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NewPeak Metals Ltd (ASX:NPM, OTC:NPMFF, FRA:NPM) shares surged in morning trade after the company confirmed a large-scale gold-zinc-silver discovery from the first hole of its 2026 drilling program at the 100%-owned Las Opeñas Gold Project in San Juan Province, Argentina.

The stock surged as high as A$0.031 in morning trade, representing an intraday gain of about 107% from its previous close of A$0.015. The stock is currently up 66.6% intraday (1pm).

Assay results from discovery hole 26-LODH-023 returned mineralisation across the full 663-metre hole at 0.41 g/t gold equivalent, including 0.16 g/t gold, 0.65% zinc and 4.53 g/t silver from surface to end of hole. 

Broad mineralised system from surface The first hole delivered several stronger zones within the broader mineralised envelope, including 84 metres at 0.72 g/t gold equivalent from 20 metres, 282 metres at 0.65 g/t gold equivalent from 7 metres and 426 metres at 0.50 g/t gold equivalent from surface. 

Importantly, NewPeak confirmed a large-scale polymetallic system, with mineralisation extending over the entire hole.

The hole was drilled about five metres from historic hole 12-LODH-03, which returned 115 metres at 0.58 g/t gold, 0.65% zinc and 3.5 g/t silver from 18 metres to end of hole.

NewPeak’s proximity and consistency of results across the two holes provided early confidence in the scale and continuity of the system and its potential for future resource definition. 

“Exactly what we hoped to achieve” Managing director Mark Purcell said the first hole had confirmed the company’s exploration model at Las Opeñas.

“The first hole drilled at Las Opeñas since 2019, and the first diamond drill hole drilled since 2014, has confirmed the discovery of a large scale gold-zinc-silver system from surface, with polymetallic mineralisation extending over the entire hole,” Purcell said.

“Uncovering a system of such substantial scale is exactly what we hoped to achieve. The presence of meaningful zinc and silver credits is also very encouraging given both metals have been formally recognised as critical minerals by the USGS in 2025.” 

El Indio Belt location Las Opeñas is in San Juan Province, about 70 kilometres southeast of Barrick/Shandong’s Veladero Mine and around 110 kilometres north-northwest of Challenger Gold’s Hualilan Mine. 

 Location of Las Opeñas.

The project features a reinterpreted 800-metre by 600-metre breccia zone that had previously been drilled to relatively shallow depths.

NewPeak’s recent program tested deeper parts of the breccia area, which the company said appeared to form part of a rhyolitic complex associated with phreatic breccias and strong argillic alteration. 

A total of 2,464 metres of diamond drilling across six holes was completed between April and June 2026, with the program designed to test for large-scale gold-dominant polymetallic mineralisation. 

Zinc and silver add strategic angle Beyond the gold result, NewPeak highlighted the zinc and silver credits as an important part of the Las Opeñas story.

Zinc was added to the USGS 2025 Critical Minerals List, while silver is also on the list due to industrial demand, particularly from solar and electronics, and by-product supply constraints.

The polymetallic nature of mineralisation at Las Opeñas enhanced the project’s strategic positioning in a market increasingly focused on secure and diversified supplies of critical minerals. 

What’s ahead NewPeak expects assays from the remaining five drill holes — 26-LODH-024 to 26-LODH-028 — to be announced over the next three to six weeks. 

If those results are favourable, the company says it is well placed to push toward a maiden resource at Las Opeñas.

Permitting is already in place to recommence drilling of up to another 7,500 metres, pending supplier availability, allowing NewPeak to move relatively quickly to further test the large-scale mineralised zone. 

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SummaryAT&T is upgraded to 'Strong Buy' as market pessimism overshadows robust business fundamentals and undervalues the stock.T trades at 8.9x forward P/E with a 5.4% yield, supported by strong free cash flow and double-digit projected EPS growth.Advanced Connectivity revenue and EBITDA are growing, driven by record fiber additions, bundling momentum, and margin expansion.SpaceX competitive fears are likely overstated, while integration of Lumen assets and continued EPS growth underpin strong total return potential.Looking for a portfolio of ideas like this one? Members of iREIT®+HOYA Capital get exclusive access to our subscriber-only portfolios. Learn More » Getty Images

The expression ‘being greedy when others are fearful’ was originally coined by Warren Buffett. It’s also his most quoted expression, and for good reason. That’s because long-term retail investors get to take advantage of market pessimism that pushes prices down excessively.

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I am not an investment advisor. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute as financial advice. Readers are encouraged and expected to perform due diligence and draw their own conclusions prior to making any investment decisions.

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Lending support to his choice, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak maintained Alphabet’s Overweight rating on June 30. He also raised the price target from $375 to $415.

Capital Area Planning Group’s Malcolm Ethridge picked Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX).

Bank of America Securities analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich reiterated a Buy rating on Netflix and maintained a $125 price target on May 18.

Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here

Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, picked Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE).

On the earnings front, Nike posted fourth-quarter revenue of $10.97 billion, beating analyst estimates of $10.86 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. Nike reported adjusted earnings of 20 cents per share for the period, beating analyst estimates of 13 cents per share.

Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist at Hightower Advisors, recommended Target Corp (NYSE:TGT).

Supporting her view, Wolfe Research analyst Spencer Hanus, on June 23, upgraded Target from Peer Perform to Outperform.

Price Action Alphabet shares fell 0.4% to close at $359.91 on Thursday. Netflix shares rose 4.7% to settle at $77.65 during the session. Nike shares gained 2.4% to close at $44.09 on Thursday. Target shares slipped 0.1% to settle at $130.21 during the session. Photo via Shutterstock

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Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

Now that we know how important earnings and earnings surprises are, it's time to show investors how to take advantage of these events to boost their returns by utilizing the Zacks Earnings ESP filter.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information.

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

When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

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

Should You Consider Visa?Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. Visa (V - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $3.23 a share, just 29 days from its upcoming earnings release on August 4, 2026.

Visa's Earnings ESP sits at +0.29%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $3.23 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.22. V is also part of a large group of stocks that boast a positive ESP. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

V is one of just a large database of Business Services stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Trane Technologies (TT - Free Report) .

Slated to report earnings on July 29, 2026, Trane Technologies holds a #3 (Hold) ranking on the Zacks Rank, and its Most Accurate Estimate is $4.30 a share 23 days from its next quarterly update.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Trane Technologies is $4.27, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +0.60%.

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

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

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) will release its second quarter earnings report before the opening bell on Wednesday, July 15.

Analysts expect the New York-based company to report quarterly earnings of $12.55 per share, up from $12.05 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for BlackRock’s quarterly revenue is $6.63 billion. It reported $5.42 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

On May 20, BlackRock declared a quarterly dividend of $5.73 on common stock.

BlackRock shares rose 1.6% to close at $995.73 on Thursday.

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

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

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

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Gen-Z consumers frequently hear the well-meaning, but perhaps oversimplified advice to quit paying $8 dollars for their morning coffee. But human nature has a way of adapting. It is such that these consumers now have a comeback. They’re not just drinking coffee. They’re having a functional drink to promote wellness.

The functional drink market includes protein coffee, CBD-infused sodas, and, of course, prebiotic drinks. But this market is doing more than creating more beverage choices for consumers. According to Mordor Intelligence, the functional beverage market is already a $160 billion market. But between 2026 and 2031, that market is expected to balloon to over $235 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.93% in that time.

Movements like functional beverages frequently start out in private companies. But it hasn’t taken long for large, publicly traded companies to get in on the action. That gives investors a way to boost their portfolio even if the idea of a functional beverage is a strong, black coffee.

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An Inverse GLP-1 TradeInvestors have poured money into technology stocks, particularly those focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and space. But it’s been impossible to ignore the outperformance of stocks in the rapidly growing GLP-1 space. This provides a tangible way to address the obesity epidemic in America.

Functional drinks aren’t about addressing obesity. Rather, it’s about strengthening a strength. Many consumers in this space already prioritize fitness. Their daily beverage choice is a way of making their beverages work harder so they can achieve their fitness goals.

For investors, this provides a catalyst for several stocks outside of the biopharma sector, which gives investors exposure to risks outside of the GLP-1 space. At their core, the companies listed here are well-known with strong balance sheets. That means investors get the benefits of investing in functional drinks with less risk.

BellRing Brands Turns Protein Shakes Into Market ShareBellRing Brands Today

$13.00 -0.86 (-6.20%)

As of 10:09 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$7.82▼

$59.10P/E Ratio10.07

Price Target$22.47

BellRing Brands NYSE: BRBR is the purest protein beverage play on this list. The company owns Premier Protein and Dymatize, two brands that dominate the ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shake aisle. That positioning matters because protein has become the entry point for consumers who want functional benefits without giving up convenience.

BellRing spun off from Post Holdings, and that independence has let management focus entirely on capacity expansion and shelf-space growth. Premier Protein has consistently taken market share from legacy players, helped by distribution wins at retailers like Costco and Walmart, the parent company of Sam’s Club. That hasn’t shown up in BRBR, which is down nearly 50% in 2026. That shows the stock isn't immune to volatility tied to protein input costs like whey. As the company noted in its Q1 2026 earnings report, that may be a headwind for the remainder of the year.

For investors seeking direct exposure to the functional beverage boom, BellRing offers a business built entirely around the trend rather than adjacent to it. That focus is a strength, but it also means BellRing's fortunes rise and fall with a single category.

Starbucks Leans Into Protein Coffee and Wellness DrinksStarbucks Today

$101.56 -2.71 (-2.60%)

As of 10:09 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$77.99▼

$108.88Dividend Yield2.44%

P/E Ratio76.98

Price Target$108.92

Starbucks NASDAQ: SBUX isn't a pure-play functional beverage stock, but its scale gives it an outsized influence over how mainstream consumers discover the category. The company has rolled out protein-fortified cold foam, energy-boosting refreshers, and menu items aimed squarely at fitness-minded customers who might otherwise skip a coffee shop altogether.

That strategy fits into Starbucks' broader turnaround story. Functional add-ons are cheap for Starbucks to test and roll out, but they carry real upside if they drive incremental visits or larger basket sizes. SBUX is up more than 20% in 2026, which at least suggests consumers are being exposed to the new offerings.

The risk for investors is that Starbucks' functional drink push is still a small piece of a much larger, more complicated turnaround. Starbucks offers functional beverage exposure, but it comes bundled with a broader operational bet.

Celsius Holdings Rides the Fitness-First Energy WaveCelsius Today

$33.18 +0.02 (+0.07%)

As of 10:09 AM Eastern

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

52-Week Range$27.47▼

$66.74P/E Ratio77.06

Price Target$60.90

Celsius Holdings NASDAQ: CELH built its brand entirely around the idea that energy drinks can double as fitness supplements. The company markets its products as thermogenic and free of the sugar and empty calories associated with legacy energy drink brands, a pitch that has resonated strongly with younger, health-conscious consumers.

PepsiCo has made an investment and distribution partnership that gives Celsius a major growth lever. Specifically, it puts the brand into retail shelf space that would have taken years to win independently. That relationship has been central to the bull case, though it also means Celsius's growth trajectory is tied to how aggressively Pepsi continues to push the brand.

Celsius trades with more volatility than BellRing or Starbucks, reflecting both its smaller size and its history of sharp swings tied to retail sell-through data and competitive pressure from rivals like Red Bull's own functional lineup. CELH is down nearly 28% in 2026, but trades close to 90% below the consensus price target of $60.90. For investors comfortable with that volatility, Celsius offers the most direct bet on functional energy drinks specifically, rather than the broader functional beverage category.

Should You Invest $1,000 in BellRing Brands Right Now?Before you consider BellRing Brands, 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 BellRing Brands wasn't on the list.

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

View The Five Stocks Here

Looking to profit from the electric vehicle mega-trend? Click the link to see our list of which EV stocks show the most long-term potential.

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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.

Two of the most-watched retail trading proxies in America filed very different sets of paperwork last year. Nancy Pelosi averaged roughly one trade every 22 days over the past 12 years. Donald Trump logged more than 21,000 stock trades across eight investment accounts in 2025, roughly 60 trades per day, according to Financial Times and EBC Financial Group analysis. Both beat the market.

The 2025 Scorecard Pelosi’s portfolio gained 20.1% in 2025, outperforming the S&P 500’s 16.6% gain, according to the UnusualWhales annual report, which ranked her 28th among all congressional traders that year. The benchmark she topped, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY), returned 16.64% for the calendar year. Her disclosed 2025 trading volume was $48.6 million, up from $39.2 million in 2024, per Quiver Quantitative.

Trump’s stock-only return cannot be precisely calculated. Federal financial disclosures report holdings in dollar ranges rather than exact figures, and his 927-page disclosure mixes stock activity with real estate, crypto, and media income totaling roughly $2.2 billion in 2025. In Q1 2026 alone he disclosed over 3,600 trades worth between $220 million and $750 million, per Reuters, which by the upper bound exceeds Pelosi’s total disclosed trading volume since 2014 of $271.5 million across 213 trades.

Pelosi’s Long Game Capitol Trades pegs Pelosi’s cumulative return over the past decade at approximately 816%, with an 87% win rate and an estimated net worth of $642 to $649 million as of mid-2026, up from $121 million in 2013. For comparison, Berkshire Hathaway generated roughly 282% cumulative return over the same period.

Her 2025 standouts included January 2025 Nvidia call options with an $80 strike expiring January 2026. Shares of NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) rose 34.88% in 2025 alone. She also held Alphabet and Amazon call options at $150 strikes, and shares of Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) have climbed 91% since January 2, 2025. In 2026 she moved toward large-cap tech, exercising Alphabet and Amazon options for actual shares and buying Intel and Uber call options in May 2026. One retail copy-trading portfolio mimicking her moves was up 72% in 2025. It’s worth noting that Pelosi’s husband was an ex-venture capitalist and the trades he directs are included in her disclosures.

Trump’s Volume Story Three positions in Trump’s disclosures stand out. He bought between $247,000 and $630,000 in Palantir stock across Q1 2026, with at least seven purchases in March. Shares of Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) traded around $128.06 on April 10, the day he endorsed the ticker on Truth Social. Palantir’s federal contracts nearly doubled from $541 million in FY2024 to $970 million in FY2025, and its most recent quarter delivered $1.63 billion in revenue, up 84.7% year over year, per its SEC filings.

On February 10, 2026, Trump bought $1 million to $5 million in Dell Class C shares. Two months earlier, Michael Dell had pledged $6.25 billion to fund “Trump Accounts.” On May 8, Trump told Americans to “go out and buy a Dell” and the stock jumped roughly 14% intraday. Dell Technologies gained 107.31% between February 10 and May 8.

Trump also increased Intel holdings after the US government acquired a 9.9% stake in Intel in August 2025. Since August 1, 2025, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) has returned 523.25%. The White House says the portfolio is managed through “fully discretionary accounts” by third-party institutions, with Trump referring to it as a “blind account.” He paid a $200 fine for filing his disclosure late and is exempt from the conflict-of-interest rules that govern other executive branch employees.

The Bigger Picture Congressional trading is bipartisan. Republicans made up five of the top nine congressional stock performers in 2025, with Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) leading at 78.8%. Pelosi’s 28th-place finish sits well below that top tier.

Both Trump and Pelosi have publicly called for a congressional trading ban. The PELOSI Act is among proposals still stalled without enough votes. Pelosi retires in January 2027, after which her disclosures end. For investors who have used her filings as a signal, the transparency window has a closing date.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Shares of Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO | AVGO Price Prediction) are up 6% to $381 in early Monday trading after the company said it agreed to expand its custom-chip partnership with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) through 2031. The news is fueling a broad semiconductor rebound after last week’s pullback.

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) stock is up 8% to $561, and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) stock is up 4% to $125. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX), which tracks a basket of chip names, is trading higher alongside the group.

The rally follows a rough stretch for Broadcom, which entered Monday down 25% over the prior month. Today’s session is resetting the tone for chip investors after a volatile close to June.

Broadened Apple Deal Anchors the Rally Broadcom stated on Monday it will develop and supply custom chips for Apple through 2031, extending a relationship that already spans Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular radio-frequency components. Apple accounts for 20% of Broadcom’s annual revenue, making it one of Broadcom’s largest customers.

The extension locks in a long-duration revenue stream and eases worries that Apple could design Broadcom out of its silicon roadmap. It also reinforces Apple’s strategy of nailing down multi-year chip supply as its silicon footprint expands.

The catalyst lands after Broadcom’s Q2 FY2026 report, which showed revenue of $22.19 billion, up 47.9% year over year (YoY), with AI semiconductor revenue of $10.8 billion. CEO Hock Tan stated on the call, “The momentum continues and in Q3 we expect semiconductor revenue from AI to grow over 200 percent year-over-year to $16.0 billion.”

AMD Rebounds on Analyst Target Hikes AMD stock is rebounding with the group after a soft prior week, supported by recent bullish analyst moves. On June 30, Wells Fargo raised its AMD price target to $615 from $505 at Overweight, citing strong EPYC server-CPU demand. A day earlier, Cantor Fitzgerald lifted its target to $700 from $500, calling the AI buildout a generational cycle.

AMD stock is up 153% year to date (YTD), reflecting powerful momentum tied to the MI450 accelerator ramp and record data center revenue. Yet, the average Street target of $518 sits slightly below the current share price, so consensus sees limited near-term upside from here.

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

That’s the balance for AMD holders. The bull case rests on durable AI infrastructure demand, while the cautionary point is that the stock has already priced in a lot of the good news.

Intel Rides the Sector Tape Intel stock is rising mostly on sector sympathy, with a tangential boost from reports that Apple is in discussions with Intel to manufacture some chips in the U.S. Analysts caution that volume production is unlikely before late 2027, so the impact for now is more about narrative than near-term revenue.

Intel stock’s 238% YTD run has been driven by early foundry traction and new partnerships, including its selection as host CPU for NVIDIA‘s (NASDAQ:NVDA) DGX Rubin platform. The move today caps a strong recovery arc for a name that spent years in the penalty box.

Sector Backdrop and Bull-Bear Setup The SOXX ETF is up 88% YTD, underscoring how much AI-driven demand has reshaped chip sector returns. Chip stocks and sector ETFs remain volatile, however, and last week’s slide is a reminder that pullbacks can be sharp.

The bull case rests on the confirmed Apple deal, sustained AI capex from hyperscalers, and rising custom-silicon budgets. The bear case is straightforward: valuations are stretched after enormous runs, with Broadcom carrying a trailing P/E ratio of 60x and AMD stock sitting above its consensus target. Investors may want to size their positions modestly given the volatility.

What to Watch Next Investors can watch for whether Broadcom stock holds today’s gains into the close and whether Apple offers any follow-through commentary on chip sourcing. Any confirmation of the Intel foundry conversation would add fuel, though the timeline is long.

Momentum in AI names like Broadcom and AMD may keep the group active through the afternoon. The next scheduled catalyst for Broadcom is earnings season across the semiconductor complex later this month.

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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

Shares of this home improvement retailer have returned +8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.9% change. The Zacks Retail - Home Furnishings industry, to which Lowe's belongs, has gained 12.9% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

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

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

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

Lowe's is expected to post earnings of $4.26 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.

The consensus earnings estimate of $12.48 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +1.6%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $13.47 indicates a change of +7.9% from what Lowe's is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Lowe's is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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

12 Month EPS

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

For Lowe's, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $26.25 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +9.5%. For the current and next fiscal years, $93.09 billion and $96.14 billion estimates indicate +7.9% and +3.3% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryLowe's reported revenues of $23.08 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.3%. EPS of $3.03 for the same period compares with $2.92 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.94 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.62%. The EPS surprise was +2.36%.

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

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

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

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

Lowe's is graded C on this front, indicating that it is trading at par with its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Lowe's. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

With the third quarter underway, most of the top firms we cover on Wall Street are releasing their top stock ideas for the next three months. BofA Securities, which we have covered for years, always has 10 new top picks at the start of every quarter. The 10 stocks, nine of which are Buy-rated, and one is Underperform-rated and ostensibly a short sale idea, are out, and we decided to screen the list for the top growth and dividend ideas. With the first full trading week of the third quarter upon us, many investors are seeking safer ideas amid a sustained market rally, even as major indices remain near all-time highs. We have identified four top Bank of America Q3 2026 ideas with significant upside potential and, in some cases, substantial, reliable dividends.

The BofA team remains positive on the stock market and the broader backdrop, as noted in the report:

BofA’s RIC Outlook points to a largely bullish backdrop for the U.S. economy and global equities, with indicators confirming that the “new industrial cycle” remains intact and that earnings momentum is strengthening. The Global Earnings Revision Ratio has improved to a six‑month high, with particularly strong readings in the U.S. and broad-based upgrades across regions, while the Global Wave of macro data is rising in tandem with the earnings cycle—historically a supportive signal for equity returns. Although valuations and positioning suggest markets may be somewhat overheated in the near term, we think any summer pullback could be a potential buying opportunity, especially in real assets, credit, and value-oriented areas.

Why do we cover BofA Securities’ top quarterly ideas?

BofA Securities is one of the top firms on Wall Street, and we have covered the company’s curated stock lists for years. These are their absolute best ideas across several categories, including the Endeavor List, covering small-cap stocks; the Value 10 list, featuring the top analysts’ best value ideas; and the Growth 10 List, a quantitatively generated portfolio of 10 stocks with high expected earnings growth.

Ford This American automotive corporation was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford and 11 associate investors. This legacy carmaker pays shareholders a robust 4.3% dividend yield. Ford (NYSE: F | F Price Prediction) develops, delivers, and services a range of Ford trucks, commercial cars and vans, sport utility vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. The BofA team said this about the stock:

We expect continued upward estimate revisions for Ford given: 1) Ford’s primary North America market is better positioned compared to Europe/China given a protectionist trade agenda (no Chinese EV disruption), a favorable regulatory environment given the roll off of emission standards programs that allows Ford to produce its highest margin accretive ICE vehicles, and resilient demand despite higher gas prices, 2) mix benefit from shift to higher margin trims at F Blue, including off-road & V8 trims, 3) Novelis recovery progressing better than expected, 4) outsized growth in F’s high margin software & services business, 5) support from Ford’s new battery energy storage business & the scaling of its new EV platform with the launch of an affordable pickup next year.

It operates through five segments:

Ford Blue Ford Model e Ford Pro Ford Next Ford Credit The company sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors, dealers, and dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. It also engages in vehicle-related financing and leasing activities through automotive dealers.

In addition, the company provides retail installment sale contracts for:

New and used vehicles Directly finances leases for new cars to retail and commercial customers, including leasing companies, government entities, daily rental companies, and fleet customers Furthermore, it offers wholesale loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory, as well as loans to fund working capital, enhance dealership facilities, purchase dealership real estate, and support other dealer vehicle programs.

The Bank of America price target is $20.

IBM International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American multinational technology company. The legacy blue-chip tech giant offers conservative investors a safer way to play the sector with a 2.35% dividend, and with the shares flat this year, some big upside is possible. IBM provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. BofA noted this about the legacy tech giant when discussing the push to quantum computing:

Quantum should become a more visible part of the IBM story as interest increases (given recent pure-play Quantum IPOs). IBM reiterated in F1Q that it remains on track to deliver its first large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029 and noted that partners could achieve the first examples of quantum advantage this year using IBM hardware. More recently, IBM and the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an LOI to create Anderon, a standalone U.S. quantum chip foundry supported by a proposed $1bn CHIPS award and a $1bn IBM cash contribution, followed by IBM announcing plans to invest more than $10bn in quantum over the next five years. We view these announcements as material for IBM’s quantum leadership to receive greater attention and as a catalyst for IBM’s quantum business to provide optionality for the stock.

The company operates through four segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platform that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments they operate. IBM has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to allow users to access Watsonx AI features and its data platform. IBM also partnered with Palo Alto Networks, allowing the cybersecurity company to acquire IBM’s QRadar Software as a Service (SaaS) assets.

The Consulting segment focuses on integrating skills across strategy, experience, technology, and operations by domain and industry, while the Infrastructure segment provides on-premises and cloud-based server and storage solutions, as well as life-cycle services, for hybrid cloud infrastructure deployments. And the Financing segment offers client and commercial financing that facilitates IBM clients’ acquisition of hardware, software, and services.

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

The company has a strategic partnership with various companies, including:

Hyperscalers Service providers Global system integrators Software and hardware vendors, including Adobe, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, Samsung Electronics, SAP, and others BofA Securities has set a $315 target price.

Visa The credit card giant was recently removed from Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio, but the BofA team remains positive on the shares. Visa (NYSE: V) is a global payments technology company that pays a small 0.7% dividend. It facilitates global commerce and money movement across more than 200 countries and territories among consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities through technology.

The BofA team had these thoughts on the shares:

Visa is our top way to own the secular shift from cash to electronic payments: a durable, double-digit revenue/teens-EPS compounder with a wide debit and credit moat, a fast-growing value-added services engine (~30% of net revenue), and $33B of buyback firepower. It trades 3x below its five-year average forward PE, continuing to discount regulatory and disintermediation overhangs that we view as overstated. Visa remains a high-quality franchise at a defensive multiple, poised to be a catalyst-rich window.

Its Payment Services segment provides transaction processing services (primarily authorization, clearing, and settlement) to its financial institution and merchant clients through VisaNet, its proprietary advanced transaction processing network.

The company offers a range of Visa-branded payment products that its clients, including nearly 14,500 financial institutions, use to develop and offer payment solutions or services, including credit, debit, prepaid, and cash access programs for individual, business, and government account holders. It also provides value-added services to its clients, including issuing solutions, acceptance solutions, risk and identity solutions, open banking solutions, and advisory services.

The BofA Securities target price is $410.

Walmart This company, founded in 1945, is the world’s largest retailer, with over 10,000 stores offering groceries, health products, and general merchandise. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) also has a strong e-commerce platform and a 0.88% dividend. BofA said this about the technology-powered omnichannel retailer:

We remain convinced that the current backdrop, with strength from the upper-income consumer and some caution from the value-seeking consumer, is conducive to Walmart accelerating share gains by leading with price and speed. WMT has significant competitive advantages to invest and gain share due to 1) its ability to tap into high-growth, margin-rich businesses like advertising and membership to help fund pricing investments, and 2) having best-in-class delivery speeds. If middle- and lower-income consumers hold up better than expected, especially as gas prices start to move lower, this would likely strengthen sales trends across Walmart US and Sam’s Club. At 36x P/E (F28), we think the stock could start to rerate higher as the market gets confidence that WMT can return to a beat/raise cycle starting next quarter.

Walmart operates retail and wholesale stores and clubs, as well as e-commerce websites and mobile applications, throughout the United States, Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India, and Mexico. It operates in three reportable segments.

The Walmart U.S. segment includes the company’s mass merchandising concept in the U.S., as well as eCommerce, which provides omni-channel initiatives and other specific business offerings such as advertising services.

The Walmart International segment consists of the company’s operations outside of the U.S., as well as eCommerce and omni-channel initiatives.

The Sam’s Club U.S. segment includes the warehouse membership clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com and omni-channel initiatives.

Bank of America has a $140 target price.

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

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

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

Over the past month, shares of this technology and consulting company have returned +1.6%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.9% change. During this period, the Zacks Computer - Integrated Systems industry, which IBM falls in, has lost 8.3%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

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

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

IBM is expected to post earnings of $3.02 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.9%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1%.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $12.4 points to a change of +7% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $13.43 indicates a change of +8.3% from what IBM is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.6%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, IBM is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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

12 Month EPS

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

For IBM, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $17.89 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +5.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $71.59 billion and $74.91 billion estimates indicate +6% and +4.6% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryIBM reported revenues of $15.92 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +9.5%. EPS of $1.91 for the same period compares with $1.6 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15.68 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.49%. The EPS surprise was +5.52%.

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

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

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

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

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

ConclusionThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about IBM. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

INITIAL DRILL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EXPAND HISTORICAL SILVER RESOURCE, EVALUATE GOLD POTENTIAL AND TEST PRIORITY GOLD-ANTIMONY TARGETS 

, /PRNewswire/ - A2Gold Corp. ("A2Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: AUAU) (OTCQX: AUXXF) (FRA: RR7) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at its Taylor Silver-Gold Project ("Taylor" or the "Project") located in White Pine County, Nevada.

MAP 1 (above): Taylor District Claim Map and Mineralization Zones (CNW Group/A2 Gold Corp)

MAP 2 (above): Planned Drill Hole Targets at Taylor (CNW Group/A2 Gold Corp) The commencement of drilling at Taylor represents an important milestone for A2Gold following the Company's recently completed acquisition of the Project and the consolidation of key internal claims within the district. Taylor is now held as a unified district-scale land package under a single operator (see Map 1), providing A2Gold with enhanced flexibility to systematically explore and advance the Project.

The initial Taylor drill program consisting of 16-18 Reverse Circulation ("RC") holes for a total of 5,000 metres (see Map 2) is designed to advance three principal objectives:

Expand the Existing Historical Silver Resource
Drilling will focus on areas within and adjacent to the existing historical silver resource footprint, with the objective of confirming and expanding known silver mineralization along strike and at depth. The Company intends to use results from this program to support the preparation of an updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate. Evaluate Near-Surface Gold Mineralization
Taylor hosts significant oxide gold exploration potential across a large district-scale corridor. Prior exploration has identified a 3 km by 10 km anomalous gold corridor, with surface sampling and historical drilling indicating potential for near-surface oxide gold mineralization. Gold was not included in the historical 2018 silver resource estimate, and A2Gold believes there is an important opportunity to evaluate the potential contribution of gold mineralization to the broader Taylor system. Test Priority Gold-Antimony and CRD Targets
The program will also begin testing priority gold-antimony targets identified through historical work, surface sampling, geological mapping and modern geophysical surveys. These targets are considered important to evaluating Taylor's potential as a precious metals project with meaningful critical mineral upside. The broader district also includes carbonate replacement deposit ("CRD"), skarn and porphyry exploration concepts that remain largely untested by modern drilling. Peter Gianulis, CEO of A2Gold, commented: "The start of drilling at Taylor is an important moment for A2Gold. In a short period of time, we have acquired the Taylor Project, consolidated the district under one operator, and now moved directly into drilling. Taylor gives us a second district-scale Nevada project with an existing historical silver resource, meaningful gold potential, and an emerging antimony opportunity at a time when critical minerals are becoming increasingly important in the United States. We believe Taylor has the potential to become an important Nevada silver-gold project with multiple avenues for discovery and resource growth."

Qualified Person
John Marma, CPG, a Certified Professional Geologist with the American Institute of Professional Geologists and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About A2Gold Corp

A2Gold Corp. has built a multi-asset gold-silver exploration platform in Nevada, one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions. The Company controls approximately 230 km² of prospective mineral tenure across its Eastside and Taylor projects, both district-scale assets with large precious metals resources with significant exploration and resource growth potential. 

Eastside hosts an inferred mineral resource of 1.4 million ounces of gold and 8.8 million ounces of silver*, while Taylor adds a highly prospective exploration district with gold, silver, antimony and porphyry-skarn upside. Backed by a fully funded exploration program and a strong pipeline of catalysts, A2Gold is focused on unlocking value through resource expansion, new discoveries and systematic district-scale exploration. 

A2Gold is also supported by a strong shareholder base, including Kinross Gold Corporation, which owns approximately 9.9% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares.

* Updated Resource Estimate and NI 43-101 Technical Report, Eastside and Castle Gold-Silver Project Technical Report, Esmeralda County, Nevada," prepared by Mine Development Associates of Reno, Nevada, with an effective date of July 30, 2021. Pit-constrained Inferred Resources, using a cut-off grade of 0.15 g/t Au, total 61,730,000 tonnes grading 0.55 g/t Au and 4.4 g/t Ag at the Original Pit Zone, representing 1,090,000 ounces of gold and 8,700,000 ounces of silver, and 19,986,000 tonnes grading 0.49 g/t Au at the Castle Area, representing 314,000 ounces of gold, using a gold price of US$1,725/ounce. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves.

On Behalf of the Board
Peter Gianulis, CEO

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Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements." The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding A2Gold's exploration plans for the Taylor Project, the scope, timing and objectives of the drill program at Taylor, the potential expansion of the historical silver resource, the preparation of an updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, the evaluation of gold mineralization, the testing of gold-antimony, CRD, skarn and porphyry targets, the potential contribution of gold and antimony mineralization to the broader Taylor system, the potential for Taylor to emerge as an important Nevada silver-gold project with critical mineral upside, and A2Gold's future exploration and development plans.

Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek," "expect," "anticipate," "budget," "plan," "estimate," "continue," "forecast," "intend," "believe," "predict," "potential," "target," "may," "could," "would," "might," "will" and similar words or phrases, including negative variations, suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Some of the known risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are described in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" in A2Gold's Listing Application, dated January 24, 2018, as filed with the TSX Venture Exchange and available on SEDAR+ under A2Gold's profile. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. A2Gold undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

SOURCE A2 Gold Corp

Sony said it's moving to digital-only games. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images The furor over Sony's decision to stop producing physical PlayStation discs starting in 2028 is not slowing down.

The gaming giant said earlier this month that it would cease making discs for new games on its consoles due to consumer preferences shifting toward digital releases.

A post from Sony last week announcing the news on X has racked up 145 million views and 90,000 replies as of Monday morning. Many of the top responses have been negative. Some replies have pointed out that the physical media market has kept prices competitive, while others said they have only purchased digital games for some time.

Other responses highlighted the risks of going digital-only, citing Sony's recent announcement that users would lose access to more than 500 StudioCanal titles — that they had already purchased — due to licensing agreements. Owning a physical copy of the game can prevent similar situations.

The PlayStation X account, which typically posts at least once per day, hasn't posted anything since the July 1 announcement.

The post has also been consistently tagged with community notes by X users.

Game developer Hideo Kojima, who created the iconic "Metal Gear" game franchise and worked closely with Sony over many years, said he was saddened by the end of PlayStation discs.

Speaking this month at Italy's Il Cinema in Piazza festival, Kojima warned that digital-only distribution could mean people one day losing access to content they had purchased.

Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sony's announcement to cease disc production came shortly after Rockstar announced its highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto 6" would only be available in digital format when it launches in November.

Other brands, never ones to knowingly miss an opportunity to throw shade or capitalize on a big social media moment, have been dishing out the trolling.

Gaming chair maker Respawn posted a mock statement that it would cease production of physical chairs and shift to "digital chairs only." KFC España jokingly said it would begin offering its fried chicken via downloadable PNG format.

We heard you. And we agree.

In light of recent developments in physical media, GitHub is proud to announce that you can now obtain your public repo on CD-ROM.

Keep it. Lend it to friends. Pass it on to your children.

Your code is physically yours, forever. Until you lose it,… pic.twitter.com/p1qxqjmnfa

— GitHub (@github) July 2, 2026 GitHub, the developer platform owned by Microsoft, said on July 2 — a day after Sony's announcement — that users could have their coding repositories put on a CD-ROM.

"Your code is physically yours, forever. Until you lose it, let's be real," the company wrote on X.

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These companies will all be in focus, as we are trying to determine the strength or weakness of the US consumer.

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The early hours of trading on Monday feature Walmart drifting a little bit lower, but I think you have to look at this through the prism of a market that is going to remain very noisy. I think there are a lot of questions out there that people will be watching to figure out whether or not the US consumer is going to struggle after the weak jobs report on Thursday.

If anything, this should benefit Walmart over the longer term. All things being equal, this is a market that I do think recovers. This is the type of stock, though, that I prefer to scale into and hold for a longer period of time. The gap above has been pretty much filled. We’ll have to see, but Walmart is one of the first places Wall Street starts to look to if the consumer might be in trouble. So, I expect a challenge to the 200-day EMA fairly soon.

TGT Technical Analysis Target is pretty flat at the beginning of the premarket trading. All things being equal, the 50-day EMA, I think, offers support. If we can break above the $132 level, I think Target looks good, and it is in a nice uptrend. Yes, we’ve had a pretty strong pullback, but this isn’t the first one.

COST Technical Analysis Costco is reacting positively to a poor job report premarket on Monday, though we are a little soft. I think this is a buy on the dip type of scenario as well. Costco, of course, is a place where people go to save money, and therefore, it does make sense that there are concerns about the overall health of the US consumer. That being said, I’ve been hearing stories about the US consumer falling apart for 22 years, and it’s only happened a couple of times, and just for about 5 minutes each.

So, that’s a narrative that I don’t really pay too much attention to, but I think the nice candlestick on Thursday in reaction to that jobs report in Costco could be the beginning of an attempt to rally from here. A little bit of patience probably goes a long way. I wouldn’t jump into this one with a huge position either, but it certainly looks like it’s trying to turn things around.

If you’d like to know more about technical analysis and how traders use it, please visit our educational area.

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Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones 30 and S&P 500 Forecasts – Fading AI Trade Stalls Tech MomentumTSLA, NVDA, and PLTR Forecasts – Weak Jobs Report Triggers Mixed Premarket ActionUS 10-Year Yield, Bitcoin, USD/JPY and DAX Forecasts – Weaker NFP Spurs Fresh Market VolatilityAbout the Author

Chris is a proprietary trader with more than 20 years of experience across various markets, including currencies, indices and commodities. As a senior analyst at FXEmpire since the website’s early days, he offers readers advanced market perspectives to navigate today’s financial landscape with confidence.

Editors’ Picks

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

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

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

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

With this in mind, the Expected Surprise Prediction compares the Most Accurate Estimate (being the most recent) against the overall Zacks Consensus Estimate. The percentage difference provides the ESP figure. The system also utilizes our core Zacks Rank to provide a stronger system for identifying stocks that might beat their next quarterly earnings estimate and possibly see the stock price climb.

In fact, when we combined a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time. Perhaps most importantly, using these parameters has helped produce 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a ranking of #3 (Hold), or 60% of all stocks covered by the Zacks Rank, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. Stocks with rankings of #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy), or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market; Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Talos Energy?The last thing we will do today, now that we have a grasp on the ESP and how powerful of a tool it can be, is to quickly look at a qualifying stock. Talos Energy (TALO - Free Report) holds a #3 (Hold) at the moment and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $0.32 a share 30 days away from its upcoming earnings release on August 5, 2026.

By taking the percentage difference between the $0.32 Most Accurate Estimate and the $0.25 Zacks Consensus Estimate, Talos Energy has an Earnings ESP of +26.32%. Investors should also know that TALO is one of a large group of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

TALO is part of a big group of Oils and Energy stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at Enbridge (ENB - Free Report) as well.

Enbridge is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on July 31, 2026. ENB's Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.45 a share 25 days from its next earnings release.

For Enbridge, the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.44 is +2.27%.

TALO and ENB's positive ESP figures tell us that both stocks have a good chance at beating analyst expectations in their next earnings report.

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

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Major tech stocks look a bit mixed, with AI noticeably weaker than we are used to.

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Tesla looks like it’s going to try to recover here on Monday after getting absolutely crushed on Thursday. Keep in mind Friday was closed, and Thursday would have been very thin; it was a reaction to the jobs report, which, of course, was worse than anticipated. But sooner or later, somebody’s going to get the idea that bad news is good news, and we’ll probably just go from there.

The market looks like it’s likely to head back towards the top of the recent consolidation, so any type of momentum here could get Tesla looking at $430. Keep an eye on $380, though, for support.

Shifting Momentum and the AI Consolidation NVIDIA looks a little bit positive as well, although not nearly as strong as Tesla, and quite frankly, I think a lot of this comes down to the fact that the AI trade is losing steam. There are a lot of concerns out there about it. Ultimately, if we can break above the $200 level, then I think you could see a situation where we test the 50-day EMA, which is at about $204, and then $210 would be your next target. The 200-day EMA underneath should continue to offer at least a little bit of psychological support.

Palantir looks like it could drop a bit, and quite frankly, that makes a certain amount of sense. It had gone straight up in the air for several days in a row, tagged the 50-day EMA, and then pulled back to form a shooting star. We are right at an area that should have been resistance, and that’s exactly what it looks like it’s going to be.

So with that being said, I think you have to believe that this is a market that, given enough time, probably rolls over here. Now, whether or not it continues a massive move lower is a completely different conversation, but I think in the short term I’m looking for a little bit of negativity.

If you’d like to know more about technical analysis and how traders use it, please visit our educational area.

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Chris is a proprietary trader with more than 20 years of experience across various markets, including currencies, indices and commodities. As a senior analyst at FXEmpire since the website’s early days, he offers readers advanced market perspectives to navigate today’s financial landscape with confidence.

Editors’ Picks

Momentum investing is essentially an exception to the idea of "buying low and selling high." Investors following this style of investing are usually not interested in betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.

Everyone likes betting on fast-moving trending stocks, but it isn't easy to determine the right entry point. These stocks often lose momentum when their future growth potential fails to justify their swelled-up valuation. In that phase, investors find themselves invested in shares that have limited to no upside or even a downside. So, betting on a stock just by looking at the traditional momentum parameters could be risky at times.

A safer approach could be investing in bargain stocks with recent price momentum. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system) helps identify great momentum stocks by paying close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

There are several stocks that currently pass through the screen and Wayfair (W - Free Report) is one of them. Here are the key reasons why this stock is a great candidate.

A dash of recent price momentum reflects growing interest of investors in a stock. With a four-week price change of 38.3%, the stock of this online home goods retailer is certainly well-positioned in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. W meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 31.8% over the past 12 weeks.

Moreover, the momentum for W is fast paced, as the stock currently has a beta of 2.96. This indicates that the stock moves 196% higher than the market in either direction.

Given this price performance, it is no surprise that W has a Momentum Score of B, which indicates that this is the right time to enter the stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success.

In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped W earn a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Most importantly, despite possessing fast-paced momentum features, W is trading at a reasonable valuation. In terms of Price-to-Sales ratio, which is considered as one of the best valuation metrics, the stock looks quite cheap now. W is currently trading at 0.99 times its sales. In other words, investors need to pay only 99 cents for each dollar of sales.

So, W appears to have plenty of room to run, and that too at a fast pace.

In addition to W, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

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July 6, 2026 Thursday's MarketsS&P 500
7,483 (+0%)Nasdaq
25,833 (-0.8%)Dow
52,900 (+1.14%)Bitcoin
$61,350 (+2.39%)

Source: Image created by Jester AI.

1. SK Hynix Enters the U.S. Chip Race South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix is set to raise around $28 billion by launching a U.S. listing today, regulatory filings show. Each of the expected 17.79 million ADRs will represent a tenth of a common share. The move opens SK Hynix to American investors chasing soaring demand for memory chips and other semiconductors used in AI.

"It's a good time to go and get the U.S. involved in your shares": Daniel Morgan at Synovus Trust noted the value of the opportunity, as American investors found its Korea-only shares hard to buy – and it lets SK Hynix trade alongside rival Micron (MU +2.16%), potentially closing a valuation gap. Team Rule Breakers' recommendation Micron up around 2% in pre-market trading: In a new $9.3 billion development, Micron broke ground on a Hiroshima cleanroom expansion on July 4, adding advanced-memory capacity for AI workloads. Management said equipment shipments should begin in 2028. 2. Sell-Offs Are the Toll, Not the Trap Tech stocks once again drove markets higher last week, pushing the S&P 500 up 1.8% by Thursday's close, with the Nasdaq gaining 2.1%. Despite some jitters creeping back in as tech stocks fell back ahead of Friday's market closure for the July 4 weekend, Nasdaq futures rose around 1% in pre-market trading today, with S&P 500 futures up 0.4%.

WTI crude drops below $69 per barrel: Oil prices continue to fall with the Strait of Hormuz open, as the uneasy truce between the U.S. and Iran continues. The OPEC+ group of producers, meanwhile, agreed another modest production rise for next month. "Dancing with the devil in the pale moon light": A post from Michael Burry on X echoed The Joker as he continued his bearish take on the AI stock boom, adding, "The AI narrative is nothing more than mass addiction." Less theatrically, Bank of America (BAC +1.86%) analysts said, "Our bear market signposts suggest speculation is hitting extreme levels," and predicted a 5% drop for the S&P 500 by the end of the year.

3. Earnings to Watch in a Quiet Week

AZZ (AZZ +1.01%) – recommended by Team Hidden Gems – will report its first quarter of fiscal 2027 after Wednesday's market close. The metal coatings and industrial infrastructure specialist reported a 4.6% rise in total full-year sales across fiscal 2026, with adjusted net income up 19.3% year over year (YoY). PepsiCo (PEP 1.66%) releases Q2 earnings Thursday morning, following a 9% YoY rise in Q1 non-GAAP core EPS, from an 8.5% revenue increase. Investors should get some insight into cautious consumer spending, as the company navigates rising input cost pressures. Delta Air Lines (DAL +1.09%) posts Q2 results Friday, as we enter a "rare airline sweet spot" for major carriers, in the words of Bank of America analysts – high ticket prices and falling fuel costs. Q1 marked a record quarter for revenue with a 9.4% YoY rise, as non-GAAP EPS jumped 42%. 4. Today's Take: When One Is All You Need

Ferrari (RACE +0.13%) sells one thing: ultra-luxury sports cars. Because it owns that lane so completely, it commands years-long waiting lists and margins that make most businesses envious. That's not a vulnerability; that's a moat.-- Yasser El-Shimy Team Rule Breakers

5. Your Take What's your take on companies that grow through acquisition ("roll-ups")? What separates a skillful acquirer that creates value from one that's just buying growth?

Debate with friends and family, or become a member to hear what your fellow Fools are saying!

This image and article was created using Large Language Models (LLMs) based on The Motley Fool's insights and investing approach. It has been reviewed by our AI quality control systems. Since LLMs cannot (currently) own stocks, it has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Azz, Ferrari, and Micron Technology. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The stock market has continued to perform well in 2026, despite seemingly high valuations for many stocks entering this year. As of the end of June, the S&P 500, which features the top 500 stocks on U.S. markets, was up 9% since the beginning of the year. And since 2023, it has now risen by 95%.

This year, tech stocks have once again dominated, with a heavy focus on memory and storage providers. The three best-performing stocks on the S&P 500 as of the halfway mark of 2026 were Sandisk (SNDK +3.55%), Micron Technology (MU +2.52%), and Intel (INTC +4.78%). Here's a look at how much they were up as of the halfway mark, and if they can still rise much higher in the second half.

Image source: Getty Images.

Sandisk Shares of Sandisk were up a monstrous 858% as of the end of June, easily making it the hottest stock to own on the S&P 500. There's no mystery behind its success as Sandisk has been benefiting from incredible demand for the memory and storage products that it sells. Its valuation may also make it look enticing to tech investors, as it has a market cap of around $260 billion, which may not seem all that big compared to the big players in tech.

But while the business has been doing well, there has been some apprehension of late. The stock fell last week, perhaps due to concerns about its high valuation (it trades at around 60 times trailing earnings) and fears that, while there is a shortage of memory and storage products in the market right now, that shortage may inevitably end in the long run. And when that happens, Sandisk's stock could be due for a correction.

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The company has been doing exceedingly well, but the question is whether this kind of performance is sustainable. In its most recent quarter, which ended on April 3, the company's revenue rose by 251%, and its gross profit margin was 78%, which was a huge improvement from just 23% in the same period a year ago.

Sandisk's stock may still rise if demand for memory remains strong, but I also believe that it may run out of room to rise a whole lot higher, given how much future growth is already priced in to its hefty valuation; it may be approaching a peak, if it hasn't already hit one.

Micron Technology Another red-hot memory stock this year has been Micron Technology, whose valuation crossed the trillion-dollar mark amid its rally during the first six months. At the halfway mark, the stock was up just over 300%. While that's far behind Sandisk, it's a tremendous performance nonetheless.

At a $1.1 trillion valuation, Micron is now among the most valuable companies in the world, due to the robust demand in the tech sector for its memory and storage products. While it's similar to Sandisk, Micron's focus is on DRAM and high-bandwidth memory that's crucial for data centers. Thus, it's been a hot play related to the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and the massive build-out taking place in the tech sector. It, too, is benefiting from higher prices and demand, enabling it to grow its top and bottom lines at impressive levels.

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The expected growth is a big reason investors remain bullish on Micron; its forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple is just six, which is based on analyst expectations of how strong the company's earnings will be in the year ahead. For investors who remain optimistic about the future and AI spending continuing at high levels, a bullish case can be made for why Micron can continue to soar. But as with Sandisk, there has been some pullback recently as many investors have also begun to think twice about the stock.

I wouldn't be surprised if Micron's rally continues in the latter part of the year, but it may be running out of room to rise much higher given how hot it's been.

Intel At around 280%, Intel's gains were slightly behind Micron at the halfway mark. Intel has struggled in the past, but investments from both Nvidia and the U.S. government have inspired many investors, giving them confidence that the business is on the right track.

While Intel continues to struggle with profitability, that hasn't weighed down the stock; during the first three months of the year, Intel incurred a net loss of $4.3 billion, largely a result of restructuring and other expenses. Meanwhile, the 16% revenue growth in its foundry business proved to be a positive catalyst for the stock.

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At more than $600 billion in market cap, Intel's business has become significantly more valuable than it was a year ago, when its valuation was below $100 billion. But even based on analyst expectations of future growth, the stock is extremely pricey; it trades at a forward P/E multiple of 137. Intel could be due for a pullback in the second half.

Micron stock price has plunged and entered a local bear market after falling by over 22% from its all-time high. It slipped to $975 on Thursday, its lowest level since June 11, after a series of negative news.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM 2.15%) is the stalwart in the semiconductor foundry space. It has most of the major tech companies as clients and has earned its reputation as the best in the business. One of its competitors, Intel (INTC 5.25%), is trying to claw back to the top, but it's hard when the competition is so stiff.

However, if the only thing you had to judge by is Intel's stock performance, it would be easy to assume it's doing just that. So, which of these two chip stocks is the better buy? Let's find out.

Image source: Getty Images.

Taiwan Semiconductor owns the market Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC for short) is the largest chip foundry by far. It owns about 72% of the market, at least by revenue, according to Motley Fool research. Intel has far less, and it's grouped into the "other" category because its share is so low. That group consists of about 7% of revenue, making Intel a relatively minor player in the space.

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But that could be changing. Intel has had some major investors come alongside it, namely the U.S. government and Nvidia, and that has turned its fortunes around. Recently, President Donald Trump announced that Apple and Intel have reached an agreement to use some of Intel's foundry services.

That's a major deal, because Apple gets its chips primarily from TSMC. While that may seem like a win for Intel, the reality is that TSMC has been focusing more of its attention on artificial intelligence chips than it has on Apple's, and Apple needs to find a second source in case it's pushed out of TSMC's services.

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One knock against TSMC used to be that it has all of its operations on a tiny island just off the coast of mainland China, which China wants to be under its full control. That could present a geopolitical risk, but the chipmaker has also diversified its footprint by investing major capital in its U.S. production facilities.

While Intel is gaining momentum, I think that TSMC's business is still stronger overall. So, I'm giving it the win in this category, unless Intel can start taking more customers.

Winner: Taiwan Semiconductor

Taiwan Semiconductor's growth is impressive Intel is still amidst a turnaround, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that TSMC is growing much faster.

INTC Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YCharts; YoY = year over year.

This could flip-flop if Intel turns it around, but Wall Street analysts are hesitant to give it their vote of approval. In both 2026 and 2027, they expect 11% growth, which is far below TSMC's projections.

Because Intel's revenue growth is slow now and not expected to accelerate much in the future, TSMC easily runs away with this category.

Winner: Taiwan Semiconductor

Taiwan Semiconductor is the runaway winner The last check is to compare valuations, and TSMC easily completes the sweep here with a far lower valuation.

INTC PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts; PE = price to earnings.

The market has priced in a lot of success that Intel hasn't achieved yet. Meanwhile, TSMC is valued at a premium to most big tech stocks, but it's still in a reasonable range that most investors would expect to pay for a best-in-class tech stock that's growing rapidly.

This isn't much of a contest, and it easily wins this category, too.

Winner: Taiwan Semiconductor

The far better investment I think investors should buy Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing over Intel. It's the best-in-class business, operating at a high level, and is expanding into the U.S. to fulfill demand.

Meanwhile, investors are hoping that Intel turns it around. Hope isn't an investment strategy, and I think they should stick with the established player in this industry until Intel sees real signs of a turnaround in its finances, rather than just announcements.

Key Takeaways AI hardware demand is broadening beyond NVIDIA to memory, networking, packaging and analog chips.Micron has sold out 2026 HBM supply, with much of 2027 output committed under customer agreements.Credo, Amkor and Texas Instruments are gaining from AI data centers, chiplets and power management. The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has dominated the stock market for more than two years, and one name — NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA - Free Report) — has stayed at the absolute center of the conversation. The company has delivered extraordinary shareholder returns by dominating the market for graphics processing units (GPUs) used to train and deploy AI models. Millions of dollars were poured into this single stock as companies raced to buy the core chips needed to train large language models. This massive wave of buying boosted unprecedented revenue and profit growth for the chipmaker.

However, after years of explosive gains, NVDA stock has traded in a narrower range this year as investors assess whether the next phase of growth can justify its valuation. While NVIDIA remains a technology leader, the AI opportunity is becoming much broader than one company.

The AI ecosystem is now entering its second stage. Instead of focusing only on AI accelerators, hyperscale cloud providers, enterprise customers and chip designers are investing heavily across the entire semiconductor supply chain. Demand is expanding beyond processors to include high-bandwidth memory (HBM), analog chips for power management, advanced semiconductor packaging and high-speed networking solutions. These technologies are essential for building large-scale AI data centers and supporting increasingly complex AI workloads.

This broader investment cycle creates attractive opportunities in companies that play vital roles behind the scenes. Among the strongest names positioned to capitalize on this shift are Micron Technology, Inc. (MU - Free Report) , Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN - Free Report) , Amkor Technology, Inc. (AMKR - Free Report) and Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd. (CRDO - Free Report) . Each serves a different part of the AI hardware ecosystem, giving investors diversified exposure to one of the fastest-growing technology markets.

These stocks have a favorable combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy), offering solid investment opportunities.

Micron Technology: AI Memory Demand Continues to Aid GrowthMicron Technology has become one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI infrastructure boom. Every AI server requires enormous amounts of memory to process increasingly larger datasets. This has fueled strong demand for HBM, an area where Micron Technology has rapidly expanded its presence. The company has already sold out its HBM supply for the calendar year 2026, while a significant portion of 2027 production is already committed through long-term customer agreements.

Micron Technology has reported record revenues and earnings as AI-driven memory demand continues to outpace supply. In the most recently reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues soared 346% year over year to $41.46 billion, while non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) jumped to $25.11 from $1.91 reported in the year-ago quarter.

Unlike traditional PC and smartphone memory markets, AI memory commands significantly higher margins. As more hyperscale cloud providers expand AI clusters, Micron Technology appears well-positioned to enjoy sustained revenue and earnings growth over the next several years.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Micron Technology’s fiscal 2026 revenues and EPS suggests a year-over-year increase of approximately 234% and 791%, respectively. The consensus mark for fiscal 2026 earnings has been revised upward over the past 30 days. Currently, Micron Technology sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a Growth Score of A. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Credo Technology: High-Speed Connectivity Powers AI ClustersBuilding large AI data centers requires more than powerful processors. Thousands of GPUs must communicate efficiently with one another through high-speed networking equipment. This is where Credo Technology has established an attractive growth opportunity.

Credo develops high-speed connectivity solutions, including active electrical cables, retimers and serializer/deserializer (SerDes) technologies that enable rapid data movement between servers and networking equipment. As AI clusters become larger, maintaining signal integrity while minimizing power consumption becomes increasingly important.

The company has delivered impressive revenue growth as hyperscale customers expand AI deployments. Strong adoption of its connectivity products has helped improve both profitability and market share. In the last reported financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, Credo Technology’s revenues and adjusted EPS jumped 161% and 231%, respectively, year over year.

We believe that networking infrastructure spending will remain robust as cloud providers continue building next-generation AI data centers. This trend is likely to continue driving Credo Technology’s top and bottom lines. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2027 revenues and EPS suggests a year-over-year rise of 76% and 73%, respectively. The consensus mark for fiscal 2027 earnings has been revised upward over the past 30 days.

Currently, Credo Technology carries a Zacks Rank #1 and has a Growth Score of B.

Amkor Technology: Advanced Packaging Is Becoming EssentialAmkor Technology operates as a leader in the outsourced assembly and test market, specializing in advanced semiconductor packaging. As physical limits make it harder to shrink transistors on a single piece of silicon, chip designers are turning to chiplet architectures. This approach breaks a massive processor down into smaller components and links them together within a single high-performance package, combining logic chips with high-bandwidth memory.

As AI chips become more powerful and complex, advanced packaging has evolved from a back-end manufacturing process into a strategic competitive advantage for semiconductor companies. Amkor Technology continues expanding its advanced packaging capabilities to support growing customer demand for high-performance computing and AI applications.

Amkor Technology's advanced packaging solution, 2.5D, is emerging as a key growth lever as AI and high-performance computing customers shift toward chiplet-based architectures. Early financial trends are beginning to reflect the growing contribution of Amkor's 2.5D packaging portfolio. Management expects advanced packaging revenues from computing applications will triple in 2026 as additional 2.5D and high-density fan-out programs ramp up, supported by ongoing capacity expansion across Korea, Vietnam and Arizona.

In the first quarter of 2026, the company’s revenues and EPS rose 27% and 267%, respectively, year over year. The growing adoption of advanced packaging solutions is anticipated to continue to drive Amkor Technology’s top and bottom-line performances.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues and EPS suggests a year-over-year rise of 14% and 39%, respectively. The consensus mark for 2026 earnings has remained unchanged over the past 60 days. Currently, Amkor Technology carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a Growth Score of A.

Texas Instruments: The Quiet AI WinnerTexas Instruments may not produce AI accelerators, but it supplies one of the most important building blocks of AI infrastructure. Its analog and embedded chips help manage power, monitor systems and connect thousands of components inside servers, networking equipment and industrial machines.

The rapid expansion of AI data centers is increasing demand for efficient power management solutions because modern AI servers consume significantly more electricity than conventional computing systems. Texas Instruments has decades of leadership in analog semiconductors, making it a natural beneficiary of this trend.

In 2025, Texas Instruments’ data center business reached an annual run rate of about $1.2 billion, growing more than 50% year over year. In the first quarter of 2026, revenues from the data center end market surged 90% year over year and 25% sequentially. As cloud and AI workloads continue to rise, Texas Instruments’ strong portfolio and manufacturing scale position it well to benefit from sustained demand for efficient, high-performance power solutions in data center infrastructure.

One of TXN’s biggest strengths is its manufacturing advantage. The company continues expanding its 300-millimeter wafer capacity, which supports lower production costs and stronger margins over time. In the first quarter of 2026, non-GAAP gross margin expanded 120 basis points (bps) year over year to 58%, while non-GAAP operating margin improved 490 bps to 37.5%.

In the first quarter, Texas Instruments’ revenues and non-GAAP EPS increased approximately 19% and 31%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues and EPS suggests a year-over-year rise of 17% and 41%, respectively. The consensus mark for 2026 earnings has been revised upward over the past 60 days. Currently, Texas Instruments carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a Growth Score of B.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), through investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP), its private infrastructure investment platform, today announced an investment in Greenlight Electricity Centre, a 932-megawatt gas-fired combined cycle power generation project in Sturgeon County, Alberta. MSIP is investing alongside large-cap company, Pembina Pipeline Corporation (Pembina), and Kineticor Asset Management (Kineticor) to suppo.