since my 2026 buy rating a few months back, but I am waiting for the next earnings report before reallocating capital. Despite ADBE's attractive forward PEG ratio of 0.78, broader market overextension and high correlation with NDX/SPX warrant caution. I expect ADBE to decline alongside the Nasdaq and S&P 500 if a market correction occurs, especially if triggered by Fed rate hikes.

ADBE heads into fiscal Q3 earnings with strong AI and subscription momentum, but freemium pressure, rising investments and stiff competition cloud the outlook.

NEW YORK, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (“Hertz” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HTZ) on behalf of investors that purchased or otherwise acquired Hertz common stock between May 7, 2026 and June 23, 2026 (the “Class Period”).

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE

If you are an investor in Hertz and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003.

DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than September 22, 2026 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery.

According to the complaint, on June 24, 2026, before the market opened, and just weeks after assuring investors that the Company’s liquidity would be “sufficient to fund our operating activities and obligations for the next twelve months and for the foreseeable future thereafter” and projected year-end liquidity “north of $1.5 billion,” Hertz announced a massive dilutive capital raise. Further, the complaint alleges that on this news, the price of Hertz’s common stock declined more than 40% to close at $3.00 per share on June 24, 2026.

WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX?

Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is a nationally recognized law firm focused on complex litigation, with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey. Founded in 1956, the firm has spent more than 50 years prosecuting securities, antitrust, and consumer protection actions in federal and state courts nationwide, recovering more than $10 billion for clients and the classes it has represented.

Kaplan Fox is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier plaintiffs' securities litigation firms and has received recognition from Chambers and Partners, Benchmark Litigation, Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon. Serving as lead or co-lead counsel in many landmark cases, the firm has secured some of the largest recoveries in the history of securities litigation, including a $2.425 billion recovery on behalf of Bank of America shareholders in In re Bank of America—the largest recovery ever obtained for claims under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act—$800 million recovered for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and other pension funds in ATRS v. Allianz Global Investors, and a $475 million settlement in In re Merrill Lynch.

For decades, Kaplan Fox has represented public pension funds, institutional investors, businesses, and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Through its successful advocacy and precedent-setting victories, the firm has helped shape important areas of securities and corporate law while advancing accountability and protecting investor interests.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact:

CONTACT:
Pamela A. Mayer
KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP
800 Third Avenue, 38th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(646) 315-9003
[email protected]

Laurence D. King
KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1501
Oakland, California 94612
(415) 772-4704
[email protected]

Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.

https://www.kaplanfox.com/case/hertz-global-holdings-inc-class-action-alert-learn-more-now/

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - September 8, 2026) - Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. ("Hertz" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: HTZ) on behalf of investors that purchased or otherwise acquired Hertz common stock between May 7, 2026 and June 23, 2026 (the "Class Period").

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE

If you are an investor in Hertz and have suffered losses, you may CLICK HERE to contact us. You may also contact Kaplan Fox by emailing [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003.

DEADLINE REMINDER: If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than September 22, 2026 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. If you have losses we encourage you to contact us to learn more about the lead plaintiff process. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery.

According to the complaint, on June 24, 2026, before the market opened, and just weeks after assuring investors that the Company's liquidity would be "sufficient to fund our operating activities and obligations for the next twelve months and for the foreseeable future thereafter" and projected year-end liquidity "north of $1.5 billion," Hertz announced a massive dilutive capital raise. Further, the complaint alleges that on this news, the price of Hertz's common stock declined more than 40% to close at $3.00 per share on June 24, 2026.

WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX?

Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP is a nationally recognized law firm focused on complex litigation, with offices in New York, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey. Founded in 1956, the firm has spent more than 50 years prosecuting securities, antitrust, and consumer protection actions in federal and state courts nationwide, recovering more than $10 billion for clients and the classes it has represented.

Kaplan Fox is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier plaintiffs' securities litigation firms and has received recognition from Chambers and Partners, Benchmark Litigation, Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon. Serving as lead or co-lead counsel in many landmark cases, the firm has secured some of the largest recoveries in the history of securities litigation, including a $2.425 billion recovery on behalf of Bank of America shareholders in In re Bank of America—the largest recovery ever obtained for claims under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act—$800 million recovered for the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System and other pension funds in ATRS v. Allianz Global Investors, and a $475 million settlement in In re Merrill Lynch.

For decades, Kaplan Fox has represented public pension funds, institutional investors, businesses, and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Through its successful advocacy and precedent-setting victories, the firm has helped shape important areas of securities and corporate law while advancing accountability and protecting investor interests.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact:

Contacting or submitting information to Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor an obligation on the part of Kaplan Fox to retain you as a client.

https://www.kaplanfox.com/case/hertz-global-holdings-inc-class-action-alert-learn-more-now/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/313401

Source: Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP

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NEW YORK, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTZ) between May 7, 2026 and June 23, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important September 22, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Hertz common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Hertz class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/hertz-global-holdings-inc/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 22, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered billions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Hertz’s liquidity was deteriorating far more rapidly than represented, and Hertz’s available liquidity was not sufficient to fund its operations and obligations for the next twelve months without resorting to a distressed, dilutive financing; (2) the softness in the used-car market that defendants had characterized as “isolated to the quarter” and “transitory” had in fact recurred and was materially depressing Hertz’s net depreciation per unit (“DPU”) and Adjusted Corporate EBITDA; (3) as a result of the foregoing, Hertz was likely to undertake a dilutive, distressed capital raise that would materially harm existing shareholders; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants’ positive statements about Hertz’s business, operations, and liquidity position were materially false and misleading and lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Hertz class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/cases/hertz-global-holdings-inc/join or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

        Laurence Rosen, Esq.
        Phillip Kim, Esq.
        The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
        275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
        New York, NY 10016
        Tel: (212) 686-1060
        Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
        Fax: (212) 202-3827
        [email protected]
        www.rosenlegal.com

The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Shopify (SHOP - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

Shopify currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.53, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 48 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.53 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 48 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 33 are Strong Buy and four are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 68.8% and 8.3% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for SHOP

Check price target & stock forecast for Shopify here>>>

The ABR suggests buying Shopify, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.

ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.

Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

Analysts employed by brokerage firms have been and continue to be overly optimistic with their recommendations. Since the ratings issued by these analysts are more favorable than their research would support because of the vested interest of their employers, they mislead investors far more often than they guide.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is SHOP a Good Investment?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Shopify, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $1.89.

Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Shopify. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Shopify.

GLP-1 Demand Is Creating a New Dividend Angle in These 4 Logistics StocksFedEx NYSE: FDX executives outlined how the company is using data, artificial intelligence and network integration to reduce costs, improve delivery precision and expand into supply-chain technology services during Citi’s TMT conference.

President and CEO Raj Subramaniam said the company remains focused on its previously stated calendar 2029 targets of modest revenue growth, double-digit earnings growth and $6 billion in free cash flow. He said FedEx is seeing underlying business momentum and is “well on our way” toward those objectives.

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Network transformation and cost reduction FedEx’s Earnings Drop May Be Missing the Bigger Freight StorySubramaniam said FedEx began a structural cost-reduction program in 2022 and has removed billions of dollars from its cost structure. The company has previously cited $4 billion in savings from its DRIVE program and another $2 billion associated with Network 2.0.

A central component of that transformation is combining what had been relatively independent U.S. Express and Ground networks. Subramaniam described the effort as one of the largest industrial transformations in recent history. FedEx was about 42% complete at the time of its last earnings call, he said, expects to reach 62% completion by year-end and remains on track to finish the work next year.

3 Stocks to Watch If the Strait of Hormuz ReopensTechnology has been essential to the effort, according to Subramaniam. He said the company’s development of a digital twin of its network has supported both cost savings and network integration while establishing a foundation for new customer services.

FedEx operates 700 aircraft, 200,000 trucks and 5,000 facilities, Subramaniam said. The company generates roughly 2 petabytes of data daily through a network that moves about $2 trillion of commerce annually.

AI applications target efficiency and service precision Vishal Talwar, FedEx’s executive vice president and chief digital and information officer, said the company views AI as still being in its early stages for logistics. FedEx is applying the technology internally to improve efficiency while also using it to differentiate services and create new revenue streams.

Among current applications, Talwar said AI has reduced aircraft-maintenance research time from 30 minutes to three minutes, representing an approximately 90% efficiency improvement. The company has also reduced its predictable delivery-time window to two hours from four hours, enabling parcels to be placed within two hours of their estimated arrival times.

FedEx is using computer vision to identify non-standard packages and recover surcharge revenue that otherwise could have been missed. Talwar said that initiative is already delivering annual benefits of more than tens of millions of dollars.

Subramaniam said small operational improvements can have outsized effects in an “inventory in motion” network. At the company’s Memphis hub, for example, FedEx has improved flight arrival time by eight minutes, which he characterized as a meaningful gain for operations.

Expanding into supply-chain visibility and orchestration FedEx executives said the company sees an opportunity to address inefficiencies across broader supply chains rather than only in transportation. Subramaniam estimated that global supply chains contain $1.9 trillion in inefficiency.

Talwar said customers in high-value business-to-business sectors including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, data centers and high technology are seeking visibility across sourcing, manufacturing, suppliers, inbound and outbound logistics. In healthcare, FedEx is helping medical-device manufacturers connect inventory and supplier insights with hospital systems, allowing customers to identify demand signals earlier and potentially rebalance inventory.

The company also offers SenseAware, a monitoring capability for high-value shipments that can track conditions such as temperature and surrounding weather. FedEx’s Surround capability provides package-location visibility. Talwar said 40% of FedEx healthcare customers use one of those two capabilities.

Through its DataWorks organization, formed roughly four or five years ago, FedEx is developing businesses around proprietary data insights, externalizing internal technology solutions and supply-chain orchestration. Talwar said the orchestration platform includes modules for inventory flow, supplier insights, demand management, forecasting and yard management.

FedEx has partnered with Dun & Bradstreet on a Retail Momentum Index that Subramaniam said provides a leading indicator for U.S. retail sales. He also said FedEx DataWorks recently announced a relationship with the U.S. Army to help orchestrate its supply chain.

Physical automation remains a focus FedEx is also pursuing physical AI for truck loading and unloading, two areas Subramaniam said remain difficult to automate because packages vary in size, shape and weight. The company expects to deploy robots for those tasks in Hagerstown, Maryland, before December, he said.

In addition, FedEx is working with Aurora on automated trucks for facility-to-facility highway routes. Subramaniam said autonomous driving is easier to deploy on highways, while human drivers can continue handling operations within facilities.

Looking ahead, Talwar said FedEx’s priority is to make supply chains more connected and predictive. He said the industry’s eventual shift from printed labels toward active, intelligent labels could create additional opportunities. Subramaniam said FedEx’s physical network and first-party data provide a competitive advantage as the company seeks to position itself as a platform that customers and partners can use to create additional value.

About FedEx (NYSE:FDX)FedEx Corporation NYSE: FDX is a global logistics and courier company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded by Frederick W. Smith in 1971 and beginning operations in the early 1970s, the company pioneered overnight express shipping and has since expanded into a diversified portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and supply-chain services. FedEx operates an integrated air-and-ground network that moves parcels, freight and documents for businesses and consumers worldwide.

FedEx's core operating segments include express parcel delivery via its FedEx Express division, domestic and residential parcel delivery through FedEx Ground, less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services, and logistics and supply-chain management solutions.

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 FedEx Right Now?Before you consider FedEx, 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 FedEx wasn't on the list.

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) invites investors and the general public to listen to a webcast of a discussion with Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, at the Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. EDT. To listen to the webcast, visit our web site at www.pfizer.com/investors. Information on accessing and registering for the webcast will be available at www.pfizer.com/investors beginning today. The.

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

Over the past month, shares of this seller of routers, switches, software and services have returned -10.9%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Computer - Networking industry, which Cisco falls in, has lost 10.1%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

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

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

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Cisco is expected to post earnings of $1.32 per share, indicating a change of +32% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +19.3% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.11 points to a change of +18% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +10.7%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.58 indicates a change of +9.2% from what Cisco is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +5.8%.

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

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

12 Month EPS

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

In the case of Cisco, the consensus sales estimate of $18.08 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +21.5%. The $73.05 billion and $77.85 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +15.4% and +6.6%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryCisco reported revenues of $17.25 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +17.6%. EPS of $1.22 for the same period compares with $0.99 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.85 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.36%. The EPS surprise was +4.27%.

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

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

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

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

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

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

The AI Boom Is Turning This Cable Maker Into a Stock to WatchCisco Systems NASDAQ: CSCO executives said demand tied to artificial intelligence, infrastructure modernization and security is supporting what the company views as a multi-year networking growth cycle.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel said the shift toward AI agents is increasing demand for high-performance, low-latency networks and machine-scale security. He cited OpenRouter data indicating that agents consume about 60% of total inference capacity and said their token consumption has increased 14-fold since February.

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5 Tech Stocks Holding Their Ground Through the AI Trade Pullback“These agents tend to be far more consumptive on network bandwidth than humans,” Patel said, estimating that an agent uses about 450% more bandwidth than a human performing the same task. He said the growing use of agents, which can operate continuously, is creating sustained infrastructure requirements rather than demand limited to experimentation or model training.

AI Demand Across Customer Segments Patel said Cisco sees opportunities across hyperscalers, neoclouds, sovereign clouds, service providers, enterprises and edge deployments. He said Cisco’s hyperscaler AI orders rose from nearly zero two years ago to $9.3 billion in the last fiscal year, including $4 billion in orders during the fourth quarter.

Palantir’s Earnings Setup Puts Its AI Growth Story Back on Trial AgainThe company also said AI-related demand is extending into its traditional enterprise networking business. Patel said Cisco’s campus and branch networking business, which historically grew at roughly 3% to 4%, has expanded about 20% for several quarters. He attributed that growth to infrastructure refresh cycles, demand for lower-latency networking and heightened security concerns around aging equipment.

Chief Financial Officer Mark Patterson said networking has delivered double-digit growth for eight consecutive quarters and that companywide orders grew 40% in the latest quarter. Excluding hyperscalers, Patel said orders grew 25% in the fourth quarter.

Patterson said Cisco has identified more than $100 billion in upgrade and refresh opportunity involving its own installed base over the next several years. The company is also pursuing replacement opportunities involving competitors’ end-of-life and end-of-support products, he said.

Security and Modernization Cisco executives emphasized the convergence of networking and security as AI expands the potential scale of cyberattacks. Patterson said companies increasingly view modernization as a security requirement, rather than a discretionary return-on-investment decision, because frontier AI models can identify and exploit vulnerabilities at machine scale.

Patel said Cisco’s advantage is its ability to integrate security capabilities into networking infrastructure. He highlighted the company’s smart switches, which combine firewall and switching functions, as well as security, observability and data capabilities intended to help customers manage AI environments.

For fiscal 2027, Patterson said Cisco expects high-single-digit growth in security revenue after low-single-digit growth in fiscal 2026. He said Splunk is expected to return to positive growth as the company laps a transition from on-premises deployments to cloud offerings. Cisco added 1,500 new customers for its newer security products in the fourth quarter, he said, while firewall revenue grew more than 30% for two consecutive quarters.

Services revenue is also expected to turn positive and reach mid-single-digit growth by the end of fiscal 2027, Patterson said. He attributed the anticipated improvement partly to services and subscription revenue attaching to recent hardware shipments over time.

Margin Outlook and Product Strategy Patterson said Cisco has managed rising memory prices by passing much of the cost to customers, aided by demand conditions. The company’s fiscal first-quarter 2027 gross-margin guidance of 65% to 66% reflects some timing effects from hardware revenue being recognized upfront while associated software subscriptions and services are recognized over time, he said.

While Cisco expects a slight gross-margin headwind through fiscal 2027, Patterson pointed to operating-margin improvement. In the fourth quarter, gross margin increased about two percentage points from a year earlier, while operating expenses declined nearly four percentage points as a share of revenue, resulting in a record operating margin, he said.

Patel said Cisco has reorganized its product approach into a vertically integrated, co-designed technology stack spanning silicon, photonics, systems, software, security, observability, data and management platforms. He said the company expects to be fully independent of merchant silicon providers by 2029.

The company is targeting networking for both scale-out AI systems within data centers and scale-across systems linking data centers over long distances. It is also working with NVIDIA and Supermicro on “Secure AI factories” that combine servers, networking, security, observability and data-management capabilities.

Capital Allocation Patterson said Cisco’s capital-allocation priorities remain unchanged: investing to support organic and inorganic growth, protecting and increasing its dividend, offsetting dilution through share repurchases and returning excess cash to shareholders. He said the company returned nearly all of its free cash flow to shareholders in the last fiscal year.

Looking ahead, Patel said Cisco plans to continue investing across networking, security, observability, data platforms, silicon and photonics while maintaining an open ecosystem that can include partnerships with competitors. Patterson said he is more optimistic about Cisco’s opportunity set and ability to capture it than at any point in his 27 years with the company.

About Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO)Cisco Systems, Inc is a global technology company that provides networking, cybersecurity, collaboration, observability and other information technology solutions. Its offerings include routers, switches, wireless networking equipment, data center infrastructure, security platforms, unified communications tools and software designed to help organizations connect, manage and protect their digital environments.

Cisco serves businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, telecommunications providers and other organizations worldwide.

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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