COVINGTON, La., July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pool Corporation (Nasdaq: POOL) announced today that the Company will release its second quarter 2026 earnings results before the market opens on July 23, 2026, and will hold a conference call to discuss the results at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Time) that same day. The earnings release as well as a live webcast and replay of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website at www.poolcorp.com. The conference call can also be accessed by dialing 1-888-348-8936 (domestic) or 1-412-902-4265 (international).
Pool Corporation is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related backyard products. POOLCORP operates approximately 455 sales centers in North America, Europe and Australia through which it distributes more than 200,000 products to roughly 125,000 wholesale customers. For more information about POOLCORP, please visit www.poolcorp.com.
CONTACT:
Kristin S. Byars
Director, Investor Relations and Finance
985.801.5153 [email protected]
Key Takeaways GE HealthCare is collaborating with Mayo Clinic to advance personalized cancer theranostics.The MI-BET study will assess whether imaging, biomarkers and data can tailor RLT cycles.Researchers will use StarGuide SPECT/CT and MIM LesionID Pro to monitor tumor response. GE HealthCare (GEHC - Free Report) has announced a new research collaboration with Mayo Clinic to advance personalized cancer treatment through the MI-BET (Molecular Imaging Biomarker-Based End of Therapy Trial) study. The initiative will evaluate whether imaging, blood-based biomarkers and clinical data can help tailor radioligand therapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer, supporting more adaptive treatment decisions and expanding the use of theranostics.
From an investor's perspective, the collaboration reinforces GE HealthCare's growing focus on precision oncology and theranostics, a rapidly evolving area of cancer care. By leveraging its StarGuide SPECT/CT platform and MIM Software's advanced imaging capabilities in a high-profile clinical research setting, the company stands to strengthen the clinical validation and long-term adoption of its imaging technologies. If the study generates favorable evidence, it could enhance GE HealthCare's competitive positioning in molecular imaging, support future demand for its theranostics portfolio and create additional growth opportunities in the expanding precision medicine market.
Likely Trend of GEHC Stock Following the NewsShares of GEHC have traded flat since the announcement on July 8. In the year-to-date period, shares of the company have lost 21.2% compared with the industry’s 20.4% decline. The S&P 500 increased 9.9% in the same time frame.
In the long term, the collaboration is expected to strengthen GE HealthCare's position in the fast-growing theranostics and precision oncology markets by generating real-world clinical evidence for its advanced molecular imaging technologies. Positive findings from the MI-BET study could accelerate the adoption of the company's StarGuide SPECT/CT platform and MIM Software solutions across healthcare systems, while reinforcing GE HealthCare's role as a strategic partner in data-driven cancer care.
The collaboration also enhances the company's innovation pipeline, supports the development of imaging biomarkers and adaptive treatment workflows and could create opportunities for broader commercial adoption as theranostics becomes an increasingly important component of personalized oncology.
GEHC currently has a market capitalization of $29.52 billion.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
More on the NewsThe MI-BET study is designed to challenge the conventional approach of administering a fixed number of radioligand therapy cycles by evaluating whether treatment can instead be tailored to an individual patient's response. Using GE HealthCare's StarGuide SPECT/CT system alongside MIM Software's MIM LesionID Pro, researchers will monitor tumor response throughout treatment.
By integrating imaging findings with clinical outcomes and blood-based biomarkers, the study aims to determine whether these data-driven insights can guide decisions such as pausing or adapting therapy based on disease progression. Researchers also intend to identify predictive biomarkers that could help physicians anticipate patient response earlier in the treatment journey, enabling more personalized care.
The collaboration is also focused on expanding access to advanced theranostics by encouraging broader patient participation through community outreach, partnerships with advocacy organizations and the use of telemedicine to reduce barriers to enrollment. According to Mayo Clinic, the initiative reflects a broader shift toward adaptive, patient-specific cancer care models that seek to optimize treatment effectiveness while minimizing unnecessary therapy. In addition to evaluating treatment duration, the study will investigate novel imaging biomarkers and data-driven approaches that could further enhance clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes.
The research will be conducted at Mayo Clinic's Rochester, MN, campus, combining the organization’s expertise in clinical practice, research and product development. As part of the collaboration, Mayo Clinic has also become the first U.S. site to investigate GE HealthCare's next-generation StarGuide GX SPECT/CT technology, which is designed to improve tumor assessment precision while potentially reducing scan times. Although the StarGuide GX system has received CE Mark certification and is not yet approved for commercial sale in the United States, the collaboration underscores GE HealthCare's commitment to advancing next-generation molecular imaging technologies and supporting the broader adoption of precision oncology solutions.
Favorable Industry Prospect for GEHCGoing by the data provided by Precedence Research, the global theranostics market size was calculated at $10.29 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from $11.50 billion in 2026 to approximately $31.38 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 11.8%.
The market growth is driven by the rising incidence of chronic diseases, the shift toward personalized medicine, and advances in molecular imaging and radiopharmaceuticals.
A Recent Development by GEHCRecently, GEHC announced the Allia platform upgrade pathways to help healthcare providers modernize select legacy Innova and Discovery Image Guiding Solutions systems. The initiative comes as healthcare providers face growing procedural complexity, rising patient volumes and aging imaging equipment.
The upgrades enable health systems to access the latest Allia technologies and AI-enabled workflows while preserving existing infrastructure, reducing the need for major construction and minimizing disruption to clinical operations.
Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) , West Pharmaceutical (WST - Free Report) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) .
Globus Medical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reported a first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.12, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 22.1%. Revenues of $759.9 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.0%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
GMED has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 10.2% compared with the industry’s 12.6% growth. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 26.3%.
West Pharmaceutical, currently flaunting a Zacks Rank #1, reported first-quarter 2026 EPS of $2.13, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26.8%. Revenues of $844.9 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.5%.
WST has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 13.9% compared with the industry’s 9.5% growth. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 19.4%.
Intuitive Surgical, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.50, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 20.2%. Revenues of $2.77 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.2%.
ISRG has a long-term estimated growth rate of 14.6% compared with the industry’s 12.6% growth. The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.
Onsemi (NASDAQ:ON)'s proposed acquisition of Synaptics could create long-term strategic benefits, with Bank of America writing that a meeting with management increased its confidence in the rationale and potential synergies of the transaction.
The analysts wrote that Synaptics adds highly complementary compute assets to Onsemi (NASDAQ:ON)’s existing strengths in power, sensing and control, supporting the company’s ambition to build a complete edge AI portfolio.
They wrote that acquiring these capabilities through M&A allows Onsemi to accelerate time to market while avoiding the distraction of developing them internally.
Bank of America wrote that the market underappreciates the potential long-term benefits of the transaction, noting that initial cost synergy assumptions of $200 million could underestimate the ultimate savings potential. The analysts added that revenue synergies could also be significant over time as Onsemi cross-sells Synaptics products through its distribution channel.
The analysts wrote that the all-stock transaction preserves Onsemi’s balance sheet flexibility to fund buybacks and invest in new products, including Synaptics’ Astra program. They added that the deal could provide solid EPS accretion above the $7 in long-term EPS power they see for core Onsemi.
Bank of America also highlighted an expanded market opportunity, writing that Onsemi now believes the total addressable market for its core business exceeds $200 billion, compared with $64 billion at its previous analyst day, while Synaptics adds an additional $30 billion.
The analysts wrote that Synaptics’ consumer and enterprise PC exposure could be viewed negatively by investors but noted that these businesses generate gross margins in the high-50% range, above Onsemi’s typical high-40% gross margins.
On artificial intelligence opportunities, Bank of America wrote that Onsemi’s AI data center business is on track to at least double in 2026 from $250 million in 2025. The analysts highlighted the company’s vertical gallium nitride technology, writing that it is differentiated as the only device supporting high frequency and high voltages in a single chip.
The analysts wrote that Onsemi’s core initiatives remain on track, including progress in automotive silicon carbide for China electric vehicles, ethernet and zonal architecture, while industrial segments are recovering as purchasing managers’ indexes move above 50. They also noted that the recent exit of two facilities represents 50 basis points of a targeted 200 basis points of gross margin expansion from Onsemi’s fab restructuring initiatives.
Bank of America maintained its ‘Buy’ rating, writing that Onsemi’s upcoming analyst day could serve as a catalyst.
Shares of Onsemi traded up more than 5% on Thursday afternoon amid a broader rally in chipmaker stocks.
A sharp rotation trade has taken over markets to start the second half of 2026, with investors dumping the year’s biggest winners and piling into beaten-down names.
Bespoke Investment Group’s Thursday update titled "Selling Winners, Buying Losers" highlights the strong rotation that has taken hold in July.
INTC stock is up today. See the real-time price action here. Technology — the clear leader through the first half — has stumbled out of the gate in July, falling 4.8% in the first five trading sessions, making it the worst-performing sector.
In contrast, Energy has surged 4.7%, leading a group of cyclical and defensive sectors including financials, healthcare and consumer staples that are all posting July gains.
The shift reflects a classic "sell the rips, buy the dips" dynamic, driven less by fundamentals and more by positioning and rebalancing flows, according to Bespoke’s analysis.
At the stock level, the reversal has been even more dramatic. The 22 S&P 500 companies that more than doubled in the first half are down an average of 16.3% so far in July, with 20 of the 22 trading lower.
The six biggest winners — each up more than 250% earlier this year — have dropped an average of 18.3%, according to Bespoke.
Buying LosersMeanwhile, laggards are catching a bid. Of the 29 S&P 500 stocks that fell more than 20% in the first half, 26 are higher this month, posting an average gain of 5.3%.
Among the most notable rebounds, Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) has jumped 10.2%, leading the bounce among previously beaten-down names.
Lululemon athletica (NASDAQ:LULU) is the lone notable decliner among prior laggards, slipping just 0.5%.
The Bottom LineThe scale and speed of the reversal point to institutional rebalancing as a key driver, according to Bespoke. After a highly concentrated rally led by a narrow group of winners, funds and ETFs appear to be reducing exposure to extended names and rotating into underperformers.
Investors will have to decide whether this is a temporary, flow-driven reset or the early stages of a broader shift away from tech and momentum and toward value and cyclicals.
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NEW YORK, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP:
Do you currently own shares of CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX)?Did you purchase any of your shares prior to June 20, 2025?Do you want to discuss your rights?
Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain directors and officers of CarMax, Inc. (“CarMax” or the “Company”) (NYSE: KMX) breached the fiduciary duties they owe to the Company.
What To Do Next:
If you currently hold CarMax stock and would like to discuss your legal rights and options, please visit CarMax, Inc. Shareholder Investigation or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected].
About Bernstein Liebhard:
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the firm has been named to The National Law Journal’s “Plaintiffs’ Hot List” thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.
QuantumScape Corp (NASDAQ:QS) shares are trading higher by almost 6% on Thursday as risk appetite stays firm and traders lean into higher-beta names.
QuantumScape shares are powering higher. Why is QS stock up today? Critical Price Levels To Watch For QSEven with Thursday’s bounce, QS is still trading below its key moving averages: about 2.9% below the 20-day SMA ($7.22), 9.2% below the 50-day SMA ($7.71), and 29.4% below the 200-day SMA ($9.93). That keeps the bigger-picture trend pressured, especially after the death cross in February (50-day SMA below the 200-day SMA).
Momentum is best framed through RSI, which sits at 45.01—neutral territory that suggests the stock isn’t stretched, but also isn’t showing strong upside momentum yet. In practice, that often lines up with choppy rebounds that need follow-through above nearby resistance to turn into a trend.
Key Resistance: $7.50 — a nearby round-number area that also sits close to the 50-day EMA ($7.52), where rebounds can stall Key Support: $6.50 — a nearby floor that’s been close enough to matter as a recent "buyers step in" zone, above the $5.90 52-week low Honda Partnership Expands QuantumScape’s OpportunityIn late June, QuantumScape and Honda announced a joint research program focused on solid-state battery development and related manufacturing processes, giving QS a broader platform technology narrative beyond passenger EV battery packs.
Honda could eventually use QuantumScape’s technology across motorcycles, scooters, industrial equipment, backup power, marine engines and stationary storage, where fast charging, higher energy density and safety could matter.
Meanwhile, higher-margin deployments could help Honda and QuantumScape test manufacturing, integration and safety before scaling into mass-market EVs.
QuantumScape Earnings Preview for July 2026The countdown is on: QuantumScape is set to report earnings on July 22, 2026 (confirmed).
EPS Estimate: Loss of 18 cents (Up from a loss of 20 cents YoY) Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold rating with an average price target of $8.93. Recent analyst moves include:
Evercore ISI Group: In-Line (Lowers Target to $10.00) (Feb. 23) HSBC: Upgraded to Hold (Lowers Target to $8.30) (Feb. 19) Morgan Stanley: Equal-Weight (Lowers Target to $8.50) (Feb. 18) QS Stock Price Movement on ThursdayQS Stock Price Activity: QuantumScape shares were up 6.03% at $7.03 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image: Courtesy of QuantumScape
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July 09, 2026 16:01 ET | Source: Denali Therapeutics Inc.
Denali co-founder and CEO Ryan Watts, Ph.D., to deliver opening plenary address at 2026 AAIC in London on July 12, 2026
Presentation will highlight recent scientific advances and future opportunities to accelerate discovery and development of medicines for neurodegenerative diseases
Denali is advancing multiple investigational therapies designed to cross blood-brain barrier for Alzheimer’s disease, including DNL628 (OTV:MAPT) targeting tau and DNL921 (ATV:Abeta) targeting amyloid beta
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Denali Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: DNLI) today announced that co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Watts, Ph.D., will deliver the opening plenary address, titled “Accelerating the Discovery and Development of Medicines for Neurodegeneration,” at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC), taking place July 12-15 in London. Dr. Watts will discuss recent scientific advances and future opportunities including new insights in the biology of disease, the use of biomarkers for diagnosis and assessment of treatment effect, and the potential for therapeutics to cross the blood-brain barrier for enhanced delivery to the brain.
“We are entering a new era of drug development for Alzheimer’s disease, driven by significant developments in biology, biomarkers and the blood-brain barrier, which has been a major hurdle for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease,” said Dr. Watts. “At Denali, our work has focused on solving the challenge of brain delivery so that people living with neurologic diseases such as Alzheimer’s can benefit from the power of biotherapeutics. We are excited to be part of the community working to transform the lives of millions of individuals and families worldwide by applying these scientific breakthroughs to deliver the next generation of therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.”
Denali Therapeutics has developed and clinically validated the TransportVehicle™, a proprietary technology designed to effectively deliver biologic therapeutics such as antibodies, enzymes and oligonucleotides across the blood-brain barrier by leveraging the body’s natural iron transport system (the transferrin receptor). In March 2026, Denali received accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the first and only FDA-approved biologic specifically designed to cross the blood-brain barrier: AVLAYAH™ (tividenofusp alfa-eknm), an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of neurologic manifestations of Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type II) when initiated in presymptomatic or symptomatic pediatric patients weighing at least 5 kg prior to advanced neurologic impairment.
Denali is developing a broad portfolio of investigational, TransportVehicle-enabled therapeutic candidates including DNL628 (OTV:MAPT) and DNL921 (ATV:Abeta) targeting tau and amyloid beta, respectively, the two hallmark pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease.
DNL628 (OTV:MAPT) is enabled by the Oligonucleotide TransportVehicle™ (OTV) and is designed to target the MAPT gene that encodes for tau, which has been shown to be closely associated with cognitive decline. Preclinical research (link) demonstrated that the OTV achieved broad and uniform central nervous system distribution of antisense oligonucleotides, including deeper brain structures, following intravenous administration as compared to intrathecally delivered therapy.1 The first patients in Denali’s Phase 1b clinical study of DNL628 were dosed in the first half of 2026, and Denali expects clinical safety and biomarker proof-of-concept data from the study in 2027.
DNL921 (ATV:Abeta) is enabled by the Antibody TransportVehicle™ (ATV) and is designed to reduce amyloid plaques. In preclinical research published in the journal Science (link), Denali demonstrated improved brain distribution of ATV:Abeta and reduced risk of swelling and small bleeds in the brain – effects collectively known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) – compared to conventional antibody treatment. The findings suggest that TransportVehicle-enabled brain delivery of immunotherapy bypasses amyloid-laden large vessels by traveling through smaller capillaries, offering a potential strategy to mitigate ARIA risk seen with first-generation anti-amyloid therapies.2 Denali submitted a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) for DNL921 in the first half of 2026 and, pending regulatory approval of the CTA, expects to initiate a Phase 1/1b clinical trial, with potential for clinical safety and biomarker proof-of-concept data in 2027.
About the Denali TransportVehicle™ Platform
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential in maintaining the brain’s microenvironment and protecting it from harmful substances and pathogens circulating in the bloodstream. Historically, the BBB has posed significant challenges to drug development for central nervous system diseases by preventing most drugs from reaching the brain in therapeutically relevant concentrations. Denali’s TransportVehicle™ (TV) platform is a proprietary technology designed to effectively deliver large therapeutic molecules such as antibodies, enzymes and oligonucleotides throughout the whole body, including the brain, by crossing the BBB after intravenous administration. The TV platform is based on engineered Fc domains that bind to specific natural transport receptors, such as transferrin receptor and CD98 heavy chain amino acid transporter, which are expressed at the BBB and deliver the TV and its therapeutic cargo to the brain through receptor-mediated transcytosis. In animal models, antibodies and enzymes engineered with the TV platform demonstrate more than 10- to 30-fold greater brain exposure than similar antibodies and enzymes without this technology. Oligonucleotides engineered with the TV platform demonstrate more than a 1,000-fold greater brain exposure in primates than systemically delivered oligonucleotides without this technology. Improved exposure and broad distribution in the brain may increase therapeutic efficacy by enabling widespread achievement of therapeutically relevant concentrations of product candidates. The TV platform has been clinically validated, with AVLAYAH™ (tividenofusp alfa-eknm) as the first FDA-approved medicine leveraging transferrin receptor to cross the BBB.
About Denali Therapeutics
Denali Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of biotherapeutics designed to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using its proprietary TransportVehicle™ platform. With the first FDA-approved biologic specifically designed to cross the BBB, a clinically validated delivery platform and a growing portfolio of therapeutic candidates across all stages of development, Denali is advancing toward its goal of delivering effective medicines to transform life for people with neurodegenerative diseases, lysosomal storage disorders and other serious diseases. For more information, please visit www.denalitherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements by Denali’s Chief Executive Officer; statements regarding expectations for Denali’s TransportVehicle™ (TV) platform and its therapeutic and commercial potential; including the potential to deliver enzymes and the Enzyme TransportVehicle™ (ETV) franchise, antibodies and the Antibody TransportVehicle™ (ATV) franchise, and oligonucleotides and the Oligonucleotide TransportVehicle™ (OTV) franchise; statements regarding plans, timelines and expectations related to AVLAYAH™ (tividenofusp alfa-eknm); statements regarding plans, timelines and expectations related to the DNL628 clinical development program, including the ongoing Phase 1 study and timing of data readouts; and statements regarding plans, timelines and expectations related to the DNL921 clinical development program, including the planned Phase 1 study, the potential to mitigate amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and the timing of data readouts. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, uncertainties related to the FDA’s policies and accelerated approval program; risks arising from adverse economic conditions and their impact on Denali’s business and operations; the possibility of events or changes that could lead to the termination of Denali’s collaboration agreements; challenges associated with Denali’s transition to a commercial company; the ability of Denali and its collaborators to complete the development and, if approved, the commercialization of product candidates; difficulties in patient enrollment for ongoing and future clinical trials; whether the current ongoing trials have been powered sufficiently to demonstrate approvability to regulatory agencies; reliance on third-party manufacturers and suppliers for clinical trial materials; dependence on the successful development of Denali’s blood-brain barrier platform technology and related programs; potential delays or failures in meeting expected clinical trial timelines; the risk that promising preclinical profiles may not be replicated in clinical settings; discrepancies between preclinical, early-stage or preliminary clinical results and outcomes from later-stage trials; the occurrence of significant adverse events or other undesirable side effects; the uncertainty surrounding regulatory approvals required for commercialization in the U.S., Europe or other international jurisdictions; Denali’s ability to advance a pipeline of product candidates or develop commercially successful products; developments relating to Denali's competitors and its industry, including competing product candidates and therapies; Denali’s ability to obtain, maintain or protect intellectual property rights related to its product candidates; the implementation and success of Denali’s strategic plans for its business, product candidates and blood-brain barrier platform technology; Denali's ability to obtain additional capital to finance its operations, as needed; Denali's ability to accurately forecast future financial results in the current environment; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Denali's most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26, 2026 and May 7, 2026, respectively, and Denali’s future reports to be filed with the SEC. Except for AVLAYAH, Denali's product candidates are investigational, and their safety and efficacy profiles have not yet been established. Denali does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, to conform these statements to actual results or to make changes in Denali’s expectations, except as required by law.
References
Barker SJ, Thayer MB, Kim S, et al. Targeting the transferrin receptor to transport anti-sense oligonucleotides across the mammalian blood-brain barrier. Sci Transl Med 2024 Aug 14;16(760).Pizzo ME, Plowey ED, Khoury N, et al. Transferrin receptor-targeted anti-amyloid antibody enhances brain delivery and mitigates ARIA. Science 2025 Aug 7;389(6760).
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Russell 2000 & 3000 Maybe Hold Forever Stocks (MHFS) featured high (>4%) dividends, attractive or neutral ratings, >2-year dividend history, and positive cash flow per YCharts stock screener. The resulting list targets investors who “want to simply focus on profitable stocks without the fuss and bother of anything but an annual review and rebalance." 38 MHFS, from the Russell 2000/3000 2026 batch screened as of 7/6/26 represented all eleven Morningstar sectors. Broker estimated top-ten net gains ranged from 29.47% to 89.14%.
Cipher Digital Inc (NASDAQ:CIFR) shares are trading higher by more than 7% on Thursday as risk-on appetite lifts high-beta Technology names alongside crypto-adjacent and AI-infrastructure themes.
Here’s what investors need to know.
Cipher Digital stock is showing exceptional strength. Why is CIFR stock surging? CIFR Technical Analysis: Key Levels To WatchCIFR is still in a longer-term uptrend: it’s trading about 29% above its 200-day SMA ($18.13) and about 22% above its 100-day SMA ($19.15), which keeps the primary trend pointed higher. At the same time, it is trading 4.2% below its 20-day SMA ($24.46), suggesting the stock is trying to reclaim short-term trend control after a recent cooling phase.
RSI is the cleaner momentum read right now, sitting at 49.89, which signals neutral momentum rather than an overbought "chase" setup. In plain terms, RSI helps gauge whether buying or selling pressure is getting stretched; near-50 readings often show a market deciding between continuation and consolidation.
The moving-average structure remains constructive, with the 20-day SMA above the 50-day SMA and the 50-day SMA above the 200-day SMA (a golden cross that occurred in July 2025). That backdrop matters because it often turns pullbacks into "buy-the-dip" tests, especially if price can stay above the 50-day area ($22.69).
Key Resistance: $25.50 — a nearby round-number/pivot zone where rebounds can stall, and it sits above the current price as the next obvious upside test Key Support: $20.50 — a nearby level that lines up with a prior demand zone and sits closer to the broader uptrend structure What Does Cipher Digital Do?Cipher Digital is focused on high-performance computing (HPC) data center development and operations, building and running facilities designed for HPC workloads. That puts it in the middle of the market’s ongoing demand for compute capacity tied to AI and other intensive workloads.
The company also manages power assets and capital allocation based on market conditions and demand for AI-related computing capacity. In practice, that means sentiment can swing with both the broader Technology tape and expectations around data-center buildouts, utilization, and power economics.
CIFR Benzinga Edge Rankings: Momentum AnalysisBelow is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Cipher Digital, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:
Momentum: Bullish (Score: 97.52) — The stock is showing strong trend persistence versus the broader market, consistent with its outsized 12-month run. The Verdict: Cipher Digital’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a momentum-driven story, with the scorecard heavily concentrated in trend strength rather than a balanced factor mix. For longer-term traders, that typically puts more weight on managing entries around support/resistance and key moving averages, since momentum names can swing quickly when the tape cools.
CIFR Stock Price Action: Thursday UpdateCIFR Stock Price Activity: Cipher Digital shares were up 7.87% at $23.57 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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Massive dividend yields are a huge draw for investors – both because everyone likes income…and because a company that can pay a dividend surely has the cash to pay out that dividend, right?
Most of the time, that’s true. But things can get rough when a company doesn’t have the cash to continue funding the dividend. One of your early signs is an especially high yield – in general, anything over 5% or 6% is worth digging into further. A yield that high may be a signal that the market is losing confidence in the business (and in its ability to continue funding the dividend). There are, of course, exceptions, but it’s a good initial rule of thumb.
It’s also worth understanding how much of a company’s earnings or cashflow are eaten up by the dividend.
For BDCs, the right coverage test is net investment income (NII) per share versus the dividend (GAAP EPS whipsaws on mark-to-market losses and distorts the picture). When NII stops covering the payout, when NAV per share slides, and when supplemental distributions quietly disappear, the payout is stretched. Here are five 10%+ yielders where those warning signs are lit.
Saratoga Investment Corp. (SAR) Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) advertises a 14.0% annualized yield on its $0.25 monthly base dividend. Shares have since slid to $17.98, inflating the yield further.
The coverage math is the red flag. Q1 FY27 adjusted NII came in at $0.47 per share against a $0.75 quarterly dividend, a coverage ratio of just 0.63x, and NII has stepped down from $0.53 the prior quarter. Saratoga’s own filing flagged a FY26 payout ratio of 122.95%. NAV per share fell 4.9% sequentially to $23.23 on $15.2 million in net markdowns, and financing costs jumped after a $175 million bond at 4.375% was replaced with debt at 7.25% and 7.50%.
The bull case: $196.8 million of undrawn borrowing capacity and low non-accruals at 0.2% of fair value. But with NII covering less than two-thirds of the payout, the monthly $0.25 base looks stretched.
FS KKR Capital Corp. (FSK) FS KKR Capital (NYSE:FSK | FSK Price Prediction) is already mid-cut, and the numbers suggest the second reduction may not be the last. Shares are down 41.24% over the past year to $10.56.
The Q2 2026 distribution was stepped down to $0.42 from $0.48, following an earlier reduction from $0.70. Yet Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.41 missed the $0.4433 consensus by 7.51% and barely covers even the new payout. NAV per share dropped to $18.83 from $20.89, non-accruals climbed to 4.2% at fair value (8.1% at cost), and net leverage spiked to 131%.
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The KKR rescue package ($150 million preferred equity injection, $150 million tender at $11, a $300 million buyback, and a 50% incentive fee waiver for four quarters) is a lifeline that buys time without curing the underlying earnings gap. Securities class action lawsuits alleging overstated dividend durability tell you what the market thinks.
BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) BlackRock TCP Capital (NASDAQ:TCPC) has already cut once and still looks fragile. The quarterly dividend was reduced to $0.17 from $0.25 for Q1 2026, and shares have fallen 50.44% over the past year to $3.18, keeping the yield above 20%.
NII of $0.22 covers the new $0.17 dividend, but the cushion is thin and the trend is ugly. NAV per share collapsed 19% in Q4 2025 to $7.07 and slipped another 4.9% to $6.72 in Q1 2026. Thirteen portfolio companies sit on non-accrual, representing 7.6% at cost, and portfolio yield compression is severe: new investments are being originated at 8.1% while exits ran off at 11.2%. With management prioritizing exits over new deployments, forward NII faces further pressure.
Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (OTF) Blue Owl Technology Finance (NYSE:OTF) is the softer warning on this list, but the setup is classic price-driven yield inflation. Shares have dropped 24.32% year-to-date to $10.15, pushing the trailing yield well into double digits.
Q1 2026 adjusted NII of $0.29 beat the $0.25 estimate, but NII has slid for four straight quarters from $0.36 in Q2 2025 to $0.29 today, while the $0.40 payout ($0.35 base plus $0.05 special) has held. Crucially, that $0.05 special is part of a five-quarter series tied to the June 2025 listing. When it rolls off, the run-rate payout drops to $1.40. Add $494.28 million in unrealized losses, NAV down to $16.49 from $17.33, and new commitment spreads compressed to 4.6% from 5.2%, and the picture is a fading tailwind.
Blue Owl Capital Corp. (OBDC) Blue Owl Capital (NYSE:OBDC) already trimmed its base dividend and left itself no cushion. The Q2 2026 payout was cut to $0.31 from $0.37, described by management as an alignment with “go-forward earnings power amid declining base rates and spread compression.”
Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.31 missed the $0.35 consensus by 10.74% and now exactly matches the new dividend, meaning zero coverage cushion. Total investment income of $396.77 million fell 11.4% sequentially, and the portfolio shrank to $15.34 billion from $16.47 billion as repayments outpaced deployments. On the other side of the ledger, Moody’s upgraded OBDC to Baa2 in January 2026, leverage improved to 1.13x, and management points to roughly $4 billion of liquidity. But 1.0x NII coverage leaves no margin for another bad quarter.
The Bottom Line Across all five names, the pattern is the same: NII squeezed by falling short-term rates, spreads compressing on new deals, and NAV grinding lower. A yield only counts if the payout survives. When a cut lands, the share price usually goes with it, and the “income” disappears in both directions at once. Yield alone has never been a buy thesis; in today’s BDC market, it may be the fastest way to walk into a trap.
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Key Takeaways THC pairs hospital and ambulatory growth with strong cash flow and disciplined capital allocation.ELV combines insurance, pharmacy and Carelon operations while advancing AI and raising 2026 guidance.AVAH is expanding home healthcare, improving profitability and strengthening cash flow with discipline. The renewed military confrontation between the United States and Iran has once again reminded investors how quickly geopolitical risks can reshape financial markets. Fresh U.S. strikes on Iran, coupled with repeated threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, have revived fears of supply-chain disruptions, higher energy prices and persistent inflation. While intermittent ceasefire discussions have offered brief relief, repeated violations and renewed attacks have raised doubts about the durability of any peace agreement. Oil prices have already gained sharply following the latest escalation, underscoring the vulnerability of energy-dependent industries and economically sensitive sectors.
Against this uncertain backdrop, investors should increasingly look for sectors capable of delivering steady earnings regardless of macroeconomic turbulence. Healthcare stands out because demand for medical services remains largely non-discretionary, even during economic slowdowns or geopolitical crises. Companies with diversified revenue streams, disciplined capital allocation and resilient operating models are better positioned to weather inflationary pressures and market volatility than many cyclical businesses.
Within this defensive landscape, Elevance Health (ELV - Free Report) , Tenet Healthcare (THC - Free Report) andAveanna Healthcare Holdings (AVAH - Free Report) appear particularly well positioned, thanks to durable cash flows, efficient operational execution and strong business models that remain largely insulated from international geopolitical disruptions. Each of these companies currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a Value and Growth score of A, reflecting a cheap valuation with strong upside potential. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Medical Industry as Better Bet Amid Volatile War ScenarioPeriods of geopolitical uncertainty typically reward sectors that generate stable earnings independent of economic cycles, making healthcare one of the market's traditional defensive havens. Medical spending tends to remain resilient even when consumers cut discretionary purchases, allowing healthcare companies to preserve revenue visibility during volatile periods.
Businesses with strong balance sheets, consistent margins, diversified revenue sources and disciplined capital allocation are generally better equipped to absorb higher input costs or temporary economic disruptions. Healthcare valuations remain attractive across several subsectors, providing investors with an opportunity to buy quality companies at reasonable valuation multiples while benefiting from steady earnings growth. Rather than simply offering downside protection, fundamentally strong healthcare companies can deliver meaningful long-term capital appreciation as markets eventually stabilize.
3 Medical Stocks With Attractive ValuationElevance Health, Tenet Healthcare and Aveanna Healthcare have generated wealth for their investors so far in 2026, outperforming the Zacks Medical sector. The share price performances of ELV and AVAH have also outperformed the S&P 500 Index. This better-than-sector return by each of these companies reflects their strong fundamentals. Moreover, these companies are trading at attractive valuations despite the rally in their share price.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Elevance Health
Elevance Health offers investors a balanced combination of health insurance, pharmacy services and Carelon's integrated care platform, reducing dependence on any single business line. The company raised its 2026 earnings guidance after first-quarter results exceeded expectations and continues embedding artificial intelligence across clinical and administrative operations to improve efficiency and lower healthcare costs.
Management also reiterated confidence in achieving at least 12% adjusted EPS growth in 2027 while maintaining disciplined pricing and capital deployment. Its predominantly U.S.-focused operations and diversified membership base provide stability despite fluctuations in individual government programs.
Elevance Health’s sales and earnings estimates for 2026 suggest a decline of 1.7% and 11.3%, respectively, year over year. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 0.3% over the past 60 days. ELV’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 6.6% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 15.4%.
Following a 18.7% rally so far this year, ELV is trading at a P/S F12M valuation of 0.46X, below the industry average of 0.52X. The current valuation is also lower than the five-year median of 0.64X. The stock seems to be at cheap valuation despite a strong rally, indicating strong growth prospects.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Tenet Healthcare
Tenet Healthcare combines strong financial discipline with a diversified healthcare delivery platform spanning hospitals and the high-growth ambulatory surgery business through USPI. Management reaffirmed its 2026 outlook after first-quarter results exceeded expectations, highlighting disciplined expense management, AI-driven productivity initiatives and robust free cash flow generation.
The company continues investing in ambulatory expansion while aggressively repurchasing shares, reflecting confidence in its balance sheet. Its earnings are increasingly supported by outpatient care, especially joint replacements. Nearly half of EBITDA is generated by ambulatory operations that remain less exposed to reimbursement volatility.
Tenet Healthcare’s sales and earnings estimates for 2026 suggest growth of 3.3% and 5%, respectively, compared to the year-ago period. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 0.7% over the past 60 days. THC’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 6.9% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 5.6%.
Following a 3.8% year-to-date gain, THC is trading at a Price-to-Sales Forward 12 Month (P/S F12M) valuation of 0.8X, above the industry average of 0.63X. The current valuation is higher than the five-year median of 0.45X. The slightly higher valuation for THC reflects investors’ enthusiasm for the stock’s prospects, backed by its strong growth potential.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Aveanna Healthcare
Aveanna Healthcare represents a differentiated home healthcare growth story built on expanding demand for lower-cost community-based care. First-quarter revenues climbed nearly 16% while adjusted EBITDA increased more than 25%, prompting management to raise full-year guidance.
The company continues to strengthen preferred payer relationships, improving reimbursement rates and expanding through acquisitions while reducing leverage and enhancing free cash flow. Its business spans private-duty nursing, home health, hospice and medical solutions, creating diversified revenue streams rather than relying on a single service category. Additionally, because it operates almost entirely within the United States, the company has limited exposure to international geopolitical risks and foreign-market disruptions.
Aveanna Healthcare’s sales and earnings estimates for 2026 suggest growth of 8.8% and 21.7%, respectively, compared to the year-ago period. Its earnings estimate for 2026 has improved 14.1% over the past 60 days. AVAH’s earnings are likely to witness a CAGR of 14.9% over the next five year compared to the industry’s 12.4%.
Despite a 17.3% gain so far this year, AVAH is trading at a P/S F12M valuation of 0.78X, below the industry average of 3X. The current valuation is higher than the five-year median of 0.39X. A cheaper valuation than the industry, coupled with strong sales and earnings growth estimates, makes this company an attractive bet for investors.
While the Federal Reserve has held rates steady since its December 2025 meeting, investor expectations for future interest rate decisions have shifted drastically over the course of the year. Early expectations for 2026 rate cuts quickly faded as stubborn inflation fueled interest rate volatility, heavily impacting real estate ETFs.
Key Takeaways: Despite volatility driven by shifting interest rate sentiment, broad real estate funds like XLRE, VNQ, and SCHH have consistently outpaced broader market indexes such as the S&P 500 in 2026. Demand for AI infrastructure and cloud computing has fueled a surge in data center REITs, which have become a primary driver of real estate sector ETF performance this year. While early-year expectations for rate cuts have faded, the real estate sector remains sensitive to the Federal Reserve’s evolving policy, leaving performance in the second half of 2026 heavily dependent on upcoming interest rate decisions. This constant shift in sentiment has triggered sharp volatility across the real estate sector, an area of the market uniquely vulnerable to the changing cost of capital. The industry heavily relies on debt financing to fund new construction and property acquisitions. For instance, any fluctuation in interest rates immediately raises overall financing cost, which impacts the bottom lines of homebuilders and REITs alike.
Investors often view REITs as alternatives to bonds, as they are mandated to distribute at least 90% of taxable income back to shareholders. When yields on fixed-income markets rise, investors will often rotate capital away from REITs into less volatile fixed-income markets, driving REIT share prices down.
Real Estate ETFs’ Resilient Run Despite interest rate dynamics sparking volatility in the sector, broad real estate funds have often outperformed broad market indexes such as the S&P 500. The State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) — with an expense ratio of 8 basis points — has returned 11.1% this year with inflows of $190.6 million. This is notably higher than the 9.6% return yielded by the S&P 500. The fund tracks the S&P Real Estate Select Sector Index, investing a large majority of assets in a concentrated portfolio of roughly 30 REITs from the S&P 500, excluding mortgage REITs.
The Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) and Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH) take similar approaches to XLRE also outperforming broad market indexes. The funds feature an expense ratio of 13 basis points and 7 basis points, respectively.
VNQ tracks the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, providing investors exposure to a diversified portfolio of REITs oriented towards investors seeking a combination of current income and moderate long-term capital appreciation. The fund has climbed 11.5% this year, recording inflows of $1.46 billion.
Similarly, SCHH seeks to replicate the performance of the Dow Jones Equity All REIT Capped Index, holding a broad selection of REITs that own and operate income-producing real estate. The fund has returned 15.2% in 2026, receiving inflows of $1.18 billion. This includes a staggering $1 billion in flows in late June, likely due to a weaker than expected job report, and various corporate actions and M&A deals across top holdings.
Data Center REITs Surging While interest rates remain a pivotal factor in REIT performance, data center REITs have uplifted real estate sector ETF performance in 2026. Driven by increasing physical demand for high-speed data and AI infrastructure, the data center REIT sector climbed more than 37% year to date through May.
Leading the charge in this digital infrastructure boom are Equinix (EQIX) and Digital Realty Trust (DLR), both of which serve as major weightings within XLRE, VNQ, and SCHH. These firms have benefited from the insatiable demand for AI workloads and cloud computing. EQIX reported revenue of $2.47 billion in Q1 2026, up 12.1% from the same period last year and DLR announced $1.63 billion in revenue with a 16.7% increase year over year. As a result, both REITs have surged to date this year with returns of 33.9% and 13.2%, respectively.
Navigating a New Rate Reality As investors enter the second half of 2026, expectations for near-term interest rate cuts have shifted radically. Despite a weaker-than-expected jobs report and flat interest rates through June, the market narrative has pivoted from pricing in rate cuts to bracing for at least one rate hike later this year, according to CNBC.
Given that interest rates historically move in prolonged directional cycles rather than one-off policy adjustments, the Fed’s actions in the upcoming months will heavily dictate the performance of real estate ETFs through the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
For more news, information, and analysis, visit VettaFi | ETF Trends.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Primoris Services Corporation (NYSE: PRIM) shares cratered again during intraday trading on June 23, 2026 (-$43.34, -40%), on the company’s disclosure of additional challenges to- and cost overruns within- its renewables business projects and the abrupt departure of its Chief Operating Officer.
The news follows Primoris’ May 5, 2026 disclosure that it suffered huge year-over-year and sequential declines in revenues and gross profits for its Energy segment and identified ongoing, expanded issues with its renewables business, news which sent the price of company shares tumbling $101.69 (-50%).
Hagens Berman is actively investigating whether Primoris’ pre-May 5 statements about trends in- and operational performance of- its renewables business misled investors and, if so, whether the company violated the federal securities laws.
The firm encourages Primoris investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist the investigation to contact its attorneys.
Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/prim
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected] | 844-916-0895
Primoris’ renewable business is part of the company’s core Energy segment and historically has contributed roughly 40% of Primoris’ entire annual revenue.
After the markets closed on June 22, 2026, Primoris shocked investors when it announced that “[a]dditional challenges and cost overruns were identified as a result of continued progress on projects in the Company’s Renewables business.” Importantly, as a result of ongoing problems in six projects and additional challenges, Primoris said its 2026 renewables business revenues would decline 30% ($900 million) from the $3 billion revenues reported for 2025.
This news follows two previous disclosures about Primoris’ renewables business problems, one downplaying and the next partially indicating problems in the business.
First, in February 2026, Primoris management attributed lower gross margins to “unexpectedly higher costs” at certain renewables projects, citing difficult soil and rock conditions that required additional labor and equipment. While management later downplayed the issue as being isolated to a single project—expressing confidence in their remedial measures—they simultaneously touted the company’s ability to “accelerate project timelines” for 2026.
Second, on May 5, 2026, the market’s confidence in Primoris’s remedial measures was shattered when the company released its Q1 2026 financial results and revealed a staggering decline in the core Energy segment, with year-over-year revenues falling by $152.9 million (13.8%) and gross profits plunging by nearly 40%.
CEO Koti Vadlamudi admitted the next day during the May 6 earnings call that Primoris’s financial results were battered by cost pressures across multiple solar projects. Moving beyond the “rock and soil” reason used just months prior, Vadlamudi cited a litany of execution-related factors as the cause of the margin collapse:
Project Redesigns: Costly changes to existing plans.Labor Issues: Inability to manage specific workforce demands.Sequencing Errors: Failures in project management and timing.Weather Disruptions: Further complicating already delayed timelines Together, the May 5 and June 22, 2026 disclosures wiped out over $7.8 billion of Primoris’ market capitalization.
“We’re focused on when Primoris’ management learned of the full scope of the company’s renewables problems, including the apparent inadequacy of remediation measures,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm’s investigation.
If you invested in Primoris and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that will assist the firm’s investigation, submit your losses now.
If you’d like more information and answers to other frequently asked questions about the firm’s Primoris investigation, read more.
Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Primoris should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].
About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman’s team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of DUOL either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2026) - Robbins LLP reminds stockholders that a class action was filed on behalf of all investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) common stock between April 18, 2024 and April 16, 2026. Badger Meter manufactures and sells water measurement and management products.
For more information, submit a form, email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003.
What is the class period? April 18, 2024 - April 16, 2026
What are the allegations?
Shareholders allege that Badger Meter, Inc. (BMI) concealed weakening demand and deteriorating near-term order trends. According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants told investors that Badger Meter's strong financial results reflected "ongoing favorable industry trends," "secular growth drivers," and "solid operating execution." They likewise touted "strong" demand and said they were seeing "robust order pacing and a strong bid pipeline that positions us well for continued sales and earnings growth," and that Badger Meter possessed a "long runway" for growth.
In truth, rather than reflecting durable, demand-driven growth, Badger Meter's financial results were driven by the Company's practice of pulling forward customer orders, which concealed weakening demand and deteriorating near-term order trends.
The truth was revealed to investors over the course of a series of disappointing quarterly financial reports between July 2025 and April 2026. In the last disclosure on April 17, 2026, Badger Meter reported disappointing 1Q 2026 financial results including that total sales were "9% lower than the prior year[]," "[u]tility water sales declined 10% year-over-year," "[o]perating earnings of $35.2 million, with an operating margin of 17.4%, compared to operating earnings of $49.4 million and an operating margin of 22.2% in the prior year," and "[d]iluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.93, down from $1.30 in the first quarter of 2025." On this news, the price of Badger Meter stock fell $36.75 per share, or more than 24%, from $152.29 per share on April 16, 2026, to $115.54 per share on April 17, 2026.
What can shareholders do now? You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Badger Meter, Inc. Shareholders who wish to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their papers to the court by August 3, 2026. The lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About Robbins LLP: A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002.
To be notified if a class action against Badger Meter, Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today.
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Key Takeaways TER benefits from AI data center demand, with Q1 2026 revenues soaring 87% year over year. TER's AI-related demand made up nearly 70% of revenues, up from about 60% in the prior quarter. TER faces competition from Advantest and Vertiv as both expand in AI and data center markets. Teradyne (TER - Free Report) is benefiting from the explosive growth in datacenter demand, particularly driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and the ongoing build-out of AI-centric infrastructure. In the first quarter of 2026, Teradyne reported revenues of approximately $1.3 billion, an 87% year-over-year increase and 18% above its previous record. This surge is directly tied to the company’s strategic focus on the ‘wafer to AI data center’ market, where AI-related demand accounted for nearly 70% of revenues, up from about 60% in the previous quarter.
The datacenter segment, especially devices that support AI workloads, has become a major source of revenue. In the auto/industrial segment, 46% of revenues came from datacenter devices in the first quarter of 2026. This marks a significant shift from past trends.
Teradyne is also seeing robust demand for memory test solutions, especially for high-bandwidth memory and DRAM, both of which are critical for AI compute applications. The company’s recent product launches, such as the Photon 100 for silicon photonics and Omnyx for server board testing, further strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving data center market. Strategic acquisitions and joint ventures, like the MultiLane Test Products partnership and the acquisition of TestInsight, further strengthen Teradyne’s capabilities in high-speed I/O and design-to-test software.
Teradyne expects continued robust demand, especially as AI data center build-outs drive increased need for compute, networking and memory test solutions. For the second quarter of 2026, Teradyne expects revenues in the range of $1.15-$1.25 billion.
Teradyne Suffers From Stiff CompetitionTeradyne is facing stiff competition from companies such as Advantest Corporation (ATEYY - Free Report) and Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) . Both Advantest and Vertiv are also expanding their footprints in the AI and data center markets.
In June 2026, Advantest and OpenLight partnered to develop silicon photonics test solutions for high-volume manufacturing, addressing growing demand for AI and high-performance computing applications. The collaboration aims to accelerate scalable production of next-generation optical interconnects for AI data centers.
In June 2026, Vertiv announced the completion of its acquisition of ThermoKey S.p.A., a move that enhances Vertiv’s thermal management portfolio, expands its heat rejection and heat-exchange capabilities and strengthens its long-standing relationships with OEMs and system integrators serving data centers and other critical infrastructure markets worldwide.
TER’s Share Price Performance, Valuation, and EstimatesTeradyne shares have surged 81.6% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s growth of 14.7% and the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Products increase of 53.3%.
TER Stock Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TER stock is trading at a premium with a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 11.01X compared with the Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry’s 8.31X. TER has a Value Score of D.
TER Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $7.20 per share, which has increased 1.55% over the past 30 days. This suggests 81.82% year-over-year growth.
Teradyne currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 (Strong Buy) Rank stocks here.
Growth investors focus on stocks that are seeing above-average financial growth, as this feature helps these securities garner the market's attention and deliver solid returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.
In addition to volatility, these stocks carry above-average risk by their very nature. Also, one could end up losing from a stock whose growth story is actually over or nearing its end.
However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.
Howmet (HWM - Free Report) is one such stock that our proprietary system currently recommends. The company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.
Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.
While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this maker of engineered products for the aerospace and other industries is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:
Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Howmet is 40%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 32.1% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 12.5%.
Cash Flow GrowthWhile cash is the lifeblood of any business, higher-than-average cash flow growth is more important and beneficial for growth-oriented companies than for mature companies. That's because, growth in cash flow enables these companies to expand their businesses without depending on expensive outside funds.
Right now, year-over-year cash flow growth for Howmet is 31.2%, which is higher than many of its peers. In fact, the rate compares to the industry average of 8.3%.
While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 21.3% over the past 3-5 years versus the industry average of 12.2%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Howmet. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.1% over the past month.
Bottom LineHowmet has not only earned a Growth Score of B based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #2 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination positions Howmet well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.
The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ:SMPL) shares rose nearly 5% after the company reported third quarter fiscal 2026 results that exceeded Wall Street expectations for adjusted earnings and revenue.
The company posted adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.42, beating analyst estimates of $0.35, while quarterly net sales came in at $357 million, ahead of consensus expectations of about $333 million.
Despite the quarterly outperformance, revenue declined 6.3% year over year, while profitability was pressured by lower sales volumes, higher input costs and restructuring expenses.
Net sales fell from $381 million in the prior-year period, and the company reported a net loss of $52 million compared with net income of $41.1 million a year earlier.
Adjusted EBITDA declined to $57.2 million from $73.9 million in the prior-year quarter, while adjusted diluted EPS decreased from $0.51.
The company attributed the revenue decline largely to weakness at its Atkins brand, where sales fell 24.6% year over year due to distribution-related declines and softer retail demand.
Growth from Quest and OWYN, which increased 1.1% and 3.6%, respectively, partially offset the decline.
“Our third quarter results reflect initial steps against the turnaround priorities we outlined last quarter. While we are still in the early stages of this work, we are beginning to see some signs of improved alignment around our three key priorities,” Simply Good Foods CEO Joe Scalzo wrote.
“We delivered third quarter net sales of $357 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $57 million, ahead of our expectations, with performance supported in part by the early effect of select cost actions we announced last quarter.”
The company reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting net sales between $1.345 billion and $1.355 billion, representing a year-over-year decline of roughly 6% to 7%.
Adjusted EBITDA is expected to range between $220 million and $225 million, while gross margins are forecast to decline by approximately 375 basis points from the prior year.
Key Takeaways Exelixis awaits an FDA decision on zanzalintinib for metastatic colorectal cancer by Dec. 3, 2026.EXEL expanded zanzalintinib studies with Merck across colorectal and renal cell cancer programs.Zanzalintinib is also advancing in lung and prostate cancer studies, broadening its potential use. Shares of Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL - Free Report) have surged 26.8% in three months, outperforming the industry’s gain of 4.5%. The stock touched a high of $57.57 on July 7.
The stock has outperformed the sector and the S&P 500 Index during this time frame.
EXEL Outperforms Industry, Sector & S&P 500 Index
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The broader market recovery and investors' optimism about the company's pipeline momentum are most likely contributing to the rally, notwithstanding the recent pipeline setback. In such a scenario, a deeper assessment of the company's growth drivers and potential risks will be essential to determine whether current levels represent an attractive entry point.
EXEL’s Progress With Lead Candidate ZanzalintinibZanzalintinib is Exelixis' most important late-stage pipeline asset and represents the company's key growth driver as it seeks to diversify beyond its flagship cancer therapy, cabozantinib (marketed as Cabometyx). The next-generation oral investigational tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) targets multiple pathways, giving it potential across several difficult-to-treat cancers.
The company's near-term investment thesis hinges on the regulatory outcome for zanzalintinib.
EXEL’s new drug application seeking approval of zanzalintinib in combination with Roche’s (RHHBY - Free Report) Tecentriq for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is under review in the United States. The targeted population includes patients who were previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, and, if they are RAS wild-type, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy.
The agency has set a target action date of Dec. 3, 2026.
A positive decision would mark the first approval for zanzalintinib and establish a new commercial growth platform beyond Cabometyx.
The company's recent disappointment stemmed from the final analysis of the dual primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) in the subset of patients without active liver metastases (non-liver metastases, NLM) in the late-stage STELLAR-303 study, evaluating zanzalintinib plus Tecentriq versus regorafenib in previously treated non-microsatellite instability (MSI)-high mCRC.
This showed a non-statistically significant trend in OS favoring the combination in the NLM subpopulation. Median OS was 15.9 months for patients treated with the combination therapy compared with 12.7 months for those receiving regorafenib.
The disappointing results are a setback in the company’s efforts to get approval for zanzalintinib.
Meanwhile, Exelixis continues to aggressively expand zanzalintinib's development program through strategic partnerships and multiple late-stage clinical studies.
The company recently broadened its collaboration with Merck (MRK - Free Report) to evaluate zanzalintinib in combination with subcutaneous Keytruda Qlex in the planned phase III STELLAR-316 study in patients with resected stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC).
Exelixis will sponsor the study, while Merck will supply Keytruda Qlex. The study will evaluate zanzalintinib with and without Keytruda Qlex in patients with resected stage II/III CRC who, following definitive therapy, have tested positive for molecular residual disease (MRD+) and have no radiographic evidence of disease.
Exelixis has also partnered with Natera, a global leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, whose Signatera molecular residual disease assay will be used to identify eligible patients for STELLAR-316.
The Merck partnership extends beyond colorectal cancer. In April 2026, Merck initiated the phase III LITESPARK-034 trial evaluating zanzalintinib plus Welireg versus Welireg and placebo in previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients who progressed after PD-1/L1 and VEGFR-TKI therapies.
This marks the second Merck-sponsored phase III study under the collaboration, following LITESPARK-033 (launched in December 2025), which is assessing the combination against cabozantinib in first-line advanced RCC post-adjuvant immunotherapy.
These studies highlight Merck's confidence in zanzalintinib's potential across multiple RCC treatment settings while substantially expanding Exelixis' long-term growth opportunities.Beyond CRC and RCC, Exelixis is advancing additional indications for zanzalintinib through the planned phase II STELLAR-202 study in squamous non-small cell lung cancer and an expansion cohort in the ongoing phase Ib/II STELLAR-002 trial in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Success in any of these indications could significantly broaden the drug's commercial opportunity.
Roche’s Tecentriq is a cancer immunotherapy that is approved around the world, either alone or in combination with targeted therapies and/or chemotherapies, for various types of cancer.
EXEL’s Cabometyx Maintains MomentumLead drug Cabometyx is approved for advanced RCC and previously treated hepatocellular carcinoma.
In March 2025, Exelixis obtained FDA approval for the label expansion of Cabometyx for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with previously treated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic, well-differentiated pancreatic and extra-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET). The drug was also approved for adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with previously treated, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic, well-differentiated extra-pancreatic NET (epNET).
The Cabometyx franchise continued to gain momentum in 2026, maintaining its position as the leading prescribed TKI in renal cell carcinoma, the top TKI plus immunotherapy combination in first-line RCC, and the leading oral option in second-line and later neuroendocrine tumors.
Invest in EXEL StockWhile the STELLAR-303 results have tempered near-term expectations, zanzalintinib remains Exelixis' most most significant near-term catalyst. The upcoming FDA decision, multiple late-stage trials, and deepening collaborations with Merck and Natera provide several value-creating catalysts.
Positive regulatory and clinical outcomes could meaningfully diversify Exelixis' revenue base beyond Cabometyx and support the company's long-term growth trajectory.
We remain bullish on the stock's prospects and believe it offers additional upside potential. Accordingly, we view the shares favorably for prospective investors, while existing shareholders may consider maintaining their positions to capitalize on further growth opportunities.
Key Takeaways Omnicell is advancing autonomous pharmacy with new solutions and major health system wins. OMCL expanded its SaaS and Expert Services portfolio through acquisitions and new customer commitments. OMCL's 2026 guidance includes about $12M in tariff-related costs amid competitive pressure. Omnicell (OMCL - Free Report) is well poised to grow in the coming quarters as it continues to steadily advance the autonomous pharmacy industry-defined vision for delivering improved medication management outcomes. The company is expanding its SaaS and Expert Services portfolio via acquisitions and new platform launches. However, macroeconomic headwinds and competitive pressures could weigh on its operating performance.
Over the past year, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has had a remarkable run. OMCL shares have risen 51.6% compared to the industry’s 21.2% decline. The S&P 500 composite has grown 23.2% during the same time frame.
The renowned healthcare technology company has a market capitalization of $1.96 billion. OMCL’s earnings yield of 4.7% is comfortably above the industry’s negative 1% yield. In the trailing four quarters, Omnicell surpassed earnings estimates thrice and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 34.7%.
Let’s delve deeper.Tailwinds for OMCL StockAutonomous Pharmacy Model Holds Potential: The industry-defined vision of Autonomous Pharmacy is a roadmap to improving operational efficiencies and ultimately targeting zero-error medication management. Over the past several years, the company has expanded its business from a single-point solution to a platform of products and services that will help further advance the vision.
OMCL also secured several wins with major health systems and government health care facilities. Its ongoing R&D investments across Points of Care, Central Pharmacy and IV Compounding, Specialty Pharmacy and 340B Program and Ambulatory Care market categories are expected to deliver solutions that drive positive medication management outcomes for customers.
Robust Pipeline for SaaS and Expert Services Portfolio: Omnicell derives an increasing portion of revenues from its subscription-based SaaS and Expert Services offerings, which includes a combination of robotics, smart devices and intelligent software, all optimized by expert services.
In recent years, the company has integrated three key acquisitions — Specialty Pharmacy Services, FDS Amplicare, and MarkeTouch Media. In the first quarter of 2026, several health systems committed to using Omnicell's inventory optimization service, alongside central pharmacy automation and point-of-care dispensing solutions.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Ails OMCL Stock?Escalating Expenses May Strain Margins: In response to changing tariffs, several foreign countries have imposed reciprocal duties on U.S.-manufactured goods. Changes in export or import regulations and other trade barriers may have an adverse effect on the company’s business. OMCL’s 2026 guidance incorporates an updated estimate of approximately $12 million in tariff-related costs impacting the P&L.
Competitive Landscape: Omnicell faces intense competition in the medication management and supply-chain solutions market. Major direct competitors in the medication packaging solutions market pose threats as they spearhead several expansion programs. This increased competition could result in pricing pressure and a reduced margin, which would have an adverse impact on the company’s performance.
OMCL Stock Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for OMCL’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has jumped $1.97 in the past 30 days.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 revenues is pegged at $1.24 billion, suggesting a 4.9% increase from the year-ago reported number.
Key PicksSome better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) , Integra LifeSciences (IART - Free Report) and Phibro Animal Health (PAHC - Free Report) .
Globus Medical has an earnings yield of 5.5%, well ahead of the industry’s negative 3% yield. Its earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 26.3%. The company’s shares have rallied 43.8% against the industry’s 4.8% decline over the past year.
GMED carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Integra LifeSciences, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 16% against the industry’s negative 3% yield. Shares of the company have gained 22.8% compared with the industry’s 4.8% growth. IART’s earnings topped estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.8%.
Phibro Animal Health, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 at present, has an earnings yield of 9.2% compared with the industry’s 2.8% yield. Shares of the company have climbed 43.1% against the industry’s 27.9% decline. PAHC’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.3%.
Even without rate cut assistance from the Federal Reserve, the real estate sector is delivering the goods for investors this year. Count the ALPS REIT Dividend Dogs ETF (RDOG) among the real estate ETFs displaying leadership traits.
RDOG, which turned 18 years old in May, focuses on the highest-yielding REITs across nine of the real estate sector’s sub-segments. Within the ALPS ETF, those segments are equally weighted, a strategy that enhances diversification while diminishing concentration risk.
RDOG is doing something right, because the ETF is up 15.1% year-to-date. Plus, it sports an enticing trailing 12-month dividend yield of 6.09%. That’s far above average among standard real estate ETFs. The ETF’s high yield and its 2026 performance may imply that it doesn’t have much of a value proposition. Upon further examination, though, there are some value plays residing in this ETF.
To RDOG for Value Real estate is a defensive sector, and there are times when those groups trade at valuations in excess of the broader market. It’s the price of admission for accessing that defensive posture. But to RDOG’s credit, some of its holdings look undervalued today. That includes dividend stalwart Realty Income (O).
“Coverage ratios are also very high, so tenants are healthy and unlikely to request rent concessions, even during downturns,” noted Morningstar analyst Kevin Brown. “The steady, stable stream of revenue has allowed Realty Income to be one of only two REITs to be members of the S&P High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index and have a credit rating of A- or better. This makes Realty Income one of the most dependable investments for income-oriented investors.”
Wireless tower REIT American Tower (AMT), also a member of the RDOG lineup, is another example of a REIT which Morningstar believes is offering some value today.
“We like management’s push into international markets, where growth opportunities are stronger. Many international markets, especially in Africa, are still progressing through 4G. Continued investment in new technologies, amid soaring data consumption, should drive international growth,” observed Michael Hodel of Morningstar.
Crown Castle (CCI), SBA Communications (SBAC), and Park Hotels & Resorts (PK) are other examples of RDOG components Morningstar considers undervalued.
For more news, information, and analysis, visit the ETF Building Blocks Content Hub.
Vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for RDOG for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, RDOG is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi. VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of RDOG.
Key Takeaways JBHT expects Q2 revenues of $3.17B, up 8.15% y/y, with strength across the majority of its segments.JBHT's Q2 EPS estimate of $1.71 is up 0.59% in the past 60 days and 30.53% from last year's actual.Higher net interest expense is likely to weigh on J.B. Hunt's bottom line. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 15, after market close.
J.B. Hunt has an encouraging earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters (missed the mark in the remaining quarter), delivering an average beat of 6.31%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s see how things have shaped up for J.B. Hunt this earnings season.
Factors Likely to Have Influenced JBHT’s Q2 PerformanceThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for JBHT’s second-quarter 2026 earnings has been revised upward by 0.59% to $1.71 per share in the past 60 days. Moreover, the consensus mark implies a surge of 30.53% from the year-ago actual.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for J.B. Hunt’s second-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $3.17 billion, indicating an 8.15% growth year over year. The upside is expected to have been driven by strength across the majority of its segments.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second-quarter Intermodal revenues is pegged at $1.49 billion, indicating a surge of 3.6% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark lies above our estimate of $1.44 billion.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the Dedicated Contract Services segment revenues is pegged at $888 million, implying a 4.8% increase from the second quarter of 2025 reported number. The upside is likely to have been driven by the rise in productivity (revenue per truck per week).The consensus mark is pegged below our estimate of $899.9 million.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Integrated Capacity Solutions’revenues is pegged at $302 million, indicating a 16.1% increase from the year-ago reported figure. Our estimate is pegged at $289.4 million.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Truckload revenues is pegged at $204 million, indicating a 15.2% rise from the second quarter of 2025 reported number. Truckload revenues are expected to have been aided by an increase inload volume. Our estimate is pegged at $204.3 million.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Final Mile Services revenues is pegged at $200 million, indicating a 5.2% decrease from the second quarter of 2025 reported number. General weakness in demand across many of the end markets served might have hurt the segment.Our estimate is pegged at $201.1 million.
Higher net interest expense is likely to mar J.B. Hunt’s bottom line. JBHT continues to incur higher interest expenses due to higher interest rates. Further, the company’s bottom line might have been hurt by an expected increase in operating expenses due to high purchased transportation costs, salaries, wages and benefit expenses.
What Our Model Says About JBHTOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for J.B. Hunt this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
J.B. Hunt has an Earnings ESP of +0.36% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Highlights of JBHT’s Q1 EarningsJ.B. Hunt Transport Services reported first-quarter 2026 earnings per share of $1.49, up 27% from $1.17 a year ago. The result topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.04, a 2.8% surprise.
Operating revenues totaled $3.06 billion, rising 4.6% year over year. Revenues beat the consensus mark of $2.94 billion, resulting in a 3.9% surprise, as demand proved resilient across several service offerings, led by Intermodal volume growth and higher revenue per load in select highway-related businesses.
Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are a few stocks from the broader Zacks Transportation sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
CSX Corporation (CSX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +2.65% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
CSX is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 22. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings has been revised marginally upward over the past 30 days. CSX’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the preceding four quarters and missed in the remaining one, the average beat being 3.2%.
Union Pacific (UNP - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +1.35% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. UNP is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 23.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 earnings has remained stable at $3.14 per share over the past 60 days. UNP’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the preceding four quarters (missing the mark on the other occasion). The average beat is 2.3%.
Progyny (PGNY - Free Report) could be a solid choice for investors given the company's remarkably improving earnings outlook. While the stock has been a strong performer lately, this trend might continue since analysts are still raising their earnings estimates for the company.
Analysts' growing optimism on the earnings prospects of this provider of fertility and family building benefits is driving estimates higher, which should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. Our stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is principally built on this insight.
The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.
For Progyny, there has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising earnings estimates, which has helped push consensus estimates considerably higher for the next quarter and full year.
The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Current-Quarter Estimate RevisionsThe company is expected to earn $0.51 per share for the current quarter, which represents a year-over-year change of +6.3%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Progyny has increased 7.14% over the last 30 days, as one estimate has gone higher compared to no negative revisions.
Current-Year Estimate RevisionsFor the full year, the company is expected to earn $2.04 per share, representing a year-over-year change of +7.9%.
The revisions trend for the current year also appears quite promising for Progyny, with one estimate moving higher over the past month compared to no negative revisions. The consensus estimate has also received a boost over this time frame, increasing 11.22%.
Favorable Zacks RankThe promising estimate revisions have helped Progyny earn a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.
Bottom LineInvestors have been betting on Progyny because of its solid estimate revisions, as evident from the stock's 18.8% gain over the past four weeks. As its earnings growth prospects might push the stock higher, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away.
Viking Therapeutics (VKTX +2.48%) may be one of biotech's most tempting buyout targets, thanks to its weight loss drug pipeline and massive obesity market opportunity. But the stock also carries serious risk, especially as a better-funded rival gains a head start. The upside could be substantial, but only if the data, timing, and buyer interest line up.
Stock prices used were the market prices of June 26, 2026. The video was published on July 7, 2026.
Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
Key Takeaways RF is expanding fee-based revenue through acquisitions and stronger capital markets capabilities.Regions Financial plans new branches and expects low-single-digit loan growth in 2026.Higher expenses and commercial loan concentration remain key risks for RF. Shares of the Regions Financial Corporation (RF - Free Report) have rallied 8.4%, outperforming the industry’s 6.7% growth in the past three months. Moreover, RF’s price performance has been better than that of its close peers, Flagstar Bank, National Association (FLG - Free Report) and SouthState Bank Corporation (SSB - Free Report) . Flagstar Bank stock has gained 3.5%, whereas shares of SouthState have plunged 0.1% during the same time period.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Next, let’s examine the main factors likely to drive additional momentum for RF stock.
Key Factors Driving RF’s GrowthGrowth Through Strategic Acquisitions and Capital Markets Expansion: Regions Financial is strengthening its growth prospects through strategic acquisitions, expanded capital markets capabilities and a broader portfolio of fee-based services. Last week, the company completed the acquisition of Frazer Lanier, enhancing its municipal and corporate investment banking capabilities. The transaction expands Regions Financial's expertise in bond issuance, underwriting, debt placement and advisory services, supporting fee-based revenue growth and strengthening its capital markets business.
Prior to the recent acquisition, the company had consistently pursued inorganic growth to diversify its operations. In 2021, Regions Financial acquired Clearsight, Sabal Capital and EnerBank USA, strengthening its specialized banking capabilities and expanding its revenue base. Earlier, in 2019, the acquisition of Highland Associates enhanced the company's wealth management offerings for not-for-profit organizations and the healthcare sector.
Regions Financial has also been investing in growth initiatives to strengthen its fee-based businesses. In the first quarter of 2026, wealth management revenues rose 9% year over year, while treasury management fees reached a record level, helping drive a 5.9% increase in non-interest income to $625 million. Further, the company continues to invest in treasury management and wealth management capabilities while evaluating bolt-on acquisitions to broaden its product offerings and diversify revenue streams. These initiatives are expected to support sustainable long-term growth and enhance shareholder value.
Non-Interest Income Growth
Image Source: Regions Financial Corporation
Branch Expansion to Strengthen Customer Franchise: Apart from inorganic growth, the company is also expanding and modernizing its branch network to support long-term growth. Regions Financial plans to open 135-150 new branches over the next five years, primarily across high-growth Southeastern markets, including Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. It also expects to renovate more than 1,000 existing branches to enhance the customer experience and support its relationship-based banking model. These initiatives are expected to strengthen customer acquisition and retention, deepen deposit relationships and support long-term business growth.
Steady Loan Growth: The company has witnessed steady loan growth over the past several years. The company's loan balances recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% between 2020 and 2025, with the upward momentum continuing in the first quarter of 2026. Looking ahead, rising loan pipelines, coupled with the company's broad presence across the high-growth Southeastern and Midwest markets, are expected to support further loan growth. Management projects average loan balances to increase by low-single digits in 2026 from 2025 levels, driven by continued strength in commercial and real estate lending.
Solid Liquidity Position Enhances Shareholder Value: Regions Financial maintains a solid liquidity position. As of March 31, 2026, the company had total debt of $6.3 billion (including short- and long-term borrowings), while total liquidity sources stood at $67.9 billion.
With a healthy liquidity profile, the company continues to enhance shareholder value through consistent capital deployment. In July 2025, Regions Financial raised its quarterly common stock dividend by 6% to 26 cents per share and expects to maintain a dividend payout ratio of 40-50% of earnings. The company has increased its dividend five times over the past five years, delivering a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 11.3%. Further, its current dividend yield of 3.56% compares favorably with the industry's average of 2.42%.
Dividend Yield
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Likewise, its close peers, Flagstar Bank, offer a dividend yield of 0.28%, while SouthState's dividend yield stands at 2.46%.
Apart from regular dividend payments, RF also returns capital through share repurchases. In December 2025, the board authorized a new $3 billion share repurchase program effective from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2027. As of March 31, 2026, nearly $569 million remained available under the authorization. Given its robust liquidity position, the company's capital deployment initiatives appear sustainable and are expected to continue supporting investor confidence.
What’s Hurting Regions Financial GrowthElevated Expense Base: The company continues to witness an increase in expenses. Its non-interest expenses recorded a CAGR of 3.4% between 2020 and 2025. The rising trend persisted in the first quarter of 2026, with non-interest expenses increasing 2.8% year over year to nearly $1.07 billion. Higher salaries and employee benefits, along with continued investments in technology and branch expansion, are expected to keep expenses elevated despite the company's cost-control efforts.
Non-Interest Expense Trend
Image Source: Regions Financial Corporation
Commercial Loan Concentration: Regions Financial's loan portfolio remains heavily concentrated in commercial lending. As of March 31, 2026, commercial loans, comprising commercial and industrial and commercial real estate loans, accounted for 57.2% of the company's total loan portfolio. Over the past few quarters, the company has witnessed pressure in several commercial loan categories, particularly office and senior housing. Further, commercial loans accounted for 76% of total non-performing loans as of March 31, 2026. Thus, any economic slowdown could further pressure asset quality and financial performance.
How to Approach RF Stock NowOver the past week, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share has been revised downward to $2.60, while the estimate for 2027 has remained unchanged at $2.85.
Estimate Revision Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The projected figures imply growth of 11.6% and 9.3% for 2026 and 2027, respectively.
In terms of valuation, RF stock appears inexpensive relative to the industry. The company is currently trading at a 12-month trailing price-to-earnings P/E ratio of 10.88X, lower than the industry’s 11.14X. Meanwhile, Flagstar Bank holds a P/E ratio of 14.97X, while SouthState’s P/E ratio stands at 9.76X.
Price-to-Earnings F12 M
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Regions Financial's strategic acquisitions, expanding capital markets capabilities, steady loan growth and shareholder-friendly capital deployment strategy are expected to support its long-term growth.
However, elevated operating costs and potential deterioration in commercial credit quality during an economic slowdown could weigh on earnings growth and asset quality in the upcoming quarters. Additionally, the Fed's signal of a potential interest rate hike in 2026 amid renewed inflationary pressures may constrain net interest income expansion. Although RF stock is trading at an attractive valuation, the recent downward revision in the 2026 earnings estimate suggests limited near-term upside.
Investors already holding the stock may consider retaining their positions, given Regions Financial's diversified growth initiatives and solid liquidity profile. Those considering fresh investments may prefer to wait for a more favorable entry point until earnings visibility improves.
Currently, RF stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Growth investors focus on stocks that are seeing above-average financial growth, as this feature helps these securities garner the market's attention and deliver solid returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.
That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.
However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.
Sezzle Inc. (SEZL - Free Report) is one such stock that our proprietary system currently recommends. The company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.
Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).
While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this company is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:
Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.
While the historical EPS growth rate for Sezzle Inc. is 380%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 42% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 14.9%.
Cash Flow GrowthCash is the lifeblood of any business, but higher-than-average cash flow growth is more beneficial and important for growth-oriented companies than for mature companies. That's because, high cash accumulation enables these companies to undertake new projects without raising expensive outside funds.
Right now, year-over-year cash flow growth for Sezzle Inc. is 92.6%, which is higher than many of its peers. In fact, the rate compares to the industry average of -2.3%.
While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 43.7% over the past 3-5 years versus the industry average of 13.7%.
Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Sezzle Inc.. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.2% over the past month.
Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Sezzle Inc. a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
This combination indicates that Sezzle Inc. is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.
GE Vernova (GEV +0.54%) has one of the strongest AI power stories in the market, thanks to scarce gas turbines, rising pricing power, and a massive backlog. But after a huge rally, the risk is no longer the business alone. It is whether enough future data center projects actually convert into real revenue.
Stock prices used were the market prices of June 26, 2026. The video was published on July 6, 2026.
Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends GE Vernova. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) could see upside in its upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 report, according to Wedbush Securities, which raised its price target on the stock to $2,000 from $1,200.
The semiconductor firm's management had guided fiscal fourth-quarter sales to a range of $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion, with non-GAAP earnings per share of $30 to $33.
Wedbush said that outlook implied only mid to high teens growth in average selling prices under its prior model, but conversations with industry contacts suggested pricing gains in the high double digits, leading the firm to conclude SanDisk's initial guidance underestimated the scale of pricing gains.
Wedbush's updated estimates now assume blended bit ASPs rise roughly 30% quarter over quarter, a figure the firm still characterizes as conservative given industry trends and SanDisk's pricing strategy, even after the company posted triple-digit sequential ASP growth in its fiscal third quarter.
Looking further out, Wedbush raised its fiscal 2027 estimates, citing a higher revised fiscal 2026 base along with pricing data for the current September quarter that came in above its prior projections. The firm believes that quarter will likely see gains of more than 20%, with raw NAND prices climbing above $0.30 per gigabyte and finished goods, particularly enterprise SSDs, commanding a further premium. Wedbush's own model assumes double-digit gains, below the 20% threshold, reflecting its expectation that a larger share of SanDisk's NAND output will move under long-term supply and capacity agreements, referred to as SCAs, consistent with recent management commentary.
Those revisions push Wedbush's fiscal 2027 EPS estimate to $225.99 from $194.93, on projected revenue of $55.83 billion and gross margin of 84.7%.
The firm expects earnings strength to continue through fiscal 2027 and 2028, pointing to limited new fab capacity coming online before late 2027 or 2028 and the stabilizing effect of long-term supply agreements on pricing. Wedbush's model has earnings peaking in fiscal 2028 at approximately $264 per share.
Wedbush said it does not have a firm view on when NAND supply will normalize, citing its belief that supply currently runs well below true demand, that demand will keep accelerating through the end of the decade, and that uncertainty remains around the pace of future supply additions. Still, the firm argued that long-term supply agreements should allow for a more gradual decline in margins and pricing once existing contracts expire, offering greater visibility into earnings and cash flow than memory vendors have historically provided.
Shares of SanDisk were up 12% on Thursday afternoon.
Sandisk Corporation remains a high-conviction beneficiary of the emerging AI NAND supercycle, as agentic inference expands demand for both capacity- and performance-driven data center storage. The latest stock pullback could represent the last discounted opportunity to participate in SNDK's final re-rating for AI NAND demand upside before the broader industry supply-demand imbalance eases in 2028. Sandisk's expanding QLC, TLC, and future high-bandwidth flash roadmap should deepen its penetration across the AI memory hierarchy, moving SNDK beyond cold storage into higher-value opportunities closer to compute.
SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) could see upside in its upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 report, according to Wedbush Securities, which raised its price target on the stock to $2,000 from $1,200.
The semiconductor firm's management had guided fiscal fourth-quarter sales to a range of $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion, with non-GAAP earnings per share of $30 to $33.
Wedbush said that outlook implied only mid to high teens growth in average selling prices under its prior model, but conversations with industry contacts suggested pricing gains in the high double digits, leading the firm to conclude SanDisk's initial guidance underestimated the scale of pricing gains.
Wedbush's updated estimates now assume blended bit ASPs rise roughly 30% quarter over quarter, a figure the firm still characterizes as conservative given industry trends and SanDisk's pricing strategy, even after the company posted triple-digit sequential ASP growth in its fiscal third quarter.
Looking further out, Wedbush raised its fiscal 2027 estimates, citing a higher revised fiscal 2026 base along with pricing data for the current September quarter that came in above its prior projections. The firm believes that quarter will likely see gains of more than 20%, with raw NAND prices climbing above $0.30 per gigabyte and finished goods, particularly enterprise SSDs, commanding a further premium. Wedbush's own model assumes double-digit gains, below the 20% threshold, reflecting its expectation that a larger share of SanDisk's NAND output will move under long-term supply and capacity agreements, referred to as SCAs, consistent with recent management commentary.
Those revisions push Wedbush's fiscal 2027 EPS estimate to $225.99 from $194.93, on projected revenue of $55.83 billion and gross margin of 84.7%.
The firm expects earnings strength to continue through fiscal 2027 and 2028, pointing to limited new fab capacity coming online before late 2027 or 2028 and the stabilizing effect of long-term supply agreements on pricing. Wedbush's model has earnings peaking in fiscal 2028 at approximately $264 per share.
Wedbush said it does not have a firm view on when NAND supply will normalize, citing its belief that supply currently runs well below true demand, that demand will keep accelerating through the end of the decade, and that uncertainty remains around the pace of future supply additions. Still, the firm argued that long-term supply agreements should allow for a more gradual decline in margins and pricing once existing contracts expire, offering greater visibility into earnings and cash flow than memory vendors have historically provided.
Shares of SanDisk were up 12% on Thursday afternoon.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde with Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2025 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. The firm is headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating Solstice Advanced Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLS) related to its merger with Element Solutions, Inc. Is it a fair deal?
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Juan Monteverde, Esq.
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Attorney Advertising. (C) 2026 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Comstock Inc. (LODE) Discusses System-Based Strategy and Asset Monetization in Renewable Metals and Energy July 9, 2026 11:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Corrado De Gasperis - CEO & Director
Conference Call Participants
Peter Gastreich - Water Tower Research LLC
Presentation
Peter Gastreich
Water Tower Research LLC
Welcome to today's fireside chat with Comstock Inc., New York Stock Exchange ticker LODE. I'm your host, Peter Gastreich, Managing Director of Energy Transition and Sustainable Investing at Water Tower Research. Today, I'm very pleased to welcome Corrado DeGasprois, who is Chief Executive Officer of Comstock Inc.
Comstock is a Nevada-based renewable metals and energy company with breakthrough technologies that unlock critical supply chain constraints in metals and fuels. Today, we will ask Corrado to outline the strategy, bring us up to speed on recent developments and help investors understand where we are on asset monetizations and critical metals recovery ramp. So before we introduce Corrado and bring him in, I'd like to point out that the company's safe harbor statements can be found on its Investor Relations tab on its website.
This fireside chat may not be reproduced or written transcript distributed without the expressed written consent of Water Tower Research. Also, this conversation is being recorded, so you can access it again in the future and share it with others. So finally, investors can submit their questions during this live fireside chat. And if we do not get to your questions, we'll be happy to deliver those to Corrado and his team after the chat. So with those housekeeping notes out of the way, let's get started. So Corrado, it's always great to have you back. So welcome, and thanks so much for joining us today.
Important Notice Regarding Alleged Unlicensed Cross-Border Securities Operations That Resulted in RMB 1.85 Billion in Proposed Regulatory Penalties
, /PRNewswire/ -- SueWallSt notifies investors in Futu Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: FUTU) that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased securities between May 24, 2023 and May 27, 2026. Find out if you could qualify to recover losses. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (888) SueWallSt.
Futu shares fell $34.10 per share, a 27.5% single-day decline, after regulators proposed approximately $271 million in penalties for alleged unlicensed brokerage operations in mainland China. The lead plaintiff deadline is August 25, 2026.
How Unlicensed Operations Allegedly Inflated Financial Results
The global online brokerage sector has drawn intense regulatory scrutiny as platforms expand across borders. Futu built a substantial business serving mainland Chinese investors through its Futubull platform, growing paying clients from 1.5 million in early 2023 to over 2.8 million by mid-2025. The lawsuit contends that this growth was fueled by operations conducted without requisite CSRC licenses or regulatory approval, meaning revenues and client metrics reported throughout the Class Period were allegedly tainted by illegal activity.
The CSRC first flagged Futu's cross-border operations in December 2022, banning new mainland Chinese account openings. Yet the complaint alleges the Company continued conducting securities, public fund sales, and futures business in mainland China without obtaining the required licenses.
Key Allegations Regarding Regulatory Non-Compliance for Shareholders
The CSRC proposed confiscation of approximately RMB 470 million (roughly $69 million) in gains the regulator characterized as illegally obtained The CSRC proposed additional fines of approximately RMB 1.38 billion (roughly $203 million), bringing total proposed penalties to approximately RMB 1.85 billion ($271 million) Futu's Futubull app was removed from mainland Chinese app stores in May 2023, yet the action alleges unlicensed business activity continued The Company's quarterly earnings releases throughout the Class Period reported growing client counts and rising revenues without disclosing that a material portion allegedly derived from non-compliant operations A personal fine of RMB 1.25 million was proposed against the Company's founder and chief executive The Regulatory Overhang Factor
The lawsuit asserts that Futu's SEC filings used hedging language suggesting penalties were merely hypothetical. The Company's annual reports stated it had "limited information to accurately predict if any disciplinary action or punishment will be taken." The action contends this language was misleading because Futu knew it was operating without required licenses and that regulatory consequences were not speculative but foreseeable.
When the China Securities Regulatory Commission, along with seven other government agencies including the central bank, launched a coordinated crackdown on brokers accused of illegally moving money to foreign markets, the alleged gap between Futu's disclosures and operational reality was exposed.
"This case presents important questions about cross-border regulatory compliance disclosure obligations in the online brokerage sector. Investors are entitled to know whether a company's reported growth depends on activities that lack regulatory authorization." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Submit your information here or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at (888) SueWallSt.
WHY SUEWALLST: SueWallSt is a brand of Levi & Korsinsky LLP. Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions About the FUTU Lawsuit
Q: What is the FUTU class action lawsuit about? A: A securities class action has been filed against Futu Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: FUTU) alleging materially false and misleading statements between May 24, 2023 and May 27, 2026. Shares fell approximately 27.5% after the truth was revealed, causing significant losses for shareholders.
Q: Who is eligible to join the FUTU investor lawsuit? A: Investors who purchased FUTU stock or securities between May 24, 2023 and May 27, 2026 and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses, not on whether you still hold the shares.
Q: How much did FUTU stock drop? A: Shares fell approximately 27.5%, a decline of $34.10 per share, after the Company disclosed receipt of a CSRC Notification Letter proposing RMB 1.85 billion in penalties for alleged unlicensed cross-border brokerage operations. A further 4.8% decline followed days later when Q1 2026 results reflected the proposed penalties.
Q: What do FUTU investors need to do right now? A: Investors may gather brokerage records showing purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Contact SueWallSt, a brand of Levi & Korsinsky LLP, for a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500. No immediate action is required to remain eligible as an absent class member.
Q: What is a lead plaintiff and why does it matter? A: A lead plaintiff is the investor appointed by the court to represent the entire class. Lead plaintiffs are typically investors with the largest documented losses. Being appointed does not increase individual recovery but gives direct oversight of how the case is run.
Q: What if I already sold my FUTU shares -- can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold them. Investors who bought during the class period and sold at a loss may still participate.
Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: Nothing. Securities class actions are handled on a pure contingency basis. No upfront fees, no retainer, no out-of-pocket costs.
Q: What court was the FUTU class action filed in? A: The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, governed by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (888) SueWallSt
Fax: (212) 363-7171
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Key Takeaways ALAB is riding on PCIe demand as AI infrastructure spending accelerates across data centers. ALAB posted $308M in Q1 revenues, up 14% sequentially and 93% year over year. Scorpio X-Series supports up to 320 lanes for scale-up networking in large AI clusters. Astera Labs (ALAB - Free Report) is benefiting from surging demand for its PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) solutions, particularly as the AI infrastructure market accelerates and hyperscalers, AI labs and sovereign entities invest heavily in next-generation data center technologies.
In the first quarter of 2026, Astera Labs delivered strong financial results, with revenues reaching $308 million, up 14% sequentially and 93% year over year. PCIe Gen 6 revenues accounted for more than one-third of the company’s total revenues in the quarter, underscoring the centrality of this product line to Astera Labs’ growth. Millions of PCIe Gen 6 ports have been shipped to date, demonstrating the maturity and adoption of Astera Labs’ portfolio across AI fabric and signal conditioning applications.
The company’s Scorpio product family, which includes both the X-Series and P-Series PCIe 6 switches, is at the forefront of this momentum. The newly launched Scorpio X-Series supports up to 320 lanes, enabling high-radix, scale-up networking for large AI clusters. These switches are purpose-built to maximize AI economics, featuring hardware-accelerated hypercast and in-network compute engines that can double collective operations performance.
ALAB is diversifying its customer base with new design wins and is well-positioned to capitalize on the industry’s transition to PCIe 6, 800 gigs, and 1.6T Ethernet connectivity. Management expects continued strong revenue growth through 2026 and into 2027, driven by the proliferation of AI fabrics and the ongoing shift to higher-speed connectivity standards.
For the second quarter of 2026, ALAB expects revenues between $355 million and $365 million, implying 15% to 18% sequential growth. The outlook is driven by the continued adoption of PCIe 6 across AI platforms, rising Taurus volumes for AI scale-out connectivity and a sustained early-stage ramp-up of Scorpio X-Series products for large-scale XPU clustering.
ALAB Faces Stiff CompetitionALAB is facing stiff competition from other industry players like Marvell Technology (MRVL - Free Report) and Credo Technology (CRDO - Free Report) . Both Marvell Technology and Credo Technology are making strong efforts in the connectivity space.
Marvell Technology’s expanding portfolio has been noteworthy. In June 2026, Marvell Technology introduced the Teralynx T100, a 102.4 Tbps AI-optimized switch silicon designed to enhance high-speed connectivity and networking efficiency in large-scale AI data centers through lower latency and reduced power consumption.
Credo Technology’s expanding portfolio has been noteworthy. In May 2026, Credo Technology completed its acquisition of DustPhotonics, adding industry-leading silicon photonics technology to strengthen its optical interconnect portfolio across 800G, 1.6T and 3.2T solutions. The acquisition enhances Credo Technology’s vertically integrated AI connectivity stack and is expected to be a significant growth driver in fiscal 2027, supported by increasing hyperscale AI adoption.
ALAB’s Share Price Performance, Valuation, and EstimatesALAB shares have surged 136.4% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s increase of 14.8%. The Zacks Internet - Software industry has decreased 8% in the same time frame.
ALAB Stock’s Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ALAB stock is trading at a premium, with a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 36.42X compared with the Internet - Software industry’s 3.89X. ALAB has a Value Score of F.
ALAB’s Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.94 per share, which has increased by a couple of pennies over the past 30 days. This suggests 59.78% year-over-year growth.
ALAB’s Zacks RankAstera Labs currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Investors might want to bet on GFL Environmental Inc. (GFL - Free Report) , as earnings estimates for this company have been showing solid improvement lately. The stock has already gained solid short-term price momentum, and this trend might continue with its still improving earnings outlook.
The upward trend in estimate revisions for this company reflects growing optimism of analysts on its earnings prospects, which should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. Our stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- has this insight at its core.
The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.
For GFL Environmental Inc., there has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising earnings estimates, which has helped push consensus estimates considerably higher for the next quarter and full year.
The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Current-Quarter Estimate RevisionsFor the current quarter, the company is expected to earn $0.17 per share, which is a change of -10.5% from the year-ago reported number.
Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for GFL Environmental has increased 10.31% because one estimate has moved higher compared to no negative revisions.
Current-Year Estimate RevisionsFor the full year, the earnings estimate of $0.59 per share represents a change of +9.3% from the year-ago number.
In terms of estimate revisions, the trend for the current year also appears quite encouraging for GFL Environmental. Over the past month, one estimate has moved higher compared to no negative revisions, helping the consensus estimate increase 8.46%.
Favorable Zacks RankThanks to promising estimate revisions, GFL Environmental currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision.
You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.
Bottom LineWhile strong estimate revisions for GFL Environmental have attracted decent investments and pushed the stock 11.8% higher over the past four weeks, further upside may still be left in the stock. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away.
Cerebras Systems CBRS shares rose 11% on Thursday after the artificial intelligence infrastructure company unveiled plans for a major expansion across Europe.
The initiative includes new AI data centres that will partially support OpenAI workloads under the companies' existing partnership.
The company said it expects to bring its first European data centre capacity online by the end of this year before expanding its footprint across France, Finland and Norway.
Cerebras said it plans to build out a large artificial intelligence data centre network in Europe, marking its first entry into the region as demand grows for locally hosted AI infrastructure.
The company expects to expand total capacity to 200 megawatts by the end of 2027.
A portion of that capacity is expected to support OpenAI workloads through the companies' existing partnership.
Cerebras said the investment is intended to address increasing demand from European enterprises, research institutions and governments seeking low-latency AI infrastructure within the region rather than relying on providers in the United States or Asia.
Power capacity has become a key measure of AI data centres because electricity availability is increasingly the primary constraint on expanding AI computing.
While smaller enterprise data centres typically consume between 1 and 20 megawatts, hyperscale facilities operated by cloud providers can require 100 megawatts or more.
Chief executive Andrew Feldman said the projects represent a significant investment.
"These are massive expansions" worth several billion dollars, Feldman told AFP on the sidelines of the RAISE Summit in Paris.
He also said, "By putting data centres across Europe... we think that we can meet all the unique European requirements" on issues such as data sovereignty.
Alongside its European expansion, Cerebras announced an expanded manufacturing partnership with Flex to increase production of its CS-3 AI accelerator systems.
Production will be scaled at Flex's facilities in Milpitas, California, with the expanded operation expected to increase CS-3 manufacturing capacity by approximately seven times through 2026.
The expansion will be supported by additional production lines, increased manufacturing space and more skilled workers.
"The CS-3 is unlike any computer system ever built, and scaling its production requires an extraordinary manufacturing partner," said Chief Operating Officer Dhiraj Mallick.
The company said the manufacturing expansion is designed to support rising demand for AI inference infrastructure.
Cerebras has focused on processors designed specifically for AI inference, the process through which AI models generate responses to user prompts.
Demand for inference-focused chips has accelerated alongside the growing adoption of AI agents, which require significantly more computing resources.
Feldman said demand across Europe continues to outpace supply.
"These deployments will enable us to move decisively on what our customers have been asking for: fast, high-performance AI compute located in Europe," he said in the company's statement.
He also told AFP that demand for generative AI computing in Europe is "extraordinary... growing very, very quickly," adding that the market is expanding "faster than we can keep up".
The expansion comes as AI infrastructure investment accelerates across Europe.
The AI infrastructure boom also helped Cerebras raise $5.5 billion in its US initial public offering in May, making it one of the 15 largest IPOs in Wall Street history.
According to TipRanks data, all 10 analysts covering the company currently rate the stock a Buy, with an average price target of $296, implying roughly 46% upside from current levels.
Grantham on SpaceX IPOIn a recent podcast appearance, GMO co-founder Grantham called SpaceX "the craziest IPO in the history of man."
The legendary investor shared his thoughts on SpaceX, the company’s lack of profitability, and its early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 with Morningstar on "The Long View" podcast.
"$1.7 trillion for a company that’s rolling in red ink when 90% of the projection are on the AI of their currently third-rate AI offering who’s getting kicked around the block by Anthropic and OpenAI and so on," Grantham told Morningstar. "Just amazing."
The investor said JPMorgan and others are recommending SpaceX stock to clients, and there will be early demand thanks to the Nasdaq changing its rules.
"For one thing, it’s Nasdaq has cheated and changed the laws of the land so that they can squeeze it into the Nasdaq index despite the fact it has no earnings, etc. What that means is there’ll be a lot of people who have to buy it for any index that is Nasdaq-y."
Grantham said this means there could be more demand than sellers for SpaceX stock.
Benzinga reached out to the Nasdaq and SpaceX for comment and did not hear back at the time of publication.
Nasdaq Changes Rules, S&P 500 Stays Mostly FirmThe index company also changed its 10% minimum float rule to a 3x weighting boost for low-float stocks.
As of Thursday, SpaceX is the 21st-largest holding in the Invesco QQQ Trust, accounting for 1.25% of assets.
Nasdaq President Nelson Griggs previously told Bloomberg that no rules were broken by changing the rules of the Nasdaq 100. SpaceX ultimately chose to list on Nasdaq rather than the New York Stock Exchange, a decision that some believe may have been influenced by Nasdaq’s change to its index rules.
With its large market capitalization and early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100, billions of dollars in SpaceX shares were needed for ETFs and mutual funds. This also means that investors who avoided the SpaceX IPO may now have exposure to the large space stock through ETFs and mutual funds they hold in their accounts.
The S&P 500 eased its float requirements for inclusion in the index but failed to approve fast-track rules or a change to its profitability rule. To be included in the S&P 500, a company has to be profitable in the most recent quarter and profitable by the sum of the last four quarters combined.
SpaceX does not currently meet the profitability requirements.
The S&P 500 also has a 12-month requirement before a public stock can be added.
Freedom Capital Markets Chief Market Strategist Jay Woods was among those who argued against allowing SpaceX early entry into the S&P 500.
Woods said the listing criteria for stocks in the S&P 500 matters.
“This isn’t bureaucratic red tape. It is the product of decades of hard lessons about what makes an index durable, reliable, and trustworthy for the trillions of dollars benchmarked against it,” Woods previously said.
Photo: Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
SpaceX Corp (NASDAQ:SPCX) released Grok 4.5, the company's first major update to its AI model built in collaboration with Cursor, targeting coding and agentic workflows as the company pushes further into the enterprise AI market.
The 1.5 trillion parameter model was trained on tens of thousands of GB300 GPUs and builds on Grok 4.3, which launched in April 2026.
SpaceX said Grok 4.5 delivers performance close to Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 and OpenAI's GPT 5.5, while offering lower pricing and greater token efficiency.
Grok 4.5 is priced at $2 per 1 million input tokens and $6 per 1 million output tokens, compared with $5 and $25 for Opus 4.8, $10 and $50 for Fable 5, and $5 and $30 for GPT 5.5.
SpaceX said the model uses approximately 16,000 tokens per SWE-Bench Pro task, versus 67,000 for Opus, a roughly 4.2 times improvement in efficiency. The company reported sizeable gains across agentic and coding benchmarks compared with Grok 4.3, along with continued advances in knowledge and reasoning tasks.
The release comes as SpaceX targets what UBS estimates is a $23 trillion enterprise AI total addressable market. UBS said SpaceX is entering the enterprise market from a relatively low base but is building momentum through an expanding product portfolio and improving customer adoption.
OpenAI is expected to release GPT 5.6 in the coming days, a launch UBS said should raise the competitive benchmark across AI labs and underscores the importance of continued model advancement.
UBS rates SpaceX shares Buy with a $210 price target, based on a sum-of-the-parts approach valuing the Space segment at 24 times 2028 estimated revenue, Connectivity at 30 times 2028 estimated EBITDA, and AI at 28 times 2028 estimated EBITDA.
Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX +3.10%) hasn't been trading publicly for a full month yet, but it has already been through plenty of price swings. Since its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12, the stock price has traded as low as $147.11 and as high as $225.64.
As of the close of trading Tuesday, it was back down to $149.47.
Image source: Getty Images.
Early SpaceX returns On June 12, SpaceX went public at $135 per share, but it opened trading at $150. For nearly all retail investors, that would have been the first price at which they could have picked up shares, and plenty of them attempted to. But many of those investors had difficulty filling their entire orders. On the day, the stock price climbed as high as $176.52, but it closed at $160.95
Given the significant variations in the prices investors paid for their shares on that day, we'll use the first-day closing price of $160.95 to calculate potential returns.
With online brokers like Robinhood Markets allowing fractional investing, investors no longer need to buy full shares of companies; they can invest in dollar amounts instead. A $1,000 investment in SpaceX at $160.95 per share would give an investor a little more than six shares.
Based on SpaceX's closing price of $149.47 on Tuesday, July 7, that $1,000 investment would now be worth roughly $926 -- a 7.4% decline.
But for investors, what's more important than where a stock has been is where it's headed. And some analysts recently offered fresh views on that topic.
Today's Change
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Analyst outlooks Despite the choppy trading early on, the good news for shareholders is that a fresh wave of analyst price targets suggests upside ahead. According to Barron's, the average 12-month price target among 15 new analyst ratings is roughly $250 per share. That stock price would give SpaceX a market cap of $3.3 trillion.
If that $250 price target is reached from the July 7 closing price of $149.47, that would represent a gain of more than 62%.
However, it's worth keeping in mind that each price target is merely an analyst's estimate. Looking at all of them as a group can give investors a sense of the potential range of where a stock could trade in the next year or so, but there are no guarantees that it will reach those prices within that time frame. Also, because of its diverse business units and its speculative space operations and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure build-outs, SpaceX is not the easiest company to value.
SpaceX's long-term story is still playing out SpaceX believes it has a $28.5 trillion total addressable market, with $26.5 trillion of that potential coming from AI. Part of its path toward capitalizing on that opportunity will involve establishing AI infrastructure and commercializing an orbital constellation of data center satellites.
The company will face plenty of challenges as it attempts to make those things happen, but if SpaceX executes successfully, it could produce gains for long-term shareholders. However, investors will need to give it more time to turn its ambitious visions into reality.
Following a quiet period for IPO underwriters, Wall Street firms were out with a bevy of largely bullish stock initiations on Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX +3.10%), or SpaceX. But one certainly stood out from the rest. Raymond James, which was an underwriter on the IPO, started coverage of the stock with a "strong buy" rating and a whopping $800 price target.
Now it's worth noting that early analyst ratings of recent IPOs tend to be bullish. After all, the firms that are underwriters on an IPO make a lot of money, and they aren't going to get a lot of new business if they start coming out bearish on a recent IPO with which they were associated. The industry can try to set up the biggest "ethical walls" it wants, but you can guarantee that big new IPOs are getting an initial bullish rating from underwriting firms.
However, Raymond James certainly took this to another level with a price target on SpaceX light-years above any other Wall Street firm. Analyst Brian Gesuale centered his bullish thesis on SpaceX becoming "the foundational platform for the next generation of industrial capacity" across various industries.
The core argument of his thesis is that his next-generation massive reusable rocket, Starship, will make space transportation so cheap that it will help create new industries that don't yet exist. This includes things like using the rocket to fly cargo across Earth in under an hour, mining asteroids, and building AI data centers and factories in space.
Gesuale projects that SpaceX will generate more than $837 billion in revenue in 2031 and $696 billion in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization). He said his $800 target is based on a 27x exit multiple applied to his discounted cash flow projections.
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Don't buy the hype In my view, Raymond James' $800 price target on SpaceX is trying to bolster a speculative stock with more hopes and dreams. First, Starship has to demonstrate that it can be launched routinely and reused to dramatically reduce launch costs and increase payload capacity. But that is just step one.
Earth-to-Earth cargo transportation in under an hour is an interesting concept, but there would be many safety, regulatory, and infrastructure obstacles to overcome, and the economics of such a business are uncertain. I don't believe this will be up and running in the next five years, and it would be hard to imagine the U.S. and China suddenly working together to build the infrastructure needed for this work.
AI data centers in space are something multiple companies are pursuing, given that they can be powered by solar and have access to nearly endless sunlight, but, once again, there are major hurdles to overcome. Eliminating the impact of cosmic radiation on AI chips is a big one, as is finding a way to cool systems in the vacuum of space. Then there is the whole cost of building and servicing an orbital data center.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Asteroid mining, meanwhile, would require breakthroughs in robotics and extraction, and it may not be economically viable. AI factories also seem like a niche that likely may not really be necessary.
At $800, SpaceX would be an over $10 trillion company. The stock is not valued based on any of its current businesses, as it generated just $19 billion in revenue last year and posted an operating loss. Its Starlink business is a solid, growing recurring business, although it is set to see increased competition. Meanwhile, SpaceX's mobile Grok app has been losing market share, according to Apptopia data.
Not only is Raymond James' $800 target likely highly unrealistic, but it also wouldn't surprise me if the space stock is lower over the next year, as it faces multiple lock-up expirations that will release more shares into the market.
The quiet period has ended for underwriters of SpaceX's IPO, and analysts are starting to publish their views on Elon Musk-led company. William Blair's Louie DiPalma launched coverage with a bullish rating, citing the company's growing advantage as rival Blue Origin turns to outside investors.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) just signed a $30 billion multiyear deal with Broadcom for U.S.-made custom silicon and is closing in on Nvidia for the largest market cap in the world. Shares are up 15.49% year to date and sit at $313.39.
Can Apple ride its AI infrastructure pivot to $500 per share by 2030? Here is what the math says.
Why Apple Shares Face a Near-Term Ceiling Shares are up 6.46% over the past week and 49.82% over the past year. The stock trades 1% from its 52-week high of $317.40, and CFO Kevan Parekh flagged that memory costs will drive an increasing impact on our business beyond the June quarter.
Fresh App Store litigation, where developers accuse Apple of defying a 2021 injunction, broadens the risk profile. Beta of 1.097 means Apple needs a real earnings catalyst to break out rather than a beta-fueled melt-up.
Wall Street Sees 1% Upside. Our Model Says 12%. Analyst target price sits at $315.57, essentially where shares trade today. The rating breakdown: 6 Strong Buys, 22 Buys, 16 Holds, 1 Sell, and 2 Strong Sells.
Our internal model projects a base case of $350.82 with 11.94% upside and a bull case of $400.83 within a year. Confidence is high at 90%. With quarterly earnings growth of 21.8% year over year and bullish analyst sentiment at 60%, the fundamentals argue for a higher multiple.
The Path to $500 Per Share Reaching $500 from today’s price of $313.39 would require a gain of 59.5%. With forward EPS of $9.35, a price of $500 implies a forward P/E of 53x. Our base case of $350.82 already implies 38x, meaning the bold target requires roughly 15x of additional multiple expansion over four years if EPS compounds at double digits.
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.
Three catalysts drive this. First, the Broadcom deal locks in silicon supply and positions Apple as an AI infrastructure supplier alongside its consumer hardware franchise.
Second, Tim Cook stated on the Q2 call that “R&D is accelerating much higher than the company overall”, funding the Apple Intelligence push.
Third, incoming CEO John Ternus called this “the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple Inc. to be building products and services”. The primary risk is memory cost inflation compressing that 49.3% gross margin before EPS growth catches up.
Where Apple Trades Today vs Its Earnings Power Apple currently trades at a forward P/E of 34x on $9.35 forward EPS. That is rich for a mega-cap, but defensible given nine consecutive quarters of earnings beats and a 52-week range of $200.70 to $317.40. Apple has returned 1,323.98% over the past ten years. That compounding shows what happens when installed base scale meets services monetization.
Is $500 Realistic? Getting to $500 by 2030 requires a gain of 59.5% from here. That is a reasonable stretch.
Three things need to go right: services keeps compounding double digits, Apple Intelligence becomes a genuine upgrade driver for the 2.5 billion active device installed base, and the Broadcom silicon deal converts into real AI infrastructure revenue. Memory cost shock that hits gross margins before EPS catches up derails it. We’ve outlined the blueprint for how Apple could reach $500 in 2030.
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.
Luxshare Precision Industry, a Shenzhen-based Apple (AAPL) supplier that assembles products including iPhones and AirPods, came under pressure in its Hong Kong
Reports that Meta Platforms (META +2.06%) has signed a "multi-year" deal to secure flash memory from Sandisk (SNDK +12.30%) sent Sandisk stock flying -- and Meta stock dying -- early this morning. Meta stock initially fell 4% on the news, before recovering.
As of 11:40 a.m. ET, Meta stock is back in the green, up 0.5%.
Image source: Getty Images.
Details, please Citing internal Meta documents, Reuters reports the social media giant will buy NAND from Sandisk, DRAM from Samsung, and fiber optics from Sumitomo as it builds out its very own artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.
Additional beneficiaries may include Broadcom (AVGO +4.51%), which is helping Meta design Iris AI semiconductors for its data centers, and also Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.83%), which will contract-manufacture these AI chips.
All these companies are declining to officially confirm the details of the Reuters report. Regardless, investors are "buying the rumor" and shares of all the U.S. publicly traded stocks named -- Sandisk, Broadcom, and TSMC -- are moving higher today.
Today's Change
(
2.06
%) $
12.42
Current Price
$
615.54
Why Meta stock is slumping Meta stock, on the other hand, is not moving higher, or at least not much. Indeed, Meta stock initially sold off on this news.
Why is that? Consider that Meta has plans to spend $145 billion on AI infrastructure this year, and today's Sandisk news seems to confirm this plan is on track. On the one hand, that kind of money will buy Meta a lot of AI capacity as it competes with the likes of Alphabet, OpenAI, and Anthropic. On the other hand, $145 billion is even more than the $136.6 billion Meta is expected to bring in via cash from operations this year, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Meta's skating close to the edge these days, and if that makes investors nervous, I totally understand.
Rich Smith has positions in Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Broadcom, Meta Platforms, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
SummaryMeta Platforms is reportedly soon entering into the cloud computing provider business, positioning itself as a formidable AI infrastructure cloud.META's AI-driven ad tools and compute expansion could unlock significant monetization and margin improvement opportunities. The market is clearly underestimating its prowess.The stock trades at under 19x forward earnings, below peers, despite anticipated growth inflection from compute partnerships and AI advancements.I expect META's next step into the compute business and plausible Anthropic partnership could catalyze a rerating toward all-time highs.If you've been waiting for a chance to double down on Meta, you might not find a better opening to do so.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of Ultimate Growth Investing get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » panida wijitpanya/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Finally, Meta is reportedly selling compute Finally, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has understood the importance of having a cloud computing business, as Meta (META) has reportedly been looking to sell compute for the first time.
I'm not sure how long
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of META, GOOGL either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
In a bid to lower its GPU costs amid an unprecedented component shortage, Meta is on track to start making the latest versions of its AI-specific chip in September, Reuters reported, citing an internal memo.
At least one chip sailed through its testing phase in about six weeks, the memo said. Meta is working with Broadcom on the chip design, but it will use Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture them. It is also buying RAM from Samsung, storage from Sandisk, and fiber-optic equipment from Sumitomo Electric, according to the report.
Meta detailed the four new chips, developed under its Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) program, in March, some of which are currently in deployment or will be this year or next. The company is taking a modular approach to designing these chips, anticipating that their needs will change as AI evolves rapidly by the time the chips are in production.
“Each MTIA generation builds on the last, using modular chiplets, incorporating the latest AI workload insights and hardware technologies, and deploying on a shorter cadence,” the company wrote at the time.
The chips are expected to help the company save on buying GPUs from chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD, although it still expects to spend plenty with those providers as well, Reuters reports. Meta intends to use the MTIA chips for training models for its ranking and recommendation algorithms, broader AI workloads, and inference aimed at its applications. The social media company has been producing its own AI chips since 2023.
Meta has been spending massively on securing enough compute capacity to power its various AI efforts. The company in April said it expects capital expenditures between $125 billion and $145 billion this year, a lot of which is going toward its AI efforts.
The company has been striking data center and power deals across the world, spending tens of billions to secure computing capacity to train and deploy its new Muse Spark series of AI models. It plans to deploy 7 gigawatts of compute this year, and double that next, according to Reuters, which cited the memo.
It also signed a deal with ARM last year to secure compute for its recommendation systems, in addition to a multibillion-dollar deal with AMD for its Instinct GPUs and a multibillion-dollar deal with Amazon to use the cloud giant’s homegrown CPUs for AI-related needs.
Meta isn’t the only company trying to stem the tide of capital going to Nvidia. OpenAI last month unveiled an inference processor that it is building with Broadcom, and Anthropic is said to be considering developing its own chips with Samsung. Amazon and Google both develop their own chips for AI training and inference, and there’s a host of startups building in the space to meet skyrocketing demand.
Meta declined to comment.
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Ram is a financial and tech reporter and editor. He covered North American and European M&A, equity, regulatory news and debt markets at Reuters and Acuris Global, and has also written about travel, tourism, entertainment and books.
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Meta Platforms (META) introduced Muse Spark 1.1 on Thursday, calling the new AI model a major upgrade as Mark Zuckerberg pushes harder against Google (GOOG), Op
Meta launches a new AI coding model with 'very aggressive' pricing, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says By You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Meta could spark a price war in the booming AI coding market.
The tech giant announced its latest AI model, Muse Spark 1.1, on Thursday, saying it performs well on industry tests for coding and AI agents. It's Meta's first AI model that it charges users for.
In comments on X, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the model has a "very low price," though the company hasn't announced the cost yet. He also called out other AI companies for pricing their chatbots at "very extreme" levels in comments to Bloomberg. He told Bloomberg that the model outperformed Google's Gemini in several categories, including agents, coding, and other capabilities.
"We think that there's a real ability to be able to offer frontier or very high-level intelligence at a much more affordable cost," Zuckerberg told the outlet.
The model, which isn't fully available to developers yet, marks the latest milestone for Meta's AI efforts — and shows the company intends to compete on price.
If Meta's new AI models can compete with widely-used coding tools from rivals like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Cursor, that could represent a huge new source of revenue. Meta's stock was up nearly 2% on Thursday.
The cost of using AI has become a growing concern for companies as employees incorporate the technology into more of their day-to-day work. Companies have been throttling their employees' use of AI in recent months as vibe coding takes off. Coinbase, for example, now limits its engineers' weekly AI spending to $500 to $5,000 a week.
Meta quoted one of its customers, AI coding startup Cline, saying that the new AI model's price point makes it easy to run heavy AI coding tasks at scale.
"That combination is rare, and it's exactly why we wanted Cline developers to have access early," Saoud Rizwan, the Cline CEO, said on Meta's website.
Meta is spending massive amounts of cash on AI, raising its capital expenditure guidance for this year to $125-$145 billion, up from a previous estimate of $115-$135 billion. Meta remains highly dependent on its ads business, which accounts for about 98% of its total revenue, according to its first-quarter earnings results.
"We believe Meta is well positioned to generate ample revenue to support its spending, driven by monetization of its own AI initiatives, advertising share gains, incremental subscription revenue, an optionality of cloud offering, and fees for external use of its AI models," BNP Paribas Equity Research senior analyst Nick Jomes wrote in a note to investors on Thursday.
Meta is also working on a coming AI model codenamed "Watermelon," which its AI chief Alexandr Wang says has caught up to one of the latest versions of OpenAI's ChatGPT.
The model uses "an order of magnitude" more computing power than Meta's previous model, Wang told staff last week, Business Insider reported earlier.
Meta didn't respond to a request for comment.
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Charles Rollet is BI's tech correspondent in San Francisco. Prior to joining BI, Charles worked at TechCrunch covering startups and VC. Charles is based in the Bay Area, where he enjoys hiking with his dogs. You can contact Charles securely on Signal at charlesrollet.12 or +1-628-282-2811.
