Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

GE Aerospace delivered robust Q2 2026 results, with revenue up 24%, EPS up 22%, and free cash flow up 43%, prompting a guidance raise. Despite margin compression from installed engine growth and GE9X ramp, GE's $170B services backlog and oversubscribed MRO network signal resilient aftermarket demand. Management raised 2026 guidance across revenue, profit, EPS, and free cash flow, now expecting high-teens revenue growth and $8.9–$9.2B in free cash flow.

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.92 per common share, payable on September 24, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 3, 2026.About QualcommQualcomm is a global computing leader at the center of the AI era, enabling intelligence to scale from the most personal devices to large-scale infrastructure. Building on more than four decades of innovation, we develop platforms and solutions that.

The Operator Era at Cisco When Chuck Robbins took the CEO seat at Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO | CSCO Price Prediction) on July 26, 2015, the company was a slow-growth hardware vendor sliding into the shadow of cloud upstarts. Robbins spent the next decade reworking Cisco around software, security, and recurring revenue, capped by the roughly $28 billion Splunk acquisition that closed in 2024, the largest deal in company history.

The pivot to AI-era networking now dominates the company’s narrative. Robbins told investors, “Cisco delivered record quarterly revenue in Q3 and we saw very strong, broad-based demand for our products, demonstrating the relevance of our technology for connecting and securing AI.” Management raised the FY26 AI infrastructure order target to $9 billion from $5 billion, with AI orders hitting $5.3 billion year to date. Q3 FY26 delivered $1.06 in non-GAAP EPS on $15.84 billion in revenue, up 12% year over year.

$10,000 Grew Into $54,132 A $10,000 stake made on Robbins’s first day and held through July 16, 2026, returned 441.32% on price alone, excluding dividends, which grew from $0.21 to $0.42 per quarter. The same money in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA: SPY) returned 263.12%.

Cisco S&P 500 1-Year Return $16,612 (66.12%) $12,027 (20.27%) 5-Year Return $23,494 (134.94%) $17,404 (74.04%) 10-Year Return $49,330 (393.3%) $34,690 (246.9%) Robbins Era $54,132 (441.32%) $36,312 (263.12%) Most of the outperformance materialized late in the period. Cisco was mocked as dead money for years before AI networking demand pulled shares from a $65.75 52-week low to a $130.37 high. The stock is up 42.4% year to date. Anyone who held through the flat 2022–2023 stretch was rewarded; anyone who chased the recent peak is already down 8.3% in a month.

Grading Robbins: A-Minus Robbins inherited a lumbering hardware vendor and delivered a top-quartile decade against the benchmark while doubling the dividend. However, the Splunk integration and AI order ramp remain unproven, which costs him half a letter grade.

The Bull and Bear Case From Here The bull case rests on hyperscaler AI networking spend continuing to expand and the $9 billion FY26 order target landing. Wall Street’s $129.09 consensus price target implies 17.7% further upside. The bear case is that whitebox switches, Arista, and Nvidia’s networking stack eat share while gross margins compress from the AI hardware mix. At a 25x forward P/E with a 1.5% yield, the setup skews cautiously bullish, though a pullback closer to the $86.84 200-day moving average would offer a wider margin of safety.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Travelers (TRV - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $10.04 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.31 per share. This compares to earnings of $6.51 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +89.08%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this insurer would post earnings of $6.98 per share when it actually produced earnings of $7.71, delivering a surprise of +10.46%.

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

Travelers, which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, posted revenues of $12.09 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.46%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $12.11 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

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

Travelers shares have added about 16.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 10.1%.

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

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

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

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

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $6.42 on $12.38 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $28.40 on $48.98 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Insurance - Property and Casualty is currently in the top 36% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, Allstate (ALL - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5.

This insurer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $5.23 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -12%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.4% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Allstate's revenues are expected to be $17.73 billion, up 5.7% from the year-ago quarter.

UnitedHealth Group delivered a strong Q2 double beat, with adjusted EPS up nearly 30% and operating margins sharply expanding across key segments. Management raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $19.50–20.00 and boosted operating cash flow projection by $6 billion, signaling confidence in continued execution. UNH is accelerating buybacks, doubling full-year guidance to $5 billion, as management sees a meaningful intrinsic value discount at current valuations.

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) rise 3,453% since 1990 thanks to institutional investors.

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MRK is a health care company that makes prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, including a new pill aimed at cutting cholesterol. Its first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings report showed revenue of $16.29 billion (a 4.9% year-over-year gain), sales of cancer treatment Keytruda hitting $8.0 billion (an 8% rise), and increased annual revenue and per-share earnings guidance to $67 billion and $5.15, respectively. The company reports again on Aug. 4.

No wonder MRK shares are up 21% so far this year – and they could rise more. MoneyFlows data shows how Big Money investors are again betting heavily on the stock.

Merck Bringing in Big Money Institutional volumes reveal plenty. In the last year, MRK has enjoyed strong investor demand, which we believe to be institutional support.

Each green bar signals unusually large volumes in MRK shares. They reflect our proprietary inflow signal, pushing the stock higher:

MRK gained 51.6% thanks to institutional inflows over the course of a year. Source: www.moneyflows.com Plenty of health care names are under accumulation right now. But there’s a powerful fundamental story happening with Merck.

Merck Fundamental Analysis Institutional support and a healthy fundamental backdrop make this company worth investigating. As you can see, MRK has had strong profits and earnings growth:

Profit margin (+28.1%) 3-year EPS growth rate (+1,502.8%) Source: FactSet

Also, EPS is estimated to ramp higher this year by +244.7%.

Now it makes sense why the stock has been generating Big Money interest. MRK has a track record of strong financial performance.

Marrying great fundamentals with MoneyFlows software has found some big winning stocks over the long term.

Merck has been a top-rated stock at MoneyFlows for years. That means the stock has unusual buy pressure and growing fundamentals. We have a ranking process that showcases stocks like this on a weekly basis.

MRK produced 122 rare Outlier 20 inflow signals since 1990, gaining 3,453% in that time. The blue bars below show when the stock was a top pick…institutions have been fans for a long time:

MRK has attracted 122 outlier inflow signals since 1990, proving this is a cornerstone holding for Big Money investors. Source: www.moneyflows.com Tracking unusual volumes reveals the power of money flows.

This is a trait that most outlier stocks exhibit…the best of the best. Big Money demand drives stocks upward.

Merck Price Prediction The MRK action isn’t new at all. Big Money buying in the shares is signaling to take notice. Given the historical gains in share price and strong fundamentals, this stock could be worth a spot in a diversified portfolio.

Disclosure: the author owns MRK personally at the time of publication.

If you are a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) or are a serious investor, take your investing to the next level and follow our free weekly MoneyFlows insights.

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US Indices Forecasts – US-Iran Missile Trades Spark Early Selling PressureNasdaq 100 Forecast: Global Chip Rout Deepens With 27,142 Now in ViewTesla, SpaceX and Meta Forecasts – Geopolitical Risks Trigger Pre-Market Tech SellingAbout the Author

Lucas is a well-versed equity investor and educator. He currently is co-founder of research and analytics firm, MAPsignals.com, which focuses on finding outlier stocks by following the Big Money.

Wall Street's main indexes opened lower on Friday as investors continued to pull back from semiconductor stocks, extending a broader reassessment of the artificial intelligence-driven rally that had powered markets to record highs earlier this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 486 points, or 0.9%, while the S&P 500 lost 1.1%.

The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.7%, reflecting renewed weakness across technology stocks.

The latest decline followed another sharp selloff in semiconductor shares on Thursday, with investors questioning whether the pace of AI-related capital spending can be sustained after months of strong gains.

Chip stocks led the market lower in trading as the sector's recent pullback accelerated.

Nvidia shares fell about 3.4%, while Applied Materials and Lam Research each dropped more than 5%.

Intel, KLA Corporation, Arm and Micron Technology also traded lower.

The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) both declined more than 3%.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index remained under pressure after hitting a nearly two-month low on Thursday.

The benchmark has fallen more than 19% from its late-June record high and was on track for its worst weekly performance since March 2025.

The weakness came despite strong quarterly results from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and upbeat guidance from ASML, suggesting investors remain focused on broader concerns surrounding AI infrastructure spending rather than company-specific earnings.

The selloff was not limited to US markets.

Semiconductor shares also weakened across Asia-Pacific and European markets on Friday.

Chinese startup Moonshot AI also added to competitive concerns after unveiling a new artificial intelligence model that it said narrows the gap with leading US offerings.

Technology stocks faced additional pressure after Netflix forecast third-quarter revenue and earnings below Wall Street expectations.

Netflix shares plunged more than 11% in trading despite reporting second-quarter results that were broadly in line with analyst estimates.

Elsewhere, Intuitive Surgical fell 11% after maintaining its da Vinci procedure growth forecast and warning that insurance-plan changes may be delaying patient care.

Investors also awaited the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey and industrial production data later in the day, which were expected to provide further insight into the health of the US economy following a busy week of inflation reports and second-quarter earnings.

Although major US banks delivered solid earnings earlier in the week and recent inflation data came in softer than expected, those positives failed to offset mounting concerns surrounding technology valuations.

Geopolitical tensions remain in focusInvestors also monitored escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The US military said it completed its sixth consecutive evening of strikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure, logistics assets and maritime capabilities.

Iran, meanwhile, said it had targeted US military forces in Syria and Bahrain, while Kuwait reported that an Iranian attack struck a power and water desalination plant.

The renewed conflict has further weakened the fragile truce reached last month and continued to disrupt energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that normally carries around one-fifth of global oil supplies.

Oil prices moved higher amid the geopolitical developments. US West Texas Intermediate crude traded above $81 a barrel, while Brent crude rose above $86 a barrel.

The CBOE Volatility Index, often viewed as Wall Street's fear gauge, also climbed to its highest level in more than a week as investors adopted a more cautious stance heading into Friday's session.

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) reported upbeat second-quarter 2026 results and raised its full-year revenue outlook on Thursday.

Adjusted earnings came in at $1.35 per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $1.28. Revenue rose to $7.69 billion, ahead of the $7.58 billion consensus estimate.

U.S. Bancorp raised its fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to $30.71 billion-$31.28 billion from $29.85 billion-$30.42 billion. The updated range compares with the $30.56 billion analyst estimate.

Management maintained medium-term targets for mid-single-digit fee revenue growth, an efficiency ratio in the mid-to-high 50% range, and return on average assets of 1.15% to 1.35%.

U.S. Bancorp shares gained 0.3% to $64.20 in pre-market trading.

These analysts made changes to their price targets on U.S. Bancorp following earnings announcement.

Baird analyst David George maintained U.S. Bancorp with a Neutral and raised the price target from $64 to $68. Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg maintained the stock with an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $67 to $75. RBC Capital analyst Gerard Cassidy maintained the stock with an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $61 to $68. Considering buying USB stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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Boey® is the first and only rapid-onset and short-duration botulinum neurotoxin serotype E approved in Europe that adult patients can try for the temporary improvement of glabellar lines¹ Results may be seen as early as eight hours after treatment and typically wear off within approximately two to three weeks Boey® offers a differentiated treatment option for many people who are curious about facial injectables² , /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company (NYSE: ABBV), announced the European Commission has approved Boey® (trenibotulinumtoxinE) in Europe, for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lines between the eyebrows seen at maximum frown (glabellar lines) in adult patients, when these have an important psychological impact.1

Following completion of the centralized procedure, the European Commission decision applies across all 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries. Boey® also received approval in Canada in June of this year.

Boey® is the first and only rapid-onset and short-duration botulinum neurotoxin serotype E approved in Europe. In clinical studies, onset of effect was observed as early as eight hours after treatment and effects lasted two to three weeks.

"The EU approval of Boey® marks an important step forward for our development program and builds on the momentum we've established with Health Canada's approval earlier this year," said Darin Messina, Ph.D., senior vice president, aesthetics research & development, AbbVie. "This milestone reflects the scientific rigor behind Boey® and reinforces our commitment to advancing innovative options as we work to bring this first-of-its-kind treatment to healthcare professionals and consumers around the world."

As interest in aesthetic treatments continues to grow, patients are increasingly seeking treatment options that align with their individual goals and preferences. An Allergan Aesthetics survey found that 80% of people are open to learning about new treatments to achieve their desired results, while 79% wish they could temporarily preview the outcome of an aesthetic treatment.3,* Despite this growing interest, many patients remain hesitant to take the next step due to uncertainty around treatment outcomes and concerns about committing to long-lasting results. Boey® was developed for patients considering treatment, offering another option to experience it before making a longer-term commitment.

Developed by the makers of BOTOX Cosmetic®, known as VISTABEL® or Vistabex® in the EU, Boey® offers a new option for suitable patients considering facial injectables. BOTOX Cosmetic® is the only neurotoxin clinically tested for safety following treatment with Boey®.1

Allergan Aesthetics is preparing to launch Boey® across Europe and will support healthcare professionals through education and training on the appropriate use of Boey®.

Allergan Aesthetics develops, manufactures and markets a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Allergan Aesthetics is well positioned to lead the future of injectable aesthetics, with dedicated research and development focused on driving innovation to meet the evolving needs of patients and healthcare professionals worldwide.

BOTOX® COSMETIC US APPROVED USES AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow's feet lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and vertical bands connecting the jaw and neck (platysma bands) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, which can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are preexisting before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.

Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms, including loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow's feet lines, forehead lines, and/or platysma bands.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of receiving BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported, including itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or fain.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm), or Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg); or have a skin infection at the planned injection site. This list may not include all available botulinum toxin products.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing, from standard doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including surgery or plans to have surgery on your face, trouble raising your eyebrows, drooping eyelids, any other abnormal facial change, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby), or are breastfeeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, Daxxify, or Letybo in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; or take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems, including double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of eyelids, and dry eyes.

For more information, refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan Aesthetics at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full US Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

About Boey®
Boey® is a facial injectable neurotoxin serotype E that targets SNAP-25. It has a rapid uptake and translocation into neuronal cells, with a short half-life of the type E light chain, giving it a rapid onset of action and a short duration of effect when treating glabellar lines.

About Boey® Clinical Trials
The approval of Boey® is supported by data from two randomised, multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies Phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of Boey® in adults with moderate to severe glabellar lines (M21-500 and M21-508) associated with corrugator and/or procerus muscle activity, who were psychologically impacted by their glabellar lines. The studies enrolled 725 patients treated with Boey® 700 U total dose or placebo. The co-primary efficacy measure (treatment effect) was defined as the percentage of subjects achieving a ≥2-grade improvement from baseline in glabellar line severity at maximum frown based separately on investigator and subject assessments using the 4-point Facial Wrinkle Scale (FWS) (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe) at Day 7. Efficacy was assessed in the ITT population with baseline FLO-11 Total Transformed Score of ≤50. Secondary efficacy endpoints were measured by FLSQ, a scale developed by Allergan Aesthetics, and included satisfaction with achieving a natural look (Item 4) and overall satisfaction with treatment effect (Item 5).

The onset of effect for patients treated with Boey® appeared as early as 8 hours after injection in both pivotal studies. The peak effect was seen at Day 7 in both studies. Glabellar lines returned to baseline severity in approximately 2 to 3 weeks after administration. 

The adverse drug reactions associated with Boey® were eyelid ptosis, brow ptosis, and Mephisto sign (lateral elevation of eyebrow). These reactions were reported in 0.17%, 0.13%, and 0.04%, respectively, in subjects receiving Boey® 700 units.1

About Glabellar Lines
Glabellar lines are the vertical lines that appear between the eyebrows, commonly known as frown lines. In some adults, these lines can contribute to an appearance that is perceived as tired, angry or worried and may have an important psychological impact.

About Allergan Aesthetics
At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture, and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care, and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service, and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. For more information, visit www.allerganaesthetics.com

About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, neuroscience and oncology – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions and uses of future or conditional verbs, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry, the impact of global macroeconomic factors, such as economic downturns or uncertainty, international conflict, trade disputes and tariffs, and other uncertainties and risks associated with global business operations. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other documents that AbbVie subsequently files with the Securities and Exchange Commission that update, supplement or supersede such information. AbbVie undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines, to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

Footnotes 
*Customer survey research carried out across nine countries that included online data collection and a 20-minute self-administered closed questionnaire conducted between November to December 2025. 12,286 participants (Brazil 1,318, Canada 1,304, China 1,318, France 1,302, Germany 1,301, KSA 1,311, Thailand 1,321, USA 1,802 and UK 1,309) who have paid for at least two beauty or aesthetics-related services in the past year

References

Boey® Summary of Product Characteristics. AbbVie Ltd Allergan Aesthetics Holistic Beauty Global Research. REF-148616. January 2026. Allergan Aesthetics Holistic Beauty Global Research. REF-148616. January 2026. SOURCE AbbVie

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Hypergrowth is a demanding label in 2026. To wear it, a company needs to expand revenue at a pace that leaves the broader market in the dust, and it needs to do so while the market is actively rewarding profitable, cash-generating stories. Three names screen through that filter right now.

Each is compounding topline at a rate well above the 20% threshold, each has a specific catalyst driving it in the second half of the year and each carries a real caveat. These are high-risk, high-reward growth positions. Here is the July setup for all three, using the latest earnings prints and live analyst consensus.

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR | PLTR Price Prediction) posted the fastest revenue growth in its history last quarter. Q1 FY2026 revenue landed at $1.63 billion, up 84.7% year over year, with adjusted EPS of 33 cents versus a 27-cent consensus. U.S. commercial revenue, the segment the bull case hangs on, expanded 133% year over year to $595 million and U.S. commercial remaining deal value now stands at $4.92 billion. Management raised full-year 2026 guidance to approximately 71% growth.

The bull case is simple: AIP is now a budget line item at large U.S. enterprises, and the numbers are inflecting higher. CEO Alex Karp put it this way on the call: “Palantir’s Rule of 40 score has soared to 145%. We have shattered the metric, a feat matched only by other fellow AI infrastructure companies: NVIDIA, Micron and SK hynix.” If you want a cleaner way to think about who benefits when hyperscaler AI spend flows downstream into the enterprise, our team’s 7 Stocks Powering the AI Boom (That Aren’t Chipmakers) is a good frame for the ecosystem trade.

The caveat: valuation. Shares trade at a trailing P/E of 143 and a price-to-sales ratio of roughly 60. That is why the stock is down 26.84% year to date at $131.73, even as fundamentals accelerate. Analyst consensus target sits at $183.12, and the model implies roughly 22% upside. Any deceleration in U.S. commercial bookings would compress the multiple quickly.

Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW) Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) is the AI-consumption re-rate story of 2026. Q1 FY2027 product revenue came in at $1.33 billion, up 34% year over year, with total revenue of $1.39 billion (+33.5% YoY) and non-GAAP EPS of 39 cents versus the 31 cents expected. Remaining performance obligations reached $9.21 billion, up 38% year over year, and net revenue retention held at 126%. Management raised full-year product revenue guidance to $5.84 billion (31% growth).

The bull thesis rides on AI workloads. There are now more than 13,600 accounts using Snowflake AI capabilities, with Cortex Code deployed across 7,100+ accounts. A new $6 billion multi-year AWS agreement and a deepened OpenAI partnership give the platform hyperscaler-level distribution. As CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy framed it: “AI continues to be a powerful tailwind for Snowflake, and Q1 marks a clear inflection point in that journey.”

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Shares have already responded, rallying more than 23% year to date and climbing toward the 52-week high of $284.99. But Snowflake still runs a GAAP loss with an operating margin of -22.2% and a forward P/E of 135.

The caveat: A consensus target of $292.53 implies limited near-term upside from here, and a single soft consumption quarter could crack the momentum.

Uber (NYSE: UBER) Uber (NYSE:UBER) is the profitable hypergrowth pick. Gross Bookings in Q1 2026 hit $53.72 billion, up 25% year over year on a constant-currency basis, with 3.6 billion trips (+20%) and 199 million monthly active platform consumers. Non-GAAP EPS came in at 72 cents, up 44% year over year, and operating income grew 56.6%. The Delivery segment posted 34% revenue growth.

The setup is compelling: real growth, real free cash flow and a rational multiple. Uber trades at a trailing P/E of 18 and forward P/E of 22, with 50 million Uber One members now driving half of Gross Bookings across Mobility and Delivery. Management repurchased $3.01 billion of stock in Q1 alone. Dara Khosrowshahi has framed the AV path this way: “We enter 2026 with a rapidly growing topline, significant cash flow, and a clear path to becoming the largest facilitator of AV trips in the world.”

The caveat: optics. GAAP net income fell to $263 million on a $1.5 billion equity investment revaluation headwind, and reported revenue growth was held back by about 9 percentage points from business model changes. Shares are down more than 10% year to date. Against that, the analyst consensus target of $104.51 and an 88% bullish analyst reading suggest the disconnect between price and fundamentals is stretching.

What to Watch Next Palantir reports Q2 in early August, with guidance calling for revenue of $1.797 to $1.801 billion. Snowflake’s next print will test whether the AI consumption inflection continues past a single quarter. Uber’s Q2 guide of 18% to 22% constant-currency Gross Bookings growth and 31% to 38% EPS growth is the cleanest bar to clear in the group. All three are volatile. All three are growing faster than the broader tech tape. That is the trade-off for July.

Meet America's Newest $1b Unicorn (Sponsor) A US startup just passed a $1 billion private valuation, joining billion-dollar private companies like OpenAI and ByteDance. Unlike those other unicorns, you can invest in EnergyX right now; but only until July 16.

Over 50,000 people already have, along with global giants like General Motors and POSCO.

Here's why there's so much interest: EnergyX's patented tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That's a big deal, as demand for lithium is expected to 5X current production levels by 2040. Become an early-stage EnergyX shareholder before the 7/16 investment deadline.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Etsy, Inc. (NYSE: ETSY), which operates two-sided online marketplaces that connect millions of passionate and creative buyers and sellers around the world, plans to release its second quarter financial results after the close of the market on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. At that time, our second quarter 2026 Shareholder Letter will be accessible on the Etsy Investor Relations website (investors.etsy.com).

Etsy will host a webcast conference call to discuss those results at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the next day, Thursday August 6, 2026, which will be live-streamed via the Company's Investor Relations website (investors.etsy.com) under the events section. Publishing research analysts will be provided an opportunity to ask company management live questions on the call. A replay of the webcast will be available through the same link following the conference call starting at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time that day, for at least three months thereafter.

About Etsy

Etsy, Inc. operates two-sided online marketplaces that connect millions of creative entrepreneurs with buyers around the world. These marketplaces share a mission to "Keep Commerce Human," and we're committed to using the power of business and technology to strengthen communities and empower people. Our primary marketplace, Etsy.com, is the global destination for unique and creative goods. Buyers come to Etsy to be inspired and delighted by items that are crafted and curated by creative entrepreneurs. For sellers, we offer a range of tools and services that address key business needs.

Etsy, Inc. also owns fashion resale marketplace Depop. Our marketplaces operate independently, while benefiting from shared expertise in product, marketing, technology, and customer support. On February 15, 2026, Etsy entered an agreement to sell Depop to eBay, subject to regulatory approval and certain other closing conditions as set forth in the Sale and Purchase Agreement. This transaction is now expected to close on July 30, 2026.

Etsy was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York.

Etsy has used, and intends to continue using, its Investor Relations website and the Etsy News Blog (etsy.com/news) to disclose material non-public information and to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website and the Etsy News Blog in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

Investor Relations Contact: 
[email protected]

Media Relations Contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE Etsy, Inc.

Shares of memory-related companies traded lower on Thursday after reports suggesting that a U.S. House Committee has urged the Trump administration to ban Chinese memory chips, which may prove disruptive to established supply chains.

Malcolm Ethridge, managing partner at Capital Area Planning Group, picked Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RKT).

Lending support to his choice, Morgan Stanley analyst Jeffrey Adelson, on Thursday, upgraded Rocket Companies from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raised the price target from $18 to $19.

Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here

Janine Stichter recommended iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (NYSE:IYH).

Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, picked Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)

According to recent news, Apple received regulatory approval for its on-device generative artificial intelligence service, Apple Intelligence, from China’s cyberspace regulator.

Price Action:

Micron shares dipped 5.7% to close at $853.20 on Thursday. Rocket Companies shares gained 2.1% to settle at $14.90 during the session. iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF gained 2% on Thursday. Apple shares rose 1.8% to settle at $333.26 during the session. Photo via Shutterstock

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Intuitive Surgical shares fell more than 12% before the bell ‌on Friday after it maintained its global growth forecast for procedures performed with its da Vinci surgical robots and warned that changes to some insurance plans could hurt demand.

U.S. stock futures were lower this morning, with the Nasdaq 100 futures falling around 2% on Friday.

Shares of Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ:ISRG) fell sharply in pre-market trading after the company reported second-quarter financial results.

Intuitive Surgical reported quarterly earnings of $2.80 per share, which beat the Street estimate of $2.50 by 12%, according to Benzinga Pro data. Quarterly revenue came in at $2.89 billion, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.82 billion.

Intuitive Surgical shares dipped 11.3% to $357.01 in pre-market trading.

Here are some other stocks moving lower in pre-market trading.

Photo via Shutterstock

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HomeEarnings Analysis

SummaryASML Holding N.V. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited both raised 2026 revenue and capex outlooks, reflecting surging AI-driven demand for advanced semiconductor capacity.ASML's installed-base management revenue is growing over 30%, with memory-related system sales expected to rise more than 75% this year amid a 'perfect storm' in DRAM.TSMC's advanced node demand is robust, driving its 2026 revenue growth outlook above 40% and capex guidance to $60–64 billion, confirming ASML's expansion plans.I rate both ASML and TSMC a buy, but ASML is better positioned to capture industry economics by selling bottleneck equipment rather than funding fabs. rattanavan Baunoi/E+ via Getty Images

Introduction ASML Holding N.V. (ASML) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSM) just gave investors two different views of the same AI buildout. ASML sees customers trying to secure as much lithography

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ASML either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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

Health stocks had a strong week, with some big firms seeing drugs approved. Eli Lilly (LLY) reportedly neared an agreement to acquire a psychedelics company. United Health Group (UNH) produced a massive earnings beat, appeasing analysts. Meanwhile, Merck (MRK) had a major cholesterol pill approved, as well. ETFs can provide powerful tools to get exposure to some of those names in one place.

Key Takeaways: LLY, UNH, and MRK have all seen good news recently, inviting investors to use healthcare ETFs for exposure. The ETFs PPH, VHF, and XLV all offer exposure to names like the above, with each providing solid returns around about 25% over the last 12 months. Looking ahead, the three funds could help investors get exposure to that good news and diversify away from AI hyperscalers. LLY’s move to buy psychedelic drug shop AtaiBeckley, for example, has helped boost its stock notably. It is up more than 8% YTD. Meanwhile, UNH’s big earnings have helped it return 25.8% YTD and 3.8% over the last month. Finally, MRK’s big pill approval saw it spike 3.27% on July 16, and 19.9% YTD.

The VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH) offers exposure to several names, including LLY and MRK. The strategy charges a 36-basis points (bps) fee to track the MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25 index. The strategy offers specific targeted exposure to pharma, rather than health stocks writ large. PPH has returned 26.6% over the last 12 months. 

Other funds to watch include, for example, the Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) which includes all of MRK, LLY, and UNH. VHT charges a nine-bps fee to track the MSCI US IMI 25/50 Health Care index. The fund has returned 24.4% over the last 12 months, per ETF Database data. 

Finally, the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) also offers exposure to all three of the stocks. Charging eight bps, the fund tracks the S&P Health Care Select Sector index. In doing so, it has returned 21.5% over the last 12 months. 

See more: The ETF World Cup: How the Final 4 Single-Nation ETFs Stack Up

Together, those types of healthcare ETFs can be efficient, flexible tools to get exposure to firms like these as they spike. Especially as AI supercharges innovation and markets anticipate rate cuts potentially next year, health care and healthcare innovation can intrigue. 

For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Equity ETF Content Hub.

Few companies have ridden the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom as successfully as Broadcom NASDAQ: AVGO. The tech giant has been a go-to name for investors looking to play the buildout of AI data centers, and its shares are up around 40% over the past year as a result. Every fresh sign of accelerating demand for its custom chips has been met with enthusiasm, and for good reason.

Broadcom Today

$359.88 -14.57 (-3.89%)

As of 09:48 AM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$273.00▼

$495.00Dividend Yield0.72%

P/E Ratio59.74

Price Target$493.24

Lately, though, that enthusiasm has started to cool in a way that's worth paying attention to. Despite briefly hitting an all-time high after its earnings report last month, the stock has since fallen more than 20% from that peak.

Get Broadcom alerts:

More tellingly, it's now trading at roughly the same level it was back in November, meaning it has effectively gone nowhere in eight months, even as the company has continued to post exceptionally strong results.

For a stock that's supposed to be one of the AI trade's biggest winners, that's not a great look, and it's forcing investors to confront an uncomfortable question.

The Downgrade That Put Valuation Front and CenterThe clearest sign of the growing unease came last week, when Erste Group downgraded Broadcom to Hold from Buy, citing valuation concerns. The move stands out against a broader Wall Street backdrop that remains bullish overall, with Broadcom carrying a Moderate Buy consensus rating.

The reasoning was blunt: while the firm acknowledged that the company’s margins are expected to remain high, the stock's already lofty valuation reflects much of that positive outlook, leaving limited room for further price appreciation.

That's a critical point, and it goes straight to the heart of the bear case. Broadcom's fundamentals aren't in question. The concern is entirely about how much investors are being asked to pay for them. Right now, the stock is costing around 65 times earnings, considerably higher than, say, the 32 times earnings investors are being asked to pay for NVIDIA NASDAQ: NVDA.

When a stock is priced for perfection, even excellent results can fail to move the needle, because the good news is already baked in. The fact that Broadcom has essentially flatlined since November despite continued strong performance is arguably the market's way of signaling exactly that.

The Bull Case Is Still ThereOverall MarketRank™100th Percentile

Analyst RatingModerate Buy

Upside/Downside36.4% Upside

Short Interest LevelHealthy

Dividend StrengthStrong

News Sentiment1.10 Insider TradingSelling Shares

Proj. Earnings Growth72.17%

See Full Analysis

The thing is, though, for all the valuation hand-wringing, plenty of voices on Wall Street remain firmly in Broadcom's corner. Morgan Stanley, for example, described the company as a "core AI winner,” pointing to the strength of its AI growth trajectory despite recent concerns about valuation and competition.

The team there put much of the weakness down to two things. First, investors have been gravitating toward what they call "growthier" bottleneck stories elsewhere in the AI semiconductor space, leaving Broadcom looking comparatively unloved. Second, and more specifically, there's been growing concern about competition from Taiwan's MediaTek, which could soon start eating into Broadcom's key market share.

However, Morgan Stanley's view is that this fear is overdone. While it acknowledges that MediaTek's growth is real, it expects Broadcom to remain the majority supplier for the likes of Alphabet Inc NASDAQ: GOOGL and describes more bearish scenarios of market share loss as premature.

Still One of AI's Best-Positioned NamesUnderpinning that confidence is a business that remains exceptionally strong. Broadcom has cemented itself at the heart of the custom AI silicon buildout through a series of major partnerships with some of the biggest names in technology, including its deal with Apple NASDAQ: AAPL. These are the kinds of relationships that lock in reliable cash flow and place it at the center of large AI operators' efforts to build bespoke infrastructure for their own workloads.

Its AI revenue is also growing faster than its overall revenue, indicating exactly where the momentum lies. While the margin picture is a little more nuanced than that of a pure chip designer, the direction of travel remains undoubtedly positive.

Where That Leaves InvestorsSo has Broadcom become too expensive for its own AI story? The honest answer is that it depends entirely on what investors think of its growth's durability. The bears, led by Erste Group's downgrade, make a fair point that the valuation already prices in a lot of good news, and the stock's failure to hold onto any of its progress since November lends real weight to that argument.

But the bulls have an equally compelling response. If Broadcom really is the core, structurally advantaged winner in custom AI silicon that it appears to be, with solid market share and many marquee customers, then a period of consolidation after such a strong run may simply be the stock catching its breath before the next leg higher.

For investors weighing it up, the coming quarters and the evidence they bring on whether growth can keep outrunning that demanding valuation will settle the debate.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Broadcom Right Now?Before you consider Broadcom, 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 Broadcom wasn't on the list.

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

View The Five Stocks Here

The space race is growing fast, and you don’t have to have gotten in early on SpaceX to profit. This report shows seven space stocks you can buy today that may grow as rockets, satellites, defense, space internet, and new space technology become more important.

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For investors seeking to pare exposure to the artificial intelligence (AI) trade amid boom-induced volatility, shifting capital toward overlooked equities offers a compelling strategic alternative.

Market participants are increasingly adopting a “defensive posture” against a possible downturn – pivoting to segments where high-quality operators with solid fundamentals have fallen out of favor leading to unwarranted valuation de-ratings.

UBS recently highlighted a rotation into quality defensive and value sectors as a robust method to diversify.

While AI infrastructure and semiconductor indices experience massive corrections in 2026 – other sectors present lucrative, risk-adjusted sanctuaries.

Here are three powerhouse stocks offering robust fundamentals and substantial upside as earnings season approaches.

Eli Lilly stock stands as a secular growth juggernaut insulated from tech cyclicality.

The bullish narrative is anchored by the company’s absolute dominance in the GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes market, acting as a profound defensive moat against macroeconomic shocks.

During Q1, the pharma giant reported worldwide revenue of $19.8 billion, a staggering 56% year-over-year growth.

This surge was primarily driven by Mounjaro and Zepbound – which generated a combined $12.8 billion.

Mounjaro revenue alone jumped 125% year-over-year, helping company-wide non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) to come in at $8.55 – up a whopping 156%.

Management recently raised its full-year sales guidance by $2 billion, projecting up to $85 billion.

This explosive acceleration and unparalleled pricing power make it a premier non-tech asset.

McDonald’s represents the quintessential defensive equity – capturing institutional capital rotating into traditional value sectors.

The primary driver is its proven ability to command pricing power and maintain consumer volume regardless of the broader economic climate.

In Q1, the fast-food titan delivered its strongest top-line performance in eight quarters – with total revenue hitting $6.5 billion, a 9.4% increase on a year-over-year basis.

Worldwide comparable sales grew 3.8% across all operating segments, supported by targeted value campaigns that consistently outpace competitors in gaining market share.

Operating margins expanded materially to 45.3%, pushing adjusted EPS up to $2.83.

For investors building a protective portfolio shield, MCD offers “recession-resistant” fundamentals that reliably weather systemic market froth.

Rounding out the diversification strategy is Charles Schwab – a financial sector standout providing an excellent hedge against tech exposure.

The bullish thesis relies on accelerating net interest revenues, massive asset-gathering capabilities, and stabilizing funding costs.

Financials for early 2026 demonstrate immense operational momentum.

Q1 sales climbed to $6.5 billion, reflecting a 15.7% year-over-year increase.

SCHW is cutting reliance on higher-cost bank supplemental funding while “attracting billions” in core net new assets and expanding active brokerage accounts.

With forward projections pointing toward a 16% year-on-year rise in net interest revenue, Schwab capitalizes effectively on a stabilizing rate environment.

A 1.25% dividend yield makes SCHW shares even more attractive to own in 2026.

Few stocks divide investors quite like MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR | MSTR Price Prediction), the Bitcoin treasury vehicle now branded Strategy. The stock has declined alongside Bitcoin, but Wall Street analysts remain overwhelmingly constructive.

Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for MSTR is $338.56, implying 260.05% upside from the current price of $94.03. Our recommendation is buy, with a moderate 50% confidence level, reflecting the extreme Bitcoin sensitivity baked into the model.

24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $94.03 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $338.56 Upside 260.05% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 50% A Bitcoin Bear Market Has Punished MSTR MSTR is down 79.37% over the past year, 38.12% year to date, and 23.43% over the past month, sitting just above its 52-week low of $81.81 and far below the $454.33 high. Bitcoin is off 46.63% over the same year at $63,658.88.

Q1 2026 showed EPS of -$38.25 versus a -$18.98 estimate on a $14.46 billion unrealized Bitcoin mark. Subscription revenue surged to $58.88 million, and MSTR now holds 818,334 BTC after raising $11.68 billion YTD.

The Case for $488 or Higher Our bull case points to $488.25. CEO Phong Le is doubling down: “Adoption of Bitcoin continues to grow in 2026. Digital Credit, highlighted by STRC, has been a big success.” The STRC preferred instrument has scaled to an $8.5 billion market cap in nine months, and management authorized $2 billion in buybacks under the Digital Credit Capital Framework.

Benchmark Equity Research reiterated its Buy rating, and 13 of 14 covering analysts rate MSTR a Buy with a consensus target of $303.64. A Bitcoin rebound toward prior highs would compound the equity’s leveraged beta of 3.545.

What Could Go Wrong Our bear case projects $259.08, but real damage lurks below. MSTR carries $8.17 billion in long-term debt and $229.53 million in quarterly preferred dividends against only $2.21 billion in cash. Polymarket assigns a 36% probability to MSCI index removal by year-end, and a Rosen Law Firm investigation adds legal overhang.

The software business is still expanding, with subscription revenue up sharply and 67.1% gross margins reflecting ASU 2023-08 fair-value accounting, an accounting-driven effect rather than an operational one.

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

How MSTR Stacks Up Against COIN and MARA Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) is the most liquid crypto proxy on U.S. exchanges. The company posted $1.41 billion in Q1 revenue, down 30.54% YoY, at a market cap of $35.7 billion, versus MSTR’s $34.4 billion. Coinbase generates operating cash flow, making MSTR’s identical market cap look aggressive on fundamentals but conservative on Bitcoin-per-share exposure.

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) is a purer Bitcoin miner comp with a $4.35 billion market cap and a Q1 net loss of $1.3 billion. MARA’s price-to-book of 1.25 compares with MSTR’s 0.91, meaning MSTR trades below book value on a Bitcoin-heavy balance sheet. That discount makes our $338.56 target reasonable.

Where the Setup Stands The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $338.56 and buy rating rest on one core view: MSTR trades at a discount to book value on a portfolio of over 800,000 BTC, and analyst conviction remains near-unanimous with 13 Buy ratings.

The setup strengthens if Bitcoin stabilizes above $60,000 and STRC funding continues absorbing capital demand. Risk escalates if BTC breaks below $55,000 or the preferred stack shows stress. Confidence remains moderate at 50%.

MicroStrategy Price Prediction 2026-2030 Extending the 24/7 Wall St. price target model forward, here is where MSTR could trade assuming Bitcoin resumes its long-term uptrend and Strategy continues accretive accumulation.

Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $168 2027 $338 2028 $725 2029 $1,650 2030 $3,100 These projections assume Bitcoin trends higher over the decade and MSTR avoids forced deleveraging. Significant downside could result from a prolonged BTC drawdown, MSCI removal, or a preferred-dividend refinancing squeeze.

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

USA: Průmyslová produkce v červnu meziměsíčně vzrostla o 0,1 % při očekávání 0,2 %

July 17, 2026 08:00 ET  | Source: Playtika Holding Corp.

HERZLIYA, Israel, July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK) announced today that it will release financial results for the second quarter of 2026 before U.S. markets open on Thursday, August 6, 2026.

On the same day, Playtika management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 AM Eastern Time / 5:30 AM Pacific Time.

A live webcast of the conference call and the accompanying earnings materials will be available on Playtika’s Investor Relations website at investors.playtika.com.

About Playtika
Playtika (NASDAQ: PLTK) is a mobile gaming entertainment and technology market leader with a portfolio of multiple game titles. Founded in 2010, Playtika was among the first to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, and guided by a mission to entertain the world through infinite ways to play, Playtika has employees across offices worldwide.

Contact
Investor Relations
[email protected]

Source: Playtika Holding Corp.

STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ:STAA) stock is trading lower on Friday after reporting preliminary net sales for the second quarter of over $90 million, compared to net sales of $44.3 million a year ago.

The contact lens company expects a rebound in the Chinese market and solid momentum in the Americas, despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges in certain overseas regions.

Regional Performance And China RecoveryThe quarterly performance was heavily influenced by sequential growth within China, alongside healthy gains throughout the broader Asia-Pacific territory.

Furthermore, the Americas region recorded a double-digit percentage increase in sales, demonstrating solid momentum in that market.

The substantial year-over-year growth is largely tied to normalized operations in China.

During the second quarter of 2025, the company notably limited shipments of its EVO Implantable Collamer Lenses to the country, deliberately allowing local distributors to clear excess stock.

By the end of this recent second quarter, distributor inventory levels had successfully returned to the company’s optimal target range to appropriately serve the refractive market.

Geopolitical Headwinds And EMEA ImpactWhile broader sales remained strong, the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) segment experienced a low single-digit percentage decline.

This drop was directly attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

However, when excluding Middle Eastern operations, the remainder of the EMEA market achieved double-digit percentage growth, highlighting the resilience of the underlying business across that region.

Significant geopolitical and macroeconomic obstacles continue to weigh on sales in the Middle East, as well as specific areas within the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions.

Company management remains vigilant in monitoring these conditions, warning that if current headwinds intensify or spread to other global markets, future revenue growth could face negative impacts.

“While geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures continue to present headwinds in certain markets, and while our ERP system implementation presented meaningful operational challenges during the quarter, our team again rose to the occasion and delivered strong results,” said Warren Foust, Co-CEO, President and Chief Operating Officer.

We remain focused on resolving the remaining system issues in the third quarter and are confident in the continued momentum of our business,” Foust commented.

How STAA Ranks On Value And Momentum Versus PeersBelow is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Staar Surgical, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

Value: Weak (Score: 17.3) — Trading at a steep premium relative to peers. Momentum: Bullish (Score: 90.95) — Stock is outperforming the broader market. The Verdict: Staar Surgical’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a growth-heavy profile with strong momentum, indicating potential for continued upward movement if the company successfully executes its strategic objectives. However, the low value score suggests caution for investors considering entry points.

STAA Stock Price Activity: Staar Surgical shares were down 8.49% at $26.52 during premarket trading on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo Courtesy: Piotr Swat on Shutterstock.com

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VENTURA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Trade Desk, a leading global advertising technology company, today announced the appointment of Ron Lamprecht as Chief Business Development Officer and Senior Vice President. In this newly created role, Lamprecht will build strategic partnerships that expand our market opportunity, develop new commercial models and enterprise-wide global opportunities. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Vivek Kundra and be based in New York City. Lamprecht brings mor.

Company Retains Key Frederator Studios IP For Licensing Opportunities

Strategic Transaction Continues Company’s Realignment Towards the Monetization of Premium Intellectual Property

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kartoon Studios, Inc. (NYSE American: TOON) ("Kartoon Studios" or the "Company"), a global entertainment company creating, producing, distributing and licensing children's and family content, today announced the strategic sale of Frederator Networks' Channel Network business in an all-cash transaction. Kartoon Studios will retain key intellectual property of Frederator Studios, including Bee and PuppyCat, Bravest Warriors, Castlevania and Catbug, for distribution and product licensing opportunities.

The strategic sale advances Kartoon Studios' ongoing strategy to align its operating structure and resources on monetization of premium intellectual property, franchise development, animation production, global distribution and consumer-products commercialization.

“The transaction separates two businesses with different operating models, margin profiles and growth priorities,” commented Andy Heyward, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kartoon Studios. “Key to this transaction, we are retaining key intellectual property of Frederator Studios, its creative talent and core properties, along with key channels that support our franchises. We believe this transaction makes Kartoon Studios a more focused company and better positions our team to continue executing on our strategic realignment towards the monetization of premium intellectual property.”

Total cash consideration paid to Kartoon Studios totaled $500,000 for the Frederator Networks' Channel Network business.

About Kartoon Studios
Kartoon Studios (NYSE American: TOON) is a global, vertically integrated children’s and family entertainment company turning owned and controlled intellectual property into enduring, multi-platform franchises. The Company develops, produces, distributes, licenses and monetizes content across the full value chain, creating multiple revenue opportunities and long-term brand value.

Kartoon Studios’ growth portfolio includes Hundred Acre Wood and the Stan Lee Universe, alongside established brands and an extensive programming library. The Company operates Mainframe Studios and Toon Media Networks, as well as Beacon Media Group, a full-service marketing, communications, and media agency subsidiary of Kartoon Studios focused on children and family. Together, these assets provide production capabilities, direct audience access and distribution across linear television, AVOD, SVOD, FAST channels and streaming platforms in more than 60 territories. Kartoon Studios is focused on converting its intellectual property, infrastructure and global reach into scalable franchise growth and long-term shareholder value.

For more information, visit www.kartoonstudios.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning the strategic transaction continuing the Company’s realignment towards the monetization of premium intellectual property; the strategic sale advancing Kartoon Studios' ongoing strategy to align its operating structure and resources on monetization of premium intellectual property, franchise development, animation production, global distribution and consumer-products commercialization and the transaction making Kartoon Studios a more focused company and better positioning its team to continue executing on our strategic realignment towards the monetization of premium intellectual property Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “should,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements are based on the Company’s current plans, estimates, assumptions and expectations and are not guarantees that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Actual events, results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to various risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the Company’s ability to execute its business strategy and growth initiatives; the Company’s ability to monetize premium intellectual property, the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and other risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not currently known to the Company or that the Company currently considers immaterial may also cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Kartoon Studios undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:
Lytham Partners, LLC
Robert Blum
602-889-9700
[email protected]