Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) CEO Tim Cook is less than two months away from handing over the reins to John Ternus, a move that investors now seem to have come to terms with. Of course, it’s going to be hard to match Tim Cook’s track record when it comes to the appreciation throughout his tenure. That said, as Apple moves back to a products guy, there’s every reason for investors to be excited despite the anxiety that comes with transitioning to a new top boss.

As Mr. Cook stays on as chairman, I do think there’s an opportunity for Apple to get the best of both worlds, as Apple looks to continue its success but in a different way as AI sets the tone for the firm’s future. Apple might have been slow to start sprinting in this AI race, but, in my view, it’s more of a marathon than a 100-meter dash. And, with that, Apple might be wise to take its time, especially given how fast things are changing in the AI waters.

The best of both worlds As hyperscalers scale up, spending hundreds of billions, Apple seems to be more than willing to follow a different script.

Under its incoming CEO, John Ternus, I do think that this strategy, as well as the man’s product expertise, could help shares of Apple continue going strong for years to come as it looks to reclaim the title of world’s largest company by market cap.

With tariff threats, regulatory uncertainties, and component shortages to grapple with (RAM-mageddon has been a real phenomenon), Mr. Cook still brings plenty to the table. And, with that, I suspect Apple will still have what it takes to navigate an incredibly turbulent patch of waters that would have sunk most other ships out there.

As Mr. Cook defends the firm from blows by outside forces, Mr. Ternus, a man who’s known to roll up his sleeves and build the products that define the company’s trajectory in this AI era.

John Ternus is the perfect top boss for the AI era Undoubtedly, putting AI on a device is where Apple could score ample AI spoils at a fraction of the cost. Of course, it’s one thing to spend massive sums of cash to advance the effort, but it’s another thing entirely to deliver breakthrough innovations that reshape the race. While time will tell if AI is going to move from cloud-first to device-first, I do think that recent efforts might allow Apple to rise above the pack as the firm that not only did AI differently, but correctly.

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

With WWDC 2026 unveiling some very impressive Apple Foundation Models alongside other edge AI innovations that the market may have discounted, I do think that Apple’s AI strategy is starting to look a lot more impressive compared to what other Mag Seven firms are doing. That’s probably part of the reason why Apple stock has been gaining traction in recent weeks despite having to raise prices on iPads and Macs due to higher DRAM and NAND costs.

In 2026, the first full year with John Ternus at the helm, we might witness Apple not only outpacing the S&P 500 but also much of the Mag Seven. And, of course, it’s not just about John Ternus. Rather, it’s more about the stage that’s been set in the many years prior.

John Ternus is taking over ahead of what could be a historic year for Apple While Mr. Ternus is a very capable executive and perhaps the perfect man to succeed Cook, there’s no question that he’s taking control at a time when Apple is absolutely firing on all cylinders, with what could be one of the biggest product years in recent memory.

With a foldable iPhone, big upgrades are in store for the iPhone 18 Pro, a big redesign in iPad, new camera-equipped AirPods, AI glasses, and a slew of other products with supercycle potential; there’s no question that Mr. Ternus could look good right off the bat.

The big kicker is Siri AI and how it could push consumers to upgrade their slate of products in spite of higher costs tied to higher input costs. Apple is using innovation to command pricing power, and I do think it’s going to work, especially as the company has its most eventful year yet across hardware, software, and services.

Finally, I think there’s the underpriced upside to be had from a true AI breakthrough. With recent reports swirling around Apple’s talks with startup PrismML, which managed to shrink a large model to run on-device, perhaps there’s room to shock and awe in a way that only Apple can.

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Meta expands its Louisiana data center to 5 gigawatts while total expected investment could exceed $250 billion. Summary

Meta accelerates AI infrastructure with its largest data center project yet.

Meta Platforms META , the company behind Facebook and a major builder of artificial intelligence infrastructure, is preparing to commit substantially more capital to its data center campus in rural Louisiana as it races to secure additional computing power. Meta announced that the Richland Parish project will expand to at least 5 gigawatts of computing capacity at a cost of $50 billion, compared with the company's previously disclosed $10 billion investment. Bloomberg previously reported that Meta could spend another $200 billion on the development, largely for the expensive computing chips expected to operate inside the nearly 4,000-acre site. Including those costs, the total expected investment could exceed $250 billion, according to a person familiar with the financing, although Meta has publicly disclosed only $50 billion of spending for the project.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has increased infrastructure spending over the past two years as he seeks the data center capacity needed to pursue AI superintelligence. Meta currently has 33 data centers either completed or under active development, while Zuckerberg has pledged to invest at least $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure projects over the next several years. The company also committed $10 billion last week to build its first data center in Canada, suggesting that access to AI computing capacity remains a central part of Meta's expansion strategy. Zuckerberg said Meta continues to seek as much computing power as it can obtain, while the company is also considering renting some capacity to outside customers through a possible cloud infrastructure business.

The scale of the Louisiana development has brought in additional financial and power-sector partners. Blue Owl Capital OWL , an outside investor that owns an 80% stake in the project, has approached Wall Street for billions of dollars to help finance construction, while Entergy Louisiana, the utility supporting the campus, is spending billions to build 10 gas-fired power plants. Meta said the completed data center will support 1,000 jobs, twice its earlier commitment, and has already generated more than $1.6 billion in contracts for Louisiana businesses since construction began in December 2024. Investors may also watch whether Meta's infrastructure spending eventually creates a new source of revenue, as the company has discussed selling access to raw computing capacity through a model resembling CoreWeave, a neocloud computing provider.

Meta stock has been boosted by signs it is becoming more competitive in AI but JP Morgan analysts aren't convinced yet.

The recent public offering of Space Exploration Technologies, also known as SpaceX, has given Elon Musk fans another investment option to consider, as Tesla (TSLA 3.04%) now has to share the spotlight. And at a market cap of around $1.5 trillion, it is firmly behind the rocket company, whose valuation was north of $1.9 trillion as of the end of last week.

Tesla's stock is down close to 10% for the year, and a big test for it could be how it does in its upcoming earnings report. Its latest quarterly earnings numbers are set to come out on July 22. Could they give the stock the boost that it desperately needs? Here's what I think will happen.

Image source: Getty Images.

The company is likely to show some decent growth on both top and bottom lines When Tesla last reported earnings, its growth rate was impressive at 16%. The company has reduced prices as it looks to fend off competition, and its revenue totaled $22.4 billion during the first three months of the year, versus $19.3 billion a year ago. Earnings were up by 17%, but they weren't as strong as they had been in prior years.

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Ultimately, I expect a similar story to play out in the second quarter, particularly with Tesla recently reporting stronger-than-expected delivery numbers. Growth is likely to be high and better than expected. And with the company going up against soft earnings numbers, it may very well produce some strong results on the bottom line as well. All in all, the results may look strong.

Why Tesla's stock may still be destined to fall In recent years, it's been more common to see Tesla's stock fall after earnings rather than for it to skyrocket.

TSLA data by YCharts

It's not just about how the company has performed over the past quarter, but also about its guidance and outlook for the future. What complicates things now is that Musk fans have another option: SpaceX. If Tesla's outlook doesn't look as promising, which may very well be the case, as it isn't in the business of making rockets or investing heavily in artificial intelligence, it may simply fall out of favor with investors.

The lack of excitement around Tesla's recent delivery numbers may very well be proof of that. And that's also why I believe even though the company may have some decent numbers in Q2, that may not be enough to get investors excited about a stock that trades at nearly 400 times its trailing earnings.

Tesla continues to be an overvalued stock, which is why I wouldn't be surprised to see it fall after it reports its latest numbers, as expectations are likely to be high.

A proposed bill that would allow autonomous vehicles to operate in Washington, D.C. has become a test case for Uber’s broader robotaxi strategy. Instead of simply partnering with, and investing in, robotaxi developers, Uber is also trying to shape the rules that govern them, an effort that puts it in direct opposition with its business partner, Waymo.

Uber, which opposes the bill, argues the proposed rule would displace for-hire human drivers and hand Waymo a de facto monopoly. It has lobbied instead for a system that would require robotaxis to operate on a ride-hailing network that also uses human drivers, according to public records viewed by TechCrunch and interviews with industry and company sources. 

“We have already seen in other jurisdictions how a flawed, first-party only regulatory approach can disrupt a city,” Javi Correoso, who leads U.S. policy and federal affairs for Uber, said in May during a D.C. Council roundtable on a separate, existing statute regulating for-hire drivers. Correoso argued at the time that robotaxis create congestion by idling or cruising empty, cannot provide the kind of physical assistance to older or disabled adults that human drivers can, and cited data that states one AV displaces roughly four drivers.

When asked about the hybrid model, Correoso shared Uber’s regulatory vision. 

“Hybrid model means that consumers should have the ability to access both. If a consumer is on the app, they should be able to choose,” he said, according to a publicly available recording and transcript. “I would go a step further: I think it should be part of the regulatory framework for the industry. There should be a requirement for consumers to be able to take an Uber that’s driven by a human.”

Alphabet-owned Waymo contends the bill, which it backs, will allow for the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles while supporting public transit, equitable access, and workers without restricting companies like Uber. 

The two companies will pitch their positions on Monday during a day-long hearing. The bill’s passage is not imminent — many parties told TechCrunch they hope legislation is approved before the end of the year, and before Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser leaves office in January. Still, the arguments and lobbying efforts surrounding the bill reflect a broader debate that stretches beyond Washington, D.C.

The proposed AV bill The bill, which was introduced by Councilmember Charles Allen in May, would update the existing Autonomous Vehicle Act of 2012 to allow for driverless testing and commercial driverless operations within the district. Today, companies like Waymo and Zoox can test autonomous vehicles, but only with a human safety operator behind the wheel.

The proposed bill would give the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) the authority to issue driverless testing and deployment permits to AV developers that meet certain requirements. Such requirements include holding a minimum of $5 million in liability insurance, and agreeing to report crash data within either eight hours or 72 hours, depending on whether the vehicle is part of a commercial fleet or a privately owned AV (which doesn’t yet exist in the market).

The bill would also charge robotaxi operators a $0.15 per mile tax, a proposal that robotaxi advocates have argued is too expensive. Revenue from the “vehicles miles traveled” (VMT) tax would be split, with 50% going toward public transit and the remaining used to support education and workforce development for rideshare and taxi drivers at risk of losing their jobs to robot cars.

Uber and Waymo are not the only parties interested in the bill. Numerous organizations and companies, including representatives from Tesla, Lyft, the Teamsters and Service Employees International Union labor unions, disability rights and accessibility advocacy groups, local business and industry groups, highway safety proponents, government officials, and think tanks are all scheduled to speak during Monday’s hearing. 

The bill has even prompted an anti-robotaxi campaign, launched by a New York-based organization called Coalition for Accountability and Road Safety, which is canvassing voters and posting on social media.

It’s unclear who is funding the organization, which is registered to an employee of Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno LLC, a New York lobbying and government affairs outfit affiliated with labor and employment law firm Pitta LLP. According to publicly available lobbying documents listed by the city, Pitta has been retained over the past year by several labor unions and the New York Black Car Operators’ Injury Compensation Fund. 

The stakes are high for all robotaxi developers, human drivers, and the ride-hailing and taxi companies that employ them in D.C. It’s arguably elevated for Uber and Waymo too, given their considerable market positions. Uber is the largest ride-hailing and delivery network in the United States, and Waymo is the largest robotaxi operator, providing more than 500,000 rides each week across 11 cities. 

If Uber is successful and its hybrid network idea is adopted in D.C. — or elsewhere — it would leave AV developers like Waymo with two choices: put their robotaxis on ride-hailing apps like Uber’s, or employ human drivers who provide ride-hailing services alongside the robot cars that have taken years and hundreds of millions of dollars to develop.

If Waymo and other supporters of the D.C. bill are successful, Uber argues it will be pushed out altogether.

Protect and expand Image Credits:Uber/Lucid/Nuro The bill is a local policy fight, but it also highlights one prong of Uber’s strategy to protect its leading position in the ride-hailing and delivery market. 

Uber is actively investing in and partnering with autonomous vehicle technology companies — more than 30 globally — while also building AV Labs, a new business unit designed to collect and share real-world driving data with AV developers. The company is hiring dozens of engineers for the division, according to job listings and interviews with sources familiar with the effort. 

While Uber stakes its claim in the AV market, it is also championing protective policies that would require autonomous vehicles to operate alongside human drivers within a single platform — much like the Uber app. 

Uber’s investment and partnership activity has been underway for several years. The company’s push for a hybrid network is recent, first emerging in a white paper published in May. Since then, Uber has ramped up its rhetoric with policymakers, including the D.C. Council roundtable meeting in May to discuss updates to the district’s Vehicle-for-Hire Innovation Amendment Act of 2014. (That law, which regulates ride-hailing and taxi services through the Department of For-Hire Vehicles, is separate from the AV bill, but multiple sources told TechCrunch that the policies overlap.)

Uber submitted a letter to the D.C. Council in June, which TechCrunch has seen, elaborating on Uber’s policy chief Correoso’s earlier comments. The letter stated the hybrid approach would be a single transportation network with traditional drivers that gradually incorporates autonomous vehicles.

“What this means in practice is that if you call an Uber in a market with AVs, you might get matched with an AV or a human driver, depending on the nature of your trip,” the letter reads. 

In D.C., Uber is responding to a bill that would effectively ban hybrid networks altogether, company spokesperson Noah Edwardsen told TechCrunch. 

Waymo disputes that interpretation, and a representative for the company said Waymo does not support efforts to limit AVs to specific types of networks. “We would welcome changes clarifying that different types of networks can operate in the District,” Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher wrote in an emailed statement sent to TechCrunch.

More broadly, Edwardsen said Uber has never taken a one-size-fits-all approach to policy, contrasting it to “advocacy from parts of the AV industry today, where proposals have repeatedly failed to address important issues like labor and transportation equity — or that have tried to cynically lock out competitors and create monopolies — making them largely unworkable.”

While numerous industry insiders have criticized aspects of the D.C. bill — notably the VMT tax and proposed cap on robotaxis — some disagree with Uber’s hybrid proposal. 

Greg Rogers, founder and executive director of the nonprofit mobility and tech think tank The Innovation Majority, is scheduled to speak at Monday’s hearing, and he called Uber’s move an attempt at “regulatory capture.”

“Mobility is already a marketplace — people already can make choices on whether to take a bus, or ride a bike, or walk, or take rideshare every day,” Rogers told TechCrunch in an interview. “And any argument that you can improve consumer welfare by forcing certain business models and canceling out others does not improve people’s mobility choices. It does not improve road safety, and what it risks is only further entrenching interests and charging rent on anyone who seeks to operate AVs in the district.”

Uber’s pro-driver, ”let’s compromise” positioning may surprise close followers of the ride-hailing company. The company’s early history was painted by an anti-regulation ethos that sought out loopholes within existing laws, or ignored them altogether.

Uber often opposed union-supported regulations, like AB 5 in California, which would have disrupted its asset-light business model by classifying gig workers as employees. Proposition 22, a 2020 ballot initiative passed by voters and upheld by the California Supreme Court, was backed by Uber, Lyft, and others as a compromise that gave workers access to health insurance and other benefits while maintaining their contractor status.

Those fights, and others like it, have taught Uber that it has to consider human workers, and the power of labor unions that support them, if it wants to play a central role in the robotaxi market, according to sources. Uber’s own chief operating officer Andrew Macdonald struck a similar we-learned-our-lesson tone in a LinkedIn post in May that promoted its white paper.

Macdonald noted that the consequences of the company’s grow-at-all-costs approach led to “regulatory battles and a corporate crisis that damaged trust for years. “

“That experience changed us,” he wrote. “Today, we partner with cities instead of confronting them.”

Uber argues its hybrid network proposal is that compromise — one that allows robotaxis and human drivers to coexist on the same platform while easing labor concerns.

The company is committed to pitching the idea in other cities and states as lawmakers develop new AV laws or update existing ones.

Wired published its own report detailing lobbying efforts in New Jersey and D.C.

Uber’s stance, and its active lobbying, puts it on a collision course with Waymo. 

Frenemies Image Credits:Waymo/Uber Waymo and Uber have squared off over autonomous vehicle technology before.

In 2017, Waymo sued Uber over allegations of trade secret theft. The high-profile trial, in which Waymo accused Uber of using trade secrets downloaded by former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski, delivered memorable testimony and evidence, including phrases like “laser is the sauce.” The trial lasted just five days before Uber agreed to settle, and the two companies stopped sparring, at least publicly.

Six years later, with Uber’s in-house AV development program sold off to Aurora, the former courtroom rivals teamed up. Waymo agreed to put its self-driving vehicles on Uber’s app in Phoenix in 2023. That partnership, which quietly ended in May, has been described as limited and as a “pilot.” Waymo also operates its own stand-alone app in Phoenix, its first robotaxi market.

The relationship seemed to solidify by March 2025, when company executives — grasping mugs of prickly pear margaritas and plates of Terry Black’s barbecue at a private party — celebrated the launch of Waymo robotaxis on the Uber app in Austin during the annual music, film, and tech fest, SXSW. The partnership soon expanded to Atlanta. In both of those cities, prospective customers cannot hail a robotaxi directly through Waymo’s app, and have to use the Uber app and hope for a match.

In recent months, the relationship has soured — and publicly.

Earlier this year, Uber chief technology officer Praveen Neppalli openly criticized Waymo on X, posting a video and commentary calling out the unsafe and “scary” behavior of a Waymo robotaxi. During an earnings call in May, Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi directed comments toward Waymo without directly naming the company when he expressed support for regulators.

“They’re asking the right questions, which is how are AVs going to interact with — in situations where the power goes out or interacting in school zones or working with firefighters, etc. in the city,” said Khosrowshahi, referring to recent incidents that involved Waymo robotaxis. 

The tension between Waymo and Uber has even gone global, with both companies poised for a looming showdown in London.

As speculation swirls over when Uber and Waymo’s existing partnerships in Austin or Atlanta will implode, both companies are gearing up for a regulatory fight that appears poised to spill into other cities and states.

Uber is betting, and lobbying for, a different future than the one Waymo envisions.

“We think the future of our transportation system will be hybrid,” Uber’s head of AV policy Harry Hartfield said in testimony submitted ahead of Monday’s meeting. “Public policy should be designed around that reality, not around an AV-only future that does not exist.”

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Alphabet Inc. (GOOG - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this company have returned -0.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.3% change. The Zacks Internet - Services industry, to which Alphabet belongs, has gained 0.9% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

Alphabet is expected to post earnings of $2.86 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +23.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.3%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.32 points to a change of +32.5% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.1%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $14.85 indicates a change of +3.7% from what Alphabet is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.7%.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) for Alphabet.

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

12 Month EPS

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

In the case of Alphabet, the consensus sales estimate of $101.22 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +23.9%. The $423.63 billion and $518.5 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +23.5% and +22.4%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryAlphabet reported revenues of $94.67 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +23.8%. EPS of $5.11 for the same period compares with $2.81 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $92.22 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.65%. The EPS surprise was +93.56%.

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

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

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

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

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

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Alphabet. However, its Zacks Rank #1 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

08 July 2026, Bavaria, Munich: The Microsoft logo and lettering can be seen on the building housing the headquarters of Microsoft Deutschland GmbH in Parkstadt Schwabing in Munich (Bavaria, Germany). Microsoft Corporation is the world's largest software manufacturer and one of the largest companies in the world. (Symbolic image, stock photo, illustration, symbolic photo, illustrative photo, thematic image, general image, thematic photo) Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa (Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)

dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images

This article was written by Doug Nathman, with research by his team at Trefis.

In the realm of major technology players, Microsoft is showcasing impressive growth and profit figures, yet its valuation indicates it is more of a contender than the champion.

Microsoft (MSFT) provides the digital solutions that power contemporary businesses, ranging from its Azure cloud services to the AI-enhanced Office applications used on countless desktops. Nevertheless, following a year in which its shares dropped -22% while the overall market advanced, it finds itself in an unusual position among its technology peers. While the company showcases some of the best growth and profitability metrics in the sector, its stock is valued relatively low compared to others in the group. Is Microsoft simply a better option within a less expensive field, or is the market sensing some underlying weakness?

Should A High Achiever Have A Mid-Level Valuation?The figures indicate a distinct disparity. Over the past year, Microsoft’s revenue has surged by 17.9%, exceeding Apple’s (AAPL) growth of 12.8% and Amazon’s (AMZN) 14.2%. Its operating margin stands at 47%, placing it among the top contenders, well above Alphabet’s 33% and Apple’s 33%. In light of this operational success, the market has assigned Microsoft a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.8 times. This is a notable discount compared to Apple, which is valued at 37.9 times earnings, despite showing slower growth and lower margins.

This isn’t an isolated instance. When compared to Alphabet (GOOG), Microsoft demonstrates comparable revenue growth, but with a significantly higher operating margin, yet it continues to trade at a lower multiple. The market rates Microsoft’s operational performance near the top of its competitive set while placing its stock price near the bottom. This kind of incongruity warrants further business insight.

MSFT Stock vs. Peers

Trefis

MORE FOR YOU

The Market Assigns A $190 Billion UncertaintyThe market acknowledges the impressive outcomes; instead, it is considering the considerable expenses involved in achieving future expansion. The core argument among investors revolves around a "disconnect that raises some concerns" regarding the pace of CapEx growth compared to revenue acceleration, as mentioned by one analyst during its recent call. Management has quantified this investment, stating they "anticipate investing approximately $190 billion in capital expenditures" for the year 2026 to support its AI initiatives.

This situation presents a genuine challenge. The market’s valuation reflects significant skepticism about the returns from such a massive investment. While the company’s AI segment is growing at an impressive rate, exceeding an annual run rate of $37 billion, the costs associated with this growth are substantial. Investors are evaluating whether the new "seats plus consumption" models for tools like Microsoft Copilot can yield sufficient high-margin revenue to validate the substantial expenditures, especially when general IT budgets are not necessarily increasing. The matter of what could genuinely drive the stock upward from this point rests on the success of this capital-heavy strategy.

The Azure Growth Rate Will Determine The OutcomeManagement maintains a strong outlook, projecting "another year of double-digit growth in revenue and operating income for FY ’27." The bullish perspective suggests that this expenditure is critical to seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity, with Microsoft Cloud revenues already surpassing $54 billion last quarter, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 29%. The organization is laying the groundwork for an AI-driven economic framework and is confident that returns will follow.

The most crucial metric to monitor is the growth rate of Azure, the engine supporting this growth. All investments in data centers and GPUs need to result in a surge in cloud usage. Thus, the benchmark is management’s own forecast. They "expect Azure growth to exhibit slight acceleration." If that acceleration comes to fruition, it will indicate that the investment is paying off. Conversely, if it fails to materialize, the market's cautious valuation will have been vindicated.

This article explored one angle; our comprehensive peer-by-peer dashboards for MSFT present every metric side by side, with daily updates.

Choosing The Top Performer Still Leaves You With Just One Stock

Evaluating a company alongside its competitors clarifies the scenario -- however, irrespective of which company tops the list, holding a significant stake in a single entity constitutes a concentrated risk. Divesting from a large position in the conventional way entails a tax implication. There is a method to safeguard the position while efficiently diversifying without incurring taxes.

LONDON, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scottish brewer and the UK’s leading craft beer brand BrewDog, owned by Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), today announced that BrewDog Waterloo, the England’s largest pub, is preparing to welcome fans for what promises to be one of the tournament’s most unforgettable matchday experiences as England takes on Argentina in a blockbuster semifinal. Renowned for its electric atmosphere, giant screens and passionate crowds, England’s biggest pub will come alive as fans gather to cheer on England in a match with a place in the final on the line.

The excitement extends beyond the final whistle. With England still in the tournament, BrewDog and Tilray Brands’ £1 million bar tab remains alive, bringing fans one step closer to claiming free pints at participating BrewDog pubs in the UK and Tilray-owned brewpubs across the United States beginning July 20 if England reaches the final.

Irwin D. Simon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tilray Brands, said: “The energy across our pubs this summer has been extraordinary, and BrewDog Waterloo has become a true destination for fans to experience live sport at its best. This is exactly what our pubs are built for—bringing people together, creating unforgettable moments, and delivering an atmosphere that goes far beyond the match itself. As England takes the pitch in one of the biggest games of the tournament, we’re ready to welcome fans for an incredible semifinal night at BrewDog Waterloo.”

Fans are encouraged to arrive early, with the venue expected to reach capacity well before kickoff. Guests can enjoy BrewDog favourites alongside beers from Tilray’s award-winning American craft beer portfolio while soaking up one of the country’s most energetic football atmospheres.

Should England advance, the celebration continues - with the world’s biggest bar tab still within reach.

About BrewDog
BrewDog, the #1 craft beer brand in the UK, has always had one mission: making people as passionate about great beer as we are. From iconic classics like Punk IPA, to crowd-pleasers like Lost Lager and Wingman, to boundary-pushing innovations like NanoDog, BrewDog has been brewing bold, distinctive beers since 2007. Born in Scotland and built by a passionate community of beer lovers, BrewDog has grown into one of the world’s most recognizable craft beer brands, with a global presence spanning breweries, bars and distribution across multiple international markets. BrewDog’s future will continue to be shaped by the three things that matter most: People, Planet and Beer. For more information, visit www.brewdog.com or follow @BrewDogOfficial on social media.

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 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 and U.S. 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. 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. 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.

Tilray Brands Contacts:
Media
[email protected]

Investor Relations
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/553775c3-94dc-4f31-a313-d1be96b28523

Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP, or Expected Surprise Prediction, aims to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions. The basic premise is that if an analyst reevaluates their earnings estimate ahead of an earnings release, it means they likely have new information that could possibly be more accurate.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Most stocks, about 60%, fall into the #3 (Hold) category, and they are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with a #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) rating, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market, with Strong Buy stocks outperforming more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Kirby?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Kirby (KEX - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) 16 days from its next quarterly earnings release on July 29, 2026, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $1.74 a share.

By taking the percentage difference between the $1.74 Most Accurate Estimate and the $1.7 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Kirby has an Earnings ESP of +2.66%. Investors should also know that KEX is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

KEX is one of just a large database of Transportation stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is American Airlines (AAL - Free Report) .

Slated to report earnings on July 23, 2026, American Airlines holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and its Most Accurate Estimate is $0.09 a share 10 days from its next quarterly update.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for American Airlines is $0.05, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +67.44%.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, KEX and AAL could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) will release its second quarter earnings report after the closing bell on Thursday, July 16.

Analysts expect the Los Gatos, California-based company to report quarterly earnings of 79 cents per share, up from 72 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Netflix’s quarterly revenue is $12.58 billion. It reported $11.08 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Netflix is exploring options to boost subscriber engagement.

Shares of Netflix fell 2.8% to close at $73.37 on Friday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent period.

Considering buying NFLX stock? Here’s what analysts think:

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This hasn't been a great year for Netflix (NFLX +2.52%). The stock is down 19% to date as of writing. And even worse, it has declined about 43% from its most recent high. While the company remains the leader in streaming, Netflix's poor second-quarter guidance, a leadership change, and a long acquisition battle that failed to materialize have all taken a toll on the stock. Investors may wonder what will happen next and whether this is a good time to scoop up Netflix's shares on the dip. Previous instances of the stock dropping by 40% or more might give us a clue.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Why the stock could fall even further In some cases, Netflix's massive declines bottom out at around 40%. That's what happened between mid and late 2018, when the stock dropped by that much and subsequently recovered.

NFLX data by YCharts

However, in other cases, it dips significantly further before eventually rebounding. Between late 2021 and mid-2022, Netflix's stock dropped by more than 70%.

NFLX data by YCharts

Will this time around be more like the first instance or the second? Note that in 2018 and 2021, Netflix's issues stemmed from subscriber growth (or lack thereof). The stock bounced back after overcoming this obstacle. There are reasons to think the company hasn't yet addressed all the problems that are driving its ongoing sell-off. For instance, Netflix is reportedly experiencing low subscriber engagement. That can hurt its business in multiple ways, including lower-than-expected ad revenue, fewer data points to inform its content library, and less excitement around its new releases, which can harm subscriber growth.

This problem could lead to weak revenue growth in its upcoming second quarter (with results scheduled for release on July 16), and equally unimpressive guidance, potentially sending the stock sharply lower. Further, Netflix is dealing with an increasingly competitive landscape. With Paramount pulling off a major acquisition (snatching it from Netflix, no less) that will significantly expand its content library and make it a stronger streaming platform, Disney getting a majority stake in FuboTV, and Fox acquiring Roku, the competition is improving. Those are some reasons the stock may not have bottomed out yet.

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Should you give up on Netflix? One thing Netflix's past dips have in common is that it was generally a good idea to buy the company's shares while the stock was dropping, and not necessarily at the bottom, which is impossible to time. My view is that investors who initiate positions right now (or acquire more shares) will also be handsomely rewarded down the road. Here's why. Despite the issues it faces, Netflix's large ecosystem can enable it to explore new ways to monetize its audience and boost engagement.

That's what it did back in 2022, when it faced declining subscribers -- as more streaming platforms entered the market -- and password-sharing that took a bite out of its revenue potential. Netflix introduced several initiatives, including a low-priced ad-supported tier and a way to address password-sharing. Netflix is already exploring ways to overcome its current challenges.

The company is reportedly thinking about launching live TV channels. Other streaming leaders have had great success with this, but few -- if any -- of them benefit from Netflix's large ecosystem and brand recognition, which could make its live channels practically an instant hit. The company is also considering bidding for future World Cups, given the massive success of the current one.

This is part of Netflix's broader strategy to expand its footprint into the live sports niche, something that could also increase engagement and attract significantly more subscribers to the platform. So, Netflix may be dealing with issues -- and the stock might decline even more after its upcoming update. But for long-term investors, the streaming specialist remains an attractive buy, especially at current levels, as it launches new initiatives to overcome its current challenges.

Hirings add to more than 200 bankers across 26 cities supporting the growth of middle market companies, which serve as a growth engine of the U.S.

Key points

Bank of America is expanding its Regional Investment Banking business with nine senior hires across key U.S. markets, including Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and West Palm Beach. The hires strengthen the bank's presence across a platform that now includes more than 200 bankers across 26 U.S. cities, helping it meet increasing client demand, support the growth of middle market companies, and drive investment in communities and the broader U.S. economy. The U.S. middle market remains a key strategic priority and significant growth opportunity for Bank of America and its Global Corporate & Investment Banking and Global Commercial Banking businesses. Regional Investment Banking brings together Bank of America's global capabilities, Local Market connectivity and broad client relationships to deliver integrated advice and tailored solutions to middle market clients. , /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced the addition of several senior investment bankers across its Regional Investment Banking business, reinforcing the company's commitment to serving middle market clients and expanding coverage in key Local Markets across the U.S. The hires add senior expertise in Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and West Palm Beach, and they will report to Neil Kell and Samardh Kumar, co-heads of Regional Investment Banking.

The U.S. middle market remains a key strategic priority and significant growth opportunity for Bank of America and its Global Corporate & Investment Banking and Global Commercial Banking businesses. These senior additions reflect the bank's continued commitment to expanding its middle market coverage, enabling it to broaden coverage across its Global Commercial Banking franchise, deepen client relationships, and meet the growing demand for strategic advice, capital markets solutions and M&A expertise. It also underscores Bank of America's belief in the long-term strength of the U.S. middle market, a powerful engine of growth, job creation and investment across the nation.

Working closely with Global Commercial Banking, Merrill, Private Bank and Local Market Organization, Regional Investment Banking helps bring together Bank of America's global capabilities to deliver integrated, relationship-driven advice and tailored solutions to middle market clients. This model brings global perspectives and resources to clients at the local level, while helping them access the insights, capital and expertise needed to grow and compete around the world. This approach also enhances connectivity across the bank's 97 Local Markets, helping drive investment banking market share as well as market growth and collaboration across its eight lines of business.

"Middle market companies play a vital role in driving business and economic growth across the U.S., and we continue to see significant opportunity to help these businesses grow, invest and achieve their objectives," said Mike Joo, Co-Head of Global Investment Banking. "We are pleased to welcome a highly accomplished group of bankers who bring an exceptional combination of advisory and sector experience, regional leadership and longstanding client relationships in many of the country's most important markets. Together, they strengthen our ability to serve our Global Commercial Banking clients with differentiated advice and deep local market insight, while delivering the full breadth of Bank of America's global platform."

These senior hires build on Bank of America's growing Regional Investment Banking footprint and continued investment in expanding its middle market coverage, which has added 20 cities since launching in 2016 and now spans more than 200 bankers across 26 U.S. cities. The business also maintained its #1 investment banking ranking among Global Commercial Banking clients for the third consecutive year while increasing share year over year.[1]

Bob Berry will join as a managing director based in Boston in late July, deepening coverage in the Northeast region. Bob brings more than 35 years of investment banking experience and joins from Rothschild, where he was a senior M&A banker in Global Advisory and head of the Boston office. He previously held senior leadership roles across M&A, Consumer & Retail, and Financial Sponsors at Truist, Raymond James and Credit Suisse. Matt Dalton will join as a managing director based in Minneapolis in early August, covering the Midwest region. Matt brings more than 20 years of investment banking experience across multiple sectors, with expertise in Building Products and Materials, Metals, Capital Goods and Equipment, and Industrial Services. He joins from Lazard, where he spent more than 17 years advising middle market industrial companies, family-owned businesses and private equity sponsors. Rick Florjancic will join as a managing director based in Chicago in mid-September, where he will lead the Chicago office and help expand senior leadership coverage across the broader Midwest region. Rick has nearly 30 years of investment banking experience and joins from BMO Capital Markets, where he most recently served as head of Regional Investment Banking. He previously held leadership roles at Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan. Ian Mackay will join as a managing director based in Charlotte in mid-August, strengthening the middle market Financial Sponsors practice across the Southeast region and nationally. Ian joins from BlackArch Partners, where he led Financial Sponsors coverage in Atlanta, and previously spent more than 20 years at Raymond James and SunTrust. Joe Park recently joined as a managing director based in Detroit, focusing on expanding client coverage across the Midwest region. Joe brings more than 35 years of investment banking, corporate and leadership experience, with deep industrial and technology expertise. He previously served as president and chief financial officer of Princeton NuEnergy and held executive positions within SK Group. He began his investment banking career at Morgan Stanley in Technology, Media & Telcom (TMT). Mitch Theiss recently rejoined as a vice chair based in West Palm Beach, helping expand coverage of Florida-based middle market clients and family businesses while providing senior support on key relationships. Mitch brings more than 35 years of investment banking experience and most recently was a partner at Seabrook Partners. He previously served as executive chair at Rockefeller Capital Management and spent 19 years at Bank of America, where he was chair and co-head of Global Industrials Corporate & Investment Banking. Daniel Webb recently rejoined as a managing director based in Austin, partnering closely with the Southwest Investment Banking team to expand coverage across Texas and the broader Southwest region. Daniel brings more than 15 years of investment banking experience and deep technology-sector expertise, including more than a decade in TMT investment banking at Bank of America and Citigroup. Joe Winters will join as a managing director based in San Francisco in early August, broadening client coverage across the Bay Area and Pacific Southwest region. Joe joins from J.P. Morgan, where he led the middle market investment banking business in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. He brings more than 25 years of investment banking experience, with expertise spanning Industrial Technology and Business Services. Bo Brown recently joined as a managing director based in New York, strengthening advisory capabilities across financial sponsors, industrial and middle market clients. He brings more than 20 years of M&A experience and joined from BMO Capital Markets, where he served as head of Industrials M&A. He previously led the sell-side M&A practices at Credit Suisse and Citigroup. Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Reporters may contact

John Yiannacopoulos, Bank of America
Phone: 1.646.855.2314
[email protected]

Tim Hurkmans, Bank of America
Phone: 1.929.656.1718
[email protected]

[1] Source: Dealogic as of June 30, 2026.

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

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Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ | JNJ Price Prediction) is the easiest healthcare name to evaluate on the board heading into its July 15 earnings release, and the setup leaves little to debate. The stock has already told you what it thinks of the fundamentals, rising nearly 25% year to date and nearly 66% over the past year. Yet the earnings power, the dividend and the pipeline still justify stepping in before the earnings report.

Johnson & Johnson walked into 2026 with clear acceleration. Q1 revenue hit $24.06 billion, up 9.9% year over year, and adjusted EPS of $2.70 marked the fourth consecutive beat. Innovative Medicine grew 11.2% even with STELARA down 59.7%, because TREMFYA jumped 68.3%, DARZALEX rose 22.5% and CARVYKTI surged 62.1%. Management raised full-year guidance to $100.30B to $101.30B in revenue and $11.45 to $11.65 in adjusted EPS, and CEO Joaquin Duato told investors JNJ is “delivering on its promise for a year of accelerated growth and impact.”

The Income Case Writes Itself Dividend Kings do not go on sale often. JNJ has now raised its payout for 64 consecutive years, with the most recent hike of 3.1% pushing the quarterly to $1.34 per share. Backing that check is $19.7 billion in FY2025 free cash flow and $26.80 billion in net income, which grew 90.56%. This is durable retirement income at scale, and a $634.06 billion balance sheet backing it up.

The Catalyst Is Priced, but Not Fully Polymarket traders are pricing a 92% probability that JNJ beats its Q2 number on July 15, with MedTech carrying an 88% probability of clearing $8.8 billion. Beyond the earnings report, the pipeline offers real optionality: ICOTYDE FDA approval, the TECVAYLI + DARZALEX FASPRO combo, and the planned DePuy Synthes orthopaedics separation that unclutters the multiple. Wall Street is aligned: 15 Buy ratings against just one Sell rating.

Why JNJ Beats the Obvious Alternatives Compare this to AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV), which is still absorbing Humira biosimilar erosion with a far less diversified base. JNJ neutralizes its own STELARA erosion inside a single segment while also running an $8.64 billion MedTech business that grew 7.7%, something AbbVie cannot match. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) offers a bigger stated yield but slower top-line growth and weaker pipeline momentum, and it lacks JNJ’s path to double-digit growth by decade’s end. Diversification plus acceleration beats concentration plus decline every time.

The setup heading into July 15 favors owners who already had conviction, with compounding doing the heavy lifting from here.

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

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

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

-

Next-Generation Construction Technology Leader Recognized by Global Industry Pioneer for Matching Mission to Action Across Nationwide Network

COLUMBIA, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EquipmentShare.com Inc (Nasdaq: EQPT) (“EquipmentShare”), a leader in connected jobsite technology and one of the largest construction equipment rental providers in the United States, has been named the winner of the inaugural Ford Pro Community Award presented by Ford Pro, the commercial division of the Ford Motor Company. This prestigious new recognition from Ford Pro honors businesses that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to community service, corporate social responsibility and meaningful change beyond the jobsite.

"We created the Ford Pro Community Award to spotlight businesses that go above and beyond the vehicle to drive human progress. EquipmentShare is the perfect example of a company that truly matches its mission to action.”

Share"We created the Ford Pro Community Award to spotlight businesses that go above and beyond the vehicle to drive human progress. EquipmentShare is the perfect example of a company that truly matches its mission to action,” said Matt Atkenson, executive director of Ford Pro North America sales and operations. “Their structured, passionate approach to community giving across their entire network, turning corporate values into real-world impact, made them the undeniable choice for our inaugural award."

The award marks a powerful intersection of industry leadership. As EquipmentShare works to build the future of construction through cutting-edge technology and nationwide infrastructure, receiving this honor from Ford Pro carries profound significance. Ford Pro is the commercial vehicle business segment of Ford Motor Company. For a rapidly growing, industry-leading company like EquipmentShare to be recognized by a foundational pillar of American industry underscores their shared commitment to build a better future for all.

"EquipmentShare is building the future of construction, and we are honored to be recognized by a global company that has been building the future of industry for over 120 years,” said Jabbok Schlacks, CEO and founder of EquipmentShare. “This award belongs to every team member who has volunteered their time, responded to a disaster or championed a local cause. I am incredibly proud of our team's dedication to making a difference in the communities we call home.”

At EquipmentShare, nationwide growth goes hand-in-hand with accountability to the communities it serves and the people who power its mission. From local neighborhood support to national disaster relief efforts, EquipmentShare's network has consistently deployed assets and resources to drive positive, tangible impact.

The Ford Pro Community Award was given to EquipmentShare as a recognition of EquipmentShare’s existing initiatives designed to empower its branches, support its workforce, and uplift communities nationwide:

Branch-level giving: Every EquipmentShare branch across the country is granted $2,500 annually to invest directly into local nonprofits and grassroots causes that matter most to its immediate community.Volunteer time off (“VTO”): EquipmentShare provides every employee with 16 hours of paid VTO each year, allowing team members to put boots on the ground for local service projects.The EquipmentShare Foundation: EquipmentShare’s dedicated philanthropic arm provides critical hardship grants to EquipmentShare employees in times of need and serves as the financial backbone of its nationwide disaster response efforts.Team Orange disaster response: When a crisis strikes, a specialized disaster response team deploys heavy equipment, essential resources and personnel to assist affected communities in rebuilding and recovering.The TELEHERO™ Program: 10% of all revenue generated by these patriotically wrapped telehandlers in the EquipmentShare fleet is donated directly to local veterans' organizations.As EquipmentShare continues to expand its digital and fleet footprint, the company remains fiercely committed to empowering its employees, supporting its neighbors and ensuring that its positive impact on the world grows right alongside its business.

About EquipmentShare

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, EquipmentShare (Nasdaq: EQPT) is a nationwide construction technology and equipment solutions provider dedicated to transforming the construction industry through innovative tools, platforms and data-driven insights. By empowering contractors, builders and equipment owners with its proprietary technology, T3®, EquipmentShare aims to drive productivity, efficiency, and collaboration across the construction sector. With a comprehensive suite of solutions that includes a fleet management platform, telematics devices and a best-in-class equipment rental marketplace, EquipmentShare continues to lead the industry in building the future of construction. For more information, visit www.equipmentshare.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements other than statements of historical fact and can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EquipmentShare’s control, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to economic, market or business conditions, the construction equipment rental industry, the ability to execute on our expansion strategy, and other risks and uncertainties. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to EquipmentShare’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, EquipmentShare disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

More News From EquipmentShare

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Selected from a nationwide competition, four businesses will make live pitches to judges including soccer legend and entrepreneur Carli Lloyd, then head to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final July 13, 2026 09:30 ET  | Source: Verizon Communications, Inc.

NEW YORK, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday, July 17, 2026, days before the world’s top two soccer teams battle for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, a different kind of high-stakes championship is taking place just minutes away. Four American small businesses will gather at the Antique Loft in Hoboken, NJ to go head-to-head in Verizon’s Small Business Super Pitch competition, an event which highlights the incredible grit, impact, and vital role everyday entrepreneurs play in communities nationwide.

The Verizon Small Business Super Pitch is a nationwide pitch competition designed to discover some of America’s most promising small businesses. After being selected from a submission pool of more than 500 competitors and winning one of four regional rounds across the country, the finalists will now take the stage to deliver a compelling pitch on their business.

The four finalists in the Verizon Small Business Super Pitch are:

The Balm Box (Overland Park, KS) – Founded by six-time cancer survivor Liz Benditt, The Balm Box ships research-backed care packages specifically designed for cancer patients navigating surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.House of Perna (Delray Beach, FL) – A fashion house, founded by fashion designer, Amanda Perna, dedicated to designing small-batch clothing with bold prints and sustainable practices that allows women to feel completely themselves.TWB Tours (Seattle, WA) – A Pacific Northwest tour company, founded by Marlie and Anthony Love, that offers guests an inside look at local culture, history, and community-centered small businesses.Renewed Focus (New York, NY) – Led by Melissa Robinson-Brown, Renewed Focus is a therapy practice with a focus on providing care to women and allowing them to unleash their authentic selves and navigate life’s roller coaster. “Big cultural events like the FIFA World Cup 2026™ offer unparalleled opportunities for small businesses to gain widespread visibility and thrive. Verizon is proud to support these essential community anchors through Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, which provides free resources—including online courses, coaching, funding, and networking—to help entrepreneurs succeed. We are deeply honored to play a role in the journeys of the dynamic businesses that have made it to the Super Pitch finals,” said Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer for Verizon.

In the initial phase of the competition, business owners posted videos to social media highlighting how they had used the resources on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready to learn how to more effectively pitch their business. Of those, 20 were selected to compete in the semifinal events in FIFA World Cup 2026™ host cities. Now, the final four will deliver a pitch to a panel of expert judges, including two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup™ champion Carli Lloyd, for a chance to win cash prizes. All four finalists will receive two tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final.

“Succeeding as a small business is like soccer. It takes daily hard work and the right coaching. I’m proud to see a company like Verizon champion small businesses by providing year-round access to its Digital Ready platform,” said Lloyd. “Whether it is a youth soccer clinic, or the local coffee shop, it’s the small businesses that keep our communities running. And through this experience with Verizon, it’s been a joy to meet some of these amazing entrepreneurs.”

In addition to the cash prizes and tickets, all finalists will receive expert mentorship in using artificial intelligence in their business as Verizon works to position small businesses to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving digital world.

Creating a homefield advantage

Verizon’s investment in small business community development extends beyond the competition and prizes. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free resource available to all small businesses in the U.S. regardless of whether they are Verizon customers. The program has already helped over 600,000 business owners since its launch in 2020, with a goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030.

All participants in the Super Pitch have received expert guidance on how to pitch their businesses from Precious Williams, Founder and CEO of the Perfect Pitch Group, successful “Shark Tank” participant, and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready instructor. Williams has also hosted versions of her Digital Ready pitch workshops for local small businesses at each of the semifinal events.

To RSVP for the event on July 17, visit https://events.bizzabo.com/SettingthePitch.

For more information on the competition and to register for Small Business Digital Ready, visit https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/small-business-program.

This announcement was originally published by Verizon. Read the original press release.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $138.2 billion in 2025. Verizon’s world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.

VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

Media contacts:
Jared Dashoff
[email protected]

Starbucks (SBUX) delivered Q2 revenue of $9.53B and 22% YoY EPS growth, confirming its turnaround and justifying a bullish outlook. SBUX raised FY2026 guidance, with global comps up 6.2%, margin expansion, and a robust 15-year dividend growth track record supporting its investment case. Operational improvements, a $2B cost savings program leveraging AI, and international expansion—especially in India and China—are key forward growth drivers.

Every day, people around the world choose between Coke and Pepsi to quench their thirst for soda. Similarly, income investors may find themselves deciding between investing their hard-earned savings in Coca-Cola (KO +1.28%) or PepsiCo (PEP +1.58%).

Both stocks have historically fetched premium valuations thanks to their industry leadership, diverse product portfolios, and ultrareliable dividends. But Coca-Cola is crushing Pepsi with a 19.4% year-to-date return, compared with a 4.2% decline in Pepsi stock. And over the past five years, Coke is up 53.2%, while Pepsi is down 8.1%.

Coke's 10-year median price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 27.7 -- only slightly higher than Pepsi's 10-year median P/E of 26. But today, Coke's forward P/E is 25.3 while Pepsi's has slumped to just 16 -- the widest disparity in years.

Here's why investors are bubbling about Coke stock, why Pepsi's fizz has fallen flat, and which blue chip dividend stock is the better buy now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Pepsi's North American struggles continue Pepsi stock was tumbling on July 9 despite decent quarterly results. Investor concerns about declining consumer demand for salty snacks and sugary drinks, as well as inflationary pressures from higher oil prices, may be overshadowing the positives from the quarter.

Pepsi's ownership of Frito-Lay and Quaker Oats, along with its diversified portfolio of beverage brands, gives it a global presence in snacks and nonalcoholic beverages. Pepsi's international segment continues to perform well, with all segments (across product categories and geography) delivering net revenue growth in Pepsi's latest quarter. But Pepsi's North America convenience foods revenue declined, partially driven by lower net pricing, while beverages grew revenue largely thanks to acquisitions made in 2025. When excluding the impact of those acquisitions, Pepsi Beverages North America grew organic revenue by only 1% and saw a 4% decline in beverage volume.

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Coke's edge over Pepsi Pepsi has a lot of moving parts, whereas Coke simply focuses on what it does best: soda, juice, water, sparkling water, tea, coffee, and energy drinks. The beverage category has generally held up better than packaged foods during the slowdown. And Coke's network of bottling partners gives it incredibly high margins.

Coke sells syrups and concentrates to its bottling partners, which mix, bottle, package, and distribute Coca-Cola products. Since Coca-Cola doesn't own or control most of its bottling partners, they effectively function as franchisees in the broader Coca-Cola system, whereas Pepsi's supply chain doesn't have the same operating leverage as Coke. And although it is more diversified in terms of the number of products and categories, Pepsi is heavily affected by shifting consumer preferences. So while Pepsi is well positioned to handle a change in consumer taste for a specific type of snack, the competitive advantage of having so many different products means little if the prevailing trend is an overall decline in snack demand.

KO data by YCharts

Coke has been crushing Pepsi because it's growing its revenue and earnings more rapidly, its margins are far higher, and investors are willing to pay a higher price for Coke stock relative to its earnings than for Pepsi.

Coke and Pepsi can afford their growing dividends Coke is guiding for only 4% to 5% organic revenue growth for the full year 2026. But its margins remain high, and earnings continue to grow faster than revenue. It also plans to generate $12.2 billion in 2026 free cash flow (FCF), which is plenty to cover its dividend.

By comparison, Pepsi is forecasting 2% to 4% fiscal 2026 revenue growth. It plans to convert 80% of earnings into FCF. Analyst consensus estimates have Pepsi earning $8.64 per share in fiscal 2026, which would be $6.91 in FCF based on the 80% conversion -- plenty to cover Pepsi's run rate annualized dividend of $5.92.

So while Coke is certainly performing better, it's not running laps around Pepsi to the point where it should trade at a significant premium. It's also worth noting that both companies have strong track records of increasing dividends. Coke has boosted its payout for 64 consecutive years, compared with 54 years for Pepsi. That gives both companies a seat at the table of Dividend Kings, which are companies with at least 50 consecutive years of dividend increases.

As mentioned, Coke and Pepsi have historically traded at similar valuations. And they have also generated similar earnings and dividend growth rates. But Pepsi's drastic underperformance relative to Coke has pushed Pepsi's dividend yield significantly above Coke's. So not only is Pepsi trading at its deepest discount relative to Coke in years, but the difference in their dividend yields is also at a 10-year high.

PEP Dividend Yield data by YCharts

Pepsi's road to recovery Historically, when Coke or Pepsi has gotten too expensive, their stock prices have cooled off, giving earnings time to catch up. Or when they're undervalued, the stock price may grow faster than earnings, which is exactly what has happened to Coke in recent years -- bringing its valuation close to its historical average.

Pepsi could enjoy the same recovery if it can regain investor confidence in its turnaround. Pepsi has made efforts to diversify its product portfolio to address wellness trends by introducing healthier versions of its top brands, as well as through major acquisitions focused on healthier products and mini-meals. But even with those efforts, there's no denying that the vast majority of Pepsi's success depends on salty snacks and sugary drinks.

Last September, activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a $4 billion stake in Pepsi, representing roughly 2% ownership of the company. Elliott argued that margin erosion and poor execution across North America have led to Pepsi falling short of its potential. And that reorganizing the business, product portfolio, supply chain, bottler network, and management team could lead to accelerated revenue, earnings growth, and margins. Pepsi received the news well. In December, with Elliott's help, Pepsi announced new strategic objectives to improve the overall business.

Pepsi has progressed on some parts of that plan -- including adjustments to its food and beverage supply chains to lower costs in North American warehouses and fleet delivery. But ultimately, Pepsi will remain in prove it mode until its margins and earnings growth can return to the levels where investors are willing to give it a premium valuation.

Two excellent dividend stocks to buy now Coke and Pepsi are both great buys now, but for different reasons.

Coke is executing better than Pepsi and is better positioned to endure a prolonged shift in consumer preferences toward wellness options. But Coke is far from cheap, whereas Pepsi's valuation reflects investor uncertainty.

Investors who believe in Pepsi's turnaround are getting an incredible opportunity to buy the value stock while it's in the bargain bin. However, it's understandable if some investors want to wait and see whether Pepsi shows measurable progress toward its turnaround before backing up the truck and loading pallets of Pepsi stock into their portfolios.

On July 13, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for Qualcomm Inc (QCOM), a company that has shown notable price performance in recent times. Over the past year

The Intel logo at the 10th edition of the VivaTech technology startups and innovation fair in Paris, France, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

SummaryCompaniesInvestment to add several hundred jobs at Irish operationMajority of investment to be deployed by end-2027LEIXLIP, Ireland, July 13 (Reuters) - Intel (INTC.O), opens new tab has begun a €5 ​billion ($5.7 billion) capital investment to upgrade its Irish campus and expand its ‌European output to meet growing global demand for AI and high-performance computing, the U.S. chipmaker said on Monday.

Intel said the move would upgrade and maximize capacity at its facility in Leixlip outside ​Dublin that produces Intel 3 silicon wafers, which the company says is ​the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility of its kind in Europe.

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⁠It will also link the facility to other factories at the campus, Intel's European ​manufacturing base, as well as advance research and development and retrain staff, Naga Chandrasekaran, ​executive vice president of Intel Foundry, said.

Intel is one of the key multinationals in Ireland's foreign investment-focused economy, having already invested €30 billion in the country since 1989, more than half of which ​was spent between 2019 and 2023 on the fabrication facility that doubled the available capacity ​in Ireland.

The leading-edge manufacturing equipment that Intel has begun to install will help deliver Intel ‌Xeon ⁠6 processors and next-generation Intel Xeon built on the group's Intel 3 manufacturing process, the company said.

"The demand for servers, the demand for AI is driving a significant increase in the need for Intel 3 wafers," Chandrasekaran told reporters.

Chandrasekaran said the investment ​would add "several hundred" more ​jobs to the ⁠4,900 people Intel employs in Ireland.

The majority of the investment would be made by the end of 2027 and represents ​about 30% of Intel's $17 billion planned capital expenditure for 2026, he ​added.

Ireland ⁠is hugely reliant on the taxes and jobs of foreign multinationals such as Intel. Foreign-owned firms have almost doubled their Irish workforce in the last decade to make up 11% of ⁠the ​entire labour market.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said ​Intel's latest investment was a powerful vote of confidence in Ireland and its position as a location for ​advanced manufacturing.

($1 = 0.8750 euros)

Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Sarah Young and Tomasz Janowski

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

Key Takeaways Intel's AI-driven businesses reached 60% of revenues and grew 40% year over year in first-quarter 2026.INTC posted stronger margins, beat earnings estimates and ramped up Xeon 6 and Core Series 3 production.TSMC is expanding N3 capacity and ramping up N2 production to meet strong AI-related demand. The AI chip market is increasingly emerging as a long-term investment opportunity, with the rising adoption of AI innovation and accelerating digital transformation. According to Roots Analysis, the market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 24.29% through 2040 from an estimated $100 billion in 2026. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM - Free Report) , or TSMC, and Intel (INTC - Free Report) remain two closely watched names in this space.

TSMC has operated a pure-play foundry business model since its inception, manufacturing semiconductors based on proprietary integrated circuit designs provided by its customers.  The products serve a broad range of end markets, including high-performance computing (HPC), smartphones, the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive and digital consumer electronics (DCE).

On the other hand, Intel designs, manufactures and markets CPUs and other semiconductor solutions used by consumers, enterprises, governments and educational organizations worldwide. The company is also growing its external foundry business by leveraging its U.S.-based capabilities in leading-edge semiconductor process technology, R&D, manufacturing and advanced packaging.

Let’s take a closer look at how the two companies stack up against each other.

Reasons to Stay Bullish on TSMCAccording to TSMC, robust AI-related demand continues to fuel demand for its leading-edge silicon. Management is confident in the multiyear AI megatrend, with semiconductor demand expected to remain fundamental as cloud service providers offer a strong signal and positive outlook. The company views higher capital spending as a reflection of stronger growth opportunities. Backed by its technology leadership and manufacturing expertise, TSMC is well-placed to capture long-term structural demand driven by 5G, AI and high-performance computing.

TSMC’s first-quarter 2026 revenues increased 6.4% sequentially to $35.9 billion, slightly ahead of its guidance. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.13%. Gross and operating margins increased 390 basis points (bps) and 410 bps, respectively, on a sequential basis, led by cost improvement efforts, a high-capacity utilization rate, favorable foreign exchange and operating leverage.

TSMC's 2-nanometer (N2) technology has entered high-volume manufacturing with good yields and is ramping up successfully across multiple phases at both Hsinchu and Kaohsiung sites, supported by strong demand from both smartphone and HPC AI applications.

The company is also expanding its global 3-nanometer (N3) capacity to meet the strong demand in AI applications, marking a departure from its usual practice of not adding capacity once a node reaches its target level. TSMC is also seeing a high level of customer interest and engagement from both smartphone and HPC applications for its A14 technology, with volume production scheduled for 2028. Featuring the company’s second-generation nanosheet transistor structure, A14 is expected to provide performance and power benefits over N2 to address the sensible need for high-performance and energy-efficient computing.

However, the initial ramp-up of N2 technology is expected to dilute gross margin by 2%-3% in 2026. Potential increases in prices for certain chemicals and gases due to Middle East tensions may also affect TSMC’s profitability.

Reasons to Stay Bullish on IntelThe company believes it is well-positioned to capitalize on the AI-driven semiconductor market, whose total addressable market is approaching $1 trillion. Management also noted that AI is expanding into the real world toward a more distributed inference and reinforced learning workloads like agentic, physical AI and robots and edge AI, with the shift already beginning to contribute to the financial results.

Intel reported first-quarter 2026 revenues of $13.6 billion, up 7% year over year and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.09%. Driven by strong demand, improved product mix and pricing actions. The company’s collective AI-driven businesses now represent 60% of revenues and grew 40% year over year. Adjusted gross margin reached 41%, nearly 650 bps above guidance, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) came in at 29 cents, exceeding both the company’s breakeven guidance as well as the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 1 cent per share.

Demand continues to outpace supply for all of Intel’s businesses, especially for Xeon server CPUs, where momentum is expected to sustain this year and beyond. Intel 3-based Xeon 6 and Intel 18A-based Core Series 3 products have entered full-volume production ramp-up, marking the company’s fastest new product ramp-up in five years.

With customers increasingly deploying server CPUs alongside accelerators, CPU-anchored architecture remains the backbone of AI computing in production. The trend supports Intel’s x86 ecosystem and positions its CPU franchise as a key long-term growth engine.

The company also sees rapid AI infrastructure deployment as a meaningful opportunity for its external foundry business. Intel 4, Intel 3 and 18A yields are running ahead of internal projections, signaling an inflection in execution and factory finished good output. Intel is also making steady progress in its advanced packaging technologies, including additional growth in customer backlog during the first quarter.

How Do Estimates Compare for TSM & INTC?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TSMC’s 2026 EPS currently stands at $15.39, implying a 44.5% jump over 2025. The estimate has been revised upward in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The consensus mark for Intel’s 2026 EPS implies year-over-year growth of 152.4% to $1.06. The estimate has moved upward in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

TSM & INTC: Price Performance and ValuationSo far this year, TSMC shares have advanced 42.8%, while Intel has surged 197.6%. Both have comfortably outperformed the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s 16.9% gain. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

TSM shares are trading at a forward, five-year Price/Sales (P/S) of 12.20X, while INTC sits at 8.97X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ConclusionIntel, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, delivered growth across its AI-driven businesses in its most recent quarterly results, along with stronger margins and earnings. The company’s CPU franchise remains well-positioned as anchored architecture underpins the AI computing in production. It is also progressing well with its A14 technology development and is likely to extend the company’s technology leadership position.

TSMC, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), continues to benefit from the robust AI-driven demand for its leading-edge process technologies. The first-quarter results highlighted sequential revenue growth and margin expansion. Its N2 and A16 technologies support the growing demand for energy-efficient computing.

Earnings estimates for both companies are trending higher. While both TSM and INTC offer compelling investment opportunities, Intel’s year-to-date stock performance and relatively cheaper valuation give it an edge.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

FORT WORTH, Texas, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sports Entertainment Gaming Global Corporation (“SEGG Media” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SEGG, LTRYW), the global sports, entertainment and gaming media company and owner of Veloce Media Group and Quadrant, today announced the successful completion of its high-demand Quadrant x Shopify pop-up in central London during the 2026 British Grand Prix week. The activation demonstrated the Company’s ability to convert its rapidly growing digital audiences into higher-margin commerce, sponsorship and experiential revenue opportunities.

The week-long activation took place at London’s Outernet during one of the highlights of the global motorsport calendar, bringing more than 10,000 of Quadrant’s highly engaged audience into a premium physical retail space. The activation exceeded internal expectations for fan engagement and merchandise demand with social campaigns earning 5.8 million impressions.

The pop-up generated strong commercial results through its partnership with Shopify and direct-to-consumer merchandise sales of exclusive Quadrant apparel. Shopify’s market-leading commerce platform powered the full purchasing experience, delivering a seamless journey for customers and supported high-volume transactions throughout the week. The collaboration with Shopify demonstrates SEGG Media’s ability to attract leading global commercial partners while providing the infrastructure necessary to scale direct-to-consumer commerce across its growing portfolio of brands.

The activation highlights SEGG Media’s strategy to transform audience engagement into multiple recurring revenue streams, including merchandise, sponsorship, licensing, live experiences and strategic brand partnerships. Through a combination of content, community, live experiences and commerce, this approach creates multiple revenue streams while strengthening long-term fan relationships.

Founded by Formula 1 driver Lando Norris and operated within SEGG Media’s portfolio through Veloce Media Group, Quadrant has become one of the fastest growing, creator-led motorsport lifestyle brands. Spanning apparel, original content, blue-chip partnerships, and live experiences, Quadrant’s latest London activation further demonstrates its ability to extend beyond digital content into experiential retail.

Daniel Bailey, Chief Commercial Officer of SEGG Media and CEO of Veloce Media Group, said: "This activation demonstrates the commercial model behind SEGG Media’s investment in Veloce and Quadrant. Working alongside Shopify, we delivered a premium brand experience that created value for both partners while generating direct consumer revenue through Quadrant merchandise sales. It's an excellent example of how our media brands evolve beyond content into sustainable commerce businesses, creating multiple revenue opportunities from a single fan experience. This model is highly scalable, and we intend to replicate it across our broader portfolio.

“The activation also reflects management’s strategy of leveraging acquired brands across multiple commercial channels rather than relying solely on advertising or media revenue.”

By bringing together a globally recognized creator-led brand with one of the world's leading commerce platforms, SEGG Media, Quadrant and Shopify created a repeatable blueprint for how modern sports and entertainment brands can deepen fan engagement while generating measurable commercial outcomes.

SEGG Media believes the success of the Quadrant x Shopify activation validates a scalable commercial model that can be extended across its expanding portfolio of sports and entertainment assets. As the Company further deploys Veloce Media Group’s assets across its ecosystem and continues developing additional premium brands, management expects similar activations to support increased sales and higher-margin revenue opportunities, deepen consumer engagement and contribute to long-term shareholder value creation.

About SEGG Media Corporation

SEGG Media (Nasdaq: SEGG, LTRYW) is a global sports, entertainment, and gaming group operating a portfolio of digital assets including Sports.com, Concerts.com, TicketStub.com, Lottery.com, and Veloce Media Group. Focused on immersive fan engagement, ethical gaming, and AI-driven live experiences, SEGG Media is redefining how global audiences interact with the content they love.

Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” 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. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, including statements regarding the Company’s strategy, future operations, prospects, plans, objectives, product rollout, market availability, sponsorship integration, fan engagement opportunities and expected future updates, are forward-looking statements. Words such as “could,” “should,” “will,” “may,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “continue,” “expand,” “launch,” “rollout,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond the Company’s control. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, regulatory, operational and commercial considerations in each market in which Sports.com Predict may be made available; the Company’s ability to implement and scale technology, product, sponsorship and marketing initiatives; the Company’s ability to secure additional capital resources; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules and become or remain current with its SEC reports; and the other risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s filings with the SEC. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the matters discussed herein can be found in the reports that the Company has filed and will file from time to time with the SEC, which are available publicly at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

In the 30 days ending July 8, the S&P 500 made a directional move of 1% or more four times. Some analysts will dismiss that as a consequence of large numbers. That is, the S&P 500 is over 7,500 points. Five years ago, that was around 4,300 and 10 years ago it was around 2,100.

But investors perceive that as volatility, and that has many seeking safety outside of the volatile artificial intelligence trade. It’s hard to fault that strategy. Investors (who are also consumers) are dealing with sticky inflation, which impacts the outlook for interest rates and consumer sentiment.

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That would be enough, but investors also have to consider a tense geopolitical environment in the Middle East and Europe that suggests there may be many more directional moves of 1% or more in the S&P 500 for the remainder of 2026.

Dividend Stocks Balance Safety With GrowthDespite the market gyrations, many investors sleep well at night. Their investment strategy includes dividend-paying stocks, so their portfolio generates regular, passive income.

Many investors will dismiss dividend stocks as being too boring. It’s true that many of the best dividend stocks will not beat the performance of the S&P 500. That math doesn’t work for growth-oriented investors.

But for investors looking for safety in a turbulent market, dividend stocks offer an attractive balance of enough growth to go along with a safe, growing dividend. Whether investors reinvest the dividends or use the cash as supplemental income, these stocks do what they’re designed to do. Here are three names that have an attractive total return outlook in the second half of 2026.

IBM Delivers Dividend Growth Alongside AI InnovationIBM NYSE: IBM has successfully pivoted from its hardware roots into a major player in cloud computing.

International Business Machines Today

IBM

International Business Machines

$290.07 +2.51 (+0.87%)

As of 09:58 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$212.34▼

$332.46Dividend Yield2.33%

P/E Ratio25.65

Price Target$306.28

The company’s 2025 acquisition of Confluent is pushing it into the application layer of the AI stack, which gives IBM a direct hand in how enterprises feed live, real-time data into their AI models instead of just supplying the infrastructure underneath them.

IBM is also one of the large-cap names that is staking its claim in the quantum computing space. Not every name in this space will make it, but with its reputation and balance sheet, IBM shouldn’t be counted out.

In the last five years, IBM has delivered stock price growth of over 100%. However, the total return, which includes its dividend, is over 170%. IBM increased that dividend for its 30th consecutive year in April 2026.

For investors looking for a growth and value play in the technology sector, IBM is a name to consider.

Kinder Morgan Offers Reliable Income Despite Energy Price VolatilityThe U.S. conflict with Iran has caused oil prices to move from above $100 to around $60 in the first half of the year. That kind of price movement in the underlying commodity has made some energy stocks as volatile as tech stocks.

Kinder Morgan Today

KMI

Kinder Morgan

$32.02 -0.10 (-0.30%)

As of 09:58 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$25.60▼

$34.81Dividend Yield3.72%

P/E Ratio21.46

Price Target$34.71

That’s why investors may want to consider Kinder Morgan NYSE: KMI. The company is a midstream company. It’s responsible for transporting oil and natural gas through its extensive pipeline network, and its business is agnostic to oil and natural gas prices. The work is contracted and predictable, which is good for its customers as well as investors.

KMI is up approximately 17% in 2026 and has delivered a total return of over 150% in the last five years. It’s trading within about 7% of its consensus price target of $34.71. However, UBS Group recently reiterated its $43 price target for the stock.

Plus, Kinder Morgan’s dividend yields 3.7% as of this writing, and the company has increased the dividend for nine consecutive years.

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund Adds Global Growth and Dividend IncomeThe Templeton Emerging Markets Fund NYSE: EMF is a different avenue for investors looking to balance growth and safety. Heading into 2026, emerging markets were seen as a place to seek outsized performance. EMF is up about 34% in 2026.

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund Today

EMF

Templeton Emerging Markets Fund

$22.36 -0.36 (-1.56%)

As of 09:55 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$14.10▼

$24.70Dividend Yield4.03%

Investing in emerging markets is important for a diversified portfolio. However, investing in companies outside the United States does require a different level of due diligence.

The Emerging Markets Fund uses a bottom-up, fundamental research approach to identify undervalued opportunities across local stock exchanges. The fund’s holdings span a range of industries, reducing the risk of any one country or sector.

The EMF pays a quarterly dividend that currently comes out to 90 cents per share on an annual basis. 

However, the company just increased its dividend to 24 cents per share in May. With a share price that’s around $22 as of this writing, investors have time to build a sizable position.

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

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

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

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

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On July 13, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS), a company that has seen a mixed performance in the market. Over the past year, TMUS

The Dividend Harvesting Portfolio, now valued at $39,942.16, has delivered a 42.65% return on invested capital over 280 weeks. I added Oracle (ORCL) to the portfolio, citing strong AI-driven CapEx monetization, robust RPO, and management's bullish growth guidance. Forward annualized dividend income reached $3,144.21, with YoY income and reinvestment compounding accelerating the portfolio's income growth trajectory.

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First American Data & Analytics, a premier provider of property intelligence, risk, valuation and data solutions and a division of First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), today announced that its industry-leading property intelligence datasets, the largest and most comprehensive in the nation, are now available within the ArcGIS® ecosystem from Esri®. ArcGIS users can now access GIS-ready property intelligence—including nationwide parcel boundar.