Investors are now fully aware of just how successful Nvidia (NVDA 1.30%) has become. What was once an enterprise focused on PC gaming has become a dominant artificial intelligence (AI) business with a market capitalization of $4.8 trillion. This is the most valuable company on the face of the planet.
Despite trading 15.6% off their peak (as of June 23), Nvidia shares are up 6.7% so far in 2026 and have skyrocketed 944% over the past five years.
You haven't missed the boat. Here's one reason to buy this leading AI stock right now.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Listen to what management is saying There might be no single leadership team on the planet facing a brighter spotlight than Nvidia's management group. It's led by Jensen Huang, who has held the top job at Nvidia since founding the business in 1993. The market listens closely to these executives to understand how the AI landscape will evolve, which makes sense given that they have front-row seats in the industry.
Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress recently gave investors one phenomenal projection that can turn the skeptics into believers. "AI infrastructure spending is on track to reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually by the end of this decade," she said on Nvidia's first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings call. It's worth reiterating that this forecast is on a yearly basis, not in total.
This calendar year, spending is expected to be $765 billion, based on research from Goldman Sachs. To reach the midpoint of Kress's prediction of $3.5 trillion in spending in 2029 implies a monster 358% rate of growth in three years.
Nvidia has a virtual monopoly position in the market for data center graphics processing units (GPUs). It is literally at the epicenter of the AI infrastructure boom, selling the necessary hardware and software that powers training and inference. The company's Blackwell architecture is seeing robust demand, and its newest Vera Rubin platform, built for agentic AI, will start shipments in the third quarter.
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Higher demand can lead to a higher stock price Investors are smart to question Kress's outlook. She's incentivized to provide bullish commentary, as it can support Nvidia's share price. It's difficult to argue with the massive spending that's happening, though.
Assuming Kress's forecast is correct, Nvidia will continue to see tremendous demand. That's why investors should consider buying the stock right now, while it's at a compelling forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.8. The business is best positioned to capitalize on the AI spending bonanza.
Sell-side analysts see Nvidia's revenue rising at a compound annual rate of 45.6% between fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2029. The consensus view is that adjusted diluted earnings per share will increase at a yearly clip of 48.8% during the same time. Fundamental gains like this can propel the stock.
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
A woman takes a picture at the NVIDIA booth during the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP via Getty Images)
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This article was written by Doug Nathman, with research by his team at Trefis.
While investors concentrate on NVIDIA's staggering growth rate, an even more revealing figure resides in its supply commitments, illustrating a calculated strategy to satisfy demand that skeptics argue may not be viable.
Following a remarkable ascent, NVIDIA (NVDA) shares have cooled. The stock price has dipped below recent peaks, and discussions have transitioned from celebration to doubt. Is it possible for any corporation, even one at the forefront of the AI surge, to sustain this growth rate? While many analysts are examining the latest earnings figures or its trailing multiple, a crucial piece of information for an optimistic perspective is not found on the income statement at all.
The figure is $145 billion. This amount signifies NVIDIA’s overall supply, comprising existing inventory and, more critically, its future purchase commitments.
What Does $145 Billion In Commitments Represent?This amount signifies much more than merely a stockpile of chips stored away; it embodies a substantial, strategic commitment to future production. These pledges secure the necessary manufacturing capacity and raw materials required to create its upcoming generation of processors. Management has affirmed that this is a calculated initiative, reflecting the enhanced demand visibility we possess and a choice to secure capacity farther in advance than is normally standard. In a sector where a single shortage of components can disrupt production, NVIDIA is investing now to ensure it can manufacture the products it anticipates selling over the next several quarters, and even extending into the year 2027.
How This Assures Future RevenueThe underlying principle is straightforward: one cannot sell what cannot be produced. The primary physical limitation on NVIDIA's expansion is not demand, but rather the intricate supply chain necessary for its AI accelerators. By securing $145 billion worth of supply, the company is establishing the groundwork for its forecasts. This strategy is proactive, acting as the concrete basis for management's proclaimed confidence in achieving $1 trillion in Blackwell and Rubin revenue through 2027. That projection appears abstract until one observes the nine-figure commitments being undertaken to ensure the components needed for chip production.
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The Resolution To The Major Concern?The foremost risk looming over the stock is its sustainability. The stock is currently facing pressure precisely because the market is questioning the duration of this level of growth. The company’s price-to-earnings multiple of 30.3, although high in relative terms, lies toward the lower end of its own 10-year spectrum of 19.6 to 143.1, indicating that investors are reluctant to factor in future growth at a rate comparable to the past. These purchase commitments represent a direct and significant response to that apprehension. A corporation that fears an approaching cyclical peak would not engage in long-term supply agreements of this magnitude. This indicates that management perceives a demand trajectory that justifies the undertaking of risk to secure capacity well in advance.
Of course, a commitment does not equate to a sale. The ultimate benchmark is converting that secured supply into revenue. However, for investors attempting to evaluate the resilience of NVIDIA’s market position, this $145 billion figure offers a concrete, forward-looking metric that the headline growth rates do not convey.
Typically, one figure does not drive a decision independently, but recognizing which number is crucial and the rationale behind it constitutes a significant portion of the challenge. Arriving at the aforementioned figure required looking beyond the surface level of fear to what was genuinely occurring beneath—an analysis that is difficult to perform once and exceedingly challenging to replicate consistently.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio is constructed on executing precisely that, continuously, across 30 quality enterprises, and then maintaining them with rule-based discipline so that no single entity dominates your outcome. You acquire a selection of well-researched advantages rather than a sole all-or-nothing gamble, with a proven record of surpassing a benchmark that aggregates the three major indices – the S&P 500, S&P Mid-cap, and Russell 2000. If a figure like this one merits action, that form of disciplined quality deserves serious consideration.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) and Cerebras Systems (NASDAQ: CBRS) just delivered earnings that frame the same question from opposite ends. Nvidia posted another blowout quarter built on its CUDA software stack. Cerebras, fresh off its May IPO, showed jaw-dropping inference speed yet guided full-year operating margins negative. The moat is developer gravity.
One Sells Platforms. The Other Sells Speed. Nvidia’s Q1 FY27 hit $81.61 billion in revenue, up 85.2% YoY, with Data Center alone reaching $75.25 billion on 92% growth. Networking soared 199% as InfiniBand, NVLink and Spectrum-X locked customers deeper into the stack. Jensen Huang told investors NVIDIA is “the only platform that runs in every cloud, powers every frontier and open source model, and scales everywhere AI is produced”, and the numbers back the claim.
Cerebras’ first report as a public company landed differently. Q1 GAAP revenue reached $193.4 million, up 94% YoY, with cloud services growing 178%. A multi-year, $20 billion-plus OpenAI inference deal covering 750 megawatts anchors near-term growth. Yet management guided full-year operating margins to negative 28% to negative 32%. Speed sells. Scaling it economically is harder.
Software Gravity Beats Wafer-Scale Throughput Independent benchmarks show Cerebras’ wafer-scale design delivering a 21x speed advantage over Nvidia hardware for latency-sensitive, low-batch inference. The catch is that every major LLM framework and enterprise developer stack is natively optimized for Nvidia architecture out of the box, while Cerebras requires specialized compilation and custom engineering support for anything off the well-trodden path.
Lens NVIDIA Cerebras Core Bet CUDA full-stack platform Wafer-scale inference speed Q1 Gross Margin 75.0% non-GAAP 44.6% GAAP Anchor Customers Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google OpenAI, AWS, G42 Biggest Vulnerability OpenAI’s Jalapeño custom chip Negative operating margins Nvidia’s $119 billion in supply commitments and $80 billion added to its buyback authorization signal management is doubling down on the platform. Cerebras raised $5.6 billion at IPO and is funneling it into data center capacity for OpenAI’s decode workloads while AWS Trainium 3 handles prefill. That is a focused inference bet riding on one customer’s roadmap.
The Next Test Is Whether Developers Defect Two catalysts matter into the back half of 2026. For Nvidia, the OpenAI Jalapeño chip, built with Broadcom, is the most credible threat to CUDA stickiness. NVDA shares are already down 8.79% over the past month, even with the stock up 27.01% YoY. For Cerebras, the bar is executing the OpenAI ramp without further margin slippage. Q2 core gross margin guidance of 36% to 38% telegraphs how steep the infrastructure build will be.
Why The Setup Still Favors Nvidia For AI infrastructure exposure with a self-funding moat, Nvidia remains the cleaner expression of the thesis. The 75% gross margin, $48.55 billion in quarterly free cash flow, and the developer install base are tough to dislodge in a single product cycle. Cerebras has the faster chip and a marquee anchor customer. A forward P/E of 23 on NVDA already prices in some software erosion. If CUDA defections spread beyond OpenAI, my view changes.
While Netflix is well known for its often confusing cancellations of shows, usually it’s a debate over quality versus viewership. But when a series has both? A cancellation seems especially bizarre, which is what has happened with The Boroughs.
The Boroughs, produced by Stranger Things’ Duffer brothers, was canceled just weeks after it premiered with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes critic score, one of Netflix’s highest of the year. It planted itself at #1 on Netflix’s top 10 list, but now new data shows it was probably doing even more than that.
Nielsen streaming numbers are now in for The Boroughs, and while the show debuted at #2 on that list, which includes all streaming services, the following week it moved up to #1, ahead of Amazon’s Spider-Noir and HBO Max’s Euphoria. Netflix’s The Four Seasons, which put up 782 viewing minutes to The Boroughs’ 1.74 billion, was just renewed for a third season.
The Boroughs has a veteran cast playing retirees trying to track down a monstrous secret within their community, and stars the likes of Alfred Molina, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard. The series was meant to have a three-season arc, now cut short, despite a cliffhanger tease of what was to come at the end of season 1. Even its own cast has seemed confused by the decision. Here’s Geena Davis speaking to THR:
“Fortunately, the creators, who became our dear, dear friends, were able to tell us before the news came out, and we’re all terribly disappointed. Honestly, I don’t know what happened. I think it’s probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it’s not being picked up while it’s still in the top 10. We didn’t expect that.”MORE FOR YOU
THR had a report about a week ago saying that The Boroughs was expensive, reportedly around $10 million per episode, though they also claim that this was an anti-Duffer decision, as the two are on their way out, having chosen to leave for Paramount rather than stay with Netflix. A Netflix source, however, denied that claim.
Still, it’s all very strange. Putting up this level of viewership with this level of positive reception with this cast and this long-term plan? Even with Netflix, this is not something we see every day. If it really was its high cost, that seems to be a message to bring those budgets down, as while there was certainly some amount of monster CGI here, I really cannot fathom why a show like this cost $80 million. But that’s the entertainment business these days across movies, TV and video games, and it does not seem to be reversing any time soon.
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Netflix stock is trading near recent lows. What’s next for NFLX stock? What Is Driving Netflix’s Live Sports Strategy?The NFL slate includes a Week 1 Rams-49ers matchup on Sept. 10 in Australia and a Thanksgiving Eve Packers-Rams game on Wed. Nov. 25, plus two unannounced Christmas Day games at 1 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. ET and an unannounced Week 18 1 p.m. game. Netflix’s four-year partnership runs through the 2029-2030 season, keeping live content in-market for multiple months each year.
Critical Price Levels To Watch For NFLXFrom a longer-term trend view, the chart is still in a clear downtrend: the stock is trading 8.9% below its 20-day SMA, 16.1% below its 50-day SMA, and 25.7% below its 200-day SMA. The 20-day SMA sitting below the 50-day SMA keeps the near-term structure bearish, and the death cross that formed in December 2025 (50-day below 200-day) reinforces that the bigger trend has been pointed lower.
Momentum is extremely stretched: RSI is 20.76, deep in oversold territory after slipping below 30 in June. RSI measures how "stretched" a move is versus recent trading ranges, and readings this low often coincide with bounce attempts—but they don’t, by themselves, confirm a durable bottom.
Key Resistance: $84.50 — a nearby level where rebounds can stall, sitting close to the 50-day EMA ($83.99) and below the 50-day SMA ($85.99) How Netflix Operates As A Global Streaming ServiceNetflix’s business is still mainly one thing: a global streaming service, now with more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and reach across most of the global population outside of China. Historically, it built its edge around on-demand series and films rather than a steady cadence of live programming.
That’s why the live-sports pivot matters for the current debate around the stock: sports can create appointment viewing, which can support the ad-supported tier introduced in 2022 and potentially smooth engagement between major scripted releases. The tradeoff is that sports rights can be expensive and outcomes are less predictable, so the market is watching whether selective packages (instead of full-season rights) can move the needle without pressuring margins.
NFLX Benzinga Edge Rankings: Strengths and WeaknessesBelow is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Netflix, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:
The Verdict: Netflix’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a growth-and-quality story with very weak momentum, which fits a stock trying to stabilize after a prolonged downtrend. For longer-term investors, the setup argues for patience—waiting for momentum to improve—while traders may treat oversold bounces as tactical unless price can reclaim key moving averages.
NFLX Stock Price Movement on FridayNFLX Stock Price Activity: Netflix shares were up 4.37% at $74.00 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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MasterCard (MA - 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 processor of debit and credit card payments have returned -1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, to which MasterCard belongs, has lost 1.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
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.
MasterCard is expected to post earnings of $4.74 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +14.2%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
The consensus earnings estimate of $19.6 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +15.2%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $22.65 indicates a change of +15.6% from what MasterCard is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for MasterCard.
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 MasterCard, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $9.06 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +11.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $36.99 billion and $41.62 billion estimates indicate +12.8% and +12.5% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryMasterCard reported revenues of $8.4 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +15.8%. EPS of $4.6 for the same period compares with $3.73 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.29 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.26%. The EPS surprise was +4.55%.
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.
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.
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.
MasterCard 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 MasterCard. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Mastercard (NYSE:MA | MA Price Prediction) is back in every payments headline this month, propped up by the same international expansion narrative that has earned it a premium multiple for years. The underlying numbers tell a different story.
Mastercard shares have fallen 14.08% year to date to $488.92, yet the runner-up network still trades at a forward earnings multiple of 25 with a price-to-book ratio of 64. Wall Street is paying a nosebleed price for a smaller network that just announced the BVNK acquisition as a defensive plunge into stablecoins, still carries U.S. merchant class litigation overhang, and watched rebates and incentives climb 23%, faster than revenue. That premium has no margin for error.
Now look across the parking lot. Visa (NYSE:V), the world’s largest payment network, trades for $330.52 with a forward P/E of 22 after a 5.37% year-to-date dip. The relative valuation case favors the larger network.
Scale you cannot replicate Visa processed 69.4 billion transactions last quarter, with payments volume up 8% on a constant-dollar basis and cross-border excluding intra-Europe up 11%. Revenue grew 14.63% YoY to $10.90B, beating estimates. Data processing revenue jumped 17% to $5.54B. Visa carries a $548.6B market cap against Mastercard’s $428.8B, and it is harvesting the same consumer spending tailwind that pushed May 2026 PCE to a record $22,059.8 billion.
The discount Mastercard never gave you Visa’s stock sits well below the $342.13 average price at which the company repurchased shares in Q1 26. Better still, the interchange MDL litigation provision dropped to $707M in Q1 26, from $992M two quarters earlier, shrinking a long-standing overhang. At 22x forward earnings, you are buying the dominant network at a multiple that the runner-up enjoys at 25x.
A capital return machine Visa has $21.1B remaining on its buyback authorization, returned $18.2B in FY25 by retiring 54 million shares, and raised its dividend 14% to $0.67 quarterly. Operating cash flow climbed 25.65% YoY to $6.78B in Q1 26. Mastercard returned $4.0B in buybacks and $777M in dividends in Q1, with $11.7B left on its authorization. Visa is buying back more stock at a cheaper price with faster-growing cash flow. That alone is the ballgame for a retirement account.
The strategic edge reinforces the math. Visa is building its stablecoin and AI exposure organically through its Visa as a Service payments hyperscaler stack, while Mastercard is writing checks for BVNK to catch up. CEO Ryan McInerney described “a very strong fiscal first quarter with net revenue up 15% year-over-year, GAAP EPS up 17% and non-GAAP EPS up 15%, driven by resilient consumer spending and a strong holiday season”. Reported non-GAAP EPS came in at $3.17, ahead of the $3.14 consensus.
The Mastercard headline crowd is paying 25x forward earnings for the runner-up. You can own the world’s largest transaction tollbooth for 22x, with a bigger buyback, a fatter raise, and a cleaner litigation runway. Historically, the higher-multiple name in a duopoly does not always outperform once growth rates converge.
Put Visa on the top of your retirement research list this week as you weigh the relative valuation case against Mastercard.
JPMorgan Chase stock is trading near recent highs. Where is JPM stock headed? What Is JPMorgan’s New Capital-Return Plan?The board plans to raise the quarterly common dividend to $1.65 per share in the third quarter from $1.50, and it authorized a new $50 billion share repurchase program effective July 1. CEO Jamie Dimon framed the move as enabled by excess capital and liquidity, positioning the bank to keep returning cash while maintaining balance-sheet strength.
JPMorgan’s after-hours pop earlier in the week put the stock near its prior record around $338.09, reinforcing why traders are treating the payout reset as a near-term floor for sentiment. The bank also ended March 31 with $4.9 trillion in assets and $364 billion in stockholders’ equity, giving the capital-return plan more credibility than a one-off headline.
JPMorgan is also navigating tighter internal controls around AI tooling, after restricting Hong Kong staff access to Anthropic’s Claude models tied to export-control pressure on "Fable 5" and "Mythos 5." That operational friction sits in the background even as the stock pushes higher on a new $50B repurchase authorization.
JPM Stock: Critical Levels To WatchJPM is extended versus its trend gauges, trading 6.4% above the 20-day SMA ($316.41) and 9.4% above the 200-day SMA ($307.82), which keeps the longer-term uptrend intact but increases the odds of a pause or sideways digestion. The trend stack is still constructive, with the 20-day SMA above the 50-day SMA and the golden cross that formed in June (50-day SMA above the 200-day SMA) reinforcing the intermediate bullish regime after the death cross in March.
For momentum, MACD is the cleaner read here: it’s above its signal line with a positive histogram, which points to improving upside pressure versus the prior downswing. RSI previously entered overbought territory in June, so the setup can stay bullish while still being vulnerable to short, sharp pullbacks.
Key Resistance: $337.50 — a nearby pivot area just above the current price where breakouts can stall, especially with the stock pressing the top end of its 52-week range Key Support: $293.50 — a prior demand zone well below current levels that traders may treat as a larger "line in the sand" if the uptrend unwinds How JPMorgan Chase Operates GloballyJPMorgan is a leading global financial services firm with operations in 66 countries and over 318,000 employees as of year-end 2025. Under the JPMorgan brands, the bank holding company boasts a $4.9 trillion balance sheet and $2.68 trillion in deposits, as of March 2026.
JPM Earnings Preview: What Analysts ExpectLooking further out, the next major catalyst for the stock arrives with the July 14, 2026 (confirmed) earnings report.
EPS Estimate: $5.42 (Up from $4.96 YoY) Revenue Estimate: $48.61 Billion (Up from $45.68 Billion YoY) Valuation: P/E of 16.0x (Suggests fair valuation relative to peers) Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price target of $343.88. Recent analyst moves include:
Evercore ISI Group: Outperform (Raises Target to $340.00) (April 17) Jefferies: Hold (Raises Target to $320.00) (April 15) Truist Securities: Hold (Raises Target to $332.00) (April 15) JPMorgan Chase: Benzinga Edge Scorecard BreakdownBelow is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for JPMorgan Chase &, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:
The Verdict: JPMorgan Chase &’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a growth-leaning profile with moderate momentum but a weaker quality score. For longer-term bulls, the setup works best if price can hold above the rising short-term averages while it digests gains near resistance.
JPM Stock Price ActivityJPM Stock Price Activity: JPMorgan Chase shares were down 0.80% at $332.44 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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The #1 clean body wash brand introduces a range of gentle, effective exfoliators in fan-favorite scents, proving that a healthy glow doesn’t require harsh abrasives or unwanted ingredients.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Native, the personal care brand known for their clean, simple, and effective formulas, announces the launch of its Detoxifying Body Scrub Collection. Designed to bring a spa-like glow to your daily routine, the collection features gentle exfoliation paired with Native’s signature winning scents to reveal silky-smooth skin.
The Detoxifying Body Scrub Collection captures the feeling of a total skin "glow up," blending high-performance exfoliation with transportive fragrances. Each product is thoughtfully formulated to effectively remove dull skin cells while remaining oh-so-comfortable on the skin, delivering the quality and performance Native is known for.
With vibrant scents and a focus on skin barrier health, the Detoxifying Body Scrub Collection expands Native’s body care portfolio and reinforces its commitment to creating products that make everyday self-care feel fun and fabulous.
Available Scents: Coconut & Vanilla: Native’s iconic, cult-favorite blend of tropical and creamy notes. Sweet Peach & Nectar: A juicy fragrance that feels like a bite of sun-ripened, summery fruit. Eucalyptus & Mint: A crisp, invigorating, and refreshing spa-inspired scent. Key Benefits Include: Thoughtfully made with limited ingredients Aluminum free, baking soda free, paraben-free, talc free, and dye-free Made with plant-based and naturally-derived ingredients and made without parabens, phthalates, sulfated surfactants, or dyes Vegan and cruelty-free Made with citric acid for pH balance to keep your skin ultra happy Dermatologist-tested Hero Formula Features: Aluminum-free deodorant formulas Sulfate-free body wash Silicone-free hair care Minimal ingredient philosophy Thoughtfully selected ingredients designed for everyday use Consumers are increasingly seeking body care that mimics the results of facial skincare, looking for products that deliver deep exfoliation and a more immersive, sensory experience. Native developed the Detoxifying Body Scrub Collection to meet this demand, combining its most loved scents with a simple, effective formula that brings a sense of renewal into everyday routines.
“At Native, we’ve redefined what clean really means, and we’re bringing that same philosophy to the body scrub game,” said Christopher Talbott, Chief Executive Officer at Native. “Body care has become a space for self-expression and escape. With our new Detoxifying Body Scrubs, we wanted to capture that indulgent energy and bring it into everyday routines—letting our consumers embrace a whole new level of smoothness, worry-free.”
The Native Detoxifying Body Scrub Collection is available now at:
Nativecos.com Available at all major retailers Products are priced at $15.00. About Native
Founded in 2015, Native reimagines personal care with simple, clean, and effective products made for everyday life. Crafted from naturally derived ingredients and free from aluminum, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, Native delivers high performance without compromise. The brand’s full-body portfolio, including deodorant, body wash, body scrubs, mineral sunscreen, hair care, and skin care, is available at nativecos.com and major retailers nationwide. Known for fan-favorite scents, playful limited editions, and a commitment to thoughtful innovation, Native continues to make personal care easy, safe, and enjoyable. Follow @native on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEARCA:VIG) is the largest dividend-growth ETF in the U.S., built less on headline yield than on the durability of the income stream behind it. VIG pays a modest yield (typically below 2%), but the real question is whether that distribution will keep climbing year after year. Looking at the cash flows behind VIG’s biggest positions, the answer is yes, with one holding worth watching more closely than the marketing suggests.
How VIG generates its income VIG tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index, which only includes U.S. companies with at least 10 consecutive years of annual dividend increases and screens out the top 25% highest-yielding names. That second filter is critical: it removes stretched payers and tilts the fund toward quality compounders. At a 0.04% expense ratio, holders keep essentially all of the underlying income.
VIG holds roughly 300+ dividend growers, so no single name dictates the distribution. The top weights, led by Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and Coca-Cola, set the tone. All three are Dividend Kings, and their payout mechanics reveal most of what you need to know about VIG’s income safety.
Johnson & Johnson: textbook coverage Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ | JNJ Price Prediction) just delivered its 64th consecutive annual dividend increase, lifting the quarterly payout 3% to $1.34 per share. The cash flow behind it is the safest in the group: $24.5 billion in operating cash flow against $12.4 billion in dividends, a coverage ratio close to 2x. JNJ could see earnings fall by a third and still fund the dividend from operations. Q1 2026 net income dropped sharply on $330 million in litigation charges, but that is a legal timing issue, not a cash-generation problem.
Procter & Gamble: paying through tariffs Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) just notched its 70th consecutive annual increase and expects to pay roughly $10 billion in dividends in fiscal 2026. Free cash flow of $14.0 billion against a $9.9 billion payout works out to 1.42x coverage. Management is absorbing $400 million in after-tax tariff costs, but an asset-light consumer staples model gives PG room to weather a soft patch.
Coca-Cola: the one to watch Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) is in its 63rd year of dividend growth, and Q1 2026 was strong: 12% revenue growth. Coke paid out $8.78 billion in dividends in 2025, a payout ratio above 100% on a cash basis. Management guides to free cash flow of about $12.2 billion in 2026, which would restore comfortable coverage, but if that recovery slips, KO’s dividend growth pace, not the dividend itself, would be trimmed first.
Total return, not just yield A dividend ETF is only worth owning if the price holds up. VIG is up 18% over the past year, 66% over five years, and 256% over ten years on a price basis, with dividends layered on top. There is no NAV erosion story to worry about here, the way there is with higher-yielding covered-call funds.
The verdict VIG’s distribution is as safe as dividend ETF income gets. The methodology screens out the riskiest yield, the top holdings throw off more cash than they pay out, and the fund’s near-zero fee means investors keep what the companies produce. The trade-off is the sub-2% yield: VIG is built for investors who want a growing income stream compounded over decades rather than current paycheck-level income. For that crowd, Schwab’s SCHD (NYSEARCA:SCHD) offers a higher current yield with a similar quality tilt, though with somewhat slower historical dividend growth. VIG remains the cleanest expression of the dividend appreciation thesis on the market.
Walt Disney (DIS - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Shares of this entertainment company have returned -5.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Media Conglomerates industry, to which Disney belongs, has lost 3.5% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
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.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Disney is expected to post earnings of $1.88 per share, indicating a change of +16.8% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.5% over the last 30 days.
The consensus earnings estimate of $6.85 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +15.5%. This estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $7.46 indicates a change of +8.8% from what Disney is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.1%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Disney.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Disney, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $25.51 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +7.9%. For the current and next fiscal years, $101.83 billion and $106.53 billion estimates indicate +7.8% and +4.6% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryDisney reported revenues of $25.17 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.5%. EPS of $1.57 for the same period compares with $1.45 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $25.06 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.41%. The EPS surprise was +5.37%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once 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.
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.
Disney is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
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 Disney. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 26, 2026) - Nicola Mining Inc. (NASDAQ: NICM) (TSXV: NIM) (FSE: HLIA) (the "Company" or "Nicola") is pleased to announce the successful completion of the inaugural drill hole at the newly identified Jotun target within its wholly owned New Craigmont Copper Project ("New Craigmont"), located near Merritt, British Columbia. The first-ever drill hole at Jotun has confirmed the presence of geological characteristics consistent with a highly prospective porphyry copper target, further validating the Company's evolving exploration model and reinforcing the significant discovery potential of the broader New Craigmont property.
Key Takeaways Walmart and Target are competing in retail while expanding into ads, memberships and marketplaces. Walmart leans on grocery scale, e-commerce, AI and fulfillment to support long-term margin growth. Target's owned brands, same-day delivery, Roundel and Target are driving its turnaround strategy. Walmart Inc. (WMT - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) are two of the largest U.S. big-box retailers, competing across groceries, general merchandise, apparel, home goods and e-commerce while increasingly expanding into higher-margin businesses such as retail media, memberships and third-party marketplaces.
Despite sharing similar omnichannel strategies, the companies differ markedly in scale and positioning. Walmart, with a market capitalization of approximately $921.4 billion, dominates value retail globally. Meanwhile, Target, valued at roughly $63.4 billion, focuses on a more curated, style-led shopping experience with a predominantly U.S. footprint.
The comparison is particularly relevant as both retailers are navigating a value-conscious consumer environment while expanding beyond traditional retail into higher-margin growth businesses. Walmart is leveraging its scale and grocery leadership, while Target is differentiating itself through owned brands, merchandising and an elevated customer experience.
The Case for WMTWalmart’s strength lies in the durability of its retail model, anchored by high-frequency grocery demand, unmatched purchasing scale, broad customer reach and an everyday low-price value proposition that remains relevant across economic cycles. Its large store and club network is also becoming a strategic fulfillment backbone, allowing the company to offer faster delivery and broader availability, and improve unit economics as digital demand grows.
Beyond core retail, Walmart is steadily enhancing its profit mix through higher-margin businesses such as advertising, third-party marketplace, memberships and fulfillment services. Growth in e-commerce, marketplace, advertising and membership revenues demonstrates Walmart's ability to monetize its large customer ecosystem beyond traditional merchandise sales. These businesses deepen customer engagement while supporting long-term margin expansion.
Technology is another important advantage. Walmart’s investments in automation, artificial intelligence and supply-chain modernization are helping improve productivity, inventory placement and customer experience. Faster delivery capabilities and AI-enabled shopping tools should further strengthen its omnichannel model, while international operations provide additional growth opportunities as these capabilities scale across markets.
Walmart still faces near-term pressure from elevated fuel costs, inflation and continued spending on wages and technology. However, its resilient grocery base, expanding digital ecosystem, diversified revenue streams and disciplined capital allocation provide a strong foundation for sustained growth.
The Case for TGTTarget’s long-term strength lies in its differentiated retail model, combining value with style, exclusive owned brands and a curated shopping experience that continues to resonate with customers. Rather than competing solely on price, the company has built a loyal customer base by focusing on merchandising, product innovation and convenience. TGT’s refreshed strategy prioritizes merchandising leadership, an enhanced guest experience, faster technology adoption and operational excellence, providing a clear roadmap for sustainable growth.
A key advantage is Target’s balanced omnichannel ecosystem, where stores serve as both shopping destinations and fulfillment hubs. Continued growth in same-day delivery, digital sales, Target Circle 360 memberships, Roundel advertising and the Target+ marketplace demonstrates the company's ability to diversify revenues beyond traditional retail while strengthening customer engagement. At the same time, investments in store remodels, supply chain capabilities and technology are improving execution and supporting long-term productivity.
Target is also sharpening its merchandising focus by expanding high-growth categories such as beauty, wellness, food, baby and owned brands while introducing more exclusive partnerships and trend-driven assortments. These initiatives strengthen differentiation and support customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive retail landscape.
The company still faces challenges from a cautious consumer environment, higher operating costs and ongoing investments in stores, technology and labor, which may pressure margins in the near term. However, its strong brand, differentiated merchandising strategy, omnichannel capabilities and focus on profitable growth position the company to steadily improve execution and strengthen its competitive position over time.
WMT & TGT: How Do Earnings Estimates Compare?For Walmart, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year EPS has edged up a penny to $2.89, while the next-year estimate remains unchanged at $3.27. These estimates imply growth of 9.5% and 13.3%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
For Target, current and next-year EPS estimates have risen slightly to $8.35 and $8.86, indicating growth of 10.3% and 6.4%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The relatively stable estimate revisions for both companies indicate that analysts remain generally confident in their respective execution strategies despite a challenging consumer backdrop.
WMT vs. TGT: Stock PerformanceOver the past year, both Walmart and Target have outperformed the Zacks Retail–Wholesale sector. WMT has gained 19%, while TGT has rallied 40.7% compared with the sector’s 1.3% rise. Target’s sharper rally reflects improving sentiment, while Walmart’s steadier gains highlight its defensive appeal and consistent execution.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
WMT vs. TGT: Valuation ComparisonWalmart is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 38.1, slightly below its one-year median of 38.67. Target trades at a forward P/E of 16.29, above its one-year median of 13.45. While Walmart continues to command a premium to the Retail–Wholesale sector's forward P/E of 22.74, Target trades at a meaningful discount to the sector average.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Walmart's premium valuation reflects its consistent execution, defensive business model and expanding higher-margin platforms. Meanwhile, Target's more modest valuation could provide room for upside as its turnaround continues to gain traction.
WMT vs. TGT: Picking the Stronger StockBoth Walmart and Target are strengthening their competitive positions, but Walmart stands out as the better investment today. Its resilient grocery-driven business, unmatched scale, expanding portfolio of higher-margin businesses and continued investments in technology provide greater earnings visibility and defensive strength in an uncertain consumer environment. While Target's turnaround efforts are gaining traction and its lower valuation offers long-term appeal, the recovery is still in its early stages. For investors seeking stability, consistent execution and sustainable long-term growth, Walmart remains the stronger choice.
Both Walmart and Target currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK | SNDK Price Prediction) has gone vertical. Shares have rallied 4,841.8% over the past year on an AI memory supercycle. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for SanDisk is $1,704.60, implying meaningful downside from current levels even after the company’s transformation into a structurally more profitable business.
24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $2,335.00 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $1,704.60 Upside/Downside -27.0% Recommendation SELL Confidence Level 90% Our recommendation is sell with 90% model confidence. SanDisk’s operating results are excellent, but the stock trades well above where consensus analyst work and our proprietary multiples justify.
Why We Could Be Wrong SanDisk is one of the most divisive stocks in the market. Real upside could come from sustained $42B in multi-year contracted supply deals, a memory shortage analysts expect to persist through 2028, or continued hyperscaler ramp. Citigroup just lifted its target to $2,500. Treat our target as one datapoint among many.
From $41 to $2,335 in Ten Months SanDisk is up 883.65% year to date and 46.9% in the past month, sitting 26% below a 52-week high of $2,354.39.
The Q3 FY26 report on April 30, 2026 was the catalyst: EPS of $23.41 against $14.66 consensus, revenue of $5.95 billion (251% YoY), and gross margin expansion to 78.4% from 22.5% a year earlier. Datacenter revenue jumped 645% YoY to $1.467 billion. Management retired $650 million in debt and now operates with zero long-term debt.
Why Bulls See a Breakout Ahead The bull case rests on SanDisk’s transformation. CEO David Goeckeler called Q3 a “fundamental inflection point” driven by a new business model of multi-year customer engagements backed by firm financial commitments. Q4 FY26 guidance points to revenue of $7.75B to $8.25B and non-GAAP EPS of $30 to $33.
Citigroup at $2,500, Mizuho at $2,200, and Street targets at $3,250 argue SanDisk can compound from here. The 247Factor bull case puts shares at $2,428.88 in twelve months if contracted revenue holds and AI memory tightness persists into 2028.
The Risks Worth Watching SanDisk is a pure-play NAND name dependent on the Kioxia joint venture and a small set of hyperscalers. Memory has historically cycled hard. Monthly RSI of 99.14 screams overbought, and Morgan Stanley has flagged valuation.
Chief Legal Officer Bernard Shek sold $1.04M in stock on June 6, 2026. Bulls counter that the contracted NBM book and zero-debt balance sheet structurally dampen past cyclicality. Our bear case lands at $1,204.05, a 48.43% drawdown.
The Risk Isn’t Worth the Reward Here Verdict: Sell, with our 24/7 Wall St. price target at $1,704.60 and 90% confidence. Even applying a generous 75x forward multiple, the math does not stretch to today’s price.
The bull thesis strengthens if SanDisk locks in another wave of NBM contracts extending earnings power into FY28. The bear thesis strengthens if NAND spot pricing softens or a hyperscaler pushes back on commitments. After a 4,841.8% year, the risk/reward at current levels looks unfavorable on our model.
Here is where our model projects SanDisk could trade, assuming current trajectories and memory market conditions hold.
Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $1,704.60 2027 $1,620.00 2028 $1,540.00 2029 $1,450.00 2030 $1,352.53 These projections assume SanDisk continues executing on its NBM contract strategy. Significant upside or downside could result from a longer-than-expected memory shortage or cyclical NAND pricing pressure resurfacing late in the decade.
The recommendations of Wall Street analysts are often relied on by investors when deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock. Media reports about these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts changing their ratings often affect a stock's price. Do they really matter, though?
Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about GE Aerospace (GE - Free Report) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.
GE currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.45, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 22 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.45 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 22 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 17 are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 77.3% and 9.1% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for GE
Check price target & stock forecast for GE here>>>
The ABR suggests buying GE, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.
Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.
This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.
Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.
ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankAlthough both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1--5, they are different measures altogether.
The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.
There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices.
Is GE Worth Investing In?In terms of earnings estimate revisions for GE, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 0.1% over the past month to $7.48.
Analysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to soar in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for GE. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
Therefore, the Buy-equivalent ABR for GE may serve as a useful guide for investors.
June 26, 2026 09:00 ET | Source: Verizon Communications, Inc.
NEW YORK, June 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) will report second-quarter 2026 earnings on Friday, July 24, 2026.
The company will present results on a webcast beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Access instructions and second-quarter 2026 materials, including Verizon’s press release and financial tables, will be available at 7:00 a.m. ET on Verizon’s Investor Relations website, https://www.verizon.com/about/investors.
This announcement was originally published by Verizon. Read the original press release.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $138.2 billion in 2025. Verizon’s world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.
VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/about/news. For images and logos, visit verizon.com/about/news/media-resources. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
Paypal (PYPL - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Over the past month, shares of this technology platform and digital payments company have returned -4.7%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, which Paypal falls in, has lost 1.5%. 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 EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Paypal is expected to post earnings of $1.28 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -8.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.3 points to a change of -0.2% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.78 indicates a change of +9.1% from what Paypal is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Paypal.
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 Paypal, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $8.5 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +2.6%. For the current and next fiscal years, $34.26 billion and $35.71 billion estimates indicate +3.3% and +4.2% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPaypal reported revenues of $8.35 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.2%. EPS of $1.34 for the same period compares with $1.33 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.11 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.96%. The EPS surprise was +5.51%.
Over the last four quarters, Paypal surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
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.
Paypal is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
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 Paypal. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Qualcomm doubled its 2029 non-handset revenue target to over $40 billion, accelerating its transformation into an AI infrastructure platform. Dragonfly CPUs, AI accelerators, and modular software position Qualcomm to compete across the entire AI computing stack. Automotive revenue reached a record $1.33 billion, while a $65 billion pipeline provides exceptional long-term revenue visibility.
Intel (INTC - 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.
Over the past month, shares of this world's largest chipmaker have returned +9.9%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry, which Intel falls in, has lost 6.5%. 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.
Earnings Estimate RevisionsHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Intel is expected to post earnings of $0.21 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +310%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
The consensus earnings estimate of $1.06 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +152.4%. This estimate has changed +0.1% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.45 indicates a change of +36.8% from what Intel 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, Intel is rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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.
In the case of Intel, the consensus sales estimate of $14.39 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +11.9%. The $58.07 billion and $63.73 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +9.9% and +9.7%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryIntel reported revenues of $13.58 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +7.2%. EPS of $0.29 for the same period compares with $0.13 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12.33 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +10.09%. The EPS surprise was +2800%.
Over the last four quarters, Intel surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Intel is graded F 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.
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 Intel. However, its Zacks Rank #1 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
Shares of ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON | ON Price Prediction) are down 20% in early Friday trading, sliding to $95 after the chipmaker unveiled an all-stock acquisition of Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA). The drop erases a meaningful slice of ON stock’s recent rally.
ON Semiconductor stock entered the session up 119% year to date (YTD), so today’s air pocket lands on a name that had been running hot. With 388.8 million shares outstanding, the percentage move translates into billions in market cap wiped out at the open.
The natural question across the sector: is ON stock dragging down peers like Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)? The early read is that the chip-wide pullback is happening for separate reasons.
Synaptics Deal Sparks the Selloff ON unveiled a definitive agreement to buy Synaptics in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $7 billion on an enterprise-value basis. Synaptics holders will receive 1.35 shares of ON common stock for each SYNA share, leaving them with 12% of the combined company. The transaction is targeted to close in mid-2027.
Management’s pitch centers on Physical AI, with the deal expected to expand ON’s total addressable market by $30 billion across robotics, drones, and autonomous vehicles. Synaptics brings a Core IoT business that grew 31% year over year (YoY) last quarter and is on track for fiscal 2026 revenue above $385 million in that segment.
Investors are reacting to the dilution math and added complexity. Analyst reaction has split, with some lifting price targets on synergy potential and a larger addressable market, while others have downgraded ON stock citing integration risk and execution overhang into 2027. The investor community is debating the valuation following the share-price volatility.
Are AMD and Intel Caught in the Drag? Advanced Micro Devices stock is off 2% Friday morning, trading near $521. That’s a far softer move than ON’s tumble and tracks closer to a broader wave of profit-taking in richly valued AI names.
The AMD selloff looks tied to sector-wide dynamics rather than the Synaptics announcement. Memory-chip weakness earlier this week, a hotter inflation print, and traders rotating into bear semiconductor ETFs all weighed on chip exposure before ON’s deal hit the wire. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) stock fell 13% on a South Korean regulatory warning tied to leveraged memory ETFs, an event with no connection to ON Semiconductor.
Intel stock also isn’t suggesting an ON-driven decline, as it’s only down 2% to $130 and change. Furthermore, INTC shares are still up 246% YTD on momentum tied to sovereign AI positioning and a domestic-manufacturing partnership with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Intel’s trajectory has been driven by company-specific catalysts tied to sovereign AI positioning and a domestic-manufacturing partnership.
Synaptics stock, the deal’s target, is trading up slightly to $126, reflecting the 19% premium embedded in the exchange ratio. A shareholder fiduciary-duty investigation by Ademi LLP has surfaced, though the broader market read is that the deal pricing is being received as fair.
What Investors Can Watch The near-term tape for ON stock hinges on whether sell-side analysts coalesce around the strategic case or pile on with downgrades. The 19% drawdown largely unwinds the stock’s recent gains and reframes the bull narrative around execution rather than momentum.
The VIX Volatility Index sits at 18.89, within its normal range, which suggests the chip pullback reflects sector positioning rather than systemic stress. ON Semiconductor’s next earnings report is scheduled for August 3, which can serve as the next major catalyst for management to defend the deal’s math.
Investors can watch for whether ON stock stabilizes near current levels into the close. The wider tape, including AMD and Intel, looks to be moving on its own macro and profit-taking dynamics.
Pfizer (PFE - 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 drugmaker have returned -9.5%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, which Pfizer falls in, has gained 4.7%. 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.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Pfizer is expected to post earnings of $0.68 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -12.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.99 points to a change of -7.1% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.86 indicates a change of -4.3% from what Pfizer is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Pfizer.
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 Pfizer, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $14.4 billion indicates a year-over-year change of -1.7%. For the current and next fiscal years, $61.64 billion and $59.75 billion estimates indicate -1.5% and -3.1% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPfizer reported revenues of $14.45 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.4%. EPS of $0.75 for the same period compares with $0.92 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $13.82 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +4.56%. The EPS surprise was +5.63%.
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.
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.
Pfizer is graded A on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
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 Pfizer. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Inflation has surged this year due to the Strait of Hormuz closure, which has disrupted global trade. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.2% over the last 12 months through May. That's up from a 2.4% annualized rate in January and its highest level in three years. A 23.5% boost in energy costs fueled the resurgence.
While inflation is bad for consumers, it can be a boon for some real estate investment trusts (REITs). Here are three built to thrive during inflationary markets.
Image source: Getty Images.
Gladstone Land Gladstone Land (LAND +0.88%) focuses on investing in farmland and farm-related properties. The farmland REIT owns 144 farms totaling 99,000 acres across 14 states, as well as more than 55,000 acre-feet of water assets in California. It leases its farms to high-quality tenant farmers, primarily under triple-net (NNN) leases, in which the tenant farmers pay for routine maintenance, property insurance, and real estate taxes. The long-term leases typically feature annual rate escalators, upward market resets, and participation rent features (a percentage of the farm's revenues). Its leases insulate the REIT from inflationary cost pressures while providing it with inflation-driven rent growth.
The REIT primarily invests in farms that grow fresh produce (fruits and vegetables). Since 1980, fresh produce prices have increased 386%, 1.3 times the increase in the overall CPI rate during that period. That higher inflation rate should benefit Gladstone, as it should earn higher participation rents from these farms, which should also appreciate faster than other farms.
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Gladstone Land's farm leases support its steadily rising monthly dividend. The REIT has increased its dividend, which currently yields nearly 6.5%, by 35 times over the past 45 quarters, for a total increase of 55.7%. Its goal is to grow its payout consistent with long-term inflation trends, providing investors with an inflation-protected income stream.
Vici Properties Vici Properties (VICI +1.05%) focuses on investing in experiential real estate, including gaming, hospitality, wellness, entertainment, and leisure destinations. It owns 101 properties across the U.S. and Canada, including 61 gaming properties and 40 other experiential properties. The REIT also invests in loans secured by experiential properties.
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The company leases its owned real estate under long-term NNN leases with high-quality operating tenants. Its portfolio currently has a nearly 40-year weighted average remaining lease term. Those leases increasingly protect Vici's rent from inflation, with 45% of its rent coming from CPI-linked leases this year, rising to 87% by 2035.
Vici's increasingly inflation-linked leases provide it with steadily rising cash flow to support its growing dividend (current yield of more than 6.5%). It has grown its dividend at a 7% compound annual rate over its eight years as a public company, well ahead of the 2.4% average of other REITs focused on NNN real estate.
W.P. Carey W.P. Carey (WPC +0.95%) owns a well-diversified portfolio of operationally critical real estate. It owns over 1,700 industrial, warehouse, retail, and other properties across North America and Europe secured by long-term NNN leases with built-in rent escalations.
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About 49% of its rent comes from leases with CPI-linked escalators. That high concentration of inflation-protected leases has enabled W.P. Carey to deliver best-in-class same-store rental growth rates in recent years (between 2.3% and 4.3%).
That steadily rising cash flow provides a solid foundation for the REIT's dividend yield of more than 5%. W.P. Carey has raised its payout every quarter since resetting it in late 2023, following its strategic decision to exit the office sector. The REIT has increased its dividend by 4.5% over the past year and should continue delivering mid-single-digit dividend growth as it expands its portfolio of inflation-linked properties.
Built to capitalize on inflation Gladstone Land, Vici Properties, and W.P. Carey receive a meaningful share of their rent from leases with rent escalators tied to inflation. That positions them to thrive when inflation is on the rise, as they'll deliver higher rental growth rates to support their rising dividends. Given the recent inflation uptick, these REITs are good buys right now for those seeking to position their portfolios to thrive in the current environment.
Washington is pouring real money into quantum, and the Q1 2026 reports from IonQ (NYSE:IONQ | IONQ Price Prediction) and IBM (NYSE:IBM) show why that matters. IonQ posted $64.67 million in revenue, up 755% year over year. IBM delivered $15.92 billion, up 9.46%. Same tailwind, two completely different financial realities.
Hypergrowth on Borrowed Time vs. Cash Machine on Cruise Control IonQ’s quarter looks dazzling on the top line. CEO Niccolo de Masi called it “the biggest quarter in our company’s history” and raised full-year guidance to $260 million to $270 million. Wins include the first 256-qubit sale to the University of Cambridge, DARPA’s HARQ selection, a $39 million Space Development Agency HALO contract, and an MDA SHIELD slot. Underneath, the burn is real: an adjusted EBITDA loss of $96.75 million, operating cash flow of negative $151 million, and $128.52 million in stock-based comp diluting holders.
IBM’s quarter looked nothing like that. Arvind Krishna highlighted “broad-based revenue growth across our segments”, with Software up 11.3%, Infrastructure up 15.3%, and IBM Z mainframe revenue surging 51%. Free cash flow landed at $2.22 billion, and the dividend was lifted to $1.69, the 31st consecutive annual hike.
Lens IonQ IBM Q1 Revenue $64.7M $15.92B Operating Cash Flow -$151M +$5.17B Funding Source Equity offerings Self-funded One Begs Capital Markets. The Other Writes Its Own Checks. IonQ is racing to build a full-stack quantum supplier through the pending SkyWater deal and a pipeline of national network builds in Poland, Florida, and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic. That ambition is expensive. With $493.5 million in cash and a full-year EBITDA loss guided to $310 million to $330 million, IonQ remains structurally reliant on dilutive equity offerings.
IBM’s quantum lab rides shotgun on a $249 billion machine. The $12.5 billion generative AI book of business and mainframe refresh cycle bankroll the research without touching shareholders. Polymarket traders price only a 17% chance of Uncle Sam taking an IonQ equity stake this year, a reminder that government money typically flows as contracts.
The Next Test Is Liquidity I will be watching whether IonQ converts its $470 million in remaining performance obligations into actual cash before the next capital raise. For IBM, the question is whether Infrastructure can repeat its 15.8% segment margin while Consulting stays stuck at 4.0% growth. IonQ shares are down 15.78% in the past month, while IBM trades at a sober 21x forward earnings.
Why IBM Looks Like the More Durable Quantum Exposure For investors seeking quantum exposure without dependence on the equity issuance window, IBM offers the more self-funded profile. The 2.66% dividend, low 0.665 beta, and self-funded R&D let you wait out the quantum adoption curve. IonQ can still pay off for risk-tolerant traders chasing the $67.64 analyst target, but at 116x sales with a 3.18 beta, you are paying for perfection. I would change my view on IonQ once free cash flow turns.
Merck (MRK - 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 pharmaceutical company have returned +4.6%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, which Merck falls in, has gained 4.7%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Revisions to Earnings EstimatesRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
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.
Merck is expected to post earnings of $2.10 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.17 points to a change of -42.4% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $9.85 indicates a change of +90.5% from what Merck is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Merck.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue GrowthWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.
For Merck, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $16.28 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $66.79 billion and $70.62 billion estimates indicate +2.7% and +5.7% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryMerck reported revenues of $16.29 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +4.9%. EPS of -$1.28 for the same period compares with $2.22 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15.9 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.44%. The EPS surprise was +15.23%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates three times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
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.
Merck 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 Merck. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
, /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) ("MGM Resorts" or the "Company") will release its financial results for the second quarter 2026 after the market closes on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. MGM Resorts will host a conference call that day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which will include a brief discussion of the results followed by a question and answer session. In addition, supplemental slides will be posted prior to the start of the call on MGM's Investor Relations website at http://investors.mgmresorts.com.
The call will be accessible via the Internet through http://investors.mgmresorts.com/events-and-presentations/ or by calling 1-888-317-6003 for domestic callers and 1-412-317-6061 for international callers. The conference call access code is 3854404.
A replay of the call will be available through August 5, 2026. The replay may be accessed by dialing 1-855-669-9658 or 1-412-317-0088. The replay access code is 6498752.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global gaming and entertainment company with national and international destinations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 30 unique hotel and gaming destinations globally, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The Company's 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers sports betting and online gaming in North America through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker, and the Company's subsidiary, LV Lion Holding Limited, offers sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands in several jurisdictions throughout Europe and Brazil. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through an integrated resort development in Japan. Through its Focused on What Matters philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests and in the communities where it operates. The global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on X as well as Facebook and Instagram.
MGM RESORTS CONTACTS
Investment Community:
SARAH ROGERS, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance and Treasurer
[email protected]
HOWARD WANG, Vice President of Investor Relations
[email protected]
News Media:
BRIAN AHERN, Executive Director of Communications
[email protected]
Key Takeaways Chevron confirmed employees are safe and Venezuelan operations continue without earthquake disruptions. CVX said key crude projects, refining and export facilities continue operating normally. Chevron is supporting communities while monitoring safety and recovery across Venezuela. Chevron Corporation (CVX - Free Report) has confirmed that its operations in Venezuela remain unaffected despite two powerful earthquakes that caused widespread destruction and significant loss of life, underscoring the company's commitment to employee safety, operational resilience and support for local communities during challenging times.
Employee Safety Remains the Top Priority for CVXChevron reported that all of its employees in Venezuela are safe and accounted for following the twin earthquakes, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. The company expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting employees, neighboring communities and maintaining safe operations.
With a long-standing presence in the country, Chevron emphasized that protecting its workforce remains its highest priority while continuing to monitor the evolving situation closely.
CVX's Operations Continue Without DisruptionDespite the severe impact of the earthquakes, Chevron, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), confirmed that its Venezuelan assets continue to operate normally. The company's three onshore heavy crude projects in western and eastern Venezuela have not experienced operational disruptions.
Key oil infrastructure also remained functional following the seismic events. Venezuela's Paraguaná refining complex, located near the affected region, continued normal refining activities, while the José export terminal maintained regular crude export operations.
These developments demonstrate the resilience of critical energy infrastructure even under difficult circumstances.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Industry Maintains StabilityChevron was not the only energy company to report uninterrupted operations. Other international operators, including Eni S.p.A. (E - Free Report) and Repsol, S.A. (REPYY - Free Report) , also confirmed that their Venezuelan assets remain operational.
Eni continues supplying natural gas that supports approximately half of Venezuela's gas-fired power generation, while Repsol's projects, including its partnership with Eni in the Perla gas field, continue contributing to the country's energy supply.
Although operations have remained stable, authorities and industry operators like CVX, E and REPYY continue assessing petrochemical facilities located closer to the earthquake's epicenter to ensure long-term safety.
Recovery Efforts Continue Across VenezuelaEmergency response teams remain engaged in rescue and recovery efforts following one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in Venezuela in more than a century. Authorities continue evaluating damage to industrial facilities, public infrastructure and residential areas.
Meanwhile, the Morón Petrochemical Complex has begun restoring operations after temporarily suspending activities to complete safety inspections. The precautionary shutdown reflects the industry's emphasis on protecting personnel and ensuring facility integrity before resuming operations.
Chevron's Long-Term Commitment to VenezuelaChevron has maintained a presence in Venezuela through years of political and economic uncertainty. It is making major developments in Venezuela, where production from its joint ventures has been steadily rising, reinforcing its position as a critical partner to PDVSA. The company currently contributes roughly a quarter of the country’s total crude output, underscoring both its operational importance and long-term strategic interest in the region. Chevron's ability to continue operating safely following this natural disaster reflects its focus on operational excellence, risk management and responsible energy production.
By prioritizing employee safety while maintaining reliable operations, Chevron continues to support Venezuela's energy sector during a period of significant national hardship.
Chevron's Ongoing Commitment to Safety and RecoveryAs Venezuela continues recovery efforts, Chevron remains focused on safeguarding its workforce, supporting affected communities and ensuring the safe operation of its assets. The company's swift response and operational resilience demonstrate the importance of strong safety practices and infrastructure preparedness in the face of unexpected natural disasters.
With ongoing assessments across the country's energy sector, Chevron continues working alongside stakeholders to provide reliable energy while contributing to recovery efforts wherever possible.
Key Takeaways NEM's expansion through projects and strong free cash flow support shareholder returns.Kinross is advancing growth projects while reducing debt and boosting liquidity.Both NEM and KGC have outpaced the industry with rising earnings estimates. Newmont Corporation (NEM - Free Report) and Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC - Free Report) are two prominent players in the gold mining space with global operations and diversified portfolios. Although gold prices have seen a sharp correction from the record highs reached in January 2026, they remain at supportive levels. Against this backdrop, comparing these two major industry players is particularly relevant for investors seeking exposure to the precious metals sector.
A combination of geopolitical tensions, a weaker U.S. dollar, tariff-related uncertainty and concerns about the Federal Reserve’s independence had propelled bullion to an all-time high of nearly $5,600 per ounce in late January. Since then, gold has retreated significantly due to inflation concerns triggered by a surge in crude oil prices amid Middle East tensions, with prices falling to $4,500 per ounce around the end of May.
The decline has continued this month, with prices recently falling near $4,000 per ounce, marking their lowest level in nearly eight months. The latest weakness reflects growing expectations of interest rate hikes and a stronger U.S. dollar, even as inflation fears eased following an interim agreement between the United States and Iran. Meanwhile, in its most recent policy meeting, the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, but signaled a potential rate increase before the year's end. Even after the steep correction, gold prices remain roughly 21% higher than a year ago.
Let’s dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of these two mining giants to determine which one is a better investment now.
The Case for NewmontNewmont continues to invest in growth projects in a calculated manner. The company is pursuing several projects, including the Cadia Panel Caves and Tanami Expansion 2 in Australia. These projects should expand Newmont’s production capacity and extend mine life, driving revenues and profits.
In October 2025, NEM achieved a significant milestone at Ahafo North. It achieved commercial production at the project, which followed the first gold pour in September 2025. Ahafo North is expected to produce between 275,000 and 325,000 ounces of gold annually over an estimated mine life of 13 years. Output is expected to be 315,000 ounces this year, with a ramp-up to full capacity.
NEM recently received key regulatory approvals from the Province of British Columbia for its Red Chris Block Cave Project, marking a major milestone in the planned transformation of the Red Chris Mine from an open-pit operation to a large-scale block-cave mine. The approvals move the project closer to a final investment decision, which Newmont expects to make later this year.
Newmont has also divested non-core businesses as it shifts its strategic focus to Tier 1 assets. The company generated $3.6 billion from its portfolio optimization actions in 2025. These funds will support Newmont’s capital allocation strategy, which focuses on reinforcing its balance sheet and delivering returns to its shareholders.
Newmont has a strong liquidity position and generates substantial cash flows, which allow it to fund its growth projects, meet short-term debt obligations and drive shareholder value. At the end of the first quarter of 2026, Newmont had robust liquidity of roughly $12.8 billion, including cash and cash equivalents of around $8.8 billion. Its free cash flow surged 161% year over year to a record $3.1 billion in the first quarter, led by an increase in net cash from operating activities. Net cash from operating activities amounted to $3.8 billion in the first quarter, up from $2 billion in the year-ago quarter.
NEM has distributed $3.4 billion to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in 2025. It has returned $2.7 billion to its shareholders since Feb. 19, 2026. Newmont has executed buybacks of $6 billion under the earlier authorized share repurchase programs, including $2.4 billion since the fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call. Its board has approved an additional $6 billion repurchase program. NEM offers a dividend yield of 1.1% at the current stock price. Its payout ratio is 12%.
Newmont also remains committed to deleveraging, reducing debt by roughly $3.4 billion in 2025. It reduced debt by an additional $42 million in the first quarter, resulting in a strong net cash position of $3.2 billion.
NEM, however, saw lower gold production for the first quarter, partly linked to its strategic divestment of non-core assets. NEM reported a roughly 16% year-over-year and 10% sequential decline in attributable gold production to 1.3 million ounces. Newmont expects second-quarter 2026 production to be below the first-quarter level.
The company anticipates gold production at about 5.26 million ounces for 2026, indicating a year-over-year decline from 5.89 million ounces in 2025. NEM expects lower production from Penasquito and Cadia in 2026 due to the site transitions. It also sees lower-than-expected production from Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo. These will be partly offset by contributions from the newly commissioned Ahafo North mine.
The Case for KinrossKinross has a strong production profile and boasts a promising pipeline of exploration and development projects. Its key development projects and exploration programs remain on track. These projects are expected to boost production and cash flow, and deliver significant value. The successful execution of these projects will position the company for a new wave of low-cost, long-life production.
KGC is progressing with the construction of three organic growth projects to expand its U.S. portfolio. This is aimed at extending mine life and cost optimization. The projects are Round Mountain Phase X and Bald Mountain Redbird 2 in Nevada, and the Kettle River–Curlew project in Washington. Together, the projects are expected to contribute significantly to Kinross’ U.S. production profile. They are expected to contribute 3 million ounces of life-of-mine production to KGC’s portfolio, adding grades and mine lives.
KGC has strong liquidity of $3.9 billion and generates substantial cash flows, which allows it to finance its development projects, pay down debt and drive shareholder value. Kinross reactivated its share buyback program in April 2025. It completed a $600 million share repurchase program as of Dec. 31, 2025. The Toronto Stock Exchange, in March, accepted the notice to renew its normal course issuer bid program. KGC repurchased shares worth roughly $250 million in the first quarter and $300 million this year through April 29.
KGC generated a record free cash flow of roughly $2.5 billion last year. It returned $752.4 million to its shareholders through dividends and buybacks in 2025. The company also logged attributable free cash flow of $837.5 million in the first quarter, marking the fourth straight quarter of record free cash flow. It ended the quarter with about $1.4 billion in net cash.
In 2025, the company repaid $700 million of debt. With $1.7 billion in available credit (as of March 31, 2026) and no debt maturities until 2033, Kinross is well-positioned to support growth while strengthening its balance sheet and delivering shareholder value.
KGC’s board has approved a 14% increase to its quarterly dividend, amounting to 16 cents per share on an annualized basis. Kinross is targeting to return 40% of its free cash flow through share buybacks and dividends in 2026. KGC offers a dividend yield of 0.7% at the current stock price. It has a payout ratio of 7% with a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of roughly 2.4%.
Despite these positives, KGC remains exposed to headwinds from higher production costs. Its attributable production cost of sales per gold equivalent ounce was $1,380 in the first quarter, up 33% from the prior-year quarter’s levels. The rise was partly due to higher royalty costs stemming from increased gold prices. It saw first-quarter attributable all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) — a critical cost metric for miners — of $1,732 per ounce, marking a 28% increase from the year-ago quarter.
Kinross expects AISC to be $1,730 per ounce (+/-5%) for 2026, indicating a year-over-year increase from $1,571 per ounce in 2025, partly due to inflationary impacts. AISC is expected to be adversely impacted by cost inflation from elevated crude oil prices.
Price Performance and Valuation of NEM & KGCNEM stock has rallied 68% in the past year, while KGC stock has gained 61.7% compared with the Zacks Mining – Gold industry’s increase of 41.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEM is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 9.24. This represents a modest 1.8% premium when stacked up with the industry average of 9.08X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Kinross is trading at a discount to Newmont. The KGC stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 8.27, below its industry average.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Do Zacks Consensus Estimates Compare for NEM & KGC?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NEM’s 2026 sales and EPS implies a year-over-year rise of 20.2% and 43.8%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 have been trending higher over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The consensus estimate for KGC’s 2026 sales and EPS implies year-over-year growth of 33.2% and 58.2%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 have been trending northward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEM or KGC: Which Stock is a Better Pick Now?NEM and KGC currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each, so picking one stock is not easy. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Both Newmont and Kinross are demonstrating strong financial performance and commitment to shareholder returns, supported by firm gold prices. Both have a strong pipeline of development projects and solid financial health. The companies are also seeing favorable estimate revisions. Kinross appears to have an edge over Newmont due to its more attractive valuation and higher growth projections. Investors seeking exposure to the gold space might consider KGC as the more favorable option at this time.
Key Takeaways NBIS is expanding its AI infrastructure, targeting more than 4 GW of contracted power capacity by year-end. DLR is seeing record AI-driven leasing, expanding its data center pipeline through 2027 and beyond.Both NBIS and DLR are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, but differ in growth pace and business models. Nebius Group N.V. (NBIS - Free Report) and Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR - Free Report) are benefiting from the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure as enterprises and hyperscalers accelerate investments in high-performance computing, AI cloud platforms and next-generation data centers. Growing demand for AI training and inference workloads is driving the need for large-scale GPU capacity, power-rich data center campuses and globally connected infrastructure, positioning both companies to capitalize on the ongoing buildout of the AI ecosystem.
While Nebius is expanding its AI-native cloud platform by adding GPU capacity, securing long-term customer commitments and investing heavily in new AI infrastructure, Digital Realty is scaling its global data center platform through record leasing activity, hyperscale developments and expanded connectivity to support increasingly AI-driven workloads. Both companies continue to invest aggressively to meet rising AI infrastructure demand, although they are executing through different business models within the AI infrastructure value chain.
Let’s evaluate their fundamentals, growth prospects, market challenges and valuations to determine which stock presents a stronger investment opportunity.
The Case for NBISNebius is rapidly scaling its AI infrastructure footprint by expanding data center capacity and strengthening its AI-native hyperscaler platform. Within the past three months, the company has increased its contracted power capacity from more than 2 gigawatts to over 3.5 gigawatts and now expects to exceed 4 gigawatts by year-end. It also announced a new data center site in Pennsylvania, which is expected to support 1.2 gigawatts of power at full build-out. More than 75% of the company's contracted power capacity is now owned, reflecting its strategy of building and operating an integrated AI infrastructure platform with greater control over long-term capacity.
The company continues to enhance its full-stack AI cloud platform by offering services across the AI lifecycle, including bare-metal infrastructure, multi-tenant cloud, inference and agentic capabilities. The acquisitions of Tavily, Eigen AI and Clarifai have strengthened its engineering capabilities while improving inference optimization and agentic search technologies. The company also expanded its collaboration with NVIDIA and achieved NVIDIA Exemplar Cloud status for GB300 training workloads, placing it among a limited number of cloud providers recognized across multiple GPU generations.
Demand for Nebius' AI infrastructure remains strong across a broad range of industries, with management stating that several customers typically compete for every GPU brought online. During the first quarter, pipeline generation increased 3.5 times sequentially, supported by growing demand from AI-native companies, enterprises and software vendors. Customers spanning fintech, physical AI, life sciences, manufacturing, energy and pharmaceuticals are increasingly adopting the company's AI cloud platform. Nebius also delivered a strong first-quarter financial performance, with group revenue rising 684% year over year and the AI business recording 841% revenue growth, reaching an annualized run-rate revenue of $1.9 billion.
For 2026, Nebius expects annualized run-rate revenue of $7 billion to $9 billion, group revenue of $3 billion to $3.4 billion and an adjusted EBITDA margin of around 40%. However, management expects quarterly EBITDA margins to fluctuate during the year as investments in infrastructure and capacity expansion are incurred ahead of revenue generation. Margins are expected to decline in the second quarter due to the back-half weighted deployment of new capacity before recovering to first-quarter levels in the third quarter and improving further in the fourth quarter.
The company has also raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to between $20 billion and $25 billion from the earlier range of $16 billion to $20 billion to support additional AI infrastructure capacity planned for 2027. The increased investment is backed by customer commitments but will require incremental financing through asset-backed structures, corporate debt and other funding alternatives. The company continues to evaluate multiple financing sources while maintaining a disciplined approach to funding its long-term data center expansion strategy.
The Case for DLRDigital Realty is gaining from robust AI infrastructure and data center demand, with enterprises and hyperscalers increasingly deploying AI workloads across its global PlatformDIGITAL ecosystem. The company said digital infrastructure has become foundational as AI adoption accelerates compute intensity, cloud demand remains resilient and enterprises continue investing in technology. This drove one of the strongest leasing quarters in the company's history, supported by rising demand for both interconnection services and large-scale hyperscale capacity.
The company continues to strengthen its position in AI-ready infrastructure through record leasing activity and an expanding global footprint. The company signed its largest-ever lease, a 200-megawatt AI inference deployment with a hyperscale customer in Charlotte, while also securing multiple 10-plus megawatt AI-related leases across major global markets. AI-oriented bookings represented a record share of the 0-1 megawatt category, reflecting growing enterprise adoption. To support future demand, the company expanded its development pipeline to 1.2 gigawatts under construction, increased investments in hyperscale campuses and added new connectivity hubs and land acquisitions across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Digital Realty is also benefiting from strong long-term visibility supported by a record backlog and continued investments in AI-focused data center capacity. Management highlighted that customers are shifting AI deployments from pilot projects to production environments, particularly for inference workloads, while enterprise AI demand continues to expand. Record bookings lifted the backlog to $1.8 billion, with lease commencements extending into 2027 and beyond. Digital Realty is simultaneously scaling its private capital platform, expanding hyperscale development funding and securing additional land and power resources to meet customers' long-term AI infrastructure requirements.
However, the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure continues to face industry-wide execution challenges. Management noted that limited power availability, labor shortages, supply chain constraints and community opposition are restricting the pace at which new data center capacity can be delivered. These factors are widening the gap between customer demand and deployable capacity, while utilities, equipment availability and construction timelines remain key variables across major markets.
Digital Realty is also navigating higher development costs as inflation in land values, construction expenses, supply chains and liquid-cooling infrastructure increases capital requirements for new AI data centers. The company acknowledged elevated operating expenses during the quarter and expects continued investment spending to support hyperscale growth. While management believes market rental rates are strong enough to offset rising development costs and preserve targeted returns, higher capital intensity and ongoing infrastructure investments remain important considerations.
Share Performance for NBIS & DLRIn the past three months, NBIS stock has surged 154.5% while DLR gained 10.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation for NBIS & DLRIn terms of Price/Book, NBIS shares are trading at 8.97X, higher than DLR’s 2.93X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Do Estimates Compare for NBIS & DLR?Over the past 60 days, analysts have significantly revised estimates for NBIS’ bottom line for the current year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
For DLR, estimates have been revised marginally upward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NBIS or DLR: Which Stock is the Better Investment?Both NBIS and DLR currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
While Digital Realty provides a more established and stable data center platform supported by strong leasing activity and long-term backlog, Nebius' faster growth profile, improving earnings outlook and expanding AI-native platform make it the more compelling choice for investors seeking higher upside in the AI infrastructure space.
The upcoming report from General Mills (GIS - Free Report) is expected to reveal quarterly earnings of $0.82 per share, indicating an increase of 10.8% compared to the year-ago period. Analysts forecast revenues of $4.6 billion, representing an increase of 1% year over year.
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone a downward revision of 1.5% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial estimates during this timeframe.
Before a company reveals its earnings, it is vital to take into account any changes in earnings projections. These revisions play a pivotal role in predicting the possible reactions of investors toward the stock. Multiple empirical studies have consistently shown a strong association between trends in earnings estimates and the short-term price movements of a stock.
While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.
That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some General Mills metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Net Sales- North America Foodservice' should arrive at $581.13 million. The estimate suggests a change of +0.3% year over year.
Analysts predict that the 'Net Sales- International' will reach $840.10 million. The estimate suggests a change of +13.7% year over year.
The average prediction of analysts places 'Net Sales- North America Pet' at $717.24 million. The estimate suggests a change of +6.2% year over year.
Analysts expect 'Net Sales- North America Retail' to come in at $2.49 billion. The estimate points to a change of -2.9% from the year-ago quarter.
Analysts' assessment points toward 'Operating Profit- North America Retail' reaching $501.90 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $473.80 million.
Analysts forecast 'Operating Profit- International' to reach $39.51 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $33.70 million in the same quarter last year.
The consensus among analysts is that 'Operating Profit- North America Pet' will reach $144.19 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $140.10 million in the same quarter last year.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Operating Profit- North America Foodservice' will likely reach $78.16 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $83.10 million in the same quarter last year.
View all Key Company Metrics for General Mills here>>>
Shares of General Mills have demonstrated returns of +4.5% over the past month compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. With a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), GIS is expected to lag the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Snowflake (SNOW +2.68%) has moved beyond the panic phase as growth reaccelerates, guidance rises, and artificial intelligence creates new demand for governed enterprise data. The opportunity looks compelling, but the valuation leaves little room for disappointment if competition intensifies or momentum slows again.
Stock prices used were the market prices of June 17, 2026. The video was published on June 25, 2026.
Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Snowflake. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
Snowflake Inc. (SNOW - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Over the past month, shares of this company have returned -5.1%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Software industry, which Snowflake falls in, has lost 7.4%. 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.
For the current quarter, Snowflake is expected to post earnings of $0.45 per share, indicating a change of +28.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +5.8% over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.93 points to a change of +54.4% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +13.1%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.57 indicates a change of +33.2% from what Snowflake is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +7.2%.
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, Snowflake 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 Snowflake, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $1.47 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +28.4%. For the current and next fiscal years, $6.07 billion and $7.55 billion estimates indicate +29.6% and +24.4% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistorySnowflake reported revenues of $1.39 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +33.5%. EPS of $0.39 for the same period compares with $0.24 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +5.23%. The EPS surprise was +21.88%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
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.
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.
Snowflake is graded F 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 Snowflake. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
United Parcel Service (UPS - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.
Shares of this package delivery service have returned +2.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry, to which UPS belongs, has lost 4.3% 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.
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.
For the current quarter, UPS is expected to post earnings of $1.67 per share, indicating a change of +7.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $7.1 points to a change of -0.8% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $7.9 indicates a change of +11.2% from what UPS 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, UPS 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 UPS, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $21.51 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +1.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $89.78 billion and $93.42 billion estimates indicate +1.3% and +4.1% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryUPS reported revenues of $21.2 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.6%. EPS of $1.07 for the same period compares with $1.49 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $21.03 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +0.82%. The EPS surprise was +2.88%.
Over the last four quarters, UPS surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.
Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
UPS is graded B on this front, indicating that it is trading at a discount to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.
Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about UPS. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Costco (COST - 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 warehouse club operator have returned -5.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry, to which Costco belongs, has lost 4% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
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 EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current quarter, Costco is expected to post earnings of $6.49 per share, indicating a change of +10.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.1% over the last 30 days.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $20.38 points to a change of +13.3% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.3%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $22.46 indicates a change of +10.2% from what Costco is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +0.3%.
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, Costco 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.
In the case of Costco, the consensus sales estimate of $93.85 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +8.9%. The $301.03 billion and $324.4 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +9.4% and +7.8%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryCostco reported revenues of $70.53 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.6%. EPS of $4.93 for the same period compares with $4.28 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $69.5 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +1.47%. The EPS surprise was +0.41%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates two times over this period.
ValuationNo investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
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.
Costco 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 Costco. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Key Takeaways SSR Mining closed the sale of its 80% stake in the Copler Mine to Cengiz.SSRM received $1.49B in cash and plans to reinvest, return capital and pursue growth.SSR Mining expects its 2026 gold equivalent output of 450,000-535,000 ounces from four mines. SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM - Free Report) announced that it closed its previously announced sale of 80% stake in the Çöpler Mine to Cengiz Holding A.S. Along with the prior announced sale of the 20% stake in the Hod Maden development project, the sale of the Çöpler Mine is consistent with SSR Mining's refocusing toward an Americas platform.
Details of SSR Mining’s Deal to Sell Çöpler Mine StakesOn March 4, 2026, SSR Mining inked a binding memorandum of understanding to sell its majority stake in the Çöpler Mine and related properties in Türkiye. Çöpler was a key contributor to SSRM’s output, which stopped operations on Feb. 13, 2024, following a significant slip on the heap leach pad.
SSR Mining worked toward the restart of the Çöpler Mine while securing the necessary regulatory approvals from Turkish authorities over the past two years. During this time, the company determined a strategic review to be the optimal path for the mine to maximize shareholder value.
SSR Mining received $1.49 billion in cash from the transaction, which it plans to use for continued business reinvestment, capital returns and accretive growth initiatives. SSRM expects the sale to yield immediate value for shareholders by exceeding current market expectations for the mine's net asset value and cash flow.
SSRM’s recent strategic actions, including the acquisition of the Cripple Creek & Victor Mine, position it as a leading producer in the United States focused on free cash flow and capital return. The company currently operates four active mines across the United States, Canada and Argentina. SSR Mining expects gold-equivalent ounces to be 450,000-535,000 for 2026.
SSRM Stock Price PerformanceThe SSRM stock has appreciated a whopping 125.2% in a year compared with the industry’s return of 40.8%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SSR Mining’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dow's current-year earnings is pegged at $2.61 per share, indicating a 377% year-over-year surge. Dow’s shares have gained 13.6% in a year.
Albemarle has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 74.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $12.45 per share, indicating year-over-year growth from a loss of 79 cents. ALB shares have skyrocketed 124% so far this year.
Avino Silver has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 125%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Avino Silver’s 2026 earnings is pegged at 39 cents per share, indicating 34.5% year-over-year growth. Its shares have surged 62.7% in a year.
Lemonade (LMND +0.07%) has become a popular insurance technology company over the past few years. Insurance is an industry full of legacy players, with some giants that are more than a century old, and it was ripe for disruption with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI).
Although it got off to a bumpy start, losing more than 90% of its value at one point, Lemonade stock has made a sustained comeback, up 247% over the past three years. Can it do a repeat performance?
Sweetening the deal Lemonade is a digital insurance company that relies on AI and machine learning to price policies, onboard customers, and approve claims. This removes human intervention as much as possible, making for a simpler, quicker, and more transparent experience. At some point, it should be cheaper to operate as well.
For now, it's adding customers at a rapid pace, including a 23% year-over-year increase in the 2026 first quarter to over 3 million in total; that's double the count from 2022.
Image source: Getty Images.
In-force premium (IFP), the standard top-line metric for insurance companies, has accelerated over the past 10 quarters, rising 32% year over year in the first quarter, while gross margin improved from 26% to 39%.
The main reason the stock bounced back and has performed so well over the past few years is the improvement in its loss ratio. That measures how much Lemonade pays out in claims, and it's been trending down. At 62% in the first quarter, it's well within the target range and comparable to other insurance companies.
Management believes it has an edge over legacy companies because its digital parts are interconnected and work together. The larger, older companies are all moving toward this model, but even though Lemonade is younger, it has a head start here. Here, being smaller also works in its favor, since it's more agile and can make changes more easily.
What happens next Right now, Lemonade is still in rollout mode, and it has high expenses. That's eating into its profits, and it's still reporting losses even on an adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) basis.
Today's Change
(
0.07
%) $
0.04
Current Price
$
56.03
Management is guiding for positive adjusted EBITDA by the end of this year and positive net income next year. From there, it envisions becoming much more profitable as AI and machine learning do their work.
So can Lemonade stock triple over the next three years? It trades at a price-to-sales ratio of 6, which is fair considering its growth. Revenue increased 71% in the first quarter, also an acceleration, so let's choose 50% as a possible compound annual growth rate (CAGR). In that case, trailing-12-month revenue would reach $2.4 billion from $725 million today, and keeping the price-to-sales ratio constant, the stock would indeed triple.
This is just one scenario. Revenue growth could decelerate further, and the price-to-sales ratio could go down. But as it becomes profitable, it's possible the stock could triple over the next three years.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PLTR, CRM either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Disclaimer: I am not an investment advisor or professional. This article is my own personal opinion and is not meant to be a recommendation of the purchase or sale of stock. The investments and strategies discussed within this article are solely my personal opinions and commentary on the subject. This article has been written for research and educational purposes only. Anything written in this article does not take into account the reader’s particular investment objectives, financial situation, needs, or personal circumstances and is not intended to be specific to you. Investors should conduct their own research before investing to see if the companies discussed in this article fit into their portfolio parameters. Just because something may be an enticing investment for myself or someone else, it may not be the correct investment for you.
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.
Microsoft is the outlier here. It looks like it’s going to bounce a bit, but quite frankly, it’s been a straight line down for the entire month. Sooner or later, a bounce makes sense. When looked at through the prism of the longer term, we are pretty close to a major support region, right around $350. So we’ll see if this holds. If it doesn’t, we could see this market drop down to the $315 level pretty quickly.
To the upside, I have a hard time believing we’re going to clear 375 easily. This might be a short-term “smash and grab” type of trade on the upside, but to have a longer-term bottom, we need to put in more work. This has been a complete crash down from the beginning of June, dropping directly from $466, losing $110 a share pretty quickly. That obviously is a big deal. If they can get some type of bounce here, it’s a good short-term trade. Longer-term trade, they need to work out their issues with Copilot not being adopted.
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR - 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.
Shares of this company have returned -25.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Internet - Software industry, to which Palantir Technologies belongs, has lost 7.4% 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 RevisionsRather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection. This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Palantir Technologies is expected to post earnings of $0.35 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +118.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.47 points to a change of +96% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed -1.4%.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $2.06 indicates a change of +39.7% from what Palantir Technologies is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -2%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for Palantir Technologies.
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 Palantir Technologies, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $1.81 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +80%. For the current and next fiscal years, $7.69 billion and $10.9 billion estimates indicate +71.9% and +41.7% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryPalantir Technologies reported revenues of $1.63 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +84.7%. EPS of $0.33 for the same period compares with $0.13 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.54 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +6.04%. The EPS surprise was +13.79%.
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.
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.
Palantir Technologies is graded F 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.
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 Palantir Technologies. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.
HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd (TSX:HIVE, NASDAQ:HIVE, FRA:YO0, BVC:HIVECO) has announced the pricing of an upsized private offering of $115 million in zero-coupon exchangeable senior notes due 2031, increasing the size of the deal from the previously announced $100 million.
The notes will be issued by HIVE Bermuda 2026 Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of HIVE, and are expected to close on June 30, subject to customary conditions. Initial purchasers have also been granted an option to buy up to an additional $15 million of notes within 13 days of issuance.
The notes will not pay regular interest and will mature on July 1, 2031, unless they are earlier exchanged, redeemed, or repurchased. They are exchangeable into cash, HIVE common shares, or a combination of both at the issuer's election. The initial exchange price is approximately $4.83 per share, representing a 27.5% premium to HIVE's Nasdaq closing price of $3.79 on June 25.
HIVE estimates net proceeds from the offering will total about $110 million, or roughly $124.5 million if the additional purchase option is exercised in full.
The company plans to use the funds for general corporate purposes, capital investments, including graphics processing unit (GPU) purchases, and data center development.
In connection with the offering, HIVE entered into cash-settled capped call transactions with certain financial institutions. The capped calls have an initial cap price of $8.53 per share, equal to a 125% premium over the June 25 closing price.
The company said the transactions are intended to reduce potential dilution from future exchanges of the notes and offset certain cash payments that could otherwise be required.
The notes are unsecured obligations of the issuer and are fully guaranteed by HIVE on a senior unsecured basis. Holders will have the right to require the issuer to repurchase their notes for cash on July 1, 2030, and under certain circumstances involving a fundamental change at the company.
The offering is being conducted as a private placement to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the US Securities Act.
Jefferies has reiterated its 'buy' rating on AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN, NASDAQ:AZN) and named the drugmaker a Franchise Pick, framing an approaching late-stage trial readout as the next major catalyst for the shares.
The broker holds a price target of 18,000p, implying upside of around 30% to the current price.
At the centre of the call is CARDIO-TTRansform, a phase III study of eplontersen, marketed as Wainua, in transthyretin amyloidosis, a progressive condition in which misfolded proteins build up in the heart.
Data is due in the second half of 2026, and Jefferies argues a positive result could de-risk around $5 billion in future sales while adding a low single-digit percentage to its net present value estimate.
The analysts see the trial as well placed to succeed, citing a large patient population and the ability to test the drug both alone and alongside existing stabiliser therapies such as tafamidis.
A favourable outcome would validate eplontersen as a competitive silencing treatment and open the door to combination use, where Jefferies sees the larger long-term prize.
The broker frames the opportunity within a transthyretin amyloidosis market it expects to reach around $18 billion by 2030, driven by earlier diagnosis and a shift towards disease-modifying therapies in a condition that remains widely underdiagnosed.
Jefferies also points to AstraZeneca's broader pipeline, including the amyloid-clearing antibody cliramitug, as evidence of a multi-mechanism franchise rather than a single-product bet.
On the longer-term question of growth beyond 2030, the analysts estimate AstraZeneca must de-risk roughly $12.5 billion of incremental revenue by 2034 to sustain forecast top-line growth of about 3% a year, a target they consider achievable.
The price target places the stock at a premium of around 40% to the European pharmaceuticals sector on 2027 earnings, a valuation Jefferies says is justified.
1. Apple Stock Falls on Price Rises Apple (AAPL +1.10%) suffered its worst one-day stock fall in over a year yesterday, after the iPhone maker announced price increases – on just about everything except iPhones, for now. The soaring competition for memory chips in short supply was highlighted by Micron's (MU 2.66%) exceptional results yesterday. Apple's new pricing follows Microsoft's (MSFT +3.93%) Xbox price jumps.
"Micron's huge AI windfall is bad news for most of us": Bloomberg's Chris Bryant noted the huge memory demand from AI superscalers is likely to keep prices high until at least 2028, due to the long time it takes to get new chip factories running. Global tech stock sell-off: Asian markets fell this morning following the week's AI-led jitters, with South Korea's Kospi index plunging more than 8% in early trading while Japan's Nikkei lost 5%. The Nasdaq has fallen 4.4% so far this week – with futures down more than 1% this morning, while S&P 500 futures dipped 0.3%. 2. Why I'd Rather Call Market Drops "Opportunities" I recently passed the 30th anniversary of the date that I purchased my first stock (I was not raised in a house that knew anything about investing or owned stocks of any kind). In the three decades since I've (we've all) seen a LOT ... And through it all, the market is "up and to the right."
Investing is such a rewarding effort and, three decades into this adventure (and hoping for another three to four decades beyond today), I've personally seen and so benefited from the magic of compounding.
I thus find it rather difficult to get worked up about market drops. Indeed, at this point it's engrained in me to consider sell-offs as just another opportunity. After all, what do you think "long-term investment time horizon" means?
3. Report: OpenAI to Delay IPO?
OpenAI is considering delaying its much-anticipated stock market launch until next year, says The New York Times. The rethink follows June's tech stock slump, and the lackluster response to SpaceX's (SPCX 0.12%) record IPO – from a rapid rise to over $225, SpaceX stock closed yesterday down at $153. OpenAI filed a draft IPO earlier this month with the SEC, and analysts had expected a launch in the third or fourth quarter.
Trillion-dollar valuation: Faced with a suggestion to delay until 2027 or lower OpenAI's target valuation, CEO Sam Altman called the latter a non-starter, according to the Times report. SoftBank stock plunges 12%: SoftBank, a major OpenAI backer with a stake worth an estimated $65 billion, experienced its biggest intraday stock fall in more than three months in Tokyo this morning as hopes for a quick IPO windfall fade. 4. Today's Take: AI Investing Lessons From History
As gravity is to physics, corrections are to markets. Balance must be – and will be – restored. Data companies hold the information that can drive balance-restoring efficiency, and it's why I still like and have meaningful stakes in MongoDB (MDB +3.60%) and Snowflake (SNOW +2.70%).-- Tim Beyers Team Rule Breakers
5. Your Take Which companies that you already have a position in are you considering adding to your portfolio soon, and why?
Discuss 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. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Micron Technology, Microsoft, MongoDB, and Snowflake. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Stock News Global tech stocks tumble on AI spending and IPO delay: Major indices and tech shares, including Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), an
Micron’s stock is still dirt cheap. Some analysts say that’s about to change.
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HomeIndustriesComputers/ElectronicsTech StocksTech StocksNew long-term customer agreements could bring more predictability to Micron’s financials, addressing a persistent investor concern about sustainabilityJune 26, 2026, 8:03 a.m. ET
Micron Technology’s stock remains very well-priced despite its explosive rally this year, but some analysts think it could soon break out of the bargain bin.
Shares of Micron MU trade at a forward price-to-earnings multiple of 9.2x, not much higher than the 8.3x multiple they fetched at the end of 2025, according to data provided by FactSet. While Micron has seen its stock price climb 325% so far this year, the pace of growth in rolling 12-month earnings-per-share estimates has been nearly as strong, at 284%.
About the Author
Emily Bary is MarketWatch's managing editor for companies coverage. She is based in New York.
Philip van Doorn writes the Deep Dive investing column for MarketWatch.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
In this video, I will cover Micron's (MU 2.66%) latest earnings report and explain what the results mean for the stock and how I am managing my own position. Watch the short video to learn more, consider subscribing, and click the special offer link below.
*Stock prices used were from the trading day of June. 25, 2026. The video was published on June. 25, 2026.
Neil Rozenbaum has positions in Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Neil is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
Micron Technology's MU shares fell sharply on Friday, giving up part of the gains recorded earlier in the week despite the memory chipmaker reporting stronger-than-expected quarterly results.
The stock declined nearly 5% in premarket trading as weakness spread across the broader semiconductor sector.
Other US chipmakers also traded lower, with Intel down just over 3%, Sandisk falling 5%, Arm shedding 4%, and Marvell declining 3.7%.
The decline came as investors remained cautious about the rising costs associated with artificial intelligence infrastructure, triggering a broader sell-off across global semiconductor stocks.
The weakness extended beyond the United States.
In Europe, ASML fell 2.2%, Infineon declined 3.7%, ASM International lost 2.8%, ST Microelectronics dropped 3.3%, and Be Semiconductor slipped 2%.
In Asia, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank led regional losses, plunging more than 12%.
The broader pullback followed a strong rally in AI-related semiconductor companies, even as Micron delivered robust financial results and issued an optimistic outlook.
MU reported third-quarter revenue of $41.46 billion, compared with $9.3 billion in the same period a year earlier.
The result exceeded analysts' expectations.
Adjusted earnings reached $25.11 per share on revenue of $41.5 billion, representing a 346% year-on-year increase.
Adjusted gross margin stood at 85%, while adjusted operating margin reached 81%.
The company also projected revenue of around $50 billion for the current quarter, compared with $11.3 billion in the corresponding period last year.
Micron also said customers had committed $22 billion to secure future memory chip supply.
Following the earnings announcement on Wednesday, Micron's shares surged more than 15% in a single session.
The stock has gained approximately 863% over the past year.
The rally briefly pushed Micron ahead of Meta Platforms and close to Tesla in terms of market capitalisation on Thursday.
Micron's market value had peaked at $1.398 trillion on Thursday's session compared with Meta Platforms at $1.392 trillion.
Tesla stood at around $1.4 trillion.
Micron currently has a market capitalisation of $1.37 trillion.
The company first crossed the $1 trillion market valuation mark on May 26, joining a group of semiconductor companies benefiting from investor enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Micron said second-quarter revenue quadrupled as demand for memory chips continued to outpace supply.
The company described the market as being supported by a demand-driven chip shortage that it expects to continue beyond 2027, marking a change from earlier expectations that supply constraints would ease sooner.
Micron now has 16 long-term chip supply agreements in place.
Growth was primarily driven by the company's two data-centre business segments, which together generated $25 billion in revenue, up 415% from a year earlier.
• Micron Technology stock is feeling bearish pressure. What’s pressuring MU stock?
Rather than hurting Micron, analysts say the listing could draw greater attention to the entire memory sector at a time when AI demand continues to drive what many see as a multiyear industry upcycle.
SK Hynix’s ADR Could Broaden The AI Memory TradeDi Zhou, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management, said the industry remains firmly in the grip of a memory supercycle.
“We are in the midst of a memory super cycle, with all three major suppliers — Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron — riding the AI-driven demand wave,” Zhou said.
He noted that U.S. investors have historically had limited access to Korean equities because of the lack of ADRs and the complexity of opening local brokerage accounts.
“SK Hynix’s ADR listing expands the investable universe for U.S. investors to access two of the three largest memory suppliers globally,” Zhou said, adding that broader ownership could “potentially narrow its valuation gap with Micron.”
Why Micron Investors Should CareGreater accessibility for SK Hynix may seem like new competition for Micron, but some analysts see the opposite effect.
Paul Meeks, head of technology research at Freedom Capital Markets, believes the listing could lift sentiment across the entire AI memory space.
“SK Hynix is riding the memory wave to this ADR listing. Times have never been better for this industry, which I’ve covered since the 1980s,” Meeks said.
“I think that the PR/IR around this listing will be a boon to all the companies in this group here and abroad, including our own MU,” he added.
The comments suggest that rather than shifting investor interest away from Micron, SK Hynix’s Wall Street debut could increase awareness of the broader AI memory trade, bringing fresh capital and analyst attention to a sector benefiting from soaring demand for AI servers.
For Micron investors, that could mean the arrival of a new competitor on U.S. exchanges also becomes a catalyst that shines a brighter spotlight on one of the semiconductor industry’s fastest-growing segments.
Image via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
HSBC has sharply raised its Micron (NASDAQ: MU) stock price target from $1,100 to $1,700, marking yet another upward revision for the semiconductor company.
For context, the bank’s first Micron target this year was $350, showing how quickly sentiment around memory has shifted as demand for artificial intelligence (AI) continues to accelerate.
Of course, Micron’s financial results have also helped build investor confidence, with fiscal third-quarter revenue of $41.46 billion and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) at $25.11.
At the center of this strength has been high-bandwidth memory and DRAM employed by data centers, which have effectively turned memory into one of the key constraints in the AI supply chain.
Micron price target raised to $2,000 at Barclays Barclays has also increased the firm’s price target on Micron from $1,175 to $2,000, and it keeps an ‘Buy’ rating on the shares following the earnings report.
The new price comes as Barclays cautions that equity markets may be heading into a volatile summer, as rising real yields and a strengthening U.S. dollar drive a rotation away from this year’s momentum leaders.
According to Barclays, real rates have broken out of their year-to-date trading range while the dollar has surged higher. The shift has weighed heavily on 2026’s strongest-performing trades, including AI.
Still, Barclays struck a more constructive tone on semiconductors, saying that strong results from Micron reinforce the view that AI-related demand remains strong.
Wall Street Micron consensus As of press time, Wall Street’s average price target for Micron stock is $1,526, implying nearly 26% upside from the current price, as per TipRanks estimates.
Micron stock price target. Source: TipRanks With 28 ‘Buy’ and just one ‘Hold’ rating in the past 90 days, Micron is on average rated a ‘Strong Buy.’
Featured image via Shutterstock
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