Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

The 2026 Voice of the Retail Industry Survey: How U.S. Retailers are Feeling About Inflation, Expansion, AI, and More Toast (NYSE: TOST) released its 2026 Voice of the Retail Industry Survey. Toast annually surveys hundreds of operators working in retail, and this year’s results show the industry is cautious and resilient — operators remain positive but are tightening control amid an uncertain landscape. The last year has seen persistent hikes in inflation and macroeconomic volatility, but America's convenience stores, bottle shops, and grocery stores (CBGs) remained largely confident.

Our data shows that operators still expect to grow, but they’re looking to shore up their foundation by protecting margins, simplifying operations, and employing more efficient tech.1 This was a blind survey of operators and decision-makers with fewer than 16 locations in the United States and included both Toast and non-Toast customers.

Read the full 2026 Voice of the Retail Industry Survey on the Data by Toast website.

Key takeaways from the 2026 Voice of the Retail Industry Survey:

Among the 340 operators surveyed:

Operators are feeling positive: 94% rated their business health good or excellentExpansion is on the table: 66% say they're likely to open a new location in the next year31% say they’re looking to simplify their operations in their top three business goals, up 12 points year-over-year2Inflation remains a concern, but inventory management (up 6 points year-over-year) is the biggest pain pointIt’s an AI world: Nine in ten operators are experimenting with AIWhat are retail operators focused on this year?

The 2026 data shows they're also focused on making their operations more efficient. “Simplify operations” as a goal jumped significantly among all operators, up 12 percentage points overall. Profitability (32%), “improve employee productivity” (27%), and “start using new tech” (25%) were the other top goals of retailers.

What's the bottom line for retail in 2026?

In short: Retail operators are resilient, still believe in their businesses, and still plan to grow. Overall, the survey data showed they’re looking to grow more efficiently — with new tech, AI adoption, and a careful eye on costs — amid a difficult macroeconomic climate.

Read the full 2026 Voice of the Retail Industry Survey on the Data by Toast website.

Methodology

1To help better understand the retail industry, Toast conducted a blind survey of 340 CBG retail (convenience, grocery, or bottle shop) decision-makers operating 16 or fewer locations in the United States, including both Toast and non-Toast customers, from April 3, 2026, to April 20, 2026. Respondents did not know Toast was fielding the study. Using a standard margin of error calculation, at a confidence interval of 95%, the margin of error of +/- 5%.

2Methodology: From April 18, 2025 through May 13, 2025, Toast polled 492 retail decision-makers in the United States. Survey respondents consist of retailers with 16 or fewer locations and include a mix of convenience stores, bottle shops, and grocery stores. While some Toast customers are included in this survey, it is a broad view of independent retailers. This is a blind survey, meaning respondents did not know that Toast was fielding the study. Insights from this survey are directional and should not be interpreted as precise. The margin of error is +/- 5%

About Toast

Toast [NYSE: TOST] is a global technology platform built for restaurant and retail businesses. From the busiest local restaurants and shops to large hospitality brands, Toast helps owners and operators manage their businesses more efficiently, drive guest demand, and build lasting success.

Toast integrates software, agentic AI, payments, financial technology solutions, and hardware with a broad partner ecosystem. Powering billions of purchases throughout local commerce, Toast delivers the precision and innovation required for modern restaurant and retail environments. For more information, visit www.toasttab.com.

TOST-CORP

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260909571694/en/

Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.

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

Over the past month, shares of this construction supply company have returned -16.7%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Building Products - Retail industry, which Builders FirstSource falls in, has lost 11.9%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

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.

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

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.

Builders FirstSource is expected to post earnings of $1.14 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -39.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.15 points to a change of -54.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.28 indicates a change of +36% from what Builders FirstSource is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Builders FirstSource is rated Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

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

12 Month EPS

Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

For Builders FirstSource, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $3.8 billion indicates a year-over-year change of -3.6%. For the current and next fiscal years, $14.32 billion and $14.74 billion estimates indicate -5.7% and +2.9% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryBuilders FirstSource reported revenues of $3.86 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -8.8%. EPS of $1.17 for the same period compares with $2.38 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.91 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -1.23%. The EPS surprise was -9.3%.

Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times 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.

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

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Builders FirstSource. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY) today announced that Jason VanWees, Vice Chairman, will present at the 2026 Jefferies Global Industrials Conferenc

Wintrust Financial Corporation is rated HOLD after reporting modest low single-digit earnings growth for 2Q26. WTFC trades at a 1.7x price/tangible book premium, with a 1.4% dividend yield and no share buybacks, making it less attractive than peers. Bolt-on acquisitions, such as the $1.2B AUM guardianship business from NTRS, and C&I loan growth are key strategic drivers.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Boot Barn (BOOT - Free Report) Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. is the largest lifestyle retailer in the United States, specializing in western and work-related footwear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Irvine, California, the company serves customers through an integrated network of brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platforms. At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Boot Barn operated 566 stores across 49 states and complemented its physical presence with a nationwide digital platform that supports services such as buy online, pick up in store, curbside pickup, ship-from-store and in-store returns. 

BOOT is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. BOOT has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 22.6% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2027, six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.46 to $9.01 per share. BOOT boasts an average earnings surprise of +11.4%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, BOOT should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways ANET's 2026 sales and EPS estimates imply 39.1% and 35.6% growth, with EPS estimates up 11.3%.IBM's 2026 sales and EPS estimates imply 4.3% and 6.4% growth, while EPS estimates fell 0.7%.Arista surged 29.4% over the past year, while IBM fell 9.7%; IBM trades at a lower forward P/E. Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET - Free Report) and International Business Machines Corporation (IBM - Free Report) are leading players in the enterprise IT infrastructure and are benefiting from the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing. Arista offers one of the broadest product lines of data center and campus Ethernet switches and routers in the industry. It provides routing and switching platforms with industry-leading capacity, low latency, port density and power efficiency.

IBM offers cloud and data solutions that aid enterprises in digital transformation. In addition to hybrid cloud services, the company provides advanced information technology solutions, computer systems, quantum computing and supercomputing solutions, enterprise software, storage systems and microelectronics.

With a focus on hybrid cloud and AI, both IBM and Arista are strategically positioned in the cloud infrastructure market, with overlapping presence in networking infrastructure, enterprise IT solutions and cloud/data-center ecosystems. Let us delve a little deeper into the companies’ competitive dynamics to understand which of the two is relatively better placed in the industry.

The Case for ANETArista holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switches and is increasingly gaining market traction in 200- and 400-gigabit high-performance switching products. It is witnessing solid demand trends among enterprise customers backed by its multi-domain modern software approach, which is built upon its unique and differentiating foundation, the single EOS (Extensible Operating System) and CloudVision stack. Arista has made several additions to its multi-cloud and cloud-native software product family with CloudEOS Edge. It has introduced new cognitive Wi-Fi software that delivers intelligent application identification, automated troubleshooting and location services. The versatility of Arista’s unified software stack across various use cases, including WAN routing, campus and data center infrastructure, sets it apart from other competitors in the industry.

In addition to high capacity and easy availability, its cloud networking solutions promise predictable performance and programmability, enabling integration with third-party applications for network management, automation and orchestration. The company boasts a comprehensive portfolio with the right network architecture for client-to-campus data center cloud and AI networking, backed by three guiding principles. These include best-in-class, highly proactive products with resilience and zero-touch automation, with predictive client-to-cloud one-click operations with granular visibility and prescriptive insights for deeper AI algorithms. Arista is likely to benefit from its software-driven, data-centric approach, which helps customers build their cloud architecture and enhance the cloud experience they offer their clients.

However, Arista remains plagued by high operating costs. Total operating expenses in the second quarter of 2026 increased around 17.7% to $532.3 million, owing to higher headcount, new product introduction costs and higher variable compensation expenditures. Moreover, the redesign of products and their supply chain mechanism have eroded margins. Research & development costs rose to $348.2 million from $296.5 million. Lingering supply bottlenecks for advanced products, a concentrated customer base and stiff competition from other networking & cloud native infrastructure vendors are other headwinds for ANET.

The Case for IBMIBM is poised to benefit from healthy demand trends for hybrid cloud and AI, which drive the Software and Consulting segments. The company’s growth is expected to be aided by analytics, cloud computing and security in the long term. With a surge in traditional cloud-native workloads and associated applications, along with a rise in generative AI deployment, there is a radical expansion in the number of cloud workloads that enterprises are currently managing. This has resulted in heterogeneous, dynamic and complex infrastructure strategies, which have led firms to undertake a cloud-agnostic and interoperable approach to highly secure multi-cloud management, translating into a healthy demand for IBM hybrid cloud solutions.

In addition, the buyout of HashiCorp has significantly augmented IBM’s capabilities to assist enterprises in managing complex cloud environments. HashiCorp’s toolsets complement IBM Red Hat’s portfolio, bringing additional functionalities for cloud infrastructure management and bolstering its hybrid multi-cloud approach.

Despite solid hybrid cloud and AI traction, IBM is facing stiff competition from Amazon.com, Inc.’s (AMZN - Free Report) AWS and Microsoft Corporation’s (MSFT - Free Report) Azure. Increasing pricing pressure is eroding margins, and profitability has trended down over the years, barring occasional spikes. The company faces a potent threat from AI firm Anthropic as the latter’s Claude Code tool can modernize legacy COBOL systems — a foundational programming language deeply embedded in IBM’s mainframe ecosystem. With Claude Code proposing to substantially automate code exploration, documentation, refactoring and security analysis, it threatened to reduce enterprises’ reliance on specialized legacy service providers like IBM, putting its sustenance at stake.

How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for ANET & IBM?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Arista’s 2026 sales and EPS implies year-over-year growth of 39.1% and 35.6%, respectively. The EPS estimates have trended up 11.3% over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IBM’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 4.3% and 6.4%, respectively. The EPS estimates have declined 0.7% over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Price Performance & Valuation of IBM & ANETOver the past year, IBM has plummeted 9.7% against the industry’s growth of 196.1%. ANET has surged 29.4% over the same period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

IBM looks more attractive than Arista from a valuation standpoint. Going by the price/earnings ratio, IBM’s shares currently trade at 17.93 forward earnings, significantly lower than Arista’s 41.49.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ANET or IBM: Which is the Better Pick?Arista currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), while IBM has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Both companies expect their sales and profits to improve in 2026. Arista has better price performance and better estimate revisions compared with IBM, although it is a bit expensive in terms of the valuation metric. Arista has shown steady revenue and EPS growth for years, while IBM has been facing a bumpy road.

Investors looking for the "next wave" in AI and cloud infrastructure may lean toward Arista, while those seeking a broad, resilient tech play may favor IBM. However, with a better Zacks Rank and emerging growth opportunities in AI and cloud infrastructure, Arista seems to have an edge over IBM and appears to be a better investment option at the moment.

Core & Main (CNM - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.94 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.93 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.87 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +1.08%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this distributor of water and fire protection products would post earnings of $0.7 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.72, delivering a surprise of +2.86%.

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

Core & Main, which belongs to the Zacks Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products industry, posted revenues of $2.15 billion for the quarter ended July 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.17%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.09 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

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

Core & Main shares have lost about 15.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.1%.

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

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

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

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

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.96 on $2.15 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.15 on $7.88 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products is currently in the top 24% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Apogee Enterprises (APOG - Free Report) , another stock in the broader Zacks Industrial Products sector, has yet to report results for the quarter ended August 2026.

This glass products company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.59 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -39.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Apogee Enterprises' revenues are expected to be $362.61 million, up 1.2% from the year-ago quarter.

9.9.2026 17:52, BAAKOMB

Komerční banka uzavřela 3. září 2026 smlouvu se svou mateřskou společností Société Générale o poskytnutí podřízeného úvěru ve výši 200 mil. EUR s úrokovou sazbou EURIBOR 1M plus 1,61 %, který se stane součástí regulatorního kapitálu Tier 2. Úvěr byl poskytnut 8. září 2026 s desetiletou splatností, přičemž banka má možnost jej po pěti letech předčasně splatit (call opce). Podle vyjádření banky odpovídá zvýšení regulatorního kapitálu z titulu přijatého úvěru přibližně 0,78 % konsolidovaných rizikově vážených aktiv k 30. červnu 2026.

Akcie Komerční banky Akcie Komerční banky (BAAKOMB) na pražské burze dnes oslabily o 0,92 % na 1 075 Kč, na RM-SYSTÉMu pak na 1 077 Kč.

Zdroj: Komerční banka

Michal Bárta
Fio banka, a.s.
Prohlášení

Související odkazy Komerční banka: mBank zvyšuje cílovou cenu akcií na 1 218,76 Kč a doporučení na „Buy“ Komerční banka: UBS snižuje cílovou cenu na 1 120 Kč při novém doporučení „Neutral“ KB: Ipopema Securities zvyšuje cílovou cenu na 1 218 Kč při novém doporučení „Accumulate“ Komerční banka: Citi zvyšuje cílovou cenu na 1 062 Kč při zachování doporučení „neutral“ Komerční banka za 2Q 2026 reportovala čistý zisk 4,5 mld. Kč

Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) shares are trading sideways Wednesday. They have found support at an important price level. They may even be about to reverse and head higher. This is why we have made Axon the Stock of the Day.

Successful traders understand market dynamics and principles. One is that certain price levels matter more than others.

As you can see on the chart, the $505 level has been important for Axon. Over the past year, it has served as both support and resistance.

In March 2025, the stock was trending lower. More shares were for sale than being bought. Sellers were forced to undercut each other to attract buyers. This forced the shares into a downtrend.

When they reached the $505 level, the buyers came out of the woodwork. Sellers could sell all they wanted to without pushing the price lower.

After the shares rallied, some of those who sold decided their decision was a mistake. Some decided to buy their shares back if they could do so at their selling price.

When the shares dropped back to $505 in July 2025, they placed buy orders. These orders created support.

After support broke, many people who bought shares at it regretted doing so. Some decided to exit their positions at breakeven if possible. When the shares rallied back to $505 in June, they placed sell orders. These orders created resistance.

Now this important level is support again.

When the resistance at $505 broke, some people who sold there regretted it and decided to buy their shares back if they could get them at the same price they sold them for.

Now that Axon is back to $505, they are placing buy orders. They have created support.

Good traders know some price levels matter more than others. Axon’s chart shows a clear example of this.

Image: Shutterstock

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Insmed Incorporated (INSM) Presents at 12th Annual Cantor Fitzgerald Global Healthcare Conference Transcript

As the quantum computing industry matures, companies have begun to diverge in terms of stock performance. Firms that have recently been struggling are down sharply—D-Wave Quantum Inc. NASDAQ: QBTS, for example, has seen its shares plunge by 33% year to date (YTD), partly due to an earnings report that many investors found concerning.

But even some companies with apparent strong sales momentum, such as IonQ Inc. NYSE: IONQ, have had a tough time—IONQ's shares are down about 11% YTD despite its successes.

Get Pasqal alerts:

In this environment, investors might seek out alternatives in lesser-known or newly public quantum rivals.
For instance, the French firm Pasqal NASDAQ: PSQL, which became available on the Nasdaq in late August 2026, may appeal as one of the newest entrants in the space. This and other smaller firms can offer unique advantages in terms of technological diversification, sales potential, and more.

Of course, smaller names have the possibility of being even more speculative than better-established firms that are struggling. With that trade-off in mind, here are three under-the-radar quantum stocks that could reward investors willing to stomach the volatility.

Pasqal Enters an Increasingly Crowded FieldPasqal is a quantum hardware company focused on neutral-atom processors. With an eye toward applications involving optimization, simulation, and machine learning, the firm is entering a highly competitive space that features a growing number of rivals. Key to Pasqal's success, therefore, will be whether it can differentiate itself.

Pasqal Today$8.01 -0.03 (-0.42%)

As of 11:48 AM Eastern

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

$7.30▼

$24.69$20.00

With its neutral-atom approach, Pasqal does set itself apart from most of the field, although its peer Infleqtion Inc. NYSE: INFQ is perhaps closest in terms of technological approach.

Neutral-atom tech has exciting potential when it comes to scalability, but what really helps Pasqal make a name for itself is its combination of both analog and digital execution.

The firm has also focused on optimization and simulation, rather than trying to make its hardware into a universal solution for all imaginable quantum problems—this may help it cater to a growing commercial base over time.

Still, the fact that the company is so new to the Nasdaq means that it is largely unproven in the market. With little to go on in terms of past performance metrics, investors should view PSQL as a high-risk, high-reward play and a very speculative bet for now.

FormFactor Rides Quantum's Growth From the SidelinesInvestors seeking alternative exposure to quantum tech might look beyond pure-play quantum firms to companies like FormFactor Inc. NASDAQ: FORM, which provides critical testing and measurement services that help quantum computing firms meet their production goals. FormFactor is thus not a quantum company, per se, but is nonetheless closely tied to the industry while also offering exposure outside it.

FormFactor Today

$114.00 +4.14 (+3.77%)

As of 11:49 AM Eastern

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

$29.21▼

$160.2778.03

$127.45

This has paid off in terms of performance: FORM shares are up 98% YTD, and the company posted impressive top- and bottom-line beats in the latest quarter, including a 32% year over year (YOY) improvement to revenue.

This is the sort of profitability and sales growth that most firms in the pure-play quantum category are still searching for.

FormFactor is likely to benefit from continued growth in the quantum space, making it a solid, if indirect, choice for quantum investors.

Keysight Has the Opportunity to Be a Major Picks-and-Shovels PlayKeysight Technologies NYSE: KEYS is another non-traditional way to access the quantum space. The company provides design, test, measurement, and optimization solutions for electronics and communications firms, and its electronic design automation and control tools are becoming increasingly important for quantum companies.

Keysight Technologies Today

KEYS

Keysight Technologies

$330.49 -2.93 (-0.88%)

As of 11:49 AM Eastern

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

$158.79▼

$374.9645.35

$392.83

Like FormFactor, Keysight's unique niche has led to stellar results in recent periods. The last quarter saw record performance ahead of guidance, including a 56% YOY improvement to orders, 36% YOY growth in revenue, and a 79% YOY earnings per share (EPS) increase. Margins are expanding, management is raising its outlook, and the company is seeing benefits across business lines ranging from aerospace and defense to AI.

Among these firms, Keysight perhaps provides the least direct exposure to the quantum computing industry. Investors seeking more targeted exposure may want to look elsewhere. However, Wall Street's rosy assessment of KEYS shares—12 Buy ratings against just two Holds, plus a healthy bit of predicted upside—on top of 63% YTD share price improvement, helps to make the company an attractive prospect overall.

To the extent that Keysight can continue to set itself up as a picks-and-shovels play for quantum computing, alongside its vital role in AI and multiple other high-growth industries, the company may be able to continue this trajectory as the quantum world becomes more solidified among a dedicated customer base.

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

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For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Casey's General Stores (CASY - Free Report) Founded in 1968 and based in Ankeny, IA, Casey's General Stores, Inc. operates convenience stores primarily under the Casey's and Casey's General Store names in 19 states, mainly Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. As of April 30, 2026, the company operated 2,944 stores. Approximately 71% of all stores were located in areas with populations of fewer than 20,000 people.

CASY is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. CASY has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 10.7% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2027, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.07 to $21.21 per share. CASY boasts an average earnings surprise of +17.5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, CASY should be on investors' short list.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: OSI Systems (OSIS - Free Report) OSI Systems, Inc. designs and manufactures specialized electronic systems and components for security, defense/aerospace, and healthcare end markets. Headquartered in Hawthorne, CA, the company combines equipment sales with services and software tied to its installed base. OSI maintains global R&D, manufacturing, and service capabilities and serves customers in more than 170 countries. The company reports three segments: Security, Optoelectronics & Manufacturing, and Healthcare.

OSIS is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 17.92; value investors should take notice.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2027. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $11.40 per share. OSIS boasts an average earnings surprise of +2.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, OSIS should be on investors' short list.

ABM Industries Inc (NYSE:ABM) posted better-than-expected earnings for the third quarter on Tuesday.

The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, beating market estimates of $1.01 per share. The company’s sales came in at $2.317 billion, versus expectations of $2.310 billion.

ABM narrowed its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $3.95-$4.10 from $3.85-$4.15. The analyst estimate is $3.98.

“Our third quarter results reflected strong operational and financial performance, including record quarterly revenue, robust EPS growth and substantial cash generation. Our team executed well and delivered on our expectations despite a backdrop of macro uncertainty and adverse timing of certain projects,” said Scott Salmirs, President and Chief Executive Officer.

ABM shares gained 0.2% to trade at $50.65 on Wednesday.

These analysts made changes to their price targets on ABM following earnings announcement.

Freedom Capital Markets analyst David Silver maintained the stock with a Buy and raised the price target from $55 to $58. Baird analyst Andrew Wittmann maintained the stock with a Neutral and raised the price target from $48 to $53. Trending

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

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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP, a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of Papa John’s International, Inc. (“Papa John’s” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PZZA) investors concerning the Company’s possible violations of the federal securities laws.

IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO LOST MONEY ON PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC. (PZZA), CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT POTENTIALLY PURSUING CLAIMS TO RECOVER YOUR LOSS.

What Happened?

On August 6, 2026, Papa Johns issued its second quarter 2026 financial results, reporting an 8.3% decline in North American comparable sales. The Company also reduced its fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting “global system-wide sales to decline between 2% and 4% compared to last year and adjusted EBITDA between $180 million to $190 million,” and suspended its quarterly dividend. During the related conference call, CEO Todd Allan Penegor stated that “it’s clear that our transformation is taking longer than expected” and “we must execute better and move faster.”

On this news, Papa Johns’ stock price fell $5.11 or 17.18%, to close at $24.64 per share on August 6, 2026, thereby injuring investors.

Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:

If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us.

Charles Linehan, Esq.,
Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP,
1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100,
Los Angeles California 90067
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 310-201-9150 (Toll-Free: 888-773-9224)
Visit our website at www.glancylaw.com.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Whistleblower Notice

Persons with non-public information regarding Papa John’s International, Inc. should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected].

About Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP

Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP (“GPWR”) is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. GPWR has been consistently ranked in the Top 50 Securities Class Action Settlements by ISS Securities Class Action Services. In 2018, GPWR was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements.

With four offices across the country, GPWR’s nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPWR’s lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct and relating to nearly all industries and sectors. GPWR’s past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron’s, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, and Money.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

More News From Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP

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Pankaj Sharma, Chief Business Officer at Remitly Global (RELY -2.05%), sold 21,000 shares of common stock on Aug. 28, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value$554,000Shares sold21,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)716,022Post-transaction value$19 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($26.39); post-transaction value based on Aug. 28, 2026, market close ($26.55).

Key questionsWhat was the regulatory context of this transaction?
This sale was executed automatically pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that Sharma adopted on Nov. 18, 2025, which allows insiders to set up a predetermined schedule for selling company stock.How does this sale affect the executive's total equity exposure?
Following the sale of 21,000 shares, the executive maintains a significant direct position of 716,022 shares, representing a market value of $19 million as of the Aug. 28, 2026, market close.What is the recent market performance of Remitly Global equity?
As of the transaction date on Aug. 28, 2026, Remitly Global shares delivered a total return of 44% over the past year, while the company continues to provide digital financial services for international money transfers in nearly 150 countries.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-08-28)$26.55Market Capitalization$5.2 billionRevenue (TTM)$1.8 billionNet Income (TTM)$305 millionCompany SnapshotRemitly Global operates a digital financial services platform specializing in international money transfers and remittances, generating revenue primarily from transaction fees and foreign exchange margins. Remitly is available in 130+ countries.The company employs a direct-to-consumer digital model that enables people to send money to their families in emerging markets, leveraging technology to reduce costs and improve accessibility relative to traditional remittance providers.Remitly's primary customer base consists of individuals in developed markets who regularly transfer funds to family members in developing economies, with particular concentration in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.Remitly Global is a leading digital remittance platform serving the global diaspora market with approximately $1.8 billion in TTM revenue and $305 million in net income, demonstrating strong profitability within the fintech infrastructure sector. The company has achieved a market valuation of $5.2 billion, reflecting investor confidence in the secular growth trends within cross-border payments. With 3,200 employees, Remitly maintains a competitive advantage through its technology-driven platform, which delivers faster, more transparent, and lower-cost remittance solutions than traditional money transfer operators.

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What this transaction means for investorsOn Aug. 28, Sharma sold 21,000 shares in a transaction valued at approximately $554,000. On the surface, that sounds like a lot of stock to dispose of, which could make shareholders worry that it signals something may be amiss with the company. But with the available details and some context, this appears to be just a routine sale. For instance, while Sharma sold 21,000 shares, the insider still holds 716,022 shares. That shows continued alignment with Remitly's near- and long-term success.

Also, it's important to consider the stock price's performance. Thus far in 2026, Remitly shares are up nearly 80% as of this writing. In comparison, the S&P 500 is up 12.1%. With such a strong performance, it would make sense that an insider may want to take some of those gains off the table. And finally, this trade was also established under a plan created all the way back in November 2025. That shows this wasn't a knee-jerk or rushed decision, as the trading plan was established almost a full year ago. Taken together, this sale is indicative of routine activity and not something for shareholders to worry about.

Chewy (CHWY - Free Report) reported $3.33 billion in revenue for the quarter ended July 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 7.3%. EPS of $0.36 for the same period compares to $0.33 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.42% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.32 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.36, the company has not delivered EPS surprise.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Chewy performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Active customers: 21,705 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 21,662.Net sales per active customer: $602.00 compared to the $602.92 average estimate based on four analysts.Net Sales- Hardgoods: $395.8 million compared to the $384.21 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +14.4% year over year.Net Sales- Consumables: $2.23 billion compared to the $2.25 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.9% year over year.View all Key Company Metrics for Chewy here>>>

Shares of Chewy have returned +3.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

Chewy Inc (NYSE:CHWY) reported second-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street estimates on Thursday, even as shares fell 8.6% after the pet products retailer's free cash flow missed expectations.

Revenue rose 7.3% year-over-year to $3.33 billion, edging past the $3.32 billion analysts had forecast. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.36, up 9.1% from a year earlier.

Adjusted EBITDA climbed 23.7% to $226.7 million, topping estimates of $211 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 90 basis points to 6.8%, also ahead of forecasts.

Gross margin held steady at 30.4% year-over-year, and net margin improved 40 basis points to 2.4%. Free cash flow fell 15.5% to $89.5 million, well short of the $133 million analysts had expected.

Active customers grew 3.8% to 21.705 million.

Analysts at Jefferies said the company's base business, excluding acquisitions, is holding up, which they said should be viewed favorably given softer macroeconomic commentary in the prior quarter. However, they noted that one-time items and timing factors contributed to the profit beat, and that guidance pointing to stable core growth alongside heavy reinvestment means the results are not as strong as headline numbers suggest.

The analysts said Chewy's capital deployment toward expanding its addressable market in veterinary and equestrian categories is a sensible move, and that its artificial intelligence and membership initiatives show promise, though the timing of when those investments will generate higher returns remains uncertain.

Generative AI (GenAI) is gaining practical applications across the Medical Instruments industry, moving beyond its experimental phase. Companies are using it to generate synthetic medical images, simulate disease progression, create potential drug molecules and predicttheir effects, helping accelerate the drug development process.In McKinsey’s fourth-quarter 2025 survey, 50% of U.S. healthcare leaders reported GenAI implementation, while more than 80% had deployed initial use cases. Although administrative efficiency has the greatest perceived potential, clinical productivity became the most widely adopted GenAI application among care organizations.

Meanwhile, the FDA recently released a discussion paper, Considerations for the Regulation of Generative AI-Enabled Medical Devices, highlighting the technology’s potential benefits and risks. GenAI-enabled devices could transform patient care but may also introduce risks that differ from traditional software and AI-enabled devices. The paper seeks stakeholder input on these challenges and regulatory approaches.The European Union AI Act (EU AI Act) 2024 also introduced strict requirements for high-risk AI systems, including AI-based medical software.

Fortune Business Insights projects the global AI in the healthcare market to expand at a CAGR of 43.9% through 2026-2034. Despite industry pressures, Veracyte (VCYT - Free Report) , Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) and UFP Technologies (UFPT - Free Report) are well-positioned to benefit from continued AI adoption.

Industry Description The Zacks Medical - Instruments industry is highly fragmented, with participants engaged in research and development (R&D) in therapeutic areas. This FDA-regulated sector encompasses a vast array of products, from transcatheter valves and orthopedic devices to advanced imaging equipment and robotics. Recent trends highlight the integration of AI in diagnostics, the expansion of telemedicine, the rise of robotic-assisted surgeries and developments in 3D printing, continuous glucose monitoring systems and gene editing. The rise of GenAI is also reshaping MedTech, from speeding up patient recruitment to optimizing trial designs and improving regulatory processes. The FDA’s Total Product Life Cycle approach supports faster development of safe and effective medical devices critical to public health.

3 Trends Shaping the Future of the Medical Instruments Industry GenAI Revolution: Over the past couple of years, there has been a significant increase in the adoption of GenAI within the medical instrument space, with hyper-personalization being the primary feature of GenAI-driven treatment options. GenAI, while analyzing vast and complex genetic and molecular data, is expected to help healthcare reach new heights in terms of predictive treatment options and smart hospital systems. According to Zion Market Research, global GenAI in the healthcare market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 31.4% between 2026 and 2034. Growth is supported by the increasing use of AI-powered medical imaging, accelerated drug discovery, automated clinical documentation and growing physician burnout, which is boosting demand for intelligent workflow tools across hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and payers globally.The application of AI in the diagnostics space is growing enormously, with the market expected to witness a CAGR of 28.6% through 2026-2034.

M&A Trend: The medical instrument space has been benefiting from the ongoing merger and acquisition (M&A) trend. Smaller and midsized companies are turning to consolidation to gain scale and strengthen their competitive position, while larger players are pursuing acquisitions to enter niche markets and add specialized products and technologies to their portfolios. According to PWC’s Medtech: US Deals 2026 midyear outlook, Medtech M&A entered the second half of 2026 with continued momentum, supported by investment in innovation-led areas such as cardiovascular and neurostimulation, expansion into connected care and workflow platforms and continued carve-outs, take-privates, and other portfolio reshaping activity.Deal value reached $36.5 billion in the first half, following a decade-high level of M&A activity in 2025. Notable transactions included Boston Scientific’s $15 billion agreement to acquire Penumbra and Danaher’s $10 billion acquisition of Masimo. Medtronic also recently completed its $650 million acquisition of SPR Therapeutics, Inc., consisting of an upfront cash payment.

Business Trend Disruption: The IMF’s July 2026 World Economic Outlook projects global growth of 3% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027, below the 3.5% average observed in 2024-25 but broadly unchanged from its April forecast on a cumulative basis. The slowdown reflects the drag from the Middle East conflict, partly offset by stronger demand from the global technology cycle as AI advances and adoption The effects vary across countries, depending largely on their exposure to the conflict and their role in the technology supply chain. Global headline inflation is expected to rise from 4.1% in 2025 to 4.7% in 2026 before easing to 3.9% in 2027. The projections were revised slightly higher from April, suggesting that the disinflation trend that began in early 2024 has stalled. The possibility of renewed Middle East conflict looms large and could extend commodity price volatility, disrupt supply chains, raise prices and weigh on financial conditions.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright Prospects The Zacks Medical Instruments industry’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates upbeat near-term prospects. The industry, housed within the broader Zacks Medical sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #99, which places it in the top 40% of 248 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

We will present a few stocks that have the potential to outperform the market based on a strong earnings outlook. It is worth taking a look at the industry’s shareholder returns and current valuation first.

Industry Underperforms S&P 500 & Sector The industry has lagged the Zacks S&P 500 composite and the sector over the past year. The industry has declined 2.5% against the broader sector’s rise of 11.8%. The S&P 500 has returned 19% in a year.

1-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Industry's Current Valuation On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E), which is commonly used for valuing medical stocks, the industry is currently trading at 25.97X compared with the broader industry’s 21.30X and the S&P 500’s 20.09X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 41.07X, as low as 24.72X and at the median of 31.39X, as the charts show below.

Price-to-Earnings Forward 12 Months (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Price-to-Earnings Forward 12 Months (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

3 Stocks to Buy Right Now Veracyte: Based in California, Veracyte is a cancer diagnostics company, offering tests for prostate, thyroid, bladder and breast cancer. In the United States, it provides laboratory-developed tests through CLIA-certified labs in South San Francisco and San Diego, while the Prosigna breast cancer test is available internationally through laboratories and hospitals as an in vitro diagnostic. Its Afirma test leads the thyroid nodule molecular diagnostics market, driven by greater use among existing physicians, an expanding ordering-physician base and market share gains.

Veracyte sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 EPS and revenues calls for 8.4% and 14.4% growth, respectively. 

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

Price & Consensus: VCYT
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Globus Medical: Based in Pennsylvania, Globus Medical is a renowned musculoskeletal technology company, advancing care throughout spine, orthopedic trauma, joint reconstruction, biomaterials and enabling technologies. In 2023, the company expanded its spine business through the NuVasive merger and broadened into neuromodulation and pain treatment with the Nevro acquisition in 2025. Globus Medical’s International sales represented 21% of total net sales in the first half of 2026, spanning 61 countries outside the United States.

At present, GMED carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate calls for 25.4% EPS growth and 8.8% revenue growth for the company in 2026.

Price & Consensus: GMED
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

UFP Technologies: Massachusetts-based UFP is a contract development and manufacturing organization specializing in comprehensive solutions for medical devices, sterile packaging and other advanced engineered custom products. The company’s single-use and single-patient products support minimally invasive surgery, infection prevention, wound care, wearables and orthopedic care. UFP boasts a strong acquisition pipeline, completing three deals in the second quarter of 2026 and recently expanding its capabilities through the acquisition of CI Medical.

Presently, UFPT carries a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 EPS and revenue implies 8% and 9.1% growth, respectively.  

Price & Consensus: UFPT
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

C.H. Robinson Worldwide faces headline risk from a $604 million verdict, but insurance and fault allocation significantly limit direct financial exposure. Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II increases legal risk for brokers, but the true impact will be revealed through CHRW's 2027 insurance renewal, not immediate litigation outcomes. CHRW has achieved mid-cycle margins and productivity gains despite freight market weakness, driven by automation and cost reductions, positioning the business for future upside.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Equifax (EFX - Free Report) Equifax Inc. is a global data, analytics and technology company. It provides information solutions and human resources business process outsourcing services for businesses, governments and consumers. Its services are based on comprehensive databases of consumer and business information derived from numerous sources, including credit, financial assets, telecommunications and utility payments, employment, income, demographic and marketing data.

EFX is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 20.08; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.00 to $8.55 per share. EFX boasts an average earnings surprise of +5%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, EFX should be on investors' short list.

Owens Corning (OC - 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 construction materials company have returned -18.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.4% change. The Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, to which Owens Corning belongs, has lost 8.1% 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.

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

For the current quarter, Owens Corning is expected to post earnings of $3.20 per share, indicating a change of -12.8% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -4.6% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $9.94 points to a change of -17.5% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +3%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $12.13 indicates a change of +22% from what Owens Corning is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +1.9%.

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

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 Owens Corning, the consensus sales estimate of $2.63 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of -2.1%. The $9.96 billion and $10.36 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of -1.5% and +4.1%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryOwens Corning reported revenues of $2.76 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +0.3%. EPS of $3.93 for the same period compares with $4.21 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.67 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +3.16%. The EPS surprise was +28.43%.

Over the last four quarters, Owens Corning surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.

ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.

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

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Owens Corning is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount 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 Owens Corning. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

Korn Ferry remains a Buy with ~10% upside to a $90 price target, supported by resilient executive search and improving labor market trends. KFY delivered solid Q1 results: $1.43 EPS (beat by $0.07), 7% revenue growth to $765M, and stable 17% EBITDA margins. The AMS acquisition strengthens KFY's RPO segment, offers $40M synergy potential, and is supported by a robust pre-merger balance sheet.

Scott D. Lipesky, EVP and COO of Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF +0.71%), sold 5,000 shares of Class A common stock on Aug. 28, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value$745,000Shares sold5,000Post-transaction shares (directly held)147,534Post-transaction value$21.9 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($149); post-transaction value based on Aug. 28, 2026, market close ($148.42).

Key questionsWhat was the impact on Lipesky's direct equity position?
The executive sold 5,000 shares, a 3% transaction size relative to his previous stake, while retaining a direct holding of 147,534 shares.How does the transaction price compare to the stock's recent performance?
The execution at $149 per share occurred against a backdrop of 54% share price appreciation for the company over the 12 months ending Aug. 28, 2026.What is the market value of the insider's remaining direct investment?
Based on the $148.42 market close on the transaction date, the executive's remaining direct equity stake is valued at approximately $21.9 million.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-08-31)$143.08Market Capitalization$6.4 billionRevenue (TTM)$5.3 billionNet Income (TTM)$536 millionCompany SnapshotAbercrombie & Fitch operates as an omnichannel apparel retailer offering clothing, personal care products, and accessories for men, women, and children across its portfolio of brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister, and Gilly Hicks.The company generates revenue through a diversified distribution model encompassing company-operated retail stores, e-commerce platforms, wholesale partnerships, franchise agreements, and licensing arrangements across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions.The company targets style-conscious consumers across multiple demographic segments, from young adults and teenagers to families, through both physical retail locations and digital channels, seeking contemporary apparel and lifestyle products.Abercrombie & Fitch is a multinational omnichannel retailer with a market capitalization of $6.4 billion and TTM revenue of $5.3 billion, demonstrating significant scale within the apparel retail sector. The company leverages a multi-brand portfolio strategy to capture diverse customer segments while maintaining operational efficiency through integrated retail and digital distribution networks. ANF maintains a competitive position through brand differentiation, international expansion, and omnichannel retail capabilities that enable seamless customer engagement across geographies and sales channels.

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What this transaction means for investorsOn Aug. 28, Lipesky sold 5,000 shares in a transaction that was valued at approximately $745,000. Digging a little more into the details, however, this doesn't appear to be a sale that should worry shareholders. One reason is that the insider still holds 147,534 shares, indicating his continued alignment with Abercrombie's success.

The other reason this shouldn't cause worry for shareholders is the stock price's performance. Over the last 12 months, Abercrombie shares have climbed nearly 60%, while the S&P 500 is up 17.8% over the same period. With that price run-up, it is natural for an insider to consider taking some gains off the table. With that context, this sale appears largely routine.

For what's ahead, however, price targets suggest that potential gains over the next 12 months may not come as fast and furiously as they have over the previous 12 months. According to CNN, of the 15 analysts who cover the stock, the median price target for the next year is $165. From the price as of this writing, $151.43, reaching $165 would represent a gain of nearly 9%.

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.8% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

The direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should always be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy, since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: RingCentral (RNG - Free Report) RingCentral is a leading provider of contact center software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, along with global enterprise cloud communications, video meetings, collaboration, and customer engagement solutions that enable businesses to communicate, collaborate, and connect.

RNG is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. RNG has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 15.8% for the current fiscal year.

Six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.14 to $5.05 per share. RNG boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.7%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, RNG should be on investors' short list.