NEW YORK, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hub Group, Inc. (“Hub Group” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HUBG) on behalf of investors that purchased or otherwise acquired Hub Group securities between April 28, 2023 and May 11, 2026 (the “Class Period”).
CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION
If you are an investor in Hub Group 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 August 28, 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.
On February 5, 2026, Hub Group announced preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2025 results and disclosed the identification of a $77 million accounting error due to “the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable in the first nine months of 2025.” Additionally, the Company said it “plans to restate its financial statements for the first, second and third quarters of 2025,” and “is continuing to assess the potential impact to its consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.”
On this news, the price of Hub Group stock fell $9.37 per share, or 18.25%, to close at $41.96 per share on February 6, 2026.
Then, on May 12, 2026, Hub Group announced that it had “identified certain transactions that were prematurely or incorrectly recognized or not adequately supported,” causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports filed with the SEC to be “materially misstated,” such that they “should no longer be relied upon.” The Company did not quantify the expected misstatement, although it stated that it “expects to conclude that it did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.”
On this news, the price of Hub Group stock fell $5.24 per share, about 12.5%, to close at $36.62 per share on May 12, 2026.
The complaint alleges, among other things, that throughout the Class Period, the Company’s financial statements contained material misstatements caused by the premature and incorrect recognition of certain transactions and other material misstatements caused by the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable.
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NEW ORLEANS, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until August 28, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Hub Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS: HUBG) (“Hub” or the “Company”), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company’s securities between April 28, 2023 and May 11, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Get Help
Hub investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaqgs-hubg or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.
About the Lawsuit
Hub Group and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.
On February 5, 2026, the Company disclosed that its financial statements and reports for the first three quarters of 2025 should not be relied upon due to “an error that resulted in the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable in the first nine months of 2025” and that it planned to restate the statements. On this news, the price of Hub Group shares fell approximately 18%, from $51.33 per share on February 5, 2026 to $41.96 on February 6, 2026.
Then, on May 12, 2026, the Company disclosed that it had “identified certain transactions that were prematurely or incorrectly recognized or not adequately supported,” causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports filed with the SEC to be “materially misstated,” such that they should no longer be relied upon, and “expect[ed] to conclude that it did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.” On this news, the price of Hub Group shares fell an additional 13%, from $41.86 per share at close on May 11, 2026 to $36.62 on May 12, 2026.
The case is Lawler v. Hub Group, Inc., et al, No. 26-cv-07596.
About ClaimsFiler
ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.
To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
The market expects Sallie Mae (SLM - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis student loan company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.47 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +46.9%.
Revenues are expected to be $355.22 million, down 5.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 18.7% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Sallie Mae?For Sallie Mae, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -14.10%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Sallie Mae will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Sallie Mae would post earnings of $1.14 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.54, delivering a surprise of +35.09%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Sallie Mae doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsCapital One (COF - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Financial - Consumer Loans industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $5.08 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -7.3%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $15.7 billion, up 25.7% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Capital One has been revised 4.3% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a higher Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +1.54%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP indicates that Capital One will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
NEW YORK, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the securities of Insulet Corporation (“Insulet” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PODD) between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive.
Should You Join The Insulet Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD)?Did you purchase your shares between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive?Did you lose money in your investment in Insulet Corporation?
What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Insulet Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 31, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the securities of Insulet between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, inclusive, alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the Company and certain of its senior officers.
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Insulet securities traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Insulet Corporation ("Insulet" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PODD) and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and docketed under 26-cv-13062, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Insulet securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.
If you are an investor who purchased or otherwise acquired Insulet securities during the Class Period, you have until August 31, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
Insulet develops, manufactures, and sells insulin delivery systems for people with insulin-dependent diabetes in the United States ("U.S.") and internationally.
The Company offers, inter alia, its "Omnipod 5" automated insulin delivery ("AID") system, which includes a proprietary AID algorithm embedded in the pod that integrates with a third-party continuous glucose monitor to obtain glucose values through wireless Bluetooth communication; and its "Omnipod Dash", which features a Bluetooth enabled Pod that is controlled by a smartphone-like Personal Diabetes Manager.
Insulet also formerly offered the Omnipod Insulin Management System, its predecessor to the Omnipod 5, prior to the Class Period, but had already begun to phase out the product by the start of the Class Period.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Insulet's manufacturing controls and procedures were defective; (ii) the foregoing created a foreseeable heightened risk that one or more Insulet products would be found to be in violation of applicable safety regulations and/or pose a risk of injury; and (iii) as a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
The truth began to emerge on March 12, 2026, when Insulet disclosed that it had "initiated a voluntary Medical Device Correction for specific lots of Omnipod® 5 Pods after identifying a manufacturing issue through its ongoing product monitoring."
On this news, Insulet's stock price fell $16.23 per share, or 6.88%, to close at $219.84 per share on March 13, 2026.
Then, on May 26, 2026, Insulet disclosed the "initat[ion]" of another "voluntary Medical Device Correction", this time "for specific lots of Omnipod® 5, Omnipod Dash®, and Omnipod® Insulin Management System (Omnipod Eros) Pods due to a manufacturing issue, identified through ongoing product monitoring, that could result in insulin under-delivery."
On this news, Insulet's stock price fell $7.79 per share, or 5.07%, to close at $146.01 per share on May 27, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
From Optimism to Disillusionment: How Investor Confidence in Insulet's Manufacturing Quality Came Under Scrutiny After Two Omnipod Medical Device Corrections Allegedly Revealed Broader Quality-Control Issues and Drove a $90 Per Share Decline
, /PRNewswire/ -- SueWallSt notifies investors in Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD) that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026. Find out if you might be eligible to recover losses or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (888) SueWallSt.
PODD shares declined from approximately $236 to $146.01, a cumulative loss exceeding $90 per share, as two corrective disclosures shattered the market's belief in Insulet's manufacturing quality. The lead plaintiff deadline is August 31, 2026.
The Early Optimism
For much of the Class Period, investors relied on Insulet's public statements regarding manufacturing capabilities, quality systems, and Omnipod growth. The Company described itself as producing "tens of millions of Pods with high-quality medical-grade quality at consumer electronic scale." Investor confidence was further reinforced by repeated assurances about "advanced automation," a "robust and secure global supply chain," and a product described as "safe, effective, understood to be really easy to use." These representations, the lawsuit contends, created a misleading impression regarding Insulet's manufacturing quality and operational controls, causing the Company's securities to trade at artificially inflated prices.
The Growing Concerns
On March 12, 2026, the first crack appeared. Insulet disclosed a voluntary Medical Device Correction for specific lots of Omnipod 5 Pods due to "a small tear in the internal tubing that delivers insulin." PODD fell $16.23 per share, or 6.88%. Yet the Company simultaneously assured investors that "all other Omnipod 5 Pods and Omnipod products remain safe to use" and that only 1.5% of pods produced in the prior year were affected. As alleged in the complaint, these assurances led many investors investors to underestimate the scope of the manufacturing and quality-control issues affecting Omnipod products.
The Breaking Point
On May 26, 2026, sentiment collapsed. Insulet disclosed a second MDC affecting approximately 7 million Pods across Omnipod 5, Omnipod Dash, and Omnipod Eros product lines, representing 8.5% of 2025 global production. The defect was the same: cannula tears causing insulin under-delivery. PODD fell another $7.79 per share. Analysts responded sharply. BTIG cut its price target from $260 to $235 and trimmed its valuation multiple, citing "continued negative investor sentiment" and "risk of reputation damage." Goldman Sachs wrote that it did "not fully subscribe to the reiteration of guidance."
Sentiment Arc and Investor Harm
Investors reportedly embraced PODD as a high-conviction medical device growth story, with manufacturing scale cited as a key competitive advantage The March 2026 MDC raised concerns among investors, while management characterized the issue as limited in scope and related to specific lots The May 2026 MDC, affecting approximately 7 million Pods across multiple Omnipod product lines, raised further concerns regarding the scope of the manufacturing and quality-control issues Analyst downgrades and valuation multiple reductions confirmed that institutional confidence had eroded The complaint alleges insiders sold $5.9 million in stock during the period when manufacturing quality was being publicly praised The shift from "safe, effective" to two Medical Device Corrections within approximately 75 days raised significant investor concerns regarding the Company's manufacturing and quality-control processes "Investor confidence depends on receiving truthful information from the companies they invest in. When management statements regarding manufacturing quality and product safety are followed by successive Medical Device Corrections affecting millions of devices, the resulting loss of trust causes real financial harm." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Click here to submit your information and learn more about the case or call (888) SueWallSt.
LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: August 31, 2026
WHY SUEWALLST: SueWallSt is powered by Levi & Korsinsky LLP. Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions About the PODD Lawsuit
Q: When did Insulet Corporation allegedly mislead investors? A: The class period runs from February 21, 2025 to May 26, 2026. During this time, the complaint alleges Insulet made materially false or misleading statements about its manufacturing quality, safety controls, and the scope of product defects. Two corrective disclosures caused significant stock declines.
Q: How much did PODD stock drop? A: Shares fell approximately 6.88% ($16.23 per share) after the March 2026 Medical Device Correction and another 5.07% ($7.79 per share) after the May 2026 Medical Device Correction. From pre-disclosure levels, Insulet's stock declined approximately $90 per share, falling from approximately $236 to $146.01.
Q: Who is eligible to join the PODD investor lawsuit? A: Investors who purchased PODD stock or securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026 and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses, not on whether you still hold the shares.
Q: What if I already sold my PODD shares, can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold them. Investors who bought during the class period and sold at a loss may still participate.
Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. The overwhelming majority of class members never appear in court or give depositions. You submit a claim form to receive your portion of recovery.
Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: Nothing. Securities class actions are handled on a pure contingency basis. No upfront fees, no retainer, no out-of-pocket costs.
Q: What do PODD investors need to do right now? A: Investors may gather brokerage records showing purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Contact SueWallSt, a brand of Levi & Korsinsky LLP, for a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500. No immediate action is required to remain eligible as an absent class member.
Q: What if I missed the lead plaintiff deadline? A: The deadline applies only to investors seeking lead plaintiff appointment. Class members who miss it can still participate in any settlement or recovery.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (888) SueWallSt
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Key Takeaways Vicor is benefiting from strong AI-driven demand across industrial, HPC and aerospace businesses.VICR trades at a much lower forward sales multiple than NVTS, offering a more attractive valuation.Navitas Semiconductor faces near-term revenue volatility as it shifts toward higher-power AI markets. Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS - Free Report) and Vicor Corporation (VICR - Free Report) are benefiting from the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, which is increasing power requirements in data centers. NVTS focuses on Gallium nitride (GaN) and Silicon carbide (SiC) chips used in next-generation AI data centers and energy systems, while VICR develops power modules and power delivery solutions that help improve power efficiency in AI servers and high-performance computing systems.
Both NVTS and VICR are positioned to benefit from long-term growth in data centers and advanced technology infrastructure. However, from an investment point of view, one stock offers a more favorable outlook than the other right now. Let’s break down their fundamentals, growth prospects, market challenges and valuation to determine which stock offers a more compelling investment case.
The Case for Navitas Semiconductor StockNavitas Semiconductor is positioning itself to benefit from the growing shift toward 800-volt (800V) power architecture in AI data centers. As AI workloads become more power-intensive, hyperscalers are moving to higher-voltage power systems to improve efficiency and support higher power levels. This shift is expected to increase the demand for NVTS' GaN and SiC power chips and create a significant growth opportunity for the company's high-power business.
The move to 800V power systems increases the amount of GaN and SiC content used in each AI system. Management expects power supply units to increase from about 5-10 kilowatts to 18.5 kilowatts for NVIDIA systems and up to 25-30 kilowatts for other hyperscalers. As power levels increase, Navitas expects the amount of SiC content per rack to increase by about 2.5 times. GaN demand is expected to rise as more power conversion moves inside AI racks, where higher efficiency and faster switching are needed. These factors create a larger revenue opportunity per AI system for NVTS.
To support this opportunity, Navitas has launched new GaN and SiC products for AI power systems. During the first quarter of 2026, the company launched a 20-kilowatt 800V-to-6V GaN platform for AI data centers and introduced new Gen 5 SiC products for AI power supplies. The above-mentioned products are being tested by OEMs and power supply vendors, and several projects have moved from device-level testing to board-level testing, bringing them closer to commercial production.
However, NVTS’ “Navitas 2.0” strategy involves moving away from mobile charging and consumer electronics toward higher-power AI and industrial markets. While this may improve long-term growth, it also introduces meaningful near-term revenue volatility. The company is effectively walking away from markets where it already had product traction and revenue history in exchange for newer markets with longer design cycles and more demanding qualification requirements. This transition could create revenue volatility over the next several quarters.
The Case for Vicor StockAI data center investments are creating growth opportunities beyond chipmakers, and Vicor is benefiting from this trend. While much of the attention has been on the company's high-performance computing business, its industrial segment is also seeing higher demand as semiconductor manufacturers expand production to support AI infrastructure.
During the first-quarter 2026 earnings call, management said its broad industrial business delivered a strong quarter. The company's top industrial customers in the automated test equipment and semiconductor manufacturing equipment markets continued to benefit from the AI data center build-out, leading to strong order activity. Further, the company is winning next-generation platforms with its factorized power system solutions, which should support future revenue growth.
The growing production of AI chips is increasing the need for advanced testing equipment. Vicor's current multipliers, which are used in ASIC and memory test heads, continue to hold a strong competitive position because of their high current density, low noise and thin package design. As AI processors and high-bandwidth memory production increase, demand for these testing solutions is also likely to rise.
The strength in the industrial business is contributing to Vicor's overall growth. Bookings remained strong across its high-performance computing, industrial, and aerospace and defense markets during the first quarter. The company reported a book-to-bill ratio of more than 2 and a 70% sequential increase in its one-year backlog. The above-mentioned factors show that if AI infrastructure spending remains strong, Vicor's industrial business should become a key contributor to the company's long-term growth.
NVTS vs. VICR: Earnings Estimate TrendThe earnings estimate revision trend for the two companies reflects that analysts are turning more bullish toward VICR.
NVTS Earnings Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
VICR Earnings Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NVTS vs. VICR: Price Performance and ValuationYear to date, shares of NVTS and VICR have surged 86% and 137.8%, respectively.
NVTS Vs. VICR: YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Currently, VICR is trading at a forward sales multiple of 14.66X, lower than NVTS’ forward sales multiple of 52.42X. VICR’s reasonable valuation makes it more attractive for investors looking for value and stability.
NVTS vs. VICR: Forward 12-Month P/S Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion: VICR Has an Edge Over NVTSNavitas Semiconductor and Vicor are both set to ride the long-term growth in AI and data center markets, but their current positions are very different. Currently, NVTS faces near-term risks from its decision to deprioritize its lower-margin mobile and consumer business, which could create revenue volatility in the upcoming quarters.
In contrast, Vicor continues to benefit from strong demand across its high-performance computing, industrial, and aerospace and defense businesses. Further, VICR’s reasonable valuation offers some downside protection as well, making the stock an attractive buy.
Currently, VICR carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), giving a clear edge over NVTS, which carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways Vicor is expanding manufacturing capacity to meet AI-driven demand and support future design wins.Vicor invested $12.4 million in capital expenditures during Q1 to expand manufacturing capacity.Vicor expects expanded production capacity to better convert its $300.6 million backlog into revenues. Vicor Corporation (VICR - Free Report) is strengthening its long-term growth outlook by expanding manufacturing capacity to support increasing demand for its advanced power solutions. As AI infrastructure investments accelerate, VICR’s production expansion is expected to remove a key supply constraint, enabling it to serve existing customers more effectively while supporting future design wins. With demand already outpacing available supply, capacity expansion appears to be the primary catalyst for Vicor's next growth phase.
Demand visibility remains strong heading into the second half of 2026, making additional manufacturing investments increasingly important. First-quarter 2026 revenues increased 20.2% year over year to $113 million, while its book-to-bill ratio remained above 2. One-year backlog climbed 70% sequentially to $300.6 million, reflecting demand well above current production levels. Capital expenditures totaled $12.4 million during the quarter, with additional investments planned to expand manufacturing capacity.
Vicor is enhancing output at its existing Federal Street manufacturing facility through equipment additions and process optimization while advancing plans for a second fabrication facility. The company believes these initiatives can significantly increase the revenue-generating capacity of its existing operations, providing greater flexibility to support customer ramps before the second fab becomes operational. This phased expansion strategy should help meet growing demand without disrupting execution.
The strategy is already showing encouraging signs as Vicor raised its second-quarter 2026 revenue guidance to $142 million from $126 million, reflecting stronger product revenue expectations. With demand exceeding current production capacity, the company's manufacturing expansion should improve its ability to convert backlog into revenues, potentially unlocking its next phase of sustainable growth.
How Do VICR’s Rivals Stack Up?Vicor operates alongside Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR - Free Report) and Analog Devices (ADI - Free Report) in the power management market. Monolithic Power Systems continues to expand its manufacturing capabilities and product portfolio to support AI and cloud infrastructure demand, while Analog Devices is investing to strengthen production capabilities and supply chain resilience for high-performance power solutions. Unlike Monolithic Power Systems and Analog Devices, Vicor's current investment focus is on expanding manufacturing capacity to address supply constraints and support its next phase of revenue growth.
VICR’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesVicor stock has surged 137.8% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Electronic Miscellaneous Components industry's decline of 14.1% and the broader Computer and Technology sector's appreciation of 15.8%.
VICR’s YTD Price Return Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
VICR shares are trading at a forward 12-month price/sales of 14.64X compared with the broader sector’s 6.85X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VICR’s 2026 EPS is pegged at $2.94 per share, up 23 cents over the past 30 days, indicating year-over-year growth of 12.64%.
Vicor carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Action reflects continued efforts to strengthen the company's North America packaging network
, /PRNewswire/ -- International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC), a leader in sustainable packaging, today announced it will close its Carrollton South packaging facility located in Carrolton, Texas by the end of the third quarter of 2026. The decision is part of the company's ongoing work to align its manufacturing footprint with customer demand and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of its North America packaging business.
International Paper regularly evaluates its network to ensure resources are allocated to deliver the greatest value to customers. This action is consistent with that disciplined, long-term strategy.
"Decisions that affect our people and our communities are never made lightly. We're committed to supporting our Carrollton South team members throughout this transition," said Keith Townsend, Group Vice President, North America Packaging East, International Paper. "Customers will be serviced at other International Paper facilities in the region."
Employees affected by the closure will receive severance, continued benefits and outplacement support.
About International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC)
International Paper creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking or conditional words such as "intend," "aim," "may," "will," "expect," and "plan" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the risk of the Company's ability to achieve the desired outcome and realize the anticipated benefits from its strategic transformation initiatives, including the closure of the Carrollton South, Texas box plant. These forward-looking statements are also subject to the risks and uncertainties contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 27, 2026, and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or changes in expectations.
, /PRNewswire/ -- CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s (NYSE: CNP) Board of Directors yesterday declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.2400 per share on the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock payable on September 10, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 20, 2026. This represents a $0.0100 increase over the April 2026 declared dividend per share and in line with CenterPoint's targeted annual dividend per share growth rate of 6%.
About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $48 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding our strategic, growth and capital plans, longer-term resiliency plans, and future performance and financial results, are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release regarding future events that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release or the date that such statement is made, as applicable. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) business strategies and strategic initiatives; (2) CenterPoint Energy's ability to fund and invest planned capital, and the timely recovery of its investments; (3) financial market and general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory, legislative and political actions or developments; and (5) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Dycom Industries (DY - Free Report) Based in North America, Dycom Industries Inc. is a specialty contracting firm operating in the telecom industry. The company provides diverse services such as engineering, construction, maintenance and installation services for the cable and telephone companies.
DY is a #1 (Strong Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. DY has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 36.6% for the current fiscal year.
Six analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $2.50 to $16.35 per share. DY also boasts an average earnings surprise of +25%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, DY should be on investors' short list.
The Utilities group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Ameren (AEE - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Ameren is one of 111 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #14 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.
The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Ameren is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AEE's full-year earnings has moved 1.3% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.
Our latest available data shows that AEE has returned about 11.5% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Utilities companies have returned an average of 6.5%. This means that Ameren is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
Another Utilities stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is American Electric Power (AEP - Free Report) . The stock has returned 14.9% year-to-date.
For American Electric Power, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 0.4% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Breaking things down more, Ameren is a member of the Utility - Electric Power industry, which includes 63 individual companies and currently sits at #158 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 7.9% so far this year, so AEE is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns. American Electric Power is also part of the same industry.
Investors interested in the Utilities sector may want to keep a close eye on Ameren and American Electric Power as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of The Ensign Group, Inc. ("Ensign Group" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ENSG). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Ensign Group and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On June 8, 2026, Hunterbrook published a short report alleging that Ensign Group's business model relies on inadequate patient care and gaming quality metrics. The Hunterbrook report further alleges that Ensign Group's profits depend on understaffing facilities while routing taxpayer dollars to executives and affiliates, and that patients have suffered and died as a result.
Following publication of the Hunterbrook report, Ensign Group's stock price fell $13.88 per share, or 8.15%, to close at $156.42 per share on June 8, 2026.
Then, on June 11, 2026, Muddy Waters Research published a short report on Ensign Group, alleging possible Medicare and Medicaid fraud via a scheme to rent licenses of administrators of skilled nursing facilities who are not actually managing the facilities, potentially in violation of the False Claims Act.
Following publication of the Muddy Waters report, Ensign's stock price fell $4.52 per share, or 2.98%, to close at $147.13 per share on June 11, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against ChampionX Corporation ("ChampionX" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CHX). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
The class action concerns whether ChampionX and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
You have until July 14, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired ChampionX securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
A Complaint has filed on behalf of investors who sold ChampionX common stock during the Class Period, alleging that the defendants failed to disclose material information, which artificially deflated the price of ChampionX common stock.
Per the allegations of the Complaint, on February 29, 2024, ChampionX received an unsolicited non-public offer from Schlumberger Limited to purchase all the outstanding shares of ChampionX for $36.70 per share. On March 7, 2024, Schlumberger raised its offer to $37.80 per share. The ChampionX class action lawsuit alleges that while these offers were on the table and unknown to the investing public, ChampionX was repurchasing its common stock at market prices significantly below the prices offered by Schlumberger. ChampionX had an obligation to disclose that it had received a formal acquisition offer from Schlumberger or abstain from purchasing ChampionX stock from unsuspecting investors.
During the Class Period, ChampionX's average stock price was $33.32 per share. On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, during pre-market hours, ChampionX disclosed the merger with Schlumberger. The merger eventually closed on July 16, 2025, with Schlumberger acquiring ChampionX for $40.58 per share.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
, /PRNewswire/ -- American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., will contribute expertise to key discussions at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies' (NACWA) 2026 Utility Leadership Conference and 56th Annual Meeting, taking place July 14 through July 17, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Christine Keck, VP, Chief Legislative & External Affairs Officer, American Water, will speak as part of the panel discussion titled From Utilities to Ecosystems: Advancing Clean Water Priorities Through Unexpected Allies. The panel will examine how the water sector can move beyond conventional approaches and expand engagement with a broader range of stakeholders.
"At American Water, our priority is providing safe, clean, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater services to our customers," said Cheryl Norton, EVP and Chief Operating Officer, American Water. "American Water is committed to public- and private-sector collaboration to help address one of the water sector's greatest challenges—making the investments needed to secure the future of water systems while keeping service affordable for the customers and communities that rely on them every day."
For more information about NACWA's 2026 Utility Leadership Conference and 56th Annual Meeting, visit: https://www.nacwa.org/conferences-events/2026-utility-leadership-conference.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.
For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Low-interest funding helps keep customer costs down while advancing water quality
, /PRNewswire/ -- The Shapiro administration yesterday announced that Pennsylvania American Water was awarded grants and low-interest loans from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) totaling $64,106,000. The funding will support water infrastructure improvement projects in Allegheny, Cumberland and Susquehanna counties.
"At Pennsylvania American Water, we strive to provide our customers with high-quality, reliable water and wastewater services while also meeting environmental standards and state and federal regulations. We're thankful to PENNVEST for approving our funding requests and supporting us in that mission," said the company's vice president of engineering, Tony Nokovich. "These projects will have a positive impact on the service provided for our customers by enabling us to continue our efforts to improve water and infrastructure across the state."
A PENNVEST grant of $2,694,306 and loan of $6,205,694 will fund the replacement of approximately 575 identified lead and galvanized lead-impacted water service lines in Dormont Borough, Allegheny County. The removal of all leaded components will provide direct water quality improvements to customers and is consistent with regulatory and Pennsylvania American Water initiatives to eliminate lead-containing lines from the public water supply system. Learn more at pennsylvaniaamwater.com/leadfacts. The interest terms for the loan are 1.00% for the full 25.25-year loan period.
"I am proud to have advocated for this funding and look forward to the positive impact it will make in Dormont," said Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana. "Clean water infrastructure continues to be a priority of mine and when the state can partner with organizations such as Pennsylvania American Water to make that happen, it is good for everyone."
"This is an incredible investment for Dormont. Not only will it ensure that people have clean drinking water and infrastructure that will hold up for decades to come, but it will also protect residents from footing the bill of replacement, which is so important right now as costs are rising everywhere," said Pennsylvania State Representative Jen Mazzocco.
In Cumberland County, a PFAS project to construct a new per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) treatment system at the company's Silver Spring Water Treatment Plant, which serves customers across 12 municipalities, received a PENNVEST grant of $2,447,879 and loan of $27,758,121. The proposed upgrades will install new granular activated carbon filter vessels designed to help ensure water meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency PFAS regulations going into effect in 2029. It will also include additional pump, electrical, back-up power, security and stormwater improvements required as part of the new treatment system. The interest terms for the loan are 1.743% for the first five years and 2.179% for the remainder of the 20-year loan period.
"Access to safe, reliable drinking water is absolutely essential," said Pennsylvania State Representative Thomas Kutz. "This $2.4 million state grant represents a significant investment in our community and in the roughly 85,000 people who depend on the Silver Spring Water Treatment Plant. I'm grateful to Pennsylvania American Water for its continued commitment to strengthening Cumberland County's water infrastructure and ensuring a dependable supply for generations to come."
Pennsylvania American Water's Susquehanna Water Treatment Plant construction project in Harmony Township received a $25,000,000 PENNVEST loan. Due to the significant age, ongoing maintenance requirements and concerns related to the structural integrity of the existing plant's facilities, a new water treatment plant will be constructed on nearby company property to serve the system's more than 4,200 customers. The interest terms for the loan are 1.00% for the first five years and 1.743% for the remainder of the 20-year loan period.
"Funding this project will ensure families in our community have safe, reliable drinking water by replacing aging infrastructure and modernizing treatment systems," said Pennsylvania State Senator Lisa Baker. "With PENNVEST's low‑interest financing, it delivers long-term health and affordability benefits for the 1,481 households who depend on this water supply."
"Every Pennsylvanian has a constitutional right to pure water, and my Administration is continuing that work by investing in projects that modernize aging water infrastructure, replace lead service lines, and address contaminants like PFAS," said Governor Josh Shapiro in the Commonwealth's official announcement. "PENNVEST is helping communities across the Commonwealth make these critical upgrades so more Pennsylvanians have clean, safe, reliable drinking water when they turn on the tap."
Since July 2024, PENNVEST has awarded Pennsylvania American Water more than $261.6 million in funding, including $29 million in grants and $231 million in low-interest loans to support statewide water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Learn more about this funding and how it helps the company reduce costs for its customers at pennsylvaniaamwater.com/pennvest.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
About Pennsylvania American Water
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 1,200 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.5 million people.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of AppLovin Corporation ("AppLovin" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: APP). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether AppLovin and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On July 13, 2026, a Bank of America Securities analyst published a note reporting softer-than-expected e-commerce ad growth for the month of June, raising concerns over the rollout of AppLovin's new AI-driven merchant platform.
Following publication of the note, AppLovin's stock price fell $64.13 per share, or 12.65%, to close at $442.85 per share on July 13, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Energy, a developer of financeable, prefabricated nuclear power plants, today announced a strategic equity investment from Constellation Technology Ventures, the venture arm of Constellation (Nasdaq: CEG), the nation's largest producer of clean energy and operator of the largest fleet of nuclear power plants in the United States. The investment reflects a growing confidence in Blue Energy's strategy to utilize shipyard manufacturing and project financing to deploy proven reactor technology that has the potential to accelerate new nuclear development – making it predictable, faster and more affordable. It also marks the first investment by Constellation Technology Ventures in a U.S. nuclear developer advancing small modular reactors.
"With demand for near-term power rising, Constellation's investment will help Blue Energy meet America's need by making new nuclear development predictable, rapidly scalable, and project financeable for the first time in history. This relationship helps us leverage an established operator, proven technology, and innovative, project-financeable deployment models to expand access to nuclear energy," said Jake Jurewicz, Blue Energy CEO and Co-Founder. "Together, we're demonstrating that the future of nuclear energy isn't a decade away and doesn't take a leap of faith on technology or construction execution, it's being built right now."
"Constellation is committed to exploring innovative pathways that can help accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies in the United States and allocate risk appropriately," said David Dardis, Constellation Senior Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs and Growth Officer. "The Constellation Technology Ventures investment in Blue Energy supports its deployment plans for the GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300, a proven technology with a potential path to scale for the next generation of nuclear energy."
Blue Energy's model is designed to address one of the biggest challenges facing the nuclear industry: how to finance and deploy new nuclear generation at the speed required to meet growing demand. By utilizing proven nuclear technology and employing an innovative large-format robotic prefabrication and assembly method inspired by offshore oil & gas and LNG projects, the company plans to unlock project financing for the first time in the nuclear sector and accelerate deployment timelines.
Earlier this year, Blue Energy announced it raised $380 million and forged a strategic partnership with GE Vernova to develop a multi-gigawatt gas-to-nuclear project utilizing GE Vernova gas turbines and BWRX-300 small modular reactors. The company also recently secured a key U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing milestone that supports its goal of delivering reliable power in 48 months or less through its phased gas-to-nuclear deployment strategy. Blue Energy could begin early site works on its first planned project in Texas in 2026, to support a final investment decision in 2027.
About Blue Energy
Founded in 2023, Blue Energy develops financeable, turnkey nuclear power plants compatible with leading reactor technology. Our proprietary lower cost of capital solution and offsite pre-fabrication accelerates new nuclear deployment – making it predictable, faster and more affordable. We will deliver baseload power competitive with fossil fuels and renewables to meet unprecedented global demand. Blue Energy's world-class team has extensive experience in nuclear construction, licensing, engineering, and development. We stem from MIT's Nuclear Science & Engineering Department and are backed by VXI Capital, Engine Ventures, At One Ventures and Tamarack Global. Visit www.blueenergy.co or follow us on LinkedIn.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: OGE Energy (OGE - Free Report) Incorporated in 1995, Oklahoma City, OK-based OGE Energy Corp. provides electricity in Oklahoma and western Arkansas. It is the parent company of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company ("OG&E"), which is the largest electric utility in Oklahoma and its franchised service territory is the Fort Smith, AR area. OG&E sold its retail natural gas business in 1928 and is no longer engaged in the natural gas distribution business. As of Dec 31, 2025, the company's generation portfolio represents a balanced approach to generating electricity through a range of fuels —57% natural gas, 34% coal and 9% renewable energy.
OGE is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Utilities stock. OGE has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 3% over the past four weeks.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $2.43 per share. OGE boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, OGE should be on investors' short list.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Silgan Holdings (SLGN - Free Report) Silgan Holdings is a leading supplier of rigid packaging for consumer goods products. Its products are used in diverse end markets. It is the largest metal-container supplier for food products in North America. Silgan operates 113 manufacturing facilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Its product lines include steel and aluminum containers for human and pet food; custom-designed plastic containers for personal care, healthcare, pharmaceutical, household, industrial chemical, food, pet care, agricultural chemical, automotive and marine chemical products; and metal, composite and plastic closures for food and beverage products.
SLGN is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Momentum investors should take note of this Industrial Products stock. SLGN has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 8.9% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $3.79 per share. SLGN boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.9%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, SLGN should be on investors' short list.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Commvault Systems, Inc. ("Commvault" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: CVLT). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.
The class action concerns whether Commvault and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
You have until July 17, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Commvault securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On January 27, 2026, Commvault reported its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 and revealed ARR growth below the Company's prior guidance. In particular, ARR growth for the quarter was only $39 million, which fell short of the Company's $45 million guidance.
On this news, Commvault's stock price fell $40.23 per share, or 31.1%, to close at $89.13 per share on January 27, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors, on the other hand, are more concerned with a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score examines things like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will experience sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.
For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Ameriprise Financial Services (AMP - Free Report) Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. was founded in 1894 under the name Investors Syndicate. Notably, since 2005-end, Ameriprise has been operating independently of American Express Company. As of March 31, 2026, the company’s total assets under management and administration (AUM/AUA) were $1.67 trillion.
AMP is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 12.06; value investors should take notice.
Four analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.80 to $43.74 per share. AMP also boasts an average earnings surprise of +5.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, AMP should be on investors' short list.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Ameriprise Financial Services (AMP - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis financial services company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $10.72 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +17.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $4.79 billion, up 10.5% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.4% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Ameriprise?For Ameriprise, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Ameriprise will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Ameriprise would post earnings of $10.2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $11.26, delivering a surprise of +10.39%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Ameriprise doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerSEI Investments (SEIC - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Financial - Investment Management industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $1.45 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -18.5%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $637.92 million, up 14% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for SEI has been revised 3.2% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. However, an equal Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that SEI will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sher Jeshiva Group, a financial advisory practice, recently joined the branch channel of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) from Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC with $470 million in client assets. The practice, located in Melville, N.Y. and Naples, Fla., is led by financial advisors Glen Sher, CRPC™, AAMS® and Michael Jeshiva, CRPC™ and includes financial advisor Philip Basile and registered client service associate Kathryn Acer-Richard. Looking to build on.
While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies.
Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
One stock to keep an eye on is Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP - Free Report) . ARLP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 9.28. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 13.00. ARLP's Forward P/E has been as high as 11.04 and as low as 6.67, with a median of 9.31, all within the past year.
Finally, investors should note that ARLP has a P/CF ratio of 5.83. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. ARLP's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 9.95. Over the past year, ARLP's P/CF has been as high as 6.90 and as low as 3.82, with a median of 5.55.
These are just a handful of the figures considered in Alliance Resource Partners's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that ARLP is an impressive value stock right now.
SummaryTyler Technologies is rated Buy, offering a highly resilient government software platform with 98% gross retention and minimal AI disruption risk.TYL's cloud migration and cross-selling are clear catalysts, expected to drive recurring revenue and margin expansion through 2029, with upside even under moderate execution.DCF-based fair value is $466/share (55% upside), with TYL trading at a decade-low 18.1x forward EV/FCF, well below its historical median.Execution on cloud transition, government budget constraints, and competition are key risks, but current valuation does not require perfect execution for attractive returns. Supatman/iStock via Getty Images
Introduction The SaaS-pocalypse has come roaring back with Starbucks’ recent announcement that it is using AI to build internal software solutions to replace costly Microsoft and IBM systems. While it remains unclear how successful this effort
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, but may initiate a beneficial Long position through a purchase of the stock, or the purchase of call options or similar derivatives in TYL over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Key Takeaways Super Micro Computer launched 10 RDHx models, removing 10-120 kW of heat per rack for AI and HPC workloads.SMCI's RDHx systems fit new and existing data centers with standard rack compatibility and fewer upgrades.Super Micro Computer bundles cooling, servers and software into integrated AI data center solutions. Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) earlier reported that it is on track to scale rack production capacity to more than 6,000 AI racks per month by the end of fiscal 2026, including 3,000 direct liquid cooling (DLC) racks per month. The company recently announced an expansion of its liquid cooling portfolio to help data centers handle the growing heat generated by AI and high-performance computing (HPC) servers.
SMCI introduced 10 new Rear Door Heat Exchanger (RDHx) models that can remove between 10 kW and 120 kW of heat per rack, with total rack-level cooling reaching 240 kW. The rear door heat exchanger, which is installed in the back of the server rack as a cooling door, uses liquid to absorb and dissipate heat to keep AI servers cool while consuming less energy than traditional air cooling systems.
The new cooling products are part of Super Micro Computer’s Data Center Building Block Solutions, which combine servers, racks, cooling, networking, management software and deployment services into a complete data center solution. Customers can buy an integrated system instead of sourcing components from multiple vendors, simplifying deployment and reducing integration risks.
A key advantage of the new RDHx portfolio is its flexibility. The solutions can be installed in both newly built and existing data centers without requiring major infrastructure changes. They are compatible with standard EIA, ORv3 and NVIDIA MGX racks, allowing operators to upgrade facilities for AI workloads without constructing entirely new data centers.
The cooling systems also include intelligent fan controls, anti-condensation protection and redundant components to improve reliability while lowering operating costs. This is Super Micro Computer’s strategy of offering end-to-end AI infrastructure rather than just servers. As AI clusters become denser and generate significantly more heat, efficient liquid cooling is becoming an essential requirement.
How Competitors Fare Against SMCIThe AI data center market is growing rapidly, with players like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE - Free Report) and Dell Technologies (DELL - Free Report) already competing with SMCI in this space for greater market share. Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers liquid-cooled HPC and AI servers through its HPE Cray and Apollo systems.
Dell offers liquid cooling architectures through its Apex and PowerEdge platforms. Dell has designed its AI server solutions to be custom and modular by adding both air and liquid cooling features with 24-hour rack deployment turnaround and end-to-end deployment services. These key differentiators make its server easy to deploy, hence encouraging smoother adoption.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise offers a range of servers, including HPE ProLiant, HPE Synergy, HPE BladeSystem and HPE Moonshot servers. Dell Technologies has built the Dell AI Factory in collaboration with NVIDIA. Dell also collaborated with Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI for Dell PowerEdge servers.
SMCI’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesShares of Super Micro Computer have lost 8.2% year to date against the Zacks Computer – Storage Devices industry’s growth of 236.6%.
SMCI YTD Performance Chart
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, SMCI is trading at a discount at a forward 12 Month P/S multiple of 0.31X compared with the industry’s P/S multiple of 3.76X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Super Micro Computer’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings implies a year-over-year increase of approximately 25.7% and 24.2%, respectively. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027 have remained unchanged for the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Super Micro Computer currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Shares of this drugmaker have returned +3.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.5% change. The Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, to which Vertex belongs, has gained 3.2% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
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, Vertex is expected to post earnings of $4.80 per share, indicating a change of +6.2% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $19.15 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +4.1%. This estimate has changed -0.1% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.85 indicates a change of +8.9% from what Vertex is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -1.5%.
Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Vertex is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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 Vertex, the consensus sales estimate of $3.22 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +8.5%. The $13.06 billion and $14.34 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +8.8% and +9.9%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryVertex reported revenues of $2.99 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.8%. EPS of $4.47 for the same period compares with $4.06 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.98 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.19%. The EPS surprise was +5.67%.
Over the last four quarters, Vertex surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
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.
Vertex is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with 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 Vertex. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
CompaniesJuly 16 (Reuters) - Industrial Development Funding (IDF) and U.S.-based asset manager Oaktree said on Thursday they will invest $1.7 billion in deploying Bloom Energy's (BE.N), opens new tab fuel-cell technology to help power AI cloud infrastructure, including dedicated electricity supply for Nebius' AI computing operations.
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The investment will fund behind-the-meter power generation using Bloom's fuel cells, allowing Nebius to meet growing demand for AI compute capacity, the companies said.
IDF is leading the development of the Nebius project, while Oaktree is participating as a minority equity investor.
Data center operators are increasingly turning to nuclear, renewables and fuel cells to meet soaring power needs from AI and cloud computing, fueling billions in new infrastructure spending.
Brookfield (BAM.N), opens new tab in 2025 had agreed to invest up to $5 billion in Bloom's fuel cell technology to power data centers
Fuel cells offer a cleaner alternative to traditional power by generating electricity through chemical reactions rather than combustion. Depending on the fuel, byproducts can include water and heat, making them more environmentally friendly.
Reporting by Katha Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
3 Regional Bank Stocks That Crushed Q3 EarningsU.S. Bancorp NYSE: USB reported stronger second-quarter 2026 results, with executives pointing to accelerated revenue growth, expanding fee income, improved profitability metrics and continued credit stability during the company’s earnings call.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gunjan Kedia said the company delivered earnings per share of $1.35, up approximately 22% from a year earlier. Net revenue reached a record $7.7 billion, representing 10.1% year-over-year growth. Kedia said the quarter reflected progress against the bank’s strategic priorities, including revenue growth, expense discipline and payments transformation.
Get U.S. Bancorp alerts:
3 High-Yield Banks for Investors to Buy on the DipVice Chair and Chief Financial Officer John Stern said U.S. Bancorp generated a return on tangible common equity of 18.7% and a return on average assets of 1.26%. The efficiency ratio improved to 57.1%, and net interest margin rose two basis points sequentially to 2.79%.
Fee Income Accelerates as BTIG Adds to Capital Markets Revenue Fee income was a central theme of the call. Kedia said fees rose to 44% of total revenue in the quarter, adding that the scale and quality of the fee mix help drive “high returns, stable earnings, and enduring relationships.”
Your Comprehensive Guide to Investing in Bank StocksTotal fee income increased 13.2% from the prior-year period, according to Stern. He said growth was broad-based across capital markets, trust and investment management, payments and other institutional fee businesses. Excluding BTIG, fee revenue still grew 9.9% year-over-year.
The company completed its acquisition of BTIG during the quarter. Kedia called the deal “a significant milestone” in U.S. Bancorp’s capital markets build-out. In its first month as part of the company, BTIG generated approximately $98 million of revenue, which Kedia said was the strongest monthly revenue performance in BTIG’s history and ahead of earlier expectations.
Stern said BTIG is expected to contribute roughly $200 million of revenue per quarter in the back half of 2026. In response to analyst questions, Stern said the company is assuming a 15% contribution margin for BTIG in the remainder of the year and expects about $60 million of merger-related costs in 2026, with a possible tail into early 2027. Kedia said the company does not expect it will need another capital markets bolt-on acquisition to reach its goal of growing capital markets to more than 10% of total company revenue over time.
Net Interest Income and Loans Rise Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis totaled $4.4 billion, up 7.5% year-over-year and above prior guidance. Stern said the result was driven by stronger loan dynamics, investment portfolio repositioning and ongoing benefits from fixed asset repricing. On a sequential basis, net interest income increased $96 million, or 2.2%.
Average loans totaled $405 billion, up 7.1% from the prior-year quarter and 3.0% from the prior quarter. Stern said loan growth was broad-based, including commercial and industrial loans, credit card and commercial real estate. In the question-and-answer session, he said pipelines continued to look strong across commercial categories, from large corporates to small business and SBA loans.
Average total deposits increased 2.4% year-over-year and were flat from the previous quarter. Stern said consumer deposits reached another record, supported by the Smartly product suite, while wholesale and investment services deposits reflected typical seasonality. Kedia said Smartly checking and savings balances now exceed $84 billion.
Payments and Consumer Banking Remain Strategic Focus Areas Kedia said U.S. Bancorp’s payments franchise remains an important source of diversification and client engagement. Total payment services revenue increased 5.7% year-over-year, compared with 4.7% growth in the prior-year quarter. She said card issuing continued to perform well and corporate payments rebounded, while merchant processing growth slowed during the quarter.
During the Q&A session, Stern attributed merchant processing softness partly to Europe, including post-war impacts and the loss of some non-strategic distribution partners. He said the partner impact could continue for several quarters, while other parts of payments, including card and corporate payments, are performing well.
The company also highlighted its consumer franchise. Kedia said U.S. Bancorp serves nearly 13 million consumers through digital and physical distribution, with about 18% outside its traditional branch footprint. It also serves approximately 7 million customers through card, co-brand, Elan and partner platforms. She said 42% of consumer clients are now multi-service, up about two percentage points over the past two years.
Kedia said the bank plans to increase annual branch investment from about $200 million historically to $300 million, focused on densifying in roughly 10 markets within its footprint that have high household formation. In response to questions, she cited the Southwest, Arizona, Nashville, surrounding Tennessee markets, parts of Utah and areas around Boise as examples of focus areas.
Credit Quality and Capital Remain Stable Stern said key credit quality metrics improved both sequentially and year-over-year. The ratio of non-performing assets to loans and other real estate was 0.33%, down five basis points from the prior quarter and 11 basis points from a year earlier. The net charge-off ratio was 0.53%, down three basis points sequentially.
The allowance for credit losses remained $8 billion, or 1.94% of period-end loans. Stern said the company expects to recognize approximately $160 million of reserve build related to the Amazon Small Business Portfolio purchase, which is expected to close in mid-August.
U.S. Bancorp’s common equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 10.8% as of June 30, or 9.4% including accumulated other comprehensive income. Stern said strong earnings supported capital distributions, loan growth and the impact of the BTIG acquisition. He said the company repurchased $200 million of stock during the quarter, flat with the prior quarter, and reiterated that management intends to increase buybacks as the company approaches an adjusted CET1 level of about 10%.
Company Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook U.S. Bancorp raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook. Stern said the company now expects total net revenue growth of 7% to 9% compared with the prior year, or 5% to 7% excluding BTIG, up from the prior 4% to 6% range.
For the third quarter, the company expects net interest income growth of 4% to 6% on a fully taxable equivalent basis compared with the third quarter of 2025. It also expects total fee revenue growth of 12% to 14%, including BTIG, and non-interest expense growth of approximately 8%. Excluding BTIG, core expense growth is expected to be approximately 3.5%.
Stern said the company expects to deliver about 200 basis points of positive operating leverage for 2026 and more than 300 basis points excluding BTIG. Kedia said management remains focused on sustaining the company’s return profile while accelerating growth, adding that U.S. Bancorp is positioned for “profitable growth and long-term value creation.”
About U.S. Bancorp NYSE: USBU.S. Bancorp NYSE: USB is a bank holding company and the parent of U.S. Bank, a national commercial bank that provides a wide range of banking, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services. The company operates through consumer and business banking, commercial banking, payment services, and wealth management segments. Its product set includes deposit accounts, consumer and commercial lending, mortgage origination and servicing, credit and debit card services, treasury and cash management, merchant processing, and institutional and trust services.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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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Investors in First Bancorp (FBNC - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Aug 21, 2026 $70 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.
What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.
What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for First Bancorp shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, First Bancorp is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Banks – Southeast industry that ranks in the Top 33% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, one analyst has increased the earnings estimate for the current quarter, while none have revised their estimates downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $1.09 per share to $1.15 in that period.
Given the way analysts feel about First Bancorp right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BAC 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.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Marathon Petroleum (MPC - Free Report) Findlay, OH-based Marathon Petroleum Corporation is a leading independent refiner, transporter and marketer of petroleum products. The company, in its current form, came into existence following the 2011 spin-off of Houston, TX-based Marathon Oil Corporation’s refining/sales business into a separate, independent and publicly-traded entity. In October 2018, Marathon Oil completed the acquisition of its rival Andeavor in a $23.3 billion deal, thereby becoming the nationwide largest refining company by market capitalization. The deal also made the company the largest U.S. refiner and the fifth largest in the world by capacity.
MPC is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
Momentum investors should take note of this Oils-Energy stock. MPC has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 22.3% over the past four weeks.
For fiscal 2026, five analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $6.15 to $35.82 per share. MPC boasts an average earnings surprise of +49.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MPC should be on investors' short list.
For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.
Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Crown Holdings (CCK - Free Report) Headquartered at Philadelphia, PA, Crown Holdings is a leading global manufacturer of packaging products for consumer goods. Crown makes a wide variety of steel and aluminum cans for food, beverage, household, and other consumer products and metal vacuum closures, steel crowns and caps.
CCK is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 13.85; value investors should take notice.
One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.01 to $8.06 per share. CCK also boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.5%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CCK should be on investors' short list.
While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies.
Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.
Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.
One company value investors might notice is Radian Group (RDN - Free Report) . RDN is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value.
Investors should also recognize that RDN has a P/B ratio of 1.12. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 2.96. Over the past 12 months, RDN's P/B has been as high as 1.19 and as low as 0.94, with a median of 1.04.
Finally, our model also underscores that RDN has a P/CF ratio of 7.66. This metric takes into account a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find stocks that are undervalued based on their solid cash outlook. RDN's P/CF compares to its industry's average P/CF of 8.77. Within the past 12 months, RDN's P/CF has been as high as 7.82 and as low as 6.53, with a median of 7.19.
These are just a handful of the figures considered in Radian Group's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that RDN is an impressive value stock right now.
Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.
It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.
VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Illumina (ILMN - Free Report) San Diego, CA.-based Illumina Inc. provides sequencing and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic analysis. The products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture and other emerging segments. Its customers include leading genomic research centers, academic institutions, government laboratories, hospitals as well as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, commercial molecular diagnostic and consumer genomics companies.
ILMN is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.
Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. ILMN has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 7.2% for the current fiscal year.
Two analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.02 to $5.19 per share. ILMN also boasts an average earnings surprise of +12.2%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, ILMN should be on investors' short list.
Visteon (VC - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis auto parts supplier is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.23 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -6.7%.
Revenues are expected to be $956.91 million, down 1.3% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.15% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Visteon?For Visteon, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.47%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #2.
So, this combination indicates that Visteon will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Visteon would post earnings of $1.96 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.65, delivering a surprise of -15.82%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Visteon appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Norfolk Southern (NSC - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis railroad is expected to post quarterly earnings of $3.23 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -1.8%.
Revenues are expected to be $3.32 billion, up 6.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.26% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Norfolk Southern?For Norfolk Southern, the Most Accurate Estimate is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of +0.21%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination indicates that Norfolk Southern will most likely beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Norfolk Southern would post earnings of $2.51 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.65, delivering a surprise of +5.58%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Norfolk Southern appears a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Analysts on Wall Street project that Western Alliance (WAL - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $2.33 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 12.6% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $973.85 million, increasing 13.8% from the same quarter last year.
Over the last 30 days, there has been a downward revision of 3.2% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.
Before a company reveals its earnings, it is vital to take into account any changes in earnings projections. These revisions play a pivotal role in predicting the possible reactions of investors toward the stock. Multiple empirical studies have consistently shown a strong association between trends in earnings estimates and the short-term price movements of a stock.
While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as a yardstick to evaluate the company's quarterly performance, scrutinizing analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics can offer a more comprehensive perspective.
Given this perspective, it's time to examine the average forecasts of specific Western Alliance metrics that are routinely monitored and predicted by Wall Street analysts.
The consensus among analysts is that 'Net Interest Margin' will reach 3.3%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 3.5%.
It is projected by analysts that the 'Efficiency Ratio' will reach 55.3%. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 60.1% in the same quarter last year.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Total Non-Performing - Loan' will likely reach $467.40 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $613.00 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Average Balance - Total interest earning assets' should come in at $91.25 billion. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $80.53 billion.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Total Non-Performing - Assets' reaching $528.29 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $831.00 million.
Analysts predict that the 'Total non-interest income' will reach $182.88 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $148.30 million.
The consensus estimate for 'Net gain on loan origination and sale activities' stands at $68.10 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $39.40 million in the same quarter last year.
Analysts expect 'Net Interest Income (FTE)' to come in at $801.28 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $707.80 million.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Service charges and fees' of $65.54 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $36.90 million in the same quarter last year.
View all Key Company Metrics for Western Alliance here>>>
Shares of Western Alliance have experienced a change of +4.3% in the past month compared to the +0.5% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), WAL is expected to underperform the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
In its upcoming report, Webster Financial (WBS - Free Report) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $1.61 per share, reflecting an increase of 5.9% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $749.32 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 4.7%.
Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 0.1% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.
Before a company reveals its earnings, it is vital to take into account any changes in earnings projections. These revisions play a pivotal role in predicting the possible reactions of investors toward the stock. Multiple empirical studies have consistently shown a strong association between trends in earnings estimates and the short-term price movements of a stock.
While it's common for investors to rely on consensus earnings and revenue estimates for assessing how the business may have performed during the quarter, exploring analysts' forecasts for key metrics can yield valuable insights.
That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Webster Financial metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Net Interest Margin' reaching 3.4%. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 3.4% in the same quarter last year.
According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Efficiency Ratio' should come in at 48.3%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 45.4%.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Total Non-Interest Income' at $102.06 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $94.66 million.
View all Key Company Metrics for Webster Financial here>>>
Over the past month, shares of Webster Financial have returned +2.1% versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.5% change. Currently, WBS carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting that it may outperform. the overall market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE:PNC) on Wednesday reported upbeat second-quarter 2026 results and raised its full-year revenue outlook.
Adjusted earnings were $4.85 per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $4.43. Revenue increased to $6.88 billion from $5.66 billion a year earlier, ahead of the consensus estimate of $6.50 billion.
The bank raised its full-year 2026 revenue outlook to about $26.10 billion from about $25.64 billion, above the Wall Street estimate of $25.92 billion.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William Demchak said the quarter reflected disciplined execution, a successful FirstBank integration and a strong capital position that supports customers, shareholders and communities.
PNC Financial shares rose 04% to trade at $255.04 on Thursday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on PNC Financial following earnings announcement.
Baird analyst David George maintained the stock with an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $250 to $280. Stephens & Co. analyst Andrew Terrell maintained the stock with an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $265 to $275. Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg maintained the stock with an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $277 to $284. Considering buying PNC stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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, /PRNewswire/ -- A growing shortage of AI-skilled talent in the U.S., compounded by tightening immigration policies, is forcing small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) to rethink how and where they hire, according to a new report released today by Multiplier, the global exchange for work, featuring data and analysis from the recent TriNet (NYSE: TNET) State of the Workplace report.
The report, The Global Talent Squeeze, commissioned by Multiplier, includes data from a survey of 500 business decision-makers in senior-level roles. Key findings include:
87% of U.S.-based SMBs surveyed now consider global hiring a necessity, rather than a strategic advantage. 60% of respondents say the rise of AI is accelerating demand for expertise they don't currently have in-house. 76% of SMBs say that H-1B visa restrictions are directly affecting workforce planning, forcing a pivot to remote-first hiring. "Talent has never been confined to one geography but, until now, most smaller companies lacked the infrastructure for finding the right talent outside of their zip code," said Multiplier Co-Founder and CEO Sagar Khatri. "We're seeing a fundamental shift, where businesses are hiring talent where they live, rather than trying to move them. While it makes hiring more complex in terms of compliance, payroll, and workforce management, the opportunities for innovation, growth, and scalability that global hiring brings show there is real value in making the change."
For smaller organizations without dedicated HR resources, the challenge is particularly difficult to manage. Only 21% of SMBs report proactively managing cross-border compliance, while nearly 25% say they frequently struggle to meet regulatory requirements, per the report. This is almost double the rate reported by larger companies. Additionally, 82% of these businesses say they have failed, or expect to fail, to onboard a global hire due to compliance, tax, or regulatory hurdles. As regulatory scrutiny increases, navigating employment laws across jurisdictions is also becoming more complex and more consequential.
Record-high H-1B costs and growing immigration backlogs have also pushed traditional domestic sponsorship out of reach for many, as over three-quarters of SMBs say H-1B restrictions are directly affecting workforce planning. Despite this pressure, most small businesses aren't equipped to hire globally. The talent pools once accessed through H-1B sponsorship remain just as relevant, but without the right infrastructure, employers are left scrambling.
"Access to the right talent has become one of the biggest constraints to small business growth," said TriNet Chief People Officer Catherine Wragg. "As demand for AI-related skills accelerates and traditional hiring pathways become more difficult, SMBs are being forced to look beyond local markets. The opportunity is there, but without the right infrastructure, the risk and complexity can be overwhelming."
The findings in this report point to a broader shift in how SMBs access talent, with more companies opting to hire internationally rather than relocate workers to the U.S. This is evident in the increased usage of Multiplier's platform among U.S. based businesses, which has grown 16.4% since April 2024.
To learn more about how today's SMBs are navigating a complex regulatory landscape to sustain and grow their businesses, download The Global Talent Squeeze report here.
About Multiplier
Multiplier, precision-built for companies to hire, manage, and pay global teams across more than 160 countries. By combining EOR, COR, and Global Payroll, with a vast network of owned entities and human-first support, Multiplier empowers companies of all sizes to expand globally with confidence. Since 2020, the global-first infrastructure has helped over 1,500 companies and now processes over $2 billion in cross-border wages, reshaping the global economy and the future of work.
About TriNet
TriNet is a leading provider of Human Resources solutions for small and medium-size businesses, offering advanced technology-enabled services that include human capital expertise, employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, payroll and payroll tax administration, risk mitigation, and compliance consulting. Our long-term objective is to be the premier provider of HR services for a broad range of SMBs through industry leading benefits, sales distribution excellence, and a world class services delivery model. For more information, visit TriNet.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
TriNet and the TriNet logo are registered trademarks of TriNet. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.
Wall Street analysts forecast that Alaska Air Group (ALK - Free Report) will report quarterly loss of -$0.97 per share in its upcoming release, pointing to a year-over-year decline of 154.5%. It is anticipated that revenues will amount to $4.09 billion, exhibiting an increase of 10.5% compared to the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 76.1% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe.
Before a company announces its earnings, it is essential to take into account any changes made to earnings estimates. This is a valuable factor in predicting the potential reactions of investors toward the stock. Empirical research has consistently shown a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.
With that in mind, let's delve into the average projections of some Alaska Air metrics that are commonly tracked and projected by analysts on Wall Street.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Total Passenger Revenue' of $3.71 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +10.5%.
Analysts forecast 'Revenue- Loyalty program other revenue' to reach $224.08 million. The estimate indicates a change of +6.7% from the prior-year quarter.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Revenue- Cargo and other' reaching $163.01 million. The estimate suggests a change of +17.3% year over year.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Passenger Load Factor' will likely reach 84.0%. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 83.9%.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Total revenue per ASM (RASM)' should arrive at N/A. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of N/A.
The consensus estimate for 'Available seat miles (ASM)' stands at 24.28 billion. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 24.06 billion.
According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Revenue passenger miles (RPM)' should come in at 20.45 billion. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of 20.18 billion.
The consensus among analysts is that 'Fuel Expenses' will reach $1.33 billion. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $700.00 million.
Analysts predict that the 'Passenger Yield' will reach N/A. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported N/A in the same quarter last year.
Analysts expect 'Fuel gallons' to come in at 296 millions of gallons. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported 293 millions of gallons in the same quarter last year.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Operating expenses per ASM, excluding fuel and special items' at N/A. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported N/A in the same quarter of the previous year.
It is projected by analysts that the 'ASMs per fuel gallon' will reach $82.0 gallons. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $82.0 gallons.
View all Key Company Metrics for Alaska Air here>>>
Shares of Alaska Air have demonstrated returns of -0.8% over the past month compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.5% change. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), ALK is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
While investor attention has been firmly fixed on pure-play artificial intelligence stocks in recent years, it may be the construction firms delivering high-tech infrastructure needs that offer value looking ahead.
Spending on data centers has been accelerating of late, surpassing the $50 billion mark for the first time in April, representing 2.3% of construction spend as a whole in the United States.
As of the beginning of the year, monthly spending on US data center construction has soared to more than $2.4 billion, which is approximately 16-times higher than 2014 levels and illustrates the extent of the ongoing AI buildout.
The extent of these AI ambitions is set to create a lasting impact on infrastructure. According to Goldman Sachs data, the power demand requirements from US data centres are expected to more than double to 66 GW in 2027, up from 31 GW in 2025.
This sharp increase in infrastructure projects is already helping to provide a boost for the construction stocks tasked with building the data centers that will drive AI adoption into the future, and there are three companies that appear set to become key beneficiaries of the implementation phase of the artificial intelligence boom:
1. Sterling Infrastructure (NASDAQ:STRL)Sterling Infrastructure (NASDAQ:STRL) is a specialist in E-infrastructure, providing site preparation, concrete foundation pads, and building large-scale facilities to house data centers and chip fabs.
Critically, Sterling Infrastructure has seen its E-infrastructure revenues double year-over-year, highlighting that it’s already becoming the preferred firm to deliver on America’s growing AI data center needs.
According to Sterling’s first-quarter results, the company’s combined backlog soared 131% to $5.2 billion, while management highlighted "future phases" that would lift total visibility towards almost $6.5 billion.
More than 90% of the firm’s signed E-infrastructure segment’s backlog is tied to mission-critical work like data centers, large manufacturing, and semiconductors, which makes Sterling exceptionally closely aligned with the artificial intelligence boom.
Sterling’s blowout Q1 2026 earnings have helped the stock more than double in value since the beginning of the year, and as AI infrastructure spending continues to show no signs of slowing down, it’s clear that this is a construction stock that could play a major role in its buildout.
Driven by AI data center demand, Comfort Systems has reported a record order backlog of almost $12 billion, with infrastructure projects also linked to the firm’s specialisms in semiconductor facilities, healthcare, and education construction work.
Although the stock has entered a period of sideways trading in recent weeks, it’s still up more than 200% over the past 12 months.
There may also be some concerns about Comfort Systems’ ability to deliver on such a seismic order backlog, but there’s evidence that the AI boom is also helping to improve the firm’s ability to meet growing demand.
While data shows that traditional construction processes have caused 59% of workers to spend 11 or more hours per week chasing information across different systems, unified artificial intelligence insights are helping to improve the efficiency of industry innovators, providing more support for ambitious project management.
With AI generating fresh tailwinds, Comfort Systems USA appears to be well positioned to lean further into large project cycles to support digital infrastructure without the threat of concentration risk in high-tech markets.
3. Quanta Services (NYSE:PWR)Quanta’s backlog sits at a record $48.5 billion, which has accelerated sharply as large load facility awards and 765-kilovolt transmission work shifted from pipeline to contract.
The stock has much more potential for growth in the future, with data center energy requirements forecasted to more than double by 2027, and CEO Duke Austin has suggested that the earnings power of the company could also increase by more than double by 2030.
The backlog also delivered an earnings beat in Q1 2026, with revenues reaching $7.9 billion against a consensus estimate of $7.0 billion.
With energy becoming a key consideration in the AI buildout, Quanta Services is certainly a stock to track for investors.
Monitoring the AI BoomThe artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout is showing no signs of slowing down, even as some market stress has begun to drift through Wall Street’s key AI players.
With this in mind, construction companies could emerge as some of the stocks with the best growth potential as we enter the second phase of AI adoption in the United States.
As factors like construction and energy continue to take center stage in powering the AI infrastructure of tomorrow, there are new opportunities for the stocks powering the high-tech landscape that investors should be aware of.
Disclosure: On the date of publication, Dmytro Spilka did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer. Dmytro Spilka does not intend to make a trade in any of the securities mentioned above in the next 72 hours.
Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
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Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.
Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.
Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.
What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.
Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.
The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:
Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.
Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.
Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.
VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.
How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.
It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.94% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.
This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.
That's where the Style Scores come in.
To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.
As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.
A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.
Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.
Stock to Watch: Advance Auto Parts (AAP - Free Report) Advance Auto Parts, Inc. operates in the U.S. automotive aftermarket industry and is primarily engaged in selling replacement parts (excluding tires), accessories, batteries and maintenance items for domestic and imported cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, light and heavy-duty trucks. It is a leading automotive parts provider in North America, serving both the do-it-yourself or DIY and professional installers (professional) as well as independently owned operators.
AAP is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.
It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 17.7; value investors should take notice.
For fiscal 2026, 11 analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.17 to $2.94 per share. AAP boasts an average earnings surprise of +62.1%.
With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, AAP should be on investors' short list.
Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when Columbia Banking (COLB - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.73 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -4%.
Revenues are expected to be $688.41 million, up 34.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.88% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Columbia Banking?For Columbia Banking, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -1.10%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Columbia Banking will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Columbia Banking would post earnings of $0.68 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.72, delivering a surprise of +5.88%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Columbia Banking doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsPreferred Bank (PFBC - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Banks - West industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $2.65 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of +5.2%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $73.73 million, up 4.4% from the year-ago quarter.
The consensus EPS estimate for Preferred Bank has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.08%.
This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Preferred Bank will beat the consensus EPS estimate. The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Associated Banc-Corp (ASB - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 23, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.72 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10.8%.
Revenues are expected to be $443.65 million, up 20.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.35% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Associated Banc-Corp?For Associated Banc-Corp, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Associated Banc-Corp will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Associated Banc-Corp would post earnings of $0.69 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.70, delivering a surprise of +1.45%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Associated Banc-Corp doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected ResultsEnterprise Financial Services (EFSC - Free Report) , another stock in the Zacks Banks - Midwest industry, is expected to report earnings per share of $1.35 for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate points to a year-over-year change of -1.5%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $188.23 million, up 8.6% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Enterprise Financial Services has been revised 1.2% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -0.74%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.
This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Enterprise Financial Services will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Grosse Pointe, Michigan, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broad Arrow Auctions, driven by Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), is delighted to announce the first North American installment in its Global Icons Online Auction Series, featuring a limited offering from The Patina Collective. This extraordinary group of 40 of the world’s most influential and culturally significant modern Mercedes-Benz automobiles from the marque’s celebrated Youngtimer era will be presented entirely without reserve—an exceptional opportunity for new and seasoned collectors alike.
Well-known in the hobby, The Patina Collective is more than a collection of rare automobiles. The Collective celebrates an era defined by bold design, individuality, and excess, while reflecting a deep-rooted passion for Mercedes-Benz heritage and the preservation of these increasingly rare widebody masterpieces. Broad Arrow’s exceptional limited offering from The Patina Collective presents collectors with a rare opportunity to acquire some of the most distinctive and era-defining Mercedes-Benz automobiles ever produced, including many seldom-seen non-U.S. market models.
“These are not your traditional Mercedes-Benz collector cars or even your typical AMG collectibles,” says William Cooper, Car Specialist for Broad Arrow Auctions. “Our offering from The Patina Collective represents an era of wild design and true excess coupled with incredible performance. The group speaks to an emerging market for a new generation of car collectors who are after the most unique and eclectic cars from the 1980s and 1990s, a group of cars that have earned a longstanding cult following and that are now coming into their own as true collectibles. The Patina Collective has an incredible reputation for assembling rare, high-quality finds and Broad Arrow’s online auction offers the chance to acquire these cars with confidence in their provenance, with importation complete, and entirely without reserve.”
Highlights from Broad Arrow’s 40-car offering from The Patina Collective are led by:
1993 Mercedes-Benz 500 E AMG 6.0 (Estimate: $150,000 - $180,000 | Offered Without Reserve)
This rare precursor to the later E 60 AMG reflects AMG’s early development philosophy before its full integration into Mercedes-Benz. Finished in “triple-black” Black (040) over Black leather and featuring body-colored 17-inch AMG Aero I wheels and Recaro front seats, this pre-merger AMG is powered by a 6.0-liter AMG-built “M119” V8, stamped and certified by AMG. The car is accompanied by a comprehensive history file, including the original bill of sale, AMG order form, German registration documents, service records, and an AMG Classic Conversion Confirmation verifying period Affalterbach modifications.
1993 Mercedes-Benz 500 E Limited Prototype (Estimate: $100,000 - $150,000 | Offered Without Reserve)
As one of the earliest known physical embodiments of the 500 E Limited concept program, this example offered by Broad Arrow occupies a singular position within Mercedes-Benz development history, directly bridging internal design validation and the eventual production E 500 Limited series. Constructed as a factory exhibition vehicle with option code 994 for the 1993 Frankfurt IAA Motor Show, this prototype was built for early evaluation of the “Limited” concept. It boasts the distinctive two-tone Black and Green patterned leather interior, EVO II wheels, and birds eye maple trim combination that became code 286 and is equipped with the full executive specification including memory seats, power rear sunshade, Becker MB Exquisit audio with CD changer, D-Net telephone, and more. Offered with 68,578 kilometers (approximately 42,500 miles), this is the original essence of a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
This is a well-preserved example of the unapologetic opulence that defined the 1980s. With ABC Exclusive bodykit-equipped Mercedes remaining unicorns to encounter, this is a rare opportunity to acquire one such example enriched by a host of bespoke period touches, a striking factory color combination, and detailed maintenance history from new. Finished in factory correct Barolo Red over a Palomino leather interior and fitted with signature Gotti wheels, Recaro C seats, and more, this 560 SEC ABC-Exclusive Widebody is powered by the 5.5-liter V8, Mercedes’ most powerful powerplant in the U.S. in period.
1995 Mercedes-Benz E 36 AMG Touring (Estimate: $50,000 - $55,000 | Offered Without Reserve)
This is a final-year example of the S124, believed to be one of 30 upgraded to E 36 AMG specification in 1995. Powered by an AMG enhanced 3.6-liter M104 inline-six, the car retains its correct AMG-stamped engine block and rare "3.6" intake plenum mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The E 36 is finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic over Black leather with ASD, heated Sportline seats, rear-facing third-row jump seat and air conditioning, while additional AMG featured include a body kit, 17-inch Aero I Sport multi-piece wheels, and a 280 km/h AMG speedometer. Among the rarest and most charismatic AMG-tuned Mercedes-Benz tourings of the era, this E36 AMG Touring offers a compelling blend of performance, practicality, and exclusivity. With its documented history, authentic AMG drivetrain, and final model year production, it stands as a highly desirable example from AMG's golden age.
Additional information on all 40 lots is available at broadarrowauctions.com. Broad Arrow’s presentation of Global Icons: The Patina Collective, is open from bidding from August 10-21. Interested bidders may register to bid and connect with a Broad Arrow Auctions car specialist via the website or by calling +1 313 312 0780. In-person preview opportunities will be made available by appointment only.
Members of the media interested in additional information, high-res images, or in speaking with a Broad Arrow Car Specialist are invited to reach out to the Broad Arrow Press Team at [email protected].
Editor’s Notes
Photo Credits: All images by Jasen Delgado/Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions.
About Broad Arrow Auctions
Broad Arrow Auctions, driven by Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), is a leading global collector car auction house founded in 2021 by industry veterans. As the fastest-growing auction house in its segment, Broad Arrow connects exceptional collector cars with enthusiasts worldwide through flagship events including The Broad Arrow Quail Auction (the official auction of The Quail by The Peninsula, A Motorsports Gathering), The Amelia Concours Auction (the official auction of The Amelia Concours), The Porsche Auction in collaboration with Air | Water by Luftgekühlt, the Las Vegas Auction in partnership with Concours at Wynn Las Vegas, as well as international auctions held in partnership with Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Zoute Grand Prix, and Auto Zürich.
Learn more at broadarrowauctions.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.
About Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY)
Hagerty is a company built by drivers for drivers, protecting 2.8 million vehicles in the United States, Canada and the UK. We make it easier and more enjoyable for enthusiasts to drive and celebrate the machines they love through innovative insurance products, live and digital auctions, engaging media and events, as well as the Hagerty Drivers Club, the world’s largest community of car lovers.
For more information, please visit www.hagerty.com or www.newsroom.hagerty.com.
The Hagerty Automotive Intelligence team uses their collector car expertise to analyze Hagerty's massive trove of public auction results, private sales and insurance data, and buyer and seller behavior. Learn more about how we collect our data at hagerty.com/valuation-tools.
Forward-Looking Statements - This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements provided, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including those regarding Hagerty’s future operating results and financial position, Hagerty’s business strategy and plans, products, services, and technology implementations, market conditions, growth and trends, expansion plans and opportunities, and Hagerty’s objectives for future operations. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “contemplate,” and similar expressions, and the negative of these expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Hagerty has based these forward-looking statements largely on current expectations about future events, which may not materialize. Actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, Hagerty’s ability to: (i) compete effectively within our industry and attract and retain our insurance policyholders and paid Hagerty Drivers Club (“HDC”) subscribers; (ii) maintain key strategic relationships with our insurance distribution and underwriting carrier partners; (iii) prevent, monitor, and detect fraudulent activity; (iv) manage risks associated with disruptions, interruptions, outages or other issues with our technology platforms or our use of third-party services; (v) accelerate the adoption of our membership and marketplace products and services, as well as any new insurance programs and products we offer; (vi) manage the cyclical nature of the insurance business, including through any periods of recession, economic downturn or inflation; (vii) address unexpected increases in the frequency or severity of claims, and (viii) comply with the numerous laws and regulations applicable to our business, including state, federal and foreign laws relating to insurance and rate increases, privacy, the internet, and accounting matters.
The forward-looking statements herein represent the judgment of Hagerty as of the date of this release and Hagerty disclaims any intent or obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. This press release should be read in conjunction with the information included in Hagerty’s other press releases, reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Understanding the information contained in these filings is important in order to fully understand Hagerty’s reported financial results and its business outlook for future periods.
A snapshot of Global Icons: The Patina Collective, a 40-car limited offering presented as an online auction by Broad Arrow. 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC ABC-Exclusive Widebody offered from Broad Arrow's presentation of Global Icons: The Patina Collective
A snapshot of Global Icons: The Patina Collective, a 40-car limited offering presented as an online ... Credit - Jasen Delgado/Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC ABC-Exclusive Widebody offered from Broad Arrow's presentation of Global ... Credit - Jasen Delgado/Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions
, /PRNewswire/ -- Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) faces a securities class action lawsuit related to surprise disclosures the company made to investors on March 30 and May 5, 2026 about problems with its flagship metallurgical coal asset ("Centurion").
The lawsuit seeks to represent investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares of Peabody common stock between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026.
Between March 27 (the trading day before the first cryptic disclosure) and the May 5, 2026 fuller disclosure, investors saw the price of Peabody shares crumble $14.50 (-36%). Accordingly, the severe market reactions upon the company's revelations support national shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman's investigation into legal claims that Peabody and its co-defendants violated the federal securities laws.
The firm encourages Peabody investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.
Class Period: Oct. 14, 2024 – May 4, 2026
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Aug. 24, 2026
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/btu
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected]
844-916-0895
Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) Securities Class Action:
Peabody characterizes itself as a leading producer of metallurgical and thermal coal and has promoted Centurion, its underground longwall metallurgical coal mine in Queensland, Australia. According to the company, the mine commenced full-scale production in February 2026.
The litigation is focused on the propriety of Peabody's statements about Centurion's operational status and production capabilities.
For example, Peabody's management informed investors on February 5, 2026 that "the team was installing the very last shield and putting the finishing touches on the Centurion Mine[,]" and "our team is charged up and has started mining some of the best metallurgical coal in the world." The company and its management also assured investors that Centurion is "going to ramp up probably about 700,000 tons in Q1, about 1 million to 1.1 million tons in Q2 and Q3, and then it'll fall back down in Q4 as we have a longwall move." In response, the market rewarded these statements by sending the price of Peabody shares up about 7.8% the next day.
Just a few weeks later, on March 30, 2026, Peabody filed a current report with the SEC and abruptly disclosed that Centurion "is expected deliver approximately 250,000 tons in the first quarter[.]" In other words, the company slashed Centurion production by about 64%. The news sent the price of Peabody shares down almost 10%.
Then, on May 5, 2026, Peabody reported its Q1 2026 financial results. Of particular concern pertaining to Centurion, management revealed the truth about why it slashed the mine's Q1 production assurance.
Despite telling investors in February that it was mining Centurion and would produce 700,000 tons in Q1, a new narrative emerged – "as part of our commissioning in February, we encountered temporary mechanical and electrical issues" – and "[a]s a result, our full year sales outlook for Centurion is now 2.5 million tons compared to our original expectation of 3.5 million tons." This full year 28% reduction helped send the price of Peabody shares down nearly 6%.
"We're focused on whether Peabody and its management were sufficiently transparent about Centurion's operational capabilities during the Class Period and, if not, whether they violated federal securities laws," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.
If you invested in Peabody Energy and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that will assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now.
If you'd like more information and answers to other frequently asked questions about the Peabody case and the firm's investigation, read more.
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Peabody Energy should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
NEW YORK, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a shareholder has filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of investors (the “Class”) who purchased or acquired the common stock of Peabody Energy Corporation (“Peabody Energy” or the “Company”) (NYSE: BTU) between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026, inclusive.
Should You Join The Peabody Energy Class Action Lawsuit:
Do you, or did you, own shares of Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU)?
Did you purchase your shares between October 14, 2024 and May 4, 2026, inclusive?
Did you lose money in your investment in Peabody Energy Corporation?
What To Do Next:
Investors are encouraged to act promptly and submit a form at Peabody Energy Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the Class, you must file papers by August 24, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on other class members’ behalf in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn’t require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About The Lawsuit:
The lawsuit alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s business operations, growth prospects, and financial stability. As a result of these alleged misrepresentations, Peabody Energy common stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period. When the truth was disclosed, investors allegedly suffered significant losses.
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
