Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Shares of Broadcom (AVGO +4.28%) charged higher Thursday morning, climbing as much as 3.9%. As of 11:40 a.m. ET, the stock was still up 3%.

The semiconductor specialist continued a rally that began yesterday, sparked by news regarding its deals with some of the world's biggest companies.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

A $30 billion commitment Word broke yesterday that Apple (AAPL +0.41%) inked an expansive new multiyear deal with Broadcom. The iPhone maker announced that it plans to spend more than $30 billion on Broadcom chips over the next five years.

In a press release, the pair plan to "design and produce custom silicon components and cutting-edge wireless connectivity technologies for a wide range of Apple products." The deal will include a $1.5 billion expansion and modernization of Broadcom's manufacturing facility in Fort Collins, Colorado. The $30 billion commitment will underpin the production of more than 15 billion semiconductors in the U.S.

The planned investment will allow the chipmaker to produce "advanced radio frequency components -- including FBAR filters -- and advanced wireless connectivity technologies." These components facilitate a wide variety of radio signals used by iPhones for 5G voice and data transmission, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS navigation, among others.

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And more This news was followed by a Reuters report that Meta Platforms (META +2.08%) plans to begin production of its own in-house artificial intelligence (AI) chip as early as September. The specialty processor, code-named Iris, was designed by Broadcom and will be used to improve AI capabilities on Facebook and Instagram, according to the report.

Despite the company's expanding opportunities and growing backlog, Broadcom stock is currently selling for 21 times next year's expected earnings. Furthermore, the stock's price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio -- which factors in the company's impressive growth -- clocks in at 0.53, when any number lower than 1 is the standard for an undervalued stock.

This gives astute investors the opportunity to buy Broadcom stock for an attractive price.

Danny Vena, CPA has positions in Apple, Broadcom, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Broadcom, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The stock market struggled on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, but Wall Street is making a comeback today. Traders seem ready to trust that diplomacy could actually resolve the Iranian conflict and its implications on global oil prices.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump suggested that Iran called to make a deal. Investors responded by buying stocks and selling oil. Whether that optimism survives the next news cycle is anyone's guess. Either way, the major indexes are up today.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +1.23%) rose 0.9% by 12:19 p.m. ET, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.76%) gained 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI +0.25%) added 0.3%, lagging its peers as industrial giant Honeywell International (HON +0.88%) continued its post-spinoff collapse.

^IXIC data by YCharts

Micron's $3 billion bet lifts the chip sector Memory chip maker Micron Technology (MU +6.90%) jumped 7.5% after announcing a $3 billion investment in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. The company is already pouring cash and concrete into chipmaking facilities in Texas and New York, with plans to invest "more than $250 billion" over the next decade.

The resulting chip rally was broad and enthusiastic. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +5.62%) surged 7.2%, Broadcom (AVGO +4.28%) gained 3.3%, and the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX +4.42%) rose 5.2%.

The rally in hardware names came at the expense of software and hyperscaler stocks. Alphabet (GOOG 1.39%) (GOOGL 1.45%) fell 2.5%, making it the largest drag on both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite as measured by index score or market cap impact. If the hardware companies are poised to make more money, their top customers must pay for their products.

Image source: Getty Images.

Oil reversed sharply after Trump's comments on Iran, calling for negotiations. The United States Oil Fund (USO 2.67%) fell 2.7%, erasing most of Wednesday's gains.

The market optimism seems a bit aggressive given that U.S. and Iranian forces are still actively shooting at each other, though. U.S. Central Command hit 90 Iranian sites Thursday, and Iran struck back at bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to 25 vessels on Wednesday, down from 49 the day before. For context, 130 ships used to pass through daily before the war.

Honeywell remained the Dow's biggest loser, falling another 9.2% and erasing 134 points from the index. The stock has now lost roughly 25% over three trading sessions following its aerospace spinoff. Barron's noted Wednesday that the company's updated earnings guidance "isn't as good as it seems."

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The bigger picture Thursday's rally suggests investors are betting on diplomacy over escalation. Trump's dovish comments offered a glimmer of hope, even as both sides continued military strikes. This diplomatic relationship is complicated.

Micron's domestic investment announcement gave investors a fresh reason to buy chip stocks beyond simple relief from oversold conditions. Whether that momentum continues depends on upcoming earnings and sector guidance. The third earnings season of 2026 (covering Q2 results in most cases) starts next week, with hundreds of big-ticket banks and tech stocks posting their financial updates over the coming month.

Anders Bylund has positions in Alphabet and Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Broadcom, Honeywell Technologies, Micron Technology, and iShares Trust-iShares Semiconductor ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The global market for technology services grew at its fastest pace ever in the second quarter, propelled by soaring enterprise demand for cloud services to sup

watch now

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora warned that token costs need to drop as much as 90% to promote large-scale artificial intelligence adoption.

"I think 54% is a good start," Arora told CNBC's Seema Mody on "Squawk on the Street" Thursday, after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told CNBC that the frontier lab's latest model is 54% more token-efficient for agentic coding. "I think we probably need another turn at it."

Arora said token efficiency needs to drop to as much as 20% over the next twelve months, and 90% by the following year.

Rising token costs have emerged as a major pain point for businesses and put a strain on AI budgets. The current pricing, he said, makes AI tools increasingly difficult for businesses to implement.

"We need to see the pricing for AI come down," Arora said.

Arora is among a growing group of executives pushing for a decline in token pricing. The worry is that high token costs create a major barrier to widespread adoption, preventing many enterprises from using the tools.

Read more CNBC tech newsChinese lidar maker with Nvidia ties accused of being cyber risk for U.S.China's Alibaba bans Anthropic AI for employees after 'distillation attack' accusationSpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell to donate stock to Trump AccountsMicrosoft cuts 4,800 jobs, as Xbox unit downsizes and plans to spin off four gaming studiosLast week, Palantir CEO Alex Karp blasted the token model used by Anthropic and OpenAI, and called open-weight models a potential solution.

"I'm not throwing shade at them, but something has gone completely wrong," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "The basic view among enterprises in this country is I'm going to chillax and waste my time with tokens."

The token problem is leading many businesses to implement cheaper open-weight tools, including Chinese models that are quickly closing the gap with American labs.

At the same time, AI spending is accelerating to new highs to power the massive infrastructure buildout. Tech giants are also looking for new ways to fund these AI investments, with SpaceX raising $25 billion last month in a bond sale. Amazon raised $25 billion in debt this week.

Arora said the market will start to come to terms with the spending, or businesses will adjust to the market. Budgets will also decline as the technology becomes more efficient.

"It's important to understand the demand continues to be infinite, and as long as you have an infinite demand curve that you're facing, I think all these things will rationalize over time," he said.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA 0.56%) (BRKB +0.12%) has owned Kroger (KR +0.56%) shares for nearly seven years. That goes back to the days when Warren Buffett made the capital allocation decisions. Buffett may have stepped aside as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO, but the famed value investor undoubtedly approves of this holding from his perch as chairman.

The company results haven't been terrible, but the new CEO aims to accelerate growth. Kroger's shares haven't performed well, but a check of the business shows this is an excellent buying opportunity for astute long-term investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

Growing sales Kroger operates supermarkets that include grocery, pharmacy, and gas stations. People need these consumer staples, no matter what's going on with their personal economic situation. That's the good news.

However, it's a very competitive business. Giants like Amazon and Walmart compete in the space. Still, Kroger has been in existence since 1883, so it's been doing something right.

Fortunately, new CEO Greg Foran doesn't plan to sit idly by. Foran plans broad-based price cuts to remain competitive. He certainly knows how to run an operation focused on low prices, having previously worked as CEO of Walmart U.S.

Kroger may not be growing fast, but it has seen increasing sales. The company's first-quarter same-store sales (comps), excluding gasoline, grew 1%. On that basis, management expects comps to increase 1% to 2% for the year.

Still, the company's gross margin under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) contracted 30 basis points to 22.7%. Investors may be concerned that lower prices will further hurt margins, but management plans to minimize the impact by pressing suppliers on costs and focusing on efficiency.

Cheap valuation With intense competition, tepid sales growth, and a lower gross margin, investors haven't been too pleased with Kroger. Over the last year, through July 6, the share price lost 16.1%. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index gained 19.3%.

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That's certainly disappointing, but a new CEO with fresh ideas and tremendous success at Walmart should provide investors with optimism about the future. Cutting prices to maintain competitiveness seems like a good first step.

In the meantime, Kroger's valuation has become more attractive. Earnings can fluctuate, so it's easier to use the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio. The shares' P/S ratio has dropped from 0.35 to 0.25 over the last year. That's a fraction of the S&P 500's P/S multiple of 3.7.

Kroger shares may deserve a lower multiple than the overall market, given that it's not a fast-growing business. But a steady business in the hands of a strong and experienced executive focused on market share and improved sales should reward patient investors.

Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Kroger. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

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Allstate (NYSE:ALL | ALL Price Prediction) and Progressive (NYSE:PGR) just delivered Q1 2026 reports that inverted the recent pattern. Allstate’s underwriting engine rebounded sharply after last year’s California wildfire hit, while Progressive kept growing policies but couldn’t nudge its combined ratio lower. The valuation gap between the two now looks stretched, and the businesses behind the tickers are pulling in genuinely different directions.

Homeowners Rescues Allstate. Direct Auto Still Powers Progressive. Allstate posted $10.65 EPS against a $7.24 estimate, a 47.10% beat driven by the homeowners book swinging to a $685 million underwriting profit from a prior-year loss. The property-liability combined ratio landed at 82.0, and catastrophe losses fell 43.7% to $1.24 billion. CEO Tom Wilson credited “more affordable prices, new products, expanded benefits, bundled offerings, lower expenses, sophisticated analytics and increased marketing” for share gains. Auto new business applications rose 9.4%, so top-line growth is reaccelerating.

Progressive told a different story. Revenue climbed 8.8% to $22.19 billion, policies in force jumped 9% to roughly 39.6 million, and Direct Auto premiums earned surged 14%. But EPS of $4.96 barely edged the $4.88 estimate, and the combined ratio ticked up to 86.4 from 86.0. Property shrank 1% and Commercial Lines dropped 4%, exposing the auto-heavy concentration.

One Diversified Compounder, One Auto Specialist Lens Allstate Progressive Trailing P/E 5x 11x Forward P/E 9x 14x Return on Equity 45.2% 37.9% Dividend Yield 1.76% 0.18% Core Bet Bundled auto + home + protection services Direct-to-consumer telematics auto Allstate’s $4.0 billion new buyback stacked on the existing $1.5 billion program, plus a $1.08 quarterly dividend, signals real confidence. Progressive is repurchasing modestly, with 768,273 shares bought at an average of $204.48 in March. The Florida $950 million policyholder credit overhang and a CFO transition in July 2026 add friction Allstate simply does not carry.

The Next Test Is Whether Underwriting Discipline Holds I will be watching whether Allstate’s 82.0 combined ratio can survive a normal catastrophe season. Homeowners just flipped, but May 2026 housing starts fell to 1.18 million, down 15.4% from April, which softens the demand runway. For Progressive, Polymarket traders assign a 42.5% probability that Q2 combined ratio lands between 89% and 92%, worse than Q1. That would confirm the pricing pressure analysts have flagged.

Why I Lean Toward Allstate on This Setup For me, the valuation and returns numbers carry the argument. Allstate is up 15.49% year to date while Progressive has managed only 2.13%, and Progressive is still down 12.78% over the past year. Paying 5x earnings for a business generating 45.2% ROE feels like the cleaner risk-reward. If you prioritize policy-count growth and the direct model, Progressive still fits. If you want capital returns, valuation cushion, and a broader product base, Allstate is the one I keep watching.

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All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Headquartered in San Mateo, Franklin Resources (BEN - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of 40.23% so far this year. The investment manager is paying out a dividend of $0.33 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 3.94% compared to the Financial - Investment Management industry's yield of 2.8% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.38%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.32 is up 3.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Franklin Resources has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 3.38%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Franklin Resources's current payout ratio is 51%, meaning it paid out 51% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

BEN is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.79 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 25.68%.

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.

High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that BEN is not only an attractive dividend play, but also represents a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Important Notice Regarding Alleged Misrepresentations About ZoomInfo's Legacy Seat-Based Subscription Retention and AI Product Transition

, /PRNewswire/ -- SueWallSt notifies investors in ZoomInfo Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTM) that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders who purchased securities between November 3, 2025 and May 11, 2026. Find out if you could qualify to recover losses. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (888) SueWallSt.

ZoomInfo shares declined from $6.04 to $4.06 following the Company's Q1 2026 earnings disclosure on May 11, 2026, a loss of approximately $1.98 per share. The lead plaintiff deadline is August 24, 2026.

How the Alleged Seat-Based Subscription Deterioration Affected Reported Growth

ZoomInfo's core revenue engine historically relied on seat-based subscription contracts sold to sales, marketing, and recruiting professionals. The lawsuit contends that throughout the Class Period, management painted an overly optimistic picture of this legacy business while internal trends told a different story. Customers in the downmarket segment were experiencing weakening retention and higher churn, while management emphasized strong aggregate net revenue retention metrics in public disclosures. The complaint further alleges, the shift toward consumption-based usage models which adversely impacted the Company's traditional seat-based subscription revenue base.

The Alleged AI Product Transition Gap

The action claims that while management repeatedly described ZoomInfo as an "AI beneficiary" poised to become "synonymous with AI and go-to-market," the Company's emerging AI products had not yet generated sufficient revenue momentum to offset weakening demand in its legacy seat-based subscription business. The Operations suite, described as growing over 20% year-over-year, represented only approximately 15% of total business, while the legacy business continued to comprise the majority of revenue and faced ongoing headwinds.

Key Allegations for GTM Shareholders

The Company allegedly concealed that downmarket customer retention was weakening even as management touted sequential improvement in that segment Customers were allegedly transitioning to consumption-based and Data-as-a-Service models faster than publicly acknowledged, pressuring legacy subscription revenue The complaint alleges management issued 2026 revenue guidance of $1.247 billion to $1.267 billion while aware of material headwinds that made that outlook unreliable Net revenue retention of 90%, highlighted as the highest since Q2 2023, allegedly masked divergent trends between upmarket and downmarket cohorts Internal AI-driven go-to-market solutions developed by customers themselves were allegedly reducing dependence on ZoomInfo's platform The Lapping Effect on Reported Metrics

The lawsuit contends that some of the reported improvement in retention and growth figures reflected favorable comparisons against a weak prior-year period marked by significant seat compression in 2022 and 2023, rather than genuine business acceleration. As these easier comparisons rolled off, the underlying softness in the legacy business allegedly became impossible to conceal, culminating in the sharp guidance reduction disclosed on May 11, 2026.

"This case presents important questions about growth disclosure obligations in the go-to-market intelligence sector. When a company's core subscription business faces structural headwinds from changing customer purchasing patterns, investors are entitled to know the full picture before making investment decisions." -- 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 GTM Lawsuit

Q: What is the GTM class action lawsuit about? A: A securities class action has been filed against ZoomInfo Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTM) alleging materially false and misleading statements between November 3, 2025 and May 11, 2026. Shares fell approximately 33% after the truth was revealed, causing significant losses for shareholders.

Q: Who is eligible to join the GTM investor lawsuit? A: Investors who purchased GTM stock or securities between November 3, 2025 and May 11, 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 GTM stock drop? A: Shares fell approximately 33%, a decline of $1.98 per share, after the Company disclosed a sharp decline in its 2026 growth outlook and lowered full-year financial guidance. Investors who purchased shares during the Class Period at artificially inflated prices may be entitled to compensation.

Q: What do GTM 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 GTM 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 if I missed the lead plaintiff deadline? A: The deadline applies only to investors seeking lead plaintiff appointment. Class members who miss it can still participate in any settlement or recovery.

CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (888) SueWallSt
Fax: (212) 363-7171

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

SOURCE SueWallSt.com

White House Comments Draw ScrutinyThis comment followed a $6 billion pledge from CEO Michael Dell to the administration’s Trump Accounts program.

Former chief White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter criticized Trump’s remarks and financial disclosures to Fortune, stating, “The baseline rule is, even if the president is not trading, there should never be an endorsement of a particular company.”

AI Demand Drives Market FundamentalsPatrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy told Fortune that Dell’s rally is driven by AI server demand rather than political endorsements.

Competing with Super Micro Computer, Inc. for large server deals, Moorhead stated, “Once they got attached to the AI trade, and they started selling a ton to the big neoclouds, that’s how this whole thing started.”

Critical Technical Levels for Dell StockFrom a trend perspective, Dell remains firmly in control: the stock is trading 9.3% above its 20-day SMA ($413.35), 32.8% above its 50-day SMA ($340.18), and 134.3% above its 200-day SMA ($192.73).

That kind of spacing typically signals a strong, extended uptrend—but it also means the chart can be more vulnerable to sharper pullbacks if buyers step away.

The bigger-picture structure still leans bullish after the golden cross in March (50-day SMA above the 200-day SMA), but traders will remember the stock broke below support in June—so overhead supply can show up quickly near prior highs.

With the 52-week high set in June and price still below that peak, the next push higher may need a clean breakout attempt rather than a grind.

Key Resistance: $469.50 — sitting right at the 52-week high area, where prior upside attempts can stall Key Support: $378.50 — a nearby pivot zone that sits well above the 50-day SMA, making it a key “trend health” level if tested DELL Stock Price Activity: Dell Technologies shares were up 3.78% at $448.32 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Applied Materials Inc. shares AMAT climbed nearly 7% on Thursday as semiconductor stocks rallied after reports that Meta Platforms plans to begin manufacturing its in-house artificial intelligence chip in September, boosting optimism around demand for wafer fabrication equipment and AI infrastructure.

The broader semiconductor rally also lifted Lam Research and KLA Corp., while optical networking company Lumentum led gains in the S&P 500.

Applied Materials gained nearly 7%, while Lam Research and KLA rose more than 6% as investors reacted to reports that Meta expects to begin work on its AI data-center chip, codenamed "Iris," using custom-built silicon. Reuters first reported the development.

The move was viewed as a positive development for companies supplying wafer fabrication equipment used to convert raw silicon wafers into microchips.

The rally comes as expectations continue to build around rising capital expenditure by hyperscale technology companies.

According to Citi, the wafer fabrication equipment market is expected to grow from about $145 billion this year to $200 billion in 2027 and $250 billion in 2028.

The brokerage also forecasts hyperscaler spending to increase 84% this year, 56% in 2027 and 38% in 2028.

Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Oracle are expected to spend more than $1.1 trillion in 2027, up from $650 billion this year.

Brokerages also turned more optimistic on semiconductor equipment makers.

Mizuho Securities raised its price target on Applied Materials to $650 from $540 while maintaining its Outperform rating. It also increased its target on Lam Research to $400 from $380.

TD Cowen lifted its price target on Applied Materials to $700 from $525 while maintaining its rating on the stock.

The brokerage models wafer fabrication equipment spending reaching $250 billion in 2028 and potentially $400 billion by 2030, supported by stronger industry profitability and demand backed by take-or-pay agreements.

Under its $250 billion scenario, TD Cowen estimates Applied Materials could generate earnings of about $25 per share, compared with its calendar 2026 estimate of $13.35.

Lam Research could earn between $11 and $12 per share, while KLA could generate $9 to $10 per share.

The firm said Applied Materials would be the biggest beneficiary under that scenario, followed by KLA because of their exposure to leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing and DRAM investment.

Investor sentiment also received support from comments by Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Dickerson said Applied Materials has “tremendous visibility” into customer demand over the next 24 months.

He added that chipmakers are providing equipment demand forecasts at least two years in advance, giving the company confidence that the AI-driven semiconductor investment cycle still has years to run.

AMAT Technicals Applied Materials continues to trade above its 20-day, 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages.

Its relative strength index stands at 53.70, a neutral reading, while traders are watching the 20-day moving average near $503 as the first support level and the 52-week high near $739.67 as the next major resistance.

Key Takeaways Carvana expects Q2 retail GPU to improve sequentially but remain below the prior-year level.CVNA cites lost tariff benefits, lower shipping fees and higher non-vehicle costs as key headwinds.Carvana also expects narrower wholesale-to-retail spreads to reduce retail GPU by about $100-$200 per unit. Carvana Co.’s (CVNA - Free Report) retail gross profit per unit (GPU) was relatively stable in the first quarter of 2026 but declined slightly from the prior-year period. A key factor behind the decline was the company's continued success in optimizing its logistics network, enabling faster vehicle deliveries over shorter distances. This improvement helped reduce logistics expense per retail unit sold to an all-time low.

As outbound shipping distances declined, Carvana also lowered the shipping fees charged to customers, passing the cost savings directly to them. While this enhanced customer value, it negatively affected retail GPU in both the fourth quarter of the previous year and the first quarter of the current year. Consequently, non-GAAP retail GPU declined by $58 year over year, primarily due to higher non-vehicle costs and lower shipping fee revenues.

Looking ahead, the company expects retail GPU to improve sequentially in the second quarter but remain below the prior-year level. The anticipated year-over-year decline reflects the absence of approximately $100 per unit in tariff-related benefits that supported results last year, continued pressure from lower shipping fees and higher non-vehicle costs, as well as an estimated $100-$200 per unit impact from narrower wholesale-to-retail spreads across the industry.

Meanwhile, non-GAAP wholesale GPU decreased by $83 year over year. Although wholesale vehicle volumes increased and gross profit per unit improved, these gains were more than offset by lower marketplace gross profit and retail unit growth that outpaced wholesale gross profit. Non-GAAP other GPU also declined by $88, primarily because the company chose to pass value back to customers through lower interest rates, partially offset by higher finance product and vehicle service contract attachment rates. CVNA currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

GPU Outlook of Other Auto RetailersGroup 1 Automotive, Inc.’s (GPI - Free Report) profitability across both new and used vehicle segments remains under pressure. In the last reported quarter, Group 1’s new-vehicle gross profit per unit slipped 2.5% to $3,296, and used-vehicle GPU fell 1.9% to $1,540. As inventory levels normalize and incentives increase, maintaining pricing discipline is likely to become more challenging for Group 1, which could continue to weigh on margins and overall earnings.

AutoNation, Inc. (AN - Free Report) new-vehicle profitability remains vulnerable to shifts in OEM incentives, vehicle mix and volatility in Premium Luxury volume. In the first quarter of 2026, AutoNation’s new vehicle gross profit per unit was $2,514, down from $2,803 a year ago, reflecting a weaker year-over-year pricing environment. BEV unit sales declined more than 50% year over year, with a disproportionate impact in Premium Luxury, where units fell 16% year over year. Amid affordability and inflation concerns, AutoNation expects vehicle demand to remain under pressure and has warned of margin compression this year.

Carvana’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesCarvana has underperformed the Zacks Internet – Commerce industry in the last six months. CVNA shares have plunged 28.6% compared with the industry’s decline of 7.3%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

 
From a valuation perspective, Carvana appears overvalued. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 2.28, higher than its industry’s 1.91.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

 
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carvana’s 2026 and 2027 EPS has moved up 5 cents and 4 cents, respectively, in the past 60 days. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Key Takeaways UiPath shares have fallen 34% in six months, while trading below the industry's forward earnings multiple.PATH reported its first-quarter GAAP profit and raised its full-year outlook on stronger demand.UiPath is positioning its platform to combine RPA, AI agents and workflows for enterprise automation. UiPath’s (PATH - Free Report) recent share price pullback has made its valuation more compelling, particularly for long-term investors. Despite improving financial performance and stronger demand for its automation platform, the stock trades at a more reasonable forward earnings multiple than it did during its earlier rally. This disconnect suggests that much of the market’s caution surrounding AI-related competition and enterprise spending has already been reflected in the share price.

The stock has declined 34% over the past six months compared with the industry’s 6.5% decline.

<                                                          Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

PATH trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.53X, which is well below the industry’s average of 27.31X.

                                                                  Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The company continues to strengthen its fundamentals. Annualized recurring revenue (ARR) has maintained steady growth, operating margins have expanded, and UiPath recently reported its first-ever first-quarter GAAP profit. Management also raised its full-year outlook, reflecting confidence in customer demand and the company's ability to monetize its AI-powered automation offerings.

As enterprises increasingly adopt agentic AI, UiPath is positioning itself as an orchestration layer that combines robotic process automation (RPA), AI agents, and workflow management. This strategy could help customers automate complex business processes while optimizing AI token usage, creating a differentiated value proposition.

Although risks remain, including competitive pressure and slower enterprise IT spending, the current valuation appears to offer a favorable risk-reward balance. If UiPath continues to execute on its AI roadmap and sustain profitable growth, today's discounted valuation could provide meaningful upside potential for patient, long-term investors.

Peer Comparison

Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) and ServiceNow (NOW - Free Report) remain formidable rivals, but their financial strategies differ from UiPath’s. Microsoft, while a giant with unparalleled scale, must spread capital across diverse segments such as cloud, gaming and productivity software, somewhat diluting its focus on automation. ServiceNow continues to gain traction in enterprise workflow automation but remains heavily invested in sustaining growth momentum, balancing expansion with cost pressures.

Compared to these players, UiPath’s debt-free balance sheet allows it to dedicate resources squarely to automation. Microsoft has the advantage of size, and ServiceNow has enterprise reach, but UiPath’s singular financial flexibility gives it agility neither can fully replicate.

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

Keysight Delivers New High-Performance 4x100GE Network Cybersecurity Test Platform Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today announced the APS-ONE-400, a modular network cybersecurity test platform. This new 4x100GE platform significantly boosts performance for Layer 4-7 traffic, encrypted traffic, and Elephant Flow traffic all within a 1 rack unit (RU) system. It enables network equipment manufacturers (NEMs), service providers, and data center operators to validate demanding scenarios while lowering overall infrastructure requirements.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709611791/en/

The Keysight APS-ONE-400 4x100GE modular network cybersecurity test platform delivers hyperscale L4-7 traffic, encrypted TLS traffic, security strikes, and Elephant Flows via a 1RU footprint that minimizes rack space usage, power consumption, and cooling demands.

The growing complexity and volume of network loads — including legitimate and malicious traffic, post-quantum cryptography (PQC)-encrypted traffic, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and the Elephant Flow transmissions common in AI and large language model (LLM) workloads — require network equipment manufacturers (NEMs), service providers, and data center operators to validate that their solutions can withstand these demands prior to deployment. However, this often requires multiple specialized test tools that can drive up costs and consume limited lab resources.

To address this challenge, Keysight developed the APS-ONE-400 appliance, an addition to its APS-100/400GE hardware family. The new modular, scalable 4x100GE network application and cybersecurity test platform generates hyperscale Layer 4-7 traffic, PQC-encrypted Transport Layer Security (TLS) throughput, security strikes, and ZTNA test capabilities — all within a compact 1RU footprint that improves lab efficiency.

The APS-ONE-400 4x100GE test platform offers the following benefits:

Increased performance and efficiency: Delivers 400 gigabits per second (Gbps) Layer 4-7 throughput, 380 Gbps of hardware-accelerated encrypted TLS throughput, 95 Gbps Elephant Flow throughput, and the latest security strikes in a compact 1RU platform that minimizes rack space, cooling, and power consumption. Compatibility and flexibility: Deploy as a stand-alone appliance or seamlessly integrate with existing deployments of Keysight’s APS-100/400GE series, including APS-M8400, APS-M1010, and APS-ONE-100. With APS-ONE-400’s fanout support for 100/25/10GE, the platform accommodates a range of critical network speeds. Hyperscale performance: When paired with the APS-M8400 appliance or APS-M1010 management controller, the APS-ONE-400 enables hyperscale testbeds that emulate the rigorous demands of data center and service provider environments. The platform can generate up to 16 terabits per second (Tbps) of Layer 4-7 traffic, 20 billion concurrent connections, 15 Tbps of TLS traffic, and 25 million TLS connections per second. Modular, scalable solution: Designed as a “pay-as-you-grow” solution, the APS-ONE-400 lets users support current test needs while retaining the flexibility to scale up capacity as requirements evolve. Ram Periakaruppan, Vice President and General Manager, Keysight's Network Test and Security Solutions, said: “The exponential growth of data transfers and bandwidth demands generated by AI and machine learning workloads is putting unprecedented strain on data center, service provider, and enterprise network infrastructures. Continuously validating that networks can handle these challenges without compromising security requires realistic, hyperscale, traffic emulation capabilities. Keysight's modular APS-ONE-400 compute node delivers new heights in realism, emulating the traffic flows associated with generative AI models and agentic applications at hyperscale, including the huge Elephant Flow datasets common to LLM training use cases and PQC-encrypted traffic flows, all in a compact form factor that conserves critical lab resources.”

Resources

Product Page: APS-100/400 network security test platformData Sheet: APS-100/400 network security test platformAbout Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

The Keysight APS-ONE-400 4x100GE modular network cybersecurity test platform delivers hyperscale L4-7 traffic, encrypted TLS traffic, security strikes, and Elephant Flows via a 1RU footprint that minimizes rack space usage, power consumption, and cooling demands.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709611791/en/

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

Click for the complete disclosure

Investors with an interest in Computers - IT Services stocks have likely encountered both TD SYNNEX (SNX - Free Report) and Dynatrace (DT - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, TD SYNNEX is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Dynatrace has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that SNX's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

SNX currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.00, while DT has a forward P/E of 22.52. We also note that SNX has a PEG ratio of 0.66. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. DT currently has a PEG ratio of 1.62.

Another notable valuation metric for SNX is its P/B ratio of 2.19. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, DT has a P/B of 5.01.

Based on these metrics and many more, SNX holds a Value grade of B, while DT has a Value grade of D.

SNX has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than DT, so it seems like value investors will conclude that SNX is the superior option right now.

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Zions (ZION - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of 17.25% so far this year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.45 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.62%. In comparison, the Banks - West industry's yield is 2.53%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.38%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.80 is up 2.3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Zions has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 5.20%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Zions's current payout ratio is 28%, meaning it paid out 28% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Earnings growth looks solid for ZION for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.49 per share, with earnings expected to increase 6.05% from the year ago period.

Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.

High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that ZION is not only an attractive dividend play, but also represents a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The number in this article’s headline highlights just how massive Berkshire’s real cash hoard has become, and its size raises questions about what the company can still do with it.

The Number $397.4 billion. That is Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-B | BRK-B Price Prediction) cash and short-term investments as of Q1 2026 (March 31), per its balance sheet. I’m of the view that this number has likely already eclipsed $400 billion (given the clip at which the company has been selling assets, and choose to not reinvest).

Notably, this figure has kept climbing, with Berkshire’s cash pile a year earlier standing at $347.7 billion. Three years earlier (at the end of 2022), it was $128.6 billion.

What It Means Cash of this scale is a statement. Berkshire’s total assets reached $1.22 trillion at the end of 2025, and long-term equity investments grew from $536.3 billion in 2023 to $657.0 billion in 2025. So, capital is being deployed. However, the company’s total cash receipts are simply being stockpiled faster than it is being spent. Berkshire pays no dividend, so cash is not being returned to shareholders through payouts. Insider ownership sits at 0.261% while institutions hold 67.252% of the float, a structure that concentrates the deployment decision at the very top.

The pattern of holdings reinforces the caution. Filings show systematic reduction of Bank of America across eight separate transactions in September and October 2024, ongoing sales of DaVita including a 1,220,376 share disposition on May 5, 2026, and a complete exit from Liberty Media positions in September 2024. New buying has been narrower – sustained accumulation of Sirius XM from late 2024 through August 2025, and Occidental Petroleum additions in December 2024 and February 2025. Sellers, on balance, are moving more money than buyers.

Market Reaction Shares of BRK.B stock closed at $507.78 on July 2, 2026, up 1.61% on the day. The one-week gain is 4.09% and the one-month gain 7.69%, but the year-to-date figure is 1.02% and the trailing one-year is 5.68%. The five-year gain of 81.92% and ten-year gain of 252.72% flatter the long history, but the recent price action is muted next to a broad market that has led with growth.

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

Bear Case A cash pile this large that keeps growing signals one thing. That is, the people running the money cannot find enough assets they want to own at current prices. That is a warning for long-term holders, not a comfort.

Valuation reinforces the point. Trailing P/E sits at 15, but the forward P/E is 24, implying earnings power is expected to compress. Quarterly revenue growth year over year was only 4.4%. Return on equity is 10.5% and return on assets 5.39%, respectable, though the more capital that sits in cash and short-term instruments, the harder it will be to hold those returns up.

The analyst consensus price target of $520.33 sits within striking distance of the current $507.78 quote, offering limited implied upside. The 52-week range of $455.19 to $516.85 confirms the stock is already near the top of its band. Beta of 0.617 means it moves less than the market in both directions, which cuts both ways for retirement holders who want the defense but also participation in upside.

Bottom Line Berkshire’s $397.4 billion in cash and short-term investments is a fortress. It is also a question mark.

Long-term investors owning the stock for compounding must ask whether a portfolio with roughly a third of its balance sheet parked in cash equivalents can still deliver the returns that built the legend. With a book value per A share of $505,559.44, no dividend, and net insider deployment tilted toward selling, the case for patience must now compete with the case for opportunity cost. The next quarterly filing will be the tell.

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uniti, a premier insurgent fiber provider dedicated to enabling mission-critical connectivity across the United States, is proud to help sponsor the 2026 National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which take place July 9-14 in Detroit.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the company has helped sponsor the Wheelchair Games.

The Wheelchair Games are open to all U.S. veterans with spinal cord injuries, amputations, multiple sclerosis, or other central neurological conditions who require a wheelchair for athletic competition. Every year, hundreds of American heroes from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the post-9/11 era compete in this celebration of courage and camaraderie.

Uniti is the sponsor of the 2026 boccia competition, and company representatives will participate in the medal ceremony.

“Uniti is proud to help sponsor the world’s largest annual wheelchair sports event solely for military veterans,” said Cathy De La Garza, senior vice president and president of Uniti Fiber.

“We are always inspired by the courage and tenacity that’s demonstrated at the Wheelchair Games,” De La Garza said. “It’s a true honor for our company to be part of this wonderful competition.”

As a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force, De La Garza was among the first female combat pilots in the US military, serving as an F-15C fighter pilot for 12 years. She is executive sponsor of Uniti’s Proud2Serve employee resource group. Its purpose is to build community and camaraderie among veterans and their allies, recognize and leverage the unique skills, leadership, and discipline these employees bring to the workplace from their military service, provide professional development, mentorship, and transition support for veterans entering corporate careers, and partner with veteran’s organizations to promote outreach, service, and recognition initiatives.

Approximately 16% of Uniti’s workforce is made up of veterans, National Guard or Reserve members, or military spouses. Uniti was recently named a VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer for its commitment to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing, and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.

The Department of Veterans Affairs launched the Wheelchair Games in 1981 with seven events and 77 athletes. Paralyzed Veterans of America joined the VA in 1985 to help expand the event’s mission and reach.

About Uniti

Uniti (NASDAQ: UNIT) is a premier insurgent fiber provider dedicated to enabling mission-critical connectivity across the United States. We build, operate, and deliver fast and reliable communications services, empowering more than a million consumers and businesses in the digital economy. Our broad portfolio of services is offered through a suite of brands: Uniti Wholesale, Kinetic, Uniti Fiber, and Uniti Solutions. Visit us online at uniti.com. Engage with us on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

Uniti Contact:
Scott Morris, 501-748-5342
[email protected]
        

Looking for a stock that has been consistently beating earnings estimates and might be well positioned to keep the streak alive in its next quarterly report? SPX Technologies (SPXC - Free Report) , which belongs to the Zacks Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry, could be a great candidate to consider.

This infrastructure equipment supplier has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 5.05%.

For the most recent quarter, SPX Technologies was expected to post earnings of $1.55 per share, but it reported $1.69 per share instead, representing a surprise of 9.03%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $1.86 per share, while it actually produced $1.88 per share, a surprise of 1.08%.

Price and EPS Surprise

For SPX Technologies, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.

Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

SPX Technologies currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.53%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on July 30, 2026.

With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss.

Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.

Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Dollar Tree Today

$122.12 -1.49 (-1.21%)

As of 02:06 PM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$84.71▼

$142.40P/E Ratio19.09

Price Target$122.68

The discount retail space weathered a relentless storm over the past two years. Soaring inflation forced low-income consumers to ruthlessly prioritize essentials, while retail shrinkage and elevated logistics costs steadily eroded operating margins.

Many operators in this space found themselves trapped in a multi-quarter downtrend, punished by a market that demands immediate top-line growth. The high-volume, low-margin business model requires near-perfect execution, and any disruption in supply chains or consumer spending habits quickly translates into severe equity drawdowns. Dollar Tree, Inc. NASDAQ: DLTR is aggressively defending its valuation floor with a replenished $2.5 billion buyback and a 120-bps expansion in gross margin, defying the broader discount retail traffic slump.

Get Dollar Tree alerts:

Spotting the Green Shoots EarlyWhen a retailer falls out of favor, the market prices in peak pessimism and assumes operational headwinds will persist indefinitely. Finding an entry point requires looking past the immediate noise to identify structural business shifts before they fully reflect in the share price.

Mispricing occurs when Wall Street focuses entirely on lagging metrics, such as historical foot traffic, out of caution, while ignoring forward-looking capital allocations. Recent capital moves and shifting Wall Street sentiment suggest that the worst of Dollar Tree's margin compression is in the rearview mirror.

Pruning the Float: A $2.5B Buyback Takes RootWhen equity prices face sustained downward pressure, institutional behavior and management capital allocation provide the clearest signal of a fundamental floor. On July 2, 2026, the Dollar Tree board of directors authorized a $2.5 billion share repurchase program. For an enterprise carrying a $23.76 billion market capitalization, this authorization represents a potential retirement of roughly 10.7% of the outstanding float.

This move serves as a standard return of capital, but investors should also view it as an aggressive defense of the current valuation. The $2.5 billion authorization arrived shortly after a significant institutional shift. In June 2026, activist investor Mantle Ridge executed a $500 million accelerated share repurchase via a block trade. Mantle Ridge executed large-volume block trades with major banks, who in turn sold the shares back to Dollar Tree outside of the market to avoid affecting the working share price.

The exit of activist capital, paired with a concurrent reduction in board seats, signals that Dollar Tree is transitioning out of a turbulent restructuring phase and returning its focus to organic operational execution. A block trade clears institutional overhang, allowing the stock to discover its natural price without the downward pressure of a major stakeholder liquidating on the open market. By actively reducing the share count, management mathematically bolsters future earnings per share, creating a protective floor against ongoing top-line volatility.

Trimming Costs to Spark Bottom-Line GrowthThe most compelling argument for a turnaround lies directly on the balance sheet. In retail, top-line revenue grabs the headlines, but gross margin pays the bills.

This margin recovery stems from tangible structural tailwinds that are beginning to cascade down the income statement. Dollar Tree successfully secured $110 million in tariff refunds, providing an immediate, unexpected cash injection. Easing logistics and freight costs are further padding the bottom line.

Dollar Tree Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$122.68
0.15% Upside

Hold
Based on 26 Analyst Ratings

Current Price$122.49High Forecast$170.00Average Forecast$122.68Low Forecast$85.00Dollar Tree Stock Forecast Details

In a high-volume, low-margin business environment, capturing an additional 120 basis points of margin is an operational victory that directly offsets the sluggish consumer environment. If the broader macroeconomic environment worsens, a repaired margin structure provides crucial downside protection.

Wall Street is beginning to reprice these structural improvements. Two prominent analyst upgrades hit the wire in early July. Raymond James upgraded Dollar Tree from Market Perform to Outperform, establishing a $140 price target. Their analysis points to fiscal 2026 guidance being artificially conservative, noting that additional tariff refunds and supply chain efficiencies could yield hundreds of millions in unexpected profitability in the back half of the year.

Goldman Sachs also adjusted its stance, moving from Sell to Neutral and bumping its price target to $125. The shift from a bearish to a neutral rating from a major institutional desk often forces large portfolio managers to reevaluate their short exposure, potentially triggering a steady unwinding of bearish bets. With short interest hovering around 7.66%, representing over 13 million shares, any string of operational beats creates the conditions for a sustained technical reversal.

Watering the Roots: Value Perception Precedes TrafficTo analyze the setup objectively, investors should examine the lingering bearish arguments. Top-line foot traffic remains the primary headwind. In Q1, Dollar Tree reported a negative 1% traffic comp, indicating that the core low-income demographic is still visiting stores less frequently than in previous years.

Rival operators like Dollar General NYSE: DG continue to aggressively expand their real estate footprint, while big-box giants like Walmart NASDAQ: WMT and Target NYSE: TGT use deep price rollbacks to fiercely defend their market share. Dollar General's strategy of blanketing rural America with new store openings keeps constant pressure on Dollar Tree to maintain its competitive footing. The competitive environment is brutal, and waiting for traffic to turn positive before initiating a position often means missing the largest segment of the equity recovery.

This is where leading indicators become vital. The Goldman Sachs upgrade relied heavily on proprietary sentiment data. This specific data set tracks consumer perception of price and value. According to their findings, value perceptions among low-income households are finally beginning to stabilize and turn positive. Consumer perception serves as a leading indicator, as shoppers must believe a retailer offers superior value before they change their driving habits and foot traffic patterns.

If value perception is indeed stabilizing, the negative traffic comps should begin to flatten out over the next two quarters. Because Dollar Tree already fixed the margin structure, any eventual return of positive foot traffic will drop cleanly to the bottom line without being absorbed by elevated supply chain costs.

The Harvest: Is Dollar Tree Ripe for the Picking?The current financial metrics fit a classic value-investing framework. Dollar Tree trades at a deeply compressed trailing price-to-sales ratio of 1.22x and a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.66. The market is valuing Dollar Tree as if the peak margin compression of 2024 and 2025 is a permanent fixture, entirely discounting the 120-bps margin expansion reported in the most recent quarter.

Navigating the retail sector requires identifying businesses that can engineer their own profitability regardless of macroeconomic traffic slumps. The combination of easing logistics costs, substantial tariff refunds, and a management team willing to retire over 10% of the float creates an asymmetric risk profile.

Investors seeking exposure to the discount retail turnaround might watch the upcoming Q2 earnings release for signs of continued gross margin stability. Those comfortable with near-term volatility may view the current valuation multiples as an opportunity to build a position before consumer foot traffic officially catches up to the newly repaired balance sheet.

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

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

While Dollar Tree currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

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Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.

While many investors like to look for momentum in stocks, this can be very tough to define. There is a lot of debate surrounding which metrics are the best to focus on and which are poor quality indicators of future performance. The Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.

Below, we take a look at Cognex Corporation (CGNX - Free Report) , a company that currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A. We also talk about price change and earnings estimate revisions, two of the main aspects of the Momentum Style Score.

It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Cognex Corporation currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.

You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>

Set to Beat the Market? In order to see if CGNX is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this company holds up.

Looking at a stock's short-term price activity is a great way to gauge if it has momentum, since this can reflect both the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand at the moment. It is also useful to compare a security to its industry, as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area.

For CGNX, shares are up 1.86% over the past week while the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry is up 1.48% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 9.23% compares favorably with the industry's 4.31% performance as well.

While any stock can see its price increase, it takes a real winner to consistently beat the market. That is why looking at longer term price metrics -- such as performance over the past three months or year -- can be useful as well. Over the past quarter, shares of Cognex Corporation have risen 17.33%, and are up 92.41% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved 10.61% and 21.48%, respectively.

Investors should also take note of CGNX's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. Right now CGNX is averaging 2,308,609 shares for the last 20 days..

Earnings OutlookThe Zacks Momentum Style Score also takes into account trends in estimate revisions, in addition to price changes. Please note that estimate revision trends remain at the core of Zacks Rank as well. A nice path here can help show promise, and we have recently been seeing that with CGNX.

Over the past two months, 4 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost CGNX's consensus estimate, increasing from $1.36 to $1.48 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 4 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.

Bottom LineTaking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that CGNX is a #1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Cognex Corporation on your short list.

NEW ORLEANS, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until August 28, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Hub Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS: HUBG) (“Hub” or the “Company”), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company’s securities between April 28, 2023 and May 11, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Get Help

Hub investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaqgs-hubg or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Hub Group and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On February 5, 2026, the Company disclosed that its financial statements and reports for the first three quarters of 2025 should not be relied upon due to “an error that resulted in the understatement of purchased transportation costs and accounts payable in the first nine months of 2025” and that it planned to restate the statements. On this news, the price of Hub Group shares fell approximately 18%, from $51.33 per share on February 5, 2026 to $41.96 on February 6, 2026.

Then, on May 12, 2026, the Company disclosed that it had “identified certain transactions that were prematurely or incorrectly recognized or not adequately supported,” causing its 2023 and 2024 annual reports filed with the SEC to be “materially misstated,” such that they should no longer be relied upon, and “expect[ed] to conclude that it did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.” On this news, the price of Hub Group shares fell an additional 13%, from $41.86 per share at close on May 11, 2026 to $36.62 on May 12, 2026.

The case is Lawler v. Hub Group, Inc., et al, No. 26-cv-07596.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

NEW YORK, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD) and certain of its officers.

This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Insulet securities between May 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/PODD.

Insulet Case Details

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:
     (1)   Insulet’s manufacturing controls and procedures were defective;
     (2)   the foregoing created a foreseeable heightened risk that one or more Insulet products would be found to be in violation of applicable safety regulations and/or pose a risk of injury; and
     (3)   as a result, Defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

What's Next for Insulet Investors?

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/PODD. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Insulet you have until August 31, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.

No Cost to Insulet Investors

We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.

Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Insulet Securities Class Action?

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com

"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Contact Info

Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]

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Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Notice to Pension Funds, Asset Managers, and Fiduciaries Holding PODD: Institutional Portfolios Face Significant Exposure Following Two Omnipod Medical Device Corrections and Over $90 Per Share Decline from Pre-Disclosure Levels

, /PRNewswire/ -- Institutional investors holding positions in Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD) during the period from February 21, 2025 through May 26, 2026 may wish to evaluate lead plaintiff opportunities in a pending securities class action. Request an institutional investor loss assessment. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or ☎(888) SueWallSt.

Insulet shares declined from approximately $236 to $146.01 per share across two corrective disclosures revealing systemic manufacturing defects at the Company's Acton, Massachusetts facility. The window to apply for lead plaintiff closes on August 31, 2026.

Notice to Institutional Holders

Fiduciaries overseeing portfolios that included PODD securities during the Class Period should assess whether their funds purchased shares at prices that were allegedly artificially inflated by undisclosed manufacturing control failures. The magnitude of the stock-price declines, combined with allegations that management concealed material manufacturing deficiencies and quality-control issues affecting its Omnipod products, raises questions that fiduciaries should evaluate promptly.

Fiduciary Obligations and Recovery Options

Institutional holders should consider the following:

The stock declined approximately $24 per share across the two immediate corrective disclosures which revealed manufacturing deficiencies that contradicted management's public statements regarding manufacturing quality, product safety, and quality-control processes. The complaint alleges that Insulet failed to disclose manufacturing defects and quality-control deficiencies that ultimately resulted in two Medical Device Corrections. Institutions that purchased shares at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period may recover losses without out-of-pocket costs through the class action mechanism Lead plaintiff appointment provides direct oversight of case strategy, settlement negotiations, and counsel selection ERISA-governed plans holding PODD may have independent obligations to evaluate recovery options on behalf of plan participants Contact us to learn more about institutional recovery options or call (888) SueWallSt.

"Institutional investors play a critical role in securities class actions. Funds with significant PODD losses during the Class Period are well-positioned to serve as lead plaintiff, providing oversight that benefits the entire class while fulfilling fiduciary obligations to their own beneficiaries." — Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

To be considered for lead plaintiff, investors must file by August 31, 2026.

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 PODD Lawsuit

Q: What is the PODD class action lawsuit about? A: A securities class action has been filed against Insulet Corporation (NASDAQ: PODD) alleging materially false and misleading statements between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026. Shares fell approximately 38% from their pre-disclosure price after the company disclosed two Medical Device Corrections systemic in its Omnipod insulin delivery devices, causing significant losses for shareholders.

Q: Who is eligible to join the PODD investor lawsuit? A: Investors who purchased PODD stock or securities between February 21, 2025 and May 26, 2026 and suffered financial losses may be eligible. Eligibility is based on purchase date and documented losses, not on whether you still hold the shares.

Q: What 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 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 if I already sold my PODD shares — can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold them. Investors who bought during the class period and sold at a loss may still participate.

Q: What documents do I need to make a claim? A: Brokerage statements or trade confirmations showing purchase dates, share quantities, prices paid, and any subsequent sale dates and prices.

Q: How long will the lawsuit take to resolve? A: Securities class actions typically take two to four years from initial filing to resolution.

Q: Why should investors choose Levi & Korsinsky? A: Ranked among top securities litigation firms by ISS for seven consecutive years. Recovered hundreds of millions for shareholders with extensive federal court experience.

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.

SOURCE SueWallSt.com

SAN FRANCISCO, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensign Group (NASDAQ: ENSG) investors saw the price of their shares in the skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) provider tumble over 8% on June 8 and another 3% on June 11, 2026 after Hunterbrook Media and Muddy Waters Research, respectively, published highly critical reports questioning Ensign’s business practices.

In total, over $500 million of Ensign’s market capitalization has been wiped out since June 7, 2026, the day before the first of the two reports.

These developments have prompted national shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman to open an investigation into allegations within the two reports and whether Ensign may have violated the federal securities laws.

The firm encourages Ensign investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.

Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/ensg
Contact the Firm Now: [email protected] | 844-916-0895

The Ensign Group (ENSG) Investigation:

The investigation is primarily focused on the propriety of Ensign’s disclosures about SNF acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and certain accounting matters.

In the past, Ensign repeatedly assured investors that “compliance and quality outcomes are precursors to outstanding financial performance” and “we strive to aggressively increase quality in every facility we acquire, and to adjust our overall policies to adapt to CMS’s changing criteria for the Five-Star Quality Rating System.”

But, on June 8, 2026, Hunterbrook published its report, contending in part that “Ensign’s profits can be traced to providing less care than its patients need – and less care than it is meant to provide based on the tax dollars it receives from the government.” In addition, the firm said that “[w]e found Ensign’s growth strategy is to buy struggling nursing homes – then cut staff at those facilities and bank the savings, all while claiming quality improves.”

Then, on June 11, 2026, Muddy Waters Research published its report, adding to Hunterbrook’s analysis. Muddy Waters sent investigators to 57 of Ensign’s SNFs and found “red flags consistent with rented” NHA licenses that enabled “Ensign to state the facilities have licensed Administrators when in fact these administrators are seldom on premise and do not substantively manage the facilities.”

The firm concluded that “this scheme, which could amount to fraud against states, Medicare, and Medicaid, is the pillar upon which Ensign’s acquisition strategy and margins is built[]” and “[u]nder the False Claims Act, if these practices have been in place for one year at ~20% of facilities, we estimate the violations carry theoretical sanctions in the billions of dollars.”

“Our investigation is focused on whether the analysts’ allegations are accurate and, if so, whether Ensign may have misled investors about its business practices and accounting,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm’s investigation.

If you invested in Ensign 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 Ensign investigation, read more.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Ensign 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.

Contact:
Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895

FirstCash Holdings (FCFS - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.

A company's changing earnings picture is at the core of the Zacks rating. The system tracks the Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus measure of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years.

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Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for FirstCash basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.

Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. The influence of institutional investors has a partial contribution to this relationship, as these big professionals use earnings and earnings estimates to calculate the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.

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Earnings Estimate Revisions for FirstCashFor the fiscal year ending December 2026, this pawn store is expected to earn $11.33 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.

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You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>

The upgrade of FirstCash to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.