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

 Assets Under Management

(unaudited)

($ in millions)

AUM

  Net

Market

 AUM

By investment vehicle:

5/31/2026

 Flows

App/(Dep)

Distributions

 6/30/2026

Institutional Accounts:

  Advisory

$22,698

$36

$171

-

$22,905

  Subadvisory

15,712

(236)

194

(52)

15,618

Total Institutional Accounts

38,410

(200)

365

(52)

38,523

Open-end Funds

48,456

695

196

(354)

48,993

Closed-end Funds

12,589

-

50

(56)

12,583

Total AUM

$99,455

$495

$611

($462)

$100,099

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

SOURCE Cohen & Steers, Inc.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOURCE Sempra

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contacts

Media Inquiries:
[email protected]

Investor Relations:
[email protected]

-

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

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

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

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

About Darling Ingredients

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

More News From Darling Ingredients Inc.

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

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

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

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

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

Additional Resources

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

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

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

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

Table of contents

Public markets rarely get a direct window into a company’s crypto conviction. Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) just pried that window open. The firm’s July 8 snapshot shows total holdings of roughly $397 million, a figure built from an unusual mix of AI equity stakes and liquid crypto assets. The treasury includes an indirect $90 million position in OpenAI, $18 million in Beast Industries, 16,278 ETH, and 283 million WLD tokens—valued at $149 million at the time of disclosure.

For a Nasdaq-listed entity, the composition reads less like a traditional balance-sheet hedge and more like a concentrated bet on AI infrastructure and on-chain identity. The Ethereum stack alone is large enough to place Eightco among the more exposed public-company ETH holders, even if it still trails dedicated crypto treasury companies by a wide margin. Meanwhile, the Worldcoin (WLD) position dwarfs many crypto-native funds’ allocations to the token and directly ties the company’s fortunes to the adoption curve of the World Network.

What the Treasury Actually Holds The numbers matter because they’re unusually granular. Most corporate disclosures round crypto exposure into a catch‑all “digital assets” line. Eightco separated equity from tokens and named the projects. That level of detail is uncommon and forces the market to price not just crypto volatility but also private AI valuation risk. The $90 million indirect OpenAI stake raises immediate questions about how that valuation was derived—secondary market pricing for OpenAI equity has been choppy, and liquidity is thin. Beast Industries, a smaller position at $18 million, adds another layer of exposure to the AI hardware and robotics sector.

On the crypto side, 16,278 ETH represents roughly $36 million at current prices, assuming a ballpark $2,200 per ether. The bulk of the reported value, however, sits in 283 million WLD tokens. WLD’s fully diluted valuation and trading volumes have swung dramatically over the past year as the project rolled out biometric verification hubs across emerging markets. Holding that many tokens—likely acquired through grant agreements, market purchases, or strategic allocations—creates a direct link between Eightco’s balance sheet and World Network user growth numbers.

A Corporate Treasury Without the Usual Guardrails Public companies that hold crypto typically stick to bitcoin or ether, often citing their liquidity and regulatory clarity. Eightco’s decision to allocate heavily to WLD sits outside that playbook and reflects a different thesis. Instead of treating crypto as a store of value or inflation hedge, the treasury appears structured around ecosystem participation—staking, governance, or alignment with a protocol’s long-term infrastructure play. The Ethereum position and the Worldcoin exposure both point toward a conviction that identity protocols and AI-native distribution rails will accrue value faster than general-purpose smart contract platforms alone.

That approach aligns with a broader shift in institutional thinking tracked by recent tokenization and treasury moves. As real-world asset tokenization crosses $20 billion on-chain and traditional finance firms settle Treasury trades directly on public ledgers, the line between equity holdings and token allocation blurs. Eightco’s structure may look aggressive now, but it’s increasingly part of a pattern where a balance sheet becomes a portfolio of protocol positions.

What Stays Unanswered The press release leaves several holes. There is no disclosed cost basis for the ETH or WLD, making it impossible to judge whether the treasury is deep in profit or exposure is concentrated near entry. The indirect OpenAI stake is not explained—whether through a special-purpose vehicle, secondary purchases, or a fund commitment. Liquidity for that position is unknown, and so is any lockup or redemption schedule.

For WLD, the lack of detail on how tokens were sourced matters. If they came from early grants tied to network contributions, selling restrictions could limit balance-sheet flexibility. If they were purchased on secondary markets, volatility cushions are thinner. Regulatory risk also hovers over Worldcoin in multiple jurisdictions where biometric data collection by a private network continues to attract scrutiny from data protection authorities. A sudden enforcement action would not only hit the token price but could reshape the company’s entire book value overnight.

The disclosure arrives during a week when Ethereum itself sat near the top of developer activity rankings, reinforcing the idea that infrastructure value and treasury allocations are becoming harder to separate. For Eightco, the market now has a clear view of a $397 million wager that mixes two of the most volatile and politically sensitive corners of tech into a single public-company filing. The numbers are big enough that every subsequent quarterly update will be watched for changes in token balances and valuation marks.

AUTHOR

Max delves deep into the cryptocurrency realm, with a passion for altcoins and NFTs. Convinced of crypto's transformative potential, he envisions a decentralized financial future. Max's background in the financial sector grants him unique insights into global monetary systems. In his leisure, Max embraces the thrill of adventures and is an avid sports enthusiast, finding balance and rejuvenation away from work.

Computer motherboard and chip appear in this illustration taken August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesNEW YORK, July 9 (Reuters) - CCC Intelligent Solutions (CCC.O), opens new tab is exploring a sale of the company, ​according to three people familiar with the ‌matter.

The Chicago-based company, which provides software and AI-powered workflow tools, has hired Morgan Stanley (MS.N), opens new tab to advise on ​a sale process and has reached out ​to prospective buyers, including private equity firms, ⁠the sources said.

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

CCC and Morgan Stanley did not ​immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

CCC provides ​software used by auto insurers, collision repair shops, automakers and parts suppliers to manage accident claims, vehicle repairs ​and related workflows. The company says its ​platform connects more than 35,000 businesses across the property-and-casualty insurance ‌ecosystem.

The ⁠company's market value has fallen to roughly $3.3 billion from about $6.4 billion a year ago as investors grew concerned about slowing growth, weaker industry ​claims volumes and ​slower-than-expected ⁠adoption of some of its newer software products. The company's shares have ​declined about 44% over the past ​12 months.

CCC ⁠has explored a sale before. Reuters reported in 2022 that the company was considering strategic options including ⁠a ​potential sale after attracting ​takeover interest, though no transaction materialized.

Reporting by Milana Vinn in New ​York; editing by Colin Barr and Nia Williams

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

Milana Vinn reports on technology, media, and telecom (TMT) mergers and acquisitions. Her content usually appears in the markets and deals sections of the website. Milana previously worked at GLG and PE Hub, where she spent several years covering TMT deals in private equity. She graduated from CUNY Graduate School of Journalism with Masters in Business Journalism.

PANAMA CITY, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tilray Medical, a division of Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY; TSX: TLRY) and a leading global medical cannabis company, today announced the commercial launch of its first medical cannabis product in Panama, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing global expansion and commitment to improving patient access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines worldwide.

The launch follows the successful shipment of Tilray Oral Solution CBD100 from Tilray Medical’s EU-GMP-certified production facilities in Portugal through its joint venture with Solana Life Group S. de R.L. The product is intended to be distributed through Farmacias Arrocha, one of Panama’s leading pharmacy networks, where patients will be able to access Tilray Oral Solution CBD 100 under medical prescription. This is expected to provide patients and healthcare professionals with access to regulated, pharmaceutical-quality medical cannabis through established healthcare channels.

The milestone reinforces Tilray Medical’s position as one of the most geographically diversified medical cannabis companies globally. Today, Tilray Medical serves patients across more than 20 countries spanning Europe, Australia, Canada, Latin America, and other emerging international markets, helping advance access to safe, high-quality cannabinoid-based medicines through regulated healthcare systems.

Rajnish Ohri, President, International, Tilray Brands, stated, “At Tilray Medical, we believe every patient deserves access to safe, consistent, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products. Our commercial launch in Panama reflects our broader vision to expand access to cannabinoid-based medicines through trusted healthcare systems around the world. As medical cannabis frameworks continue to advance, we are committed to working alongside healthcare providers, regulators, pharmacists, and patients to help shape the future of responsible access, advance medical education, and deliver high-quality treatment options that improve lives.”

The launch supports Panama’s emerging medical cannabis framework established under Law 242 of 2021 and follows important regulatory advancements by the Ministry of Health, including Resolution No. 0406 of May 12, 2026, which established key requirements for patient access. The Ministry also recently introduced the Medical Cannabis Users and Authorized Caregivers Identification System (SIUCMAA), creating a structured pathway for physician authorization and patient registration.

Manufactured in Portugal in accordance with rigorous European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) standards, Tilray Oral Solution CBD100 is intended for use, where authorized, in patients with qualifying medical conditions authorized under Panamanian legislation. The product reflects Tilray Medical’s longstanding commitment to pharmaceutical quality, product consistency, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.

Tilray Medical’s advanced cultivation and manufacturing facilities in Portugal serve as a strategic global export hub, supplying EU-GMP-certified medical cannabis products to regulated markets around the world. The platform enables Tilray Medical to efficiently support growing international demand while maintaining the highest pharmaceutical manufacturing standards across its global operations.

The Panama launch represents another step in Tilray Medical’s broader strategy to expand access across Latin America, an emerging medical cannabis region. As governments across the region continue to establish regulatory pathways for cannabinoid-based medicines, Tilray Medical is well-positioned to support healthcare systems with trusted products, scientific expertise, and a proven track record of operating in highly regulated international markets.

As global acceptance of medical cannabis continues to accelerate, Tilray Medical remains focused on advancing patient care, supporting clinical education, investing in research, and expanding access to high-quality medical cannabis products that help address unmet patient needs worldwide.

For further information, please visit: www.Solana.pa

About Tilray Medical 
Tilray Medical is dedicated to transforming lives and fostering dignity for patients in need through safe and reliable access to a global portfolio of medical cannabis brands, including Tilray Medical, Good Supply, Redecan, ARX, and Broken Coast. Tilray grew from being one of the first companies to become an approved licensed producer of medical cannabis in Canada to building the first GMP-certified cannabis production facilities in Europe, first in Portugal and later in Germany. Today, Tilray Medical is one of the largest suppliers of medical cannabis to patients, physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, researchers, and governments, in 20 countries and across five continents.

For more information on Tilray Medical, visit Tilray Medical Europe, Tilray Medical Canada, Tilray Medical Australia-New Zealand and Solana.pa in Panama.

About Tilray Brands 

Tilray Brands, Inc. (“Tilray”) (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), is a leading global lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America that is leading as a transformative force at the nexus of cannabis, beverage, wellness, and entertainment, elevating lives through moments of connection. Tilray’s mission is to be a leading premium lifestyle company with a house of brands and innovative products that inspire joy and create memorable experiences. Tilray’s unprecedented platform supports over 40 brands in over 20 countries, including comprehensive cannabis offerings, hemp-based foods, and craft beverages.

For more information on how we are elevating lives through moments of connection, visit Tilray.com and follow @Tilray on all social platforms.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, “forward-looking statements”) under Canadian securities laws and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections and other applicable laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “forecast,” “future,” “should,” “could,” “enable,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors, estimates, goals, projections, or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses, or current expectations concerning, among other things, the Company’s ability to commercialize new and innovative products worldwide. Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievement to be materially different from any forward-looking statements, and other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company deems immaterial could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. Forward‑looking statements in this communication also include statements regarding the Company’s market positioning, ability to meet evolving medical cannabis demand in regulated pharmaceutical environments, and expectations concerning the effectiveness of strategic partnerships, including the Company’s collaboration with Molteni to support the development of the Italian medical cannabis market. For a more detailed discussion of these risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Tilray and the Annual Report on Form 10-K (and other periodic reports filed with the SEC) of Tilray made with the SEC and available on EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events, or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

For further information, please contact:

Media: [email protected]  

Investors: [email protected]  

Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced that BD management will host an audio webcast at 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 6, 2026 to discuss the Company's financial results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended on June 30, 2026, and to provide an update on its operations and strategy. The audio webcast can be accessed at BD's investor relations website at www.bd.com/investors, and a replay will be made available shortly after the call at the same website. Prior to the call, the Company will issue a news release and related presentation materials that will include summary financial information for the quarter.  The news release and related presentation materials will be made available at www.bd.com/investors.

About BD
BD is one of the world's largest pure-play medical technology companies with a Purpose of advancing the world of health™ by driving innovation across medical essentials, connected care, biopharma systems and interventional. The company supports those on the frontlines of healthcare by developing transformative technologies, services and solutions that optimize clinical operations and improve care for patients. Operating across the globe, with more than 60,000 employees, BD delivers billions of products annually that have a positive impact on global healthcare. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase clinical efficiency, improve safety and expand access to healthcare. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/, X @BDandCo or Instagram @becton_dickinson.

SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)

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Palantir Technologies (PLTR 2.47%) was a retail investor darling in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The stock soared 2,670% during that period, despite Wall Street analysts suggesting the price was already too high for most of it. But the stock has taken a tumble since the end of 2025, dropping roughly 37% from its November 2025 all-time high amid the broader software-as-a-service (SaaS) stock sell-off.

Meanwhile, analysts have begun to take a fresh look at the company as it continues to deliver phenomenal revenue growth and earnings. In fact, despite a recent rally in the stock, the average Wall Street price target is significantly above the current price.

Image source: Getty Images.

How high can Palantir climb? Palantir continues to defy expectations with its revenue growth and improving profitability. Revenue accelerated once again in the first quarter, with its top-line climbing 85% year over year in the first quarter. It's showing particular strength in its U.S. business, and its backlog of remaining deal value shows strong momentum and a long runway for continue revenue growth. Overall, adjusted operating margin expanded to 60%. Management also raised its full-year guidance along with those earnings results.

The software business should continue to produce very strong operating leverage. Its research and development expenses fell to less than 10% of revenue in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the company has taken a strategic approach to sales, letting the software speak for itself for the most part. It has recently turned to boot camps to show companies and their employees how to use Palantir's software to improve operations, a move that has been extremely effective in driving customer acquisition.

Palantir seemingly has no equal to compare its software against. The threat of AI labs supplanting existing enterprise software at a lower cost seems even less likely for Palantir than for more basic software solutions. The core of Palantir is its ontology framework, which enables users to find meaningful connections between disparate data sets. The artificial intelligence built into Palantir's platform isn't easily replicated. As a result, Palantir should see high revenue retention rates.

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Execution and growth have never been a problem for Palantir. The biggest concern with the stock has always been its valuation. After the sell-off, the stock trades at 43 times next year's sales expectations and 93 times forward earnings. That's a huge premium over the market. Nonetheless, analysts think it's too cheap.

The median price target for Palantir stock on Wall Street is $200 per share. That price is roughly 54% above the stock's current price as of this writing. And if it reaches that price within 12 months, the stock would trade at roughly the same forward P/E as today, based on analysts' estimates. That suggests Wall Street sees a lot more growth to come for the business.

While management has produced excellent results over the last few years, there's only so long revenue and earnings can accelerate. When the slowdown arrives, the stock could take a hit. Whether you should buy Palantir today depends on whether you think the company can continue to efficiently attract new customers and expand its market at scale.

Wall Street investors are reportedly flooding back into tobacco stocks, erasing years of ethical boycotts as the industry’s aggressive pivot toward smoke-free products blurs old moral lines.

For nearly a decade, pension funds and major endowments blacklisted cigarette makers under strict mandates.

But that taboo is quickly going up in smoke. Tobacco companies generating massive sales from non-combustible alternatives are “rejoining polite society” and earning premium stock market valuations from returning institutional capital, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Alternative tobacco products have sparked a rethink among investors after nearly a decade of ESG-related concerns. Christopher Sadowski The shift gained fresh momentum when the Food and Drug Administration gave the green light for Philip Morris to market 20 variants of its Zyn nicotine pouches as a less harmful alternative to traditional smoking. The June 30 decision noted a reduced risk of lung cancer, stroke and heart disease for people who use the pouches, which go between one’s gums and cheek but don’t contain tobacco.

The move came just weeks after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new 75% wholesale tax into law on alternative tobacco products — the so-called “Bro Tax.”

Still, crossing the FDA’s regulatory moat prompted immediate action from major investment banks. Morgan Stanley recently raised its price target on Philip Morris to $200, highlighting the upcoming rollout of Zyn Ultra.

“The developments increase our confidence,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a briefing to clients, adding that they see an increased probability for their $250 bull-case scenario as smoke-free alternatives dominate Philip Morris’ revenue.

Bank of America similarly backed the stock, pushing its target to $209 on high-margin smokeless execution.

British American Toboacco has also been embarking upon a share buyback program in recent months. REUTERS Philip Morris generates about 41% of its sales from non-combustible products, the Journal noted, adding it now trades at a massive 70% premium over rivals still heavily dependent on sales of old-fashioned smokes.

While Philip Morris has captured the premium valuations, rival British American Tobacco, or BATm is executing a sweeping, tech-driven transformation to reclaim market share.

The maker of Lucky Strike and Vuse vapes reportedly plans to eliminate 9,000 global jobs — nearly 19% of its workforce — by outsourcing 3,500 roles to Accenture and deploying artificial intelligence to automate back-office operations.

The workforce cuts aim to harvest $800 million in annual savings by 2028, freeing up capital to aggressively fund BAT’s smokeless product expansion.

Wall Street experts are bullish on tobacco stocks, seeing huge growth potential in alternatives to regular cigarettes and AI-related cost savings. LightRocket via Getty Images Barclays analyst Pallav Mittal noted that the “scale of this workforce reduction is unexpected.”

Nevertheless, the strategic shift keeps analysts bullish.

Experts at Jefferies and UBS recently reiterated buy ratings on BAT, joining a solid majority of Wall Street analysts who rate the stock a strong buy as the firm pushes to double its share of the US oral nicotine market.

As combustible cigarette volumes maintain their decades-long decline, the industry’s rapid evolution appears to be permanently redrawing the boundaries of institutional investing.

“The FDA authorization for Zyn … is a significant positive,” Morgan Stanley analysts concluded in their recent note upgrading the sector. “It provides a clear regulatory pathway and validates the harm reduction potential increasing our confidence in the company’s ability to drive accelerated smoke-free growth.”

The Coinbase logo on a smartphone screen in this illustration taken November 3, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

CompaniesWASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - Coinbase (COIN.O), opens new tab's Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal is stepping down after six years at the U.S. crypto giant where he fought off a landmark suit ​brought by the U.S. securities regulator and played an instrumental role in the crypto industry's Washington ‌campaign to secure industry-friendly policies.

Grewal will step down effective immediately, with Molly Abraham, Coinbase's vice president of legal, moving into his role with the title of general counsel, the company told Reuters. Coinbase is also naming Ryan VanGrack, who is currently vice president ​of legal, as the company's first vice chair and head of corporate affairs, Coinbase said.

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Grewal first ​posted news of his departure on X.

Grewal's time at Coinbase was partly defined by a ⁠years-long legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which sued Coinbase in 2023 alleging the company had flouted ​its rules by facilitating trading in crypto tokens that it said should have registered as securities with the watchdog.

Legal ​experts saw the case as existential for Coinbase and the broader crypto industry, which had long sought to avoid costly SEC oversight. The agency under U.S. President Donald Trump, who courted crypto money on the campaign trail, dismissed the case last year, a massive ​win for Grewal, Coinbase and the industry.

Coinbase has been a top advocate for the crypto industry as it has ​sought policy changes in Washington to put it on a solid legal footing, with Grewal at the forefront of those efforts.

Most ‌recently, ⁠he had also been involved in deliberations on highly anticipated legislation -- dubbed the Clarity Act -- that would create federal rules for cryptocurrencies. The bill had been bogged down for months by a dispute between crypto companies and banks, but advanced out of a key Senate committee in May.

"After helping to take the company public, fighting the SEC and winning, ​moving us from Delaware to ​Texas, working to get ⁠GENIUS and soon CLARITY passed into law, and so much more – now is my time for new adventures," Grewal said in a post on X.

In his new role, ​VanGrack, who will be second-in-command to CEO Brian Armstrong, will step into a "broader corporate ​and public-facing role" ⁠representing Coinbase before "key stakeholders and policymakers around the world," he said in an interview.

The company needs to focus "on steps that unlock products, expand jurisdictions, and enhance our relationships with governments and partners around the world," VanGrack added.

The shift comes ⁠as Coinbase ​looks to become an "everything exchange" by expanding beyond crypto, including into ​stock trading, prediction markets and artificial intelligence-powered investment tools.

“What I'm so excited about in this next chapter is this is all about building our ​products... because of the path that [Grewal] cleared," said Abraham in an interview.

Reporting by Hannah Lang; editing by Michelle Price

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

Hannah Lang covers financial technology and cryptocurrency, including the businesses that drive the industry and policy developments that govern the sector. Hannah previously worked at American Banker where she covered bank regulation and the Federal Reserve. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park and lives in Washington, DC.

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

Second Quarter 2026 Conference Webcast Details:

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

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

Investor Relations:
Ryan Schmidt
[email protected]

Press Inquiries:
[email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

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

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

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

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

Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Total Expense Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

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

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

Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TER Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

TER Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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

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

Key Takeaways Omnicell is advancing autonomous pharmacy with new solutions and major health system wins. OMCL expanded its SaaS and Expert Services portfolio through acquisitions and new customer commitments. OMCL's 2026 guidance includes about $12M in tariff-related costs amid competitive pressure. Omnicell (OMCL - Free Report) is well poised to grow in the coming quarters as it continues to steadily advance the autonomous pharmacy industry-defined vision for delivering improved medication management outcomes. The company is expanding its SaaS and Expert Services portfolio via acquisitions and new platform launches. However, macroeconomic headwinds and competitive pressures could weigh on its operating performance.  

Over the past year, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has had a remarkable run. OMCL shares have risen 51.6% compared to the industry’s 21.2% decline. The S&P 500 composite has grown 23.2% during the same time frame.

The renowned healthcare technology company has a market capitalization of $1.96 billion. OMCL’s earnings yield of 4.7% is comfortably above the industry’s negative 1% yield. In the trailing four quarters, Omnicell surpassed earnings estimates thrice and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 34.7%.

Let’s delve deeper.Tailwinds for OMCL StockAutonomous Pharmacy Model Holds Potential: The industry-defined vision of Autonomous Pharmacy is a roadmap to improving operational efficiencies and ultimately targeting zero-error medication management. Over the past several years, the company has expanded its business from a single-point solution to a platform of products and services that will help further advance the vision. 

OMCL also secured several wins with major health systems and government health care facilities. Its ongoing R&D investments across Points of Care, Central Pharmacy and IV Compounding, Specialty Pharmacy and 340B Program and Ambulatory Care market categories are expected to deliver solutions that drive positive medication management outcomes for customers.

Robust Pipeline for SaaS and Expert Services Portfolio: Omnicell derives an increasing portion of revenues from its subscription-based SaaS and Expert Services offerings, which includes a combination of robotics, smart devices and intelligent software, all optimized by expert services. 

In recent years, the company has integrated three key acquisitions — Specialty Pharmacy Services, FDS Amplicare, and MarkeTouch Media. In the first quarter of 2026, several health systems committed to using Omnicell's inventory optimization service, alongside central pharmacy automation and point-of-care dispensing solutions.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

What Ails OMCL Stock?Escalating Expenses May Strain Margins: In response to changing tariffs, several foreign countries have imposed reciprocal duties on U.S.-manufactured goods. Changes in export or import regulations and other trade barriers may have an adverse effect on the company’s business. OMCL’s 2026 guidance incorporates an updated estimate of approximately $12 million in tariff-related costs impacting the P&L. 

Competitive Landscape: Omnicell faces intense competition in the medication management and supply-chain solutions market. Major direct competitors in the medication packaging solutions market pose threats as they spearhead several expansion programs. This increased competition could result in pricing pressure and a reduced margin, which would have an adverse impact on the company’s performance.

OMCL Stock Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for OMCL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has jumped $1.97 in the past 30 days. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 revenues is pegged at $1.24 billion, suggesting a 4.9% increase from the year-ago reported number.

Key PicksSome better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) , Integra LifeSciences (IART - Free Report) and Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) . 

Globus Medical has an earnings yield of 5.5%, well ahead of the industry’s negative 3% yield. Its earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 26.3%. The company’s shares have rallied 43.8% against the industry’s 4.8% decline over the past year.

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

Integra LifeSciences, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 16% against the industry’s negative 3% yield. Shares of the company have gained 22.8% compared with the industry’s 4.8% growth. IART’s earnings topped estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.

Phibro Animal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 9.2% compared with the industry’s 2.8% yield. Shares of the company have climbed 43.1% against the industry’s 27.9% decline. PAHC’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.3%.

SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) could see upside in its upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 report, according to Wedbush Securities, which raised its price target on the stock to $2,000 from $1,200.

The semiconductor firm's management had guided fiscal fourth-quarter sales to a range of $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion, with non-GAAP earnings per share of $30 to $33.

Wedbush said that outlook implied only mid to high teens growth in average selling prices under its prior model, but conversations with industry contacts suggested pricing gains in the high double digits, leading the firm to conclude SanDisk's initial guidance underestimated the scale of pricing gains.

Wedbush's updated estimates now assume blended bit ASPs rise roughly 30% quarter over quarter, a figure the firm still characterizes as conservative given industry trends and SanDisk's pricing strategy, even after the company posted triple-digit sequential ASP growth in its fiscal third quarter.

Looking further out, Wedbush raised its fiscal 2027 estimates, citing a higher revised fiscal 2026 base along with pricing data for the current September quarter that came in above its prior projections. The firm believes that quarter will likely see gains of more than 20%, with raw NAND prices climbing above $0.30 per gigabyte and finished goods, particularly enterprise SSDs, commanding a further premium. Wedbush's own model assumes double-digit gains, below the 20% threshold, reflecting its expectation that a larger share of SanDisk's NAND output will move under long-term supply and capacity agreements, referred to as SCAs, consistent with recent management commentary.

Those revisions push Wedbush's fiscal 2027 EPS estimate to $225.99 from $194.93, on projected revenue of $55.83 billion and gross margin of 84.7%.

The firm expects earnings strength to continue through fiscal 2027 and 2028, pointing to limited new fab capacity coming online before late 2027 or 2028 and the stabilizing effect of long-term supply agreements on pricing. Wedbush's model has earnings peaking in fiscal 2028 at approximately $264 per share.

Wedbush said it does not have a firm view on when NAND supply will normalize, citing its belief that supply currently runs well below true demand, that demand will keep accelerating through the end of the decade, and that uncertainty remains around the pace of future supply additions. Still, the firm argued that long-term supply agreements should allow for a more gradual decline in margins and pricing once existing contracts expire, offering greater visibility into earnings and cash flow than memory vendors have historically provided.

Shares of SanDisk were up 12% on Thursday afternoon.

Reports that Meta Platforms (META +2.06%) has signed a "multi-year" deal to secure flash memory from Sandisk (SNDK +12.30%) sent Sandisk stock flying -- and Meta stock dying -- early this morning. Meta stock initially fell 4% on the news, before recovering.

As of 11:40 a.m. ET, Meta stock is back in the green, up 0.5%.

Image source: Getty Images.

Details, please Citing internal Meta documents, Reuters reports the social media giant will buy NAND from Sandisk, DRAM from Samsung, and fiber optics from Sumitomo as it builds out its very own artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.

Additional beneficiaries may include Broadcom (AVGO +4.51%), which is helping Meta design Iris AI semiconductors for its data centers, and also Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.83%), which will contract-manufacture these AI chips.

All these companies are declining to officially confirm the details of the Reuters report. Regardless, investors are "buying the rumor" and shares of all the U.S. publicly traded stocks named -- Sandisk, Broadcom, and TSMC -- are moving higher today.

Today's Change

(

2.06

%) $

12.42

Current Price

$

615.54

Why Meta stock is slumping Meta stock, on the other hand, is not moving higher, or at least not much. Indeed, Meta stock initially sold off on this news.

Why is that? Consider that Meta has plans to spend $145 billion on AI infrastructure this year, and today's Sandisk news seems to confirm this plan is on track. On the one hand, that kind of money will buy Meta a lot of AI capacity as it competes with the likes of Alphabet, OpenAI, and Anthropic. On the other hand, $145 billion is even more than the $136.6 billion Meta is expected to bring in via cash from operations this year, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Meta's skating close to the edge these days, and if that makes investors nervous, I totally understand.

Rich Smith has positions in Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Broadcom, Meta Platforms, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Meta launches a new AI coding model with 'very aggressive' pricing, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says By You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Meta could spark a price war in the booming AI coding market.

The tech giant announced its latest AI model, Muse Spark 1.1, on Thursday, saying it performs well on industry tests for coding and AI agents. It's Meta's first AI model that it charges users for.

In comments on X, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the model has a "very low price," though the company hasn't announced the cost yet. He also called out other AI companies for pricing their chatbots at "very extreme" levels in comments to Bloomberg. He told Bloomberg that the model outperformed Google's Gemini in several categories, including agents, coding, and other capabilities.

"We think that there's a real ability to be able to offer frontier or very high-level intelligence at a much more affordable cost," Zuckerberg told the outlet.

The model, which isn't fully available to developers yet, marks the latest milestone for Meta's AI efforts — and shows the company intends to compete on price.

If Meta's new AI models can compete with widely-used coding tools from rivals like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Cursor, that could represent a huge new source of revenue. Meta's stock was up nearly 2% on Thursday.

The cost of using AI has become a growing concern for companies as employees incorporate the technology into more of their day-to-day work. Companies have been throttling their employees' use of AI in recent months as vibe coding takes off. Coinbase, for example, now limits its engineers' weekly AI spending to $500 to $5,000 a week.

Meta quoted one of its customers, AI coding startup Cline, saying that the new AI model's price point makes it easy to run heavy AI coding tasks at scale.

"That combination is rare, and it's exactly why we wanted Cline developers to have access early," Saoud Rizwan, the Cline CEO, said on Meta's website.

Meta is spending massive amounts of cash on AI, raising its capital expenditure guidance for this year to $125-$145 billion, up from a previous estimate of $115-$135 billion. Meta remains highly dependent on its ads business, which accounts for about 98% of its total revenue, according to its first-quarter earnings results.

"We believe Meta is well positioned to generate ample revenue to support its spending, driven by monetization of its own AI initiatives, advertising share gains, incremental subscription revenue, an optionality of cloud offering, and fees for external use of its AI models," BNP Paribas Equity Research senior analyst Nick Jomes wrote in a note to investors on Thursday.

Meta is also working on a coming AI model codenamed "Watermelon," which its AI chief Alexandr Wang says has caught up to one of the latest versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

The model uses "an order of magnitude" more computing power than Meta's previous model, Wang told staff last week, Business Insider reported earlier.

Meta didn't respond to a request for comment.

Have a tip? Contact Charles via email at [email protected] or on Signal and WhatsApp at 628-282-2811. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

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Charles Rollet is BI's tech correspondent in San Francisco. Prior to joining BI, Charles worked at TechCrunch covering startups and VC. Charles is based in the Bay Area, where he enjoys hiking with his dogs. You can contact Charles securely on Signal at charlesrollet.12 or +1-628-282-2811.

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Long the leading light of the industry, Nvidia has had a bad couple of months. Bloomberg has the ugly details, but the upshot is that the company’s stock price has fallen 15% since its peak in May, even as projected revenue continues to grow. Compared with expected earnings, the company is now cheaper than the S&P average; investors are paying less per dollar of Nvidia’s projected profit than they do for the typical large American company.

Money is still flooding into AI infrastructure stocks, but it’s mostly going into memory companies. Over the same period, Micron — one of the world’s largest makers of DRAM, the standard type of memory chip found in computers and servers — has nearly tripled in value, establishing memory as the new bottleneck for data centers and the hot new AI trade. The basic reason is simple: The GPU shortage that looked so alarming last year has eased off a bit. At the same time, data centers need all the memory money can buy.

For anyone who appreciates Nvidia’s technological accomplishments, this can feel a bit deflating. There’s a lot of genuinely impressive technology behind Nvidia’s rise, both in developing CUDA, its widely adopted programming platform that made Nvidia GPUs the default engine for AI research, and in pushing the pace of GPU development to a speed few thought possible. Nvidia’s success is the kind of thing you can write whole books about, and the GPUs themselves are among the most complex devices ever produced, right at the bleeding edge of human capability.

For memory companies like Micron, the story is much simpler. They build high-bandwidth memory chips — specialized components designed to move data in and out of processors as fast as possible — which have been getting incrementally better for 20 years. Without the chips or the companies changing too much, the service they provide suddenly became very valuable — and since demand is growing faster than anyone can scale up supply, they have been able to increase prices tenfold over the past year.

This, via Datatrack, is what the spot price for DRAM — the price buyers pay for chips on the open market, as opposed to long-term contract rates — looks like since 2023:

Image Credits:Datatrack (screenshot) You might think there was some amazing technical breakthrough in the summer of 2025, but no, the industry as a whole just vastly underestimated how much memory it would need for the data center buildout.

In comparison, this (via the compute marketplace Ornn) is how the spot price for an hour of time on an Nvidia H100 GPU has changed over the last year:

Image Credits:Ornn (screenshot) Just like Nvidia’s stock price, there’s a peak in May (around $3.20 an hour) and then a steady drop-off. For better or worse, Nvidia’s value as a company is tied to the price of compute and that price is falling. Micron and its cohort are tied to the price of DRAM, and that price keeps rising.

When I talked to Ornn co-founder and CTO Wayne Nelms about the forces driving that disparity, he framed it as a simple issue of supply and demand. Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and even OpenAI have launched their own custom processors to lessen their dependence on Nvidia; even if those chips aren’t as good as the latest model from Nvidia, they’re good enough to drive down the price of compute.

“More GPU and accelerator players are entering the market. Everyone wants to make their own silicon, but no one is making their own DRAM,” Nelms told me. “Until there’s a major technological breakthrough on HBM [high-bandwidth memory], a shift in supply and demand, or someone new [enters the market in memory], I think things will more or less persist as we see today.”

It’s a frustrating state of affairs for Nvidia, and largely a product of its own success. Having proven how valuable compute can be, the company finds itself at the center of a market everyone wants to be in — while simpler technologies and less interesting companies get rich on the sidelines.

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Russell Brandom has been covering the tech industry since 2012, with a focus on platform policy and emerging technologies. He previously worked at The Verge and Rest of World, and has written for Wired, The Awl and MIT’s Technology Review. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Signal at 412-401-5489.

Key Takeaways XOM expects higher liquids prices to add about $3.5-$3.9 billion to Q2 earnings versus Q1 2026. ExxonMobil sees Energy, Chemical and Specialty Products margins boosting second-quarter earnings. Middle East disruptions hurt production, but supportive prices may still aid XOM's upstream profitability. Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM - Free Report) , a U.S. oil and gas giant, has an integrated business model spanning upstream operations, refining and trading. The majority of its earnings are generated by its upstream segment. While the exploration and production business is vulnerable to fluctuations in oil and gas prices, the current business environment seems favorable for XOM’s upstream activities.

The conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global oil and gas flows, causing a major spike in crude prices, with the West Texas Intermediate benchmark surpassing the $100 per barrel mark in May 2026. In its latest 8-K filing, ExxonMobil has provided an update regarding its second-quarter results. The company indicated that higher crude prices and the impacts of the Middle East disruptions are expected to boost its second-quarter earnings compared with the first quarter. In fact, XOM estimates changes in liquids prices to add approximately $3.5-$3.9 billion to its earnings compared with first-quarter 2026.

Moreover, the company mentioned in its filing that the Energy Products and Chemical Products segments are expected to benefit from changes in margins. The Energy Products segment is expected to gain between $2 billion and $2.4 billion, while the Chemical Products segment is expected to witness an increase between $1 billion and $1.2 billion. The Specialty Products segment is forecasted to add approximately $300-$500 million to its earnings compared with first-quarter 2026. The gains in refining and chemicals margins likely reflect stronger industry margins in the second quarter. However, ExxonMobil noted that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has caused production disruptions and operational shutdowns, partially offsetting these benefits. ExxonMobil is scheduled to release its second-quarter results on July 31.

The current market conditions, however, have changed significantly, and crude prices have retreated from the war-premium highs seen previously. Nevertheless, the current pricing environment remains supportive for ExxonMobil. Recent developments related to the conflict between the United States and Iran have again resulted in heightened uncertainty in global energy markets. The escalating geopolitical tensions may push oil prices higher in the near term, thereby supporting ExxonMobil’s upstream business. The company is well positioned to generate attractive upstream earnings and sustain its profitability, supported by its portfolio of low-cost, high-return advantaged assets in the Permian Basin and Guyana.

XOM’s Zacks Rank and Key PicksXOM currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks from the energy sector are Cenovus Energy (CVE - Free Report) , Par Pacific Holdings (PARR - Free Report) and FuelCell Energy (FCEL - Free Report) . While Cenovus Energy and Par Pacific currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, FuelCell Energy carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.

Cenovus Energy Inc. is a Canadian integrated energy company with operations spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. The company is involved in exploration and production from its low-cost oil sands and heavy oil assets in Canada.  The strategic MEG Energy acquisition is expected to boost Cenovus Energy's production levels in 2026.

Par Pacific Holdings operates an integrated downstream energy business across the United States, with fuel retail operations in Hawaii, Washington, and Idaho, refining operations in Hawaii, Wyoming, Washington, and Montana, and a supporting logistics network. Its refineries have a combined crude oil throughput capacity of 219,000 barrels per day and produce gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, marine fuels, asphalt, and other petroleum products.

FuelCell Energy is a clean energy company that offers scalable, reliable, low-carbon power solutions. It produces power using flexible fuel sources such as biogas, natural gas and hydrogen. The company’s proprietary molten carbonate fuel cell systems generate electricity through an electrochemical process instead of burning fuel, reducing carbon emissions and minimizing the environmental impact of power generation. FCEL is anticipated to play a crucial role in the energy transition by enabling industries and communities to shift from traditional fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives.

Key Takeaways Qualcomm automotive revenues reached a record $1.33B in Q2 FY26, up 38% year over year.QCOM plans fifth-gen Snapdragon Digital Chassis shipments by FY26-end with major performance gains.Qualcomm expects automotive revenue growth to accelerate to about 50% year over year in Q3 FY26. Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM - Free Report) is benefiting from strong traction in the automotive business. Automotive revenue reaches a record $1.33 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, up 38% year over year. There are several factors driving this growth.

Growth is being fueled by its fourth-generation Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which integrates multiple vehicle technologies into one platform, including connectivity, telematics, digital cockpit and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Qualcomm reported that more than 1 million vehicles are already operating using Snapdragon Ride processors for ADAS and autonomous driving. The company expects continued share gains in fiscal 2027, particularly in ADAS. It boasts a worldwide client base that includes leading automakers and technology companies like Volkswagen Group, Toyota, Hyundai Mobis, Leapmotor, Li Auto and several other OEMs.

By the end of fiscal 2026, Qualcomm plans to begin commercial shipments of its fifth-generation Snapdragon Digital Chassis. Compared to prior generations, the platform will offer 3x higher CPU performance, 3x higher GPU capability and 12x higher NPU performance.

Qualcomm’s automotive revenue exceeded an annualized run rate of $5 billion for the first time. It expects to exit fiscal 2026 at a run rate above $6 billion. Third quarter fiscal 2026 automotive revenue is expected to grow approximately 50% year over year, faster than the 38% growth reported in the second quarter.

How Are Competitors Faring?The company faces competition from NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) and Intel Corporation (INTC - Free Report) in this domain. NVIDIA continues to build a longer-duration growth option in automotive, robotics and other physical AI applications. In 2026, NVIDIA announced multiple automotive and mobility partnerships at the GTC 2026, with BYD, Geely, Isuzu, Nissan, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia adopting or expanding use of its DRIVE Hyperion platform to develop Level 4 and next-generation autonomous vehicles, alongside broader robotaxi ecosystem collaborations.

The acquisition of Mobileye has helped the company to rapidly penetrate the autonomous car technology market, currently dominated by the likes of NVIDIA and Qualcomm. With the buyout, Intel has gained access to Mobileye’s technologies related to cameras, in-car networking, sensor chips, roadway mapping, cloud software, machine learning and data management. This has increased its customer base and augmented its top-line growth.

QCOM’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesQualcomm shares have gained 17.1% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 75%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 17.1 forward earnings, lower than 32.39 for the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 have remained unchanged, and those for 2027 have increased over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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